The engineering geology of the Nottingham area, UK

Nottingham was built near a crossing point on the River Trent in the East Midlands of England. Initially, the City developed on a low sandstone hill close to the north bank of the river, which provided a secure, well-drained location above the marshes that bordered the river. Geologically, Nottingham stands at the boundary between Palaeozoic rocks to the north and west, and Mesozoic and Cainozoic strata to the south and east. The area is underlain by coal-bearing Carboniferous Coal Measures, Permian dolomitic limestones, Permo-Triassic mudstones and weak sandstones, Jurassic clays and Quaternary glacial and alluvial deposits. Artificial deposits, resulting from the social, industrial and mineral extraction activities of the past cover the natural deposits over much of the area.\ud\udThis geological environment has underpinned the economic development of the area through the mining of coal (now largely ceased), oil extraction that was important during the Second World War, brickmaking from clays, alluvial sand and gravel extraction from the Trent Valley and gypsum extraction from the Permo-Triassic mudstones. The Permo-Triassic sandstone is a nationally important aquifer and has also been exploited at the surface and from shallow mines for sand.\ud\udHowever, this history of the use and exploitation of mineral deposits has created a number of environmental problems including rising groundwater levels, abandoned mine shafts and mining subsidence, and, within the City itself, the occasional collapse of artificial cavities in the sandstone and contaminated land left by industrial activities. Natural constraints on development include gypsum dissolution, landslides, rockfalls, swell-shrink problems in Jurassic clays and flooding. Occasional minor earthquakes are attributed to movements due to coal mining or natural, deep geological structures. Thus, Nottingham’s geological context remains an important consideration when planning its future regeneration and development.\u

The lectotype of <i>Spiroplecta rosula</i> Ehrenberg, 1854 – the type species of <i>Bolivinopsis</i> Yakovlev, 1891 (Foraminifera)

The Ehrenberg collection of microfossils in the Natural History Museum, Berlin contains the original reference material for a single genus of agglutinated foraminifera – Bolivinopsis Yakovlev, 1891. Among the foraminiferal specimens preserved in the collection, a single specimen was selected and illustrated by Ehrenberg (1854) as Spiroplecta rosula. This species was subsequently designated by Kisselman (1964) as the senior synonym of Bolivinopsis capitata Yakovlev, 1891, making it the type species of Bolivinopsis by virtue of synonymy. According to Kisselman (1964), the type specimens of B. capitata were deposited in the Central Geological Museum in St Petersburg, and were lost during the war. Indeed, the name B. capitata is not used in the Soviet literature, and such forms are consistently attributed to B. rosula. As part of the work undertaken for a Catalogue of Agglutinated Foraminiferal Genera, we undertook a search of the Ehrenberg Collection in order to establish the status of the type specimen(s) of Spiroplecta rosula. MATERIAL AND METHODS The Ehrenberg collection of microfossils at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin consists of innumerable specimens embedded in Canada Balsam mounted on small mica disks that served as microscope slides. Small paper rings pressed onto the surface of the disks were used by Ehrenberg to mark specimens of importance, such as illustrated in Ehrenberg’s (1854) book Mikrogeologie. A catalogue of the collection was compiled originally by Ehrenberg’s daughter Clara and has been supplemented by new collection databases. We used these sources to locate and examine all the micas from the …

W41K

Augmented game environments use unobtrusively embedded technology to augment traditional games with virtual information and novel interaction capabilities. This article establishes and discusses a set of guidelines for designing and implementing such environments, based on our experiences in creating digital augmentations of existing play environments. We suggest a two-step process comprised of game flow virtualization and physical artifact augmentation to create augmented game environments based on existing table top games. We will then demonstrate how these guidelines can be put to practice by presenting the augmented version of a miniature war game.

