bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantum dots and nanocomposites
Authors: Mansur Herman Sander
Published: January 2010

Quantum dots (QDs), also known as semiconducting nanoparticles, are promising zero‐dimensional advanced materials because of their nanoscale size and because they can be engineered to suit particular applications such as nonlinear optical devices (NLO), electro‐optical devices, and computing applications. QDs can be joined to polymers in order to produce nanocomposites which can be considered a scientific revolution of the 21st century. One of the fastest moving and most exciting interfaces of nanotechnology is the use of QDs in medicine, cell and molecular biology. Recent advances in nanomaterials have produced a new class of markers and probes by conjugating semiconductor QDs with biomolecules that have affinities for binding with selected biological structures. The nanoscale of QDs ensures that they do not scatter light at visible or longer wavelengths, which is important in order to minimize optical losses in practical applications. Moreover, at this scale, quantum confinement and surface effects become very important and therefore manipulation of the dot diameter or modification of its surface allows the properties of the dot to be controlled. Quantum confinement affects the absorption and emission of photons from the dot. Thus, the absorption edge of a material can be tuned by control of the particle size. This paper reviews developments in the myriad of possibilities for the use of semiconductor QDs associated with molecules producing novel hybrid nanocomposite systems for nanomedicine and bioengineering applications.WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol2010 2 113–129

This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
PAS‐positive lymphocyte vacuoles can be used as diagnostic screening test for Pompe disease
Authors: Hagemans Marloes L. C. , Stigter Rolinda L. , van Capelle Carine I. , van der Beek Nadine A. M. E. , Winkel Leon P. F. , van Vliet Laura , Hop Wim C. J. , Reuser Arnold J. J. , Beishuizen Auke , van der Ploeg Ans T.
Published: January 2010

Screening of blood films for the presence of periodic acid‐Schiff (PAS)‐positive lymphocyte vacuoles is sometimes used to support the diagnosis of Pompe disease, but the actual diagnostic value is still unknown. We collected peripheral blood films from 65 untreated Pompe patients and 51 controls. Lymphocyte vacuolization was quantified using three methods: percentage vacuolated lymphocytes, percentage PAS‐positive lymphocytes, and a PAS score depending on staining intensity. Diagnostic accuracy of the tests was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. All three methods fully discerned classic infantile patients from controls. The mean values of patients with milder forms of Pompe disease were significantly higher than those of controls, but full separation was not obtained. The area under the ROC curve was 0.98 for the percentage vacuolated lymphocytes (optimal cutoff value 3; sensitivity 91%, specificity 96%) and 0.99 for the percentage PAS‐positive lymphocytes and PAS score (optimal cutoff value 9; sensitivity 100%, specificity 98%). Our data indicate that PAS‐stained blood films can be used as a reliable screening tool to support a diagnosis of Pompe disease. The percentage of PAS‐positive lymphocytes is convenient for use in clinical practice but should always be interpreted in combination with other clinical and laboratory parameters.
Referring Physicians' Knowledge of Hand Surgery
Authors: Curtin Catherine M. , Yao Jeffrey
Published: January 2010

Hand surgeons rely on referrals from general providers. Appropriate referral is dependent upon referring physicians having an understanding of the problem and available treatments. This study evaluates the referring physicians' knowledge and perceptions of basic hand problems and their treatment. This study also evaluates the impact of a brief lecture on our referring physicians' understanding of hand issues. A survey instrument was administered to referring physicians. The instrument addressed general hand knowledge and perceptions toward hand surgery. The physicians also attended a lecture on general hand problems and their treatments. The survey was repeated 2 weeks post-lecture. Subjects had a pre-lecture knowledge score of 65% correct and post-lecture a score of 85%, p<0.05. The participants were knowledgeable about common hand problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Knowledge gaps did exist, for example, only 37% recognized the symptoms of basilar thumb arthritis. Initially, the referring physicians had less positive views about surgical interventions, such as surgery to help the pain of basilar thumb arthritis. After the lecture, the responders had significantly more favorable attitudes toward surgery. This study found that referring physicians had variable knowledge about common hand problems, and they had doubts relating to the efficacy of some hand surgeries. This study also found that a directed lecture improved these providers' knowledge and their perceptions of hand surgical interventions. Hand surgeons can improve their referring physicians understanding and perceptions of hand surgery through a directed grand rounds type lecture.
Serum Phospholipid Transfer Protein Activity After a High Fat Meal in Patients with Insulin‐Treated Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Schlitt Axel , Schwaab Bernhard , Fingscheidt Kirsten , Lackner Karl J. , Heine Gunnar H. , Vogt Alexander , Buerke Michael , Maegdefessel Lars , Raaz Uwe , Werdan Karl , Jiang Xian‐Cheng
Published: January 2010

Plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) mediates both net transfer and exchange of phospholipids between different lipoproteins. Animal studies have shown that it is closely related to the development of atherosclerosis. Although many studies have indicated that PLTP activity is increased in diabetes mellitus, the role of PLTP in diabetes is still unclear. To evaluate the influence of a high‐fat meal on PLTP activity, 50 nondiabetic patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), 50 insulin‐treated Type 2 diabetics, and 50 healthy controls were included. We determined PLTP activity before and 4 and 8 h after a high‐fat meal. As expected, serum PLTP activity was significantly higher in CHD patients than in healthy controls (71.0 ± 46.2 vs. 54.0 ± 33.8 pmol/μl/h, P = 0.032) at baseline. More importantly, we found that serum PLTP activity increased to its maximum 4 h after fat loading and then decreased to nearly basal levels after 8 h both in controls and CHD patients. In contrast, PLTP activity continuously increased during this time period in the diabetic patients. With regards to the data from this study we hypothesize that serum PLTP is involved in the clearance of postprandial lipoproteins and this process is attenuated in diabetes. Since postprandial lipoproteins are atherogenic, the delay in clearance of these particles could play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Cooperative elastic stresses, the hydrophobic effect, and lipid tilt in membrane remodeling
Authors: Frolov Vadim A. , Zimmerberg Joshua
Published: January 2010

One of the fundamental properties of biological membranes is the high lateral integrity provided by the lipid bilayer, the structural core and the foundation of their barrier function. This tensile strength is due to the intrinsic properties of amphiphilic lipid molecules, which spontaneously self‐assemble into a stable bilayer structure due to the hydrophobic effect. In the highly dynamic life of cellular membranes systems, however, this integrity has to be regularly compromised. One of the emerging puzzles is the mechanism of localized rupture of lipid monolayer, the formation of tiny hydrophobic patches and flipping of lipid tails between closely apposed monolayers. The energy cost of such processes is prohibitively high, unless cooperative deformations in a small membrane patch are carefully organized. Here we review the latest experimental and theoretical data on how such deformations can be conducted, specifically describing how elastic stresses yield tilting of lipids leading to cooperative restructuring of lipid monolayers. Proteins specializing in membrane remodeling assemble into closely packed circular complexes to arrange these deformations in time and space.
An empirical investigation of environmental performance and the market value of the firm
Authors: Jacobs Brian W. , Singhal Vinod R. , Subramanian Ravi
Published: January 2010

This paper analyzes the shareholder value effects of environmental performance by measuring the stock market reaction associated with announcements of environmental performance. We examine the market reaction to two categories of environmental performance. The first category includes 417 announcements of Corporate Environmental Initiatives (CEIs) that provide information about self‐reported corporate efforts to avoid, mitigate, or offset the environmental impacts of the firm's products, services, or processes. The second category includes 363 announcements of Environmental Awards and Certifications (EACs) that provide information about recognition granted by third‐parties specifically for environmental performance. Although the market does not react significantly to the aggregated CEI and EAC announcements, we find statistically significant market reactions for certain CEI and EAC subcategories. Specifically, announcements of philanthropic gifts for environmental causes are associated with significant positive market reaction, voluntary emission reductions are associated with significant negative market reaction, and ISO 14001 certifications are associated with significant positive market reaction. The difference between the market reactions to the CEI and EAC categories is statistically insignificant. Overall, the market is selective in reacting to announcements of environmental performance with certain types of announcements even valued negatively.
Upper Limb Nerve Entrapment Syndromes in Veterans With Lower Limb Amputations
Authors: Pyo Jay , Pasquina Paul F. , DeMarco Michael , Wallach Robert , Teodorski Emily , Cooper Rory A.
Published: January 2010

Objective

To examine the prevalence and severity of upper limb entrapment syndromes in a sample of veterans with lower limb amputations.

Design

A descriptive survey, pilot study.

Setting

2008 National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic.

Participants

Twenty participants with various lower limb amputations.

Methods

All study participants completed a questionnaire that included symptoms of both upper limbs, medical history, time since amputation, medication history, use of assistive technology, and wheelchair characteristics. A physical examination and electrodiagnostic testing were then performed on each participant. The physical examination included an assessment of bilateral upper limb weakness or sensory abnormalities, thenar/hypothenar atrophy, deep tendon reflexes, Tinel test of the wrist and elbow, and the Phalen maneuver. All nerve conduction studies were performed by an American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine‐certified physiatrist.

Outcome Measures

Correlation between symptoms, examination findings, and electrodiagnostic findings with the participant's demographic data in the questionnaire.

Results

Twenty participants (19 men and 1 woman) were enrolled in the study, with a total of 38 upper limbs evaluated. The mean age of the study population was 59 ± 13 years, with an average of 23 years since the amputation. Sixteen (80%) of 20 participants had electrodiagnostic findings consistent with median neuropathy across the wrist (26/38 affected limbs, 6 participants with unilateral and 10 with bilateral findings), and 14 (70%) of 20 participants had ulnar entrapment neuropathy across the elbow (22/38 affected limbs, 6 participants with unilateral and 8 with bilateral findings). Several participants (6 of 20, 30%) were found to have electrodiagnostic evidence of ulnar entrapment neuropathy across the wrist (10 of 38 affected limbs, 2 participants unilateral and 4 bilateral findings).

