bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Individualized surgical strategies for Rathke cleft cyst based on cyst location
Authors: Fan Jun , Peng Yuping , Qi Songtao , Zhang Xi-an , Qiu Binghui , Pan Jun
Published: September 2013

Object

An assessment regarding both surgical approaches and the extent of resection for Rathke cleft cysts (RCCs) based on their locations has not been reported. The aim of this study was to report the results of a large series of surgically treated patients with RCCs and to evaluate the feasibility of individualized surgical strategies for different RCCs.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 87 cases involving patients with RCCs (16 intrasellar, 50 intra- and suprasellar, and 21 purely suprasellar lesions). Forty-nine patients were treated via a transsphenoidal (TS) approach, and 38 were treated via a transcranial (TC) approach (traditional craniotomy in 21 cases and supraorbital keyhole craniotomy in 17). The extent of resection was classified as gross-total resection (GTR) or subtotal resection (STR) of the cyst wall. Patients were thus divided into 3 groups according to the approach selected and the extent of resection: TS/STR (n = 49), TC/STR (n = 23), and TC/GTR (n = 15).

Results

Preoperative headaches, visual dysfunction, hypopituitarism, and diabetes insipidus (DI) resolved in 85%, 95%, 55%, and 65% of patients, respectively. These rates did not differ significantly among the 3 groups. Overall, complications occurred in 8% of patients in TS/STR group, 9% in TC/STR group, and 47% in TC/GTR group, respectively (p = 0.002). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage (3%), new hypopituitarism (9%), and DI (6%) were observed after surgery. All CSF leaks occurred in the endonasal group, while the TC/GTR group showed a higher rate of postoperative hypopituitarism (p = 0.7 and p < 0.001, respectively). It should be particularly noted that preoperative hypopituitarism and DI returned to normal, respectively, in 100% and 83% of patients who underwent supraorbital surgery, and with the exception of 1 patient who had transient postoperative DI, there were no complications in patients treated with supraorbital surgery. Kaplan-Meier 3-year recurrence-free rates were 84%, 87%, and 86% in the TS/STR, TC/STR, and TC/GTR groups, respectively (p = 0.9).

Conclusions

It is reasonable to adopt individualized surgical strategies for RCCs based on cyst location. Gross-total resection does not appear to reduce the recurrence rate but increase the risk of postoperative complications. The endonasal approach seems more appropriate for primarily intrasellar RCCs, while the craniotomy is recommended for purely or mainly suprasellar cysts. The supraorbital route appears to be preferred over traditional craniotomy for its minimal invasiveness and favorable outcomes. The endoscopic technique is helpful for either endonasal or supraorbital surgery.
Civilian gunshot wounds to the atlantoaxial spine: a report of 10 cases treated using a multidisciplinary approach
Authors: Syre Peter , Rodriguez-Cruz Leonardo , Desai Rajiv , Greene Karl A. , Hurst Robert , Schuster James , Malhotra Neil R. , Marcotte Paul
Published: September 2013

Object

Gunshot wounds to the atlantoaxial spine are uncommon injuries and rarely require treatment, as a bullet traversing this segment often results in a fatal injury. Additionally, these injuries are typically biomechanically stable. The authors report a series of 10 patients with gunshot wounds involving the lateral mass and/or bodies of the atlantoaxial complex. Their care is discussed and conclusions are drawn from these cases to identify the optimal treatment for these injuries.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted of patients presenting to the emergency rooms of 3 institutions with gunshot wounds involving the atlantoaxial spine. Mechanism of injury and neurological status were obtained, as was the extent of the osteoligamentous, vascular, and neurological injuries. Nonoperative and operative treatment, complications, and clinical and radiographic outcome were recorded. The data were then analyzed to determine the neurological and biomechanical prognosis of these injuries, the utility of the various diagnostic modalities in the acute management of the injuries, and the nature and effectiveness of the nonoperative and operative treatment modalities.

Results

Ten patients with gunshot wounds involving the lateral mass and/or bodies of the atlantoaxial complex were identified. All but 2 patients sustained a vertebral artery injury. Each patient was evaluated using cervical radiographs, CT scans, and vascular imaging, 8 in the form of digital subtraction angiography and 2 with high-resolution CT angiography. Uncomplicated patients were treated conservatively using cervical collar immobilization, local wound care, and antibiotics. One patient was treated using a halo for instability and 1 underwent posterior fusion following a posterolateral decompression for delayed myelopathy. One patient underwent transoral resection of a bullet fragment. One patient underwent embolization for a symptomatic arteriovenous fistula and a second patient underwent a neck exploration and a jugular vein ligation. None of the patients received anticoagulation therapy. The mean follow-up duration was 13 months. All but 2 patients regained their previous functional status and all ultimately attained a mechanically stable spine.

