bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SENSE with improved tolerance to inaccuracies in coil sensitivity maps
Authors: Peeters Johannes M. , Fuderer Miha
Published: July 2012

In this work, an extension of the Cartesian sensitivity encoding (SENSE) parallel imaging framework is proposed. In the well‐known SENSE solution, the overdetermined reconstruction inversion problem is optimized to get the highest signal‐to‐noise ratio in the image. In this extension, the probability of artifacts due to incorrect knowledge of the receiver coil sensitivities is also taken into account. This is realized by assuming an uncertainty in measured receiver coil sensitivities to enable weighting of residual artifact level and signal‐to‐noise ratio in the inversion problem. This inversion problem can still be solved by a least‐squares optimization without the need of any complex iterative scheme. Results in abdominal imaging show that artifact levels can be substantially reduced, at the cost of a signal‐to‐noise ratio penalty. The size of the signal‐to‐noise ratio penalty depends on the assumed inaccuracy of the coil sensitivities, sensitivity encoding acceleration factor, and coil configuration. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reconstruction of undersampled radial PatLoc imaging using total generalized variation
Authors: Knoll Florian , Schultz Gerrit , Bredies Kristian , Gallichan Daniel , Zaitsev Maxim , Hennig Jürgen , Stollberger Rudolf
Published: July 2012

In the case of radial imaging with nonlinear spatial encoding fields, a prominent star‐shaped artifact has been observed if a spin distribution is encoded with an undersampled trajectory. This work presents a new iterative reconstruction method based on the total generalized variation, which reduces this artifact. For this approach, a sampling operator (as well as its adjoint) is needed that maps data from PatLoc k‐space to the final image space. It is shown that this can be realized as a type‐3 nonuniform fast Fourier transform, which is implemented by a combination of a type‐1 and type‐2 nonuniform fast Fourier transform. Using this operator, it is also possible to implement an iterative conjugate gradient SENSE based method for PatLoc reconstruction, which leads to a significant reduction of computation time in comparison to conventional PatLoc image reconstruction methods. Results from numerical simulations and in vivo PatLoc measurements with as few as 16 radial projections are presented, which demonstrate significant improvements in image quality with the total generalized variation‐based approach. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A moving pseudo‐boundary method of fundamental solutions for void detection
Authors: Karageorghis Andreas , Lesnic Daniel , Marin Liviu
Published: July 2012

We propose a new moving pseudo‐boundary method of fundamental solutions (MFS) for the determination of the boundary of a void. This problem can be modeled as an inverse boundary value problem for harmonic functions. The algorithm for imaging the interior of the medium also makes use of radial polar parametrization of the unknown void shape in two dimensions. The center of this radial polar parametrization is considered to be unknown. We also include the contraction and dilation factors to be part of the unknowns in the resulting nonlinear least‐squares problem. This approach addresses the major problem of locating the pseudo‐boundary in the MFS in a natural way, because the inverse problem in question is nonlinear anyway. The feasibility of this new method is illustrated by several numerical examples. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2013
Experimental assessment on potential for processiblity of carbon nanotubes/epoxy system used as nanocomposites
Authors: Wang Baichen , Zhou Xia , Yin Junshan , Wang Li
Published: July 2012

In this study, carboxylic acid functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used to modify epoxy with intent to develop a nanocomposite matrix for hybrid multiscale composites combining benefits of nanoscale reinforcement with well‐established fibrous composites. CNTs were dispersed in epoxy by using high energy sonication, followed by the fabrication of epoxy/CNTs composites. The processibility of CNTs/epoxy systems was explored with respect to their dispersion state and viscosity. The dependences of viscosity, mechanical and thermomechanical properties of nanocomposite system on CNTs content were investigated. The dispersion quality and reagglomeration behavior of CNTs in epoxy and the capillary infiltration of continuous fiber with the epoxy/CNTs dispersion were characterized using optical microscope and capillary experiment. As compared with neat epoxy sample, the CNTs nanocomposites exhibit flexural strength of 126.5 MPa for 1 wt% CNTs content and impact strength of 28.9 kJ m−2 for 0.1 wt% CNTs content, respectively. A CNTs loading of 0.1 wt% significantly improved the glass transition temperatures, Tg, of the nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the fracture surface of the failed specimens. It is demonstrated that the properties of CNTs/epoxy system are dispersion‐dominated and interface sensitive. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Reuse of waste sludge from papermaking process in cement composites
Authors: Yadollahi Rahim , Hamzeh Yahya , Ashori Alireza , Pourmousa Shademan , Jafari Mohammad , Rashedi Kambiz
Published: July 2012