Conclusion

A high number of veterans with lower limb amputations presented with upper limb nerve entrapment syndromes. Careful attention to these nerve entrapment syndromes in lower limb amputees is necessary because the symptoms may be confounded by other chronic pain‐related disorders.
Risk Factors for Volleyball‐Related Shoulder Pain and Dysfunction
Authors: Reeser Jonathan C. , Joy Elizabeth A. , Porucznik Christina A. , Berg Richard L. , Colliver Ethan B. , Willick Stuart E.
Published: January 2010

Objective

To identify risk factors for volleyball‐related shoulder pain and dysfunction.

Design

Cross‐sectional, observational.

Setting

National championship sporting event.

Participants

Competitors at the 2006 National Intramural & Recreational Sports Association Collegiate Club Volleyball Championship competition were invited to volunteer for the study. A total of 422 athletes returned questionnaires, of whom 276 also underwent a structured physical examination.

Assessment of Risk Factors

Study participants provided information on any history of volleyball‐related shoulder pain or dysfunction. The simple shoulder test (SST) and a visual analog scale permitted subjects to quantify the extent of their perceived functional limitation. Subjects also were invited to undergo a physical examination in which dynamic scapular positioning, glenohumeral range of motion, shoulder girdle strength, and core stability were assessed.

Main Outcome Measurements

Standard statistical methods of comparison and tests of association were used to identify risk factors for shoulder pain among participating volleyball athletes.

Results

Approximately 60% of participants reported a history of shoulder problems. Attackers and “jump” servers were more likely to have shoulder problems than setters, defensive specialists, and “float” servers. Nearly half of the athletes who reported shoulder problems perceived some associated functional limitation, with female athletes providing lower SST scores than male athletes (9.0 versus 10.1, P = .001). Athletes reporting shoulder pain and dysfunction were more likely to have SICK scapula scores of 3 or greater (P = .010). Participants who demonstrated core instability also had greater SICK scapula scores (3.9 versus 2.9, P = .038), and were more likely to report a history of shoulder problems (χ2 = 8.83, P = .032). Although the authors observed a significant mean left‐right difference of 8.9° in available glenohumeral internal rotation among participating athletes, this deficit was not associated with shoulder problems. However, there was an association between asymmetric coracoid tightness /pectoral shortening and shoulder pain (P = .030), as well as for restricted shoulder flexion in the sagittal plane and shoulder problems (P = .015).

Conclusions

Although most risk factors for volleyball‐related shoulder problems are similar to those identified for other overhead sports, there appear to be additional volleyball‐specific risk factors that may reflect the biomechanical demands of the sport. An understanding of modifiable risk factors is critical to providing optimal care for overuse injuries and may facilitate future efforts to prevent shoulder problems among volleyball athletes.
Modern Techniques of Surface Science
Authors: Woodruff D. P. , Delchar T. A.
Published: January 2010

This is a fully revised and expanded edition of a very successful and widely used book. It describes the physical basis of all the principal, and most of the more specialised, techniques currently employed in the study of well-characterised solid surfaces. The coverage of each technique, illustrated with selected examples, is underpinned by discussion of the relevant physical principles, and the complementary aspects of the various methods are also described. Throughout, the emphasis is on understanding the concepts involved, rather than on an exhaustive review of applications. The book will be of great use to final year undergraduate and postgraduate students in physics, chemistry and materials science. It will also be valuable to established researchers in any area of surface science concerned with the acquisition and analysis of experimental data.
Multimedia Networking
Authors: Hwang Jenq-Neng
Published: January 2010

This authoritative guide is the first to provide a complete system design perspective based on existing international standards and state-of-the-art networking and infrastructure technologies, from theoretical analyses to practical design considerations. The four most critical components involved in a multimedia networking system - data compression, quality of service (QoS), communication protocols, and effective digital rights management - are intensively addressed. Many real-world commercial systems and prototypes are also introduced, as are software samples and integration examples, allowing readers to understand practical tradeoffs in the design of multimedia architectures, and get hands-on experience learning the methodologies and procedures. Balancing just the right amount of theory with practical design and integration knowledge, this book is ideal for graduate students and researchers in electrical engineering and computer science, and also for practitioners in the communications and networking industry. It can also be used as a textbook for specialized graduate-level courses on multimedia networking.
German
Authors: Fagan Sarah M. B.
Published: January 2010

Standard German is spoken by approximately 95 million people worldwide. This book provides an introduction to the linguistic structure of standard German that is rich in descriptive detail and grounded in modern linguistic theory. It describes the main linguistic features: the sounds, structure and formation of words, structure of sentences, and meaning of words and sentences. It surveys the history of the language, the major dialects, German in Austria and Switzerland, as well as sociolinguistic issues such as style, language and gender, youth language, and English influence on German. Prior knowledge of German is not required, as glosses and translations of the German examples are provided. Each chapter includes exercises designed to give the reader practical experience in analyzing the language. It is an essential learning tool for undergraduate and graduate students in German and linguistics.
Fictions of Justice
Authors: Clarke Kamari Maxine
Published: January 2010