From Tryptophan to Hydroxytryptophan: Reflections on a Busy Life

Given the very difficult odyssey of my early years, who could have imagined the incredible and successful journey that constituted my life path after age 13? I was born into a Jewish family in Breslau, Germany, right before the rise of Nazism and Hitler's election. After Kristallnacht, when my father was taken to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, we had to leave Germany as soon as possible. The first opportunity came in May of 1939, when we boarded the SS St. Louis bound for Havana, Cuba. Almost all passengers were denied entrance into Cuba, and the ship had to go back to Europe, where I ended up in France. In December of 1939, during World War II, I was fortunate to be able to leave France. This time I made it to Cuba, where my father was already in residence. A year later, my entire family was allowed into the United States. I took advantage of all the educational resources in this land of opportunity. I graduated valedictorian of my high school class and earned a four-year scholarship to Rutgers University, where I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree. I went on to earn a Master's degree from the University of Connecticut and finally a PhD from the University of Illinois. Within two months after graduating from Illinois, I was hired as an assistant professor of nutritional biochemistry at Rutgers, where I enjoyed a most productive research and teaching career. My PhD research involved tryptophan and niacin metabolism in the chick, and upon arrival at Rutgers I continued amino acid studies with the goal of assessing the essential amino acid requirements for egg production. This research was crowned with success and was followed with amino acid requirement studies for maintenance and for growth in rabbits, and ultimately with a reevaluation of requirements in adult humans. An outgrowth of the maintenance requirements led to a series of investigations into the metabolism of histidine, histamine, and carnosine (a histidine-containing dipeptide). Histamine, we found, plays an important role in wound healing and stress management. Pyridoxal phosphate is the cofactor for the enzyme histidine decarboxylase required for histamine synthesis and similarly serves as a cofactor for hydroxytryptophan decarboxylase, the enzyme that is part of the pathway to serotonin synthesis. Investigations into these pathways led to interesting findings: brain concentrations of serotonin could be increased by supplementing the diet of rats with tryptophan and pyridoxine; the elevated brain serotonin levels had behavioral consequences. Alcohol craving, addiction, and withdrawal symptoms are affected by serotonin concentrations in the brain, and alleviation of these conditions can be achieved with simultaneous administration of serotonin and dopamine agonists. In the midst of our early amino acid studies, we serendipitously also became involved with lipid metabolism in relation to atherosclerosis and blood cholesterol in a chicken model. This work led to the recognition that soluble fibers, like pectin, had strong cholesterol-lowering properties that were beneficial in lowering the incidence of coronary plaque formation. The research success that I have enjoyed has been coupled with the gift of three accomplished children who are making important contributions as professionals in their fields of endeavor. My wife and I are also blessed with 10 wonderful grandchildren, our pride and joy!

Bargaining Failures and Civil War

This article explores the many bargaining failures that may occur at every stage in intrastate disputes: before fighting breaks out, as a war is being fought, and once a war ends. It argues that disputes that occur within states are particularly susceptible to information and commitment problems. It also reveals why certain countries have more difficulty overcoming these problems than others do. This represents the most comprehensive overview to date of bargaining failures associated with civil wars.

Extreme Makeover: Transformation of the Veterans Health Care System

The veterans health care system administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was established after World War I to provide health care for veterans who suffered from conditions related to their military service. It has grown to be the nation's largest integrated health care system. As the system grew, a number of factors contributed to its becoming increasingly dysfunctional. By the mid-1990s, VA health care was widely criticized for providing fragmented and disjointed care of unpredictable and irregular quality, which was expensive, difficult to access, and insensitive to individual needs. Between 1995 and 1999, the VA health care system was reengineered, focusing especially on management accountability, care coordination, quality improvement, resource allocation, and information management. Numerous systemic changes were implemented, producing dramatically improved quality, service, and operational efficiency. VA health care is now considered among the best in America, and the VA transformation is viewed as a model for health care reform.

The Incidence, Management, and Outcome of Penetrating Bladder Injuries in Civilians Resultant from Armed Conflict in Baghdad 2005-2006

The purpose of this paper is to review the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of penetrating bladder injuries suffered by civilians in the Iraqi war zone. Materials and Methods. All civilian trauma cases received alive at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital from January 2005 to August 2006 were reviewed for the presence of bladder injury. Results. 533 cases of penetrating abdominal trauma were identified, of which 177 (33%) involved the genitourinary (GU) system and 64 (12%) involved the bladder. Most (70%) were young males, and most (55%) had grade IV injuries. Associated injuries occurred in 63/64 (98%) of patients. 3 patients had missed bladder injuries, and all of these had complications related to their missed injury. Bladder-related complications occurred in 11% of cases, and mortality in 13%, all due to extravesical injuries. Conclusions. Penetrating bladder injury among civilians in Baghdad war zone resulted in 64 cases in 18 months. The initial detection rate is very high (98%), and after primary repair, lasting complications are rare. Morbidities from missed injuries were severe hematuria and vesicorectal fistula. However, (3%) of vesicorectal fistulae healed spontaneously with prolonged bladder drainage. Associated injuries are the rule in penetrating bladder injury patients, and must be diligently investigated and treated.

In Memoriam: Carl G. Baker (1920–2009)

Prof. Ángel Ballabriga (1920–2008)

