bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Preparation Conditions on Distinctive Contributions to Dielectric Behavior of CaCu3Ti4O12 Thin Films
Authors: Eršte Andreja , Malic̆ Barbara , Kužnik Brigita , Kosec Marija , Bobnar Vid
Published: May 2011

The influence of preparation conditions on dielectric properties of CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) thin films was studied by detailed dielectric investigations in a broad temperature and frequency ranges. Experimental results, obtained in various CCTO thin films prepared by chemical solution deposition, and analysis in terms of the equivalent circuit reveal that the preparation conditions govern the distinctive contributions of insulating grain boundaries and semiconducting grains in different temperature and frequency ranges. With proper postannealing process, dielectric constant of ≈3000 was obtained in films with thickness below 500 nm. In addition, the electrical conductivity results reveal that one‐dimensional variable range hopping is the dominating transport mechanism in CCTO thin films.
Immigration and Intermarriage Among Hispanics: Crossing Racial and Generational Boundaries1
Authors: Lichter Daniel T. , Carmalt Julie H. , Qian Zhenchao
Published: May 2011

Rates of Hispanic intermarriage with whites declined for the first time during the 1990s. One hypothesis, which we test here, is that the recent influx of new immigrants has provided an expanding marriage market for Hispanics, reinforced cultural and ethnic identity, and slowed the process of marital assimilation. In this article, we use data from the March Current Population Survey (1995–2008) to identify generational differences in Hispanic‐white intermarriage. The results indicate that second‐generation Hispanics were more likely to marry first‐ rather than third‐generation Hispanics or whites, a pattern that was reinforced over the study period. The results suggest declining rates of intermarriage among second‐generation Hispanics—a pattern that diverges sharply from those observed among third‐plus‐generation Hispanics, where in‐marriage with other Hispanics declined over time. If couched in the language of straight line assimilation theory, third‐plus‐generation Hispanics are assimilating by increasingly marrying other third‐generation co‐ethnics and whites. On the other hand, assimilation among the second‐generation is slowing down as its members increasingly reconnect to their native culture by marrying immigrants.
All the News That Fits to Print: Desk Competition for Front‐Page Space at The New York Times1
Authors: Gibson David R.
Published: May 2011

Where sociologists find resources, they infer power or status. However, sometimes resources are fleetingly held rather than enduringly controlled, and then status only translates into resources given impetus, or the motivation and momentary capacity to make resource claims. Status then rests on relations of impingement, whereby one actor gains resources and another loses them when the former’s impetus surges. These ideas are developed through an analysis of desk competition for front‐page space at The New York Times (1980–2005), where impetus is operationalized as the total number of newsworthy articles at each desk’s disposal on a given day. Statistical analysis reveals that all desks impinge and are impinged upon, though not equally, but also that a desk’s ability to impinge (efficacy) and susceptibility to impingement (vulnerability) are subject to change through time. This helps explain the most striking change in front‐page composition during this period: the sharp increase in national front‐page articles, and a corresponding decline in foreign front‐page articles, in the early 1990s.
Migration, Time, and Religioethnic Identification Among U.S. Jews1
Authors: Rebhun Uzi
Published: May 2011

This article examines changes between 1985–1990 and 1995–2000 in relationships between migration and religioethnic identification among U.S. Jews. The results of multivariate analyses of the 1990 and 2000 National Jewish Population Surveys show that Jewish background characteristics have lost their significance as determinants of internal migration and, especially, migration across state boundaries. Concurrently, migration no longer constitutes a serious threat to group continuity and erstwhile negative effects on major religious and social behaviors have disappeared. When the two surveys were integrated into one data set, it was found that “time” enhances the inclination of Jews to move and strengthens their religious and ethnic commitments (though not their commitments to informal Jewish networks). The results are discussed in reference to three competing perspectives of migration‐identification relationships—“selectivity,”“disruption,” and “heightening”—and in the wider theoretical context of religious and ethnic processes in the contemporary United States.
Brokerage in the Sacred Sphere: Religious Leaders as Community Problem Solvers in Rural Malawi1
Authors: Manglos Nicolette
Published: May 2011

Religious leaders in Sub‐Saharan Africa do not just deal with the spiritual needs of members but are also heavily engaged in dealing with social problems and material needs. Although true elsewhere, the realities of limited state infrastructure and an increasingly diverse religious landscape make it crucial for religious entrepreneurs to deal with material problems if they hope to gain adherents. This article applies the concepts of problem solving and brokerage (Burt, 2005;Knoke, 1990) to a case study of religious leaders in Balaka, a small town of rural Malawi. I argue that religious leaders solve problems in three major areas—material infrastructure, activities and organization, and healthcare—and that they are able to do so at least partly because of their connections to various overlapping secular and religious networks. I focus both on the provision of material resources and the facilitation of effervescent experiences in order to advance a fuller understanding of the experience of poverty and the ways leaders in poor communities work to solve problems.
Organizing “Below and to the Left”: Differences in the Citizenship and Transnational Practices of Two Zapatista Groups
Authors: Sarabia Heidy
Published: May 2011

