bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An analysis of the positional distribution of DNA motifs in promoter regions and its biological relevance
Authors: Casimiro Ana C , Vinga Susana , Freitas Ana T , Oliveira Arlindo L
Published: February 2008

Background

Motif finding algorithms have developed in their ability to use computationally efficient methods to detect patterns in biological sequences. However the posterior classification of the output still suffers from some limitations, which makes it difficult to assess the biological significance of the motifs found. Previous work has highlighted the existence of positional bias of motifs in the DNA sequences, which might indicate not only that the pattern is important, but also provide hints of the positions where these patterns occur preferentially.

Results

We propose to integrate position uniformity tests and over-representation tests to improve the accuracy of the classification of motifs. Using artificial data, we have compared three different statistical tests (Chi-Square, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and a Chi-Square bootstrap) to assess whether a given motif occurs uniformly in the promoter region of a gene. Using the test that performed better in this dataset, we proceeded to study the positional distribution of several well known cis-regulatory elements, in the promoter sequences of different organisms (S. cerevisiae, H. sapiens, D. melanogaster, E. coli and several Dicotyledons plants). The results show that position conservation is relevant for the transcriptional machinery.

Conclusion

We conclude that many biologically relevant motifs appear heterogeneously distributed in the promoter region of genes, and therefore, that non-uniformity is a good indicator of biological relevance and can be used to complement over-representation tests commonly used. In this article we present the results obtained for the S. cerevisiae data sets.
Comparative efficacies of different antibiotic treatments to eradicate nontypeable Haemophilus influenzaeinfection
Authors: Sekiya Yukie , Eguchi Masahiro , Nakamura Masahiko , Ubukata Kimiko , Omura Satoshi , Matsui Hidenori
Published: February 2008

Background

Nonencapsulated and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a major cause of human respiratory tract infections. Some strains of NTHi can cause invasive diseases such as septicemia and meningitis, even if H. influenzae is not generally considered to be an intracellular pathogen. There have been very few reports about the therapeutic efficacy of antibiotics against respiratory tract infection caused by NTHi in mice because it is difficult for H. influenzae to infect mice. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of antibiotics against NTHi in both a cell culture model and a mouse model of infection.

Methods

We used six strains of NTHi isolated from adult patients with chronic otitis media, namely three β-lactamase-negative ampicillin (AMP)-resistant (BLNAR) strains and three β-lactamase-negative AMP-susceptible (BLNAS) strains, to evaluate the efficacy of AMP, cefcapene (CFPN), levofloxacin (LVX), clarithromycin (CLR), and azithromycin (AZM) in both a cell culture infection model and a mouse infection model. In the cell culture infection model, strains that invade A549 human alveolar epithelial cells were treated with each antibiotic (1 μg/ml). In the mouse infection model, female C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) three days before intranasal infection with 1 × 109 colony-forming units (CFU) of NTHi and on the day of infection. After infection, the mice were orally administered each antibiotic three times daily for three days, except for AZM, which was administered once daily for three days, at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day.

Results

In the cell culture infection model, it was found that two BLNAR strains were able to enter the cell monolayers by the process of macropinocytosis, and treatment with LVX yielded good bactericidal activity against both strains inside the cells. In the mouse infection model, no bacteria were detected by means of plating the lung homogenates of LVX-treated mice at day 4 after infection, while more than 105 CFU of bacteria per tissue sample were detected in nontreated mice.

Conclusion

Our findings show the outcome and rich benefits of fluoroquinolone treatment of respiratory infections caused by either invasive or noninvasive BLNAR strains of NTHi.
Who Should Have Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation?
Authors: Orel Susan
Published: February 2008

During the last two decades, tremendous advances have been made in the performance and interpretation of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. Technical requirements for optimal breast imaging including the requirement for a breast MRI biopsy system are now being defined as part of a voluntary American College of Radiology (ACR) breast MRI accreditation program. The ACR BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) lexicon for breast MRI has brought uniformity to the interpretation of breast MRI examinations. With these advances in imaging technique, interpretation guidelines, and increasing availability of MR-compatible breast biopsy systems, MRI of the breast is rapidly gaining popularity in clinical practice in both the diagnostic setting and, more recently, in the screening setting. The clinical indications for breast MRI, however, remain to be defined. There are clinical indications that have emerged where MRI, as an adjunct to mammography, seems to be the imaging study of choice. There are other indications, specifically breast cancer staging, in which MRI is being utilized with increasing frequency, but in which controversy persists.
Research Issues Affecting Preoperative Systemic Therapy for Operable Breast Cancer
Authors: Wolff Antonio C. , Berry Donald , Carey Lisa A. , Colleoni Marco , Dowsett Mitchell , Ellis Matthew , Garber Judy E. , Mankoff David , Paik Soonmyung , Pusztai Lajos , Lou Smith Mary , Zujewski JoAnne
Published: February 2008

Preoperative systemic therapy (PST) in operable breast cancer allows a small increase in breast conservation rates and has significant potential as a research platform. PST offers the ability to discern treatment effect in vivo, and may allow smaller trials targeting specific breast cancer subtypes and making more efficient use of resources. Early observations of a specific outcome of interest in individual patient subgroups may improve the design of larger definitive randomized adjuvant trials using survival as a main outcome. PST offers the potential for therapeutic adjustments midcourse, which assumes the existence of validated intermediate end points and effective alternative therapies. This article reviews critical research issues affecting the design of PST trials, including the appropriate selection of trial end points and markers for long-term outcome, baseline marker expression as a predictor of response, and statistical considerations using novel trial designs. Key issues regarding optimal tumor subtype selection for individual trials, novel approaches using nontherapeutic window trial designs, and ethical and advocacy considerations are also discussed. PST requires an experienced and cohesive multidisciplinary team for it to fulfill its potential in both research and clinical care.
Wnt3a-mediated chemorepulsion controls movement patterns of cardiac progenitors and requires RhoA function
Authors: Yue Qiaoyun , Wagstaff Laura , Yang Xuesong , Weijer Cornelis , Münsterberg Andrea
Published: February 2008

