Local dynamics of a randomly pinned crack front: A numerical study

We investigate numerically the dynamics of crack propagation along a weak plane using a model consisting of fibers connecting a soft and a hard clamp. This bottom-up model has previously been shown to contain the competition of two crack propagation mechanisms: coalescence of damage with the front on small scales and pinned elastic line motion on large scales. We investigate the dynamical scaling properties of the model, both on small and large scale. The model results compare favorable with experimental results

Onset of Localization in Heterogeneous Interfacial Failure

We study numerically the failure of an interface joining two elastic materials under load using a fiber bundle model connected to an elastic half space. We find that the breakdown process follows the equal load sharing fiber bundle model without any detectable spatial correlations between the positions of the failing fibers until localization sets in. The onset of localization is an instability, not a phase transition. Depending on the elastic constant describing the elastic half space, localization sets in before or after the critical load causing the interface to fail completely, is reached. There is a crossover between failure due to localization or failure without spatial correlations when tuning the elastic constant, not a phase transition. Contrary to earlier claims based on models different from ours, we find that a finite fraction of fibers must fail before the critical load is attained, even in the extreme localization regime, i.e.\ for very small elastic constant. We furthermore find that the critical load remains finite for all values of the elastic constant in the limit of an infinitely large system.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Systemic and local inflammatory response in women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes

Objective:To evaluate the inflammatory pattern in maternal circulation, amniotic cavity, cervix and vagina from women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) considering the occurrence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC). Methodology: A prospective study was performed in 58 women with PPROM before 34+0 weeks of gestational age. Twenty-six proteins were analyzed by a multiple immunoassay in samples of amniotic fluid, serum, cervix and vagina. Association of an inflammatory response in the invasive and non-invasive samples with MIAC was investigated. Results: The rate of MIAC was 36.2% (21/58). Both amniotic fluid IL-6 and cervical C-reactive protein (CRP) showed to be independent predictors of MIAC. A cut-off level of cervical CRP≥1836 pg/mL showed a detection rate of 75%, false positive rate of 19% and positive and negative predictive values to predict MIAC of 67% and 87%, respectively. There were no independent biomarkers of MIAC either in the serum or vaginal compartment. Conclusion: A cervical inflammatory response mediated by CRP was observed in PPROM women with MIAC. Evaluation of serum or vaginal samples did not add valuable information regarding the outcome evaluated

“LIFE HAS NO NEED FOR MISERY” Med fokus på kjønnsbasert vold i humanitært arbeid

Masteroppgave i samfunnsarbeidBakgrunn /hensikt med oppgaven: Hensikten med studien er å oppnå økt innsikt i, og forståelse av hvordan kjønnsbasert vold blir håndtert i humanitært arbeid. Kjønnsbasert vold må sees i lys av både historiske, kulturelle og politiske kontekster. Studien kan være et bidrag til at fokus på og diskusjoner om kjønnsbasert vold tar innover seg den fulle kompleksiteten av fenomenet. Teoretisk forankring: Utgangspunktet for studien er samfunnsarbeid som er å identifisere handlingsrom og undersøke vilkår for sosial deltakelse sammen med dem det gjelder. Kjernebegreper er empowerment, samhandling, deltakelse, dialog og kritisk bevissthet. Metode: Det empiriske grunnlaget for studien er basert på flerstegsfokusgruppe med fire deltakere, tre kvinner og en mann, intervjuet i to omganger. Kunnskapsbidrag / funn: Materialet viser at humanitære organisasjoners handlingsplaner og strategier for håndtering av kjønnsbasert vold i felt avhenger både av samarbeid mellom organisasjonene og hvordan organisasjonene formidler sine handlingsplaner og strategier til operasjonelt personell i felt. Tydelighet, og klargjøring av grunnprinsippene, er vesentlig i denne sammenheng blant annet for å redusere usikkerhet i felt for å håndtere kjønnsbasert vold. Videre forskning: Materialet viser at det er en sammenheng mellom organisasjoners formidling av handlingsplaner og strategier for håndtering av kjønnsbasert vold til delegater og praksis i felt. Videre forskning bør utforske hvilken betydning kjønnsperspektiv har innen humanitære organisasjoners egne administrative og organisatoriske rammer for å finne ut om det er en utslagsgivende sammenheng mellom denne betydningen og praksis i felt når det gjelder håndtering av kjønnsbasert vold. Nøkkelord: kjønnsbasert vold, sosial orden, samhandling, deltakelse, kritisk bevissthet.Thesis background and purpose: The purpose of this study is to enhance the insight into and understanding of how gender-based violence is handled in humanitarian work. In order to shed light on gender-based violence, historical, cultural and political contexts need to be taken into account. The present study aims to stimulate current approaches and debates to acknowledge the full complexity of the issue. Theoretical framework: Community work is the basis of this study. Community work means to examine the conditions of social interaction through participation with the groups concerned, and to identify fields of action. Key terms are empowerment, interaction, participation, dialogue and critical consciousness. Method: Multistage focus group interviews constitute the empirical foundation of the study, including four participants; three women and one man, interviewed in two sessions. Contribution to knowledge/ Results: The material demonstrates that humanitarian organizations’ action plans and in-field strategies for handling gender-based violence, depend on both the cooperation between the organizations and on how the organizations communicate their action plans and strategies to the operational field personnel. Accordingly, clarity and explanation of ground principles are essential, among other things to reduce uncertainties about handling gender-based violence in the field. Future research: The material demonstrates a clear relation between how the organizations communicate their action plans and field strategies for handling gender-based violence to delegates, and their in-field performance. Future research should investigate the meaning and importance of gender perspectives within humanitarian organizations’ administrative and organizational frames, to find out if/ to what extent there is correlation between this meaning and importance on the one hand, and the field performance of handling gender-based violence on the other. Keywords: Gender-based violence, social order, interaction, participation, critical consciousness

