Self Organised Criticality in Dilute Lattice

The variation of in BTW model in presence of holes (dissipative sites) has been studied. The value of ?decreases as the fraction of number of holes increases. Interestingly, it is observed that the variation of the rate of change of ?with the fraction of number of holes is different for the two different types of distribution of holes over the lattice. When the holes are randomly distributed over the lattice then the dissipation is more compared to that of the case when the holes are present in the form of a single compact cluster with same fraction. The value of ?is less in the first case than that observed in the second case.

Retrospective study on mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasms from five European centres

BACKGROUND Mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasm(MiNEN)is a rare diagnosis,mainly encountered in the gastro-entero-pancreatic tract.There is limited knowledge of its epidemiology,prognosis and biology,and the best management for affected patients is still to be defined.AIM To investigate clinical-pathological characteristics,treatment modalities and survival outcomes of a retrospective cohort of patients with a diagnosis of MiNEN.METHODS Consecutive patients with a histologically proven diagnosis of MiNEN were identified at 5 European centres.Patient data were retrospectively collected from medical records.Pathological samples were reviewed to ascertain compliance with the 2017 World Health Organisation definition of MiNEN.Tumour responses to systemic treatment were assessed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours 1.1.Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to estimate survival outcomes.Associations between clinical-pathological characteristics and survival outcomes were explored using Log-rank test for equality of survivors functions(univariate)and Cox-regression analysis(multivariable).RESULTS Sixty-nine consecutive patients identified;Median age at diagnosis:64 years.Males:63.8%.Localised disease(curable):53.6%.Commonest sites of origin:colon-rectum(43.5%)and oesophagus/oesophagogastric junction(15.9%).The neuroendocrine component was;predominant in 58.6%,poorly differentiated in 86.3%,and large cell in 81.25%,of cases analysed.Most distant metastases analysed(73.4%)were occupied only by a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine component.Ninety-four percent of patients with localised disease underwent curative surgery;53%also received perioperative treatment,most often in line with protocols for adenocarcinomas from the same sites of origin.Chemotherapy was offered to most patients(68.1%)with advanced disease,and followed protocols for pure neuroendocrine carcinomas or adenocarcinomas in equal proportion.In localised cases,median recurrence free survival(RFS);14.0 months(95%CI:9.2-24.4),and median overall survival(OS):28.6 months(95%CI:18.3-41.1).On univariate analysis,receipt of perioperative treatment(vs surgery alone)did not improve RFS(P=0.375),or OS(P=0.240).In advanced cases,median progression free survival(PFS);5.6 months(95%CI:4.4-7.4),and median OS;9.0 months(95%CI:5.2-13.4).On univariate analysis,receipt of palliative active treatment(vs best supportive care)prolonged PFS and OS(both,P<0.001).CONCLUSION MiNEN is most commonly driven by a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine component,and has poor prognosis.Advances in its biological understanding are needed to identify effective treatments and improve patient outcomes.

Value of quality of life analysis in liver cancer: A clinician's perspective

Health related quality of life(HRQOL) is increasingly recognized as an important clinical parameter and research endpoint in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). HRQOL in HCC patients is multifaceted and affected by medical factor which encompasses HCC and its complications, oncological and palliative treatment for HCC, underlying liver disease, as well as the psychological, social or spiritual reaction to the disease. Many patients presented late with advanced disease and limited survival, plagued with multiple symptoms, rendering QOL a very important aspect in their general well being. Various instruments have been developed and validated to measure and report HRQOL in HCC patients, these included general HRQOL instruments, e.g., Short form(SF)-36, SF-12, Euro Qo L-5D, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment 100(WHOQOL-100), World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment abbreviated version; general cancer HRQOL instruments, e.g., the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer(EORTC) QLQ-C30, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy(FACT)-General, Spitzer Quality of Life Index; and liver-cancer specific HRQOL instruments, e.g., EORTC QLQ-HCC18, FACT-Hepatobiliary(FACT-Hep), FACT-Hep Symptom Index, Trial Outcome Index. Important utilization of HRQOL in HCC patients included description of symptomatology and HRQOL of patients, treatment endpoint in clinical trial, prognostication of survival, benchmarking of palliative care service and health care valuation. In this review, difficulties regarding the use of HRQOL data in research and clinical practice, including choosing a suitable instrument, problems of missing data, data interpretation, analysis and presentation are examined. Potential solutions are also discussed.

