bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Program extrapolation with jennisys
Authors: Leino K. Rustan M. , Milicevic Aleksandar
Published: November 2012

The desired behavior of a program can be described using an abstract model. Compiling such a model into executable code requires advanced compilation techniques known as synthesis. This paper presents an object-based language, called Jennisys, where programming is done by introducing an abstract model, defining a concrete data representation for the model, and then being aided by automatic synthesis to produce executable code. The paper also presents a synthesis technique for the language. The technique is built on an automatic program verifier that, via an underlying SMT solver, is capable of providing concrete models to failed verifications. The technique proceeds by obtaining sample input/output values from concrete models and then extrapolating programs from the sample points. The synthesis aims to produce code with assignments, branching structure, and possibly recursive calls. It is the first to synthesize code that creates and uses objects in dynamic data structures or aggregate objects. A prototype of the language and synthesis technique has been implemented.
The HipHop compiler for PHP
Authors: Zhao Haiping , Proctor Iain , Yang Minghui , Qi Xin , Williams Mark , Gao Qi , Ottoni Guilherme , Paroski Andrew , MacVicar Scott , Evans Jason , Tu Stephen
Published: November 2012

Scripting languages are widely used to quickly accomplish a variety of tasks because of the high productivity they enable. Among other reasons, this increased productivity results from a combination of extensive libraries, fast development cycle, dynamic typing, and polymorphism. The dynamic features of scripting languages are traditionally associated with interpreters, which is the approach used to implement most scripting languages. Although easy to implement, interpreters are generally slow, which makes scripting languages prohibitive for implementing large, CPU-intensive applications. This efficiency problem is particularly important for PHP given that it is the most commonly used language for server-side web development. This paper presents the design, implementation, and an evaluation of the HipHop compiler for PHP. HipHop goes against the standard practice and implements a very dynamic language through static compilation. After describing the most challenging PHP features to support through static compilation, this paper presents HipHop's design and techniques that support almost all PHP features. We then present a thorough evaluation of HipHop running both standard benchmarks and the Facebook web site. Overall, our experiments demonstrate that HipHop is about 5.5x faster than standard, interpreted PHP engines. As a result, HipHop has reduced the number of servers needed to run Facebook and other web sites by a factor between 4 and 6, thus drastically cutting operating costs.
Speculative analysis of integrated development environment recommendations
Authors: Muşlu Kıvanç , Brun Yuriy , Holmes Reid , Ernst Michael D. , Notkin David
Published: November 2012

Modern integrated development environments make recommendations and automate common tasks, such as refactorings, auto-completions, and error corrections. However, these tools present little or no information about the consequences of the recommended changes. For example, a rename refactoring may: modify the source code without changing program semantics; modify the source code and (incorrectly) change program semantics; modify the source code and (incorrectly) create compilation errors; show a name collision warning and require developer input; or show an error and not change the source code. Having to compute the consequences of a recommendation -- either mentally or by making source code changes -- puts an extra burden on the developers. This paper aims to reduce this burden with a technique that informs developers of the consequences of code transformations. Using Eclipse Quick Fix as a domain, we describe a plug-in, Quick Fix Scout, that computes the consequences of Quick Fix recommendations. In our experiments, developers completed compilation-error removal tasks 10% faster when using Quick Fix Scout than Quick Fix, although the sample size was not large enough to show statistical significance.
Efficiently combining parallel software using fine-grained, language-level, hierarchical resource management policies
Authors: Anderson Zachary
Published: November 2012

This paper presents Poli-C, a language extension, runtime library, and system daemon enabling fine-grained, language-level, hierarchical resource management policies. Poli-C is suitable for use in applications that compose parallel libraries, frameworks, and programs. In particular, we have added a powerful new statement to C for expressing resource limits and guarantees in such a way that programmers can set resource management policies even when the source code of parallel libraries and frameworks is not available. Poli-C enables application programmers to manage any resource exposed by the underlying OS, for example cores or IO bandwidth. Additionally, we have developed a domain-specific language for defining high-level resource management policies, and a facility for extending the kinds of resources that can be managed with our language extension. Finally, through a number of useful variations, our design offers a high degree of composability. We evaluate Poli-C by way of three case-studies: a scientific application, an image processing webserver, and a pair of parallel database join implementations. We found that using Poli-C yields efficiency gains that require the addition of only a few lines of code to applications.
Integrating task parallelism with actors
Authors: Imam Shams M. , Sarkar Vivek
Published: November 2012

This paper introduces a unified concurrent programming model combining the previously developed Actor Model (AM) and the task-parallel Async-Finish Model (AFM). With the advent of multi-core computers, there is a renewed interest in programming models that can support a wide range of parallel programming patterns. The proposed unified model shows how the divide-and-conquer approach of the AFM and the no-shared mutable state and event-driven philosophy of the AM can be combined to solve certain classes of problems more efficiently and productively than either of the aforementioned models individually. The unified model adds actor creation and coordination to the AFM, while also enabling parallelization within actors. This paper describes two implementations of the unified model as extensions of Habanero-Java and Habanero-Scala. The unified model adds to the foundations of parallel programs, and to the tools available for the programmer to aid in productivity and performance while developing parallel software.
Gradual typing for first-class classes
Authors: Takikawa Asumu , Strickland T. Stephen , Dimoulas Christos , Tobin-Hochstadt Sam , Felleisen Matthias
Published: November 2012

