bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Primary issues with secondary orality
Authors: Nayar Sheila J.
Published: October 2013

This article examines two of Walter Ong’s signature concepts in culture and communication theory: secondary orality and residual orality. The author argues that these two concepts, as deployed today by many scholars in discussions of electronic and digital media, are highly problematic. Stemming from the author’s study of a particular region and contingent of humankind that was not on Ong’s cultural radar, the article attempts to demonstrate why scholars need to reflect further on these definitional models and argues for a more supple comprehension and application of the terms.
Walter Ong in the present moment of truth
Authors: Troup Calvin L.
Published: October 2013

In The Presence of the Word (1967), Walter J. Ong provides a phenomenological account of human decision-making based on principles of orality. In his discussion, he considers the radically existential resonance of the familiar phrase ‘the moment of truth’ as a uniquely human event uniting human will and judgment in a decisive moment of thought and speech in action. This article explores the ground of Ong’s account in his work on orality, presence and personalism related to his Christian commitments to Incarnation as a personal union of time and eternity.
Walter Ong and Harold Bloom can help us understand the Hebrew Bible
Authors: Farrell Thomas J.
Published: October 2013

Certain observations made by Harold Bloom regarding the Hebrew Bible can be considered in the framework of Walter Ong’s multivariate account of western cultural history, including his own discussion of aspects of the Hebrew Bible. By doing this, I create a win-win situation. On the one hand, I use Ong’s various observations to deepen and strengthen Bloom’s observations regarding the Hebrew Bible. On the other hand, I use Bloom’s most pointed observations to deepen and strengthen some of Ong’s larger considerations.
Home is where the brain wires: Technology, fixity and adaptation
Authors: Van Den Eede Yoni
Published: October 2013

This article reworks the concept of ‘home’ in the light of everyday technology and media use, recombining central ideas from phenomenology, media ecology and neuroscience. First, fundamental concepts in the works of Martin Heidegger and Marshall McLuhan are reinterpreted. Second, these ideas are updated by coupling them to recent research in neuroscience. Third, in a synthesizing movement, the notion of ‘home’ is reformulated starting from these reinterpretations. From this new perspective, it appears no longer to be a concept merely bound to place or space. It is a fundamental way of interacting through and with (technological) environments that resonates throughout the breadth of existence: a dynamic or dialectic between stasis and change, fixity and adaptation.
Memory and morality
Authors: Schaefer Richard
Published: October 2013

It has long been recognized that the Holocaust poses special challenges. On the one hand, historical research has accumulated a detailed and penetrating account of the events. On the other hand, efforts at understanding and commemorating these events transcend professional history and take shape in the public sphere. In the public sphere, however, memory of the Holocaust is shaped just as much by art and by fiction as by history. The influence of films on the Holocaust is especially important in this context to the extent that audiences take them to be, if not true, ultimately realistic depictions of past experience. This article challenges the notion that the memory of the Holocaust is best served by the effort to recreate experience, and argues that there are deeply moral implications of how the present uses its past.
Adipose tissue inflammation and cancer cachexia: the role of steroid hormones
Authors: Seelaender Marilia C.L. , Batista Miguel Luiz
Published: October 2013

Adipose tissue inflammation plays a role in the etiology of many chronic diseases, and has been the focus of much attention in the context of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Similarly, during cancer cachexia, a syndrome that markedly increases cancer-associated morbidity and mortality, local adipose inflammation is reported in animal models and in patients, potentially contributing to the chronic systemic inflammation that constitutes the hallmark of this condition. We discuss, on the basis of information generated by obesity-related studies, the possible relation between adipose tissue inflammation and compromised steroid hormone secretion and action in cachexia.
Joking in the face of death: A terror management approach to humor production
Authors: Long Christopher R. , Greenwood Dara N.
Published: October 2013

Terror management theory has spawned a body of experimental research documenting a multitude of defensive responses to mortality salience manipulations (e.g., rigid adherence to dominant cultural values, self-esteem bolstering). Another substantive body of work suggests that humor functions as a natural and often effective means of down-regulating stressful or traumatic experiences. Integrating a terror management paradigm with a cartoon captioning task, the present study finds that participants subliminally primed with death wrote funnier captions than those primed with pain, as judged by outside raters. Interestingly, a reverse pattern was obtained for participants' own ratings of their captions; explicitly death-primed participants rated themselves more successful at generating humorous captions than their pain-primed counterparts, while no significant difference emerged between the two subliminal priming conditions. Findings contribute new insights to recent research suggesting that death reminders may sometimes facilitate creativity and open-mindedness.
Humor styles, risk perceptions, and risky behavioral choices in college students
Authors: Cann Arnie , Cann Adam T.
Published: October 2013

