bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Een gehistorieerde familiegroep van Ferdinand Bol: twee fragmenten in Dordrecht en Lyon
Authors: Bruyn J.
Published: July 2010

For some time it has been thought that Ferdinand Bol's Portrait of a couple in a landscape in the Dordrecht Museum (fig. i) is part of a larger picture (note 3). The cropping of the composition on all four sides and the somewhat nondescript posture of the figures have given rise to this suspicion, which is confirmed by the absence of cusping, revealed by X-rays, along the edges of the canvas. The description of a painting sold at an Amsterdam auction in 1804 makes it clear that the original composition was somewhat taller and considerably wider than the canvas now in Dordrecht, and that it also showed a shepherd resting on the left with some sheep and a ram (notes 3 and 4). A large part of the missing portion can be recognized in a picture in the museum at Lyon (fig. 2), which during restoration in 1989 / 90 was discovered to be a fragment (note 5). It bears a close stylistic resemblance to the Dordrecht painting and contains the shepherd described in 1804 with a number of sheep, some of them fragmented when the composition was cut up. This must have taken place some time between 1804 and 1841, when the Lyon fragment was bequeathed to the museum there as a work by Bol. This attribution is certainly correct, in spite of a short-lived attribution to Lambert Doomer (note 5). Together, the canvases in Lyon and Dordrecht measure only a little less than the work described in 1804. This leaves little room between the two fragments (fig. 3), and one may assume that most of the sheep whose muzzle is only just visible on the right in the Lyon picture was painted on the canvas at Dordrecht and over-painted there with a boulder when there was no more room for the truncated animal. It is quite likely that the original composition was no longer intact even in 1804, as may be inferred from the aforementioned absence of cusping in the Dordrecht fragment. Blankert has suggested that the Dordrecht picture might be identified with a portrait by Bol, described in 1681, of the woman who was later to become his second wife and her first husband in the roles of Isaac and Rebecca. The introduction of a third figure, however, rules out this idea. The figures may well play a biblical role, but it is not clear what characters they are impersonating, and one might also wonder whether they are perhaps portrayed in a 'pastoral' guise.
Het leven van de schilder Aelbert van der Schoor
Authors: Jan Bok Marten
Published: July 2010

Aelbcrt van der Schoor was born in or before 1603 in Utrecht. He was the oldest son of Laurens Lambertsz. van der Schoor, a gunsmith from 's-Hertogenbosch and his wife Bertgen Jans. The names of Van der Schoor's teachers are not known. Between 1621 and 1641 his name did not occur in any Utrecht documents. In 1652 the banns were posted for his marriage to Elisabeth Jacobs de Blom of Dordrecht. The wedding did not take place because the bride, afraid that the painter was only interested in her money, changed her mind. Van der Schoor sued for breach of promise, taking the case through all the courts. In 1654 the Supreme Court of Holland and Zeeland awarded him financial compensation in lieu of claims. Van der Schoor's last dated work was done in 1662. Shortly afterwards he was committed to the Utrecht house of correction and in 1666 was transferred to the asylum, where he was cared for at the city's expense. The last payment was recorded in September 1672. Van der Schoor must have died after that, but neither the place nor the date of his death is known.
De Meester van de Magdalena-legende en de diptiek van Willem van Bibaut
Authors: De Vrij Marc Rudolf
Published: July 2010

Within the range of works attributed to the Master of the Magdalen Legend are a number of Madonnas generally considered to date back to the last decade of the 15th century. All of these pictures are comparatively small and show a rather chubby type of Madonna with the Child slightly out of proportion. The golden backgrounds are punctuated. All these pictures are by the same hand, and are considered to date from the earliest period of the artist's activity. One of these paintings, now in the Mayer-Van den Bergh Museum in Antwerp, shows the Madonna holding the Child at her left breast. There is a second version of this painting on the left-hand panel of a diptych formerly in the Wetzlar collection in Amsterdam. The right-hand panel bears the portrait of a Carthusian monk, and is inscribed Guilelmus bibaucis primas tot [ius] Ordinis Carthusiemum. 1523.. The sitter has been identified as Willem of Bibaut (1484 1535), who became abbot of the Grand Chartreuse monastery in Grenoble in 1521. The portrait was probably painted to commemorate that event. Given that the stylistically very different paintings belonging to the Magdalen altarpiece which gave the artist his name date from the same period, the Madonnas can no longer be regarded as early paintings by the Master of the Magdalen Legend. Apparently they are the work of another artist.
Vincent van Gogh en Antoine Furnée
Authors: Op De Coul Martha , Tellegen Annet
Published: July 2010

