bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pufendorf and Condillac on Law and Language
Authors: Aarsleff Hans
Published: December 2011

Abstract

This essay argues that Pufendorf conceived the principles of natural law against the rationalism and innatism of the 17th century, and that Condillac similarly formulated a conception of the human origin of language, both of them thus securing open and human foundations for the two primal institutions of law and language, and also making all citizens free agents in the ordering of communal living.
What Does History Matter to Legal Epistemology?
Authors: Del Mar Maksymilian
Published: December 2011

Abstract

This paper argues that not only does history matter to legal epistemology, but also that understanding legal epistemology can yield a certain understanding of the past. The paper focuses on the common law practice of precedent and argues that there is no set of rules, principles, reasons or material facts that constitute the fixed or foundational content of past decisions (a ‘timeless what’ that determines its own relevance), but rather that what is taken by a judge resolving a particular dispute to be the content of past decisions depends on the active and creative construal of relevance engaged in by that judge. Precedents are better thought of as ‘thick resources with dynamic content’. Such content is constrained by a variety of stabilising practices, but never so constrained as to determine how it can be construed to be relevant. This image of law’s past may offer a general view of the past as something with which we can actively and creatively relate in the course of coping with the present.
What Does History Matter to Philosophy of Science? The Concept of Replication and the Methodology of Experiments
Authors: Schickore Jutta
Published: December 2011

Abstract

Scientists and philosophers generally agree that the replication of experiments is a key ingredient of good and successful scientific practice. “One-offs” are not significant; experiments must be replicable to be considered valid and important. But the term “replication” has been used in a number of ways, and it is therefore quite difficult to appraise the meaning and significance of replications. I consider how history may help – and has helped – with this task. I propose that: 1) Studies of past scientific episodes in historical context and of recent philosophical contributions to the discussion are heuristic tools for exploring and clarifying the meaning of that concept. 2) The analysis of the development of the methodological imperative of replication sheds light on the significance scientists have attached to it, thereby contributing further to the clarification of the concept. 3) The analysis of the history of philosophical thought about methods and scientific methodology helps understand why philosophers have not paid much attention to the analysis of the concept of replication.
Piyyut Commentary in the Genizah
Authors: Loeffler Binyamin , Rand Michael
Published: December 2011

Abstract

In the following article, the authors present a critical edition of ms. T-S H 10.175. This manuscript is written in a medieval Oriental hand and contains continuous, lemmatic piyyut commentary. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the only such manuscript to be found in the Genizah. All of the piyyutim commented on in the manuscript (to the extent that these are identifiable) were composed by the Classical payyetan Eleazar be-rabbi Qillir. In the edition, the commentary text is transcribed and punctuated, lemmas are marked as such, and the piyyutim that are commented on are identified, along with the biblical and midrashic sources that the commentary employs. The commentary text is analyzed, with special stress on the hermeneutic technique that informs its composition. Together with this analysis, the authors provide an overview of the evidence for piyyut commentary that may be gleaned from the Genizah manuscripts.
Shrine Traditions of Wakhan Afghanistan
Authors: Mock John
Published: December 2011

Abstract

This study, based on field work from 2004 to 2010, describes the religious, social and historical context of shrines in Wakhan District of Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. Scholarly analysis of the significance of the shrines is balanced with the perspective of the people of Wakhan for whom the shrine traditions are part of a living landscape. Translated excerpts from interviews conducted in the Wakhi language at the shrines bring the Wakhi voice to the study, which focuses on one shrine (the shrine of the miracle of Nāser Khosrow in Yimit village) as an exemplar of shrine traditions. The study draws comparisons between documented shrine traditions in adjacent Wakhan Tajikistan and in Hunza-Gojal of Pakistan, locates the traditions within Pamir Ismaʿilism, and suggests outlines of a broader Pamir interpretive community.
Potentially an “Art Object”: Tajik Ismaʿilis’ Bāteni and Zāheri Engagement with Their Imam’s Image
Authors: Remtilla Aliaa
Published: December 2011

Abstract

This essay explores the way Ismaʿili Muslims living in the Tajik district of Ishkashim engage with images of their religious leader, the Imam (Aga Khan IV). I use Gell’s theory of art and agency to think through instances in which Ishkashimis imbue photographs of their Imam with the capacity to act. They do not treat these images as idols but abduct qualities of the Imam himself, such as his benevolent presence, from his icon. Ishkashimis do not imbue all images of their Imam with agency. Other images, such as newspaper photographs and films, provide information about the Imam as a politically engaged individual. They do not have the agency to act directly on Ishkashimis until and unless Ishkashimis reclaim their own agenda for the Imam’s image by abstracting it from contextualized information, and once more imbue it with agency. The article frames this discussion of images in the Ismaʿili concepts ofzāher(visible, apparent, temporal, transient, exoteric) andbāten(interior, hidden, spiritual, eternal, esoteric), questioning the effect of the Imam’s post-Sovietzāheripresence on Ishkashimis’ engagement with his images.
The Right to Education for Children in Emergencies
Authors: Anderson Allison , Hyll-Larsen Peter , Hofmann Jennifer
Published: December 2011

