Global energy outlook. Key issue paper no. 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The objectives of this key issue paper are to outline the expected trends in energy and electricity demand and supply that will impact the future of nuclear power and to highlight new realities that are likely to affect the assessment and implementation of alternative reactor and fuel cycle strategies in the next five to six decades. 14 refs, figs, tabs.

Power quality event classification: an overview and key issues ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... used for PQ events' classifications. Various artificial intelligent techniques which are used in PQ event classification are also discussed. Major Key issues and challenges in classifying PQ events are critically examined and outlined. Keywords: Power quality, PQ event classifiers, artificial intelligence techniques, PQ noise, ...

Authenticated Blind Issuing of Symmetric Keys for Mobile Access Control System without Trusted Parties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shin-Yan Chiou

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile authentication can be used to verify a mobile user’s identity. Normally this is accomplished through the use of logon passwords, but this can raise the secret-key agreement problem between entities. This issue can be resolved by using a public-key cryptosystem, but mobile devices have limited computation ability and battery capacity and a PKI is needed. In this paper, we propose an efficient, non-PKI, authenticated, and blind issued symmetric key protocol for mobile access control systems. An easy-to-deploy authentication and authenticated key agreement system is designed such that empowered mobile devices can directly authorize other mobile devices to exchange keys with the server upon authentication using a non-PKI system without trusted parties. Empowered mobile users do not know the key value of the other mobile devices, preventing users from impersonating other individuals. Also, for security considerations, this system can revoke specific keys or keys issued by a specific user. The scheme is secure, efficient, and feasible and can be implemented in existing environments.

Key Issues and Research Agendas in Lone Wolf Terrorism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spaaij, R.; Hamm, M.S.

2015-01-01

This article builds on recent contributions to the academic literature on lone wolf terrorism to critically examine key issues that are germane to the current state of play in this field of study. It finds that, overall, the recent academic literature still suffers from considerable problems

Village health volunteers: key issues facing agencies in Malawi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The participants discussed recruitment, training, rewards, retention, and roles of village health volunteers. This paper presents background data on village health volunteers in Malawi and elsewhere and reviews the key issues facing health care providers in working with village health volunteers. A copy of the workshop ...

Teacher-Student Sexual Relations: Key Risks and Ethical Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Sikes, Pat

2010-01-01

Researching actual or purported sexual contact between teachers and students raises many difficult ethical issues, questions and dilemmas, which may help to explain why few have ventured into the field. This experientially based paper addresses key problem areas under the headings of: the ethics of researching a sensitive taboo topic; the ethics…

Lining up higher education. Trends in selected higher education statistics in ten Western countries (IHEM Trendreport 2004)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kaiser, Franciscus; Hillegers, Harm; Legro, Iwen

2005-01-01

In this fourth IHEM trend report, key statistical issues like student flows (new entrants, enrolment, and graduation, broken down by discipline and gender), rates of participation, staff, and finance are presented for the ten IHEM core countries over the period 1995 till recent. National statistical

NCAP projection displays: key issues for commercialization

Science.gov (United States)

Tomita, Akira; Jones, Philip J.

1992-06-01

Recently there has been much interest in a new polymer nematic dispersion technology, often called as NCAP, PDLC, PNLC, LCPC, etc., since projection displays using this technology have been shown to produce much brighter display images than projectors using conventional twisted nematic (TN) lightvalves. For commercializing projection displays based on this polymer nematic dispersion technology, the new materials must not only meet various electro- optic requirements, e.g., operational voltage, `off-state'' scattering angle, voltage holding ratio and hysteresis, but must also be stable over the lifetime of the product. This paper reports recent progress in the development of NCAP based projection displays and discusses some of the key commercialization issues.

Ocean energy: key legal issues and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, Glen; Rochette, Julien; O'Hagan, Anne Marie; De Groot, Jiska; Leroy, Yannick; Soininen, Niko; Salcido, Rachael; Castelos, Montserrat Abad; Jude, Simon; Kerr, Sandy

2015-01-01

Ocean energy is a novel renewable energy resource being developed as part of the push towards a 'Blue Economy'. The literature on ocean energy has focused on technical, environmental, and, increasingly, social and political aspects. Legal and regulatory factors have received less attention, despite their importance in supporting this new technology and ensuring its sustainable development. In this Issue Brief, we set out some key legal challenges for the development of ocean energy technologies, structured around the following core themes of marine governance: (i) international law; (ii) environmental impacts; (iii) rights and ownership; (iv) consenting processes; and (v) management of marine space and resources. (authors)

Social Work Practice with Latinos: Key Issues for Social Workers

Science.gov (United States)

Furman, Rich; Negi, Nalini Junko; Iwamoto, Derek Kenji; Rowan, Diana; Shukraft, Allison; Gragg, Jennifer

2009-01-01

The Latino population is the fastest growing group in the United States; thus, it is imperative that social workers and other mental health practitioners be knowledgeable about the current literature on how to effectively serve this population. This article elucidates key issues and knowledge, such as immigration and migration concerns; discusses…

Mixed Methods Research: What Are the Key Issues to Consider?

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Rajashi

2016-01-01

Mixed methods research (MMR) is increasingly becoming a popular methodological approach in several fields due to the promise it holds for comprehensive understanding of complex problems being researched. However, researchers interested in MMR often lack reference to a guide that can explain the key issues pertaining to the paradigm wars…

Stakeholders' Views on Ethical Issues in the Practice of In-Vitro ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A think-tank session was convened with participants drawn from different backgrounds and disciplines to deliberate on ethical issues in IVF. Ten key issues were discussed at this inaugural session. It was unanimously agreed that there are no right or wrong answers when considering the ethics and morality of IVF as these ...

BENTO buffer development program in Finland - Key issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Autio, J.; Korkiala-Tanttu, L.; Vaehaenen, M.; Koskinen, K.; Korkeakoski, P.; Haapala, K.

2010-01-01

key project in the programme. Another key part of development is the manufacturing of buffer components (MANU project), which is responsible of the manufacturing of buffer components for testing and final use in the repository. MANU covers the whole chain of events from raw material acquisition and management to manufacturing and emplacement of the final bentonite products. The development of design and manufacturing requires significant amount of research in order to define the processes that take place during buffer's lifespan from manufacturing to actual buffer function in deposition hole and evaluation of buffer performance. These processes need to be understood in order to define the essential design parameters that affect these processes. Therefore material research (MARE project) is essential requirement for successful design development. Modelling (MODE project) provides support for all other projects. It requires significant resources, comprehensive understanding of different modelling methods and approaches, intense supervision and coordination. The significant issues are issues, which have been identified by the BENTO programme group to be possibly significant for performance of the buffer. The significant issues that need to be resolved at present are as follows: 1. Buffer cementation; 2. Buffer mineral alteration; 3. Erosion of buffer; 4. Piping of inflows through the buffer; 5. Insufficient swelling pressure of the buffer in dry drift sections, effect on rock spalling; 6. Post-glacial erosion (loss of buffer from exposure to glacial melt waters); 7. Cement-bentonite interaction; 8. Iron-bentonite interaction; 9. Freezing and Thawing of buffer. (authors)

Ten Years, Twenty Issues, and Two Hundred Papers of Numeracy: Toward International Reach and Transdisciplinary Utility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.L. Vacher

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This issue completes the first ten years of Numeracy. The purpose of this introductory editorial is to review what has happened to the journal in those ten years. In the twenty issues, Numeracy’s output has been 201 papers counting the one or two editorials per issue. More than 50% of the papers are full, peer-reviewed articles, including 13 papers in two theme collections. The others are peer-reviewed notes and perspectives, editor-reviewed book reviews (15% of the total, and a column by contributing co-editor, Dorothy Wallace. The current issue marks an upswing in the number of notes, and our first discussion/reply. The number of papers per year has been increasing (e.g., 66% more in the last three years than in the first three years. The download rate has increased from about 5,000 in the first two years to 5,000 in about 40 days now. The editorial goes on to document two main outcomes. First, the journal is gaining an international reach: more than half the downloads occur outside the United States now, and the number of contributions from outside the United States has increased from 4 in the first five years to 15 in the second five years. Second, the across-the-curriculum nature of quantitative literacy is coming to the fore. The transdisciplinarity of QL is strikingly evident in this issue, which is discussed in some detail, especially how it conforms to the mission of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The editorial ends with some results from a small ad hoc study of Google Scholar Citation Profiles. The question was, of the profiles that used “numeracy” or “quantitative literacy” as keywords, what other keywords did those profiles use, and what were the source countries? The results show that (1 QL is very much an American term, (2 there is, metaphorically, a vast and interesting numeracy ecosystem out there for Numeracy to engage and serve, and (3 as we become more global, the transdisciplinary relevance

Information Systems Management: an Australasian view of key issues - 1996

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graham Pervan

1997-11-01

Full Text Available As part of a longitudinal study of key information systems management issues, a survey of Australasia's largest 500 organisations was conducted to identify which issues were perceived by the IS executives as being important, problematic and critical over the next three to five years. The most critical issues were revealed to be a mix of technology management issues (IT infrastructure, communications, disaster recovery, strategic management issues (competitive advantage, IS planning, aligning the IS organisation, people management issues (organisational learning, educating senior management in IT, systems development and data management issues (effective use of the data resource, and end-user computing. This reflects the need for a balance of business, technical, and people skills in an IS executive. Non-critical issues were mostly related to systems development and the individual technologies which must be integrated and managed to ensure a responsive IT infrastructure. The study also reveals that some issues are much more important than problematic (disaster recovery, competitive advantage, information architecture, and IS alignment while others are much more problematic than important (end-user computing, IS role and contribution, and BPR. The former reflects a growing level of knowledge in handling these issues, while the latter reflects a continuing problem with them. The differences between this study and similar studies conducted in 1988 and 1992 show that there is a growing confidence in the IS executive's ability to manage the strategic issues, a continuing concern about providing a responsive IT infrastructure (especially communications, and a continuing concern with educating all 'customers' in the organisation in the effective use of IT, including senior management.

Issues in Moderation of National Curriculum Assessment at Key Stage 3.

Science.gov (United States)

Cowling, Les

1994-01-01

Highlights the issues of moderation of teacher judgments for accountability and moderation for achieving consistent assessments. Discusses the meaning of moderation, the need for moderating teacher judgments, approaches to moderation, methods of moderation, and most appropriate methods of moderation at Key Stage 3. Presents an approach to…

Nanoscale ferroelectrics and multiferroics key processes and characterization issues, and nanoscale effects

CERN Document Server

Alguero, Miguel

2016-01-01

This book reviews the key issues in processing and characterization of nanoscale ferroelectrics and multiferroics, and provides a comprehensive description of their properties, with an emphasis in differentiating size effects of extrinsic ones like boundary or interface effects. Recently described nanoscale novel phenomena are also addressed. Organized into three parts it addresses key issues in processing (nanostructuring), characterization (of the nanostructured materials) and nanoscale effects. Taking full advantage of the synergies between nanoscale ferroelectrics and multiferroics, it covers materials nanostructured at all levels, from ceramic technologies like ferroelectric nanopowders, bulk nanostructured ceramics and thick films, and magnetoelectric nanocomposites, to thin films, either polycrystalline layer heterostructures or epitaxial systems, and to nanoscale free standing objects with specific geometries, such as nanowires and tubes at different levels of development. The book is developed from t...

European key issues concerning natural gas: Dependence and vulnerability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reymond, Mathias

2007-01-01

Due to the high demand for natural gas from emerging countries and because natural gas has become an increasingly valuable resource is electricity production, natural gas demand should increase. This paper re-examines the geopolitical key issues related to natural gas as well as the uneven distribution of natural gas resources on a worldwide scale. This paper proposes to define the significance of liquefied natural gas in gas exchanges and it analyses the problem of European gas vulnerability using several indicators

Key issues and technical route of cyber physical distribution system

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, P. X.; Chen, B.; Zheng, L. J.; Zhang, G. L.; Fan, Y. L.; Pei, T.

2017-01-01

Relying on the National High Technology Research and Development Program, this paper introduced the key issues in Cyber Physical Distribution System (CPDS), mainly includes: composite modelling method and interaction mechanism, system planning method, security defence technology, distributed control theory. Then on this basis, the corresponding technical route is proposed, and a more detailed research framework along with main schemes to be adopted is also presented.

Human Health Effects of Trichloroethylene: Key Findings and Scientific Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Jinot, Jennifer; Scott, Cheryl Siegel; Makris, Susan L.; Cooper, Glinda S.; Dzubow, Rebecca C.; Bale, Ambuja S.; Evans, Marina V.; Guyton, Kathryn Z.; Keshava, Nagalakshmi; Lipscomb, John C.; Barone, Stanley; Fox, John F.; Gwinn, Maureen R.; Schaum, John; Caldwell, Jane C.

2012-01-01

Background: In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed a toxicological review of trichloroethylene (TCE) in September 2011, which was the result of an effort spanning > 20 years. Objectives: We summarized the key findings and scientific issues regarding the human health effects of TCE in the U.S. EPA’s toxicological review. Methods: In this assessment we synthesized and characterized thousands of epidemiologic, experimental animal, and mechanistic studies, and addressed several key scientific issues through modeling of TCE toxicokinetics, meta-analyses of epidemiologic studies, and analyses of mechanistic data. Discussion: Toxicokinetic modeling aided in characterizing the toxicological role of the complex metabolism and multiple metabolites of TCE. Meta-analyses of the epidemiologic data strongly supported the conclusions that TCE causes kidney cancer in humans and that TCE may also cause liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Mechanistic analyses support a key role for mutagenicity in TCE-induced kidney carcinogenicity. Recent evidence from studies in both humans and experimental animals point to the involvement of TCE exposure in autoimmune disease and hypersensitivity. Recent avian and in vitro mechanistic studies provided biological plausibility that TCE plays a role in developmental cardiac toxicity, the subject of substantial debate due to mixed results from epidemiologic and rodent studies. Conclusions: TCE is carcinogenic to humans by all routes of exposure and poses a potential human health hazard for noncancer toxicity to the central nervous system, kidney, liver, immune system, male reproductive system, and the developing embryo/fetus. PMID:23249866

The emerging role of Big Data in key development issues: Opportunities, challenges, and concerns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nir Kshetri

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a review of academic literature, policy documents from government organizations and international agencies, and reports from industries and popular media on the trends in Big Data utilization in key development issues and its worthwhileness, usefulness, and relevance. By looking at Big Data deployment in a number of key economic sectors, it seeks to provide a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges of using it for addressing key issues facing the developing world. It reviews the uses of Big Data in agriculture and farming activities in developing countries to assess the capabilities required at various levels to benefit from Big Data. It also provides insights into how the current digital divide is associated with and facilitated by the pattern of Big Data diffusion and its effective use in key development areas. It also discusses the lessons that developing countries can learn from the utilization of Big Data in big corporations as well as in other activities in industrialized countries.

Key issues of the common French-German safety approach for future PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frisch, W.; Rohde, J.; Gros, G.; Queniart, D.

1996-01-01

The general common safety approach issued in May 1993 contains safety objectives, general principles and already some technical principles. Based on general safety approach, detailed recommendations have been developed in 1994 on key issues such as: system design and use of PSA; integrity of the primary circuit; external hazards; severe accidents and containment design; radiological consequences of reference accidents and low pressure core melt accidents. A selection of the detailed recommendations is presented in the full paper. (author)

Training: Who Needs It? Research Report 1995. Key Issues for Providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hotel and Catering Training Co., London (England).

Aimed at all those involved in the supply of training and vocational education for the hospitality industry, this report summarizes findings of the research report, "Training Who Needs It?" It draws out and explores in more detail key issues relating to the provision of training, support, and related initiatives for the industry. Section…

Climate Watchlist: Key issues for Cancun negotiations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandani, Achala; Siegele, Linda

2010-11-15

We must mitigate and adapt to climate change. On this, the international community is agreed. But exactly how to do that is still up for debate. There were high hopes that last year's UN climate talks in Copenhagen would deliver a legally binding agreement for action on climate change. But the outcome — the Copenhagen Accord — was instead a political 'statement of intent' that fell significantly short of expectations. Now, after a year of interim meetings and several negotiating texts, parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are gathering in Cancun, Mexico, to try again. Their success will largely depend on settling disputes — particularly between the developed and developing world — about six key issues: shared vision; adaptation; climate finance; technology transfer; reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation; and post-2012 emissions reduction targets.

Key Health Information Technologies and Related Issues for Iran: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemmat, Morteza; Ayatollahi, Haleh; Maleki, Mohammadreza; Saghafi, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

Planning for the future of Health Information Technology (HIT) requires applying a systematic approach when conducting foresight studies. The aim of this study was to identify key health information technologies and related issues for Iran until 2025. This was a qualitative study and the participants included experts and policy makers in the field of health information technology. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed by using framework analysis and MAXQDA software. The findings revealed that the development of national health information network, electronic health records, patient health records, a cloud-based service center, interoperability standards, patient monitoring technologies, telehealth, mhealth, clinical decision support systems, health information technology and mhealth infrastructure were found to be the key technologies for the future. These technologies could influence the economic, organizational and individual levels. To achieve them, the economic and organizational obstacles need to be overcome. In this study, a number of key technologies and related issues were identified. This approach can help to focus on the most important technologies in the future and to priorities these technologies for better resource allocation and policy making.

New Doctoral Graduates in the Knowledge Economy: Trends and Key Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Pedersen, Heidi Skovgaard

2014-01-01

This paper examines the key issues at stake for national economies in increasing the number of PhDs to meet expected needs for human capital in science, technology and innovation using illustrations mainly from the European Commission's "Careers of Doctorate Holders" surveys on PhD labour market outcomes; it has been shown that PhD…

Towards optimised information about clinical trials; identification and validation of key issues in collaboration with cancer patient advocates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dellson, P; Nilbert, M; Bendahl, P-O

2011-01-01

for improvements, 21 key issues were defined and validated through a questionnaire in an independent group of breast cancer patient advocates. Clear messages, emotionally neutral expressions, careful descriptions of side effects, clear comparisons between different treatment alternatives and information about......Clinical trials are crucial to improve cancer treatment but recruitment is difficult. Optimised patient information has been recognised as a key issue. In line with the increasing focus on patients' perspectives in health care, we aimed to study patients' opinions about the written information used...... the possibility to discontinue treatment were perceived as the most important issues. Patients' views of the information in clinical trials provide new insights and identify key issues to consider in optimising future written information and may improve recruitment to clinical cancer trials....

Managing and developing key supplier relationships : An introduction to the special issue, discussion and implications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ivens, B.; van de Vijver, M.A.R.; Vos, G.C.J.M.

2013-01-01

This article provides an introduction to this special issue on managing and developing key supplier relationships. Key suppliers are increasingly seen as strategic assets of buying companies which need careful nurturing to fully utilize their potential for value creation. The six articles of this

Emergency management in health: key issues and challenges in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Andrew C K; Phillips, Wendy; Challen, Kirsty; Goodacre, Steve

2012-10-19

Emergency planning in the UK has grown considerably in recent years, galvanised by the threat of terrorism. However, deficiencies in NHS emergency planning were identified and the evidence-base that underpins it is questionable. Inconsistencies in terminologies and concepts also exist. Different models of emergency management exist internationally but the optimal system is unknown. This study examines the evidence-base and evidence requirements for emergency planning in the UK health context. The study involved semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and opinion leaders. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a breadth of views from various agencies involved in emergency planning and response. Interviews were then analysed using a grounded approach using standard framework analysis techniques. We conducted 17 key informant interviews. Interviewees identified greater gaps in operational than technical aspects of emergency planning. Social and behavioural knowledge gaps were highlighted with regards to how individuals and organisations deal with risk and behave in emergencies. Evidence-based approaches to public engagement and for developing community resilience to disasters are lacking. Other gaps included how knowledge was developed and used. Conflicting views with regards to the optimal configuration and operation of the emergency management system were voiced. Four thematic categories for future research emerged:(i) Knowledge-base for emergency management: Further exploration is needed of how knowledge is acquired, valued, disseminated, adopted and retained.(ii) Social and behavioural issues: Greater understanding of how individuals approach risk and behave in emergencies is required.(iii) Organisational issues in emergencies: Several conflicting organisational issues were identified; value of planning versus plans, flexible versus standardized procedures, top-down versus bottom-up engagement, generic versus specific planning, and reactive versus

A CEO View of Key Issues in Australian Information Systems Management - 1997

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graham Pervan

1998-05-01

Full Text Available As part of a research programme on key information systems management issues, a survey of Australasia's largest 500 organisations was conducted to identify which issues were perceived by their chief executive officers (CEOs as being important, problematic and critical over the next three to five years. The results reported are based on a relatively low response rate (though perhaps reasonable for the target group so should be regarded as only exploratory. The most critical issues were revealed to be a mix of technology management issues (IT infrastructure, disaster recovery, strategic management issues (BPR, competitive advantage, information architecture, people management issues (organisational learning, systems development and data management issues (effective use of the data resource, effectiveness/productivity of IS, effectiveness of software development, and their own support systems (EIS/DSS. This reflects their interest in a wide range of issues, but all with an organisation-wide focus. Non-critical issues were mostly related to the individual technologies and the place and role of IS in the organisation. While the CEOs showed some agreement with their chief information officers (CIOs on issues such as the IT infrastructure, competitive advantage, and organisational learning some distinct differences exist, particularly in relation to the quality and effectiveness of systems and processes and also how CEOs and CIOs perceive each other.

Several key issues on using 137Cs method for soil erosion estimation

Science.gov (United States)

This work was to examine several key issues of using the cesium-137 method to estimate soil erosion rates in order to improve and standardize the method. Based on the comprehensive review and synthesis of a large body of published literature and the author’s extensive research experience, several k...

Ten steps to successful software process improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Kandt, R. K.

2003-01-01

This paper identifies ten steps for managing change that address organizational and cultural issues. Four of these steps are critical, that if not done, will almost guarantee failure. This ten-step program emphasizes the alignment of business goals, change process goals, and the work performed by the employees of an organization.

Key issues for the control of refueling outage duration and costs in PWR nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Degrave, C.; Martin-Onraet, M.

2000-01-01

For several years, EDF, within the framework of the CIDEM project and in collaboration with some German Utilities, has undertaken a detailed review of the operating experience both of its own NPP and of foreign units, in order to improve the performances of future units under design, particularly the French-German European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) project. This review made it possible to identify the key issues allowing to decrease the duration of refueling and maintenance outages. These key issues can be classified in 3 categories: Design; Maintenance and Logistic Support; Outage Management. Most key issues in the design field and some in the logistic support field have been studied and could be integrated into the design of any future PWR unit, as for the EPR project. Some of them could also be adapted to current plants, provided they are feasible and profitable. The organization must be tailored to each country, utility or period: it widely depends on the power production environment, particularly in a deregulation context. (author)

Ten Things Every Professor Should Know about Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Kenneth; Dunlap, Joanna; Stevens, Ellen

2012-01-01

This article describes ten key assessment practices for advancing student learning that all professors should be familiar with and strategically incorporate in their classrooms and programs. Each practice or concept is explained with examples and guidance for putting it into practice. The ten are: learning outcomes, performance assessments,…

Keys to success: Ten case studies of effective weatherization programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, M.A.; Berry, L.G.; Kolb, J.O.; White, D.L. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Kinney, L.F.; Wilson, T. [Synertech Systems Corp., Syracuse, NY (United States)

1993-11-01

In 1990, DOE initiated a nationwide evaluation of its Weatherization Program, with assistance from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and an advisory group of 40 weatherization professionals, program managers, and researchers. The evaluation is comprised of three impact studies covering the Program`s major market segments: Single-family homes, mobile homes, and dwellings in small (2 to 4-unit) multifamily buildings (the Single-Family Study), Single-family homes heated primarily with fuel oil (the Fuel-Oil Study), and Dwellings in buildings with five or more units (the Multifamily Study). The Single-Family Study, the subject of this report, is a critical part of this coordinated evaluation effort. Its focus on single-family dwellings, mobile homes, and dwellings in small multifamily buildings covers 83% of the income-eligible population and 96% of the dwellings weatherized during Program Year 1989. The first phase of the Single-Family Study involved the analysis of a massive data base of information collected from 368 local weatherization agencies and 543 electric and gas utilities. This analysis resulted in energy-saving and cost-effectiveness estimates for the Weatherization Program and the identification of a set of ten high-performing agencies located throughout the country. The second phase, which is the subject of this report, involves a ``process`` evaluation of these ten high performers, aimed at identifying those weatherization practices that explain their documented success.

Key Regulatory Issues for Digital Instrumentation and Control Systems at Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korsah, Kofi; Wood, Richard Thomas

2008-01-01

To help reduce the uncertainty associated with application of digital instrumentation and controls (I and C) technology in nuclear power plants, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued six Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) documents that address the current regulatory positions on what are considered the significant digital I and C issues. These six documents address the following topics: Cyber Security, Diversity and Defense-in-Depth, Risk Informed Digital I and C Regulation, Communication issues, Human Factors and the Digital I and C Licensing Process (currently issued as Draft). After allowing for further refinement based on additional technical insight gathered by NRC staff through near-term research and detailed review of relevant experience, it is expected that updated positions ultimately will be incorporated into regulatory guides and staff review procedures. This paper presents an overview of the guidance provided by the NRC-issued ISGs on key technology considerations (i.e., the first five documents above) for safety-related digital I and C systems.

Key Issues for the control of refueling outage duration and costs in PWR Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Degrave, Claude

2002-01-01

For several years, EDF, within the framework of the CIDEM1 project and in collaboration with some German Utilities, has undertaken a detailed review of the operating experience both of its own NPP and of foreign units, in order to improve the performances of future units under design, particularly the French-German European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) project. This review made it possible to identify the key issues allowing to decrease the duration of refueling and maintenance outages. These key issues can be classified in 3 categories Design, Maintenance and Logistic Support, Outage Management. Most of the key issues in the design field and some in the logistic support field have been studied and could be integrated into the design of any future PWR unit, as for the EPR project. Some of them could also be adapted to current plants, provided they are feasible and profitable. The organization must be tailored to each country, utility or period: it widely depends on the power production environment, particularly in a deregulation context. (author)

International symposium on nuclear fuel cycle and reactor strategy: Adjusting to new realities. Key issue papers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The key issue papers review the following issues: global energy outlook; present status and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles; future fuel cycle and reactor strategies; safety, health and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles; non-proliferation and safeguards aspects; international cooperation. Refs, figs, tabs.

International symposium on nuclear fuel cycle and reactor strategy: Adjusting to new realities. Key issue papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

The key issue papers review the following issues: global energy outlook; present status and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles; future fuel cycle and reactor strategies; safety, health and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles; non-proliferation and safeguards aspects; international cooperation. Refs, figs, tabs

Identification and Characterization of Key Human Performance Issues and Research in the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen)

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Paul U.; Sheridan, Tom; Poage, james L.; Martin, Lynne Hazel; Jobe, Kimberly K.

2010-01-01

This report identifies key human-performance-related issues associated with Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) research in the NASA NextGen-Airspace Project. Four Research Focus Areas (RFAs) in the NextGen-Airspace Project - namely Separation Assurance (SA), Airspace Super Density Operations (ASDO), Traffic Flow Management (TFM), and Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) - were examined closely. In the course of the research, it was determined that the identified human performance issues needed to be analyzed in the context of NextGen operations rather than through basic human factors research. The main gaps in human factors research in NextGen were found in the need for accurate identification of key human-systems related issues within the context of specific NextGen concepts and better design of the operational requirements for those concepts. By focusing on human-system related issues for individual concepts, key human performance issues for the four RFAs were identified and described in this report. In addition, mixed equipage airspace with components of two RFAs were characterized to illustrate potential human performance issues that arise from the integration of multiple concepts.

Ten key elements for implementing interprofessional learning in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper discusses 10 key elements for the design and implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) in a skills centre. The elements are based on published literature as well as on the experience of an IPE initiative, simulating the management of a multiple-traumatised patient in the acute and rehabilitation phases, ...

Towards optimised information about clinical trials; identification and validation of key issues in collaboration with cancer patient advocates.

Science.gov (United States)

Dellson, P; Nilbert, M; Bendahl, P-O; Malmström, P; Carlsson, C

2011-07-01

Clinical trials are crucial to improve cancer treatment but recruitment is difficult. Optimised patient information has been recognised as a key issue. In line with the increasing focus on patients' perspectives in health care, we aimed to study patients' opinions about the written information used in three clinical trials for breast cancer. Primary data collection was done in focus group interviews with breast cancer patient advocates. Content analysis identified three major themes: comprehensibility, emotions and associations, and decision making. Based on the advocates' suggestions for improvements, 21 key issues were defined and validated through a questionnaire in an independent group of breast cancer patient advocates. Clear messages, emotionally neutral expressions, careful descriptions of side effects, clear comparisons between different treatment alternatives and information about the possibility to discontinue treatment were perceived as the most important issues. Patients' views of the information in clinical trials provide new insights and identify key issues to consider in optimising future written information and may improve recruitment to clinical cancer trials. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Key technological issues in LMFBR high-temperature structural design - the US perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corum, J.M.

1984-01-01

The purpose of this paper is: (1) to review the key technological issues in LMFBR high-temperature structural design, particularly as they relate to cost reduction; and (2) to provide an overview of activities sponsored by the US Department of Energy to resolve the issues and to establish stable, standardized, and defensible structural design methods and criteria. Specific areas of discussion include: weldments, structural validation tests, simplified design analysis procedures, design procedures for piping, validation of the methodology for notch-like geometries, improved life assessment procedures, thermal striping, extension of the methodology to new materials, and ASME high-temperature Code reform needs. The perceived problems and needs in each area are discussed, and the current status of related US activities is given

Identification of Key Issues in Adopting a Web 2.0 E-Portfolio Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Gary F.; Stansfield, Mark H.

2013-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to identify key issues relating to best practice and sustainability in Web 2.0 as an e-Learning strategy for supporting e-portfolios in Higher Education. A practical guidelines framework was developed for best practices, which can be justified by the lack of available frameworks in the e-Learning literature. A…

China and Outsourcing Offshore in the 21st Century:the Next Ten Years

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Joseph; F.Greco

2011-01-01

<正>In light of the current global economic slowdown and the concentrated efforts of the Chinese government to invest in the outsourcing industry,this study focuses on two critical issues for future growth over the next ten years:the fragmentation of the Chinese outsourcing industry and the shortage of business personnel with international business skills.After a literature review that,for the first time,integrates the Chinese studies with global research,we summarize the current state of out-sourcing offshore and the potential in the Chinese economy.We then analyze the out-sourcing industry using a general equilibrium model requiring partner search with service providers by final producers from East and West,focusing on two key variables directly related to the issue of Chinese industrial fragmentation:the service provider location and final producer search function.We then draw implications related to China’s future outsourcing efforts and policy changes that address the issue of industrial fragmentation.

Ten key points for the appropriate use of antibiotics in hospitalised patients: a consensus from the Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance Working Groups of the International Society of Chemotherapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hara, G. Levy; Kanj, S.S.; Pagani, L.; Abbo, L.; Endimiani, A.; Wertheim, H.F.L.; Amabile-Cuevas, C.; Tattevin, P.; Mehtar, S.; Cardoso, F.; Unal, S.; Gould, I.

2016-01-01

The Antibiotic Stewardship and Resistance Working Groups of the International Society for Chemotherapy propose ten key points for the appropriate use of antibiotics in hospital settings. (i) Get appropriate microbiological samples before antibiotic administration and carefully interpret the results:

eHealth in Wound Care,- overview and key issues to consider before implementation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, Zena; Angel, Donna; Bjerregaard, Julie

2015-01-01

Purpose This document aims to provide wound care clinicians with a rapid and structured overview of the key issues related to use of eHealth applications (telemedicine and telehealth) within wound care. This includes: • An overview of terminology and available literature • Guidance on the methodo......Purpose This document aims to provide wound care clinicians with a rapid and structured overview of the key issues related to use of eHealth applications (telemedicine and telehealth) within wound care. This includes: • An overview of terminology and available literature • Guidance...... on the methodology for evaluation of eHealth solutions • An introduction to and discussion of the potential benefits of eHealth technologies in wound care, and the possible barriers to their implementation • Recommendations for ensuring a good implementation process and supporting involvement of wound care...... professionals in safeguarding that eHealth solutions meet the needs of the patients. Methodology The document sections lean on the structure and focus areas of the Model for ASsessment of Telemedicine (MAST) which defines crucial items to evaluate an eHealth application. The content of the document is developed...

The sustainable use of tropical coastal resources - A key conservation issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holdgate, M W [IUCN-World Conservation Union, Gland (Switzerland)

1993-01-01

The three papers covered in this review form a series, addressing broadly the same issues in increasing detail. The paper by Carl Gustaf Lundin and Olof Linden, on 'Coastal ecosystems: Attempts to manage a threatened resource', takes a wide view of the coastal zones (the regions between the seaward margins of the continental shelves, in water depths of around 200 m and the landward edge of the coastal plains at a comparable altitude above mean sea level), and the nature of the pressures upon them. The paper by Magnus A.K. Ngoile and Chris J. Horrill, on 'Coastal ecosystems productivity and ecosystem protection: Coastal ecosystem management', focuses very much on these same issues of use and pressure in the Eastern Africa Region. The paper by M.C.Oehman, A. Rajasuriya and O. Linden, on 'Human disturbances on coral reefs in Sri Lanka: A case study' looks in some depth at the situation on three selected reef systems in the one country. All the papers address the key question of how the management of coastal resources should change, in order to avoid continuing degradation and the cost and impoverishment it is likely to bring. The three papers mentioned is published in this issue of Ambio, p. 461-480

The Key Issues of Labor Migration in the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie JELINKOVA

2007-04-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to highlight some often occurring failures that need to be eliminated when attempting to develop an integral and efficient policy on labor migration. As an example, a brief overview of the development of immigration policies and its critical shortcomings in the Czech Republic is provided. Following this, the paper analyzes two aspects: the protection of migrant workers and the trafficking in human beings. In particular, the paper deals with three crucial issues of labor migration which are: (1 the inconsistent aims of immigration policies, (2 the client system, and (3 the dependence on middlemen. The paper also focuses on the role of state, police, and NGO’s in the trafficking in human beings and forced labor or labor exploitation in the Czech Republic. In addition, the legislation on forced labor and the possibilities of assistance to trafficked person are analyzed.By comparing various aspects of immigration policy, this paper covers some, but certainly not all, of the key issues concerning the process of immigrant integration. Several suggestions are made that could improve the situation of labor migrants in a significant way.

Non-equilibrium physics and evolution—adaptation, extinction, and ecology: a Key Issues review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kussell, E; Vucelja, M

2014-01-01

Evolutionary dynamics in nature constitute an immensely complex non-equilibrium process. We review the application of physical models of evolution, by focusing on adaptation, extinction, and ecology. In each case, we examine key concepts by working through examples. Adaptation is discussed in the context of bacterial evolution, with a view toward the relationship between growth rates, mutation rates, selection strength, and environmental changes. Extinction dynamics for an isolated population are reviewed, with emphasis on the relation between timescales of extinction, population size, and temporally correlated noise. Ecological models are discussed by focusing on the effect of spatial interspecies interactions on diversity. Connections between physical processes—such as diffusion, turbulence, and localization—and evolutionary phenomena are highlighted. (key issues reviews)

Understanding Price Elasticities to Inform Public Health Research and Intervention Studies: Key Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Nghiem, Nhung; Genç, Murat; Blakely, Tony

2013-01-01

Pricing policies such as taxes and subsidies are important tools in preventing and controlling a range of threats to public health. This is particularly so in tobacco and alcohol control efforts and efforts to change dietary patterns and physical activity levels as a means of addressing increases in noncommunicable diseases. To understand the potential impact of pricing policies, it is critical to understand the nature of price elasticities for consumer products. For example, price elasticities are key parameters in models of any food tax or subsidy that aims to quantify health impacts and cost-effectiveness. We detail relevant terms and discuss key issues surrounding price elasticities to inform public health research and intervention studies. PMID:24028228

Understanding price elasticities to inform public health research and intervention studies: key issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Nghiem, Nhung; Wilson, Nick; Genç, Murat; Blakely, Tony

2013-11-01

Pricing policies such as taxes and subsidies are important tools in preventing and controlling a range of threats to public health. This is particularly so in tobacco and alcohol control efforts and efforts to change dietary patterns and physical activity levels as a means of addressing increases in noncommunicable diseases. To understand the potential impact of pricing policies, it is critical to understand the nature of price elasticities for consumer products. For example, price elasticities are key parameters in models of any food tax or subsidy that aims to quantify health impacts and cost-effectiveness. We detail relevant terms and discuss key issues surrounding price elasticities to inform public health research and intervention studies.

Key considerations and safety issues for the stretch power uprate at Chinshan Nuclear Power Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, P., E-mail: u808966@taipower.com.tw [Taiwan Power Company, Taipei, Taiwan (China)

2014-07-01

The Taiwan Power Company (TPC) has elected in recent years to implement the power uprate program as a key measure to improve the performance for TPC's nuclear power plants. The Measurement Uncertainty Recapture (MUR) power uprate for the TPC's three operating plants (reported in 16th PBNC) had been successfully implemented by July 2009. For the stretch power uprate (SPU) followed, the magnitude of uprate (~3%) is determined based on the available margins for original plant design, constant pressure approach (BWR) is adopted to simplify the evaluation, and major plant modifications are not considered. As the first application, the SPU safety analysis report (SAR) for the Chinshan plant was submitted to the ROCAEC in December 2010. A review task force was organized by the ROCAEC to perform a very thorough review. As the licensing bases are fully re-examined during the review process, many important issues have been identified and addressed. The key issues resolved include: conformance of SAR to ROCAEC's review guidance; re-examination of post-Fukushima comprehensive safety assessment; qualification of containment protective coatings; GL 96-06 (Assurance of Equipment Operability and Containment Integrity During DBA Conditions); credit for Containment Accident Pressure; issue for Annulus Pressurization Loads Evaluation. These issues required very extensive efforts to resolve. With the cooperative efforts by TPC and contractor (Institute of Nuclear Energy Research), however, all the issues were fully clarified and SAR was approved by ROCAEC on November 15, 2012. The first step SPU (2% OLTP) was successfully implemented in November 2012 at both units. (author)

Nickel exposure from keys: a Brazilian issue.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Nathalie Mie; Duarte, Ida Alzira Gomes; Hafner, Mariana de Figueiredo Silva; Lazzarini, Rosana

2017-01-01

Keys are a significant source of exposure to metal allergens and can be a relevant problem for nickel-allergic individuals. This study aimed to perform nickel and cobalt spot testing among the 5 most common Brazilian brands of keys. Among the tested keys, 100% showed positive result to nickel spot test, 83,3% presented strong positive reaction. 50% exhibited cobalt release as well. Nickel release from keys is very common in our country and may cause a negative impact on sensitized individual's quality of life. Study's results highlight the importance of establishing directives to regulate nickel release in Brazil.

Identification of the Key Fields and Their Key Technical Points of Oncology by Patent Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ting; Chen, Juan; Jia, Xiaofeng

2015-01-01

This paper aims to identify the key fields and their key technical points of oncology by patent analysis. Patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were searched in the Thomson Innovation database. The key fields and their key technical points were determined by analyzing the Derwent Classification (DC) and the International Patent Classification (IPC), respectively. Patent applications in the top ten DC occupied 80% of all the patent applications of oncology, which were the ten fields of oncology to be analyzed. The number of patent applications in these ten fields of oncology was standardized based on patent applications of oncology from 2006 to 2012. For each field, standardization was conducted separately for each of the seven years (2006-2012) and the mean of the seven standardized values was calculated to reflect the relative amount of patent applications in that field; meanwhile, regression analysis using time (year) and the standardized values of patent applications in seven years (2006-2012) was conducted so as to evaluate the trend of patent applications in each field. Two-dimensional quadrant analysis, together with the professional knowledge of oncology, was taken into consideration in determining the key fields of oncology. The fields located in the quadrant with high relative amount or increasing trend of patent applications are identified as key ones. By using the same method, the key technical points in each key field were identified. Altogether 116,820 patents of oncology applied from 2006 to 2012 were retrieved, and four key fields with twenty-nine key technical points were identified, including "natural products and polymers" with nine key technical points, "fermentation industry" with twelve ones, "electrical medical equipment" with four ones, and "diagnosis, surgery" with four ones. The results of this study could provide guidance on the development direction of oncology, and also help researchers broaden innovative ideas and discover new

The key physics and technology issues in the intense-beam proton accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Shinian; Fang Shouxian

2002-01-01

Beam power is required to raise one order in the next generation spallation neutron source. There are still some physics and technology difficulties need to be overcome, even though no fatal obstacle exists due to the rapid development of the technology in intense-beam accelerator in recent years. Therefore, it is highly demanded to clarify the key issues and to lunch an R and D program to break through the technological barriers before author start to build the expansive machine. The new technological challenge arises from the high beam current, the high accelerator power and the high demand on the reliability and stability of the accelerator operation. The author will discuss these issues and the means to resolve them, as well as the state of the art in a few of major technological disciplines. Finally, the choice the framework of intense-beam accelerator is discussed

Sexuality in old age: key issues, gender differences and future proposals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noelia Fernández-Rouco

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This work presents a brief overview of some of the most important issues related to sexuality during old age. First, it presents the state of the current situation, in order to later explore some of the elements that have been considered key factors in experiencing sexuality, specifically in this stage of life, while exploring certain needs and difficulties. Similarly, some of the differences between men and women, within this context, are presented. Finally, future proposals aimed at better understanding this topic in old age are presented, with suggestions on how to improve wellbeing and care in regard to sexuality among the aging population.

High-level radioactive waste disposal: Key geochemical issues and information needs for site characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, D.J.; Bembia, P.J.; Bradbury, J.W.; Jackson, K.C.; Kelly, W.R.; Kovach, L.A.; Mo, T.; Tesoriero, J.A.

1986-01-01

Geochemistry plays a key role in determining the potential of a high-level radioactive waste disposal site for long-term radionuclide containment and isolation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has developed a set of issues and information needs important for characterizing geochemistry at the potential sites being investigated by the Department of Energy Basalt Waste Isolation Project, Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations project, and Salt Repository Project. The NRC site issues and information needs consider (1) the geochemical environment of the repository, (2) changes to the initial geochemical environment caused by construction and waste emplacement, and (3) interactions that affect the transport of waste radionuclides to the accessible environment. The development of these issues and information needs supports the ongoing effort of the NRC to identify and address areas of geochemical data uncertainty during prelicensing interactions

Uncertainty and Variability in Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Models: Key Issues and Case Studies (Final Report)

Science.gov (United States)

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Uncertainty and Variability in Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Models: Key Issues and Case Studies. This report summarizes some of the recent progress in characterizing uncertainty and variability in physi...

Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) in dentistry- A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasat, Vikrant; Gupta, Aditi; Ladda, Ruchi; Kathariya, Mitesh; Saluja, Harish; Farooqui, Anjum-Ara

2014-12-01

Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non-pharmacological method which is widely used by medical and paramedical professionals for the management of acute and chronic pain in a variety of conditions. Similarly, it can be utilized for the management of pain during various dental procedures as well as pain due to various conditions affecting maxillofacial region. This review aims to provide an insight into clinical research evidence available for the analgesic and non analgesic uses of TENS in pediatric as well as adult patients related to the field of dentistry. Also, an attempt is made to briefly discuss history of therapeutic electricity, mechanism of action of TENS, components of TENs equipment, types, techniques of administration, advantages and contradictions of TENS. With this we hope to raise awareness among dental fraternity regarding its dental applications thereby increasing its use in dentistry. Key words:Dentistry, pain, TENS.

Nuclear fuel cycle and reactor strategies: Adjusting to new realities. Key issue papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The international symposium ''Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Reactor Strategy: Adjusting to new Realities'' was organized to face the new realities in the nuclear fuel cycle and to consider options on how these new realities could be addressed. The Key Issue Papers treat the various subjects from both short and long term perspectives. In so doing, they address the likely development of all aspects concerning the nuclear fuel cycle up to the year 2050

Key Issues in Modeling of Complex 3D Structures from Video Sequences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shengyong Chen

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Construction of three-dimensional structures from video sequences has wide applications for intelligent video analysis. This paper summarizes the key issues of the theory and surveys the recent advances in the state of the art. Reconstruction of a scene object from video sequences often takes the basic principle of structure from motion with an uncalibrated camera. This paper lists the typical strategies and summarizes the typical solutions or algorithms for modeling of complex three-dimensional structures. Open difficult problems are also suggested for further study.

Key Issues in Global Technological Innovation Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Sbragia

2012-04-01

Full Text Available This article aimed to identify those issues that were present in global technological innovation projects carried out by Brazilian multinational companies and which performance criterions these undertakings met. We investigated 36 global technological innovation projects from Brazilian multinational enterprises through a web-survey. Findings show that these companies went beyond the traditional iron triangle to evaluate their technological efforts and considered additional performance dimensions such as customer satisfaction, business results, and preparation for the future. Results also show high degree of presence for issues emerging from the industry, moderate degree of presence for issues emerging from both the project and R&D activities, and low degree of presence for issues emerging from the headquarters, the subsidiaries, and the external environment. Further research is needed to find out if and how these issues influenced the performance of the global technological innovation projects studied.DOI:10.5585/gep.v3i1.72

Impacts on non-human biota from a generic geological disposal facility for radioactive waste: some key assessment issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, C A; Smith, K L; Norris, S

2010-06-01

This paper provides an overview of key issues associated with the application of currently available biota dose assessment methods to consideration of potential environmental impacts from geological disposal facilities. It explores philosophical, methodological and practical assessment issues and reviews the implications of test assessment results in the context of recent and on-going challenges and debates.

Impacts on non-human biota from a generic geological disposal facility for radioactive waste: some key assessment issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, C A; Smith, K L; Norris, S

2010-01-01

This paper provides an overview of key issues associated with the application of currently available biota dose assessment methods to consideration of potential environmental impacts from geological disposal facilities. It explores philosophical, methodological and practical assessment issues and reviews the implications of test assessment results in the context of recent and on-going challenges and debates.

Top Ten Concerns for Trustees in 1988.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyerson, Joel W.

1988-01-01

Ten issues most likely to influence institutions this year include tuition policy and financing, capital renewal and replacement, charitable giving, scientific equipment and laboratories, endowment management and spending policy, research funding, corporate contributions, minority enrollment and hiring, debt financing and debt capacity, and cost…

Multiple-Robot Systems for USAR: Key Design Attributes and Deployment Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choon Yue Wong

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The interaction between humans and robots is undergoing an evolution. Progress in this evolution means that humans are close to robustly deploying multiple robots. Urban search and rescue (USAR can benefit greatly from such capability. The review shows that with state of the art artificial intelligence, robots can work autonomously but still require human supervision. It also shows that multiple robot deployment (MRD is more economical, shortens mission durations, adds reliability as well as addresses missions impossible with one robot and payload constraints. By combining robot autonomy and human supervision, the benefits of MRD can be applied to USAR while at the same time minimizing human exposure to danger. This is achieved with a single-human multiple-robot system (SHMRS. However, designers of the SHMRS must consider key attributes such as the size, composition and organizational structure of the robot collective. Variations in these attributes also induce fluctuations in issues within SHMRS deployment such as robot communication and computational load as well as human cognitive workload and situation awareness (SA. Research is essential to determine how the attributes can be manipulated to mitigate these issues while meeting the requirements of the USAR mission.

