bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Desirable versus Desired: Different Insulations from Observability
Authors: Varga Károly
Published: March 2009

The subject of this study, the step forward—which the author felt to be ‘of evolutionary value’—was occasioned by a Delphi discussion. The debate was opened by Varga's (2003, 2006a) contrastive exposition of diagnoses of present history with respect to Hungary's accession to the European Union, offered by some leading Hungarian sociologists (Henrik Kreutz, Kálmán Kulcsár, Iván Szelényi, Iván Vitányi), in which he tried to place the views of these authors in a value sociological system by Charles Morris (1956, 1964) and Geert Hofstede (1991). In Morris’ case, this involved recourse to his combination of two systems: one semiotic, the other axiological; in Hofstede's, to his system of ‘software of the mind’ embracing axiology and organizational psychology. This synthesis was opposed by Kreutz (2006a) who offered a new ordering principle which he advanced as truer to life. The present confrontation between the value sociological synthesis advanced by Kreutz, on the one hand, and the trends hallmarked by the names of Morris and Hofstede, on the other hand, provided the author with an opportunity to find a resolution of the tension between desired and desirable, for which he has gained some side light from Robert K. Merton's (1957) theory of the different degrees of insulation of role–activities from observability by members of the role–set (and which has derived further refinement from Jean–Paul Sartre's conception of ‘glance and shame’).
Students’ Perceptions about University Values
Authors: Jaakson Krista
Published: March 2009

This article analyses the core values of the biggest and oldest university in Estonia, University of Tartu (UT), as 237 undergraduate students perceive them. The reporting of values is combined with critical incident technique, based on which the values in–action are obtained. It appeared that UT is best characterized by values such as ‘traditions and continuity’, ‘academic atmosphere’ and ‘quality of education’. It was also found that male students are more critical about specifically one value–set: ‘innovation and development’ and that students, who fund the studies themselves, are more supportive about ‘quality of education’ and ‘concern for student’ values. Contrary to expectations, study time had no influence on the student perception of values. Implications of the results for the university are discussed, in order to better cope with the tightening competition in the educational market.
Profession and Dietary Habits as Determinants of Perceived and Expected Values
Authors: Dhar Upinder , Parashar Sapna , Tiwari Tripti
Published: March 2009

The term value may be defined as a principle or ideal of intrinsic worth or desirability. Values and attitudes relate a property of an external object (intrinsic worth) with an internal process (feeling). People impute worth or value onto objects, principles or ideals. The values are preferences, criteria or choices of personal or group conduct. They are general principles that guide an individual's decisions. These principles have an inherent organization and a rational basis to impart worth to objects and other individuals. As society and culture are not static, there can be many changes in a society in the course of a decade. Changes in societal values are usually gradual when viewed from a distance, and are at both individual and group levels. Individuals have values which they express both in terms of stated beliefs and actions. The present article is an attempt to understand the impact of profession, represented by teachers of higher education and medical doctors, and dietary habits, categorized as vegetarians and non–vegetarians, on the perception of existing values and expectation of ought to be values in the society.
The Tale of Lady Tan
Authors: Gerritsen Anne
Published: March 2009

This paper explores the story of Lady Tan across genres from biographical record to temple inscription and marvellous tale, highlighting different representations of ‘the local’ in these stories: the loss of local belonging for some, inscribing the morals of a local community for others. Focusing on this tale, this essay argues that locality and belonging were contested constructs, especially during the Song-Yuan-Ming transitional period. Ex-ploring how literati understood themselves in relation to their localities contributes to our understanding of literati identities and the meaning of ‘the local’, in a period with ‘weak central government’, or as a repeating pattern of centralisation and localisation. It reveals the complexities in-volved in giving meaning to locality and negotiating belonging. In Ji'an prefecture, the centralising policies of the Hongwu and Yongle emperors were felt locally and affected how literati positioned themselves between central government and local community. This focus on literati writings from a single prefecture suggests that a close reading of the negotiations that form part of constructing locality and belonging in Ji'an can reveal the potential for a complex interplay between central government and local communities throughout China.
Asceticism, Gallantry, or Polygamy? Alexander's Relationship with Women as a Topos in Medieval Romance Traditions
Authors: Müller Sabine
Published: March 2009

Historisches Seminar, Leibniz University, Hannover. E-mail: sabine.mueller@hist.uni-hannover.de The legend of the ancient Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great was infused with new life in the Middle Ages. Medieval literature cast him as a popular subject, a moral exemplum and a model to be emulated by the nobility. One important aspect of this legend was his relationship with women that can be read as a marker of the different representations of the Alexander figure and their cultural contexts. This study examines the Alexander legend as it was reinvented in three major medieval texts, writ-ten by the French cleric Gautier de Châtillon, the German writer Johann Hartlieb and the Persian poet Nizami. While Christian literary representa-tions reinvent Alexander as an ascetic, chaste figure, exalting fidelity to one woman, his wife Roxane and alternatively as an ideal of gallantry and courtliness, the Persian romance tradition portrayed him as an en-ergetic, polygamous lover. In each case, his attitude towards women is deployed as a symbol of his political attributes.
Reviews: Mechanisms Mediating Brain Plasticity: IGF1 and Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis
Authors: LLorens-Martín María , Torres-Alemán Ignacio , Trejo José Luis
Published: March 2009

