bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The spatial distribution of auditory attention in early blindness
Authors: Lerens Elodie , Renier Laurent , De Volder Anne
Published: November 2012

Early blind people compensate for their lack of vision by developing superior abilities in the remaining senses such as audition (Collignon et al., 2006; Gougoux et al., 2004; Wan et al., 2010). Previous studies reported supra-normal abilities in auditory spatial attention, particularly for the localization of peripheral stimuli in comparison with frontal stimuli (Lessard et al., 1998; Röder et al., 1999). However, it is unknown whether this specific supra-normal ability extends to the non-spatial attention domain. Here we compared the performance of early blind subjects and sighted controls, who were blindfolded, during an auditory non-spatial attention task: target detection among distractors according to tone frequency. We paid a special attention to the potential effect of the sound source location, comparing the accuracy and speed in target detection in the peripheral and frontal space. Blind subjects displayed shorter reaction times than sighted controls for both peripheral and frontal stimuli. Moreover, in the two groups of subjects, we observed an interaction effect between the target location and the distractors location: the target was detected faster when its location was different from the location of the distractors. However, this effect was attenuated in early blind subjects and even cancelled in the condition with frontal targets and peripheral distractors. We conclude that early blind people compensate for the lack of vision by enhancing their ability to process auditory information but also by changing the spatial distribution of their auditory attention resources.
Size–brightness correspondence: Crosstalk and congruity among dimensions of connotative meaning
Authors: Walker Peter , Walker Laura
Published: November 2012

Using a speeded classification task, Walker and Walker (2012) demonstrated a cross-sensory correspondence between haptic size and surface brightness. Specifically, adult participants classified bright (dark) visual stimuli more quickly and accurately when this required them to press the smaller (bigger) of two response keys which were always hidden from view. The nature of the correspondence (i.e., small being aligned with bright), along with various aspects of the task situation, indicated that the congruity effect originated at later stages of information processing concerned with the semantic classification of stimuli and response selection. The study reported here provides additional evidence for the involvement of semantic coding. When the names of bright (white) edible substances (e.g., flour) and dark (black) inedible substances (e.g., soot) were classified according to their surface brightness, the same size–brightness congruity effect was observed. However, when the basis for classification of the substances was switched to their edibility, the congruity effect disappeared. It is therefore proposed that congruity effects based on cross-sensory correspondences can reflect interactions between the connotative meanings of elementary stimulus features (cf. Karwoski et al., 1942).
Modifying infants’ sensitivity to audiovisual temporal mismatch
Authors: Pons Ferran , Teixidó Maria , García-Morera Joel , Navarra Jordi
Published: November 2012

Studies in adults reveal that a short-term exposure to asynchronous audiovisual signals induces temporal realignment between these signals (Di Luca et al., 2009; Fujisaki et al., 2004; Navarra et al., 2009; Vroomen et al., 2004). In contrast with this evidence in adults, Lewkowicz (2010) observed that infants increased their sensitivity to AV asynchrony after exposure to asynchronous AV speech. We investigated whether brief experience with an asynchronous AV event would increase infants’ ability to discriminate AV synchrony from asynchrony in non-speech stimuli or else induce temporal realignment as observed in adults. Twenty-four 6-month-old infants were tested in two phases (Test 1 and 2) using an intersensory paired-preference procedure, with simple stimuli (two balls bouncing against the floor — one ball bouncing in synchrony while the other one in asynchrony with respect to the bouncing sound). Between Test 1 and 2, infants were exposed to AV asynchrony (a presentation of an audiovisually asynchronous bouncing ball). The results revealed that infants detected the difference between AV synchrony and asynchrony only after being exposed to an asynchronous AV event. Our findings support the idea that experience with AV asynchrony has different consequences for adults and infants: while temporal AV recalibration is observed in adults, an increase of the sensitivity to AV asynchrony is observed in infants.
The effect of task-irrelevant stimulus ‘graspability’ on reaching actions
Authors: Couth Samuel , Poliakoff Ellen , Gowen Emma
Published: November 2012