Conclusions

These 10 patients represent a rare form of cervical spine penetrating injury. Unilateral gunshot wounds to the atlantoaxial complex are usually stable and the need for acute surgical intervention is rare. Unilateral vertebral artery injury is well tolerated and any information provided by angiography does not alter the acute management of the patient. Vascular complications from gunshot wounds can be managed effectively by endovascular techniques.
Endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy combined with posterior reduction to treat basilar invagination
Authors: Yu Yong , Hu Fan , Zhang Xiaobiao , Ge Junqi , Sun Chongjing
Published: September 2013

Object

Transoral microscopic odontoidectomy has been accepted as a standard procedure to treat basilar invagination over the past several decades. In recent years the emergence of new technologies, including endoscopic odontoidectomy and posterior reduction, has presented a challenge to the traditional treatment algorithm. In this article, the authors describe 1 patient with basilar invagination who was successfully treated with endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy combined with posterior reduction. The purpose of this report is to validate the effectiveness of this treatment algorithm in selected cases and describe several operative nuances and pearls based on the authors' experience.

Methods

One patient with basilar invagination caused by a congenital osseous malformation underwent endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy combined with posterior reduction in a single operative setting. The purely endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy was first conducted with the patient supine. The favorable anatomical reduction was then achieved through a posterior approach after the patient was moved prone.

Results

The patient was extubated after recovery from anesthesia and allowed oral food intake the next day. No complications were noted, and the patient was discharged 4 days after the operation. Postoperative imaging demonstrated excellent decompression of the anterior cervicomedullary junction pathology. The patient was followed up for 12 months and remarkable neurological recovery was observed.

Conclusions

The endoscopic transnasal odontoidectomy is a better minimally invasive approach for anterior decompression and can make the posterior reduction easier because the anterior resistant force is eliminated. The subsequent posterior reduction can make decompression of the ventral side of the cervicomedullary junction more effective because the C-2 vertebral body is pushed forward. A combination of these 2 approaches has the advantages of minimally invasive access and a faster patient recovery, and thus is a valid alternative in selected cases.
Malignant transformation of an intramedullary epidermoid cyst in the thoracic region of the spinal cord
Authors: Somasundaram Aravind , Lesser Glenn J. , Mott Ryan T. , Hsu Wesley
Published: September 2013

Malignant transformation of epidermoid cysts (ECs) to squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in the CNS is exceedingly rare and has only been described in intracranial ECs. In this article, the authors describe a 53-year-old man with a history of a previously resected T3–4 EC, who presented with a 2-month history of progressively worsening weakness in the left side of his body. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an enhancing mass in the T3–4 region, the exact location of the previous cyst. The mass was resected in gross-total fashion, and pathological analysis revealed an SCC. Postoperatively, the patient regained full strength in his lower extremities. After the resection, he received radiotherapy administered at an isodose of 50 Gy. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of malignant transformation of an intramedullary spinal EC in the literature.
Left-right axial rotation within C1–2 after implant removal
Authors: Pitzen Tobias , Salman Erbay , Ostrowski Gregor , Welk Thomas , Ruf Michael , Drumm Jörg
Published: September 2013

Object

Surgical treatment of atlantoaxial injuries may be performed by a variety of surgical procedures, with each of these having its own specific advantages and disadvantages. To preserve the range of motion within the atlantoaxial joint after surgical treatment, posterior atlantoaxial screw fixation according to the method of Goel and Harms could be beneficial. This technique is not considered to fix the joint permanently if the screws are removed. However, this must not necessarily be true, especially if one notices that cervical joints have a tendency for rapid fusion after surgery.

The objective of this study was to analyze left-right axial rotation following implant removal, with the following research questions addressed: 1) is there a relevant rotational left-right mobility in C1–2; 2) is there a difference in mobility depending on sex; 3) is there a correlation of mobility to age; 4) is there a correlation of mobility to the “implant-in-body time”; and 5) is neck pain improved by this method of surgical treatment?

Methods

This is a retrospective study in 10 patients who had received atlantoaxial fixation according to the Harms method following atlantoaxial injury. These patients had undergone implant removal after a mean time of 128 days, followed by functional atlantoaxial CT in left-right rotation. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS software package; significance was assumed for p < 0.05.

Results

The following findings are reported. 1) Left-right axial rotation within the atlantoaxial joint was measured to be 17° (mean value) following implant removal. 2) There was no significant difference between men (20°) and women (14.8°) (p = 0.595). 3) Left-right axial rotation negatively correlated to the age of the patient (r = −0.646, p = 0.043). 4) “Implant-in-body time” did not influence left-right axial rotation (r = 0.04, p = 0.907) if the implants are removed within 90–180 days after surgery. 5) Neck pain as assessed by the patients themselves on the visual analog scale was 7.9 ± 1.1 preoperatively and 3.6 ± 1.2 (mean ± SD) after implant removal (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

The authors conclude that removal of the implants 3–6 months after posterior atlantoaxial fixation according to the method of Goel and Harms is beneficial for obtaining some axial rotation within the atlantoaxial joint. The range of motion preserved depends on the age of the patient.
Queering animal sexual behavior in biology textbooks
Authors: Ah-King Malin
Published: September 2013

