bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Model-Based Fault Detection and Isolation of a Liquid-Cooled Frequency Converter on a Wind Turbine
Authors: Li Peng , Odgaard Peter Fogh , Stoustrup Jakob , Larsen Alexander , Mørk Kim
Published: March 2012

With the rapid development of wind energy technologies and growth of installed wind turbine capacity in the world, the reliability of the wind turbine becomes an important issue for wind turbine manufactures, owners, and operators. The reliability of the wind turbine can be improved by implementing advanced fault detection and isolation schemes. In this paper, an observer-based fault detection and isolation method for the cooling system in a liquid-cooled frequency converter on a wind turbine which is built up in a scalar version in the laboratory is presented. A dynamic model of the scale cooling system is derived based on energy balance equation. A fault analysis is conducted to determine the severity and occurrence rate of possible component faults and their end effects in the cooling system. A method using unknown input observer is developed in order to detect and isolate the faults based on the developed dynamical model. The designed fault detection and isolation algorithm is applied on a set of measured experiment data in which different faults are artificially introduced to the scaled cooling system. The experimental results conclude that the different faults are successfully detected and isolated.
Inhibitory Effect of Curcumol on Jak2-STAT Signal Pathway Molecules of Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Wang Heng , Fang Yongfei , Wang Yong , Wang Zhizhong , Zou Qinghua , Shi Ying , Chen Juerong , Peng Daizhi
Published: March 2012

Hyperplasia of synovial membrane in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a critical pathological foundation for inducing articular injury. The janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription (Jak-STAT) pathway plays a critical role in synovial membrane proliferation induced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). To explore the anti-cell proliferation mechanism of curcumol, a pure monomer extracted from Chinese medical plantzedoary rhizome, the changes of Jak2-STAT1/3 signal pathway-related molecules in synoviocytes were observedin vitro. In this study, the fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in patients with RA were collected and cultured. The following parameters were measured: cell proliferation (WST-1 assay), cell cycles (fluorescence-activated cell sorting, FACS), STAT1 and STAT3 activities (electrophoretic mobility shift assay, EMSA), and the protein expressions of phosphorylated Jak2, STAT1, and STAT3 (Western blot). It was shown that curcumol could inhibit the RA-FLS proliferation and DNA synthesis induced by PDGF-BB in a dose-dependent mannerin vitro. The transcription factors activities of STAT1 and STAT3 were obviously elevated after PDGF-BB stimulation (P<0.05). Super-shift experiments identified the STAT1 or STAT3 proteins in the complex. Furthermore, the different concentration curcumol could downregulate the DNA binding activities of STAT1 and STAT3 (P<0.05) and inhibit the phosphorylation of Jak2 while it had no effect on the protein expressions of STAT1 and STAT3. Positive correlations were found between changes of cell proliferation and DNA-binding activities of STAT1 and STAT3, respectively (P<0.01). In conclusion, curcumol might suppress the FLS proliferation and DNA synthesis induced by PDGF-BB through attenuating Jak2 phosphorylation, downregulating STAT1 and STAT3 DNA-binding activities, which could provide theoretical foundation for clinical treatment of RA.
Ultrathin Oxide Passivation Layer by Rapid Thermal Oxidation for the Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell Applications
Authors: Lee Youngseok , Oh Woongkyo , Dao Vinh Ai , Hussain Shahzada Qamar , Yi Junsin
Published: March 2012

It is difficult to deposit extremely thin a-Si:H layer in heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) solar cell due to thermal damage and tough process control. This study aims to understand oxide passivation mechanism of silicon surface using rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) process by examining surface effective lifetime and surface recombination velocity. The presence of thin insulating a-Si:H layer is the key to get highVocby lowering the leakage current (I0) which improves the efficiency of HIT solar cell. The ultrathin thermal passivation silicon oxide (SiO2) layer was deposited by RTO system in the temperature range 500–950°C for 2 to 6 minutes. The thickness of the silicon oxide layer was affected by RTO annealing temperature and treatment time. The best value of surface recombination velocity was recorded for the sample treated at a temperature of 850°C for 6 minutes at O2flow rate of 3 Lpm. A surface recombination velocity below 25 cm/s was obtained for the silicon oxide layer of 4 nm thickness. This ultrathin SiO2layer was employed for the fabrication of HIT solar cell structure instead of a-Si:H, (i) layer and the passivation and tunneling effects of the silicon oxide layer were exploited. The photocurrent was decreased with the increase of illumination intensity and SiO2thickness.
Oilseed Meal Effects on the Emergence and Survival of Crop and Weed Species
Authors: Rothlisberger Katie L. , Hons Frank M. , Gentry Terry J. , Senseman Scott A.
Published: March 2012

