Industrial cluster formation in European regions. U.S. cluster templates and Austrian evidence.

The paper will be organized in the following manner. We first provide a concise review of how industrial trade clusters were developed from available I/O coefficients (see box), including how regional industrial data may be embedded within their "templates". Second, we will review the steps taken, using available industrial concordances, that permit regional data from other advanced national industrial systems to be embedded within these templates. Third, we will illustrate the results of applying the U.S. template for the motor vehicle industrial trade cluster to regions in both Austria and North Carolina over 5-10 year time periods. Finally, we will offer some speculative observations about what the results may indicate about regional cluster development in these two regions. (authors' abstract, ed. M.Putz)Series: SRE - Discussion Paper

Remote Observing with the Keck Telescope Using the ACTS Satellite

As a technical demonstration project for the NASA Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS), we have implemented remote observing on the 10-meter Keck II telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii from the California Institute of Technology campus in Pasadena. The data connection consists of optical fiber networks in Hawaii and California, connecting the end-points to high data rate (HDR) ACTS satellite antennae at JPL in Pasadena and at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. The terrestrial fiber networks run the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) protocol at DS-3 (45 Mbit/sec) speeds, providing ample bandwidth to enable remote observing with a software environment identical to that used for on-site observing in Hawaii. This experiment has explored the data requirements of remote observing with a modern research telescope and large-format detector arrays. While the maximum burst data rates are lower than those required for many other applications (e.g., HDTV), the network reliability and data integrity requirements are critical. As we show in this report, the former issue particularly may be the greatest challenge for satellite networks for this class of application. We have also experimented with the portability of standard TCP/IP applications to satellite networks, demonstrating the need for alternative TCP congestion algorithms and minimization of bit error rates (BER). Reliability issues aside, we have demonstrated that true remote observing over high-speed networks provides several important advantages over standard observing paradigms. Technical advantages of the high-speed network access include more rapid download of data to a user's home institution and the opportunity for alternative communication facilities between members of an observing team, such as audio- and videoconferencing

Etiological diagnosis in limb reduction defects and the number of affected limbs:A population-based study in the Northern Netherlands

Limb reduction defects (LRDs) that affect multiple limbs are considered to be more often heritable, but only few studies have substantiated this. We aimed to investigate if an etiological diagnosis (genetic disorder or clinically recognizable disorder) is more likely to be made when multiple limbs are affected compared to when only one limb is affected. We used data from EUROCAT Northern Netherlands and included 391 fetuses and children with LRDs born in 1981-2017. Cases were classified as having a transverse, longitudinal (preaxial/postaxial/central/mixed), intercalary, or complex LRD of one or more limbs and as having an isolated LRD or multiple congenital anomalies (MCA). We calculated the probability of obtaining an etiological diagnosis in cases with multiple affected limbs versus one affected limb using relative risk (RR) scores and Fisher's exact test. We showed that an etiological diagnosis was made three times more often when an LRD occurred in multiple limbs compared to when it occurred in one limb (RR 2.9, 95% CI 2.2-3.8, p <0.001). No genetic disorders were found in isolated cases with only one affected limb, whereas a genetic disorder was identified in 16% of MCA cases with one affected limb. A clinically recognizable disorder was found in 47% of MCA cases with one affected limb. Genetic counseling rates were similar. We conclude that reduction defects of multiple limbs are indeed more often heritable. Genetic testing seems less useful in isolated cases with one affected limb, but is warranted in MCA cases with one affected limb

Bridging the age gap: a review of molecularly informed treatments for glioma in adolescents and young adults

Gliomas are the most common primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors and a major cause of cancer-related mortality in children (age 39 years). Molecular pathology has helped enhance the characterization of these tumors, revealing a heterogeneous and ever more complex group of malignancies. Recent molecular analyses have led to an increased appreciation of common genomic alterations prevalent across all ages. The 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) CNS tumor classification, 5th edition (WHO CNS5) brings forward a nomenclature distinguishing "pediatric-type" and "adult-type" gliomas. The spectrum of gliomas in AYA comprises both "pediatric-like" and "adult-like" tumor entities but remains ill-defined. With fragmentation of clinical management between pediatric and adult centers, AYAs face challenges related to gaps in medical care, lower rates of enrollment in clinical trials and additional psychosocial and economic challenges. This calls for a rethinking of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, to improve access to appropriate testing and potentially beneficial treatments to patients of all ages

