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Selected AbstractsThe need for adaptability in EU environmental policy design and implementationENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2001Matthieu Glachant Is the application of the EU environmentally policy satisfying in the field? In particular, are the environmental objectives set in the directives met? This paper explores the issue of the effectiveness of the European environmental policy. It is based on the results of a recent study, which has consisted in evaluating the implementation of three pieces of EU environmental legislation in France, Germany, Netherlands and United Kingdom. The legislation studied was Directive 89/429 regulating atmospheric emissions from domestic waste incinerators, Directive 88/609 dealing with SO2 and NOx emissions from large combustion plants (LCPs) and Council Regulation 1836/93 concerning the voluntary participation of industrial companies in an EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). The result of the study suggests that simply posing the problem in terms of ,implementation deficit' is not sufficient. In fact, over-compliance with directive goals is even observed in certain cases. By contrast, the evaluation suggests the prevalence of interactions between the considered implementation process and other parallel policy processes at the implementation stage. The study shows that this interplay between policies has a huge impact on implementation environmental results, which can be either positive or negative. Based on this statement, an important question for EU policy is how implementation can efficiently cope with such interactions, which means finding ways to maximize potential synergies, or alternatively to reduce inconsistencies, with the other policy components. Given that policy interactions are difficult to predict at the policy formulation stage of the policy, adjustments necessarily occur at the implementation stage. In this context, implementing EU environmental policy requires policy systems able to adjust at low costs. In this paper, this property is called adaptability and is given a precise content. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment [source] Selective Palladium-Catalysed ipso Arylation of ,,,-Disubstituted Benzo[b]thien-2-ylmethanols with Aryl Bromides using PCy3 as LigandEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2007A. Beatrix Bíró Abstract ,,,-Diphenylbenzo[b]thien-2-ylmethanol was treated with a series of aryl bromides in the presence of palladium(II) acetate and tricyclohexylphosphane to give the appropriate 2-aryl-benzo[b]thiophenes in good to excellent yield with concomitant formation of benzophenone. The reaction wassuccessfully extended to ,,,-diphenylbenzo[b]thien-3-ylmethanol, although in certain cases the transformation was biased by concurrent ortho arylation. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007) [source] The C-4 Configuration as a Probe for the Study of Glycosidation ReactionsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2004Anne Bülow Abstract The difference in the electron-withdrawing powers of axial and equatorial OBn was used as a probe to investigate the glycosidation reaction. The reactivity of perbenzylated glucosyl and galactosyl donors were compared under a range of glycosidation conditions that involved variations in catalyst, solvent, and glycosyl acceptor. Generally, the galactosyl donor had a reactivity four to five times higher than the glucosyl donor, which is in accord with the transition state having positive character. In certain cases, however, particularly when triflate was present, equal reactivity of glucosyl and galactosyl donors were found. The results are explained in terms of changes in the rate-determining steps. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004) [source] ALLEE EFFECT AND SELF-FERTILIZATION IN HERMAPHRODITES: REPRODUCTIVE ASSURANCE IN DEMOGRAPHICALLY STABLE POPULATIONSEVOLUTION, Issue 12 2004Pierre-Olivier Cheptou Abstract The fact that selfing increases seed set (reproductive assurance) has often been put forward as an important selective force for the evolution of selfing. However, the role of reproductive assurance in hermaphroditic populations is far from being clear because of a lack of theoretical work. Here, I propose a theoretical model that analyzes selffertilization in the presence of reproductive assurance. Because reproductive assurance directly influences the per capita growth rate, I developed an explicit demographic model for partial selfers in the presence of reproductive assurance, specifically when outcrossing is limited by the possibility of pollen transfer (Allee effect). Mating system parameters are derived as a function of the underlying demographical parameters. The functional link between population demography and mating system parameters (reproductive assurance, selfing rate) can be characterized. The demographic model permits the analysis of the evolution of self-fertilization in stable populations when reproductive assurance occurs. The model reveals some counterintuitive results such as the fact that increasing the fraction of selfed ovules can, in certain circumstances, increase the fraction of outcrossed ovules. Moreover, I demonstrate that reproductive assurance per se cannot account for the evolution of stable mixed selfing rates. Also, the model reveals that the extinction of outcrossing populations depends on small changes in population density (ecological perturbations), while the transition