Multiple-Robot Systems for USAR: Key Design Attributes and Deployment Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choon Yue Wong

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The interaction between humans and robots is undergoing an evolution. Progress in this evolution means that humans are close to robustly deploying multiple robots. Urban search and rescue (USAR can benefit greatly from such capability. The review shows that with state of the art artificial intelligence, robots can work autonomously but still require human supervision. It also shows that multiple robot deployment (MRD is more economical, shortens mission durations, adds reliability as well as addresses missions impossible with one robot and payload constraints. By combining robot autonomy and human supervision, the benefits of MRD can be applied to USAR while at the same time minimizing human exposure to danger. This is achieved with a single-human multiple-robot system (SHMRS. However, designers of the SHMRS must consider key attributes such as the size, composition and organizational structure of the robot collective. Variations in these attributes also induce fluctuations in issues within SHMRS deployment such as robot communication and computational load as well as human cognitive workload and situation awareness (SA.Research is essential to determine how the attributes can be manipulated to mitigate these issues while meeting the requirements of the USAR mission.

Future fuel cycle and reactor strategies. Key issue paper no. 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The scope of this paper includes those issues that are expected to remain or become important in the time period from 2015 to 2050. Events in this time frame are difficult to predict with any certainty, so the framework of this paper is necessarily somewhat speculative. The paper includes consideration of all facets of nuclear energy utilization, from ore extraction to final disposal of waste products. The paper first addresses the factors influencing the choice of reactor and fuel cycle. It then goes on to address the quantitatively largest category of reactor types expected to be important during the period; that is, thermal reactors burning uranium and plutonium fuel in various forms. The fast reactor type is then discussed both as stand-alone technology and as technology used in combination with thermal reactors. Thorium fuel use is discussed briefly. This paper is concentrated on the ``medium variant`` energy growth scenario identified in Key Issue Paper No. 1. The effects of either higher or lower growth could, of course, profoundly change the future development of the nuclear power industry. 31 refs, 5 figs, 4 tabs.

Flexibility in faculty work-life policies at medical schools in the Big Ten conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Julie L; Wiehe, Sarah E; Palmer-Smith, Victoria; Dankoski, Mary E

2011-05-01

Women lag behind men in several key academic indicators, such as advancement, retention, and securing leadership positions. Although reasons for these disparities are multifactorial, policies that do not support work-life integration contribute to the problem. The objective of this descriptive study was to compare the faculty work-life policies among medical schools in the Big Ten conference. Each institution's website was accessed in order to assess its work-life policies in the following areas: maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave, extension of probationary period, part-time appointments, part-time benefits (specifically health insurance), child care options, and lactation policy. Institutions were sent requests to validate the online data and supply additional information if needed. Each institution received an overall score and subscale scores for family leave policies and part-time issues. Data were verified by the human resources office at 8 of the 10 schools. Work-life policies varied among Big Ten schools, with total scores between 9.25 and 13.5 (possible score: 0-21; higher scores indicate greater flexibility). Subscores were not consistently high or low within schools. Comparing the flexibility of faculty work-life policies in relation to other schools will help raise awareness of these issues and promote more progressive policies among less progressive schools. Ultimately, flexible policies will lead to greater equity and institutional cultures that are conducive to recruiting, retaining, and advancing diverse faculty.

Thermal hydraulics of sodium-cooled fast reactors - key issues and highlights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninokata, H.; Kamide, H.

2011-01-01

In this paper key issues and highlighted topics in thermal hydraulics are discussed in connection to the current Japan's sodium-cooled fast reactor development efforts. In particular, design study and related researches of the Japan Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR) are focused. Several innovative technologies, e.g., compact reactor vessel, two-loop system, fully natural circulation decay heat removal, and recriticality free core, have been investigated in order to reduce construction cost and to achieve higher level of reactor safety. Preliminary evaluations of innovative technologies to be applied to JSFR are on-going. Here, progress of design study is introduced. Then, research and development activities on the thermal hydraulics related to the innovative technologies are briefly reviewed. (author)

The origin of the future ten questions for the next ten years

CERN Document Server

Gribbin, John

2006-01-01

How did the universe begin? Where do galaxies come from? How do stars and planets form? Where do the material particles we are made of come from? How did life begin? Today we have only provisional answers to such questions. But scientific progress will improve these answers dramatically over the next ten years, predicts John Gribbin in this riveting book. He focuses on what we know—or think we know—about ten controversial, unanswered issues in the physical sciences and explains how current cutting-edge research may yield solutions in the very near future. With his trademark facility for engaging readers with or without a scientific background, the author explores ideas concerning the creation of the universe, the possibility of other forms of life, and the fate of the expanding cosmos. He examines “theories of everything,” including grand unified theories and string theory, and he discusses the Big Bang theory, the origin of structure and patterns of matter in the galaxies, and dark mass and dark ene...

Ten Years of bored tunnels in the Netherlands : Part I: Geotechnical issues

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, K.J.; Bezuijen, A.

2008-01-01

Ten years have passed since in 1997 for the first time construction of bored tunnels in the Netherlands soft soil was undertaken. Before that date essentially only immersed tunnels and cut-and-cover tunnels were constructed in the Netherlands. The first two bored tunnels were Pilot Projects, the 2nd

Doubly-Special Relativity: Facts, Myths and Some Key Open Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Amelino-Camelia

2010-03-01

Full Text Available I report, emphasizing some key open issues and some aspects that are particularly relevant for phenomenology, on the status of the development of “doubly-special” relativistic (“DSR” theories with both an observer-independent high-velocity scale and an observer-independent small-length/large-momentum scale, possibly relevant for the Planck-scale/quantum-gravity realm. I also give a true/false characterization of the structure of these theories. In particular, I discuss a DSR scenario without modification of the energy-momentum dispersion relation and without the қ-Poincaré Hopf algebra, a scenario with deformed Poincaré symmetries which is not a DSR scenario, some scenarios with both an invariant length scale and an invariant velocity scale which are not DSR scenarios, and a DSR scenario in which it is easy to verify that some observable relativistic (but non-special-relativistic features are insensitive to possible nonlinear redefinitions of symmetry generators.

Top Ten Challenges Facing the Next Secretary of Homeland Security

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2008-01-01

In an effort to assist with the first Presidential administration transition of the Department of Homeland Security, the Homeland Security Advisory Council has identified ten key challenges that will...

Key technical issues associated with a method of pulse compression. Final technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, R.O. Jr.

1980-06-01

Key technical issues for angular multiplexing as a method of pulse compression in a 100 KJ KrF laser have been studied. Environmental issues studied include seismic vibrations man-made vibrations, air propagation, turbulence, and thermal gradient-induced density fluctuations. These studies have been incorporated in the design of mirror mounts and an alignment system, both of which are reported. A design study and performance analysis of the final amplifier have been undertaken. The pulse compression optical train has been designed and assessed as to its performance. Individual components are described and analytical relationships between the optical component size, surface quality, damage threshold and final focus properties are derived. The optical train primary aberrations are obtained and a method for aberration minimization is presented. Cost algorithms for the mirrors, mounts, and electrical hardware are integrated into a cost model to determine system costs as a function of pulse length, aperture size, and spot size

Strategic management and organizational behavior in dental education: reflections on key issues in an environment of change.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunning, David G; Durham, Timothy M; Lange, Brian M; Aksu, Mert N

2009-06-01

With issues such as shrinking revenue, access to care, faculty workloads, and graying faculty, dental schools are faced with difficult challenges that fall to dental school deans to manage. Do dental school deans have the organizational skill sets and ethical frameworks necessary to address the challenges now facing dental schools? The purpose of this article is to pose questions and suggestions regarding some of the key issues in dental colleges today and to stimulate discussion in the dental community about needed changes in dental education.

Integrating Variable Renewable Energy into the Grid: Key Issues, Greening the Grid (Spanish Version)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2016-04-01

This is the Spanish version of 'Greening the Grid - Integrating Variable Renewable Energy into the Grid: Key Issues'. To foster sustainable, low-emission development, many countries are establishing ambitious renewable energy targets for their electricity supply. Because solar and wind tend to be more variable and uncertain than conventional sources, meeting these targets will involve changes to power system planning and operations. Grid integration is the practice of developing efficient ways to deliver variable renewable energy (VRE) to the grid. Good integration methods maximize the cost-effectiveness of incorporating VRE into the power system while maintaining or increasing system stability and reliability. When considering grid integration, policy makers, regulators, and system operators consider a variety of issues, which can be organized into four broad topics: New Renewable Energy Generation, New Transmission, Increased System Flexibility, and Planning for a High RE Future.

Key issues in human resource planning for home support workers in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Keefe, Janice M; Knight, Lucy; Martin-Matthews, Anne; Légaré, Jacques

2011-01-01

This paper is a synthesis of research on recruitment and retention challenges for home support workers (HSWs) in Canada. Home support workers (HSWs) provide needed support with personal care and daily activities to older persons living in the community. Literature (peer reviewed, government, and non-government documents) published in the past decade was collected from systematic data base searches between January and September 2009, and yielded over 100 references relevant to home care human resources for older Canadians. Four key human resource issues affecting HSWs were identified: compensation, education and training, quality assurance, and working conditions. To increase the workforce and retain skilled employees, employers can tailor their marketing strategies to specific groups, make improvements in work environment, and learn about what workers value and what attracts them to home support work. Understanding these HR issues for HSWs will improve recruitment and retention strategies for this workforce by helping agencies to target their limited resources. Given the projected increase in demand for these workers, preparations need to begin now and consider long-term strategies involving multiple policy areas, such as health and social care, employment, education, and immigration.

Family-friendliness in business as a key issue for the future.

Science.gov (United States)

Stutzer, Erich

2012-01-01

These days family-friendliness is a key issue for the future of businesses. Investments in a family conscious personnel policy are considered as forward-looking decisions in companies. This happens against the background of a sustainable personnel policy in times of a decrease in the number of employable persons, an increasing shortage of skilled workers and an ageing workforce. Family-friendly working conditions are becoming a key factor in the competition for staff. When choosing an employer, family-friendliness has become a crucial topic. Employment participation and skills of women, especially of mothers, have greatly increased. To facilitate the realisation of their wish to return to paid employment, however, measures to reconcile work and family are required. Family-conscious measures have been proven to lead to higher employee productivity. Job satisfaction and motivation of employees and accumulation of human capital increase, absenteeism declines, the return of investment rises. Fields of activity for family-friendly measures in companies range from working arrangements, parental leave and re-entry programmes and various child care offers to services for families. In connection with the demographic development the demand for a better reconciliation of work and elder care should in future become ever more important, just as the upkeep of the occupational skills and working capacity of an ageing workforce. Family-friendliness has to become an integral part of corporate culture.

Key issues concerning changes in the radiological protection system: some thoughts from the French Society for Radiation Protection (SFRP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schieber, C.; Cordoliani, Y.S.

2002-01-01

In 1999, the International Radiological Protection Association (IRPA) asked for contributions to the debate on future changes to the radiological protection system proposed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). In response, the Board of the French Society for Radiation Protection (SFRP) created a working group to deal specifically with this issue. It met on several occasions between April and July and its findings were presented at the IRPA Congress in May 2000. They were also published in the French journal Radioprotection and in the British Journal of Radiological Protection. To further its discussions, the Board of the SFRP decided to create a second working group which became operational in September 2001. It has around 20 members representing the major players in the radiological protection field in France: authorities, experts and professionals from the nuclear, medical and research fields as well as one association representative (the list of members can be found at the end of this document). The working group was set up to produce proposals relating to the key issues likely to be raised, particularly by the ICRP, concerning the development of new radiological protection recommendations. The members of the working group analysed the ICRP memorandum published in the June 2001 edition of the Journal of Radiological Protection and used their own experience to determine what these key issues would be. The following issues were discussed: General thoughts on the new radiological protection system proposed by the ICRP, Individual and collective approaches to the radiological risk, Comparison with chemical risk management, Radiological protection of the environment, Changes in exposure levels and units of measurement. This paper, which has been approved by the Board of the SFRP, gives the main conclusions of the working group on the key issues in these areas. It is intended to reflect the various opinions expressed during the groups

Fertility Preservation: A Key Survivorship Issue for Young Women with Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Angarita, Ana Milena; Johnson, Cynae A.; Fader, Amanda Nickles; Christianson, Mindy S.

2016-01-01

Fertility preservation in the young cancer survivor is recognized as a key survivorship issue by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Thus, health-care providers should inform women about the effects of cancer therapy on fertility and should discuss the different fertility preservation options available. It is also recommended to refer women expeditiously to a fertility specialist in order to improve counseling. Women’s age, diagnosis, presence of male partner, time available, and preferences regarding use of donor sperm influence the selection of the appropriate fertility preservation option. Embryo and oocyte cryopreservation are the standard techniques used while ovarian tissue cryopreservation is new, yet promising. Despite the importance of fertility preservation for cancer survivors’ quality of life, there are still communication and financial barriers faced by women who wish to pursue fertility preservation. PMID:27200291

Fertility preservation: A key survivorship issue for young women with cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana M Angarita

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Fertility preservation in the young cancer survivor is recognized as a key survivorship issue by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Thus, health care providers should inform women about the effects of cancer therapy on fertility and should discuss the different fertility preservation options available. It is also recommended to refer women expeditiously to a fertility specialist in order to improve counseling. Women’s age, diagnosis, presence of male partner, time available and preferences regarding use of donor sperm influence the selection of the appropriate fertility preservation option. Embryo and oocyte cryopreservation are the standard techniques used while ovarian tissue cryopreservation is new, yet promising. Despite the importance of fertility preservation for cancer survivors’ quality of life, there are still communication and financial barriers faced by women who wish to pursue fertility preservation.

Ten questions about radiant heating and cooling systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rhee, Kyu-Nam; Olesen, Bjarne W.; Kim, Kwang Woo

2017-01-01

to extend the applicability of the RHC system are providing the continuous impetus for research on RHC systems. This paper summarizes the important issues involved in the research on RHC system, whereby ten questions and answers concerning the RHC system are discussed, which will help researchers to conduct...

The challenge of spin–orbit-tuned ground states in iridates: a key issues review

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Gang; Schlottmann, Pedro

2018-04-01

Effects of spin–orbit interactions in condensed matter are an important and rapidly evolving topic. Strong competition between spin–orbit, on-site Coulomb and crystalline electric field interactions in iridates drives exotic quantum states that are unique to this group of materials. In particular, the ‘J eff  =  ½’ Mott state served as an early signal that the combined effect of strong spin–orbit and Coulomb interactions in iridates has unique, intriguing consequences. In this Key Issues Review, we survey some current experimental studies of iridates. In essence, these materials tend to defy conventional wisdom: absence of conventional correlations between magnetic and insulating states, avoidance of metallization at high pressures, ‘S-shaped’ I–V characteristic, emergence of an odd-parity hidden order, etc. It is particularly intriguing that there exist conspicuous discrepancies between current experimental results and theoretical proposals that address superconducting, topological and quantum spin liquid phases. This class of materials, in which the lattice degrees of freedom play a critical role seldom seen in other materials, evidently presents some profound intellectual challenges that call for more investigations both experimentally and theoretically. Physical properties unique to these materials may help unlock a world of possibilities for functional materials and devices. We emphasize that, given the rapidly developing nature of this field, this Key Issues Review is by no means an exhaustive report of the current state of experimental studies of iridates.

Development of regulatory technologies of key issues of radiation sources in the medical and industrial fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jae Seong; Kim, Byung Soo; Ku, Bon Chul

2006-08-01

The aim of this research is to provide with rational bases to address the key issues raising up during the expansion of RI/RG usage in the medical and industrial fields, thus eventually contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of national regulatory systems. Related key issues that are introduced in the medical and industrial fields are analyzed and some outcomes are produced. The following results are attained. - Estimation Methodology Development of Regulatory Effects for the Use of Radioactive Substances, - Survey on Domestic Status of Nuclear Materials and Review on Domestic/Foreign Regulatory System for Nuclear Materials Regulation, - Comparative Analysis of KSTAR and Fusion Facilities of Advanced Countries, - Radiological Characteristics of Proton Therapy and Analysis of Foreign Cases and Systems, - Detection and Safety Analysis of Leak Radiation of High Energy Medical Generators, - Survey and Analysis on Usage and Requirements of Sealed Sources, - Incidents/Accidents Reporting System for RI-related Facilities, - Development of Audio-Visual Education Materials for Radiation Workers, - Development of Major Safety Procedures for Portable RIs, - Expansion of Existing DB for Radiation Devices including New Domestic Ones, - Survey of Foreign Status of Quality Maintenance System for Radiation equipment

Stakeholders' views on ethical issues in the practice of in-vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ajayi, R A; Dibosa-Osadolor, O J

2011-09-01

The provision of IVF for the specialized treatment of infertility has grown very rapidly in Nigeria in recent times, especially within the private sector. The objective of this study was to document the views of key stakeholders regarding salient ethical issues relating to the practice of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) in Nigeria. A think-tank session was convened with participants drawn from different backgrounds and disciplines to deliberate on ethical issues in IVF. Ten key issues were discussed at this inaugural session. It was unanimously agreed that there are no right or wrong answers when considering the ethics and morality of IVF as these are principally dependent on choice and circumstances. However within the legal and socio-cultural dictates of the Nigerian society, right and wrong may be clearly determined on some issues. With the expansion of the IVF industry and technology in Nigeria, the need to address related ethical issues have become paramount. The forum recommended that it is important that regulatory guidelines are put in place to regulate the practice of IVF in Nigeria and to protect patients' rights and safety.

The Presence of Amorpha-4, 11-Diene Synthase, a Key Enzyme in Artemisinin Production in Ten Artemisia Species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GA. Garoosi

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Background and the purpose of the study: Artemisinin is one of the most effective medicine against malaria, which is produced naturally by Artemisia annua in low yield. It is produced in a metabolic pathway, in which several genes and gene products are involved. One of the key genes in this pathway is am1, which encodes amorpha-4, 11-diene synthase (ADS, a key enzyme in artemisinin biosynthesis pathway. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of this gene in ten Artemisia species in order to increase the yield of production of Artemisinin. Methods : The experiments were carried out using PCR. Specific primers were designed based on the published am1 gene sequence obtained from A. annua (NCBI, accession number AF327527. Results: The amplification of this gene by the specific primers was considered as a positive sign for the potentiality of artemisinin production. Since the entire am1 gene was not amplified in any of the 10 species used, four parts of the gene, essential in ADS enzyme function, corresponding to a pair site of Arg10-Pro12 in the first 100 amino acids, b aspartate rich motif (DDXXD, c active site final lid and d active site including farnesyl diphosphate (FDP ionization sites and catalytic site in the ADS enzyme, were investigated. Major conclusion: The sequence corresponding to ADS active site was amplified only in A. annua, A. aucheri and A. chamaemelifolia. The negative results obtained with other species could be due to some sequence alteration, such as point mutations or INDELs. We propose A. aucheri and A. chamaemelifolia as two potential candidate species for further characterization, breeding and transferring am1 gene for artemisinin overproduction.

Public involvement in environmental, safety and health issues at the DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, Laura L.; Morgan, Robert P.

1992-01-01

The state of public involvement in environmental, safety, and health issues at the DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex is assessed through identification of existing opportunities for public involvement and through interviews with representatives of ten local citizen groups active in these issues at weapons facilities in their communities. A framework for analyzing existing means of public involvement is developed. On the whole, opportunities for public involvement are inadequate. Provisions for public involvement are lacking in several key stages of the decision-making process. Consequently, adversarial means of public involvement have generally been more effective than cooperative means in motivating change in the Weapons Complex. Citizen advisory boards, both on the local and national level, may provide a means of improving public involvement in Weapons Complex issues. (author)

Design and Evaluation on the Mobile Application of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS).

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Ching-Lung; Lee, Li-Hui; Cheng, Yu-Ting

2017-01-01

This study aims to design a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation Application (TENS App) according to the suggestions from potential users. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first App including meridian and acupoints for TENS. After its development, there are eight participants recruited for evaluating the usability. Despite two out of eight users reporting that the typical TENS system requires lower cost and has better functionality than TENS App, the results show that almost seventy percent of participants have a better perception of TENS App on price, functionality, convenience, operational ability, and quality. However, participants still reported concerns about the safety issue of adopting TENS App. Therefore, for people who are the first time or unfamiliar with TENS App, instructions from occupational or physical therapists are recommended. We conclude that by using TENS App, users can not only use the portable electrotherapy devices at anyplace, but also reduce their outpatient visits.

Trends between 1973 and 1988: Summary and key issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

The preceding chapters considered the evolution of activity, structure, energy intensity, and energy use between the early 1970s and 1988 for the manufacturing, transportation, residential, and service sectors. In this chapter, the author summarizes the changes that have taken place, and presents results of a cross-sectoral analysis of the effect of change in sectoral activity, structure, and energy intensity on energy use in the three largest OECD economies: the United States, Japan, and West Germany. He also addresses a number of key issues that have important implications for future energy use in the OECD countries and elsewhere. Between 1973 and 1988, final energy use in the five sectors studied (which account for around 90% of total energy use) grew by 3% in the United, States, 15% in Japan, and 3% in West Germany. Energy use in manufacturing declined by 10-20% in each country. Energy use for passenger travel grew by only 11% in the United States, but rose by 76% in Japan and by 56% in West Germany. There was moderate to strong growth in freight energy use in all three countries. There was very high growth in residential and services energy use in Japan, and moderate growth in these sectors in the United States and West Germany. 12 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

Mid-term evaluation of ten National Research schools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gustafsson, Göran; Dahl, Hanne Marlene; Gustafsson, Christina

the scheme was launched, the Research Council has issued three calls for proposals and allocated grants to a total of 22 national research schools. Five were started up in 2009, ten in 2013 and seven in 2015. A Nordic scientific programme committee was appointed in 2013, with responsibility for assessing...... grant applications, monitoring the progress of the FORSKERSKOLER scheme and serving as the evaluation panel for the mid-term evaluation in 2013 and in 2016/2017. The task of the evaluation panel has been to: 1) evaluate the quality of and progress achieved by the ten research schools which were awarded...... funding in 2012 and launched in 2013; and 2) to provide recommendations as to whether funding should be continued to cover the full eight-year period or terminated after five years. Continued funding is recommended for all ten schools to cover the full eight-year period, according to the proposed budget...

Quantum oscillations and key theoretical issues in high temperature superconductors from the perspective of density waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakravarty, Sudip

2011-01-01

High temperature superconductivity in cuprate superconductors remains an unsolved problem in theoretical physics. The same statement can also be made about a number of other superconductors that have been dubbed novel. What makes these superconductors so elusive is an interesting question in itself. This paper focuses on the recent magnetic oscillation experiments and how they fit into the broader picture. Many aspects of these experiments can be explained by Fermi liquid theory; the key issue is the extent to which this is true. If true, the entire paradigm developed over the past three decades must be reexamined. A critical analysis of this issue has necessitated a broader analysis of questions about distinct ground states of matter, which may be useful in understanding other novel superconductors.

Water resources and environmental input-output analysis and its key study issues: a review

Science.gov (United States)

YANG, Z.; Xu, X.

2013-12-01

Used to study the material and energy flow in socioeconomic system, Input-Output Analysis(IOA) had been an effective analysis tool since its appearance. The research fields of Input-Output Analysis were increasingly expanded and studied in depth with the development of fundamental theory. In this paper, starting with introduction of theory development, the water resources input-output analysis and environmental input-output analysis had been specifically reviewed, and two key study issues mentioned as well. Input-Occupancy-Output Analysis and Grey Input-Output Analysis whose proposal and development were introduced firstly could be regard as the effective complements of traditional IOA theory. Because of the hypotheses of homogeneity, stability and proportionality, Input-Occupancy-Output Analysis and Grey Input-Output Analysis always had been restricted in practical application inevitably. In the applied study aspect, with investigation of abundant literatures, research of water resources input-output analysis and environmental input-output analysis had been comprehensively reviewed and analyzed. The regional water resources flow between different economic sectors had been systematically analyzed and stated, and several types of environmental input-output analysis models combined with other effective analysis tools concluded. In two perspectives in terms of external and inland aspect, the development of water resources and environmental input-output analysis model had been explained, and several typical study cases in recent years listed respectively. By the aid of sufficient literature analysis, the internal development tendency and study hotspot had also been summarized. In recent years, Chinese literatures reporting water resources consumption analysis and virtue water study had occupied a large share. Water resources consumption analysis had always been the emphasis of inland water resources IOA. Virtue water study had been considered as the new hotspot of

Plutonium: key issue in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshisaki, M.B.

1993-01-01

The technical report is a 1993 update on weapons-grade plutonium, a key issue in nuclear disarmament. Its vital significance would again be discussed during the fifth and the last Review Conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) for Nuclear Weapons which would end in 1995. Member States shall decide whether an indefinite or conditional extension of NPT is necessary for world peace and international security. Two Non-NPT States, Russia and U.S.A. are in the forefront working for the reduction of nuclear weapons through nuclear disarmament. Their major effort is focused on the implementation of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty I and II or START I and II for world peace. The eventual implementation of START I and II would lead to the dismantling of plutonium from nuclear warheads proposed to be eliminated by both countries. This report gives three technical options to be derived from nuclear disarmament issues for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons: (a) indefinite storage - there is no guarantee that these will not be used in the future (b) disposal as wastes - possible only in principle, because of lack of experience in mixing plutonium with high level wastes, and (c) source of energy - best option in managing stored weapons materials, because it satisfies non-proliferation objectives. It means fuel for energy in Light Water Reactors (LWR) or Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR). (author). 8 refs

Key regulatory and safety issues emerging NEA activities. Lessons Learned from Fukushima Dai-ichi NPS Accident - Key Regulatory and Safety Issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakoski, John

2013-01-01

A presentation was provided on the key safety and regulatory issues and an update of activities undertaken by the NEA and its members in response to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power stations (NPS) on 11 March 2011. An overview of the accident sequence and the consequences was provided that identified the safety functions that were lost (electrical power, core cooling, and primary containment) that lead to units 1, 2, and 3 being in severe accident conditions with large off-site releases. Key areas identified for which activities of the NEA and member countries are in progress include accident management; defence-in-depth; crisis communication; initiating events; operating experience; deterministic and probabilistic assessments; regulatory infrastructure; radiological protection and public health; and decontamination and recovery. For each of these areas, a brief description of the on-going and planned NEA activities was provided within the three standing technical committees of the NEA with safety and regulatory mandates (the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities - CNRA, the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations - CSNI, and the Committee on Radiation Protection and Public Health - CRPPH). On-going activities of CNRA include a review of enhancement being made to the regulatory aspects for the oversight of on-site accident management strategies and processes in light of the lessons learned from the accident; providing guidance to regulators on crisis communication; and supporting the peer review of the safety assessments of risk-significant research reactor facilities in light of the accident. Within the scope of the CSNI mandate, activities are being undertaken to better understand accident progression; characteristics of new fuel designs; and a benchmarking study of fast-running software for estimating source term under severe accident conditions to support protective measure recommendations. CSNI also has ongoing work in human

Design and modeling of inductors, capacitors and coplanar waveguides at tens of GHz frequencies

CERN Document Server

Aryan, Naser Pour

2015-01-01

This book describes the basic principles of designing and modelling inductors, MIM capacitors and coplanar waveguides at frequencies of several tens of GHz. The author explains the design and modelling of key, passive elements, such as capacitors, inductors and transmission lines that enable high frequency MEMS operating at frequencies in the orders of tens of GHz.

Highlights from panel discussion on key issues for future developments in microwave processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gac, F.D.; Iskander, M.F.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on highlights from a panel discussion on Key Issues for Future Development in Microwave Processing. Although the panelists represented a mix of individuals from government, academia, and industry, only one aspect of industry was represented, namely microwave system manufacturers. For further panel discussions, it is recommended that the materials manufacturing (i.e., microwave user) sector also be represented. Three important points emerged from the panel discussion. The first deals with the credibility and usability of information, be it dielectric property measurements, experimental procedures, or microwave processing results. Second, a considerable communication and education gap continues to exist between the materials community and microwave engineers. Finally, a more realistic approach should be taken in identifying where microwave processing makes sense

Ten major trends now emerging in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naisbitt, J.

1978-01-01

Using a special analytical procedure for tracking and assessing events reported in the nation's newspapers, the Center for Policy Process has identified ten emerging trends in the United States that are having a major impact on all our lives and on all businesses and industries--and especially on the electric utility industry. Although the trends may move in contradictory directions and have different degrees of significance, all have been carefully monitored for a considerable length of time. All are firmly established--and are not to be viewed as the momentary interests of certain radical elements of the population. The ten trends are: the fast-emerging clash between nuclear fuel and coal as an environmental health issue; displacement of racism and sexism by ''ageism'' as society's most prominent anti-discrimination preoccupation, and the complete elimination soon of mandatory retirement; in government and technology, the phenomenon of ''appropriate scale'' replacing economies of scale, emergence of single-issue political organizations; coming-of-age of the recycling ethic; emergence of ''access to capital'' as the new equity issue--the new rights issue; continuing shift from centralization to decentralization; movement of society in the dual directions of high technology/high touch; business' increasing involvement with the well-established accountability trend; and shift from a representative democracy to a participatory democracy--this profound change in American democracy actually began about a decade or so ago.

Revisiting Employee Assistance Programs and Substance Use Problems in the Workplace: Key Issues and a Research Agenda

OpenAIRE

Levy Merrick, Elizabeth S.; Volpe-Vartanian, Joanna; Horgan, Constance M.; McCann, Bernard

2007-01-01

This column describes employee assistance program (EAPs) and identifies key issues for contemporary EAPs. These programs began as occupational alcohol programs and have evolved into more comprehensive resources. To better understand contemporary EAPs, the authors suggest a research agenda at includes descriptive studies to provide an up-to-date picture of services; investigations of how contemporary EAPs address substance use problems, including management consultation for early identificatio...

Using Eight Key Questions as an Inquiry-Based Framework for Ethical Reasoning Issues in a General Education Earth Systems and Climate Change Course

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, E. A.; Ball, T. C.

2014-12-01

An important objective in general education geoscience courses is to help students evaluate social and ethical issues based upon scientific knowledge. It can be difficult for instructors trained in the physical sciences to design effective ways of including ethical issues in large lecture courses where whole-class discussions are not practical. The Quality Enhancement Plan for James Madison University, "The Madison Collaborative: Ethical Reasoning in Action," (http://www.jmu.edu/mc/index.shtml) has identified eight key questions to be used as a framework for developing ethical reasoning exercises and evaluating student learning. These eight questions are represented by the acronym FOR CLEAR and are represented by the concepts of Fairness, Outcomes, Responsibilities, Character, Liberty, Empathy, Authority, and Rights. In this study, we use the eight key questions as an inquiry-based framework for addressing ethical issues in a 100-student general education Earth systems and climate change course. Ethical reasoning exercises are presented throughout the course and range from questions of personal behavior to issues regarding potential future generations and global natural resources. In the first few exercises, key questions are identified for the students and calibrated responses are provided as examples. By the end of the semester, students are expected to identify key questions themselves and justify their own ethical and scientific reasoning. Evaluation rubrics are customized to this scaffolding approach to the exercises. Student feedback and course data will be presented to encourage discussion of this and other approaches to explicitly incorporating ethical reasoning in general education geoscience courses.

Key issues on safety design basis selection and safety assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, S.; Togo, Y.

1976-01-01

In current fast reactor design in Japan, four design accident conditions and four design seismic conditions are adopted as the design base classifications. These are classified by the considerations on both likelihood of occurrence and the severeness of the consequences. There are several major problem areas in safety design consideration such as core accident problems which include fuel sodium interaction, fuel failure propagation and residual decay heat removal, and decay heat removal systems problems which is more or less the problem of selection of appropriate system and of assurance of high reliability of the system. In view of licensing, two kinds of accidents are postulated in evaluating the adequacy of a reactor site. The one is the ''major accident'' which is the accident to give most severe radiation hazard to the public from technical point of view. The other is the ''hypothetical accident'', induced public accident of which is severer than that of major accident. While the concept of the former is rather unique to Japanese licensing, the latter is almost equivalent to design base hypothetical accident of the US practice. In this paper, design bases selections, key safety issues and some of the licensing considerations in Japan are described

Size matters: the ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding large-scale genetic biobank initiatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klaus Lindgaard Hoeyer

2012-04-01

Full Text Available During the past ten years the complex ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI typically surrounding large-scale genetic biobank research initiatives have been intensely debated in academic circles. In many ways genetic epidemiology has undergone a set of changes resembling what in physics has been called a transition into Big Science. This article outlines consequences of this transition and suggests that the change in scale implies challenges to the roles of scientists and public alike. An overview of key issues is presented, and it is argued that biobanks represent not just scientific endeavors with purely epistemic objectives, but also political projects with social implications. As such, they demand clever maneuvering among social interests to succeed.

Ten questions on nuclear wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillaumont, R.; Bacher, P.

2004-01-01

The authors give explanations and answers to ten issues related to nuclear wastes: when a radioactive material becomes a waste, how radioactive wastes are classified and particularly nuclear wastes in France, what are the risks associated with radioactive wastes, whether the present management of radioactive wastes is well controlled in France, which wastes are raising actual problems and what are the solutions, whether amounts and radio-toxicity of wastes can be reduced, whether all long life radionuclides or part of them can be transmuted, whether geologic storage of final wastes is inescapable, whether radioactive material can be warehoused over long durations, and how the information on radioactive waste management is organised

EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments (Volume 1) (Interagency Science Discussion Draft)

Science.gov (United States)

EPA is releasing the draft report, EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments (Volume 1), that was distributed to Federal agencies and White House Offices for comment during the Science Discussion step of the Ten steps to successful poster presentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardicre, Jayne; Devitt, Patric; Coad, Jane

Receiving a letter confirming acceptance for you to present a poster at a conference can evoke mixed emotions. Joy, panic, fear and dread are among the many possible emotions and this is not exclusive to first time presenters. Developing an effective poster presentation is a skill that you can learn and can provide a rewarding way to present your work in a manner less intimidating than oral presentation (Shelledy, 2004). The key to successful poster presentation is meticulous, timely, well informed preparation. This article outlines ten steps to help guide you through the process to maximize your success.

The European protocol on organ transplant: key issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Byk, Christian

2009-09-01

What is interesting in the philosophy of the European Protocol is the search of a balanced position which acknowledges the medical progress brought by organ transplants and considers the necessity to ensure that human dignity and individual freedom are respected. However, the principles adopted for such regulations at the European level leave on some major issues a great margin of appreciation to the domestic legislation. This is particularly true in areas such as defining death or consenting to organ transplants including the situation of minors and the role of the family. A last point should also be stressed regarding the European protocol: its lack of efficiency concerning a neglected but important issue: organ trafficking.

Three key affordances for serendipity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Björneborn, Lennart

2017-01-01

Purpose Serendipity is an interesting phenomenon to study in information science as it plays a fundamental – but perhaps underestimated – role in how we discover, explore, and learn in all fields of life. The purpose of this paper is to operationalize the concept of serendipity by providing termi...... terminological “building blocks” for understanding connections between environmental and personal factors in serendipitous encounters. Understanding these connections is essential when designing affordances in physical and digital environments that can facilitate serendipity. Design....../methodology/approach In this paper, serendipity is defined as what happens when we, in unplanned ways, encounter resources (information, things, people, etc.) that we find interesting. In the outlined framework, serendipity is understood as an affordance, i.e., a usage potential when environmental and personal factors correspond...... the three key affordances and three key personal serendipity factors: curiosity, mobility, and sensitivity. Ten sub-affordances for serendipity and ten coupled personal sub-factors are also briefly outlined. Related research is compared with and mapped into the framework aiming at a theoretical validation...

Liberia's Post-War Recovery: Key Issues and Developments

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Cook, Nicolas

2006-01-01

.... It held elections in October 2005, with a presidential run-off vote in November -- a key step in a post-conflict transition and peace-building process that began following its second civil war in a decade...

Key issues and challenges in developing a pedagogical intervention in the simulation skills center--an action research study.

Science.gov (United States)

Reierson, Inger Åse; Hvidsten, Anne; Wighus, Marianne; Brungot, Solvor; Bjørk, Ida Torunn

2013-07-01

Simulation skills centers (SSC) are considered important learning arenas for preparing and qualifying nursing students. Limited clinical placements and claims of diminished learning opportunities raise concerns that newly educated nurses lack proficiency in many psychomotor skills. Accordingly, there is an increased focus on learning in the SSC. However, it has been questioned if the pedagogical underpinning of teaching and learning in the SSC is missing or unclear. At a bachelor nursing education in Norway, there was a desire to change practice and enhance learning in the SSC by systematic use of The Model of Practical Skill Performance (Bjørk and Kirkevold, 2000). A participatory action research design was chosen. A pedagogical intervention was developed and implemented in 2010 in a cohort of eighty-seven first year bachelor nursing students during their basic nursing skill course. The intervention is shortly described. This article reports key issues and challenges that emerged during development of the new intervention. Data to inform the study were collected via thorough meeting minutes and the project leader's logbook, and analyzed using fieldnotes analysis. Six key issues and challenges were identified. These are presented and discussed consecutively in light of their importance for development and implementation of the new intervention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Key issues of ultraviolet radiation of OH at high altitudes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yuhuai; Wan, Tian; Jiang, Jianzheng; Fan, Jing [State Key Laboratory of High Temperature Gasdynamics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2014-12-09

Ultraviolet (UV) emissions radiated by hydroxyl (OH) is one of the fundamental elements in the prediction of radiation signature of high-altitude and high-speed vehicle. In this work, the OH A{sup 2}Σ{sup +}→X{sup 2}Π ultraviolet emission band behind the bow shock is computed under the experimental condition of the second bow-shock ultraviolet flight (BSUV-2). Four related key issues are discussed, namely, the source of hydrogen element in the high-altitude atmosphere, the formation mechanism of OH species, efficient computational algorithm of trace species in rarefied flows, and accurate calculation of OH emission spectra. Firstly, by analyzing the typical atmospheric model, the vertical distributions of the number densities of different species containing hydrogen element are given. According to the different dominating species containing hydrogen element, the atmosphere is divided into three zones, and the formation mechanism of OH species is analyzed in the different zones. The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method and the Navier-Stokes equations are employed to compute the number densities of the different OH electronically and vibrationally excited states. Different to the previous work, the trace species separation (TSS) algorithm is applied twice in order to accurately calculate the densities of OH species and its excited states. Using a non-equilibrium radiation model, the OH ultraviolet emission spectra and intensity at different altitudes are computed, and good agreement is obtained with the flight measured data.

A checklist and adult key to the Chinese stonefly (Plecoptera) genera.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhi-Teng; Du, Yu-Zhou

2018-01-23

The first checklist of the known stonefly genera of China is presented. Using relevant literature and available specimens, a diagnostic key to the ten families representing 65 genera is provided. In addition, illustrations for the key characters are provided.

A Ten Year Retrospective on Environmental Justice: What Have We Learned?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, Michael J.; Jaksch, John A.; Cort, Katherine A.

2005-01-01

Beginning in 1994, Executive Order 12898 has directed federal executive agencies to identify and address, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse health or environmental effects of their programs, policies, and activities on minority and low income populations. The policy behind the Executive Order was to prevent minority and low income groups from bearing disproportionate adverse environmental consequences of federal actions. During the last ten years, federal agencies have implemented Executive Order 12898, and some also have developed explicit procedures or guidance for the steps that need to be taken during the preparation of environmental impact statements. Based on the authors experience, the paper examines how environmental justice practice has evolved in the ten years since the original Executive Order was issued. This evolution has been both procedural and substantive. The paper examines how the actual practice of environmental justice analysis has progressed in federal agencies that deal with waste management issues. Reference is made to changes in case law and agency practice. The 2000 Census of Population and the ongoing development of geographic information systems in particular have made it easier to identify minority and low-income populations at risk. At the same time, a number of stakeholder groups have taken positions over specific federal actions that have given rise to novel issues and challenges for analysts. The paper discusses how NEPA practice is evolving to deal with these issues and challenges

Key Durability Issues with Mullite-Based Environmental Barrier Coatings for Si-Based Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kang N.

2000-01-01

Plasma-sprayed mullite (3Al2O3.2SiO2) and mullite/yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) dual layer coatings have been developed to protect silicon -based ceramics from environmental attack. Mullite-based coating systems show excellent durability in air. However, in combustion environments, corrosive species such as molten salt or water vapor penetrate through cracks in the coating and attack the Si-based ceramics along the interface. Thus the modification of the coating system for enhanced crack-resistance is necessary for long-term durability in combustion environments. Other key durability issues include interfacial contamination and coating/substrate bonding. Interfacial contamination leads to enhanced oxidation and interfacial pore formation, while a weak coating/substrate bonding leads to rapid attack of the interface by corrosive species, both of which can cause a premature failure of the coating. Interfacial contamination can be minimized by limiting impurities in coating and substrate materials. The interface may be modified to improve the coating/substrate bond.

Education Studies: Issues & Critical Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Kassem, Derek; Mufti, Emmanuel; Robinson, John

2006-01-01

This major text for Education Studies students provides a critical account of key issues in education today. The text features: (1) A critical analysis of key issues in Education Studies to encourage students' thinking about education in the broadest terms; (2) Themed sections with introductions to link the issues discussed in each chapter; (3)…

JUNE ISSUE 2008 FINAL.cdr

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Materials and Method: Records of adult patients scheduled for nephrectomy at ... Key Words: Nephrectomy, renal tumours, loin pain, haematuria, kidney injury .... over a ten-year period at the University of Port- ..... kidney since 80 years back.

Clinical experience with TENS and TENS combined with nitrous oxide-oxygen. Report of 371 patients.

OpenAIRE

Quarnstrom, F. C.; Milgrom, P.

1989-01-01

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) alone or TENS combined with nitrous oxide-oxygen (N2O) was administered for restorative dentistry without local anesthesia to 371 adult patients. A total of 55% of TENS alone and 84% of TENS/N2O visits were rated successful. A total of 53% of TENS alone and 82% of TENS/N2O patients reported slight or no pain. In multivariable analyses, pain reports were related to the anesthesia technique and patient fear and unrelated to sex, race, age, toot...

Key issues in transplant tourism.

Science.gov (United States)

Akoh, Jacob A

2012-02-24

Access to organ transplantation depends on national circumstances, and is partly determined by the cost of health care, availability of transplant services, the level of technical capacity and the availability of organs. Commercial transplantation is estimated to account for 5%-10% (3500-7000) of kidney transplants performed annually throughout the world. This review is to determine the state and outcome of renal transplantation associated with transplant tourism (TT) and the key challenges with such transplantation. The stakeholders of commercial transplantation include: patients on the waiting lists in developed countries or not on any list in developing countries; dialysis funding bodies; middlemen, hosting transplant centres; organ-exporting countries; and organ vendors. TT and commercial kidney transplants are associated with a high incidence of surgical complications, acute rejection and invasive infection which cause major morbidity and mortality. There are ethical and medical concerns regarding the management of recipients of organs from vendors. The growing demand for transplantation, the perceived failure of altruistic donation in providing enough organs has led to calls for a legalised market in organ procurement or regulated trial in incentives for donation. Developing transplant services worldwide has many benefits - improving results of transplantation as they would be performed legally, increasing the donor pool and making TT unnecessary. Meanwhile there is a need to re-examine intrinsic attitudes to TT bearing in mind the cultural and economic realities of globalisation. Perhaps the World Health Organization in conjunction with The Transplantation Society would set up a working party of stakeholders to study this matter in greater detail and make recommendations.

Top ten most accessed AMOR articles in 2015/2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Editorial Office

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In 2015/2016, Advances in Modern Oncology Research published a total of 67 articles over eight issues in two separate volumes. These published articles, consisting of editorials, reviews, case reports, and original research, have collectively accumulated 26,320 views as of December 2016. A total of 54 authors and 160 peer-reviewers from across the globe contributed to the journal in its first full year of publication. The journal’s top ten most accessed articles are:1. Indoles as anticancer agents (Vol. 1 Issue 1 2. Pharmacometrics and systems pharmacology of immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab in cancer translational medicine (Vol. 2 Issue 1 3. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; aetiological considerations (Vol. 1 Issue 1 4. Oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1 expression in human breast and prostate cancer cases, and its regulation by sex steroid hormones (Vol. 2 Issue 2 5. Antiproliferative effects of cembranoid derivatives obtained from Red Sea soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum on human colorectal cancer cell lines (Vol. 1 Issue 1 6. Paraneoplastic pemphigus: A trait d’union between dermatology and oncology (Vol. 1 Issue 2 7. Cancer cell metastasis; perspectives from the focal adhesion (Vol. 1 Issue 1 8. Threshold-based parametric analysis of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 Tesla to identify men with prostate cancer (Vol. 1 Issue 2 9. Economic burden of patients with inoperable advanced breast cancer receiving early or late capecitabine or trastuzumab as second-line treatment: A population-based study (Vol. 1 Issue 2 10. Non-coding RNAs: New therapeutic targets and opportunities for hepatocellular carcinoma (Vol. 2 Issue 1

Key issues for low-cost FGD installations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DePriest, W.; Mazurek, J.M. [Sargent & Lundy LLC, Chicago, IL (United States)

1995-12-01

This paper will discuss various methods for installing low-cost FGD systems. The paper will include a discussion of various types of FGD systems available, both wet and dry, and will compare the relative cost of each type. Important design issues, such as use of spare equipment, materials of construction, etc. will be presented. An overview of various low-cost construction techniques (i.e., modularization) will be included. This paper will draw heavily from Sargent & Lundy`s database of past and current FGD projects together with information we gathered for several Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) studies on the subject.

Beaufort Sea oil spills state of knowledge review and identification of key issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickins, David; Devenis, Peter; Buist, Ian; Belore, Randy; Trudel, K.; Potter, S.

2011-01-01

The Arctic holds the world's largest remaining untapped gas reserves and some of its largest undeveloped oil reserves. A significant proportion of these reserves lie offshore, in the Arctic's shallow and biologically productive shelf seas. This paper describes the results of a recently-completed study commissioned by the environmental studies research funds to document the current state of knowledge with regard to counter-measures for oil spills that might result from exploration and production activities in the Canadian Beaufort Sea. It provides a brief overview of the main advances in the past 20 years and the state-of-the-art for each of the main categories of counter-measures. An additional goal of the study was to identify key issues of concern regarding planning and response to spills in the Beaufort, to provide a current reference document for use by industry, regulators and the public, and prepare a geographic database of coastal resources, vulnerabilities and sensitivities that may influence the choice of oil spill containment and recovery methods.

Energy investments and environmental implications: key policy issues in developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siddayao, Corazon M. (World Bank Washington, DC (USA). Economic Development Institute)

1992-03-15

Energy investments imply changes in the physical, social, and economic environment. Hence, both the short-term and the long-term costs and benefits of these investments must be taken into account. These changes may affect not only the immediate environment of the investment site but may extend geographically far beyond national borders as well as beyond the lifetimes of the people for whom the investments are intended. This paper reviews the issues relevant to developing countries. General conceptual and policies issues are discussed. Issues about the measurement of costs and benefits (including issues of 'sustainability' and the internalization of externalities resulting from environmental changes) as well as the role of opportunity costs in deciding a country's energy investment strategies are raised. The macroeconomic and institutional issues relevant to environmental impacts that might be incorporated in energy planning are suggested. The paper is based on a presentation to the 'Workshop on energy investments and the environment'. 24 refs., 1 fig.

The use of conversation mapping to frame key perceptual issues facing the general dental practice system in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, R V; Dancer, J M; Smith, D; Campbell, S

2009-06-01

To demonstrate the use of a novel qualitative methodology namely conversation mapping, which can be used to capture differences in stakeholder perspectives and give a root definition of the problem in a complex policy area. The methodology is used in the context of the changes introduced in the English general dental practice system in April 2006, to investigate the key issues facing the system, as perceived by general dental practitioners (GDPs). From a broad trigger statement, three transformational statements were produced. Each participant recorded their contribution on a hard diagrammatic form as a 'map', with others responding with their own written comment, thus generating three conversation maps. Thematic analysis resulted in the generation of a preliminary model summarising key perceptual issues. The five emergent themes identified were: financing, dentists' wants/needs, the role of the public and patients, system goals and policy level decision making. Financing was identified as the core category to which all other categories were related. Conversation mapping, a methodology arising from a systems approach, can be used to develop a 'rich picture' of an oral health care system in order to define the core problem within this policy area. Findings suggest that GDPs identify the financing of the system as a fundamental source of problems within the general dental practice system. This appears to be at variance with the perception of policy makers, who report a more limited view, identifying the system of remuneration as the 'heart of the problem'.