Dynamic type-checking and object-oriented programming often go hand-in-hand; scripting languages such as Python, Ruby, and JavaScript all embrace object-oriented (OO) programming. When scripts written in such languages grow and evolve into large programs, the lack of a static type discipline reduces maintainability. A programmer may thus wish to migrate parts of such scripts to a sister language with a static type system. Unfortunately, existing type systems neither support the flexible OO composition mechanisms found in scripting languages nor accommodate sound interoperation with untyped code. In this paper, we present the design of a gradual typing system that supports sound interaction between statically- and dynamically-typed units of class-based code. The type system uses row polymorphism for classes and thus supports mixin-based OO composition. To protect migration of mixins from typed to untyped components, the system employs a novel form of contracts that partially seal classes. The design comes with a theorem that guarantees the soundness of the type system even in the presence of untyped components.
Typestate-based semantic code search over partial programs
Authors: Mishne Alon , Shoham Sharon , Yahav Eran
Published: November 2012

We present a novel code search approach for answering queries focused on API-usage with code showing how the API should be used. To construct a search index, we develop new techniques for statically mining and consolidating temporal API specifications from code snippets. In contrast to existing semantic-based techniques, our approach handles partial programs in the form of code snippets. Handling snippets allows us to consume code from various sources such as parts of open source projects, educational resources (e.g. tutorials), and expert code sites. To handle code snippets, our approach (i) extracts a possibly partial temporal specification from each snippet using a relatively precise static analysis tracking a generalized notion of typestate, and (ii) consolidates the partial temporal specifications, combining consistent partial information to yield consolidated temporal specifications, each of which captures a full(er) usage scenario.

To answer a search query, we define a notion of relaxed inclusion matching a query against temporal specifications and their corresponding code snippets.

We have implemented our approach in a tool called PRIME and applied it to search for API usage of several challenging APIs. PRIME was able to analyze and consolidate thousands of snippets per tested API, and our results indicate that the combination of a relatively precise analysis and consolidation allowed PRIME to answer challenging queries effectively.
Kinetics and Mechanism of Oxidation of L-Ascorbic Acid by Pt(IV)(aq) in Aqueous Hydrochloric Acid Medium
Authors: Senapati Sadhana , Das S. P. , Patnaik A. K.
Published: November 2012

Reduction of [PtCl6]2− by L-ascorbic acid (H2ASc) in 0.1 M aqueous acid medium has been investigated spectrophotometrically under pseudo-first order condition at [PtCl6]2− = 0.005–0.007 mol dm−3, 0.05 ≤ [H2ASc]/mol dm−3 ≤ 0.3, 298 K ≤ T ≤ 308 K, [H+] = 0.14 mol dm−3, I=0.5 mol dm−3. The redox reaction follows the rate law: d[Pt(IV)]/dt = k[H2ASc][Pt(IV)], where k is the second-order rate constant and [H2ASc] is the total concentration of ascorbic acid. Electron transfer from [H2ASc] to Pt(IV) center leading to the release of two halide ions and formation of the reaction products, square planner Pt(II) halide complex, and dehydrated ascorbic acid is suggested. This redox reaction follows an outersphere mechanism as Pt(IV) complex is substituted inert. Activation parameters were calculated corresponding to rate of electron transfer reaction k. Activation parameters favor the electron transfer reaction.
Fracture of the Fabella: A Rare Injury in Knee Trauma
Authors: Barreto Andre Rodrigues Façanha , Chagas-Neto Francisco Abaete , Crema Michel Daoud , Lorenzato Mario Muller , Kobayashi Mariana Tiemi Teixeira , Monteiro Carlos Ribeiro , Nogueira-Barbosa Marcello Henrique
Published: November 2012

We present a case of a 21-year-old woman sustaining a traumatic [fabellar] fracture following a motor vehicle accident. The fabellar fracture was confirmed on plain films, which prompted further evaluation of the knee with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate other possible associated injuries. Fracture of the fabella is a rare condition. Clinically, patients present with posterolateral knee pain, edema, and limited knee extension. Occasionally these symptoms may be very subtle, delaying the correct diagnosis and patient management.
Mechanisms of Action of Topical Corticosteroids in Psoriasis
Authors: Uva Luís , Miguel Diana , Pinheiro Catarina , Antunes Joana , Cruz Diogo , Ferreira João , Filipe Paulo
Published: November 2012

