Transformative governance of urban social-ecological systems

Science.gov (United States)

A central aspect of adaptive governance is a learning process that can help communities achieve environmental objectives. Adaptive governance is a framework for managing social-ecological systems, and is the precursor to transformative governance. Adaptive governance accounts for...

Challenges facing transactional e-government systems

OpenAIRE

AI-Sebie, Madi M

2005-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 17/10/2005. A review of normative literature, in the field of e-government, indicates that the transactional stage of e-government is one of the most important to the implementation of an e-government system as it represents the highest level of interaction within organisations and between customers and government organisations. Due to the importance of the transactional stage of the e-govern...

Disaster Governance and Vulnerability: The Case of Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicente Sandoval

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This exploratory work seeks to shed light on disaster governance by looking into potential linkages between the production of vulnerability and disaster governance in Chile. Our point of investigation is the case of post-disaster Chaitén and the Chilean model of Disaster Risk Management. The work begins by situating disaster governance and the production of vulnerability in a broader context of existing governance system that includes a multiplicity of actors and socio-economic, socio-ecological, and political processes. Coming from a multi-scalar perspective, we use the disaster Pressure and Release (PAR model to enable a differentiated analysis of the multiplicity of actors, rules, and processes related to DRM that participate in the production of disaster vulnerability in the current Chaitén. With this we address the questions as to ‘why’ the Chilean model of DRM is prominently centralised and ‘what’ are the effects on the production of disaster vulnerability for the case of post-disaster Chaitén.

Systems approach to waste governance: unpacking the challenges facing local government

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Godfrey, Linda K

2008-09-01

Full Text Available and Tourism (DEAT, 2007) highlighted the obstacles that are faced by local government in achieving service delivery for waste. The three identified obstacles included Financial Capacity; Institutional Capacity; Technical Capacity. 2 Opportunity cost... the systems diagrams show (Figure 2), is that without intervention by national government departments, e.g. National Treasury, Department of Provincial and Local Government, or Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, municipalities will be unable...

The Development of e-Government System in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mi'rojul Huda

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the system of electronic-based government or e-government in Indonesia. The development of e-government system in Indonesia is very important to answer the demands of globalization and modernization that are growing rapidly. E-government system is intended so that the governance is easier, faster, transparent, and effective. However, in its development, the implementation of e-government in Indonesia still needs various improvements. Information in this study is obtained from a variety of publications and documents related to the purposes of the study. The results of the study, among others, show that for technology resources,should the current government to allocate funds sufficient to meet the various devices related to the development of e-government. As for human resources, starting now, the government should have a commitment to provide informal education in the field of ICT in the state apparatus and society. To synchronize both strategies, it is necessary to build digital communities (digital society throughout the region in Indonesia. The existence of digital society is considered not only able to develop better e-government system but also has an impact on economic acceleration. Other than those two things, the most important thing also requires commitment and strong leadership in developing e-government.

Study on the Support Systems for Corporate Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudiu BRANDAS

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The problems generated by the information asymmetry within the agency relationships at corporation level, governments and capital markets led to a higher necessity for corporate governance (CG. The information system of corporate governance is a very complex one, which involves a series of actors, decision-making and transactional processes, technologies, procedures and good practice codes. In order to ensure the efficiency and efficacy of corporate governance as a premise for increasing company’s performance and position consolidation for the company on the capital market, it is necessary to analyze the way information technology could contribute to this undertaking. The purpose of this study is to analyze the architecture of the corporate governance systems and to identify and classify the systems and technologies involved in ensuring CG support in order to underlie the basis for developing a conceptual model for a hybrid and collaborative support system for corporate governance.

Information system governance in Moroccan universities: case of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Information system governance in Moroccan universities: case of student ... contribution of these systems to the overall performance of an organizational being. ... Keywords: Information System; Governance; Data Quality, Process Quality ...

A Service Systems Perspective of E-Government Development

Science.gov (United States)

Phang, Chee Wei; Kankanhalli, Atreyi

There have been increasing efforts by governments worldwide to innovate public service delivery, one of the means being through e-government. However, the mixed success of e-government initiatives highlights the need to better understand citizens' requirements and engage them in the development of e-government service offerings. In response to this need, we propose a service systems perspective to analyze a participatory e-government service system based on the key resources of people, organizations, shared information, and technologies. By doing so, this study bridges the gap in existing research that has separately examined the different resources without considering their inter-relationships in a systematic manner. For practitioners, the resulting framework provides a tool to understand how the key resources as well as stakeholders of the e-government service system inter-relate, which allows more comprehensive strategies to be formulated for improving e-government service offerings.

Shared governance in a clinic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyers, Michelle M; Costanzo, Cindy

2015-01-01

Shared governance in health care empowers nurses to share in the decision-making process, which results in decentralized management and collective accountability. Share governance practices have been present in hospitals since the late 1970s. However, shared governance in ambulatory care clinics has not been well established. The subjects of this quality project included staff and administrative nurses in a clinic system. The stakeholder committee chose what model of shared governance to implement and educated clinic staff. The Index of Professional Nursing Governance measured a shared governance score pre- and postimplementation of the Clinic Nursing Council. The Clinic Nursing Council met bimonthly for 3 months during this project to discuss issues and make decisions related to nursing staff. The Index of Professional Nursing Governance scores indicated traditional governance pre- and postimplementation of the Clinic Nursing Council, which is to be expected. The stakeholder committee was beneficial to the initial implementation process and facilitated staff nurse involvement. Shared governance is an evolutionary process that develops empowered nurses and nurse leaders.

Frameworks to assess health systems governance: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pyone, Thidar; Smith, Helen; van den Broek, Nynke

2017-06-01

Governance of the health system is a relatively new concept and there are gaps in understanding what health system governance is and how it could be assessed. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to describe the concept of governance and the theories underpinning as applied to health systems; and to identify which frameworks are available and have been applied to assess health systems governance. Frameworks were reviewed to understand how the principles of governance might be operationalized at different levels of a health system. Electronic databases and web portals of international institutions concerned with governance were searched for publications in English for the period January 1994 to February 2016. Sixteen frameworks developed to assess governance in the health system were identified and are described. Of these, six frameworks were developed based on theories from new institutional economics; three are primarily informed by political science and public management disciplines; three arise from the development literature and four use multidisciplinary approaches. Only five of the identified frameworks have been applied. These used the principal-agent theory, theory of common pool resources, North's institutional analysis and the cybernetics theory. Governance is a practice, dependent on arrangements set at political or national level, but which needs to be operationalized by individuals at lower levels in the health system; multi-level frameworks acknowledge this. Three frameworks were used to assess governance at all levels of the health system. Health system governance is complex and difficult to assess; the concept of governance originates from different disciplines and is multidimensional. There is a need to validate and apply existing frameworks and share lessons learnt regarding which frameworks work well in which settings. A comprehensive assessment of governance could enable policy makers to prioritize solutions for problems identified

Krsko NPP Quality Assurance Plan Application to Nuclear Safety Upgrade Projects (PCFV System and PAR System)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biscan, Romeo; Fifnja, Igor

2014-01-01

Nuklearna Elektrarna Krsko (NEK) has undertaken Nuclear Safety Upgrade Projects as a safety improvement driven by the lessons learned from the Fukushima-Daiichi Accident. Among other projects, new modification 1008-VA-L Passive Containment Filtered Vent (PCFV) System has been installed which acts as the last barrier minimizing the release of radioactive material into the environment in case of failure of all safety systems, and to insure containment integrity during beyond design basis accidents (BDBA). In addition, modification 1002-GH-L Severe Accident Hydrogen Control System (PAR) has been implemented to prevent and mitigate the consequences of explosive gas generation (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) in case of reactor core melting. To ensure containment integrity for all design basis accidents (DBA) and BDBA conditions, NEK has eliminated existing safety-related electrical recombiners, replaced them with two safety-related passive autocatalytic recombiners (PARs) and added 20 new PARs designed for the BDBA conditions. Krsko NPP Quality Assurance Plan has been applied to Nuclear Safety Upgrade Projects (PCFV System and PAR System) through the following activities: · Internal audit of modification process was performed. · Supplier audits were performed to evaluate QA program efficiency of the main design organization and engineering organizations. · Evaluation and approval of Suppliers were performed. · QA engineer was involved in the review and approval of 1008-VA-L and 1002-GH-L modification documentation (Conceptual Design Package, Design Modification Package, Installation Package, Field Design Change Request, Problem/Deficiency Report, and Final Documentation Package). · Purchasing documentation for modifications 1008-VA-L and 1002-GH-L (technical specifications, purchase orders) has been verified and approved by QA. · QA and QC engineers were involved in oversight of production and testing of the new 1008-VA-L and 1002-GH-L plant components. �

Dynamic Filament Formation by a Divergent Bacterial Actin-Like ParM Protein.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony J Brzoska

Full Text Available Actin-like proteins (Alps are a diverse family of proteins whose genes are abundant in the chromosomes and mobile genetic elements of many bacteria. The low-copy-number staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid pSK41 encodes ParM, an Alp involved in efficient plasmid partitioning. pSK41 ParM has previously been shown to form filaments in vitro that are structurally dissimilar to those formed by other bacterial Alps. The mechanistic implications of these differences are not known. In order to gain insights into the properties and behavior of the pSK41 ParM Alp in vivo, we reconstituted the parMRC system in the ectopic rod-shaped host, E. coli, which is larger and more genetically amenable than the native host, Staphylococcus aureus. Fluorescence microscopy showed a functional fusion protein, ParM-YFP, formed straight filaments in vivo when expressed in isolation. Strikingly, however, in the presence of ParR and parC, ParM-YFP adopted a dramatically different structure, instead forming axial curved filaments. Time-lapse imaging and selective photobleaching experiments revealed that, in the presence of all components of the parMRC system, ParM-YFP filaments were dynamic in nature. Finally, molecular dissection of the parMRC operon revealed that all components of the system are essential for the generation of dynamic filaments.

Governance of Information And Communication Technology (ICT System Planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bahrawi Bahrawi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The intensity of ICT usage continues to increase. This should be accompanied  by the increase of the government's performance, and one of the important components is governance of the ICT system planning. The ICT system planning with a good management will provide significant benefits to the organization. One cause of insignificant benefits ICT to the organizational goals is there is no ICT governance applied.  It can be caused by many things, one of them is the lack of knowledge and awareness about the ICT governance, so there are still many government agencies which have not yet implemented properly the ICT governance. By using quantitative approaches, questionnaire instrument was adapted from the General Guide of the National ICT Governance. Framework COBIT and data analysis techniques adopted from the COBIT Maturity level. This study aims to explore the guidelines as an evaluation tool for the governance of the ICT system planning in Department of Communications and Information Technology in Bitung City. The results of this study found that the institution is still at low level, level 1 with 0,63 maturity level in governance planning of ICT system.

A Single-Cell Biochemistry Approach Reveals PAR Complex Dynamics during Cell Polarization.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickinson, Daniel J; Schwager, Francoise; Pintard, Lionel; Gotta, Monica; Goldstein, Bob

2017-08-21

Regulated protein-protein interactions are critical for cell signaling, differentiation, and development. For the study of dynamic regulation of protein interactions in vivo, there is a need for techniques that can yield time-resolved information and probe multiple protein binding partners simultaneously, using small amounts of starting material. Here we describe a single-cell protein interaction assay. Single-cell lysates are generated at defined time points and analyzed using single-molecule pull-down, yielding information about dynamic protein complex regulation in vivo. We established the utility of this approach by studying PAR polarity proteins, which mediate polarization of many animal cell types. We uncovered striking regulation of PAR complex composition and stoichiometry during Caenorhabditis elegans zygote polarization, which takes place in less than 20 min. PAR complex dynamics are linked to the cell cycle by Polo-like kinase 1 and govern the movement of PAR proteins to establish polarity. Our results demonstrate an approach to study dynamic biochemical events in vivo. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FooPar

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hargreaves, F. P.; Merkle, D.

2013-01-01

We present FooPar, an extension for highly efficient Parallel Computing in the multi-paradigm programming language Scala. Scala offers concise and clean syntax and integrates functional programming features. Our framework FooPar combines these features with parallel computing techniques. Foo......, results based on a empirical analysis on two supercomputers are given. We achieve close-to-optimal performance wrt. theoretical peak performance. Based on this result we conclude that FooPar allows programmers to fully access Scalas design features without suffering from performance drops when compared...

Models of governance in multihospital systems. Implications for hospital and system-level decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Morlock, L L; Alexander, J A

1986-12-01

This study utilizes data from a national survey of 159 multihospital systems in order to describe the types of governance structures currently being utilized, and to compare the policy making process for various types of decisions in systems with different approaches to governance. Survey results indicate that multihospital systems most often use one of three governance models. Forty-one percent of the systems (including 33% of system hospitals) use a parent holding company model in which there is a system-wide corporate governing board and separate governing boards for each member hospital. Twenty-two percent of systems in the sample (but 47% of all system hospitals) utilize what we have termed a modified parent holding company model in which there is one system-wide governing board, but advisory boards are substituted for governing boards at the local hospital level. Twenty-three percent of the sampled systems (including 11% of system hospitals) use a corporate model in which there is one system-wide governing board but no other governing or advisory boards at either the divisional, regional or local hospital levels. A comparison of systems using these three governance approaches found significant variation in terms of system size, ownership and the geographic proximity of member hospitals. In order to examine the relationship between alternative approaches to governance and patterns of decision-making, the three model types were compared with respect to the percentages of systems reporting that local boards, corporate management and/or system-wide corporate boards have responsibility for decision-making in a number of specific issue areas. Study results indicate that, regardless of model type, corporate boards are most likely to have responsibility for decisions regarding the transfer, pledging and sale of assets; the formation of new companies; purchase of assets greater than $100,000; changes in hospital bylaws; and the appointment of local board members. In

ParBiBit: Parallel tool for binary biclustering on modern distributed-memory systems.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Domínguez, Jorge; Expósito, Roberto R

2018-01-01

Biclustering techniques are gaining attention in the analysis of large-scale datasets as they identify two-dimensional submatrices where both rows and columns are correlated. In this work we present ParBiBit, a parallel tool to accelerate the search of interesting biclusters on binary datasets, which are very popular on different fields such as genetics, marketing or text mining. It is based on the state-of-the-art sequential Java tool BiBit, which has been proved accurate by several studies, especially on scenarios that result on many large biclusters. ParBiBit uses the same methodology as BiBit (grouping the binary information into patterns) and provides the same results. Nevertheless, our tool significantly improves performance thanks to an efficient implementation based on C++11 that includes support for threads and MPI processes in order to exploit the compute capabilities of modern distributed-memory systems, which provide several multicore CPU nodes interconnected through a network. Our performance evaluation with 18 representative input datasets on two different eight-node systems shows that our tool is significantly faster than the original BiBit. Source code in C++ and MPI running on Linux systems as well as a reference manual are available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/parbibit/.

Public Procurement and Forest Governance: A German Case Study of Governmental Influences on Market-Driven Governance Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moritz Albrecht

2012-09-01

Full Text Available With increased privatization of natural resource regulation, green or sustainable public procurement policies are emerging as incentives for sustainable development. Thus, a revival of governmental influences on so-called non-state, market-driven governance systems takes place. The paper exemplifies this development by reference to the green public procurement directives for wood products in Germany and its influence on major forest certification systems and forest governance. Using an approach of governmentality in relational space, the paper displays how governmental entities play a significant role in influencing forest governance systems and the greening of markets. The importance of the underlying relations that shape governmental instruments and their influences on forest certification and governance are evaluated from a German perspective. Acknowledging the market-driven aspects of forest certification systems, the paper highlights the often-neglected impacts of governmental regulation on emerging forest governance systems. Thus, the framework allows insights into how relations among political entities and their means of knowledge production are essential for processes of forest governance.

Expert Systems in Government Administration

OpenAIRE

Weintraub, Joseph

1989-01-01

Artificial Intelligence is solving more and more real world problems, but penetration into the complexities of government administration has been minimal. The author suggests that combining expert system technology with conventional procedural computer systems can lead to substantial efficiencies. Business rules can be removed from business-oriented computer systems and stored in a separate but integrated knowledge base, where maintenance will be centralized. Fourteen specific practical appli...

Diagnostic accuracy of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) for prediction of bacteremia in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoenigl, Martin; Raggam, Reinhard B; Wagner, Jasmin; Valentin, Thomas; Leitner, Eva; Seeber, Katharina; Zollner-Schwetz, Ines; Krammer, Werner; Prüller, Florian; Grisold, Andrea J; Krause, Robert

2013-02-01

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) serum concentrations have recently been described to reflect the severity status of systemic inflammation. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of suPAR, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) to predict bacteremia in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was compared. A total of 132 patients with SIRS were included. In 55 patients blood cultures had resulted positive (study group 1, Gram positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus spp., n=15; study group 2, Gram-negative bacteria, n=40) and 77 patients had negative blood culture results (control group, n=77). Simultaneously with blood cultures suPAR, CRP, PCT, IL-6 and white blood count (WBC) were determined. SuPAR values were significantly higher in study group 1 (median 8.11; IQR 5.78-15.53; p=0.006) and study group 2 (median 9.62; IQR 6.52-11.74; p<0.001) when compared with the control group (median 5.65; IQR 4.30-7.83). ROC curve analysis revealed an AUC of 0.726 for suPAR in differentiating SIRS patients with bacteremia from those without. The biomarkers PCT and IL-6 showed comparable results. Regarding combinations of biomarkers multiplying suPAR, PCT and IL-6 was most promising and resulted in an AUC value of 0.804. Initial suPAR serum concentrations were significantly higher (p=0.028) in patients who died within 28 days than in those who survived. No significant difference was seen for PCT, IL-6 and CRP. In conclusion, suPAR, IL-6 and PCT may contribute to predicting bacteremia in SIRS patients. Copyright © 2012 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PAR1 activation affects the neurotrophic properties of Schwann cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Pompili, Elena; Fabrizi, Cinzia; Somma, Francesca; Correani, Virginia; Maras, Bruno; Schininà, Maria Eugenia; Ciraci, Viviana; Artico, Marco; Fornai, Francesco; Fumagalli, Lorenzo

2017-03-01

Protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) is the prototypic member of a family of four G-protein-coupled receptors that signal in response to extracellular proteases. In the peripheral nervous system, the expression and/or the role of PARs are still poorly investigated. High PAR1 mRNA expression was found in the rat dorsal root ganglia and the signal intensity of PAR1 mRNA increased in response to sciatic nerve transection. In the sciatic nerve, functional PAR1 receptor was reported at the level of non-compacted Schwann cell myelin microvilli of the nodes of Ranvier. Schwann cells are the principal population of glial cells of the peripheral nervous system which myelinate axons playing an important role during axonal regeneration and remyelination. The present study was undertaken in order to determine if the activation of PAR1 affects the neurotrophic properties of Schwann cells. Our results suggest that the stimulation of PAR1 could potentiate the Schwann cell ability to favour nerve regeneration. In fact, the conditioned medium obtained from Schwann cell cultures challenged with a specific PAR1 activating peptide (PAR1 AP) displays increased neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties with respect to the culture medium from untreated Schwann cells. The proteomic analysis of secreted proteins in untreated and PAR1 AP-treated Schwann cells allowed the identification of factors differentially expressed in the two samples. Some of them (such as macrophage migration inhibitory factor, matrix metalloproteinase-2, decorin, syndecan 4, complement C1r subcomponent, angiogenic factor with G patch and FHA domains 1) appear to be transcriptionally regulated after PAR1 AP treatment as shown by RT-PCR. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of the Corporate Bank Governance System in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Branko Matić

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The term ‘corporate governance’ stands for a set of relations between management, large and small shareholders and other interest groups. A good corporate governance system is the basic postulate of sustainable economic growth, increase in economic system efficiency and a guarantee for easier access to sources of foreign capital. Ownership concentration is a significant internal mechanism of corporate governance because it greatly defines the relationship between owner and manager. There are two types of ownership concentration: highly dispersed ownership, that is, low ownership concentration, and very high ownership concentration. These concentration differences affect the corporate governance system itself, so there is a difference between a closed corporate governance system in the situation of high ownership concentration and an open corporate governance system where the situation is the reverse. The form of the system affects how the governing body is formed and structured, as well as how it operates and conducts its business policies. Within the financial system of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the banking system is dominant. An analysis of the corporate governance system has shown a relationship between ownership concentration and the form of the corporate governance system itself. The banking sector is predominantly owned by foreign companies and is characterized by a high ownership concentration. The fact that the corporate governance system is closed affects the election of members to the governing body and their work in enforcing business policies.

Unpacking developmental local government using Soft Systems ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Unpacking developmental local government using Soft Systems Methodology and MCDA tools. L Scott. Abstract. This paper presents two different analytical approaches that may be useful in developing an understanding of developmental local government (DLG). DLG implies a significant commitment with respect to ...

ParA and ParB coordinate chromosome segregation with cell elongation and division during Streptomyces sporulation

Science.gov (United States)

Donczew, Magdalena; Mackiewicz, Paweł; Wróbel, Agnieszka; Flärdh, Klas; Zakrzewska-Czerwińska, Jolanta

2016-01-01

In unicellular bacteria, the ParA and ParB proteins segregate chromosomes and coordinate this process with cell division and chromosome replication. During sporulation of mycelial Streptomyces, ParA and ParB uniformly distribute multiple chromosomes along the filamentous sporogenic hyphal compartment, which then differentiates into a chain of unigenomic spores. However, chromosome segregation must be coordinated with cell elongation and multiple divisions. Here, we addressed the question of whether ParA and ParB are involved in the synchronization of cell-cycle processes during sporulation in Streptomyces. To answer this question, we used time-lapse microscopy, which allows the monitoring of growth and division of single sporogenic hyphae. We showed that sporogenic hyphae stop extending at the time of ParA accumulation and Z-ring formation. We demonstrated that both ParA and ParB affect the rate of hyphal extension. Additionally, we showed that ParA promotes the formation of massive nucleoprotein complexes by ParB. We also showed that FtsZ ring assembly is affected by the ParB protein and/or unsegregated DNA. Our results indicate the existence of a checkpoint between the extension and septation of sporogenic hyphae that involves the ParA and ParB proteins. PMID:27248800

Implementing integrated coastal management in a sector-based governance system

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Taljaard, Susan

2012-10-01

Full Text Available of cooperative governance early on, ICM implementation still faces the challenge that governance systems remain largely sector-based. In this paper we explore the implementation of ICM within a sector-based governance system in South Africa. First, we draw...

suPAR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hodges, Gethin W; Bang, Casper N; Wachtell, Kristian

2015-01-01

The fundamental role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease (CVD) has prompted interest in numerous biomarkers that detect subclinical levels of inflammation. Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a novel biomarker that correlates significantly with cardiovascular events ...... comprehensive review of suPAR in CVD and explore its function and usefulness in predicting cardiovascular events....

Limnological database for Par Pond: 1959 to 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tilly, L.J.

1981-03-01

A limnological database for Par Pond, a cooling reservoir for hot reactor effluent water at the Savannah River Plant, is described. The data are derived from a combination of research and monitoring efforts on Par Pond since 1959. The approximately 24,000-byte database provides water quality, primary productivity, and flow data from a number of different stations, depths, and times during the 22-year history of the Par Pond impoundment. The data have been organized to permit an interpretation of the effects of twenty years of cooling system operations on the structure and function of an aquatic ecosystem

C9.A/14 steelwork joints de poutres par plaque frontale : assemblages par gousset

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

Les Tables de résistances ultimes des assemblages boulonnés par plaque frontale et par gousset, complétées par une description des modèles de calcul et des exemples d’application, ont pour but de faciliter la tâche de l'ingénieur et du constructeur. Cette première partie C9.A/14 contient les chapitres suivants: - Joints de poutres par plaque frontale en acier S235 et S355 - Assemblages par gousset en acier S235 et S355 Les Tables contiennent des données relatives à la géométrie ainsi que les valeurs de calcul correspondantes des résistances ultimes des assemblages ; elles remplacent le chapitre « Assemblages par plaques frontales et boulons HR » des anciennes Tables C9.1 de 1983 / 2002. Le calcul de ces assemblages par plaque frontale est basé sur les hypothèses du modèle de la méthode des composants décrite dans la norme SN EN 1993-1-8. Les vérifications sont effectuées selon la norme SIA 263:2013. Les assemblages par gousset remplacent les assemblages par double cornière, (telle...

Systems of Local Management and Self-Government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amiran G. Ananidze

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In the present article theoretical aspects a set of various classifications of systems of local government are considered by the author. Author reveals the available positive components and shortcomings of various systems. Opinions of various scientists-jurists are considered by the author. In the course of the research the author analyzes essence of the concepts "local management", "local government", "public administration". In the conclusion, based on the conducted research, author draws a number of scientifically based conclusions.

The role of pars flaccida in human middle ear sound transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Aritomo, H; Goode, R L; Gonzalez, J

1988-04-01

The role of the pars flaccida in middle ear sound transmission was studied with the use of twelve otoscopically normal, fresh, human temporal bones. Peak-to-peak umbo displacement in response to a constant sound pressure level at the tympanic membrane was measured with a noncontacting video measuring system capable of repeatable measurements down to 0.2 micron. Measurements were made before and after pars flaccida modifications at 18 frequencies between 100 and 4000 Hz. Four pars flaccida modifications were studied: (1) acoustic insulation of the pars flaccida to the ear canal with a silicone rubber baffle, (2) stiffening the pars flaccida with cyanoacrylate cement, (3) decreasing the tension of the pars flaccida with a nonperforating incision, and (4) perforation of the pars flaccida. All of the modifications (except the perforation) had a minimal effect on umbo displacement; this seems to imply that the pars flaccida has a minor acoustic role in human beings.

Sustainable Urban Agriculture in Ghana: What Governance System Works?

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Eileen Bogweh Nchanji

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Urban farming takes advantage of its proximity to market, transport and other urban infrastructure to provide food for the city and sustain the livelihoods of urban and peri-urban dwellers. It is an agricultural activity which employs more than 50% of the local urban population with positive and negative impacts on local and national development. Urban agriculture is an informal activity not supported by law but in practice is regulated to a certain extent by state institutions, traditional rulers, farmers and national and international non-governmental organisations. Tamale’s rapid population growth, exacerbated by the unplanned development system and institutional conflicts, are factors contributing to the present bottlenecks in the urban agricultural system. In this paper, these bottlenecks are conceptualised as problems of governance. These issues will be illustrated using ethnographic data from land sales, crop-livestock competition, waste-water irrigation, and markets. I will explain how conflicts which arise from these different situations are resolved through the interactions of various governance systems. Informal governance arrangements are widespread, but neither they nor formal systems are always successful in resolving governance issues. A participatory governance does not seem possible due to actors’ divergent interests. A governance solution for this sector is not yet apparent, contributing to food and nutritional insecurity.

Proposal on state affairs and government system for next government

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-11-15

The contents of this book are introduction of need of study and purpose, building ecosystem to create jobs, consolidation of social innovation to improve life quality, construction of infrastructure to revitalize region, construction of new digital ecosystem, building of effective intellectual property system, creation of future competitiveness with scientific technology, establishment of raising of creative person and comprehensive discussion on reorganization of government system like need, principle, feature, difficulty, and arrangement of discussion.

Proposal on state affairs and government system for next government

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-11-01

The contents of this book are introduction of need of study and purpose, building ecosystem to create jobs, consolidation of social innovation to improve life quality, construction of infrastructure to revitalize region, construction of new digital ecosystem, building of effective intellectual property system, creation of future competitiveness with scientific technology, establishment of raising of creative person and comprehensive discussion on reorganization of government system like need, principle, feature, difficulty, and arrangement of discussion.

Sustainability and Convergence: The Future of Corporate Governance Systems?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela M. Salvioni

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In today’s world, a sustainable approach to corporate governance can be a source of competitive advantage and a long-term success factor for any firm. Sustainable governance requires that the board of directors considers economic, social and environmental expectations in an integrated way, no matter what ownership structure and formal rules of corporate governance apply to the company: this mitigates the traditional differences between insider and outsider systems of corporate governance. Previous studies failed to consider the contribution of sustainability in the process of corporate governance convergence. Therefore, the aim of this article is to fill the gap in the existing literature by means of a qualitative analysis, supporting the international debate about convergence of corporate governance systems. The article describes the evolution of outsider and insider systems in the light of the increasing importance of sustainability in the board’s decision-making and firm’s operation to satisfy the needs of all the company’s stakeholders. According to this, a qualitative content analysis developed with a directed approach completes the theoretical discussion, demonstrating that sustainability can bring de facto convergence between outsider and insider corporate governance systems. The article aims to be a theoretical starting point for future research, the findings of which could also have practical implications: the study encourages the policy makers to translate the sustainable business best practices into laws and recommendations, strengthening the mutual influence between formal and substantial convergence.

Parálisis cerebral :

OpenAIRE

Cabrero Izquierdo, María del Carmen

2012-01-01

Se aborda el tema de la parálisis cerebral definiendo qué es, clasificando los tipos de parálisis dependiendo de la afectación y las características principales. Se explican algunos de sus tratamientos, se dan sistemas alternativos y/o aumentativos de comunicación para un alumno con PC (parálisis cerebral).

Reforming Security Sector Governance South Asia | CRDI - Centre ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

In South Asia, security discourse has traditionally been confined to government circles, with no room for voices from civil society. ... L'honorable Chrystia Freeland, ministre du Commerce international, a annoncé le lancement d'un nouveau projet financé par le Centre de recherches pour le développement international ...

The role of health system governance in strengthening the rural health insurance system in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Beibei; Jian, Weiyan; He, Li; Wang, Bingyu; Balabanova, Dina

2017-05-23

Systems of governance play a key role in the operation and performance of health systems. In the past six decades, China has made great advances in strengthening its health system, most notably in establishing a health insurance system that enables residents of rural areas to achieve access to essential services. Although there have been several studies of rural health insurance schemes, these have focused on coverage and service utilization, while much less attention has been given to the role of governance in designing and implementing these schemes. Information from publications and policy documents relevant to the development of two rural health insurance policies in China was obtained, analysed, and synthesise. 92 documents on CMS (Cooperative Medical Scheme) or NCMS (New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme) from four databases searched were included. Data extraction and synthesis of the information were guided by a framework that drew on that developed by the WHO to describe health system governance and leadership. We identified a series of governance practices that were supportive of progress, including the prioritisation by the central government of health system development and certain health policies within overall national development; strong government commitment combined with a hierarchal administrative system; clear policy goals coupled with the ability for local government to adopt policy measures that take account of local conditions; and the accumulation and use of the evidence generated from local practices. However these good practices were not seen in all governance domains. For example, poor collaboration between different government departments was shown to be a considerable challenge that undermined the operation of the insurance schemes. China's success in achieving scale up of CMS and NCMS has attracted considerable interest in many low and middle income countries (LMICs), especially with regard to the schemes' designs, coverage, and funding

Strengthening Governance in Health Systems for Reproductive ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Home · What we do ... As a result, Pakistan's health system has suffered and health service delivery has worsened. ... This four-year project aims to strengthen health systems governance for reproductive health and rights in Pakistan.

Does Corporate Governance Impact Risk Management System?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petre BREZEANU

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This paper brings forth the contribution of corporate governance to risk management system at the enterprise level. The research is a complex one, integrating both quantitative and qualitative information. The quantitative information consists of balance sheet and profit and loss account data while the qualitative one includes dummy variables reflecting the agency and monitoring costs which govern the relationship between managers and shareholders.

Novel role for proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) in membrane trafficking of proteinase-activated receptor 4 (PAR4).

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Margaret R; McIntosh, Kathryn A; Pediani, John D; Robben, Joris; Cooke, Alexandra E; Nilsson, Mary; Gould, Gwyn W; Mundell, Stuart; Milligan, Graeme; Plevin, Robin

2012-05-11

Proteinase-activated receptors 4 (PAR(4)) is a class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) recognized through the ability of serine proteases such as thrombin and trypsin to mediate receptor activation. Due to the irreversible nature of activation, a fresh supply of receptor is required to be mobilized to the cell surface for responsiveness to agonist to be sustained. Unlike other PAR subtypes, the mechanisms regulating receptor trafficking of PAR(4) remain unknown. Here, we report novel features of the intracellular trafficking of PAR(4) to the plasma membrane. PAR(4) was poorly expressed at the plasma membrane and largely retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in a complex with the COPI protein subunit β-COP1. Analysis of the PAR(4) protein sequence identified an arginine-based (RXR) ER retention sequence located within intracellular loop-2 (R(183)AR → A(183)AA), mutation of which allowed efficient membrane delivery of PAR(4). Interestingly, co-expression with PAR(2) facilitated plasma membrane delivery of PAR(4), an effect produced through disruption of β-COP1 binding and facilitation of interaction with the chaperone protein 14-3-3ζ. Intermolecular FRET studies confirmed heterodimerization between PAR(2) and PAR(4). PAR(2) also enhanced glycosylation of PAR(4) and activation of PAR(4) signaling. Our results identify a novel regulatory role for PAR(2) in the anterograde traffic of PAR(4). PAR(2) was shown to both facilitate and abrogate protein interactions with PAR(4), impacting upon receptor localization and cell signal transduction. This work is likely to impact markedly upon the understanding of the receptor pharmacology of PAR(4) in normal physiology and disease.

The search for viable local government system in Nigeria: an ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The history of the Nigerian local government system has been one long episode of trails and errors aimed at achieving viable local government institution without much success. Local government in the country began its long series of reforms from the colonial period when the colonial government attempted to ...

Fixed-Time Stability of the Hydraulic Turbine Governing System

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Caoyuan Ma

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper studies the problem of fixed-time stability of hydraulic turbine governing system with the elastic water hammer nonlinear model. To control and improve the quality of hydraulic turbine governing system, a new fixed-time control strategy is proposed, which can stabilize the water turbine governing system within a fixed time. Compared with the finite-time control strategy where the convergence rate depends on the initial state, the settling time of the fixed-time control scheme can be adjusted to the required value regardless of the initial conditions. Finally, we numerically show that the fixed-time control is more effective than and superior to the finite-time control.

PAR-1 contributes to the innate immune response during viral infection

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniak, Silvio; Owens, A. Phillip; Baunacke, Martin; Williams, Julie C.; Lee, Rebecca D.; Weithäuser, Alice; Sheridan, Patricia A.; Malz, Ronny; Luyendyk, James P.; Esserman, Denise A.; Trejo, JoAnn; Kirchhofer, Daniel; Blaxall, Burns C.; Pawlinski, Rafal; Beck, Melinda A.; Rauch, Ursula; Mackman, Nigel

2013-01-01

Coagulation is a host defense system that limits the spread of pathogens. Coagulation proteases, such as thrombin, also activate cells by cleaving PARs. In this study, we analyzed the role of PAR-1 in coxsackievirus B3–induced (CVB3-induced) myocarditis and influenza A infection. CVB3-infected Par1–/– mice expressed reduced levels of IFN-β and CXCL10 during the early phase of infection compared with Par1+/+ mice that resulted in higher viral loads and cardiac injury at day 8 after infection. Inhibition of either tissue factor or thrombin in WT mice also significantly increased CVB3 levels in the heart and cardiac injury compared with controls. BM transplantation experiments demonstrated that PAR-1 in nonhematopoietic cells protected mice from CVB3 infection. Transgenic mice overexpressing PAR-1 in cardiomyocytes had reduced CVB3-induced myocarditis. We found that cooperative signaling between PAR-1 and TLR3 in mouse cardiac fibroblasts enhanced activation of p38 and induction of IFN-β and CXCL10 expression. Par1–/– mice also had decreased CXCL10 expression and increased viral levels in the lung after influenza A infection compared with Par1+/+ mice. Our results indicate that the tissue factor/thrombin/PAR-1 pathway enhances IFN-β expression and contributes to the innate immune response during single-stranded RNA viral infection. PMID:23391721

Urbanism, climate change and health: systems approaches to governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Capon, Anthony G; Synnott, Emma S; Holliday, Sue

2009-01-01

Effective action on climate change health impacts and vulnerability will require systems approaches and integrated policy and planning responses from a range of government agencies. Similar responses are needed to address other complex problems, such as the obesity epidemic. Local government, with its focus on the governance of place, will have a key role in responding to these convergent agendas. Industry can also be part of the solution - indeed it must be, because it has a lead role in relevant sectors. Understanding the co-benefits for health of climate mitigation actions will strengthen the case for early action. There is a need for improved decision support tools to inform urban governance. These tools should be based on a systems approach and should incorporate a spatial perspective.

Putting citizens at the heart of food system governance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pimbert, Michel

2012-05-15

Establishing inclusive governance of food systems — where farmers and other citizens play an active role in designing and implementing food and agricultural policies — is not just a matter of equity or social justice. Evidence shows that it can also lead to more sustainable livelihoods and environments. And yet, across the world, food system governance is marked by exclusionary processes that favour the values and interests of more powerful corporations, investors, big farmers and large research institutes. How can we tip the balance and amplify the voice and influence of marginalised citizens in setting the food and agricultural policies that affect them? Research points to six tried and tested ways that, when combined, can empower citizens in the governance of food systems.

Governance Modes For Systemic Innovation. Service Development In Mobile Telecommunications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.C.M. van den Ende (Jan); F.P.H. Jaspers (Ferdinand)

2004-01-01

textabstractThis paper focuses on governance modes for systemic innovation projects. The central question is: to what extent does the newness of a system and its components affect the most appropriate governance mode for component development projects? Component development projects can be performed

Constitutional Democracy and Caretaker Committee in Nigeria Local Government System: An Assessment

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Jude C Okafor

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The 1976 Local Government Reform among other landmark changes unified the local government system in Nigeria, and the 1979 constitution made local governments the third tier of government and provided for a system of local government by democratically elected councils. More recently, elected local government councils have been dissolved and replaced with Transition Committees or Caretaker Committees appointed by the Governors’ of their respective states. This paper therefore, examines the impact of the caretaker committees in Nigerian Local Government on the practice of constitutional democracy. The discussion is framed by the theoretical perspectives and Nigerian literature on local government and constitutional democracy, and by the recent phenomenal wave of dissolving elected local government councils and subsequent replacement with caretaker committees. Contrary to popular belief, that local government as the third tier of government has failed to achieve the objective for which it was created, this paper observes that party politics has been the bane of Nigerian local government since its inception, and that democratically elected local councils with political and financial autonomy are the major conditions for an effective and efficient multi-purpose local government system in Nigeria.

Implementation of Computer Assisted Test Selection System in Local Governments

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Abdul Azis Basri

2016-05-01

Full Text Available As an evaluative way of selection of civil servant system in all government areas, Computer Assisted Test selection system was started to apply in 2013. In phase of implementation for first time in all areas in 2014, this system selection had trouble in several areas, such as registration procedure and passing grade. The main objective of this essay was to describe implementation of new selection system for civil servants in the local governments and to seek level of effectiveness of this selection system. This essay used combination of study literature and field survey which data collection was made by interviews, observations, and documentations from various sources, and to analyze the collected data, this essay used reduction, display data and verification for made the conclusion. The result of this essay showed, despite there a few parts that be problem of this system such as in the registration phase but almost all phases of implementation of CAT selection system in local government areas can be said was working clearly likes in preparation, implementation and result processing phase. And also this system was fulfilled two of three criterias of effectiveness for selection system, they were accuracy and trusty. Therefore, this selection system can be said as an effective way to select new civil servant. As suggestion, local governments have to make prime preparation in all phases of test and make a good feedback as evaluation mechanism and together with central government to seek, fix and improve infrastructures as supporting tool and competency of local residents.

Business Systems and Corporate Governance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Torben; Thomsen, Steen

1999-01-01

The paper tests the applicability of Whitley' s business systems framework to the study of international differences in corporate ownership structure. In support of Whitley' s framework we document the existence of large differences among the largest companies in 12 European nations. Furthermore we...... find that these differences can be partly attributed to the institutional determinants stressed by Whitley: structure of the financial system, government regulation and labour relations. However, we also find evidence of microeconomic effects attributable to firm size and industry structure which cut...... across national borders and which influence cross country variations in ownership structure. We conclude that ownership structures are influenced by both economic and system effects....

Understanding global health governance as a complex adaptive system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Peter S

2011-01-01

The transition from international to global health reflects the rapid growth in the numbers and nature of stakeholders in health, as well as the constant change embodied in the process of globalisation itself. This paper argues that global health governance shares the characteristics of complex adaptive systems, with its multiple and diverse players, and their polyvalent and constantly evolving relationships, and rich and dynamic interactions. The sheer quantum of initiatives, the multiple networks through which stakeholders (re)configure their influence, the range of contexts in which development for health is played out - all compound the complexity of this system. This paper maps out the characteristics of complex adaptive systems as they apply to global health governance, linking them to developments in the past two decades, and the multiple responses to these changes. Examining global health governance through the frame of complexity theory offers insight into the current dynamics of governance, and while providing a framework for making meaning of the whole, opens up ways of accessing this complexity through local points of engagement.

Par Pond vegetation status 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mackey, H.E. Jr.; Riley, R.S.

1996-12-01

The water level of Par Pond was lowered approximately 20 feet in mid-1991 in order to protect downstream residents from possible dam failure suggested by subsidence on the downstream slope of the dam and to repair the dam. This lowering exposed both emergent and nonemergent macrophyte beds to drying conditions resulting in extensive losses. A survey of the newly emergent, shoreline aquatic plant communities of Par Pond began in June 1995, three months after the refilling of Par Pond to approximately 200 feet above mean sea level. These surveys continued in July, September, and late October, 1995, and into the early spring and late summer of 1996. Communities similar to the pre-drawdown, Par Pond aquatic plant communities continue to become re-established. Emergent beds of maidencane, lotus, waterlily, watershield, and Pontederia are extensive and well developed. Measures of percent cover, width of beds, and estimates of area of coverage with satellite data indicate regrowth within two years of from 40 to 60% of levels prior to the draw down. Cattail occurrence continued to increase during the summer of 1996, especially in the former warm arm of Par Pond, but large beds common to Par Pond prior to the draw down still have not formed. Lotus has invaded and occupies many of the areas formerly dominated by cattail beds. To track the continued development of macrophytes in Par Pond, future surveys through the summer and early fall of 1997, along with the evaluation of satellite data to map the extent of the macrophyte beds of Par Pond, are planned

Par3L enhances colorectal cancer cell survival by inhibiting Lkb1/AMPK signaling pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Taiyuan; Liu, Dongning; Lei, Xiong; Jiang, Qunguang

2017-01-01

Partitioning defective 3-like protein (Par3L) is a recently identified cell polarity protein that plays an important role in mammary stem cell maintenance. Previously, we showed that high expression of Par3L is associated with poor survival in malignant colorectal cancer (CRC), but the underlying mechanism remained unknown. To this end, we established a Par3L knockout colorectal cancer cell line using the CRISPR/Cas system. Interestingly, reduced proliferation, enhanced cell death and caspase-3 activation were observed in Par3L knockout (KO) cells as compared with wildtype (WT) cells. Consistent with previous studies, we showed that Par3L interacts with a tumor suppressor protein liver kinase B1 (Lkb1). Moreover, Par3L depletion resulted in abnormal activation of Lkb1/AMPK signaling cascade. Knockdown of Lkb1 in these cells could significantly reduce AMPK activity and partially rescue cell death caused by Par3L knockdown. Furthermore, we showed that Par3L KO cells were more sensitive to chemotherapies and irradiation. Together, these results suggest that Par3L is essential for colorectal cancer cell survival by inhibiting Lkb1/AMPK signaling pathway, and is a putative therapeutic target for CRC. - Highlights: • Par3L knockout using the CRISPR/Cas system induces apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells. • Par3L interacts with Lkb1 and regulates the activity of AMPK signaling cascade. • Par3L knockout cells are more sensitive to treatment of different chemotherapy drugs and irradiation.