Reaching and grasping requires integration of visual, proprioceptive and somatosensory inputs. Previous research has shown that manipulating the ‘graspabilty’ of a visual stimulus influences reaction times to that stimulus (e.g., Tucker and Ellis, 1998). Here we explored whether this same effect can be extended to the planning and online control of arm movements. Participants made a mimed reaching movement with their left or right hand depending on the colour of images of affordance (door handles) and control stimuli (a row of dots of similar size and orientation as the door handle). Stimulus onset was manipulated by changing when the grey stimulus changed colour. Stimuli either pointed towards (compatible) or pointed away from (incompatible) the responding hand. Spatially compatible affordance stimuli facilitated reach onset compared to other stimuli and compatibility combinations, replicating previous reaction time studies. This can be attributed to a priming of the motor system by spatially compatible affording items. Results also indicated a larger outwards deviation of reach trajectory for spatially incompatible control stimuli compared to spatially compatible control stimuli, which waned with stimulus onset delay. This reveals an immediate inhibitory effect on reach trajectory, such that outwards movement is over-compensated to negate this incompatible orientation. Overall, we observed that the effect of visual spatial compatibility on reach kinematics differs with the action relevance of the stimulus. We are currently exploring how this multisensory visuomotor effect changes with age.
Effects of full body vibration on the perceived sense of verisimilitude and sense of presence
Authors: Sakamoto Shuichi , Hasegawa Gen , Honda Akio , Iwaya Yukio , Suzuki Yôiti , Gyoba Jiro
Published: November 2012

High-definition multimodal displays are necessary to advance information and communications technologies. Such systems mainly present audio–visual information because this sensory information includes rich spatiotemporal information. Recently, not only audio–visual information but also other sensory information, for example touch, smell, and vibration, has come to be presented easily. The potential of such information is expanded to realize high-definition multimodal displays. We specifically examined the effects of full body vibration information on perceived reality from audio–visual content. As indexes of perceived reality, we used the sense of presence and the sense of verisimilitude. The latter is the appreciative role of foreground components in multimodal contents, although the former is related more closely to background components included in a scene. Our previous report described differences of characteristics of both senses to audio–visual contents (Kanda et al., IMRF2011). In the present experiments, various amounts of full body vibration were presented with an audio–visual movie, which was recorded via a camera and microphone set on wheelchair. Participants reported the amounts of perceived sense of presence and verisimilitude. Results revealed that the intensity of full body vibration characterized both senses differently. The sense of presence increased linearly according to the intensity of full body vibration, while the sense of verisimilitude showed a nonlinear tendency. These results suggest that not only audio–visual information but also full body vibration is importantto develop high-definition multimodal displays.
Recovery periods of event-related potentials indicating crossmodal interactions between the visual, auditory and tactile system
Authors: Hense Marlene , Habets Boukje , Roeder Brigitte
Published: November 2012

In sequential unimodal stimulus designs the time it takes for an event-related potential (ERP)-amplitude to recover is often interpreted as a transient decrement in responsiveness of the generating cortical circuits. This effect has been called neural refractoriness, which is the larger the more similar the repeated stimuli are and thus indicates the degree of overlap between the neural generator systems activated by two sequential stimuli. We hypothesize that crossmodal refractoriness-effects in a crossmodal sequential design might be a good parameter to assess the ‘modality overlap’ in the involved neural generators and the degree of crossmodal interaction. In order to investigate crossmodal ERP refractory period effects we presented visual and auditory (Experiment 1) and visual and tactile stimuli (Experiment 2) with inter stimulus intervals of 1 and 2 s to adult participants. Participants had to detect rare auditory and visual stimuli. Both, intra- and crossmodal ISI effects for all modalities were found for three investigated ERP-deflections (P1, N1, P2). The topography of the crossmodal refractory period effect of the N1- and P2-deflections in Experiment 1 and of P1 and N1 in Experiment 2 of both modalities was similar to the corresponding intramodal refractory effect, yet more confined and crossmodal effects were generally weaker. The crossmodal refractory effect for the visual P1, however, had a distinct, less circumscribed topography with respect to the intramodal effect. These results suggest that ERP refractory effects might be a promising indicator of the neural correlates of crossmodal interactions.
Feedforward modalities in remote pointing
Authors: Lee Ju-Hwan
Published: November 2012

Remote pointing devices like the Wii remote and Smart TV remote controllers have a wide range of applications and are becoming more important for the manipulation of and interactions with information on a distant display due to wide-screen display and wireless technology in electric home appliances as well as the most advanced computing technology of virtual environment and augmented reality. Because remote pointing devices are used without external support, however, muscular tremors and motional disparity between the display and motor space can result in usability problems of mouse jitters and instability. In the present study, we propose a solution using feedforward technology with multisensory stimulation in which a user is provided with predictive information while approaching a target. Using a psychophysical experiment for user behavioral effectiveness and a survey for subjective rating for user satisfaction and difficulty, the feedforward technique was found to be more effective than was typical feedback. Also, the modality variations in feedforward were discussed. In particular, the feedforward with auditory and tactile stimulation was effective in user experience. The findings can be used to improve user interfaces for remote pointing controllers.
Leaky integration during blindfolded walking along veering paths
Authors: Lappe Markus , Fontaine Claudia , Frenz Harald
Published: November 2012

