bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisiting the realism of the cosmetics of hunger: Cidade de Deus and nibus 174
Authors: Chan Felicia , Vitali Valentina
Published: September 2010

This article attempts to disentangle the seemingly contradictory set of terms of realism and sensationalism that characterize the marketing and reception of Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund'sCidade de Deus/City of God(2002). These terms, we contend, may be unpacked by analysing not so much what the film presents, but how it presents it and what it does not, and asking how a film's mode of address enables audiences to draw pleasure from images, the referent of which they understand to be unpleasurable. We compare the film with another one released in the same year, Jos Padilha'snibus 174/Bus 174, which addresses a similar subject from a different perspective, one that is unwilling to absolve the act of looking from the actions of that which is being looked at. In exploring the relationship of the films to the legal space of the Brazilian state, the article attempts to reconsider the implications of Cidade de Deus as a moment in the cultural and political economies of the international film circuit.
Parametric Model Order Reduction by Matrix Interpolation
Authors: Panzer Heiko , Mohring Jan , Eid Rudy , Lohmann Boris
Published: August 2010

In this paper, a new framework for model order reduction of LTI parametric systems is introduced. After generating and reducing several local original models in the parameter space, a parametric reduced-order model is calculated by interpolating the system matrices of the local reduced models. The main task is to find compatible system representations with optimal interpolation properties. Two approaches for this purpose are presented together with several numerical simulations.
The Ecology of Entrainment: Foundations of Coordinated Rhythmic Movement
Authors: Phillips-Silver Jessica , Aktipis C. Athena , A. Bryant Gregory
Published: September 2010

Entrainment has been studied in a variety of contexts including music perception, dance, verbal communication, and motor coordination more generally. Here we seek to provide a unifying framework that incorporates the key aspects of entrainment as it has been studied in these varying domains. We propose that there are a number of types of entrainment that build upon pre-existing adaptations that allow organisms to perceive stimuli as rhythmic, to produce periodic stimuli, and to integrate the two using sensory feedback. We suggest that social entrainment is a special case of spatiotemporal coordination where the rhythmic signal originates from another individual. We use this framework to understand the function and evolutionary basis for coordinated rhythmic movement and to explore questions about the nature of entrainment in music and dance. The framework of entrainment presented here has a number of implications for the vocal learning hypothesis and other proposals for the evolution of coordinated rhythmic behavior across an array of species.
Perception of Expression in Conductors' Gestures: A Continuous Response Study
Authors: Luck Geoff , Toiviainen Petri , Thompson Marc R.
Published: September 2010

The visual channel has been shown to be more informative than the auditory channel in perceptual judgments of a performer's level of expression. Previous work has revealed a positive relationship between amplitude of music-related movement and ratings of expression, for example, and observers have been shown to be sensitive to kinematic features of music-related movement. In this study, we investigate relationships between the kinematics of a conductors' expressive gestures and ratings of perceived expression. Point-light representations (totalling 10 minutes) of two professional conductors were presented to participants who provided continuous ratings of perceived valence, activity, power, and overall expression using a virtual slider interface. Relationships between these ratings and 11 kinematic variables computationally extracted from the movement data were subsequently examined using linear regression. Higher levels of expressivity were found to be conveyed by gestures characterized by increased amplitude, greater variance, and higher speed of movement.
Formation of mixed aggregates between Zn2+and eosinY relevant to the self-assembly of ZnO/eosinY hybrid materials
Authors: Hori Shigeo , Yoshida Tsukasa
Published: September 2010

Adsorption behavior of eosinY on ZnO and its complex formation with Zn2+were studied in detail, changing the Zn2+concentration, temperature, and pH of mixed solutions. While eosinY undergoes typical Langmuir type adsorption when the solution contains only eosinY, co-presence of Zn2+lead to a formation of multilayer of eosinY. Red precipitates of mixed aggregates were obtained when ZnCl2was added to a concentrated eosinY solution. Aggregation was further promoted when the temperature was elevated. While increase of pH resulted in a decrease of monolayer adsorption of eosinY in the absence of Zn2+, it promoted the formation of mixed aggregates in its presence. These aggregation behaviors of eosinY reasonably explained the changes of nanostructures of the electrodeposited ZnO/eosinY hybrid thin films.
Chemical constituents of Piptadenia gonoacantha (Mart.) J.F. Macbr (pau jacaré)
Authors: Carvalho Mário G. de , Cardozo Maritza A.R. , Catunda Junior Francisco E.A. , Carvalho Acácio G. de
Published: September 2010

The phytochemical investigation of Piptadenia gonoacantha (Mart.) J.F. Macbr. (Leguminosae-Mimosoideae), commonly known as "pau jacaré" (alligator stick), afforded sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, the N-benzoylphenylalanine-2-benzoylamide-3-phenylpropyl ester, known as asperphenamate, sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, besides three flavonoids, apigenin, 5-O-methylapigenin and 7,4'-dihydroxy-3',5-dimethoxyflavone from its branches. From its leaves, the methyl gallate and two flavonoids, vitexin and isovitexin, were isolated. From its bark, a mixture of sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol, besides a mixture of cycloartenone, cycloartan-25-en-3-one, and 24-methylene-cycloartenone, and the pure triterpenes 24-methylenecycloartanol, friedelin, lupeol and lupenone, were isolated. Their structures were established on the basis of spectral analysis, comparison with literature data and GC-MS analysis of the mixtures. The ester, flavonoids and the cycloartanes are been identified for first time in the genus Piptadenia.
Neurochemical phenotype and birthdating of specific cell populations in the chick retina
Authors: calaza Karin da Costa , Gardino Patricia F.
Published: September 2010

