bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decay of the Campanile limestone used as building material in Tudela Cathedral (Navarra, Spain)
Authors: Buj O. , Gisbert J. , Franco B. , Mateos N. , Bauluz B.
Published: March 2010

A characterization is presented of the building materials used in the Cathedral of Tudela, as well as of the different forms of decay, with the aim of establishing the cause and mechanisms of this decay. The Cathedral of Tudela was built mainly with Campanile limestone from the upper Miocene. The campanile limestone is a wackestone, with a terrigenous content of 2.6% and 1.5–2.5% of organic matter.

After a detailed investigation of all the different forms of stone decay, our conclusion is that the main type of damage affecting Campanile limestone has morphologies similar to a mechanical fracture with breakages of convex surfaces and resulting very sharp edges. The process of decay is caused by the expansion of the rock during the drying process, which has a very rapid and aggressive effect on the rock.

Laboratory tests showed that through extreme drying in the presence of a magnesium sulphate solution, the salt crystallization inside the stone generates a strength greater than the tensile strength of the stone, thus causing a fracture and the loosening of rock fragments. The materials introduced in recent restorations (sandstone and Portland cement) provide the necessary magnesium for the development of this weathering in Campanile limestone.
On-site evaluation of the ‘mechanical’ properties of Maastricht limestone and their relationship with the physical characteristics
Authors: Rescic S. , Fratini F. , Tiano P.
Published: March 2010

Maastricht limestone is a soft bioclastic calcarenite of the Upper Cretaceous period cropping out in southern Limburg between Belgium and The Netherlands. This material was widely used from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Four different varieties can be distinguished according to fossil content and petrographic characteristics, which determine slight differences in compressive strength. Despite its poor mechanical characteristics, the material is very durable with remarkable frost resistance. This is mainly due to the pore dimensions (the most frequent pore radius class is 16–64 µm) but also to the particular kind of weathering that causes the formation of a protective ‘skin’ through a process of dissolution of unstable aragonite from serpulids and calcite precipitation in the pores of the external layer. The physical characteristics and the mechanical properties (using the drilling resistance measurement system (DRMS) method) of the hard layer that developed on the surface of Tongeren Cathedral, constructed using the Sibbe variety of Maastricht limestone, were investigated and compared with those of the quarry material. This comparison made it possible to emphasize the particular hardness of this surface in contrast to the outer layer of the quarry material. Moreover, it was possible to determine its thickness and to infer that this hard layer was formed after only 15 years of exposure.
Primary bioreceptivity of limestones used in southern European monuments
Authors: Miller Ana Z. , Leal Nuno , Laiz Leonila , Rogerio-Candelera Miguel A. , Silva Rui J. C. , Dionísio Amélia , Macedo Maria F. , Saiz-Jimenez Cesareo
Published: March 2010

Different Mediterranean Basin limestones, like
Calcário Ançã
(Portugal),
Calcário Lioz
(Portugal),
Piedra San Cristobal
(Spain),
Piedra Escúzar
(Spain) and
Pietra di Lecce
(Italy), have been widely used as building materials in the European architecture. The aim of this study was focused on biodeterioration, mainly on evaluation of the primary bioreceptivity of those materials. A set of samples was inoculated with a cultured photosynthetic biofilm under laboratory conditions. Several assessment tools were applied to monitor the colonization overtime of the different lithotypes. After 3 months of incubation the colonization occurred endolithically in some lithotypes, namely
Piedra San Cristobal
and
Piedra Escúzar
. Spectrophotometric determination of chlorophyll
a
was a useful analytical technique to achieve the total amount of photosynthetic biomass on rock substrates, demonstrating that
Piedra Escúzar
and
Calcário Lioz
were the highest and lowest bioreceptive lithotypes, respectively. Microscopic and image analyses were essential to understand the stone colonization process and its pattern of distribution. Physical stone parameters and exposure conditions were shown to play an important role in the establishment and development of photosynthetic colonization.
Approaches to the problem of limestone replacement in Greece
Authors: Stefanidou M. A.
Published: March 2010

One of the most common stone types in building construction in Greece is limestone. Whole structures such as castles, palaces, fortresses and churches were built only with limestone blocks or limestone pieces combined with other types of stone. In this paper two types of limestone (a biogenic limestone and a travertine) used in the construction of monuments are tested and analysed in terms of their physical, mechanical and microstructural characteristics in order to record their properties. Their exposure to different environmental conditions and the pathology forms they present are also recorded. The possibility of their replacement is approached either by supplementing the missing parts, by finding a comparable new stone or by applying an artificial one. The results of the study performed in each case are also presented.
Some Embeddings into the Morrey and Modified Morrey Spaces Associated with the Dunkl Operator
Authors: Guliyev Emin V. , Mammadov Yagub Y.
Published: March 2010

