Worldwide, the leading cause of death is ischemic heart disease. Other than medical and surgical management, alternative therapy such as relaxing music has been identified as having an impact on reducing morbidity in ...Worldwide, the leading cause of death is ischemic heart disease. Other than medical and surgical management, alternative therapy such as relaxing music has been identified as having an impact on reducing morbidity in ischemic heart disease. Although several studies have been conducted to find out the impact of music on pain, anxiety, heart rate and stress in myocardial ischaemia, literature on the long term impact of music on severity of symptoms associated with stable angina is very sparse. Therefore, the whole purpose of this study was to determine the long term effects of Indian music on severity of symptoms in patients with stable angina. Methodology: A single blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients of 45 to 65 years of age with stable angina. Intervention group (n = 30) listened to a music based on Indian classical system at home twice a day complementary to their regular treatment for a period of one month. Control group (n = 30) was only on their usual treatment. Both groups were assessed prior and one month after the study period for severity of symptoms based on Canadian classification of angina guidelines and their treatment. Results: Severities of symptoms (timing of the chest pain, chest pain during walking and climbing a staircase, the effect of chest pain in day to day physical activities, frequency and the number of GTN used per week and frequency of consultation a doctor for chest pain) were significantly improved in the study group (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) after intervention. However, the control group did not show any significant changes (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Systematically, regular listening of music based on Indian classical system significantly improves the severity of the stable angina symptoms. Hence music has a potential benefit in considering for use as complementary to angina treatment in reducing morbidity.展开更多
A slight reduction of blood pressure and heart rate can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Maintenance of the respiratory rate within the normal range has also being identified as crucial for a heal...A slight reduction of blood pressure and heart rate can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Maintenance of the respiratory rate within the normal range has also being identified as crucial for a healthy heart. Use of Indian and western music have been considered among many preventive programmes for long time in order to risk reduction associated with cardio vascular diseases. Therefore the aim of this study is to describe the effect of Indian classical music on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate in asymptomatic individuals aged 45 to 65 years. Methodology: A community based randomized intervention study was conducted in 252 asymptomatic individuals. The study group (n = 127) listened to a music based on Indian classical system (entire track of 22 minutes). The control group (n = 125) was kept silent for a similar time period. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate of each study participant were monitored before and after the intervention. Results: Statistically significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (8.53 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (5.8 mmHg), pulse rate (5.16 breaths per minute) and respiratory rate (2.55 per minute) were observed in the study group after listening to the music (p < 0.01). In the control group, changes observed during the period of intervention were not significant (p > 0.05). The reduction was independent of gender, age, education level, practicing a mind relaxation technique and preferred type of music of the participant. Conclusions: Listening to Indian classical music for about 22 minutes significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate of asymptomatic individuals. Hence, music may have a potential benefit in cardio vascular disease preventive programmes.展开更多
This interlanguage pragmatics study of linguistic expressions of affect focuses on how Japanese learners of English may express themselves in an affect-laden speech act of indirect complaint.The English as a Second La...This interlanguage pragmatics study of linguistic expressions of affect focuses on how Japanese learners of English may express themselves in an affect-laden speech act of indirect complaint.The English as a Second Language(ESL)learners'data are compared with the baseline data of native speakers of Japanese(J J)and American English(AA).The functions of linguistic expressions of affect are classified into intensifiers and specifiers and further breakdown is made in terms of lexical and morpho-syntactic variables.Some major findings include the ESL learners'negative transfer from First Language(L1)Japanese into Second Language(L2)by using dislocation and the adversative passive structure,while simultaneously using hedges and aggressive words.Their avoidance of such expressions of affect as hyperbole and curse words can be partially attributed to insufficient vocabulary in L2 English.Conversely,they make an excessive and conscious effort to avoid using the Historical Present(HP)in order to match the tense,which can be interpreted as a sign of hypercorrection of the linguistic specific features in the L2.The paper sheds light on a new area of the linguistic affect as shown by the Asian ESL learners whose first languages are significantly different from their L2 English.展开更多