We compare travel distance estimation from path integration during walking with path integration from visual flow. For visually simulated self-movement humans typically underestimate travel distance, which can be explained by leaky path integration. The amount of leak, i.e., the underestimation, is determined by the length of the path. For visually simulated movements along curved paths that veer left and right around a central forward direction estimates of the start-to-end distance decrease as the veering, i.e., the path length increases. Leaky path integration for visual travel distance estimation thus takes place along the actually traversed path even when a straight beeline distance is calculated. We studied whether the same leaky path integration occurs during real self-motion when vestibular and proprioceptive cues are available instead of vision. Sixteen subjects walked blindfolded from a starting point to targets 20, 30 or 40 m away, guided by an experimenter. They walked either along a straight line, or along paths that deviated first to the right and then to the left (or vice versa) before they reached the end point. This increased the path length by 5, 10, 20 or 30%. Subjects then gave a verbal estimate of their beeline distance from the starting point. Like in the visually simulated case, distance estimates for the same start-to-end distance of 40 m dropped as the path length increased, consistent with the prediction of the leaky integration model. We conclude that travel distance estimation is similar for visual and for vestibular/proprioceptive cues.
Intra- and crossmodal refractory effects in auditory and somatosensory ERPs
Authors: Habets Boukje , Hense Marlene , Bottari Davide , Roeder Brigitte
Published: November 2012

Refractory period effects are defined as a temporal decrement in neural response due to a previous activation of the same system. We varied the ISI and modality of a preceding stimulus to investigate overlapping and distinct neural systems processing auditory and tactile stimuli. Auditory stimuli and tactile stimuli were presented in a sequential, random manner with a duration of 50 ms and an ISI of 1000 or 2000 ms. The P1–N1–P2 complex of event-related potentials (ERP) was analyzed separately for auditory and tactile stimuli, as a function of preceding ISI and modality. Main effects of ISI and modality were found within the time-window of the P1 and P2 (auditory) and P1, N1 and P2 (tactile). These results suggest an overlap in underlying neural systems when stimuli from different modalities are being processed.
Updating expectencies about audiovisual associations in speech
Authors: Paris Tim , Kim Jeesun , Davis Christopher
Published: November 2012

The processing of multisensory information depends on the learned association between sensory cues. In the case of speech there is a well-learned association between the movements of the lips and the subsequent sound. That is, particular lip and mouth movements reliably lead to a specific sound. EEG and MEG studies that have investigated the differences between this ‘congruent’ AV association and other ‘incongruent’ associations have commonly reported ERP differences from 350 ms after sound onset. Using a 256 active electrode EEG system, we tested whether this ‘congruency effect’ would be reduced in the context where most of the trials had an altered audiovisual association (auditory speech paired with mismatched visual lip movements). Participants were presented stimuli over 2 sessions: in one session only 15% were incongruent trials; in the other session, 85% were incongruent trials. We found a congruency effect, showing differences in ERP between congruent and incongruent speech between 350 and 500 ms. Importantly, this effect was reduced within the context of mostly incongruent trials. This reduction in the congruency effect indicates that the way in which AV speech is processed depends on the context it is viewed in. Furthermore, this result suggests that exposure to novel sensory relationships leads to updated expectations regarding the relationship between auditory and visual speech cues.
Providing a human user artificial ability to control their eyes independently with various eye movement patterns
Authors: Mizuno Fumio , Hayasaka Tomoaki , Yamaguchi Takami
Published: November 2012

Humans have the capability to flexibly adapt to visual stimulation, such as spatial inversion in which a person wears glasses that display images upside down for long periods of time (Ewert, 1930; Snyder and Pronko, 1952; Stratton, 1887). To investigate feasibility of extension of vision and the flexible adaptation of the human visual system with binocular rivalry, we developed a system that provides a human user with the artificial oculomotor ability to control their eyes independently for arbitrary directions, and we named the system Virtual Chameleon having to do with Chameleons (Mizuno et al., 2010, 2011). The successful users of the system were able to actively control visual axes by manipulating 3D sensors held by their both hands, to watch independent fields of view presented to the left and right eyes, and to look around as chameleons do. Although it was thought that those independent fields of view provided to the user were formed by eye movements control corresponding to pursuit movements on human, the system did not have control systems to perform saccadic movements and compensatory movements as numerous animals including human do. Fluctuations in dominance and suppression with binocular rivalry are irregular, but it is possible to bias these fluctuations by boosting the strength of one rival image over the other (Blake and Logothetis, 2002). It was assumed that visual stimuli induced by various eye movements affect predominance. Therefore, in this research, we focused on influenced of patterns of eye movements on visual perception with binocular rivalry, and implemented functions to produce saccadic movements in Virtual Chameleon.
Body and gaze centered coding of touch locations during a dynamic task
Authors: Pritchett Lisa M. , Carnevale Michael J. , Harris Laurence R.
Published: November 2012