Oilseed crops are being widely evaluated for potential biodiesel production. Seed meal (SM) remaining after extracting oil may have use as bioherbicides or organic fertilizers. Brassicaceae SM often contains glucosinolates that hydrolyze into biologically active compounds that may inhibit various pests.Jatropha curcasSM contains curcin, a phytoxin. A 14-day greenhouse study determined thatSinapis alba(white mustard),Brassica juncea(Indian mustard),Camelina sativa, andJatropha curcasapplied to soil at varying application rates [0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.5% (w/w)] and incubation times (1, 7, and 14 d) prior to planting affected seed emergence and seedling survival of cotton [Gossypium hirsutum(L.)], sorghum [Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench], johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus). With each species, emergence and survival was most decreased by 2.5% SM application applied at 1 and 7 d incubations. White mustard SM incubated for 1 d applied at low and high rates had similar negative effects on johnsongrass seedlings. Redroot pigweed seedling survival was generally most decreased by all 2.5% SM applications. Based on significant effects determined by ANOVA, results suggested that the type, rate, and timing of SM application should be considered before land-applying SMs in cropping systems.
An Iterative Algorithm for the Least Squares Generalized ReflexiveSolutions of the Matrix Equations AXB = E,CXD = F
Authors: Yin Feng , Huang Guang-Xin
Published: March 2012

The generalized coupled Sylvester systems play a fundamental role in wide applications in several areas, such as stability theory, control theory, perturbation analysis, and some other fields of pure and applied mathematics. The iterative method is an important way to solve the generalized coupled Sylvester systems. In this paper, an iterative algorithm is constructed to solve the minimum Frobenius norm residual problem: min over generalized reflexive matrix X. For any initial generalized reflexive matrix X1, by the iterative algorithm, the generalized reflexive solution X* can be obtained within finite iterative steps in the absence of round‐off errors, and the unique least‐norm generalized reflexive solution X* can also be derived when an appropriate initial iterative matrix is chosen. Furthermore, the unique optimal approximate solution to a given matrix X0 in Frobenius norm can be derived by finding the least‐norm generalized reflexive solution of a new corresponding minimum Frobenius norm residual problem: with , . Finally, several numerical examples are given to illustrate that our iterative algorithm is effective.
Participatory Resource Mapping for Livelihood Values Derived from the Forest in Ekondo-Titi Subregion, Cameroon: A Gender Analysis
Authors: Etongo Daniel B. , Glover Edinam K.
Published: March 2012

Increasingly, the multiplicity of products, services, and values, and the diversity of interests from different resource users and groups, is being acknowledged as vital for sustainable use. This calls for a shift from protection to sustainable use and to resource-user focus. The aim of this study is to identify the spatial occurrence of livelihood values through participatory resource mapping, their changes over time and alternatives for sustainable management. A participatory resource mapping study was conducted with local community, including important stakeholders in Ekondo-Titi subregion of Cameroon. The research technique which focused on gender revealed different patterns of forest resources and changes on the landscape. The study concludes that the importance of resources varies between men and women in Ekondo-Titi subregion of Cameroon, implying that resources may have multipurpose functions, but its exact role depends on the needs of the user groups that utilize them. The divergence of opinion on certain resources is a clear indication of preferences that are gender motivated. The study also revealed that the greatest impact of land use change is the conversion of forest land into agriculture.
Existence and Multiplicity of Positive Solutions of a Nonlinear Discrete Fourth‐Order Boundary Value Problem
Authors: Ma Ruyun , Lu Yanqiong
Published: March 2012

we show the existence and multiplicity of positive solutions of the nonlinear
discrete fourth‐order boundary value problem Δ4u(t − 2) = λh(t)f(u(t)),  t ∈ 𝕋2,  u(1) = u(T + 1) = Δ2u(0) = Δ2u(T) = 0, where λ > 0, h : 𝕋2 → (0, ∞) is continuous, and f : ℝ → [0, ∞) is continuous, T > 4, 𝕋2 = {2,3, …, T}. The main tool is the Dancer′s global bifurcation theorem.
Clinical Appraisal of Endoscopy with Narrow-Band Imaging System in the Evaluation and Management of Homogeneous Oral Leukoplakia
Authors: Yang Shih-Wei , Lee Yun-Shien , Chang Liang-Che , Chien Hui-Ping , Chen Tai-An
Published: March 2012

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of endoscopy with a narrow-band imaging (NBI) system for the evaluation and management of homogeneous oral leukoplakia. Methods: The chart records, morphology of vascular architecture of NBI, and histopathology of patients with homogeneous leukoplakia were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Results: A total of 160 patients, with an average age of 50.96 ± 10.25 years, were enrolled. In 35 cases of thin leukoplakia, only intraepithelium papillary capillary loop (IPCL) type I was shown by NBI, and only squamous hyperplasia was revealed pathologically. In 125 cases of thick leukoplakia, IPCL type I was found in 94, IPCL type II in 29, and IPCL type III in 2. The Kendall rank correlation between pathology and NBI images was significant (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The dichotomous classification of homogeneous leukoplakia by NBI is meaningful, and endoscopy with the NBI system is a promising tool for the evaluation and management of homogeneous oral leukoplakia.
Genetic Epidemiology in
Circulation
and the
Circulation
Subspecialty Journals
Authors:   The Editors
Published: March 2012