The small Van Gogh painting discussed in this article (fig. I) has never been published before. Originally, it belonged to Antoine Philippe Furnée (I86I-I897), whom Vincent had met in I883 in The Hague through Furnée père, the proprietor of a chemist's shop which also sold artists' paint. In the letters (365 (300), 372 (307) and 409 (342)) Furnée is referred to as 'the surveyor'. He was an amateur painter to whom Van Gogh gave advice. The two men would go out into the nearby countryside together to paint landscapes. In April I884 Furnee went to Java, where he remained until I897. He was probably already ailing on his return, for he died a few months later. His property passed to a brother, Antoine Louis Cornelis (I867-I965), a respected pharmacist of The Hague. The little painting, signed 'Vincent' at the bottom left, is done in oil on canvas pasted on cardboard, 30.5 by 23.I cm. Examination under fluorescent light shows it to be covered entirely with old varnish. On the back Furnée the pharmacist wrote: 'Chestnut tree on Broeksloot by Vincent van Gogh. This study was given by Vincent van Gogh to my brother A. Ph. Furnée (the surveyor)'. The gift accounts for the painting's being signed. Like many of the Hague paintings, this early work is of limited artistic merit. The poorly indicated space and forms are however offset by the good rendering of the contrast between light and dark areas. (Compare the paintings F 8a (fig. 3), F I92 (fig. 5) and the watercolour SD I680 (fig. 4).) The authenticity of the painting was established back in I963 in an appraisal by R. W. D. Oxenaar, and again at the Netherlands Institute for Art History by the present authors in I979, the year it was sold by the Furnee family. Two little pictures painted by Furnee on his expeditions with Vincent van Gogh come from the same source (figs. 6 and 7).
Kamerspelers: professionele tegenspelers van de rederijkers
Authors: Hummelen W.M.H.
Published: July 2010

The author presents forty fragments of texts dating from the period between the end of the fifteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth which are connected with kamerspelers or kamerspel, i.e. professional, itinerant actors who played in private rooms (kamers) for a fee. They performed alone or in small groups, wearing masks which enabled them to play a variety of double roles. In all these aspects they differed emphatically from the rederijkers, amateur actors in the chambers of rhetoric, who in the course of the sixteenth century gradually distanced themselves from the kamerspelers. During that same period the term kamerspel expanded to embrace other forms of entertainment: juggling, animal training, acrobatics and puppetry, the last of which remained closest to the original activity. On stage short, comical pieces were generally played, as well as adaptations of secular and biblical tales. As the Reformation gained ground, farces showing monks or priests in a derogatory light tended to be regarded as criticism and were likely to get the actors in trouble with the authorities. The article ends by examining a few longer texts: an extract from the inventory of a Delft kamerspeler's effects (I608), a report of a performance given by kamerspelers in Ypres, with dancing, marionettes and a farce (I594), and records of a trial against a husband-and-wife team of puppeteers accused of witchcraft in Eppegem (I60I).
Davidgeeft Uria de brief voor Joab: Niet Govert Flinck, maar Jacob Backer
Authors: Van Den Brink Peter B.R.
Published: July 2010

The large Daivid gives Uriah Joab's letter in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden has long been regarded as a late work by Govert Flinck, and compared with his David and Bathsheba, dated 1651, in Dublin. The two paintings are undoubtedly comparable as far as the composition is concerned. Nevertheless, these two history pieces differ considerably in style and technique. The figures in the Dublin picture are clearly recognizable as Flinck's stock-in-trade types, whereas none of the figures in David and Uriah seem to display any relationship to his painted oeuvre. Kurt Bauch pointed out the close relationship between the Dresden composition and the work of Jacob Backer as early as 1926, but did not question the traditional attribution. However, David gives Uriah Joab's letter was indeed painted by Jacob Backer and not by Flinck, his younger companion in Lambert Jacobsz.' Leeuwarden workshop. The painting, an early one, might best be compared with Backer's Saint John the Baptist Admonishing Herod and Herodias, signed and dated 1633, in Leeuwarden. Other paintings from this period, such as David and Nathan, Tribute Money (Stockholm) and thc recently auctioned Christ und the Woman Taken in Adultery, also have much in common stylistically with David and Uriah. Two figures in the Dresden painting certainly merit a closer examination. The old clerk who has just written Uriah's death sentence is a familiar face in Backer's oeuvre. He can be seen in several other paintings, including the early Democritus and Hippocrates, now in the collection of Alfred Bader. This face was evidently one of Backer's favourite 'tronies', for he painted at least four versions of this old man's head, two of which are also in Dresden. Another familiar face is that of Uriah himself. We encounter it in two studies, one of a Shepherd in Leeuwarden, the other of a Drinker in Berlin. Like the 'tronies' of the old man, these two seem to have been painted in the early 1630s. One wonders why the obvious relationship between the Dresden painting and several of Backer's history pieces and 'tronied' went unnoticed for so long. The chief reason seems to be that our knowledge of Backer's early development as a history painter has always been obscure: the signed Duvid and Nathan and the signed and dated Saint John the Baptist were published only recently.
Jan II van Coninxloo en zijn werkzaamheden voor het benedictinessenklooster van Groot-Bijgaarden bij Brussel
Authors: Van Der Ploeg Frank
Published: July 2010

