bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Logique aristotélicienne et kalām ʿalā-l-naṣārā : la réponse à Abū Qurra dans le Muġnī de ʿAbd al-Ğabbār
Authors: Boudignon Christian
Published: November 2011

Abstract

Ending his refutation of Christian theology in al-Muġnī fī abwāb al-tawḥīd wa-l-ʿadl (written between 361-380/971-990), ʿAbd al-Ğabbār assumes the reasons given by an unknown author against Abū Qurra, bishop of Ḥarrān (d. ca 210/825). According to Abū Qurra, God needs an eternal Son in order to have an equal to “dominate”, lest he should be deprived of honor and sovereignty. The unknown author laughs at this need of a subject God and Son, and argues throughout against this thought out of the Aristotelian category of “relative”. ʿAbd al-Ğabbār’s text, compared to Abū Qurra’s two treatises on this theme, shows up that it may be based on a lost Arabic treatise (known today through its Greek translation). The unknown author might be the theologian al-Murdār (m. 226/840), whose treatise Against Abū Qurra is recorded by al-Nadīm.
The ‘Arab Spring’ and the Extraordinary Influx of People who Arrived in Italy from North Africa
Authors: Nascimbene Bruno , Di Pascale Alessia
Published: November 2011

Abstract

The ‘Arab spring’ which spread in early 2011 and the consequent exceptional influx of people that arrived on the Italian coasts from North Africa put the national reception and asylum systems under particular pressure, also raising the debate on the status to be attributed to these people. Faced with a situation out of the ordinary, Italy immediately addressed a request for help to the European Union, which has revealed the difference of views and mistrust existing between Member States in relation to these issues. This episode also calls into question the scope and effectiveness of the EU migration management framework, particularly in case of strong and unexpected pressure, and its implementation in a true spirit of solidarity.
Systematic Theology at the Grassroots – an Oxymoron or a Way to the Future? A Story of Combining Anthropological Methods and a Systematic Theological Approach
Authors: Hankela Elina
Published: November 2011

Abstract

This study explores the challenges and possibilities of using anthropological research methods in constructive systematic theology and ethics. This analysis is approached through a discussion of the methodological choices that the author has made in conducting her PhD research in an area that lacks the sources that are traditionally affiliated with systematic theology, written texts and documents. Aligning with a liberation theological call for listening to the voice of grassroots communities that may offer academia and society insights into promoting social justice, this study suggests that a gap that still exists between much of mainstream Western systematic theology and the liberation and postcolonial paradigms should be replaced by a critical, constructive dialogue. It is argued that as the center of gravity of Christianity has shifted to the Global South, Western academia needs to recognize the epistemological and methodological insights of theologians from the South. This analysis then continues to discuss the agency of a researcher who collects her or his data in the midst of a living community. In agreement with scholars such as Said and Appiah, this study highlights the subjective nature of any research and the need for the researcher to be aware of the factors that influence his or her perception. On a more practical level, the concepts of the Praxis Cycle and Grounded Theory as frameworks are introduced and demonstrated that these are of help in creating a functional way of combining anthropological and systematic theological approaches in order to do theology from below.
Future Changes in Tropical Cyclone Activity Projected by the New High-Resolution MRI-AGCM
Authors: Murakami Hiroyuki , Wang Yuqing , Yoshimura Hiromasa , Mizuta Ryo , Sugi Masato , Shindo Eiki , Adachi Yukimasa , Yukimoto Seiji , Hosaka Masahiro , Kusunoki Shoji , Ose Tomoaki , Kitoh Akio
Published: November 2011

New versions of the high-resolution 20- and 60-km-mesh Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) atmospheric general circulation models (MRI-AGCM version 3.2) have been developed and used to investigate potential future changes in tropical cyclone (TC) activity. Compared with the previous version (version 3.1), version 3.2 yields a more realistic simulation of the present-day (1979–2003) global distribution of TCs. Moreover, the 20-km-mesh model version 3.2 is able to simulate extremely intense TCs (categories 4 and 5), which is the first time a global climate model has been able to simulate such extremely intense TCs through a multidecadal simulation. Future (2075–99) projections under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A1B scenario are conducted using versions 3.1 and 3.2, showing consistent decreases in the number of TCs globally and in both hemispheres as climate warms. Although projected future changes in basin-scale TC numbers show some differences between the two versions, the projected frequency of TC occurrence shows a consistent decrease in the western part of the western North Pacific (WNP) and in the South Pacific Ocean (SPO), while it shows a marked increase in the central Pacific. Both versions project a future increase in the frequency of intense TCs globally; however, the degree of increase is smaller in version 3.2 than in version 3.1. This difference arises partly because version 3.2 projects a pronounced decrease in mean TC intensity in the SPO. The 20-km-mesh model version 3.2 projects a northward shift in the most intense TCs (category 5) in the WNP, indicating an increasing potential for future catastrophic damage due to TCs in this region.
Living with schizophrenia in India: Gender perspectives
Authors: Loganathan Santosh , Murthy R. Srinivasa
Published: November 2011

