bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A neural network model based on short‐term memories for the hierarchical recognition of temporal patterns
Authors: Futami Ryoko , Hoshimiya Nozomu
Published: July 2007

A new self‐organizing neural network model is proposed and evaluated for the mechanism of temporal pattern recognition of the auditory system. The model is constructed based on the hypothesis that total recognition of temporal patterns approximately of the length of words, is carried out by hierarchical identification and integration of the temporal relations of the constituent features. The model has a hierarchical structure in which short‐term memories storing spatial patterns, the circuits extracting temporally transient components of the pattern, and the feature detection circuits to identify spatial patterns are iteratively cascaded. After the circuit is self‐organized by repetitive presentation of training patterns, the model can correctly identify the training patterns and their temporally compressed and stretched patterns. It is also indicated that the short‐term memory function at each layer of the model is essential to the acceptance of temporally deformed patterns. Studies to expand the model to top‐down processing are also discussed.
A neural network model extracting features from speech signals
Authors: Ito Takayuki , Fukushima Kunihiko
Published: July 2007

A feature‐extracting model for the auditory nervous system was constructed using neurons with nonlinear inhibitory mechanisms as the elements. The operation was verified by computer simulation. The model is composed of the bandpass filters corresponding to basilar membrane, the half‐wave rectifiers corresponding to the hair cells, and the feature‐extracting neurons. The feature detector is a multilayered network, where several neural layers composed of a one‐dimensional array of neurons of the same response are connected in cascade. Each neuron performs the spatio‐temporal addition for the excitatory and inhibitory inputs through spatial connections in the input‐side layer and the first‐order delay. Then, the neuron produces an output through the nonlinear inhibitory mechanism (shunt inhibition) and the analog threshold characteristics. Considering the physiological knowledge and characters of the speech, three kinds of feature‐detecting neural groups were constructed. These are: CF group to detect the interval where the frequency is kept constant; FM group to detect the interval where the frequency is varying; and the fricative noise group to detect the fricative noise. These three correspond to the features of the vowel formant, the transition from consonant to vowel or the contracted sound, and the features of most of the consonants, respectively. Computer simulation was performed with actual speech input, and it was verified that the proposed model correctly extracts the various features contained in the speech.
Simulation language based on logic for queueing network using time object
Authors: Watanabe Takashi , Nakanishi Hikaru , Sanada Hidehiko , Tezuka Yoshikazu
Published: July 2007

Queueing network simulation (QNS) has recently been considered as one of the important means for performance evaluation of the network‐structured system. Presently, FORTRAN, simulation language GPSS and other languages are used to describe QNS softwares, but their describability is not very high. This paper notes that the simulation condition defining the QNS model can be described primarily by conditional form, and the logical language PROLOG has a high describability. A QNS‐dedicated logical language SILQ (Simulation Language based on Logic for Queueing network), is proposed where QNS model is defined by Prolog form. The language has a feature that the program can be constructed without considering a Prolog algorithm, while it has the disadvantage that the time‐scale, which is indispensable in a simulation, cannot be represented. As a means to introduce the time‐scale without degrading the describability, a time object is proposed which provides a parameter representation for the state transition in the system. Then the programming primitives are prepared to describe the operation and other events for each time object in Prolog form. Programming examples by SILQ are presented, and the result is compared with other languages, indicating the high describability of the proposed language. A sequential processing system is constructed for SILQ, and a parallel processing system is discussed, aiming at the improvement of the processing speed.
A distributed load‐balancing system and its application to list‐processing oriented data‐flow machine dfm
Authors: Takesue Masaru
Published: July 2007

This paper proposes a group load‐balancing system (GLB) for the multiprocessor system which can manage and allocate the load in parallel and in a distributed way. In GLB, the resources are grouped hierarchically and the request for the resource allocated to a group is assigned to the subgroup with the minimum load in that group. Consequently, the group load data are updated at each allocation time, maintaining the accurate value, leading to a high load‐balancing ability. GLB is applied to the data‐flow machine DFM II and the evaluation was made by RT level simulator. The following result was obtained: (1) The performance is improved by 20 to 30 percent compared with the random allocation; (2) the maximum performance is obtained when the processor load is set equal to the number of active state processes; (3) the load balancing can be achieved within the difference of 5 processes on the average.
Real‐time blood‐flow imaging system using ultrasonic doppler techniques
Authors: Kasai Chihiro , Harada Akimitsu , Namekawa Kouroku
Published: July 2007