The heart is the first organ to function during vertebrate development and cardiac progenitors are among the first cell lineages to be established. In the chick, cardiac progenitors have been mapped in the epiblast of pre-streak embryos, and in the early gastrula they are located in the mid-primitive streak, from which they enter the mesoderm bilaterally. Signals controlling the specification of cardiac cells have been well documented; however,migration routes of cardiac progenitors have not been directly observed within the embryo and the factor(s) controlling their movement are not known. In addition, it is not clear how cell movement is coordinated with cell specification in the early embryo. Here we use live imaging to show that cardiac progenitors migrate in highly directed trajectories, which can be controlled by Wnt3a. Ectopic Wnt3a altered movement trajectories and caused cardia bifida. This was rescued by electroporation of dominant-negative DN-Wnt3a into prospective cardiac cells. Explant essays and mutant analysis showed that cellular guidance involved repulsion in response to Wnt3a and required RhoA function. It has been shown that Wnt3a inhibits cardiogenic cell specification through a β-catenin-dependent pathway. On the basis of our results, we propose that Wnt3a concomitantly guides the movement of cardiac progenitors by a novel mechanism involving RhoA-dependent chemorepulsion.
A translational block to HSPG synthesis permits BMP signaling in the earlyDrosophilaembryo
Authors: Bornemann Douglas J. , Park Sangbin , Phin Sopheap , Warrior Rahul
Published: February 2008

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are extracellular macromolecules found on virtually every cell type in eumetazoans. HSPGs are composed of a core protein covalently linked to glycosaminoglycan (GAG) sugar chains that bind and modulate the signaling efficiency of many ligands, including Hedgehog(Hh), Wingless (Wg) and Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Here, we show that, in Drosophila, loss of HSPGs differentially affects embryonic Hh, Wg and BMP signaling. We find that a stage-specific block to GAG synthesis prevents HSPG expression during establishment of the BMP activity gradient that is crucial for dorsal embryonic patterning. Subsequently, GAG synthesis is initiated coincident with the onset of Hh and Wg signaling which require HSPGs. This temporal regulation is achieved by the translational control of HSPG synthetic enzymes through internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs). IRES-like features are conserved in GAG enzyme transcripts from diverse organisms, suggesting that this represents a novel evolutionarily conserved mechanism for regulating GAG synthesis and modulating growth factor activity.
Functional importance of individual rRNA 2′-O-ribose methylations revealed by high-resolution phenotyping
Authors: Esguerra Jonathan , Warringer Jonas , Blomberg Anders
Published: February 2008

Ribosomal RNAs contain numerous modifications at specific nucleotides. Despite their evolutionary conservation, the functional role of individual 2′-O-ribose methylations in rRNA is not known. A distinct family of small nucleolar RNAs, box C/D snoRNAs, guides the methylating complex to specific rRNA sites. Using a high-resolution phenotyping approach, we characterized 20 box C/D snoRNA gene deletions for altered growth dynamics under a wide array of environmental perturbations, encompassing intraribosomal antibiotics, inhibitors of specific cellular features, as well as general stressors. Ribosome-specific antibiotics generated phenotypes indicating different and long-ranging structural effects of rRNA methylations on the ribosome. For all studied box C/D snoRNA mutants we uncovered phenotypes to extraribosomal growth inhibitors, most frequently reflected in alteration in growth lag (adaptation time). A number of strains were highly pleiotropic and displayed a great number of sensitive phenotypes, e.g., deletion mutants of snR70 and snR71, which both have clear human homologues, and deletion mutants of snR65 and snR68. Our data indicate that individual rRNA ribose methylations can play either distinct or general roles in the workings of the ribosome.
Structure–function analysis of vaccinia virus mRNA cap (guanine-N7) methyltransferase
Authors: Zheng Sushuang , Shuman Stewart
Published: February 2008

The guanine-N7 methyltransferase domain of vaccinia virus mRNA capping enzyme is a heterodimer composed of a catalytic subunit and a stimulatory subunit. Structure–function analysis of the catalytic subunit by alanine scanning and conservative substitutions (49 mutations at 25 amino acids) identified 12 functional groups essential for methyltransferase activity in vivo, most of which were essential for cap methylation in vitro. Defects in cap binding were demonstrated for a subset of lethal mutants that displayed residual activity in vitro. We discuss our findings in light of a model of the Michaelis complex derived from crystal structures of AdoHcy-bound vaccinia cap methyltransferase and GTP-bound cellular cap methyltransferase. The structure–function data yield a coherent picture of the vaccinia cap methyltransferase active site and the determinants of substrate specificity and affinity.
The image of the Maltese falcon: Reconsidering an American icon
Authors: Torgerson Douglas
Published: February 2008

The image of the Maltese falcon is an American icon that has made repeated appearances in print, film and elsewhere since it was first presented in the pages of Black Mask magazine in 1929. When we return to Dashiell Hammett's text (published in novel form the following year),
we find that this image actually involves a range of multiple images, the significance of which can be probed by considering a stylistic contrast between Hammett and another outstanding Black Mask author, Raymond Chandler. The contrast between Hammett and Chandler becomes especially
evident in their different deployments of metaphor and metonymy. Departing from common metaphoric readings, this essay establishes the falcon's metonymic character. The point is not just to show a difference in technique between Hammett and Chandler, but also to demonstrate how Hammett's text
carries cultural and political investments that entail a demystification of historical experience while disallowing the quality of redemption prized by the more romantic Chandler.
Francis Parkman's grotesque body: Disease, disgust and desire in The Oregon Trail
Authors: Wall David
Published: February 2008

