bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Between the Language and Silence of War: Martha Gellhorn and the Female Characters of Hemingway's The Fifth Column
Authors: Jackson-Schebetta Lisa
Published: May 2010

The Fifth Column (1938) explicitly dramatizes militarized codes of behaviour among men in war. The play also documents the labour of women produced by the economic realities and imaginative possibilities of war time. Hemingway's written representations of women, intended for mimetic embodiment, enact both misogynist fantasy and feminist agency and embody, to draw from Teresa de Lauretis, the language of men and the silence of women. Dorothy Bridges is based on the real Martha Gellhorn who, in 1937, was crafting a burgeoning career as a war journalist. Dorothy, like Martha on whom she is based, remakes, from her own vantage point, a world unmade by spectacular violence. Simultaneously, Anita, a fictive prostitute, exposes the multiple sexualized spheres of inter- and intra- gender exploitation produced by militarism. Hemingway's fictional characters combine with their historical counterparts to disrupt the oppositional categorizations of masculinity versus femininity upon which the rhetoric of war depends.
Comparative Study of the Effects of Microsilica and Nanosilica in Concrete
Authors: Mondal Paramita , Shah Surendra P. , Marks Laurence D. , Gaitero Juan J.
Published: May 2010

It is well recognized that the use of mineral admixtures such as silica fume enhances the strength and durability of concrete. This research compares the effects of adding silica fume and nanosilica to concrete and provides a better understanding of the changes in the concrete nanostructure. Nanoindentation with scanning probe microscopy imaging was used to measure the local mechanical properties of cement pastes with 0% and 15% replacement of cement with silica fume. A reduction in the volume fraction of calcium hydroxide in a sample with silica fume provides evidence of pozzolanic reaction. Furthermore, replacing 15% cement by silica fume increased the volume fraction of the high-stiffness calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) by a small percentage that was comparable with the decrease in the volume fraction of calcium hydroxide. A parallel study of cement pastes with nanosilica showed that nanosilica significantly improves durability of concrete. This research provides insight into the effects of nanosilica on cement paste nanostructure and explains its effect on durability of concrete. The nanoindentation study showed that the volume fraction of the high-stiffness C-S-H gel increased significantly with addition of nanosilica. Nanoindentation results of cement paste samples with similar percentages of silica fume and nanosilica were compared. Samples with nanosilica had almost twice the amount of high-stiffness C-S-H as the samples with silica fume.
Performance of Cement Systems with Nano-SiO2 Particles Produced by Using the Sol–Gel Method
Authors: Flores I. , Sobolev K. , Torres-Martinez L. M. , Cuellar E. L. , Valdez P. L. , Zarazua E.
Published: May 2010

The effect of 5- to 70-nm SiO2 nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of nanocement materials was examined. The strength development of portland cement with nano-SiO2 and superplasticizing admixture was investigated. Experimental results demonstrate an increase in the compressive and flexural strengths of mortars with SiO2 nanoparticles. Because the distribution of nano-SiO2 particles within the cement paste plays an essential role and governs the overall performance of these products, the addition of a superplasticizer was proposed to facilitate the distribution of nano-SiO2 particles. The application of superplasticizer and high-speed dispergation were found to be effective disagglomeration techniques to improve the strength of superplasticized portland cement mortars, which reached up to 63.9 and 95.9 MPa (Sample 4B3, synthesized by using the sol–gel method in a base reaction medium at ethanol-to-tetraethoxysilane and water-to-tetraethoxysilane molar ratios of 24) at the ages of 1 day and 28 days, respectively. At corresponding ages, the compressive strength of reference portland cement mortars was 53.3 and 86.1 MPa. It is concluded that the effective dispersion of nanoparticles is essential to obtain composite materials with improved performance.
Influence of Nano-SiO2 Addition on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cement Mortars for Ferrocement
Authors: Hosseini P. , Booshehrian A. , Farshchi S.
Published: May 2010

Because of their unique physical and chemical properties, nanoparticles have been gaining increasing attention and have been used in many fields to fabricate new materials with novel functions. If nanoparticles are integrated with cement-based building materials, the new materials might possess some outstanding properties. Ferrocement is a type of thin-wall reinforced concrete commonly constructed of hydraulic cement mortar reinforced with closely spaced layers of continuous and relatively small-sized wire mesh. The low level of technical skill required to make ferrocement and the ready availability of its materials make ferrocement suitable for a wide variety of applications. This study investigates the mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strengths) and microstructural properties (as determined by scanning electron microscopy) of the interfacial transition zone between cement pastes and aggregates of mortars applicable for the casting of thin ferrocement elements combining with nanosilica. Study parameters include the ratio of nanosilica to cement in ordinary portland cement mortar mixtures (including 1%, 2%, and 3%) and the water-to-binder ratio (including 0.35 and 0.4). The results show that cement mortars containing nanoparticles have a reasonably higher strength and denser interfacial transition zone than do ordinary portland cement ferrocement mortars, while the flowability of mortars with and without nanoparticles is considered equal.
Nanostructure and Microstructure of Cement Concrete Incorporating Multicementitious Composites
Authors: Khan Mohammad Iqbal
Published: May 2010

