bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CREZCAMOS: ¿Un paso adelante hacia el crecimiento? (Crezcamos: A step forward to growth?)
Authors: Contreras Orlando , Muñoz Marciales Julie Andrea , Hernández Castro Jeniffer Paola
Published: December 2015

El presente caso expone cómo el joven emprendedor Mauricio Osorio asumió el desafío de convertir una idea en un modelo de negocio rentable y socialmente sostenible, logrando mantenerlo en la forma de CREZCAMOS S.A. tras afrontar la muerte comercial que representó el proyecto de micro-finanzas denominado FUNDACOOP, que él mismo fundó y dirigió con anterioridad. Asimismo, presenta información correspondiente a los acontecimientos que dieron lugar a la creación de CREZCAMOS S.A., en donde logró conformar el capital de su compañía al término del año 2009 con el apoyo de una compañía europea de inversiones de impacto. Al final del caso, Osorio y su equipo de trabajo se enfrentaron a la incertidumbre con respecto a la estrategia que les permitiría crecer y alcanzar el éxito que deseaban. La junta directiva de esta compañía fue convocada para discutir el camino estratégico futuro de la compañía, para buscar alternativas de crecimiento con el fin de garantizar un futuro viable y direccionar lo que hasta ese momento era una compañía de microcrédito, en función de permitirle alcanzar cobertura nacional y cumplir con las expectativas de sus accionistas, clientes y colaboradores.

 

Abstract:

This is the case of the young entrepreneur Mauricio Osorio, who faced the challenge of turning an idea into a profitable and socially sustainable business model, named CREZCAMOS S.A., after recovering of the commercial dead of his former micro-finance credit project called FUNDACOOP. Osorio established the capital of his new company at the end of 2009, with the help of an European impact investor. At the end, Osorio and his team clashed with the uncertainty about the strategy that would allow them to grow and achieve the success they wanted. The Executive Board of this company scheduled a meeting in order to discuss the future strategic course of the company, looking for alternatives of growth with the intention of ensuring a viable future, and lead this microcredit company to achieve national coverage, and, at the same time, meeting the expectations of its shareholders, customers and employees.

 
Traditionalism and timeliness in modern sport
Authors: Fodor Péter
Published: December 2015

The essay links social historical narratives about modernity with cultural studies views on sport, and investigates what cultural and social functions are associated with sport in our highly technicized capitalist world. While pursuing this research I always keep in mind how professional spectacle sports interact with different forms of technical media.

JEL code: Z20
Masculine brave in the feminine winter sports
Authors: Béki Piroska
Published: December 2015

The sport has significant role in the changes of the genders relation and helped to transform the conception of the sexes during the last fifty years. The women started to do conventionally male sports; the newest event was the ski jumping for female athletes at the Olympic Games of Soci. The gender stereotypes in the women sports can be stronger or weaker depending on the success or on the water haul. This phenomenon helps us to understand the new conceptions of the sexes in the context of the relationships of genders.
Analysing sporting goods manufacturers’ environmental management tools
Authors: Ráthonyi Gergely , Ráthonyi-Ódor Kinga
Published: December 2015

Organizations around the developed world are facing pressure from governments, international agreements, society and various stakeholders, to improve their behavior towards the natural environment. The application of environmental management tools may be an important step towards sustainability and the preservation of environmental values, however marketing could be the key – with the help of information and communication technologies (ICT) – in publicizing and spreading these ideas thus forming customers’, stakeholders’ attitude in this respect.The aim of this study was to define the concept of environmental consciousness and environmentally conscious behaviour, then to present the shift the traditional marketing philosophy towards the sustainable marketing approach, finally to analyse two top sporting goods manufacturers’ (Nike, Adidas) environmental management tools with the help of data gained from their web sites, reports, case studies. Interpreting environmental consciousness is difficult without knowing the attitude to it. In spite of that it is important to distinguish between environmental consciousness and environmentally conscious attitude, because consciousness often appears in attitude influenced by other, outer effects.The environmental conscious attitude of companies in itself is not enough for making use of the advantages deriving from a positive environmental concern. They need to pursue more active communication, to „green” the whole of marketing activities. Thus marketing seems a possible means to naturalize and expand environmental protection both among customers and in company practice. According to the analysed companies, we need to say, that they are commitment with the environmental protection. They are used state-of-theart technologies to make their activity greener and introduce these with full particulars, examples e.g. ColorDry technologies, Better Cotton, The Framaprene ECO heel. Either Nike, Inc., or Adidas Group realised that ICT have the ability to improve efficiency and cut the use of material goods, thus reducing energy demands and the burden upon the environment.

