bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extraction of the materials parameters that determine the mobility in disordered organic semiconductors from the current-voltage characteristics: Accuracy and limitations
Authors: de Vries R. J. , Badinski A. , Janssen R. A. J. , Coehoorn R.
Published: March 2013

The development and application of predictive models for organic electronic devices with a complex layer structure, such as white organic light-emitting diodes, require the availability of an accurate and fast method for extracting the materials parameters, which determine the mobility in each of the layers from a set of experimental data. The absence of such a generally used method may be regarded as one of the reasons why so far relatively little consensus has been obtained concerning the most appropriate transport model, the shape of the density of states (DOS), and the underlying microscopic parameters, such as the width of the DOS and the density of hopping sites. In this paper, we present a time-efficient Gauss-Newton method for extracting these parameters from current-voltage curves for single-carrier devices, obtained for various layer thicknesses and temperatures. The method takes the experimental uncertainties into account and provides the correlated uncertainty margins of the parameters studied. We focus on materials with a Gaussian DOS with random and spatially correlated disorder. Making use of artificially generated as well as experimental data sets, we demonstrate the accuracy and limitations, and show that it is possible to deduce the type of disorder from the analysis. The presence of an exponential trap DOS, as is often observed for the case of electron transport, is found to significantly reduce the accuracy of the transport parameters obtained.
Propagation of ion-acoustic solitons in an electron beam-superthermal plasma system with finite ion-temperature: Linear and fully nonlinear investigation
Authors: Saberian E. , Esfandyari-Kalejahi A. , Rastkar-Ebrahimzadeh A. , Afsari-Ghazi M.
Published: March 2013

The propagation of ion-acoustic (IA) solitons is studied in a plasma system, comprised of warm ions and superthermal (Kappa distributed) electrons in the presence of an electron-beam by using a hydrodynamic model. In the linear analysis, it is seen that increasing the superthermality lowers the phase speed of the IA waves. On the other hand, in a fully nonlinear investigation, the Mach number range and characteristics of IA solitons are analyzed, parametrically and numerically. It is found that the accessible region for the existence of IA solitons reduces with increasing the superthermality. However, IA solitons with both negative and positive polarities can coexist in the system. Additionally, solitary waves with both subsonic and supersonic speeds are predicted in the plasma, depending on the value of ion-temperature and the superthermality of electrons in the system. It is examined that there are upper critical values for beam parameters (i.e., density and velocity) after which, IA solitary waves could not propagate in the plasma. Furthermore, a typical interaction between IA waves and the electron-beam in the plasma is confirmed.
Grain boundary diffusivity of Ni in Au thin films and the associated degradation in electrical contact resistance due to surface oxide film formation
Authors: Argibay N. , Brumbach M. T. , Dugger M. T. , Kotula P. G.
Published: March 2013

The low temperature diffusion from a nickel strike layer through varying thickness films of gold, a common electrical contact overlayer, was characterized and correlated to changes in electrical contact resistance (ECR). The diffusivity of Ni in Au was determined by the surface accumulation method (type C kinetics) for Au film thicknesses of 280 and 994 nm at an annealing temperature of 150 °C over a 32 day period. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to determine the rate of Ni surface accumulation. The average product of grain boundary width and diffusivity for Ni in polycrystalline Au was calculated to be δbDb≅2.0 × 10−22cm3s using the Hwang-Balluffi model, and δbDb≅2.5×10−22cm3s using the Ma-Balluffi model. ECR measurements were made in parallel to surface accumulation measurements, revealing a correlation between ECR and Ni-O surface concentration; ECR values for both film thicknesses increased by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude at saturation coverage. Film cross-sections were extracted using focused ion beam milling and analyzed via scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy after 32 days of annealing, enabling a direct observation of the composition and thickness of the accumulated Ni-O layer, which was approximately 3 nm thick.
GaNAsP: An intermediate band semiconductor grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Kuang Y. J. , Yu K. M. , Kudrawiec R. , Luce A. V. , Ting M. , Walukiewicz W. , Tu C. W.
Published: March 2013

Dilute nitride GaNAsP thin films were grown via a GaAsP metamorphic buffer on GaP(100) substrate with gas-source molecular beam epitaxy. The compositions of this III-V-V-V compound were determined by channeling Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and nuclear reaction analysis. Photoreflectance shows two distinctive transitions from the valence band to the split conduction bands due to N incorporation. Photoluminescence and optical absorption show the fundamental bandgap of Ga(N)AsP is largely tailored by the small amount of N. The observed multiband characteristics and the bandgap tunability of GaNAsP are two merits that fit into the intermediate-band solar cell roadmap, and GaNAsP of high crystal quality provides a strong candidate for intermediate band solar cell materials.
Giant phase shift effect in Tb0.3Dy0.7Fe2/Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 laminated composite
Authors: Shi Zhan , Chen Laizhu , Tong Yongshuai , Xue Hao , Yang Shuiyuan , Wang Cuiping , Liu Xingjun
Published: March 2013

