A 19. századi magyar nemzetépítés elemeinek átértékelése új szempontok és új források alapján = Rethinking Nineteenth-century Nation-building in Hungary: New Perceptions, New Sources

Az OTKA támogatásával létrejött tudományos iskola a történettudomány nemzetközi fejlődése során előtérbe került új megközelítéseket alkalmazva elemezte a magyarországi nemzetépítés folyamatát néhány olyan konkrét részterületen, amelyek eddig a nemzeti problematika szempontjából háttérben maradtak a magyar történettudományban. A 19. századi tankönyvirodalom, az udvari kultúra és a színpadi szórakoztatás, a politikai röpiratok, a gazdaságtörténet, a demográfiai adatok, a divat, illetve a kollektív reprezentációk egyaránt vizsgálódásunk terepéül szolgáltak. A mai elméleti koncepciók szerint a nemzetet elsősorban diskurzusként gondoltuk el. Kutatásunk a modern nemzetet létrehozó diskurzusokat mint a korabeli társadalom eltérő nézeteinek és praxisainak különböző termékeit helyezte előtérbe. Ennek fényében nem kisebb történeti probléma vált láthatóvá, mint magának a nemzetépítés folyamatának a társadalmi beágyazottsága. Rámutattunk ugyanis arra az ellentmondásra, amely a nemzetről szóló homogenizáló diskurzusok és az őket létrehozó komplex társadalmi háttér között feszült. | The scientific school supported by OTKA, applying the most recent results of the international historical sciences, analyzed the process of the Hungarian nation-bulding on some concrete fields that have been partially neglicted by the Hungarian historiography so far. The history manuels, the royal court culture, the popular entertainment, the political pamphlets, the economic history, the fashion, the usage of demographic data and the collective representations were the main fields of our collective research. According to the most recent theoretical frameworks, we considered the nation primarily as a discourse. Our research approached the nation as the product of the various judgments and practices of the contemporary societies. Throughout that approach, a crucial historical problem, the social embeddedness of the nation-building process became visible. We tried to point out the contradiction between the homogenizing discourses about the nation and the complex social background that produced these discourses

A Criterion for Brittle Failure of Rocks Using the Theory of Critical Distances

This paper presents a new analytical criterion for brittle failure of rocks and heavily overconsolidated soils. Griffith’s model of a randomly oriented defect under a biaxial stress state is used to keep the criterion simple. The Griffith’s criterion is improved because the maximum tensile strength is not evaluated at the boundary of the defect but at a certain distance from the boundary, known as the critical distance. This fracture criterion is known as the Point Method, and is part of the Theory of Critical Distances, which is utilized in fracture mechanics. The proposed failure criterion has two parameters: the inherent tensile strength, ó0, and the ratio of the half-length of the initial crack/flaw to the critical distance, a/L. These parameters are difficult to measure but they may be correlated with the uniaxial compressive and tensile strengths, óc and ót. The proposed criterion is able to reproduce the common range of strength ratios for rocks and heavily overconsolidated soils (óc/ót=3-50) and the influence of several microstructural rock properties, such as texture and porosity. Good agreement with laboratory tests reported in the literature is found for tensile and low confining stresses.The work presented was initiated during a research project on “Structural integrity assessments of notch-type defects", for the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ref.: MAT2010-15721)

Biomechanics and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

For years, bioengineers and orthopaedic surgeons have applied the principles of mechanics to gain valuable information about the complex function of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The results of these investigations have provided scientific data for surgeons to improve methods of ACL reconstruction and postoperative rehabilitation. This review paper will present specific examples of how the field of biomechanics has impacted the evolution of ACL research. The anatomy and biomechanics of the ACL as well as the discovery of new tools in ACL-related biomechanical study are first introduced. Some important factors affecting the surgical outcome of ACL reconstruction, including graft selection, tunnel placement, initial graft tension, graft fixation, graft tunnel motion and healing, are then discussed. The scientific basis for the new surgical procedure, i.e., anatomic double bundle ACL reconstruction, designed to regain rotatory stability of the knee, is presented. To conclude, the future role of biomechanics in gaining valuable in-vivo data that can further advance the understanding of the ACL and ACL graft function in order to improve the patient outcome following ACL reconstruction is suggested