[Roles of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), a G protein-coupled receptor, in modulation of exocrine gland functions].

Science.gov (United States)

Nishikawa, Hiroyuki

2006-07-01

Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), a G protein-coupled receptor, is activated by proteolytic unmasking of the N-terminal extracellular tethered ligand that presumably binds to the extracellular loop 2 of the receptor itself. PAR-2 is widely distributed in the mammalian body and plays various roles in biological events in the cardiovascular, respiratory, alimentary, and central neurons systems. PAR-2-activating peptides administered systemically to mice and rats trigger prompt salivation in vivo. In an in vitro study, PAR-2 agonists including the endogenous PAR-2 activator trypsin induce secretion of amylase and mucin from isolated rat parotid glands and sublingual glands, respectively. PAR-2-activating peptides administered systemically also modulate pancreatic exocrine secretion in vivo as well as in vitro. In the gastric mucosa, PAR-2 stimulation enhances secretion of mucus and pepsinogen and suppresses acid secretion. Tear secretion can also be caused by PAR-2-related peptides in PAR-2-dependent and -independent manners. PAR-2 thus plays a general or key role in the regulation of exocrine secretion. This review focuses on the physiologic and/or pathophysiologic roles of PAR-2 in glandular exocrine secretion. The possibility of PAR-2 as a target for drug development is also discussed.

Risk management communication system between a local government and residents using several network systems and terminal devices

Science.gov (United States)

Ohyama, Takashi; Enomoto, Hiroyuki; Takei, Yuichiro; Maeda, Yuji

2009-05-01

Most of Japan's local governments utilize municipal disaster-management radio communications systems to communicate information on disasters or terrorism to residents. The national government is progressing in efforts toward digitalization by local governments of these systems, but only a small number (approx. 10%) have introduced such equipment due to its requiring large amounts of investment. On the other hand, many local governments are moving forward in installation of optical fiber networks for the purpose of eliminating the "digital divide." We herein propose a communication system as an alternative or supplement to municipal disaster-management radio communications systems, which utilizes municipal optical fiber networks, the internet and similar networks and terminals. The system utilizes the multiple existing networks and is capable of instantly distributing to all residents, and controlling, risk management information. We describe the system overview and the field trials conducted with a local government using this system.

Work Ethics and Productivity in Local Government System in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The main thrust of this paper is motivated by the desire to examine the implications of the negative work attitudes that is prevalent among the employees of the local government system in Nigeria. The paper argued that the Nigeria local government system is engulfed in Negative work tendencies characterized by such ...

Usability in Government Systems User Experience Design for Citizens and Public Servants

CERN Document Server

Buie, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

As a usability specialist or interaction designer working with the government, or as a government or contractor professional involved in specifying, procuring, or managing system development, you need this book. Editors Elizabeth Buie and Dianne Murray have brought together over 30 experts to outline practical advice to both usability specialists and government technology professionals and managers. Working with internal and external government systems is a unique and difficult task because of of the sheer magnitude of the audience for external systems (the entire population of a country, a

Paracrine Apoptotic Effect of p53 Mediated by Tumor Suppressor Par-4

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravshan Burikhanov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The guardian of the genome, p53, is often mutated in cancer and may contribute to therapeutic resistance. Given that p53 is intact and functional in normal tissues, we harnessed its potential to inhibit the growth of p53-deficient cancer cells. Specific activation of p53 in normal fibroblasts selectively induced apoptosis in p53-deficient cancer cells. This paracrine effect was mediated by p53-dependent secretion of the tumor suppressor Par-4. Accordingly, the activation of p53 in normal mice, but not p53−/− or Par-4−/− mice, caused systemic elevation of Par-4, which induced apoptosis of p53-deficient tumor cells. Mechanistically, p53 induced Par-4 secretion by suppressing the expression of its binding partner, UACA, which sequesters Par-4. Thus, normal cells can be empowered by p53 activation to induce Par-4 secretion for the inhibition of therapy-resistant tumors.

Health systems performance in sub-Saharan Africa: governance, outcome and equity.

Science.gov (United States)

Olafsdottir, Anna E; Reidpath, Daniel D; Pokhrel, Subhash; Allotey, Pascale

2011-04-16

The literature on health systems focuses largely on the performance of healthcare systems operationalised around indicators such as hospital beds, maternity care and immunisation coverage. A broader definition of health systems however, needs to include the wider determinants of health including, possibly, governance and its relationship to health and health equity. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between health systems outcomes and equity, and governance as a part of a process to extend the range of indicators used to assess health systems performance. Using cross sectional data from 46 countries in the African region of the World Health Organization, an ecological analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between governance and health systems performance. The data were analysed using multiple linear regression and a standard progressive modelling procedure. The under-five mortality rate (U5MR) was used as the health outcome measure and the ratio of U5MR in the wealthiest and poorest quintiles was used as the measure of health equity. Governance was measured using two contextually relevant indices developed by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Governance was strongly associated with U5MR and moderately associated with the U5MR quintile ratio. After controlling for possible confounding by healthcare, finance, education, and water and sanitation, governance remained significantly associated with U5MR. Governance was not, however, significantly associated with equity in U5MR outcomes. This study suggests that the quality of governance may be an important structural determinant of health systems performance, and could be an indicator to be monitored. The association suggests there might be a causal relationship. However, the cross-sectional design, the level of missing data, and the small sample size, forces tentative conclusions. Further research will be needed to assess the causal relationship, and its generalizability beyond U5MR as a health

Health systems performance in sub-Saharan Africa: governance, outcome and equity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pokhrel Subhash

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The literature on health systems focuses largely on the performance of healthcare systems operationalised around indicators such as hospital beds, maternity care and immunisation coverage. A broader definition of health systems however, needs to include the wider determinants of health including, possibly, governance and its relationship to health and health equity. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between health systems outcomes and equity, and governance as a part of a process to extend the range of indicators used to assess health systems performance. Methods Using cross sectional data from 46 countries in the African region of the World Health Organization, an ecological analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between governance and health systems performance. The data were analysed using multiple linear regression and a standard progressive modelling procedure. The under-five mortality rate (U5MR was used as the health outcome measure and the ratio of U5MR in the wealthiest and poorest quintiles was used as the measure of health equity. Governance was measured using two contextually relevant indices developed by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Results Governance was strongly associated with U5MR and moderately associated with the U5MR quintile ratio. After controlling for possible confounding by healthcare, finance, education, and water and sanitation, governance remained significantly associated with U5MR. Governance was not, however, significantly associated with equity in U5MR outcomes. Conclusion This study suggests that the quality of governance may be an important structural determinant of health systems performance, and could be an indicator to be monitored. The association suggests there might be a causal relationship. However, the cross-sectional design, the level of missing data, and the small sample size, forces tentative conclusions. Further research will be needed to assess the

Unpacking developmental local government using Soft Systems ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Developmental local government, soft systems methodology, multiple criteria ..... land and property), 26 (adequate housing), 27 (access to health care, food, water .... It is important to articulate that any decision making or resource allocation.

National healthcare systems and the need for health information governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hovenga, Evelyn J S

2013-01-01

This chapter gives an overview of health data, information and knowledge governance needs and associated generic principles so that information systems are able to automate such data collections from point-of-care operational systems. Also covered are health information systems' dimensions and known barriers to the delivery of quality health services, including environmental, technology and governance influences of any population's health status within the context of national health systems. This is where health information managers and health informaticians need to resolve the many challenges associated with eHealth implementations where data are assets, efficient information flow is essential, the ability to acquire new knowledge desirable, and where the use of data and information needs to be viewed from a governance perspective to ensure reliable and quality information is obtained to enhance decision making.

Challenges in Evaluating Clinical Governance Systems in Iran: A Qualitative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hooshmand, Elaheh; Tourani, Sogand; Ravaghi, Hamid; Ebrahimipour, Hossein

2014-01-01

Background: In spite of the pivotal role of clinical governance in enhancing quality of services provided by hospitals across the country, a scientific framework with specific criteria for evaluating hospitals has not been developed so far. Objectives: This study was conducted with the aim to identify the challenges involved in evaluating systems of clinical governance in Iran. Materials and Methods: For the purposes of this qualitative study, 15 semi-structured interviews with experts in the field were conducted in 2011 and the data were analyzed using framework analysis method. Results: Five major challenges in evaluating clinical governance include managing human resources, improving clinical quality, managing development, organizing clinical governance, and providing patient-oriented healthcare system. Conclusions: Healthcare system in Iran requires a clinical governance program which has a patient-oriented approach in philosophy, operation, and effectiveness in order to meet the challenges ahead. PMID:24910799

The Taskforce on Conceptual Foundations of Earth System Governance: Sustainability Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barry Ness

2017-02-01

Full Text Available We are pleased to introduce the second special issue from Challenges in Sustainability, this time as a part of the Taskforce on Conceptual Foundations of Earth System Governance, an initiative by the Earth System Governance Project (ESG (http://www.earthsystemgovernance.net/conceptual-foundations/. The ESG Project is a global research alliance. It is the largest social science research network in the field of governance and global environmental change. ESG is primarily a scientific effort but is also designed to assist policy responses to pressing problems of earth system transformation.

Practicing governance towards equity in health systems: LMIC perspectives and experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilson, Lucy; Lehmann, Uta; Schneider, Helen

2017-09-15

The unifying theme of the papers in this series is a concern for understanding the everyday practice of governance in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) health systems. Rather than seeing governance as a normative health system goal addressed through the architecture and design of accountability and regulatory frameworks, these papers provide insights into the real-world decision-making of health policy and system actors. Their multiple, routine decisions translate policy intentions into practice - and are filtered through relationships, underpinned by values and norms, influenced by organizational structures and resources, and embedded in historical and socio-political contexts. These decisions are also political acts - in that they influence who accesses benefits and whose voices are heard in decision-making, reinforcing or challenging existing institutional exclusion and power inequalities. In other words, the everyday practice of governance has direct impacts on health system equity.The papers in the series address governance through diverse health policy and system issues, consider actors located at multiple levels of the system and draw on multi-disciplinary perspectives. They present detailed examination of experiences in a range of African and Indian settings, led by authors who live and work in these settings. The overall purpose of the papers in this series is thus to provide an empirical and embedded research perspective on governance and equity in health systems.

Application of passive auto catalytic recombiner (PAR) for BWR plants in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, K.; Murano, K.; Yamanari, S.; Yamamoto, Y.

2001-01-01

The passive auto-catalytic recombiner (PAR), which can recombine flammable gases such as hydrogen and oxygen with each other to avoid an explosion in case of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), installed in the primary containment vessel does not require a power supply or dynamic equipment, while the existing flammability gas control system (FCS) of most BWRs as an outer loop of the primary containment vessel needs them to make flammable gases circulate through blowers and heaters in the system. PAR offers a number of advantages over existing FCS, such as high reliability, low cost due to much smaller amount of materials needed, good maintainability, good operability in case of a LOCA, and smaller space for installation. An experimental study has been carried out for the purpose of solving the problems of applying PAR to Japanese BWR plants instead of existing FCS, in which we grasped the basic characteristics of PAR. (author)

Small serine recombination systems ParA-MRS and CinH-RS2 perform precise excision of plastid DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Selectable marker genes (SMGs) are necessary for selection of transgenic plants. However, once stable transformants have been identified, the marker gene is no longer needed. In this study, we demonstrate the use of the small serine recombination systems, ParA-MRS and CinH-RS2, to precisely excise ...

Do high-growth entrepreneurial firms have a specific system of governance?

OpenAIRE

Peter Wirtz

2009-01-01

From a meta-model linking a firm’s corporate governance system to managerial discretion (Charreaux, 2008), this article presents a specific corporate governance model for the high growth entrepreneurial firm. A survey of the empirical literature on the governance of entrepreneurial firms confirms the plausibility of this theoretical framework, especially with respect to the cognitive dimension of corporate governance.

The governance of the European patent system:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borras, Susana

2006-01-01

at the formal and informal dimensions of interactions in economic systems. This is further developed into an analytical framework which is then used in the assessment of the structural features of the current European patent system, one of the most advanced, complex, and contested economic systems in Europe....... The conclusions elaborate on the normative implications regarding the current weaknesses of the European patent system, and examine the general theoretical implications of the findings, particularly looking at the effectiveness and legitimacy of technically complex governance systems....

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS of THE TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM WITH GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS INCLUDING SEPARATION of POWERS

OpenAIRE

ÇOLAK, Çağrı D.; ŞENER, Bülent; BİLGİLİ, Muhammed Yunus

2017-01-01

There are many debates on the “Turkish presidential government model (TPGM)” that propose radical changes in the Turkish administration system. Such discussions take its source from the dichotomies of the “unity of power-separation of powers” and the “presidential system-parliamentary system”. Until the constitutional amendment proposal of December 10, 2016 in Turkey the debate on the government system in Turkey has been publicized by the name of “presidential” or “Turkish type presidential” ...

Strengthening Health Systems Governance in Latin American ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This project seeks to improve the governance of health systems by designing and ... of the data (locally elected officials, health authorities, civil society groups), the ... In partnership with UNESCO's Organization for Women in Science for the ...

Protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 is required for PAR-1 signalling in pulmonary fibrosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lin, Cong; von der Thüsen, Jan; Daalhuisen, Joost; ten Brink, Marieke; Crestani, Bruno; van der Poll, Tom; Borensztajn, Keren; Spek, C. Arnold

2015-01-01

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the most devastating diffuse fibrosing lung disease of unknown aetiology. Compelling evidence suggests that both protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 and PAR-2 participate in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Previous studies have shown that bleomycin-induced

Corporate Governance in Banking System: An Empirical Investigation

OpenAIRE

Abhiman Das; Saibal Ghosh

2004-01-01

The paper examines the issue of corporate governance in the Indian banking system. Using data on banking systems for the period 1996-2003, the findings reveal that CEOs of poorly performing banks are likely to face higher turnover than CEOs of well performing ones.

Information Systems Audit for University Governance in Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion Gh. ROSCA

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Today's successful audit leaders never lose sight of the importance of continually assessing and improving the organizations' university governance structure. Focusing on small and large mission, and using practical exercises and individual activities, the auditors will help gain the skills necessary to review and improve university governance structure, while developing techniques to assess risk management activities. Attendees will leave with an understanding of legal and regulatory guidelines as they pertain to university governance and discuss in-depth issues such as business ethics, transparency and disclosure, IT governance and university risks management. Identification, evaluation and management of university risks, is an important element of the university governance system. Today, the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies is in a complex process to realize a university governance integrate information system. In context of this paperwork there are presented the main aspects for developing and implementing in actual phase information systems audit, to recognize the risks and establish the necessary measures to eliminate them.

The orthopaedist's role in healthcare system governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Probe, Robert A

2013-06-01

Historically, physicians as participants in healthcare governance were shunned because of perceived potential for conflict of interest. This maxim is being revisited as health systems begin to appreciate the value presented by physician leaders. This overview of the orthopaedist's role in healthcare governance will be addressed in three sections: first to identify the need for change in American healthcare, second to examine the role that physicians should play in governing over this inevitable change, and third to outline strategies for effective participation for those physicians wishing to play a role in healthcare governance. The PubMed data set was queried applying the search commands "governance AND (healthcare OR hospital) AND (doctor OR physician OR surgeon)" for the time period 1969 to 2012. In addition, the bibliographies of relevant articles were reviewed. This search strategy returned 404 titles. Abstract and article review identified 19 relevant to the topic. Bibliographic review identified five more articles of relevance forming the foundation for this review. The delivery of American health care will require change to face current economic realities. Organizations that embrace this change guided by the insight of physician governors are well positioned to recognize the simultaneous improvement in value and quality. Although few physicians are formally trained for these roles, multiple paths to becoming effective governors are available. In this environment of rapid change in healthcare delivery, the medical insight of physician leadership will prove invaluable. Governing bodies should reach out to talented physicians and administratively talented physicians should rise to this challenge.

Applying TOGAF for e-government implementation based on service oriented architecture methodology towards good government governance

Science.gov (United States)

Hodijah, A.; Sundari, S.; Nugraha, A. C.

2018-05-01

As a Local Government Agencies who perform public services, General Government Office already has utilized Reporting Information System of Local Government Implementation (E-LPPD). However, E-LPPD has upgrade limitation for the integration processes that cannot accommodate General Government Offices’ needs in order to achieve Good Government Governance (GGG), while success stories of the ultimate goal of e-government implementation requires good governance practices. Currently, citizen demand public services as private sector do, which needs service innovation by utilizing the legacy system as a service based e-government implementation, while Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) to redefine a business processes as a set of IT enabled services and Enterprise Architecture from the Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) as a comprehensive approach in redefining business processes as service innovation towards GGG. This paper takes a case study on Performance Evaluation of Local Government Implementation (EKPPD) system on General Government Office. The results show that TOGAF will guide the development of integrated business processes of EKPPD system that fits good governance practices to attain GGG with SOA methodology as technical approach.

A Study on Technology Architecture and Serving Approaches of Electronic Government System

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunnian; Huang, Yiyun; Pan, Qin

As E-government becomes a very active research area, a lot of solutions to solve citizens' needs are being deployed. This paper provides technology architecture of E-government system and approaches of service in Public Administrations. The proposed electronic system addresses the basic E-government requirements of user friendliness, security, interoperability, transparency and effectiveness in the communication between small and medium sized public organizations and their citizens, businesses and other public organizations. The paper has provided several serving approaches of E-government, which includes SOA, web service, mobile E-government, public library and every has its own characteristics and application scenes. Still, there are a number of E-government issues for further research on organization structure change, including research methodology, data collection analysis, etc.

Nonlinear Dynamics of a PI Hydroturbine Governing System with Double Delays

OpenAIRE

Luo, Hongwei; Zhang, Jiangang; Du, Wenju; Lu, Jiarong; An, Xinlei

2017-01-01

A PI hydroturbine governing system with saturation and double delays is generated in small perturbation. The nonlinear dynamic behavior of the system is investigated. More precisely, at first, we analyze the stability and Hopf bifurcation of the PI hydroturbine governing system with double delays under the four different cases. Corresponding stability theorem and Hopf bifurcation theorem of the system are obtained at equilibrium points. And then the stability of periodic solution and the dire...

Electronic Document Imaging and Optical Storage Systems for Local Governments: An Introduction. Local Government Records Technical Information Series. Number 21.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Stanley F.

This publication introduces electronic document imaging systems and provides guidance for local governments in New York in deciding whether such systems should be adopted for their own records and information management purposes. It advises local governments on how to develop plans for using such technology by discussing its advantages and…

Conception et calibration d'un sonoreacteur pour l'oxydation de la cellulose par le systeme TEMPO/NaOCl/NaBr

Science.gov (United States)

Paquin, Michel

Avec le contexte economique actuel dans le domaine des pates et papiers au Canada, l'industrie se doit de diversifier ses produits mis en marche. La fermeture de plus de 20 usines depuis 2005, une baisse du PIB de l'industrie de 1,4 milliard CAD entre 1999--2008, une baisse de la demande de 2,4 %, une diminution du prix de la pate de 20,9 % depuis juillet 2009. La delocalisation du secteur vers l'Asie et l'hemisphere sud sont autant de raisons pour laquelle l'industrie se doit d'etre a l'avant plan de nouvelle technologie a base de fibre de bois. Pour augmenter leur rentabilite, l'industrie se doit de diversifier ses produits dans d'autres secteurs que le simple fabricant de papier impression-ecriture. Sa diversification passe par l'elaboration de nouveaux papiers a valeur ajoutee (papier conducteur, papier bioactif, etc.), par l'utilisation de la biomasse forestiere pour la production d'energie, par l'utilisation de la biomasse forestiere pour l'elaboration d'une plateforme de chimie verte, par l'utilisation de la lignine pour le developpement de polymeres et par l'utilisation de la fibre cellulosique pour la fabrication de nanomateriaux. La fabrication de nanofibrille de cellulose peut devenir un des produits qui servira a diversifier la production des usines de pates et papiers. Les nanofibrilles de cellulose possedent des proprietes mecaniques et chimiques exceptionnelles. Les nanofibrilles de cellulose sont fabriquees a partir d'une oxydation selective de la pate kraft de feuillu avec le systeme TEMPO-NaOCl-NaBr. L'oxydation selective de l'alcool primaire en C6 du monomere de glucose sous forme de carboxylates engendre une modification chimique de la cellulose qui accroit l'hydrophilicite des fibrilles. Suite a cette oxydation, nous devons effectuer une desintegration mecanique de la fibre kraft de feuillu oxydee pour separer les fibrilles. Le processus d'oxydation de la fibre par le systeme TEMPO-NaOCl-NaBr et sa defibrillation par la suite engendre une

The polarity protein Par6 is coupled to the microtubule network during molluscan early embryogenesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Homma, Taihei [Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Shimizu, Miho [Kuroda Chiromorphology Team, ERATO-SORST, JST, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 (Japan); Kuroda, Reiko, E-mail: ckuroda@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Kuroda Chiromorphology Team, ERATO-SORST, JST, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 (Japan); Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 (Japan)

2011-01-07

Research highlights: {yields} The cDNAs encoding Par6 and aPKC homologues were cloned from the snail Lymnaea stagnalis. {yields} L. stagnalis Par6 directly interacts with tubulin and microtubules and localizes to the microtubule cytoskeleton during the early embryogenesis. {yields} Identical sequence and localization of LsPar6 for the dextral and the sinistral snails exclude the possibility of the gene being the primary determinant of body handedness. -- Abstract: Cell polarity, which directs the orientation of asymmetric cell division and segregation of fate determinants, is a fundamental feature of development and differentiation. Regulators of polarity have been extensively studied, and the critical importance of the Par (partitioning-defective) complex as the polarity machinery is now recognized in a wide range of eukaryotic systems. The Par polarity module is evolutionarily conserved, but its mechanism and cooperating factors vary among different systems. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of a pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis homologue of partitioning-defective 6 (Lspar6). The protein product LsPar6 shows high affinity for microtubules and localizes to the mitotic apparatus during embryonic cell division. In vitro assays revealed direct binding of LsPar6 to tubulin and microtubules, which is the first evidence of the direct interaction between the two proteins. The interaction is mediated by two distinct regions of LsPar6 both located in the N-terminal half. Atypical PKC, a functional partner of Par6, was also found to localize to the mitotic spindle. These results suggest that the L. stagnalis Par complex employs the microtubule network in cell polarity processes during the early embryogenesis. Identical sequence and localization of LsPar6 for the dextral and the sinistral snails exclude the possibility of the gene being the primary determinant of handedness.

The polarity protein Par6 is coupled to the microtubule network during molluscan early embryogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Homma, Taihei; Shimizu, Miho; Kuroda, Reiko

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The cDNAs encoding Par6 and aPKC homologues were cloned from the snail Lymnaea stagnalis. → L. stagnalis Par6 directly interacts with tubulin and microtubules and localizes to the microtubule cytoskeleton during the early embryogenesis. → Identical sequence and localization of LsPar6 for the dextral and the sinistral snails exclude the possibility of the gene being the primary determinant of body handedness. -- Abstract: Cell polarity, which directs the orientation of asymmetric cell division and segregation of fate determinants, is a fundamental feature of development and differentiation. Regulators of polarity have been extensively studied, and the critical importance of the Par (partitioning-defective) complex as the polarity machinery is now recognized in a wide range of eukaryotic systems. The Par polarity module is evolutionarily conserved, but its mechanism and cooperating factors vary among different systems. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of a pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis homologue of partitioning-defective 6 (Lspar6). The protein product LsPar6 shows high affinity for microtubules and localizes to the mitotic apparatus during embryonic cell division. In vitro assays revealed direct binding of LsPar6 to tubulin and microtubules, which is the first evidence of the direct interaction between the two proteins. The interaction is mediated by two distinct regions of LsPar6 both located in the N-terminal half. Atypical PKC, a functional partner of Par6, was also found to localize to the mitotic spindle. These results suggest that the L. stagnalis Par complex employs the microtubule network in cell polarity processes during the early embryogenesis. Identical sequence and localization of LsPar6 for the dextral and the sinistral snails exclude the possibility of the gene being the primary determinant of handedness.

Strategies of complexity leadership in governance systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nooteboom, S.G.; Termeer, C.J.A.M.

2013-01-01

In complex governance systems, innovations may emerge, not controlled by a single leader, but enabled by many. We discuss how these leaders are embedded in networks and which strategies they use. The theoretical framework is based on Complexity Leadership Theory. We conducted participatory

Single, Integrated, Service-Centric Model of Military Health System Governance

Science.gov (United States)

of the research is to establish what the model of governance of the Military Health System should be. That, with other recommendations, should be the...foundation for the impending transformation. The research found that the model of governance should be a single service model with regional health...commands that support the geographic combatant commander (GCC). With an organization based on the presented model of governance , the Military Health

Accountability and legitimacy in earth system governance: A research framework

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biermann, F.; Gupta, A.

2011-01-01

Along with concerns over the effectiveness of earth system governance, ways of enhancing its accountability and legitimacy are increasingly coming to the fore in both scholarly debate and political practice. Concerns over accountability and legitimacy pertain to all levels of governance, from the

Emergence, institutionalization and renewal: Rhythms of adaptive governance in complex social-ecological systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaffin, Brian C; Gunderson, Lance H

2016-01-01

Adaptive governance provides the capacity for environmental managers and decision makers to confront variable degrees of uncertainty inherent to complex social-ecological systems. Current theoretical conceptualizations of adaptive governance represent a series of structures and processes best suited for either adapting or transforming existing environmental governance regimes towards forms flexible enough to confront rapid ecological change. As the number of empirical examples of adaptive governance described in the literature grows, the conceptual basis of adaptive governance remains largely under theorized. We argue that reconnecting adaptive governance with foundational concepts of ecological resilience-specifically Panarchy and the adaptive cycle of complex systems-highlights the importance of episodic disturbances and cross-scale interactions in triggering reorganizations in governance. By envisioning the processes of adaptive governance through the lens of Panarchy, scholars and practitioners alike will be better able to identify the emergence of adaptive governance, as well as take advantage of opportunities to institutionalize this type of governance in pursuit of sustainability outcomes. The synergistic analysis of adaptive governance and Panarchy can provide critical insight for analyzing the role of social dynamics during oscillating periods of stability and instability in social-ecological systems. A deeper understanding of the potential for cross-scale interactions to shape adaptive governance regimes may be useful as society faces the challenge of mitigating the impacts of global environmental change. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Results of Preliminary Tests of PAR Bunch Cleaning

CERN Document Server

Yao, Chihyuan; Grelick, Arthur; Lumpkin, Alex H; Sereno, Nicholas S

2005-01-01

A particle accumulator ring (PAR) is used at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) to collect multiple linac bunches and compress them into a 0.3-ns (rms) single bunch for booster injection. A 9.77-MHz fundamental rf system and a 117.3-MHz harmonic rf system are employed for initial beam capture and bunch length compression. Satellite bunches with very low charge form due to rf phase drifts or beam loading change. These satellites, when injected into the booster and then into the storage ring (SR), cause bunch impurity at three buckets from the target bucket. Storage ring and booster bunch cleaning was tried but proved to be difficult due to the top-up mode of operation in the storage ring and tune drift in the booster synchrotron. Recently we implemented a PAR bunch-cleaning system with tune-modulated harmonic rf knockout. Preliminary tests gave a measured SR bunch purity of better than 10

Brief communication: Population variation in human maxillary premolar accessory ridges (MxPAR).

Science.gov (United States)

Burnett, Scott E; Hawkey, Diane E; Turner, Christy G

2010-02-01

The purpose of this brief communication is to report the results of an analysis of maxillary premolar accessory ridges (MxPAR), a common but understudied accessory ridge that may occur both mesial and distal to the central ridge of the buccal cusp of upper premolars. We developed a new five-grade scoring plaque to better categorize MxPAR variation. Subsequently, we conducted a population analysis of MxPAR frequency in 749 dental casts of South African Indian, American Chinese, Alaskan Eskimo, Tohono O'odham (Papago), Akimel O'odham (Pima), Solomon Islander, South African Bantu, and both American and South African Whites. Northeast Asian and Asian-derived populations exhibited the highest MxPAR frequencies while Indo-European samples (South African Indians, American and South African Whites) exhibited relatively low frequencies. The Solomon Islanders and South African Bantu samples exhibited intermediate frequencies. Our analysis indicates that statistically significant differences in MxPAR frequency exist between major geographic populations. As a result, the MxPAR plaque has now been added to the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System, an important contribution as maxillary premolar traits are underrepresented in analyses of dental morphology. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Governance of Aquatic Agricultural Systems: Analyzing Representation, Power, and Accountability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blake D. Ratner

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Aquatic agricultural systems in developing countries face increasing competition from multiple stakeholders over rights to access and use natural resources, land, water, wetlands, and fisheries, essential to rural livelihoods. A key implication is the need to strengthen governance to enable equitable decision making amidst competition that spans sectors and scales, building capacities for resilience, and for transformations in institutions that perpetuate poverty. In this paper we provide a simple framework to analyze the governance context for aquatic agricultural system development focused on three dimensions: stakeholder representation, distribution of power, and mechanisms of accountability. Case studies from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malawi/Mozambique, and Solomon Islands illustrate the application of these concepts to fisheries and aquaculture livelihoods in the broader context of intersectoral and cross-scale governance interactions. Comparing these cases, we demonstrate how assessing governance dimensions yields practical insights into opportunities for transforming the institutions that constrain resilience in local livelihoods.

Assessing eGovernment Systems Success: A Validation of the DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi-Shun; Liao, Yi-Wen

2008-01-01

With the proliferation of the Internet and World Wide Web applications, people are increasingly interacting with government to citizen (G2C) eGovernment systems. It is therefore important to measure the success of G2C eGovernment systems from the citizen's perspective. While general information systems (IS) success models have received much…

Governance for Equity in Health Systems Deadline

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Jean-Claude Dumais

2012-09-12

Sep 12, 2012 ... of training and mentorship in research, research management, and grant administration allows awardees to pursue their research goals in a dynamic team environment in one of the world's leaders in generating new knowledge to meet global challenges. IDRC's Governance for Equity in Health Systems ...

Robust Finite-Time Terminal Sliding Mode Control for a Francis Hydroturbine Governing System

OpenAIRE

Fengjiao Wu; Junling Ding; Zhengzhong Wang

2016-01-01

The robust finite-time control for a Francis hydroturbine governing system is investigated in this paper. Firstly, the mathematical model of a Francis hydroturbine governing system is presented and the nonlinear vibration characteristics are analyzed. Then, on the basis of finite-time control theory and terminal sliding mode scheme, a new robust finite-time terminal sliding mode control method is proposed for nonlinear vibration control of the hydroturbine governing system. Furthermore, the d...

Par Pond vegetation status Summer 1995 -- Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mackey, H.E. Jr.; Riley, R.S.

1996-01-01

The water level of Par Pond was lowered approximately 20 feet in mid-1991 in order to protect downstream residents from possible dam failure suggested by subsidence on the downstream slope of the dam and to repair the dam. This lowering exposed both emergent and nonemergent macrophyte beds to drying conditions resulting in extensive losses. A survey of the newly emergent, shoreline aquatic plant communities of Par Pond began in June 1995, three months after the refilling of Par Pond to approximately 200 feet above mean sea level. These surveys continued in July, September, and late October, 1995. Communities similar to the pre-drawdown, Par Pond aquatic plant communities are becoming re-established. Emergent beds of maidencane, lotus, waterlily, and watershield are extensive and well developed. Cattail occurrence continued to increase during the summer, but large beds common to Par Pond prior to the drawdown have not formed. Estimates from SPOT HRV, remote sensing satellite data indicated that as much as 120 hectares of emergent wetlands vegetation may have been present along the Par Pond shoreline by early October, 1995. To track the continued development of macrophytes in Par Pond, future surveys throughout 1996 and 1997, along with the continued evaluation of satellite data to map the areal extent of the macrophyte beds of Par Pond, are planned

The Idea to Promote the Development of E-Government in the Civil Aviation System

Science.gov (United States)

Renliang, Jiang

E-government has a significant impact on the organizational structure, working mechanism, operating methods and behavior patterns of the civil aviation administration department.The purpose of this research is to find some countermeasures propelling the electronization, network and office automation of the civil aviation system.The method used in the study was field and literature research.The studies showed that government departments in the civil aviation system could promote the development of e-government further by promoting open administration and implementing democratic and scientific decision-making, strengthening the popularization of information technology and information technology training on civil servants, paying attention to the integration and sharing of information resources, formulating a standard e-government system for the civil aviation system, developing the legal security system for the e-government and strengthening the network security.

Government Internal Control System Maturity: The Role of Internal Guidance and External Control of Local Government in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sutaryo Sutaryo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study discusses the Government Internal Control System (SPIP. The purpose of this study is to obtain empirical evidence of influence of guidance, external control, and the characteristics of Local Governments on Internal Control (SPIP maturity of local governments in Indonesia. The samples used in this study are 188 local governments in 2014. The variables used include the dependent variable, i.e. the SPIP maturity of local government; Independent variables, i.e. guidance frequency, the number of internal control findings, total assets, total expenditure and the number of local government units. This study uses secondary data obtained from the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP and the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK. This study uses multiple regression analysis and the results show that the guidace frequency and total expenditure have a positive influence on maturity of SPIP, SPI finding has a negative influence, and the total assets and the number of units do not have significant influence on the maturity of SPIP.

Belief-rule-based expert systems for evaluation of e-government

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hossain, Mohammad Shahadat; Zander, Pär-Ola Mikael; Kamal, Md Sarwar

2015-01-01

, known as the Belief Rule Based Expert System (BRBES) and implemented in the local e-government of Bangladesh. The results have been compared with a recently developed method of evaluating e-government, and it is demonstrated that the results of the BRBES are more accurate and reliable. The BRBES can...

Strategic plans for designing information systems under local government

OpenAIRE

Raman Nair, R.

1998-01-01

In decentralized administration local bodies are concerned with various administrative, educational and development issues. So in local government the planning for use of technology have started to recognize the value of information. This study attempts to evolve technical guidelines for building up an information system under local government that has to provide networking services by connecting various offices and institutions like Block Panchayat Office, Village Panchayat Office, District...

Influencia de los parámetros de proceso, en el comportamiento del parámetro vibración absoluta en turbinas de vapor.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. de la Torre Silva

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo muestra el estudio realizado en turbinas de vapor de pequeña capacidad de generación de las centrales termoeléctricas cubanas, relacionadas con la influencia estadística entre parámetros de proceso de la turbina, respecto al parámetro vibración absoluta, medidos en las chumaceras de la turbina. Se utilizan las bases de datos de los sistemas de monitoreado on-line de la turbina. Se exponen las relaciones existentes entre los principales parámetros seleccionados para este estudio.This work show the study in small steam turbine capacity of generation in cubans thermoelectric power station to relative with statistical influence between steam process parameters regarding absolute vibration parameter, in the steam housing measurements. Themselves use database as steam on-line monitoring systems. Expose the existing relation between the principal selection parameters for this study.

Grid-connected photovoltaic system design for local government ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Grid-connected photovoltaic system design for local government offices in Nigeria. ... Nigerian Journal of Technology. Journal Home ... It is neat, silent and elegant process of generating electric power in environmentally friendly manner. In this ...

The Two-Component System CprRS Senses Cationic Peptides and Triggers Adaptive Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Independently of ParRS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernandez, Luca; Jenssen, Håvard; Bains, Manjeet

2012-01-01

dependency on the CprRS and ParRS systems in a concentration-dependent manner. It was further demonstrated that, following exposure to inducing antimicrobial peptides, cprRS mutants did not become adaptively resistant to polymyxins as was observed for wild-type cells. Our microarray studies demonstrated...

Un « gouvernement des journalistes par le Pouvoir politique » par défaut ?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthieu Lardeau

2013-12-01

journalistes au profit d’un gouvernement indirect – ou par défaut – des journalistes par les autorités publiques.This paper aims to discuss the interactions between two concomitant phenomenathat tagged the 1950s to 1970s French press: on the one hand, the movement initiated in 1951 at Le Monde and pursued by dailies’ journalists to develop and implement journalists’ associations (“Société de journalistes” or “Société de rédacteurs” inside the newsroom to run – on their own or in association with newspaper management – newsrooms and newspapers (editorial content, and business policy to some extent; and, on the other hand, the responses to this growing movement by public authorities (both political and administrative who aimee to contain the demands for more independence and power by journalists. This exploratory study is based on the analysis of two kinds of literature too often neglected by academics despite their great richness: (1 professional literature mainly authored by journalists involved in management duties, and managers of printing presses (Perier Daville, Boegner, Pigasse, etc., a flourishing literature since 1944, and more particularly during the 1960s and 1970s; (2 the grey literature that encompasses public reports like those produced by the Prime Minister’s Office (Lindon (1970 and Serisé (1972 commissions, and the Conseil economique et social, etc. Our main results show that propositions and actions advanced by journalists and members of the news media: (1 remain largely unexploited by the profession and political authorities despite their innovation and effectiveness; (2 are regularly contained or blocked by political and public authorities who intend to maintain their ruling power over the press and journalism; (3 and that journalism-representative organizations and dominant journalists invariably uphold containment positions to limit journalists’ empowerment in management and newspaper governance. Consequently, most

Health care networks implementation and regional governance challenges in the Legal Amazon Region: an analysis of the QualiSUS-Rede Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Casanova, Angela Oliveira; Cruz, Marly Marques; Giovanella, Ligia; Alves, Glaydes Dos Reis; Cardoso, Gisela Cordeiro Pereira

2017-04-01

This paper aims to analyze the potential, limits and challenges of regional governance in the implementation process of health care networks in three Brazilian regions: Alto Solimões (Amazonas), Belém (Pará) and an interstate region comprising Tocantins, Pará and Maranhão states (Topama). The study is based on the evaluation study on the implementation of the Quality Health Care Network Development and Improvement Project (QualiSUS-Rede). This is a qualitative multiple case study with the analysis of official documents and use of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders conducted from July to December 2014. Governance review encompassed three components: stakeholders involved, especially local steering groups and their regional coordination capacity; strategies used for strengthening regional governance, anchored on the intervention's modeling; and implementation of local health care networks. Results point that the regional managing commissions were the main governance strategy and that the QualiSUS-Rede Project strengthened regional governance and integration differently in every case, depending on stakeholders' administration and consensus capacity on regional and political priorities.

Local health systems in 21st century: who cares?-An exploratory study on health system governance in Amsterdam.

Science.gov (United States)

Plochg, T; Delnoij, D M J; Hogervorst, W V G; van Dijk, P; Belleman, S; Klazinga, N S

2006-10-01

There is a growing awareness that there should be a public health perspective to health system governance. Its intrinsic population health orientation provides the ultimate ground for determining the health needs and governing collaborative care arrangements within which these needs can be met. Notwithstanding differences across countries, population health concerns are not central to European health reforms. Governments currently withdraw leaving governance roles to care providers and/or financiers. Thereby, incentives that trigger the uptake of a public health perspective are often ignored. In this study we addressed this issue in the city of Amsterdam. Using a qualitative study design, we explored whether there is a public health perspective to the governance practices of the municipality and the major sickness fund in Amsterdam. And if so, what the scope of this perspective is. And if not, why not. Findings indicate that the municipality has a public health perspective to local health system governance, but its scope is limited. The municipality facilitates rather than governs health care provision in Amsterdam. Furthermore, the sickness fund runs major financial risks when adapting a public health perspective. It covers an insured population that partly overlaps the Amsterdam population. Returns on investments in population health are therefore uncertain, as competitors would also profit from the sickness fund's investments. The local health system in Amsterdam is not consistently aligned to the health needs of the Amsterdam population. The Amsterdam case is not unique and general consequences for local health system governance are discussed.

La pelade par plaques

Science.gov (United States)

Spano, Frank; Donovan, Jeff C.

2015-01-01

Résumé Objectif Présenter aux médecins de famille des renseignements de base pour faire comprendre l’épidémiologie, la pathogenèse, l’histologie et l’approche clinique au diagnostic de la pelade par plaques. Sources des données Une recension a été effectuée dans PubMed pour trouver des articles pertinents concernant la pathogenèse, le diagnostic et le pronostic de la pelade par plaques. Message principal La pelade par plaques est une forme de perte pileuse auto-immune dont la prévalence durant une vie est d’environ 2 %. Des antécédents personnels ou familiaux de troubles auto-immuns concomitants, comme le vitiligo ou une maladie de la thyroïde, peuvent être observés dans un petit sous-groupe de patients. Le diagnostic peut souvent être posé de manière clinique en se fondant sur la perte de cheveux non cicatricielle et circulaire caractéristique, accompagnée de cheveux en « point d’exclamation » en périphérie chez ceux dont le problème en est aux premiers stades. Le diagnostic des cas plus complexes ou des présentations inhabituelles peut être facilité par une biopsie et un examen histologique. Le pronostic varie largement et de mauvais résultats sont associés à une apparition à un âge précoce, une perte importante, la variante ophiasis, des changements aux ongles, des antécédents familiaux ou des troubles auto-immuns concomitants. Conclusion La pelade par plaques est une forme auto-immune de perte de cheveux périodiquement observée en soins primaires. Les médecins de famille sont bien placés pour identifier la pelade par plaques, déterminer la gravité de la maladie et poser le diagnostic différentiel approprié. De plus, ils sont en mesure de renseigner leurs patients à propos de l’évolution clinique de la maladie ainsi que du pronostic général selon le sous-type de patients.

From Hard to Soft Governance in Multi-Level Education Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkoszewski, Harald; Sundby, Eli

2016-01-01

Decision-making in educations systems has become more complex: while decentralisation has moved the locus of power to lower governance levels, the central level still is held responsible for the quality of outcomes. As a consequence, new steering strategies have emerged that tend to apply softer modes of governance as opposed to harder ones in the…

The effects of government bond purchases on leverage constraints of banks and non-financial firms

OpenAIRE

Kühl, Michael

2016-01-01

This paper investigates how government bond purchases affect leverage-constrained banks and non-financial firms by utilising a stochastic general equilibrium model. My results indicate that government bond purchases not only reduce non-financial firms' borrowing costs, amplified through a reduction in expected defaults, but also lower banks' profit margins. In an economy in which loans priced at par dominate in banks' balance sheets - as a reflection of the euro area's structure - the leverag...

Keratometric alterations following the 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless pars plana vitrectomy versus the conventional pars plana vitrectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Citirik, Mehmet; Batman, Cosar; Bicer, Tolga; Zilelioglu, Orhan

2009-09-01

To assess the alterations in keratometric astigmatism following the 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless pars plana vitrectomy versus the conventional pars plana vitrectomy. Sixteen consecutive patients were enrolled into the study. Conventional vitrectomy was applied to eight of the cases and 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy was performed in eight patients. Keratometry was performed before and after the surgery. In the 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless pars plana vitrectomy group, statistically significant changes were not observed in the corneal curvature in any post-operative follow-up measurement (p > 0.05); whereas in the conventional pars plana vitrectomy group, statistically significant changes were observed in the first postoperative day (p = 0.01) and first postoperative month (p = 0.03). We noted that these changes returned to baseline in three months (p = 0.26). Both 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless and conventional pars plana vitrectomy are effective surgical modalities for selected diseases of the posterior segment. Surgical procedures are critical for the visual rehabilitation of the patients. The post-operative corneal astigmatism of the vitrectomised eyes can be accurately determined at least two months post-operatively.

Transformative environmental governance

Science.gov (United States)

Chaffin, Brian C.; Garmestani, Ahjond S.; Gunderson, Lance H.; Harm Benson, Melinda; Angeler, David G.; Arnold, Craig Anthony (Tony); Cosens, Barbara; Kundis Craig, Robin; Ruhl, J.B.; Allen, Craig R.

