bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carotid Atherosclerosis and Risk of Subsequent Coronary Event in Outpatients With Atherothrombosis
Authors: Sirimarco Gaia , Amarenco Pierre , Labreuche Julien , Touboul Pierre-Jean , Alberts Mark , Goto Shinya , Rother Joachim , Mas Jean-Louis , Bhatt Deepak L. , Steg Philippe Gabriel
Published: January 2013

Background and Purpose—

The presence of carotid plaque reflects overall atherosclerotic burden and may predict coronary artery disease events. We examined the association among carotid atherosclerosis, history of atherothrombotic events, and risk of coronary events.

Methods—

Among 45 227 patients in the Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry with 4-year follow-up, 23 364 patients with information on carotid atherosclerosis at baseline were analyzed. The primary outcome was the composite of first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or coronary hospitalization.

Results—

The carotid atherosclerosis was present in 46% of patients (n=10 725) and was associated with increasing conventional cardiovascular risk factors and extent of symptomatic vascular disease. During 4-year follow-up, 4304 patients experienced ≥1 coronary event. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and geographic region, the risk of coronary events increased by 22% (95% confidence interval [CI], 14%–30%) in patients with versus without carotid atherosclerosis. The relative increase was 18% (95% CI, –7%–51%) in patients enrolled with multiple risk factors only, 25% (95% CI,16%–35%) in patients with coronary artery disease, 46% (95% CI,28%–65%) in patients with cerebrovascular disease, and 37% (95% CI,17%–60%) in patients with peripheral artery disease. Carotid atherosclerosis was associated with increased risk, even among patients with previous myocardial infarction but no known stroke (
P
=0.001) or among patients with previous stroke but no known myocardial infarction (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

Carotid atherosclerosis was an independent predictor of coronary events across all types of symptomatic vascular disease and had an incremental effect on risk regardless of risk factors or location of vessel disease.
Angiographic Features, Collaterals, and Infarct Topography of Symptomatic Occlusive Radiation Vasculopathy
Authors: Zou Winnie X.Y. , Leung Thomas W. , Yu Simon C.H. , Wong Edward H.C. , Leung S.F. , Soo Yannie O.Y. , Ip Vincent H.L. , Chan Anne Y.Y. , Lam Wynnie W.M. , Siu Deyond Y.W. , Abrigo Jill , Lee Kwok Tung , Liebeskind David S. , Wong Ka Sing
Published: January 2013

Background and Purpose—

Occlusive radiation vasculopathy (ORV) predisposes head-and-neck cancer survivors to ischemic strokes.

Methods—

We analyzed the digital subtraction angiography acquired in 96 patients who had first-ever transient ischemic attack or ischemic strokes attributed to ORV. Another age-matched 115 patients who had no radiotherapy but symptomatic high-grade (>70%) carotid stenoses were enrolled as referent subjects. Digital subtraction angiography was performed within 2 months from stroke onset and delineated carotid and vertebrobasilar circulations from aortic arch up to intracranial branches. Two reviewers blinded to group assignment recorded all vascular lesions, collateral status, and infarct pattern.

Results—

ORV patients had less atherosclerotic risk factors at presentation. In referent patients, high-grade stenoses were mostly focal at the proximal internal carotid artery. In contrast, high-grade ORV lesions diffusely involved the common carotid artery and internal carotid artery and were more frequently bilateral (54% versus 22%), tandem (23% versus 10%), associated with complete occlusion in one or both carotid arteries (30% versus 9%), vertebral artery (VA) steno-occlusions (28% versus 16%), and external carotid artery stenosis (19% versus 5%) (all
P
<0.05). With comparable rates of vascular anomaly, ORV patients showed more established collateral circulations through leptomeningeal arteries, anterior communicating artery, posterior communicating artery, suboccipital/costocervical artery, and retrograde flow in ophthalmic artery. In terms of infarct topography, the frequencies of cortical or subcortical watershed infarcts were similar in both groups.

Conclusions—

ORV angiographic features and corresponding collaterals are distinct from atherosclerotic patterns at initial stroke presentation. Clinical decompensation, despite more extensive collateralization, may precipitate stroke in ORV.
Real-time Validation of Transcranial Doppler Criteria in Assessing Recanalization During Intra-arterial Procedures for Acute Ischemic Stroke An International, Multicenter Study
Authors: Tsivgoulis Georgios , Ribo Marc , Rubiera Marta , Vasdekis Spyros N. , Barlinn Kristian , Athanasiadis Dimitrios , Bavarsad Shahripour Reza , Giannopoulos Sotirios , Stamboulis Elefterios , Harrigan Mark R. , Molina Carlos A. , Alexandrov Andrei V.
Published: January 2013

Background and Purpose—

We sought to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound criteria for recanalization during real-time transcranial Doppler monitoring of intra-arterial reperfusion procedures in acute ischemic stroke patients in an international, multicenter study.

