Architectural plans are design diagrams that describe building layout where space is planned according to design requirements. Style in architecture is generally characterized as common features appearing in a particular class of building design. This research seeks to address how to recognize architectural design style from a 2D plan diagram. We explore this question in a computational encoder-analyzer (E-A) model for 2D plans, where a characterization of 2D style is based on qualitative spatial representation and information theoretic measures. In a preliminary study of a prominent architect's plans, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach. We conclude by discussing practical applications of automated plan recognition and classification in design support tools.


Metaphor In Context Overview The many philosophers, linguists, and cognitive scientists writing on metaphor over the past two decades have generally taken for granted that metaphor lies outside, if not in opposition to, received conceptions of semantics and grammar. Assuming that metaphor cannot be explained by or within semantics, they claim that metaphor has little, if anything, to teach us about semantic theory. In this book Josef Stern challenges these assumptions. He is concerned primarily with the question: Given the received conception of the form and goals of semantic theory, does metaphorical interpretation, in whole or part, fall within its scope? Specifically, he asks, what (if anything) does a speaker-hearer know as part of her semantic competence when she knows the interpretation of a metaphor?
According to Stern, the answer to these questions lies in the systematic context-dependence of metaphorical interpretation. Drawing on a deep analogy between demonstratives, indexicals, and metaphors, Stern develops a formal theory of metaphorical meaning that underlies a speaker's ability to interpret a metaphor. With his semantics, he also addresses a variety of philosophical and linguistic issues raised by metaphor. These include the interpretive structure of complex extended metaphors, the cognitive significance of metaphors and their literal paraphrasability, the pictorial character of metaphors, the role of similarity and exemplification in metaphorical interpretation, metaphor-networks, dead metaphors, the relation of metaphors to other figures, and the dependence of metaphors on literal meanings. Unlike most metaphor theorists, however, who take these problems to be sui generis to metaphor, Stern subsumes them under the same rubric as other semantic facts that hold for nonmetaphorical language.


The U.S. is the world's largest aerospace and defense market, and also home to the world's largest military budget. The growth of the Aerospace and Defense industry depends largely on the spending outlook of government departments, with the U.S. defense budget being the primary driver. The industry largely depends on U.S. government contracts....
Defense spending is the major source of revenue for the top nine global aerospace and defense companies, with the US accounting for more than 40% of total global defense spending. However, with the U.S. government expected to institute greater austerity in its defense budget going forward, defense companies will need to source more orders from global clients. The geostrategic significance of the industry and the related heavy export restrictions will come in the way, to some extent, of those marketing efforts by U.S.-based operators.
The U.S. defense budget for 2012 was $645.7 billion, with the base budget at $530.6 billion and $115.1 billion approved for Overseas Contingency Operations ("OCO") as supplementary defense spending, mainly to fund ongoing wars. In February this year (2012), the Department of Defense (DoD) requested a Pentagon base budget of $525.4 billion for 2013, which is approximately $5.1 billion or 1% less than what is approved for fiscal 2012, with $88.5 billion earmarked for OCO spending. The significant reduction in OCO funding is mainly due to the decline of U.S. military operations in Iraq in 2011. Going forward, OCO funding is expected to continue to decline as troops redeploy out of Afghanistan. Since the September 2001 attacks, the U.S. government has spent significant amounts on military campaigns overseas. The country has already decided to gradually move out of Afghanistan, and the war in Iraq has finally ended, which is expected to lower its expenditure on foreign campaigns. However, its clandestine military operations in other nations as part of anti-terrorism operations will continue to add to foreign war expenses. However, the overall trend in overseas military spending is unmistakably on the downtrend.
The big defense operators armed with a strong balance sheets are expanding their operations inorganically through acquisitions. The U.S. Defense department also endorses mergers among U.S. defense companies, provided they don't involve the top five or six suppliers acquiring each other.
Lockheed Martin Corporation bolstered its product portfolio by acquiring Procerus Technologies, a company specializing in autopilot and other avionics for micro unmanned aerial systems. In November 2011, it had acquired Sim-Industries B.V., a commercial aviation simulation company located in the Netherlands. This acquisition would expand both companies' closely related markets and expand the customer base.
Another defense major, L-3 Communications Holdings Inc., acquired the Kollmorgen Electro-Optical ("KEO") unit of of Danaher Corporation This unit will improve L-3's product suite with products like submarine photonics systems and periscopes, ship fire control systems, visual landing aids, ground electro-optical and sensor-cueing systems.
In December 2011, General Dynamics Corporation completed the acquisition of Force Protection, Inc. The latter provides blast- and ballistic-protected platforms that support the armed forces of the U.S. and its allies.
In December 2011, Raytheon Company announced that it has acquired Pikewerks Corporation, a privately held company, to further extend Raytheon's capabilities to defend against sophisticated cyber-security threats facing customers in the intelligence community, the DoD and commercial organizations.=
Excerpts, Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights: Lockheed Martin, L-3 Communications, Danaher, General Dynamics and Raytheon, PRNewswire, May 15, 2012


Predicting habitat suitability in temperate seagrass ecosystems
Limnol. Oceanogr., 54(6), 2009, 2018-2024 | DOI: 10.4319/lo.2009.54.6.2018
ABSTRACT: The worldwide observed dramatic decline of seagrasses has typically been attributed to multiple stressors such as eutrophication, disease, sedimentation, and toxicity events. Using principal component analysis and (multivariate) logistic regression, we investigated the importance of 30 commonly measured variables in explaining the presence and absence of the temperate seagrass species Zostera marina and Zostera noltii at 84 Western European locations. Although many interrelated variables influence seagrass presence in our dataset, presence or absence of both species could be reliably predicted by using only two easy-to-measure variables. A logistic regression model of Z. marina correctly predicted 77% of all observations by including water column light attenuation and sediment pore-water reduction oxidation potential (RedOx). The Z. noltii model had an 86% accuracy based on only tidal location (intertidal or subtidal zone) and pore-water RedOx. Applying the models to five evaluation sites demonstrated that both models can be usefully applied as tools for seagrass ecosystem restoration and conservation.


Constructive neutral evolution: exploring evolutionary theory’s curious disconnect Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
Biochemical Science Division, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
Biology Direct 2012, 7 :35 doi:10.1186/1745-6150-7-35Abstract Constructive neutral evolution (CNE) suggests that neutral evolution may follow a stepwise path to extravagance. Whether or not CNE is common, the mere possibility raises provocative questions about causation: in classical neo-Darwinian thinking, selection is the sole source of creativity and direction, the only force that can cause trends or build complex features. However, much of contemporary evolutionary genetics departs from the conception of evolution underlying neo-Darwinism, resulting in a widening gap between what formal models allow, and what the prevailing view of the causes of evolution suggests. In particular, a mutationist conception of evolution as a 2-step origin-fixation process has been a source of theoretical innovation for 40 years, appearing not only in the Neutral Theory, but also in recent breakthroughs in modeling adaptation (the “mutational landscape” model), and in practical software for sequence analysis. In this conception, mutation is not a source of raw materials, but an agent that introduces novelty, while selection is not an agent that shapes features, but a stochastic sieve. This view, which now lays claim to important theoretical, experimental, and practical results, demands our attention. CNE provides a way to explore its most significant implications about the role of variation in evolution.
Alex Kondrashov, Eugene Koonin and Johann Peter Gogarten reviewed this article.


If you are like millions of other Americans, you made money peddling products on eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) Latest News about eBay last year. Many earned enough to enjoy a night on the town. Others collected enough to go on their dream vacation. Still others made a living selling widgets at the online auction site.
Regardless of whether you made a few bucks or several thousand dollars, there are tax implications to generating revenue. Do you report it? Do you need a tax ID number? Can you write off your home office? What on earth is a Schedule C, and do you have to file one?
A quick scan of eBay’s user forums reveals that taxes are consistently a top issue. These questions, and others like them, abound. Indeed, with millions of Americans selling items through the various auction services online, sellers are struggling to understand what’s deductible, what isn’t, and how to ensure they report it the right way.


The FWSA offers a small grant of £250 for postgraduate members who wish to organise workshops, seminars or conferences. This money can be used for a variety of purposes, including paying speakers’ costs, providing refreshments, or hiring facilities, and it can be used alongside other awards (applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding from their host institution to support their event).
These events are an important part of the FWSA’s work: they help to build networks of feminist scholars across disciplines. Student organisers will gain valuable experience, and will be supported throughout the process by the Association.
We require a short proposal (see form attached) from members who wish to apply for these funds: this should be submitted to administrator@fwsa.org.uk by 1 June 2013 and should include:
· a detailed plan of the event (topic and rationale, structure and organisation, invited/keynote speaker/s (please provide copies of CFP or flyer/poster and, if available, programme); · strategy for attracting delegates (particularly from other institutions) and planned numbers; · a detailed budget showing what specifically FWSA funding will be used for
Proposals will be reviewed during June, and decisions communicated by 1 July 2013.
We also ask that you help to promote the FWSA through your event, for instance through displaying our logo on your publicity materials and programme, distributing information about the FWSA at your event, and implementing a reduced fee for FWSA members. Our publicity and membership team will be on hand to help you with this.
The only requirement in terms of topic is that events should focus on an issue related to feminism, women’s or gender studies; proposals which range across disciplines are particularly encouraged. Applicants should not feel confined to the standard academic conference or seminar format (although these too are welcome), as creative or experimental ideas are encouraged.
Once the event is over, organisers will be asked to submit a brief written report (which should include details of how FWSA monies have been spent). Excerpts from these reports (excluding financial information) may be published on the FWSA website, to encourage future applications.
These funds are available to FWSA members only. To join, go to: http://fwsa.wordpress.com/become-a-member/
Enquiries to Zoe Alker: administrator@fwsa.org.uk
To download an application form, please click here.
We look forward to reading your proposals!