Papermaking sludge (PS), a waste residue from the pulp and paper processing, has brought great pressure on the environment because of large quantities that are produced in paper mills. This work was carried out to explore the possibility of making PS/cement composite products using solid waste of PS. Boards measuring 350 × 270 × 12 mm3 were manufactured using PS contents of 40, 50, and 60 wt%, adhesive dosages of 0, 10, and 15 wt%, and 0 and 5 wt% of calcium chloride as an accelerator. At least three replications were fabricated for each treatment, and some mechanical and physical properties of the boards were evaluated. Test results showed that the bending and internal strengths of the specimens decreased with an increase in the PS content, and the maximum values were obtained at PS loading of 40 wt%. The negative influence of PS content on the mechanical properties can be explained by the reduced bonding ability because of weaker PS compared with cement. Screw withdrawal values were up to 22.7 kPa. Water absorption and thickness swelling of cement mortar considerably increased with increased content of PS, with a corresponding reduction of bulk density. In general, all properties of the boards were improved when the adhesive and calcium chloride contents were increased. The results showed that an increase in board density improved the mechanical and physical properties. Finally, results showed that PS has good potential for recycling and utilization in developing value‐added building components. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Influence of the critical concentration parameters on the morphology of chitosan scaffolds for chondrocyte culture
Authors: Gartner Carmiña , López Betty Lucy
Published: July 2012

Chitosan‐based membranes are widely investigated as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications, due to the biochemical and structural similarities between chitosan and the components of extracellular matrix. The morphological characteristics of the scaffolds, which determine the cells viability, are highly dependent on their preparation technique. This research compares chondrocytes viability seeded on chitosan scaffolds obtained from two different fabrication techniques: leaching out a porogenic agent and freeze‐gelation. Because these techniques are based on chitosan solutions, the critical overlap and entanglement concentrations are important parameters to be identified and thus the dilute and concentrated regimes were calculated from rheological data. Hence, scaffolds were prepared from chitosan solutions at two concentration regimes, leading us to conclude that chitosan concentration in solution affected the final morphology of the scaffold. The preparation techniques that were used yielded scaffolds with adequate porosity to permit cell adhesion as was observed by scanning electronic microscopy, as well as good mechanical strength to support them measured by dynamic mechanical analysis. The histochemical results obtained after the chondrocytes culture assay showed that scaffolds within a three dimensional structure promoted a higher cell adherence and growth. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Health‐related quality of life in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: the mediation effects of illness perceptions and coping
Authors: Fan Sheng‐Yu , Eiser Christine , Ho Ming‐Chih , Lin Cheng‐Yao
Published: July 2012

Background

The aims of this study were to explore health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We report the following: (1) differences in HRQOL between patients with HCC and the general population; (2) significant physical and psychological predictors of HRQOL; and (3) mediation effects of illness perceptions and coping on HRQOL.

Methods

Patients with HCC (n = 286) from Taiwan completed standardized measures of HRQOL, illness perception (cognitive representations, emotional representations and illness comprehensibility) and coping (emotion‐oriented and problem‐orientation coping). Demographic and physical variables were also collected.

Results

Patients with HCC had worse global HRQOL, physical, role, cognitive and social functioning, but better emotional functioning than the general population. Physical variables and cognitive representation were significant predictors of global HRQOL, physical functioning and emotional functioning. Cognitive representation mediated the relationships between physical variables and global HRQOL, physical functioning and emotional functioning, but coping only mediated the relationship between cognitive representation and global HRQOL.

Conclusions

The results suggest that physical variables have direct effects on global HRQOL and physical functioning, but there were also partial mediations through cognitive representation. The effect of physical variables on emotional functioning was mediated through cognitive and emotional representations. Patients with better performance status and positive illness perceptions tended to report better HRQOL, but those with negative illness perceptions and who used more emotion‐oriented coping had worse HRQOL. Limitations of the work associated with use of theory and measures developed in Europe and the US are discussed, as are the clinical implications for patients with HCC. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Investigation into the Dominant Reactions for Ethylene Destruction in Non‐Thermal Atmospheric Plasmas
Authors: Aerts Robby , Tu Xin , De Bie Christophe , Whitehead J. Christopher , Bogaerts Annemie
Published: July 2012

A crucial step, which is still not well understood in the destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with low temperature plasmas, is the initiation of the process. Here, we present a kinetic model for the destruction of ethylene in low temperature plasmas that allows us to calculate the relative importance of all plasma species and their related reactions. Modifying the ethylene concentration and/or the SED had a major impact on the relative importance of the radicals (i.e., mainly atomic oxygen) and the metastable nitrogen (i.e., more specifically N2(${\rm A}^{3} \Sigma _{{\rm u}}^{ + } $)) in the destruction process. Our results show that the direct destruction by electron impact reactions for ethylene can be neglected; however, we can certainly not neglect the influence of N2(${\rm A}^{3} \Sigma _{{\rm u}}^{ + } $)).

