Family Foundation Giving Trends 2012

Family Foundation Giving Trends 2012 is the fifth in a series of reports that annually updates the giving of the largest 100 family foundations in the UK, tracking trends and comparing them with their US counterparts. Giving through family foundations represents around 8% of all private giving in the UK.This year's report is a special edition aimed at providing a more rounded picture of family foundation philanthropy. The regular updating of the annual league tables of giving is complemented by new research on the causes supported, the influences on decision-making in an uncertain environment, and family foundations' outlook for the future.The research was carried out through extracting financial data from annual reports and websites on annual spending and the distribution of grants by cause, and an online survey of decision-making amongst the largest family foundations (40 responses, 45% response rate).For this research, UK and US family foundations are defined as independent registered charitable trusts funded originally by family wealth, whether or not the founding family is still represented on the governing board.Key financial results 2010/11The total giving of the largest 100 UK family foundations was £1.33 billion in 2010/11.The results presented a mixed picture of growth: while there was an overall real fall of 1.8% in giving, there was a substantial 6.2% real rise if the results of the giant Wellcome Trust are excluded from the group.The rise in giving bucked the trend for the value of family foundations' assets: these were worth £29.7 billion in 2010/11, representing a real annual fall of 3.5%.Although there were some signs of growth this year, the giving of the largest family foundations has not yet returned to pre-recession levels.Asset value in 2010/11 was still a real 14% lower than in 2006/07

Flip angle mapping with the accelerated 3D look-locker sequence

Purpose A new approach to mapping the flip angle quickly and efficiently in 3D based on the Look-Locker technique is presented. Methods We modified the accelerated 3D Look-Locker T1 measurement technique to allow rapid measurement of flip angle. By removing the inversion pulses and interleaving two radio frequency pulses with different amplitude, it is possible to fit directly for the true flip angle using a reduced number of parameters. This technique, non-inverted Double Angle Look-Locker, allows quick and efficient mapping of the flip angle in 3D. Results non-inverted Double Angle Look-Locker is validated in vitro against the actual flip angle imaging technique for a range of flip angles and T1 values. Flip angle maps produced with non-inverted Double Angle Look-Locker can be acquired in approximately 1 min, and are accurate to within 10% of the actual flip angle imaging measurement. It is shown to accurately measure the excited slab profile of several different pulses. An application to correcting in vivo DESPOT T1 data is presented. Conclusion The presented technique is a rapid method for mapping flip angles across a 3D volume, capable of producing a flip angle map in approximately 1 min. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Quantum entanglement between a nonlinear nanomechanical resonator and a microwave field

We consider a theoretical model for a nonlinear nanomechanical resonator coupled to a superconducting microwave resonator. The nanomechanical resonator is driven parametrically at twice its resonance frequency, while the superconducting microwave resonator is driven with two tones that differ in frequency by an amount equal to the parametric driving frequency. We show that the semi-classical approximation of this system has an interesting fixed point bifurcation structure. In the semi-classical dynamics a transition from stable fixed points to limit cycles is observed as one moves from positive to negative detuning. We show that signatures of this bifurcation structure are also present in the full dissipative quantum system and further show that it leads to mixed state entanglement between the nanomechanical resonator and the microwave cavity in the dissipative quantum system that is a maximum close to the semi-classical bifurcation. Quantum signatures of the semi-classical limit-cycles are presented.Comment: 36 pages, 18 figure

Unrealistic Body Standards Produced by the Media

As decades go by and the media expands, more unrealistic beauty standards are set and produced to affect the minds of people in society. Research is critical to validate the effects in question. Two different types of research were conducted. The first research was conducted by Jean-Luc Jucker and his team in an area where the people were not exposed to any forms of media whereas the second research was conducted with a group of students who were exposed to any type of media. The findings collected from the research showed negative effects from participants. The findings confirmed that the effects were clearly caused by the media

Two information aggregation mechanisms for predicting the opening weekend box office revenues of films: Box-office Prophecy and Guess of Guesses

Field tests were conducted on two newinformation aggregationmechanism designs. The mechanisms were designed to collect information held as intuitions about opening weekend box office revenues for movies in Australia. The principles on which the mechanisms operate and their capacity to collect information are explored. A pari-mutuel mechanism produces a predicted probability distribution over box office amounts that is, with the exception of very small films, indistinguishable from the actual revenues. The second mechanism is based on guessing the guesses of others and when applied under conditions where incentives for accuracy are unavailable still performs well against data

A Comparison of Success in Academic Foundation College Courses between Students Presenting High School Credits in Practical Arts Courses and Those with Credits in Academic Courses

This study investigated the relationship of high school curriculum to performance in academic foundation college courses. The purposes of the study were twofold: First, to study the relationship of a practical arts high school curriculum as opposed to a college preparatory high school curriculum to performance in academic foundation college courses. Second, to analyze this relationship and its implications for high school students, parents, teachers, and counselors

