A framework for experience management in public organisations

The Pellucid project developed an adaptable and customisable platform for enabling experience management in public organisations. A framework for experience management has been developed based on the generation of ‘active hints’ that are presented to the user according to working context. Working context encompasses both position in the work process and domain-specific characteristics. The paper presents this framework and describes the engineering process that was undertaken following the CommonKADS methodology.Keywords: Knowledge Management, Experience Management, E-Government, Workflow Management Systems, CommonKADS

A framework for experience management in public organisations

El proyecto Pellucid desarrolló una plataforma adaptable y personalizable para habilitar gestión de la experiencia en las organizaciones públicas. Un marco para la gestión de la experiencia se ha desarrollado en base a la generación de ‘pistas activas’ que se presentan al usuario según el contexto de trabajo. El contexto de trabajo abarca tanto la posición en el proceso de trabajo y características específicas del dominio. El documento presenta este marco y describe la proceso de ingeniería que se llevó a cabo siguiendo la metodología CommonKADS.The Pellucid project developed an adaptable and customisable platform for enabling experience management in public organisations. A framework for experience management has been developed based on the generation of ‘active hints’ that are presented to the user according to working context. Working context encompasses both position in the work process and domain-specific characteristics. The paper presents this framework and describes the engineering process that was undertaken following the CommonKADS methodology

Corneal Transplantation under Difficult Conditions : Clinical Pictures, Indications, Technique and Results.

As the rate of partial thickness corneal transplantations has increased in the last decade, the need for penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) has decreased. Microsurgeons tend to avoid large-diameter PKP (LDPKP) because of the risk for intra- and postoperative complications. Nevertheless, PKP is still the treatment of choice in cases requiring transplantation of all corneal layers, such as combined endothelial and stromal disease, severe corneal opacity precluding evaluation of endothelium status, severe keratoconus, and complicated infectious keratitis. In the first study, we report on the indications and outcomes of 8.5/8.6-mm excimer laser-assisted PKP. It could be shown that this type of PKP is an excellent treatment option in cases of ectatic disorders for which an 8.0-mm graft seems too small, and for corneal scars that require larger grafts to completely remove the lesion. This applies especially in cases of repeat PKP, in order to excise the previous graft completely. However, in complex cases of keratitis, the prognosis with 8.5/8.6-mm excimer laser-assisted PKP may be poor due to the consequences of the infectious disease itself. In the second study, we assess the prevalence, clinical manifestations, required keratoplasties, follow-up, and outcomes in patients with Herpes Simplex Virus Keratitis. PKP was indicated in cases of scars impairing visual acuity, corneal decompensation, deep corneal ulcers, or corneal perforations. In this study, a total of 288 keratoplasties was performed. At the last follow-up, 90% of the elective PKPs, but only 55% of the emergency PKPs remained clear. The risk for emergency keratoplasty is expected to decrease further, due to good results with amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) for the treatment of herpetic corneal ulcers. In the third study, we report on the indications and outcomes of penetrating keratoplasties with a graft diameter >8.5 mm in severe corneal diseases. We concluded that complex cases of infectious keratitis unresponsive to conservative management and with a history of previous transplants require these oversized grafts up to 15 mm to remove the complete pathology and preserve the integrity of the eye. The visual outcomes are poor not only because of the well-known immunological risks of large-diameter keratoplasties but also because of the consequences of the infectious disease itself. Finally, 17% of these eyes required enucleation. This knowledge is important for adequate counseling of these patients preoperatively. Difficult corneal predispositions may require special types of corneal transplantation “beyond routine”.Der Bedarf an perforierenden Keratoplastiken (PKP) ist zurückgegangen, da die Rate der lamellären Hornhauttransplantationen im letzten Jahrzehnt zugenommen hat. Mikrochirurgen neigen dazu, die PKP mit großem Durchmesser zu vermeiden, weil ein höheres Risiko für intra- und postoperative Komplikationen besteht. Dennoch ist die PKP immer noch die Behandlung der Wahl in Fällen, in denen alle Hornhautschichten transplantiert werden müssen, wie z. B. bei kombinierter Endothel- und Stromaerkrankung, schwerer Hornhauttrübung, die eine Beurteilung des Endothelstatus ausschließt, schwerem Keratokonus und komplizierter infektiöser Keratitis. In der ersten Studie berichten wir über die Indikationen und Ergebnisse der 8,5/8,6-mm Excimerlaser-assistierten PKP. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass diese Art der PKP eine hervorragende Behandlungsoption bei ektatischen Erkrankungen ist, für die ein 8,0-mm-Transplantat zu klein erscheint, sowie bei Hornhautnarben, die größere Transplantate erfordern, um die Läsion vollständig zu entfernen. Dies ist besonders bei Fällen von wiederholter PKP der Fall, um das vorherige Transplantat vollständig zu entfernen. In komplexen Fällen von Keratitis kann die Prognose bei 8,5/8,6-mm-Excimerlaser-assistierter PKP jedoch schlecht sein aufgrund von Folgen der Infektionskrankheit selbst. In der zweiten Studie untersuchen wir die Prävalenz, die klinischen Manifestationen, die erforderlichen Keratoplastiken, das Follow-up und die Ergebnisse bei Patienten mit Herpes Simplex Virus Keratitis. Die PKP wurde bei visusbeeinträchtigenden Narben, Hornhautdekompensation, tiefen Hornhautulzera oder Hornhautperforationen indiziert. In dieser Studie wurden insgesamt 288 Keratoplastiken durchgeführt. Bei der letzten Nachuntersuchung waren 90% der elektiven PKPs, aber nur 55% der Notfall-PKPs klar. Es wird erwartet, dass das Risiko für Notfall-Keratoplastiken aufgrund der guten Ergebnisse bei der Amnionmembrantransplantation (AMT) zur Behandlung von herpetischen Hornhautulzera weiter abnimmt. In der dritten Studie berichten wir über die Indikationen und Ergebnisse von perforierenden Keratoplastiken mit einem Transplantatdurchmesser >8,5 mm bei schweren Hornhauterkrankungen. Wir kamen zu dem Schluss, dass komplexe Fälle von infektiöser Keratitis, die nicht auf eine konservative Behandlung ansprechen und in der Vergangenheit bereits transplantiert wurden, diese übergroßen Transplantate bis zu 15 mm benötigen, um die gesamte Pathologie zu entfernen und die Integrität des Auges zu erhalten. Die visuellen Ergebnisse sind nicht nur wegen den bekannten immunologischen Risiken von Keratoplastiken mit großem Durchmesser, sondern auch wegen der Folgen der Infektionskrankheit selbst schlecht. Schließlich war bei 17% dieser Augen eine Enukleation erforderlich. Dieses Wissen ist wichtig für eine adäquate präoperative Beratung und Aufklärung der Patienten. Schwierige korneale Ausgangssituationen erfordern nicht selten spezielle Typen von Hornhauttransplantationen „jenseits der Routine“