Introduction: Quality of life associated with coronary artery disease can be affected by number of factors. Even though standard treatment has improved survival of such patients, the quality of life may be less than i...Introduction: Quality of life associated with coronary artery disease can be affected by number of factors. Even though standard treatment has improved survival of such patients, the quality of life may be less than ideal as the disease affects the physical, social, and emotional functioning of such individuals. Therefore improvement of the quality of life of the patients with coronary artery disease is vital. Though music has been identified having a potential benefit in improving quality of life for many years, researches conducted to recognize the effect of music on quality of life were sparse. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the effect of frequent long term listening to Indian classical music on quality of life in chronic stable angina (SA) patients. Methodology: This single blind randomized clinical trial was conducted for one month. The intervention group of 30 patients listened to a music based on Indian classical system at home twice a day complementary to their regular treatment. The control group of 30 was only on their usual treatment. Both groups were assessed before and after the intervention for the quality of life by the Sinhala version of SF-36 questionnaire. Results: A statistically significant increase of scores for physical function by 16.17展开更多
Introduction: Ischaemic heart disease is the number one cause of deaths in the world. As these patients experience severe distress due to a number of associated reasons, it is important to focus on both physiological ...Introduction: Ischaemic heart disease is the number one cause of deaths in the world. As these patients experience severe distress due to a number of associated reasons, it is important to focus on both physiological and psychological needs of the patients in the management. Beyond the standard medical and surgical treatments, relaxation therapies such as relaxing music have been identified as having impact in reducing morbidity in ischaemic heart disease. Even though several studies have been conducted to find out the impact of music on pain, anxiety, heart rate and stress associated with myocardial ischaemia, it is hard to find literature on the long-term effects of music on ischaemia. Therefore the effort of this study was to determine the long-term effects of Indian classical music on state of ischaemia in stable angina. Methodology: A single blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients of 45 to 65 years of age with stable angina. Intervention group (n = 30) listened to a music based on Indian classical system at home twice a day complementary to their regular treatment for a period of one month. Control group (n = 30) was only on their usual treatment. Both groups were assessed before and one month after the study period for state of ischaemia based on exercise ECG results. Results: Significant improvement in state of ischaemia (p 0.05). Conclusion: Systematic, regular listening of music based on Indian classical system significantly improved the severity of the state of ischaemia associated with stable angina. Hence music therapy has a potential benefit in considering for use as complementary to angina treatment in reducing morbidity.展开更多
This study intends to identify the perceived difficulties of Chinese ESL students writing in English and their possible solutions.In particular,it aims to study the similarities and differences between the perceptions...This study intends to identify the perceived difficulties of Chinese ESL students writing in English and their possible solutions.In particular,it aims to study the similarities and differences between the perceptions of Chinese ESL students and their ESL teachers.A total of 20 informants,consisting of ten Chinese ESL students and ten ESL teachers,evaluated three compositions written by Chinese ESL students.Both Student Evaluators and Teacher Evaluators were interviewed in order to have an in-depth understanding of their perceptions.展开更多
