bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Composições tecidual e química do lombo de cordeiros alimentados com rações contendo semente de girassol em comedouros privativos
Authors: Macedo Vicente de Paulo , Garcia Cledson Augusto , Silveira Antônio Carlos , Monteiro Alda Lúcia Gomes , Macedo Francisco de Assis Fonseca de , Spers Rodolfo Cláudio
Published: April 2009

O experimento foi realizado objetivando avaliar a composição tecidual e química do músculo Longissimus dorsi de cordeiros Suffolk alimentados em comedouros privativos com ração contendo 0; 6,60; 13,20 ou 19,80% de semente de girassol. Ao nascer, os cordeiros foram numerados, pesados e distribuídos aleatoriamente nos piquetes compondo quatro repetições por tratamento em um total de 16 cordeiros. As rações continham 2,65; 2,78; 2,89 ou 2,93 Mcal/kg de energia metabolizável e 18,38; 18,75; 19,98 ou 21,18% de proteína bruta e foram fornecidas à vontade aos cordeiros. Os cordeiros foram pesados a cada 14 dias e mantidos com as ovelhas até atingirem o peso vivo de abate pré-estabelecido (28 kg). As carcaças foram mantidas durante 24 horas na câmara frigorífica a 5ºC e, posteriormente, foram seccionadas em sete regiões anatômicas para coleta dos lombos esquerdo e direito e obtenção, no músculo Longissimus dorsi, do peso dos componentes do lombo (músculo, osso e gordura) e da composição química e do perfil de ácidos graxos do músculo, do osso e da gordura. A semente de girassol influenciou o peso total do lombo, os pesos de músculo e tecido conjuntivo e o rendimento do tecido conjuntivo. O aumento no percentual de semente de girassol na ração diminuiu a quantidade dos ácidos láurico e palmítico (saturados) e aumentou a dos ácidos oléico e linoléico (insaturados). A qualidade nutricional da carne dos cordeiros melhora com aumento da utilização de semente de girassol na dieta.
Obscuritasand the Closet: Queer Neobaroque in Mexico
Authors: Oropesa Salvador A.
Published: April 2009

During the Baroque period, Luis De GÓngora y Argote (1561–1627) wrote the first Spanish-language closeted literature. Some three hundred years later, the challenging originality of his closet verse, openly studied and appreciated by a cultured, intellectual elite, played a pivotal role in the development of homosexual literature in the early-twentieth-century avant-garde movements of Spain and Latin America. This essay will briefly explore how twentieth-century Mexican avant-garde writers expressed the closet using baroque models. The thesis is that the rhetorical strategies ofobscuritasprovided Góngora an ideal instrument for representing the closet, which in literature is defined as a symbolic space that allows writers to represent and readers to recognize homosexuality in a heterosexual context. The pertinentOEDdefinition ofclosetas an adjective reads, “secret, covert, used esp. with reference to homosexuality” (“Closet”). This recognized use ofobscuritasis validated further in the observations of the Peruvian colonial writer Espinosa Medrano, one of Góngora's seventeenth-century commentators, who epitomizes the consolidation of baroque aesthetics in Hispanic America by the criollo elite. The final chapter in this tour of the baroque closet will examine how the Mexican avant-garde became aware ofobscuritasthrough Federico García Lorca's Gongorine lectures and poetry.
Simone de Beauvoir, the Paradoxical Intellectual
Authors: Kritzman Lawrence D.
Published: April 2009

In the ethics of ambiguity (1947), Simone De Beauvoir suggests that to be human is to be subject to change and contradiction. Paradox, she claimed, was the only truth concerning human existence because of the tension created between mortality and the desire to give meaning to life. “Death,” Beauvoir suggests, “challenges our existence. … [I]t also gives meaning to our life” (Prime 731). Unlike Albert Camus, however, she clearly refuses to conceive of existence as absurd. “To declare existence absurd is to deny that I can ever be given meaning; to say that it is ambiguous is to assert that its meaning is never fixed” (Ethics 129). Recognizing the facticity created by the inevitability of death and the constraints death imposes on existence, she implores us, nevertheless, to seize our freedom and give meaning to it through ethical acts.
Ambiguity and Certitude in Simone de Beauvoir's Politics
Authors: Kruks Sonia
Published: April 2009

Simone De Beauvoir's political writings pose a puzzle. Politics is the stuff of much of her fictional and autobiographical, as well as more philosophical and sociotheoretical, work. Across all these genres she repeatedly explored the ethical and epistemological ambiguities that political action presents. That is, she wrote continually about politics. But she also sometimes wrote to intervene in politics, and when she did so, she wrote in a strikingly different manner. The writings she intended as political interventions are stridently opinionated and judgmental; they do not attend to nuances or complexities, and they stand in stark contrast to her embrace of ambiguity elsewhere. Why, I want to ask, this striking difference? And what is its significance?
“A Scandalous Woman”? Beauvoir in Paris, January 2008
Authors: Suleiman Susan Rubin
Published: April 2009