2016-01-01

Transformative governance is an approach to environmental governance that has the capacity to respond to, manage, and trigger regime shifts in coupled social-ecological systems (SESs) at multiple scales. The goal of transformative governance is to actively shift degraded SESs to alternative, more desirable, or more functional regimes by altering the structures and processes that define the system. Transformative governance is rooted in ecological theories to explain cross-scale dynamics in complex systems, as well as social theories of change, innovation, and technological transformation. Similar to adaptive governance, transformative governance involves a broad set of governance components, but requires additional capacity to foster new social-ecological regimes including increased risk tolerance, significant systemic investment, and restructured economies and power relations. Transformative governance has the potential to actively respond to regime shifts triggered by climate change, and thus future research should focus on identifying system drivers and leading indicators associated with social-ecological thresholds.

Centromere pairing by a plasmid-encoded type I ParB protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ringgaard, Simon; Löwe, Jan; Gerdes, Kenn

2007-01-01

The par2 locus of Escherichia coli plasmid pB171 encodes two trans-acting proteins, ParA and ParB, and two cis-acting sites, parC1 and parC2, to which ParB binds cooperatively. ParA is related to MinD and oscillates in helical structures and thereby positions ParB/parC-carrying plasmids regularly......, hence identifying the N terminus of ParB as a requirement for ParB-mediated centromere pairing. These observations suggest that centromere pairing is an important intermediate step in plasmid partitioning mediated by the common type I loci....

48 CFR 225.7303-3 - Government-to-government agreements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Military Sales 225.7303-3 Government-to-government agreements. If a government-to-government agreement... support of a specifically defined weapon system, major end item, or support item, contains language in conflict with the provisions of this section, the language of the government-to-government agreement...

ParFit: A Python-Based Object-Oriented Program for Fitting Molecular Mechanics Parameters to ab Initio Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Zahariev, Federico; De Silva, Nuwan; Gordon, Mark S; Windus, Theresa L; Dick-Perez, Marilu

2017-03-27

A newly created object-oriented program for automating the process of fitting molecular-mechanics parameters to ab initio data, termed ParFit, is presented. ParFit uses a hybrid of deterministic and stochastic genetic algorithms. ParFit can simultaneously handle several molecular-mechanics parameters in multiple molecules and can also apply symmetric and antisymmetric constraints on the optimized parameters. The simultaneous handling of several molecules enhances the transferability of the fitted parameters. ParFit is written in Python, uses a rich set of standard and nonstandard Python libraries, and can be run in parallel on multicore computer systems. As an example, a series of phosphine oxides, important for metal extraction chemistry, are parametrized using ParFit. ParFit is in an open source program available for free on GitHub ( https://github.com/fzahari/ParFit ).

Shooting the Rapids: Navigating Transitions to Adaptive Governance of Social-Ecological Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Per Olsson

2006-06-01

Full Text Available The case studies of Kristianstads Vattenrike, Sweden; the Northern Highlands Lake District and the Everglades in the USA; the Mae Nam Ping Basin, Thailand; and the Goulburn-Broken Catchment, Australia, were compared to assess the outcome of different actions for transforming social-ecological systems (SESs. The transformations consisted of two phases, a preparation phase and a transition phase, linked by a window of opportunity. Key leaders and shadow networks can prepare a system for change by exploring alternative system configurations and developing strategies for choosing from among possible futures. Key leaders can recognize and use or create windows of opportunity and navigate transitions toward adaptive governance. Leadership functions include the ability to span scales of governance, orchestrate networks, integrate and communicate understanding, and reconcile different problem domains. Successful transformations rely on epistemic and shadow networks to provide novel ideas and ways of governing SESs. We conclude by listing some ð"„¬rules of thumb" that can help build leadership and networks for successful transformations toward adaptive governance of social-ecological systems.

CFD analysis of PAR performance as function of inlet design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Kweonha; Khor, Chong Lee

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The new concept of PAR (passive autocatalytic recombiner) was proposed and analyzed. • Guidance wall was added at the bottom of PAR to enhance the flow rate through the catalyst. • The new concept of PAR was proved to have a better hydrogen removal performance. - Abstract: Passive autocatalytic recombiner (PAR) is very useful hydrogen mitigation measurement. It is widely implemented in the current and advanced light water reactors (ALWRs). The design of the PARs should be optimized for the specific use under severe accident scenarios. Several techniques and innovations have been fused into the PAR, as an effort to increase its efficiency of hydrogen mitigation. This study proposes different concepts of PAR, which applied some changes to the honeycomb catalyst PAR made by the Korea Nuclear Technology (KNT) Inc. Two slices of plate are added to the bottom of PAR model, which intended to act as a reflection wall and promote the gas flow into PAR. Hydrogen volume fraction was given 4 vol. % which tested by KNT to investigate the performance of PAR in different direction gas flow conditions to see maximum hydrogen recombination rate. The new concept of PAR was proved to have a better hydrogen removal performance compared to the original honeycomb catalyst PAR.

CFD analysis of PAR performance as function of inlet design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Kweonha, E-mail: khpark@kmou.ac.kr [Division of Mechanical and Energy systems Engineering, Korea Maritime University, Dongsam-dong, Yeongdo-gu, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of); Khor, Chong Lee, E-mail: itachi_829@hotmail.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Maritime University (Korea, Republic of)

2016-01-15

Highlights: • The new concept of PAR (passive autocatalytic recombiner) was proposed and analyzed. • Guidance wall was added at the bottom of PAR to enhance the flow rate through the catalyst. • The new concept of PAR was proved to have a better hydrogen removal performance. - Abstract: Passive autocatalytic recombiner (PAR) is very useful hydrogen mitigation measurement. It is widely implemented in the current and advanced light water reactors (ALWRs). The design of the PARs should be optimized for the specific use under severe accident scenarios. Several techniques and innovations have been fused into the PAR, as an effort to increase its efficiency of hydrogen mitigation. This study proposes different concepts of PAR, which applied some changes to the honeycomb catalyst PAR made by the Korea Nuclear Technology (KNT) Inc. Two slices of plate are added to the bottom of PAR model, which intended to act as a reflection wall and promote the gas flow into PAR. Hydrogen volume fraction was given 4 vol. % which tested by KNT to investigate the performance of PAR in different direction gas flow conditions to see maximum hydrogen recombination rate. The new concept of PAR was proved to have a better hydrogen removal performance compared to the original honeycomb catalyst PAR.

Traditional leadership factor in modern local government system in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Traditional leadership factor in modern local government system in Ghana: policy Implementation, role conflict and marginalization. ... at promoting education, health and environmental management, are highly commendable in Ghana.

Par Pond Fish, Water, and Sediment Chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paller, M.H.; Wike, L.D.

1996-06-01

The objectives of this report are to describe the Par Pond fish community and the impact of the drawdown and refill on the community, describe contaminant levels in Par Pond fish, sediments, and water and indicate how contaminant concentrations and distributions were affected by the drawdown and refill, and predict possible effects of future water level fluctuations in Par Pond

Par Pond Fish, Water, and Sediment Chemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paller, M.H. [Westinghouse Savannah River Company, AIKEN, SC (United States); Wike, L.D.

1996-06-01

The objectives of this report are to describe the Par Pond fish community and the impact of the drawdown and refill on the community, describe contaminant levels in Par Pond fish, sediments, and water and indicate how contaminant concentrations and distributions were affected by the drawdown and refill, and predict possible effects of future water level fluctuations in Par Pond.

Par-4-mediated recruitment of Amida to the actin cytoskeleton leads to the induction of apoptosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boosen, Meike; Vetterkind, Susanne; Koplin, Ansgar; Illenberger, Susanne; Preuss, Ute

2005-01-01

Par-4 (prostate apoptosis response-4) sensitizes cells to apoptotic stimuli, but the exact mechanisms are still poorly understood. Using Par-4 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified Amida as a novel interaction partner, a ubiquitously expressed protein which has been suggested to be involved in apoptotic processes. Complex formation of Par-4 and Amida occurs in vitro and in vivo and is mediated via the C-termini of both proteins, involving the leucine zipper of Par-4. Amida resides mainly in the nucleus but displays nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling in heterokaryons. Upon coexpression with Par-4 in REF52.2 cells, Amida translocates to the cytoplasm and is recruited to actin filaments by Par-4, resulting in enhanced induction of apoptosis. The synergistic effect of Amida/Par-4 complexes on the induction of apoptosis is abrogated when either Amida/Par-4 complex formation or association of these complexes with the actin cytoskeleton is impaired, indicating that the Par-4-mediated relocation of Amida to the actin cytoskeleton is crucial for the pro-apoptotic function of Par-4/Amida complexes in REF52.2 cells. The latter results in enhanced phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain of myosin II (MLC) as has previously been shown for Par-4-mediated recruitment of DAP-like kinase (Dlk), suggesting that the recruitment of nuclear proteins involved in the regulation of apoptotic processes to the actin filament system by Par-4 represents a potent mechanism how Par-4 can trigger apoptosis

Concerning the dynamic instability of actin homolog ParM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popp, David; Yamamoto, Akihiro; Iwasa, Mitsusada; Narita, Akihiro; Maeda, Kayo; Maeda, Yuichiro

2007-01-01

Using in vitro TIRF- and electron-microscopy, we reinvestigated the dynamics of native ParM, a prokaryotic DNA segregation protein and actin homolog. In contrast to a previous study, which used a cysteine ParM mutant, we find that the polymerization process of wild type ATP-ParM filaments consists of a polymerization phase and a subsequent steady state phase, which is dynamically unstable, like that of microtubules. We find that the apparent bidirectional polymerization of ParM, is not due to the intrinsic nature of this filament, but results from ParM forming randomly oriented bundles in the presence of crowding agents. Our results imply, that in the bacterium, ParM filaments spontaneously form bipolar bundles. Due to their intrinsic dynamic instability, ParM bundles can efficiently 'search' the cytoplasmic lumen for DNA, bind it equally well at the bipolar ends and segregate it approximately symmetrically, by the insertion of ParM subunits at either end

First-in-human uPAR PET

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Persson, Morten; Skovgaard, Dorthe; Brandt-Larsen, Malene

2015-01-01

A first-in-human clinical trial with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) in patients with breast, prostate and bladder cancer, is described. uPAR is expressed in many types of human cancers and the expression is predictive...... for targeted molecular imaging with PET. The safety, pharmacokinetic, biodistribution profile and radiation dosimetry after a single intravenous dose of (64)Cu-DOTA-AE105 were assessed by serial PET and computed tomography (CT) in 4 prostate, 3 breast and 3 bladder cancer patients. Safety assessment...... of invasion, metastasis and indicates poor prognosis. uPAR PET imaging therefore holds promise to be a new and innovative method for improved cancer diagnosis, staging and individual risk stratification. The uPAR specific peptide AE105 was conjugated to the macrocyclic chelator DOTA and labeled with (64)Cu...

Assessment of government support for the household adoption of micro-generation systems in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Gicheol

2013-01-01

This paper investigates how Korean government support affects household adoption of renewable energy-based micro-generation systems by analyzing household preferences in relation to the costs and benefits of system installation and different kinds of government support. The research adopts a discrete choice experiment approach and focuses on two micro-generation technologies: solar voltaic and solar thermal. Our empirical analysis revealed firstly that households prefer micro-generation systems that have low installation costs but high energy saving benefits and long warranty periods; and secondly that households prefer direct subsidies to low-interest loans. However, we also found that households are reluctant to install photovoltaic or solar thermal systems in reality because they see the cost of system installation as being higher than the benefits they would receive from such installation. In short, while existing government supports are somewhat effective in promoting household adoption of micro-generation systems, there also exists the obstacle that the majority of households are unwilling to install such systems despite government support. Thus several policy improvements, which focus on increasing the benefits and decreasing the installation costs of micro-generation systems, are suggested in this paper. -- Highlights: •We investigate how government support affects household adoption of micro-generation. •We analyze household preferences for the costs and benefits of micro-generation system installation. •System with low install costs but high energy saving benefits and long warranty periods are preferred. •Households prefer direct subsidies to low-interest loans. •But the majority of households are unwilling to install systems despite government support

uPAR as anti-cancer target

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Ida K; Illemann, Martin; Thurison, Tine

2011-01-01

, and a potential diagnostic and predictive impact of the different uPAR forms has been reported. Hence, pericellular proteolysis seems to be a suitable target for anti-cancer therapy and numerous approaches have been pursued. Targeting of this process may be achieved by preventing the binding of uPA to u...... using mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against mouse uPA or uPAR. These reagents will target uPA and uPAR in both stromal cells and cancer cells, and their therapeutic potential can now be assessed in syngenic mouse cancer models....

Demystifying governance and its role for transitions in urban social–ecological systems

Science.gov (United States)

T.A. Muñoz-Erickson; L.K. Campbell; D.L. Childers; J.M. Grove; D.M. Iwaniec; S.T.A. Pickett; Michelle Romolini; Erika S. Svendsen

2016-01-01

Governance is key to sustainable urban transitions. Governance is a system of social, power, and decision-making processes that acts as a key driver of resource allocation and use, yet ecologists even urban ecologists–seldom consider governance concepts in their work. Transitions to more sustainable futures are becoming increasingly important to the management of many...

PAR-Complex and Crumbs Function During Photoreceptor Morphogenesis and Retinal Degeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Pichaud, Franck

2018-01-01

The fly photoreceptor has long been used as a model to study sensory neuron morphogenesis and retinal degeneration. In particular, elucidating how these cells are built continues to help further our understanding of the mechanisms of polarized cell morphogenesis, intracellular trafficking and the causes of human retinal pathologies. The conserved PAR complex, which in flies consists of Cdc42-PAR6-aPKC-Bazooka, and the transmembrane protein Crumbs (Crb) are key players during photoreceptor morphogenesis. While the PAR complex regulates polarity in many cell types, Crb function in polarity is relatively specific to epithelial cells. Together Cdc42-PAR6-aPKC-Bazooka and Crb orchestrate the differentiation of the photoreceptor apical membrane (AM) and zonula adherens (ZA) , thus allowing these cells to assemble into a neuro-epithelial lattice. In addition to its function in epithelial polarity, Crb has also been shown to protect fly photoreceptors from light-induced degeneration, a process linked to Rhodopsin expression and trafficking. Remarkably, mutations in the human Crumbs1 (CRB1) gene lead to retinal degeneration, making the fly photoreceptor a powerful disease model system.

Nanomechanical recognition of prognostic biomarker suPAR with DVD-ROM optical technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bache, Michael; Bosco, Filippo G; Brøgger, Anna L; Frøhling, Kasper B; Boisen, Anja; Alstrøm, Tommy Sonne; Hwu, En-Te; Chen, Ching-Hsiu; Hwang, Ing-Shouh; Eugen-Olsen, Jesper

2013-01-01

In this work the use of a high-throughput nanomechanical detection system based on a DVD-ROM optical drive and cantilever sensors is presented for the detection of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor inflammatory biomarker (uPAR). Several large scale studies have linked elevated levels of soluble uPAR (suPAR) to infectious diseases, such as HIV, and certain types of cancer. Using hundreds of cantilevers and a DVD-based platform, cantilever deflection response from antibody–antigen recognition is investigated as a function of suPAR concentration. The goal is to provide a cheap and portable detection platform which can carry valuable prognostic information. In order to optimize the cantilever response the antibody immobilization and unspecific binding are initially characterized using quartz crystal microbalance technology. Also, the choice of antibody is explored in order to generate the largest surface stress on the cantilevers, thus increasing the signal. Using optimized experimental conditions the lowest detectable suPAR concentration is currently around 5 nM. The results reveal promising research strategies for the implementation of specific biochemical assays in a portable and high-throughput microsensor-based detection platform. (paper)

Is there a role for traditional governance systems in South Africa's ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The transition to democracy in South Africa in 1994 catalysed new forms of governance in all sectors of society including water resource management. This paper examines the extent to which traditional governance systems have been acknowledged and incorporated into these new water management institutions and ...

Governance in English VET: On the Functioning of a Fractured "System"

Science.gov (United States)

Keep, Ewart

2015-01-01

This article explores the governance structures that cover vocational education and training (VET) in England. The English VET system is highly fragmented, complex and unstable, and has tended to oscillate between centralised command and control, and attempts at marketisation. Its governance arrangements reflect this situation. The various…

Protease-activated receptor (PAR2, but not PAR1, is involved in collateral formation and anti-inflammatory monocyte polarization in a mouse hind limb ischemia model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa G van den Hengel

Full Text Available AIMS: In collateral development (i.e. arteriogenesis, mononuclear cells are important and exist as a heterogeneous population consisting of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory/repair-associated cells. Protease-activated receptor (PAR1 and PAR2 are G-protein-coupled receptors that are both expressed by mononuclear cells and are involved in pro-inflammatory reactions, while PAR2 also plays a role in repair-associated responses. Here, we investigated the physiological role of PAR1 and PAR2 in arteriogenesis in a murine hind limb ischemia model. METHODS AND RESULTS: PAR1-deficient (PAR1-/-, PAR2-deficient (PAR2-/- and wild-type (WT mice underwent femoral artery ligation. Laser Doppler measurements revealed reduced post-ischemic blood flow recovery in PAR2-/- hind limbs when compared to WT, while PAR1-/- mice were not affected. Upon ischemia, reduced numbers of smooth muscle actin (SMA-positive collaterals and CD31-positive capillaries were found in PAR2-/- mice when compared to WT mice, whereas these parameters in PAR1-/- mice did not differ from WT mice. The pool of circulating repair-associated (Ly6C-low monocytes and the number of repair-associated (CD206-positive macrophages surrounding collaterals in the hind limbs were increased in WT and PAR1-/- mice, but unaffected in PAR2-/- mice. The number of repair-associated macrophages in PAR2-/- hind limbs correlated with CD11b- and CD115-expression on the circulating monocytes in these animals, suggesting that monocyte extravasation and M-CSF-dependent differentiation into repair-associated cells are hampered. CONCLUSION: PAR2, but not PAR1, is involved in arteriogenesis and promotes the repair-associated response in ischemic tissues. Therefore, PAR2 potentially forms a new pro-arteriogenic target in coronary artery disease (CAD patients.

Discovering governing equations from data by sparse identification of nonlinear dynamical systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunton, Steven L; Proctor, Joshua L; Kutz, J Nathan

2016-04-12

Extracting governing equations from data is a central challenge in many diverse areas of science and engineering. Data are abundant whereas models often remain elusive, as in climate science, neuroscience, ecology, finance, and epidemiology, to name only a few examples. In this work, we combine sparsity-promoting techniques and machine learning with nonlinear dynamical systems to discover governing equations from noisy measurement data. The only assumption about the structure of the model is that there are only a few important terms that govern the dynamics, so that the equations are sparse in the space of possible functions; this assumption holds for many physical systems in an appropriate basis. In particular, we use sparse regression to determine the fewest terms in the dynamic governing equations required to accurately represent the data. This results in parsimonious models that balance accuracy with model complexity to avoid overfitting. We demonstrate the algorithm on a wide range of problems, from simple canonical systems, including linear and nonlinear oscillators and the chaotic Lorenz system, to the fluid vortex shedding behind an obstacle. The fluid example illustrates the ability of this method to discover the underlying dynamics of a system that took experts in the community nearly 30 years to resolve. We also show that this method generalizes to parameterized systems and systems that are time-varying or have external forcing.

Apoplejía pituitaria con parálisis del III par craneal: Reporte de caso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Pinto Valdivia

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Se describe el caso de un varón de 65 años de edad, sin antecedentes patológicos de importancia, que acudió a emergencia del Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia por presentar cefalea intensa y ptosis palpebral izquierda. El examen físico mostró parálisis aislada del III par craneal izquierdo. Los análisis de laboratorio mostraron hiponatremia e hipopituitarismo y la resonancia magnética nuclear un adenoma pituitario con áreas de hemorragia e invasión de los senos cavernosos. El tratamiento incluyó glucocorticoides y descompresión quirúrgica transesfenoidal. La anatomía patológica confirmó el diagnóstico de infarto hemorrágico de un adenoma pituitario. El paciente fue dado de alta con terapia sustitutiva de levotiroxina y prednisona. La ptosis palpebral izquierda se recuperó en forma parcial. La apoplejía pituitaria es un síndrome clínico producido por un proceso expansivo dentro de la silla turca, secundario a hemorragia o infarto de un adenoma pituitario, que se caracteriza por cefalea, déficit visual, oftalmoplejía y alteración del nivel de conciencia. Este proceso expansivo puede comprimir los pares craneales en los senos cavernosos, produciendo diferentes grados de parálisis de los músculos oculomotores. La parálisis aislada del III par craneal es rara.(Rev Med Hered 2011;22:186-189.

Copenhagen uPAR prostate cancer (CuPCa) database

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lippert, Solvej; Berg, Kasper D; Høyer-Hansen, Gunilla

2016-01-01

AIM: Urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) plays a central role during cancer invasion by facilitating pericellular proteolysis. We initiated the prospective 'Copenhagen uPAR Prostate Cancer' study to investigate the significance of uPAR levels in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. METHODS...

Changing the Government on Mainstreaming System of Education ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper presents charging the government on mainstreaming system of education and utilization of excellent students as teaching assistance for democracy in Nigeria. The descriptive survey research technique was used. Four hundred (two hundred male and two hundred female) teachers were selected using stratified ...

Recombination in the human Pseudoautosomal region PAR1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anjali G Hinch

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The pseudoautosomal region (PAR is a short region of homology between the mammalian X and Y chromosomes, which has undergone rapid evolution. A crossover in the PAR is essential for the proper disjunction of X and Y chromosomes in male meiosis, and PAR deletion results in male sterility. This leads the human PAR with the obligatory crossover, PAR1, to having an exceptionally high male crossover rate, which is 17-fold higher than the genome-wide average. However, the mechanism by which this obligatory crossover occurs remains unknown, as does the fine-scale positioning of crossovers across this region. Recent research in mice has suggested that crossovers in PAR may be mediated independently of the protein PRDM9, which localises virtually all crossovers in the autosomes. To investigate recombination in this region, we construct the most fine-scale genetic map containing directly observed crossovers to date using African-American pedigrees. We leverage recombination rates inferred from the breakdown of linkage disequilibrium in human populations and investigate the signatures of DNA evolution due to recombination. Further, we identify direct PRDM9 binding sites using ChIP-seq in human cells. Using these independent lines of evidence, we show that, in contrast with mouse, PRDM9 does localise peaks of recombination in the human PAR1. We find that recombination is a far more rapid and intense driver of sequence evolution in PAR1 than it is on the autosomes. We also show that PAR1 hotspot activities differ significantly among human populations. Finally, we find evidence that PAR1 hotspot positions have changed between human and chimpanzee, with no evidence of sharing among the hottest hotspots. We anticipate that the genetic maps built and validated in this work will aid research on this vital and fascinating region of the genome.

Gobernanza Versus Gobierno Governance Versus Government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dany-Robert Dufour

2009-06-01

over industrial capitalism, which is nothing more than, on the one hand, to lean towards the maximum profitability for the shareholders, to raise the value of everything on the market without moral considerations, to, force the actors to look for permanent risk and to adapt more flexible hierarchical relations in the administration of the company; and on the other, the marginalization of the working class. Governance has reached the political matters turning itself into the model of public management par excellence, it means that the government, diminished to it’s basic form guides a civil society, which acquires an important role in the creation and follow-up of the different policies, that is to say, that the government acquires a flexible form of regulation, it is there where political governance leads us, to the alleged self-regulation of private interests that added-together are able to shape the general interest. Indeed it is a question of a new form of domination marked by a political failing, where the civil society plays in opposition to the State. Governance is leaning towards a fearsome trap to the democracy, insofar as it is presented as an extension of democracy embodied in a better participation of civil society, destroying the public person formed by the union of all others and the becoming representative of particular interests.

Croissance epitaxiale de GaAs sur substrats de Ge par epitaxie par faisceaux chimiques

Science.gov (United States)

Belanger, Simon

La situation energetique et les enjeux environnementaux auxquels la societe est confrontee entrainent un interet grandissant pour la production d'electricite a partir de l'energie solaire. Parmi les technologies actuellement disponibles, la filiere du photovoltaique a concentrateur solaire (CPV pour concentrator photovoltaics) possede un rendement superieur et mi potentiel interessant a condition que ses couts de production soient competitifs. La methode d'epitaxie par faisceaux chimiques (CBE pour chemical beam epitaxy) possede plusieurs caracteristiques qui la rendent interessante pour la production a grande echelle de cellules photovoltaiques a jonctions multiples a base de semi-conducteurs III-V. Ce type de cellule possede la meilleure efficacite atteinte a ce jour et est utilise sur les satellites et les systemes photovoltaiques a concentrateur solaire (CPV) les plus efficaces. Une des principales forces de la technique CBE se trouve dans son potentiel d'efficacite d'utilisation des materiaux source qui est superieur a celui de la technique d'epitaxie qui est couramment utilisee pour la production a grande echelle de ces cellules. Ce memoire de maitrise presente les travaux effectues dans le but d'evaluer le potentiel de la technique CBE pour realiser la croissance de couches de GaAs sur des substrats de Ge. Cette croissance constitue la premiere etape de fabrication de nombreux modeles de cellules solaires a haute performance decrites plus haut. La realisation de ce projet a necessite le developpement d'un procede de preparation de surface pour les substrats de germanium, la realisation de nombreuses sceances de croissance epitaxiale et la caracterisation des materiaux obtenus par microscopie optique, microscopie a force atomique (AFM), diffraction des rayons-X a haute resolution (HRXRD), microscopie electronique a transmission (TEM), photoluminescence a basse temperature (LTPL) et spectrometrie de masse des ions secondaires (SIMS). Les experiences ont permis

The link between UHC reforms and health system governance: lessons from Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hort, Krishna; Jayasuriya, Rohan; Dayal, Prarthna

2017-05-15

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how and to what extent the design and implementation of universal health coverage (UHC) reforms have been influenced by the governance arrangements of health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC); and how governments in these countries have or have not responded to the challenges of governance for UHC. Design/methodology/approach Comparative case study analysis of three Asian countries with substantial experience of UHC reforms (Thailand, Vietnam and China) was undertaken using data from published studies and grey literature. Studies included were those which described the modifications and adaptations that occurred during design and implementation of the UHC programme, the actors and institutions involved and how these changes related to the governance of the health system. Findings Each country adapted the design of their UHC programmes to accommodate their specific institutional arrangements, and then made further modifications in response to issues arising during implementation. The authors found that these modifications were often related to the impacts on governance of the institutional changes inherent in UHC reforms. Governments varied in their response to these governance impacts, with Thailand prepared to adopt new governance modes (which the authors termed as an "adaptive" response), while China and Vietnam have tended to persist with traditional hierarchical governance modes ("reactive" responses). Originality/value This study addresses a gap in current knowledge on UHC reform, and finds evidence of a complex interaction between substantive health sector reform and governance reform in the LMIC context in Asia, confirming recent similar observations on health reforms in high-income countries.

Water Governance and Adaptation to Disturbances in Irrigated Semi-Arid Agricultural Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, T. P.; McCord, P. F.; McBride, L.; Gower, D.; Caylor, K. K.

2013-12-01

Climate and other physical drivers of environmental systems are modifying the global availability of water for irrigation. At the same time population growth is placing an increased demand on water resources as local municipalities promote agricultural production as a mechanism to support human welfare and development. Substantial has research focused on household-level agricultural decision-making and adaptation. But equally important are institutional dynamics, or the rules implemented to allocate water resources across different user groups. Previous work has identified design principles for common-pool resource systems that tend to lead to sustained governance regimes. Likewise, past research has addressed the issue of "institutional fit", or locally adapted governance arrangements characterized through governance structure. However, much of the complexity behind institutional dynamics and adaptive capacity lies in the translation of data to information to knowledge, and how this sequence contributes to effective cross-scale water management and decision-making - an arena that has arguably received less attention in the water management literature. We investigate the interplay between governance regimes, data/information and institutional dynamics in irrigation systems in semi-arid regions of Kenya. In particular, we articulate the role of knowledge and data in institutional dynamics at multiple levels of analysis. How do users at different decision-making levels incorporate social and hydrological information in water governance? What data is needed to develop the information and knowledge users need for effective management? While governance structure is certainly a critical component of water management systems - we emphasize the interplay between the data-information-knowledge sequence and institutional dynamics. We present findings from household and manager-level surveys examining irrigation practices and the institutions designed to equitably allocate

Plasma suPAR is lowered by smoking cessation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eugen-Olsen, Jesper; Ladelund, Steen; Sørensen, Lars Tue

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a stable inflammatory biomarker. In patients, suPAR is a marker of disease presence, severity and prognosis. In the general population, suPAR is predictive of disease development, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease a...

Modelisation numerique et validation experimentale d'un systeme de protection contre le givre par elements piezoelectriques

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Derek

Le degivrage au moyen d'actuateurs piezoelectriques est considere comme une avenue prometteuse pour le developpement de systemes a faible consommation d'energie applicables aux helicopteres legers. Ce type de systeme excite des frequences de resonances d'une structure pour produire des deformations suffisantes pour rompre l'adherence de la glace. Par contre, la conception de tel systeme demeure generalement mal comprise. Ce projet de maitrise etudie l'utilisation de methodes numeriques pour assister la conception des systemes de protection contre le givre a base d'elements piezoelectriques. La methodologie retenue pour ce projet a ete de modeliser differentes structures simples et de simuler l'excitation harmonique des frequences de resonance au moyen d'actuateurs piezoelectriques. Le calcul des frequences de resonances ainsi que la simulation de leur excitation a ensuite ete validee a l'aide de montages experimentaux. La procedure a ete realisee pour une poutre en porte-a-faux et pour une plaque plane a l'aide du logiciel de calcul par elements finis, Abaqus. De plus, le modele de la plaque plane a ete utilise afin de realiser une etude parametrique portant sur le positionnement des actuateurs, l'effet de la rigidite ainsi que de l'epaisseur de la plaque. Finalement, la plaque plane a ete degivree en chambre climatique. Des cas de degivrage ont ete simules numeriquement afin d'etudier la possibilite d'utiliser un critere base sur la deformation pour predire le succes du systeme. La validation experimentale a confirme la capacite du logiciel a calculer precisement a la fois les frequences et les modes de resonance d'une structure et a simuler leur excitation par des actuateurs piezoelectriques. L'etude revele que la definition de l'amortissement dans le modele numerique est essentiel pour l'obtention de resultats precis. Les resultats de l'etude parametrique ont demontre l'importance de minimiser l'epaisseur et la rigidite afin de reduire la valeur des frequences

System-Level Shared Governance Structures and Processes in Healthcare Systems With Magnet®-Designated Hospitals: A Descriptive Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Underwood, Carlisa M; Hayne, Arlene N

The purpose was to identify and describe structures and processes of best practices for system-level shared governance in healthcare systems. Currently, more than 64.6% of US community hospitals are part of a system. System chief nurse executives (SCNEs) are challenged to establish leadership structures and processes that effectively and efficiently disseminate best practices for patients and staff across complex organizations, geographically dispersed locations, and populations. Eleven US healthcare SCNEs from the American Nurses Credentialing Center's repository of Magnet®-designated facilities participated in a 35-multiquestion interview based on Kanter's Theory of Organizational Empowerment. Most SCNEs reported the presence of more than 50% of the empowerment structures and processes in system-level shared governance. Despite the difficulties and complexities of growing health systems, SCNEs have replicated empowerment characteristics of hospital shared governance structures and processes at the system level.

SuPAR predicts postoperative complications and mortality in patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hodges, Gethin W; Bang, Casper N; Eugen-Olsen, Jesper

2018-01-01

complications with a HR of 2.7 (95% CI 1.5 to 5.1, P=0.002), per doubling in suPAR. After adjusting for the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation or Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score, suPAR remained associated with postoperative mortality with a HR 3.2 (95% CI 1.2 to 8.6, P=0.025) and 2...

From Co-Management to Landscape Governance: Whither Ghana’s Modified Taungya System?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirjam A. F. Ros-Tonen

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Natural resource management literature has documented three paradigm shifts over the past decade: from co-management to adaptive co-management and adaptive governance respectively and, more recently, towards landscape governance. The latter is conceived as a governance approach towards negotiated land use at the landscape level to deal with global challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and biodiversity loss. There is not a lot of clarity about how co-management systems could actually evolve into landscape governance. This paper aims to address the gap by exploring how a stalled co-management system for the reforestation of degraded forest areas—the modified taungya system (MTS in Ghana—could be revitalised and redesigned as a landscape approach. Drawing on case studies and expert consultation, the performance of the national MTS and the MTS under the Community Forestry Management Project is reviewed with regard to five principles (integrated approach, multi-stakeholder negotiation, polycentric governance, continual learning and adaptive capacity and three enabling conditions (social capital, bridging organisations and long-term funding distilled from the literature. The authors conclude that some of these principles and conditions were met under the Community Forestry Management Project, but that continual learning, transcending jurisdictional boundaries, developing adaptive capacity, and long-term funding and benefits still pose challenges.

Information System Governance in Moroccan Universities: Case of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

pc

2018-03-05

Mar 5, 2018 ... Abstract- Good governance of information systems is a guarantee of an ... that it meets the expectations of the various internal and external .... Information Technologies allows to orient and control the ... investment and its impact, due to training time and the effects ... student affairs, accounting services).

Architecture Governance: The Importance of Architecture Governance for Achieving Operationally Responsive Ground Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kolar, Mike; Estefan, Jeff; Giovannoni, Brian; Barkley, Erik

2011-01-01

Topics covered (1) Why Governance and Why Now? (2) Characteristics of Architecture Governance (3) Strategic Elements (3a) Architectural Principles (3b) Architecture Board (3c) Architecture Compliance (4) Architecture Governance Infusion Process. Governance is concerned with decision making (i.e., setting directions, establishing standards and principles, and prioritizing investments). Architecture governance is the practice and orientation by which enterprise architectures and other architectures are managed and controlled at an enterprise-wide level

Dynamics analysis of the fast-slow hydro-turbine governing system with different time-scale coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hao; Chen, Diyi; Wu, Changzhi; Wang, Xiangyu

2018-01-01

Multi-time scales modeling of hydro-turbine governing system is crucial in precise modeling of hydropower plant and provides support for the stability analysis of the system. Considering the inertia and response time of the hydraulic servo system, the hydro-turbine governing system is transformed into the fast-slow hydro-turbine governing system. The effects of the time-scale on the dynamical behavior of the system are analyzed and the fast-slow dynamical behaviors of the system are investigated with different time-scale. Furthermore, the theoretical analysis of the stable regions is presented. The influences of the time-scale on the stable region are analyzed by simulation. The simulation results prove the correctness of the theoretical analysis. More importantly, the methods and results of this paper provide a perspective to multi-time scales modeling of hydro-turbine governing system and contribute to the optimization analysis and control of the system.

NGOs and government partnership for health systems strengthening: A qualitative study presenting viewpoints of government, NGOs and donors in Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rizvi Narjis

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Health systems are expected to serve the population needs in an effective, efficient and equitable manner. Therefore, the importance of strengthening of public, private and community health systems has been emphasized time and again. In most of the developing countries, certain weaknesses and gaps in the government health systems have been hampering the achievement of improved health outcomes. Public sector in Pakistan has been deficient in the capacity to deliver equitable and quality health services and thus has been grossly underutilized. Methods A qualitative study comprising in-depth interviews was conducted capturing the perceptions of the government functionaries, NGO representatives and donor community about the role and position of NGOs in health systems strengthening in Pakistan's context. Analysis of the data was done manually to generate nodes, sub-nodes and themes. Results Since many years, international and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs have endeavored to fill the gaps in health service delivery, research and advocacy. NGOs have relatively performed better and achieved the results because of the flexible planning and the ability to design population based projects on health education, health promotion, social marketing, community development and advocacy. This paper captures the need and the opportunity of public private partnership in Pakistan and presents a framework for a meaningful engagement of the government and the private and nonprofit NGOs. Conclusion Involving the NGOs for health system strengthening may eventually contribute to create a healthcare system reflecting an increased efficiency, more equity and good governance in the wake of the Millennium Development Goals. Nevertheless, few questions need to be answered and pre-requisites have to be fulfilled before moving on.

Robust Finite-Time Terminal Sliding Mode Control for a Francis Hydroturbine Governing System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fengjiao Wu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The robust finite-time control for a Francis hydroturbine governing system is investigated in this paper. Firstly, the mathematical model of a Francis hydroturbine governing system is presented and the nonlinear vibration characteristics are analyzed. Then, on the basis of finite-time control theory and terminal sliding mode scheme, a new robust finite-time terminal sliding mode control method is proposed for nonlinear vibration control of the hydroturbine governing system. Furthermore, the designed controller has good robustness which could resist external random disturbances. Numerical simulations are employed to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the designed finite-time sliding mode control scheme. The approach proposed in this paper is simple and also provides a reference for relevant hydropower systems.

The inflammatory marker suPAR after cardiac arrest

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rundgren, Malin; Lyngbaek, Stig; Fisker, Helle

2015-01-01

. This pilot study aimed at investigating suPAR levels in relation to outcome after CA and mild induced hypothermia. METHODS: suPAR levels were measured at 6, 36, and 72 hours in patients treated with hypothermia after CA. suPAR levels were analyzed in relation to survival after 6 months. Receiver operating...

Zhengdong New District Smart Government Application System Construction and Its Development Strategy Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Bing

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Smart government is the advanced stage of e-government development, whose essence is the fusion of Internet, Internet of things, cloud computing, big data and other high and new technology and e-government, to achieve the efficient management of all kinds of information resources and make the government services more transparent, scientific and wisdom. Based on the introduce, basic principle and construct meaning, application system construction, main problems and developing countermeasures and other aspects of smart government to make a comprehensive analysis in the construction of Zhengdong new district smart government, then advise the government departments to speed up the transformation of government management functions and social service mode to integrate the business processes, and promote the construction of service-oriented and smart-oriented government actively.

Influence of P-Reactor operation on the aquatic ecology of Par Pond: a literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilde, E.W.; Tilly, L.J.

1985-02-01

Par Pond is a 1012 hectare reservoir that was constructed in 1958 to provide cooling water for Savannah River nuclear reactors. The purpose of this report is to summarize all known studies on the Par Pond system and point out demonstrable or probable effects that can be correlated with reactor operations. Reactor operation effects the Par Pond ecosystem through: (1) pumping, (2) thermal alteration, and (3) the addition of Savannah River makeup water. The influence of each of these factors is discussed. 108 references, 24 figures, 34 tables. (MF)

PAR-Complex and Crumbs Function During Photoreceptor Morphogenesis and Retinal Degeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franck Pichaud

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The fly photoreceptor has long been used as a model to study sensory neuron morphogenesis and retinal degeneration. In particular, elucidating how these cells are built continues to help further our understanding of the mechanisms of polarized cell morphogenesis, intracellular trafficking and the causes of human retinal pathologies. The conserved PAR complex, which in flies consists of Cdc42-PAR6-aPKC-Bazooka, and the transmembrane protein Crumbs (Crb are key players during photoreceptor morphogenesis. While the PAR complex regulates polarity in many cell types, Crb function in polarity is relatively specific to epithelial cells. Together Cdc42-PAR6-aPKC-Bazooka and Crb orchestrate the differentiation of the photoreceptor apical membrane (AM and zonula adherens (ZA, thus allowing these cells to assemble into a neuro-epithelial lattice. In addition to its function in epithelial polarity, Crb has also been shown to protect fly photoreceptors from light-induced degeneration, a process linked to Rhodopsin expression and trafficking. Remarkably, mutations in the human Crumbs1 (CRB1 gene lead to retinal degeneration, making the fly photoreceptor a powerful disease model system.

It's quicker "Par Avignon"!

CERN Multimedia

2005-01-01

For a few years, the CERN Library has been receiving books from the University of Hanover sent via Avignon, at least that's what it says on the envelope. Such a detour would mean that parcels were travelling 720 km more than the distance separating Geneva and Hanover, which would be a very strange state of affairs. The explanation lies in a spelling mistake. The sender has been stamping parcels with a stamp that says "Par Avignon prioritaire" (first-class via Avignon) instead of "Par Avion prioritaire" (First Class Air Mail), a source of much amusement to the librarians!

The Complexity Of Government Communication System In Ettawa Crossbed (Ec Goat Farming In Purworejo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatag Handaka

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The study is aimed to determine the complexity of the environment that is faced by the government communication system and regulation that was used to resolve the issue. The theory used is communication system in the perspective of Niklas Luhmann. The research method used is ethnography. The population of the study are in Purworejo which becomes center of crossbreed Ettawa goat farming. Data collection technique is conducted throught interviews and observations. The results of data analysis show that the government communication system has made regulations to resolve the real problems of crossbreed Ettawa goat farming that is done by breeders. When the government communication system produces the regulation, environmental issue has grown more complex. So the regulation that was made becomes irrelevant to the demands and challenge in the crossbreed Ettawa goat farming. The government communication system is slow in reducing the complexity of the environment and producing regulation.

Serum suPAR in patients with FSGS: trash or treasure?

Science.gov (United States)

Maas, Rutger J H; Deegens, Jeroen K J; Wetzels, Jack F M

2013-07-01

The urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) has important functions in cell migration. uPAR can be shed from the cell membrane resulting in soluble uPAR (suPAR). Further cleavage gives rise to shorter fragments with largely unknown functions. Recent studies have demonstrated that both overexpression of uPAR on podocytes and the administration of suPAR cause proteinuria in mice. The common pathogenic mechanism involves the activation of podocyte β3-integrin. Increased activation of β3-integrin is also observed in patients with focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). These observations form the basis for the hypothesis that suPAR may be the circulating factor causing FSGS. A recent study fosters this idea by demonstrating increased suPAR levels in the serum of patients with FSGS and reporting an association with recurrence after transplantation and response to plasmapheresis. However, this study was heavily biased, and subsequent studies have given conflicting results. Although the experimental work is very suggestive, at present there is no proof that any known human suPAR fragment causes FSGS in humans. We therefore suggest that the measurement of suPAR using currently available assays has absolutely no value at the present time in decision-making in routine clinical practice.

Proteinase-Activated Receptor 1 (PAR1 regulates leukemic stem cell functions.

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Nicole Bäumer

Full Text Available External signals that are mediated by specific receptors determine stem cell fate. The thrombin receptor PAR1 plays an important role in haemostasis, thrombosis and vascular biology, but also in tumor biology and angiogenesis. Its expression and function in hematopoietic stem cells is largely unknown. Here, we analyzed expression and function of PAR1 in primary hematopoietic cells and their leukemic counterparts. AML patients' blast cells expressed much lower levels of PAR1 mRNA and protein than CD34+ progenitor cells. Constitutive Par1-deficiency in adult mice did not affect engraftment or stem cell potential of hematopoietic cells. To model an AML with Par1-deficiency, we retrovirally introduced the oncogene MLL-AF9 in wild type and Par1-/- hematopoietic progenitor cells. Par1-deficiency did not alter initial leukemia development. However, the loss of Par1 enhanced leukemic stem cell function in vitro and in vivo. Re-expression of PAR1 in Par1-/- leukemic stem cells delayed leukemogenesis in vivo. These data indicate that Par1 contributes to leukemic stem cell maintenance.

Proteinase-Activated Receptor 1 (PAR1) regulates leukemic stem cell functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bäumer, Nicole; Krause, Annika; Köhler, Gabriele; Lettermann, Stephanie; Evers, Georg; Hascher, Antje; Bäumer, Sebastian; Berdel, Wolfgang E; Müller-Tidow, Carsten; Tickenbrock, Lara

2014-01-01

External signals that are mediated by specific receptors determine stem cell fate. The thrombin receptor PAR1 plays an important role in haemostasis, thrombosis and vascular biology, but also in tumor biology and angiogenesis. Its expression and function in hematopoietic stem cells is largely unknown. Here, we analyzed expression and function of PAR1 in primary hematopoietic cells and their leukemic counterparts. AML patients' blast cells expressed much lower levels of PAR1 mRNA and protein than CD34+ progenitor cells. Constitutive Par1-deficiency in adult mice did not affect engraftment or stem cell potential of hematopoietic cells. To model an AML with Par1-deficiency, we retrovirally introduced the oncogene MLL-AF9 in wild type and Par1-/- hematopoietic progenitor cells. Par1-deficiency did not alter initial leukemia development. However, the loss of Par1 enhanced leukemic stem cell function in vitro and in vivo. Re-expression of PAR1 in Par1-/- leukemic stem cells delayed leukemogenesis in vivo. These data indicate that Par1 contributes to leukemic stem cell maintenance.

