bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Resorbable Screws for Autogenous Onlay Block Graft Fixation: A Histological Analysis in Rabbits
Authors: Klüppel Leandro Eduardo , Stabile Glaykon Alex Vitti , Antonini Fernando , Nascimento Frederico Felipe , de Moraes Marcio , Mazzonetto Renato
Published: February 2013

The aim of the present in vivo study is to histologically evaluate and compare the use of resorbable screws based on poly(L-co-D,L lactide) 70:30 for fixation of autogenous bone grafts in rabbit tibiae. As control group, titanium (Ti-6Al-4V Grade V) screws were used. For this purpose, 15 white New Zealand male rabbits, aged 6 months and weighing between 3.8 and 4.5 kg, were used. From each animal, 2 total-thickness bone grafts were removed from the cranial vault: one was stabilized with a resorbable screw while the other was stabilized with a metallic one. Animals were divided into 3 groups, according to the sacrifice period: 3, 8, and 16 weeks postoperatively. After histological processing, cuts were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and submitted for descriptive histological analysis under light microscopy. It was found that the fixation system based on the polymer showed a histological behavior similar to metallic screws. For both groups, the bone graft was incorporated, with the presence of bone formation between the graft and receptor site. In none of the groups were undesirable inflammatory responses or foreign body reactions observed. Based on histological findings and on this experimental model, it is possible to conclude that the internal fixation system based on the poly(L-co-D,L lactide) 70:30 polymer is effective for fixation of autogenous bone grafts, with results that are comparable to the titanium fixation system.
Roles of water film thickness in fresh and hardened properties of mortar
Authors: Li Yan , Chen Jia Jian , Kwan Albert K. H.
Published: February 2013

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) are commonly added to improve the performance of concrete. However, the effects of SCM on the behaviour of cement paste/mortar/concrete depend on many factors and have so far remained elusive, making the mix design of high-performance concrete containing SCM rather difficult. This paper evaluates the effects of SCM, the fresh and hardened properties of mortar made with superfine cement and condensed silica fume added at different water/cementitious materials ratios. First, the packing densities of the solid particles in the mortar samples were measured directly by a new wet packing method. Then, based on the measured packing densities, a mix parameter called water film thickness (WFT) was quantitatively evaluated. The results showed that the WFT plays important roles in the fresh and hardened properties of mortar, as demonstrated by the good correlations established between the WFT and the rheology as well as the strength of the mortar samples tested.
Non-linear analysis and moment redistribution of prestressed concrete members
Authors: Leung Cliff C. Y. , Au Francis T. K. , Kwan Albert K. H.
Published: February 2013

Most of the existing codes of practice allow moment redistribution to be applied to reinforced concrete design with upper limits of 20–30%. It is, however, questionable whether the same limits are valid for the design of prestressed concrete members. Research in this area dates back to the 1950s, but investigations have mainly focused on the behaviour at different servicing limits and the effects of various parameters. Work has seldom been done on the effects of moment redistribution on structural safety, as the load-carrying capacity can be compromised with increase in moment redistribution owing to the limited ductility of concrete sections. In the present study, a method for non-linear finite-element analysis is developed to examine the relationship between the reduction in load-carrying capacity and the moment redistribution applied to the design of prestressed concrete members, and how such a relationship is affected by section deformability and plastic hinge lengths. Results suggest that due care must be exercised when codified moment redistribution for prestressed concrete members is applied.
The relative importance of exogenous and substrate‐derived nitrogen for microbial growth during leaf decomposition
Authors: Cheever B. M. , Webster J. R. , Bilger E. E. , Thomas S. A.
Published: February 2013

Heterotrophic microbes colonizing detritus obtain nitrogen (N) for growth by assimilating N from their substrate or immobilizing exogenous inorganic N. Microbial use of these two pools has different implications for N cycling and organic matter decomposition in the face of the global increase in biologically available N. We used sugar maple leaves labeled with 15N to differentiate between microbial N that had been assimilated from the leaf substrate (enriched with 15N) or immobilized from the water (natural abundance 15N:14N) in five Appalachian streams ranging in ambient NO3‐N concentrations from about 5 to 900 μg NO3‐N/L. Ambient NO3− concentration increased sugar maple decomposition rate but did not influence the proportion of microbial N derived from substrate or exogenous pools. Instead, these proportions were strongly influenced by the percentage of detrital ash‐free dry mass (AFDM) remaining. Substrate‐derived N made up a large proportion of the microbial N after the first 24 h in all streams. Detrital and microbial isotopic 15N signatures approached that of the water as decomposition progressed in all streams, suggesting that exogenous N may be the predominant source of N for meeting microbial requirements even when exogenous N concentrations are low. Our results support predictions of more rapid decomposition of organic matter in response to increased N availability and highlight the tight coupling of processes driving microbial N cycling and organic matter decomposition.
Application of Multiphase Dielectric Mixing Models for Understanding the Effective Dielectric Permittivity of Frozen Soils
Authors: He Hailong , Dyck Miles
Published: February 2013

