A simulation study on the statistical monitoring of condemnation rates from slaughterhouses for syndromic surveillance: an evaluation based on Swiss data

Syndromic surveillance (SyS) systems currently exploit various sources of health-related data, most of which are collected for purposes other than surveillance (e.g. economic). Several European SyS systems use data collected during meat inspection for syndromic surveillance of animal health, as some diseases may be more easily detected post-mortem than at their point of origin or during the ante-mortem inspection upon arrival at the slaughterhouse. In this paper we use simulation to evaluate the performance of a quasi-Poisson regression (also known as an improved Farrington) algorithm for the detection of disease outbreaks during post-mortem inspection of slaughtered animals. When parameterizing the algorithm based on the retrospective analyses of 6 years of historic data, the probability of detection was satisfactory for large (range 83-445 cases) outbreaks but poor for small (range 20-177 cases) outbreaks. Varying the amount of historical data used to fit the algorithm can help increasing the probability of detection for small outbreaks. However, while the use of a 0·975 quantile generated a low false-positive rate, in most cases, more than 50% of outbreak cases had already occurred at the time of detection. High variance observed in the whole carcass condemnations time-series, and lack of flexibility in terms of the temporal distribution of simulated outbreaks resulting from low reporting frequency (monthly), constitute major challenges for early detection of outbreaks in the livestock population based on meat inspection data. Reporting frequency should be increased in the future to improve timeliness of the SyS system while increased sensitivity may be achieved by integrating meat inspection data into a multivariate system simultaneously evaluating multiple sources of data on livestock health.

A simulation study using the hybrid statistic and the meta-analysis t-test for data with matched and unmatched subjects in the interim analysis of clinical trials

An interim analysis is usually applied in later phase II or phase III trials to find convincing evidence of a significant treatment difference that may lead to trial termination at an earlier point than planned at the beginning. This can result in the saving of patient resources and shortening of drug development and approval time. In addition, ethics and economics are also the reasons to stop a trial earlier. In clinical trials of eyes, ears, knees, arms, kidneys, lungs, and other clustered treatments, data may include distribution-free random variables with matched and unmatched subjects in one study. It is important to properly include both subjects in the interim and the final analyses so that the maximum efficiency of statistical and clinical inferences can be obtained at different stages of the trials. So far, no publication has applied a statistical method for distribution-free data with matched and unmatched subjects in the interim analysis of clinical trials. In this simulation study, the hybrid statistic was used to estimate the empirical powers and the empirical type I errors among the simulated datasets with different sample sizes, different effect sizes, different correlation coefficients for matched pairs, and different data distributions, respectively, in the interim and final analysis with 4 different group sequential methods. Empirical powers and empirical type I errors were also compared to those estimated by using the meta-analysis t-test among the same simulated datasets. Results from this simulation study show that, compared to the meta-analysis t-test commonly used for data with normally distributed observations, the hybrid statistic has a greater power for data observed from normally, log-normally, and multinomially distributed random variables with matched and unmatched subjects and with outliers. Powers rose with the increase in sample size, effect size, and correlation coefficient for the matched pairs. In addition, lower type I errors were observed estimated by using the hybrid statistic, which indicates that this test is also conservative for data with outliers in the interim analysis of clinical trials.^

On the spatial distribution of woody plant species in a tropical montane cloud forest