Simone De Beauvoir, France's most famous woman intellectual, was born in paris on 9 January 1908. Exactly one hundred years later, Paris gave her a birthday party: an international conference presided over by another famous woman intellectual, Julia Kristeva. The conference, held during 9–11 January in the remains of a Franciscan convent that the city bequeathed to the University of Paris, attracted a large crowd despite the rainy weather and the drafty Gothic hall, where you had to sit in your winter coat. At the opening and closing sessions, two of Nicolas Sarkozy's female ministers made an appearance; in between, the speakers included celebrities who had known Beauvoir (most notably the maker of the film Shoah, Claude Lanzmann, who was her young lover in the 1950s and who now edits the journal she and Sartre founded, Les temps modernes), well-known writers and journalists, activists in the women's movement who had worked with Beauvoir in the last years of her life, and old friends, who shared their reminiscences, as well as translators of her works and scholars young and old from all over the world. Beauvoir's adopted daughter and literary executor, Sylvie Le Bon de Beauvoir, was in attendance throughout the proceedings; all in all, more than fifty people participated in the program. The first Simone de Beauvoir Prize for Women's Freedom was awarded to two women writers known for their courageous critiques of Islamic fundamentalism: the Somalian Ayaan Hirsi Ali and the Bangladeshi Taslina Nasreen, who could not be there in person but who sent greetings. There were film screenings in the evenings, a “cocktail” at City Hall, and a concluding banquet at La Coupole, where Beauvoir had lunched with Sartre every day for many years.
Beauvoir and the Risks of Freedom
Authors: Kristeva Julia
Published: April 2009

Julia Kristeva's recent interest in the work of Simone De Beauvoir stems from a concern to identify transformative possibilities in the “society of the spectacle”—a term Kristeva appropriates from Guy Debord to diagnose contemporary society's reduction of personal identity, sociality, and meaning to the status of mere representation. Over the last fifteen years, the spectacle constitutes one of the central notions employed by Kristeva to measure the significance of twentieth-century figures as diverse as Sigmund Freud, Marcel Proust, Jean-Paul Sartre, Louis Aragon, and Roland Barthes (discussed in The Sense and Non-sense of Revolt and Intimate Revolt), as well as the three women she addresses in her biographical trilogy on female genius—Hannah Arendt, Melanie Klein, and Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. In 1996, in The Sense and Non-sense of Revolt, Kristeva promised to return to the work of Beauvoir in the light of her analyses of Sartrean revolt. The past several years have begun to fulfill that promise. In 2002 Kristeva dedicated the conclusion to her trilogy on female genius to Beauvoir, and in 2003 she presented a lecture entitled “Beauvoir présente,” subsequently included in La haine et le pardon in 2005. The essay published here was presented in January 2008 as the keynote lecture at a conference in celebration of Beauvoir's centenary, which was initiated by a committee from the University of Paris 7 chaired by Kristeva.
What's So Funny about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Authors: Cefalu Paul
Published: April 2009

During the past several decades, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been widely represented in novels, memoirs, film, television, and other genres and media. What distinguishes representations of OCD from depictions of other mental disorders is the frequency with which OCD is treated with humor and levity. Drawing on genre theory, disability studies, and philosophies of humor, this essay explains why OCD symptomatology evokes laughter and resonates with contemporary popular culture. The essay focuses on the ways in which popular portrayals of OCD distort the actual experience of the disorder.
Measuring Response with FDG-PET: Methodological Aspects
Authors: Allen-Auerbach Martin , Weber Wolfgang A.
Published: April 2009

The use of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) for the evaluation of tumor response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy has been studied in a number of malignancies. By imaging tumor metabolism and therapy-related changes, FDG-PET has demonstrated advantages over anatomical imaging in the assessment of treatment response. More recent investigations have indicated that FDG-PET can predict tumor response early during the course of therapy, potentially allowing for early treatment adjustments. The aim of this review is to provide oncologists with a basic knowledge of the practical aspects of PET quantification for treatment.
Briefing: ICE looks to help civil engineers achieve best practice
Authors: Chapman Tim , Heward-Mills Leon
Published: April 2009

The institution of civil engineers (ICE) has commissioned a survey to find out what civil engineers are doing to identify and achieve best practice beyond simple google searches, and what more ICE can do to help. Tim Chapman, chairman of ICE's best-practice panel and Leon Heward-Mills, ICE publisher, report on the initial findings.
Seeing the big picture in structural engineering
Authors: Chen Wai-Fah
Published: April 2009

This paper sets out to provide a ‘big-picture’ guide to the major advances in structural engineering design that have taken place over the last five decades. Rapid advances in computer technology during this period have spurred the development of structural calculations, ranging from the simple strength-of-materials approach in the 1950s, to the finite-element type of structural analysis for design in more recent years, and to the modern development of scientific simulation and visualisation for structural problems in the years to come. The paper concludes that the continually emerging nature of structural engineering and its associated codes of practice offers an exciting career, balancing idealisations of scientific theory with engineering reality and employing the latest computing technology.
Health Risk Behaviors and Mental Health Problems as Mediators of the Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Adult Health
Authors: Chartier Mariette J. , Walker John R. , Naimark Barbara
Published: April 2009

Objectives. We examined the relationship between childhood abuse and adult health risk behaviors, and we explored whether adult health risk behaviors or mental health problems mediated the relationship between childhood abuse and adult health problems and health care utilization.