This review addresses the role of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) as one mechanism of adult neural plasticity, specifically, its regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis among other plasticity-related processes. It is suggested that IGF has been reused advantageously both for the control of energy expenditure as a function of the organism's activity and to protect, repair, and plastically modulate the brain. Moreover, because as the main source of IGF1 in the adult organism is outside the brain and its presence in this organ is a function of the activity, IGF1 becomes an ideal factor to induce plastic/neuroprotective functions as a function of the organism's activity. The link for this point of view comes from the original function of IGF1 during ontogeny/phylogeny, the promotion of cell survival and control of neural cell numbers, whereas one of the IGF1 functions in the adult brain is the control of hippocampal neurogenesis. The investigation of the IGF1 role as mediator of exercise effects suggests that many but not all the effects of physical activity are mediated by IGF1. These investigations have contributed to delimit the role of IGF1 as mediator of exercise actions, but at the same time are unveiling new roles for serum IGF1 inside the brain.
A Note on Existence Result for Viscoplastic Models with Nonlinear Hardening
Authors: Nesenenko Sergiy
Published: March 2009

In the recent work of H.-D. Alber and K. Chelminski ( Mathematical Models and Methods in the Applied Sciences, 17, 189—213, 2007) the existence of the solutions to a model of inelastic (viscoplastic) behavior of materials at small strain is derived. In this work we show that the conditions of the existence theorem of Alber and Chelminski can be relaxed and the same result can be proved under less restrictive assumptions. The relaxation of the conditions of the existence theorem of Alber and Chelminski (2007) makes it possible to answer the question raised by them concerning the solvability of the model of nonlinear kinematic hardening without assuming a higher exponent in the constitutive law for one of the internal variables than the exponent in the constitutive law for the other one.
Myeloid blasts are the mouse bone marrow cells prone to differentiate into osteoclasts
Authors: de Vries Teun J , Schoenmaker Ton , Hooibrink Berend , Leenen Pieter J M , Everts Vincent
Published: March 2009

Cells of the myeloid lineage at various stages of maturity can differentiate into multinucleated osteoclasts. Yet, it is unclear which developmental stages of this lineage are more prone to become osteoclasts than others. We investigated the osteoclastogenic potential of three successive stages of myeloid development isolated from mouse bone marrow. Early blasts (CD31hi/Ly-6C–), myeloid blasts (CD31+/Ly-6C+), and monocytes (CD31–/Ly-6Chi), as well as unfractionated marrow cells, were cultured in the presence of M-CSF and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), and the differentiation toward multinucleated cells and their capacity to resorb bone was assessed. Myeloid blasts developed rapidly into multinucleated cells; in only 4 days, maximal numbers were reached, whereas the other fractions required 8 days to reach maximal numbers. Bone resorption was observed after 6 (myeloid blasts and monocyte-derived osteoclasts) and 8 (early blast-derived osteoclasts) days. This difference in kinetics in osteoclast-forming capacity was confirmed by the analysis of osteoclast-related genes. In addition, the myeloid blast fraction proved to be most sensitive to M-CSF and RANKL, as assessed with a colony-forming assay. Our results show that osteoclasts can develop from all stages of myeloid differentiation, but myeloid blasts are equipped to do so within a short period of time.
The Hydration of Nitriles Catalyzed by the Combination of Palladium Nanoparticles and Copper Compounds
Authors: Ishizuka Akinori , Nakazaki Yoshiaki , Oshiki Toshiyuki
Published: March 2009

New catalysts based on Pd nanoparticles for the hydration of nitriles to amides were investigated. Copper compounds containing oxygen acted as effective promoters in the catalytic system. The catalysts could be used to prepare aromatic and aliphatic amides from the corresponding nitriles. Chloride ions significantly inhibited the catalytic performance.
Cyclic Tetrasiloxanetetraols: Formation, Isolation, and Characterization
Authors: Ito Ryuichi , Kakihana Yuriko , Kawakami Yusuke
Published: March 2009

Hydrolysis of trialkoxysilanes having various substituents gave cyclic tetrasiloxanetetraols with all-cis isomer as the major fraction in the presence of equimolar amounts of water and sodium hydroxide. All stereoisomers of phenyl derivative were produced by isomerization of the all-cis isomer in the presence of hydrochloric acid, and isolated and identified.
“Compressed” Icelike Structures between Molecular Films Comparable with Ice Phase III
Authors: Yoshida Yuki , Miyamoto Riichi , Nishioka Takanori , Hashimoto Hideki , Kinoshita Isamu
Published: March 2009

An icelike supramolecular structure is found in a self-assembled quasi 3-D crystalline hydrate in-between the layers of CuII tris(pyridylthio)methyl hydroxide complexes, which is comparable with compressed pure ice III.
Interpenetrating Polymer Networks of Poly(N-vinylacetamide) and Poly(acrylic acid) Applied to Novel Amphiphilic Drug Release Substrates with Mechanically Modified Strengths
Authors: Ajiro Hiroharu , Takemoto Yukie , Akashi Mitsuru
Published: March 2009

