bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When Ribonucleases Come into Play in Pathogens: A Survey of Gram-Positive Bacteria
Authors: Jester Brian C. , Romby Pascale , Lioliou Efthimia
Published: March 2012

It is widely acknowledged that RNA stability plays critical roles in bacterial adaptation and survival in different environments like those encountered when bacteria infect a host. Bacterial ribonucleases acting alone or in concert with regulatory RNAs or RNA binding proteins are the mediators of the regulatory outcome on RNA stability. We will give a current update of what is known about ribonucleases in the model Gram-positive organismBacillus subtilisand will describe their established roles in virulence in several Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria that are imposing major health concerns worldwide. Implications on bacterial evolution through stabilization/transfer of genetic material (phage or plasmid DNA) as a result of ribonucleases' functions will be covered. The role of ribonucleases in emergence of antibiotic resistance and new concepts in drug design will additionally be discussed.
Postmortem Interval Influencesα-Synuclein Expression in Parkinson Disease Brain
Authors: Dumitriu Alexandra , Moser Carlee , Hadzi Tiffany C. , Williamson Sally L. , Pacheco Christopher D. , Hendricks Audrey E. , Latourelle Jeanne C. , Wilk Jemma B. , DeStefano Anita L. , Myers Richard H.
Published: March 2012

Duplications and triplications of the α-synuclein (SNCA) gene increase risk for PD, suggesting increased expression levels of the gene to be associated with increased PD risk. However, pastSNCAexpression studies in brain tissue report inconsistent results. We examined expression of the full-lengthSNCAtranscript (140 amino acid protein isoform), as well as totalSNCAmRNA levels in 165 frontal cortex samples (101 PD, 64 control) using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, we evaluated the relationship of eight SNPs in both 5′ and 3′ regions ofSNCAwith the gene expression levels. The association between postmortem interval (PMI) andSNCAexpression was different for PD and control samples:SNCAexpression decreased with increasing PMI in cases, while staying relatively constant in controls. For short PMI,SNCAexpression was increased in PD relative to control samples, whereas for long PMI,SNCAexpression in PD was decreased relative to control samples.
Links between Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Autonomic Dysfunction
Authors: Garruti G. , Giampetruzzi F. , Vita M. G. , Pellegrini F. , Lagioia P. , Stefanelli G. , Bellomo-Damato A. , Giorgino F.
Published: March 2012

Background. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) might occur within metabolic syndrome (MbS). One of the complications of T2D is an impaired (imp) cardiovascular autonomic function (CAF).Aims. In subjects with T2D and age ≤ 55 years, the prevalence of impCAF and its relationship with BMI, waist, HbA1cvalues, MbS, hypertension, and family history of T2D and/or hypertension were analysed.Methods. 180 subjects consecutively undergoing a day hospital for T2D were studied. The IDF criteria were used to diagnose MbS. To detect impCAF, 5 tests for the evaluation of CAF were performed with Cardionomic (Meteda, Italy). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.Results. The prevalence of impCAF and MbS were 33.9% and 67.8%, respectively. Among diabetics with impCAF, 86.9% had MbS. ImpCAF was significantly associated with MbS, overweight, and HbA1c>7%. Both logistic (P=0.0009) and Poisson (P=0.0113) models showed a positive association between impCAF and MbS. The degree of ImpCAF showed a positive linear correlation with BMI and HbA1cvalues.Conclusions. The study demonstrates that glycaemic control and overweight influence CAF and that T2D + MbS is more strongly associated with impCAF than isolated T2D. We suggest that MbS not only increases the cardiovascular risk of relatively young subjects with T2D but is also associated with impCAF.
Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the Scalp and Cranial Vault
Authors: Martin Jovita , Ramesh Anita , Kamaludeen Muhamed , Udhaya  , Ganesh K. , Martin Jude J.
Published: March 2012

Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the cranial scalp and skull vault is a rare disease. We are describing a case of the same in a 50-year-old man. He was presented with a diffuse swelling in the left side scalp since 4 months of duration and progressively enlarging in size. On local Examination of the scalp, there was a diffuse swelling in the left parietal and occipital region of scalp. Imaging showed diffuse infiltration of the skull vault with extracranial soft tissue masses. Further investigations with CT scan chest, abdomen, and pelvis did not reveal any other evidence of systemic lymphoma. Biopsy of one of the scalp masses showed a small to intermediate cell B-cell lymphoma. Other nine previously reported cases of primary skull vault lymphoma were reviewed.
The Anti-Inflammatory, Phytoestrogenic, and Antioxidative Role ofLabisia pumilain Prevention of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Authors: Nadia M. E. , Nazrun A. S. , Norazlina M. , Isa N. M. , Norliza M. , Ima Nirwana S.
Published: March 2012