The nanostructural and microstructural behavior of concrete plays a decisive role in determining the properties of a material. The pore structure of paste, mortar, or concrete affects the behavior of the material and can give insight into the material's nanostructure and microstructure and their performance. Permeability and other durability-related properties of concrete are directly affected by pore structure. The pore structure also influences strength, modulus of elasticity, volume stability, and environmental resistance. Therefore, pore size, extent, and shape are of paramount importance in deciding the suitability of materials for practical applications, and the determination of pore structure has vital importance in evaluating the performance of concrete. This investigation was performed to assess and understand the influence of fly ash and silica fume as cement replacements on the pore structure of mortar. The pore structure study was conducted by using mercury intrusion porosimetry on the cement mortar incorporating fly ash and silica fume as partial cement replacements for the preparation of various combinations of blended systems. It was observed that incorporation of fly ash has a slight pore refinement effect, while inclusion of silica fume significantly improved pore refinement.
Homogenization Model Examining the Effect of Nanosilica on Concrete Strength and Stiffness
Authors: Kim Jung J. , Fan Tai , Taha Mahmoud Reda
Published: May 2010

Composite homogenization is a numerical simulation method that allows determination of the effect of microstructure constituents on the mechanical properties of composite materials. This homogenization technique allows cement paste to be modeled as a composite material in which microparticles are randomly dispersed in the cement paste matrix. By using microstructural homogenization, a representative volume element (RVE) can be developed and used to simulate the constitutive model of the composite cement paste by considering its constituent phases. A four-phase cement paste model is considered to describe cement paste incorporating nanosilica. Cement paste microstructures are divided into Phase I, hydrated cement paste; Phase II, unhydrated cement paste; Phase III, nonreacted nanosilica; and Phase IV, capillary porosity. Cement hydration models are used to predict the volume fraction of the four phases on the basis of the mixture proportion of the cement paste mix. Constitutive models for Phases I, III, and IV are assumed on the basis the literature. A constitutive model for Phase II is identified with the RVE model by matching the stress–strain curves of the cement paste extracted from nanoindentation experiments. The validated RVE model is then used to examine the effect of changing the nanosilica content in the cement paste on the stress–strain curve of the composite cement paste. It is evident computationally that increasing the nanosilica content will increase the strength and stiffness of the cement paste and therefore will increase the ability of the cement paste to absorb energy represented by the area under the stress–strain curve.
Nanoindentation of Alkali-Activated Fly Ash
Authors: Němecek Jirí , Smilauer Vít , Kopecky Lubomír , Německová Jitka
Published: May 2010

Low-calcium ground fly ash was activated with a sodium silicate solution and cured under ambient and heat conditions. Nanoindentation was employed for the characterization of reaction products, mainly alumino-silicate (N-A-S-H) gel. Samples were indented by a series of grids consisting of hundreds of indents each. The intrinsic Young's modulus of the N-A-S-H gel was found to be around a mean value of 17.7 GPa regardless of the curing procedure. Other characteristic phases were also identified, namely partly activated slag, nonactivated slag, and fly ash particles. Results of pore size distributions measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry were systematically observed depending on the curing procedure. Additional measurements using the same methodology were performed on cement paste samples. The synthesized N-A-S-H gel was found to be mechanically close to calcium silicate hydrate gels in matured cement pastes.
Nanotechnology
Authors: Grove Jim , Vanikar Suneel , Crawford Gary
Published: May 2010

This paper outlines cement and concrete properties that challenge engineers and discusses the benefits that could be derived from changes in the smallest structure of cementitious and other concrete materials. Concrete is the most widely used building material in the world. Roman concrete structures still exist today. Even with concrete's versatility and durability, certain properties continue to pose challenges. The ability to modify essential molecular building blocks provides the potential to make great strides in reducing or eliminating numerous mechanisms that can compromise the life of concrete. This paper discusses current durability challenges specific to transportation structures—both bridges and pavements—and the role that nanotechnology can play in addressing these issues. In structural concrete, applications could include improved tensile strength, increased ductility, reduced permeability, and reduced shrinkage. These enhancements could significantly reduce maintenance costs and greatly extend the life of most structures. Reduced shrinkage, modification of the hydration process, minimized thermal movement, reduced permeability, and improved workability would greatly extend pavement life. Nanotechnology could play a key role in environmental stewardship through significant reduction in the carbon footprint, as well as by making the cement production process more efficient. Properties that adversely affect the construction process are also feasible applications of this technology. Other modifications of the properties of concrete that could greatly increase concrete life include the following: decreasing volume change, improved mechanical performance, greater freeze–thaw resistance, reduced water migration, improved air system stability, improved properties of marginal-quality aggregates, and improved curing methods.
Seeding Effect of Nano-CaCO3 on the Hydration of Tricalcium Silicate
Authors: Sato Taijiro , Diallo Fatoumata
Published: May 2010