The chick embryo is one of the most traditional models in developing neuroscience and its visual system has been one of the most exhaustively studied. The retina has been used as a model for studying the development of the nervous system. Here, we describe the morphological features that characterize each stage of the retina development and studies of the neurogenesis period of some specific neurochemical subpopulations of retinal cells by using a combination of immunohistochemistry and autoradiography of tritiated-thymidine. It could be concluded that the proliferation period of dopaminergic, GABAergic, cholinoceptive and GABAceptive cells does not follow a common rule of the neurogenesis. In addition, some specific neurochemical cell groups can have a restrict proliferation period when compared to the total cell population.
Canine visceral leishmaniasis: study of methods for the detection of IgG in serum and eluate samples
Authors: Figueiredo Fabiano B. , Madeira Maria F. , Nascimento Lílian D. , Abrantes Tuanne R. , Mouta-confort Eliame , Passos Sonia Regina L. , Schubach Tânia Maria P.
Published: September 2010

The Brazilian Ministry of Health recommends the culling and euthanasia of dogs with a positive serological test for canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). In the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, the technique used for the diagnosis of CVL is the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), using blood samples eluted on filter paper (eluate). A dog survey was conducted over a period of one year in the region of Carapiá, in order to evaluate the diagnosis of CVL in this region. All animals underwent clinical examination, and blood samples (serum and eluate) were collected for analysis by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) and IFAT. A skin biopsy was obtained for parasitological examination (culture). A total of 305 animals were studied and Leishmania chagasi was isolated from nine animals. Sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 96.6% for ELISA, respectively, 100% and 65.5% for IFAT (cut-off at a 1:40 dilution), 100% and 83.4% for IFAT (cut-off at a 1:80 dilution), and 22.2% and 97.0% for eluate IFAT. In conclusion, ELISA was the best tool for the diagnosis of CVL among the serological techniques tested. The present results suggest the need for a better evaluation of filter paper IFAT as the only diagnostic method for CVL in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro.
Melanoides tuberculata (Mollusca: Thiaridae) as an intermediate host of Centrocestus formosanus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) in Brazil
Authors: Pinto Hudson Alves , Melo Alan Lane de
Published: September 2010

Pleurolophocercous cercariae emerged from naturally infected Melanoides tuberculata from Minas Gerais State, Brazil, were used to perform experimental infection of laboratory-reared Poecilia reticulata. Mature metacercariae were obtained from the gills of fishes and force-fed to Mus musculus. The adult parasites which recovered from small intestines of mice were identified as Centrocestus formosanus. This is the first report of M. tuberculata as intermediate host of this heterophyid in Brazil.
Vaccination protocol and bacterial strain affect the serological response of beef calves against blackleg
Authors: Araujo Rafael F. , Curci Vera C.L.M. , Nobrega Fabiana L.C. , Ferreira Rosa M.M. , Dutra Iveraldo S.
Published: September 2010

The serological response of beef calves was evaluated with different vaccination regimens against blackleg, using an official strain (MT) and a field-collected strain of Clostridium chauvoei as antigens. Sixty calves were randomly allocated to four different groups and were submitted to distinct vaccination protocols with a commercial polyvalent vaccine. Group G1 was first vaccinated at four months of age and a booster shot was given after weaning, at eight months. Group G2 was given the first dose at eight months and a booster shot 30 days later. Group G3 was vaccinated only once at eight months and the control group was not vaccinated. These alternative vaccination regimens were proposed in an effort to adequately protect cattle under open-field farming conditions. Serological evaluations were made by Elisa at 4, 8, 9 and 10 months of age. Both groups receiving booster shots had a significantly increased serological response 30 days later. However, the serum IgG levels against C. chauvoei were significantly higher in the calves that were first vaccinated at four months. At 10 months, the two booster shot groups (G1 and G2) had similar serological responses, while the calves that were treated with a single dose of vaccine at weaning (G3) had a response that was similar to that of the control group. The serological response of the calves was significantly inferior at several of the evaluation times when the field strain of the bacteria was used as a challenge antigen instead of the official MT strain. The serological response of calves that are vaccinated twice was found to be satisfactory, independent of the first injection being made at four or eight months of age. It was also concluded that it would be useful to include local bacterial strains in commercial vaccine production.
AT1-receptor mediated vascular damage in myocardium, kidneys and liver in rats
Authors: Vailati Maria do Carmo Fernandez , Rocha Noeme Souza , Matsubara Luiz Shiguero , Padovani Carlos Roberto , Schwartz Denise Saretta , Matsubara Beatriz Bojikian
Published: September 2010

