Special investigation of the Glenwood Resource Center Client Activity Clearing Account for the period January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010

Special investigation of the Glenwood Resource Center Client Activity Clearing Account for the period January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010

Perceptions de la performance et comportements de agents publics suisses dans un environnement en constante évolution

Alors que les modèles et notions de performance généralement analysés dans les recherches sont presque toujours ceux du management et des cadres dirigeants, cet article propose de s'arrêter sur la vision des employés, en l'occurrence des agents publics suisses. Il présente, à la lumière des réformes entreprises dans l'administration publique en Suisse, d'une part la conception générale qu'ont les agents publics de la performance du service public, et d'autre part leur perception de l'évolution des performances organisationnelle, individuelle, ainsi que celle en lien avec les prestations fournies aux bénéficiaires. L'analyse de la performance perçue est effectuée à travers la mise en évidence de l'existence de plusieurs mondes de référence auxquels se rapportent les agents publics lorsqu'ils parlent de leur travail. Les résultats révèlent la prégnance du monde industriel, devançant le monde civique qui, lui-même, relègue les mondes domestique et marchand respectivement en troisième et quatrième position. Un intérêt particulier est également accordé aux différents comportements, découlant des réformes du service public, qu'adoptent les agents publics, et aux liens qui pourraient exister entre ces comportements et les différents mondes de référence. Un mariage entre deux mondes, potentiellement contradictoires, semble se dessiner dans l'esprit des agents publics. Il pourrait constituer une réponse à une forme de crise identitaire, mise en avant par de nombreux spécialistes, provoquée par des injonctions contradictoires auxquelles sont soumis actuellement les agents publics.

Spectrum of transmitted light in optical bistability: Effects of phase fluctuations of the driving laser

Time-dependent correlation functions and the spectrum of the transmitted light are calculated for absorptive optical bistability taking into account phase fluctuations of the driving laser. These fluctuations are modeled by an extended phase-diffusion model which introduces non-Markovian effects. The spectrum is obtained as a superposition of Lorentzians. It shows qualitative differences with respect to the usual calculation in which phase fluctuations of the driving laser are neglected.

Optical response of two-dimensional few-electron concentric double quantum rings: A local-spin-density-functional theory study

We have investigated the dipole charge- and spin-density response of few-electron two-dimensional concentric nanorings as a function of the intensity of a erpendicularly applied magnetic field. We show that the dipole response displays signatures associated with the localization of electron states in the inner and outer ring favored by the perpendicularly applied magnetic field. Electron localization produces a more fragmented spectrum due to the appearance of additional edge excitations in the inner and outer ring.

Relaxation from a marginal state in optical bistability

Characteristic decay times for relaxation close to the marginal point of optical bistability are studied. A model-independent formula for the decay time is given which interpolates between Kramers time for activated decay and a deterministic relaxation time. This formula gives the decay time as a universal scaling function of the parameter which measures deviation from marginality. The standard deviation of the first-passage-time distribution is found to vary linearly with the decay time, close to marginality, with a slope independent of the noise intensity. Our results are substantiated by numerical simulations and their experimental relevance is pointed out.

Tearing and folding of the retinal internal limiting membrane associated with macular epiretinal membrane

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical and histologic features of a particular form of macular epiretinal membrane. METHODS: The charts of all patients operated for macular epiretinal membrane by a single surgeon (E.H.B.) between June 2001 and January 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with macular epiretinal membrane associated with tearing and folding of the internal limiting membrane (ILM) were identified and the following parameters were recorded when available: age, gender, best-corrected visual acuity before and after vitrectomy; optical coherence tomography; pre-, intra-, and postoperative macular status; intraoperative staining by indocyanine green; histology. RESULTS: Twenty-three of 268 eyes (8.6%) with macular epiretinal membrane were associated with tearing and folding of the ILM, forming a whitish prominent band on the surface of the retina. The mean age of the patients was 68.6 years with a significant female predominance (78.3%). The vitreous was completely detached in 21 eyes. After surgical peeling, the mean visual gain was 3.2 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study lines. No recurrence was observed. CONCLUSION: Tearing and folding of the ILM was associated with macular epiretinal membranes in 8.6% of cases. The ILM was probably torn during posterior hyaloid detachment, but the pathogenesis has not been clearly elucidated. The surgeon should begin to peel the macular epiretinal membrane by grasping the folded ILM to ensure complete removal of the ILM together with the epiretinal membrane. The postoperative visual prognosis was good

Turn-on-time statistics of modulated lasers subjected to resonant weak optical feedback

We present analytical calculations of the turn-on-time probability distribution of intensity-modulated lasers under resonant weak optical feedback. Under resonant conditions, the external cavity round-trip time is taken to be equal to the modulation period. The probability distribution of the solitary laser results are modified to give reduced values of the mean turn-on-time and its variance. Numerical simulations have been carried out showing good agreement with the analytical results.

