Early 1990s Research Articles

A fascination with tailless mice: a scientific historical review of studies of the T/t complex.

The T/t complex of the mouse attracted many of the major figures of mouse genetics to perform genetic, cytogenetic, physiological, biochemical and molecular biological studies of it. These studies started with the discovery of short tailed mutants (Ts) and recessive lethal developmental mutations (ts) which mapped to the same "locus" in the early 1920s in France. However, due to the non-receptivity of French scientists to genetics, they continued to be studied in mostly Anglophone countries to be joined by a wider international community in the 1970s. These discoveries led to developmental studies of the lethal mutants which provided the origin of mammalian developmental genetics. The fascinating property of transmission ratio distortion (non-50/50 segregation of alleles in offspring of males) elicited tremendous interest. There were false leads (that the region consisted of unusual DNA, that the alleles controlled cell surface antigens on embryonic cells and spermatozoa) and exciting discoveries. This historical review provides a review of this extensive area of research and some of the individuals involved in it.

An assessment of the factors contributing to the unavailability of drugs at outpatient pharmacy of tertiary care hospital: an observational study

Introduction Throughout history and up until the present, there has been a medicine shortage. In the early 1920s, there was a shortage of insulin, which is when drug scarcity first appeared in the records. Drug shortages are now more prevalent globally than they were back then. The goal of this essay is to pinpoint the key components that make up a definition for medication shortages and to pinpoint the circumstances that should be considered when reporting drug shortages in databases. Understanding the factors that led certain organizations to create their own definition of a medicine shortage was crucial for achieving these goals. The pharmaceutical regulatory environment can be connected to several reasons why there are medication shortages, including parallel trading, quality standards, and business choices to halt or reduce manufacturing. The many rules governing medicine shortages have not yet been the subject of a thorough investigation. This protocol’s objective is to analyze the pertinent legislative and regulatory frameworks in the European pharmaceutical system that affect medication shortages. The objectives of the study will be the non–availability of drugs at an outpatient pharmacy and to analyze the reason of non–availability of drugs. Methods An observational study will be adopted in this study. It includes a collection of data from the patient coming to the outpatient pharmacy of AVBRH Sawangi (Meghe) Wardha. Expected result It can lead to delayed treatment for patients seeking alternative medication. It can also lead to increased healthcare costs if patients seek alternative treatments that are more expensive or require additional medical care. The unavailability of drugs can also lead to frustration and anxiety for patients who need medication to manage their health condition. It can also negatively impact the reputation of the hospital.

Surveying ecolinguistics

Abstract This article presents a comprehensive and detailed survey of ecolinguistics, defined as an enterprise oriented to how language plays a role in the interactions between human beings, other species, and the natural environment. Since the early 1990s, ecolinguistics has been driven by a concern for life on Earth and as such it comprises the linguistic study of the current ecological crisis. Through a detailed close reading of the literature, in combination with the bibliometric tool of VOSviewer, it surveys eleven subfields of contemporary ecolinguistics. The eleven surveyed subfields of ecolinguistics are: discourse-oriented ecolinguistics, corpus-assisted ecolinguistics, ecostylistics, narratological ecolinguistics, identity-oriented ecolinguistics, ethno-lexical ecolinguistics, ecological discourse analysis, harmonious discourse analysis, cognitive ecolinguistics, educational ecolinguistics, and decolonial/transdisciplinary ecolinguistics. In the conclusion, the article discusses two challenges that face contemporary ecolinguistics: the repetition of certain tropes and narratives about the field, even in the absence of empirical evidence, and the lack of internal debate and critique.

Exploring the Integration of Chinese Music in Western Musicological Literature: Trends, Gaps, and Multicultural Perspectives