Osteoporosis is characterized by skeletal degeneration with low bone mass and destruction of microarchitecture of bone tissue which is attributed to various factors including inflammation. Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men due to reduction in estrogen during menopause which leads to decline in bone-formation and increase in bone-resorption activity. Estrogen is able to suppress production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, IL-7, and TNF-α. This is why these cytokines are elevated in postmenopausal women. Studies have shown that estrogen reduction is able to stimulate focal inflammation in bone.Labisia pumila(LP) which is known to exert phytoestrogenic effect can be used as an alternative to ERT which can produce positive effects on bone without causing side effects. LP contains antioxidant as well as exerting anti-inflammatory effect which can act as free radical scavenger, thus inhibiting TNF-α production and COX-2 expression which leads to decline in RANKL expression, resulting in reduction in osteoclast activity which consequently reduces bone loss. Hence, it is the phytoestrogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative properties that make LP an effective agent against osteoporosis.
Myocardial Dysfunction in Sepsis: A Large, Unsolved Puzzle
Authors: Fernandes Jr. Constantino Jose , de Assuncao Murillo Santucci Cesar
Published: March 2012

Sepsis has high incidence and mortality rates around the world. The role of cardiac depression in myocardial dysfunction during sepsis remains to be elucidated. This review attempts to summarize our understanding of the anatomical, histopathological, and pathophysiological mechanisms behind cardiac dysfunction. Biomarkers to detect cardiac depression have been used to recognize developing problems, but the actual impact of these tools remains unclear.
Climbing Robot for Ferromagnetic Surfaces with Dynamic Adjustment of the Adhesion System
Authors: Silva Manuel F. , Barbosa Ramiro S. , Oliveira António L. C.
Published: March 2012

This paper presents a climbing robot with wheeled locomotion and adhesion through permanent magnets, developed with the intention of being used in the inspection of different types of man-made ferromagnetic structures, such as towers for wind turbines, fuel storage tanks, and ship hulls. In this paper are presented the main considerations thought for its project, as well as several constructive aspects, among which are detailed its mechanical and electrical construction, the implemented control architecture, and the human-machine interface developed for the manual and automatic control of the vehicle while in operation. Although it can be manually controlled, the vehicle is designed to have a semiautonomous behavior, allowing a remote inspection process controlled by a technician, this way reducing the risks associated with the human inspection of tall structures and ATEX places. The distinguishing characteristic of this robot is its dynamic adjustment system of the permanent magnets in order to assure the machine adhesion to the surfaces, even when crossing slightly irregular and curved surfaces with a large radius.
Peritoneal Dialysis in Dengue Shock Syndrome May Be Detrimental
Authors: Goonasekera Chulananda D. A. , Thenuwara Bhagya G. , Kumarasiri Ranjith P. V.
Published: March 2012

Dengue shock syndrome is the most severe form of Dengue that can be fatal. Nonresponders to standard therapy need intensive care. This paper outlines the clinical features, complications, and outcomes of Dengue Shock Syndrome not responding to standard therapies and needing supportive care in a tertiary referral intensive care unit of a developing country. Nearly one-third die within 3 days of admission to ICU. Peritoneal dialysis predicts the worst outcomes.
Bilateral Transplantation of Allogenic Adult Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into the Subventricular Zone of Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Clinical Study
Authors: Venkataramana N. K. , Pal Rakhi , Rao Shailesh A. V. , Naik Arun L. , Jan Majahar , Nair Rahul , Sanjeev C. C. , Kamble Ravindra B. , Murthy D. P. , Chaitanya Krishna
Published: March 2012

The progress of PD and its related disorders cannot be prevented with the medications available. In this study, we recruited 8 PD and 4 PD plus patients between 5 to 15 years after diagnosis. All patients received BM-MSCs bilaterally into the SVZ and were followed up for 12 months. PD patients after therapy reported a mean improvement of 17.92% during “on” and 31.21% during “off” period on the UPDRS scoring system. None of the patients increased their medication during the follow-up period. Subjectively, the patients reported clarity in speech, reduction in tremors, rigidity, and freezing attacks. The results correlated with the duration of the disease. Those patients transplanted in the early stages of the disease (less than 5 years) showed more improvement and no further disease progression than the later stages (11–15 years). However, the PD plus patients did not show any change in their clinical status after stem cell transplantation. This study demonstrates the safety of adult allogenic human BM-MSCs transplanted into the SVZ of the brain and its efficacy in early-stage PD patients.
Paeonol Protects Memory after Ischemic Stroke via Inhibiting β-Secretase and Apoptosis
Authors: Su Shan-Yu , Cheng Chin-Yi , Tsai Tung-Hu , Hsieh Ching-Liang
Published: March 2012

Poststroke dementia commonly occurs following stroke, with its pathogenesis related to β-amyloid production and apoptosis. The present study evaluate the effects of paeonol, one of the phenolic phytochemicals isolated from the Chinese herbPaeonia suffruticosaAndrews (MC), on protection from memory loss after ischemic stroke in the subacute stage. Rats were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAo) with 10 min of ischemia. The data revealed that paeonol recovered the step-through latency in the retrieval test seven days after tMCAo, but did not improve the neurological deficit induced by tMCAo. Levels of Amyloid precursor protein (APP)- and beta-site APP cleaving enzyme (BACE; β-secretase)-immunoreactive cells, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells decreased in the paeonol-administered group. Western blotting revealed decreased levels of Bax protein in mitochondria and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) in cytosol following paeonol treatment. In conclusion, we speculate that paeonol protected memory after ischemic stroke via reducing APP, BACE, and apoptosis. Supression the level of Bax and blocking the release of AIF into cytosol might participate in the anti-apoptosis provided by paeonol.
Cluster Synchronization of Time‐Varying Delays Coupled Complex Networkswith Nonidentical Dynamical Nodes
Authors: Wang Shuguo , Yao Hongxing , Sun Mingping
Published: March 2012