We have previously reported that head position affects the perceived location of touch differently depending on the dynamics of the task the subject is involved in. When touch was delivered and responses were made with head rotated touch location shifted in the opposite direction to the head position, consistent with body-centered coding. When touch was delivered with head rotated but response was made with head centered touch shifted in the same direction as the head, consistent with gaze-centered coding. Here we tested whether moving the head in-between touch and response would modulate the effects of head position on touch location. Each trial consisted of three periods, in the first arrows and LEDs guided the subject to a randomly chosen head orientation (90° left, right, or center) and a vibration stimulus was delivered. Next, they were either guided to turn their head or to remain in the same location. In the final period they again were guided to turn or to remain in the same location before reporting the perceived location of the touch on a visual scale using a mouse and computer screen. Reported touch location was shifted in the opposite direction of head orientation during touch presentation regardless of the orientation during response or whether a movement was made before the response. The size of the effect was much reduced compared to our previous results. These results are consistent with touch location being coded in both a gaze centered and body centered reference frame during dynamic conditions.
Preverbal infants experience sound-shape correspondences
Authors: Slater Alan M. , Lew Dina , Bremner Gavin , Walker Peter
Published: November 2012

One of the most important crossmodal associations is between vision and sound, and we know that such bimodal information is of great importance in perceptual learning. Many crossmodal relationships are non-arbitrary or ‘natural’, and a particularly important case is object naming. While many object-name relationships are arbitrary, others are not. The clearest examples are known as onomatopoeia — the cuckoo and the kittiwake are named after the sounds they make. And a striking demonstration that such effects extend beyond onomatopoeic naming of familiar objects concerns shapes. When adults are shown two shapes, one angular and one with rounded contours, and given the words ‘Takete’ and ‘Maluma’ they will invariably associate ‘Takete’ with the angular shape, and ‘Maluma’ with the rounded shape. This effect was first described by Kohler in 1947, and there have been recent demonstrations of the effect with adults and young (3-year-old) children. Several researchers have suggested that these non-arbitrary associations may be of great importance in that they may influence and ‘bootstrap’ the infant’s early language development, particularly the learning of words for objects. If this is so, such associations should be present prior to language acquisition, and we describe three experiments which demonstrate such relationships in preverbal, 3–5-month-old infants, using random shapes, such as those in the figure, and angular and rounded face-like stimuli.
Perceived timing of vestibular stimulation
Authors: Barnett-Cowan Michael
Published: November 2012

Multisensory stimuli originating from the same event can be perceived asynchronously due to differential physical and neural delays. The transduction of and physiological responses to vestibular stimulation are extremely fast, suggesting that other stimuli need to be presented prior to vestibular stimulation in order to be perceived as simultaneous. There is, however, a recent and growing body of evidence which indicates that the perceived onset of vestibular stimulation is slow compared to the other senses, such that vestibular stimuli need to be presented prior to other sensory stimuli in order to be perceived synchronously. Following a review of this literature I will argue that this perceived latency of vestibular stimulation likely reflects the fact that vestibular stimulation is most often associated with sensory events that occur following head movement, that the vestibular system rarely works alone, and that the brain prioritizes physiological response to vestibular stimulation over perceptual awareness of stimulation onset.
It feels like it’s me: Interpersonal multisensory stimulation enhances visual remapping of touch from other to self
Authors: Cardini Flavia , Tajadura-Jiménez Ana , Serino Andrea , Tsakiris Manos
Published: November 2012

We constantly feel, see and move our body, and have no doubt that it is our own, distinct from the body of other people. At the same time, understanding other people’s feelings in social interactions depends on the ability to map onto one’s own body the observed experiences on the bodies of others. It has been shown that the more similar others are perceived to be to our self, the stronger this mapping is. While previous studies have focused on existing similarities or differences between self and other, we ask whether the experimental change of the self-other boundaries can lead to changes in somatosensory processing. It has been shown that the perception of tactile stimuli on the face is enhanced if participants concurrently observe a face being touched. This Visual Remapping of Touch (VRT; Ladavas and Serino, 2010) is enhanced the more similar others are perceived to be to the self, and is strongest when viewing one’s face (Serino et al., 2008, 2009). We used the enfacement illusion that relies on synchronous interpersonal multisensory stimulation (IMS; Sforza et al., 2010; Tsakiris, 2008) to manipulate self-other boundaries. Following synchronous, but not asynchronous IMS, the self-related enhancement of the VRT effect was extended to the other individual. These findings suggest that shared multi-sensory experiences represent one key way in which the boundaries and perceived similarity between self and others can be overcome, as evidenced by changes in somatosensory processing of shared tactile stimuli.
Exploring synaesthetes’ mental imagery abilities across multiple sensory modalities
Authors: Spiller Mary Jane
Published: November 2012

