bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE APPLICATION OF SATURATING DETECTORS TO A DCT-DOMAIN WATERMARKING SCHEME
Authors: DUAN FABING , ABBOTT DEREK , CHAPEAU-BLONDEAU FRANÇOIS
Published: April 2008

The present paper proposes a discrete cosine transform (DCT) domain watermarking scheme by exploiting nonlinear dynamical saturating detectors in the design of a watermark detection process. A binary copyright character, i.e. watermark to be hidden into an image, is firstly reordered into a binary zig-zag sequence, and then mapped onto the pulse amplitude modulated signal. A certain desynchronization time delay can be deliberately placed into one code of the modulated signal, and is tolerated due to the superior robustness of nonlinear detectors over matched filters. A selected set of DCT coefficients of a host image in a mid frequency range is shuffled by the Arnold transform, which makes it look more like background noise with respect to the watermark signal. Then, the watermark signal is embedded in the set of shuffled DCT coefficients. The copyright character can be extracted by a nonlinear saturating detector without prior knowledge of the original image and watermark, i.e. blind watermark detection. Interestingly, a higher match between the original watermark character and the extracted one can be further achieved by a parallel array of nonlinear detectors via the mechanism of array stochastic resonance. Robustness of the proposed watermarking scheme is shown in the presence of noise, filtering, cropping, and compression.
HIGHLY SENSITIVE MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE OF RELATIVE INTENSITY NOISE AND LASER CHARACTERIZATION
Authors: POETTE JULIEN , BESNARD PASCAL , BRAMERIE LAURENT , SIMON JEAN-CLAUDE
Published: April 2008

A sensitive technique to measure the relative intensity noise of a laser is described. Such experiment is a useful tool for laser characterizations, allowing direct measurement of physical parameters like relaxation oscillation frequencies and damping factor. Examples of determination of such parameters are given.
INFLUENCE OF THE INLET SHAPE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF DOUBLE OFFSET TRANSITION S-DUCT WITH DIFFUSION
Authors: SINGH RAJESH KUMAR , SINGH SIDHNATH , SESHADRI V.
Published: April 2008

Transition S-shaped intake duct is a crucial component of dual engine used in modern combat aircrafts. Present flow investigation demonstrates the flow behavior of double offset transition S-duct for different inlet geometries having circular exit (ϕ = 72.5 mm) and uniform roughness. The inlet geometries namely rectangular, square, elliptical, oval, and semicircular have been analyzed for double offset transition S-duct having 300 mm centerline length and an area ratio of 2.0. Incompressible flow analysis carried out for free stream velocity at 30 m/s with RNG k–ε turbulence model has shown that the elliptical inlet shape gives the best performance whereas square inlet gives the worst performance in terms of longitudinal and cross-flow velocity distribution, pressure recovery, total pressure loss, distortion coefficient, and swirl coefficient at the exit of the duct.
FREE VIBRATION ANALYSIS OF CROSS-PLY LAYERED COMPOSITE BEAMS WITH FINITE LENGTH ON ELASTIC FOUNDATION
Authors: JAFARI-TALOOKOLAEI RAMAZAN-ALI , KARGARNOVIN MOHAMMAD-HOSSEIN , AHMADIAN MOHAMMAD-TAGHI
Published: April 2008

In this paper, free vibration analysis of cross-ply layered composite beams (LCB) with finite length and rectangular cross-section rested on an elastic foundation is investigated by finite element method. Based on the Timoshenko beam theory which includes the shear deformation and rotary inertia, the stiffness and mass matrices of a LCB are obtained using the energy method. Then, the natural frequencies are calculated by employing eigenvalue technique. The obtained results are verified against existing data in the literatures for a LCB with no foundation and uniform cross-section. Good agreements are observed between these cases. In the same way, the natural frequencies of a specific case, i.e. the stepped beam are calculated and finally, free vibrations of a symmetric and non-symmetric LCB are compared with each others.
SOLUTION OF CONTACT PROBLEM FOR AN ARC CRACK USING HYPERSINGULAR INTEGRAL EQUATION
Authors: CHEN Y. Z. , LIN X. Y. , WANG Z. X. , NIK LONG N. M. A.
Published: April 2008

This paper investigates the contact problem for an arc crack, for example, under a remote compression. A hypersingular integral equation (HSIE) for curved cracks in plane elasticity is suggested. It is found that the direct usage of HSIE cannot solve the mentioned contact problem. For the contact problem, one must take necessary modifications for solving the HSIE. The main modified points are as follows. First, one should assume some portion along the crack under contact. The margin or the end of the contacted portion is determined by the vanishing normal contact stress at the margin point. In addition, it is found that a suggested quadrature rule in conjunction with the curve length method provides a very effective way to solve the HSIE. Finally, several numerical examples are given.
DIFFUSION AND HOMOGENIZATION APPROXIMATION FOR SEMICONDUCTOR BOLTZMANN–POISSON SYSTEM
Authors: MASMOUDI NADER , TAYEB MOHAMED LAZHAR
Published: April 2008