The purpose of the article is to analyse Western musicological literature to identify key trends and gaps in existing research on Chinese music as an integral part of the contemporary multicultural educational space. The research methodology is based on content analysis, comparative analysis, and bibliographic review. The primary method is content analysis, involving a systematic review of academic articles, monographs, reviews, and other publications on Chinese music in Western musicological literature. Comparative analysis is used to compare Western research on Chinese music with scholarly work from China and other countries. Bibliographic review helps to identify scientific gaps and trends in Chinese music research. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive analysis of Western musicological literature on Chinese music to reveal key trends and gaps in existing research. The use of content analysis, comparative analysis, and bibliographic review allows for the first systematic organisation and comparison of approaches to studying Chinese music in different cultural contexts. The study also provides new insights into the role of Chinese music in the contemporary multicultural educational space, contributing to its integration and popularisation. Conclusions. Over the past three decades, publications on Chinese music within the context of multicultural music education have been irregular. Although the number of studies is not large, it shows moderate activity in the 1990s and early 2000s, with a noticeable increase after 2007 and periods of decline between 2010 and 2014. This indicates the need for further analysis of the reasons behind this dynamic and a deeper exploration of the integration of Chinese music into the Western educational context. The literature review shows that research covers a broad range of educational contexts, from early childhood to higher education and teacher professional development, indicating the potential for integrating Chinese music at various levels of formal education. The review also reveals that research on Chinese music often has a Eurocentric approach, evaluating it through the lens of Western music theory. This limits the full understanding and integration of Chinese musical traditions, highlighting the need for a deeper and more comprehensive approach that would foster an understanding of Chinese music in its own context.

Climate geographies and geographies of knowledge

AbstractFocusing on ‘Geographies of Knowledge’, this Commentary explores interactions between knowledge about climate change and the evolving multi‐level governance of climate. Three vignettes illustrate the complexity of this relationship. The first shows how expert advice, combined with other factors, persuaded the UK government to adopt an ambitious, long‐term emissions reduction target in the early 2000s. The second considers the ‘2°C target’ (latterly 1.5°C) to limit rises in global mean temperature, variously seen as essential, unachievable or symbolic. The third turns to geoengineering and its governance. All three demonstrate the significance of epistemic, political and discursive factors, as these intertwine and play out across different sites, scales and levels of governance.

A Community Informatics Research Network Vision Statement

Community Informatics (CI) became known in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a response to community needs. Within the field, community advocates and scholars utilize evolving technologies to foster community engagement and empowerment. Ideas for CI have been created, disseminated, and promoted in large part because of the Community Informatics Research Network (CIRN). This paper investigates the evolution of CI and the essential role played by CIRN in shaping the field’s trajectory. Collaborator interaction and complex socio-technical linkages are emphasized throughout the text, which highlights the worldwide, interdisciplinary nature of CI. Further, the paper investigates the accomplishments and shortcomings of the CIRN community and ultimately underscores the need for a comprehensive vision statement as we enter our next 20 years. The development process of this vision statement, along with CIRN values, mission, strategies, key literature, conference themes, and a CI declaration, are outlined. Through examining the historical roots of CI and CIRN, the paper provides insights into the ongoing dedication and development of global, inclusive, ethical, and culturally sensitive practices. The proposed vision and mission reflect the aspirations of the CI community, providing a roadmap for navigating the complexities of society, technology, and global collaboration. The strategic efforts are intended to improve research, practice, teaching, accessibility, and inclusion in the field of CI. This comprehensive vision aims to empower communities globally via the wise use of information and communications technology.

Rocking Under Orion’s Belt: The Rise and Fall of Seibu Kōdō as International Concert Venue

ABSTRACT An edifice resembling a temple hall and located on the outskirts of the Kyoto University campus, Seibu Kōdō, rose to national prominence in the early 1970s as a hub for the city’s burgeoning performing arts and rock music scene. Its reputation and legend quickly grew after hosting the MOJO WEST series, inaugurated in 1971, that included concerts by iconic Japanese bands such as Flower Travellin’ Band, Murahachibu, and Zunō keisatsu. Towards the end of the decade, Seibu Kōdō began attracting international performers, spearheaded by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in 1976. However, an incident during a concert by The Police in 1980 led to a permanent suspension of welcoming foreign acts. This article explores Seibu Kōdō’s formative years as a concert venue and the way its connections to the radical student movement, symbolised by the constellation of three red stars painted on its roof, informed its peculiar self-management model. This facilitated the venue’s use as a space for unrestricted artistic expression, but at the same time hindered its development beyond local significance.

How to make sense of the crisis of the international economic system: the emergence of the Group of Thirty and the debate on inflation (1978–81)

ABSTRACT This article explores the early history of the Group of Thirty (G30, 1978), which is an economic policy body committed to the analysis and spread of policy prescriptions as regards the evolution of the international economic and monetary system after the end of Bretton Woods. In so doing, this work represents the first critical recounting of the G30ʹs early experience from a historiographic perspective. The article frames the organizational roots and the early history of the G30 within the wider economic and political context that marked the transformations of the international system between the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Moreover, this article deals with one of the most challenging policy issues that characterized the international economic policymaking at that time: the spread of high inflation rates. The emergence of sustained inflation trends in Western Europe will receive specific attention. Finally, the article discusses the relevance that social and political concerns acquired in the very conceptualization of anti-inflationary and market-oriented measures, as these were promoted by the G30ʹs affiliates between the late 1970s and the early 1980s.