This paper investigates a new cluster synchronization scheme in the nonlinear coupled complex dynamical networks with nonidentical nodes. The controllers are designed based on the community structure of the networks; some sufficient criteria are derived to ensure cluster synchronization of the network model. Particularly, the weight configuration matrix is not assumed to be symmetric, irreducible. The numerical simulations are performed to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Quantitative Proteomic Profiling Identifies Protein Correlates to EGFR Kinase Inhibition
Authors: Kani Kian , Faca Vitor M. , Hughes Lindsey D. , Zhang Wenxuan , Fang Qiaojun , Shahbaba Babak , Luethy Roland , Erde Jonathan , Schmidt Joanna , Pitteri Sharon J. , Zhang Qing , Katz Jonathan E. , Gross Mitchell E. , Plevritis Sylvia K. , McIntosh Martin W. , Jain Anjali , Hanash Samir , Agus David B. , Mallick Parag
Published: March 2012

Clinical oncology is hampered by lack of tools to accurately assess a patient's response to pathway-targeted therapies. Serum and tumor cell surface proteins whose abundance, or change in abundance in response to therapy, differentiates patients responding to a therapy from patients not responding to a therapy could be usefully incorporated into tools for monitoring response. Here, we posit and then verify that proteomic discovery in in vitro tissue culture models can identify proteins with concordant in vivo behavior and further, can be a valuable approach for identifying tumor-derived serum proteins. In this study, we use stable isotope labeling of amino acids in culture (SILAC) with proteomic technologies to quantitatively analyze the gefitinib-related protein changes in a model system for sensitivity to EGF receptor (EGFR)-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We identified 3,707 intracellular proteins, 1,276 cell surface proteins, and 879 shed proteins. More than 75% of the proteins identified had quantitative information, and a subset consisting of 400 proteins showed a statistically significant change in abundance following gefitinib treatment. We validated the change in expression profile in vitro and screened our panel of response markers in an in vivo isogenic resistant model and showed that these were markers of gefitinib response and not simply markers of phospho-EGFR downregulation. In doing so, we also were able to identify which proteins might be useful as markers for monitoring response and which proteins might be useful as markers for a priori prediction of response. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(5); 1071–81. ©2012 AACR.
Identification and Analysis of Two Novel Sites of Rat GnRH Receptor Gene Promoter Activity: The Pineal Gland and Retina
Authors: Schang Anne-Laure , Bleux Christian , Chenut Marie-Claude , Ngô-Muller Valérie , Quérat Bruno , Jeanny Jean-Claude , Counis Raymond , Cohen-Tannoudji Joëlle , Laverrière Jean-Noël
Published: March 2012

Background and Aims: In mammals, activation of pituitary GnRH receptor (GnRHR) by hypothalamic GnRH increases the synthesis and secretion of LH and FSH, which, in turn, regulate gonadal functions. However, GnRHR gene (Gnrhr) expression is not restricted to the pituitary. Methods: To gain insight into the extrapituitary expression of Gnrhr, a transgenic mouse model that expresses the human placental alkaline phosphatase reporter gene driven by the rat Gnrhr promoter was created. Results: This study shows that the rat Gnrhr promoter is operative in two functionally related organs, the pineal gland, as early as embryonic day (E) 13.5, and the retina where activity was only detected at E17.5. Accordingly, Gnrhr mRNA were present in both tissues. Transcription factors known to regulate Gnrhr promoter activity such as the LIM homeodomain factors LHX3 and ISL1 were also detected in the retina. Furthermore, transient transfection studies in CHO and gonadotrope cells revealed that OTX2, a major transcription factor in both pineal and retina cell differentiation, is able to activate the Gnrhr promoter together with either CREB or PROP1, depending on the cell context. Conclusion: Rather than using alternate promoters, Gnrhr expression is directed to diverse cell lineages through specific associations of transcription factors acting on distinct response elements along the same promoter. These data open new avenues regarding GnRH-mediated control of seasonal and circadian rhythms in reproductive physiology.
Fine Mapping Study Reveals Novel Candidate Genes for Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Dominican Republican Families
Authors: Wang Liyong , Beecham Ashley , Zhuo Degen , Dong Chuanhui , Blanton Susan H. , Rundek Tatjana , Sacco Ralph L.
Published: March 2012

Background—

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a subclinical measure for atherosclerosis. Previously, we have mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for CIMT to chromosomes 7p (maximum logarithm of odds=3.1) and to 14q (maximum logarithm of odds=2.3). We sought to identify the underlying genetic variants within those QTLs.