This paper presents the key international legal instrument relevant for education, their use and links with policy frameworks and tools being developed by the humanitarian community to address education rights of children in conflict and emergencies. It describes the current thinking around the right to education in emergencies and why education is a central right to uphold from the onset of a crisis. It gives a brief introduction to how education can meet the international legal standards, as well as the international policy frameworks, such the Millennium Development Goals and Education for All. A continuous case study focuses on Cote d'Ivoire and how the right to education fared in the conflict of that country between 2000 and 2010. The paper looks at issues of enforceability and applicability of the right to education in emergencies, highlighting challenges and mechanisms at national, regional and international levels. The role of the InterAgency Network for Education in Emergencies' (INEE) Minimum Standards for Education as well as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee's (IASC) Education Cluster is discussed, again with specific reference to Cote d'Ivoire, and the centrality of existing monitoring and reporting mechanisms for child rights violations are highlighted. Bringing together all of these elements in one place and making a strong case for the use of both humanitarian and human rights law in securing the right to education in emergencies is what this article brings to the discussion, arguing that the Convention of the Rights of the Child must be seen as the most central instrument.
Forced Marriage and the Special Court for Sierra Leone: Legal Advances and Conceptual Difficulties
Authors: Oosterveld Valerie
Published: December 2011

Forced marriage was endemic during the Sierra Leonean conflict. Girls and women forced to serve as 'wives' to rebel soldiers were usually expected to submit to ongoing rape and to provide domestic labour to their 'husbands'. Many of these 'wives' suffer from continuing stigmatization. The Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone brought forced marriage charges as a crime against humanity through the category of inhumane acts against Brima, Kamara and Kanu, affiliated with the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and Sesay, Kallon and Gbao, affiliated with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). This article considers two benefits stemming from the resulting jurisprudence: the naming of forced marriage as an inhumane act and the acknowledgement of forced marriage as a violation not captured by other legal terms. However, conceptual difficulties remain: how should forced marriage be defined so as to fulfil the principle of nullum crimen sine lege? Is forced marriage more accurately labelled as enslavement? And, is conjugality accurately captured as a defining feature of forced marriage? If forced marriage is to be successfully prosecuted in other contexts – for example, in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia – then more attention must be paid to resolving these questions.
Estimating the Impact of Projected Climate Change on Runoff across the Tropical Savannas and Semiarid Rangelands of Northern Australia
Authors: Petheram Cuan , Rustomji Paul , McVicar Tim R. , Cai WenJu , Chiew Francis H. S. , Vleeshouwer Jamie , Van Niel Thomas G. , Li LingTao , Cresswell Richard G. , Donohue Randall J. , Teng Jin , Perraud Jean-Michel
Published: December 2011

The majority of the world’s population growth to 2050 is projected to occur in the tropics. Hence, there is a serious need for robust methods for undertaking water resource assessments to underpin the sustainable management of water in tropical regions. This paper describes the largest and most comprehensive assessment of the future impacts of runoff undertaken in a tropical region using conceptual rainfall–runoff models (RRMs). Five conceptual RRMs were calibrated using data from 115 streamflow gauging stations, and model parameters were regionalized using a combination of spatial proximity and catchment similarity. Future rainfall and evapotranspiration projections (denoted here as GCMES) were transformed to catchment-scale variables by empirically scaling (ES) the historical climate series, informed by 15 global climate models (GCMs), to reflect a 1°C increase in global average surface air temperature. Using the best-performing RRM ensemble, approximately half the GCMES used resulted in a spatially averaged increase in mean annual runoff (by up to 29%) and half resulted in a decrease (by up to 26%). However, ~70% of the GCMES resulted in a difference of within ±5% of the historical rainfall (1930–2007). The range in modeled impact on runoff, as estimated by five RRMs (for individual GCMES), was compared to the range in modeled runoff using 15 GCMES (for individual RRMs). For mid- to high runoff metrics, better predictions will come from improved GCMES projections. A new finding of this study is that in the wet–dry tropics, for extremely large runoff events and low flows, improvements are needed in both GCMES and rainfall–runoff modeling.
The Ocean Circulation in Thermohaline Coordinates
Authors: Zika Jan D. , England Matthew H. , Sijp Willem P.
Published: December 2011