Biology is instrumental in establishing and perpetuating societal norms of gender and sexuality, owing to its afforded authoritative role in formulating beliefs about what is “natural”. However, philosophers, historians, and sociologists of science have shown how conceptions of gender and sexuality pervade the supposedly objective knowledge produced by the natural sciences. For example, in describing animal relationships, biologists sometimes use the metaphor of marriage, which brings with it conceptions of both cuckoldry and male ownership of female partners. These conceptions have often led researchers to overlook female behavior and adaptations, such as female initiation of mating. Such social norms and ideologies influence both theories and research in biology. Social norms of gender and sexuality also influence school cultures. Although awareness of gender issues has had a major impact in Sweden during recent years, the interventions conducted have been based on a heteronormative understanding of sex; this has rendered sexual norms a non-prioritized issue and thereby rendered non-heterosexuals invisible in teaching and textbooks. Since this research was published in 2007 and 2009, norm critical pedagogics have been included in the Swedish National Agency for Education’s guidelines for teaching. This inclusion represents one way to tackle the recurring problem of heterosexuality being described as a naturalized “normal” behavior and homosexuals, bisexuals and transsexuals being described from a heteronormative perspective. In this paper, I employ gender and queer perspectives to scrutinize how animal sexual behavior is described and explained in Swedish biology textbooks. The analysis is based in gender and queer theory, feminist science studies, and evolutionary biology. The article begins with an outline a discussion of my theoretical framework, relating gender and queer perspectives on evolutionary biology to a discussion of queer methodology. I then scrutinize some empirical examples drawn from five contemporary biology textbooks used in secondary schools (by students aged 16-18 years old). Finally, I discuss the implications of the textbooks’ representations of animal sexual behavior, the problems of and need for a “textbook-version”, and providing examples of what an inclusive approach to biology education might look like.
Parametric and Nonparametric Frequentist Model Selection and Model Averaging
Authors: Ullah Aman , Wang Huansha
Published: September 2013

This paper presents recent developments in model selection and model averaging for parametric and nonparametric models. While there is extensive literature on model selection under parametric settings, we present recently developed results in the context of nonparametric models. In applications, estimation and inference are often conducted under the selected model without considering the uncertainty from the selection process. This often leads to inefficiency in results and misleading confidence intervals. Thus an alternative to model selection is model averaging where the estimated model is the weighted sum of all the submodels. This reduces model uncertainty. In recent years, there has been significant interest in model averaging and some important developments have taken place in this area. We present results for both the parametric and nonparametric cases. Some possible topics for future research are also indicated.
A Power Supply System with ZVS and Current-Doubler Features for Hybrid Renewable Energy Conversion
Authors: Tsai Cheng-Tao , Shen Chih-Lung , Su Jye-Chau
Published: September 2013

In this paper, a power supply system for hybrid renewable energy conversion is proposed, which can process PV (photovoltaic) power and wind-turbine energy simultaneously for step-down voltage and high current applications. It is a dual-input converter and mainly contains a PV energy source, a wind turbine energy source, a zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) forward converter, and a current-doubler rectifier. The proposed power supply system has the following advantages: (1) PV-arrays and wind-energy sources can alternatively deliver power to the load during climate or season alteration; (2) maximum power point tracking (MPPT) can be accomplished for both different kinds of renewable-energy sources; (3) ZVS and synchronous rectification techniques for the active switches of the forward converter are embedded so as to reduce switching and conducting losses; and (4) electricity isolation is naturally obtained. To achieve an optimally dynamic response and to increase control flexibility, a digital signal processor (DSP) is investigated and presented to implement MPPT algorithm and power regulating scheme. Finally, a 240 W prototype power supply system with ZVS and current-doubler features to deal with PV power and wind energy is built and implemented. Experimental results are presented to verify the performance and the feasibility of the proposed power supply system.
Short-Term Wind Power Forecasting Using the Enhanced Particle Swarm Optimization Based Hybrid Method
Authors: Chang Wen-Yeau
Published: September 2013

High penetration of wind power in the electricity system provides many challenges to power system operators, mainly due to the unpredictability and variability of wind power generation. Although wind energy may not be dispatched, an accurate forecasting method of wind speed and power generation can help power system operators reduce the risk of an unreliable electricity supply. This paper proposes an enhanced particle swarm optimization (EPSO) based hybrid forecasting method for short-term wind power forecasting. The hybrid forecasting method combines the persistence method, the back propagation neural network, and the radial basis function (RBF) neural network. The EPSO algorithm is employed to optimize the weight coefficients in the hybrid forecasting method. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the method is tested on the practical information of wind power generation of a wind energy conversion system (WECS) installed on the Taichung coast of Taiwan. Comparisons of forecasting performance are made with the individual forecasting methods. Good agreements between the realistic values and forecasting values are obtained; the test results show the proposed forecasting method is accurate and reliable.
Adverse Effect of Antifouling Compounds on the Reproductive Mechanisms of the Ascidian Ciona intestinalis
Authors: Gallo Alessandra , Tosti Elisabetta
Published: September 2013

