bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Short-Term Characterization of Building Integrated Photovoltaic Panels
Authors: Fanney A. Hunter , Davis Mark W. , Dougherty Brian P.
Published: January 2009

Building integrated photovoltaics, the integration of photovoltaic cells into one or more exterior building surfaces, represents a small but growing part of today’s $2 billion dollar photovoltaic industry. A barrier to the widespread use of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is the lack of validated predictive simulation tools needed to make informed economic decisions. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has undertaken a multi-year project to compare the measured performance of BIPV panels to the predictions of photovoltaic simulation tools. The existing simulation models require input parameters that characterize the electrical performance of BIPV panels subjected to various meteorological conditions. This paper describes the experimental apparatus and test procedures used to capture the required parameters. Results are presented for custom fabricated mono-crystalline, polycrystalline, and silicon film BIPV panels and a commercially available triple junction amorphous silicon panel.
2D CFD-Analysis of Micro-Patterned Surfaces in Hydrodynamic Lubrication
Authors: Sahlin Fredrik , Glavatskih Sergei B. , Almqvist Torbjo¨rn , Larsson Roland
Published: January 2009

Results of a numerical study of the influence of micro-patterned surfaces in hydrodynamic lubrication of two parallel walls are reported. Two types of parameterized grooves with the same order of depth as the film thickness are used on one stationary wall. The other wall is smooth and is sliding with a specified tangential velocity. Isothermal incompressible two dimensional full film fluid flow mechanics is solved using a Computational Fluid Dynamics method. It is shown that, by introducing a micro-pattern on one of two parallel walls, a net pressure rise in the fluid domain is achieved. This produces a load carrying capacity on the walls which is mainly contributed by fluid inertia. The load carrying capacity increases with Reynolds number. The load carrying capacity is reported to increase with groove width and depth. However, at a certain depth a vortex appears in the groove and near this value the maximum load carrying capacity is achieved. It is shown that the friction force decreases with deeper and wider grooves. Among all geometries studied, optimum geometry shapes in terms of hydrodynamic performance are reported.
Wear Analysis of Head-Disk Interface During Contact
Authors: Peng Wei , Kiely James , Hsia Yiao-Tee
Published: January 2009

To achieve a higher storage density in a hard disk drive, the fly height of the air bearing slider, as part of the magnetic spacing, has to be minimized. At an ultra-low fly height, the intermittent / continuous contact at the head–disk interface (HDI) is unavoidable and directly affects the mechanical and magnetic performance of the hard disk drive, and is of great interest. The HDI wear has a non-linear and time-varying nature due to the change of contact force and roughness. To predict the HDI wear evolution, an iterative model of Coupled Head And Disk (CHAD) wear, is developed based on the contact mechanics. In this model, a composite transient wear coefficient is adopted and multiple phases of the wear evolution are established. A comprehensive contact stiffness is derived to characterize the contact at the HDI. The abrasive and adhesive wear is calculated based on the extended Archard’s wear law. The plastic and elastic contact areas are calculated with a 3-D sliding contact model. Based on the CHAD wear model, for the first time, the coupling between head and disk wear evolutions is thoroughly investigated. Accelerated wear tests have also been performed to verify the disk wear effect on the slider wear. A wear coefficient drop with time is observed during the tests and it is attributed to a wear mechanism shift from abrasive to adhesive wear. A shift in the type of contact from plastic to elastic accounts for the wear mechanism change.
An Experimental Study of Static and Dynamic Characteristics of a 580 mm (22.8 in.) Diameter Direct Lubrication Tilting Pad Journal Bearing
Authors: Ikeda K. , Hirano T. , Yamashita T. , Mikami M. , Sakakida H.
Published: January 2009

Direct lubrication tilting pad journal bearings (DLTPJ bearings) have rarely been applied to large scale rotating machinery, such as turbines or generators whose journal diameters are more than 500mm. In this paper, static and dynamic characteristics of a 580mm (22.8in.) diameter DLTPJ bearing were studied experimentally using a full scale bearing test rig. In the static test, distribution of metal temperature, oil film pressure and bearing loss were measured in changing oil flow rate, with mean bearing pressure ranging up to 2.9MPa. Maximum metal temperature of DLTPJ bearing was compared to that of conventional flood lubrication bearing, and it was confirmed that the direct lubrication can increase load capacity. In the dynamic test, spring and damping coefficients of oil film were obtained by exciting the bearing casing that was floated by air bellows. These data will be used for analysis and design of steam turbine rotors and their bearing systems. Also, vibration of pads was investigated, because metal failure on upper pads due to vibration has been found in some actual machines. In order to generate oil film pressure on the surface of upper pads, Rayleigh-Step was machined there. And it was confirmed that vibration was reduced by Rayleigh-step.
Navier-Stokes Analysis of Two-Dimensional Roughness Pattern Under Turbulent Flow Regime
Authors: Billy Fre´de´ric , Arghir Mihai¨ , Pineau Ge´rard
Published: January 2009