The systemic aspect of vascular damage induced by angiotensin II (ANG II) has been poorly explored in the literature. Considering the presence of ANG II and its specific receptor AT1, in several organs, all tissues might be potentially affected by its effects. The aims of this study were: To evaluate the early histological changes in the heart, liver and kidneys, produced by ANG II infusion, to evaluate the protective effect of losartan. Wistar rats were distributed into three groups: control (no treatment), treated with ANG II, and treated with ANG II + losartan. ANG II was continuously infused over 72 hours by subcutaneous osmotic pumps. Histological sections of the myocardium, kidneys and liver were stained and observed for the presence of necrosis. There were ANG II-induced perivascular inflammation and necrosis of the arteriolar wall in the myocardium, kidney, and liver by, which were partially prevented by losartan. There was no significant correlation between heart and kidney damage. Tissue lesion severity was lower than that of vascular lesions, without statistical difference between groups. ANG II causes vascular injury in the heart, kidneys and liver, indicating a systemic vasculotoxic effect; the mechanisms of damage/protection vary depending on the target organ; perivascular lesions may occur even when anti-hypertensive doses of losartan are used.
Tabagismo associado a outros fatores comportamentais de risco de doenças e agravos crônicos não transmissíveis
Authors: Berto Silvia Justina Papini , Carvalhaes Maria Antonieta Barros Leite , Moura Erly Catarina de
Published: August 2010

Foram entrevistados via ligação telefônica 1.410 indivíduos, amostra aleatória e representativa da população acima de 18 anos residente em domicílios conectados à rede de telefonia fixa. A prevalência de tabagismo foi de 21,8%, maior em homens (25%) e em indivíduos na faixa entre 18 e 29 anos. Tabagismo e sedentarismo juntos ocorrem em 13,9% dos homens e 14,2% das mulheres; tabagismo e baixo consumo de frutas em 12,9% dos homens e 12,3% das mulheres; e tabagismo e baixo consumo de legumes em 5,8% dos homens e 5,1% das mulheres. A associação de tabagismo e consumo excessivo de álcool foi observada apenas nos homens (em 3,5% deles) e, da mesma forma que verificada para tabagismo isoladamente, sua ocorrência concomitante a outros fatores comportamentais de risco de doenças e agravos crônicos não transmissíveis (DANT) associou-se inversamente à escolaridade. Os dados apontam indícios de efeito de aglomeração entre tabagismo e sedentarismo, tabagismo e álcool em excesso, tabagismo e dieta inadequada, justificando intervenções focadas na prevenção e redução concomitante dos principais fatores comportamentais de risco de DANT.
Elaboração e avaliação da confiabilidade de um instrumento para medição da qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde de idosos independentes
Authors: Lima Maria José Barbosa de , Portela Margareth Crisóstomo
Published: August 2010

Este trabalho apresenta um instrumento, o QUASI - Perfil de Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde de Idosos Independentes, para a medição da qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde de idosos que freqüentam programas ambulatoriais, a partir da adaptação de quatro instrumentos amplamente validados: Short-Form Health Survey, Duke-UNC Health Profile, Sickness Impact Profile e Nottingham Health Profile. Além disso, avalia a confiabilidade, considerando a sua utilização por dois entrevistadores, em intervalo de 15 dias. O instrumento contempla cinco dimensões: Percepção de Saúde, Sintomas, Função Física, Função Psicológica e Função Social e envolve 45 itens. A avaliação da confiabilidade foi realizada a partir das entrevistas de 142 idosos, inscritos em programas ambulatoriais no Município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, com base na apreciação da estatística kappa, ajustada por prevalência, para cada um dos 45 itens incluídos, e na correlação dos escores geral e por dimensão. Na avaliação da confiabilidade, 39 dos 45 itens apresentaram kappa superior a 0,60.
Bone quality associated with daily intake of coffee: a biochemical, radiographic and histometric study
Authors: Lacerda Suzie Aparecida , Matuoka Renata Inahara , Macedo Rander Moreira , Petenusci Sergio Olavo , Campos Alessandra Aparecida , Brentegani Luiz Guilherme
Published: September 2010

Caffeine induces loss of calcium and influences the normal development of bone. This study investigated the effects of coffee on bone metabolism in rats by biochemical measurement of calcium, bone densitometry and histometry. Male rats, born of female treated daily with coffee and with coffee intake since born, were anesthetized, subjected to extraction of the upper right incisor, and sacrificed 7, 21 and 42 days after surgery. Blood and urine samples were taken, and their maxilla radiographed and processed to obtain 5-µm-thick semi-serial sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The volume and bone quality were estimated using an image-analysis software. The results showed significantly greater amount of calcium in the plasma (9.40 ± 1.73 versus 9.80 ± 2.05 mg%) and urine (1.00 ± 0.50 versus 1.25 ± 0.70 mg/24 h) and significantly less amount in bone (90.0 ± 1.94 versus 86.0 ± 2.12 mg/mg bone), reduced bone mineral density (1.05 ± 0.11 versus 0.65 ± 0.15 mmAL), and lower amount of bone (76.19 ± 1.6 versus 53.41 ± 2.1 %) (ANOVA; p≤0.01) in animals treated with coffee sacrificed after 42 days. It may be concluded that coffee/caffeine intake caused serious adverse effects on calcium metabolism in rats, including increased levels of calcium in the urine and plasma, decreased bone mineral density and lower volume of bone, thus delaying the bone repair process.
Preventive effect of fluoridated orthodontic resins subjected to high cariogenic challenges
Authors: Passalini Paula , Fidalgo Tatiana Kelly da Silva , Caldeira Erika Machado , Gleiser Rogerio , Nojima Matilde da Cunha Gonçalves , Maia Lucianne Cople
Published: September 2010

