bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Religious affiliations and masculine power in Jordanian wedding invitation genre
Authors: Al-Ali Mohammed Nahar
Published: November 2006

The present study examines through a genre and critical discourse analysis a total of 200 Arabic written wedding invitations in terms of their component patterns, and the role played by the broader socio-cultural norms and values in shaping this genre. It draws on two analytic frameworks from discourse: genre analysis, and critical discourse analysis (CDA). CDA has exposed at least two interrelated aspects of culture - religion and masculine authority - that have a fundamental effect on the organizational details of this communicative event, and a detailed genre analysis has identified eight generic components that are ritually drawn upon in the process of wedding invitation production. CDA results have shown how religious affiliation and masculine kinship authority not only construct and shape text component selection but also color the lexical choices and naming practices. I hope that the results of this study will be of help in further understanding the socio-cultural aspects that constrain the communicative behavior of the target language speakers, and in providing cross-cultural contrast in intercultural communication.
The dynamics of power and resistance in police interview discourse
Authors: Haworth Kate
Published: November 2006

This is a study of police interviewing using an integrated approach, drawing on conversation analysis (CA), critical discourse analysis (CDA) and pragmatics. The study focuses on the balance of power and control, finding that in particular the institutional status of the participants, the discursive roles assigned to them by the context, and their relative knowledge, are significant factors affecting the dynamics of the discourse. Four discursive features are identified as particularly significant, and a detailed analysis of the complex interplay of these features shows that power and control are constantly under negotiation, and are always open to challenge and resistance. Further it is shown that discursive dominance is not necessarily advantageous to participants, due to the specific goals and purposes of the police interview context. A wider consideration of the context illustrates the contribution that linguistics can make to the use of police interview data as evidence in the UK criminal justice system.
Vicarious Function of Remote Cortex following Stroke: Recent Evidence from Human and Animal Studies
Authors: Dancause Numa
Published: November 2006

Following a lesion, the adult central nervous system undergoes dramatic structural and physiological reorganization in diverse subcortical and cortical areas. Our knowledge of the events that parallel recovery within the tissue surrounding the lesion and other distant cortical areas has evolved greatly in the past few years. Particularly, recent efforts have increased our understanding of the potential implication of premotor areas in recovery from lesions disturbing the primary motor cortex (M1) and its corticospinal outputs. Because these areas share extensive connections with M1 and have direct access to the spinal cord through corticospinal projections, they are particularly well positioned to take over the role of M1 in a vicarious manner and thus compensate for the neuronal loss resulting from M1 lesions. The impressive postlesional reorganization known to occur in many areas of the CNS including the premotor cortex traditionally has been assumed to play a beneficial role in recovery. However, recent experiments suggest that in some cases, reorganization of distant cortical areas correlates with poor recovery, raising the concept of maladaptive vicarious process. This concept might be particularly critical in the development of new treatment approaches favoring postlesion plasticity and even more so for interventions targeting specific area(s). Here, the author reviews human and animal studies that show the plastic potential of the adult CNS after stroke, highlighting the vicarious role of the premotor cortex in the recovery of motor control.
The Timing of Neuronal Development in Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis
Authors: Piatti Verónica C. , Espósito M. Soledad , Schinder Alejandro F.
Published: November 2006

The granule cell layer (GCL) of the adult dentate gyrus (DG) is a heterogeneous structure formed by neurons of different ages because a significant proportion of neurons continues to be generated throughout life. The subgranular zone of the DG contains neural progenitor cells (NPCs) that divide, differentiate, and migrate to produce functional dentate granule cells (DGCs) that become incorporated into the existing hippocampal circuitry. New available tools to identify adult-born neurons in live and fixed brain sections have allowed the transition from NPC to functional neuron to be characterized in great detail. Maturation of the neuronal phenotype includes changes in membrane excitability and morphology as well as the establishment of appropriate connectivity within the existing circuits, a process that lasts several weeks. The events leading to neuronal maturation share many of the features of the developing brain, and electrical activity is emerging as a key modulator of neuronal development in the adult DG. The underlying mechanisms are now beginning to be understood.
The Role of Sleep in Memory Consolidation and Brain Plasticity: Dream or Reality?
Authors: Frank Marcos G. , Benington Joel H.
Published: November 2006

The notion that a good night of sleep improves memory is widely accepted by the general public. Among sleep scientists, however, the idea has been hotly debated for decades. In this review, the authors consider current evidence for and against the hypothesis that sleep facilitates memory consolidation and promotes plastic changes in the brain. They find that despite a steady accumulation of positive findings over the past decade, the precise role of sleep in memory and brain plasticity remains elusive. This impasse may be resolved by more integrated approaches that combine behavioral and neurophysiological measurements in well-described in vivo models of synaptic plasticity.
The power of numbers in strategizing
Authors: Denis Jean-Louis , Langley Ann , Rouleau Linda
Published: November 2006

