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Standpoint
Kinds of Standpoint Selected AbstractsRadical Geography and its Critical Standpoints: Embracing the NormativeANTIPODE, Issue 1 2009Elizabeth Olson Abstract:, This paper throws down a challenge to radical geography and invites a selection of leading geographers to respond. It proposes that radical or critical geography cannot escape normative foundations in terms of some conception of the human good or flourishing, and that this is not necessarily at odds with the descriptive and explanatory aims of social science. Various attempts to define and justify critical thought without such a conception are shown to be deficient, and incapable of distinguishing oppression from well-being. Objections that such a project will be subjective, ethnocentric, essentialist and implicitly authoritarian are discussed and rejected. Normative thinking needs to go beyond liberal concern with freedom, to address what Sen and Nussbaum term "capabilities",the range of things people need to be able to have and do to flourish. The power of this kind of normative thinking is illustrated by reference to examples from development studies. The paper concludes with some basic questions for radical geographers. [source] The life of , and ,,A tutorial review of the ubiquitous use of these symbols in Zeeman and magnetic-resonance spectroscopyCONCEPTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE, Issue 2 2008John Ashley Weil Abstract Certain concepts and symbolism as applied to electromagnetic radiation and especially the concept of photons are discussed and (perhaps) clarified. A useful summary of the properties of photons is provided, and the concept of polarization is discussed. In particular, the common usage in Zeeman and magnetic-resonance (EPR and NMR) spectroscopy of the symbols , and , is examined herein, both from the historical viewpoint and the scientific standpoint, and certain errors and fallacies are brought to attention. Brief reference to relevant recent work published on dynamic nuclear polarization and on pulse EPR is included. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Concepts Magn Reson Part A 32A: 134,142, 2008. [source] Regional heterogeneity in the developing palate: morphological and molecular evidence for normal and abnormal palatogenesisCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 2 2006Junko Okano ABSTRACT Development of the mammalian secondary palate involves the growth, elevation, medial elongation and midline fusion of palatal shelves. Recent morphological and molecular studies on palatogenesis suggest that the developing palate is not a homogeneous organ but each part may behave differently during organogenesis. Especially, some key molecules involved in palate development have been shown to exhibit heterogeneous patterns of expression in the palatal tissue. Therefore it seems necessary to recognize the regional heterogeneity of the developing palate along the dorsoventral and anteroposterior axes when analyzing the mechanisms of normal and abnormal morphogenesis. Based on recent studies, we discuss the issue of the regional heterogeneity in the fetal palate and propose a principle that divides the fetal palate into several regions from the morphological and molecular standpoint. [source] Prehistory of the Japanese Teratology Society: The pioneers of teratology in Japan and the founders of the SocietyCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 1 2001Yoshiro Kameyama ABSTRACT The significant achievements of teratological research in Japan were traced from the beginning of the 20th century to the foundation of Japanese Teratology Society (JTS) in 1961 as a bird's-eye view of the prehistory of JTS. The activities of the leaders of foresight who contributed to establish the JTS and to consolidate its basis for future growth were introduced in chronological order; Japanese pioneers before 1945, early developing stage of research (1948,1954), study groups furnishing the basis of JTS (1955,1961), and the final step for JTS establishment (1960,1961). Teratological research in Japan was initiated independent of foreign studies and had obtained original findings before World War II. The studies in Japan progressed with their main target the prevention of exogeneous malformations as a feasible approach from the standpoint of practical medicine. Accordingly, a close collaboration between experimental and clinical teratologists, one of the grand traditions of JTS, was in place even before the early stages of JTS foundation. [source] In situ study of growth and dissolution kinetics of ammonium oxalate monohydrate single crystals from aqueous solutions containing cationic impuritiesCRYSTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 12 2007K. Sangwal Abstract The results of an in situ investigation of the effect of four different bi- and trivalent cations (Fe(III), Cu(II), Mn(II) and Cr(III)) on the displacement velocity of individual growth steps on the (110) face of ammonium oxalate monohydrate crystals as a function of supersaturation are described and discussed. It was observed that: (1) at a particular temperature of pure solutions and solutions containing impurities, the velocity v of movement of the [110] growth steps is always greater than that of the [111] steps, (2) fluctuations in the velocity of individual growth steps occur in all solutions containing similar concentrations of different impurities, (3) the value of kinetic coefficient , for growth steps decreases with an increase in the concentration ci of Cu(II) impurity, but that for dissolution steps does not depend on ci; moreover, the value of kinetic