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Deposition of Hydrophobic Functional Groups on Wood Surfaces Using Atmospheric‐Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Helium‐Hexamethyldisiloxane Gas Mixtures
Authors: Levasseur Olivier , Stafford Luc , Gherardi Nicolas , Naudé Nicolas , Blanchard Vincent , Blanchet Pierre , Riedl Bernard , Sarkissian Andranik
Published: July 2012

This work examines the functionalization of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and black spruce (Picea mariana) wood surfaces using an atmospheric‐pressure dielectric barrier discharge in He and He/HMDSO (hexamethyldisiloxane) gas mixtures. Wood samples were placed on one of the electrodes and the plasma was sustained by applying a 3.5 kV peak‐to‐peak voltage at 12 kHz. Analysis of the discharge stability through current–voltage (I–V) characteristics revealed a filamentary behaviour, in sharp contrast with the homogeneous He discharge obtained with a glass sample. Optical emission spectroscopy performed near the wood vicinity revealed strong N2 and ${\rm N}_{{\rm 2}}^{{\rm + }} $ emissions, suggesting that wood outgassing plays an important role in the evolution of the discharge regime. Analysis of the surface wettability through water contact angle (WCA) measurements indicated that freshly sanded wood samples treated in He/HMDSO plasmas became more hydrophobic with WCAs in the 120°–140° range depending on treatment time and wood species. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy measurements on samples exposed to He/HMDSO plasmas revealed the deposition of hydrophobic Si(CH3)3‐O‐Si(CH3)2, Si(CH3)3 and Si(CH3)2 functional groups as well as an increase of the CH‐to‐OH band intensity ratio. For relatively thick coatings, the WCA following natural aging under uncontrolled conditions remained constant at 132° ± 3° which highlights the stability of the plasma‐deposited thin films, a very promising result for structural and decorative outdoor applications.

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Theoretical study of the agostic bond in Me2Al(tBu2pz)2Li(THF)
Authors: Hô Minhhuy , Hernández‐Lamoneda Ramón
Published: July 2012

A detailed theoretical study of the agostic bond CH···Li in Me2Al(tBu2pz)2Li(THF) is performed at the HF and B3LYP levels. The interaction is characterized using structural, energetic, and spectroscopic information which shows an unusually short LiH distance but a very small barrier for internal rotation of the methyl group indicating the weak nature of this interaction. The HF calculation is shown to be sufficient in reproducing the main geometrical and energetic parameters characterizing the agostic interaction pointing out to the importance of electrostatic/overlap effects over dispersion forces. This is confirmed by calculations using the M062X functional which has been shown to perform much better than B3LYP for noncovalent interactions. Topological analysis of the electron density shows a bond path between the Li and the H atoms bent strongly toward the C atom, the first ever reported for agostic interaction involving lithium. The bond is characterized as mainly ionic where analysis of the Kohn–Sham orbital components shows that the contribution arises largely from the 2sorbital of the lithium atom and the 1sof the hydrogen atom while the C atom plays a minor role with its interaction with Li secondary via the CH bond. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Power loss minimization considering short‐circuit capacity in distribution system with decentralized distributed generation
Authors: Liu Chang , Tsuji Takao , Oyama Tsutomu
Published: July 2012

In the future, a large number of distributed generators are expected to be connected to the distribution system. However, with the connected capacity of distributed generation (DG) increasing, the problems of short‐circuit capacity (SCC) over the interrupting capacity of the circuit breaker (CB) and power loss increases due to reverse power flow from DG are inevitable. In this paper, a reconfiguration methodology based on an optimal algorithm is applied to the distribution system with DG to minimize power loss, taking into account the SCC. Moreover, in order to further reduce the loss, the daily load variation is also considered and the optimal model decided by calculations. Finally, to illustrate its application, the methodology is applied to a case study of a 33‐bus system with decentralized DG units. The results show that this method is obviously able to reduce power loss and make the network operate in the optimal mode with normal load variation, at the same time decreasing the SCC within the interrupting maximum of the faulty CB. Moreover, the whole voltage profile is also improved. © 2012 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Chrysophanol‐induced cell death (necrosis) in human lung cancer A549 cells is mediated through increasing reactive oxygen species and decreasing the level of mitochondrial membrane potential
Authors: Ni Chien‐Hang , Yu Chun‐Shu , Lu Hsu‐Feng , Yang Jai‐Sing , Huang Hui‐Ying , Chen Po‐Yuan , Wu Shin‐Hwar , Ip Siu‐Wan , Chiang Su‐Yin , Lin Jaung‐Geng , Chung Jing‐Gung
Published: July 2012

