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The Yao Muslims : religion and social change in southern Malawi
No full textThe African Muslim minority in Malawi has been identified with
one particular linguistic group, the Yao. The dissertation
begins with the problem of their conversion and adherence to
Islam in the face of seemingly adverse circumstances. In
exploring-solutions to this problem the emergence of a Yao
identity is outlined and the politics of conversion are
described. The narrative then moves on to the transformations of
the Yao Muslims in the hundred years since their conversion. A
model of religious change is developed that attempts to account
for both the dynamics of change and the contemporary situation
of Islam in southern Malawi. The Yao Muslims are shown to be
divided into three competing and sometimes hostile factions that
are termed the Sufis, the sukuti or 'quietist' movement and the
new reformists. The appearance of these movements and their
interaction with one another is described in relation to the
questions of identity and religious practice. The model proposes
a three phase scheme of Islamic change (appropriation and
accommodation followed by internal reform and then the new
reformist movement) that is defined in part by the relationship
of the Yao Muslims to writing and the Book. It is suggested that
a certain logic of transformation is endogenous to Islam as a
religion of the Book and that the scripturalist tendencies of
the reformist movement give it an advantage over the followers
of Sufi practices, especially in the context of modern systems
of communication and education. The general approach is that of
an historical anthropology, linking notions of structured change
to anthropological concerns with ritual and practice. The
analysis concludes by raising questions about the nature of
religious change in the context of an increasingly volatile
world system and the place of the anthropology of religion in
the understanding of modernity
Current concepts on oxidative/carbonyl stress, inflammation and epigenetics in pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
No full textChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global health problem. The current therapies for COPD are poorly effective and the mainstays of pharmacotherapy are bronchodilators. A better understanding of the pathobiology of COPD is critical for the development of novel therapies. In the present review, we have discussed the roles of oxidative/aldehyde stress, inflammation/immunity, and chromatin remodeling in the pathogenesis of COPD. An imbalance of oxidants/antioxidants caused by cigarette smoke and other pollutants/biomass fuels plays an important role in the pathogenesis of COPD by regulating redox-sensitive transcription factors (e.g., NF-κB), autophagy and unfolded protein response leading to chronic lung inflammatory response. Cigarette smoke also activates canonical/alternative NF-κB pathways and their upstream kinases leading to sustained inflammatory response in lungs. Recently, epigenetic regulation has been shown to be critical for the development of COPD because the expression/activity of enzymes that regulate these epigenetic modifications have been reported to be abnormal in airways of COPD patients. Hence, the significant advances made in understanding the pathophysiology of COPD as described herein will identify novel therapeutic targets for intervention in COPD
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On an efficient dynamic programming technique of F. F. Yao
No full textA very useful technique of F. F. Yao for providing efficient dynamic programming algorithms involves establishing the so called quadrangle inequalities on cost functions. A major application of this technique is in speeding up the classical dynamic programming algorithm for optimal binary search trees. We consider a generalization of the classical problem, which arises from considering search strategies on a sequential access file or tape. For this problem, Yao's quadrangle inequalities are not strong enough to lead to a speedup of the dynamic programming algorithm. Here, we extend the domain of efficient dynamic programming by establishing strong quadrangle inequalities which do imply a speedup
A nine month progress report on investigation of social network and bibliometric network
No full textA diluent for prolonged motility of ocean pout (Macrozoarces americanus L.) sperm
No full textThe present study describes a new semen diluent (diluent C) which prolongs the sustained motility of ocean pout sperm, a distinguishing feature of the sperm of internally fertilizing teleosts. Sperm motilities were compared in the new diluent (C), based on the ionic composition of ocean pout seminal plasma, vs. four other semen diluents (A, B, D and E) ordinarily used for extending the semen of external fertilizers. While sperm retained motility after extension of ocean pout semen in all of these diluents, motility was significantly reduced following sperm resuspension in diluents B and D. Since sperm motility remained high in diluent C, formulated to closely mimic the composition of ocean pout seminal plasma, it was selected for additional experimentation. Negative effects were observed on sperm motility after dilution (> 1:10) of ocean pout semen with diluent C, but sperm motility could be restored by replacement of the seminal plasma. Of practical importance for storage of ocean pout sperm at 4 degrees C, it was shown that semen dilution 1:3 in diluent C preserved sperm motility beyond 5 days. Although ocean pout sperm tolerate a fairly wide range of K+ levels (0-30 mmol/l), the best motility was observed from 10-20 mmol/l [K+], similar to the ionic levels found in seminal plasma. Finally, since no change in fertility of ocean pout sperm occurred following 1:3 dilution of semen in diluent C, we conclude that diluent C is an effective medium for in vitro artificial egg insemination and prolonged motility of ocean pout sperm. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.PT: J; CR: BAYNES SM, 1981, J FISH BIOL, V19, P259 BILLARD R, 1992, J EXP ZOOL, V261, P122 BILLARD R, 1993, AQUAT LIVING RESOUR, V6, P67 CHAMBEYRON F, 1990, AQUACULTURE, V90, P345 CHAUVAUD L, 1995, ENVIRON BIOL FISH, V43, P341 COBB JLS, 1973, J FISH BIOL, V5, P587 ERDAHL AW, 1987, AQUACULTURE, V60, P311 ERDAHL AW, 1987, AQUACULTURE, V60, P323 GALLANT RK, 1993, THERIOGENOLOGY, V40, P479 GATTI JL, 1990, J CELL PHYSIOL, V143, P546 GOODALL JA, 1989, AQUACULTURE, V77, P243 OHTA H, 1996, AQUACULTURE, V142, P107 PAVLOV DA, 1994, AQUACULTURE, V122, P295 STOSS J, 1983, AQUACULTURE, V30, P229 SUQUET M, 1993, J FISH BIOL, V42, P509 WANG Z, 1997, FISH PHYSIOL BIOCHEM, V16, P77 YAO Z, 1995, MOL REPROD DEV, V42, P58 YAO Z, 1995, P 5 INT S REPR PHYS YAO ZX, 1995, AQUACULTURE, V130, P361 YAO ZX, 1995, J FISH BIOL, V47, P171; NR: 20; TC: 6; J9: AQUACULTURE; PG: 11; GA: 182MLSource type: Electronic(1
Meet Yao Junwei, sub-manager
No full textThis is the third installment of my series devoted to the the Consolidated National Advertising Co, one of the largest Chinese advertising agencies established in Republican China (f.1930). In the previous article, we introduced Zheng Yaonan, general manager of the advertising agency Consolidated National Advertising Co. In this article, we will introduce the submanager of the company, Yao Junwei. Yao Junwei 姚君偉 (Yao Chunwei) was one of the key founders of the Consolidated National Advertis..
