It’s not the size, it’s the relationship: from ‘small states’ to asymmetry

Debate about the definition of “small state” has produced more fragmentation than consensus, even as the literature has demonstrated its subjects’ roles in joining international organizations propagating norms, executing creative diplomacy, influencing allies, avoiding and joining conflicts, and building peace. However, work on small states has struggled to identify commonalities in these states’ international relations, to cumulate knowledge, or to impact broader IR theory. This paper advocates a changed conceptual and definitional framework. Analysis of “small states” should pivot to examine the dynamics of the asymmetrical relationships in which these states are engaged. Instead of seeking an overall metric for size as the relevant variable—falling victim in a different way Dahl’s “lump-of-power fallacy,” we can recognize the multifaceted, variegated nature of power, whether in war or peacetime

A Review on the Mechanical Modeling of Composite Manufacturing Processes

© 2016, The Author(s). The increased usage of fiber reinforced polymer composites in load bearing applications requires a detailed understanding of the process induced residual stresses and their effect on the shape distortions. This is utmost necessary in order to have more reliable composite manufacturing since the residual stresses alter the internal stress level of the composite part during the service life and the residual shape distortions may lead to not meeting the desired geometrical tolerances. The occurrence of residual stresses during the manufacturing process inherently contains diverse interactions between the involved physical phenomena mainly related to material flow, heat transfer and polymerization or crystallization. Development of numerical process models is required for virtual design and optimization of the composite manufacturing process which avoids the expensive trial-and-error based approaches. The process models as well as applications focusing on the prediction of residual stresses and shape distortions taking place in composite manufacturing are discussed in this study. The applications on both thermoset and thermoplastic based composites are reviewed in detail

Periphere Fazialisparese mit Krusten an der Ohrmuschel und Bläschen am Gaumen. Der pädiatrische PRAXIS-Fall

Bei einer peripheren Fazialisparese mit gleichzeitigem Zoster oticus muss an das Ramsay–Hunt-Syndrom (RHS), bedingt durch das Varizella-zoster-Virus (VZV), gedacht werden. Die Diagnose wird klinisch gestellt. Eine frühzeitige Therapie mit Prednisolon und Acyclovir bzw. Valacyclovir innerhalb von drei Tagen wird empfohlen. Wir berichten über einen 14-jährigen Patienten der ein klassisches RHS und zusätzlich eine seröse Meningitis entwickelte. Das Vorliegen einer VZV-Infektion konnte mit Nachweis des Virus in herpetischen Läsionen an Ohrmuschel und Gaumen sowie im Liquor aufgezeigt werden. = Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is defined as a peripheral facial nerve palsy accompanied by an erythematous vesicular rash on the ear (zoster oticus) and hard palate. It is known that varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes RHS. History and neurological examination remain the mainstay of diagnosis. Prednisolone and acyclovir/valacyclovir is helpful in RHS when given within three days of onset. We report on a 14-year-old boy who had RHS accompanied by meningitis. Polymerase chain reaction identified VZV in exudates from the geniculate zone of the ear, the hard palate and in the CSF

Mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated encephalitis in childhood--nervous system disorder during or after a respiratory tract infection

BACKGROUND Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an important aetiological agent of encephalitis in children, with encephalitis being the most frequent paediatric extrapulmonary manifestation of M. pneumoniae infections. Evidence of M. pneumoniae involvement in childhood encephalitis is difficult to obtain, because M. pneumoniae is seldom detected in the cerebrospinal fluid and the clinical picture shows gradual onset. Therefore, we present a small case-study as a paradigm of M. pneumoniae-associated encephalitis in childhood and illustrate the importance of this entity based on a review of previously published cases. PATIENTS We describe neurological signs and symptoms of 2 patients with M. pneumoniae-associated encephalitis in childhood. Respiratory symptoms with fever occurred in both children. They were seropositive for M. pneumoniae, but did not have the organism detected by PCR from cerebrospinal fluid. No long-term neurologic sequelae occurred. CONCLUSION M. pneumoniae has to be considered as a responsible pathogen of encephalitis in children, even if respiratory symptoms do not occur. Due to the seldom detection of M. pneumoniae in cerebrospinal fluid, evidence of m. pneumoniae involvement in childhood encephalitis is difficult to obtain.Faced with a neurological disease with no organism detected in CNS in the majority of cases assumes that M. pneumoniae-associated encephalitis is most likely a paradigm for an autoimmune disease with uniform pathogenesis mediated by an immunologic response to an antecedent antigenic stimulus from M. pneumoniae. It is important to relate this organism to this relatively common and potentially devastating clinical syndrome

Febrile seizures in children during the Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic 2009/2010

In children neurologic complications associated with influenza virus infection frequently present as febrile seizures with or without further signs of central nervous system involvement (Maricich SM et al., Pediatrics 2004; 114: e626–e633). Influenza A is a common viral cause of febrile seizures, however it remains unclear, if different types trigger seizures more likely than others. During the pandemic of the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus starting in April 2009, seizures were the most common neurologic complication among infected children (Ekstrand JJ et al., Ann Neurol 2010; 68: 762–766; Landau YE et al., Pediatr Neurol 2011; 44: 47–51). We therefore hypothesized, that the number and rate of febrile seizures must have increased during the pandemic months compared to previous years. We further investigated febrile seizure patients with suspected influenza A (H1N1) infection focusing on the difference between patients with positive vs. negative H1N1-test results