In this letter we present a magnetic field-induced giant phase shift effect under resonant frequency in the bilayered magnetoelectric composite of Tb0.3Dy0.7Fe2(Terfenol-D) and Pb(Zr,Ti)O3. When the bias magnetic field is varied from 0.1 T to 0.3 T, the phase shift of the magnetoelectric effect under 83.2 kHz was as large as 180°, which implies a complete transformation from capacitor behavior to inductor behavior. The phase shift was analyzed in the polar coordinates, and the mechanism of this giant phase shift was considered as the ΔE effect of Terfenol-D. This giant phase shift effect may benefit existing phase modulation techniques.
Strain-mediated electric-field control of multiferroic domain structures in ferromagnetic films
Authors: Pertsev N. A.
Published: March 2013

The converse magnetoelectric effect resulting from the electric-field-induced motion of 90° domain walls in a ferromagnetic film coupled to a single-domain ferroelectric substrate is described theoretically. To that end, the volume fractions of 90° domains with differently oriented in-plane magnetizations are calculated as a function of in-plane strains using the dislocation modeling of stress sources in polydomain heterostructures. Being combined with piezoelectric deformations of a ferroelectric substrate in an electric field, this yields magnetoelectric susceptibilities of ferromagnetic-ferroelectric composites. Remarkably, a giant magnetoelectric susceptibility about 4 × 10−5 s/m is predicted for hybrids comprising Co40Fe60 films coupled to the Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-6%PbTiO3 single crystal.
Reversible mode switching in Y-coupled terahertz lasers
Authors: Marshall Owen P. , Chakraborty Subhasish , Khairuzzaman Md , Beere Harvey E. , Ritchie David A.
Published: March 2013

Electrically independent terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are optically coupled in a Y configuration. Dual frequency, electronically switchable emission is achieved in one QCL using an aperiodic grating, designed using computer-generated hologram techniques, and incorporated directly into the QCL waveguide by focussed ion beam milling. Multi-moded emission around 2.9 THz is inhibited, lasing instead occurring at switchable grating-selected frequencies of 2.88 and 2.92 THz. This photonic control and switching behaviour is selectively and reversibly transferred to the second, unmodified QCL via evanescent mode coupling, without the transfer of the inherent grating losses.
In-situ heavily p-type doping of over 1020 cm−3 in semiconducting BaSi2 thin films for solar cells applications
Authors: Ajmal Khan M. , Hara K. O. , Du W. , Baba M. , Nakamura K. , Suzuno M. , Toko K. , Usami N. , Suemasu T.
Published: March 2013

B-doped p-BaSi2 layer growth by molecular beam epitaxy and the influence of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on hole concentrations were presented. The hole concentration was controlled in the range between 1017 and 1020 cm−3 at room temperature by changing the temperature of the B Knudsen cell crucible. The acceptor level of the B atoms was estimated to be approximately 23 meV. High hole concentrations exceeding 1 × 1020 cm−3 were achieved via dopant activation using RTA at 800 °C in Ar. The activation efficiency was increased up to 10%.
Contribution of illegal hunting, culling of pest species, road accidents and feral dogs to biodiversity loss in established oil-palm landscapes
Authors: Azhar Badrul , Lindenmayer David , Wood Jeff , Fischer Joern , Manning Adrian , McElhinny Chris , Zakaria Mohamed
Published: March 2013

Context
Understanding the ecological impacts of the palm-oil industry on native fauna requires information on anthropogenic threats that may cause species decline or local extinction.

Aim
The main aim of the study was to assess wildlife deaths caused by illegal hunting, road accidents and introduced predators in established oil-palm landscapes in Peninsular Malaysia.

Methods
Between April and October 2009, we interviewed 362 oil-palm workers at 36 sites, including large industrial estates and semi-traditional smallholdings.

Key results
Our results showed that (1) illegal hunting by oil-palm workers in different oil-palm management systems was not statistically significant (P = 0.097), (2) native fauna were more often destroyed as pests in smallholdings than in conventional and eco-friendly plantation estates (P = 0.005), (3) non-local poachers conducted illegal activity more often in smallholdings than in conventional and eco-friendly plantation estates (P = 0.011), (4) road accidents were reported to kill more native fauna in conventional plantation estates than in smallholdings and eco-friendly plantation estates (P < 0.001) and (5) feral dogs were reported as killing more native fauna in eco-friendly plantation estates than in conventional plantation estates and smallholdings (P = 0.034).

Conclusion
In addition to the conversion of native forest to oil-palm monocultures, various other anthropogenic threats can have a substantial effect on wildlife in oil-palm landscapes.

