bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Homoiopteridae (Insecta: Paleodictyoptera) with wing articulation from Upper Carboniferous strata of Mazon Creek, Illinois
Authors: Kukalová-Peck Jarmila , Richardson Jr. Eugene S.
Published: May 2008

New adults, a subadult, and a nymph of primitive, giant, Late Paleozoic Paleodictyoptera (Homoiopteridae) are described from Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian C–D) strata of Illinois: Mazothairos enormis gen. et sp. nov., Mazonopterum wolfforum gen. et sp. nov., Adolarryia bairdi gen. et sp. nov., Larryia osterbergi gen. et sp. nov., and Turneropterum turneri gen. et sp. nov. Some of these fossils show dorsal wing articulation, the most primitive known in the Pterygota. The biology of Paleodictyopteroidea is discussed. The family Homoiopteridae is reviewed for plesiomorphic features in venation that have been either reduced or transformed in modern insects, including paired costa, subcosta, and anal, and doubled radial stems.
Hepatoprotective Effect ofCirsium arisanenseKitamura in Tacrine-Treated Hepatoma Hep 3B Cells and C57BL Mice
Authors: Ku Kuo-Lung , Tsai Chu-Tsai , Chang Wei-Min , Shen Mei-Lin , Wu Chia-Tien , Liao Hui-Fen
Published: May 2008

Cirsium arisanense Kitamura (Compositae) has been used for hundreds of years in Taiwan as a folk medicine for hepatoprotection. However, no scientific research has demonstrated this effect. In the present study, we extracted the phenol-containing aqueous components of C. arisanense roots (CaR) and leaves/stem (CaL), and then assessed their hepatoprotective activities in both human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep 3B cells and C57BL/6 mice strain. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that the components of CaR and CaL differed from those of the positive control silymarin. CaR exhibited a higher phenolic content and antioxidant capacity than CaL. Hep 3B cells treated with silymarin (0–200 μg/ml) demonstrated a concentration-dependent decrease in viability; however, both CaR and CaL did not exhibit any apparent cytotoxicity. Silymarin at 100 μg/ml, as well as CaR and CaL, not only protect Hep 3B cells from tacrine-induced hepatotoxicity but also decrease the expression of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Moreover, an animal experiment demonstrated that CaR, CaL, and silymarin have hepatoprotective effects in C57BL/6 mice injected with tacrine, and they significantly decrease the levels of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). These effects of CaR and silymarin, but not of CaL, may occur via an increase in the hepatic glutathione level and the elimination of the nitric oxide production. In conclusion, the phenol-containing aqueous components from C. arisanense have potential in hepatoprotection.
A Purified Extract from Clematis mandshurica Prevents Adenoviral-TRAIL Induced Apoptosis on Rat Articular Chondrocytes
Authors: Lee Sung Won , Lee Hye Jeong , Moon Jeong Bon , Choi Sun Mee , Kim Duk Kyu , Kim In Ryoung , Choi Won Chul , Park Bong Soo
Published: May 2008

Since TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) is one of several apoptotic stimuli on articular chondrocytes, the modulation of the mechanism mediated by TRAIL could be considered as a novel strategy for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). Previous studies demonstrated that Clematis mandshurica prevents staurosporin-induced apoptosis in articular chondrocytes. This study was undertaken to examine whether Clematis mandshurica could prevent TRAIL-induced apoptosis in articular chondrocytes. Our data show that Clematis mandshurica prevents adenoviral TRAIL (Ad-TRAIL)-induced apoptosis in primary cultured articular chondrocytes. Clematis mandshurica prevents Ad-TRAIL-induced down-regulation of 14-3-3 and phosphorylated Akt. In addition, Clematis mandshurica treatment prevents the Ad-TRAIL-induced reduction of the interactions between 14-3-3 with phospho-ser112-Bad and phospho-ser136-Bad, and BcL-xL with phospho-ser155-Bad. A better understanding of the mechanism underlying inhibition of apoptosis in OA chondrocytes by Clematis mandshurica might lead to the development of a new therapeutic strategy for OA.
TOWARDS ENHANCING ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN OMAN
Authors: KHAN GOLAM MOSTAFA , ALMOHARBY DARWISH
Published: May 2008

The importance of stimulating interest in entrepreneurship and small business is now recognized worldwide. In recent years, a number of organizations in Oman have started promoting entrepreneurship. In an attempt to diversify the economy and stimulate private enterprise development, government agencies and private institutions are participating in different entrepreneurship development activities. This paper provides a brief overview of the emergence of entrepreneurship education and training followed by a review of relevant programs and activities in Oman aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and small enterprise development. The paper also suggests how to enhance the efforts related to entrepreneurship development in the country and argues that a well developed comprehensive and co-ordinated program needs to be made available nationwide.
Rapid Prototyping
Authors: Kim Michael S. , Hansgen Adam R. , Wink Onno , Quaife Robert A. , Carroll John D.
Published: May 2008