JEL code: Q01
Examination of the organizational frameworks of sports enterprises in the light of good german practices
Authors: Bácsné Bába Éva
Published: December 2015

In Hungary, with respect to the organizational issues associated with sports, there has occurred the demand for clarifying structural forms. The domestic development of sports raises the question in which fields the association-based sports model can be sustained, and operated further, and where organizational structures aligned with business models are viable. This article has described an example from German professional football, i.e. given an overview of the operation of Borussia Dortmund as a potential form for the enterprise and organizational solution. The strength of the demonstrated model is that the pursuance of business activities that cannot be or can be just hardly handled in the environment offered by associations is transferred to a setting dominated by economic conditions, whereas self-regulating civil values are not lost either, because the association remains the “parent company”.
Low-carbon innovation policy with the use of biorenewables in the transport sector until 2030
Authors: Fogarassy Csaba , Horváth Bálint , Szőke Linda , Kovács Attila
Published: December 2015

The topic of the present study deals with the changes and future trends of the European Union’s climate policy. In addition, it studies the manner in which Hungary’s transport sector contributes to the success of the above. The general opinion of Hungarian climate policy is that the country has no need of any substantial climate policy measures, since it will be able to reach its emission reduction targets anyway. This is mostly true, because the basis year for the long term goals is around the middle/end of the 1980’s, when Hungary’s pollution indices were entirely different than today due to former large-scale industrial production. With the termination of these inefficient energy systems, Hungary has basically been “performing well” since the change in political system without taking any specific steps in the interest of doing so. The analysis of the commitments for the 2020-2030 climate policy planning period, which defined emissions commitments compared to 2005 GHG emissions levels, has also garnered similar political reactions in recent years. Thus, it is not the issue of decreasing GHG emissions but the degree to which possible emissions can be increased stemming from the conditions and characteristics of economic growth that is important from the aspect of economic policy. In 2005, the Hungarian transport sector’s emissions amounted to 11 million tons, which is equal to 1.2% of total EU emissions, meaning it does not significantly influence total transport emissions. However, the stakes are still high for developing a low GHG emission transport system, since that will decide whether Hungary can avoid those negative development tendencies that have plagued the majority of Western European transport systems. Can Budapest avoid the scourge of perpetual smog and traffic jams? Can it avert the immeasurable accumulation of externalities on the capital city’s public bypass roads caused by having road transport conduct goods shipping?

JEL classification: Q58
Enhancing the effectiveness of thermal water consumption via heat pumping
Authors: Nagygál János , Tóth László , Horváth Bálint , Bártfai Zoltán , Szabó István
Published: December 2015

Renewable technologies and the extension of their scope of usage basically has to face the general obstacles like any other novelties newly introduced to the market. In the case of environmentally friendly and clean technologies we must consider another critical aspect: the knowledge and the trust of the potential future users. To influence these people first we must extend their knowledge regarding renewable energies so they will be able to change their own approach about them. Usually the most crucial factor is the economic efficiency which determines the attitude of the majority of the users. Even the ones whose decision making process is highly based on the environmental patterns. In the case of any technology, the economic aspect is significantly influenced by its operational effectiveness. So this analysis – besides the direct economic matters – aims to examine how the performance of thermal water heating in greenhouses can be improved by using heat pumping.

JEL classification: Q42
Methane reductions to moderate the global warming effects
Authors: Török Tibor , Szabó László Zoltán , Zsarnóczai Sándor J.
Published: December 2015

The case-study overviews the possible reduction for the methane gas emission in order to avoid of the more global warming effects and climate change caused by the human activity at latest decades. To collect international data base is for analysing and valuing methane gas emission based on the different country-groups, emphasizing responsibility of developing countries and highly developed countries for gas emission, also the methane emission based is on the economic sectors. China and India have share 8% of China and 2% of India respectively of cumulative CO2 emissions over the period 1900-2005, the US and the EU are responsible for more than half of emissions. Based on the estimation the global gas emissions of methane in the whole world has increased by 37% for period of 1990- 2030, as four decades, and this was 0,92% annual rate growth, while the OECD has increased the methane emission by 8,5% for this period, which means 0,21% growth rate annually. Scenario in developing countries for 2013-2020 the methane gas emission reduction could have been 8200 Mt of CO2e (Equivalent) and less than 10 US dollar per ton in more cost financing. Highly developed and developing economies (last one their methane emission share 56% in 1990, estimated 66,8% in 2030) increase their economic growth by mostly fossil energy resulted in increasing also methane gas emissions. The methane gas emission can be solved by those results-based-finance forms relevant to Kyoto Protocol, which can extend in the world by financial institutions.
Greener cement sector and potential climate strategy development between 2015-2030 (Hungarian case study)
Authors: Böröcz Mária , Horváth Bálint , Herczeg Boglárka , Kovács Attila
Published: December 2015

Advancing the domestic industrial production towards a sustainable, resource-preserving direction can become an important pillar to support competitiveness in the European Union, as well as in Hungary. Reaching the de-carbonization goals for industrial production via lowering the production volume may result in less desirable macro-economic effects, so decisions which concern the industry require a lot of attention from the climate policy as well. In the case of the cement sector, economic actors have to be motivated to make energy-efficiency investments and technology developments, which also show promise in terms of business efficiency. In the more natural-resource-intensive branches of the industry, both innovations and technological developments will be required to reduce the amount of used non-renewable energy resources, keep it in the industrial cycle, and reduce environmental load. The importance of greener cement will be essential in the near future to reduce the sector’s CO2 emission levels. We need to identify more sector branches which relate to sustainability, which can aid the country in establishing long-term competitiveness that points towards the de-carbonization goals. The cost-efficiency aspects of this development process are the most tedious questions in today’s business planning.