This study explores gender issues from a sociocultural perspective related to stigma among people suffering from schizophrenia in India. Stigma experiences were assessed by conducting semistructured interviews with 200 patients attending urban or rural psychiatry clinics. The resulting narratives were examined by thematic content analysis. Men with schizophrenia reported being unmarried, hid their illness in job applications and from others, and experienced ridicule and shame. They reported that their experience of stigma was most acute at their places of employment. Women reported experiences of stigma in relation to marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth. Both men and women revealed specific cultural myths about their illnesses and described how these had negatively affected their lives. Information gathered from this study can be useful to understand the needs of individuals who suffer from schizophrenia to improve the quality of their treatment, and plan culturally appropriate interventions to counter stigma and discrimination.
For a Freudo-Marxist critique of social domination: Rediscovering Erich Fromm through the mirror of Pierre Bourdieu
Authors: Cheliotis Leonidas K.
Published: November 2011

This article aims to make a case and set the foundations for retrieving Erich Fromm’s Freudo-Marxist theory of action and his approach to social domination in particular. To this end, Frommian psychoanalysis is compared with the ‘socio-analysis’ of Pierre Bourdieu. As far as method is concerned, whereas Bourdieu focuses attention on the socio-political processes of production and reproduction of the perceptive structures that individuals and groups employ in their judgements and actions, Fromm fruitfully extends wider to include the links between perceptive and socio-political structures, on the one hand, and the innate structures of the human psyche, on the other hand. Substantively, moreover, Bourdieu tends to exclude physically violent forms of domination from his account of the material effects of symbolic constructs, whilst Fromm consistently places them centre stage. Indeed, Fromm’s analytic operations and foci combine to offer a firm rebuttal to Bourdieu’s curiously ahistorical contention that psychoanalysis concerns itself exclusively with the individual and always in line with some version of psychologistic determinism, thereby serving as an apologia for the abuses subjects suffer under the established order.
Jean-Paul Sartre’s positioning in Anti-Semite and Jew
Authors: Baert Patrick
Published: November 2011

This article is one of the first to employ positioning theory to analyse an intellectual product. After introducing the theory itself, it explores how Sartre’s book Réflexions sur la question juive enabled him to locate himself within, as well as intervene in, the socio-political and intellectual context at the time. Using the text, Sartre positioned himself as an authoritative public intellectual: that is, a generalist, drawing on his vast cultural resources to speak out about a wide range of important societal issues with moral conviction. He also positioned himself within the tradition of the Dreyfusard notion of the intellectual: that is, as an intellectual who engages with contemporary social and political issues and who is a defender of progressive Republican notions whilst remaining an independent voice – with the qualification that he expressed disquiet about the French Republican notion of citizenship. Drawing on these insights, the article ends by discussing glaring omissions in Sartre’s Réflexions sur la question juive, making sense of them in the light of the socio-political context of the mid-1940s in France. The article shows the fruitfulness of positioning theory for analysing intellectual interventions, whether they are in the form of books, essays or articles.
Keeping it in the family? People with learning disabilities and families employing their own care and support workers
Authors: Manthorpe Jill , Moriarty Jo , Cornes Michelle
Published: November 2011

This article focuses on people with learning disabilities and their families who employ care or support workers using public (government) and/or private (self and family) funds. Such consumer-directed support takes place in England through personal budgets and direct payments. Research and material relevant to these employment relationships were explored in a scoping review undertaken by the authors in 2010. The review identified a small number of studies that involved people with learning disabilities as respondents, although more relied on family carers as proxy respondents. The findings from these studies covered recruitment and administration, employment of family members, training needs, the nature and content of employment relationships, and ending employment. The review observed that employment relationships, practices, and dynamics are surprisingly little explored in the literature and generally unobserved. The article concludes with specific messages from the review for family carers, for people with learning disabilities and for care and support workers.
Fast Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Anatase TiO2 Nanocrystals in a Microfluidic Reactor
Authors: Zhang Li , Li Yaogang , Zhang Qinghong , Shi Guoying , Wang Hongzhi
Published: November 2011

An environmentally benign route has been developed to synthesize monodispersive anatase TiO2 nanocrystals in organic solvent. The water-soluble peroxotitanium acid (PTA) was used as the precursor, which made the reaction practicable and facile in the microfluidic reactor. The perfectly crystallized anatase TiO2 nanocrystals with a mean diameter of about 5.0 nm were obtained via a microfluidic reactor with a time as short as one or two minutes.
A Simple Method for the Immunocytochemical Detection of Proteins Inside Nuclear Structures That Are Inaccessible to Specific Antibodies
Authors: Svistunova Darya M. , Musinova Yana R. , Polyakov Vladimir Yu. , Sheval Eugene V.
Published: November 2011

It has been demonstrated elsewhere that a high concentration of an antigen within the nucleolus may prevent its proper recognition by specific antibodies. In this study, the authors found that a short proteinase treatment allowed for the detection of antigens in the nucleoli. The described approach is compatible with the simultaneous observation of proteins fused to fluorescent tags and with preembedding electron microscopy. It appears that the described method can be useful in situations when the proper recognition of antigens by specific antibodies is disturbed by a high density of cellular structures or a high concentration of antigens inside these structures.
Colonização micorrízica em plantios de eucalipto
Authors: Campos Daniela Tiago da Silva , Silva Marliane de Cássia Soares da , Luz José Maria Rodrigues da , Telesfora Rosenval Junior , Kasuya Maria Catarina Megumi
Published: November 2011