The time domain reflectometry (TDR)–measured effective permittivity in frozen soil conditions is affected by many complex factors including bound water effects on soil water permittivity, phase changes, soil microstructure and relative positions of soil constituents with respect to each other. The objective of this study was to improve understanding of some of the factors affecting the effective permittivity of frozen soils through the use of dielectric mixing models. Published datasets and frozen and unfrozen soil data measured on western Canadian soils were investigated with multiphase discrete and confocal ellipsoid models available in the literature. The results revealed that adjusting model parameters allowed the mixing models to describe the frozen soil permittivity equally well when bound water effects and temperature‐dependent water permittivity effects were included or not included. Measurement of freezing and thawing curves on western Canadian soils showed significant hysteresis and some mechanisms for this observed hysteresis and its influence on the interpretation of published datasets are discussed. When independent measurements of liquid water, ice and effective permittivity are available, it is possible to find one set of model parameters that reasonably predict effective permittivity for both frozen and unfrozen conditions. In frozen soils the predictive capability of the models is constrained to scenarios where the initial water content prior to freezing (i.e., the total water content) in the sampling volume is constant.
Determining Hydraulic Conductivity for Air‐Filled Porosity in an Unsaturated Frozen Soil by the Multistep Outflow Method
Authors: Zhao Ying , Nishimura Taku , Hill Robert , Miyazaki Tsuyoshi
Published: February 2013

Accurate simulation of snowmelt infiltration and runoff in frozen soil is important for many environmental and engineering issues in cold regions. It is well known that infiltration in frozen soil is dramatically reduced due to the impedance of ice crystals; however, it is very often inaccurately predicted because of limited data to parameterize the related processes. In this study, the hydraulic conductivity K(h) for air‐filled porosity in an unsaturated frozen soil was investigated by employing a multistep pressurized outflow method using antifreeze liquid. Comparisons of water flow in both partially frozen and unfrozen soils indicated that frozen soil significantly reduced K(h) due to the blocking effects of ice crystals. Based on one common K(h)‐based hydraulic equation, an impedance parameter for liquid‐filled porosity was extended to an apparent impedance parameter for air‐filled porosity. The apparent impedance factor Ωa is about 4 ranging from 0.5 to 6.5 as a function of matric potential. These findings represent significant new progress for estimation of Ωa by an experimental method that can be used for the estimation of snowmelt infiltration. We suggest that the current applied measurement method should be used and further evaluated for a variety of soil types.
Comparison Analysis of Nutritional Scores for Serial Monitoring of Nutritional Status in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Beberashvili Ilia , Azar Ada , Sinuani Inna , Kadoshi Hadas , Shapiro Gregory , Feldman Leonid , Averbukh Zhan , Weissgarten Joshua
Published: February 2013

Background and objectives

This study aimed to compare the longitudinal performance of the malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) and the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), two nutritional scores for patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Nutritional scores, dietary intake, biochemical markers, and body composition analysis were performed at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 months after enrollment (which took place from January through December 2006) on 75 prevalent hemodialysis patients (43% women, mean age 64.8±11.9 years). The patients underwent simultaneous MIS and GNRI assessments calculated by two independent examiners from baseline. The study period was 46.8±16.4 months.

Results

GNRI had higher interobserver agreement (weighted κ-score 0.98) than MIS (weighted κ-score 0.62). Longitudinally, a 1-unit increase in MIS was associated with a 0.41 kcal/kg per day reduction in daily energy intake (P<0.001) and with a 0.014 g/kg per day reduction in nPNA (P=0.02). GNRI did not correlate with the change over time of dietary intake. Longitudinal changes of both scores were associated with appropriate changes over time in levels of nutritional biomarkers, inflammation (IL-6), and body composition parameters. Both scores expressed significant associations with prospective hospitalization, whereas only MIS was associated with mortality in this cohort. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard ratio was 1.15 for death for each 1-unit increase in the MIS (95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.3; P=0.02).

Conclusions

Both MIS and GNRI are valid tools for longitudinal assessment of hemodialysis patients’ nutritional status. MIS has lower interobserver reproducibility than GNRI; however, MIS is more comprehensive than GNRI.
Laser Microdissection and Proteomic Analysis of Amyloidosis, Cryoglobulinemic GN, Fibrillary GN, and Immunotactoid Glomerulopathy
Authors: Sethi Sanjeev , Theis Jason D. , Vrana Julie A. , Fervenza Fernando C. , Sethi Anjali , Qian Qi , Quint Patrick , Leung Nelson , Dogan Ahmet , Nasr Samih H.
Published: February 2013

Background and objectives

Organized deposits are present in amyloidosis, fibrillary GN, and immunotactoid glomerulopathy. However, the constituents of the deposits are not known.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Laser microdissection of glomeruli followed by mass spectrometry was performed to determine the composition of the deposits. The results were compared with cryoglobulinemic GN.