This study discusses Surah 94,using some aspects of the tenets of discourse analysis as its focus.The thrust of this study is to analyse the graphological features,the lexico-semantic representations,and the cohesive ...This study discusses Surah 94,using some aspects of the tenets of discourse analysis as its focus.The thrust of this study is to analyse the graphological features,the lexico-semantic representations,and the cohesive devices in the text.It employs the systemic grammar model for analysis.The graphological features examined include the punctuation marks,capitalizations,and indentation.The lexco-semantic representation is seen through the use of figures of speech.Moreover,the cohesive devices are the lexical devices(or references)and grammatical devices.The lexical devices are the repetition and antonym.Consequently,the grammatical devices include the co-ordinating and subordinating conjunctions,anaphoric and cataphoric ties.This study explicates the fact that linguistic-discourse features are prominent in religious language,most especially in Surah 94,and further deepens our understanding of the language of religion as both esoteric and performative in nature,and as a religious discourse.展开更多
This paper investigates how the phenomenon of fuzzy language, such as `many’ in `Mary has many friends’, can be explained by Relevance Theory. It is concluded that fuzzy language use conforms with optimal relevance ...This paper investigates how the phenomenon of fuzzy language, such as `many’ in `Mary has many friends’, can be explained by Relevance Theory. It is concluded that fuzzy language use conforms with optimal relevance in that it can achieve the greatest positive effect with the least processing effort. It is the communicators themselves who decide whether or not optimal relevance is achieved, rather than the language form (fuzzy or non-fuzzy) used. People can skillfully adjust the deployment of different language forms or choose appropriate interpretations to suit different situations and (communication) needs. However, there are two challenges to RT: a. to extend its theory from individual relevance to group relevance; b. to embrace cultural considerations (because when relevance principles and cultural protocols are in conflict, the latter tends to prevail).展开更多
Complement activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA) is a frequent side effect of intravenous therapies with nanoparticle-containing drugs and biologicals that are recognized by the immune system as foreign. It is an a...Complement activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA) is a frequent side effect of intravenous therapies with nanoparticle-containing drugs and biologicals that are recognized by the immune system as foreign. It is an acute infusion reaction dominated by cutaneous and hemodynamic changes, most significantly a cardiopulmonary distress involving major pulmonary hypertension, systemic hypotension and arrhythmias. Because CARPA is unpredictable by conventional allergy tests and it may be life threatening, it can represent a major barrier to the safe therapeutic application of many modern medicines, including liposomal drugs and monoclonal antibodies. This review summarizes and updates the facts and opens questions regarding this phenomenon, with particular focus on its porcine model.展开更多
This paper examines different modes of representation of the courtesan in the poetry, painting and anecdotes of the Tang dynasty, and the implications of the disparities between these genres. Examples of courtesan poe...This paper examines different modes of representation of the courtesan in the poetry, painting and anecdotes of the Tang dynasty, and the implications of the disparities between these genres. Examples of courtesan poems idolized these entertaining girls and featured a poetic approach that drew on early romantic depictions of goddesses. The courtesan was presented as an immortal woman, given a transcendental dimension. These elements were echoed and reinforced in visual depictions in grotto or mausoleum murals. Stories from the Beili zhi （Records of the northern quarter）, a collection of anecdotes about courtesans in Chang＇an by a contemporary Tang scholar, show a different set of criteria for immortality. The author held up to his readers a more realistic and faithful mirror of the courtesan＇s manners and life.展开更多
In this article, I offer a provisional analysis of the philosophical semantics of“wisdom” in the thought of the New Confucian thinker Tang Junyi. I begin by providing some pointers concerning the concept of wisdom i...In this article, I offer a provisional analysis of the philosophical semantics of“wisdom” in the thought of the New Confucian thinker Tang Junyi. I begin by providing some pointers concerning the concept of wisdom in general and situating the discourse on wisdom in comparative philosophy in the context of the later Foucault＇s and Pierre Hadot＇s historical investigations into ancient Graeco-Roman philosophy as a mode of spiritual self-cultivation and self-transformation. In the remainder of the paper, I try to describe and think through what Foucault identifies as a “Cartesian moment,” in which self-knowledge becomes the ultimate precondition for the ethico-spiritual project of “caring for the self,” in Tang＇s approach of wisdom. In the course of my argument, I outline the complex relation between his vision of a renewed Confucian mode of religious practice on the one hand and his philosophical presuppositions conceming the transcendental status of subjectivity and the reflexivity of consciousness on the other.展开更多