This article draws on a detailed case study of a complex decision process in a public healthcare system to consider the role and potential power of numbers in strategizing. Because of their association with precision and accuracy, numbers may seem at first sight to be unlikely tools for decision making in contexts characterized by ambiguous goals and diffuse authority.Yet in the case described in this article, managers successfully mobilized a system of numbers to make an extremely controversial strategic decision.The empirical study examines in depth the micro-practices and processes by which the objectivity and legitimacy of a transparently contestable system of numbers were socially constructed in a public forum. By developing a system whose results mapped on to dominant values and interests, by displaying transparency, consistency and competence in defence of the system, and by organizing the decision process in a way that disempowered adversaries, the pro tagonists in the case were able to infuse a difficult decision with positive value. It is concluded that the power of numbers lies in their ability to fill the strategic void created by pluralism.Though contested, numbers can under certain conditions come to acquire and provide authority in organizations where power is diffuse.This is most likely when the number systems enable the reconciliation of diverse values and interests, when they are embedded in shared systems of meaning, and when they are coupled with and activated by particular micro-practices that support the legitimacy of their promoters as disinterested advocates for the collective good.
Priorities, practices and strategies in successful and failing family businesses: an elaboration and test of the configuration perspective
Authors: Miller Danny , Le Breton-Miller Isabelle
Published: November 2006

Scholars from the configuration school have suggested that businesses do well only when they are well-configured. Specifically, they have argued that businesses must first, match organizational priorities and practices to their chosen strategy; second, strike an appropriate balance so that no priority reaches dangerous extremes; and third, avoid gaps in priorities and practices that might be associated with such extremes.We will argue that these tenets have not yet been developed or explored in a sufficiently broad and systematic way. Using a conceptual framework developed by Miller and Le Breton-Miller (2005), this research undertakes to do that in order to assess the relevance of the configurational view in the context of large successful and failing family businesses.
Dietary patterns and associated lifestyles in individuals with and without familial history of obesity: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Paradis Ann-Marie , Pérusse Louis , Vohl Marie-Claude
Published: November 2006

Background

Familial history of obesity (FHO) and certain dietary habits are risk factors for obesity. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were 1) to derive dietary patterns using factor analysis in a population of men and women with and without FHO; 2) to compare mean factor scores for each dietary pattern between individuals with and without FHO; and 3) to examine the association between these patterns and anthropometric, lifestyle and sociodemographic variables.

Methods

A total of 197 women and 129 men with a body mass index <30 kg/m2 were recruited. A positive FHO (FHO+) was defined as having at least one obese first-degree relative and a negative FHO (FHO-) as no obese first-degree relative. Dietary data were collected from a food frequency questionnaire. Factor analysis was performed to derive dietary patterns. Mean factor scores were compared using general linear model among men and women according to FHO. Regression analyses were performed to study the relationship between anthropometric, lifestyle and sociodemographic variables, and each dietary pattern.

Results

Two dietary patterns were identified in both men and women : the Western pattern characterized by a higher consumption of red meats, poultry, processed meats, refined grains as well as desserts, and the Prudent pattern characterized by greater intakes of vegetables, fruits, non-hydrogenated fat, and fish and seafood. Similar Western and Prudent factor scores were observed in individual with and without FHO. In men with FHO+, the Western pattern is negatively associated with age and positively associated with physical activity, smoking, and personal income. In women with FHO-, the Prudent pattern is negatively associated with BMI and smoking and these pattern is positively associated with age and physical activity.

Conclusion

Two dietary patterns have been identified among men and women with and without FHO. Although that FHO does not seem to influence the adherence to dietary patterns, results of this study suggest that anthropometric, lifestyle and sociodemographic variables associated with dietary patterns differ according to FHO and gender.
Suture midface suspension
Authors: Ugurbas Suat H , Goldberg Robert A , McCann John D , Shorr Norman , Murthy Rachna , Ben Simon Guy J
Published: November 2006

Objective

To describe a simple and effective facelift technique useful as an adjunct to other oculoplastic procedures

Methods

Retrospective, non-comparative case series. Thirty five patients undergoing suture midface suspension from 1998 to 2000. Suspension sutures were passed from the nasolabial fold to the temporalis fascia to elevate the midface and the corner of the mouth.

Results

A satisfactory and stable outcome is obtained in 2 years of follow up.

Conclusion

Suture midface suspension is a safe and effective technique for the management of midface descent.
Protein kinase C activity is required for cytotoxic T cell lytic granule exocytosis, but the θ isoform does not play a preferential role
Authors: Grybko Michael J , Pores-Fernando Arun T , Wurth Georjeana A , Zweifach Adam
Published: November 2006