Psoriasis is a lifelong, chronic, and immune-mediated systemic disease, which affects approximately 1–3% of the Caucasian population. The different presentations of psoriasis require different approaches to treatment and appropriate prescriptions according to disease severity. The use of topical therapy remains a key component of the management of almost all psoriasis patients, and while mild disease is commonly treated only with topical agents, the use of topical therapy as adjuvant therapy in moderate-to-severe disease may also be helpful. This paper focuses on the cutaneous mechanisms of action of corticosteroids and on the currently available topical treatments, taking into account adverse effects, bioavailability, new combination treatments, and strategies to improve the safety of corticosteroids. It is established that the treatment choice should be tailored to match the individual patient’s needs and his/her expectations, prescribing to each patient the most suitable vehicle.
Toward Personalized Cell Therapies by Using Stem Cells: Seven Relevant Topics for Safety and Success in Stem Cell Therapy
Authors: Silva Fernando de Sá , Almeida Paula Nascimento , Rettore João Vitor Paes , Maranduba Claudinéia Pereira , Souza Camila Maurmann de , Souza Gustavo Torres de , Zanette Rafaella de Souza Salomão , Miyagi Sueli Patricia Harumi , Santos Marcelo de Oliveira , Marques Márcia Martins , Maranduba Carlos Magno da Costa
Published: November 2012

Stem cells, both embryonic and adult, due to the potential for application in tissue regeneration have been the target of interest to the world scientific community. In fact, stem cells can be considered revolutionary in the field of medicine, especially in the treatment of a wide range of human diseases. However, caution is needed in the clinical application of such cells and this is an issue that demands more studies. This paper will discuss some controversial issues of importance for achieving cell therapy safety and success. Particularly, the following aspects of stem cell biology will be presented: methods for stem cells culture, teratogenic or tumorigenic potential, cellular dose, proliferation, senescence, karyotyping, and immunosuppressive activity.
New Technique: A Novel Femoral Derotation Osteotomy for Malrotation following Intramedullary Nailing
Authors: Jagernauth S. , Tindall A. J. , Kohli S. , Allen P.
Published: November 2012

A 19-year-old female patient sustained a closed spiral midshaft femoral fracture and subsequently underwent femoral intramedullary nail insertion. At followup she complained of difficulty in walking and was found to have a unilateral in-toeing gait. CT imaging revealed 30 degrees of internal rotation at the fracture site, which had healed. A circumferential osteotomy was performed distal to the united fracture site using a Gigli saw with the intramedullary femoral nail in situ. The static distal interlocking screws were removed and the malrotation was corrected. Two further static distal interlocking screws were inserted to secure the intramedullary nail in position. The osteotomy went on to union and her symptoms of pain, walking difficulty, and in-toeing resolved. Our paper is the first to describe a technique for derotation osteotomy following intramedullary malreduction that leaves the intramedullary nail in situ.
Fatal Heat Stroke in a Schizophrenic Patient
Authors: Gómez Ramos María Jesús , Miguel González Valverde Francisco , Sánchez Álvarez Carmen , Ortin Katnich Lisa , Pastor Quirante Francisco
Published: November 2012

Objective. The case of a patient who developed a fatal post-exertional heat stroke is reported.Case Report. A 20-year-old man with a history of morbid obesity, hypertension, and schizophrenia was admitted to our intensive care unit because of multiorgan failure due to severe heat stroke. He had been working under the sun. Treatment included aggressive body cooling but, in spite of the best supportive care, the patient succumbed in a few hours. We concluded that the adverse event was possibly associated with his obesity and the use of antipsychotics. Histological evaluation revealed lesions consistent with severe hyperthermia and shock.Conclusions. Heat stroke is an uncommon clinical entity characterized by systemic heat and loss of the body's normal mechanisms for dealing with heat stress, such as sweating and temperature control. When heat stroke is diagnosed early and supportive care begins promptly the prognosis is optimal but it becomes a life-threatening disease when treatment is delayed. Lack of physical acclimatization and the use of certain medications that interfere with salt and water balance can impair thermoregulation under conditions of high environmental temperature. Health professionals must be adequately prepared to prevent, recognise, and treat them urgently.
Assessment of a Spectral Domain OCT Segmentation Software in a Retrospective Cohort Study of Exudative AMD Patients
Authors: Tilleul Julien , Querques Giuseppe , Canoui-Poitrine Florence , Leveziel Nicolas , Souied Eric H.
Published: November 2012

Background: To assess the ability of the Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) segmentation software to identify the inner limiting membrane and Bruch’s membrane in exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients. Methods: Thirty-eight eyes of 38 naive exudative AMD patients were retrospectively included. They all had a complete ophthalmologic examination including Spectralis OCT at baseline, at month 1 and 2. Reliability of the segmentation software was assessed by 2 ophthalmologists. Reliability of the segmentation software was defined as good if both inner limiting membrane and Bruch’s membrane were correctly drawn. Results: A total of 38 patients charts were reviewed (114 scans). The inner limiting membrane was correctly drawn by the segmentation software in 114/114 spectral domain OCT scans (100%). Conversely, Bruch’s membrane was correctly drawn in 59/114 scans (51.8%). The software was less reliable in locating Bruch’s membrane in case of pigment epithelium detachment (PED) than without PED (42.5 vs. 73.5%, respectively; p = 0.049), but its reliability was not associated with SRF or CME (p = 0.55 and p = 0.10, respectively). Conclusion: Segmentation of the inner limiting membrane was constantly trustworthy but Bruch’s membrane segmentation was poorly reliable using the automatic Spectralis segmentation software. Based on this software, evaluation of retinal thickness may be incorrect, particularly in case of PED. PED is effectively an important parameter which is not included when measuring retinal thickness.
Gain of FAM123B and ARHGEF9 in an Obese Man with Intellectual Disability, Congenital Heart Defects and Multiple Supernumerary Ring Chromosomes
Authors: Hochstenbach R. , van Gijn M.E. , Krijtenburg P.-J. , Raemakers R. , van ’t Slot R. , Renkens I. , Eleveld M.J. , van der Smagt J.J. , Poot M.
Published: November 2012

