Music of a Thousand Years

"Iran’s particular system of traditional Persian art music has been long treated as the product of an ever-evolving, ancient Persian culture. In Music of a Thousand Years, Ann E. Lucas argues that this music is a modern phenomenon indelibly tied to changing notions of Iran’s national history. Rather than considering a single Persian music history, Lucas demonstrates cultural dissimilarity and discontinuity over time, bringing to light two different notions of music-making in relation to premodern and modern musical norms. An important corrective to the history of Persian music, Music of a Thousand Years is the first work to align understandings of Middle Eastern music history with current understandings of the region’s political history. “Ann E. Lucas very effectively combines historical analysis, ethnomusicology, and musicology to provide a broad, holistic explanation for complex, nuanced processes of change. Well written and highly original in its approach, this is a major contribution to the field.” KAMRAN SCOT AGHAIE, Associate Professor of Iranian History, University of Texas “Music of a Thousand Years presents an innovative narrative of Persian music history and also provides important new perspectives on how to analyze the meaning of music and culture in historical perspective.” MOHSEN MOHAMMADI, Lecturer in Ethnomusicology, University of California, Los Angeles “Lucas turns the standard history of Persian music on its head, proving it is not a story of the survival of an ancient tradition, but rather the story of the invention of tradition. Revisionist in the best sense of the word.” JAMES L. GELVIN, author of The Modern Middle East: A History ANN E. LUCAS is Assistant Professor of ethnomusicology in the Department of Music at Boston College, where she also teaches in the Islamic Civilizations and Societies Program. She is recognized for her work on music historiography of the Middle East.

Music of a Thousand Years

Iran’s particular system of traditional Persian art music has been long treated as the product of an ever-evolving, ancient Persian culture. In Music of a Thousand Years, Ann E. Lucas argues that this music is a modern phenomenon indelibly tied to changing notions of Iran’s national history. Rather than considering a single Persian music history, Lucas demonstrates cultural dissimilarity and discontinuity over time, bringing to light two different notions of music-making in relation to premodern and modern musical norms. An important corrective to the history of Persian music, Music of a Thousand Years is the first work to align understandings of Middle Eastern music history with current understandings of the region’s political history.  “Ann E. Lucas very effectively combines historical analysis, ethnomusicology, and musicology to provide a broad, holistic explanation for complex, nuanced processes of change. Well written and highly original in its approach, this is a major contribution to the field.” KAMRAN SCOT AGHAIE, Associate Professor of Iranian History, University of Texas  “Music of a Thousand Years presents an innovative narrative of Persian music history and also provides important new perspectives on how to analyze the meaning of music and culture in historical perspective.” MOHSEN MOHAMMADI, Lecturer in Ethnomusicology, University of California, Los Angeles  “Lucas turns the standard history of Persian music on its head, proving it is not a story of the survival of an ancient tradition, but rather the story of the invention of tradition. Revisionist in the best sense of the word.” JAMES L. GELVIN, author of The Modern Middle East: A History  ANN E. LUCAS is Assistant Professor of ethnomusicology in the Department of Music at Boston College, where she also teaches in the Islamic Civilizations and Societies Program. She is recognized for her work on music historiography of the Middle East

The ecology of peer review: Person-centred, strength-based, and self-determination perspectives

The peer-review system, commonly considered critical for research integrity and rigour, has been criticised for being slow, exclusionary and exploitive. Concerns include the high profits of academic publishers as well as the growing number of insecurely employed academic staff who report high levels of stress and burnout. The consequence has been a decline in willing reviewers, publication delays, and potential damage to the career trajectories of early career researchers and PhD candidates at institutions that rely on metrics of academic impact as measures of academic performance. Rather than overhaul the system and undermine current benefits, this critical review adopts an ecological lens to posit an approach that is humanistic, transparent, and above all things, kind. This approach frames an applied perspective on how to improve peer-review moving forward

Toward Designing the Optimal Total Cavopulmonary Connection: an In Vitro Study

Background. Understanding the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) hemodynamics may lead to improved surgical procedures which result in a more efficient modified circulation. Reduced energy loss will translate to less work for the single ventricle and although univentricular physiology is complex, this improvement could contribute to improved postoperative outcomes. Therefore to conserve energy, one surgical goal is optimization of the TCPC geometry. In line with this goal, this study investigated whether addition of caval curvature or flaring at the connection conserves energy. Methods. TCPC models were made varying the curvature of the caval inlet or by flaring the anastomosis. Steady flow pressure measurements were made to calculate the power loss attributed to each connection design over a range of pulmonary flow splits (70:30 to 30:70). Particle flow visualization was performed for each design and was qualitatively compared to the power losses. Results. Results indicate that curving the cavae toward one pulmonary artery is advantageous only when the flow rate from that cavae matches the flow to the pulmonary artery. Under other pulmonary flow split conditions, the losses in the curved models are significant. In contrast, fully flaring the anastomosis reduced losses over the range of pulmonary flow splits. Power losses were 56% greater for the curving as compared to flaring. Fully flaring without caval offset reduced losses 45% when compared to previous models without flaring. If flaring on all sides was implemented with caval offset, power losses reduced 68% compared to the same nonflared model. Conclusions. The results indicate that preferentially curving the cavae is only optimal under specific pulmonary flow conditions and may not be efficient in all clinical cases. Flaring of the anastomosis has great potential to conserve energy and should be considered in future TCPC procedures