coefficient , for growth steps is higher than that of dissolution steps, and (4) in the presence of Mn(II) and Cr(III) impurities, the kinetic coefficient , for dissolution steps is several times greater than that for growth steps. The results are explained from the standpoint of Kubota-Mullin model of adsorption of impurities at kinks in the steps and the stability of dominating complexes present in solutions. Analysis of the results revealed that: (1) the effectiveness of different impurities in inhibiting growth increases in the order: Fe(III), Cu(II), Mn(II), and Cr(III), and this behavior is directly connected with the stability and chemical constitution of dominating complexes in saturated solutions, (2) fluctuations in the velocity of growth steps is associated with the effectiveness of an impurity for adsorption; the stronger the adsorption of an impurity, the higher is the fluctuation in step velocity v, and (3) depending on the nature of the impurity, the kinetic coefficient for the dissolution steps can remain unchanged or can be higher than that of the growth steps. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] A systematic review of the diagnostic classifications of traumatic dental injuriesDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Karla Maria Pugliesi da Costa Feliciano Abstract,,, A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to evaluate the criteria used for the diagnostic classification of traumatic dental injuries from an epidemiological standpoint. The methodology used was that suggested by the Cochrane Collaboration and the National Health Service. A total of 12 electronic bibliographical databases (BBO, BioMed Central, Blackwell Synergy, Cochrane, DARE, EMBASE, HighWire, LILACS, MEDLINE, PubMed Central, SciELO, SciSearch) and the World Wide Web were searched. There was no attempt to specify the strategy in relation to date, study design, or language. The last search was performed in May 2003. Two reviewers screened each record independently for eligibility by examining titles, abstracts, keywords and using a standardized reference form. Disagreements were resolved through consensus. The final study collection consisted of 164 articles, from 1936 to 2003, and the population sample ranged from 38 to 210 500 patients. 54 distinct classification systems were identified. According to the literature, the most frequently used classification system was that of Andreasen (32%); as regards the type of injury, the uncomplicated crown fracture was the most mentioned lesion (88.5%). Evidence supports the fact that there is no suitable system for establishing the diagnosis of the studied injuries that could be applied to epidemiological surveys. [source] Insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction: the road map to cardiovascular diseasesDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 6 2006Eugenio Cersosimo Abstract Cardiovascular disease affects approximately 60% of the adult population over the age of 65 and represents the number one cause of death in the United States. Coronary atherosclerosis is responsible for the vast majority of the cardiovascular events, and a number of cardiovascular risk factors have been identified. In recent years, it has become clear that insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction play a central role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Much evidence supports the presence of insulin resistance as the fundamental pathophysiologic disturbance responsible for the cluster of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, known collectively as the metabolic syndrome. Endothelial dysfunction is an important component of the metabolic or insulin resistance syndrome and this is demonstrated by inadequate vasodilation and/or paradoxical vasoconstriction in coronary and peripheral arteries in response to stimuli that release nitric oxide (NO). Deficiency of endothelial-derived NO is believed to be the primary defect that links insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction. NO deficiency results from decreased synthesis and/or release, in combination with exaggerated consumption in tissues by high levels of reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species, which are produced by cellular disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism. Endothelial dysfunction contributes to impaired insulin action, by altering the transcapillary passage of insulin to target tissues. Reduced expansion of the capillary network, with attenuation of microcirculatory blood flow to metabolically active tissues, contributes to the impairment of insulin-stimulated glucose and lipid metabolism. This establishes a reverberating negative feedback cycle in which progressive endothelial dysfunction and disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism develop secondary to the insulin resistance. Vascular damage, which results from lipid deposition and oxidative stress to the vessel wall, triggers an inflammatory reaction, and the release of chemoattractants and cytokines worsens the insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction. From the clinical standpoint, much experimental evidence supports the concept that therapies that improve insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Moreover, interventional strategies that reduce insulin resistance ameliorate endothelial dysfunction, while interventions that improve tissue sensitivity to insulin enhance vascular endothelial function. There is general agreement that aggressive therapy aimed simultaneously at improving insulin-mediated glucose/lipid metabolism and endothelial dysfunction represents an important strategy in preventing/delaying the appearance of atherosclerosis. Interventions that 1 correct carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, 2 improve insulin resistance, 3 reduce blood pressure and restore vascular reactivity, and 4 attenuate procoagulant and inflammatory responses in adults with a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Whether these benefits hold when the same prevention strategies are applied to younger, high-risk individuals remains to be determined. