Linking the Culpability and Circumstantial Evidence Requirements for the Spoliation Inference

Today  Real  estate  companies  face  the  challenge  where  extensive  renovations  on  existing housing built before 1980 must be performed. Conditions have changed and the housing need performance-­‐enhancing measures that meet today's quality. With a current renovation rate,  it  would  take  30  years  to  meet  the  renovation  needs.  The  renovation  rate  must therefore rise dramatically, which requires the real estate companies to act consistently in accordance with commercial principles and in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible way. The  paper  discusses  renovation  strategies  in  four  municipal  housing  companies  in  the Stockholm  suburbs.  The  report  includes  surveys  of  four  ongoing  renovation  projects; Fastighets AB Förvaltaren in Sundbyberg project Hundloken 3, Stiftelsen Signalisten in Solna project Ritorp, Sollentunahem in Sollentuna project Svalgången och Väsbyhem in Upplands Väsby project Dragonvägen. The main purpose of this study was to analyze the practices of redevelopment projects. What opportunities and obstacles arise and how do the housing companies choose to respond to the current societal requirements. How do you work with redevelopment projects and how do you finance these.  The purpose of this paper is not to provide a clear and definite conclusion; the basis of the thesis has therefor been case studies. As the needs and conditions vary depending on the renovation project; there are no standard solutions, but there are important issues to be highlighted. It can be noted that the hard part of a renovation project is to get a flow without any barriers, where both the tenant's needs and wishes are taken into account and at  the same time it has to be economically and socially reasonable for the companies to implement the great need of renovation. The study indicates to some important questions to  have  in  consideration  when  renovating;  a  social  responsibility  to  not  stop  the  ever growing housing queue and a financial responsibility to ensure that the tenant is possible to take on the new rent increase that comes with refurbishment and also reasoning about the grounds  on  which  one  should  get  the  right  to  appeal  renovations.  The  results  generated  in this report should be seen as a basis for further discussion on the issue.Fastighetsbolag  står  idag  inför  utmaningen  där  omfattande  renoveringar  på  befintliga fastigheter byggda innan  1980-­‐talet  måste realiseras. Förutsättningarna har ändrats  och fastigheterna  behöver  prestandahöjande  åtgärder som  möter  dagens  kvalitet.    Med  en nuvarande   renoveringstakt   skulle   det   ta   30   år   att   tillgodose   renoveringsbehovet. Upprustningstakten måste således öka radikalt, vilket ställer krav på fastighetsbolagen att agera  konsekvent  enligt  affärsmässiga  principer  och  på  ett  ekonomiskt,  socialt  och miljömässigt försvarbart sätt. Den  här  uppsatsen  behandlar  renoveringsstrategier  på  fyra  kommunala  allmännyttiga fastighetsbolag i Stockholmsförorter. Rapporten innefattar undersökningar av fyra pågående renoveringsprojekt; Fastighets AB Förvaltaren i Sundbyberg projekt Hundloken 3, Stiftelsen Signalisten  i  Solna  projekt  Ritorp,  Sollentunahem  i  Sollentuna  projekt  Svalgången  och Väsbyhem i Upplands Väsby projekt Dragonvägen.   Huvudsyftet med studien har varit att analysera tillvägagångssätt vid ombyggnadsprojekt. Vilka förutsättningar och hinder uppstår och  hur  väljer  man  att  bemöta  de  aktuella  samhällskraven.  Hur  arbetar  man  kring ombyggnadsprojekt och hur finansieras dessa.  Avsikten med uppsatsen är inte att lämna någon tydlig och klar slutsats, utgångspunkten i uppsatsen har därför varit fallstudier. Då behov och förutsättningar varierar beroende av renoveringsprojekt finns inga standardlösningar, men däremot finns det viktiga frågor att lyfta fram. Det man kan konstatera är att det svåra i ett renoveringsprojekt, är att få ett flöde utan  hinder där såväl hyresgästens behov och önskemål beaktas samtidigt som det för företagen ska vara företagsekonomiskt och samhällsekonomiskt försvarbart att genomföra det stora behovet av upprustningar. Studien indikerar för en del viktiga punkter att tänka på; socialt ansvar att inte stoppa upp den ständigt växande bostadskön och ett ekonomiskt ansvar att se till att det för hyresgästen är möjligt att ta sig an ny hyreshöjning som kommer med renovering samt resonemang kring på vilka grunder man ska få rätten att överklaga renoveringar. Det resultat som uppkommer i rapporten bör ses som underlag för vidare diskussion                                                               kring                                                               frågan

Making American Foundations Relevant

The work and impact of foundations is not registering with critical audiences, according to philanthropy leaders and observers interviewed for this Philanthropy Awareness Initiative report. To find the solution, foundations need to look in the mirror, they argue, and make changes to their communications culture and practice

Low dose radiation risks for women surviving the a-bombs in Japan: generalized additive model

