TumorML: Concept and requirements of an in silico cancer modelling markup language

This paper describes the initial groundwork carried out as part of the European Commission funded Transatlantic Tumor Model Repositories project, to develop a new markup language for computational cancer modelling, TumorML. In this paper we describe the motivations for such a language, arguing that current state-of-the-art biomodelling languages are not suited to the cancer modelling domain. We go on to describe the work that needs to be done to develop TumorML, the conceptual design, and a description of what existing markup languages will be used to compose the language specification

Explosive Ordnance Risk Education: Sector Mapping and Needs Analysis

The dramatic rise in the number of civilian casualties from explosive ordnance (EO) since 2013 has triggered a debate in the mine action (MA) sector about the effectiveness of explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) (often shortened to risk education – RE). This rapid appraisal of EORE approaches, capacity, coordination and resources examines how the EORE sector is responding to new and emerging EO threats and violent operating environments to identify EORE good practices and potential needs. This report, based on document review and interviews with MA stakeholders conducted between mid-May and mid-June 2019, summarizes the research findings

Konvencija o zabrani kemijskoj oružja i uloga inženjera i znanstvenika

Chemical weapons, like all military technology, are associated with activities of scientists and engineers. However, chemical weapons differ from any other military technology because they were invented, and their first mass use directly developed by famous chemists. The active contribution of engineers and scientists and their organisations in the negotiations on chemical disarmament, including drafting the Chemical Weapons Convention, is described. Their present and future role in implementing the Convention is analysed, taking into consideration the threats and benefits of advances in science and technology, and stressing the independent expertise of the OPCW Scientific Advisory Board.Kemijsko oružje, kao i cijela vojna tehnologija, povezana je s aktivnostima inženjera i znanstvenika. Međutim, kemijsko oružje se razlikuje u odnosu na druge vojne tehnologije po tome, što je ono nastalo i prvi puta masovno upotrijebljeno izravnim sudjelovanjem znamenitih kemičara. Opisan je znatan doprinos inženjera i znanstvenika te njihovih organizacija pregovorima o kemijskom razoružanju, uključujući i stvaranje (pisanje) Konvencije o zabrani kemijskog oružja. Razmatra se njihova sadašnja i buduća uloga u provedbi Konvencije uzimajući u obzir ugroze i dobrobit koje donose napredak znanosti i tehnologije, naglašavajući neovisnu ekspertizu Znanstvenog savjeta Organizacije za zabranu kemijskog oružja

Truth, science and chemical weapons: expert advice and the impact of technical change on the Chemical Weapons Convention

Scientific narratives are pervasive in international policy, in part, due to the increasing degree to which technological considerations enter modern thinking. These narratives are particularly visible in the chemical weapon prevention regime, which must accommodate changes in science and technology to ensure that they do not result in the application of new utilities for toxic chemicals as weapons. The dissertation investigates the function of technical experts, and the perceptions of their role, in the procedures of the chemical weapon prevention regime that address technical change. It explores expert involvement in three elements of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC): its negotiation; the Scientific Advisory Board; and in national policy formulation. Ethnography – from an extended placement within the Convention’s monitoring body, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – as well as interviews and documentary sources provide the methodological basis for the research. The dissertation finds that science is often made political within the international policy setting, and shows how science is employed to support political aims whether it is in accelerating or slowing policy formulation, or in deflecting the policy agenda. It argues that whilst the role of experts and their capacity to influence policy vary with the forums in which they are placed, their effectiveness depends also upon other factors, including institutional support. The dissertation also holds that national approaches to expert advice are reflected in state relationships with experts advising at the international level. The research supports much of the Science and Technology Studies (STS) literature on experts in national settings and has substantial implications for a concept popular in International Relations (IR) literature, namely, ‘epistemic communities’. A case for reframing ‘epistemic communities’ is developed which incorporates notions drawn from STS, such as the important role of ‘boundary organisations’. These are applied to the CWC, and policy recommendations for the OPCW and its member states are presented

Building a framework for process-oriented evaluation of Regional Climate Outlook Forums

In many regions around the world, Regional Climate Outlook Forums (RCOFs) provide seasonal climate information and forecasts to decision-makers at regional and national levels. Despite having two decades of experience, the forums have not been systematically monitored or evaluated. To address this gap, and to better inform nascent and widespread efforts in climate services, the authors propose a process-oriented evaluation framework derived from literature on decision support and climate communication around the production and use of scientific information.The authors apply this framework to a case study of the Caribbean RCOF (CariCOF), where they have been engaged in a collaborative effort to integrate climate information and decision processes to enhance regional climate resilience. The authors’ examination of the CariCOF shows an evolution toward the use of more advanced and more diverse climate products, as well as greater awareness of user feedback. It also reveals shortfalls of the CariCOF, including a lack of diverse stakeholder participation, a need for better understanding of best practices to tailor information, undeveloped market research of climate products, insufficient experimentation and vetting of communication mechanisms, and the absence of a way to steward a diverse network of regional actors. The authors’ analysis also provides insight that allowed for improvements in the climate services framework to include mechanisms to respond to changing needs and conditions. The authors’ process-oriented framework can serve as a starting point for evaluating RCOFs and other organizations charged with the provision of climate services