Toward Designing the Optimal Total Cavopulmonary Connection: an In Vitro Study

Background. Understanding the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) hemodynamics may lead to improved surgical procedures which result in a more efficient modified circulation. Reduced energy loss will translate to less work for the single ventricle and although univentricular physiology is complex, this improvement could contribute to improved postoperative outcomes. Therefore to conserve energy, one surgical goal is optimization of the TCPC geometry. In line with this goal, this study investigated whether addition of caval curvature or flaring at the connection conserves energy. Methods. TCPC models were made varying the curvature of the caval inlet or by flaring the anastomosis. Steady flow pressure measurements were made to calculate the power loss attributed to each connection design over a range of pulmonary flow splits (70:30 to 30:70). Particle flow visualization was performed for each design and was qualitatively compared to the power losses. Results. Results indicate that curving the cavae toward one pulmonary artery is advantageous only when the flow rate from that cavae matches the flow to the pulmonary artery. Under other pulmonary flow split conditions, the losses in the curved models are significant. In contrast, fully flaring the anastomosis reduced losses over the range of pulmonary flow splits. Power losses were 56% greater for the curving as compared to flaring. Fully flaring without caval offset reduced losses 45% when compared to previous models without flaring. If flaring on all sides was implemented with caval offset, power losses reduced 68% compared to the same nonflared model. Conclusions. The results indicate that preferentially curving the cavae is only optimal under specific pulmonary flow conditions and may not be efficient in all clinical cases. Flaring of the anastomosis has great potential to conserve energy and should be considered in future TCPC procedures

Fluid Mechanic Assessment of the Total Cavopulmonary Connection using Magnetic Resonance Phase Velocity Mapping and Digital Particle Image Velocimetry

The total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) is currently the most promising modification of the Fontan surgical repair for single ventricle congenital heart disease. The TCPC involves a surgical connection of the superior and inferior vena cavae directly to the left and right pulmonary arteries, bypassing the right heart. In the univentricular system, the ventricle experiences a workload which may be reduced by optimizing the cavae-to-pulmonary anastomosis. The hypothesis of this study was that the energetic efficiency of the connection is a consequence of the fluid dynamics which develop as a function of connection geometry. Magnetic resonance phase velocity mapping (MRPVM) and digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) were used to evaluate the flow patterns in vitro in three prototype glass models of the TCPC: flared zero offset, flared 14 mm offset, and straight 21 mm offset. The flow field velocity along the symmetry plane of each model was chosen to elucidate the fluid mechanics of the connection as a function of the connection geometry and pulmonary artery flow split. The steady flow experiments were conducted at a physiologic cardiac output (4 L/min) over three left/right pulmonary flow splits (70/30, 50/50, and 30/70) while keeping the superior/inferior vena cavae flow ratio constant at 40/60. MRPVM, a noninvasive clinical technique for measuring flow field velocities, was compared to DPIV, an established in vitro fluid mechanic technique. A comparison between the results from both techniques showed agreement of large scale flow features, despite some discrepancies in the detailed flow fields. The absence of caval offset in the flared zero offset model resulted in significant caval flow collision at the connection site. In contrast, offsetting the cavae reduced the flow interaction and caused a vortex-like low velocity region between the caval inlets as well as flow disturbance in the pulmonary artery with the least total flow. A positive correlation was also found between the direct caval flow collision and increased power losses. MRPVM was able to elucidate these important fluid flow features, which may be important in future modifications in TCPC surgical designs. Using MRPVM, two- and three-directional velocity fields in the TCPC could be quantified. Because of this, MRPVM has the potential to provide accurate velocity information clinically and, thus, to become the in vivo tool for TCPC patient physiological/functional assessment. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society

Evaluation of RTS,S/AS02A and RTS,S/AS01B in Adults in a High Malaria Transmission Area