Reforming Agricultural Trade for Developing Countries : Volume 1. Key Issues for a Pro-Development Outcome of the Doha Round

OpenAIRE

McCalla, Alex F.; Nash, John

2007-01-01

Reforming agricultural trade for developing countries is a two-volume set. The first volume is subtitled Key issues for a pro- development outcome of the Doha Round, and it is focused on specific concerns that are being encountered in the agricultural negotiations, and on strategies for dealing with them to arrive at a final agreement that will significantly spur growth and reduce poverty in developing countries. The companion volume is subtitled Quantifying the impact of multilateral trade r...

Neuropathological biomarker candidates in brain tumors: key issues for translational efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Hainfellner, J A; Heinzl, H

2010-01-01

Brain tumors comprise a large spectrum of rare malignancies in children and adults that are often associated with severe neurological symptoms and fatal outcome. Neuropathological tumor typing provides both prognostic and predictive tissue information which is the basis for optimal postoperative patient management and therapy. Molecular biomarkers may extend and refine prognostic and predictive information in a brain tumor case, providing more individualized and optimized treatment options. In the recent past a few neuropathological brain tumor biomarkers have translated smoothly into clinical use whereas many candidates show protracted translation. We investigated the causes of protracted translation of candidate brain tumor biomarkers. Considering the research environment from personal, social and systemic perspectives we identified eight determinants of translational success: methodology, funding, statistics, organization, phases of research, cooperation, self-reflection, and scientific progeny. Smoothly translating biomarkers are associated with low degrees of translational complexity whereas biomarkers with protracted translation are associated with high degrees. Key issues for translational efficiency of neuropathological brain tumor biomarker research seem to be related to (i) the strict orientation to the mission of medical research, that is the improval of medical practice as primordial purpose of research, (ii) definition of research priorities according to clinical needs, and (iii) absorption of translational complexities by means of operatively beneficial standards. To this end, concrete actions should comprise adequate scientific education of young investigators, and shaping of integrative diagnostics and therapy research both on the local level and the level of influential international brain tumor research platforms.

HIPs at Ten

Science.gov (United States)

Kuh, George; O'Donnell, Ken; Schneider, Carol Geary

2017-01-01

2017 is the anniversary of the introduction of what are now commonly known as high-impact practices (HIPs). Many of the specific activities pursued under the HIPs acronym have been around in some form for decades, such as study abroad, internships, and student-faculty research. It was about ten years ago that, after conferring HIPs at Ten with…

The diffusion of renewable energy technology: an analytical framework and key issues for research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobsson, S.; Johnson, A.

2000-01-01

During the last two decades there has been a great deal of research on renewable energy technologies. It is commonly thought that very little has come out of this research in terms of commercially interesting technologies. The first objective of this paper is to demonstrate that this perception is no longer correct; in the 1990s there has been a double-digit growth rate in the market for some renewable energy technologies. The consequent alteration in the energy system, is, however, a slow, painful and highly uncertain process. This process, we argue, needs to be studied using an innovation system perspective where the focus is on networks, institutions and firms' perceptions, competencies and strategies. The second objective of the paper is therefore to present the bare bones of such an analytical framework. A third objective is to identify a set of key issues related to the speed and direction of that transformation process which needs to be studied further. (author)

Senior expert symposium on electricity and the environment, Helsinki, Finland, 13-17 May 1991. Key issues papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-07-01

This volume contains the four Key Issues Papers prepared as background papers by international expert groups for the Senior Expert Symposium on Electricity and the Environment held in Helsinki, Finland in May 1991. The papers are on topics selected as the central themes of the symposium: energy and electricity supply and demand - implications for the global environment; energy sources and technologies for electricity generation; comparative environmental and health effects of different energy systems for electricity generation; and the incorporation of environmental and health impacts into policy, planning and decision making for the electricity sector. The four papers have been indexed separately. Refs, figs and tabs

Revisiting Employee Assistance Programs and Substance Use Problems in the Workplace: Key Issues and a Research Agenda

Science.gov (United States)

Levy Merrick, Elizabeth S.; Volpe-Vartanian, Joanna; Horgan, Constance M.; McCann, Bernard

2012-01-01

This column describes employee assistance program (EAPs) and identifies key issues for contemporary EAPs. These programs began as occupational alcohol programs and have evolved into more comprehensive resources. To better understand contemporary EAPs, the authors suggest a research agenda at includes descriptive studies to provide an up-to-date picture of services; investigations of how contemporary EAPs address substance use problems, including management consultation for early identification; further study of EAPs’ effects on outcomes, such as productivity and work group outcomes; examination of the relationship between EAPs and other workplace resources; further examination of influences on EAP utilization; and development and testing of EAP performance measures. PMID:17914000

The Ten-Minute Neighbourhood Is [not] a Basic Planning Unit for Happiness in Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abeer Mohamed Elshater

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the relationship between inhabitants’ happiness and the right to the city in the status quo of Egyptian neighborhoods. Although services are easily accessible, by ten-minute walks in a suitable ambience, happiness is not achieved. The research aims to, first, review the literature that provides a guideline for ten-minute neighborhoods. Second, this study conducts a comparative content analysis of recent online articles on the right to the city. Third, the study tests findings from Egyptian neighborhood settings. The idea of a ten-minute neighborhood is manageable. The hypothesis concerns a compliant design. It is a logical assumption that people who live within ten minutes walking distance of essential facilities in their area can minimize several problems and maximize a healthy lifestyle. The supposed issue causes the right to the city to affect the relationship between ten-minute neighborhoods and citizens’ happiness. This assumption can be established through site observation and oriented questionnaires. This paper contributes by presenting new planning units that suit the current context of the old cities in the Middle East and North Africa region, based on walking distances of ten minutes or less with reference to the right to the city. This planning unit can result in citizens’ happiness.

Key Issues on Nuclear Energy Non-proliferation in East Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Yong Soo; Whang, Joo Ho; Lee, Un Chul

2005-01-01

Energy demand in East Asia casts a significant challenge to sustainable economy development and socio-political stability in the region which has experienced tensions throughout the history. The energy demand in this region has been dramatically increased since the start of reform in PRC. DPRK is another challenge. The current electricity consumption in DPRK is around 10% of that in ROK. If the economy of PRC continuously grows to the level of neighboring states and if the living standard of DPRK reaches that of ROK, the energy and electricity demand in the region will certainly be out of control unless the proper measures are taken into actions from today. The only feasible energy option is the nuclear one. PRC already proclaimed its ambitious plan to deploy more than 30 reactors in the near future. In addition, a couple of the South Eastern Asian states expressed their willingness to introduce nuclear power plants in the future. The increase in the use of nuclear energy is expected to bring up the nuclear renaissance in the region. However, without the proper mechanisms to supply fresh fuels and to manage spent nuclear fuels with full compliance of nuclear energy nonproliferation, the new development will inevitably cause the instability in the region. So far many interesting proposals on nuclear cooperation in East Asia were announced. Unfortunately, none of them works out properly yet, partly because the old proposals were too political. To restart the engine of the nuclear cooperation and nonproliferation in the region, it is necessary to find out what would be the common interests of the region not so much related to politics. In this paper, some key technical issues are addressed for future regional joint studies

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic low-back pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Khadilkar, A; Milne, S; Brosseau, L; Robinson, V; Saginur, M; Shea, B; Tugwell, P; Wells, G

2005-07-20

Chronic low-back pain (LBP) affects a significant proportion of the population. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) was introduced more than 30 years ago as an adjunct to the pharmacological management of pain. However, despite its widespread use, the usefulness of TENS in chronic LBP is still controversial. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of TENS in the management of chronic LBP. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 2, 2005), MEDLINE, EMBASE and PEDro up to April 1, 2005. Only randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of TENS on chronic LBP were included. Abstracts were excluded unless further data could be obtained from the authors. Two reviewers independently selected trials and extracted data using predetermined forms. Heterogeneity was tested with Cochrane's Q test. A fixed effect model was used throughout for calculating continuous variables, except where heterogeneity existed, in which case, a random effects model was used. Results are presented as weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), where the difference between the treated and control groups was weighted by the inverse of the variance. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated by dividing the difference between the treated and control by the baseline variance. SMD were used when different scales were used to measure the same concept. Dichotomous outcomes were analyzed with odds ratios. The only two RCTs (175 patients) meeting eligibility criteria differed in study design, methodological quality, inclusion and exclusion criteria, type and method of TENS application, treatment schedule, co-interventions and final outcomes. In one RCT, TENS produced significantly greater pain relief than the placebo control. However, in the other RCT, no statistically significant differences between treatment and control groups were shown for multiple outcome measures. Pre

Risk and Performance Technologies: Identifying the Keys to Successful Implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClain, Lynn; Smith, Art; O'Regan, Patrick

2002-01-01

The nuclear power industry has been utilizing risk and performance based technologies for over thirty years. Applications of these technologies have included risk assessment (e.g. Individual Plant Examinations), burden reduction (e.g. Risk-Informed Inservice Inspection, RI-ISI) and risk management (Maintenance Rule, 10CFR50.65). Over the last five to ten years the number of risk-informed (RI) burden reduction initiatives has increased. Unfortunately, the efficiencies of some of these applications have been questionable. This paper investigates those attributes necessary to support successful, cost-effective RI-applications. The premise to this paper is that by understanding the key attributes that support one successful application, insights can be gleaned that will streamline/coordinate future RI-applications. This paper is an extension to a paper presented at the Pressure Vessel and Piping (PVP-2001) Conference. In that paper, a number issues and opportunities were identified that needed to be assessed in order to support future (and efficient) RI-applications. It was noted in the paper that a proper understanding and resolution of these issues will facilitate implementation of risk and performance technology in the operation, maintenance and design disciplines. In addition, it will provide the foundation necessary to support regulatory review and approval. (authors)

Public key infrastructure building trusted applications and web services

CERN Document Server

Vacca, John R

2004-01-01

OVERVIEW OF PKI TECHNOLOGYPublic Key Infrastructures (PKIs): What Are They?Type of Certificate Authorities (CAS) ServicesPKI StandardsTypes of Vendor and Third-Party CA SystemsProtecting Private KeysCA System AttacksStolen Private Keys: What Can Be Done?Certificate Practice StatementsPKI ReadinessANALYZING AND DESIGNING PUBLIC KEY INFRASTRUCTURESPKI Design IssuesCost Justification and ConsiderationPKI Standards Design IssuesPKI Architectural Design ConsiderationsIMPLEMENTING PKIRequirementsImplementation ScheduleImplementation CostsPKI PerformanceMANAGING PKIRequesting a CertificateObtaining a

Comparative study between manual therapy and TENS Burst in patients with tension-type cephalalgia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise Vasconcelos Fernandes

Full Text Available Introduction Cephalgia or cephalalgia is one of the most common symptoms in the general population. Objective To compare the efficacy of physical therapy modalities, through manual therapy and the effect of Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation (TENS for tension-type cephalalgia. Materials and methods The study was compounded by 60 subjects, but only 40 of them completed it, due to the exclusion criteria. These were divided into control group and intervention group. The control group received treatment — manual therapy. The intervention group received TENS Burst. Patients underwent ten sessions of treatment, made at every two days on a week, lasting 30 minutes each session. Results The characteristics related to lifestyle, postural issues and range of motion are responsible for the main causes of tension-type cephalalgia. Discussion treatments showed effective results in all cases in relation to pain intensity, but the use of manual therapy techniques give the patient a better quality of life compared to the use of TENS. Final considerations The treatment of this condition deserves analysis and studies; however, there are only a few studying physical therapy techniques, especially regarding to the use of TENS.

Key issues for determining the exploitable water resources in a Mediterranean river basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedro-Monzonís, María; Ferrer, Javier; Solera, Abel; Estrela, Teodoro; Paredes-Arquiola, Javier

2015-01-15

One of the major difficulties in water planning is to determine the water availability in a water resource system in order to distribute water sustainably. In this paper, we analyze the key issues for determining the exploitable water resources as an indicator of water availability in a Mediterranean river basin. Historically, these territories are characterized by heavily regulated water resources and the extensive use of unconventional resources (desalination and wastewater reuse); hence, emulating the hydrological cycle is not enough. This analysis considers the Jucar River Basin as a case study. We have analyzed the different possible combinations between the streamflow time series, the length of the simulation period and the reliability criteria. As expected, the results show a wide dispersion, proving the great influence of the reliability criteria used for the quantification and localization of the exploitable water resources in the system. Therefore, it is considered risky to provide a single value to represent the water availability in the Jucar water resource system. In this sense, it is necessary that policymakers and stakeholders make a decision about the methodology used to determine the exploitable water resources in a river basin. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EPa`s program for risk assessment guidelines: Exposure issues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Callahan, M.A. [Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States)

1990-12-31

Three major issues to be dealt with over the next ten years in the exposure assessment field are: consistency in terminology, the impact of computer technology on the choice of data and modeling, and conceptual issues such as the use of time-weighted averages.

Prospects and applications near ferroelectric quantum phase transitions: a key issues review

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, P.; Lonzarich, G. G.; Rowley, S. E.; Scott, J. F.

2017-11-01

The emergence of complex and fascinating states of quantum matter in the neighborhood of zero temperature phase transitions suggests that such quantum phenomena should be studied in a variety of settings. Advanced technologies of the future may be fabricated from materials where the cooperative behavior of charge, spin and current can be manipulated at cryogenic temperatures. The progagating lattice dynamics of displacive ferroelectrics make them appealing for the study of quantum critical phenomena that is characterized by both space- and time-dependent quantities. In this key issues article we aim to provide a self-contained overview of ferroelectrics near quantum phase transitions. Unlike most magnetic cases, the ferroelectric quantum critical point can be tuned experimentally to reside at, above or below its upper critical dimension; this feature allows for detailed interplay between experiment and theory using both scaling and self-consistent field models. Empirically the sensitivity of the ferroelectric T c’s to external and to chemical pressure gives practical access to a broad range of temperature behavior over several hundreds of Kelvin. Additional degrees of freedom like charge and spin can be added and characterized systematically. Satellite memories, electrocaloric cooling and low-loss phased-array radar are among possible applications of low-temperature ferroelectrics. We end with open questions for future research that include textured polarization states and unusual forms of superconductivity that remain to be understood theoretically.

Response to Key Issues Raised in the Post-14 Mathematics Inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Burghes, David; Hindle, Mike

2004-01-01

This article is a detailed response to the issues raised by the Post-14 Mathematics Inquiry in the UK. It aims to debate some of the central issues in mathematics teaching in the UK, including recruitment and retention of mathematics teachers, the curriculum content, national assessment, teaching resources (including ICT) and national strategies…

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Chelsea & Westminster TEN management protocol [corrected].

Science.gov (United States)

de Sica-Chapman, A; Williams, G; Soni, N; Bunker, C B

2010-04-01

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare but life-threatening, allergic drug reaction. Skin blistering with epidermal and mucosal necrolysis with subsequent detachment from an inflamed underlying dermis is a hallmark of the condition. The pathogenesis of TEN is not well understood, accounting for controversies about its management and significant delay in initiating potentially beneficial therapy. There are no management protocols based on a robust evidence base. Prompt recognition of the diagnosis and consensus on early management initiatives are necessary in order to improve outcomes and survival in TEN. To date, TEN management has been directed at arresting the allergic reaction and treating the complications. We have identified a need for specific medical interventions to accelerate wound regeneration. This approach has not previously been adopted in the management of TEN. We observed that in two cases of severe TEN, dramatic re-epithelialization and recovery coincided with the introduction of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for neutropenia. We explain how addition of the G-CSF promotes recovery from TEN by enhanced bioregeneration of the damaged tissues through accelerated re-epithelialization. G-CSF has been used for severe neutropenia in TEN, but we recommend and explain why, as in our Chelsea and Westminster protocol, G-CSF should be considered in treating severe TEN irrespective of the severity of neutropenia.

Strengthening and redesigning flood risk governance in Europe: an overview of seven key issues and how they are being dealt with in six European countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hegger Dries

2016-01-01

Full Text Available European countries, especially urban areas, face increasing flood risks due to urbanization, increase of exposure and damage potential, and the effects of climate change. In literature and in practice, it is argued that a diversification of Flood Risk Management Strategies (FRMSs makes countries more flood resilient. The latter requires innovations in existing Flood Risk Governance Arrangements, development of new arrangements and the coordination of these arrangements, but it also requires these arrangements to be tailored to their physical and institutional context. Within the EU FP7 project STAR-FLOOD (2012-2016, a comparative analysis and evaluation of flood risk governance in Belgium, England, France, The Netherlands, Poland and Sweden has been conducted. The project identified at least seven key issues that are relevant for all researched countries (and probably also beyond. These key issues deal with the topics of (i diversifying Flood Risk Management Strategies (ii establishing connectivity between actors, levels and sectors through what we coin “bridging mechanisms” (iii achieving coproduction between public and private actors; (iv improving fragmented and often non-enforceable rule systems; (v optimising available resources for FRM; (vi operationalising the notion of “diversification of FRM strategies” in a country-specific way; (vii follow general design principles for improving FRM that are sufficiently tailored to local circumstances. Drawing on all project deliverables, this paper will briefly review each key issue, discuss salient similarities and differences between the countries and point at ways forward.

The Future We Want: Key Issues on Sustainable Development in Higher Education after Rio and the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

Science.gov (United States)

Leal Filho, Walter; Manolas, Evangelos; Pace, Paul

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to provide a description of the achievements of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) with a focus on higher education, and it describes some of the key issues which will guide sustainable development in the coming years. Design/methodology/approach: The paper initially…

Maternity Nurses' Perceptions of Implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Emilie M; Doyle, Eva I; Bowden, Rodney G

The purpose of this study was to determine maternity nurses' perceptions of implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. An online survey and a focus group were used to evaluate perceptions of maternity nurses of implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in an urban Texas hospital at the onset of the project initiation. Responses were transcribed and coded using Nvivo software. Thematic analysis was conducted and consensus was reached among the research team to validate themes. Twenty-eight maternity nurses participated. Nurses perceived a number of barriers to implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding including nurse staffing shortages, variations in practice among nurses, different levels of nurse education and knowledge about breastfeeding, lack of parental awareness and knowledge about breastfeeding, culture, and postpartum issues such as maternal fatigue, visitors, and routine required procedures during recovery care that interfered with skin-to-skin positioning. Maternity nurses desired more education about breastfeeding; specifically, a hands-on approach, rather than formal classroom instruction, to be able to promote successful implementation of the Ten Steps. More education on breastfeeding for new mothers, their families, and healthcare providers was recommended. Nurse staffing should be adequate to support nurses in their efforts to promote breastfeeding. Skin-to-skin positioning should be integrated into the recovery period. Hospital leadership support for full implementation and policy adherence is essential. Challenges in implementing the Ten Steps were identified along with potential solutions.

Knowledge management - A key issue for EnBW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimmer, H.J.

2007-01-01

Full text: The motivation for knowledge management can be summarised with the words of EnBW CEO Prof. Claassen, 2002 'knowledge manager of the year' in Germany: 'Against the backdrop of the ever-increasing complexity of strategic planning and activities on the operational front, knowledge management is a key factor in the long-term success of our business.' Professional knowledge management motivates and supports employees, helping to create networks in which they can lay the foundations for the future success of the company. It must be emphasised that knowledge management is the responsibility of management, and EnBW has established a suitable framework consisting of different action levels and goals: 1) Normative level (corporate culture): creating a knowledge-aware and knowledge-friendly corporate culture 2) Strategic level (human resources): systematic gearing of internal intangible potentials towards future requirements. 3) Operational level (information/communication): making the required knowledge available in the necessary scope and quality, in the right place and at the right time. If knowledge management can generally be seen as basic requirement for successful companies, then it is even more important for nuclear operators. Today, nuclear energy is an important generating technology in Europe, for Germany and for EnBW with major future potential, but a technology that must be employed with great caution and attaching top priority to safe operation. For nuclear operators, the rule is always 'safety first'. But knowledge management implemented and used in the right way can also enhance both safety and competitive operation of the plants at the same time. In this connection, successful knowledge management plays a key role due to the complex interplay of many different disciplines within a demanding legal and regulatory framework, the paramount importance of collective past experience and the high demands on the expertise of the employees operating nuclear

A secure key agreement protocol based on chaotic maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xing-Yuan; Luan Da-Peng

2013-01-01

To guarantee the security of communication in the public channel, many key agreement protocols have been proposed. Recently, Gong et al. proposed a key agreement protocol based on chaotic maps with password sharing. In this paper, Gong et al.'s protocol is analyzed, and we find that this protocol exhibits key management issues and potential security problems. Furthermore, the paper presents a new key agreement protocol based on enhanced Chebyshev polynomials to overcome these problems. Through our analysis, our key agreement protocol not only provides mutual authentication and the ability to resist a variety of common attacks, but also solve the problems of key management and security issues existing in Gong et al.'s protocol

The Work/Family Challenge: A Key Career Development Issue.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahnweiler, William M; Kahnweiler, Jennifer B.

1992-01-01

A few corporations are responding to the impact of family structural changes on workers' ability to balance their roles with flexible benefits and schedules and with training. Work/family issues are an integral part of career and life decision making and must be incorporated into the career development process. (SK)

The key issues facing the electricity systems of developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, A. de

1991-01-01

This report covers a common project designed to investigate the major issues and possible future direction in the electricity systems of developing countries in AFRICA, ASIA and LATIN AMERICA. Individual centres each had responsibility for preparing a detailed report on the experiences and issues in their own country plus a regional report, in less detail, to cover neighbouring countries. In this disaggregated way, a picture of the whole of the developing world (with the exception of the Middle East, the problems of which are in some ways distinct from those of other developing countries) has been built up. 30 Refs.; 14 Figs.; 33 Tabs

Special issue on Computational Neuroscience - PREFACE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ditlevsen, Susanne; Lansky, Petr

2014-01-01

This Special Issue of Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering contains ten selected papers presented at the Neural Coding 2012 workshop. Neuroscience is traditionally very close to mathematics which stems from the famous theoretical work of McCulloch--Pitts and Hodgkin--Huxley in the middle...

Key issues in life cycle assessment of ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass: Challenges and perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Anoop; Pant, Deepak; Korres, Nicholas E; Nizami, Abdul-Sattar; Prasad, Shiv; Murphy, Jerry D

2010-07-01

Progressive depletion of conventional fossil fuels with increasing energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have led to a move towards renewable and sustainable energy sources. Lignocellulosic biomass is available in massive quantities and provides enormous potential for bioethanol production. However, to ascertain optimal biofuel strategies, it is necessary to take into account environmental impacts from cradle to grave. Life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques allow detailed analysis of material and energy fluxes on regional and global scales. This includes indirect inputs to the production process and associated wastes and emissions, and the downstream fate of products in the future. At the same time if not used properly, LCA can lead to incorrect and inappropriate actions on the part of industry and/or policy makers. This paper aims to list key issues for quantifying the use of resources and releases to the environment associated with the entire life cycle of lignocellulosic bioethanol production. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Offshore wind power experiences, potential and key issues for deployment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lemming, J.; Morthorst, P.E.; Clausen, Niels-Erik

2009-01-15

Wind power has been growing at spectacular rates. Today it is the largest non-hydro renewable power technology. Worldwide there is 74 GW of installed capacity which is 1.7% of power generation capacity and in 2006 it accounted for 0.82% of electricity production. However, offshore wind still only counts for a very small amount and development has only taken place in North European counties round the North Sea and the Baltic Sea over the last 15 years. Offshore wind is still some 50% more expensive than onshore wind, but more wind resources and lesser visual impacts from larger turbines are expected to compensate for the higher installation costs in the long term. Most offshore wind farms are installed in British, Swedish and Danish waters, and present-day costs of installing wind energy in the UK are between 1,200 to 1,600 GBP/kW (1,781 to 2,375 Euro/kW) offshore, while in Sweden investment costs were 1,800 Euro/kW, and in Denmark 1,200 to 1,700 Euro/kW, though investment costs for a new wind farm are expected be in the range of 2.0 to 2.2 mill. Euro/MW for a near-shore shallow depth facility. Future developments in offshore wind technology concerning aerodynamics, structural dynamics, structural design, machine elements, electrical design and grid integration could drive investment costs from present-day range of 1.9 to 2.2 mill. Euro/MW down to 1.35 - 1.54 mill.Euro/MW in 2050, which accounts for a reduction of costs of approx. 35%. In order to sum up progress and identify future research needs, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind agreement Task 11 should arrange a new meeting concerning long term research needs for reviewing 'the long term strategy for 2000 to 2020' from 2001, to come up with suggestions / recommendations on how to define and proceed with, the necessary research activities of the IEA Wind Agreement and governments involved on key wind issues related to offshore technologies. (au)

Risk management of key issues of FPSO

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Liping; Sun, Hai

2012-12-01

Risk analysis of key systems have become a growing topic late of because of the development of offshore structures. Equipment failures of offloading system and fire accidents were analyzed based on the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) features. Fault tree analysis (FTA), and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) methods were examined based on information already researched on modules of relex reliability studio (RRS). Equipment failures were also analyzed qualitatively by establishing a fault tree and Boolean structure function based on the shortage of failure cases, statistical data, and risk control measures examined. Failure modes of fire accident were classified according to the different areas of fire occurrences during the FMEA process, using risk priority number (RPN) methods to evaluate their severity rank. The qualitative analysis of FTA gave the basic insight of forming the failure modes of FPSO offloading, and the fire FMEA gave the priorities and suggested processes. The research has practical importance for the security analysis problems of FPSO.

Key Management in Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail Mansour

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Wireless sensor networks are a challenging field of research when it comes to security issues. Using low cost sensor nodes with limited resources makes it difficult for cryptographic algorithms to function without impacting energy consumption and latency. In this paper, we focus on key management issues in multi-hop wireless sensor networks. These networks are easy to attack due to the open nature of the wireless medium. Intruders could try to penetrate the network, capture nodes or take control over particular nodes. In this context, it is important to revoke and renew keys that might be learned by malicious nodes. We propose several secure protocols for key revocation and key renewal based on symmetric encryption and elliptic curve cryptography. All protocols are secure, but have different security levels. Each proposed protocol is formally proven and analyzed using Scyther, an automatic verification tool for cryptographic protocols. For efficiency comparison sake, we implemented all protocols on real testbeds using TelosB motes and discussed their performances.

Key Issues in the Application of Knowledge Management in Education

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Mendoza, George A

2005-01-01

.... This shift in paradigms has made knowledge the key resource as organizations shift their focus from natural resources to intellectual assets, heralding the use of a concept called Knowledge Management (KM...

Emerging Issues for Cultural Tourism in Macau Fragen des Kultur-Toursmus in Macau

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hilary du Cros

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Recent research on achieving sustainable heritage tourism in Macau advocates a greater collaboration between tourism and heritage management authorities and the local community on reaching sustainable tourism goals. A key theme for Macau in the last ten years has been how the tension between the proponents for greater casino development versus those for cultural heritage product development has played out in government policies for heritage management, private sector tourism development and host community concerns about heritage protection and achieving quality tourism. The indirect influence of the central government on Macau Special Administrative Region’s (SAR’s policy development in relation to these topics in the last ten years will be discussed in this context using findings from three recent studies by the Institute For Tourism Studies (IFT and background information collected on government policy and community views. This paper will outline emerging issues regarding demand, supply, and impacts of cultural tourism with reference to findings from four recent research projects. Special reference will be made to over-use and under-use issues, authenticity, and the management of tourism impacts while enhancing visitor experience. Strategic planning and management of cultural tourism products will also be touched upon. Jüngste Forschungen zum Kultur- und Denkmal-Tourismus in Macau haben ergeben, dass einer stärkeren Zusammenarbeit zwischen den Verwaltungsbereichen Toursmus und Denkmalpflege sowie den lokalen Gemeinden große Bedeutung zukommt, um eine nachhaltige Förderung der Tourismus zu erzielen.

Key issues in the prevention of obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, T P

1997-01-01

Obesity is a serious, chronic medical condition which is associated with a wide range of debilitating and life-threatening conditions. It imposes huge financial burdens on health care systems and the community at large. Obesity develops over time and once it has done so, is difficult to treat. Therefore, the prevention of weight gain offers the only truly effective means of controlling obesity. Very little research has directly addressed the issue of obesity prevention and previous efforts to prevent obesity amongst individuals, groups or whole communities have had very limited success. However, we have learned sufficient from past preventive activities to realise that the management of obesity will require a comprehensive range of strategies with actions that target those with existing weight problems, those at high risk of developing obesity as well as the community as a whole. The prevention and management of obesity in children should be considered a priority as there is a high risk of persistence into adulthood.

Slightly uneven electric field trigatron employed in tens of microseconds charging time.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jiajin; Yang, Jianhua; Zhang, Jiande; Zhang, Huibo; Yang, Xiao

2014-09-01

To solve the issue of operation instability for the trigatron switch in the application of tens of microseconds or even less charging time, a novel trigatron spark gap with slightly uneven electric field was presented. Compared with the conventional trigatron, the novel trigatron was constructed with an obvious field enhancement on the edge of the opposite electrode. The selection of the field enhancement was analyzed based on the theory introduced by Martin. A low voltage trigatron model was constructed and tested on the tens of microseconds charging time platform. The results show that the character of relative range was improved while the trigger character still held a high level. This slightly uneven electric field typed trigatron is willing to be employed in the Tesla transformer - pulse forming line system.

Implementation fidelity of self-administered transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with chronic back pain: an observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pallett, Edward J; Rentowl, Patricia; Johnson, Mark I; Watson, Paul J

2014-03-01

The efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief has not been reliably established. Inconclusive findings could be due to inadequate TENS delivery and inappropriate outcome assessment. Electronic monitoring devices were used to determine patient compliance with a TENS intervention and outcome assessment protocol, to record pain scores before, during, and after TENS, and measure electrical output settings. Patients with chronic back pain consented to use TENS daily for 2 weeks and to report pain scores before, during, and after 1-hour treatments. A ≥ 30% reduction in pain scores was used to classify participants as TENS responders. Electronic monitoring devices "TLOG" and "TSCORE" recorded time and duration of TENS use, electrical settings, and pain scores. Forty-two patients consented to participate. One of 35 (3%) patients adhered completely to the TENS use and pain score reporting protocol. Fourteen of 33 (42%) were TENS responders according to electronic pain score data. Analgesia onset occurred within 30 to 60 minutes for 13/14 (93%) responders. It was not possible to correlate TENS amplitude, frequency, or pulse width measurements with therapeutic response. Findings from TENS research studies depend on the timing of outcome assessment; pain should be recorded during stimulation. TENS device sophistication might be an issue and parameter restriction should be considered. Careful protocol design is required to improve adherence and monitoring is necessary to evaluate the validity of findings. This observational study provides objective evidence to support concerns about poor implementation fidelity in TENS research.

Ten years after the IOM report: Engaging residents in quality and patient safety by creating a House Staff Quality Council.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleischut, Peter M; Evans, Adam S; Nugent, William C; Faggiani, Susan L; Lazar, Eliot J; Liebowitz, Richard S; Forese, Laura L; Kerr, Gregory E

2011-01-01

Ten years after the 1999 Institute of Medicine report, it is clear that despite significant progress, much remains to be done to improve quality and patient safety (QPS). Recognizing the critical role of postgraduate trainees, an innovative approach was developed at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center to engage residents in QPS by creating a Housestaff Quality Council (HQC). HQC leaders and representatives from each clinical department communicate and partner regularly with hospital administration and other key departments to address interdisciplinary quality improvement (QI). In support of the mission to improve patient care and safety, QI initiatives included attaining greater than 90% compliance with medication reconciliation and reduction in the use of paper laboratory orders by more than 70%. A patient safety awareness campaign is expected to evolve into a transparent environment where house staff can openly discuss patient safety issues to improve the quality of care.

Key Issue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oya Y Rieger

2012-03-01

Full Text Available A few months ago, while I was participating in a conference about open access infrastructures, a delegate from a governmental agency asked, “Why does each library need to maintain a repository for their own scientists?” He was rightfully wondering if a broad collaboration in building a network of archives will provide a durable and extensible technology and service framework for ever-increasing digital scholarly content. The ensuing discussion did not offer a plausible response but accentuated that we do not have in place a plan for building an expandable infrastructure to facilitate communication and exchange of information among rapidly proliferating distinct instances of institutional and subject repositories.

Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) for cancer pain in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurlow, Adam; Bennett, Michael I; Robb, Karen A; Johnson, Mark I; Simpson, Karen H; Oxberry, Stephen G

2012-03-14

Cancer-related pain is complex and multi-dimensional but the mainstay of cancer pain management has predominantly used a biomedical approach. There is a need for non-pharmacological and innovative approaches. Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) may have a role in pain management but the effectiveness of TENS is currently unknown. This is an update of the original review published in Issue 3, 2008. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of TENS for cancer-related pain in adults. The initial review searched The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, AMED and PEDRO databases in April 2008. We performed an updated search of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PEDRO databases in November 2011. We included only randomised controlled trials (RCTS) investigating the use of TENS for the management of cancer-related pain in adults. The search strategy identified a further two studies for possible inclusion. One of the review authors screened each abstract using a study eligibility tool. Where eligibility could not be determined, a second author assessed the full paper. One author used a standardised data extraction sheet to collect information on the studies and independently assess the quality of the studies using the validated five-point Oxford Quality Scale. The small sample sizes and differences in patient study populations of the three included studies (two from the original review and a third included in this update) prevented meta-analysis. For the original review the search strategy identified 37 possible published studies; we divided these between two pairs of review authors who decided on study selection; all four review authors discussed and agreed final scores. Only one additional RCT met the eligibility criteria (24 participants) for this updated review. Although this was a feasibility study, not designed to investigate intervention effect, it suggested that TENS may improve bone pain on movement in a

The economics of biomedical waste irradiation: key issues influencing total cost

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, B.K.

1993-01-01

Each application of gamma irradiation technology is different in one or more significant respects. Disinfection of biomedical wastes presents similar technical challenges to sterilization of medical supplies, but the economic issues are dramatically different. Regulatory requirements, site and technology approvals, waste separation/mixing, transportation, irradiator utilization, economies of scale, and end-product disposal can each have a prohibitive or enabling effect on whether irradiation of biomedical wastes makes good financial sense in a particular situation. This paper discusses each of these issues. (author)

Photovoltaics for Buildings: Key Issues in Pursuit of Market Readiness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheila, J.; Hayter, P.E.

1998-01-01

The photovoltaic (PV) industry is rapidly beginning to recognize the market potential of the buildings sector. New PV-for-buildings products have recently become commercially available, and numerous products that are under development will be introduced within the next 5 years. To ensure that these new products will be adopted and used in common building practices, the PV industry should recognize and address important buildings industry issues. These issues include building codes and standards, after-market servicing, education, and warranties and insurance policies. Photovoltaic systems are also still very expensive. The simplest method for increasing their value for a building is to decrease the building's electrical loads through energy efficiency and conservation. Meeting these goals can only be accomplished through partnerships with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), private industry, and public institutions

Enhancing chronic disease management: a review of key issues and strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Willison, Kevin D; Williams, Paul; Andrews, Gavin J

2007-11-01

This paper highlights three selected issues and potential strategies towards meeting chronic disease management needs. First, the orientation of the biomedical science model often gives insufficient attention to chronic health care needs. A second issue is that the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may offer for some an opportunity to enhance their chronic disease management efforts. A third issue is that our understanding of this potential is limited, as many who use CAM do not disclose such use. With reference to proposed solutions/strategies, first, an improved focus to respect patient/client values and goals may encourage people to disclose their use of CAM. Second, a community-based participatory approach shows promise in enhancing communication plus helps integrate CAM within new models of chronic disease management. Lastly, those in public health could help facilitate such an approach plus be a monitor of CAM practices. Overall, this review provides a springboard for further research and practice in CAM and the management of chronic diseases.

Self-Esteem: The Key to a Child's Success and Happiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutright, Melitta C.

1992-01-01

The article discusses self-esteem as the key to parenting a successful, happy child. It notes ways parents can help foster self-esteem starting at a very early age. Ten suggestions for building a child's self-esteem, developed by the National PTA, are listed. (SM)

Several key issues on implementing delay line based TDCs using FPGAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Jinyuan

2009-01-01

Several topics in FPGA delay line based TDCs are discussed in this document. First, FPGA specific issues such as considerations on the delay line choice in different FPGA families, Wave Union Launchers, 'bubble proof' encoding logic, etc. are examined. Next, common problems for both FPGA TDCs and ASIC TDCs such as schemes of coarse time counter implementation, bin-by-bin calibration and noise issues due to single ended signals are discussed. Several resource/power saving design approaches for various processing stages are described in the document.

Effect of burst TENS and conventional TENS combined with cryotherapy on pressure pain threshold: randomised, controlled, clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Macedo, L B; Josué, A M; Maia, P H B; Câmara, A E; Brasileiro, J S

2015-06-01

To assess the immediate effect of conventional and burst transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in combination with cryotherapy on pain threshold and tolerance in healthy individuals. Randomised, controlled trial. University laboratory. One hundred and twelve healthy women. Volunteers were allocated at random to seven groups (n=16): (1) control, (2) placebo TENS, (3) conventional TENS, (4) burst TENS, (5) cryotherapy, (6) cryotherapy in combination with burst TENS, and (7) cryotherapy in combination with conventional TENS. Pain threshold and tolerance were measured by applying a pressure algometer at the lateral epicondyle of the humerus, before and after each intervention. The primary outcome measure was pressure pain threshold. A significant increase in pain threshold and tolerance at the 5% level of significance was recorded as follows: burst TENS {pain threshold: mean difference 1.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4 to 1.2]; pain tolerance: mean difference 3.8 (95% CI 3.9 to 3.7)}, cryotherapy [pain threshold: mean difference 1.3 (95% CI 1.4 to 1.2); pain tolerance: mean difference 1.9 (95% CI 1.8 to 2.0)] and cryotherapy in combination with burst TENS [pain threshold: mean difference 2.6 (95% CI 2.4 to 2.8); pain tolerance: mean difference 4.9 (95% CI 5.0 to 4.8)]. Cryotherapy in combination with burst TENS provided greater analgesia compared with the other groups (Pcryotherapy in combination with burst TENS to reduce induced pain, and suggest a potentiating effect when these techniques are combined. No such association was found between cryotherapy and conventional TENS. Copyright © 2014 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) for labour pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Richard

2012-05-01

Because TENS is applied inconsistently and not always in line with optimal TENS application theory, this may explain why TENS for labour pain appears to be effective in some individuals and not in others. This article reviews TENS theory, advises upon optimal TENS application for labour pain and discusses some of the limitations of TENS research on labour pain. TENS application for labour pain may include TENS applied to either side of the lower spine, set to 200 mus pulse duration and 100 pulses per second. As pain increases, TENS intensity should be increased and as pain decreases, TENS intensity should be reduced to maintain a strong but pain free intensity of stimulation. This application may particularly reduce back pain during labour.

Special Issue: Competencies from the Individual's Viewpoint.

Science.gov (United States)

Career Planning and Adult Development Journal, 2003

2003-01-01

Ten articles in this special issue deal with competencies and how their use is revolutionizing human resource management and the work of career practitioners. Topics include competency technology, models, and mapping; behavioral interviewing; talent management; emotional intelligence; succession planning; and lifelong learning. (JOW)

Nanotechnologies for Climate Friendly Construction – Key Issues and Challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Maj Munch; Geiker, Mette Rica

2009-01-01

Expectations as to the climate potentials of nanotechnology are high, none the least related to the construction sector. This paper seeks to highlight key aspects in the early development and application of eco-innovative nanotech solutions in the construction sector, “nanoconstruction”. The paper...

Interpretation of Issues and Voter Decision-Making Strategies: A New Perspective on "Issue-Oriented" Election Coverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Domke, David; Shah, Dhavan V.

1995-01-01

Finds that voters who ascribed an ethical interpretation to issues were more likely to use a noncompensatory decision-making strategy, which focuses on one or two key issues in the decision-making process, than voters who ascribed a societal interpretation to issues. (SR)

Powers of ten

CERN Document Server

1979-01-01

Powers of Ten is a 1977 short documentary film written and directed by Charles Eames and his wife, Ray. The film depicts the relative scale of the Universe in factors of ten (see also logarithmic scale and order of magnitude). The idea for the film appears to have come from the 1957 book Cosmic View by Kees Boeke. The film begins with an aerial image of a man reclining on a blanket; the view is that of one meter across. The viewpoint, accompanied by expository voiceover, then slowly zooms out to a view ten meters across ( or 101 m in standard form), revealing that the man is picnicking in a park with a female companion. The zoom-out continues, to a view of 100 meters (102 m), then 1 kilometer (103 m), and so on, increasing the perspective—the picnic is revealed to be taking place near Soldier Field on Chicago's waterfront—and continuing to zoom out to a field of view of 1024 meters, or the size of the observable universe. The camera then zooms back in to the picnic, and then to views of negative pow...

Optimisation of key performance measures in air cargo demand management

OpenAIRE

Alexander May; Adrian Anslow; Udechukwu Ojiako; Yue Wu; Alasdair Marshall; Maxwell Chipulu

2014-01-01

This article sought to facilitate the optimisation of key performance measures utilised for demand management in air cargo operations. The focus was on the Revenue Management team at Virgin Atlantic Cargo and a fuzzy group decision-making method was used. Utilising intelligent fuzzy multi-criteria methods, the authors generated a ranking order of ten key outcome-based performance indicators for Virgin Atlantic air cargo Revenue Management. The result of this industry-driven study showed that ...

MODERNIZING THE PRIVATE LAW. SOME KEY ISSUES IN THE RECENT DRAFT OF THE SPANISH COMMERCIAL CODE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan VELICU

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The last decades were dominated by the idea that an authentic process to modernize the private law means generally the unification of it by renouncing the distinction between civil and commercial law. A few European countries and some American states or provinces followed this path of the unification. However, beyond the will to change and improve the system one may reflect if this kind of modernization is actually really proper. Of course, there are lots of reasons for unification and reasons against it. Is there a possible and real alternative to this wave of unification? The draft of the Spanish commercial code could be a beginning point in order to settle this controversy. For the first time, the lawmakers are trying to replace the actual code with a new modernized one without renouncing the above mentioned distinction. Without claiming that we have entirely analyzed the topic, we propose a brief critical presentation of the major key issue of the draft.

Non-proliferation and safeguards aspects. Key issue paper no. 5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

This paper examines the current nuclear non-proliferation regime (Section 2) and the issues most likely to arise as the civil nuclear fuel cycle develops over the next 50 years (Section 3). Section 4 deals with fuel cycles and nuclear material inventories. 14 refs.

Implications of Key Performance Indicator Issues in Ontario Universities Explored

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Vivian

2015-01-01

Since 1998, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in Ontario, Canada, has required that data on specific key performance indicators (KPIs) be made public by its publicly funded universities. The information is intended to be used by universities to demonstrate their achievements, to improve their programmes and services, and to…

Transboundary Movements of Genetically Modified Organisms and the Cartagena Protocol: Key Issues and Concerns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Odile J Lim Tung

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Biotechnology or the engineering of the genetic material of species can give way to avenues of possibilities for the benefit of people, fauna and flora but also has the potential of posing untold and undiscovered threats to human beings and other living organisms. One of the first attempts to legislate on international rules on biotechnology can be traced back to article 19 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD in 1992. The CBD is indeed the first international legal instrument apart from the then European Community’s relevant directives to suggest that biotechnology is a matter of concern for the international community while providing a basis upon which more detailed procedures would be elaborated in the field of biosafety. While the CBD includes international rules on access to genetic resources, access to and the transfer of technology, the handling of biotechnology and the distribution of its benefits, it does not include a detailed regulation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs and their possible adverse effects on the environment, human and animal health. It was only with the coming into existence of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Cartagena Protocol to the CBD in 2000 that the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs such as genetically engineered plants, animals, and microbes were at last being catered for, albeit leaving aside the broader categories of GMOs. Due to the need for the negotiators of this protocol to make compromises, there were still key issues on the international biosafety framework pertaining mainly to the scope of the GMOs to be covered by this protocol and by the Advanced Informed Agreement procedure; identification and traceability issues; and liability and redress issues. Nine years after the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol the transboundary movements of GMOs have clearly increased with new categories of GMOs and genetically modified products to regulate. The

An Improved Recovery Algorithm for Decayed AES Key Schedule Images

Science.gov (United States)

Tsow, Alex

A practical algorithm that recovers AES key schedules from decayed memory images is presented. Halderman et al. [1] established this recovery capability, dubbed the cold-boot attack, as a serious vulnerability for several widespread software-based encryption packages. Our algorithm recovers AES-128 key schedules tens of millions of times faster than the original proof-of-concept release. In practice, it enables reliable recovery of key schedules at 70% decay, well over twice the decay capacity of previous methods. The algorithm is generalized to AES-256 and is empirically shown to recover 256-bit key schedules that have suffered 65% decay. When solutions are unique, the algorithm efficiently validates this property and outputs the solution for memory images decayed up to 60%.

Two books on dementia care: Risk Assessment and management for living well with dementia, and Key issues in evolving dementia care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gillian Manthorpe

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Risk Assessment and Management for Living Well with Dementia. Charlotte L. Clarke, Heather Wilkinson, John Keady and Catherine E. Gibb. Foreword by Murna Downs. Part of the Bradford Dementia Group Good Practice Guides series. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2011, pp. 128, ISBN: 978-1-84905-005-0Key Issues in Evolving Dementia Care. International Theory-based Policy and Practice. Edited by Anthea Innes, Fiona Kelly and Louise McCabe. Foreword by Professor June Andrews. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2012, pp. 264, ISBN: 978-1-84905-242-9

Distributed Generation in Power Systems: An Overview and Key Issues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singh, Sri Niwas

2009-01-01

quality, etc. However, depending on the system configuration and management, these advantages may not be true. Moreover, due to structural and managerial changes in the electricity supply industry motivated with introduction of completion, the role of small generations distributed in the low...... issues in the DG integration in power systems...

Quantum key distribution using three basis states

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Pramana – Journal of Physics; Volume 54; Issue 5. Quantum key distribution using three ... This note presents a method of public key distribution using quantum communication of photons that simultaneously provides a high probability that the bits have not been tampered. It is a variant of the quantum ...

Preliminary evaluation of environmental issues on the use of peat as an energy source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

King, R.; Richardson, S.; Walters, A.; Boesch, L.; Thomson, W.; Irons, J.

1980-03-14

A study to characterize the environmental issues, that would arise from an extensive peat utilization program has been initiated. The objectives of this preliminary report are to: identify the environmental issues and potential problems; examine the significance of issues in the geographical regions where peat use could be developed; and establish a methodology by which issues can be resolved or clarified through future coordinated private, state, and federal programs. An overview of peat development including discussions on conversion technologies, extraction and harvesting procedures, and land reclamation is presented. Environmental concerns are in the areas of water resources and quality, air quality, health and safety issues, solid waste management, and land reclamation. The general environmental issues, resource availability, and attitudes associated with potential peat development in ten states, containing an estimated 90 percent of US peat resources were described. The ten states reviewed are Alaska, Minnesota, Michigan, Maine, North and South Carolina, Wisconsin, New York, Florida, and Louisiana. (DMC)

Ten Lessons from Ten Years PPP Experience in Belgium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, T.; Verhoest, K.; Voets, J.; Coppens, T.; van Dooren, W.; van den Hurk, M.

2017-01-01

In 2004 Flanders, the northern region of Belgium launched a range of large public–private partnership (PPP) projects for a total value of 6 billion euros. Ten years later, PPP has become a well-embedded procurement method for long-term public infrastructure projects. This article makes a critical

Conference communication. Managing change in tourism destinations: Key issues and current trends.