This essay applies Russian critic Mikhail Bakhtin's concepts of carnival and grotesque realism to Francis Parkman's The Oregon Trail. Tracing a journey from the civilized east to the uncivilized west, Parkman's narrative expresses a simultaneous fear and fascination towards the
Otherness he encounters (and, indeed, constructs) that leads finally to the hybrid carnivalising of his own body. These deep-seated ambivalences in the west ultimately reveal much broader anxieties over social disorder prevalent in the urban east.
Factors that Influence Multinational Corporations’ Control of Their Operations in Foreign Markets: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Dong Beibei , Zou Shaoming , Taylor Charles R.
Published: February 2008

Multinational corporations’ (MNCs’) control over their foreign operations plays an important role in implementing their global marketing strategy. In the past, transaction cost analysis and bargaining power theory have been widely cited to explain the degree of control MNCs exert over their foreign operations. However, research explicitly combining these two perspectives has been limited. To address the gap in the literature, the authors present a joint model that combines the two alternative theories to explain MNCs’ control, and they compare their relative explanatory power. Using primary survey data, they perform an empirical test of the relative explanatory power of these two theories. The results suggest that three factors, two drawn from bargaining power theory and one from transaction cost analysis, are key factors in explaining MNCs’ degree of control over their foreign operations. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and managerial implications.
Riccardo Maisano (ed.), Cantici di Romano il Melodo, vol. I-II
Authors: Conca Fabrizio
Published: February 2008

Nella relazione presentata al II Convegno dell'Associazione di Studi Tardoantichi, Riccardo Maisano osservava che solo con l'edizione di Grosdidier de Matons, apparsa tra il 1964 e il 1981, «ha inizio il vero e proprio dialogo fra l'opera di Romano e il pubblico occidentale. Per la prima volta gli inni sono sistematicamente tradotti, introdotti e annotati dallo stesso filologo curatore dell'edizione critica, e la medesima unità di intenti guida anche la compilazione dell'apparato delle varianti, rendendo al lettore un servigio inestimabile». Ma poiché la prematura scomparsa dello studioso, al quale Maisano riconosce «appassionata adesione alla materia» e «signorile onestà intellettuale» (I, p. 75), impedì che l'opera venisse portata a termine, la presente risulta essere la prima edizione criticamente rivista, tradotta e commentata in modo completo: oltre ai 59 contaci di sicura attribuzione, essa comprende in appendice anche alcuni carmina dubia (83, 84, 87 Maas-Trypanis), nonché l'Inno acatisto, che sicuramente non può essere assegnato al Melodo (II, p. 580), ma del quale è ristampata la traduzione di Carlo Del Grande (Firenze 1948), proprio per documentare «la differenza anche stilistica fra questo componimento e i cantici di Romano» (II, p. 581).
Eric McGeer/John Nesbitt/Nicolas Oikonomide, Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, IV: The East
Authors: Seibt Werner
Published: February 2008

Die alphabetische Reihung der Autorennamen erweckt ein irreführendes Bild der einzelnen Kontributionen, zumal da ja auch kein Vorwort erscheint. Die wissenschaftliche Leitung und Letztverantwortung für den Band lag weiterhin bei N. Oikonomides, der nicht nur das Manuskript abschloss, sondern auch noch die Stellungnahmen der Begutachter auswerten konnte, Fahnen aber leider nicht mehr erleben durfte. Den größten Zeitaufwand investierte sicherlich J. Nesbitt, der ja für dieses Projekt in Dumbarton Oaks angestellt ist. E. McGeer dagegen ist zwar ein sigillographischer Hoffnungsträger in Amerika, sein Beitrag zu diesem Band war aber noch eher bescheiden.
Antigone Samellas, Death in the Eastern Mediterranean (50-600 A.D.). The Christianization of the East: an interpretation. [Studies and Texts in Antiquity and Christianity, 12.]
Authors: Ewald Christina Katsougiannopoulou
Published: February 2008

In the last decade we witnessed an impressive output of scholarly publications dealing either with issues of Christianization in various parts of the Roman Empire or exploring the interaction of Christianity with pagan religion and local cults. The book by Samellas with its promising title is a welcome addition to these series of works and will interest specialists in religious studies, historians of Late Antiquity and cultural anthropologists alike. The book derives from a dissertation submitted at Yale University in 1999. It is divided into seven chapters that are, in turn, divided into sections; the volume also comprises a short conclusive chapter as well as indices of ancient and modern authors.
Westerink Leendert G./Duffy John (eds.), Michael Psellus. Theologica. Vol. II. [Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana.]
Authors: Bevegni Claudio
Published: February 2008

A distanza di tredici anni dalla pubblicazione del primo, e più corposo, volume dei Theologica di Michele Psello, curato da Paul Gautier, vede ora la luce il secondo e ultimo volume degli opuscoli teologici del grande poligrafo bizantino, ad arricchire ulteriormente la ormai lunga serie delle edizioni pselliane comparse nella Bibliotheca Teubneriana. Il vol. si apre con una Praefatio essenziale (pp. VII–XVIII), incentrata sulla tradizione manoscritta dei singoli opuscoli, nella quale vengono rapidamente elencati tutti i codici dai quali ogni trattatello ci è stato trasmesso e le (eventuali) precedenti edizioni. Dopo il Conspectus editionum (limitato agli scritti pubblicati nel II vol.) e il consueto elenco dei Sigla (pp. XIX–XXI) segue il testo dei quarantacinque opuscoli (pp. 1–153), ventitré dei quali fino ad oggi inediti. Tali opuscoli risultano di dimensioni assai variabili: si va da veri e propri saggi lunghi fino a venticinque pagine a stampa (op. 3) a semplici schede di una manciata di righi (op. 22). In essi Psello prende prevalentemente in esame loci delle Sacre Scritture; talora discute invece passi problematici del prediletto Gregorio Nazianzeno, oppure affronta questioni puntuali, come l'eresia di Eunomio (op. 14) o l'aspetto degli angeli (op. 38). Come accade anche per scritti di Psello di altro genere (si pensi, ad es., agli opuscoli retorici e filosofici), anche questi trattatelli teologici si configurano non di rado come centoni di passi mutuati da opere altrui e sapientemente assemblati da Psello: si vedano, ad es., op. 14, nel quale vengono combinati loci tratti dall'Adversus Eunomium di Basilio di Cesarea e dall'omonima opera di Gregorio di Nissa, oppure op. 10, largamente debitore delle Quaestiones in Leviticum di Teodoreto di Cirro. Il vol. si chiude con l'elenco degli Initia (pp. 154–155) e tre indici (pp. 155–176): Index auctorum, Index nominum e Index verborum (propriamente, un delectus verborum).
Carmelo Giuseppe Conticello/Vassa Conticello (Hg.), La théologie byzantine et sa tradition, II (XIIIe-XIXe s.)
Authors: Podskalsky Gerhard
Published: February 2008

