Description,significance and frequency of the acetabular crease of the hip bone

The acetabular crease is a linear indentation located in the antero‐superior quadrant of the surface of the acetabulum at the level of the Byers Feature 17. Considered by palaeoanthropologists as a discrete trait, it has received scarce attention and the mechanisms underlying its formation and variations according to sex and age remain largely unclear. The purpose of this study, carried out on a large sample from a historic population in France, was to (i) analyse variations according to side, sex and estimated age at death; (ii) assess diachronic variations; and (iii) compare prevalence in various prehistoric and historic populations. Hip bones from a total of 425 subjects of both sexes and all ages were studied. Specimens were from two French historic samples dating from the 11th to 13th centuries and 16th to 17th centuries. The proportion of subjects that died young was higher in the 11th to 13th century group, but the prevalence of the acetabular crease was comparable between the two groups regardless of site or laterality (unilateral or bilateral). No sexual dimorphism or correlation with age was noted at either period. The acetabular crease appears to be a stable anatomical trait throughout adult life, with no predominant side and no correlation with sex. The significantly higher prevalence of the acetabular crease in some historic French samples and in prehistoric native Canadian populations could be linked to greater biomechanical stress during childhood in rural medieval populations and in the prehistoric period. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Patterns of Cranial Trauma in a Prehistoric Population from Central California

Evidence of cranial trauma was investigated in a skeletal sample from the site CA-Ala-329 located on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay, Central California. The sample included 365 crania, including 134 adult males, 104 adult females, 22 adults of indeterminate sex and 105 subadults. Evidence of cranio-facial fracture was found in eight individuals, one of whom is an adolescent. Thus, the frequency in adult crania of traumatic injury is 7/260 (2.7 per cent). Of the seven individuals of known sex displaying such cranial trauma, all are male. The injuries are generally suggestive of some form of interpersonal aggression, with five healed vault fractures, one lesion with an embedded obsidian fragment (a probable projectile point) and two healed facial fractures. Further clear evidence of interpersonal aggression has been previously determined in this sample and has been reported at even higher levels elsewhere in California. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Checking Executive Power: A Simulation Model of Unilateral Executive Behavior

Abstract

What systematic influence does the court exert on unilateral authority? Though questions relating to the expansion and the exercise of unilateral executive power remain a perennial concern in political science, existing studies of the unilateral presidency generally focus on relations between the executive and the legislature, with less attention paid to the impact of the judiciary on executive behavior. Using a system of differential equations to model executive unilateralism and judicial constraints, simulation results identified four broad patterns of unilateral executive behavior and judicial influence. Overall, presidents strategically anticipate reactions from the courts and employ unilateral actions accordingly. Although they are cognizant of the court’s ability to strike down their actions, and thereby harming their preferred policy preferences and legacies, presidents nonetheless act unilaterally, albeit at a lower level. Results add to existing studies in separation of powers and constraints on unilateral executive behavior.     

The first archaeological case of Madelung's deformity?

An elderly male medieval skeleton excavated from St Gregory's Priory presented with unilateral Madelung's deformity. The right radius and ulna were shortened due to premature fusion of the distal growth plate. The radius displayed lateral and dorsal bowing and the ulna was dislocated posteriorly. Pronation and supination was not possible and the available hand bones presented with disuse atrophy. Degenerative changes had reduced the mobility of the elbow joint and marked cubitus valgus was demonstrated. The unilateral presentation, shortening of the ulna and atrophy of the hand bones and the sex of the skeleton suggest a post-traumatic rather than an idiopathic form of Madelung's deformity. As far as we are aware this is the first archaeological example of this condition.     

Does international recognition matter? Support for unilateral secession in Catalonia and Scotland

How much do the prospects of international recognition of a possible new state affect the domestic support for secession? To answer this research question, we adopted a most similar systems design and conducted a Web‐based survey experiment in Catalonia and Scotland. Respondents were presented with plausible scenarios regarding the international recognition of a hypothetical independent state by other countries and were subsequently asked whether they would support a unilateral declaration of independence. The results show that the prospects of international recognition as a sovereign and independent state influence the degree of support for a unilateral declaration of independence in both cases. This effect was moderated by the intensity of nationalist sentiment and the motivations for independence. Respondents with more outspoken nationalist sentiments were only marginally influenced by these scenarios or treatments. Moreover, participants whose preferences towards secession were driven by ethno‐political motivations were less influenced by international factors than those who wanted an independent state for economic or political reasons.     