This article examines the political transnational practices—that is, both the physical and symbolic border‐crossing political practices—of two Zapatista groups. This study seeks to contribute to the existing body of literature on transnationalism and citizenship by focusing on immigrants’ political transnational activities in the global South, as well as transnational activists’ practices in the global North influenced by the global South. I argue that transnational ideological and political influences are bidirectional, that is, influences also flow from the global South to the global North. In addition, I argue that different transnational practices are strongly shaped by structural opportunities and constraints on activists, in this case, by citizenship status and economic class. My arguments are drawn from fieldwork and in‐depth interviews conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area with two Zapatista groups, which I name the Localizers and the Globalizers.
Do Commercial Debt‐for‐Nature Swaps Matter for Forests? A Cross‐National Test of World Polity Theory1
Authors: Shandra John M. , Restivo Michael , Shircliff Eric , London Bruce
Published: May 2011

We present cross‐national models of forest loss from 1990–2005 that examine the impact of commercial debt‐for‐nature swaps. In doing so, we find substantial support for world polity theory that poor nations that implement these swaps tend to have lower rates of deforestation than poor nations that do not implement these swaps. We also find support for another aspect of world polity theory—poor nations with higher levels of international nongovernmental organizations have lower rates of forest loss. A number of other factors, including structural adjustment, debt service, democracy, population growth, and domestic economic activity, also predict deforestation. We conclude by discussing the findings, theoretical implications, methodological implications, policy suggestions, and possible directions for future research.
Making a Difference: Sebastião Salgado and the Social Life of Mobilization
Authors: Wolford Wendy
Published: May 2011

This article is part of a panel discussion addressing the sociological relevance of Sebastião Salgado’s work as well as documentary photography in general.2
Evidence regarding an effect of marine n‐3 fatty acids on preterm birth: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: SALVIG JANNIE DALBY , LAMONT RONALD F.
Published: May 2011

Background. Preterm delivery remains a substantial healthcare problem, complicating 5–10% of pregnancies, and is the major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in the developed world. Few effective methods to prevent preterm delivery have been identified to date. Objective. To review systematically the evidence from randomized controlled trials with respect to the hypothesis that increased consumption of marine n‐3 fatty acids in pregnancy can prevent preterm birth. Setting. Electronic searches of the following databases were performed: PubMed (1995–2009), SCOPUS including EMBASE (1995–2009), and Cochrane Library. A combination of key words and text words related to fish oil, marine n‐3 fatty acids, fish consumption, preterm birth, preterm delivery, prematurity, pregnancy duration, gestational age, parturition, delivery and pregnancy were used. Methods. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of relevance was conducted. Three trials were included, comprising 921 women for whom data on gestational age and 1 187 women for whom data on birthweight were available. Results. Overall, 46 (8.9%) of 516 women who received n‐3 fatty acids gave birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation, compared with 66 (16.3%) of 405 in the control group [relative risk 0.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40–0.93; p<0.05]. Data on delivery before 34 completed weeks showed the same trend (relative risk 0.32; 95% CI 0.09–0.95). Overall, the mean birthweight was 71g higher in women who received n‐3 fatty acids during pregnancy (95% CI 4.73–138.12; p<0.05). The rate of low birthweight was not statistically significantly different between the intervention and the control groups. The mean gestational age at delivery was significantly higher by 4.5days in the intervention group supplemented with n‐3 fatty acids compared with placebo (95% CI 2.3–6.8; p<0.05). Conclusions. Marine n‐3 fatty acids administered in pregnancy reduce the rate of preterm birth and increase birthweight.
Physical activity monitor for recording energy expenditure in pregnancy
Authors: BERNTSEN SVEINUNG , STAFNE SIGNE N. , MØRKVED SIV
Published: May 2011

Objective. To determine whether the energy expenditure recorded with the physical activity monitor SenseWear™ Pro2 Armband differs from that recorded with indirect calorimetry. Design. Cross‐sectional comparison of measures of energy expenditure. Setting. A convenient sample recruited from a randomized controlled trial. Population. Twenty‐nine pregnant women (24–43years old). Methods. Energy expenditure was recorded with SenseWear™ Pro2 Armband and a portable oxygen analyzer for 90minutes while carrying out a variety of activities of different intensities. Main Outcome Measures. Energy expenditure recorded with the physical activity monitor SenseWear™ Pro2 Armband. Results. Comparing energy expenditure during free‐living activities, the mean differences and limits of agreements from Bland–Altman plots was −136±343kJ, giving an underestimation of energy expenditure by 9%. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.71–0.93; p<0.001), giving 85% of the variance explained by differences among individuals. Conclusions. SenseWear™ Pro2 Armband is a valid measure of energy expenditure during pregnancy.
A single blind randomized clinical study: the efficacy of isotretinoin plus narrow band ultraviolet B in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris
Authors: Mortazavi Hossein , Khezri Somayeh , Hosseini Hamed , Khezri Farzaneh , Vasigh Mostafa
Published: May 2011