The Role of Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in Rural Development in the Karakorum, Hindu Kush & Himalayan Region: Examples from the Northern Mountainous Belt of Pakistan

Pakistan is predominantly a mountainous country where rural development activities are characterised by inconsistency, politically motivated short-term projects without proper feedback. Since the inception of the country, the top-down approach has been followed, and the same development plans that were formulated for the plain areas have been extended to the mountains without any modification. In doing so, neither the participation of the local communities was cared for, nor the mountain specificities were considered in the planning process. Moreover, the representation of the local inhabitants was improper and contradictory to the facts. This biased approach has been one of the main causes for the failure of development projects carried out by different agencies of the Government. Contrary to the perception of the state authorities, the mountain communities proved to be more open to accept new approaches and demonstrated the capacity and capability of being a dependable development partner. In this paper, a detailed account of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme （AKRSP） has been presented to assess and evaluate the approach followed by this non-governmental organisation （NGO）, and the response of the local inhabitants as collaborators in the development process. The achievements of the AKRSP from project planning, implementation and monitoring can be adopted as a model for rural development not only in the plains, but also in the mountainous areas of the developing countries in the world.

Impact of nurse staffing on reducing infant, neonatal and perinatal mortality rates: Evidence from panel data analysis in 35 OECD countries

Objectives:To investigate the magnitude of effect nurse staffing had on decreasing the newborn mortality rates in member countries of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD).Methods:The statistical technique of panel data analysis was applied to explore the possibility of association between the number of nurses'density per 1,000 population and infant,neonatal and perinatal mortality rates(IMR,NMR and PMR)per 1000 births.The observations of 35 OECD countries were collected over the period of 2000 through 2016.Results:There were significant associations between nurse staffing and IMR,NMR and PMR i.e.a 1%increase in nurse-staffing level reduced IMR,NMR and PMR by 0.98%,0.97%and 0.96%,respectively.Furthermore,the role of nursing-related services in declining the average of newborn mortality rates were investigated at the highest level in Slovenia(-5.50),Sweden(-3.34),Iceland(-2.51),Czech Republic(-1.86),Japan(-1.64)and Finland(-1.64).Moreover,if the current relationship between nursestaffing level and newborn mortality rates are disturbed with nursing shortage(e.g.in Slovak Republic and Israel),then it takes about 17 years for the mortality rates to reduce and restore back to the previous equilibrium.Conclusions:A higher proportion of nurses'density per 1,000 population is associated with lower newborn mortality rates.In addition,the nursing-related services of Slovenia,Sweden,Iceland,Czech Republic,Japan and Finland with the highest impact on improving the health level of newborns would be good patterns for other developed countries in maternity and child health care.

海上液化天然气行业风险分析研究综述

This research presents a review and classification of the published work related to applied risk analysis and risk management in the maritime liquefied natural gas(LNG)sector from 2000 to 2023.The papers are categorised under two primary contexts.The first is the risk analysis theory context which represents the classification with respect to(w.r.t.)the used risk analysis method,the used risk analysis tool,and the objective of risk analysis,whereas the second is the presented case in the risk analysis context which represents the classification w.r.t.the analysed LNG ship type,the analysed operation,and the inclusion level of human error in risk analysis.The above process has revealed that the interest in this domain of research has increased significantly during the past decade.In addition,the use of dynamic risk analysis(DRA)tools,and the inclusion of human error in the risk analysis model have been observed significantly in the past five years,in particular,for modelling the risk of external LNG transfer operations.It is concluded that the inclusion of the effect of human and organisational factors(HOFs)in risk analysis,and the use of DRA methods for modelling the risk of the daily routine operations of the complex maritime LNG systems can improve the management of the operational risk of these systems.