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Meaning of ,Actually'DIALECTICA, Issue 2 2010Yannis Stephanou The paper is an investigation into the concept of actuality from the standpoint of the philosophy of language. It is argued that expressions such as ,actually' and ,in fact' are not indexicals like ,here' and ,now'; when e.g. ,Snow is actually white' is uttered in a world, what proposition is conveyed does not depend on the world. Nor are such expressions ambiguous. The paper makes a suggestion about the role that ,actually' and its cognates do play. It is also argued that the sentence ,Actually S, expresses a necessary truth only if S itself expresses one. In order to capture the necessitation of the proposition expressed in ,Actually S,, it is not sufficient to prefix the word ,necessarily'. [source] Revealing the socioeconomic impact of small disasters in Colombia using the DesInventar databaseDISASTERS, Issue 2 2010Mabel C. Marulanda Small disasters are usually the product of climate variability and climate change. Analysis of them illustrates that they increase difficulties for local development,frequently affecting the livelihoods of poor people and perpetuating their level of poverty and human insecurity,and entail challenges for a country's development. In contrast to extreme events, small disasters are often invisible at the national level and their effects are not considered as relevant from a macroeconomic standpoint. Nevertheless, their accumulated impact causes economic, environmental and social problems. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the DesInventar database, developed in 1994 by the Network for Social Studies in Disaster Prevention in Latin America. In addition, it proposes a new version of the Local Disaster Index developed in 2005 within the framework of the Disaster Risk and Management Indicators Program for the Americas, with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank. [source] Cash-based interventions: lessons from southern SomaliaDISASTERS, Issue 3 2006Hanna Mattinen Abstract Commodity distributions, the predominant relief response, are subject to growing criticism, while donors and humanitarian actors are increasingly viewing cash-based interventions as a viable alternative. This paper aims to contribute to the current debate on cash-based interventions by drawing on the experience of Action Contre la Faim in southern Somalia, where it has implemented cash for work programmes since 2004. The authors conclude that cash-based interventions are a feasible option in complex emergencies as well as in highly insecure environments as long as appropriate modalities are employed and objectives are clearly set in accordance with the needs and the context. Cash as a relief response offers wide-reaching possibilities for the future from both the perspective of the donor/agency and the standpoint of the beneficiary. It enables the beneficiaries to take control of the relief themselves and to adapt it to their individual requirements in a timely manner. [source] ETHICS AND THE MARKET ECONOMY: INSIGHTS FROM CATHOLIC MORAL THEOLOGYECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Issue 2 2004Samuel Gregg The ethical dimension of market solutions to problems is often neglected by their proponents. This article examines the market from the standpoint of orthodox Roman Catholic moral theology. It illustrates how Catholic theologians have contributed to thinking about the market, draws attention to Catholicism's positive assessment of entrepreneurship, and outlines paths for future Catholic reflection on the market. [source] The work of women teachers in primary literacy education: knowing and doingENGLISH IN EDUCATION, Issue 2 2007Barbara Comber Abstract This paper provides a retrospective account of three decades of my work as a literacy educator and researcher. Taking key insights from feminist sociologist, Dorothy Smith, including women's standpoint, the everyday world as problematic, institutional capture, a sociology for the people, I revisit my research on literacy, poverty and schooling. I argue that understanding better the effects of what we do in educational institutions, through collaborative research with teachers, can lead us to generate positive alternative equity-driven practices. [source] Regulatory impact on insect biotechnology and pest managementENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2007Chris A. WOZNIAK Abstract The application of insect biotechnology is promising for the development of environmentally compatible pest management solutions. As we have refined and enhanced genetic engineering techniques in several insect species that cause significant economic loss and public health injury, it has become clear that insect biotechnology will move forward as one of the key tools of pest management in agriculture and in the human environment. Well characterized genetic elements can be manipulated toward specific aims and maintain a viable insect, albeit one with diminished capacity to exchange genetic material, vector a virus or bacterium, or complete its life cycle. Despite this degree of knowledge and precision, there