In a 24-year-old man with mild intellectual disability, congenital heart defects and obesity, we identified up to 4 small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMCs) in blood metaphases. The ring-shaped sSMCs were derived from chromosomes 11, 12 and X as well as a fourth, unidentified chromosome. In interphase nuclei of epithelial cells from the urinary tract and buccal mucosa, the presence of the r(11), r(12) and r(X) was confirmed by FISH. Using Illumina Infinium 317K SNP-arrays, we detected 3 copies of the pericentromeric regions of chromosomes 11, 12 and X. The r(X) was present in 84–89% of cells in the various tissues examined, lacks the XIST gene, but contains FAM123B, a potential dosage-sensitive candidate gene for congenital cardiac abnormalities, and ARHGEF9, a candidate gene for intellectual disability. ARHGEF9 encodes collybistin (CB), which is required for localization of the inhibitory receptor-anchoring protein gephyrin and for formation and maintenance of postsynaptic GABAA and glycine receptors. We propose that the 2-fold increase in dosage of ARHGEF9 disturbs the stoichiometry of CB with its interacting proteins at inhibitory postsynapses. SNP alleles and short tandem repeat markers on the r(11) and r(X) were compatible with a maternal origin of both sSMCs through a meiosis II error. The sSMCs may have resulted from predivision chromatid nondisjunction, leading to anaphase lagging, followed by incomplete degradation of the supernumerary chromosomes.
CD36 and Na/K-ATPase-α1 Form a Proinflammatory Signaling Loop in Kidney
Authors: Kennedy David J. , Chen Yiliang , Huang Wenxin , Viterna Jamie , Liu Jiang , Westfall Kristen , Tian Jian , Bartlett David J. , Tang W.H. Wilson , Xie Zijian , Shapiro Joseph I. , Silverstein Roy L.
Published: November 2012

Proatherogenic, hyperlipidemic states demonstrate increases in circulating ligands for scavenger receptor CD36 (eg, oxidized low-density lipoprotein [oxLDL]) and the Na/K-ATPase (eg, cardiotonic steroids). These factors increase inflammation, oxidative stress, and progression of chronic kidney disease. We hypothesized that diet-induced obesity and hyperlipidemia potentiate a CD36/Na/K-ATPase–dependent inflammatory paracrine loop between proximal tubule cells (PTCs) and their associated macrophages and thereby facilitate development of chronic inflammation and tubulointerstitial fibrosis.
ApoE
−/−
and
apoE
−/−
/cd36
−/−
mice were fed a high-fat diet for ≤32 weeks and examined for physiologic and histologic changes in renal function. Compared with
apoE
−/−
,
apoE
−/−
/cd36
−/−
mice had improved creatinine clearance and blood pressure which corresponded histologically with less glomerular and tubulointerstitial macrophage accumulation, foam cell formation, oxidant stress, and interstitial fibrosis. Coimmunopreciptation and a cell surface fluorescence-based crosslinking assay showed that CD36 and Na/K-ATPase α-1 colocalized in PTCs and macrophages, and this association was increased by oxLDL or the cardiotonic steroid ouabain. OxLDL and ouabain also increased activation of Src and Lyn in PTCs. Cell-free conditioned medium from PTCs treated with oxLDL or ouabain increased macrophage migration. OxLDL, ouabain, or plasma isolated from high-fat diet–fed mice stimulated reactive oxygen species production in PTCs, which was inhibited by
N
-acetyl-cysteine, apocynin, or Na/K-ATPase α-1 knockdown. These data suggest that ligands generated in hyperlipidemic states activate CD36 and the Na/K-ATPase and potentiate an inflammatory signaling loop involving PTCs and their associated macrophages, which facilitates the development of chronic inflammation, oxidant stress, and fibrosis underlying the renal dysfunction common to proatherogenic, hyperlipidemic states.
Absence of Cardiotrophin 1 Is Associated With Decreased Age-Dependent Arterial Stiffness and Increased Longevity in Mice
Authors: López-Andrés Natalia , Calvier Laurent , Labat Carlos , Fay Renaud , Díez Javier , Benetos Athanase , Zannad Faiez , Lacolley Patrick , Rossignol Patrick
Published: November 2012

Cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1), an interleukin 6 family member, promotes fibrosis and arterial stiffness. We hypothesized that the absence of CT-1 influences arterial fibrosis and stiffness, senescence, and life span. In senescent 29-month-old mice, vascular function was analyzed by echotracking device. Arterial histomorphology, senescence, metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative stress parameters were measured by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and ELISA. Survival rate of wild-type and CT-1–null mice was studied. Vascular smooth muscle cells were treated with CT-1 (10
−9
mol/L) for 15 days to analyze senescence. The wall stress-incremental elastic modulus curve of old CT-1–null mice was shifted rightward as compared with wild-type mice, indicating decreased arterial stiffness. Media thickness and wall fibrosis were lower in CT-1–null mice. CT-1–null mice showed decreased levels of inflammatory, apoptotic, and senescence pathways, whereas telomere-linked proteins, DNA repair proteins, and antioxidant enzyme activities were increased. CT-1–null mice displayed a 5-month increased median longevity compared with wild-type mice. In vascular smooth muscle cells, chronic CT-1 stimulation upregulated apoptotic and senescence markers and downregulated telomere-linked proteins. The absence of CT-1 is associated with decreased arterial fibrosis, stiffness, and senescence and increased longevity in mice likely through downregulating apoptotic, senescence, and inflammatory pathways. CT-1 may be a major regulator of arterial stiffness with a major impact on the aging process.
Ganglion-Specific Impairment of the Norepinephrine Transporter in the Hypertensive Rat
Authors: Shanks Julia , Mane Saras , Ryan Rebecca , Paterson David J.
Published: November 2012

Hypertension is associated with enhanced cardiac sympathetic transmission, although the exact mechanisms underlying this are still unknown. We hypothesized that defective function of the norepinephrine uptake transporter (NET) may contribute to the sympathetic phenotype of the spontaneously hypertensive rat, and that this may occur before the development of hypertension itself. The dynamic kinetics of NET were monitored temporally using a novel fluorescent assay of the transporter in cultured postganglionic sympathetic neurons from the cardiac stellate ganglion, the superior cervical ganglion, the celiac ganglia/superior mesenteric ganglia, and the renal sympathetic chain. All NET activity was blocked by desipramine. NET rate was significantly impaired in cardiac stellate sympathetic neurons from the prehypertensive spontaneously hypertensive rat compared with age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. A similar response was seen in hypertensive spontaneously hypertensive rats stellate sympathetic neurons. However, no reduction in transporter rate was observed at either age in the other major noncardiac sympathetic ganglia. Depolarization of cardiac stellate neurons by electrical field stimulation further potentiated the difference in transporter rate observed between the hypertensive and normotensive rats at both developmental ages. In conclusion, dysregulation of the norepinephrine transporter in the hypertensive rat is ganglion-specific, where NET impairment in the stellate neurons may contribute to the increased cardiac norepinephrine spillover seen in hypertension.
From Semantics to Normative Law: Perceptions of Liwāt (Sodomy) and Sihāq (Tribadism) in Islamic Jurisprudence (8th-15th Century CE)
Authors: Omar Sara
Published: November 2012

The present essay is an examination of classical jurists' legal determinations pertaining to liwāt (sodomy) and sihāq (tribadism), both of which have been little studied in their legal context. In exploring jurists' logic and legal categorizations, I argue that three major factors contributed to their legal injunctions: (1) their use of zinā (illicit sex between a man and a woman) as the paradigm by which to punish liwāt and sihāq, (2) their perception of sexual intercourse as an exclusively male act of phallic penetration, and (3) an individual's legal status within the social hierarchy as reflected in jurisprudential discussions of illicit sexual intercourse (zinā). Juristic disagreements over the semantics and definitions of these three factors extended to the treatment of liwāt and sihāq and, ultimately, became normative doctrine.
Civil Disputes between the State and Individuals in the Ottoman Nizamiye Courts
Authors: Rubin Avi
Published: November 2012

This article is a first exploration of Ottoman civil litigation involving state agencies and private litigants, following the foundation of the Nizamiye court system in the second half of the nineteenth century. I argue that new judicial mechanisms allowed both the state and private individuals to contest each other in financial matters. Due to the high cost of the Nizamiye judicial process, however, the opportunity to challenge the state in the civil courts was limited to individuals who possessed significant financial assets. By the same token, the resources available to the state bolstered its ability to secure tax revenues by resorting to civil litigation.
Explaining Welfare State Adaptation in East Asia: The Cases of Japan, Korea and Taiwan
Authors: Hwang Gyu-Jin
Published: November 2012

Abstract

A growing volume of literature suggests that the countries in North-east Asia are defying the productivist logic that has underpinned their welfare state regime. This article aims to unfold the developmental trajectory of welfare states in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. By combining structural accounts and political explanations of social policy reform, it discusses continuity and changes in the role of social policy over a stretched period of time. It then argues that although there has been significant change made to social policy in the region, structural conditions and the politics of expansion associated with them are yet to amount to a shift in the core foundation of their welfare production logic. The market-conforming role of social policy in East Asia has been persistent and, paradoxically, this explains their resilience against the forces of economic liberalisation.
“Confucian” Values and Practices in Han China
Authors: Loewe Michael
Published: November 2012