JEL classification: Q55
Filhos da sociedade de consumo
Authors: Schmidt Saraí Patrícia , Rigo Carolina
Published: December 2015

O trabalho coloca em pauta estratégias persuasivas que pensam e tratam a criança como público-alvo, considerando o imperativo do consumo atual. A proposta problematiza o processo de construção da mensagem publicitária em um tempo no qual as crianças tornaram-se filhas da chamada sociedade de consumo. A análise contempla três entrevistas com profissionais de agência de publicidade realizadas em 2012, e tem como arcabouço teórico as contribuições de Zygmunt Bauman (1999, 2001, 2008, 2009), Beatriz Sarlo (1997), Néstor García Canclini (2008) e Renato Ortiz (2007). A pesquisa evidencia um reconhecimento da soberania da criança por parte do mercado, uma vez que a comunicação está ajustada e direcionada ao público infantil. Deste modo, as práticas consolidadas no exercício publicitário se encarregam de aproximar crianças e adultos enquanto clientes. Portanto, este estudo crê na responsabilidade que as agências de publicidade e seus profissionais têm em relação aos efeitos publicitários orientados à constituição das identidades e à cultura infantil. Deste modo, faz-se necessária a ampla discussão do assunto aqui proposto.
Textos, texturas e intertextos
Authors: Oliveira Fátima Regis
Published: December 2015

O objetivo do artigo é discutir o processo de aprendizado na comunicação digital. As mídias e redes digitais fazem emergir práticas de comunicação que facilitam a apropriação, criação e compartilhamento de textos híbridos (oral, visual, tátil). Essas práticas digitais exploram as sensorialidades do corpo e operam em situações concretas, mobilizando saberes, habilidades e atitudes que a sociologia do aprendizado denomina de construção de competências (PERRENOUD, 1999). Por apoiar-se em situações concretas, estimular corpo e engajamento, o aprendizado por competências se diferencia do aprendizado formal, frequentemente abstrato e descontextualizado, o que pode explicar o interesse dos educadores na comunicação digital. Conclui-se que o aprendizado digital opera como rede sociotécnica. Assim, retoma-se a etimologia de texto e revela-se que a cultura escrita o despiu de qualidades fundamentais: texto inclui textura (relevo, sensorium) e trama (rede, intertexto) (MCKENZIE, 2004).
Roberto De Gaetano: impulseimages and the cinema between the forms and the forces
Authors: Leites Bruno Bueno Pinto , Da Silva Alexandre Rocha
Published: December 2015

Since the early nineties Roberto De Gaetano has been working on the relationship between cinema, aesthetics and philosophy. In this interview, he talks about impulse-images, a concept among Gilles Deleuze`s taxonomy that has remained someway “marginal” although being powerful for understanding a large set of problems, as the body of images, the inscription of a death drive in cinema and the conception of worlds in the act of their own destruction. We also had the opportunity to talk about De Gaetano’s latest works and the difference that he establishes between the cinema of forms and the cinema of forces.
A análise da vigilância de Foucault e sua aplicação na sociedade contemporânea: estudo de aspectos da vigilância e sua relação com as novas tecnologias de comunicação
Authors: Moreira Elizabeth Huber , Barichello Eugenia Maria Mariano da Rocha
Published: December 2015

O presente artigo aborda a análise da vigilância proposta por Michel Foucault. São estudadas algumas caraterísticas da vigilância moderna, as quais o filósofo expõe na sua análise, e, na sequência, estas são pensadas em função da configuração da sociedade contemporânea. Trata-se de uma reflexão teóricoanalítica a respeito das relações entre a vigilância nas sociedades moderna e contemporânea; esta última, definida pela inserção das novas tecnologias de comunicação, entre as quais se destaca a internet.
A cidade é uma só?
Authors: Duccini Junqueira da Silva Mariana
Published: December 2015

Por meio da articulação de duas estratégias fílmicas – a autoficcionalização dos personagens e a ressignificação de materiais de arquivos oficiais –, o documentário A cidade é uma só? propõe uma crítica radical ao discurso de poder que circunscreveu a Campanha de Erradicação das Invasões (CEI), iniciativa que removeu populações pobres da área central de Brasília, levando-as a formar as então chamadas cidadessatélites dos anos 70. Este trabalho propõe-se a uma análise do documentário de Adirley Queirós com vistas a apreender, pela materialidade fílmica, os modos como a obra viabiliza a ressignificação de uma memória coletiva à medida que os protagonistas se empoderam de representações sociais que colidem com as disposições do poder estabelecido. O próprio enunciado fílmico, assim, estrutura-se pelo sentido de dissenso, como aquilo que é próprio de uma política da arte (RANCIÈRE, 2005b).
Comparison between the journalistic cultures of Switzerland, Spain and Ecuador: the effects of context influences on the journalists’ perception of professional roles and the idea of objectivity
Authors: Alonso Martin Oller
Published: December 2015