We consider the generalized shift operator, associated with the Dunkl operator Λα(f)(x) = (d/dx)f(x)+((2α + 1)/x)((f(x) − f(−x))/2), α > −1/2. We study some embeddings into the Morrey space (D‐Morrey space) Lp,λ,α, 0 ≤ λ < 2α + 2 and modified Morrey space (modified D‐Morrey space) associated with the Dunkl operator on ℝ. As applications we get boundedness of the fractional maximal operator Mβ, 0 ≤ β < 2α + 2, associated with the Dunkl operator (fractional D‐maximal operator) from the spaces Lp,λ,α to L∞(ℝ) for p = (2α + 2 − λ)/β and from the spaces to L∞(ℝ) for (2α + 2 − λ)/β ≤ p ≤ (2α + 2)/β.
Sweet Syndrome due to Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Possible Therapeutic Role of Intravenous Immunoglobulin in Addition to Standard Treatment
Authors: Gill Harry H. S. , Leung Anskar Y. H. , Trendell-Smith N. J. , Yeung C. K. , Liang Raymond
Published: March 2010

We report an 82-year-old lady who developed sudden onset nodular and erythematous lesions and neutrophilia following an episode of urinary tract infection. Skin biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of Sweet syndrome. Response to the use of prednisolone alone was not satisfactory. The skin lesions however showed a sustained response to the regular use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and prednisolone was slowly weaned off. Our case highlights the possible therapeutic role of IVIG in managing this condition.
The Distorted-Wave Born Approach for Calculating Electron-Impact Ionization of Molecules
Authors: Madison Don H. , Al-Hagan Ola
Published: March 2010

The distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) has been one of the most successful theoretical approaches for treating electron collisions with complicated atoms, and recently the DWBA has been successfully extended to treat electron-impact ionization of molecules. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of that development and to provide a summary of the recent experimental and theoretical works examining low to intermediate energy electron-impact single ionization of molecules.
Seroprevalence of Cysticercosis in Children and Young Adults Living in a Helminth Endemic Community in Leyte, the Philippines
Authors: Xu Jin-Mei , Acosta Luz P. , Hou Min , Manalo Daria L. , Jiz Mario , Jarilla Blanca , Pablo Archie O. , Ovleda Remigio M. , Langdon Gretchen , McGarvey Stephen T. , Kurtis Jonathan D. , Friedman Jennifer F. , Wu Hai-Wei
Published: March 2010

Cysticercosis is a significant public health problem in countries where pigs are raised for consumption and remains an important cause of neurological disease worldwide. The Philippines is considered an endemic area for cysticercosis because cases in both humans and pigs have been reported; however, epidemiologic information stays limited. We conducted a pilot survey of the seroprevalence of human cysticercosis in a village in Leyte, the Philippines, by measuring antibody specific forTaenia soliumcyst-fluid antigen. There were 497 subjects aged 7–30 years in our study and most subjects were infected with one or more helminths. The overall cysticercosis seroprevalence in this population was 24.6% (95% CI: 20.82% ~ 28.58%) with no significant difference based on age, sex, or other helminth coinfection status. Although the sample may not be representative of the whole community, the findings suggest that cysticercosis is a significant, but underrecognized public health concern in the Philippines.
Primary and Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Paciaroni Maurizio , Bogousslavsky Julien
Published: March 2010

Prevention of stroke and transient ischemic attack includes both conventional approaches to vascular risk factor management (blood pressure lowering, cholesterol reduction with statins, smoking cessation and antiplatelet therapy) and more specific interventions, such as carotid revascularization or anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation. The objective of this review is to discuss effective interventions for optimal primary and secondary stroke prevention.
Assessing the Privacy Risks of Data Sharing in Genomics
Authors: Heeney C. , Hawkins N. , de Vries J. , Boddington P. , Kaye J.
Published: March 2010

The protection of identity of participants in medical research has traditionally been guaranteed by the maintenance of the confidentiality of health information through mechanisms such as only releasing data in an aggregated form or after identifying variables have been removed. This protection of privacy is regarded as a fundamental principle of research ethics, through which the support of research participants and the public is maintained. Whilst this traditional model was adopted for genetics and genomics research, and was generally considered broadly fit for purpose, we argue that this approach is increasingly untenable in genomics. Privacy risk assessments need to have regard to the whole data environment, not merely the quality of the dataset to be released in isolation. As sources of data proliferate, issues of privacy protection are increasingly problematic in relation to the release of genomic data. However, we conclude that, by paying careful attention to potential pitfalls, scientific funders and researchers can take an important part in attempts to safeguard the public and ensure the continuation of potentially important scientific research.
Public Health Genomics: The Interface with Public Health Intelligence and the Role of Public Health Observatories
Authors: Wilkinson J.R. , Ells L.J. , Pencheon D. , Flowers J. , Burton H.
Published: March 2010

Background: Public health genomics is a new field that brings the findings of research in genetic and molecular technologies together with public health. The purpose of this paper is to examine the interface between this new emerging field and that of public health intelligence. We describe the possible areas of integration between genomics and public health, suggesting a future potential role for the Public Health Observatories. Methods: A small group comprising of a public health geneticist and representatives from Public Health Observatories met and discussed the ways in which the public health information and intelligence community might contribute to the developing agenda of public health genomics. Results: The results of the deliberations are presented in this paper, and a combination of short, medium and longer term possibilities are described. Also, necessary changes and additions to routinely collected data are proposed. Conclusions: The emerging field of public health genomics has implications for the collection, management and analysis of routine data. The benefits of this will accrue over time, but changes need to be made now in order to make the best use of these developments. A possible supporting action plan for the development of public health genomics within Public Health Observatories is proposed.
Nicotine Promotes Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis via Oxidative Stress and Altered Apoptosis-Related Gene Expression
Authors: Zhou Xiang , Sheng Yanhui , Yang Rong , Kong Xiangqing
Published: March 2010