Methods and Results—

Using the 100 extended Dominican Republican (DR) families (N=1312) used in the original linkage study, we fine mapped the QTLs with 2031 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Promising SNPs in the family data set were examined in an independent population-based subcohort comprised of DR individuals (N=553) from the Northern Manhattan Study. Among the families, evidence for association (
P
<0.001) was found in multiple genes (
ANLN
,
AOAH, FOXN3, CCDC88C, PRiMA1
, and an intergenic SNP rs1667498
)
, with the strongest association at
PRiMA1
(
P
=0.00007, corrected
P
=0.047). Additional analyses revealed that the association at these loci, except
PRiMA1
, was highly significant (
P
=0.00004≈0.00092) in families with evidence for linkage, but not in the rest of families (
P
=0.13≈0.80) and the population-based cohort, suggesting the genetic effects at these SNPs are limited to a subgroup of families. In contrast, the association at
PRiMA1
was significant in both families with and without evidence for linkage (
P
=0.002 and 0.019, respectively) and the population-based subcohort (
P
=0.047), supporting a robust association.

Conclusions—

We identified several candidate genes for CIMT in DR families. Some of the genes manifest genetic effects within a specific subgroup and others were generalized to all groups. Future studies are needed to further evaluate the contribution of these genes to atherosclerosis.
Sweetened Beverage Consumption, Incident Coronary Heart Disease, and Biomarkers of Risk in Men
Authors: de Koning Lawrence , Malik Vasanti S. , Kellogg Mark D. , Rimm Eric B. , Willett Walter C. , Hu Frank B.
Published: March 2012

Background—

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is associated with weight gain and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Few studies have tested for a relationship with coronary heart disease (CHD) or intermediate biomarkers. The role of artificially sweetened beverages is also unclear.

Methods and Results—

We performed an analysis of the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, a prospective cohort study including 42 883 men. Associations of cumulatively averaged sugar-sweetened (eg, sodas) and artificially sweetened (eg, diet sodas) beverage intake with incident fatal and nonfatal CHD (myocardial infarction) were examined with proportional hazard models. There were 3683 CHD cases over 22 years of follow-up. Participants in the top quartile of sugar-sweetened beverage intake had a 20% higher relative risk of CHD than those in the bottom quartile (relative risk=1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–1.33;
P
for trend <0.01) after adjustment for age, smoking, physical activity, alcohol, multivitamins, family history, diet quality, energy intake, body mass index, pre-enrollment weight change, and dieting. Artificially sweetened beverage consumption was not significantly associated with CHD (multivariate relative risk=1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.93–1.12;
P
for trend=0.28). Adjustment for self-reported high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus slightly attenuated these associations. Intake of sugar-sweetened but not artificially sweetened beverages was significantly associated with increased plasma triglycerides, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor receptors 1 and 2 and decreased high-density lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), and leptin (
P
<0.02).

Conclusions—

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with increased risk of CHD and some adverse changes in lipids, inflammatory factors, and leptin. Artificially sweetened beverage intake was not associated with CHD risk or biomarkers.
Water and Salt (I): Yājñavalkya's Saindhava Drstānta (BĀU II 4,12)
Authors: Slaje
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Iwata, Takashi, Prasanga und Prasangavipariyaya bei Dharmakīrti und seinen kommentatoren [Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde Heft 31]
Authors: Tani
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Michael Willis, Buddhist Reliquaries from Ancient India with contributions by Joe Cribb and Julia Shaw
Authors: v. Hinüber
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Albrecht Wezler (Hrsg.), Ludwig Alsdorf, Kleine Schriften
Authors: Zimmermann
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
On Sakara's Authorship of the Kenopaniadbhāya*
Authors: Mayeda Sengaku
Published: March 2012

It is an interesting fact that there are two commentaries on the Kenopaniad which are ascribed to one and the same author, Sakara; one is entitled Padabhāya and the other Vākyabhāya. Several scholars such as Belvalkar, Bhattacharya and Saccidanandendra Sarasvati have asserted that only the PBh is S's authentic work while the VBh is spurious. Here I would like to take up these two commentaries and discuss their authenticity.
On the metrics and origin of Rig-Vedic ná ‘like, as’
Authors: Vine Brent
Published: March 2012

Beginning with the synchronic metrical distribution of ná and ná ‘NEG’, we attempted to formulate, first, certain principles of Rig-Vedic exegesis (which we applied to several obscure or hitherto imperfectly understood passages), and second, a theory concerning the origin of the comparative function of ná. Unlike previous explanations, the theory described above accounts in a systematic way for the formal, functional, and metrical features of ná.We considered, in addition, the following theoretical points: possible implications of ná phraseology for the historical analysis of Rig-Vedic meters; the lack of universal principles, as yet, for predicting the direction and nature of secondary marking in the case of functional split of a particle; the interaction of secondary phraseological patterns with original phraseology, resulting in synchronic irregularity in metrical distribution.Finally, we suggested that the syntactic behavior of ná and ná ‘NEG’ confirms the theory presented here concerning the origin of ná.
Avestisch frauuaši-
Authors: Narten Johanna
Published: March 2012

