A Comparison of the Implementation of the Employment Provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) in the United States and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 in the United Kingdom

This summarizes the results of recently conducted surveys in the United States and Britain to assess employer response in each of these countries to their respective employment disability nondiscrimination legislation.

Disability in a Technology-Driven Workplace

New Internet and Web-based technology applications have meant significant cost and time efficiencies to many American businesses. However, many employers have not yet fully grasped the impact of these new information and communication technologies on applicants and employees with certain disabilities such as vision impairments, hearing problems or limited dexterity. Although not all applicants and employees who have a disability may experience IT-access problems, to select groups it can pose a needless barrier. The increasing dominance of IT in the workplace presents both a challenge and an opportunity for workers with disabilities and their employers. It will be up to HR professionals to ensure that Web-based HR processes and workplace technologies are accessible to their employees with disabilities. .

Anatomy of Higgs mass in supersymmetric inverse seesaw models

We compute the one loop corrections to the CP-even Higgs mass matrix in the supersymmetric inverse seesaw model to single out the different cases where the radiative corrections from the neutrino sector could become important. It is found that there could be a significant enhancement in the Higgs mass even for Dirac neutrino masses of O(30) GeV if the left-handed sneutrino soft mass is comparable or larger than the right-handed neutrino mass. In the case where right-handed neutrino masses are significantly larger than the supersymmetry breaking scale, the corrections can utmost account to an upward shift of 3 GeV. For very heavy multi TeV sneutrinos, the corrections replicate the stop corrections at 1-loop. We further show that general gauge mediation with inverse seesaw model naturally accommodates a 125 GeV Higgs with TeV scale stops. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Legal Status of Research Data in the four partner countries

This report compares the legal status of research data in the four KE partner countries. The report also addresses where European copyright and database law poses flaws and obstacles to the access to research data and singles out pre-conditions for openly available data. Background of the study Intellectual property right regulations regarding primary research data are a recurrent topic in the discussion on the improvement of access to research data. In fact in the final report of the High Level Expert Group on Scientific Data ‘Riding the Wave’ creating clarity on this was considered very important in improving awareness for all parties involved. According to the recommendations of the report legal issues should be “worked out so that they encourage, and not impede, global data sharing” http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/e-infrastructure/docs/hlg-sdi-report.pdf. While open access to research data is a widely recognised goal, achieving it remains a challenge. As European national laws still diverge and sometimes remain unclear it can be difficult for interested parties to fully comprehend in which ways open access to research data can be legally obtained. Based on these discussions the Knowledge Exchange working group on primary research data has commissioned a comparative report on the legal status of research data in the four KE partner countries. The study has been conducted by the Centre for Intellectual Property Law (CIER) at Utrecht University. The report aims at informing Knowledge Exchange and associated stakeholders on the state of the law concerning access to research data in the KE partner countries (Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom) and to give an insight in how these laws work in practice. This is explained in several characteristic situations pertaining to open access to research data. The purpose of the report is to identify flaws and obstacles to the access to research data and to single out pre-conditions for openly available data. This is in view of the current discussions concerning open access to research data, especially those originating from publicly funded research. The report intends to be both a description of the status quo of the legislation and a practical instrument to prepare further activities in raising awareness on the potential benefit of improved access to research data, and developing means to support the improved access for research purposes

The geometry and the number of contacts of monodisperse sphere packs using X-ray tomography

The three-dimensional structure of very large samples of monodisperse bead packs is studied by means of X-Ray Computed Tomography. We retrieve the coordinatesofeach bead inthe pack and wecalculate the average coordination number by using the tomographic images to single out the neighbors in contact. The results are compared with the average coordination number obtained in Aste et al. (2005) by using a deconvolution technique. We show that the coordination number increases with the packing fraction, varying between 6.9 and 8.2 for packing fractions between 0.59 and 0.64. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group.

Systematic study of the pi(-)/pi(+) ratio in heavy-ion collisions with the same neutron/proton ratio but different masses

A systematic study of the pi(-)/pi(+) ratio in heavy-ion collisions with the same neutron/proton ratio but different masses can help single out effects of the nuclear mean field on pion production. Based on simulations using the IBUU04 transport model, it is found that the pi(-)/pi(+) ratio in head-on collisions of Ca-48 + Ca-48, Sn-124 + Sn-124, and Au-197 + Au-197 at beam energies from 0.25 to 0.6 GeV/nucleon increases with increasing the system size or decreasing the beam energies. A comprehensive analysis of the dynamical isospin fractionation and the pi(-)/pi(+) ratio as well as their time evolution and spatial distributions demonstrates clearly that the pi(-)/pi(+) ratio is an effective probe of the high-density behavior of the nuclear symmetry energy.