In this paper, the diffusion and homogenization approximation of the Boltzmann–Poisson system in the presence of a spatially oscillating electrostatic potential is studied. By analyzing the relative entropy, the uniform energy estimate for a well-prepared boundary data is proved. An averaging lemma and two-scale convergence techniques are used to prove rigorously the convergence of the scaled Boltzmann equation (coupled to Poisson) to a homogenized drift–diffusion-Poisson system.
BLOW-UP CRITERIA FOR THE NAVIER–STOKES EQUATIONS OF COMPRESSIBLE FLUIDS
Authors: FAN JISHAN , JIANG SONG
Published: April 2008

We study the Navier–Stokes equations of three-dimensional compressible isentropic and two-dimensional heat-conducting flows in a domain Ω with nonnegative density, which may vanish in an open subset (vacuum) of Ω, and with positive density, respectively. We prove some blow-up criteria for the local strong solutions.
PERSISTENCE PROPERTIES FOR THE DEGASPERIS–PROCESI EQUATION
Authors: HENRY DAVID
Published: April 2008

For the Degasperis–Procesi equation we show that certain decay properties of the initial data persist as long as the solution exists. On the other hand, certain decay rates are possible only for the trivial solution. In particular, the only solution that remains with compact support for any further time is the trivial one.
ERROR ESTIMATES FOR A CLASS OF FINITE DIFFERENCE-QUADRATURE SCHEMES FOR FULLY NONLINEAR DEGENERATE PARABOLIC INTEGRO-PDES
Authors: BISWAS IMRAN H. , JAKOBSEN ESPEN R. , KARLSEN KENNETH H.
Published: April 2008

Error estimates are derived for a class of finite difference-quadrature schemes approximating viscosity solutions of nonlinear degenerate parabolic integro-PDEs with variable diffusion coefficients. The relevant equations can be viewed as Bellman equations associated to a class of controlled jump-diffusion (Lévy) processes. The results cover both finite and infinite activity cases.
A TIME-INDEPENDENT ENERGY ESTIMATE FOR OUTGOING SCALAR WAVES IN THE KERR GEOMETRY
Authors: FINSTER FELIX , SMOLLER JOEL
Published: April 2008

The Cauchy problem for the scalar wave equation in the Kerr geometry is considered, with initial data which is smooth and compactly supported outside the event horizon. A time-independent energy estimate for the outgoing wave is obtained. As an application, the outgoing energy for wave-packet initial data is estimated, uniformly as the support of the initial data is shifted to infinity. The main mathematical tool is the previously derived integral representation of the wave propagator.
A NONLOCAL CONSERVATION LAW WITH NONLINEAR "RADIATION" INHOMOGENEITY
Authors: DI FRANCESCO MARCO , FELLNER KLEMENS , LIU HAILIANG
Published: April 2008

A scalar conservation law with a nonlinear dissipative inhomogeneity, which serves as a simplified model for nonlinear heat radiation effects in high-temperature gases is studied. Global existence and uniqueness of weak entropy solutions along with L1 contraction and monotonicity properties of the solution semigroup is established. Explicit threshold conditions ensuring formation of shocks within finite time is derived. The main result proves — under further assumptions on the nonlinearity and on the initial datum — large time convergence in L1 to the self-similar N-waves of the homogeneous conservation law.
Increasing Extracellular Potassium Results in Subthalamic Neuron Activity Resembling That Seen in a 6-Hydroxydopamine Lesion
Authors: Strauss Ulf , Zhou Fu-Wen , Henning Jeannette , Battefeld Arne , Wree Andreas , Köhling Rüdiger , Haas Stefan Jean-Pierre , Benecke Reiner , Rolfs Arndt , Gimsa Ulrike
Published: April 2008

Abnormal neuronal activity in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although altered extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]o) and sensitivity to [K+]o modulates neuronal activity, little is known about the potassium balance in the healthy and diseased STN. In vivo measurements of [K+]o using ion-selective electrodes demonstrated a twofold increase in the decay time constant of lesion-induced [K+]o transients in the STN of adult Wistar rats with a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) median forebrain bundle lesion, employed as a model of PD, compared with nonlesioned rats. Various [K+]o concentrations (1.5–12.5 mM) were applied to in vitro slice preparations of three experimental groups of STN slices from nonlesioned control rats, ipsilateral hemispheres, and contralateral hemispheres of lesioned rats. The majority of STN neurons of nonlesioned rats and in slices contralateral to the lesion fired spontaneously, predominantly in a regular pattern, whereas those in slices ipsilateral to the lesion fired more irregularly or even in bursts. Experimentally increased [K+]o led to an increase in the number of spontaneously firing neurons and action potential firing rates in all groups. This was accompanied by a decrease in the amplitude of post spike afterhyperpolarization (AHP) and the amplitude and duration of the posttrain AHP. Lesion effects in ipsilateral neurons at physiological [K+]o resembled the effects of elevated [K+]o in nonlesioned rats. Our data suggest that changed potassium sensitivity due to conductivity alterations and delayed clearance may be critical for shaping STN activity in parkinsonian states.
Liver gene expression analysis reveals endoplasmic reticulum stress and metabolic dysfunction in SCD1-deficient mice fed a very low-fat diet
Authors: Flowers Matthew T. , Keller Mark P. , Choi YounJeong , Lan Hong , Kendziorski Christina , Ntambi James M. , Attie Alan D.
Published: April 2008