Chrysophanol (1,8‐dihydroxy‐3‐methylanthraquinone) is one of the anthraquinone compounds, and it has been shown to induce cell death in different types of cancer cells. The effects of chrysophanol on human lung cancer cell death have not been well studied. The purpose of this study is to examine chrysophanol‐induced cytotoxic effects and also to investigate such influences that involved apoptosis or necrosis in A549 human lung cancer cells in vitro. Our results indicated that chrysophanol decreased the viable A549 cells in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Chrysophanol also promoted the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca2+ and decreased the levels of mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm) and adenosine triphosphate in A549 cells. Furthermore, chrysophanol triggered DNA damage by using Comet assay and DAPI staining. Importantly, chrysophanol only stimulated the cytocheome c release, but it did not activate other apoptosis‐associated protein levels including caspase‐3, caspase‐8, Apaf‐1, and AIF. In conclusion, human lung cancer A549 cells treated with chrysophanol exhibited a cellular pattern associated with necrotic cell death and not apoptosis in vitro. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 29: 740–749, 2014.
Processing of precipitated nongranular PVC in the brabender measuring mixer
Authors: Piszczek K. , Tomaszewska J.
Published: July 2012

The structure and properties of processed poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) depend on temperature, shear rate, operations time, and morphology of the PVC grains. The aim of our research was the preparation of a nongranular PVC and the examination of its processing during kneading in a Brabender plastographometer in comparison with the processing of commercial PVC. It was stated that grains of virgin PVC‐S61, a commercial suspension resin, cause a self‐heating of the compound during kneading in such a way that point X of the plastograms occurs at a temperature 15°C lower than that of precipitated PVC (i.e., PVC without grains). As a result of self‐heating, time of compound processing needed to reach point depends largely on the grain morphology of the PVC. The less compact structure, the smaller bulk density, and the greater absorption of plasticizer, result in a longer processing time. Homogeneous, loosely packed particles of powder and the crystalline structure of precipitated PVC are different from PVC‐S61 morphology and cause a high degree of gelation and low melt flow rate values for compounds processed at 175°C and higher. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 18:147–152, 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Blindsight: recent and historical controversies on the blindness of blindsight
Authors: Overgaard Morten
Published: July 2012

The phenomenon ‘blindsight’ has received much interest from neuroscientists, philosophers, and psychologists during the last decades. Several researchers seem to agree that blindsight might be of great importance in the ambition to find neural correlates of consciousness. However, the history of blindsight is a history of changing experimental paradigms and very few patients. In late 19th century, researchers debated why lesions to primary visual cortex seemingly left some visual abilities intact in animals, while human patients reported to be blind. From the 1970s until today, experiments have attempted to compare measures of conscious and unconscious perception, suggesting a distinction between visual functions and visual experience. However, more recently, newer methods and an interest in introspective reports have cast doubts about the ‘blindness’ of blindsight. A cautious conclusion is suggested, though current research can be interpreted in different ways.WIREs Cogn Sci2012 doi: 10.1002/wcs.1194

This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Brain Function and Dysfunction
Peptide delivery using phospholipid micelles
Authors: Banerjee Amrita , Onyuksel Hayat
Published: July 2012

Peptide based drugs are an important class of therapeutic agents but their development into commercial products is often hampered due to their inherent physico‐chemical and biological instabilities. Phospholipid micelles can be used to address these delivery concerns. Peptides self‐associate with micelles that serve to thwart the aggregation of these biomolecules. Self‐association with micelles does not modify the peptide chemically; therefore the process does not denature or compromise the bioactivity of peptides. Additionally, many amphiphilic peptides adopt α‐helical conformation in phospholipid micelles which is not only the most favorable conformation for receptor interaction but also improves their stability against proteolytic degradation, thus making them long‐circulating. Furthermore, the nanosize of micelles enables passive targeting of peptides to the desired site of action through leaky vasculature present at tumor and inflamed tissues. All these factors alter the pharmacokinetic and biodistribution profiles of peptides therefore enhance their efficacy, reduce the dose required to obtain a therapeutic response and prevent adverse effects due to interaction of the peptide with receptors present in other physiological sites of the body. These phospholipid micelle based peptide nanomedicines can be easily scaled‐up and lyophilized, thus setting the stage for further development of the formulation for clinical use. All things considered, it can be concluded that phospholipid micelles are a safe, stable and effective delivery option for peptide drugs and they form a great promise for future peptide nanomedicines. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2012, 4:562–574. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1185

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies

Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Peptide-Based Structures
The Influence of Participation, Gender and Organizational Sense of Community on Psychological Empowerment: The Moderating Effects of Income
Authors: Speer Paul W. , Peterson N. Andrew , Armstead Theresa L. , Allen Christopher T.
Published: July 2012