Fertilization and embryo development that occur in sea water are sensitive to xenobiotics from anthropogenic sources. In this work, we evaluated the influence of two antifouling biocides, tributyltin (TBT) and diuron, on the reproductive mechanisms of the marine invertebrate Ciona intestinalis. By using electrophysiological techniques, we examined the impact of these compounds on the electrical properties of the mature oocytes and of events occurring at fertilization. With different toxicity assays, we studied the effect of the two biocides on the gametes by evaluating fertilization rate and embryo development. Results show that sodium (Na+) currents were significantly reduced by either of the two biocides, whereas conductance was significantly increased. The fertilization current frequency and amplitude, fertilization rate and larval development were affected only by TBT. This study suggests that: (i) the two biocides affect either the electrical properties of the oocyte plasma membrane and the reproductive success representing a risk factor for the survival of the species exposed to environmental pollution; (ii) the ascidian Ciona intestinalis may represent a good model organism to test toxicity of marine pollutants. Possible mechanisms of action of the two biocides are discussed.
Role of Natural Killer and Gamma-Delta T cells in West Nile Virus Infection
Authors: Wang Tian , Welte Thomas
Published: September 2013

Natural Killer (NK) cells and Gamma-delta T cells are both innate lymphocytes that respond rapidly and non-specifically to viral infection and other pathogens. They are also known to form a unique link between innate and adaptive immunity. Although they have similar immune features and effector functions, accumulating evidence in mice and humans suggest these two cell types have distinct roles in the control of infection by West Nile virus (WNV), a re-emerging pathogen that has caused fatal encephalitis in North America over the past decade. This review will discuss recent studies on these two cell types in protective immunity and viral pathogenesis during WNV infection.
Empédocle, fragment 32 Diels (Pseudo-Aristote, 'De lineis insecabilibus, 972 b 29-31)
Authors: O’Brien Denis , Rashed Marwan
Published: September 2013

The concluding lines of the pseudo-Aristotelian treatise On indivisible lines (972 b 25-33) contain a reference to Empedocles. The actual words attributed to Empedocles, as they stand in the manuscripts, no less than the purport of the argument in which they are embedded (972 b 29-31), are hopelessly obscure. We propose two very simple changes. The reference to Empedocles should be removed from the place it has in the manuscripts (972 b 29-30) to a position three lines earlier in the text (972 b 26). The final words of the argument (972 b 30-31) should be corrected from το ἐν τοῖς ἀκινήτοις to τὸ ἒν τῶν ἀκινήτων. The compendia for -ων and -οις (as in ἀκινήτων and ἀκινήτοις) are not always easily distinguishable and confusion is frequent in manuscripts of the Byzantine period. In this case, the genitive has been misread as a dative because the numeral (ἔν) has been misread as a preposition (ἐν). With these two changes, both the argument of the author and his reference to Empedocles acquire a meaning which is at once simple and obvious. Dare we hope that our emended text will bring to an end two hundred years of scholarly doubts and difficulties ?
Les infirmités physiques de la vieillesse dans les épigrammes de l'Anthologie palatine
Authors: Byl Simon
Published: September 2013

Comme tous les écrivains grecs depuis Homère, les poètes qui sont représentés dans l'Anthologie Palatine ont développé le thème de la vieillesse. Mais c'est surtout sur le lot de disgrâces et d'infirmités de cet âge qu'ils ont insisté : la canitie, la calvitie, les rides, la surdité, l'impuissance sexuelle, la perte des dents, les tremblements, le rhumatisme... Le ton des épigrammes, qui soulignent la décrépitude du vieillard, est extrêmement varié : de la grande tendresse au réalisme le plus saisissant. Contrairement à certaines affirmations, ces épigrammes ne sont pas que de simples « literary exercices ».
The clinical yield of SPECT/CT for the assessment of lymphatic transport disorders
Authors: Landrock S. , Wallmichrath J. , Baumeister R. G. H. , Bartenstein P. , Frick A. , Weiss M.
Published: September 2013

Ziel dieser Studie war zu untersuchen, ob die zusätzliche Bildgebung mittels SPECT/CTTechnik den diagnostischen Wert der planaren Lymphszintigraphie bei Patienten mit Lymphtransportstörungen verbessern kann. Patienten, Methoden: Über einen festgelegten Zeitraum von zwei Jahren wurden 36 konsekutive Patienten (27 Frauen, 9 Männer, Alter 27–87 Jahre) in unsere Studie eingeschlossen. Zusätzlich zur planaren Lymphszintigraphie wurden weitere ergänzende SPECT/CT-Akquisitionen der betroffenen Extremitäten oder des Körperstamms durchgeführt. Insgesamt erfolgte eine prospektive Auswertung von 48 anatomischen Lymphabflussregionen mittels planarer Szintigraphie und tomographischer SPECT/CT. Ergebnisse: In 28/48 Fällen (58%) brachte die SPECT/CTBildgebung klinisch relevante Zusatzinformationen im Vergleich zur planaren Technik; darunter 27 bezüglich der exakten anatomischen Lokalisation der Transportstörungen sowie 8 Fälle, bei denen die Ausdehnung der lymphogenen Störung mittels SPECT/CT ausgedehnter beurteilt wurde als in der alleinigen planaren Szintigraphie. In 3 Fällen konnte durch die SPECT/CT differenzialdiagnostisch zwischen Lymphknoten versus Lymphozele differenziert werden. In keinem der Fälle konnten Lymphgefäße/-transplantate durch die morphologische CT-Komponente dargestellt werden. Schlussfolgerungen: Die zusätzlich zur planaren Lymphszintigraphie durchgeführte SPECT/CT präzisiert die anatomische Zuordnung lymphogen bedingter Transportstörungen und somit die Abschätzung der Ausdehnung der Pathologie. Des Weiteren löst sie Überlagerungseffekte anatomischer Strukturen durch die tomographische Akquisition auf und ermöglicht die Differenzialdiagnose von Lymphknoten versus Lymphozelen.
Les limites de l'approche « low-cost » dans la réduction de la pauvreté
Authors: Ben Slimane Karim , Di Cioccio Clément
Published: September 2013