Serum suPAR in patients with FSGS: trash or treasure?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maas, R.J.H.; Deegens, J.K.J.; Wetzels, J.F.M.

2013-01-01

The urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) has important functions in cell migration. uPAR can be shed from the cell membrane resulting in soluble uPAR (suPAR). Further cleavage gives rise to shorter fragments with largely unknown functions. Recent studies have demonstrated that both

Territorial Governance. A Comparative Research of Local Agro-Food Systems in Mexico

OpenAIRE

Torres-Salcido, Gerardo; Sanz-Cañada, Javier

2018-01-01

The article attempts to provide a theoretical discussion on territorial governance by presenting both the neo-institutionalist position and the De Sousa Santos’ alternative models, with a view of highlighting the dimensions that can be relevant to understanding the territorial dynamics of Local Agro-food Systems (LAFS). The paper aims to build up a system of indicators, structured in four dimensions, concerning the territorial governance of LAFS: (i) multi-level coordination; (ii) democratic ...

The Modular Teaching Organization System (MTOS from the perspective of graduates in the municipality of Breves - Pará

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Marcelino Pantoja Rodrigues

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This work is the result of a research in education. It analyzes contributions and limitations of the Modular Teaching Organization System in the education of young people in the rural environment of the municipality of Breves, Pará, from the perceptions of high school graduates. It considers the needs and expectations of this public. The research was carried out through a qualitative field study in the Mainardi village, a pioneer community in the offering of this program in the rural environment of Breves. The main technique of data collection is a semi-structured interview with six young graduates, whose responses were treated in light of the thematic content analysis. The results point to the affirmation of the importance of this program as the only alternative of access to secondary education for a large portion of young people from the rural environment of Pará. At the same time, the results reveal the mismatch of the experience in relation to the needs and expectations of this public of secondary education.

Roles of Governments in Multi-Actor Sustainable Supply Chain. Governance Systems and the effectiveness of their interventions. An exploratory study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vermeulen, W.; Uitenboogaart, Y.; Pesqueira, L.D.I.; Metselaar, J.; Kok, M.

2010-11-01

During the last decade, a growing number of market-based certification systems has been introduced for sustainable products consumed in the Netherlands and the EU but sourced through international supply chains. These systems, which cover agro-food products as well as non-food products, consist of requirements for products from developing countries with regard to environmental and social-ethical issues. These systems aim to improve production processes at the front end of the supply chain. These so called 'sustainable supply chain systems' have been initiated and are managed mainly by the market and civil society, without directly involving the government. This raises questions about the effectiveness, transparency, and legitimacy of such forms of self-regulation and about the most appropriate role for national government in relation to these emerging systems. This exploratory study analyses some of the earliest multi-actor sustainable supply chain governance systems in order to answer the key research questions: Which strategies and instruments do governments - national and supranational - apply in advancing sustainable production and consumption in global supply chains; and What is known about the effectiveness of these strategies and instruments? The study focuses on two supply chains with the longest history of addressing imports from developing countries (tropical timber and coffee). These two supply chains are compared with two supply chains that are gaining increasing attention: cocoa and tea. This study shows that the two most 'mature' global sustainable supply chains are market led in issuing voluntary certification and that buying certified products is starting to become mainstream and increasingly effective. The sustainable supply chains for tea and cacoa are more recent developments but may develop faster because of the lessons learnt in sustainable supply chains developed earlier.

Roles of Governments in Multi-Actor Sustainable Supply Chain. Governance Systems and the effectiveness of their interventions. An exploratory study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vermeulen, W.; Uitenboogaart, Y.; Pesqueira, L.D.I.; Metselaar, J. [Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development and Innovation, Utrecht University, Utrecht (Netherlands); Kok, M. [Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency PBL, Den Haag (Netherlands)

2010-11-15

During the last decade, a growing number of market-based certification systems has been introduced for sustainable products consumed in the Netherlands and the EU but sourced through international supply chains. These systems, which cover agro-food products as well as non-food products, consist of requirements for products from developing countries with regard to environmental and social-ethical issues. These systems aim to improve production processes at the front end of the supply chain. These so called 'sustainable supply chain systems' have been initiated and are managed mainly by the market and civil society, without directly involving the government. This raises questions about the effectiveness, transparency, and legitimacy of such forms of self-regulation and about the most appropriate role for national government in relation to these emerging systems. This exploratory study analyses some of the earliest multi-actor sustainable supply chain governance systems in order to answer the key research questions: Which strategies and instruments do governments - national and supranational - apply in advancing sustainable production and consumption in global supply chains; and What is known about the effectiveness of these strategies and instruments? The study focuses on two supply chains with the longest history of addressing imports from developing countries (tropical timber and coffee). These two supply chains are compared with two supply chains that are gaining increasing attention: cocoa and tea. This study shows that the two most 'mature' global sustainable supply chains are market led in issuing voluntary certification and that buying certified products is starting to become mainstream and increasingly effective. The sustainable supply chains for tea and cacoa are more recent developments but may develop faster because of the lessons learnt in sustainable supply chains developed earlier.

uPAR Expression Pattern in Patients with Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder--Possible Clinical Implications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Line Hammer Dohn

Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to confirm the expression and localisation pattern of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR focusing on its possible clinical relevance in patients with urothelial neoplasia of the bladder. uPAR is a central molecule in tissue remodelling during cancer invasion and metastasis and is an established prognostic marker in various cancer diseases other than bladder cancer. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumour-tissue blocks from 186 patients treated with radical cystectomy were analysed. uPAR expression was scored as either negative or positive as well as by the actual score. Separate scores were obtained for cancer cells, macrophages and myofibroblasts at the invasive front and in tumour core. We were able to confirm, in an independent patient cohort, the tissue expression and localisation pattern of uPAR as investigated by Immunohistochemistry as well as a significant association between uPAR positivity and increasing tumour stage and tumour grade. This demonstrates the robustness of our previous and current findings. In addition the association between uPAR positive myofibroblasts and poor survival was reproduced. The highest hazard ratios for survival were seen for uPAR positive myofibroblasts both at the invasive front and in tumour core. Evaluating uPAR expression by the actual score showed a significant association between uPAR positive myofibroblasts in tumour core and an increased risk of cancer specific mortality. Our investigations have generated new and valuable biological information about the cell types being involved in tumour invasion and progression through the plasminogen activation system.

Developing the Vectorial Glance: Infrastructural Inversion for the New Agenda on Government Information Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pelizza, Annalisa

2016-01-01

Integrating information systems (IS) has become a key goal for governments worldwide. Systems of “authentic registers,” for instance, provide government agencies with information from databases acknowledged as the only legitimate sources of data. Concerns are thus arising about the risks for

Accouchement par forceps: indications et pronostic materno-foetal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

L'accouchement par voie basse, peut être parfois compromis par des facteurs maternels, foetaux ou materno-foetaux nécessitant des moyens thérapeutiques comme le forceps pour achever l'accouchement par voie naturelle. Le forceps, une méthode qui n'est pas sans risque pour la mère et le nouveau-né. Nous avons ...

Nonlinear Dynamics of a PI Hydroturbine Governing System with Double Delays

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Hongwei Luo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A PI hydroturbine governing system with saturation and double delays is generated in small perturbation. The nonlinear dynamic behavior of the system is investigated. More precisely, at first, we analyze the stability and Hopf bifurcation of the PI hydroturbine governing system with double delays under the four different cases. Corresponding stability theorem and Hopf bifurcation theorem of the system are obtained at equilibrium points. And then the stability of periodic solution and the direction of the Hopf bifurcation are illustrated by using the normal form method and center manifold theorem. We find out that the stability and direction of the Hopf bifurcation are determined by three parameters. The results have great realistic significance to guarantee the power system frequency stability and improve the stability of the hydropower system. At last, some numerical examples are given to verify the correctness of the theoretical results.

Too difficult to govern? An assessment of the governability of transport biofuels in the EU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Lucia, Lorenzo

2013-01-01

Transport biofuels are currently the subject of heated debate in the EU. In the past decade the deployment of these technologies has been justified by claims of attractive environmental, geopolitical and rural development benefits. However, expectations have rapidly turned into deep criticism regarding the sustainability of these technologies and the desirability of pursuing the biofuel path. This situation has generated an on-going controversy and policy deadlock at EU level. This study explores these issues from a governance perspective. Employing the concept of system governability, derived from interactive governance theory, it attempts to shed some light on the problems facing the governance of biofuels and on how the quality of the governance system could be improved. The analysis showed that the governability of the system decreased substantially in the period 2003–2012 due to increasing governing needs and decreasing governing capacity. The quality of the governance system can be improved by (i) improving governing capacity by reducing conflicts among governing actors, advancing consistency among institutions and creating capacity at international and global level; and (ii) promoting advanced technologies and adjusting societal ambitions and expectations regarding biofuels. - highlights: • Biofuels in the EU are significantly more difficult to govern today than in 2003. • This is due to the qualities of the system to be governed and the governing system. • Sustainable biofuel systems are inherently difficult to govern

The Role of Politics and Governance in Educational Accountability Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Brewer, Dominic J.; Killeen, Kieran M.; Welsh, Richard O.

2013-01-01

This brief utilizes case study methodology to illustrate the role of governance in educational accountability systems. Most research on the effectiveness of such systems has focused on technical components, such as standards-setting, assessments, rewards and sanctions, and data collection and reporting. This brief seeks to demonstrate that this…

Increased Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR Levels in Plasma of Suicide Attempters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filip Ventorp

Full Text Available The soluble form of the urokinase receptor, suPAR, has been suggested as a novel biomarker of low-grade inflammation. Activation of the immune system has been proposed to contribute to the development of depression and suicidal behavior. In order to identify depressed and suicidal individuals who could benefit from an anti-inflammatory treatment, a reliable biomarker of low-grade inflammation is vital. This study evaluates plasma suPAR levels as a biomarker of low-grade inflammation in patients with major depressive disorder and in patients who recently attempted suicide. The plasma suPAR and an established biomarker, C reactive protein (CRP of suicide attempters (n = 54, depressed patients (n = 19 and healthy controls (n = 19 was analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The biomarker attributes of sensitivity and sensibility were evaluated using ROC curve analysis. Both the depressed patients and suicide attempters had increased plasma suPAR. The levels of suPAR discriminated better between controls and suicide attempters than did CRP. In the future, plasma suPAR might be a superior prognosticator regarding outcome of treatment applying conventional antidepressants in conjunction with anti-inflammatory drugs.

ISO 14001 ENVIRONMENTL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY

Science.gov (United States)

Two new USEPA documents address environmental management systems (EMS) from the perspectives of government and industry and are offered as tools for understanding the process of the ISO 14000 Standards development and usefulness of an EMS approach. The first document, ISO 14001 -...

Access Requirement Analysis of E-Governance Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tai-Hoon

The strategic and contemporary importance of e-governance has been recognized across the world. In India too, various ministries of Govt. of India and State Governments have taken e-governance initiatives to provide e-services to citizens and the business they serve. To achieve the mission objectives, and make such e-governance initiatives successful it would be necessary to improve the trust and confidence of the stakeholders. It is assumed that the delivery of government services will share the same public network information that is being used in the community at large. In particular, the Internet will be the principal means by which public access to government and government services will be achieved. To provide the security measures main aim is to identify user's access requirement for the stakeholders and then according to the models of Nath's approach. Based on this analysis, the Govt. can also make standards of security based on the e-governance models. Thus there will be less human errors and bias. This analysis leads to the security architecture of the specific G2C application.

Health system governance in Tanzania : impact on service delivery in the public sector

OpenAIRE

Mikkelsen-Lopez, Inez K.

2014-01-01

Governance in the health system has perhaps been the least explored building block of the health system, receiving less attention due to its vague definition and complex nature. When discussed at the country level it often focuses on single elements such as corruption or accountability and doesn’t consider wider interactions of relevance to how policies are formed. How well governed a health system is can often mean the difference between the efficient use of resources and inefficient waste, ...

Applying the system viability framework for cross-scalar governance of nested social-ecological systems in the Guiana Shield, South America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Berardi

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Linking and analyzing governance of natural resources at different scales requires the development of a conceptual framework for analyzing social-ecological systems that can be easily applied by a range of stakeholders whose interests lie at different scales, but where the results of the analysis can be compared in a straightforward way. We outline the system viability framework, which allows participants to characterize a range of strategies in response to environment challenges for maintaining the long-term survival of their particular system of interest. Working in the Guiana Shield, South America, and with a range of local, regional, and international stakeholders, our aim was to use system viability to (1 investigate synergies and conflicts between distinct scales of governance, (2 identify scale-related challenges, and (3 test the framework as a conceptual tool for supporting cross-scalar analysis for environmental governance. At the international and national levels, a number of civil society organizations explored system viability indicators that would measure the successful implementation of governance mechanisms relevant to sustainable development and natural resource management. At the local level, we used participatory video and photography within two indigenous territories to enable local participants to identify indicators of viability within community governance systems. A grounded theory approach was then used to identify common themes across the different scales of analysis. Five key themes emerged: land rights, leadership, partnerships, lifestyle, and identity. We found that although most categories of interest were theoretically aligned across scales, all perceived systems of interest were struggling to face up to various cross-scalar challenges undermining different system viability responses. In conclusion, we highlight how the system viability framework can be used with a disparate variety of stakeholders as a practical

Governance and Institutional Autonomy: Governing and Governance in Portuguese Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Magalhaes, Antonio; Veiga, Amelia; Ribeiro, Filipa; Amaral, Alberto

2013-01-01

This paper aims at looking at governance instruments beyond managerial technicality. It intends to do so by analysing the impact of governance reforms on the universities autonomy assumed as a regulation instrument to politically steer systems and institutions. The regulation efforts undertaken at the European and national levels reflect a trend…

Decontamination of lead by fusion (1962); Decontamination du plomb par fusion (1962)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boutot, P; Giachetto, L; Capitaine, A [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Centre de Production de Plutonium, Marcoule (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1962-07-01

Various attempts to decontaminate using mechanical and chemical methods having given questionable results, a fusion method has been developed. The apparatus consists of a propane-heated oven fitted with a steel crucible of 1 400 kg capacity, with two ventilation systems, and with a vacuum gauge for preventing the diffusion of toxic gases. There are three operational controls : 1. On the samples taken before during and after the operation, 2. On the plugs taken from the ingots, 3. On the ingot itself. The continuous sanitary control is done by a radioactive aerosol recorder and by periodic sampling. This decontamination process will be improved, especially as far as the productivity and the safety precautions are concerned. (authors) [French] Divers essais de decontamination par voies mecaniques et chimiques ayant donne des resultats discutables, un procede par fusion a ete mis au point. L'appareil se compose d'un four, chauffe au propane, muni d'un creuset en acier d'une capacite de 1 400 kg, de deux systemes de ventilation et d'un deprimometre afin d'eviter la diffusion de vapeurs nocives. Trois controles d'activite sont effectues: 1. sur des echantillons preleves avant, pendant et apres l'operation, 2. sur des carottages realises sur les lingots, 3. sur le lingot lui-meme. Le controle sanitaire permanent est assure par un enregistreur d'aerosols radioactifs et par des prelevements periodiques. Ce procede de decontamination doit encore etre ameliore, principalement en ce qui concerne la productivite et la securite. (auteurs)

Protease-Activated Receptor 4 (PAR4): A Promising Target for Antiplatelet Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rwibasira Rudinga, Gamariel; Khan, Ghulam Jilany; Kong, Yi

2018-02-14

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are currently among the leading causes of death worldwide. Platelet aggregation is a key cellular component of arterial thrombi and major cause of CVDs. Protease-activated receptors (PARs), including PAR1, PAR2, PAR3 and PAR4, fall within a subfamily of seven-transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). Human platelets express PAR1 and PAR4, which contribute to the signaling transduction processes. In association with CVDs, PAR4 not only contributes to platelet activation but also is a modulator of cellular responses that serve as hallmarks of inflammation. Although several antiplatelet drugs are available on the market, they have many side effects that limit their use. Emerging evidence shows that PAR4 targeting is a safer strategy for preventing thrombosis and consequently may improve the overall cardiac safety profile. Our present review summarizes the PAR4 structural characteristics, activation mechanism, role in the pathophysiology of diseases and understanding the association of PAR4 targeting for improved cardiac protection. Conclusively, this review highlights the importance of PAR4 antagonists and its potential utility in different CVDs.

Modelling End-User of Electronic-Government Service: The Role of Information quality, System Quality and Trust

Science.gov (United States)

Witarsyah Jacob, Deden; Fudzee, Mohd Farhan Md; Aizi Salamat, Mohamad; Kasim, Shahreen; Mahdin, Hairulnizam; Azhar Ramli, Azizul

2017-08-01

Many governments around the world increasingly use internet technologies such as electronic government to provide public services. These services range from providing the most basic informational website to deploying sophisticated tools for managing interactions between government agencies and beyond government. Electronic government (e-government) aims to provide a more accurate, easily accessible, cost-effective and time saving for the community. In this study, we develop a new model of e-government adoption service by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) through the incorporation of some variables such as System Quality, Information Quality and Trust. The model is then tested using a large-scale, multi-site survey research of 237 Indonesian citizens. This model will be validated by using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The result indicates that System Quality, Information Quality and Trust variables proven to effect user behavior. This study extends the current understanding on the influence of System Quality, Information Quality and Trust factors to researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.

Existence of optimal controls for systems governed by mean-field ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this paper, we study the existence of an optimal control for systems, governed by stochastic dierential equations of mean-eld type. For non linear systems, we prove the existence of an optimal relaxed control, by using tightness techniques and Skorokhod selection theorem. The optimal control is a measure valued process ...

Challenges in Albania for improving Labor Market Information System and Labor Market Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neshat Zeneli

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Labour Market Policy of the Republic of Albania in terms of design (preparation, case identification, formulation, and approval, programming and budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation has a short experience (1995-ongoing. The influence and presence of hierarchy model is very high beside the support of different programs and projects through bilateral and EU programs. Still there are a lot of key issues to be addressed. The most important issues to be addressed in this paper are evidence based related to: • The Availability of Labor Market Information and its structure on national, regional and local level in Albania and how much this information is used for -policy making and –monitoring/evaluation in terms of input, output, outcome and impact. • Mode of the governance of the labor market in Albania and challenges to pass from the hierarchy to market and network governance. The main aim of this paper/article is to do a complete and deep analysis of the actual situation of labor market information system and labor market governance in Albania, and to propose conclusions and recommendations that will improve both labor market information system and the labor market governance from hierarchy to market and network governance, because good and standardized labor information system can help towards right policy decisions and good governance of LM policy means more employment, more stability, more social inclusion in the society.

Focus on CSIR research in pollution waste: Water resource governance systems

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Rascher, J

2007-08-01

Full Text Available series of high level research programmes for ecosystem governance. These are illustrated in the fi gure below. The size of the individual circles indicates the priority attributed to the specifi c research theme by the symposium participants... Governance Socio-econ Define Economy of scale Context application Generic strategies/methods Link to democracy 3 Science Communication, learning & knowledge sharing 4 Integration of formal & traditional systems Hydrological boundaries Value...

Assessment and the feasibility of improving the artificial lighting system in technical services workshop located in the Fourth South Pars Gas Refinery

OpenAIRE

masoud shafiee motlagh; Mohsen Aliabadi; Reza Shahidi; Amin Kahani

2015-01-01

Background & Objectives: Desirable and ergonomic lighting in the workplaces has a significant impact on the visual effects and improve the efficiency and productivity of employees. This study aims to evaluate the lighting system and feasibility of improving the artificial lighting system for comfort lighting in the workshop of the Fourth South Pars Gas Refinery. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, the environmental conditions of the studied workshop were evaluated and the illum...

A method for risk analysis across governance systems: a Great Barrier Reef case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dale, Allan; Vella, Karen; Potts, Ruth; Pressey, Robert L; Brodie, Jon; Yorkston, Hugh

2013-01-01

Healthy governance systems are key to delivering sound environmental management outcomes from global to local scales. There are, however, surprisingly few risk assessment methods that can pinpoint those domains and sub-domains within governance systems that are most likely to influence good environmental outcomes at any particular scale, or those if absent or dysfunctional, most likely to prevent effective environmental management. This paper proposes a new risk assessment method for analysing governance systems. This method is then tested through its preliminary application to a significant real-world context: governance as it relates to the health of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The GBR exists at a supra-regional scale along most of the north eastern coast of Australia. Brodie et al (2012 Mar. Pollut. Bull. 65 81–100) have recently reviewed the state and trend of the health of the GBR, finding that overall trends remain of significant concern. At the same time, official international concern over the governance of the reef has recently been signalled globally by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These environmental and political contexts make the GBR an ideal candidate for use in testing and reviewing the application of improved tools for governance risk assessment. (letter)

Analysis of the multimer resolution system encoded by the parCBA operon of broad-host-range plasmid RP4

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eberl, Leo; Sternberg, Claus; Givskov, Michael Christian

1994-01-01

specific sites situated in the promoter region of the parCBA operon. The two ParA proteins that are produced as a result of independent translation initiation at two different start codons within the same open reading frame were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and partially purified. Both forms...

Protease-Activated Receptor 4 (PAR4: A Promising Target for Antiplatelet Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gamariel Rwibasira Rudinga

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs are currently among the leading causes of death worldwide. Platelet aggregation is a key cellular component of arterial thrombi and major cause of CVDs. Protease-activated receptors (PARs, including PAR1, PAR2, PAR3 and PAR4, fall within a subfamily of seven-transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR. Human platelets express PAR1 and PAR4, which contribute to the signaling transduction processes. In association with CVDs, PAR4 not only contributes to platelet activation but also is a modulator of cellular responses that serve as hallmarks of inflammation. Although several antiplatelet drugs are available on the market, they have many side effects that limit their use. Emerging evidence shows that PAR4 targeting is a safer strategy for preventing thrombosis and consequently may improve the overall cardiac safety profile. Our present review summarizes the PAR4 structural characteristics, activation mechanism, role in the pathophysiology of diseases and understanding the association of PAR4 targeting for improved cardiac protection. Conclusively, this review highlights the importance of PAR4 antagonists and its potential utility in different CVDs.

Nonlinear modeling and dynamic analysis of hydro-turbine governing system in the process of load rejection transient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Hao; Chen, Diyi; Xu, Beibei; Wang, Feifei

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Nonlinear dynamic transfer coefficients are introduced to the hydro-turbine governing system. In the process of load reject ion transient, the nonlinear dynamical behaviors of the system are studied in detail. - Highlights: • A novel mathematical model of a hydro-turbine governing system is established. • The process of load rejection transient is considered. • Nonlinear dynamic transfer coefficients are introduced to the system. • The bifurcation diagram with the variable t has better engineering significance. • The nonlinear dynamical behaviors of the system are studied in detail. - Abstract: This article pays attention to the mathematical modeling of a hydro-turbine governing system in the process of load rejection transient. As a pioneer work, the nonlinear dynamic transfer coefficients are introduced in a penstock system. Considering a generator system, a turbine system and a governor system, we present a novel nonlinear dynamical model of a hydro-turbine governing system. Fortunately, for the unchanged of PID parameters, we acquire the stable regions of the governing system in the process of load rejection transient by numerical simulations. Moreover, the nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the governing system are illustrated by bifurcation diagrams, Poincare maps, time waveforms and phase orbits. More importantly, these methods and analytic results will present theoretical groundwork for allowing a hydropower station in the process of load rejection transient

Differential systems of flux and concentrations of a mixture in the separation by a plant (1963); Systemes differente des flux et des concentrations d'un melange en separation par une usine etagee (1963)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bouligand, G [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1963-11-15

The study of transient flux and concentrations of a mixture in the separation by a plant with different interdependent stages leads to an examination of the solutions of certain types of differential systems. These systems are obtained from the representative graph of the plant and have a structural form. By Olga TAUSSKY's theorem and the introduction of steerable distances, the solutions of these systems are chiefly examined in their asymptotic behaviour. The appendix shows that solutions of partial differential equations relative to plants made of cascades with a slight separation have analogous properties. (author) [French] La recherche des regimes transitoires des flux et des concentrations d'un melange en separation par une usine etagee de forme quelconque conduit a etudier les solutions de certains types de systemes differentiels. Ces systemes sont deduits du graphe representatif de l'usine, et apparaissent sous une forme structuree. A l'aide du theoreme d'Olga TAUSSKY et par l'introduction d'ecarts orientes, les solutions de ces systemes sont principalement examinees dans leur comportement asymptotique. Un appendice montre que les solutions des systemes d'equations aux derivees partielles des usines en cascades a tres faible separation admettent des proprietes analogues. (auteur)

Strengthening systems for integrated early childhood development services: a cross-national analysis of governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Britto, Pia Rebello; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; van Ravens, Jan; Ponguta, Liliana Angelica; Reyes, Maria; Oh, Soojin; Dimaya, Roland; Nieto, Ana María; Seder, Richard

2014-01-01

While there has been substantial growth in early childhood development (ECD) services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), there is considerable inequity in their distribution and quality. Evidence-based governance strategies are necessary, but currently they are insufficient for widespread, quality implementation. In particular, there is a limited understanding of the use of systems approaches for the analysis of ECD services as they go to scale. The aim of this paper is to present findings from four countries, using a cross-national case study approach to explore governance mechanisms required to strengthen national systems of ECD services. While different sets of governance strategies and challenges were identified in each country, overarching themes also emerged with implications for systems strengthening. Study results focus on local, mid-level and central governance, with recommendations for effective coordination and the integration of ECD services in LMICs. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

Vote par sondage uniforme incorruptible

OpenAIRE

Blanchard , Nicolas

2016-01-01

International audience; Introduit en 2012 par David Chaum, le vote par sondage uniforme (random-sample voting) est un protocole de vote basé sur un choix d'une sous-population représentative , permettant de limiter les coûts tout en ayant de nombreux avantages, principalement lorsqu'il est couplé a d'autres techniques comme ThreeBallot. Nous analysons un problème de corruptibilité potentielle où les votants peuvent vendre leur vote au plus offrant et proposons une variation du protocole reméd...

Comparison of Direct Pars Repair Techniques of Spondylolysis in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients: Pars Compression Screw Versus Pedicle Screw-Rod-Hook.

Science.gov (United States)

Karatas, Ali F; Dede, Ozgur; Atanda, Alfred A; Holmes, Larry; Rogers, Kenneth; Gabos, Peter; Shah, Suken A

2016-08-01

Retrospective clinical cohort study. To compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients who were treated with intrasegmental pars fixation by either laminar compression screw (LS) or a pedicle screw, rod, and laminar hook (PSRH) construct. Spondylolysis is a nonunion defect of the pars interarticularis. In symptomatic spondylolysis, direct repair of the pars interarticularis defect can preserve motion and prevent abnormal stresses at the adjacent levels. Sixteen patients who failed nonoperative treatment and underwent direct pars repair by using LS (n=9) or PSRH (n=7) constructs were included in the study. Clinical outcome was assessed by using the MacNab criteria. Radiologic fusion and complications were evaluated using plain radiographs or computed tomography images and patient charts. The healing rate was 100% after 6 months. The healing time was similar in both the groups: LS, 6.5 months; PSRH, 6.2 months. Patients with PSRH (5.9 mo) were more likely to return to sports earlier relative to patients with LS (7.7 mo). There were no complications in the LS group; in the PSRH group, 1 patient had mild sensory deficit and 2 had superficial wound infections. The MacNab criteria for pain assessment showed an excellent or good outcome in 8 of 9 patients in LS group and 6 of 7 patients in PSRH group. Relative to LS patients, there was a significant increase in surgical time and estimated blood loss among PSRH patients. Either of the mentioned 2 techniques appears to produce acceptable results. Biplanar fluoroscopy and navigation systems could minimize the risk of screw misplacement with LS construct. Familiarity with the various fixation techniques will allow the surgeon to select the most appropriate surgical technique.

The double par locus of virulence factor pB171: DNA segregation is correlated with oscillation of ParA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ebersbach, G; Gerdes, K; Charbon, Gitte Ebersbach

2001-01-01

Prokaryotic plasmids and chromosomes encode partitioning (par) loci that segregate DNA to daughter cells before cell division. Recent database analyses showed that almost all known par loci encode an ATPase and a DNA-binding protein, and one or more cis-acting regions where the proteins act. All...

PEPFAR Investments In Governance And Health Systems Were One-Fifth Of Countries' Budgeted Funds, 2004-14.

Science.gov (United States)

Moucheraud, Corrina; Sparkes, Susan; Nakamura, Yoriko; Gage, Anna; Atun, Rifat; Bossert, Thomas J

2016-05-01

Launched in 2003, the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the largest disease-focused assistance program in the world. We analyzed PEPFAR budgets for governance and systems for the period 2004-14 to ascertain whether PEPFAR's stated emphasis on strengthening health systems has been manifested financially. The main outcome variable in our analysis, the first of its kind using these data, was the share of PEPFAR's total annual budget for a country that was designated for governance and systems. The share of planned PEPFAR funding for governance and systems increased from 14.9 percent, on average, in 2004 to 27.5 percent in 2013, but it declined in 2014 to 20.8 percent. This study shows that the size of a country's PEPFAR budget was negatively associated with the share allocated for governance and systems (compared with other budget program areas); it also shows that there was no significant relationship between budgets for governance and systems and HIV prevalence. It is crucial for the global health policy community to better understand how such investments are allocated and used for health systems strengthening. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Why the MDGs need good governance in pharmaceutical systems to promote global health.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Jillian Clare; Mackey, Tim Ken; Ovtcharenko, Natalia

2014-01-21

Corruption in the health sector can hurt health outcomes. Improving good governance can in turn help prevent health-related corruption. We understand good governance as having the following characteristics: it is consensus-oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, equitable and inclusive, effective and efficient, follows the rule of law, is participatory and should in theory be less vulnerable to corruption. By focusing on the pharmaceutical system, we explore some of the key lessons learned from existing initiatives in good governance. As the development community begins to identify post-2015 Millennium Development Goals targets, it is essential to evaluate programs in good governance in order to build on these results and establish sustainable strategies. This discussion on the pharmaceutical system illuminates why. Considering pharmaceutical governance initiatives such as those launched by the World Bank, World Health Organization, and the Global Fund, we argue that country ownership of good governance initiatives is essential but also any initiative must include the participation of impartial stakeholders. Understanding the political context of any initiative is also vital so that potential obstacles are identified and the design of any initiative is flexible enough to make adjustments in programming as needed. Finally, the inherent challenge which all initiatives face is adequately measuring outcomes from any effort. However in fairness, determining the precise relationship between good governance and health outcomes is rarely straightforward. Challenges identified in pharmaceutical governance initiatives manifest in different forms depending on the nature and structure of the initiative, but their regular occurrence and impact on population-based health demonstrates growing importance of addressing pharmaceutical governance as a key component of the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals. Specifically, these challenges need to be acknowledged and

Corporate governance and the adoption of health information technology within integrated delivery systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Aaron; Furukawa, Michael F; Rahman, Bushra; Schneller, Eugene S

2014-01-01

Although several previous studies have found "system affiliation" to be a significant and positive predictor of health information technology (IT) adoption, little is known about the association between corporate governance practices and adoption of IT within U.S. integrated delivery systems (IDSs). Rooted in agency theory and corporate governance research, this study examines the association between corporate governance practices (centralization of IT decision rights and strategic alignment between business and IT strategy) and IT adoption, standardization, and innovation within IDSs. Cross-sectional, retrospective analyses using data from the 2011 Health Information and Management Systems Society Analytics Database on adoption within IDSs (N = 485) is used to analyze the correlation between two corporate governance constructs (centralization of IT decision rights and strategic alignment) and three IT constructs (adoption, standardization, and innovation) for clinical and supply chain IT. Multivariate fractional logit, probit, and negative binomial regressions are applied. Multivariate regressions controlling for IDS and market characteristics find that measures of IT adoption, IT standardization, and innovative IT adoption are significantly associated with centralization of IT decision rights and strategic alignment. Specifically, centralization of IT decision rights is associated with 22% higher adoption of Bar Coding for Materials Management and 30%-35% fewer IT vendors for Clinical Data Repositories and Materials Management Information Systems. A combination of centralization and clinical IT strategic alignment is associated with 50% higher Computerized Physician Order Entry adoption, and centralization along with supply chain IT strategic alignment is significantly negatively correlated with Radio Frequency Identification adoption : Although IT adoption and standardization are likely to benefit from corporate governance practices within IDSs, innovation is

Urban Governance in Europe : the Government of What ?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivier Borraz

2010-11-01

Full Text Available «Who governs when nobody governs ?» This question is addressed by looking at phenomena that have become characteristic of cities today: violence, crime, immigration, mobility. Answering this question also requires paying more attention to different forms of regulation : state, market, along with cooperative/reciprocal modes of regulation. Risk embodies these different forms : it has become a common way of framing and addressing a wide variety of urban problems, suggesting that to govern is to identify and to manage vulnerabilities through different modes of regulation. Lastly, the question points to the uncertainty that characterizes city borders : these are constantly being redefined both by demographics, urbanization and political reforms.«Qui gouverne quand personne ne gouverne ?» Pour répondre à cette question, plusieurs traits caractéristiques des villes contemporaines sont examinés : violence, criminalité, immigration, mobilité. Il convient aussi de s’intéresser de plus près à différentes formes de régulation : l’État, le marché et des formes qui font appel à la coopération ou la réciprocité. Le risque incarne ces différentes formes : il constitue une modalité de cadrage et de gestion de tout un ensemble de problèmes urbains, suggérant que gouverner revient d’abord et avant tout à identifier et gérer des vulnérabilités par le biais de différents modes de régulation. Enfin, la question renvoie aux incertitudes qui entourent les frontières de la ville : celles-ci sont en évolution permanente, sous l’effet de la démographie, de l’urbanisation et des réformes politiques.

Do regulators pay attention? An assessment of IT governance implementation in systemically important banks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrdad Sepahvand

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The large size and complexity of Information Technology systems in systematically important banks raise the need for creating an IT governance architecture that could make IT strategy aligned with business strategy and delivers value while it effectively identifies and manages IT risk. This study traces the links between IT governance and two more applied risk management frameworks, COSO and BCBS’s principles for managing IT risk. Then it argues due to the magnitude of potential losses caused by any weakness in IT governance in D-SIBs, the assessment of IT governance in these banks should be one of the main concerns of local regulators and supervisors. As a case study, it assesses the relative rank of D-SIBs in Iranian banking system to see where these banks would stand in an ordered list of the banks including both private and public banks in terms of IT governance implementation. The application of the Fuzzy AHP technique shows that IT governance practice in Iranian D-SIBs is not as good as the private banks while it outperforms some state-owned banks.

An Outsourcing Expert System for Governing Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meisam Shahbazi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Making the right decision about doing activities in-house vs. outsourcing is one of the important management decisions. The considerable effect of this decision on organizational performance and responsiveness is supported by theoretical and empirical evidence. In this study, using the experts’ knowledge extraction and modeling, we have designed a logical framework for deciding about outsourcing in governing organizations and accordingly an expert system has been developed. As an applied research a descriptive approach and case study method have been used. Objectives, inevitable circumstances, requirements, background conditions and facilitators have been identified as the underlying components of the system. The system provides a recommendation for each activity and prioritizes them based on readiness for outsourcing. An implementation in IT department of a sample organization is provided and the results are analyzed.  In the end, the proposed system for activities of IT Management was carried out in one of the organizations and consequently the obtained outputs and results were analyzed.

Governing Forest Ecosystem Services for Sustainable Environmental Governance: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shankar Adhikari

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Governing forest ecosystem services as a forest socio-ecological system is an evolving concept in the face of different environmental and social challenges. Therefore, different modes of ecosystem governance such as hierarchical, scientific–technical, and adaptive–collaborative governance have been developed. Although each form of governance offers important features, no one form on its own is sufficient to attain sustainable environmental governance (SEG. Thus, the blending of important features of each mode of governance could contribute to SEG, through a combination of both hierarchical and collaborative governance systems supported by scientifically and technically aided knowledge. This should be further reinforced by the broad engagement of stakeholders to ensure the improved well-being of both ecosystems and humans. Some form of governance and forest management measures, including sustainable forest management, forest certification, and payment for ecosystem services mechanisms, are also contributing to that end. While issues around commodification and putting a price on nature are still contested due to the complex relationship between different services, if these limitations are taken into account, the governance of forest ecosystem services will serve as a means of effective environmental governance and the sustainable management of forest resources. Therefore, forest ecosystem services governance has a promising future for SEG, provided limitations are tackled with due care in future governance endeavors.

Constitutional Models of Semi-Presidential Systems of Government in Russia and Poland

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Davor Boban

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The establishment of new political systems in Central and Eastern Europe after the collapse of communist regimes implied a decision on a new system of government instead of the earlier proclaimed assembly system. The position of the framers of the Constitution on the need for a strong institution of state presidency during the transition process, and the correlation of forces between diff erent actors in the political arena, have resulted in the establishment of the semi-presidential system in many of these countries. In Russia and Poland, with the fi rst modifi cations of their Constitutions, some elements of semi-presidentialism were adopted, and then the whole concept of semi-presidentialism has been accepted. The constitutional models in the two countries are compatible with the criteria of semi-presidential systems – they have a dual structure of the executive branch of government and a fi xed term of the state president elected on the general elections and politically unaccountable to the parliament. The political practice in these countries during the last fi fteen years has shown diff erent eff ects of the established system. In Russia, the state president dominated so much over the political system that the system was virtually presidential, while in Poland the constitutional changes in 1990, 1992 and 1997 have resulted in the change of the correlation of forces within the dual structure of the executive branch of government.

Governing Knowledge: The Formalization Dilemma in the Governance of the Public Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Woelert, Peter

2015-01-01

This paper offers a conceptually novel contribution to the understanding of the distinctive governance challenges arising from the increasing reliance on formalized knowledge in the governance of research activities. It uses the current Australian research governance system as an example--a system which exhibits a comparatively strong degree of…

Movement and equipositioning of plasmids by ParA filament disassembly

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ringgaard, Simon; van Zon, Jeroen; Howard, Martin

2009-01-01

, plasmids consistently migrate behind disassembling ParA cytoskeletal structures, suggesting that ParA filaments pull plasmids by depolymerization. The perpetual cycles of ParA assembly and disassembly result in continuous relocation of plasmids, which, on time averaging, results in equidistribution...

Clinical governance in practice: closing the loop with integrated audit systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, L; Jones, S

2006-04-01

Clinical governance has been acknowledged as the driving force behind National Health Service (NHS) reform since the government white paper outlined a new style of NHS in the UK in 1997. The framework of clinical governance ensures that NHS organizations are accountable for continually improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care will develop. A major component of a clinical governance framework requires utilizing audit procedures, which assess the effectiveness of current systems and ultimately direct continual quality improvement. This paper describes the audit component of a local clinical governance framework designed for a unit based within an NHS trust, which has utilized a multidisciplinary approach to assess the effectiveness of a newly commissioned service and its impact on the residents and staff. The unit is a 12-bedded, low-secure-intensive rehabilitation unit for clients with severe and enduring mental illness. Using recognized and standardized psychometric outcome measures, information was collected on clinical symptoms, social functioning, social behaviour, quality of life, relationship quality with named nurses and medication side-effects. Additionally, confidential staff measures were included to assess levels of burnout, identify expressed emotion and assess staff perception of models of illness. The paper includes a comprehensive account of how managerial commitment, teaching processes and application of technology ensured prompt data collection and maintained the momentum through the audit timescale. Data analysis and presentation of data in both clinical reviews and in senior management meetings within the unit are discussed. Findings highlight the full integration of the audit system into the processes of the unit. Clinically, the paper highlights the enhancement of the knowledge base of the client group and the influence on clinical decision

uPAR EXPRESSION IN CANINE NORMAL PROSTATE AND WITH PROLIFERATIVE DISORDERS

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Mariana Rodrigues Faleiro

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Prostatic lesions such as prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN and proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA are studied in human and canine species due to their malignance potential. The plasminogen activator (PA system has been suggested to play a central role in cell adhesion, angiogenesis, inflammation, and tumor invasion. The urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR is a component of the PA, with a range of expression in tumor and stromal cells. In this study, uPAR expression in both canine normal prostates and with proliferative disorders (benign prostatic hyperplasia-BPH, proliferative inflammatory atrophy-PIA, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia-PIN, and carcinoma-PC was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in a tissue microarray (TMA slide to establish the role of this enzyme in extracellular matrix (ECM remodeling and in the processes of tissue invasion. A total of 298 cores and 355 diagnoses were obtained, with 36 (10.1% normal prostates, 46 (13.0% with BPH, 128 (36.1% with PIA, 74 (20.8% with PIN and 71 (20.0% with PC. There is variation in the expression of uPAR in canine prostate according to the lesion, with lower expression in normal tissue and with BPH, and higher expression in tissue with PIA, PIN and PC. The high expression of uPAR in inflammatory and neoplastic microenvironment indicates increased proteolytic activity in canine prostates with PIA, PIN, and PC.

THE EVOLUTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SELF-GOVERNMENT IN RUSSIA

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Tatiana Yashchuk

2017-01-01

Full Text Available УДК 34The article highlights the main stages in the development of local government and self-gov-ernment in Russia. It shows the specifics of each stage. The formation of the Russian state was accompanied by the synthesis of the princely power and the community self-government. The genesis autocracy was accompanied by a struggle with the self-government institutions. The creation of rural and urban self-government in the second half of the XIX century was accom-panied by a debate on the social and public origin of these institutions.The Soviet state was based on the unity of the Soviet system. It concluded the discrete de-velopment of local self-government in Russia. There is no historical strong tradition of local government in this system.Objective of the article is to identify and characterize the main stages of development of local government and self-government in Russia. Show the discrete nature of the develop-ment of local self-government in Russia.The formation of the Russian state was accompanied by the synthesis of princely power and community self-government. Genesis autocracy was accompanied by a struggle with self-government institutions. The absence of territorial self-government in Russia was offset by the presence of social class municipality for a long time. Caste traditions tradition had a negative impact after the establishment of rural and urban self-government in the second half of the XIX century.During the preparation of the reforms and their implementation were discussions of the rela-tionship between the state and the community began in management. As a result, there is the inclusion of local authorities in the sphere of active state regulation. The desire of the county public to the political activity was suppressed by autocracy. The Provisional Government at-tempt to rely on the local self-government to create new authorities ended in failure.The Soviet state was based on a single management system. Certain powers

A hypothesis: factor VII governs clot formation, tissue repair and apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Lewis S

2007-01-01

A hypothesis: thrombin is a "Universal Enzyme of Energy Transduction" that employs ATP energy in flowing blood to activate biochemical reactions and cell effects in both hemostasis and tissue repair. All cells possess PAR-1 (thrombin) receptors and are affected by thrombin elevations, and thrombin effects on individual cell types are determined by their unique complement of PAR-1 receptors. Disruption of the vascular endothelium (VE) activates a tissue repair mechanism (TRM) consisting of the VE, tissue factor (TF), and circulating Factors VII, IX and X that governs localized thrombin elevations to activate clot formation and cellular effects that repair tissue damage. The culmination of the repair process occurs with the restoration of the VE followed by declines in thrombin production that causes Apoptosis ("programmed cell death") in wound-healing fibroblasts, which functions as a mechanism to draw wound edges together. The location and magnitude of TRM activity governs the location and magnitude of Factor VIII activity and clot formation, but the large size of Factor VIII prevents it from penetrating the clot formed by its activity, so that its effects are self-limiting. Factors VII, IX and X function primarily as tissue repair enzymes, while Factor VIII and Factor XIII are the only serine protease enzymes in the "Coagulation Cascade" that are exclusively associated with hemostasis.