This study explored the influence of participation, gender and organizational sense of community (SOC) on both the intrapersonal and interactional components of psychological empowerment (PE). Participants were residents (n = 562) involved in community organizing efforts in five U.S. communities. Measures of participation and SOC were tailored to community organization contexts. SOC assessed three dimensions: (1) connection of members to the organization; (2) perceptions about the organization as a bridge to other groups and organizations in the broader community; and (3) bond or attachment to the community at large. Income (low, middle and high‐income) was tested as a moderator of these relationships. Results showed significant moderating effects of income on the relationship between participation, gender and SOC on both components of PE. Participation was positively related with intrapersonal empowerment across income levels, but positively related with interactional empowerment only for low‐income individuals. Gender was only associated with intrapersonal empowerment, and only for low‐income individuals. SOC, as expressed through bridging to the broader community, was positively related with interactional PE for all income levels, but with intrapersonal PE for only low and middle‐income individuals. In contrast, member connection to the organization was not related to interactional empowerment and significantly related to intrapersonal empowerment only for individuals with higher income. The importance of participation, gender and SOC for different types of empowerment and the impact of income on the SOC‐empowerment relationship are discussed.
Delaying the onset of dynamic wetting failure through meniscus confinement
Authors: Vandre Eric , Carvalho Marcio S. , Kumar Satish
Published: July 2012

Dynamic wetting is crucial to processes where liquid displaces another fluid along a solid surface, such as the deposition of a coating liquid onto a moving substrate. Numerous studies report the failure of dynamic wetting past some critical process speed. However, the hydrodynamic factors that influence the transition to wetting failure remain poorly understood from an empirical and theoretical perspective. The objective of this investigation is to determine the effect of meniscus confinement on the onset of dynamic wetting failure. A novel experimental system is designed to simultaneously view confined and unconfined wetting systems as they approach wetting failure. The experimental apparatus consists of a scraped steel roll that rotates into a bath of glycerol. Confinement is imposed via a gap formed between a coating die and the roll surface. Flow visualization is used to record the critical roll speed at which wetting failure occurs. Comparison of the confined and unconfined data shows a clear increase in the relative critical speed as the meniscus becomes more confined. A hydrodynamic model for wetting failure is developed and analysed with (i) lubrication theory and (ii) a two-dimensional finite-element method (FEM). Both approaches do a remarkable job of matching the observed confinement trend, but only the two-dimensional model yields accurate estimates of the absolute values of the critical speeds due to the highly two-dimensional nature of the stress field in the displacing liquid. The overall success of the hydrodynamic model suggests a wetting failure mechanism primarily related to viscous bending of the meniscus.
Putting Inequality in Its Place: Rural Consciousness and the Power of Perspective
Authors: WALSH KATHERINE CRAMER
Published: July 2012

Why do people vote against their interests? Previous explanations miss something fundamental because they do not consider the work of group consciousness. Based on participant observation of conversations from May 2007 to May 2011 among 37 regularly occurring groups in 27 communities sampled across Wisconsin, this study shows that in some places, people have a class- and place-based identity that is intertwined with a perception of deprivation. The rural consciousness revealed here shows people attributing rural deprivation to the decision making of (urban) political elites, who disregard and disrespect rural residents and rural lifestyles. Thus these rural residents favor limited government, even though such a stance might seem contradictory to their economic self-interests. The results encourage us to consider the role of group consciousness-based perspectives rather than pitting interests against values as explanations for preferences. Also, the study suggests that public opinion research more seriously include listening to the public.
Informativeness is a determinant of compound stress in English
Authors: BELL MELANIE J. , PLAG INGO
Published: July 2012

There have been claims in the literature that the variability of compound stress assignment in English can be explained with reference to the informativeness of the constituents (e.g. Bolinger 1972, Ladd 1984). Until now, however, large-scale empirical evidence for this idea has been lacking. This paper addresses this deficit by investigating a large number of compounds taken from the British National Corpus. It is the first study of compound stress variability in English to show that measures of informativeness (the morphological family sizes of the constituents and the constituents' degree of semantic specificity) are indeed highly predictive of prominence placement. Using these variables as predictors, in conjunction with other factors believed to be relevant (see Plag et al. 2008), we build a probabilistic model that can successfully assign prominence to a given construction. Our finding, that the more informative constituent of a compound tends to be most prominent, fits with the general propensity of speakers to accentuate important information, and can therefore be interpreted as evidence for an accentual theory of compound stress.
Labor and Global Commodities: Introduction
Authors: Ngai Mae , Nolan Mary
Published: July 2012

Conventionally defined, “global commodities” refer to raw materials and basic foodstuffs—sugar, bananas, cotton, coal, bauxite—that are extracted or grown in one area of the world and sold on the world market for industrial or consumer use elsewhere. Labor historians focusing on the point of extraction/production or tracking the production and circulation of specific global commodities have gained insight into the development of global capitalism, in particular relations between colonized and colonizer, developing countries and advanced industrial countries. From Sidney Mintz's Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History (1986) to Mark Kurlansky's Cod: The Biography of the Fish that Changed the World (1998) scholars and general readers alike have found in studies of a single commodity a productive method for understanding social relations in the making of the modern world.
“The Spice of the Department Store”: The “Consumers' Republic,” Imported Knock-Offs from Latin America, and the Invention of International Development, 1936–1941
Authors: Sedgewick Augustine
Published: July 2012