This article examines the relationship between the Brussels painter Jan 11 van Coninxloo (ca. 1489-1561 or later) and the Benedictine convent of Groot-Bijgaarden. In earlier publications by J. Maquet-Tombu the link between certain members of the Van Coninxloo family and the Vorst convent have already been pointed out. A new chapter can now be added. In the archive of Groot-Bijgaarden convent are two books in which payments made by the prioresses Françoise and Catherine van Straten for the dccoration of the convent and the church are recorded. The books list a separate item for painting and polychrome work. Here, for the first time, the name Jan van Coninxloo crops up in connection with a sum paid for painting the side panels of the main altar. Van Coninxloo was also paid for painting organ doors, a vaulted ceiling and for 'rough painting'. Four triptychs by Van Coninxloo have also been preserved; they were commissions from women of noble birth who had taken the veil. The names of three of these nuns are known: Anthonine de Locquenghien, Berbel van dcr Noot and Marie Brant. The fourth was called Barbara (Berbel). In view of all this material it may be concluded that Van Coninxloo played a significant part in the decorative appearance of the convent church. He was responsible for triptychs on altars dedicated to St. Anne, St. John and St. Benedict. He also painted the smaller triptych with the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin, the panels of the high altar, doors for an organ and (part of) the ceiling decorations. The article offers a new insight into the context of a group of paintings and adds a number of works to Jan 11 van Coninxloo's oeuvre.
Jan Griffier de Oude als architectuurschilder
Authors: De Kinkelder Marijke C.
Published: July 2010

A Church interior erroneously attributed to Pieter Jansz. Saenredam is presented here as an uncustomary work by the landscapist Jan Griffier the Elder, along with two other corresponding architectural paintings. All three were painted shortly after his arrival in England, around 1670-1672. The genre was unusual in England, suggesting that the works may have been commissioned. Two paintings which recently appeared on the English markct shed a light on Griffier as an imitator of such seventeenth-century masters as Poelenburch, Rembrandt, Ruisdacl, Teniers and Lingelbach. This activity was hitherto only documented in historical sources, including Vertue and Houbraken. So successful were the imitations that they were often taken for originals.
De L'Influence Du Ganglion Sus-Oesophagien Sur Les Fonctions Du Pied De L'Escargot (Helix Pomatia LinnÃ©) 1)
Authors: Postma N.
Published: July 2010

En opposition aux rÃ©sultats obtenus prÃ©cÃ©demment nous avons constatÃ© que le ganglion sus-oesophagien de l'Helix pomatia LinnÃ© a une influence Ã©vidente sur le tonus du muscle pÃ©dieu. La seule prÃ©sence du ganglion n'a pas d'influence: l'ablation du cerveau ne modifie pas la tonicitÃ©. Le ganglion cÃ©rÃ©bral agit sur le pied de l'escargot en modifiant la tonicitÃ© dans le sens positif ou dans le sens nÃ©gatif, c'est-Ã -dire en augmentant ou en diminuant le myotonus. Selon l'Ã©tat fonctionnel ou d'activitÃ© du ganglion nous distinguons quatre phases d'activitÃ©. En commenÃ§ant Ã  observer l'activitÃ© Ã  son minimum et en passant par ces phases progressives, nous pouvons noter successivement: I . Freinage du centre sous-oesophagien inhibiteur; 2. ModÃ©ration du centre excitateur dans le ganglion pÃ©dieu; 3. Stimulation du centre sub-oesophageal tonolytique; 4. Renforcement du centre accÃ©lÃ©rateur dans le ganglion pÃ©dieu, et deux phases de compensation, Ã©tats d'Ã©quilibre, l'un entre I et 2, l'autre entre 3 et 4. Les phases 1 et 4 causent un accroissement du tonus, tandis qu'une baisse du tonus est produite par les phases 2 et 3. L'effet de la derniÃ¨re est accompagnÃ©e par un dÃ©calage de la contractilitÃ©. On peut augmenter l'activitÃ© du ganglion au moyen d'impressions proprioceptives suscitÃ©es par l'allongement lui-mÃªme ou par l'intermÃ©diaire d'influx exteroceptifs, causÃ©s par l'application de chlorure de sodium au ganglion (excitation permanente). L'activitÃ© cÃ©phalique peut Ãªtre supprimÃ©e si l'on applique du chlorure de cocaÃ¯ne au cerveau. Concernant le tonus musculair nous concluons qu'il est basÃ© sur une contracture qui probablement joue un rÃ´le comme fonction de calage Ã  l'Ã©gard d'un lot tÃ©tanique de la tonicitÃ©. Chez l'Helix nÃ©anmoins la contracture a la prioritÃ© si un tÃ©tanos se produit.
Semantics and Literal Exposition in Henry of Ghent's Regular Lecture On the Bible (1275/76)1
Authors: Bos E.P.
Published: July 2010

The Regular lecture on the Bible (Lectura ordinaria super sacram scripturam), a commentary attributed to Henry of Ghent (1220-96), is one of the most remarkable medieval commentaries on the Bible of the late thirteenth century. In this work the author wishes to give what he labels "a commentary according to the literal and historical sense". In the epilogue to the work he writes explicitly, that he leaves aside a spiritual exposition.2 This would not be a "spiritual commentary" in any sense of the word.
The Moribund Moralist: Ethical Lessons in Calvin's Commentary On Joshua
Authors: Blacketer Raymond A.
Published: July 2010

