bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A semi-parametric approach to estimate risk functions associated with multi-dimensional exposure profiles: application to smoking and lung cancer
Authors: Hastie David I , Liverani Silvia , Azizi Lamiae , Richardson Sylvia , Stücker Isabelle
Published: October 2013

Background

A common characteristic of environmental epidemiology is the multi-dimensional aspect of exposure patterns, frequently reduced to a cumulative exposure for simplicity of analysis. By adopting a flexible Bayesian clustering approach, we explore the risk function linking exposure history to disease. This approach is applied here to study the relationship between different smoking characteristics and lung cancer in the framework of a population based case control study.

Methods

Our study includes 4658 males (1995 cases, 2663 controls) with full smoking history (intensity, duration, time since cessation, pack-years) from the ICARE multi-centre study conducted from 2001-2007. We extend Bayesian clustering techniques to explore predictive risk surfaces for covariate profiles of interest.

Results

We were able to partition the population into 12 clusters with different smoking profiles and lung cancer risk. Our results confirm that when compared to intensity, duration is the predominant driver of risk. On the other hand, using pack-years of cigarette smoking as a single summary leads to a considerable loss of information.

Conclusions

Our method estimates a disease risk associated to a specific exposure profile by robustly accounting for the different dimensions of exposure and will be helpful in general to give further insight into the effect of exposures that are accumulated through different time patterns.
Inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis-inducing activity of fungal taxol and its precursor baccatin III purified from endophytic Fusarium solani
Authors: Chakravarthi Balabhadrapatruni VSK , Sujay Ramanathan , Kuriakose Gini C , Karande Anjali A , Jayabaskaran Chelliah
Published: October 2013

Background

Taxol (generic name paclitaxel), a plant-derived antineoplastic agent, used widely against breast, ovarian and lung cancer, was originally isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia. The limited supply of the drug has prompted efforts to find alternative sources, such as chemical synthesis, tissue and cell cultures of the Taxus species both of which are expensive and yield low levels. Fermentation processes with microorganisms would be the methods of choice to lower the costs and increase yields. Previously we have reported that F. solani isolated from T. celebica produced taxol and its precursor baccatin III in liquid grown cultures J Biosci 33:259-67, 2008. This study was performed to evaluate the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis of cancer cell lines by the fungal taxol and fungal baccatin III of F. solani isolated from T. celebica.

Methods

Cell lines such as HeLa, HepG2, Jurkat, Ovcar3 and T47D were cultured individually and treated with fungal taxol, baccatin III with or without caspase inhibitors according to experimental requirements. Their efficacy on apoptotic induction was examined.

Results

Both fungal taxol and baccatin III inhibited cell proliferation of a number of cancer cell lines with IC50 ranging from 0.005 to 0.2 μM for fungal taxol and 2 to 5 μM for fungal baccatin III. They also induced apoptosis in JR4-Jurkat cells with a possible involvement of anti-apoptotic Bcl2 and loss in mitochondrial membrane potential, and was unaffected by inhibitors of caspase-9,-2 or -3 but was prevented in presence of caspase-10 inhibitor. DNA fragmentation was also observed in cells treated with fungal taxol and baccatin III.

Conclusions

The cytotoxic activity exhibited by fungal taxol and baccatin III involves the same mechanism, dependent on caspase-10 and membrane potential loss of mitochondria, with taxol having far greater cytotoxic potential.
Validation of an instrument to evaluate quality of life in the aging population: WHOQOL-AGE
Authors: Caballero Francisco Félix , Miret Marta , Power Mick , Chatterji Somnath , Tobiasz-Adamczyk Beata , Koskinen Seppo , Leonardi Matilde , Olaya Beatriz , Haro Josep Maria , Ayuso-Mateos José Luis
Published: October 2013

Background

There is a need for short, specific instruments that assess quality of life (QOL) adequately in the older adult population. The aims of the present study were to obtain evidence on the validity of the inferences that could be drawn from an instrument to measure QOL in the aging population (people 50+ years old), and to test its psychometric properties.

Methods

The instrument, WHOQOL-AGE, comprised 13 positive items, assessed on a five-point rating scale, and was administered to nationally representative samples (n = 9987) from Finland, Poland, and Spain. Cronbach’s alpha was employed to assess internal consistency reliability, whereas the validity of the questionnaire was assessed by means of factor analysis, graded response model, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and unpaired t-test. Normative values were calculated across countries and for different age groups.

Results

The satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices confirmed that the factorial structure of WHOQOL-AGE comprises two first-order factors. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.88 for factor 1, and 0.84 for factor 2. Evidence supporting a global score was found with a second-order factor model, according to the goodness-of-fit indices: CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.073. Convergent validity was estimated at r = 0.75 and adequate discriminant validity was also found. Significant differences were found between healthy individuals (74.19 ± 13.21) and individuals with at least one chronic condition (64.29 ± 16.29), supporting adequate known-groups validity.