Previous research on the mental imagery abilities of synaesthetes has concentrated on visual and spatial imagery in synaesthetes with spatial forms (Price, 2009, 2010; Simner et al., 2008) and letter-colour synaesthesia (Spiller and Jansari, 2008). Though Barnett and Newell (2008) asked synaesthetes of all types to fill out a questionnaire on visual imagery, most of their synaesthetes reported some form of linguistic–colour synaesthesia. We extend the investigation of mental imagery to a wider variety of synaesthesia types and a wider variety of sensory modalities using a questionnaire study and several tests of visual and auditory mental imagery ability. Our results indicate that, as a group, synaesthetes report making greater use of mental imagery than non-synaesthetes, in everyday activities. Furthermore, they self-report greater vividness of visual, auditory, tactile, and taste imagery than do non-synaesthetes. However, as a group the synaesthetes are not seen to do significantly better at the mental imagery tasks, in either the visual or auditory modalities. These results have important implications for our understanding of synaesthesia, in relation to potential fundamental differences in perceptual processing of synaesthetes and non-synaesthetes.
Natural correspondences: From ‘weak’ to ‘strong’ synaesthesia
Authors: Ward Jamie
Published: November 2012

There is a structure to the associations found in people with synaesthesia: for instance, high pitch is small, bright, and high in space. The same correspondences exist in normal multi-sensory associations and manifest themselves implicitly as behavioural facilitation/interference on experimental tasks, and overtly when people are asked to ‘freely’ associate using imagery or metaphor. This has been termed weak synaesthesia; the implication being that it lies on a continuum with synaesthesia itself. In this presentation, I summarise evidence that compares multi-sensory associations from synaesthetes versus others. In addition to highlighting similarities, I also consider ways in which they differ. For instance, I propose that whilst the alignment of these associations is normally relative (e.g., 500 Hz could be bright when compared against 200 Hz but dark when compared against 1000 Hz) it is absolute in synaesthesia itself (i.e., 500 Hz has a non-relative level of brightness). Thus, there is similarity but not continuity between synaesthetes and others.
Monument Without Honor: Paolo Trubetskoi’s Alexander III and Its Critics
Authors: Kennedy Janet
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article focuses on Paolo Trubetskoi’s statue of Alexander III and the controversy surrounding it. Trubetskoi won the commission over other well-known sculptors thanks to his aristocratic origins, the approval of the imperial family, and his successful portraits of Lev Tolstoi and others. Through an analysis of the monument’s artistic value and its contemporary and subsequent reception, the article considers whether it was a failure, and if so why.
Vera Mukhina. From Avant-garde to Socialist Realism
Authors: Tsiara Syrago
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article examines Vera Mukhina’s career as an unusual example of an avant-garde artist who became a leading exemplar of Socialist Realism, with her Worker and Collective Farm Woman (1937). The author argues for a re-examination of Socialist Realism, exploring not only its violent breach and discontinuities with the avant-garde, but also the links connecting these different art forms in their historical development.
Equity-Based Decision-Making and the Fair and Equitable Treatment Standard: Lessons From the Argentine Investment Disputes – Part I
Authors: Perera Srilal M.
Published: November 2012

In Part I of this two-part article the author examines the foundations for equity-based decision-making under international law and their relevance to resolving contemporary investment disputes based on the Fair and Equitable Treatment standard (FET standard). He contends that equity-based decision-making in the past has been rare, and in such instances adjudicators have been extremely restrained because of the propensity for subjective judgments. However, in the modern day application of equitable considerations in a large number of investments disputes before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) seeking relief based on the FET standard, the decisions have mostly been inconsistent and conflicting, leading often to inexplicable and excessive remedies. In no other line of cases has this trend been more demonstrated than in the investment disputes following the Argentine economic crisis. They point more to the serious anomalies and omissions and interpretive issues in International Investment Agreements (mostly BITs) which require remedial measures if international investment law itself is to advance.
The Use of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (2001): A Review of Implementation Experiences in the Developing Countries
Authors: Bhattacharya Alexandra
Published: November 2012

Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (2001) recognized the difficulty of some WTO member states in using the compulsory licensing flexibility allowed in the TRIPS Agreement due to their lack of local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacities. However, there has been almost no implementation by countries of the subsequent WTO General Council decision of 30th August, 2003 which was designed to resolve this Paragraph 6 issue. This is due to the existence of various impediments – generally in the form of external and internal barriers. A comparative analysis is undertaken of the implementation of the Council Decision in two countries with varying levels of development and with different obligations with regards to enforcement of the TRIPS Agreement. It is shown that external barriers such as proliferation of bilateral agreements have more impeding effect on developing countries such as South Africa which are already part of the full TRIPS compliance regime. Conversely, internal barriers such as institutional and structural drawbacks have more of an impact in Least Developing Countries (LDCs) such as Bangladesh which have been given a transition period for TRIPS compliance and are not yet fully susceptible to external pressures of the international trade regime. The increased preference of countries to use alternative innovative mechanisms such as the Medicines Patent Pool to improve access to medicine outside the framework of the global IP/Trade regime reiterates the unworkability of the Council Decision in promoting access to medicines.
The Energy Charter Treaty and China: Member or Bystander?
Authors: Zhang Sheng
Published: November 2012

The security of energy investment is becoming an increasingly important factor for China’s harmonious economic development. Without a specific agreement concerning the protection and promotion of foreign energy investment between China and other states, to utilize the Energy Charter Treaty would be a better and feasible choice. This study will first present a brief overview of the legal protection of China’s OFDI, followed by an overview of investment protection and promotion under the ECT, and then it assesses the positive implications of China being a member state of the ECT together with the potential risk. A comprehensive discussion illustrates that accession will be a desirable result for China. Finally, it goes further to proclaim that an Asia-Europe Energy cooperation legal framework will be on its way provided that China enters into the ECT.
Peering through the cracks in the Baburnama: The textured Lives of Mughal sovereigns
Authors: Moin A. Azfar
Published: November 2012

This article examines the intertwined literary and political processes that moulded the texts of Mughal sovereignty and shaped the lives of Mughal sovereigns. In historical terms it considers the lives of Babur (d. 1530) and his grandson Akbar (d. 1605) and the ‘books’ associated with them, the Baburnama and Akbarnama. However, in order to connect the two pairs, this article follows an unconventional and less trodden path through Safavid political history, Iranian Sufism and the Persian epic and storytelling tradition. By doing so, it reveals new, less intuitive perspectives on the cultures that produced these texts and their protagonists. Specifically, it shows how Babur’s work and others like it were not only products of new literary tastes and reading practices but also participated in the making of new institutions of kingship and sainthood that evolved together in Mughal India and Safavid Iran over the sixteenth century.
Properties of medium density fibreboard panels made from rubberwood and empty fruit bunches of oil palm biomass
Authors: Harmaen AS , Jalaluddin H , Paridah MT
Published: November 2012

This study presents an evaluation of the physical and mechanical properties of medium density fibreboards produced from mixture of rubberwood from RRIM 2020 clone and empty fruit bunch fibres. The evaluations are conducted to determine variance in density, moisture content, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, internal bonding, thickness swelling and water adsorption for these mixtures. The significance level of p  <  0.05 was used to determine the variations between different ratios of rubberwood and empty fruit bunch fibre blends effect on all properties studied. Most properties of medium density fibreboard panel made with 100% rubberwood fibres are significantly better than medium density fibreboard made with 100% empty fruit bunch fibres. Additional of 30% of empty fruit bunch in mixture had decreased modulus of elasticity by 148 MPa, modulus of rupture by 1.21 MPa and water adsorption by 0.05% compared to 100% rubberwood. Generally, among mixtures, panels containing less than 50% oil palm empty fruit bunch in the mixture exhibits better strength properties but lower physical properties. The dimensional stability (thickness swelling) of the panel made from the mixture of 70% rubberwood and 30% empty fruit bunch board displays the best performance among the mixture.
The Postural Autonomic Regulation of Pulpal Blood Flow
Authors: Ajcharanukul O. , Chunhacheevachaloke E. , Vorachart P. , Chidchuangchai W.
Published: November 2012

Evidence suggests that postural changes in systemic blood pressure may significantly affect blood flow in the dental pulp. This in vivo study examined the responses of pulpal perfusion, systemic blood pressure, and heart rate to postural changes in humans. The experiments were done on 21 premolars in 16 participants aged 20-31 yrs. Pulpal blood flow recordings were measured by means of a laser Doppler Flowmeter. A blood pressure monitor was used to record blood pressure and heart rate. All measurements were simultaneously recorded for 1 min, 5 min after participants made postural changes. Changing from supine to standing caused a significant reduction in pulpal perfusion, while heart rate and diastolic blood pressure increased significantly. A significant non-linear relationship was found between percentage changes in pulpal perfusion and heart rate resulting from standing up. We speculate that when patients arise from the supine position, the shift in venous blood to the legs transiently (2-10 sec) lowers venous return and cardiac output, causing less inhibition of the vasomotor center, which, in turn, results in increased heart rate and blood pressure, but a decrease in pulpal blood flow. These results suggest that pulpal blood flow is affected by postural change, presumably via the autonomic nervous system.
Intonational Means to Mark Verum Focus in German and French
Authors: Turco Giuseppina , Dimroth Christine , Braun Bettina
Published: November 2012