Sense of humor has been identified as a possible factor that leads to riskier behavioral choices, which could, in turn, contribute to health problems and reduced longevity. In previous studies, sense of humor was viewed as a one-dimensional, positive personal quality: the potential impact of maladaptive styles of humor was not acknowledged. The current study assesses both adaptive and maladaptive humor styles and relates them to perceived risk, and to the performance of risky behavior. The results do not support the suggestion that a sense of humor – when considered as a cheerful, carefree, and optimistic orientation – is related to assessments of risk or risky choices. Although humor
Representações sociais construídas sobre os índios em Sergipe: ausência e invisibilização
Authors: Lima Marcus Eugênio Oliveira , Almeida Alan Magno Matos de
Published: October 2013

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar as representações sociais construídas pelos sergipanos sobre os índios. Foram entrevistados 378 moradores de seis cidades (cinco em Sergipe e uma em Alagoas). Os resultados obtidos indicam o predomínio de uma representação social cujo núcleo central é formado por elementos que referem um tempo passado e remoto, ou que denotam a distância física e cultural (como "matas", "florestas", "nudez", "pintura"). Igualmente, quando perguntados sobre o que lembram dos índios na história do Brasil, os entrevistados raramente referem acontecimentos recentes e têm mesmo dificuldade para produzir qualquer enunciação. O fato de morar longe ou perto de uma tribo indígena teve menos impacto nas representações sociais do que esperávamos. As conclusões indicam que, para muitos dos pesquisados, os índios existem apenas como uma ausência ou ainda de um modo naturalizado, como reminiscências fenotípicas e culturais de uma história de 500 anos de violência e extermínio.
Breast Cancer Multifocality and Multicentricity and Locoregional Recurrence
Authors: Lynch Siobhan P. , Lei Xiudong , Hsu Limin , Meric-Bernstam Funda , Buchholz Thomas A. , Zhang Hong , Hortobágyi Gabriel N. , Gonzalez-Angulo Ana M. , Valero Vicente
Published: October 2013

Background.

The impact of multifocal (MF) or multicentric (MC) breast cancer on locoregional (LR) control rates is unknown.

Methods.

MF was defined as two or more separate invasive tumors in the same quadrant of the breast. MC was defined as two or more separate invasive tumors occupying more than one quadrant of the same breast. Patients were categorized by LR treatment: breast conservation therapy (BCT; n = 256), mastectomy (n = 466), or mastectomy plus postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT; n = 184). All patients with MC disease had mastectomy (10 patients treated with BCT for MC disease were excluded). The Kaplan-Meier product limit method was used to calculate 5-year LR control rate. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine independent associations of multifocality or multicentricity with LR control.

Results.

A total of 906 patients had either MF disease (n = 673) or MC disease (n = 233). With median follow-up of 52 months, the 5-year LR control rate was 99% for MF, 96% for MC, and 98% for unifocal tumors (p = .44). Subset analysis revealed no difference in LR control regardless of the LR treatment (p = .67 for BCT, p = .37 for mastectomy, p = .29 for mastectomy plus PMRT). There were five in-breast recurrences after BCT in the MF group. MF and MC did not have an independent impact on LR control rate on multivariate analysis.

Conclusion.

MF and MC disease are not independent risk factors for LR recurrence. Patients with MF and MC breast cancer had rates of LR control similar to those of their unifocal counterparts. These data suggest that BCT is a safe option for patients with MF tumors and that MF or MC disease alone is not an indication for PMRT.
The 2011 Great East Japan earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster
Authors: Inokuma Akira , Nagayama Daisuke
Published: October 2013

The Great East Japan earthquake of 11 March 2011 was a tragedy of unprecedented scale, one of the largest natural disasters experienced by a developed nation. The disaster began with the primary damage of the earthquake, which further led to the devastating secondary damage of the tsunamis and culminated in the tertiary damage of the Fukushima I nuclear power plant. This last has become a source of concern not only to the people living in the power plant's vicinity, but elsewhere in Japan and around the world. This paper provides an overview of the disasters, the ongoing recovery operations and a summary of the lessons learned.
Delivering the Emirates Air Line, London – Britain's first urban cable car
Authors: Randall Matt
Published: October 2013

The Emirates Air Line is a spectacular 1·1 km cable car which crosses the River Thames in London at up to 90 m above the ground. Forming part of the Docklands Light Railway network, the £60 million project was delivered in just 15 months and opened a month before the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It has since been carrying an average of over 30 000 people a week, helping to boost the wider regeneration of the Greenwich Peninsula and Royal Docks. This paper provides an overview of the challenging design and construction of the unique project, which looks set to serve as benchmark for future urban transit systems.
São Paulo building for the future freeze-frames Brazil's past
Authors: Franco Mario
Published: October 2013

In the middle of São Paulo's vibrant new financial centre is a small eighteenth century house built by one of Brazil's pioneering ‘bandeirantes’, one of the last historical buildings left in the country's largest city. A prestigious new 21-storey office building – national headquarters for the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China as well as Google and many others investing in Brazil's future – was recently completed directly in front of the house, but city planners insisted the historic property should remain publicly visible and accessible. This required a 41 m wide, 30 m high opening through the new building to provide a permanent reminder of the country's pioneering past, which in turn called for a 6 m deep post-tensioned transfer structure. This paper describes the design and construction of this concrete-framed building with a difference, focusing on its massive transfer structure – the concrete for which was mixed with ice instead of water to minimise thermal cracking.
Predicting local seismic damage of RC framed buildings considering the horizontal seismic component
Authors: Youssef Maged A. , Elfeki Mahmoud A.
Published: October 2013

