bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visibility analysis for target-oriented reverse time migration and optimizing acquisition parameters
Authors: Jin Shengwen , Xu Shiyong
Published: November 2010

To obtain the best possible image quality of complex geologic structures, prestack depth migration has evolved over the past several years from using one-way wave-equation migration (WEM) to using reverse time migration (RTM) in production seismic processing (Etgen et al., 2009). RTM extrapolates both source and receiver wavefields in time (Baysal et al., 1983; McMechan, 1983), rather than along a spatial (usually vertical) axis and is thus able to handle waves that propagate long distances horizontally, turning waves that propagate beyond 90°, and some special classes of multiple reflections, such as duplex waves and prism waves. The huge computational burden of RTM for high-frequency wavefields, especially in tilted anisotropic (TTI) media often prevents its use as an iterative seismic imaging tool. While certainly some imaging projects run multiple iterations of RTM, these projects often require long time frames and substantial expense, something justified only by the highest-profile projects. A wide class of seismic imaging problems being faced today are mostly “target-oriented” in their nature; they usually involve imaging particular details of salt features or other velocity complexities, or they involve creating the best possible image of the reservoir itself. In these cases, it is not necessary to migrate full-volume data to better reconstruct the image around the area of interest for each iteration because most of these data have no physical contributions to the target events and may even introduce noise and, thus, degrade the image quality of the target events. Rather, we should migrate those data having physical contributions to the target events. The visibility analysis we describe provides a solution to quantitatively select the data that need to be migrated for reconstructing the target events (Jin and Xu, 2009; Jin et al., 2010).
TTI reverse time migration using the pseudo-analytic method
Authors: Crawley Sean , Brandsberg-Dahl Sverre , McClean Jim , Chemingui Nizar
Published: November 2010

Reverse time migration (RTM) was first introduced in the early 1980s (Whitmore, 1983), but was seemingly dormant until recent advances in computer hardware helped propel it onto the stage as a powerful depth-imaging method. RTM is now standard for areas where large velocity contrasts and/or steep dips pose a challenge, for instance below salt in the Gulf of Mexico. In recent years, where called for by the data, the migration tool of choice has gone from isotropic RTM to anisotropic RTM. The most common representations of anisotropy in sedimentary rocks are VTI (transverse isotropy with a vertical axis of symmetry) and TTI (tilted transverse isotropy). While isotropic and VTI RTM have become somewhat routine, TTI RTM remains challenging due to the complexity, stability, computational cost, and the difficulty in estimating the anisotropic parameters for TTI media.
Apelin Decreases Lipolysis via Gq, Gi, and AMPK-Dependent Mechanisms
Authors: Yue Patrick , Jin Hong , Xu Shiming , Aillaud Marissa , Deng Alicia C. , Azuma Junya , Kundu Ramendra K. , Reaven Gerald M. , Quertermous Thomas , Tsao Philip S.
Published: November 2010

The release of free fatty acids (FFAs) from adipocytes (i.e. lipolysis) is increased in obesity and is a contributory factor to the development of insulin resistance. A recently identified adipokine, apelin, is up-regulated in states of obesity. Although apelin is secreted by adipocytes, its functions in them remain largely unknown. To determine whether apelin affects lipolysis, FFA, glycerol, and leptin levels, as well as abdominal adiposity, were measured at baseline and after reintroduction of exogenous apelin in apelin-null mice. To examine apelin’s effects in vitro, isoproterenol-induced FFA/glycerol release, and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and acetyl CoA carboxylase phosphorylation were investigated in 3T3-L1 cells and isolated wild-type adipocytes. Serum FFA, glycerol, and leptin concentrations, as well as abdominal adiposity, were significantly increased in apelin-null vs. wild-type mice; these changes were ameliorated in response to exogenous apelin. Apelin also reduced isoproterenol-induced FFA release in adipocytes isolated from wild-type but not APJ-null mice. In 3T3-L1 cells and isolated adipocytes, apelin attenuated isoproterenol-induced FFA/glycerol release. Apelin’s inhibition was reversed by pertussis toxin, the Gq inhibitor glycoprotein antagonist 2A, and the AMP-activated protein kinase inhibitors compound C and dorsomorphin. Apelin increased HSL phosphorylation at Ser-565 and also abrogated isoproterenol-induced HSL phosphorylation at Ser-563. Notably, apelin increased acetyl CoA carboxylase phosphorylation, suggesting AMPK activation. In conclusion, apelin negatively regulates lipolysis. Its actions may be mediated by pathways involving Gq, Gi, and AMP-activated protein kinase.
FRPs — The Environmental Agenda
Authors: Halliwell Sue
Published: November 2010

Fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) are increasingly being used in construction due to their light weight, ease of installation, low maintenance, tailor made properties, and corrosion resistance. The UK FRP industry produces 240,000 tonnes of products a year with 11% of this being for the construction industry in a variety of structural and on-structural applications. Products made from FRP materials can offer significant environmental benefits, for example, FRPs used in bridges can reduce the overall weight of the structure and so offer reduced transport and installation impacts. However, although the in service environmental benefits of composites are known, there is far less understanding of the environmental and social implications associated with the manufacture of FRP materials and products.