A associação micorrízica é advinda da associação simbiótica entre alguns fungos do solos e da maioria das raízes das plantas. O eucalipto possui a capacidade de se associar com dois tipos de micorrizas, a micorriza arbuscular e a ectomicorriza, o que depende muito da sua idade. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a taxa de colonização por fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (MA) e ectomicorrízicos (ECM) e o número de esporos de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares em plantios comerciais de Eucalyptus grandis e Eucalyptus urophylla, com diferentes idades e manejos, no período de dezembro de 2002 a fevereiro de 2004, na região leste de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Em todas as coletas e em todas as idades dos plantios, foram encontradas MA, e ECM e a média geral da colonização por fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) foi de 26%. O número médio de esporos desses fungos de 374,7 por 100 g de solo e a colonização por fungos ectomicorrízicos (FECM) de 20,2%. As maiores porcentagens de colonização por FECM foram observadas em áreas de plantios mais jovens, mas a sua maior diversidade foi observada nas áreas de plantios mais velhos. Conclui-se que a época de coleta, a idade do plantio e o manejo do solo afetam a colonização micorrízica e também a diversidade de fungos ECM e que a sucessão de eucalipto com FMA-FECM não é regra e é muito influenciada pelo tipo de manejo.
Germinação e vigor de sementes de Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão em diferentes substratos e temperaturas
Authors: Guedes Roberta Sales , Alves Edna Ursulino , Gonçalves Edilma Pereira , Colares Pedro Nóbrega Quintas , Medeiros Matheus Serrano de , Viana Jeandson Silva
Published: November 2011

Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão é uma espécie pertencente à família Anacardiaceae, cuja planta pode ser medicinal, ser usada na indústria de curtimento de couro, na arborização de ruas e praças. Dessa forma, objetivou-se, com esta pesquisa, determinar metodologias adequadas para a condução de testes de germinação e vigor de sementes de M. urundeuva. Foram utilizadas as temperaturas de 25, 30 e 35 °C constante e 20-30 °C alternada, juntamente com os substratos areia, vermiculita, bioplant®, plantmax®, entre e sobre papel mata-borrão e papel-toalha, organizado na forma de rolo. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente ao acaso, em quatro repetições de 25 sementes. Foram analisadas as seguintes características: porcentagem e velocidade de germinação, primeira contagem de germinação e comprimento e massa seca de plântulas. A temperatura de 30 °C e o substrato areia são indicados para a realização dos testes de germinação e vigor das sementes de M. urundeuva.
Sistemas suplementares e alternativos de comunicação nas habilidades expressivas de um aluno com paralisia cerebral
Authors: Deliberato Débora
Published: November 2011

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi descrever o uso do sistema de comunicação suplementar e alternativo de um aluno com paralisia cerebral submetido à intervenção. Participou desta investigação um aluno com paralisia cerebral de 10 anos de idade, gênero masculino, que frequentava classe especial para deficientes físicos em uma escola estadual de uma cidade do interior de São Paulo. As atividades programadas foram realizadas duas vezes por semana, durante dois anos, em um Laboratório de Educação Especial de uma Universidade pública. Todas as fitas gravadas descrevendo as atividades desenvolvidas nos atendimentos efetivados durante o processo de avaliação e implementação do recurso de comunicação suplementar e alternativo foram assistidas e descritas, em um protocolo especifico. Com base nas informações dos protocolos, foram selecionadas as sessões com intervalo maior que 20 dias e que continham atividades envolvendo o tabuleiro de comunicação, com o tempo igual ou superior a 20 minutos, durante o primeiro ano da intervenção. As sessões escolhidas foram transcritas na íntegra e, após análise do texto obtido, foram estabelecidas as seguintes categorias: o sistema gráfico auxiliou o aluno, na emissão de estrutura vertical (56%), associado à modalidade oral (14%) e à modalidade não oral verbal e não verbal (30%), enquanto o uso do sistema gráfico, em conjunto com outras modalidades, colaborou na ampliação dos enunciados e na possibilidade de o aluno ser compreendido na sua intenção. O emprego de sistemas de comunicação suplementar e alternativo proporcionou ao aluno a ampliação de situações dialógicas efetivas, durante as atividades realizadas na intervenção fonoaudiológica.
Dabigatran Etexilate in Clinical Practice: Confronting Challenges to Improve Safety and Effectiveness
Authors: Gulseth Michael P. , Wittkowsky Ann K. , Fanikos John , Spinler Sarah A. , Dager William E. , Nutescu Edith A.
Published: November 2011