Internal governance systems and R&D investment: An international comparison.

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Zouari-Hadiji Rim

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In the theoretical framework of corporate governance, this article studies the efficiency of the control exerted by the ownership structure and the board of directors on managers for the purpose of privileging investment in R&D. This efficiency is sensitive to national systems of governance. Tests realized on a sample of 531 U.S., Japanese and French firms with the canonical method corroborate the existence of positive relationships between concentration of ownership, the internal administrator dominance and the non-dual structure on the one hand, and the investment in R&D, on the other.

Postings and transfers in the Ghanaian health system: a study of health workforce governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwamie, Aku; Asiamah, Miriam; Schaaf, Marta; Agyepong, Irene Akua

2017-09-15

Decision-making on postings and transfers - that is, the geographic deployment of the health workforce - is a key element of health workforce governance. When poorly managed, postings and transfers result in maldistribution, absenteeism, and low morale. At stake is managing the balance between organisational (i.e., health system) and individual (i.e., staff preference) needs. The negotiation of this potential convergence or divergence of interests provides a window on practices of postings and transfers, and on the micro-practices of governance in health systems more generally. This article explores the policies and processes, and the interplay between formal and informal rules and norms which underpin postings and transfers practice in two rural districts in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight district managers and 87 frontline staff from the district health administration, district hospital, polyclinic, health centres and community outreach compounds across two districts. Interviews sought to understand how the postings and transfers process works in practice, factors in frontline staff and district manager decision-making, personal experiences in being posted, and study leave as a common strategy for obtaining transfers. Differential negotiation-spaces at regional and district level exist and inform postings and transfers in practice. This is in contrast to the formal cascaded rules set to govern decision-making authority for postings and transfers. Many frontline staff lack policy clarity of postings and transfers processes and thus 'test' the system through informal staff lobbying, compounding staff perception of the postings and transfers process as being unfair. District managers are also challenged with limited decision-space embedded in broader policy contexts of systemic hierarchy and resource dependence. This underscores the negotiation process as ongoing, rather than static. These findings point to

Peptide-Based Optical uPAR Imaging for Surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juhl, Karina; Christensen, Anders; Persson, Morten

2016-01-01

Near infrared intra-operative optical imaging is an emerging technique with clear implications for improved cancer surgery by enabling a more distinct delineation of the tumor margins during resection. This modality has the potential to increase the number of patients having a curative radical...... tumor resection. In the present study, a new uPAR-targeted fluorescent probe was developed and the in vivo applicability was evaluated in a human xenograft mouse model. Most human carcinomas express high level of uPAR in the tumor-stromal interface of invasive lesions and uPAR is therefore considered...... an ideal target for intra-operative imaging. Conjugation of the flourophor indocyanine green (ICG) to the uPAR agonist (AE105) provides an optical imaging ligand with sufficiently high receptor affinity to allow for a specific receptor targeting in vivo. For in vivo testing, human glioblastoma xenograft...

Ambidextrous IT Governance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Peter; Svejvig, Per; Tordrup Heeager, Lise

2017-01-01

Through a case study at a global technology company, we investigate how organizations can adapt their IT governance approach to the information system at hand. This is done by considering the degree of information system integration and whether the system is related to supporting operational...... efficiency (exploitation) or innovation (exploration). Based on the findings of the case study, we introduce the concept of ambidextrous IT governance to describe how IT governance can be adapted to fit the dual needs of both exploration and exploitation through the use of IS....

Challenges of Governing Second-Growth Forests: A Case Study from the Brazilian Amazonian State of Pará

OpenAIRE

Vieira, Ima; Gardner, Toby; Ferreira, Joice; Lees, Alexander; Barlow, Jos

2014-01-01

Despite the growing ecological and social importance of second-growth and regenerating forests across much of the world, significant inconsistencies remain in the legal framework governing these forests in many tropical countries and elsewhere. Such inconsistencies and uncertainties undermine attempts to improve both the transparency and sustainability of management regimes. Here, we present a case-study overview of some of the main challenges facing the governance of second-growth forests an...

Envisioning Religiously Diverse Partnership Systems among Government, Faith Communities and FBOs

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Jo Anne Schneider

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Recent U.S. policy regarding faith-based organizations (FBO envisions “partnerships with government” that include both financial and non-financial relationships. This paper explores the current nature of a three-way partnership among faith communities, FBOs and government, proposing ways that government could more effectively partner with faith communities and their organizations. I use data from the Faith and Organizations Project and earlier studies of refugee resettlement and social welfare supports. The paper combines research and policy literature with research findings to describe how faith communities organize social services, education, health, senior services and community development through their FBOs, differences among religions and denominations and current forms of partnerships with government. Conclusions provide policy suggestions for U.S. systems.

Systems Engineering and Management Applications of ISO 9001:2015 for Government

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Christena C.

2016-01-01

The manufacturing segment of the business world is busy assessing the impact of ISO 9001:2015, and updating their management systems to meet the required compliance date. What does the new revision mean for government agencies that deliver large engineering projects rather than mass production? In fact, the standard, especially the new revision, can be used quite readily for government agencies, or applied to specific projects, once it is understood in terms of the similarities with systems engineering and project management. From there it can be extrapolated to "mission realization" systems, and a Quality Management System (QMS) is a logical result that can bring order to processes and systems that likely already exist in some fashion. ISO 9001:2015 is less product-oriented than previous versions. It can be more broadly applied to public organizations as well as private; and to services (missions) as well as products. The emphasis on risk management in the revised standard provides the needed balance for weighing decisions with respect to cost, schedule, technical, safety, and regulatory compliance; so if this is not part of agency governance already, this is a good place to start, especially for large engineering projects. The Systems Engineering standard used for this analysis is from NASA's NPR 7123.1 NASA Systems Engineering Processes and Requirements; however, those who are more familiar with ISO/IEC 26702 Systems Engineering-application and management of the systems engineering process, or SAE/EIA 632 Processes for Engineering a System will also recognize the similarities. In reality, the QMS outlined by ISO 9001 reinforces the systems engineering processes, and serves to ensure that they are adequately implemented, although most of the ISO 9001 literature emphasizes the production and process aspects of the standard. Rather than beginning with ISO 9001and getting lost in the vocabulary, it is useful to begin with the systems engineering lifecycle

An Empirical Investigation of the Role of Information Quality in Citizens' Trust in E-Government Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ally

2011-01-01

Over the past decade, there has been a change in the citizen-government relationship. Citizens have moved from a traditional face-to-face communication with their government, to an electronic interaction through the use of e-government systems. Emerging technology has enabled citizens to communicate with their government remotely. However, trust…

Multi-level Governance of Land Use Changes in the Brazilian Amazon: Lessons from Paragominas, State of Pará

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Marie-Gabrielle Piketty

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Land use governance in the Brazilian Amazon has undergone significant changes in the last decade. At the national level, law enforcement capacity has increased and downstream industries linked to commodity chains responsible for deforestation have begun to monitor some of their suppliers’ impacts on forests. At the municipal level, local actors have launched a Green Municipality initiative, aimed at eliminating deforestation and supporting green supply chains at the territorial level. In this paper, we analyze the land use transition since 2001 in Paragominas—the first Green Municipality—and discuss the limits of the governance arrangements underpinning these changes. Our work draws on a spatially explicit analysis of biophysical variables and qualitative information collected in interviews with key private and public stakeholders of the main commodity chains operating in the region. We argue that, up to now, the emerging multi-level scheme of land governance has not succeeded in promoting large-scale land use intensification, reforestation and rehabilitation of degraded lands. Moreover, private governance mechanisms based on improved product standards, fail to benefit from potential successful partnerships between the public and private sector at the territorial level. We propose a governance approach that adopts a broader territorial focus as a way forward.

Impact of the Accounting Information System on Corporate Governance: Evidence from Turkish Non-Listed Companies

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Ali Uyar

2017-03-01

Full Text Available the abuses of managers have the ability to create major problems. In order to avoid future scandals, this study investigates the association between the accounting information system and corporate governance. We hope that these findings will contribute towards the enhancement of good corporate governance created by the accounting function of business organizations. The results of empirical analyses indicate that bookkeeping, financial reporting, and the budgeting system have a positive impact on the corporate governance level, whereas the adoption of Turkish Accounting / Financial Reporting Standards do not. Thus, in order to foster corporate governance, managers should establish internal reporting procedures as well as internal control and monitoring devices before attempting external control through independent auditing.

The system of parliamentary government: The possibility of balance under the principle of the separation of powers

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Pejić Irena

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The minimum consensus in defining the concept of a parliamentary system is closely related to the presence of the responsible government in the system governed by the principle of the separation of powers, which is the essential characteristic of parliamentarism. A constitutional and political theory classify this system as a model of parliamentary government that is elected by Parliament and responsible to Parliament, which is the essence and the common denominator of this system. Moreover, all the modalities of the system develop in line with the relations established between the legislative and the executive authorities, i.e. between the head of state, the government and the parliament. Nowadays, there is no 'pure' model of the parliamentary government, for at least two reasons. First, modern constitutions set up instruments of rationalization and transfer the focus of the constitutional power either to the government or to the head of state, but in any case 'away from' the parliament. Second, political framework of modern parliamentarism significantly contributes to the situation where the constitutional instruments aimed at preserving the balance receive a new legal and political meaning; thus, they serve some functions other than those prescribed by the constitution.

Information security governance: a risk assessment approach to health information systems protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Patricia A H

2013-01-01

It is no small task to manage the protection of healthcare data and healthcare information systems. In an environment that is demanding adaptation to change for all information collection, storage and retrieval systems, including those for of e-health and information systems, it is imperative that good information security governance is in place. This includes understanding and meeting legislative and regulatory requirements. This chapter provides three models to educate and guide organisations in this complex area, and to simplify the process of information security governance and ensure appropriate and effective measures are put in place. The approach is risk based, adapted and contextualized for healthcare. In addition, specific considerations of the impact of cloud services, secondary use of data, big data and mobile health are discussed.

Transformative environmental governance

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Transformative governance is an approach to environmental governance that has the capacity to respond to, manage, and trigger regime shifts in coupled social-ecological systems (SESs) at multiple scales. The goal of transformative governance is to actively shift degraded SESs to ...

RF cavities for the positron accumulator ring (PAR) of the Advanced Photon Source (APS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Y.W.; Nassiri, A.; Bridges, J.F.; Smith, T.L.; Song, J.J.

1995-01-01

The cavities for the dual frequency system of the APS PAR are described. The system uses two frequencies: a 9.78MHz fundamental system for the particle accumulation and a 117.3MHz twelfth harmonic system for the bunch compression. The cavities have been built, installed, tested, and used for storing the beam in the PAR for about a year. The fundamental cavity is a reentrant coaxial type with a capacitive loading plunger and has 1.6m length. The harmonic cavity is a symmetrical reentrant coaxial type and is 0.8m long. Ferrite tuners are used for frequency tuning. During the accumulation period, the ferrite tuner of the harmonic cavity works as a damper to disable the cavity. During an injection cycle the 9.78MHz system accumulates 24 positron bunches in a bucket and the 117.3MHz system compresses the bunch into a shorter bunch. Measurements were made on the rf properties of the cavities

POSSIBILITY OF IMPROVING EXISTING STANDARDS AND METHODOLOGIES FOR AUDITING INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE E-GOVERNMENT SERVICES

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Евгений Геннадьевич Панкратов

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the existing methods of e-government systems audit, their shortcomings are examined.  The approaches to improve existing techniques and adapt them to the specific characteristics of e-government systems are suggested. The paper describes the methodology, providing possibilities of integrated assessment of information systems. This methodology uses systems maturity models and can be used in the construction of e-government rankings, as well as in the audit of their implementation process. Maturity models are based on COBIT, COSO methodologies and models of e-government, developed by the relevant committee of the UN. The methodology was tested during the audit of information systems involved in the payment of temporary disability benefits. The audit was carried out during analysis of the outcome of the pilot project for the abolition of the principle of crediting payments for disability benefits.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2014-2-5

First (18)F-labeled ligand for PET imaging of uPAR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Persson, Morten; Liu, Hongguang; Madsen, Jacob

2013-01-01

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is overexpressed in human prostate cancer and uPAR has been found to be associated with metastatic disease and poor prognosis. AE105 is a small linear peptide with high binding affinity to uPAR. We synthesized an N-terminal NOTA......-conjugated version (NOTA-AE105) for development of the first (18)F-labeled uPAR positron-emission-tomography PET ligand using the Al(18)F radiolabeling method. In this study, the potential of (18)F-AlF-NOTA-AE105 to specifically target uPAR-positive prostate tumors was investigated....

Financial assessment of government subsidy policy on photovoltaic systems for industrial users: A case study in Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, Shuo-Yan; Nguyen, Thi Anh Tuyet; Yu, Tiffany Hui-Kuang; Phan, Nguyen Ky Phuc

2015-01-01

Due to Taiwan's limited energy resources, the development of solar photovoltaic (PV) in Taiwan has become one of the most important solutions for meeting future energy supply needs and ensuring environmental protection. A huge amount of researches about renewable energy sources has emerged recently in response to these issues. However, the amount of researches considering the effects of various influential parameters on the efficiency and performance of PV systems remains small, and is still limited to some specific parts of PV systems. In particular, researches considering thoughtfully the influence of government subsidies on PV financial assessment are still in development. This paper proposes an approach to analyze the benefit of installing a PV system under the impact of government financial subsidies, focusing especially on feed-in-tariff (FIT) and tax abatement policies for industrial users in Taiwan. In addition, a method for selecting the most appropriate policies is proposed for the government through the analysis of both user demand and the government's PV installation capacity target. - Highlights: • Analyzing the benefit of installing a PV system impacted by the government subsidy. • Analyzing the role of policy in the financial model of PV system. • Estimating the performance of PV system under the real weather condition. • Methods to select the policies which satisfy demands of both government and users. • Methods to select the policies which ensure cost-effectiveness of government's support.

What Food is to be Kept Safe and for Whom? Food-Safety Governance in an Unsafe Food System

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Martha McMahon

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This paper argues that discussion of new food-safety governance should be framed by the realization that the dominant food system within which food-safety governance is designed to makes food safe is itself a structural and systemic sources of food un-safety, poor health and a future of food insecurity for many. For some, an appropriate policy response lies in addressing the connections between the food system and diseases such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes. For others it means subsuming food-safety governance within food security governance. For yet others, safe food implies food sovereignty governance and the primacy of a climate change resilient food system. Conventional approaches to food-safety governance are typically framed within a liability model of responsibility that has limited usefulness for addressing institutional, structural or systemic sources of harm such as those critics increasingly attribute to the dominant food system and which are not amenable to remedy by food-safety governance as it is widely understood. One cannot identify critical hazard points where risk is to be managed. These are food-system safety challenges. Because food-safety governance is so deeply political there needs to be greater attention to issues of governance rather than the more usual focus on the technologies of food-safety. Feminist political theorists have much to contribute to re-thinking food-safety governance in the context of diversity and the complexities of power. One could usefully start with the simple questions, “what food is to be kept-safe, for whom and who is the subject of food-safety governance in a post-Westphalian political economic order?” These questions can help unpack both the narrow parochialism and the misleading universalism of food-safety talk. This paper answers that neither the citizens of a particular state (or network of states nor the falsely universalizing identity of ‘the consumer’ are adequate answers

Narrative Identities and the Plebiscite in Pará: An Analysis of the Front Pages for O Liberal and Diário do Pará

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Alda Cristina Silva da Costa

2017-05-01

Full Text Available On December 11, 2011, a plebiscite was held in Pará proposing to create two separatist states, Carajás and Tapajós, out of the state of Pará. The public voted against both projects. This article analyzes the narrative identities found on the front pages of O Liberal and Diário do Pará newspapers about the plebiscite in Pará. Depth Hermeneutics (DH, as proposed by Thompson (2011, was used as the methodological reference. DH emphasizes the object of analysis as a meaningful symbolic construction requiring interpretation. Narrative analysis, as proposed by Motta (2007, was the main research technique used to highlight the movement of construction of journalistic (discursive characters. The narrative identities built by the two newspapers showed that both were against the creation of the new states, but for very different reasons. The flag of Pará was the main object used to induce the idea of unity. Em 11 de dezembro de 2011, o plebiscito no Pará propôs a criação dos estados de Carajás e de Tapajós a partir da divisão do estado do Pará. O resultado da consulta pública foi negativo aos dois projetos. O artigo analisa as identidades narrativas constituídas pelas primeiras páginas dos jornais O Liberal e Diário do Pará sobre o plebiscito no Pará. Utilizou-se como referencial metodológico a Hermenêutica em Profundidade (HP, proposta por Thompson (2011. A HP evidencia o fato de que o objeto de análise é uma construção simbólica significativa, que exige uma interpretação. Como principal técnica de pesquisa, a análise narrativa, proposta por Motta (2007, com ênfase no movimento de construção de personagens jornalísticas (discursivas. As identidades narrativas construídas pelos dois jornais indicaram que ambos eram contrários à criação dos novos estados, porém por motivos divergentes. A bandeira do Pará foi o principal elemento utilizado para evocar a ideia de unidade. En 11 de diciembre de 2011, el plebiscito en

Relations between authorities in the Slovenian local self-government system

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Anja Grabner

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The paper aims to analyse the relationship between the legislative (municipal council and executive (mayor, deputy mayor branches of power in the Slovenian system of local self-government. In the centre lies the role of the mayor, the role of the director of the municipal administration and the role of the municipal council together with the relationship (which has changed significantly in the past two decades between the mayor and these two bodies. The theoretical anchor of the contribution is the work of Mouritzen and Svara (2002 where the authors categorise ideal models of executive government at the sub-national levels of government and the relations inside the executive. Based on previous empirical research studies, we analyse the functioning of the executive and legislative branches of power and their mutual relations, starting from the assumption that those relations do not correspond to the quite rigidly defined normative frameworks, but in practice often move beyond them.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in acute care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Line Jee Hartmann; Ladelund, Steen; Haupt, Thomas Huneck

2016-01-01

for age, sex, Charlson score and C reactive protein. Area under the curve for receiver operating characteristics curve analysis of suPAR for 30-day mortality was 0.84 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.86). Furthermore, in the entire cohort, women had slightly higher suPAR compared with men, and suPAR was associated...

PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE IN THE PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS OF THE SCANDINAVIAN AND BALTIC COUNTRIES

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Stefanescu Aurelia

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The diminished trust of citizens in the public sector, the increased complexity of policy issues and the reforms in accordance with the new public management principles generate the need of focusing more extensively on participatory governance. Participatory governance can be defined as the genuine engagement of citizens and other organizations in the formulation of policies and strategies, in the decision-making process from the public sector and in the implementation of the decisions. The present paper's objectives are to define the concept of participatory governance, to argue in favor of implementing it in the public sector and to find to what extent public healthcare institutions from Scandinavian and Baltic countries publish information on participatory governance and how they perceive community engagement. The research findings are that the information on participatory governance disclosed on the websites of relevant institutions from within the Scandinavian and Baltic public healthcare systems is scarce. The countries with the greatest concern for community engagement are Denmark and Sweden. It is argued that there should be a shift in focus within the public sector in general and within the healthcare system in particular, so that citizens are genuinely involved in the relevant processes and their satisfaction is indeed at an adequate level.

Federalismo Cooperativo e Plano de Ações Articuladas (PAR – algumas aproximações teóricas

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Karla Cristina Silva Sousa

2017-06-01

Full Text Available O artigo discute o federalismo brasileiro a partir da matriz teórica self rule plus shared rule, ou seja, o federalismo enquanto pacto. A partir desta matriz teórica defende-se que a política educacional voltada para dinamizar o pacto federativo na área educacional por meio do regime de colaboração por ora denominada de Plano de Ações Articuladas (PAR constitui-se na realidade um mecanismo de center constraining aos subgovernos nacionais em que a União situa-se como a grande demos constraining do federalismo brasileiro, caracterizando-se um pacto incompleto. Palavras-Chave: Federalismo Cooperativo. Plano de Ações Articuladas. Pacto federativo. Federalism Cooperative and Action Plan Articulated (PAR – some theoretical approaches ABSTRACT The article discusses the Brazilian federalism from the theoretical matrix self rule plus shared rule, ie federalism while pact. From this theoretical framework it is argued that the educational policy to streamline the federal pact in education through collaboration scheme now called Articulated Action Plan (PAR constitutes in fact a center constraining mechanism to sub governments national where the Union stands as the great demos constraining the Brazilian federalism, characterizing na incomplete agreement. Keywords: Cooperative Federalism. Plan Linked Shares. Federal pact. Federalismo Cooperativo y Plan de Acciones Articuladas (PAR – algunos enfoques teóricos RESUMEN El artículo discute el federalismo brasilero a partir de la matriz teórica self rule plus shared rule. O sea el federalismo como pacto. A partir de esta matriz teórica se defiende que la política educacional está encaminada para dinamizar el pacto federativo en el área educacional por medio del régimen de colaboración por ahora denominado Plan de Acciones Articuladas (PAR se constituye en una realidad, un mecanismo de center constraining a los subgobiernos nacionales donde la unión se sitúa como la grande demos

Sustainability Initiatives Driving Supply Chain: Climate Governance on Beef Production System

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Ieda Kanashiro Makiya

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Two conceptual frameworks have been analytically dominant in researching innovation dynamics in sustainability transition processes, namely technological innovation systems (TIS and the multi-level perspective (MLP. The innovation systems has been principally concerned with emerging new technologies and their potential contribution to future sustainability, whereas MLP has been more strongly oriented toward reconstructing historical processes of sectorial change. In this perspective, this study aims to analyses how global climate change and environmental pressures impact on the governance of supply chain and the ripple effects on natural resource-intensive economies. Some initiatives are taken to address regulatory issues and reconcile decision-making tools on quality assurance program on value chains. This includes a multi-level perspective (MLP as Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP and technological innovation systems (TIS as Geographic Information System (GIS used as a tracking system for monitoring sustainable practices. The paper discuss the drivers of sustainable beef production system, mainly in Legal Amazon, Brazil, and requirements from a largest retailer aligned to Brazilian public policies. This study presents three distinct strategies: (1 government and public policies to control deforestation related to beef cattle production system, (2 economic approach related to transnational supermarket chain and sustainability initiatives, (3 collective action for decision-making by multiple drivers

Agrosocial analysis of the family farmers’ perception on agroforestry systems in northeastern Pará state, Brazil

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Idemê Gomes Amaral

2008-12-01

Full Text Available In 2005 a case study was undertaken in agroforestry systems as practiced by family farmers in the Arapuã-Simeira colonization project, municipality of Garrafão do Norte, Pará state, in northern Brazil, with the purpose of describing and systematizing the agrosocial characteristics of the family farmers and their experiences and perceptions of agroforestry systems. The methodology consisted of field research, application of standard questionnaires, observation and discussion in group. Farmers gave preference to some perennial cultures and forest species for intercropping, and the main explication for the introduction of species in their fields was economic gain and social behavior. Multifaceted thinking is seen in the choice of agriculture products and management options, resulting in each property having a combination of different agricultural systems that are adapted to local conditions. The farmer knows better than anyone else how to determine the ideal combination for his agricultural system. The study shows the agrosocial and socialcultural trajectory of the farmers and hypothesis are advanced on what would imply the adoption of agroforestry systems in family agriculture. A systemic approach can be very useful in understanding the relationships and social processes that are important aspects of the rural and agrarian question.

Intact and cleaved uPAR forms: diagnostic and prognostic value in cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasch, M.G.; Lund, I.K.; Hoyer-Hansen, G.

2008-01-01

identified in tissue and body fluids. It is well-established, that the total amount of all uPAR forms is a strong prognostic marker in different types of cancer. Using immunoassays, measuring the individual uPAR forms, has revealed that the cleaved uPAR forms are even stronger prognostic markers and have...... diagnostic utility. This review will focus on the mechanism of uPAR cleavage and the functional consequences, as well as the clinical applicability of cleaved uPAR forms Udgivelsesdato: 2008...

Qualitative analysis of governance trends after health system reforms in Latin America: lessons from Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Arredondo, A; Orozco, E; Recaman, A L

2018-03-01

Health policies in Latin America are centered on the democratization of health. Since 2003, during the last generation of reforms, health systems in this region have promoted governance strategies for better agreements between governments, institutions, and civil society. In this context, we develop an evaluative research to identify trends and evidence of governance after health care reforms in six regions of Mexico. Evaluative research was developed with a retrospective design based on qualitative analysis. Primary data were obtained from 189 semi-structured interviews with purposively selected health care professionals and key informants. Secondary data were extracted from a selection of 95 official documents on results of the reform project at the national level, national health policies, and lines of action for good governance. Data processing and analysis were performed using ATLAS.ti and PolicyMaker. A list of main strengths and weaknesses is presented as evidence of health system governance. Accountability at the federal level remains prescriptive; in the regions, a system of accountability and transparency in the allocation of resources and in terms of health democratization strategies is still absent. Social protection and decentralization schemes are strategies that have allowed for improvements with a proactive role of users and civil society. Regarding challenges, there are still low levels of governance and difficulties in the effective conduct of programs and reform strategies together with a lack of precision in the rules and roles of the different actors of the health system. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Corporate Governance

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Dragoș-Mihail Daghie

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to analyze and understand the recently introduced form of managementof a company limited by shares. The Law no. 441/2006, which fundamentally amended Company Law,created this form of controlling the company, the corporate governance, but the legislation does not explicitlydefine what it wants to achieve through this instrument. This topic is recent in research as the theme ofgerman-roman commercial law systems (in French corporate governance system was introduced in 1966 andin Romania in 2006 but in terms of Anglo-Saxon law, the topic has been addressed years since 1776 (AdamSmith: The Wealth of Nations The concept of corporate governance would like, as a result, to establish somerules that companies must comply in order to achieve effective governance, transparent and beneficial forboth shareholders and for the minority. Corporate governance is a key element with an aim at improvingefficiency and economic growth in full accordance with the increase of investors’ confidence. Corporategovernance assumes a series of relationship between the company management, leadership, shareholders andthe other people concerned. Also corporate governance provides for that structure by means of which thecompany’s targets are set out and the means to achieve them and also the manner how to monitor such.

Randomly transitional phenomena in the system governed by Duffing's equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Yoshisuke.

1978-06-01

This paper deals with turbulent or chaotic phenomena which occur in the system governed by Duffing's equation, a special type of 2-dimensional periodic systems. By using analog and digital computers, experiments are undertaken with special reference to the changes of attractors and of average power spectra of the random processes under the variation of the system parameters. On the basis of the experimental results, an outline of the random process is made clear. The results obtained in this paper will be applied to the phenomena of the same kind which occur in 3-dimensional autonomous systems. (author)

A Bipolar Spindle of Antiparallel ParM Filaments Drives Bacterial Plasmid Segregation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gayathri, P; Fujii, T; Møller-Jensen, Jakob

2012-01-01

the spindle between ParRC complexes on sister plasmids. Using a combination of structural work and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we show that ParRC bound and could accelerate growth at only one end of polar ParM filaments, mechanistically resembling eukaryotic formins. The architecture...... of ParM filaments enabled two ParRC-bound filaments to associate in an antiparallel orientation, forming a bipolar spindle. The spindle elongated as a bundle of at least two antiparallel filaments, thereby pushing two plasmid clusters toward the poles....

Inhibiting trophoblast PAR-1 overexpression suppresses sFlt-1-induced anti-angiogenesis and abnormal vascular remodeling: a possible therapeutic approach for preeclampsia.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yin; Zheng, YanFang; Liu, XiaoXia; Luo, QingQing; Wu, Di; Liu, XiaoPing; Zou, Li

2018-03-01

Is it possible to improve vascular remodeling by inhibiting the excessive expression of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) in trophoblast of abnormal placenta? Inhibition of trophoblast PAR-1 overexpression may promote placental angiogenesis and vascular remodeling, offering an alternative therapeutic approach for preeclampsia. PAR-1 is high-affinity receptor of thrombin. Thrombin increases sFlt-1 secretion in trophoblast via the activation of PAR-1. It is reported that the expression of both thrombin and PAR-1 expression are increased in placentas of preeclampsia patients compared with normal placentas. Trophoblast cells were transfected with PAR-1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) or PAR-1 overexpression plasmids in vitro. Tube formation assays and a villus-decidua co-culture system were used to study the effect of PAR-1 inhibition on placental angiogenesis and vascular remodeling, respectively. Placentas from rats with preeclampsia were transfected with PAR-1 shRNA to confirm the effect of inhibiting PAR-1 overexpression in placenta. The trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo was transfected with PAR-1 shRNA or PAR-1 overexpression plasmids. After 48 h, supernatant was collected and the level of sFlt-1 secretion was measured by ELISA. Human umbilical cord epithelial cells and a villus-decidua co-culture system were treated with conditioned media to study the effect of PAR-1 inhibition on tube formation and villi vascular remodeling. A preeclampsia rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of L-NAME. Plasmids were injected into the placenta of the preeclampsia rats and systolic blood pressure was measured on Days 15 and 19. The effect of different treatments was evaluated by proteinuria, placental weights, fetal weights and fetal numbers in study and control groups. The level of serum sFlt-1 in rats with preeclampsia was also measured. Changes in the placenta microvessels were studied by histopathological staining. PAR-1 shRNA inhibited PAR-1 expression and

Exploring the nature of governance at the level of implementation for health system strengthening: the DIALHS experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Vera; Schaay, Nikki; Olckers, Patti; Nqana, Nomsa; Lehmann, Uta; Gilson, Lucy

2014-09-01

Health system governance has been recognized as a critical element of the health system strengthening agenda. To date, health governance research often focuses at national or global levels, adopting a macro-perspective that deals with governance structures, forms and principles. Little attention has been given to a micro-perspective which recognizes the role of health system actors in governance, or to considering the operational level of the health system. This article presents a South African case study of an intervention to address conflict in roles and responsibilities between multiple actors supporting service delivery at the local level, and explores the broader insights this experience generates about the nature of local health system governance. In an embedded case study, action learning and reflection theory were used to design and implement the intervention. Data in this article were drawn from minutes, observations and recorded reflections of the meetings and workshops that comprised the intervention. A theoretical governance framework was used both to understand the context of the intervention and to analyse the dimensions of governance relevant in the experience. The study shows how, through action learning and reflection, local managers in two organizations came to understand how the higher level misalignment of organizational structures and processes imposed governance constraints on them, and to see the impact this had on their organizational relationships. By re-framing the conflict as organizational, they were then able to create opportunities for staff to understand their context and participate in negotiating principles for communication and collaborative work. The result reduced conflict between staff in the two organizations, leading to improved implementation of programme support. Strengthening relationships among those working at local level by building collaborative norms and values is an important part of local health system governance for

[Governance in a project addressing care of disabled elderly persons within the regional healthcare system of Tuscany, Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Pedace, Claudio; Rosa, Antonella; Francesconi, Paolo; Acampora, Anna; Ricciardi, Walter; Damiani, Gianfranco

2017-01-01

Population aging and the concurrent increase of age-related chronic degenerative diseases and disability are associated with an increased proportion of elderly persons who are dependent in activities of daily living (ADL). ADL-dependent persons need continuous and long-term health and social care according to the "taking charge" rationale, in order to warrant access and continuity of care. A healthcare system needs to respond to the long-term and complex needs, such as those of disabled elderly people, by providing appropriate health and social care services in Primary Care. A Primary Health Care system is organized according to two governance levels have distinct aims but are closely inter-dependent in their operational mechanisms. The system governance is accountable for the community and individual health protection while the delivery governance is accountable for the provision of services in accordance with appropriateness, safety and economic criteria. Delivery governance can be considered "integrated governance" as a synergy exists between two decision-making systems guiding provider choices, which are corporate governance and clinical governance. The aim of this study was to analyse the abovementioned governance levels within the healthcare system in Tuscany (Italy) referring to long-term residential care for disabled elderly people. The case of excessive accesses to emergency departments from different types of Nursing Homes (NH) is used as an example to analyse different levels of responsibility involved in the management of a critical phenomenon. Suggestions for improvement in the different levels of governance for disabled elderly people are provided, in order to support institutional programming activities.

PAR-2 expression in the gingival crevicular fluid reflects chronic periodontitis severity

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Henrique FUKUSHIMA

Full Text Available Abstract Recent studies investigating protease-activated receptor type 2 (PAR-2 suggest an association between the receptor and periodontal inflammation. It is known that gingipain, a bacterial protease secreted by the important periodontopathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis can activate PAR-2. Previous studies by our group found that PAR-2 is overexpressed in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF of patients with moderate chronic periodontitis (MP. The present study aimed at evaluating whether PAR-2 expression is associated with chronic periodontitis severity. GCF samples and clinical parameters, including plaque and bleeding on probing indices, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level, were collected from the control group (n = 19 at baseline, and from MP patients (n = 19 and severe chronic periodontitis (SP (n = 19 patients before and 6 weeks after periodontal non-surgical treatment. PAR-2 and gingipain messenger RNA (mRNA in the GCF of 4 periodontal sites per patient were evaluated by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR. PAR-2 and gingipain expressions were greater in periodontitis patients than in control group patients. In addition, the SP group presented increased PAR-2 and gingipain mRNA levels, compared with the MP group. Furthermore, periodontal treatment significantly reduced (p <0.05 PAR-2 expression in patients with periodontitis. In conclusion, PAR-2 is associated with chronic periodontitis severity and with gingipain levels in the periodontal pocket, thus suggesting that PAR-2 expression in the GCF reflects the severity of destruction during periodontal infection.

Study of elementary mechanisms of creep in uranium as a function of temperature (150 deg. to 760 deg. C) by activation energy measurements; Etude des mecanismes elementaires de deformation par fluage de l'uranium en fonction de la temperature (de 150 deg. a 760 deg. C) par la mesure des energies d'activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grenier, P [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1967-07-01

determination de l'energie d'activation pour le fluage et l'etude de ses variations en fonction de la temperature ont permis de definir differents domaines de temperature pour lesquels un ou plusieurs mecanismes elementaires controlent la deformation. Les observations micrographiques effectuees directement apres fluage et l'etude des variations de la vitesse de fluage en fonction de la charge appliquee confirment les hypotheses prononcees. Au-dessous de 325 deg. C, le comportement au fluage des monocristaux et des polycristaux est identique. De 325 deg. C a une limite superieure de temperature dependant de l'etat structural du metal et de son degre de purete, la deformation par fluage de l'uranium est controlee par un glissement devie. De ces limites de temperature a 520 deg. C, le fluage de l'uranium fait intervenir deux mecanismes simultanes et independants, le deplacement des dislocations-vis par un systeme de glissement devie et la montee d'une partie des dislocations-coins hors de leur plan de glissement. Au-dessus de 520 deg. C jusqu'au haut de la phase {alpha}, le fluage des polycristaux est controle par la montee des dislocations-coins hors de leur plan de glissement, suivant un mecanisme d'empilement dans le cas du fluage primaire et d'annihilation de dipoles dans le cas du fluage secondaire. Pour les monocristaux, le fluage depend de la montee des dislocations-coins dans les sous-joints preexistant au fluage et de leur rearrangement ulterieur au sein de ces sous-joints. En phase {beta}, le fluage des polycristaux est controle par la montee des dislocations-coins par diffusion. Entre 450 et 630 deg. C, l'addition de faibles teneurs de molybdene a l'uranium modifie les caracteristiques du fluage, tout en conservant des mecanismes de deformation analogue a ceux de l'uranium non allie. (auteur)

Structures of actin-like ParM filaments show architecture of plasmid-segregating spindles.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharat, Tanmay A M; Murshudov, Garib N; Sachse, Carsten; Löwe, Jan

2015-07-02

Active segregation of Escherichia coli low-copy-number plasmid R1 involves formation of a bipolar spindle made of left-handed double-helical actin-like ParM filaments. ParR links the filaments with centromeric parC plasmid DNA, while facilitating the addition of subunits to ParM filaments. Growing ParMRC spindles push sister plasmids to the cell poles. Here, using modern electron cryomicroscopy methods, we investigate the structures and arrangements of ParM filaments in vitro and in cells, revealing at near-atomic resolution how subunits and filaments come together to produce the simplest known mitotic machinery. To understand the mechanism of dynamic instability, we determine structures of ParM filaments in different nucleotide states. The structure of filaments bound to the ATP analogue AMPPNP is determined at 4.3 Å resolution and refined. The ParM filament structure shows strong longitudinal interfaces and weaker lateral interactions. Also using electron cryomicroscopy, we reconstruct ParM doublets forming antiparallel spindles. Finally, with whole-cell electron cryotomography, we show that doublets are abundant in bacterial cells containing low-copy-number plasmids with the ParMRC locus, leading to an asynchronous model of R1 plasmid segregation.

Decentralizing Governance of Agropastoral Systems in Kyrgyzstan: An Assessment of Recent Pasture Reforms

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Jyldyz Shigaeva

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Agropastoral systems in Kyrgyzstan have undergone dramatic change in recent decades. In large part, change has resulted from the introduction of legislation that devolves authority and responsibility for the management of common-pool agropastoral resources to community-level pasture users associations. By applying Ostrom’s principles of common resource governance, this paper analyzes the institutions and norms that currently shape local management practices in rural areas of Naryn Province in Kyrgyzstan and the views of different actors on pasture governance, including points of disagreement. Our research and analysis reveal that the community-initiated and -owned systems of pasture governance that were expected to develop and mature under the new Pasture Law have not yet been entirely realized. Decentralization occurred without the participation or awareness of most local resource users. As a consequence, users are creating and reinforcing their own community-defined practices and internal rules, leaving official management plans largely ignored and unenforced. Resource users tend to perceive the government-sanctioned pasture users associations not as public or democratic organizations that represent their interests, but rather as agencies that aim primarily to control the use of resources, exclude some people from decision-making, or impose taxation. Sustainable management of pasturelands therefore may best be served when community perspectives are more suitably integrated—from the planning phase through to collaborative governance and implementation of locally agreed upon management options.

Could soluble urokinase plasminogen receptor (suPAR) be used as a diagnostic biomarker for ventilator-associated pneumonia?

Science.gov (United States)

Sunnetcioglu, Aysel; Sunnetcioglu, Mahmut; Adıyaman, Fırat; Binici, Irfan; Soyoral, Lokman

2017-11-01

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a biomarker that is increasingly used for evaluation of systemic inflammation. This study was performed to investigate whether suPAR may possess a diagnostic value in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). This clinical study was performed in the anesthesia intensive care units (ICUs) of our university. In addition to descriptive data, WBC, serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and suPAR prior to and after development of VAP were noted and compared in 31 patients (22 men, 9 women) diagnosed with VAP (Study Group) and 19 patients without VAP (Control Group) in ICU (14 men, 5 women). The suPAR (P = 0.023), CRP (P = 0.037), WBCs (P = 0.024) in patients with VAP were significantly higher than patients without VAP. There was no remarkable difference in terms of WBCs (P = 0.052) and suPAR levels (P = 0.616) between groups on the first day of connection to mechanical ventilator. The suPAR and CRP levels in patients with VAP were significantly higher than prior to development of VAP (P = 0.001 for both). Area under curve value after diagnosis of pneumonia was found 0.248 (P = 0.002). To conclude, our results suggest that suPAR can be a useful diagnostic biomarker in patients with VAP. However, clinical trials on larger series are warranted to explore the clinical significance more accurately. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Par and IR reflectance, transmittance, and absorptance of four crop canopies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wanjura, D.F.; Hatfield, J.L.

1986-01-01

Reflectance, transmittance and absorptance of electromagnetic radiation by cotton, soybeans, grain sorghum, and sunflower was measured at three growth stages in two wavebands (PAR: 0.4 to 0.7 pun and IR: 0.7 to 1.1 yim). As leaf area increased in each crop there were increases in IR reflectance and PAR absorptance and decreases in PAR reflectance and both PAR and IR transmittance. IR radiation was concentrated at the soil surface between rows by reflectance from the sides of canopies when crop cover was less than 80%. Across all crops one parameter, leaf overlap index, explained 81 and 71% of the PAR reflectance and another, crop cover, explained 86 and 94% of IR reflectance from rows and interrows, respectively. Attenuation of PAR radiation through the canopies of cotton and sunflower was similar (K = 0.62 and 0.67) but different from that of soybeans and grain sorghum (K = 0.46 and 0.43) which were the same

Épidémiologie de l'intoxication par envenimation chez les enfants ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: L'intoxication par envenimation est l'ensemble des manifestations locales et générales induites par la pénétration dans l'organisme d'une substance toxique produite par un animal venimeux. Le but de notre travail était d'étudier les signes cliniques des intoxications par envenimation chez les enfants de 0 à 15 ...

Equações de chuvas intensas para o estado do Pará Intense rainfall equations for the state of Pará, Brazil

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Rodrigo O. R. de M. Souza

2012-09-01

Full Text Available As equações de chuvas intensas têm sido usadas como ferramenta importante para o dimensionamento de obras hidráulicas. Devido à grande carência de informações relativas às equações de chuvas intensas, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo a obtenção das relações de intensidade, duração e frequência de precipitação pluvial para o Estado do Pará, utilizando-se a metodologia da desagregação da chuva de 24 h. Foram utilizadas séries históricas de dados pluviométricos de 74 cidades do Estado do Pará, obtidas no Sistema de Informações Hidrológicas da Agência Nacional de Águas-ANA. As equações de intensidade-duração-frequência foram devidamente ajustadas e apresentaram bom ajuste, com coeficientes de determinação acima de 0,99. A maioria das estações (51,4% apresentou intensidade de precipitação entre 90 e 110 mm h-1, para uma duração de chuva de 30 min e um tempo de retorno de 15 anos. Pode-se perceber uma concentração das maiores precipitações na região próxima ao litoral do nordeste paraense e no sudeste da Ilha do Marajó.The intense rainfall equations have been used as an important tool for design of hydraulic structures. Considering the lack of intense rainfall equations, this study aimed to determine the relations of intensity, duration and frequency of intense rainfall in the Pará State (Brazil, using the one-day rain disaggregation method. In this research rainfall data of 74 cities in the State of Pará were used, obtained from the Hydrological Information System of the National Water Agency-ANA. The equations of intensity-duration-frequency were adjusted and presented good adjustment with coefficients of determination above 0.99. Most stations (51.4% showed intensity of precipitation between 90 and 110 mm h-1 for duration of 30 min and rainfall return period of 15 years. The highest rainfall intensities were in the region near the northeast coast of Pará State and southeast of the Marajo

PARs for combustible gas control in advanced light water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosler, J.; Sliter, G.

1997-01-01

This paper discusses the progress being made in the United States to introduce passive autocatalytic recombiner (PAR) technology as a cost-effective alternative to electric recombiners for controlling combustible gas produced in postulated accidents in both future Advanced Light Water Reactors (ALWRs) and certain U. S. operating nuclear plants. PARs catalytically recombine hydrogen and oxygen, gradually producing heat and water vapor. They have no moving parts and are self-starting and self-feeding, even under relatively cold and wet containment conditions. Buoyancy of the hot gases they create sets up natural convective flow that promotes mixing of combustible gases in a containment. In a non-inerted ALWR containment, two approaches each employing a combination of PARs and igniters are being considered to control hydrogen in design basis and severe accidents. In pre-inerted ALWRs, PARs alone control radiolytic oxygen produced in either accident type. The paper also discusses regulatory feedback regarding these combustible gas control approaches and describes a test program being conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Electricite de France (EdF) to supplement the existing PAR test database with performance data under conditions of interest to U.S. plants. Preliminary findings from the EPRI/EdF PAR model test program are included. Successful completion of this test program and confirmatory tests being sponsored by the U. S. NRC are expected to pave the way for use of PARs in ALWRs and operating plants. (author)

Good government and good governance: record keeping in a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article addresses the challenges that arise when record keeping systems are advocated as a necessary under-pinning for good government and good governance. The relationship between record keeping and accountability is analysed and contextualised in relation to transparency and Freedom of Information ...