Methods—

Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients with proximal intracranial occlusions underwent intra-arterial reperfusion procedures with simultaneous real-time transcranial Doppler monitoring at 3 tertiary-care stroke centers. Residual flow signals at the site of angiographically confirmed occlusions were monitored at a constant transtemporal insonation angle using a standard head-frame. Recanalization was assessed simultaneously by digital subtraction angiography and ultrasound using thrombolysis in myocardial infarction and thrombolysis in brain ischemia (TIBI) criteria, respectively. Independent readers blinded to digital subtraction angiography performed validation of TIBI flow grades. The interrater reliability for assessment of TIBI grades was investigated.

Results—

We evaluated time-linked real-time digital subtraction angiography transcranial Doppler images from 96 diagnostic digital subtraction angiography runs during intra-arterial reperfusion procedures in 62 acute ischemic stroke patients (mean age, 59±17 years; 58% men; median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, 18 [interquartile range 12–21]; median time from symptom onset to intra-arterial procedure initiation, 240 minutes [interquartile range 163–308]). The interrater reliability for evaluation of TIBI grades and assessment of recanalization was good (Cohen
κ
: 0.838 and 0.874, respectively;
P
<0.001). Compared with angiography, transcranial Doppler had the following accuracy parameters for detection of complete recanalization (TIBI 4 and 5 versus thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 3, flow grades): sensitivity, 88% (95% confidence interval, 72%–96%); specificity, 89% (79%–95%); positive predictive value, 81% (65%–91%); negative predictive value, 93% (84%–98%); and overall accuracy 89% (80%–94%).

Conclusions—

At laboratories with high-interrater reliability, TIBI criteria can accurately predict brain recanalization in real time as compared with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction angiographic scores.
Heme Iron Intake and Risk of Stroke
Authors: Kaluza Joanna , Wolk Alicja , Larsson Susanna C.
Published: January 2013

Background and Purpose—

Intake of iron, especially heme iron, has been associated with several diseases. However, epidemiological studies of heme iron and nonheme iron intake in relation to risk of stroke are lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between heme iron and nonheme iron intake and stroke incidence in men.

Methods—

The population-based prospective Cohort of Swedish Men included 38 859 men, aged 45 to 79 years, who had no history of stroke, coronary heart disease, or cancer at baseline. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results—

During an 11.7 years follow-up, 3097 incident cases of stroke, including 2482 cerebral infarctions and 450 intracerebral hemorrhages, were registered. The hazard ratios of total stroke and cerebral infarction for the highest compared with the lowest quintiles of heme iron intake were 1.16 (95% CI, 1.03–1.31;
P
trend=0.037) and 1.15 (95% CI, 1.00–1.31;
P
trend=0.089), respectively. The incidence rates of total stroke per 10 000 person-years were 72.6 in the lowest quintile and 84.4 in the highest. The association was confined to men with body mass index <25 kg/m
2
, the hazard ratios were 1.40 (95% CI, 1.17–1.68;
P
trend<0.001) for total stroke and 1.38 (95% CI, 1.13–1.70;
P
trend=0.001) for cerebral infarction; no association was observed among overweight and obese men. There was no association between nonheme iron intake and risk of total stroke and stroke types.

Conclusions—

Findings from this prospective study indicate that a high heme iron intake, particularly in normal weight individuals, may increase the risk of stroke.
What do the Arguments in the Protagoras Amount to?
Authors: Politis Vasilis
Published: January 2013

Abstract

The main thesis of the paper is that, in the coda to theProtagoras(360e-end), Plato tells us why and with what justification he demands a definition of virtue: namely, in order to resolve a particularaporia. According to Plato’s assessment of the outcome of the arguments of the dialogue, the principal question,whether or not virtue can be taught, has, by the end of the dialogue, emerged as articulating anaporia, in that both protagonists, Socrates and Protagoras, have argued equally on both its sides. The first part of the paper provides an extensive analysis of the coda, with the aim of establishing the main thesis. The second part provides a comprehensive review of the arguments in the dialogue, with the aim of determining whether their outcome is what Plato says in the coda that it is. I undertake this review in three steps:on Plato’s conception of reasons(logoi);Socrates’ arguing on both sides;andProtagoras’ arguing on both sides.
Aristotle on the Starting-Point of Motion in the Soul
Authors: Gabbe Myrna
Published: January 2013

Abstract

In Eudemian Ethics 8.2, Aristotle posits god as the starting-point of non-rational desire (particularly for the naturally fortunate), thought, and deliberation. The questions that dominate the literature are: To what does ‘god’ refer? Is it some divine-like entity in the soul that produces thoughts and desires or is it Aristotle’s prime mover? And how does god operate as the starting-point of these activities? By providing a careful reconstruction of the context in which god is evoked, I argue against the popular deflationary reading of ‘god’, showing why Aristotle’s prime mover must be the end of these natural activities, and how it serves as a final cause for the rational and desirative parts of the soul. I contend that EE 8.2 provides evidence against the traditional notion that god operates as a final cause by drawing natural potentialities to their completion, and suggests instead that it serves as a final cause by entering into the explanation of natures and natural activities as their ultimate end.
Sacred Groves and Local Gods: Religion and Environmentalism in South India
Authors: Kent Eliza
Published: January 2013