Results

The results are divided into four major groups: amyloidogenic proteins, structural/other proteins, complement proteins, and Igs. With regards to amyloidogenic proteins, large spectra numbers of apolipoprotein E are noted in amyloidosis (41.8±20.9) compared with fibrillary (15.6±12.5) and immunotactoid (12.3±12) glomerulopathy. Apolipoprotein E was absent in cryoglobulinemic GN. Serum amyloid P component is present in large spectra numbers in amyloidosis (14.1±6.7) and small spectra numbers in immunotactoid glomerulopathy, but it is absent in fibrillary and cryoglobulinemic GN. However, large spectra numbers of Ig γ-1 chain C region are present in immunotactoid glomerulopathy (47.3±34.6) compared with fibrillary (16.25±19.7) and cryoglobulinemic (13.3±4.9) GN. All cases of Ig light chain-associated amyloidosis showed spectra for the respective Ig light-chain C region (mean=10±1.7).

Conclusions

Based on the spectra numbers, the study shows that the relative amount of apolipoprotein E to Ig light-chain C region/amyloidogenic proteins or Ig γ-1 chain C region is associated with the organization of the deposits in amyloidosis, fibrillary GN, and immunotactoid glomerulopathy. However, the absence of apolipoprotein E correlates with the lack of fibrillar deposits in cryoglobulinemic GN.
Use of Dried Plasma Spots for the Quantification of Iothalamate in Clinical Studies
Authors: Hagan Andrew S. , Jones David R. , Agarwal Rajiv
Published: February 2013

Background and objectives

Although iothalamate clearances have been widely used to measure GFR, the need for transportation of plasma samples under refrigerated conditions obviates its use in resource-poor situations. Spots of blood or plasma dried on filter paper may provide a solution.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Using a validated HPLC technique, iothalamate in dried blood spots of different hematocrits was measured. GFR was measured over 5 hours in 10 subjects with CKD using dried plasma spots and standard methods.

Results

Lower hematocrit produced greater area of blood spreading and lowered the recovery of iothalamate from dried blood spots. However, the relationship between iothalamate concentrations in dried plasma spots and plasma showed a regression slope of 0.95 (95% confidence interval=0.92–0.98, P<0.001). Bland–Altman plot of paired sample points (n=116) showed a bias of −4 μg/ml and limits of agreement of −38 to +30 μg/ml. The relationship between GFRs using dried plasma spots and plasma methods also showed an excellent relationship (slope of 0.95, 95% confidence interval=0.82–1.17). Bland–Altman plot of paired GFRs showed a bias of 2 ml/min, with limits of agreement of −6 to +10 ml/min. Precision was generally between 5% and 10%, and accuracy was within 5%.

Conclusions

Although dried blood spots are unsuitable for studies among those patients with very low hematocrit, dried plasma spots correct for this limitation, and this small pilot study shows that it is a reasonably reliable method for quantifying iothalamate and subsequently, determining GFR.
Determinants of Weight Gain in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Trial
Authors: Fonseca Vivian , McDuffie Roberta , Calles Jorge , Cohen Robert M. , Feeney Patricia , Feinglos Mark , Gerstein Hertzel C. , Ismail-Beigi Faramarz , Morgan Timothy M. , Pop-Busui Rodica , Riddle Matthew C. ,   the ACCORD Study Group
Published: February 2013

OBJECTIVE

Identify determinants of weight gain in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) allocated to intensive versus standard glycemic control in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We studied determinants of weight gain over 2 years in 8,929 participants (4,425 intensive arm and 4,504 standard arm) with T2DM in the ACCORD trial. We used general linear models to examine the association between each baseline characteristic and weight change at the 2-year visit. We fit a linear regression of change in weight and A1C and used general linear models to examine the association between each medication at baseline and weight change at the 2-year visit, stratified by glycemia allocation.

RESULTS

There was significantly more weight gain in the intensive glycemia arm of the trial compared with the standard arm (3.0 ± 7.0 vs. 0.3 ± 6.3 kg). On multivariate analysis, younger age, male sex, Asian race, no smoking history, high A1C, baseline BMI of 25–35, high waist circumference, baseline insulin use, and baseline metformin use were independently associated with weight gain over 2 years. Reduction of A1C from baseline was consistently associated with weight gain only when baseline A1C was elevated. Medication usage accounted for <15% of the variability of weight change, with initiation of thiazolidinedione (TZD) use the most prominent factor. Intensive participants who never took insulin or a TZD had an average weight loss of 2.9 kg during the first 2 years of the trial. In contrast, intensive participants who had never previously used insulin or TZD but began this combination after enrolling in the ACCORD trial had a weight gain of 4.6–5.3 kg at 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Weight gain in ACCORD was greater with intensive than with standard treatment and generally associated with reduction of A1C from elevated baseline values. Initiation of TZD and/or insulin therapy was the most important medication-related factor associated with weight gain.
Association Among Depression, Physical Functioning, and Hearing and Vision Impairment in Adults With Diabetes
Authors: Loprinzi Paul D. , Smit Ellen , Pariser Gina
Published: February 2013

Objective. Individuals with diabetes may be at an increased risk for depression given the potential diabetes-induced link between sensory impairment, physical functioning, and depression. As a result, the purposes of this study were 1) to examine the association between sensory impairment and depression among adults of all ages with diabetes, 2) to examine whether dual sensory impairment and physical functioning are independently associated with depression, and 3) to examine the association between physical functioning and sensory impairment.