We previously reported that mice deficient in stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 ( Scd1) and maintained on a very low-fat (VLF) diet for 10 days developed severe loss of body weight, hypoglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and many cholestasis-like phenotypes. To better understand the metabolic changes associated with these phenotypes, we performed microarray analysis of hepatic gene expression in chow- and VLF-fed female Scd1+/+and Scd1−/−mice. We identified an extraordinary number of differentially expressed genes (>4,000 probe sets) in the VLF Scd1−/−relative to both VLF Scd1+/+and chow Scd1−/−mice. Transcript levels were reduced for genes involved in detoxification and several facets of fatty acid metabolism including biosynthesis, elongation, desaturation, oxidation, transport, and ketogenesis. This pattern is attributable to the decreased mRNA abundance of several genes encoding key transcription factors, including LXRα, RXRα, FXR, PPARα, PGC-1β, SREBP1c, ChREBP, CAR, DBP, TEF, and HLF. A robust induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is indicated by enhanced splicing of XBP1, increased expression of the stress-induced transcription factors CHOP and ATF3, and elevated expression of several genes involved in the integrated stress and unfolded protein response pathways. The gene expression profile is also consistent with induction of an acute inflammatory response and macrophage recruitment. These results highlight the importance of monounsaturated fatty acid synthesis for maintaining metabolic homeostasis in the absence of sufficient dietary unsaturated fat and point to a novel cellular nutrient-sensing mechanism linking fatty acid availability and/or composition to the ER stress response.
Identification of p18INK4c as a Tumor Suppressor Gene in Glioblastoma Multiforme
Authors: Solomon David A. , Kim Jung-Sik , Jenkins Sultan , Ressom Habtom , Huang Michael , Coppa Nicholas , Mabanta Lauren , Bigner Darell , Yan Hai , Jean Walter , Waldman Todd
Published: April 2008

Genomic alterations leading to aberrant activation of cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) complexes drive the pathogenesis of many common human tumor types. In the case of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), these alterations are most commonly due to homozygous deletion of p16INK4a and less commonly due to genomic amplifications of individual genes encoding cyclins or cdks. Here, we describe deletion of the p18INK4c cdk inhibitor as a novel genetic alteration driving the pathogenesis of GBM. Deletions of p18INK4c often occurred in tumors also harboring homozygous deletions of p16INK4a. Expression of p18INK4c was completely absent in 43% of GBM primary tumors studied by immunohistochemistry. Lentiviral reconstitution of p18INK4c expression at physiologic levels in p18INK4c-deficient but not p18INK4c-proficient GBM cells led to senescence-like G1 cell cycle arrest. These studies identify p18INK4c as a GBM tumor suppressor gene, revealing an additional mechanism leading to aberrant activation of cyclin/cdk complexes in this terrible malignancy. [Cancer Res 2008;68(8):2564–9]
Increased Plasma Leptin in Antipsychotic-Naïve Females with Schizophrenia, but Not in Males
Authors: Wang Hsuan Chi , Yang Yen Kuang , Chen Po See , Lee I Hui , Yeh Tzung Lieh , Lu Ru Band
Published: April 2008

Background: Metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance and increased leptin levels, were noted in patients with schizophrenia who had received antipsychotics. In this study, we examined the leptin levels of antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenic patients. Method: Seventeen antipsychotic-naïve patients with schizophrenia and 16 sex-, age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched subjects were recruited from the psychiatric outpatient clinic and community, respectively. Serum leptin levels of the healthy controls and antipsychotic-naïve patients were compared. The relationships between leptin level and gender, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score, and duration of illness were analyzed by Spearman’s correlation. Results: Compared with sex-, age- and BMI-matched subjects, the female schizophrenic patients had elevated serum leptin levels. In the male patients, the results of this preliminary study also revealeda positive correlation between leptin levels andthe Aggression Risk Profile subscale of the PANSS. Conclusion: This preliminary study suggests possible gender-specific leptin dysregulation in antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenic patients.
Dietary Epidemiology of Essential Tremor: Meat Consumption and Meat Cooking Practices
Authors: Louis Elan D. , Keating Garrett A. , Bogen Kenneth T. , Rios Eileen , Pellegrino Kathryn M. , Factor-Litvak Pam
Published: April 2008