Objective: To investigate the effect of nicotine on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vitro and explore the potential mechanisms involved. Methods: The MTT assay was used to detect the viability of cultured cardiomyocytes exposed to different concentrations of nicotine (0.1–100 µM). Laser confocal microscopy, TUNEL assay and flow cytometry were utilized to detect cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Oxidative stress was evaluated by the levels of lactic dehydrogenase, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase in the supernatant of culture media. Real-time PCR was conducted to identify mRNA expression changes in apoptosis-related genes between the nicotine and the control group. Results: Nicotine was found to inhibit cardiomyocyte viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Our results demonstrated that nicotine can promote cardiomyocyte apoptosis and the antioxidant glutathione can protect cardiomyocytes from apoptosis via inhibition of nicotine-induced oxidative stress. Real-time PCR indicated that the expression of Bcl-2, Pax3, Bmp4 and Slug was down-regulated in the nicotine group, while the expression of P53, Bax and Msx1 was up-regulated. Conclusion: Nicotine promotes cardiomyocyte apoptosis by inducing oxidative stress and disrupting apoptosis-related gene expression.
Renal Magnesium Handling Is Not Subject to Developmental Programming
Authors: Alwasel Saleh H. , Sahajpal Vandana , Ashton Nick
Published: March 2010

Developmental programming of hypertension, induced by maternal protein restriction, is associated with enhanced urinary excretion of sodium and calcium in the rat. Although calcium and magnesium are reabsorbed via different pathways, renal calcium excretion often parallels magnesium output. Accordingly, the aim of the current study was to assess magnesium handling in rats exposed to a low-protein (LP) diet in utero. Wistar rats were fed a control (18%) or LP (9%) diet throughout pregnancy; offspring were weaned onto standard rat chow and studied at 4 weeks of age. Renal clearance measurements were made in both volume expanded and euvolaemic anaesthetised rats; 24-hour magnesium turnover was also assessed in conscious animals. Plasma and total body magnesium content were measured. Total (UMgV) and fractional excretion (FEMg) of magnesium did not differ between control and LP rats under any of the experimental conditions. Neither plasma nor total body magnesium content differed between control and LP rats. Thus the hypercalciuria of LP rats is not mirrored by an increase in renal magnesium excretion. These data suggest that renal magnesium handling is not affected by developmental programming.
Homocysteine and arterial thrombosis: Challenge and opportunity
Authors: Tremoli Elena , Coppola Antonio , Lupoli Roberta , Minno Giovanni Di , Di Minno Matteo
Published: March 2010

The correlation between homocysteine and vascular disease has been assessed in several clinical studies that demonstrated that elevation of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) was an independent risk factor for atheriosclerotic disease. Major advances of homocysteine metabolism disorders have been made during the last few years, encompassing the rare homozygous enzyme deficiencies, as well as more common milder abnormalities. In experimental and clinical studies, a homocysteine-mediated oxidant stress has been shown to trigger platelet activation, in turn leading to a tendency to thrombosis, in patients with severe hyperhomocysteinaemia. Likewise, the hypomethylation hypothesis on acquired hyperhomocysteinaemia (chronic renal disease) and the interrelationship between hyperhomocysteinaemia and impaired fibrinolysis, have added further biological plausibility to the role for hyperhomocysteinaemia in vascular medicine. However, whether hyperhomocysteinaemia is causal or a marker of vascular disease, and whether plasma tHcy is only an indicator of the metabolic status remains to be clarified. The role of the intake of some vitamins (folic acid, vit.B12, vit.B6) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) is poorly understood: in spite of the lowering of homocysteine (Hcy) levels, vitamin supplementation failed to exert significant effects on cardiovascular risk. On the other hand, although some lipid-modifying treatments increase Hcy levels in diabetics, there is no evidence that this attenuates the beneficial effects of such treatments on the cardiovascular risk. Because of these uncertainties in the area, the data available do not provide support for routine screening and treatment for elevated Hcy to prevent CVD.
Differential effect of ischaemic preconditioning on mobilisation and recruitment of haematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells in porcine myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion
Authors: Posa Aniko , Pavo Noemi , Hemetsberger Rayyan , Kvakan Heda , Steiner-Böker Sabine , Petrási Zsolt , Manczur Ferenc , Pavo Imre , Èdes István , Wojta Johann , Glogar Dietmar , Huber Kurt , Gyöngyösi Mariann
Published: March 2010

