bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards a Modern Tafsīr of Sūrat al-Kahf: Structure and Semiotics
Authors: Netton Ian Richard
Published: August 2010

Sūrat al-Kahf may be said to have a special fascination for students of the Qur'an: outside Sūrat Yūsuf, it contains some of the longest pieces of extended narrative in the text, i.e. the story of the ‘Companions of the Cave’ (Aṣḥāb al-kahf), and the story of the mystical encounter between Mūsā and the unnamed Sage, identified by the commentators as al-Khiḍr. In addition there are important sections which deal with Dhū 'l-Qarnayn and Gog and Magog. This paper examines the sūra from the joint perspectives of structure and semiotics, attempts to identify what I have characterised elsewhere as the theologemes, and seeks to discover the major archetypes of the sūra, together with their functions. In the course of all this it delineates the principal messages which underpin the text, through the medium of its structuralist and semiotic methodology. Everything signifies. And the Holy Qur'an is a text replete with signs.
The Structure and Interpretation of Sūrat al-Mu minūn1
Authors: Robinson Neal
Published: August 2010

In her pioneering study of the structure of the Meccan sūras, Neuwirth argued that, like other middle and late Meccan sūras, Sūra 23 is tripartite. Her views are summarised and criticised, before an alternative structure is proposed. It is suggested that the sūra comprises two main sections: PART I, vv.12–25, deals with the period from the creation to the rise of sectarianism. It is arranged chronologically in series of sevens. PART II, vv.64–108, focuses on the eschaton and the polemical climate at the time the Qur'an was revealed. It is structurally ‘hollow’. PARTS I and II are joined by a Central Hinge, vv.54–63. They are framed by the Initial Tableau, vv.1–11, and the Final Tableau, vv.109–118. In addition the basmala and v. 1 serve as the Opening, and vv. 117d–118 serve as the Ending. The Opening and the Ending together form a chiasmus. The Initial Tableau and Central Hinge both have a chiastic structure, whereas the Final Tableau is ‘hollow’ but is demarcated by an inclusio. The whole sūra is shown to be a remarkable unity. The suggestion is tentatively made that it took its final form in the Medinan period, after the victory at Badr and when the Meccans were experiencing a drought.
Departure from Communicative Norms in the Qur'an: Insights from al-Jurjānī and al-Zamakhsharī
Authors: Zubir Badri Najib
Published: August 2010

This article discusses the occurrence of the phenomenon of ‘departure from communicative norms’ in the Qur'an based on the insights of two eminent Qur'anic scholars: al-Jurjānī and al-Zamakhsharī. These two scholars argued that the Qur'an does contain instances where what is said defies what is normally expected in the context in which the utterance involved is produced. To them, such instances call for interpretation, and with this approach they opened up an interesting new territory in Qur'anic interpretation. This article analyses their approach and compares it to an influential theory in Western linguistic scholarship – the Gricean maxims.
Hands Outstretched: Towards a Re-reading of Sūrat al-Māↄida1
Authors: Robinson Neal
Published: August 2010

Most Western scholars hold that the long Medinan sūras are collections of unrelated material. This article sets out to challenge the consensus by examining one of these sūras, Sūrat al-Maↄida, and demonstrating that it has a coherent structure. The author detects various verbal cues that indicate transitions in the discourse. On the basis of these cues, he identifies eleven sections and two identical free-standing āyas. He shows that each section is linked to its predecessor by a text-linguistic device such as ‘hooked key-words’ and ‘parallel introductions’, or that it is connected to it thematically. He notes the presence of chiasmus as a stylistic feature in vv64 and 67, and argues that it is an organisational principle at other levels. Most significantly, he marshals lexical evidence for considering that Sections 1 to 5 are paired with Sections 6 to 10 but in reverse order, and that Section 11 corresponds both to Section 2 and Section 9. The article ends with speculation that this structure may be related to the use of the fingers for counting and the practice of extending the right index finger when testifying to the divine unity.
The Qur'anic Narratives of the Golden Calf Episode
Authors: Albayrak Ismail
Published: August 2010

The ‘golden calf’ episode is discussed in verses Q.20:83-98 and Q.7:148-151. In addition to this there are two short versions in Q.2:51, 54, 92-3 and Q4:153. The same topic also appears in the Bible in Exodus 32. Though the two scriptures' accounts have some points in common they vary in their approaches: the main purposes of the story, the style and tone adopted by the Narrator, its time-span and so on are quite different.