The following articles are being highlighted as part of
Circulation's
Topic Review series. This series will summarize the most important manuscripts, as selected by the editors, published in
Circulation
and the
Circulation
subspecialty journals. The studies included in this article represent the articles related to genetic epidemiology that were published in
Circulation
and its subspecialty journals in 2010 and 2011.
Wave Space Painting with Science
Authors: Peden Douglas D.
Published: March 2012

The author reflects on the process by which his background in science and engineering and interest in the arts inspired his creation of an original painting style that he calls Wave Space Art, along with the invention/discovery of a mathematical conception of geometric transformations called GridField Geometry. He reviews the development of his techniques, including his employment of mathematics, optics, color psychology, the science of sound and the structure of music.
Ecological Art: A Call for Visionary Intervention in a Time of Crisis
Authors: Wallen Ruth
Published: March 2012

At a time when the world is beset by ecological crises, ecological art offers inspiration, insight and innovation. This essay provides an overview of the artistic and scientific roots of the practice and illustrates the significant role that ecoart can play in the formulation, development and promulgation of a culture of sustainability.
Deciphering and Appeasing the Heavens: The History and Fate of an Ancient Greek Computer
Authors: Vallianatos Evaggelos
Published: March 2012

In 1900, Greek sponge divers discovered an ancient Greek treasure in the waters of the Aegean island of Antikythera: a device with gears dubbed the Antikythera Mechanism. Scientists studied it for almost a century and eventually declared it the most advanced machine preserved from the ancient world. This device predicted solar and lunar eclipses and harmonized the Greeks' sacrifices to their gods with their Panhellenic games and agriculture. This geared computer from the 2nd century BCE is now said to mirror the philosophy of Aristotle and the science of Archimedes. It was the product of an advanced Greek technological infrastructure that early Christians destroyed.
Becoming Organ-ized: The Creativity of Organization, Dis-Organization and Re-Organization in Scientific and Artistic Experiments
Authors: Barker Timothy S.
Published: March 2012

Taking its starting point from a recent experiment in the genetics of E. coli, this article explores how processes of organization, dis-organization and re-organization may be thought of as creative. Extending Deleuze and Guattari's concept of the Body without Organs and citing artworks such as George Legrady's Slippery Traces, Paul DeMarinis's Messenger, Jon McCormack's Eden and Natalie Jeremijenko's One Trees, the paper juxtaposes recent scientific research with experimental art in order to reformulate the concept of organization for use in artistic and interactive settings, theorizing it as a creative process rather than positioning it as a limiting, institutionalizing or negative force.
Complex Networks in Archaeology: Urban Connectivity in Iron Age and Roman Southern Spain
Authors: Brughmans Tom , Keay Simon , Earl Graeme
Published: March 2012

In this article the authors highlight some of the issues surrounding the study of past urban connectivity and how archaeologists can deal with them by adopting a complex networks research perspective.
Sustaining a Global Community: Art and Religion in the Network of Baroque Hispanic-American Paintings
Authors: Suárez Juan Luis , Sancho Fernando , de la Rosa Javier
Published: March 2012

The authors analyze the network of Hispanic baroque paintings from 1550 to 1850. They divide the dataset of 11,443 works from Spain and Latin America into 25-year periods in order to study the evolution of the paintings' 211 descriptors. The analysis shows that most of the paintings are linked through genre and theme and that religious Christian themes make up the overwhelming majority of connections among the paintings.
Colour Chemigrams
Authors: Manietta Siegfried
Published: March 2012

This paper describes an original colour chemigram technique utilizing couplers incorporated in fully processed traditional colour photographic materials through reaction with selectively oxidized colour developing agents. Because this process bypasses light-sensitive silver halides, image structure is essentially molecular in scale and the procedure is performed under normal room illumination. Images of remarkable beauty have been produced from discarded colour films and papers. Notionally the term “chromagram” is proposed for this procedure.
Voce voco. Ariadne in Ovids Heroides und die ‘weibliche’ Stimme
Authors: Pieper Christoph
Published: March 2012