Major recent work in US history has credited the New Deal with a dubious double legacy. One group of historians has shown how Roosevelt's domestic policies subsidized the consolidation of a political economy and culture of mass consumption, while another has described how his foreign policies generated the strategies and institutions of neoimperialism. Scholars have analyzed these developments in isolation, but this essay demonstrates that they were linked and synergistic. Working from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to the nascent program for multilateral international development, it argues that an integrated complex of New Deal domestic and foreign policies harnessed the rise of the United States as a “consumers' republic” to the forms of imperialism refined in Latin America in the thirties and forties and deployed globally after the war. This policy complex rationalized the global production of US mass-consumer prosperity, displaced the costs of the Keynesian rehabilitation of US capitalism abroad, and evolved to regulate the metabolism between domestic mass consumerism and international hegemony after 1945.
The Work of Invisibility: Radiation Hazards and Occupational Health in South African Uranium Production
Authors: Hecht Gabrielle
Published: July 2012

This article explores the technopolitical mechanisms by which radiation hazards in South African uranium production were rendered invisible. The occupational health effects of underground uranium mining were deeply contested for decades, all over the world. From the 1950s to the 1990s, the volatile nature of labor relations under apartheid shaped how the South African mining industry responded to the presence of radon gas. With occasional help from state scientists, the industry muffled the political menace of radon gas by making its physical presence difficult to see. Sometimes this invisibility resulted from deliberate decisions, sometimes from structural suppression, sometimes from the tangle of both. This article argues that maintaining radon's invisibility took work.
If “Thanda MatlabCoca-Cola” Then “Cold Drink Means Toilet Cleaner”: Environmentalism of the Dispossessed in Liberalizing India
Authors: Ciafone Amanda
Published: July 2012

With the sudden, almost ubiquitous reentry of The Coca-Cola Company to India during economic liberalization, the branded commodity became a sign of both aspirational global consumer-citizenship for India's urban middle class and of corporate enclosure for those dispossessed of material and symbolic resources to fuel this consumption. Village communities around several of Coca-Cola's rural plants, including in Mehdiganj, Uttar Pradesh, organized against the company's operations, which they accused of exploiting and polluting common groundwater in the production of bottled drinks as an increasing expanse of the country fell into a crisis of water scarcity. This “environmentalism of the poor” has articulated a powerful critique of corporate globalization and privatization, illuminating the exploitation of the resources of the rural poor for the consumption of those on the other side of an increasingly widening economic divide.
Introduction: Visualizing Space and Narrating Work
Authors: Lyon Dawn
Published: July 2012

Miriam Glucksmann's ethnography of factory work,Women on the Line, was republished in 2009, nearly thirty years after the publication of the first edition in 1982 under the pseudonym, Ruth Cavendish. The original text is unchanged, but the new edition includes a new introduction and additional images. It is an account of Glucksmann's time working in a factory in the late 1970s, something she undertook as a political act and not with the intention of writing an ethnography, as she herself discusses below. The book was quickly recognized as a seminal account of women's work and one which disentangled the operation of gender at work. It exposed the construction of sexual difference and drew attention to forms of solidarity between women of different ethnic backgrounds. Indeed,Women on the Lineis considered to be “a paradigmatic example of gender as central to understanding work” and one that has been studied closely and critiqued as well as admired. Two other “feminist ethnographies”—as they came to be described—were published at around the same time: Anna Pollert'sGirls, Wives, Factory Livesin 1981, and Sallie Westwood'sAll Day, Every Dayin 1984. They continue to be widely cited and remain key references in sociology text books and on student reading lists.
Thirty Years on fromWomen on the LineandGirls, Wives, Factory Lives
Authors: Pollert Anna
Published: July 2012

What is the lived experience of routine wage labour? Why does it matter? In the mid-1970s, Miriam Glucksmann/Ruth Cavendish, committed as a socialist and feminist and frustrated at the political isolation of academia from working class life, went to find out. She worked in a factory, and while not originally intending to write about it, ended up producing a rich ethnography:Women on the Line. Why was it important, and does it remain so? In the preface toThe Making of the English Working Class, E. P. Thompson explained his choice of title: “Making, because it is the study in an active process, which owes as much to agency as to conditioning.” It is this interaction between agency and structure that is important to understanding how consciousness, identity, and action work—including the possibilities of challenging the status quo. Glucksmann gained the insight into what it felt like to “work on the line”; how work felt, the memories, experiences, everyday realities of her work colleagues; the control of the labour process, class and gender relations and collectivity; how wage exploitation operated; and resistance, including unionization, a dispute, division, and defeat.
Commodity Production and the Sociology of Work: Ideologies of Labor and the Making of Globalization
Authors: Urban Andrew
Published: July 2012