Current and impending waste management legislation will put more pressure on the industry to address the options available for dealing with FRP waste. Such waste legislation focuses on dealing with waste through the w aste hierarchy and will therefore put more pressure on solving FRP waste management through recycling and reuse. At present the most common disposal method for UK FRP waste is landfill. To assist in the transition from disposal in landfill to recycling, the FRP industry needs to consider designing materials and components for easier deconstruction, reuse and recycling at the end of the product life.

This paper will highlight the key issues affecting the FRP industry, taking a cradle to grave approach and assessing the environmental impacts at each stage.
Structural Performance of FRP Composites in Fire
Authors: Keller Thomas , Bai Yu
Published: November 2010

This paper reviews the experimental and modeling work that has been carried out concerning the behavior of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in fire since the 1980s. The first part focuses on the thermophysical properties and temperature responses, while the second considers thermomechanical properties and responses, which are significantly affected by the thermal exposure of the FRP material. Furthermore, the application of deformation-based or strength-based failure criteria enables the prediction of time-to-failure. If the fire exposure time is less than the time-to-failure, the post-fire behavior is of interest and the post-fire properties and their potential recovery after cooling are particularly addressed. This fundamental understanding obtained as a result of both modeling and experimental work makes a reliable endurance design for FRP structures in fire possible.
Statistical Analyses and Parametric Study for Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened in Flexure with FRPs
Authors: Baky H. Abdel , Ebead U.A. , Neale K.W.
Published: November 2010

In this paper, statistical analyses and a parametric study are presented for reinforced concrete beams strengthened in flexure using FRP composites. Five variables are considered in this study; namely, the FRP axial stiffness, concrete strength, steel reinforcement ratio, beam depth, and beam span. We aim to develop statistics-based design equations to predict the debonding load, the flexural capacity of the beam cross-section, the maximum deflection at the debonding load, the ductility index, and the debonding strain level in the FRP laminate. Simplifying these statistical models is then carried out to develop robust design equations. These equations hold an advantage over those available in most code specifications because they account for the effect of interactions between various variables on the predicted quantities.

The statistical analyses are primarily based on the response surface methodology (RSM) technique. The proposed models are thus referred to as the RSM models. Proposed design equations are then developed by simplifying the RSM models using Monte Carlo simulations and nonlinear regression analysis. Of the five responses considered in the RSM analysis, only the debonding strain level in FRP laminates is considered in the design equations. The data required for the statistical analysis were obtained from finite element models for beams having different combinations of variables.

The statistical analyses are followed by a parametric study to investigate the effect of the above five variables and their interactions on the debonding load and the corresponding debonding strain level in the FRP laminate. This involves comparisons in terms of the debonding strain between the predictions of the proposed equation and those of the ACI, fib, Chinese specifications, and Australian standards.
Vibration Characteristics of Sandwich Beams with Steel Skins and Magnetorheological Elastomer Cores
Authors: Choi W.J. , Xiong Y.P. , Shenoi R.A.
Published: November 2010

Magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) cored sandwich beams with steel skins offer potentially advantageous features when used in the context of structural dynamics. Modelling of the dynamic behaviour is undertaken in this investigation by adopting a higher order sandwich beam theory. Frequency responses from the theoretical modelling are compared with experimental results on MRE cored sandwich beams. The experimental responses are generated from a specially designed test rig to study dynamic behaviour, damping effects, localised magnetic field effects and energy dissipation with varying topology. A numerically based parametric study is conducted to find the optimum geometry for skins and core material to enhance damping performance. Under the same magnetic field strength, sandwich beams with thinner skins and thicker MRE core dissapate more vibration energy. Correlation between the experimental results and numerical studies has been found to be reasonably good.
Optimised Beam Design Using Innovative Fabric-Formed Concrete
Authors: Garbett J. , Darby A.P. , Ibell T.J.
Published: November 2010

With pressure on designers to provide sustainability driven structural solutions, making best use of resources in structural design becomes paramount. In particular, cement is one of the greatest CO2 contributors and its use in concrete structures means that optimisation to minimise material and weight is crucial. Optimal design techniques, such as the bone growth analogy, result in extraordinary images of curvaceous and interesting optimised systems. However, the link to practical construction has not always been considered. Simultaneous with this sort of optimisation, various researchers around the world have been looking at the use of flexible fabric formwork for the casting of interesting architectural concrete structures. This previous research has not fully made the link between beauty and precise prediction of final geometry. This paper describes recent research at the University of Bath, which has created a link between aesthetic appeal, structural optimisation, precise definition of final geometric form, and practicality of construction. The paper describes how optimally designed flexibly-formed concrete structural elements may be designed and constructed. It is shown that accurate prediction of final bulbous shapes is possible, that control of structural capacity at any section of the element is feasible, and that highly-aesthetic outcomes are achievable.
Polymers, Fibres, Composites and the Civil Engineering Environment: A Personal Experience
Authors: Hollaway L.C.
Published: November 2010

