Asiakkuuksien johtaminen kuljetusalan pk-yrityksessä

The profitability on transportation field has been low for a long time. The re-cession that started in the fall of 2008 has caused even more trouble to transportation companies as the number of transportations has gone down and the competition has gotten tougher since the time before the recession. Because the low profitability level does not allow competing with prices, transportation companies must come up with other means to differ from their competitors. The main goal of the research was to find out how a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) on transportation field should manage its customer relationships. Due to limited resources, companies should direct their resources to serving their most valuable customers. Companies should first make a determination of their customer base. This works as a base for establishing customer portfolios, in other words making customer groups based on e.g. profitability, buying volumes and loyalty. Companies can gain competitive advantage also by improving their service quality. Important information regarding the selection criteria of a transporta-tion company, transaction methods, service time and accessibility of person-nel, customers’ expectations on transportation company’s personnel, utiliza-tion of IT-solutions as a part of transportation service, the image of a transportation company and necessity of quality control meetings was gathered for this research by interviewing customers. By utilizing this information, transportation company can adapt its service offering to equal the customer needs and expectations better. A service process example was created to improve the service quality of the transportation company. It shows the whole process from the customer sending the transportation order to the point when the customer receives an invoice from the transportation company. The example process shows the most fragile stages of the service process: the interaction points. An example of this is when the driver and the customer meet at the unloading place. The results show that even a SME can have the opportunity to succeed in competitive markets by managing CRM. Expensive software are usually out of reach of a SME, but having a CRM software does not automatically guar-antee success in customer relationship management. Small and medium-sized firms can commit their current customers and recruit new customers by utilizing customer knowledge, offering top quality service, being innovative and offering functional services.

Training system for conceptual design and evaluation for wastewater treatment

Rising population, rapid urbanisation and growing industrialisation have severely stressed water quality and its availability in Malawi. In addition, financial and institutional problems and the expanding agro industry have aggravated this problem. The situation is worsened by depleting water resources and pollution from untreated sewage and industrial effluent. The increasing scarcity of clean water calls for the need for appropriate management of available water resources. There is also demand for a training system for conceptual design and evaluation for wastewater treatment in order to build the capacity for technical service providers and environmental practitioners in the country. It is predicted that Malawi will face a water stress situation by 2025. In the city of Blantyre, this situation is aggravated by the serious pollution threat from the grossly inadequate sewage treatment capacity. This capacity is only 23.5% of the wastewater being generated presently. In addition, limited or non-existent industrial effluent treatment has contributed to the severe water quality degradation. This situation poses a threat to the ecologically fragile and sensitive receiving water courses within the city. This water is used for domestic purposes further downstream. This manuscript outlines the legal and policy framework for wastewater treatment in Malawi. The manuscript also evaluates the existing wastewater treatment systems in Blantyre. This evaluation aims at determining if the effluent levels at the municipal plants conform to existing standards and guidelines and other associated policy and regulatory frameworks. The raw material at all the three municipal plants is sewage. The typical wastewater parameters are Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS). The treatment target is BOD5, COD, and TSS reduction. Typical wastewater parameters at the wastewater treatment plant at MDW&S textile and garments factory are BOD5 and COD. The treatment target is to reduce BOD5 and COD. The manuscript further evaluates a design approach of the three municipal wastewater treatment plants in the city and the wastewater treatment plant at Mapeto David Whitehead & Sons (MDW&S) textile and garments factory. This evaluation utilises case-based design and case-based reasoning principles in the ED-WAVE tool to determine if there is potential for the tool in Blantyre. The manuscript finally evaluates the technology selection process for appropriate wastewater treatment systems for the city of Blantyre. The criteria for selection of appropriate wastewater treatment systems are discussed. Decision support tools and the decision tree making process for technology selection are also discussed. Based on the treatment targets and design criteria at the eight cases evaluated in this manuscript in reference to similar cases in the ED-WAVE tool, this work confirms the practical use of case-based design and case-based reasoning principles in the ED-WAVE tool in the design and evaluation of wastewater treatment 6 systems in sub-Sahara Africa, using Blantyre, Malawi, as the case study area. After encountering a new situation, already collected decision scenarios (cases) are invoked and modified in order to arrive at a particular design alternative. What is necessary, however, is to appropriately modify the case arrived at through the Case Study Manager in order to come up with a design appropriate to the local situation taking into account technical, socio-economic and environmental aspects. This work provides a training system for conceptual design and evaluation for wastewater treatment.