Effects of ischaemic preconditioning (IP) on the mobilisation and recruitment of haematopoietic (HSCs) and mesenchymal stem (MSC) cells were determined in porcine coronary occlusion/reperfusion. Thirtythree pigs underwent percutaneous occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) for 90 minutes (min), followed by 120 min reperfusion. IP was performed in 16 of the 33 pigs by two cycles of 5 min balloon occlusion/reperfusion prior to the 90 min occlusion (group IP vs. group C). Peripheral blood and myocardial tissue concentration of bone marrow origin HSCs (characterised by coexpression of CD31+, CD90+, CD45+) and MSCs (characterised by coexpression of CD44+, CD90+, CD45-) were measured by flow cytometry in the early phase of IP. Plasma/serum levels of stem cell mobilisation factors (stromal cell-derived factor-1α [SDF-1α], vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], tumour necrosis factor α[TNF-α] and interleukin-8 [IL-8]) were measured. IP led to a significant increase in circulating HSCs as compared with the group C (475 ± 233 vs. 281 ± 264 /μl, p=0.032) in the early phase of IP. In contrast, a rapid and prolonged decrease in level of circulating MSCs was observed in group IP as compared with group C (19 ± 12 vs. 32 ± 17 /μl, p=0.015). The recruitment of HSCs and MSCs in infarct and border zone was significantly greater in IP group, indicating a faster homing of MSCs as compared with the rate of mobilisation. Rapid increase in VEGF, TNF-α and IL-8 levels was induced by IP, which, however, was not correlated with the levels of circulating SCs. In conclusion, IP resulted in differential mobilisation and recruitment of HSCs and MSCs in the early phase of cardioprotection.
Validation of claims-based diagnostic codes for idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in a commercially-insured population
Authors: Terrell Deirdra , George James , Rodgers J. Keith , Uhl Lynn , Cataland Spero , Bohn Rhonda , Wahl Peter
Published: March 2010

It was the purpose of the present study to validate administrative claims codes for idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in a commercially-insured US population. Patients with at least one medical claim with ICD-9 code 446.6X between 1/1/2001 and 5/31/2008 were identified in the HealthCore Integrated Research Database™ (HIRD). A chart abstraction form was developed to enable case determination for patients identified by the claims code. Two clinical experts, not involved in the design of the study, reviewed the abstracted medical record data and determined whether definite evidence supporting the diagnosis of TTP was present. The positive predictive value (PPV) of the claims coding algorithm for cases assessed by both reviewers was computed. The claims algorithm was further refined and the PPV of the refined algorithm was computed. One hundred eighty-nine abstracted charts were reviewed by two clinical experts; 86 were assessed to have definite evidence supporting the diagnosis of TTP (PPV 45.5% [86/189; 95% confidence interval (CI), 38.3–52.9%]). Refinement of the claims algorithm first included the use of plasma exchange treatment, resulting in 103 potential cases, of which 67 were assessed to have definite evidence supporting the diagnosis of TTP (PPV 65.0%; 95% CI, 55.0–74.2%). Further refinement of the claims algorithm ruled out alternative diagnoses that may mimic TTP; 34 were assessed to have definite evidence supporting the diagnosis of TTP (PPV 72.3% [34/47; 95% CI, 57.4–84.4%]).Our findings demonstrate the difficulty of confirming the diagnosis of rare disorders that lack definite diagnostic criteria, and indicate that more complex claims coding algorithms are necessary for identifying these disorders.
Activated monocytes capture platelets for heterotypic association in patients with severe carotid artery stenosis
Authors: Schriek Carsten , Aken Hugo Van , Droste Dirk , Ringelstein E. Bernd , Jurk Kerstin , Ritter Martin , Kehrel Beate
Published: March 2010

Inflammation and thrombosis, two processes influencing each other, are involved in the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular disease. We showed that in patients with acute ischaemic stroke circulating platelets are activated and exhausted. To identify whether activated haemostasis might be cause or effect, we investigated the role of leukocyte and platelet activation in patients with severe asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid artery disease. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that monocytes from symptomatic (acute stroke aetiology) and asymptomatic patients were highly activated, shown by significantly enhanced presentation of inflammatory markers CD11b and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) on the surface. Both correlated positively with monocyte-platelet association rate. However, increased monocyte activation and elevated levels of monocyte-platelet associates in asymptomatic patients were restricted to patients with echo-lucent plaques, providing a close link between monocyte activation and plaque morphology. Circulating single as well as monocyte-bound platelets from symptomatic patients showed significantly enhanced surface expression of P-selectin and TSP-1, whereas platelets from asymptomatic patients were not significantly activated. These results indicate that monocytes activated by inflammation rather than platelets might be the candidates to initiate platelet-monocyte rosetting during the pathogenesis of atherothrombotic cerebral ischaemia and that haemostasis might be activated secondarily by the first occurring inflammation.
Leukocyte count and risk of thrombosis in patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation or intensive chemotherapy
Authors: Buser Andreas , Gratwohl Alois , Stern Martin , Stoffel Nadina , Rysler Christine , Tsakiris Dimitrios
Published: March 2010