In this randomized clinical trial, 39 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were randomized in two groups. Intervention group received narrow band ultraviolet B (NBUVB)+isotretinoin (0.5 mg/kg/day), control group received NBUVB+placebo. Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scoring was recorded at baseline and weeks 4, 10, and 14. Thirty‐seven patients completed the study. According to recorded PASI scores the difference between efficacies of two treatments was not significant. Complete clearing was noticed in 14 and 13 patients in intervention group and controls. The mean cumulative NBUVB dose in intervention group and controls was 29.95 ± 16.11 vs. 45.77 ± 7.72 J/cm2 (P=0.004). Isotretinoin+NBUVB can reduce number of phototherapy sessions and cumulative NBUVB dose.
Severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae‐associated mucositis treated with immunoglobulins
Authors: Bressan Silvia , Mion Teresa , Andreola Barbara , Bisogno Gianni , Da Dalt Liviana
Published: May 2011

Mycoplasma pneumoniae‐associated mucositis (MPAM), previously labelled as atypical Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS), SJS with minimal or no skin manifestations, is a rare non‐respiratory manifestation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. The nineteen cases described so far in children and young adults were characterized by a high male gender prevalence (16/19) and a good response to appropriate antibiotic treatment and supportive care in the majority of patients. We describe a case of MPAM in a previously healthy girl, who improved after a 0.5 g/kg daily dose of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) for four consecutive days, after traditional therapy had failed.

Conclusion:  The successful treatment with IVIG described in this report suggests that, where appropriate antibiotic and supportive therapy fails to improve the clinical course of severe MPAM, IVIG treatment is worth considering.
Child health care uptake among low‐income and immigrant families in a Swedish county
Authors: Wallby T , Hjern A
Published: May 2011

Aim:  To study the uptake of child health care among low‐income and immigrant families in the county of Uppsala, Sweden, to investigate whether these families received extra attention as proposed in the Swedish Child Health Services (CHS) state‐of‐the‐art consensus document from the year 2000.

Methods:  Data were collected for 25 024 infants born 1998–2006 from the database of statistics of the Child Health Care Unit in Uppsala and socio‐demographic indicators from Swedish national registers. Disposable income was divided into quartiles. Country of birth of the mother was categorized into four regions with two subgroups each, mothers with or without a Swedish‐born partner. Analysis was conducted by Cox regression and linear regression models.

Results:  Small differences between Swedish vs. immigrant and high vs. low‐income families were detected. Low‐income mothers (RR 0.78) as well as mothers born in all country of birth regions with an immigrant partner (RR 0.28–0.95) had lower rates of participation in parental groups.

Conclusion:  The CHS provided basic child health care to almost all infants including children in immigrant and low‐income Swedish families. However, the results did not indicate that disadvantaged families received the extra attention proposed in the consensus document.
Could audiovisual training be used to improve cognition in extremely low birth weight children?
Authors: Huotilainen Minna , Lovio Riikka , Kujala Teija , Tommiska Viena , Karma Kai , Fellman Vineta
Published: May 2011

Aim:  To study whether a dyslexia remediation programme, Audilex, improves cognition in extremely low birth (ELBW) children.

Methods:  Six‐year‐old ELBW children were allocated to a 5‐week training with Audilex or playing control computer games. Before and after intervention, auditory event‐related brain potentials (ERP) to sound changes were recorded and reading related skills assessed. Primary outcome was the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of ERP. Secondary outcomes were Audilex Test (ability to perform the Audilex games), the reading skills after the intervention and 2 years later. Of eligible children, 39 (54%) consented and 22 (30%) completed the protocol.

Results:  The MMN responses to the frequency (p = 0.02) and duration deviants (p < 0.01) increased after Audilex training (n = 11), but not after control game playing (n = 11). Audilex Test performance was similar in both groups. The reading skills were similar after intervention and 2 years later; word reading score 59.7, 66.8 and 74.9 and comprehensive reading score 8.1, 8.8 and 9.4 in Audilex, Control and healthy class‐mate children, respectively.

