Nationalization, modernization and symbolic media: towards a comparative historical sociology of the nation-state

"In the formation process of the nation-state, there took place processes analogous to globalization. People and things moved on a nationwide scale and local regions and people became homogenized and also differentiated. Such process can be called 'nationalization'. By taking its meaning as a more comprehensive one than ever, we can understand the formation process of the nation-state more accurately. Also we have to differentiate 'nationalization' from 'modernization'. We regard that modernization is the process of disembedding people from various 'existences' in which they have been embedded. In the course of disembedding, people began to regard 'existences' as means and obstacles for 'actions'. That is to say, 'predominance of actions over existences' has occurred. The reason why such 'predominance of actions' has taken place can be made clear by introducing 'symbolic media' which reduce 'existences' to something on each standard. In history symbolic media have been conflicting and allying with each other. 'Predominance of actions', that is to say, modernization advanced through such conflicts and alliance." (author's abstract

Flankside plasma sheet isolation in the ionosphere for northward interplanetary magnetic field

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions: [OS] Space and upper atmospheric sciences, Wed. 4 Dec. / Institute of Statistics and Mathematics (ISM) Seminar room 2 (D304) (3rd floor

Eccentricity Trap: Trapping of Resonantly Interacting Planets near the Disk Inner Edge

Using orbital integration and analytical arguments, we have found a new mechanism (an "eccentricity trap") to halt type I migration of planets near the inner edge of a protoplanetary disk. Because asymmetric eccentricity damping due to disk-planet interaction on the innermost planet at the disk edge plays a crucial role in the trap, this mechanism requires continuous eccentricity excitation and hence works for a resonantly interacting convoy of planets. This trap is so strong that the edge torque exerted on the innermost planet can completely halt type I migrations of many outer planets through mutual resonant perturbations. Consequently, the convoy stays outside the disk edge, as a whole. We have derived semi-analytical formula for the condition for the eccentricity trap and predict how many planets are likely to be trapped. We found that several planets or more should be trapped by this mechanism in protoplanetary disks that have cavities. It can be responsible for the formation of non-resonant, multiple, close-in super-Earth systems extending beyond 0.1AU. Such systems are being revealed by radial velocity observations to be quite common around solar-type stars.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Heat transfer in a dense gas between two parallel plates

Time-dependent heat transfer in a dense gas between two parallel plates, which is initiated by an abrupt change in temperature of one plate, is numerically investigated on the basis of the Enskog equation under the diffuse reflection boundary condition. Numerical computation is carried out by a finite-difference scheme combined with the Fourier spectral method for the efficient computation of the collision term of the Enskog equation. As a result, macroscopic quantities of the gas, such as heat flux and temperature, are obtained for various Knudsen numbers and ratios of the molecular diameter to the distance between plates. Compared to the case of an ideal gas, the heat flux in the stationary state is enhanced due to an effect of the finite size of molecules for not only small but also intermediate Knudsen numbers. The results imply that the finite-size effect also affects the propagation of disturbances in the initial stage, particularly for small Knudsen numbers

The prognostic significance of nutritional status using malnutrition universal screening tool in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is frequently observed in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The present study aimed to examine the relationship between nutritional status using Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and the mortality of patients with pulmonary TB. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with pulmonary TB were analyzed. Nutrition assessment was carried out using MUST. The Cox proportional hazard model was applied to assess the ability of MUST to predict prognosis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess MUST score as a prognostic indicator in pulmonary TB patients. To obtain optimal cut-off values for MUST score for prognostic assessment in TB patients, we used the maximum Youden Index. RESULTS: For predicting the risk of mortality, the optimal cut-off value for MUST score was 3.5. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified age and MUST score ≥ 4 as significant independent prognostic factors for survival. The patients with MUST score ≤ 3 had a median survival of 481 days (95% CI: 453 to 510) and that for the patients with MUST score ≥ 4 was 304 days (95% CI: 214 to 394); the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: MUST appears to be a reliable tool for nutritional risk assessment of patients with pulmonary TB. In addition, MUST may be a useful prognostic indicator of survival in patients with pulmonary TB