Abstract

The article analyses how Ovid in the 10th letter of his Heroides experiments with the concept of a female voice within Roman literature. Ovid constructs Ariadne as a literary speaker against the background of (1) the Augustan elegiac tradition with its mostly male speakers, (2) the earlier phases of the Ariadne-myth in which Ariadne’s fate is determined by men (Theseus and Bacchus), and (3) the reception of this myth in Catullus’ famous ecphrasis in carmen 64. In the beginning of Heroides 10, Ovid shows how Ariadne develops consciousness of her own ability to speak. She develops from a heterodiegetic (epic) narrator to a homodiegetic (elegiac) speaker. In a second step, however, Ovid demonstrates that Ariadne is not only generally inexperienced in the field of literature, but that her attempt to re-shape her own story from a female perspective must necessarily fail. Her literary character cannot be separated from the previous (male) myth. At the end of the letter, she accepts her own literary immaturity when she asks Theseus to be the future narrator of her own fate. By showing that Ovid in his Ariadne-letter actually stages the failure of his protagonist’s attempt to free herself from a male literary tradition, I suggest that the Heroides should not be read as female literature, but as texts which reaffirm male dominance within Roman literary society.
Marriage and Divorce for the Sake of Religion: The Marital Life of Cadari in Indonesia 1
Authors: Nisa Eva F.
Published: March 2012

Abstract

The religious transformation experienced bycadari(face-veiled women) in Indonesia belonging to two revivalist movements, Tablighi Jamāʿat and Salafism, has propelled them to change their habitus. The nature of their new pious habitus has shaped the life of these women including their marital life. The embodiment of this pious habitus can be seen in practices related to marriage ranging from choice of marriage partner, interactions with marriage partner, new marriage practices (arranged marriage, early marriage and mass marriage) and termination of marriage. All of these can be regarded as their efforts to construct a pious self and an ideal Islamic family,keluarga sakinah(harmonious family). Since religious doctrines are very important in the life of thecadari, religious homogamy is a crucial aspect in their decision to get married or divorced. While there are some studies on the importance of religious homogamy in sustaining marital satisfaction and stability, the experiences of women in such marriages has often been neglected. This article focuses on the importance of religious homogamy by listening to the experiences ofcadariwomen.
On Twenty-First Century Social Transformation: Class, Nation, Gender and Race in a Period of Revolution and Capitalist Crisis
Authors: Brewer Rose M.
Published: March 2012

Abstract

This article is an analysis of the Black liberation struggle in the context of current capitalist crisis. The past forty-plus years since 1968 is the periodization embodied in this framework. The analysis is partially a rumination on the current state of Black America and the Black liberation struggle. Some discussion of an emergent black left and the United States Social Forum as a process for social transformation is considered. It is, as well, a look into Black feminist interventions in the Black freedom struggle. Core here is the feminist demand to center race, class, gender in intersectionality. Finally, some thought is given to the interplay and complexities surrounding class and the Black right in the US with implications for the current period.
New Perspectives on Rosa Luxemburg’s Critique of Global Capitalism
Authors: Hudis Peter
Published: March 2012

Abstract

The global economic-financial downturn has given new impetus to a re-examination of Rosa Luxemburg’s writings on capitalist accumulation and economic crisis, which pinpointed the central contradiction of capitalism in its drive for global expansion. In this article I critically engage Luxemburg’s theory of capital accumulation and crisis by evaluating it in comparison with the central categories of Volumes One and Two of Marx’sCapitalon the one hand, and the quest for an alternative to capitalism in the twenty-first century on the other. I argue that Marx’s procedure in Volume Two ofCapital, in which he abstracts from realization crises and foreign trade in order to discern the “law of motion” of capital freed from secondary and tertiary considerations, captures the internal dynamic of capitalist development and crises far better than its Keynesian and neo-Keynesian alternatives.
The Wealth (and Want) of Nations: The Impact of Economic Globalization on the Developing World
Authors: Haase Dwight
Published: March 2012

Abstract

In this article I review the literature on four outcomes of economic globalization: growth, wages, poverty, and inequality. Special attention is given to the importance of these outcomes for people of developing nations. Findings in the literature show a correlation between economic globalization and economic growth, but the relationship is much stronger for some nations than for others. Evidence on wages also shows uneven benefits from economic globalization. The evidence on poverty is inconclusive, while several authors note growing inequality within nations. These studies highlight the need for more research that includes extraneous factors, such as foreign aid and remittances. Further research also should refine the unit of analysis and gather extensive data from the informal sector.
The Structural Injustice of Forced Migration and the Failings of Normative Theory
Authors: Ingram David
Published: March 2012

Abstract

I propose to criticize two strands of argument—contractarian and utilitarian—that liberals have put forth in defense of economic coercion, based on the notion of justifiable paternalism. To illustrate my argument, I appeal to the example of forced labor migration, driven by the exigencies of market forces. In particular, the forced migration of a special subset of unemployed workers lacking other means of subsistence (economic refugees) cannot be redeemed paternalistically as freedom or welfare enhancing in the long run. Further, contractarian and utilitarian approaches are normatively incapable of appreciating this fact because the kinds of reasons that they adduce for justifying the long-term freedom-enhancing consequences of forced migration are not ones that would be acceptable to the migrants themselves. I conclude that only a discourse ethical approach, which mandates direct, empathetic communication between would-be migrants and members of potential host communities, captures the full range of reasons that would be acceptable to both migrants and members of these communities. These reasons—appealing both to agency-enhancing communal attachments as well as to agency-enhancing freedom of choice—fully reveals the extent to which a global capitalist system composed of relatively closed national communities coerces the world’s poorest migrants.
Middle East Turmoil and Human Rights: How will the ‘New’ Regimes Expand Civil Liberties
Authors: Sutherlin John W.
Published: March 2012