Conclusions

WHOQOL-AGE has shown good psychometric properties in Finland, Poland, and Spain. Therefore, considerable support is provided to using the WHOQOL-AGE to measure QOL in older adults in these countries, and to compare the QOL of older and younger adults.
The Antioxidant Effects of the Flavonoids Rutin and Quercetin Inhibit Oxaliplatin-Induced Chronic Painful Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Azevedo Maria Isabel , Pereira Anamaria Falcão , Nogueira Ricardo Braz , Rolim Flávio Esmeraldo , Brito Gerly AC , Wong Deysi Viviana T , Lima-Júnior Roberto CP , de Albuquerque Ribeiro Ronaldo , Vale Mariana Lima
Published: October 2013

Background

Oxaliplatin, the third-generation platinum compound, has evolved as one of the most important therapeutic agents in colorectal cancer chemotherapy. The main limiting factor in oxaliplatin treatment is painful neuropathy that is difficult to treat. This side effect has been studied for several years, but its full mechanism is still inconclusive, and effective treatment does not exist. Data suggest that oxaliplatin's initial neurotoxic effect is peripheral and oxidative stress-dependent. A spinal target is also suggested in its mechanism of action. The flavonoids rutin and quercetin have been described as cell-protecting agents because of their antioxidant, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory actions. We proposed a preventive effect of these agents on oxaliplatin-induced painful peripheral neuropathy based on their antioxidant properties.

Methods

Oxaliplatin (1 mg/kg, i.v.) was injected in male Swiss mice, twice a week (total of nine injections). The development of sensory alterations, such as thermal and mechanical allodynia, was evaluated using the tail immersion test in cold water (10°C) and the von Frey test. Rutin and quercetin (25–100 mg/kg, i.p.) were injected 30 min before each oxaliplatin injection. The animals' spinal cords were removed for histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluation and malondialdehyde assay.

Results

Oxaliplatin significantly increased thermal and mechanical nociceptive response, effects prevented by quercetin and rutin at all doses. Fos immunostaining in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord confirmed these results. The oxidative stress assays mainly showed that oxaliplatin induced peroxidation in the spinal cord and that rutin and quercetin decreased this effect. The flavonoids also decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitrotyrosine immunostaining in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. These results suggest that nitric oxide and peroxynitrite are also involved in the neurotoxic effect of oxaliplatin and that rutin and quercetin can inhibit their effect in the spinal cord. We also observed the preservation of dorsal horn structure using histopathological analyses.

Conclusions

Oxaliplatin induced painful peripheral neuropathy in mice, an effect that was prevented by rutin and quercetin. The mechanism of action of oxaliplatin appears to be, at least, partially oxidative stress-induced damage in dorsal horn neurons, with the involvement of lipid peroxidation and protein nitrosylation.
snOPY: a small nucleolar RNA orthological gene database
Authors: Yoshihama Maki , Nakao Akihiro , Kenmochi Naoya
Published: October 2013

Background

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that guide the modification of specific nucleotides in ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Although most non-coding RNAs undergo post-transcriptional modifications prior to maturation, the functional significance of these modifications remains unknown. Here, we introduce the snoRNA orthological gene database (snOPY) as a tool for studying RNA modifications.

Findings

snOPY provides comprehensive information about snoRNAs, snoRNA gene loci, and target RNAs. It also contains data for orthologues from various species, which enables users to analyze the evolution of snoRNA genes. In total, 13,770 snoRNA genes, 10,345 snoRNA gene loci, and 133 target RNAs have been registered. Users can search and access the data efficiently using a simple web interface with a series of internal links. snOPY is freely available on the web at http://snoopy.med.miyazaki-u.ac.jp.

Conclusions

snOPY is the database that provides information about the small nucleolar RNAs and their orthologues. It will help users to study RNA modifications and snoRNA gene evolution.
Familial adenomatous polyposis of the colon
Authors: Plawski Andrzej , Banasiewicz Tomasz , Borun Pawel , Kubaszewski Lukasz , Krokowicz Piotr , Skrzypczak-Zielinska Marzena , Lubinski Jan
Published: October 2013

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a well-defined autosomal dominant predisposition to the development of polyposis in the colon and rectum at unusually early ages. The first symptoms of FAP are diarrhea and blood in the stool. Weight loss and weaknesses occur after the development of advanced tumour. The incidence of the FAP disorder is one per 10000 newborns. There are high levels of heterogeneity with regard to the number and timing of the occurrence of polyps. The classical form of FAP is characterized by the presence of more than 100 polyps, which appear in the second decade of life. The average time of occurrence of polyps is 15 years. The earliest symptoms of polyposis have been observed in a three-year-old child. The polyps are characterized by large potential for the development towards malignant tumour. Malignancy can occur from late childhood onwards. Attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli is characterized by a more benign course of disease in contrast to classical FAP. The occurrence of FAP is associated with mutations in the APC tumour suppressor gene, which was described in 1991. The APC gene is located on chromosome 5q21 and is involved in cell proliferation control. A recessive form of adenomatous polyposis is caused by mutations in the base excision repair gene - MUTYH gene. The MUTYH gene is involved in repairing DNA lesions as a result of oxidative DNA damage. MUTYH associated polyposis (MAP) is a predisposition to the development of polyps of the colon but the number of polyps is lower in comparison to classical FAP. The high risks of cancer observed in these two diseases make them important medical issues. Molecular studies of colonic polyposis have been performed in Poland for over fifteen years. A DNA Bank for Polish FAP patients was established at the Institute of Human Genetics in Poznan in which DNA samples from 600 FAP families have been collected.
Flexizymes-facilitated Genetic Code Reprogramming Leading to the Discovery of Drug-like Peptides
Authors: Terasaka Naohiro , Suga Hiroaki
Published: October 2013