A previous study indicated that the early hydration and strength development of ordinary portland cement (OPC) delayed by the presence of high volumes of supplementary cementitious materials were compensated for by the accelerating effect of nano-CaCO3. The mechanism responsible for the accelerating effect on the early hydration and strength development was, however, not fully understood. A study aimed at understanding the accelerating mechanism of the addition of nano-CaCO3 on the hydration of tricalcium silicate (C3S) is presented in this paper. A comparison with the addition of micro-CaCO3 was made. The hydration mechanism of C3S with the addition of micro- or nano-CaCO3 was studied by conduction calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The conduction calorimetry results indicated that the addition of nano-CaCO3 had an accelerating effect on the hydration of C3S as well as on the hydration of OPC. Furthermore, the induction period of C3S hydration was significantly shortened by the addition of nano-CaCO3. The results of the thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the amount of nano-CaCO3 decreased as the hydration of C3S took place; the decrease was greater with the hydration of OPC. The scanning electron microscopy revealed that the accelerating mechanism in the presence of micro-CaCO3 was considerably different from that of nano-CaCO3. Calcium silicate hydrate growth was observed around the nano-CaCO3 particles. The observation suggested that the seeding effect due to the addition of nano-CaCO3 was responsible for the accelerating effect on the hydration of C3S.
Micro- and Nanoscale Characterization of Effect of Interfacial Transition Zone on Tensile Creep of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete
Authors: Garas Victor Y. , Jayapalan Amal R. , Kahn Lawrence F. , Kurtis Kimberly E.
Published: May 2010

Ultra-high-performance concretes (UHPCs) are nano- to microstructurally optimized construction materials whose use presents significant opportunities for improving the performance of prestressed bridge girders. In UHPC girders, transverse shear reinforcement may be eliminated because of the high tensile strength of the material achieved through the use of short dispersed steel fibers as part of the mix. Use of the concrete's tensile strength requires that the long-term tensile performance be understood to avoid brittle shear failure in service. The scope of the present study was characterization of the tensile creep of UHPCs under different thermal treatment regimens, with complementary assessment of the underlying mechanisms by characterization by nanoindentation and scanning electron microscopy. In this study, tensile-creep tests were conducted for a period of 1 year with UHPCs subjected to three different moist thermal curing regimes (i.e., early curing at 90°C, early curing at 60°C, and curing at 23°C). The effects of the curing conditions were further examined by nanoindentation and scanning electron microscopy, with particular emphasis being placed on the influence of thermal curing on the fiber–matrix interface. On the basis of the findings of this multiscale study, it is proposed that an enhanced fiber–cementitious matrix interfacial region, created by thermal curing, contributes significantly to the observed reductions in tensile-creep deformation.
The Fresh State
Authors: Ferron Raissa Douglas , Shah Surendra P.
Published: May 2010

There is a need to increase fundamental knowledge about the rheological behavior of cement-based materials. Cementitious fluids have complex rheologies and typically exhibit shear-thinning viscosity, yield stress, elasticity, and thixotropy; this complex rheological behavior results from the heterogeneity of the material and the finite time that it takes for the in situ structure to rearrange when it is subjected to shear-induced stresses. The specific cause of the rearrangement depends on interactions at the molecular level, which, unfortunately, are poorly understood. The rheological behavior of cement-based materials is directly linked to the aggregation, deaggregation, reaggregation, and dispersion of the solid particles. Research that can provide information about any of these phenomena would advance the state of knowledge of the flow behavior of cement-based materials. This paper presents an approach to characterization of the fresh-state structure of cement paste suspensions. It is shown that this method can be used to investigate the flocculation and floc properties of cement pastes.
Atomic Force Microscopy Examinations of Mortar Made by Using Water-Filled Lightweight Aggregate
Authors: Peled Alva , Castro Javier , Weiss Jason
Published: May 2010

This paper discusses the results of a research program that studied the influence of internal curing on the microstructure of mortars. Internal curing uses water-filled lightweight aggregates (LWAs) to supply additional water to the cement paste as it hydrates, thereby enabling an increase in the degree of hydration. The increased hydration can result in the densification of the microstructure. In particular, the densification occurs at the interfacial zone around the LWAs. The current work attempts to obtain a better understanding of the beneficial effects of internal curing on the basis of experimental observations of the microstructure and the nanostructure. The objective of this study was to examine the differences and the similarities that exist at both the micro-scale and the nanoscale of conventionally cured mortars and internally cured mortars. The specimens were tested at different ages to examine the influences of the internal curing over time. Water sorption, scanning electron microscopy, and scanning atomic force microscopy were used for this study. It was found that LWAs can be used for internal curing to provide a greater degree of hydration in a small region around the aggregate interface, which results in a microstructure that is more dense and more homogeneous and that contains less calcium hydroxide.
Exploratory Investigation of Nanomaterials to Improve Strength and Permeability of Concrete
Authors: Ozyildirim Celik , Zegetosky Caroline
Published: May 2010