The number of global comparative researches of journalistic culture is increasing. More and more the samples of countries for comparisons are putting Non-Western cultures at the centre of its enquiry. In this article, we analyse the self-perception of professional roles and the idea of objectivity of Swiss, Spanish and Ecuadorian journalists. In order to study these dimensions we use fieldwork based on in-depth interviews with 70 journalists from 15 media in the three countries and multilevel analysis of the context influences. The objective is to determine the journalists’ self-perception of their professional roles and the idea of objectivity as an ideal and method within their contexts. Results show that Spanish journalists tend to have an interventionist role and are opposed to the government. Swiss journalists tend towards a greater passivity and objectivity than Spanish journalists and, even though they do not see themselves as watchdogs, they have a critical position towards the centres of power. And, finally, Ecuadorian journalists believe they are neutral and impartial professionals, feeling that they must inform the citizens, and the objectivity as philosophical concept is not a goal for their profession.
The Liminality of Temporary Agency Work: Exploring the Dimensions of Danish Temporary Agency Workers’ Liminal Experience
Authors: Winkler Ingo , Mahmood Mustafa Khalil
Published: December 2015

The concept of liminality refers to the experience to be betwixt-and-between social structures and the associated positions, statuses, and roles. We advance the original use of the concept by introducing the various meanings that the experience of being in a liminal state can take. Drawing on political anthropology we identify the dimensions of ‘types of subjects,’ ‘time,’ ‘space,’ and ‘scale’ in order to analytically unlock the liminal experience. Exemplifying our concept we present the findings from an own study of temporary agency workers in Denmark. Exploring the workers’ interpretations allows us to illustrate to what extent their employment situation constitutes a multi-dimensional liminal experience between established social structures and employment categories. The article emphasizes the complexity of the liminal experience. Theoretically and empirically, we show the many meanings along which liminality can unfold in organizational and work-related contexts. We argue that future studies should explore the various dimensions in other contexts of passages from one relatively stable state to another. In doing so, similarities and differences between various liminal experiences and the role the various dimensions play could be identified.
Entrepreneurship and Gender Equality in Academia – a Complex Combination in Practice
Authors: Keisu Britt-Inger , Abrahamsson Lena , Rönnblom Malin
Published: December 2015

This article takes as its starting point two current trends in academia – the promotion of academic entrepreneurship and innovation and the promotion of gender equality – and discusses how different gender equality perspectives are interwoven, or not, into academia’s transformation processes towards entrepreneurial universities. On the basis of an analysis of 26 interviews conducted with personnel at two Swedish universities, the article investigates how concepts of academic entrepreneurship and innovation on the one hand and gender equality on the other hand are constructed and filled with meaning as well as how they are entangled and what effects are produced by this way of thinking and acting. Our analysis reveals tensions between the two policy goals, together with tensions within each goal. An overall conclusion is that articulations and ways of speaking about the policy goal of academic entrepreneurship and innovation were to some extent interwoven with the policy goal of gender equality, especially in the broader perspectives on academic entrepreneurship. However, the articulations of strategies and practice of the two policy goals essentially ran parallel, and were not entangled with one another. This is because strategies or substantial initiatives for merging gender equality into the agenda of academic entrepreneurship and innovation were lacking.
Team and Project Work in Engineering Practices
Authors: Buch Anders , Andersen Vibeke
Published: December 2015

In this article, we investigate teamwork amongst professionals in engineering consultancy companies in order to discern how teamwork affects the collaboration and work practices of the professionals. The article investigates how professional engineering practices are enacted in two engineering consultancy companies in Denmark where teamwork has been or is an ideal for organizing work. Through a practice-based lens, the article sets out to investigate, firstly, how discourses about team and project work affect engineering work practices; secondly, how technologymediated management is reconciled in teamwork practices; and thirdly, how team and project work affect engineering professionalism and collaborative work practices. A practice theoretical framework informs the analysis. Teamwork is investigated as a phenomenon enacted through the sayings, doings and relatings of practitioners in landscapes of practices and the interconnectedness of the practices is traced through the setup of specific ecologies in the sites.
Fire and water combined: Understanding the Relevance of Working Life Studies through a Concept of Practical Activity
Authors: Räsänen Keijo
Published: December 2015

