Explaining Political Violence Against Civilians in Northern Ireland: A Contention-Oriented Approach

In contrast to prevalent theories of terrorism, this study develops a contention-oriented approach where levels and forms of political violence against civilians depend upon: (1) the strategies of combatants; (2) the means of contention; (3) the locations of allies and opponents; (4) the collective identities of combatants; and (5) the dynamics of contention, including whether or not representatives of paramilitary organizations are included in formal peace processes. Quantitative analyses of a multi-source database of civilian deaths taking place in Northern Ireland between 1966 and 2006 offer preliminary support for this approach. The study underscores the insights provided by theories and methods used in the fields of social movements research and peace and conflict studies

Investigating postharvest chilling injury in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit using magnetic resonance imaging and 5-azacytidine, a hypomethylation agent

Tomato, like most species from tropical and subtropical regions, exhibits postharvest chilling injury (PCI) when stored at low temperatures. Because of its economic importance and the functional genomics tools available, we used tomato to investigate aspects of fruit PCI development. We asked two questions: First, are there spatial-temporal differences in the development of PCI that can be detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)? Here, the aim was to use a non-invasive method to study PCI progression in vivo. At mature green and breaker, the pericarp, locular tissue and columella produced distinct D-values while in contrast, there was no such differentiation in riper fruit. Although the pericarp is where most PCI symptoms are visible, this tissue showed less dynamism upon cold exposure, compared to the inner tissues as detected by MRI. This suggests the occurrence of distinct, independently modulated mechanisms contributing to the development of PCI-symptomatology. Collectively our data showed that the MRI could detect fruit ripening, its attenuation by cold, and fruit tissue-specific responses to chilling stress. The second question we asked was if epigenetic modification of the tomato genome or transcriptome influences PCI response. We examined PCI severity in fruit injected with a demethylating agent, 5- azacytidine (AZA). Two tomato genotypes exposed to varying severities of cold-stress were studied. Results suggested that AZA was able to moderate PCI in 'Micro-Tom' after 3 weeks at 2.5°C, while different patterns were observed in 'Sun Cherry' across various cold treatments. The effects of AZA on PCI were complex, multilayered and highly context-dependent

Interdisciplinary research on the application of ERTS-1 data to the regional land use planning process

The author has identified the following significant results. Although the degree to which ERTS-1 imagery can satisfy regional land use planning data needs is not yet known, it appears to offer means by which the data acquisition process can be immeasurably improved. The initial experiences of an interdisciplinary group attempting to formulate ways of analyzing the effectiveness of ERTS-1 imagery as a base for environmental monitoring and the resolution of regional land allocation problems are documented. Application of imagery to the regional planning process consists of utilizing representative geographical regions within the state of Wisconsin. Because of the need to describe and depict regional resource complexity in an interrelatable state, certain resources within the geographical regions have been inventoried and stored in a two-dimensional computer-based map form. Computer oriented processes were developed to provide for the economical storage, analysis, and spatial display of natural and cultural data for regional land use planning purposes. The authors are optimistic that the imagery will provide revelant data for land use decision making at regional levels

The use of ERTS-1 data for the inventory of critical land resources for regional land use planning

Computer-generated spatial and statistical comparisons of critical land resource data derived from conventional sources, RB-57 photographs, and ERTS images, for an eastern Wisconsin test site, suggest that certain critical land resource data can be mapped from ERTS images on a statewide basis. This paper presents one of the biotic resources, wetlands, as an example of the use of ERTS imagery to inventory land resources

Optimality Theory as a Framework for Lexical Acquisition

This paper re-investigates a lexical acquisition system initially developed for French.We show that, interestingly, the architecture of the system reproduces and implements the main components of Optimality Theory. However, we formulate the hypothesis that some of its limitations are mainly due to a poor representation of the constraints used. Finally, we show how a better representation of the constraints used would yield better results

Detection of HC11N in the Cold Dust Cloud TMC-1

Two consecutive rotational transitions of the long cyanopolyyne HC11N, J=39-38, and J=38-37, have been detected in the cold dust cloud TMC-1 at the frequencies expected from recent laboratory measurements by Travers et al. (1996), and at about the expected intensities. The astronomical lines have a mean radial velocity of 5.8(1) km/s, in good agreement with the shorter cyanopolyynes HC7N and HC9N observed in this very sharp-lined source [5.82(5) and 5.83(5) km/s, respectively]. The column density of HC11N is calculated to be 2.8x10^(11) cm^(-2). The abundance of the cyanopolyynes decreases smoothly with length to HC11N, the decrement from one to the next being about 6 for the longer carbon chains.Comment: plain tex 10 pages plus 3 ps fig file

Interesting thermomagnetic history effects in the antiferromagnetic state of SmMn_2Ge_2

We present results of magnetization measurements showing that the magnetic response of the antiferromagnetic state of SmMn_2Ge_2 depends on the path used in the field(H)-temperature(T) phase space to reach this state. Distinct signature of metastablity is observed in this antiferromagnetic state when obtained via field-cooling/field-warming paths. The isothermal M-H loops show lack of end-point memory, reminiscent of that seen in metastable vortex states near the field-induced first order phase transition in various type-II superconductors.Comment: 11 pages of text and 3 figure

Making Sense of Family Deaths in Urban Senegal: Diversities, Contexts, and Comparisons

Despite calls for cross-cultural research, Minority world perspectives still dominate death and bereavement studies, emphasizing individualized emotions and neglecting contextual diversities. In research concerned with contemporary African societies, on the other hand, death and loss are generally subsumed within concerns about AIDS or poverty, with little attention paid to the emotional and personal significance of a death. Here, we draw on interactionist sociology to present major themes from a qualitative study of family deaths in urban Senegal, theoretically framed through the duality of meanings-in-context. Such themes included family and community as support and motivation; religious beliefs and practices as frameworks for solace and (regulatory) meaning; and material circumstances as these are intrinsically bound up with emotions. Although we identify the experience of (embodied, emotional) pain as a common response across Minority and Majority worlds, we also explore significant divergencies, varying according to localized contexts and broader power dynamics