The emergence of postmodernism in Latvian literary culture

ABSTRACT This study investigates the evolution of postmodernism in Latvian literary culture following the Soviet Union’s collapse. It traces its evolution from its initial phase as an unrecognized literary form in the late 1970s and 1980s, through the period of theoretical engagement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, to its conceptual maturity in the mid-1990s and beyond. The article examines the influence of Western cultural elements on post-Soviet Latvian culture and its complex relationship with Latvian national identity. It underscores the significance of pivotal figures and genres in defining Latvian postmodernism and differentiating it from its Western counterparts.

Current situation and trends of radiation therapy in Japan based on the National Database Open Data.

This study aimed to visualize the current situation and trends in radiation therapy in Japan using open data from the Japanese National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups (NDB). We downloaded the NDB open data from the website of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and used Python libraries to analyze the receipt data related to radiation therapy from fiscal year 2014 to 2022. The number of radiation therapy plans peaked in 2019, temporarily declined and subsequently showed a gradual increase. Conversely, the total points associated with radiation therapy have consistently increased without any decline. The use of high-precision radiation therapies such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has increased over time. Significant regional differences exist, with the Chubu and Kyushu regions showing higher total points and receipts per certified radiation oncologist. A correlation was observed between the number of IMRT plans per population and the number of certified radiation oncologists. Males exhibited a sharp peak in their early 70s, while females demonstrated a mild peak from their 40s to 80s. In recent years, the points for males in their early 70s have rapidly increased. We used the NDB open data to illustrate the current situation and trends in radiation therapy in Japan, highlighting reduced costs and workloads. This study underscored the regional differences in radiation therapy and emphasized the need to discuss strategies for meeting future demand.

Going Underground: The Author’s Body and the Mining Workplace in the Writing about Miners in Modern China

Abstract This article highlights the author’s body and its physical experience in labor history, by a focus on their historical implication for the emergence of writings about miners in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth century China. Miners and their workplace entered Chinese textual and pictorial representations at the turn of the twentieth century, as a result of the growing importance of the mining industry, the dissemination of new mining knowledge, and the formation of new social groups. Later in the 1920s, literary movements tied up with the revolutionary agenda under the influence of Marxism brought new conceptualizations of miners’ position in society and their relationship with intellectuals. When authors turned to write about miners in the late 1920s and early 1930s, they chose to legitimize their writing by descending into mine shafts to acquire the experience in the underground mining workplace and to incorporate the bodily experience into their writings. The mining lamp in texts and images from this period provides a prime example to illustrate how the author’s experience in the underground mine was embodied in the author’s and the miner’s corporeal visions and contributed a new way of seeing and representing miners. Drawing upon materials about miners of various genres, this article reveals the formulation of Chinese visual modernity within Chinese social interactions and brings the author’s body into labor history by calling attention to both its material presence in the workplace and its agentic power to inscribe workers.

Liquidity Preference, Interest Rate Spread, and the Transformation of the US Financial System

This article examines empirical patterns of interest rate spreads between yields on long-term corporate bonds and the Federal Funds Rate (FFR) in the United States over the period from 1960 through 2023. Since the early 1980s, discernible patterns of interest spreads have emerged, revealing marked deviations in corporate bond yields from the FFR. We focus on financial market forces particularly arising from financial intermediaries in analyzing these patterns. To this end, the article develops a theoretical framework based on the concept of liquidity preference in Keynes’s 1937 papers and the works of Hyman Minsky and Victoria Chick. We also conduct cointegration analyses for corporate bond yields, the FFR, and financial intermediaries’ leverage ratios. Overall, our empirical results indicate that the relationship between the FFR and corporate bond yields—particularly with respect to their long-run relationship and interest rate markups—has markedly changed since the 1980s and is significantly affected by financial intermediaries’ asset/capital leverage ratios. As a policy implication, regulatory reforms aimed at enhancing the Federal Reserve Bank’s capacity to steer long-term rates and contain intermediaries’ balance sheet leverage, particularly those centered on risky asset trading to increase gains from price differentials, are required JEL Classification: B26, E11, E43, E52