As the appreciation of structural heart disease in children and adults has increased and as catheter-based closure procedures are now being performed in clinical practice, cardiovascular physicians have multiple compelling new reasons to better understand cardiac anatomic and spatial relationships. Current 2-dimensional imaging techniques remain limited both in their ability to represent the complex 3-dimensional relationships present in structural heart disease and in their capacity to adequately facilitate often complex corrective procedures. This review discusses the cardiovascular applications of rapid prototyping, a new technology that may not only play a significant role in the planning of catheter-based interventions but also may serve as a valuable educational tool to enhance the medical community’s understanding of the many forms of structural heart disease.
Repetition Suppression of Induced Gamma Activity Predicts Enhanced Orienting toward a Novel Stimulus in 6-month-old Infants
Authors: Snyder Kelly A. , Keil Andreas
Published: May 2008

Habituation refers to a decline in orienting or responding to a repeated stimulus, and can be inferred to reflect learning about the properties of the repeated stimulus when followed by increased orienting to a novel stimulus (i.e., novelty detection). Habituation and novelty detection paradigms have been used for over 40 years to study perceptual and mnemonic processes in the human infant, yet important questions remain about the nature of these processes in infants. The aim of the present study was to examine the neural mechanisms underlying habituation and novelty detection in infants. Specifically, we investigated changes in induced alpha, beta, and gamma activity in 6-month-old infants during repeated presentations of either a face or an object, and examined whether these changes predicted behavioral responses to novelty at test. We found that induced gamma activity over occipital scalp regions decreased with stimulus repetition in the face condition but not in the toy condition, and that greater decreases in the gamma band were associated with enhanced orienting to a novel face at test. The pattern and topography of these findings are consistent with observations of repetition suppression in the occipital–temporal visual processing pathway, and suggest that encoding in infant habituation paradigms may reflect a form of perceptual learning. Implications for the role of repetition suppression in infant habituation and novelty detection are discussed with respect to a biased competition model of visual attention.
Cultural Specificity in Amygdala Response to Fear Faces
Authors: Chiao Joan Y. , Iidaka Tetsuya , Gordon Heather L. , Nogawa Junpei , Bar Moshe , Aminoff Elissa , Sadato Norihiro , Ambady Nalini
Published: May 2008

The human amygdala robustly activates to fear faces. Heightened response to fear faces is thought to reflect the amygdala's adaptive function as an early warning mechanism. Although culture shapes several facets of emotional and social experience, including how fear is perceived and expressed to others, very little is known about how culture influences neural responses to fear stimuli. Here we show that the bilateral amygdala response to fear faces is modulated by culture. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure amygdala response to fear and nonfear faces in two distinct cultures. Native Japanese in Japan and Caucasians in the United States showed greater amygdala activation to fear expressed by members of their own cultural group. This finding provides novel and surprising evidence of cultural tuning in an automatic neural response.
Dissociating Early and Late Error Signals in Perceptual Recognition
Authors: Wheeler Mark E. , Petersen Steven E. , Nelson Steven M. , Ploran Elisabeth J. , Velanova Katerina
Published: May 2008

Decisions about object identity follow a period in which evidence is gathered and analyzed. Evidence can consist of both task-relevant external stimuli and internally generated goals and expectations. How the various pieces of information are gathered and filtered into meaningful evidence by the nervous system is largely unknown. Although object recognition is often highly efficient and accurate, errors are common. Errors may be related to faulty evidence gathering arising from early misinterpretations of incoming stimulus information. In addition, errors in task performance are known to elicit late corrective performance monitoring mechanisms that can optimize or otherwise adjust future behavior. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an extended trial paradigm of object recognition to study whether we could identify performance-based signal modulations prior to and following the moment of recognition. The rationale driving the current report is that early modulations in fMRI activity may reflect faulty evidence gathering, whereas late modulations may reflect the presence of performance monitoring mechanisms. We tested this possibility by comparing fMRI activity on correct and error trials in regions of interest (ROIs) that were selected a priori. We found pre- and postrecognition accuracy-dependent modulation in different sets of a priori ROIs, suggesting the presence of dissociable error signals.
The Effects of Witness Viewpoint Distance, Angle, and Choice on Eyewitness Accuracy in Police Lineups Conducted in Immersive Virtual Environments
Authors: Bailenson Jeremy N. , Davies Alexandra , Blascovich Jim , Beall Andrew C. , McCall Cade , Guadagno Rosanna E.
Published: May 2008