Design and Methods. Data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used in the present study and, after exclusions, 567 participants (18–85 years of age) with evidence of diabetes constituted the analytic sample. Sensory impairment (vision and hearing), physical functioning, and depression were reported from questionnaires.

Results. After controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, comorbidity index, smoking, BMI, physical activity, and glycemic control, dual sensory impairment (odds ratio [OR] 7.48, 95% CI 2.09–26.71) and physical dysfunction (unable to perform activities; OR 3.21, 95% CI 1.28–8.08) were associated with increased depression symptoms. After adjustments, participants who were unable to perform activities had a 1.73 (95% CI 0.94–3.19, P = 0.07), 2.78 (0.78–9.87, P = 0.11), and 2.21 (0.50–9.68, P = 0.29) nonsignificant greater odds, respectively, of having hearing, vision, and dual sensory impairment than participants who were able to perform activities.

Conclusion. Adults with diabetes who have dual sensory impairment and physical functioning limitations are more likely to report depression symptoms. This highlights the importance of preventing and improving sensory impairments, physical functioning, and depression among adults with diabetes.
Two-step Bdf Time Discretisation of Nonlinear Evolution Problems Governed by Monotone Operators with Strongly Continuous Perturbations
Authors: Emmrich E.
Published: February 2013

The time discretisation of the initial-value problem for a first-order evolution
equation by the two-step backward differentiation formula (BDF) on a uniform
grid is analysed. The evolution equation is governed by a time-dependent monotone
operator that might be perturbed by a time-dependent strongly continuous operator.
Well-posedness of the numerical scheme, a priori estimates, convergence of a piecewise
polynomial prolongation, stability as well as smooth-data error estimates are provided
relying essentially on an algebraic relation that implies the G-stability of the two-step
BDF with constant time steps.
The Perception of English-Accented Polish –A Pilot Study
Authors: Szpyra-Kozłowska Jolanta , Radomski Marek
Published: February 2013

While the perception of Polish-accented English by native-speakers has been studied extensively (e.g Gonet & Pietroń 2004, Scheuer 2003, Szpyra-Kozłowska 2005, in press), an opposite phenomenon, i.e. the perception of English-accented Polish by Poles has not, to our knowledge, been examined so far despite a growing number of Polish-speaking foreigners, including various celebrities, who appear in the Polish media and whose accents are often commented on and even parodied.

In this paper we offer a report on a pilot study in which 60 Polish teenagers, all secondary school learners (aged 15-16) listened to and assessed several samples of foreign-accented Polish in a series of scalar judgement and open question tasks meant to examine Poles’ attitudes to English accent(s) in their native language.

More specifically, we aimed at finding answers to the following research questions:

• How accurately can Polish listeners identify foreign accents in Polish?

• How is English-accented Polish, when compared to Polish spoken with a Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Chinese accent, evaluated by Polish listeners in terms of the samples’ degree of:

(a) comprehensibility

(b) foreign accentedness

(c) pleasantness?

• What phonetic and phonological features, both segmental and prosodic, are perceived by Polish listeners as characteristic of English-accented Polish?

• Can Polish listeners identify different English accents (American, English English and Scottish) in English-accented Polish?

• Does familiarity with a specific foreign language facilitate the recognition and identification of that accent in foreign-accented Polish?
Mispronounced Lexical Items in Polish English of Advanced Learners
Authors: Szpyra-Kozłowska Jolanta
Published: February 2013

The paper is a continuation of the author’s earlier studies in which she argues that it is the mispronunciation of whole words due to their incorrect phonological storage in the learners’ phonetic memory that is more detrimental to successful communication via English than an inaccurate production of individual segments and suprasegmentals. Consequently, phonetically difficult words deserve to be thoroughly investigated and pedagogically prioritized.

The present study is a report on an experiment in which 20 English Department students, all advanced learners of English, were recorded having been asked to read a list of diagnostic sentences containing 80 words known to be problematic for Poles in terms of their pronunciation. This has been done in order to isolate and examine the major error types, to establish a hierarchy of difficulty among 8 sources of pronunciation errors, to compare the obtained results with the most common error types made by intermediate learners and to juxtapose the participants’ subjective evaluation of the phonetic difficulty of words with their actual phonetic performance. The final goal is to draw pedagogical implications for the phonetic training of advanced students of English.
Perception of FA by Non-native Listeners in a Study Abroad Context
Authors: Avello Pilar , Mora Joan Carles , Pérez-Vidal Carmen
Published: February 2013