Background/Aim: Harmane [1-methyl-9H-pyrido(3,4-b)indole] is a tremor-producing neurotoxin. Blood harmane concentrations are elevated in essential tremor (ET) patients for unclear reasons. Potential mechanisms include increased dietary harmane intake (especially through well-cooked meat) or genetic-metabolic factors. We tested the hypothesis that meat consumption and level of meat doneness are higher in ET cases than in controls. Methods: Detailed data were collected using the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Meat Questionnaire. Results: Total current meat consumption was greater in men with than without ET (135.3 ± 71.1 vs. 110.6 ± 80.4 g/day, p = 0.03) but not in women with versus without ET (80.6 ± 50.0 vs. 79.3 ± 51.0 g/day, p = 0.76). In an adjusted logistic regression analysis in males, higher total current meat consumption was associated with ET (OR = 1.006, p = 0.04, i.e., with 10 additional g/day of meat, odds of ET increased by 6%). Male cases had higher odds of being in the highest than lowest quartile of total current meat consumption (adjusted OR = 21.36, p = 0.001). Meat doneness level was similar in cases and controls. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of a dietary difference between male ET cases and male controls. The etiological ramifications of these results warrant additional investigation.
Yoga and the Wounded Heart
Authors: Sahi Jyoti
Published: April 2008

The following essay is an exploration—both verbal and pictorial—of what I have called the "yoga of the heart" in relation to a process of healing and creativity.
The Heart beyond Hearts
Authors: Tyagananda Swami
Published: April 2008

Many religious traditions ascribe to the term "heart" a meaning that goes beyond the physical and the emotional levels. In Hinduism, the discovery of the spiritual heart is generally seen as a precursor to higher experiences that transcend the mind and the senses, and culminate in the vision of God. This essay briefly describes the Hindu view of the spiritual heart, where the heart is located, and how it is experienced.
Encountering the (Divine) Mother in Hindu and Christian Hymns
Authors: Clooney Francis
Published: April 2008

In Divine Mother, Blessed Mother, the book from which the following excerpts are drawn, I ask about what Christians are to do with the invitation and the powers of sacred Hindu hymns addressed to the Divine Mother, Divine Consort, the Supreme Goddess, particularly in relation to the tradition of Mary available to Catholicism. The book's third chapter explores how texts from the Tantric tradition, such as the Saundarya Lahari, can assist in awakening our Catholic religious and inter-religious imaginations. In the passages excerpted below, I approach this question by setting my reflections on the Saundarya Lahari ("Flood of Bliss, Flood of Beauty") side-by-side with my reading of the Stabat Mater, a medieval hymn to Mary ("Flood of Sorrow, Flood of Love"). Since my reading of the Saundarya Lahari cannot be reproduced here in full, due to spatial restrictions, I refer the reader to the book itself for a more detailed exegesis of the Hindu hymn.
Pranayama: Breathing from the Heart
Authors: Kearney Richard
Published: April 2008

This essay is a testimonial account of the author's apprenticeship with a yoga teacher in the Hindu pilgrimage town of Rishikesh, Northern India. It explores the meeting of Western and Eastern attitudes to spirituality, desire, the body, study, and breathing. In particular, it seeks to register the encounter with the Vedantin and yogic notions of the "cave of the heart" as privileged space for prayer, peace, and meditation.
Bibliographia Gnostica: Supplementum II/8.1
Authors: Scholer David
Published: April 2008

This is the first section of the eighth in the series of supplementary bibliographies to David M. Scholer's Nag Hammadi Bibliography 1970-1994 (Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies 32; Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1997). The second section will be published in issue 50.3 (2008). This supplement contains items published in 2002-2006 (and a few beyond) as well as earlier items which had not been previously listed. This supplement continues the numbering of Supplementum II/7 [Novum Testamentum 46 (2004), 46-77] and, thus, begins with number 10627 and contains 917 items. For new reviews of books previously listed, the author, a brief title and bibliography entry number of the book are given.
Mainstream Pornography and “Women”: Questioning Sexual Agency
Authors: Corsianos Marilyn
Published: April 2008

The purpose of this paper is to engage in a critical analysis of the possibilities for sexual agency for North American “women” given the current patriarchal and heterosexist social landscape that is inundated with mainstream pornographic material and where very specific socially constructed female sexual performances are promoted. This paper evaluates the benefits of an experiential essentialist theoretical paradigm in exploring the possibilities for agency for “women” in their sexual lives. The paper draws on various images of female bodies and sexual performances that are presented and, in turn, promoted in mainstream pornography and examines their effects on “women” in order to show that even though various aspects of postmodernism and phenomenology regarding “women's” experiences should be applauded and embraced, they cannot be separated from experiential essentialist arguments that deal with “social truths”. Questions that are addressed are whether “women” can renegotiate the terms upon which mainstream pornography has functioned, whether “women” can use any type of pornography to explore independent sexual subjectivity and whether “women's” current sexual experiences reflect personal choice and autonomy.
Where Should We Stand to Get the Best Perspective on Collective Violence?
Authors: Klein Josh
Published: April 2008