When I presented the basic ideas of this paper at a conference, a Swedish colleague commented: ‘you manage to combine water and fire.’ I understood his kind comment to mean that he used water and fire as metaphors for practice and theory. The comment puzzled me for a while. Water and fire obviously destroy each other, or at least radically transform each other. Then I realized that humans have actually managed to combine water and fire in several ways. One solution is the kettle. It makes possible to use fire in a controlled way for the human purpose of boiling water. Thus, this paper can be taken as an attempt at offering a kettle-like vehicle for bringing together practicetheoretical concepts and vocational practice. My kettle is a concept of practical activity. I am trying to boil up an answer to the following question: in what senses a study of work can be practically relevant to those who are doing the work being studied?
Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty in a Patient with Bilateral Below-the-Knee Amputation
Authors: Williams M.G. , Phillips J. , Eyres K.
Published: December 2015

Update

This article was updated on January 27, 2016. The byline, which had previously read “M.G. Williams, MBChB, and J. Phillips, MBBS, FRCS,” now reads “M.G. Williams, MBChB, J. Phillips, MBBS, FRCS, and K. Eyres, MD, FRCS(Tr&Orth).” In addition, the name, address, and e-mail address for Dr. Eyres have been added to the address block at the end of the article.

An erratum has been published: JBJS Case Connect. 2016 Mar 23;6(1):e22.

Case:

We report the case of a patient with bilateral below-the-knee amputation who had a periprosthetic fracture around a total knee arthroplasty. The fracture was managed with a revision total knee arthroplasty. We discuss the rationale for revision surgery, the surgical techniques, and the postoperative rehabilitation. Follow-up at one year demonstrated maintenance of the pretrauma functional status.

Conclusion:

In selected patients with a periprosthetic fracture, we believe that revision of a total knee arthroplasty may be considered as an option rather than an above-the-knee amputation or an arthrodesis.
Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty Due to Unrecognized 180° Rotation of the Mobile-Bearing Tibial Insert
Authors: Welborn Benjamin T. , Friedman Richard J.
Published: December 2015

Case:

A woman presented with continuously worsening right knee pain and stiffness six years after a total knee arthroplasty. During revision total knee arthroplasty, we discovered that the rotating-platform tibial component was rotated 180°. This likely occurred during a minor bedside fall on postoperative day one after the index procedure.

Conclusion:

This case demonstrates that a 180° rotation of the rotating tibial insert can occur with minimal trauma, resulting in persistent pain and stiffness. This cause of pain should be added to the differential diagnosis of patients with pain after total knee arthroplasty with a rotating-platform tibial insert.
Investigation and Optimization of the Effects of Geologic Parameters on the Performance of Gravity-Stable Surfactant Floods
Authors: Tavassoli Shayan , Pope Gary A. , Sepehrnoori Kamy
Published: December 2015

A systematic simulation study of gravity-stable surfactant flooding was performed to understand the conditions under which it is practical and to optimize its performance. Different optimization schemes were introduced to minimize the effects of geologic parameters and to improve the performance and the economics of surfactant floods. The simulations were carried out by use of horizontal wells in heterogeneous reservoirs. The results show that one can perform gravity-stable surfactant floods at a reasonable velocity and with very-high sweep efficiencies for reservoirs with high vertical permeability. These simulations were carried out with a 3D fine grid and a third-order finite-difference method to accurately model fingering. A sensitivity study was conducted to investigate the effects of heterogeneity and well spacing. The simulations were performed with realistic surfactant properties on the basis of laboratory experiments. The critical velocity for a stable surfactant flood is a function of the microemulsion (ME) viscosity, and it turns out there is an optimum value that one can use to significantly increase the velocity and still be stable. One can optimize the salinity gradient to gradually change the ME viscosity. Another alternative is to inject a low-concentration polymer drive following the surfactant slug (without polymer). Polymer complicates the process and adds to its cost without a significant benefit in most gravity-stable surfactant floods, but an exception is when the reservoir is highly layered. The effect of an aquifer on gravity-stable surfactant floods was also investigated, and strategies were developed for minimizing its effect on the process.
Molecular Detection of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Among Infants with Congenital Anomalies in Khartoum State, Sudan
Authors: Ebrahim Maha G. , Ali Aisha S. , Mustafa Mohamed O. , Musa Dalal F. , El Hussein Abdel Rahim M. , Elkhidir Isam M. , Enan Khalid A.
Published: December 2015

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection still represents the most common potentially serious viral complication in humans and is a major cause of congenital anomalies in infants. This study is aimed to detect HCMV in infants with congenital anomalies.

Study subjects consisted of infants born with neural tube defect, hydrocephalus and microcephaly.

Fifty serum specimens (20 males, 30 females) were collected from different hospitals in Khartoum State. The sera were investigated for cytomegalovirus specific immunoglobin M (IgM) antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and for Cytomegalovirus DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Out of the 50 sera tested, one patient’s (2%) sample showed HCMV IgM, but with no detectable DNA, other 4(8.2 %) sera were positive for HCMV DNA but with no detectable IgM.

