Ethnicity and the Writing of Medieval Scottish history

Historians have long tended to define medieval Scottish society in terms of interactions between ethnic groups. This approach was developed over the course of the long nineteenth century, a formative period for the study of medieval Scotland. At that time, many scholars based their analysis upon scientific principles, long since debunked, which held that medieval 'peoples' could only be understood in terms of 'full ethnic packages'. This approach was combined with a positivist historical narrative that defined Germanic Anglo-Saxons and Normans as the harbingers of advances of Civilisation. While the prejudices of that era have largely faded away, the modern discipline still relies all too often on a dualistic ethnic framework. This is particularly evident in a structure of periodisation that draws a clear line between the 'Celtic' eleventh century and the 'Norman' twelfth. Furthermore, dualistic oppositions based on ethnicity continue, particularly in discussions of the law, kingship, lordship and religion

Combined liver-kidney transplantation and the effect of preformed lymphocytotoxic antibodies

Thirty-eight sequentially placed liver and kidney allografts were evaluated with respect to patient and graft survival, and the influence of preformed lymphocytotoxic antibodies was analysed. The results suggest that the survival rate of combined liver and kidney transplantation is similar to the survival rate of liver transplantation alone. Sequentially placed kidney allografts may be protected from hyperacute rejection in the presence of donor specific lymphocytotoxic antibodies, but not in all instances. Both patient and kidney allograft survival was lower in positive crossmatch patients (33% and 17% respectively) than in negative crossmatch patients (78% and 75%). High levels of panel reactive antibodies (>10%) also appeared to have a deleterious effect on survival, although the majority of the patients who failed also had a positive crossmatch. Although preformed lymphocytotoxic antibodies are not an absolute contraindication to combined liver-kidney transplantation, they do appear to have a deleterious effect on long-term graft survival. However, more correlation with clinical parameters is needed. © 1994

Legacies and Origins of the 1980s US-Central American Sanctuary Movement

 This article re-examines the US–Central American sanctu­ary movement of the 1980s. Our re-examination is motiv­ated by two factors. First, with the passage of time it is pos­sible to discern the movement’s origins in ways that could not be fully articulated while it was ongoing. We are able to show how certain relationships between the movement’s North and Central American activists were celebrated, while others were obscured due to fear for Salvadoran immigrant activists’ safety and concern about inadver­tently undermining the movement’s legitimacy. Specifically, we draw attention to the movement’s transnational nature, noting that what made it so powerful was its origin as part of a broader effort by Salvadoran revolutionaries to mobil­ize North American society to oppose US support for the Salvadoran government. Ironically, to achieve this objective Salvadoran immigrant activists had to stay quiet, become invisible, and abstain from taking certain leadership roles, while embracing identities that may have implied weak­ness or passivity, such as “refugee” or “victim.” Second, the US–Central American sanctuary movement provides powerful insight into future understandings of sanctuary as a concept and practice. The movement’s legacies extend beyond participants’ stated goals, while the movement’s transnational political and organizational focus differenti­ates it from current sanctuary practices. Thus, re-examin­ing its origins and legacies suggests that apparent similar­ities in the form of sanctuary incidents may hide underlying differences and that current sanctuary practices may also eventually have unanticipated consequences.Cet article examine à nouveau le « sanctuary movement » aux États-Unis et en Amérique centrale durant les années 1980. Deux facteurs expliquent ce réexamen. 1°, avec le passage du temps, il est possible de discerner les origines du mouvement qui ne pouvaient pas être entièrement articulées alors qu’il était en cours. Nous sommes en mesure de montrer comment certaines relations entre activistes nord-américains et leurs contreparties centre-américaines ont été fêtées, tandis que d’autres ont été occultées par crainte pour la sécurité des militants salvadoriens pro immigration et par peur d’accidentellement miner la légitimité du mouvement. Plus précisément, nous attirons l’attention sur la nature transnationale du mouvement, soulignant que ce qui l’a rendu si puissant sont ses origines dans le cadre d’un effort plus large par les révolutionnaires salvadoriens en vue de mobiliser la société nord-américaine en opposition à l’appui des États-Unis pour le pouvoir salvadorien. Ironie du sort, pour atteindre cet objectif les militants salvadoriens ont dû rester muets, devenir invisibles et s’abstenir de prendre certains rôles de leadership, tout en affichant des identités, comme « réfugié » ou « victime », qui pouvaient implicitement signifier la faiblesse ou la passivité. 2°, le « sanctuary movement » des États-Unis et de l’Amérique centrale donne un puissant aperçu de notre compréhension future de la notion de sanctuaire en tant que concept et pratique. Le legs du mouvement va au-delà des objectifs déclarés des participants, alors que son accent transnational, politique et organisationnel le différencie des pratiques actuelles. Ainsi, un réexamen des origines du mouvementet de son héritage suggère que des similitudes apparentes sous la forme de cas de sanctuaire peuvent masquer des différences sous-jacentes et que les pratiques actuelles du sanctuaire peuvent aussi avoir des conséquences éventuelles imprévues