The paper discusses the experience gained by a civil engineer in the utilisation of advanced polymer composites in construction from the mid-1960s to the present time. It has considered the early use of composites in the form of load bearing and infill panels in conjunction with a basic RC beam and column skeletal structure, through to geometric shapes of all FRP building systems. The experience gained from this work encouraged the civil engineering industry to consider the building block technique to form structural members. The cost of the material was recognised as a disadvantage but its advantages in terms of mechanical and in-service properties were considerable. It was acknowledged that currently the most advantageous use of FRP composites in construction was in the form of hybrid structural systems made from them and the more conventional civil engineering materials such as concrete, steel and aluminium. The developments of composite structural systems for construction have been discussed.

In the mid 1980s large reflectors for space were being investigated and designed by NASA and the Ministry of Defence, UK. This paper outlines the experience gained in developing FRP deployable skeletal structures, an energy loaded joint and a composite material that could resist the hostile environment of space.

The paper has shown the successful use of advanced polymer composites in construction over a very short period of time and it has intimated that the continued success of the material is in the hands of many eminent civil engineers who, by their ingenuity and innovation will influence over future years the rapid and continued use of polymers and polymers composites.
Behavior of Hybrid FRP-Concrete-Steel Double-Skin Tubular Columns Subjected to Eccentric Compression
Authors: Yu T. , Wong Y.L. , Teng J.G.
Published: November 2010

Hybrid FRP-concrete-steel double-skin tubular columns (DSTCs) are a new form of hybrid columns recently proposed by the third author. The new column consists of an inner steel tube and an outer FRP tube, with the space between them filled with concrete. The new column possesses many advantages over existing columns including its good ductility, corrosion resistance and ease for construction. This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the behavior of the new hybrid DSTCs subject to eccentric compression as well as results from a corresponding theoretical model using the fiber element approach. A so-called “variable confinement model” was adopted in the theoretical analysis for the concrete in the hybrid DSTCs, to account for the effect of strain gradient on the confinement effectiveness. The theoretical model was shown to provide accurate predictions of the test results, and was used in a subsequent parametric study.
A General Analytical Method for the Analysis of Interfacial Stresses in Plated Beams under Arbitrary Loading
Authors: Narayanamurthy V. , Chen J.F. , Cairns J.
Published: November 2010

Recent developments in structural engineering have demonstrated effective enhancement in strength and performance of reinforced concrete (RC) and metallic beams bonded with a fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite or steel plate on their tension face. This technique is now popularly adopted for the retrofitting and strengthening of existing structures. Under applied loading after strengthening, interfacial shear and normal stresses are developed between the adherends in such plated beams due to the transfer of stresses between the bonded plate and the original beam. The combination of these stresses may be responsible for premature plate end debonding failure of the plate from the original beam in a brittle manner. Consequently, many analytical solutions have been developed to quantify these interfacial stresses. However, almost all of these solutions are applicable only to thin plates bonded to the beam and are specific to pre-defined simple loading arrangements, so each solution is commonly only applicable to a specific loading.

This paper presents a new analytical solution for the interfacial stresses in a simply supported beam bonded with a thin or thick plate to the tension face. The solution is generic and applicable to beams and plates made of any structural materials within the linear elastic range, in common with almost all previous studies. The novelty of this work lies in the application of the superposition principle so that the simple solution is applicable to any arbitrary loading arrangement. Numerical comparison of the new solution with one of the existing solutions and finite element predictions for three loading cases illustrate the accuracy and applicability of the new analytical solution.
Fears of compassion: Development of three self‐report measures
Authors: Gilbert Paul , McEwan Kirsten , Matos Marcela , Rivis Amanda
Published: November 2010

Objectives. There is increasing evidence that helping people develop compassion for themselves and others has powerful impacts on negative affect and promotes positive affect. However, clinical observations suggest that some individuals, particularly those high in self‐criticism, can find self‐compassion and receiving compassion difficult and can be fearful of it. This study therefore developed measures of fear of: compassion for others, compassion from others, and compassion for self. We also explored the relationship of these fears with established compassion for self and compassion for others measures, self‐criticism, attachment styles, and depression, anxiety, and stress.

Method. Students (N= 222) and therapists (N= 53) completed measures of fears of compassion, self‐compassion, compassion for others, self‐criticism, adult attachment, and psychopathology.

Results. Fear of compassion for self was linked to fear of compassion from others, and both were associated with self‐coldness, self‐criticism, insecure attachment, and depression, anxiety, and stress. In a multiple regression, self‐criticism was the only significant predictor of depression.