The thermohaline streamfunction is presented. The thermohaline streamfunction is the integral of transport in temperature–salinity space and represents the net pathway of oceanic water parcels in that space. The thermohaline streamfunction is proposed as a diagnostic to understand the global oceanic circulation and its role in the global movement of heat and freshwater. The coordinate system used filters out adiabatic fluctuations. Physical pathways and ventilation time scales are naturally diagnosed, as are the roles of the mean flow and turbulent fluctuations. Because potential density is a function of temperature and salinity, the framework is naturally isopycnal and is ideal for the diagnosis of water-mass transformations and advective diapycnal heat and freshwater transports. Crucially, the thermohaline streamfunction is computationally and practically trivial to implement as a diagnostic for ocean models. Here, the thermohaline streamfunction is computed using the output of an equilibrated intermediate complexity climate model. It describes a global cell, a warm tropical cell, and a bottom water cell. The streamfunction computed from eddy-induced advection is equivalent in magnitude to that from the total advection, demonstrating the leading-order importance of parameterized eddy fluxes in oceanic heat and freshwater transports. The global cell, being clockwise in thermohaline space, tends to advect both heat and salt toward denser (poleward) water masses in symmetry with the atmosphere’s poleward transport of moisture. A reprojection of the global cell from thermohaline to geographical coordinates reveals a thermohaline circulation reminiscent of the schematized “global conveyor.”
Health Care Segregation and Race Disparities in Infectious Disease
Authors: Strully Kate W.
Published: December 2011

Examining nursing home segregation and race disparities in influenza vaccinations, this study demonstrates that segregation may increase both susceptibility and exposure to seasonal flu for black Americans. Evidence based on the 2004 U.S. National Nursing Home Survey shows that individuals in nursing homes with high percentages of black residents have less personal immunity to flu because they are less likely to have been vaccinated against the disease; they may also be more likely to be exposed to flu because more of their coresidents are also unvaccinated. This implies that segregation may generate dual disease hazards for contagious conditions. Segregation appears to limit black Americans’ access to personal preventive measures against infection, while spatially concentrating those people who are most likely to become contagious.
Immobilized antibacterial peptides on polyethylene terephthalate non-woven fabrics and antibacterial activity evaluation
Authors: Hao Limei , Wu Jinhui , Lin Song , Tian Tao , Qi Jiancheng , Yang Jingquan , Wang Zheng
Published: December 2011

Two novel antibacterial materials were prepared by immobilizing antibacterial peptides protamine sulfate and polymyxin sulfate on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) non-woven fabrics in this study. The fabrics were surface modified by a chemical procedure to create carboxyl groups followed by grafting coupling agent and immobilization of peptide. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that there were no changes on the surface of the fabrics after treatment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that protamine and polymyxin were successfully grafted on the surface of the PET fabrics. Antibacterial testing using the liquid droplet method showed that fabrics treated with both peptides had excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Method validation by collaborative trial for the quantification of binary mixtures containing polyamide and a novel polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent fibre
Authors: Piccinini Paola , Trantallidi Marilena , Alvarez-Sarandes Rafael , de Sertorio Maria
Published: December 2011

A method for the quantification of a novel polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent fibre in binary mixtures with polyamide was subjected to validation by collaborative trial. Considering the probable acceptance of the novel fibre in Europe, this method would allow market surveillance and antifraud controls needed for consumer protection. The aim of the study was to extend the scope of application of method 11 of Directive 96/73/EC. The method foresaw selective dissolution of the polyamide component using 75% m/m sulfuric acid at room temperature for 1 h. In order to ensure accurate quantification of the blends, two additional rinsings of the residue with the reagent used for the dissolution had to be included in the washing procedure of method 11. Following ISO 5725, a balanced uniform level test was performed, with the participation of seventeen European laboratories, on loop twisted carpet samples of three levels of concentration. The trueness was evaluated considering, as reference, data values obtained from manual separation. The bias varied from 0.06 to 0.49%. Repeatability and reproducibility limits were in the range 0.70–1.04% and 0.97–1.87%, respectively. In agreement with the members of the European Network of National Experts on Textile Labelling, the optimized method was judged fit-for-purpose and the reproducibility limit was established at 2%. Based on this study, the novel fibre can be inserted in the scope of application of method 11 as the insoluble component ( d factor 1.005) and polyamide as the soluble one, provided that modifications are adopted.
Imitation in infancy: Conceptual considerations
Authors: Paulus Markus
Published: December 2011

Infants’ imitation has been widely studied in developmental psychology. However, scholars severely disagree on a clear definition of imitation. This article considers two major approaches to a definition of imitation: one approach which defines imitation as a particular mechanism of infants’ behavior ( intention-based definition); and one approach which defines imitation at a behavioral level ( behavior-based definition). Problematic consequences of an intention-based definition of imitation are discussed and, as a consequence, a behavior-based definition is defended.
The brain as an instrument: Comment on Gergen’s “The acculturated brain”
Authors: Derksen Maarten
Published: December 2011