Elevated white blood cell count has recently been established as an independent risk factor for thromboembolic events in patients with myeloproliferative syndromes. Thrombotic events occur frequently in patients with haematological malignancies undergoing intensive cytoreductive treatment. We evaluated retrospectively the association of leukocyte counts and thrombosis in three cohorts of 100 patients each undergoing autologous or allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation or chemotherapy, respectively. A total of 26 thromboembolic events were recorded, 10 in recipients of allogeneic transplants, five in autografted patients, and 11 in the chemotherapy group. Fifteen events were central venous catheter related. Non-catheter related thrombotic events were pulmonary embolism (N=5), hepatic veno-occlusive disease (N=2), deep-vein thrombosis (N=1), stroke (N=1), ovarian vein thrombosis (N=1), and left ventricular thrombosis (N=1). Hazard rates showed two peaks, a first during cytoreduction in all groups, and a second after engraftment in transplanted patients. Time-dependent multivariable Cox analysis confirmed an association of leukocytosis with development of thrombosis (hazard ratio for leukocyte count > 11G/l: 9.73, 95% confidence interval 1.98–47.9, p=0.005). The risk associated with leukocytosis was independent from C-reactive protein level. Thrombocyte count and type of treatment (allogeneic vs. autologous transplantation vs. chemotherapy) had no significant influence on thrombosis development. In three cohorts of patients undergoing intensive cytoreductive treatment for haematological malignancy, leukocyte count was strongly associated with development of thrombotic complications.
Heterozygous antithrombin deficiency improves in vivo haemostasis in factor VIII-deficient mice
Authors: Bolliger Daniel , Szlam Fania , Suzuki Nobuaki , Matsushita Tadashi , Tanaka Kenichi
Published: March 2010

Decreased levels of factor VIII (FVIII) limit the amount of thrombin generated at the site of injury, but not the rate that thrombin is neutralised by antithrombin (AT). We hypothesised that FVIII-deficient mice with heterozygous AT deficiency will demonstrate increased thrombin generation and therefore less in vivo bleeding compared to FVIII-deficient mice with normal AT levels. Therefore, we performed tail bleeding experiments in wild-type (WT), heterozygous AT deficient (AT+/-) mice, FVIII-deficient (FVIII-/-) mice, and FVIII-deficient mice with heterozygous AT deficiency (FVIII-/-/AT+/-). Amount of bleeding was assessed by measuring absorbance of haemoglobin released from lysed red blood cells collected after tail transection. In addition, we measured thrombin generation, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and AT activity in plasma from the different mice groups. Tail bleeding was significantly reduced in FVIII-/-/AT+/- mice compared to FVIII-/- mice. On the other hand, there was no difference in tail bleeding between AT+/- and wild-type mice. Thrombin generation was dependent on the mice geno-type, and increased in the following order: FVIII-/- < FVIII-/-/AT+/- < WT < AT+/-. The aPTT was not influenced by reduced AT activity (i.e. AT+/- genotype), but was significantly prolonged in FVIII-/- and FVIII-/-/AT+/- mice. Using FVIII-deficient mice as an in vivo murine model of reduced thrombin generation, we demonstrated that moderately reduced AT levels increase thrombin generation and decrease bleeding after traumatic tail vessel injury. In agreement with congenital thrombotic conditions, our data elucidate that bleeding phenotypes can be modulated by the balance between procoagulant and anticoagulant proteins.
Picture Superiority Doubly Dissociates the ERP Correlates of Recollection and Familiarity
Authors: Curran Tim , Doyle Jeanne
Published: March 2010

Two experiments investigated the processes underlying the picture superiority effect on recognition memory. Studied pictures were associated with higher accuracy than studied words, regardless of whether test stimuli were words (Experiment 1) or pictures (Experiment 2). Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) recorded during test suggested that the 300–500 msec FN400 old/new effect, hypothesized to be related to familiarity-based recognition, benefited from study/test congruity, such that it was larger when study and test format remained constant than when they differed. The 500–800 msec parietal old/new effect, hypothesized to be related to recollection, benefited from studying pictures, regardless of test format. The parallel between the accuracy and parietal ERP results suggests that picture superiority may arise from encoding the distinctive attributes of pictures in a manner that enhances their later recollection. Furthermore, when words were tested, opposite effects of studying words versus studying pictures were observed on the FN400 (word > picture) versus parietal (picture > word) old/new effects—providing strong evidence for a crossover interaction between these components that is consistent with a dual-process perspective.
General-Purpose Monitoring during Speech Production
Authors: Riès Stéphanie , Janssen Niels , Dufau Stéphane , Alario F.-Xavier , Burle Borís
Published: March 2010

The concept of “monitoring” refers to our ability to control our actions on-line. Monitoring involved in speech production is often described in psycholinguistic models as an inherent part of the language system. We probed the specificity of speech monitoring in two psycholinguistic experiments where electroencephalographic activities were recorded. Our focus was on a component previously reported in nonlinguistic manual tasks and interpreted as a marker of monitoring processes. The error negativity (Ne, or error-related negativity), thought to originate in medial frontal areas, peaks shortly after erroneous responses. A component of seemingly comparable properties has been reported, after errors, in tasks requiring access to linguistic knowledge (e.g., speech production), compatible with a generic error-detection process. However, in contrast to its original name, advanced processing methods later revealed that this component is also present after correct responses in visuomotor tasks. Here, we reported the observation of the same negativity after correct responses across output modalities (manual and vocal responses). This indicates that, in language production too, the Ne reflects on-line response monitoring rather than error detection specifically. Furthermore, the temporal properties of the Ne suggest that this monitoring mechanism is engaged before any auditory feedback. The convergence of our findings with those obtained with nonlinguistic tasks suggests that at least part of the monitoring involved in speech production is subtended by a general-purpose mechanism.
Role for Presupplementary Motor Area in Inhibition of Cognitive Set Interference
Authors: Konishi Seiki , Watanabe Takamitsu , Jimura Koji , Chikazoe Junichi , Hirose Satoshi , Kimura Hiroko M. , Miyashita Yasushi
Published: March 2010