This paper provides a simplified method to define local seismic damage for reinforced concrete frames considering the horizontal seismic component. The proposed method utilises static pushover analysis to evaluate the maximum and residual inter-storey drift limits for each storey. These limits are predicted for five frames and compared to experimental and analytical results by other researchers. Further validation of the method is achieved by conducting incremental dynamic analyses for a concrete frame using five earthquake records. Results have also provided an assessment of the use of residual and maximum inter-storey drifts to define collapse.
Complex Electrical Measurements on an Undisturbed Soil Core: Evidence for Improved Estimation of Saturation Degree from Imaginary Conductivity
Authors: Grunat D.A. , Slater L.D. , Wehrer M.
Published: October 2013

Recent studies have shown that induced polarization (IP) coupled with electrical resistivity surveys can be used for in situ lithological and hydrologic discrimination of the subsurface; yet the driving factors behind the effects of water content dynamics on IP are relatively understudied. We sought to improve the understanding of the relationship of IP on variations in water saturation degree for an undisturbed agricultural soil. Our experiment consisted of collecting IP measurements concurrently with hydraulic data during multistep outflow experiments. We determined the hydraulic properties of the undisturbed soil samples and correlated saturation degree with IP data. Due to an increase in pore fluid conductivity in the column pore water with decreasing saturation degree, we found that imaginary conductivity (σ″) may offer distinct advantages for determining water content over real conductivity (σ′) measurements. Although σ″ exhibits a weaker dependence on saturation degree compared to σ′, the relative insensitivity of σ″ to pore fluid conductivity results in a simpler dependence on saturation change in the presence of varying salinities. As changes in pore fluid conductivity are likely to occur in the field simultaneously with water content variations, we suggest that although IP has mostly been used to discriminate lithology, time lapse IP measurements may additionally provide a robust indicator of changes in saturation degree.
Cost-Effectiveness of Alternative Thresholds of the Fasting Plasma Glucose Test to Identify the Target Population for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention in Adults Aged ≥45 Years
Authors: Zhuo Xiaohui , Zhang Ping , Kahn Henry S. , Gregg Edward W.
Published: October 2013

OBJECTIVE

The study objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alternative fasting plasma glucose (FPG) thresholds to identify adults at high risk for type 2 diabetes for diabetes preventive intervention.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We used a validated simulation model to examine the change in lifetime quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and medical costs when the FPG threshold was progressively lowered in 5-mg/dL decrements from 120 to 90 mg/dL. The study sample includes nondiabetic adults aged ≥45 years in the United States using 2006–2010 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. High-risk individuals were assumed to receive a lifestyle intervention, as that used in the Diabetes Prevention Program. We calculated cost per QALY by dividing the incremental cost by incremental QALY when lowering the threshold to the next consecutive level. Medical costs were assessed from a health care system perspective. We conducted univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of the results using different simulation scenarios and parameters.

RESULTS

Progressively lowering the FPG threshold would monotonically increase QALYs, cost, and cost per QALY. Reducing (in 5-mg/dL decrements) the threshold from 120 to 90 mg/dL cost $30,100, $32,900, $42,300, $60,700, $81,800, and $115,800 per QALY gained, respectively. The costs per QALY gained were lower for all thresholds under a lower-cost and less-effective intervention scenario.

CONCLUSIONS

Lowering the FPG threshold leads to a greater health benefit of diabetes prevention but reduces the cost-effectiveness. Using the conventional benchmark of $50,000 per QALY, a threshold of 105 mg/dL or higher would be cost effective. A lower threshold could be selected if the intervention cost could be lowered.
β-Cell Function Improvements in Grade I/II Obese Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes 1 Month After Biliopancreatic Diversion
Authors: Junqueira Vasques Ana Carolina , Pareja José Carlos , de Oliveira Maria da Saude , Satake Novaes Fernanda , Miranda de Oliveira Lima Marcelo , Chaim Élinton A. , Piccinini Francesca , Dalla Man Chiara , Cobelli Claudio , Geloneze Bruno
Published: October 2013

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) surgery on β-cell function in grade I and II obese patients with type 2 diabetes using oral and intravenous glucose loads.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Sixty-eight women were divided into the following three groups: 19 lean-control (23.0 ± 2.2 kg/m2) and 18 obese-control (35.0 ± 4.8 kg/m2) subjects with normal glucose tolerance, and 31 obese patients with type 2 diabetes (36.3 ± 3.7 kg/m2). Of the 31 diabetic women, 64% underwent BPD (n = 20, BMI: 36.5 ± 3.7 kg/m2) and were reassessed 1 month after surgery. Oral glucose tolerance tests and hyperglycemic clamps were performed. Mathematical modeling was used to analyze basal and stimulated β-cell function, insulin sensitivity (IS), hepatic extraction (HE) of insulin, and delay time of β-cell response to a specific plasma glucose concentration.