The current study investigated the value of using immersive virtual environment technology as a tool for assessing eyewitness identification. Participants witnessed a staged crime and then examined sequential lineups within immersive virtual environments that contained 3D virtual busts of the suspect and six distractors. Participants either had unlimited viewpoints of the busts in terms of angle and distance, or a unitary view at only a single angle and distance. Furthermore, participants either were allowed to choose the angle and distance of the viewpoints they received, or were given viewpoints without choice. Results demonstrated that unlimited viewpoints improved accuracy in suspect-present lineups but not in suspect-absent lineups. Furthermore, across conditions, post-hoc measurements demonstrated that when the chosen view of the suspect during the lineup was similar to the view during the staged crime in terms of distance, accuracy improved. Finally, participants were more accurate in suspect-absent lineups than in suspect-present lineups. Implications of the findings in terms of theories of eyewitness testimony are discussed, as well as the value of using virtual lineups that elicit high levels of presence in the field. We conclude that digital avatars of higher fidelity may be necessary before actually implementing virtual lineups.
A Room with a Cue: The Efficacy of Movement Parallax, Occlusion, and Blur in Creating a Virtual Window
Authors: IJsselsteijn Wijnand A. , Oosting Willem , Vogels Ingrid M. L. C. , de Kort Yvonne A. W. , van Loenen Evert
Published: May 2008

In indoor environments, having a view from a window plays an important role in human physical and psychological well-being—particularly if the view contains natural elements. In places where physical windows are absent or the view is highly artifact-dominated, virtual windows can potentially play a beneficial role. The current paper presents a research experiment on the efficacy of three monocular depth cues, that is, movement parallax, blur, and occlusion, in engendering a window-like “see-through experience” using projected photorealistic scenes. Results indicate that all three cues have a significant main effect on the viewer's see-through experience, with movement parallax yielding the greatest effect size. The effects of the remaining two cues are largely qualified by their interactions with each other and with movement parallax. These results provide a first step in identifying and testing the perceptual elements that are essential in creating a convincing virtual window.
Temporal and Spatial Variations in Presence: Qualitative Analysis of Interviews from an Experiment on Breaks in Presence
Authors: Garau Maia , Friedman Doron , Widenfeld Hila Ritter , Antley Angus , Brogni Andrea , Slater Mel
Published: May 2008

This paper presents qualitative findings from an experiment designed to investigate breaks in presence. Participants spent approximately five minutes in an immersive Cave-like system depicting a virtual bar with five virtual characters. On four occasions the projections were made to go white to trigger clearly identifiable anomalies in the audiovisual experience. Participants' physiological responses were measured throughout to investigate possible physiological correlates of these experienced anomalies. Analysis of subsequent interviews with participants suggests that these anomalies were subjectively experienced as breaks in presence. This is significant in the context of our research approach, which considers presence as a multilevel construct ranging from higher-level subjective responses to lower-level behavioral and automatic responses. The fact that these anomalies were also associated with an identifiable physiological signature suggests future avenues for exploring less intrusive ways of studying temporal fluctuations in presence during the course of the mediated experience itself. The findings also reveal that breaks in presence have multiple causes and can range in intensity, resulting in varying recovery times. In addition, presence can vary in intensity within the same space, suggesting that presence in an immersive virtual environment can fluctuate temporally and that spatial behavior is consistent with what would be expected in an equivalent real environment.
Mesoscale Eddy–Internal Wave Coupling. Part I: Symmetry, Wave Capture, and Results from the Mid-Ocean Dynamics Experiment
Authors: Polzin Kurt L.
Published: May 2008

Vertical profiles of horizontal velocity obtained during the Mid-Ocean Dynamics Experiment (MODE) provided the first published estimates of the high vertical wavenumber structure of horizontal velocity. The data were interpreted as being representative of the background internal wave field, and thus, despite some evidence of excess downward energy propagation associated with coherent near-inertial features that was interpreted in terms of atmospheric generation, these data provided the basis for a revision to the Garrett and Munk spectral model.

These data are reinterpreted through the lens of 30 years of research. Rather than representing the background wave field, atmospheric generation, or even near-inertial wave trapping, the coherent high wavenumber features are characteristic of internal wave capture in a mesoscale strain field. Wave capture represents a generalization of critical layer events for flows lacking the spatial symmetry inherent in a parallel shear flow or isolated vortex.
Double-Diffusive Intrusions in a Stable Salinity Gradient “Heated from Below”
Authors: Simeonov Julian , Stern Melvin E.
Published: May 2008