OpenAIRE

Mariani, M.M.; Buhalis, Dimitrios; Longhi, C.; Vitouladiti, O.

2013-01-01

This conference communication illustrates the major outcomes emerging from the EIASM Conference on Tourism Management and Tourism Related Issues held in Nice (France), September 20-21, 2012. While a number of managerial issues pertaining to the tourism field were dealt with, this communication covers three specific areas of interest for destination management and marketing: (1) the increasing competition among tourism destinations and the rise and consolidation of BRIC countries as outbound t...

ON OPERATION OF 740 M LONG FREIGHT TRAINS ON CZECH TEN-T RAILWAY NETWORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michal Drábek

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Regulation (EU No 1315/2013 defines actual scope of core and comprehensive TEN-T network, including both networks for railway freight transport. For the core network, possibility to operate 740 m long freight trains is required. The aim of this paper is to analyse availability of appropriate overtaking tracks for 740 m long freight trains. Due to ETCS braking curves and odometry, such trains, after ETCS implementation, will require 780-800 m long overtaking tracks. For practical reasons (e.g. bypass lines, whole Czech railway TEN-T network is analysed. The overtaking track, whose occupation means influence on scheduled traffic or threat to boarding passengers, are excluded. The data was collected from station schemes from Collection of Official Requisites for 2015/16 Timetable, issued by SŽDC, Czech state Infrastructure Manager. Most of appropriate tracks are over 800 m long, but their density in the network and in particular directions varies considerably. For freight traffic, gradient of the line is important, so in the resulting figure, there are marked significant peaks for particular lines as well. Czech TEN-T lines are further segmented on the basis of number of tracks and their traffic character. Then, specific issues on overtaking or crossing of 740 m long freight trains are discussed. As a conclusion, for long-term development of Czech TEN-T lines, targeted investment is recommended not only for passenger railway, but also for freight railway. An attractive capacity offer for railway undertakings, which can stimulate freight traffic on European Rail freight corridors, can be represented by network-bound periodic freight train paths with suitable long overtaking tracks outside bottlenecks. After the overtaking by passenger trains, a freight train should run without stop through large node station or a bottleneck area. Before the sections with high gradients, coupling of additional locomotives should be connected with the overtaking

Communicating Emotion through Haptic Design: A Study Using Physical Keys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjellerup, Marie Kjær; Larsen, Anne Cathrine; Maier, Anja

2014-01-01

This paper explores how designers may communicate with the users of their products through haptic design. More specifically, how tactile properties of materials evoke emotions such as satisfaction, joy, or disgust. A research through design approach has been followed; mood- and material boards...... and prototypes of four ‘haptically enhanced’ (physical) keys were created. Types of keys selected include home, bicycle, hobby, and basement. An experiment with ten participants was conducted, using word association and a software to elicit product emotions (PrEmo). Results show a mapping between the designer...

Alcohol & drug abuse: Revisiting employee assistance programs and substance use problems in the workplace: key issues and a research agenda.

Science.gov (United States)

Merrick, Elizabeth S Levy; Volpe-Vartanian, Joanna; Horgan, Constance M; McCann, Bernard

2007-10-01

This column describes employee assistance program (EAPs) and identifies key issues for contemporary EAPs. These programs began as occupational alcohol programs and have evolved into more comprehensive resources. To better understand contemporary EAPs, the authors suggest a research agenda that includes descriptive studies to provide an up-to-date picture of services; investigations of how contemporary EAPs address substance use problems, including management consultation for early identification; further study of EAPs' effects on outcomes, such as productivity and work group outcomes; examination of the relationship between EAPs and other workplace resources; further examination of influences on EAP utilization; and development and testing of EAP performance measures.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Some Key Issues for DSM-V

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Katharine A.; Wilhelm, Sabine; Koran, Lorrin M.; Didie, Elizabeth R.; Fallon, Brian A.; Feusner, Jamie; Stein, Dan J.

2014-01-01

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a distressing or impairing preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance, has been described for more than a century and increasingly studied over the past several decades. This paper provides a focused review of issues pertaining to BDD that are relevant to DSM-V. The review presents a number of options and preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-V: 1) Criterion A may benefit from some rewording, without changing its focus or meaning; 2) Potential disadvantages of adding a new criterion to reflect BDD compulsive behaviors seem to outweigh potential advantages, but adding such a criterion remains an option that can be considered; 3) A clinical significance criterion seems necessary for BDD to differentiate it from normal appearance concerns; 4) BDD and eating disorders have some overlapping features and need to be differentiated; some minor changes to DSM-IV’s criterion C are suggested; 5) BDD should not be broadened to include body integrity identity disorder (apotemnophilia) or olfactory reference syndrome; 6) There is no compelling evidence for including diagnostic features or subtypes that are specific to gender-related, age-related, or cultural manifestations of BDD; 7) Adding muscle dysmorphia as a specifier may have clinical utility; and 8) The ICD-10 criteria for hypochondriacal disorder are not suitable for BDD, and there is no empirical evidence that BDD and hypochondriasis are the same disorder. The issue of how BDD’s delusional variant should be classified in DSM-V is briefly discussed and will be addressed more extensively in a separate paper. PMID:20533368

Body dysmorphic disorder: some key issues for DSM-V.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Katharine A; Wilhelm, Sabine; Koran, Lorrin M; Didie, Elizabeth R; Fallon, Brian A; Feusner, Jamie; Stein, Dan J

2010-06-01

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a distressing or impairing preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance, has been described for more than a century and increasingly studied over the past several decades. This article provides a focused review of issues pertaining to BDD that are relevant to DSM-V. The review presents a number of options and preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-V: (1) Criterion A may benefit from some rewording, without changing its focus or meaning; (2) There are both advantages and disadvantages to adding a new criterion to reflect compulsive BDD behaviors; this possible addition requires further consideration; (3) A clinical significance criterion seems necessary for BDD to differentiate it from normal appearance concerns; (4) BDD and eating disorders have some overlapping features and need to be differentiated; some minor changes to DSM-IV's criterion C are suggested; (5) BDD should not be broadened to include body integrity identity disorder (apotemnophilia) or olfactory reference syndrome; (6) There is no compelling evidence for including diagnostic features or subtypes that are specific to gender-related, age-related, or cultural manifestations of BDD; (7) Adding muscle dysmorphia as a specifier may have clinical utility; and (8) The ICD-10 criteria for hypochondriacal disorder are not suitable for BDD, and there is no empirical evidence that BDD and hypochondriasis are the same disorder. The issue of how BDD's delusional variant should be classified in DSM-V is briefly discussed and will be addressed more extensively in a separate article. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Key Features of the Manufacturing Vision Development Process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dukovska-Popovska, Iskra; Riis, Jens Ove; Boer, Harry

2005-01-01

of action research. The methodology recommends wide participation of people from different hierarchical and functional positions, who engage in a relatively short, playful and creative process and come up with a vision (concept) for the future manufacturing system in the company. Based on three case studies......This paper discusses the key features of the process of Manufacturing Vision Development, a process that enables companies to develop their future manufacturing concept. The basis for the process is a generic five-phase methodology (Riis and Johansen 2003) developed as a result of ten years...... of companies going through the initial phases of the methodology, this research identified the key features of the Manufacturing Vision Development process. The paper elaborates the key features by defining them, discussing how and when they can appear, and how they influence the process....

Gender equality and sustainable human development are key issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Ando, H

1995-01-01

In a message to the Indochina Women's Parliamentarians Meeting, Hirofumi Ando, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Family Planning Association (UNFPA), encouraged participants to link gender equality and development issues. Ando noted that many of the goals of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development imply recognition of the need to redress gender inequalities and empower women. The Program of Action adopted in Cairo requires countries to achieve universal access to primary education and reproductive health care services. Parliamentarians in attendance were urged to mobilize the financial resources and political will necessary to implement programs in these areas.

NAGRADATA. Code key. Geology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, W.H.; Schneider, B.; Staeuble, J.

1984-01-01

This reference manual provides users of the NAGRADATA system with comprehensive keys to the coding/decoding of geological and technical information to be stored in or retreaved from the databank. Emphasis has been placed on input data coding. When data is retreaved the translation into plain language of stored coded information is done automatically by computer. Three keys each, list the complete set of currently defined codes for the NAGRADATA system, namely codes with appropriate definitions, arranged: 1. according to subject matter (thematically) 2. the codes listed alphabetically and 3. the definitions listed alphabetically. Additional explanation is provided for the proper application of the codes and the logic behind the creation of new codes to be used within the NAGRADATA system. NAGRADATA makes use of codes instead of plain language for data storage; this offers the following advantages: speed of data processing, mainly data retrieval, economies of storage memory requirements, the standardisation of terminology. The nature of this thesaurian type 'key to codes' makes it impossible to either establish a final form or to cover the entire spectrum of requirements. Therefore, this first issue of codes to NAGRADATA must be considered to represent the current state of progress of a living system and future editions will be issued in a loose leave ringbook system which can be updated by an organised (updating) service. (author)

Key process issues in Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP): translation of an evidence-based model into clinical practice and training.

Science.gov (United States)

Vivian, Dina; Salwen, Jessica

2013-09-01

Our "desired outcome" in writing this article was to present not only key process issues stemming from the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP; McCullough, 2000), but to highlight those therapy maneuvers that we, a "seasoned" clinician/supervisor and a clinical trainee, find most useful in delivering treatment and in conducting supervision. We strongly believe that it is only through the translation of evidence-based therapeutic models, such as CBASP, into effective training that a true integration of science and practice can be obtained. Thus, the congruence of trainer's and trainee's views on what constitute top process issues in therapy is important in evaluating the reliability of a therapy model; with this in mind, we focus on three process issues, as follows: (1) problems are anchored to the "here and now" and to specific situational outcomes; (2) patients are encouraged to identify the role they play in affecting their distressing outcomes and to take responsibility for "fixing" them; and (3) the therapist planfully engages in the process of change via disciplined personal involvement. Research and theory supporting these maneuvers are presented, in conjunction with clinical examples. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Summary of Key Issues Raised in the Technology for Early Awareness of Addiction and Mental Illness (TEAAM-I) Meeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Baumel, Amit; Baker, Justin; Birnbaum, Michael L; Christensen, Helen; De Choudhury, Munmun; Mohr, David C; Muench, Fred; Schlosser, Danielle; Titov, Nick; Kane, John M

2018-05-01

Technology provides an unparalleled opportunity to remove barriers to earlier identification and engagement in services for mental and addictive disorders by reaching people earlier in the course of illness and providing links to just-in-time, cost-effective interventions. Achieving this opportunity, however, requires stakeholders to challenge underlying assumptions about traditional pathways to mental health care. In this Open Forum, the authors highlight key issues discussed in the Technology for Early Awareness of Addiction and Mental Illness (TEAAM-I) meeting-held October 13-14, 2016, in New York City-that are related to three identified areas in which technology provides important and unique opportunities to advance early identification, increase service engagement, and decrease the duration of untreated mental and addictive disorders.

Tic disorders: some key issues for DSM-V.

Science.gov (United States)

Walkup, John T; Ferrão, Ygor; Leckman, James F; Stein, Dan J; Singer, Harvey

2010-06-01

This study provides a focused review of issues that are relevant to the nosology of the tic disorders and presents preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-V. The recommended changes are designed to clarify and simplify the diagnostic criteria, reduce the use of the residual category, tic disorder not otherwise specified, and are not intended to alter substantially clinical practice or the continuity of past and future research. Specific recommendations include: (1) a more precise definition of motor and vocal tics; (2) simplification of the duration criterion for the tic disorders; (3) revising the term "transient tic disorder" for those with tic symptoms of less than 12-month duration; (4) establishing new tic disorder categories for those with substance induced tic disorder and tic disorder due to a general medical condition; and (5) including a motor tic only and vocal tic only specifier for the chronic motor or vocal tic disorder category. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Analysis of Key Factors Driving Japan’s Military Normalization

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

no change to our policy of not giving in to terrorism.”40 Though the prime minister was democratically supported, Koizumi’s leadership style took...of the key driving factors of Japan’s normalization. The areas of prime ministerial leadership , regional security threats, alliance issues, and...analysis of the key driving factors of Japan’s normalization. The areas of prime ministerial leadership , regional security threats, alliance issues, and

An Improved Methodology to Overcome Key Issues in Human Fecal Metagenomic DNA Extraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jitendra Kumar

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Microbes are ubiquitously distributed in nature, and recent culture-independent studies have highlighted the significance of gut microbiota in human health and disease. Fecal DNA is the primary source for the majority of human gut microbiome studies. However, further improvement is needed to obtain fecal metagenomic DNA with sufficient amount and good quality but low host genomic DNA contamination. In the current study, we demonstrate a quick, robust, unbiased, and cost-effective method for the isolation of high molecular weight (>23 kb metagenomic DNA (260/280 ratio >1.8 with a good yield (55.8 ± 3.8 ng/mg of feces. We also confirm that there is very low human genomic DNA contamination (eubacterial: human genomic DNA marker genes = 227.9:1 in the human feces. The newly-developed method robustly performs for fresh as well as stored fecal samples as demonstrated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing using 454 FLX+. Moreover, 16S rRNA gene analysis indicated that compared to other DNA extraction methods tested, the fecal metagenomic DNA isolated with current methodology retains species richness and does not show microbial diversity biases, which is further confirmed by qPCR with a known quantity of spike-in genomes. Overall, our data highlight a protocol with a balance between quality, amount, user-friendliness, and cost effectiveness for its suitability toward usage for culture-independent analysis of the human gut microbiome, which provides a robust solution to overcome key issues associated with fecal metagenomic DNA isolation in human gut microbiome studies.

The Key to School Security.

Science.gov (United States)

Hotle, Dan

1993-01-01

In addition to legislative accessibility requirements, other security issues facing school administrators who select a security system include the following: access control; user friendliness; durability or serviceability; life safety precautions; possibility of vandalism, theft, and tampering; and key control. Offers steps to take in considering…

KEY ISSUES OF CONCEPTS' FORMATION OF THE NETWORK OF RESOURCE CENTER OF DISTANCE EDUCATION OF GENERAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuriy M. Bogachkov

2013-06-01

Full Text Available In the article the problem of constructing a network of resource centers for Distance Education to meet the needs of general secondary schools is presented. Modern educational trends in the use of Internet services in education are viewed.  Main contradictions, solution of which helps to create a network of resource centers, are identified. The definition of key terms related to the range of issues are given. The basic categories of participants, who  implementation of e-learning and networking are oriented on. There are considered the basic tasks of  distance education resource centers' functioning and types of supporting: personnel, regulatory, informative, systematic and  technical etc. The review of possible models of implementation of  students' distance education is reviewed . Three options for business models of resource centers, depending on funding  sources are offered.

The study of key issues about integration of GNSS and strong-motion records for real-time earthquake monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Rui; Zhang, Pengfei; Zhang, Rui; Liu, Jinhai

2016-08-01

This paper has studied the key issues about integration of GNSS and strong-motion records for real-time earthquake monitoring. The validations show that the consistence of the coordinate system must be considered firstly to exclude the system bias between GNSS and strong-motion. The GNSS sampling rate is suggested about 1-5 Hz, and we should give the strong-motion's baseline shift with a larger dynamic noise as its variation is very swift. The initialization time of solving the baseline shift is less than one minute, and ambiguity resolution strategy is not greatly improved the solution. The data quality is very important for the solution, we advised to use multi-frequency and multi-system observations. These ideas give an important guide for real-time earthquake monitoring and early warning by the tight integration of GNSS and strong-motion records.

A strategy study on the technology development for key nuclear structural materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Jun Hwa; Jeong, Youg Hwan; Kim, Tae Kyu

2012-01-01

In order to realize the advanced long-life PWRs and new Generation-IV nuclear systems, it is pre-requisite to establish or ensure the several key materials technology. In this study, we proposed the several key needs and directions for the key materials issues. Each issue is envisioned and described below. 1) Development of innovative nuclear structural materials with extreme environment-resistance for advanced G-IV systems 2) Improvement/development of key reactor materials for advanced and long -life PWRs. 3) Development of technologies against nuclear materials aging degradation

Clinical Trials: A Crucial Key to Human Health Research

Science.gov (United States)

... Past Issues Clinical Trials: A Crucial Key to Human Health Research Past Issues / Summer 2006 Table of Contents ... Javascript on. Photo: PhotoDisc At the forefront of human health research today are clinical trials—studies that use ...

Il governo della performance dei processi di business : dai Key Performance Indicators ai Key Risk Indicators

OpenAIRE

Sergio Beretta; Saverio Bozzolan

2013-01-01

The recent paper issued by COSO ["Developing Key Risk Indicators to Strengthen Enterprise Risk Management" (Coso, 2010)] is the starting point of this article whose aim is to discuss the relevance of the business process dimension in the design and implementation of Key Risk Indicators. The Authors analyze the reasons of the systematic underestimation of the business process dimension in the COSO papers and debate the implications that the explicit consideration of the business process dimens...

Information processing in bacteria: memory, computation, and statistical physics: a key issues review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lan, Ganhui; Tu, Yuhai

2016-01-01

study the thermodynamic costs of adaptation for cells to maintain an accurate memory. The statistical physics based approach described here should be useful in understanding design principles for cellular biochemical circuits in general. (key issues review)

Ethical issues in the export, storage and reuse of human biological samples in biomedical research: perspectives of key stakeholders in Ghana and Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Tindana, Paulina; Molyneux, Catherine S; Bull, Susan; Parker, Michael

2014-10-18

For many decades, access to human biological samples, such as cells, tissues, organs, blood, and sub-cellular materials such as DNA, for use in biomedical research, has been central in understanding the nature and transmission of diseases across the globe. However, the limitations of current ethical and regulatory frameworks in sub-Saharan Africa to govern the collection, export, storage and reuse of these samples have resulted in inconsistencies in practice and a number of ethical concerns for sample donors, researchers and research ethics committees. This paper examines stakeholders' perspectives of and responses to the ethical issues arising from these research practices. We employed a qualitative strategy of inquiry for this research including in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key research stakeholders in Kenya (Nairobi and Kilifi), and Ghana (Accra and Navrongo). The stakeholders interviewed emphasised the compelling scientific importance of sample export, storage and reuse, and acknowledged the existence of some structures governing these research practices, but they also highlighted the pressing need for a number of practical ethical concerns to be addressed in order to ensure high standards of practice and to maintain public confidence in international research collaborations. These concerns relate to obtaining culturally appropriate consent for sample export and reuse, understanding cultural sensitivities around the use of blood samples, facilitating a degree of local control of samples and sustainable scientific capacity building. Drawing on these findings and existing literature, we argue that the ethical issues arising in practice need to be understood in the context of the interactions between host research institutions and local communities and between collaborating institutions. We propose a set of 'key points-to-consider' for research institutions, ethics committees and funding agencies to address these issues.

Resilience Analysis of Key Update Strategies for Resource-Constrained Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yuksel, Ender; Nielson, Hanne Riis; Nielson, Flemming

2011-01-01

Severe resource limitations in certain types of networks lead to various open issues in security. Since such networks usually operate in unattended or hostile environments, revoking the cryptographic keys and establishing (also distributing) new keys – which we refer to as key update – is a criti...

Ten years for the public Web

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

Ten years ago, CERN issued a statement declaring that a little known piece of software called the World Wide Web was in the public domain. Nowadays, the Web is an indispensable part of modern communications. The idea for the Web goes back to March 1989 when CERN Computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee wrote a proposal for a 'Distributed Information Management System' for the high-energy physics community. The Web was originaly conceived and developed to meet the demand for information sharing between scientists working all over the world. There were many obstacles in the 1980s to the effective exchange of information. There was, for example a great variety of computer and network systems, with hardly any common features. The main purpose of the web was to allow scientists to access information from any source in a consistent and simple way. By Christmas 1990, Berners-Lee's idea had become the World Wide Web, with its first server and browser running at CERN. Through 1991, the Web spread to other particle physics ...

The Supersymmetric Top-Ten Lists

OpenAIRE

Haber, Howard E.

1993-01-01

Ten reasons are given why supersymmetry is the leading candidate for physics beyond the Standard Model. Ultimately, the experimental discovery of supersymmetric particles at future colliders will determine whether supersymmetry is relevant for TeV scale physics. The grand hope of supersymmetry enthusiasts is to connect TeV scale supersymmetry with Planck scale physics. The ten most pressing theoretical problems standing in the way of this goal are briefly described.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for phantom pain and stump pain following amputation in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Mark I; Mulvey, Matthew R; Bagnall, Anne-Marie

2015-08-18

This is the first update of a Cochrane review published in Issue 5, 2010 on transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for phantom pain and stump pain following amputation in adults. Pain may present in a body part that has been amputated (phantom pain) or at the site of amputation (stump pain), or both. Phantom pain and stump pain are complex and multidimensional and the underlying pathophysiology remains unclear. The condition remains a severe burden for those who are affected by it. The mainstay treatments are predominately pharmacological, with increasing acknowledgement of the need for non-drug interventions. TENS has been recommended as a treatment option but there has been no systematic review of available evidence. Hence, the effectiveness of TENS for phantom pain and stump pain is currently unknown. To assess the analgesic effectiveness of TENS for the treatment of phantom pain and stump pain following amputation in adults. For the original version of the review we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, PEDRO and SPORTDiscus (February 2010). For this update, we searched the same databases for relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from 2010 to 25 March 2015. We only included RCTs investigating the use of TENS for the management of phantom pain and stump pain following an amputation in adults. Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We planned that where available and appropriate, data from outcome measures were to be pooled and presented as an overall estimate of the effectiveness of TENS. In the original review there were no RCTs that examined the effectiveness of TENS for the treatment of phantom pain and stump pain in adults. For this update, we did not identify any additional RCTs for inclusion. There were no RCTs to judge the effectiveness of TENS for the management of phantom pain and stump pain. The published literature on TENS

ALGORITHMS FOR TETRAHEDRAL NETWORK (TEN) GENERATION

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2000-01-01

The Tetrahedral Network(TEN) is a powerful 3-D vector structure in GIS, which has a lot of advantages such as simple structure, fast topological relation processing and rapid visualization. The difficulty of TEN application is automatic creating data structure. Al though a raster algorithm has been introduced by some authors, the problems in accuracy, memory requirement, speed and integrity are still existent. In this paper, the raster algorithm is completed and a vector algorithm is presented after a 3-D data model and structure of TEN have been introducted. Finally, experiment, conclusion and future work are discussed.

The five times ten things everyone should have had in their hands before they are ten and two years old.

Science.gov (United States)

Hut, R.; Poot, A.

2017-12-01

To train the young ones to become people that make stuff, I present the five times ten things we use a lot that everyone should have used before they are ten and two years old. I will bring at least two times ten of these things and show them live to you! And: I will bring a large paper for you to bring home with those five times ten things on it to put in the hands of your kids!

Hiring and Retention: Key Factors in Increasing Gender Diversity in the Geosciences

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, M.; O'Connell, S.; Frey, C.

2004-12-01

Graduation and hiring data of geoscientists over the last ten years indicate that the largest leak in the academic pipeline for women geoscientists is at hiring into tenure-track positions. Anecdotal explanations for this leak generally cite a lack of females in the applicant pool, but women in tenure-track positions anecdotally cite a lack of family-friendly practices by academic departments. Both ideas are currently being tested via surveys of geoscience departments. Is there a way to attract more women to the field to increase the applicant pool? Results of focus groups of geoscientists indicate that both men and women are attracted into the field of geosciences by the same types of events: over one-third became a geoscientist by randomly walking into an undergraduate class and finding themselves captivated by the topic and/or a dynamic instructor. The subject matter itself attracts another one-fourth, and family members encourage another one-fifth of geoscientists to initially enter the field. Slightly more women cite the first attractor of undergraduate class, but the principal draw for our future workforce, male and female, is good instruction of freshman courses. Retention of women in academia is another key issue. The proportion that considers leaving after working towards one or more degrees is highly skewed by gender: one-half of female and only one-third of male geoscientists considered leaving the field at some time in their career. The reasons for considering leaving also differ by gender. Males cite financial issues, including an uncertain job market. Females cite two principal reasons for considering leaving: family issues and difficulties with a graduate advisor. Strategies currently exist for "family issues", including stop-the-clock (of tenure for family needs), assignment shift, on-campus daycare facilities, and unflinching administrative support for such practices. Graduate advising is a learnable skill, and more attention needs to be paid to

Development of an SSR-based identification key for Tunisian local almonds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassouna Gouta

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Ten simple sequence repeat (SSR loci were used to study polymorphism in 54 almond genotypes. All genotypes used in this study originated from almond-growing areas in Tunisia with different climatic conditions ranging from the sub-humid to the arid and are preserved in the national collection at Sidi Bouzid. Using ten SSR, 130 alleles and 250 genotypes were revealed. In order to develop an identification key for each accession, the data were analysed separately for each microsatellite marker. The most polymorphic microsatellite (CPDCT042 was used as a first marker. Two microsatellite loci (CPDCT042 and CPDCT025 were sufficient to discriminate among all accessions studied. Neighbour-joining clustering and principal coordinate analysis were performed to arrange the genotypes according to their genetic relationships and origin. The results are discussed in the context of almond collection management, conformity checks, identification of homonyms, and screening of the local almond germplasm. Furthermore, this microsatellite-based key is a first step toward a marker-assisted identification almond database.

Tens bij bevallingen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tuin-Nuis, F.D.F.

2000-01-01

TENS (Transcutane Electrische Neuro Stimulatie) is een pijnverlichtingsmethode die berust op de Gate Control Theory van Melzack en Wall. Door middel van electrische pulsen via de huid zou de geleiding van nociceptieve signalen (pijnprikkels) worden beïnvloed en zou het lichaam endorfinen aanmaken:

Policy issues in modern cartography

CERN Document Server

Taylor, DRF

1998-01-01

Policy Issues in Modern Cartography contains the views of national mapping agencies, legal scholars, the library community, the private sector and academia on these and many other important issues. The book begins with perspectives from national mapping agencies in Britain, Canada and the United States followed by a survey of the situation in Asia. The next three chapters deal primarily with legal issues such as copyright and intellectual property from both North American and European perspectives. Chapter 8 presents an important perspective on the key issues by a representative of the privat

Experimental Study and Computational Simulations of Key Pebble Bed Thermo-mechanics Issues for Design and Safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tokuhiro, Akira; Potirniche, Gabriel; Cogliati, Joshua; Ougouag, Abderrafi

2014-07-08

An experimental and computational study, consisting of modeling and simulation (M&S), of key thermal-mechanical issues affecting the design and safety of pebble-bed (PB) reactors was conducted. The objective was to broaden understanding and experimentally validate thermal-mechanic phenomena of nuclear grade graphite, specifically, spheres in frictional contact as anticipated in the bed under reactor relevant pressures and temperatures. The contact generates graphite dust particulates that can subsequently be transported into the flowing gaseous coolent. Under postulated depressurization transients and with the potential for leaked fission products to be adsorbed onto graphite 'dust', there is the potential for fission products to escape from the primary volume. This is a design safety concern. Furthermore, earlier safety assessment identified the distinct possibility for the dispersed dust to combust in contact with air if sufficient conditions are met. Both of these phenomena were noted as important to design review and containing uncertainty to warrant study. The team designed and conducted two separate effects tests to study and benchmark the potential dust-generation rate, as well as study the conditions under which a dust explosion may occure in a standardized, instrumented explosion chamber.

E-Government: Initiatives, Developments, and Issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Aldrich, Duncan; Bertot, John Carlo; McClure, Charles R.

2002-01-01

Provides a background of government efforts to incorporate telecommunication and computer technologies to improve government performance and enhance citizen access to government information and services. Describes this symposium issue which discusses key issues that affect the success and implementation of electronic government initiatives. (LRW)

Preliminary Genomic Characterization of Ten Hardwood Tree Species from Multiplexed Low Coverage Whole Genome Sequencing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margaret Staton

Full Text Available Forest health issues are on the rise in the United States, resulting from introduction of alien pests and diseases, coupled with abiotic stresses related to climate change. Increasingly, forest scientists are finding genetic/genomic resources valuable in addressing forest health issues. For a set of ten ecologically and economically important native hardwood tree species representing a broad phylogenetic spectrum, we used low coverage whole genome sequencing from multiplex Illumina paired ends to economically profile their genomic content. For six species, the genome content was further analyzed by flow cytometry in order to determine the nuclear genome size. Sequencing yielded a depth of 0.8X to 7.5X, from which in silico analysis yielded preliminary estimates of gene and repetitive sequence content in the genome for each species. Thousands of genomic SSRs were identified, with a clear predisposition toward dinucleotide repeats and AT-rich repeat motifs. Flanking primers were designed for SSR loci for all ten species, ranging from 891 loci in sugar maple to 18,167 in redbay. In summary, we have demonstrated that useful preliminary genome information including repeat content, gene content and useful SSR markers can be obtained at low cost and time input from a single lane of Illumina multiplex sequence.

Key Questions in Building Defect Prediction Models in Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Ramler, Rudolf; Wolfmaier, Klaus; Stauder, Erwin; Kossak, Felix; Natschläger, Thomas

The information about which modules of a future version of a software system are defect-prone is a valuable planning aid for quality managers and testers. Defect prediction promises to indicate these defect-prone modules. However, constructing effective defect prediction models in an industrial setting involves a number of key questions. In this paper we discuss ten key questions identified in context of establishing defect prediction in a large software development project. Seven consecutive versions of the software system have been used to construct and validate defect prediction models for system test planning. Furthermore, the paper presents initial empirical results from the studied project and, by this means, contributes answers to the identified questions.

Bioethics and Medical Issues in Literature

OpenAIRE

Stripling, Mahala Yates

2013-01-01

Many of the bioethical and medical issues challenging society today have been anticipated and addressed in literature ranging from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Albert Camus’s The Plague, to Margaret Edson's Wit. The ten works of fiction explored in this book stimulate lively dialogue on topics like bioterrorism, cloning, organ transplants, obesity and heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases, and civil and human rights. This interdisciplinary and multicultural approach introducing literat...

The Causes of Poverty: Thinking Critically about a Key Economic Issue

Science.gov (United States)

Otlin, Josh

2008-01-01

Economics is a central part of civic education. Students need to know about the Constitution and the party system, but active citizenship in the twenty-first century requires much more than the standard civics courses offer. Economic issues dominate public policy debates ranging from Social Security to immigration to international security. If…

Key Issues in Empirically Identifying Chronically Low-Performing and Turnaround Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Michael

2012-01-01

One of the US Department of Education's key priorities is turning around the nation's persistently low-achieving schools, yet exactly how to identify low-performing schools is a task left to state policy makers, and a myriad of definitions have been utilized. In addition, exactly how to recognize when a school begins to turn around is not well…

Increasing intensity of TENS prevents analgesic tolerance in rats

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Karina L.; Sanada, Luciana S.; Rakel, Barbara A.; Sluka, Kathleen A.

2012-01-01

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) reduces hyperalgesia and pain. Both low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) TENS, delivered at the same intensity (90% motor threshold (MT)) daily, result in analgesic tolerance with repeated use by the 5th day of treatment. Thecurrentstudytestedif 1) increasingintensityby 10% per daypreventsthedevelopmentoftolerance to repeated TENS, and 2) iflowerintensity TENS (50 % MT) produces an equivalentreduction in hyperalgesia when compared to 90% MT TENS. Sprague-Dawley rats with unilateral knee joint inflammation (3% carrageenan) were separated according to the intensity of TENS used: Sham, 50% LF, 50% HF, 90% LF, 90% HF, and increased intensity by 10% per day (LF and HF). The reduced mechanical withdrawal threshold following the induction of inflammation was reversed by application of TENS applied at 90% MT and increasing intensity for the first 4 days. On the 5th day, the groups that received 90% MT intensity showed tolerance. Nevertheless, the group that received an increased intensity on each day still showed a reversal of the mechanical withdrawal threshold with TENS. These results show that the development of tolerance can be delayed by increasing intensity of TENS. PMID:22858165

An Analysis of Global Problems Issues in Sixth and Seventh Grade Science Textbooks.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamm, Mary; Adams, Dennis

The study examines the extent to which the global issues of population growth, world hunger, air quality and atmosphere, and water resources were treated in sixth and seventh grade science textbooks. Ten textbooks were examined by five raters to determine the amount of content presented by different textbooks on global issues, the number of pages…

Special Issue Editorial

African Journals Online (AJOL)

While this special issue focuses on work in the South African context, ... practice) with youth addresses the key imperatives of (un)employment, age, ... patterns of male control over sexual encounters and women's sexuality are emergent ... in the paper by Ngabaza, Bojarczuk, Masuku and Roelfse, titled, 'Empowering young.

Taxonomic review of the chironomid genus Cricotopus v.d. Wulp (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Australia: keys to males, females, pupae and larvae, description of ten new species and comments on Paratrichocladius Santos Abreu.

Science.gov (United States)

Drayson, Nick; Cranston, Peter S; Krosch, Matt N

2015-02-16

The Australian species of the Orthocladiinae genus Cricotopus Wulp (Diptera: Chironomidae) are revised for larval, pupal, adult male and female life stages. Eleven species, ten of which are new, are recognised and keyed, namely Cricotopus acornis Drayson & Cranston sp. nov., Cricotopus albitarsis Hergstrom sp. nov., Cricotopus annuliventris (Skuse), Cricotopus brevicornis Drayson & Cranston sp. nov., Cricotopus conicornis Drayson & Cranston sp. nov., Cricotopus hillmani Drayson & Cranston, sp. nov., Cricotopus howensis Cranston sp. nov., Cricotopus parbicinctus Hergstrom sp. nov., Cricotopus tasmania Drayson & Cranston sp. nov., Cricotopus varicornis Drayson & Cranston sp. nov. and Cricotopus wangi Cranston & Krosch sp. nov. Using data from this study, we consider the wider utility of morphological and molecular diagnostic tools in untangling species diversity in the Chironomidae. Morphological support for distinguishing Cricotopus from Paratrichocladius Santo-Abreu in larval and pupal stages appears lacking for Australian taxa and brief notes are provided concerning this matter.

Telemedicine: licensing and other legal issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegal, Gil

2011-12-01

The growth of information technology and telecommunications has created promising opportunities for better, faster, more accessible, barrier-free health care; telemedicine (TM). The feasibility of many TM projects depends on resolving legal issues. Mastering technical issues or providing training remain important benchmarks for implementation of TM, but legal issues constrain progress. This article identifies the key legal issues, maps current legislation, and offers a forecast of necessary steps to expedite the dissemination of TM. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Key Performance Indicators for Maintenance Management Effectiveness of Public Hospital Building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farhana Omar Mardhiah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Effectiveness of management in maintenance aspect holds the key element in influencing the performance of overall maintenance management. Similarly, public hospital building needs an effective maintenance management as this type of building in nature is one of the most complex issues in the field of maintenance. Improper building maintenance management adopted by the organization significantly will interrupt the overall operation of the building. Therefore, this paper is aim to identifying the key performance indicator (KPI of effectiveness of maintenance management for the public hospital building. A total of 32 set of questionnaires were distributed to the maintenance manager for each hospital in the northern region of peninsular Malaysia by using self-administration strategy. The survey answer was analyzed by performing descriptive analysis in SPSS. Overall, the result of descriptive analysis shows that all the ten factors of effectiveness of maintenance management are accepted as KPI since the mean value is at least 3.93 which classified as important and significant. The most significant factor of effectiveness of maintenance management is task planning and scheduling with the mean score of 4.35. While less significant factor is identify as maintenance approach with the value of mean score is 3.93. The both results indicates that the management need to have well-structured planning for the maintenance works and also need to embrace the exact strategy of maintenance approach in order to achieved better overall performance of maintenance management. This study may draw a standard practice for the government in assessing the performance of public facilities in terms of maintenance management.

Key Issues and Challenges in Estimating the Cost of Capital for Energy Network Utilities in Emerging Markets(Gelişmekte Olan Ülkelerde Enerji Şebeke Şirketleri İçin Sermaye Maliyetinin Tahminindeki Ana Konu ve Sorunlar

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Mustafa GÖZEN

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Estimating the cost of capital in emerging markets presents greater difficulties because these markets have relatively illiquid capital markets and higher levels of sovereign risk, economic uncertainties, and political risks. Experience shows that in estimating cost of capital, energy regulators in emerging countries usually depend on the work and recommendations of their staff and/or outside consultancy services. Since the ultimate decision is made by regulators, they need to understand the challenges and key issues in estimating a fair and reasonable cost of capital for energy utilities. The article introduces and discusses the key issues and challenges that regulators have to deal with when estimating cost of capital. Unfortunately, there is no agreement among academics, regulators, bankers, and other practitioners on how to address the key issues and challenges in determining the cost of capital in emerging economies. This makes capital cost estimation even more difficult in emerging economies.

Strategic Research for S&T Planning Should Focus on Key Issues

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2004-01-01

@@ Strategic planning for national and CAS mid- and long-term S&T development should avoid giving equal attention to every aspect of an issue, which can only lead to incremental progress.Instead, importance should be attached to priorities that will result in scientific, technical and engineering breakthroughs, said CAS President Lu Yongxiang, who is also vice-chairman of the national legislature, NPC.

Mercury Studies around the Mediterranean Sea Basin: Ten years of Measurements and Modeling results

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Sprovieri F.

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Only a few years ago the presence of Reactive Gaseous Mercury (RGM was believed to be almost exclusively the result of anthropogenic emissions and that sustained high RGM concentrations in the MBL were not considered likely. During the past ten years, an in-depth investigation was carried out in the Marine Boundary Layer (MBL of the Mediterranean Sea to quantify and possibly explain spatial and temporal patterns of Hg-species concentrations. This paper provides an overview of modeling results and atmospheric measurements performed during several cruise campaigns performed aboard the Research Vessel (RV URANIA of the CNR over the Mediterranean sea basin. RGM concentrations have been modelled using a photochemical box model of the MBL and compared to measured data obtained during the research cruises. The comparison results supports the hypothesis that there are daytime mercury oxidation reactions occurring which have not yet been identified. Major findings of key studies carried out during ten years of ship-borne activities have been highlighted.

Japanese hospitals--culture and competition: a study of ten hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Anbäcken, O

1994-01-01

Japanese health care is characterized by a pluralistic system with a high degree of private producers. Central government regulates the prices and the financing system. All citizens are covered by a mandatory employment-based health insurance operating on a non-profit basis. The consumer has a free choice of physician and hospital. A comparison between Japan, Sweden and some other countries shows significant dissimilarities in the length of stay, number of treatments per hospital bed and year and the staffing of hospitals. About 80 per cent of the hospitals and 94 per cent of the clinics are privately owned. The typical private hospital owned by a physician has less than 100 beds. In this paper, data collected (1992/93) in an empirical study of Japanese hospitals and their leadership is presented. Also discussed are the hospitals' style of management, tools and strategies for competition and competences--personal and formal skills required of the leadership in the hospital. There follows a study of ten hospitals, among which hospital directors and chief physicians were interviewed. Interviews are also made with key persons in the Ministry of Health and Welfare and other organizations in the health care field. The result is also analysed from a cultural perspective--'what kind of impact does the Japanese culture have on the health care organization?' and/or 'what kind of sub-culture is developed in the Japanese hospitals'. Some comparisons are made with Sweden, USA, Canada and Germany. The different roles of the professions in the hospital are included in the study as well as the incentives for different kinds of strategies--specialization, growing in size, investments in new equipment, different kind of ownership and hospitals. Another issue discussed is the attempt to uncover whether there is an implicit distribution of specialties--silent agreements between hospitals, etc.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief in labour.

Science.gov (United States)

Dowswell, Therese; Bedwell, Carol; Lavender, Tina; Neilson, James P

2009-04-15

Transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) has been proposed as a means of reducing pain in labour. The TENS unit emits low-voltage electrical impulses which vary in frequency and intensity. During labour, TENS electrodes are generally placed on the lower back, although TENS may be used to stimulate acupuncture points or other parts of the body. The physiological mechanisms whereby TENS relieves pain are uncertain. The TENS unit is frequently operated by women, which may increase sense of control in labour. To assess the effects of TENS on pain in labour. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (November 2008). Randomised controlled trials comparing women receiving TENS for pain relief in labour versus routine care, alternative pharmacological methods of pain relief, or placebo devices. We included all types of TENS machines. Two review authors assessed for inclusion all trials identified by the search strategy, carried out data extraction and assessed risk of bias. We have recorded reasons for excluding studies. The search identified 25 studies; we excluded six and included 19 studies including 1671 women. Fifteen examined TENS applied to the back, two to acupuncture points and two to the cranium. Overall, there was little difference in pain ratings between TENS and control groups, although women receiving TENS to acupuncture points were less likely to report severe pain (risk ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.32 to 0.55). The majority of women using TENS said they would be willing to use it again in a future labour. Where TENS was used as an adjunct to epidural analgesia there was no evidence that it reduced pain. There was no consistent evidence that TENS had any impact on interventions and outcomes in labour. There was little information on outcomes for mothers and babies. No adverse events were reported. There is only limited evidence that TENS reduces pain in labour and it does not seem to have any impact (either positive or

Managing the nation's high-level radioactive waste: key issues and recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-07-01

To date, no unified national plan has been adopted to develop and implement a comprehensive system of management and disposal of high-level radioactive waste in the United States. Growing public concern about this problem has resulted in a number of recent efforts to develop a national high-level waste management policy. The 96th Congress strove to resolve the central issues, but ultimately failed to pass legislation, partly because of disagreements about the appropriate role of states in the siting of repositories for military waste. Outside government, a number of organizations convened representatives of diverse groups concerned with national high-level radioactive waste management to seek agreement on the major elements of national policy. One such organization was RESOLVE, Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution, which in May 1981 was merged into The Conservation Foundation. RESOLVE convened Forum II, a series of discussions among representatives of environmental, industrial, governmental, and citizen interest groups, in 1981 specifically to address the issues blocking Congressional agreement on high-level waste policy. This report contains the recommendations which resulted from these deliberations. Reprocessing, interim storage, respository development, and licensing requirements are addressed. Federal, state, and public participation in decision making are also discussed

Key performance indicators in hospital based on balanced scorecard model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamed Rahimi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Performance measurement is receiving increasing verification all over the world. Nowadays in a lot of organizations, irrespective of their type or size, performance evaluation is the main concern and a key issue for top administrators. The purpose of this study is to organize suitable key performance indicators (KPIs for hospitals’ performance evaluation based on the balanced scorecard (BSC. Method: This is a mixed method study. In order to identify the hospital’s performance indicators (HPI, first related literature was reviewed and then the experts’ panel and Delphi method were used. In this study, two rounds were needed for the desired level of consensus. The experts rated the importance of the indicators, on a five-point Likert scale. In the consensus calculation, the consensus percentage was calculated by classifying the values 1-3 as not important (0 and 4-5 to (1 as important. Simple additive weighting technique was used to rank the indicators and select hospital’s KPIs. The data were analyzed by Excel 2010 software. Results: About 218 indicators were obtained from a review of selected literature. Through internal expert panel, 77 indicators were selected. Finally, 22 were selected for KPIs of hospitals. Ten indicators were selected in internal process perspective and 5, 4, and 3 indicators in finance, learning and growth, and customer, respectively. Conclusion: This model can be a useful tool for evaluating and comparing the performance of hospitals. However, this model is flexible and can be adjusted according to differences in the target hospitals. This study can be beneficial for hospital administrators and it can help them to change their perspective about performance evaluation.

SARNET. Severe Accident Research Network - key issues in the area of source term

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giordano, P.; Micaelli, J.C.; Haste, T.; Herranz, L.

2005-01-01

About fifty European organisations integrate in SARNET (Network of Excellence of the EU 6 th Framework Programme) their research capacities in resolve better the most important remaining uncertainties and safety issues concerning existing and future Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) under hypothetical Severe Accident (SA) conditions. Wishing to maintain a long-lasting cooperation, they conduct three types of activities: integrating activities, spreading of excellence and jointly executed research. This paper summarises the main results obtained by the network after the first year, giving more prominence to those from jointly executed research in the Source Term area. Integrating activities have been performed through different means: the ASTEC integral computer code for severe accident transient modelling, through development of PSA2 methodologies, through the setting of a structure for definition of evolving R and D priorities and through the development of a web-network of data bases that hosts experimental data. Such activities have been facilitated by the development of an Advanced Communication Tool. Concerning spreading of excellence, educational courses covering Severe Accident Analysis Methodology and Level 2 PSA have been set up, to be given in early 2006. A detailed text book on Severe Accident Phenomenology has been designed and agreed amongst SARNET members. A mobility programme for students and young researchers is being developed, some detachments are already completed or in progress, and examples are quoted. Jointly executed research activities concern key issues grouped in the Corium, Containment and Source Term areas. In Source Term, behaviour of the highly radio-toxic ruthenium under oxidising conditions (like air ingress) for HBU and MOX fuel has been investigated. First modelling proposals for ASTEC have been made for oxidation of fuel and of ruthenium. Experiments on transport of highly volatile oxide ruthenium species have been performed. Reactor

Sustainable Sourcing of Global Agricultural Raw Materials: Assessing Gaps in Key Impact and Vulnerability Issues and Indicators.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathaniel P Springer

Full Text Available Understanding how to source agricultural raw materials sustainably is challenging in today's globalized food system given the variety of issues to be considered and the multitude of suggested indicators for representing these issues. Furthermore, stakeholders in the global food system both impact these issues and are themselves vulnerable to these issues, an important duality that is often implied but not explicitly described. The attention given to these issues and conceptual frameworks varies greatly--depending largely on the stakeholder perspective--as does the set of indicators developed to measure them. To better structure these complex relationships and assess any gaps, we collate a comprehensive list of sustainability issues and a database of sustainability indicators to represent them. To assure a breadth of inclusion, the issues are pulled from the following three perspectives: major global sustainability assessments, sustainability communications from global food companies, and conceptual frameworks of sustainable livelihoods from academic publications. These terms are integrated across perspectives using a common vocabulary, classified by their relevance to impacts and vulnerabilities, and categorized into groups by economic, environmental, physical, human, social, and political characteristics. These issues are then associated with over 2,000 sustainability indicators gathered from existing sources. A gap analysis is then performed to determine if particular issues and issue groups are over or underrepresented. This process results in 44 "integrated" issues--24 impact issues and 36 vulnerability issues--that are composed of 318 "component" issues. The gap analysis shows that although every integrated issue is mentioned at least 40% of the time across perspectives, no issue is mentioned more than 70% of the time. A few issues infrequently mentioned across perspectives also have relatively few indicators available to fully represent

Sustainable Sourcing of Global Agricultural Raw Materials: Assessing Gaps in Key Impact and Vulnerability Issues and Indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Springer, Nathaniel P; Garbach, Kelly; Guillozet, Kathleen; Haden, Van R; Hedao, Prashant; Hollander, Allan D; Huber, Patrick R; Ingersoll, Christina; Langner, Megan; Lipari, Genevieve; Mohammadi, Yaser; Musker, Ruthie; Piatto, Marina; Riggle, Courtney; Schweisguth, Melissa; Sin, Emily; Snider, Sara; Vidic, Nataša; White, Aubrey; Brodt, Sonja; Quinn, James F; Tomich, Thomas P

2015-01-01

Understanding how to source agricultural raw materials sustainably is challenging in today's globalized food system given the variety of issues to be considered and the multitude of suggested indicators for representing these issues. Furthermore, stakeholders in the global food system both impact these issues and are themselves vulnerable to these issues, an important duality that is often implied but not explicitly described. The attention given to these issues and conceptual frameworks varies greatly--depending largely on the stakeholder perspective--as does the set of indicators developed to measure them. To better structure these complex relationships and assess any gaps, we collate a comprehensive list of sustainability issues and a database of sustainability indicators to represent them. To assure a breadth of inclusion, the issues are pulled from the following three perspectives: major global sustainability assessments, sustainability communications from global food companies, and conceptual frameworks of sustainable livelihoods from academic publications. These terms are integrated across perspectives using a common vocabulary, classified by their relevance to impacts and vulnerabilities, and categorized into groups by economic, environmental, physical, human, social, and political characteristics. These issues are then associated with over 2,000 sustainability indicators gathered from existing sources. A gap analysis is then performed to determine if particular issues and issue groups are over or underrepresented. This process results in 44 "integrated" issues--24 impact issues and 36 vulnerability issues--that are composed of 318 "component" issues. The gap analysis shows that although every integrated issue is mentioned at least 40% of the time across perspectives, no issue is mentioned more than 70% of the time. A few issues infrequently mentioned across perspectives also have relatively few indicators available to fully represent them. Issues in the

Fatca and its key provisions and the issues of its application in Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Sheppard Castillo

2014-07-01

Full Text Available As an answer to the international tax evasion problem, the U.S. Congress issued the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act – Fatca. This Act aims to promote tax compliance among citizens and U.S. residents holding foreign bank accounts. To this effect, Fatca requires Foreign Financial Institutions to enter into an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS to provide the IRS information about the identity and the status of the bank accounts held by US persons. Entities not willing to enter into an agreement with the IRS will be subject to a 30% withholding on U.S. sourced income regardless of whether the income is tax exempt. The application of this Act in our country brings a lot of concern regarding some issues, such us extraterritoriality, bank secrecy, the application of civil and criminal law. Since the effective date of implementation of Fatca is July 1, 2014, we understand that an official opinion concerning these issues and the possibilityto enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the U.S. government will be forthcoming in the following months.