The present work deals with the flow characteristics induced by a two-dimensional roughness pattern. The roughness pattern consists of identical and equally spaced rectangles with characteristic lengths at least one order of magnitude larger than the clearance of the thin film. Periodic boundary conditions enable the analysis of a single groove and the complete Navier-Stokes analysis is carried on for turbulent Reynolds numbers. The analysis is performed for shear driven flows (Couette), pressure driven flows (Poiseuille) and combined Couette-Poiseuille flows. First, the presence of inertial forces generated by the groove is underlined by the momentum balance performed for the computational cell. The peculiar effect of the groove is also depicted by the rotor and the stator shear stresses variations. Finally, it is shown that despite the presence of inertial forces, cell-averaged rotor and stator shear stresses obtained for pure Couette or Poiseuille flows can be added or subtracted for approximately obtaining the characteristics of combined shear and pressure driven flows.
The Quantification of Physiologically Relevant Cross Shear Wear Phenomena on Orthopaedic Bearing Materials Using a Novel Wear Testing Machine
Authors: Gevaert Matthew R. , LaBerge Martine , Gordon Jennifer M. , DesJardins John D.
Published: January 2009

Background: Multi-directional sliding motions between total knee replacement materials is a suspected primary wear mechanism of ultra-high molecular weight poly(ethylene) (UHMWPE). Method of Approach: A wear testing machine was developed to quantify damage from crossing contact pathways on candidate biomaterials. A cyclic five-pointed star pattern was used to evaluate the tribological differences between linear and cross-motion surface tribology of stainless steel pins on flat UHMWPE. Results: Volumetric reconstruction of resultant damage showed that cross-shear volume loss was 2.94(± 0.88) times that of linear loss during testing. Conclusions: Basic multi-axis, cross-shear wear testing provides quantifiable measures of complex biomaterials wear phenomena.
An Extension to a Cohesive Zone Solution for Adhesive Cylinders
Authors: Morrow Clint A. , Lovell Michael R.
Published: January 2009

When adhesive forces are taken into consideration, contacting asperities can still interact after intimate contact is broken. Current theories that predict the contact behavior of adhesive cylindrical asperities fail to capture the forces in this regime. In the present investigation, prior solutions for adhesive cylindrical asperities will be extended to include the condition where the asperities are not in physical contact but are still interacting through adhesive forces. In the extended results, relationships between the adhesive contact radius and the applied normal load will be developed and discussed with respect to the design of micro-scale components.
Contact Mechanics Approach to Determine Effective Radius in Bolted Joints
Authors: Zou Q. , Sun T. S. , Nassar S. , Barber G. C. , El-Khiamy H. , Zhu D.
Published: January 2009

The effective radius is a very important factor in determining frictional torque under bolt head/nut is bolted joints. Since the effective radius is hard to be precisely determined in practice, the mean radius, which is the mean value of the inner and outer radii of the contact area under bolt head/nut, is used. In this paper, contact mechanics analysis is used to determine the real contact pressure distribution between bolt head/nut and the joint surface. Based on the pressure distribution, the effective radius can be precisely calculated. Effect of the surface roughness, underhead load distribution, underhead load value, and the ratio of the maximum to minimum contact radii are investigated. The results are compared with the result from theoretical formulas and the value of mean radius. These data will be very useful in enhancing the reliability and safety of bolted joints.
A Comparison of Homogenization and Direct Techniques for the Treatment of Roughness in Incompressible Lubrication
Authors: Kane Malal
Published: January 2009

Homogenization is a formal mathematical two-scale averaging process that can be applied to roughness problems and can replace previous heuristic averaging procedures which have sometimes led to ambiguous results. This procedure was previously mathematically developed and applied to compressible flow problems. The purpose of this paper is the development of a special form of Reynolds equation for such homogenized conditions applied to the incompressible Newtonian case. The equation allows the calculation of the operating characteristics of a contact by taking into account the local geometry of surfaces, while making a substantial improvement in computing time. The method allows for the study of rough surfaces, but requires considerably fewer calculated points than for traditional deterministic discretization methods.
A Model for the Electrical Degradation of Metal Microcontacts During Many-Cycle Operation
Authors: Mihailovich R. E. , DeNatale J. F.
Published: January 2009

A model for the electrical degradation of MEMS switch metal microcontacts under many-cycle operation is presented. This model utilizes an asperity-based description of contacts and a general model for the degradation evolution. Calculations of switch resistance using this model predict a resistance evolution that shows good qualitative agreement with measurements. Implications of this model are discussed.
The Sliding and Rolling of a Cylinder at the Nano-Scale
Authors: Sari O. Taylan , Adams George G. , Mu¨ftu¨ Sinan
Published: January 2009

The behavior of a nano-scale cylindrical body (e.g. a fiber), lying on a substrate and acted upon by a combination of normal and tangential forces, is the subject of this investigation. As the scale decreases to the nano level, adhesion becomes an important issue in this contact problem. Thus this investigation treats the two-dimensional plane strain elastic deformation of both the cylinder and the substrate during a rolling/sliding motion, including the effect of adhesion using the Maugis model. For the initiation of sliding, the Mindlin approach is used, whereas for rolling, the Carter approach is utilized. Each case is modified for nano-scale effects by including the effect of adhesion on the contact area and by using the adhesion theory of friction for the friction stress. Analytical results are given for the normal and tangential loading problems, including the initiation of sliding and rolling in terms of dimensionless quantities representing adhesion, cylinder size, and applied forces.
Influence of Thermal Contact Resistance on Frictionally Excited Thermoelastic Instability (TEI)
Authors: Barber J. R. , Ciavarella M. , Afferante L.
Published: January 2009