Gels with interpenetrating polymer networks were prepared with N-vinylacetamide (NVA) and acrylic acid (AAc) as novel substrates for transdermal therapeutic systems. The gelation of NVA at 1 M in AAc gel sustained the amphiphilic character, and a poorly water-soluble drug was kept in the gel with ethanol as solvent. Mechanical strengths were five times larger in value than those of simple poly(N-vinylacetamide) gels.
Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Layered Crystal Composed of Polyoxomolybdate and Surfactant with π Electrons
Authors: Ito Takeru , Yamase Toshihiro
Published: March 2009

A polyoxometalate layered crystal containing surfactant with π electrons was successfully prepared by using hexadecylpyridinium (C16py). X-ray single-crystal structure analysis revealed that monolayers of hexamolybdate (Mo6) and bilayers of C16py were stacked alternately. The hexadecyl chains of the C16py in the bilayer interdigitated each other. The pyridine rings were inserted into the monolayers of the Mo6 to form the inorganic layers together with the Mo6 anions.
Tb3+-enhanced Potentiometric Detection of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism by Field Effect Transistors
Authors: Wang Jinping , Ito Kenya , Nakanishi Takuya , Kuroiwa Shigeki , Osaka Tetsuya
Published: March 2009

The use of Tb3+ as a center ion and media to introduce more exogenously negative charges onto double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), can greatly enhance potentiometric signals produced by the shift of gate voltage of field effect transisitor (FET). Furthermore, different affinities of Tb3+ to normal and mismatched dsDNAs amplified the signal difference between their detections, which can improve the discrimination of single nucleotide polymorphism.
Peers at Work
Authors: Mas Alexandre , Moretti Enrico
Published: March 2009

We study peer effects in the workplace. Specifically, we investigate whether, how, and why the productivity of a worker depends on the productivity of coworkers in the same team. Using high-frequency data on worker productivity from a large supermarket chain, we find strong evidence of positive productivity spillovers from the introduction of highly productive personnel into a shift. Worker effort is positively related to the productivity of workers who see him, but not workers who do not see him. Additionally, workers respond more to the presence of coworkers with whom they frequently interact. We conclude that social pressure can partially internalize free-riding externalities that are built into many workplaces. (JEL J24, L81, M54)
Women, Wealth, and Mobility
Authors: Edlund Lena , Kopczuk Wojciech
Published: March 2009

Using estate tax returns data, we observe that the share of women among the very wealthy in the United States peaked in the late 1960s at nearly one-half and then declined to one-third. We argue that this pattern reflects changes in the importance of dynastic wealth, with the share of women proxying for inherited wealth. If so, wealth mobility decreased until the 1970s and rose thereafter. Such an interpretation is consistent with technological change driving long-term trends in mobility and inequality, as well as the recent divergence between top wealth and top income shares documented elsewhere. (JEL D31, J16, J62, O33)
Sticky Prices and Monetary Policy: Evidence from Disaggregated US Data
Authors: Boivin Jean , Giannoni Marc P , Mihov Ilian
Published: March 2009

This paper shows that the recent evidence that disaggregated prices are volatile does not necessarily challenge the hypothesis of price rigidity used in a large class of macroeconomic models. We document the effect of macroeconomic and sectoral disturbances by estimating a factor-augmented vector autoregression using a large set of macroeconomic indicators and disaggregated prices. Our main finding is that disaggregated prices appear sticky in response to macroeconomic and monetary disturbances, but flexible in response to sector-specific shocks. The observed flexibility of disaggregated prices reflects the fact that sector-specific shocks account on average for 85 percent of their monthly fluctuations. (JEL E13, E31, E32, E52)
Risk, Ambiguity, and the Rank-Dependence Axioms
Authors: Machina Mark J
Published: March 2009

Choice problems in the spirit of Ellsberg (1961) suggest that rank-dependent (“Choquet expected utility”) preferences over subjective gambles might be subject to the same difficulties that Ellsberg's earlier examples posed for subjective expected utility. These difficulties stem from event-separability properties that rank-dependent preferences partially retain from expected utility, and suggest that nonseparable models of preferences might be better at capturing features of behavior that lead to these paradoxes. (JEL D81)
Group Identity and Social Preferences
Authors: Chen Yan , Li Sherry Xin
Published: March 2009

We present a laboratory experiment that measures the effects of induced group identity on social preferences. We find that when participants are matched with an ingroup member, they show a 47 percent increase in charity concerns and a 93 percent decrease in envy. Likewise, participants are 19 percent more likely to reward an ingroup match for good behavior, but 13 percent less likely to punish an ingroup match for misbehavior. Furthermore, participants are significantly more likely to choose social-welfare-maximizing actions when matched with an ingroup member. All results are consistent with the hypothesis that participants are more altruistic toward an ingroup match. (JEL C91, D03, Z13)
Diversity in the Workplace
Authors: Morgan John , Várdy Felix
Published: March 2009