In “The acculturated brain,” his critical analysis of the current brain hype, Kenneth Gergen concludes that we should consider the brain primarily as an instrument for achieving culturally constructed ends, and challenge the determining power of the brain with the question “Could I do otherwise?” In my reply, I point out that the pressing issue is usually “How could I do otherwise?,” not sorting out determined behavior from culturally constructed action. The challenge is to understand the increasing traffic between brain and culture, rather than to keep mechanism and meaning separate. Secondly, the notion of the brain as an instrument needs to be developed in the light of technology studies, in order to avoid both neuro-reductionism and the instrumentalism implied in Gergen’s proposal.
The Impact of Early Interpersonal Experience on Adult Romantic Relationship Functioning
Authors: Simpson Jeffry A. , Collins W. Andrew , Salvatore Jessica E.
Published: December 2011

Adopting an organizational view on social development, we have investigated how interpersonal experiences early in life predict how well individuals will resolve relationship conflicts, recover from conflicts, and have stable, satisfying relationships with their romantic partners in early adulthood. We have also identified specific interpersonal experiences during middle childhood and adolescence that mediate the connection between how individuals regulated their emotions with their parents very early in life and how they do so as young adults in their romantic relationships. We discuss the many advantages of adopting an organizational view on social development.
Prenatal Origins of Neurological Development
Authors: Glynn Laura M. , Sandman Curt A.
Published: December 2011

A rapidly accumulating literature indicates that the prenatal period must be taken into account if we are to understand development of the central nervous system (CNS) across the life span. Evidence now suggests that intrauterine signals influence brain structure and affect cognitive function and emotional and physiological stress regulation in the offspring. Furthermore, prenatal hormone exposures are critical for priming the maternal brain for the challenges of motherhood and have implications for the mother’s brain structure and function that may last the rest of her lifetime. Just as the reciprocal nature of the parent–child relationship must be understood during the postnatal period, in order to understand the persisting influences of the intrauterine environment on neurodevelopment, the effects of the prenatal environment on both fetus and mother, as well as their reciprocal influences, must be appreciated. This is critical because the same hormones that program fetal development are those that shape the maternal brain and because prenatal bidirectional signaling may provide an adaptive function for both mother and fetus.
Different Bodies, Different Minds
Authors: Casasanto Daniel
Published: December 2011

Do people with different kinds of bodies think differently? According to the body-specificity hypothesis (Casasanto, 2009), they should. In this article, I review evidence that right- and left-handers, who perform actions in systematically different ways, use correspondingly different areas of the brain for imagining actions and representing the meanings of action verbs. Beyond concrete actions, the way people use their hands also influences the way they represent abstract ideas with positive and negative emotional valence like “goodness,” “honesty,” and “intelligence” and how they communicate about these ideas in spontaneous speech and gesture. Changing how people use their right and left hands can cause them to think differently, suggesting that motoric differences between right- and left-handers are not merely correlated with cognitive differences. Body-specific patterns of motor experience shape the way we think, feel, communicate, and make decisions.
Threat, Politics, and Attitudes
Authors: Lambert Alan J. , Schott J. P. , Scherer Laura
Published: December 2011

Social scientists have long known that threatening situations can have a powerful effect on sociopolitical attitudes. One of the more dramatic examples of this phenomenon is the “rally ’round the flag effect,” characterized by dramatic spikes in popularity of the American president. Previous models of rally effects have strongly emphasized the role of anxiety and the desire for security as explanations for these changes in support. In this article, we present a contrasting view, showing support for an anger-based conceptualization that builds upon earlier research on emotional appraisal. We discuss the relevance of our findings for theory and research across a variety of different paradigms in the social psychological and political science literature.
Allport’s Prejudiced Personality Today
Authors: Roets Arne , Van Hiel Alain
Published: December 2011

In the long history of psychological research on prejudice, Allport’s (1954) book The Nature of Prejudice is undoubtedly the foundational work, advancing ideas that remain highly influential and relevant to this day. Guided by the seminal ideas of this leading scholar, we illustrate how contemporary psychological research has accumulated evidence for a basic, motivated cognitive style underlying prejudice in its different forms. Specifically, we demonstrate that Allport’s classic conception of this basic cognitive style is exceptionally well captured by the contemporary construct of need for cognitive closure (NFC), and we review the recent evidence for NFC effects on racism and sexism. Integrating Allport’s writings with contemporary research, we also show that the effects of motivated cognition on prejudice are explained (i.e., mediated) by essentialist thinking and authoritarian ideology. Finally, we discuss recent evidence indicating that, in contrast to Allport’s pessimistic predictions, intergroup contact is especially effective in reducing prejudice among people high in NFC. It is concluded that recent research on NFC provides a solid empirical basis for Allport’s hypothesis that a general motivated cognitive style lies at the basis of prejudice.
Was Darwin Wrong About Emotional Expressions?
Authors: Barrett Lisa Feldman
Published: December 2011