RESULTS

After BPD, restoration of the basal disposition index (P < 0.001) and improvement of the stimulated disposition indices in oral and intravenous glucose stimulation of the β-cell were observed (P < 0.05). In both dynamic tests, there were no changes in the delay time of β-cell response. IS for oral glucose stimulation (ISoral) and intravenous clamp glucose stimulation (ISclamp) was completely normalized (P < 0.001). ISoral and ISclamp increased approximately 5.0-fold and 3.5-fold, respectively (P < 0.01). The HE of insulin increased in the basal (P < 0.05) and stimulated states (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

β-Cell function, IS, and HE of insulin improved after BPD, which improved glycemic control.
Effects of nest characteristics and black rat Rattus rattus predation on daily survival rates of great egret Ardea alba nests in mangrove forest in the Hara Biosphere Reserve, the Persian Gulf
Authors: Neinavaz Elnaz , Barati Ahmad , Brown Jessi L. , Etezadifar Farzaneh , Emami Besat
Published: October 2013

We estimated variations in breeding parameters and daily survival rates (DSR) of nests of the great egret Ardea alba during 2008‐2009 in the Hara Biosphere Reserve, the Persian Gulf. We modelled and compared nesting success using an information‐theoretic approach to assess effects of nest site and temporal covariates on DSR. The mean DSR was 0.9896 (95% CI: 0.9931‐0.9842) and the overall nest survival was 0.49 (0.35‐0.63). Distance to black rat Rattus rattus nest sites was the most important covariate (∑ωi = 0.96) affecting the survival of great egret nests whereas distance to other great egret and western reef heron Egretta gularis nests was less influential. Neither nest diameter nor nest age effectively explained variation in nesting success. We concluded that black rat predation is the most important factor affecting the breeding performance of great egrets in the Hara Biosphere Reserve, and control measures should be undertaken to reduce the negative effects of this invasive rodent on the heron colonies of mangrove forests in the Persian Gulf.
A breath test to assign carnivore diets to browsers or grazers
Authors: Voigt Christian C. , Melzheimer Jörg , Thalwitzer Susanne , Wachter Bettina
Published: October 2013

Cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus are important predators of herbivores in African ecosystems, and several methods to determine their diet have been used in the past. We applied a novel method to quickly assess the diet of cheetahs with respect to grazing and browsing herbivores, i.e. we analysed the stable carbon isotope ratio (δ13CV‐PDB) of cheetah breath to separate individuals feeding predominantly on browsers or grazers, respectively. Browsers and grazers are contrasting in their muscle δ13CV‐PDB, because of their isotopically distinct C3 or C4 plant diet, respectively. Muscle δ13CV‐PDB of six abundant local potential prey species of cheetahs confirmed that kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros and springbok Antidorcas marsupialis browsed on C3 plants, whereas gemsbok Oryx gazella, hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus, warthog Phacochoerus africanus and cattle Bos taurus predominantly grazed on C4 plants. Breath δ13CV‐PDB of the cheetahs followed the bimodal frequency distribution of the prey species with six cheetahs being assigned to the C4 food web and three to the C3 food web. Breath tests may be a suitable method to delineate the trophic membership of carnivores to C3 and C4 food webs when animals are chemically immobilised for other purposes.
Black Theatre Canada and Native Earth Performing Arts: A Slideshow
Authors: Puddephatt Lee , Harvey Kathryn
Published: October 2013

In preparing issue 156 of CTR, the co-editors recognized the unfortunate absence of evidence (at least within submissions) of work on intercultural theatre archives. In order to rectify this gap and to demonstrate—even argue for increased emphasis on—the long-term preservation of these dynamic and significant contributions to the Canadian theatrical record, Jenn Stephenson and I decided to create a slideshow featuring two intercultural theatre archives that are available for research in the University of Guelph’s Archival and Special Collections. The slideshow offers a quick look at the collections of two intercultural theatre companies that have had an important impact on the development of Canadian theatre: Black Theatre Canada (1973–1988) and Native Earth Performing Arts (1982–present). The wealth of creative power that Black Theatre Canada once brought and Native Earth Performing Arts continues to bring to Canadian theatre is amply evident in the images to follow.
Narrative Threads: Juliet’s Costumes and Their Contexts
Authors: McGee C. E.
Published: October 2013

Examining records in the Stratford Festival Archive of costumes made for Juliets from 1960 to 2008, this paper discusses the significance of Juliet's costumes in themselves, in relation to costume changes that tell her story visually, and in broader social contexts: specifically, Canadian celebrity culture in 1992, inescapable Canadian politics in 1968, and the North American beauty myth in 1960.
Re-Thinking My Assumptions: Archival Research and the Writing of Our Kind of Work
Authors: Brenna Dwayne
Published: October 2013