Assessing the healthcare quality issues for digital incident reporting in Sweden: Incident reports analysis

YesObjective: This study explored healthcare quality issues affecting the reporting and investigation levels of digital incident reporting systems. Methods: A total of 38 health information technology-related incident reports (free-text narratives) were collected from one of Sweden’s national incident reporting repositories. The incidents were analysed using an existing framework, i.e., the Health Information Technology Classification System, to identify the types of issues and consequences. The framework was applied in two fields, ‘event description’ by the reporters and ‘manufacturer’s measures’, to assess the quality of reporting incidents by the reporters. Additionally, the contributing factors, i.e., either human or technical factors for both fields, were identified to evaluate the quality of the reported incidents. Results: Five types of issues were identified and changes made between before-and-after investigations: Machine to software- related issues (n = 8), machine to use-related issues (n = 5), software to software-related issues (n = 5), use to software- related issues (n = 4) and use to use-related issues (n = 1). Over two-thirds (n = 15) of the incidents demonstrated a change in the contributing factors after the investigation. Only four incidents were identified as altering the consequences after the investigation. Conclusion: This study shed some light on the issues of incident reporting and the gap between the reporting and investigation levels. Facilitating sufficient staff training sessions, agreeing on common terms for health information technology systems, refining the existing classifications systems, enforcing mini-root cause analysis, and ensuring unit-based local reporting and standard national reporting may help bridge the gap between reporting and investigation levels in digital incident reporting

Type 0 T-Duality and the Tachyon Coupling

We consider the T-duality relations between Type 0A and 0B theories, and show that this constraints the possible couplings of the tachyon to the RR-fields. Due to the `doubling' of the RR sector in Type 0 theories, we are able to introduce a democratic formulation for the Type 0 effective actions, in which there is no Chern-Simons term in the effective action. Finally we discuss how to embed Type II solutions into Type 0 theories.Comment: some misprints corrected and a reference adde