Character evolution and biogeography of Casearia (Salicaceae): Evidence for the South American origin of a pantropical genus and for multiple migrations to the Caribbean islands

Casearia (Salicaceae) is a pantropical genus of circa 200 species, around half of which dwell in the Neotropics. Despite the availability of phylogenetic studies that suggest that Casearia sensu Sleumer is not monophyletic, a strong phylogenetic framework was still lacking for this genus. We tested the monophyly of Casearia and examined the relationships of its species to other taxa of the tribe Samydeae, including Laetia, Samyda and Zuelania, which recently have been sunk into Casearia, as well as Euceraea, Lunania, Neoptychocarpus, Ryania and Tetrathylacium. We further put a focus on the Neotropical taxa since Casearia and allies are speciose both on the Caribbean islands and adjacent mainlands, thus providing an interesting group to address the origin of the Caribbean and Cuban flora. Our phylogenetic analyses based on four combined rapidly evolving plastid regions (petD, rpl16, rps4-trnT-L-F, trnK-matK-psbA) as well as nuclear ITS revealed Casearia as monophyletic with high support, including not only the former members of Laetia, Samyda and Zuelania but also Euceraea and Neoptychocarpus. Casearia is constituted by several major clades, mostly being entirely Neotropical, one of which exclusively comprises species endemic to the Caribbean islands. Another clade, which includes all Palaeotropical species, is nested among Neotropical lineages. Our divergence date estimates using the plastid dataset and fossil calibration points in Salicaceae indicate that the Casearia crown group started to diversify during the late Eocene, approximately 39 Ma. The stem of the Old World clade diverged from Neotropical ancestors around 27 Ma, in the Oligocene. We used BayesTraits to reconstruct the evolution of seven characters commonly used to define Casearia and allied genera. We found morphological characters, such as branched inflorescences (fasciculate, glomerulous, cymose) or uniseriate stamen series, that work well to circumscribe the genus, whereas dioecy, which was used to diagnose Neoptychocarpus, or higher stamen numbers (>12), found in Laetia and Zuelania, are homoplastic in Salicaceae, the latter character derived within Casearia from ancestors with 7–12 stamens. Pellucid dots appear to have evolved earlier than the divergence of the Casearia clade in Samydeae, and were lost in Ryania and Tetrathylacium, and thus are no synapomorphy for Casearia. In order to establish a monophyletic genus concept for Casearia, we propose to also merge Euceraea and Neoptychocarpus. Our reconstruction of ancestral areas using BioGeoBears indicate that South America is the ancestral area of Casearia. From there, multiple migrations occurred to Mesoamerica and the Caribbean islands. The Caribbean that comprises nearly all Caribbean endemics started to diversify around 9.5 Ma. Our trees depict C. corymbosa, which exhibits significant infraspecific phylogenetic structure for the sampled Mexican and Colombian individuals, as the sister to the Caribbean clade. The other clade, with Cuban endemics (C. ternstroemioides) but also Mesoamerican and South American taxa, is not sufficiently resolved internally, to allow biogeographic conclusions. The Old World clade of Casearia provides another example for a late Laurasian migration starting in the Neotropics