Proactive interference (PI), which is formed through repetition of certain behavior and lasts for a while, needs to be inhibited in order for subsequent behavior to prevail over the antecedent one. Although the inhibitory mechanisms in the pFC have been reported that are recruited long after one behavior is updated to another, very little is known about the inhibitory mechanisms that are recruited immediately after the update. The WCST was modified in the present fMRI study such that inhibition of PI could be examined both immediately after and long after update of behavior. Use of “dual-match” stimuli allowed us to compare two types of trials where inhibition of PI was and was not required (control and release trials, respectively). Significant activation was observed in the left pre-SMA during control versus release trials. The pre-SMA activation was selective to PI inhibition required immediately after update of behavior, which exhibited marked contrast to the left anterior prefrontal activation selective to PI inhibition required long after the update. These results reveal dissociable inhibitory mechanisms in these two regions that are recruited in the different temporal contexts of the inhibitory demands imposed during performance of the task.
Contextual Priming in Grapheme–Color Synesthetes and Yoked Controls: 400 msec in the Life of a Synesthete
Authors: Brang David , Kanai Stanley , Ramachandran Vilayanur S. , Coulson Seana
Published: March 2010

Grapheme–color synesthesia is a heritable trait where graphemes (“2”) elicit the concurrent perception of specific colors (red). Researchers have questioned whether synesthetic experiences are meaningful or simply arbitrary associations and whether these associations are perceptual or conceptual. To address these fundamental questions, ERPs were recorded as 12 synesthetes read statements such as “The Coca-Cola logo is white and 2,” in which the final grapheme induced a color that was either contextually congruous (red) or incongruous (“…white and 7,” for a synesthetes who experienced 7 as green). Grapheme congruity was found to modulate the amplitude of the N1, P2, N300, and N400 components in synesthetes, suggesting that synesthesia impacts perceptual as well as conceptual aspects of processing. To evaluate whether observed ERP effects required the experience of colored graphemes versus knowledge of grapheme–color pairings, we ran three separate groups of controls on a similar task. Controls trained to a synesthete's associations elicited N400 modulation, indicating that knowledge of grapheme–color mappings was sufficient to modulate this component. Controls trained to synesthetic associations and given explicit visualization instructions elicited both N300 and N400 modulations. Lastly, untrained controls who viewed physically colored graphemes (“2” printed in red) elicited N1 and N400 modulations. The N1 grapheme congruity effect began earlier in synesthetes than colored grapheme controls but had similar scalp topography. Data suggest that, in synesthetes, achromatic graphemes engage similar visual processing networks as colored graphemes in nonsynesthetes and are in keeping with models of synesthesia that posit early feed-forward connections between form and color processing areas in extrastriate cortex. The P2 modulation was unique to the synesthetes and may reflect neural activity that underlies the conscious experience of the synesthetic induction.
Phonological Neighborhood Effects in Spoken Word Production: An fMRI Study
Authors: Peramunage Dasun , Blumstein Sheila E. , Myers Emily B. , Goldrick Matthew , Baese-Berk Melissa
Published: March 2010

The current study examined the neural systems underlying lexically conditioned phonetic variation in spoken word production. Participants were asked to read aloud singly presented words, which either had a voiced minimal pair (MP) neighbor (e.g., cape) or lacked a minimal pair (NMP) neighbor (e.g., cake). The voiced neighbor never appeared in the stimulus set. Behavioral results showed longer voice-onset time for MP target words, replicating earlier behavioral results [Baese-Berk, M., & Goldrick, M. Mechanisms of interaction in speech production. Language and Cognitive Processes, 24, 527–554, 2009]. fMRI results revealed reduced activation for MP words compared to NMP words in a network including left posterior superior temporal gyrus, the supramarginal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and precentral gyrus. These findings support cascade models of spoken word production and show that neural activation at the lexical level modulates activation in those brain regions involved in lexical selection, phonological planning, and, ultimately, motor plans for production. The facilitatory effects for words with MP neighbors suggest that competition effects reflect the overlap inherent in the phonological representation of the target word and its MP neighbor.
Overrecruitment in the Aging Brain as a Function of Task Demands: Evidence for a Compensatory View
Authors: Vallesi Antonino , McIntosh Anthony R. , Stuss Donald T.
Published: March 2010