Generator of ultrashort optical pulses for time division multiplexing

The performance of a device based on modified injection-locking techniques is studied by means of numerical simulations. The device incorporates master and slave configurations, each one with a DFB laser and an electroabsortion modulator (EAM). This arrangement allows the generation of high peak power, narrow optical pulses according to a periodic or pseudorandom bit stream provided by a current signal generator. The device is able to considerably increase the modulation bandwidth of free-running gain-switched semiconductor lasers using multiplexing in the time domain. Opportunities for integration in small packages or single chips are discussed.

Place des antiarthrosiques symptomatiques d'action lente dans l'arthrose (sulfate de chondroïtine, glucosamine, acide hyaluronique) [Role of slow-acting anti-arthritic agents in osteoarthritis (chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, hyaluronic acid)].

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the major causes of pain and of outpatient's clinics. 15 years ago, physiopathology of OA and its potential therapeutic targets were announced to be better understood, but the results of therapeutic trials were finally not as convincing as expected. Slow Acting Drugs (SADs) are part of the treatments evaluated in OA. Even if evidence based medicine is low, positive effects of SADs have been observed. We can reasonably propose these treatments for a short test period. It can sometimes enable us to decrease the dosage of others treatment such as NSAIDs. In any case, the physician must properly inform the patient about products available in Switzerland and must be aware of degrees of purity and costs of the products available on the intemet.

Effects of neuropeptide Y on the blood pressure response to various vasoconstrictor agents.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is known to potentiate the pressor effect of norepinephrine. In the present work, we evaluated in unanesthetized normotensive rats the effect of NPY on blood pressure responsiveness not only to norepinephrine, but also to tyramine, a sympathomimetic agent acting indirectly to B-HT933, a selective alpha-2 adrenoceptor stimulant, to angiotensin II and vasopressin. Dose-response curves to the various pressor agents were established starting at the 45th min of an i.v. infusion with either NPY (0.025 and 0.1 microgram/min) or its vehicle. The two doses of NPY increased blood pressure by an average of approximately 6 mm Hg, which was not significantly different from the vehicle-induced blood pressure changes. NPY significantly enhanced the pressor effect of norepinephrine, tyramine and angiotensin II, but not that of B-HT933 and vasopressin. We also tested whether NPY inhibits the enzyme activity of Na, K-adenosine triphosphatase using a purified toad kidney preparation. Concentrations of NPY from 10(-14) M up to 10(-6) M had no effect on the enzyme activity. It appears therefore that the blood pressure potentiating effect of NPY is not restricted to alpha adrenoceptor stimulation with norepinephrine, but involves also the vasoconstrictor hormone angiotensin II. This NPY-induced potentiation does not seem to depend upon stimulation of alpha-2 adrenoceptors or inhibition of Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase.

Effect of External Noise Correlation in Optical Coherence Resonance

Coherence resonance occurring in semiconductor lasers with optical feedback is studied via the Lang-Kobayashi model with external nonwhite noise in the pumping current. The temporal correlation and the amplitude of the noise have a highly relevant influence in the system, leading to an optimal coherent response for suitable values of both the noise amplitude and correlation time. This phenomenon is quantitatively characterized by means of several statistical measures.

Optical-model potential for electron and positron elastic scattering by atoms

An optical-model potential for systematic calculations of elastic scattering of electrons and positrons by atoms and positive ions is proposed. The electrostatic interaction is determined from the Dirac-Hartree-Fock self-consistent atomic electron density. In the case of electron projectiles, the exchange interaction is described by means of the local-approximation of Furness and McCarthy. The correlation-polarization potential is obtained by combining the correlation potential derived from the local density approximation with a long-range polarization interaction, which is represented by means of a Buckingham potential with an empirical energy-dependent cutoff parameter. The absorption potential is obtained from the local-density approximation, using the Born-Ochkur approximation and the Lindhard dielectric function to describe the binary collisions with a free-electron gas. The strength of the absorption potential is adjusted by means of an empirical parameter, which has been determined by fitting available absolute elastic differential cross-section data for noble gases and mercury. The Dirac partial-wave analysis with this optical-model potential provides a realistic description of elastic scattering of electrons and positrons with energies in the range from ~100 eV up to ~5 keV. At higher energies, correlation-polarization and absorption corrections are small and the usual static-exchange approximation is sufficiently accurate for most practical purposes.