A number of novel anticoagulants are moving through various stages of drug development. Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the oral direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etexilate to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Although dabigatran offers a number of advantages over existing oral and parenteral anticoagulants, challenges exist for clinicians who must ensure its safe and effective use. Limited data are available on dabigatran use in patients with renal dysfunction and in obese patients, or in combination with other drugs. Clinical experience is lacking in populations for whom anticoagulants are routinely used, such as patients with a previous stroke, acute coronary syndromes, or pregnancy‐associated thrombosis, or those requiring ablation therapy. More important, clinicians will be faced with incorporating dabigatran into hospital guidelines for transitioning between oral and parenteral anticoagulants, measuring anticoagulant intensity, managing anticoagulant‐related hemorrhage, ensuring safe use around neuraxial anesthesia, and implementing computer‐based alert or warning systems. Since anticoagulants are ubiquitously used in the prevention or treatment of venous and arterial thrombosis, both clinicians and patients must be provided structured education on dabigatran's benefits and limitations. In this article, our goal was to provide practical advice to enhance clinician understanding of dabigatran, identify clinical and operational challenges to its use, and offer system improvements that can ensure safe and effective use of dabigatran.
Beyond Metformin: Initiating Combination Therapy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Goldman‐Levine Jennifer D.
Published: November 2011

The majority of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus will eventually require combination therapy involving two or more agents to achieve their glycemic target as their disease progresses. This review contrasts current treatment guidelines and recommendations by the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (referred to as ADA) and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology (referred to as AACE) for the initiation of combination therapy. Both treatment guidelines emphasize that treatment selection for patients with type 2 diabetes should be guided by the goal of lowering hemoglobin A1c (A1C) level and individualizing therapy to each patient based on clinical factors and comorbidities. In addition, combination therapy should include classes of drugs with complementary mechanisms of action that efficiently and effectively target the underlying type 2 diabetes pathophysiology. Both the ADA and AACE recommend metformin as a firstline oral agent; however, the ADA supports early use of sulfonylureas or insulin in patients who do not reach their target A1C goal, whereas the AACE recommends earlier and more frequent use of the newer incretin agents—glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors. Mechanisms of action, benefits, and risks of traditional and newer agents are discussed to better enable the pharmacist to recommend the best combinations of agents for individual patients.
Interleukin‐6 Gene Promoter Methylation in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Chronic Periodontitis
Authors: Ishida Kohei , Kobayashi Tetsuo , Ito Satoshi , Komatsu Yasutaka , Yokoyama Tomoko , Okada Moe , Abe Asami , Murasawa Akira , Yoshie Hiromasa
Published: November 2011

Background: Methylation status of the cytokine genes may play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic periodontitis (CP). This study was undertaken to evaluate whether the DNA methylation profile of the interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) gene promoter was unique to individuals with RA and CP.

Methods: The study participants consisted of 30 patients with RA, 30 patients with CP, and 30 age‐, sex‐, and smoking status–balanced healthy controls. Genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood was modified by sodium bisulfite and analyzed for DNA methylation levels of IL‐6 gene with direct sequencing. Levels of IL‐6 were determined by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: The region of IL‐6 gene promoter from −1200 to +27 bp was shown to contain 19 CpG motifs. The methylation levels of the CpG motif at −74 bp were significantly lower in patients with RA and CP than those in controls (P = 0.0001). Both levels of serum IL‐6 and IL‐6 production by mononuclear cells were significantly different between individuals with and without the methylation at −74 bp (P = 0.03). The +19 bp motif exhibited differential levels of the methylation among the groups, which was not associated with serum levels of IL‐6. The other 17 CpG motifs exhibited comparable levels of the methylation between the groups.

Conclusion: These results suggest that hypomethylated status of a single CpG in the IL‐6 promoter region may lead to increased levels of serum IL‐6, implicating a role in the pathogenesis of RA and CP.
Enamel Matrix Protein Adsorption to Root Surfaces in the Presence or Absence of Human Blood
Authors: Miron Richard J. , Bosshardt Dieter D. , Laugisch Oliver , Katsaros Christos , Buser Daniel , Sculean Anton
Published: November 2011

Background: The clinical use of an enamel matrix derivative (EMD) has been shown to promote formation of new cementum, periodontal ligament (PDL), and bone and to significantly enhance the clinical outcomes after regenerative periodontal surgery. It is currently unknown to what extent the bleeding during periodontal surgery may compete with EMD adsorption to root surfaces. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of blood interactions on EMD adsorption to root surfaces mimicking various clinical settings and to test their ability to influence human PDL cell attachment and proliferation.

Methods: Teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons were subjected to ex vivo scaling and root planing and treated with 24% EDTA, EMD, and/or human blood in six clinically related settings to determine the ability of EMD to adsorb to root surfaces. Surfaces were analyzed for protein adsorption via scanning electron microscopy and immunohistochemical staining with an anti‐EMD antibody. Primary human PDL cells were seeded on root surfaces and quantified for cell attachment and cell proliferation.

Results: Plasma proteins from blood samples altered the ability of EMD to adsorb to root surfaces on human teeth. Samples coated with EMD lacking blood demonstrated a consistent even layer of EMD adsorption to the root surface. In vitro experiments with PDL cells demonstrated improved cell attachment and proliferation in all samples coated with EMD (irrespective of EDTA) when compared to samples containing human blood.