Cochlear Implant Outcomes and Genetic Mutations in Children with Ear and Brain Anomalies

Background. Specific clinical conditions could compromise cochlear implantation outcomes and drastically reduce the chance of an acceptable development of perceptual and linguistic capabilities. These conditions should certainly include the presence of inner ear malformations or brain abnormalities. The aims of this work were to study the diagnostic value of high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in children with sensorineural hearing loss who were candidates for cochlear implants and to analyse the anatomic abnormalities of the ear and brain in patients who underwent cochlear implantation. We also analysed the effects of ear malformations and brain anomalies on the CI outcomes, speculating on their potential role in the management of language developmental disorders. Methods. The present study is a retrospective observational review of cochlear implant outcomes among hearing-impaired children who presented ear and/or brain anomalies at neuroimaging investigations with MRI and HRCT. Furthermore, genetic results from molecular genetic investigations (GJB2/GJB6 and, additionally, in selected cases, SLC26A4 or mitochondrial-DNA mutations) on this study group were herein described. Longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis was conducted using statistical tests. Results. Between January 1, 1996 and April 1, 2012, at the ENT-Audiology Department of the University Hospital of Ferrara, 620 cochlear implantations were performed. There were 426 implanted children at the time of the present study (who were <18 years). Among these, 143 patients (64 females and 79 males) presented ear and/or brain anomalies/lesions/malformations at neuroimaging investigations with MRI and HRCT. The age of the main study group (143 implanted children) ranged from 9 months and 16 years (average = 4.4; median = 3.0). Conclusions. Good outcomes with cochlear implants are possible in patients who present with inner ear or brain abnormalities, even if central nervous system anomalies represent a negative prognostic factor that is made worse by the concomitant presence of cochlear malformations. Common cavity and stenosis of the internal auditory canal (less than 2 mm) are negative prognostic factors even if brain lesions are absent

The Descriptive Challenges of Fiber Art

published or submitted for publicatio

Cry "Good for history, Cambridge and Saint George"? Essay Review of Mary Jo Nye (Ed.); The Cambridge History of Science, Vol. 5. The Modern Physical and Mathematical Sciences, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003)

FIRST PARAGRAPH This volume is the third thus far published of The Cambridge history of science, planned in eight parts over the last decade by Cambridge University Press. Noting the incompleteness of George Sarton’s heroic solo endeavour on a comparably magisterial scale (Sarton, 1953–1959), Cambridge general editors David Lindberg and Ronald Numbers adopted a more pragmatic multiple author approach in devising this new series. They devote the four latter volumes to that fertile wonder ‘modern science’, its modernity construed chronologically as the post-1800 era. While Volume 6 encompasses the biological and earth sciences ( Bowler & Pickstone, forthcoming), Volume 7 deals with the social sciences ( Porter & Ross, 2003), and Volume 8 examines the sciences in national and international setting ( Livingstone & Numbers, forthcoming). Lindberg and Numbers thus circumscribe the territory of Volume 5 to be the history of physics, chemistry, astronomy and mathematics in the Euro-American world. Although this might seem a fairly conventional—even conservative—subject clustering, few historians would have felt undaunted by the heterogeneity of such material, the narrowness of the brief and the long two-century period of coverage. This volume must therefore be judged with sensitivity to the difficulties of leading thirty-seven scholars in diverse specialisms to produce a coherent product, and the sheer impracticability of Sarton’s near-Shakespearean ambitions for unitary drama. Useful comparisons can thus be made with recent works that offer a multi-perspectival view over comparably broad terrain: John Krige and Dominic Pestre’s stimulating and uncomplacent Science in the twentieth century (1997), and the more radically inclusive bibliographical essays in Arne Hessenbruch (Ed.), The reader’s guide to the history of science (Hessenbruch, 2000)