This study used fMRI to investigate the neural effects of increasing cognitive demands in normal aging and their role for performance. Simple and complex go/no-go tasks were used with two versus eight colored letters as go stimuli, respectively. In both tasks, no-go stimuli could produce high conflict (same letter, different color) or low conflict (colored numbers) with go stimuli. Multivariate partial least square analysis of fMRI data showed that older adults overengaged a cohesive pattern of fronto-parietal regions with no-go stimuli under the specific combination of factors which progressively amplified task demands: high conflict no-go trials in the first phase of the complex task. This early neural overrecruitment was positively correlated with a lower error rate in the older group. Thus, the present data suggest that age-related extra-recruitment of neural resources can be beneficial for performance under taxing task conditions, such as when novel, weak, and complex rules have to be acquired.
Multimodal Imaging of Incidental Retrieval: The Low Route to Memory
Authors: Kompus Kristiina , Eichele Tom , Hugdahl Kenneth , Nyberg Lars
Published: March 2010

Memories of past episodes frequently come to mind incidentally, without directed search. It has remained unclear how incidental retrieval processes are initiated in the brain. Here we used fMRI and ERP recordings to find brain activity that specifically correlates with incidental retrieval, as compared to intentional retrieval. Intentional retrieval was associated with increased activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. By contrast, incidental retrieval was associated with a reduced fMRI signal in posterior brain regions, including extrastriate and parahippocampal cortex, and a modulation of a posterior ERP component 170 msec after the onset of visual retrieval cues. Successful retrieval under both intentional and incidental conditions was associated with increased activation in the hippocampus, precuneus, and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, as well as increased amplitude of the P600 ERP component. These results demonstrate how early bottom–up signals from posterior cortex can lead to reactivation of episodic memories in the absence of strategic retrieval attempts.
The Brothers as the “Glory of Christ” (2 Cor 8:23) Paul’s Doxa Terminology in Its Ancient Benefaction Context
Authors: Harrison James R.
Published: March 2010

Studies on Paul’s Doxa terminology in the Corinthian epistles have either focused on the apostle’s allusion to the Moses “glory” tradition in 2 Corinthians 3:4-4:6 or on how the diverse “glory” traditions of the LXX and Second Temple Judaism informed his Christology (1 Cor 2:8). However, Paul’s description of the brothers accompanying the Jerusalem collection as the “Doxa of Christ” (2 Cor 8:23) has commanded little attention. Where the phrase has been discussed, it has been understood against the backdrop of the Isaianic “servant” songs (Isa 42, 49, 52-53) and prophecy (60, 62). Alternatively, the text is explained contextually in terms of the brothers promoting Christ’s glory (2 Cor 3:18; 8:19).This article proposes that the honorific inscriptions, Dio Chrysostom’s Rhodian oration, and the imperial context of “glory” allow us to appreciate better why Paul described his colleagues as the “Doxa of Christ.” In employing the phrase, Paul works within the honorific rhetorical conventions, but upends their eulogistic rationale and imperial focus.
A Controversial Debate over the Interpretation of Tattooing in the Bible: An Ethnohermeneutics Approach From ‘Rice to Bread’
Authors: Iwai Shuma
Published: March 2010

This paper examines from the cross-cultural perspective the increasing practice of tattooing. The author, a native of Japan, investigates tattooing in both the Japanese and American context, and analyzes the biblical principles related to tattooing in order to discover the implications for Christians in various cultural contexts.
Israelite Prophetic Marks among Zimbabwean Men of God: An Evaluation of the Conduct of Selected Zimbabwean Church Leaders in Recent Politics
Authors: Vengeyi Obvious
Published: March 2010

What does it mean to be prophetic during political turmoil? Does it mean opposition to the government or opposition to any opposition to the government? This article offers a Biblical theological response to this question as it evaluates the behaviour of the clergymen and church representative bodies in Zimbabwe. Although the immediate context is the violence that engulfed the nation soon after 29 March 2008 election, over the years since 2000, the church has spoken with contradictory voices. There are churches and individual church leaders who openly displayed their allegiance to the government irrespective of all glaring misgivings. On one hand there existed some Christian leaders who opposed whatever the government did, hence they openly clamoured for regime change. While all this was happening, the common man benefitted only confusion as to who really is prophetic, that is who really represents God and the people.
Guinea pigs—The “Small Great” Therapist for Autistic Children, or: Do Guinea Pigs Have Positive Effects on Autistic Child Social Behavior?
Authors: Talarovičová Alžbeta , Olexová Lucia , Kršková Lucia
Published: March 2010

The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of a small therapeutic animal (TA, guinea pig) on the social behavior of nine autistic children. The social contacts of the autistic children were evaluated by a descriptive method of direct observation that was performed without (in period one) and with (in period two) the presence of a TA. In period one, contacts with an unfamiliar person (UP) and acquaintances (A) were registered; in period two, contacts with the acquaintances and the TA were registered. The frequency of contacts of autistic children with their acquaintances significantly increased in the presence of the TA (P < 0.001). The frequency of contacts with the TA was significantly higher than the frequency of contacts with the UP (P < 0.001). The form of the autistic children’s contacts with A, with the UP, and with the TA was individually dependent, and the presence of the TA changed the characteristics of contacts with A. Our results indicate that the presence of a small TA can positively influence the quantity and quality of the social behavior of autistic children and that the characteristics of social contacts were dependent on the individual.
The Space Between: Land Claims and the Law in Indonesia
Authors: Bakker Laurens , Moniaga Sandra
Published: March 2010