Various diagnostic techniques should be considered to evaluate HCMV disease and routine screening for HCMV should be introduced for pregnant women in this setting. It is vital to initiate further research work with many samples from different area to assess prevalence and characterize HCMV and evaluate its maternal health implications.
Splenic liposarcoma in dogs: 13 cases (2002–2012)
Authors: Gower Krista L. A. , Liptak Julius M. , Culp William T. N. , Bravo Lina , Powers Barbara , Withrow Stephen J.
Published: December 2015

Objective—To describe the clinical signs, diagnostic findings, surgical management, and outcome in dogs with splenic liposarcoma.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—13 client-owned dogs with splenic liposarcoma.

Procedures—Medical and pathology records of dogs with a histopathologic diagnosis of splenic liposarcoma from 2002 to 2012 were reviewed for the following data: clinical signs, CBC, biochemical profile, thoracic and abdominal imaging, surgical management, histologic grade, and outcome (local recurrence, distant metastasis, and survival time). Telephone interviews were conducted with referring veterinarians.

Results—The median survival time (MST) was 623 days (range, 1 to 1,283 days). In 5 dogs that died of splenic liposarcoma, survival times ranged from 42 to 369 days. Metastasis at the time of surgery was a negative prognostic indicator: the MST was 45 days for dogs with metastasis and 767 days for dogs without metastasis. Dogs with grade 1 splenic liposarcoma had a significantly greater MST (1,009 days), compared with dogs with grade 2 or 3 splenic liposarcoma (MST, 206 and 74 days, respectively).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results confirmed that splenic liposarcoma is a rare differential diagnosis in dogs with a splenic mass. Survival time was influenced by preoperative clinical stage and histologic grade.
Cervical intervertebral disk herniation in chondrodystrophoid and nonchondrodystrophoid small-breed dogs: 187 cases (1993–2013)
Authors: Hakozaki Takaharu , Iwata Munetaka , Kanno Nobuo , Harada Yasuji , Yogo Takuya , Tagawa Masahiro , Hara Yasushi
Published: December 2015

Objective—To identify characteristics of chondrodystrophoid and nonchondrodystrophoid small-breed dogs with cervical intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH).

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—187 small-breed (≤ 15 kg [33 lb]) dogs that underwent surgery because of cervical IVDH.

Procedures—Medical records were reviewed for information on breed, sex, age, weight, location of affected intervertebral disks, duration and severity of neurologic signs, and recovery time.

Results—55 of the 187 (29.4%) dogs were Beagles. The most frequently affected intervertebral disk was C2–3 (81/253 [32.0%]), and this was the more frequently affected intervertebral disk in dogs of several chondrodystrophoid breeds, including Beagles (29/66 [43.9%]), Dachshunds (13/37 [35.1%]), Shih Tzus (16/41 [39.0%]), and Pekingese (3/10 [30.0%]). However, caudal disks (C5–6 or C6–7) were more frequently affected in Yorkshire Terriers (13/24 [54.2%]) and Chihuahuas (9/13 [69%]). Shih Tzus and Yorkshire Terriers were significantly older at the time of surgery (mean ± SD age, 9.6 ± 2.3 years and 9.5 ± 2.5 years, respectively) than were Pomeranians (6.2 ± 2.3 years), and Yorkshire Terriers had a significantly higher number of affected disks (2.0 ± 0.9) than did Dachshunds (1.1 ± 0.3). Mean recovery time was significantly longer in Yorkshire Terriers (36.7 ± 13.0 days) than in Beagles (16.5 ± 17.1 days), Shih Tzus (17.8 ± 14.5 days), or Chihuahuas (12.2 ± 7. 2 days).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggested that there may be breed-specific differences in the characteristics of cervical IVDH in small-breed dogs.
Anicteric gallbladder rupture in dogs: 5 cases (2007–2013)
Authors: Guess Sarah C. , Harkin Kenneth R. , Biller David S.
Published: December 2015

Objective—To describe clinical, laboratory, and surgical findings in dogs with confirmed gallbladder rupture and in which serum total bilirubin concentration was within reference limits.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—5 dogs.

Procedures—Medical records were searched to identify dogs with gallbladder rupture that underwent treatment at the Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center from November 2007 through November 2013. Dogs were included if they had undergone abdominal ultrasonography, serum total bilirubin concentration was ≤ 0.4 mg/dL, and abdominal exploratory surgery confirmed the presence of gallbladder upture.