This article presents a discussion of the aforementioned Qur'anic narrative. Amongst other things, it approaches the story of Moses and the golden calf systematically, linguistically as well as historically, contrasting its depiction in the Qur'an to that in the Bible. The author also examines interpretations of the relevant verses and/or narrative by both classical and modern exegetes, in order to facilitate a deeper understanding of the Qur'anic presentation of this specific episode.
Scientific Exegesis of the Qur'an
Authors: Ansari Zafar Ishaq
Published: August 2010

Baljon, in his Modern Muslim Koran Interpretation: 1880–1960, (published in 1961), devoted a section to the scientific exegesis of the Qur'an. In the seventies, the authors of three other major works which are devoted to, or are at least concerned with, modern Qur'anic exegesis – al-Dhahabī, al-Sharqāwī and Jansen – also allocated substantial space to an exposition and analysis of this trend in their studies on Tafsīr especially in the modern period. This paper is a continuation of such studies. It takes note of this trend and covers, to some extent, the same ground that has already been covered by other scholars. It focuses, however, on the study of this trend roughly during the last quarter of a century. In view of the linguistic proficiency of the writer in Arabic, English and Urdu, the inquiry is mainly confined to the writings in these languages and focuses on the Arab world, South Asia and the English-speaking countries.
Syntagmatic Relations in the Qur'anic Text, either Verbally Perceived or Mentally Conceived
Authors: Hassan Tamman
Published: August 2010

This article endeavours to explore the intricate nature of syntagmatic relations as displayed in Qur'anic texts. This is analysed from both a structurally based perspective and one in which abstract perceptions of the Qur'anic text are formulated.

Having set out in detail the context and texture of syntagmatic relations as expanded upon by principal grammarians and philologists of the classical period, the article applies a number of axiomatic definitions of these syntagmatic relations to the exposition of Qur'anic scripture; moreover, the central theme highlighted by this article is the maxim that the Qur'an is a self-explanatory text.
Three Stories of a Prophet: Al-Tabarī's Treatment of Job in Sūrah al-Anbiyā' 83–4 (Part I)
Authors: Johns A.H.
Published: August 2010

Only two surahs of the Qur'an provide narrative details of the Prophet Ayyub (Job): Al-Anbiyā' (21):83–4 and Ṣād (37):41–4. That in Ṣād is probably earlier in order of revelation, and includes more information, but essentially they complement each other. This information, while given in language of great intensity and beauty, is brief and allusive in its presentation. Job has, nevertheless, an important place in the Qur'anic panorama of the prophets, and a distinctive role in the spiritual life and religious imagination of Muslims. There is a rich ‘hinterland’ to be discovered in these verses. Al-Ṭabarī (d.923AH) offers a classical account of this ‘hinterland’ in his commentary on the relevant āyāt of Sūrah al-Anbiyā' in his Jāmical-Bayān. He includes in it three narratives of how Job was put to the test. The first and longest is attributed to Wahb ibn Munabbih (d.728H). It has a binary structure and of the three narratives it has the most shared elements with the Biblical Book of Job. It is nonetheless thoroughly Islamic, and redolent with echoes of Qur'anic phrasing. The second is also attributed to Wahb ibn Munabbih, but through a different line of transmission. It is unitary in structure, and though shorter, has undergone a measure of episodic development which in part features the role of Job's wife. The third is attributed to al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d.728H). It too has a unitary structure, and though briefer than the second, develops further the role of Job's wife, and her devotion to him. Together these narratives enable a full understanding of the āyāt in both surahs. Further, they offer range of perspectives and emphases in the accounts they give of the ways in which Job was put to the test and how his patience never wavered, telling how, when at length he cried out in pain, God relieved his suffering and rewarded him. This article suggests interpretations of the structure of the narratives, the literary art with which they are related and the spiritual values implicit within them. Al-Ṭabarī's presentation of them shows him an outstanding scholar and theologian, a great writer and a marvellous exponent of the humanistic tradition in Islam.
The Interpretation of Qur'anic Text to Promote or Negate the Death Penalty for Apostates and Blasphemers
Authors: O'Sullivan Declan
Published: August 2010

Sharīca rulings are based on the Qur'an and aḥādīth. It is very interesting to assess how these sources have been interpreted in reference to both defining the crime and establishing the legal sentences of those found guilty of either blasphemy (i.e. sabb Allah, sabb al-rasūl/al-nabī) and/or apostasy (ridda/irtidād) from Islam.

This article will attempt to determine whether the death penalty for the act of apostasy can be identified with the Qur'anic text and tafsīr. It will also show how inteipretations both for and against the death penalty have been emphasised through various ahādīth. Analysis of the Qur'an, Qur'anic tafsīr, and ahādīth will lead to an understanding of the development of the different opinions in Islamic jurisprudence regarding the penalty for blasphemy and apostasy. Examples offered include Q.2:217; Q.5:54; Q.9:12; Q.4:89; Q.16:106; Q.3:85 and Q.4:137. Other āyāt dealing with freedom of religious beliefs include Q.22:17; Q.2:256; Q. 109:1–6; Q.88:22–4; Q.10:99 and Q.18:29.

It can be argued that a clearer understanding of certain translations and interpretations of the sacred text underlying the sharīca can show that the established legal sentencing owes much to strong political undercurrents, as opposed to a single message revealed in only one, unequivocal interpretation of the Qur'an.

The conclusion highlights Islam's tolerance towards ‘Others’ or ‘infidels’, who, while holding the wrong belief systems, nevertheless have the right to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
Some Means of Achieving Creativity in the Language of the Qur'an
Authors: Hassan Tammam
Published: August 2010

Meaning exists on various levels, among them what is based upon knowledge and bound by linguistic and social consensus. Creativity can be achieved by a departure from normal usage through one of the following means: transferring a word into a fresh context, e.g. metaphorical usage; transferring sentence structure into a fresh context, e.g. making an indicative sentence express an imperative; relaxing the rules of meaning – the rules of inflection, morphology, usage of particles, sentence order and structure.