Flexizymes are a family of aminoacylation ribozymes devised by in vitro selection in our research group. They charge a wide variety of nonproteinogenic amino acids onto virtually any kind of tRNAs, enabling us to reprogram the genetic code in a custom-made cell-free translation system. This genetic code reprogramming method was integrated with a mRNA display method, which not only expresses nonstandard peptides such as macrocyclic peptides but also selects ligands specifically binding to target proteins. This system is referred to as random nonstandard peptide integrated discovery (RaPID) system, which has yielded inhibitors against disease-related target proteins. In this review, we summarize the evolutionary history and recent applications of the flexizymes and RaPID system.
HAMR: high-throughput annotation of modified ribonucleotides
Authors: Ryvkin Paul , Leung Yuk Yee , Silverman Ian M. , Childress Micah , Valladares Otto , Dragomir Isabelle , Gregory Brian D. , Wang Li-San
Published: October 2013

RNA is often altered post-transcriptionally by the covalent modification of particular nucleotides; these modifications are known to modulate the structure and activity of their host RNAs. The recent discovery that an RNA methyl-6 adenosine demethylase (FTO) is a risk gene in obesity has brought to light the significance of RNA modifications to human biology. These noncanonical nucleotides, when converted to cDNA in the course of RNA sequencing, can produce sequence patterns that are distinguishable from simple base-calling errors. To determine whether these modifications can be detected in RNA sequencing data, we developed a method that can not only locate these modifications transcriptome-wide with single nucleotide resolution, but can also differentiate between different classes of modifications. Using small RNA-seq data we were able to detect 92% of all known human tRNA modification sites that are predicted to affect RT activity. We also found that different modifications produce distinct patterns of cDNA sequence, allowing us to differentiate between two classes of adenosine and two classes of guanine modifications with 98% and 79% accuracy, respectively. To show the robustness of this method to sample preparation and sequencing methods, as well as to organismal diversity, we applied it to a publicly available yeast data set and achieved similar levels of accuracy. We also experimentally validated two novel and one known 3-methylcytosine (3mC) sites predicted by HAMR in human tRNAs. Researchers can now use our method to identify and characterize RNA modifications using only RNA-seq data, both retrospectively and when asking questions specifically about modified RNA.
Amplicon pyrosequencing of wild duck eubacterial microbiome from a fecal sample reveals numerous species linked to human and animal diseases
Authors: Strong Thomas , Dowd Scot , Gutierrez Alexander F. , Coffman Jonathan
Published: October 2013

Our investigation into the composition of the wild duck,Aythya americana, eubacterial microbiome from a fecal sample using amplicon pyrosequencing revealed that the representative bacterial species were quite distinct from a pond water sample, and we were able to classify the major operational taxonomic units withFusobacterium mortiferum,Streptobacillus moniliformis,Lactobacillus intermedius,Actinomyces suimastitidis,Campylobacter Canadensis,Enterococcus cecorum,Lactobacillus aviarus,Actimomyces spp.,Pseudobutyrivibrio spp.and Helicobacter brantaerepresenting the majority of the eubacterial fecal microbiome.  Bacterial species present in the analysis revealed numerous organisms linked to human and animal diseases including septicemia, rat bite fever, pig mastitis, endocarditis, malar masses, genital infections, skin lesions, peritonitis, wound infections, septic arthritis, urocystitis, gastroenteritis and drinking water diseases.  In addition, to being known carriers of viral pathogens wild ducks should also be recognized as a potential source of a range of bacterial diseases.
Evaluation of Competing Candidate Solutions in Electronic Networks of Practice
Authors: Meservy Thomas O. , Jensen Matthew L. , Fadel Kelly J.
Published: October 2013

Electronic networks of practice have become a prevalent means for acquiring new knowledge. Knowledge seekers commonly turn to online repositories constructed by these networks to find solutions to domain-specific problems and questions. Yet little is understood about the process by which such knowledge is evaluated and adopted by knowledge seekers. This study examines how individuals filter knowledge encountered in online forums, a common platform for knowledge exchange in an electronic network of practice. Drawing on dual process theory, we develop research hypotheses regarding both central and peripheral evaluation of knowledge. These hypotheses are examined in a field experiment in which participants evaluate online solutions for computer programming problems. Results show that peripheral cues (source expertise and validation) have a greater influence on knowledge filtering decisions than does the content quality of the solution. Moreover, elaboration increases the effect of content quality but does not seem to attenuate the effect of peripheral cues. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Case Article—Assigning Regions to Sales Representatives at Pfizer Turkey
Authors: Köksalan Murat , Batun Sakine
Published: October 2013

Many pharmaceutical products are marketed to medical doctors by sales representatives (SRs). Each SR has a working area (sales territory) covering all the doctors s/he needs to visit regularly. Designing the sales territories is an important problem in the pharmaceutical sector and it requires consideration of several conflicting criteria. This case study is based on a real-life sales territory construction problem of Pfizer Turkey, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Turkey. The case aims to improve the students' skills of formulating and solving integer programs, exploring the solution space and the tradeoffs between different criteria, and generating a set of promising solutions to be presented to the decision maker (DM) for final choice.