An approach to identify issues affecting ERP implementation in Indian SMEs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rana Basu

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of a study which is based on the results of a comprehensive compilation of literature and subsequent analysis of ERP implementation success issues in context to Indian Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SME’s. This paper attempts to explore the existing literature and highlight those issues on ERP implementation and further to this the researchers applied TOPSIS (Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution method to prioritize issues affecting successful implementation of ERP. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the literature review certain issues leading to successful ERP implementation have been identified and to identify key issues Pareto Analysis (80-20 Rule have been applied. Further to extraction of key issues a survey based on TOPSIS was carried out in Indian small and medium scale enterprises. Findings: Based on review of literature 25 issues have been identified and further Pareto analysis has been done to extract key issues which is further prioritized by applying Topsis method. Research limitations/implications: Beside those identified issues there may be other issues that need to be explored. There is scope to enhance this study by taking into consideration different type of industries and by extending number of respondents. Practical implications: By identifying key issues for SMEs, managers can better prioritize issues to make implementation process smooth without disruption. ERP vendors can take inputs from this study to change their implementation approach while targeting small scale enterprises. Originality/value: There is no published literature available which followed a similar approach in identification of the critical issues affecting ERP in small and mid-sized companies in India or in any developing economy.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain management in labour

Science.gov (United States)

Dowswell, Therese; Bedwell, Carol; Lavender, Tina; Neilson, James P

2014-01-01

Background Transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) has been proposed as a means of reducing pain in labour. The TENS unit emits low-voltage electrical impulses which vary in frequency and intensity. During labour, TENS electrodes are generally placed on the lower back, although TENS may be used to stimulate acupuncture points or other parts of the body. The physiological mechanisms whereby TENS relieves pain are uncertain. TENS machines are frequently operated by women, which may increase a sense of control in labour. Objectives To assess the effects of TENS on pain in labour. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group’s Trials Register (30 April 2011) and reference lists of retrieved papers. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials comparing women receiving TENS for pain management in labour versus routine care, alternative non-pharmacological methods of pain relief, or placebo devices. We included all types of TENS machines. Data collection and analysis Two review authors assessed for inclusion all trials identified by the search strategy, carried out data extraction and assessed risk of bias. We have recorded reasons for excluding studies. Main results Seventeen trials with 1466 women contribute data to the review. Thirteen examined TENS applied to the back, two to acupuncture points, and two to the cranium. Overall, there was little difference in pain ratings between TENS and control groups, although women receiving TENS to acupuncture points were less likely to report severe pain (average risk ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.31 to 0.54; measured in two studies). The majority of women using TENS said they would be willing to use it again in a future labour. Where TENS was used as an adjunct to epidural analgesia there was no evidence that it reduced pain. There was no consistent evidence that TENS had any impact on interventions and outcomes in labour. There was little information on outcomes for mothers and babies. No

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for neuropathic pain in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, William; Wand, Benedict M; O'Connell, Neil E

2017-09-14

Neuropathic pain, which is due to nerve disease or damage, represents a significant burden on people and society. It can be particularly unpleasant and achieving adequate symptom control can be difficult. Non-pharmacological methods of treatment are often employed by people with neuropathic pain and may include transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). This review supersedes one Cochrane Review 'Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic pain' (Nnoaham 2014) and one withdrawn protocol 'Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for neuropathic pain in adults' (Claydon 2014). This review replaces the original protocol for neuropathic pain that was withdrawn. To determine the analgesic effectiveness of TENS versus placebo (sham) TENS, TENS versus usual care, TENS versus no treatment and TENS in addition to usual care versus usual care alone in the management of neuropathic pain in adults. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, Web of Science, PEDro, LILACS (up to September 2016) and various clinical trials registries. We also searched bibliographies of included studies for further relevant studies. We included randomised controlled trials where TENS was evaluated in the treatment of central or peripheral neuropathic pain. We included studies if they investigated the following: TENS versus placebo (sham) TENS, TENS versus usual care, TENS versus no treatment and TENS in addition to usual care versus usual care alone in the management of neuropathic pain in adults. Two review authors independently screened all database search results and identified papers requiring full-text assessment. Subsequently, two review authors independently applied inclusion/exclusion criteria to these studies. The same review authors then independently extracted data, assessed for risk of bias using the Cochrane standard tool and rated the quality of evidence using GRADE. We included 15 studies with 724 participants. We found a

The TEN-T core network and the Fehmarnbelt region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guasco, Clement Nicolas

This note is a snapshot picture, taken in early 2014, that places the Green STRING corridor project within the context of the TEN-T strategy and gives a summarized overview on the impact of this strategy in the region. Chapter 1 contains a summary of the TEN-T strategy today, chapter 2 presents...... the sources used for this note, chapter 3 presents all the relevant EU regulations with direct impact on the development of TEN-T corridors, chapter 4 gives practical examples of the challenges for the development of TEN-T corridors, chapter 5 pre-sents the national initiatives related to the TEN-T corridor...

Development of safety-related regulatory requirements for nuclear power in developing countries. Key issue paper no. 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, K.I.

2000-01-01

In implementing a national nuclear power program, balanced regulatory requirements are necessary to ensure nuclear safety and cost competitive nuclear power, and to help gain public acceptance. However, this is difficult due to the technology-intensive nature of the nuclear regulatory requirements, the need to reflect evolving technology and the need for cooperation among multidisciplinary technical groups. This paper suggests approaches to development of balanced nuclear regulatory requirements in developing countries related to nuclear power plant safety, radiation protection and radioactive waste management along with key technical regulatory issues. It does not deal with economic or market regulation of electric utilities using nuclear power. It suggests that national regulatory requirements be developed using IAEA safety recommendations as guidelines and safety requirements of the supplier country as a main reference after careful planning, manpower buildup and thorough study of international and supplier country's regulations. Regulation making is not recommended before experienced manpower has been accumulated. With an option that the supplier country's regulations may be used in the interim, the lack of complete national regulatory requirements should not deter introduction of nuclear power in developing countries. (author)

Emerging Issues for Bokori Island Development in Konawe Southeast Sulawesi

Science.gov (United States)

Maulidy Navastara, Ardy

2017-07-01

This article discusses about emerging issues for small island development especially Bokori Island in Konawe Southeast Sulawesi. Indonesia have been known as a big archipelago has more than ten thousand small islands scattered about 5.8 million km2 of oceanic area Sabang in the West end to Merauke at the end East. It is also known as the largest “megabiodiversity” marine nation. However, the weak national policy that handles the development and management of small islands is suspected because it is not accurate in identifying strategic issues that occur in the development and management of small islands. Therefore, this article aims to identify and classify strategic issues related to the development of small islands in Konawe Southeast Sulawesi. A normative and empirical approach is made to discuss this article. It resulted that typology of issues such as internal and external issues, urgent issues and its supporting issues. Then local governments should pay attention to the urgent issues and its supporting issues - it is policy, investment, institutional and technological issues and the endogenous issues such as entrepreneurship and leadership.

A perspective of some key issues related to the evolution of safeguards, the state level and regional concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez Moreno, S.

2013-01-01

This presentation is focused on the implementation of safeguards at present and the directions that they could be taken in the future. There are some key questions to be answered in the implementation of international safeguards that are aimed at helping to determine more clearly what safeguards will be more effective and efficient under the so called 'state-level concept' (SLC). A first and important step is to agree on a definition and scope of the SLC and to determine how the IAEA and relevant States could achieve a smooth transition from the historic criteria based safeguards systems to a new one based on the SLC that would be more flexible, but yet technically oriented and non-discriminatory. A second issue is to fully reflect on the factors that are influencing safeguards developments and that impact on their future shape. Some suggestions about enhancing safeguard implementation at present and in the future include first: a fresh look to the approach to safeguards cooperation: the IAEA has to revisit its activities to assist states in establishing good SSAC (State Systems of Accounting and Control), and secondly: investigating and promoting the development of concepts and technologies to share its verification capabilities with states and regional organizations. Another key consideration to the future of safeguards is the people. Adequate staff and the existence of appropriate training and education in safeguards are very important considerations to ensure effective and professional safeguards. Highly technically qualified staff in nuclear sciences is vital to build competence in safeguards in states, the IAEA, and regional organizations. The paper is followed by the slides of the presentation. (authors)

A Cross-Continental Study on Children's Drawings of Football Players: Implications for Understanding Key Issues and Controversies in Human Figure Drawings.

Science.gov (United States)

Baluch, Bahman; Duffy, Linda J; Badami, Rokhsareh; Pereira, Elisangela C Ap

2017-08-01

Professionals examine various aspects of girls' and boys' drawings as a way of understanding their intelligence, personality and emotional state. However, the extent to which such measures could be universally generalised or attributed to a specific cultural norm is still a debatable issue. In the present study five key features of children's drawings namely: the size (height) of the drawings, profile or full face, figure in action or static, shaded or non-shaded and the nature of additional details were examined from a cross-cultural perspective, and by providing a topic (football) for which children's drawing of a human figure could provide opportunities for the latter indices to manifest and flourish. Children from three countries; England, Iran and Brazil, representing three continents took part in this study. The participants were asked to draw a football player from their own country and from the other participating countries. The results showed that Brazilian children differ from Iranian and English children by drawing significantly smaller figures and putting more football action in the drawings. Shading of the figure drawn was more prevalent amongst English children. Such findings have implications for the interpretation of key aspects of children's drawings in educational, clinical and therapeutic settings and from a universal vs. culturally-specific viewpoint.

A Cross-Continental Study on Children's Drawings of Football Players: Implications for Understanding Key Issues and Controversies in Human Figure Drawings

Science.gov (United States)

Baluch, Bahman; Duffy, Linda J.; Badami, Rokhsareh; Pereira, Elisangela C. Ap

2017-01-01

Professionals examine various aspects of girls’ and boys’ drawings as a way of understanding their intelligence, personality and emotional state. However, the extent to which such measures could be universally generalised or attributed to a specific cultural norm is still a debatable issue. In the present study five key features of children’s drawings namely: the size (height) of the drawings, profile or full face, figure in action or static, shaded or non-shaded and the nature of additional details were examined from a cross-cultural perspective, and by providing a topic (football) for which children’s drawing of a human figure could provide opportunities for the latter indices to manifest and flourish. Children from three countries; England, Iran and Brazil, representing three continents took part in this study. The participants were asked to draw a football player from their own country and from the other participating countries. The results showed that Brazilian children differ from Iranian and English children by drawing significantly smaller figures and putting more football action in the drawings. Shading of the figure drawn was more prevalent amongst English children. Such findings have implications for the interpretation of key aspects of children's drawings in educational, clinical and therapeutic settings and from a universal vs. culturally-specific viewpoint. PMID:28904595

Experimental aspects of deterministic secure quantum key distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walenta, Nino; Korn, Dietmar; Puhlmann, Dirk; Felbinger, Timo; Hoffmann, Holger; Ostermeyer, Martin [Universitaet Potsdam (Germany). Institut fuer Physik; Bostroem, Kim [Universitaet Muenster (Germany)

2008-07-01

Most common protocols for quantum key distribution (QKD) use non-deterministic algorithms to establish a shared key. But deterministic implementations can allow for higher net key transfer rates and eavesdropping detection rates. The Ping-Pong coding scheme by Bostroem and Felbinger[1] employs deterministic information encoding in entangled states with its characteristic quantum channel from Bob to Alice and back to Bob. Based on a table-top implementation of this protocol with polarization-entangled photons fundamental advantages as well as practical issues like transmission losses, photon storage and requirements for progress towards longer transmission distances are discussed and compared to non-deterministic protocols. Modifications of common protocols towards a deterministic quantum key distribution are addressed.

Emerging issues for cultural tourism in Macau

OpenAIRE

Cros, Hilary du

2009-01-01

Recent research on achieving sustainable heritage tourism in Macau advocates a greater collaboration between tourism and heritage management authorities and the local community on reaching sustainable tourism goals. A key theme for Macau in the last ten years has been how the tension between the proponents for greater casino development versus those for cultural heritage product development has played out in government policies for heritage management, private sector tourism development and h...

Jean-Louis Borloo presents the road map issued by the 'Grenelle Environnement' forum on France's energy infrastructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

The French Minister of Environment (J.L. Borloo) has presented the road map (issued from the 'Grenelle Environment' forum) concerning the energy infrastructures in France for the next ten years. The 'Grenelle Environnement' will place France on the road to 'Factor 4' (i.e. to divide by 4 France's greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2050); multi-annual programs for electricity and gas are focused on the reduction of energy consumption and give priority to non carbon energies. Development of renewable energies is one of the keys of the energy transition, and one of the responses to climatic change. Thermal power plants will be deeply modernized and less CO 2 emitting; two third generation EPR-type nuclear reactors will be launched by 2020; gas infrastructures will be granted accelerated investments; renewable heat and district heating networks will be encouraged

Key issues in the outlook for minerals and energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waring, T.; Love, G.; Hogan, J.; Gooday, P.

1996-01-01

The outlook for Australia's minerals and energy sector continues to be positive because of the flow-on effects of economic growth in the newly industrialized Asia. The East Asian share of mineral and energy commodities continues to expand reflecting the growing demand for consumer goods and new economic and social infrastructure. Uncertainties in the minerals and energy outlook include the future economic performance of the developed countries and the former Soviet Union, trade and environmental issues and the effects of changing technology on minerals and energy production and consumption. Encouraged by good prospects for exploration success and firmer markets, real exploration expenditure is forecast to continue to rise and the volume of Australian mine production is expected to rise by 14 percent between 1995-6 and 2000-1. Export earnings from mineral and energy commodities are expected to rise by $5.6 billion Australian (16 percent) from 1995-6 levels to reach $41.9 billion in real terms by 2000-1. (author). 2 tabs., 14 figs., 14 refs

A brief review of revocable ID-based public key cryptosystem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsu-Yang Wu

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The design of ID-based cryptography has received much attention from researchers. However, how to revoke the misbehaviour/compromised user in ID-based public key cryptosystem becomes an important research issue. Recently, Tseng and Tsai proposed a novel public key cryptosystem called revocable ID-based public key cryptosystem (RIBE to solve the revocation problem. Later on, numerous research papers based on the Tseng-Tsai key RIBE were proposed. In this paper, we brief review Tseng and Tsai's RIBE. We hope this review can help the readers to understand the Tseng and Tsai's revocable ID-based public key cryptosystem.

Forces and Issues Related to Curriculum and Instruction, 7-12

Science.gov (United States)

Osborne, Alan R.; Crosswhite, F. Joe

1970-01-01

This unit is divided into three chapters concerned with Emerging Issues: 1890-1920," Mathematics Education on the Defensive: 1920-45," and Reform, Revolution, and Reaction." Of particular interest are discussions of the aims and impact of the Report of the Committee of Ten," The 1923 Report" and the Cambridge Report.…

Coherent one-way quantum key distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Stucki, Damien; Fasel, Sylvain; Gisin, Nicolas; Thoma, Yann; Zbinden, Hugo

2007-05-01

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) consists in the exchange of a secrete key between two distant points [1]. Even if quantum key distribution systems exist and commercial systems are reaching the market [2], there are still improvements to be made: simplify the construction of the system; increase the secret key rate. To this end, we present a new protocol for QKD tailored to work with weak coherent pulses and at high bit rates [3]. The advantages of this system are that the setup is experimentally simple and it is tolerant to reduced interference visibility and to photon number splitting attacks, thus resulting in a high efficiency in terms of distilled secret bits per qubit. After having successfully tested the feasibility of the system [3], we are currently developing a fully integrated and automated prototype within the SECOQC project [4]. We present the latest results using the prototype. We also discuss the issue of the photon detection, which still remains the bottleneck for QKD.

Evidence of the Possible Harm of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Humans: Ongoing Debates and Key Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duk-Hee Lee

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Evidence has emerged that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs can produce adverse effects, even at low doses that are assumed safe. However, systemic reviews and meta-analyses focusing on human studies, especially of EDCs with short half-lives, have demonstrated inconsistent results. Epidemiological studies have insuperable methodological limitations, including the unpredictable net effects of mixtures, non-monotonic dose-response relationships, the non-existence of unexposed groups, and the low reliability of exposure assessment. Thus, despite increases in EDC-linked diseases, traditional epidemiological studies based on individual measurements of EDCs in bio-specimens may fail to provide consistent results. The exposome has been suggested as a promising approach to address the uncertainties surrounding human studies, but it is never free from these methodological issues. Although exposure to EDCs during critical developmental periods is a major concern, continuous exposure to EDCs during non-critical periods is also harmful. Indeed, the evolutionary aspects of epigenetic programming triggered by EDCs during development should be considered because it is a key mechanism for developmental plasticity. Presently, living without EDCs is impossible due to their omnipresence. Importantly, there are lifestyles which can increase the excretion of EDCs or mitigate their harmful effects through the activation of mitohormesis or xenohormesis. Effectiveness of lifestyle interventions should be evaluated as practical ways against EDCs in the real world.

Regulatory policy issues and the Clean Air Act: Issues and papers from the state implementation workshops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rose, K. [ed.; Burns, R.E.

1993-07-01

The National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI), with funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), conducted four regional workshops` on state public utility commission implementation of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA). The workshops had four objectives: (1) to discuss key issues and concerns on CAAA implementation, (2) to encourage a discussion among states on issues of common interests, (3) to attempt to reach consensus, where possible, on key issues, and (4) to provide the workshop participants with information and materials to assist in developing state rules, orders, and procedures. From the federal perspective, a primary goal was to ensure that workshop participants return to their states with a comprehensive background and understanding of how state commission actions may affect implementation of the CAAA and to be able to provide guidance to their jurisdictional utilities. It was hoped that this would reduce some of the uncertainty utilities face and assist in the development of an efficient allowance market. This report is divided into two main sections. In Section II, eleven principal issues are identified and discussed. These issues were chosen because they were either the most frequently discussed or they were related to the questions asked in response to the speakers` presentations. This section does not cover all the issues relevant to state implementation nor all the issues discussed at the workshops; rather, Section II is intended to provide an overview of the,planning, ratemaking, and multistate issues. Part III is a series of workshop papers presented by some of the speakers. Individual papers have been cataloged separately.

Special Issue ;Sediment cascades in cold climate geosystems;

Science.gov (United States)

Morche, David; Krautblatter, Michael; Beylich, Achim A.

2017-06-01

This Editorial introduces the Special Issue on sediment cascades in cold climate geosystems that evolved from the eighth I.A.G./A.I.G. SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments; http://www.geomorph.org/sedibud-working-group/) workshop. The workshop was held from 1st to 4th September 2014 at the Environmental Research Station ;Schneefernerhaus; (http://www.schneefernerhaus.de/en/home.html) located at Mt. Zugspitze, the highest peak of Germany, (2962 m asl). Paper and poster presentations focused on observations, measurements and modeling of geomorphological processes in sediment cascades in cold climate geosystems. This resulting Special Issue brings together ten selected contributions from arctic and alpine environments.

International Policy Framework for Protecting Critical Information Infrastructure: A Discussion Paper Outlining Key Policy Issues

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brown, B.; Goetz, E.; Verhoest, P.; Helmus, S.; Luiijf, H.A.M.; Bruce, R.; Dynes, S.; Brechbuhl, H.

2005-01-01

Cyber security is a uniquely challenging policy issue with a wide range of public and private stakeholders within countries and beyond national boundaries. This executive summary and the full discussion paper delineate the need on a high priority basis to address cyber security issues and develop an

Competence development: Key issues and trends in European competence policies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Milana, Marcella

  In recent years there has been a rising political attention on competence development both at national and international level. At European level in particular, since 2000, with the set of the Lisbon Agenda, different bodies representing the Union have been very productive in generating working...... papers, reports, and communications that led to directives and resolutions concerning the development and recognition of skills and competences in a lifelong learning perspective. In 2005 this process led to the definition of a European Framework on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning - covering those...... competences that are given priority within the Union - as well as a European Qualification Framework, a reference tool for making qualifications - here described in terms of progressive levels of competence - transparent and transferable within the European borders. The aim of the paper is to investigate...

Going Global: Key Insights from Two Mexican Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha RIVERA

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper explores how Mexican companies in different industries have achieved international expansion, while at the same time preserving local elements in executing their strategies. For this initial stage of research, the analysis focuses on two companies: a Grupo Bimbo, the number one company in the bakery industry worldwide and b KidZania, one of the world’s top indoor family entertainment centers. The research methodology is based on in-depth interviews with CEOs and key executives from the two companies done over a period of more than ten years. We have also used secondary data such as press releases and case studies. By contrasting their strategies and comparing them with those of other multinationals like Ford Motor Company and Santander Bank, we identified major issues that we condensed into 10 key insights. Understanding how these companies have struggled and succeeded in gaining international markets can help other companies tailor their own strategies. Our argument is that the typical simplified international expansion process is insufficient when companies need to compete in the global arena. Becoming an MNC implies handling an entire ecosystem: building local presence, establishing joint ventures or alliances with local companies, recruiting local talent, developing new business models, reshaping the value proposition, developing new brands or introducing traditional ones with a local flavor, and understanding the supply chain and routes to market. Therefore, a number of aspects have to be taken into consideration beyond just simply selecting a market. For certain companies in emerging markets, making the decision to grow internationally was not initially in their strategic vision, but economic liberalization in their home country and the threat of being purchased by an MNC from a developed country triggered the decision. There is a learning process in international expansion, and trial and error is common and useful. The

Factoring RSA keys from certified smart cards : Coppersmith in the wild

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bernstein, D.J.; Chang, Y.A.; Cheng, C.M.; Chou, L.P.; Heninger, N.; Lange, T.; Someren, van N.

2013-01-01

An attacker can efficiently factor at least 184 distinct 1024-bit RSA keys from Taiwan's national "Citizen Digital Certificate" database. The big story here is that these keys were generated by government-issued smart cards that were certified secure. The certificates had all the usual buzzwords:

Optimisation of key performance measures in air cargo demand management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander May

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This article sought to facilitate the optimisation of key performance measures utilised for demand management in air cargo operations. The focus was on the Revenue Management team at Virgin Atlantic Cargo and a fuzzy group decision-making method was used. Utilising intelligent fuzzy multi-criteria methods, the authors generated a ranking order of ten key outcome-based performance indicators for Virgin Atlantic air cargo Revenue Management. The result of this industry-driven study showed that for Air Cargo Revenue Management, ‘Network Optimisation’ represents a critical outcome-based performance indicator. This collaborative study contributes to existing logistics management literature, especially in the area of Revenue Management, and it seeks to enhance Revenue Management practice. It also provides a platform for Air Cargo operators seeking to improve reliability values for their key performance indicators as a means of enhancing operational monitoring power.

Key issues of multiple access technique for LEO satellite communication systems

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

温萍萍; 顾学迈

2004-01-01

The large carrier frequency shift caused by the high-speed movement of satellite (Doppler effects) and the propagation delay on the up-down link are very critical issues in an LEO satellite communication system, which affects both the selection and the implementation of a suitable access method. A Doppler based multiple access technique is used here to control the flow and an MPRMA-HS protocol is proposed for the application in LEO satellite communication systems. The extended simulation trials prove that the proposed scheme seems to be a very promising access method.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic low back pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Milne, S; Welch, V; Brosseau, L; Saginur, M; Shea, B; Tugwell, P; Wells, G

2001-01-01

Low back pain (LBP) affects a large proportion of the population. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) was introduced more than 30 years ago as an alternative therapy to pharmacological treatments for chronic pain. However, despite its widespread use, the effectiveness of TENS is still controversial. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the efficacy of TENS in the treatment of chronic LBP. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PEDro and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register up to June 1, 2000. Only randomized controlled clinical trials of TENS for the treatment of patients with a clinical diagnosis of chronic LBP were included. Abstracts were excluded unless further data could be obtained from the authors. Two reviewers independently selected trials and extracted data using predetermined forms. Heterogeneity was tested with Cochran's Q test. A fixed effects model was used throughout for continuous variables, except where heterogeneity existed, in which case, a random effects model was used. Results are presented as weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), where the difference between the treated and control groups was weighted by the inverse of the variance. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated by dividing the difference between the treated and control by the baseline variance. SMD were used when different scales were used to measure the same concept. Dichotomous outcomes were analyzed with odds ratios. Five trials were included, with 170 subjects randomized to the placebo group receiving sham-TENS and 251 subjects receiving active TENS (153 for conventional mode, 98 for acupuncture-like TENS). The schedule of treatments varied greatly between studies ranging from one treatment/day for two consecutive days, to three treatments/day for four weeks. There were no statistically significant differences between the active TENS group when compared to the placebo TENS group for any outcome measures

Globální ekonomický výhled - květen 2015

OpenAIRE

Česká národní banka; Sekce měnová a statistiky; Odbor vnějších ekonomických vztahů

2015-01-01

The November issue of Global Economic Outlook presents its regular overview of recent and expected developments in selected territories, focusing on key economic variables: inflation, GDP growth, leading indicators, interest rates, exchange rates and commodity prices. Analysis Assessment of the effects of quantitative easing in the USA".

Special issue on the "Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors Research and Development Progress"

Science.gov (United States)

Turinsky, Paul J.; Martin, William R.

2017-04-01

In this special issue of the Journal of Computational Physics, the research and development completed at the time of manuscript submission by the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) is presented. CASL is the first of several Energy Innovation Hubs that have been created by the Department of Energy. The Hubs are modeled after the strong scientific management characteristics of the Manhattan Project and AT&T Bell Laboratories, and function as integrated research centers that combine basic and applied research with engineering to accelerate scientific discovery that addresses critical energy issues. Lifetime of a Hub is expected to be five or ten years depending upon performance, with CASL being granted a ten year lifetime.

Public Key Encryption Supporting Plaintext Equality Test and User-Specified Authorization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tang, Qiang

2011-01-01

In this paper we investigate a category of public key encryption schemes which supports plaintext equality test and user-specified authorization. With this new primitive, two users, who possess their own public/private key pairs, can issue token(s) to a proxy to authorize it to perform plaintext

Governance of Technical Education in India : Key Issues, Principles, and Case Studies

OpenAIRE

Blom, Andreas; Cheong, Jannette

2010-01-01

Tertiary education, and in particular technical and engineering education, is critical to India's aspirations of strengthening its reputation as a major competitive player in the Global knowledge economy. The system is huge and complex, and there is a consensus that reforms are imperative. Issues of fair access and affordable participation in higher education are critical if India is to em...

Liberia’s Post-War Development: Key Issues and U.S. Assistance

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-25

GNI) total: $634.4 million (2008) GNI per capita: $170 (2008) External debt: $1.7 billion (2010 ) Key exports: Rubber, timber, iron, cocoa , gold...for killers whose purpose is to remove various body organs for uses, including consumption , in traditional occult ceremonies that participants...accountability in relation to the extraction of timber, oil and gas, cocoa and other natural resources, including by strengthening implementation and monitoring

A Ten-Year Reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Phillip, Cyndi

2016-01-01

Five initiatives launched during Cyndi Phillip's term as American Association of School Librarians (AASL) President (2006-2007) continue to have an impact on school librarians ten years later. They include the rewriting of AASL's learning standards, introduction of the SKILLS Act, the presentation of the Crystal Apple Award to Scholastic Library…

Key-space analysis of double random phase encryption technique

Science.gov (United States)

Monaghan, David S.; Gopinathan, Unnikrishnan; Naughton, Thomas J.; Sheridan, John T.

2007-09-01

We perform a numerical analysis on the double random phase encryption/decryption technique. The key-space of an encryption technique is the set of possible keys that can be used to encode data using that technique. In the case of a strong encryption scheme, many keys must be tried in any brute-force attack on that technique. Traditionally, designers of optical image encryption systems demonstrate only how a small number of arbitrary keys cannot decrypt a chosen encrypted image in their system. However, this type of demonstration does not discuss the properties of the key-space nor refute the feasibility of an efficient brute-force attack. To clarify these issues we present a key-space analysis of the technique. For a range of problem instances we plot the distribution of decryption errors in the key-space indicating the lack of feasibility of a simple brute-force attack.

Ten Key Steps to Developing a Programme of University Mentoring for Newly Enrolled Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Casado-Muñoz

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Peer mentoring or tutoring is an educational guidance method that is growing in universities around the world. Directed at the integration of students over the first year of university studies, it is based on the support and guidance that a more experienced student offers to a recently enrolled fellow student. It is a recent process in Spain which started a little over a decade ago, but each course brings more experiences. This article, derived from research, seeks to identify a series of key steps and ideas to implement this type of programme. The summary of the proposals stems from three main sources: a the experience and assessment of the Mentoring Programme at the University of Burgos; b the review of the peer mentoring programs implemented at 35 Spanish universities; and c the review, comparison and adaptation of formal mentoring to the university according to Perrone (2003.  The outcomes may be especially useful for those universities that wish to start mentoring programmes, and as a source of reflection and comparison for those with greater experience. We believe that special attention should be given on increasing and improving participation in the mentoring of newly enrolled students and on monitoring and assessing the whole process.

Key issues in space nuclear power challenges for the future

Science.gov (United States)

Brandhorst, Henry W., Jr.

1991-01-01

The future appears rich in missions that will extend the frontiers of knowledge, human presence in space, and opportunities for profitable commerce. Key to the success of these ventures is the availability of plentiful, cost effective electric power and assured, low cost access to space. While forecasts of space power needs are problematic, an assessment of future needs based on terrestrial experience has been made. These needs fall into three broad categories: survival, self sufficiency, and industrialization. The cost of delivering payloads to orbital locations from LEO to Mars has been determined and future launch cost reductions projected. From these factors, then, projections of the performance necessary for future solar and nuclear space power options has been made. These goals are largely dependent upon orbital location and energy storage needs. Finally the cost of present space power systems has been determined and projections made for future systems.

[Full attention to several key issues in surgical treatment for the elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Zhenggang

2016-05-01

With the development of population aging in our country, the incidence of gastrointestinal cancer is increasing. The risk of developing gastrointestinal cancer in elderly over 75 years was 5-6 times and the risk of death of gastrointestinal cancer was 7-8 times of the general population. As compared to non-elderly, the incidence of gastric cancer was not decreased obviously but the total incidence of colorectal cancer was increased more quickly. Therefore, screening of gastrointestinal cancer should be performed in the elderly for early discovery, diagnosis and treatment. Because of the insidious onset of the illness in elderly patients, gastrointestinal cancers are mostly diagnosed at advanced or late stage (stage III or IV). Well differentiated cancer is more common, such as papillary or tubular adenocarcinoma. Lauren type, Borrmann II or III are more common in gastric cancer, which are relatively favorable. Compared with non-elderly patients, many elderly patients also suffer from comorbid diseases with higher operation risk and postoperative complication rates. Therefore, we must pay great attention to the perioperative management and the surgical operation for the elderly patients. In this paper, several key issues involved the development trend of incidence and mortality of gastrointestinal cancer, the clinicopathological characteristics, the comorbidity and surgical treatment in the elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer will be elaborated, aiming at promoting further attention to the clinical therapeutic strategies, management measures and prognostic factors for the elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Supersymmetric gauged scale covariance in ten and lower dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishino, Hitoshi; Rajpoot, Subhash

2004-01-01

We present globally supersymmetric models of gauged scale covariance in ten, six, and four dimensions. This is an application of a recent similar gauging in three dimensions for a massive self-dual vector multiplet. In ten dimensions, we couple a single vector multiplet to another vector multiplet, where the latter gauges the scale covariance of the former. Due to scale covariance, the system does not have a Lagrangian formulation, but has only a set of field equations, like Type IIB supergravity in ten dimensions. As by-products, we construct similar models in six dimensions with N=(2,0) supersymmetry, and four dimensions with N=1 supersymmetry. We finally get a similar model with N=4 supersymmetry in four dimensions with consistent interactions that have never been known before. We expect a series of descendant theories in dimensions lower than ten by dimensional reductions. This result also indicates that similar mechanisms will work for other vector and scalar multiplets in space-time lower than ten dimensions

Affordances: Ten Years On

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Jill P.; Stillman, Gloria

2014-01-01

Ten years ago the construct, affordance, was rising in prominence in scholarly literature. A proliferation of different uses and meanings was evident. Beginning with its origin in the work of Gibson, we traced its development and use in various scholarly fields. This paper revisits our original question with respect to its utility in mathematics…

Hypoalgesia in response to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) depends on stimulation intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Fidelma; Leonard, Tracey; Hawthorne, Stephanie; Hughes, Ciara M; McCrum-Gardner, Evie; Johnson, Mark I; Rakel, Barbara A; Sluka, Kathleen A; Walsh, Deirdre M

2011-08-01

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an electrophysical modality used for pain management. This study investigated the dose response of different TENS intensities on experimentally induced pressure pain. One hundred and thirty TENS naïve healthy individuals (18-64 years old; 65 males, 65 females) were randomly allocated to 5 groups (n = 26 per group): Strong Non Painful TENS; Sensory Threshold TENS; Below Sensory Threshold TENS; No Current Placebo TENS; and Transient Placebo TENS. Active TENS (80 Hz) was applied to the forearm for 30 minutes. Transient Placebo TENS was applied for 42 seconds after which the current amplitude automatically reset to 0 mA. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were recorded from 2 points on the hand and forearm before and after TENS to measure hypoalgesia. There were significant differences between groups at both the hand and forearm (ANOVA; P = .005 and .002). At 30 minutes, there was a significant hypoalgesic effect in the Strong Non Painful TENS group compared to: Below Sensory Threshold TENS, No Current Placebo TENS and Transient Placebo TENS groups (P TENS and No Current Placebo TENS groups at the hand (P = .001). There was no significant difference between Strong Non Painful TENS and Sensory Threshold TENS groups. The area under the curve for the changes in PPT significantly correlated with the current amplitude (r(2) = .33, P = .003). These data therefore show that there is a dose-response effect of TENS with the largest effect occurring with the highest current amplitudes. This study shows a dose response for the intensity of TENS for pain relief with the strongest intensities showing the greatest effect; thus, we suggest that TENS intensity should be titrated to achieve the strongest possible intensity to achieve maximum pain relief. Copyright © 2011 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Key Topics in Sports Medicine

OpenAIRE

2006-01-01

Key Topics in Sports Medicine is a single quick reference source for sports and exercise medicine. It presents the essential information from across relevant topic areas, and includes both the core and emerging issues in this rapidly developing field. It covers: 1) Sports injuries, rehabilitation and injury prevention, 2) Exercise physiology, fitness testing and training, 3) Drugs in sport, 4) Exercise and health promotion, 5) Sport and exercise for special and clinical populations, 6) The ps...

CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY: EMERGENT ISSUES ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dean SPGS NAU

another on meta-philosophical issues about African philosophy, their successors, in ... Key Words: African identity, hermeneutics and culture, ... Even the quest to overcome the hegemony of Western ..... African philosophers to rethink the principles, concepts, attitudes ... there is a certain openness to new possibilities at the.

TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE-STIMULATION (TENS) IN RAYNAUDS-PHENOMENON

NARCIS (Netherlands)

MULDER, P; DOMPELING, EC; VANSLOCHTERENVANDERBOOR, JC; KUIPERS, WD; SMIT, AJ

Transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) has been described as resulting in vasodilatation. The effect of 2 Hz TENS of the right hand during forty-five minutes on skin temperature and plethysmography of the third digit of both hands and feet and on transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcpO2) of the right

The Human Rights Key: An innovative tool for teaching health and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

I propose the Human Rights Key as a useful visual communication tool to guide students in connecting their classroom learning with the reality of local, regional and international health and human rights issues. As an OER with a Creative Commons licence, the Key is available online for both educators and students to use ...

Present status and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles. Key issue paper no. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

For decades plutonium has been a key focus of international discussions of both non-proliferation and the future of the nuclear fuel cycle. This paper is intended to address the management of separated plutonium in the civil fuel cycle in the near term - until 2015 - describing both the technologies employed and the policies of key countries. This paper also addresses technology and policy for the management of weapons plutonium being declared excess to defence needs. Refs, figs, tabs.

Ethical issues in research involving children and young people

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scally, Andy

2014-01-01

This article identifies the key ethical issues that need to be addressed in any research study involving children and young people, accessed through the NHS. It makes specific reference to the Declaration of Helsinki and to additional guidance developed for researchers from a variety of disciplines, both within healthcare and in other fields of study. The focus of the paper is on defining the key ethical issues, identifying the complexities in the legislative framework underpinning research involving this patient group and offering practical advice on when, and how, ethical approval needs to be sought

Producer responsibility for e-waste management: key issues for consideration - learning from the Swiss experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Khetriwal, Deepali Sinha; Kraeuchi, Philipp; Widmer, Rolf

2009-01-01

E-waste, a relatively recent addition to the waste stream in the form of discarded electronic and electric equipment, is getting increasing attention from policy makers as the quantity being generated is rising rapidly. One of the most promising policy options to address this issue is to extend the producers responsibility for their products beyond the point of sale, until end-of-product-life. This paper briefly introduces the concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and its applicability in the area of the end-of-life management of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE). It then examines the decade-long experience of Switzerland in using EPR to manage its e-waste, elaborating on the experience of the Swiss system in overcoming specific issues, and finally wrapping up with a synopsis of the lessons for policy makers. We consider each issue as an enquiry of questions confronting a policy maker and the choices that may present themselves. The five issues discussed are: (i) the challenges in getting an EPR based system started; (ii) securing financing to ensure a self-sustaining and smooth functioning system; (iii) organising a logistics network for the take back and collection of the e-waste; (iv) ensuring compliance of the various actors involved; and finally (v) reducing the threat of monopolistic practices.

Natural gas 1998: Issues and trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-06-01

Natural Gas 1998: Issues and Trends provides a summary of the latest data and information relating to the US natural gas industry, including prices, production, transmission, consumption, and the financial and environmental aspects of the industry. The report consists of seven chapters and five appendices. Chapter 1 presents a summary of various data trends and key issues in today's natural gas industry and examines some of the emerging trends. Chapters 2 through 7 focus on specific areas or segments of the industry, highlighting some of the issues associated with the impact of natural gas operations on the environment. 57 figs., 18 tabs

Natural gas 1998: Issues and trends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-06-01

Natural Gas 1998: Issues and Trends provides a summary of the latest data and information relating to the US natural gas industry, including prices, production, transmission, consumption, and the financial and environmental aspects of the industry. The report consists of seven chapters and five appendices. Chapter 1 presents a summary of various data trends and key issues in today`s natural gas industry and examines some of the emerging trends. Chapters 2 through 7 focus on specific areas or segments of the industry, highlighting some of the issues associated with the impact of natural gas operations on the environment. 57 figs., 18 tabs.

ABACC ten years applying safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palacios, Elias

2001-01-01

The Argentinian-Brazilian Agency for Accounting and Control of nuclear special materials has been in operations for ten years. The rational behind the creation and the work performed by the Agency during the last decade is described. (author)

Ten good reasons why everybody can and should perform cardiac ultrasound in the ICU.

Science.gov (United States)

Charron, Cyril; Repessé, Xavier; Bodson, Laurent; Au, Siu-Ming; Vieillard-Baron, Antoine

2014-01-01

Critical care ultrasonography (CCUS) has been defined as an ultrasound evaluation of the heart, abdomen, pleura and lungs at the bedside by the intensivist, 24/7. Within CCUS, critical care echocardiography (CCE) is used to assess cardiac function and more generally haemodynamics. Experts in haemodynamics have published a 'consensus of 16' regarding an update on haemodynamic monitoring. They reported the ten key properties of an 'ideal' haemodynamic monitoring system, which perfectly match the ten good reasons we describe here for performing CCE in critically ill patients. Even though unfortunately no evidence-based medicine study is available to support this review, especially regarding CCE-related improvement of outcome, many clinical studies have demonstrated that CCE provides measurements of relevant, accurate, reproducible and interpretable variables, is easy to use, readily available, has a rapid response time, causes no harm, and is cost-effective. Whether it is operator-independent is obviously more debatable and is discussed in this review. All these characteristics are arguments for the extensive use of CCE by intensivists. This is why experts in the field have recommended that a basic level of CCE should be included in the training of all intensivists.

Simple group password-based authenticated key agreements for the integrated EPR information system.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Tian-Fu; Chang, I-Pin; Wang, Ching-Cheng

2013-04-01

The security and privacy are important issues for electronic patient records (EPRs). The goal of EPRs is sharing the patients' medical histories such as the diagnosis records, reports and diagnosis image files among hospitals by the Internet. So the security issue for the integrated EPR information system is essential. That is, to ensure the information during transmission through by the Internet is secure and private. The group password-based authenticated key agreement (GPAKE) allows a group of users like doctors, nurses and patients to establish a common session key by using password authentication. Then the group of users can securely communicate by using this session key. Many approaches about GAPKE employ the public key infrastructure (PKI) in order to have higher security. However, it not only increases users' overheads and requires keeping an extra equipment for storing long-term secret keys, but also requires maintaining the public key system. This investigation presents a simple group password-based authenticated key agreement (SGPAKE) protocol for the integrated EPR information system. The proposed SGPAKE protocol does not require using the server or users' public keys. Each user only remembers his weak password shared with a trusted server, and then can obtain a common session key. Then all users can securely communicate by using this session key. The proposed SGPAKE protocol not only provides users with convince, but also has higher security.

EEG Correlates of Ten Positive Emotions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xin; Yu, Jianwen; Song, Mengdi; Yu, Chun; Wang, Fei; Sun, Pei; Wang, Daifa; Zhang, Dan

2017-01-01

Compared with the well documented neurophysiological findings on negative emotions, much less is known about positive emotions. In the present study, we explored the EEG correlates of ten different positive emotions (joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, and love). A group of 20 participants were invited to watch 30 short film clips with their EEGs simultaneously recorded. Distinct topographical patterns for different positive emotions were found for the correlation coefficients between the subjective ratings on the ten positive emotions per film clip and the corresponding EEG spectral powers in different frequency bands. Based on the similarities of the participants' ratings on the ten positive emotions, these emotions were further clustered into three representative clusters, as 'encouragement' for awe, gratitude, hope, inspiration, pride, 'playfulness' for amusement, joy, interest, and 'harmony' for love, serenity. Using the EEG spectral powers as features, both the binary classification on the higher and lower ratings on these positive emotions and the binary classification between the three positive emotion clusters, achieved accuracies of approximately 80% and above. To our knowledge, our study provides the first piece of evidence on the EEG correlates of different positive emotions.

Using TENS for pain control: the state of the evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Vance, Carol GT; Dailey, Dana L; Rakel, Barbara A; Sluka, Kathleen A

2014-01-01

Summary Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a nonpharmacological intervention that activates a complex neuronal network to reduce pain by activating descending inhibitory systems in the central nervous system to reduce hyperalgesia. The evidence for TENS efficacy is conflicting and requires not only description but also critique. Population-specific systemic reviews and meta-analyses are emerging, indicating both HF and LF TENS being shown to provide analgesia, specifically when applied at a strong, nonpainful intensity. The purpose of this article is to provide a critical review of the latest basic science and clinical evidence for TENS. Additional research is necessary to determine if TENS has effects specific to mechanical stimuli and/or beyond reduction of pain and will improve activity levels, function and quality of life. PMID:24953072

Public/private key certification authority and key distribution. Draft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Long, J.P.; Christensen, M.J.; Sturtevant, A.P.; Johnston, W.E.

1995-09-25

Traditional encryption, which protects messages from prying eyes, has been used for many decades. The present concepts of encryption are built from that heritage. Utilization of modern software-based encryption techniques implies much more than simply converting files to an unreadable form. Ubiquitous use of computers and advances in encryption technology coupled with the use of wide-area networking completely changed the reasons for utilizing encryption technology. The technology demands a new and extensive infrastructure to support these functions. Full understanding of these functions, their utility and value, and the need for an infrastructure, takes extensive exposure to the new paradigm. This paper addresses issues surrounding the establishment and operation of a key management system (i.e., certification authority) that is essential to the successful implementation and wide-spread use of encryption.

Managing the pursuit of health and wealth: the key challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Fidler, David P; Drager, Nick; Lee, Kelley

2009-01-24

This article forms part of a six-part Series on trade and health, and sets the stage for this Series by analysing key aspects of the relationship between trade and health. The Series takes stock of this relation and provides timely analysis of the key challenges facing efforts to achieve an appropriate balance between trade and health across a diverse range of issues. This introductory article reviews how trade and health have risen and expanded on global policy agendas in the past decade in unprecedented ways, describes how trade and health issues are respectively governed in international relations, examines the ongoing search for policy coherence between the two policy spheres, and highlights the topics of the remaining articles in the Series.

Ten key elements for implementing interprofessional learning in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2013-11-02

Nov 2, 2013 ... The use of IPE to facilitate effective teamwork in healthcare is not novel and has been supported for about 40 years. Despite increasing recognition of the importance of IPE[3] and collaborative teamwork being a World Health. Organization (WHO) priority of action,[4] an international environmental.

"Take ten minutes": a dedicated ten minute medication review reduces polypharmacy in the elderly.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Walsh, E K

2012-02-01

Multiple and inappropriate medications are often the cause for poor health status in the elderly. Medication reviews can improve prescribing. This study aimed to determine if a ten minute medication review by a general practitioner could reduce polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing in elderly patients. A prospective, randomised study was conducted. Patients over the age of 65 (n = 50) underwent a 10-minute medication review. Inappropriate medications, dosage errors, and discrepancies between prescribed versus actual medication being consumed were recorded. A questionnaire to assess satisfaction was completed following review. The mean number of medications taken by patients was reduced (p < 0.001). A medication was stopped in 35 (70%) patients. Inappropriate medications were detected in 27 (54%) patients and reduced (p < 0.001). Dose errors were detected in 16 (32%). A high level of patient satisfaction was reported. A ten minute medication review reduces polypharmacy, improves prescribing and is associated with high levels of patient satisfaction.

"Take ten minutes": a dedicated ten minute medication review reduces polypharmacy in the elderly.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Walsh, E K

2010-09-01

Multiple and inappropriate medications are often the cause for poor health status in the elderly. Medication reviews can improve prescribing. This study aimed to determine if a ten minute medication review by a general practitioner could reduce polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing in elderly patients. A prospective, randomised study was conducted. Patients over the age of 65 (n = 50) underwent a 10-minute medication review. Inappropriate medications, dosage errors, and discrepancies between prescribed versus actual medication being consumed were recorded. A questionnaire to assess satisfaction was completed following review. The mean number of medications taken by patients was reduced (p < 0.001). A medication was stopped in 35 (70%) patients. Inappropriate medications were detected in 27 (54%) patients and reduced (p < 0.001). Dose errors were detected in 16 (32%). A high level of patient satisfaction was reported. A ten minute medication review reduces polypharmacy, improves prescribing and is associated with high levels of patient satisfaction.