Concrete containing various supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as silica fume, fly ash, and slag has improved properties. Nanomaterials, new SCMs with possible applications in concrete, have the smallest particle size (less than 100 nm). Nanomaterials are reactive because of the small size and large surface area of the particles, and they have great potential in improving concrete properties such as compressive strength and permeability. This study evaluates the use of a variety of nanomaterials in concrete compared with conventional concrete and concrete containing common SCMs. The potential benefits of using nanomaterials over other SCMs are high reactivity and cost-effectiveness; in addition, smaller amounts are necessary, resulting in less cement replacement. Concretes containing nanosilica and nanoclay were prepared in the laboratory. They were compared with concretes containing silica fume, fly ash, slag, or only portland cement. Specimens were tested for compressive strength and permeability. The microstructure of selected concretes with improved compressive strength and permeability was analyzed by using an atomic force microscope and nanoindenter to explain the improvements. The results of this study indicate that some of the nanomaterials tested have potential in concrete applications. The microstructure of the nanosilica concrete was denser and more uniform than the conventional concrete microstructure. In addition, the nanosilica had the largest improvement in both compressive strength and permeability among the nanomaterials tested.
Laboratory Assessment of a Self-Healing Cementitious Composite
Authors: Yang Zhengxian , Hollar John , He Xiaodong , Shi Xianming
Published: May 2010

This paper presents work in the laboratory assessment of a new family of self-healing materials that hold promise for “crack-free” concrete or other cementitious composites. This innovative system features the design of passive smart microcapsules (PSMs) with oil core and silica gel shell, prepared through an interfacial self-assembly process and sol–gel reaction. Methylmethacrylate monomer and triethylborane were chosen as the healing agent and the catalyst for use in the system and were microencapsulated. The microcapsules were subsequently dispersed in fresh cement mortar along with carbon microfibers. The morphology of the microcapsules was examined by using a field emission scanning electron microscope. Mechanical tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were carried out to evaluate the self-healing effect of PSMs and the possible physicochemical changes or interactions in the carbon microfiber–reinforced mortar matrix.
New Calcium Silicate Hydrate Network
Authors: Nicoleau Luc
Published: May 2010

The seeding effect of finely dispersed calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) particles on tricalcium silicate hydration and on cement was investigated. An extremely small amount of C-S-H nuclei (0.3%) significantly increases the degree of hydration of both by promoting the growth of C-S-H clusters into the pore solution instead of around the tricalcium silicate or cement grains. Indeed, it was clearly shown that growth takes place around nuclei delivered by seeding materials and therefore in pore spaces. Nevertheless, some of the nuclei persist onto cement grains. The efficiency of seed suspensions for accelerating hydration is qualitatively related to the cluster size of nuclei formed during the synthesis and to the polymer type used to stabilize the smallest particles. Although early growth occurs in the pore solution, the mechanical properties of the cement pastes are preserved, and use of seeding consequently accelerates the strength development of mortars.
Modeling Nanoindentation of Calcium Silicate Hydrate
Authors: Chandler Mei Qiang , Peters J. F. , Pelessone D.
Published: May 2010

The discrete element method (DEM) was used to model nanoindentation of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). The interparticle forces consisted of the traditional friction and contact forces that operate in granular materials, with the addition of nanometer-scale forces between gels, including van der Waals and electric double-layer forces. The contact normal forces were based on Hertz contact law. The van der Waals attractive forces were calculated on the basis of Hamaker's equation. The electric double-layer forces, generated from the negative charges on the C-S-H gel surface and the ion species in the pore solution, were calculated by using Monte Carlo simulations. The particles are spherical with diameters of approximately 5 nm. Both elastic modulus and hardness, calculated from the DEM, were much smaller than the results from nanoindentation experiments. The effects of interparticle forces on the elastic modulus and hardness were studied to explore possible reasons for the differences. The simulations give insight into the morphology of C-S-H nanoparticles and the interparticle forces between C-S-H nanoparticles.
Direct Synthesis of Carbon Nanofibers on Cement Particles
Authors: Nasibulina Larisa I. , Anoshkin Ilya V. , Shandakov Sergey D. , Nasibulin Albert G. , Cwirzen Andrzej , Mudimela Prasantha R. , Habermehl-Cwirzen Karin , Malm Jari E. M. , Koltsova Tatiana S. , Tian Ying , Vasilieva Ekaterina S. , Penttala Vesa , Tolochko Oleg V. , Karppinen Maarit J. , Kauppinen Esko I.
Published: May 2010

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanofibers (CNFs) are promising candidates for the next generation of high-performance structural and multifunctional composite materials. One of the largest obstacles to creating strong, electrically or thermally conductive CNT–CNF composites is the difficulty of getting a good dispersion of the carbon nanomaterials in a matrix. Typically, time-consuming steps are required in purifying and functionalizing the carbon nanomaterial. A new approach under which CNTs–CNFs are grown directly on the surface of matrix and matrix precursor particles is proposed. Cement was selected as the precursor matrix, since it is the most important construction material. A novel cement hybrid material (CHM) was synthesized in which CNTs and CNFs are attached to the cement particles by two different methods: screw feeder and fluidized bed reactors. CHM has been proved to increase the compressive strength by two times and the electrical conductivity of the hardened paste by 40 times.
Performance of Carbon Nanofiber–Cement Composites with a High-Range Water Reducer
Authors: Gay Catherine , Sanchez Florence
Published: May 2010