JTS Torah Commentary Parashat Va–Ethannan
Shabbat Nahamu
Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11
August 5, 2006 11 Av 5766
This week's commentary was written by Rabbi Marc Wolf,
Senior Director of Community Development, JTS Reenacting a historical moment through liturgy and deed is a forte of Judaism. Our calendar year overflows with holidays and observances that transport us to former days and inspire us to reenter the narrative and relive salient moments of history. This week in particular, observing the Ninth of Av, we read of the destruction of the Temple and continue the mourning of our ancestors for the calamities that befell them. While it is possible to read this narrative as a preventive measure to ensure that we, too, do not fall victims to George Santayana's dictum condemning us to either learn from our history or repeat it, I believe that Judaism's message is a blessing, not a curse. It is a blessing to be able to relive life's difficult moments; the reason for this can be gleaned from Moses' behavior and our parashah this week.
Isaiah Horowitz, commenting on this week's parashah, Va–Ethannan , asserts that throughout the parshiyot of Devarim , we are constantly encouraged to learn and relearn the mitzvot of the Torah. The common name of Deuteronomy itself, the Mishneh Torah , means a second retelling of what occurred in the previous four books. Each subject of the Torah is rehashed within the pages of Deuteronomy, according to Horowitz, and each is a call to action, to study the passages to our fullest comprehension. For inspiration, Horowitz patterns Moses as the quintessential student, constantly questioning the pedagogical message of God.
By citing and expanding on a midrash from Yalkut Shemoni , Horowitz enumerates the four times that Moses, as the student of God, did not fully comprehend God's message and requested clarification of God's objectives. The first of these occurs after Moses' divine election as prophet for the people at the burning bush. He faithfully transmits God's message to Pharaoh and the midrash states that Moses is surprised by Pharaoh's reaction. If God had meant to redeem the people, how could there be a negative response from Pharaoh? Should they not be redeemed immediately? Here, Moses questions the direction from God — seeking to understand fully God's intentions.
The same questioning occurs when Miriam is stricken with leprosy and again when Moses is told to appoint Joshua as his successor. Each time, the result of his interaction with God is not as Moses expects, instead, the midrash has him re–approaching God for clarification of his prophecy. Moses plays the dutiful student, seeking to understand a difficult lesson.
His final questioning of God occurs within this week's parashah. Moses beseeches God and recounts his request: "And I pleaded with the Lord at that time saying, O Lord God, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your mighty hand; for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to your works, and according to your might? I beg of you, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly mountain region, and Lebanon"(Deut. 3:23–25). Questioning God's ban prohibiting him from entering the land, Moses appeals to God to cancel the decree and allow him to enter. His plea to God is compared by Horowitz to asking that an oath be nullified. Moses focuses intently on canceling God's oath preventing him from re–entering the land. In this, Moses is seeking to understand the essence of the ban. (Horowitz, Shnei Luhot ha'Brit , p. 107 Sharei Tzion ed.).
In his continual tendency to question and seek clarification and meaning, Moses provides us with a paradigm for a student's responsibility. His goal is to relearn his prophecy until he fully understands its comprehensive message. In each situation, Horowitz explains that Moses is not challenging God's message, but seeking to understand what he may have missed in the first telling.
As well it is with our calendar of holidays and observances. The historical message of each observance and holiday is clear, but our reasons for perpetuating them sometimes are not. Specifically, with Tish'ah B'Av, finding contemporary relevance has been particularly challenging. Even as early as the days of the Second Temple, challenges were made to indefinitely postpone the fast of Tish'ah B'Av. To guarantee relevance, we have historically defined this day on the calendar as the day on which numerous tragedies occurred.
This year, with war raging on the borders of Israel and destruction raining from the sky we have new motivation behind our commemoration of the Ninth Day of Av. However, our contemporary relevance is distinct from our historical observance. It is not from a position of helplessness that we commemorate, but strength. Rabbi Michael Graetz, a Masorti colleague from Omer, Israel recently reflected on this idea and wrote, "The pain of destruction of two temples thousands of years ago will be augmented this year with the pain of the destruction of homes, factories, and other property in Israel today. But, the lachrymose tunes of Eicha and Kinnot will be sung with a defiant spirit, not 100 percent mourning. A spirit that knows that Israel will prevail."
Each cycle of our calendar year is a call for us to refine and relearn our understanding of our holidays and observances. In Horowitz's conclusion, he states that this pattern of relearning is what eventually leads to actualizing the verse, "You who held fast to the Lord your God are alive each and every one of you this day."(Deut. 4:4). Holding fast to our Judaism is not a passive observance but an active engagement not simply passing through the calendar, but connecting to it and relearning our historic salient moments until we achieve the level of understanding inspired by Moses.
Shabbat shalom ,
Rabbi Marc Wolf
The publication and distribution of the JTS Commentary are made possible by a generous grant from Rita Dee and Harold (z"l) Hassenfeld.


It's not only the schools: Some doctors are taking issue with Flamin' Hot Cheetos because they are leading to unnecessary emergency room visits.
Several school districts in New Mexico, California and Illinois have made the move to ban the snacks from their campuses because they lack nutritional value, and research suggests the snacks may create a brain response similar to what is seen in individuals who are addicted to illicit substances. But, medical professionals are saying there's other health fears associated with the snack that are leading to doctor's visits.
Because the spicy snack contains a lot of red food dye, it can turn the stools of people who eat large quantities red or orange. Parents and kids may mistakenly assume that it is a sign of blood in the stool, leading to panicked trip to the hospital.


CONTEXT: Graves' disease (GD) is a systemic autoimmune syndrome comprising manifestations in thyroid and orbital connective tissue. The link between these two tissues in GD eludes our understanding. Patients with GD have increased frequency of circulating monocyte lineage cells known as fibrocytes. These fibrocytes infiltrate orbital connective tissues in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy and express functional TSH receptor (TSHR).
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify and characterize CD34(+) fibrocytes in thyroid tissue.
DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing surgical thyroidectomy at two academic medical centers were recruited to the study.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We performed immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, real-time PCR, cytokine-specific ELISA, and cell differentiation.
RESULTS: CD34(+)ColI(+)CXCR4(+)TSHR(+) cells can be identified in situ in thyroid tissue from donors with GD, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, or in normal-appearing tissue. Thyroid fibroblasts cultivated from these glands express a CD34(-)ColI(+)CXCR4(+)TSHR(+) phenotype. TSHR levels are higher than those in orbital fibroblasts. When treated with TSH, thyroid fibroblasts generate IL-6 and IL-8. The induction of IL-6 can be blocked by dexamethasone, a chemical inhibitor of Akt/Pkb, and by knocking down Akt with a specific small interfering RNA. When treated with TGF-β or rosiglitazone, thyroid fibroblasts differentiate into myofibrocytes or adipocytes, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: ColI(+)CXCR4(+)TSHR(+) thyroid fibroblasts resemble orbital fibroblasts and circulating fibrocytes. CD34(+) fibrocytes appear to infiltrate both tissues in GD. Thyroid fibroblasts lose CD34 display in culture, unlike orbital fibroblasts and circulating fibrocytes. Fibrocytes and their fibroblast derivatives may participate in the pathogenesis of thyroid autoimmunity after TSHR activation. They could represent a therapeutic target for these diseases.