Two-dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNS) are used to investigate the growth and nonlinear equilibration of spatially periodic double-diffusive intrusion for negative vertical temperature Tz < 0 and salinity Sz < 0 gradients, which are initially stable to small-scale double diffusion. The horizontal temperature Tx and salinity Sx gradients are assumed to be uniform, density compensated, and unbounded. The weakly sloping intrusion is represented as a mean lateral flow in a square computational box tilted with a slope equal to that of the fastest-growing linear theory mode; the vertical (η) domain size of the box L*η is a multiple of the fastest-growing wavelength. Solutions for the fastest-growing wavelength show that the intrusion growth is disrupted by salt fingers that develop when the rotation of the isotherms and isohalines by the intrusion shear results in temperature and salinity inversions; the thick inversion regions are separated by a thin interface supporting diffusive convection. These equilibrium solutions were always unstable to longer vertical wavelengths arising because of the merging of the inversion layers. The DNS predicts the following testable results for the maximum lateral velocity U* max = 0.13NSL*η, the lateral heat flux F* = 0.008ρCP(Sx/Sz)1/2(NS/KT)1/4NSL*η2.5(βSz/α), and the interface thickness hρ = 0.12L*η, where NS = , g is the gravity acceleration, ρ is the density, β/α is the haline contraction/heat expansion coefficient, and CP is the specific heat capacity. The results are compared with observations in the Arctic Ocean.
Multipass Objective Analyses of Doppler Radar Data
Authors: Majcen Mario , Markowski Paul , Richardson Yvette , Dowell David , Wurman Joshua
Published: May 2008

This note assesses the improvements in dual-Doppler wind syntheses by employing a multipass Barnes objective analysis in the interpolation of radial velocities to a Cartesian grid, as opposed to a more typical single-pass Barnes objective analysis. Steeper response functions can be obtained by multipass objective analyses; that is, multipass objective analyses are less damping at well-resolved wavelengths (e.g., 8–20Δ, where Δ is the data spacing) than single-pass objective analyses, while still suppressing small-scale (<4Δ) noise. Synthetic dual-Doppler data were generated from a three-dimensional numerical simulation of a supercell thunderstorm in a way that emulates the data collection by two mobile radars. The synthetic radial velocity data from a pair of simulated radars were objectively analyzed to a grid, after which the three-dimensional wind field was retrieved by iteratively computing the horizontal divergence and integrating the anelastic mass continuity equation. Experiments with two passes and three passes of the Barnes filter were performed, in addition to a single-pass objective analysis. Comparison of the analyzed three-dimensional wind fields to the model wind fields suggests that multipass objective analysis of radial velocity data prior to dual-Doppler wind synthesis is probably worth the added computational cost. The improvements in the wind syntheses derived from multipass objective analyses are even more apparent for higher-order fields such as vorticity and divergence, and for trajectory calculations and pressure/buoyancy retrievals.
A Hybrid ETKF–3DVAR Data Assimilation Scheme for the WRF Model. Part I: Observing System Simulation Experiment
Authors: Wang Xuguang , Barker Dale M. , Snyder Chris , Hamill Thomas M.
Published: May 2008

A hybrid ensemble transform Kalman filter–three-dimensional variational data assimilation (ETKF–3DVAR) system for the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model is introduced. The system is based on the existing WRF 3DVAR. Unlike WRF 3DVAR, which utilizes a simple, static covariance model to estimate the forecast-error statistics, the hybrid system combines ensemble covariances with the static covariances to estimate the complex, flow-dependent forecast-error statistics. Ensemble covariances are incorporated by using the extended control variable method during the variational minimization. The ensemble perturbations are maintained by the computationally efficient ETKF. As an initial attempt to test and understand the newly developed system, both an observing system simulation experiment under the perfect model assumption (Part I) and the real observation experiment (Part II) were conducted. In these pilot studies, the WRF was run over the North America domain at a coarse grid spacing (200 km) to emphasize synoptic scales, owing to limited computational resources and the large number of experiments conducted. In Part I, simulated radiosonde wind and temperature observations were assimilated. The results demonstrated that the hybrid data assimilation method provided more accurate analyses than the 3DVAR. The horizontal distributions of the errors demonstrated the hybrid analyses had larger improvements over data-sparse regions than over data-dense regions. It was also found that the ETKF ensemble spread in general agreed with the root-mean-square background forecast error for both the first- and second-order measures. Given the coarse resolution, relatively sparse observation network, and perfect model assumption adopted in this part of the study, caution is warranted when extrapolating the results to operational applications.
Verification of a Clear-Sky Mesoscale Simulation Using Satellite-Derived Surface Temperatures
Authors: Jiménez M. A. , Mira A. , Cuxart J. , Luque A. , Alonso S. , Guijarro J. A.
Published: May 2008