Visible Volume: a Robust Measure for Protein Structure Characterization

We propose a new characterization of protein structure based on the natural tetrahedral geometry of the β carbon and a new geometric measure of structural similarity, called visible volume. In our model, the side-chains are replaced by an ideal tetrahedron, the orientation of which is fixed with respect to the backbone and corresponds to the preferred rotamer directions. Visible volume is a measure of the non-occluded empty space surrounding each residue position after the side-chains have been removed. It is a robust, parameter-free, locally-computed quantity that accounts for many of the spatial constraints that are of relevance to the corresponding position in the native structure. When computing visible volume, we ignore the nature of both the residue observed at each site and the ones surrounding it. We focus instead on the space that, together, these residues could occupy. By doing so, we are able to quantify a new kind of invariance beyond the apparent variations in protein families, namely, the conservation of the physical space available at structurally equivalent positions for side-chain packing. Corresponding positions in native structures are likely to be of interest in protein structure prediction, protein design, and homology modeling. Visible volume is related to the degree of exposure of a residue position and to the actual rotamers in native proteins. In this article, we discuss the properties of this new measure, namely, its robustness with respect to both crystallographic uncertainties and naturally occurring variations in atomic coordinates, and the remarkable fact that it is essentially independent of the choice of the parameters used in calculating it. We also show how visible volume can be used to align protein structures, to identify structurally equivalent positions that are conserved in a family of proteins, and to single out positions in a protein that are likely to be of biological interest. These properties qualify visible volume as a powerful tool in a variety of applications, from the detailed analysis of protein structure to homology modeling, protein structural alignment, and the definition of better scoring functions for threading purposes.

Contribuição para a história social da biotecnologia em Portugal

Tese de doutoramento, Sociologia (Sociologia da Ciência e Tecnologia), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, 2014

Continuidade de cuidados numa Unidade de Saúde Familiar : o efeito nos custos

RESUMO - Caracterização do problema: O sistema de saúde português atingiu um patamar de ineficiência tal que urge ser reestruturado de forma a torná-lo sustentável. De forma a atingir este nível de sustentabilidade, uma série de soluções podem ser consideradas das quais destacamos a integração de cuidados. Este conceito exige que os diferentes níveis de saúde sigam um único caminho, trabalhando de forma coordenada e contínua. A integração de cuidados pode ser implementada através de várias tipologias entre as quais se destaca a integração clínica que por sua vez é composta pela continuidade de cuidados. Assim, ao medir a continuidade de cuidados, quantifica-se de certa forma a integração de cuidados. Objetivos: Avaliar o impacto da continuidade de cuidados nos custos. Metodologia: Os dados foram analisados através de estatísticas descritivas para verificar o seu grau de normalidade. Posteriormente foram aplicados testes t-student para analisar a existência de diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as médias das diferentes variáveis. Foi então estudado o grau de associação entre variáveis através da correlação de spearman. Por fim, foi utilizado o modelo de regressão log-linear para verificar a existência de uma relação entre as várias naturezas de custos e os índices de continuidade. Com base neste modelo foram simulados dois cenários para estimar o impacto da maximização da continuidade de cuidados nas várias naturezas de custos. Conclusões: No geral, verifica-se uma relação muito ligeira entre a continuidade de cuidados e os custos. Mais especificamente, uma relação mais duradoura entre o médico e o doente resulta numa poupança de custos, independentemente da tipologia. Analisando a densidade da relação, observa-se uma relação positiva entre a mesma e os custos totais e o custo com Meios Complementares de Diagnóstico e Terapêutica (MCDT). Contudo verifica-se uma relação médico-doente negativa entre a densidade e os custos com medicamentos e com pessoal. Ao analisar o impacto da continuidade de cuidados nos custos, conclui-se que apenas a duração da relação médico-doente tem um impacto negativo em todas as categorias de custos, exceto o custo com medicamentos. A densidade de cuidados tem um impacto negativo apenas no custo com pessoal, influenciando positivamente as outras categorias de custos. Extrapolando para o nível nacional se o nível de densidade de uma relação fosse maximizado, existiria uma poupança de 0,18 euros, por ano, em custos com pessoal.

Methodology in Economics: the Logic of Appraisal

This Paper Intends to Develop a Coherent Methodological Framework Concerned with the Appraisal of Scientific Theories in Economics, and Which Is Based on a Postulated Aim of Science. We First Define the Scope of a Methodological Inquiry (Precise Definition of What Is Meant by the Logic of Appraisal of Scientific Theories) and Review the Work of Popper and Lakatos in the Philosophy of Science. We Then Use Their Results to Develop a Rational Structure of Scientific Activity. We Identify and Analyse Both a Micro and Macro Framework for the Process of Appraisal and Single Out the Importance of So-Called 'Fundamental Assumptions' in Creating Externalities in the Appraisal Process Which Forces Us to Adop a Multi-Level Analysis. Special Attention Is Given to the Role and Significance of the Abstraction Process and the Use of Assumptions in General. the Proposed Structure of Scientific Activity Is Illustrated with Examples From Economics.