Implications
To improve the conservation value of oil-palm landscapes, we recommend that palm-oil stakeholders should implement anti-poaching patrols, organise conservation programs to educate workers, reduce vehicle speeds on roads within oil-palm landscapes, and control local populations of feral dogs.
Matrix and habitat quality in a montane cloud-forest landscape: amphibians in coffee plantations in central Veracruz, Mexico
Authors: Murrieta-Galindo Rene , López-Barrera Fabiola , González-Romero Alberto , Parra-Olea Gabriela
Published: March 2013

Context The processes of fragmentation, habitat loss, degradation and their combined effects are formidable threats to amphibian populations. Aims We evaluate the effect of three land use-type variables and nine landscape matrix quality factors on amphibian presence in four coffee agro-ecosystems and two cloud-forest fragments in central Veracruz, Mexico. Methods Each site was thoroughly searched using the visual-encounter survey technique along different trails in the most feasible microhabitats for detecting amphibians during four rainy seasons (2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009). Centred on the location where each amphibian species was first recorded, we established what we refer to as a buffer area within a radius of 1.5 km. A Co-Inertia mathematical model was used to determine which of the explanatory variables contributed to maintaining amphibian diversity. The landscape variables were landscape-quality index, open areas, canopy cover (low, intermediate, dense) at the matrix level, river, road and human population density and site size. Local variables were elevation, plant-structure and biological-impact indices. Key results During the study we recorded 1078 amphibians belonging to 26 species, 17 genera and 10 families. The variables explaining the composition of amphibian diversity were river and human population density, low canopy cover at the matrix level, elevation, site size and plant-structure index. Amphibian diversity increased as the structural complexity of the habitat increased, and the former was positively correlated with fragment size. Conclusion The present study indicated that coffee agro-ecosystems and the cloud-forest fragments in the region form a gradient in habitat quality and landscape variables that exert a differential influence on amphibian assemblages, and that each species responds uniquely to different variables. Implications Coffee agro-ecosystems and forest fragments cannot be seen as homogenous patches with a certain habitat quality, separate from the landscape matrix in which they are immersed. Stakeholders are not advised to rely on a single strategy to conserve the amphibian community, but rather should aim to maintain a heterogeneous landscape with forest fragments and coffee agro-ecosystems that have a complex vertical plant structure at the habitat level, especially in highly river-dense landscapes.
Impacts of introduced European hedgehogs on endemic skinks and weta in tussock grassland
Authors: Jones C. , Norbury G. , Bell T.
Published: March 2013

Context Control of introduced pest species is based on the premise that there is a relationship between pest abundance and impact, but this relationship is rarely defined. Aim We investigated the impacts of introduced European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) on two species of small endemic skink (Oligosoma spp.) and flightless, nocturnal endemic orthopteran ground weta (Hemiandrus spp.), using an enclosure-based experimental manipulation of hedgehog density in tussock grasslands in the South Island of New Zealand. Methods We used capture–mark–recapture methods to estimate the densities of skinks before and after exposure to a range of hedgehog densities over a 3-month period and also compared changes in indices of abundance of skink demographic groups and ground weta. Key results Faecal analysis confirmed that hedgehogs consumed skinks and invertebrates in the enclosures. The proportional change between capture sessions in numbers of captured juvenile McCann’s skinks (O. maccanni) declined with increasing hedgehog density. Similarly, the proportional change in the numbers of ground weta encountered in pitfall traps showed a highly significant negative relationship with increasing hedgehog density. Total species abundances and numbers in other demographic skink groups did not change significantly in relation to hedgehog density. For overall skink abundance estimates, there was an apparent trend suggesting that changes in abundance were more negative with increasing hedgehog density, but this did not reach statistical significance for either skink species. Conclusions Our results confirmed that hedgehogs are important predators of small native fauna, but suggested that highly abundant prey populations may be buffered against significant impacts. Implications Less abundant prey and some demographic groups within populations, however, may be at significant risk from hedgehog predation.
Seasons of the ringed seal: pelagic open-water hyperphagy, benthic feeding over winter and spring fasting during molt
Authors: Young B. G. , Ferguson S. H.
Published: March 2013

Context The ringed seal (Phoca hispida), a small phocid seal with a circumpolar Arctic distribution and a strong association with sea ice, occurs at the southern limit of its range in Hudson and James Bays: an area that experiences complete ice cover in winter and complete open water in summer. Because of the high seasonal variability in environmental conditions, it is expected that ringed seals experience seasonal changes in diet and foraging habitat, which will be reflected in body condition and biomarkers of stable isotopes and fatty acids. Aims The purpose of the present study was to investigate intra-annual variation in the feeding habits and body condition of the ringed seal. Methods Tissue samples and morphological measurements from south-eastern Hudson Bay ringed seals were obtained every month during the Inuit subsistence hunt from November 2009 to May 2011 (n = 192). Muscle samples were used for δ15N and δ13C stable isotope analysis, blubber was used for analysis of fatty acid composition, bodyweight and sculp weight were used to estimate percentage blubber, and lower right canines were used to determine age. Key results Fatty acid composition, δ15N, and δ13C varied significantly by season, suggesting seasonal changes in foraging habitat and diet. Variation in percentage blubber indicated that poorest body condition occurs following the molting and fasting period, followed by a gradual increase from late summer through fall, with the highest body condition occurring in time for freeze-up in December. Key conclusions Patterns of δ13C indicate pelagic feeding during the open-water season (August–December) when fat and energy stores are replenished, increased benthic foraging during the period of ice cover (January–May), followed by a period of fasting during the spring molt (June–July). Fatty acid composition suggested seasonal changes in diet that could include increased importance of pelagic fish in the fall during the period of positive energy balance. Implications The first continuous collection of ringed seal tissue samples provided a comprehensive seasonal pattern of biomarker composition, which is baseline data that have important applications for short-term management and ecology studies as well as long-term conservation and monitoring programs.
Synchronous activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene transcription and secretion by pulsatile kisspeptin stimulation
Authors: Choe Han Kyoung , Kim Hee-Dae , Park Sung Ho , Lee Han-Woong , Park Jae-Yong , Seong Jae Young , Lightman Stafford L. , Son Gi Hoon , Kim Kyungjin
Published: March 2013