A mesoscale simulation for Majorca Island is made using the Méso-NH model for a spring night, under a slack synoptic pressure gradient with weak general winds and clear skies. The circulations over and around the island are driven mostly by the locally generated flows, due to the topography and the land–sea thermal contrast. The verification of mesoscale simulations in clear-sky conditions is difficult, especially if the network of stations is not very dense. The main objective of this work is to try to verify the mesoscale simulation using measurements from automatic weather stations and satellite measurements. The model outputs are compared with the available instrumental data and the representativeness of the stations is discussed. Furthermore, complete two-dimensional comparisons are made between the radiative surface temperatures produced by the model and those processed from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite sensors. The high temporal resolution of the MSG images also allows comparison of the temporal evolutions of the surface temperature between satellite pixels and model grid cells. The procedure permits assessment of the closeness of the simulation to in situ and remote sensing observations. The results of the comparison show that the model is able to reproduce most of the observed patterns, such as intense local cooling or persistent outflows at the largest basins.
Meaning and Practice of Palliative Care for Nursing Home Residents With Dementia at End of Life
Authors: Powers Bethel Ann , Watson Nancy M.
Published: May 2008

Objective: To describe the meaning and practice of palliative care (PC) for nursing home (NH) residents with dementia at end of life (EOL). Design: Concurrent mixed methods (quantitative retrospective chart review and qualitative field study). Setting: Three NHs with varying approaches to EOL care: in-house non-Medicare hospice, Medicare hospice by outside agency, and Medicare hospice by outside agency plus specialized staff and comfort care unit. Results: Residents' course fluctuated between curative and comfort care, with a noticeable increase in symptoms right before death. Hospice care was short. Most died of complications of dementia. Families found care decisions based on residents' uncertain disease course difficult. Conclusion: The role of PC for NH residents with dementia at EOL is complex and poorly understood. As they are in a residential setting, decisions need to be made about how residents live, as well as how they die, thus balancing quality of living/comfort with disease management.
The Effects of a Multimodal Intervention on Outcomes of Persons With Early-Stage Dementia
Authors: Burgener Sandy C. , Yang Yang  , Gilbert Ruth , Marsh-Yant Sara
Published: May 2008

Theories supporting the existence of a use-dependent neuroplasticity in the older brain were used to guide this pilot study. A repeated-measures randomized design was used to test the effectiveness of a multimodal (Taiji exercises, cognitive-behavioral therapies, support group) intervention on cognitive functioning, physical functioning, and behavioral outcomes in persons with dementia. The treatment group (n = 24 persons with dementia) participated in a 40-week intervention, with outcomes assessed at 20 and 40 weeks to assess optimal treatment length. Control group subjects (n = 19 persons with dementia) received attention-control educational programs. At 20 weeks, differences between groups were found for mental ability and self-esteem, with gains in balance being evident. Also, stability in depression and physical health were evident at 20 and 40 weeks for treatment group subjects. Continued improvement in outcomes was not observed at 40 weeks. However, findings support further testing of the intervention along with potential for achieving positive outcomes in early-stage dementia.
Analysis of microearthquake data at Cold Lake and its applications to reservoir monitoring
Authors: Miyazawa Masatoshi , Venkataraman Anupama , Snieder Roel , Payne Michael A.
Published: May 2008

More than four months of continuously recorded micro-earthquake data acquired at Cold Lake, Canada, was analyzed using advanced algorithms for microearthquake location and subsurface tomography. Robust determination of the spatial, temporal, and magnitude distribution of seismicity is the first step toward understanding the relationship between the stress perturbations caused by the cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) process and seismicity. Acquisition geometry was constrained because the receivers were located in a single vertical borehole. Despite this constraint, we were successful in improving event locations by use of the double-difference method, which highlights several tight event clusters. The deep cluster at a depth of [Formula: see text], just above the oil reservoir, shows very high seismicity during the CSS processes. A second cluster is observed at shallower depths in the successive steam cycle. This suggests that repeated steaming causes the deformation to spread to shallower depths. The number of events, however, decreases in the second steam cycle. Even though some of the largest events occur below the Clearwater reservoir, we observed few events in the reservoir itself, indicating that the reservoir may be an aseismic region. The size and distribution of seismicity during the first cycle agrees with a Mohr's circle analysis using simple geomechanical modeling.
Taking the Pulse of the Economy: Measuring GDP
Authors: Landefeld J. Steven , Seskin Eugene P , Fraumeni Barbara M
Published: May 2008

This article provides a broad overview of the measurement techniques used in estimating GDP and the national accounts in the United States. In the United States, the GDP and the national accounts estimates are fundamentally based on detailed economic census data and other information that is available only once every five years. The challenge lies in developing a framework and methods that take these economic census data and combine them using a mosaic of monthly, quarterly, and annual economic indicators to produce quarterly and annual GDP estimates. One problem is that the other economic indicators that are used to extrapolate GDP in between the five-year economic census data—such as retail sales, housing starts, and manufacturers shipments of capital goods— are often collected for purposes other than estimating GDP and may embody definitions that differ from those used in the national accounts. Another problem is some data are simply not available for the earlier estimates in the reporting process. For the initial monthly estimates of GDP, data on about 25 percent of GDP—especially in the service sector—are not available, and so these sectors of the economy are estimated based on past trends and whatever related data are available. The initial monthly GDP estimates based on these extrapolations are revised as more complete data become available In producing the national accounts estimates, the Bureau of Economic Analysis attempts to strike a balance between accuracy and timeliness so that the estimates can be used to monitor real overall economic growth and inflation, as well as major sectors of interest.
What is Middle Class about the Middle Classes around the World?
Authors: Banerjee Abhijit V , Duflo Esther
Published: May 2008