By taking up the challenge of documenting how human rights values are embedded in rule of law movements to produce a new language of international justice that competes with a range of other formations, this book explores how notions of justice are negotiated through everyday micropractices and grassroots contestations of those practices. These micropractices include speech acts that revere the protection of international rights, citation references to treaty documents, the brokering of human rights agendas, the rewriting of national constitutions, demonstrations of religiosity that make explicit the piety of religious subjects, and ritual practices of forgiveness that involve the invocation of ancestral religious cosmologies - all practices that detail the ways that justice is made real.
God and the Founders
Authors: Muñoz Vincent Phillip
Published: January 2010

Did the Founding Fathers intend to build a 'wall of separation' between church and state? Are public Ten Commandments displays or the phrase 'under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance consistent with the Founders' understandings of religious freedom? In God and the Founders, Dr Vincent Phillip Muñoz answers these questions by providing comprehensive interpretations of James Madison, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. By analyzing Madison's, Washington's, and Jefferson's public documents, private writings, and political actions, Muñoz explains the Founders' competing church-state political philosophies. Muñoz explores how Madison, Washington, and Jefferson agreed and disagreed by showing how their different principles of religious freedom would decide the Supreme Court's most important First Amendment religion cases. God and the Founders answers the question, 'What would the Founders do?' for the most pressing church-state issues of our time, including prayer in public schools, government support of religion, and legal burdens on individuals' religious consciences.
Culture under Cross-Examination
Authors: Kelsall Tim
Published: January 2010

The international community created the Special Court for Sierra Leone to prosecute those who bore the greatest responsibility for crimes committed during the country's devastating civil war. In this book Tim Kelsall examines some of the challenges posed by the fact that the Court operated in a largely unfamiliar culture, in which the way local people thought about rights, agency and truth-telling sometimes differed radically from the way international lawyers think about these things. By applying an anthro-political perspective to the trials, he unveils a variety of ethical, epistemological, jurisprudential and procedural problems, arguing that although touted as a promising hybrid, the Court failed in crucial ways to adapt to the local culture concerned. Culture matters, and international justice requires a more dialogical, multicultural approach.
Strategy without Design
Authors: Chia Robert C. H. , Holt Robin
Published: January 2010

Strategy exhibits a pervasive commitment to the belief that the best approach to adopt in dealing with affairs of the world is to confront, overcome and subjugate things to conform to our will, control and eventual mastery. Performance is about sustaining distinctiveness. This direct and deliberate approach draws inspiration from ancient Greek roots and has become orthodoxy. Yet there are downsides. This book shows why. Using examples from the world of business, economics, military strategy, politics and philosophy, it argues that success may inadvertently emerge from the everyday coping actions of a multitude of individuals, none of whom intended to contribute to any preconceived design. A consequence of this claim is that a paradox exists in strategic interventions, one that no strategist can afford to ignore. The more single-mindedly a strategic goal is sought, the more likely such calculated instrumental action eventually works to undermine its own initial success.
Cycles of Spin
Authors: Sellers Patrick
Published: January 2010

How do politicians try to shape their news coverage? Sellers examines strategic communication campaigns in the U.S. Congress. He argues that these campaigns create cycles of spin: leaders create messages, rank-and-file legislators decide whether to promote those messages, journalists decide whether to cover the messages, and any coverage feeds back to influence the policy process. These four stages are closely related; decisions at one stage influence those at another. Sellers uses diverse evidence, from participant observation and press secretary interviews, to computerized content analysis and vector auto regression. The result is a comprehensive and unprecedented examination of politicians' promotional campaigns and journalists' coverage of those campaigns. Countering numerous critics of spin, Sellers offers the provocative argument that the promotional messages have their origins in the actual policy preferences of members of Congress. The campaigns to promote these messages thus can help the public learn about policy debates in Congress.
Dietary assessment methods for intakes of iron, calcium, selenium, zinc and iodine
Authors: Serra-Majem Lluis , Pfrimer Karina , Doreste-Alonso Jorge , Ribas-Barba Lourdes , Sánchez-Villegas Almudena , Ortiz-Andrellucchi Adriana , Henríquez-Sánchez Patricia
Published: January 2010

The EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned (EURRECA) Network of Excellence is working towards developing aligned micronutrient recommendations across Europe. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a review of methods used in validation studies carried out in adults assessing dietary intake of EURRECA priority minerals. A search strategy and inclusion criteria were defined and a scoring system was developed to rate the quality of each validation study that produced a quality index with possible scores obtained ranging from 0·5 to 7. A MEDLINE and EMBASE literature review was conducted. Articles/validation studies meeting the inclusion criteria included: 79/88 for Fe; 95/104 for Ca; 13/15 for Se; 29/30 for Zn; 7/9 for iodine. The most frequently used method to ascertain dietary intake was the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), whereas dietary records (DR) and 24 h recalls were the most used reference methods. The correlation coefficients (CC) between study mineral intakes estimated by FFQ and the reference method were weighted according to the study's quality index and obtained acceptable to good ratings, ranging from 0·36 to 0·60 when the reference method was DR and from 0·41 to 0·58 when the reference was 24 h recalls. A minority of studies (n9) used biomarkers for validation and among these, five included iodine obtaining a CC of 0·47. The FFQ was seen as a valid method for assessing mineral intake, particularly for Ca and, to a lower extent, for iodine and Zn. Se and Fe showed only acceptable correlations. The present review provides new insights regarding the characteristics that assessment methods for dietary mineral intakes should fulfil.
Distribution of epicatechin metabolites in lymphoid tissues and testes of young rats with a cocoa-enriched diet
Authors: Urpi-Sarda Mireia , Ramiro-Puig Emma , Khan Nasiruddin , Ramos-Romero Sara , Llorach Rafael , Castell Margarida , Gonzalez-Manzano Susana , Santos-Buelga Celestino , Andres-Lacueva Cristina
Published: January 2010

An increasing number of scientific studies support that flavanol-rich foods and beverages such as cocoa can promote human health, and are beneficial agents for the prevention of some diseases. Our previous studies showed that long-term cocoa intake enhances the antioxidant status in lymphoid organs and also modulates lymphocyte functionality in healthy young rats. Cocoa polyphenolic antioxidants seem to be the best candidates for those effects. However, data regarding polyphenol metabolites in tissues after a long-term cocoa intake are scarce. In the present study we mainly focus on the uptake and accumulation of epicatechin metabolites in lymphoid organs, including the thymus, spleen and mesenteric lymphoid nodes, as well as in the liver and testes after a diet rich in cocoa. Ten young weaned Wistar rats were fed randomly with a 10 % (w/w) cocoa diet or a control diet for 3 weeks, corresponding to their infancy and youth. Tissues were treated with a solid-phase extraction and analysed by liquid chromatography–tandem MS. The major compounds recovered in these tissues were glucuronide derivatives of epicatechin and methylepicatechin. The highest concentration of these metabolites was found in the thymus, testicles and liver, followed by lymphatic nodes and spleen. The high amount of epicatechin metabolites found in the thymus supports our previous findings showing its high antioxidant capacity compared with other tissues such as the spleen. Moreover, this is the first time that epicatechin metabolites have been found in high concentrations in the testes, confirming other studies that have suggested the testes as an important site of oxidation.
Postprandial response of plasma insulin, amylin and acylated ghrelin to various test meals in lean and obese cats
Authors: Martin Lucile J. M. , Siliart Brigitte , Lutz Thomas A. , Biourge Vincent , Nguyen Patrick , Dumon Henri J. W.
Published: January 2010

The propensity of diets of different composition to promote obesity is a current topic in feline medicine. The effects of three meals with different protein:fat ratios on hormones (insulin, acylated ghrelin and amylin) involved in the control of food intake and glucose metabolism were compared. Five lean (two females and three males, 28·6 (sd 3·4) % body fat mass (BFM), mean body weight (BW) 4590 g) and five obese (two females and three males, 37·1 (sd 4·1) % BFM, mean BW 4670 g) adult cats were studied. Only BFM differed significantly between obese and lean cats. The cats were fed a high-protein (HP), a high-fat and a high-carbohydrate diet in a randomised cross-over design. Food intake did not differ between cats fed on the different diets, but obese cats consumed significantly more energy, expressed as per kg fat-free mass, than lean cats. After a 6-week adaptation period, a test meal was given and blood samples were collected before and 0, 30, 60 and 100 min after the meal. Baseline concentrations of glucose, amylin and acylated ghrelin were higher in obese cats than in lean cats, and obese cats showed the highest postprandial responses of glucose and amylin. The HP diet led to higher postprandial amylin concentrations than the other diets, indicating a possible effect of amino acids on β-cell secretion. Postprandial ghrelin concentrations were unaffected by diet composition. The relationship between insulin, amylin and ghrelin secretion and their relevant roles in food intake and glucose metabolism in cats require further study.
FACING THE MUSIC: STOCKHAUSEN'S WIZARD OF OZ
Authors: Maconie Robin
Published: January 2010

After the early evening launch party for the first edition of my Works of Stockhausen in 1976, a few of us went straight from the publisher's London office in Conduit Street to a Rolling Stones concert at Earl's Court, the centrepiece of which was a giant mockup of the band's iconic Mick Jagger lips with a poking tongue that actually moved. The same message of impish disobedience is reflected in Lucifer's Dance, Stockhausen's rather more challenging image of a wind band as a grimacing face, on the one hand the taunting clown face of a circus hall of mirrors, on the other a tribute to the machinelike discipline, svelte orchestration, and curious up-and-down, side-to-side gymnastics of American jazz of the big band era of Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller.
RETHINKING RUSSOLO
Authors: Venn Edward
Published: January 2010