Emotional expressions have endured as a topic of profound scientific interest for over a century, in part due to Darwin’s classic volume, The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals. Since its publication, there has been a strong, spirited debate over the origin, nature, and function of emotional expressions. In this article, I consider two basic questions: What did Darwin really write about emotional expressions, and how well does his account match the modern, conventional, “basic emotion” account? And does the scientific evidence specifically support the modern account of Darwin’s view, or are there alternative hypotheses that provide good (or even better) interpretations for the data at hand? I discuss the various ways that Darwin might be correct (and incorrect) about how emotions and their manifestations have been sculpted by natural selection.
Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Immigrants
Authors: Dassanayake Jayantha , Gurrin Lyle , Payne Warren R. , Sundararajan Vijaya , Dharmage Shyamali C.
Published: December 2011

Objectives: This study systematically reviewed the peer-reviewed literature to establish morbidity and mortality from myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke among immigrant populations. Methods: The review considered only studies published between 1986 and 2008 that provided data on MI or stroke morbidity/mortality among first-generation immigrants. A prespecified search strategy identified 58 studies for possible inclusion. Of these, 12 met the inclusion criteria. Results: Immigrant MI mortality and morbidity varied by host country with no consistent pattern from one country or region. However, there was an overall trend for increasing risk of MI among immigrants worldwide. Chinese and African immigrants had consistently higher stroke mortality. Conclusion: MI and stroke incidence and prevalence among first-generation immigrants are related to both genetic and environmental factors, but the relative contribution of each is unclear. Prospective studies are needed to identify genetic and behavioral characteristics associated with stroke among Chinese immigrant populations.
Measurement and Explanation of Horizontal (In)Equity in Health Care Utilization Among Thais After Universal Coverage Policy Implementation
Authors: Somkotra Tewarit
Published: December 2011

This study aimed to examine the extent to which income-related inequality and horizontal inequity in outpatient and inpatient care utilization among Thais are manifest after the country implemented the Universal Coverage (UC) policy, by using a concentration index and a horizontal inequity index, respectively. Furthermore, the study examined the determinants and their associations with the observed inequality, if any, in health care utilization through decomposition methods. The nationally representative Health and Welfare Survey 2005 was used to perform the analyses. Although there are socioeconomic gradients in health care utilization among Thais, the findings reveal that health care utilization tends to favor the poor in particular with utilization at the public facility and especially at the primary care level facility. Thailand has made impressive strides toward nearly universal health insurance coverage and improving access to and utilization of health care for its population, particularly among the poor.
Comparison of On-Reserve Road Versus Off-Reserve Road Motor Vehicle Crashes in Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Desapriya Ediriweera , Fujiwara Takeo , Verma Pamela , Babul Shelina , Pike Ian
Published: December 2011

Background. There is an overwhelmingly high incidence of severe injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) among Aboriginal Canadians as compared with the general population. Methods. The authors obtained MVC data for a 3-year period, 2003-2005, from Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) for collisions occurring on on-reserve roads (n = 1270) together with a randomly selected sample of MVCs from off-reserve roads (n = 1270) in Saskatchewan. They compared the collision characteristics using bivariate and multiple logistic regressions. Results. On-reserve MVCs were more likely to include multiple collisions and result in severe injuries than the off-reserve sample. A number of factors were significantly related to the increased risk of on-reserve collisions as compared with the reference group for each variable. Interpretation. Factors from all 3 levels (human, environmental, and vehicle factors) are associated with on-reserve MVCs.
Participatory Action Project in Reducing Childhood Obesity in Thai Primary Schools
Authors: Sirikulchayanonta Chutima , Pavadhgul Patcharanee , Chongsuwat Rewadee , Klaewkla Jeeranun
Published: December 2011

The project aimed to improve nutrition and activity among primary schoolchildren via targeted activities. A preliminary nutritional survey was carried out involving 5126 children in 4 Bangkok public schools. Participatory action research involving students, teachers, and parents was conducted. After a 2-day training course, teachers integrated project concepts into their course curriculum. Seminars on weight management were given separately to parents and students. After 8 months, postnutritional survey was conducted. Preprogram and postprogram evaluation of obese and normal groups was done using questionnaires on dietary intake and exercise. Results showed that high caloric dietary intake significantly decreased for the obese group ( P < .001). Aerobic exercise activity also increased in both groups ( P < .001) and prevalence of obesity declined from 19.3% to 16.8%. Thus, a long-term, participatory effort to promote healthy diets and physical exercise could be effective with primary school students and may establish habits that last to later life.
An Epidemiological Survey of Acute Spinal Trauma Caused by Traffic Accidents Versus Falls in Northern Taiwan
Authors: Lam Carlos , Lin Mau-Roung , Tsai Shin-Han , Lee Wei-Chen , Choy Cheuk-Sing , Chu Shu-Fen , Chiu Wen-Ta
Published: December 2011