Pulsatile release of hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is essential for pituitary gonadotrope function. Although the importance of pulsatile GnRH secretion has been recognized for several decades, the mechanisms underlying GnRH pulse generation in hypothalamic neural networks remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate the ultradian rhythm of GnRH gene transcription in single GnRH neurons using cultured hypothalamic slices prepared from transgenic mice expressing a GnRH promoter-driven destabilized luciferase reporter. Although GnRH promoter activity in each GnRH neuron exhibited an ultradian pattern of oscillations with a period of ∼10 h, GnRH neuronal cultures exhibited partially synchronized bursts of GnRH transcriptional activity at ∼2-h intervals. Surprisingly, pulsatile administration of kisspeptin, a potent GnRH secretagogue, evoked dramatic synchronous activation of GnRH gene transcription with robust stimulation of pulsatile GnRH secretion. We also addressed the issue of hierarchical interaction between the circadian and ultradian rhythms by using
Bmal1
-deficient mice with defective circadian clocks. The circadian molecular oscillator barely affected basal ultradian oscillation of GnRH transcription but was heavily involved in kisspeptin-evoked responses of GnRH neurons. In conclusion, we have clearly shown synchronous bursts of GnRH gene transcription in the hypothalamic GnRH neuronal population in association with episodic neurohormone secretion, thereby providing insight into GnRH pulse generation.
FCRL5 exerts binary and compartment-specific influence on innate-like B-cell receptor signaling
Authors: Zhu Zilu , Li Ran , Li Hao , Zhou Tong , Davis Randall S.
Published: March 2013

Innate-like splenic marginal zone (MZ) and peritoneal cavity B1 B lymphocytes share critical responsibilities in humoral responses but have divergent B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling features. A discrete marker of these subsets with tyrosine-based dual regulatory potential termed “Fc receptor-like 5” (FCRL5) was investigated to explore this discrepancy. Although FCRL5 repressed the robust BCR activity that is characteristic of MZ B cells, it had no influence on antigen receptor stimulation that is blunted in peritoneal cavity-derived B1 B cells. The molecular basis for the receptor’s inhibitory function derived from recruitment of the Src homology-2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) to a cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif. Surprisingly, mutagenesis of this docking site unearthed coactivation properties for FCRL5 that were orchestrated by independent association of the Lyn Src-family kinase with an intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif-like sequence. FCRL5’s unique binary regulation directly correlated with SHP-1 and Lyn activity, which, like BCR function, differed between MZ and B1 B cells. These findings collectively imply a specialized counterregulatory role for FCRL molecules at the intersection of innate and adaptive immunity.
Conformational plasticity of the type I maltose ABC importer
Authors: Böhm Simon , Licht Anke , Wuttge Steven , Schneider Erwin , Bordignon Enrica
Published: March 2013

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters couple the translocation of solutes across membranes to ATP hydrolysis. Crystal structures of the
Escherichia coli
maltose importer (MalFGK
2
) in complex with its substrate binding protein (MalE) provided unprecedented insights in the mechanism of substrate translocation, leaving the MalE–transporter interactions still poorly understood. Using pulsed EPR and cross-linking methods we investigated the effects of maltose and MalE on complex formation and correlated motions of the MalK
2
nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs). We found that both substrate-free (open) and liganded (closed) MalE interact with the transporter with similar affinity in all nucleotide states. In the apo-state, binding of open MalE occurs via the
N
-lobe, leaving the C-lobe disordered, but upon maltose binding, closed MalE associates tighter to the transporter. In both cases the NBDs remain open. In the presence of ATP, the transporter binds both substrate-free and liganded MalE, both inducing the outward-facing conformation trapped in the crystal with open MalE at the periplasmic side and NBDs tightly closed. In contrast to ATP, ADP–Mg
2+
alone is sufficient to induce a semiopen conformation in the NBDs. In this nucleotide-driven state, the transporter binds both open and closed MalE with slightly different periplasmic configurations. We also found that dissociation of MalE is not a required step for substrate translocation since a supercomplex with MalE cross-linked to MalG retains the ability to hydrolyze ATP and to transport maltose. These features of MalE–MalFGK
2
interactions highlight the conformational plasticity of the maltose importer, providing insights into the ATPase stimulation by unliganded MalE.
Whole-genome haplotyping by dilution, amplification, and sequencing
Authors: Kaper Fiona , Swamy Sajani , Klotzle Brandy , Munchel Sarah , Cottrell Joseph , Bibikova Marina , Chuang Han-Yu , Kruglyak Semyon , Ronaghi Mostafa , Eberle Michael A. , Fan Jian-Bing
Published: March 2013