from outcrossing to selfing can, in certain cases, lead the population to extinction (evolutionary suicide). More generally, this paper highlights the fact that self-fertilization affects both the dynamics of individuals and the dynamics of selfing genes in hermaphroditic populations. [source] Metastatic cancer to the floor of mouth: the lingual lymph nodes,,HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 4 2002Jay M. Dutton MD Abstract Background The upper level of a cervical lymphadenectomy is anatomically defined at its anterior extent by the lower border of the mandible and, in surgical practice, by the lingual nerve. A neck dissection completed below this level is generally considered adequate for removal of lymph nodes at risk for metastases from oral cavity cancer. Traditional discontinuous neck dissections do not provide for removal of floor of mouth tissue along with the primary and neck specimens. Methods A case report presenting biopsies from a T2N2bM0 squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue and adjacent floor of the mouth in a 73-year-old man. Results Deep biopsy of a ventral tongue and floor of mouth squamous cell carcinoma revealed occult metastatic cancer to lymph nodes located in the superficial floor of mouth associated with the sublingual gland above the lingual nerve. This report identifies floor of mouth lymph nodes that can be involved with cancer and missed through the standard practice of discontinuous neck dissection.Conclusions. This finding offers evidence that, in certain cases, a traditional discontinuous neck dissection may not address all lymph nodes at risk in the treatment of oral cavity cancer. Further investigation into lymph node distribution within the oral cavity is warranted to reappraise the upper limits of cervical lymphadenectomy. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 24: 401,405, 2002; DOI 10.1002/hed.10026 [source] Masking selected sequence variation by incorporating mismatches into melting analysis probes,HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 3 2006Rebecca L. Margraf Abstract Hybridization probe melting analysis can be complicated by the presence of sequence variation (benign polymorphisms or other mutations) near the targeted mutation. We investigated the use of "masking" probes to differentiate alleles with similar probe melting temperatures. Selected sequence variation was masked by incorporating mismatches (deletion, unmatched nucleotide, or universal base) into hybridization probes at the polymorphic location. Such masking probes create a probe/target mismatch with all possible alleles at the selected polymorphic location. Any allele with additional variation at another site is identified by a lower probe melting temperature than alleles that vary only at the masked position. This "masking technique" was applied to RET protooncogene and HPA6 mutation detection using unlabeled hybridization probes, a saturating dsDNA dye, and high-resolution melting analysis. Masking probes clearly distinguished all targeted mutations from polymorphisms when at least 1 base pair (bp) separated the mutation from the masked variation. We were able to mask polymorphisms immediately adjacent to mutations, except in certain cases, such as those involving single-base deletion probes when both adjacent positions had the same polymorphic nucleotides. The masking probes can also localize mutations to specific codons or nucleotide positions. Masking probes can simplify melting analysis of complex regions and eliminate the need for sequencing. Hum Mutat 27(3), 269,278, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Making company directors liable: a comparative analysis of wrongful trading in the United Kingdom and insolvent trading in AustraliaINTERNATIONAL INSOLVENCY REVIEW, Issue 1 2005Andrew Keay The separate legal entity doctrine in corporate law means that directors are not generally liable for their company's liabilities. However, there have been actions taken by governments and courts to make directors liable in certain cases. This article examines and compares legislative provisions in the United Kingdom and Australia to make directors liable for the debts of their companies. These provisions, namely section 214 of the UK's Insolvency Act 1986 (wrongful trading) and section 588G of the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (insolvent trading), had the same starting point, but now differ substantially, even though, arguably, they retain very similar objectives. The article investigates: the reasons for these differences; the criteria on which each of the provisions focus; and the ramifications for the different approaches. It also endeavours to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the respective approaches adopted in each country. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The classical kinetic model for radical chain oxidation of hydrocarbon substrates initiated by bimolecular hydroperoxide decompositionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL KINETICS, Issue 11 2006X. Colin Kinetic modeling of the low-temperature (typically T , 200°C) thermal aging of polymers is a problem of great technological importance, owing to the continuously increasing needs of industry in terms of reliable methods for lifetime prediction. In the temperature domain under consideration, for most hydrocarbon substrates, oxidation proceeds by a radical chain reaction initiated by bimolecular hydroperoxide decomposition. In other words, the reaction generates its own initiator, which explains its strong autoaccelerated character. The most pertinent model is, to our opinion, the model elaborated by Tobolsky et al. (J Am Chem Soc 1950, 72, 1942) in the early 1950s. This model is, however, based on three questionable assumptions: the existence of a stationary state for radical concentrations (hypothesis S), the presence of oxygen in excess (hypothesis E), and the fact that the onset of steady state can be observed in the domain of low conversions, where the substrate consumption can be neglected (hypothesis L). One hypothesis (S) lacks consistency. A sounder alternative, which does not modify significantly the mathematical expressions of the model, will be proposed. The other hypotheses (E and L) can be justified in certain cases, but the limits of their domain of validity were never established to our knowledge. It is tried, here, to express these limits in function of fundamental parameters: rate constants and concentrations of reactants. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38:666,676, 2006 [source] Dimensions of financial integration in Greater China: money markets, banks and policy effectsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FINANCE & ECONOMICS, Issue 2 2005Yin-Wong Cheung Abstract The financial linkages between the People's Republic of China (hereafter ,China') and the other Greater China economies of Hong Kong and Taiwan are assessed, and compared against those of China with Singapore, Japan and the United States. For both sets of links, there is evidence that ex post uncovered interest parity tends to hold over longer periods, and the magnitude of the parity deviations is shrinking over time. The deviations depend upon the extent of capital controls, and in certain cases, exchange rate volatility. However, while the money markets of China are increasingly linked to money markets in the rest of the world, our empirical results suggest that the banking sector,the main source of capital for Chinese firms,remains insulated. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Scheduling streaming flows on the downlink shared channel of UMTSINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NETWORK MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2007Joy Kuri In Universal Mobile Telecommunication Systems (UMTS), the Downlink Shared Channel (DSCH) may be used to provide streaming services. The traffic model for streaming services is different from the continuously backlogged model used in much of the literature. Each connection specifies a required service rate over an interval of time. In this paper, we are interested in determining how k DSCH frames should be allocated among a set of I connections. We need a scheduler that is channel-aware, so that channels presently enjoying low fading losses can be exploited to achieve higher aggregate throughput. On the other hand, the scheduler is also required to be fair, so that each connection obtains a throughput as close as possible to what it requires. We introduce the notion of discrepancy to capture the inherent trade-off between aggregate throughput and fairness. We show that the discrepancy criterion provides a flexible means for balancing efficiency, as measured by aggregate throughput, and fairness. Our problem, then, is to schedule mobiles so as to minimize the discrepancy over the control horizon. We provide a simple low-complexity heuristic called ITEM that is provably optimal in certain cases. In particular, we show that ITEM is optimal when applied in the UMTS context. Next, we compare the performance of ITEM with that of other algorithms, and show that it performs better in terms of both fairness and aggregate throughput. Thus, ITEM provides benefits in both dimensions,fairness and efficiency,and is therefore a promising algorithm for scheduling streaming connections. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pious Frauds: ,Honest Tricks' and the Patterns of Anglican Devotional Thought in RichardsonJOURNAL FOR EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY STUDIES, Issue 3 2009BONNIE LATIMER Abstract This essay identifies a series of apparent deceptions by two of Richardson's iconic moral paragons, Clarissa Harlowe and Sir Charles Grandison. It uses early modern Anglican thought to argue that such deceptions are best seen as ,lies', but also that the same body of theology allows for ,lying' in certain cases. Drawing on a range of Anglican thought from this period, it identifies in this literature a fascination with using ,indirect means' to bring about the ends of virtue, and concludes that Richardson picks up on this intellectual thread in his staging of morally complex fictional scenarios. [source] A comparison of modern data analysis methods for X-ray and neutron specular reflectivity dataJOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2007A. Van Der Lee Data analysis methods for specular X-ray or neutron reflectivity are compared. The methods that have been developed over the years can be classified into different types. The so-called classical methods are based on Parrat's or Abelès' formalism and rely on minimization using more or less evolved Levenberg,Marquardt or simplex routines. A second class uses the same formalism, but optimization is carried out using simulated annealing or genetic algorithms. A third class uses alternative expressions for the reflectivity, such as the Born approximation or distorted Born approximation. This makes it easier to invert the specular data directly, coupled or not with classical least-squares