CTLs kill virus-infected, tumor, and transplanted targets via secretion of lytic agents including perforin and granzymes. Knowledge of the signals controlling this important process remains vague. We have tested the idea that protein kinase C (PKC)θ, a member of the novel PKC (nPKC) family, which has been shown to play a preferential role in critical Th cell functions, plays a similar, preferential role in CTL lytic granule exocytosis using T acute lymphoblastic leukemia-104 (TALL-104) human leukemic CTLs as a model. We provide evidence consistent with the idea that PKC activity is important for the degranulation step of lytic granule exocytosis, as opposed to upstream events. In contrast with previous work, our results with pharmacological agents suggest that conventional PKCs (cPKCs) and nPKCs may participate. Our results suggest that stimulation with soluble agents that bypass the TCR and trigger granule exocytosis activates PKCα and PKCθ, which can both accumulate at the site of contact with a target cell, although PKCθ did so more often. Finally, using a novel assay that detects granule exocytosis specifically in transfected, viable cells, we find that overexpression of constitutively active mutants of PKCα or PKCθ can synergize with increases in intracellular [Ca2+] to promote granule exocytosis. Taken together, our results lend support for the idea that PKCθ does not play a preferential role in CTL granule exocytosis.
Music therapy for in-patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Talwar Nakul , Crawford Mike J. , Maratos Anna , Nur Ula , McDermott Orii , Procter Simon
Published: November 2006

Background

Music therapy may provide a means of improving mental health among people
with schizophrenia, but its effects in acute psychoses have not been
explored.

Aims

To examine the feasibility of a randomised trial of music therapy for
in-patients with schizophrenia, and explore its effects on mental
health.

Method

Up to 12 weeks of individual music therapy plus standard care were
compared with standard care alone. Masked assessments of mental health,
global functioning and satisfaction with care were conducted at 3
months.

Results

Of 115 eligible patients 81 (70%) were randomised. Two-thirds of those
randomised to music therapy attended at least four sessions (median
attendance, eight sessions). Multivariate analysis demonstrated a trend
towards improved symptom scores among those randomised to music therapy,
especially in general symptoms of schizophrenia.

Conclusions

A randomised trial of music therapy for in-patients with schizophrenia is
feasible. The effects and cost-effectiveness of music therapy for acute
psychosis should be further explored in an explanatory randomised
trial.
Outcome and prognostic factors for adolescent female in-patients
with anorexia nervosa: 9- to 4-year follow-up
Authors: Hjern Anders , Lindberg Lene , Lindblad Frank
Published: November 2006

Background

Earlier studies have indicated poor long-term outcomes for patients with
anorexia nervosa.

Aims

To study health and social outcomes of adolescent in-patients with
anorexia nervosa in relation to prognostic factors.

Method

A register study based on socio-economic and health data was conducted
for a national cohort of female residents in Sweden born between 1968 and
1977, including 748 in-patients with anorexia nervosa.

Results

At follow-up 9–14 years after hospital admission, 8.7% of patients with
anorexia nervosa had persistent psychiatric health problems demanding
hospital care and 21.4% were dependent on society for their main income;
the stratified relative risks were 5.8 (95% CI 4.7–7.6) and 2.6 (2.3–3.0)
respectively compared with the general female population. The mortality
rate for patients with anorexia nervosa was 1.2% and the stratified risk
ratio for maternity was 0.6 (95% CI 0.5–0.7). Long duration of hospital
care and psychiatric comorbidity were predictors of persistent
psychiatric problems and financial dependency on society.

Conclusions

The outcome in this cohort of adolescent in-patients with anorexia
nervosa was considerably better than that reported in previous
studies.
Parturition Itself Is the Basis for Fetal Adrenal Involution
Authors: Ben-David Shlomit , Zuckerman-Levin Nehama , Epelman Monica , Shen-Orr Zila , Levin Moshe , Sujov Polo , Hochberg Ze’ev
Published: November 2006

Context: Newborn infants show a postnatal decline in androgen levels as the fetal adrenal glands involute.

Hypothesis: Placental factors up-regulate dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) generation. Hence, regardless of age, parturition will result in fetal adrenal involution and decline in DHEA-S levels.

Subjects and Methods: Premature neonates (n = 30) with gestational age 26–35 wk were studied. Adrenal volume by ultrasonography and serum DHEA-S, cortisol, and androstendione levels were followed weekly between d 1 and 28 of life.

Results: Serum DHEA-S was high on d 1 of life, declining rapidly regardless of gestational age during the first week of life (P < 0.001), and serum androstenedione and cortisol levels followed a similar pattern. Androstenedione levels showed a rise as of d 21 of life in boys but not in girls. The adrenals decreased in ultrasonographic volume from d 1 to 14 of life (P < 0.001), regardless of gestational age.