Methods. We used logistic regression to analyze data from the Mental Health Supplement of the Ontario Health Survey, a representative population sample (N = 8116) of respondents aged 15 to 64 years.

Results. We found relationships between childhood sexual abuse and smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16, 1.99), alcohol problems (OR = 2.44; 95% CI = 1.74, 3.44), obesity (OR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.14, 2.27), having more than 1 sexual partner in the previous year (OR = 2.34; 95% CI = 1.44, 3.80), and mental health problems (OR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.78. 2.87). We also found relationships between these factors (with the exception of obesity) and childhood physical abuse. Mediation analysis suggested that health risk behaviors and particularly mental health problems are partial mediators of the relationship between childhood abuse and adult health.

Conclusions. Public health approaches that aim to decrease child abuse by supporting positive parent–child relationships, reducing the development of health risk behaviors, and addressing children's mental health are likely to improve long-term population health.
Factors Associated With the Sexual Behavior of Canadian Aboriginal Young People and Their Implications for Health Promotion
Authors: Devries Karen M. , Free Caroline J. , Morison Linda , Saewyc Elizabeth
Published: April 2009

Objectives. We examined factors associated with having ever had sex, having more than 1 lifetime sexual partner, and condom nonuse at last incident of sexual intercourse among Canadian Aboriginal young people.

Methods. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the 2003 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey, a cross-sectional survey of young people in grades 7 through 12.

Results. Of 1140 young Aboriginal men, 34% had ever had sex; of these, 63% had had more than 1 sexual partner, and 21% had not used a condom at their last incident of sexual intercourse. Of 1336 young Aboriginal women, 35% had ever had sex; of these, 56% had had more than 1 sexual partner, and 41% had not used a condom at their last incident of sexual intercourse. Frequent substance use, having been sexually abused, and having lived on a land reservation were strongly associated with sexual behavior outcomes. Feeling connected to family was strongly associated with increased condom use.

Conclusions. Sexual behavior change interventions for Aboriginal young people must move beyond the individual and incorporate interpersonal and structural dimensions. Interventions to reduce substance use and sexual abuse and promote feelings of family connectedness in this population should be explored. Young people living on land reserves need special attention.
Investigating artificial groundwater recharge to ensure the water supply to the city of Graz
Authors: Tischendorf Wilhelm , Kupfersberger Hans , Schilling Christian , Gabriel Oliver
Published: April 2009

Being Austria's fourth largest water-supply company, the Grazer Stadtwerke AG., has ensured the successful water-supply of the Styrian capital with 250.000 inhabitants for many years. The average daily water demand of the area amounts to about 50,000 m3. Approximately 30 % of the total demand is covered by the bulk water supply from the Zentral Wasser Versorgung Hochschwab Süd. The waterworks Friesach and Andritz, which cover the additional 70 % of the water demand, operate by means of artificial groundwater recharge plants where horizontal filter wells serve as drawing shafts. The groundwater recharge systems serve to increase the productivity of the aquifer and to reduce the share of the infiltration from the Mur River. Protection areas have been identified to ensure that the water quality of the aquifer stay at optimal levels. The protection areas are divided into zones indicating various restrictions for usage and planning. Two respective streams serve as the source for the water recharge plants. Different infiltration systems are utilised. Each of the various artificial groundwater recharge systems displays specific advantages and disadvantages in terms of operation as well as maintenance.

In order to secure a sustainable drinking water supply the recharge capacity will be increased. Within an experimental setting different mixtures of top soils are investigated with respect to infiltration and retention rates and compared to the characteristics of the existing basins. It can be shown that the current operating sand basin with more than 90% grains in the range between 0.063 and 6.3 mm represents the best combination of infiltration and retention rates. In future experiments the performance of alternative grain size distributions as well as planting the top soil will be tested. Additionally, in order to optimize the additional groundwater recharge structures the composition of the subsurface water regarding its origin is statistically analyzed.
Real-Time Efficiency Monitoring for Wastewater Aeration Systems
Authors: Leu Shao-Yuan , Rosso Diego , Jiang Pan , Larson Lory E. , Stenstrom Michael K.
Published: April 2009