Blood flow information has been available without negatively affecting human tissues since ultrasonic Doppler techniques were introduced in medical diagnosis. But difficulties with conventional techniques include the acquisition and display of two‐dimensional data in real‐time. To overcome such difficulties, we developed a real‐time two‐dimensional blood‐flow imaging system using a complex autocorrelation technique which could display flow direction, mean flow velocity, and flow variance. In this system, blood‐flow data are displayed in color and superimposed over a black/white tomographic image (tissue form image). This paper describes an outline of the principle, the configuration of the new system and relevant experimental results. It also discusses problems that arise in employing the technique. Clinical evaluation at hospitals which use the system has proven that the system is very useful for the diagnosis of various diseases.
Recognition of echocardiogram by dynamic programming matching method
Authors: Yamada Hiromitsu , Yamamoto Kazuhiko
Published: July 2007

This paper applies the dynamic programming (DP) matching to the border extraction from the dynamic echocardiogram of the heart along the short axis. The method is based on the DP matching for the two‐dimensional static image. The sampled values are stabilized by the integration by time, and the border features are emphasized by the differentiation in time. The matching is made using the spatial derivative intensity, the spatial derivative direction, and the time derivative intensity. The use of the continuity constraint along the time axis in the matching is discussed. Utilizing the property of the object that the motion is periodic within a certain range, the point of motion is determined from the sum of the time derivative over a pulsatile period, and the result is utilized in the matching constraint.
Explanation facilities for novice users based on deep knowledge
Authors: Yamaguchi Takahira , Mizoguchi Riichiro , Taoka Naoki , Kodaka Hiroshi , Nomura Yasuo , Kakusho Osamu
Published: July 2007

The explanation facility in the traditional expert system is only to reproduce faithfully the behavior of the system. Although it is useful to system designers who have specialized knowledge, it is not satisfactory for novice users. From such a viewpoint, this paper discusses the explanation facility from the standpoint of deep knowledge, so that the system can cope with four query types of the general user, as was pointed out by W. R. Swartout. In the constructed deep systematic knowledge, the task domain is restricted in the trouble diagnosis of the machine, but is more useful than the traditional deep knowledge, since the construction is easy and the task domain is partly generalized. Query example is considered for each type, and the following functions are shown to be useful in handling those queries. The simulation assumes a certain trouble and simulates the behavior of the machine, indicates the frequency of the trouble, and locates the origin of the trouble.
Automatic recognition system for color drawings of printed circuit board
Authors: Ishii Mitsuo , Ito Yoshikazu , Yamamoto Masanari , Harada Hiroaki , Kakimoto Masanori
Published: July 2007

This paper describes the automatic input system for color drawing, which reads the printed circuit board pattern written with different colors for lands, vias and signal line patterns, and recognizes the elements to construct the input data for CAD. The object is a color drawing based on the traditional expression, which is drawn rather fairly in detail using color pencils, for use in the design of the printed circuit board pattern. In the processing of the color drawing, the discrimination of the color implies the discrimination of the elements in the drawing. Consequently, an exact color separation method for the image data is proposed. By the proposed processing, the color separation is realized easily in spite of the color variation, by constructing interactively the color separation map using a small computer. As the recognition of the figure element for each color, a correction method for the figure is proposed, which may contain modifications such as the noise of color pencil or the line disconnection due to overlapping of different colors.

In the proposed method, the properties inherent to the printed circuit board pattern are utilized as the knowledge, and an intelligent figure processing is executed such as connection of vectors or shaping. As a result of a test using the implementation design drawing, an exact color separation was realized for the drawings of the layers drawn using four colors: red, blue, orange and green. The recognition rate for the figure is above 99.7 percent. The processing time for A1 drawing was approximately 12 min using a large‐scale general‐purpose computer. These figures are sufficient for application.
Sequential‐type distance transformation by supercomputer
Authors: Kimura Fumitaka , Honjyo Yasumasa , Miyake Yasuji , Nakayama Akira
Published: July 2007

Sequential‐type image processing algorithms for distance transformation, thinning, labeling, etc., cannot be executed efficiently by supercomputers because of the recursive data dependency between the neighborhood operations for pixels. This paper proposes a diagonal scan to replace the conventional television‐type raster scan for the efficient execution of sequential‐type distance transformation algorithms by supercomputers.

It is shown for four and eight neighborhood sequential distance transformation algorithms that by changing the direction of the raster scan, the recursive data dependencies between the neighborhood operations within the same scan are removed, that parallel processing by scan line is therefore possible, and that an image processing algorithm equivalent to the original one can be obtained for the new scanning method. To verify the effectiveness of the diagonal scanning a sequential‐type distance transformation algorithm was executed on a supercomputer, the VP100. The result is five to ten times faster than the conventional sequential‐type distance transformation algorithm executed on a general‐purpose computer, the M382. It is also five to ten times faster than conventional sequential‐type distance transformation algorithms executed on a supercomputer, which shows that the diagonal scan is effective.
A support system for the blind to recognize a diagram
Authors: Kawai Yoshihiro , Ohnishi Noboru , Sugie Noboru
Published: July 2007