German and French differ in a number of aspects. Regarding the prosody-pragmatics interface, German is said to have a direct focus-to-accent mapping, which is largely absent in French – owing to strong structural constraints. We used a semi-spontaneous dialogue setting to investigate the intonational marking of Verum Focus, a focus on the polarity of an utterance in the two languages (e.g. the child IS tearing the banknote as an opposite claim to the child is not tearing the banknote). When Verum Focus applies to auxiliaries, pragmatic aspects (i.e. highlighting the contrast) directly compete with structural constraints (e.g. avoiding an accent on phonologically weak elements such as monosyllabic function words). Intonational analyses showed that auxiliaries were predominantly accented in German, as expected. Interestingly, we found a high number of (as yet undocumented) focal accents on phrase-initial auxiliaries in French Verum Focus contexts. When French accent patterns were equally distributed across information structural contexts, relative prominence (in terms of peak height) between initial and final accents was shifted towards initial accents in Verum Focus compared to non-Verum Focus contexts. Our data hence suggest that French also may mark Verum Focus by focal accents but that this tendency is partly overridden by strong structural constraints.
Addressing Educational Disadvantage in Deprived Communities: Evidence from the New Deal for Communities Programme in England
Authors: Batty Elaine
Published: November 2012

The New Deal for Communities (NDC) Programme is one of the most intensive area-based initiatives (ABIs) launched in England. Between 1998 and 2010, 39 NDC Partnerships were charged with improving conditions in relation to six outcomes within deprived neighbourhoods, each accommodating around 9800 people. This paper outlines the approaches taken by NDCs to improve educational outcomes. Change is explored within three themes: change within NDC areas; change relative to other benchmarks; and modelling change. Education saw the least change of all six outcomes adopted by the NDC Programme. Unique to this outcome, spending more on education was associated with less change. Spend may have been better directed at supporting younger children and their parents combined with targeted out of school programmes of support for specific NDC cohorts.
A Comparison of Family Interventions to Address Adolescent Risky Behaviors
Authors: Kao Tsui-Sui , Gibbs Marilyn Beth , Clemen-Stone Susan , Duffy Sonia
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this integrative review is to describe, compare, and synthesize traditional and computer-based family interventions that aim to change adolescents’ risky sexual behaviors and substance abuse. Family interventions have been shown to generate protective effects for preventing adolescents from risky behaviors. It is not clear, however, whether there are significant differences or similarities in the designs and effects of traditional and computer-based family interventions. An integrative literature review was conducted to describe and compare the designs and effects of traditional and computer-based family interventions. Both interventions have generated significant effects on reducing risky behavior among adolescents. Interventions guided by theory, tailored to participants’ culture/gender, and which included sufficient boosting dosages in their designs demonstrated significant short- or long-term effects in terms of reducing adolescents’ risky behaviors. Regardless of delivery method, well-designed family interventions are noted to maximize familial protective effects and reduce risky behaviors.
Community sector dynamics and the Lebanese diaspora: Internal fragmentation and transnationalism on the Web
Authors: Asal Houda
Published: November 2012

The author analyses the presence of Lebanese organizations on the Web and shows the transnational links between associations from different countries, starting from a case study that includes France and Canada. The nature and density of these connections are partly attributable to the importance of linguistic, religious and/or political factors. The graphs indicate that, while there is a real attempt to transcend the divisions in the diaspora cyberspace, the fragmentation of collective dynamics remains important. The most important alliances revolve around a few individual portals and some institutional websites. However, the weakness of the Lebanese government does not allow its institutions to play a unifying role for the Lebanese diaspora. In fact, economic initiatives are more active than political ones. The connections between websites claiming to be apolitical show the persistence of selective alliances, which reflect the usual Christian/Muslim divide. Transnationality is thereby limited, and the Lebanese Canadian and French organizations are interconnected only through portals that are not representative of the grassroots community dynamics.
Cyber-hindutva: Hindu nationalism, the diaspora and the Web
Authors: Therwath Ingrid
Published: November 2012

Hindu nationalists defend the advent of a Hindu state in India, while projecting the universal appeal of their ideology. Their very territorialized yet universal claims have been finding particular resonance among migrant populations, particularly in North America. This study strives to go beyond content analyses that foreground voices to focus on the network structure in order to highlight the new transnational practices of nationalism. Two main points emerge from this in-depth scrutiny. On the one hand, Hindu nationalist organizations have transferred their online activities mainly to the USA, where the Indian diaspora is 3.2 million strong, and constitute therefore a prime example of long-distance transnational nationalism. On the other hand, the morphological discrepancies between the online and the offline networks point to new strategies of discretion developed to evade the gaze of authorities in countries of residence. The recourse to cartography thus becomes crucial not only in understanding what sectarian or illegal movements do and show but also what they seek to hide.
Memory and influence on the Web: French colonial repatriates from 1950 to the present
Authors: Scioldo-Zürcher Yann
Published: November 2012