In recent years, environmentalists and scholars of religion have shown an enormous interest in the pan-Indian phenomenon of “sacred groves,” small forests or stands of trees whose produce is set aside for the exclusive use of a deity. This article seeks to contribute to scholarship on sacred groves by considering the meanings that Tamil villagers in the Madurai region attach to them. First, I describe the answers that people give when asked why they do not cut the trees in sacred groves: namely, the trees are the shade-giving temples or beauty-enhancing adornments of the deity. Second, I contextualize local discourse about sacred groves in the environmental and political history of the region to uncover old paradigms that inform present-day beliefs and practices. The forest gods of Tamil Nadu, I argue, are closely modeled on the pālaiyakkārars (or poligars) of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, fierce local chieftains who formed alliances with, and sometimes defied, generations of rulers seeking to subdue the region. The often violent modes of worship these gods require has evoked considerable criticism, but I believe they have a lot to teach us about how people thrived for centuries in an unusually harsh environmental milieu.
Solar Photovoltaic Energy for Mitigation of Climate Change: A Catalytic Application of Catholic Social Thought
Authors: Santini Anna , Pearce Joshua , DeSilva Jennifer
Published: January 2013

This paper explores an application of Catholic theology to mitigate the current destruction of God's creation underway due to global climate destabilization. Specifically it describes the possibility of the U.S. Catholic Church adopting a systematic plan to catalyze the world energy market to shift to solar photovoltaic energy, a non-polluting renewable energy source. The science behind the ecological crisis and climate change in the context of the Catholic basis for environmental stewardship is summarized to provide a moral foundation for the plan. Then, the viability and ramifications of integrating solar photovoltaic systems in all U.S. Catholic Churches is analyzed from technical, economic, and ethical perspectives.
Transforming Agricultural Practice: Hindu Narrative and the Moral Imagination
Authors: Sanford A. Whitney
Published: January 2013

The environmental degradation and social dislocations caused by industrial agriculture have created an urgency to rethink food production and consumption. The proliferation of farmers markets is one example of the public response to perceived problems with the existing food system, however the bewildering array of food choices suggest a need for new guidelines for food and agriculture. This paper asks how expanding the moral imagination through narrative can help us rethink human behavior in the context of agricultural practice. Agriculture is an inherently relational, and rethinking practice means revisiting metaphors and narratives that guide behavior in the biotic community. I use a Hindu agricultural narrative to think through existing practices and the narratives contexts. This story does not romanticize human relations with nature, but instead reflects power dynamics in human (and particularly gendered) relationships, and, more important, in human interactions in the biotic community. My analysis considers relevant tropes and themes, e.g. citizenship and community, so that we can ask "what stories about agriculture do we tell ourselves?" and "what stories might we be telling?" to address the current agrarian crises.
On the Ethics of International Religious/Spiritual Gatherings and Academic Conferencing in the Era of Global Warming: A Case Study of the Parliament of The World’s Religions Melbourne 2009 - Part 1
Authors: Beringer Almut , Douglas Steven
Published: January 2013

Global climate change and its impacts have ethical dimensions, for instance carbon footprint equity concerns. World issues, including the state of the ecosphere and biodiver­sity, regularly see political leaders, NGOs, business representatives, religious/spiritual orga­nizations, academics, and others engage in international aviation-dependent meetings to address critical challenges facing humanity and the planet. Yet, climate scientists and advocates call for an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 to cap the increase in global temperatures to 2ºC. Aviation emissions resulting from international meetings raise questions that are not silenced by GHG emissions offsetting. The era of climate change and ‘peak oil’ poses ethical challenges for holding international in-person religious and academic events, especially when the events propound an environmentalist concern and when aviation use is assumed. This paper raises ques­tions regarding the ecological impacts of large international events and focuses the ‘inconvenient truths’ associated with international aviation in the era of global warming. The Parliament of the World’s Religions, the largest multifaith gathering in the world, serves as a case study. The paper emphasizes the view that faith-based/faith-inspired organizations have a special responsibility for leadership in policy and praxis on the moral imperatives of sustainability, sustainable development and climate justice.
The relationships between feeding-group size and feeding rate vary from positive to negative with characteristics of food items in wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)
Authors: Kazahari N. , Tsuji Y. , Agetsuma N.
Published: January 2013