This study advances the clinical development of the RTS,S/AS01B candidate malaria vaccine to malaria endemic populations. As a primary objective it compares the safety and reactogenicity of RTS,S/AS01B to the more extensively evaluated RTS,S/AS02A vaccine.A Phase IIb, single centre, double-blind, controlled trial of 6 months duration with a subsequent 6 month single-blind follow-up conducted in Kisumu West District, Kenya between August 2005 and August 2006. 255 healthy adults aged 18 to 35 years were randomized (1ratio1ratio1) to receive 3 doses of RTS,S/AS02A, RTS,S/AS01B or rabies vaccine (Rabipur; Chiron Behring GmbH) at months 0, 1, 2. The primary objective was the occurrence of severe (grade 3) solicited or unsolicited general (i.e. systemic) adverse events (AEs) during 7 days follow up after each vaccination.Both candidate vaccines had a good safety profile and were well tolerated. One grade 3 systemic AE occurred within 7 days of vaccination (RTS,S/AS01B group). No unsolicited AEs or SAEs were related to vaccine. A marked increase in anti-CS antibody GMTs was observed post Dose 2 of both RTS,S/AS01B (31.6 EU/mL [95% CI: 23.9 to 41.6]) and RTS,S/AS02A (16.7 EU/mL [95% CI: 12.9 to 21.7]). A further increase was observed post Dose 3 in both the RTS,S/AS01B (41.4 EU/mL [95% CI: 31.7 to 54.2]) and RTS,S/AS02A (21.4 EU/mL [95% CI: 16.0 to 28.7]) groups. Anti-CS antibody GMTs were significantly greater with RTS,S/AS01B compared to RTS,S/AS02A at all time points post Dose 2 and Dose 3. Both candidate vaccines produced strong anti-HBs responses. Vaccine efficacy in the RTS,S/AS01B group was 29.5% (95% CI: -15.4 to 56.9, p = 0.164) and in the RTS,S/AS02A group 31.7% (95% CI: -11.6 to 58.2, p = 0.128).Both candidate malaria vaccines were well tolerated over a 12 month surveillance period. A more favorable immunogenicity profile was observed with RTS,S/AS01B than with RTS,S/AS02A.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00197054

UBVRI Light Curves of 44 Type Ia Supernovae

We present UBVRI photometry of 44 type-Ia supernovae (SN Ia) observed from 1997 to 2001 as part of a continuing monitoring campaign at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. The data set comprises 2190 observations and is the largest homogeneously observed and reduced sample of SN Ia to date, nearly doubling the number of well-observed, nearby SN Ia with published multicolor CCD light curves. The large sample of U-band photometry is a unique addition, with important connections to SN Ia observed at high redshift. The decline rate of SN Ia U-band light curves correlates well with the decline rate in other bands, as does the U-B color at maximum light. However, the U-band peak magnitudes show an increased dispersion relative to other bands even after accounting for extinction and decline rate, amounting to an additional ~40% intrinsic scatter compared to B-band.Comment: 84 authors, 71 pages, 51 tables, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal. Version with high-res figures and electronic data at http://astron.berkeley.edu/~saurabh/cfa2snIa

An astronomically dated record of Earth's climate and its predictability over the last 66 million years.

Much of our understanding of Earth's past climate comes from the measurement of oxygen and carbon isotope variations in deep-sea benthic foraminifera. Yet, long intervals in existing records lack the temporal resolution and age control needed to thoroughly categorize climate states of the Cenozoic era and to study their dynamics. Here, we present a new, highly resolved, astronomically dated, continuous composite of benthic foraminifer isotope records developed in our laboratories. Four climate states-Hothouse, Warmhouse, Coolhouse, Icehouse-are identified on the basis of their distinctive response to astronomical forcing depending on greenhouse gas concentrations and polar ice sheet volume. Statistical analysis of the nonlinear behavior encoded in our record reveals the key role that polar ice volume plays in the predictability of Cenozoic climate dynamics

Common Genetic Variants Modulate Pathogen-Sensing Responses in Human Dendritic Cells

Little is known about how human genetic variation affects the responses to environmental stimuli in the context of complex diseases. Experimental and computational approaches were applied to determine the effects of genetic variation on the induction of pathogen-responsive genes in human dendritic cells. We identified 121 common genetic variants associated in cis with variation in expression responses to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, influenza, or interferon-β (IFN-β). We localized and validated causal variants to binding sites of pathogen-activated STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) and IRF (IFN-regulatory factor) transcription factors. We also identified a common variant in IRF7 that is associated in trans with type I IFN induction in response to influenza infection. Our results reveal common alleles that explain interindividual variation in pathogen sensing and provide functional annotation for genetic variants that alter susceptibility to inflammatory diseases.National Human Genome Research Institute (U.S.) (Grant P50 HG006193)National Institutes of Health (U.S.). Pioneer Award (DP1 CA174427)Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant HG004037)National Institutes of Health (U.S.). Pioneer Award (DP1 MH100706)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Transformative R01 Grant R01 DK097768)W. M. Keck FoundationMcKnight FoundationMerkin, Richard N.Damon Runyon Cancer Research FoundationSearle Scholars ProgramSimons Foundatio