Conclusions:  Although all children did not complete the protocol, the results suggest that training with Audilex dyslexia programme might be beneficial for enhancing neural‐level sound discrimation and possibly reading skills in ELBW children. A larger trial is warranted.
Role of Kupffer cells in pathogenesis of sepsis‐induced drug metabolizing dysfunction
Authors: Kim Tae‐Hoon , Lee Sang‐Ho , Lee Sun‐Mee
Published: May 2011

The present study aimed to determine the role of Kupffer cells (KCs) in cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozyme activity and the expression of its gene during polymicrobial sepsis. For ablation of KCs, rats were pretreated with gadolinium chloride (GdCl3) at 48 and 24 h before cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The depletion of KCs was confirmed by measuring the mRNA level of the KC marker gene CD163. Serum aminotransferase levels and lipid peroxidation showed an increase and hepatic glutathione content showed a decrease at 24 h after CLP. These changes were prevented by GdCl3 pretreatment. Catalytic activities of CYP1A1, 1A2 and 2E1 showed a significant reduction at 24 h after CLP but were prevented by GdCl3. A reduction in the levels of CYP2E1 protein and CYP2B1 and CYP2E1 mRNA expression was prevented by GdCl3. Phosphorylation of CYP1A1/1A2 markedly increased 24 h after CLP, which was prevented by GdCl3. The increased serum level of high mobility group box 1, hepatic level of Toll‐like receptors 2 and 4, and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression were prevented by GdCl3. In addition, elevated serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐6, and increased hepatic mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐6 were decreased by depletion of KCs. Our findings suggest that ablation of KCs protects against hepatic drug‐metabolizing dysfunction by modulation of the inflammatory response.
Mechanisms of amyloid fibril formation – focus on domain‐swapping
Authors: Žerovnik Eva , Stoka Veronika , Mirtič Andreja , Gunčar Gregor , Grdadolnik Jože , Staniforth Rosemary A. , Turk Dušan , Turk Vito
Published: May 2011

Conformational diseases constitute a group of heterologous disorders in which a constituent host protein undergoes changes in conformation, leading to aggregation and deposition. To understand the molecular mechanisms of the process of amyloid fibril formation, numerous in vitro and in vivo studies, including model and pathologically relevant proteins, have been performed. Understanding the molecular details of these processes is of major importance to understand neurodegenerative diseases and could contribute to more effective therapies. Many models have been proposed to describe the mechanism by which proteins undergo ordered aggregation into amyloid fibrils. We classify these as: (a) templating and nucleation; (b) linear, colloid‐like assembly of spherical oligomers; and (c) domain‐swapping. In this review, we stress the role of domain‐swapping and discuss the role of proline switches.
Gram‐positive bacterial superantigen outside‐in signaling causes toxic shock syndrome
Authors: Brosnahan Amanda J. , Schlievert Patrick M.
Published: May 2011

Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococci) are Gram‐positive pathogens capable of producing a variety of bacterial exotoxins known as superantigens. Superantigens interact with antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) and T cells to induce T cell proliferation and massive cytokine production, which leads to fever, rash, capillary leak and subsequent hypotension, the major symptoms of toxic shock syndrome. Both S. aureus and group A streptococci colonize mucosal surfaces, including the anterior nares and vagina for S. aureus, and the oropharynx and less commonly the vagina for group A streptococci. However, due to their abilities to secrete a variety of virulence factors, the organisms can also cause illnesses from the mucosa. This review provides an updated discussion of the biochemical and structural features of one group of secreted virulence factors, the staphylococcal and group A streptococcal superantigens, and their abilities to cause toxic shock syndrome from a mucosal surface. The main focus of this review, however, is the abilities of superantigens to induce cytokines and chemokines from epithelial cells, which has been linked to a dodecapeptide region that is relatively conserved among all superantigens and is distinct from the binding sites required for interactions with APCs and T cells. This phenomenon, termed outside‐in signaling, acts to recruit adaptive immune cells to the submucosa, where the superantigens can then interact with those cells to initiate the final cytokine cascades that lead to toxic shock syndrome.
Chromatin under mechanical stress: from single 30 nm fibers to single nucleosomes
Authors: Bednar Jan , Dimitrov Stefan
Published: May 2011

About a decade ago, the elastic properties of a single chromatin fiber and, subsequently, those of a single nucleosome started to be explored using optical and magnetic tweezers. These techniques have allowed direct measurements of several essential physical parameters of individual nucleosomes and nucleosomal arrays, including the forces responsible for the maintenance of the structure of both the chromatin fiber and the individual nucleosomes, as well as the mechanism of their unwinding under mechanical stress. Experiments on the assembly of individual chromatin fibers have illustrated the complexity of the process and the key role of certain specific components. Nevertheless a substantial disparity exists in the data reported from various experiments. Chromatin, unlike naked DNA, is a system which is extremely sensitive to environmental conditions, and studies carried out under even slightly different conditions are difficult to compare directly. In this review we summarize the available data and their impact on our knowledge of both nucleosomal structure and the dynamics of nucleosome and chromatin fiber assembly and organization.
EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE OF FRESH‐CUT LOTUS ROOT WITH ANTIBROWNING AGENTS, CINNAMON OIL FUMIGATION AND MODERATE VACUUM PACKAGING
Authors: XING YAGE , LI XIHONG , XU QINGLIAN , YUN JUAN , LU YAQING
Published: May 2011

