Electrically tunable fluidic lens imaging system for laparoscopic fluorescence-guided surgery

The addition of fluorescence guidance in laparoscopic procedures has gained significant interest in recent years, particularly through the use of near infrared (NIR) markers. In this work we present a novel laparoscope camera coupler based on an electrically tunable fluidic lens that permits programmable focus control and has desirable achromatic performance from the visible to the NIR. Its use extends the lower working distance limit and improves detection sensitivity, important for work with molecularly targeted fluorescence markers. We demonstrate its superior optical performance in laparoscopic fluorescence-guided surgery. In vivo results using a tumor specific molecular probe and a nonspecific NIR dye are presented

D1.1 DEMAND ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK

This report proposes the initial draft of the LeADS ADS Framework composed by three major elements; identification and definition of technologies in scope; skills included under those technologies, and definition of job roles, where other skills frameworks are considered for comparison and alignment. The report summarises the first workshop held by the project with external constituencies even though the feedback will be incorporated in the final version of the framework, where the layer of job roles will be completed, and the others revised according to additional input. This framework serves as reference for the next step in LeADS: the assessment of the demand and the supply

Design and development challenges for an E2E DRM content business integration platform

Current studies on Digital Rights Management (DRM) have focused on controlling access to and copies of contents, centered exclusively on the end of the value chain (end users). This focus has been oriented towards security and encryption as a means of solving the issue of illegal copying by purchasers. In this paper, we propose End-to-End Digital Rights Management (E2E DRM) that involves the protection of the content throughout the entire value chain. This concept is given form in the new technologies for representing intellectual property (IP) which, in a secure and unequivocal manner, identify the content at each point in the value chain: from the author to the end user, the content is identifiable in any of the transactions and statuses through which it passes. The key concept which E2E DRM must provide is not only the governability of access and copying, but also that of all the processes associated with the content business. We establish an E2E DRM model and architecture, and propose the R&D management of its design and implementation that makes it possible to protect content from content creator to purchaser. Finally, the paper also analyzes their impact from a global perspective

The Socio-Economic Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in Sri Lankan Tea Manufacturing Companies (Special Reference to Kandy District)

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is very important topic in the present competitive business environment. The aim of this exploratory study is to capture the current status of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) awareness, commitment and practices level of tea manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka and assessing the socioeconomic impact of company CSR on employees and smallholders. The study provides an overview of company CSR practices as well as of employee and smallholder experiences and perceptions of CSR practices of tea manufacturing companies. The research study is based on Kandy district and three perspectives factory owners, employees and smallholders were used in exploring the CSR level and its socioeconomic impact. To achieve the research objectives tea manufacturing company’s CSR practices are studied in three domains: CSR to employees, smallholders and environment. The researcher used mixed method comprising both quantitative and qualitative elements. There is a positive relationship between tea manufacturing company CSR level and the socioeconomic condition of employee and the smallholders. When it consider about the overall situation, current CSR practices of tea manufacturing companies have not made a positive impact on socioeconomic development of employees and smallholders. Tea manufacturing companies should consider CSR strategies that are in the interest of all stakeholders and relevant to the business.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/kjm.v2i1.6546 Kelaniya Journal of Management Vol.2(1) 2013:113-142</p

Usability and digital inclusion: standards and guidelines

This article aims at discussing e-government website usability in relation to concerns about digital inclusion. E-government web design should consider all aspects of usability, including those that make it more accessible to all. Traditional concerns of social exclusion are being superseded by fears that lack of digital competence and information literacy may result in dangerous digital exclusion. Usability is considered as a way to address this exclusion and should therefore incorporate inclusion and accessibility guidelines. This article makes an explicit link between usability guidelines and digital inclusion and reports on a survey of local government web presence in Portugal

Pensamento contrafactual e moralidade

O artigo apresenta e oferece justificativas para uma linha de pesquisa em andamento que relaciona experimentos da psicologia cognitiva e social sobre pensamento contrafactual e suposições sobre os processos cognitivos e emocionais envolvidos na formação do juízo moral. A ideia central é defender um papel funcional dos mecanismos psicológicos contrafactuais na formação do juízo moral

Pensamento contrafactual e moralidade

O artigo apresenta e oferece justificativas para uma linha de pesquisa em andamento que relaciona experimentos da psicologia cognitiva e social sobre pensamento contrafactual e suposições sobre os processos cognitivos e emocionais envolvidos na formação do juízo moral. A ideia central é defender um papel funcional dos mecanismos psicológicos contrafactuais na formação do juízo moral

A Large-Scale Study of iPhone App Launch Behaviour

There have been many large-scale investigations of users' mobile app launch behaviour, but all have been conducted on Android, even though recent reports suggest iPhones account for a third of all smartphones in use. We report on the first large-scale analysis of app usage patterns on iPhones. We conduct a reproduction study with a cohort of over 10,000 jailbroken iPhone users, reproducing several studies previously conducted on Android devices. We find some differences, but also significant similarities: e.g. communications apps are the most used on both platforms; similar patterns are apparent of few apps being very popular but there existing a 'long tail' of many apps used by the population; users show similar patterns of 'micro-usage'; almost identical proportions of people use a unique combination of apps. Such similarities add confidence but also specificity about claims of consistency across smartphones. As well as presenting our findings, we discuss issues involved in reproducing studies across platforms