I unveil the aristocratic ethos regarding religion in imperial China under the reign of the Qing dynasty.Adopting a literary perspective,I deploy a hermeneutic methodology by means of scrutinizing the chef-d'oeuvr...I unveil the aristocratic ethos regarding religion in imperial China under the reign of the Qing dynasty.Adopting a literary perspective,I deploy a hermeneutic methodology by means of scrutinizing the chef-d'oeuvre of a master writer Cao Xueqin,Dream of the Red Chamber,which embroiders trials and tribulations of an enormous aristocratic clan that embodies every stratum of Qing society,especially the upper strata.Through critically analyzing the novel translated by David Hawkes,I investigate the comprehensive permeation of religious ideology within the moneyed family from the aspects of credos,practices and language.I explore theodiversity and polytheism epotimised by harmonious contemporaneous of(sub-)religions,and propound that such phenomena are owing to lack of an overwhelmingly predominant religion,which can be accounted for by external and internal factors-the former pertains to centralization of authority in feudal China and orthodox Confucian thinking that promulgates atheism and agnosticism as well as ancestor and Heaven worship,while the latter entails the liberalism,i.e.non-sanctimoniousness and non-expansionism of indigenous and Sinicised religions.I also propose the overarching rationale accounting for the contemporaneous of religious theologies among the aristocracy,viz.,the practicality and pragmatism of the Chinese nation.展开更多
This article examines the similarities between Song of Youth and The Best of Everything, coming-of-age novels published in China and the United States in 1958. The author finds that comparable narrative structures rev...This article examines the similarities between Song of Youth and The Best of Everything, coming-of-age novels published in China and the United States in 1958. The author finds that comparable narrative structures reveal parallels in two societies that are often viewed in stark contrast. In both novels, a feminist ideal of sisterhood is woven into the coming-of age stories of young women moving into society, and in each novel, the social background of the times determines the degree to which mainstream values are conducive to imagining a public sphere that is welcoming to women.展开更多
Water under Time, the novel by the reputed Chinese fiction writer Fang Fang, appropriates and reconstructs the conventions of the hysteric narrative as an affective form of feminine history telling and writing. The no...Water under Time, the novel by the reputed Chinese fiction writer Fang Fang, appropriates and reconstructs the conventions of the hysteric narrative as an affective form of feminine history telling and writing. The novel, which accounts Hankou city＇s past through the heroine＇s life story, illustrates how feminine hysteria provides a gendered lens of reconstructed historical authenticity via the panorama of China＇s early Republican period, the anti-Japanese War, and the present new millennium. Transcending the official historical accounts, Fang Fang＇s narrative features women＇s innovative reconfiguration of contesting historical discourses about the city, the community, and the nation. This study of Water under Time suggests that women＇s explorations of hysteria actually surpass the psychoanalytical reading of hysteria as paradigms of feminine bodily, sexual, and social abjection, and instead envisions it as a validating narrative aesthetic which carries the potential to rewrite the boundaries of gender, nation, and history.展开更多
This paper studies several travel accounts featuring transcultural and transnational experiences in the Yunnan-Burma borderlands where the British, Chinese, French and various indigenous peoples encountered each other...This paper studies several travel accounts featuring transcultural and transnational experiences in the Yunnan-Burma borderlands where the British, Chinese, French and various indigenous peoples encountered each other, including Yangwentun xiaoyin, an anonymous ＂ballad＂ circulated in late Qing and Republican Yunnan, Ai Wu＇s （1904-92） early fiction based upon his wanderings in Yunnan and Burma from 1925 to 1931, and Xiao Qian＇s （1910-99） utopian ＂travelogue＂ featuring a European couple＇s futuristic travel to the area. These writings illustrate the intersection of issues of nation, ethnicity, and gender, which are intertwined with the discourse of barbarism： On the one hand, their authors often express anxiety over threats to China＇s dominance in this area; on the other, frequently resorting to the discourse of barbarism, these accounts, tinged with Sino-centrism, often exoticize and barbarize other cultures, particularly indigenous groups. The eroticized and racialized female body constitutes a privileged site of representation in these writings： On the one hand, travel writings often make a distinction between Han Chinese women and indigenous women, treating the latter as exotic, seductive, dangerous, and/or primitive; on the other hand, as the need to build a strong, modernized multi-ethnic nation became increasingly urgent, Republican authors began to ＂universalize＂ the female body, Chinese or indigenous, treating both as threatened and exploited by the Western ＂newcomer,＂ and thus are （potential） allies sharing a nationalist, anti-imperialist cause.展开更多