Calvin's final commentary, an exposition of the book of Joshua, reflects both Calvin's immersion in and dialogue with the exegctical and theological tradition, as well as his concern with the image and identity of Reformed believers, and especially the Huguenots of France. Prominent in this commentary is Calvin's wrestling with moral issues that arise in the text. Calvin's scrupulous treatment of these moral problems reflects his concern to depict Reformed believers as people who are loyal and obedient to the authorities and to the law, and as people who are truthful and avoid deception and duplicity. It also reflects his concern that his coreligionists actually strive to live up to that image. On occasion Calvin's treatment of these moral issues ends in an unresolved tension — a tension that reflects the moral and political ambiguities that French Reformed believers faced at the beginning of the Wars of Religion in France.
The Spiritual Gospel? Christ and Human Nature in Calvin's Commentary On John
Authors: Pitkin Barbara
Published: July 2010

This essay examines three passages in Calvin's commentary on John (1553) in order to trace how Calvin steers away from traditional reflections on Christ's two natures in such a way as to open the door for discussions of human nature. His anthropologically-focused reading of the Fourth Gospel transforms traditional notions of what makes John so unique and special. At the same time, Calvin's approach can be seen as a culmination of a trend in Johannine interpretation introduced by Lutheran exegetes and, simultaneously, can be understood as sharing key emphases of Reformed interpreters of John.
"Justified Without the Works of the Law": Casiodoro De Reina On Romans 3,28
Authors: Roldán-Figueroa Rady
Published: July 2010

This article examines the interplay between text and paratext in the 1569 Spanish Bible (T. Guarinus: Basel). It specifically discusses how paratextual commentary can be drawn upon in order to account for the decisions made by Casiodoro de Reina in his translation of Rom. 3,28. The study draws on the works of Francis Higman and Gérard Genette and their respective proposals regarding the function of the paratext. While the rendering Casiodoro de Reina provides of Rom. 3,28 appears at first glance to reflect an antinomian theology, study of the paratext quickly reveals an elevated and nuanced view of the law. Study of the paratext also allows us to conclude that both Reina's rendering of Rom. 3,28 and his paratextual commentary are strong indicators of his own intellectual gravitation towards Reformed theology, contrary to existing scholarship that suggests Reina's identification with spiritualist tendencies of the sixteenth century.
Between the Sacraments and Treason: Aspects of the Politicgal Thought of the English Recusants in the First Decade of Elizabeth I's Reign
Authors: Jenkins Gary W.
Published: July 2010

This essay treats how English Roman Catholics, deprived of place and standing in their native church, addressed the two essential elements underlying the Protestant political economy of the Elizabethan Settlement. After a brief précis of how other studies have looked at political thought, the Protestant axioms of a lay supremacy and a unilateral national prerogative in the government of the church shall be delineated. The two main sections shall then treat the Catholic critique of the English national church and its lay supremacy respectively. The conclusion shall address the dilemma of conscience that these principles inflicted on Roman Catholics in Elizabethan England. Having been both summarily deprived of ecclesiastical standing and alienated from their native polity by their refusal to acknowledge the demands of the Elizabethan Settlement, England's Catholics found themselves justifying their actions and assailing the new ecclesio-political arrangements. Specifically the Recusants took aim at the notion of the laity exercising authority over the church whether from the throne or in parliament, and at the concept that England apart from the rest of the Church at all times and in all places could order its rites, liturgies, sacraments, and creed. This second item became more pronounced in that the Oath of Supremacy specifically mentioned the renunciation of all bishops unless they were English. For the Recusants these two elements created an insurmountable barrier for any sincere Catholic conscience.
"A Priest Who Appears Good": Manuals of Confession and the Construction of Clerical Identity in Early Modern Spain
Authors: O'Banion Patrick J.
Published: July 2010

Like the Eucharist, the Roman Catholic sacrament of penance, particularly the practice of frequent private confession, became an increasingly important element of lay religious devotion in early modern Catholic Europe. Historians often view this development as part of a larger clerical attempt to impose a somber and uniform institutional piety upon traditional forms of folk Catholicism. Through a close reading of early modern Spanish manuals of confession and related sources, this article argues that the relationship between confessor and penitent more closely resembled a complicated series of dialogues and negotiations than a unilaterally imposed religious settlement. While confession was conducted within a stable and hierarchically ordered framework, significant checks existed that limited the undue exercise of priestly power and gave agency and influence to laypeople.
Professionalization and Clerical Identity: Notes On the Early Modern Catholic Priest
Authors: De Boer Wietse
Published: July 2010

This contribution critiques the current practice of studying the early modern Catholic clergy within the parameters of confessionalization and professionalization theories. Measuring the features of the early modern priest with the standards of the institutional reforms to which he was subjected, is an inevitably reductive operation. Once we take the perspective of the priest and study his career from a variety of angles (including family, education, economic opportunities, and career choices), his cultural profile may prove to be the far more complex outcome of often competing forces. Personal memoirs, such as the diary of Girolamo Magni, parish priest of Popiglio (Pistoia), arc especially helpful for the study of priests' careers and identity.
What's in a Name? Language, Image, and Urban Identity in Early Modern Perth
Authors: Todd Margo
Published: July 2010