Susan Hasty, Publisher
Table of Contents . . . October 12th, 2006
Needlestick Injuries - Majority of needlestick injuries can be prevented
Blood Banking - New York Blood Center experiencing blood shortage
Bone Marrow Transplantation - Veto cells may be used for tolerance induction without graft-versus-host disease
Business Update - Curis announces new cancer programs, formation of China-based subsidiary
Business Update - CyGenics to focus on tissue and cord blood banking
Cancer Gene Therapy - Gene therapy model reveals unique risk factors for insertional mutagenesis
Cancer Risk Factors - Innate immune inflammation against Helicobacter hepaticus induces mammary adenocarcinoma
Cardiomyopathy - Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy is limited by erythropoietin
Cardiovascular Health - Aerobic endurance training lowers blood pressure by reducing systemic vascular resistance
Cardiovascular Research - New international guidelines for heart transplant candidates standardize patient care
Cervical Cancer Prognostics - NF-kappa B upregulation does not predict high-risk human papillomavirus in cervical cancer
Collaborations - CardioVascular BioTherapeutics announces clinical collaboration
Diabetes Pathogenesis - In prediabetes, soluble P-selectin may not contribute to prothrombotic state or atherogenesis
Embryonal Brain Tumor - Notch inhibition depletes stem-like cells and blocks engraftment in embryonal brain tumors
Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Embryonic cell lines not derived directly from paired blastomeres
Environmental Health - Elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure related to reduced fetal and child growth
Gene Research - Leukemic oncogenes identified by phosphoproteomic analysis
HIV/AIDS-Associated Primary Cerebral Lymphoma - HAART exposure not associated with HIV-associated primary cerebral lymphoma
Hematology - Researchers create a roadmap to integrin activation
Infectious Diseases - Hospital-acquired infections surveillance model is developed
Infective Endocarditis - gC1qR/p33 blockade reduces Staphylococcus aureus colonization in infective endocarditis
Kidney Transplantation - Proteome Sciences evaluates biomarkers of kidney transplant with tandem mass tag technology
Kidney Transplantation - Urinary cytotoxic molecular markers for diagnosing renal transplant acute rejection are tested
Lung Transplantation - Clinical breakthrough emerges for Steen Solution in lung transplantations
Medical Devices - Kane biotech begins efficacy study with KBI-4258 coating technology
Microbial Colonization - Impact of gut microbiota composition on cytokine profile development evaluated in children
Multifocal Motor Neuropathy - Refractory multifocal motor neuropathy improves after high-dose cyclophosphamide
Multiple Myeloma Therapy - Thalidomide plus dexamethasone is effective in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma
Needlestick Injuries - Universal precautions against needle stick injuries lacking in U.K. hospitals
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria - Disseminated nontuberculous mycobacteria emerging in HIV-negative immunosuppressed patients
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Outbreaks - Drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriemia occurred in hematology patients
Pulmonary Aspergillosis - Cavitation formation predicts time until radiologic remission in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis
Respiratory Medicine - Upgrading donor lung quality will improve organ availability
Stem Cell Research - Corneal stem and progenitor cell markers localized
Stem Cell Research - Cytokines regulate postnatal hematopoietic stem cell expansion
Stem Cell Research - Embryonic stem cell reversible gene expression induced by a RNA vector
Stem Cell Research - Identified peptide selectively binds to embryonic carcinoma stem cells
Stem Cell Research - Interferon-alpha-2b differentiates mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts
Stem Cell Research - Mesenchymal stem cell proliferation induced by 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives
Stem Cell Therapy - Labeled stem cell PET assesses tissue distribution after intracoronary injection
Stem Cell Transplantation - High-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation controls CNS histiocytic disorders
Stem Cell Transplantation - Inflammation stimulates myelination by transplanted oligodendrocyte precursor cells
Stem Cell Transplantation - Parainfluenza virus type 3 infection highly prevalent after stem cell transplantation
Stem Cell Transplantation - Risk factors identified for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder
Stem Cell Transplantation - Transplanted bone marrow-derived stem cells have potential to migrate to cochlea
Tissue Engineering - Mathematical model developed for cell growth and diffusion in a porous scaffold
Tissue Engineering - Rabbit cornea substitute constructed with fibrin-agarose scaffold
Transplant Medicine - Organ transplantation, organ donation and mental retardation are considered in review
Uterine Cervical Cancer - Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase overexpression associated with papillomavirus in uterine cervical cancer
Biomedical Engineering - Findings from Japan, Italy and the United States in biomedical engineering provide new insights
NewsRx also is available at LexisNexis, Gale, ProQuest, Factiva, Dialog, Thomson Reuters, NewsEdge, and Dow Jones.


Treating Stress Failure Injuries In Young Athletes Volume 15 - Issue 7 - July 2002 3888 reads 0 comments Start Page: 56Is the term “overuse injuries” really appropriate? After all, many so-called “overuse” injuries of the lower extremity are unilateral. In most cases, the right foot is used just as much as the left foot so the term becomes illogical. Perhaps stress failure phenomena would be a more accurate description of these injuries. Some examples of mechanisms leading to stress failure problems include repetitive motion, repetitive loading and repetitive impact. Your patients might encounter repetitive motion injuries in endurance sports like swimming or sports such as cross-country running or basketball. Athletic injuries are often blamed on training, technique or equipment errors. I would add biological errors to the mix. Training errors occur when a child goes too far, too fast, too heavy or too soon. Technique errors often occur in the absence of good coaching. An example might be when an athlete’s improper kicking in swimming breaststroke leads to knee derangement. Equipment errors, such as worn out shoes, can lead to repetitive impact injuries. Unfortunately, biological errors are all too often discovered after the fact. For example, a child who sustains a repetitive loading injury to the second metatarsal head may later be recognized as one who overpronates. If a practitioner had recognized the injury early on, he or she could have used an orthotic to stop the overpronation from destabilizing the first ray and allowing overloading of the second ray. However, stress failure injuries are tough to detect as they often have an insidious onset. This is because the repetitive nature of the damage builds gradually to the point that the “straw that breaks the camel’s back” may occur. Prodromal signs and symptoms of an impending stress failure might include vague or mild discomfort, similarly mild edema, erythema, ecchymosis and eventually a loss of use of the involved anatomy. These are the same signs and symptoms associated with acute trauma but they are more gradually developing with stress failure injuries. Some examples of stress failure in children might be categorized by tissue type. These certainly could include failure of bone, soft tissues or skin.


Xanat Flores-Cervantes, D., Reddy, C.M., Gschwend, P.M., Inferring black carbon concentrations in coastal seawater by observing pyrene fluorescence losses. , Env. Sci. and Technol., 2009; v43, 4864-4870.Black carbon (BC), the soot and char formed during incomplete combustion of fossil and biomass fuels, is ubiquitous, participates in diverse environmental processes, and has adverse effects on human health. However, uncertainty persists regarding how accurately the present measurement methods quantify total BC or even defined subportions of the BC continuum. Hence, we sought to improve this situation by developing a new, low-sample manipulation methodology that does not require any oxidative or pyrolytic treatments but rather differentiates BC from other non-BC organic carbon (OC) using its sorbent properties. The procedure, referred to as the pyrene fluorescence loss (PFL) method, infers BC concentrations in particulate organic matter (POM) by observing the decrease in fluorescence from pyrene spiked into aqueous POM suspensions. The method was first tested using diverse materials previously utilized in an international BC method intercomparison study, and then its effectiveness (e.g., sensitivity and geochemical reasonableness) was tested by applying it to sediment and seawater POM samples collected from a coastal area downwind of important BC sources. Parallel evaluation of BC, using the PFL method and CTO-375 procedure, suggested we can characterize the predominant BC in a given sample as (i) thermally recalcitrant and highly sorptive per mass (e.g., soot), (ii) thermally labile and highly sorptive per mass (e.g., char), or (iii) thermally recalcitrant but not highly sorptive (e.g., lignite coal).


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ABSTRACT- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance for ecological risk assessments stipulates the use of highly conservative food web model estimates for intake. Compounds such as DDT and its related byproducts, are highly lipophilic, resulting in the potential for significant bioaccumulation. EPA guidance suggests the use of octanol-water partition coefficients to estimate uptake of bioaccumulative compounds. However, measured uptake of DDT in aquatic systems can be six orders of magnitude less than values estimated from octanol-water partition coefficient models. Estimate comparisons will be presented that illustrate the magnitude of variation in DDT exposure estimates from models and measured values. These exposure estimates have significant impact on the risk estimates derived from them and the risk management decisions upon which they are based.
Key words: sediment, risk, ddt
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Fungal and Fumonisins Contamination in Argentine Maize (Zea mays L.) Silo Bags J. Agric. Food Chem. In Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Vol. 57, No. 7. (3 March 2009), pp. 2778-2781, doi:10.1021/jf803609c Key: citeulike:11920331Formatted Citation Show HTML Likes (beta) Abstract Fumonisins in maize (Zea mays L.) grain silo bags in the conditions of three Argentine provinces were analyzed to determine how this kind of storage affects contamination and if differential storage durations or times of the year of silo bag closing and opening are factors that could modify it. Moisture content, water activity (aw), molds and yeasts present, and fumonisins were analyzed in 163 maize silo bags, at the moment of closing and later at opening. Storage durations ranged from 120 to 226 days. The analysis was centered on fumonisins since most samples were only contaminated with these toxins. Fumonisins, moisture content, and aw increased significantly, whereas mold propagules/g and yeasts CFU/g did not present significant differences between silo opening and closing. The date on which silo bags were closed and later opened, however, did affect the level of fumonisin contamination.


The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) is an independent policy and research center, affiliated with the World Bank, dedicated to advancing financial access for the world’s poor.
Their next five-year strategic direction lays out five priority themes, desired outcomes, and activities against each priority. The first one is “Understanding demand to effectively deliver for the poor”.
“To ensure that access to financial services improves the lives of poor, low-income and underserved people, financial inclusion must be client-centric. Client-centricity is about providing financial solutions based on a deep understanding of poor people’s needs, preferences, and behaviors. This will require a shift from a transactional approach (i.e., narrow focus on selling a product to a customer) to a relationship approach (i.e., broad focus on understanding the dynamic needs and behaviors of customers over their lifecycle).”
The strategic direction document provides quite some detail on how they intend to implement this user-centered approach.
CGAP is supported by over 30 development agencies and private foundations who share a common mission to alleviate poverty. The Group provides market intelligence, promotes standards, develops innovative solutions and offers advisory services to governments, microfinance providers, donors, and investors.


BACKGROUND: Class I evidence for surgical effectiveness in refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in 2001 led to an American Academy of Neurology practice parameter in 2003 recommending "referral to a surgical epilepsy center on failing appropriate trials of first-line antiepileptic drugs." We examined whether this led to a change in referral patterns to our epilepsy center.
METHODS: We compared referral data for patients with TLE at our center for 1995 to 1998 (group 1, n = 83) and 2005 to 2008 (group 2, n = 102) to determine whether these recommendations resulted in a change in referral patterns for surgical evaluation. Patients with brain tumors, previous epilepsy surgery evaluations, or brain surgery (including epilepsy surgery) were excluded.
RESULTS: We did not find a difference between the groups in the duration from the diagnosis of habitual seizures to referral (17.1 +/- 10.0 vs 18.6 +/- 12.6 years, p = 0.39) or the age at the time of evaluation (34.1 +/- 10.3 vs 37.0 +/- 11.8 years, p = 0.08). However, there was a difference in the distributions of age at evaluation (p = 0.03) and the duration of pharmacotherapy (p = 0.03) between the groups, with a greater proportion of patients in group 2 with drug-resistant epilepsy both earlier and later in their treatment course. Nonepileptic seizures were referred significantly earlier than TLE in either group or when combined.
CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis does not identify a significantly earlier referral for epilepsy surgery evaluation as recommended in the practice parameter, but suggests a hopeful trend in this direction.