remain unanswered questions regarding environmental fate, release and public acceptance of this technology. The uncertainty surrounding any novel technology inevitably increases the level of regulatory scrutiny associated with its use. Although the term "insect biotechnology" has many connotations, it certainly includes the genetic modification of symbiotic or commensally associated microbes as a means of delivering a trait (e.g. a toxin) to manage plant and human diseases and insect pests. The distinction between this paratransgenic approach and direct genetic modification of insect pests is an important one biologically as well as from a regulatory standpoint. The regulatory framework for microbial applications to agriculture is in many instances in place; however, we must strive to forge the development of guidelines and regulations that will foster deployment of insect biotechnologies. [source] The academic environment: the students' perspectiveEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 2008K. Divaris (nci) Abstract Dental education is regarded as a complex, demanding and often stressful pedagogical procedure. Undergraduates, while enrolled in programmes of 4,6 years duration, are required to attain a unique and diverse collection of competences. Despite the major differences in educational systems, philosophies, methods and resources available worldwide, dental students' views regarding their education appear to be relatively convergent. This paper summarizes dental students' standpoint of their studies, showcases their experiences in different educational settings and discusses the characteristics of a positive academic environment. It is a consensus opinion that the ,students' perspective' should be taken into consideration in all discussions and decisions regarding dental education. Moreover, it is suggested that the set of recommendations proposed can improve students' quality of life and well-being, enhance their total educational experience and positively influence their future careers as oral health physicians. The ,ideal' academic environment may be defined as one that best prepares students for their future professional life and contributes towards their personal development, psychosomatic and social well-being. A number of diverse factors significantly influence the way students perceive and experience their education. These range from ,class size', ,leisure time' and ,assessment procedures' to ,relations with peers and faculty', ,ethical climate' and ,extra-curricular opportunities'. Research has revealed that stress symptoms, including psychological and psychosomatic manifestations, are prevalent among dental students. Apparently some stressors are inherent in dental studies. Nevertheless, suggested strategies and preventive interventions can reduce or eliminate many sources of stress and appropriate support services should be readily available. A key point for the Working Group has been the discrimination between ,teaching' and ,learning'. It is suggested that the educational content should be made available to students through a variety of methods, because individual learning styles and preferences vary considerably. Regardless of the educational philosophy adopted, students should be placed at the centre of the process. Moreover, it is critical that they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning. Other improvements suggested include increased formative assessment and self-assessment opportunities, reflective portfolios, collaborative learning, familiarization with and increased implementation of information and communication technology applications, early clinical exposure, greater emphasis on qualitative criteria in clinical education, community placements, and other extracurricular experiences such as international exchanges and awareness of minority and global health issues. The establishment of a global network in dental education is firmly supported but to be effective it will need active student representation and involvement. [source] The ubiquitin-proteasome system and its role in ethanol-induced disordersADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Terrence M. Donohue Jr The levels of these proteins are controlled by their rates of degradation. Similarly, protein catabolism plays a crucial role in prolonging cellular life by destroying damaged proteins that are potentially cytotoxic. A major player in these catabolic reactions is the ubiquitin-proteasome system, a novel proteolytic system that has become the primary proteolytic pathway in eukaryotic cells. Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis is now regarded as the major pathway by which most intracellular proteins are destroyed. Equally important, from a toxicological standpoint, is that the ubiquitin-proteasome system is also widely considered to be a cellular defense mechanism, since it is involved in the removal of damaged proteins generated by adduct formation and oxidative stress. This review describes the history and the components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, its regulation and its role in pathological states, with the major emphasis on ethanol-induced organ injury. The available literature cited here deals mainly with the effects of ethanol consumption on the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in the liver. However, since this proteolytic system is an essential pathway in all cells it is an attractive experimental model and therapeutic target in extrahepatic organs such as the brain and heart that are also affected by excessive alcohol consumption. [source] An evolutionary concept for altered steroid hormone metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritisEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Rainer H. Straub The pathogenesis of chronic disabling inflammatory diseases (CDIDs) is partly understood. The presently used concepts focus mainly on abnormalities of the immune system but this view is incomplete. The presented concept is a new framework for the pathogenesis of CDIDs. It integrates evolutionary theories with the classical immunological standpoint, which is further linked with a neuroendocrine immune view of erroneous homeostatic adaptation of the other supersystems (nervous system, endocrine system, reproductive system): 1. In CDIDs, the loss of tolerance against self and harmless foreign antigens leads to continuous immune aggression which is dependent on a multifactorial genetically polymorph background (the initiation). 