It is difficult for the blind to understand a drawing using only the tactile sense. The authors developed a system to produce graphic information with a combination of tactile and vocal outputs using a personal computer through which a drawing is processed. The system recognizes a drawing by image processing, and displays the structure of the drawing on a tactile display so that a user understands the outline of the drawing by tactile search with his or her finger. The display system has a function of a digitizer which senses the location of a touched pin and produces detailed vocal information of a part of the drawing which is indicated by the usera's finger. The proposed system requires less labor from the user in understanding a drawing, since this method passes information more efficiently than other methods. The system was tested with electric circuit‐diagrams. The results show that there is no best tactile display method for all blind people, i. e., the best method depends on each user, and this kind of vocal information should be as simple as possible.
A Method for Rapid RSA Key Generation
Authors: Gotoh Yasuko , Takaragi Kazuo , Sasaki Ryoichi
Published: July 2007

The RSA public key cryptosystem is one of the cryptosystems which can be applied not only to the security protection but also to the verifications of other users and messages. It is one of the most important techniques in ensuring the security of information. To construct a secure RSA public key cryptosystem, the key must be generated using primes which are robust against a “(p + 1) factorizing attack.” For this purpose, Gordon proposed a method of generating the key by sieving using known primes less than 8 bit and by employing the higher‐order exponential calculation. This paper is an extension of Gordon's approach. The range of known primes is defined optimally through an evaluation for the sieving primes less than 32 bit. The exponential calculation is simplified. The method is implemented on a program. Numerical experiment is made on a 32‐bit workstation, and the practical usefulness of the method is verified.
Pattern matching by neural networkxs
Authors: Member Yuzo Hirai
Published: July 2007

This paper proposes a neural network model, which performs deterministic, parallel pattern matching. The pattern is recognized by matching an input pattern containing noise and a template constructed through learning. In this paper, it is assumed that no feature detection has already been accomplished. We consider a circuit structure which merely compares a template with the noisy feature distribution pattern that appears at the output of the feature detector. This pattern matching method is based on our previous work using neural networks to determine the correspondence between stereo images. The input from the left eye, for example, corresponds to the feature distribution pattern, and the input from the right eye corresponds to the template. The difference in the positions of features in the template and the input pattern corresponds to the binocular parallax. The proposed model is composed of a pattern matching layer, a minimum distance detection layer (which selects the template close to the input feature distribution pattern, and feeds it back to the pattern matching layer for pattern matching) and the recognition layer which classifies the matched template. The results of our computer simulation indicated that perfect matching was achieved for inputs having feature distribution patterns corresponding to those used during learning. Since sequences of labels or character strings can be considered to be feature distribution patterns, the proposed network can be applied to a wide range of problems related to pattern matching.
A control method based on recognition of time sequential data transition–application to blood pressure control
Authors: Masuzawa Toru , Fukui Yasuhiro
Published: July 2007

The development of an automatic system which, as a means of treatment, can control the blood pressure of a patient by a continuous injection of vaso‐acting drugs is in great demand in the medical care field. However, the practical application of such a system has been postponed due to safety considerations. This paper attempts to realize the safe control of the physiological system, and a control method based on the recognition of the transition of the time‐series signal has been developed. The idea is applied to the automatic control of blood pressure. For the recognition of the time‐series signal transition, a dedicated IF‐THEN representation TMSTR (time‐sequential multiple state transition representation) is devised which includes the concepts of “state” and “time.” A method is proposed in which more than one “state” is defined for the time‐sequential data, and the transitions among states are represented by IF‐THEN rules. By this scheme, the time sequential data transition is recognized. Using the constructed representation, the physician's knowledge of the blood pressure control is represented and transplanted to the computer. Using a 16‐bit microcomputer, a closed‐loop control system is constructed. As a result of animal experiments, a blood pressure control close to that of the physician is realized, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed method in the control of the physiological system.
Learning boolean functions
Authors: Gu Qian Ping , Maruoka Akira
Published: July 2007

Although various formal models of learning have been studied in the past, a realistic model taking into consideration the time required for learning has not been proposed. Recently, Valiant [8] proposed a general learning model based on the theory of computational complexity, gave a definition of learnability, and obtained various classes of learnable concepts. Based on this model, this paper investigates various objects of learning.
An equivalence in lotos and its decision method
Authors: Kaminaga Hiroaki , Takahashi Kaoru , Shiratori Norio , Noguchi Shoichi
Published: July 2007

This paper considers the specification described in LOTOS, which is the formal description language for the communication system. A decision method is proposed for the equivalence between two arbitrary systems (between definition of service and the protocol specifications, for example). In this paper, based on the definition of the weak bisimulation equivalence, which is the definition of equivalence in LOTOS, the concepts of the k‐weak bisimulation equivalence and the canonical 1‐weak bisimulation are introduced.