Abstract

During the spring of 2011, there were a number of significant developments in North Africa and the Middle East. Specifically, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen all experienced levels of civil unrest not seen in more than a generation. Clearly there are cries for democracy and freedom, but what will this mean to groups that have historically been discriminated against or disenfranchised regardless of the type of regime in power? For example, will women fare any better as a result of a new government in Tunisia? Will gays in Cairo find a more tolerant government? Can ethnic or religious minorities in Tripoli endure or flourish? The answers to these questions get to the heart of meaningful transformations in governance structures in MENA states.
The World Economic Crisis and Transnational Corporations
Authors: Harris Jerry
Published: March 2012

Abstract

Although the world economic crisis has slowed the flow of global investments and production, transnational capitalism has become more centralized through greater monopolization. We can trace this development in the auto industry with an examination of state intervention, transnational alliances and global competition. Far from developing a nation-centric recovery plan, the Obama bail-out deepens the auto industry’s global character. This example shows how the transnational capitalist class works through the State to strengthen its dominant position over national capital.
An Economic Democracy Reform Agenda
Authors: Schweickart David
Published: March 2012

Abstract

In this article I summarize the basic features of Economic Democracy, a viable alternative to capitalism that is strongly preferable on ethical grounds, then explain in some detail a set of twelve reforms, suggested by the model, that could be implemented within the framework of capitalism, but would move us in the direction of a much better political and economic order.
Die Leges Pachoms und die Mönchsregeln der Pachomianer
Authors: Joest Christoph
Published: March 2012

Abstract

After having examined the first three collections of the Pachomian monastic rules, the Praecepta ac leges are scrutinized in this article. Although their title suggests regulations of “the six evening prayers and the gathering of the six prayers in the varioues houses”, the main theme of the Leges is the authority of the housemasters and their “Seconds”. When compared with the rules on the task of the “Second” in the Praecepta, it seems that the Leges are a little bit older and earlier. It is true we only have the Latin text of the Leges. However, there is a slight chance to prove a Coptic background of this set of rules by examining a hidden biblical allusion and following it up through the various versions of Scripture. The paragraph on the role of a board of holy men to judge in cases of conflict between a brother and his superior, when compared with similar regulations in the other collections of rules, appears to be part of the oldest layer of Pachomian legislation. This proves that all the collections underwent changes and adaptations while being used parallel to each other; there is no reason to search for a genealogy of the four sets of Pachomian rules suggesting that one would have been developed out of the other. The rules on the “Six Prayers” show clearly the origin of the communal prayers of the Pachomians in the anchoritic way of prayer. Saint Pachomius has certainly issued these rules although not necessarily written them down.
Sed de quo peccato? Augustine’s exegesis of Rom. 8:3c in sermo 152, 9-11
Authors: Partoens Gert , Dupont Anthony
Published: March 2012

Abstract

Augustine explored four exegetical solutions to reconcile Christ’s sinlessness with the expression de peccato in Rom. 8:3c (de peccato damnauit peccatum in carne): de peccato as referring to (1) Christ’s death, (2) Christ’s mortal body, (3) the sin of Judas and the Jews, which caused Christ’s death, and (4) Christ’s sacrifice for man’s sin. Augustine’s elaborate treatment of the fourth interpretation in s. 152, 9-11 is the main focus of this article. In light of other works from the same period (417/418), these paragraphs can be read as implicitly answering Pelagian criticism of Augustine’s Christology.
Extraterritorial Laws for Cross-Border Reproductive Care: The Issue of Legal Diversity
Authors: Van Hoof Wannes , Pennings Guido
Published: March 2012

Abstract

Certain states impose restrictions on assisted reproduction because they believe such acts to be morally wrong. However, people who live in a state with restrictive legislation always have the option of going abroad to evade that law. Turkey and several states in Australia have enacted extraterritorial laws to stop forms of reproductive travelling for law evasion. Within the EU, the European Convention of Human Rights would normally remove the need for extraterritorial laws. However, because of the wide margin of appreciation allowed by the European Court of Human Rights, legal diversity on these matters persists. In the case of S.H. and Others v. Austria, moral justification, consistency and proportionality were introduced by the First Section to rule on Member States’ legislation on medically assisted reproduction. The First Section mostly ruled on the effectiveness of the law, while the focus should be on the validity of the normative aim. The Grand Chamber reversed this judgement based on the margin of appreciation doctrine, using it as a pragmatic substitute for a substantial decision. In general, the EU’s interests of harmonization and unification are at odds with the right to national identity of individual states in areas of contested morality.
Access of Elderly People to Affordable Healthcare: Problems and Solutions (A View from a Newly Independent State)
Authors: Hrevtsova Radmyla
Published: March 2012