We study minority representation in the workplace when employers engage in optimal sequential search and minorities convey noisier signals of ability than mainstream job candidates. The greater signal noise makes it harder for minorities to change employers' prior beliefs. When employers are selective, this leads to minority underrepresentation in the workplace. Diversity improves when the cost of interviewing, the average skill level of candidates, or the opportunity cost of not hiring increases. Reducing the cost of firing also increases minority representation. When employers are sufficiently unselective, the rigidity of employers' beliefs leads to overrepresentation of minorities. (JEL D83, J15, J24, J71, M12, M51)
Indirect Effects of an Aid Program: How Do Cash Transfers Affect Ineligibles' Consumption?
Authors: Angelucci Manuela , De Giorgi Giacomo
Published: March 2009

Cash transfers to eligible households indirectly increase the consumption of ineligible households living in the same villages. This effect operates through insurance and credit markets: ineligible households benefit from the transfers by receiving more gifts and loans and by reducing their savings. Thus, the transfers benefit the local economy at large; looking only at the effect on the treated underestimates their impact. One should analyze the effects of this class of programs on the entire local economy, rather than on the treated only, and use a village-level randomization, rather than selecting treatment nd control subjects from the same community. (JEL H23, I38, O12, O15)
Political Economy at Any Speed: What Determines Traffic Citations?
Authors: Makowsky Michael D , Stratmann Thomas
Published: March 2009

Speeding tickets are determined not only by the speed of the offender, but also by incentives faced by police officers and their vote-maximizing principals. We hypothesize that police officers issue fines more frequently when drivers have a higher opportunity cost of contesting a ticket, and when drivers are not residents of the local municipality. We also predict that local officers are more likely to issue a ticket to out-of-town drivers when fiscal conditions are tight and legal limits prevent increases in property taxes. Using data from traffic stops in Massachusetts, we find support for our hypotheses. (JEL H76, R41)
Democracy and Foreign Education
Authors: Spilimbergo Antonio
Published: March 2009

Despite the large amount of private and public resources spent on foreign education, there is no systematic evidence that foreign-educated individuals foster democracy in their home countries. Using a unique panel dataset on foreign students starting in the 1950s, I show that foreign-educated individuals promote democracy in their home country, but only if the foreign education is acquired in democratic countries. The results are robust to several estimation techniques, to different definitions of democracy, and to the inclusion of a variety of control variables, including democracy in trading partners, neighboring countries, level of income, and level and stock of education. (JEL D72, I21, O15, O17, P26)
Doing Good or Doing Well? Image Motivation and Monetary Incentives in Behaving Prosocially
Authors: Ariely Dan , Bracha Anat , Meier Stephan
Published: March 2009

This paper experimentally examines image motivation—the desire to be liked and well regarded by others—as a driver in prosocial behavior (doing good), and asks whether extrinsic monetary incentives (doing well) have a detrimental effect on prosocial behavior due to crowding out of image motivation. Using the unique property of image motivation—its dependency on visibility—we show that image is indeed an important part of the motivation to behave prosocially, and that extrinsic incentives crowd out image motivation. Therefore, monetary incentives are more likely to be counterproductive for public prosocial activities than for private ones. (JEL D64, L31, Z13)
Estate Taxation, Entrepreneurship, and Wealth
Authors: Cagetti Marco , De Nardi Mariacristina
Published: March 2009

This paper studies the estate tax in a quantitative framework with business investment, borrowing constraints, estate transmission, and wealth inequality. We find that the estate tax has little effect on the saving and investment decisions of small businesses, but does distort the decisions of larger firms, thereby reducing aggregate output and savings. Removing such distortions by eliminating the estate tax does not necessarily imply that everyone would be better off. If other taxes were raised to reestablish fiscal balance, those at the top of the wealth distribution would experience a large welfare gain, but most of the population would lose. (JEL D31, E21, H2)
Common issues in general practice negligence
Authors: Boyd Thomas
Published: March 2009

Only a small number of the 10,000 or so consultations conducted by a general practitioner each year involve patients presenting with a new, serious treatable illness. The general practitioner needs to be constantly alert to such presentations, primarily through listening to patients and taking a history. Some diagnoses result from conducting appropriate examinations, arranging investigations and interpreting the results, and by making referrals for specialist advice. This article considers examples of negligent failures in all these areas.
A systematic review of compression hosiery for uncomplicated varicose veins
Authors: Palfreyman S J , Michaels J A
Published: March 2009

Objective

Compression hosiery is widely used in the prevention and management of symptoms related to varicose veins. However, there are still gaps and questions in relation to its benefit. This review seeks to examine the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of compression hosiery in the treatment of varicose veins.

Method

Prospective, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating compression hosiery in the treatment of varicose veins were sought. Where RCTs were unavailable other evidence was included. Studies were included if they evaluated the application of compression to patients with a diagnosis of varicose veins. Twelve electronic bibliographic databases and 18 internet-based research resources were searched. Inclusion or exclusion of trials was decided by two reviewers acting independently.