Dieses seit langem angekündigte, in drei Bänden geplante Handbuch, das sein Erscheinen mit dem zweiten Band über das byzantinische Hochmittelalter und die nachbyzantinische Epoche eröffnet, könnte mit seinen betont lapidaren Titel den Eindruck erwecken, erstmalig eine breite oder gar erschöpfende Darstellung der byzantinischen Theologie zu bieten; doch im Unterschied zu H.-G.Becks Klassiker „Kirche und theologische Literatur in byzantinischen Reich“ (München 1959, 1977), in dem ein lückenloser Überblick über die Gesamtheit der theologischen Produktion in Byzanz(330 bzw. Mitte des 6. Jahrhunderts – 1453) angestrebt ist, setzt sich das vorliegende Werk das Ziel, eine Reihe herausragender Theologen eingehend in Biographie und Werkanalyse darzustellen; dabei nehmen die Bearbeiter, wie im Vorwort J. Norets (S. 3f.) betont, an der „Clavis Patrum Graecorum“ Maß, so daß erstmalig alle echten, unechten und zweifelhaften Werke eines Autors dieser Epochen eine feste Nummer tragen, der dann noch Angaben zu den Handschriften, evtl. Editionen und Übersetzungen folgen. Als weiteres Neuheitsmerkmal ist eine umfassende, internationale Bibliographie zu jedem behandelten Autor beigegeben. Diese immense Arbeitsleistung konnte nur auf möglichst viele Mitarbeiter und Berater, besonders aus dem Forschungspersonal der „Ecole pratique des Hautes Etudes“ und des „Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique“, verteilt werden, die neben den ausländischen Kollegen in den Einführungen und Danksagungen (S. 1–6) erwähnt werden. Andererseits besitzen die seitenlangen bibliographischen Listen leider nicht den Charakter einer „Bibliographie raisonnée“, insofern wichtige und unwichtige Titel gleichberechtigt nebeneinanderstehen; nur in Einzelfällen sind auch kritische Rezensionen mitberücksichtigt.
Jean-Claude Larchet, Saint Maxime le Confesseur (580–662)
Authors: Winkelmann Friedhelm
Published: February 2008

Der Autor hat sich bislang besonders als Übersetzer von Werken und Briefen des Maximos Homologetes ins Französische und durch Beiträge zur Erforschung der Lehre dieses Theologen hervorgetan (siehe die Titelauflistung S. 255f.), von denen besonders seine Straßburger Dissertation „La Divinisation de l'homme selon saint Maxime le Confesseur“ (Paris 1996) und die Studie „Maxime le Confesseur, médiateur entre l'Orient et l'Occident“ (Paris 1998) hervorzuheben sind.
Ingunn Lunde, Verbal celebrations. Kirill of Turov's homiletic rhetoric and its Byzantine sources
Authors: Sels Lara
Published: February 2008

The monograph under review, written as a doctorate in 1999 and later revised and supplemented, offers a searching analysis of the form and function of rhetoric in the Pascal-Pentecost cycle of the 12th century homilist Cyril of Turov, together with an examination of the Byzantine sources. Lunde scrutinizes eight festal homilies for the period from Palm Sunday to the Sunday before Pentecost, using the edition by Igor' Erëmin [TODL 11–13,15 (1955–1958), reprinted as Literaturnoe nasledie Kirilla Turovskogo: Archeologičeskij obzor I izdanie tekstov in 1989]. All Slavonic fragments are accompanied by English translations, predominantly drawn from Simon Franklin's Sermon and Rhetoric of Kievan Rus' [1991, reviewed by Francis Thomson in Slavica Gandensia 19], with minor alterations (e.g. p. 266, note 11) and critical remarks (e.g. p. 180, note 37). The study is positioned along the line that marks a shift in focus from philological and historical commentary towards the literary analysis of Cyril's sermons. Lunde's approach is clearly indebted to various developments in modern literary criticism, from structural linguistics to discourse analysis and communication theory. Questions of dating, attribution, and textual criticism are consciously left aside.
Aldo Messina, Le chiese rupestre del Val Demone e del Val di Mazara
Authors: Castelfranchi Marina Falla
Published: February 2008

Negli ultimi anni le ricerche sulla civiltà rupestre del Mezzogiorno medioevale, in seguito agli studi innovativi di Cosimo Damiano Fonseca, hanno condotto alla rivisitazione, attraverso approcci nuovi e con l'ausilio di strumenti sofisticati, di questo fenomeno nelle sue varie sfaccettature. Se, a partire soprattutto dalla fine dell'800, gli studiosi avevano rivolto i loro interessi in specie alle cappelle rupestri e alla loro decorazione pittorica, ovvero all'aspetto, in apparenza il più eclatante, dell'abitato rupestre, di recente l'attenzione si è focalizzata intorno allo studio del paesaggio rupestre stesso e ai suoi valori, inteso come modello insediativo non certamente alternativo, né inferiore, a quello urbano, bensì come elemento specifico all'interno della complessa realtà dell'insediamento umano delle regioni meridionali e della Sicilia tra Tarda Antichità e Medioevo.
Antonio Rigo, La „Cronaca delle Meteore“. La storia dei monasteri della Tessaglia tra XIII e XVI secolo
Authors: Maksimović Ljubomir
Published: February 2008