The present study aims at exploring the under-investigated interface between SA and L2 phonological development by assessing the impact of a 3-month SA programme on the pronunciation of a group of 23 Catalan/Spanish learners of English (NNSs) by means of phonetic measures and perceived FA measures. 6 native speakers (NS) in an exchange programme in Spain provided baseline data for comparison purposes. The participants were recorded performing a reading aloud task before (pre-test) and immediately after (post-test) the SA. Another group of 37 proficient non-native listeners, also bilingual in Catalan/Spanish and trained in English phonetics, assessed the NNS' speech samples for degree of FA. Phonetic measures consisted of pronunciation accuracy scores computed by counting pronunciation errors (phonemic deletions, insertions and substitutions, and stress misplacement). Measures of perceived FA were obtained with two experiments. In experiment 1, the listeners heard a random presentation of the sentences produced by the NSs and by the NNSs at pre-test and post-test and rated them on a 7-point Likert scale for degree of FA (1 = “native” , 7 = “heavy foreign accent”). In experiment 2, they heard paired pre-test/post-test sentences (i.e. produced by the same NNS at pre-test and post-test) and indicated which of the two sounded more native-like. Then, they stated their judgment confidence level on a 7-point scale (1 = “unsure”, 7 = “sure”). Results indicated a slight, non-significant improvement in perceived FA after SA. However, a significant decrease was found in pronunciation accuracy scores after SA. Measures of pronunciation accuracy and FA ratings were also found to be strongly correlated. These findings are discussed in light of the often reported mixed results as regards pronunciation improvement during short-term immersion.
From sewage sludge ash to calcium phosphate fertilizers
Authors: Gorazda Katarzyna , Kowalski Zygmunt , Wzorek Zbigniew
Published: February 2013

Our work presents the results of the research on the utilization of ashes after sewage sludge combustion comprising phosphorus recovery in the form of useful products. The investigations were divided into three parts: selecting the combustion parameters of sewage sludge, examining ash leaching with mineral acids (nitric and phosphoric) to high phosphorus selectivity assuring a low content of iron and heavy metals in the extracted solutions and precipitation of CaHPO4 .2H2O. Suitable temperature of a sewage sludge combustion enables selective extraction of phosphorus compounds from ash because of hematite phase forming, insoluble in mineral acids. The extracts from phosphoric acid leaching, where the extraction of phosphorus compounds was 96.1%, have very good properties for its further use as the initial solution for CaHPO4 .2H2O with 6% lime milk. The obtained product is characterized by high purity and phosphorus availability compatible even with the feed phosphate standard.
Bromine catalyst for the methane to methyl bisulfate reaction
Authors: Michalkiewicz Beata , Balcer Sylwia
Published: February 2013

A catalytic system KBr - oleum is effective at catalyzing the selective oxidation of methane to methanol via. methyl bisulfate. The influences of methane pressure, sulfur trioxide and temperature on turnover frequency were investigated.
Liquid-solid interaction during formation of nanocomposite systems
Authors: Shtablavyi Ihor , Mudry Stepan , Kajak Paweł
Published: February 2013

Structural changes in mixtures of liquid Bi with small Cu and Ni particles were studied at temperatures of 615 and 1145K. Microstructures of the composites were observed (SEM) and analyzed after treatment at different temperatures and various durations of stirring. The structure of the mixtures of Bi with Cu(Ni) particles was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, both in the solid and liquid state.
Fly ash as the component of composites materials
Authors: Prascakova M. , Kusnierova M. , Cablik V. , Jarosiński A.
Published: February 2013

The fly ash from powerplant can be compared, due to its genesis, chemical and mineralogical composition with the natural volcanic glasses and minerals generated in the process of devitrification in situ. Its quality is comparable to non-metallic alumosilicate raw materials that are commercially used in building and ceramic industry. Two possibilities of fly ash utilization as the most bulk waste produced by anthropogenic activity were examined. The way of fly ashes utilization in the modeling of mixtures for the high refractory mullite corundum materials synthesis was examined. In this experiment 95.5% conversion of the input components of fly ash and Al additive in the ratio 1:1 on the mullite and corundum was obtained.
The Principle of Population for the 21st Century: The Never Coming Stationary State
Authors: Machay Martin
Published: February 2013

Forward-thinking is one of the most enchanting areas in economics. While Malthus and Ricardo agreed on the gloomy vision of the future, Mill described the wider stationary state and foresaw it in a more optimistic way. Space sciences and improvements in our technology provided us with the solution decades ago, although economics have not noticed this possible solution of the classical stationary state until now. This article incorporates this knowledge into economics. Calories integrate the supply of means of production and the demand for means of consumption in one market. The stationary state could come only if the demand for means of subsistence grows faster than the supply of means of production. Increasing scarcity of free calories exceeding the minimal required volume of it preventing the malnutrition and death will push the calorie price up while economy will move towards the stationary state. But where to get the land when the very last piece of it - even the deserts - will have been already cultivated? Increasing scarcity of land opens possibility for firms to make profit from producing land. Thus, the classical stationary state is only an illusion.
Exit Condition for Probabilistic Assessment Using Monte Carlo Method
Authors: Valihrach Jakub , Konečný Petr
Published: February 2013