A Technique for Digital Color Image Watermarking Using ICA

With the increase of use of digital media the need for the methods of multimedia protection becomes extremely important. The number of the solutions to the problem from encryption to watermarking is large and is growing every year. In this work digital image watermarking is considered, specifically a novel method of digital watermarking of color and spectral images. An overview of existing methods watermarking of color and grayscale images is given in the paper. Methods using independent component analysis (ICA) for detection and the ones using discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and discrete cosine transform (DCT) are considered in more detail. A novel method of watermarking proposed in this paper allows embedding of a color or spectral watermark image into color or spectral image consequently and successful extraction of the watermark out of the resultant watermarked image. A number of experiments have been performed on the quality of extraction depending on the parameters of the embedding procedure. Another set of experiments included the test of the robustness of the algorithm proposed. Three techniques have been chosen for that purpose: median filter, low-pass filter (LPF) and discrete cosine transform (DCT), which are a part of a widely known StirMark - Image Watermarking Robustness Test. The study shows that the proposed watermarking technique is fragile, i.e. watermark is altered by simple image processing operations. Moreover, we have found that the contents of the image to be watermarked do not affect the quality of the extraction. Mixing coefficients, that determine the amount of the key and watermark image in the result, should not exceed 1% of the original. The algorithm proposed has proven to be successful in the task of watermark embedding and extraction.

Rural Food System Change in Tanzania during the Post-Ujamaa Era. A Case Study from Western Bagamoyo District

Food systems in Sub-Saharan Africa have been rapidly transforming during the recent decades with diverse outcomes on human development and environment. This study explores the food system change in rural villages in eastern Tanzania where subsistence agriculture has traditionally been the main source of livelihood. The focus is on the salient changes in the spatial dimensions and structural composition of the food system in the context of economic liberalization that has taken place after the end of the socialist ujamaa era in the mid-1980s. In addition, the linkages of the changes are examined in relation to food security, socio-economic situation, livelihoods, and local environment. The approach of the study is geographical, but also involves various multi-disciplinary elements, particularly from development studies. The research methods included thematic and questionnaire interviews, participatory tools, and the analysis of land use/ cover data and official documents. Several earlier studies that were made in the area during the late 1970s and 1980s provided an important reference base. The study shows that subsistence farming has lost its dominant role in food provisioning due to the declining productivity of land, livestock losses, and the increasing shift of labour to non-farm sectors. Also rapid population growth has added to the pressure on land and other natural resources. Despite the increasing need for money for buying marketed foods and other necessities, the nutritional situation shows improvement and severe malnutrition has diminished. However, the long-term sustainability of this transformation raises concerns. Firstly, the food security situation continues to be fragile and prone to shocks such as adverse climatic conditions, crop failures and price hikes. Secondly, the commodification of the food system and livelihoods in general is linked to rapid environmental degradation in the area, particularly the loss of soil fertility and deforestation. The situation calls for efforts that take more determined and holistic approaches towards sustainable development of the rural food system with particular focus on the role and viability of small-scale farming.

Health-related quality of life in school children: validation of instrument, child self assessment, parent-proxy assessment and school nursing documentation of health check-ups

The aims of this study were to validate an international Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) instrument, to describe child self and parent-proxy assessed HRQL at child age 10 to 12 and to compare child self assessments with parent-proxy assessments and school nursing documentation. The study is part of the Schools on the Move –research project. In phase one, a cross-cultural translation and validation process was performed to develop a Finnish version of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0). The process included a two-way translation, cognitive interviews (children n=7, parents n=5) and a survey (children n=1097, parents n=999). In phase two, baseline and follow-up surveys (children n=986, parents n=710) were conducted to describe and compare the child self and parent-proxy assessed HRQL in school children between the ages 10 and 12. Phase three included two separate data, school nurse documented patient records (children n=270) and a survey (children n=986). The relation between child self assessed HRQL and school nursing documentation was evaluated. Validity and reliability of the Finnish version of PedsQL™ 4.0 was good (Child Self Report α=0.91, Parent-Proxy Report α=0.88). Children reported lower HRQL scores at the emotional (mean 76/80) than the physical (mean 85/89) health domains and significantly lower scores at the age of 10 than 12 (dMean=4, p=<0.001). Agreement between child self and parent-proxy assessment was fragile (r=0,4, p=<0.001) but increased as the child grew from age 10 to 12 years. At health check-ups, school nurses documented frequently children’s physical health, such as growth (97%) and posture (98/99%) but seldom emotional issues, such as mood (2/7%). The PedsQLTM 4.0 is a valid instrument to assess HRQL in Finnish school children although future research is recommended. Children’s emotional wellbeing needs future attention. HRQL scores increase during ages between childhood and adolescence. Concordance between child self and parent-proxy assessed HRQL is low. School nursing documentation, related to child health check-ups, is not in line with child self assessed HRQL and emotional issues need more attention.