Case Teaching Note: Interested Instructors please see the Instructor Materials page for access to the restricted materials. To maintain the integrity and usefulness of cases published in ITE, unapproved distribution of the case teaching notes and other restricted materials to any other party is prohibited.
Investor Flows and the 2008 Boom/Bust in Oil Prices
Authors: Singleton Kenneth J.
Published: October 2013

This paper explores the impact of investor flows and financial market conditions on returns in crude oil futures markets. I argue that informational frictions and the associated speculative activity may induce prices to drift away from “fundamental” values, and may result in price booms and busts. Particular attention is given to the interplay between imperfect information about real economic activity, including supply, demand, and inventory accumulation, and speculative activity in oil markets. Furthermore, I present new evidence that there were economically and statistically significant effects of investor flows on futures prices, after controlling for returns in the United States and emerging-economy stock markets, a measure of the balance sheet flexibility of large financial institutions, open interest, the futures/spot basis, and lagged returns on oil futures. The largest impacts on futures prices were from intermediate-term growth rates of index positions and managed-money spread positions. Moreover, my findings suggest that these effects were through risk or informational channels distinct from changes in convenience yield. Finally, the evidence suggests that hedge fund trading in spread positions in futures impacted the shape of term structure of oil futures prices.

This paper was accepted by Wei Xiong, finance.
Fast or Rational? A Response-Times Study of Bayesian Updating
Authors: Achtziger Anja , Alós-Ferrer Carlos
Published: October 2013

We present a simple model for decision making under uncertainty building on dual-process theories from psychology, and use it to illustrate a possible component of intuitive decision making of particular relevance for managerial settings. Decisions are the result of the interaction between two decision processes. The first one captures optimization based on Bayesian updating of beliefs. The second corresponds to a form of reinforcement learning capturing the tendency to rely on past performance. The model predicts that (i) in the case of conflict between the two processes, correct responses are associated with longer response times, but (ii) if both processes are aligned, errors are slower. Furthermore, (iii) response times in the case of conflict are longer than in the case of alignment. We confirm the predictions of the model in an experiment using a paradigm where an associative win-stay, lose-shift process conflicted with rational belief updating.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2013.1793

This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, judgment and decision making.
A Dynamic Model of Individual and Collective Learning Amid Disruption
Authors: Anderson Edward G. , Lewis Kyle
Published: October 2013

Using the methodology of system dynamics, we model the effects of disruptive events on learning and productivity in organizations. We leverage the learning-by-doing and transactive memory system theories to model the underpinnings of learning processes at the collective and individual levels. We simulate the impact of disruptive events on organizational productivity and performance, such as employee turnover, technological innovation, reorganization, and extreme events (such as natural disasters), which disrupt individual knowledge, collective knowledge, or both. Finally, we discuss implications of our findings for future research on organizational learning and productivity. One implication is that representing organizational learning by a single power-law learning curve or even by multiple noninteracting learning curves may be in many cases inadequate. Another is that disruptions to individual learning can be beneficial to organizations in the long run, whereas disruptions to collective learning are detrimental in the short and long run. We discuss the factors that might help organizations mitigate the negative effects of disruption so that learning can occur amid even the most disruptive events.
Going Underground: Bootlegging and Individual Innovative Performance
Authors: Criscuolo Paola , Salter Ammon , Ter Wal Anne L. J.
Published: October 2013

To develop innovations in large, mature organizations, individuals often have to resort to underground, “bootleg” research and development (R&D) activities that have no formal organizational support. In doing so, these individuals attempt to achieve greater autonomy over the direction of their R&D efforts and to escape the constraints of organizational accountability. Drawing on theories of proactive creativity and innovation, we argue that these underground R&D efforts help individuals to develop innovations based on the exploration of uncharted territory and delayed assessment of embryonic ideas. After carefully assessing the direction of causality, we find that individuals’ bootleg efforts are associated with achievement of high levels of innovative performance. Furthermore, we show that the costs and benefits of bootlegging for innovation are contingent on the emphasis on the enforcement of organizational norms in the individual’s work environment; we argue and demonstrate empirically that the benefits of an individual’s bootlegging efforts are enhanced in work units with high levels of innovative performance and which include members who are also engaged in bootlegging. However, during periods of organizational change involving formalization of the R&D process, individuals who increase their bootlegging activities are less likely to innovate. We explore the implications of these findings for our understanding of proactive and deviant creativity.
Forgiveness in Vertical Relationships: Incentive and Termination Effects
Authors: Vanneste Bart S. , Frank Douglas H.
Published: October 2013