Conclusion: Based on these findings, it is advised to minimize blood interactions during periodontal surgeries to allow better adsorption of EMD to root surfaces.
Role of p38 Mitogen‐Activated Protein Kinase Pathway in Porphyromonas gingivalis Lipopolysaccharide–Induced VCAM‐1 Expression in Human Aortic Endothelial Cells
Authors: Liu Bin , Cheng Lan , Liu DaLi , Wang Jia , Zhang XiuLi , Shu Rong , Liang JingPing
Published: November 2011

Background: Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been reported to induce the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) in vascular endothelial cells. This finding suggests the potential roles for Pg in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism involved in Pg LPS‐induced VCAM‐1 production in endothelial cells remains unclear.

Methods: Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used, respectively, to investigate the mRNA expression and protein production of VCAM‐1 in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) induced by Pg LPS. The involvement of the p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) cell signaling pathway in VCAM‐1 expression was investigated by assays with specific inhibitors.

Results: Pg LPS–induced expression in HAECs of VCAM‐1 occurred in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. In addition, the p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB 203580) significantly attenuated Pg LPS–induced VCAM‐1 expression.

Conclusion: Activation of p38 MAPK is at least partially involved in Pg LPS–induced VCAM‐1 expression in HAECs, which may contribute to the acceleration of atherosclerosis.
Conformal solution model for the thermodynamic properties of antimonyindium liquid alloys
Authors: Chakrabarti SK , Jha IS , Jha BK , Singh BP
Published: November 2011

In the present work we have considered the antimony-indium liquid alloy which shows anomaly as regards its heat of mixing and the concentration fluctuations in the long-wavelength limit. On the other hand, the free energy of mixing and the entropy of mixing are found to be symmetric about the equi-atomic composition. Such alloying behaviour has been tried to explain on the basis of conformal solution model. This is a statistical mechanical model based on the formation of complex within the liquid alloy. In this model besides the interaction between unlike atoms, that between each constituent element and the complex too is taken into account. In course of theoretical treatment the activity of antimony is also computed for different concentrations. Our results indicate that Sb-In alloys are thermodynamically most stable around the equi-atomic composition. Key words: Binary liquid alloy; Conformal solution model; Free energy of mixing; Activity; Heat of mixing; Entropy of mixing; Concentration fluctuations in the long-wavelength limit. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v9i9.5510 SW 2011; 9(9): 13-15
A new relation between preferred inclinations and mean radial velocity of the cluster
Authors: Aryal B , Yadav D
Published: November 2011

We worked on POSSII and ESO films and measured the diameters and position angles of 5,688 galaxies in 34 clusters using 25-fold magnification microscope. The inclinations of individual galaxies are determined using Holmberg’s method and their distributions are studied. The expected distributions are compared with the fitted curves. For this, we used linear, polynomial (second order) and Gaussian fits. We noticed a relation between the preferred inclination angle of the cluster and their mean radial velocity. Possible explanations of the result will be discussed. Keywords: Galaxies; Evolution - galaxies; Formation - galaxies; Statistics - galaxies; Clusters DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v9i9.5512 SW 2011; 9(9): 18-24
Entropy of mixing of NaCd and AlMg molten alloys
Authors: Chatterjee SK , Prasad LC , Bhattarai A
Published: November 2011

The complex formation model is used to explain the anomalous behaviour of entropy of mixing of NaCd and AlMg liquid alloys as a function of concentration.The interionic pair potential Φij(r) evaluated within the framework of pseudopotential theory which in turn is used to obtain the values of hard-sphere diameter of NaCd and AlMg liquid alloys. The hard-sphere diameter is used to evaluate the concentration dependent anamoly in entropy of mixing which occurs due to preferential ordering of unlike atoms as nearest neighbour on NaCd and AlMg liquid alloys, which could be simultaneously understood with the help of complex formation model. The computed value of Entropy of mixing (SM) from pseudopotential theory is positive at all concentration range except 0.8≤Ccd≤0.9 in NaCd liquid alloys. The disagreement between theory and experiment might be due to parameterisation of hard- sphere diameter of the complex (σ3) and Ψcomp. Key Words: Entropy of mixing; Pseudopotential theory; Hard-sphere diameter; Pair-Potential. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v9i9.5513 SW 2011; 9(9): 25-28
Effect of mycorrhiza and rhizobium on Phaseolus vulgaris L
Authors: Bhattarai Nabin , Baral Bikash , Shrestha Geeta , Yami Kayo Devi
Published: November 2011