Conclusions: Involution of the adrenal is faster than previously reported and, regardless of gestational age, occurs within the first week of life in terms of hormone secretion and within 2 wk in adrenal size. Involution involves a decline in DHEA-S but also in androstenedione and cortisol secretion, with a change in enzymatic activity. Males and females differ in their androstenedione levels and enzymatic activity. Parturition itself is the basis for fetal adrenal involution, supporting a key role for placental factors in maintaining the fetal adrenal and generating adrenal androgens.
Re-programming of newt cardiomyocytes is induced by tissue regeneration
Authors: Laube Friedemann , Heister Matthias , Scholz Christian , Borchardt Thilo , Braun Thomas
Published: November 2006

Newt hearts are able to repair substantial cardiac injuries without functional impairment, whereas mammalian hearts cannot regenerate. The cellular and molecular mechanisms that control the regenerative capacity of the newt heart are unknown. Here, we show that the ability of newt cardiomyocytes to regenerate cardiac injuries correlates with their ability to transdifferentiate into different cell types. Mechanical injury of the heart led to a severe reduction of sarcomeric proteins in the myocardium, indicating a partial de-differentiation of adult newt cardiomyocytes during regeneration. Newt cardiomyocytes implanted into regenerating limbs lost their cardiac phenotype and acquired skeletal muscle or chondrocyte fates. Reprogramming of cardiomyocytes depended on contact with the limb blastema because cardiomyocytes implanted into intact, non-regenerating limbs or cultured in vitro retained their original identity. We reason that signals from the limb blastema led to de-differentiation of cardiomyocytes, cell proliferation and re-differentiation into specialized cells and propose that the ability of cardiomyocytes to transdifferentiate into different cell types reflects the cellular program that enables heart regeneration.
Pom1 kinase links division plane position to cell polarity by regulating Mid1p cortical distribution
Authors: Celton-Morizur Séverine , Racine Victor , Sibarita Jean-Baptiste , Paoletti Anne
Published: November 2006

In fission yeast, Mid1p, a major determinant for division plane position, defines a medial cortical compartment where it recruits myosin II at the onset of mitosis to initiate contractile ring assembly. How Mid1p is restricted to the medial cortex is unknown. We report here that in a pom1 polarity mutant, which displays a monopolar growth pattern, Mid1p distribution expands towards the non-growing cell tip, uncoupling Mid1p localization from nuclear position. This accounts for the displacement of the contractile ring during mitosis. By contrast, Mid1p localization is normal in a bud6Δ strain, indicating that Mid1p misdistribution is not a general consequence of monopolar growth. We conclude that Pom1 kinase acts as a negative regulator of Mid1p distribution, excluding Mid1p from non-growing ends, whereas a Pom1-independent mechanism prevents Mid1p association with growing ends. Our work therefore provides evidence that cell polarity regulators influence the distribution of Mid1p, linking division plane position to cell polarity.
Breaking the Silence: Power, Conflict, and Contested Frames within an Affluent High School
Authors: Howard Adam
Published: November 2006

This article examines an incident between male student athletes within a locker room at a private school. The reaction of many in this school community to this incident reveals that “hazing” rituals were normally ignored or condoned by many of the parents, coaches, administrators, and teachers who were aware of them. These attitudes changed when the incident was formally brought to the attention of the larger, public audience of the community. We analyze conflicting framings of this incident, exploring how a “joke” in the private space of the locker room became a case of “sexual harassment” in the public arena of the school, and how subsequent conflicts emerged and were resolved. We examine the reasons why different individuals and constituencies had different ways of framing the event, and how this incident can be framed as “hazing,”“joking,” or a liminoid rite of initiation into an affluent high school's football team.
Honoring Our Own: Rethinking Indigenous Languages and Literacy
Authors: Romero‐Little Mary Eunice
Published: November 2006

Today Indigenous peoples worldwide are deconstructing Western paradigms, including the classic constructs of literacy connected to alphabet systems, and articulating and constructing their own distinct paradigms based on Indigenous epistemologies and rooted in self‐determination and social justice. A vital aspect of these efforts is the “rethinking of our thinking” and a reexamination of our priorities as a means for reconstituting, reproducing, and validating our own intellectual traditions and cultural knowledge and processes.
Modified carbon nanotubes as broadband optical limiting nanomaterials
Authors: Chin Kok Chung , Gohel Amarsinh , Elim Hendry Izaac , Chen Weizhe , Ji Wei , Chong Ghee Lee , Sow Chorng Haur , Wee Andrew T.S.
Published: November 2006

Carbon nanotubes have been shown to be effective broadband optical limiters for nanosecond laser pulses. In this paper, we review the recent developments of carbon nanotube-based optical limiters, in particular the effects of modifying carbon nanotubes for device applications. The techniques used to modify carbon nanotubes mainly include thin film coating, doping, and blending with optical absorbing dye. These modifications can greatly enhance the optical limiting performance of carbon nanotubes, with the goal of fabricating an optimal optical limiter system.
Fabrication and magnetic behavior of Co/Cu multilayered nanowires
Authors: Tan Liwen , Stadler Bethanie J.H.
Published: November 2006

Multilayered Co/Cu nanowires were fabricated using anodic alumina templates, containing 40-nm-diameter nanopores, and electrochemical deposition. The Cu layer thickness was varied to study the resulting differences in coercivity and magnetization reversal. Magnetization versus field loops both parallel and perpendicular to an applied field were measured to investigate the mechanisms of magnetization reversal. It was found that the coercivity decreased with increasing Cu thickness. In addition, the magnetization reversal appeared to be a combination of rotation and spin flipping, which was dependent on the Cu thickness and on the angle of the nanowires with the applied field.
Effect of growth conditions on the composition and structure of Si1−xGex nanowires grown by vapor–liquid–solid growth
Authors: Lew Kok-Keong , Pan Ling , Dickey Elizabeth C. , Redwing Joan M.
Published: November 2006