Using critical and interactionist perspectives, sociology can improve students' understanding of collective violence. This article presents a conceptual tool for teaching about this topic. The tool is a taxonomy of ideas about security, threat, conflict, peace and justice. The bottom level of the taxonomy consists of foundational paradigms (values and assumptions). The second, more detailed, level consists of ideologies — left, center, and right. The top, most detailed, level contains two discourses, the dominant “war on terrorism” discourse, and the less influential “capitalist crisis” discourse. The war on terrorism discourse is shared by the political right and center. It identifies terrorists or criminals as the main sources of violence. The capitalist crisis discourse represents the left in foreign policy debate, and views collective violence as responses, however, indirect, to structural violence, i.e., exploitation and repression. To suggest ways this taxonomy can be used, this article offers a cursory discussion of media discourse and public opinion, illustrating the role of some of these ideas in US political culture. In addition to helping students understand both discourses, sociologists should share the “capitalist crisis” view with the public because it is the best for understanding collective violence and its resolution.
On the Usefulness of Memory Skills in Social Interactions
Authors: Winkler Isabell , Jonas Klaus , Rudolph Udo
Published: April 2008

The present experiment introduces a modification of the iterated prisoner's dilemma (PD). In contrast to classical dilemma situations with only one interaction partner, participants (N = 120) interacted with five fictitious interaction partners within one game, either in a random order (change condition) or against each of the interaction partners in succession (block condition). The authors assume that the change condition simulates the social interactions of a real environment more accurately and that individual memory skills are more important in the change condition as compared to the block condition. As dependent variables, the participants' score in the game was recorded, as well as the participants' memory performance concerning information about their interaction partners. Results show that good memory performance with respect to biographical information leads to higher scores only in the condition with changing interaction partners, but not in the block condition.
The Dynamics of Reciprocity, Accountability, and Credibility
Authors: Brandt Patrick T. , Colaresi Michael , Freeman John R.
Published: April 2008

Do public opinion dynamics play an important role in understanding conflict trajectories between democratic governments and other rival groups? The authors interpret several theories of opinion dynamics as competing clusters of contemporaneous causal links connoting reciprocity, accountability, and credibility. They translate these clusters into four distinct Bayesian structural time series models fit to events data from the Israeli—Palestinian conflict with variables for U.S. intervention and Jewish public opinion about prospects for peace. A credibility model, allowing Jewish public opinion to influence U.S., Palestinian, and Israeli behavior within a given month, fits best. More pacific Israeli opinion leads to more immediate Palestinian hostility toward Israelis. This response's direction suggests a negative feedback mechanism in which low-level conflict is maintained and momentum toward either all-out war or dramatic peace is slowed. In addition, a forecasting model including Jewish public opinion is shown to forecast ex ante better than a model without this variable.
A Longitudinal Study of Depressive Symptomology and Self-Concept in Adolescents
Authors: Montague Marjorie , Enders Craig , Dietz Samantha , Dixon Jennifer , Cavendish Wendy Morrison
Published: April 2008

The purpose of the study was to investigate the trajectories of depressive symptomology and self-concept in adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 and to determine whether primary school teacher ratings of adaptive and maladaptive behavior predict self-reported depressive symptoms and self-concept in adolescence. This study is part of an ongoing longitudinal study of a school-based sample of students representing a continuum of risk for developing emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD; N = 212). Results indicated a strong relationship between depressive symptoms and self-concept for both initial status and growth over time (i.e., depressive symptoms decreased, whereas self-concept improved). No effect was found for gender on initial status or growth for either construct. However, for self-concept, the growth trajectory indicated a significant effect for risk classification (not at risk, at risk no special education placement, at risk special education placement). Compared with the other classification groups, adolescents in special education at risk for EBD showed a significant decrease in self-concept after age 15, a markedly different trajectory from their peers. Additionally, high internalizing behavior was associated with more depressive symptoms and lower self-concept. Finally, early teacher ratings of adaptive behavior were predictive of both initial status and growth for depressive symptoms, but only initial status for self-concept. Implications for depression prevention and intervention among children and adolescents are discussed.
Who's Afraid of Reality Shows?
Authors: Cohen Jonathan , Weimann Gabriel
Published: April 2008

This study explores the dynamics of social concern over reality shows. Couched in the theory of the influence of presumed influence, it is argued that the degree of concern over the effects of media mediates between beliefs in media power and people's responses to such beliefs. Survey data show that perceived influence is distinct from concern over effects. Furthermore, the authors show that perceived influence predicts willingness to censor reality shows but that, in addition to this direct effect, there is an indirect effect through the degree of concern over the effects of reality shows. This indirect effect adds to the overall predictive value of the model. Results are discussed in terms of their contribution to explaining the influence of presumed influence.
Officer Education at the South African Military Academy
Authors: Heinecken Lindy , Visser Deon
Published: April 2008

This article reviews the status of military sociology in South Africa by examining where it is being taught and researched within sociology as a discipline and at the South African Military Academy (hereafter, Academy). The conclusion is reached that it has not been a prominent area of academic focus possibly because of the fact that at present only one civilian university's sociology department presents a related course. Looking at the historic development of the academic offerings at the Academy, at no time has military sociology been presented as a course, although it is masked within some of the other social science disciplines. Only recently has the relevance of military sociology as a discipline in its own right been acknowledged, and it appears as if it may well find a place in the education of young officers at the Academy in the near future.
Cheaters
Authors: Harry Joseph C.
Published: April 2008