Aeration is the most energy intensive unit operation in municipal wastewater treatment. To improve oxygen transfer rate, fine-pore diffusers have been wildly applied in aeration practice. However, during operation, this type of diffuser suffers from fouling and scaling problems, which cause a rapid decline in aeration performance and significant increase in energy consumption. Diffusers must be cleaned periodically to reduce energy costs. The cleaning frequency of diffusers is site-specific, and can be evaluated by oxygen transfer efficiency (OTE) measurements over time in operation. Off-gas testing is the only technique that directly measures oxygen transfer efficiency in real-time. This paper presents a time-series of off-gas measurements which demonstrate the value of implementing energy-conservation practices. Our results include the real-time prediction of plant load and alpha factors from off-gas testing, as well as the quantification of the increased energy costs caused by fouling. Our off-gas analyzer can be used to develop an aeration efficiency monitoring protocols, and an aeration feedback control system for blowers.
Strategic asset management planning of stormwater drainage systems
Authors: Kannapiran A. , Chanan A. , Singh G. , Tambosis P. , Jeyakumaran J. , Kandasamy J.
Published: April 2009

Management of the urban water cycle in an integrated manner is an essential task to protect, restore and enhance in a sustainable manner. Strategic asset management planing is being developed as local government authorities face many challenges associated with managing the urban water cycle system. Statistical or conventional mathematical modelling approach has been found not practical for assessment of deteriorating infrastructures. Alternatively, application of fuzzy-based models is found more suitable as it links engineering judgment, experience and scarce field data of the deteriorating assets. In this study, a representative network of buried stormwater system's data is drawn and a pipe condition index is derived by linking the field data and reasoning using fuzzy approach. The inferred results are found to be useful and relevant for asset maintenance and future development programs.
Treatment Spent Filter Backwash Water using Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) in Isfahan WTP
Authors: Mahmoodian Mohammad Hassan , Amin Mohammad Mehdi , Shahmansouri Mohammad Reza , Ghasemian Mohammad
Published: April 2009

Recovering spent filter backwash water is currently receiving a great deal of attention. EPA published the Filter Backwash-Recycling Rule (FBRR) in 2001. Recycle stream may contain significant concentration of pathogens, such as, cryptosporidium and Giardia. Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) was investigated as a possible technology alternative to simple or advanced sedimentation technology. In this study with using a pilot of DAF effluent turbidities of >20NTU could be easily obtained, when raw water turbidities were in excess of 800 NTU. Chemical requirements were low with only a single low dose of polyaluminium chloride (PACl) required binding the floc particles to form a solids matrix suitable for flotation. The results showed that the efficiency of continuous flow DAF with using PACl as coagulant for removal of Turbidity, COD, HPC, SS and MPN were 97, 72, 75, 95 and 100 percent, respectively. The statistical analyses indicated that the optimum saturation pressure is 4-5 atm, during recycle rate of 20-25 percent. The removal efficiencies of turbidity and bacteria in coagulation with sedimentation were reported up to 70 and 65 percent, while in this study using DAF with coagulant PACl could remove turbidity, COD, SS and bacterial up to 97,72, 95 and, 72 percent respectively.
The Use of ASM based Models for the Simulation of Biological Sludge Reduction Processes
Authors: Johnson Bruce R. , Daigger Glen T. , Novak John T.
Published: April 2009

The advent of sludge reduction technologies that are capable of significantly reducing sludge production from wastewater treatment facilities has garnered much interest from the wastewater treatment profession. As part of CH2M HILL's effort to better understand the mechanisms behind these processes, a research effort was completed that was focused on developing an ASM based model which adequately reflects the performance of the Cannibal® Sludge Reduction process by Siemens.

A modification is proposed of the standard ASM 2d model to capture the effects of biological sludge reduction used in the Cannibal Solids Reduction process. This model is able to capture the essential aspects of this system and provides a more quantitative method for the sizing and performance of these types of systems.

The primary components of this modification include separation of the microbiological decay products from the traditional particulate inert fraction, and into a separate particulate decay product for aerobic/anoxic microbes (XDAA). A new process rate is included in the model for anaerobic “hydrolysis” of XDAA to XS.

The results were compared against the experience of Siemens on a wide range conditions. The results indicate that this model predicts operating characteristics of the Cannibal process with a reasonable level of accuracy.
Assessing the Performance of Small Scale Greywater Treatment Systems under Controlled Laboratory Conditions
Authors: Toifl Melissa , Diaper Clare , O'Halloran Roger
Published: April 2009

A comparison of chemical versus biological package greywater treatment systems was undertaken using a new laboratory based protocol that included a synthetic greywater formulation that mimics average bathroom and laundry greywater in Australia. The results for chemical, nutrient and metals removal showed that the treatment systems behaved very differently under the test conditions. The chemical system was able to remove most of the components of greywater that could be detrimental to the environment and produced high quality product water. The biological system was only able to remove some of the components of the greywater, and did not produce the same quality of product water. However, the product water quality was found to improve continually over the duration of testing. It was concluded that for the current composition of Australian greywater the chemical based technology produced the highest quality product but that other environmental costs, such as chemical use and energy also need to be assessed. If greywater compositions change with the use of more biodegradable, low environmental impact personal care and cleaning products, biological treatment systems may be better suited to treating greywater in the future.
Fingerprint of odour creation potential of sludge treatment
Authors: Lazarova V. , Bouchy L. , Senante E. , Aupetitgendre M. , Harry J.P. , Venot S. , Dauthuille P.
Published: April 2009