The corporate identity of the Scottish royal burgh of Perth was in the Middle Ages tied closely to its patron saint, John the Baptist. After the reformation of 1559-60 had abolished all veneration of saints, this identification did not disappear. The town was still called Sanctjhonstoun, the festivals of the Baptist continued to serve as calendar dates, and the St. John's bell continued to call parishioners to the kirk. Even more striking, images of the Baptist survived — on the bells, in the hammermen's silver marks, and in the town seal. Protestant usage would eventually shift the meanings associated with the Baptist, but the saint would never disappear entirely from the town's constructed identity.
Enhanced Energy Dissipation by Parasitic Capillaries on Short Gravity–Capillary Waves
Authors: Tsai Wu-ting , Hung Li-ping
Published: July 2010

The increased energy dissipation caused by the formation of parasitic capillary wavelets on moderately short, steep gravity–capillary waves is studied numerically. This study focuses on understanding the mechanism leading to dissipation enhancement and on exploring the possible correlation between the enhanced dissipation rate and the characteristic parameters of the parasitic capillaries. The interaction between the parasitic capillary wave train and the underlying dominant flow of the carrier wave induces strong vortex shedding and imposes large straining immediately underneath the troughs of the capillary ripples. These localized strains are very effective in dissipating energy of the carrier gravity–capillary wave. The attenuation rate of the carrier wave can increase by more than one order of magnitude in the presence of capillary wavelets. Systematic simulations for various carrier wavelengths and steepnesses reveal that the enhanced dissipation rate can be quantified well by a simple parameter: the average of all the difference between the local maximum and minimum slopes along the entire carrier wave surface, which is equivalent to the mean slope of the parasitic capillary wave train. The enhanced dissipation rate increases approximately linearly with the carrier gravity–capillary wavenumber for a given mean slope of the capillary wave train. The increased energy dissipation caused by the formation of parasitic capillaries is also found to significantly impact on the characteristics of three-dimensional instabilities of finite-amplitude, uniform gravity–capillary waves.
8q24 sequence variants in relation to prostate cancer risk among men of African descent: A case-control study
Authors: Benford Marnita L , VanCleave Tiva T , Lavender Nicole A , Kittles Rick A , Kidd LaCreis R
Published: June 2010

Background

Human chromosome 8q24 has been implicated in prostate tumorigenesis.

Methods

Consequently, we evaluated seven 8q24 sequence variants relative to prostate cancer (PCA) in a case-control study involving men of African descent. Genetic alterations were detected in germ-line DNA from 195 incident PCA cases and 531 controls using TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

Inheritance of the 8q24 rs16901979 T allele corresponded to a 2.5-fold increase in the risk of developing PCA for our test group. These findings were validated using multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) and permutation testing (p = 0.038). The remaining 8q24 targets were not significantly related to PCA outcomes.

Conclusions

Although compelling evidence suggests that the 8q24 rs16901979 locus may serve as an effective PCA predictor, our findings require additional evaluation in larger studies.
Endogenous Selection and Moral Hazard in Compensation Contracts
Authors: Armstrong Christopher S. , Larcker David F. , Su Che-Lin
Published: July 2010

The two major paradigms in the theoretical agency literature are moral hazard (i.e., hidden action) and adverse selection (i.e., hidden information). Prior research typically solves these problems in isolation, as opposed to simultaneously incorporating both adverse selection and moral hazard features. We formulate two complementary generalized principal-agent models that incorporate features observed in real-world contracting environments (e.g., agents with power utility and limited liability, lognormal stock price distributions, and stock options) as mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints (MPEC). We use state-of-the-art numerical algorithms to solve the resulting models. We find that many of the standard results no longer obtain when wealth effects are present. We also develop a new measure of incentives calculated as the change in the agent's certainty equivalent under the optimal contract for a change in action evaluated at the optimal action. This measure facilitates interpretation of the resulting contracts and allows us to compare contracts across different contracting environments.
On a Markov Game with One-Sided Information
Authors: Hörner Johannes , Rosenberg Dinah , Solan Eilon , Vieille Nicolas
Published: July 2010

We apply the average cost optimality equation to zero-sum Markov games by considering a simple game with one-sided incomplete information that generalizes an example of Aumann and Maschler [Aumann, R. J., M. B. Maschler. 1995. Repeated Games with Incomplete Information. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA]. We determine the value and identify the optimal strategies for a range of parameters.
Professional Affairs Board in Action: An Example
Authors: Cobb Andrew , Joyce Jacqueline
Published: July 2010

There is increasing emphasis at present on regional boundaries and professional affairs boards (PABs) have been set up to focus the efforts of the College on supporting surgeons in the workplace. The South East Coast PAB was set up in January this year, made up of nine regional specialty professional advisors (RSPAs). One of our responsibilities is to 'develop a local strategy for surgery for achieving and maintaining generic professional and specialty standards of care' and in this article we describe our first efforts to achieve that.
The Value of Oral Assessments: A Review
Authors: Iqbal IZ , Naqvi S , Abeysundara L , Narula AA
Published: July 2010

Oral assessments have been used as a form of examination for many years. Their strength rests on the examiners involved and the flexibility of the examination. They can be used to assess the depth and breadth of knowledge and are particularly effective in distinguishing outstanding candidates.
Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella Combination Vaccine and the Risk of Febrile Seizures
Authors: Klein Nicola P. , Fireman Bruce , Yih W. Katherine , Lewis Edwin , Kulldorff Martin , Ray Paula , Baxter Roger , Hambidge Simon , Nordin James , Naleway Allison , Belongia Edward A. , Lieu Tracy , Baggs James , Weintraub Eric ,   for the Vaccine Safety Datalink
Published: June 2010

OBJECTIVE:

In February 2008, we alerted the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to preliminary evidence of a twofold increased risk of febrile seizures after the combination measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine when compared with separate measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and varicella vaccines. Now with data on twice as many vaccine recipients, our goal was to reexamine seizure risk after MMRV vaccine.