It is shown that those concepts are mutually necessary and sufficient. Then, based on the canonical 1‐weak bisimulation equivalence, the decision algorithm is presented for the weak bisimulation equivalence between two LOTOS specifications with finite states by the same method as in the equivalence class partitioning of the equivalent states in a finite automaton.
A fast processor for 3‐d device simulation using systolic arrays
Authors: Naritomi Takashi , Aso Hirotomo , Kimura Masayuki
Published: July 2007

To analyze the behavior of semiconductor devices numerically, we need to solve extremely large and sparse linear systems of equations as fast as possible. In this paper, parallel processing architectures using systolic arrays are proposed as a rapid solver of linear equations. The architectures are designed to reduce the number of processing elements, utilizing the regularity and the sparseness of coefficient matrices.

The proposed systolic arrays consist of sixty‐four cells for incomplete matrix decomposition and of seven cells for matrix‐vector multiplication. This number is independent from the number N of grid points discretized for a three‐dimensional device. The processing time of the array to solve a system of equations is proportional to N. Furthermore, the architectures are revised for faster parallel computation. The acceleration is based on the fact that a coefficient matrix is decomposed of smaller matrices. By the acceleration for matrix‐vector multiplication, required cells are 8 × N1/3, but the processing time is proportional to N2/3.
An internal environment state variable in the human body and fundamental experiments
Authors: Yunokuchi Kazutomo , Furukawa Tetsuya
Published: July 2007

The internal environment for maintaining life in the human body is supported by a particular control mechanism. The function of this internal environmental control mechanism is to transport organic materials and oxygen in a timely fashion according to the environment state information of the individual, to maintain the condition to acquire free energy. The fluid environment in the tissue is governed mostly by the oxygen state variable related to the adjustment of oxygen pressure of the tissue and the effective density of the substrate and electrolytes. While the human body is always in contact with the external environment, an adequate adjustment of the internal environment of the human body will be impossible without the state information. The internal environment near the body wall is separated from the external environment by the epithelial cell layer. The sodium ion density difference between the inside and the outside of the epithelial cell layer is maintained by the sodium pumping action of the epithelial cell. The electromotive pump of the epithelial cell and the sodium ion charge distribution of the tissue fluid are closely related to the oxygen state variable of the tissue. This paper discusses the measurement of the dynamical change of the state of the internal ions and the dynamical change of hemoglobin, produced by the modification of the internal environment, and the biomag‐netic phenomenon caused by the epithelial current (called receptor magnetic phenomenon). By discussing their relations, the function and the control of the internal environment state information receptor of the living body are investigated.
A compression and reconstruction system for medical images
Authors: Nakagawa Yukihiro , Yoshitake Toshiyuki , Shiohara Morito , Gotoh Toshiyuki , Yoshida Masumi
Published: July 2007

This paper describes an efficient compression and reconstruction system for medical images which operates based on the authors' hybrid algorithm. This system consists of an image compression processor (ICP), a host mainframe computer and image reconstruction displays (IRDs). The ICP consists of a maximum of four parallel compression units with communication ports.

In this architecture, the hybrid algorithm, which includes serial operations, can be processed at high speed by communicating the internal data. The compressed data are transferred to the host's image database. The IRD can receive the compressed data from the host computer and reconstruct images of good quality at high speed using four pipeline‐based microprocessors. This system can reduce the load of the host by distributed processing using ICP and IRDs.

By experiments, the system was verified to be effective: ICP compressed alklk image in about 2 s. Even when three IRDs linked with the same communication line requested images simultaneously, less than 7 s were needed for all IRDs to transfer and to be reconstructed.
Reconstruction of magnetic resonance images by iterative methods
Authors: Kudo Hiroyuki , Saito Tsuneo
Published: July 2007

In MRI based on the time‐varying gradient magnetic field, the image must be reconstructed from the sampled values which are distributed in k‐space with nonuniform intervals. If there exists any static field inhomogeneity, gradient field nonlinearity, or patient motion, the image must be reconstructed considering these effects, thereby preventing the deterioration of the reconstructed image.