Conclusion. This study suggests the importance of exploring how and why some people may actively resist engaging in compassionate experiences or behaviours and be fearful of affiliative emotions in general. This has important implications for therapeutic interventions and the therapeutic relationship because affiliative emotions are major regulators of threat‐based emotions.
Smooth jazz: a case study in the relationships between commercial radio formats, audience research and music production
Authors: Barber Simon
Published: November 2010

This article examines the relationships between three areas of activity within the music and media industries: the construction of music formats for commercial radio programming, audience research and music production. With specific reference to two companies located in the United States, this research explores some of the ways in which these practices impact upon one another and help to develop the organization of music genres into discrete, strictly controlled, radio formats. In order to illustrate the relationship between music formatting and audience research, this work makes a case study of Broadcast Architecture, a Los Angeles-based research and consultancy firm. Prominent in the radio industry since 1988, Broadcast Architecture is the primary exponent of the smooth jazz format and a leader in audience research technologies. To examine the relationships between Broadcast Architecture and the production of music used in smooth jazz radio programming, the case study considers the work of GRP Records, a popular jazz label established in 1982. The findings of this research are used as a basis for asking questions about the relationships between musical creativity, radio programming and audience tastes. The case of GRP Records, which has existed as both an independent jazz label and a subsidiary of major labels, illustrates how record companies can cater to the needs of radio formats and therefore the ways in which radio formats can exert influence upon the music available in the record market. The primary research presented herein draws upon a series of interviews with the founders and senior executives of Broadcast Architecture plus the founders, staff and artists affiliated with GRP Records.
New Testament Book Epigrams. Some New Evidence from the Eleventh Century
Authors: Bentein Klaas , Bernard Floris , Demoen Kristoffel , de Groote Marc
Published: November 2010

The article offers an edition, translation and commentary of eight so-called book epigrams. They all stem from eleventh-century manuscripts containing the New Testament or commentaries on it, more specifically the Paris. Coisl. 199, the Vindobon. Theol. Gr. 302, the Paris. Coisl. 26, and the Vatic. Gr. 363. While most of them are unedited, the second one is a conflation of known epigrams, and the third an unknown version of a previously edited epigram.

Although book epigrams are frequently encountered in Byzantine manuscripts, the genre has not received much attention. In the track of the recently increasing interest in manuscripts as cultural artifacts in their own right, our commentary focuses on the relationship between epigram and manuscript, and the process of copying. It also discusses textual problems, structure, content, function, vocabulary, and metrical features of the poems.

The analysis is enriched by parallels from other, mostly contemporary, book epigrams, which were collected during an ongoing database project at Ghent University. The comparison shows, among other things, that the material belonging to this genre is ‘recyclable’: it is constantly re-used, sometimes with slight but meaningful modifications.
Kritisches Zu Kaiserzeitlichen und Byzantinischen Epigrammen
Authors: Gärtner Thomas
Published: November 2010

This paper offers critical remarks to the text of four epigrams of the Greek Anthology, namely V 39 (Nikarchos), VII 562 (Julian of Egypt), VII 597, and IX 794.
Byzantine Responses to the Battlefield Tactics of the Armies of the Turkoman Principalities: The Battle of Pelekanos (1329)
Authors: Kyriakidis Savvas
Published: November 2010

This article examines the Byzantine responses to the battlefield tactics followed by the armies of the Turkoman chiefdoms during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The most characteristic example reflecting the difficulties faced by the Byzantine army when confronted by the Turkomans is the battle of Pelekanos, in the gulf of Nikomedia. It was fought in 1329 between the Byzantines under the command of the emperor Andronikos III (1328–1341), and the Ottomans whose leader was Orhan (1326–1362). The outcome of this battle typifies the inability of the late Byzantine armies to deal effectively with the Turkoman cavalry archers, despite the instructions given by the military treatises which were compiled in the earlier periods of Byzantine history, despite the experience of fighting against enemies of similar nature in the past, and despite the fact that generals such as Kantakouzenos possessed a good knowledge of the fighting methods of the Turkomans. This article argues that the inability of the Byzantines to adjust to the demands of the battlefield tactics of the Turkoman warriors was a combination of many factors. The loss of Asia Minor deprived Byzantium of its main source of competent archers. The Byzantines relied on heavy cavalry which, although it proved ineffective against the Turkomans, was the symbol of exalted status of members of the aristocracy. Moreover, stereotyped views about the Turkomans affected the performance of the Byzantines on the battlefield. It seems that Byzantine generals, even if they knew the fighting methods of the Turkomans, very often could not fully understand the strength of their armies. This article concludes that the failure to react successfully to the battlefield tactics of the Turkomans could be partly described as a failure of cultural adaptation, reinforced by stereotypes about ‘barbarians.’
Byzantine Lead Seals and Other Minor Objects from Mystras: New Historical Evidence for the Region of Byzantine Lakedaimon
Authors: Stavrakos Christos
Published: November 2010

This article presents the unpublished Byzantine lead seals from the archaeological collection of Mystras which now are stored in the depots of the Museum of Mystras.