25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Peripheral Immune Mediators:Results from Two Nationwide Danish Pediatric Cohorts

(1) Background: We aimed to examine if 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was related to the peripheral immunological and inflammatory signature both at birth, and in newly diagnosed patients with childhood type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their healthy controls; (2) Methods: The birth cohort consisted of 470 patients and 500 healthy controls. Dried blood samples were collected from the neonates in the period 1981–1999. The newly diagnosed cohort consisted of 460 patients and 453 siblings. Serum samples were collected in the period 1997–2005. A variety of peripheral immune mediators were measured and compared to total 25(OH)D levels (25(OH)D2 + 25(OH)D3). For each immune mediator, the relative change (RC) in the mean level was modeled by robust log-normal regression and correction for multiple testing was performed; (3) Results: Two associations were identified; there was a negative association between 25(OH)D (10 nmol/L increase) and leptin (RC (95% confidence interval (CI)), 0.98 (0.96; 1.00)), and a positive association between 25(OH)D (10 nmol/L increase) and the chemokine, chemokine (c-x-c motif) ligand (CXCL) 8 (RC (95% CI), 1.07 (1.01; 1.13)); (4) Conclusion: CXCL8 and leptin have significant associations with levels of 25(OH)D in the newly diagnosed cohort. These results do not indicate a strong influence of 25(OH)D on the peripheral immunological or inflammatory signature

Leirskolen - en arena for læring og mestringstro?

Til tross for engasjementet og trivselen kroppsøving ofte skaper, kritiseres faget for å være ensformig, idrettspreget og prestasjonsrettet. Et mestringsorientert klima i kroppsøvingsundervisningen anbefales for å styrke elevenes motivasjon og forbedre læringsklimaet. Friluftsliv anses som en gunstig arena for læring og mestring, men enkelte studier hevder at friluftsliv har en for beskjeden plass i skolen. Ifølge Albert Bandura (1997) vil troen på egne evner til å mestre kommende oppgaver, kjent som mestringsforventninger, påvirke både motivasjon, utholdenhet og resultat. Formålet med denne studien er å undersøke om et opphold på leirskole med friluftslivsaktiviteter kan påvirke elevers mestringsforventninger. Studien er gjennomført med et fenomenologisk vitenskapsteoretisk utgangspunkt og benytter et kvalitativt casedesign. Hoveddelen av datainnsamlingen består av semistrukturerte dybdeintervjuer og deltagende observasjon. Utvalget omfatter 61 elever som deltok på et fem-dagers opphold ved en leirskole i Norge, hvorav ti elever ble tilfeldig valgt og intervjuet underveis. Datamaterialet er analysert med utgangspunkt i Braun og Clark (2006) sin refleksive tematiske analyse. Resultatene viser tendenser til økte mestringsforventninger hos enkelte elever. Funnene tyder særlig på at elevenes egne erfaringer, holdninger og relasjoner til andre, samt leirskolens friluftslivsfaglige innhold og evne til å fungere som en læringsarena er sentrale påvirkningsfaktorer. I tillegg kommer det frem at leirskolen gir mange muligheter for både faglige og sosiale mestringsopplevelser. Basert på disse funnene kan leirskolen anses som et verdifullt pedagogisk tilbud som elevene verdsetter i stor grad, og som i noen tilfeller kan bidra til økte mestringsforventninger