This paper proposes a new MRI image reconstruction method to cope with the forementioned problems in a unified way. The proposed method of reconstruction is based on the principle whereby the imaging equation representing the relation between the spin density distribution and FID signal is solved directly by an iterative least‐squares method. The proposed reconstruction method strictly considers that mathematically the measured data are the finite number of sampled values of the FID signal. The minimum norm solution is obtained as the reconstructed image. Also, a method is proposed which improves the convergence of the iterative least‐squares method by utilizing the information concerning the density of the sampling point distribution in k‐space. An image reconstruction experiment is shown assuming the spiral k‐trajectory.
Backpropagation with selection—reduction of learning time and elimination of hidden units
Authors: Hagiwara Masafumi
Published: July 2007

This paper proposes a new backpropagation‐type learning algorithm which incorporates selection capability in the hidden‐layer units. This algorithm is simple and is effective in reducing both the number of training cycles required and the number of hidden‐layer units. In the proposed algorithm, the method consists of selecting the “worst” units from among those in the hidden layer and eliminating them. Before convergence is achieved, by resetting the connection weights of the selected “bad” units to small random values, an escape from a local minimum is effected and learning time is shortened. When the network is converging, by preferentially deleting units starting with the “worst,” a reduction in the number of units on the hidden layer is achieved. The reduction of the number of units on the hidden layer increases the generalization capability of the network and contributes to a reduction in the computation costs and the like. Through a computer simulation, the superior performance of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated.
Neural computer using electromagnetic coupling
Authors: Akamatsu Norio , Nakamura Yoshihiro , Kawabe Tohru
Published: July 2007

A neural computer is referred to as a connectionism or an ultraparallel distributed processing system, compared to a conventional computer. However, it is necessary to develop an effective wire connecting method among neurons to realize a large‐scale network involving a huge number of neurons.

This paper proposes a new neural computer architecture in which each layer of the network is coupled electromagnetically. The effectiveness of the new neural computer is confirmed by computer simulation. Since the connection weights in the neural computer can be realized without the need for special devices, the proposed neural computer may easily be produced by the technology used for large‐scale integrated circuits.
The Kayanid Crown and Qajar Reclaiming of Royal Authority
Authors: Amanat Abbas
Published: July 2007

In the first surviving portrait of Fath ᶜAli Shah (r. 1797-1834) as the Qajar sovereign, painted in 1213/1797-98, just after his accession, the young shah appears with a turban-like cap decorated with a plumed jiqqa (aigrette, fig. 1). The so-called Kayanid crown, a creation of his uncle and predecessor, Aqa Muhammad Shah Qajar (1785-97), is missing. In contrast to most other royal portraits of the later years, here in this majestic work by the master painter, Mirza Baba Shirazi, the shah poses on what appears to be a platform throne covered with a carpet, though at the time there was no Qajar royal throne in existence. The absence of the crown and the throne, the most conspicuous symbols of kingly authority, made the young Fath ᶜAli Shah a crown-and-throne-less king (bī tāj va takht), a synonym for utter powerlessness in the Persian political culture.
The Qajar Uymaq in the Safavid Period, 1500–1722
Authors: Reid James J.
Published: July 2007

The Qajar uymāq provided Iran with a central dynasty from 1795 until 1924. A great deal of attention has been paid to the dynastic aspect of the Qajar uymāq, with emphasis being placed on the founders of the dynasty (Āghā Muḥammad Khān and Fatḥ cAlī Shāh and their successors. The almost total preoccupation with the family that established the dynasty has underestimated the amazing complexity of the organism out of which it developed and the origins of that organism in the even more complex Safavid uymāq system. In order to understand the specific characteristics of the social system(s) of Qajar Iran, it is necessary to study first the development of the uymāq system in Iran and the origins of the Qajar within that newly developing social context.
Pastoral Nomadism and Tribal Power
Authors: Garthwaite G. R.
Published: July 2007

The nomadic tribes of Iran have long attracted interest, yet despite many descriptive accounts there have been few critical studies of them. Major obstacles to analysis have been a romanticization of nomadism, a dichotomization that emphasizes the differences between nomadism and agriculture, and a disregard for the historical setting and change. Discussions have tended to obscure important economic and social relationships between nomadic and sedentary society, and within the tribal structure itself; moreover, it has often been assumed that an organic or deterministic, link between pastoralism and tribal political structures exists.

The Bakhtiyārī are commonly associated with the central Zagros mountains. It is assumed that this rugged area in turn necessitates transhumant movement of the Bakhtiyārī with their flocks of sheep and goats and a tribal organization to accomplish this end. Furthermore, this environment isolates and gives the tribe autonomy vis-a-vis the state.
The Structural Foundations of the National Minority Problem in Revolutionary Iran
Authors: Helfgott Leonard M.
Published: July 2007

We commonly think of Iran as a unified entity with a political history beginning somewhere between the sixth and seventh centuries B.C., a period roughly corresponding to the time of the religious figure Zoroaster and the political figure Cyrus the Great. Culturally, Iran reaches further back in time through an epic mythology that pictures Aryan heroes in struggle with Turanian invaders and links the ancient and the mythic with the modern and the real. Conceptually, Iran begins as an empire and ends up as a nation-state, following a path similar in our minds to the movement from imperial Rome to modern Italy. The reality, however, is distinct from the myth. Iran has always been a multi-cultural society divided into a number of socioeconomic formations—a sedentary agricultural formation based in the Central Iranian Plateau, surrounded by pastoral nomadic and seminomadic formations located in the Zagros Mountains and other border regions.
The Modernist Trend in Persian Literature and Its Social Impact
Authors: Hillmann Michael C.
Published: July 2007

For over a thousand years imaginative Persian literature has more directly and comprehensively than any other art medium reflected and nurtured distinctively Iranian cultural themes and orientations and has more than any other single indigenous phenomenon defined Iranian culture for literate Iranians themselves, who through the centuries have often pointed to this literature as a sign of their special place in and distinctive contributions to human cultural expression.