Mei Niang （1920-2013）, the pen name of Sun Jiarui, is a female fiction writer, translator, and editor of Funii zazhi （Ladies＇ journal）. In the semi-colonial Northeast China, Mei Niang＇s exploration of melancholi...Mei Niang （1920-2013）, the pen name of Sun Jiarui, is a female fiction writer, translator, and editor of Funii zazhi （Ladies＇ journal）. In the semi-colonial Northeast China, Mei Niang＇s exploration of melancholic narratives shore up manifold levels of socio-historical discourses that are constructive of women＇s subjectivity. Melancholic narrative functions as an inverted mirror of both the author＇s cultural displacement from her diasporic experience, and her portrayal of colonial domination of local elites by the Japanese in Northeast China. Also, the author＇s depiction of feminine melan- cholia revokes the modernist ideology of love and its constitutive male-centered discourses, dismantles the social disenfranchisement of women by feudal authority, social prejudices, and the eroding urban materialism. Stylistically, Mei Niang＇s second-person texts reinforce the feminine authority in enunciation, and by articulating women＇s emotions and afflictions, transmogrify the melancholic narrative into a mode of self-narration and self-empowerment.展开更多
文摘Worldwide, the leading cause of death is ischemic heart disease. Other than medical and surgical management, alternative therapy such as relaxing music has been identified as having an impact on reducing morbidity in ischemic heart disease. Although several studies have been conducted to find out the impact of music on pain, anxiety, heart rate and stress in myocardial ischaemia, literature on the long term impact of music on severity of symptoms associated with stable angina is very sparse. Therefore, the whole purpose of this study was to determine the long term effects of Indian music on severity of symptoms in patients with stable angina. Methodology: A single blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients of 45 to 65 years of age with stable angina. Intervention group (n = 30) listened to a music based on Indian classical system at home twice a day complementary to their regular treatment for a period of one month. Control group (n = 30) was only on their usual treatment. Both groups were assessed prior and one month after the study period for severity of symptoms based on Canadian classification of angina guidelines and their treatment. Results: Severities of symptoms (timing of the chest pain, chest pain during walking and climbing a staircase, the effect of chest pain in day to day physical activities, frequency and the number of GTN used per week and frequency of consultation a doctor for chest pain) were significantly improved in the study group (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) after intervention. However, the control group did not show any significant changes (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Systematically, regular listening of music based on Indian classical system significantly improves the severity of the stable angina symptoms. Hence music has a potential benefit in considering for use as complementary to angina treatment in reducing morbidity.
文摘A slight reduction of blood pressure and heart rate can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Maintenance of the respiratory rate within the normal range has also being identified as crucial for a healthy heart. Use of Indian and western music have been considered among many preventive programmes for long time in order to risk reduction associated with cardio vascular diseases. Therefore the aim of this study is to describe the effect of Indian classical music on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate in asymptomatic individuals aged 45 to 65 years. Methodology: A community based randomized intervention study was conducted in 252 asymptomatic individuals. The study group (n = 127) listened to a music based on Indian classical system (entire track of 22 minutes). The control group (n = 125) was kept silent for a similar time period. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate of each study participant were monitored before and after the intervention. Results: Statistically significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (8.53 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (5.8 mmHg), pulse rate (5.16 breaths per minute) and respiratory rate (2.55 per minute) were observed in the study group after listening to the music (p < 0.01). In the control group, changes observed during the period of intervention were not significant (p > 0.05). The reduction was independent of gender, age, education level, practicing a mind relaxation technique and preferred type of music of the participant. Conclusions: Listening to Indian classical music for about 22 minutes significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate of asymptomatic individuals. Hence, music may have a potential benefit in cardio vascular disease preventive programmes.