Standard whole-genome genotyping technologies are unable to determine haplotypes. Here we describe a method for rapid and cost-effective long-range haplotyping. Genomic DNA is diluted and distributed into multiple aliquots such that each aliquot receives a fraction of a haploid copy. The DNA template in each aliquot is amplified by multiple displacement amplification, converted into barcoded sequencing libraries using Nextera technology, and sequenced in multiplexed pools. To assess the performance of our method, we combined two male genomic DNA samples at equal ratios, resulting in a sample with diploid X chromosomes with known haplotypes. Pools of the multiplexed sequencing libraries were subjected to targeted pull-down of a 1-Mb contiguous region of the X-chromosome Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene. We were able to phase the Duchenne muscular dystrophy region into two contiguous haplotype blocks with a mean length of 494 kb. The haplotypes showed 99% agreement with the consensus base calls made by sequencing the individual DNAs. We subsequently used the strategy to haplotype two human genomes. Standard genomic sequencing to identify all heterozygous SNPs in the sample was combined with dilution-amplification–based sequencing data to resolve the phase of identified heterozygous SNPs. Using this procedure, we were able to phase >95% of the heterozygous SNPs from the diploid sequence data. The N50 for a Yoruba male DNA was 702 kb whereas the N50 for a European female DNA was 358 kb. Therefore, the strategy described here is suitable for haplotyping of a set of targeted regions as well as of the entire genome.
The PINK1–Parkin pathway promotes both mitophagy and selective respiratory chain turnover in vivo
Authors: Vincow Evelyn S. , Merrihew Gennifer , Thomas Ruth E. , Shulman Nicholas J. , Beyer Richard P. , MacCoss Michael J. , Pallanck Leo J.
Published: March 2013

The accumulation of damaged mitochondria has been proposed as a key factor in aging and the pathogenesis of many common age-related diseases, including Parkinson disease (PD). Recently, in vitro studies of the PD-related proteins Parkin and PINK1 have found that these factors act in a common pathway to promote the selective autophagic degradation of damaged mitochondria (mitophagy). However, whether Parkin and PINK1 promote mitophagy under normal physiological conditions in vivo is unknown. To address this question, we used a proteomic approach inDrosophilato compare the rates of mitochondrial protein turnover inparkinmutants,PINK1mutants, and control flies. We found thatparkinnull mutants showed a significant overall slowing of mitochondrial protein turnover, similar to but less severe than the slowing seen in autophagy-deficientAtg7mutants, consistent with the model that Parkin acts upstream of Atg7 to promote mitophagy. By contrast, the turnover of many mitochondrial respiratory chain (RC) subunits showed greater impairment inparkinthanAtg7mutants, and RC turnover was also selectively impaired inPINK1mutants. Our findings show that the PINK1–Parkin pathway promotes mitophagy in vivo and, unexpectedly, also promotes selective turnover of mitochondrial RC subunits. Failure to degrade damaged RC proteins could account for the RC deficits seen in many PD patients and may play an important role in PD pathogenesis.
RecA acts as a switch to regulate polymerase occupancy in a moving replication fork
Authors: Indiani Chiara , Patel Meghna , Goodman Myron F. , O’Donnell Mike E.
Published: March 2013

This report discovers a role of
Escherichia coli
RecA, the cellular recombinase, in directing the action of several DNA polymerases at the replication fork. Bulk chromosome replication is performed by DNA polymerase (Pol) III. However,
E. coli
contains translesion synthesis (TLS) Pols II, IV, and V that also function with the helicase, primase, and sliding clamp in the replisome. Surprisingly, we find that RecA specifically activates replisomes that contain TLS Pols. In sharp contrast, RecA severely inhibits the Pol III replisome. Given the opposite effects of RecA on Pol III and TLS replisomes, we propose that RecA acts as a switch to regulate the occupancy of polymerases within a moving replisome.
Greek Philosophy
Authors: Preus Anthony
Published: March 2013