Now the phrase “imaginative Persian literature” can refer to various distinct traditions on the Iranian plateau. There is a folk tradition that emerged upon the heels of the appearance of the neo-Persian language in the 9th century. Then there is the better known belletristic court tradition that began in the same era and that persists today, albeit without court patronage, in the writings, particularly verse, of literary traditionalists who feel that the norms, forms, and themes of poets from Rudaki (d. 940) to Jami (d. 1492) constitute still relevant prescriptive standards.
Mehdi Qoli Hedayat: A Conservative of the Late Qajar Era
Authors: Barzegar Ali
Published: July 2007

Mehdi Qoli Hedayat, Mokhber al-Saltaneh, was born in 1863 into an aristocratic family in Tehran. He was the son of Ali Qoli Khan, Mokhber al-Dowleh, the pioneer in Iranian telegraphy, and the grandson of Reza Qoli Khan Hedayat, the famous historian and teacher of the Qajar period.

Mehdi Qoli went to school at age seven. At fourteen he was sent, in the company of his brother, Morteza Qoli (Sane ‘ al-Dowleh), to study in Germany. His stay lasted a little more than two months. He had intended to study medicine but returned home with his brother when their sister died. Feeling nostalgic for home, he did not heed his father's advice to stay and study. Later, reflecting on this decision, he said, "Alas, that if I had studied medicine I would be a free man and, now, I am bound, bound to a people...." Thus, Mehdi Qoli's education in Europe was limited to learning the German language and sightseeing in Germany and Switzerland.
Iranian Studies in Japan
Authors: Nakanishi Hisae
Published: July 2007

One of the most striking characteristics Iranian studies in Japan is government initiative. The government has long taken the initiative in establishing institutions and programs for such study. Particularly in the 1930s, the motivation for studying Iran was partly political and strategic. Since the late 1960s, however, there has been a more economic orientation. Another characteristic is that Iranian studies have developed within the framework of scholarship on the Middle East in general. For this reason, the general trend of Middle Eastern studies, as well as that of Iranian studies, will be discussed. It is logical to divide this trend into three eras: 1) the 1930s until the end of World War II, 2) the 1950s through the 1960s, and 3) the 1970s to the present.
The Life and Poetry of Mashreqi Tabrizi
Authors: Lewisohn Leonard
Published: July 2007

Of the rhyme and verse of Shams-e Mashreqi Go tell the news to all who merit it Because the worth of pearls borne from sea all jewelers will appreciate.

—Mashreqi

During the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century in Tabriz, the political and cultural capital of medieval Persia, a remarkable congregation of Sufi poets assembled whose society, fellowship, and fraternity in Sufism, made them all members of one literary movement in Persian poetry, known as the ‘School of Tabriz’. In presenting the literary accomplishments and the mystical outlook of this School to a wider audience, the present article attempts to introduce the least known member of this school, namely, the Sufi gnostic poet, ‘Abd al-Rahim Khalvatī (Mashreqī), whose poetic oeuvre and biography has, to date, been completely neglected by Persian literary historians, both east and west.
The Myth of Early Islamic Government: The Legitimization of the Islamic Regime
Authors: Ram Haggay
Published: July 2007

In January 1988, the Speaker of Parliament, Hojjat al-Islam ‘ Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, delivered a lengthy Friday sermon (khuţbah) in which he discussed a “very important message” previously issued by the “leader,” Ayatollah Khomeini. The message, as expounded by Rafsanjani, was a reiteration of Khomeini's well-known views on the nature and function of Islamic Government and, specifically, on the duties and privileges of the ulama as the political leaders of the Muslim community. The gist of the sermon was that “it is the jurists (fuqahā’) who determine the Muslims’ way of life under every condition and at any given time.” In a world where “people extract economic minerals from the depths of the earth,” where “war is waged for the conquest of space and Mars,” and where “atom [bombs] are built … as weapons of intimidation,” the Qur'an could not provide answers to all problems and issues.
Notes on a Zīlū Fragment dated 963/1556 in the Islamic Museum, Cairo
Authors: Ittig Annette
Published: July 2007