To understand the costs and benefits of group-living, it is important to clarify the impacts of other individuals on foraging success. Previous studies on group-living primates have focused on the relationship between feeding-group size and feeding rate in food patches, and have exhibited inconsistent results, showing positive, neutral, or negative relationships. The relationship realized will depend on the balance of positive and negative impacts of co-feeding on feeding rate. The intensity of negative impacts (i.e., feeding competition) may vary with some characteristics of food items such as (1) patch size, (2) within-patch food density, (3) within-patch distribution pattern of food, (4) the abundance and (5) distribution pattern of within-habitat food trees, and (6) the relative energy content among available food items. Thus, the balance of positive and negative impacts of co-feeding, and ultimately the relationship between feeding-group size and feeding rate, is expected to change with characteristics of food items. In this study of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), the relationship between feeding-group size and feeding rate, and the above six characteristics of 12 main food items were assessed over six seasons. Positive, neutral, or negative relationships between feeding-group size and feeding rate were detected among these food items. Positive relationships were consistently associated with within-patch food density; higher food density within food patches was likely to lead to positive relationships. Thus, various relationships between feeding-group size and feeding rate should be attributed to these specific characteristics of food items, which alter the degree of feeding competition.
Beyond the Assimilation Fixation: Skinner and the Possibility of a Spatial Approach to Twentieth-Century Thai History
Authors: Montesano Michael
Published: January 2013

G. William Skinner's early work on the Chinese of Thailand anticipated the spatial concerns that he later brought to the study of Chinese history. The present article revisits Skinner's 1957 classic “Chinese Society in Thailand” to highlight its overlooked spatial dimension and its emphasis on the role of Chinese in patterns of spatial change in Thai history. It then applies the formal approaches pioneered in Skinner's work on spatial dimensions of Chinese history to the Thai case. A two-factor regional-systems model for twentieth-century Thailand is developed in explicit imitation of Skinner's modeling of China's “macroregions.” The model illustrates long-term trends toward the tighter integration of Thailand's Bangkok-centered national-level regional system, the importance of numerous patterns of more local spatial change, the significance of extra-systemic influences on the system, and the role of Chinese as significant participants and agents in each of these processes. Results also suggest the need for further work on spatial dimensions of modern Thai and Southeast Asian history and on the role of Chinese as agents of spatial change in the region.
Opium and Social Control: Coolies on the Plantations of Peru and Cuba
Authors: Hu-DeHart Evelyn
Published: January 2013

The place of opium in the history of the Chinese diaspora in Latin America and the Caribbean has received scant attention. This article is a preliminary attempt to look into this history, based on fragmentary evidence available. From 1847 to l874, as many as 225,000 Chinese indentured or contract laborers (coolies), almost all men, were sent to Cuba, still a Spanish colony, and newly independent Peru. Both the human trade itself, as well as work and life on the plantations, closely resembled slavery; indeed, the coolies in Cuba worked alongside African slaves. Opium was part of the coolie trade from its inception, distributed in the holding pens in South China ports, on the long, arduous voyages across the Pacific or Atlantic, as well as on the plantations. Cuban and Peruvian planters permitted, even encouraged, the sale, barter and consumption of opium by their coolies, in effect creating a mechanism of social control by alternately distributing and withholding this very addictive substance to desperate men. But this cynical use of opium might also have backfired on them, as sustained and massive ingestion lowered productivity, caused premature death (often by suicide), and resulted in high absenteeism.
Transnational Homeland Concerns and Participation in US Politics: A Comparison among Immigrants from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong
Authors: Lien Pei-Te
Published: January 2013

This study addresses the scholarly debate between assimilation and transnationalism through analyses of public opinion data collected mainly in California and from residents of Chinese descent whose families originated from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and elsewhere in Asia. It explores the empirical relationship between Chinese Americans' concern about the political condition of the ethnic homelands in Asia and their patterns of political participation in the United States. Not all transnational concerns are equal. This study distinguishes between the democratic-oriented and nationalist-oriented transnational political behavior. It also separates voting registration from other types of political participation. A main argument of this study is that the relationship between political assimilation and transnational linkages depends both on the nature of the transnational political concern and on the type of political participation. Transnational political concerns are found to influence the degree of participation in regime-influence (e.g. making campaign contributions) but not system-support (e.g. voting registration) acts. Also, only those homeland concerns that are consistent with US foreign policy interests such as regarding the democratic future of Hong Kong after the 1997 transition are found to have a positive impact on participation.
The Trading Culture of Jade Stones Among the Yunnanese in Burma and Thailand, 1962–88
Authors: Chang Wen-Chin
Published: January 2013

This article aims to illustrate the trading culture of jade stones by examining the social life of the traded stones in their transnational movement from Burma to Thailand during the period of the Burmese socialist regime. Drawing on the work of the well-known anthropologist, Appadurai, I adopt a perspective emphasizing processes to look into the complex intersection of economic, political, and cultural factors relating to repeated transactions. These factors include the politics of organization, the politics of knowledge, personal guts, and the uncontrollable factor of luck. The research shows that market laws entwined with intricate socio-political forces of the region were the driving force in the exercise of the trade beyond national boundaries.
Chinese Language Maintenance: A Study of Chinese-American Parental Perceptions and Activities
Authors: Yang Wenzhong Eric
Published: January 2013