or iterative methods using over-relaxation or charge-flipping techniques. A fourth class uses mathematical methods founded in scattering theory to determine the phase of the scattered waves, but has to be coupled in certain cases with (magnetic) reference layers. The strengths and weaknesses of a number of these methods are evaluated using simulated and experimental data. It is shown that genetic algorithms are by far superior to traditional and advanced least-squares methods, but that they fail when the layers are less well defined. In the latter case, the methods from the third or fourth class are the better choice, because they permit at least a first estimate of the density profile to be obtained that can be refined using the classical methods of the first class. It is also shown that different analysis programs may calculate different reflectivities for a similar chemical system. One reason for this is that the representation of the layers is either described by chemical composition or by scattering length or electronic densities, between which the conversion of the absorptive part is not straightforward. A second important reason is that routines that describe the convolution with the instrumental resolution function are not identical. [source] A Puzzle about Consent in Research and in PracticeJOURNAL OF APPLIED PHILOSOPHY, Issue 3 2010ERIC CHWANG abstract In this paper, I will examine a puzzling discrepancy between the way clinicians are allowed to treat their patients and the way researchers are allowed to treat their subjects: in certain cases, researchers are legally required to disclose quite a bit more information when obtaining consent from prospective subjects than clinicians are when obtaining consent from prospective patients. I will argue that the proper resolution of this puzzling discrepancy must appeal to a pragmatic criterion of disclosure for informed consent: that what needs to be disclosed in order for consent to be valid depends on what the patient/subject needs to know in order to make a decision. I will then use this pragmatic criterion of disclosure to argue that when obtaining consent researchers should be permitted to omit the same information clinicians are, given certain qualifications. I will also examine how this puzzle forces us to confront some perhaps surprising truths about valid consent. My broader aim in this paper is to examine, not so much the puzzle itself, but rather what this particular puzzle can teach us about more theoretical issues surrounding informed consent. [source] Applied Ethics: Naturalism, Normativity and Public PolicyJOURNAL OF APPLIED PHILOSOPHY, Issue 3 2009ONORA O'NEILL abstract,Normative argument is supposed to guide ways in which we might change the world, rather than to fit the world as it is. This poses certain difficulties for the notion of applied ethics. Taken literally the phrase ,applied ethics' suggests that principles or standards with substantial philosophical justification, in particular ethical and political principles with such justification, are applied to particular cases and guide action. However, the ,cases' which applied ethics discusses are themselves indeterminate, and the relation of principles to these ,cases' differs from the relation of principles to cases in naturalistic, truth-oriented inquiry. Writing in ,applied ethics', I shall argue, does not need elaborate case histories or scenarios, since the testing points for normative principles are other normative principles rather than particular cases. Normative principles and contexts to which they are applicable are indeed needed for any reasoning that is practical, but they are not sufficient. Practical ethics needs principles that can not merely be applied in certain cases or situations, but also enacted in certain ways, and requires an account of practical judgement and of the public policies that support that judgement. [source] What's Wrong with Exploitation?JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHILOSOPHY, Issue 2 2007ROBERT MAYER abstract,This paper offers a new answer to an old question. Others have argued that exploitation is wrong because it is coercive, or degrading, or fails to protect the vulnerable. But these answers only work for certain cases; counter-examples are easily found. In this paper I identify a different answer to the question by placing exploitation within the larger family of wrongs to which it belongs. Exploitation is one species of wrongful gain, and exploiters always gain at the expense of others by inflicting relative losses on disadvantaged parties. They do harm to their victims, even when their interactions are mutually advantageous, by failing to benefit the disadvantaged party as fairness requires. This failure is the essential wrong in every case of wrongful exploitation. At the end of the paper I assess how wrong this failure is as a way to gain at another's expense. [source] Addressing Disadvantage and the Human GoodJOURNAL OF APPLIED PHILOSOPHY, Issue 3 2002Jonathan Wolff This paper sets out a framework in which we can distinguish between four types of redistributive attention to the disadvantaged: compensation; personal enhancement; targeted resource enhancement; and status enhancement. It is argued that in certain cases many of us will have strong intuitions in favour or against one or more strategies for addressing disadvantage, and it is further argued that in such cases it is likely that our reactions are based on assumptions about the human good. Hence the two issues , addressing