Abstract

The problem of ensuring the access of the elderly to healthcare has lately become increasingly important. The accessibility of affordable healthcare for the elderly largely depends on the design and performance of the healthcare system, the level of overall social protection that elderly people can enjoy, as well as on the availability of legislative guarantees and the opportunity to use them. Those drivers, alongside with the prospects of the European health system developments and their potential implications on the access of elderly people to affordable healthcare are discussed in this article.
End-of-Life Decisions and Demented Patients. What to Do if the Patient’s Current and Past Wishes Are in Conflict with Each Other?
Authors: Lemmens Christophe
Published: March 2012

Abstract

In this article different approaches are distinguished in order to solve the question of what has to be done if a demented patient behaves in a manner which is found to be inconsistent with his previously expressed wishes. Positions vary, from implementing the advance directive to not implementing the advance directive. The article defends a compromise position by holding that the exact circumstances of each case should be weighed against each other to determine the outcome and to provide an answer to the research question.
The Impact of New Media on Diplomatic Practice: An Evolutionary Model of Change
Authors: Archetti Cristina
Published: March 2012

Summary

Based on a range of interviews with foreign diplomats in London, this article explains the considerable variation in the way that communication technologies both affect diplomatic practices and are appropriated by diplomats to pursue the respective countries’ information-gathering and public outreach objectives. The study shows that London, as an information environment, is experienced differently by each of the diplomats and embassy actors. The analysis elaborates a model of the ‘communication behaviour’ of foreign diplomats, based on an evolutionary analogy: foreign diplomats in the context of the British capital, within their respective embassy organizations, can each be compared to the members of a species that is attempting to survive in a natural environment. The nuances highlighted by the explanatory model challenge the largely homogeneous and generalized nature of current debates about media and diplomacy, as well as public diplomacy.
The European Union’s Foreign Policy since the Treaty of Lisbon: The Difficult Quest for More Consistency and Coherence
Authors: Reynaert Vicky
Published: March 2012

Summary

In the past, the effectiveness of the European Union’s (EU’s) foreign policy suffered from a lack of consistency as well as horizontal and institutional coherence. In order to enhance the consistency and coherence of the EU’s foreign policy, the Heads of States and Governments reformed the position of High Representative and created a European External Action Service (EEAS) under the Treaty of Lisbon. This article deals with negotiations on the decision regarding the organization and functioning of the EEAS by examining the preferences of the actors involved, the negotiation process and the eventual outcome. Will the institutional set-up of the EEAS and the new position of the High Representative enable the EU to play a more consistent and coherent role in the world? The article concludes that the EU’s foreign policy is now characterized by an even more complex institutional framework, resulting in the expectation that the EU will have even more difficulties in conducting an effective foreign policy.
Orthographic Traces in Romanian and Japanese Loanwords: Enriching Phonological Representations
Authors: Mathieu Lionel
Published: March 2012

This paper presents a formal account of the influence of orthography in the adaptation of Romanian loanwords from French and Japanese loanwords from English. It agues that, in the course of adaptation, the accompanying presence of a written representation does play a part in shaping the phonological content of borrowed words. To explain such orthographic manifestations in loanwords, a grammatical mechanism is devised in which underlying input representations are composed of linguistic information emanating from both the native perceptual system and the grapheme-phoneme mapping procedure. Cast in the framework of Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky, 1993/2004), the bulk of the analysis rests in determining how the grammar evaluates output forms resulting from such amalgamated inputs. Theoretical implications of such a proposal are also discussed, in particular as it concerns the nature of input coding and representation. In short, phonological representations are assumed to embrace the segmental richness imparted by both speech and print.
Soil Field Model Interoperability: Challenges and Impact on Screen Temperature Forecast Skill during the Nordic Winter
Authors: Kristiansen Jørn , Bjørge Dag , Edwards John M. , Rooney Gabriel G.
Published: March 2012

The high-resolution (4-km grid length) Met Office (UKMO) Unified Model forecasts driven by the coarser-resolution (8-km grid length) High-Resolution Limited-Area Model (HIRLAM), UM4, often produce significantly colder screen-level (2 m) temperatures in winter over Norway than forecast with HIRLAM itself. To diagnose the main error source of this cold bias this study focuses on the forecast initial and lateral boundary conditions, particularly the initialization of soil moisture and temperature. The soil variables may be used differently by land surface schemes of varying complexity, representing a challenge to model interoperability. In a set of five experiments, daily UM4 forecasts are driven by alternating initial and lateral boundary conditions from two different parent models: HIRLAM and Met Office North Atlantic and Europe (NAE). The experiment period is November 2007. Points for scientific examination into the topics of model interoperability and sensitivity to soil initial conditions are identified. The soil moisture is the main error source and is therefore important also in winter, rather than being a challenge only in summer. The day-to-day variability in the forecast error is large with the larger errors on days with strong longwave heat loss at the surface (i.e., the forecast sensitivity to soil moisture content is significant but variable). The much drier soil in HIRLAM compared to NAE reduces the heat capacity of the soil layers and affects the heat flux from the surface soil layer to the surface. Normalizing the respective soil moisture fields reduces these differences. The impact of ground snow is quite limited.
Assessing Errors in Variational Dual-Doppler Wind Syntheses of Supercell Thunderstorms Observed by Storm-Scale Mobile Radars
Authors: Potvin Corey K. , Wicker Louis J. , Shapiro Alan
Published: March 2012