This study focuses on Chinese-American parents' perceptions of their children's Chinese language use and proficiency. The sites for this study were weekend Chinese schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. A self-administered survey was conducted by using a random sample of 209 parents from different backgrounds. Results have indicated that these Chinese-American parents had high expectations of their children's Chinese language proficiency and tried to maintain their unique Chinese heritage and culture. When comparing parental perceptions of different groups, significant differences were found between parents of different income levels. Significant differences were also found in parental activities related to Chinese language proficiency between parents of gifted/talented students and those of average students. No significant differences were found in other groups. Bivariate Correlation analyses indicated that parental perceptions and activities were highly positively-correlated.
The Education Concerns and Political Outlook of Lim Keng Lian (1893–1968)
Authors: Lim Jason
Published: January 2013

Lim Keng Lian (1893–1968) was a prominent tea merchant in Singapore from the mid-1920s until his death. He also concerned himself with the educational needs of the Chinese in Singapore and Malaya. During the 1930s and 1940s, he worked tirelessly to raise overseas Chinese awareness of the plight of China. As a supporter of the Kuomintang, he made his mark as a leading overseas Chinese representative in the party, remaining loyal even after the KMT's defeat in 1949. Despite his dedication to the welfare of the overseas Chinese, his foray into Chinese politics and his success in the tea business, Lim remains largely neglected in overseas Chinese studies. This article mainly traces his attempts at reforming overseas Chinese education in the 1930s, his work as a community leader among the Hokkien community in Malaya, his entry into Chinese politics as a wartime parliamentarian, and his brief stint as Deputy Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission in China.
The Evolution of Chinese Malaysian Entrepreneurship: From British Colonial Rule to Post-New Economic Policy
Authors: Chin Yee Whah
Published: January 2013

Much work has been published regarding the success of Chinese capitalism in East and Southeast Asia in the last three decades. There are two schools of thought on this important and extensive topic of how Chinese business people operate their businesses. The “cultural” school, which places an emphasis on the importance of culture, ethnicity and business networks, is being challenged by the structuralists who call attention to the role of the state and the importance of political patronage. While these two groups have contributed to a large extent to the understanding of Chinese capitalism, their approaches are fragmented in nature and do not fully explain how Chinese entrepreneurs expanded and adapted themselves in a structural-historical context. This article looks at the question of Malaysian Chinese entrepreneurship by combining considerations of structure and agency over time.
The Huaqiao in Taiwan 1895-1945: Their Ambivalent Localization
Authors: Douw Leo
Published: January 2013

Abstract

The Taiwan huaqiao are the migrants from mainland China who went to work in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period (1895-1945). They were mostly workers, who were ethnically akin to the local population, but had an official status as foreign migrants and were supposed to return to their country of origin. In fact many among them tended to settle permanently and as a result of the discrimination also tended to form a social underclass; their number grew to at least 60,000 in the 1930s. This article argues that they should be studied more systematically as part of Chinese foreign migration.
Bamboo Networks: Chinese Business Owners and Co-Ethnic Networks in Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Meares Carina , Cain Trudie , Spoonley Paul
Published: January 2013

Abstract

As part of a larger research project examining the settlement of immigrant business owners in Auckland, New Zealand, this research examines the nature of the connections that these Chinese business owners have with their employees, suppliers and customers. The results suggest a significant reliance on networks that involve co-ethnics, especially for the China-born but even for those Chinese business owners who were New Zealand-born. Overall, the research indicates the key role that relational embeddedness plays in the establishment and development of migrant businesses.
Werner Jacobsz. van den Valckert
Authors: Van Thiel P. J. J.
Published: January 2013

Virtually nothing has hitherto been known about Werner van dell Valckert's life and little about his work, his reputation resting mainly on his portrait historié of 1620 and a number of official Amsterdam group portraits of between 1622 and 1627, as well as a number of etcltirtgs of 1612. The present study has still not yielded the dates of his birth and death, but it has revealed that his career began in The Hague, where he was married to Jannetje Cornelis, daughter of the Hague glass-painter Cornelis Sybertsz. Monicx van Montfoort (Note 9), in 1605. He was registered as a master in the Guild of St. Luke there at some point between 1600 and 1605 and may have been born in or near the city around 1580-5. He is recorded in The Hague for the last time in 1612, so he probably moved in 1613 to Amsterdam, where his daughter was christened on 10 August 1614, followed by three more children over the following five years. The last record of him in Amsterdam is in 1627, so he probably died in that year or shortly afterwards. There is no evidence whatever to support previous hypotheses of his having been a pupil of Goltzius and made visits to Italy and Denmark.
Een mannenfiguur, in 1882 door Vincent van Gogh getekend
Authors: Op De Coul Martha
Published: January 2013