disadvantage and the human good , shed light on one another [1]. [source] Efficacy and safety of over-the-counter analgesics in the treatment of common cold and fluJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2006R. Eccles BSc PhD DSc Summary Rationale:, Common cold and flu are the most common human illnesses, and over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics are widely used to treat the pain and fever symptoms. Despite the every day use of these analgesic there is little information available in the literature on the efficacy and safety of these medicines in treating colds and flu symptoms. The aim of this review was to determine the safety and efficacy of the analgesics, aspirin, paracetamol and aspirin for the treatment of colds and flu. Methods:, Electronic databases and a personal database were searched and the information retrieved together with information from relevant textbooks has been integrated in the review. Results:, The literature search established that there is relatively little information on the use of analgesics in treating colds and flu and that much of the safety and efficacy data must be related to other pain and fever models. The review establishes that aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen are safe in OTC doses and that there is no evidence for any difference between the medicines as regards efficacy and safety for treatment of colds and flu (except in certain cases such as the use of aspirin in feverish children). There is also no evidence that these medicines prolong the course of colds and flu by any effect on the immune system or by reducing fever. Conclusion:, Despite the lack of clinical data on the safety and efficacy of analgesics for the treatment of colds and flu symptoms a case can be made that these medicines are safe and effective for treatment of these common illnesses. [source] Force field-dependant structural divergence revealed during long time simulations of Calbindin d9kJOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, Issue 9 2010Elad Project Abstract The structural and the dynamic features of the Calbindin (CaB) protein in its holo and apo states are compared using molecular dynamics simulations under nine different force fields (FFs) (G43a1, G53a6, Opls-AA, Amber94, Amber99, Amber99p, AmberGS, AmberGSs, and Amber99sb). The results show that most FFs reproduce reasonably well the majority of the experimentally derived features of the CaB protein. However, in several cases, there are significant differences in secondary structure properties, root mean square deviations (RMSDs), root mean square fluctuations (RMSFs), and S2 order parameters among the various FFs. What is more, in certain cases, these parameters differed from the experimentally derived values. Some of these deviations became noticeable only after 50 ns. A comparison with experimental data indicates that, for CaB, the Amber94 shows overall best agreement with the measured values, whereas several others seem to deviate from both crystal and nuclear magnetic resonance data. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010 [source] Effects of environmental variables on fish feeding ecology: implications for the performance of baited fishing gear and stock assessmentJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2004A. W. Stoner The effectiveness of baited fishing gear ultimately depends upon behaviour of the target species , activity rhythms, feeding motivation, and sensory and locomotory abilities. While any environmental parameter that mediates feeding or locomotion can have an important influence on the active space presented by the bait and fish catchability, few biologists have considered how such variation in behaviour might affect catch per unit effort (CPUE) and the resultant stock abundance estimates or population parameters. This review reveals that environment-related variation in feeding behaviour can act through four different mechanisms: metabolic processes, sensory limitations, social interactions and direct impacts. Water temperature, light level, current velocity and ambient prey density are likely to have largest effects on fish catchability, potentially affecting variation in CPUE by a factor of ten. Feeding behaviour is also density-dependent, with both positive and negative effects. Over time and geographic space a target species can occupy wide ranges of environmental conditions, and in certain cases, spatial and temporal variation in feeding biology could have a larger impact on CPUE than patterns of abundance. Temperature, light and current can be measured with relative facility and corrections to stock assessment models are feasible. Making corrections for biological variables such as prey density and bait competitors will be more difficult because the measurements are often not practical and relationships to feeding catchability are more complex and poorly understood. There is a critical need for greater understanding of how environmental variables affect feeding-related performance of baited fishing gear. A combination of field observations and laboratory experiments will be necessary to parameterize stock assessment models that are improved to accommodate variation in fish behaviour. Otherwise, survey data could reveal more about variation in behaviour than abundance trends. [source] Diffusion-weighted MRI of cholesteatomas of the petrous boneJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 6 2002Clemens Fitzek MD Abstract Purpose To investigate if primary cholesteatomas of the petrous bone