Enhancing human security through crisis management : opportunities and challenges for learning

Inhimilliseen turvallisuuteen kriisinhallinnan kautta – oppimisen mahdollisuuksia ja haasteita Kylmän sodan jälkeen aseelliset konfliktit ovat yleensä alkaneet niin sanotuissa hauraissa valtioissa ja köyhissä maissa, ne ovat olleet valtioiden sisäisiä ja niihin on osallistunut ei-valtiollisia aseellisia ryhmittymiä. Usein ne johtavat konfliktikierteeseen, jossa sota ja vakaammat olot vaihtelevat. Koska kuolleisuus konflikteissa voi jäädä alle kansainvälisen määritelmän (1000 kuollutta vuodessa), kutsun tällaisia konflikteja ”uusiksi konflikteiksi”. Kansainvälinen yhteisö on pyrkinyt kehittämään kriisinhallinnan ja rauhanrakentamisen malleja, jotta pysyvä rauhantila saataisiin aikaiseksi. Inhimillinen turvallisuus perustuu näkemykseen, jossa kunnioitetaan jokaisen yksilön ihmisoikeuksia ja jolla on vaikutusta myös kriisinhallinnan ja rauhanrakentamisen toteuttamiseen. Tutkimukseen kuuluu kaksi empiiristä osaa: Delfoi tulevaisuuspaneeliprosessin sekä kriisinhallintahenkilöstön haastattelut. Viisitoista eri alojen kriisinhallinta-asiantuntijaa osallistui paneeliin, joka toteutettiin vuonna 2008. Paneelin tulosten mukaan tulevat konfliktit usein ovat uusien konfliktien kaltaisia. Lisäksi kriisinhallintahenkilöstöltä edellytetään vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiokykyä ja luonnollisesti myös varsinaisia ammatillisia valmiuksia. Tulevaisuuspaneeli korosti vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiotaitoja erityisesti siviilikriisinhallintahenkilöstön kompetensseissa, mutta samat taidot painottuivat sotilaallisen kriisinhallinnan henkilöstön kompetensseissakin. Kriisinhallinnassa tarvitaan myös selvää työnjakoa eri toimijoiden kesken. Kosovossa työskennelleen henkilöstön haastatteluaineisto koostui yhteensä 27 teemahaastattelusta. Haastateltavista 9 oli ammattiupseeria, 10 reservistä rekrytoitua rauhanturvaajaa ja 8 siviilikriisinhallinnassa työskennellyttä henkilöä. Haastattelut toteutettiin helmi- ja kesäkuun välisenä aikana vuonna 2008. Haastattelutuloksissa korostui vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiotaitojen merkitys, sillä monissa käytännön tilanteissa haastateltavat olivat ratkoneet ongelmia yhteistyössä muun kriisinhallintahenkilöstön tai paikallisten asukkaiden kanssa. Kriisinhallinnassa toteutui oppimisprosesseja, jotka usein olivat luonteeltaan myönteisiä ja informaalisia. Tällaisten onnistumisten vaikutus yksilön minäkuvaan oli myönteinen. Tällaisia prosesseja voidaan kuvata ”itseä koskeviksi oivalluksiksi”. Kriisinhallintatehtävissä oppimisella on erityinen merkitys, jos halutaan kehittää toimintoja inhimillisen turvallisuuden edistämiseksi. Siksi on tärkeää, että kriisinhallintakoulutusta ja kriisinhallintatyössä oppimista kehitetään ottamaan huomioon oppimisen eri tasot ja ulottuvuudet sekä niiden merkitys. Informaaliset oppimisen muodot olisi otettava paremmin huomioon kriisinhallintakoulutusta ja kriisinhallintatehtävissä oppimista kehitettäessä. Palautejärjestelmää olisi kehitettävä eri tavoin. Koko kriisinhallintaoperaation on saatava tarvittaessa myös kriittistä palautetta onnistumisista ja epäonnistumisista. Monet kriisinhallinnassa työskennelleet kaipaavat kunnollista palautetta työrupeamastaan. Liian rutiininomaiseksi koettu palaute ei edistä yksilön oppimista. Spontaanisti monet haastatellut pitivät tärkeänä, että kriisinhallinnassa työskennelleillä olisi mahdollisuus debriefing- tyyppiseen kotiinpaluukeskusteluun. Pelkkä tällainen mahdollisuus ilmeisesti voisi olla monelle myönteinen uutinen, vaikka tilaisuutta ei hyödynnettäisikään. Paluu kriisinhallintatehtävistä Suomeen on monelle haasteellisempaa kuin näissä tehtävissä työskentelyn aloittaminen ulkomailla. Tutkimuksen tulokset kannustavat tutkimaan kriisinhallintaa oppimisen näkökulmasta. On myös olennaista, että kriisinhallinnan palautejärjestelmiä kehitetään mahdollisimman hyvin edistämään sekä yksilöllistä että organisatorista oppimista kriisinhallinnassa. Kriisinhallintaoperaatio on oppimisympäristö. Kriisinhallintahenkilöstön kommunikaatio- ja vuorovaikutustaitojen kehittäminen on olennaista tavoiteltaessa kestävää rauhanprosessia, jossa konfliktialueen asukkaatkin ovat mukana.