The effect of growth conditions on the composition and structure of Si1−xGex nanowires grown by the vapor–liquid–solid method using gaseous precursors (SiH4 and GeH4) was investigated. Transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the structural properties and elemental composition of the nanowires. At higher growth temperatures (>425 °C), Ge thin film deposition on the nanowire surface resulted in Au loss during growth and the formation of tapered structures. By simultaneously reducing the growth temperature from 425 to 325 °C to suppress the rate of Ge film deposition and increasing the GeH4/(GeH4 + SiH4) gas ratio, Si1−xGex nanowires were produced with Ge fractions spanning the entire composition range. The Ge fraction follows that predicted from the elemental nanowire growth rates in the Ge-rich (x > 0.5) regime, but deviates to higher Ge fractions in Si-rich (x < 0.5) nanowires. A mechanism was proposed whereby surface diffusion provides an additional pathway to Ge incorporation in Si-rich Si1−xGex nanowires.
Transparent-conducting, gas-sensing nanostructures (nanotubes, nanowires, and thin films) of titanium oxide synthesized at near-ambient conditions
Authors: Shyue Jing-Jong , Cochran Rebecca E. , Padture Nitin P.
Published: November 2006

A template-based, electroless wet-chemical method for synthesis of nanotubes and nanowires of nanocrystalline anatase titanium oxide (titania) at 45 °C is reported. Single-nanowire electrical property measurements reveal low dc resistivities (7–21 × 10−4 Ω cm) in these titania nanowires. In the presence of 1000 parts per million of CO gas at 100 °C, the resistivity is found to increase reversibly, indicating low-temperature gas-sensing capability in these titania nanowires. Thin films of nanocrystalline anatase titania, deposited using a similar wet-chemical method, also have low room-temperature dc resistivities (6–8 × 10−3 Ω cm), and they are transparent to visible light. Nanostructure-properties relations, together with possible electrical conduction, optical absorption, and gas-sensing mechanisms, are discussed. The ability to fashion transparent-conducting and gas-sensing nanocrystalline anatase titania into nanotubes/nanowires and thin films at near-ambient conditions could open a wider field of applications for titania, including nanoelectronics, chemical sensing, solar cells, large-area windows and displays, invisible security circuits, and incorporation of biomolecules and temperature-sensitive moieties.
Inorganic nanotubes and fullerene-like nanoparticles
Authors: Tenne R.
Published: November 2006

We have proposed in 1992 that nanoparticles of layered compounds will be unstable against folding and close into fullerene-like structures and nanotubes (IF). Nanotubes and fullerene-like structures were prepared from numerous compounds with layered and recently also non-layered structure by various groups. Much progress has been achieved in the synthesis of inorganic nanotubes and fullerene-like nanoparticles of WS2 and MoS2 and many other metal dichalcogenides over the last few years. Substantial progress has been accomplished in the use of such nanoparticles for tribological applications and lately for impact resilient nanocomposites. These tests indicated that IF-MoS2 and IF-WS2 are heading for large scale applications in the automotive, machining, aerospace, electronics, defense, medical and numerous other kinds of industries. A few products based on these nanoparticles have been recently commercialized by “ApNano Materials, Inc”. Novel applications of inorganic nanotubes and fullerene-like nanoparticles in the fields of catalysis; microelectronics; Li rechargeable batteries; medical and opto-electronics will be discussed.
Geoinspired synthetic chrysotile nanotubes
Authors: Roveri N. , Falini G. , Foresti E. , Fracasso G. , Lesci I.G. , Sabatino P.
Published: November 2006

Since the 1991 discovery of hollow cylindrical carbon-based unidimensional structures, the nanotubular form of matter has been thoroughly investigated leading to a wealth of literature. Their particular features are not limited to graphite but are common in many inorganic highly anisotropic two-dimensional layered compounds. The first non-mineral inorganic nanotubes, constituted of lamellar molybdenum and tungsten disulfides, were synthesized in 1992. Afterwards, a large number of inorganic nanotubes have been synthesized, opening the path to the development of nanoelectronics, due to their dielectric properties. The unique mineral phase that crystallizes with a tubular morphology is chrysotile, which has been tentatively used to prepare ultra-thin wires by filling its hollow nanodimensional core with a conductive material. To overcome its natural heterogeneity in composition, morphology, and structure, synthetic chrysotile-inspired nanotubes have been recently synthesized. These geoinspired nanotubes can be prepared with specific properties, finalized to focused achievements such as preparation of new quantum wires. The existing knowledge on the structural and physicochemical properties of mineral and synthetic chrysotile nanotubes is reviewed, with the aim of emphasizing their potential applications as nonlinear optical and conducting technological devices. Bibliography encompasses over one hundred references.
Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of iron-oxide nanowires
Authors: Pregelj Matej , Umek Polona , Drolc Boštjan , Jančar Boštjan , Jagličič Zvonko , Dominko Robert , Arčon Denis
Published: November 2006