Two types of contractual solutions have been proposed for resolving incentive conflicts in vertical relationships: formal and relational (i.e., enforceable or not by third parties). Much is known about the optimal structure of formal contracts, but relatively little is known about the structure of relational contracts. We study a core feature of the latter: the conditions leading to continuation of the relationship, whose prospect gives relational contracts their force. We build a formal model of a vertical relationship between two parties that endogenizes the choice of the minimum performance necessary for continuation as a function of the values of contractibles, noncontractibles, and outside options. The model highlights a basic trade-off between providing strong incentives for the present (incentive effect) and safeguarding relationships for the future (termination effect). The stable relationships that follow from a more forgiving contract are more important under certain conditions (when a lot of value is jointly created by exchange partners, i.e., high contractible value, high noncontractible value, or unattractive outside options); however, strong incentives from a less forgiving contract are more important under other conditions (when a formal contract is insufficient and a relational contract is most important, i.e., high noncontractible relative to contractible value). We discuss implications for the choice of governance of interorganizational relationships.
Futility Assessment of Recombinant Factor VII Activated for the Treatment of Hemorrhagic Shock Requiring Massive Transfusion
Authors: McMillen James C. , Lawson Christy M. , Shaun Rowe A.
Published: October 2013

Objective

Recombinant human factor VII activated (rFVIIa) is an adjuvant therapy in patients receiving massive transfusion for hemorrhagic shock. We compared patient characteristics and outcomes to determine futility criteria for the administration of rFVIIa in patients receiving massive transfusion for hemorrhagic shock.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients who received both massive transfusion and rFVIIa. Consecutive trauma patients were allocated to 1 of 2 cohorts: survivors and nonsurvivors.

Results

Seventy-two subjects comprised the study: 27 were survivors and 45 were nonsurvivors. A univariate analysis revealed that nonsurvivors were older and had a more profound coagulopathy as measured by prothrombin time. A stepwise logistic regression revealed an increased odds of death in those patients who were older (odds ratio [OR], 1.048; 95% CI, 1.008 −1.091), had a higher admission prothrombin time (OR, 1.561; 95% CI, 1.152-2.116), and received more fresh frozen plasma (OR, 1.098; 95% CI 1.023-1.179). In addition we saw a protective effect with increased platelet administration (OR, 0.645; 95% CI, 0.446-0.932).

Conclusion

The use of rFVIIa for massive transfusion in middle-aged patients with moderate coagulopathy experiencing hemorrhagic shock may be considered futile. However, if rFVIIa is to be used as part of a massive transfusion protocol, adequate administration of platelets should be ensured.
La contra Revolución imaginaria. Novela y film en México (1910-1965)
Authors: Albano da Costa Sebastião Guilherme
Published: October 2013

Este estudio busca señalar la tipología discursiva propiciada por la Revolución Mexicana y sus políticas culturales, además de la apropiación de los medios de comunicación de los estímulos que la gesta propuso a otros artes. Aquí se describe algunas constantes narrativas de parte de las novelas y los films producidos durante el período revolucionario y el pos revolucionario con la finalidad de relacionarlas, desde una perspectiva estilística, al formato de sociedad que se erigía. Las conclusiones dan cuenta de que la novela y el cine, con estrategias diversas, comparten una visión crítica del mundo revolucionario. En el caso de la literatura, hay una tendencia a retratar, en tono periodístico y naturalista, lo más abyecto de la gesta. En el caso del cine, las manifestaciones más influyentes son las que tangencían a la guerra civil, narrando historias y desplegando figuras que se remontan al periodo de Porfirio Diaz, o idealizando a las consecuencias de la violencia en clave poética y escapista. El resultado de esas operaciones retóricas es la presentación de una especie de imaginación contrarrevolucionaria que, sin embargo, prosperó en el seno de las instituciones creadas a partir del advenimiento de los eventos de 1910, que determinaron una actualización política, económica y cultural en el país a la par con una modernización de los sentidos y de los sentimientos.
La representación televisiva de los inmigrantes africanos: invisibilidad, desconocimiento y precariedad
Authors: Rodríguez Breijo Vanessa
Published: October 2013

La imagen televisiva de los inmigrantes africanos se caracteriza por su aparición poco frecuente, la falta de información sobre ellos, la precariedad de sus condiciones de trabajo, su tendencia a desempeñar el rol de víctimas y una mayor incidencia de transgresiones a la ley respecto a otros grupos. Estos datos proceden del estudio de la representación de los inmigrantes en este medio. La técnica utilizada fue el análisis de contenido de una muestra de la programación con mayor audiencia, en la que se incluyeron todos los géneros televisivos. Los resultados correspondientes a los africanos los vincularon escasamente con el mundo laboral, lo que no contribuye a que los nativos los valoren como ciudadanos útiles y necesarios. No se promovió el interés por el conocimiento de este colectivo, ni la noción de que ya forman parte de la sociedad; debido a su poca visibilidad y a los exiguos datos ofrecidos sobre ellos. En lugar de resaltar sus aportes, se enfatizó su recurrencia a ayudas gubernamentales y su dependencia, transmitiendo una idea de competencia por los recursos y de normalidad de su situación de desigualdad. Finalmente, sus más frecuentes acciones ilegales podrían estar justificando esas peores condiciones de integración, liberando de responsabilidad a la sociedad receptora.
Kritik terhadap Eksistensialisme Ateistik tentang Penolakan Eksistensi Tuhan
Authors: Roswantoro Alim
Published: October 2013