Im Grunde stellt das Buch eine neue (die dritte) Ausgabe, diesmal die echt kritische Ausgabe, der sogennanten Chronik der Meteora (nach den ungenügend bearbeiteten Ausgaben von L. Heuzey und F.I. Uspenskij im 19. Jh.) dar. Außer der Ausgabe mit italienischer Übersetzung (S. 122–139) bietet aber der Herausgeber auch eine ausführliche Einführungsstudie (S. 13–120), sowie ebenso ausführliche historische Kommentare (S. 143–173). Die Ausgabe ist auf Grund der Handschriften aus dem Kl. Barlaam (heute Petrop. Gr.251.I) und Kl. des Hl. Stefan entstanden. Die beiden Handschriften bestehen aus dem Text der Chronik von Ioannina, einem Horismos des Sinan-pasha und dem hier herausgegebenen Text, wobei in der Handschrift Barlaam noch verschiedene Notizen am Ende beigefügt sind.
Paul Speck, Kaiser Leon III. Die Geschichtswerke des Nikephoros und des Theophanes und der liber pontificalis
Authors: Todt Klaus-Peter
Published: February 2008

Dem Rezensenten obliegt die traurige Pflicht, das letzte Buch des vor kurzem (am 18. August 2003) verstorbenen Berliner Emeritus für Byzantinistik, Paul Speck, zu besprechen. Wie die große Menge seiner früheren Artikel und Monographien beschäftigt sich auch dieses Buch in z.T. polemischer Auseinandersetzung mit den Positionen anderer Forscher mit den Quellen zur byzantinischen Geschichte des 7.–9. Jahrhunderts, also mit der Zeit der sog. Dunklen Jahrhunderte, vor allem mit der Periode des sog. Bilderstreites. Es handelt sich, wie Speck selbst in der Einleitung darlegt (S. 24), bei der vorliegenden Monographie nicht um eine Biographie Kaiser Leons III. (717–741), sondern um eine Analyse der Berichte über die ersten Regierungsjahre dieses Herrschers in drei wichtigen griechischen und lateinischen Quellentexten, nämlich in der Historia syntomos des Patriarchen Nikephoros I. von Konstantinopel (806–815), in der Chronographia des Theophanes (von Speck zu Recht überwiegend als Werk des Georgios synkellos angesehen) und im römischen liber pontificalis. Letzterer spielt allerdings im hier besprochenen Teil 1 nur im XV. Abschnitt (S. 303) eine Rolle. Grundsätzlich gilt nach Speck, daß fast alles, was in der Historia syntomos des Nikephoros berichtet wird, sich meist sogar in derselben Reihenfolge auch in der Chronographia des „Theophanes“ wiederfindet, daß letztere aber zahlreiche zusätzliche Informationen enthält, so daß die Existenz einer beiden gemeinsame Quelle oder Vorlage sehr wahrscheinlich ist (S. 55–56). Bereits in seinen früheren Arbeiten entwickelte er dazu die Hypothese, zwei Materialsammlungen des Georgios synkellos (das sog. vielleicht noch in Palästina verfaßte erste und das dieses bis 815 fortsetzende, in Konstantinopel zusammengestellte zweite Dossier) hätten sowohl für die Historia syntomos des Patriarchen Nikephoros (1. Dossier) als auch für die Chronographia des „Theophanes“ (2. Dossier), aber auch für die christlich-orientalischen Chroniken (diese sind nach Speck vom 1. Dossier abhängig) die Masse der Informationen geliefert (zusammenfassend S. 19–23, ferner S. 95 und S. 375–376).
Zur Kirche auf einem Kupferstich von Gugas İnciciyan und zum Standort der Chalke-Kirche
Authors: Asutay-Effenberger Neslihan , Effenberger Arne
Published: February 2008

English Summary

The main focus of this article is a church, the picture of which is shown on a gravure by Gugas İnciciyan and called Arslanhane (Menagerie)/Nakkaşhane (House of painters). The church has a central dome, an apsis and a semi dome at the west side and looks like a little model of the Hagia Sophia. It was erected above an other building with a central arch. This resembles descriptions of the Chalke gate and the Chalke church in several written sources. Some chraracteristic marks of İnciciyan's church can also be discovered on some other drawings from various artists (Matrakçi Nasuh 1537; Melchior Lorichs, 1559; Cornelius Loos, 1710). A comparison with them helps us to localise it on the southern side of the former university building of Gaspare Fossati.

Written sources inform us that the so called Arslanhane/Nakkaşhane of Inciciyan was not the only the building, which was converted to a menagerie. The church of Johannes in the Diippion and an other building, near the southwest corner of the Hagia Sophia were also used as menagerie during the Ottoman period. Especially the second one can be seen on various drawings. In our opinion Mango's identification of a church drawn by Willey Reveley (1786) with the Chalke, must be reviewed, since it was probably that of Theotokos Varaniotissa, which was renewed in the late Byzantine era.
Jaakko Frösén/Antti Arjava/Marjo Lehtinen (eds.), with contributions by Zbigniew T. Fiema/Clement A. Kuehn/Tiina Purola/Tiina Rankinen/Marjaana Vesterinen/Marja Vierros, The Petra Papyri I
Authors: Palme Bernhard
Published: February 2008

Im 5. und 6. Jh. n. Chr. war es um Petra, die ehemals blühende Hauptstadt des 106 n. Chr. von den Römern okkupierten Nabatäerreiches, still geworden. Zuvor urbanes Zentrum der Provinz Arabia und Verkehrsknotenpunkt an der Via Nova Traiana, war der Handel seit dem 3. Jh. rückgängig. In den Jahren 363 und 551 von Erdbeben zerstört, begegnet Petra in der frühbyzantinischen Zeit fast nur noch als Verbannungsort von Feinden der Kirche oder des Staates, bevor es zu Beginn des 7. Jh. ganz aus der historischen Dokumentation verschwindet.
Peter Gemeinhardt, Die Filioque-Kontroverse zwischen Ost- und Westkirche im Frühmittelalter
Authors: Riebe Alexandra
Published: February 2008