文摘This interlanguage pragmatics study of linguistic expressions of affect focuses on how Japanese learners of English may express themselves in an affect-laden speech act of indirect complaint.The English as a Second Language(ESL)learners'data are compared with the baseline data of native speakers of Japanese(J J)and American English(AA).The functions of linguistic expressions of affect are classified into intensifiers and specifiers and further breakdown is made in terms of lexical and morpho-syntactic variables.Some major findings include the ESL learners'negative transfer from First Language(L1)Japanese into Second Language(L2)by using dislocation and the adversative passive structure,while simultaneously using hedges and aggressive words.Their avoidance of such expressions of affect as hyperbole and curse words can be partially attributed to insufficient vocabulary in L2 English.Conversely,they make an excessive and conscious effort to avoid using the Historical Present(HP)in order to match the tense,which can be interpreted as a sign of hypercorrection of the linguistic specific features in the L2.The paper sheds light on a new area of the linguistic affect as shown by the Asian ESL learners whose first languages are significantly different from their L2 English.
文摘Introduction: Quality of life associated with coronary artery disease can be affected by number of factors. Even though standard treatment has improved survival of such patients, the quality of life may be less than ideal as the disease affects the physical, social, and emotional functioning of such individuals. Therefore improvement of the quality of life of the patients with coronary artery disease is vital. Though music has been identified having a potential benefit in improving quality of life for many years, researches conducted to recognize the effect of music on quality of life were sparse. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the effect of frequent long term listening to Indian classical music on quality of life in chronic stable angina (SA) patients. Methodology: This single blind randomized clinical trial was conducted for one month. The intervention group of 30 patients listened to a music based on Indian classical system at home twice a day complementary to their regular treatment. The control group of 30 was only on their usual treatment. Both groups were assessed before and after the intervention for the quality of life by the Sinhala version of SF-36 questionnaire. Results: A statistically significant increase of scores for physical function by 16.17
文摘Introduction: Ischaemic heart disease is the number one cause of deaths in the world. As these patients experience severe distress due to a number of associated reasons, it is important to focus on both physiological and psychological needs of the patients in the management. Beyond the standard medical and surgical treatments, relaxation therapies such as relaxing music have been identified as having impact in reducing morbidity in ischaemic heart disease. Even though several studies have been conducted to find out the impact of music on pain, anxiety, heart rate and stress associated with myocardial ischaemia, it is hard to find literature on the long-term effects of music on ischaemia. Therefore the effort of this study was to determine the long-term effects of Indian classical music on state of ischaemia in stable angina. Methodology: A single blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients of 45 to 65 years of age with stable angina. Intervention group (n = 30) listened to a music based on Indian classical system at home twice a day complementary to their regular treatment for a period of one month. Control group (n = 30) was only on their usual treatment. Both groups were assessed before and one month after the study period for state of ischaemia based on exercise ECG results. Results: Significant improvement in state of ischaemia (p 0.05). Conclusion: Systematic, regular listening of music based on Indian classical system significantly improved the severity of the state of ischaemia associated with stable angina. Hence music therapy has a potential benefit in considering for use as complementary to angina treatment in reducing morbidity.
文摘This study intends to identify the perceived difficulties of Chinese ESL students writing in English and their possible solutions.In particular,it aims to study the similarities and differences between the perceptions of Chinese ESL students and their ESL teachers.A total of 20 informants,consisting of ten Chinese ESL students and ten ESL teachers,evaluated three compositions written by Chinese ESL students.Both Student Evaluators and Teacher Evaluators were interviewed in order to have an in-depth understanding of their perceptions.
文摘This study discusses Surah 94,using some aspects of the tenets of discourse analysis as its focus.The thrust of this study is to analyse the graphological features,the lexico-semantic representations,and the cohesive devices in the text.It employs the systemic grammar model for analysis.The graphological features examined include the punctuation marks,capitalizations,and indentation.The lexco-semantic representation is seen through the use of figures of speech.Moreover,the cohesive devices are the lexical devices(or references)and grammatical devices.The lexical devices are the repetition and antonym.Consequently,the grammatical devices include the co-ordinating and subordinating conjunctions,anaphoric and cataphoric ties.This study explicates the fact that linguistic-discourse features are prominent in religious language,most especially in Surah 94,and further deepens our understanding of the language of religion as both esoteric and performative in nature,and as a religious discourse.