One of the more telling indicators of Luigi Russolo's (1885–1947) Anglo-American reception is his description in Grove as an ‘Italian inventor, painter and composer’. Within this lurks the devaluation of his composing efforts in comparison to his work as the maker of intonarumori (noise instruments), his authoring of new aesthetic ideas, and his activities as a painter. There is little, perhaps, to argue with in this assessment, for (somewhat ironically) Russolo's music of the future has been consigned irrevocably to the music of the past; Raymond Fearn has suggested that ‘the musical remnants from this period have remained to a large extent in the realm of musical archaeology’. The only material traces available for musical archaeologists are the opening seven bars of the score of Il risveglio di una città (The Awakening of the City; 1913–14): the machines that were to play it were destroyed during the Second World War. The loss of Russolo's compositions has inevitably distorted our understanding of his work and has served to throw attention onto those progressive, and sometimes speculative, theoretical and mechanical aspects of it that have survived in written accounts, at the expense of those elements that are of a more traditional or pragmatic nature. Study of the remaining fragments of Il risveglio di una città, leavened with necessary doses of circumspection and speculation, forms a vital and hitherto under-utilized component to any assessment of Russolo's career.
JOSEPH SCHILLINGER – A DISCIPLE'S REMINISCENCES OF THE MAN AND HIS THEORIES: AN INTERVIEW WITH PROF. ZVI KEREN
Authors: Keren-Sagee Alona
Published: January 2010

Joseph Schillinger (1895–1943), the eminent Russian-American music theorist, teacher and composer, emigrated to the United States in 1928, after having served in high positions in some of the major music institutions in the Ukraine, Khar'kov, Moscow, and Leningrad. He settled in New York, where he taught music, mathematics, art history, and his theory of rhythmic design at the New School for Social Research, New York University, and the Teachers College of Columbia University. He formulated a philosophical and practical system of music theory based on mathematics, and became a celebrated teacher of prominent composers and radio musicians. Schillinger's writings include: Kaleidophone: New Resources of Melody and Harmony (New York: M. Witmark, 1940; New York: Charles Colin, 1976); Schillinger System of Musical Composition, 2 vols. (New York: Carl Fischer, 1946; New York: Da Capo Press, 1977); Mathematical Basis of the Arts (New York: Philosophical Library, 1948; New York: Da Capo Press, 1976); Encyclopedia of Rhythms (New York: Charles Colin, 1966; New York: Da Capo Press, 1976).
Editorial
Authors: WRIGHT RUTH
Published: January 2010

The papers presented in this special issue grew from a symposium on the topic of ‘Informal Learning and Post-Compulsory Music Education’ convened at the Reflective Conservatoire Conference, 2nd International Conference-Building Connections hosted by the Guildhall School of Music from February 28th–March 3rd 2009. In this symposium, scholars from many countries came together to give views on issues presented to post-compulsory or post-sixteen education institutions with the growing interest in informal learning in music education. As one of the most frequently cited academics in this field, and because many of the papers referred to her work, Professor Lucy Green has summarised the key debates she considers each paper to present and voiced her responses to these issues. Not wishing to duplicate Professor Green's work therefore, this editorial does not introduce the content of each paper but rather attempts to look to the bigger picture within which issues of informal learning and music education are located. It attempts to set the stage in a broad sense for the discussions which follow.
Bridging the gap: Informal learning practices as a pedagogy of integration
Authors: Feichas Heloisa
Published: January 2010

This work derives from a doctoral research study which looked at the differences in students' attitudes towards learning music in a Brazilian music higher education institution, while taking into account their different music learning backgrounds. The students' backgrounds (which consist of their set of musical experiences and music-learning processes that had been acquired and developed in their lives before entering the university course) are divided into three types: (i) those who have acquired their skills and knowledge mostly through informal learning experiences, particularly in the world of popular music; (ii) those who have only experienced classical training either within institutions such as music schools, or privately; and (iii) those whose backgrounds consist of both informal learning and classical training. These different backgrounds are termed here formal, informal and mixed. The research also discusses the gap between the way music is conceived and taught within the university and the reality students will have to face outside university. It further suggests that the traditional teaching approaches for music in higher education are possibly inadequate for educating university students from varied music learning backgrounds, especially those with informal music learning backgrounds. After examining some findings of the research, the paper proposes pedagogical strategies in which informal music learning practices might help the integration of students from different backgrounds, encouraging students' diversity and their inclusion in the university music school environment. The suggested strategies exemplify approaches that enable the students to bridge the gap between their own musical practices and those they are expected to learn in their institution. In this case, the students have more autonomy and the teacher becomes a facilitator of the process.
Garage band or GarageBand®? Remixing musical futures
Authors: Väkevä Lauri
Published: January 2010