We expect a lot from the middle classes. At least three distinct arguments about the special economic role of the middle class are traditionally made. In one, new entrepreneurs armed with a capacity and a tolerance for delayed gratification emerge from the middle class and create employment and productivity growth for the rest of society. In a second, perhaps more conventional view, the middle class is primarily a source of vital inputs for the entrepreneurial class: it is their “middle class values”—their emphasis on the accumulation of human capital and savings—that makes them central to the process of capitalist accumulation. The third view, a staple of the business press, emphasizes the middle class consumer, whose demand for quality consumer goods feeds investment in production and marketing, which in turn raises income levels for everyone. This essay asks what we should make of these arguments in the context of today's developing countries. We focus on two groups of households: those whose daily per capita expenditures are between $2 and $4, and those with expenditures between $6 and $10. These are the groups that we will call the middle class. Starting from survey data on patterns of consumption and investment by the middle class in thirteen developing countries, we look for what is distinct about the global middle class, especially when compared to the global poor (defined as those whose per capita daily consumption is below $2 a day). In particular, is there anything special about the way middle class people per spend their money, earn their incomes, or bring up their children?
“Meadows of Majesty”: Baptism as Translation in Emily Dickinson’s Poetry
Authors: Freedman Linda
Published: May 2008

This article discusses Dickinson’s baptismal imagery as a creative and religious topos. Translation is a way of understanding the Puritan sacrament of baptism from its roots in Gospel narrative and Calvinist theology. It becomes the hallmark of Dickinson’s baptism trope as she finds, in the theology of baptism, a metaphor for her own poetic identity, repeatedly translating itself and inhabiting new names. I discuss the importance of Dickinson’s “vail” as a Puritan image of sacramental mediation and a Romantic symbol for the reach of the imagination, and I argue that Dickinson uses the baptismal narratives of sacrificial dying and spiritual rebirth to express the compromise or “vail’ that allows her to harness her poetic power, translating and representing herself anew.
A Second Constantine?: The Sasanian King Yazdgard in Christian History and Historiography
Authors: McDonough Scott
Published: May 2008

The Sasanian king Yazdgard I (399– 420

ce

) is the subject of a complex, millenium-long historical tradition, spanning a multitude of languages and literary traditions over a millennium. Whereas later Persian and Arabic historians reviled Yazdgard as “the Sinner” and celebrated his death, Christian writers developed a complex relationship with the memory of the Sasanian king. Yazdgard’s legalization of public Christian worship in Iran and sponsorship of the first synod of the Church of the East were embraced hopefully by Christian writers as the actions of a “second Constantine.” But the persecutions of Christians that marked the end of Yazdgard’s reign challenged this benign image. Over time, the dualities of Yazdgard’s actions were ignored, rationalized, and ultimately embraced by Christian writers in Syriac and Greek. These writers transformed the actions of Yazdgard, “sinner” and “second Constantine,” into a study of the promise and perils of non-Christian rule.
The Rise and Function of the Concept “Late Antiquity”
Authors: James Edward
Published: May 2008

This article examines the development of the idea of “Late Antiquity” from its origins in the early twentieth century among art historians, to the launch of the “Late Antiquity Project” with the publication of Peter Brown’s The World of Late Antiquity in 1971. The preface to this book, and a postscript to the new edition of 1993, are analyzed in terms of the ideologies which they reveal. There is discussion of the achievements of scholars of Late Antiquity over the last thirty-five years, above all in correcting the geographical bias of earlier work and in bringing in many new aspects of Late Roman society into historical light. But the study ends by expressing a number of worries about the new late antique orthodoxy—about the emphasis on “continuity” and “transformation”, in particular—that threaten to be as distorting of the ancient world as the old orthodoxy was.
Chronology and the Composition of the Histories of Gregory of Tours
Authors: Murray Alexander Callander
Published: May 2008

Despite recognition of the purposeful character of Gregory’s Histories , current scholarship still largely endorses the traditional idea of synchronic or graduated composition of the Histories, reaching back to the beginning of Chilperic’s control of Tours. But the evidence for this hypothesis can be shown to be unconvincing, and compelling arguments also can be adduced for placing composition of even the early books of contemporary history in the period after 585, when Childebert II took control of Tours. This perspective on the Histories has important implications for how we understand Gregory’s relationship to contemporary rulers of Gaul and the political events of his episcopacy.
Barbarians, Historians, and the Construction of National Identities
Authors: Wood Ian
Published: May 2008