The effect of a polycarboxylate-based high-range water reducer (HRWR) on incorporation of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) in cement composites was evaluated. Use of the HRWR proved successful in disaggregating the CNFs in solution and improved the dispersion of CNFs in the cement paste at the individual fiber level. However, an inhomogeneous distribution of the fibers within the composites was observed. Addition of 0.2% CNFs per weight of cement resulted in increased splitting tensile strength of 22% in portland cement composites and 26% in composites that also contained silica fume. Migration of the CNFs in the bleed water was observed depending on the water–binder ratio used, creating a porous layer of agglomerated CNFs intermixed with cement paste at the upper surface of the composite.
Carbon Nanofiber–Reinforced Cement-Based Materials
Authors: Metaxa Zoi S. , Konsta-Gdoutos Maria S. , Shah Surendra P.
Published: May 2010

Fibers are incorporated into cementitious matrices to help control cracking by bridging and providing load transfer across cracks and pores. Typical reinforcement of concrete is usually provided at the macro- and microscales by using macrofibers and microfibers, respectively. Although microfibers delay the propagation of microcracks, they do not stop their initiation. Theory suggests that nanofibers delay the formation of nanocracks, thus requiring higher loads to initiate cracking, which improves the weak tensile strength of the cementitious matrix. In this paper, a detailed investigation of the effects of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) on the flexural strength and nanostructure of the cement matrix was conducted. An ultra-high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscope was used to investigate the morphology of the nanocomposites. Nanoimaging of the fracture surfaces of cementitious nanocomposites reinforced with CNFs at different concentrations has shown that CNFs are able to bridge nanocracks and pores and achieve good bonding with the cement hydration products. As a result, the incorporation of CNFs was shown to improve significantly the flexural strength of the cementitious matrix.
Nanoengineering Ultra-High-Performance Concrete with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Wille Kay , Loh Kenneth J.
Published: May 2010

Ultra-high-performance concretes (UHPCs) are characterized by extremely high packing densities. These densities can be achieved with optimization of grain size distribution by incorporating a homogeneous gradient of fine and coarse particles during mixing. Addition of steel fibers can increase the ductility under tensile loading tremendously. The packing density is a key parameter for the high bond strength between steel fibers and the UHPC matrix. The objective of this study is twofold: to enhance the behavior of the bond between the steel fibers and the matrix by increasing packing density with the inclusion of nanometer-sized particles while preserving the workability of the concrete mix. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were chosen for their unique physical and impressive mechanical properties (i.e., ultimate strength, stiffness, and ductility). However, because of the nanotubes’ inherent tendency to agglomerate, an extensive study was conducted to optimize their dispersion in solutions suitable for concrete mixing. An experimental validation study was then conducted to explore the effects of incorporating MWNTs in mixes with only 0.022% by cement weight and how they affect the bond behavior of two different high-strength steel fibers. Mechanical characterization studies revealed that low concentrations of MWNTs can significantly improve the bonding behavior of single pulled-out high-strength steel fibers. No conclusive evidence can be drawn with regard to MWNTs’ influence on the UHPCs’ compressive and bending strengths [i.e., 200 and 13 MPa (30 and 1.9 ksi), respectively].
American Road Map for Research for Nanotechnology-Based Concrete Materials
Authors: Birgisson Bjorn , Taylor Peter , Armaghani Jamshid , Shah Surendra P.
Published: May 2010

The mechanical behavior of concrete materials depends to a large extent on structural elements and phenomena that are effective on micro- and nanoscales. The nanomodification of concrete materials has the potential to open up new uses and classes of concrete materials, with wideranging implications for the concrete transportation infrastructure. The development of nanotechnology-based concrete materials will require a multidisciplinary approach, consisting of teams of civil engineers, chemists, physicists, and materials scientists. To help develop nanotechnology-based concrete materials, a concentrated effort was undertaken in the United States to develop a national road map for research in this area. This effort included two National Science Foundation (NSF) workshops held in August 2006 and September 2007. In addition to NSF, the Portland Cement Association, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Florida Concrete and Products Association, the Army Corps of Engineers, TRB, and the International Union of Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials and Structures sponsored this effort. The road map for nanotechnology-based concrete materials charts a path beginning with current nanotechnology capabilities to advanced materials and systems. The road map details key milestones and step-by-step short-term, intermediate, and long-term courses of development that must take place to reach these key milestones. The road map also serves as a tool to identify the gap between the basic concrete materials of today and the potential of nanosystems and nanomaterials interacting in concrete nano-houses, nano-bridges, and nano-pavements. The national road map for nanotechnology-based concrete is described and discussed.
Extramedullary Spinal SOL  Outcome of Surgery
Authors: Hossain M Zahed , Hoque Monzurul
Published: May 2010