A Socio-Technical Perspective on the Design of IT Architectures:The Lowlands Lens

The paper aims at developing a more comprehensive design theory for designing effective IT architectures based on organizational design principles.It builds on the sociotechnical systems design theory(STS-D)for the design of work,workplaces,and organizations as developed in the Lowlands(The Netherlands and Belgium).Traditional sociotechnical approaches study the effects of the technical system on the social system and try to jointly optimize both systems by end-users’participation.The Lowlands STS-D approach focuses on creating organizational conditions for developing humane and productive organizations.Organizations are considered as social systems.Technical systems need to support the effective functioning of work and control of work within that social system.Therefore,the division of labour is central in the Lowlands STS-D approach.It is articulated in designing the execution tasks(production structure)and control tasks(control structure).Furthermore,it claims that the design of IT architecture follows after organizational design of the production and control structure.This boils down to the design of provisioning of information needed at workplaces and between workplaces.To understand the Lowlands approach for designing IT architecture,called archipelago,we will first in-depth explain its organizational design principles and sequence,and its application for designing IT architecture,which is becoming ever more feasible with new technologies.Furthermore,with this paper we attempt to bridge the different languages used by organizational and IT designers as they should jointly work on the same outcome:humane and productive organizations.

Higher Education For Sustainability:A Global Perspective

Higher education institutions have an essential role in sustainability.They are key agents in the education of future leaders that will contribute to the successful United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)imple-mentation.The geography of SDGs this implementation is very heterogeneous,but it is clear that higher education institutions contribute decisively to creating a mindset that facilitates the dissemination of SDGs principle.This perspective paper analyses the impacts of higher education on sustainability and the challenges and barriers as-sociated with this process.Higher education contributes decisively to the SDGs implementation,but especially to Goal 1(end poverty in all its forms everywhere),Goal 3(ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages),Goal 5(gender equality),Goal 8(decent work and economic growth),Goal 12(responsible consumption and production),Goal 13(climate change)and Goal 16(peace,justice and strong institutions).As a transfor-mational agent,the higher education sector has a tremendous impact on students’habit and contribution to a prosperous society.However,to establish the required change in education,sustainability principles need to be at the heart of higher institutions strategy(e.g.,curricula,modus operandi)and is key to be incorporated in the organisational culture.Only by leading by example,the external influence in the society will be possible(e.g.,implementing SDGs key aspects such as gender quality,reduce waste reduction and energy consumption).For this to be a reality,different communication methods with students are needed(e.g.,different student academic levels).Nevertheless,critical challenges need to be tackled in the institutions inside and outside the institution environment,such as incorporating sustainability principles,political environment and stakeholders’interest.

Assessing the Potential Impact on Previous Maritime Accidents Had the HNS Convention Been Applied

The HNS Convention(International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea,2010)covers any damage caused by the carriage by sea of hazardous and noxious substances in the territory or territorial sea of a State Party to the Convention.The costs of preventive actions,i.e.measures to avoid or minimize damage,are also covered wherever taken.The HNS Convention includes preventive measures as any reasonable measures taken by any person after an incident has occurred to prevent or minimize damage,i.e.actions such as clean-up or removal of HNS from a wreck if the HNS presents a hazard or pollution risk.It seems that after the CLC(Civil Liability Convention),much environmental legislation has lost the concept of pro-activeness/prevention of an environmental hazard and is more focused on compensation and reactiveness.This approach is not consistent with the purpose of environmental legislation and the examination of the basic principles of the HNS Convention in parallel with distinctive environmental hazards proves this theory of reactive strategy.The methodology is based on the exploratory research principles and the legal doctrine,utilizing legislation and case law as the primary source of data,aiming to examine the effects of the HNS’s entry into force by studying cases that are inside its authority and scope.