Il y a, actuellement, une tentation de recourir au modèle low-cost pour lutter contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion. Pour les plus démunis, la baisse des coûts ne suffit cependant pas pour accéder au marché. Ils ont besoin aussi d’un accompagnement et du développement de certaines connaissances et compétences sociales. Le modèle low-cost ne suffit donc pas en lui-même pour résoudre durablement la pauvreté.
Former des sujets démocratiques
Authors: Talpin Julien
Published: September 2013

La multiplication d’instances de démocratie participative vise notamment à créer de nouveaux espaces d’intermédiation capables de jouer un rôle de socialisation politique que les organisations traditionnelles d’encadrement (partis politiques et syndicats) ont de plus en plus de mal à assurer. Les effets de la démocratie participative sur les individus sont cependant contrastés. Si elle permet la formation d’opinions plus éclairées et l’acquisition de savoir-faire politiques, de nombreux participants restent peu affectés, voire font l’objet d’un processus de politisation négative.
9. Le travail des femmes dans la France du XX e siècle
Authors: Maruani Margaret , Meron Monique
Published: September 2013

Qu’est-il arrivé au cours du XX e siècle au travail féminin ? Compter le nombre de femmes au travail dans la France du XX e siècle et conter l’histoire de ces chiffres, tel est le propos de cet article. À partir d’une recherche sur les statistiques du travail, de l’emploi et du chômage des femmes de 1901 à 2011, les auteures tentent de répondre à quelques interrogations élémentaires, mais embarrassantes : les femmes travaillent-elles beaucoup plus en 2010 qu’en 1950, 1920 ou 1901 ? La discontinuité des trajectoires professionnelles des femmes est-elle ancrée dans l’histoire ? Comment la division sociale du travail entre hommes et femmes a-t-elle évolué ? Décryptant sociologiquement l’évolution des statistiques et de leurs définitions au fil des ans et des recensements de la population, les auteures montrent comment le travail des femmes a bien souvent suscité le doute : mécompté, décompté, et parfois recalculé à la faveur d’illusions d’optiques dues à des modifications de frontières statistiques. Réfutant, chiffres à l’appui, le soupçon d’inactivité qui, de façon récurrente, pèse sur les femmes, les auteures mettent en évidence le poids indiscutable de leur activité laborieuse dans le fonctionnement économique, sa remarquable constance, en dépit des crises et des récessions, par-delà les périodes de guerre et d’après-guerre. Jamais moins du tiers, et désormais près de la moitié de la population active : telle est la part des femmes dans le monde professionnel au XX e siècle en France.
14. Le contrat de travail unique : quid pro quo ou simple quiproquo ?
Authors: Lepage-Saucier Nicolas , Schleich Juliette , Wasmer Étienne
Published: September 2013

Bien que peu prisé des syndicats de salariés et des repré­sentants patronaux, le contrat unique reste parado­xa­lement au cœur du débat public. Si le contrat unique semble à première vue être une réponse séduisante pour réduire le dualisme du marché du travail, il ne règle pas pour autant les problèmes liés à la précarité et à l’impact de la protection de l’emploi. Le débat sur ce point cache un quiproquo  : les propositions de contrat unique sous-entendent pour certains l’extinction des contrats temporaires, alors que d’autres envisagent au contraire l’extension de périodes d’essai ou de périodes à droits réduits dans le cadre de CDI (Contrats à durée indéterminée). Les coûts du dualisme pourraient être traités par des politiques alternatives ciblées plus efficaces. De plus, bien que réels, les coûts du dualisme sont moins évidents et moins bien démontrés que ceux engendrés par la protection de l’emploi. Enfin, la suppression des CDD (Contrats à durée déterminée) entraînerait, à protection inchangée, une perte d’emploi importante car tous ces emplois ne seraient pas remplacés par des CDI compte tenu de la prudence à l’embauche des entreprises. Un assouplissement fort de la protection de l’emploi prévue dans ce nouveau contrat unique serait alors nécessaire ( quid pro quo , échange de bons procédés au sens légal). Mais un tel assouplissement peut d’ores et déjà intervenir dans les cadres légaux actuels et n’a pas à être lié à un nouveau contrat : des contreparties en termes d’assurance-chômage ou de formation professionnelle sont également envisageables.
Landforms of mountainous karst in the middle latitudes: reflections, trends and research problems
Authors: Sauro Ugo
Published: September 2013