2. However, advantageous or disadvantageous adaptation to CDIDs were not evolutionary conserved because CDIDs severely impaired reproduction or appeared after the reproductive phase and, thus, imply a strong negative selection pressure. 3. Reactions of all supersystems are evolutionary conserved for transient inflammatory reactions such as the elimination of infectious agents, wound healing, foreign body reaction and many others. 4. The sum of the false reactions of all supersystems , conserved for transient inflammation , provide the pathogenetic background for the chronification of CDIDs because a continuous aggressive situation is created (the chronification). The human disease of rheumatoid arthritis is used as a prototypic CDID to illustrate the integrated view point. The synovial tissue innervation is in the focus of this concept. [source] Comparative study and molecular characterization of ectomycorrhizas in Tilia americana and Quercus pubescens with Tuber brumaleFEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2002G Giomaro Abstract Mycorrhizas of Tuber brumale on Quercus pubescens and Tilia americana were obtained in vitro using micropropagated plantlets. Mycelium pure cultures were used for inoculation. Both the mycelium used for the inoculations, as well as the mycorrhizas which were obtained, were identified using several molecular approaches: analysis of the ITS region, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specific primers and sequencing. The mycorrhizas were described from a morphological standpoint. Some of their biometric characteristics were different in bass-wood than they were in oak, thus showing the influence of the host plant on several of the morphological features believed to be necessary for the identification of the species. Considering the variability of their morphological characteristics, molecular analysis proved to be a necessary tool for the recognition of the mycorrhizas of Tuber spp. [source] Cell wall teichoic acids: structural diversity, species specificity in the genus Nocardiopsis, and chemotaxonomic perspectiveFEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, Issue 3 2001Irina B Naumova Abstract Data on the structures of cell wall teichoic acids, the anionic carbohydrate-containing polymers, found in many Gram-positive bacteria have been summarized and the polymers of the actinomycete genus Nocardiopsis have been considered from the taxonomic standpoint. The structures of these polymers or their combinations have been demonstrated to be indicative of each of seven Nocardiopsis species and two subspecies, verified by the DNA,DNA relatedness data, and to correlate well with the grouping of the organisms based on 16S rDNA sequences. As each of the intrageneric taxa discussed is definable by the composition of teichoic acids, the polymers are considered to be valuable taxonomic markers for the Nocardiopsis species and subspecies. The 13C NMR spectra of the polymers, data on the products of their chemical degradation, and distinguishing constituents of whole cell walls derived from teichoic acids are discussed, which are useful for identification of certain polymers and members of the genus Nocardiopsis at the species and subspecies level in microbiological practice. [source] Emission Color Tuning in Ambipolar Organic Single-Crystal Field-Effect Transistors by Dye-DopingADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 10 2010Hajime Nakanotani Abstract The effect of dye-doping in ambipolar light-emitting organic field-effect transistors (LE-OFETs) is investigated from the standpoint of the carrier mobilities and the electroluminescence (EL) characteristics under ambipolar operation. Dye-doping of organic crystals permits not only tuning of the emission color but also significantly increases the efficiency of ambipolar LE-OFETs. A rather high external EL quantum efficiency (,0.64%) of one order of magnitude higher than that of a pure p -distyrylbenzene (P3V2) single crystal is obtained by tetracene doping. The doping of tetracene molecules into a host P3V2 crystal has almost no effect on the electron mobility and the dominant carrier recombination process in the tetracene-doped P3V2 crystal involves direct carrier recombination on the tetracene molecules. [source] Raw materials: the importance of quality and safety.FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2010A review. Abstract Aromatic plants and spices are used throughout the world for flavouring food and beverages, as well as for food supplements, novel foods and as a source of essential oils and aromatic extracts. The non-availability or inadequacy of standards for checking and assuring the quality of aromatic plants and spices is one of the main problems that arise for industry when using such raw materials. As many aromatic plants are