Health-related quality of life in patients that have undergone liver resection:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Mortality after hepatectomy has decreased,and the quality of various surgical approaches to hepatectomy have been evaluated.Various assessments of quality of life(QOL)after hepatectomy have been developed and investigated in different clinical settings.AIM To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine two clinical topics:Laparoscopic hepatectomy vs open hepatectomy,and preoperative QOL status vs postoperative QOL status.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed and MEDLINE,including the Cochrane Library Central.The following inclusion criteria were set for inclusion in this meta-analysis:(1)Studies comparing preoperative QOL and postoperative QOL;and(2)Studies comparing QOL between laparoscopic hepatectomy and open hepatectomy.RESULTS A total of 8 articles were included in this meta-analysis.QOL was better after laparoscopic hepatectomy than after open hepatectomy.CONCLUSION The outcomes of evaluations of QOL after hepatectomy can depend on the type of questionnaire used,the timing of the assessment,and the etiology of the hepatic disease.

Organisational Hierarchies and Decision Making Process of Chinese Multinational Enterprises in Vietnam

This paper examines the organisational hierarchies and decision making processes of two Chinese multinational enterprises operating in Vietnam—hina Luoyang Floating Glass Corp. （CLFG） and China TCL Holdings Co. Ltd. （TCL）. For this study, research data were obtained from in-depth interviews of more than 20 government officials in E R. China and Vietnam, and managers and staff of those two enterprises. Results indicate that the organisational structures of the two enterprises are still vertical but complex, although moderate changes made to them post the nationwide economic reform of China. Consequently, decision making process follows a ＂top-down＂ model, sometimes, with insufficient grassroots information. Findings are discussed in the light of political, social and cultural milieu, and implications are drawn for the management of Chinese multinational enterprises operating in overseas markets. Both CLFG and China TCL are structured on task specialisations. However, departmentalisation in TCL＇s overseas division in head office is not only based on products, but also on geographical regions of markets. The organisational structure of TCL in Vietnam is less complex than the international division, but it is more centralised. Decision making at TCL combines more traditional Chinese business philosophy with modern western organisational characteristics. TCL has a strong western influence in its management style. However, some traditional characteristics such as ＂hero＂ leadership influence and political influence are involved with decision making at TCL. Amongst others, the transitional economy, social culture, poor management system and political sensitivity have been major elements influencing decision making. In the case of CLFG. some decisions have been made before proper information has been gathered and analysed.

The Implementation of Innovation and Resource Allocation with Nanotechnology

All natural and living systems are governed by atomic and molecular behavior at the nanoscale. Research is now seeking systematic approaches to create revolutionary new products and technologies by control of matter at the same scale. Nanotechnology is expected to have a profound impact on our society. The vision, research and development strategy, and timeline of the nanotechnology initiative are presented by using several recent scientific discoveries , innovations and results from industry. This article demonstrates the implications of innovation for nanotechnology development. To deal with the innovation, a theory of nanotechnology development must come to terms with the developmental, organisational, and strategic dimensions of innovative resource allocation.

Research on the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity among the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation countries

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO)is the most extensive and populous comprehensive regional cooperation organization in the world,covering about half of the world's population,with not only a huge consumer market,but also rich natural resources and strong productivity.As one of the important platforms for the implementation of the Green Belt and Road Initiative,it is an important opportunity for the SCO to actively participate in global governance and contribute to building a community of global life.To investigate the status of biodiversity conservation in the SCO countries,we used literature analysis approach.We surveyed the performance and international cooperation status of the SCO countries in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD),listed facing problems and threats to biodiversity conservation,including not optimistic biodiversity conservation project implementation status,contradiction between ecological protection and economic development,impacts of human activities,lack of funds and talents,etc.,and analyzed the biodiversity protection needs of the SCO countries from the perspectives of project and policy implementation status and international cooperation.According to the cooperation between China and the other SCO countries on biodiversity conservation and the post-2020 global biodiversity framework goals,we gave some recommendations:(1)promoting access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing;(2)integrating multiple funds and innovating the implementation of funding mechanism;(3)developing talent training and exchange programs and deepening multilateral cooperation;(4)strengthening cross-border cooperation and improving cooperation network;and(5)establishing a coordination mechanism for biodiversity conservation within the framework of the SCO.