Research in Pediatrics of the Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona. He published more than 200 articles in high level national and international pediatric journals. His investigative work centered principally on nutrition, neonatology and the development of the brain; his works on the metabolic system of the newborn, the myelinization of the brain, and the composition of the retina are especially outstanding. His excellent worldwide reputation enabled him to organize in 1980 the 16th International Congress of Pediatrics and the 7th European Congress of Perinatal Medicine in Barcelona. He was also presented with a number of awards, among which were an award from the International Pediatric Association and the honorary degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from the universities of Valladolid and Lisbon. It is also important to mention his collaboration over several decades as a member of the Annales Nestlé Editorial Committee where his great professionalism and his advanced vision of the events clearly contributed to the international prestige that Annales Nestlé has today. We would not like to finish these lines without mentioning his extraordinary personality. To those who had the opportunity to know him personally, he was a very affectionate and cultural person, and a great conversationalist. It is difficult to briefly outline the exceptional scientific and human path of Prof. Ángel Ballabriga. In his youth his strong personality was forged as a consequence of the difficulties he encountered; at the age of 17 he was mobilized during the Spanish Civil War, damaging his left knee, and being sent inland to a concentration camp. After the Civil War he studied medicine in Barcelona; he graduated in 1943 and completed his doctorate degree in 1946. He complemented his pediatric training by working in hospitals with Profs. Glanzmann (Bern), Wallgren (Stockholm), Lelong (Paris) and Smith (Boston). From 1958 to 1965 he was Director of the Premature Babies’ Centre of the Provincial Maternity Hospital of Barcelona where his efforts were significant in diminishing the level of neonatal mortality. In 1965 his work acquired greater significance when he was named Director of the Children’s Clinic of the Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona. There, he created a welfare model based on the autonomous functioning of sub-specialties that had positive repercussions on both the diagnostic and therapeutic levels. In 1976 he became an extraordinary Professor of Pediatrics of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, carrying out an enormous educational workload, not only for post-doctorate students but also in specialist training. In 1988 he was named Honorary Professor of Pediatrics and, finally, during 1992–1996 became Director of the Unit of Biomedical

Mammographiescreening Hildesheim-Göttingen-Hameln

Die Programmverantwortlichen Arzte (PVA) des Mammographiescreenings Hildesheim-Gottingen-Hameln mochten eingangs einen personlichen Ruckblick auf die Geschichte der Brustdiagnostik der letzten Jahrzehnte geben. Ende der 1970er Jahre befand sich die Mammographie noch in den Kinderschuhen. Die ersten Gerate mit einer Drehanode wurden entwickelt und begrundeten die Epoche der modernen Bildgebung zur Fruherkennung des Mammakarzinoms, als immer noch die Devise galt «Jeder Knoten muss raus!» Der Weg zu einem einheitlichen und qualitatsgesicherten Mammographiescreeningprogramm vollzog sich langsam. Er war nicht nur gepragt von technischen Verbesserungen der Rontgenuntersuchung der Brust, sondern auch von der Entwicklung der Sonographie und der Kernspintomographie und deren Implementierung in die moderne Brustdiagnostik. Der Weg fuhrte auch uber Irrwege (z.B. Thermographie) und schlieslich zur modernen Mammographie als anerkannte Standarduntersuchung. Wahrend grose qualitatsgesicherte Screeningprojekte z.B. in Skandinavien und den Niederlanden bereits in den 1980er Jahren als regionale und nationale Fruherkennungsmasnahmen aufgelegt wurden, mundete die Entwicklung in Deutschland vorerst im «grauen Screening». Die Mammographie war somit offiziell nur Frauen mit belasteter Familienanamnese bzw. mit klinisch suspektem Befund zuganglich. De facto jedoch erfolgte haufig die Untersuchung auf Zuweisung mit Scheinindikationen (z.B. Mastodynie, fibrozystische Mastopathie) oder als Wahlleistung mit Kostenubernahme durch die Frauen selbst. In den 1990er Jahren war die Mammographie in Deutschland dadurch auch ohne ein strukturiertes Fruherkennungsprogramm relativ weit verbreitet, was die Bezeichnung graues Screening erklart. Allerdings wurden die Mammogramme in sehr unterschiedlicher Qualitat erstellt und befundet. Eine echte Doppelbefundung gab es nicht. Die Mammographie war zudem in der Regel eine isolierte Masnahme ohne definierte Einbindung anderer Untersuchungsverfahren. Ferner fehlte die im Mammographiescreening vorgeschriebene minimalinvasive Abklarung auffalliger Befunde durch Stanzbiopsie bzw. stereotaktische Vakuumbiopsie. Zur histologischen Abklarung wurden bis vor wenigen Jahren offene Probenexzisionen in Vollnarkose favorisiert, die wiederum hohe Kosten durch stationare Behandlungen und eine Beeintrachtigung der Kosmetik der Brust verursachten. Ferner ist kritisch anzumerken, dass durch die offene Probenexzision die Architektur des Brustparenchyms zerstort und die Befundung von Folgemammographien erschwert wird. Im Jahre 2002 beschloss der Bundestag parteiubergreifend einstimmig die Einfuhrung des Mammographiescreenings. Wir erlebten mit Freude den erfolgreichen Abschluss der Screening-Pilotprojekte in Deutschland und nahmen mit der Ubernahme der Mammographiescreening-Einheit Hildesheim-Gottingen-Hameln die Herausforderung an, uns als PVA schwerpunktmasig der Brustdiagnostik zu widmen.