Thermoelastic contact problems can posess non-unique and/or unstable steady-state solutions if there is frictional heating or if there is a pressure-dependent thermal contact resistance at the interface. These two effects have been extensively studied in isolation, but their possible interaction has not been investigated until recently. We shall discuss some idealized geometries in which the two effects are seen to form limiting cases of a more general stability and existence behavior. In most cases, frictional heating has a destabilizing effect relative to the static contact problem, but if the thermal contact resistance is very sensitive to pressure, cases of stabilization can be obtained. Also, the critical sliding speed depends on the contact pressure in contrast to results obtained in the absence of thermal contact resistance.
Sliding of Frictionally Held Incoherent Interfaces Under Dynamic Shear Loading
Authors: Lykotrafitis G. , Rosakis A. J.
Published: January 2009

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the nature of dynamic rupture caused by shear loading, through impact, of interfaces which are held together by friction under external pressure. The dynamic stress field developed during rupture propagation was recorded in real time by a high-speed camera in conjunction with a classical dynamic photoelasticity set-up. Visual evidences of different dynamic propagating rupture modes were recorded. Unlike classical shear cracks in coherent interfaces of finite strength, rupture in frictional interfaces seems to grow without noticeable acceleration phases and at various discreet speeds. At low impact velocities a crack-like rupture mode occurs which becomes super-shear with the increase of the impact speed and a shear Mach cone emanates from the rupture point. For higher impact speeds super-shear and super-sonic Mach lines are observed formatting an unstable slip pulse which subsequently vanishes whereas evidences for extended stick and slip regions are recorded. Increasing the external applied pressure the observed features are intensified.
CYP2B6
G516T Polymorphism but Not Rifampin Coadministration Influences Steady-State Pharmacokinetics of Efavirenz in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients in South India
Authors: Ramachandran Geetha , Hemanth Kumar A. K. , Rajasekaran Sikhamani , Kumar P. , Ramesh K. , Anitha S. , Narendran G. , Menon Pradeep , Gomathi C. , Swaminathan Soumya
Published: January 2009

The dose of efavirenz during concomitant rifampin (RMP) administration is a matter of debate. We studied the influence of RMP coadministration on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of efavirenz in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients in South India. Fifty-seven HIV-tuberculosis (TB)-coinfected and 15 HIV-1-infected patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (CART) with an efavirenz (600 mg once daily)-containing regimen were recruited. HIV-TB-coinfected patients were receiving treatment with RMP-containing regimens. A complete pharmacokinetic study was conducted with 19 HIV-TB patients on two occasions (with and without RMP). Trough concentrations of efavirenz were measured in the remaining 38 patients during RMP coadministration. The 15 HIV-infected patients underwent complete pharmacokinetic sampling on one occasion. Plasma efavirenz was estimated by high-performance liquid chromatography, and genotyping of
CYP2B6
G516T polymorphism was performed by sequencing. Peak and trough concentrations and exposure to efavirenz were significantly higher in TT than in GT and GG genotype patients (
P
< 0.001). Although RMP coadministration decreased the peak and trough concentrations and exposure to efavirenz by 17.8, 20.4, and 18.6%, respectively, the differences were not statistically significant. The trough concentration of efavirenz was subtherapeutic (less than 1.0 μg/ml) in 6 (8%) of 72 patients. In this South Indian population of HIV-infected patients,
CYP2B6
G516T polymorphism but not RMP coadministration significantly influenced the pharmacokinetics of efavirenz; patients with the TT genotype had very high blood levels of efavirenz. While a small proportion of patients had subtherapeutic efavirenz levels, the clinical implications are uncertain, as all had good immunological responses to CART.
Genome Expression Analyses Revealing the Modulation of the
Salmonella
Rcs Regulon by the Attenuator IgaA
Authors: Mariscotti Javier F. , García-del Portillo Francisco
Published: January 2009