Socio-Economic Inequality and Economic Growth: Measurements for Central and Eastern Europe

The objective of this work is the study of social and economic inequality in the space of Central and Eastern Europe and its impact on economic growth. Our study includes a three-stage methodology:(1) application of a clustering method based on neural network (Self Organising Maps), to the series of panel data in order to divide countries into clusters, corresponding to the degree of economic and social inequality;(2) computing a composed index of economic and social inequality, using Principal Component Analysis and an extension of the method provided by OECD for computing composite indicators;(3) constructing an econometric model to establish the impact of social and economic inequality on economic growth and a VAR model to determine the causality between main determinants to growth and inequality as well as the response to shocks to the dynamics of the variables. The 24 Eastern and Central European countries have been grouped in five clusters, according to 11 attributes. In the results obtained, the third cluster comprises countries with the most equitable income distribution: Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Slovenia. To the opposite side is the fifth cluster with the deepest inequality, including only one country, namely Georgia. The second and third steps of our methodology, were applied only for the extreme clusters namely, the clusters with the highest (C5) and lowest (C3) inequality respectively.

Carbon Monoxide Concentration Monitoring in Akure—A Comparison between Urban and Rural Environment

Air pollution has been identified to be one major problem associated with urbanisation, particularly in developing countries. In this regard, this paper utilizes data from a year-long experiment of simultaneous measurements to examine and compare the variations of carbon monoxide concentrations, a major air pollutant at urban and rural site in Akure, a medium-sized tropical city in south western Nigeria. The comparison was done to assess the urban influence on the air pollutant. CO concentrations at the urban centre have been identified to exhibit distinct diurnal and day-of-week variations with respect to traffic rush hours. It is also observed that the concentrations at the urban centre were 2 - 3 times higher than that of the rural site which exhibited a consistent cyclic diurnal pattern throughout the week. Results further identified the major cause of CO concentration in the urban centre to be vehicular as consistent increase of the air pollutant from 08:00 to 16:00 during the weekdays is found to be associated with “school runs and rush hours” and also rises through the midnight hours on days linked with social events, particularly Saturdays. In relation to human health and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, results showed that CO concentrations at the urban centre exceeded the WHO 8-hour average recommendation during daytime throughout the weekdays.

Resilience: The New Paradigm in Disaster Management—An Australian Perspective

During past decades, frameworks relating to emergency and disaster management have been based on a risk management approach to prevention/mitigation and preparedness coupled with a strong emphasis on response by police and emergency service organisations. Numerous reviews and inquiries of significant events however have identified significant issues relating to the preparation for such events and the management thereof;in particular, critical shortcomings in the capability of emergency response agencies, their leaders and senior decision-makers. In 2008, the Australian Government, through The First National Security Statement to the Australian Parliament by Prime Minister Rudd, has incorporated non-traditional threats and hazards, such as those posed by the impact of climate change, on the national security agenda. In doing so, the Government has announced a paradigm shift in policy for the nation’s approach to emergency and disaster management, namely a move from “response” to “resilience”. In support of this policy shift, the Australian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments, has endorsed the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience and the Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy. These documents make resilience the responsibility of all levels of government, private industry, emergency response agencies, and the community. A review of the reports published following Australian reviews and inquiries into significant events has identified that existing frameworks do not provide the necessary mechanisms for baselining and assessing community resilience, that is, their ability to respond to and recover from significant events. Internationally, indices have been developed for assessing community resilience, however, inherent limitations have also been identified in their scope and application. This paper will review Australian and international events which have led to inquiries that have resulted in criticisms of the emergency and disaster response, as well as introducing the organisational capability and resilience of organisations particularly in the context of climate change.