While researching background material for Our Kind of Work (Thistledown 2011), a book about the first decade of Saskatoon’s Twenty-fifth Street Theatre, I found myself re-thinking long held assumptions about the theatre company and the theatre community in Saskatchewan. My expectation was that the theatre company had an amicable relationship with the Saskatchewan Arts Board through the company’s early years. Twenty-fifth Street Theatre was, after all, the only professional theatre company in the province dedicated to producing Canadian plays, and the Arts Board was there to foster the growth of Saskatchewan’s artistic scene. The relationship between the theatre company and the Arts Board was less than friendly, however, as is shown in several archival documents. I also assumed that the fledgling theatre company would find an ally in the local newspaper The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, but the relationship was again unfriendly. Animosity between the theatre company and the newspaper culminated in a tense letter to a local reviewer which called for a public debate on the merits of one of the theatre company’s productions. My archival research, performed in the Twenty-fifth Street Theatre Collection at the University of Saskatchewan Archives, taught me that my knowledge of the theatre’s inner workings and of its relationships with other entities was far from complete.
Dance Archives in an Online Environment: The Impact of Digital Media on the Preservation of Dance History
Authors: Esling Natalia
Published: October 2013

The archival strategies offered through the Dance Collections Danse (DCD) online database (based in Toronto) illuminate the emerging impulse to educate practitioners about archiving systems for the purpose of facilitating a more immediate organization of materials and information by the companies, choreographers, and dancers themselves. These strategies emphasize the importance of immediacy to the preservation of projects in theatrical dance, not only to avoid historical backtracking but also to generate a “living” history and a sustainable method for presenting contemporary movements in theatrical dance as they arise. While the move to digital archiving evokes the desire to preserve dance as a fundamental part of Canadian arts and cultural heritage, it also presents challenges vis-à-vis negotiating the most effective way to document this ephemeral art form in both development and production. This paper sets out to interrogate the relationship between dance archiving, the preservation of dance history, and digital media.
Evidence of Artistic Process in Performing Arts Records
Authors: Cannon Braden
Published: October 2013

Several archivists have identified various stages of performing arts processes during which records are created and can therefore be preserved. The records of performing arts organizations—particularly those directly related to the creative process such as set design or costume design, recordings of performances, and so forth—can become the source of inspiration for further performance. However, performing arts organizations must perform administrative functions that support the primary role of performance. Can evidence of the artistic process be discovered and utilized in these administrative records? This article examines the records of Alberta Ballet, housed at the Provincial Archives of Alberta, to identify intersections between creation and administration.
Is There an Archivist in the Sim?: Literacy as Agency in a Postpositivist, Mixed Media Virtual Theatre Archive
Authors: Roberts-Smith Jennifer , Harvey Kathryn , DeSouza-Coelho Shawn , Dobson Teresa M. , Gabriele Sandra , Kovacs Alexandra (Sasha) , Rodriguez-Arenas Omar , Ruecker Stan , Sinclair Stéfan
Published: October 2013

As non-specialist researchers gain increasingly direct online access to digital and digitized theatre archives, archivists can no longer expect to be able to provide essential, post-positivist archival literacy training to individual researchers on a case-by-case basis. Archival literacy training must now be embedded directly into the design archives’ online interfaces. In this paper, we make some preliminary suggestions about how the University of Guelph’s L. W. Conolly Archive of Canadian Theatre may approach this challenge using the Simulated Environment for Theatre (SET) as a platform for interacting with its holdings. We illustrate our argument with artefacts related to Judith Thompson’s White Biting Dog.
To Carry the Archive with Us: The Multi-Burdened Crawls of William Pope.L and Didier Morelli
Authors: Schotzko T. Nikki Cesare
Published: October 2013

In 1978, performance artist William Pope.L began his inaugural crawl through New York City’s Times Square, challenging the “urban power” that verticality, literally and metaphorically, bestows. On 11 November 2011, Didier Morelli—as part of his presentation on William Pope.L for the graduate course I was then teaching, The History of Solo Performance—crawled two kilometers from his east-side apartment to the University of Toronto’s Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies at the corner of St. George and College Streets. Morelli wore a Québec Nordiques hockey jersey and in Québécois French recited the excerpt from Roch Carrier’s “Le chandail de hockey” quoted on the Canadian five-dollar bill. He carried with him throughout the crawl a photocopied photograph of William Pope.L. Morelli’s (re)performance, which I (re)trace through my own self-conscious path as professor and audience, serving a particularly performative archiving function that makes evident the intrinsic relationship between affect and pedagogy.
Review of The Brahan Seer: The Making of a Legend
Authors: Wmffre Iwan
Published: October 2013

Alex Sutherland (2009), The Brahan Seer: The Making of a Legend (Oxford, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt am Main, New York, Wien: Peter Lang), 282 pp., Pb: €45.30, ISBN 978-3-03911-868–7.
Editorial
Authors: Welch Penny , Wright Susan
Published: October 2013