The first seal names a Michael Barys (late eleventh to early twelfth century). Probably he was bishop of Helos, known from another seal with metrical inscription which has not been fully read until now. – The second is a seal of an imperial protospatharios and tourmarches Spartaron Ioannes (mid-to-late tenth century). This military unit is attested by this seal and other three parallel pieces from the collection of Dumbarton Oaks. The name Spartaron and the fact that this seal was found in Sparta can be taken as evidence for the existence of a military unit which recalls the capabilities and fighting prowess of the Ancient Spartans. – The third lead seal mentions a vestarches and judge of the Velum, of Peloponnesos and Hellas (mid-to-late eleventh century) Petros Serblias. It describes an unknown stadium of the career of Petros Serblias, a person already known from other sources.

At the end four metallic plates are presented, found near to the Upper Gate of the castle of Mystras, which are caps for bottles of theriaca, a well known antiseptic medicine from the apothecary of Due Mori in Venice (18th–19th century).

Two of the seals were found in a recently unearthed Byzantine olive-press in a quarter of Byzantine Sparta where the city was expanded in the time between the tenth and twelfth century.
Sirmian Martyrs in Exile Pannonian Case-Studies Anda Re-Evaluation of The St. Demetrius Problem
Authors: Tóth Peter
Published: November 2010

The question of the origins of the cult of the fourth century martyr, Demetrius of Thessalonica has been the focal point of hagiographical research since the first publication of his passions by the Bollandists in 1780. Since then there were the most divergent hypotheses put forward to explain the obscure beginnings of his Thessalonican basilica and his alleged connection to Sirmium and its martyred deacon, Demetrius. Different ideas and assumptions were proposed based on various arthistorical, archaeological and literary observations, or sometimes relying only on national ideologies or even pure fantasy. However, there were no attempts made to put the whole problem into the wider context of the Illyrian hagiographic tradition and to make a detailed comparison between St Demetrius' cult and the afterlife of other Pannonian and Illyrian martyrs. In the present paper, then, after a critical analysis of the problem and its proposed solutions, a number of comparative case-studies will be carried out aiming to map the basic tendences of the afterlife of the martyrs of Late Antique Illyricum which presumably will help us to have a better view of the whole problem of the migration of the Illyrian martyrs and to provide a fresh solution for the origin and development of St Demetrius' cult.
Urban or Rural? Theoretical Remarks on the Settlement Patterns in Byzantine Epirus (7th–11th Centuries)
Authors: Veikou Myrto
Published: November 2010

This paper refers to habitation in the Byzantine Empire from the 7th to the 11th centuries and attempts a reappraisal of the patterns used to describe, evaluate and interpret the distribution of archaeological remains. Based on the study of a region in western Greek mainland, several contradictions between the historical and the archaeological evidence on settlement are being discussed; those reveal the prevalence of dispersed rather than nuclear patterns of habitation in the area. These patterns are further discussed within the context of medieval settlement around the Mediterranean. The physical form of Middle Byzantine Episcopal sees is sought for while the term ‘κάστρον’ is examined against the “archaeological imaginary” of 6th–11th c. Byzantine fortified settlements.

It is concluded that the contextualization of archaeological and historical evidence for Middle Byzantine settlements in Southern Epiros demonstrates instead a rather flexible organization of habitation; episcopal sees do not seem to have corresponded to any clear distinct type of settlement. It is therefore suggested that during periods of rapid social change expressed through a transformation of habitation, specific forms or sizes of settlements cannot be correlated to specific functions or other political or socioeconomic activities. There should rather be more of “hybrid” settlement formations of changing nature and mixed qualities. Given the dynamic development pattern of Byzantine habitats, there is room for such “open” analytical categories in the archaeology of settlements, in order to facilitate descriptions of find distributions which do not conform to the available theoretical patterns. These new categories could further lead to an emergence of new interpretation schemes bringing out the spatial differentiation and uniqueness which seems to have been very much the case in the evolution of Byzantine provincial settlement patterns.
Metaphor in usage
Authors: Steen Gerard J. , Dorst Aletta G. , Herrmann J. Berenike , Kaal Anna A. , Krennmayr Tina
Published: November 2010

This paper examines patterns of metaphor in usage. Four samples of text excerpts of on average 47,000 words each were taken from the British National Corpus and annotated for metaphor. The linguistic metaphor data were collected by five analysts on the basis of a highly explicit identification procedure that is a variant of the approach developed by the Pragglejaz Group (Metaphor and Symbol 22: 1–39, 2007). Part of this paper is a report of the protocol and the reliability of the procedure.