The article employs numerous verses of the Qur'an to explain how departure from normal usage achieves excellence in the language and style of the text of the Qur'an.
The Employment of the Root d–f–c in the Qur'an
Authors: Elkady Ahmad
Published: August 2010

Words employing the root d–f–c occur no more than twelve times in the Qur'an, yet with a variety and depth of meaning that illustrate the Qur'an's eloquence and inimitability: one aspect of this is the Qur'an's practice of using one word to convey both a thing and its opposite – in Sura 4 for instance d–f–c is used in the sense of giving and handing over; in Sura 52 and Sura 70 it occurs in the sense of withholding – and such diversity of meaning gave theologians scope for the development of their various doctrines and opinions. D–f–c occurs in the Qur'an in a range of meanings and it describes not only repelling by force but also rebuffing by dialogue and good behaviour and by confronting evil with good. It becomes clear in this article that jihād in Islam is not part of a Muslim's creed but part of a political system which sanctions its use in the protection and defence of the community against invasion and attack.
The Books of Iḥtijāj and the Conflict between Grammarians and Readers
Authors: Hamdan Akram Ali
Published: August 2010

This paper discusses the position of iḥtijāj literature with regard to the controversy between the readers and the grammarians. The discussion is aimed both at tracing the approaches followed by iḥtijāj scholars and at assessing the contribution made by iḥtijāj scholarship as a whole to the solution of an antagonism that reached its zenith in the 3rd/9th century. The three major questions on which the discussion is centred are as follows. Was iḥtijāj literature developed in deliberate response to those who challenged the divine nature of the Qur'an or was it simply a natural product of the intellectual environment? Were iḥtijāj writers objective in grammatical terms, i.e. were they impartial when they defended various modes of Qur'anic reading, or did they, on the contrary, enter the fray of controversy with a grammatical-theoretical axe to grind, making them unreliable judges of Qur'anic readings? And finally, did iḥtijāj literature truly contribute to the clarification of the problem or did it confound it even further?
The Notions of Muḥkam and Mutashābih in the Commentary of Elmali'li Muḥammad Ḥamdi Yazir
Authors: Albayrak Ismail
Published: August 2010

This article will discuss the notions of muḥkam and mutashābih in the commentary of Elmah'li Muhammad Hamdi Yazir. Yazir was a Turkish scholar whose life spanned the Ottoman and the republican eras. He received a traditional education in Istanbul. Besides Turkish he knew Arabic, Persian and French and translated several philosophical works from French into Turkish. He was an MP, a lecturer and a principal. In 1926 he was asked by certain statesmen to write a Qur'anic commentary in Turkish, an outstanding work that he completed around 1938, but that, due to the language barrier, has hitherto passed unnoticed outside of Turkey. In this paper, I would like to focus on Yazir's commentary on Q. 3:7. First of all, I will discuss his definitions of the two terms muḥkam and mutashābih, then the methodology he utilised to interpret this verse. I will also consider those who influenced him and finally assess the originality of his contribution to the understanding of this verse.
Exploring the Genesis of Early Arabic Linguistic Thought: Qur'anic Readers and Grammarians of the Basran Tradition (Part II)
Authors: Shah Mustafa
Published: August 2010

While Part I of this article examined the role played by Kūfan readers and grammarians in the genesis of Arabic linguistic thought, furnishing a synopsis of issues such as origins, features, and influential individuals, Part II focuses upon a similar treatment of the contribution made by Baṣran readers and grammarians to the development of this tradition. The article will outline Baṣran readers' attempts to devise and implement improvements to orthography, vowel markings and diacritics. It will also gauge the extent to which endeavours therein were gradually augmented by a profoundly theoretical approach to linguistic aspects of the collation, authentication, and articulation of Qur'anic readings. A survey of this formative period will propose that while the service of scripture is the distinguished objective of early Basran linguistic activity, the accentuation of abstract considerations in approaches to scripture presages not only a shift in this tradition's focus, application, and design, but it also marks the emergence of the first pioneering grammarians who place Arabic linguistic thought on an altogether insular plane, composing literature which reflected the new perspective, while preparing the ground for the contributions of Sibawayhi and his many peers.
The Plurality of Declension in the Qur'anic Sentence
Authors: al-Laṭīf Muḥammad cAbd
Published: August 2010

This study explores the plurality of declension in the Qur'anic sentence, suggesting that it is one of the aspects of its inimitability. This plurality is based upon and often referenced to Qur'anic readings. The features which lead to plurality include: 1. ellipsis, and the attempt to identify its components. 2. difficulties that arise from the lack of intonation in a written text of the Qur'an, and the resultant multiplicity in syntactic function. 3. the fact that syntactic markers are not always apparent.
Engaged Study of the Qur'an: Gauging its Effect on the Life of the Individual and of Society
Authors: al-cUlwānī Ruqayya Ṭā Hā Jābir
Published: August 2010

An engaged and perceptive contemplation of the Qur'an forms one of the most important bases for the cultural and social advancement of Muslims in all walks of life, and the absence of such study is one of the reasons behind the general cultural attenuation in the modern world. Reflection is one of the means of the construction and formation of a civilised society. The applied faculty of intellect creates an environment which allows reflective and considered thought to be developed from a functional perspective for the general well-being of society. Meanwhile the effective neglect of such study leads to the proliferation of superstition, dissent and social conflict. Indeed it can even be argued that it diminishes the significance of the laws and conventions which serve as the backbone of society.