Effect of chemical dip, cinnamon oil fumigation and moderate vacuum packaging (MVP) on the shelf life of fresh‐cut lotus root was investigated during 16 days of storage at 4C. Result showed that the L* value of dip + oil fumigation + MVP sample was 67.80 after 16 days storage. For the a* and b* value, the dip + oil fumigation + MVP treatment samples showed the slowest increasing trends. The combined treatment samples prevented product weight loss. Titratable acidity (TA), vitamin C content and total phenolic (TP) content presented the smallest changes after 16 days of storage at 4C. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, which was inhibited by dip + oil fumigation + MVP treatment, was 357.7 Units/(min mL) at the end of storage. The application of antibrowning agents, oil fumigation and MVP also retarded the microbiological deterioration of fresh‐cut lotus root. The combined treatment of dip + oil fumigation + MVP effectively prolonged the shelf life of fresh‐cut lotus root by 1 week of storage.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The browning of surface and the growth of spoilage microorganisms are the major causes for deterioration of fresh‐cut lotus root during the storage time. Conventional controlled atmosphere with low O2 concentration and chemical dip are effective in extending shelf life of minimally processed fruits and vegetables, including inhibition of tissue browning. In this study, chemical dip, cinnamon oil fumigation and moderate vacuum packaging reduced significantly fresh‐cut lotus root browning and rot development. It could potentially be useful as a technology of extending the shelf life of fresh‐cut lotus root.
Prey selection of subadult male northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) and evidence of dietary niche overlap with adult females during the breeding season
Authors: Call Katherine A. , Ream Rolf R.
Published: May 2011

Abstract

During the breeding season northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) congregate on the Pribilof Islands in large numbers creating the potential for intraspecific competition. Due to the declining trend in the Pribilof Islands population of fur seals, it is important to understand how prey resources are partitioned among the population. Fur seals exhibit a high degree of sexual dimorphism resulting in energetic differences among age and sex classes. Therefore, we hypothesized that subadult male and adult female fur seals would differ in the type and size of prey consumed. We examined the diets of subadult male (age 2–8; mean mass 28–176 kg) and adult female (age ≥ 3 yr; mean mass 13–50 kg) seals on St. Paul Island from 1992 to 2000. Prey remains found in fecal samples were compared using niche overlap indices. There was nearly complete dietary niche overlap between subadult male and adult female fur seals. Walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), Pacific herring (Clupeia pallasi), and cephalopods were common prey items found in the diets of both groups. We found differences in the size of pollock consumed and that geographic location of sample collection may be important in determining diet differences. Our results indicate high levels of dietary overlap among subadult male and adult female fur seals.
The mating system of the Mediterranean monk seal in the Western Sahara
Authors: Pastor T. , Cappozzo H. L. , Grau E. , Amos W. , Aguilar A.
Published: May 2011

Abstract

The mating system of the Mediterranean monk seal was studied combining the use of diverse technologies. Sexual dimorphism in size was limited. Sexual activity was only observed to occur in the water. The different segments of the population segregated spatially: females, pups, and juveniles aggregated inside two main caves, whose entrances were controlled by a small number (2–3) of territorial males that defended aquatic territories situated at the very mouth of the caves. Other territorial males defended aquatic territories located further away (5–30 km). The tenure of aquatic territories was nonseasonal and spanned several years. Relatedness among pups belonging to the same cohort was low or null, indicating a low level of polygyny, which is not surprising for an aquatically mating phocid with a protracted reproductive season. However, in addition, genetic relatedness showed a remarkable temporal periodicity. These results in combination point to the existence of a complex social structure in this species.
A non‐invasive dolphin telemetry tag: Computer design and numerical flow simulation
Authors: Pavlov Vadim V. , Rashad Aqeel M.
Published: May 2011

Abstract

The impact of devices attached to animals remains a challenge in telemetry studies of dolphins. It was hypothesized that the hydrodynamic design of a tag could provide stable attachment to the dorsal fin by means of resultant hydrodynamic force appearing when a dolphin is swimming. To verify this hypothesis the computer fluid dynamics (CFD) study of tag performance was carried out. A virtual model presenting authentic geometry of a dolphin with tag attached to the dorsal fin was constructed. The same model without tag was used as a reference object to calculate tag impact as regards drag, lift, and moments coefficients. Flow around the models was simulated for the range of velocities as well as the ranges of pitch and yaw angles. It was shown that in 33 of 35 CFD scenarios the streamlined shape of a tag generates the lift force that facilitates keeping a tag attached to the fin. Throughout the set of calculations the tag‐associated drag coefficient does not exceed 4%, which indicates low impact. Data obtained present a baseline for the further development of non‐invasive dolphin telemetry tags.
American Muslims and Religious Pluralism1
Authors: Smith Jane
Published: May 2011