Study on effectiveness of Rhizobium leguminosarum (bv. phaseoli) inoculum and mycorrhiza on red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), locally called Rajma was carried out in pot experiment at Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in 2008. The parameters evaluated to study the effectiveness of inoculum application were number of nodules, biomass, number of pods, root length, shoot length and dry seed weight. The study consisted of four treatments, Rhizobium, Mycorrhizal spores, fertilizer (DAP) and control which were replicated 4 times. Rhizobium inoculated plants showed higher dry biomass, longer root and shoot length, higher number of pods and maximum nodule formation of red kidney bean in comparison to other treatments which was statistically significant (P< 0.05). Those treatments which were treated with Rhizobium inoculum and fertilizer showed nearly the same weight of dry seed than other treatments which is followed by mycorrhiza and control. Hence Rhizobium and mycorrhza can be used as biofertilizer which is economically and environmentally friendly. Key words: Rhizobium; Mycorrhiza; Inoculum; Biofertilizer DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v9i9.5522 SW 2011; 9(9): 66-69
The Costs of Climate Change: A Study of Cholera in Tanzania
Authors: Trærup Sara L. M. , Ortiz Ramon A. , Markandya Anil
Published: November 2011

Increased temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns as a result of climate change are widely recognized to entail potentially serious consequences for human health, including an increased risk of diarrheal diseases. This study integrates historical data on temperature and rainfall with the burden of disease from cholera in Tanzania and uses socioeconomic data to control for the impacts of general development on the risk of cholera. The results show a significant relationship between temperature and the incidence of cholera. For a 1 degree Celsius temperature increase the initial relative risk of cholera increases by 15 to 29 percent. Based on the modeling results, we project the number and costs of additional cases of cholera that can be attributed to climate change by 2030 in Tanzania for a 1 and 2 degree increase in temperatures, respectively. The total costs of cholera attributable to climate change are shown to be in the range of 0.32 to 1.4 percent of GDP in Tanzania 2030. The results provide useful insights into national-level estimates of the implications of climate change on the health sector and offer information which can feed into both national and international debates on financing and planning adaptation.
Chitosan, the Marine Functional Food, Is a Potent Adsorbent of Humic Acid
Authors: Chen Jeen-Kuan , Yeh Chao-Hsien , Wang Lian-Chen , Liou Tzong-Horng , Shen Chia-Rui , Liu Chao-Lin
Published: November 2011

Chitosan is prepared by the deacetylation of chitin, the second-most abundant biopolymer in nature, and has applicability in the removal of dyes, heavy metals and radioactive waste for pollution control. In weight-reduction remedies, chitosan is used to form hydrogels with lipids and to depress the intestinal absorption of lipids. In this study, an experimental method was implemented to simulate the effect of chitosan on the adsorption of humic acid in the gastrointestinal tract. The adsorption capacity of chitosan was measured by its adsorption isotherm and analyzed using the Langmuir equation. The results showed that 3.3 grams of humic acid was absorbed by 1 gram of chitosan. The adsorption capacity of chitosan was much greater than that of chitin, diethylaminoethyl-cellulose or activated charcoal. Cellulose and carboxymethyl-cellulose, a cellulose derivative with a negative charge, could not adsorb humic acid in the gastrointestinal tract. This result suggests that chitosan entraps humic acid because of its positive charge.
Relevant Spatial Scales of Chemical Variation in Aplysina aerophoba
Authors: Sacristan-Soriano Oriol , Banaigs Bernard , Becerro Mikel A.
Published: November 2011

Understanding the scale at which natural products vary the most is critical because it sheds light on the type of factors that regulate their production. The sponge Aplysina aerophoba is a common Mediterranean sponge inhabiting shallow waters in the Mediterranean and its area of influence in Atlantic Ocean. This species contains large concentrations of brominated alkaloids (BAs) that play a number of ecological roles in nature. Our research investigates the ecological variation in BAs of A. aerophoba from a scale of hundred of meters to thousand kilometers. We used a nested design to sample sponges from two geographically distinct regions (Canary Islands and Mediterranean, over 2500 km), with two zones within each region (less than 50 km), two locations within each zone (less than 5 km), and two sites within each location (less than 500 m). We used high-performance liquid chromatography to quantify multiple BAs and a spectrophotometer to quantify chlorophyll a (Chl a). Our results show a striking degree of variation in both natural products and Chl a content. Significant variation in Chl a content occurred at the largest and smallest geographic scales. The variation patterns of BAs also occurred at the largest and smallest scales, but varied depending on which BA was analyzed. Concentrations of Chl a and isofistularin-3 were negatively correlated, suggesting that symbionts may impact the concentration of some of these compounds. Our results underline the complex control of the production of secondary metabolites, with factors acting at both small and large geographic scales affecting the production of multiple secondary metabolites.
Earthworms and Soil Pollutants
Authors: Hirano Takeshi , Tamae Kazuyoshi
Published: November 2011

Although the toxicity of metal contaminated soils has been assessed with various bioassays, more information is needed about the biochemical responses, which may help to elucidate the mechanisms involved in metal toxicity. We previously reported that the earthworm, Eisenia fetida, accumulates cadmium in its seminal vesicles. The bio-accumulative ability of earthworms is well known, and thus the earthworm could be a useful living organism for the bio-monitoring of soil pollution. In this short review, we describe recent studies concerning the relationship between earthworms and soil pollutants, and discuss the possibility of using the earthworm as a bio-monitoring organism for soil pollution.
Modeling the Behavior of an Underwater Acoustic Relative Positioning System Based on Complementary Set of Sequences
Authors: Aparicio Joaquín , Jiménez Ana , Álvarez Fernando J. , Ureña Jesús , Marziani Carlos De , Diego Cristina
Published: November 2011