Iron-oxide nanowires were synthesized by a hydrothermal treatment of Fe(OH)3 dispersion in NaOH. The obtained materials were first structurally investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. Their magnetic properties were then examined by superconducting quantum interference device and electron paramagnetic resonance methods. A typical nanowire measured 10–15 nm in diameter and 600 nm in length. All the structural and magnetic investigations were consistent with the nanowire goethite structure. The nanowire Neél transition temperature occurred at 375 K; i.e., it was lowered by 25 K with respect to the corresponding goethite bulk value. The shift in the ordering temperature was suggested to be a consequence of a growing importance of strains and surface effects at the nanoscale. We were also able to irreversibly convert goethite nanowires into hematite, by warming the sample to temperatures exceeding 530 K.
Hybrid carbon nanotubes: Strategy, progress, and perspectives
Authors: Monthioux M. , Flahaut E. , Cleuziou J-P.
Published: November 2006

We introduce the concept of meta-nanotubes, among which are hybrid carbon nanotubes (X@CNTs), which are CNTs whose hollow core is filled—fully or partially—with foreign atoms, molecules, or compounds. The article focuses on the latter, describing their potential interest and the various ways currently available to synthesize them, while providing examples of the resulting materials mainly taken from the author’s works but also from literature, as characterized by means of high-resolution microscopy and related techniques. We discuss advantages and drawbacks of the various synthesis routes to help willing scientists and engineers to define a strategy for X@CNT synthesis with respect to their specific goals and expectations. Some examples of peculiar properties and behaviors of X@CNTs will be provided as well, although such related investigations are still scarcely reported because we are dealing with quite new nanomaterials.
Dominators or Dominated? Muslim Traders in South Western India
Authors: Rao Nagendra
Published: November 2006

This article examines how, during the pre-Portuguese period, Muslim merchants dominated trading activities in South Western India, and played a significant role in polity, economy and society of the region. These Muslims traders obtained support from the local ruling families. With the emergence of the Portuguese, however, the dominant position of the Muslims changed significantly. Portuguese domination, particularly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, contributed to the relative decline of Muslim economic and political authority in South Western India.
Knowing There Is No God, Still We Should Not Play God? Habermas on the Future of Human Nature
Authors: Song Robert
Published: November 2006

Jürgen Habermas’s recent critique of human genetic enhancements reaches similar conclusions to many Christian theological analyses of genetic technologies. However, his use of categories drawn from his general theory of communicative action fails to justify central distinctions such as those between the natural and the artificial, and between environmental and genetic enhancements. In fact he holds much in common with the more libertarian approach of ‘liberal eugenics’ which he rightly rejects: this is traced to the deficient account of nature and the body which they both share. By contrast Christian theology, by drawing out the significance of the goodness of creation, offers an alternative narration of the distinctions which places them in the context of a theology of the body of Christ.
Preservation by ‘Letting Go’
Authors: Ahern Annette
Published: November 2006

Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism contain rich teaching and motivational resources that pertain directly to the struggle for environmental justice in this age of what Engaged Buddhist leader Sulak Sivaraksa identifies as global militaristic capitalism. Guided by the work of ecofeminist theologian Rosemary Ruether and Buddhist scholar Rita Gross, this paper explores meanings and symbols within Judaism, Christianity, and Buddhism that promote environmental values and practice. The paper begins with an overview of Ruether’s interpretation of the covenantal and sacramental traditions in Judaism and Christianity (1992 and 2000) followed by a close look at the dialogue between Gross and Ruether (2001) in which the relevance of the Buddhist teachings concerning impermanence (anicca) and interdependence for the environmental movement is unfolded. This article concludes by articulating a different interpretive strategy for accessing the Christian community than that provided by Ruether while at the same time building on her work.
Globalization and Sustainability
Authors: Witoszek Nina
Published: November 2006

At the core of this contribution are two questions: 1) Is the vision of sustainable development not just ethically justified and economically viable—but captivating enough to clean poisoned wells and restore the structures of the mind? 2) Is the current religious revival in non-European countries a possible ally—or adversary—of positive globalization?
The argument is that among the greatest obstacles to the endeavour of sustainable development is human attraction to stories of excess, profusion, decadence, a sense of ending or shock. People are compelled by the myths of transgression, irreverence, and the hedonist greatness and glory in the same way that they are not drawn to the penitential story of renewable resources, equal distribution. Economic reason and democratic Geist—have either devalued or suppressed human desire for transcendence or muddled values. Those who attempt to renew the environmental narrative through the romance with Eastern spirituality or via the alterglobalist protest are often either unwitting allies of neoliberal order or lack any coherent plan or vision of the future. The much flaunted ‘postmodern’ mindset is of little use, since it has celebrated the lack of assurance and conviction, and thus launched a quixotic project of founding the social and cultural values on the lack of foundations themselves.
The suggestion is that the search for the solid ground should start, not just from reclaiming the commons but, first of all, from reclaiming the humanist project, which has been lost by Western civilization.
Environmental Justice and the Economy
Authors: Deane-Drummond Celia
Published: November 2006