Back to the Future? Regionalism in South‐East Asia Under Unilateral Pressure

This article assesses the prospects for regionalization in South-East Asia. It takes as its point of departure the contradiction between a regionalized and a unilateral world order as typically pursued by the EU and US respectively. It acknowledges the commonly accepted thesis that since September 11, 2001, the US has increasingly exercised a unilateral world order and that this poses a challenge to global regionalization. South-East Asia, a conflict-ridden, previously 'peripheral', region with a'successful' regionalization has been depicted as a 'second front' in the war against terrorism and is thus eligible for considerable US pressure. In this context, the 'ASEAN way', commonly benignly viewed, has been criticized for being shallow, 'allowing' terrorism to operate regionally. However, since 2001, and especially after the Bali bombings in 2003, ASEAN, as well as its member states, have devoted themselves to the war against terrorism. To some extent this has allowed the US a great influence in individual countries and altered regionalization. However, at the same time, the US 'needs' South-East Asian regional organization for combating international terrorism. Moreover, the US offensive in South-East Asia has caused both Japan and China to respond and strike deals on regional cooperation with ASEAN/South-East Asia, achieving long-awaited progress. Thus, the unilateral approach to global order does not, de facto, counteract regionalization, but rather operates through it, and to some extent triggers it. The counterintuitive conclusion is thus that an increasing unilateral pressure may not preclude a continued global regionalization, and that these two orders are not necessarily incompatible.     

Contemporary cultural diplomacy in South Korea: explicit and implicit approaches

This paper argues that in the case of Korea, cultural diplomacy (CD) has been explicitly implemented in a top-down and unilateral approach by government to enhance national prestige abroad, underpinned by the institutional legacy of a ‘developmental state’ model of governance. Yet, an implicit approach has also emerged, associated with capacity building of the domestic cultural industries through promoting ‘international cultural exchange’. Whilst the top-down unilateral approach has persisted, a disarray of policy rhetoric and institutional fragmentation surrounding CD, as well as the blurring of cultural industries development policy with the CD agenda has led to gradual convergence of both explicit and implicit approaches.     

美国国会与《与台湾关系法》的出台

美国国会出台《与台湾关系法》的原因有:相比较中美建交的战略意义,美国国会更注重台湾的“安全”与繁荣;美国国会对于美行政部门在中美建交谈判中的单边主义行动大为不满;美国国会的权力复兴在中国政策上的反映;少数亲台议员的煽动作用。美国总统签署《与台湾关系法》的原因有:美国国会对于台湾利益的强调与美行政部门的本意并不违背;《与台湾关系法》的最后文本是美国府会互动和妥协的产物。     

Voluntary Environmental Programs: A Canadian Perspective

In light of the increasing number of environmental problems necessitating government's attention and the limited scope and budget for addressing these issues, environmental protection has, and continues to evolve as more flexible approaches to regulation are being sought and embraced by governments throughout the world. Voluntary environmental programs (VEPs) are a pragmatic response by both governments and business to find a more flexible way to protect the environment. We discuss the theoretical motivations for firms to adopt VEPs in general and examine Canada's experience with three types of VEPs, public, negotiated, and unilateral agreements, to assess whether the motivating factors are present. We then argue that the institutional, political, and regulatory framework governing environmental policy in Canada does not provide the conditions necessary to effectively promote superior corporate environmental protection across jurisdictions. Despite the lack of government‐directed VEPs, there has been considerable interest by both the private sector and civil society who have taken the lead by developing unilateral agreements. Using existing literature and our current research, we examine the factors that motivate firms in Canada to participate in unilateral agreements and the characteristics of firms with the higher environmental performance and suggest some policy implications.     

Like You Need a Hole in the Head: Tool Innovation a Possible Cause of Trephination. A Case from Kerma,Nubia

This paper presents one case from Kerma (ind‐14.1.595 or K317) which was initially reported to have a ‘fatal traumatic wound’ in the front of the skull. The individual has a dime sized, circular hole with no radiating or concentric fracture lines associated with it. It also shows clear evidence of healing along the inside edges of the pathology. This was according to the preliminary, and only, analysis performed when excavated at Kerma (1913–1916), which was most likely performed by a crew member not formerly trained in anthropology, or medical science. Differential diagnosis will be discussed with respect to this lesion actually being a form of traumatic injury, possible remnants of a bony tumour, and trephination, among other diagnoses. Trephination has been identified in ancient Egypt and Nubian studies, though it is a rarity. Although trephination is a possible cause for the present lesion, this example does not fit the morphology of any other examples of the practise from this region or time period. Given that there have been similar borings witnessed on architecture from the Egyptian Old Kingdom, this lesion may suggest implementation of an already present architectural tool for medical purposes among the Kerma Nubians. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Platinum Complexes for the Treatment of Cancer