This article explores the reality television show Cheaters as a parodic-pastiche genre featuring videotaped surveillance of the romantically unfaithful within a web of preexisting fictional and nonfictional forms, including, most prominently, melodrama and detective fiction. Cheaters' claim of promoting “temperance and virtue” within a legalistic ethos of one's “right to be informed” about infidelity allows the show to cast itself as “real reality” television, though its narrative structure goes well beyond simple documentation. Especially when considered in the supertextual context of sexually, ego-centrically themed advertisements, Cheaters emerges as a parodic-pastiche narrative that easily intermingles moralistic and sensationalistic themes. I argue that the show's postmodern catch-all rhetoric borrows most centrally from fictional melodrama, and therefore Cheaters can be interpreted as melodramatic parody. It provides, on the surface, a moral framework that grants ideological cover for an otherwise salacious interest in visually documented infidelity.
Good, bad, thwarted or addicted? Discourses of substance-using mothers
Authors: Reid Colleen , Greaves Lorraine , Poole Nancy
Published: April 2008

In this paper we examined discourses of mothers who use substances. Focus groups were conducted at two different treatment programmes with diverse women who identified as mothers challenged by substance use. Real scenarios were presented to the participants and feedback was sought about how the women within the scenarios managed their situations and the actions taken by legal, media, and health authorities. Through the use of three lenses - rights, risks, and evidence - we identified four major discourses in the participants' talk. The `good mother', `bad mother', `thwarted mother' and `addicted mother' discourses revealed the multiple and at times contradictory ways the women made sense of their lives. Within all of the discourses the mother-child bond and the importance of providing necessary supports to mothers with substance-use problems were central. The women's discourses highlighted the challenges of negotiating the prevailing attitudes, practices and stigmas of being a substance-using mother while trying to do the right thing for their children.
Selective hearing: gender bias in the music preferences of young adults
Authors: Millar Brett
Published: April 2008

This preliminary questionnaire-based study explored various trends in the music preferences and evaluative styles of 100 young adult females and males. While previous research has explored gender differences in genre preferences, this study aimed to explore gender differences in artist preferences, by establishing that participants' lists of favourite artists contained an unequal ratio of males and females. Consistent with a wide range of research on gender-biased performance evaluations and gender socialization, this gender bias was stronger in the majority of males. Future research with larger samples will explore the trends across cultures and sexual orientations. It is argued that gender preference is an important and defining characteristic of music preferences, particularly for young white Australian males.
King Mesha and the Tribe of Dibon
Authors: Van Der Steen Eveline J. , Smelik Klaas A.D.
Published: April 2008

The Mesha Inscription has attracted much attention and scholarly debate ever since its discovery. King Mesha of Moab, mentioned in the Bible, threw off the yoke of Omride supremacy and reigned from his capital of Dibon over a kingdom that extended both north and south of the Wadi Mujib (the river Arnon). The identification of modern-day Dhiban with Dibon has never been doubted. In this article, however, it is suggested that Dibon, mentioned in the inscription, was not Mesha's capital, but the tribe of which he was the leader. Mesha forged a tribal confederation into a tribal kingdom in Moab. The name of Mesha's capital was Carchoh, also mentioned in the inscription and located at present-day Dhiban. Biblical Kir-Hareseth is identified with this same Carchoh, and the heartland of Mesha's kingdom is north of the Wadi Mujib.
Sarah and Hagar: Genesis 16 and 21
Authors: Okoye James C.
Published: April 2008

For many people, Scripture is sacrosanct, and examining the character of the god of its 'story world' is taboo. Biblical characters tend to be viewed as models and not mirrors of the human situation. The Hebrew Scriptures are both the national history of a people and an utterly religious account of the encounters of this people with their God. Aspects of this national history do not always measure up to the ideals of the religion, nor do certain things taken for granted in a particular period in the text meet the standards arrived at in the ongoing development of revelation. 'Reading against the grain', the present article views the story of Sarah and Hagar from the 'downside of history', as an African American would.
The Shorter and Longer Texts of Ezekiel: The Implications of the Manuscript Finds from Masada and Qumran
Authors: Patmore Hector M.
Published: April 2008

The second-century CE Papyrus 967 contains a Greek version of Ezekiel that is significantly shorter than the Masoretic text. It has been argued that this shorter text reflected an earlier version of the Hebrew that was later expanded to form the text now found in the Masoretic text. Although the manuscript finds of Ezekiel from Qumran and Masada are scant, enough data are available to demonstrate a broadly proto-Masoretic text, which contains sections absent in the pre-Hexaplaric Greek versions. As these finds predate the earliest Greek witness (Papyrus 967) by over 200 years, the conclusion that the shorter text had been expanded becomes seriously questionable. This article argues that the available data are better explained by the conclusion that two different texts of Ezekiel must have been in circulation concurrently for a prolonged period of time and that the historical precedence of either text cannot be established legitimately.
A Marzea and a Mizraq: A Prophet's Mêlée with Religious Diversity in Amos 6.4-7
Authors: Greer Jonathan S.
Published: April 2008