The article describes the atheist existentialists’ concept of God, arguments of taking away God, and then tries to criticize their concepts and arguments. General account on existentialists’ concept of God, which is represented in Nietzsche’s statement on the death of God, begins the paper. The following part is about arguments in denying the existence of God, followed by some critiques of them. The criticism of Muhammad Iqbal, who is a Muslim existentialist, on atheistic existentialistic concept of God ends the thoroughly paper. The result of this research is that atheist existentialists understand God in anthropomorphic explanation; the relation between God and human is identical with that of human and human. Even though they denied the existence of God with the reason of determinism, their arguments implied a new determinism, and the freedom they struggled indicated pseudo freedom.
Questioning Liberal Islam in Indonesia: Response and Critique to Jaringan Islam Liberal
Authors: Wahib Ahmad Bunyan
Published: October 2013

Tulisan ini membahas tentang respons terhadap pemikiran yang dilontarkan oleh para pendukung Jaringan Islam Liberal (JIL), sebuah jaringan yang beranggotakan anak-anak muda yang menyebarkan gagasan-gagasan pemikiran liberal. JIL telah menjadi salah satu ikon pemikiran Islam liberal di Indonesia. Banyak di antara gagasan-gagasan pemikiran yang diusung oleh para anggotanya menjadi gagasan yang kontroversial. Sebuah artikel berjudul “Menyegarkan Kembali Pemahaman Islam” yang ditulis oleh Ulil Abshar-Abdalla dan dimuat dalam harian Kompas menjadi salah satu artikel yang paling kontroversial. Berbagai respons dan kritik telah dilontarkan terhadap artikel tersebut, baik respons metodologis kritis ataupun apologetis, respons yang bersifat teoretis normatif maupun praktis. Bahkan fatwa mati telah dikeluarkan oleh sekelompok orang bagi penulis artikel tersebut. Dalam banyak hal, respons dan kritik tersebut bukanlah hal baru dalam sejarah perjalanan Islam di Indonesia. Berbagai kritik serupa juga telah dilontarkan oleh berbagai kalangan terhadap Nurcholish Madjid di era 1970-an ketika melontarkan gagasan yang sangat kontroversial, yaitu gagasan tentang pembaharuan pemikiran Islam. Hanya fatwa mati saja yang tidak pernah keluar bagi Nurcholish Madjid.
Islam and Human Rights in Indonesia: An Account of Muslim Intellectuals’ Views
Authors: Fuad Ahmad Nur , Arbaiyah A. , Mughni Syafiq , Jainuri Achmad
Published: October 2013

The issue of Islam and human rights has become important issue in Indonesia at least since the last two decades. Indonesian Muslims have developed two different approaches to human rights: in complete agreement with the declaration of universal human rights; and in resistance to that declaration and developing understanding that Islam encompasses human rights values. The article argues for its part that human rights are not absolutely universal, because they are based chiefly on Western values, structures, ethics and morality. For that, it is reasonable to question their universality. The present article focuses on how Indonesian Muslim intellectuals conceive of human rights and Islamic values as they perceive the two. Specifically, it focuses on four principal issues in human rights discourse: freedom of opinion, religious freedoms, rights of women, and criminal law. The authors reveal in the conclusion that although some Indonesian Muslim intellectuals admit that universal human rights are truly universal, they still see differences in certain cases, due to differences in socio-cultural background. They have tried to affect a synthesis between the universality and particularity of both Islamic and universal human rights in order to make both fit within the Indonesian context.
Conflict, Jihad, and Religious Identity in Maluku, Eastern Indonesia
Authors: Sholeh Badrus
Published: October 2013

The collapse of Suharto’s New Order is a starting point of the quest of religious identity for Indonesian Muslims. A lot of radical groups are founded under the umbrella of liberty and democracy. However, many of them have destroyed the structure of democracy and multicultural society. Conflicts of Maluku (and Poso) in 1999-2003 are the best local context of how religious groups (muslims and christians) fighted severely in the name of God. The conflict is also a good case to understand the weakening of state and the involvements of military (para-military) forces in instigating the conflicts, which impacted to thousands people killed, and destroyed the ethnic and religious harmony in the region. This paper will analyse the conflicts of Maluku and compare it to other religious conflicts in Poso, Central Sulawesi and ethnic conflicts in West Kalimantan, Southern Thailand and Southern Philippines. I argue the growth of local nationalism and unstability of States in Southeast Asian regions brings the rise of civil society and paramilitary forces, which challenges the entities of harmony, peace and multiculturalism in the region.
Muslim Western Scholarship of Hadith and Western Scholar Reaction: A Study on Fuat Sezgin’s Approach to Hadith Scholarship
Authors: Amin Kamaruddin
Published: October 2013