In this article we look at rights discourses and law as an arena of struggle in which local people attempt to gain and secure access to localities of value. Following administrative decentralisation in 1999, throughout Indonesia, individuals and communities lodged land claims. To support these claims, multiple sources of legitimation were used. Among others: customary rights; a history of using the land; or official land law. We focus on the interaction between these groups and the government officials whose authority is required to grant access. We look at conflicts, as well as alliances, in nine different settings and discern three basic constellations through which legitimation is sought: (1) national state institutions; (2) regional autonomy opportunities; and (3) extra-legal arrangements. We find that the lowest levels of government offer the best chances of success but that security increases with higher levels of ratification. We show that broad alliances present an efficient strategy to gain rights to land and that it is vital for local communities to include government bodies, or capture official law’s agency.
Al-Ghazāī on the Signification of Names
Authors: Kukkonen Taneli
Published: March 2010

Al-Ghazālī’s most detailed explanation of how signification works occurs in his treatise on The Beautiful Names of God. Al-Ghazālī builds squarely on the commentary tradition on Aristotle’s Peri hermeneias: words signify things by means of concepts and correspondingly, existence is laid out on three levels, linguistic, conceptual, and particular (i.e. extramental). This framework allows al-Ghazālī to put forward what is essentially an Aristotelian reading of what happens when a name successfully picks out a being: when a quiddity is named by some kind term, its referent in the mind is formally identical to the quiddity of an individual existent which belongs to that natural kind. Al-Ghazālī then proceeds to tease out the implications of this scheme for the special problem of signifying God. It turns out that the Peripatetic theory, which al-Ghazālī appropriates from Ibn Sīnā, is ill equipped for the task as al-Ghazālī envisions it.
The Prior Analytics in the Syriac and Arabic tradition
Authors: Vagelpohl Uwe
Published: March 2010

The reception history of Aristotle’s Prior Analytics in the Islamic world began even before its ninth-century translation into Arabic. Three generations earlier, Arabic authors already absorbed echoes of the varied and extensive logical teaching tradition of Greek- and Syriac-speaking religious communities in the new Islamic state. Once translated into Arabic, the Prior Analytics inspired a rich tradition of logical studies, culminating in the creation of an independent Islamic logical tradition by Ibn Sina (d. 1037), Ibn Rušd (d. 1098) and others. This article traces the translation and commentary tradition of the Prior Analytics in Syriac and Arabic in the sixth to ninth centuries and sketches its appropriation, revision and, ultimately, transformation by Islamic philosophers between the ninth and eleventh centuries.
Al-Ghazālī on the Form and Matter of the Syllogisms
Authors: Lagerlund Henrik
Published: March 2010

Al-Ghazālī’s Maqāsid al-falāsifa is an intelligent reworking of Avicenna’s Dānesh-name (Book of Science). It was assumed by Latin scholastics that the Maqāsid contained the views of Al-Ghazālī himself. Very well read in Latin translation, it was the basic text from which the Latin authors gained their knowledge of Arabic logic. This article examines the views on the form and matter of the syllogism given in the Maqāsid and considers how they would have been viewed by a Latin reader in the thirteenth century.
Daytime Mixed Layer over the Santiago Basin: Description of Two Years of Observations with a Lidar Ceilometer
Authors: Muñoz Ricardo C. , Undurraga Angella A.
Published: March 2010

Two years of high-resolution backscatter profiles obtained with a commercial lidar ceilometer in Santiago Basin (33.5°S, 70.6°W) are analyzed. The generally large aerosol load in the Santiago atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) facilitates the use of these backscatter profiles for the retrieval of the daytime mixed layer height (MH), especially around midday. In winter mornings, however, MH retrievals are frequently confused by upper residual aerosol layers, while in summer afternoons very low aerosol concentrations often preclude them. Based on a database formed with successful MH retrievals over Santiago, the hourly, synoptic, and seasonal variability of clear-day MHs are documented. Daytime growth rates of MH show typical values of 50 m h−1 in winter and 100 m h−1 in summer. MHs at 1200 LT (UTC − 4 h) present a fourfold change between the cold months (MH ∼200 m) and the warm months (MH ∼800 m). Interquartile ranges of the monthly distributions of MH are about 200 m, with little change along the seasons. This statistical description of MH data is supplemented with analysis of temperature, solar radiation, and wind data at selected stations located at the basin’s floor, at the basin’s entrance, and at an elevated location representative of a level about 400 m above the basin’s floor. Seasonal MH variability appears highly controlled by the surface energy budget, with about 30% of the top-of-the-atmosphere radiative energy being used in the warming and growth of the daytime MH. Advection of cool air from the marine boundary layer to the west of the basin also appears to be important in the basin’s ABL energy budget in some cases. Stability of the early morning temperature profile in the basin’s air mass is also a factor in the mixed layer growth. Under conditions of large bulk stability of the basin’s air mass, there exist cases of very shallow daytime mixed layers that appear to develop after nights in which the stability is highly enhanced near the surface. Results herein are a first step toward a better understanding of the dynamics of this complex terrain ABL.