Unfolding of the nuclear age: a psychohistorical investigation into the lives of ten men

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gladstone, K.

1987-01-01

This investigation is based on in-depth interviews that cover the life histories of ten American men who were born between 1921 and 1937 and came of age with the Depression and/or World War II and major historical events in their lives. The major emphasis in this work is on the portrayal of the lives of these men who share an historic era and their relations to nuclear weapons. The issues explored include how the fundamental changes in the world brought about by the adoption of nuclear-weapons technology have evolved, how the weapons have been understood, how they have been incorporated into the lives of these men, and what implications and call for action have come from these changes. The ten men span a wide spectrum of views on nuclear weapons. Five of the men feel relatively secure living in the nuclear armed world; they are referred to as the men with the established mode of the nuclear armed world. The other five are referred to as the men in opposition to the nuclear armed world; they believe that the nuclear armed world poses a fundamental crisis in the well-being of humanity

Safe, Healthy and Ready to Succeed: Arizona School Readiness Key Performance Indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Migliore, Donna E.

2006-01-01

"Safe, Healthy and Ready to Succeed: Arizona School Readiness Key Performance Indicators" presents a set of baseline measurements that gauge how well a statewide system of school readiness supports is addressing issues that affect Arizona children's readiness for school. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measure the system, rather…

Towards Public Key Encryption Scheme Supporting Equality Test with Fine-Grained Authorization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tang, Qiang

2011-01-01

In this paper we investigate a new category of public key encryption schemes which supports equality test between ciphertexts. With this new primitive, two users, who possess their own public/private key pairs, can issue token(s) to a proxy to authorize it to perform equality test between their

Pocket radar guide key facts, equations, and data

CERN Document Server

Curry, G Richard

2010-01-01

ThePocket Radar Guideis a concise collection of key radar facts and important radar data that provides you with necessary radar information when you are away from your office or references. It includes statements and comments on radar design, operation, and performance; equations describing the characteristics and performance of radar systems and their components; and tables with data on radar characteristics and key performance issues.It is intended to supplement other radar information sources by providing a pocket companion to refresh memory and provide details whenever you need them such a

Ten Tips for Parents to Help Their Children Avoid Teen Pregnancy

Science.gov (United States)

... we do » Resource library » Ten tips for parents Ten Tips for Parents to Help Their Children Avoid Teen Pregnancy Publication Created with Sketch. Ten Tips for Parents to Help Their Children Avoid ...

Ethical issues in radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shrader-Frechette, K.; Persson, L.

1997-01-01

In this note the authors survey existing international radiation-protection recommendations of the ICRP, the IAEA, and the ILO. After outlining previous work on the ethics of radiation protection and risk assessment/management, the authors review ethical thinking on five key issues related to radiation protection and ethics. They formulate each of these five issues in terms of alternative ethical stances: (1) Equity vs. Efficiency, (2) Health vs. Economics, (3) Individual Rights vs. Societal Benefits, (4) Due Process vs. Necessary Sacrifice, and (5) Stakeholder Consent vs. Management Decisions (authors)

Reproductive issues in anorexia nervosa

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Elizabeth R; Zerwas, Stephanie C; Bulik, Cynthia M

2011-01-01

Despite a high prevalence of menstrual irregularities, women with anorexia nervosa are becoming pregnant. The physical and psychological demands of pregnancy and motherhood can represent an immense challenge for women already struggling with the medical and psychological stress of an eating disorder. This article summarizes key issues related to reproduction in women with anorexia nervosa, highlighting the importance of preconception counseling, adequate gestational weight gain, and sufficient pre- and post-natal nutrition. Postpartum issues including eating disorder symptom relapse, weight loss, breastfeeding, and risk of perinatal depression and anxiety are also discussed. PMID:22003362

Painful Joints? Early Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Key

Science.gov (United States)

... Print this issue Painful Joints? Early Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Key En español Send us your comments ... type of arthritis. It’s far more common than rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear on ...

EUROPEAN INTEGRATION FROM POLAND’S VIEWPOINT. SELECTED ISSUES

OpenAIRE

Iwona M. Pawlas

2014-01-01

It has been ten years since Poland joined the European Union in May 2004. Integration with the EU structures resulted in considerable economic, social and political advantages. On the other hand membership in the EU created new challenges for Poland, the Polish companies and the Polish citizens. The paper reviews selected issues of Poland’s integration with the European Union with special focus on net financial effect of membership, competitiveness of Polish goods on single European market, p...

Issues and solutions: opportunities for European LED manufacturers

Science.gov (United States)

Pearsall, T. P.

2007-09-01

Marketing studies by EPIC show significant revenue opportunities by 2012 for UHB-LEDs in the automotive, LCD backlighting, and architectural lighting sectors. The goal of this workshop on manufacturing issues is to consider five key issues for UHB-LED manufacturing and to propose solutions that will pave the way to full exploitation of the opportunities.

Key Nuclear Verification Priorities: Safeguards and Beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, J.

2010-01-01

In addressing nuclear verification priorities, we should look beyond the current safeguards system. Non-proliferation, which the safeguards system underpins, is not an end in itself, but an essential condition for achieving and maintaining nuclear disarmament. Effective safeguards are essential for advancing disarmament, and safeguards issues, approaches and techniques are directly relevant to the development of future verification missions. The extent to which safeguards challenges are successfully addressed - or otherwise - will impact not only on confidence in the safeguards system, but on the effectiveness of, and confidence in, disarmament verification. To identify the key nuclear verification priorities, we need to consider the objectives of verification, and the challenges to achieving these. The strategic objective of IAEA safeguards might be expressed as: To support the global nuclear non-proliferation regime by: - Providing credible assurance that states are honouring their safeguards commitments - thereby removing a potential motivation to proliferate; and - Early detection of misuse of nuclear material and technology - thereby deterring proliferation by the risk of early detection, enabling timely intervention by the international community. Or to summarise - confidence-building, detection capability, and deterrence. These will also be essential objectives for future verification missions. The challenges to achieving these involve a mix of political, technical and institutional dimensions. Confidence is largely a political matter, reflecting the qualitative judgment of governments. Clearly assessments of detection capability and deterrence have a major impact on confidence. Detection capability is largely thought of as 'technical', but also involves issues of legal authority, as well as institutional issues. Deterrence has both political and institutional aspects - including judgments on risk of detection and risk of enforcement action being taken. The

Key Nuclear Verification Priorities - Safeguards and Beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, J.

2010-01-01

In addressing nuclear verification priorities, we should look beyond the current safeguards system. Non-proliferation, which the safeguards system underpins, is not an end in itself, but an essential condition for achieving and maintaining nuclear disarmament. Effective safeguards are essential for advancing disarmament, and safeguards issues, approaches and techniques are directly relevant to the development of future verification missions. The extent to which safeguards challenges are successfully addressed - or otherwise - will impact not only on confidence in the safeguards system, but on the effectiveness of, and confidence in, disarmament verification. To identify the key nuclear verification priorities, we need to consider the objectives of verification, and the challenges to achieving these. The strategic objective of IAEA safeguards might be expressed as: To support the global nuclear non-proliferation regime by: - Providing credible assurance that states are honouring their safeguards commitments - thereby removing a potential motivation to proliferate; and - Early detection of misuse of nuclear material and technology - thereby deterring proliferation by the risk of early detection, enabling timely intervention by the international community. Or to summarise - confidence-building, detection capability, and deterrence. These will also be essential objectives for future verification missions. The challenges to achieving these involve a mix of political, technical and institutional dimensions. Confidence is largely a political matter, reflecting the qualitative judgment of governments. Clearly assessments of detection capability and deterrence have a major impact on confidence. Detection capability is largely thought of as 'technical', but also involves issues of legal authority, as well as institutional issues. Deterrence has both political and institutional aspects - including judgments on risk of detection and risk of enforcement action being taken. The

EFFICIENT OFFICIAL STATISTICS AS A KEY TO THE ISSUE OF POST-CRISIS DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. I. Pashintseva

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Measures implemented by the Federal State Statistics Service aimed at regular monitoring of the situation in the territory of the Russian Federation have been considered in the paper. Issues related to unemployment and investment activity by enterprises in the context of the financial and economic crisis have been analyzed.

"No-fault" compensation for victims of medical injuries. Ten years of implementing the French model.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbot, Janine; Parizot, Isabelle; Winance, Myriam

2014-02-01

For decades and in many countries, the issue of compensation for victims of medical injuries has led to lively debates. In 2002, a law set up a new model for compensation in France - based on the creation of a "no fault" compensation scheme and of an out-of-court settlement mechanism. This is one of the most recent models to have been adopted in European countries. This article analyses the choices made by the law and discusses the key figures of its ten years of implementation. We conducted (1) a study of debates regarding compensation for victims of medical injuries in France; (2) a comparative analysis of the different models of compensation which had already been adopted in different countries; (3) a study of primary sources provided by the bodies in charge of the French new out-of-court settlement mechanism; and (4) a statistical analysis of the exhaustive list of 18,258 claims filed between 2003 and 2009. The article highlights the context which led to the adoption of the 2002 law on the quality of care and patients' rights. It analyses, from a comparative standpoint, the specificities of the new compensation model set up by the law. It shows how the opportunities for victims of medical injuries to be compensated had improved in France. Finally, we discuss the limits of the new model and what the next step might be to improve access to compensation for victims of medical injuries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Licensing the next generation of reactors in the USA: Recent experience, key issues and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cyr, K.D.; Crockett, S.F.; Burns, S.G.

2006-01-01

Over the past 20 years, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has spent much effort on revising its procedures for reviewing nuclear power plant designs. Earlier procedures, instituted by the NRC's predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, permitted the resolution of important safety and environmental issues to be delayed until construction was underway. Moreover, the principal means of public participation in the resolution was through the medium of the courtroom trial. However, under new procedures, which have been upheld in the federal courts, nearly all safety and environmental issues are resolved before construction begins, and the public participates in the resolution of these issues without having to engage in a full-blown trial. The agency believes that safety and public participation are better served by the new procedures, and that the agency is thus well-positioned to review new designs. Nonetheless, the agency continues to seek improvements in its processes. This paper was presented in an earlier form by Mr. Burns at Nuclear Inter Jura 2005. (author)

A Dual Key-Based Activation Scheme for Secure LoRaWAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaehyu Kim

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT era, we are experiencing rapid technological progress. Billions of devices are connected to each other, and our homes, cities, hospitals, and schools are getting smarter and smarter. However, to realize the IoT, several challenging issues such as connecting resource-constrained devices to the Internet must be resolved. Recently introduced Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN technologies have been devised to resolve this issue. Among many LPWAN candidates, the Long Range (LoRa is one of the most promising technologies. The Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN is a communication protocol for LoRa that provides basic security mechanisms. However, some security loopholes exist in LoRaWAN’s key update and session key generation. In this paper, we propose a dual key-based activation scheme for LoRaWAN. It resolves the problem of key updates not being fully supported. In addition, our scheme facilitates each layer in generating its own session key directly, which ensures the independence of all layers. Real-world experimental results compared with the original scheme show that the proposed scheme is totally feasible in terms of delay and battery consumption.

Chernobyl ten years after

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The accident in the fourth reactor plant in Chernobyl in Ukraine occurred ten years years ago, caused the death of 31 people while the health consequences have turned out to be difficult to assess. This review describes the accident, its consequences and effects to health, studies carried out at the present state as well as the comparison with the other accidents and disaster. (author)

Developing Communities of Enquiry: Dealing with Social and Ethical Issues in Science at Key Stage 3

Science.gov (United States)

Dunlop, Lynda; Humes, Gill; Clarke, Linda; Martin, Valerie McKelvey

2011-01-01

Reproductive technologies, drug discovery and exploration of the universe are areas of contemporary research that raise issues for individuals and society. Forward Thinking, Northern Ireland uses the development of communities of enquiry to promote discussion of these and other social and ethical issues in science with students aged 11-14 years.…

Which information on women's issues in epilepsy does a community pharmacist need to know? A Delphi consensus study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shawahna, Ramzi

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to develop and achieve consensus on a core list of important knowledge items that community pharmacists should know on women's issues in epilepsy. This was a consensual study using a modified Delphi technique. Knowledge items were collected from the literature and from nine key contacts who were interviewed on their views on what information community pharmacists should have on women's issues in epilepsy. More knowledge items were suggested by five researchers with interest in women's issues who were contacted to rate and comment on the knowledge items collected. Two iterative Delphi rounds were conducted among a panel of pharmacists (n=30) to achieve consensus on the knowledge items to be included in the core list. Ten panelists ranked the knowledge items by their importance using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Consensus was achieved to include 68 knowledge under 13 categories in the final core list. Items ranked by their importance were related to the following: teratogenicity (10.3%), effect of pregnancy on epilepsy (7.4%), preconception counseling (10.3%), bone health (5.9%), catamenial epilepsy (7.4%), menopause and hormonal replacement therapy (2.9%), contraception (14.7%), menstrual disorders and infertility (8.8%), eclampsia (2.9%), breastfeeding (4.4%), folic acid and vitamin K (5.9%), counseling on general issues (14.7%), and sexuality (4.4%). Using consensual knowledge lists might promote congruence in educating and/or training community pharmacists on women's issues in epilepsy. Future studies are needed to investigate if such lists can improve health services provided to women with epilepsy (WWE). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Key Past and Present Hydrologic Issues at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lappin, Allen R.; McKenna, Sean A.; Davies, Peter B.

2000-01-01

In May 1998, the U.S; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) to be in compliance with applicable portions of regulations governing the permanent disposal of radioactive wastes. The step was accomplished after 24 years of effort by Sandia National Laboratories, extending from initial site selection, through extensive site characterization and under-ground experimentalization to evaluation and demonstration of regulatory compliance. The strong focus on regulatory compliance extended over approximately five years, culminating in DOE's submittal of a Compliance Certification Application (CCA) in October, 1996. Specific lessons learned from the WIPP'S transition from site characterization/experimental research to a successful regulatory compliance application may be of general interest to participants in other repository problems. In summary, the three examples considered in this paper indicate that: It is critical that site-characterization and performance-assessment (PA) activities in a repository project advance through multiple iterative interactions. This is because there are parallel paths of evolution-within a projecy On one hand, there is a natural development in the conceptual understanding of the site and repository geology, hydrology, and geochemistry over time, as well as a normal increase in the roles of regulatory/safety issues relative to technical issues. On the other hand there is ongoing evolution in numerical-modeling, experimental, and PA techniques, as well as in understanding of the insights gained from these activities. However, even if conceptual models do not change, the modeling and documentation techniques and detailed logic supporting these models will change; as additional relevant information is collected within or outside the project. Some issues related to general site-characterization or site-suitability will remain of interest, even after initial

ANALGETSKI UCINAK TRANSAKUTNE ELEKTRICNE NERVNE STIMULACIJE (TENS)

OpenAIRE

ĆURKOVIĆ, B.

1984-01-01

Transkutana električna nervna stimulacija. (TENS) danas je široko prihvaćen terapijski postupak za suzbijanje boli. Način njezina djelovanja nije još jasno definiran, premda se većina autora priklanja centralnom mehranizmu smanjenja boli. Rezultati, u literaturi, variraju od nesignifikantno boljeg učinka od placeba do 95°/o dobrog analgetskog djelovanja. U Zavodu za reumatske bolesti i rehabilitaciju Kliničkog bolničkog centra, Zagreb, evaluiran je učinak TENS-a u bolesnika s križ...

Examining Key Issues Underlying the Audit Commission Reports on SEN Policy Paper 1 (5th Series)

Science.gov (United States)

Norwich, Brahm; Beek, Chris; Richardson, Penny; Gray, Peter

2004-01-01

This book is the first publication in the fifth series of seminars organised by the SEN Policy Options Steering Group to examine policy issues to do with special educational needs. The aim of the seminar was to examine in depth several underlying issues raised by the recent Audit Commission Reports on special educational needs. The seminar…

Teaching Public Administration: Key Themes 1996-2016

Science.gov (United States)

Fenwick, John

2018-01-01

In this article, the aim is to explore some of the key themes to emerge in the journal during the past two decades. Each selected theme will be reviewed in the light of issues raised in particular papers. The aim of this approach is, first, to facilitate reflection upon the contribution of the journal as its subject matter has moved from a concern…

Proceedings of the 2008 air issues forum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2008-07-01

This forum focused on air related issues of concern to the oil and gas industry, regulators, researchers and the public. It included technological advances, new research projects, case studies, demonstrations, and updates to environmental regulations. Both the provincial and federal governments have recently announced new and significant reduction targets for air emissions that will have impacts on upstream oil and gas (UOG) companies. This forum reviewed what has been proposed and why and outlined the potential implications for producers. New regulatory processes and their requirements were also discussed along with ongoing industry sponsored air related research and emerging air related issues such as soot formation during flaring, sour gas flare combustion simulation modelling and fugitive emissions reduction. Ten presentations were featured at this forum, of which 3 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. tabs. figs.

Proceedings of the 2008 air issues forum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

This forum focused on air related issues of concern to the oil and gas industry, regulators, researchers and the public. It included technological advances, new research projects, case studies, demonstrations, and updates to environmental regulations. Both the provincial and federal governments have recently announced new and significant reduction targets for air emissions that will have impacts on upstream oil and gas (UOG) companies. This forum reviewed what has been proposed and why and outlined the potential implications for producers. New regulatory processes and their requirements were also discussed along with ongoing industry sponsored air related research and emerging air related issues such as soot formation during flaring, sour gas flare combustion simulation modelling and fugitive emissions reduction. Ten presentations were featured at this forum, of which 3 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. tabs. figs

Teaching nuclear issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hicks, D.W.

1986-01-01

This paper is based on the assumption that the nuclear debate, both globally and within Britain, is one of critical importance in the late twentieth century and that it should therefore, at some juncture, be explored as part of the school curriculum. An essential part of 'good education' in a democratic society is to teach young people how to think about such an issue, but not what to think about it. This paper attempts to set out some of the key issues and dilemmas in relation to what we may call 'nuclear education'. It perhaps asks more questions than it gives answers, but they are all essential questions which teachers must ask themselves if they are to teach sensitively about these matters. Some of these questions are given as examples. (author)

An Investigation of Information Technology-Enabled Remote Management and Remote Work Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Sandy Staples

1997-05-01

Full Text Available A two phase research study was done to investigate remote work and remote management issues. In Phase 1, focus groups were carried out with remote managers and remote employees to identify key issues. The most common key issues dealt with communications, information technology, leadership and coaching, teamwork, building trust, and performance management. In the second phase, a questionnaire was used to test hypotheses developed from phase 1. The findings supported that higher trust leads to higher job satisfaction and lower job stress, and that more communication between the manager and the remote employee develops higher levels of employee organizational commitment.

How the Big Ten West Was Won: Football Recruiting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diehl Kevin A.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses the 2017 Big Ten West Division football cycle models recruiting. The top ten recruit scores [(Rivals.com * 100 + [100 (outside surrounding; 75 (surrounding] + extra credit walk-ons (100; 75] allow proper ranking: Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Illinois, Minnesota, and Purdue.

Integrating Gender Issues in Recovery and Reconstruction Planning

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2011-01-01

This note on integrating gender issues in recovery and reconstruction planning is the fifth in a series of guidance notes on gender issues in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in East Asia and Pacific region. There are number of key challenges that women face in different elements of post disaster risk reconstruction and recovery. This note addresses the following bottlenecks: a) housing, lan...

Authenticated multi-user quantum key distribution with single particles

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Song; Wang, Hui; Guo, Gong-De; Ye, Guo-Hua; Du, Hong-Zhen; Liu, Xiao-Fen

2016-03-01

Quantum key distribution (QKD) has been growing rapidly in recent years and becomes one of the hottest issues in quantum information science. During the implementation of QKD on a network, identity authentication has been one main problem. In this paper, an efficient authenticated multi-user quantum key distribution (MQKD) protocol with single particles is proposed. In this protocol, any two users on a quantum network can perform mutual authentication and share a secure session key with the assistance of a semi-honest center. Meanwhile, the particles, which are used as quantum information carriers, are not required to be stored, therefore the proposed protocol is feasible with current technology. Finally, security analysis shows that this protocol is secure in theory.

2012 Ten-year scheme of network development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

RTE, an independent subsidiary of EDF, is the French electricity transmission system operator. It is a public service company responsible for operating, maintaining and developing the high and extra high voltage network. It guarantees the reliability and proper operation of the power network. RTE transports electricity between electricity suppliers (French and European) and consumers, whether they are electricity distributors or industrial consumers directly connected to the transmission system. The mission of RTE is to balance the electricity supply and demand in real time. With the support of the government authorities, RTE prepares a ten-year scheme of network development in France; This document presents the main electricity transport infrastructures to foresee within the ten coming years and lists the network development investments which must be realised and implemented within 3 years. The document is updated each year and comes to complement at the national level the European ten year network development plan (TYNDP) and the European regional plans as provided for in the 2009/72/CE European directive

Ten-year scheme of network development - 2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

RTE, an independent subsidiary of EDF, is the French electricity transmission system operator. It is a public service company responsible for operating, maintaining and developing the high and extra high voltage network. It guarantees the reliability and proper operation of the power network. RTE transports electricity between electricity suppliers (French and European) and consumers, whether they are electricity distributors or industrial consumers directly connected to the transmission system. The mission of RTE is to balance the electricity supply and demand in real time. With the support of the government authorities, RTE prepares a ten-year scheme of network development in France; This document presents the main electricity transport infrastructures to foresee within the ten coming years and lists the network development investments which must be realised and implemented within 3 years. The document is updated each year and comes to complement at the national level the European ten year network development plan (TYNDP) and the European regional plans as provided for in the 2009/72/CE European directive

Space reactor fuels performance and development issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wewerka, E.M.

1984-01-01

Three compact reactor concepts are now under consideration by the US Space Nuclear Power Program (the SP-100 Program) as candidates for the first 100-kWe-class space reactor. Each of these reactor designs puts unique constraints and requirements on the fuels system, and raises issues of fuel systems feasibility and performance. This paper presents a brief overview of the fuel requirements for the proposed space reactor designs, a delineation of the technical feasibility issues that each raises, and a description of the fuel systems development and testing program that has been established to address key technical issues

Ethical issues in animal cloning.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiester, Autumn

2005-01-01

The issue of human reproductive cloning has recently received a great deal attention in public discourse. Bioethicists, policy makers, and the media have been quick to identify the key ethical issues involved in human reproductive cloning and to argue, almost unanimously, for an international ban on such attempts. Meanwhile, scientists have proceeded with extensive research agendas in the cloning of animals. Despite this research, there has been little public discussion of the ethical issues raised by animal cloning projects. Polling data show that the public is decidedly against the cloning of animals. To understand the public's reaction and fill the void of reasoned debate about the issue, we need to review the possible objections to animal cloning and assess the merits of the anti-animal cloning stance. Some objections to animal cloning (e.g., the impact of cloning on the population of unwanted animals) can be easily addressed, while others (e.g., the health of cloned animals) require more serious attention by the public and policy makers.

Fabrication of ten-fold photonic quasicrystalline structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XiaoHong Sun

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Compared to periodic crystals, quasicrystals have higher point group symmetry and are more favorable in achieving complete band-gaps. In this report, a top-cut prism interferometer is designed to fabricate ten-fold photonic quasicrystalline structures. By optimizing the exposing conditions and material characteristics, appropriate quasicrystals have been obtained in the SU8 photoresist films. Atomic Force Microscopy and laser diffraction are used to characterize the fabricated structures. The measurement results show the consistence between the theoretical design and experiments. This will provide guidance for the large-area and fast production of ten-fold quasicrystalline structures with high quality.

Security of a single-state semi-quantum key distribution protocol

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Qiu, Daowen; Mateus, Paulo

2018-06-01

Semi-quantum key distribution protocols are allowed to set up a secure secret key between two users. Compared with their full quantum counterparts, one of the two users is restricted to perform some "classical" or "semi-quantum" operations, which potentially makes them easily realizable by using less quantum resource. However, the semi-quantum key distribution protocols mainly rely on a two-way quantum channel. The eavesdropper has two opportunities to intercept the quantum states transmitted in the quantum communication stage. It may allow the eavesdropper to get more information and make the security analysis more complicated. In the past ten years, many semi-quantum key distribution protocols have been proposed and proved to be robust. However, there are few works concerning their unconditional security. It is doubted that how secure the semi-quantum ones are and how much noise they can tolerate to establish a secure secret key. In this paper, we prove the unconditional security of a single-state semi-quantum key distribution protocol proposed by Zou et al. (Phys Rev A 79:052312, 2009). We present a complete proof from information theory aspect by deriving a lower bound of the protocol's key rate in the asymptotic scenario. Using this bound, we figure out an error threshold value such that for all error rates that are less than this threshold value, the secure secret key can be established between the legitimate users definitely. Otherwise, the users should abort the protocol. We make an illustration of the protocol under the circumstance that the reverse quantum channel is a depolarizing one with parameter q. Additionally, we compare the error threshold value with some full quantum protocols and several existing semi-quantum ones whose unconditional security proofs have been provided recently.

Critical Issues and Key Points from the Survey to the Creation of the Historical Building Information Model: the Case of Santo Stefano Basilica

Science.gov (United States)

Castagnetti, C.; Dubbini, M.; Ricci, P. C.; Rivola, R.; Giannini, M.; Capra, A.

2017-05-01

The new era of designing in architecture and civil engineering applications lies in the Building Information Modeling (BIM) approach, based on a 3D geometric model including a 3D database. This is easier for new constructions whereas, when dealing with existing buildings, the creation of the BIM is based on the accurate knowledge of the as-built construction. Such a condition is allowed by a 3D survey, often carried out with laser scanning technology or modern photogrammetry, which are able to guarantee an adequate points cloud in terms of resolution and completeness by balancing both time consuming and costs with respect to the request of final accuracy. The BIM approach for existing buildings and even more for historical buildings is not yet a well known and deeply discussed process. There are still several choices to be addressed in the process from the survey to the model and critical issues to be discussed in the modeling step, particularly when dealing with unconventional elements such as deformed geometries or historical elements. The paper describes a comprehensive workflow that goes through the survey and the modeling, allowing to focus on critical issues and key points to obtain a reliable BIM of an existing monument. The case study employed to illustrate the workflow is the Basilica of St. Stefano in Bologna (Italy), a large monumental complex with great religious, historical and architectural assets.

Performance Issues Along the Six Elements of Holcim Solusi Rumah's Marketing Mix and Solution Recommedations

OpenAIRE

Susana, Apriliani Dewi; Titus, Amol

2013-01-01

This study aims at identifying key issues in SR franchise business along the six elements of marketing mix: people, partner, place, product, promotion, and price, and then propose solution recommendations for the identified issues. Data is collected through a method of in-depth interviews with key SR stakeholders, internally and externally, namely end customers, SR personnels, and SR franchisees. Issues identified are mapped into a Problem Tree Analysis diagram to determine causal relations...

Key Geomechanics Issues at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Geomechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HANSEN, FRANCIS D.

1999-01-01

Mechanical and hydrological properties of rock salt provide excellent bases for geological isolation of hazardous materials. Regulatory compliance determinations for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) stand as testament to the widely held conclusion that salt provides excellent isolation properties. The WIPP saga began in the 1950s when the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommended a salt vault as a promising solution to the national problem of nuclear waste disposal. For over 20 years, the Scientific basis for the NAS recommendation has been fortified by Sandia National Laboratories through a series of large scale field tests and laboratory investigations of salt properties. These scientific investigations helped develop a comprehensive understanding of salt's 4 reformational behavior over an applicable range of stresses and temperatures. Sophisticated constitutive modeling, validated through underground testing, provides the computational ability to model long-term behavior of repository configurations. In concert with advancement of the mechanical models, fluid flow measurements showed not only that the evaporite lithology was essentially impermeable but that the WIPP setting was hydrologically inactive. Favorable mechanical properties ensure isolation of materials placed in a salt geological setting. Key areas of the geomechanics investigations leading to the certification of WIPP are in situ experiments, laboratory tests, and shaft seal design

Industrial implementation issues of Total Site Heat Integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chew, Kew Hong; Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír; Wan Alwi, Sharifah Rafidah; Abdul Manan, Zainuddin

2013-01-01

Heat Integration has been a well-established energy conservation strategy in the industry. Total Site Heat Integration (TSHI) has received growing interest since its inception in the 90s. The methodology has been used with certain simplifications to solve TSHI problems. This paper investigates the main issues that can influence the practical implementation of TSHI in the industry. The main aim is to provide an assessment and possible guidance for future development and extension of the TSHI methodology from the industrial perspective. Several key issues have been identified as being of vital importance for the industries: design, operation, reliability/availability/maintenance, regulatory/policy and economics. Design issues to consider include plant layout, pressure drop, etc. For operation, issues such as startup and shutdown need to be considered. Reliability, availability and maintenance (RAM) are important as they directly affect the production. Relevant government policy and incentives are also important when considering the options for TSHI. Finally, a TSHI system needs to be economically viable. This paper highlights the key issues to be considered for a successful implementation of TSHI. The impacts of these issues on TS integration are summarised in a matrix, which forms a basis for an improved and closer-to-real-life implementation of the TSHI methodology. Highlights: ► Current TSHI methodology has been used for solving models with certain simplifications. ► Several issues that can influence practical implementation of TSHI are identified. ► Impacts of these issues on safety, environment and economics are evaluated. ► The findings form a basis for an improved and practical implementation of TSHI

Effectiveness of Mentoring Program Practices. Research in Action. Issue 2

Science.gov (United States)

DuBois, David L.

2007-01-01

This article focuses on mentoring program practices in relation to issues of effectiveness, while recognizing that implications for program quality conceptualized more broadly is a key concern in need of greater investigation. The author provides an overview of selected conceptual and methodological issues involved with identification of…

Electronic Publishing: Introduction to This Issue.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, Martin A.

1994-01-01

Provides an overview of this special issue that addresses the possibilities and implications of electronic publishing and information dissemination as key components of effective education. Highlights include the theory and framework of electronic publishing; differences between electronic text and print; development of new educational materials;…

Optimizing prognosis-related key miRNA-target interactions responsible for cancer metastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hongying; Yuan, Huating; Hu, Jing; Xu, Chaohan; Liao, Gaoming; Yin, Wenkang; Xu, Liwen; Wang, Li; Zhang, Xinxin; Shi, Aiai; Li, Jing; Xiao, Yun

2017-12-12

Increasing evidence suggests that the abnormality of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their downstream targets is frequently implicated in the pathogenesis of human cancers, however, the clinical benefit of causal miRNA-target interactions has been seldom studied. Here, we proposed a computational method to optimize prognosis-related key miRNA-target interactions by combining transcriptome and clinical data from thousands of TCGA tumors across 16 cancer types. We obtained a total of 1,956 prognosis-related key miRNA-target interactions between 112 miRNAs and 1,443 their targets. Interestingly, these key target genes are specifically involved in tumor progression-related functions, such as 'cell adhesion' and 'cell migration'. Furthermore, they are most significantly correlated with 'tissue invasion and metastasis', a hallmark of metastasis, in ten distinct types of cancer through the hallmark analysis. These results implicated that the prognosis-related key miRNA-target interactions were highly associated with cancer metastasis. Finally, we observed that the combination of these key miRNA-target interactions allowed to distinguish patients with good prognosis from those with poor prognosis both in most TCGA cancer types and independent validation sets, highlighting their roles in cancer metastasis. We provided a user-friendly database named miRNATarget (freely available at http://biocc.hrbmu.edu.cn/miRNATar/), which provides an overview of the prognosis-related key miRNA-target interactions across 16 cancer types.

Ten into four won't go

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freedman, D.Z.; West, P.C.

1989-01-01

It is shown that nontrivial spontaneous compactification of ten-dimensional N = 1 supergravity with or without Yang-Mills matter is not possible unless maximal symmetry (i.e. Lorentz invariance) is violated in the four-dimensional spacetime

Procuring, maintaining and using equipment: the key issues in controlling exposure to patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hendra, I.R.F.

1989-01-01

Radiological equipment is not purpose-built for each individual application. Thus, not only are acceptance criteria directly related to the design of equipment and the quality assurance exercised during its manufacture, but also the performance, safety and reliability of equipment must feature in the requirements for procuring new equipment. In the UK this issue is dealt with under the Department of Health and Social Security Manufacturer Registration Scheme for Medical Equipment in its application to radiological equipment. Similarly the continuing reliability of equipment in service is directly related to the quality of maintenance services. This is determined largely by the manner in which such services are procured. In the UK this issue has been considered by one of four Working Parties commissioned by the South-East Thames Regional Health Authority who are the ''Centre of Responsibility'' for diagnostic imaging equipment. The report prepared from the first phase of activity of this working group describes features of a procurement specification for maintenance services and prescribes the complementary duties of contractors and customers. The use in X-ray departments of the kind of manufacturing quality system that is used by most reputable equipment manufacturers has the potential for a dramatic reduction in exposure to patients. (author)

Proceedings of conference on public policy issues in nuclear waste management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1976-01-01

This conference was designed to provide a public forum in which to identify and discuss the legal, institutional, social, environmental, and other public policy issues relating to nuclear waste management. This volume is a comprehensive synthesis of the speeches, papers, and discussions during the plenary and luncheon sessions. Preliminary goals are proposed for nuclear waste management. Separate abstracts were prepared for the ten papers. (DLC)

Critical Studies on Men in Ten European Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pringle, Keith; Hearn, Jeff (and 13 other network partners)

2002-01-01

This article is one the work of The European Research Network on Men in Europe project “The Social Problem and Societal Problematization of Men and Masculinities” (2000-2003), funded by the European Commission. The Network comprises women and men researchers with range of disciplinary backgrounds...... of statistical sources on men's practices in the ten countries, are presented. This is the second of four articles reviewing critical studies on men in the ten countries through different methods and approaches....

Nonresponse Error in Mail Surveys: Top Ten Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeanette M. Daly

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Conducting mail surveys can result in nonresponse error, which occurs when the potential participant is unwilling to participate or impossible to contact. Nonresponse can result in a reduction in precision of the study and may bias results. The purpose of this paper is to describe and make readers aware of a top ten list of mailed survey problems affecting the response rate encountered over time with different research projects, while utilizing the Dillman Total Design Method. Ten nonresponse error problems were identified, such as inserter machine gets sequence out of order, capitalization in databases, and mailing discarded by postal service. These ten mishaps can potentiate nonresponse errors, but there are ways to minimize their frequency. Suggestions offered stem from our own experiences during research projects. Our goal is to increase researchers' knowledge of nonresponse error problems and to offer solutions which can decrease nonresponse error in future projects.

Ten key points for the appropriate use of antibiotics in hospitalised patients: a consensus from the Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance Working Groups of the International Society of Chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy Hara, Gabriel; Kanj, Souha S; Pagani, Leonardo; Abbo, Lilian; Endimiani, Andrea; Wertheim, Heiman F L; Amábile-Cuevas, Carlos; Tattevin, Pierre; Mehtar, Shaheen; Lopes Cardoso, Fernando; Unal, Serhat; Gould, Ian

2016-09-01

The Antibiotic Stewardship and Resistance Working Groups of the International Society for Chemotherapy propose ten key points for the appropriate use of antibiotics in hospital settings. (i) Get appropriate microbiological samples before antibiotic administration and carefully interpret the results: in the absence of clinical signs of infection, colonisation rarely requires antimicrobial treatment. (ii) Avoid the use of antibiotics to 'treat' fever: use them to treat infections, and investigate the root cause of fever prior to starting treatment. (iii) Start empirical antibiotic treatment after taking cultures, tailoring it to the site of infection, risk factors for multidrug-resistant bacteria, and the local microbiology and susceptibility patterns. (iv) Prescribe drugs at their optimal dosing and for an appropriate duration, adapted to each clinical situation and patient characteristics. (v) Use antibiotic combinations only where the current evidence suggests some benefit. (vi) When possible, avoid antibiotics with a higher likelihood of promoting drug resistance or hospital-acquired infections, or use them only as a last resort. (vii) Drain the infected foci quickly and remove all potentially or proven infected devices: control the infection source. (viii) Always try to de-escalate/streamline antibiotic treatment according to the clinical situation and the microbiological results. (ix) Stop unnecessarily prescribed antibiotics once the absence of infection is likely. And (x) Do not work alone: set up local teams with an infectious diseases specialist, clinical microbiologist, hospital pharmacist, infection control practitioner or hospital epidemiologist, and comply with hospital antibiotic policies and guidelines. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Key policy choices in groundwater quality management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batie, S.S.; Diebel, P.L.

1990-01-01

The fundamental policy choice of who has the right to do what to whom is a pivotal issue of governance. Over the last few decades, the answer to that question has become more restrictive to those who own and use natural resources as inputs into production processes. Increasingly, the beneficiaries of new policy initiatives are those who desire higher protection of groundwater quality. With respect to groundwater management, policy design increasingly reflects such diverse interests as agriculturists, industrialists, homeowners, local government officials and state officials. Policy design is becoming complex, in part because of this diversity and in part because scientific uncertainty hampers informed policy design. No umbrella federal legislation exists for managing groundwater resources. EPA's role has been mainly an advisory one on groundwater issues. The difficulties and responsibilities of protecting groundwater thus remain with the states. For the near future, it is the states that will address key policy choices with respect to groundwater quality management issues

BARI+: a biometric based distributed key management approach for wireless body area networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhammad, Khaliq-ur-Rahman Raazi Syed; Lee, Heejo; Lee, Sungyoung; Lee, Young-Koo

2010-01-01

Wireless body area networks (WBAN) consist of resource constrained sensing devices just like other wireless sensor networks (WSN). However, they differ from WSN in topology, scale and security requirements. Due to these differences, key management schemes designed for WSN are inefficient and unnecessarily complex when applied to WBAN. Considering the key management issue, WBAN are also different from WPAN because WBAN can use random biometric measurements as keys. We highlight the differences between WSN and WBAN and propose an efficient key management scheme, which makes use of biometrics and is specifically designed for WBAN domain.

Predicting Key Events in the Popularity Evolution of Online Information.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Ying; Hu, Changjun; Fu, Shushen; Fang, Mingzhe; Xu, Wenwen

2017-01-01

The popularity of online information generally experiences a rising and falling evolution. This paper considers the "burst", "peak", and "fade" key events together as a representative summary of popularity evolution. We propose a novel prediction task-predicting when popularity undergoes these key events. It is of great importance to know when these three key events occur, because doing so helps recommendation systems, online marketing, and containment of rumors. However, it is very challenging to solve this new prediction task due to two issues. First, popularity evolution has high variation and can follow various patterns, so how can we identify "burst", "peak", and "fade" in different patterns of popularity evolution? Second, these events usually occur in a very short time, so how can we accurately yet promptly predict them? In this paper we address these two issues. To handle the first one, we use a simple moving average to smooth variation, and then a universal method is presented for different patterns to identify the key events in popularity evolution. To deal with the second one, we extract different types of features that may have an impact on the key events, and then a correlation analysis is conducted in the feature selection step to remove irrelevant and redundant features. The remaining features are used to train a machine learning model. The feature selection step improves prediction accuracy, and in order to emphasize prediction promptness, we design a new evaluation metric which considers both accuracy and promptness to evaluate our prediction task. Experimental and comparative results show the superiority of our prediction solution.

Predicting Key Events in the Popularity Evolution of Online Information.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Hu

Full Text Available The popularity of online information generally experiences a rising and falling evolution. This paper considers the "burst", "peak", and "fade" key events together as a representative summary of popularity evolution. We propose a novel prediction task-predicting when popularity undergoes these key events. It is of great importance to know when these three key events occur, because doing so helps recommendation systems, online marketing, and containment of rumors. However, it is very challenging to solve this new prediction task due to two issues. First, popularity evolution has high variation and can follow various patterns, so how can we identify "burst", "peak", and "fade" in different patterns of popularity evolution? Second, these events usually occur in a very short time, so how can we accurately yet promptly predict them? In this paper we address these two issues. To handle the first one, we use a simple moving average to smooth variation, and then a universal method is presented for different patterns to identify the key events in popularity evolution. To deal with the second one, we extract different types of features that may have an impact on the key events, and then a correlation analysis is conducted in the feature selection step to remove irrelevant and redundant features. The remaining features are used to train a machine learning model. The feature selection step improves prediction accuracy, and in order to emphasize prediction promptness, we design a new evaluation metric which considers both accuracy and promptness to evaluate our prediction task. Experimental and comparative results show the superiority of our prediction solution.

On ethical issues in radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persson, L.

1996-01-01

From an ethical viewpoint the author surveys existing international radiation protection recommendations and standards. After outlining previous work on the ethics of radiation protection, professional ethics, and the ethics of human radiation experiments, the author discusses ethical thinking on seven key issues related to radiation protection and ethics. (author)

Quantum mechanics of excitation transport in photosynthetic complexes: a key issues review.

Science.gov (United States)

Levi, Federico; Mostarda, Stefano; Rao, Francesco; Mintert, Florian

2015-07-01

For a long time microscopic physical descriptions of biological processes have been based on quantum mechanical concepts and tools, and routinely employed by chemical physicists and quantum chemists. However, the last ten years have witnessed new developments on these studies from a different perspective, rooted in the framework of quantum information theory. The process that more, than others, has been subject of intense research is the transfer of excitation energy in photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes, a consequence of the unexpected experimental discovery of oscillating signals in such highly noisy systems. The fundamental interdisciplinary nature of this research makes it extremely fascinating, but can also constitute an obstacle to its advance. Here in this review our objective is to provide an essential summary of the progress made in the theoretical description of excitation energy dynamics in photosynthetic systems from a quantum mechanical perspective, with the goal of unifying the language employed by the different communities. This is initially realized through a stepwise presentation of the fundamental building blocks used to model excitation transfer, including protein dynamics and the theory of open quantum system. Afterwards, we shall review how these models have evolved as a consequence of experimental discoveries; this will lead us to present the numerical techniques that have been introduced to quantitatively describe photo-absorbed energy dynamics. Finally, we shall discuss which mechanisms have been proposed to explain the unusual coherent nature of excitation transport and what insights have been gathered so far on the potential functional role of such quantum features.

Accounting-related transmission issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niehaus, M.; Bjorn, P.; Pate, G.

1999-01-01

Various initiatives have been undertaken by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to deregulate wholesale electric energy markets. These initiatives have focused on restructuring the transmission systems in the US and recently have culminated in a proposal requiring formation of and participation in regional transmission organizations. The overall form of regulation selected to determine rates for transmission entities as well as underlying regulatory decisions reached on key issues will have profound implications for transmission entities. For example, traditional cost-based regulation would require one set of accounting and reporting rules, while incentive-based regulation may not be subject to those same rules. An overview of some of the major accounting and financial reporting issues that will need to be considered is presented

Simultaneous classical communication and quantum key distribution using continuous variables*

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Bing

2016-10-01

Presently, classical optical communication systems employing strong laser pulses and quantum key distribution (QKD) systems working at single-photon levels are very different communication modalities. Dedicated devices are commonly required to implement QKD. In this paper, we propose a scheme which allows classical communication and QKD to be implemented simultaneously using the same communication infrastructure. More specially, we propose a coherent communication scheme where both the bits for classical communication and the Gaussian distributed random numbers for QKD are encoded on the same weak coherent pulse and decoded by the same coherent receiver. Simulation results based on practical system parameters show that both deterministic classical communication with a bit error rate of 10-9 and secure key distribution could be achieved over tens of kilometers of single-mode fibers. It is conceivable that in the future coherent optical communication network, QKD will be operated in the background of classical communication at a minimal cost.

What Do People Know about Key Environmental Issues? A Review of Environmental Knowledge Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Robelia, Beth; Murphy, Tony

2012-01-01

This paper presents results from 15 little publicized state and national environmental surveys in the US that used similar questions. Our analysis reveals trends in adult understanding of environmental issues. These trends indicate that many may have difficulty making informed decisions about environmental policy as citizens, voters, and…

Model of key success factors for Business Intelligence implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Mesaros

2016-07-01

Full Text Available New progressive technologies recorded growth in every area. Information-communication technologies facilitate the exchange of information and it facilitates management of everyday activities in enterprises. Specific modules (such as Business Intelligence facilitate decision-making. Several studies have demonstrated the positive impact of Business Intelligence to decision-making. The first step is to put in place the enterprise. The implementation process is influenced by many factors. This article discusses the issue of key success factors affecting to successful implementation of Business Intelligence. The article describes the key success factors for successful implementation and use of Business Intelligence based on multiple studies. The main objective of this study is to verify the effects and dependence of selected factors and proposes a model of key success factors for successful implementation of Business Intelligence. Key success factors and the proposed model are studied in Slovak enterprises.

Exercise Is Key to Healthy Aging | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

Science.gov (United States)

... this page please turn JavaScript on. NIH Research Exercise Is Key to Healthy Aging Past Issues / Winter ... to exercise regularly—at any age! Why is exercise so important? Exercise is perhaps the best demonstrated ...

Conceptual design activities and key issues on LHD-type reactor FFHR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sagara, A.; Mitarai, O.; Imagawa, S.; Morisaki, T.; Tanaka, T.; Mizuguchi, N.; Dolan, T.; Miyazawa, J.; Takahata, K.; Chikaraishi, H.; Yamada, S.; Seo, K.; Sakamoto, R.; Masuzaki, S.; Muroga, T.; Yamada, H.; Fukada, S.; Hashizume, H.; Yamazaki, K.; Mito, T.; Kaneko, O.; Mutoh, T.; Ohyabu, N.; Noda, N.; Komori, A.; Sudo, S.; Motojima, O.

2006-01-01

An overview of conceptual design activities on the LHD-type helical reactor FFHR is presented, mainly focusing on optimization studies on the reactor size and the proposal of a long-life blanket. A major radius of around 15 m is the present candidate under the constraints of the energy confinement achieved in LHD, a maximum magnetic field around 13 T with a current density around 30 A/mm 2 and a neutron wall loading around 1.5 MW/m 2 . R and D on super-conducting magnet systems of large scale, high field and high current-density are new challenging targets based on the LHD. The development of new design tools has been started aiming at establishing a virtual power plant (VPP) and a virtual reality system for 3D design assisting. Next design issues are mainly on engineering optimization of the first wall thickness, the detailed 3D blanket system, and unscheduled replacements of breeder blankets

Research and realization of ten-print data quality control techniques for imperial scale automated fingerprint identification system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available As the first individualization-information processing equipment put into practical service worldwide, Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS has always been regarded as the first choice in individualization of criminal suspects or those who died in mass disasters. By integrating data within the existing regional large-scale AFIS database, many countries are constructing an ultra large state-of-the-art AFIS (or Imperial Scale AFIS system. Therefore, it is very important to develop a series of ten-print data quality controlling process for this system of this type, which would insure a substantial matching efficiency, as the pouring data come into this imperial scale being. As the image quality of ten-print data is closely relevant to AFIS matching proficiency, a lot of police departments have allocated huge amount of human and financial resources over this issue by carrying out manual verification works for years. Unfortunately, quality control method above is always proved to be inadequate because it is an astronomical task involved, in which it has always been problematic and less affiant for potential errors. Hence, we will implement quality control in the above procedure with supplementary-acquisition effect caused by the delay of feedback instructions sent from the human verification teams. In this article, a series of fingerprint image quality supervising techniques has been put forward, which makes it possible for computer programs to supervise the ten-print image quality in real-time and more accurate manner as substitute for traditional manual verifications. Besides its prominent advantages in the human and financial expenditures, it has also been proved to obviously improve the image quality of the AFIS ten-print database, which leads up to a dramatic improvement in the AFIS-matching accuracy as well.