Die Beschäftigung dem Filioque hat derzeit wieder Konjunktur. Nach der Studie von Bernd Oberdorfer (2001), die das Filioque-Problem aus primär systematisch-theologischer Perspektive untersucht, legt Peter Gemeinhardt jetzt mit seiner Marburger Dissertation ein Werk vor, das sich der Filioque-Problematik unter historischem Gesichtspunkt nähert, genauer: das die Entstehung des Filioque selbst und die damit verknüpfte Kontroverse von den Anfängen bis zum frühen 12. Jahrhundert eingehend nachzeichnet und durchaus als komplementäres Werk zu Oberdorfers Buch – auf das sich G. wiederholt bezieht – gelesen werden kann. Die Arbeit legt den Schwerpunkt auf die Zeit vor 1054, die in den Augen des Vf. hinsichtlich der Filioque-Kontroverse bisher unter einem Schleier liegt, den er „vermittels einer kirchen- und dogmengeschichtlichen Untersuchung“ lüften will um „damit den gegenwärtigen Auseinandersetzungen um Sinnhaftigkeit und Legitimität des Filioque ein historisch-kritisches Korrektiv an die Hand zu geben“ (VIII). Diese Zielsetzung spiegelt sich auch darin, daß der eigentlich historische Teil der Arbeit eingerahmt wird von zwei kürzeren, die die Untersuchung im ökumenischen und systematisch-theologischen Horizont verorten. Abschnitt A bildet die Einleitung: „Das Filioque im Spannungsfeld der gegenwärtigen Ökumene“ (S.1–40). Abschnitt B zeichnet die historische Entwicklung nach: „Stationen der Filioque-Kontroverse im Frühmittelalter“ (S.41–534). Abschnitt C faßt die Ergebnisse zusammen und lenkt den Blick zurück auf die ökumenische Diskussion der Gegenwart: „Systematisierende Zusammenfassung“ (S.535–556). Am Ende finden sich – angesichts der ungeheuren Fülle des verarbeiteten Materials unerläßliche – Anhänge zur Textentwicklung des NC (S.557–562), Abkürzungen der Quellen (S.563–566), die umfangreiche Bibliographie (S.567–598) und Register (Bibelstellen; Quellen; Namen; Orte; Synoden; moderne Autoren; S.599–644), die dem dankbaren Leser die Arbeit erleichtern.
Michael Maas, Exegesis and empire in the early Byzantine mediterranean. Junillus Africanus and the Instituta Regularia Dicinae Legis. With a contribution by Edwards G. Mathews, Jr. With the Latin text established by Heinrich Kihn. Translated by Michael Maas
Authors: Winkelmann Friedhelm
Published: February 2008

Maas hat einfach den von Heinrich Kirn im Jahr 1880 edierten Text („Theodor von Mopsuestia und Junilius Africanus als Exegeten. Nebst einer kritischen Textausgabe von des letzteren Instituta regularia divinae legis“, Freiburg i. B.) ohne jede eigene Bearbeitung und weitere Aufbereitung abgedruckt (S. 118–234; S. 266–269 Kirns Zitatenregister übernommen; doch keine Berücksichtigung des Textes im Sach-und Autorenregister S. 275–280). Selbst die seit 1947 bekannten zusätzlichen neun Handschriften (M. L. W. Laistner: Harv. Theol. Rev. 40, 1947, 19–31), hat Maas nicht auf ihre Qualität und Bedeutung geprüft, sondern sie S. 116f. nur aufgezählt. Nützlich ist die beigefügte englische Übersetzung, doch hatte bereits J. F. Collins im Jahr 1998 eine solche Übersetzung im Internet zugängig gemacht (ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/texts/junillus.trans.html). Rückverweise vom Text auf die Einleitung oder erläuternde Sachanmerkungen zu Text und Übersetzung finden sich nicht. Und auch die Bezüge der Einleitung auf den Text sind nicht präzis. Der Schwerpunkt der vorliegenden Untersuchung liegt also nicht auf Text und Übersetzung der Instituta, sondern auf der Einleitung zum Text (S. 1–115), was ja schon die Titelgestaltung des Buches vermuten läßt.
Andreas Rhoby, Reminiszenzen an antike Stätten in der mittel- und spätbyzantinischen Literatur. Eine Untersuchung zur Antikenrezeption in Byzanz
Authors: Engels Johannes
Published: February 2008

In der überarbeiteten Fassung seiner Wiener Dissertation von 1999 legt Rhoby (= R.) zunächst in einer sehr knappen Einleitung (19–23) eine Arbeitsdefinition des zentralen Begriffes einer geographischen ‚Reminiszenz‘ vor. Er gewinnt seine Definition primär aus dem ausgewerteten Material selbst. Bei Reminiszenzen handele es sich um „eine Erwähnung eines antiken Ortes, die innerhalb eines byzantinischen Textes nebenbei geschieht bzw. in einen längeren Handlungsablauf ergänzend eingearbeitet ist“ (19). Als bewußt hervorgeholte Erinnerung aus dem traditionellen literarischen Bildungsgut eines Autors hebt sich die Reminiszenz von der Mimesis und dem Plagiat ab. Der Begriff bleibt jedoch bei R. etwas unbestimmt. Reminiszenz habe „eigentlich in jedem der folgenden Kapitel eine jeweils etwas andere Bedeutung“ (22). Auf die aktuelle Diskussion über Zitate, Anspielungen, Reminiszenzen und verwandte rhetorisch-stilistische Termini und Techniken in der Philologie, Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaft geht R. weder in seiner Einleitung (siehe 20 und Anm. 6) noch in der abschließenden Analyse (237–257) ausführlich ein. Für R.s Untersuchung bietet sich eine Vielzahl von Gattungen der mittel- und spätbyzantinischen Literatur als Textgrundlage an. Zu Recht schließt er Textsorten aus, in denen die Antike oder antike Themen ganz offen im Mittelpunkt stehen, z.B. Kommentare, Paraphrasen zu antiken Autoren, Progymnasmata und Übungsreden über antike Themen, auch den in der Antike spielenden byzantinischen Liebesroman. Denn in solchen Texten kann man offenkundig nicht von Reminiszenzen in R.s Verständnis sprechen. Es verbleiben aber weiterhin zahlreiche Werke aus verschiedenen Gattungen und von unterschiedlichen Autoren. Dies erschwert methodisch R.s Untersuchung.
Christopher Walter, The warrior saints in Byzantine art and tradition
Authors: Piltz Elisabeth
Published: February 2008