Spinal space occupying lesions (SOL) cause compression over the spinal cord or roots and develop myelopathy or radiculopathy and leads to Paraplegia or quadriplegia with sphincteric involvement i.e. urinary or fecal incontinence or retention. We have operated 17 cases of spinal SOL (12 were neoplastic and 5 were inflammatory i.e. tuberculous), all the patients had weakness of different grade, 0 to 4. 5 patients had urinary incontinence or retention. After operation 16 patients were improved of weakness and sphincteric function. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5013 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 05-09
A Comparison of Lipid Profile Between Sedentary and Non Sedentary Workers
Authors: Mahmood Iftekhar , Khan MM Rahman , Rahman M Khalilur , Chowdhury MM Hoque
Published: May 2010

In different epidemiological studies, an association between sedentary life style and incidence of cardiovascular diseases has been demonstrated. Dyslipidaemia is one of the important risk factors of cardiovascular disease. An association of dyslipidaemia with sedentary life style has been considered. This study was carried out among 50 sedentary workers (teachers, office staffs, bank employees) at Pabna District and 50 individuals with non-sedentary jobs matched for age group and sex for the control group to see the association. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), plasma level of glucose, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides (Tgs) were found to be significantly higher whereas high density lipoprotein (HDL) was found to be significantly lower among the sedentary workers as compared with the control subjects. From the study, it appears that dyslipidaemia is more common in sedentary workers and the relative risk for cardiovascular disease is increased among them due to the sedentary nature of their jobs. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5014 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 10-14
Aetiological Pattern of Haemoptysis in a Tertiary Level Hospital in Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman M Khalilur , Khan MM Rahman , Tarik MH , Alim MA , Rashid MH , Chowdhury MMH , Mahmood I , Azhar MA
Published: May 2010

To identify the causes of haemoptysis and to diagnose the diseases clinically and cost effective laboratory investigations in our situation. Fifty consecutive cases of haemoptysis admitted at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi during 2000-2001 were prospectively studied .Pulmonary tuberculosis was the commonest found in 19 (38%) cases. Tuberculer bacilli could be isolated in 5 (26.31%) of the cases. Eight (16%) patients were mitral valvular diseases . Bronchial carcinoma was 4(8%) of the series. Three patients (6%) were lung abscess. Six patients (12%) had bronchiectasis. Five patients (10%) had pneumonia. Remaining five (10%) patients were miscellaneous aetiology. In the present series it has been found that pulmonary tuberculosis and mitral valvular disease comprise 54% of the cases. Chest X-ray and sputum examination were found to be the two most useful investigations necessary for aetiological diagnosis of haemoptysis. Within limited resources the aetiological diagnosis of haemoptysis can easily be done in the majority of cases by doing chest X-ray and sputum examination in our country. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5015 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 22-25
Usefulness of CSF C-Reactive Protein in Differentiating Pyogenic and Aseptic Meningitis
Authors: Uddin M Belal , Rahman Manjira , Siddique AB
Published: May 2010

A cross sectional study was done about usefulness of CSF- C reactive protein determining the sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of CSF C-reactive protein estimation. The study was conducted in all the Pediatric unit of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital from March 2008 to July 2009. A total of 130 suspected case of meningitis patients were included in the study. Cerebrospinal fluid culture and C-reactive protein were done for all the patients. Among them 102 were diagnosed as meningitis and 28 were other than meningitis. They were diagnosed as febrile convulsion, seizure disorder, IVH, Among these diagnosed as meningitis, CSF culture were positive in 66 patient and CSF C-reactive protein were positive in 59 patients. Sensitivity and specificity of CSF C-reactive protein were 89.39% and 100% respectively. Predictive value of positive and negative test for CSF-CRP was 100% and 83.72%. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5021 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 78-81
The Changes in Levels of Serum Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) During Anti Tubercular Treatment With 4FDC (Fixed Drug Combination)
Authors: Mahmood I , Rahman M Khalilur , Khan MM Rahman , Chowdhury MM Hoque , Hossain M Moazzam , Iqbal Asif
Published: May 2010

Tuberculosis (TB) is emerging as a major public health problem in Bangladesh, which now has the fifth highest burden of TB cases globally. Treatment of TB hampered with poor patient compliance and intolerance at least partly due to the adverse drug reactions, one of which is hepatotoxicity. Serum alanine aminotransferase level is an important indicator of such condition and impacts upon the continuation of anti tubercular treatment. A prospective randomized case study was conducted among 62 patients diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis receiving category I anti-TB drug treatment regimen in the DOTS (Direct observation therapy short-course) providing centers at Pabna district under DOTS during the period of July 2004 to July 2006. Category I comprised of four drugs (Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide) combination patients treated for initial 2 months, serum alanine aminotransferase levels were estimated at the first and fourth week of the treatment. Serum billirubin, HBsAg, Anti-HCV was also done to exclude some other liver diseases. 14(22.58%) patients were found to have no significant change, 34(54.84%) patients had their levels in the upper limits, 13(20.97%) patients had their levels in-between the upper limit and twice of the upper limit, while only 1(1.6%) patient crossed the level twice the upper limit. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5029 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 106-110
Organophosphorus Poisioning - Still a Challenging Proposition
Authors: Mahmood I , Rahman M Khalilur , Khan MM Rahman , Haque M Azizul , Ekram ARM Saifuddin
Published: May 2010