This article presents the case for a Christian understanding of justice as one that is inclusive of environmental issues. I concentrate, in particular, on economic market practices that serve to exacerbate environmental harms. Justice has commonly been considered in the first place as a value principle that is more often than not confined to the human community. I argue in the second place for the relevance of a Christian understanding of the virtues, incorporating the classic tradition of justice understood as a virtue alongside prudence and temperance. The first, principled approach, opens up the possibility of a critical discussion of Rawls’ theory of justice in relation to the concerns of environmental justice movements and the need for further broadening out into ecological justice. The second, virtue approach, opens up the need to take into account Christian concern for the poor and mediating economic strategies that demonstrate how the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice and temperance can, together, be expressed in practical terms prior to more radical and more idealistic revisions in the global economy.
Atmospheres of Synergy
Authors: Bergmann Sigurd
Published: November 2006

This essay moves the theme of space, place and surrounding from the margins to the centre of Religious Studies/Theology and Environmental Science. After a survey of diverse concepts of space in science, religion and environmentalism, which challenge scholars to explore the ‘trialectics’ of religion at a deeper level, it proceeds to a detailed presentation and discussion of three elaborated approaches in phenomenology, aesth/ethics and anthropology. After having drawn together the three and related them to the study of religion and environment, the third section proposes a reformulation of the agenda of science with regard to nature, religion and Europe. In conclusion, a pneumatological miniature will suggest a direction for further Christian reflection concerning the salvation of Creation, in synergy with the Spirit of Space.
Environmental Philosophy in Christianity and Buddhism
Authors: Melin Anders
Published: November 2006

Questions concerning the human–nature relationship have received attention both within contemporary Christianity and Buddhism. Since the twentieth century an interesting and fruitful dialogue has been going on between the two religions. This article describes and discusses possible themes for a Buddhist–Christian dialogue on issues of environmental philosophy. The theoretical starting-point is the belief that Christianity and Buddhism are not static and unchanging entities, but open to learning from each other.
Modeling Water‐Stressed Cotton Growth Using Within‐Season Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Ko Jonghan , Maas Stephan J. , Mauget Steve , Piccinni Giovanni , Wanjura Don
Published: November 2006

Remotely sensed crop reflectance data can be used to simulate crop growth using within‐season calibration. A model based on GRAMI, previously modified to simulate cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth, was revised and tested to simulate leaf area development and to estimate lint yield of water‐stressed cotton. To verify the model, cotton field data, such as leaf area index (LAI), lint yield, and remotely sensed vegetation indices (VI), were obtained from an experimental field treated with various irrigation levels at the Plant Stress and Water Conservation Laboratory at Lubbock, Texas from 2002 to 2004. The model was validated using field data obtained separately from verification data at the same location in 2005. A hand‐held multispectral radiometer with 16 spectral bands was used to measure reflectance. Five VI designs of interest were evaluated and used as input values for within‐season calibration of the model. Simulated VI and LAI were in agreement with the measured VI and LAI, with r2 values from 0.96 to 0.97 and RMSE values from 0.02 to 0.24 in validation. Simulated lint yields were in agreement with measured lint yields, with r2 values from 0.63 to 0.67 and RMSE values from 28.3 to 100.0. The model was not very sensitive to the higher irrigation treatments in reproducing lint yield. We believe that validation with more data sets can deal with this matter. The VI worked equally well in reproducing measured cotton growth when they were used for within‐season calibration. The results of this calibration scheme suggest that remote sensing data could be used to adjust modeled cotton growth for various water‐stressed conditions.
Effect of Planting Date, Mepiquat Chloride, and Glyphosate Application to Glyphosate‐Resistant Cotton
Authors: Nuti Russell C. , Viator Ryan P. , Casteel Shaun N. , Edmisten Keith L. , Wells Randy
Published: November 2006

Management decisions and common misapplication of glyphosate may impact fruiting of glyphosate‐resistant (GR) cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Experiments were conducted to determine if planting date affected the ability of GR cotton to compensate for fruit loss after misapplication of glyphosate and to evaluate mepiquat chloride's (MC) contribution to fruiting. Field studies were conducted in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, from 2001 to 2003. Treatments included optimum and late planting and a series of five glyphosate, 0.84 kg a.e. (acid equivalent) ha−1, treatments representing recommended and common misapplication timings including a control. The 10 planting date and glyphosate combinations were factored across treatments of MC and no‐MC as needed according to growing conditions in 2001 and 2002. All plots were treated with MC in 2003. Optimal‐planted cotton produced more than late‐planted cotton. Yield was reduced in optimal‐planted cotton in 2001 and late‐planted cotton in 2001 and 2002 when glyphosate contacted plants after the four‐leaf stage. Misapplication of gyphosate did not affect yield in 2003. Yield was improved with MC by 11% in 2001. Bolls were at higher nodes in late‐planted cotton and cotton not treated with MC. Glyphosate contact after the four‐leaf stage in 2001 and 2002 shifted the fruitload above Node 10. Late planting of cotton decreases opportunities for fruiting compensation when glyphosate reduced early boll retention. Results support previous research showing application methods that allow glyphosate contact to GR cotton plants after the four‐leaf stage increase risk of yield reduction regardless of planting date.
Remote Sensing of Nitrogen Stress in Creeping Bentgrass
Authors: Kruse Jason K. , Christians Nick E. , Chaplin Michael H.
Published: November 2006