harvested from the wild, standardization to assure their quality is important for their safe and effective utilization in food and beverage industries. On the other hand, there are numerous parameters that influence the chemical composition of plants, which play an important role in the final quality of the product and possibly in any risk arising to the consumer. Also, from a safety point of view, aromatic plants and spices should be free of undeclared contaminants and adulterants, such as toxic botanicals, pathogenic microorganisms and excessive levels of microbial toxins, pesticides or fumigation agents. We focus on these aspects and examine ways to assure their appropriate utilization from the quality and safety standpoint. The regulatory situation of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is very complicated; several differences in standards and regulations between countries can be found, a situation that can result in more health risks arising for consumers. To clarify some of the existing problems, the major regulations of the USA and the European Union (EU) and the borderlines between food supplements and medicines and other international standards, are briefly described and discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] What Would You Sacrifice?GENDER, WORK & ORGANISATION, Issue 1 2009Access to Top Management, life Balance, the Work This article is based on a current research, combining quantitative (human resources figures and statistics) and qualitative data (60 interviews with career managers, top managers and high potential talents, both men and women), conducted in a major French utility company on the subject of diversity and more specifically on the issue of women's access to top management positions. The main purpose of this research is to understand the difficulties women may encounter in the course of their occupational career linked to organizational aspects, including the ,glass ceiling' processes, informal norms related to management positions (such as time and mobility constraints) and social and cultural representations attached to leadership. The other perspective of this research focuses on the different strategies women and men build either to conform to the organizational norms or bypass them. The issue of work,life balance are therefore addressed both from a corporate/organizational standpoint and an individual and family perspective. [source] Strontium isotopic characterization of the Palmottu hydrosystem (Finland): water,rock interaction and geochemistry of groundwatersGEOFLUIDS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2003Philippe Negrel Abstract The Palmottu hydrosystem is located in a granitic host rock in southern Finland. Along well-defined pathways in the fractured crystalline rock, strontium isotopes are used to trace the degree of water,rock interaction (WRI) and mixing processes in groundwaters. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios range between 0.716910 and 0.735606 in the surface waters and between 0.719991 and 0.750787 in the groundwaters, but are between 0.720 and 0.735 in most of the samples. Moreover, the results show a lack of correlation between the water chemistries determining the classification into different water-types (Na,Cl, Na,SO4, etc.) and the results of the strontium (Sr) contents and Sr isotopic ratios. From a WRI standpoint, this implies that the Sr behaviour is independent of the water chemistry; the occurrence of large 87Sr/86Sr variations is site specific and mainly dependent on the lithology. A model to determine the 87Sr/86Sr ratio of water after interaction with granite was developed. This model is based on the assumption that Sr was derived from three minerals: plagioclase, K-feldspar and biotite. The results of the calculation indicate that around half of the water analysed within the Palmottu hydrosystem can be explained by the weathering of the granites. However, clearly lower 87Sr/86Sr are observed in waters when compared to the calculated 87Sr/86Sr and other sources of Sr, with low 87Sr/86Sr, rather than the calculated granite,water interaction, which may be suspected. When comparing the 87Sr/86Sr and ion ratios (Ca/Na, Mg/Na, Sr/Na, Cl/Na), the scattering of the data can be explained by the presence of four end-members: a brine component (low 87Sr/86Sr and Ca/Na ratios,), a deep granitic component (high 87Sr/86Sr ratios and low Ca/Na ratios,), a subsurface component (intermediate 87Sr/86Sr ratios associated with high Ca/Na ratios,) and a surface end-member:snow and river drainage (low 87Sr/86Sr and low Ca/Na ratios,). These extreme end-members define a series of WRI-mixing line within a rather complex hydrosystem. [source] Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the elderlyGERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2010Toru Kubo Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a relatively common genetic cardiac disorder with heterogeneous morphological, functional and clinical features. Although the risk of sudden death and incapacitating symptoms in young patients has been focused upon, the disease has been found with increasing frequency in elderly patients. However, there have been few studies on clinical features of HCM in the elderly. We established a cardiomyopathy registration study in Kochi Prefecture, which is one of the most aged communities in Japan, to provide detailed descriptions of the clinical features of HCM in a community-based patient cohort. The unselected regional HCM population consisted largely of elderly patients (70% of the study cohort being ,60 years of age at registration), although HCM has been regarded largely as a disease