Results

The search strategy identified 25 studies. Eleven were RCTs or systematic reviews, 12 non-randomized studies and two guidelines. No consensus was found regarding the class of compression needed for the effective management of varicose veins. Wearing compression improved symptom management, but could be confounded by the exclusion of high number of non-compliant patients within the trials. Wearing compression to slow the progression, or prevent the reoccurrence of varicose veins could not be supported by the current published evidence.

Conclusion

The evidence for the benefit of compression hosiery for varicose veins was equivocal. The published literature was often contradictory and had methodological flaws.
Standard varicose vein surgery
Authors: Perkins J M T
Published: March 2009

This article examines the practice of standard varicose vein surgery including sapheno-femoral and sapheno-popliteal ligation, perforator surgery and surgery for recurrent varicose veins. The technique of exposure of the sapheno-femoral junction and the sapheno-popliteal junction is outlined and advice given on avoidance of complications for both. The evidence regarding methods of closure over the ligated sapheno-femoral junction is examined as is the requirement for stripping and the use of different types of stripper. The requirement to strip the small saphenous vein and the extent of dissection necessary in the popliteal fossa is also examined. Complications of standard varicose vein surgery are outlined. The frequency of wound infection, nerve injury, vascular injury and venous thromboembolism are listed and strategies to avoid these complications are examined.
Dairy Versus Calcium Carbonate in Promoting Peak Bone Mass and Bone Maintenance During Subsequent Calcium Deficiency
Authors: Weaver Connie M , Janle Elsa , Martin Berdine , Browne Sarah , Guiden Holly , Lachcik Pamela , Lee Wang-Hee
Published: March 2009

Dairy products provide most of the calcium in the diet, but consumption of milk has declined steadily over the last six decades. We determined (1) benefits to bone formation in growing female Sprague-Dawley rats when calcium is derived from dairy versus CaCO3 and (2) residual benefits of calcium provided by dairy to rats subsequently receiving a low-calcium diet. During growth, femurs from rats fed nonfat dry milk solids (NFDM) had 8.4% higher peak breaking force, 6.4% greater Ca content, 4.8% greater weight, 4% greater width, 1.2% greater density, 13.1% greater midshaft cortical thickness, and 16.7% greater midshaft cortical area than from rats fed CaCO3. These effects were unrelated to differences in calcium absorption or serum IGF-1, but the NFDM group had higher rates of bone formation. If maintained on an adequate calcium diet, many of these advantages disappeared. However, rats fed adequate Ca as NFDM versus CaCO3 during growth and subsequently switched to deficient Ca as CaCO3 had significantly (p < 0.0001) higher femoral BMD (1.3%), total bone Ca (7.2%), Ca concentration (4.6%), and cortical thickness (9.4%) and a trend (p = 0.02) toward greater peak breaking force (17%). Thus, NFDMs improved bone measures during growth and protected bone against a subsequent period of calcium depletion compared with CaCO3.
Sporadic and MEN1-Related Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Differences in Clinical Expression and Severity
Authors: Eller-Vainicher Cristina , Chiodini Iacopo , Battista Claudia , Viti Raffaella , Mascia Maria Lucia , Massironi Sara , Peracchi Maddalena , D'Agruma Leonardo , Minisola Salvatore , Corbetta Sabrina , Cole David EC , Spada Anna , Scillitani Alfredo
Published: March 2009

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a common endocrine disease that is associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) in ∼2% of PHPT cases. Lack of a family history and other specific expressions may lead to underestimated MEN1 prevalence in PHPT. The aim of this study was to identify clinical or biochemical features predictive of MEN1 and to compare the severity of the disease in MEN1-related versus sporadic PHPT (sPHPT). We performed a 36-mo cross-sectional observational study in three tertiary referral centers on an outpatient basis on 469 consecutive patients with sporadic PHPT and 64 with MEN1-related PHPT. Serum calcium, phosphate, PTH, 25(OH)D3, and creatinine clearance were measured, and ultrasound examination of the urinary tract/urography was performed in all patients. In 432 patients, BMD was measured at the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). MEN1 patients showed lower BMD Z-scores at the LS (−1.33 ± 1.23 versus −0.74 ± 1.4, p = 0.008) and FN (−1.13 ± 0.96 versus −0.6 ± 1.07, p = 0.002) and lower phosphate (2.38 ± 0.52 versus 2.56 ± 0.45 mg/dl, p = 0.003) and PTH (113.8 ± 69.5 versus 173.7 ± 135 pg/ml, p = 0.001) levels than sPHPT patients. Considering probands only, the presence of MEN1 was more frequently associated with PTH values in the normal range (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.07–8.50; p = 0.037) and younger age (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.28–2.02; p = 0.0001). A combination of PTH values in the normal range plus age <50 yr was strongly associated with MEN1 presence (OR, 13.51; 95% CI, 3.62–50.00; p = 0.0001). In conclusion, MEN1-related PHPT patients show more severe bone but similar kidney involvement despite a milder biochemical presentation compared with their sPHPT counterparts. Normal PTH levels and young age are associated with MEN1 presence.
Schnelles Scheduling mit Hilfe eines hybriden Evolutionären AlgorithmusFast Scheduling by Means of a Hybrid Evolutionary Algorithm
Authors: Jakob Wilfried , Hahnenkamp Björn , Quinte Alexander , Stucky Karl-Uwe , Süß Wolfgang
Published: March 2009