A common feature in almost any world atlas is the colorful, symbol-driven commodity maps that identify national and global regions by the production of specific types of crops or the extraction of natural resources found there. Oranges grow in the state of Florida in the United States; copper is mined in the northern region of Chile; perhaps tiny representations of sheep indicate that Australia is a major producer of wool. These visual productions of space are both compelling and misleading, implying that access to the world's bounty is as simple as knowing where things are located within a larger division and ordering of the world. Yet oranges are not indigenous to Florida, and their contemporary mass production is made possible largely by the employment of undocumented migrant workers and the legal exclusions that make them a cheap source of labor. Without well-funded and meticulously crafted campaigns urging residents living in temperate climates to purchase and consume oranges year round, oranges' profitable hold in Florida would likewise not be sustainable. Such complexities raise the question, where are the maps that illustrate the dynamic cultural, labor, and political relationships between the commodities and the places where they are produced?
A SMOOTH NONPARAMETRIC CONDITIONAL DENSITY TEST FOR CATEGORICAL RESPONSES
Authors: Cong Li , Racine Jeffrey S.
Published: July 2012

We propose a consistent kernel-based specification test for conditional density models when the dependent variable is categorical/discrete. The method is applicable to popular parametric binary choice models such as the logit and probit specification and their multinomial and ordered counterparts, along with parametric count models, among others. The test is valid when the conditional density function contains both categorical and real-valued covariates. Theoretical support for the test and for a bootstrap-based version of the test is provided. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to assess the finite-sample performance of the proposed method.
A Fast SINS Initial Alignment Scheme for Underwater Vehicle Applications
Authors: Li Wanli , Wu Wenqi , Wang Jinling , Lu Liangqing
Published: July 2012

To achieve high Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (SINS) alignment accuracy within a short period of time is still a challenging issue for underwater vehicles. In this paper, a new SINS initial alignment scheme aided by the velocity derived from Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) is proposed to solve this problem. In the stage of the coarse alignment, the velocity of DVL is employed to reduce the impact of the linear motion. With a backtracking framework, the fine alignment runs with the data recorded during the process of the coarse alignment and thus will speed up the overall alignment process. In addition, by using this new scheme, it is equivalent to length the alignment time for both coarse and fine alignments, so the accuracy of the alignments will be improved. In order to reduce the volume of the data that has to be recorded, a new model for SINS fine alignment is derived in the inertial reference frame which makes it feasible for real time applications. The experimental results are presented for both unaided static and in-motion alignment using DVL aiding. It is clearly shown that the proposed method meets the requirement of SINS alignment for underwater vehicles.
Performance Enhancement of Large-Ship Transfer Alignment: A Moving Horizon Approach
Authors: Yang Dongfang , Wang Shicheng , Li Hongbo , Liu Zhiguo , Zhang Jinsheng
Published: July 2012

In shipborne Transfer Alignment (TA) applications, partial observability is one of the most important factors limiting convergence velocity. This paper proposes a new method of attributing weak observable states and lever-arm variables to a group of constraints in order to improve the observability of TA model. This yields the so-called Constrained Transfer Alignment (CTA) model which is uniformly observable even under zero-manoeuvre conditions. Within this framework, the Moving Horizon Estimation (MHE) and its stability analysis are also addressed. Finally, comparative simulation results are given to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed approach.
Wording in International Law
Authors: D'ASPREMONT JEAN
Published: July 2012

Since the demise of philosophical foundationalism and that of the Aristotelian idea of an inner meaning of words, scholarship about international law is no longer perceived as a mining activity geared towards the extraction of pre-existing meaning. Rather, international legal scholarship is in a state of fierce competition for persuasiveness and semantic authority. This does not elevate persuasiveness into the determinant of legality, nor does it lead to a total rejection of the internal point of view. The configuration of that competition for naming is informed by the current structure (and the membership) of the interpretative community of international law. In this competition for naming, words constitute semantic weaponry. Mention is made here of uses of words in international law to create textual economy, generate semantic instability, rough out and hone scholarly ideas, enhance textual aesthetics, yield empiricism, create straw men and preserve the argumentative character of scholarly idea, gratify oneself, boost fame and careers, and intimidate peers. It is also argued that there is nothing to rein in in the use of such semantic tactics in the interpretative community of international law, for paradigmatic revolution is meant to be permanent. It is only if international legal scholars were to lose their social identity that the competition for naming and the interpretative community of international law would vanish altogether.
In Praise of Description
Authors: ORFORD ANNE
Published: July 2012

In hisPhilosophical Investigations, Ludwig Wittgenstein declared: ‘We must do away with all explanation, and description alone must take its place.’ Michel Foucault in turn repeatedly referred to his method of study as description, arguing that the role of philosophy is not to reveal what is hidden, but rather to make us see what is seen. This essay suggests why the turn to description as a mode of legal writing might be a productive move at this time.
On Foucault and Wolff or from Law to Political Economy
Authors: CRAVEN MATT
Published: July 2012