METHODS:

Using 2000–2008 Vaccine Safety Datalink data, we assessed seizures and fever visits among children aged 12 to 23 months after MMRV and separate MMR + varicella vaccines. We compared seizure risk after MMRV vaccine to that after MMR + varicella vaccines by using Poisson regression as well as with supplementary regressions that incorporated chart-review results and self-controlled analyses.

RESULTS:

MMRV vaccine recipients (83 107) were compared with recipients of MMR + varicella vaccines (376 354). Seizure and fever significantly clustered 7 to 10 days after vaccination with all measles-containing vaccines but not after varicella vaccination alone. Seizure risk during days 7 to 10 was higher after MMRV than after MMR + varicella vaccination (relative risk: 1.98 [95% confidence interval: 1.43–2.73]). Supplementary analyses yielded similar results. The excess risk for febrile seizures 7 to 10 days after MMRV compared with separate MMR + varicella vaccination was 4.3 per 10 000 doses (95% confidence interval: 2.6–5.6).

CONCLUSIONS:

Among 12- to 23-month-olds who received their first dose of measles-containing vaccine, fever and seizure were elevated 7 to 10 days after vaccination. Vaccination with MMRV results in 1 additional febrile seizure for every 2300 doses given instead of separate MMR + varicella vaccines. Providers who recommend MMRV should communicate to parents that it increases the risk of fever and seizure over that already associated with measles-containing vaccines.
Seasonal Variation of Egg Size and Shape in Ypthima multistriata (Lepidoptera: Satyridae) in Relation to Maternal Body Size as a Morphological Constraint
Authors: Noriyuki Suzuki , Kishi Shigeki , Nishida Takayoshi
Published: June 2010

To evaluate the role of the constraint on egg size imposed by maternal size, we examined the relationships between female body size and egg size and shape in the grass-feeding satyrine butterfly Ypthima multistriata Butler (Lepidoptera: Satyridae). In this species, larger and smaller mothers occur in the first and second generations, respectively. Egg size relative to maternal body size (relative egg size) was larger in the second generation than in the first generation. However, no body size constraint on egg volume was apparent in either generation. The degree of egg elongation (the ratio of egg length to egg width) increased significantly with relative egg size only in the second generation, but the correlation was quite weak. These results indicate that body size does not strongly constrain the determination of egg size; therefore, mothers have little need to elongate their eggs to respond to morphological constraints.
Rice Weevils and Maize Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Respond Differently to Disturbance of Stored Grain
Authors: Plague Gordon R , Voltaire Gaelle , Walsh Bridget E , Dougherty Kevin M
Published: June 2010

Rice weevils, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), and maize weevils, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), are important pests of stored grain. We have observed that rice weevil adults have a greater propensity than maize weevils to climb upward after physical disturbance of stored grain. Our objective was to quantify this climbing behavior in both species under a variety of environmental conditions to assess whether our anecdotal observations were correct. We confirmed that, after a disturbance, significantly more rice weevils climb than maize weevils when reared on fresh wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and corn, Zea mays L., and at relatively low and high population density. This greater climbing tendency is apparently exclusively due to S. oryzae males, which climb significantly more often than females. This work not only elucidates the divergent evolutionary histories of these sibling species but also may provide useful information for the monitoring and control of these stored grain pests.
Modification of strength of wasteforms during leaching
Authors: Dyer Thomas D.
Published: July 2010

This paper reports on some of the results of a project aiming to devise a test method for characterising wasteforms in terms of their likely physical stability, using the NEN 7375 testing method coupled with cube strength measurements as its basis. The experimental programme was devised to establish the influence of loss of material from specimens on strength with variables of specimen size and pH. Results from cement- and glass-based matrices are presented. The results indicated a leaching mechanism in which the leachable constituents of the specimens started to become depleted within the timescale of the test. While smaller specimen sizes usually leached at higher rates, they displayed high variability in performance. Acidic leaching conditions had variable effects on leach rates, depending on the wasteform matrix. Cement-based specimens displayed behaviour indicative of continued strength development of the cement matrix during the test. A method for predicting strength deterioration in wasteforms is proposed, based on curve-fitting of strength data to predict the growth of the degraded zone of a wasteform. A tentative attempt has been made to establish an appropriate performance limit for the predicted ultimate strength of a wasteform.
Soybean Residue Management and Tillage Effects on Corn Yields and Response to Applied Nitrogen
Authors: Schoessow Kevin A. , Kilian Kenneth C. , Bundy Larry G.
Published: July 2010