Welcome to the sixth volume of Learning and Teaching: The International Journal of Higher Education in the Social Sciences. Our thanks go to the authors of the essay, articles and commentaries, the anonymous referees who read the essay and the articles, our publisher Berghahn and the Editorial Board.
Beyond pedagogy: Community feeling, educational development and power in a U.S. liberal arts college
Authors: Willett Gudrun
Published: October 2013

In a three-year ethnographic study of a selective U.S. liberal arts college, it was found that educational development efforts contributed not only to changes in teaching but also to cross-college collaboration and the development of a sense of community. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the college created a learning centre and new educational development activities that spoke to faculty members' needs and college interests. Following these changes, increased collegiality could be seen in collaborations among college employees, and in the educational development activities themselves, resulting in increased interest in educational development. These institutional changes were only made possible because of the college's relatively democratic governance structure, relatively high levels of faculty members' power on campus, and an environment in which ideas and practices could be challenged and re-conceptualised (at least by some employees). Ultimately, this paper argues for more attention to the interrelationships between campus collegiality, teaching and learning, and power in institutions of higher education.
Rethinking combined departments: An argument for History and Anthropology
Authors: Sluis Ageeth , Edwards Elise
Published: October 2013

Many opportunities for more integrated teaching that better capture the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary scholars' work and better achieve the aims of liberal arts education still remain untapped, particularly at smaller schools where combined departments are often necessary. The disciplinary boundaries between history and sociocultural anthropology have become increasingly blurred in recent decades, a trend reflected in scholarly work that engages with both fields, as well as dual-degree graduate programmes at top U.S. research universities. For many scholars, this interdisciplinarity makes sense, with the two disciplines offering critical theoretical tools and methods that must be used in combination to tackle effectively the questions they pursue. This article asks why this interdisciplinarity, so central to professional pursuits of both historians and anthropologists, is significantly less present in the undergraduate classroom. Housed in one of the only joint History and Anthropology departments in the U.S., we detail our own efforts to make the chance joining of our disciplines pedagogically meaningful.
Chronological Trends in Negev Rock Art: The Har Michia Petroglyphs as a Test Case
Authors: Eisenberg-Degen Davida , Rosen Steven
Published: October 2013

Negev rock art comprises a large and diverse corpus of motifs and compositions developed over the course of several millennia. As dating of specific elements is at present not possible, the rock art was analyzed statistically through the study of individual panels where internal sequences of engraving could be discerned. Examining the set of such individual sequences, larger scale reconstruction of engraving phases, sequences and patterns were recognized. Additional chronological markers, such as the presence of domestic camels or other chronologically diagnostic features, offer benchmarks for tying the general trends to more absolute frameworks. The reconstructed patterns reflect the long term history of the Negev and some of the most significant cultural and social transitions in the region are reflected visually through the rock art, notably a form of self-expression, a crucial complement to the historical sequences derived from sedentary peoples living farther north. For example the introduction of the domestic camel and its symbolic and economic significance is well evident in the rock art. Similarly, the emergence of Islam is expressed through the mark makers’ preference for "abstract" (non-figurative) motifs. One motif found throughout all engraving phases, transcending the religious, political and economic structures of Negev society, is the “ibex”. Although Negev societies have all focused, to one degree or another, on sheep and goat pastoralism, these animals are rarely present in the Negev rock art and never as herds. Ibex, whose role in the diet and daily subsistence was minimal, was the most commonly depicted zoomorphic motif.
Energy, Entropy and Exergy in Communication Networks
Authors: Aleksic Slavisa
Published: October 2013

The information and communication technology (ICT) sector is continuously growing, mainly due to the fast penetration of ICT into many areas of business and society. Growth is particularly high in the area of technologies and applications for communication networks, which can be used, among others, to optimize systems and processes. The ubiquitous application of ICT opens new perspectives and emphasizes the importance of understanding the complex interactions between ICT and other sectors. Complex and interacting heterogeneous systems can only properly be addressed by a holistic framework. Thermodynamic theory, and, in particular, the second law of thermodynamics, is a universally applicable tool to analyze flows of energy. Communication systems and their processes can be seen, similar to many other natural processes and systems, as dissipative transformations that level differences in energy density between participating subsystems and their surroundings. This paper shows how to apply thermodynamics to analyze energy flows through communication networks. Application of the second law of thermodynamics in the context of the Carnot heat engine is emphasized. The use of exergy-based lifecycle analysis to assess the sustainability of ICT systems is shown on an example of a radio access network.
Decision Support for the Construction of Farm-Scale Biogas Digesters in Developing Countries with Cold Seasons
Authors: Rennuit Charlotte , Sommer Sven
Published: October 2013