Av. frauuaši- < * fra-uárti- belongs to the se root var ‘to chose’ and may be derived from the zero grade (*ulh1-ti-) or the full grade form (cf. YAv. hąm. var∂ti-, from the ani root var ‘to ward off’). The original meaning is ‘decisive choice’ (‘Wahlentscheidung’, Lommel). While the words var, fra-var ‘to chose’ and var∂na- ‘decisive choice’ are characteristic for the Gathas, in post-Gathic texts the verb developed the meaning ‘to profess’ and the noun that of ‘teaching’. In Vedic the use of v (- the ani forms are Vedic innovations -) focuses on the retinue system and the selection of priests (pravara-). The OIr. form *fra- árti- ‘decisive choice’ may find its origin in the retinue system as well. This concept designates the act of choosing sides in the fight between the good and evil forces. Personification of this idea led to the concept of an immortal being, a personal ‘protecting force’, belonging to each human being. Only the Fravaši of the one adhering to Aša is mentioned, only such a Fravaši is worthy of being worshipped, can be envoked, and is helpful.
First Greek and Latin Documents on Sahagamana and Some Connected Problems (Part 1)
Authors: Garzilli
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Reviews
Authors: Sørensen
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Reviews; Walter Posch, Baktrien zwischen Griechen und Kuschan. Untersuchungen zu kulturellen und historischen Problemen einer Übergangsphase.
Authors: Jong
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Reviews; Greg Bailey, Ganeśapurāna Part I: Upāsanākhanda. Introduction, Translation, Notes and Index.
Authors: Rocher
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
George Erdosy (ed.), Indian Philology and South Asian Studies. Volume 1. The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia. Language, Material Culture and Ethnicity
Authors: Jong
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
N.L. Jain, Glossary of Jaina Terms
Authors: Mylius
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Uma Chakravarty, Indra and Other Vedic Deities
Authors:   Mylius
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
David Jackson, A History of Tibetan Painting. The Great Tibetan Painters and Their Traditions
Authors:   de Jong
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
John J. Makransky, Buddhahood Embodied. Sources of Controversey in India and Tibet
Authors: de Jong
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Klaus-Dieter Mathes, Unterscheidung der Gegebenheiten von ihrem wahren Wesen (Dharmadharmatāvibhāga)
Authors: de Jong
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Eli Franco and Karin Preisendanz (eds.), Beyond Orientalism. The Work of Wilhelm Halbfass and its Impact on Indian and Cross-Cultural Studies
Authors: de Jong
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Adelheid Mette (hrsg.), Die Gilgitfragmente des Kārandavyūha
Authors: de Jong
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Ernst Steinkellner, Sudhana's Miraculous Journey in the Temple of Ta pho
Authors: de Jong
Published: March 2012

No Abstract
Reinscribing Orientalism: Gendering Modernity in Colonial Malaya
Authors: Holden Philip
Published: March 2012

The conceptual framework of Said's Orientalism has been extensively applied in colonial discourse analysis to reveal the binary oppositions which structure the life world of the colonizer. Said's work, however, is perhaps most suggestive in its illumination of subject formation in colonial modernity in its broadest sense. This paper reads three colonial literary texts by Joseph Conrad, Hugh Clifford and Lim Boon Keng to show how a gendered modern subjectivity created in Orientalist discourse might be refurbished by the colonized, and form the basis for a proto-nationalist subjectivity through the application of the powerful and yet compromised discursive strategy of "auto-Orientalism."
Micro-plot evaluation of the yield reduction potential of Pratylenchus coffeae, Helicotylenchus multicinctus and Meloidogyne javanica on plantain cv. Apantu-pa (Musa spp., AAB-group) in Ghana
Authors: Brentu Collinson F. , Speijer Paul R. , Green Kim R. , Hemeng Barbara M.S. , De Waele Dirk , Coyne Daniel L.
Published: March 2012

The damage potential of the plant-parasitic nematodes Pratylenchus coffeae,
Helicotylenchus multicinctus and Meloidogyne javanica, was assessed on
plantain (Musa spp., AAB-group) cv. Apantu-pa in microplots in Ghana. Hot
water treated suckers, planted in 3 l plastic bags containing sterilised
soil, were inoculated 1 month after planting with a single nematode species
or a nematode species mixture; controls were not inoculated. The initial
single species inocula consisted of 1000 or 10 000 nematodes per plant,
whilst the initial species mixture inoculum consisted of 3000 nematodes of
each nematode species per plant. Two months after planting, the suckers were
transplanted into micro-plots (0.7 m3 concrete containers filled with
sterilised soil). Inoculation of single species at either density resulted
in lower (P ≤ 0.05) bunch weights of the mother plants (between 23-33%
lower) than the noninoculated control plants, whilst bunch weights of plants
inoculated with the species mixture were 18% lower (P ≤ 0.05). Nematode
damage indices (% dead roots, root necrosis and sucker corm lesions) were
more severe in P. coffeae inoculated treatments. There was no difference
between inoculated treatments and the control in plant growth parameters
(days to flowering, number of standing leaves, height, girth, number of
suckers) of the mother plant at flowering and harvest. Plant toppling
occurred only in, and in all, treatments involving P. coffeae, with up to
60% of bunch-carrying plants toppled in the most affected treatment
(inoculation of 10 000 nematodes per plant). Therefore, projected yields per
ha were low in P. coffeae inoculated treatments: 41, 73 and 65% lower than
the control for inoculation of 1000, 10 000 and 3000 (in species mixture)
individuals, respectively. Inoculation with 10 000 H. multicinctus or M.
javanica per plant resulted in yield losses of 26 and 30%, respectively.
This study suggests that P. coffeae is likely to be the most important
biotic constraint to plantain production in Ghana. Nematodes have been
viewed as the major biotic constraint to plantain production in the country,
and P. coffeae is the most widespread and abundant nematode species on
plantain in Ghana. The results further demonstrate that H. multicinctus and
M. javanica can cause considerable yield reduction in plantain.
Marxists, Muslims and Religion: Anglo-French Attitudes
Authors: Callinicos Alex
Published: March 2012