This article supports the hypothesis that the feast described in Amos 6.4-7 was a religious event, even a marzea banquet. The loungers' practice of drinking from mizraq vessels is singled out as a definitively syncretistic practice adopted from the nations around them. Epigraphic and iconographic evidence is used to illustrate the prevalence of drinking from ritual vessels at cultic banquets in the ancient Near East, thus explaining the ready incorporation of such a custom by the Samarian elite and bringing greater clarity to Amos's denouncement.
Capacity Building in the Voluntary and Community Sectors
Authors: Diamond John
Published: April 2008

The UK Government's National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal (2001) identified ways in which the voluntary and community sectors are to be supported in developing their `capacity'. We can begin to reflect on current practice and experience and identify early trends. This article will draw on a completed evaluation of the development of a community centre funded via the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It had as its remit that of increasing local capacity in the community and supporting new employment opportunities. The initiative established a local partnership that had a significant number of local residents and tenants on the management board. The article will suggest that while both the model developed and the expertise of those involved have a number of positive features there are important policy and practice issues still to be resolved. In particular, we need to be clear about both the intended (and unstated) assumptions surrounding `capacity building' and the potential limits to local or neighbourhood partnerships, and the real conflicts of interests they contain. Specifically, we need to think more clearly about securing relative independence for such initiatives, and what this may mean for all parties involved.
Dewey's philosophy of questioning: science, practical reason and democracy
Authors: Turnbull Nick
Published: April 2008

John Dewey's ideas on politics derive from his epistemology of inquiry as practical problem-solving. Dewey's philosophy is important for democratic theory because it emphasizes deliberation through questioning. However, Dewey's philosophy shares with positivism the same conception of answering as exclusively the dissolution of questions. While Dewey's ideas are distinct from positivism in important respects, he rejects a constitutive role for questioning by constructing knowledge as problem-solving via experience. The problem-solving ideal lends itself to a scientific conception of politics. Applying Michel Meyer's philosophy of questioning, problematology, to Dewey's logic, reveals that Dewey's theory of inquiry is itself the product of an inquiry, confirming that questioning plays a constitutive role in knowledge. This suggests a problematological reconstruction of knowledge which extends Dewey's ideas by affirming an enhanced status for questioning. Grounding knowledge in the principle of questioning provides the basis for extending the rhetorical analysis of politics.
Managerialism and Charisma in Catholic and Pentecostal Churches in the Americas
Authors: Gudorf Christine
Published: April 2008

Managerialism impacted North American churches long before South and Central American churches, due to both the greater affinity for managerialism in Protestant ecclesial structures, and to the earlier development of advanced capitalism in North America. The most recent managerialist developments in Catholic churches of both continents have manifested themselves in the curial and Episcopal treatment of the clerical pedophilia scandals, while the developments in Pentecostal churches, especially in Latin America, have emanated from lower structural levels. Most of these emanate from pastors in churches on a growth trajectory that utilizes mass media, especially televised services and sermons.
Baptizing Management
Authors: Poole Eve
Published: April 2008

This paper argues that management practices are more readily portable across the sectors than has often been supposed, while indicating where particular care will be needed in translation. The paper suggests, however, that political pressure for control and an epistemological bias may prove to be management's Achilles heel. Further, it examines some dilemmas in the relationship between the manager and the managed, and queries the professions' outrage at being subject to increasingly overt management.
Stale Expressions: the Management-Shaped Church
Authors: Milbank John
Published: April 2008

Managerialism in the Church is rooted in the very character of Reformation theology. The letter's understanding of salvation as imputation and its reduction of the importance for salvation of belonging to the Church encourages the idea that there is a religious 'product' which can be managed and marketed. Modern evangelicalism consummates this tendency and uniquely allows a combining of the capitalist product with the capitalist actor. 'Fresh Expressions' in the Church of England fuses this trend with a liberal ideology of choice and the assumption that parish life must inevitably decline. The new modes of Church which it sponsors deny the very idea of the need to encounter different others in a specific locality which is crucial to the Pauline notion of the Body of Christ. It is hence a misconstrual of Christianity as such.
Free basic water — a sustainable instrument for a sustainable future in South Africa
Authors: Muller Mike
Published: April 2008

The South African government's policy decision in 2001 to provide a basic amount of water free of charge to all citizens has been controversial. Traditional policy advice was that all water should be paid for, even if some costs were subsidized. A review of the implementation of the new policy suggests that the flexible approach adopted ensured wide applicability, although it has been criticized for defects of both exclusion and inclusion. However, it has helped not only to achieve social equity but also has supported the broader objectives of conservation and environmental sustainability. The political legitimacy conferred by the approach has enabled water supply organizations to recover their costs and achieve the economic objective of financial sustainability. South Africa's experience with free basic water thus demonstrates that addressing social and environmental dimensions together with economic dimensions can lead to more effective and sustainable policy.
Incremental construction: a strategy to facilitate access to housing
Authors: Greene Margarita , Rojas Eduardo
Published: April 2008