This article looks at the changing discourse in the historiography of Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages, and the way in which that discourse is influenced by and influences attitudes toward the nation. Although the arrival of Germanic peoples had been an issue before the early eighteenth century, in the last century of the Ancien Regime the history of the Franks suddenly became a matter of major debate because it was seen as being relevant to the position of the aristocracy. This essentially class model then was applied to a reading of early Lombard history, where it had particular resonance because of the presence in Italy of outside powers, the removal of which was central to the Risorgimento. In the course of the nineteenth century, discussion of the barbarians took on a new phase, not least because it became involved in the definition of Germany, and, most importantly the frontiers of the new German state. Although methodologies changed, not least because of the development of archaeology, this was to provide a dominant focus for the study of the barbarians down to 1945. Although there has been significant academic debate since the Second World War, the most high-profile discussion of the Germanic peoples now takes place in exhibitions, where a central issue is the question of the definition of Europe and the EU.
When Greek Was an African Language: The Role of Greek Culture in Ancient and Medieval Nubia
Authors: Burstein Stanley M.
Published: May 2008

The Nubian encounter with Greek language began in the third century b.c.e. and
lasted until the fi fteenth century c.e. During the Hellenistic and Roman periods,
Nubian interest in Greek was pragmatic, since the Greek language was used primarily
as a diplomatic tool for dealing with Greco-Roman Egypt. During the Middle Ages,
however, Greek became integral to Nubian culture as the language of government and
Nubian Christianity. This article traces the history of Greek language in Nubia and
analyzes its changing function in ancient and medieval Nubian culture.
School Counsellors and Young People in Care
Authors: Hay Ian , Cuskelly Monica
Published: May 2008

Protocols recently introduced by state education authorities require guidance and school counsellors to collaborate with other school personnel to developIndividual Education Support Plansfor students in the care of the state. Of the more than 20,000 young people in care in Australia, the majority are in foster home placements due to previous maltreatment or neglect by their parents. Young people in care are a diverse, vulnerable and, at times, challenging cohort of students who typically have academic, psychological, behavioural, social, and friendship difficulties — and for some, ongoing mental health issues. This article reviews the characteristics allied with young people in care as well as procedures and strategies school counsellors can consider that facilitate more positive outcomes for these students.
Rangewide Genetic Structure in Paddlefish Inferred from DNA Microsatellite Loci
Authors: Heist Edward J. , Mustapha Akeem
Published: May 2008

We surveyed paddlefish Polyodon spathula from 12 geographic locations encompassing the species' entire range at five polymorphic DNA microsatellite loci. Nearly all pairwise estimates of genetic heterogeneity among geographic samples were significant, as was the overall test of genetic heterogeneity. A test for isolation by distance was not significant. A neighbor‐joining phenogram did not reveal any obvious phylogeographic patterns, other than a high degree of distinctiveness of the samples from the Tombigbee River and Grand Lake of the Ozarks and, to a lesser extent, the Mermentau River. The distinctiveness of the Mermentau and especially the Tombigbee River populations is not surprising because they are in different drainages. The distinctiveness of the Grand Lake population is accompanied by reduced heterozygosity, perhaps due to low effective population size or past stocking practices. We interpret the distribution of genetic variation in paddlefish as one of historically high levels of gene flow among populations that have more recently become isolated by habitat alteration (e.g., dams). Although we do not advocate large‐scale movement of paddlefish, especially among historically isolated drainages, stocking practices that facilitate gene flow around recently erected barriers might be advisable. We also recommend additional analyses using microsatellites as a means of monitoring the genetic variation in paddlefish and the use of mitochondrial DNA to further investigate the historical isolation among drainages.
Treatment Options for Anemia, Taking Risks into Consideration: Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents Versus Transfusions
Authors: Spano Jean-Philippe , Khayat David
Published: May 2008

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents are indicated for the treatment of chemotherapy induced-anemia in cancer patients. Controlled clinical studies have shown that epoetin alfa consistently and significantly increases levels of hemoglobin (Hb), decreases the need for RBC transfusion, and improves the quality of life that is of such importance in cancer patients with a limited life expectancy. The rise achieved in Hb level correlates with an improvement in quality of life. Studies have also demonstrated that earlier initiation of epoetin therapy (i.e., starting treatment at an Hb level of 10–11 g/dl rather than waiting for Hb to fall to <10 g/dl) is associated with a faster achievement of an optimal Hb level, a lower transfusion requirement, and a maintained quality of life.
September 2007 Update on EORTC Guidelines and Anemia Management with Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents
Authors: Aapro Matti S. , Link Hartmut
Published: May 2008