Intracellular growth attenuator A (IgaA) was identified as a
Salmonella enterica
regulator limiting bacterial growth inside fibroblasts. Genetic evidence further linked IgaA to repression of the RcsCDB regulatory system, which responds to envelope stress. How IgaA attenuates this system is unknown. Here, we present genome expression profiling data of
S. enterica
serovar Typhimurium
igaA
mutants grown at high osmolarity and displaying exacerbated Rcs responses. Transcriptome data revealed that IgaA attenuates gene expression changes requiring phosphorylated RcsB (RcsB∼P) activity. Some RcsB-regulated genes,
yciGFE
and STM1862 (
pagO
)-STM1863-STM1864, were equally expressed in wild-type and
igaA
strains, suggesting a maximal expression at low levels of RcsB∼P. Other genes, such as
metB
,
ypeC
,
ygaC
,
glnK
,
glnP
,
napA
,
glpA
, and
nirB
, were shown for the first time and by independent methods to be regulated by the RcsCDB system. Interestingly, IgaA-deficient strains with reduced RcsC or RcsD levels exhibited different Rcs responses and distinct virulence properties.
spv
virulence genes were differentially expressed in most of the analyzed strains.
spvA
expression required RcsB and IgaA but, unexpectedly, was also impaired upon stimulation of the RcsC→RcsD→RcsB phosphorelay. Overproduction of either RcsB
+
or a nonphosphorylatable RcsB(D56Q) variant in strains displaying low
spvA
expression unveiled that both dephosphorylated RcsB and RcsB∼P are required for optimal
spvA
expression. Taken together, our data support a model with IgaA attenuating the RcsCDB system by favoring the switch of RcsB∼P to the dephosphorylated state. This role of IgaA in constantly fine-tuning the RcsB∼P/RcsB ratio may ensure the proper expression of important virulence factors, such as the Spv proteins.
Acclimation to hard or soft water at weakly alkaline pH influences gill permeability and gill surface calcium binding in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Gundersen Deke T. , Curtis Lawrence R.
Published: January 2009

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were acclimated for 10 d to soft (0.1 mM as CaCO3) or hard (1.0 mM as CaCO3) water at weakly alkaline pH (8.06–8.34). Following acclimation, individual gill arches were removed for examining the effects of low hardness or high hardness acclimation on gill water permeability, gill Ca2+interactions, and gill aluminum interactions. Isolated gill arches were exposed to water of varying Ca2+(0.0–1.0 mM) and aluminum (3.7–37 μM) concentration for osmotic permeability experiments. High hardness acclimated gills had significantly greater percent weight gain over time caused by osmotic water entry than low hardness acclimated gills, when exposed to distilled water (32.34 ± 1.15 and 24.86 ± 0.62%, respectively, after 60-min incubations); these differences were absent when Ca2+(0.1–1.0 mM) was added to the incubation medium. Gill arch Ca2+binding experiments resolved two gill surface binding site populations, which differed in their Ca2+binding affinity. The higher affinity sites were probably associated with gill membrane permeability, because low hardness acclimated gills had more such sites (binding capacity, 0.322 ± 0.027 μmol Ca2+∙g−1) and less permeable gills than high hardness acclimated gills (binding capacity, 0.198 ± 0.004 μmol Ca2+∙g−1). Aluminum had little influence on gill permeability and gill Ca2+binding.
Performance Evaluation of Multi-Core Intel Xeon Processors on Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms
Authors: Soliman Mostafa I.
Published: January 2009

Multi-core technology is a natural next step in delivering the benefits of Moore's law to computing platforms. On multi-core processors, the performance of many applications would be improved by parallel processing threads of codes using multi-threading techniques. This paper evaluates the performance of the multi-core Intel Xeon processors on the widely used basic linear algebra subprograms (BLAS). On two dual-core Intel Xeon processors with Hyper-Threading technology, our results show that a performance of around 20 GFLOPS is achieved on Level-3 (matrix-matrix operations) BLAS using multi-threading, SIMD, matrix blocking, and loop unrolling techniques. However, on a small size of Level-2 (matrix-vector operations) and Level-1 (vector operations) BLAS, the use of multi-threading technique speeds down the execution because of the thread creation overheads. Thus the use of Intel SIMD instruction set is the way to improve the performance of single-threaded Level-2 (6 GFLOPS) and Level-1 BLAS (3 GFLOPS). When the problem size becomes large (cannot fit in L2 cache), the performance of the four Xeon cores is less than 2 and 1 GFLOPS on Level-2 and Level-1 BLAS, respectively, even though eight threads are executed in parallel on eight logical processors.
SCATTER OF ROBOTS
Authors: DIEUDONNÉ YOANN , PETIT FRANCK
Published: January 2009

In this paper, we investigate the scatter problem, which is defined as follows: Given a set of n robots, regardless of the initial position of the robots on the plane, eventually, no two robots are located at the same position forever. We show that this problem cannot be deterministically solved. Next, we propose a randomized algorithm. The proposed solution is trivially self-stabilizing. We then show how to design a self-stabilizing version of any deterministic solution for the Pattern Formation and the Gathering problems for any number n ≥ 2 of robots.
LE PROBLÈME DE LEHMER ABÉLIEN POUR UN MODULE DE DRINFEL'D
Authors: DAVID SINNOU , PACHECO AMÍLCAR
Published: January 2009

Let ϕ be a Drinfel'd module defined over a finite extension K of 𝔽q(T); we establish a uniform lower bound for the canonical height of a point of ϕ, rational over the maximal abelian extension of K, and thus solve the so-called abelian version of the Lehmer problem in this situation. The classical original problem (a non torsion point in 𝔾m(ℚab)) was solved by Amoroso and Dvornicich [1].