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro caries preventive effect of fluoridated orthodontic resins under pH cycling with two types of acid demineralizing saliva. Brackets were bonded to 60 bovine incisors, using either Transbond Plus Color Change (n=30) or Orthodontic Fill Magic (n=30) orthodontic resins. Each group of resin was divided into 3 subgroups (n=10): immersion in remineralizing artificial saliva for 14 days, pH cycling with high cariogenic challenge in acid saliva with pH 5.5, and acid saliva with pH 4.5. After 14 days of pH cycling, the caries preventive effect on the development of white spot lesion was evaluated considering the presence of inhibition zones to white spot lesions using two scores: 0= absence and 1= presence. Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests (a=0.05) were used. Formation of white spot lesions was observed only under pH cycling using acid saliva with pH 4.5; with Transbond Plus Color Change being significantly more effective (p<0.05) in preventing the appearance of white spot lesions effect than Orthodontic Fill Magic. The acidity of the demineralizing solution influenced the formation of white spot lesions around orthodontic brackets under highly cariogenic conditions. Transbond Plus Color Change resin presented higher caries preventive effect than Orthodontic Fill Magic.
Controle pós-colheita da antracnose da banana -prata anã tratada com fungicidas e mantida sob refrigeração
Authors: Coelho Ana Flávia Santos , Dias Mário Sérgio de Carvalho , Rodrigues Maria Luisa Mendes , Leal Paulo Ademar Martins
Published: September 2010

A antracnose é uma das principais doenças após a colheita da banana, causada pelas diferentes raças fisiológicas do fungo Colletotrichum musae, e que se manifesta na maioria das vezes na fruta madura, comprometendo a sua qualidade. Seu aparecimento está relacionado ao manuseio inadequado, ausência de controle químico em campo e de refrigeração. A aplicação de produtos químicos é efetuada durante o beneficiamento, sendo importante salientar que pode iniciar com a fruta ainda no campo. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, verificar o efeito de fungicidas utilizados após a colheita, visando o controle da antracnose em bananas, cultivar Prata Anã, armazenadas a 20ºC e 12ºC. Para isso, foi testada a ação dos fungicidas tiabendazol e imazalil no controle de Colletotrichum musae. No teste, foram empregados isolados das cultivares Prata Anã, FHIA 02 e ST 4208, inoculados em bananas-prata anã. As avaliações foram efetuadas a cada 3 dias, por meio de medições do tamanho das lesões (mm²), sendo as frutas inoculadas descartadas no estádio de maturação 7 (amarelo com pontas marrom). Os tratamentos mais eficientes no controle da doença foram aqueles em que as bananas foram tratadas com o fungicida tiabendazol. No estudo, também foi verificada diferença em relação à patogenicidade dos isolados utilizados, que demonstraram especificidade quanto a cultivar.
Occurrence of storm-generated bedforms along the inner continental shelf: Southeastern Brazil
Authors: Moscon Daphnne Moraes Costa , Bastos Alex Cardoso
Published: September 2010

Side-scan sonar surveys were carried out in two different areas on the inner continental shelf off the state of Espírito Santo (southeastern Brazil, Area 1- Guarapari Inner shelf -GUA and Area 2- Espirito Santo Bay - BES) and revealed bedforms much like those known as storm-generated bedforms. These bedforms are characterized by bands of fine sand deposited alternately over a coarse sand bottom, generating a deposit pattern of bands of fine sand intercalated with bands of coarse sand occurring between water depths of 25 to 30 m and five to eight m in GUA and ESB, respectively. In both areas, patches of coarse sand reveal the occurrence of wave-generated ripples, with crests that tend to be parallel to the coastline. The facies composition consists of very fine to fine muddy carbonate sands with siliciclastic fine gravel in GUA and coarse to medium sand with bioclastic gravel in BES. Thus, the influence of storm currents and waves in the formation and maintenance of these storm-generated bedforms is clear. However, the classification of the hydrodynamics and sediment transportation is required for estimating the formation, transportation and maintenance of these bedforms.
In Vitro Evaluation of Acellular Dermal Matrix as a Three‐Dimensional Scaffold for Gingival Fibroblasts Seeding
Authors: Maia Luciana P. , Novaes Arthur B. , Souza Sérgio L.S. , Grisi Márcio F.M. , Taba Mário , Palioto Daniela B.
Published: September 2010

Background: Tissue engineering principles could improve the incorporation of acellular dermal matrix (ADM). The aim of this study is to verify if ADM is a suitable three‐dimensional matrix for gingival fibroblasts and cancerous cells ingrowth, and also if cultured medium conditioned in ADM affect cellular behavior.