Consistency in a Partitioned Network: A Survey

Recently, several strategies for transaction processing in partitioned distributed database systems with replicated data have been proposed. We survey these strategies in light of the competing goals of maintaining correctness and achieving high availability. Extensions and combinations are then discussed, and guidelines for the selection of a strategy for a particular application are presented

DNA Methylation Patterns in Cord Blood of Neonates Across Gestational Age Association With Cell-Type Proportions

Background: A statistical methodology is available to estimate the proportion of cell types (cellular heterogeneity) in adult whole blood specimens used in epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS). However, there is no methodology to estimate the proportion of cell types in umbilical cord blood (also a heterogeneous tissue) used in EWAS. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine whether differences in DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns in umbilical cord blood are the result of blood cell type proportion changes that typically occur across gestational age and to demonstrate the effect of cell type proportion confounding by comparing preterm infants exposed and not exposed to antenatal steroids. Methods: We obtained DNAm profiles of cord blood using the Illumina HumanMethylation27k BeadChip array for 385 neonates from the Boston Birth Cohort. We estimated cell type proportions for six cell types using the deconvolution method developed by Houseman et al. (2012). Results: The cell type proportion estimates segregated into two groups that were significantly different by gestational age, indicating that gestational age was associated with cell type proportion. Among infants exposed to antenatal steroids, the number of differentially methylated CpGs dropped from 127 to 1 after controlling for cell type proportion. Discussion: EWAS utilizing cord blood are confounded by cell type proportion. Careful study design including correction for cell type proportion and interpretation of results of EWAS using cord blood are critical

Survival suit volume reduction associated with immersion: implications for buoyancy estimation in offshore workers of different size.

Rationale: It is currently unknown how body size affects buoyancy in submerged helicopter escape. Method: Eight healthy males aged 39.6±12.6year (mean±SD) with BMI 22.0–40.0kgm−2 wearing a standard survival (‘dry’) suit undertook a normal venting manoeuvre and underwent 3D scanning to assess body volume (wearing the suit) before and after immersion in a swimming pool. Results: Immersion-induced volume loss averaged 14.4±5.4l, decreased with increasing dry density (massvolume−1) and theoretical buoyant force in 588 UK offshore workers was found to be 264±46 and 232±60N using linear and power functions, respectively. Both approaches revealed heavier workers to have greater buoyant force. Discussion: While a larger sample may yield a more accurate buoyancy prediction, this study shows heavier workers are likely to have greater buoyancy. Without free-swimming capability to overcome such buoyancy, some individuals may possibly exceed the safe limit to enable escape from a submerged helicopter. Practitioner Summary: Air expulsion reduced total body volume of survival-suited volunteers following immersion by an amount inversely proportional to body size. When applied to 588 offshore workers, the predicted air loss suggested buoyant force to be greatest in the heaviest individuals, which may impede their ability to exit a submerged helicopter

The relationship between childhood body weight and dental caries experience:an umbrella systematic review protocol

Background: Obesity and dental caries are global public health problems which can impact in childhood and throughout the life course. In simple terms, childhood dental caries and body weight are linked via the common risk factor of diet. An association between dental caries and obesity has been described in a number of studies and reviews. However, similarly, a relationship has also been noted between low body weight and caries experience in children. This protocol will provide the framework for an umbrella review to address the following question: Does the available evidence support a relationship between dental caries experience and body weight in the child population?Methods: This review protocol outlines the process to carry out an umbrella systematic review which will synthesise previous reviews of childhood dental caries experience and body weight. An umbrella review methodology will be used to examine the methodological and reporting quality of existing reviews.Discussion: The final umbrella review aims to aggregate the available evidence in order to provide a summary for policymakers and to inform healthcare interventions

Outstanding challenges in the transferability of ecological models

Predictive models are central to many scientific disciplines and vital for informing management in a rapidly changing world. However, limited understanding of the accuracy and precision of models transferred to novel conditions (their ‘transferability’) undermines confidence in their predictions. Here, 50 experts identified priority knowledge gaps which, if filled, will most improve model transfers. These are summarized into six technical and six fundamental challenges, which underlie the combined need to intensify research on the determinants of ecological predictability, including species traits and data quality, and develop best practices for transferring models. Of high importance is the identification of a widely applicable set of transferability metrics, with appropriate tools to quantify the sources and impacts of prediction uncertainty under novel conditions

Assessment of risk of insect-resistant transgenic crops to nontarget arthropods

An international initiative is developing a scientifically rigorous approach to evaluate the potential risks to nontarget arthropods (NTAs) posed by insect-resistant, genetically modified (IRGM) crops. It adapts the tiered approach to risk assessment that is used internationally within regulatory toxicology and environmental sciences. The approach focuses on the formulation and testing of clearly stated risk hypotheses, making maximum use of available data and using formal decision guidelines to progress between testing stages (or tiers). It is intended to provide guidance to regulatory agencies that are currently developing their own NTA risk assessment guidelines for IRGM crops and to help harmonize regulatory requirements between different countries and different regions of the world