The great variability usually found in underwater media makes modeling a challenging task, but helpful for better understanding or predicting the performance of future deployed systems. In this work, an underwater acoustic propagation model is presented. This model obtains the multipath structure by means of the ray tracing technique. Using this model, the behavior of a relative positioning system is presented. One of the main advantages of relative positioning systems is that only the distances between all the buoys are needed to obtain their positions. In order to obtain the distances, the propagation times of acoustic signals coded by Complementary Set of Sequences (CSS) are used. In this case, the arrival instants are obtained by means of correlation processes. The distances are then used to obtain the position of the buoys by means of the Multidimensional Scaling Technique (MDS). As an early example of an application using this relative positioning system, a tracking of the position of the buoys at different times is performed. With this tracking, the surface current of a particular region could be studied. The performance of the system is evaluated in terms of the distance from the real position to the estimated one.
La feminización de la dinámica política municipal. El caso de los municipios españoles
Authors: Rodríguez García María Jesús , Navarro Yáñez Clemente J.
Published: November 2011

El análisis de la responsividad de los gobiernos locales a las asociaciones y movimientos sociales ha sido un asunto central en el estudio de la dinámica socio-política local. No obstante, las asociaciones de mujeres vienen siendo un actor olvidado en estos análisis, a pesar de la importancia de su análisis a nivel nacional. En este trabajo se formula una propuesta analítica para dar cuenta de la importancia de la feminización de las estructuras de oportunidades políticas a nivel local. Esta se aplica al caso español mediante el análisis de una encuesta representativa entre municipios. Los resultados muestran la importancia de la feminización de la estructura de oportunidades políticas como la presencia de mujeres entre las élites políticas municipales
B-Cell-Activating Factor and Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis
Authors: Ragheb Samia , Lisak Robert P.
Published: November 2011

BAFF is a potent B-cell survival factor, and it plays an essential role in B-cell homeostasis and B-cell function in the periphery. Both normal and autoreactive B cells are BAFF dependent; however, excess BAFF promotes the survival, growth, and maturation of autoreactive B cells. When overexpressed, BAFF protects B cells from apoptosis, thereby contributing to autoimmunity. Three independent studies have shown higher BAFF levels in the circulation of MG patients. BAFF may play an important role in the pathogenesis of MG. BAFF antagonists may well provide new treatment options for MG patients, particularly those patients with thymic lymphoid follicular hyperplasia.
Do Social Influences Contribute to Occupational Differences in Quitting Smoking and Attitudes toward Quitting?
Authors: Sorensen Glorian , Emmons Karen , Stoddard Anne M. , Linnan Laura , Avrunin Jill
Published: November 2011

Purpose.

To examine occupational differences in social influences supporting quitting smoking and their relationships to intentions and self-efficacy to quit smoking and to quitting.

Design.

Data were collected as part of a large worksite cancer prevention intervention trial.

Setting.

Forty-four worksites.

Subjects.

Subjects included 2626 smokers from a total baseline survey sample of 11,456 employees (response rate = 63%).

Measures.

Differences by job category in social support for quitting, pressure to quit smoking, rewards for quitting, and nonacceptability of smoking were measured using mixed model analysis of variance and the Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel test. Their association to self-efficacy, intention to quit, and quitting smoking was assessed using mixed model analysis of variance and linear logistic regression modeling.

Results.

Compared with other workers, blue-collar workers reported less pressure to quit ( p = .0001), social support for quitting ( p = .0001), and nonacceptability of smoking among their coworkers ( p < .001). Intention to quit was associated with higher levels of social pressure to quit smoking ( p = .0001) and social support for quitting ( p = .002). Self-efficacy was associated with social pressure to quit ( p = .0001), social support for quitting ( p = .004), and perceiving greater rewards for quitting ( p = .0001).

Conclusions.

Although these results are limited somewhat by response and attrition rates, these results suggest that differing social environments may contribute to the differences by occupational category in smoking prevalence and smoking cessation.
An Adolescent Age Group Approach to Examining Youth Risk Behaviors
Authors: Oman Roy F. , McLeroy Kenneth R. , Vesely Sara , Aspy Cheryl B. , Smith David W. , Penn David A.
Published: November 2011

Purpose.

To investigate relationships among youth risk behaviors and demographic factors using an adolescent age group approach.

Design.

Cross-sectional data from a randomly selected population. Risk behaviors were compared within specific demographic factors and by adolescent age groups.

Setting.

Racially diverse, inner-city neighborhoods in two midwestern cities.

Subjects.

Teenagers (n = 1350) and parents (n = 1350) of the teenagers.

Measures.

Truancy; arrested/picked up by police; weapon carrying; fighting; sexual intercourse; tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; demographic factors; and family structure.

Results.