This paper reveals a number of factors which can impede the achievement of such an engaged study of the text: thus, for instance, thoughtless obedience to societal conventions; shortcomings in educational systems and syllabi; and a failure to encompass the significance of the Arabic language. Furthermore this paper presents several effective suggestions for nurturing students' potential, encouraging an environment which allows freedom of thought, and its refinement.
And We cast upon his throne a mere body: A Historiographical Reading of Q. 38:34
Authors: Klar M.O.
Published: August 2010

This paper focuses on Q. 38:34 from the perspective of early and medieval works of Islamic historiography and collections of tales of the prophets: the early tenth century works of cUmāra b. Wathīma and Ṭabarī, the eleventh century Tales of the Prophets by Thaclabī, the twelfth century folkloric collection of Kisāↄī, along with Ibn cAsākir's History ofDamascus, the thirteenth century world history by Ibn al-Athīr, and the fourteenth century historiographical work by Ibn Kathīr. These various works are viewed not as any particular stage in the development of a genre, but as variations on a (Qur'anic) theme, and the avenue of medieval historiographers and storytellers is utilised as a bridge to explore various possible interpretations of the Qur'anic passage. Historiographers and storytellers provide us with an illustration of how lessons of admonition implied in the Qur'anic text were perceived in medieval Islamic society. They also, as will become clear, provide a picture of Solomon that is consistent with the Qur'anic figure as a whole.
A Primordial e pluribus unum? Exegeses on Q. 2:213 and Contemporary Muslim Discourses on Religious Pluralism*
Authors: Rizvi Sajjad H.
Published: August 2010

Students of natural theology have for centuries debated the religious progress of humankind. In the idyll of the Garden of Eden and in our earliest generations, they ask, did we believe in God? Or even gods? Has humankind evolved from pagan precursors to rational monotheism? Or did primordial monotheism lapse into paganism thus requiring the divine light of revelation to guide humanity back to the one true God? This paper focuses on three contemporary Muslim perspectives on religious pluralism that draw upon a key verse from Sūrat al-Baqara, which begins with the declaration that ‘Humankind was a single nation’ (or ‘is a single nation’, the tense seems rather significant) to tease out a central ethical question of religious pluralism and the moral relativism that, for some, it entails. How can all religions claim to be true when their truth claims are so incommensurable? Does the Qur'an articulate an exclusivist or universalist discourse (or perhaps more intriguingly both simultaneously) with respect to other faiths?
The Early Arabic Grammarians' Contributions to the Collection and Authentication of Qur'anic Readings: The Prelude to Ibn Mujāhid's Kitāb al-Sabca
Authors: Shah Mustafa
Published: August 2010

The ninth and tenth centuries of the classical Islamic tradition are often viewed as periods in which distinctive shifts towards the consolidation, standardisation and homogeneity of Islamic thought and concepts are discernible. Accordingly, Ibn Mujāhid's authorship of his renowned Kitāb al-Sabca and his efforts to accentuate a set of seven Qur'anic readings are invariably contextualised within the accommodating confines of these perceived shifts across the gamut of the classical Islamic sciences. Yet the trajectory followed by Ibn Mujāhid's text owes its dynamics to an entirely different set of factors. This article proposes that the methodical efforts of Ibn Mujāhid were an extension of the attempts by Qur'anic readers to reinvigorate the traditional conventions of adhering to defined precedents in the authentication of the readings of scripture. Notwithstanding the fact that the nature of variances among Qur'anic readings was infinitesimal, endeavours in this area are governed by the liturgical value of lectiones. In order to gauge the broad significance of the Kitāb al-Sabca, the text has to be placed in the well-defined context of the genesis and development of Arabic linguistic thought.
Al-Sabc al-mathānī (Q. 15:87)
Authors: Hassan Tammam
Published: August 2010

Scholastic opinion on the meaning of the phrase al-sabc al-mathānī has differed widely. It is variously said to refer to the Fātiḥa, the seven suras al-Baqara, Āl cImrān, al-Nisāↄ, al-Māↄida, al-Ancām, al-Acrāf, and al-Anfāl plus al-Tawba (the latter two suras counting as one on account of there being no basmala between them), or the entire Qur'an, while others say that al-sabc al-mathānī refers to the division of the Qur'an into commands and prohibitions, glad tidings and admonitions, the coining of likenesses, the enumeration of blessings and accounts of past generations. It is also said that the term al-mathānī is derived from tathniya, repetition, and that the Fātiḥa is connected to repetition in two ways: first, it is repeated in ritual prayer; and, second, it repeatedly embodies praise of God.