A recently discovered pencil drawing by Van Gogh (Fig. I), which has always been in private possession, shows a man standing with arms folded. It bears the signature Vincent at bottom right (Fig. 2). The drawing, in poor condition when discovered and clearlycut down at the top, has been thoroughly restored and laid down (Fig. 3). Details of the costume of the fiure can be paralleled in drawings of Van Gogh's Hague period (December 1881-September 1883) and a figure in precisely the same pose turns up in a highly detailed drawing of a Schevenitigen fish-drying shed dated May, 1882 (Fig. 4, Note 3). Our drawing may perhaps have served as a model for this. In style it is close to the topographical drawings in pencil that Van Gogh was working on in March and April 1882 to a commission from his art-dealer uncle (Note 5), particularly in the way the composition is built up by means of hatching. This dating is further supported by the similarity of our figure to those in two such topographical works dated March 1882 (Figs. 5 and 6, Notes 6 and 7). Only a few drawings of single figures are known from this period, which makes this discovery particularly welcome.
Jan van Gool als kunstcriticus
Authors: De Vries Lyckle
Published: January 2013

In 1750 and 1751 Jan van Gool published two volumes of artists' biographies entitled De Nieuwe Schouburg (Note 2). This sequel to Houbraken's Groote Schouburgh (.Note I) is an important source for Dutch art history of the period around 1700. The author's opinions are not strictly governed by the rules of art theory, nor is he a convinced Classicist. His main aim is to give complete and reliable information on the lives and works of artists. In so doing he cannot refrain from giving personal opinions. These characterize him as a competent art critic, who seems to have had an eye for style and quality. He despises work by contemporaries who still adhere to the Leiden tradition of fijnschilderen (small-scale, highly-finished painting). In his view the composition of a painting is of prime importance in assessing its quality, for it is mostly there that an artist's inventiveness, or lack of it, is revealed. Another aspect of great importance is the expression of emotions in painted figures through their glances, gestures and attitudes. Van Gool praises not only history painters who prove to have abilities in this field, but also painters of genre scenes and portraits. He pays far more attention to a painter's brushwork than his style of drawing, his predilection being for masters with a 'courageous' brush. Relatively little attention is given to colour and light and to the plasticity of painted figures. Van Gool's ideals seem to be summed up in the word natural. The essential qualities of the subjects painted must be made visible in the work of art. A painstaking realism in the Leiden tradition would endanger this ideal as much as a severe Classicism. The observation of reality should not be carried so far that details become more important than totalities, but on the other hand the overall form should not be idealized to such an extent that reality is forgotten.
Understanding America Better A Ten-book Challenge
Authors: Graham Gordon
Published: January 2013

Eleven Americans, including a publisher, an international entrepreneur, two librarians, an historian, an art designer, a real estate agent, an author, an academic, an IT consultant and a bibliophile, were asked to choose which ten books they would recommend to a new arrival in the United States. Their target was defined as literate in English, well read, and with an intelligent outsider's knowledge of the United States. The participants, who made their choices unbeknown to one another, were invited to annotate their choices. The result is a kaleidoscope of views and arguments, with surprisingly little overlap, reflecting the endless diversity of the subject. The earliest of the 87 titles recommended is dated 1786, the most recent 2011. They include the famous and the obscure, scholarly and popular, tomes and light reading, poetry and essays, history and biography, science and sociology.
One new genus and species of the tribe Meconematini (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) from Sichuan, China with description of the male sex and transfer of Acosmetura carinata Liu, Zhou & Bi, 2008 to the new genus
Authors: MING SHI FU , XUN BIAN
Published: January 2013

The paper deals with a new genus, a new species and a new combination, i. e. Sinocyrtaspiodea gen. nov., Sinocyrtaspiodea longicercus sp. nov. and Sinocyrtaspiodea carinata (Liu, Zhou & Bi, 2008) com. nov. All specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University.
Mangrove Microclimate: A Case Study from Southeastern Brazil
Authors: Beserra de Lima Nádia Gilma , Galvani Emerson
Published: January 2013

A mangrove is a transitional coastal ecosystem between marine and terrestrial environments that is characterized by salinity and constant tidal flooding. Mangroves contain plant communities that are adapted to several physical constraints, including the climate. The purpose of this study was to analyze the variations in climatic attributes (air temperature, relative air humidity, global solar radiation, wind, and rainfall) in the mangroves located in the municipality of Iguape, on the southern coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. In addition, it was determined whether the existing variation is related to the presence of the canopy environment. A microclimate tower was installed with two weather stations to obtain an analysis of the variation of the climatic attributes above and below the canopy. The results indicate that global solar radiation had an average transmissivity of 26.8%. The air temperature at 10 m was higher than that at the sensor at 2 m. The average rainfall interception for the mangrove environment was 19.6%. Both the maximum gust and average wind speed decreased by approximately 63.7% at 2 m. The mangrove canopy was found to be an important control on the variation of climatic attributes. On a microclimatic scale, the climate attributes had a direct influence on the spatial distribution of vegetation. Additionally, characteristics of the canopy are the main control for this variation, especially for the distribution of rainfall and the amount of solar radiation below the canopy, which influence the distribution of plant species in the environment.
Atlantic Hurricanes and Climate Change. Part I: Experimental Design and Isolation of Thermodynamic Effects
Authors: Mallard Megan S. , Lackmann Gary M. , Aiyyer Anantha , Hill Kevin
Published: January 2013

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used in a downscaling experiment to simulate a portion of the Atlantic hurricane season both in present-day conditions and with modifications to include future thermodynamic changes.