Methods: Canine gingival fibroblasts (CGF), human gingival fibroblasts (HGF), and murine melanoma cell line (B16F10) were seeded on ADM for up to 14 days. The following parameters were assessed: morphology and distribution of CGF, HGF, and B16F10; CGF and HGF viability; and the effect of ADM conditioned medium (CM) on CGF viability.

Results: Epifluorescence revealed that CGF were unevenly distributed on the ADM surface, showing no increase in cell number over the periods of study; HGF formed a monolayer on the ADM surface in a higher number at 14 days (P <0.05); B16F10 exhibited an increase in cell number within 7 days (P <0.05), and were mainly arranged in cell aggregates on the ADM, forming a continuous layer at 14 days. A higher percentage of cells on the ADM surface (P <0.05) compared to inside was observed for all cell types. 3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) values indicated higher cell viability in samples cultured with HGF compared to CGF (P = 0.024). A significantly lower cell viability for CGF grown in CM compared to cells grown in non‐CM was observed at 48 and 72 hours (P <0.05).

Conclusions: ADM is not suitable as a three‐dimensional matrix for gingival fibroblasts ingrowth. Gingival fibroblasts and highly proliferative cells as B16F10 can only be superficially located on ADM, and CGF are negatively affected by culture medium conditioned in ADM, reducing its viability.
Effect of Prebent Deflection on Lateral Vibration of Stabilized Drill Collars
Authors: Weiping Zhu , Qinfeng Di
Published: September 2010

An effective modulation of lateral vibration of a bottomhole assembly (BHA) is that some prebent deflection is made on the lower stabilized section of drill collars. This is because the restorable deflection of a drill collar confined in a borehole depends on the prebent deflection. If the prebend nears the limit that the borehole can contain, there will be no sufficient restorable deflection to produce restoring force for lateral vibration. To understand the nature of this phenomenon, a dynamic model for lateral vibration of a stabilized prebent drill-collar section in an inclined well is presented. The governing nonlinear equations are obtained by using a Lagrangian approach, which are characterized by a prebend-dependent nonlinear bending stiffness term. They also include the effects of clearance/friction of stabilizers with borehole wall, contact friction of drill collar with borehole wall, axial forces from weight-on-bit (WOB) and bit/formation interactions, and hydrodynamic damping of drilling mud. The gyroscopic moments are proved to be negligibly small terms within a range of operating conditions of drilling. Poincaré map bifurcation diagram, phase diagram, Liapunov exponent, and power spectrum analysis are used to evaluate the dynamic behaviors. Simulation results both in a vertical well and in an inclined well show that lateral vibration is sensitive to the prebent deflection in some degree, presenting periodic motion, chaotic motion, or alternating in turn as usual. However, when prebent deflection is more than 87% in a vertical well and more than 45% in a 20°-inclined well (of the average clearance between the drill collar and the borehole), lateral vibration will vanish. Such a characteristic is crucially important for practical applications. For example, we may effectively prevent a drill string in an inclined well from severe whirling motion with a properly designed prebent drill collar.
Advanced Solvent-Additive Processes by Genetic Optimization
Authors: Edmunds Neil , Moini Behdad , Peterson Jeff
Published: September 2010

This paper describes the application of a genetic algorithm to the development of a solvent-additive SAGD process. A review of related field projects and key simulation studies is provided, together with a discussion of the pros and cons of potential alkane solvents. Economics and the impact of dynamic and ultimate retention are discussed.

A general conclusion drawn from literature is that optimal solvent application to SAGD will likely involve time variations in both rate and composition of the solvent. This results in an optimization problem that has a large number of dimensions, and is nonlinear. We have found genetic algorithms, which mimic biological evolution, have been found to be extremely effective in addressing such problems. The general methodology of application to solvent additives by Laricina Energy Ltd. is described.

A key product of this effort, optimized for a simple clastic reservoir, is presented. The genetic algorithm produced an operable process, which could be described as a new combination of preexisting concepts. The process offers material improvements in thermal bitumen supply costs, as well as recovery factor. Major reductions in the physical steam/oil ratio (SOR), (and therefore) capital intensity and carbon emissions, are indicated.
Monopoly Pricing under a Medicaid-Style Most-Favored-Customer Clause and Its Welfare Implication
Authors: Klibanoff Peter , Kundu Tapas
Published: August 2010

To control Medicaid's expenditure on prescription drugs, 1990 legislation established a rebate program guaranteeing Medicaid a rebate on each unit purchased by Medicaid participants. The rebate is the difference between the minimum price and the average manufacturer price (minimum price rule) or a proportion of the average manufacturer price (average price rule). We characterize the optimal pricing strategy of a third-degree price discriminating monopolist under these rules. Under the minimum price rule, the minimum price gross of rebate always increases whereas prices gross of rebate in at least some of the markets always decrease. In contrast, under the average price rule, these prices may move in the same direction in all markets, with all increasing in some circumstances and all decreasing in others. We also examine the effects of such provisions on social welfare. We analyze a modified version of our minimum price rule model suitable for applications beyond Medicaid.
Perinatal variables and neonatal outcomes in severely growth restricted preterm fetuses
Authors: Engineer Neelam , Kumar Sailesh
Published: August 2010