Climatologists regularly issue confident warnings about impending atmospheric disasters. The secret of their wizardry: sophisticated computer models, which are no more than mathematical representations of the world's climate and the conditions that scientists think may contribute to a specific phenomenon like, say, ozone depletion. Unfortunately, when all the variables are fed into the computer, the predictions can fail miserably to match reality.
Take the Antarctic ozone hole, for example. Before it was discovered, climate modelers trying to simulate ozone loss in the atmosphere had not yet factored in the presence of ice clouds in the Antarctic stratosphere. Thus their models failed...


My wife and I attended that blessed event recently: the child-free dinner party. Even when your children are out of sight, however, they aren't out of mind, as when our hostess invoked Christ's admonition: Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. How, she asked, are you learning faith from your children?
I've been considering what they have taught me, the boys who are living as well as the girl who died. Humility comes quickly to mind. No matter how lofty one's discourse with guests, there is an instant leveling effect when one's 2-year-old bellows from the bathroom: "D-A-A-A-D! WIPE ME!"
Sometimes the lesson is less direct. I remember visiting a public restroom with my then 5-year-old, Caleb, and fussing at him, as I dried my hands, for dawdling. "I'm sorry Daddy," he said. "I was holding open the door for that man with the walkie thing." He was referring to the old man using a walker, the one I'd noticed in my peripheral vision but hadn't thought to help, set as I was on bathroom efficiency.
My daughter taught me the deepest humility, at least for a man, which is knowing I can't always protect what I love. Her tumor was a murderous intruder, but I couldn't kill it. I could only watch and pray and grieve. She was the one who reminded us, as we held her and wept after learning there would be no cure, that "God says don't worry about tomorrow." Out of the mouth of babes . . . you have perfected praise.
And humility, it seems, is a pen in the authoring of faith. Isn't it strange how our heads can know a truth, and yet our hearts can remain ignorant until something presses it deeply into us? Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Christ established this connection between humility and faith, yet when I became a Christian 10 years ago, I was absorbed for a time with my sanctity and correctness. I didn't always sit up front, but in my proud heart I was a front-pew Christian. Look at me Lord-aren't you glad I'm not like some of these others?
It took burying a child, and birthing three more, and countless dark sins along the way, to learn how deep pride can run, and that it sloughs off faith. I sit in the back row now, not simply because each boy will require at least one bathroom trip during any given church service, but also as a reminder that I have just barely made it in the door. Perhaps we've all just barely made it in. And yet we are welcomed to the feast, prodigal sons and daughters each of us.
All these memories have come to me since that dinner, but when our hostess asked her question, my immediate thought was how easily my children believe tomorrow will be better. Sometimes, after a day of barking and griping at them, I am filled with shame. I kneel beside their beds, each in turn, and kiss their faces. I ask them to forgive Daddy for being a big grump, and they always do. I tell them tomorrow will be better, and they always believe me. My daughter did, too, as I whispered to her that Jesus would make it all better. Some think a child's faith is fragile, but I have seen a child believe unto death. Is my faith that strong?
It seems like losing child-like faith defines our passage into adulthood. Only a fool or a child would believe, in the face of daily wounds and sins, that tomorrow will be better. Grow up, is what we say, when we want someone to see the world as it is, not as it is promised to become. But grace grips us in its gentle, relentless hands, and we are told to go back to childhood, to relearn a faith the world has slowly constricted. I whisper, It will be better tomorrow, sweetheart, and my children believe. Somewhere in their expectant faces, as they nod and smile and forgive, is the kingdom of heaven. This is why sometimes I hold their faces and search for that faith I am relearning, and pray it will never leave them.
-Tony Woodlief lives in Wichita, Kan., with his wife and three sons


Watch for pot holes as temperatures rise | Transportation Temperatures are forecasted to rise above freezing for Southwest Indiana later this week, increasing the likelihood that potholes will form. When the Indiana Department of Transportation is not clearing snow, ice or storm debris, crews are focused on maintaining and preserving the state’s roads and bridges.
Potholes begin when water seeps into the cracks in a road and freezes, expanding the layers of pavement, stone and soil beneath the surface. As the ice melts and contracts, heavy highway traffic further loosens the pavement, forming potholes.
With temperatures too low for paving, most of Indiana’s hot mix asphalt plants are now closed. During the winter INDOT uses cold mix – a mixture of small stone and liquid asphalt – as a temporary patch. Even after being filled with cold patch, the same pothole requires ongoing maintenance and can reopen several times throughout the winter. When the asphalt plants reopen in the spring, INDOT maintenance crews clean out and then repair potholes with hot mix, providing a smoother, more permanent fix.
To report a pothole on a numbered state route, interstate or U.S. highway, contact the Vincennes District by calling 1-800-279-5758 or emailing swincommunications@indot.in.gov or use the “Report a Concern” tool at http://dotmaps.indot.in.gov/apps/districtmaps.
For the past several years, INDOT has been expanding its Pavement Preservation Program to improve pavement friction and seal tiny cracks before potholes form. INDOT sealed 1,685 lane miles of state highways during the fiscal year ending June 2012, and plans to seal 1,820 lane miles during the current fiscal year. For every dollar invested, research estimates that pavement preservation saves taxpayers $6 to $14 in future maintenance and construction costs. Pavement preservation also uses fewer natural resources than reconstruction and significantly reduces motorist inconvenience.


Workflow Management Systems + Swarm Intelligence = Dynamic Task Assignment for Emergency Management Applications Business Process Management (2007), pp. 125-140, doi:10.1007/978-3-540-75183-0_10 Key: citeulike:1682305Formatted Citation Show HTML Likes (beta) Abstract The assignment of tasks to human performers is a critical component in people-centric business process management systems. Workflow management systems typically assign work items using strategies that only consider qualified resources. There are, however, situations, where this approach falls short. For instance, in emergency response situations, tasks need to be carried out by resources that are available immediately, even if they do not match all skill requirements. This paper compares the performance of a set of six task assignment mechanisms for workflow applications using a scenario from the emergency management domain. In particular, we develop and simulate assignment strategies inspired by stimulus/response models derived from swarm intelligence, and benchmark these strategies against conventional task assignment strategies. Our findings show that swarm intelligence-based approaches outperform the traditional assignment of tasks in ad-hoc organizations, and that workflow-based emergency management systems could benefit significantly from these novel task assignment strategies.


Epidemiology of HIV among Youth HIV and Minority Youth Minority youth have been disproportionately affected by HIV since the beginning of the epidemic and they continue to bear the brunt of the epidemic. According to the CDC, in 2004, Black/African American youth aged 13-19 accounted for 73% of all AIDS cases among youth, and Latino youth accounted for 14%. Among the 33 states with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting, Black/African American youth aged 13-24 accounted for 61% of all HIV/AIDS cases.6


CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY
INITIATIVE INDUSTRY JOINT SEMINAR ON SUCCESSFUL CASES OF TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER IN ASIAN COUNTRIES:
The Climate Technology Initiative (CTI) Industry Joint Seminar on Successful Cases of Technology Transfer in Asian Countries took place from 7-8 March 2007, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nehru Place, New Delhi, India.
Organized by the CTI in cooperation with The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), India, and supported by the International Centre for Environmental Technology Transfer (ICETT), Japan, the seminar was attended by 120 participants from seven Asian countries. The seminar provided an opportunity for government representatives, policymakers, and experts from industry, financial institutions and academia to review best practices for technology transfer in the Asian region, with particular focus on case studies on biomass fuel, biomass power generation and facilitation of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs). The objectives of the seminar were to encourage transfer of renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies and knowledge by introducing technology options that are yet to be widely diffused, and enhancing understanding of key elements of successful technology transfer practices and technology options that are effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The seminar also sought to strengthen regional linkages and partnerships among the participants to foster future technology transfer projects.
During the day-and-a-half long meeting, participants heard case study presentations organized in three thematic sessions, followed by comments and suggestions from country representatives. There was also one panel discussion. On Wednesday, 7 March, two of the thematic sessions were held: one on biomass fuel and another on biomass power generation. On Thursday, one thematic session took place, on facilitation of ESCOs. This was followed by a panel discussion on cooperation among key sectors for technology transfer.
This report provides a brief history of the climate change process, technology transfer and the CTI Industry Joint Seminar series, followed by a summary of this CTI Industry Joint Seminar on Successful Cases of Technology Transfer in Asian Countries.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, AND CTI INDUSTRY JOINT SEMINARS
In December 1997, delegates met in Kyoto, Japan, and adopted the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC that commits developed countries and countries with economies in transition to achieve quantified emissions reduction targets. These countries agreed to reduce their overall emissions of six greenhouse gases by an average of 5.2% below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012 (the first commitment period), with specific targets varying from country to country. The Kyoto Protocol also establishes three flexible mechanisms to assist the parties in meeting their national targets cost-effectively: an emissions trading system; joint implementation (JI); and the clean development mechanism (CDM), which encourages projects in developing countries. The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16 February 2005 and has been ratified by 168 Parties.
In 2001, Parties to the UNFCCC adopted a framework for actions to enhance the implementation of Article 4.5. The framework contains five key activities relating to technology needs assessments, technology information, enabling environments, capacity building and mechanisms for technology transfer. Funding to implement the framework is provided through the climate change focal area of the Global Environment Facility and the Special Climate Change Fund. The CDM is also expected to contribute to the transfer of cleaner and more efficient technologies to developing countries.
Parties to the UNFCCC took further action in 2001 by establishing an Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT) to help advance the Convention’s technology-related goals. Since then, workshops have been held on technology information (Beijing, China, April 2002), needs assessments (Seoul, Republic of Korea, April 2002), enabling environments (Ghent, Belgium, April 2003), innovative financing (Montreal, Canada, September 2004 and Bonn, Germany, October 2005), and adaptation technologies (Tobago, June 2005) (for more information on recent UNFCCC events, visit:
).At the
eleventh Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the UNFCCC, serving as
the first Meeting of the Parties (MOP 1) to the Kyoto Protocol, held in
Montreal in November-December 2005, delegates,
A year later, at COP 12 and MOP 2 in Nairobi in November 2006, delegates extended the EGTT for one year, and forwarded text to SBSTA 26 for its further consideration. The text, which remains bracketed pending further negotiation, includes references to: the five themes listed in the framework for technology transfer; reconstitution of the EGTT; establishment of a Technology Development and Transfer Board (TDTB); establishment of a Multilateral Technology Acquisition Fund (MTAF) to buy intellectual property rights; and development of indicators to monitor implementation of the technology transfer framework. The bracketed text also includes terms of reference for EGTT/TDTB.
The CTI also organizes a series of joint industry seminars. The first CTI Industry joint seminar for the Asia and Pacific Region was held in Beijing in May 1998. In subsequent years, it has organized or co-organized various other meetings, including events on technology diffusion for: Asia (Cebu City, the Philippines, January 2000); Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Vienna, Austria, October 2003); ASEAN and Small Island States in the Pacific Region (Jakarta, Indonesia, February 2004); Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (Vienna, October 2004).
The CTI has also arranged seminars on energy efficiency in Asian Countries (Beijing, China, February 2005, and Hanoi, Viet Nam, March 2006) and project formation for joint implementation (JI) activities under the Kyoto Protocol (Madrid, Spain, October 2005).
These meetings were often arranged in partnership with other organizations, such as the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). For more information on these past events, visit: http://www.climatetech.net/events/ and http://www.iisd.ca/process/climate_atm.htm (scroll down to the section marked “Other Climate Change, Energy, and Ozone Meetings covered by IISD Reporting Services”).
REPORT OF THE SEMINAR
The CTI Industry Joint Seminar on Successful Cases of Technology Transfer in Asian Countries began on Wednesday morning, 7 March, with opening speeches.
Morihiro Kurushima, Programme Manager, CTI, welcomed participants. He outlined the origin, activities and accomplishments of the CTI, highlighting the CTI’s mission to encourage international cooperation in the development and diffusion of climate-friendly and environmentally-sound technologies and practices. Noting that the CTI has organized numerous events on technology diffusion and capacity building, he drew attention to the focus of the seminar – biomass fuel, biomass power generation, and the facilitation of ESCOs.
Leena Srivastava, TERI, stressed the challenge of addressing poverty and the imperative for economic growth in Asia. Predicting an inevitable rise in energy demand, she emphasized the need for sustainable growth. Highlighting that 80% of India’s infrastructure is yet to be put in place, she identified an opportunity to follow an alternative development path, and for learning and technology transfer in the process. She also underscored the importance of technology transfer not only to reduce emissions but also to reduce vulnerabilities and address adaptation needs.
Ajay
Mathur, Ministry of Power, India, delivered the keynote address. He
characterized the process of product development and policy analysis of
clean technologies as iterative, and stressed the importance of cross
fertilization and learning from experience. He also emphasized the
importance of information, experience and knowledge sharing in
integrating design knowledge with market demand. Highlighting the
inevitability of increased energy use and emissions in India, he
identified the need to,
This session was moderated by A. K. Asthana, National Productivity Council, India, and included case-study presentations on utilization of biofuel for tea leaf drying in Indonesia, biomass gasification and power generation in China, and applications of environmentally-friendly technologies for natural rubber processing in India. Following the presentations, participants from the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam commented on the presentations and shared their own country experiences.
Faizul Ishom, Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology, Indonesia, presented on palm oil as a fuel substitute in the tea leaf drying process. Noting the increased and growing demand for energy in Indonesia, as well as the abundance of bio resources, Ishom stressed the importance of developing biofuels. He explained the process for using environmentally-friendly palm oil as a fuel substitute in the tea leaf drying process, and noted its similarities with standard operations using diesel. Noting that the increase in the price of palm oil had reduced the price difference between palm oil and diesel, Ishom highlighted the need to increase the efficiency of this process. He suggested that one method to achieve this is to integrate into the process a system for heat recovery from the exhaust gas.
Li Haibin, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, presented on biomass gasification power generation (BGPG) in China. He traced the development and commercialization of BGPG in China. He explained the process and technology, and provided illustrations of typical projects including in Sanya, Jiangxi, Jiedong and Jiangsu. Li noted that three joint-stock companies had been set up to promote BGPG, and that currently, one 20 megawatts and two 4-5 megawatts biomass power plants are in operation. He added that customers include factories in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. He proceeded to compare three biomass power generation technologies, namely, direct combustion, co-firing, and gasification, and considered their applicability in China. Li concluded that BGPG technology is economically feasible if the capacity of the plant is less than 10 megawatts, and that biomass direct combustion and power generation technology is feasible if the capacity of the plant is more than 10 megawatts.
James Jacob, Rubber Board, India, presented on the applications of environmentally-friendly technologies for the natural rubber processing industry in India. He discussed clean technology applications such as the use of biomass gasification for processing “technically specified rubber” (TSR) and bio methanation of sheet rubber processing effluents, and highlighted the potential for small-scale industries to earn carbon credits through these applications. He emphasized that rubber, grown largely in the South-East Asian region, is an industrial raw material of strategic importance. Jacob described the process of rubber extraction, including the process of transforming liquid latex to TSR, and highlighted the large energy consumption required for this process. He then discussed a study that examined potential carbon credits and energy savings using biomass gasification in the preparation of TSR, and his agency’s progress in developing CDM projects. He outlined a case-study of substituting electricity with biomass gasifiers during drying of TSR. Jacob discussed the carbon credits potential and energy savings from a sheet rubber effluents biogas plant, and identified the benefits to the local communities. He noted that these technologies were ready to be transferred to other rubber producing countries.
Le
Viet Nga, Ministry of Industry, Viet Nam, noted that the Ministry has
prepared a blueprint for biofuel development in Viet Nam. She called for
cooperation between Viet Nam and Indonesia in biofuel development. She
questioned the possibility of using coconut oil as a biofuel and the
larger market acceptability of the biomass gasification system developed
in China. Le also asked if there existed a framework in China to
encourage biomass gas production. She then highlighted the difficulties
in encouraging biofuel production in Viet Nam. Faizul Ishom noted that
Indonesia has developed the competence to produce
Li Haibin noted that BGPG technologies can cater to multiple uses and therefore be economical under a variety of situations. He highlighted the role of Chinese subsidies in the promotion of ethanol, and plans for similar policies for the promotion of biodiesel. James Jacob highlighted the development of a bilateral program with Viet Nam for clean technologies in rubber research and development. He then underscored the energy security and nutritional security aspects of biomass-based energy systems in rural areas.
Summarizing the discussion, A. K. Asthana noted that, while
biomass-based technologies are useful, their wider application is
problematic because of,
This session was moderated by Yoshitaka Nitta, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, and included case study presentations on BGPG in Indonesia, carbonizing gasification for biomass/waste in Japan, and rice husk power in Thailand. Following the presentations, participants from China, the Philippines, Viet Nam and India commented on the presentations and shared their own country experiences. The moderator, Yoshitaka Nitta, stressed the importance of sustainability, noting that it is dependent on resource availability, efficiency in power generation systems, waste management, and profitability.
M. A.
M. Oktaufik, Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology,
Indonesia, presented on the Agency’s experience with BGPG. He
underscored both the increasing demand for energy and the huge potential
of biomass for power generation in Indonesia (an estimated total of 1160
megawatts). Oktaufik introduced the Solar Village and Renewable Energy
Indonesia Project, a joint project with the German Government. He
outlined and evaluated the implementation of two types of biomass
gasifier technologies: fixed-bed, down-draft power gasifier, and
fluidized-bed heat gasifier. He concluded,
Kazuyoshi Ichikawa, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, identified the benefits of biomass energy. He indicated that it reduces carbon dioxide emissions, can be easily converted into a high energy portable fuel, enables use of unused agricultural land, provides jobs in rural communities, and enables restoration of degraded lands. He noted that the introduction of biomass energy is limited by the high cost of biomass collection and transportation, and the large investment required due to the small scale nature of the projects. Ichikawa explained the concept of carbonizing gasification, and described the Advanced Biomass Carbonizing Gasification system developed and operated by his Institute. He also highlighted the Institute’s areas of research, namely: development of evaluation tools for biomass potential and collection costs; biomass energy use; biomass gasification reactivity; and gasification simulation technology. Responding to questions, Ichikawa said that the fins inside the carbonizer rotate at 300 rpm, and are made with a special alloy. He noted that the investment required to introduce a carbonizer into the gasification unit is US$2500 per kilowatt, but declined to comment on the commercial aspects of biogas generation.
Natee Sithiprasasana, A.T. Biopower Co. Ltd., Thailand, shared the experiences of his organization in operating the rice husk power plant in Pichit, Thailand. He noted that the project was developed in 2000 and started commercial operation in 2005. Noting that this is an award-winning project, he explained that the project works with extensive community involvement and shares benefits directly with the local community. He underscored that the project uses a single fuel instead of multiple ones. Sithiprasasana identified the project’s purposes as electricity production and sale to the electricity generating authority, sale of rice husk to the cement industry, and sale of carbon credits. He noted that the project has been approved as a CDM project by the designated national authority. He then elaborated the specific local and global environmental benefits of the project. He underscored that the project employs a novel technology that uses suspension-fired boilers, and that it represents a successful case of technology transfer. He outlined some design features of the technology, and some problems associated with its application, such as the risk of dependence on a single fuel, and the high transportation costs. He noted the need for government intervention in managing the price of the husk and highlighted plans by a group of rice husk power plant owners to build rice husk storage buildings to improve the quality of the rice husk. Sithiprasasana underscored the importance of training for technology transfer and added that the project largely recruits from the local communities. Participants raised questions regarding the specific reasons for grinding rice husks, the capital costs for power plants using suspension-fired boilers, the price of electricity generated and the nature of subsidy support for operating rice husk power generation plants.
Natee Sithiprasasana noted problems in the government’s tariff structure for rice husk power. M.A.M. Oktaufik stressed that although it is difficult to devise a good formula for pricing renewable energies, they are efficient in providing power to rural areas. Kazuyoshi Ichikawa, stressed that there is no single technology for biomass power generation. He noted the need to reduce the development costs of biomass power generation and underscored the importance of technology transfer.
Summarizing the session, Y.P. Abbi, TERI, noted that most Asian countries will require energy for their growth needs, and stressed that they must use low intensity carbon technology to meet energy requirements. He noted that there are no universal technological solutions for biomass power generation and outlined some problems associated with widespread application of these technologies. He emphasized the importance of subsidies in making Indian biomass power projects operational. Abbi also outlined some areas for further research, such as the need for technology development to suit multiple biomass types.
This session was moderated by Ajay Mathur, Ministry of Power, India, and included presentations on the development of ESCOs in China, successful cases of ESCO projects in Japan, and the development of the ESCO market in India. Following the presentations, participants from India and Japan commented on the presentations and shared their experiences. Mathur noted that ESCOs provide facility owners with confidence that investment in energy services results in annual savings. He added that although the concept was “seductive and simple”, its implementation is difficult.
Zhao
Ming, China ESCO Association (EMCA) presented on EMCA and ESCO industry
development in China. She outlined the World Bank/GEF China Energy
Conservation Project initiated in 1998, highlighting the results of the
first phase, which established three pilot energy management companies.
She reported that, by the end of 2006, 1426 projects had been
implemented with an investment of US$550 million, resulting in energy
savings of 2.8 million tons of carbon equivalent, and carbon dioxide
emission reductions of 1.8 million tons of carbon equivalent. Zhao noted
that the second phase of the project, consisting of the ESCO service
component and ESCO commercial loan guarantee programme, was initiated in
2003. She then described the mission and activities of the EMCA,
launched in 2004. She said its mission is to promote the sustainable
development of the ESCO industry in China, which EMCA carries out
through,
Hiroshi Murata, INS Facility Co. Ltd, Japan, presented on successful cases of ESCO projects in Japan. Murata noted an increase in energy consumption in the commercial sector, and outlined government efforts to promote energy efficiency, including by disseminating the Building Energy Management System, and promoting utilization of ESCO projects by private companies. He highlighted the potential size of capital investment as ¥ 2.4715 trillion, and potential energy saving in crude oil equivalent as 4.04 million kiloliters/year. He discussed the spread of ESCO projects by sector and type of contract, and listed its advantages. He noted that ESCO businesses did not require capitalization, incurred lower risk, and increased property-profit ratio. He highlighted, in particular, the advantages of ESCO projects for energy-saving retrofit work. These advantages include: energy savings without additional cost, since costs for retrofitting are compensated by the reduction in utility costs; guaranteed energy savings; and provision of comprehensive services. Murata suggested that ESCO projects be promoted by increasing government support, providing financing, developing government markets, and forming organizations to learn from the experience and conduct research.
G.C. Datta Roy, DSCL Energy Services Co. Ltd., India, underscored the huge potential for an energy efficiency market in India, and proceeded to list what ESCOs offer in this regard. This includes support for project implementation, energy performance contracting, risk sharing, operation and maintenance outsourcing, and sustainability. Based on a “need benefit” analysis, he noted that commercial and municipal markets should be immediate targets. Roy discussed global experiences with developing the ESCO market, and elaborated on ESCO development in India. He explained that three ESCOs were formed in 1994 as part of a USAID programme, but of these only one still exists. He noted the emergence of a few new ESCOs, but said the numbers compare unfavorably with China’s. Roy said market penetration is less than 1% of its potential. He noted that although the energy efficiency market is large and tempting, market development is slow. He highlighted the need for the key stakeholders to be sensitized through wider dissemination of information. He also stressed the need for market competition, since more competitors in the market would mean actors gain greater credibility. He concluded that the next few years would define the future of the ESCO market in India.
Responding to questions and comments, Zhao Ming said EMCA is working to standardize the methodologies for energy baselines. Noting that the Chinese ESCO loan guarantee programme operates with World Bank support, she said that the International Finance Corporation is also providing finance to ESCOs in China. She noted the government’s role in encouraging ESCOs, including the formulation of a special committee to promote ESCOs in Shanghai. She noted EMCA’s efforts in creating contracts for ESCOs and referred financial institutions to EMCA’s website for details of ESCOs.
Hiroshi Murata said ESCOs have a major role to play in Japan. G. C. Datta Roy highlighted the need for ESCO process standardization and harmonization of ESCO contracts with government contracting procedures. He said ESCOs do not need financial incentives from the government, but do need guidelines to clarify the nature of taxes accruing to the project.
Summarizing the discussion, Ajay Mathur noted the need to build institutional capacities for dispute resolution and to establish payment guarantee mechanisms. He underscored the need for building the capacity of banks for appraisal and risk profiling of ESCO projects. He said that, instead of providing financial incentives, taxation incentives available to the power generation sector should also be extended to energy conservation. Mathur emphasized that the government needs to “hand hold” ESCOs, and that the Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency is compiling a list of potential ESCOs.
Participants discussed accreditation of monitoring and evaluation agencies for ESCOs and the creation of sector-specific ESCOs as a way to simplify ESCO business procedure.
Morihiro Kurushima, CTI, moderated this panel discussion, which included three panelists from government and research organizations. He underscored the importance of creating markets for ESCOs and noted that CTI provides an ideal platform for sharing experience.
Ajay Mathur, Ministry of Power, India, expressed concern over the inadequate development of environmentally clean technologies and noted a need to develop a good business model for biomass gasification for thermal use. Highlighting the difficulties in transferring biomass technologies in Asian countries A. K. Asthana, National Productivity Council, India, identified the need to develop standard guidelines for such transfer. He added that power fluctuations are a problem in biomass-based power generation. Yoshitaka Nitta, Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Japan, said biofuels provide an important environmentally-friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
Participants then discussed: difficulties in power generation from biomass; the need to formulate a policy to manage biomass use for power generation; the importance of CDM credits for biomass projects; and applications of biomass technologies for providing affordable energy access.
CLOSING SESSION
Girish Sethi, TERI, said CTI is the best forum for sharing experiences in technology transfer, and underscored the need for promoting South-South cooperation in this regard. Morihiro Kurushima, CTI, expressed the hope that the conference would help build greater opportunities for technology transfer. The meeting ended at 1:30 pm.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
For more upcoming meetings, please visit:
.