Organophosphorus poisoning is one of the most common suicidal agents in our country. OP compounds are easily available as it is widely used pesticide. There is no hard restriction on its sale. This cross sectional study was conducted at 250 bedded Pabna District General Hospital between March 2007 to April 2008. A total of 127 patients were studied. Out of which 67 were female and 60 were male. Comorbid conditions like Hepatic, Renal and Cardiac illnesses were excluded from the study. The age of the patients varied from 15-40 years. The conventional method of treatment were given like gastric lavage, oxygen inhalation, IV fluid, oropharyngeal suction etc. Apart from that patients were divided into two groups. Group- A & Group-B. Group -A patients were treated with Inj. Pralidoxim and Inj. Atropine while Group-B were treated with Inj. Atropine alone. Group-A patients revealed recovery rate quicker than Group-B with the improvement of general condition, pupil dilate earlier, pulse attended tachycardia, muscle twitching and fasciculation came to normal in Group A earlier than Group B. Lacrimation and salivation also attained closer to normal in Group B than Group A. The female patients numbered more than the males. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5032 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 115-118
Evaluation of Results of Management of type IIIB Open Tibial Shaft Fractures Using Local Fasciocutaneous Flaps in Adults
Authors: Haque MR , Parvez MQ , Hamid F
Published: May 2010

Use of local fasciocutaneous flap is gaining popularity as an effective method of treating type III B open tibial shaft fracture in adults. We treated 16 fractures at National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Dhaka during the period between March 1993 and December 1994 to evaluate the result of management of type III B open tibial shaft fracture using local fasciocutaneous flaps in adults. Of the 16 tibial fractures the mean healing time was 6.13 months (3.5 to 11 months). The major post operative complications were deep infections (43.75%), non-union (31.25%) and malunion (12.5%). The results were excellent in 18.75%, good in 37.5%, fair in 18.75% and poor in 25% cases. Salvage of the limb should be the primary aim of management of type III B open tibial shaft fracture. We conclude that use of local fasciocutaneous flap is an easy and effective method of management of open type III B tibial shaft fractures. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5033 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 119-122
"Convulsion"  in a Niemann Pick Disease (NPD): A Case Report
Authors: Hasanuzzaman M , Haidary MH , Rahman M Mokhlesur
Published: May 2010

Niemann Pick disease is a metabolic disorder, a fatal disorder of infancy characterized by delayed developmental mile stone, failure to thrive, hepatosplenomegaly and rapidly progressive neurodegenerative changes. A 16 month female child was admitted in IBMCHR with the complaints of convulsion with ARI. She had recurrent history of ARI & convulsion. She had failure to thrive, hepatosplenomegaly delayed developmental mile stone. He was diagnosed as a case of NPD with Seizure disorder. He was treated with anticonvulsant drugs & some injectable medication as a conjurvative treatment. She was discharged with further advice & ultimately the child died. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5038 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 139-141
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
Authors: Biswas PK
Published: May 2010

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are a rare soft tissue sarcomas arising from gut pacemaker of mesenchymal stem cell origin, interstitial cell of Cajal. It may be benign or malignant. The most common site of origin is in the stomach, followed by small intestine, colon and rectum, oesophagus, mesentery, omentum, retroperitoneum and pelvis. Biological behaviour depends on tumor size and mitotic index. Diagnosis is delayed due to vague clinical features. Most of the recent investigations are not conclusive. Conventional histopathology could not differentiate it from leiomyoma or leiomyosarcoma. Only immunohistochemical staining by CD117 is confirmatory for diagnosis. Conventional chemotherapy is not effective but imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and sunitinib, a multikinase inhibitor are effective for adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy. Surgery is the definitive therapy for the patients with GISTs. Radical surgical extirpation offers the only chance for cure. DOI: 10.3329/taj.v22i1.5042 TAJ 2009; 22(1): 156-160
The Aura of Modernism
Authors: Perloff Marjorie
Published: May 2010

Marjorie Perloff's wide-ranging essay reflects on the fate of Modernism in the twentieth century. She focuses in particular on claims that it was either elitist and authoritarian, and thus politically reactionary, or was caught up in processes of capitalist commodification, and therefore unable to resist the very alienation it diagnosed. In the period that ran from the 1960s to the early 1990s Modernism was typically seen as a failed project, which was compromised by its complicity with the bourgeois institution of art and by the reification of its art-works, seen now as the dead exhibits of a once resonant cultural moment. But it has become apparent that those who trumpeted the death of Modernism were premature with their obituary notices. Perloff traces some of the major shifts in recent critical work, and her essay questions earlier claims about Modernism's reactionary politics, anti-populism, and rejection of the everyday. She also draws attention to the non-academic interest in Modernism that is rife on the internet, where, in fulfilment of Benjamin's prophecy, the distinction between artist and public has broken down and the “pleasure of the text” takes precedence over concerns with ideology. Perloff suggests that although genres such as poems, paintings, and novels have to some extent been displaced by “differential text”, Modernism's established artefacts continue to “stay news” and to exert their strange auratic power.
With a Plural Vengeance: Modernism as (Flaming) Brand
Authors: Coyle Michael
Published: May 2010