In this paper, I suggest that it is perhaps time to consider the pedagogy of popular music in more extensive terms than conventional rock band practices have to offer. One direction in which this might lead is the expansion of the informal pedagogy based on a ‘garage band’ model to encompass various modes of digital artistry wherever this artistry takes place. This might include: in face-to-face pedagogical situations, in other contexts of informal learning, and in such open networked learning environments as remix sites and musical online communities. The rock-based practice of learning songs by ear from records and rehearsing them together to perform live or to record is just one way to practice popular music artistry today. Such practices as DJing/turntablism; assembling of various bits and pieces to remixes; remixing entire songs to mash-ups in home studios; collective songwriting online; producing of one's own music videos to YouTube; exchanging and comparing videos of live performances of Guitar Hero and Rock Band game songs – all of these indicate a musical culture that differs substantially from conventional ‘garage band’ practices. The global eminence of digital music culture can be taken as one indication of the need to reconsider music as a transformative praxis. By examining the ways in which music is produced and used in digital music culture, we can prepare for new forms of artistry that have yet to emerge from the creative mosaic of digital appropriation. Thus, we expand and redefine our notions of informal music pedagogy. This paper concludes with consideration of several themes that Afrodiasporic aesthetics suggest to the understanding of this artistry.
Homeomeric Lines in Greek Mathematics
Authors: Acerbi Fabio
Published: January 2010

Argument

This article presents ancient documents on the subject of homeomeric lines. On the basis of such documents, the article reconstructs a definition of the notion as well as a proof of the result, which is left unproved in extant sources, that there are only three homeomeric lines: the straight line, the circumference, and the cylindrical helix. A point of particular historiographic interest is that homeomeric lines were the only class of lines defined directly as the extension of a mathematical property, a move that is unparalleled in Greek mathematics. The far-reaching connections between mathematical homeomery and key issues in the ancient cosmological debate are extensively discussed here. An analysis of its relevance as a foundational theme will be presented in a companion paper in a future issue of Science in Context.
Collembola fauna of the South Shetland Islands revisited
Authors: Greenslade Penelope
Published: January 2010

A review of the collembolan fauna of the South Shetland Islands is presented. Cryptopygus nanjiensis Yue & Tamura is synonymized with C. antarcticus Willem. A record of Tullbergia mediantarctica Wise from King George Island is considered a misidentification of Tullbergia mixta Wahlgren and Tillieria penai Weiner & Najt, described from the same island, is synonymized with T. mixta. The current fauna stands at eleven species, of which at least three are introduced. A checklist of Collembola currently considered to occur in the South Shetland Islands is supplied with distributional data.
Serotonin pathway gene–gene and gene–environment interactions influence behavioral stress response in infant rhesus macaques
Authors: Kinnally Erin L. , Karere Genesio M. , Lyons Leslie A. , Mendoza Sally P. , Mason William A. , Capitanio John P.
Published: January 2010

A subset of serotonin (5-HT) pathway polymorphisms has been shown to confer risk for psychological dysfunction, particularly in individuals who experience early adversity. Understanding the developmental processes underlying these Gene × Environment interactions will strengthen the search for risk factors for behavioral dysfunction. We investigated the combined influence of two serotonin pathway polymorphisms and species-atypical, and possibly adverse, rearing (nursery rearing [NR]) on two dimensions of behavioral stress response in infant rhesus macaques. We hypothesized that the experience of NR and possession of both “high-risk” genotypes (genotypes that are thought to confer low 5-HT function) would predict the greatest behavioral stress response to maternal/social separation. Using a matched-pair design, the impact of early experience and the serotonin transporter (rh5-HTTLPR) and monoamine oxidase A (rhMAO-A-LPR) promoter polymorphisms on behavioral reactivity of 136 infant rhesus macaques (90–120 days of age) during a 25-hr social separation/relocation procedure was assessed. Each pair included one infant reared with mother in a large, outdoor field enclosure (field rearing) and one infant reared in a nursery (NR). Pairs were matched for putative gene activity of each polymorphism, sex, age, and weight at testing. Behavioral responses in a “human intruder” test were recorded, and activity and emotional reactivity composites were created to detect different aspects of psychological adaptation to stress. Our hypothesis that high-risk groups would be the most reactive to stress was not entirely borne out. Rh5-HTTLPR × rhMAOA-LPR interactions predicted emotional reactivity and tended to predict behavioral activity scores. Carriers of the two “low-risk” alleles exhibited the lowest behavioral activity, as might be predicted, but carriers of both “high-risk” alleles were two of four genotype groups exhibiting the highest observed Emotional Reactivity. Gene × Gene interactions were exacerbated by the experience of nursery rearing, as predicted, however. Finally, we suggest that genetic or environmental factors may mitigate the risk for behavioral dysregulation illustrated in the patterns of behavioral activity and emotional reactivity displayed by infants.
Autonomic reactivity in relation to attachment and early adversity among foster children
Authors: Oosterman Mirjam , De Schipper J. Clasien , Fisher Philip , Dozier Mary , Schuengel Carlo
Published: January 2010