Soit ϕ un module de Drinfel'd défini sur une extension finie K de 𝔽q(T); nous démontrons une minoration uniforme pour la hauteur canonique d'un point de ϕ, rationnel sur l'extension abélienne maximale de K, et résolvons ainsi la version dite abélienne du problème de Lehmer dans cette situation. Dans le cadre classique (un point d'ordre infini de 𝔾m(ℚab)), cette question a été résolue par Amoroso et Dvornicich dans [1].
Cardiovascular Actions of Neurotrophins
Authors: Caporali Andrea , Emanueli Costanza
Published: January 2009

Neurotrophins were christened in consideration of their actions on the nervous system and, for a long time, they were the exclusive interest of neuroscientists. However, more recently, this family of proteins has been shown to possess essential cardiovascular functions. During cardiovascular development, neurotrophins and their receptors are essential factors in the formation of the heart and critical regulator of vascular development. Postnatally, neurotrophins control the survival of endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes and regulate angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Recent studies suggest the capacity of neurotrophins, via their tropomyosin-kinase receptors, to promote therapeutic neovascularization in animal models of hindlimb ischemia. Conversely, the neurotrophin low-affinity p75NTRreceptor induces apoptosis of endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells and impairs angiogenesis. Finally, nerve growth factor looks particularly promising in treating microvascular complications of diabetes or reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis in the infarcted heart. These seminal discoveries have fuelled basic and translational research and thus opened a new field of investigation in cardiovascular medicine and therapeutics. Here, we review recent progress on the molecular signaling and roles played by neurotrophins in cardiovascular development, function, and pathology, and we discuss therapeutic potential of strategies based on neurotrophin manipulation.
Sympathetic and Baroreflex Cardiovascular Control in Hypertension-Related Left Ventricular Dysfunction
Authors: Grassi Guido , Seravalle Gino , Quarti-Trevano Fosca , Dell'Oro Raffaella , Arenare Francesca , Spaziani Domenico , Mancia Giuseppe
Published: January 2009

The sympathetic overdrive that characterizes essential hypertension is potentiated when left ventricular hypertrophy or congestive heart failure is detected. No information exists, however, on whether this is the case also for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. In 17 untreated hypertensive subjects with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (age: 47.7±2.9 years, mean±SEM), we measured sympathetic nerve traffic (microneurography), heart rate (ECG), and beat-to-beat arterial blood pressure (Finapres) at rest and during baroreceptor deactivation and stimulation. Data were compared with those collected in 20 age-matched normotensive and 20 hypertensive subjects without a diastolic function impairment. Muscle sympathetic nerve traffic values were markedly and significantly greater in the 2 hypertensive groups than in the normotensive one (55.3±1.2 and 71.2±1.6 versus 41.7±1.0 bursts per 100 heartbeats, respectively;
P
<0.01 for both). For a similar blood pressure elevation, however, the sympathetic nerve traffic increase was significantly greater in patients with than without left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (+28.9%;
P
<0.05). In the population as a whole, muscle sympathetic nerve traffic was significantly and inversely related to various echocardiographic indices of diastolic function. Although baroreflex-heart rate control was significantly attenuated in the 2 hypertensive groups, baroreflex-sympathetic modulation was impaired only in those with diastolic dysfunction. These data provide the first evidence that, in hypertension, activation of the sympathetic nervous system may contribute not only at the blood pressure elevation but also at the development of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. The sympathetic overactivity, which is likely to be related to the baroreflex impairment, may account for the increased cardiovascular risk characterizing diastolic dysfunction.
Measuring Guest Satisfaction and Competitive Position in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry
Authors: Crotts John C. , Mason Peyton R. , Davis Boyd
Published: January 2009

The measurement of guest satisfaction and delight is the focus of this article. An application of a quantitative methodology known as stance-shift analysis is proposed and demonstrated on data composed of Internet blog narratives. The authors argue that the method provides both an efficient and effective means to determine a firm’s competitive position in producing satisfied guests who will not only come back but also recommend the firm to others. Specifically, the method produces relatively detailed evaluations to determine the following: How satisfied are my guests? What are they telling others about their experiences? How is my property performing in creating satisfying guest experiences when compared with the competition? What are my property’s strengths and weaknesses in its competitive environment?
Jesus' Eating Transgressions and Social Impropriety in the Gospel of Mark: A Social Scientific Approach
Authors: Neufeld Dietmar
Published: January 2009

Food events are an integral feature of the Markan narrative. Frequently they provide the occasion during which serious controversy erupts over certain, significant religious practices in Judean society. This article seeks to interpret these food incidences and the debate they generate from the perspective of social-scientific categories. Accordingly, the themes of food, eating, and household are set into the dynamic context of an anthropology of eating, honor/shame, and kinship/household. Eating and food in the world of antiquity furnish a menu in which to debate and redefine intensely held beliefs concerning holiness/purity, gender, and group identity, where honor and shame, their loss and gain, were at stake. Food events provide an opportunity for Mark to portray Jesus in fierce debate with the religious elite from which he emerges an honorable man but for which he is eventually executed. Eating and food are occasions for Mark to present Jesus, not only as popular hero, but also as subversive sage.
Isaiah 56:1-8 and the Redefining of the Restoration Judean Community
Authors: Hammock Clinton E.
Published: January 2009