PET Imaging of Osteomyelitis. Feasibility of 18F-FDG, 68Ga-Chloride and 68Ga-DOTAVAP-P1 Tracers in Staphylococcal Bone Infections

Due to technical restrictions of the database system the title of the thesis does not show corretly on this page. Numbers in the title are in superscript. Please see the PDF-file for correct title. ---- Osteomyelitis is a progressive inflammatory disease of bone and bone marrow that results in bone destruction due to an infective microorganism, most frequently Staphylococcus aureus. Orthopaedic concern relates to the need for reconstructive and trauma-related surgical procedures in the fast grow¬ing population of fragile, aged patients, who have an increased susceptibility to surgical site infections. Depending on the type of osteomyelitis, infection may be acute or a slowly progressing, low-grade infection. Peri-implant infections lead to implant loosening. The emerging antibiotic resistance of com¬mon pathogens further complicates the situation. With current imaging methods, significant limitations exist in the diagnosing of osteomyelitis and implant-related infections. Positron emission tomography (PET) with a glucose analogue, 18F-fluoro¬deoxyglucose (18F-FDG), seems to facilitate a more accurate diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis. The method is based on the increased glucose consumption of activated inflammatory cells. Unfortunately, 18F-FDG accumulates also in sterile inflammation regions and causes false-positive findings, for exam¬ple, due to post-operative healing processes. Therefore, there is a clinical need for new, more infection-specific tracers. In addition, it is still unknown why 18F-FDG PET imaging is less accurate in the detec¬tion of periprosthetic joint infections, most frequently due to Staphylococcus epidermidis. This doctoral thesis focused on testing novel PET tracers (68Ga-chloride and 68Ga-DOTAVAP-P1) for early detections of bone infections and evaluated the role of pathogen-related factors in the appli¬cations of 18F-FDG PET in the diagnostics of bone infections. For preclinical models of S. epidermidis and S. aureus bone/implant infections, the significance of the causative pathogen was studied with respect to 18F-FDG uptake. In a retrospective analysis of patients with confirmed bone infections, the significance of the presence or absence of positive bacterial cultures on 18F-FDG uptake was evalu¬ated. 18F-FDG and 68Ga-chloride resulted in a similar uptake in S. aureus osteomyelitic bones. However, 68Ga-chloride did not show uptake in healing bones, and therefore it may be a more-specific tracer in the early post-operative or post-traumatic phase. 68Ga-DOTAVAP-P1, a novel synthetic peptide bind¬ing to vascular adhesion protein 1 (VAP-1), was able to detect the phase of inflammation in healing bones, but the uptake of the tracer was elevated also in osteomyelitis. Low-grade peri-implant infec¬tions due to S. epidermidis were characterized by a low uptake of 18F-FDG, which reflects the virulence of the causative pathogen and the degree of leukocyte infiltration. In the clinical study, no relationship was found between the level of 18F-FDG uptake and the presence of positive or negative bacterial cul¬tures. Thus 18F-FDG PET may help to confirm metabolically active infection process in patients with culture-negative, histologically confirmed, low-grade osteomyelitis.