A Zīlū fragmentin the Islamic Museum, Cairo (figs. 1-3) is one of the oldest known carpets that can at present be firmly attributed to Islamic Iran. The Cairo Zīlū is one of three extant dated and inscribed pieces commissioned in 963/1556 as vaqf, or an endowment, for the Masjid-i Jāmi’ of the Nūrīyyah Khānāqāh in Taf t, a village approximately 26 kilometres southwest of Yazd. A second fragment was discovered in the Shah Vali Mosque in Taft; it has been described and illustrated by Afshar. Ettinghausen has discussed the third fragment, which appeared on the Tehran art market in 1954; its present location is unknown.
A Group of Qalamkār Fabrics in the Israel Museum
Authors: Baginski Alisa
Published: July 2007

Qalamkār-sāz, or chīt-sāz, is a traditional process of four colour (black, red, yellow and blue) cotton printing involving a combination of mordant stamping as well as painting colour directly onto the fabric. It is still practiced in Iran, particularly in Isfahan, Kashan and Yazd, as well as in India. These textiles have customarily been used for a variety of purposes, including tablecloths, curtains and clothing. This article focuses upon a little-known but ethnographically significant group of qalamkār textiles in the Israel Museum collection.
Glossary of Technical and Structural Terminology
Authors: Ittig Annette
Published: July 2007

A major controversy in textile and carpet studies concerns technical and structural terminology; there are currently several nomenclatures employed. The following glossary refers to specific structural and technical terms presented but not otherwise defined in the text of this volume. It is not intended as a compendium of textile terminology. In this context, techniqueis defined as oneoftheprocesses involved in the actual production of a fabric, e.g., knotting. Structure refers to the relationship of the elements of a finished fabric, e.g., knot count. Bold italicized terms noted inter alia are defined separately under their own entries.
The Contentious Historiography of the Gilan Republic in Iran: A Critical Exploration
Authors: Afary Janet
Published: July 2007

The Rise and Demise of the 1920-21 Soviet Socialist Republic of Iran in Gilan played like an intense drama in modern Iranian history. It provided Iran with an example of a national liberation movement and a peasant-backed guerrilla force; it introduced to the country the founders of the Iranian Communist Party, exercising social authority and power in what they considered to be a liberation movement; it offered a brief experiment with socialism which ended tragically. Its principal leader, Mirza Kuchik Khan, combined an intense radical nationalism with a strong sense of politically engaged Shi'ism, thus providing Iranian opposition movements in the twentieth century with some of their archetypal characteristics. The defeat of the republic led to the death of Mirza Kuchik Khan (1880—1921) and the continued domination of Iran by Britain.
The Milošević Trial: Purpose and Performance
Authors: Gow James , Zveržhanovski Ivan
Published: July 2007

The trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague is a vehicle both for achieving justice and for pursuing historical truth. At this first-ever trial of a former head of state before an international tribunal, the same evidence serves two purposes: the quests for “truth” by those involved in the judicial process, on one side, and those engaged in academic historical interpretation, on the other. In each sphere, there are expectations to be satisfied. Those of the peoples of Serbia and the other former Yugoslav lands, international governmental and non-governmental actors, and observers are all different from each other; and they are all distinct from the viewpoint of future students of history. The two frameworks for truth are neither necessarily competitive nor complementary, and the tests of their validity may differ. But the raw material they use may be identical and the outcome of each may be parallel and consistent. And the two varieties of truth may reinforce one another in the quest to restore peace and security, to establish justice, and to compile a broadly accepted account of contentious, awful events.
Reply
Authors: Mason Andy
Published: July 2007

Andy Mason replies briefly to Gary Cook's comments on industrial property letting.
Optimism versus realism — economic development in N. Ireland
Authors: Neill William J. V.
Published: July 2007

In contrast to the ambitious popular planning model recently advocated by Gaffikin and Morrissey to deal with N. Ireland's economic problems this article argues for a more pragmatic issue based approach which engages more with the present political realities in the region.
Client and contractor roles in a changing local government environment
Authors: Griffiths Bryn
Published: July 2007

The advent of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT)1 exposes large swathes of local authority services to private sector competition. The challenge facing those in local government who wish to protect in-house services is how to adjust to a new commercial contracting culture without losing the values of public service.

The Audit Commission argues that such a culture requires a hard split between the Council as a client, who sets service standards and ensures value for money and its contractor side that concerns itself with performing to standard and price.