Results—An exploratory celotomy was performed in all dogs because of ultrasonographic findings of mild to marked abdominal effusion and either an unidentifiable gallbladder (n = 1 dog) or a distended gallbladder with a suspected gallbladder mucocele (4 dogs). Serum total bilirubin concentration was within reference limits (median, 0.2 mg/dL; range, 0.1 to 0.4 mg/dL; reference range, 0.1 to 0.4 mg/dL) in all dogs before surgery. In 1 dog, bile acids concentrations in serum and in peritoneal fluid were compared and the results (48 μmol/L and 1,070 μmol/L, respectively) were supportive of the diagnosis of gallbladder rupture.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that even when serum total bilirubin concentration is within reference limits, gallbladder rupture should be considered in dogs with acute signs of abdominal pain when a mucocele is suspected on abdominal imaging and free abdominal fluid is present. Results suggested that a comparison of serum to peritoneal fluid bile acids concentrations may provide additional support for a diagnosis of gallbladder rupture.
Assessment of dexmedetomidine and other agents for emesis induction in cats: 43 cases (2009–2014)
Authors: Thawley Vincent J. , Drobatz Kenneth J.
Published: December 2015

Objective—To compare the use of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride, xylazine hydrochloride, and hydrogen peroxide for emesis induction in cats.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—43 client-owned cats for which emesis induction was attempted because of known or suspected toxicant ingestion or recent ingestion of a string foreign body.

Procedures—Data collected from the cats’ medical records included type, dose, and route of administration of emetic agent; outcome of attempted emesis induction; time until emesis or postemesis administration of a reversal agent (to counter sedative effects of the emetic agent); and adverse events.

Results—Emesis induction was attempted by oral administration of hydrogen peroxide (n = 3) or IM or IV administration of xylazine (25 [including 1 cat that had already received hydrogen peroxide]) or dexmedetomidine (16). No cat that received hydrogen peroxide vomited. Emesis was induced in 11 of 25 xylazine-treated cats and in 13 of 16 dexmedetomidine-treated cats. Dexmedetomidine was more likely to cause vomiting than xylazine (OR, 5.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 36). The median dose of dexmedetomidine that caused emesis was 7. 0 μg/kg (3.2 μg/lb; range, 0.96 to 10.0 μg/kg [0.44 to 4.55 μg/lb]). The elapsed time until emesis or postemesis reversal agent administration was recorded for 5 xylazine-treated cats (median interval, 10 minutes [range, 5 to 175 minutes]) and 10 dexmedetomidine-treated cats (median interval, 5 minutes [range, 1 to 12 minutes]). Sedation was the only adverse effect, occurring in 2 xylazine-treated cats and 1 dexmedetomidine-treated cat.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that dexmedetomidine can be used successfully to induce emesis in cats.
Keratitis in six dogs after topical treatment with carbonic anhydrase inhibitors for glaucoma
Authors: Beckwith-Cohen Billie , Bentley Ellison , Gasper David J. , McLellan Gillian J. , Dubielzig Richard R.
Published: December 2015

Case Description—6 dogs (10 eyes) with keratitis following long-term topical treatment with a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (CAI) were evaluated. In 4 dogs (6 eyes), CAI treatment was discontinued. Three dogs (4 eyes) underwent enucleation because of end-stage corneal disease. One dog was treated differently in each eye and thus was represented in both aforementioned groups.

Clinical Findings—Following initiation of treatment with a CAI (ie, brinzolamide or dorzolamide), the median time to development of severe ocular signs was 266 days (range, 133 to 679 days). Clinically severe ocular signs included ulcerative and nonulcerative perilimbal keratitis or severe diffuse keratitis with marked vascularization. The keratitis was refractory to treatment with anti-inflammatory medications. Histologic and immunohistochemical examination of enucleated globes was performed in 3 affected dogs and in 1 dog with keratitis that recovered. Corneal lesions included 2 distinct inflammatory infiltrates with plasma cells predominating in the anterior stroma and both T cells and neutrophils in the epithelium. Stromal plasma cells and overlying epithelium exhibited strong positive immunoreactivity for IgG.

Treatment and Outcome—Topical CAI treatment was discontinued in 4 dogs after a median of 209 days (range, 44 to 433 days), and in these dogs, clinical improvement was evident within 2 to 4 days of CAI treatment cessation. Signs of keratitis resolved in 12 to 25 days in these 4 dogs, and median follow-up time after CAI discontinuation was 25.5 months (range, 6 to 42 months), during which time signs of corneal disease did not recur.

Clinical Relevance—On the basis of this small series, presumed topical CAI-associated keratitis in dogs appeared to be an uncommon immune-mediated disease that was not responsive to corticosteroid treatment. Affected patients improved rapidly, but only after discontinuation of CAI treatment. In dogs with glaucoma, clinicians should consider the development of punctate keratopathy and severe diffuse keratitis as potential adverse effects related to topical administration of CAIs, even after previously uneventful long-term use.
IRT Item Parameter Recovery With Marginal Maximum Likelihood Estimation Using Loglinear Smoothing Models
Authors: Casabianca Jodi M. , Lewis Charles
Published: December 2015

Loglinear smoothing (LLS) estimates the latent trait distribution while making fewer assumptions about its form and maintaining parsimony, thus leading to more precise item response theory (IRT) item parameter estimates than standard marginal maximum likelihood (MML). This article provides the expectation-maximization algorithm for MML estimation with LLS embedded and compares LLS to other latent trait distribution specifications, a fixed normal distribution, and the empirical histogram solution, in terms of IRT item parameter recovery. Simulation study results using a 3-parameter logistic model reveal that LLS models matching four or five moments are optimal in most cases. Examples with empirical data compare LLS to these approaches as well as Ramsay-curve IRT.
Assessment of Retaining Wall Inventories for Geotechnical Asset Management
Authors: Kimmerling Robert E. , Thompson Paul D.
Published: December 2015