The “enabling” approach to housing markets promotes financing systems based on family savings, public subsidies and mortgage loans to unleash the potential of individuals and communities to produce and improve dwellings. However, the approach failed to benefit lower-income households, as they have less ability to generate savings or make mortgage payments. These households are forced to use informal mechanisms to access housing, such as purchasing land in illegal sub-divisions or squatting on public land and incrementally building their dwellings. The present work argues that supporting the incremental housing construction undertaken by poor households through an enabling approach can make a significant contribution to solving the housing problem in Latin America. The paper discusses the challenges and opportunities in executing this new type of programme, which requires coordinating the resources and capabilities of the beneficiaries with those of the different levels of government and the civil society. While this paper draws on experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean, the proposed approach is also relevant in other settings.
Winners and losers from the 2001 Gujarat earthquake
Authors: Sanderson David , Sharma Anshu
Published: April 2008

This paper(1) looks at some of the winners and losers in the reconstruction efforts following the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat. It reviews some of the consequences of different approaches to reconstruction and these are illustrated by the experiences of three villages. It ends with a discussion of the lessons that are repeatedly ignored after disaster.
Climate change and coastal cities: the case of Mombasa, Kenya
Authors: Cynthia Brenda Awuor  , Victor Ayo Orindi  , Ochieng Adwera Andrew
Published: April 2008

This paper discusses the risks that the city of Mombasa faces from the direct and indirect impacts of climate change. Mombasa is Kenya's second largest city and has more than 700,000 inhabitants. It is the largest seaport in East Africa, serving not only Kenya but also many landlocked countries and the north of Tanzania. The city has a history of disasters related to climate extremes including floods, which cause serious damage nearly every year and, often, loss of life. The floods in October 2006 were particularly serious, affecting some 60,000 people in the city and the wider province. In addition, around 17 per cent of Mombasa's area could be submerged by a sea-level rise of 0.3 metres, with a larger area rendered uninhabitable or unusable for agriculture because of water logging and salt stress. Tourism is an important part of the city's economy. Thus, sandy beaches, historic and cultural monuments and several hotels, industries and port facilities would be negatively affected. This paper also discusses the measures needed to reduce the vulnerability of Mombasa's population and economic base to climate change.
Effect of a Noise Reduction Program on a Medical— Surgical Unit
Authors: Taylor-Ford Rebecca , Catlin Anita , LaPlante Mollie , Weinke Candace
Published: April 2008

This quasi-experimental study tested an intervention to reduce sound levels in an acute care hospital. A parallel pre- and posttest design with control group was used; patients and employees completed the Topf Adapted Sound Disturbance Scales, and environmental sound levels were recorded on a Quest 2900 Sound Level Meter. Treatment interventions included an educational PowerPoint presentation for employees, minor environmental acoustical alterations, and the use of a Quest 261 Sound Detector/Controller for behavioral modification. None of these interventions produced statistically significant changes in sound levels. Patients and employees reported slightly less disturbance due to noise postintervention on the treatment unit. The findings of this study support Philbin and Gray's suggestion that the use of sound-absorbing materials in the hospital's physical structure may be the most effective measure to reduce sound levels in the hospital setting.
Spirituality
Authors: Polzer Casarez Rebecca L. , Miles Margaret Shandor
Published: April 2008

The purpose of this study was to describe how spirituality affected the lives of African American mothers with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the context of coping. This qualitative descriptive study used secondary data of interviews from a larger longitudinal study of parental caregiving of infants seropositive for HIV. Participants were 38 African American mothers with HIV. Data from longitudinal semi-structured interviews were analyzed using content analysis. The women dealt with the stresses of HIV through a relationship with God. Two domains explain this relationship: God in control and God requires participation. The benefits of their relationship with God were a decrease in stress and worry about their own health and that of their infants. It is important for nurses working with mothers with HIV to acknowledge their spirituality and assess how spirituality helps them cope with and manage their illness.
Use of Electronic Monitoring in Clinical Nursing Research
Authors: Ailinger Rita L. , Black Patricia L. , Lima-Garcia Natalie
Published: April 2008

In the past decade, the introduction of electronic monitoring systems for monitoring medication adherence has contributed to the dialog about what works and what does not work in monitoring adherence. The purpose of this article is to describe the use of the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) in a study of patients receiving isoniazid for latent tuberculosis infection. Three case examples from the study illustrate the data that are obtained from the electronic device compared to self-reports and point to the disparities that may occur in electronic monitoring. The strengths and limitations of using the MEMS and ethical issues in utilizing this technology are discussed. Nurses need to be aware of these challenges when using electronic measuring devices to monitor medication adherence in clinical nursing practice and research.