show high signal in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Materials and Methods In this blinded study, we compared 15 patients with clinically certain cases and later surgically proven cholesteatomas vs. 12 patients with clinically acute otitis of the middle ear and 20 volunteers without petrous bone disease. Two blinded readers without knowledge of the clinical data decided in consensus agreement whether there was a pathologic signal increase in the petrous bone in an anisotropic single-shot echo-planar imaging (EPI) DWI sequence, an artifact, or no signal increase. Results Thirteen of 15 patients with cholesteatomas showed bright signal in EPI DWI, whereas 10 of 12 patients with acute otitis media and all volunteers presented the usual low signal of petrous bone. Conclusion EPI DWI is a fast diagnostic method that may be an additional valuable tool in the workup of suspected cholesteatomas. The ability of this technique to differentiate between cholesteatomas and granulomas or chronic otitis is not yet available. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;15:636,641. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Ionic and radical fragmentations of alkoxyhalocarbenes , a perspectiveJOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2009Robert A. Moss Abstract Fragmentations of secondary or tertiary alkoxyhalocarbenes in polar solvents generate carbocations as components of ion pairs. A variety of carbocations can be produced including acyclic, alicyclic, benzyl, bridgehead, cyclopropyl, cyclopropylcarbinyl, and norbornyl examples. Laser flash photolysis (LFP) studies provide kinetics and activation parameters for the carbene fragmentations, which are orders of magnitude faster, and require considerably reduced activation energies, compared to analogous solvolytic carbocation-generative processes. In some cases, the time required for solvent and anion equilibration of the ion pairs can be estimated. In nonpolar solvents, the gas phase, or cryogenic matrices, homolytic carbene fragmentation may, in certain cases, supplant heterolytic fragmentation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Institutional Arrangements and the Dynamics of Agenda Formation in the U.S. Supreme Court and Courts of AppealsLAW & POLICY, Issue 3 2006MARK S. HURWITZ The manner in which agenda change occurs demonstrates how institutional arrangements influence agenda priorities in the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals. A neo-institutional theoretic perspective is employed to examine the dynamics of agenda formation in these courts. The article finds that the Supreme Court's agenda choices influence the decisions of litigants, interest groups, and lawyers to appeal certain cases to the Courts of Appeals. While the Supreme Court's agenda primarily is influenced by internal factors, it is constrained by agenda changes in the appeals courts. Critically, it is shown that these federal appellate courts exist within an endogenous system with respect to agenda formation, as both courts respond to agenda changes made in the other over time. [source] A tutorial comparison of the NMRIT and LAOCOON approaches for analyses of complex solution-phase nuclear magnetic resonance spectraMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN CHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2002Stanley L. Manatt Abstract For spin ½ nuclei the two most frequently used iterative approaches for determinations of NMR chemical shifts (hi) and coupling constants (Ji), NMRIT and LAOCOON, are discussed. When multiple pulse techniques for extraction of these parameters fail or lead to complicated spectra in the cases of very strongly coupled spin systems and systems involving magnetically nonequivalent, chemical shift equivalent nuclei, recourse to these iterative methods is necessary. The former approach employs the energy levels derived from the observed transition frequencies, whereas the latter approach uses the observed transition frequencies. Derivations of the general iterative equations for both approaches are given, along with the specific equations for the ABC spin system. The matrix nature of the derivation of these equations is stressed. Also discussed is the modified NMRIT program, NMRENIT, which has major advantages over the former in cases with symmetry and in cases where not enough lines can be assigned to link all the energy levels. The advantages of the latter program over LAOCOON in certain cases are discussed. Some general advice on the use of both approaches is presented. The Hoffman energy level approach is also discussed and it is shown that it yields the same iterative equations as the LAOCOON approach. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The sequential sum problem and performance bounds on the greedy algorithm for the on-line Steiner problemNETWORKS: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2005Zevi Miller Abstract This article is motivated by versions of the dynamic or "on-line" Steiner tree problem (OST) introduced by Imase and Waxman [4]. In this problem one is given an edge-weighted graph G and a sequence , = (x1,,,xn) of distinct vertices of G. The requirement is to construct for each i , n a tree Ti spanning the first i vertices of , subject to the condition that Ti,1,Ti for all i, where Ti is constructed without knowledge of the remaining vertices xj, j > i. The goal of the on-line Steiner problem is to minimize the performance ratio; that is, the maximum (over 1 , i , n) of the ratio of the weight of Ti to the