Abstract The cloud forest is a special type of forest ecosystem that depends on suitable conditions of humidity and temperature to exist; hence, it is a very fragile ecosystem. The cloud forest is also one of the richest ecosystems in terms of species diversity and rate of endemism. However, today, it is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Little is known about tree species distribution and coexistence among cloud forest trees. Trees are essential to understanding ecosystem functioning and maintenance because they support the ecosystem in important ways. For this dissertation, an analysis of woody plant species distribution at a small scale in a north-Peruvian Andean cloud forest was performed, and some of the factors implicated in the observed patterns were identified. Towards that end, different natural factors acting on species distribution within the forest were investigated: (i) intra-specific arrangements, (ii) heterospecific spatial relationships and (iii) relationships with external environmental factors. These analyses were conducted first on standing woody plants and then on seedlings. The woody plants were found to be clumped in the forest, either considering all the species together or each species separately. However, each species presented a specific pattern and specific spatial relationship among different-age individuals. Dispersal mode, growth form and shade tolerance played roles in the final distribution of the species. Furthermore, spatial associations among species, either positive or negative, were observed. These associations were more numerous when considering individuals of the interacting species at different developmental stages, i.e., younger individuals from one species and older individuals from another. Accordingly, competition and facilitation are asymmetric processes and vary throughout the life of an individual. Moreover, some species appear to prefer certain habitat conditions and avoid other habitats. The habitat definition that best explains species distribution is that which includes both environmental and stand characteristics; thus, a combination of these factors is necessary to understanding species' niche preferences. Seedling distribution was also associated with habitat conditions, but these conditions explained less than the 30% of the spatial variation. The position of conspecific adult individuals also affected seedling distribution; although the seedlings of many tree species avoid the vicinity of conspecifics, a few species appeared to prefer the formation of cohorts around their parent trees. The importance of habitat conditions and distance dependence with conspecifics varied among regions within the forest as well as on the developmental stage of the stand. The results from this thesis suggest that different species can coexist within a given space, forming a “puzzle” of species as a result of the intra- and interspecific spatial relationships along with niche preferences and adaptations that operate at different scales. These factors not only affect each species in a different way, but specific preferences also vary throughout species' lifespans. Resumen Resumen El bosque de niebla es uno de los ecosistemas más amenazados del mundo además de ser uno de los más frágiles. Son formaciones azonales que dependen de la existencia de unas condiciones de humedad y temperatura que permitan la formación de nubes que cubran el bosque; lo que dificulta en gran medida su conservación. También es uno de los ecosistemas con mayor riqueza de especies además de tener uno de los mayores porcentajes de endemismos. Uno de los aspectos más importantes para entender el ecosistema, es identificar y entender los elementos que lo componen y los mecanismos que regulan las relaciones entre ellos. Los árboles son el soporte del ecosistema. Sin embargo, apenas hay información sobre la distribución y coexistencia de los árboles en los bosques de niebla. Esta tesis presenta un análisis de la distribución a pequeña escala de las plantas leñosas en un bosque de niebla situado en la cordillera andina del norte de Perú; así como el análisis de algunos de los factores que pueden estar implicados en que se origine la distribución observada. Para este propósito se estudia cómo influyen factores de diferente naturaleza en la distribución de las especies (i) organización intra-específica (ii) relaciones espaciales heterospecíficas y (iii) relación con factores ambientales externos. En estos análisis se estudiaron primero las plantas jóvenes y las adultas, y después las plántulas. Los árboles aparecieron agregados en el bosque, tanto considerando todos a la vez como cuando se estudió cada especie por separado. Sin embargo, cada especie mostró un patrón distinto así como una particular relación espacial entre individuos jóvenes y adultos. El modo de dispersión, la forma de vida y la tolerancia de la especies estuvieron relacionados con el patrón general observado. Se vio también que ciertas especies aparecían relacionadas con otras, tanto de forma positiva (compartiendo zonas) como negativa (apareciendo en áreas distintas). Las asociaciones fueron mucho más numerosas cuando se consideraron los pares de especies en diferente estado de desarrollo, es decir, individuos jóvenes de una especie e individuos mayores de la otra. Eso indicaría que los procesos de competencia y facilitación son asimétricos y además varían durante la vida de la planta. Por otro lado, algunas especies aparecen preferentemente bajo ciertas condiciones de hábitat y evitan otras. La definición de hábitat a la que mejor responden las especies es cuando se incluyen tanto variables ambientales como de masa; así que ambos tipos de variables son necesarias para entender la preferencia de las especies por ciertos nichos. La distribución de las plántulas también estuvo relacionada con condiciones de hábitat, pero eso sólo llegaba a explicar hasta un 30% de la variabilidad espacial. La posición de los adultos de la misma especie también afectó a la distribución de las plántulas. En bastantes especies las plántulas evitan la cercanía de adultos de su misma especie, padres potenciales, aunque algunas especies aisladas mostraron el patrón contrario y aparecieron preferentemente en las mismas áreas que sus padres. La importancia de las condiciones de hábitat y posición de los adultos en la disposición de las plántulas varía de una zona a otra del bosque y además también varía según el estado de desarrollo de la masa.