In ‘With a Plural Vengeance: Modernism as (Flaming) Brand’, Michael Coyle examines the renaissance of modernism within the academic institution since the early 1990s, and the vigorous yet controversial re-branding through which this has in part been achieved. Defending this revisionary modernist studies, he argues that the issue for contemporary scholars is not primarily one of purging the elitism of a previously dominant ‘high modernist canon’, but of emphasising the pluralistic rather than singular criteria of canon-formation.
Arno Holz vs. Thomas Mann: Modernist Media Fantasies
Authors: Blankenship Janelle
Published: May 2010

Drawing on the pre-Modernist writings of Arno Holz among others, Janelle Blankenship (Brown University) argues for a significantly changed understanding of the often commented-upon role of technology in Mann's The Magic Mountain (1924). She rethinks Mann's great novel as creating “media hierarchies,” playing technologies off one another and thus aligning them with larger discourse networks.
Sounds of Revelation: Aesthetic-Political Theology in Schoenberg's Moses und Aron
Authors: HaCohen Ruth
Published: May 2010

Ruth HaCohen (Hebrew University) explores Modernism's artistic exploration of its relationship to theology by taking up Schoenberg's late, unfinished opera Moses and Aaron. Reading that opera as a theological-political-aesthetic Tractatus in the tradition of Spinoza, HaCohen draws out the theological implications of Schoenberg's radical rethinking of formal conventions as these organize the relationship between music and text.
From Mediation to Medium: Aesthetic and Anthropological Dimensions of the Image (Bild) and the Crisis of Bildung in German Modernism
Authors: Pfau Thomas
Published: May 2010

Thomas Pfau (Duke University) explores the radical transformation of the Bildungsroman - and of the image ( Bild ) as its narrative, speculative fuel - in ‘The Magic Mountain’. Contrasting Mann's narrative process with that of Goethe and Hegel, and drawing on the sociological writings of Georg Simmel and Arnold Gehlen, Pfau reads Mann's novel as decisively breaking with Romanticism's self-generating, organicist, and teleological conception of cultural narrative.
Politics and the Enigma of Art: The Meaning of Modernism for Adorno
Authors: Ferris David S.
Published: May 2010

David Ferris (University of Colorado-Boulder) explores Theodor Adorno's categorical rethinking of the legitimacy of art in his late Aesthetic Theory. Writing at a point when the modernity of Modernism seems to have faded, Adorno imagines an art that will not sever the preconditions of its existence and a mode of aesthetic reflection that aims to chart the conflicted, negative relationship of art to a past it appears to have dismissed. Adorno's resolutely negative mode of cognition, Ferris argues, may be the only strategy for preserving the possibility of aesthetics and/as politics at the exact moment when, in an emphatically formalist turn, art seems to have turned defiantly away from such a model.
Modernist Fiction and “the accumulation of unrecorded life”
Authors: Ophir Ella
Published: May 2010

Offering a thoughtful consideration of the everyday in modernist literature and art, Ella Ophir (University of Toronto) situates modernist literature in a ‘long and broad aesthetic trend’ beginning with the Romantic glorification of the commonplace. Suggesting that everyday objects, exchanges and actions function beyond the concept of ‘defamiliarization’, Ophir reframes modernism's engagement with the quotidian to include ‘the reclamation of undistinguished life, the constitution of character and the representation of consciousness and temporality’.
Beckett, Bourdieu and the Resistance to Consumption
Authors: Barry Liz
Published: May 2010

In bringing the work of Pierre Bordieu to bear on the body of Samuel Beckett's plays and novels, Liz Barry (University of Warwick)sheds light on aspects of Beckett's oeuvre hitherto unnoticed by commentators. Focussing on the physical habits and material forces, Barry draws attention to the ‘mechanisms of discipline’ in operation in capitalist society and to the robust challenge made by Beckett's characters to those mechanisms, largely through their very physicality.
Over-Eating: Pilgrimage's Food Mania and the Flânerie of Public Foraging
Authors: Cucullu Lois
Published: May 2010

Reading Dorothy Richardson's Pilgrimage through its protagonist's bodily rhythms (specifically hunger), Lois Cucullu (University of Minnesota) suggests that eating is, in one sense, the most democratic of corporeal drives. Maintaining that Miriam Henderson is as much a “conscripted New Woman ... compelled into the workforce as a teenager”, Cucullu focuses on ‘alimentary protocols’ (after Girard) as a vector of Henderson's sinusoidal integration with and resistance of the modern urban landscape.
Editor's Introduction: Modernism's Laughter
Authors: Nieland Justus
Published: May 2010

This special issue of Modernist Cultures is animated by two claims. First, that modernism is funny, and the moderns inveterate laughers, gigglers, joke-pullers, and devastating wags. Second, that modernism's ubiquitous laughter is overlooked, undertheorized, and downright gagged by the aura of high seriousness that still infuses critical descriptions of modernism: of its heroic gambits to shore up a besieged world of authenticity, plenitude, and presence; of its aristocratic disdain for the enervating banality of quotidian modernity; of its arch and unfeeling formalism.