Introduction to the special issue on visual aesthetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marković Slobodan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Visual aesthetics encompasses the studies of the relationship between vision and various aesthetic phenomena - from the beauty ratings of simple visual patterns to the appreciation of visual art, from the preference for natural objects and scenes to the preference for products of human creativity, from the aesthetic effects of culture to the aesthetic effects of biology, from the universal aesthetic sensitivity to the individual differences in taste, and so on. In this special issue ten papers reported the most recent studies on very different subjects related to visual aesthetics.

Is TENS purely a placebo effect? A controlled study on chronic low back pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchand, S; Charest, J; Li, J; Chenard, J R; Lavignolle, B; Laurencelle, L

1993-07-01

Although high-frequency low-intensity transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) has been extensively used to relieve low back pain, experimental studies of its effectiveness have yielded contradictory findings mainly due to methodological problems in pain evaluation and placebo control. In the present study, separate visual analog scales (VAS) were used to measure the sensory-discriminative and motivational-affective components of low back pain. Forty-two subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: TENS, placebo-TENS, and no treatment (control). In order to measure the short-term effect of TENS, VAS pain ratings were taken before and after each treatment session. Also, to measure long-term effects, patients rated their pain at home every 2 h throughout a 3-day period before and 1 week, 3 months and 6 months after the treatment sessions. In comparing the pain evaluations made immediately before and after each treatment session, TENS and placebo-TENS significantly reduced both the intensity and unpleasantness of chronic low back pain. TENS was significantly more efficient than placebo-TENS in reducing pain intensity but not pain unpleasantness. TENS also produced a significant additive effect over repetitive treatment sessions for pain intensity and relative pain unpleasantness. This additive effect was not found for placebo-TENS. When evaluated at home, pain intensity was significantly reduced more by TENS than placebo-TENS 1 week after the end of treatment, but not 3 months and 6 months later. At home evaluation of pain unpleasantness in the TENS group was never different from the placebo-TENS group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Information for Government Agencies about Specific Environmental Health Issues in Child-Care Settings

Science.gov (United States)

research on child care environmental health issues, identify key state and regional healthy child care organizations for partnerships, and see how other states are addressing child care environmental health issues.

Ten out of ten for LHC decapole magnets

CERN Multimedia

2001-01-01

CERN's Albert Ijspeert (left) and Avinash Puntambekar of the Indian CAT laboratory with the ten Indian decapole magnets on the test bench. Tests will be carried out by the LHC-MTA group. A batch of 10 superconducting decapole magnets for the LHC has just arrived at CERN from India. These will be used to correct for slight imperfections in the dipole magnets that will steer proton beams around CERN's new accelerator. All magnets have slight imperfections in the fields they produce, and in the LHC dipoles these will be corrected for using sextupoles and decapoles. The sextupoles were the first LHC magnets to be given the production green-light following successful tests of pre-series magnets last year (Bulletin 21/2000, 22 May 2000). Now it is the turn of pre-series decapoles to go on trial at CERN. Of the LHC's 1232 dipole magnets, half will use sextupole correctors only and the other half will use both sextupoles and decapoles. That means that a total of 616 pairs of decapoles are needed. Like the sextupole...

Scoping key soil issues for the Suncor Voyageur Oil Sands Project EIA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doram, D.; Gulley, J. [Golder Associates, Calgary, AB (Canada); Fordham, C. [Suncor Energy, Calgary, AB (Canada)

2002-07-01

An issue scoping process to focus the soil impact assessment undertaken in conjunction with Suncor Energy's Voyageur Project near Fort McMurray, Alberta, is described. Potential impacts to soils considered include disturbances from mining and in-situ developments, re-constructing soils to meet equivalent capability and predicting how soils will respond to acid deposition. The assessment also provides an opportunity to evaluate unique soil mitigation strategies at both the local and regional levels. New regulatory and soil reclamation challenges include developing soil salvage criteria for restoring the biodiversity which existed prior to the disturbance necessitated by the mining and in-situ operations and creating a suitable habitat for the caribou in the Firebag lease.

Issues related to cooperative implementation mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

This note by the secretariat seeks to focus discussions on some key issues regarding the design and functioning of the three new mechanisms, such as issues concerning mandates, cross-cutting as well as issues concerning individual mechanisms. The note addresses each mechanism separately in view of different origins, approaches, participants and possible applications. Reference is, however, made to similarities among the mechanisms, in particular where coordination of work on methodological and institutional issues and inter-institutional collaboration are concerned. The note suggests, in its concluding part, elements of a work programme up to and, to some extent, beyond COP 4. It draws upon the views submitted by Parties (document FCCC/SB/1998/MISC.1), contains reflections by the secretariat and builds on its consultations with other organizations having activities, under way or planned, that could contribute to the design or operation of the mechanisms. (au)

Strategy for resolution of the flammable gas safety issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, G.D.

1997-01-01

This document provides a strategy for resolution of the Flammable Gas Safety Issue. It defines the key elements required for the following: Closing the Flammable Gas Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ); Providing the administrative basis for resolving the safety issue; Defining the data needed to support these activities; and Providing the technical and administrative path for removing tanks from the Watch List

Strategy for resolution of the flammable gas safety issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, G.D.

1997-05-23

This document provides a strategy for resolution of the Flammable Gas Safety Issue. It defines the key elements required for the following: Closing the Flammable Gas Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ); Providing the administrative basis for resolving the safety issue; Defining the data needed to support these activities; and Providing the technical and administrative path for removing tanks from the Watch List.

DEPOT MAINTENANCE: Key Financial Issues for Consolidations at Pearl Harbor and Elsewhere Are Still Unresolved

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2001-01-01

.... In September 1999, we reported that the preliminary results of the ongoing Pearl Harbor pilot were mixed and recommended that the Departments of Defense and the Navy address unresolved issues related...

Chaotic map based key agreement with/out clock synchronization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, S.; Chang, E.

2009-01-01

In order to address Bergamo et al.'s attack, Xiao et al. proposed a key agreement protocol using chaotic maps. Han then presented three attacks on Xiao et al.'s protocol. To enhance the security of key agreement based on chaotic maps, Chang et al. proposed a new key agreement using passphrase, which works in clock synchronization environment. However, their protocol still has some issues: one is its passphrase is not easy to remember and much longer than password; the second one is it cannot resist guessing attack if the constructed passphrase is easy to remember and also has already existed in some rational dictionaries; the third one is it cannot work without clock synchronization. In this paper, we will present two different key agreement protocols, which can resist guessing attack. The first one works in clock synchronization environment. The second one can work without clock synchronization. They both use authenticated password for secure communications. The protocols are secure against replaying attacks and a shared session key can be established.

Nuclear Knowledge Management Implementation Issues In Sri Lanka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandara, H.M.N.R.

2014-01-01

About Knowledge Management: Process of organizing and distributing an Organization’s collective wisdom so the right information gets to the right people at the right time. NKM Implementation Problems in Sri Lanka: • Difficulty of identifying nuclear knowledge holders; • NKM has not been given considerable importance; • Many nuclear science experts are in retirement age; • No proper mechanism is available to replace young personnel for their positions; • Unawareness of general public about his technology. • Capacity building through training and education and transferring knowledge from centers of knowledge to centers of growth are key issues. • Development of new courses related to nuclear science is a key issue to be highly considered. • The tendency towards the training and educations of nuclear personnel in the country is becoming less and less

Familienfreundlichkeit als Zukunftsfrage in Unternehmen [Family-friendliness in business as a key issue for the future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stutzer, Erich

2012-04-01

Full Text Available [english] These days family-friendliness is a key issue for the future of businesses. Investments in a family conscious personnel policy are considered as forward-looking decisions in companies. This happens against the background of a sustainable personnel policy in times of a decrease in the number of employable persons, an increasing shortage of skilled workers and an ageing workforce. Family-friendly working conditions are becoming a key factor in the competition for staff. When choosing an employer, family-friendliness has become a crucial topic. Employment participation and skills of women, especially of mothers, have greatly increased. To facilitate the realisation of their wish to return to paid employment, however, measures to reconcile work and family are required.Family-conscious measures have been proven to lead to higher employee productivity. Job satisfaction and motivation of employees and accumulation of human capital increase, absenteeism declines, the return of investment rises. Fields of activity for family-friendly measures in companies range from working arrangements, parental leave and re-entry programmes and various child care offers to services for families. In connection with the demographic development the demand for a better reconciliation of work and elder care should in future become ever more important, just as the upkeep of the occupational skills and working capacity of an ageing workforce. Family-friendliness has to become an integral part of corporate culture. [german] Familienfreundlichkeit wird heute als wesentliche Zukunftsfrage für Unternehmen diskutiert und Investitionen in eine familienbewusste Personalpolitik gelten als zukunftsweisende Entscheidungen in Unternehmen. Dies geschieht vor dem Hintergrund einer zukunftsfähigen Personalpolitik in Zeiten zurückgehender Erwerbspersonenzahlen, eines zunehmenden Fachkräftemangels und der Alterung der Belegschaften. Familienfreundliche Arbeitsbedingungen werden

THE INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS (PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS CRITERIA AND TREATMENT: KEY POINTS 2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Demin

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Key positions of Guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infective endocarditis issued by the Task Force of ESC in 2009 are explained in the comments. Recent opinions on these items are presented.

Supply Issues for Science Academics in Australia: Now and in the Future

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Daniel; Smith, T. Fred

2010-01-01

Australia, like the rest of the developed world, is in the midst of dealing with notable issues related to the age structure of its academic workforce. These issues are widespread and have been articulated in the Australian context most comprehensively by Hugo (2008). This paper investigates issues with demographic change and other key factors…

Ten years after the Jali Commission

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ten years have lapsed since the Jali Commission's final report became publicly available, and it is therefore an .... as the 'core business' of the department. This was seen as .... the 2009/10–2013/14 DCS Strategic Plan did the department ...

Early Predictors of Ten-Year Course in First-Episode Psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis, Svein; Melle, Ingrid; Johannessen, Jan Olav

2016-01-01

, five, and ten years (N=186 at ten years). Time in psychosis was defined as time with scores ≥4 on any of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale items P1, P3, P5, P6, and G9. Evaluations were retrospective, based on clinical interviews and all available clinical information. During the first two years......, patients were also evaluated by their clinicians at least biweekly. Baseline and early-course predictors of long-term course were identified with linear mixed-model analyses. RESULTS: Four variables provided significant, additive predictions of longer time in psychosis during the ten-year follow...

Signcryption-Based Key Management for MANETs Applications in Mobile Commerce

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LI Jingfeng; ZHU Yuefei; ZHANG Yajuan; PAN Heng

2006-01-01

Mobile commerce uses wireless device and wireless link to result in the transfer of values in exchange of information, services or goods. Wireless mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) will bring a revolution to the business model of mobile commerce if such networks are used as the underlying network technology for mobile commerce. Mobile commerce will remain in a niche market until the security issue is properly addressed. Hence, security is also very important for MANET applications in mobile commerce. Robust key management is one of the most crucial technologies for security of MANETs. In this paper, a new solution for key management is proposed using identity-based (ID-based) signcryption and threshold secret sharing. It enables flexible and efficient key management while respecting the constraints of MANETs. In our solution, each mobile host uses its globally unique identity as its public key. It greatly decreases the computation and storage costs of mobile hosts, as well as communication cost for system key management.

Ten years of nuclear power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1964-08-15

Ten years have elapsed since the world's first nuclear power station began to supply electricity in Russia, and this in turn marked the end of a twelve year stage following the first controlled nuclear chain reaction at Chicago. These periods mark major stages in the development of atomic energy from the realm of abstract ideas to that of everyday industrial application. They followed a period of fundamental research and laboratory work, culminating in Enrico Fermi's demonstration of a system whereby the forces of the atom could be brought under control. Then it was necessary to find ways and means of using the chain reaction for practical purposes and on an industrial scale. And after this had been shown in 1954 to be technically possible, it had still to be developed into an economic process. The nuclear power station has proved itself from the technical and engineering standpoint. The third phase of development has been to bring it to the stage of being economically competitive with alternative sources of energy, and it would appear that we are now reaching that goal - though more slowly than had been envisaged ten years ago

Origins of life: a problem for physics, a key issues review

Science.gov (United States)

Imari Walker, Sara

2017-09-01

The origins of life stands among the great open scientific questions of our time. While a number of proposals exist for possible starting points in the pathway from non-living to living matter, these have so far not achieved states of complexity that are anywhere near that of even the simplest living systems. A key challenge is identifying the properties of living matter that might distinguish living and non-living physical systems such that we might build new life in the lab. This review is geared towards covering major viewpoints on the origin of life for those new to the origin of life field, with a forward look towards considering what it might take for a physical theory that universally explains the phenomenon of life to arise from the seemingly disconnected array of ideas proposed thus far. The hope is that a theory akin to our other theories in fundamental physics might one day emerge to explain the phenomenon of life, and in turn finally permit solving its origins.

Key Concepts in Education: Critical Issues beyond Definition and Discursive Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theo Hug

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Along with the processes of digitization, medialization and the globalization of communications and lifeworlds, new topics, subject matters, conceptualizations and methods have been deve­loped in educational research and practice. On the one hand, from a diachronic perspective we can notice how new aspects of education (Bildung, upbringing (Erziehung, learning and communication have been addressed. On the other hand, from a synchronic perspective we can see a simultaneity of the non-simultaneous in terms of understandings, approaches, methodologies and forms of mediation and collaboration. Although more and more open initiatives and open educational resources (OER, as well as international collaborations and transnational intellectual networks, are being brought forward, epistemological aspects about using different key concepts are widely underestimated. The paper starts with: (1 an outline of selected understandings of education and literacy, followed by (2 a discussion of critical epistemological aspects by way of contrasting and correlating conceptual dimensions. Lastly, the contribution aims at (3 a sketch of polylogical design principles for educational knowledge organization.

BARI+: A Biometric Based Distributed Key Management Approach for Wireless Body Area Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Muhammad Khaliq-ur-Rahman Raazi

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Wireless body area networks (WBAN consist of resource constrained sensing devices just like other wireless sensor networks (WSN. However, they differ from WSN in topology, scale and security requirements. Due to these differences, key management schemes designed for WSN are inefficient and unnecessarily complex when applied to WBAN. Considering the key management issue, WBAN are also different from WPAN because WBAN can use random biometric measurements as keys. We highlight the differences between WSN and WBAN and propose an efficient key management scheme, which makes use of biometrics and is specifically designed for WBAN domain.

Von Blüten, Göttern und Gelehrten

OpenAIRE

Zotter, Astrid

2013-01-01

Der Sanskrittext Puṣpacintāmaṇi (PuCi) behandelt Blüten als Darbringungen (upacāra) im wichtigsten hinduistischen Verehrungsritual, der pūjā. In ca. 400 Strophen werden über 200 Namen von Blüten genannt und für verschiedene Gottheiten und pūjās als geeignete oder ungeeignete Gaben vorgeschrieben. Der Text ist eine Kompilation (Nibandha), in der die Inhalte aus 47 namentlich genannten Quellentexten referiert werden. Ziel der Dissertation ist es nicht nur, diesen Text, der 1966 zum ersten Ma...

Key Issues Concerning Biolog Use for Aerobic and Anaerobic Freshwater Bacterial Community-Level Physiological Profiling

Science.gov (United States)

Christian, Bradley W.; Lind, Owen T.

2006-06-01

Bacterial heterotrophy in aquatic ecosystems is important in the overall carbon cycle. Biolog MicroPlates provide information into the metabolic potential of bacteria involved in carbon cycling. Specifically, Biolog EcoPlatesTM were developed with ecologically relevant carbon substrates to allow investigators to measure carbon substrate utilization patterns and develop community-level physiological profiles from natural bacterial assemblages. However, understanding of the functionality of these plates in freshwater research is limited. We explored several issues of EcoPlate use for freshwater bacterial assemblages including inoculum density, incubation temperature, non-bacterial color development, and substrate selectivity. Each of these has various effects on plate interpretation. We offer suggestions and techniques to resolve these interpretation issues. Lastly we propose a technique to allow EcoPlate use in anaerobic freshwater bacterial studies.

Deep Vadose Zone Characterization at the Hanford Site: Accomplishments from the Last Ten Years

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Christopher F.; Serne, R. Jeffrey

2008-01-01

The overall goal of the Tank Farm Vadose Zone Project, led by CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc., is to define risks from past and future single-shell tank farm activities at Hanford. To meet this goal, CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. tasked scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to perform detailed analyses on vadose zone sediments collected within/adjacent to the twelve single-shell tank farms contained within Hanford's Central Plateau region. This work has been performed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Program and is associated with the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. While there are many facets to the laboratory studies employed by PNNL, the four primary objectives of this work are to: identify the type and quantity of contamination present, understand the physical processes that affect the transport of contaminants in the vadose zone sediments, when practical, identify the source(s) of the contamination found in the sediment samples, and when practical, determine if a link can be made between the vadose zone contamination observed and any known groundwater contaminants in the vicinity. Since its inception in 1997, PNNL's Vadose Zone Characterization Project has evolved to better meet these four key objectives. The single-largest adaptation of the Vadose Zone Characterization Project over its ten years of operation was the advent of a tiered sample analysis approach. Use of a tiered approach allows resources to be focused on those samples/tests that provide the largest amount of scientific information to best meet the four key project objectives within the budget available. Another significant, but more recent, adaptation has been the implementation of a rapid turnaround characterization process in which sediment samples are analyzed in near real-time to aid drilling activities within the tank farms. This paper highlights details of the characterization activities performed as well

Assessing the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in post-thoracotomy analgesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Fabiana Cristina; Issy, Adriana Machado; Sakata, Rioko Kimiko

2011-01-01

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is commonly used to treat musculoskeletal pain, but it may also be indicated for postoperative analgesia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effects of TENS on post-thoracotomy. Thirty patients between 18 and 60 years of age undergoing thoracotomy for lung cancer resection on the second postoperative day were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups (G1 and G2). G1 patients were treated with TENS; and in G2 (without TENS) electrodes were placed but the equipment was not turned on. TENS was maintained for one hour. The visual analogue scale was used to evaluate the analgesic effects on three moments: before TENS (M0), immediately after TENS (M1), and one hour later (M2), with the patient at rest, elevation of the upper limbs, change in decubitus, and coughing. The intensity of pain at rest was higher in G2 immediately after TENS, but not one hour after the procedure. There was no difference between both groups with elevation of the upper limbs, decubitus change, and coughing. With the use of TENS for one hour on the second post-thoracotomy day in patients who received fentanyl (50 μg) associated with bupivacaine (5 mL), a reduction in pain intensity was observed at rest immediately after TENS; with elevation of the upper limbs, change in decubitus, and coughing, a reduction in pain severity was not observed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Starting a hospital-based home health agency: Part II--Key success factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, P

1993-09-01

In Part II of a three-part series, the financial, technological and legislative issues of a hospital-based home health-agency are discussed. Beginning a home healthcare service requires intensive research to answer key environmental and operational questions--need, competition, financial projections, initial start-up costs and the impact of delayed depreciation. Assessments involving technology, staffing, legislative and regulatory issues can help project service volume, productivity and cost-control.

Reproductive issues in anorexia nervosa

OpenAIRE

Hoffman, Elizabeth R; Zerwas, Stephanie C; Bulik, Cynthia M

2011-01-01

Despite a high prevalence of menstrual irregularities, women with anorexia nervosa are becoming pregnant. The physical and psychological demands of pregnancy and motherhood can represent an immense challenge for women already struggling with the medical and psychological stress of an eating disorder. This article summarizes key issues related to reproduction in women with anorexia nervosa, highlighting the importance of preconception counseling, adequate gestational weight gain, and sufficien...

Kaluza-Klein supergravity in ten dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huq, M.; Namazie, M.A.

1983-11-01

We construct a massive version of N=2 supergravity in ten dimensions by compactification of the eleven dimensional, N=1 theory. This theory describes the usual N=2 massless super-multiplet, in addition to which there is an infinite tower of massive, charged N=2 supermultiplets. (author)

Ten themes of viscous liquid dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dyre, J. C.

2007-01-01

Ten ‘themes' of viscous liquid physics are discussed with a focus on how they point to a general description of equilibrium viscous liquid dynamics (i.e., fluctuations) at a given temperature. This description is based on standard time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations for the density fields...

Ten-year scheme of network development - 2013 edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

RTE, an independent subsidiary of EDF, is the French electricity transmission system operator. It is a public service company responsible for operating, maintaining and developing the high and extra high voltage network. It guarantees the reliability and proper operation of the power network. RTE transports electricity between electricity suppliers (French and European) and consumers, whether they are electricity distributors or industrial consumers directly connected to the transmission system. The mission of RTE is to balance the electricity supply and demand in real time. With the support of the government authorities, RTE prepares a ten-year scheme of network development in France; This document presents the main electricity transport infrastructures to foresee within the ten coming years and lists the network development investments which must be realised and implemented within 3 years. The document is updated each year and comes to complement at the national level the European ten year network development plan (TYNDP) and the European regional plans as provided for in the 2009/72/CE European directive

Learning from Change: Issues and Experiences in Participatory ...

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

Learning from Change provides an overview of the common themes and ... Read the e-book ... The third raises the key issues and challenges arising from the case studies and discussions, and proposes areas for future research and action.

Preparing tomorrow's network today: RTE at the crossroads of the European electricity system. Cross-border electricity interconnections Key issues and figures - 2014 Edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-10-01

The interconnected electricity transmission network is a key element for ensuring security of supply, the creation of a single market and the integration of renewable energies. RTE and its European partners provide strengthened coordination by the use of interconnections to ensure solidarity between European countries. Interconnections also allow an electricity supplier to sell its energy to a customer located in another country in Europe. They contribute on a European scale to optimising the use of production means and in particular the integration of variable renewable energies. RTE, within the EnTSo-E (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity), contributes to the publication of a common vision of the future of networks by 2030. The needs for new interconnection capacity are identified in the ten-year European network development plan (TYnDP) on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis. France is interconnected to all its neighbours via many cross-border links. However interconnection capacity with the various countries and its use differ widely. The usage profile of the interconnections is specific to each border and varies according to: - the characteristics of the production mix of each country, and in particular the level of production of renewable energies. - the level of consumption, which depends on the season, the type of day (working or non-working) the time of day, etc. - import and export capacity, which may be different depending on the internal constraints of the networks of each country

Discussion on some issues for HAF003 revision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Chaoyun, Wang Xiaotao; Duan Hongwei; Tian Feng

2013-01-01

This paper describes some key issues which should be considered during the revision of safety code Quality Assurance for Nuclear Power Plant (HAF003), based on the comparatively analysis and research on the quality assurance practice for nuclear power. It covers about 24 issues including management responsibilities, independent assessment, design control and procurement control etc. and is expected to provide some reference and proposal for HAF003 revision activities organized by National Nuclear Safety Agency (NNSA). (authors)

Vadose Zone Journal: The first ten years

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vrugt, J.A.; Or, D.; Young, M.H.

2013-01-01

Celebrating ten years of publication, the authors introduce a special section commemorating the anniversary of Vadose Zone Journal and reviewing the journal’s role in an evolving understanding of vadose zone science.

issues in mounting randomized experiments in educational research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Admin

KEY WORDS: Randomized experiment; Educational research; Evaluation; Research ethics;. Methodological issues. INTRODUCTION. No doubt .... and matching methods to control for initial group differences. ... reason that some evaluators are calling for mixed approach to ... in concise and understandable manner. This.

Dosimetry results for Big Ten and related benchmarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, G.E.; Gilliam, D.M.

1980-01-01

Measured average reaction cross sections for the Big Ten central flux spectrum are given together with calculated values based on the U.S. Evaluated Nuclear Data File ENDF/B-IV. Central reactivity coefficients for 233 U, 235 U, 239 Pu, 6 Li and 10 B are given to check consistency of bias between measured and calculated reaction cross sections for these isotopes. Spectral indexes for the Los Alamos 233 U, 235 U and 239 Pu metal critical assemblies are updated, utilizing the Big Ten measurements and interassembly calibrations, and their implications for inelastic scattering are reiterated

Exploring Ethical Issues Associated with Using Online Surveys in Educational Research

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Lynne D.; Allen, Peter J.

2015-01-01

Online surveys are increasingly used in educational research, yet little attention has focused on ethical issues associated with their use in educational settings. Here, we draw on the broader literature to discuss 5 key ethical issues in the context of educational survey research: dual teacher/researcher roles; informed consent; use of…

Management of graphite material: a key issue for High Temperature Gas Reactor system (HTGR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourdeloie, C.; Marimbeau, P.; Robin, J.C.; Cellier, F.

2005-01-01

Graphite material is used in nuclear High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGR, Fig.1) as moderator, thermal absorber and also as structural components of the core (Fig.2). This type of reactor was selected by the Generation IV forum as a potential high temperature provider for supplying hydrogen production plants and is under development in France in the frame of the AREVA ANTARES program. In order to select graphite grades to be used in these future reactors, the requirements for mechanical, thermal, physical-chemical properties must match the internal environment of the nuclear core, especially with regard to irradiation effect. Another important aspect that must be addressed early in design is the waste issue. Indeed, it is necessary to reduce the amount of nuclear waste produced by operation of the reactor during its lifetime. Preliminary assessment of the nuclear waste output for an ANTARES type 280 MWe HTGR over 60 year-lifetime gives an estimated 6000 m 3 of activated graphite waste. Thus, reducing the graphite waste production is an important issue for any HTGR system. First, this paper presents a preliminary inventory of graphite waste fluxes coming from a HTGR, in mass and volume, with magnitudes of radiological activities based on activation calculations of graphite during its stay in the core of the reactor. Normalized data corresponding to an output of 1 GWe.year electricity allows comparison of the waste production with other nuclear reactor systems. Second, possible routes to manage irradiated graphite waste are addressed in both the context of French nuclear waste management rules and by comparison to other national regulations. Routes for graphite waste disposal studied in different countries (concerning existing irradiated graphite waste) will be discussed with regard to new issues of large graphite waste from HTGR. Alternative or complementary solutions aiming at lowering volume of graphite waste to be managed will be presented. For example

Key issues of public relations of Europe: findings from the European Communication Monitor 2007-2014

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verčič, D.; Verhoeven, P.; Zerfass, A.

2014-01-01

European Communication Monitor is the largest longitudinal research project in public relations practice in the world. Data collected annually from 2007 to 2014 show that practitioners perceive five issues as the most important for their work: linking business strategy and communication, coping with

Medical school attrition-beyond the statistics a ten year retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Maher, Bridget M; Hynes, Helen; Sweeney, Catherine; Khashan, Ali S; O'Rourke, Margaret; Doran, Kieran; Harris, Anne; Flynn, Siun O'

2013-01-31

Medical school attrition is important--securing a place in medical school is difficult and a high attrition rate can affect the academic reputation of a medical school and staff morale. More important, however, are the personal consequences of dropout for the student. The aims of our study were to examine factors associated with attrition over a ten-year period (2001-2011) and to study the personal effects of dropout on individual students. The study included quantitative analysis of completed cohorts and qualitative analysis of ten-year data. Data were collected from individual student files, examination and admission records, exit interviews and staff interviews. Statistical analysis was carried out on five successive completed cohorts. Qualitative data from student files was transcribed and independently analysed by three authors. Data was coded and categorized and key themes were identified. Overall attrition rate was 5.7% (45/779) in 6 completed cohorts when students who transferred to other medical courses were excluded. Students from Kuwait and United Arab Emirates had the highest dropout rate (RR = 5.70, 95% Confidence Intervals 2.65 to 12.27;p psychological morbidity in 40% (higher than other studies). Qualitative analysis revealed recurrent themes of isolation, failure, and despair. Student Welfare services were only accessed by one-third of dropout students. While dropout is often multifactorial, certain red flag signals may alert us to risk of dropout including non-EU origin, academic struggling, absenteeism, social isolation, depression and leave of absence. Psychological morbidity amongst dropout students is high and Student Welfare services should be actively promoted. Absenteeism should prompt early intervention. Behind every dropout statistic lies a personal story. All medical schools have a duty of care to support students who leave the medical programme.

Immediate effects of tongue trills associated with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Science.gov (United States)

Fabron, Eliana Maria Gradim; Petrini, Andressa Schweitzer; Cardoso, Vanessa de Moraes; Batista, João Carlos Torgal; Motonaga, Suely Mayumi; Marino, Viviane Cristina de Castro

2017-06-08

To investigate vocal quality variability after applying tongue trills associated with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on the larynx of women with normal laryngeal function. Additionally, to verify the effect of this technique over time on voice quality. Participants were 40 women (average 23.4 years) without vocal complaints. The procedure involved tongue trills with or without TENS for 3 minutes, rest and repeating the technique for another 2 minutes. The participants' voices were recorded before (Pre), after three minutes (Post 3min) and after two additional minutes (Post 5min) applying the technique. TENS with two electrodes was used on the thyroid cartilage. Self-assessment, acoustic and perceptual analysis were performed. When comparing tongue trills in isolation and associated with TENS, a greater sense of stability in phonation (self-assessment) and improvement in voice quality (perceptual evaluation) was observed in the combination technique. There was no statistical difference in acoustics findings between tongue trills in isolation and associated with TENS. When comparing the time effect of tongue trills with TENS in self-assessment there was a perception of less muscle tension (3min) and greater comfort during phonation (5 min); in the acoustic analysis, there was an increase of F0 (3 and 5 min) and intensity (5 min) when compared to Pre-moment; in the perceptual evaluation, better voice quality (3min). Comparing tongue trills in isolation and associated with TENS, there were changes in the comfort and muscle tension perception, as well as in vocal quality. On the other hand, tongue trills associated with TENS performed in 3 or 5 minutes resulted in beneficial effects on the voice identified in the assessments.

Feasibility study of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for cancer bone pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Michael I; Johnson, Mark I; Brown, Sarah R; Radford, Helen; Brown, Julia M; Searle, Robert D

2010-04-01

This multicenter study assessed the feasibility of conducting a phase III trial of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with cancer bone pain recruited from palliative care services. Eligible patients received active and placebo TENS for 1 hour at site of pain in a randomized crossover design; median interval between applications 3 days. Responses assessed at 30 and 60 minutes included numerical and verbal ratings of pain at rest and on movement, and pain relief. Recruitment, tolerability, adverse events, and effectiveness of blinding were also evaluated. Twenty-four patients were randomised and 19 completed both applications. The intervention was well tolerated. Five patients withdrew: 3 due to deteriorating performance status, and 2 due to increased pain (1 each following active and placebo TENS). Confidence interval estimation around the differences in outcomes between active and placebo TENS suggests that TENS has the potential to decrease pain on movement more than pain on rest. Nine patients did not consider that a placebo was used; the remaining 10 correctly identified placebo TENS. Feasibility studies are important in palliative care prior to undertaking clinical trials. Our findings suggest that further work is required on recruitment strategies and refining the control arm before evaluating TENS in cancer bone pain. Cancer bone pain is common and severe, and partly mediated by hyperexcitability. Animal studies suggest that Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation can reduce hyperalgesia. This study examined the feasibility of evaluating TENS in patients with cancer bone pain in order to optimize methods before a phase III trial. Copyright 2010 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Food Marketing to Children - Introduction to Ethical Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Květa Olšanová

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The working paper provides an overview of key stakeholders involved in the food marketing to children in Europe and in the Czech Republic. It analyzes the role of the legislation as well as of voluntary codes of conduct in the food industry. The industry part of the issue is also covered by explanation of their role and position in the obesity issue. The form of food industry cooperation at the Food Chamber through a working group of involved companies is analyzed and an example of the corporate responsibility program is shown. The paper is going to serve as a review of the issue for further exploration needs.

Environmental trends and issues at the research horizon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwartz, J.H.; Warshaw, C.J.; Stoner, B.; Coerr, S.; O'Neal, J.

1992-01-01

This report provides a forecast of environmental trends and issues likely to emerge in the next 5 to 15 years. The report identifies and describes eleven significant emerging tends (i.e., general shifts in environmental policy-making, technology, regulation and public opinion) and - specific environmental issues (i.e., real or perceived environmental problems). The report further describes various debates or key questions that will determine over the next 5 to 15 years the potential government response to these environmental issues. This information is intended to assist the Gas research Institute as a research organization in planning and initiating research projects that will be relevant to important debates in the future

Recent hydrocarbon developments in Latin America: Key issues in the downstream oil sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, K.; Pezeshki, S.

1995-01-01

This report discusses the following: (1) An overview of major issues in the downstream oil sector, including oil demand and product export availability, the changing product consumption pattern, and refineries being due for major investment; (2) Recent upstream developments in the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela; (3) Recent downstream developments in the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Cuba, and Venezuela; (4) Pipelines in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico; and (5) Regional energy balance. 4 figs., 5 tabs

Recent hydrocarbon developments in Latin America: Key issues in the downstream oil sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, K.; Pezeshki, S.

1995-03-01

This report discusses the following: (1) An overview of major issues in the downstream oil sector, including oil demand and product export availability, the changing product consumption pattern, and refineries being due for major investment; (2) Recent upstream developments in the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela; (3) Recent downstream developments in the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Cuba, and Venezuela; (4) Pipelines in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico; and (5) Regional energy balance. 4 figs., 5 tabs.

Verhalen sprokkelen langs de frontlijn. Een kritische blik op Ten Oorlog

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans Boers

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Gathering Stories along the Front: A Critical Look at Ten Oorlog [To War]This article reflects critically on the popular television programme Ten Oorlog, thereby examining the field of tension between history and entertainment, between historians and ‘the public’. History can be addressed via various television formats as an historical documentary or a travel programme. An analysis indicates the extent to which Ten Oorlog is inspired by these formats. However, the popular television programme from the outset was not conceived as a classic historical documentary and perhaps can best be described as a historical human interest programme as part of the large-scale commemoration of the First World War. How do history and entertainment relate to one another in this programme? Is there more emphasis on the historical context or on anecdotal stories? This analysis of Ten Oorlog illustrates the tense relation between historians and ‘the public’.Dit artikel werpt een kritische blik op het populaire televisieprogramma Ten Oorlog en gaat daarbij in op het spanningsveld tussen geschiedenis en entertainment, tussen historici en ‘het publiek’. Geschiedenis kan via verschillende formats zoals een historische documentaire of een reisprogramma aan bod komen op televisie. Een analyse van deze formats geeft aan in welke mate Ten Oorlog hierop geïnspireerd is. Het populaire televisieprogramma was echter van begin af aan niet als een klassieke historische documentaire bedoeld en kan misschien het bestomschreven worden als een historisch human interest programma, in het kader van de grootschalige herdenking van de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Hoe verhoudengeschiedenis en entertainment zich daarin? Helt de balans meer over naar historische omkadering of naar anekdotische verhalen? Deze analyse van Ten Oorlog illustreert de gespannen relatie tussen historici en het grote publiek.

Overview of Variable Renewable Energy Regulatory Issues: A Clean Energy Regulators Initiative Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, M.; Cox, S.

2014-05-01

This CERI report aims to provide an introductory overview of key regulatory issues associated with the deployment of renewable energy -- particularly variable renewable energy (VRE) sources such wind and solar power. The report draws upon the research and experiences from various international contexts, and identifies key ideas that have emerged from the growing body of VRE deployment experience and regulatory knowledge. The report assumes basic familiarity with regulatory concepts, and although it is not written for a technical audience, directs the reader to further reading when available. VRE deployment generates various regulatory issues: substantive, procedural, and public interest issues, and the report aims to provide an empirical and technical grounding for all three types of questions as appropriate.

Methods of Generating Key Sequences Based on Parameters of Handwritten Passwords and Signatures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel Lozhnikov

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The modern encryption methods are reliable if strong keys (passwords are used, but the human factor issue cannot be solved by cryptographic methods. The best variant is binding all authenticators (passwords, encryption keys, and others to the identities. When a user is authenticated by biometrical characteristics, the problem of protecting a biometrical template stored on a remote server becomes a concern. The paper proposes several methods of generating keys (passwords by means of the fuzzy extractors method based on signature parameters without storing templates in an open way.

Habitability during long-duration space missions - Key issues associated with a mission to Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Stuster, Jack

1989-01-01

Isolation and confinement conditions similar to those of a long-duration mission to Mars are examined, focusing on 14 behavioral issues with design implications. Consideration is given to sleep, clothing, exercise, medical support, personal hygiene, food preparation, group interaction, habitat aesthetics, outside communications, recreational opportunities, privacy, waste disposal, onboard training, and the microgravity environment. The results are used to develop operational requirements and habitability design guidelines for interplanetary spacecraft.

Identifying Key Issues and Potential Solutions for Integrated Arrival, Departure, Surface Operations by Surveying Stakeholder Preferences

Science.gov (United States)

Aponso, Bimal; Coppenbarger, Richard A.; Jung, Yoon; Quon, Leighton; Lohr, Gary; O’Connor, Neil; Engelland, Shawn

2015-01-01

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) collaborates with the FAA and industry to provide concepts and technologies that enhance the transition to the next-generation air-traffic management system (NextGen). To facilitate this collaboration, ARMD has a series of Airspace Technology Demonstration (ATD) sub-projects that develop, demonstrate, and transitions NASA technologies and concepts for implementation in the National Airspace System (NAS). The second of these sub-projects, ATD-2, is focused on the potential benefits to NAS stakeholders of integrated arrival, departure, surface (IADS) operations. To determine the project objectives and assess the benefits of a potential solution, NASA surveyed NAS stakeholders to understand the existing issues in arrival, departure, and surface operations, and the perceived benefits of better integrating these operations. NASA surveyed a broad cross-section of stakeholders representing the airlines, airports, air-navigation service providers, and industry providers of NAS tools. The survey indicated that improving the predictability of flight times (schedules) could improve efficiency in arrival, departure, and surface operations. Stakeholders also mentioned the need for better strategic and tactical information on traffic constraints as well as better information sharing and a coupled collaborative planning process that allows stakeholders to coordinate IADS operations. To assess the impact of a potential solution, NASA sketched an initial departure scheduling concept and assessed its viability by surveying a select group of stakeholders for a second time. The objective of the departure scheduler was to enable flights to move continuously from gate to cruise with minimal interruption in a busy metroplex airspace environment using strategic and tactical scheduling enhanced by collaborative planning between airlines and service providers. The stakeholders agreed that this departure concept could improve schedule

Safeguards and security issues at the MRS facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGuinn, E.; Birch, M.; Jones, J.; Floyd, W.

1993-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) is responsible for disposing of the nation's high level radioactive waste in a way that ensures the protection of the public from any unacceptable radiological risks and the maintenance of the national security. To achieve these objectives, OCRWM plans to institute a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-approved security program at its facilities including the Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility. This program will safeguard nuclear information and provide not only for the physical protection of facilities but also for the nuclear material being handled and stored. Several key regulatory issues were identified during the development of the safeguards and security (S ampersand S) program for the MRS. These issues relate to developing a realistic definition of the security threat at the MRS and establishing a single set of regulatory requirements. Resolution of these issues is important to implement a realistic S ampersand S program who scope is commensurate with the potential risk at the MRS and complies with all appropriate regulatory requirements. OCRWM is working toward a timely resolution of these issues and on the formulation of an S ampersand S program for implementation at the MRS. As an initial step, DOE has proposed an S ampersand S strategy for the MRS based on a set of assumed resolutions to the key regulatory issues. With this approach, the facility designers will be able to evaluate possible S ampersand S concepts for integration into the MRS early in the design process

42 CFR 414.232 - Special payment rules for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... nerve stimulators (TENS). 414.232 Section 414.232 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES... Special payment rules for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS). (a) General payment rule. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, payment for TENS is made on a purchase basis with...

Policy Issues in Gay and Lesbian Adoption.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Ann

1995-01-01

Notes that adoption agencies have developed few specific policies on the issue of lesbian and gay adoption. Provides an overview of key considerations about homosexual adopters, including beliefs and values of agency professionals, the legal and social ramifications of adoption into a relationship not based on marriage, and possible consequences…

Key challenges to expanding renewable energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stram, Bruce N.

2016-01-01

The key advantage of renewables is that they are free of direct pollution and carbon emissions. Given concern over global warming caused by carbon emissions, there are substantial policy efforts to increase renewable penetrations. The purpose of this paper is to outline and evaluate the challenges presented by increasing penetrations of renewable electricity generation. These generation sources primarily include solar and wind which are growing rapidly and are new enough to the grid that the impact of high penetrations is not fully understood. The intrinsic nature of solar and wind power is very likely to present greater system challenges than “conventional” sources. Within limits, those challenges can be overcome, but at a cost. Later sections of the paper will draw on a variety of sources to identify a range of such costs, at least as they are foreseen by researchers helping prepare ambitious plans for grids to obtain high shares (30–50%) of their megawatt hours from primarily solar and wind generation. Energy poverty issues are outlined and related to renewable costs issues. - Highlights: •Integration of intermittent renewables with existing power grids. •Renewable ramping and over production issues. •Renewable caused system costs. •Energy poverty circumstances and consequences.

Thyrotropin receptor mutations and thyroid hyperfunctioning adenomas ten years after their first discovery: unresolved questions.

Science.gov (United States)

Arturi, F; Scarpelli, D; Coco, A; Sacco, R; Bruno, R; Filetti, S; Russo, D

2003-04-01

Ten years after the first description of activating mutations in the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) gene in sporadic autonomous hyperfunctioning thyroid adenomas, there is general agreement in assigning a major pathogenic role of this genetic abnormality, acting via the constitutive activation of the cAMP pathway, in both the growth and functional characteristic of these tumours. From the beginning, however, the pathophysiological and clinical relevance of somatic TSHR mutations has been debated and some arguments still exist against a fully causative role of these mutations and the practical value of detecting these mutations for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of thyroid hot nodules. Some major issues will be examined herein, including (a) the frequency of TSHR alterations in various reports showing that the genetic abnormality underlying the pathogenesis of a substantial subset of thyroid tumours has yet to be identified; (b) the limitations of the present experimental models, which suggest greater caution in the interpretation of in vitro results; (c) the still unresolved question of absence of genotype-phenotype correlation. Clarification of these issues may hopefully provide new and useful tools for improving the clinical management of this disease.

Integration of quantum key distribution and private classical communication through continuous variable

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tianyi; Gong, Feng; Lu, Anjiang; Zhang, Damin; Zhang, Zhengping

2017-12-01

In this paper, we propose a scheme that integrates quantum key distribution and private classical communication via continuous variables. The integrated scheme employs both quadratures of a weak coherent state, with encrypted bits encoded on the signs and Gaussian random numbers encoded on the values of the quadratures. The integration enables quantum and classical data to share the same physical and logical channel. Simulation results based on practical system parameters demonstrate that both classical communication and quantum communication can be implemented over distance of tens of kilometers, thus providing a potential solution for simultaneous transmission of quantum communication and classical communication.

Emission properties of Sm(III) complex having ten-coordination structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Yasuchika; Tsuruoka, Shin-ichi; Yoshida, Takahiko; Kawai, Hideki; Kawai, Tsuyoshi

2008-01-01

Sammarium(III) complex having ten-coordination structure, bis-(1,10-phenanthroline)tris-(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)samarium(III) (Sm(hfa) 3 (phen) 2 ) was prepared by chelation of tris-(hexafluoroacetylacetonato) samarium(III) (Sm(hfa) 3 (H 2 O) 2 ) with 1,10-phenantroline (phen). The characteristic ten-coordination structure of Sm(hfa) 3 (phen) 2 was determined by 1 H NMR and elemental analyses. Strong deep-red emission (λ max =643 nm) and narrow emission band (FWHM=5 nm) of Sm(hfa) 3 (phen) 2 originated from electronic allowed transition from characteristics ten coordinate structure. The emission quantum yields Sm(hfa) 3 (phen) 2 excited at absorption bands of ligands and Sm(III) ion were found to be 0.36 and 1.4%, respectively

Modern Sound of Themes “War” and “Peace” in the Poem "Two Hundred Ten Steps" By R. I. Rozhdestvenskiy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina Ya. Sipkina

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on the thematic content of the poem "Two hundred and ten steps" by R.I. Rozhdestvenskiy in the context of the literary process of the 1970s. The scientific novelty of the test material is the first time in the domestic literary study one of the most important poems in the work of R.I.Rozhdestvenskiy. Chapter explores the poem on the themes of war and peace. The article reveals the moral and aesthetic principles of the poet, his attitude to topical issues of global importance.

Wastes - Issue 2014. Key figures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haeusler, Laurence; Moro-Goubely, Anne-Gaelle; Berthoin, Guillaume; Mathery, Christian; Galio, Pierre; Heyberger-Paroisse, Agnes

2014-06-01

This publication proposes numerous tables and graphs of data and indicators (and of their evolution) regarding wastes. It addresses waste prevention and production in France (concerned materials, waste production, waste origins, actions and measures for waste prevention, re-use), waste collection (for domestic, industrial wastes, cross-border exchanges, nuclear reactors), waste processing (of dangerous and non dangerous wastes), valorisation processes (sorting, recycling, composting, methanization), waste-based energy production, economy and costs of the waste management activity, and environmental impacts (atmospheric emissions, impact of recycling)

Key Issue: Enhancing Teacher Leadership

Science.gov (United States)

National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2007

2007-01-01

"Teachers are leaders when they function in professional communities to affect student learning; contribute to school improvement; inspire excellence in practice; and empower stakeholders to participate in educational improvement" (Childs-Bowen, Moller, & Scrivner, 2000, p. 28). Enhancing teacher leadership can help schools and districts reach the…

Women's Participation and Gender Issues in Local Governance in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DrNneka

Key Words: Gender issues, local governance, women empowerment, women ... A higher percentage of the people in the Nigeria live at the grassroots .... Data collected as presented in Table 1 (see appendix) shows that in both zones.

Ten per cent more grain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1967-08-15

At a low estimate, ten per cent of stored grain is lost every year to insect pests. In this article, based on a lecture given earlier this year in Switzerland, Dr. Harry E. Goresline, Food Radiation Specialist of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, now assisting the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Atomic Energy in Food and Agriculture, explains how use of radiation can help to prevent losses and the research which has taken place to ensure its safety

The Development of Resources of Students in Adolescence as a Key Issue in Contemporary Education

Science.gov (United States)

Gosk, Urszula; Kuracki, Kamil

2015-01-01

In the presented paper, the issue of recognition and building of resources in adolescent pupils was discussed, referring to salutogenic concept of A. Antonovsky and Conservation of Resources Theory of S. E. Hobfoll. Coming out from developmental pedagogy and positive orientation in social sciences, benefits of scientific and educational actions…

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) reduces pain, fatigue, and hyperalgesia while restoring central inhibition in primary fibromyalgia

Science.gov (United States)

Dailey, Dana L; Rakel, Barbara A; Vance, Carol GT; Liebano, Richard E; Anand, Amrit S; Bush, Heather M; Lee, Kyoung S; Lee, Jennifer E; Sluka, Kathleen A

2014-01-01

Because TENS works by reducing central excitability and activating central inhibition pathways, we tested the hypothesis that TENS would reduce pain and fatigue and improve function and hyperalgesia in people with fibromyalgia who have enhanced central excitability and reduced inhibition. The current study used a double-blinded randomized, placebo controlled cross-over design to test effects of a single treatment of TENS in people with fibromyalgia. Three treatments were assessed in random order: active TENS, placebo TENS, no TENS. The following measures were assessed before and after each TENS treatment: pain and fatigue at rest and movement, pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), 6 minute walk test (6MWT), range of motion (ROM), five time sit to stand test (FTSTS), and single leg stance (SLS). Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) was completed at end of testing. There was a significant decrease in pain and fatigue with movement for active TENS compared to placebo and no TENS. PPTs increased at site of TENS (spine) and outside site of TENS (leg) when compared to placebo TENS or no TENS. During Active TENS CPM was significantly stronger compared to placebo TENS and no TENS. No changes in functional tasks were observed with TENS. Thus, the current study suggests TENS has short-term efficacy in relieving symptoms of fibromyalgia while the stimulator is active. Future clinical trials should examine the effects of repeated daily delivery of TENS, similar to how TENS is used clinically, on pain, fatigue, function and quality of life in individuals with fibromyalgia. PMID:23900134

Ecotoxicology for risk assessment in arid zones: some key issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Everts, J W

1997-01-01

In the hot arid zones of the world, ecotoxicological research is in statu nascendi. In these zones, the major sources of contamination by toxicants are: (1) plant protection and vector control in wet zones; (2) large-scale crop protection campaigns in dry and ephemeral wet zones; (3) refuse and obsolete pesticides in dry zones; and (4) mining. Economic development in many of these zones requires an adequate knowledge of certain basic principles, i.e., where extrapolating existing knowledge does not apply. The vulnerability of ecosystems to contaminants is closely related to water flow. In dry areas, species are susceptible to factors that interfere with the ecophysiological properties regulating water loss. Most hot arid areas are found at low latitudes where temperatures show striking extremes both in time and space. Living organisms are physiologically resistant and/or show adaptive behavior to these temperature extremes. Very little is known about the effects of toxicants on these key resistant and adaptive functions, although by extrapolation a few assumptions can be made. The effects of hyperthermia, for instance, can be aggravated by GSH depleting substances, and the temporary disabling effects characteristic of many pesticides may prove fatal under these circumstances. Most wet areas show a spatial concentration of both human activity and wildlife. In mesic zones, the contamination of water represents a health risk to both humans and other living organisms. The vast majority of aquatic communities are those inhabiting temporary pools and streams. Their populations are characterized by short reproductive cycles and/or long dormant stages. Toxicants affecting growth in these areas have been shown to have a deleterious effect. In a synthesis of existing knowledge the most prominent gaps are identified and priorities for further research are made.

