Alien Registration- Laidlaw, Robert B. (Portland, Cumberland County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/21848/thumbnail.jp

Re-Imagining Resolution of Online Defamation Disputes

If an individual or company is defamed online, they have two options to resolve the dispute, absent a technical solution. They can complain to an intermediary or launch a civil action. Both are deficient for a variety of reasons. Civil litigation is often unsuitable given the nature of online communications (across different platforms, jurisdictions, involving multiple parties, and spread with ease), the length and cost of litigation, and the ineffectiveness of traditional remedies. Intermediary dispute resolution processes can sometimes be effective, but lack industry standards and due process, place intermediaries in pseudo-judicial roles, and depend on the changeable commitments of management. At its core, the problem is the high-volume, low-value, and legally complex matrix of online defamation disputes. In this article, I ask: Are there alternative ways to resolve disputes that would improve access to justice and resolution for complainants? The key to resolving some of these problems, I argue, is revisiting the basic issue of what complainants want in the resolution of a defamation dispute and then connecting this with innovations in dispute resolution. Ultimately, I recommend the creation of an online tribunal as a complement to traditional court action. In coming to this conclusion, I explore various issues and proposals for reform, including the challenges wrought by online defamation, what defamation claimants want when they sue, the role of technology in resolving such disputes, streamlined court processes, online dispute resolution, and the regulatory role of intermediaries

De-aliasing Undersampled Volume Images for Visualization

We present and illustrate a new technique, Image Correlation Supersampling (ICS), for resampling volume data that are undersampled in one dimension. The resulting data satisfies the sampling theorem, and, therefore, many visualization algorithms that assume the theorem is satisfied can be applied to the data. Without the supersampling the visualization algorithms create artifacts due to aliasing. The assumptions made in developing the algorithm are often satisfied by data that is undersampled temporally. Through this supersampling we can completely characterize phenomena with measurements at a coarser temporal sampling rate than would otherwise be necessary. This can save acquisition time and storage space, permit the study of faster phenomena, and allow their study without introducing aliasing artifacts. The resampling technique relies on a priori knowledge of the measured phenomenon, and applies, in particular, to scalar concentration measurements of fluid flow. Because of the characteristics of fluid flow, an image deformation that takes each slice image to the next can be used to calculate intermediate slice images at arbitrarily fine spacing. We determine the deformation with an automatic, multi-resolution algorithm

An Analysis of the Representations of the Mapping Class Group of a Multi-Geon Three-Manifold

It is well known that the inequivalent unitary irreducible representations (UIR's) of the mapping class group $G$ of a 3-manifold give rise to ``theta sectors'' in theories of quantum gravity with fixed spatial topology. In this paper, we study several families of UIR's of $G$ and attempt to understand the physical implications of the resulting quantum sectors. The mapping class group of a three-manifold which is the connected sum of $\R^3$ with a finite number of identical irreducible primes is a semi-direct product group. Following Mackey's theory of induced representations, we provide an analysis of the structure of the general finite dimensional UIR of such a group. In the picture of quantized primes as particles (topological geons), this general group-theoretic analysis enables one to draw several interesting qualitative conclusions about the geons' behavior in different quantum sectors, without requiring an explicit knowledge of the UIR's corresponding to the individual primes.Comment: 52 pages, harvmac, 2 postscript figures, epsf required. Added an appendix proving the semi-direct product structure of the MCG, corrected an error in the characterization of the slide subgroup, reworded extensively. All our analysis and conclusions remain as befor

Passive loading of lipid based colloidal dispersions with poorly water soluble substances – Studies on the practical use and on physicochemical aspects