Objective. To investigate the impact of severe preterm intrauterine growth restriction on perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. Tertiary referral fetal medicine unit in London. Population. A total of 60 pregnancies affected by early onset severe intrauterine growth restriction with fetal abdominal circumference below the third centile and abnormal arterial or venous Dopplers between October 2003 and October 2007, and control cohort of 77 appropriate‐for‐gestational age preterm neonates. Methods. Cases were identified from the departmental databases. The neonatal outcomes in 44 growth restricted survivors were compared with 77 gestation matched appropriate‐for‐gestational age preterm neonates. Main outcome measures. Neonatal morbidity and neonatal mortality. Results. Of the 60 pregnancies affected by severe intrauterine growth restriction, seven were terminated, nine resulted in stillbirth and 44 resulted in live births. The growth restricted neonates had increased odds of developing respiratory distress compromise (odds ratio (OR) 2.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–6.2) and thrombocytopenia (OR 9.4, 95%CI 2.9–30.8) in comparison to average‐for‐gestational age cohorts. We also noted an increased risk of neonatal sepsis (OR 2.5, 95%CI 1.1–6.0) and necrotising enterocolitis (OR 9.7, 95%CI 1.1–86.0). Sepsis was the major contributing factor towards neonatal mortality in the growth restricted cohorts. Conclusion. Despite intensive fetal surveillance and tertiary level neonatal care, the survival for growth restricted fetuses before 28 weeks gestation remains poor with neonatal outcome predominantly affected by respiratory morbidity, sepsis and metabolic compromise.
Earthquake-induced snow avalanches: I. Historical case studies
Authors: Podolskiy Evgeny A. , Nishimura Kouichi , Abe Osamu , Chernous Pavel A.
Published: September 2010

Strong ground motions caused by earthquakes can induce catastrophic avalanches. Massive snow avalanching has also been observed on slopes near quarries and underground mines where ground motions are produced by explosives. To address a lack of information regarding seismogenic snow avalanches, we have compiled an inventory to document case histories. For the period 1899–2010, 22 cases are identified worldwide, related to natural or artificial seismicity with magnitudes of 1.9 ≤Mw≤ 9.2 and source-to-site distances of ∼0.2–640 km. In the extreme case, many thousands of simultaneously released large-scale avalanches have been reported. The obtained distribution and variety of parameters are discussed and compared with earthquake-induced landslides and ice avalanches; the results are similar among these three types of failure events, although all data derived from statistical analyses (i.e. non-witnessed cases) represent outliers, suggesting a significant reduction in the threshold magnitudes proposed for landslides. This proposal could be verified by the collection of additional data.
Contract and Delict: Toward a Unified Law of Obligations
Authors: Gordley James
Published: August 2010

This article is the revised text of the second WA Wilson Memorial Lecture, given in a the New Senate Hall, Old College, in the University of Edinburgh on 8 May 1996 (the first, by Lord Rodger, appeared at (1996) 1 ELR 3). It is an examination of the principles explaining liability in both delict and contract. From the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, legal scholars thought that they could explain liability in delict and contract by two underlying principles: liability should be based on fault, and a person who was liable must fully compensate the aggrieved party by putting him in as favourable a position as if the obligation had not been breached. The sixteenth century jurists who originally formulated these principles thought that they followed from the Aristotelian idea that no one should gain at another's expense. But these principles did not explain law actually in force in these centuries or our own. The law has always recognised instances of liability without fault in delict and contract. It has generally limited recovery of damages for economic harm in delict and for consequential damages in contract. The article argues that these exceptional cases can be explained by the very idea that originally inspired the principles of fault and full compensation that they seem to contradict: the idea that no one should gain at another's expense.
The Nature of Devolution in Scotland and Northern Ireland: Key Issues of Responsibility and Control
Authors: Hadfield Brigid
Published: August 2010

Under three broad headings, namely, the internal dimension, the Westminster dimension and the intergovernmental dimension, this article seeks to analyse and explore the nature of devolution and to consider factors pertinent to its development. The article, thus, first compares the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998 and of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on the electoral system, the size of the devolved legislature, the power of dissolution and the formation and the scrutiny of the devolved executive. The prime purpose of this section is to identify the principles enshrined in the legislation which may affect the way in which devolution will operate within its own borders. While this first dimension draws on the statutory provisions, the second, dealing with the relationships between the devolved system and Westminster, concerns issues to be regulated almost entirely by non-statutory “understandings” and by parliamentary/assembly Standing Orders. These issues include most crucially the power of the devolved legislature to debate non-devolved matters and the power of Westminster to debate devolved matters. Thirdly, the article deals with the mechanisms of co-operation to be introduced for the discussion of intergovernmental issues throughout the UK, that is, those arising between Westminster, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff. In this context, consideration will be given to the proposed Joint Ministerial Committee. Mention will also be made of the British–Irish Council, although this is a body whose powers will go beyond solely UK devolution concerns.
Decentralising the UK: The Federal Argument
Authors: Olowofoyeku Abimbola A
Published: August 2010