Data analysis shows that, on average, one in every seven and a half lexical units in the corpus is related to metaphor defined as a potential cross-domain mapping in conceptual structure. It also appears that the bulk of the expression of metaphor in discourse consists of non-signalled metaphorically used words, not similes. The distribution of metaphor-related words, finally, turns out to be quite variable between the four registers examined in this study: academic texts have 18.5%, news 16.4%, fiction 11.7%, and conversation 7.7%. The systematic comparative investigation of these registers raises new questions about the relation between cognitive linguistic and other approaches to metaphor.
Asymmetry in script opposition
Authors: Viana Amadeu
Published: November 2010

This article examines the relationship between targets and script distribution in humour, starting from some basic notions of GTVH. Script asymmetry, considered here as a property of Script Opposition, is defined in terms of a perceptual difference between scripts, which matches a fairly common distribution: a Foreground Script against a Background Script. Throughout this paper, the attributes of this script distribution are explored in verbal jokes, graphic humour and conversational spontaneous joking. This particular script distribution leads to an interesting consequence when overt targets are implied: the set of inferences that we attribute to the target arises regularly from the Foreground Script, the script that closes the joke. If this correlation of script distribution and target attribution holds, we can account for a formal connection between the structure of the joke and its derisive intention.
ACHTUNG: Absprache! Zur Transparenz strafprozessualer Verständigung
Authors: Kölbel Ralf , Selter Susanne
Published: November 2010

Am 28.5.2009 hat der Bundestag einen Gesetzentwurf verabschiedet, der Verfahren, Inhalte und Folgen strafprozessualer Verständigungen zu normieren sucht. Das Zustandekommen und das Scheitern einer Absprache sind ebenso Gegenstand der Regelungen wie bspw. Rechtsmittelfragen. Im Zusammenhang mit der darüber hinaus intendierten Verfahrenstransparenz gibt nun die künftige Vorschrift den Gerichten u. a. auf, den Umstand der erfolgten Verständigung in den Urteilsgründen (und nicht nur im Protokoll) zu erwähnen. Dies ist ein Novum. Bislang hatte man eine solche Vorkehrung nur vereinzelt erwogen oder deren Notwendigkeit gar in Abrede gestellt. So ist denn hierfür auch bis dato noch keine dogmatische Fundierung erfolgt. Bei näherem Hinsehen erweist es sich jedoch als geradezu zwingende Notwendigkeit, den Verständigungsvorgang auf die nämliche Weise sichtbar werden zu lassen. In manchen Konstellationen, in denen jener Hinweis erforderlich ist, böten zwar auch schon die Vorgaben, die der BGH in seiner Entscheidung vom 6.11.2007 (1 StR 370/07 – BGHSt 52, 78–84) formuliert, eine ausreichende Lösung, doch für andere Sachlagen bedarf es zusätzlich des nunmehr vorgeschriebenen Absprachesignals.
Abstract motion is no longer abstract
Authors: Matlock Teenie
Published: November 2010

Dynamic conceptualization is a fundamental notion in cognitive linguistics. Abstract motion is one type of dynamic conceptualization. It is said to structure descriptions of static scenes such as ‘The mountain range goes from Mexico to Canada’, and in doing so, invokes a subjective sense of motion or state change. In recent years, a growing body of experimental research supports this claim. However, additional work is needed to understand the dynamics of abstract motion and the extent to which it generalizes. This paper provides some background on abstract motion and reports two new experiments that investigate two unexplored types of abstract motion, including visual paths and pattern paths. Together, the results indicate that abstract motion plays a central role in language use and understanding.
Mutual bootstrapping between language and analogical processing
Authors: Gentner Dedre , Christie Stella
Published: November 2010

What makes us so smart as a species, and what makes children such rapid learners? We argue that the answer to both questions lies in a mutual bootstrapping system comprised of (1) our exceptional capacity for relational cognition and (2) symbolic systems that augment this capacity. The ability to carry out structure-mapping processes of alignment and inference is inherent in human cognition. It is arguably the key inherent difference between humans and other great apes. But an equally important difference is that humans possess a symbolic language.

The acquisition of language influences cognitive development in many ways. We focus here on the role of language in a mutually facilitating partnership with relational representation and reasoning. We suggest a positive feedback relation in which structural alignment processes support the acquisition of language, and in turn, language—especially relational language—supports structural alignment and reasoning.

We review three kinds of evidence (a) evidence that analogical processes support children's learning in a variety of domains; (b) more specifically, evidence that analogical processing fosters the acquisition of language, especially relational language; and (c) in the other direction, evidence that acquiring language fosters children's ability to process analogies, focusing on spatial language and spatial analogies. We conclude with an analysis of the acquisition of cardinality—which we offer as a canonical case of how the combination of language and analogical processing fosters cognitive development.
Making Self-Regulation More Than Merely Symbolic: The Critical Role of the Legal Environment
Authors: Short Jodi L. , Toffel Michael W.
Published: November 2010