Youth mean age was 15.4 (±1.7) years and 52% were female; racial/ethnic characteristics were 47% White, 22% Black, 19% Hispanic, and 10% Native American. Parents' mean age was 42.2 (±8.4) years and 81% were female. χ2 analyses indicated numerous significant (p < .05) youth risk behavior differences within the demographic factors and that many of the differences varied by adolescent age group. For example, risk behavior differences within racial/ethnic groups were most profound in the middle and older age groups, whereas risk behavior differences within parent income, education levels, and family structure were most apparent in the younger age groups. Of the demographic factors, family structure was most frequently associated with the risk behaviors.

Conclusions.

The results generally suggest that the relationships among risk behaviors and demographic factors vary within the adolescent age groups included in this study. The results will be useful for developing age-appropriate prevention programs for youth who fit the profile for these risk behaviors. The study protocol also includes specific sampling methods that may be useful for future studies that intend to collect data from difficult-to-reach populations.
Examination of the Temporal Relationship between Smoking and Major Depressive Disorder among Low-Income Women in Public Primary Care Clinics
Authors: Scarinci Isabel C. , Thomas Janet , Brantley Phillip J. , Jones Glenn N.
Published: November 2011

Purpose.

To determine the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) by smoking status, and the temporal relationship between smoking and MDD, and explore other smoking-related variables that may be associated with MDD.

Design.

Cross-sectional study.

Setting.

Public primary care clinics.

Subjects.

Researchers studied 338 women (76% African-Americans) who were randomly selected while attending appointments in two public primary care clinics.

Measures.

Data pertaining to smoking-related variables and MDD diagnosis were obtained using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV).

Results.

The prevalence of a lifetime history of MDD was significantly higher for current smokers (56.6%) than among former smokers (37.5%) or never-smokers (30.3%; p < .001). Most ever-smokers (81.3%) began smoking and were nicotine-dependent (63.6%) prior to their first episode of MDD. Using logistic regression, after controlling for demographic and smoking-related variables, age of smoking onset was the strongest variable associated with MDD among ever-smokers. Specifically, the odds of having an MDD decreased by 8.2% for each year delay in smoking initiation.

Conclusion.

These results suggest that smoking initiation precedes MDD and that smoking is associated with a high prevalence of MDD among low-income women attending primary care clinics. Further, the younger women start smoking the more likely they are to have MDD.
Age-related and stand-wise estimates of carbon stocks and sequestration in the aboveground coarse wood biomass of wetland forests in the northern Pantanal, Brazil
Authors: Schöngart J. , Arieira J. , Felfili Fortes C. , Cezarine de Arruda E. , Nunes da Cunha C.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. In this study we use allometric models combined with tree ring analysis to estimate carbon stocks and sequestration in the aboveground coarse wood biomass (AGWB) of wetland forests in the Pantanal, located in central South America. In four 1-ha plots in stands characterized by the pioneer tree species Vochysia divergens Pohl (Vochysiaceae) forest inventories (trees ≥10 cm diameter at breast height, D) have been performed and converted to estimates of AGWB by two allometric models using three independent parameters (D, tree height H and wood density ρ). We perform a propagation of measurement errors to estimate uncertainties in the estimates of AGWB. Carbon stocks of AGWB vary from 7.8 ± 1.5 to 97.2 ± 14.4 Mg C ha−1 between the four stands. From models relating tree ages determined by dendrochronological techniques to C-stocks in AGWB we derived estimates for C-sequestration which differs from 0.50 ± 0.03 to 3.34 ± 0.31 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. Maps based on geostatistic techniques indicate the heterogeneous spatial distribution of tree ages and C-stocks of the four studied stands. This distribution is the result of forest dynamics due to the colonizing and retreating of V. divergens and other species associated with pluriannual wet and dry episodes in the Pantanal, respectively. Such information is essential for the management of the cultural landscape of the Pantanal wetlands.
Inferring phytoplankton carbon and eco-physiological rates from diel cycles of spectral particulate beam-attenuation coefficient
Authors: Dall'Olmo G. , Boss E. , Behrenfeld M. J. , Westberry T. K. , Courties C. , Prieur L. , Pujo-Pay M. , Hardman-Mountford N. , Moutin T.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. The diurnal fluctuations in solar irradiance impose a fundamental frequency on ocean biogeochemistry. Observations of the ocean carbon cycle at these frequencies are rare, but could be considerably expanded by measuring and interpreting the inherent optical properties. A method is presented to analyze diel cycles in particulate beam-attenuation coefficient (cp) measured at multiple wavelengths. The method is based on fitting observations with a size-structured population model coupled to an optical model to infer the particle size distribution and physiologically relevant parameters of the cells responsible for the measured diel cycle in cp. Results show that the information related to size and contained in the spectral data can be exploited to independently estimate growth and loss rates during the day and night. In addition, the model can characterize the population of particles affecting the diel variability in cp. Application of this method to spectral cp measured at a station in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea suggests that most of the observed variations in cp can be ascribed to a synchronized population of cells with an equivalent spherical diameter around 4.6±1.5 μm. The inferred carbon biomass of these cells was about 5.2–6.0 mg m−3 and accounted for approximately 10% of the total particulate organic carbon. If successfully validated, this method may improve our in situ estimates of primary productivity.