Temperature and moisture changes are derived from an ensemble of climate simulations from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) A1B scenario and added to analyzed initial and lateral boundary conditions, leaving horizontal temperature gradients and vertical wind shear unaltered. This method of downscaling excludes future changes in shear and incipient disturbances, thereby isolating the thermodynamic component of climate change and its effect on tropical cyclone (TC) activity.

The North Atlantic basin is simulated with 18- and 6-km grid spacing, and a four-member physics ensemble is composed by varying microphysical and boundary layer parameterization schemes. This ensemble is used in monthly simulations during an active (2005) and inactive (2009) season, and the simulations are able to capture the change in activity between the different years. TC frequency is better reproduced with use of 6-km grid spacing and explicitly simulated convection, relative to simulations with 18-km grid spacing. A detailed comparison of present-day and future ensemble results is provided in a companion study.
Determinants of tobacco use among students aged 13–15 years in Nepal and Sri Lanka: Results from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 2007
Authors: Kabir MA , Goh Kim-Leng
Published: January 2013

Objectives:

This study aimed to investigate tobacco use behaviours and their correlates among secondary school students in Nepal and Sri Lanka together with cross-country comparisons.

Design:

Cross-sectional survey.

Methods and Settings:

The data were obtained from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), 2007. Current tobacco use was considered as a response variable. Predictors were selected based on existing literature and theories on adolescent tobacco use. The data of 1,444 Nepalese and 1,377 Sri Lankan students aged 13–15 years was used for analysis.

Results:

Prevalence of tobacco use varies with 9.4% and 9.1% among Nepalese and Sri Lankan students respectively. Boys (13.2 vs. 5.3 for Nepal, 12.4 vs. 5.8 for Sri Lanka), older and senior students was more likely to be tobacco users in both countries. The average age of tobacco initiation was 10.2 years in Nepal and 8.6 years in Sri Lanka. Factors, namely, individual characteristics, tobacco use among friends, smoking at home and public places, free tobacco products, and lessons about negative effects of tobacco in class were significantly associated with tobacco use in Nepal and Sri Lanka. For instance, friends’ tobacco use was a good predictor for adolescents’ usage (odds ratio [OR] = 4.0, confidence interval [CI] = 2.61–6.23 in Nepal; OR = 2.5, CI = 1.50–4.23 in Sri-Lanka). Similarly, course curriculum significantly reduced smoking among students.

Conclusion:

Prevention of tobacco use among school students should be top priority of a country as they are long-term customers and replacement smokers who quit or die. Therefore comprehensive strategies as we proposed along with existing prevention programmes should be tightened to stop them from hazardous behaviours.
To Change the World: James Davison Hunter’s “Faithful Presence” Meets Political Theologies on the Margins
Authors: Guth Karen V.
Published: January 2013

In To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World, James D. Hunter offers an alternative to prominent Christian strategies to change the world and the theologies and theories of cultural change that support them. Rather than seeking to change the world, a goal Hunter considers misguided, Hunter's proposal for “faithful presence” seeks to honor God by “being fully present” to “each other…to our tasks…within our spheres of influence” (243–247). This review essay places this proposal in conversation with political theologies on the margins, noting important points of convergence and divergence. It argues that engagement with feminist theologies would alleviate a residual church/world dualism that persists in Hunter's reflections on culture; attention to feminist and womanist critiques of redemptive suffering would allow Hunter to more thoroughly embrace his concern for “the least privileged” and the “most disadvantaged” (271); and attention to King would allow Hunter to preserve an appropriate place for politics as Christian praxis.
Inducing Deterrence through Moral Hazard in Alliance Contracts
Authors: Benson Brett V. , Meirowitz Adam , Ramsay Kristopher W.
Published: January 2013

Do military alliances foster aggressive behavior in allies to the point of undermining the security goal of the alliance? Like others, we find that alliance commitments may cause moral hazard because allies do not fully internalize the costs of actions that can lead to war. But unlike others, we show that the effect of moral hazard can improve security. Moral hazard can be the driving force behind generating deterrence and avoiding costly conflict. Aggressors may refrain from initiating crises if their target enjoys additional resources from its ally and so is more willing to fight back. So rather than incurring costs, moral hazard may be the very key to deterring potential aggressors and minimizing the risk of conflict. This behavior allows alliance partners to capture a “deterrence surplus,” which are the gains from avoiding conflict.
Following Jesus the Clown
Authors: Adiprasetya Joas
Published: January 2013