Dual-Doppler wind retrieval is an invaluable tool in the study of convective storms. However, the nature of the errors in the retrieved three-dimensional wind estimates and subsequent dynamical analyses is not precisely known, making it difficult to assign confidence to inferred storm behavior. Using an Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) framework, this study characterizes these errors for a supercell thunderstorm observed at close range by two Doppler radars. Synthetic radar observations generated from a high-resolution numerical supercell simulation are input to a three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) dual-Doppler wind retrieval technique. The sensitivity of the analyzed kinematics and dynamics to the dual-Doppler retrieval settings, hydrometeor fall speed parameterization errors, and radar cross-beam angle and scanning strategy is examined.

Imposing the commonly adopted assumptions of spatially constant storm motion and intrinsically steady flow produces large errors at higher altitudes. On the other hand, reasonably accurate analyses are obtained at lower and middle levels, even when the majority of the storm lies outside the 30° dual-Doppler lobe. Low-level parcel trajectories initiated around the main updraft and rear-flank downdraft are generally qualitatively accurate, as are time series of circulation computed around material circuits. Omitting upper-level radar observations to reduce volume scan times does not substantially degrade the lower- and middle-level analyses, which implies that shallower scanning strategies should enable an improved retrieval of supercell dynamics. The results suggest that inferences about supercell behavior based on qualitative features in 3DVAR dual-Doppler and subsequent dynamical retrievals may generally be reliable.
Operational Assimilation of GPS Zenith Total Delay Observations into the Met Office Numerical Weather Prediction Models
Authors: Bennitt Gemma V. , Jupp Adrian
Published: March 2012

Zenith total delay (ZTD) observations derived from ground-based GPS receivers have been assimilated operationally into the Met Office North Atlantic and European (NAE) numerical weather prediction (NWP) model since 2007. Assimilation trials were performed using the Met Office NAE NWP model at both 12- and 24-km resolution to assess the impact of ZTDs on forecasts. ZTDs were found generally to increase relative humidity in the analysis, increasing the humidity bias compared to radiosonde observations, which persisted through the forecasts at some vertical levels. Improvements to cloud forecasts were also identified. Assimilation of ZTDs using both three-dimensional and four-dimensional variational data assimilation (3D-Var/4D-Var) was investigated, and it is found that assimilation at 4D-Var does not deliver any clear benefit over 3D-Var in the periods studied with the NAE model. This paper summarizes the methods used to assimilate ZTDs at the Met Office and presents the results of impact trials performed prior to operational assimilation. Future improvements to the assimilation methods are discussed.
Urban Schools
Authors: Boutte Gloria Swindler
Published: March 2012

Addressing the seemingly perpetual turbulent landscape of urban schools, the role that elementary educators and teacher educators can play in reversing negative trends and trajectories is considered. Three urban education journals were examined over a 5-year period (2005-2010) to determine the emphasis on elementary students or schools. Of the 429 articles, only 8% focused on the elementary years. Schools and teacher education programs that are willing to learn from existing successful models and to straightforwardly and vigilantly address endemic racism in policies and practices offer the most hope for transforming urban schools. Collaborative grassroots efforts are recommended.
‘You Say that I Am a King’ (John 18.37)
Authors: Heath Jane
Published: March 2012

Nestle-Aland punctuate Jn 18.37 σὺ λέγεις ὅτι βασιλεύς εἰμι. The present article argues for voicing the text rather with the pause one word later: σὺ λέγεις ὅτι βασιλεύς εἰμι ἐγώ. This voicing resonates with the Johannine ἐγώ εἰμι sayings, which, together with the theme of Jesus’ kingship, form a significant part of how John conveys who Jesus is throughout the Gospel narrative. If Jn 18.37 is voiced as proposed here, then the effect is to yoke together two Christologically significant expressions on Jesus’ lips, but in a way that teases the reader semantically and contributes to the challenge of Pilate’s question, ‘What is truth?’
A Question of Sport and Incarnational Theology
Authors: Ward Graham
Published: March 2012