Exit Condition for Probabilistic Assessment Using Monte Carlo Method

This paper introduces a condition used to exit a probabilistic assessment using the Monte Carlo simulation, and to evaluate it with regard to the relationship between the computed estimate of the probability of failure and the target design probability. The estimation of probability of failure is treated as a random variable, considering its variance that is dependent on the number of performed Monte Carlo simulation steps. After theoretical derivation of the decision condition, it is tested numerically with regard to its accuracy and computational efficiency. The condition is suitable for optimization design using the Monte Carlo method.
A review of fuzzy risk assessment models for construction projects
Authors: Rezakhani Pejman
Published: February 2013

Risk modeling and analysis is one of the most important stages in a project`s success.There are many approaches for risk assessment, and an investigation of existing methodshelps in developing new models. This paper is an extensive literature survey in riskmodeling and analytic methods with a main focus on fuzzy risk assessment.
Policy on drugs in Norwegian prisons: Increased control, answers to poverties and looking for a life after release
Authors: Giertsen Hedda
Published: February 2013

Aims

This article discusses Norwegian policy on drugs in prison since the 1970s as presented by prison authorities. How does the drug policy ft the penal frame and how are these policies related? Does the drug policy soften the prison policy, and does the prison policy strengthen the drug policy? How does the policy on drugs in prison impact on the position of prisons in society?

Data and Method

I have used documents such as white papers, budgets and circular letters, and interviews with former and present directors of Norwegian correctional services.

Results and Conclusions

Since the 1970s, four main measures have been implemented to handle drug problems in prison, combining control, sanctions and rehabilitative measures. They accord with the general prison policy on rehabilitation and control, and support both elements. What is also crucial in the prison drug policy is the position taken in penal policy that treatment should not take place in prison, but inmates should be rehabilitated and motivated to apply for treatment and help after release. This can be seen as a factor influencing the prison numbers.
Crossing the Borders of Language and Culture: Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot
Authors: Uchman Jadwiga
Published: February 2013

The aim of the paper is to compare four versions of the text of Waiting for Godot: the French original, Beckett’s own translation into English and two Polish renderings done by Julian Rogoziński and Antoni Libera. The article starts with a short discussion concerning rules governing the translation process and then its evaluation. While working on the transposition of the French original into English, Beckett introduced numerous changes, this being due to his sensitivity to the very quality of each of the languages and specific references characteristic of the two cultures. Antoni Libera, an expert in Beckett’s oeuvre, argues that Beckett’s translations should be more adequately described as second language versions and that the artist recommended further translations based on his two language versions. Libera himself followed this recommendation while translating Beckett’s works into Polish. Upon publication, he provided illuminating notes, shedding light on the differences in Beckett’s versions and providing critical insight into the texts. Julian Rogoziński, on the other hand, based his translation of Waiting for Godot only on the French original. This accounts for the fact that, at times, his rendering of the text lacks precision and may not even be quite understandable. Rogoziński’s version is less satisfactory than that of Libera due to the fact that it was written earlier and by an older man, which at times results in the use of old-fashioned, outdated Polish diction and structures.
“The Dude Abides”: How The Big Lebowski Bowled Its Way from a Box Office Bomb to Nation-Wide Fests
Authors: Małecka Katarzyna
Published: February 2013

Since Blood Simple, the first film they wrote and directed together, the Coen Brothers have been working their way up in the film world and, in spite of their outside-the-mainstream taste for the noir and the surreal, have earned a number of prestigious prizes. After Fargo, one of their most critically acclaimed films, expectations were high, and when the Brothers released their next bizarre venture, most critics rushed to measure it against Fargo’s success. Consequently, The Big Lebowski, the Coens’ 1998 neo-noir detective comedy, was considered an incoherent, “unsatisfactory” medley of genres and styles and a box office bomb, and nothing hinted that this unorthodox story of mistaken identity, featuring a pot-smoking, unemployed character named the Dude as its “hee-ro,” would gain a following. Yet, since its 1998 DVD release, The Big Lebowski has been hailed as the first cult film of the Internet, continuously inspiring versatile cultural phenomena as nonconformist in their nature as the movie itself. This essay examines particular factors which initially might have been responsible for alienating the audience only to help The Big Lebowski become a peculiar cultural event in later years. It looks at The Big Lebowski’s characters, the historical time and place of the film’s action as well as at various external historical events, phenomena, places and people such as, for example, the Port Huron Statement, the Reagan-Bush era, Los Angeles and its immigration issues, racial minorities, civil rights activists, the Western genre and, last but not least, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Reflecting the film’s oddities, this bag of cultural idiosyncrasies appears to provide some plausible explanations for The Big Lebowski’s unexpected, against-all-odds rise from the marginal position of a critical and commercial failure to the status of a cult classic and cultural landmark.
Marginalization of “the Other”: Gender Discrimination in Dystopian Visions by Feminist Science Fiction Authors
Authors: Gilarek Anna
Published: February 2013