Research into the landforms of karst highlands in the middle latitudes began in the “Classical Karst” in the 19th century and has been marked by alternating periods of progress and stability since. In the beginning, the elementary morpho-types were recognized, in particular the circular closed depression defined as the “karst doline”. Later the mid-latitude karst forms were compared with those of other climatic zones, especially tropical humid karst. In recent decades many papers have been published on the morphometry, the fillings, and models of the evolution of the surface karst landforms. It has been emphasized that in the mid-latitude karsts the morphogenesis is the result not only of karst solution but also of several other weathering processes such as cryoclastic (frost) action and other periglacial processes. Examination of the main scientific journals dealing with karst and other geomorphology shows that present day research in karst areas is mostly concerned with very specific subjects, such as speleogenesis, hydrogeology, sedimentology, geochemistry, mineralogy, cave biology, unusual landforms: only a minority of papers focus on karst surface landforms, and among these only a few attempt organic and comprehensive studies of the entire assemblage of relief forms in a karst morpho-unit. In reality, it is evident that the surface landform complex in a karst morpho-unit has to be considered in its entirety and that only such an integrated approach to this complex entity may bring significant progress in understanding. The landforms may be considered from different point of views, but always as a part of a holistic approach, in particular: a) in the geodynamic context of the evolution of the particular mountain group, b) as part of a complex geo-ecosystem, c) in the framework of models based on modern geomorphological concepts. Such comprehensive studies carried out by multi- and inter-disciplinary research teams applying the most modern techniques and methodologies will present stimulating challenges not only for progress in karstology but also in all the environmental sciences.
Caves and karst-like features in Proterozoic gneiss and Cambrian granite, southern and central Sri Lanka: An introduction
Authors: R. Osborne L. Armstrong , Weliange Wasantha S. , Jayasingha Pathmakumara , Dandeniya A.S. , P. Algiriya A.K. Prageeth , Pogson Ross E.
Published: September 2013

There has been little study of the geology and geomorphologyof the caves and karst-like features developed in the Proterozoicgneiss and Cambrian granite of Sri Lanka. This lack of studyis surprising given that caves and rockshelters in these rockscontain significant archaeological and cultural sites. Caves andkarren, both mimicking those developed in carbonate rocks,have formed both in gneiss, which is the dominant rock type ofthe Proterozoic crust of the island and in granite. In addition tooverhangs, boulder caves, soil pipes and tectonic caves, tunnelcaves, arch caves and block breakdown caves of significant sizeare developed in siliceous rocks in Sri Lanka. While metamorphoseddolomites are interfoliated within the gneissic suite,simple removal of carbonate by solution from within the surroundingrock cannot account for all or most of the speleogenesisobserved. While spalling and breakdown are responsiblefor cave enlargement cave initiation is probably due to eitherphreatic solution of silicates and/or phantom rock processes.Speleothems and cave minerals including silicates, phosphates,gypsum, carbonates and niter are found in the caves. Activesilicate speleothems are not restricted to joints and fissures andsuggest that solution of silicates is currently occurring withinthe body of the rock in the vadose zone. While guano is thelikely source of the phosphate, sulfate and nitrate, the sourceof the calcium in the carbonates remains unclear. Caves in theintrusive and metamorphic rocks of Sri Lanka are enigmatic.They are unexpectedly similar in appearance to their carbonatekarst counterparts. Continuing research will allow them tohold a mirror to our understanding of speleogenesis, mineralizationand sedimentation in carbonate karst caves.
Paleokarst shafts in the western desert of Egypt: A unique landscape
Authors: Mostafa Ashraf
Published: September 2013

Paleokarst shafts in the western desert of Egypt: A unique landscapeThe Eocene limestone plateau of the Western Desert of Egypt has various karst features, including shafts created during ancient wet periods. These Paleokarst shafts have been investigated on the plateau to the west of the Nile valley, specifically northwest of Assiut. Most of these shafts are infilled by conglomerate (cemented flint, red soil and limestone chips) and appear as pockets in limestone hills. The morphology of the shafts and the characteristics of their infillings suggest that they developed in vadose zone at the base of epikarst limits. This stage probably took place from the end of Early Eocene to the Middle Miocene. A later, different stage of water erosion occurred, most probably during Pliocene/Pleistocene period. This stage led to remove the epikarst zone, and reshaped the area to create a hilly landscape penetrated by infilled shafts.Keywords: Egypt, the Western Desert, karst, shafts, epikarst.
Analysis of "standard" (Lipica) lemestone tablets and their weathering by carbonate staining and SEM imaging, a case study on the Vis island, Croatia
Authors: Krklec Kristina , Marjanac Tihomir , Perica Dražen
Published: September 2013