Variability in N fertilizer requirements for corn (Zea mays L.) following soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] across sites and years emphasizes the need to understand management practice effects on apparent soybean N contributions. This study was conducted to determine the effects of three soybean harvest management systems (HMS) and tillage on subsequent corn grain yields, and apparent soybean N contributions. Field experiments to evaluate the effects of returning or removing soybean residue, soybean forage harvest at the R6 growth stage, and applied N (0–180 kg N ha−1) on corn grain yields were conducted for 3 yr at four locations. The soybean residue returned treatment significantly decreased yields by 1.1 and 2.5 Mg ha−1 for 2 of 12 site years. The soybean residue returned treatment also required 134, 41, and 87 kg ha−1 more fertilizer N to maximize yields for 3 of 12 site years, but not at the remaining sites. Greater early season soil NO3–N in the forage harvested or residue removed treatments before planting and when corn plants were 30 cm tall (presidedress) is probably a result of warmer soil temperatures and increased soil N mineralization where residue was removed. Economic optimum N rates for corn following soybean varied substantially across sites and years and ranged from 0 to 180 kg N ha−1 but were not greatly affected by soybean HMS or tillage at most sites. This work emphasizes the need for a field‐specific approach to better predict the apparent soybean N contribution to a subsequent corn crop.
Chlorination by-products of fenitrothion
Authors: Kishida M. , Kumabe T. , Takanashi H. , Nakajima T. , Ohki A. , Miyake Y. , Kameya T.
Published: July 2010

The mutagens produced through chemical reaction between chlorine and the insecticide fenitrothion were studied by using a quadrupole GC-MS. The mutagenicity and the mutagen formation potential (MFP) of the identified by-products were evaluated by the Ames assay (preincubation method) using Salmonella typhimurium TA100 without exogenous activation by S9 mix (TA100-S9). Before conducting GC/MS analyses, six compounds were presumed to be produced in chlorinated fenitrothion. These compounds were confirmed to be produced by the GC/MS analyses, but none of them were mutagenic. One of the chlorination by-products, 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol, has 19 times greater MFP than that of fenitrothion. This result suggests that a major mutagen in chlorinated fenitrothion will be produced via a chemical reaction between chlorine and 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol.
On-line measurements provide more accurate estimates of nutrient loading: a case of the Yläneenjoki river basin, southwest Finland
Authors: Koskiaho J. , Lepistö A. , Tattari S. , Kirkkala T.
Published: July 2010

Automatic on-line measurement stations for water quality components and water level were equipped with dataloggers and GSM transmitters; the stations were installed at two sites in the Yläneenjoki river basin, SW Finland. Measurements during five seasons in 2006–2007 were conducted to find out whether the produced data would provide more accurate estimates of material and nutrient transport than traditional water sampling. Sensor-based monitoring estimates for transport of total suspended solids (TSS) were clearly higher (difference -6–61%), total phosphorus also higher, and that of nitrate (NO3-N) somewhat lower (difference (−51%–4%), as compared with manual sampling based estimates. The winter season studied here was mild i.e. winter-type which is becoming more common in Finland with the changing climate. Sensor-based monitoring proved its benefits particularly in such conditions.
Effect of substrate feeding on viscosity evolution of anaerobic granular sludges
Authors: Pevere A. , d'Abzac P. , van Hullebusch E. , Lens P. N. L. , Guibaud G.
Published: July 2010

This work aims to describe the effect of the feeding regime of anaerobic activity tests on the limit viscosity (μlim) evolution of the granules. Batch experiments were performed with 3 different sources of substrate: acetate, peptone, and glucose. Despite, the substrate origin was shown to affect the μlim evolution of granules, no clear relationship was found between the μlim evolution, type of substrate and other granule physico-chemical characteristics (i.e. pH; % of Volatile Suspended Solid; concentration of exopolymeric substances, divalent cations, P and S). The origin of granules and the substrate feeding regime modify the surface shape of the granules and may change granule–granule interactions under a shear stress, thus affecting the evolution of the μlim value during long term reactor operation.
Digging through Disaster Rubble in Search of the Determinants of Organizational Mitigation and Preparedness
Authors: Sadiq Abdul‐Akeem
Published: July 2010

Disaster researchers have established the determinants of mitigation and preparedness at the household level of analysis. However, at the organizational level, there is limited research and no theory to guide research on the determinants of mitigation and preparedness. The research question is “what are the determinants of mitigation and preparedness at the organizational level?” The data come from a survey of 227 organizations in Memphis, Tennessee. This study uses Tobit regression technique to identify the determinants and finds that organizational size and concern over disaster impact are strong positive determinants of mitigation and preparedness in organizations. In addition, there is a significant and nonlinear relationship between organizational obstacle and mitigation and preparedness activities. This study concludes with policy implications and recommendations for future studies.
Osteoarthritis in Women: Effects of Estrogen, Obesity and Physical Activity
Authors: Stevens-Lapsley Jennifer E , Kohrt Wendy M
Published: July 2010

Arthritis is the leading cause of physical disability in the USA and osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form, affects nearly 27 million people. Women have a higher prevalence of OA than men, but the underlying causes for the increased susceptibility of women to OA are not fully understood. This review discusses the associations of sex hormones, obesity and physical activity with the incidence and progression of OA in women. Although many studies have explored the relationships of estrogen and reproductive history with the risk of OA or joint replacement, there is no consensus on the role of these factors. Obesity clearly increases risk for OA, but whether obesity affects women and men differently is uncertain. Moderate levels of physical activity do not appear to increase the incidence or progression of OA and may even have a weak protective effect. Future investigations should focus on sex-specific mechanisms for the development of OA and determine whether there are modifiable factors (e.g., estrogen, obesity, physical activity) that can be targeted through prevention and treatment strategies to mitigate the increased incidence and prevalence of OA in women.
Nab-Paclitaxel: A Novel Formulation of Taxane for Treatment of Breast Cancer
Authors: Vishnu Prakash , Roy Vivek
Published: July 2010