Background. Traffic accidents and falls are the major causes of spinal trauma, which result in serious personal and social loss. A comparison between causes and patients’ characteristics can be important. Methods. A total of 681 spinal trauma patients were compared for differences, and the effects of age stratification of the differences are discussed. Results. Significant differences were observed between falls and traffic accidents in the following variables: age ( P < .001), associated injuries ( P < .001), type of associated injury ( P = .001), pattern of neurological deficits ( P = .040), and location of spinal trauma ( P < .001). After age stratification, significant differences were noted in neurological deficits ( P = .032) in the prime age group. Conclusions. Although traffic accidents caused spinal trauma mostly in the prime age group, falls caused more neurological deficits. Falls caused more spinal trauma in elders but did not cause more neurological deficits. To decrease the economic cost of neurological deficits, preventive measures should be targeted at younger people for falls and at older people for both causes.
Differences Between the Factors Affecting High-Risk Drinking and Those Affecting Smoking in Korea
Authors: Chung Woojin , Lee Sunmi , Lim Seungji
Published: December 2011

This study examines the factors influencing high-risk drinking and cigarette smoking and assesses the differences in those factors between 2 risky behaviors in Korea. A national, cross-sectional health behavior survey was performed on 12 303 households in 2006 and a data set of 2925 adult males was analyzed using bivariate probit estimation model. The likelihood of high-risk drinking rose with an increase in the level of income, whereas that of smoking was lowest in a medium income. White-collar workers were more at risk of high-risk drinking than blue-collar workers. Conversely, blue-collar workers tended to smoke more frequently than white-collar workers. Body mass index showed a positive association with high-risk drinking, but it had no significant relationship with smoking. Significant differences may exist in associations between factors influencing high-risk drinking and those influencing smoking. The comprehensive understanding of these differences would allow for the development of appropriate public health programs.
Knowledge of Danger Signs for Major Obstetric Complications Among Pregnant KwaZulu-Natal Women
Authors: Hoque M. , Hoque M. E.
Published: December 2011

Objectives. The explicit objectives of the present study were to assess the level of knowledge on pregnancy “danger signs” and HIV status, estimate the proportion of pregnant women uses health care facilities, and identify sociodemographic predictors. Methods. A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted by means of a questionnaire survey among 340 black pregnant women from the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Results. The mean age of the pregnant women was 26 years where teenage pregnancy rate was 13%. Most of the pregnant women were single (78%), less educated (60%), and unemployed (92%). Though most of the study population (92%) attended health care facilities, only half (52%) of them knew about some of the “danger signs” of pregnancy, and 39% of them knew about their HIV status. Known HIV status was related to the knowledge of pregnancy complication ( P = .018). Knowledge of “danger signs” of pregnancy was significantly ( P = .012) associated with the age of the expectant mother. Conclusion. Low level of knowledge on “danger signs” of pregnancy and their HIV status are observed among pregnant women. This warrants an urgent attempt to introduce health education strategies to rural population of South Africa.
Activator protein 1 (AP-1) contributes to EpCAM-dependent breast cancer invasion
Authors: Sankpal Narendra V , Mayfield John D , Willman Mike W , Fleming Timothy P , Gillanders William E
Published: December 2011

Introduction

EpCAM is a cell-surface glycoprotein that is overexpressed in the majority of epithelial carcinomas. However, the functional role of EpCAM in regulating cancer invasion remains controversial, and the mechanism(s) underlying EpCAM-mediated regulation of breast cancer invasion remain to be defined.

Methods

EpCAM expression was manipulated in breast cancer cell lines using RNA interference and cDNA expression constructs. Recombinant EpCAM was used to rescue EpCAM signaling following specific ablation of EpCAM. Protein and gene expression, invasion, transcription factor activity, and protein phosphorylation were measured using standard molecular biology techniques.

Results

In loss-of-function, and gain-of-function experiments we demonstrate that EpCAM expression is associated with increased breast cancer invasion in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate further that specific ablation of EpCAM expression is associated with decreased activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor activity. Phosphoprotein analyses confirm that specific ablation of EpCAM is associated with decreased phosphorylation of the AP-1 subunit c-Jun. Recombinant soluble extracellular EpCAM (rEpCAM) is able to rescue invasion, AP-1 transcription factor activity, and c-Jun phosphorylation in a dose-dependent fashion. Pharmacologic inhibitors, and constitutively active constructs of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signal transduction pathway, suggest that the impact of EpCAM expression on AP-1 transcription factor activity is mediated through the JNK pathway. In functional rescue experiments, forced expression of c-Jun rescues invasion in breast cancer cells following specific ablation of EpCAM.