It is also however said that al-mathānī is the plural of mithnā (rope): the mathniyy of a thing is doubled or incorporates two, and accordingly one says ‘I doubled (thanaytu) something’ meaning ‘I folded it and laid the two pieces side by side’. Thus the meaning of al-sabc al-mathānī is seven things that may each be classified as belonging to a pair, and hence in order to comprehend what is signified by mathānī, one must understand the intended meaning of the Qur'an. This can be achieved through an investigation of its internal intertextualities, i.e. by analysing the relationships implicit in the connections that appear between these texts one uncovers, through one text, the purport of another. This study, therefore, relies upon intertextuality in order to understand the intended meaning of al-mathānī.
The Correlation between Definite Noun Phrases and Verb Forms in Qur'anic Narrative Texts
Authors: Sakaedani Haruko
Published: August 2010

In a previous article I have examined shifts of noun phrase forms in Qur'anic narrative texts and found that this kind of shift is strictly associated with the construction of texts and development of stories. It was also found that other categories such as voice, aspect and tense are connected with the shifts of these noun phrase forms. In the present paper I first confirm the argument made in my previous paper: that forms of noun phrases are markers of point of view in narratives. Next, the correlations between these noun phrase forms and various verb forms are inquired into, and the effect of using different noun phrase forms and verb forms in the texts is discussed. The argument is restricted to narratives because these realise textual coherence more than the early fragmentary revelations, and because the points of view in these narratives can be examined through the various persons coming into the stories. In addition, this study focuses on definite noun phrases rather than indefinite ones as, other than when they are first introduced into the texts, the referents in these stories are referred to with definite noun phrases, or more strictly speaking, a number of prophets and other famous persons are frequently introduced with definite noun phrases.
In Vitro Antiophidian Properties of Dipteryx alata Vogel Bark Extracts
Authors: Nazato Virgínia Sbrugnera , Rubem-Mauro Leandro , Vieira Nathalia Aparecida Gatto , Dos Santos Rocha Dimas , Glauzer Silva Magali , Santos Lopes Patricia , Dal-Belo Cháriston André , Cogo Jose Carlos , Dos Santos Marcio Galdino , Da Cruz-Höfling Maria Alice , Oshima-Franco Yoko
Published: August 2010

Extracts from Dipteryx alata bark obtained with different solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol) were mixed in vitro with Bothrops jararacussu (Bjssu, 40 μg/mL) and Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt, 15 μg/mL) snake venoms, and applied to a mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation to evaluate the possible neutralization of venom effects. Cdt venom neurotoxic effect was not inhibited by any of the extracts, while the neurotoxic and myotoxic actions of Bjssu venom were decreased by the methanolic extract. This inhibition appears to be augmented by tannins. Dichloromethane bark extract inhibited ~40% of Bjssu venom effects and delayed blockade induced by Cdt. The methodology used to determine which extract was active allows inferring that: (i) phenolic acids and flavonoids contained in the methanolic extract plus tannins were responsible mostly for neutralization of Bjssu effects; (ii) terpenoids from the dichloromethane extract may participate in the anti-Cdt and anti-Bjssu venom effects; (iii) a given extract could not inhibit venoms from different species even if those belong to the same family, so it is improper to generalize a certain plant as antiophidian; (iv) different polarity extracts do not present the same inhibitory capability, thus demonstrating the need for characterizing both venom pharmacology and the phytochemistry of medicinal plant compounds
Antidepressants and Suicide Risk: A Comprehensive Overview
Authors: Pompili Maurizio , Serafini Gianluca , Innamorati Marco , Ambrosi Elisa , Giordano Gloria , Girardi Paolo , Tatarelli Roberto , Lester David
Published: August 2010

The annual worldwide suicide rate currently averages approximately 13 per 100,000 individuals per year (0.013% per year), with higher average rates for men than for women in all but a few countries, very low rates in children, and relatively high rates in elderly men. Suicide rates vary markedly between countries, reflecting in part differences in case-identification and reporting procedures. Rates of attempted suicide in the general population average 20–30 times higher than rates of completed suicide, but are probably under-reported. Research on the relationship between pharmacotherapy and suicidal behavior was rare until a decade ago. Most ecological studies and large clinical studies have found that a general reduction in suicide rates is significantly correlated with higher rates of prescribing modern antidepressants. However, ecological, cohort and case-control studies and data from brief, randomized, controlled trials in patients with acute affective disorders have found increases, particularly in young patients and particularly for the risk of suicide attempts, as well as increases in suicidal ideation in young patients. whether antidepressants are associated with specific aspects of suicidality (e.g., higher rates of completed suicide, attempted suicide and suicidal ideation) in younger patients with major affective disorders remains a highly controversial question. In light of this gap this paper analyzes research on the relationship between suicidality and antidepressant treatment.
Recreational Carrying Capacity of Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge
Authors: Manning Robert , Valliere William , Hallo Jeffrey
Published: September 2010