The article addresses the divergent responses of the radical Left in Britain and France to the emergence of Muslims as a political subject in the advanced capitalist countries. It takes the case of a recent book by Daniel Bensaïd to illustrate the influence of a secular republican ideology that acts as an obstacle to French Marxists' recognition that assertions of Muslim identity should not simply be dismissed as reactionary but understood as potentially a rejection of the oppression suffered by Muslims in Western societies. The article calls for a recognition of the positive aspects of postcolonial theory and concludes that the Marxist interpretation of religion as a search for an other-worldly solution to real suffering and injustice should be applied consistently to all expressions of faith.
Images of the Supernatural World: Bactria-Margiana Seals and Relations With the Near East and the Indus
Authors: Aruz Joan
Published: March 2012

This paper focuses on one aspect of the representation of divinity in the Oxus region: the way in which animal and human characteristics are combined to create various supernatural creatures. Both the presence and absence of certain attributes are emphasized in the attempt to define the extent to which the Oxus region relates to that of its neighbours both east and west. There are some pervasive similarities in the artistic rendering of divine power throughout the Near East, western Central Asia and the Indus Valley. However, there are also major differences, which seem to illustrate the impact of Mesopotamian divine imagery on Harappan art, while the deities and demons of Bactria-Margiana belong to a world similar, in part, to that expressed in the arts of southern Iran.
Historical Perspectives On the Development of the European Pentecostal Theological Association
Authors: Bundy David
Published: March 2012

The European Pentecostal Theological Association (EPTA), came into being 16 March, 1979, in a room provided by the Freie Christengemeinde, Vienna, Austria. At that meeting the purpose, goals and modus operandi were chosen along with a name. Officers were elected and charged with preparing a draft of a constitution to be considered at the next meeting.1 Such was the foundation of what should prove to be a very significant movement toward interchange and cooperation in European Pentecostal theological education. In order that the import might be best appreciated, let us briefly consider the history of theological education within the Pentecostal movements of Europe and the move toward significant cooperation.
The Ongoing Challenge of hiv and aids to African Theology: A Review Article
Authors: van Klinken Adriaan S.
Published: March 2012

This article offers an extended review of some recent publications in the field of African theology and hiv and aids. Hence it critically examines the progress that is made in the engagement with and the reflection on issues related to the hiv epidemic by African theologians. The article notices the emergence of a new strand of Africa theology, a (liberation) theology of hiv and aids, which builds on and employs the classic strands of African liberation, inculturation, reconstruction and women’s theology. Moreover, some challenging issues for the further African theological engagement with hiv and aids are identified.
Ibo Spirituality and Marriage Customs On the Eve of Nigerian Independence: the Testimony of Onuora Nzekwu's Wand of Noble Wood
Authors: Hale Frederick A
Published: March 2012

For many years scholars of African religion have appreciated the potential insights that imaginative literature can provide into religious beliefs and practices in rapidly transforming societies, not least with regard to the confrontation of indigenous religions and missionary Christianity. Generally ignored, however, has been the fiction of Onuora Nzekzuu, a talented Ibo novelist who during the 1960s was hailed as one founder ofNigerian letters but who stood in the shadow of Chinua Achebe and a handful of other contemporary literary giants. The present article is a study of enduring commitment to Ibo spiritual and marital traditions and the critique of Roman Catholic missionary endeavours in Nzekwu's first novel, Wand of Noble Wood (1961). It is argued that in this pioneering treatment of these recurrent themes in African literature of that decade, Nzekwu vividly highlighted the quandary in which quasi- Westernised Nigerians found themselves as they sought to come to grips with the confluence of colonial and indigenous values and folkways on the eve of national independence in 1960. Nzekwu did not speak for all Ibo intellectuals of his generation; his portrayal of the weakness of Ibo commitment to the Roman Catholic Church is squarely contradicted by other literary observers, such as T Obinkaram Echewa.
Bacon, Hobbes and the Aphorisms at Chatsworth House
Authors: Pagallo Ugo
Published: March 2012

In my research published last year, i.e. Homo homini deus. Per un'introduzione al pensiero giuridico di Francis Bacon, I have analytically presented the Aphorismi de Jure gentium maiore sive de fontibus justiciae et iuris and I have closely studied the relationship between the legal and political philosophy of the Lord Chancellor and the civil science of Thomas Hobbes1. In the present essay I will try to summarize some of the main reasons why I think that manuscript of Chatsworth House, discovered to be Bacon's only in 1980, is so important. It clarifies, with its twenty aphorisms, some crucial principles of Bacon's civil philosophy that would probably remain otherwise shadowed. So, here I will take as an excellent example that concept of sovereignty which is presented in the Aphorismi. His famous silences - for which the Lord Chancellor has been often considered the worthy, English heir of Machiavelli: 'We're much beholden...'2, - will be better understood at the light of this 'new' text. However, there is not only this sort of silence that Baconian scholars have to face and to understand, also a historiographical tradition has been consolidated in the twentieth century that has almost forgotten Bacon's civil philosophy. Those Bacon's legal and political texts that have been still considered and analyzed by philosophical critique, have been generally misunderstood. So, in order to avoid as far as possible such a fate for the Aphorismi de Jure gentium maiore either, it is necessary to consider that historical context which, as we shall see, depends very much on separating Bacon as a political thinker from his younger contemporary, Thomas Hobbes.
Hobbes: Premier Theorist of Authority
Authors: Flathman Richard E.
Published: March 2012