While identifiable from Tang and Song times onwards, a system that combined ideals and conduct known as “Confucianism” did not characterize public life in Western Han times. As yet the attention paid to Kongzi and the writings associated with him was by no means commonplace; it was only late (after 30 BCE) that Heaven was adopted for worship in imperial cults; social hierarchies rested on the needs of government rather than on idealized kin relationships; Zhou had not been accepted as the ideal; the force of li had as yet to make itself felt. By no means all officials could claim familiarity with ru writings; there was no agreed account of how transmission to rule had been authorized; documents to be banned later as heretical were attracting interest and even promotion. Four stages may be named as significant steps that led eventually to the formation of a “Confucian” tradition.
P.Oxy. 2383 (P69) One More Time
Authors: Wayment Thomas A.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

In this article, I respond to recent criticisms of my proposed reconstruction of P69 and conclude that the fragmentary evidence is simply too sparse to support the weight of Claire Clivaz’s claims of a Marcionite edition. The paleography of the fragment is further scrutinized and the remaining questions concerning the text of this important fragment are raised and discussed.
Nest site fidelity in the Slovakian population of the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis
Authors: Bona Martin , Novotný Milan , Danko Stanislav , Burešová Adriana
Published: November 2012

In many places in Europe, the pond turtle Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) is an endangered species. Establishing its reproductive pattern is critical for the understanding and protection of this turtle. In this study, which took place from 1998 to 2009 in the Tajba National Nature Reserve, Slovakia (48°23′N, 21°47′E), are presented the results concerning the spatial and temporal aspects of nesting habits of individual turtles. From the total monitored group of 39 turtles, eight individuals which laid eggs more than four times during the whole study period were selected for statistical evaluation. It was found that five individuals from this group demonstrated a fidelity to the nesting area, and that the egg-laying period starts in mid-May and continues until late June. During the investigation, six turtles nested twice per year with an interval of about 24 days. The average distance between the nests of an individual turtle was close to 138 metres, and the distance of the nests from water was about 349 metres. The data obtained on the space and time requirements of the European pond turtle for successful reproduction are helpful to protect this species more efficiently, not only in the Tajba National Natural Reserve, but also in other similar sites in Europe.
Notes on some Indo-Pacific Pontoniinae, LI. Periclimenaeus quadridentatus (Rathbun, 1906) and P. crassipes (Calman, 1939) (Decapoda, Pontoniinae), with the designation of P. calmani and P. serenei spp. nov.
Authors: Bruce A. J.
Published: November 2012

Further information on the little known pontoniine shrimps, Periclimenaeus quadridentatus Rathbun, 1906 and P. crassipes (Calman, 1939), is provided and illustrated, and Periclimenaeus calmani sp. nov, from the Cobourg Peninsula, Northern Territory, Australia, and P. serenei sp. nov., from Nha Trang, Vietnam, are designated.
Brachyuran crabs (Decapoda, Brachyura) associated with the green sponge Amphimedon viridis (Demospongiae) from Itaguá Beach, south-eastern coast of Brazil
Authors: Alves Douglas F. R. , Carvalho Marcelo C. R. , Barros-Alves Samara De P. , Cobo Valter J.
Published: November 2012

This study provides information on the community structure of brachyuran crabs associated with the green sponge,Amphimedon viridisDuchassaing & Michelotti, 1864, from a beach on the south-eastern coast of Brazil. Monthly collections from May 2002 through August 2003 were carried out on the rocky bottoms off Itaguá Beach (23°27′07″S 45°02′49″W). Crabs on the green sponge banks were hand-caught during snorkelling sessions, and 638 crabs belonging to 31 species, 19 genera, and 10 families were obtained. Biological parameters, including sponge volume, number of individuals, density, richness, diversity, evenness, and dominance changed considerably over time. Species recruitment and foraging habit are some of the factors that drive the richness, dominance, and diversity patterns of this community. The green sponge banks are important sites for recruitment, refuge, and feeding of many species of brachyurans. Therefore, they are also important for the conservation of this group on the south-eastern coast of Brazil.
Identification of a putative expansin gene expressed in the subventral glands of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera avenae
Authors: Long Haibo , Peng Deliang , Huang Wenkun , Liu Yanke , Peng Huan
Published: November 2012

Parasitism genes encoding secretory proteins expressed in the pharyngeal glands of plant-parasitic nematodes play important roles in the parasitic process. A new expansin gene (Ha-expb1) expressed in the subventral glands of the sedentary cyst nematode, Heterodera avenae, was cloned. Southern blot analysis suggested that Ha-expb1 is a member of a multigene family. The deduced protein Ha-EXPB1 consists of a signal peptide, a CBM II and an expansin domain, and was significantly similar to expansins and expansin-like proteins from the potato cyst nematode, Globodera rostochiensis, and the pine wood nematodes, Bursaphelenchus spp. In situ hybridisation showed that Ha-expb1 transcript specifically accumulated in the two subventral gland cells of the second-stage juveniles. Developmental expression confirmed that its transcript abundances were high in the motile juvenile stages and low in the sedentary stage of the nematode, implying a role in the early parasitic-stage process, most likely in aiding migration within the plant.
Global Gradations of Secularism: The Consociational, Communal and Coercive Paradigms
Authors: Farha Mark
Published: November 2012