Spatial distribution and preferential substrate of Neoregelia johannis (Carriére) L.B. Smith (Bromeliaceae) in a disturbed area of Atlantic Rainforest at Ilha Grande, RJ, Brazil

In bromeliad populations, amount of light and available substrates influence individuals spatial organization. In Atlantic Rainforest of Ilha Grande, the heliophylous bromeliad Neoregelia johannis is a large and abundant species. In this forest, it would be expected that N. johannis would occupy stable substrates, as large trunks, large branches, rock boulders or ground, with high sunlight, enough for the bromeliad survivor. In the present work, we analyzed the distribution and most used substrates of N. johannis in secondary forest. We analyzed the frequency of reproductive modes (sexual and vegetative) used by the bromeliad shoots, registering if the shoots were originated from seeds or by vegetative reproduction. The results indicated an aggregated distribution pattern (Ip = 0.052). The preferred substrate was boulders (91%), whereas tree trunks (6%) and the ground (3%) were rarely used. Small and fragile substrates are unstable to support large adults of this species, which may explain the predominant pattern of establishment over boulders within the secondary forest, as the presence of this substrate also results in more opened canopy cover. Approximately 50% of young individuals entered the population by vegetative reproduction. We conclude that the preferential habit and the aggregated distribution of N. johannis are due to the conjunction of preferred substrate with higher amount of light resulting from breaks in tree canopy over areas with rock blocks, and high frequency of recruitment by vegetative reproduction.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Study of Factors Affecting Outcome, with a Special Emphasis on Periprocedural Antithrombotic Treatment

Antithrombotic treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a delicate balancing between the risk of thromboembolism and the risk of bleeding. The purpose of this dissertation was to analyze current antithrombotic treatment strategies at the periprocedural stage and report outcomes in-hospital and at 1-month follow-up, and to evaluate the effect of renal impairment and predictive values of various bleeding scores on 1-year outcome after PCI in patients with AF. The first article was based on retrospective data from 7 Finnish hospitals between 2002–2006 (n=377), while the others were based on a prospective 17-center European register (AFCAS) gathered between 2008–2010 (n=963). The main findings in patients with AF undergoing PCI were: The use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors during PCI was associated with a four- to five-fold increase in the risk of major bleeding (I). Uninterrupted warfarin treatment did not increase perioperative complications and seemed to decrease bleeding complications compared to heparin bridging (II). Already mild renal impairment (eGFR 60–90mL/min) was associated with a 2.3-fold risk of all-cause mortality during the 12 months following PCI (III). Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 4.5% and bleeding complications in 7.1% of patients in the AFCAS register by 1-month follow-up (IV). In a study of patients in AFCAS register, all currently used bleeding risk scores were poor predictors of bleeding complications by 1-year follow-up (V). The findings will help improve treatment strategies for this fragile patient population with a high risk of bleeding and thrombotic complications.

Depressed nNOS expression during spine transition in the developing hippocampus of FMR1 KO mice

Nitric oxide (NO), synthesized as needed by NO synthase (NOS), is involved in spinogenesis and synaptogenesis. Immature spine morphology is characteristic of fragile X syndrome (FXS). The objective of this research was to investigate and compare changes of postnatal neuronal NOS (nNOS) expression in the hippocampus of male fragile X mental retardation 1 gene knockout mice (FMR1 KO mice, the animal model of FXS) and male wild-type mice (WT) at postnatal day 7 (P7), P14, P21, and P28. nNOS mRNA levels were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (N = 4-7) and nNOS protein was estimated by Western blot (N = 3) and immunohistochemistry (N = 1). In the PCR assessment, primers 5’-GTGGCCATCGTGTCCTACCATAC-3’ and 5’-GTTTCGAGGCAGGTGGAAGCTA-3’ were used for the detection of nNOS and primers 5’-CCGTTTCTCCTGGCTCAGTTTA-3’ and 5’-CCCCAATACCACATCATCCAT-3’ were used for the detection of β-actin. Compared to the WT group, nNOS mRNA expression was significantly decreased in FMR1 KO mice at P21 (KO: 0.2857 ± 0.0150, WT: 0.5646 ± 0.0657; P < 0.05). Consistently, nNOS immunoreactivity also revealed reduced staining intensity at P21 in the FMR1 KO group. Western blot analysis validated the immunostaining results by demonstrating a significant reduction in nNOS protein levels in the FMR1 KO group compared to the WT group at P21 (KO: 0.3015 ± 0.0897, WT: 1.7542 ± 0.5455; P < 0.05). These results suggest that nNOS was involved in the postnatal development of the hippocampus in FXS and impaired NO production may retard spine maturation in FXS.