This study examined whether the quality of relationships with foster caregivers was associated with autonomic nervous system reactivity of children during separation and reunion with their foster caregiver. Moreover, effects of early adversity were examined in relation to attachment and autonomic nervous system reactivity. The sample included 60 children between 26 and 88 months of age, who participated with their primary foster caregivers in the Strange Situation. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and preejection period were measured as indicators of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system reactivity, respectively. Attachment quality (ordered/disordered and secure/insecure attachment), was coded on the basis of children's behavior in the Strange Situation using the Cassidy and Marvin coding system. Children with a background of neglect and those with disordered (disorganized–controlling or insecure–other) attachment showed most sympathetic reactivity during the procedure. Moreover, children with disordered attachment showed less vagal regulation (respiratory sinus arrhythmia decreases on separation and increases on reunion) than children with ordered attachment. The findings show that the quality of relationships with current caregivers, and to a lesser extent specific experiences of neglect, may have an impact on children's abilities to regulate emotions in the context of environmental stress and challenges.
Predicting emotional and social competence during early childhood from toddler risk and maternal behavior
Authors: Blandon Alysia Y. , Calkins Susan D. , Keane Susan P.
Published: January 2010

The longitudinal associations between maternal parenting behavior and toddler risk with children's emotional and social competence were examined during the transition to kindergarten, in a sample of 253 children. Toddler risk was characterized by early externalizing behavior and poor emotion regulation skills. Given that we were interested in the multiple pathways that may result in emotional and social competence, we examined the interactions among maternal parenting behavior and toddler risk. There were some significant interactions, although the pattern of results was not consistent across all competence outcomes. Maternal parenting behavior was not directly associated with children's emotional and social competence. In some instances, maternal control has differential implications for children's emotional and social competence dependent upon the child's level of early risk and maternal positive parenting. Specifically, maternal control tended to be more detrimental for children's emotional competence during the transition to kindergarten, when children exhibit higher levels of risk. Overall, it appears that there are multiple developmental pathways, depending on child and maternal characteristics that lead to early emotional and social competence.
Editorial
Authors: GIBBONS JEREMY
Published: January 2010

I have just taken over from Richard Bird as editor of the Functional Pearls column in the Journal of Functional Programming. I'm keen to receive submissions; please do get in touch if you'd like to discuss a potential paper.
Ott: Effective tool support for the working semanticist
Authors: SEWELL PETER , NARDELLI FRANCESCO ZAPPA , OWENS SCOTT , PESKINE GILLES , RIDGE THOMAS , SARKAR SUSMIT , STRNIŠA ROK
Published: January 2010

Semantic definitions of full-scale programming languages are rarely given, despite the many potential benefits. Partly this is because the available metalanguages for expressing semantics – usually either for informal mathematics or the formal mathematics of a proof assistant – make it much harder than necessary to work with large definitions. We present a metalanguage specifically designed for this problem, and a tool, Ott, that sanity-checks such definitions and compiles them into proof assistant code for Coq, HOL, and Isabelle/HOL, together with code for production-quality typesetting, and OCaml boilerplate. The main innovations are (1) metalanguage design to make definitions concise, and easy to read and edit; (2) an expressive but intuitive metalanguage for specifying binding structures; and (3) compilation to proof assistant code. This has been tested in substantial case studies, including modular specifications of calculi from the TAPL text, a Lightweight Java with Java JSR 277/294 module system proposals, and a large fragment of OCaml (OCamllight, 310 rules), with mechanised proofs of various soundness results. Our aim with this work is to enable a phase change: making it feasible to work routinely, without heroic effort, with rigorous semantic definitions of realistic languages.
Pour une approche contrastive des formes nominales d'adresse
Authors: KERBRAT-ORECCHIONI CATHERINE
Published: January 2010

Les normes qui régissent l'emploi des termes d'adresse, et plus spécialement celui des ‘formes nominales d'adresse’, varient d'une langue et d'une culture à l'autre, ce qui peut engendrer certains problèmes dans les échanges interculturels. Cet article présente les grandes lignes d'une recherche collective portant sur la description de ces FNA envisagées dans une perspective contrastive. Après avoir examiné le cas des interactions dans les petits commerces en France et dans différents pays arabophones, on présentera quelques résultats plus généraux qui ressortent de cette recherche en cours.
Cost-effective provision of environmental services: the role of relaxing market constraints
Authors: GROOM BEN , PALMER CHARLES
Published: January 2010

Ferraro and Simpson (2002) argue that when markets are competitive, payments for environmental services (PES) are more cost-effective in achieving environmental goals than more indirect approaches such as subsidies to capital. However, when eco-entrepreneurs face non-price rationing in input or output markets, as is typical for credit in developing countries for example, we show that interventions which relax constraints can be more cost-effective than PES. One corollary of this is that such indirect approaches are preferred to PES by interveners (e.g., donors) and eco-entrepreneurs alike. Both of these outcomes are more likely when constraints are severe. This has implications for schemes with dual environment and poverty alleviation objectives.