Abstract

In engaging with heterogeneous societies, states have oscillated between three modes of dealing with social diversity: accommodation, segregation and eradication. Accordingly, this article cross-examines three typologies of secularism: Consociational secularism (Lebanon), communal partition (India and Pakistan) and coercive secularization (China and Turkey). The article argues that while each state shared the challenge of establishing state sovereignty in pluralistic societies, the central authorities’ attempt to impose homogenization varied according to the strength of state institutions, the hold of communal ideologies and the degree of disparate socio-economic interests. The legitimacy of regimes hinged on the perceived impartiality of the state in meeting the demands of diverse socio-economic and ethno-religious constituencies. The article argues that the potential for fragmentation was particularly high when socio-economic fault-lines overlapped with, and reinforced ethno-religious fissures. When sectarian solidarity trumped loyalty to the state, partition along communal lines unfolded within the caldron of civil war, as was the case in Lebanon in 1975 and the Indian Subcontinent in 1947 and 1971. By contrast, the authoritarian states of Maoist China and Kemalist Turkey could enforce, albeit violently and at great human cost, a rigidly secular, cultural homogenization in part because they were perceived to be lessening socio-economic inequalities despite their assault on traditional identities. In all cases, and regardless of whether or not a dominant majority existed or not, sovereignty and state legitimacy was ultimately predicated not so much on the absence or presence of democracy or diversity, but on the provision of a critical measure of justice for all citizens irrespective of origin or identity.
Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative?, Mark Fisher, Winchester: Zero Books, 2009
Authors: Rooksby Ed
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Mark Fisher’s Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? is a provocative polemical analysis of the narrowing of political horizons that has occurred over the past couple of decades and of the powerful ideological grip that capitalism holds on the collective, social psyche, destroying our capacity to imagine political alternatives. Fisher seeks to illuminate the major cultural and social effects of a post-Cold War politico-ideological condition in which (according to Žižek’s well-known observation) ‘it is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism’. Building on this analysis, Fisher identifies some key tensions and contradictions in the ideological armour of contemporary capitalism and extrapolates from this some tentative strategic propositions for the anticapitalist Left. This review-article argues that, while Fisher’s book provides valuable conceptual and strategic resources for the Left, it is hamstrung by several weaknesses – not the least of these a tendency to make unconvincing, sweeping claims about the novelty and distinctness of what Fisher terms ‘capitalist realism’ and a tendency to present a caricature of current left-wing thinking.
Neo-developmentalism: Beyond Neoliberalism? Capitalist Crisis and Argentina’s Development since the 1990s
Authors: Féliz Mariano
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Argentina’s recent trajectory has provoked several discussions in the last few years. Most of them have centred on the character of the new mode of development presumed to have appeared in the wake of the crisis of neoliberal rule. This article provides an analysis of the changes and continuities in capitalist development in Argentina after the crisis of 2001. We provide extensive evidence regarding changes in the mode of development which, we propose, has shifted towards a neo-developmentalist alternative. While we argue that this strategy perpetuates capitalist domination, more importantly we stress that it also implies significant changes from the previous pattern of development. Particularly, the new mode of capitalist development creates a new set of public policies that mediate class-conflict in renewed ways.
What Makes a Maḏhab a Maḏhab: Zaydī debates on the structure of legal authority
Authors: Haykel Bernard , Zysow Aron
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Over the centuries Zaydīs have been called upon to respond to a series of challenges from within and without to the internal cohesion of their tradition. Noting that Zaydīs did not commonly follow the legal opinions of their eponym Zayd b. ʿAlī (d. 112/740), Sunnī critics challenged them to justify their adoption of the label Zaydī. The classical response was provided by the Yemeni imam al-Manṣūr ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥamza (d. 614/1217), who explained affiliation to Zayd in theological and political terms. Within Zaydism itself, however, disagreement among leading imams on questions of law occasioned dissent among their followers. To counter this threat to unity within their ranks, Zaydī jurists widely adopted the theory that all qualified legal experts (muğtahids), including the Zaydī imams, were equally correct. More technical were the questions that came to surround the character of the legal school (maḏhab) that became dominant among Yemeni Zaydīs. These concerned both the source of the legal opinions that made up the doctrine of the school and the related question of the school’s structure of authority. These historical and theoretical questions acquired a particular urgency from the 11th/17th century and were popularized with the circulation of Isḥāq b. Yūsuf’s (d. 1173/1760) short poem, ʿUqūd al-taškīk, which directly challenged Yemeni Zaydīs to clarify their legal identity. Equally challenged was the structure of authority of all the Sunnī maḏhabs, and therefore issues raised here pertain to Islamic law more generally. This poem evoked a variety of responses in prose and verse, including a short treatise by the poem’s author, al-Tafkīk li-ʿUqūd al-taškīk. While several respondents sought to affirm the viability of the legal school, others, notably Ibn al-Amīr al-Ṣanʿānī (d. 1182/1769) and Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-Šawkānī (d. 1250/1834), argued that it could not be saved. Their objections to traditional legal authority (taqlīd) within Zaydism were widely disseminated by 19th- and 20th-century Muslim reformers interested in undermining the Sunnī schools of law and continue to enjoy great currency.
Innocence, Maturation, and Liberation:The Maturation Process in al-Mīdānī b. Ṣāliḥ’s Work
Authors: Tlili Sarra
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The Tunisian poet al-Mīdānī b. Ṣāliḥ’s work not only reflects a clear preoccupation with themes of innocence and maturity, but also displays interesting stages of maturation on both personal and literary levels. It also echoes different stages in modern Tunisian and Arab intellectual and political history. This article traces the different stages in this poet’s literary and intellectual experience, and through him assesses the poetic and literary scene in Tunisia and the Arab world in the second half of the twentieth century.
Radical Empiricism and the Unremarkable Nature of Mystic Ineffability
Authors: Blum Jason
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Ineffability has long been considered a hallmark of mystical experience. Dominant trends in epistemology and the study of mysticism, however, hold that experience is fundamentally conceptual and linguistic in nature, and therefore that experience cannot actually be ineffable. From this perspective, ineffability claims stymie analysis, and their cross-cultural prevalence in mystic traditions is problematic. Radical empiricism dissolves these difficulties by offering a broader and less discursive understanding of experience; specifically, it regards ineffable experience as a real possibility. It is therefore able to incorporate ineffability claims into analysis as signals of emotional or qualitative dimensions of experience that are not linguistic in nature. Radical empiricism also thereby explains the cross cultural prevalence of ineffability claims as an unremarkable facet of human consciousness and experience. It therefore affords a more effective explanation for the prevalence of ineffability and a more productive perspective for the study of mystical experience.
Die Urmonotheismustheorie im Dienst der nationalsozialistischen Rassenkunde Herman Wirth im Kontext der religionswissenschaftlichen und ethnologischen Diskussion seiner Zeit
Authors: Winter Franz
Published: November 2012