Features of laboratory study of the core of weakly cemented reservoir rocks

Background. Currently, there is a problem of studying intervals represented by weakly cemented core, although such rocks can be the main reservoirs. Lack of reliable petrophysical information leads to underestimation of the main parameters of porosity and permeability, which in the future is likely to lead to incorrect estimation of hydrocarbon reserves. The relevance of the work is due to the lack of unified regulatory and methodological approaches to the research of weakly cemented core material. Objective. To develop our own methodological approach by selecting technologies and techniques, which allows to carry out primary preparation, sampling, profile measurements and petrophysical studies of weakly cemented core. Materials and methods. We used weakly cemented core from the Volga-Ural oil and gas province and conducted the research in accordance with the requirements specified in the guidelines for laboratory tests using necessary supplies. The methods considered in the article cover the time interval from the early 2000s. Results. In the course of the work, standard methods of core investigation were considered, and the possibility of their application to the samples of weakly cemented rock was evaluated. The peculiarities of sample preparation and research on weakly cemented core were also revealed. Conclusions. A methodological approach was developed that allows primary preparation, sampling, profile measurements and petrophysical studies of weakly cemented core.

What affected stressed advances of Indian banks in the early 2000s? An investigation of the role of bank-specific and macroeconomic factors

What affected stressed advances of Indian banks in the early 2000s? An investigation of the role of bank-specific and macroeconomic factors

When a Literary Translator Took an Activist Turn: Lin Yutang’s Translation of New Democracy

ABSTRACT Lin Yutang, a world-famous writer and translator, has long been known as an apolitical cultural ambassador. This study reveals, however, that beginning from the early 1940s, Lin turned from apolitical to passionately political and his political activism found expression in translation. This article employs narrative theory to examine how Lin, as an activist translator, reframed Kuomintang-Communist conflict in China when translating Mao Tse-tung’s New Democracy. I argue that Lin’s translation was part of a public opinion warfare aimed to win American aid. Lin rendered Mao’s text in a way that could drive a wedge between Americans and Communists of China. Strategies employed included intentional mistranslation, selective appropriation, disambiguating and repositioning. This study shows that attempts to understand what motivates a translator to turn away from his or her well-beaten path can be theoretically productive.

Twists to Classical Conditioning of Adult Drosophila.

Memory has been extensively studied in Drosophila since the early 1970s. Straightforward aversive and appetitive conditioning paradigms train populations of flies to associate the pairing of one of two odors with either punishment or reward. After training, the flies show either preferential avoidance or approach behavior, to the appropriate odor, when given a choice between the two odors in a simple T-maze apparatus. These basic experimental approaches have proven useful in understanding the genetic, molecular, cellular, and neuronal network bases of various valence-specific memories in the fly brain. In addition, numerous modifications to these assays have permitted the study of a broad range of memory-related phenomena. Labile short-term avoidance and approach memories can be readily distinguished from more stable "consolidated" long-term memory equivalents. Prior or subsequent experience of the training cues, and manipulations of the flies' condition, have revealed how parallel competing memories and incompatible states can temporarily interfere with memory retrieval, providing insight into mechanisms of forgetting. Recent studies have also modified the training and testing apparatus to allow simultaneous presentation of odors and colors, providing insight into mechanisms of multisensory learning.

A. B. Ranovich’s “Essay on the History of Ancient Hebrew Religion” in the Context of Disputes about the Formation Stage of Ancient Eastern Societies (Late 1930s – Early 1940s)

The article analyzes the materials of the discussion of the monograph by A. B. Ranovich, “Essays of the History of the Ancient Hebrew Religion”, submitted in 1939 for defense as a doctoral thesis. These materials, previously held in the archives of the USSR Higher Attestation Commission, have not been widely circulated in the scholarly community. It is imperative to introduce these materials into academic discourse to aid in the study of the development of Soviet historical science. The materials shed light on A. B. Ranovich’s role in advancing the Soviet model for studying early Christianity. They reveal that his initial attempt to obtain the degree of candidate of sciences was unsuccessful in 1935, and he finally attained the degree in 1938. In March 1939, he successfully defended his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Historical Sciences at a meeting of the Academic Council of the Faculty of History of Moscow State University. Moreover, the materials illustrate the intricate process of forming the Soviet canon of formation theory and the functioning mechanisms of the community of Soviet historians of antiquity. Specifically, Ranovich’s defense of his doctoral dissertation highlights the conflict between Moscow and Leningrad scholars, with both organizational and conceptual dimensions. The critique of Ranovich’s dissertation by V. V. Struve brings to light a new stage of debate on the formational affiliation of ancient Eastern societies, a fundamental question for Soviet historical science in the 1930s. This debate aligns with the longstanding dispute between Academician N. M. Nikolsky and V. V. Struve, wherein the deputy editor-in-chief of JAH took the position of Academician N. M. Nikolsky.