Abstract

Some platinum coordination complexes are active anticancer drugs in animal and man. This new class of chemotherapeutics was discovered during the course of investigation of the electric field effect on bacterial growth. The platinum electrodes electrolyzed during the experiment, releasing a platinum complex which caused complete cessation of cell division in the bacterial rods. With this filamentation assay system, we were able to identify the specific chemical as cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II), a complex known since 1848. The bacterial studies with many such complexes suggested to us the generalizations that charged platinum complexes were bacteriocidal, while the neutral platinum complexes induced filamentation and, in lysogenic bacteria, lysis. The neutral complexes have ignificant activity against transplantable, virally induced, and chemically induced cancers in animals. They are synergistic with almost every other anticancer drug in current use. In man kidney toxicity is the dose limiting side effect but this is now completely ameliorated by simply hydrating the patient. The drug in combination therapy, has proven to be 'potentially curable' for all form of testicular cancer. Other cancers where the drug activity has begun to approach this are head and neck cancer, and ovarian cancer. Activity against the other major cancers is now being studied. The mechanism of action at a molecular level appear to depend upon a primary lesion formed on the cellular DNA by the platinum complex. This serendipitous discovery has led to a new class of anticancer agents, metal coordination complexes, which may prove to be of significant value.     

Ordinary Emergency: Drones,Police, and Geographies of Legal Terror

This paper brings into conversation two ostensibly disparate geographies of state violence: the routine police surveillance and killing of members of the “dangerous classes” in the United States, an issue that is in no way new but nevertheless has gained increased attention over the last year with the Black Lives Matter movement; and the targeted drone strikes against “terrorist suspects” in the “war on terror”. By laying side by side the “war drone” and domestic police power, it becomes readily apparent that despite ostensible differences—foreign vs. domestic, war vs. peace, exceptional vs. normal, military vs. police, legal vs. extralegal—the unmanning of state violence gains much of its political and legal force from the language and categories that have long animated the routine policing of domestic territory. The paper calls for taking the violence of police power more seriously than many drone commentators have.     

成都老官山汉墓出土织机复原研究

成都老官山汉墓出土了四台多综织机模型,提供了古代多综织机的实物证据。它们都采用一样的移动齿梁选综机构,提综机机构却有不同,一台织机用一个旋转踏板提升滑框,滑框再提升多片纹综。另外三台方法相同,用一个旋转踏板提升连杆,连杆再提升多片纹综。通过出土文物的实物对照,分析选综机构和提综机构的机械原理,比较两种提综机构的性能优劣,从而推断滑框式织机可以织造经向纹样循环大的经锦,但操作较费力;曲柄连杆式织机织造的经锦纹样循环虽小,但操作省力。分析过程同时也展示了古人杰出的智慧和创造力。     

A temporal bone lesion in a modern subject to explain a defect in the Kabwe skull

The skull of a dissection room subject was noted to have a hole in the left squamous temporal bone similar to a lesion in the Kabwe (Broken Hill) skull. Kabwe man has an 8 × 8 mm hole situated 2 cm above and slightly anterior to the left external auditory meatus (EAM). This report describes a possible mechanism for the causation of that lesion, which is illustrated by features on a modern skull. The subject is a 55-year-old man who died from carcinoma of the stomach in 1942. The skull was macerated, defatted and stored after the cadaver had been dissected by medical students. In the squamous temporal bone there was an oval shaped 9 × 8 mm hole. The base of the oval was situated 11 mm above the superior margin of the EAM with the central axis of the hole being in line with the anterior margin of the EAM. This hole forms the base of a larger intracranial pit measuring 21 mm in diameter. The hole has an irregular margin except superiorly where it is smooth and rounded, indicative of healing. Intracranially, the petrous temporal bone displayed a marked exophytic, bony outgrowth suggestive of a chronic infective condition. The tegmen tympani contained a hole 3 mm in diameter in the middle of the exophytic area. No sign of disease in the mastoid process was noted. These findings are compatible with advanced chronic ear disease which has tracked into the extradural space through the tegmen tympani, become loculated, and then eroded the squamous temporal bone. The Kabwe skull shows signs compatible with chronic ear disease. It is suggested that a mechanism similar to the one described in the modern skull could explain the lesion in the left squamous temporal bone of Kabwe man.     

Comment on Egil Bakka: Methodological problems in the study of Gold Bracteates,Norw. Arch. Rev. 1, 5–35

At some of the lakes on the mountain plateau Hardangervidda are found the remnants of large stone huts surrounded by middens rich in reindeer bones. On the opposite side of the lakes from these huts a number of cairns making up drift fences indicate that the animals were forced into the water, there to be killed by the hunters.