The title “Ancient Greek Philosophy” may be applied to philosophical texts written in Greek over a period of somewhat more than one thousand years, from the Milesian Anaximander before 500 bce to the Alexandrian John Philoponus, who died in 570 ce. The bibliography of the available texts, and translations, is significantly large, and the bibliography of secondary literature written about those texts in subsequent centuries is vast. This article is necessarily highly selective, designed primarily to give access to some of the basic works in each area of investigation. Separate bibliographies on individual philosophers, periods, and schools will follow. This article begins with a section on philosophy before Plato, including the Presocratics and Socrates, with some references to philosophers who were contemporaries of Plato and Aristotle. The second section focuses on Plato and early Platonists; the third section, on Aristotle and his immediate successors in the Peripatetic school. The fourth section focuses on philosophy after Aristotle, often called “Hellenistic” philosophy. This period notably includes Epicureans, Skeptics, and Stoics, as well as followers of Plato and Aristotle during the period from 322 bce until the Roman Empire engulfed the Greek world. The fifth section includes access to philosophy written in Greek during the Roman Imperial period, from the middle of the 1st century bce until the closing of the philosophical schools in the 5th and 6th centuries ce. It was during this time that many of the texts that provide our information about the earlier periods were written; many of the surviving texts are commentaries on works by Plato or Aristotle, for example, but significant original philosophical work was written, for instance, by Neoplatonists such as Plotinus and Porphyry, by Aristotelians such as Alexander of Aphrodisias, and by the medical philosopher Galen. This bibliography includes something of a combination of introductory texts suitable for someone beginning a study of a particular field, plus a significant number of texts and translations of the ancient authors, and a few more-specialized studies, where those may be of special interest.
Sappho
Authors: Yatromanolakis Dimitrios
Published: March 2013

This bibliographical article focuses on studies on Sappho in the 20th and 21st centuries. Sappho, on whom modern research has been voluminous and labyrinthine, is the only ancient woman poet whose work and polyvalent figure have exerted lasting and deep influence on medieval, early modern, and modern European intellectual and sociocultural history. Her figure has further influenced modern Canadian, American (especially Latin American), African, and Australian gender ideologies; her influence goes as far as China and Japan. A Greek melic poet who, in Antiquity, was sometimes known simply as “the poetess,” just as Homer was known as “the poet” (Galen 4.771)—Sappho was born on Lesbos (probably) in the late 7th century bce. On the basis of later sources (the Parian Marble, Strabo, Athenaeus, Eusebius, the medieval Greek lexicon/encyclopedia entitled Suda), broad scholarly consensus holds that she composed many of her poems between c. 600 and 580 bce. Naturally, uncertainty remains as to the exact dates of her floruit, as there is uncertainty about the exact dates of the work and life of any Archaic poet (except for Pindar, whose life spans the Late Archaic and the Early Classical periods). Apart from numerous other poems, she composed epithalamia (wedding songs). Her compositions about her companions or her family might be viewed as song cycles. Extremely little is known about her activities in Mytilene, probably the most important city of Lesbos. A late-2nd- or early-3rd-century Oxyrhynchus papyrus (P.Oxy. 1800 fr. 1) and the 10th-century Greek lexicon Suda (Σ 107 Adler) provide accounts of her life (cf. P.Köln 5860, dated to the 2nd century ce): most of this late information belongs to what some scholars conventionally call “biographical tradition.” Mainly, but not exclusively, on the basis of ancient testimonia and specific aspects of her preserved fragments, scholars have often attempted to reconstruct hypothetically the original context within which she performed her compositions: such reconstructions are discussed in The (So-Called) Sapphic Question or Sapphofrage. It has recently been assumed that her compositions were transmitted by citharodes in the 6th and 5th centuries bce, that is, performed by them in the context of public competitions at the festival of the Panathenaea in Athens, but no ancient evidence exists for such a hypothesis. Sappho was granted an unparalleled status as a poet and sociocultural figure in Greek and Roman Antiquity. There is no complete compilation of all the ancient (and medieval Greek) testimonia. New fragmentary compositions of Sappho preserved on papyrus were discovered and published in 2004 and in 2014. Their importance is discussed in New Fragments and Ancient Transmission.
Euripides
Authors: Mills Sophie
Published: March 2013