The collapse of the Ming Dynasty actually began with the Wanli megadrought: Insights from a hydroclimate reconstruction based on tree-ring δ18O over the past 460 years

Climate change has played a pivotal role in shaping Chinese history, especially during the Ming Dynasty. Previous studies have focused primarily on the Chongzhen megadrought, which is widely considered as the primary climatic perturbation behind the demise of the Ming Dynasty. However, relatively little is known about other severe drought events and their potential impact on the dynasty collapse. Additionally, the characteristics of an exceptional climatic anomaly termed the “Late Ming Weak Monsoon Period” are unclear. In this study, we reconstructed the historical variations of Palmer Drought Severity Index for July–September based on tree-ring stable oxygen isotopes (δ18O) from 1556 CE to 2015 CE in southwest Chinese Loess Plateau. Our study reveals a significant weakening of the Asian summer monsoon between 1561 CE and 1661 CE, consistent with the Late Ming Weak Monsoon Period, and unravels its structural characteristics in detail. Our reconstruction also captures a distinct humidification trend over northwest China since the early 2000s. Notably, in addition to the well-known Chongzhen megadrought, our study records the severe Wanli megdrought (1585–1590 CE) during the late Ming Dynasty, an event that rarely featured in earlier studies, exhibiting comparable duration and severity to the Chongzhen megadrought. Further analysis indicates that Wanli megadrought may have served as an early trigger for the collapse of the Ming Dynasty. Furthermore, our analysis implicates the El Niño–Southern Oscillation as a contributing factor in both the Wanli and Chongzhen megadroughts, and thus to the ultimate collapse of the Ming Dynasty by affecting the Asian summer monsoon intensity.

More than medicine: antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a social and political challenge that can be overcome

ABSTRACT Growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens modern medicine and global food security through the gradual loss of effective antibiotics and other crucial drugs and chemicals. This dispiriting but inexorable development presents daunting social and political challenges because it arises from how drugs are produced and people everywhere in the world use them. Results of monumental international efforts led by United Nations and European Union bodies to create common purpose and concerted actions against AMR since the early 2010s are so far discouraging. Declarations and plans have proliferated. But social factors such as national and local politics have stymied effective action. Nevertheless, countries in Europe demonstrate that AMR mitigation is politically possible. This article draws on contributions to the SI on AMR politics and governance to illustrate how. Specific institutional arrangements, cultural values, and leadership commitments have had strong impacts on the degree of success of AMR policies. In turn, these factors represent important political conditions that some policymakers have successfully navigated. Hence, the SI’s contributions can offer policy leaders and entrepreneurs clues for domestic and local political efforts to control AMR.

Re-investigation of Bowmanites laxus Halle, 1927, a sphenopsid fructification from the Permian of China

Halle (1927) described and illustrated sphenopsid plant remains from Permian strata (Shihottse Formation) in Shanxi Province, China in the early 1920s. He designated the particular stratigraphic sources as Plant Bearing Beds 14 and 31 and described Bowmanites laxus, n. sp. from the former and Bowmanites sp. from the latter. The illustrated specimens, as well as additional ones from both beds were borrowed from the Palaeobotanical Collections of the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden and re-investigated in order to prepare, re-illustrate, describe, and compare the species. The preparations revealed that the leaves in both species have the same morphology in the strobili as well as in the sterile axes and are arranged in open, not laterally fused whorls. Each leaf is arcuate and upwardly turned, the lamina is narrow at the point of attachment，and gradually expanded to become bilaterally laciniate and medially elongated into a sharply pointed apex. The sporangiophore in both species is axillary to the subtending sporophyll, remains free, following the upward curve of the sporophyll, and terminally, bears two peltately suspended sporangia that are aligned parallel to the lamina of the sporophyll. A single lectotype is chosen from/among the lectotype suite previously defined by Hoskins and Cross (1943). A systematic classification of the species is proposed. The summary of revisions of other sphenopsid species as suggested by Hoskins and Cross (1943) is presented in relationship to their proposal to divide the species of Bowmanites into three Sections in one of which B. laxus is included.