of the young. Cardiac hypertrophy that becomes clinically apparent late in life can be a genetic disorder, and mutations in the cardiac myosin-binding protein C gene are the most common cause of late-onset or elderly HCM. In the morphological features, sarcomere gene defects seem to have a predilection for a crescent-shaped left ventricular cavity with reversed septal curvature even in elderly patients, although an ovoid left ventricular shape was frequently seen in elderly patients in previous clinical studies on morphological characteristics of HCM. In middle-aged or elderly patients with HCM, heart failure and embolic events, which were strongly associated with atrial fibrillation, were very important. It is important to manage HCM patients from the standpoint of longitudinal evolution in order to prevent those clinical complications. [source] Seasonal differences in the adaptability of herbage species to environmental variations in a long-term grazing experimentGRASSLAND SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007Yiruhan Abstract Mixtures of orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, redtop, Kentucky bluegrass, and white clover were sown in autumn 1973. Two 8-year grazing experiments were conducted at the National Grassland Research Institute (Nasushiobara, Japan) to determine the effects of grazing intensity and nitrogen levels on pasture ecosystems. These experiments involved two different grazing intensities (1974,1981) and two different nitrogen levels (1982,1989). Large spatiotemporal variations in phytomass due to environmental variations were observed in both experiments. Finlay,Wilkinson analysis was applied to clarify seasonal (monthly) differences in the adaptability of the herbage species, as measured by phytomass, to environmental variations by year and treatments in the two experiments. Seasonality in the adaptability to environments differed greatly among species. In this paper, we examined from livestock farmers' standpoint whether seasonality in adaptability of herbage species in the grazing pasture could be satisfied. A significantly high adaptability was shown for: orchardgrass from May to July and November; tall fescue in April, June and July, and November; redtop and Kentucky bluegrass in April; and Zoysia japonica in September and October. In contrast, perennial ryegrass and white clover exhibited very low adaptability in any season. Z. japonica and weeds such as Pennisetum alopecuroides, Eragrostis ferruginea and Digitaria adscendens, which had invaded from surrounding areas, showed low adaptability, except in autumn, when they showed moderate adaptability. [source] Times, Measures and the Man: the Future of British Higher Education Treated Historically and ComparativelyHIGHER EDUCATION QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2006Guy Neave This article is a tribute to the life work of Maurice Kogan. Very little of higher education's landscape in the United Kingdom has remained unchanged over the past four decades and this article sets out to analyze the way the perception of the role of universities in society has changed in the intervening period. This it does through three perspectives: continuity and change, continuity in change and continuity in the midst of change. Each yields very different visions of the university. Against this ,inside' view, the second part of the article examines current British higher education policy from an ,outsider' standpoint and very particularly the current strategies towards the European Higher Education and Research Areas. It concludes by arguing that Britain's higher education policy vis a vis Europe re-states a dilemma which these Islands have had to tackle for the best part of the past 250 Years. This dilemma is whether to lay priority on higher education as a global instrument or to endorse a more limited, less ambitious agenda of ,European' integration. [source] CHARTING THE "TRANSITIONAL PERIOD": THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN TIME IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURYHISTORY AND THEORY, Issue 1 2006GÖRAN BLIX ABSTRACT This paper seeks to chart a concept of historical experience that French Romantic writers first developed to describe their own relationship to historical time: the notion of the "transitional period." At first, the term related strictly to the evolving periodic conception of history, one that required breaks, spaces, or zones of indeterminacy to bracket off periods imagined as organic wholes. These transitions, necessary devices in the new grammar of history, also began to attract interest on their own, conceived either as chaotic but creative times of transformation, or, more often, as slack periods of decadence that possessed no proper style but exhibited hybrid traits. Their real interest, however, lies in their reflexive application to the nineteenth century itself, by writers and historians such as Alfred de Musset, Chateaubriand, Michelet, and Renan, who in their effort to define their own period envisioned the "transitional period" as a passage between more coherent and stable historical formations. This prospective self-definition of the "age of history" from a future standpoint is very revealing; it shows not just the tension between its organic way of apprehending the past and its own self-perception, but it also opens a window on a new and paradoxical experience of time, one in which change is ceaseless and an end in itself. The paper also presents a critique of the way the term "modernity" has functioned, from Baudelaire's initial use to the present, to occlude the experience of transition that the Romantics highlighted. By