Recent sludge regulations in Europe have driven to build many composting and drying sites over the last few years. Within the framework of the respect of sustainable development, one of the main challenges of design and operation of such sludge treatment facilities is the control of odour nuisance. In fact, odour emissions are characterized by high variations from one site to another depending on numerous factors, including sludge composition, process design, environmental conditions, etc. Within this context, a campaign of 16 field trials was launched on several Suez Environment composting and drying sites with the objective to built a new tool for evaluation of odour creation potential of wastewater sludge. Various types of sludges were treated on different types of industrial composting and drying reactors. In each case, the reactor was monitored throughout the sludge treatment and the following compounds analysed: sulphur compounds (H2S, mercaptans, sulfides), nitrogenous compounds (ammonia and amines), aldehydes, ketones, Volatile Fatty Acids, alcohols, VOCs and odours. This work has enabled to understand the mechanisms of odour emissions involved, which are essential for the creation of adequate tools for anticipating odorous nuisance from the very first stages of a project, as well as helping with the everyday operation.
Fouling Development in Full-Scale Reverse Osmosis Process
Authors: Tran T. , Bolto B. , Gray S. , Hoang M. , Ostarcevic E.
Published: April 2009

The fouling of a reverse osmosis membrane after one year of service in a brackish water treatment plant was investigated. It has been found that the extent of fouling was uneven across the membrane surface with regions underneath or near the strands of the feed spacer being more severely affected. This is attributed to the local variations in the hydrodynamic conditions, partly due to the effect of the feed spacer. Microscopic examination of the cross-sections of the fouled membrane revealed that the fouling developed through different stages as suggested by the multi-layered structure of the surface deposits. In particular, the initial fouling stage involved the formation of a surface layer less than about 7 μm thick which consisted of an amorphous matrix comprising organic–Al–P complexes with embedded particulate matter, mostly aluminium silicates. Subsequent fouling involved the deposition of further amorphous material on top of the existing fouling layer. This secondary amorphous material did not seem to contain any particulate matter nor any inorganic elements, and is suggested to include extracellular polymeric substances. As the fouling proceeded further, aluminium silicate crystals started to grow exclusively on top of the secondary amorphous material in the absence of other foulants.
Reliability Improvements in Sewage Pumping Using Diagnosis with active Reaction
Authors: Thamsen P.U. , Lee A. , Oesterle M.
Published: April 2009

The presentation deals with a new approach in diagnosis systems especially for sewage pumping stations. Special focus lies on reducing operational problems due to clogging within the pumping system. Whereas actual Diagnosis systems just give out warnings about operational or mechanical problems, the new developed system is able to initiate automatically an adequate reaction to avoid or remove clogging. Reactions are done by the existing components or with special electrical/mechanical actors, both controlled by the diagnosis front end or by pump control software. The automatically reaction is integrated in upcoming complex remote control systems for sewage pumping systems of medium to large size cities. Increasing reliability and reducing energy consumption result in overall better economy.
Cautionary Tales from the Clinton Administration: First Year Lessons the New Democratic President Can Learn from the Last One
Authors: Estes Todd
Published: April 2009

This article examines the first year of the Clinton presidency and identifies the internal and external factors that led to problems and low approval ratings. It then analyzes the incoming Obama administration along the same lines and evaluates Clinton's first-year experiences as a series of cautionary tales that could help Obama avoid repeating the same mistakes at the outset of his administration.
Presidential Voting and the Local Variability of Economic Hardship
Authors: Cho Wendy K. Tam , Gimpel James G.
Published: April 2009

We examine variations in the impact of several components of economic hardship on the 2008 presidential vote by county. High gas prices, mounting foreclosures, and rising unemployment all enhance the Democratic vote share in areas critical to winning an Electoral College majority. Using Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), however, we show the varying impact of these forces, controlling for previous Democratic voting, race, age, and income. Economic problems do not produce anything like a uniform response, and not merely because they are geographically uneven in their intensity. Some populations hit by economic downturn would not have voted for the incumbent's party under any circumstances, while others supported the in-party in spite of hard times. Even so, the combined weight of rising jobless claims and escalating foreclosures was sufficiently unsettling in key states to make for an early call on Election Night.
Obama's Ethics Agenda: The Challenge of Coordinated Change
Authors: Thompson Dennis F.
Published: April 2009