Euripides (b. c. 485 bce–d. c. 406 bce) is one of the great Athenian tragedians whose dramatic output has survived, if only partially, into the modern era. His contemporary, the comic writer Aristophanes, mocks him for technically flawed and intellectually subversive plays, and it may be significant that, as compared with Aeschylus’s thirteen and Sophocles’ eighteen, he won only five first prizes at the Dionysiac competitions: for an unknown play in 441 bce, for Hippolytus (428 bce), and posthumously for the trilogy that included The Bacchae and Iphigenia in Aulis. However, since he competed regularly at the Dionysia, one can hardly call him unpopular with the Athenians, who, like many people in the early twenty-first century, must sometimes have enjoyed provocative art. See pages 52–94 in Euripides and the Tragic Tradition (Michelini 1987), cited under Dramatic Structure and Technique and Electra/Elektra: Scholarship. His reputation for problematic and flawed plays, which has had a huge influence on modern Euripidean criticism, dogged him even as early as Aristophanes and Aristotle and lasted until well into the twentieth century for two main reasons. First, August Wilhelm von Schlegel and Friedrich von Schlegel considered Sophocles’ plays the perfect tragedies in their thematic clarity and “unity”: see Behler 1986 (cited under Later Critical Reputation) in the journal Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies. The diversity of mood and shifts in tone that characterize Euripidean tragedy, especially those plays without conventionally “tragic” endings, put him at a disadvantage within these standards. Second, whereas only a highly select seven plays each by Aeschylus and Sophocles survive, eighteen tragedies and one satyr play ascribed to Euripides have come down to us out of a total of ninety-two. Some, such as Hippolytus, Medea, and The Bacchae, have always been admired, partly because they conform more closely to a supposedly Sophoclean “unity,” but with almost three times as many plays as the other two tragedians, his extant work inevitably seems more uneven in technique and theme, and plays such as the Children of Heracles and Suppliants have received general disapprobation. Some later tragedies, such as Iphigenia in Tauris, Ion, and Helen, baffled earlier critics: how are they tragedies when their plots are fantastical and their endings happy? Criticism since the early 1970s has, however, come to appreciate Euripides on his own terms, reevaluating their centrifugal quality as integral to successful Euripidean rather than failed Sophoclean drama and redefining what tragedy can be to encompass Euripides’ contribution. Moreover, his abiding fascination with controversial questions—social equality, the morality of war, nature versus nurture—and apparent interest in psychology have made him a favorite with modern audiences.
Marcus Aurelius's Meditations
Authors: van Ackeren Marcel
Published: March 2013

Marcus Aurelius (b. 121 ce) was heir to the throne for twenty-three years, beginning in 138 ce, and then Roman emperor from 161 until his death in 180. He was a philosopher as well; in fact, he was the last important Stoic philosopher of Antiquity. Though Stoicism was an important philosophical school, not even a handful of ancient texts survived as a whole (only the Hymn to Zeus by Cleanthes; works by Cleomedes, Cornutus, and Seneca; and some lectures by Epictetus as reported by Arrian). Probably in his last decade, Marcus wrote a philosophical text in Greek that has survived. As far as we know, the text was unknown to his contemporaries. Also, we do not know why and how the text waspreserved until its first edition was printed in 1558. Few seem to have known of its existence, but no reliable source exists proving that the same holds true for its content. Probably Marcus did not choose a title. The first edition is titled Ta eis heauton, “To himself,” and in the English-speaking world, Meditations has become the common title, while in other languages the titles used differ greatly. After its publication the text quickly became one of the most widely read philosophical texts from Antiquity. The text as we know it is divided into twelve books. In the first seventeen chapters of Book I, Marcus thanks his family, some of his teachers, especially his predecessor and adoptive father, Antonius Pius, for being living paradigms, and finally the gods. The following eleven books, comprising 473 chapters (ranging in length from three words to about three pages) do not follow any obvious formal or argumentative structure. The text, written for private purposes, is not a treatise. The chapters—sometimes argumentative, sometimes aphoristic—are self-addressed and centered around a group of topics. Though Marcus uses Platonic language every now and then, he is purely a Stoic thinker, which becomes obvious as he uses the Stoic division of philosophy and argues for distinctly Stoic theories in each part, sometimes using technical language. His overall aims are not theoretical, but purely ethical. He wants to live a Stoic life. Given the renaissance of practical philosophy, particularly practical ethics and the renewed interest in the ancient forms of life (e.g., by Hadot and Foucault), it is not surprising that the combination of Marcus’s philosophical ambitions and his unique way of writing, such as his literary style, has led to new research.
Cultural Competence and Ethnic Sensitive Practice
Authors: Logan Sadye L.M.
Published: March 2013

Cultural competence, cultural sensitivity, multicultural or cultural responsiveness, and ethnic-sensitive practice are interrelated and interconnected concepts but are not necessarily exchangeable terms. Researchers and practitioners in the helping or caring professions view cultural competence and ethnic-sensitive practice as fundamental tenets of professional practice (see Introductory Works and Origins and History). In the social work profession, a cultural competence mandate is contained in both the Council on Social Work Education Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and is also promoted in practice textbooks. The initial focus of social work scholarship was on racial and ethnic-sensitive practice as a way of addressing issues of dominance, oppression, racism, identity, difference, and justice. Cultural competence emerged as a practice concept in addressing the needs of individuals and groups from nonwhite racial and ethnic backgrounds. Over time, the term has evolved to encompass group differences pertaining to gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, ability, language, nationality, and other characteristics related to cultural background. As reflected in this entry, experience and knowledge about the complexity of being and becoming human is continually evolving. Further, the contextual nature of social work problems, practices, and interventions, as well as the intersectionality of heteropatriarchy (a framework that has conjoined heterosexuality, maleness, and power) and multiple axes of other forms of oppression, has expanded the traditional conception of cultural competence. Researchers concerned with implementation and outcomes and/or effective service delivery among culturally diverse groups and scholars from both national and international perspectives have critiqued the dominant cultural competence discourse (see Ethics and Othering and Critical Analysis of Concepts and Terms). Additionally, to further enhance this evolving narrative, specialty non–social work or related publications are increasing.
Social Insurance and Social Justice
Authors: Svihula Judie , Estes Carroll L. , Hollister Brooke , Solway Erica , Grossman Brian R. , Rogne Leah
Published: March 2013