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in women. Anthracyclines and taxanes are the most active and widely used chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of both early-stage and advanced breast cancer. In the past decade, novel formulations of these cytotoxic agents have been developed to improve efficacy and decrease toxicity. nab-paclitaxel is a solvent-free, albumin-bound 130-nm particle form of paclitaxel (Abraxane®, Abraxis Bioscience, CA, USA), which was developed to avoid toxicities associated with the Cremophor vehicle used in solvent-based paclitaxel. In a Phase III study, nab-paclitaxel demonstrated higher response rates, a better safety profile compared with conventional paclitaxel, and improved survival in patients receiving it as second-line therapy. Based on this pivotal trial, nab-paclitaxel is now approved in the USA for treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within 6 months of adjuvant therapy where prior therapy included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated. Recently, several Phase II studies have suggested a role for nab-paclitaxel as a single agent and in combination with other agents for first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Studies are ongoing to explore the use of nab-paclitaxel in other solid tumors such as non-small-cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer and malignant melanoma.
Use of Metformin in the Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Genazzani Alessandro D , Ricchieri Federica , Lanzoni Chiara
Published: July 2010

Metformin is quite an old drug, but it is optimal for the control of glycemia in Type 2 diabetes. It was reported, 15 years ago, that insulin resistance was abnormally high in most polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Starting from that moment, increasing numbers of studies were performed to demonstrate the efficacy of metformin in controlling and/or modulating several aspects of PCOS, which is the most common cause of menstrual irregularity, inesthetisms and infertility. Metformin induces higher glucose uptake, thus inducing a lower synthesis/secretion of insulin. Such an effect permits the possible restoration of the normal biological functions that are severely affected by the compensatory hyperinsulinemia reactive to the increased peripheral insulin resistance. These are the basis of the many positive effects of this drug, such as the restoration of menstrual cyclicity, ovulatory cycles and fertility, because abnormal insulin levels affect the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian function, as well as the use of glucose in peripheral tissues. Metformin improves the impairments typically observed in hyperinsulinemic PCOS patients, reducing the possible evolution towards metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes; and when pregnancy occurs, it consistently reduces the risk of gestational diabetes, eclampsia and hypertension. PCOS seems to be the perfect physiopathological condition that might have higher benefits from metformin administration, obviously after Type 2 diabetes. This review focuses on the many aspects of PCOS and on the possible issues of this disease for which metformin might be a putative optimal treatment.
The Associations Among Social Support, Stress, and Life Satisfaction as Perceived by Injured College Athletes
Authors: Malinauskas Romualdas
Published: July 2010

The relationships were examined among severity of injury, and participants' perceptions of stress, social support, and life satisfaction. Participants were 123 college athletes (male, n = 69, female n = 54) with minor (69) or severe (54) injuries, who ranged in age from
18 to 25 years. Participants completed measures of perceived social support, stress, and satisfaction with life. Greater perceived stress was associated with diminished life satisfaction for athletes with a major injury more than for those with a minor injury. The interaction between perceived
stress and perceived social support was associated most with diminished life satisfaction for participants with a major injury.
CYP1A and metallothionein expression in the hepatopancreas of Merluccius merluccius and Mullus barbatus from the Adriatic sea
Authors: Mihailovic Mirjana , Petrovic Miodrag , Grdovic Nevena , Dinic Svetlana , Uskokovic Aleksandra , Vidakovic Melita , Grigorov Ilijana , Bogojevic Desanka , Ivanovic-Matic Svetlana , Martinovic Vesna , Arambasic Jelena , Joksimovic Danijela , Labus-Blagojevic Svetlana
Published: July 2010

The enzyme CYP1A is an established biomarker polychlorinated biphenyls of fish exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The metallothioneins (MT), a family of Cys-rich proteins, bind a wide range of metals and participate in their metabolism. The aim of the study was to examine the correlation between CYP1A and MT expression in commercially important fish species Mullus barbatus and Merluccius merluccius and contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, toxic metals) in seawater and sediment from three localities with different level of contamination in the Adriatic Sea in winter, i.e., Platamuni, Valdanos and the port of Bar. The relative concentration of CYP1A was the highest in both fish species from Bar. Increased concentrations of PCBs in the seawater were observed only in Bar. A species-specific higher increase in the protein concentration of CYP1A was observed in Mullus barbatus compared to Merluccius merluccius. The levels of MT were the highest in Merluccius merluccius from Bar and in Mullus barbatus from Valdanos. The induction of MT correlated with the elevated concentrations of Cu and Pb determined by chemical analysis of the seawater from Bar and Valdanos, respectively. According to the chemical analysis of the seawater and the biological response of the fish, the Platamuni locality exhibited the lowest level of contamination.