Obama's "ethics agenda" is the most ambitious ever set out by a new administration. It promises a tougher approach not only to the usual problems such as conflict of interest and the revolving door, but also to broader challenges such as political influence on career officials and lack of transparency in government. The goals of the agenda are a step forward insofar as they focus more on improving the democratic process than disciplining political miscreants. But the means relied on to carry out the goals are less impressive. They perpetuate a major deficiency of the current ethics regimeits disjointedness, which undermines the transparency and accountability necessary for a robust democracy. What is needed is a coordinated approach, led from the White House itself, that takes a more comprehensive view of ethics regulation throughout the government.
Fiscal Retrenchment and Social Assistance in Canada
Authors: Kneebone Ronald D. , White Katherine G.
Published: April 2009

This paper exploits the fact that a confluence of events in the mid-1990s caused Canadian provincial governments to re-examine the design of their social-assistance programs. Three provinces in particular—Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario—chose to introduce substantial changes to the administrative procedures by which applicants applied to gain, and maintain, access to social assistance. We identify the relative contributions of economic influences, cuts to social-assistance benefits, and new administrative procedures on the fraction of the population eligible for social assistance.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Privatization of Canadian National Railway
Authors: Boardman Anthony E. , Laurin Claude , Moore Mark A. , Vining Aidan R.
Published: April 2009

This article uses cost-benefit analysis to estimate the welfare gains from the privatization of Canadian National Railway (CN) in November 1995, one of the largest rail privatizations in history. It also shows how these gains have been distributed among consumers, producers, and government, and between Canadians and non-Canadians. The article uses the costs of Canadian Pacific Railway to create a more credible comparison than in previous privatization studies. Based on a conservative counterfactual, we estimate that CN's privatization generated welfare gains of at least $4 billion (in 1992 dollars). However, the welfare gain was possibly as high as $15 billion. The Canadian government captured almost half of these gains, while CN shareholders captured most of the rest.
Strength and endurance of skeletal muscle in the elderly
Authors: Vandervoort Anthony A. , Hayes Keith C. , Blanger Alain
Published: April 2009

This review describes the reductions and limitations in skeletal muscle function associated with the normal aging process. Specific attention has been given to changes in muscle strength and muscle endurance, as well as to the effects of strength-training programs on the elderly. It is concluded from the literature that, although healthy old people achieve high levels of muscle activation in tests of voluntary strength, a loss of motoneurons and skeletal muscle fibres with aging appears to cause a gradual decline of muscle strength after the sixth decade. In association with that lowered strength, there is some reduction of muscle endurance for heavy lifting and carrying tasks. Whether the inherent fatiguability of muscle is altered in the elderly is currently a controversial issue. The recent introduction of innovative physical programs for the disabled or sedentary elderly, in the form of specific strengthening exercises, dance, and physical hobbies appears to be promising as a means for improving muscle function. So far, most research on aging has been limited to healthy men and women from 60 to 80 years of age; there is a continuing need for more information on the very old, including those in health institutions.
A randomized controlled trial of flexion exercises, education, and bed rest for patients with acute low back pain
Authors: Evans Cathy
Published: April 2009

A randomized control trial of back flexion exercises, education and bed rest was carried out to determine the effects on subjects with low back pain. Two hundred and sixty subjects and 22 family physicians participated in the study. Subjects were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups: back flexion exercises and education program; exercise/education plus bed rest; bed rest alone; or a control group. Subjects in the bed rest groups were instructed to remain in bed for a minimum of four days. Subjects in the exercise/education groups were taught a standardized back flexion exercise program by a physiotherapist and instructed in back care techniques. Results demonstrated that subjects who received flexion exercises and education were able to stop their medication sooner than the bed rest and control groups. No other statistically significant difference in pain, activities of daily living, straight leg rise (SLR), or lumbar flexion was observed among the four treatment groups.
Balance and its measure in the elderly: a review
Authors: Berg Katherine
Published: April 2009

The ability to balance is closely related to funtional status and safety. It is of particular concern in the elderly as balance may be impaired due to disease or aging. The primary objective of this paper is to review existing laboratory and clinical measures of balance. To facilitate this review, the dimensions of balance and the properties of good measurement are described. Situations requiring balance can be divided into three general classifications: maintenance of a position, postural adjustment to voluntary movements, and reactions to external stresses. This complex motor skill may be viewed from a biomechanical, a neurophysiological, or a functional perspective. In the laboratory, investigators have measured sway patterns and examined strategies of regaining balance after a perturbation. Recent clinical studies have shown a trend to performance based assessment. To date there is no one universally acceptable laboratory or clinical method to measure balance. Because of its importance in functional activities, the need for a good measure of balance is evident.
Measuring balance in the elderly: preliminary development of an instrument
Authors: Berg Katherine
Published: April 2009