The following article is analyzing both Fuat Sezgin’s approach to Western scholarship of hadith and the views of some non-muslim scholars, which give either support or criticism against him. Some questions have been discussed; to what extent is Fuat Sezgin influenced by Western methods of hadith research and to what extent does he argue against the methods of non-Muslims? To what extent does he persist on arguing the reliability of hadith literature? To what extent does he base his argument on muslim hadith literature? To what extent does he digress from the classical methodology of hadith research? The following pages show that Sezgin has been familiar with non-Muslim scholarship of hadith research. Yet instead of following Western scholars’ approaches and premises on the early hadith literature, he severely criticized them and decided to follow the mainstream of Muslim scholars’ belief in the historicity of hadith transmission and collection. Fuat Sezgin focused his criticism on Goldziher’s historical claims. If one classifies Western discourse of hadith literature, Sezgin and Azmi can be located in the same line for their similar approach and way of handling the early literature of Islam. Both Sezgin and Azmi have been involved in the discussion on the reliability of early Islamic transmission. However, in contrast to Muslim scholars, who generally believe that the process of hadith transmission during the first century was mainly oral, they insist on arguing that many hadiths were, in fact, recorded in writing from the earliest times.
Re-orienting the ‘West’? The Transnational Debate on the Status of the ‘West’ in the Debates among Islamist Intellectuals and Students from the 1970s to the Present
Authors: Noor Farish A.
Published: October 2013

This paper will look at the process of transnational transfer of ideas, beliefs and value-systems, with a special emphasis on the transfer of Islamist ideas and ideals through the vector of student movements and organisations that were set up in Western Europe and North America as well as the rise of a new generation of Islamist intellectuals in Malaysia in the late 1960s for whom the idea of the ‘West’ was turned on its head and re-cast in negative terms. It begins by looking at how the ‘West’ was initially cast in positive terms as the ideal developmental model by the first generation of post-colonial elites in Malaysia, and how – as a result of the crisis of governance and the gradual decline in popularity of the ruling political coalition – the ‘West’ was subsequently re-cast in negative terms by the Islamists of the 1960s and 1970s who sought instead to turn Malaysia into an Islamic society from below. As a consequence of this dialectical confrontation between the ruling statist elite and the nascent Islamist opposition in Malaysia, the idea of the ‘West’ has remained as the central constitutive Other to Islam and Muslim identity, and this would suggest that the Islamist project of the1970s to the present remains locked in a mode of oppositional dialectics that nonetheless requires the presence of the ‘West’ as its constitutive Other, be it in positive or negative terms.
Islamic Schools and Social Justice in Indonesia: A Student Perspective
Authors: Raihani Raihani
Published: October 2013

The study explores how students of two different Islamic Senior Secondary Schools in Palangkaraya, Indonesia experience school practices in regards to social justice. Employing a qualitative approach, the researcher conducted ethnographic observations of the schools’ practices and events, and interviewed more than fifty students of the two schools individually and in groups to understand their feelings and perspectives about how the schools promote social justice among them. The findings suggest that several school structures including the subject stream selection, student groupings, the emergence of the model or international classroom were found to have been sources for social injustice. Students of the Social Sciences and Language groups, of low academic performance and economically disadvantaged admitted the feeling of unfair treatment because of this structuration. Confirming the theory of social reproduction, the schools failed to provide distributive, cultural and associational justices, and reasserted further inequalities among members of society.[Artikel ini menjelaskan bagaimana siswa pada dua Sekolah Menengah Atas di Palangkaraya, Indonesia merasakan praktik pendidikan di sekolah mereka, khususnya terkait dengan masalah keadilan sosial. Melalui studi kualitatif, penulis melakukan observasi etnografis terhadap praktik pendidikan dan kegiatan sekolah serta melakukan wawancara dengan lebih dari lima puluh orang siswa, baik secara individual maupun dalam kelompok, untuk mengetahui pandangan mereka mengenai bagaimana sekolah mereka mendorong pelaksanaan prinsip keadilan sosial. Artikel ini menemukan bahwa struktur pendidikan di sekolah tersebut, seperti pengelompokan kelas berdasarkan konsentrasi jurusan, pola keberkelompokan siswa, dan munculnya kelas-kelas internasional, menyebabkan ketidakadilan sosial di dalam institusi pendidikan. Siswa kelas Ilmu Sosial dan Bahasa cenderung minim dalam pencapaian akademik, dan secara ekonomi berasal dari kalangan menengah ke bawah. Mereka merasakan bahwa sistem pengelompokan kelas yang berlaku melanggengkan ketidakadilan sosial. Selaras dengan teori reproduksi sosial, sekolah tersebut telah gagal mengimplementasikan keadilan distributif, kultural dan asosiasional, dan bahkan telah melanggengkan ketidakadilan sosial.]
Sundanese Sufi Literature and Local Islamic Identity: A Contribution of Haji Hasan Mustapa’s Dangding
Authors: Rohmana Jajang A
Published: October 2013