This paper focuses on the evolution and patterns of microscale weathering forms and dissolution rates of “standard” (Lipica) limestone tablets. Analysis of carbonate weathering using combination of methods (quantitative analysis by the weight loss of "standard" tablets, and qualitative analysis of the weathered surfaces by stained acetate peels and SEM imaging) showed that dissolution takes place not only at the surface of limestone tablets, but also along voids and cavities in limestone tablets which makes total weathering surface larger than the area of the tablet surface. Dissolution is more pronounced on the micritic calcite surfaces (due to different dissolution kinetics of carbonate minerals), resulting in lowering of the surface (calcite matrix) which causes gradual unburial and removal of authigenic dolomite grains.
Hydrodynamic modeling of a complex karst-alluvial aquifer: case study of Prijedor Groundwater Source, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Polomčić Dušan , Dragišić Veselin , Živanović Vladimir
Published: September 2013

Middle Triassic fractured and karstified limestone and dolomite form a karst aquifer in the Sana River Valley near the town of Prijedor. As a result of intensive tectonic movements, carbonate rocks are mostly below the Sana River level, covered by younger Pliocene and alluvial deposits. The main source of groundwater recharge is infiltration from the Sana River through its alluvium over most of the aquifer. The main objective of the research reported in this paper was to evaluate the hydraulic relationships of the alluvial, Pliocene and karst aquifers in order to better understand the water supply potential of the karst aquifer. Although the use of hydrodynamic modeling is not very common with karst aquifers, the developed model provided significant and useful information on the groundwater budget and recharge type. The influence of fault zones and spatial anisotropy of the karst aquifer were simulated on the hydrodynamic model by varying permeability on the x- and y-axes of the Cartesian coordinate system with respect to the fault, the main pathway of groundwater circulation. Representative hydraulic conductivities were Kx = 2.3·10-3 m/s and Ky = 5.0·10-3 m/s in the faults of NW to SE direction, and Kx = 2.5·10-3 m/s and Ky 1.2·10-3 m/s in the faults of SW to NE trend. Model research showed that the karst aquifer can be used in the long term at maximal tested capacities and that current groundwater exploitation is not compromised in dry periods when the water budget depends entirely on recharge from the Sana River.
Karst aquifer average catchment area assessment through monthly water balance equation with limited meteorological data set: Application to Grza spring in Eastern Serbia
Authors: Ristić Vakanjac Vesna , Prohaska Stevan , Polomčić Dušan , Blagojević Borislava , Vakanjac Boris
Published: September 2013

In the absence of detailed exploration of karstic catchments, the calculation of available reserves and elements of the water balance equation frequently reflect the topographic size of the catchment area, and not the actual, active (underground) size. The two differ largely where karst is concerned. The paper deals with the problem of average catchment area size estimation in the situation when meteorological data are limited to precipitation and temperature, but discharge records are available for long period. Proposed methodology was applied to, calibrated, and validated on 15 karst springs in Serbia. Results obtained with the model differ up to 20% from hydrogeological exploration results. One of investigated springs is Grza karst spring, which belongs to the karstic formation of Kučaj and Beljanica (the Carpatho-Balkanide Arch of Eastern Serbia). In this paper, we used the Grza Spring to show model application and necessary improvements to progress from graphoanalytical to analytical model. The average catchment area is linked to the model parameter that reduces potential to real evapotranspiration on monthly bases. The model potential lies in the possibility to determine not only catchment area, but real evapotranspiration and dynamic volume of the porous - karst groundwater storage as well.
Ivan Gams – karstologist
Authors: Kranjc Andrej
Published: September 2013

Academician Ivan Gams is Slovenia's best known researcher of karst and the most prolific author of works on karst. During his first job at the Institute of Geography of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, he started researching the karst surface and underground. He published several in-depth publications on karst caves, the most well-known being the studies of the shaft Triglavsko brezno in the 1960's. Right from the beginning, he focused on issues to which he then dedicated more or less his whole life − and which were also widely recognized by professional public both at home and abroad −, namely corrosion intensity determined by the hardness of water and the discharges of karst rivers and springs, and the method of limestone tablets. Within the geomorphology of karst, Gams was mostly dealing with the karst polje, especially its definition and evolution.
The spatial structures of Europe
Authors: Kincses Áron , Nagy Zoltán , Tóth Géza
Published: September 2013

Our study aims at describing the spatial structure of Europe with spatial moving average, potential model and the bidimensional regression analysis based on gravity model. Many theoretical and practical works aim at describing the spatial structure of Europe. Partly zones, axes and formations, partly polycentric models appear in the literature. We illustrate their variegation by listing, without any claim to completeness (since that could be the subject of another study), a part of them. Based on our examinations, the engraving of the structures that we described can be seen. The position of the core area of EU countries clearly justifies the banana shape and in relation to it, the catching up regions take shape in several areas.
Slovenia as the Natural Park of Europe? Territorial Impact Assessment in the Case of Natura 2000
Authors: Marot Naja , Kolarič Špela , Golobič Mojca
Published: September 2013