This article argues that the prophetic oracle of Isaiah 56:1-8 was intended to redefine the social boundaries of the Judean community in the early second temple period. This prophecy offers an alternative viewpoint to the nationalist and exclusionist views of Ezra and Nehemiah as to who can be a member of the Judean community. The position taken by this passage utilizes the images of the eunuch and the foreigner to reveal conflicts over land possession and the reproduction and socialization of children. It is argued that the exilic principles of community membership revolve around the issues of "purification" (in the exile) and the exclusion of outsiders who did not share this experience, and "loyalty," seen as endogamy and the reproduction and socialization of children to preserve the ethnic purity of the exilic community. The cases of the eunuch and the foreigner (convert) challenge both these principles and offer alternative principles of "loyalty" by relocating the markers of community membership into Sabbath observance and ethical behavior, social markers that do not require any ethnic purity or reproductive ability, and which ease the conversion of non-exiles into the community while allowing the community access to additional land resources.
Titus: Epistle of Religious Revitalization
Authors: Tollefson Kenneth D.
Published: January 2009

James D. Miller (138) contends that the Epistle of Titus has "no driving concern, no consistent focus of interest" and appears "like an anthology of traditions, many arranged mechanically together by topic, some simply juxtaposed." The purpose of this study is to ascertain to what extent the Epistle of Titus demonstrates some concise strategy or logical ordering to the materials presented. It is assumed that writers have some overarching purpose in mind in order to decide what should be included or excluded in a manuscript to achieve the intended objective. Thus, this analysis is concerned with the text as text rather than any literary, historical, or other method of interpretation. This analysis suggests that the Epistle of Titus is organized in the same six-phase-sequence that is found in thousands of case studies of "revitalization movements" around the world.
A Brief Moment for a One-Person Remnant (2 Kings 5:2-3)
Authors: Brueggemann Walter
Published: January 2009

The positive use of "remnant" in the First Testament characteristically refers to a self-conscious, self-aware, and often self-serving community that claims the future of Israel for itself (see Hasel). This article considers a "remnant" figure who is not self-conscious or self-aware, and certainly not self-serving. It refers to the "young girl" in 2 Kings 5:2-3. Her appearance in Israel's text is brief. She is assigned no important role by the text and is given no name. Moreover, her appearance is confined to two verses, and she is nowhere remembered or cited in any subsequent text. She is so incidental in her one narrative appearance that she is scarcely noticed. And yet, the article suggests, she is the pivotal character who makes this entire narrative of chapter 5 possible.
The Construction of Galilee as a Place for the Historical Jesus—Part II
Authors: Moxnes Halvor
Published: January 2009

In the Third Quest for the Historical Jesus, Galilee again came into the center of discussion, partly because of a general interest in local and regional studies, and partly because of the results of archaeological excavations. Many of the categories from the nineteenth century are still at work, e.g. nationalism (now identified with the state of Israel), but new perspectives from cultural studies and from economic and socio-political structures have gained importance. There are many areas of discussion, both in terms of traditional questions, like the degree of Hellenistic influence in Galilee, and new issues. Among the latter are methodological issues—e.g. concerning the interpretation of archaeological excavations and the use of social-science models in the reconstruction of ancient societies-and substantive issues of how to understand the relations between cities and peasant villages in Galilee. There are many challenges at the beginning of the twenty-first century, most pressing among them the need to see Galilee as part of the larger surrounding area and to study the role of Jesus in shaping the identity of Galilee in terms of resistance to existing power structures.
Of What Charges? (Luke 16:1-2)
Authors: Lygre John G.
Published: January 2009

This essay explores one of Jesus' parables, arguably his most complex: that of the dishonest steward. The emphasis here is on the charges against the steward. The facts that only Luke includes this parable and that he uses a verb found only here to express the steward's supposed wrongdoing raise pivotal questions. What motivates those who have brought the charges? What choices for defending and protecting himself does the steward consider? Does the owner's call for accountability preserve his reputation of honor? Complex relationships existed between owners, stewards, and tenants in Roman-occupied agrarian settings. The probability that the steward is irresponsible or derelict in his duties rather than guilty of immoral or criminal actions significantly affects how other elements of this parable are understood.
Jesus Was Not an Egalitarian. A Critique of an Anachronistic and Idealist Theory
Authors: Elliott John H.
Published: January 2009

The currently-advanced theory that Jesus was an egalitarian who founded a "community of equals" is devoid of social and political plausibility and, more importantly, of textual and historical evidence. Moreover, it distorts the actual historical and social nature of the nascent Jesus movement and constitutes a graphic example of an "idealist fallacy." The biblical texts to which proponents of the egalitarian theory appeal show Jesus and his followers engaged not in social revolution, democratic institutions, equality, and the eradication of the traditional family, but in establishing a form of community modelled on the family as redefined by Jesus and united by familial values, norms, and modes of conduct.
When Is Theology "Biblical"?—Some Reflections
Authors: Murphy Roland E.
Published: January 2009