This article looks at both the legal and operational impetus for such a client-contractor split, from a DSO (Direct Service Organisation) perspective, and examines the strategic issues raised for local authority reorganisation.
The Regional Consequences of the Japanese Second Wave: A Case Study
Authors: Munday Max
Published: July 2007

Outline

This paper examines the Japanese “second wave” sector in the local economy. Following an examination of the development of the second wave Japanese-owned supplier sector in the UK, the paper assesses the role of this sector in the local economy, and questions the policy rationale of attracting this particular type of inward investment.
Building Routes to Power
Authors: Gilroy Rose
Published: July 2007

This paper reflects on routes to power taken by residents in a poor people's neighbourhood in Newcastle upon Tyne. This paper draws upon ethnographic work undertaken as part of an evaluation of the Cruddas Park Community Development Trust.1 Toe paper examines the problem of defining and acting upon overarching common concerns while carving out solutions which offer opportunities for different groups of residents. It concludes with thoughts on barriers to empowerment.
Competitiveness, Partnership - and Democracy?
Authors: Bailey Nick
Published: July 2007

The division of the powers and responsibilities of government in London has been a constant source of friction and debate between central and local government. In the wake of the abolition of the Greater London Council, the Conservative government waited for the corporate sector to take the lead. When this failed to materialise, a complicated array of unelected agencies and partnerships were constructed to promote London, deliver services and allocate expenditure. This paper reviews the nature and function of these organisations and examines proposals for regional development agencies and an elected strategic authority for the capital arising from the election of a Labour government in May 1997. While pointing to considerable organisational innovation, for instance in the setting up of the Government Office for London, it is argued that, during 18 years of Conservative government, the emphasis on policy delivery through a variety of discrete partnership agencies deliberately overlooked issues of subsidiarity and local accountability. Thus the debate about the relationship between central and local government in London reflects substantial philosophical differences between the two parties. The Labour government's proposals for a strategic authority and regional development agency will require a substantial reallocation of powers and functions between a number of overlapping and competing agencies and a redefinition of what are legitimately local and central functions.
Innovation, Competition and the Structure of Local Production Networks
Authors: Hart Douglas , Simmie James
Published: July 2007

This paper reports the initial findings of an ESRC-funded study in Hertfordshire into how award-winning innovative firms organise their production arrangements. The study is a pilot project which was based on three initial operational assumptions: first, that innovation is not entirely an aspatial phenomenon; second, that modern production structures are taking new forms - variously described as post-Fordist, or flexible specialisation (flex-spec) - particularly in areas which are rich in commercial research and development (R&D) activities; and, finally, that as a consequence innovative firms in these areas commonly form production linkages with each other to create local production networks (LPNs).

The research was carried out in the county of Hertfordshire just to the north of Greater London. Hertfordshire was selected because, according to a number of measures, it is one of the key areas for R&D in the UK. On the basis of our initial, limited empirical sample of firms in Hertfordshire, a key finding of the research was that a significant majority of the innovative firms sampled - both large and small - were not actually organised in LPNs in any recognisable way and that local post-Fordist production was either extremely limited in its operation or, more commonly for most firms, was non-existent - instead, these firms normally acted as local, relatively free-standing entities which were much more likely to be in competition with other local firms, than form production linkages with them.
Backward Linkages from Construction
Authors: Gibb Kenneth , Keoghan Margaret
Published: July 2007

One argument for increasing construction investment is the number of jobs and related multipliers associated with property investment. However, economic activity does not begin and end with actual construction: there are important backward linkages into the input markets for construction. If these markets can be shown to be primarily indigenous or at least with the potential to be locally-based, then there are wider local and regional benefits that may accrue from construction programmes. This paper is based on recent Scottish research which traced back the linkages from construction to specific building supplies markets in materials, semi-finished and finished products. Strong economy-wide multiplier effects are identified for construction output, for those on low incomes and in terms of job creation. Scottish construction is found to be primarily self-contained with consequent opportunities to maxi-mise the local economic impact of construction work. The research suggests that policies need to target specific supply industries, meet the skills shortage challenge and confront the problems associated with construction tendering.
“Sent to Coventry?”
Authors: Watts Jane , Farnell Richard
Published: July 2007

This paper reports on an employment training project undertaken in Coventry with partial funding from the European Social Fund. It involved community organisations, the community education section of the local authority and the university. The approach to training was developed in tandem with community capacity building aims. The partnership achieved a measure of trust, mutual accountability and open decision-making. The two-year project employed a part-time researcher whose role embraced active participation in project processes. There are lessons to be drawn for urban regeneration, whether strengthening local economies, attacking social exclusion or capacity building for people and their communities.
Plant Closure and Institutional Modernisation
Authors: Charles David , Benneworth Paul
Published: July 2007

The Siemens plant in North Tyneside, England gave the pretext for a range of local agencies to act together, to modernise part of the regional institutional infrastructure. This improvement meant that when the investment closed, and technological, organisational and skill modernisation by the firm in the region ceased, the region continued to experience the benefits from the temporary presence of the investment. This paper uses the case of Siemens to problematise the conventional understanding of the ephemerality of branch-plant investments to understand how they can usefully contribute to the modernisation of peripheral industrial regions within the UK.