The goal for this study was to develop a measure of balance appropriate for elderly individuals. In total, 38 patients, ranging in age from 60 to 93 years, and 32 professionals, including nurses, physicians, and physical and occupational therapists were surveyed in three distinct phases to develop the content. Reliability of the measure was assessed by having physical therapists evaulate the videotaped performances of geriatric subjects at two different points in time. The intraclass correlation coefficients measuring the inter and intra rater reliability for the test as a whole were .98 and .99 respectively. The correlation coefficients for the individual items ranged from .71 to .99. In addition, there was a high degree of internal consistency, a Cronbach's alpha of .96, which indicates the movements reflect a single underlying dimension. The scale consists of 14 movements common in everyday life. It is easy to administer and score and has measurement properties that are better than expected for a new instrument. Given the potential uses of such a measure for physical therapists and other health professionals, further development and testing of the scale are in order.
THE ASSOCIATION OF STATE AND INDIGENOUS LAW: A CASE STUDY IN ‘LEGAL ASSOCIATION’
Authors: Roughan Nicole
Published: April 2009

Legal systems are typically marked out by jurisdictional boundaries that exclude the operation of external legal norms except where these are explicitly incorporated. Yet legal systems are frequently engaged in ‘legal associations,’ the process of looking to another legal system in order to formulate rules and standards. This article examines the dimensions of legal associations that may occur between state law and the law of indigenous groups within the state, using the state–indigenous association in New Zealand to illustrate the range of associative models and their normative implications.
THE EVERYDAY PROBLEM OF EMERGENCIES
Authors: Lazar N.C.
Published: April 2009

Emergency powers are as old as constitutionalism, reflecting fundamental tensions in the rule of law that pervade many aspects of political life. Hence, exploring philosophical and institutional aspects of emergencies can lead to broader conclusions about law and individual power. By engaging not just emergency powers but aspects of administrative law with a similar structure, David Dyzenhaus concludes that all branches of government ought to rule in a ‘spirit of legality’ according to principles underlying the rule of law. This aspirational conception of the rule of law raises important questions about the relationship between empirical and normative enquiry. Related questions arise in Oren Gross and Fionnuala Ní Aoláin's new book. These authors argue that existing emergency law rests on an empirical mistake with serious normative consequences. If emergencies lack discrete beginnings and endings, which institutional arrangements minimize these consequences? Both books leave critical questions in their wake, brilliantly exploring – without settling – the question of extra-legal action. The complex relationship of is and ought remains: What is the place of empirical facts of political life in normative enquiry? And what role do normative considerations play in establishing empirical conditions?
Window anatomy for neurosurgical approaches
Authors: Kendir Simel , Acar Halil Ibrahim , Comert Ayhan , Ozdemir Mevci , Kahilogullari Gokmen , Elhan Alaittin , Ugur Hasan Caglar
Published: April 2009

Object

Knowledge of the cranium projections of the gyral structures is essential to reduce the surgical complications and to perform minimally invasive interventions in daily neurosurgical practice. Thus, in this study the authors aimed to provide detailed information on cranial projections of the eloquent cortical areas.

Methods

Ten formalin-fixed adult human skulls were obtained. Using sutures and craniometrical points, the crania were divided into 8 windows: superior frontal, inferior frontal, superior parietal, inferior parietal, sphenoidal, temporal, superior occipital, and inferior occipital. The projections of the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, transverse temporal gyri, Heschl gyrus, genu and splenium of the corpus callosum, supramarginal gyrus, angular gyrus, calcarine sulcus, and sylvian fissure to cranial vault were evaluated.

Results

Three-fourths of the precentral gyrus and postcentral gyrus were in the superior parietal window. The inferior frontal gyrus extended to the inferior parietal window in 80%. The 3 important parts of this gyrus were located below the superior temporal line in all hemispheres. The orbital and triangular parts were in the inferior frontal window, and the opercular part was in the inferior parietal window. The superior temporal gyrus was usually located in the inferior parietal and temporal windows, whereas the supramarginal gyrus and angular gyrus were usually located in the superior and inferior parietal windows. The farthest anterior point of the Heschl gyrus was usually located in the inferior parietal window. The mean positions of arachnoid granulations were measured as 3.9 ± 0.39 cm anterior and 7.3 ± 0.51 cm posterior to the bregma.

Conclusions

Given that recognition of the gyral patterns underlying the craniotomies is not always easy, awareness of the coordinates and projections of certain gyri according to the craniometric points may considerably contribute to surgical interventions.
Task-free presurgical mapping using functional magnetic resonance imaging intrinsic activity
Authors: Liu Hesheng , Buckner Randy L. , Talukdar Tanveer , Tanaka Naoaki , Madsen Joseph R. , Stufflebeam Steven M.
Published: April 2009

Object

Low-frequency components of the spontaneous functional MR imaging signal provide information about the intrinsic functional and anatomical organization of the brain. The ability to use such methods in individual patients may provide a powerful tool for presurgical planning. The authors explore the feasibility of presurgical motor function mapping in which a task-free paradigm is used.

Methods

Six surgical candidates with tumors or epileptic foci near the motor cortex participated in this study. The investigators directly compared task-elicited activation of the motor system to activation obtained from intrinsic activity correlations. The motor network within the unhealthy hemisphere was identified based on intrinsic activity correlations, allowing distortions of functional anatomy caused by the tumor and epilepsy to be directly visualized. The precision of the motor function mapping was further explored in 1 participant by using direct cortical stimulation.