In contrast to the ongoing hermeneutical discussions of "biblical theology," this article looks at some theological studies in order to find out how "biblical" theology can be. They are not representative, but merely chosen to gauge the flow. Obviously the role of Scripture as norma normans, or as the "soul of theology," is expressed in quite different ways. The perspectives of exegetes and of dogmatic theologians produce a wide variety in theological writings. The examples also challenge readers to examine their own use of Scripture, whatever be the level of discourse, academic or pastoral.
Why Does the Gospel of Mark Begin as It Does?
Authors: Guijarro Santiago
Published: January 2009

Mark's Gospel does not follow the rules of Hellenistic "lives," which usually began by praising the ancestry and education of the main character. This is due to the fact that the data available to Mark were inappropriate for that purpose. Nonetheless, the beginning of Mark's Gospel has the same purpose as the beginnings of other contemporary biographies: to show the ascribed honor of his character. According to Mark, Jesus' honor does not come from his human family; it is due to his being God's Son. Through a ritual process, centered upon a liminal stage of revelation and testing, the evangelist shows Jesus' true identity as a holy man, capable of brokering God's patronage on his people.
Hate Never Dispelled Hate: No Place for the Pharmakos (Revelation 22:15)
Authors: Bredin Mark R.
Published: January 2009

Pharmakoi in Revelation 22:15 are situated outside the holy city thus stating that there is no place in a peaceful society for blaming others for the fault that is their own. This idea of blame and revenge lies at the very heart of society, and Jesus in his death as a pharmakos uncovers the mechanism of blame and revenge which generates violence. In this article I examine occurrences of pharmakos- type words and consider them in the Septuagint, in Greek literature, and in the book of Revelation, showing that Girard's mimetic theory can be detected in the book of Revelation.
The Family in the Jesus Movement
Authors: Guijarro Santiago
Published: January 2009

The purpose of this study is to explore the possible continuity between the Jesus movement before Jesus' death and the movement of his disciples after his resurrection in their attitude towards the family. The “anti-familial” sayings of Jesus are studied, together with other gospel traditions which suggest a positive attitude towards family. By placing these sayings in the framework of the mass peasant movement launched by Jesus, we can be more precise about the goals of the disciples within that movement. This research reveals the importance of the Jesus group and of the households that their preaching reached, in explaining the continuity between the pre- and post-Easter periods of the Jesus movement in their attitude towards family.
Culture, Society, and Embedded Religion in Antiquity
Authors: Oakman Douglas E.
Published: January 2009

After the concepts of “society,” “culture,” and the “embeddedness of religion” have been reviewed from the standpoint of the social sciences, religion's place in antiquity is considered in relationship to the Judean temple, ecclesia and synagogue, and the controverted terms “Jew” and “Christian.” The meaning of religion, and the role it plays in human affairs, is argued to be fundamentally dependent upon its location in society or culture
Under the Cover of Clothing: Scripted Clothing Performances in the Apocalypse of John
Authors: Neufeld Dietmar
Published: January 2009

Phrases such as “dressed to kill,” “power dressing,” “casual dress,” “sexy attire,” “dressed to impress,” “frumpy attire,” “dressed fashionably,” and “fashion statement,” are value laden and express cultural themes and narratives. Scattered throughout the Apocalypse are references to a cast of characters dressed and decorated in ways befitting their role in the unfolding drama of the eschaton. What is worn relates to their identity individually and collectively, their loyaltyies, and their epistemic authority. Furthermore, through deploying the trope of body ornamentation, the author of the Apocalypse forms impressions of those loyal or disloyal to God, extends the personas of friend and foe to make them visible in the public sphere, and eroticizes the body metaphorically to inform readers about his standards. Taking into account the functions of attire and adornment delineated by social psychologists, this essay proposes to examine the shifting course of values reflected in the clothing and ornamentation motifs deployed in the Apocalypse of John.
Recent Reflections on the Gospel according to Mark
Authors: Kealy Séan P.
Published: January 2009

This article is an invitation to each reader to reflect on our journey through life with an amazingly deep work like the Gospel of Mark. Mark puts a radical question to our vision of life, the kind of God we believe in, the journey that that God invites—or better commands—us to make. As the poet said, it is above all an invitation to dance within the storm of life as Jesus once did for us.
Having Men for Dinner: Deadly Banquets and Biblical Women
Authors: Duran Nicole
Published: January 2009

This essay looks at several biblical women who use the power of food and drink, the banquet with its implications of seduction, to kill men or to determine whom the dining men kill. I will be asking in particular how the symbolism of food and drink interacts with gender, sexuality, and killing in the tradition. Jael (Judges 4:17—22) and Judith use drink along with the promise of sex, as though one conveys the other, to reassure, sedate, and deceive the men they need to kill. Herodias (Mark 6:14—30) and Esther (Esther 4—7) have equally deadly aim and also use food and more importantly drink to meet that aim, but in their cases, the drunken man is not the man who dies, but the one who kills. Thus the stories of Jael and Judith advocate a more direct subversion of the female role as nurturer—the nurturing turns to killing; the nurturing role was in fact all along a disguise for a female warrior. The stories of Esther and Herodias, on the other hand, propose more complicated and less subverted use of the nurturing role. While Jael and Judith take up masculine weapons to kill, Esther and Herodias manipulate men themselves as weapons, working within their traditional gender role.
Rethinking John's Social Setting: Hidden Transcript, Anti-language, and the Negotiation of the Empire
Authors: Reed David
Published: January 2009