In patriarchy women are frequently perceived as “the other” and as such they are subject to discrimination and marginalization. The androcentric character of patriarchy inherently confines women to the fringes of society. Undeniably, this was the case in Western culture throughout most of the twentieth century, before the social transformation triggered by the feminist movement enabled women to access spheres previously unavailable to them. Feminist science fiction of the 1970s, like feminism, attempted to challenge the patriarchal status quo in which gender-based discrimination against women was the norm. Thus, authors expressed, in a fictionalized form, the same issues that constituted the primary concerns of feminism in its second wave.
As feminist science fiction is an imaginative genre, the critique of the abuses of the twentieth-century patriarchy is usually developed in defamiliarized, unreal settings. Consequently, current problems are recontextualized, a technique which is meant to give the reader a new perspective on certain aspects of life they might otherwise take for granted, such as the inadequacies of patriarchy and women’s marginality in society.
Yet there are authors who consider the real world dystopian enough to be used as a setting for their novels. This is the case with Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy and The Female Man by Joanna Russ. Both texts split the narrative into a science fictional and a realistic strand so as to contrast the contemporary world with utopian and dystopian alternatives. Both texts are largely politicized as they expose and challenge the marginalized status of women in the American society of the 1970s. They explore the process of constructing marginalized identities, as well as the forms that marginalization takes in the society. Most importantly, they indicate the necessity of decisive steps being taken to improve the situation.
Translation and Bilingualism in Monica Ali’s and Jhumpa Lahiri’s Marginalized Identities
Authors: Rizzo Alessandra
Published: February 2013

This study, drawing upon contemporary theories in the field of migration, postcolonialism, and translation, offers an analysis of literary works by Monica Ali (of Bangladeshi origins) and Jhumpa Lahiri (of Bengali Indian parents). Ali and Lahiri epitomize second-generation immigrant literature, play with the linguistic concept of translating and interpreting as forms of hybrid connections, and are significant examples of how a text may become a space where multi-faceted identities co-habit in a process of deconstructing and reconstructing their own sense of emplacement in non-native places.
Each immigrant text becomes a hybrid site, where second- and third generations of immigrant subjects move as mobile, fluctuating and impermanent identities, caught up in the act of transmitting their bicultural and bilingual experience through the use of the English language as their instrument of communication in a universe which tends to marginalize them.
This investigation seeks to demonstrate how Ali and Lahiri represent two different migrant experiences, Muslim and Indian, each of which functioning within a multicultural Anglo-American context. Each text is transformed into the lieu where identities become both identities-intranslation and translated identities and each text itself may be looked at as the site of preservation of native identities but also of the assimilation (or adaptation) of identity. Second-generation immigrant women writers become the interpreters of the old and new cultures, the translators of their own local cultures in a space of transition.
Does the Theme of a Road Safety Communication Campaign Affect its Success?
Authors: Adamos Giannis , Nathanail Eftihia , Kapetanopoulou Paraskevi
Published: February 2013

Road safety communication campaigns are considered as an efficient strategy to approach the wide audience and influence road users towards a safe behavior, with main aim to lead to the reduction of the number and the severity of road accidents. When designing the implementation of a campaign, it is important to plan at the same time its evaluation, so that to enable the assessment of its effectiveness. For the achievement of high reliability and the development of “clear” conclusions, the campaign evaluation should be carefully organized, following a feasible scientific design.

Towards this direction, three road safety campaigns, two local campaigns addressing drink driving and seat belt usage, and one national campaign addressing driving fatigue, were implemented and evaluated. Presenting the design components of the three campaigns and the evaluation results, this paper aims at revealing the similarities and differences of the effectiveness of road safety communication campaigns on driving behavior.
John Hales (1582-1656). A Tolerant Man Living in an Intolerant Age
Authors: Gibbs Lee W.
Published: February 2013

John Hales (1582-1656). A Tolerant Man Living in an Intolerant Age

This article focuses upon the seventeenth-century English philosophical theologian,
John Hales, who is all too often overlooked or forgotten at the present time. The thought
of Hales on the relation of human reason to God’s revelation in Holy Scripture is shown to be
remarkably modern in many ways. The article also concludes that Hales’s “Middle Way” of
thinking and acting continues to be relevant to Christian churches throughout the world torn
as they presently are with discord and dissention.
A Transformed Beholder. Objective Beauty as the Impetus for Sanctification in the Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar
Authors: Wellbaum Sam
Published: February 2013

A Transformed Beholder. Objective Beauty as the Impetus for Sanctification in the Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar

Here in the early 21st century, beauty is not what it once was. The Enlightenment
has left beauty a subjective and inconsequential shade, barely resembling its former existence
as a transcendental on par with goodness and truth. Can beauty be restored to what it
once was? And if it can, should it? This article argues that 20th century theologian Hans Urs
von Balthasar not only answers these two questions with a resounding “Yes!” but also gives the
church the tools needed to restore beauty to a place of honor in Christian theology. For von
Balthasar, beauty and glory are one in the same. Further, beauty/glory and love are irrevocably
connected. When we restore beauty to its proper place, we experience God’s love in a proper
way, which in turn leads to sanctification.
Clinical profile of Spondarthritis in females as compared to male patients with reference to HLAB27: A single center study from Nepal
Authors: Vaidya Binit , Nakarmi Shweta , Batajoo Pujan
Published: February 2013