Using data from a sample of U.S. industrial facilities subject to the federal Clean Air Act from 1993 to 2003, this article theorizes and tests the conditions under which organizations' symbolic commitments to self-regulate are particularly likely to result in improved compliance practices and outcomes. We argue that the legal environment, particularly as it is constructed by the enforcement activities of regulators, significantly influences the likelihood that organizations will effectively implement the self-regulatory commitments they symbolically adopt. We investigate how different enforcement tools can foster or undermine organizations' normative motivations to self-regulate. We find that organizations are more likely to follow through on their commitments to self-regulate when they (and their competitors) are subject to heavy regulatory surveillance and when they adopt self-regulation in the absence of an explicit threat of sanctions. We also find that historically poor compliers are significantly less likely to follow through on their commitments to self-regulate, suggesting a substantial limitation on the use of self-regulation as a strategy for reforming struggling organizations. Taken together, these findings suggest that self-regulation can be a useful tool for leveraging the normative motivations of regulated organizations but that it cannot replace traditional deterrence-based enforcement.
Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Embeddedness Failure in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Azoulay Pierre , Repenning Nelson P. , Zuckerman Ezra W.
Published: November 2010

Since the early 1990s, U.S. pharmaceutical firms have partially outsourced the coordination of the clinical trials they sponsor to specialized firms called contract research organizations. Although these exchanges appeared ripe for the development of close, “embedded” ties, they were in fact “nasty, brutish, and short” — i.e., marked by ill-will and a bias toward replacing current exchange partners due to perceptions of underperformance. Drawing on in-depth field work, we use causal loop diagrams to capture this puzzle and to help explain it. Our analysis suggests that attempts to build embedded relations will fail if the parties do not recognize the limitations of the commitments they can credibly make. More generally, when managers misdiagnose as failure what is in fact a trade-off inherent in the design of their organizations, they risk engendering even worse outcomes than those they would otherwise attain.
Quantum processes in 8-Oxo-Guanine-Ru(bipyridine)32+ photosynthetic systems of artificial minimal cells
Authors: Tamulis Arvydas , Grigalavicius Mantas , Krisciukaitis Sarunas , Medzevicius Giedrius
Published: November 2010

Density functional theory methods were used to investigate various self-assembled photoactive bioorganic systems of interest for artificial minimal cells. The cell systems studied are based on nucleotides or their compounds and consisted of up to 123 atoms (not including the associated water or methanol solvent shells) and are up to 2.5 nm in diameter. The electron correlation interactions responsible for the weak hydrogen and Van derWaals chemical bonds increase due to the addition of a polar solvent (water or methanol). The precursor fatty acid molecules of the system also play a critical role in the quantum mechanical interaction based self-assembly of the photosynthetic center and the functioning of the photosynthetic processes of the artificial minimal cells. The distances between the separated sensitizer, fatty acid precursor, and methanol molecules are comparable to Van derWaals and hydrogen bonding radii. As a result the associated electron correlation interactions compress the overall system, resulting in an even smaller gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) electron energy levels and photoexcited electron tunnelling occurs from the sensitizer (either Ru(bpy)32+ or [Ru(bpy)2(4-Bu-4’-Me-2,2’-bpy)]2++ derivatives) to the precursor fatty acid molecules (notation used: Me = methyl; Bu = butyl; bpy = bipyridine). The shift of the absorption spectrum to the red for the artificial protocell photosynthetic centers might be considered as the measure of the complexity of these systems.
Top down nano technologies in surface modification of materials
Authors: Radjenović Branislav , Radmilović-Radjenović Marija
Published: November 2010

This article contains a broad overview of etch process as one of the most important top-down technologies widely used in semiconductor manufacturing and surface modification of nanostructures. In plasma etching process, the complexity comes from the introduction of new materials and from the constant reduction in dimensions of the structures in microelectronics. The emphasis was made on two types of etching processes: dry etching and wet etching illustrated by three dimensional (3D) simulation results for the etching profile evolution based on the level set method. The etching of low-k dielectrics has been demonstrated via modelling the porous materials. Finally, simulation results for the roughness formation during isotropic etching of nanocomposite materials as well as smoothing of the homogeneous materials have also been shown and analyzed. Simulation results, presented here, indicate that with shrinking microelectronic devices, plasma and wet etching interpretative and predictive modeling and simulation have become increasingly more attractive as a tool for design, control and optimization of plasma reactors.
Introduction: Literary Public Spheres
Authors: Forslid Torbjörn , Ohlsson Anders
Published: November 2010

No abstract available.
Look-Ahead Strategies Based on Store-Carry and Forward Relaying for Energy Efficient Cellular Communications
Authors: Kolios Panayiotis , Friderikos Vasilis , Papadaki Katerina
Published: November 2010

With the increasing availability of Internet type services on mobile devices and the attractive flat rate all-you-can-eat billing system, cellular telecommunication networks are experiencing a tremendous growth in data usage demand. However, there are increasing concerns that current network deployment trends (including more efficient radio access techniques and increased spectrum allocation strategies), will be unable to support the increased Internet traffic in a sustainable way. The delay tolerant nature of mobile Internet traffic allows for a large degree of flexibility in optimizing network performance to meet different design objectives and it’s a feature that has mostly gone unexplored by the research community. In this paper, we introduce a novel message forwarding mechanism in cellular networks that benefits from the inherent delay tolerance of Internet type services to provide flexible and adjustable forwarding strategies for efficient network operation while guaranteeing timely deliveries. By capitalizing on the elasticity of message delivery deadlines and the actual mobility of nodes inside the cell, considerable performance gains can be achieved by physically propagating information messages within the network.
Nutraceutical Antioxidants as Novel Neuroprotective Agents
Authors: Kelsey Natalie A. , Wilkins Heather M. , Linseman Daniel A.
Published: November 2010