Quadriceps tendinosis and patellar tendinosis in professional beach volleyball players: sonographic findings in correlation with clinical symptoms

The purpose was to assess quadriceps and patellar tendinosis in professional beach volleyball players and to correlate ultrasound findings with clinical symptoms. During a grand-slam beach volleyball tournaments all 202 athletes (100 men and 102 women) were invited to participate at this study. Sixty-one athletes (38 male, mean age 29.6, 23 female, mean age 27.1) were included. The dominant leg was right in 51 (84%) and left in ten athletes (16%). Lysholm knee score and pain during the game was assessed using a visual analogue scale. Sonography of the quadriceps tendon and the patellar tendon was performed by a blinded sonographer. Sonographic findings were compared between both legs and correlated to clinical findings using a regression analysis. Quadriceps tendinosis was diagnosed in 13 (21%, dominant leg)/21 (34%, non-dominant leg), patellar tendinosis in 13(21%)/18(30%). Only sonographic findings at the quadriceps tendon were significantly associated with pain: thickness of the quadriceps tendon (mean diameter 6.9 mm/7.1 mm, significant for both legs P = 0.011/P = 0.030), abnormal echo texture (11/16; P = 0.001/P = 0.228), areas with positive power Doppler signals (mean number 0.3/0.4; P = 0.049/0.346), calcifications (mean number: 0.9/1.1; P = 0.021/0.864). A relationship between findings at patellar tendon was not found. Quadriceps tendinosis is as common as patellar tendinosis in professional beach volleyball players. Thickening and structure alteration of the quadriceps tendon is associated with anterior knee pain during beach volleyball

Plasma Levels and Renal Handling of Amino Acids Contribute to Determination of Risk of Mortality or Feed of Ventilation in Patients with COVID-19

COVID-19 infection may lead to serious complications, e.g., need for mechanical ventilation or death in some cases. A retrospective analysis of patients referred to our COVID Emergency Department, indiscriminately, was performed. A routine lab analysis measured amino acids in plasma and urine of patients. Data of surviving and deceased patients and those requiring or not requiring mechanical ventilation were compared, and logistic regression analyses have been performed. Deceased patients were older, had higher blood glucose, potassium, AST, LDH, troponin, d-dimer, hsCRP, procalcitonin, interleukin-6 levels (p p p p p < 0.001). Using logistic regression, CT-score, troponin, plasma level, and fractional excretion of glycine were predictors of ventilation. Plasma levels and renal excretion of certain amino acids are associated with the outcome of COVID-19 infection beside other parameters such as the CT-score or age

The shoulders of professional beach volleyball players: high prevalence of infraspinatus muscle atrophy

BACKGROUND: Beach volleyball is an Olympic overhead sport. It is not well known which clinical and imaging findings are normal and which are associated with symptoms. HYPOTHESIS: There are typical clinical and imaging findings in the hitting shoulders of fully competitive professional beach volleyball players, as compared with their nonhitting shoulders. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: During the Beach Volleyball Grand Slam Tournament in Klagenfurt, Austria, 84 professional players (54 men, 30 women) underwent a questionnaire-based interview and a complete physical examination, including scoring and sonography of both shoulders. Twenty-nine players had shoulder MRIs. RESULTS: The mean age of the athletes was 28 years. Atrophy of the infraspinatus muscle was found in 30% of the hitting shoulders, and it was not typically recognized by the players. The absolute Constant score was significantly lower in the hitting shoulder (87 versus 93 points, P < .0001). Average external rotation strength was decreased in the hitting shoulder (8.2 versus 9.5 kg, P < .0001). There were more abnormalities on the sonography of the hitting shoulder (1.7 versus 0.4, P < .0001) and in the same shoulders on MRI than on sonography (P = .0231). Compression of the suprascapular nerve was not observed. Pain in the hitting shoulder was present in 63% of the players, without clear correlations to the investigated clinical and imaging parameters. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of infraspinatus muscle atrophy in professional beach volleyball players is 30%. The typical, fully competitive player has subjectively unrecognized decreased strength of external rotation and frequent unspecific shoulder pain. Therefore, abnormal clinical and imaging findings in the beach volleyball player should be interpreted with care