Recreational carrying capacity addresses the issue of how much and what types of recreation can be accommodated in parks and related areas without unacceptable impacts. Contemporary approaches to carrying capacity rely on formulation, monitoring, and management of indicators and standards of quality. Recreational carrying capacity of Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, located in northern New Hampshire and Maine, was analyzed using visitor surveys that employed normative theory and methods and visual simulations of a range of recreation-related conditions. Study findings suggest that indicators of quality for the visitor experience include the number of boats seen on Lake Umbagog and associated rivers, the size of boating groups, the minimum acceptable chance of seeing selected types of wildlife, and the minimum acceptable chance of catching selected types of fish. Study findings also suggest a range of standards of quality for these indicators. Recreational carrying capacity of Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge can be managed by using study findings to guide formulation of indicators and standards of quality, monitoring indicator variables, and taking management actions to ensure that standards of quality are maintained.
Adrenal-Oncocytic Tumor: An Unusual Cause of Secondary Hypertension in a Young South African Male
Authors: Okpechi Ikechi G. , Motala Ahmed , Panieri Eugenio , Rayner Brian L.
Published: September 2010

Tumors with oncocytic features are characterized histologically by cells with eosinophilic granular cytoplasm and by the ultrastructural presence of numerous closely packed mitochondria. Adrenal oncocytic tumors are very rare. We describe the case of a 36-year old white male who was newly diagnosed with hypertension and referred for evaluation. An abdominal computer tomography scan revealed a right adrenal tumor, which was removed surgically. The final diagnosis was made histologically on the excised tumor specimen. Hypertension in this patient was cured by the removal of the tumor.

Adrenal oncocytic tumors are often benign, non-functional tumors that rarely cause hypertension. The diagnosis and assessment of metastatic potential can be made with histology and appropriate immunohistochemical stains. Removal of the tumor is necessary as some may have a malignant potential. Long-term follow-up is important in these patients in view of the difficulty in accurately predicting biological behavior.
Stratospheric water vapour budget and convection overshooting the tropopause: modelling study from SCOUT-AMMA
Authors: Liu X. M. , Rivière E. D. , Marécal V. , Durry G. , Hamdouni A. , Arteta J. , Khaykin S.
Published: September 2010

Abstract. The aim of this paper is to study the impacts of overshooting convection at a local scale on the water distribution in the tropical UTLS. Overshooting convection is assumed to be one of the processes controlling the entry of water vapour mixing ratio in the stratosphere by injecting ice crystals above the tropopause which later sublimate and hydrate the lower stratosphere. For this purpose, we quantify the individual impact of two cases of overshooting convection in Africa observed during SCOUT-AMMA: the case of 4 August 2006 over Southern Chad which is likely to have influenced the water vapour measurements by micro-SDLA and FLASH-B from Niamey on 5 August, and the case of a mesoscale convective system over Aïr on 5 August 2006. We make use of high resolution (down to 1 km horizontally) nested grid simulations with the three-dimensional regional atmospheric model BRAMS (Brazilian Regional Atmospheric Modelling System). In both cases, BRAMS succeeds in simulating the main features of the convective activity, as well as overshooting convection, though the exact position and time of the overshoots indicated by MSG brightness temperature difference is not fully reproduced (typically 1° displacement in latitude compared with the overshoots indicated by brightness temperature difference from satellite observations for both cases, and several hours shift for the Aïr case on 5 August 2006). Total water budgets associated with these two events show a significant injection of ice particles above the tropopause with maximum values of about 3.7 ton s−1 for the Chad case (4 August) and 1.4 ton s−1 for the Aïr case (5 August), and a total upward cross tropopause transport of about 3300 ton h−1 for the Chad case and 2400 ton h−1 for the Aïr case in the third domain of simulation. The order of magnitude of these modelled fluxes is lower but comparable with similar studies in other tropical areas based on models. These two estimations exhibit significant differences and highlight variability among the cases of the impact of overshooting convection in hydrating the lower stratosphere. We show that the regional enhancement of water above the tropopause is between 0.21 to 0.67 ppmv between 380 and 400 K, generally in the range of other model estimations. The amount of water which remains in the stratosphere after the overshoot is estimated for both cases. A range of 330 to 507 tons is found for the Chad case and an upper limit of 200 tons is found for the Aïr case. Finally we emphasize that the hydrated area in the LS by overshooting convection can be advected relatively far away from the overshoot initial location, with locally mixing ratios of more than 3 ppmv higher than the background level, which is compatible with the balloon borne measurements performed above Niamey in the same air mass, 30 h after the overshoot.
Simultaneous HONO measurements in and above a forest canopy: influence of turbulent exchange on mixing ratio differences
Authors: Sörgel M. , Trebs I. , Serafimovich A. , Moravek A. , Held A. , Zetzsch C.
Published: September 2010

Abstract. We have combined chemical and micrometeorological measurements to investigate the formation and distribution of HONO throughout a forest canopy. HONO was measured simultaneously at two heights, close to the forest floor and just above canopy. The turbulent exchange between the forest and the atmosphere above was studied using vertical profiles of eddy covariance measurements. HONO mixing ratios at both heights showed typical diel cycles with low daytime values (~80 ppt) and high nighttime values (up to 500 ppt), but were influenced by various sources and sinks leading to mixing ratio differences (above canopy minus below) of up to +240 ppt at nighttime. In the late afternoon and early night mixing ratios increased at higher rates near the forest floor, indicating a possible ground source. Due to the simultaneous decoupling of the forest from the air layer above the canopy, mixing ratio differences reached about −170 ppt. From the late night until the early morning mixing ratios above the forest were typically higher than close to the forest floor. For some cases, this could be attributed to advection above the forest, which only partly penetrated the canopy. Measured photolysis frequencies above and below the forest canopy differed by a factor of 10–25 resulting in HONO lifetimes of about 10 min above and 100–250 min below the canopy at noontime. However, these differences of the main daytime HONO sink were not evident in the mixing ratio differences, which were close to zero during the morning hours. Effective turbulent exchange due to a complete coupling of the forest to the air layer above the canopy in the morning has offset the differences caused by the daytime photolytic sink and added to the interplay between different HONO production and loss processes.
Low back pain and other musculoskeletal pain comorbidities in individuals with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee: Data from the osteoarthritis initiative
Authors: Suri Pradeep , Morgenroth David C. , Kwoh C. Kent , Bean Jonathan F. , Kalichman Leonid , Hunter David J.
Published: August 2010