Two Information Aggregation Mechanisms for Predicting the Opening Weekend Box Office Revenues of Films: Boxoffice Prophecy and Guess of Guesses

Successful field tests were conducted on two new Information Aggregation Mechanisms (IAMs). The mechanisms collected information held as intuitions about opening weekend box office revenues for movies in Australia. Participants were film school students. One mechanism is similar to parimutuel betting that produces a probability distribution over box office amounts. Except for “art house films”, the predicted distribution is indistinguishable from the actual revenues. The second mechanism is based on guesses of the guesses of others and applied when incentives for accuracy could not be used. It tested well against data and contains information not encompassed by the first mechanism

An assessment of the Matrix 96 Direct Beta Counter for cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor frequency analysis in human cardiac transplant recipients

This study was undertaken to assess the Matrix 96 Direct Beta Counter for the measurement of 51Chromium (51Cr)-release from cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor (CTLp) frequency assays of human cardiac transplant recipients. The Matrix 96 was compared with a gamma counter for the measurement of maximal 51Cr-release from graded numbers of labelled target cells. Repeated counts by both counters were consistent. Variation between the Matrix 96 and the gamma counter was similar to the variation between repeated counts using the gamma counter, indicating that the counters were comparable for the measurement of 51Cr. The contribution of natural killer-like activity to target cell killing in the CTLp assay was investigated by the use of the K562 cell line in cold target competition assays. Ten responder-stimulator combinations were tested in the CTLp assay for cross-reactivity between K562 and allogeneic targets. Cytotoxicity was reduced in only one assay, suggesting that the cells which mediated lysis of allogeneic lymphocytes and K562 cells recognised distinct targets. Donor- and 3rd party-reactive CTLp frequencies in 15 human cardiac allograft recipients were then measured in samples taken before transplantation, and at two intervals after transplantation. In the group of patients, donor-reactive CTLp frequencies decreased by 3 to 7 months after transplantation, but increased to pre-transplant levels by 9 to 15 months after transplantation. Donor-specific decreases in CTLp frequencies relative to the pre-transplant frequencies were found in three patients by 9 to 15 months after transplantation. Pre-transplant donor-reactive CTLp frequencies were not predictive of acute rejection in the first 3 months or in the first year after transplantation. Donor- reactive CTLp frequencies were lower at 9 to 15 months after transplantation in patients with concurrent endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) grade 2 or 3 rejection than in patients without rejection (EMB grade 0 or 1). Similarly, a negative correlation was found between donor-reactive CTLp frequencies at 9 to 15 months after transplantation and the number of EMB graded ?2 in this period. Donor-reactive CTLp frequencies were not significantly different in patients who received induction immunosuppression with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and in patients who received standard triple immiunosuppression. The conclusion of all these experiments was that the Matrix 96 was comparable to the gamma counter for the measurement of 51Cr-release and was a rapid and convenient method for counting large numbers of limiting dilution assays

UAS Literary & Arts Journal

Proof copy provided by Tidal Echoes.Featuring the work of students, faculty, and staff of the University of Alaska Southeast and members of the community.A Note from Loren, Sometimes Known as Senior Editor -- A Letter from Josh, Affectionately Known as “Sugah” (say it with a southern accent) -- A Note from Emily Wall -- On the Move -- Dangly Jangly Things -- Taco Surf -- Midwestern Trash -- On the Distaff Side -- Christmas Joy -- The Three Little McCormicks -- Trollin’ Ray’s Brain: An Interview with Ray Troll -- His Long Coat Turning -- First Autumn -- Pinta Cove Birthday Gifts -- September Wings -- When in Rome -- Early Morning Conspiracy Theory -- Flesh Wound -- Two Ravens, Five Ways -- Shades of Brown: The Question -- Hayfield-Clarke Psychiatric Center -- Hardscrabble -- Smoked Meat Sandwiches -- Slime Squishing Through Gold: An Interview with Nora Marks Dauenhauer -- Berries -- Buds -- Grandpa Jakwteen in Eclipse -- Cross Talk -- Voices -- Trouble -- Flying Home -- Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay -- Genocide -- Raven, Saving It for Later -- Mama Abel’s -- Settling In -- Blue -- Dad at 27 -- Dad photographs mother -- Backyard theatre & Oz -- Love-in, Easter Day, 1968 -- Topanga Corral -- Swallowing Senora -- Keeping Time on the Kee Nax Trail -- Ode to Ching -- Beneath the Surface (chapter title) -- A Visit from the Wild -- Teacher’s Pets -- Centennial -- See Spot Rot -- With Salsa -- Moonbaby -- The Fine Art of Raising a Tarpaulin -- Prologue -- Epiphany 2008 -- View of Auke Lake -- Shark Fins -- Translating Pasternak -- Raven Boys -- Institutional Back Door -- Uneasy Disguise -- Christmas Wind -- The Life and Times of the Orlando Bloom Fan Club -- Writer & Artist Biographie