Brulure par Plaque de Bistouri Electrique: a Propos de Quatre Cas

Science.gov (United States)

Khales, A.; Achbouk, A.; Belmir, R.; Cherkab, L.; Ennouhi, M.A.; Ababou, K.; Ihrai, H.

2010-01-01

Summary La brûlure par plaque de bistouri électrique est un accident rare mais grave par la profondeur de la lésion et par sa localisation, surtout quand qu’elle survient dans un contexte chirurgical dont le vécu reste difficile de la part du malade et du chirurgien. Cette brûlure bien que imprévisible reste grave par la profondeur et la localisation de la brûlure et par sa survenue dans un contexte opératoire, chez des patients malades. La prise en charge de la brûlure doit se faire en milieu spécialisé. La prévention reste le seul moyen d’éviter ce type d’accident. PMID:21991216

Nanomechanical recognition of prognostic biomarker suPAR with DVD-ROM optical technology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bache, Michael; Bosco, Filippo; Brøgger, Anna Line

2013-01-01

In this work the use of a high-throughput nanomechanical detection system based on a DVD-ROM optical drive and cantilever sensors is presented for the detection of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor inflammatory biomarker (uPAR). Several large scale studies have linked elevated levels...

Territorial Governance. A Comparative Research of Local Agro-Food Systems in Mexico

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Gerardo Torres-Salcido

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The article attempts to provide a theoretical discussion on territorial governance by presenting both the neo-institutionalist position and the De Sousa Santos’ alternative models, with a view of highlighting the dimensions that can be relevant to understanding the territorial dynamics of Local Agro-food Systems (LAFS. The paper aims to build up a system of indicators, structured in four dimensions, concerning the territorial governance of LAFS: (i multi-level coordination; (ii democratic participation and accountability; (iii cooperation among producers and other stakeholders and (iv relationships with the environment. We verify, as a hypothesis, that the typology of markets to which the identity-based products are directed plays a decisive role in the way that processes of territorial governance of LAFS are constructed. The results of an empirical research, developed in four LAFS in Mexico, are presented: prickly pear cactus in Morelos, blackberry in Michoacán, cuitlacoche (corn smut in Tlaxcala and coffee in Veracruz. Two types of territorial governance of LAFS may be distinguished: those that can be strengthened by the geographical and organisational proximity of the markets and the action of local stakeholders and governments—prickly pear cactus and cuitlacoche—versus those which are devoted to export and are conducted by large companies in which marketing networks involve certification mechanisms and a large number of institutions—coffee and blackberry.

Elusloom lennukiga puhkusele / Inge Parring

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Parring, Inge

2003-01-01

Ilmunud ka: Delovõje Vedomosti 1. okt. lk. 13. Air Cargo Estonia/ACE Logisticsi müügijuht Inge Parring tutvustab elusloomade transpordivõimalusi. Vt. samas: Loomade transportimiseks vajalikud dokumendid

suPAR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eugen-Olsen, Jesper; Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Evangelos J

2015-01-01

Investigation of biomarkers that can promptly predict unfavourable outcome of critically illness is an emerging necessity taking into consideration the need for early intervention, the shortage of available beds in intensive care units and the considerable cost of hospitalisation. The most...... promising biomarker is soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR). Three studies in large populations of critically ill patients and patients admitted to the emergency department have shown that concentrations >12ng/mL can safely predict unfavourable outcome. This review presents...

Urine suPAR levels compared with plasma suPAR levels as predictors of post-consultation mortality risk among individuals assumed to be TB-negative: a prospective cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rabna, Paulo; Andersen, Andreas; Wejse, Christian

2010-01-01

-suPAR was measured using a commercial ELISA (suPARnostic®). We found that U-suPAR carried significant prognostic information on mortality for HIV-infected subjects with an area under the ROC curve of 0.75. For HIV-negative individuals, little or no prognostic effect was observed. However, in both HIV positives...... and negatives, the predictive effect of U-suPAR was found to be inferior to that of P-suPAR....

Preliminary Analysis For Wolsong Par Effects Using ISACC Calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Yong Mann; Kim, Dong Ha

2012-01-01

In the paper, hydrogen control effects using PARs only are analyzed for severe SBO station blackout (SBO) sequences beyond the design basis accidents in WS-1 which are of CANDU6 type reactor. As a computational tool, the latest version of ISAAC4.3 (Integrated Severe Accident Analysis Code for CANDU), which is a fully integrated and lumped severe accident computer code, is used to simulate hydrogen generation and transport inside the reactor building (R/B) before its failure. For the performance of hydrogen removal, the depletion rate equation of K-PAR developed in Korea is applied. In a CANDU reactor, three areas are identified as sources of hydrogen under severe accidents: fuel-coolant interactions in intact channels, suspended fuel or debris interactions in-calandria tank and debris interactions in-calandria vault. The first two origins provide source for the late ('late' terminology is used because it takes more than one day before calandria tank failure) potential hydrogen combustion before calandria tank failure and all the three origins would provide source for the very late potential hydrogen combustion occurring at or after calaria tank failure. If the hydrogen mitigation system fails, the AICC (adiabatic isochoric complete combustion) burning of highly flammable hydrogen may cause Wolsong R/B failure. So hydrogen induced failure possibility is evaluated, using preliminary ISAAC calculations, under several SBO conditions with and without PAR for both late and very late accident periods

Brésil : La contamination par le mercure en Amazonie | CRDI ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

11 janv. 2011 ... En tentant de déceler la source de la contamination de l'Amazone par le ... par Jean-Rémy Davy Guimaraes de l'Université fédérale de Rio de Janeiro ... ces mattes est circonscrite par la conservation et la restauration en rive.

Collaborative Water Resource Management: What makes up a supportive governance system?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, C.L.; Vinke-de Kruijf, Joanne; Özerol, Gül; Bressers, Johannes T.A.

2016-01-01

Collaboration is increasingly seen as an important aspect of successful water management, and yet it remains insufficiently understood. This paper examines how collaboration is influenced by the governance system that guides and organizes the related actions and interactions. Building upon an

A Typology of Benefit Sharing Arrangements for the Governance of Social-Ecological Systems in Developing Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bimo Abraham. Nkhata

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This study explores and interprets relevant literature to construct a typology of benefit sharing arrangements for the governance of social-ecological systems in developing countries. The typology comprises three generic categories of benefit sharing arrangements: collaborative, market-oriented, and egalitarian. We contend that the three categories provide a useful basis for exploring and classifying the different societal arrangements required for governance of social-ecological systems. The typology we present is founded on a related set of explicit assumptions that can be used to explore and better understand the linkages among ecosystem services, benefit sharing, and governance. Issues that are strongly related to sustainability in developing countries form the core basis of our assumptions. Our aim is not to write a definitive exposition, but to spark debate and engage ongoing dialogue on governance and benefit sharing in the field of social-ecological systems.

The urokinase receptor (uPAR) and the uPAR-associated protein (uPARAP/Endo180)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Behrendt, Niels

2004-01-01

The breakdown of the barriers formed by extracellular matrix proteins is a pre-requisite for all processes of tissue remodeling. Matrix degradation reactions take part in specific physiological events in the healthy organism but also represent a crucial step in cancer invasion. These degradation...... on the surface of various cell types that serves to bind the urokinase plasminogen activator and localize the activation reactions in the proteolytic cascade system of plasminogen activation. uPARAP is an integral membrane protein with a pronounced role in the internalization of collagen for intracellular...... degradation. Both receptors have additional functions that are currently being unraveled. The present discussion of uPAR and uPARAP is centered on their protein structure and molecular and cellular function....

Electron microscope study of vacancy clusters produced by quenching in magnesium; Etude par microscopie electronique des amas de lacunes crees par trempe dans le magnesium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levy, V; Espinasse, J; Mairy, C; Hillairet, J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1969-07-01

Vacancy clustering in quenched magnesium has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. The nature of the vacancy loops observed, seems to depend essentially on the impurity content of the metal; this effect can be attributed to a variation of the stacking fault energy of magnesium due to impurities. (authors) [French] On a etudie par microscopie electronique en transmission les defauts crees par trempe dans le magnesium. Un effet considerable des impuretes du metal sur la nature des boucles obtenues par condensation de lacunes a ete mis en evidence; cet effet semble s'expliquer de facon satisfaisante par un abaissement de l'energie de faute d'empilement du magnesium du aux impuretes. (auteur)

A Experiência do Planejamento Regional em Bases Territoriais na Amazônia O Caso da Regionalização do Estado do Pará

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danielle Rodrigues Dias

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Regional integration is a historic challenge for the construction of an alternative model of development in state of Pará. The regions of Integration arise from the need to obtain a spatial clipping more consistent with the model of development proposed by the Government which took over the administration of the State, during the period from 2007-2010 and had the purpose of integrating the spaces, aimed at reducing regional inequalities. In this sense, the article proposes to contextualize the experience of regional planning in the state of Pará, from the use of instruments that were intended to promote development on territorial level. The twelve Regions of Integration arose from the selection of socioeconomic indicators of the Pará State in the northern region, which then were tiered, defining thus the municipalities that compose each region. The methodology is embodied in literature review and document analysis, in order to clarify the concept of regions, emphasizing integration strategies and instruments used, formulated with the objective of effective decentralization. Thus, present themselves as a result use of the territory for purposes of territorial planning, substantiated in the creation of centres and regional Centres; the establishment of the territorial planning through the development of Regional Sustainable development plans (PDRS; the attempt of adequacy of proposed regionalization through the Participative Territorial Planning and the inauguration of new Federal relationship, particularly, between the State Government and the municipalities. However, it was not possible to assess properly the main objective, combating regional inequalities.

MODIS-derived daily PAR simulation from cloud-free images and its validation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Liangfu; Gu, Xingfa; Tian, Guoliang [State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Jointly Sponsored by Institute of Remote Sensing Applications of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100101 (China); The Center for National Spaceborne Demonstration, Beijing 100101 (China); Gao, Yanhua [State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Jointly Sponsored by Institute of Remote Sensing Applications of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100101 (China); Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Yang, Lei [State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Jointly Sponsored by Institute of Remote Sensing Applications of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100101 (China); Jilin University, Changchun 130026 (China); Liu, Qinhuo [State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Jointly Sponsored by Institute of Remote Sensing Applications of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100101 (China)

2008-06-15

In this paper, a MODIS-derived daily PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) simulation model from cloud-free image over land surface has been developed based on Bird and Riordan's model. In this model, the total downwelling spectral surface irradiance is divided into two parts: one is beam irradiance, and another is diffuse irradiance. The attenuation of solar beam irradiance comprises scattering by the gas mixture, absorption by ozone, the gas mixture and water vapor, and scattering and absorption by aerosols. The diffuse irradiance is scattered out of the direct beam and towards the surface. The multiple ground-air interactions have been taken into account in the diffuse irradiance model. The parameters needed in this model are atmospheric water vapor content, aerosol optical thickness and spectral albedo ranging from 400 nm to 700 nm. They are all retrieved from MODIS data. Then, the instantaneous photosynthetically available radiation (IPAR) is integrated by using a weighted sum at each of the visible MODIS wavebands. Finally, a daily PAR is derived by integration of IPAR. In order to validate the MODIS-derived PAR model, we compared the field PAR measurements in 2003 and 2004 against the simulated PAR. The measurements were made at the Qianyanzhou ecological experimental station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network. A total of 54 days of cloud-free MODIS L1B level images were used for the PAR simulation. Our results show that the simulated PAR is consistent with field measurements, where the correlation coefficient of linear regression between calculated PAR and measured PAR is 0.93396. However, there were some uncertainties in the comparison of 1 km pixel PAR with the tower flux stand measurement. (author)

Governance in Southeast Asia: Issues and Options

OpenAIRE

Gonzalez, Eduardo T.; Mendoza, Magdalena L.

2003-01-01

This paper attempts to analyze governance systems in Southeast Asia and proposes some policy suggestions that can improve governance practices in the region. It also discusses the links between governance and official development assistance and the role of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. To put the discussion on governance systems in a proper context, the paper discusses the governance and growth nexus in Southeast Asia; describes the operating governance systems in Southeast As...

Analysis of clinical features and visual outcomes of pars planitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Berker, Nilufer; Sen, Emine; Elgin, Ufuk; Atilgan, Cemile Ucgul; Dursun, Erdem; Yilmazbas, Pelin

2018-04-01

To evaluate the demographic characteristics, clinical features, treatment and outcomes of patients with pars planitis in a tertiary referral center in Turkey. Medical records of patients with pars planitis were retrospectively reviewed. The data including demographic and ocular features and treatment outcomes were recorded. The distribution of clinical findings and complications were evaluated according to age and gender groups. The changes in final BCVA compared to the initial BCVA were noted. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (Version 18.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA). Twenty-seven patients (54 eyes) were included in this study. 16 patients were male (59.3%), and 11 were female (40.7%). Mean age at diagnosis was 12.84 ± 8.26 (range 4-36) years. Mean follow-up period was 61.3 ± 52.15 (range 9-172) months. Mean BCVA was 0.58 ± 0.36 (range 0.03-1.00) (0.40 ± 0.45 logMAR) at presentation, and 0.81 ± 0.28 (range 0.10-1.00) (0.14 ± 0.27 logMAR) at final visit (P = 0.001). Vitreous inflammation (100%), vitreous haze (92.6%), snowballs (74.1%), snowbanks (66.7%), anterior chamber cells (66.7%) and peripheral retinal vascular sheathing (48.1%) were the most common presentations. Ocular complications included vitreous condensation (51.9%), cystoid macular edema (22.2%), cataract (18.5%), inferior peripheral retinal detachment (11.1%), glaucoma (5.6%) and vitreous hemorrhage (3.7%). Treatments included topical, periocular, intravitreal and systemic corticosteroids, immunosuppressives, peripheral laser photocoagulation and pars plana vitrectomy when needed. Pars planitis is an idiopathic chronic intermediate uveitis mostly affecting children and adolescents. In spite of its chronic nature with high potential of causing ocular complications, adequate treatment and close follow-up lead to favorable visual outcomes.

PAR-2 expression in the gingival crevicular fluid reflects chronic periodontitis severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukushima, Henrique; Alves, Vanessa Tubero Euzebio; Carvalho, Verônica Franco de; Ambrósio, Lucas Macedo Batitucci; Eichler, Rosangela Aparecida Dos Santos; Carvalho, Maria Helena Catelli de; Saraiva, Luciana; Holzhausen, Marinella

2017-01-26

Recent studies investigating protease-activated receptor type 2 (PAR-2) suggest an association between the receptor and periodontal inflammation. It is known that gingipain, a bacterial protease secreted by the important periodontopathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis can activate PAR-2. Previous studies by our group found that PAR-2 is overexpressed in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with moderate chronic periodontitis (MP). The present study aimed at evaluating whether PAR-2 expression is associated with chronic periodontitis severity. GCF samples and clinical parameters, including plaque and bleeding on probing indices, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level, were collected from the control group (n = 19) at baseline, and from MP patients (n = 19) and severe chronic periodontitis (SP) (n = 19) patients before and 6 weeks after periodontal non-surgical treatment. PAR-2 and gingipain messenger RNA (mRNA) in the GCF of 4 periodontal sites per patient were evaluated by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). PAR-2 and gingipain expressions were greater in periodontitis patients than in control group patients. In addition, the SP group presented increased PAR-2 and gingipain mRNA levels, compared with the MP group. Furthermore, periodontal treatment significantly reduced (p periodontitis. In conclusion, PAR-2 is associated with chronic periodontitis severity and with gingipain levels in the periodontal pocket, thus suggesting that PAR-2 expression in the GCF reflects the severity of destruction during periodontal infection.

A cluster of aspartic residues in the extracellular loop II of PAR 4 is important for thrombin interaction and activation of platelets.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez Centellas, Daniel; Gudlur, Sushanth; Vicente-Carrillo, Alejandro; Ramström, Sofia; Lindahl, Tomas L

2017-06-01

Thrombin activates platelets via proteolytic cleavage of protease-activated receptors (PARs) 1 and 4. The two PARs have distinct but complementary roles. The mechanisms responsible for PAR1 activation by thrombin have been extensively studied. However, much less is known regarding thrombin activation of PAR4, especially the potential involvement of regions of PAR4 other than the N-terminal, which is bound to the catalytic site of thrombin. We have studied PAR4 in S. cerevisiae strain MMY12, an expression system in which the GPCR receptors are connected to a Lac Z reporter gene resulting in increased β-galactosidase activity. This approach was used to assess PAR4 mutants to evaluate the contribution of different aspartic residues in facilitating PAR4 activation. Furthermore, peptides mimicking parts of the PAR4 N-terminal and the second extracellular loop (ECLII) were tested for their ability to inhibit platelet activation by thrombin. Binding of these peptides to γ-thrombin was studied by monitoring the decrease in tryptophan fluorescence intensity of thrombin. We conclude that not only the N-terminal but also the electronegative aspartic residues D224, D230 and D235 (located in ECLII) are be important for PAR4 binding to thrombin. We further suggest that they play a role for the tethered ligand binding to the receptor, as mutations also affected activation in response to a PAR4-activating peptide mimicking the new N-terminal formed after cleavage. This agrees with previous results on PAR1 and thrombin binding. We suggest that the ECLII of PAR4 could be a potential target for antithrombotic drug development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Committee System for Competitive Bids in Local Government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P Bolton

2009-07-01

Full Text Available When a municipality contracts for goods or services, it must make use of competitive bidding / a public call for tenders for contracts over R200 000 as well as for long term contracts. A competitive bidding process generally consists of different stages, for example, compiling bid specifications, advertising the bid, the receipt and evaluation of bids, and the award and implementation of the contract. The Municipal Supply Chain Management Regulations require a municipality’s Supply Chain Management Policy to provide for a committee system to oversee the different stages. Such committee system must, moreover, consist of at least a bid specification committee, a bid evaluation committee and a bid adjudication committee. Until recently, little attention has been given by the courts to the roles and composition of the different committees in the committee system. It is only after government, and in particular, municipalities have begun to implement the committee system in their procurement processes that it is evident that problems are arising. In recent months, the courts have increasingly had to deal with issues pertaining to the implementation of the committee system.In this article, the relevant legislative provisions on the committee system for competitive bids in local government are discussed. The functions of each committee are explained and all the cases that have thus far involved the implementation of the committee system are critically analysed. Much attention is given to the cases since they serve as a warning to municipalities to uphold and comply with the rules relating to the roles and composition of the different committees. The cases illustrate how important it is for municipalities to ensure that the different committees are properly constituted and that decisions at meetings are properly taken. They also highlight the importance of the supervisory role of the municipal manager over the different committees. In light of the

Molecular mechanism of bundle formation by the bacterial actin ParM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Popp, David, E-mail: dpopp@imcb.a-star.edu.sg [ERATO ' Actin Filament Dynamics' Project, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, c/o RIKEN Harima Institute at Spring 8, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148 (Japan); Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, 138673 Singapore (Singapore); Narita, Akihiro [ERATO ' Actin Filament Dynamics' Project, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, c/o RIKEN Harima Institute at Spring 8, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148 (Japan); Nagoya University Graduate School of Science, Structural Biology Research Center and Division of Biological Sciences, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601 (Japan); Iwasa, Mitsusada [ERATO ' Actin Filament Dynamics' Project, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, c/o RIKEN Harima Institute at Spring 8, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148 (Japan); Maeda, Yuichiro [ERATO ' Actin Filament Dynamics' Project, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, c/o RIKEN Harima Institute at Spring 8, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148 (Japan); Nagoya University Graduate School of Science, Structural Biology Research Center and Division of Biological Sciences, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601 (Japan); Robinson, Robert C. [Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, 138673 Singapore (Singapore)

2010-01-22

The actin homolog ParM plays a microtubule-like role in segregating DNA prior to bacterial cell division. Fluorescence and cryo-electron microscopy have shown that ParM forms filament bundles between separating DNA plasmids in vivo. Given the lack of ParM bundling proteins it remains unknown how ParM bundles form at the molecular level. Here we show using time-lapse TIRF microscopy, under in vitro molecular crowding conditions, that ParM-bundle formation consists of two distinct phases. At the onset of polymerization bundle thickness and shape are determined in the form of nuclei of short helically disordered filaments arranged in a liquid-like lattice. These nuclei then undergo an elongation phase whereby they rapidly increase in length. At steady state, ParM bundles fuse into one single large aggregate. This behavior had been predicted by theory but has not been observed for any other cytomotive biopolymer, including F-actin. We employed electron micrographs of ParM rafts, which are 2-D analogs of 3-D bundles, to identify the main molecular interfilament contacts within these suprastructures. The interface between filaments is similar for both parallel and anti-parallel orientations and the distribution of filament polarity is random within a bundle. We suggest that the interfilament interactions are not due to the interactions of specific residues but rather to long-range, counter ion mediated, electrostatic attractive forces. A randomly oriented bundle ensures that the assembly is rigid and that DNA may be captured with equal efficiency at both ends of the bundle via the ParR binding protein.

Examining Agencies' Satisfaction with Electronic Record Management Systems in e-Government: A Large-Scale Survey Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Fang-Ming; Hu, Paul Jen-Hwa; Chen, Hsinchun; Hu, Han-Fen

While e-government is propelling and maturing steadily, advanced technological capabilities alone cannot guarantee agencies’ realizing the full benefits of the enabling computer-based systems. This study analyzes information systems in e-government settings by examining agencies’ satisfaction with an electronic record management system (ERMS). Specifically, we investigate key satisfaction determinants that include regulatory compliance, job relevance, and satisfaction with support services for using the ERMS. We test our model and the hypotheses in it, using a large-scale survey that involves a total of 1,652 government agencies in Taiwan. Our results show significant effects of regulatory compliance on job relevance and satisfaction with support services, which in turn determine government agencies’ satisfaction with an ERMS. Our data exhibit a reasonably good fit to our model, which can explain a significant portion of the variance in agencies’ satisfaction with an ERMS. Our findings have several important implications to research and practice, which are also discussed.

“Future Directions”: m-government computer systems accessed via cloud computing – advantages and possible implementations

OpenAIRE

Daniela LIŢAN

2015-01-01

In recent years, the activities of companies and Public Administration had been automated and adapted to the current information system. Therefore, in this paper, I will present and exemplify the benefits of m-government computer systems development and implementation (which can be accessed from mobile devices and which are specific to the workflow of Public Administrations) starting from the “experience” of e-government systems implementation in the context of their access and usage through ...

A framework for exploring integrated learning systems for the governance and management of public protected areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Nkhata, Bimo Abraham; Breen, Charles

2010-02-01

This article discusses how the concept of integrated learning systems provides a useful means of exploring the functional linkages between the governance and management of public protected areas. It presents a conceptual framework of an integrated learning system that explicitly incorporates learning processes in governance and management subsystems. The framework is premised on the assumption that an understanding of an integrated learning system is essential if we are to successfully promote learning across multiple scales as a fundamental component of adaptability in the governance and management of protected areas. The framework is used to illustrate real-world situations that reflect the nature and substance of the linkages between governance and management. Drawing on lessons from North America and Africa, the article demonstrates that the establishment and maintenance of an integrated learning system take place in a complex context which links elements of governance learning and management learning subsystems. The degree to which the two subsystems are coupled influences the performance of an integrated learning system and ultimately adaptability. Such performance is largely determined by how integrated learning processes allow for the systematic testing of societal assumptions (beliefs, values, and public interest) to enable society and protected area agencies to adapt and learn in the face of social and ecological change. It is argued that an integrated perspective provides a potentially useful framework for explaining and improving shared understanding around which the concept of adaptability is structured and implemented.

Par Pond vegetation status Summer 1995 -- October survey descriptive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mackey, H.E. Jr.; Riley, R.S.

1995-11-01

The water level of Par Pond was lowered approximately 20 feet in mid-1991 in order to protect downstream residents from possible dam failure suggested by subsidence on the downstream slope of the dam and to repair the dam. This lowering exposed both emergent and nonemergent macrophyte beds to drying conditions resulting in extensive losses. A survey of the emergent shoreline aquatic plant communities began in June 1995, three months after the refilling of Par Pond to approximately 200 feet above mean sea level and continued with this late October survey. Communities similar to the pre-drawdown Par Pond aquatic plant communities are becoming re-established; especially, beds of maiden cane, lotus, waterlily, and watershield are now extensive and well established. Cattail occurrence continues to increase, but large beds common to Par Pond prior to the drawdown have not formed. Future surveys throughout 1996 and 1997, along with the continued evaluation of satellite data to map the areal extent of the macrophyte beds of Par Pond, are planned

Par Pond vegetation status Summer 1995 -- September survey descriptive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mackey, H.E. Jr.; Riley, R.S.

1995-09-01

The water level of Par Pond was lowered approximately 20 feet in mid-1991 in order to protect downstream residents from possible dam failure suggested by subsidence on the downstream slope of the dam and to repair the dam. This lowering exposed both emergent and nonemergent macrophyte beds to drying conditions resulting in extensive losses. A survey of the emergent shoreline aquatic plant communities began in June 1995, three months after the refilling of Par Pond to approximately 200 feet above mean sea level and continued with this mid-September survey. Communities similar to the pre-drawdown Par Pond aquatic plant communities are becoming re-established; especially, beds of maidencane, lotus, waterlily, and watershield are now extensive and well established. Cattail occurrence continues to increase, but large beds common to Par Pond prior to the drawdown have not formed. Future surveys during the late growing seasons of 1995, and throughout 1996 and 1997, along with the evaluation of satellite data to map the areal extent of the macrophyte beds of Par Pond, are planned

Governance, Government, and the Search for New Provider Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard B. Saltman

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A central problem in designing effective models of provider governance in health systems has been to ensure an appropriate balance between the concerns of public sector and/or government decision-makers, on the one hand, and of non-governmental health services actors in civil society and private life, on the other. In tax-funded European health systems up to the 1980s, the state and other public sector decision-makers played a dominant role over health service provision, typically operating hospitals through national or regional governments on a command-and-control basis. In a number of countries, however, this state role has started to change, with governments first stepping out of direct service provision and now de facto pushed to focus more on steering provider organizations rather than on direct public management. In this new approach to provider governance, the state has pulled back into a regulatory role that introduces market-like incentives and management structures, which then apply to both public and private sector providers alike. This article examines some of the main operational complexities in implementing this new governance reality/strategy, specifically from a service provision (as opposed to mostly a financing or even regulatory perspective. After briefly reviewing some of the key theoretical dilemmas, the paper presents two case studies where this new approach was put into practice: primary care in Sweden and hospitals in Spain. The article concludes that good governance today needs to reflect practical operational realities if it is to have the desired effect on health sector reform outcome.

Governance, Government, and the Search for New Provider Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Saltman, Richard B; Duran, Antonio

2015-11-03

A central problem in designing effective models of provider governance in health systems has been to ensure an appropriate balance between the concerns of public sector and/or government decision-makers, on the one hand, and of non-governmental health services actors in civil society and private life, on the other. In tax-funded European health systems up to the 1980s, the state and other public sector decision-makers played a dominant role over health service provision, typically operating hospitals through national or regional governments on a command-and-control basis. In a number of countries, however, this state role has started to change, with governments first stepping out of direct service provision and now de facto pushed to focus more on steering provider organizations rather than on direct public management. In this new approach to provider governance, the state has pulled back into a regulatory role that introduces market-like incentives and management structures, which then apply to both public and private sector providers alike. This article examines some of the main operational complexities in implementing this new governance reality/strategy, specifically from a service provision (as opposed to mostly a financing or even regulatory) perspective. After briefly reviewing some of the key theoretical dilemmas, the paper presents two case studies where this new approach was put into practice: primary care in Sweden and hospitals in Spain. The article concludes that good governance today needs to reflect practical operational realities if it is to have the desired effect on health sector reform outcome. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Improved Satellite-based Photosysnthetically Active Radiation (PAR) for Air Quality Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Pour Biazar, A.; McNider, R. T.; Cohan, D. S.; White, A.; Zhang, R.; Dornblaser, B.; Doty, K.; Wu, Y.; Estes, M. J.

2015-12-01

One of the challenges in understanding the air quality over forested regions has been the uncertainties in estimating the biogenic hydrocarbon emissions. Biogenic volatile organic compounds, BVOCs, play a critical role in atmospheric chemistry, particularly in ozone and particulate matter (PM) formation. In southeastern United States, BVOCs (mostly as isoprene) are the dominant summertime source of reactive hydrocarbon. Despite significant efforts in improving BVOC estimates, the errors in emission inventories remain a concern. Since BVOC emissions are particularly sensitive to the available photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), model errors in PAR result in large errors in emission estimates. Thus, utilization of satellite observations to estimate PAR can help in reducing emission uncertainties. Satellite-based PAR estimates rely on the technique used to derive insolation from satellite visible brightness measurements. In this study we evaluate several insolation products against surface pyranometer observations and offer a bias correction to generate a more accurate PAR product. The improved PAR product is then used in biogenic emission estimates. The improved biogenic emission estimates are compared to the emission inventories over Texas and used in air quality simulation over the period of August-September 2013 (NASA's Discover-AQ field campaign). A series of sensitivity simulations will be performed and evaluated against Discover-AQ observations to test the impact of satellite-derived PAR on air quality simulations.

[Public health stewardship and governance regarding the Colombian healthcare system, 2012-2013].

Science.gov (United States)

Roth-Deubel, André N; Molina-Marín, Gloria

2013-01-01

Analysing decision-making concerning public health issues regarding the Colombian healthcare system from a market economy-based approach. This study involved applying Glaser and Strauss's grounded theory in six Colombian cities during 2012: Bogotá, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Leticia, Medellin and Pasto. 120 individual interviews were conducted with professionals involved in decision-making, running public healthcare programmes and making policy within public and private institutions. Fourteen focus groups were held with community organisation leaders. The findings suggested national and municipal health authorities' weak stewardship and ineffective governance regarding public healthcare policy and programmes, related to a lack of staff trained in public health management issues. In turn, this was related to political parties' interference and private insurers' particular interests and the structural fragmentation of functions and actors within the health system, thereby limiting public health development. A new axiology is necessary for achieving effective governance (I.e. cooperation between Colombian Healthcare Social Security System actors) to overcome current incompetence and financial self-interest predominating within the Colombian healthcare system.

Linear study and bundle adjustment data fusion; Application to vision localization; Recherche lineaire et fusion de donnees par ajustement de faisceaux; Application a la localisation par vision

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michot, J.

2010-12-09

integrate this additional information directly into an extended bundle adjustment, by adding a constraint term in the weighted cost function. We evaluate three methods (based on machine learning or regularization) that dynamically select the weight associated to the constraint and show that these methods can be used in a real time multi-sensor SLAM, and validate them with different types of constraint on the orientation or on the scale. Experiments conducted on real video sequences show that this technique of constrained bundle adjustment reduces the drifts observed with the classical vision algorithms and improves the global accuracy of the positioning system. (author) [French] Les travaux presentes dans ce manuscrit concernent le domaine de la localisation et la reconstruction 3D par vision artificielle. Dans ce contexte, la trajectoire d'une camera et la structure 3D de la scene filmee sont initialement estimees par des algorithmes lineaires puis optimisees par un algorithme non-lineaire, l'ajustement de faisceaux. Cette these presente tout d'abord une technique de recherche de l'amplitude de deplacement (recherche lineaire), ou line search pour les algorithmes de minimisation iterative. La technique proposee est non iterative et peut etre rapidement implantee dans un ajustement de faisceaux traditionnel. Cette technique appelee recherche lineaire algebrique globale (G-ALS), ainsi que sa variante a deux dimensions (Two way-ALS), accelerent la convergence de l'algorithme d'ajustement de faisceaux. L'approximation de l'erreur de reprojection par une distance algebrique rend possible le calcul analytique d'une amplitude de deplacement efficace (ou de deux pour la variante Two way-ALS), par la resolution d'un polynome de degre 3 (G-ALS) ou 5 (Two way-ALS). Nos experimentations sur des donnees simulees et reelles montrent que cette amplitude, optimale en distance algebrique, est performante en distance euclidienne, et permet

SAFARI 2000 PAR Measurements, Kalahari Transect, Botswana, Wet Season 2000

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Ceptometer data from a Decagon AccuPAR (Model PAR-80) were collected at four sites in Botswana during the SAFARI 2000 Kalahari Transect Wet Season Campaign (March,...

Lumbar lordosis and pars interarticularis fractures: a case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bugg, William G.; Lewis, Mark; Juette, Arne; Cahir, John G.; Toms, Andoni P.

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between lumbar lordosis and pars interarticularis fractures. In this retrospective case-control study we compare the angle of lumbar lordosis and the angle of the S1 vertebral endplate (as a measure of pelvic tilt) in patients with bilateral L5 pars interarticularis fractures with age- and sex-matched control cases with normal MRI examinations of the lumbar spine. Twenty-nine cases of bilateral L5 pars interarticularis fractures with matched control-cases were identified on MRI (16 male, 13 female, age 9-63 years). The angle of lordosis was measured between the inferior L4 and superior S1 vertebral endplates on a standing lateral lumbar spine radiograph for both groups. The mean angle of lordosis about the L5 vertebra was 36.9 (SD = 6.5 ) in the pars interarticularis fracture group, and 30.1 (SD = 6.4 ) in the control group. The difference between the two groups was significant (mean difference 6.8 , Student's t test: P < 0.001). The mean angle of sacral tilt measured was 122.2 (SD = 10.16 ) for controls and 136.4 (SD = 10.86 ) for patients with pars defects. The difference in the means of 14.2 was statistically significantly different (P < 0.0001). Sacral tilt represented by a steeply angled superior endplate of S1 is associated with a significantly increased angle of lordosis, between L4 and S1, and pars fractures at L5. Steep angulation of the first sacral vertebral segment maybe the predisposing biomechanical factor that leads to pincer-like impingement of the pars interarticularis and then spondylolysis. (orig.)

Lumbar lordosis and pars interarticularis fractures: a case-control study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bugg, William G; Lewis, Mark; Juette, Arne; Cahir, John G; Toms, Andoni P [Cotman Centre, Norwich Radiology Academy, Norwich, Norfolk (United Kingdom)

2012-07-15

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between lumbar lordosis and pars interarticularis fractures. In this retrospective case-control study we compare the angle of lumbar lordosis and the angle of the S1 vertebral endplate (as a measure of pelvic tilt) in patients with bilateral L5 pars interarticularis fractures with age- and sex-matched control cases with normal MRI examinations of the lumbar spine. Twenty-nine cases of bilateral L5 pars interarticularis fractures with matched control-cases were identified on MRI (16 male, 13 female, age 9-63 years). The angle of lordosis was measured between the inferior L4 and superior S1 vertebral endplates on a standing lateral lumbar spine radiograph for both groups. The mean angle of lordosis about the L5 vertebra was 36.9 (SD = 6.5 ) in the pars interarticularis fracture group, and 30.1 (SD = 6.4 ) in the control group. The difference between the two groups was significant (mean difference 6.8 , Student's t test: P < 0.001). The mean angle of sacral tilt measured was 122.2 (SD = 10.16 ) for controls and 136.4 (SD = 10.86 ) for patients with pars defects. The difference in the means of 14.2 was statistically significantly different (P < 0.0001). Sacral tilt represented by a steeply angled superior endplate of S1 is associated with a significantly increased angle of lordosis, between L4 and S1, and pars fractures at L5. Steep angulation of the first sacral vertebral segment maybe the predisposing biomechanical factor that leads to pincer-like impingement of the pars interarticularis and then spondylolysis. (orig.)

Lumbar lordosis and pars interarticularis fractures: a case-control study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bugg, William G.; Lewis, Mark; Juette, Arne; Cahir, John G.; Toms, Andoni P. [Cotman Centre, Norwich Radiology Academy, Norwich, Norfolk (United Kingdom)

2012-07-15

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between lumbar lordosis and pars interarticularis fractures. In this retrospective case-control study we compare the angle of lumbar lordosis and the angle of the S1 vertebral endplate (as a measure of pelvic tilt) in patients with bilateral L5 pars interarticularis fractures with age- and sex-matched control cases with normal MRI examinations of the lumbar spine. Twenty-nine cases of bilateral L5 pars interarticularis fractures with matched control-cases were identified on MRI (16 male, 13 female, age 9-63 years). The angle of lordosis was measured between the inferior L4 and superior S1 vertebral endplates on a standing lateral lumbar spine radiograph for both groups. The mean angle of lordosis about the L5 vertebra was 36.9 (SD = 6.5 ) in the pars interarticularis fracture group, and 30.1 (SD = 6.4 ) in the control group. The difference between the two groups was significant (mean difference 6.8 , Student's t test: P < 0.001). The mean angle of sacral tilt measured was 122.2 (SD = 10.16 ) for controls and 136.4 (SD = 10.86 ) for patients with pars defects. The difference in the means of 14.2 was statistically significantly different (P < 0.0001). Sacral tilt represented by a steeply angled superior endplate of S1 is associated with a significantly increased angle of lordosis, between L4 and S1, and pars fractures at L5. Steep angulation of the first sacral vertebral segment maybe the predisposing biomechanical factor that leads to pincer-like impingement of the pars interarticularis and then spondylolysis. (orig.)

Near real-time monitoring systems for adaptive management and improved forest governance

Science.gov (United States)

Musinsky, J.; Tabor, K.; Cano, A.

2012-12-01

The destruction and degradation of the world's forests from deforestation, illegal logging and fire has wide-ranging environmental and economic impacts, including biodiversity loss, the degradation of ecosystem services and the emission of greenhouse gases. In an effort to strengthen local capacity to respond to these threats, Conservation International has developed a suite of near real-time satellite monitoring systems generating daily alerts, maps and reports of forest fire, fire risk, deforestation and degradation that are used by national and sub-national government agencies, NGO's, scientists, communities, and the media to respond to and report on threats to forest resources. Currently, the systems support more than 1000 subscribers from 45 countries, focusing on Madagascar, Indonesia, Bolivia and Peru. This presentation will explore the types of innovative applications users have found for these data, challenges they've encountered in data acquisition and accuracy, and feedback they've given on the usefulness of these systems for REDD+ implementation, protected areas management and improved forest governance.;

International Experience in Reforming the System of Higher Education Governance in terms of Increasing the University Autonomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chmutova Iryna M.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to summarize the international experience of reforming the system of higher education governance and develop directions that will contribute to increasing the effectiveness of the Ukrainian model for governance of higher education and ensuring its autonomy. There identified common elements and trends in European higher education reforms: greater autonomy for higher education institutions with less direct administrative intervention; greater emphasis on private rather than public funding; emphasis on the quality and effectiveness of education. The tools for implementing reforms in the European higher education system are identified: the New Public Management (NPM model, governance through networks, and new forms of governance. The changes in the university autonomy of European countries for the period of 2010-2016 are summarized. The content of the reforms in terms of increasing the autonomy of HEIs in the countries of Asia is disclosed. Possible vectors for reforming the system of higher education governance in Ukraine are identified: introduction of a model for funding HEIs on the basis of combining a one-time full budgeting and financing by results; assigning universities ownership of their buildings and their sale in the market; strengthening the decentralization of government control of higher education; development of legislative bases for the self-sufficiency of HEIs; inclusion of external stakeholders in decision-making governing bodies of HEIs; maximum involvement of students in decision-making.

Challenges in developing e-government for good governance in North Sumatra

Science.gov (United States)

Siahaan, AY

2017-01-01

E-government as one form of public administration reform in Indonesia is increasingly related to the pursuance of good governance. This paper examines the relationship between of e-government and good governance by utilizing the case study design on the implementation of e-procurement in North Sumatra. It reveals centrality of local politics and business culture in understanding resistances of both local government officials and local business which creates loopholes’ for the practice of ‘bad governance’ in all phases of e-procurement in North Sumatra province. Data transparency does not equate and guarantee the realization of good governance. Public knowledge and understanding on government decision making processes and accountability (process and policy transparency) are central to achieve good governance through e-procurement. E-procurement system does not automatically change organizational and working culture of the implementers and suppliers. This paper provides insight to the attitude and the perception of private sector engage in e-procurement towards government in implementing e-government. Resistance, digital divide and local politics interrelatedly obstruct the realization of pursuing good governance through e-procurement.

Interoperability, Enterprise Architectures, and IT Governance in Government

OpenAIRE

Scholl , Hans ,; Kubicek , Herbert; Cimander , Ralf

2011-01-01

Part 4: Architecture, Security and Interoperability; International audience; Government represents a unique, and also uniquely complex, environment for interoperation of information systems as well as for integration of workflows and processes across governmental levels and branches. While private-sector organizations by and large have the capacity to implement “enterprise architectures” in a relatively straightforward fashion, for notable reasons governments do not enjoy such luxury. For thi...

ParTIES: a toolbox for Paramecium interspersed DNA elimination studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Denby Wilkes, Cyril; Arnaiz, Olivier; Sperling, Linda

2016-02-15

Developmental DNA elimination occurs in a wide variety of multicellular organisms, but ciliates are the only single-celled eukaryotes in which this phenomenon has been reported. Despite considerable interest in ciliates as models for DNA elimination, no standard methods for identification and characterization of the eliminated sequences are currently available. We present the Paramecium Toolbox for Interspersed DNA Elimination Studies (ParTIES), designed for Paramecium species, that (i) identifies eliminated sequences, (ii) measures their presence in a sequencing sample and (iii) detects rare elimination polymorphisms. ParTIES is multi-threaded Perl software available at https://github.com/oarnaiz/ParTIES. ParTIES is distributed under the GNU General Public Licence v3. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nonlinear modeling and stability analysis of hydro-turbine governing system with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel under load disturbance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Wencheng; Yang, Jiandong; Wang, Mingjiang; Lai, Xu

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Novel nonlinear mathematical model of hydro-turbine governing system is proposed. • Hopf bifurcation analysis on the governing system is conducted. • Stability of the system under load disturbance is studied. • Influence of four factors on stability is analyzed. • Optimization methods of improving system stability are put forward. - Abstract: In order to overcome the problem of nonlinear dynamics of hydro-turbine governing system with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel, which is caused by the interface movement of the free surface-pressurized flow in the tailrace tunnel, and the difficulty of analyzing the stability of system, this paper uses the Hopf bifurcation theory to study the stability of hydro-turbine governing system of hydropower station with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel. Firstly, a novel and rational nonlinear mathematical model of the hydro-turbine governing system is proposed. This model contains the dynamic equation of pipeline system which can accurately describe the motion characteristics of the interface of free surface-pressurized flow in sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel. According to the nonlinear mathematical model, the existence and direction of Hopf bifurcation of the nonlinear dynamic system are analyzed. Furthermore, the algebraic criterion of the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation is derived. Then the stability domain and bifurcation diagram of hydro-turbine governing system are drawn by the algebraic criterion, and the characteristics of stability under different state parameters are investigated. Finally, the influence of step load value, ceiling slope angle and section form of tailrace tunnel and water depth at the interface in tailrace tunnel on stability are analyzed based on stable domain. The results indicate that: The Hopf bifurcation of hydro-turbine governing system with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel is supercritical. The phase space trajectories of characteristic variables stabilize at the equilibrium points

Governance, Sustainability and Decision Making in Water and Sanitation Management Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martín Alejandro Iribarnegaray

2012-11-01

Full Text Available We explore the connections between the concepts of governance and sustainability and discuss their possible roles in water and sanitation management systems (WSMS. We see governance as a decision-making process that drives the relationship between social institutions and the public affairs of a given society. We understand sustainability as a combination of spatial, temporal, and personal aspects, and we argue that this definition is more comprehensive than the traditional triple bottom line of economy, environment, and society. We combined these two concepts into a new conceptual framework of “governance for sustainability” that is theoretically sound and arguably appropriate to understand local WSMS. To illustrate this framework, we developed and estimated a Sustainable Water Governance Index (SWGI for the city of Salta, Argentina. This aggregated index was calculated with data from literature, information from the city’s water company and other local institutions, field visits, and interviews. The SWGI for Salta obtained an overall score of 49 on a 0–100 scale, which fell into the “danger” range. We discuss the advantages and limitations of the method and conclude that aggregated indices such as the SWGI, complemented with contextual information, can be a helpful decision-making tool to promote more sustainable WSMS.