Herman Wirth Roeper Bosch (1885-1981) was an important theoretician of the racist theory of Nazi-Germany. This article deals with his major publication, ,,Der Aufgang der Menschheit“ (published 1928), wherein he provides a theory on the origins of the socalled ,,atlantidian“ race. One of the foundations is the so called ,,primordial monotheism“ (Urmonotheismustheorie), which was quite popular in the first half of the 20th century. This article provides an attempt to analyse the main features of his approach with reference to the scholarly discussion in religious studies and ethnology of his time.
A hunted population in recovery: Effective population size for South American sea lions from Patagonia
Authors: Grandi M. Florencia , de Oliveira Larissa R. , Dans Silvana L. , Crespo Enrique A.
Published: November 2012

Effective population size () is a parameter of central importance in evolutionary biology and conservation. Factors such as unequal sex ratios of breeding individuals, periodic fluctuation in population size and variance in reproductive success can affect the in general. At present, South American sea lions,Otaria flavescens, from northern Patagonia, Argentina, belongs to one of the several populations that are recovering from overhunting which occurred in the early 20thcentury. Here, we present the estimate of for this population that takes into account the effects of their polygynous mating system and variation in population size through time. The resultant overall ’s were 4171 ± 2450 or 4745 ± 2681 breeding animals depending on the inclusion of peripheral adult males. The estimated ’s are not critical, because they are close to the average mean minimum viable population for vertebrates (5000 breeding adults). Even though the northern Patagonian population ofO. flavescensis increasing its abundance is still far below its historical numbers. The estimated should be considered the minimum range to be maintained, especially in light of bycatch related to fishery interactions along the Patagonian coast. We emphasise the importance of estimating for future management plans of the species within different populations.
Coping with Complexity: Analyzing Cooperation and Coordination in Multiparty Mediation Processes
Authors: Vuković Siniša
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Crucial challenges for multiparty mediation processes include the achievement of adequate cooperation among the mediators and consequent coordination of their activities in the mediation process. Existing literature goes only as far as to make it clear that successful mediation requires necessary cooperation and coordination between mediators, as if these features were exogenous to the process. Available research does not consider whether these features might change over time and if such change could have an impact on the overall mediation process. Experience shows that it is not rare for mediators who were initially willing to pool their resources and act in concert with one another to decide at a later point to stop cooperating. Using a game theoretical model and a comparative analysis of three recent cases of multiparty mediation, this research illustrates the importance of maintaining necessary levels of cooperation and coordination to achieve successful outcomes and provides insights on how to achieve them in case the mediating coalition is faced with internal conflict of interests.
Acronyms of Dying versus Patient Autonomy
Authors: Salkić Amina , Zwick Anna
Published: November 2012

Abstract

In medical practice in Germany and several other countries abbreviated orders linked to end-of-life decisions, such as DNR (do not resuscitate), are increasingly used. In order to investigate their legal status, this article gives an overview of the recently passed German law, which regulates the process of end-of-life decision-making and the use of living wills, giving primacy to patient autonomy. Concerning the risk of misinterpretation of acronyms, the article describes the impacts of such orders on patient autonomy and safety and suggests a clear systematic classification of the different DNR orders in order to investigate their legal status under the German law. Their general binding force is to be acknowledged, depending on its origination and the fulfilment of certain requirements.