Challenges for the Multilingual Web of Data

The Web has witnessed an enormous growth in the amount of semantic information published in recent years. This growth has been stimulated to a large extent by the emergence of Linked Data. Although this brings us a big step closer to the vision of a Semantic Web, it also raises new issues such as the need for dealing with information expressed in different natural languages. Indeed, although the Web of Data can contain any kind of information in any language, it still lacks explicit mechanisms to automatically reconcile such information when it is expressed in different languages. This leads to situations in which data expressed in a certain language is not easily accessible to speakers of other languages. The Web of Data shows the potential for being extended to a truly multilingual web as vocabularies and data can be published in a language-independent fashion, while associated language-dependent (linguistic) information supporting the access across languages can be stored separately. In this sense, the multilingual Web of Data can be realized in our view as a layer of services and resources on top of the existing Linked Data infrastructure adding i) linguistic information for data and vocabularies in different languages, ii) mappings between data with labels in different languages, and iii) services to dynamically access and traverse Linked Data across different languages. In this article we present this vision of a multilingual Web of Data. We discuss challenges that need to be addressed to make this vision come true and discuss the role that techniques such as ontology localization, ontology mapping, and cross-lingual ontology-based information access and presentation will play in achieving this. Further, we propose an initial architecture and describe a roadmap that can provide a basis for the implementation of this vision.

Linked-data based domain-specific sentiment lexicons

In this paper we present a dataset componsed of domain-specific sentiment lexicons in six languages for two domains. We used existing collections of reviews from Trip Advisor, Amazon, the Stanford Network Analysis Project and the OpinRank Review Dataset. We use an RDF model based on the lemon and Marl formats to represent the lexicons. We describe the methodology that we applied to generate the domain-specific lexicons and we provide access information to our datasets.

Desarrollo de un Modelo de Gestión de Riesgos Operacionales basado en las Directrices del Comité de Basilea