The argument of this paper is as follows: IF there is a single most perspicuous account or analysis of the concept of authority, and IF there is a single most compelling normative conception of authority, then that account and that conception find their origin and one of their most forceful articulations in the writings of Thomas Hobbes. Needless to say, the hesitations marked by my two "ifs" are yet larger and more difficult to overcome than my modest graphology can show them to be. If we approach questions about authority with the temperamental or dispositional (but not dogmatic) skepticism of Hobbes himself, we will be suspicious of the idea that there is or ever will be a "single most perspicuous" analysis or a "single most compelling" assessment of this - in the once popular jargon -"essentially contested" concept and idea. His skepticism notwithstanding, Hobbes himself wrote with great verve and self-confidence concerning this topic. We can, at least provisionally, follow him in putting our skepticism in abeyance and do our best to develop the arguments anticipated in the opening paragraph above.
A Study of Corporate Social Responsibility Reports in China (Reporting Year 2009)
Authors: _ _
Published: March 2012

Abstract

CSR reporting in China is attracting unprecedented attention. In 2009, 582 CSR reports were published, 3.44 times the 169 published in 2008, in a “wellspring’’ increasing trend. While China’s reports comprised roughly 5% of all those published globally, China’s share surged to 15% in 2009.

The overall quality of CSR reports in China is not high. Roughly half are still in their beginning phases and lack breadth and depth in the information reported. The coverage rate of various indicators is low, as is the degree to which reports adhere to international reporting standards. They still fell short on responding to the concerns of stakeholders and embodying company’s values. China’s CSR reports are also markedly weaker both in terms of report quality and the composition of the entities on which reports were produced. Still, there is enormous potential for China’s CSR reports. In coming years, we fully expect the number published to sustain its rapid increase, the quality to improve greatly, and we expect these reports to be served as a common international language among corporations, in which their corporate values can be expressed.
DHamāl and the Performing Body: Trance Dance in the Devotional Sufi Practice of Pakistan*
Authors: Frembgen Jürgen Wasim
Published: March 2012

Abstract

Guided by the hypnotic repetitive sound of drums, the ritual trance dance known as
dhamāl belongs to the multiple worlds of Pakistani Sufi shrines and is characteristic of the concrete devotional practices of rural people and the urban poor, especially in Sindh and the Punjab. Drawing on Ronald L. Grimes’s concept of distinguishing various modes of embodied ritual attitudes, the study explores the performance and aesthetics of this public, predominantly collective dance at two selected ethnographic settings, differentiating three groups of actors in terms of ritual structure, techniques of the body, gestural grammar and gender-related kinaesthetic styles. Apart from marked differences between performers, these modes of ritual sensibilities co-exist and interpenetrate each other whereby the celebrative form of interaction with the beloved saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar remains the central theme.
DHamāl is a full-bodied, active experience of mystical devotion which belongs to the ‘social habitus’ of the dancers and can be considered a pattern of appropriate ritual action embedded in the local cultures of both Sindhis and Punjabis which is shared among Muslims as well as Hindus.
The Legacies of the Ballets Russes
Authors: Garafola Lynn
Published: March 2012

Abstract

This essay traces the multiple legacies of the Ballets Russes during the 100 years following the company’s first performances in 1909. Dividing the intervening century into four periods (“The Lifetime of the Ballets Russes,” “1930-1954,” “1954-1987: Glamor and Revival,” and “1987 to the Present: Historicity and the End of the Cold War”), it analyzes the dispersal, migration, transformation, and assimilation of its repertory, choreographic methodologies, cultural narratives, aesthetics, and historiography.
The Pursuit of Power Corrupts
Authors: Malhotra Deepak , Gino Francesca
Published: March 2012

Across three laboratory studies, this paper illustrates how a common strategic decision aimed at increasing one’s own power—investing in outside options—can lead to opportunistic behavior in exchange relationships. We show that the extent to which individuals have invested in creating outside options increases the likelihood that they will exploit their current exchange partners, even after controlling for the leverage provided by the outside options. Our results demonstrate that having previously sunk investments in an outside option leads to a heightened sense of entitlement, even when the outside option has been foregone. In turn, feelings of entitlement result in higher aspirations for what is to be gained in the current relationship, and these aspirations fuel opportunism. Finally, we show that other parties may fail to anticipate these effects, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.
The Truth about Conquest: Joshua as History, Narrative, and Scripture
Authors: Hawk L. Daniel
Published: March 2012