The concept of “justice” dates back to Aristotle, and in 533 ce it was defined in Roman law as “the constant and perpetual wish to render everyone his due” (Isbister 2001, p.3; cited under Introductory Works). The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology defines justice as “a concept referring to fairness and to the process of people getting what they deserve” (p. 164). Although the definition has not changed appreciably over the centuries, there are myriad viewpoints on social justice (for a good summary of theories, perspectives, and approaches to social justice, see the Oxford Bibliographies article Social Justice and Social Work). Amid the competing perspectives, state welfare schemes administer programs, dispense important goods and services, and establish laws relevant to attaining social justice. A large component of the welfare state is social insurance, a mutually binding contract between a legitimate state and its citizens for promised benefits in return for income taxes. Social insurance in the United States is generally defined as programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, and workers’ compensation programs, that provide a measure of protection to various populations. Older adults, younger persons with disabilities, children, survivors, and others are protected by these programs from devastating circumstances such as overwhelming health-care costs or loss of income due to events such as death of a wage earner, retirement, loss of employment, and illness. Capitalist democracies such as Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States comprise contradictory forms of distribution and social participation. The political economy theory explicates how political alignments shaped by the two ideologically incompatible social structures, a capitalistic economy and a democratic polity, affect welfare policy options and legislation. A major social insurance debate that highlights social justice is the idea of generational equity versus generational interdependence. Generational equity emphasizes even apportionment of benefits and costs among generations in social welfare, entitlements, the federal deficit, and the national debt; generational interdependence emphasizes social solidarity among generations and universal coverage.
Associations in the Greco-Roman World
Authors: Kloppenborg John S.
Published: March 2013

Life in the cities and towns of the Hellenistic and Roman periods was organized around two poles: the polis or town, and the family, each with its distinctive structure, organization, membership, and cultic practices. Between these two poles there existed a large number of more or less permanent private associations, guilds, and clubs. Some were extensions or expansions of the family; others were organized around a common cult or diasporic identity; others were formed around a common occupation (silverworkers, rag dealers, woodsmen, etc.), and still others were neighborhood associations consisting of the trades that congregated in a particular area of the town. Almost all associations engaged in cultic activities; most held monthly (or more frequent) banquets and meetings; many took an active role in the funerals of members; and many had formal rules governing admission, dues, and the behavior of members. Early Christ-groups were certainly regarded by external observers as varieties of associations, and Judean synagogai (one of the common terms for associations) are easily seen as one form of diasporic association, formed around a common ethnic identity and a common cult. The study of ancient associations is important for understanding the structure, organization, and functions of early Christ-groups and Judean synagogues.
Esther and Additions to Esther
Authors: Middlemas Jill
Published: March 2013

The biblical book of Esther is the story of a Jewish heroine (Esther, or Hadassah—the character’s Hebrew name) and Mordecai, her adopted uncle, who live in Persia and involve themselves with the Persian authorities in order to save the Jewish people, who are under threat. The story is the liturgical text used during the Jewish celebration of Purim, and it may have been written to serve as an etiology for the festival because it authorizes its observance by providing a historical situation origin for it. Critical discussions of the book of Esther were once dominated by historical debates that focused on identifying an event in the Persian period to which it corresponded and the origin of the traditions of Esther, Mordecai, and the festival of Purim. Recently, more attention has focused on literary matters including the story’s genre and its artistry as well as its applicability to contemporary situations of oppression and genocide. The tale of Esther is a good story with heroes and villains, court intrigue, the threat of destruction, feasting and fasting, intimate relations, and great reversals. It lends itself to—even invites—the application of different approaches, and there have been many. It has been fertile ground for the application of feminist approaches, for example—the story begins with the deposition of one queen and the installation of another; it is one of the few books of the Old Testament to be named after a woman; and the titular character is a woman who acts courageously in the midst of threatening times and as a marginalized individual within a marginalized group, but theological and other thematic readings have been made as well. There is something about the scroll of Esther that welcomes different approaches, various analyses, and seemingly endless discourses. This has been as true with the reception of the book since the intertestamental period when at least two Greek manuscripts (the Old Latin version is now thought to give evidence of a third) with different stories of Esther circulated among Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt and elsewhere outside the homeland. Moreover, the Targumim (Aramaic translations and paraphrases of biblical texts) evidence a number of significant aggadic (homiletic) expositions interwoven within the story. This article presents a guide to enable the reader to wade through the enormous variety of studies of the scroll of the Hebrew Esther and its Greek relations.