Scheduling und Ressourcenplanung sind Aufgaben, die in vielen Einsatzbereichen wie z.B. der Maschinenbelegung oder Projektplanung vorkommen. In diesem Beitrag wird eine verwandte Aufgabenstellung vorgestellt, nämlich die Ressourcen- und Jobplanung im Bereich des Grid-Computing. Auf Grund der Dynamik in einem solchen heterogenen Rechnernetz ist eine schnelle Reaktion und häufige Umplanung innerhalb weniger Minuten erforderlich. Daher kommt es vor allem auf gute Resultate innerhalb eines vorgegebenen Zeitrahmens an und weniger darauf, das Optimum zu finden. Zur Lösung dieses Problems werden Heuristiken und der Evolutionäre Algorithmus GLEAM eingesetzt. Der Beitrag vergleicht mit Hilfe geeigneter Benchmarks zwei unterschiedliche Genmodelle, zwei Verfahren zur Reparatur illegaler Schedules und den Effekt eines Hilfskriteriums zur schnelleren Verbesserung von Schedules. Außerdem wird die Wirkung zweier bekannter Crossover-Operatoren für kombinatorische Optimierung untersucht. Dabei zeigt es sich, dass der Evolutionäre Algorithmus trotz der zeitlichen Einschränkung eine deutliche Verbesserung der heuristisch erzeugten Schedules erreicht.
Maschinelles Lernen von validierbaren Klassifikatoren zur autonomen Steuerung sicherheitsrelevanter SystemeMachine Learning of Verifiable Classifiers for Autonomous Control of Safety-related Systems
Authors: Nusser Sebastian , Otte Clemens , Hauptmann Werner , Leirich Oskar , Krätschmer Manfred , Kruse Rudolf
Published: March 2009

Im Bereich sicherheitsrelevanter Anwendungen ist es besonders wichtig sicherzustellen, dass die gelernte Lösung im gesamten Eingaberaum korrekt ist. Es wird eine Methode zum Lernen von Klassifikationsmodellen vorgestellt, die auch bei sicherheitskritischen Steuerungsaufgaben einsetzbar ist. Hierfür wird ein Ensemble von niedrigdimensionalen Teilmodellen erzeugt, bei dem jedes Teilmodell von einem Experten interpretiert und validiert werden kann.
Partition Behavior of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Between Aged Coal Tar and Water
Authors: Liu Lihua , Endo Satoshi , Eberhardt Christina , Grathwohl Peter , Schmidt Torsten C.
Published: March 2009

Coal tar aged in a large-scale, artificial aquifer experiment for five years was subsequently investigated for leaching behavior of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). After five years, the initially liquid coal tar had solidified and formed segregated particles with a grain size similar to that of the sandy aquifer material. The composition of the aged coal tar (ACT) with regard to PAHs was remarkably different from that of the original bulk coal tar (BCT), because most of the low-molecular-weight compounds had been depleted. Equilibrium aqueous-phase concentrations of 17 PAHs leaching from the aquifer material containing the ACT were measured from consecutive equilibration steps at increasing temperatures of between 25 and 100C using accelerated solvent extraction. The results showed 2-to 5,000-fold lower concentrations than those from BCT, indicating dramatic changes of dissolution behavior of PAHs from coal tar after the five-year aging period. Predictions based on Raoult's law with the subcooled liquid solubilities substantially overestimated the equilibrium aqueous-phase concentrations of the PAHs from ACT, whereas the estimations were reasonable if the solid solubilities were employed instead. The enthalpies of phase transfer from ACT to water were determined based on the van't Hoff equation. The resulting values agreed with the dissolution enthalpies of pure solid rather than subcooled liquid PAHs.
Skimmer Capacity for Viscous Oil Spills
Authors: Moxness Vidar Weidemann , Gåseidnes Knut , Asheim Harald
Published: March 2009

The classical formulae for oil skimmer capacity consider inertia but neglects viscosity. The current paper includes viscous losses and distinguishes between inertial, intermediate and viscid regimes. The distinction is based on a dimensionless number; called the Goose number.

Experiments have been performed using viscous gear-oil floating on tap water. Measured skimmer rates corresponded reasonably to numerical estimates, and to the analytical approximation valid within the viscid regime. Classical formulae were found to be valid within the inertial regime, but were much off for the experimental conditions considered.
Air Quality Requirements on Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Operations in a Highly Regulated Area: A Southern California E&P Operator's Story
Authors: Shemaria Mark , Yorke Judy
Published: March 2009

There is growing concern throughout the world regarding the impact of oil and gas operations on air quality at both the global and local levels. In Southern California, Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Operators face a number of challenges to be able to manage their production operations and comply in a highly controlled regulatory climate. Some of the most stringent requirements are rules that limit emissions to the atmosphere. Source specific rules require operators to monitor and control both point source (stack/vents) and fugitive sources of emissions. Permitting, rule requirements, and recording keeping all mold the way operators conduct their production operations.