The implementation of Natura 2000 is causing difficulties in the EU’s Member States, including Slovenia. In addition to the positive environmental it also results in the negative economic, social, and governance-administrative effects. To prevent similar quandaries in adopting and implementing EU policies, the project ESPON EATIA developed a participatory process for the territorial impact assessment. Testing the Habitat Directive has shown that in addition to the positive effects regarding the conservation of biodiversity, the directive represents a major obstacle for the economy and the delivery of investments. At the same time it represents the potential of the area for tourism and opportunity for the development of new industries. The regulation contributes to a better quality of life, but also extends the spatial planning procedures and conflicts between investors and the local community. This approach has proven to be an appropriate medium for the exchange of experiences of various stakeholders who are involved in either the preparation or the implementation of the rules and as the proper tool for the global assessment of the effects of selected EU regulation.
Europe's landscape hotspots
Authors: Ciglič Rok , Perko Drago
Published: September 2013

The main purpose of this analysis is to identify places in Europe that can be described as very diverse according to various natural landscape types or landscape regions. In order to obtain these “hotspots,” several geographical divisions of Europe were examined. The analysis was performed for most of Europe at 5 km resolution. First, maps of landscape variety were produced based on each division of Europe taken into account. This step was carried out for each cell by counting the number of different unique natural landscape types or regions that are present in a radius of 50 km around the cell. Several maps of landscape diversity were produced using this method. Each of them was then weighted; the cell values were divided by the number of all unique types or regions in a division. In the final stage, all of the maps were synthesized (averaged) into one map showing landscape diversity for Europe. With this data it was possible to determine Europe’s landscape hotspots and to define the most naturally heterogeneous countries. Among all of the European countries, Slovenia has the highest average landscape diversity; the highest absolute landscape diversity is located in the Norwegian part of southern Scandinavia.
Contribution of Ivan Gams to Slovenia's Regional Geography and Regionalization
Authors: Perko Drago
Published: September 2013

The Slovenian geographer Ivan Gams made his greatest research contribution in the second half of the twentieth century, when regional geography was primarily characterized by a decline in its theory and exceptional development of its methodology. In recent years, the role of thematic cartography and related geographic information systems has been strengthening, and the humanist(ic) component of regional geography has been emphasized. In Slovenia, regional geography gained new impetus with the country’s independence in 1991. Gams enriched Slovenian regional geography especially through various regionalization schemes for Slovenia and secondary-school textbooks, as the leader of a long-standing regional geography research project, and as an advisor to junior researchers in regional geography.
Abandoned water resources as potential sources of drinking water – the Korentan karst spring near Postojna
Authors: Ravbar Nataša , Kovačič Gregor , Marín Ana Isabel
Published: September 2013

In the area of the Orehek karst intrinsic vulnerability maps of groundwater and the Korentan karst spring, hazard maps and risk to contamination map have been made using Slovene Approach. For this purpose cartographic and other published data on geological, geomorphological, pedological, hydrological and meteorological characteristics have been gathered and extensive field inventory of the missing geomorphological and pedological characteristics has been made. Publically available land use and census data have been examined and checked in the field, manure heaps and illegal waste dumps have been mapped. The final thematic maps are excellent tools for national and local authorities when planning water protection and land use. The presented study in the catchment of an actual water source is an example of good practice of the revival of the in the past abandoned water sources that can in the future serve as a substitution water source in case of main water source overexploitation or contamination.
Four windows on Borderlands: Dimensions of place defined by land cover change data from historical maps
Authors: Ribeiro Daniela , Ellis Burnet Julia , Torkar Gregor
Published: September 2013

Perceptions of land cover changes from four areas located on the borderlands of Prekmurje, north-eastern Slovenia were determined from a set of historical maps. The principle goals of this research were the calculation of changes in area of land cover categories and analysis of the stability of the study areas from the perspective of land cover. Two approaches were applied to the map analysis: “stability mapping” followed by proportions of different land cover categories determined by time series cartography. Finally, these approaches were triangulated with ground truthing. The results presented demonstrate conclusively that the studied region maintained relatively stability although over several centuries inhabitants withdrew very slightly from both natural boundaries and political borders. As “windows” into the environmental psychology of borderland perception, each small site studied revealed some specifically localised characteristic.
Tourism index as an indicator of the intensity of tourism
Authors: Aubert Antal , Jónás-Berki Mónika , Marton Gergely
Published: September 2013

Tourism index is an indicator that demonstrates the market positions of settlements, on the basis of aggregating the demand and supply databases of the tourism market. A novelty of this methodology is that it allows the demonstration of the touristic performance of different settlements and regions with the application of one index. The purpose of our study is to demonstrate the theoretical background of the indicator and its application at the settlement and territorial levels of the Hungarian tourism sector. In addition to the index values it is also possible to monitor the further environmental relations system of tourism, including correlations with the settlement network or special geographical areas. The index also allows geographical and spatial development/regional typification and classification.