Der Pilot und Priester, Assumptionist und Byzantinist Christopher Walter hat einen neuen unschätzbaren Beitrag zur byzantinischen Geschichte geliefert. Als Schüler von André Grabar und Kollege von Vitalien Laurent verwaltet er die reiche Wissenschaftstradition der Assumptionisten und Bollandisten. Sein grosses Wissen über Theologie, Kirchengeschichte, Patristik und Kunstwissenschaft vermittelt er in einer angenehmen fliessenden Sprache. In dieser Arbeit webt er einen kunstfertigen Gobelin und verbindet die christliche Frühgeschichte mit dem vom antiken Heroenkult übertragenen Märtyrerkult in einem tiefgreifenden Versuch, die Historizität der Kriegerheiligen zu fixieren. Er bringt den kultischen Aspekt der Armee in einer Darstellung zum Leben, die sich oft zu einem spannenden Detektivroman entwickelt. Endlich können wir den beliebtesten Kriegerheiligen in einen festeren Griff bekommen, den Archistrategos, den Erzengel Michael, mit den himmlischen Heerscharen zu seiner Verfügung, zur Verteidigung der ecclesia militans und des irdischen Imperiums neben anderen Kriegerheiligen, die die Standarten der Tagmaeinheiten schmückten.
Ριμάδα ϰόϱης ϰαὶ νέου. Contrasto di una fanciulla e di un giovane. Edizione critica, introduzione, commento e traduzione di Maria CARACAUSI
Authors: Carpinato Caterina
Published: February 2008

Due manoscritti, l'Ambrosianus Y 89 sup. ed il Vindobonensis Theol. Graecus 244, entrambi ben noti agli studiosi della letteratura greca volgare delle origini per le importanti testimonianze letterarie in essi conservate, tramandano anche un interessante poemetto in decapentasillabi rimati, databile nel XV sec., i cui protagonisti sono una ragazza ed un ragazzo. L'ipotesi che il componimento sia da considerarsi cretese e che, come aveva avanzato POLITIS, possa essere attribuibile a Marinos Falieros, pur ritenuta dalla curatrice suggestiva (p. 27), non è comunque accolta in questa edizione. Del resto mancano i dati per una conferma, pertanto è stato saggio mantenere una posizione prudente. Il testo in questione, che rientra nel genere del contrasto amoroso diffuso nella letteratura medievale d'Occidente, presenta numerosi spunti di riflessione critica e costituisce una preziosa testimonianza storico-letteraria. Siamo dunque profondamente grati a Maria CARACAUSI per averne allestito con pazienza e con competenza filologica la nuova edizione critica.
Thomas F. MADDEN, Enrico Dandolo and the rise of Venice
Authors: Fees Irmgard
Published: February 2008

Das neue Buch des bereits mit zahlreichen Arbeiten besonders zum Vierten Kreuzzug hervorgetretenen Autors setzt sich aus drei unterschiedlichen, wenn auch eng miteinander verwobenen Teilen zusammen: einer Untersuchung zur Familie und zur Biographie des Dogen Enrico Dandolo, einer Darstellung von Politik und Verfassungsgeschichte Venedigs im 12. Jahrhundert und einer Geschichte des Vierten Kreuzzugs. Die Erzähl- und Argumentationsstränge der drei Teile sind vielfach miteinander verschränkt und verfolgen gemeinsam ein viertes Ziel: anschaulich zu machen, daß die politischen und verfassungsrechtlichen Entwicklungen des 12. Jahrhunderts, besonders aber die mit der Person des Enrico Dandolo eng verbundenen Geschehnisse des Vierten Kreuzzugs die Stadt Venedig fundamental veränderten und sie von einer Kaufmannsrepublik (merchant republic) zu einer Seemacht (maritime empire) werden ließen.
Manoles PAPATHOMOPULOS/Isabella TSABARE (eds.), Ὀβιδίου Πεϱὶ Мεταμοϱφώσεων, ὃ μετήνεγϰεν ἐϰ της λατίνων φωνης εἰς τὴν ἑλλάδα Мάξιμος μοναχòς ὁ Πλανούδης
Authors: Nikitas D. Z.
Published: February 2008

Erfreut begrüßen wir die textkritische Ausgabe der von Maximos Planudes verfaßten Übersetzung der Metamorphosen Ovids: so wird ein altes Desideratum der byzantinischen wie auch der lateinischen Philologie erfüllt. Die mühevolle Arbeit haben M. PAPATHOMOPOULOS und I. TSAVARI übernommen, und das Buch hat die Akademie von Athen herausgegeben, die im Rahmen anderer Schriftenreihen (Corpus philosophorum medii aevi, Philosophi Byzantini und Бιβλιοθήϰη А. Мανούςη) noch mehrere byzantinische Übersetzungen (von Boethius' De differentiis topicis und De consolatione Philosophiae sowie von Augustinus' De trinitate) erscheinen ließ.
Urbicius' Epitedeuma: an edition, translation and commentary
Authors: Greatrex Geoffrey , Elton Hugh , Burgess Richard
Published: February 2008