Hydrologic and Institutional Water Availability in the Brazos River Basin

Statement of the Problem Effective management of its surface water resources is essential to the continued growth and prosperity of the state of Texas. Rapid population and economic growth combined with depleting ground water reserves are resulting in ever-increasing demands being placed upon the surface water resources. The climate of the state is characterized by extremes of floods and droughts. Reservoirs are necessary to control and utilize the highly variable streamflow. Numerous reservoirs have been constructed to facilitate management of the water resources of the various river basins of the state. Effective control and utilization of the water resource supplied by a stream/reservoir system requires an understanding of the amount of water which can be provided under various conditions. Estimates of reservoir yield are a key element in practically all studies and decisions involving development and management of surface water supplies. Yield is defined as the amount of water which can be supplied by an unregulated stream, reservoir, or multiple reservoir system during a specified period of time. The stochastic nature of streamflow must be reflected in methods for quantifying yield. The approaches for expressing yield which traditionally have been used in water supply planning and management are firm yield and, to a lesser extent, reliability. Firm yield is the estimated maximum release or withdrawal rate which can be maintained continuously during a repetition of the hydrologic period-of-record. A number of definitions of reliability are cited in the technical literature. A common definition is that reliability is the percentage of time that a stream/reservoir system is able to meet a specified demand. Precise textbook definitions of firm yield and reliability can be formulated for a simple river basin with one reservoir and one water user. However, in actual practice, for a complex multiple reservoir, multiple user system, firm yield and reliability must be defined in terms of the basic assumptions and approaches used in handling various complicating factors. Water supply planning and management involves complex institutional, environmental, hydrologic, and physical systems. Streamflow, reservoir sedimentation, evaporation, water demands, and other variables pertinent to yield determinations are highly stochastic. Measured historical data is limited in extent and accuracy. The future is always uncertain. Mathematical models only approximate the complexities of reality. Consequently, reservoir yield studies necessarily involve uncertainties and approximations. The availability of water to particular users depends upon legal rights and contractual commitments as well as physical facilities and hydrologic conditions. Reservoir yield is subject to institutional as well as hydrologic constraints. Evaluation of the relationships between water rights and reservoir yield is particularly important at this time in Texas with the recent completion of the water rights adjudication process. Scope of the Study The objective of the study documented by this report was to evaluate and improve state-of-the-art capabilities for estimating reservoir yield. Institutional as well as hydrologic aspects of water availability were investigated. Evaluation of increases in yield achieved by multiple reservoir system operation, rather than separate operation of individual reservoirs, was a major emphasis of the study. The river basin was viewed as an integrated system. The hydrologic and institutional availability of water was investigated for a case study reservoir system. However, the study approach and computer programs used are generally applicable to any reservoir system. Study findings have pertinent implications for water resources management throughout Texas and elsewhere as well as for the specific river basin studied. Water availability is dependent upon institutional constraints and capabilities. The study included a review of water law and other institutional aspects of surface water management in Texas. A literature review was made assessing modeling capabilities for estimating reservoir yield. The reservoir system simulation models HEC-3 and HEC-5 were adopted for use in the case study. These generalized computer programs provide comprehensive capabilities for analyzing the hydrologic aspects of reservoir system operations, but lack the capability to simulate water rights priorities. Consequently, a generalized water rights simulation computer program was developed in conjunction with the study. Other computer programs were used for developing input data and analyzing output from the HEC3, HEC-5, and water rights models. A system of twelve reservoirs in the Brazos River Basin provided a case study. Nine multiple purpose flood control and conservation reservoirs are owned and operated by the Fort Worth District (FWD) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The Brazos River Authority (BRA) has contracted for most of the water supply storage capacity of the nine federal projects. The BRA owns and operates three other conservation reservoirs. In addition to the 12-reservoir USACE/BRA system, Hubbard Creek Reservoir, owned by the West Central Texas Municipal Water District, was modeled in detail because of its relatively large storage capacity. The numerous other smaller reservoirs in the basin were considered primarily from the perspective of approximating their impacts on the 12 USACE/BRA reservoirs. Individual reservoir and system firm yields were computed based on alternative conditions of reservoir sedimentation and alternative assumptions regarding multiple reservoir and multiple user interactions. The sensitivity of firm yield estimates to these and other factors was evaluated. A series of yield analyses were made from a strictly hydrologic perspective, without consideration of water rights. Yield analyses were then repeated incorporating water rights constraints. In addition to the firm yield simulations, a basinwide water rights analysis simulation study was performed. The simulations were based on monthly historical period-of-record hydrologic data. The modeling studies provided a basis for evaluating the hydrologic and institutional availability of water in the Brazos River Basin. Organization of the Report An overview of water law and institutions in Texas, from the perspective of surface water Management, is presented in Chapter 2. Surface water Management in the Brazos River Basin is described in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 is 8 discussion of reservoir system yield analysis models in general and the models used in the present study in particular. The Brazos River Basin simulation studies are documented by Chapters 5 through 9. Chapter 5 describes the compilation of basic data used in the study. A detailed hydrologic yield study is documented by Chapter 6. The analyses outlined in Chapter 6 were performed with HEC-3 and HEC-5 and are from a strictly hydrologic perspective, without consideration of water rights. The water rights analyses, utilizing the TAMU Water Rights Analysis Progra , are presented in Chapters 7 and 8. Chapter 7 discusses the results of a simulation of hydrologic and water rights aspects of surface water management in the basin. Firm yields constrained by senior water rights are documented in Chapter 8. Chapter 9 provides a critical evaluation, including sensitivity analyses, of the key factors affecting firm yield estimates. The study summary and conclusions are presented as Chapter 10