Gaeana cheni CHOU & YAO 1985
No full textGaeana cheni CHOU & YAO, 1985. Especímenes: Tailandia (MEL 445914, 1 macho en Colección Museo Entomológico de León).Published as part of Maes, Jean-Michel, Moulds, Max & Sanborn, Allen F., 2012, Cicadidae (Homoptera) de Nicaragua: Catalogo ilustrado, incluyendo especies exóticas del Museo Entomológico de Leon, pp. 1-138 in Revista Nicaraguense de Entomologia 72 on page 116, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.826360
Ambragaeana ambra CHOU & YAO 1985
No full textAmbragaeana ambra CHOU & YAO, 1985. Especímenes: Tailandia, sin más datos (MEL 445924, 1 macho en Colección Museo Entomológico de León).Published as part of Maes, Jean-Michel, Moulds, Max & Sanborn, Allen F., 2012, Cicadidae (Homoptera) de Nicaragua: Catalogo ilustrado, incluyendo especies exóticas del Museo Entomológico de Leon, pp. 1-138 in Revista Nicaraguense de Entomologia 72 on page 95, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.826360
Belisana xiangensis Yao & Li, 2013, sp. nov.
No full textBelisana xiangensis sp. nov. Figs 22 –24, 41 Type material. Holotype: Male (IZCAS), Tham Xiang [18 ° 54.550 ′N, 102 ° 26.527 ′E, alt. 270 m], 1.54 km south of Vieng keo Village, Vang Vieng District, Vien Tiane, Laos, 3 December 2012, leg. Z. Yao (Yao-LA 086). Paratypes: 1 male and 2 females (IZCAS), same data as holotype. Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; adjective. Diagnosis. The species resembles B. leuser (Huber 2005 a: 62, figs 376–394), but can be distinguished by different shape of distal apophyses of male chelicerae (Figs 23 D and 24 C), small membranous flap (Figs 22 B and 24 B) and different position of pockets (Figs 23 A and 24 D). Description. Male (holotype): Total length 1.47 (1.56 with clypeus), prosoma 0.56 long, 0.63 wide, opisthosoma 0.91 long, 0.75 wide. Legs I, II and IV lost, leg III: 6.76 (1.95 + 0.25 + 1.60 + 2.41 + 0.55). Habitus as in Fig. 23 E. Dorsal shield of prosoma and sternum whitish, without marks; ocular area with indistinct dark marks. Leg III yellowish, without darker rings. Opisthosoma yellowish, without spots. Distance PME-PME 0.11, diameter PME 0.07, distance PME-ALE 0.01, AME absent. Ocular area not elevated. Thoracic furrow absent. Sternum wider than long (0.50 / 0.44). Chelicerae as in Figs 23 D and 24 C, with a pair of thumb-shaped apophyses proximally and a pair of long, curved apophyses distally (distance between tips: 0.28). Pedipalpi as in Figs 22 A–B and 24 A–B; trochanter with a short retrolatero-ventral apophysis; femur with a dorsal apophysis; procursus simple proximally but complex distally, with a membranous flap retrolaterally and a bent spine; bulb with a hooked apophysis and a simple embolus. Variation: Total length in another male: 1.47 (1.57 with clypeus); leg I lost. Female: Similar to male, habitus as in Figs 23 F–G. One of the specimens measured: Total length 1.69 (1.78 with clypeus), prosoma 0.59 long, 0.63 wide, opisthosoma 1.10 long, 0.73 wide; tibia I: 3.27 (leg I lost in another specimen). Distance PME-PME 0.12, diameter PME 0.08, distance PME-ALE 0.01, AME absent. Epigynum (Figs 23 A and 24 D) simple and flat externally, with dark internal shade and a pair of pockets 0.29 apart. Vulva (Figs 23 B and 24 E) with a wavy arch anteriorly and a pair of long, narrow pore plates. Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia I at 18 %; most hairs lost on legs. Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 41).Published as part of Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2013, New and little known pholcid spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Laos, pp. 1-51 in Zootaxa 3709 (1) on page 27, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3709.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/24883
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