Neue pharmazeutische Wirkstoffe sind oft schlecht wasserlöslich. Dispersionen lipidbasierter Nanopartikel können eine Option für die Formulierung sein. Der Eintrag der Wirkstoffe in diese Dispersionen kann durch die sogenannte passive Beladung erfolgen. Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich sowohl mit physikochemischen Grundlagen der passiven Beladung als auch mit Aspekten der praktischen Anwendung. An einem Dispersionssystem wurde zudem die Wirkstofflokalisation bei flüssigen und festen Lipidnanopartikeln untersucht. Darüberhinaus wurde die passive Beladung als Screening-Instrument für die Identifikation von Trägersystemen für hydrophobe Wirkstoffe evaluiert. In diesem Kontext sollte für Tierstudien mit der antileishmaniellen Substanz KuRei300 eine parenterale Darreichungsform gefunden werden. Neben KuRei300 wurde mit sieben weiteren Wirkstoffen gearbeitet. Aus einigen Wirkstoffen wurden Beschichtungen entwickelt, die das Spektrum der für die passive Beladung einsetzbaren Dispersionen erweiterten. Für die Lokalisationsstudien wurden gut definierte Systeme mit Trimyristin und Poloxamer 188 in verschiedenen Partikelgrößenklassen hergestellt. Die passive Beladung gelang mit allen Wirkstoffen. Eine zentrales Ergebnis der Studien ist, dass kleine Partikel oft höher beladen sind als große. Bei flüssigen Partikeln wurden sowohl die Matrix als auch die Grenzfläche als Aufenthaltsort für Wirkstoffmoleküle identifiziert, bei festen Partikeln lediglich die Grenzfläche. Die Präferenz für flüssige oder feste Partikel hängt vom Wirkstoff ab. Für KuRei300 wurden folgende lipidbasierte kolloidale Systeme gescreent: eine Emulsion, Liposomen, Dispersionen unterkühlt-smektischer und kubischer Partikel sowie Mischmizellen. Letztere wurden als Formulierung für die Tierstudien ausgewählt. Für die untersuchten Wirkstoffe erwies sich die passive Beladung als substanzsparendes Screening-Instrument und gute Herstellungsmethode für den Labormaßstab. Als Beladungsmechanismen wurden sowohl die Diffusion der Wirkstoffmoleküle durch die wässrige Phase als auch der direkte physische Kontakt zwischen Wirkstoffbulk und Partikel diskutiert. Unabhängig vom Hergang ist die passive Beladung vermutlich dann erfolgreich, wenn das Wirkstoffmolekül eine ausreichende Affinität zur Matrix oder/und Grenzfläche der Lipidpartikel besitzt. Relevant für die Praxis ist, ob die passive Beladung ausreichend schnell stattfindet. Experimente zeigten, dass sie innerhalb weniger Stunden beendet sein kann.New active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) are oftentimes poorly water-soluble. Dispersions of lipid-based nanoparticles can be an option for their formulation. API can be incorporated in such dispersions via passive loading. The present work deals with the physicochemical basics of passive loading as well as with aspects of its practical application. Furthermore, the localization of API molecules in liquid and solid lipid nanoparticles was investigated using the example of a dispersion system with trimyristin. In addition, passive loading was evaluated as a screening tool for the identification of carrier systems for hydrophobic API. In this context a further goal was finding a parenteral formulation for the antileishmanial API KuRei300 which can be used for animal studies. Apart from KuRei300 seven other API were included in the studies. For some API “coats” could be developed which extended the spectrum of dispersions deployable for passive loading. For localization studies well defined systems with trimyristin and poloxamer 188 were produced with different particle size classes. Passive loading was successful for all API. An essential finding of the experiments is that small particles oftentimes lead to a higher loading than large ones. For emulsion droplets, the matrix as well as the interface were identified as the localization sites for API molecules. In the case of solid lipid particles they apparently reside predominantly at the interface. The preference for liquid or solid particles depends on the API. In order to find a carrier system for KuRei300, the following lipid-based colloidal systems were screened: an emulsion, liposomes, dispersions of supercooled smectic and cubic phase particles, and mixed micelles. The latter were designated for the animal studies. For the studied API, passive loading proved to be a substance saving screening tool and a good mode of production. As mechanisms for passive loading diffusion of the API through the aqueous phase as well as direct physical contact between the bulk of the API and the particle were discussed. Regardless of the course of events it can be assumed that passive loading will be successful if the API possesses a sufficient affinity to the matrix or/and the interface of the lipid particles. Relevant for practical use is the question if the passive loading happens fast enough. Experiments showed that it can be completed within a few hours

Effect of tamoxifen on Ki67 labelling index in human breast tumours and its relationship to oestrogen and progesterone receptor status.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of tamoxifen on breast tumour levels of oestrogen and progesterone receptor (ER and PR) and proliferation as defined by the Ki67 antibody. A group of primary breast cancer patients was randomised to receive either tamoxifen (n = 59) or placebo (n = 44) treatment in the interval between clinic and surgery (median 21 days). Frozen sections of breast tumour biopsies obtained before and after treatment were stained immunocytochemically to obtain the percentage of nuclei containing ER and PR, and a Ki67 labelling index (LI). Tamoxifen-treated patients had a median Ki67 LI of 5.6% in the first biopsy falling to 3.0% in the second biopsy (P < 0.001 by Wilcoxon's matched pairs test), whereas placebo-treated patients had a median Ki67 LI of 5.4% in the first biopsy and 5.75% in the second (no significant difference). No significant differences were observed when the median %ER or %PR staining before and after treatment were compared. The Ki67 LI tended to increase with increasing histological grade and was greater in tumours that were ER - ve compared to those that were ER + ve (> 5% nuclei stained), median 7.8% and 4.3% respectively (P = 0.011 by Mann-Whitney U-test). However, the decline in tumour Ki67 LI following anti-oestrogen treatment failed to correlate with ER and PR status or to predict recurrence over a short follow-up period. To our knowledge, this is the first time that tamoxifen treatment has been shown to reduce the Ki67 LI in human breast tumours in vivo. These data indicate that staining with the Ki67 antibody may be useful in monitoring response to anti-oestrogen therapy