Objective

To examine the association of concurrent low back pain (LBP), and other musculoskeletal pain comorbidity, with knee pain severity in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

Individuals from the Progression Cohort of the Osteoarthritis Initiative (n = 1,389, ages 45–79 years) with symptomatic tibiofemoral knee OA were studied. Participants identified pain in the low back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle, or foot. The primary outcome was the pain subscale of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) applied to the more symptomatic knee. We examined WOMAC pain score in persons with and without LBP, before and after adjusting for other musculoskeletal symptoms.

Results

Of the participants, 57.4% reported LBP. The mean ± SD WOMAC pain score (possible range 0–20) was 6.5 ± 4.1 in participants with and 5.2 ± 3.4 in participants without LBP (P < 0.0001). In multivariate analyses, LBP was significantly associated with increased WOMAC knee pain score (β [SE] = 1.00 [0.21], P < 0.0001). However, pain in all other individual musculoskeletal locations demonstrated similar associations with knee pain score. In models including all pain locations simultaneously, only LBP (β [SE] = 0.65 [0.21], P = 0.002), ipsilateral elbow pain (β [SE] = 0.98 [0.40], P = 0.02), and ipsilateral foot pain (β [SE] = 1.03 [0.45], P = 0.02) were significantly associated with knee pain score. Having >1 pain location was associated with greater WOMAC knee pain; this relationship was strongest for individuals having 4 (β [SE] = 1.83 [0.42], P < 0.0001) or ≥5 pain locations (β [SE] = 1.86 [0.36], P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

LBP, foot pain, and elbow pain are significantly associated with WOMAC knee pain score, as are a higher total number of pain locations. This may have implications for clinical trial planning.
Guaranteed estimation of the parameters of nonlinear continuous‐time models: Contributions of interval analysis
Authors: Kieffer M. , Walter E.
Published: August 2010

This paper is about guaranteed parameter estimation in two contexts, namely bounded‐error and optimal estimation. In bounded‐error estimation, one looks for the set of all parameter vectors that are consistent with some prior bounds on the errors deemed acceptable between the model behavior and that of the system. In optimal estimation, one looks for the set of all parameter vectors that minimize some cost function quantifying the discrepancy between the behaviors of the system and its model. In both cases, guaranteed means that proven statements are made about the set of interest. The situation is made much more difficult when the model output is assumed to depend nonlinearly in the parameters to be estimated and when dealing with continuous‐time models, as here. Important tools based on interval analysis (IA) that contribute to allowing guaranteed estimation in these challenging conditions are presented. Some are absolutely classical in the context of IA but not so well known in the community of parameter estimation at large. Others have been developed recently and were mainly presented in conferences. Some, such as the use of sensitivity functions to reduce more quickly the size of outer approximations of the sets of interest, are new. Challenges for future research in the context of guaranteed nonlinear estimation are mentioned. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
3D navigation and collision avoidance for nonholonomic aircraft‐like vehicles
Authors: Roussos Giannis , Dimarogonas Dimos V. , Kyriakopoulos Kostas J.
Published: August 2010

This paper extends the Navigation Function methodology to the case of 3D nonholonomic vehicles, both in single agent and multi‐agent problems. The kinematic, nonholonomic, three‐dimensional model considered is chosen to resemble the motion of an aircraft by preventing any movement along the lateral or perpendicular axis, as well as preventing high yaw rotation rates. The discontinuous feedback control law used is based on the artificial potential field generated by Dipolar Navigation Functions and steers the agents away from obstacles or each other and towards their destinations, while respecting the nonholonomic constraints present. The convergence properties of the proposed control strategies are formally guaranteed and verified by non‐trivial simulation results. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Robust weighted H∞ filtering for networked systems with intermittent measurements of multiple sensors
Authors: Zhang Hui , Shi Yang , Mehr Aryan Saadat
Published: August 2010

In this paper, we investigate the robust weighted H∞ filtering problem for networked systems with intermittent measurements under the discrete‐time framework. Multiple outputs of the plant are measured by separate sensors, each of which has a specific failure rate. Network‐induced delay, packet dropouts and network‐induced disorder phenomena are all incorporated in the modeling of the network link. The resulting closed‐loop system involves both delayed noise and non‐delayed noise. In order to make full use of the delayed information, we define a weighted H∞ performance index. Sufficient delay‐dependent and parameter‐dependent conditions for the existence of the filter and the solvability of the addressed problem are given via a set of linear matrix inequalities. Two simulation examples are presented to illustrate the relationship between the minimal performance level and the weighting factor, which show the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulation error minimization identification based on multi‐stage prediction
Authors: Farina M. , Piroddi L.
Published: August 2010