Biogas production is a clean renewable energy source that can improve lives in developing countries. However, winter temperatures in some areas are too low to enable enough biogas production in small unheated digesters to meet the energy requirements of households. Low-cost, high yield reactors adapted to the local climate are needed in those situations. A decision-support model was developed to assist in the design of biogas reactors capable of meeting households’ year-round energy needs. Monthly biogas production relative to household energy needs was calculated for the scenario of suburban Hanoi, Vietnam. Calculations included pig number, slurry (manure water mixture) dilution, retention time and biogas/solar heating. Although using biogas to heat the digester increased biogas production, it did not lead to an energy surplus, particularly with the 1:9 slurry dilution rate commonly used on pig farms. However, at a 1:3 slurry dilution, the use of solar heating to provide 90% and biogas 10% of the heat required to heat the digester to 35 °C improved the biogas production by 50% compared to psychrophilic production. The energy needs of an average five-person family throughout the year required 17 fattening pigs. This model can establish the best solution for producing sufficient energy throughout the year.
The Influence of Silica Nanoparticles on Ionic Liquid Behavior: A Clear Difference between Adsorption and Confinement
Authors: Wang Yaxing , Li Cheng , Guo Xiaojing , Wu Guozhong
Published: October 2013

The phase behaviors of ionic liquids (ILs) confined in nanospace and adsorbed on outer surface of nanoparticles are expected to be different from those of the bulk. Anomalous phase behaviors of room temperature ionic liquid tributylhexadecylphosphonium bromide (P44416Br) confined in ordered mesoporous silica nanoparticles with average pore size 3.7 nm and adsorbed on outer surface of the same silica nanoparticles were reported. It was revealed that the melting points (Tm) of confined and adsorbed ILs depressed significantly in comparison with the bulk one. The Tm depressions for confined and adsorbed ILs are 8 °C and 14 °C, respectively. For comparison with the phase behavior of confined P44416Br, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (BmimBr) was entrapped within silica nanopores, we observed an enhancement of 50 °C in Tm under otherwise similar conditions. The XRD analysis indicates the formation of crystalline-like phase under confinement, in contrast to the amorphous phase in adsorbed IL. It was confirmed that the behavior of IL has clear difference. Moreover, the complex π-π stacking and H-bonding do not exist in the newly proposed phosphonium-based IL in comparison with the widely studied imidazolium-based IL. The opposite change in melting point of P44416Br@SiO2 and BmimBr@SiO2 indicates that the cationic species plays an important role in the variation of melting point.
Pollen Elicits Proboscis Extension but Does not Reinforce PER Learning in Honeybees
Authors: Nicholls Elizabeth , De Ibarra Natalie
Published: October 2013

The function of pollen as a reward for foraging bees is little understood, though there is evidence to suggest that it can reinforce associations with visual and olfactory floral cues. Foraging bees do not feed on pollen, thus one could argue that it cannot serve as an appetitive reinforcer in the same way as sucrose. However, ingestion is not a critical parameter for sucrose reinforcement, since olfactory proboscis extension (PER) learning can be conditioned through antennal stimulation only. During pollen collection, the antennae and mouthparts come into contact with pollen, thus it is possible that pollen reinforces associative learning through similar gustatory pathways as sucrose. Here pollen was presented as the unconditioned stimulus (US), either in its natural state or in a 30% pollen-water solution, and was found to elicit proboscis extension following antennal stimulation. Control groups were exposed to either sucrose or a clean sponge as the US, or an unpaired presentation of the conditioned stimulus (CS) and pollen US. Despite steady levels of responding to the US, bees did not learn to associate a neutral odour with the delivery of a pollen reward, thus whilst pollen has a proboscis extension releasing function, it does not reinforce olfactory PER learning.
Electron Beam Melting and Refining of Metals: Computational Modeling and Optimization
Authors: Vutova Katia , Donchev Veliko
Published: October 2013

Computational modeling offers an opportunity for a better understanding and investigation of thermal transfer mechanisms. It can be used for the optimization of the electron beam melting process and for obtaining new materials with improved characteristics that have many applications in the power industry, medicine, instrument engineering, electronics, etc. A time-dependent 3D axis-symmetrical heat model for simulation of thermal transfer in metal ingots solidified in a water-cooled crucible at electron beam melting and refining (EBMR) is developed. The model predicts the change in the temperature field in the casting ingot during the interaction of the beam with the material. A modified Pismen-Rekford numerical scheme to discretize the analytical model is developed. These equation systems, describing the thermal processes and main characteristics of the developed numerical method, are presented. In order to optimize the technological regimes, different criteria for better refinement and obtaining dendrite crystal structures are proposed. Analytical problems of mathematical optimization are formulated, discretized and heuristically solved by cluster methods. Using important for the practice simulation results, suggestions can be made for EBMR technology optimization. The proposed tool is important and useful for studying, control, optimization of EBMR process parameters and improving of the quality of the newly produced materials.
Guard Cell and Tropomyosin Inspired Chemical Sensor
Authors: Nagel Jacquelyn
Published: October 2013