This paper provides an overview of the requirements on operators that control the sources of emissions from stationary sources in Southern California. Discussion on emissions, control devices, permitting requirements and quantification are also covered in this paper. We shall review how one operator responded to changes in the regulations and operating conditions, and was able to modify their process to greatly reduce emissions.
Engineered Wetland Design for Produced-Water Treatment
Authors: Davis Brian M. , Wallace Scott D. , Wilson Roberta
Published: March 2009

Engineered wetlands are a promising technology for treatment of oil field and gas field produced water. The engineering optimization of natural treatment processes, adapted from chemical engineering reactor design principles, shows that engineered wetlands are a viable alternative to mechanical produced water treatment systems.

Engineered wetlands incorporate a subsurface flow gravel bed reactor, lined with an impermeable liner and equipped with an aeration system to enhance oxygen delivery. Design parameters include biodegradation rate coefficients for BOD and individual organic compounds, produced water flowrate, temperature, and influent and required effluent concentrations.

An oil and gas company in the Caspian region is seeking to utilize engineered wetlands for treatment of oil field and gas field produced water. The oil field produced water concentrations are high in total dissolved solids (43,048 mg/L), BOD (14,693 mg/L), and oil and grease (1,213 mg/L) and moderately high in total BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes; 3.067 mg/L). The gas field produced water concentrations are moderately high in total dissolved solids (16,110 mg/L), BOD (9,910 mg/L), and oil and grease (557 mg/L) and high in total BTEX (12.393 mg/L). Pilot-scale engineered wetland treatment systems have been designed on a flowrate basis of 100 cubic meters per day using the first-order kinetic mass reaction model recently published by Kadlec and Wallace (2008). This model utilizes a modified tanks-in-series number that accounts for both hydraulic effects and weathering effects in the biodegradation rate. Hydraulic effects are due to dispersion in the saturated gravel bed. Variation in the biodegradation rate is due to rapid biodegradation at the upgradient portion of the engineered wetland, where short chain/low molecular weight organics are oxidized at rapid rates, and slower biodegradation at the downgradient portion of the engineered wetland, where long chain/higher molecular weight organics are oxidized at lower rates. This advanced design process, combined with BOD surface area loading criteria, enables the optimization of engineered wetland design for produced water treatment.
H2S: A Survivor's Story
Authors: Simpson Charles A.
Published: March 2009

The author tells the story of his near fatal exposure to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) while stimulating an oil well in Waynesboro, Mississippi. He describes how poor management decisions, inadequate training, and failure to exercise Stop Work Authority factored into the accident. Lessoned Learned include:

Assure all personnel are committed to working safely. Provide detailed safety training. Advise personnel of all hazards associated with a job. Follow established safe work practices. Provide adequate equipment to deal with hazards. Develop a job site–specific emergency response plan. Support and use Stop Work Authority.
Systems Approach and Quantitative Decision Tools for Technology Selection in Environmentally Friendly Drilling
Authors: Yu O.-Y. , Guikema S. D. , Bickel J. E. , Briaud J.-L. , Burnett D. B.
Published: March 2009

One of the petroleum industry's goals is to reduce the environmental impact of oil and gas operations in environmentally sensitive areas. To achieve this, a number of Environmentally Friendly Drilling (EFD) technologies have been developed to varying degrees but few have been integrated into a field demonstrable drilling system (i.e., combination of technologies) compatible with ecologically sensitive or off-limits areas.

The main purpose of this paper is to present a decision-analytic technology selection process. The proposed method is based on a systems analysis that can be used for integrating current and new EFD technologies into an optimal EFD system. The system draws upon a large number of technologies (more than 100) identified by a government-industry joint venture studying low impact operations in sensitive ecological areas. In order to provide flexibility to the user, a small number of systems (1~5) are proposed for a given site, instead of a single best system. An optimization scheme is suggested based on a combination of multi-attribute utility theory and exhaustively enumerating all possible technology combinations to provide a quantitative rationale and suggest the best set of systems according to a set of criteria, with the relative importance of the different criteria defined by the decision-maker. This methodology is designed to help decision-makers select an optimal drilling system for a given site in order to minimize environmental impact and maximize profit at that specific site.

An application of the proposed approach is described by conducting a case study in Green Lake at McFaddin, TX; some of the difficulties in using this approach in practice are also discussed. This paper describes the results of the case study which provided a more logical and comprehensive approach that maximized the economic and environmental goals of both the landowner and the oil company leaseholder.
Quantifying Process Safety with Expert Judgment
Authors: Sutton Ian
Published: March 2009

One of the most effective means of improving process safety management (PSM) performance on offshore and onshore processing facilities is to identify the plausible hazards, and then to either remove those hazards, or to engineer the system such that it is inherently safe. Unfortunately, the disciplines of safety and environmental engineering are not as objective or rigorous as other types of engineering because the identification of hazards, along with estimates as to their consequences and likelihoods, relies largely on experience and expert judgment. Moreover, other subjective factors - such as whether a release affects members of the public - come into play; yet such factors cannot be easily incorporated into an engineering or operations policy.