Anemia is frequently experienced by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and can negatively impact the patient's prognosis. Blood transfusions, iron supplementation (in absolute or functionally iron-deficient anemias), and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are among the treatment options for anemia. Treatment options for anemia management should be selected based on the best benefit-to-risk ratio for each individual patient. In September 2007, the working party of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) updated their guidelines on the use of ESAs, which are summarized in this paper. ESAs reduce the number of transfusions required and significantly improve quality of life in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia. A sustained hemoglobin level of about 12 g/dl should be the target for treatment with ESAs. ESAs should be used according to the EORTC guidelines and within label with carefully considered exceptions.
SEASONAL REASSEMBLY OF A RIVER FOOD WEB: FLOODS, DROUGHTS, AND IMPACTS OF FISH
Authors: Power Mary E. , Parker Michael S. , Dietrich William E.
Published: May 2008

Eighteen years of field observations and five summer field experiments in a coastal California river suggest that hydrologic regimes influence algal blooms and the impacts of fish on algae, cyanobacteria, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. In this Mediterranean climate, rainy winters precede the biologically active summer low‐flow season. Cladophora glomerata, the filamentous green alga that dominates primary producer biomass during summer, reaches peak biomass during late spring or early summer. Cladophora blooms are larger if floods during the preceding winter attained or exceeded “bankfull discharge” (sufficient to mobilize much of the river bed, estimated at 120 m3/s). In 9 out of 12 summers preceded by large bed‐scouring floods, the average peak height of attached Cladophora turfs equaled or exceeded 50 cm. In five out of six years when flows remained below bankfull, Cladophora biomass peaked at lower levels. Flood effects on algae were partially mediated through impacts on consumers in food webs. In three experiments that followed scouring winter floods, juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and roach (Lavinia (Hesperoleucas) symmetricus) suppressed certain insects and young‐of‐the‐year fish fry, affecting persistence or accrual of algae positively or negatively, depending on the predator‐specific vulnerabilities of primary consumers capable of suppressing algae during a given year. During two post‐flood years, these grazers were more vulnerable to small predators (odonates and fish fry, which stocked steelhead always suppressed) than to experimentally manipulated, larger fish, which had adverse effects on algae in those years. During one post‐flood year, all enclosed grazers capable of suppressing algae were consumed by steelhead, which therefore had positive effects on algae. During drought years, when no bed‐scouring winter flows occurred, large armored caddisflies (Dicosmoecus gilvipes) were more abundant during the subsequent summer. In drought‐year experiments, stocked fish had little or no influence on algal standing crops, which increased only when Dicosmoecus were removed from enclosures. Flood scour, by suppressing invulnerable grazers, set the stage for fish mediated effects on algae in this river food web. Whether these effects were positive or negative depended on the predator‐specific vulnerabilities of primary consumers that dominated during a given summer.
CROWN DEVELOPMENT OF COASTALPSEUDOTSUGA MENZIESII, INCLUDING A CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR TALL CONIFERS
Authors: Pelt Robert Van , Sillett Stephen C.
Published: May 2008

Seventy trees from seven stands 50–650 years old were selected for this investigation of crown structural development inPseudotsuga menziesii. All branches, limbs, and trunks were nondestructively measured for size, structure, and location while climbing the trees with ropes. These data were used to generate a computer model of each tree's crown that was error‐checked trigonometrically. Leaves, bark, cambium, and wood were quantified by using limited destructive sampling to develop predictive equations that were applied to the complete inventory of structures in each tree's crown. Summations of these values yielded whole‐tree estimates of several structural variables. A second set of equations was then developed to predict these whole‐tree parameters from simple, ground‐based measurements. Principal components analysis of 24 tree‐level variables revealed two orthogonal dimensions of structure that accounted for 71.3% and 12.4% of total variation in the 70 trees. The first dimension represented a gradient of overall tree size and structural complexity that was positively correlated with tree age (R2= 0.89). The second dimension represented a gradient of incremental growth potential that was positively correlated with measured growth of main trunks at breast height during the five‐year period after trees were mapped (R2= 0.39). The strongest determinant of incremental growth potential was the ratio of a tree's total cambium surface area to projected leaf area. A tree's incremental growth potential may thus be unrelated to either size or structural complexity and depend instead on factors related to whole‐tree carbon balance (e.g., how much the tree invests in fighting and feeding fungi). Our intensive analyses ofPseudotsuga menziesiiand extensive observations of other species were used to develop a conceptual model of crown development in tall conifers. Trees respond to disturbances by growth of replacement structures whose form depends on disturbance intensity and age. Young trees rebuild damaged crowns through epicormic shoot production on original branches, whereas older trees also recover by producing new, epicormic branches. Damage to main trunks and top dieback stimulate production of reiterated trunks. Repeated damage leads to multiple hierarchical levels of trunk reiteration as well as to limb formation and increasing tree individuality.