It appears that the method ‐ which was in use until the Black Death ‐ on the western side of Hardangervidda was known from before the Christian era, whilst on the eastern side it was first introduced in the Early Medieval Period.

The author discusses this variation and relates it to population movements and social change.     

A Case of Marked Bilateral Asymmetry in the Upper Limbs of an Upper Palaeolithic Male from Barma Grande (Liguria), Italy

Barma Grande 2, a male skeleton of upper palaeolithic age from Balzi Rossi (Liguria, Italy), shows a marked degree of upper limb bilateral asymmetry. Similar cases of asymmetry in palaeolithic hominid fossils have variously been attributed to high levels of behavioural asymmetry (related to handedness) or a pathologically induced alteration of upper limb skeletal remodelling processes. As in many of these cases, the skeleton from Barma Grande lacks any indications of trauma or pathology in the smaller left limb. Consideration of the morphology of the preserved upper limb elements and a comparative analysis of asymmetry in normal and pathological male palaeolithic fossils and normal recent human samples suggests that the asymmetry in Barma Grande 2 was a secondary effect of trauma or pathology in the left side. The degree and pattern of asymmetry in numerous humeral and ulnar measurements indicates an adult onset of altered loading patterns. Several possible aetiological factors are considered, with the most probable being an entrapment neuropathy, direct trauma to one or more muscles about the shoulder, or possibly glenohumeral joint instability. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ideology and Realpolitik: East German Attitudes towards Zionism and Israel

Over several decades, the East German stance towards Israel was marked by condemnation of Zionism, a unilateral position on the Arab-Israeli conflict and denial of reparations and restitution claims. This position had its ideological background in the communist approach to the “Jewish question,” anti-Semitism and nationalism, while the most important criterion in shaping attitudes towards Israel was the incorporation of the German Democratic Republic's Middle East policy into the foreign policy of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. In addition, the East German political elite followed its own political interests when it tried to break through the West German Hallstein doctrine with the help of some Arab countries.     

Cranial pathology of Ursus spelaeus ROSENMÜLLER & HEINROTH from Chateau Pignon,Basque Territories (Spain)

A complex lesion, on a skull of a female cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) associated with perforations of the frontal sinus is described. Paleopathological analysis suggests that the lesion is attributable to complex cranial trauma, probably complicated by an infection which appears to have occurred following a fight, most likely with another bear or, possibly, a cave lion (Panthera leo spelaea); at least one of the perforations observed on the skull may have been produced by the canine of a large carnivore. This hypothesis is supported by the frequent intraspecific aggressiveness documented in modern bears, and by evidence suggesting interspecific fights between cave bears and cave lions. The case is discussed in the light of other evidence reported in the literature. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transient and Long-Term Changes in Seismic Response of the Natural Resources Building,Olympia, Washington,due to Earthquake Shaking

The Natural Resources Building (NRB) in Olympia, Washington, was shaken by three earthquakes (Mw = 5.8, 6.8, and 5.0) between 1999 and 2001. Building motions were recorded on digital accelerographs, providing important digital recordings of repeated strong shaking in a building. The NRB has 5-stories above grade with 3 sub-grade levels and a ductile steel-frame elongated in the E-W direction. The upper two floors extend significantly beyond the lower 3 on the southern and eastern sides. N-S motions dominate the fundamental modal vibrations of the building system. In the 1999 Satsop M5.8 earthquake, the frequency of this fundamental system mode was 1.3 Hz during motions of 10% g. The frequency dropped to 0.7 Hz during the 2001 M6.8 Nisqually strong motions. Moreover, the Nisqually recordings reveal both numerous high-frequency transients of up to 0.18 g, several of which are visible on widely spaced sensors, and long-term tilts of some of the sensors. The weaker 2001 M5.0 Satsop earthquake motions showed the frequency remained depressed at less than 1 Hz for the eastern side of the structure, although the western side had recovered to 1.3 Hz. An ambient noise survey in 2008 showed the fundamental frequency of N/S vibrations remains about 1.0 Hz for the eastern side of the building and 1.3 Hz for the western side. These results suggest that in the Nisqually earthquake, the east side of the NRB suffered a permanent reduction in fundamental mode frequency of 37% due to loss of system stiffness by undetermined mechanism.     

A possible eighteenth to nineteenth century example of a popliteal aneurysm from Leicester

Examples of the impressions made on bones by arterial aneurysms are rare in the archaeological record. One such specimen was found in a collection of 5000 pieces of disarticulated human bone from a disturbed eighteenth to nineteenth century graveyard in Leicester. The distal end of an adult femur shows a lesion on the posterior surface that has been identified as that made by an aneurysm of the popliteal artery, by comparison with an authenticated museum specimen of that condition, also of eighteenth century data. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.