The Book of Joshua constitutes a vital biblical resource for interpreting modern narratives of conquest and colonialism. As a historical narrative, it reveals the fluid and complex character of national memory; as a national narrative of origins, it points to processes and motifs that shaped the identities of both Israel and the United States; as a scriptural narrative, it presents a revelatory vision that illumines contemporary narratives of conquest and evokes the stories of both colonizing and colonized peoples.
Safety Issues on British Mental Health Wards
Authors: Janner Marion , Delaney Kathleen R.
Published: March 2012

BACKGROUND: Assuring patient safety on inpatient psychiatric units is a complex issue that involves mitigating risks as well as promoting safety by building an environment that supports engagement and constructive activity. OBJECTIVES: To review the concerns surrounding inpatient psychiatric units in the United Kingdom that led to a service user–designed program, Star Wards. The essential elements of the program are outlined along with a rationale for how Star Wards’ 75 ideas effectively build greater engagement, address boredom, and enhance safety on inpatient psychiatric wards. DESIGN: This article reports on the development and dissemination of Star Wards. Included is information on the program’s effectiveness; data were drawn from an evaluation of Star Wards conducted by a U.K. university. RESULTS: Psychiatric wards that have adopted Star Wards have demonstrated improvements in patient satisfaction, staff morale, levels of boredom, and incidents of aggression. CONCLUSION: Boredom and poor staff–patient engagement on psychiatric wards may contribute to aggression and violence. Drawing on Star Wards ideas, nurses and service users can work together to enhance safety via an active ward program and greater staff–patient engagement. The innovations suggested by Star Wards are practical ways to build programming and create platforms for dialogue with service users, particularly around what they need to move toward recovery.
Registered Nurses’ and Behavior Health Associates’ Responses to Violent Inpatient Interactions on Behavioral Health Units
Authors: Zuzelo Patti Rager , Curran Staci Silver , Zeserman Mary Ann
Published: March 2012

BACKGROUND: Violence carried out by patients against nursing staff unsettles and threatens coworkers as they care for individuals admitted to inpatient psychiatric units. OBJECTIVE: This study explored nursing staff’s individual and group responses to violent incidents performed by patients against caregivers. DESIGN: This qualitative study used focus groups to collect data from professional nurses and behavioral health associations ( N = 19) recruited from urban, inpatient psychiatric unit. Data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Sharing information about violence, intervening therapeutically, intervening nontherapeutically, recognizing team influences, experiencing emotions following violence, and understanding the work environment comprised the major themes of the experience. CONCLUSIONS: Findings may stimulate discussions and education sessions that address strategies helpful to nursing staff so that incidents are prevented and staff is supported following such disturbing events. Events of workplace violence, including those occurring on behavioral mental health in inpatient units, require accurate individual and aggregate reporting to develop interventions and evaluate effectiveness of violence reduction strategies.
Effects of Fast Functional Exercise on Muscle Activity After Stroke
Authors: Gray Vicki L. , Ivanova Tanya D. , Garland S. Jayne
Published: March 2012

Background. In stroke rehabilitation, considerable emphasis is placed on improving muscle strength with less focus on the speed of movement. Muscle power (product of force and velocity) is essential for balance and mobility but velocity of movement is impaired after stroke. Objective. The purpose of this efficacy study is to determine if a single session of fast functional movements can increase muscle activation and the speed of movement in participants with a subacute stroke. Methods. In total, 32 individuals poststroke and 32 age- and sex-matched controls performed a single session of 50 fast squats and steps. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured bilaterally in the rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), and soleus muscles. The average EMG area and the movement speed were calculated over 10 trials. The effect of exercise was determined as the change from the second set (Start) to the last set (End) of 10 trials. Results. The stroke group had significant increases in EMG area of the TA, BF, and RF during the squatting exercise. There was an increase in EMG area of the RF and BF when the paretic leg was stepping. Improvements in EMG area of the soleus and RF when the paretic leg was in stance accompanied increases in EMG area when the nonparetic leg was stepping. There was a trend for improved movement speed for both exercises. Conclusion. A single session of exercises emphasizing speed of movement can be used to improve muscle activation in persons with mild to moderately severe strokes.
Should Body Weight–Supported Treadmill Training and Robotic-Assistive Steppers for Locomotor Training Trot Back to the Starting Gate?
Authors: Dobkin Bruce H. , Duncan Pamela W.
Published: March 2012

Body weight–supported treadmill training (BWSTT) and robotic-assisted step training (RAST) have not, so far, led to better outcomes than a comparable dose of progressive over-ground training (OGT) for disabled persons with stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or cerebral palsy. The conceptual bases for these promising rehabilitation interventions had once seemed quite plausible, but the results of well-designed, randomized clinical trials have been disappointing. The authors reassess the underpinning concepts for BWSTT and RAST, which were derived from mammalian studies of treadmill-induced hind-limb stepping associated with central pattern generation after low thoracic spinal cord transection, as well as human studies of the triple crown icons of task-oriented locomotor training, massed practice, and activity-induced neuroplasticity. The authors retrospectively consider where theory and practice may have fallen short in the pilot studies that aimed to produce thoroughbred interventions. Based on these shortcomings, the authors move forward with recommendations for the future development of workhorse interventions for walking. In the absence of evidence for physical therapists to employ these strategies, however, BWSTT and RAST should not be provided routinely to disabled, vulnerable persons in place of OGT outside of a scientifically conducted efficacy trial.