文摘This paper investigates how the phenomenon of fuzzy language, such as `many’ in `Mary has many friends’, can be explained by Relevance Theory. It is concluded that fuzzy language use conforms with optimal relevance in that it can achieve the greatest positive effect with the least processing effort. It is the communicators themselves who decide whether or not optimal relevance is achieved, rather than the language form (fuzzy or non-fuzzy) used. People can skillfully adjust the deployment of different language forms or choose appropriate interpretations to suit different situations and (communication) needs. However, there are two challenges to RT: a. to extend its theory from individual relevance to group relevance; b. to embrace cultural considerations (because when relevance principles and cultural protocols are in conflict, the latter tends to prevail).
文摘Complement activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA) is a frequent side effect of intravenous therapies with nanoparticle-containing drugs and biologicals that are recognized by the immune system as foreign. It is an acute infusion reaction dominated by cutaneous and hemodynamic changes, most significantly a cardiopulmonary distress involving major pulmonary hypertension, systemic hypotension and arrhythmias. Because CARPA is unpredictable by conventional allergy tests and it may be life threatening, it can represent a major barrier to the safe therapeutic application of many modern medicines, including liposomal drugs and monoclonal antibodies. This review summarizes and updates the facts and opens questions regarding this phenomenon, with particular focus on its porcine model.
文摘This paper examines different modes of representation of the courtesan in the poetry, painting and anecdotes of the Tang dynasty, and the implications of the disparities between these genres. Examples of courtesan poems idolized these entertaining girls and featured a poetic approach that drew on early romantic depictions of goddesses. The courtesan was presented as an immortal woman, given a transcendental dimension. These elements were echoed and reinforced in visual depictions in grotto or mausoleum murals. Stories from the Beili zhi （Records of the northern quarter）, a collection of anecdotes about courtesans in Chang＇an by a contemporary Tang scholar, show a different set of criteria for immortality. The author held up to his readers a more realistic and faithful mirror of the courtesan＇s manners and life.
文摘In this article, I offer a provisional analysis of the philosophical semantics of“wisdom” in the thought of the New Confucian thinker Tang Junyi. I begin by providing some pointers concerning the concept of wisdom in general and situating the discourse on wisdom in comparative philosophy in the context of the later Foucault＇s and Pierre Hadot＇s historical investigations into ancient Graeco-Roman philosophy as a mode of spiritual self-cultivation and self-transformation. In the remainder of the paper, I try to describe and think through what Foucault identifies as a “Cartesian moment,” in which self-knowledge becomes the ultimate precondition for the ethico-spiritual project of “caring for the self,” in Tang＇s approach of wisdom. In the course of my argument, I outline the complex relation between his vision of a renewed Confucian mode of religious practice on the one hand and his philosophical presuppositions conceming the transcendental status of subjectivity and the reflexivity of consciousness on the other.
文摘I unveil the aristocratic ethos regarding religion in imperial China under the reign of the Qing dynasty.Adopting a literary perspective,I deploy a hermeneutic methodology by means of scrutinizing the chef-d'oeuvre of a master writer Cao Xueqin,Dream of the Red Chamber,which embroiders trials and tribulations of an enormous aristocratic clan that embodies every stratum of Qing society,especially the upper strata.Through critically analyzing the novel translated by David Hawkes,I investigate the comprehensive permeation of religious ideology within the moneyed family from the aspects of credos,practices and language.I explore theodiversity and polytheism epotimised by harmonious contemporaneous of(sub-)religions,and propound that such phenomena are owing to lack of an overwhelmingly predominant religion,which can be accounted for by external and internal factors-the former pertains to centralization of authority in feudal China and orthodox Confucian thinking that promulgates atheism and agnosticism as well as ancestor and Heaven worship,while the latter entails the liberalism,i.e.non-sanctimoniousness and non-expansionism of indigenous and Sinicised religions.I also propose the overarching rationale accounting for the contemporaneous of religious theologies among the aristocracy,viz.,the practicality and pragmatism of the Chinese nation.