The issue of whether or not Islam as a religion allows for pluralism, or whether the Qur’an is a pluralistic scripture, seems to have taken on new urgency for some American Muslim scholars in light of 9/11 and reactions to Islam from other Americans. In this article I look at some of the ways these scholars have interpreted pluralism, grouping their responses into the general categories of concern for justice, internal critique of current realities within Islam, and the question of whether or not the Qur’an is truly open to the truth of religions other than Islam.
The Mahāyāna Path of the Bodhisattva in the Ornament for Clear Realization
Authors: Apple James B.
Published: May 2011

Buddhists have articulated the central notion of the ‘path’ in a variety of different ways and in a great number of texts throughout the history of their traditions. Among texts related to the path, the Ornament for Clear Realization, a commentary on the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, has had a significant impact on Mahāyāna Buddhist notions of the path and became the dominant Indian text for the study of the path in Tibetan traditions. This article focuses on two general descriptions of the bodhisattva path found in the Ornament for Clear Realization. The first description centers upon eight ‘clear realizations’ (abhisamaya) that constitute the knowledges and practices of Prajñāpāramitā textual systems. The second description elucidates a system of five paths, shaped by Indian Abhidharma and Yogācāra texts, that is commonly used by Tibetan commentators. The article demonstrates how the eight clear realizations and five paths are interrelated, yet distinct, modes of envisioning the bodhisattva path in the Ornament. While these path structures do not provide details of actual meditation experience, they do provide Tibetan Buddhists who follow the Ornament a structured worldview where a narrative of spiritual progress is possible and where the altruistic goal of Buddhahood can be attained.
Looking Beyond English: Linguistic Inquiry for English Language Learners
Authors: Ginsberg Daniel , Honda Maya , O’Neil Wayne
Published: May 2011

This paper reports on a pilot project that explored the potential of linguistic inquiry in a high school English as a Second Language (ESL) class. In class meetings across the school year, students worked collaboratively to investigate noun phrase pluralization, language acquisition, writing systems, and translation in their own and other languages. Classroom observations and students’ oral and written work provide evidence that:

Examining the structures of the spoken and written languages represented in the ESL classroom captures students’ interest and engages them in critical inquiry about the nature of linguistic knowledge and their beliefs about language.

The cross‐linguistic analysis of students’ home languages validates their languages in the school context, defining them as a rich resource worthy of study, rather than as a hindrance to education.

These findings are of particular significance in this time of English‐only education in the United States, when students’ home languages are often rejected in schools.
Tense and Aspect in Indo‐Iranian Part 2: The Perfect, Futurate, Participial and Periphrastic Categories
Authors: Dahl Eystein
Published: May 2011

In this paper I examine the semantic properties of the Indo‐Iranian Perfect which was associated with the anterior or perfect aspect, of the simple Future, the Desiderative and Voluntative which were all associated with a futurate meaning as well as participial and periphrastic categories. In addition, I will highlight some open questions in this area.
Tense and Aspect in Indo‐Iranian Part 1: The Present and Aorist
Authors: Dahl Eystein
Published: May 2011

The oldest attested Indo‐Iranian languages, Vedic Sanskrit, Avestan and Old Persian, indicate that Proto‐Indo‐Iranian possessed a rich inflectional verbal system with a great variety of temporal and aspectual categories. This paper discusses the semantic properties of some of the inflectional forms belonging to two of the most central inflectional stems in the Indo‐Iranian languages, the Present and Aorist which were associated with the neutral aspect and the perfective aspect, respectively. A comparison with other Indo‐European languages, most notably Ancient Greek clearly shows that this morphosyntactic opposition was inherited from Proto‐Indo‐European.
How Talker Identity Relates to Language Processing
Authors: Creel Sarah C. , Bregman Micah R.
Published: May 2011

Speech carries both linguistic content – phonemes, words, sentences – and talker information, sometimes called ‘indexical information’. While talker variability materially affects language processing, it has historically been regarded as a curiosity rather than a central influence, possibly because talker variability does not fit with a conception of speech sounds as abstract categories. Despite this relegation to the periphery, a long history of research suggests that phoneme perception and talker perception are interrelated. The current review argues that speech perception itself may arise from phylogenetically earlier vocal recognition, and discusses evidence that many cues to talker identity are also cues to speech‐sound identity. Rather than brushing talker differences aside, explicit examination of the role of talker variability and talker identity in language processing can illuminate our understanding of the origins of spoken language, and the nature of language representations themselves.
An evaluation of the Sebia capillarys Neonat Haemoglobin FAST™ system for routine newborn screening for sickle cell disease
Authors: MURRAY C. , HALL S. K. , GRIFFITHS P.
Published: May 2011