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo principal diseñar un Modelo de Gestión de Riesgos Operacionales (MGRO) según las Directrices de los Acuerdos II y III del Comité de Supervisión Bancaria de Basilea del Banco de Pagos Internacionales (CSBB-BPI). Se considera importante realizar un estudio sobre este tema dado que son los riesgos operacionales (OpR) los responsables en gran medida de las últimas crisis financieras mundiales y por la dificultad para detectarlos en las organizaciones. Se ha planteado un modelo de gestión subdividido en dos vías de influencias. La primera acoge el paradigma holístico en el que se considera que hay múltiples maneras de percibir un proceso cíclico, así como las herramientas para observar, conocer y entender el objeto o sujeto percibido. La segunda vía la representa el paradigma totalizante, en el que se obtienen datos tanto cualitativos como cuantitativos, los cuales son complementarios entre si. Por otra parte, este trabajo plantea el diseño de un programa informático de OpR Cualitativo, que ha sido diseñado para determinar la raíz de los riesgos en las organizaciones y su Valor en Riesgo Operacional (OpVaR) basado en el método del indicador básico. Aplicando el ciclo holístico al caso de estudio, se obtuvo el siguiente diseño de investigación: no experimental, univariable, transversal descriptiva, contemporánea, retrospectiva, de fuente mixta, cualitativa (fenomenológica y etnográfica) y cuantitativa (descriptiva y analítica). La toma de decisiones y recolección de información se realizó en dos fases en la unidad de estudio. En la primera se tomó en cuenta la totalidad de la empresa Corpoelec-EDELCA, en la que se presentó un universo estadístico de 4271 personas, una población de 2390 personas y una unidad de muestreo de 87 personas. Se repitió el proceso en una segunda fase, para la Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar, y se determinó un segundo universo estadístico de 300 trabajadores, una población de 191 personas y una muestra de 58 profesionales. Como fuentes de recolección de información se utilizaron fuentes primarias y secundarias. Para recabar la información primaria se realizaron observaciones directas, dos encuestas para detectar las áreas y procesos con mayor nivel de riesgos y se diseñó un cuestionario combinado con otra encuesta (ad hoc) para establecer las estimaciones de frecuencia y severidad de pérdidas operacionales. La información de fuentes secundarias se extrajo de las bases de datos de Corpoelec-EDELCA, de la IEA, del Banco Mundial, del CSBB-BPI, de la UPM y de la UC at Berkeley, entre otras. Se establecieron las distribuciones de frecuencia y de severidad de pérdidas operacionales como las variables independientes y el OpVaR como la variable dependiente. No se realizó ningún tipo de seguimiento o control a las variables bajo análisis, ya que se consideraron estas para un instante especifico y solo se determinan con la finalidad de establecer la existencia y valoración puntual de los OpR en la unidad de estudio. El análisis cualitativo planteado en el MGRO, permitió detectar que en la unidad de investigación, el 67% de los OpR detectados provienen de dos fuentes principales: procesos (32%) y eventos externos (35%). Adicionalmente, la validación del MGRO en Corpoelec-EDELCA, permitió detectar que el 63% de los OpR en la organización provienen de tres categorías principales, siendo los fraudes externos los presentes con mayor regularidad y severidad de pérdidas en la organización. La exposición al riesgo se determinó fundamentándose en la adaptación del concepto de OpVaR que generalmente se utiliza para series temporales y que en el caso de estudio presenta la primicia de aplicarlo a datos cualitativos transformados con la escala Likert. La posibilidad de utilizar distribuciones de probabilidad típicas para datos cuantitativos en distribuciones de frecuencia y severidad de pérdidas con datos de origen cualitativo fueron analizadas. Para el 64% de los OpR estudiados se obtuvo que la frecuencia tiene un comportamiento semejante al de la distribución de probabilidad de Poisson y en un 55% de los casos para la severidad de pérdidas se obtuvo a las log-normal como las distribuciones de probabilidad más comunes, con lo que se concluyó que los enfoques sugeridos por el BCBS-BIS para series de tiempo son aplicables a los datos cualitativos. Obtenidas las distribuciones de frecuencia y severidad de pérdidas, se convolucionaron estas implementando el método de Montecarlo, con lo que se obtuvieron los enfoques de distribuciones de pérdidas (LDA) para cada uno de los OpR. El OpVaR se dedujo como lo sugiere el CSBB-BPI del percentil 99,9 o 99% de cada una de las LDA, obteniéndose que los OpR presentan un comportamiento similar al sistema financiero, resultando como los de mayor peligrosidad los que se ubican con baja frecuencia y alto impacto, por su dificultad para ser detectados y monitoreados. Finalmente, se considera que el MGRO permitirá a los agentes del mercado y sus grupos de interés conocer con efectividad, fiabilidad y eficiencia el status de sus entidades, lo que reducirá la incertidumbre de sus inversiones y les permitirá establecer una nueva cultura de gestión en sus organizaciones. ABSTRACT This research has as main objective the design of a Model for Operational Risk Management (MORM) according to the guidelines of Accords II and III of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision of the Bank for International Settlements (BCBS- BIS). It is considered important to conduct a study on this issue since operational risks (OpR) are largely responsible for the recent world financial crisis and due to the difficulty in detecting them in organizations. A management model has been designed which is divided into two way of influences. The first supports the holistic paradigm in which it is considered that there are multiple ways of perceiving a cyclical process and contains the tools to observe, know and understand the subject or object perceived. The second way is the totalizing paradigm, in which both qualitative and quantitative data are obtained, which are complementary to each other. Moreover, this paper presents the design of qualitative OpR software which is designed to determine the root of risks in organizations and their Operational Value at Risk (OpVaR) based on the basic indicator approach. Applying the holistic cycle to the case study, the following research design was obtained: non- experimental, univariate, descriptive cross-sectional, contemporary, retrospective, mixed-source, qualitative (phenomenological and ethnographic) and quantitative (descriptive and analytical). Decision making and data collection was conducted in two phases in the study unit. The first took into account the totality of the Corpoelec-EDELCA company, which presented a statistical universe of 4271 individuals, a population of 2390 individuals and a sampling unit of 87 individuals. The process was repeated in a second phase to the Simon Bolivar Hydroelectric Power Plant, and a second statistical universe of 300 workers, a population of 191 people and a sample of 58 professionals was determined. As sources of information gathering primary and secondary sources were used. To obtain the primary information direct observations were conducted and two surveys to identify the areas and processes with higher risks were designed. A questionnaire was combined with an ad hoc survey to establish estimates of frequency and severity of operational losses was also considered. The secondary information was extracted from the databases of Corpoelec-EDELCA, IEA, the World Bank, the BCBS-BIS, UPM and UC at Berkeley, among others. The operational loss frequency distributions and the operational loss severity distributions were established as the independent variables and OpVaR as the dependent variable. No monitoring or control of the variables under analysis was performed, as these were considered for a specific time and are determined only for the purpose of establishing the existence and timely assessment of the OpR in the study unit. Qualitative analysis raised in the MORM made it possible to detect that in the research unit, 67% of detected OpR come from two main sources: external processes (32%) and external events (35%). Additionally, validation of the MORM in Corpoelec-EDELCA, enabled to estimate that 63% of OpR in the organization come from three main categories, with external fraud being present more regularly and greater severity of losses in the organization. Risk exposure is determined basing on adapting the concept of OpVaR generally used for time series and in the case study it presents the advantage of applying it to qualitative data transformed with the Likert scale. The possibility of using typical probability distributions for quantitative data in loss frequency and loss severity distributions with data of qualitative origin were analyzed. For the 64% of OpR studied it was found that the frequency has a similar behavior to that of the Poisson probability distribution and 55% of the cases for loss severity it was found that the log-normal were the most common probability distributions. It was concluded that the approach suggested by the BCBS-BIS for time series can be applied to qualitative data. Once obtained the distributions of loss frequency and severity have been obtained they were subjected to convolution implementing the Monte Carlo method. Thus the loss distribution approaches (LDA) were obtained for each of the OpR. The OpVaR was derived as suggested by the BCBS-BIS 99.9 percentile or 99% of each of the LDA. It was determined that the OpR exhibits a similar behavior to the financial system, being the most dangerous those with low frequency and high impact for their difficulty in being detected and monitored. Finally, it is considered that the MORM will allows market players and their stakeholders to know with effectiveness, efficiency and reliability the status of their entities, which will reduce the uncertainty of their investments and enable them to establish a new management culture in their organizations.