BACKGROUND: Analyses of cancer mortality and incidence in Japanese A-bomb survivors have been used to estimate radiation risks, which are generally higher for women. Relative Risk (RR) is usually modelled as a linear function of dose. Extrapolation from data including high doses predicts small risks at low doses. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) are flexible methods for modelling non-linear behaviour. METHODS: GAMs are applied to cancer incidence in female low dose subcohorts, using anonymous public data for the 1958 – 1998 Life Span Study, to test for linearity, explore interactions, adjust for the skewed dose distribution, examine significance below 100 mGy, and estimate risks at 10 mGy. RESULTS: For all solid cancer incidence, RR estimated from 0 – 100 mGy and 0 – 20 mGy subcohorts is significantly raised. The response tapers above 150 mGy. At low doses, RR increases with age-at-exposure and decreases with time-since-exposure, the preferred covariate. Using the empirical cumulative distribution of dose improves model fit, and capacity to detect non-linear responses. RR is elevated over wide ranges of covariate values. Results are stable under simulation, or when removing exceptional data cells, or adjusting neutron RBE. Estimates of Excess RR at 10 mGy using the cumulative dose distribution are 10 – 45 times higher than extrapolations from a linear model fitted to the full cohort. Below 100 mGy, quasipoisson models find significant effects for all solid, squamous, uterus, corpus, and thyroid cancers, and for respiratory cancers when age-at-exposure > 35 yrs. Results for the thyroid are compatible with studies of children treated for tinea capitis, and Chernobyl survivors. Results for the uterus are compatible with studies of UK nuclear workers and the Techa River cohort. CONCLUSION: Non-linear models find large, significant cancer risks for Japanese women exposed to low dose radiation from the atomic bombings. The risks should be reflected in protection standards. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12940-016-0191-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

A Research Synthesis On Aspects of Foundations and Philanthropy: Operational Efficacy, Grantee Needs and Public Perceptions 2000-2004

This research report provides a detailed description of the types and outcomes of research the philanthropic sector has conducted on its own behalf. The report suggests that foundations have been inwardly focused, examining their operations and grantmaking effectiveness, rather than trying to understand external perceptions and attitudes. It also indicates that the philanthropic sector has been in a "reactive mode" since being challenged on its accountability by federal and state government entities. The appendix includes bibliographic references as well as a summary of foundation-specific researches

An Approaching Epidemic: Exploring Diabetes Awareness & Care in Mombasa, Kenya

The prevalence of Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) has become an increasing problem in virtually every city in the world due to lifestyle changes in recent decades that have greatly reduced healthy eating habits as well as exercise. Research has shown that T2DM is largely preventable through healthy lifestyle choices. It is crucial for every country’s population to be aware of the risk factors and complications of diabetes so that they can take active steps to avoid the monumental physical and financial burden of the disease. This study attempted to gauge diabetes awareness among patients living with diabetes and to explore barriers and solutions to both educating the public and improving diabetes management among current patients in Mombasa, Kenya. Interviews with 25 patients, 9 diabetes care providers, and a host of other professionals relating to diabetes were conducted over three weeks in April, 2010. Diabetes awareness among an educated patient sample was startlingly low. Barriers to public awareness and quality diabetes management of are numerous but feasible solutions appear to exist. To avoid the prevalence of diabetes reaching epidemic proportions, it is imperative that all citizens of Mombasa become aware of the serious health and financial risks posed by diabetes and make lifestyle changes accordingly

Effect of plant resistance and BioAct WG (Purpureocillium lilacinum strain 251) on Meloidogyne incognita in a tomato-cucumber rotation in a greenhouse

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of combining resistant tomato with BioAct WG (Purpureocillium lilacinum strain 251, Pl251) against Meloidogyne incognita was assessed in a tomato-cucumber rotation in a greenhouse over 2 years. Additionally, the enzymatic activity of the fungus, the percentage of fungal egg and juvenile parasitism, cardinal temperatures and the effect of water potential on mycelial growth and the soil receptivity to Pl251 were determined in vitro. RESULTS Plant resistance was the only factor that suppressed nematode and crop yield losses. Percentage of egg parasitism in plots treated with BioAct WG was less than 2.6%. However, under in vitro conditions, Pl251 showed protease, lipase and chitinase activities and parasitised 94.5% of eggs, but no juveniles. Cardinal temperatures were 14.2, 24–26 and 35.4¿°C. The maximum Pl251 mycelial growth was at -0.25 MPa and 25¿°C. Soil temperatures and water potential in the greenhouse were in the range of the fungus. However, soil receptivity was lower in greenhouse soil, irrespective of sterilisation, than in sterilised sand. CONCLUSION Plant resistance was the only factor able to suppress nematode densities, disease severity and yield losses, and to protect the following cucumber crop. Environmental factors involved in soil receptivity could have negatively affected fungus effectiveness.Postprint (updated version

TALK score: Development and validation of a prognostic model for predicting larynx preservation outcome

Objectives/Hypothesis: To develop and validate a simple prognostic tool that would help predict larynx preservation outcome. Study Design: A retrospective review of 3 prospective studies. Methods: We reviewed consecutive chemotherapy/radiation protocols for patients (n = 170) with advanced, resectable, squamous cell, larynx, or pharynx cancer treated at Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer Center from 1988 to 1995 with larynx preservation intent. The outcome was successful larynx preservation. Model validation used data from U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs larynx preservation study. Results: The developed model added one point for each poor prognostic covariate present (show in parentheses) and was given the acronym TALK: T stage (T4), albumin (<4 g/dL), maximum alcohol/liquor use (≥6 drinks/day or heavy drinking), and Karnofsky performance status (<80%). The 3‐year larynx preservation rates by TALK score were 65% (0), 41% (1–2), and 6% (3–4), P < .0001; on validation, the TALK 3–4 group was particularly well demarcated. Conclusions: The TALK score is an easily applied and valid tool that should assist treatment selection.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91127/1/23220_ftp.pd