Classical prediction error minimization (PEM) methods are widely used for model identification, but they are also known to provide satisfactory results only in specific identification conditions, e.g. disturbance model matching. If these conditions are not met, the obtained model may have quite different dynamical behavior compared with the original system, resulting in poor long range prediction or simulation performance, which is a critical factor for model analysis, simulation, model‐based control design. In the mentioned non‐ideal conditions a robust and reliable alternative is based on the minimization of the simulation error. Unfortunately, direct optimization of a simulation error minimization (SEM) criterion is an intrinsically complex and computationally intensive task. In this paper a low‐complexity approximate SEM approach is discussed, based on the iteration of multi‐step PEM methods. The soundness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by showing that, for sufficiently high prediction horizons, the k‐steps ahead (single‐ or multi‐step) PEM criteria converge to the SEM one. Identifiability issues and convergence properties of the algorithm are also discussed. Some examples are provided to illustrate the mentioned properties of the algorithm. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Copolymer Networks Based on Poly(ω‐pentadecalactone) and Poly(ϵ‐caprolactone)Segments as a Versatile Triple‐Shape Polymer System
Authors: Zotzmann Jörg , Behl Marc , Feng Yakai , Lendlein Andreas
Published: August 2010

Thermo‐sensitive triple‐shape polymers can perform two consecutive shape changes in response to heat. These shape changes correspond to the recovery of two different deformations in reverse order, which were programmed previously at elevated temperature levels (Tmid and Thigh) by the application of external stress. Recently, an AB copolymer network was described, which surprisingly exhibited a triple‐shape effect despite being programmed with only one deformation at Thigh. Here it is explored whether a copolymer network system can be designed that enables a one‐step deformation process at ambient temperature (cold drawing) as a novel, gentle, and easy‐to‐handle triple‐shape‐creation procedure, in addition to the procedures reported to date, which generally involve deformation(s) at elevated temperature(s). A copolymer‐network system with two crystallizable polyester segments is synthesized and characterized, fulfilling two crucial criteria. These materials can be deformed at ambient temperature by cold drawing and show, even at Thigh, which is above the melting points of both switching domains, elongation at break of up to 250%. Copolymer networks with PCL contents of 75 and 50 wt% show a triple‐shape effect after cold drawing with shape‐fixity ratios between 65% and 80% and a total‐shape‐recovery ratio above 97%. Furthermore, in these copolymer networks, the triple‐shape effect can be obtained after a one‐step deformation at Thigh. Independent of the temperature at which the deformation is applied (ambient temperature or Thigh), copolymer networks that have the same compositions show similar switching temperatures and proportioning of the recovery in two steps. The two‐step programming procedure enables a triple‐shape effect in copolymer networks for an even broader range of compositions. This versatile triple‐shape‐material system based on tailored building blocks is an interesting candidate material for applications in fixation systems or disassembling systems.
Fluorene‐Carbazole Dendrimers: Synthesis, Thermal, Photophysical and Electroluminescent Device Properties
Authors: Usluer Ozlem , Demic Serafettin , Egbe Daniel A. M. , Birckner Eckhard , Tozlu Cem , Pivrikas Almantas , Ramil Alberto Montaigne , Sariciftci Niyazi Serdar
Published: August 2010

Novel hole‐transporting dendrimeric molecules containing dioctylfluorene, spirobi(fluorene) and spiro(cylododecane‐fluorene) as the core unit and different numbers of carbazole and thiophene moieties as the peripheral groups are synthesized. All the dendrimers are characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR, UV–vis, PL spectroscopy, and MALDI‐TOF. They are thermally stable with high glass transition and decomposition temperatures and exhibit chemically reversible redox processes. They are used as the hole‐transporting layer (HTL) material for multilayer organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a low turn‐on voltage of around 2.5 V and a bright green emission with a maximum luminance of around 25400 cd m−2.
Carbon Nanotubes: Measuring Dispersion and Length
Authors: Fagan Jeffrey A. , Bauer Barry J. , Hobbie Erik K. , Becker Matthew L. , Hight Walker Angela R. , Simpson Jeffrey R. , Chun Jaehun , Obrzut Jan , Bajpai Vardhan , Phelan Fred R. , Simien Daneesh , Huh Ji Yeon , Migler Kalman B.
Published: August 2010

Advanced technological uses of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) rely on the production of single length and chirality populations that are currently only available through liquid‐phase post processing. The foundation of all of these processing steps is the attainment of individualized nanotube dispersions in solution. An understanding of the colloidal properties of the dispersed SWCNTs can then be used to design appropriate conditions for separations. In many instances nanotube size, particularly length, is especially active in determining the properties achievable in a given population, and, thus, there is a critical need for measurement technologies for both length distribution and effective separation techniques. In this Progress Report, the current state of the art for measuring dispersion and length populations, including separations, is documented, and examples are used to demonstrate the desirability of addressing these parameters.