imposing on the nineteenth-century sense of the transitory a heroic period designation, the term "modernity" denies precisely the reality it describes, and sublimates a widespread temporal malaise into its contrary. The paper concludes that the peculiarly "modern" mania for naming one's period is a function of transitional time, and that the concept coined by the Romantics still governs our contemporary experience. [source] Stress and hippocampal plasticity: implications for the pathophysiology of affective disordersHUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue S1 2001Bruce S. McEwen Abstract The hippocampal formation, a structure involved in declarative, spatial and contextual memory, is a particularly sensitive and vulnerable brain region to stress and stress hormones. The hippocampus shows a considerable degree of structural plasticity in the adult brain. Stress suppresses neurogenesis of dentate gyrus granule neurons, and repeated stress causes atrophy of dendrites in the CA3 region. In addition, ovarian steroids regulate synapse formation during the estrous cycle of female rats. All three forms of structural remodeling of the hippocampus are mediated by hormones working in concert with excitatory amino acids (EAA) and N -methyl- D -aspartate (NMDA) receptors. EAA and NMDA receptors are also involved in neuronal death that is caused in pyramidal neurons by seizures and by ischemia and prolonged psychosocial stress. In the human hippocampus, magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that there is a selective atrophy in recurrent depressive illness, accompanied by deficits in memory performance. Hippocampal atrophy may be a feature of affective disorders that is not treated by all medications. From a therapeutic standpoint, it is essential to distinguish between permanent damage and reversible atrophy in order to develop treatment strategies to either prevent or reverse deficits. In addition, remodeling of brain cells may occur in other brain regions. Possible treatments are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Standpoint Theory and the Possibility of Justice: A Lyotardian Critique of the Democratization of KnowledgeHYPATIA, Issue 4 2007MARGRET GREBOWICZArticle first published online: 9 JAN 200 Grebowicz argues from the perspective of Jean-François Lyotard's critique of deliberative democracy that the project of democratizing knowledge may bring us closer to terror than to justice. The successful formulation of a critical standpoint requires that we figure the political as itself a contested site, and incorporate this into our theorizing about the role of dissent in the production of knowledges. This essay contrasts Lyotard's notion of the differend with Chantal Mouffe's agonistic model. [source] Open source in Swedish companies: where are we?INFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL, Issue 6 2010Björn Lundell Abstract Open Source (OS) is a phenomenon of increasing significance for organizations, offering the prospect of effective alternative business solutions and new business opportunities. A number of surveys have been conducted in various countries with the purpose of understanding the state of practice with respect to OS in companies. In this paper we report on a study of the perceptions of OS and the uptake of OS products and development models in Swedish companies. The study used purposeful sampling of companies that have an expressed interest in OS, and the survey was conducted using a set of pre-prepared questions. Its goal was to investigate the extent to which OS has influenced business thinking, as seen from the standpoint of stakeholders. We found that uptake is much higher than reported in earlier studies, but as with previous studies, activity is still concentrated in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). There is increased evidence of interest beyond the simple use of OS components at the infrastructure level. Further, a significant proportion of the companies studied are supporting the OS community as well as benefiting from it. Support includes participation in existing projects and the release of new software under OS licenses. [source] Real-scale miscible grout injection experiment and performance of advection,dispersion,filtration modelINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 12 2001F. Bouchelaghem Abstract A model was developed, to describe miscible grout propagation in a saturated deformable porous medium, based on Bear's statistical model with spatial volume averaging. In a previous paper, the model was first successfully confronted to one-dimensional laboratory experiments. In the present paper, the numerical model is used to simulate practical grouting operation in a cylindrical injection model. The cylindrical injection model lends itself to study main flow and propagation character istics for a dispersed suspension-type grout, under axisymmetric conditions close to real scale conditions. Comparison between numerical solutions and experimental results is essential to confirm the validity and accuracy of the proposed model from a phenomenological standpoint. The numerical model performances show that the underlying mathematical model constitutes a realistic predictive model reproducing most prominent features during injection of a suspension-type grout into a deformable porous medium. The basic mechanism by which injected miscible grout permeates a soil mass is discussed in detail. Such a tool leads to quality control criteria for grouting on a theoretical basis, which complements existing criteria acquired through engineering practice. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||