Caracterização da anemia em cadelas com piometra

A piometra é uma condição mórbida caracterizada pela inflamação do útero com acúmulo de exsudatos, resultante de ações hormonais e geralmente associada à presença de bactérias no lúmen uterino. A anemia é a alteração hematológica mais frequentemente observada em cadelas com piometra e está associada à cronicidade da doença, diminuição da eritropoiese, devido ao efeito toxêmico na medula óssea, diminuição da disponibilidade de ferro ou perda de sangue para o útero. Adicionalmente, o efeito das toxinas bacterianas e os radicais livres gerados pelo metabolismo oxidativo dos neutrófilos podem resultar na modificação da estrutura antigênica da membrana do eritrócito, permitindo a ligação de imunoglobulinas em sua superfície e acelerando a destruição eritrocitária. Essa hipótese pode ser comprovada pela detecção de imunocomplexos na superfície eritrocitária de cadelas com piometra. O diagnóstico de piometra foi estabelecido em 33 cadelas atendidas no Serviço de Obstetrícia/Ginecologia do Hospital Veterinário da Universidade de São Paulo com base na anamnese, exame físico e exames subsidiários (ultrassonografia, hemograma e concentrações séricas de ureia e creatinina). As amostras sanguíneas foram coletadas em dois momentos. A primeira anterior a ovariosalpingohisterectomia (OSH) e a segunda, sete a dez dias após a OSH. A quantificação de hemácias com deposição de imunocomplexos IgG e IgM foi realizada utilizando-se anticorpos anti-IgG e anti-IgM (Bethyl®Laboratories) conjugadas a fluoresceína de isotiocianato (FITC), e a leitura realizada com citômetro de fluxo (FACS Calibur; Becton, Dickinson and Company© 2007 BD), sendo os resultados expressos em percentual de hemácias marcadas. Foram utilizados o Teste de Shapiro-Wilk para a avaliação da distribuição de dados e a comparação entre os grupos controle, pré e pós-OSH foi realizada valendo-se do Teste t ou Teste t pareado e Correlação de Pearson, e do Teste U de Mann-Whitney e Correlação de Spearman, para as variáveis com distribuição normal e não-normal, respectivamente. O valor de alfa estipulado foi de 0,05. Analisando os valores hematológicos de cada um dos cães incluídos no estudo, observa-se que 19 (57,6%) apresentavam anemia normocítica normocrômica não regenerativa no momento pré-OSH e cinco (15,2%) no momento pós-OSH. Em cães do grupo controle foram observadas 0,14 - 0,77% (0,43±0,18%) de hemácias marcadas com anticorpos anti-IgG FITC e 0,29 - 9,58% (0,68±0,29%) para anticorpos anti-IgM FITC. Já nos cães com piometra, foram encontradas 0,14 - 4,19% (0,96±0,86%) de hemácias marcadas com anticorpos anti-IgG FITC e 0,29 - 9,58% (1,37±1,71%) com anticorpos anti-IgM FITC, antecedendo a OSH. No momento pós-OSH observou-se 0,18 - 16,2% (2,77±3,67%) de hemácias marcadas para anticorpos anti-IgG FITC e 0,15 - 19,8% (4,01±4,46%) para anticorpos anti-IgM FITC. O percentual de hemácias marcadas com anticorpos anti-IgG FITC diferiu entre os grupos controle e piometra, pré-OSH (p<0,001) e pós-OSH (p<0,001). Em relação a anticorpos anti-IgM FITC, não foram observadas diferenças entre os grupos controle e pré-OSH (p=0,09), porém, após a OSH houve aumento na marcação de hemácias, quando comparado ao grupo controle (p<0,001). Apenas alguns animais apresentaram mais de 5% de hemácias marcadas, e isto ocorreu, principalmente, no momento pós-OSH. Entretanto, não resultou no agravamento da anemia, indicando que a piometra em cadelas está associada à deposição de imunoglobulinas G ou M na superfície das hemácias, sem, no entanto, promover hemólise ou agravamento da anemia