For example, an assessment of the risk to do with a potential fire requires judgment regarding:

The location of a leak; Its size; Its likelihood; Its duration; The effectiveness of operator response; and The rigor with which local regulations are enforced.

The responses provided to each of the above factors will dramatically affect the nature of the risk analysis and the resulting recommendations. Yet each answer relies heavily on judgment and experience.

This paper demonstrates how a very large system of spreadsheets can be used to organize expert knowledge around the well-established categories of process safety management such as management of change, incident investigation and employee culture. Each spreadsheet contains multiple questions, each of which is scored from 0 (bad) to 4 (excellent). In this regard, the system goes beyond the traditional checklist audit approach to assessing PSM — it allows for judgment, not just simple "Yes/No" answers. Supplementing the questions are guidance statements written by the appropriate expert(s). The scores roll up to provide management with an objective assessment as to the status of their process safety management program. The system also identifies which specific management areas are functioning well, and which are not.

These results thus help managers improve safety and environmental results in an objective manner by moving away from hunches, un-substantiated opinions and also from quantitative assessments that are built on questionable failure rate data. The results also provide management with guidance as to where to invest resources in order to improve performance most effectively.
Integrating Social Responsibility into the Health, Environment, and Safety Management System (HESMS)
Authors: Ortega Carolina , Ravishankar Krish , Fernando de Angulo Luis
Published: March 2009

Integrating Social Responsibility (SR) into an established management system helps to overcome commonly faced challenges in the SR field: especially those related to accountability, measurement and long-term sustainability of SR programs. This paper presents Occidental Petroleum Corporation's approach to implementing SR in its oil and gas business units. It addresses the development of a SR Standard and utilization of a Health, Environment and Safety (HES) management system to efficiently manage and continuously improve the SR program.
Increased Operational Safety and Efficiency with Managed Pressure Drilling
Authors: Grayson Brian
Published: March 2009

Planning has always been essential to create and maintain a safe drilling environment. Safety and environmental concerns are now a larger concern than ever before with the increasing difficulty in drilling projects and the more sensitive environmental areas that wells are being constructed and produced from. This is increasingly becoming a bigger concern with the potential opening of new offshore and onshore areas that have been until recently not accessible to exploration and production primarily from an environmental aspect or proximity to large population centers.

Using an open-to-the-atmosphere fluids returns system when drilling with hazardous, or any, drilling fluids or into formations that could potentially have high concentrations of toxic gases or unknown shallow geo hazards, raises significant health, safety and environmental concerns. These hazards along with the complex wells with tight margins between pore pressure and fracture gradient increase risk to an intolerable level. Of course these issues have to be considered while still maintaining the same constraints of minimizing cost and enhancing drilling performance.

Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) is a methodology that has been developed and practiced over the past few years with great success to aid in the mitigation of known and unknown drilling hazards. MPD utilizes conventional techniques and technologies to create a closed and pressurizable drilling fluids returns system that works to better predict and control the reactions of the formation to the drilling program. Planning a well with MPD as an option will preserve the same conventional drilling methods and controls but give knowledge and the technology to better mitigate against hazards and more securely maintain well control.

This paper will describe the processes and variations, and the technologies used with MPD. It will further detail how MPD techniques are applied to a variety of operations to increase both drilling efficiencies and the overall safety of the operation.
Best Management Practices for Blasting and Painting Offshore Facilities
Authors: Satterlee Kent , Kuehn Robert B. , Guy Carl A. , Johnson Carliane D.
Published: March 2009

Offshore oil and gas facilities must be periodically inspected and maintained to assure structural integrity and minimize pollution and safety risks. This involves periodic surface preparation and coating activities. In U.S. waters, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) prohibits the discharge of garbage from any fixed or floating platform (33 Code of Federal Regulations 151.73), including discharges related to maintenance activities. In 2007, the American Petroleum Institute prepared Bulletin 91 Planning and Conducting Surface Preparations and Coating Operations for Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Production Facilities in the Marine Environment to meet the intent of MARPOL 73/78 (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), specifically Annex V, which regulates the discharge of garbage. USCG has specifically requested, however, that industry develop performance-based practices and quantifiable measurements for discharges related to surface preparation and coating activities.

In late 2007, offshore companies began using a Best Management Practices plan template that allows companies to establish—within a consistent framework—practices and procedures to minimize the discharge of spent abrasives and paint overspray to the surrounding waters to the maximum extent practicable. Plans that are developed based on this template meet the requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Offshore general permit.

In May 2008, the Offshore Operators Committee hosted a workshop to better understand current practices conducted on offshore facilities. The workshop was the first step of a "due diligence" process to ensure that USCG concerns do not adversely affect ongoing operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Subsequent steps will build upon this by obtaining information about abrasives and coatings currently being used by industry and then developing a recommended practice to prevent their discharges into surrounding waters to the maximum extent practicable.

This paper describes the development of practices at Shell that are intended to meet the intent of MARPOL from a regulatory and industry standpoint. It provides information on surface preparation methods and coating types that have been used to reduce discharges, emissions, and wastes, as well as reduce costs and enhance the safety of offshore workers.