weight of the minimum weight tree in G spanning the first i vertices (the latter tree is called the "Steiner tree" for these vertices). In [4] a lower bound of 1 + ½, log2(n,1), was proved for this ratio. The authors further made the interesting conjecture that there is some on-line algorithm for the OST whose performance ratio achieves this lower bound. We show that a strong form of the greedy algorithm achieves a ratio that converges to the conjectured ½log2(k) + O(1) as the proportion of degree 2 vertices in the instance graph grows. Our results also imply improvements in certain cases on the known upper bound ,log2(n), for the performance ratio of the greedy algorithm. Our approach is to study a related graph parameter. For each sequence , as above, define the associated cost where c(i,,) = min1 , t < idist(xi, xt). Then let Opt(n, G) be the maximum of L(,) over all such sequences , of length n. The problem of, given n and G, determining Opt(n, G) we call the Sequential Sum Problem (SSP). In this article we analyze the SSP, obtaining exact values and bounds on Opt(n, G) and relating these bounds to the greedy algorithm for the OST. For example, we calculate Opt(n, P) for the path P, and obtain a surprising characterization of all length n sequences , which realize Opt(n, P). By analyzing Opt(n, P) for the "continuous" path, we derive upper bounds on the performance ratio of the greedy algorithm for the OST in arbitrary graphs. On the other hand, generalizing the lower bound argument of [4] we show that there are instances of OST, which can significantly "fool" any on-line algorithm for OST. Specifically, given any tree T normalized to have total edge weight 1, we construct a graph G and a length k , |V(T)| sequence , of vertices of G for which the performance ratio of any on-line algorithm for the OST with input , is lower bounded by Opt(k, T). Finally, we show that the SSP for arbitrary G is NP-complete. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 45(3), 143,164 2005 [source] Nursing migration: global treasure hunt or disaster-in-the-making?NURSING INQUIRY, Issue 4 2001Mireille Kingma Nursing migration: global treasure hunt or disaster-in-the-making? International nurse migration , moving from one country to another in the search of employment , is the focus of this article. The majority of member states of the World Health Organization report a shortage, maldistribution and misutilisation of nurses. International recruitment has been seen as a solution. The negative effects of international migration on the ,supplier' countries may be recognised today but are not effectively addressed. Nurse migration is motivated by the search for professional development, better quality of life and personal safety. Pay and learning opportunities continue to be the most frequently reported incentives for nurse migration, especially by nurses from less-developed countries. Career opportunities were considered key incentives for nurses emigrating from high-income countries. Language was reported to be a significant barrier. The positive global economic/social/professional development resulting from international migration needs to be weighed against a substantial ,brain and skills drain' experienced by supplier countries. The vulnerable status of migrant nurses is also of concern in certain cases. The focus on short-term solutions as opposed to resolving the problem of a worldwide shortage of nurses causes great concern. Recent initiatives attempt to curb or channel international recruitment. The delicate balance between recognising the right of individual nurses to migrate and a collective concern for the health of a nation's population must be achieved. [source] The effectiveness of a pre-operative home-based physiotherapy programme for chronic anterior cruciate ligament deficiencyPHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2006SL Keays Abstract Background and Purpose.,Little evidence supports the prescription of pre-operative rehabilitation in the treatment of chronic anterior cruciate ligament-deficient (ACLD) subjects. The aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of a specific six-week pre-operative exercise programme on ACLD knees.,Method.,A single, masked, controlled study was designed. This comprised two matched groups of 12 chronically ACLD patients awaiting reconstruction and a group of 12 matched uninjured control subjects. Only one ACLD group received a home-based exercise and educational programme. Assessment before and after the exercise intervention included: knee joint stability (clinical and KT1000 evaluation); muscle strength (Cybex II); standing balance and functional performance (agility, hop and subjective tests).,Results.,At the time of initial assessment there were no statistically significant differences in any measures for the two ACLD groups but both ACLD groups were significantly different from the uninjured control group as regards quadriceps strength and function. Measures taken after six weeks showed no significant improvement in the untreated ACLD group or in the uninjured control group The treated ACLD group showed significant improvement in the following measures: quadriceps strength measured at 60° and 120° per second (p < 0.001); single leg standing balance with eyes closed (p < 0.001); instrumented passive stability at 20,lb (89N) force (p = 0.003); agility and subjective performance (p < 0.001). The incidence of unstable episodes had decreased in the treated ACLD group, reducing further damage to the joint.,Conclusion.,This study