The FSA’s new policy on assessment of enforcement penalties for corrupt and fraudulent acts is now in force and applies to conduct occurring after 6 March 2010. It is expected to lead to a three-fold increase in the level of financial penalties. For example, individuals involved in market abuse cases could receive a minimum financial penalty of £100,000 and be required to disgorge profits.
Companies should also note that the FSA is using existing tools and investigation approaches more aggressively, frequently resorting to multiple arrests in cases of suspected insider dealing and injunctions to freeze assets. Self reporting and good cooperation with the FSA could lead to civil sanctions being selected instead of criminal. Those who are uncooperative and resist FSA investigation and action are more likely to be subject to criminal sanctions.


18 July 2011 14:06:05 Infrastructure-as-a-Service appears to be ready to step out of the shadow of its bigger cousin SaaS, as a recent In-Stat report predicted significant gains for the cloud computing segment in the near future.
According to the market research firm, the overall public cloud computing market is expected to grow 153 percent between 2010 and 2015. SaaS, the largest segment of the cloud, will see gains of 142 percent during that time.
IaaS, which has not yet seen widespread adoption, however, is gaining traction in several industries and is expected to grow go about $4 billion by 2015, In-Stat stated.
According to the report, IaaS is expected to become popular among small businesses, especially those within the healthcare, social services, retail, hospitality and food industries. Overall, small businesses are expected to account for more than half of the SaaS and IaaS markets.
Another area of the cloud that's poised to see significant growth in the near future is cloud-based storage. According to a recent study from the Storage Networking Industry Association, 75 percent of surveyed businesses are either planning to or have already deployed a cloud storage solution.
-McAfee Cloud Security


Effect of Iron Supplementation on Development of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Breastfed Infants
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 07/05/2012
Gokcay G et al. – Nutrition might be more important than iron supplementation in preventing iron deficiency anemia during infancy.
This trial aimed to investigate the effect of iron supplementation on the development of iron deficiency anemia. The study encompassed 6-month-old infants who had been exclusively breastfed in the first 4 months of life. Infants in the supplemented group were given 1mg kg1day1 ferrous sulfate for 6 months starting at 6 months of age. Blood samples were taken at age 12 months. A 3-day-diet was evaluated at 1 year of age. Data of 51 infants in the supplemented and 54 infants in the control group were analyzed. Mean hemoglobin values were similar in the two groups at the age of 12 months. Mean ferritin level of the supplemented group was significantly higher than that of the control. There was a significant positive correlation between dietary iron intake and hemoglobin levels.