Based on the author’s autobiography of hyphenated identities, the article attempts to compare cross-culturally two clown figures: the Javanese Semar and the Christian Jesus. Both figures demonstrate that a clown must live in their total otherness, perform both social critique and solidarity, and take the risk to be a victim and healer. Finally, the church must become a community of clowns in order to be faithful to Jesus the Clown.
The Insufficiency of S. Mark Heim’s More Pluralistic Hypothesis
Authors: Fegert Michael D.
Published: January 2013

S. Mark Heim critiques religious pluralism on the grounds that pluralistic theologies of religions postulate a conception of salvation that is applicable to all religions. That is to say, religious pluralism is insufficiently pluralistic. In contrast, Heim proposes a more pluralistic hypothesis, which concludes in the postulation of multiple salvations. I critique Heim’s historical frame, which is informed by postliberalism, on the grounds that it is essentialistic. This critique is applicable to his historical frame because he utilizes a cultural-linguistic theory of religion, which argues that religion is bound to its grammar, as rendered by its founding story. Heim’s hypothesis is insufficiently historical because his theory of religion is essentialistic in nature and thus ahistorical.
From the Church of the Nativity to the Churches of the World: Palestinian Christians and Their “Cry of Hope”
Authors: Schmid Muriel
Published: January 2013

Palestinian Christians came together in 2009 to write a common statement exposing their theological perspective and formulating their hope for the future. The result of their work was published as a Kairos document, modeled after the 1985 South African Kairos. Such documents belong to a specific genre of Christian writings that seek to formulate a response to situations of oppression. Due to the delicate nature of the conflict in Israel-Palestine, the Palestinian Kairos received mixed reviews. This essay critically examines its claims and offers a reading that emphasizes its potential for a theology of peace and nonviolence. The Palestinian Kairos opens new doors to rethink the relationship between Christianity and social justice and provides a language to address oppression that stands outside the dynamic of blame and accusation.
Nonlinear Moderating Effect of Tenure on Organizational Identification (OID) and the Subsequent Role of OID in Fostering Readiness for Change
Authors: Hameed Imran , Roques Olivier , Ali Arain Ghulam
Published: January 2013

This empirical study investigates the curvilinear moderating effects of organizational tenure on the relationships between two status evaluations, that is, perceived external prestige (PEP) and perceived internal respect (PIR), and organizational identification (OID). This study validated the components of group engagement model in South Asian context, which highlighted the significant difference in the effects of status evaluations on OID. The importance of OID in the development of employee’s readiness for change is also explored and tested. Survey method was used for collection of data from Pakistan. The results supported all the hypothesized relationships. This is one of the few studies which have explored the potential effects of organizational tenure on identification process, and tested the relationship between OID and readiness for change.
Comparing the Effects of Teen Mentors to Adult Teachers on Child Lifestyle Behaviors and Health Outcomes in Appalachia
Authors: Smith Laureen H. , Holloman Christopher
Published: January 2013

Childhood obesity prevalence rates in the United States are the highest in the rural Appalachian areas. Teens mentoring younger children to reverse obesity health risks are an understudied approach. This randomized-controlled trial compared the effects of two curriculum delivery methods and assessed the mediating effects of the number of sessions attended on the outcomes. The control group received the 8-week Just for Kids! curriculum via an adult teacher in a classroom and the experimental group received the same curriculum via individual teen mentoring. Data collected at baseline and postintervention were analyzed using multilevel linear models. Each of the outcomes (e.g., body mass index, blood pressure, current lifestyle behaviors) were modeled separately. Only the mentored children demonstrated improved current lifestyle behaviors (e.g., physical activity and dietary patterns) and health outcomes. Teen mentoring was an effective and efficacious approach to impact the lifestyle patterns and health outcomes of children in a school setting.
Discrete-Trial Functional Analysis and Functional Communication Training With Three Individuals With Autism and Severe Problem Behavior
Authors: Schmidt Jonathan D. , Drasgow Erik , Halle James W. , Martin Christian A. , Bliss Sacha A.
Published: January 2013

Discrete-trial functional analysis (DTFA) is an experimental method for determining the variables maintaining problem behavior in the context of natural routines. Functional communication training (FCT) is an effective method for replacing problem behavior, once identified, with a functionally equivalent response. We implemented these procedures in the natural environment for three individuals with developmental disabilities who resided in a residential treatment facility. Study 1 results show that the DTFA procedures experimentally validated the function of each participant’s problem behavior after completing a functional assessment using informal and descriptive methods. Study 2 results reveal that FCT was successful at replacing problem behavior with an alternative communication behavior that served the same function. A unique feature of this study was the use of behavioral indication (i.e., observable behavior signaling momentary motivation) as a cue for determining when to deliver the FCT intervention.