This paper argues that the Johannine community found itself in a socio-political position in which they were forced to negotiate the Roman imperial world. It suggests that John's community was forced into a sociological /conflict situation/ in which they had to deal with the larger Roman world of which they were a part. In order to demonstrate this argument, this paper rejects Martyn's long held thesis and numerous other alternatives and opts instead for theory based on anti-language and hidden transcript to explain the nature of the “expulsion from the synagogues” found in John 9:22, 12:42, and 16:2. The study itself is limited to a discussion of a few of the titles that the Johannine community ascribed to Jesus, titles that were simultaneously ascribed to the emperors of Rome.
A Review Article: The Second Testament as a Covenant of Peace
Authors: Neville David J.
Published: January 2009

This review article critiques Covenant of Peace by Willard Swartley as a work of Second Testament theology and ethics. The broad scope of the book is an important feature, and the basic thrust of Swartley's argument for placing peace at the center of Second Testament interpretation is affirmed. Certain methodological and hermeneutical shortcomings are noted, albeit within the context of appreciation for the work as a whole. However, on the question of eschatological vengeance, which features in the first and last books of the Second Testament, Swartley's approach is considered problematic.
Gezerah Shawah as Analogy in the Epistle to the Hebrews
Authors: Wenkel David H.
Published: January 2009

This article argues that the Jewish exegetical technique of gezerah shawah should have its definition reconsidered as it is used in the epistle to the Hebrews. The general consensus views the technique as a mere verbal analogy. This study seeks to re-frame it as a multi-dimensional analogy with verbal, theological, and social aspects. A brief survey examines five occurrences in the epistle to the Hebrews. As an analogy it is argued that gezerah shawah relies on verbal relationships. When two verses with an identical word or words are connected, the rest of the quotation is relevant to the New Testament writer's interpretation. As a social analogy the study points to the differences between pre-70 CE and post-70 CE rabbinical techniques. Lastly, the theological aspect of the analogy demonstrates that Old Testament passages are not cited ad hoc.
Biblical Hermeneutics and Spiritual Interpretation: The Revelatory Presence of God in Karl Barth's Theology of Scripture
Authors: Dempsey Michael T.
Published: January 2009

Modern methods of historical-critical and literary interpretation have secularized biblical interpretation by treating scripture as a strictly human text that can be understood by discerning the meaning of its many human authors and redactors. In a similar way modern fundamentalist and patristic exegesis have also secularized biblical interpretation in that they assume that scripture itself is the Word of God, whose meaning is readily evident from the words on the page and no longer requires the gracious gift of God's action and presence to make its meaning manifest. This paper argues that Karl Barth's theology of scripture provides the resources to revitalize biblical interpretation because Barth takes seriously the full humanity of the Bible and the need for historical interpretation while understanding that any interpretation of scripture's transcendent subject matter requires the presence of God's Word and Spirit to make its meaning understood and applied in the Church and world today.
Rethinking a Key Biblical Text and Catholic Church Governance
Authors: Crosby Michael H.
Published: January 2009

For years Matthew 16:17—19 has been used in the Roman Church to legitimize a certain approach to its institutional form of governance that virtually excludes all the baptized but the hierarchy. Using the historical-critical method accepted by the Pontifical Biblical Commission (PBC), this article shows that this “Petrine” text is absent in its parallels in Mark and Luke. Furthermore, in official church teaching, which stresses Peter's “binding and loosing” as a key justifier for this form of governance, no discussion is made of the parallel text of “binding and loosing” in Matthew 18: 17—20, which articulates how this power is to be used in and by the community. Using the PBC's document on the appropriate Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, this article argues that such a selective approach to Matthew 16:17—19 reveals an example of the PBC's warning against texts being used in fundamentalistic ways which support ideological positions.
Seven Bowls of Wrath: The Ecological Relevance of Revelation
Authors: Woods Richard
Published: January 2009

Catastrophic effects of climate change invite comparisons with the “plagues” or wounds of the earth described in chapters 15 and 16 of the Book of Revelation. The seven Bowls of Wrath can be interpreted as an ecological parable for the decades ahead, as the impact of several centuries of human exploitation of natural resources and the effects of pollution threaten to result in a number of global calamities in the areas of human and animal health, environmental decline, habitat destruction, population displacement, and physical suffering caused by increasingly violent and frequent storms. Although symbolic admonitions, the “bowls of wrath” demonstrate an unusually sophisticated insight into the organic connection that exists among biological and geological systems and also the consequences of wantonly disrupting this balance through human greed, oppression, and malice. Finally, the compensating divine response to ecocatastrophe ends not in ultimate punishment, but the renewal of the cosmos and the healing of the nations. Revelation is a message of hope as well as warning and a summons to repent.