Development of a remote sensing system that can reliably identify nutrient deficiencies may reduce time spent sampling turfgrass areas and allow for site‐specific applications of fertilizers. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the use of a ground‐based remote sensing system and partial least‐squares (PLS) regression to predict the N concentration, biomass production, chlorophyll content, and visual quality of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L. ‘Penncross’) growing under varying N rates, and to compare PLS regression to other vegetative indices. The study consisted of three N treatments (0.0, 12.2, and 24.4 kg ha−1 15 d−1) arranged in a randomized complete block design. Spectral radiance measurements were obtained from plots using a fiber‐optic spectrometer to calculate vegetative indices. The PLS regression analysis yielded a strong relationship between actual and predicted N concentration of creeping bentgrass plant tissue during 2002 and 2003 (r2 = 0.95 and 0.71 respectively). However, PLS regression failed to produce a prediction for the chlorophyll concentration. Regressing the normalized vegetation index (NDVI), Stress1 (R706/R760), and Stress2 (R706/R813) ratios against N concentration yielded better results in 2003 when there were distinct differences in N concentration between the N rates. These results indicate that the traditional vegetation indices like NDVI might be better suited for determining the relative N status of turfgrass plants when compared against a well‐fertilized control. More research will be required to determine if the PLS regression analysis produces prediction models that are able to specifically identify a particular nutrient deficiency or plant stress, and how the results will vary between grass species.
Evaluation of Rhizoma Peanut Genotypes for Adaptation in Texas
Authors: Butler Twain J. , Ocumpaugh William R. , Sanderson Matt A. , Reed Rod L. , Muir James P.
Published: November 2006

Rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.) is a warm‐season perennial forage legume adapted to the extreme southern USA. The objectives of this study were to compare the establishment rate and overall adaptation of ‘Florigraze’, ‘Arbrook’, PI 262819, and PI 262821 rhizoma peanut in south and north‐central Texas. Two separate field experiments were initiated to evaluate establishment rate and adaptation of rhizoma peanut. In the first experiment, the rate of establishment was documented by measuring shoot appearance in parallel zones equidistant from the original planting. In the second experiment, shoot spread (distance to farthest shoots) was measured 26 mo after planting and dry matter (DM) yield was estimated 1, 2, and 4 yr after planting in south Texas. In 1991, a dry year, PI 262819 had a greater number of total shoots in June and shoots in the zone farthest from the original planting in June and September compared with other genotypes. In 1992, Florigraze, PI 262819, and PI 262821 did not differ from each other in total shoot counts or counts within each zone; however, all were superior to Arbrook. In the second experiment, spread was greatest among genotypes for PI 262821 in south Texas, and for PI 262819 in north‐central Texas. Total DM yield in south Texas was greatest for Arbrook the first season after planting; however, there were no differences in yield between genotypes in subsequent years. Rate of establishment and adaptation of PI 262819 and PI 262821 were equal to or better than Florigraze and Arbrook in both south and north‐central Texas.
Anterograde Axonal Tract Tracing
Authors: Raju Dinesh V. , Smith Yoland
Published: November 2006

The mammalian brain contains a myriad of interconnected regions. An examination of the complex circuitry of these areas requires sensitive neuroanatomical tract tracing techniques. The anterograde tracers,Phaseolus vulgarisleucoagglutinin (PHA‐L) and biotinylated dextran amines (BDA) are powerful tools that can be used to label fiber tracts that project from one particular brain region. When injected iontophoretically, PHA‐L and BDA are readily taken up by neurons and transported anterogradely along their axonal tracts. Combined with immunocytochemistry for neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and receptors, tract tracing methods may be used to elucidate the phenotype of synapses that form the microcircuitry of specific neural systems.
Production and Titration of Lentiviral Vectors
Authors: Salmon Patrick , Trono Didier
Published: November 2006

Lentiviral vectors have emerged over the last decade as powerful, reliable and safe tools for stable gene transfer in a wide variety of mammalian cells. Unlike other vectors derived from oncoretroviruses, they allow for stable gene delivery into most nondividing primary cells, including neurons. This is why LVs are becoming the most useful and promising tools in the field of neuroscience, not only for research, but also for future gene and cell therapy approaches. Lentivectors (LVs) derived from HIV‐1 have gradually evolved to display many desirable features aimed at increasing both their safety and their versatility. These latest designs are reviewed in this unit. This unit also describes protocols for production and titration of LVs that can be implemented in a research laboratory setting, with an emphasis on standardization to improve transposability of results between laboratories.