The West Midlands Newborn Screening Laboratory (NBSL) at Birmingham Children’s Hospital (BCH), UK, screens approximately 71 000 babies per annum using the Bio‐Rad automated VARIANT™ nbs (Vnbs) high‐pressure liquid chromatograph (HPLC). Any abnormal haemoglobins detected, including S, C, D‐Punjab, E and O‐Arab as directed by the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme (NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme Website, http://sct.screening.nhs.uk), are then confirmed using Resolve® isoelectric electric focusing (IEF) kits supplied by Perkin‐Elmer. The Sebia capillarys Neonat Haemoglobin FAST™ system was evaluated as a possible replacement for the first‐ or second‐line methods used. Both the Sebia and Bio‐Rad methods were compared using anonymized blood spots with known haemoglobin patterns. These results were then confirmed when necessary by IEF. The Sebia‐recommended sample preparation was also modified to enable testing to be more comparable with our current processes. Percentages of haemoglobins calculated from integration of areas under the peaks were compared between the Bio‐Rad Vnbs HPLC and Sebia capillarys Neonat Haemoglobin FAST™ system. Of the 347 blood spots tested by both HPLC and capillary electrophoresis, there were no significant differences. The Sebia capillarys Neonat Haemoglobin FAST™ system can be used to successfully screen newborns for sickle cell disease in blood spots collected for newborn screening with full positive sample identification and traceability.
Rethinking Gender and Violence: Agency, Heterogeneity, and Intersectionality
Authors: Creek S.J. , Dunn Jennifer L.
Published: May 2011

This paper is a consideration of the increasing diversity of images of gender violence and its victims, as both the grassroots antiviolence activists, and the scholars of the movements and the violence that inspires the activism, engage with cultural codes and feeling rules that tend to narrow the criteria for what constitutes gender violence and victimization. We are coming to better understand that social location, including but not limited to positions within patriarchal systems of stratification, shapes violence and victimization in many different ways. Since the inception of the women’s movement, the discourse of victimization has grappled with the implications of constructing ‘pure victims’, and despite the tremendous progress in the resources available to survivors of gender violence, we find the tensions between victimization and agency, and between simplicity and complexity, reemerging repeatedly in the stories victims, activists, and scholars tell about this social problem. Below, we review the sociological research and activism, in conjunction with the collective narratives in the social movements against gender violence, to show how the issues of perceptions of women who are framed as victims began and remain central to feminist research in this area. We also explore the newest visions of gender violence, that broaden theorizing and activism to include multiple dimensions of inequality and their intersections. Taken together, these debates reveal multifaceted layers of complexity that inform the contexts and lived experience of violence, and that continue to enter into our storytelling.
Navigating a Hostile Terrain: Refugees and Human Rights in Southeast Asia
Authors: Palmgren Pei
Published: May 2011

Countries in Southeast Asia serve as origins, transit routes, and destinations for an increasing number of refugees, asylum seekers, and other people displaced by conflict and persecution. In this article, I consider existing academic literature on refugees and forced migration and situate current trends and processes related to refugees in Southeast Asia within such work. I begin by surveying sociology material on refugees and forced migration processes in general, also drawing from related fields of human geography and interdisciplinary refugee studies. I then review current mixed migration trends and corresponding state responses in the context of globalization and contemporary conflict in Southeast Asia, placing refugee movements within this setting. Finally, using examples from the region, I consider two rough areas of inquiry in need of further sociological exploration – (i) purposive transnational refugee actions and processes and (ii) the dynamic social spaces created and developed out of refugee migration. Human rights implications of these issues are considered throughout, and suggestions to reconsider human rights protection beyond nation‐state‐focused models are given.
Lone Mother‐led Families: Exemplifying the Structuring of Social Inequality
Authors: Caragata Lea , Cumming Sara J.
Published: May 2011

Almost 25% of Canadian families are headed by a lone parent (Jensen 2003) and over 90% of poor lone parents are women (National Council of Welfare 2002). In Canada lone mother‐led families have been significantly impacted by two major and interrelated changes in Canada; welfare reforms that resulted in the elimination of a separate family benefit and includes the imposition of a work requirement combined with dramatic changes to the labor market. The reduction of welfare benefits and the increase in precarious or non‐standard work have created a high level of social jeopardy for lone mothers and their children. This paper explores the different realms of life where lone‐mothers are particularly disadvantaged and argues that governments need to clearly identify areas of policy intersection before the inequalities that lone mother‐led families face can be ameliorated.
The Sustainable Development of Kuwaiti Sabkhas
Authors: Kleo Abdulhameed A. , Al‐Otaibi Obaid
Published: May 2011