Conclusions

These data demonstrate for the first time that EpCAM expression can influence the JNK/AP-1 signal transduction pathway, and suggest that modulation of AP-1 transcription factor activity contributes to EpCAM-dependent breast cancer invasion. These data have important implications for the design and application of molecular therapies targeting EpCAM.
Volatile Organic Compound Sensing by Gold Nanoparticles Capped with Calix[4]arene Ligand
Authors: Kimura Mutsumi , Yokokawa Mei , Sato Seiko , Fukawa Tadashi , Mihara Takashi
Published: December 2011

Gold nanoparticles capped with calix[4]arene ligands have been designed and synthesized for highly sensitive and selective VOC sensing. Mass sensors coated with porous nanoparticle films displayed a good response toward toluene gas.
Direct Synthesis of Phenol from Benzene over Platinum-loaded Tungsten(VI) Oxide Photocatalysts with Water and Molecular Oxygen
Authors: Tomita Osamu , Abe Ryu , Ohtani Bunsho
Published: December 2011

Tungsten(VI) oxide loaded with nanoparticulate platinum (Pt/WO3) was demonstrated for the first time to exhibit photocatalytic activity for direct synthesis of phenol from benzene using water and molecular oxygen as reactants under ultraviolet or visible light irradiation; the selectivity for phenol (e.g., 74% at 69% of benzene conversion) on Pt/WO3 photocatalysts was much higher than those on platinum-loaded titanium(IV) oxide (Pt/TiO2) photocatalysts.
AC Electrochemical Stability of Ionic Liquids
Authors: Yang Fulong , Li Zuopeng , Zhang Shiguo , Zhang Qinghua , Hu Xiaodong , Zhang Xiaoping , Deng Youquan
Published: December 2011

AC electrochemical windows (AC EWs) of ILs were first investigated on Pt, glass carbon (GC), and Au electrodes with frequency ranging from 20 to 100 Hz. The result showed that the AC EW of ILs was much wider than the DC EWs, and the AC EW increased markedly with frequency and with electrode in the order of GC > Pt > Au. Moreover, AC CVs of ILs provide not only different AC EWs but also different current density under identical voltage that are both structure-dependent.
Stereoselective Synthesis of Allylsilanes Bearing Tetrasubstituted Olefin via 2,2-Diborylethylsilane
Authors: Endo Kohei , Sakamoto Akira , Ohkubo Takahiro , Shibata Takanori
Published: December 2011

The regio- and stereoselective synthesis of allylsilane derivatives bearing a tetrasubstituted olefin was achieved using 2,2-diborylethylsilane as a key intermediate. The regioselective deprotonation of a 2,2-diborylethylsilane with LTMP and the subsequent nucleophilic addition to ketones gave corresponding allylsilanes in good to excellent yield with excellent stereoselectivity.
Ethicality and confidentiality: is there an inverse-care issue in general practice ethics?
Authors: Papanikitas Andrew
Published: December 2011

This paper discusses confidentiality as a routine issue of concern to British general practitioners participating in a qualitative study as well as in contemporaneous practice literature. While keen to reflect on routine issues, such as confidentiality, participants who professed a lack of expertise in medical ethics also perceived reluctance or inability to access educational resources or ethics support. Such lack of ability might include a perception of non-entitlement to access advice and support, a fear of criticism, or simply that resources fail to be advertised. Participants' insights are set alongside a concurrent debate in the professional literature over whether problems with maintaining confidentiality should be rigorously discussed in a public forum. A preliminary suggestion is that confidentiality may be emblematic of the negotiation between academic and professional ethics.
Ongoing processes of managing consent: the empirical ethics of using video-recording in clinical practice and research
Authors: O'Reilly Michelle , Parker Nicola , Hutchby Ian
Published: December 2011

Using video to facilitate data collection has become increasingly common in health research. Using video in research, however, does raise additional ethical concerns. In this paper we utilize family therapy data to provide empirical evidence of how recording equipment is treated. We show that families made a distinction between what was observed through the video by the reflecting team and what was being recorded onto videotape. We show that all parties actively negotiated what should and should not go ‘on the record’, with particular attention to sensitive topics and the responsibility of the therapist. Our findings have important implications for both clinical professionals and researchers using video data. We maintain that informed consent should be an ongoing process and with this in mind we present some arguments pertaining to the current debates in this field of health-care practice.
Challenging some myths about the right to life at the end of life. 1: Not an absolute right
Authors: Wicks Elizabeth
Published: December 2011

This article, and a related one in the next issue, investigates some myths surrounding the application of the right to life at the end of life. The present article focuses upon the myth that the right to life is an absolute right, always requiring the preservation of life. It identifies three distinct situations in which state authorities may be justified in declining to take intervening action in order to save a life. It argues that the right to life encompasses recognition of the impossibility and undesirability of preserving human life in all circumstances and that recognition of this fact will render the right more useful in a health-care context.
Perspectives on anatomical donation and holding services of thanksgiving
Authors: Evans Darrell J R , Fossey Samantha
Published: December 2011