Even if Foucault was generally disposed to avoid the category of sovereignty in his genealogy of governmentality, his lectures on the subject nevertheless have much to offer for our understanding of the historical tradition of international legal thought. The purpose of this article is to try to situate Christian Wolff's account of the jus gentium within Foucault's work, focusing in particular upon the way in which Wolff might be seen to exemplify elements of the transition identified by Foucault from government according to raison d'état to a new art of government informed by the emergence of political economy. This, it is argued, not only makes legible certain elements of Wolff's work that have otherwise remained obscure, but points also to the place of international law in the fine-grained materiality of everyday life.
International Law and Sources of Law in MERCOSUR: An Analysis of a 20-Year Relationship
Authors: GIUPPONI BELÉN OLMOS
Published: July 2012

The Treaty of Asunción in 1991 gave rise to the Common Market of the Southern Cone (MERCOSUR) as a promising economic integration process. Over the past 20 years, as the legal personality of MERCOSUR was reinforced, there were also important changes in its legal system. International law and international economic law played a fundamental role in the development of MERCOSUR law. The main aim of this article is to provide some insights into the current stage of MERCOSUR law, taking into account the evolution of the legal system, the dispute settlement mechanism, and the relationship with international law. In order to do so, the author examines various turning points in the case law of the arbitration tribunals constituted so far and the Permanent Review Tribunal established by the Olivos Protocol.
Second-Order Linking Principles: Combining Vertical and Horizontal Modes of Liability
Authors: OHLIN JENS DAVID
Published: July 2012

Both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) have struggled to combine vertical and horizontal modes of liability. At the ICTY, the question has primarily arisen within the context of ‘leadership-level’ joint criminal enterprises (JCEs) and how to express their relationship with the relevant physical perpetrators (RPPs) of the crimes. The ICC addressed the issue by combining indirect perpetration with co-perpetration to form a new mode of liability known as indirect co-perpetration. The following article argues that these novel combinations – vertical and horizontal modes of liability – cannot be simply asserted; they must be defended at the level of criminal-law theory. Unfortunately, courts that have applied indirect co-perpetration have generally failed to offer this defence and have simply assumed that modes of liability can be combined at will. In an attempt to offer the needed justification, this article starts with the premise that modes of liability are ‘linking principles’ that link defendants with particular actions, and that combining these underlying linking principles requires a second-order linking principle. The most plausible candidate is the personality principle – a basic principle that recognizes the inherently collective nature of leadership-level groups dedicated to committing international crimes. Like Roxin's theories describing the collective organizations that can be used as a form of indirect perpetration, the personality principle treats the horizontal leadership group as an organization or group agent whose collective nature potentially justifies the attribution of vertical modes of liability to all members of the horizontal group. Although this article does not defend the doctrine of indirect co-perpetration, it does conclude that combined vertical and horizontal modes of liability, whether at the ICTY or ICC, implicitly or covertly rely on something like the personality principle in order to justify collective attribution to the horizontal collective.
The Good Deeds of International Criminal Defendants
Authors: GALBRAITH JEAN
Published: July 2012

International criminal tribunals try defendants for horrific acts: genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. At sentencing, however, evidence often arises of what I will call defendants’ ‘good deeds’ – humanitarian behaviour by the defendants towards those on the other side of the conflict that is conscientious relative to the culture in which the defendants are operating. This article examines the treatment of good deeds in the sentencing practices of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. I show that the tribunals’ approaches are both undertheorized and internally inconsistent. I argue that the tribunals should draw upon the goals that underlie international criminal law in developing a coherent approach to considering good deeds for sentencing purposes.
One size fits all? Dialectometry in a small clan-based indigenous society
Authors: Stanford James N.
Published: July 2012

In many societies, dialectometry has revealed strong correlations between geographic distances and dialect differences (e.g., Gooskens, 2005; Heeringa & Nerbonne, 2001; Nerbonne, 2009, 2010). But what happens when dialectometry is applied to a small, clan-based society such as the indigenous Sui people of rural southwest China? The Sui results show a strong correlation between dialect difference and geographic distance, thus supporting Nerbonne and Kleiweg's (2007) Fundamental Dialectological Postulate. A new culturally specific computation, “rice paddy distance,” also provides a strong correlation with dialect differences. However, the study finds that some dialectometry patterns of larger societies are not “compressible” into small societies such as Sui. Clan exogamy also poses challenges for dialectometry. Nonetheless, the overall results show that basic principles of dialect variation in space can be generalized cross-culturally, even across very different cultures. This paper also suggests a “lower limit” for dialectology, that is, the smallest distance where regional dialectology may be relevant, all other things being equal.