“Sabkha” is an Arabic term commonly used in foreign languages to denote a salt flat, a shallow depression. Sabkhas normally occur near sea level or at the underground water level. They usually are encrusted with a salt crust layer, the thickness of which depends on the location of the sabkhas and the evaporation rate. Sabkhas are one of the prominent surface topographical features in the Kuwaiti coastal zone, occupying an area of about 769.4 km2, equivalent to 4.3 percent of the nation's total area. Due to their presence in the most important locations near the coastline, they are a most suitable setting for exploitative human activities. Sabkhas have attracted development proponents, particularly after the increased economic growth, and urgent need for homes and housing facilities. The most significant developments in the sabkha lands are urban development, agricultural forestation, and nature reserves. This study has revealed that there are environmental hazards related to the use of sabkha lands, including salt weathering, soil salinization, tree damage and depletion of natural reserves, the deterioration of nebakha (formation and growth around plants in the desert where groundwater is available for vegetation; the usual dune forms that occur in such instances are isolated mounds around individual plants) fields, and semikarstic (an area of irregular limestone in which erosion has produced fissures, sinkholes, underground streams, and caverns) solution holes. Therefore, use of such lands should take into account scientific investigation and selection among the different development fields. Such a fragile environment obliges us to consider nature conservation, a non‐disruption or depletion of sabkhas' limited natural resources, and their environmental components. The concept of the sustainable development should prevail in the use of such sabkhas.
Transjordan During the Nineteenth Century: Reconsidering the Relation Between Arab Tribes and Christian Religious Communities
Authors: Maggiolini Paolo Maria Leo Cesare
Published: May 2011

The article aims to reconsider the history of Ottoman Transjordan during the second half of the nineteenth century. Istanbul's decision to impose its direct control over this province triggered a process of evolution and change within local political spaces. The traditional balance of power was altered and tribes were forced to accept the authority of the Ottoman Empire. States and tribes were not the only political actors. Christian religious institutions also participated in the dynamics of change. The article reconsiders the history of a Christian village of Transjordan, Madaba, to describe the complex relationship between tribes and Christian religious communities during this period of change and evolution. The section Karak highlights the main aspects that characterized the refoundation of Madaba. In the section The Exodus and the Rebirth of Madaba, the exodus of several Christian tribes from Karak to Madaba is analyzed to explain the overlap and intertwinement between the different cultural horizons and sociopolitical logics of the two actors. The section The Village of Madaba analyzes some episodes of daily life in Madaba to detail the consequences of the interaction between tribes and religious communities. Finally, the functioning of the local sociopolitical space on which the Hashemite emirate was later founded is explained. The religious community‐tribe dyad was, in fact, part of the transition from “the tribe to the state.”
Suppression of inflammatory response and endothelial nitric oxide synthase downregulation in hyperlipidaemic C57BL/6J mice by eugenosedin-A
Authors: Shen Kuo-Ping , Lin Hui-Li , Chang Wen-Tsan , An Li-Mei , Chen Ing-Jun , Wu Bin-Nan
Published: May 2011

Objectives

Eugenosedin-A has been found to ameliorate high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia in C57BL/6J mice. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of action of eugenosedin-A on endothelial function and inflammation in hyperlipidaemic mice.

Methods

C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into two control groups and two treatment groups. The control mice received either a regular diet or HFD, and the treatment groups were fed HFD with either 5 mg/kg eugenosedin-A or atorvastatin for eight weeks.

Key findings

Mice fed a HFD had higher concentrations of nitrate (NO) but not prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), increased tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) mRNA and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) proteins, but decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) proteins. HFD-induced upregulation of iNOS is associated with p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), PI3K and Akt/IKKα/p65. Eugenosedin-A and atorvastatin reduced HFD-induced TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA, NO generation, upregulation of iNOS protein, and down-regulation of eNOS protein. Both agents inhibited p38, ERK, JNK and Akt/IKKα/p65 protein levels in the aorta. However, eugenosedin-A did not significantly reduce p38 in the liver.

Conclusions

Our results showed an association between obesity-induced inflammation and altered levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, p38, ERK, JNK and Akt/IKKα/p65. Eugenosedin-A, like atorvastatin, could inhibit p38, ERK, JNK, Akt/IKKα/p65 proteins, as well as TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA during the regulation of the obesity-induced inflammatory process.
Personalization and perceived personal relevance in computer‐tailored persuasion in smoking cessation
Authors: Dijkstra Arie , Ballast Karien
Published: May 2011

Objectives. In most computer‐tailored interventions, the recipient's name is used to personalize the information. This is done to increase the process of persuasion but few empirical data exist that support this notion.

Design. An experimental laboratory study was conducted to test the effects of mentioning the participants name and to study whether it was related to the depth of processing in a 2 (personalization/standard) × 2 (weak/strong arguments) design.

Methods. Over 120 student smokers were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions in which they read smoking cessation messages offering (pre‐tested) strong or weak arguments. Personalization was applied by mentioning the recipient's first name three times in the text. The intention to quit smoking was the dependent variable.

Results. Personalization increased persuasion when perceived personal relevance was high, but it decreased persuasion when perceived personal relevance was low. The effects on persuasion were only present in the case of strong arguments.

Conclusions. Personalization is not always effective, and it may even lead to less persuasion. Therefore, this often used way to tailor messages must be applied with care.