Effect of simvastatin and ezetimibe on suPAR levels and outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hodges, Gethin W; Bang, Casper N; Forman, Julie L

2018-01-01

-lowering therapy also lowers suPAR levels is unknown. METHODS: We investigated whether treatment with Simvastatin 40 mg and Ezetimibe 10 mg lowered plasma suPAR levels in 1838 patients with mild-moderate, asymptomatic aortic stenosis, included in the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) study, using...... and Ezetimibe treatment impeded the progression of the time-related increase in plasma suPAR levels. Year-1 suPAR was associated with all-cause mortality, MCE, and AVE irrespective of baseline levels (SEAS study: NCT00092677)....... cardiovascular events (MCE) composed of ischemic cardiovascular events (ICE) and aortic valve related events (AVE). RESULTS: After 4.3 years of follow-up, suPAR levels had increased by 9.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.0%-11.5%) in the placebo group, but only by 4.1% (1.9%-6.2%) in the group with lipid...

A new corporate governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion Bucur

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The issue of corporate governance has become increasingly important as globalisation has begun to accelerate and the economic and financial turmoil have intensified. Post-crisis context has imposed the need to expand the prospects for analysis over governance and companies, as well as the need to identify new ways of administration and resource management. From this perspective, the author aims to highlight the conditions, factors and events that have generated profound changes within the business environment, while the analysis is focusing on contemporary changes in the systems of corporate governance and economic mutations, especially in terms of the companies. The establishment of new governance rules is demanding a theoretical approach based on new methodological requirements which are needed to reform theoretical foundations and to promote creative and effective shapes and governance systems.

Government regulation and associated innovations in building energy-efficiency supervisory systems for large-scale public buildings in a market economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai Xuezhi; Wu Yong; Di Yanqiang; Li Qiaoyan

2009-01-01

The supervision of energy efficiency in government office buildings and large-scale public buildings is the main embodiment for government implementation of Public Administration in the fields of resource saving and environmental protection. Aimed at improving the current situation of lack of government administration in building energy efficiency, this paper proposes the concept of 'change and redesign of governmental supervision in building energy efficiency', repositioning the role of government supervision. Based on this theory and other related theories in regulation economic and modern management, this paper analyzes and researches the action and function of all level governments in execution of the supervisory system of building energy efficiency in government office buildings and large-scale public buildings. This paper also defines the importance of government supervision in energy-efficiency system. Finally, this paper analyzes and researches the interaction mechanism between government and owners of different type buildings, government and energy-efficiency service institution with gambling as main features. This paper also presents some measurements to achieve a common benefit community in implementation of building energy-efficiency supervisory system.

Government regulation and associated innovations in building energy-efficiency supervisory systems for large-scale public buildings in a market economy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai Xuezhi [China Academy of Building Research, Beijing 100013 (China)], E-mail: daixz9999@126.com; Wu Yong [Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People' s Republic of China, Beijing 100835 (China); Di Yanqiang [China Academy of Building Research, Beijing 100013 (China); Li Qiaoyan [Department of Building, School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore (Singapore)

2009-06-15

The supervision of energy efficiency in government office buildings and large-scale public buildings is the main embodiment for government implementation of Public Administration in the fields of resource saving and environmental protection. Aimed at improving the current situation of lack of government administration in building energy efficiency, this paper proposes the concept of 'change and redesign of governmental supervision in building energy efficiency', repositioning the role of government supervision. Based on this theory and other related theories in regulation economic and modern management, this paper analyzes and researches the action and function of all level governments in execution of the supervisory system of building energy efficiency in government office buildings and large-scale public buildings. This paper also defines the importance of government supervision in energy-efficiency system. Finally, this paper analyzes and researches the interaction mechanism between government and owners of different type buildings, government and energy-efficiency service institution with gambling as main features. This paper also presents some measurements to achieve a common benefit community in implementation of building energy-efficiency supervisory system.

Government regulation and associated innovations in building energy-efficiency supervisory systems for large-scale public buildings in a market economy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Xuezhi; Di, Yanqiang [China Academy of Building Research, Beijing 100013 (China); Wu, Yong [Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People' s Republic of China, Beijing 100835 (China); Li, Qiaoyan [Department of Building, School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore (Singapore)

2009-06-15

The supervision of energy efficiency in government office buildings and large-scale public buildings is the main embodiment for government implementation of Public Administration in the fields of resource saving and environmental protection. Aimed at improving the current situation of lack of government administration in building energy efficiency, this paper proposes the concept of 'change and redesign of governmental supervision in building energy efficiency', repositioning the role of government supervision. Based on this theory and other related theories in regulation economic and modern management, this paper analyzes and researches the action and function of all level governments in execution of the supervisory system of building energy efficiency in government office buildings and large-scale public buildings. This paper also defines the importance of government supervision in energy-efficiency system. Finally, this paper analyzes and researches the interaction mechanism between government and owners of different type buildings, government and energy-efficiency service institution with gambling as main features. This paper also presents some measurements to achieve a common benefit community in implementation of building energy-efficiency supervisory system. (author)

Efficacy and safety of the pars plana clip in the Ahmed valve device inserted via the pars plana in patients with refractory glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Diaz-Llopis

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Manuel Diaz-Llopis1,2,3, David Salom1,3, Salvador García-Delpech1,2,3, Patricia Udaondo1,3, Jose Maria Millan3,5, J Fernando Arevalo61Department of Ophthalmology, La Fe University Hospital of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; 2Department of Ophthalmology of the Valencia University, Valencia, Spain; 3Biomedical Network Research Centre on Rare Diseases (CIBERER, Valencia, Spain; 4Catholic University San Vicente Martir, Valencia, Spain; 5Department of Genetics, La Fe University Hospital of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; 6Clinica Oftalmologica Centro Caracas, Retina and VItreous Service, Caracas, DC, VenezuelaPurpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the pars plana clip (PPC in the Ahmed valve tube inserted via the pars plana in patients with secondary refractory glaucomas.Methods: Prospective and interventional case series that included 10 patients with secondary refractory glaucoma. The pars plana vitrectomy and the implant of the modified tube were performed during the same surgery. Control of intraocular pressure (IOP and the development of intra- and postoperative complications were evaluated during the follow-up.Results: Follow-up time was twelve months in all the patients. Control of IOP was achieved in 90% of patients, and 70% needed no antiglaucoma treatment. The complications that occurred were transient hypotony in three cases, choroidal detachment in two cases, and one case of intraocular hemorrhage. No case of tube extrusion or tube kink was observed.Conclusions: Our data suggests that implantation of the Ahmed tube modified with the PPC via the pars plana is safe and effective in patients with secondary refractory glaucomas. Keywords: pars plana clip, Ahmed valve, refractory glaucoma, pars plana vitrectomy

Evaluation and Decentralised Governance: Examples of Inspections in Polycentric Education Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Ehren, M. C. M.; Janssens, F. J. G.; Brown, M.; McNamara, G.; O'Hara, J.; Shevlin, P.

2017-01-01

Across Europe schools and other service providers increasingly operate in networks to provide inclusive education or develop and implement more localized school-to-school improvement models. As some education systems move towards more decentralized decision-making where multiple actors have an active role in steering and governing schools, the…

Effects of solar PAR and UV radiation on tropical biofouling communities

KAUST Repository

Dobretsov, SV

2010-03-08

We investigated the effect of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on the development of tropical micro- and macrofouling communities for 30 d. The experimental design involved 3 treatments: full spectrum (PAR+UVR), PAR only, and minimal light (reduced PAR and UVR). Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis demonstrated that different light conditions resulted in the formation of highly different microbial communities. The lowest densities of bacteria were found under the full spectrum treatment, while the lowest densities of diatoms were found in the minimal light treatment. Macrofouling communities consisted of 13 species and differed among light treatments. In the presence of UVR, communities had low species diversity, evenness, and richness, while in minimal light and PAR treatments, communities had high species diversity, evenness, and richness. Similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis revealed that the tubeworm Hydroides elegans, the alga Ulva (Enteromorpha) sp., and the bivalve Perna viridis were the species responsible for most of the dissimilarities in macrofouling communities among treatments. While densities of H. elegans were similar in the PAR and minimal light treatments, this polychaete had higher growth rates under minimal light conditions. We conclude that UVR and PAR directly control the development of shallow micro- and macrofouling communities by inhibiting the recruitment and growth of sensitive species and promoting the growth of resistant species, but also that these forms of solar radiation influence the surface cues available to competent larvae by altering the development of the microbial community.

Paternal age related schizophrenia (PARS): Latent subgroups detected by k-means clustering analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyejoo; Malaspina, Dolores; Ahn, Hongshik; Perrin, Mary; Opler, Mark G; Kleinhaus, Karine; Harlap, Susan; Goetz, Raymond; Antonius, Daniel

2011-05-01

Paternal age related schizophrenia (PARS) has been proposed as a subgroup of schizophrenia with distinct etiology, pathophysiology and symptoms. This study uses a k-means clustering analysis approach to generate hypotheses about differences between PARS and other cases of schizophrenia. We studied PARS (operationally defined as not having any family history of schizophrenia among first and second-degree relatives and fathers' age at birth ≥ 35 years) in a series of schizophrenia cases recruited from a research unit. Data were available on demographic variables, symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; PANSS), cognitive tests (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised; WAIS-R) and olfaction (University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test; UPSIT). We conducted a series of k-means clustering analyses to identify clusters of cases containing high concentrations of PARS. Two analyses generated clusters with high concentrations of PARS cases. The first analysis (N=136; PARS=34) revealed a cluster containing 83% PARS cases, in which the patients showed a significant discrepancy between verbal and performance intelligence. The mean paternal and maternal ages were 41 and 33, respectively. The second analysis (N=123; PARS=30) revealed a cluster containing 71% PARS cases, of which 93% were females; the mean age of onset of psychosis, at 17.2, was significantly early. These results strengthen the evidence that PARS cases differ from other patients with schizophrenia. Hypothesis-generating findings suggest that features of PARS may include a discrepancy between verbal and performance intelligence, and in females, an early age of onset. These findings provide a rationale for separating these phenotypes from others in future clinical, genetic and pathophysiologic studies of schizophrenia and in considering responses to treatment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) is upregulated by Acanthamoeba plasminogen activator (aPA) and induces proinflammatory cytokine in human corneal epithelial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Trivendra; Abdi, Mahshid; Alizadeh, Hassan

2014-05-29

Acanthamoeba plasminogen activator (aPA) is a serine protease elaborated by Acanthamoeba trophozoites that facilitates the invasion of trophozoites to the host and contributes to the pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). The aim of this study was to explore if aPA stimulates proinflammatory cytokine in human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells via the protease-activated receptors (PARs) pathway. Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites were grown in peptone-yeast extract glucose for 7 days, and the supernatants were collected and centrifuged. The aPA was purified using the fast protein liquid chromatography system, and aPA activity was determined by zymography assays. Human corneal epithelial cells were incubated with or without aPA (100 μg/mL), PAR1 agonists (thrombin, 10 μM; TRAP-6, 10 μM), and PAR2 agonists (SLIGRL-NH2, 100 μM; AC 55541, 10 μM) for 24 and 48 hours. Inhibition of PAR1 and PAR2 involved preincubating the HCE cells for 1 hour with the antagonist of PAR1 (SCH 79797, 60 μM) and PAR2 (FSLLRY-NH2, 100 μM) with or without aPA. Human corneal epithelial cells also were preincubated with PAR1 and PAR2 antagonists and then incubated with or without PAR1 agonists (thrombin and TRAP-6) and PAR2 agonists (SLIGRL-NH2 and AC 55541). Expression of PAR1 and PAR2 was examined by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), flow cytometry, and immunocytochemistry. Interleukin-8 expression was quantified by qRT-PCR and ELISA. Human corneal epithelial cells constitutively expressed PAR1 and PAR2 mRNA. Acanthamoeba plasminogen activator and PAR2 agonists significantly upregulated PAR2 mRNA expression (1- and 2-fold, respectively) (P aPA, and PAR2 agonists induced PAR2 mRNA expression in HCE cells (P aPA, significantly upregulated PAR1 mRNA expression, which was significantly inhibited by PAR1 antagonist in HCE cells. Acanthamoeba plasminogen activator and PAR2 agonists stimulated IL-8 mRNA expression and protein production, which is significantly diminished by PAR2 antagonist

Governance systems in family SMEs: the substitution effects between family councils and corporate governance mechanisms

OpenAIRE

L. Gnan; D. Montemerlo; M. Huse

2015-01-01

The main objective of this paper is to explore the role of family councils vis-à-vis corporate governance mechanisms. Particularly, the paper explores whether family councils perform only their distinctive family governance role or if they also substitute for the roles performed by corporate governance control mechanisms. Based on a sample of 243 Italian family SMEs, our research findings show that the family council partially substitutes the shareholders' meeting and the board of directors i...

Assessing youth policies. A system of indicators for local government.

Science.gov (United States)

Planas, Anna; Soler, Pere; Vilà, Montserrat

2014-08-01

In the current European climate of economic, financial and political crisis and the questioning of the welfare state, assessing public policies assume a primary and strategic relevance in clarifying the results and contributions of policy actions. In this article, we aim to present the current situation in relation to youth policy assessment so as to formulate a system of assessment indicators in the sphere of Spanish local government youth policy. A review is conducted of some of the principal contributions in the field of constructing indicators for evaluating youth policies. We have found that most of these evaluation tools exist on a national or state level and that there is a dearth of local or municipal tools. The article concludes with a concrete proposal for an assessment tool: the SIAPJove (Sistema d'Indicadors d'Avaluació per a les Polítiques Municipals de Joventut or System of Assessment Indicators for Local Government Youth Policies) (web page: http://siapjove.udg.edu/). It provides both quantitative and qualitative indicators for local youth policy managers to obtain assessment reports with relative ease in 12 possible areas for assessment within youth policy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Par Pond vegetation status Summer 1995 -- June survey descriptive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mackey, H.E. Jr.; Riley, R.S.

1995-06-01

The water level of Par Pond was lowered approximately 20 feet in mid-1991 in order to protect downstream residents from possible dam failure suggested by subsidence on the downstream slope of the dam and to repair the dam. This lowering exposed both emergent and nonemergent macrophyte beds to drying conditions resulting in extensive losses. A survey of the shoreline aquatic plant communities in June 1995, three months after the refilling of Par Pond to approximately 200 feet above mean sea level, indicated that much of the original plant communities and the intermediate shoreline communities present on the exposed sediments have been lost. The extensive old-field and emergent marsh communities that were present on the exposed shoreline during the drawdown have been flooded and much of the pre-drawdown Par Pond aquatic plant communities have not had sufficient time for re-establishment. The shoreline does, however, have extensive beds of maidencane which extend from the shoreline margin to areas as deep as 2 and perhaps 3 meters. Scattered individual plants of lotus and watershield are common and may indicate likely directions of future wetland development in Par Pond. In addition, within isolated coves, which apparently received ground water seepage and/or stream surface flows during the period of the Par Pond draw down, extensive beds of waterlilies and spike rush are common. Invasion of willow and red maple occurred along the lake shoreline as well. Although not absent from this survey, evidence of the extensive redevelopment of the large cattail and eel grass beds was not observed in this first survey of Par Pond. Future surveys during the growing seasons of 1995, 1996, and 1997 along with the evaluation of satellite date to map the areal extent of the macrophyte beds of Par Pond are planned

suPAR remains uninfluenced by surgery in septic patients with bloodstream infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rabensteiner, Jasmin

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Surgical trauma induces activation of the immune system and may cause an increase of inflammatory biomarkers tested postoperatively in septic patients treated for bloodstream infection. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of surgical interventions on the novel sepsis biomarker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR and to compare results with those of routine laboratory parameters CRP, PCT, and IL-6 in patients with culture-proven bloodstream infection. Forty-six adult patients with positive blood culture undergoing minor or major surgical intervention were investigated, 12 blood culture positive patients served as control group. Blood was collected 24 hours before and after surgical intervention for determination of the sepsis biomarkers suPAR, CRP, PCT, and IL-6. Within the surgical study cohort, a non-significant increase of suPAR, CRP, and PCT was observed postoperatively ( 0.642; 0.773; 0.087. In contrast, a slight decrease of IL-6 ( 0.599 was observed. A significant correlation was calculated for the pre- and postoperative difference of CRP ( 0.028 and PCT and type of surgical intervention received: after minor surgical intervention only PCT decreased significantly (<0.001, while after major surgical interventions no significant differences were observed for all biomarkers evaluated. In the control group, a significant decrease of CRP ( 0.005 and PCT ( 0.005 was observed. In patients treated adequately for bloodstream infections, postoperative suPAR levels remained uninfluenced of the surgical trauma and might therefore be a reliable parameter for postoperative infectious monitoring. After minor surgical intervention, PCT seems to be the most reliable parameter.

Government-to-business: the Brazilian Public Digital Bookkeeping System (Sped) and the eSocial Project

OpenAIRE

Ramos Junior, Helio Santiago; Galiotto, Simone

2014-01-01

This paper presents some initiatives of government-to-business in Brazil: The Sped and its project called eSocial. The Sped Fiscal is the Brazilian Public Digital Bookkeeping System and it can be considered an innovation in the relation between the government and the corporate taxpayers, especially in the informatization area. In this research, we explain how it works and its regulatory legislation. After that, we show some benefits of this system. The eSocial Project is the Digital Bookkeepi...

Studying the Interaction of the Epistemology in e-Government, Organization Studies and Information Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Meneklis, Vassilis; Douligeris, Christos

Although there are significant differences between Organization Studies, Information Systems and e-Government, certain boundaries between them have started to dissolve in the light of recent developments. Even though influences can be traced among all three concerning research results, epistemological interaction could produce interesting outcomes. In this paper we propose such an interaction in epistemology, and particularly in methods following the interpretive tradition, which has been notably underused. We present a brief review of literature in e-Government and after sketching its route, we propose ways to integrate in it perceptions and methods from Organization Studies and Information Systems.

[Ambroise Paré, his death and his historians].

Science.gov (United States)

Dumaître, P

2001-01-01

Ambroise Paré died December the 20th., 1590. What happened after his death and what are we knowing about his life? Never forgotten, though a lack of care, we were waiting till the XIXth. century to get recollection upon a subject sustained only by accounts of his travels. After Percy, a surgeon who tried to write Paré's biography through the "Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne, de Michaud (1822)" and some second rank authors, Malgaigne is the first who inside a printing of the "Oeuvres complétes de Paré (1840-41)" has a fine look upon the question, though his work is incomplete and allows many mistakes. Doctors Chéreau and Jal, an historian, analysing civil status records, gave new information enlarged by doctors Le Paulmier, Turner and the U.S. native Janet Doe.

Bacterial mitosis: Partitioning protein ParA oscillates in spiral-shaped structures and positions plasmids at mid-cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ebersbach, G.; Gerdes, Kenn

2004-01-01

The par2 locus of Escherichia coli plasmid pB171 encodes oscillating ATPase ParA, DNA binding protein ParB and two cis-acting DNA regions to which ParB binds (parC1 and parC2). Three independent techniques were used to investigate the subcellular localization of plasmids carrying par2. In cells......A-GFP oscillated in spiral-shaped structures. Amino acid substitutions in ParA simultaneously abolished ParA spiral formation, oscillation and either plasmid localization or plasmid separation at mid-cell. Therefore, our results suggest that ParA spirals position plasmids at the middle of the bacterial nucleoid...

Potential trajectories of the upcoming forest trading mechanism in Pará State, Brazilian Amazon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brenda Brito

Full Text Available In 2012, the Brazilian government revised the federal Forest Code that governs the use of forest resources on rural properties. The revisions included a forest trading mechanism whereby landowners who deforested more than what is legally allowed before 2008 could absolve their deforestation "debts" by purchasing Environmental Reserve Quotas (CRA from landowners who conserved more forest than legally required. CRA holds promise as a tool to complement command-and-control initiatives to reduce deforestation and incentivize restoration. However, the success of this instrument depends on how its implementation is governed. This study builds on a few recent assessments of the potential of the CRA in Brazil-but that are focused on biophysical potential-by assessing how a few key implementation decisions may influence the CRA market development. Specifically, this study estimates how decisions on who can participate will likely influence the potential forest surplus and forest debt for the CRA market, and takes into account governance characteristics relevant to the State of Pará, eastern Amazonia. In particular, the study evaluates the effects in the CRA market eligibility after simulating a validation of properties in the environmental rural registry (CAR and assessing different scenarios surrounding land tenure status of properties. Results show how regulatory decisions on CRA market eligibility will determine the extent to which CRA will serve as a tool to support forest conservation or as a low-cost path to help illegal deforesters to comply with legislation, but with limited additional environmental benefits. The study reviews regulatory options that would reduce the risk of forest oversupply, and thereby increase the additionality of the areas eligible for CRA. Overall, the study demonstrates the importance of including governance as well as biophysical characteristics in assessing the potential of forest trading tools to deliver additional

Potential trajectories of the upcoming forest trading mechanism in Pará State, Brazilian Amazon.

Science.gov (United States)

Brito, Brenda

2017-01-01

In 2012, the Brazilian government revised the federal Forest Code that governs the use of forest resources on rural properties. The revisions included a forest trading mechanism whereby landowners who deforested more than what is legally allowed before 2008 could absolve their deforestation "debts" by purchasing Environmental Reserve Quotas (CRA) from landowners who conserved more forest than legally required. CRA holds promise as a tool to complement command-and-control initiatives to reduce deforestation and incentivize restoration. However, the success of this instrument depends on how its implementation is governed. This study builds on a few recent assessments of the potential of the CRA in Brazil-but that are focused on biophysical potential-by assessing how a few key implementation decisions may influence the CRA market development. Specifically, this study estimates how decisions on who can participate will likely influence the potential forest surplus and forest debt for the CRA market, and takes into account governance characteristics relevant to the State of Pará, eastern Amazonia. In particular, the study evaluates the effects in the CRA market eligibility after simulating a validation of properties in the environmental rural registry (CAR) and assessing different scenarios surrounding land tenure status of properties. Results show how regulatory decisions on CRA market eligibility will determine the extent to which CRA will serve as a tool to support forest conservation or as a low-cost path to help illegal deforesters to comply with legislation, but with limited additional environmental benefits. The study reviews regulatory options that would reduce the risk of forest oversupply, and thereby increase the additionality of the areas eligible for CRA. Overall, the study demonstrates the importance of including governance as well as biophysical characteristics in assessing the potential of forest trading tools to deliver additional environmental

TMS suppression of right pars triangularis, but not pars opercularis, improves naming in aphasia

Science.gov (United States)

Naeser, Margaret A.; Martin, Paula I.; Theoret, Hugo; Kobayashi, Masahito; Fregni, Felipe; Nicholas, Marjorie; Tormos, Jose M.; Steven, Megan S.; Baker, Errol H.; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro

2011-01-01

This study sought to discover if an optimum 1 cm2 area in the non-damaged right hemisphere (RH) was present, which could temporarily improve naming in chronic, nonfluent aphasia patients when suppressed with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Ten minutes of slow, 1 Hz rTMS was applied to suppress different RH ROIs in eight aphasia cases. Picture naming and response time (RT) were examined before, and immediately after rTMS. In aphasia patients, suppression of right pars triangularis (PTr) led to significant increase in pictures named, and significant decrease in RT. Suppression of right pars opercularis (POp), however, led to significant increase in RT, but no change in number of pictures named. Eight normals named all pictures correctly; similar to aphasia patients, RT significantly decreased following rTMS to suppress right PTr, versus right POp. Differential effects following suppression of right PTr versus right POp suggest different functional roles for these regions. PMID:21864891

Linear Modeling and Regulation Quality Analysis for Hydro-Turbine Governing System with an Open Tailrace Channel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiandong Yang

2015-10-01

Full Text Available On the basis of the state–space method (SSM, a novel linear mathematical model of the unsteady flow for the tailrace system with an open channel is proposed. This novel model is an elastic linearized model of water hammer. The validity of the model has been verified by several examples of numerical simulation, which are based on a finite difference technique. Then, the complete mathematical model for the hydro-turbine governing system of hydropower station with an open tailrace channel, which is used for simulating the transient process of the hydro-turbine governing system under load disturbance, is established by combining the models of hydro-turbine, generator, governor and open tailrace channel. Finally, according to the complete model, the regulation quality for hydro-turbine governing system with an open tailrace channel under load disturbance is studied, and the effects of open tailrace channel and tailrace surge tank on regulation quality are analyzed. The results indicate that: The open tailrace channel has a strong influence on the regulation quality by observing the water level fluctuations in tailrace surge tank. The surge shows a piecewise periodical change along with the variation in the length of an open channel. The open tailrace channel can be used to improve the regulation quality of hydro-turbine governing system.

Antibody-based PET of uPA/uPAR signaling with broad applicability for cancer imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Dongzhi; Severin, Gregory; Dougherty, Casey A.

2016-01-01

Mounting evidence suggests that the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) play a central role in tumor progression. The goal of this study was to develop an 89Zr-labeled, antibody-based positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for quantitative imaging of the uPA/uPAR system....... An anti-uPA monoclonal antibody (ATN-291) was conjugated with a deferoxamine (Df) derivative and subsequently labeled with 89Zr. Flow cytometry, microscopy studies, and competitive binding assays were conducted to validate the binding specificity of Df-ATN-291 against uPA. PET imaging with 89Zr-Df-ATN-291...... was carried out in different tumors with distinct expression levels of uPA. Biodistribution, histology examination, and Western blotting were performed to correlate tumor uptake with uPA or uPAR expression. ATN-291 retained uPA binding affinity and specificity after Df conjugation. 89Zr-labeling of ATN-291...

IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCTION PLANNING IN COMPANY PARS KOMPONENTY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

René Klega

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the current status of production planning in company Pars Komponenty s.r.o., proposes a new method of planning based on application of the principle of MRP. It is a discrete type of production with high complexity of BOM and MTO (Make-to-Order and ETO (Engineering-to-Order from the point of decoupling point. The original planning system plans according to production capacity backward without collisions, but for a given type of production does not work in practice. Planning system was analyzed and the main problems were identified, which were high work in progress and material stocks. This article target is to propose a new planining system based on the inclusion of time reserves of purchased material items. New planning system was tested in practise with benefit in reducing both the material inventory and work in progress.

Making partner relationship management systems work: The role of partnership governance mechanisms

OpenAIRE

Storey, C.; Kocabasoglu-Hillmer, C.

2013-01-01

While the adoption of Partner Relationship Management (PRM) systems by suppliers to manage and monitor its network of partners (i.e. resellers) has been on the rise, the performance improvements have not been consistently realized. Governance theory suggests this may be due to how the PRM system builds on the mechanisms employed by the supplier to oversee their partners. This study investigates how the two capabilities of PRM systems (relationship and fulfillment capabilities) and two partner...

The pro-inflammatory biomarker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is associated with incident type 2 diabetes among overweight but not obese individuals with impaired glucose regulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heraclides, A; Jensen, T M; Rasmussen, S S

2013-01-01

weight status and suPAR were tested. During a 3-year follow-up (599 incident diabetes cases), there was a 48% overall increase in the odds of developing type 2 diabetes per twofold increase in suPAR (p = 0.006). This association was modified by body weight status in overweight, but not in obese...... among overweight participants. suPAR may be a good novel biomarker for systemic sub-clinical inflammation and immune activation linked to incident type 2 diabetes risk in overweight individuals and non-smokers. The observed interactions with adiposity and smoking should be investigated further.......Recent evidence links the soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), a stable biomarker of systemic immune activation, to several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. suPAR is also associated with adiposity and smoking. We hypothesised that this biomarker would be linked...

First-in-human uPAR PET: Imaging of Cancer Aggressiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Morten; Skovgaard, Dorthe; Brandt-Larsen, Malene; Christensen, Camilla; Madsen, Jacob; Nielsen, Carsten H.; Thurison, Tine; Klausen, Thomas Levin; Holm, Søren; Loft, Annika; Berthelsen, Anne Kiil; Ploug, Michael; Pappot, Helle; Brasso, Klaus; Kroman, Niels; Højgaard, Liselotte; Kjaer, Andreas

2015-01-01

A first-in-human clinical trial with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) in patients with breast, prostate and bladder cancer, is described. uPAR is expressed in many types of human cancers and the expression is predictive of invasion, metastasis and indicates poor prognosis. uPAR PET imaging therefore holds promise to be a new and innovative method for improved cancer diagnosis, staging and individual risk stratification. The uPAR specific peptide AE105 was conjugated to the macrocyclic chelator DOTA and labeled with 64Cu for targeted molecular imaging with PET. The safety, pharmacokinetic, biodistribution profile and radiation dosimetry after a single intravenous dose of 64Cu-DOTA-AE105 were assessed by serial PET and computed tomography (CT) in 4 prostate, 3 breast and 3 bladder cancer patients. Safety assessment with laboratory blood screening tests was performed before and after PET ligand injection. In a subgroup of the patients, the in vivo stability of our targeted PET ligand was determined in collected blood and urine. No adverse or clinically detectable side effects in any of the 10 patients were found. The ligand exhibited good in vivo stability and fast clearance from plasma and tissue compartments by renal excretion. In addition, high uptake in both primary tumor lesions and lymph node metastases was seen and paralleled high uPAR expression in excised tumor tissue. Overall, this first-in-human study therefore provides promising evidence for safe use of 64Cu-DOTA-AE105 for uPAR PET imaging in cancer patients. PMID:26516369

Rat beta-LPH, gamma-LPH and beta-endorphin biosynthesized by isolated cells of pars intermedia and pars distalis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gianoulakis, C.; Seidah, N.G.; Routhier, R.; Chretien, M.

1980-01-01

Rats pars intermedia cells were incubated for 3 h with the following amino-acids: a) 35 S-methionine and 3 H-phenylalamine; b) 3 H-valine; and c) 3 H-valine and 3 H-lysine. Radioactive gamma-lipotropin, beta-lipotropin and beta-endorphin were purified on carboxy- methyl-cellulose and characterized by polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis af pH 4.5, molecular weight estimation and microsequencing. Rat gamma-lipotropin was shown to differ slightly from ovine gamma-lipotropin in its NH 2 -terminal amino acid sequence, in containing no methionine and having phenylalanine at position 6, valine at positions 13 and 27, and lysine at position 20. The same variations were observed in the sequence of rat beta-lipotropin, while rat beta-endorphin was shown to be identical to the ovine beta-endorphin. Following a 3-h pulse of rat pars distalis, the cells were extracted with care to avoid beta-lipotropin degradation by proteolytic enzymes. A peptide was purified and identified to be rat beta-endorphin, thus demonstrating that beta-endorphin is biosynthesized in pars distalis and is not an extraction artifact. (author)

Identification of a new epitope in uPAR as a target for the cancer therapeutic monoclonal antibody ATN-658, a structural homolog of the uPAR binding integrin CD11b (αM.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiang Xu

Full Text Available The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR plays a role in tumor progression and has been proposed as a target for the treatment of cancer. We recently described the development of a novel humanized monoclonal antibody that targets uPAR and has anti-tumor activity in multiple xenograft animal tumor models. This antibody, ATN-658, does not inhibit ligand binding (i.e. uPA and vitronectin to uPAR and its mechanism of action remains unclear. As a first step in understanding the anti-tumor activity of ATN-658, we set out to identify the epitope on uPAR to which ATN-658 binds. Guided by comparisons between primate and human uPAR, epitope mapping studies were performed using several orthogonal techniques. Systematic site directed and alanine scanning mutagenesis identified the region of aa 268-275 of uPAR as the epitope for ATN-658. No known function has previously been attributed to this epitope Structural insights into epitope recognition were obtained from structural studies of the Fab fragment of ATN-658 bound to uPAR. The structure shows that the ATN-658 binds to the DIII domain of uPAR, close to the C-terminus of the receptor, corroborating the epitope mapping results. Intriguingly, when bound to uPAR, the complementarity determining region (CDR regions of ATN-658 closely mimic the binding regions of the integrin CD11b (αM, a previously identified uPAR ligand thought to be involved in leukocyte rolling, migration and complement fixation with no known role in tumor progression of solid tumors. These studies reveal a new functional epitope on uPAR involved in tumor progression and demonstrate a previously unrecognized strategy for the therapeutic targeting of uPAR.

Evaluation of sustainability in the use of water within the Amazon deforestation area: a case study in Rondon do Pará, Pará State, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v35i2.13820

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Augusto da Gama Rego

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The use of water in a hydrographic basin within the Amazon deforestation area is evaluated as a case study for the municipality of Rondon do Pará, State of Pará, Brazil. Current investigation takes into account the hydrographic basin as a system, following the Pressure/State/Response concept model, and aims at an analysis of the system’s sustainability. Results show that the use of water within the context of the system under analysis tends towards non-sustainability. Economic growth, especially triggered by the expansion of extensive cattle-raising and industrial activities, has worsened the situation. These conditions do not represent local reality since the above-mentioned activities have produced only scanty employment. Further, the municipality is striving with problems concerning the supply of drinking water, deficiency in sewage treatment and especially the deterioration of surface water resources.  

The protein kinase SIK downregulates the polarity protein Par3

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vanlandewijck, Michael; Dadras, Mahsa Shahidi; Lomnytska, Marta

2018-01-01

on Par3. Functionally, this mechanism impacts on tight junction downregulation. Furthermore, SIK contributes to the loss of epithelial polarity and examination of advanced and invasive human cancers of diverse origin displayed high levels of SIK expression and a corresponding low expression of Par3...

PET imaging of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) in prostate cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, Dorthe; Persson, Morten; Kjaer, Andreas

2016-01-01

Overexpression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptors (uPAR) represents an important biomarker for aggressiveness in most common malignant diseases, including prostate cancer (PC). Accordingly, uPAR expression either assessed directly in malignant PC tissue or assessed directly in plasma...... and prognostic imaging method. In this review, we will focus on the recent development of uPAR PET and the relevance within prostate cancer imaging. Novel antibody and small-molecule radiotracers-targeting uPAR, including a series of uPAR-targeting PET ligands, based on the high affinity peptide ligand AE105......, have been synthesized and tested in vitro and in vivo in preclinical murine xenograft models and, recently, in a first-ever clinical uPAR PET study in cancer patients, including patients with PC. In this phase I study, a high and specific uptake of the tracer 64Cu-DOTA-AE105 was found in both primary...

31 CFR 1.30 - Application to system of records maintained by Government contractors.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Application to system of records maintained by Government contractors. 1.30 Section 1.30 Money and Finance: Treasury Office of the Secretary of the Treasury DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS Privacy Act § 1.30 Application to system of records maintained...

Incorporating GOES Satellite Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) Retrievals to Improve Biogenic Emission Estimates in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Rui; White, Andrew T.; Pour Biazar, Arastoo; McNider, Richard T.; Cohan, Daniel S.

2018-01-01

This study examines the influence of insolation and cloud retrieval products from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system on biogenic emission estimates and ozone simulations in Texas. Compared to surface pyranometer observations, satellite-retrieved insolation and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) values tend to systematically correct the overestimation of downwelling shortwave radiation in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The correlation coefficient increases from 0.93 to 0.97, and the normalized mean error decreases from 36% to 21%. The isoprene and monoterpene emissions estimated by the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature are on average 20% and 5% less, respectively, when PAR from the direct satellite retrieval is used rather than the control WRF run. The reduction in biogenic emission rates using satellite PAR reduced the predicted maximum daily 8 h ozone concentration by up to 5.3 ppbV over the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) region on some days. However, episode average ozone response is less sensitive, with a 0.6 ppbV decrease near DFW and 0.3 ppbV increase over East Texas. The systematic overestimation of isoprene concentrations in a WRF control case is partially corrected by using satellite PAR, which observes more clouds than are simulated by WRF. Further, assimilation of GOES-derived cloud fields in WRF improved CAMx model performance for ground-level ozone over Texas. Additionally, it was found that using satellite PAR improved the model's ability to replicate the spatial pattern of satellite-derived formaldehyde columns and aircraft-observed vertical profiles of isoprene.

Theoretical Ideas of Local Government and State Government Development

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Nikolay I. Churinov

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In this article the characteristic of a theoretical component of model of interaction of local government bodies with the central government, and also development of scientific base in the course of history is given. Relevance to this subject in the conditions of the Russian reality is added by federalism of a state system of Russia, namely a thin side in questions of competences between bodies of one hierarchy. This article, will be useful to those who deal with issues in the field of the theory of the state and the right and the municipal right. Historic facts in the form of the regulatory legal acts adopted earlier which subsequently, were a source for development of theoretical ideas of local self-government and the government are given in article.

Desempenho de Espécies Florestais e Pastagens em Sistemas Silvipastoris no Estado do Pará Performance of Tree Species and Pastures in Silvopastoral Systems in the State of Pará, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Célia Maria Braga Calandrini de Azevedo

2010-02-01

Full Text Available

Propor modelos alternativos de uso-da-terra que sejam econômicos e ecologicamente sustentáveis tem sido um grande desafio da pesquisa agrícola na Amazônia. Os sistemas silvipastoris (SSPs têm sido considerados promissores para integrar o cultivo arbóreo nos sistemas pecuários e recuperar pastagens degradadas da Amazônia. Em Paragominas, Estado do Pará, foram estudados nove sistemas silvipastoris constituídos da combinação binária das espécies florestais paricá (Schizolobium amazonicum, tatajuba (Bagassa guianensis e eucalipto (Eucalyptus tereticornis, plantadas em faixas de 6 m de largura, afastadas de 12 m, com as pastagens capim braquiarão (Brachiaria brizantha, capim quicuio da amazônia (B. humidicola, e capim colonião (Panicum maximum e em capim dictioneura (B. dictyoneura, plantadas nas entre-faixas. O sistema de manejo se caracterizava por ser rotacionado com 14 dias de permanência e 42 dias de descanso, e foi avaliado no período de agosto de 1990 a novembro de 1991. As melhores interações foram paricá e capim braquiarão e eucalipto e capim braquiarão.

doi: 10.4336/2009.pfb.60.57

Profils des enfants infectes par le vih en debut du traitement ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

But : Décrire les profils des enfants infectés par le VIH au début du traitement antirétroviral. Matériels et méthode: Les dossiers des enfants infectés par le VIH dans la région maritime ont été analysés de mai 2008 à février 2010 par le comité thérapeutique. Résultats: Parmi les 96 dossiers analysés, 66,67% venaient du ...

On Zombie Banks and Recessions after Systemic Banking Crises: Government Intervention Matters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Homar, T.; van Wijnbergen, S.

2013-01-01

Systemic banking crises often continue into recessions with large output losses (Reinhart & Rogoff 2009a). In this paper we ask whether the way Governments intervene in the financial sector has an impact on the economy's subsequent performance. Our theoretical analysis focuses on bank incentives to

'Good Governance' dan 'Governability'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

- Pratikno

2005-03-01

Full Text Available The article endeavors to trace the outset of governance concept, its dominant meanings and discourse, and its implication towards governability. The central role of government in the governing processes has predominantly been adopted. The concept of governance was emerged precisely in the context of the failure of government as key player in regulation, economic redistribution and political participation. Governance is therefore aimed to emphasize pattern of governing which are based both on democratic mechanism and sound development management. However, practices of such good governance concept –which are mainly adopted and promoted by donor states and agencies– tend to degrade state and/or government authority and legitimacy. Traditional function of the state as sole facilitator of equal societal, political and legal membership among citizens has been diminished. The logic of fair competition has been substituted almost completely by the logic of free competition in nearly all sectors of public life. The concept and practices of good governance have resulted in decayed state authority and failed state which in turn created a condition for "ungovernability". By promoting democratic and humane governance, the article accordingly encourages discourse to reinstall and bring the idea of accountable state back in.

Governance of Governance in Higher Education: Practices and Lessons Drawn from the Portuguese Case

Science.gov (United States)

Magalhaes, Antonio; Veiga, Amelia; Amaral, Alberto; Sousa, Sofia; Ribeiro, Filipa

2013-01-01

The implementation of the governance reform of Portuguese higher education has been developed under the influence of "new public management" resulting in the loss of collegial governance. Additionally, the need for meta-governance of the higher education system and institutions to monitor institutional performance against policy…

Sustainable nanotechnology decision support system: bridging risk management, sustainable innovation and risk governance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subramanian, Vrishali; Semenzin, Elena; Hristozov, Danail; Zabeo, Alex; Malsch, Ineke; McAlea, Eamonn; Murphy, Finbarr; Mullins, Martin; Harmelen, Toon van; Ligthart, Tom; Linkov, Igor; Marcomini, Antonio

2016-01-01

The significant uncertainties associated with the (eco)toxicological risks of engineered nanomaterials pose challenges to the development of nano-enabled products toward greatest possible societal benefit. This paper argues for the use of risk governance approaches to manage nanotechnology risks and sustainability, and considers the links between these concepts. Further, seven risk assessment and management criteria relevant to risk governance are defined: (a) life cycle thinking, (b) triple bottom line, (c) inclusion of stakeholders, (d) risk management, (e) benefit–risk assessment, (f) consideration of uncertainty, and (g) adaptive response. These criteria are used to compare five well-developed nanotechnology frameworks: International Risk Governance Council framework, Comprehensive Environmental Assessment, Streaming Life Cycle Risk Assessment, Certifiable Nanospecific Risk Management and Monitoring System and LICARA NanoSCAN. A Sustainable Nanotechnology Decision Support System (SUNDS) is proposed to better address current nanotechnology risk assessment and management needs, and makes. Stakeholder needs were solicited for further SUNDS enhancement through a stakeholder workshop that included representatives from regulatory, industry and insurance sectors. Workshop participants expressed the need for the wider adoption of sustainability assessment methods and tools for designing greener nanomaterials.

Sustainable nanotechnology decision support system: bridging risk management, sustainable innovation and risk governance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Subramanian, Vrishali, E-mail: vrishali.subramanian@unive.it; Semenzin, Elena; Hristozov, Danail; Zabeo, Alex [University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics (Italy); Malsch, Ineke [Malsch TechnoValuation (Netherlands); McAlea, Eamonn; Murphy, Finbarr; Mullins, Martin [University of Limerick, Kemmy Business School (Ireland); Harmelen, Toon van; Ligthart, Tom [TNO (Netherlands); Linkov, Igor; Marcomini, Antonio, E-mail: marcom@unive.it [University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics (Italy)

2016-04-15

The significant uncertainties associated with the (eco)toxicological risks of engineered nanomaterials pose challenges to the development of nano-enabled products toward greatest possible societal benefit. This paper argues for the use of risk governance approaches to manage nanotechnology risks and sustainability, and considers the links between these concepts. Further, seven risk assessment and management criteria relevant to risk governance are defined: (a) life cycle thinking, (b) triple bottom line, (c) inclusion of stakeholders, (d) risk management, (e) benefit–risk assessment, (f) consideration of uncertainty, and (g) adaptive response. These criteria are used to compare five well-developed nanotechnology frameworks: International Risk Governance Council framework, Comprehensive Environmental Assessment, Streaming Life Cycle Risk Assessment, Certifiable Nanospecific Risk Management and Monitoring System and LICARA NanoSCAN. A Sustainable Nanotechnology Decision Support System (SUNDS) is proposed to better address current nanotechnology risk assessment and management needs, and makes. Stakeholder needs were solicited for further SUNDS enhancement through a stakeholder workshop that included representatives from regulatory, industry and insurance sectors. Workshop participants expressed the need for the wider adoption of sustainability assessment methods and tools for designing greener nanomaterials.