The conception of historical time is currently undergoing a profound shift owing to recent innovations in communication technology. By becoming familiar to 21st-century man, the Internet has accompanied the assertion of ‘an era of memories’, which, since the beginning of the 1990s, has directly opposed the production of historical knowledge. The analysis and mapping of websites of repatriates from territories formerly under French colonial rule, including sites of French repatriates from Algeria, offers a unique perspective on the memorial forms of activism and the exploitation of political powers that has taken place as a result of this technological shift. This article describes the actions of these ‘entrepreneurs of memory’, who, despite their significant differences, nevertheless exploit the government and impose a partisan narrative. This deconstructionist approach to the Web allows historians, on the one hand, to understand the modes of memorial activism that frame a subject of study and, on the other, to analyse their subject of study without facing media constraints.
Effect of Normal Saline and Half Normal Saline on Serum Electrolytes During Recovery Phase of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Authors: Basnet Sangita , Venepalli Preethi K , Andoh Jennifer , Verhulst Steven , Koirala Janak
Published: November 2012

Objective: This study aims to describe the effect of 0.9% saline (NS) versus 0.45% saline (half NS) when used during recovery phase of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all children (1-18 years old) with DKA admitted in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) from 2005 to 2009 was undertaken. The primary end point was effect on serum electrolytes and acidosis. Results: Compared to 47 patients who received only NS (group A) throughout the recovery period and 33 patients who received NS but were switched to half NS (group B) at some point during recovery, 41 who received only half NS (group C) had a significant decrease in corrected serum sodium ( P < .01). Hyperchloremia leading to nonanion gap acidosis was significantly greater in NS groups A and B than in half NS group C ( P < .01). This led to increased duration of insulin infusion and length of stay in the PICU in the NS groups. Conclusions: Hyperchloremia resulting in nonanion gap acidosis can occur and may prolong the duration of insulin infusion and length of PICU stay in patients receiving NS as post-bolus rehydration fluid. Alternatively, the use of half NS may result in a decrease in serum-corrected sodium. Providers need to be vigilant toward this while using higher or lower sodium chloride when managing children with DKA. Larger trials are required to study the clinical significance of the results of this study.
Gender, Debt, and Dropping Out of College
Authors: Dwyer Rachel E. , Hodson Randy , McCloud Laura
Published: November 2012

For many young Americans, access to credit has become critical to completing a college education and embarking on a successful career path. Young people increasingly face the trade-off of taking on debt to complete college or foregoing college and taking their chances in the labor market without a college degree. These trade-offs are gendered by differences in college preparation and support and by the different labor market opportunities women and men face that affect the value of a college degree and future difficulties they may face in repaying college debt. We examine these new realities by studying gender differences in the role of debt in the pivotal event of graduating from college using the 1997 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. In this article, we find that women and men both experience slowing and even diminishing probabilities of graduating when carrying high levels of debt, but that men drop out at lower levels of debt than do women. We conclude by theorizing that high levels of debt are one of the mechanisms that sort women and men into different positions in the social stratification system.
“If A Woman Came In … She Would Have Been Eaten Up Alive”
Authors: Schull Vicki , Shaw Sally , Kihl Lisa A.
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand and critique the gendered political processes in the search for an athletic director following a merger between men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic departments in a U.S. university. Semi-structured interviews were used to ask 55 athletic department stakeholders their perceptions of the search process and associated politics. Findings indicated gendered political activities occurred along gender-affiliated departmental lines. Political strategies contributed to gendered processes favoring certain masculinities and male candidates in the search for an athletic director. While gender equity was an important consideration in the search process, because of the controversial nature of the merger and the politics expressed, the belief that hiring a man was essential to the merger’s success was widely accepted by many stakeholder groups. The findings are positioned in the critical management and sport literature. This research contributes to our understanding of the complexity of gender relations and provides insight into the gendered political processes that inform leadership searches.
Turf Wars
Authors: Lagotte Brian W.
Published: November 2012

Although a decade has passed since passage, few have noticed that section 9528 in No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandates schools to assist military recruiting. This article focuses on administrators’ responsibility to inform parents of their privacy rights and the struggle to manage recruiting in schools. I highlight two conclusions with policy implications. Although parents and school staff speak as adversaries regarding military recruiting in public high schools, they are both accurate in their positions. Furthermore, recruiters are overly aggressive in schools, resulting in stress for staff or a strategic move to isolate individuals who become liaisons with the military.