In a bid to resolve the problems caused by excessive centralism the UK government has embarked on a process of decentralisation of governmental power. The decentralisation model which has been chosen for this purpose is devolution. Successful referenda in various parts of the UK have led to legislation to establish legislative bodies for Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and London. The devolution model raises a number of problems, and the question arises whether this is the best way to decentralise the UK. This article argues that, while devolution is better than the old centralism, there is a better and more appropriate decentralisation model. This model is federalism. In arriving at this conclusion, the article presents an analysis of the case for and against afederal UK.
Less Crime Without More Punishment
Authors: Smith David J
Published: August 2010

At its best, criminology is a dialogue between theories of crime and evidence about behaviour and social practices. The purpose of the enterprise is to inform moral and political choices. A particularly important decision, which ought to be illuminated by criminological theory and evidence, is whether to punish more, or to use alternative methods of tackling crime. This article argues that it is possible to have less crime without more punishment. Comparisons between trends in crime and punishment in the United States and England and Wales between 1981 and 1994 show an association between changes in the crime rate and changes in the probability of punishment, given an offence. However, three lines ofargument can be developed against the proposition that changes in the probability ofpunishment caused changes in the crime rate. First, it is more likely that the causal arrow points the other way. Second, detailed causal mechanisms have not been adequately described, and there is little evidence to support any particular description. Third, trends in crime and punishment in Scotland do not fit well with the hypothesis. Crime survey results suggest there has been little increase in crime in Scotland since 1981, without any appreciable increase in the quantity or probability of punishment. The enormous post-war growth in crime in the developed world, and the subsequent reversal of this trend, are linked to a range offundamental social and economic changes, which have probably beenfar more influential than the criminaljustice system.
Constructive Trusts in South African Law: The Legacy Refused
Authors: Cameron Edwin
Published: August 2010

This paper was first presented on 19 October 1996 at a joint seminar of the Scottish Law Commission and the Faculty of Law, University of Edinburgh, on the subject of constructive trusts. Although trusts are a distinctively Common Law institution, seemingly incompatible with Civilian concepts of property, trust law has been received in the mixed South African legal system. But constructive trusts have found no place in South African trust law, in the view of the author, rightly so. Much of the work performed by the constructive trust can be achieved through the law of obligations, while the acceptance of the institution can produce anomalous results in insolvency.
The American Employment-at-Will Doctrine and its Impact upon Employee Rights
Authors: Miller Kenneth
Published: August 2010

In Great Britain protection against arbitrary dismissal is almost taken for granted. The protection has been in existence for nearly thirty years and the basic rules are fairly straightforward and reasonably well known. The British position is not dissimilar to that enacted in other countries and is consistent with international standards. It is surprising to discover, therefore, that the world's most powerful state, the United States, lacks universal and coherent laws on dismissal. To be sure protections are available in the unionised sector through grievance arbitration, and there are federal and state statutes which provide extensive protections against discrimination at the workplace. Otherwise, workers faced with dismissal have to rely on the American common law, which is even less protective than the common law of England and Scotland. This article examines the present common law position in the United States as represented by the employment-at-will doctrine and considers both judicial and statutory developments to extend protection against dismissal. It concludes that the Model Employment Termination Act may provide the necessary impetus for change at state level.
Claims in Unjustified Enrichment to Recover Money Paid Pursuant to a Common Liability
Authors: Mitchell Charles
Published: August 2010

This article discusses claims in unjustified enrichment to recover money paid pursuant to a common liability, and considers how the principles underlying such claims are reflected in the pleading rules which govern them. The discussion includes claims in unjustified enrichment to recover money paid pursuant to those joint, joint and several, and several liabilities which are owed to the same third party in respect of the same debt or damage. Comparisons are drawn with similar claims under Roman and German law, and the decision of the Inner House in Caledonia North Sea Ltd v London Bridge Engineering Ltd1 is reviewed.
Wrongful Pregnancy, Wrongful Birth and Wrongful Terminology
Authors: Mason J K
Published: August 2010

The article analyses the series of cases that have evolved following the House of Lords dicta in McFarlane v Tayside Health Board1 and which seek to circumvent the limitations imposed by that decision on recovery for the birth of an “uncovenanted” addition to the family. The majority of relevant actions have relied on the possible distinction of cases involving the birth of a disabled child which McFarlane admits. Claims for compensation for the upkeep of the child in such circumstances have been successful, but the author contends that the two types of action are, in fact, distinct. He concludes that the only true comparator to date is Parkinson v St James and Seacroft University Hospital NHS Trust2 and that the reasoning in this case may provide an opening for the House of Lords to reconsider its position.
Subordinate Legislation in the Scottish Parliament
Authors: Himsworth Chris
Published: August 2010

One of the claims made on behalf of the Scottish Parliament is that, because of its new institutional design and a commitment to a “new politics”, it has the opportunity to escape the confines of the Westminster model of parliamentary government upon which it is based. It has the chance to achieve new levels of democracy and of executive accountability. In this article, such claims are examined in relation to the Scottish Parliament's ability to assert controls over the use of ministerial powers of delegated legislation and, indeed, to produce a balance between primary and secondary lawmaking which is different from that familiar at Westminster.
Would Scots Law Recognise a Dutch Same-Sex Marriage?
Authors: Norrie Kenneth McK
Published: August 2010