Governance arrangements for health systems in low-income countries: an overview of systematic reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Cristian A; Lewin, Simon; Paulsen, Elizabeth; Ciapponi, Agustín; Opiyo, Newton; Pantoja, Tomas; Rada, Gabriel; Wiysonge, Charles S; Bastías, Gabriel; Garcia Marti, Sebastian; Okwundu, Charles I; Peñaloza, Blanca; Oxman, Andrew D

2017-09-12

Governance arrangements include changes in rules or processes that determine authority and accountability for health policies, organisations, commercial products and health professionals, as well as the involvement of stakeholders in decision-making. Changes in governance arrangements can affect health and related goals in numerous ways, generally through changes in authority, accountability, openness, participation and coherence. A broad overview of the findings of systematic reviews can help policymakers, their technical support staff and other stakeholders to identify strategies for addressing problems and improving the governance of their health systems. To provide an overview of the available evidence from up-to-date systematic reviews about the effects of governance arrangements for health systems in low-income countries. Secondary objectives include identifying needs and priorities for future evaluations and systematic reviews on governance arrangements and informing refinements of the framework for governance arrangements outlined in the overview. We searched Health Systems Evidence in November 2010 and PDQ Evidence up to 17 December 2016 for systematic reviews. We did not apply any date, language or publication status limitations in the searches. We included well-conducted systematic reviews of studies that assessed the effects of governance arrangements on patient outcomes (health and health behaviours), the quality or utilisation of healthcare services, resource use (health expenditures, healthcare provider costs, out-of-pocket payments, cost-effectiveness), healthcare provider outcomes (such as sick leave), or social outcomes (such as poverty, employment) and that were published after April 2005. We excluded reviews with limitations that were important enough to compromise the reliability of the findings of the review. Two overview authors independently screened reviews, extracted data and assessed the certainty of evidence using GRADE. We prepared

Mental health system governance in Nigeria: challenges, opportunities and strategies for improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdulmalik, J; Kola, L; Gureje, O

2016-01-01

A health systems approach to understanding efforts for improving health care services is gaining traction globally. A component of this approach focuses on health system governance (HSG), which can make or mar the successful implementation of health care interventions. Very few studies have explored HSG in low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. Studies focusing on mental health system governance, are even more of a rarity. This study evaluates the mental HSG of Nigeria with a view to understanding the challenges, opportunities and strategies for strengthening it. This study was conducted as part of the project, Emerging Mental Health Systems in Low and Middle Income Countries (Emerald). A multi-method study design was utilized to evaluate the mental HSG status of Nigeria. A situational analysis of the health policy and legal environment in the country was performed. Subsequently, 30 key informant interviews were conducted at national, state and district levels to explore the country's mental HSG. The existing policy, legislative and institutional framework for HSG in Nigeria reveals a complete exclusion of mental health in key health sector documents. The revised mental health policy is however promising. Using the Siddiqi framework categories, we identified pragmatic strategies for mental health system strengthening that include a consideration of existing challenges and opportunities within the system. The identified strategies provide a template for the subsequent activities of the Emerald Programme (and other interventions), towards strengthening the mental health system of Nigeria.

Intoxication par la paraphényléne-diamine

African Journals Online (AJOL)

raoul

9 mars 2011 ... remède contre la douleur par Averbukh [8], ou contre la constipation par Schemesh [9], mais l´utilisation à des fins autolytique reste toujours prédominante. Le tableau clinique de l´intoxication à ... une anurie ayant nécessité le recours à l´hémodialyse. Ce taux de survenue d´IRA anurique est relativement ...

Governance Analytical Framework : an Approach to Health Systems ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Researchers will develop and test a methodology - Governance Analytical Framework - for analyzing and assessing the influence of governance pattern on health ... IDRC and the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) signed a scientific and technological cooperation agreement to support joint research projects in ...

Local Government Systems and Decentralization: Evidence from Pakistan’s Devolution Plan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Shakil Ahmad

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The discourse of governance and development practitioners continues to embrace community participation and community empowerment as an elementary means of building local capacity for poverty reduction, development and change at the local level. This article is a review of the decentralization initiatives of local government systems after the announcement of the devolution plan in Pakistan. It evaluates the initiatives’ participatory methods to ascertain the extent to which they have improved the process of community development at the local level. This article also measures the impact of community empowerment on the sustainability of community-driven projects implemented under the decentralization initiative through community-based organizations known as Citizen Community Boards (CCBs. Document analysis and literature review methodologies were employed to gain further insight into the decentralization phenomenon in Pakistan. The results describe human development, improvements in community empowerment and the sustainability of local projects; however, the sense of community has yet to be translated into shared benefits for rural communities. The fundamental goal of decentralization seems to be elusive because only power was transferred to the local level, whereas there is little support for community capacity building and community access to resources and the elites still control the electoral process. It is argued that community development initiatives in Pakistan require continuous support from local governments to boost local rural economies. Likewise, community-local government participatory development strategies can lead to strong local ownership and empowerment in rural communities.

Apoptosis induced by knockdown of uPAR and MMP-9 is mediated by inactivation of EGFR/STAT3 signaling in medulloblastoma.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramaprasada Rao Kotipatruni

Full Text Available Medulloblastoma is a highly invasive cancer of central nervous system diagnosed mainly in children. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9 and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR are over expressed in several cancers and well established for their roles in tumor progression. The present study is aimed to determine the consequences of targeting these molecules on medulloblastoma progression.Radiation is one of the foremost methods applied for treating cancer and considerable evidence showed that radiation elevated uPAR and MMP-9 expression in medulloblastoma cell. Therefore efforts are made to target these molecules in non-irradiated and irradiated medulloblastoma cells. Our results showed that siRNA-mediated knockdown of uPAR and MMP-9, either alone or in combination with radiation modulated a series of events leading to apoptosis. Down regulation of uPAR and MMP-9 inhibited the expression of anti-apoptotic molecules like Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, survivin, XIAP and cIAPI; activated BID cleavage, enhanced the expression of Bak and translocated cyctochrome C to cytosol. Capsase-3 and -9 activities were also increased in uPAR- and MMP-9-downregulated cells. The apoptosis induced by targeting MMP-9 and uPAR was initiated by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR mediated activation of STAT3 and NF-κB related signaling molecules. Silencing uPAR and MMP-9 inhibited DNA binding activity of STAT3 and also reduced the recruitment of STAT3 protein at the promoter region of Bcl-2 and survivin genes. Our results suggest that inhibiting uPAR and MMP-9 reduced the expression of anti-apoptotic molecules by inactivating the transcriptional activity of STAT3. In addition, treating pre-established medulloblastoma with siRNAs against uPAR and MMP-9 both alone or in combination with radiation suppressed uPAR, MMP-9, EGFR, STAT3 expression and induced Bak activation leading to apoptosis.Taken together, our results illustrated that RNAi mediated targeting of

Governance Arrangement in the Ethiopian Higher Education System ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Inspired by ideological shifts and pragmatic reasons, governments around the world are experimenting quasi-market type of higher education governance. Introduction of (quasi) market elements in higher education (HE) is also justified by its presumed benefits in efficiency among others. This study had Ethiopian higher ...

Profiling gene expression induced by protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2 activation in human kidney cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacky Y Suen

Full Text Available Protease-Activated Receptor-2 (PAR2 has been implicated through genetic knockout mice with cytokine regulation and arthritis development. Many studies have associated PAR2 with inflammatory conditions (arthritis, airways inflammation, IBD and key events in tumor progression (angiogenesis, metastasis, but they have relied heavily on the use of single agonists to identify physiological roles for PAR2. However such probes are now known not to be highly selective for PAR2, and thus precisely what PAR2 does and what mechanisms of downstream regulation are truly affected remain obscure. Effects of PAR2 activation on gene expression in Human Embryonic Kidney cells (HEK293, a commonly studied cell line in PAR2 research, were investigated here by comparing 19,000 human genes for intersecting up- or down-regulation by both trypsin (an endogenous protease that activates PAR2 and a PAR2 activating hexapeptide (2f-LIGRLO-NH(2. Among 2,500 human genes regulated similarly by both agonists, there were clear associations between PAR2 activation and cellular metabolism (1,000 genes, the cell cycle, the MAPK pathway, HDAC and sirtuin enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, and anti-complement function. PAR-2 activation up-regulated four genes more than 5 fold (DUSP6, WWOX, AREG, SERPINB2 and down-regulated another six genes more than 3 fold (TXNIP, RARG, ITGB4, CTSD, MSC and TM4SF15. Both PAR2 and PAR1 activation resulted in up-regulated expression of several genes (CD44, FOSL1, TNFRSF12A, RAB3A, COPEB, CORO1C, THBS1, SDC4 known to be important in cancer. This is the first widespread profiling of specific activation of PAR2 and provides a valuable platform for better understanding key mechanistic roles of PAR2 in human physiology. Results clearly support the development of both antagonists and agonists of human PAR2 as potential disease modifying therapeutic agents.

par genes in Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium smegmatis are arranged in an operon transcribed from "SigGC" promoters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casart Yveth

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The ParA/Soj and ParB/Spo0J proteins, and the cis-acting parS site, participate actively in chromosome segregation and cell cycle progression. Genes homologous to parA and parB, and two putative parS copies, have been identified in the Mycobacterium bovis BCG and Mycobacterium smegmatis chromosomes. As in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the parA and parB genes in these two non-pathogenic mycobacteria are located near the chromosomal origin of replication. The present work focused on the determination of the transcriptional organisation of the ~6 Kb orf60K-parB region of M. bovis BCG and M. smegmatis by primer extension, transcriptional fusions to the green fluorescence protein (GFP and quantitative RT-PCR. Results The parAB genes were arranged in an operon. However, we also found promoters upstream of each one of these genes. Seven putative promoter sequences were identified in the orf60K-parB region of M. bovis BCG, whilst four were identified in the homologous region of M. smegmatis, one upstream of each open reading frame (ORF. Real-time PCR assays showed that in M. smegmatis, mRNA-parA and mRNA-parB levels decreased between the exponential and stationary phases. In M. bovis BCG, mRNA-parA levels also decreased between the exponential and stationary phases. However, parB expression was higher than parA expression and remained almost unchanged along the growth curve. Conclusion The majority of the proposed promoter regions had features characteristic of Mycobacterium promoters previously denoted as Group D. The -10 hexamer of a strong E. coli σ70-like promoter, located upstream of gidB of M. bovis BCG, overlapped with a putative parS sequence, suggesting that the transcription from this promoter might be regulated by the binding of ParB to parS.

Model Based User's Access Requirement Analysis of E-Governance Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Shilpi; Jeon, Seung-Hwan; Robles, Rosslin John; Kim, Tai-Hoon; Bandyopadhyay, Samir Kumar

The strategic and contemporary importance of e-governance has been recognized across the world. In India too, various ministries of Govt. of India and State Governments have taken e-governance initiatives to provide e-services to citizens and the business they serve. To achieve the mission objectives, and make such e-governance initiatives successful it would be necessary to improve the trust and confidence of the stakeholders. It is assumed that the delivery of government services will share the same public network information that is being used in the community at large. In particular, the Internet will be the principal means by which public access to government and government services will be achieved. To provide the security measures main aim is to identify user's access requirement for the stakeholders and then according to the models of Nath's approach. Based on this analysis, the Govt. can also make standards of security based on the e-governance models. Thus there will be less human errors and bias. This analysis leads to the security architecture of the specific G2C application.

Minsky on "Big Government"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel de Santana Vasconcelos

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper objective is to assess, in light of the main works of Minsky, his view and analysis of what he called the "Big Government" as that huge institution which, in parallels with the "Big Bank" was capable of ensuring stability in the capitalist system and regulate its inherently unstable financial system in mid-20th century. In this work, we analyze how Minsky proposes an active role for the government in a complex economic system flawed by financial instability.

A critical friend: monitoring and evaluation systems, development cooperation and local government. The case of Tuscany.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossignoli, Serena; Coticchia, Fabrizio; Mezzasalma, Annarosa

2015-06-01

The role of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems in the field of development cooperation has globally increased in last decades. International and regional organizations, as well as states, local governments and NGOs have largely adopted the tools provided by M&E in order to enhance transparency, effectiveness and efficiency. The paper aims at verifying how and to what extent the implementation of M&E systems has affected the overall quality of international cooperation projects financed by a local government. After a literature review on M&E in development cooperation, the research analyzes the wide range of activities (evaluation ex-ante, mid-term, final, monitoring, consultancy) carried out by the Evaluation Team of the XY in the last eight years in behalf of an Italian local government: the Region of Tuscany. The paper reveals the strategic significance of adopting M&E systems in the medium-long term. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Normative Regulation of Anti-Corruption in the System of Local Self-Government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darya F. Kupcha

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In the present work authors attempt to analyze normative acts aimed at regulating relations in the sphere of counteracting corruption at the level of local self-government. In the conclusion authors summarize that despite criticism, in the Russian Federation, a system of regulatory regulation to counteract corruption (including at the local level is formed. Further improvements of this system should be made in the legal regulation at the local level.

Health worker posting and transfer at primary level in Tamil Nadu: Governance of a complex health system function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surekha Garimella

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Posting and transfer (PT of health personnel - placing the right health workers in the right place at the right time - is a core function of any large-scale health service. In the context of government health services, this may be seen as a simple process of bureaucratic governance and implementation of the rule of law. However the literature from India and comparable low and middle-income country health systems suggests that in reality PT is a contested domain, driven by varied expressions of private and public interest throughout the chain of implementation. Objective: To investigate policymaking for PT in the government health sector and implementation of policies as experienced by different health system actors and stakeholders at primary health care level. Methodology: We undertook an empirical case study of a PT reform policy at primary health care level in Tamil Nadu State, to understand how different groups of health systems actors experience PT. In-depth qualitative methods were undertaken to study processes of implementation of PT policies enacted through ′counselling′ of health workers (individualized consultations to determine postings and transfers. Results: PT emerges as a complex phenomenon, shaped partially by the laws of the state and partially as a parallel system of norms and incentives requiring consideration and coordination of the interests of different groups. Micro-practices of governance represent homegrown coping mechanisms of health administrators that reconcile public and private interests and sustain basic health system functions. Beyond a functional perspective of PT, it also reflects justice and fairness as it plays out in the health system. It signifies how well a system treats its employees, and by inference, is an index of the overall health of the system. Conclusions: For a complex governance function such as PT, the roles of private actors and private interests are not easily separable from the

Prognostic value of suPAR and hs-CRP on cardiovascular disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Diederichsen, Marie Zöga; Diederichsen, Søren Zöga; Mickley, Hans

2018-01-01

Background and aims: Studies have shown that soluble urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR) and CRP (both inflammatory markers) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) are independent risk predictors for cardiovascular (CV) disease. The aim of this study is to assess whether suPAR and CRP...... have an increased predictive prognostic value beyond the traditional CV risk factors and the CAC score. Methods: A population sample of 1179 subjects, free of CV disease was included. The subjects underwent traditional CV risk evaluation, CAC assessment and blood sampling for suPAR and CRP. CV events...

The EU in Geneva: The Diplomatic Representation of a System of Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caterina Carta

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The European Union (EU diplomatic system can be conceived as representative of a system of governance, and, through this, of its constitutive independent units. The way in which the EU's political system is represented through diplomatic practices is telling of two interrelated aspects of the EU's international actorness. First, it reveals the link between the foreign policy of a non-state actor and sheds light on the division of competences that characterises the EU's foreign policy-making system. Second, it highlights the complex institutional and organisational features of a non-state diplomatic system. This article locates the puzzle of EU diplomatic activity in the general debate about changes in the institution of diplomacy. Secondly, it explains how post-Lisbon institutional arrangements have been translated into practice in two multilateral delegations: the delegation to the UN and the mission to the WTO in Geneva. It finally draws some preliminary conclusions. The article concludes that beyond competition over the attribution of competences in the EU’s diplomatic governance, different ideas coexist about what ‘locating the EU in the international scene’ means. Pursuing a ‘single voice’ by unifying forms of external representation is not necessarily perceived as the most convenient strategy envisaged by all EU actors. While institutional actors tend to believe that coherence and strength may descend from a more unified system of representation, the member states tend to believe that, in certain circumstances, differentiation could increase the EU’s strength.

Measuring systemic performance of the Lithuanian government

OpenAIRE

Nakrošis, Vitalis

2008-01-01

This paper seeks assessing the dynamics of Lithuania's governmental perfor­mance and comparing it to other countries. It draws on a simple logical model, linking the inputs of the government to its outputs and outcomes. It was found that performance of the Lithuanian government is average and even poor, if compared with the EU aver­age or such countries as Estonia and Ireland. This is despite the fact the public mode of production is rather expensive in Lithuania and the number of public empl...

mTORC2 activation is regulated by the urokinase receptor (uPAR) in bladder cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hau, Andrew M; Leivo, Mariah Z; Gilder, Andrew S; Hu, Jing-Jing; Gonias, Steven L; Hansel, Donna E

2017-01-01

Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) has been identified as a major regulator of bladder cancer cell migration and invasion. Upstream pathways that mediate mTORC2 activation remain poorly defined. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is a GPI-anchored membrane protein and known activator of cell-signaling. We identified increased uPAR expression in 94% of invasive human bladder cancers and in 54-71% of non-invasive bladder cancers, depending on grade. Normal urothelium was uPAR-immunonegative. Analysis of publicly available datasets identified uPAR gene amplification or mRNA upregulation in a subset of bladder cancer patients with reduced overall survival. Using biochemical approaches, we showed that uPAR activates mTORC2 in bladder cancer cells. Highly invasive bladder cancer cell lines, including T24, J82 and UM-UC-3 cells, showed increased uPAR mRNA expression and protein levels compared with the less aggressive cell lines, UROtsa and RT4. uPAR gene-silencing significantly reduced phosphorylation of Serine-473 in Akt, an mTORC2 target. uPAR gene-silencing also reduced bladder cancer cell migration and Matrigel invasion. S473 phosphorylation was observed by immunohistochemistry in human bladder cancers only when the tumors expressed high levels of uPAR. S473 phosphorylation was not controlled by uPAR in bladder cancer cell lines that are PTEN-negative; however, this result probably did not reflect altered mTORC2 regulation. Instead, PTEN deficiency de-repressed alternative kinases that phosphorylate S473. Our results suggest that uPAR and mTORC2 are components of a single cell-signaling pathway. Targeting uPAR or mTORC2 may be beneficial in patients with bladder cancer. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Governance of the emerging bio-energy markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verdonk, M.; Dieperink, C.; Faaij, A.P.C.

2007-01-01

Despite its promising prospects, a growing global bio-energy market may have sustainability risks as well. Governing this market with respect to installing safeguards to ensure sustainable biomass production might reduce these risks. Therefore, proposals for governance systems for bio-energy are discussed in this article. The proposals are based on comparative case study research on the governance of comparable commodities. By assessing the governance system of global coffee trade, fair trade coffee, the global and the EU sugar market and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) wood, strong and weak points of governance systems for commodities are discerned. FSC is selected as the best performing case study and serves as the proposal's basis. FSC's weaknesses are minimized by, among others, using the lessons learned from the other case studies. This results in a system consisting of two pillars, a bio-energy labelling organization (BLO) and a United Nations Agreement on Bio-energy (UNAB). Although consulted experts in the research process are critical about this system they do suggest several conditions a governance system for bio-energy should meet in order to be effective, such as a facilitative government, professional monitoring and using progressive certification combined with price premiums. These conditions have been taken into account in the final proposal. (author)

Governance of the emerging bio-energy markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verdonk, M. [Department of Water and Energy, Grontmij Nederland BV, P.O. Box 203, 3730 AE, De Bilt (Netherlands); Dieperink, C. [Department of Innovation and Environmental Studies, Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development and Innovation, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.115, 3508 TC, Utrecht (Netherlands); Faaij, A.P.C. [Department of Science, Technology and Society, Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development and Innovation, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.115, 3508 TC, Utrecht (Netherlands)

2007-07-15

Despite its promising prospects, a growing global bio-energy market may have sustainability risks as well. Governing this market with respect to installing safeguards to ensure sustainable biomass production might reduce these risks. Therefore, proposals for governance systems for bio-energy are discussed in this article. The proposals are based on comparative case study research on the governance of comparable commodities. By assessing the governance system of global coffee trade, fair trade coffee, the global and the EU sugar market and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) wood, strong and weak points of governance systems for commodities are discerned. FSC is selected as the best performing case study and serves as the proposal's basis. FSC's weaknesses are minimized by, among others, using the lessons learned from the other case studies. This results in a system consisting of two pillars, a bio-energy labelling organization (BLO) and a United Nations Agreement on Bio-energy (UNAB). Although consulted experts in the research process are critical about this system they do suggest several conditions a governance system for bio-energy should meet in order to be effective, such as a facilitative government, professional monitoring and using progressive certification combined with price premiums. These conditions have been taken into account in the final proposal. (author)

Cross-Scale and Cross-Level Dynamics: Governance and Capacity for Resilience in a Social-Ecological System in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsing-Sheng Tai

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Resilience thinking has strongly influenced how people understand and pursue sustainability of linked social-ecological systems. Resilience thinking highlights the need to build capacity and manage general system properties in a complex, constantly changing world. I modified an analytical framework to address associations among cross-scale and cross-level dynamics, attributes of governance, and capacity to enhance resilience. The Danungdafu Forestation Area represents one of Taiwan’s most controvisal cases concerning land use, indigenous rights, and environmental issues. Analysis of this Taiwanese experience from a social-ecological perspective can show how current capacities for managing resilience are related to critical governance attributes. Analysis helped identify fundamental flaws in current governance and key issues needing to be addressed. The Danungdafu Forestation Area should transition towards a governance regime that is more participatory, deliberative, multi-layered, accountable, just, and networked. This can be done by developing an intermediate level institution that coordinates the cross-scale and cross-level interactions that better fit this social-ecological system.

Water pollution and environmental governance systems of the Tai and Chao Lake Basins in China in an international perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lei Qiu; M.P. van Dijk (Meine Pieter); H. Wang (Huimin)

2015-01-01

markdownabstractThe Tai and Chao Lake basins are currently facing a serious water pollution crisis associated with the absence of an effective environmental governance system. The water pollution and the water governance system of the two basins will be compared. The reasons for water pollution in

Project governance: "Schools of thought"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michiel Christiaan Bekker

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The terminology, definition and context of project governance have become a focal subject for research and discussions in project management literature. This article reviews literature on the subject of project governance and categorise the arguments into three schools of thought namely the single-firm school, multi-firm school and large capital school. The single-firm school is concerned with governance principles related to internal organisational projects and practice these principles at a technical level. The multi-firm school address the governance principles concerned with two of more organisations participating on a contractual basis on the same project and focus their governance efforts at the technical and strategic level. The large capital school consider projects as temporary organisations, forming their own entity and establishing governance principles at an institutional level. From these schools of thought it can be concluded that the definition of project governance is dependent on the type of project and hierarchical positioning in the organisation. It is also evident that further research is required to incorporate other governance variables and mechanisms such as transaction theory, social networks and agency theory. The development of project governance frameworks should also consider the complexity of projects spanning across international companies, across country borders and incorporating different value systems, legal systems, corporate governance guidelines, religions and business practices.

75 FR 38765 - Domestic Origin Verification System Questionnaire and Regulations Governing Inspection and...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-06

..., facility assessment services, certifications of quantity and quality, import product inspections, and... control number. These include export certification, inspection of section 8e import products, and...] Domestic Origin Verification System Questionnaire and Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of...

Nordic Corporate Governance Revisited

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Steen

2016-01-01

This paper reviews the key elements of the Nordic governance model, which include a distinct legal system, high governance ratings and low levels of corruption. Other characteristics include concentrated ownership, foundation ownership, semi two-tier board structures, employee representation...

DOE's nation-wide system for access control can solve problems for the federal government

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callahan, S.; Tomes, D.; Davis, G.; Johnson, D.; Strait, S.

1996-07-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) ongoing efforts to improve its physical and personnel security systems while reducing its costs, provide a model for federal government visitor processing. Through the careful use of standardized badges, computer databases, and networks of automated access control systems, the DOE is increasing the security associated with travel throughout the DOE complex, and at the same time, eliminating paperwork, special badging, and visitor delays. The DOE is also improving badge accountability, personnel identification assurance, and access authorization timeliness and accuracy. Like the federal government, the DOE has dozens of geographically dispersed locations run by many different contractors operating a wide range of security systems. The DOE has overcome these obstacles by providing data format standards, a complex-wide virtual network for security, the adoption of a standard high security system, and an open-systems-compatible link for any automated access control system. If the location's level of security requires it, positive visitor identification is accomplished by personal identification number (PIN) and/or by biometrics. At sites with automated access control systems, this positive identification is integrated into the portals

Réduction du risque d'infection par le VIH au Botswana - essais ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Au Botswana, ce sont les jeunes femmes qui sont le plus touchées par les nouvelles infections par le VIH. Le présent projet a pour but de réduire le nombre de nouveaux cas d'infection par le VIH, en particulier chez les femmes de 15 à 29 ans. Bien que l'on recense des cas de VIH/sida dans la plupart des régions du ...

A Strategic Governance Review for Multi-Organizational Systems of Education, Training, and Professional Development

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Daley, Glenn

2003-01-01

.... Because of the division of financial responsibility, command authority, and workforce planning within DoD, the effectiveness of the system depends on its capacity for governance of the organizations...

Modelling a reliability system governed by discrete phase-type distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiz-Castro, Juan Eloy; Perez-Ocon, Rafael; Fernandez-Villodre, Gemma

2008-01-01

We present an n-system with one online unit and the others in cold standby. There is a repairman. When the online fails it goes to repair, and instantaneously a standby unit becomes the online one. The operational and repair times follow discrete phase-type distributions. Given that any discrete distribution defined on the positive integers is a discrete phase-type distribution, the system can be considered a general one. A model with unlimited number of units is considered for approximating a system with a great number of units. We show that the process that governs the system is a quasi-birth-and-death process. For this system, performance reliability measures; the up and down periods, and the involved costs are calculated in a matrix and algorithmic form. We show that the discrete case is not a trivial case of the continuous one. The results given in this paper have been implemented computationally with Matlab

Modelling a reliability system governed by discrete phase-type distributions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruiz-Castro, Juan Eloy [Departamento de Estadistica e Investigacion Operativa, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada (Spain)], E-mail: jeloy@ugr.es; Perez-Ocon, Rafael [Departamento de Estadistica e Investigacion Operativa, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada (Spain)], E-mail: rperezo@ugr.es; Fernandez-Villodre, Gemma [Departamento de Estadistica e Investigacion Operativa, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada (Spain)

2008-11-15

We present an n-system with one online unit and the others in cold standby. There is a repairman. When the online fails it goes to repair, and instantaneously a standby unit becomes the online one. The operational and repair times follow discrete phase-type distributions. Given that any discrete distribution defined on the positive integers is a discrete phase-type distribution, the system can be considered a general one. A model with unlimited number of units is considered for approximating a system with a great number of units. We show that the process that governs the system is a quasi-birth-and-death process. For this system, performance reliability measures; the up and down periods, and the involved costs are calculated in a matrix and algorithmic form. We show that the discrete case is not a trivial case of the continuous one. The results given in this paper have been implemented computationally with Matlab.

Governance: Blending Bureaucratic Rules with Day to Day Operational Realities Comment on "Governance, Government, and the Search for New Provider Models".

Science.gov (United States)

Chinitz, David P

2016-05-31

Richard Saltman and Antonio Duran take up the challenging issue of governance in their article "Governance, Government and the Search for New Provider Models," and use two case studies of health policy changes in Sweden and Spain to shed light on the subject. In this commentary, I seek to link their conceptualization of governance, especially its interrelated roles at the macro, meso, and micro levels of health systems, with the case studies on which they report. While the case studies focus on the shifts in governance between the macro and meso levels and their impacts on achievement of desired policy outcomes, they also highlight the need to better integrate the dynamics of day to day operations within micro organizations into the overall governance picture. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

A Corporate Governance Index : Convergence and Diversity of National Corporate Governance Regulations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martynova, M.; Renneboog, L.D.R.

2010-01-01

The issue of appropriate corporate governance framework has been a focal point of recent reforms in many countries. This study provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of corporate governance regulatory systems and their evolution over the last 15 years in 30 European countries and the US. It

Brazil - Governance in Brazil's Unified Health System : Raising the Quality of Public Spending and Resource Management

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2007-01-01

This report on governance in Brazil's unified health system assesses resource allocation and management, planning and budgeting functions, and budget execution at different levels of government for public expenditures on health services. The emphasis is on understanding the incentives generated for service providers, and the overall soundness of the accountabilities established in the publ...

Sociotechnical factors influencing unsafe use of hospital information systems: A qualitative study in Malaysian government hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Salahuddin, Lizawati; Ismail, Zuraini; Hashim, Ummi Rabaah; Raja Ikram, Raja Rina; Ismail, Nor Haslinda; Naim Mohayat, Mohd Hariz

2018-03-01

The objective of this study is to identify factors influencing unsafe use of hospital information systems in Malaysian government hospitals. Semi-structured interviews with 31 medical doctors in three Malaysian government hospitals implementing total hospital information systems were conducted between March and May 2015. A thematic qualitative analysis was performed on the resultant data to deduce the relevant themes. A total of five themes emerged as the factors influencing unsafe use of a hospital information system: (1) knowledge, (2) system quality, (3) task stressor, (4) organization resources, and (5) teamwork. These qualitative findings highlight that factors influencing unsafe use of a hospital information system originate from multidimensional sociotechnical aspects. Unsafe use of a hospital information system could possibly lead to the incidence of errors and thus raises safety risks to the patients. Hence, multiple interventions (e.g. technology systems and teamwork) are required in shaping high-quality hospital information system use.

A mechanism for ParB-dependent waves of ParA, a protein related to DNA segregation during cell division in prokaryotes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hunding, Axel; Gerdes, Kenn; Charbon, Gitte Ebersbach

2003-01-01

in an autocatalytic process. We discuss this mechanism in relation to recent models for MinDE oscillations in E.coli and to microtubule degradation in mitosis. The study points to an ancestral role for the presented pattern types in generating bipolarity in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.......Prokaryotic plasmids encode partitioning (par) loci involved in segregation of DNA to daughter cells at cell division. A functional fusion protein consisting of Walker-type ParA ATPase and green fluorescent protein (Gfp) oscillates back and forth within nucleoid regions with a wave period of about...

Governance of Health Systems Comment on “A Network Based Theory of Health Systems and Cycles of Well-Being”

OpenAIRE

Blanchet, Karl

2013-01-01

Health systems research aims to understand the governance of health systems (i.e. how health systems function and perform and how their actors interact with each other). This can be achieved by applying innovative methodologies and concepts that are going to capture the complexity and dynamics of health systems when they are affected by shocks. The capacity of health systems to adapt to shocks (i.e. the resilience of health systems) is a new area of investigation. Social network analysis is a...

[Ambroise Paré in French literature].

Science.gov (United States)

Dumaitre, P

1995-01-01

The 16th century by its passionate side has been the favourite one of authors of historical novels in which among the heroes of "cloak and dagger stories" appears sometime Ambroise Paré. Alexandre Dumas (the father) has shown him at the court of Charles IX in La Reine Margot (1845) where he does not however play a great role. On the contrary, Balzac in Le Martyr calviniste (1842) has given him a capital part close to the dying François II, whom he intended to trepanize but had to give up this idea as a consequence of the opposition of the queen-mother Catherine de Médicis. In the present century, Robert Merle in Paris ma bonne ville (Fortune de France, 3, 1980) shows Paré at the time of the Saint Barthélemy.

The Effect of Used Information Technology, Internal Control, and Regional Accounting System on the Performance of City Governance Agency of Banda Aceh City, Indonesia

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Muslim Djalil

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of utilization of information technology, internal control system, and regional financial accounting system on the performance of city government agencies in Banda Aceh city government, Indonesia.The population of the research is 39 city government agencies (SKPK of Banda Aceh and by using the simple random sampling technique, it is selected 28 agencies within city government as a sample and employed 84 persons as respondents. The primary data of this research arecollected by using questionnaire and analyzed by using the multiple regression regresion method with a SPSS application software.The result shows that perceived by simultaneously statistical test indicated that the utilization of information technology, internal control system and implementation of regionalfinancial accounting system have a significant positive effect on the performance of city government agency. Similarly, tested partially, utilization of information technology, internalcontrol system, and implementation of the regional financial accounting system also have a significant positive effect on the performance of city government agencies in the city government of Banda Aceh, Indonesia.Keywords: Information Technology, Internal Control System, Regional Financial Accounting System, and Performance of City Governance.

Les dispensées par fantaisie en éducation physique et sportive ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Cette étude vise à comprendre les raisons avancées par les élèves dispensés par fantaisie des cours d'EPS, pour justifier leur attitude et principalement leur forfait. Une enquête par questionnaire écrit a été menée dans 13 établissements publics de la ville de Porto-Novo au Bénin. Au total, 203 élèves parmi les 771 élèves ...

Complexation de l'aluminium par des hétéropolyanions lacunaires ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

L'objectif visé par cette étude est la dépollution des eaux à partir de la complexation d'un métal toxique, l'aluminium en solution, par des hétéropolyanions lacunaires (HPA) de type Dawson. Les complexes formés sont récupérés par membrane liquide émulsionnée (MEL).Les résultats de la complex1ation de l'aluminium ...

Removal of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) factor suPAR using CytoSorb.

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Schenk, Heiko; Müller-Deile, Janina; Schmitt, Roland; Bräsen, Jan Hinrich; Haller, Hermann; Schiffer, Mario

2017-12-01

Treatment of primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and its recurrence after kidney transplantation associated with rapid deterioration of kidney function remains to be challenging despite advances in immunosuppressive therapy. The presence of circulating factors has been postulated to be a pivotal player in the pathogenesis of FSGS, although suPAR and CLCF-1 have been identified as the most promising causative factors. The potential therapeutic effect of suPAR elimination in an FSGS patient using CytoSorb, a hemoadsorption device that gained attention in the cytokine elimination in septic patients, was studied. Efficiency of total plasma exchange to remove suPAR was determined. CytoSorb hemoadsorption caused a 27.33% reduction of the suPAR level in a single treatment, whereas total plasma exchange showed a suPAR level reduction of 25.12% (n = 3; 95% confidence interval, 0.2777-0.8090; P < 0.01), which may indicate therapeutic potential in the treatment of primary FSGS and its recurrence in a kidney transplant. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thrombin induces rapid PAR1-mediated non-classical FGF1 release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duarte, Maria; Kolev, Vihren; Soldi, Raffaella; Kirov, Alexander; Graziani, Irene; Oliveira, Silvia Marta; Kacer, Doreen; Friesel, Robert; Maciag, Thomas; Prudovsky, Igor

2006-01-01

Thrombin induces cell proliferation and migration during vascular injury. We report that thrombin rapidly stimulated expression and release of the pro-angiogenic polypeptide fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1). Thrombin failed to induce FGF1 release from protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) null fibroblasts, indicating that this effect was dependent on PAR1. Similarly to thrombin, FGF1 expression and release were induced by TRAP, a specific oligopeptide agonist of PAR1. These results identify a novel aspect of the crosstalk between FGF and thrombin signaling pathways which both play important roles in tissue repair and angiogenesis

Jesus en geweld: Markus 12:1-12 (en par) en Thomas 65 | van Eck ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jesus and violence: Mark 12:1-12 (and par) and. Thomas 65. As an advanced agrarian (aristocratic) society, first-century Palestine's social fabric was built on systemic tensions and conflicts between the elite (rulers) and the peasantry (the ruled). At the root of these conflicts were incompatible values (ideologies) and

Examining relational empowerment for elementary school students in a yPAR program.

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Langhout, Regina Day; Collins, Charles; Ellison, Erin Rose

2014-06-01

This paper joins relational empowerment, youth empowerment, and Bridging Multiple Worlds frameworks to examine forms of relational empowerment for children in two intermediary institutions-school and a youth participatory action research after-school program (yPAR ASP). Participants were twelve children, most of whom were Latina/o and from im/migrant families, enrolled in a yPAR ASP for 2 years. A mixed-method approach was utilized; we analyzed children's interviews, self-defined goals, and their social networks to examine their experiences of relational empowerment. We conclude that children experienced each of the five relational empowerment factors-collaborative competence, bridging social divisions, facilitating others' empowerment, mobilizing networks, and passing on a legacy-in the yPAR ASP setting, and some factors in school. These experiences, however, were more pronounced in the yPAR ASP setting. Additionally, social network analyses revealed that a small but meaningful percentage of actors bridged worlds, especially home and family, but by year 2, also school and the yPAR ASP. Finally, most helpers for school-based goals came from school, but a sizable number came from family, friends, and home worlds, and by year 2, also came from the yPAR ASP. Implications range from theoretical to methodological development, including the use of social network analysis as a tool to descriptively examine relational power in context.

Elevated soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) predicts mortality in Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mölkänen, T; Ruotsalainen, E; Thorball, C W

2011-01-01

The soluble form of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a new inflammatory marker. High suPAR levels have been shown to associate with mortality in cancer and in chronic infections like HIV and tuberculosis, but reports on the role of suPAR in acute bacteremic infections...... are scarce. To elucidate the role of suPAR in a common bacteremic infection, the serum suPAR levels in 59 patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) were measured using the suPARnostic ELISA assay and associations to 1-month mortality and with deep infection focus were analyzed. On day three, after...... the first positive blood culture for S. aureus, suPAR levels were higher in 19 fatalities (median 12.3; range 5.7-64.6 ng/mL) than in 40 survivors (median 8.4; range 3.7-17.6 ng/mL, p = 0.002). This difference persisted for 10 days. The presence of deep infection focus was not associated with elevated su...

Electoral Governance in Brazil

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Vitor Marchetti

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Electoral governance has increasingly more frequently been the object of study of the comparative politics literature. This article examines the electoral governance institutional model adopted in Brazil and its consequences for political/electoral competition. It is argued herein that Brazil’s Electoral Justice System, motivated by the institutional design, has ended up becoming one of the main actors of the country’s recent democratic consolidation, being decisive not only with regard to rule adjudication and application, but also to rulemaking. With the purpose of assessing this governance model in action, three important recent rulings by Brazil’s Electoral Justice System are analysed here: verticalization of the coalitions, reduction in the number of councillors, and party loyalty.

Corporate governance cycles during transition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jones, Derek C.; Mygind, Niels

2004-01-01

-sures for restructuring produce strong impulses for ownership changes. There is limited possibility for external finance because of the embryonic development of the banking system and the capital markets during early transition. The governance cycle is also influenced by specific features of the institutional, cultural...... is faster in Estonia and this can be explained by the relatively fast pace of institutional change and evolution of important gov-ernance institutions, including tough bankruptcy legislation and advances in the financial system. JEL-codes: G3, J5, P2, P3 Keywords: corporate governance, life...

MARK/Par1 Kinase Is Activated Downstream of NMDA Receptors through a PKA-Dependent Mechanism.

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Laura P Bernard

Full Text Available The Par1 kinases, also known as microtubule affinity-regulating kinases (MARKs, are important for the establishment of cell polarity from worms to mammals. Dysregulation of these kinases has been implicated in autism, Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Despite their important function in health and disease, it has been unclear how the activity of MARK/Par1 is regulated by signals from cell surface receptors. Here we show that MARK/Par1 is activated downstream of NMDA receptors in primary hippocampal neurons. Further, we show that this activation is dependent on protein kinase A (PKA, through the phosphorylation of Ser431 of Par4/LKB1, the major upstream kinase of MARK/Par1. Together, our data reveal a novel mechanism by which MARK/Par1 is activated at the neuronal synapse.

Tumour Microenvironments Induce Expression of Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (uPAR) and Concomitant Activation of Gelatinolytic Enzymes

Science.gov (United States)

Magnussen, Synnøve; Hadler-Olsen, Elin; Latysheva, Nadezhda; Pirila, Emma; Steigen, Sonja E.; Hanes, Robert; Salo, Tuula; Winberg, Jan-Olof; Uhlin-Hansen, Lars; Svineng, Gunbjørg

2014-01-01

Background The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is associated with poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and increased expression of uPAR is often found at the invasive tumour front. The aim of the current study was to elucidate the role of uPAR in invasion and metastasis of OSCC, and the effects of various tumour microenvironments in these processes. Furthermore, we wanted to study whether the cells’ expression level of uPAR affected the activity of gelatinolytic enzymes. Methods The Plaur gene was both overexpressed and knocked-down in the murine OSCC cell line AT84. Tongue and skin tumours were established in syngeneic mice, and cells were also studied in an ex vivo leiomyoma invasion model. Soluble factors derived from leiomyoma tissue, as well as purified extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, were assessed for their ability to affect uPAR expression, glycosylation and cleavage. Activity of gelatinolytic enzymes in the tissues were assessed by in situ zymography. Results We found that increased levels of uPAR did not induce tumour invasion or metastasis. However, cells expressing low endogenous levels of uPAR in vitro up-regulated uPAR expression both in tongue, skin and leiomyoma tissue. Various ECM proteins had no effect on uPAR expression, while soluble factors originating from the leiomyoma tissue increased both the expression and glycosylation of uPAR, and possibly also affected the proteolytic processing of uPAR. Tumours with high levels of uPAR, as well as cells invading leiomyoma tissue with up-regulated uPAR expression, all displayed enhanced activity of gelatinolytic enzymes. Conclusions Although high levels of uPAR are not sufficient to induce invasion and metastasis, the activity of gelatinolytic enzymes was increased. Furthermore, several tumour microenvironments have the capacity to induce up-regulation of uPAR expression, and soluble factors in the tumour microenvironment may have an important role in the

Tumour microenvironments induce expression of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR and concomitant activation of gelatinolytic enzymes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Synnøve Magnussen

Full Text Available The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR is associated with poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC, and increased expression of uPAR is often found at the invasive tumour front. The aim of the current study was to elucidate the role of uPAR in invasion and metastasis of OSCC, and the effects of various tumour microenvironments in these processes. Furthermore, we wanted to study whether the cells' expression level of uPAR affected the activity of gelatinolytic enzymes.The Plaur gene was both overexpressed and knocked-down in the murine OSCC cell line AT84. Tongue and skin tumours were established in syngeneic mice, and cells were also studied in an ex vivo leiomyoma invasion model. Soluble factors derived from leiomyoma tissue, as well as purified extracellular matrix (ECM proteins, were assessed for their ability to affect uPAR expression, glycosylation and cleavage. Activity of gelatinolytic enzymes in the tissues were assessed by in situ zymography.We found that increased levels of uPAR did not induce tumour invasion or metastasis. However, cells expressing low endogenous levels of uPAR in vitro up-regulated uPAR expression both in tongue, skin and leiomyoma tissue. Various ECM proteins had no effect on uPAR expression, while soluble factors originating from the leiomyoma tissue increased both the expression and glycosylation of uPAR, and possibly also affected the proteolytic processing of uPAR. Tumours with high levels of uPAR, as well as cells invading leiomyoma tissue with up-regulated uPAR expression, all displayed enhanced activity of gelatinolytic enzymes.Although high levels of uPAR are not sufficient to induce invasion and metastasis, the activity of gelatinolytic enzymes was increased. Furthermore, several tumour microenvironments have the capacity to induce up-regulation of uPAR expression, and soluble factors in the tumour microenvironment may have an important role in the regulation of posttranslational

The Effect of Governance on Global Software Development: An Empirical Research in Transactive Memory Systems.