Multifunctional Gelcoats for Fiber Reinforced Composites

Achieving special features in polymer composites, such as flame retardancy and thermal and electrical conductivity, often requires the application of different additives, which might negatively affect other properties of the polymer matrix and the composite structure. Furthermore, the application of solid additives in composites produced by liquid transfer moulding can lead to the filtration of the additive by the reinforcement, which causes a non-uniform particle distribution and an uneven performance. An evident solution to address these issues is to apply the additives in a separate layer on the surface of the composite. As in many applications, gelcoats are used to reach appropriate surface quality, a reasonable progression in the composite industry is the development of multifunctional gelcoats. In this article, after a short introduction to gelcoats and their main base materials (unsaturated polyester, epoxy, and others) multifunctional gelcoats are discussed according to their functionality, in particular water resistance, electric conductivity and flame retardancy. Classical and novel gelcoat preparation methods (application by brush and/or roller, spraying, UV-curing, in-mould gelcoating), as well as common defects that occur during gelcoating are discussed. Finally, the testing methods of multifunctional gelcoats are outlined

Infrastructure Development and Financing in Sub-Saharan Africa: Toward a framework for capacity enhancement

Of the world’s developing regions, Sub-Saharan Africa has the worst infrastructure deficit, with studies pointing to lost growth opportunities. This study presents in one document information previously dispersed on the region’s infrastructure stock and modes of financing. It assesses infrastructure’s role in the region’s economic growth. It identifies specific capacity constraints that have hindered the private sector’s participation in infrastructure financing. And it suggests a framework for advancing institutional and human resource capacities to boost infrastructure financing. The authors first reviewed documents addressing the region’s infrastructure. They then conducted case studies of private sector involvement in infrastructure financing in Kenya, Mauritius, and South Africa. And, using the generalized method of moments (GMM), estimated an infrastructure-augmented growth model

Using SWE Standards for Ubiquitous Environmental Sensing: A Performance Analysis

Although smartphone applications represent the most typical data consumer tool from the citizen perspective in environmental applications, they can also be used for in-situ data collection and production in varied scenarios, such as geological sciences and biodiversity. The use of standard protocols, such as SWE, to exchange information between smartphones and sensor infrastructures brings benefits such as interoperability and scalability, but their reliance on XML is a potential problem when large volumes of data are transferred, due to limited bandwidth and processing capabilities on mobile phones. In this article we present a performance analysis about the use of SWE standards in smartphone applications to consume and produce environmental sensor data, analysing to what extent the performance problems related to XML can be alleviated by using alternative uncompressed and compressed formats

Analysing law and policy, and the contributions of government-sponsored institutions to publishing development

This thesis examines law and policy in the book publishing industry in Ghana, with an evaluation of the success of government-sponsored institutions that have been established for the purpose of publishing development in the country. Issues concerning publishing development in Ghana and other countries in Africa have attracted considerable debate and coverage in the literature. The focus of the debate has been mainly centred on challenges confronting publishing development in the continent and the promotion of sustainable schoolbooks provision. Whilst there is a body of existing literature on the historical development of book publishing and its challenges, the role of law and policy, and the contributions of government-sponsored institutions to publishing development has not been explored. This thesis therefore provides the first analysis of law and policy, and an evaluation of government-sponsored institutions. In an attempt to fill this gap, this research identifies law and policy, examines the rationale for policy formulation, the policy-making process itself, the experiences of various stakeholders in the formulation of these policies and issues relating to the implementation of policy. It also evaluates the success of government-sponsored institutions by examining how their work has influenced book development and publishing in the country. The data for this research comprise legislation, policy documents and recorded interviews. These were analysed using the framework that was developed for book policy analysis. The use of the framework has been particularly useful in the analysis because it is compatible with the critical realist approach. Over two empirical chapters, the use of content analysis provides a thorough insight of the social, economic and political context, within the context of Ghana, for which institutions dedicated to publishing development were established as well as the formulation of book policies. Although government-sponsored institutions have provided considerable support to publishing development, the findings suggest that their operations are hindered due to a lack of funds and logistics. The findings again suggest that both national and international legislation have not been adequately beneficial to publishing development. A third empirical chapter, which focuses on the interview data for policy development offers an in-depth analysis into the policy-making process and the challenges that are associated with the implementation of policy. The findings suggest existing policy is limited in terms of scope of book publishing, and even with this limitation, there is a lack of transparency in the procurement process. A major challenge of the book publishing industry in Ghana is the lack of resources to enforce legislation and implement policies. Public policy analysis is not a new concept, however this research developed a framework for book policy analysis, a framework that combines concepts from general public policy analysis and in the specific area of information science as well as guidelines from UNESCO s guide to formulating book policies in a way that allowed the content of book policies to be analysed. The research also recommends that institutions should be strengthened through review and restructuring, and to review the textbook policy towards the development of a national book policy that will recognise book publishing as a strategic national industry