α-, β-caroteno e α-tocoferol em algas marinhas in natura

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial de 32 espécies de algas marinhas das divisões Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta e Phaeophyta como fontes de α- e β-caroteno e α-tocoferol. Todas as clorofíceas analisadas apresentaram α- e β-caroteno. Os teores máximo e mínimo de α-caroteno foram detectados nas espécies do gênero Caulerpa e em Codium decorticatum, respectivamente; e β-caroteno foi mais baixo em Caulerpa mexicana e mais elevado em Ulva fasciata. Dentre as rodofíceas, 11 espécies apresentaram α-caroteno, com máximo em Botryocladia occidentalis. β-caroteno foi encontrado em todas as algas vermelhas analisadas com teores mínimo e máximo em Gracilaria caudata e Bryothamnion triquetrum, respectivamente. As feofíceas apresentaram apenas β-caroteno, com mínimo e máximo em Dictyopteris delicatula e Padina gymnospora, respectivamente. Na divisão Chlorophyta, α-tocoferol, foi máximo em Codium decorticatum e mínimo em Caulerpa prolifera. Na Rhodophyta, 12 espécies apresentaram α-tocoferol com teor máximo em Enantiocladia duperreyi. Na Phaeophyta, α-tocoferol foi encontrado com valores mínimo e máximo em Lobophora variegata e Dictyota dichotoma, respectivamente.

Towards sustainable peace : peace-building and human security

Failed and fragile states that result from intrastate war pose severe threats to the security of both the international system and individual states alike. In the post-Cold War era, the international community has come to recognize the reality of these threats and the difficulty involved in ending violence and building sustainable peace in failed and fragile states. This work focuses upon the development of a comprehensive strategy for sustainable peace-building by incorporating the tenets of the human security doctrine into the peace-building process. Through the use of case studies of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and East Timor, the development and refinement of the doctrine of human security will occur, as well as, an understanding of how and where human security fits into the sustainable peace-building equation. The end result of the analysis is the development of a hierarchical pyramid formation that brings together human security and peace-building into one framework that ultimately creates the foundation and structure of sustainable peace-building. With the development of a sustainable peace-building structure based upon the human security doctrine, the role of Canada in the support of sustainable peace-building is analyzed in relation to the form and level of involvement that Canada undertakes and contributes to in the implementation and support of sustainable peace-building initiatives. Following from this, recommendations are provided regarding what role(s) Canada should undertake in the sustainable peace-building process that take into consideration the present and likely future capabilities of Canada to be involved in various aspects of the peace-building process. ii This paper outlines the need for a peace-building strategy that is designed to be sustainable in order that failed and fragile states resulting from intrastate conflict do not regress or collapse back into a condition of civil war, and subsequently designs such a strategy. The linking of peace-building and human security creates the required framework from which sustainable peace-building is derived. Creating sustainable peace is necessary in order to increase the likelihood that both present and future generations existing in failed and fragile states will be spared from the scourge of intrastate war.

To see and to touch : God, honour, and irony in Shakespeare's English histories /