Towards transforming community eye care: an observational study and time-series analysis of optometrists' prescribing for eye disorders

Objectives: This study aimed to provide evidence on the therapeutic prescribing activity by community optometrists in Scotland and to determine its impact on workload in general practice and ophthalmology clinics. Study design: Scottish administrative healthcare data for a 53-month period (November 2013–April 2018) were used to analyse non-medical prescribing practice by optometrists. Methods: Using interrupted time-series regression (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average), we assessed the impact of optometrist prescribing on ophthalmology outpatient attendances and general practice prescribing for eye disorders. Results: A total of 54,246 items were prescribed by 205 optometrists over the study period. Since the commencement of data recording, optometrist prescribing activity increased steadily from a baseline of zero to 1.2% of all ophthalmic items prescribed. Neither the monthly number of items prescribed nor the size of optometric workforce were associated with a reduction in ophthalmology outpatient appointments over time. Conclusions: Optometrists increasingly contribute to community ophthalmic prescribing in Scotland, releasing capacity and lessening general practice, but not secondary care workload. There appears to be an underutilisation of optometrists related to the management of dry eye, which represents an opportunity to release further capacity

The Boundary State Formalism and Conformal Invariance in Off-shell String Theory

We present a generalization of the boundary state formalism for the bosonic string that allows us to calculate the overlap of the boundary state with arbitrary closed string states. We show that this generalization exactly reproduces world-sheet sigma model calculations, thus giving the correct overlap with both on- and off-shell string states, and that this new boundary state automatically satisfies the requirement for integrated vertex operators in the case of non-conformally invariant boundary interactions.Comment: 19 pages, 0 figure

Inverting the handedness of circularly polarized luminescence from light-emitting polymers using film thickness

The emission of circularly polarized light is central to many applications, including data storage, optical quantum computation, biosensing, environmental monitoring, and display technologies. An emerging method to induce (chiral) circularly polarized (CP) electroluminescence from the active layer of polymer light-emitting diodes (polymer OLEDs; PLEDs) involves blending achiral polymers with chiral small-molecule additives, where the handedness/sign of the CP light is controlled by the absolute stereochemistry of the small molecule. Through the in-depth study of such a system we report an interesting chiroptical property: the ability to tune the sign of CP light as a function of active layer thickness for a fixed enantiomer of the chiral additive. We demonstrate that it is possible to achieve both efficient (4.0 cd/A) and bright (8000 cd/m2) CP-PLEDs, with high dissymmetry of emission of both left-handed (LH) and right-handed (RH) light, depending on thickness (thin films, 110 nm: gEL = 0.51, thick films, 160 nm: gEL = -1.05, with the terms "thick" and "thin" representing the upper and lower limits of the thickness regime studied), for the same additive enantiomer. We propose that this arises due to an interplay between localized CP emission originating from molecular chirality and CP light amplification or inversion through a chiral medium. We link morphological, spectroscopic, and electronic characterization in thin films and devices with theoretical studies in an effort to determine the factors that underpin these observations. Through the control of active layer thickness and device architecture, this study provides insights into the mechanisms that result in CP luminescence and high performance from CP-PLEDs, as well as demonstrating new opportunities in CP photonic device design

The power of animation:encouraging doctors to access support for psychological wellbeing

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated already high rates of poor psychological wellbeing in doctors. Many doctors perceive a stigma associated with acknowledging psychological wellbeing concerns, resulting in a reluctance to seek support for those concerns. The aim of this study was to develop a theoretically-informed and evidence-based composite narrative animation (CNA) to encourage doctors to access support for psychological wellbeing, and to evaluate the acceptability of the CNA.A composite narrative was developed from an evidence-base of interviews with 27 GP participants across Scotland (May–July 2020). The Behaviour Change Wheel was used to identify behaviour change techniques (BCTs) to be embedded within the CNA. The narrative was turned into a script in collaboration with an animation company. A brief animation ‘Jane the GP’ was developed reflecting specific BCTs.Scottish doctors (n = 83) were asked for their views on acceptability of the CNA concept, and subsequently asked to provide views on the acceptability of the CNA after viewing it. Participants thought the concept of a CNA was novel but may not appeal to all. After viewing the CNA, the widespread view was that it portrayed an authentic experience, could reduce stigma around seeking support for psychological wellbeing, and highlighted formal routes to access such support.CNAs are a novel and acceptable intervention method for encouraging doctors to access support for psychological wellbeing. The use of a theory driven intervention development framework to create the CNA facilitates the link between theory and practice