Background and Aims-To study the differences in clinical parameters between male and female patients with spondarthritis (SpA) in Nepalese population; to study the prevalence of HLA B27 phenotype in Nepalese patients with SpA and to study the differences in clinical parameters in relation to HLA B27 phenotype. Methods- This is cross sectional observational study of 102 patients diagnosed with SpA attending rheumatology clinic at Alka Hospital, Nepal from September 2011 to February 2012. Electronic clinical registry was maintained and HLA B27 was performed by flowcytometry. Results- A total of 102 patients with SpA were enrolled in the study with male to female ratio of 1.8:1 . The mean age of male patients was 6±3 years lower than that of female patients (p=0.05). There were no other statistically significant differences in clinical parameters or prevalence of HLA B27 in both the genders. Of the total patients, 52.9% were HLA B27 positive. Presence of HLA B27 was associated with early presentation by 7.1±2.8 years and the occurrence of inflammatory spinal pain P <0.001. Statistically significant association of HLA B27 with other clinical manifestations of SpA were not seen. Conclusions- HLA B27 was present in 52.9% of patients with diagnosed SpA. The presence of HLA B27 was associated with earlier presentation of disease and occurrence of inflammatory spinal pain. However, there was no gender difference in clinical manifestation of SpA or prevalence of HLAB27 in our patients except for early age at presentation in male patients. Journal of Advances in Internal Medicine 2013;02(01):3-5 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jaim.v2i1.7628
High-frequency cortical activity associated with postischemic epileptiform discharges in an in vivo rat focal stroke model
Authors: Srejic Luka R. , Valiante Taufik A. , Aarts Michelle M. , Hutchison William D.
Published: February 2013

Object

The postischemic brain has greater susceptibility to epileptogenic activity than physiologically healthy tissue. Epileptiform discharges are thought to exacerbate postischemic brain function. The aim of this study was to develop an in vivo focal stroke model in rats to characterize epileptiform activity.

Methods

The authors developed a parasagittal 8-channel intracortical microelectrode array to obtain recordings of cortical oscillations of local field potentials following partial middle and anterior cerebral artery occlusion. All experiments were done in urethane-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats.

Results

Theta runs (TRs), ranging in duration from 5 seconds to 5 minutes, were observed in 62% of animals within 1 hour of occlusion. High-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in the high gamma range (80–120 Hz) were observed 5–15 seconds before each TR and terminated at the onset of the discharge. Periodic epileptiform discharges (PEDs) were detected in 54% of rats following ischemia. The PEDs consisted of an early negative slow wave, a high-amplitude positive spike, and a short negative slow wave. Transient HFOs in the low gamma range (30–70 Hz) occurred during the first negative wave and the rising phase of the positive spike of the PED.

Conclusions

These recordings provide the first intracortical evidence of a high-frequency component that could be an important element for diagnosis and intervention in postischemic epileptogenic activity. The early onset also suggests that HFOs could serve as a reliable method of detecting small epileptiform events and could be used as a consideration in deciding whether antiepileptic medications are appropriate as part of a patient's poststroke care.
Registration of RMBUP‐C4, a Random‐Mated Population with Gossypium barbadense L. Alleles Introgressed into Upland Cotton Germplasm
Authors: Jenkins J. N. , McCarty J. C. , Gutiérrez O. A. , Hayes R. W. , Jones D. C.
Published: February 2013

RMBUP‐C4 (random‐mated barbadense Upland population cycle 4) (Reg. No. GP‐961, PI 665950) is a unique random‐mated germplasm population of Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) with introgression of G. barbadense L. alleles. This population involved five cycles of random mating beginning with 53 top‐crossed F1 lines. The germplasm was developed through cooperative research by the USDA‐ARS, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and Cotton Incorporated. The cultivars ‘Sure‐Grow 747’ (PVP 9800118), ‘PSC 355’, and ‘FM 966’ (PVP 200100209) were each crossed with 18 lines with chromosome substitution from G. barabadense (CS‐B); however, the seed of PSC 355 × CS‐B22sh was lost, resulting in 53 topcross populations. The bulked‐pollen method of pollination was used in the development, and there were five cycles of random mating with the intercrossing of F1 lines considered as cycle zero. After each cycle of random mating, F1 lines were combined on the basis of the original CS‐B parents, thus producing 18 individual populations. These were planted as 18 individual populations and randomly mated among populations each additional cycle. Because the CS‐B lines were each euploid chromosome substitution lines with entire chromosomes or arms from G. barbadense substituted into Upland, we should have achieved considerable introgression of alleles from G. barbadense into this randomly mated population. This population should be of value to cotton breeders and geneticists across the U.S. Cotton Belt as a unique population with G. barbadense introgression.