文摘This article examines the similarities between Song of Youth and The Best of Everything, coming-of-age novels published in China and the United States in 1958. The author finds that comparable narrative structures reveal parallels in two societies that are often viewed in stark contrast. In both novels, a feminist ideal of sisterhood is woven into the coming-of age stories of young women moving into society, and in each novel, the social background of the times determines the degree to which mainstream values are conducive to imagining a public sphere that is welcoming to women.
文摘Water under Time, the novel by the reputed Chinese fiction writer Fang Fang, appropriates and reconstructs the conventions of the hysteric narrative as an affective form of feminine history telling and writing. The novel, which accounts Hankou city＇s past through the heroine＇s life story, illustrates how feminine hysteria provides a gendered lens of reconstructed historical authenticity via the panorama of China＇s early Republican period, the anti-Japanese War, and the present new millennium. Transcending the official historical accounts, Fang Fang＇s narrative features women＇s innovative reconfiguration of contesting historical discourses about the city, the community, and the nation. This study of Water under Time suggests that women＇s explorations of hysteria actually surpass the psychoanalytical reading of hysteria as paradigms of feminine bodily, sexual, and social abjection, and instead envisions it as a validating narrative aesthetic which carries the potential to rewrite the boundaries of gender, nation, and history.
文摘This paper studies several travel accounts featuring transcultural and transnational experiences in the Yunnan-Burma borderlands where the British, Chinese, French and various indigenous peoples encountered each other, including Yangwentun xiaoyin, an anonymous ＂ballad＂ circulated in late Qing and Republican Yunnan, Ai Wu＇s （1904-92） early fiction based upon his wanderings in Yunnan and Burma from 1925 to 1931, and Xiao Qian＇s （1910-99） utopian ＂travelogue＂ featuring a European couple＇s futuristic travel to the area. These writings illustrate the intersection of issues of nation, ethnicity, and gender, which are intertwined with the discourse of barbarism： On the one hand, their authors often express anxiety over threats to China＇s dominance in this area; on the other, frequently resorting to the discourse of barbarism, these accounts, tinged with Sino-centrism, often exoticize and barbarize other cultures, particularly indigenous groups. The eroticized and racialized female body constitutes a privileged site of representation in these writings： On the one hand, travel writings often make a distinction between Han Chinese women and indigenous women, treating the latter as exotic, seductive, dangerous, and/or primitive; on the other hand, as the need to build a strong, modernized multi-ethnic nation became increasingly urgent, Republican authors began to ＂universalize＂ the female body, Chinese or indigenous, treating both as threatened and exploited by the Western ＂newcomer,＂ and thus are （potential） allies sharing a nationalist, anti-imperialist cause.
基金This research was supported by the Talent Foundation of China West Normal University(17YC142 and 17YC137)National General Cultivation Project of China West Normal University(19B029).
文摘Mei Niang （1920-2013）, the pen name of Sun Jiarui, is a female fiction writer, translator, and editor of Funii zazhi （Ladies＇ journal）. In the semi-colonial Northeast China, Mei Niang＇s exploration of melancholic narratives shore up manifold levels of socio-historical discourses that are constructive of women＇s subjectivity. Melancholic narrative functions as an inverted mirror of both the author＇s cultural displacement from her diasporic experience, and her portrayal of colonial domination of local elites by the Japanese in Northeast China. Also, the author＇s depiction of feminine melan- cholia revokes the modernist ideology of love and its constitutive male-centered discourses, dismantles the social disenfranchisement of women by feudal authority, social prejudices, and the eroding urban materialism. Stylistically, Mei Niang＇s second-person texts reinforce the feminine authority in enunciation, and by articulating women＇s emotions and afflictions, transmogrify the melancholic narrative into a mode of self-narration and self-empowerment.