The opening, in the Netherlands, of the institution of marriage to same-sex couples will sooner or later give rise to the question of whether the Scottish international private law rules relating to marriage will permit or even demand the recognition here ofsuch unions validly entered into there. It is suggested in this article that the proper approach is not to ask whether the Scottish court will recognise the relationship as the institution ofmarriage as such, but whether the Scottish court will give effect to consequencesflowingfrom thefact that the relationship has been sanctioned by the Dutch state. For many purposes the answer to that question is unavoidably yes, and it is argued that since that is so then on grounds ofprinciple, policy, and practicality the Scottish court should give effect to such consequences as it would in relation to a Dutch opposite-sex union. There is no public policy objection to doing so.
The fāṣila in the Qur'an: Word, Context and Meaning
Authors: Omar Ahmad Mukhtar
Published: August 2010

Fāsila is a termed used to denote the last word in each Qur'anic āya. In this article, we explore this Qur'anic usage, examining in particular the connection between the choice of word, its semantic and rhythmic role in its immediate context, and its wider signification in the narrative. Previous writers on the subject drew attention to the apparent similarity between the fāṣila and the rhythmic schemes of poetry and rhyming prose. We argue that tire fāṣila, while certainly playing a role in the rhythmic structure of the text, has a wider significance, and that an examination of each occurrence underlines the organic connection between the ‘content’ of each sentence and its fāṣila. In a number of instances, it can be shown that the fāṣila and the rhythmic and semantic demands of the narrative account for differences between standard usage and the Qur'anic text. We discuss a number of specific instances of fāṣila, and, examine these in the light of the views of classical exegetes on this feature of the Qur'an.
The Philological Endeavours of the Early Arabic Linguists: Theological Implications of the tawqīf-iṣṭilāḥ Antithesis and the majāz Controversy – Part I
Authors: Shah Mustafa
Published: August 2010

This article examines a number of issues relating to discussions of the origin of language and related topics among early Arabic linguists. A number of these discussions treated the topic of the ‘revelationist’ view of language (tawqīf), and the opposing view that language had developed as a result of human convention (iṣṭilāḥ). It has been suggested that religious doctrine hampered the development of the linguistic tradition, as theologically motivated views increasingly governed the way in which linguists were able to articulate their positions on this and related subjects. We contend that the evidence does not altogether support this view, and that there was a subtle interplay between theological views and linguistic theories. Individual linguists, whom tradition identifies as having certain theological tendencies, are found to have followed lines of linguistic thinking at odds with what is assumed to have been the religious doctrine to which they subscribed. An increasingly sophisticated tradition of scholarship refined and reassessed arguments based on the Qur'an and earlier thought, with a concern for the theological implications of issues such as ishtiqāq, tarāduf and addād.
cAbdullah Yūsuf cAlī & Muhammad Asad: Two Approaches to the English Translation of the Qur'an
Authors: Iqbal Muzaffar
Published: August 2010

This article attempts to present a comparative study of the role of two twentieth-century English translations of the Qur'an: cAbdullah Yūsuf cAlī's The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ān and Muḥammad Asad's The Message of the Qur'ān. No two men could have been more different in their background, social and political milieu and life experiences than Yūsuf cAlī and Asad. Yūsuf 'Alī was born and raised in British India and had a brilliant but traditional middle-class academic career. Asad traversed a vast cultural and geographical terrain: from a highly-disciplined childhood in Europe to the deserts of Arabia. Both men lived ‘intensely’ and with deep spiritual yearning. At some time in each of their lives they decided to embark upon the translation of the Qur'an. Their efforts have provided us with two incredibly rich monumental works, which both reflect their own unique approaches and the effects of the times and circumstances in which they lived. A comparative study of these two translations can provide rich insights into the exegesis and the phenomenon of human understanding of the divine text.
The Linguistic Architecture of the Qur'an
Authors: Abdul-Raof Hussein
Published: August 2010

This article discusses the structure of Qur'anic verses and some linguistic features unique to the text of the Qur'an. Among the merits that give the text an architectural character and beauty of language are: • the very precise way the individual words in every verse are arranged, • the contrast between synonyms and antonyms of individual words, • the sequence of adjectives and the nouns they qualify, • the arrangement of descriptive clauses, normally found in the shape of a bunch of grapes, as well as • the interplay between simple and complex structures. One of the beautiful features which mark Qur'anic verses is the multiple layering of material in some sūras, such as Sūrat al-Ḍuḥā (Q.93), which consists of three layers, each distinct from the one that follows, yet related to it in meaning and context. The arrangement of individual letters within the words, and even the number of these letters, play an important role in the acoustic beauty of the recited Qur'an. The artistic depiction of the scenes on Judgement Day is another area which demonstrates the excellence of the Qur'anic discourse and method of narration, so that the reader feels as if s/he is watching a documentary film or painting that portrays impressive events.