A variety of antioxidant compounds derived from natural products (nutraceuticals) have demonstrated neuroprotective activity in either in vitro or in vivo models of neuronal cell death or neurodegeneration, respectively. These natural antioxidants fall into several distinct groups based on their chemical structures: (1) flavonoid polyphenols like epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) from green tea and quercetin from apples; (2) non-flavonoid polyphenols such as curcumin from tumeric and resveratrol from grapes; (3) phenolic acids or phenolic diterpenes such as rosmarinic acid or carnosic acid, respectively, both from rosemary; and (4) organosulfur compounds including the isothiocyanate, L-sulforaphane, from broccoli and the thiosulfonate allicin, from garlic. All of these compounds are generally considered to be antioxidants. They may be classified this way either because they directly scavenge free radicals or they indirectly increase endogenous cellular antioxidant defenses, for example, via activation of the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) transcription factor pathway. Alternative mechanisms of action have also been suggested for the neuroprotective effects of these compounds such as modulation of signal transduction cascades or effects on gene expression. Here, we review the literature pertaining to these various classes of nutraceutical antioxidants and discuss their potential therapeutic value in neurodegenerative diseases.
New Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Proliferative Constituents from Fermented Red Mold Rice Monascus purpureus NTU 568
Authors: Hsu Ya-Wen , Hsu Li-Chuan , Chang Chao-Lin , Liang Yu-Han , Kuo Yao-Haur , Pan Tzu-Ming
Published: November 2010

Six azaphilonoid derivatives, including two new blue fluorescent monapurfluores A (1) and B (2), two known pyridine-containing molecules, monascopyridines C (3) and D (4), and two known monasfluores A (5) and B (6), were isolated and characterized from red mold rice fermented by Monascus purpureus NTU 568. Structural elucidation of new isolates was based on nuclear magnetic resonance (1H- NMR, 13C-NMR, COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) and other spectroscopic analyses. Bioactivity evaluation indicated that 1-6 possessed anti-inflammatory activities with dose-dependent relationships for lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide production. Furthermore, 1-4 also showed moderate antiproliferative effects against human laryngeal carcinoma (HEp-2) (IC50 = 14.81~20.06 μg/mL) and human colon adenocarcinoma (WiDr) (IC50 = 12.89~21.14 μg/mL).
Composition and Antimicrobial Activities of Lippia multiflora Moldenke, Mentha x piperita L. and Ocimum basilicum L. Essential Oils and Their Major Monoterpene Alcohols Alone and in Combination
Authors: Bassolé Imaël Henri Nestor , Lamien-Meda Aline , Bayala Balé , Tirogo Souleymane , Franz Chlodwig , Novak Johannes , Nebié Roger Charles , Dicko Mamoudou Hama
Published: November 2010

Essential oils from leaves of Lippia multiflora, Mentha x piperita and Ocimum basilicum from Burkina Faso were analysed by GC–FID and GC–MS. Major components were p-cymene, thymol, b-caryophyllene, carvacrol and carvone for L. multiflora, menthol and iso-menthone for M. x piperita and, linalool and eugenol for O. basilicum. The essential oils and their major monoterpene alcohols were tested against nine bacterial strains using the disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The essential oils with high phenolic contents were the most effective antimicrobials. The checkerboard method was used to quantify the efficacy of paired combinations of essential oils and their major components. The best synergetic effects among essential oils and major components were obtained with combinations involving O. basilicum essential oil and eugenol, respectively. As phenolic components are characterized by a strong spicy aroma, this study suggests that the selection of certain combinations of EOs could help to reduce the amount of essential oils and consequently reduce any adverse sensory impact in food.
Herba Epimedii: Anti-Oxidative Properties and Its Medical Implications
Authors: Sze Stephen Cho Wing , Tong Yao , Ng Tzi Bun , Cheng Chris Lok Yin , Cheung Ho Pan
Published: November 2010

Herba Epimedii is a Chinese herbal medicine with proven efficacy in treating cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis, and in improving sexual and neurological functions. This efficacy is found to be related to the potent anti-oxidative ability of Herba Epimedii and its flavonoid components, with icarrin as the main effective constituent, along with polysaccharides and vitamin C. These ingredients have been proven to be effective against oxidative-stress related pathologies (cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and inflammation) in animal rodent models and in vitro studies. Their anti-oxidative properties are found to be related to an inductive effect on endogenous free-radical scavenging enzymes such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase and the inherent electron-donating ability of flavonoids.