Benefits, Difficulties, and Success Factors of Three Different Quality Assessment Processes in Estonia

Quality assessment systems for business organisations and also for vocational schools were established in Estonia at the beginning of 2000s. Almost ten years later, corresponding systems were introduced also for higher education institutions （HEIs）. All these assessment systems are based on the European Foundation of Quality Management （EFQM） excellence model. The aim of this paper is to analyse benefits, difficulties, and success factors of quality assessment processes in Estonian business organisations, vocational schools, and HEIs. The study is based on the analysis of feedback questionnaire of 404 representatives from participating organisations （HEIs, vocational schools, and business enterprises） and assessors. Our analysis revealed that quality assessment processes including self-assessment reporting had a positive effect on organisation development and it has given the participants certain benefits and new challenges. As a consequence, knowledge about quality management as well as the self-assessment skills has been improved. The main difficulties were connected to limited time resources and with problems to recognize direct benefits of quality assessment. As substantial difficulties, limitations of analytical and report-writing skills were considered. As the biggest success factor, an involvement of managers on different levels decision making was recognized. The analysis revealed that there are a number of similar benefits and difficulties in the quality assessment systems of different organizations.

Institutions as Tools of Public Policy： A Comparative Evaluation of South East Asian-Sub-Saharan African Post War Development

In general, it can be argued that institutional framework a country or region designs plays a significant role in crafting, applying or even success of public policy. Drawing lessons from how Asia exploited the developmental state＇s concept by designing institutions which targeted key public policy areas such as education, health, domestic savings, and rural development, or aligned infrastructures such as roads, transport and ports, to drive economic development. The paper explores how this approach can be applied in sub-Saharan Africa （or individual countries）. The objective is to extricate constant factors impacting development both in ahistorical and atemporal terms. The investigation is guided by the key question： whether quality of institutions and institutional analysis can help explain development failures in Africa？ Hence, on one part, it probes institutions, institution-making, public policy making and what uniquely the Asian developmental state did that can help illuminate institutional role in policymaking and application. In pursuing this objective, the paper is cognisant of the question by Brousseau et al. asked, regarding generalizability of institutional capabilities, ＂If growth-enhancing institutions are identified in a specific country, can other countries learn from and transplant these＂. The investigation concludes that in public policy and development strategy-making institutions do matter as they delimit or even help create possibilities necessary for development and its sustenance, and to a certain extent, they are the vital constant （factors） that explains development differentiations in different geographic spaces or time periods.

Ownership Forms and Costs of Operations of Microfinance Institutions in Cameroon

This paper investigates on the relative costs of operations of microfinance institutions(MFIs)in Cameroon with regard to their ownership forms.We extracted data from MIX Market which included 31 MFIs over the period 2001-2017.On processing data though a multinomial logistic regression,we found out that affiliated Credit Unions were the most cost-efficient organisational form,but the portfolio efficiency was nearly the same all across ownership patterns.Affiliated Credit Unions underwent the lowest operating expenses whereas Microbanks significantly reported the highest financial expenses.Also,we did not find any significant differences between personnel productivity across ownership forms.

Selected Cases of Trends and Tendencies in Governance Practices of South African Non-Profit Organisations A Work in Progress

Accountability, transparency, value addition, legitimacy and overall credibility of non-profit organisations （NPOs）, and good corporate governance have emerged not only as a tool to enhance professionalism but, more crucially, to ensure that NPO interventions are effective, sustainable, efficient and positively perceived by all parties. The credibility of an NPO can be improved by adherence to the principles and practices of good corporate governance. A number of South African NPOs are unable to meet the minimum requirements of accountability and good governance practices. The study evaluated the governance structures of selected NPOs in the Western Cape, South Africa. The study tested how the following governance categories, including： NPO＇s legal status; NPO＇s standards of accountability and transparency; NPO＇s leadership, roles, and responsibilities of the executive management; the NPO＇s board, and the extent to which principles of good governance are practiced within the organisation, are applied within the selected cases by way of a questionnaire. Recommendations, around how governance practices within these NPOs can be improved, are forwarded.