The BRAFT1799A mutation is the most common genetic alteration in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC). It is also found in a subset of papillary microcarcinomas, consistent with a role in tumor initiation. PTCs with BRAFT1799A are often invasive and present at a more advanced stage. BRAFT1799A is found with high prevalence in tall-cell variant PTCs and in poorly differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas arising from PTCs. To explore the role of BRAFV600E in thyroid cancer pathogenesis, we targeted its expression to thyroid cells of transgenic FVB/N mice with a bovine thyroglobulin promoter. Two Tg-BRAFV600E lines (Tg-BRAF2 and Tg-BRAF3) were propagated for detailed analysis. Tg-BRAF2 and Tg-BRAF3 mice had increased thyroid-stimulating hormone levels (>7- and approximately 2-fold, respectively). This likely resulted from decreased expression of thyroid peroxidase, sodium iodine symporter, and thyroglobulin. All lines seemed to successfully compensate for thyroid dysfunction, as serum thyroxine/triiodothyronine and somatic growth were normal. Thyroid glands of transgenic mice were markedly enlarged by 5 weeks of age. In Tg-BRAF2 mice, PTCs were present at 12 and 22 weeks in 14 of 15 and 13 of 14 animals, respectively, with 83% exhibiting tall-cell features, 83% areas of invasion, and 48% foci of poorly differentiated carcinoma. Tg-BRAF3 mice also developed PTCs, albeit with lower prevalence (3 of 12 and 4 of 9 at 12 and 22 weeks, respectively). Tg-BRAF2 mice had a 30% decrease in survival at 5 months. In summary, thyroid-specific expression of BRAFV600E induces goiter and invasive PTC, which transitions to poorly differentiated carcinomas. This closely recapitulates the phenotype of BRAF-positive PTCs in humans and supports a key role for this oncogene in its pathogenesis.


Code of Ethics for Pharmacists PREAMBLE Pharmacists are health professionals who assist individuals in making the best use of medications. This Code, prepared and supported by pharmacists, is intended to state publicly the principles that form the fundamental basis of the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists. These principles, based on moral obligations and virtues, are established to guide pharmacists in relationships with patients, health professionals, and society.
I.A pharmacist respects the covenantal relationship between the patient and pharmacist. Considering the patient-pharmacist relationship as a covenant means that a pharmacist has moral obligations in response to the gift of trust received from society. In return for this gift, a pharmacist promises to help individuals achieve optimum benefit from their medications, to be committed to their welfare, and to maintain their trust.
II.A pharmacist promotes the good of every patient in a caring, compassionate, and confidential manner. A pharmacist places concern for the well-being of the patient at the center of professional practice. In doing so, a pharmacist considers needs stated by the patient as well as those defined by health science. A pharmacist is dedicated to protecting the dignity of the patient. With a caring attitude and a compassionate spirit, a pharmacist focuses on serving the patient in a private and confidential manner.
III.A pharmacist respects the autonomy and dignity of each patient. A pharmacist promotes the right of self-determination and recognizes individual self-worth by encouraging patients to participate in decisions about their health. A pharmacist communicates with patients in terms that are understandable. In all cases, a pharmacist respects personal and cultural differences among patients.
IV.A pharmacist acts with honesty and integrity in professional relationships. A pharmacist has a duty to tell the truth and to act with conviction of conscience. A pharmacist avoids discriminatory practices, behavior or work conditions that impair professional judgment, and actions that compromise dedication to the best interests of patients.
V.A pharmacist maintains professional competence. A pharmacist has a duty to maintain knowledge and abilities as new medications, devices, and technologies become available and as health information advances.
VI.A pharmacist respects the values and abilities of colleagues and other health professionals. When appropriate, a pharmacist asks for the consultation of colleagues or other health professionals or refers the patient. A pharmacist acknowledges that colleagues and other health professionals may differ in the beliefs and values they apply to the care of the patient.
VII.A pharmacist serves individual, community, and societal needs. The primary obligation of a pharmacist is to individual patients. However, the obligations of a pharmacist may at times extend beyond the individual to the community and society. In these situations, the pharmacist recognizes the responsibilities that accompany these obligations and acts accordingly.
VIII.A pharmacist seeks justice in the distribution of health resources. When health resources are allocated, a pharmacist is fair and equitable, balancing the needs of patients and society.
Adopted by the American Pharmacists Association membership, October 27, 1994.


Elevating the urban agenda and dealing with the fastest urbanization rates in history must start by forging the most effective alliances between private, public and social interests, around shared values to address urban core challenges and build solutions. This is the essence of the World Urban Campaign, a catalytic and transformative partnership that is meant to engage the civil society, the business sector, the research community and governments in a global movement that elevates the urban agenda through a positive vision and understanding of the tremendous benefits cities can bring.
Beyond an advocacy partnership, the World Urban Campaign shall provide the knowledge and action-oriented platform to address the complexity of the urban agenda through an integrated and systemic approach of urban issues. It shall harness the right partners to share converging interests and leverage their strengths and core competencies. The partnership shall also have the in-build capacity to reach the required scale to generate impact.
Partners of the World Urban Campaign will present partnership approaches in cities, identify drivers of change, share experiences on how strengths and innovation can be leveraged and shared values be positively harnessed to generate positive change.
This session on “Building Partnerships for Urban Futures: Leveraging Strengths, Driving Change through Shared Values” is organized in partnership with the UN HABITAT. Speakers include high-level representatives from corporations and their partners at the city level.
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The Budget and Finance Committee ("Committee") of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of the Illinois Health Information Exchange Authority ("Authority"), pursuant to notice duly given, held its Inaugural Meeting at 12:00 p.m. on May 19, 2011, at the offices of the Office of Health Information Technology ("OHIT"), State of Illinois James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, Room 2-201, 100 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601.
Committee Members Present:
HFS – Director Julie Hamos
Mr. Mark Neaman (by telephone)
Dr. Bruce Wellman (by telephone)
Dr. Cheryl Whitaker
OHIT Staff Present:
Laura Zaremba
Mark Chudzinski
David Fagus
Call to Order and Roll Call
Mr. Chudzinski, Acting Secretary of the Board, confirmed the presence of the Members of the Committee noted above (with Dir. Hamos joining the meeting at 1:35 pm.). The ability of Mr. Neaman and Dr. Wellman to clearly participate by telephone was confirmed, and no objection was expressed to their participation in this manner.
Committee Chair
In the absence of a Chairperson for the Committee, Dr. Cheryl Whitaker offered to preside as Chair for this meeting, and to facilitate the convening of future Committee meetings until such time as the Committee had a Chairperson. She noted that in connection of the forthcoming deliberations of the Governance and Nominating Committee, she anticipated having further discussions with members of the Board regarding their interest and availability for various vacant positions, and that she would be sharing recommendations in regard to vacancies in advance of the next Board meeting on June 22. Following brief discussion, the members of the Committee agreed with the proposal.
Treasurer’s Report
It is anticipated that the Committee will be receiving periodic reports from the Treasurer regarding the Authority’s financial status. At the present time, however, no Treasurer has been appointed by the Authority; Mr. David Fagus, Chief Financial Officer of OHIT, also noted that the Authority at present had no resources, other than those being provided on the Authority’s behalf by OHIT, and therefore there is nothing yet of substance to report regarding the Authority’s current financial status.
Business Plan
Mr. Fagus initiated a presentation regarding the development of the Authority’s business plan, which was being developed with the assistance of Navigant Consulting, Inc., which had been retained by OHIT in a competitive bid selection process initiated in November, 2010. The contract with Navigant provides OHIT two optional renewals to have Navigant update their work product, at approximately April 2012 and October 2012. During the brief Committee discussion, it was noted that OHIT had obtained Navigant’s services on favorable terms.
General Assumptions
Mr. Fagus noted that the overarching assumption of the business plan is that while the HIE must generate enough revenue to cover the operations, it must also be as lean as possible to insure that the cost to participants is affordable and provides a value that exceeds the cost.
Of the three primary stakeholders (Payers, Hospitals, Providers), it has been determined that Payers are in the best position to provide funding for the IL HIE start up. Both the Hospitals and the Providers are, have or will be investing in developing the infrastructure, and training the staff, necessary to enable them to connect to the HIE. The extent of the participation of the Federal Medicare and Medicaid programs in the build out of the IL HIE has yet to be determined.
Early adopters will receive an operational expense discount to encourage early participation.
Value Calculator
Several items were noted by Committee members in the course of their review of the model as needing additional support, more research, or justification, including: Value to Providers; Benefit to Medicaid; Scaling Value to Hospital Size; Cost Avoidance; Participation of Skilled Nursing Facilities; Value for Skilled Nursing Facilities. Mr. Fagus will explore these items with Navigant during the next revisions to the model.
Costs and Revenue
Cost – The cost figures initially used in the model are based, in part, on the cost estimates used by the State of Pennsylvania in its development and implementation of an HIE; a review by Navigant of the HIE implementations in other States suggested that Pennsylvania’s HIE most closely resembled the one being proposed for Illinois. Revisions to the initial Costs component will begin in September once a vendor for the IL HIE core services has been selected following the issuance of OHIT’s RFP, and more detailed costs are known. It is anticipated that the RFP will be issued in July, and that revision to the model’s Costs will be completed in September.
Revenue - Revisions to the model’s initial Revenue component will quickly follow the work on Costs. It is anticipated that this work will be completed in September.
Pricing - Revisions to the model’s initial Pricing component will be the final piece, and will be developed once all of the components above have been completed. It is anticipated that this work will be completed in October.
Stakeholder Meetings
The Committee was informed regarding the discussions that OHIT had had with various stakeholders concerning the Value Calculator and the general assumptions reflected in the business plan. Valuable input was gained from such discussions to inform OHITs further development of both topics.
OHIT Budget Update
The Committee was informed that the Authority currently has no funds of its own available; funding of any expenses that the Authority may currently incur will be provided through OHIT. In the course of the ensuing discussion, the Committee was advised that the business plan currently did not make provision for the distribution by OHIT to emerging local/regional HIE initiatives in Illinois of any of the $18.8M in Federal grant funds that OHIT had received under the Federal ARRA program.
Local HIE Update
Mr. Fagus provided a brief overview regarding emerging initiatives aimed at the development and implementation of HIEs in local/regional settings in Illinois. A further detailed examination of the status of such initiatives was defer="defer"red to a future meeting, as representatives of these local/regional initiatives have been invited to make presentations at the June 22, 2011 meeting of the Board of Directors.
Public Comment
There were no comments offered from the general public.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 1:50 p.m.
Minutes submitted by: Mark Chudzinski, Acting Secretary