The value of human bodies for the teaching of anatomy has been recognized since the 16th century. Many medical students are exposed to the process of body donation as human dissection continues to play a fundamental role in many medical courses. The opportunity of dissection not only provides students with an educational approach to learning human structure but also exposes them to the emotions surrounding death and dying and the role of the anatomical donor in their journey. This paper explores the subject of body donation in relation to anatomical examination, the relationship the donor has to the medical student experience and the purpose of thanksgiving services. The paper concludes with a brief description of a study carried out at a UK medical school to seek the views of first- and second-year medical students on the purpose, place and value of thanksgiving services.
Donating bodily material: the Nuffield Council report
Authors: Strathern Marilyn , Wright Katharine
Published: December 2011

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics' recent report on the ethics of the donation of bodily material for treatment and research ( Human Bodies: Donation for Medicine and Research. www.nuffieldbioethics.org/human-bodies ) brings to the fore the much-debated question of how far society should go in trying to encourage people to donate their bodily material. Based on conclusions reached by the Working Party with respect to the duties of the stewardship state, the role of altruism and of solidarity, public interest in health-related research, the welfare of the donor and the importance of ‘professional values’ such as trust and respect, the report presents an ‘Intervention Ladder’ that sets out the ethical acceptability of various ways of encouraging people to donate. Policy recommendations are made in a number of areas including organ donation, gamete donation, volunteering for clinical trials and the use of donated tissue in research.
Screening – potential weak links in the chain
Authors: Elliman David
Published: December 2011

Superficially, screening programmes may seem relatively straightforward to organize. However they are much more complicated than appears at first sight. The UK National Screening Committee, set up in 1996, advises all four nations on the introduction of new screening programmes and the improvement or, less commonly, cessation of an established programme. Most of the established programmes have a Programme Centre which advises on the running of the programme and sets standards. Because true outcomes may be some years hence, these standards usually relate to the process, rather than health improvement. There are many different stages in the programmes from ascertaining the target population to timely diagnosis and prompt management. This means there are a number of places where the system might fail. Therefore, part of the advice offered by the Programme Centres relates to failsafe mechanisms. These are backup systems, designed to make sure that no child slips through the net and all are correctly assigned to high or low risk groups. These systems may be expensive, but are necessary and cost effective. A missed diagnosis causes unnecessary disability to the child and distress to the parents, and may be very costly to the health service.
TNIP1, a Retinoic Acid Receptor Corepressor and A20-binding Inhibitor of NF-κB, Distributes to Both Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Locations
Authors: Gurevich Igor , Zhang Carmen , Francis Nidhish , Aneskievich Brian J.
Published: December 2011

An increasingly wide range of functions, from repression of NF-κB signaling to protection from apoptosis, is being recognized for tumor necrosis factor α–induced protein 3-interacting protein 1 (TNIP1). The authors recently demonstrated TNIP1 interaction with and repression of liganded retinoic acid receptors, distinguishing it from the more typical NCoR and SMRT corepressors, which function only in the absence of ligand. To improve their understanding of TNIP1’s roles in physiologic and pathologic events, the authors examined its distribution in normal and malignant human tissues and cultured cells. They found cytoplasmic and nuclear TNIP1 in normal skin keratinocytes as it colocalized with retinoic acid receptor α, one of the nuclear receptors it corepresses. Nuclear and cytoplasmic TNIP1 was also found in the malignant keratinocytes of squamous cell carcinomas. Compared to adjacent normal tissues of other organs, TNIP1 staining and distribution varied with increased levels in esophageal cancer and marked decreases in prostate cancer. The varying levels and distribution of TNIP1 in normal and disease state tissues could be expected to affect processes in which TNIP1 is involved, such as NF-κB and nuclear receptor signaling, possibly contributing to the disease course or response to therapies targeting these key players of cell growth and differentiation.
Prairie Grass Establishment on Calcareous Reclaimed Mine Soil
Authors: Thorne Mark , Cardina John
Published: December 2011

Reclaimed Appalachian surface mined lands have difficulty in sustaining native deciduous forest communities. Establishing prairie communities could increase ecosystem function; however, a native model system does not exist. We evaluated establishment of 15 North American prairie grasses as monocultures on reclaimed mine soil in southeast Ohio in four randomized complete blocks planted May 2005 and 2006. Population density was assessed 30 d after planting (30 DAP) and in October of the planting year (YR1) and second year following planting (YR2) and expressed as percentage of viable seeds sown (PVSS). Canopy cover of nonnative species reestablishing in the plots was measured in 2007. Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.) population was >50 PVSS in all censuses. Western wheatgrass [Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Löve] was initially 7 PVSS at 30 DAP, but increased to 154 PVSS by YR2 from rhizomes spreading into gaps. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) was 7 PVSS at 30 DAP and 4 PVSS at YR2. Blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths] and sideoats grama [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] did not survive past YR1. Gaps left from poor stand establishment were primarily recolonized by nonnative Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) in the 2005 planting and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) in the 2006 planting, but was least in eastern gamagrass and tall dropseed [Sporobolus asper (P. Beauv.) Kunth]. This research demonstrates the potential for increasing diversity and species richness on mine soil habitats with regionally native grasses that could increase functional quality through ecological resilience.