With federal transportation funding legislation for asset management, state departments of transportation are expanding the scope of assets included in their transportation asset management plans. Retaining walls represent a significant portion of the overall assets in an agency's transportation corridor system. However, under the conventional approach, significant human resources and time are required to develop retaining wall inventories from physical condition surveys and to follow a bridge inspection program for management of retaining walls. The proposed alternative to physical inventory and condition assessment for managing systemwide retaining wall assets is based on asset density in specified subsets of the transportation corridors. Systemwide retaining wall assets are estimated from corridor subsets with similar wall densities per unit length of the corridor. Then, the systemwide condition of retaining wall assets is evaluated with a deterioration function based on age (i.e., life expectancy) of the asset. The resulting conclusions provide program managers with a tool for predicting systemwide needs for maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement. The proposed alternative offers the flexibility of integrating physical inventories and condition assessments with time, as well as incorporating improved asset deterioration functions or forecast curves.
Effects of Particle Size and Fines Content on Thermal Conductivity of Quartz Sands
Authors: Zhang Nan , Yu Xinbao , Pradhan Asheesh , Puppala Anand J.
Published: December 2015

The thermal properties of soil have drawn great research attention in recent years. Thermal conductivity is the most important such property, particularly for the design of shallow geothermal systems such as energy piles and borehole thermal energy storage. A newly developed thermo–time domain reflectometry probe was used to measure the thermal conductivity of quartz sands with the peak value method. Three rounded quartz sands with different particle sizes were used in experiments to investigate the effects of particle size and fines content on thermal conductivity. Results revealed that thermal conductivity increased with increasing particle size for uniform sands. The thermal conductivity was lower in fine sands than in coarse sands under dry conditions but higher in fine sands than in coarse sands at low moisture contents. The thermal conductivity of coarse sands was increased to peak value by increasing the fine sands content to the critical fines content corresponding to maximum thermal conductivity. The critical fines content increased with a decrease in the mean grain size ratio of fine sands to coarse sands; the content also was related to the grain shape.
Model for Seasonal Variation of Resilient Modulus in Silty Sand Subgrade Soil: Evaluation with Falling Weight Deflectometer
Authors: Salour Farhad , Erlingsson Sigurdur , Zapata Claudia E.
Published: December 2015

One of the main input parameters in the mechanistic design and analysis of pavement systems, the stiffness of unbound pavement material usually is moisture dependent. As a result, most unbound pavement layers exhibit seasonal variations in stiffness as the pavement moisture content changes over the year. Any realistic pavement design should take this variation into account. In unbound material with a high fines content, a change in moisture content can change the stress state because of suction effects. An enhanced predictive resilient modulus model is presented to account for seasonal variation by means of suction measurement. A silty sand subgrade soil was tested with a modified repeated load triaxial system under different moisture (suction) conditions, and a set of resilient modulus model regression parameters was determined. The capability of the model to capture seasonal variation in moisture content was evaluated further with field data. A series of falling weight deflectometer (FWD) tests with multilevel loads was conducted on an instrumented pavement structure in which the moisture content of the subgrade was changed by manipulating the pavement drainage condition. The resilient modulus values obtained from the model were compared with backcalculated stiffness data obtained from FWD tests conducted under different moisture conditions. Overall, agreement was good between the laboratory-based resilient modulus values and the backcalculated stiffness. The resilient modulus–suction model could efficiently capture the moisture content effects.
Is Horizontal Curvature a Significant Factor of Safety in Rural Multilane Highways?
Authors: Banihashemi Mohamadreza
Published: December 2015

The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) crash prediction models estimate the expected number of crashes for different facility types. Models in Part C of the first edition of the HSM include crash prediction models for divided and undivided rural multilane highway segments. Each of the HSM crash prediction models for highway segments is composed of a safety performance function (SPF) that is a function of annual average daily traffic and segment length plus a series of crash modification factors (CMFs). The SPF estimates the number of crashes for a site if the site features are of base condition. The effects of other features of the site, if their values are different from the base condition, are carried out through use of CMFs. Existing models for rural multilane segments do not have any CMFs for horizontal curvature. The goal of this research was to investigate whether horizontal alignment has any significant effect on crashes on these types of facilities and if so, to develop a CMF for this feature. Washington State cross-sectional data from the Highway Safety Information System Laboratory were used in this research. Data from 2007 to 2009 were used to conduct the investigation and 2010 and 2011 data were used to validate the results. As the results showed, horizontal curvature has a significant safety effect on rural multilane highways, and using a CMF for horizontal curvature improves the prediction of crashes significantly for tangent and curve segments.