Relation between neuronal morphology and electrophysiology in the Kainate lesion model of Alzheimer's Disease

This paper describes a computational and statistical study of the influence of morphological changes on the electrophysiological response of neurons from an animal model of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We combined experimental morphological data from rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells with a well-established model of active membrane properties. Dendritic morphology and the somatic response to simulated current clamp conditions were then compared for cells from the control and the AD group. The computational approach allowed us to single out the influences of neuromorphology on neuronal response by eliminating the effects of active channel variability. The results did not reveal a simple relationship between morphological changes associated with AD and changes in neural response. However, they did suggest the existence of more complex than anticipated relationships between dendritic morphology and single-cell electrophysiology.

How to quantify the resolution of surface climate by circulation types: an example for Alpine precipitation

A novel approach is presented for the evaluation of circulation type classifications (CTCs) in terms of their capability to predict surface climate variations. The approach is analogous to that for probabilistic meteorological forecasts and is based on the Brier skill score. This score is shown to take a particularly simple form in the context of CTCs and to quantify the resolution of a climate variable by the classifications. The sampling uncertainty of the skill can be estimated by means of nonparametric bootstrap resampling. The evaluation approach is applied for a systematic intercomparison of 71 CTCs (objective and manual, from COST Action 733) with respect to their ability to resolve daily precipitation in the Alpine region. For essentially all CTCs, the Brier skill score is found to be higher for weak and moderate compared to intense precipitation, for winter compared to summer, and over the north and west of the Alps compared to the south and east. Moreover, CTCs with a higher number of types exhibit better skill than CTCs with few types. Among CTCs with comparable type number, the best automatic classifications are found to outperform the best manual classifications. It is not possible to single out one ‘best’ classification for Alpine precipitation, but there is a small group showing particularly high skill.

Avaliação de políticas públicas: estudo do comportamento de indicadores relacionados com a saúde em municípios do estado de Pernambuco após a emenda Constitucional Nº 29

The Brazilian Public Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS), defined by the Constitution of 1988, is almost 20 years old and is a landmark for health public policies. In these 20 years, the law was altered several times with the objective of prioritizing the investment of public money in such a needy area as health. Among these changes, it is important to single out the Constitutional Amendment number 29, issued on 13th September 2000, which determined the minimum investment in health. According to this amendment, as from the year 2000, the municipalities should invest in health services a minimum of 7% of the revenue from taxes and transferences from the Federal and State governments. This value was to rise gradually to 15% by 2004. Since every public policy should be systematically evaluated and considering the assumption that, according to the incrementalist theory, more money invested in health would tend to solve the crisis in the health system, this dissertation consists of a study of a set of health indicators in some municipalities of the State of Pernambuco after the Amendment 29. The evaluation period spanned 4 years, from 2002 to 2005 and the area chosen for the study was located in southern agreste region of the state. Ten health indicators were selected, all of which included in the Administrative Rule no 493, of the Health Ministry. It was found that in the chosen period the average investment in health was greater than 15% of the municipalities¿ revenue since 2002. However, the value of the investment per capita, considering the municipality's share of it, which was half of the total investment, decreased from 2002 to 2004 and increased in 2005. It was also found that the municipalities with the lowest per capita income were the ones with the highest investment per capita in health. As regards children mortality in the region, it was on average 33 for every 1000 children born, which is classified as ¿medium¿ according to the above mentioned Administrative Rule no 493. No statistically significative correlation was found between the amount of money invested in health and children mortality.

Massive and massless spin-1 particles with gauge symmetry without Stueckelberg fields

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Empresas multinacionais e desempenho comercial do Brasil: uma revisão da literatura

Fazemos uma releitura dos estudos empíricos sobre empresas multinacionais (EMNs) e comércio exterior no Brasil a partir dos modelos teóricos e empíricos de comércio internacional com firmas multinacionais. Percebe-se que aqueles estudos não examinam como características econômicas do país (Brasil) condicionaram a emergência e tipo das EMNs e, assim, seus respectivos impactos sobre comércio exterior. Conseguem isolar, nas análises de impacto comercial, evidências dos serviços tecnológicos das estrangeiras, relativamente às domésticas do mesmo setor, mas não examinam se essas firmas se concentraram ou não em atividades com vantagens comparativas no país, o que seria crucial para determinar seu impacto comercial comparativo.