leaves little doubt that pre-operative physiotherapy had a positive effect on motor function in ACLD subjects and should be prescribed routinely to maximize muscle stabilizing potential prior to reconstruction. Patients report improved stability and, in certain cases, may avoid surgery. The finding that exercise increased the passive stability of the joint was unexpected and requires further investigation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Non-parametric regression with a latent time seriesTHE ECONOMETRICS JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Oliver Linton Summary, In this paper we investigate a class of semi-parametric models for panel data sets where the cross-section and time dimensions are large. Our model contains a latent time series that is to be estimated and perhaps forecasted along with a non-parametric covariate effect. Our model is motivated by the need to be flexible with regard to the functional form of covariate effects but also the need to be practical with regard to forecasting of time series effects. We propose estimation procedures based on local linear kernel smoothing; our estimators are all explicitly given. We establish the pointwise consistency and asymptotic normality of our estimators. We also show that the effects of estimating the latent time series can be ignored in certain cases. [source] The predicting brain: Unconscious repetition, conscious reflection and therapeutic changeTHE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOANALYSIS, Issue 4 2007Regina Pally Neuroscience indicates that ,repetition' is fundamental to brain function. The brain non-consciously predicts what is most likely to happen and sets in motion perceptions, emotions, behaviors and interpersonal responses best adapted to what is expected-before events occur. Predictions enable individuals to be ready ,ahead of time' so reactions occur rapidly and smoothly when events occur. The brain uses past learning as the guide for what to expect in the future. Because of prediction, present experience and responses are shaped by the past. Predictions from early life can be deeply encoded and enduring. Predictions based on the past allow for more efficient brain function in the present, but can lead to mistakes. When what is predicted does not occur, consciousness can be engaged to monitor and correct the situation. But if a perception or emotion seems reasonable for the situation, a person might not notice an error, and a maladaptive ,repetition' may remain unchanged. The author discusses how predictions contribute to psychological defenses and transference repetition, and how conscious self-reflection facilitates therapeutic change. The neuroscience of prediction indicates why, in certain cases, active engagement by the analyst may be necessary. The author makes the argument for use of a ,neuroscience interpretation'. [source] Analytic approximation formulae for pricing forward-starting Asian optionsTHE JOURNAL OF FUTURES MARKETS, Issue 5 2003Chueh-Yung Tsao In this article we first identify a missing term in the Bouaziz, Briys, and Crouhy (1994) pricing formula for forward-starting Asian options and derive the correct one. First, illustrate in certain cases that the missing term in their pricing formula could induce large pricing errors or unreasonable option prices. Second, we derive new analytic approximation formulae for valuing forward-starting Asian options by adding the second-order term in the Taylor series. We show that our formulae can accurately value forward-starting Asian options with a large underlying asset's volatility or a longer time window for the average of the underlying asset prices, whereas the pricing errors for these options with the previously mentioned formula could be large. Third, we derive the hedge ratios for these options and compare their properties with those of plain vanilla options. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 23:487,516, 2003 [source] Nonsurgical Management of Parapharyngeal Space Infections: A Prospective StudyTHE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 5 2002Jean-Yves Sichel MD Abstract Objective/Hypothesis Parapharyngeal infections, which can potentially cause life-threatening complications, may, in certain cases, be treated conservatively with no need for surgical drainage. A review of the literature reveals that the most recommended treatment of parapharyngeal infection is surgical drainage combined with intravenous antibiotic therapy. Several retrospective reports recommend conservative treatment with no surgical drainage. Study Design Prospective, nonrandomized. Methods A prospective study was performed on all patients with an infection limited to the parapharyngeal space. Results Twelve patients presented with clinical and radiological diagnosis of parapharyngeal infection during a 5-year period. Five patients showed obvious presence of pus in other spaces and therefore were excluded. Seven patients with no gross extension into other spaces and with no respiratory distress or septic shock were treated with intravenous amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for 9 to 14 days (average period, 11 days). All patients except one were children. All were cured with conservative management, and no surgical drainage was needed. None had any complications. Conclusion Our results confirm the effectiveness of nonsurgical treatment of infections limited to the parapharyngeal space, at least in the pediatric population. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||