Urbicius' Epitedeuma is a short pamphlet offering military advice during the reign of the emperor Anastasius (491–518). Although it is included in some of the manuscripts of Maurice's Strategikon, it was not printed by Dennis and Gamillscheg in their recent edition. The only modern text we know of was published by Mihăescu in his 1970 edition of Maurice's Strategikon, along with a Romanian translation. The next most recent text of Urbicius is in Scheffer's 1664 edition. Furthermore, the most easily accessible English discussion of Urbicius, in PLRE 2, contains several errors. Here we present an introduction to, a text and English translation of, and commentary on, this neglected work.
Wear of hydroxyapatite sliding against glass-infiltrated alumina
Authors: Kalin Mitjan , Hockey Bernard , Jahanmir Said
Published: February 2008

This work reports on the processes involved in the wear of hydroxyapatite sliding against slip-cast, glass-infiltrated alumina. Synthetic hydroxyapatite was used as a model material representing tooth enamel, while the alumina used was designed for tooth restorations. The wear tests were conducted in distilled water using a pin-on-disk tribometer under contact conditions that mimic the oral environment. To investigate the wear process for this material system, the surfaces of the hydroxyapatite “pin” and the alumina “disk” were examined by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine wear debris fragments collected from the hydroxyapatite wear scar and, for comparison, the bulk structure of the pin and crushed fragments from an unworn pin. Wear tracks on glass-infiltrated alumina showed only minor damage consisting of removal of glass from intergranular pockets in this material. In contrast, the hydroxyapatite wear surfaces were covered by an adhered debris layer, which obscured the rough, underlying surface. When dried, this adhered layer was found to contain both single-crystal and polycrystalline hydroxyapatite fragments, together with porous amorphous particulates, containing Ca, P, and O as major elements and Al and La as minor constituents. The composition of this amorphous wear product suggests a tribochemical reaction of hydroxyapatite and infiltrated alumina with water. The wear process, therefore, consists of material removal by fracture and deformation of the hydroxyapatite, followed by mixing of the crystalline fragments with the reaction products and the glass-infiltrate to form a uniform debris layer on the hydroxyapatite wear surface. The effects of this surface layer on wear are considered to include moderation of the local contact stresses and control of the immediate environment under which wear occurs. Our wear data, represented in terms of the wear factor, are found to be consistent with published data on the wear of tooth enamel sliding against different types of ceramic restorations.
Ultrathin HfO2 gate dielectric grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using Hf[OC(CH3)3]4 as a precursor in the absence of O2
Authors: Choi Kyu-Jeong , Shin Woong-Chul , Yoon Soon-Gil
Published: February 2008

Hafnium oxide thin films for use in a gate dielectric were deposited at 300 °C on p-type Si(100) substrates using a Hf[OC(CH3)3]4 precursor in the absence of oxygen by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. A comparison of films deposited in the absence and presence of oxygen indicated that oxygen was an important determinant in the electrical properties of HfO2 films, which were subsequently annealed in N2 and O2 ambients. The capacitance equivalent oxide thickness of the as-deposited Pt/HfO2/Si capacitor was approximately 17 Å and abruptly increased at an annealing temperature of 800 °C in both N2 and O2 ambients. The hysteresis of the as-deposited gate dielectric was quite small, about 40 mV, and that of the gate dielectric annealed at 800 °C in an O2 ambient was reduced to a negligible level, about 20 mV. The interface trap density of the Pt/HfO2/Si capacitors was approximately 1012 eV−1 cm−2 near the silicon midgap. The leakage current densities of the as-deposited Pt/HfO2/Si capacitor and those annealed at 800 °C in N2 and O2 were approximately 8 × 10−4, 8 × 10−5, and 3 × 10−7 A/cm2 at –1 V, respectively.
Simultaneous deposition of Au nanoparticles during flame synthesis of TiO2 and SiO2
Authors: Mädler L. , Stark W. J. , Pratsinis S. E.
Published: February 2008

Nanostructured gold/titania and gold/silica particles with up to 4 wt% Au were made by a single-step process in a spray flame reactor. Gold(III)-chloride hydrate and titania- or silica-based metalorganic precursors were mixed in a liquid fuel solution, keeping concentrations in the flame and overall combustion enthalpy constant. The powders were characterized by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, and ultraviolet–visible analysis. The titania or silica specific surface area and the crystalline structure of titania were not affected by the presence of gold in the flame. Furthermore the size of the gold deposits was independent of the metal oxide support (TiO2 or SiO2) and its specific surface area (100 and 320 m2/g, respectively). The gold nanoparticles were nonagglomerated, spherical, mostly single crystalline, and well dispersed on the metal oxide support. Depending on the Au weight fraction (1, 2, and 4 wt%) the Au nanoparticles' mass mean diameter was 3, 7, and 15 nm, respectively, on both titania and silica. The particles showed surface plasmon absorption bands in the ultraviolet–visible region, which is typical for nano-sized gold. This absorption band was red shifted in the case of the titania support, while no shift occurred with the silica support.
Dancing on Air: Criticism Migrates into Cyberspace
Authors: Zimmer Elizabeth
Published: February 2008

Journalism it's often remarked, is the first draft of history. In dance, reviews in mass media provide the bedrock for much historical research. The dance boom, which came along in the mid-1960s, led to a boomlet in opportunities for writers in New York City, chiefly in the Village Voice and the Soho Weekly News, weeklies that supported the work of Deborah Jowitt and Marcia Siegel, pioneering writers in the alternative press, and provided outlets for many other young critics.

The Dance Touring Program of the National Endowment for the Arts created a demand for writers across the country. With the end of the DTP in 1986, performances, and the need for reviewers, fell off outside New York. During the 1980s we lost several publications—Dance News and Ballet News, and even the Soho Weekly News—that had nurtured fledgling critics. Through the 1990s, space for dance in the Village Voice kept shrinking. There have been fewer opportunities for young writers to hone their skills in public. But around 1997, services by and for dancers began turning up on the burgeoning World Wide Web. Anyone with a search engine could find them. A parallel universe was born.