Failed and fragile states that result from intrastate war pose severe threats to the security of both the international system and individual states alike. In the post-Cold War era, the international community has come to recognize the reality of these threats and the difficulty involved in ending violence and building sustainable peace in failed and fragile states. This work focuses upon the development of a comprehensive strategy for sustainable peace-building by incorporating the tenets of the human security doctrine into the peace-building process. Through the use of case studies of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and East Timor, the development and refinement of the doctrine of human security will occur, as well as, an understanding of how and where human security fits into the sustainable peace-building equation. The end result of the analysis is the development of a hierarchical pyramid formation that brings together human security and peace-building into one framework that ultimately creates the foundation and structure of sustainable peace-building. With the development of a sustainable peace-building structure based upon the human security doctrine, the role of Canada in the support of sustainable peace-building is analyzed in relation to the form and level of involvement that Canada undertakes and contributes to in the implementation and support of sustainable peace-building initiatives. Following from this, recommendations are provided regarding what role(s) Canada should undertake in the sustainable peace-building process that take into consideration the present and likely future capabilities of Canada to be involved in various aspects of the peace-building process. ii This paper outlines the need for a peace-building strategy that is designed to be sustainable in order that failed and fragile states resulting from intrastate conflict do not regress or collapse back into a condition of civil war, and subsequently designs such a strategy. The linking of peace-building and human security creates the required framework from which sustainable peace-building is derived. Creating sustainable peace is necessary in order to increase the likelihood that both present and future generations existing in failed and fragile states will be spared from the scourge of intrastate war.

Sleep and information processing in individuals who have sustained a traumatic brain injury

Individuals who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) often complain of t roubl e sleeping and daytime fatigue but little is known about the neurophysiological underpinnings of the s e sleep difficulties. The fragile sleep of thos e with a TBI was predicted to be characterized by impairments in gating, hyperarousal and a breakdown in sleep homeostatic mechanisms. To test these hypotheses, 20 individuals with a TBI (18- 64 years old, 10 men) and 20 age-matched controls (18-61 years old, 9 men) took part in a comprehensive investigation of their sleep. While TBI participants were not recruited based on sleep complaint, the fmal sample was comprised of individuals with a variety of sleep complaints, across a range of injury severities. Rigorous screening procedures were used to reduce potential confounds (e.g., medication). Sleep and waking data were recorded with a 20-channel montage on three consecutive nights. Results showed dysregulation in sleep/wake mechanisms. The sleep of individuals with a TBI was less efficient than that of controls, as measured by sleep architecture variables. There was a clear breakdown in both spontaneous and evoked K-complexes in those with a TBI. Greater injury severities were associated with reductions in spindle density, though sleep spindles in slow wave sleep were longer for individuals with TBI than controls. Quantitative EEG revealed an impairment in sleep homeostatic mechanisms during sleep in the TBI group. As well, results showed the presence of hyper arousal based on quantitative EEG during sleep. In wakefulness, quantitative EEG showed a clear dissociation in arousal level between TBls with complaints of insomnia and TBls with daytime fatigue. In addition, ERPs indicated that the experience of hyper arousal in persons with a TBI was supported by neural evidence, particularly in wakefulness and Stage 2 sleep, and especially for those with insomnia symptoms. ERPs during sleep suggested that individuals with a TBI experienced impairments in information processing and sensory gating. Whereas neuropsychological testing and subjective data confirmed predicted deficits in the waking function of those with a TBI, particularly for those with more severe injuries, there were few group differences on laboratory computer-based tasks. Finally, the use of correlation analyses confirmed distinct sleep-wake relationships for each group. In sum, the mechanisms contributing to sleep disruption in TBI are particular to this condition, and unique neurobiological mechanisms predict the experience of insomnia versus daytime fatigue following a TBI. An understanding of how sleep becomes disrupted after a TBI is important to directing future research and neurorehabilitation.

Modeling short-range ballistic missile defense and Israel's Iron Dome system

This paper develops a model of short-range ballistic missile defense and uses it to study the performance of Israel’s Iron Dome system. The deterministic base model allows for inaccurate missiles, unsuccessful interceptions, and civil defense. Model enhancements consider the trade-offs in attacking the interception system, the difficulties faced by militants in assembling large salvos, and the effects of imperfect missile classification by the defender. A stochastic model is also developed. Analysis shows that system performance can be highly sensitive to the missile salvo size, and that systems with higher interception rates are more “fragile” when overloaded. The model is calibrated using publically available data about Iron Dome’s use during Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012. If the systems performed as claimed, they saved Israel an estimated 1778 casualties and $80 million in property damage, and thereby made preemptive strikes on Gaza about 8 times less valuable to Israel. Gaza militants could have inflicted far more damage by grouping their rockets into large salvos, but this may have been difficult given Israel’s suppression efforts. Counter-battery fire by the militants is unlikely to be worthwhile unless they can obtain much more accurate missiles.