Ten Leading Causes of Death and Injury

Science.gov (United States)

... Overdose Traumatic Brain Injury Violence Prevention Ten Leading Causes of Death and Injury Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir ... in Hospital Emergency Departments, United States – 2014 Leading Causes of Death Charts Causes of Death by Age Group 2016 [ ...

Issues concerning outer space investments in international law ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Issues concerning outer space investments in international law. ... Recent improvements in technology have in essence increased the viability of outer space as the next frontier for international investment and development. In addition to ... Key words: Outer Space, Investments, International Law, International Space Station ...

Containment-emergency-sump performance. Technical findings related to Unresolved Safety Issue A-43

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-04-01

This report summarizes key technical findings related to the Unresolved Safety Issue A-43, Containment Emergency Sump Performance, and provides recommendations for resolution of attendant safety issues. The key safety questions relate to: (a) effects of insulation debris on sump performance; (b) sump hydraulic performance as determined by design features, submergence, and plant induced effects, and (c) recirculation pump performance wherein air and/or particulate ingestion can occur. The technical findings presented in this report provide information relevant to the design and performance evaluation of the containment emergency sump

Age Group Comparisons of TENS Response Among Individuals With Chronic Axial Low Back Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Corey B; Riley, Joseph L; Fillingim, Roger B; Bishop, Mark D; George, Steven Z

2015-12-01

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a highly prevalent and disabling musculoskeletal pain condition among older adults. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is commonly used to treat CLBP, however response to TENS in older adults compared with younger adults is untested. In a dose-response study stratified by age, 60 participants with axial CLBP (20 young, 20 middle-aged, 20 older) received four 20-minute sessions of high-frequency high-intensity TENS over a 2- to 3-week period in a laboratory-controlled setting. Experimental measures of pain sensitivity (mechanical pressure pain detection threshold) and central pain excitability (phasic heat temporal summation and heat aftersensations) were assessed before and after TENS. Episodic or immediate axial CLBP relief was assessed after TENS via measures of resting pain, movement-evoked-pain, and self-reported disability. Cumulative or prolonged axial CLBP relief was assessed by comparing daily pain reports across sessions. Independent of age, individuals experienced episodic increase in the pressure pain detection threshold and reduction in aftersensation after TENS application. Similarly, all groups, on average, experienced episodic axial CLBP relief via improved resting pain, movement-evoked pain, and disability report. Under this design, no cumulative effect was observed as daily pain did not improve for any age group across the 4 sessions. However, older adults received higher TENS amplitude across all sessions to achieve TENS responses similar to those in younger adults. These findings suggest that older adults experience similar episodic axial CLBP relief to that of younger individuals after high-frequency, high-intensity TENS when higher dose parameters are used. This study examined age group differences in experimental and axial CLBP response to TENS, delivered under the current recommended parameters of strong, but tolerable amplitude. Older adults had comparable TENS response although at higher TENS

Can Competency-Based Training Fly?: An Overview of Key Issues for "Ab Initio" Pilot Training

Science.gov (United States)

Franks, Peter; Hay, Stephen; Mavin, Tim

2014-01-01

Competency-based training (CBT) for pilots was formally introduced in 1999 by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for training leading to the issue of aeroplane private and commercial pilot licences. This initiative followed the Australian government's introduction of CBT policy for vocational and workplace training in the late 1980's.…

Key-value store with internal key-value storage interface

Science.gov (United States)

Bent, John M.; Faibish, Sorin; Ting, Dennis P. J.; Tzelnic, Percy; Gupta, Uday; Grider, Gary; Bonnie, David J.

2018-01-16

A key-value store is provided having one or more key-value storage interfaces. A key-value store on at least one compute node comprises a memory for storing a plurality of key-value pairs; and an abstract storage interface comprising a software interface module that communicates with at least one persistent storage device providing a key-value interface for persistent storage of one or more of the plurality of key-value pairs, wherein the software interface module provides the one or more key-value pairs to the at least one persistent storage device in a key-value format. The abstract storage interface optionally processes one or more batch operations on the plurality of key-value pairs. A distributed embodiment for a partitioned key-value store is also provided.

Low-Power Public Key Cryptography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

BEAVER,CHERYL L.; DRAELOS,TIMOTHY J.; HAMILTON,VICTORIA A.; SCHROEPPEL,RICHARD C.; GONZALES,RITA A.; MILLER,RUSSELL D.; THOMAS,EDWARD V.

2000-11-01

This report presents research on public key, digital signature algorithms for cryptographic authentication in low-powered, low-computation environments. We assessed algorithms for suitability based on their signature size, and computation and storage requirements. We evaluated a variety of general purpose and special purpose computing platforms to address issues such as memory, voltage requirements, and special functionality for low-powered applications. In addition, we examined custom design platforms. We found that a custom design offers the most flexibility and can be optimized for specific algorithms. Furthermore, the entire platform can exist on a single Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or can be integrated with commercially available components to produce the desired computing platform.

Using automated environmental management information systems to enable compliance: Ten questions to answer before selecting a software system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilbert, J.B.

1999-07-01

As technology invades the arena of environmental information management, hundreds of software packages have become available in the marketplace. How does the already overwhelmed environmental manager or IT professional decide what's right for the organization? Is there a software package that meets the needs of the organization, and is there a successful way to implement the system? Does this require abandoning existing systems with which users are comfortable? Can the system really save time and/or money? This paper discusses three topics: What drives the need for a system; Ten questions to aid in selecting a system that is right for your organization; and enabling technology and software systems available today, and the future application of technology to environmental data management. Motivating factors for EMIS include regulatory, business and IT drivers. Because of the ever-increasing regulatory burden, the need to demonstrate compliance often is the strongest driver. But they cannot ignore business and IT drivers from the discussion, especially with issues such as Enterprise Resource Planning and The Year 2000 impacting many systems projects. Before selecting a system, the organization should address, at a minimum, the following ten issues: (1) Organization objectives; (2) Organization readiness; (3) High-level processes to be automated; (4) Integration and interfaces; (5) User community and needs; (6) Technical requirements; (7) Degree of customization; (8) Project timing; (9) Implementation resource needs; and (10) System justification. Today, there are hundreds of EH and S software packages available too help automate daily business processes. Only a few are multimedia packages, and all require significant implementation efforts. The EMIS market is still evolving, and software vendors continue to enhance product features and usability.

A Review of Ten Years of the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART from 2002 to 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas Biedenbach

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Surveillance of antimicrobial agent resistance provides important information to guide microbiologists and infectious disease specialists understanding of the control and the spread of resistance mechanisms within the local environment. Continued monitoring of antimicrobial resistance patterns in the community and in local hospital environments is essential to guide effective empiric therapy. The Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART has monitored the in vitro susceptibility patterns of clinical Gram-negative bacilli to antimicrobial agents collected worldwide from intra-abdominal infections since 2002 and urinary tract infections since 2009. Resistance trends, with a particular focus on carbapenem resistance and the rate of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs, were analyzed. Isolates from intra-abdominal infections (n = 92,086 and urinary-tract infections (n = 24,705 were collected and tested using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methods. This review presents carbapenem susceptibility and ESBL rates over ten years of SMART study analysis, including key publications during this period. The SMART study has proved to be a valuable resource in determining pathogen prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility over the last ten years and continues to provide evidence for regulatory susceptibility breakpoints and clinical decision making.

A Review of Ten Years of the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART) from 2002 to 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrissey, Ian; Hackel, Meredith; Badal, Robert; Bouchillon, Sam; Hawser, Stephen; Biedenbach, Douglas

2013-11-01

Surveillance of antimicrobial agent resistance provides important information to guide microbiologists and infectious disease specialists understanding of the control and the spread of resistance mechanisms within the local environment. Continued monitoring of antimicrobial resistance patterns in the community and in local hospital environments is essential to guide effective empiric therapy. The Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART) has monitored the in vitro susceptibility patterns of clinical Gram-negative bacilli to antimicrobial agents collected worldwide from intra-abdominal infections since 2002 and urinary tract infections since 2009. Resistance trends, with a particular focus on carbapenem resistance and the rate of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), were analyzed. Isolates from intra-abdominal infections (n = 92,086) and urinary-tract infections (n = 24,705) were collected and tested using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methods. This review presents carbapenem susceptibility and ESBL rates over ten years of SMART study analysis, including key publications during this period. The SMART study has proved to be a valuable resource in determining pathogen prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility over the last ten years and continues to provide evidence for regulatory susceptibility breakpoints and clinical decision making.

Public engagement with CCS: barriers, key issues and ways forward

Science.gov (United States)

Xenias, Dimitrios

2017-04-01

Although Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is recognised as a crucial transition technology to a low-carbon world, it has not been popular with the public or some governments (e.g. the UK). Also, despite its use in industrial processes for decades, CCS remains and unfamiliar technology for most publics. It is therefore important to foster top-down and bottom-up acceptance of large scale CCS. In an exploratory round of interviews we canvassed the views of British, Dutch, German and Norwegian experts (N=13) with previous experience in public engagement with CCS. They identified barriers and drivers for CCS deployment and public engagement with CCS. Thematic analysis revealed a small number of recurrent issues, including: (a) lack of political leadership on CCS; (b) lack of public knowledge on relevant technologies and (c) difficulty communicating why CCS is necessary. Emphasis on these barriers varied with the level of experts' engagement with the public. More interestingly, although most experts agreed on the importance of public engagement, their views divided between 'why' engage and 'how' best to do this. In a subsequent expert survey (N=99) interview findings were reinforced: public support was seen as important for CCS roll-out (72%), though lower than political support and funding. The survey also showed that local public was expected to experience most risks, while global public will experience most benefits; whereas local business is seen to benefit more than global. Experts were overwhelmingly positive about CCS - risks outweigh benefits, and are confident that CCS will play a major role in climate change mitigation (along with reduced energy demand and renewables). These findings will be expanded on and triangulated in a follow-up public survey which will benefit those involved with public engagement with CCS.

GAIA - A New Approach To Decision Making on Climate Disruption Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Paxton, L. J.; Weiss, M.; Schaefer, R. K.; Swartz, W. H.; Nix, M.; Strong, S. B.; Fountain, G. H.; Babin, S. M.; Pikas, C. K.; Parker, C. L.; Global Assimilation of InformationAction

2011-12-01

GAIA - the Global Assimilation of Information for Action program - provides a broadly extensible framework for enabling the development of a deeper understanding of the issues associated with climate disruption. The key notion of GAIA is that the global climate problem is so complex that a "system engineering" approach is needed in order to make it understandable. The key tenet of system engineering is to focus on requirements and to develop a cost-effective process for satisfying those requirements. To demonstrate this approach we focused first on the impact of climate disruption on public health. GAIA is described in some detail on our website (http://gaia.jhuapl.edu). Climate disruption is not just a scientific problem; one of the key issues that our community has is that of translating scientific results into knowledge that can be used to make informed decisions. In order to support decision makers we have to understand their issues and how to communicate with them. In this talk, we describe how we have built a community of interest that combines subject matter experts from diverse communities (public health, climate change, government, public policy, industry, etc) with policy makers and representatives from industry to develop, on a "level playing field", an understanding of each other's points of view and issues. The first application of this technology was the development of a workshop on Climate, Climate Change and Public Health held April 12-14, 2011. This paper describes our approach to going beyond the workshop environment to continue to engage the decision maker's community in a variety of ways that translate abstract scientific data into actionable information. Key ideas we will discuss include the development of social media, simulations of global/national/local environments affected by climate disruption, and visualizations of the monetary and health impacts of choosing not to address mitigation or adaptation to climate disruption.

A Review on Key Issues and Challenges in Devices Level MEMS Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Shoaib

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The present review provides information relevant to issues and challenges in MEMS testing techniques that are implemented to analyze the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS behavior for specific application and operating conditions. MEMS devices are more complex and extremely diverse due to the immersion of multidomains. Their failure modes are distinctive under different circumstances. Therefore, testing of these systems at device level as well as at mass production level, that is, parallel testing, is becoming very challenging as compared to the IC test, because MEMS respond to electrical, physical, chemical, and optical stimuli. Currently, test systems developed for MEMS devices have to be customized due to their nondeterministic behavior and complexity. The accurate measurement of test systems for MEMS is difficult to quantify in the production phase. The complexity of the device to be tested required maturity in the test technique which increases the cost of test development; this practice is directly imposed on the device cost. This factor causes a delay in time-to-market.

Chronic Absenteeism: A Key Indicator of Student Success. Policy Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Rafa, Alyssa

2017-01-01

Research shows that chronic absenteeism can affect academic performance in later grades and is a key early warning sign that a student is more likely to drop out of high school. Several states enacted legislation to address this issue, and many states are currently discussing the utility of chronic absenteeism as an indicator of school quality or…

Radiology now. The ten day rule - principles and practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carmichael, J H.E. [Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool (UK); Warrick, C K

1978-11-01

The ten day rule recommends that non-urgent diagnostic radiography of the abdomen in women of child-bearing capacity should be confined to the pre-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle. Arguments for and against this rule are reviewed. The attitudes and organization of radiographic practice in the UK differ from those in the USA. Assessment of the evidence for the hazards involved leads to the conclusion that the continued application of the ten day rule should be strongly recommended as an essential part of good radiological and radiographic practice.

How green are the TEN-T core network corridors?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Panagakos, George; Psaraftis, Harilaos N.

defining this concept, identified the characteristics that distinguish a green corridor from an otherwise efficient one. The main thesis of this paper is that the „core network corridors‟ of the new TEN-T guidelines exhibit all these qualities and the vision of a green corridor network in Europe is close...... to reality. To support this thesis, and in continuation of the work of SuperGreen, the paper examines the proposed new „guidelines‟ for the development of the TEN-T after presenting a brief history of transport network development in Europe....

Introduction strategies raise key questions.

Science.gov (United States)

Finger, W R; Keller, S

1995-09-01

Key issues that must be considered before a new contraceptive is introduced center on the need for a trained provider to begin or terminate the method, its side effects, duration of use, method's ability to meet users' needs and preferences, and extra training or staff requirements. Logistics and economic issues to consider are identifying a dependable way of effectively supplying commodities, planning extra services needed for the method, and cost of providing the method. Each contraceptive method presents a different side effect pattern and burdens the service delivery setting differently. The strategy developed to introduce or expand the 3-month injectable Depo-Provera (DMPA) can be used for any method. It includes a needs assessment and addresses regulatory issues, service delivery policies and procedures, information and training, evaluation, and other concerns. Viet Nam's needs assessment showed that Norplant should not be introduced until the service delivery system becomes stronger. Any needs assessment for expansion of contraceptive services should cover sexually transmitted disease/HIV issues. A World Health Organization strategy helps officials identify the best method mix for local situations. Introductory strategies must aim to improve the quality of family planning programs and expand choices. Many begin by examining existing data and conducting interviews with policymakers, users, providers, and women's health advocates. Introductory programs for Norplant focus on provider training, adequate counseling and informed consent for users, and ready access to removal. They need a well-prepared service delivery infrastructure. The first phase of the DMPA introductory strategy for the Philippines comprised a social marketing campaign and DMPA introduction at public clinics in 10 pilot areas with strong service delivery. Successful AIDS prevention programs show that people tend to use barrier methods when they are available. USAID is currently studying

Quantum key distribution with a single photon from a squeezed coherent state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuoka, Masahiro; Hirano, Takuya

2003-01-01

Squeezing of the coherent state by optical parametric amplifier is shown to efficiently produce single-photon states with reduced multiphoton probabilities compared with the weak coherent light. It can be a better source for a longer-distance quantum key distribution and also for other quantum optical experiments. The necessary condition for a secure quantum key distribution given by Brassard et al. is analyzed as functions of the coherent-state amplitude and squeeze parameter. Similarly, the rate of the gained secure bits G after error correction and privacy amplification given by Luetkenhaus is calculated. Compared with the weak coherent light, it is found that G is about ten times larger and its high level continues on about two times longer distance. By improvement of the detector efficiency it is shown that the distance extends further. Measurement of the intensity correlation function and the relation to photon antibunching are discussed for the experimental verification of the single-photon generation

Czech, Slovak science ten years after split

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

Ten years after the split of Czechoslovakia Czech and Slovak science are facing the same difficulties: shortage of money for research, poor salaries, obsolete equipment and brain drain, especially of the young, according to a feature in the Daily Lidove Noviny (1 page).

The World energy issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nifenecker, Herve

2011-01-01

This Power Point document proposes figures and data about the current world energy consumption, the various energy sources, the share of primary energy consumption by different sectors, and the levels of energy reserves. It addresses the issue of global warming (evolution of temperature, regional anomalies, the challenge of limitation of temperature, the greenhouse gas emissions), the strategic role of electricity (energy mix, heat production with electricity), energy savings, electricity production (key data on solar, wind, solar and biomass energy, possibilities of carbon capture, nuclear energy, costs of these different energies)

A Round-Efficient Authenticated Key Agreement Scheme Based on Extended Chaotic Maps for Group Cloud Meeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tsung-Hung; Tsung, Chen-Kun; Lee, Tian-Fu; Wang, Zeng-Bo

2017-12-03

The security is a critical issue for business purposes. For example, the cloud meeting must consider strong security to maintain the communication privacy. Considering the scenario with cloud meeting, we apply extended chaotic map to present passwordless group authentication key agreement, termed as Passwordless Group Authentication Key Agreement (PL-GAKA). PL-GAKA improves the computation efficiency for the simple group password-based authenticated key agreement (SGPAKE) proposed by Lee et al. in terms of computing the session key. Since the extended chaotic map has equivalent security level to the Diffie-Hellman key exchange scheme applied by SGPAKE, the security of PL-GAKA is not sacrificed when improving the computation efficiency. Moreover, PL-GAKA is a passwordless scheme, so the password maintenance is not necessary. Short-term authentication is considered, hence the communication security is stronger than other protocols by dynamically generating session key in each cloud meeting. In our analysis, we first prove that each meeting member can get the correct information during the meeting. We analyze common security issues for the proposed PL-GAKA in terms of session key security, mutual authentication, perfect forward security, and data integrity. Moreover, we also demonstrate that communicating in PL-GAKA is secure when suffering replay attacks, impersonation attacks, privileged insider attacks, and stolen-verifier attacks. Eventually, an overall comparison is given to show the performance between PL-GAKA, SGPAKE and related solutions.

Simultaneous determination of ten compounds in two main ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Simultaneous determination of ten compounds in two main medicinal plant parts of Tibetan herb, Pterocephalus hookeri (CB Clarke) Höeck, by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array.

Practical Implementation of Various Public Key Infrastructure Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dmitriy Anatolievich Melnikov

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The paper proposes a short comparative analysis of the contemporary models of public key infrastructure (PKI and the issues of the PKI models real implementation. The Russian model of PKI is presented. Differences between the North American and West Europe models of PKI and Russian model of PKI are described. The problems of creation and main directions of further development and improvement of the Russian PKI and its integration into the global trust environment are defined.

Resources for our Future. Key issues and best practices in resource efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weterings, R.; Bastein, T.; Tukker, A. [TNO, Delft (Netherlands); Rademaker, M.; De Ridder, M. [The Hague Centre for Strategic studies HCSS, Den Haag (Netherlands)

2013-08-15

This book provides an analysis of the issues surrounding international resources and inspiring accounts of industrial best practices. The book consists of two distinct parts. The first part of the book brings together the results of years of research into the geopolitical, economic and ecological dimensions of material scarcity and resource efficiency. Chapter 2 discusses the main challenges and constraints related to the use of energy resources, water and land, industrial and metallic minerals, construction minerals and biotic resources, including water use and ecosystem degradation. The chapter also addresses important linkages between these various resources. Chapter 3 describes the international trends that are shaping the geopolitics of natural resources and looks at the implications for Europe and the Netherlands. Chapter 4 presents a wide range of strategies by which governments, producers and consumers may contribute to the more sustainable use of natural resources. The second part of the book describes 21 inspiring best practices in resource efficiency in a variety of industrial sectors. Based on a series of interviews with industrial pioneers, these chapters relate their first-hand experiences in improving resource efficiency. These business cases demonstrate that innovation and entrepreneurship can result in substantial improvements in resource efficiency. Chapter 5 focuses on best practices in the built environment, where substantial amounts of energy and minerals are used. Chapter 6 presents four ambitious strategies to promote sustainable food production and consumption. Chapter 7 describes recent developments in the chemical process industry, which produces most of the ingredients, compounds and semi-products for the vast range of products used by society. Chapter 8 provides four examples of the state-of-the-art in resource efficiency in the metal and high-tech industries. This chapter presents four business cases highlighting the benefits of the

Key Technologies of Phone Storage Forensics Based on ARM Architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jianghan; Che, Shengbing

2018-03-01

Smart phones are mainly running Android, IOS and Windows Phone three mobile platform operating systems. The android smart phone has the best market shares and its processor chips are almost ARM software architecture. The chips memory address mapping mechanism of ARM software architecture is different with x86 software architecture. To forensics to android mart phone, we need to understand three key technologies: memory data acquisition, the conversion mechanism from virtual address to the physical address, and find the system’s key data. This article presents a viable solution which does not rely on the operating system API for a complete solution to these three issues.

Durability Issues and Status of PBI-Based Fuel Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Mark Tonny Dalsgaard; Jensen, Jens Oluf; Cleemann, Lars Nilausen

2016-01-01

This chapter briefly reviews durability and stability issues with key materials and components for HT-PEMFCs, including the polymer membrane, the doping acid, the electrocatalyst, the catalyst support and bipolar plates. Degradation mechanisms and their dependence on fuel cell operating condition...

Frictional amyloidosis in Oman - A study of ten cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mysore Venkataram

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Macular amyloidosis is an important cause for cutaneous pigmentation, the aetiology of which is poorly understood. Friction has recently been implicated the causation of early lesions, referred to as frictional amyloidosis. Confirmation of diagnosis by the detect on of amyloid using histochemical stains is inconsistent. Ten patients with pigmentation suggestive of macular amyloidosis were studied with detailed history, clinical examination, biopsy for histochemistry and electron microscopy. Nine out of ten patients had a history of prolonged friction with various objects such as bath sponges, brushes, towels, plant sticks and leaves. Amyloid was demonstrated by histochemical staining in only six out of ten cases. In the remaining four cases, amyloid was detected by electron microscopy. These consisted of aggregates of non-branching, extracellular, intertwining fibres measuring between 200-500 nm in length and between 20-25 nm in diameter. The study confirms the role of friction in the causation of this condition. Histochemical stains are not always successful in the detection of amyloid and electron microscopy is helpful for confirming its presence. The term frictional amyloidosis aptly describes the condition.

Dose-specific effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on experimental pain: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Claydon, Leica S; Chesterton, Linda S; Barlas, Panos; Sim, Julius

2011-09-01

To determine the hypoalgesic effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) parameter combinations on experimental models in healthy humans. Searches were performed using the electronic databases Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, and Web of Science (from inception to December 2009). Manual searches of journals and reference lists of retrieved trials were also performed. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review if they compared the hypoalgesic effect of TENS relative with placebo and control, using an experimental pain model in healthy human participants. Two reviewers independently selected the trials, assessed their methodologic quality and extracted data. Forty-three RCTs were eligible for inclusion. A best evidence synthesis revealed: Overall "conflicting" (inconsistent findings in multiple RCTs) evidence of TENS efficacy on experimental pain irrespective of TENS parameters used. Overall intense TENS has "moderate" evidence of efficacy (1 high-quality and 2 low-quality trials). Conventional TENS has overall conflicting evidence of efficacy, this is derived from "strong" evidence of efficacy (generally consistent findings in multiple high-quality RCTs) on pressure pain but strong evidence of inefficacy on other pain models. "Limited" evidence (positive findings from 1 RCT) of hypoalgesia exists for some novel parameters. Low-intensity, low-frequency, local TENS has strong evidence of inefficacy. Inappropriate TENS (using "barely perceptible" intensities) has moderate evidence of inefficacy. The level of hypoalgesic efficacy of TENS is clearly dependent on TENS parameter combination selection (defined in terms of intensity, frequency, and stimulation site) and experimental pain model. Future clinical RCTs may consider these TENS dose responses.

Gender issues in urban indigenous communities in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper therefore attempts to examine gender issues in five indigenous communities in Port Harcourt. The communities are: Abuloma, Oroazi, Rumuadaolu, Elekahia and Ogbuna-abali. The key questions explored in the study are: how are urban indigenous women been marginalized in the process of urban growth and ...

Selection of a new nuclear unit for Slovakia: possibilities and key technical issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misak, J.

2009-01-01

Plans for construction of new nuclear unit at Jaslovske Bohunice brings forward the issue of selection of reactor design. This paper compares technical characteristics (safety and operational) of pressurized water reactors that are at present available in the market, such as AP 1000 (WEC), EPR (AREVA), AES 2006 (ASE), APWR 1700 (Mitsubishi) and APR 1400 (Korea Hydro and Nuclear). Selected parameters that require close attention in future negotiations with potential suppliers are discussed in detail. Compared are parameters as type of the reactor, reactor output power, quantified level of safety, compliance with national legislature and international safety requirements, operational flexibility in meeting requirements of the grid, using of verified technology, measures for coping with severe accidents, resistance against extreme external conditions etc. (authors)

Anti-stress effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on colonic motility in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimoto, Sazu; Babygirija, Reji; Dobner, Anthony; Ludwig, Kirk; Takahashi, Toku

2012-05-01

Disorders of colonic motility may contribute to symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and stress is widely believed to play a major role in developing IBS. Stress increases corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) of the hypothalamus, resulting in acceleration of colonic transit in rodents. In contrast, hypothalamic oxytocin (OXT) has an anti-stress effect via inhibiting CRF expression and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Although transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and acupuncture have been shown to have anti-stress effects, the mechanism of the beneficial effects remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that TENS upregulates hypothalamic OXT expression resulting in reduced CRF expression and restoration of colonic dysmotility in response to chronic stress. Male SD rats received different types of stressors for seven consecutive days (chronic heterotypic stress). TENS was applied to the bilateral hind limbs every other day before stress loading. Another group of rats did not receive TENS treatment. TENS significantly attenuated accelerated colonic transit induced by chronic heterotypic stress, which was antagonized by a central injection of an OXT antagonist. Immunohistochemical study showed that TENS increased OXT expression and decreased CRF expression at the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) following chronic heterotypic stress. It is suggested that TENS upregulates hypothalamic OXT expression which acts as an anti-stressor agent and mediates restored colonic dysmotility following chronic stress. TENS may be useful to treat gastrointestinal symptoms associated with stress.

Identification of key radionuclides in a nuclear waste repository in basalt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barney, G.S.; Wood, B.J.

1980-05-01

Radionuclides were identified which appear to pose the greatest potential hazard to man during long-term storage of nuclear waste in a repository mined in the Columbia Plateau basalt formation. The criteria used to select key radionuclides were as follows: quantity of radionuclide in stored waste; biological toxicity; leach rate of the wastes into groundwater; and transport rate via groundwater flow. The waste forms were assumed to be either unreprocessed spent fuel or borosilicate glass containing reprocessed high-level waste. The nuclear waste composition was assumed to be that from a light water reactor. Radionuclides were ranked according to quantity, toxicity, and release rate from the repository. These rankings were combined to obtain a single list of key radionuclides. The ten most important radionuclides in order of decreasing hazard are: 99 Tc, 129 I, 237 Np, 226 Ra, 107 Pd, 230 Th, 210 Pb, 126 Sn, 79 Se, and 242 Pu. Safety assessment studies and the design of engineered barriers should concentrate on containment of radionuclides in this list

Efficacy of the use of two simultaneously TENS devices for fibromyalgia pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauretti, Gabriela Rocha; Chubaci, Eliana Fazuoli; Mattos, Anita Leocadia

2013-08-01

Fibromyalgia is characterized by a range of symptoms that include muscle pain, fatigue and sleep disorders. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an established method for pain relief. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the use of two simultaneously new TENS devices for fibromyalgia pain. After Ethics approval and informed consent, 39 patients were prospectively divided into three groups to evaluate TENS device, applied simultaneously in each patient: (1) at the lower back (perpendicular to the vertebrae canal, at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebrae) and (2) centrally above and below the space between the C7 and T1 spinous processes. The devices were applied for 20 min at 12-h interval during 7 consecutive days. For the placebo group (PG), the devices did not transmitted electrical stimulus. The single-TENS group (STG) (n = 13) had one active and one placebo TENS. The DTG applied both active TENS devices at the low back and cervical areas. Diclofenac was used as rescue analgesic. The efficacy measures were pain relief, reduction in use of daily analgesic tablets, quality of sleep and fatigue. The evaluation within groups revealed that patients from DPG refereed no pain relief when compared to their previous VAS pain score (8 cm, p > 0.05), while patients from the STG refereed improvement of 2.5 cm in the pain VAS (previous 8.5 cm compared to 6 cm after treatment) (p pain (previous 8.5-4.3 cm) (p STG > PG (p TENS improved pain relief in fibromyalgia pain, pain and fatigue were further improved when two active devices were simultaneously applied at the low back and cervical area, with no side effects.

"Let Me Keep My Dead Husband's Sperm": Ethical Issues in Posthumous Reproduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Panagiotopoulou, Nikoletta; Karavolos, Stamatios

2015-01-01

The feasibility of posthumous reproduction when the surviving partner is female has brought to light many ethical, moral, social, and legal issues. This review aims to summarize these issues and to assist clinicians who may be faced with such requests. A question list, used for health technologies assessment, was utilized in a question-answer approach as the review methodology. Of the 1,208 publications identified through a comprehensive literature search in biomedical, psychological, and ethical databases, 31 articles included arguments related to one or more questions from the predefined question set. Key stakeholders identified include the deceased, the requesting party, the resultant child, the physician, and society. Key ethical issues relevant to posthumous reproduction include the four traditional pillars of medical ethics--autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice--as well as the stakeholders' rights and sociocultural attitudes. The ethical framework formulated by these issues has been incorporated in a clinical ethics decision-making tool that could prove useful to clinicians and decision makers. Copyright 2015 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

Astrophysical parameters of ten poorly studied open star clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tadross, Ashraf Latif; El-Bendary, Reda; Osman, Anas; Ismail, Nader; Bakry, Abdel Aziz

2012-01-01

We present the fundamental parameters of ten open star clusters, nominated from Kronberger et al. who presented some newly discovered stellar groups on the basis of the Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry and Digitized Sky Survey visual images. Star counts and photometric parameters (radius, membership, distance, color excess, age, luminosity function, mass function, total mass, and dynamical relaxation time) have been determined for these ten clusters for the first time. In order to calibrate our procedures, the main parameters (distance, age, and color excess) have been re-estimated for another five clusters, which are also studied by Kronberger et al. (research papers)

Implementation Issues for Departure Planning Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Hansman, R. John; Feron, Eric; Clarke, John-Paul; Odoni, Amedeo

1999-01-01

The objective of the proposed effort is to investigate issues associated with the design and implementation of decision aiding tools to assist in improving the departure process at congested airports. This effort follows a preliminary investigation of potential Departure Planning approaches and strategies, which identified potential benefits in departure efficiency, and also in reducing the environmental impact of aircraft in the departure queue. The preliminary study bas based, in large part, on observations and analysis of departure processes at Boston, Logan airport. The objective of this follow-on effort is to address key implementation issues and to expand the observational base to include airports with different constraints and traffic demand. Specifically, the objectives of this research are to: (1) Expand the observational base to include airports with different underlying operational dynamics. (2) Develop prototype decision aiding algorithms/approaches and assess potential benefits. and (3) Investigate Human Machine Integration (HMI) issues associated with decision aids in tower environments.

Special Issue: “Molecules against Alzheimer”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Decker

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This Special Issue, entitled “Molecules against Alzheimer”, gathers a number of original articles, short communications, and review articles on recent research efforts toward the development of novel drug candidates, diagnostic agents and therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer’s disease (AD, the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder and a leading cause of death worldwide. This Special Issue contains many interesting examples describing the design, synthesis, and pharmacological profiling of novel compounds that hit one or several key biological targets, such as cholinesterases, β-amyloid formation or aggregation, monoamine oxidase B, oxidative stress, biometal dyshomeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, serotonin and/or melatonin systems, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, sigma receptors, nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, or nuclear erythroid 2-related factor. The development of novel AD diagnostic agents based on tau protein imaging and the use of lithium or intranasal insulin for the prevention or the symptomatic treatment of AD is also covered in some articles of the Special Issue.

AMNT 2014. Key Topic: Reactor operation, safety - report. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaffrath, Andreas

2014-01-01

Summary report on one session of the Annual Conference on Nuclear Technology held in Frankfurt, 6 to 8 May 2014: - Safety of Nuclear Installations - Methods, Analysis, Results: Backfittings for the Improvement of Safety and Efficiency. The other Sessions of the Key Topics 'Reactor Operation, Safety', 'Competence, Innovation, Regulation' and 'Fuel, Decommissioning and Disposal' will be covered in further issues of atw.

Important issues for perioperative systemic antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sinha, Bhanu; van Assen, Sander; Friedrich, Alexander W.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Prevention of surgical site infections is a key issue to patient safety and the success of surgical interventions. Systemic antimicrobial prophylaxis is one important component of a perioperative infection prevention bundle. This review focuses on selected recent developments and

Key Distribution and Changing Key Cryptosystem Based on Phase Retrieval Algorithm and RSA Public-Key Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tieyu Zhao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The optical image encryption has attracted more and more researchers’ attention, and the various encryption schemes have been proposed. In existing optical cryptosystem, the phase functions or images are usually used as the encryption keys, and it is difficult that the traditional public-key algorithm (such as RSA, ECC, etc. is used to complete large numerical key transfer. In this paper, we propose a key distribution scheme based on the phase retrieval algorithm and the RSA public-key algorithm, which solves the problem for the key distribution in optical image encryption system. Furthermore, we also propose a novel image encryption system based on the key distribution principle. In the system, the different keys can be used in every encryption process, which greatly improves the security of the system.

Critical Issues for Particle-Bed Reactor Fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Robert S.; Husser, Dewayne L.; Jensen, Russell R.; Kerr, John M.

1994-07-01

Particle-Bed Reactors (PBRs) potentially offer performance advantages for nuclear thermal propulsion, including very high power densities, thrust-to-weight ratios, and specific impulses. A key factor in achieving all of these is the development of a very-high-temperature fuel. The critical issues for all such PBR fuels are uranium loading, thermomechanical and thermochemical stability, compatibility with contacting materials, fission product retention, manufacturability, and operational tolerance for particle failures. Each issue is discussed with respect to its importance to PBR operation, its status among current fuels, and additional development needs. Mixed-carbide-based fuels are recommended for further development to support high-performance PBRs.

Access to and affordability of healthcare for TB patients in China: issues and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Shenglan; Wang, Lixia; Wang, Hong; Chin, Daniel P

2016-01-29

This paper introduces the background, aim and objectives of the project entitled "China-the Gates Foundation Collaboration on TB Control in China" that has been underway for many years. It also summarizes the key findings of the nine papers included in this special issue, which used data from the baseline survey of Phase II of the project. Data were collected from the survey of TB and MDR-TB patients, from designated hospitals, health insurance agencies and the routine health information systems, as well as key informant interviews and focus group discussions with relevant key stakeholders. Key issues discussed in this series of papers include the uses of TB services and anti-TB medicines and their determining factors related to socio-economic and health systems development; expenditures on TB care and the financial burden incurred on TB patients; and the impact of health insurance schemes implemented in China on financial protection.

Ten-Competence: Life-Long Competence Development and Learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koper, Rob; Specht, Marcus

2006-01-01

Koper, R., & Specht, M. (2008). Ten-Competence: Life-Long Competence Development and Learning. In M-A. Cicilia (Ed.), Competencies in Organizational e-learning: concepts and tools (pp. 234-252). Hershey: IGI-Global.

The Online Catalog: Issues in Planning and Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Timothy F.

1984-01-01

Discusses key issues to be addressed in planning for introduction of online public access catalog in academic research library environment. Purpose of catalog, reasons to adopt catalog, user behavior, use of catalog records, authority control, shared or unique systems, and impact on staff are highlighted. Seventy-three sources are cited. (EJS)

Technical issues of fabrication technologies of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanigawa, Hiroyasu; Sakasegawa, Hideo; Hirose, Takanori

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The key technical issues of RAFM steel fabrication are the control of Ta, and deoxidation of the steel with a limited amount of Al addition. • Addition of Ta with poor deoxidation might results in the agglomeration of inclusions at 1/2t position. • ESR was proved to be effective removing Ta oxide inclusions and avoiding agglomeration of inclusions at 1/2t position, and achieving low oxygen concentration. -- Abstract: The key issue for DEMO application is that Reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels fabrication technologies has to be highly assured, especially with respect to high availability, reliability and reduced activation capability on the DEMO level fabrication, which requires not a few tons but thousand tons RAFM fabrication. One of the key technical issues of RAFM fabrication is the control of Ta, and deoxidation of the steel with a limited amount of Al addition. The series of F82H (Fe–8Cr–2W–V, Ta) melting revealed that Ta have tendency to form oxide on melting process, and this will have large impact on reliability of the steels. Al is also the key elements, as it is commonly used for deoxidation of steels, and achieving lower oxygen level is essential to obtain good mechanical properties, but the maximum concentration of Al is limited in view of reduced activation capability. These tendency and limitation resulted in the Ta oxide agglomeration in the middle of plate, but the remelting process, ESR (electro slag remelting), was found to be successful on removing those Ta oxides

Electrochemistry in light water reactors reference electrodes, measurement, corrosion and tribocorrosion issues

CERN Document Server

Bosch, R -W; Celis, Jean-Pierre

2007-01-01

There has long been a need for effective methods of measuring corrosion within light water nuclear reactors. This important volume discusses key issues surrounding the development of high temperature reference electrodes and other electrochemical techniques. The book is divided into three parts with part one reviewing the latest developments in the use of reference electrode technology in both pressurised water and boiling water reactors. Parts two and three cover different types of corrosion and tribocorrosion and ways they can be measured using such techniques as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Topics covered across the book include in-pile testing, modelling techniques and the tribocorrosion behaviour of stainless steel under reactor conditions. Electrochemistry in light water reactors is a valuable reference for all those concerned with corrosion problems in this key technology for the power industry. Discusses key issues surrounding the development of high temperature reference eletrodes A valuab...

Independent assessment is key to financial well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Karling, J; Pyper, T

1999-02-01

Both traditional group practices and IPAs have felt the impact of changes brought about by managed care. Group practices need to ensure that their financial reporting and cost-accounting methods capture information that is key to decision making. An independent assessment of financial procedures helps identify any outstanding issues and maintain financial well-being. This assessment should be conducted at least quarterly so that potential problems can be resolved, income opportunities explored, and cost-saving measures adopted in a timely manner.

EORTC QLQ-COMU26: a questionnaire for the assessment of communication between patients and professionals. Phase III of the module development in ten countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Arraras, Juan Ignacio; Wintner, Lisa M; Sztankay, Monika; Tomaszewski, Krzysztof A; Hofmeister, Dirk; Costantini, Anna; Bredart, Anne; Young, Teresa; Kuljanic, Karin; Tomaszewska, Iwona M; Kontogianni, Meropi; Chie, Wei-Chu; Kulis, Dagmara; Greimel, Eva

2017-05-01

Communication between patients and professionals is one major aspect of the support offered to cancer patients. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group (QLG) has developed a cancer-specific instrument for the measurement of different issues related to the communication between cancer patients and their health care professionals. Questionnaire development followed the EORTC QLG Module Development Guidelines. A provisional questionnaire was pre-tested (phase III) in a multicenter study within ten countries from five cultural areas (Northern and South Europe, UK, Poland and Taiwan). Patients from seven subgroups (before, during and after treatment, for localized and advanced disease each, plus palliative patients) were recruited. Structured interviews were conducted. Qualitative and quantitative analyses have been performed. One hundred forty patients were interviewed. Nine items were deleted and one shortened. Patients' comments had a key role in item selection. No item was deleted due to just quantitative criteria. Consistency was observed in patients' answers across cultural areas. The revised version of the module EORTC QLQ-COMU26 has 26 items, organized in 6 scales and 4 individual items. The EORTC COMU26 questionnaire can be used in daily clinical practice and research, in various patient groups from different cultures. The next step will be an international field test with a large heterogeneous group of cancer patients.

Ten colour photometry of twelve Ap-stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musielok, B.; Lange, D.; Schoeneich, W.; Hildebrandt, G.; Zelwanowa, E.; Hempelmann, A.; Salmanov, G.

1980-01-01

Ten-colour photoelectric observations are presented for twelve Ap-stars. Improved ephemeris for seven of them is given. Phase relations between the light curves and line intensity variations are discussed. The problem of the electromagnetic flux conctancy of IOTA Cas is approached from a qualitative point of view. (author)

Secure Clustering and Symmetric Key Establishment in Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azarderskhsh Reza

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Information security in infrastructureless wireless sensor networks (WSNs is one of the most important research challenges. In these networks, sensor nodes are typically sprinkled liberally in the field in order to monitor, gather, disseminate, and provide the sensed data to the command node. Various studies have focused on key establishment schemes in homogeneous WSNs. However, recent research has shown that achieving survivability in WSNs requires a hierarchy and heterogeneous infrastructure. In this paper, to address security issues in the heterogeneous WSNs, we propose a secure clustering scheme along with a deterministic pairwise key management scheme based on public key cryptography. The proposed security mechanism guarantees that any two sensor nodes located in the same cluster and routing path can directly establish a pairwise key without disclosing any information to other nodes. Through security performance evaluation, it is shown that the proposed scheme guarantees node-to-node authentication, high resiliency against node capture, and minimum memory space requirement.

Categorisation of Practices and Sources- A Key Issue in Licensing Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janzekovic, H.; Krizman, M.; Vokal, B.; Petrovic, Z.

2004-01-01

The analysis of a radioactive sources inventory in countries with a nuclear programme usually comprises nearly all possible man-made sources available today, from sources related to nuclear power plants to calibration sources used for educational purposes. The risk based licensing process of radiation sources and exposures is a demanding task which could be internationally harmonised by introducing sources and practice related categorisation. The detailed categorisation of radioisotopes, replacing [1], was recently published [2]. The activity ratio (A/D ratio) is used as a basic parameter which is proportional to a risk involved in a use of a radioisotope. Radioisotopes as well as related practices are categorised. No categorisation of ionising sources related to electrical apparatus producing ionising radiation without radioisotopes has been given in literature. In addition, licensees usually perform many different activities with a specific source, so the categorisation of practice should be done, based on a risk involved with a specific practice. The risk is related to the probability of a specific event as well as to the consequences of that event. It is strongly related to the categorisation of source. The main issues related to a licensing process of sources and practices are presented. The review of possible categorisation of radioisotopes and related practices is given and a proposal of a combined harmonised approach of categorisation of sources and practices, based on risk, is given. (Author) 19 refs

Rising food costs & global food security: Key issues & relevance for India

Science.gov (United States)

Gustafson, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

Rising food costs can have major impact on vulnerable households, pushing those least able to cope further into poverty and hunger. On the other hand, provided appropriate policies and infrastructure are in place, higher agricultural prices can also raise farmers’ incomes and rural wages, improve rural economies and stimulate investment for longer-term economic growth. High food prices since 2007 have had both short-term impacts and long-term consequences, both good and bad. This article reviews the evidence of how rising costs have affected global food security since the food price crisis of 2007-2008, and their impact on different categories of households and countries. In light of recent studies, we know more about how households, and countries, cope or not with food price shocks but a number of contentious issues remain. These include the adequacy of current estimates and the interpretation of national and household food and nutrition security indicators. India is a particularly important country in this regard, given the high number of food insecure, the relative weight of India in global estimates of food and nutrition insecurity, and the puzzles that remain concerning the country's reported declining per capita calorie consumption. Competing explanations for what is behind it are not in agreement, but these all point to the importance of policy and programme innovation and greater investment necessary to reach the achievable goal of food and nutrition security for all. PMID:24135190

Rising food costs & global food security: Key issues & relevance for India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel J Gustafson

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Rising food costs can have major impact on vulnerable households, pushing those least able to cope further into poverty and hunger. On the other hand, provided appropriate policies and infrastructure are in place, higher agricultural prices can also raise farmers′ incomes and rural wages, improve rural economies and stimulate investment for longer-term economic growth. High food prices since 2007 have had both short-term impacts and long-term consequences, both good and bad. This article reviews the evidence of how rising costs have affected global food security since the food price crisis of 2007-2008, and their impact on different categories of households and countries. In light of recent studies, we know more about how households, and countries, cope or not with food price shocks but a number of contentious issues remain. These include the adequacy of current estimates and the interpretation of national and household food and nutrition security indicators. India is a particularly important country in this regard, given the high number of food insecure, the relative weight of India in global estimates of food and nutrition insecurity, and the puzzles that remain concerning the country′s reported declining per capita calorie consumption. Competing explanations for what is behind it are not in agreement, but these all point to the importance of policy and programme innovation and greater investment necessary to reach the achievable goal of food and nutrition security for all.

Rising food costs & global food security: key issues & relevance for India.

Science.gov (United States)

Gustafson, Daniel J

2013-09-01

Rising food costs can have major impact on vulnerable households, pushing those least able to cope further into poverty and hunger. On the other hand, provided appropriate policies and infrastructure are in place, higher agricultural prices can also raise farmers' incomes and rural wages, improve rural economies and stimulate investment for longer-term economic growth. High food prices since 2007 have had both short-term impacts and long-term consequences, both good and bad. This article reviews the evidence of how rising costs have affected global food security since the food price crisis of 2007-2008, and their impact on different categories of households and countries. In light of recent studies, we know more about how households, and countries, cope or not with food price shocks but a number of contentious issues remain. These include the adequacy of current estimates and the interpretation of national and household food and nutrition security indicators. India is a particularly important country in this regard, given the high number of food insecure, the relative weight of India in global estimates of food and nutrition insecurity, and the puzzles that remain concerning the country's reported declining per capita calorie consumption. Competing explanations for what is behind it are not in agreement, but these all point to the importance of policy and programme innovation and greater investment necessary to reach the achievable goal of food and nutrition security for all.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) versus placebo for chronic low-back pain.