Poverty estimates in India are derived from the household consumer expenditure data collected by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) every fifth year. The Planning Commission updates the poverty line for the year 1973-74 according to relevant prices indices. It identifies the expenditure group from the NSSO consumer expenditure data, whose expenditure on food fulfilled the calorie norms. For rural India, the calorie norm was 2,400 Kcal per capital per diem (Rs 454) and for urban India it was 2,100 Kcal per capital per diem (Rs 327) for 1999-2000. The average per capita per month expenditure of this group was fixed as the poverty line.


As a follow-up to last month’s post, one of the more interesting outcomes of the ONC-led health IT initiatives is not just the coalescence around HL7 standards, but the central role the HL7 Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) has been accorded among interoperability strategy. While there are necessary supporting standards for transport, security, vocabulary and infrastructure, none emerge as essential to interoperability. There are always alternatives, even to the highly favored DIRECT project transport.
Messages, for ordering and receiving medications, labs and imaging, remain necessary but with increasingly niche focus. The concept of orders and as documents has arisen, in fact, as the Standards and Interoperability (S&I) Framework wrestles with coordinated care plans. The CDA and XML arose together from roots in SGML, first in the Kona project 15 years ago, which established the base architecture, and then, in fusion with HL7. Key principles from that period remain leading experts of the CDA both within and without the HL7 Structured Documents Work Group. Adhering to its foundational tenets – that a document must be human readable, persistent and authored – the CDA has emerged as the contextual container of choice for sharing a range of clinical, administrative and financial information.
The CDA has been adopted both under the prior administration’s HITSP method and the current administration’s HITECH process for use as a clinical summary. In turn, the clinical summary, usually understood as the Continuity of Care Document (CCD) implementation guide for CDA, has become the Swiss Army Knife of implementation guides.
Its flexibility and adaptability led to a profusion of “summaries” whose optionality became increasingly difficult for different EHR systems to process. In Meaningful Use Stage 1, the HITSP C32 was chosen to constrain the CCD/CDA without understanding that C32 itself required context and constraints for specific use cases as provided in HITSP Interoperability Specifications.
In the absence of such Interoperability Specifications, HL7 and the ONC’s S&I Framework collaborated on the Consolidated CDA (C-CDA). The C-CDA is an implementation guide for nine specific CDA document types including a clinical summary, progress note, discharge summary and others.
This guide imposed constraints on the specific documents.
It made data entries and their sections mandatory or conditionally optional, in a sense, making the documents “self-contained” without need of another guide. While this eased the receiver’s processing challenges and expected information content, it made the document types rigid without a clear method for formal extensions or adaptions. Under the proposed rules for Meaningful Use Stage 2, the C-CDA based documents would be used as clinical summaries in all transitions between providers and as the basis for exchanges with and for patients. An almost immediate finding was that the C-CDA document types did not fully align with either the CMS or ONC rules.
There is now a current effort within the S&I Framework to create companion guides to show implementors how to both meet the requirements of Meaningful Use, Stage 2, as well as the clinical best practices developed as part of the Transitions of Care initiative. Once again, we are layering multiple constraint sources upon a CDA implementation.
But beyond transitions of care, the CDA is used in the S&I/CMS collaboration for electronic submission of medical documents and other initiatives including data segmentation for privacy, longitudinal care coordination and query health. While this focus well demonstrates the consensus commitment to selecting a single standard wherever possible, it also shows the challenges of making one standard meet many, diverse requirements.
We should expect ongoing tension between optionality and conformance, between flexibility and predictability. More than that, we will see the challenge of making the CDA more than a document; but instead, the CDA becomes a message, possesses internal logic, balances atomic level data with unifying context and gracefully handling multiple digital signings.


Creating Undergraduate Internships for Non-LIS Students in Academic Libraries Abstract This paper provides a framework for creating undergraduate internships in academic libraries, specifically those offered in collaboration with subject-based academic departments at universities where no degrees in library science are offered. Very little of the scholarly literature addresses this type of internship in particular, and broadly applicable elements of planning and implementation have not been clearly articulated in the literature. This paper proposes that there are several basic elements to consider regardless of situation-specific conditions. These include incentives and compensation for the intern, structure of the internship, projects, and documentation. Each element is considered and described, using internships hosted at the Murray Library of the University of Saskatchewan as examples.
Keywords Student interns; work-study students;
Full Text: PDF


Cargill Dow recently completed a plastics plant in Blair, NE, that will consume 14 million bushels of corn a year once the plant reaches full-scale operation.
According to Pat Gruber, chief technology officer for Cargill Dow, the plant will begin production in 2002, creating biodegradable plates, forks, spoons, cups, clear film, bottles and fabrics from PLA, a biopolymer made from lactic acid. The base for PLA is made of fermentable sugars derived from corn.
Bio-based polymers have become attractive to manufacturers recently due to their environmental profile. Several other companies, including DuPont, Mitsubishi Plastics and BASF, plan to produce polymers from corn (or biopolymers) on a large scale over the next 10 years, according to representatives from both U.S. and Japanese companies.


Type of Document Dissertation Author Zarpentine, Christopher R. Author's Email Address czarpent@fsu.edu URN etd-04042011-163715 Title The Fragmentation of Moral Psychology: Reason, Emotion, Motivation and Moral Judgment in Ethics and Science Degree Doctor of Philosophy Department Philosophy, Department of Advisory Committee
Advisor Name Title Alfred Mele Committee Chair David McNaughton Committee Member Michael Ruse Committee Member John Kelsay University Representative Keywords Moral Judgment Motivation Linguistic Analogy Affect Moral Psychology Date of Defense 2011-03-29 Availability unrestricted AbstractIncreasingly, psychologists and neuroscientists have become interested in moral psychology and moral judgment. Despite this, much of moral philosophy remains isolated from this empirical research. I seek to integrate these two literatures. Drawing on a wide range of research, I develop an empirically adequate account of moral judgment. I then turn to issues in philosophical moral psychology, arguing that empirical research sheds light on old debates and raises new questions for investigation.
The neuropsychological mechanisms underlying moral judgment exhibit a large degree of complexity. Different processes contribute to moral judgment under different conditions, depending both upon the kind of case under consideration and on individual differences. Affective processes subserved by a broad base of brain regions including the orbitofrontal cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and basal ganglia are crucial for normal moral judgment. These affective processes also provide an important link to motivation. More explicit cognition dependent upon areas of the medial temporal lobe and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex also play a crucial role in some kinds of moral judgment though they exhibit less direct connections to motivation.
The descriptive account of moral judgment I defend makes sense of debates in moral psychology over two influential views: motivation internalism, according to which moral judgment necessitates motivation to act accordingly and the Humean Theory of Motivation, according to which belief and desire are distinct and motivation requires both a desire and an appropriate means-end belief. Moral judgments that derive from affective processes exhibit a connection between motivation and moral judgment. However, not all moral judgments derive from such processes. More explicit representations are not closely connected to motivation, thus motivation can come apart from moral judgment. While explicit beliefs are distinct from desires, affective representations have both cognitive (albeit nonpropositional) content and direct connections to motivation. This challenges Humean theories of motivation.
This account helps resolve these traditional disputes. Anti-Humean, internalist theories offer an approximately accurate account of these affective mechanisms. Externalist, Humean theories offer an approximately accurate account of more explicit cognitive processes. Thus, several prominent philosophical theories offer a plausible account of some aspect of moral psychology. Because of the complexity of moral psychology, none of these accounts offers a complete account.
This account also raises new questions for investigation. Some researchers have argued that the representation of a moral rule like the Doctrine of Double Effect helps explain the pattern of judgments in response to different kinds of Trolley cases. I argue that these judgments are better explained in terms of the details of the associative mechanisms underlying these judgments and not in terms of the representation of a moral rule. These findings raise a unique concern about the evidential value of our intuitions in these cases—a concern that could not arise from armchair reflection alone. The approach taken in this dissertation illustrates how integrating the results of empirical research contributes to philosophical work in ethical theory.
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Do Flu Vaccines Even Work? Tom Jefferson, an epidemiologist with the prestigious Cochrane Collaboration, explains that we don’t really know what protection, if any, flu vaccines offer. So what should people do to prevent the flu?
If they want to base it on good evidence, they should wash their hands.