Sensors are an integral part of many engineered products and systems. Biological inspiration has the potential to improve current sensor designs as well as inspire innovative ones. This paper presents the design of an innovative, biologically-inspired chemical sensor that performs “up-front” processing through mechanical means. Inspiration from the physiology (function) of the guard cell coupled with the morphology (form) and physiology of tropomyosin resulted in two concept variants for the chemical sensor. Applications of the sensor design include environmental monitoring of harmful gases, and a non-invasive approach to detect illnesses including diabetes, liver disease, and cancer on the breath.
An interactive E-Learning Portal in Pediatric Endocrinology: Practical Experience
Authors: Kranenburg-van Koppen Laura , Grijpink-van den Biggelaar Kalinka , Drop Stenvert
Published: October 2013

Based on educational considerations, the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) e-learning portal has been developed, providing an interactive learning environment for up-to-date information in pediatric endocrinology. From March 2011 to January 2012, five small-scale pilot studies were completed to assess the usefulness of the structure and content by senior experts, fellows, residents and medical students. Altogether, 8 cases and 4 chapters were studied by a total of 71 individuals: 18 senior experts, 21 fellows, 10 medical students, 9 regional pediatricians and 13 residents, resulting in a total of 127 evaluations. Participants considered the portal content interesting and appreciated the way of learning compared to traditional learning from literature and textbooks. Special attention was paid to assess the personalized feedback given by experts to fellows and residents who completed the portal. Feedback from experts included both medical understanding and communication skills demonstrated by fellows and residents. Users highly appreciated the feedback of the medical experts, who brought perspectives from another clinic. This portal also offers educational opportunities for medical students and regional pediatricians and can be used to develop various CanMEDS competencies, e.g., medical expert, health advocate, and scholar.
Verbesina alternifolia Tolerance to the Holoparasite Cuscuta gronovii and the Impact of Drought
Authors: Evans Bethany , Borowicz Victoria
Published: October 2013

Holoparasites are nonphotosynthetic plants that acquire all resources from hosts. The holoparasite Cuscuta gronovii is native to much of the US with a broad host range including Verbesina alternifolia, an understory perennial. Both species grow in moderate to moist soils and occur in habitats that may experience prolonged or episodic drought. We applied the Wise-Abrahamson Limiting Resource Model (LRM) developed for plant-herbivore relations to examine the effects of pattern of drought stress on tolerance of V. alternifolia to parasitism by C. gronovii. Individual plants were assigned one of six treatments that were combinations of parasite (none or addition of parasite) and drought stress (well-watered, continuously-stressed, or pulse-stressed). After pulse-stressed plants had experienced two wet-dry cycles all plants were harvested. Parasitism strongly reduced both shoot and root mass and well-watered hosts exhibited the greatest decline, indicating reduced tolerance to parasitism when water was readily available. This is consistent with the LRM if parasitism limits photosynthates available to the host. However, parasitism increased allocation to shoot and this effect did not differ between well-watered and drought-stressed plants, indicating equal tolerance. This outcome is in accord with an alternative prediction of the LRM if hosts are not carbon limited. Total pot productivity was reduced by parasitism and drought stress, and this effect was greater for pulse-stressed than for continuously-stressed hosts. We discuss the applicability of the LRM for understanding the effects of drought on tolerance to parasitism.
Pandoraea sp. RB-44, A Novel Quorum Sensing Soil Bacterium
Authors: Han-Jen Robson , Wai-Fong Yin , Kok-Gan Chan
Published: October 2013

Proteobacteria are known to communicate via signaling molecules and this process is known as quorum sensing. The most commonly studied quorum sensing molecules are N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) that consists of a homoserine lactone moiety and an N-acyl side chain with various chain lengths and degrees of saturation at the C-3 position. We have isolated a bacterium, RB-44, from a site which was formally a landfill dumping ground. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis, this isolate was identified as a Pandoraea sp.which was then screened for AHL production using biosensors which indicated its quorum sensing properties. To identify the AHL profile of Pandoraea sp. RB-44, we used high resolution tandem mass spectrometry confirming that this isolate produced N-octanoylhomoserine lactone (C8-HSL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that showed quorum sensing activity exhibited by Pandoraea sp. Our data add Pandoraea sp. to the growing number of bacteria that possess QS systems.
The Eurozone Crisis: Muddling through on the Way to a More Perfect Euro Union?
Authors: Aizenman Joshua
Published: October 2013

Taking a historical perspective of economic changes, this paper argues that muddling through crises-induced reforms characterizes well the evolutionary process of forming currency unions. The economic distortions facing the euro include structural challenges in the labor and product markets, and financial distortions. While both structural and financial distortions are costly and prevalent, they differ in fundamental ways. Financial distortions are moving at the speed of the Internet, and their welfare costs are determined more by the access to credit lines and leverage, than by the GDP of each country. In contrast, the structural distortions are moving at a slow pace relative to the financial distortions, and their effects are determined by inter-generational dynamics. These considerations suggest that the priority should be given to dealing with the financial distortions. A more perfect Eurozone is not assured without successfully muddling through painful periodic crises.