A Christian theology that is orientated towards understanding incarnation must be interested in the nature of embodiment. As the experience of those involved in sports centres on the body and its attunement to the situation and environment in which it finds itself, so we can compare the states of immersion in the material world in the athlete’s experience and the experience of Christian piety. This essay offers a comparative phenomenology of two forms of embodiment: the athlete’s entry into ‘the zone’ and the contemplative’s centring of the embodied soul in Christ. In doing so it opens up areas of both similarity and difference that are coming to be explored by neuropsychology and neurophysiology. and points to the development of a radical account of incarnation that takes embodiment and affectivity seriously.
Research Ethics in Victimization Studies
Authors: Clark James J. , Walker Robert
Published: March 2012

Research ethics, especially the protection of research study participants, has been an enduring concern of investigators and scholars of victims of violence. Previous work has analyzed the overt and hidden risks of harm to study participants through poorly designed and implemented protocols, cross-cultural insensitivity, unjust exclusion of certain victim types, and neglect to ensure safety of research staff. This article extends this work by calling for greater attention to exploiting participants and victims as a class of persons. The need for this wider view derives from concern about the academic research environment with its emphasis on research, publication, and extramural funding. The authors argue that compliance with federal regulations and IRB directives is necessary but insufficient to conduct truly ethical research. Recognition of the unique pressures that researchers face in the context of the economically competitive university is required to delineate and manage exploitation risks. Such pressures have sometimes led to the rush from print to practices and policies with unintended harmful results for victims of violence as a class of persons. The authors suggest a number of strategies for researchers to define and manage the dangers of engaging in this type of unethical conduct.
‘God forgives the sin but not the scandal’: Coming out in a transnational context – between sexual freedom and cultural isolation
Authors: Aguila Ernesto Vasquez del
Published: March 2012

Migration opens new possibilities for sexual freedom for gay and bisexually active men. However, ‘coming out’ carries real and potentially negative implications for immigrant men. Based on ethnographic research over more than four years in New York, this article examines the multiple strategies that Peruvian immigrants perform to fulfil their dreams of sexual freedom, while avoiding rejection and isolation from their relatives and compatriots. It shows different ‘forms’ of coming out or not coming out. Gay men and their families act out their scripts of ‘knowing’, ‘not knowing’ and ‘pretending not to know’, and play by the ‘rules of the game’.
Empire and Epistles: Anti-Roman Rhetoric in the New Testament Epistles
Authors: Diehl Judy
Published: March 2012

Recent studies of the letters of the New Testament have uncovered intentional words, phrases, ideology and imagery that carry the weight of anti-imperial rhetoric. The second of three articles, this is an investigation of current scholarship concerned with the use of anti-imperial rhetoric in the New Testament epistles. While it is impossible to ignore the Jewish nature of many of the New Testament epistles, both mild and overt, anti-imperial rhetoric challenges the emperor worship and the propaganda of the Roman imperial authorities of the first century. The first part of this article, published in Currents 10.1, is a brief summation of the scholarly developments that have taken place in the discipline of the New Testament epistles. Over decades of research, scholarship has moved from the understanding of the intersection of the book of Acts and the Pauline letters, to the connection between the Apostle Paul and Judaism, to the realization of the junction between Paul and the Gentile world. The second part of the article focuses on a number of Pauline epistles and general epistles where we catch a glimpse of a newer scholarly development, which is a postcolonial approach to the context of the New Testament epistles and the Roman Empire. In a general sense, the response of the authors of the New Testament epistles to the dominating government seems to be, ‘Jesus is Lord, not Caesar!’
Ethnicity Comes of Age: An Overview of Twentieth-Century Terms for Ioudaios
Authors: Miller David M.
Published: March 2012

This article, part two in a three-part series on the meaning of Ioudaios (‘Jew’ or ‘Judaean’), examines the use of ethnic terminology in scholarship on Ioudaios over the last seventy-five years, with a focus on representative studies from the 1930s–1950s as a point of comparison with more recent developments. The article traces shifts in the meaning of ethnic terminology after World War II and explores why ‘ethnicity’ eventually came to more-or-less supplant other terms such as ‘race’ and ‘nation’. Part one, which appeared in 2010 in CBR 9.1, examined the relationship between Ioudaios and other group labels in ancient Judaism, such as ‘Israel’ and ‘Galilaean’. The final article will analyse the relationship between ethnicity and religion in scholarship on the meaning of Ioudaios, and evaluate the debate over the term’s English translation.
Periodic variation of torque and its relations to interfacial sticking and slipping during friction stir welding
Authors: Qian J W , Li J L , Xiong J T , Zhang F S , Li W Y , Lin X
Published: March 2012

The fraction of slipping between the tool and the workpiece during friction stir welding was calculated based on the measured torque and axial force with a sampling frequency of 1000 Hz. The results showed that the torque and fraction of slipping present a variation with the same periodicity that is equal to the time of one tool rotation. A model was proposed to present the average slipping fraction under different process parameters. The variation of the contact condition between the tool and the workpiece in one rotation was explained.