Amphipoda assemblages in a disturbed area (Alicante, Spain, Western Mediterranean)

The distribution and composition of Amphipoda assemblages were analysed off the coasts of Alicante (Spain, Western Mediterranean), a disturbed area affected by several co-occurring anthropogenic impacts. Although differences among sampled stations were mainly related to natural parameters, anthropogenic activities were linked with changes in amphipod assemblages. Expansion of the Port of Alicante, a sewage outfall and a high salinity brine discharge could be causing the disappearance of amphipods at stations closer to these disturbances. However, the completion of port enlargement works and mitigatory dilution of the brine discharge has led to the recovery of the amphipod assemblage. Among the natural parameters, depth determines the distribution of some of the species. While Siphonoecetes sabatieri was abundant at shallow stations, Ampelisca spp., Photis longipes, Pseudolirius kroyeri, Apherusa chiereghinii and Phtisica marina were more abundant at deeper stations. Grain size and percentage of organic matter also influenced amphipod distribution, resulting in changes in species composition and in the relative percentages of different trophic groups. Species such as Ampelisca brevicornis, Perioculodes longimanus, Urothoe hesperiae and Urothoe elegans were more abundant at stations with a high content of fine sand. Carnivorous species, mainly of the Oedicerotidae family, were more abundant at those stations with a low organic matter content, while detritivorous species were more abundant at stations with a higher mud content. Among 62 identified species, three were reported for the first time from the Spanish Mediterranean coast, two species were recorded for the second time and a new species of Siphonoecetes was found, Siphonoecetes (Centraloecetes) bulborostrum. These results confirm the need for further data on amphipods from the Mediterranean Spanish coast.

(Table 2) Abundance of the main groups of planktonic animals in the 250-900 m water layer at the Broken Spur and Lost City sites according to visual counts from the Mir manned submersibles in 2002 and 2005

Three dives of the Mir manned submersibles with plankton counts and two vertical plankton hauls with a BR net were carried out above the Lost City (Atlantis underwater massif) and the Broken Spur hydrothermal fields during cruise 50 of R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh. Above the Atlantis seamount no significant increase in plankton concentration was found. Above the Lost City field horizontal heterogeneity of plankton distribution in the near-bottom layer and in overlying water layers was shown. Near-bottom aggregations of euphausiids and amphipods previously reported by other scientists seem to be related to attraction of these animals by the submersible's headlights rather than represent a natural phenomenon.

Development of comprehensive insurance for the household.

Mode of access: Internet.

Estimated distribution of unemployment compensation contributions and benefits according to industry /

Description based on: 1940-41; title from caption.

Insured unemployment data /

"Prepared for the National Commission on Employment and Unemployment Statistics."

Property of Wm. V. Kelley, Esq. Plan of topo. survey

Red, black ink on linen; distances, elevations; notes; location of plantings; note: "Tile laid 1917 by A.G.S."; signed; 115 x 80 cm; Scale: 1" = 100' [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

The spectator : an American weekly review of insurance.

Absorbed The Spectator; property insurance review, Jan. 1952.

An experimental and finite element poroelastic creep response analysis of an intervertebral hydrogel disc model in axial compression

A hydrogel intervertebral disc (lVD) model consisting of an inner nucleus core and an outer anulus ring was manufactured from 30 and 35% by weight Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel (PVA-H) concentrations and subjected to axial compression in between saturated porous endplates at 200 N for 11 h, 30 min. Repeat experiments (n = 4) on different samples (N = 2) show good reproducibility of fluid loss and axial deformation. An axisymmetric nonlinear poroelastic finite element model with variable permeability was developed using commercial finite element software to compare axial deformation and predicted fluid loss with experimental data. The FE predictions indicate differential fluid loss similar to that of biological IVDs, with the nucleus losing more water than the anulus, and there is overall good agreement between experimental and finite element predicted fluid loss. The stress distribution pattern indicates important similarities with the biological lVD that includes stress transference from the nucleus to the anulus upon sustained loading and renders it suitable as a model that can be used in future studies to better understand the role of fluid and stress in biological IVDs. (C) 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.