In many scholarly discussions, the network of Malay-Indonesian ulama has gained important attention as it is maintained as the major element contributing to the process of Islamization in Sunda region (West Java), whereas the articulation of Islam in the lights of the indigenization efforts of Islam is often neglected. The article discusses dangding as one of Sundanese metrical verses by a renown Sundanese poet, Haji Hasan Mustapa (1852-1930). It is argued that dangding of Mustapa demonstrates a type of dialogue between sufism and Sundanese culture. Through his dangding, Mustapa successfully brought Islamic mysticism into Sundanese minds. The main focus of this study is to emphasize the significances of the position of Mustapa’s dangding in the light of network of Islamic scholars in the archipelago and of the contribution of Sundanese mystical dangding to the local literacy traditions and to the making of Sundanese-Islamic identity.[Pendekatan jaringan ulama Melayu-Indonesia selalu mendominasi banyak kajian Islamisasi di wilayah Sunda (Jawa Barat), sementara artikulasi Islam dalam artian pribumisasi Islam di wilayah tersebut kerap kali dikesampingkang. Artikel ini membahas dangding sebagai salah satu bentuk sastra Sunda, khususnya yang ditulis oleh Haji Hasan Mustapa (1852-1930). Penulis berpendapat bahwa dangding tersebut merupakan salah satu ekspresi budaya yang mengakulturasikan tasawuf dalam konteks masyarakat Sunda. Artikel ini mengulas signifikansi dangding yang dikreasi oleh Haji Hasan Mustapa dalam konteks jaringan kesarjanaan muslim di Indonesia dan kontribusi dangding dalam pembentukan identitas Islam Sunda.]
Authentic or Artificial Materials: The
Effects of Material-Types on L2 Motivation
Authors: Shirai Akira
Published: October 2013

This preliminary study sets out to examine the extent to which authentic materials affect
Japanese university students’ classroom motivation, seeking an effective way to teach mixedlevel
language classes at universities. The motivation questionnaires consisting of eight
motivation items as quantitative data and journal entries and learners’ comments in semistructured
interviews as qualitative data were collected and analyzed. The results of null
hypothesis tests on the questionnaires indicate that authentic materials had a significantly more
positive effect on freshmen’s self-reported motivation than artificial textbook materials, but
not on second-year and fourth-year students’. The study also explores the relationship between
enjoyableness and meaningfulness of teaching materials to seek the most effective way of using
authentic materials, and discusses the effects of other possible factors such as activities and
topics. The conclusion suggests that appropriate use of authentic materials, especially enjoyable
ones, can be helpful for university teachers of relatively larger classes of freshmen with mixed
proficiency levels to raise their L2 motivation. The challenges of conducting this research and
suggestions about future studies are also discussed.
Automatic Semantic Facilitation in Anterior Temporal Cortex Revealed through Multimodal Neuroimaging
Authors: Lau Ellen F. , Gramfort Alexandre , Hämäläinen Matti S. , Kuperberg Gina R.
Published: October 2013

A core property of human semantic processing is the rapid, facilitatory influence of prior input on extracting the meaning of what comes next, even under conditions of minimal awareness. Previous work has shown a number of neurophysiological indices of this facilitation, but the mapping between time course and localization—critical for separating automatic semantic facilitation from other mechanisms—has thus far been unclear. In the current study, we used a multimodal imaging approach to isolate early, bottom-up effects of context on semantic memory, acquiring a combination of electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measurements in the same individuals with a masked semantic priming paradigm. Across techniques, the results provide a strikingly convergent picture of early automatic semantic facilitation. Event-related potentials demonstrated early sensitivity to semantic association between 300 and 500 ms; MEG localized the differential neural response within this time window to the left anterior temporal cortex, and fMRI localized the effect more precisely to the left anterior superior temporal gyrus, a region previously implicated in semantic associative processing. However, fMRI diverged from early EEG/MEG measures in revealing semantic enhancement effects within frontal and parietal regions, perhaps reflecting downstream attempts to consciously access the semantic features of the masked prime. Together, these results provide strong evidence that automatic associative semantic facilitation is realized as reduced activity within the left anterior superior temporal cortex between 300 and 500 ms after a word is presented, and emphasize the importance of multimodal neuroimaging approaches in distinguishing the contributions of multiple regions to semantic processing.
Dynamic and Permissive Roles of TRPV1 and TRPV4 Channels for Thermosensation in Mouse Supraoptic Magnocellular Neurosecretory Neurons
Authors: Sudbury Jessica R. , Bourque Charles W.
Published: October 2013

The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and 4 genes (trpv1, trpv4) encode temperature-sensitive cation channels hypothesized to mediate thermoresponses in mammalian cells. Although such channels were shown to participate in the peripheral detection of ambient temperature, the specific roles of these channels in central thermosensory neurons remain unclear. Here we report that the membrane potential and excitability of mouse magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs) maintained at physiological temperature were lowered in an additive manner upon pharmacological blockade, or genetic deletion, oftrpv1andtrpv4. However extracellular recordings from spontaneously active MNCsin situshowed that blockade or genetic deletion oftrpv4does not interfere with thermally induced changes in action potential firing, whereas loss oftrpv1abolished this phenotype. These findings indicate that channels encoded bytrpv4play a permissive role that contributes to basal electrical activity, but thattrpv1plays a dynamic role that is required for physiological thermosensation by MNCs.