Results

The motor regions localized based on the spontaneous activity correlations were quite similar to the regions defined by actual movement tasks and cortical stimulation. Using intrinsic activity correlations, it was possible to map the motor cortex in presurgical patients.

Conclusions

This task-free paradigm may provide a powerful approach to map functional anatomy in patients without task compliance and allow multiple brain systems to be determined in a single scanning session.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery to the surgical cavity following resection of brain metastases
Authors: Jagannathan Jay , Yen Chun-Po , Ray Dibyendu Kumar , Schlesinger David , Oskouian Rod J. , Pouratian Nader , Shaffrey Mark E. , Larner James , Sheehan Jason P.
Published: April 2009

Object

This study evaluated the efficacy of postoperative Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) to the tumor cavity following gross-total resection of a brain metastasis.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted of 700 patients who were treated for brain metastases using GKS. Forty-seven patients with pathologically confirmed metastatic disease underwent GKS to the postoperative resection cavity following gross-total resection of the tumor. Patients who underwent subtotal resection or who had visible tumor in the resection cavity on the postresection neuroimaging study (either CT or MR imaging with and without contrast administration) were excluded. Radiographic and clinical follow-up was assessed using clinic visits and MR imaging. The radiographic end point was defined as tumor growth control (no tumor growth regarding the resection cavity, and stable or decreasing tumor size for the other metastatic targets). Clinical end points were defined as functional status (assessed prospectively using the Karnofsky Performance Scale) and survival. Primary tumor pathology was consistent with lung cancer in 19 cases (40%), melanoma in 10 cases (21%), renal cell carcinoma in 7 cases (15%), breast cancer in 7 cases (15%), and gastrointestinal malignancies in 4 cases (9%). The mean duration between resection and radiosurgery was 15 days (range 2–115 days). The mean volume of the treated cavity was 10.5 cm3 (range 1.75–35.45 cm3), and the mean dose to the cavity margin was 19 Gy. In addition to the resection cavity, 34 patients (72%) underwent GKS for 116 synchronous metastases observed at the time of the initial radiosurgery.

Results

The mean radiographic follow-up duration was 14 months (median 10 months, range 4–37 months). Local tumor control at the site of the surgical cavity was achieved in 44 patients (94%), and tumor recurrence at the surgical site was statistically related to the volume of the surgical cavity (p = 0.04). During follow-up, 34 patients (72%) underwent additional radiosurgery for 140 new (metachronous) metastases. At the most recent follow-up evaluation, 11 patients (23%) were alive, whereas 36 patients had died (mean duration until death 12 months, median 10 months). Patients who showed good systemic control of their primary tumor tended to have longer survival durations than those who did not (p = 0.004). At the last clinical follow-up evaluation, the mean Karnofsky Performance Scale score for the overall group was 78 (median 80, range 40–100).

Conclusion:

Radiosurgery appears to be effective in terms of providing local tumor control at the resection cavity following resection of a brain metastasis, and in the treatment of synchronous and metachronous tumors. These data suggest that radiosurgery can be used to prevent recurrence following gross-total resection of a brain metastasis.
Olfactory dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by ruptured aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery
Authors: Martin Gemma Escartin , Junqué Carme , Juncadella Montserrat , Gabarrós Andreu , de Miquel Maria Angels , Rubio Francisco
Published: April 2009

Object

Olfactory dysfunction has an important impact on quality of life. In patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), anosmia has mainly been reported after surgery for aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery (ACoA). The authors studied whether and how frequently patients with ACoA aneurysms present with smell identification deficits in 2 treatment groups (endovascular and surgical treatment).

Methods

A prospective study was conducted of patients with SAH caused by ruptured ACoAs and who had a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 1 or 2, in comparison with a control group matched by age and sex. Olfactory function was assessed using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT).

Results

A total of 39 patients were enrolled. A marked olfactory impairment was observed in patients with ruptured ACoAs compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Seventeen patients with ruptured ACoAs (44%) compared with 1 patient in the control group (3%) showed a smell identification deficit according to performance on the UPSIT (p < 0.001). Both groups that underwent treatment presented with olfactory impairment. Ten (59%) of 17 patients who underwent aneurysmal clip placement versus 6 (28.5%) of 21 patients who underwent coil embolization scored below the 25th percentile on the UPSIT, and surgical patients also performed worse than endovascular patients (p = 0.048). The authors observed a worse performance on the olfactory test in patients subjected to endovascular coil embolization when cerebral vasospasm (p = 0.037) or frontal cerebral lesions (p = 0.009) were present. This difference was not observed in patients who underwent surgery.

Conclusions

Olfactory disorders after SAH caused by rupture of the ACoA are very frequent and were present in both treatment groups. Cerebral vasospasm and frontal lobe lesions are related to worse performance on an olfactory test in patients undergoing endovascular coil embolization.