Investigation at a
φ
-factory can shed light on several debated issues in particle physics. We discuss: (i) recent theoretical development and experimental progress in kaon physics relevant for the ...Standard Model tests in the flavor sector, (ii) the sensitivity we can reach in probing CPT and Quantum Mechanics from time evolution of entangled-kaon states, (iii) the interest for improving on the present measurements of non-leptonic and radiative decays of kaons and
η
/
η
′ mesons, (iv) the contribution to understand the nature of light scalar mesons, and (v) the opportunity to search for narrow di-lepton resonances suggested by recent models proposing a hidden dark-matter sector. We also report on the
e
+
e
−
physics in the continuum with the measurements of (multi)hadronic cross sections and the study of
γ
γ
processes.
A single-chip 2.4-GHz CMOS radio transceiver with integrated baseband processing according to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard is presented. The transceiver consumes 14.7 mA in receive mode and 15.7 mA in ...transmit mode. The receiver uses a low-IF topology for high sensitivity and low power consumption, and achieves -101 dBm sensitivity for 1% packet error rate. The transmitter topology is based on a PLL direct-modulation scheme. Optimizations of architecture and circuit design level in order to reduce the transceiver power consumption are described. Special attention is paid to the RF front-end design which consumes 2.4mA in receive mode and features bidirectional RF pins. The 5.77 mm 2 chip is implemented in a standard 0.18-mum CMOS technology. The transmitter delivers +3 dBm into the 100-Omega differential antenna port
There is a fundamental inconsistency in Western society’s treatment of non-human animals on the one hand, and of human foetuses on the other. While most Western countries allow the butchering of ...animals and their use in experimentation, this must occur under carefully controlled conditions that are intended to minimize their pain and suffering as much as possible. At the same time, most Western countries permit various abortion methods without similar concerns for the developing fetus. The only criteria for deciding which abortion method is used centre in the stage of the pregnancy, the size of the fetus, the health of the pregnant woman and the physician’s preference. This is out of step with the underlying ethos of animal cruelty legislation, cannot be justified ethically and should be rectified by adjusting abortion methods to the capacity of the fetus to experience nociception and/or pain.
Highlights • eHealth has resulted in a fundamental change in the ethical standing of health information professionals (HIPs) because they have acquired a fiduciary standing towards patients that they ...did not have before. • The2003 IMIA Code of Ethics needs to be revised to take accounts of this fact. • Correspondingly, ethical rules for eHealth corporations should be revised to avoid ethical and professional problems for HIPs. • A possible solution in terms of accreditation and certification is outlined.
Abstract Telehealth is one of the more recent applications of ICT to health care. It promises to be both cost-effective and efficient. However, there lies a danger that focusing mainly on pragmatic ...considerations will ignore fundamental ethical issues with legal implications that could undermine its success. Implicated here are, among others, changes in the nature of the health care professional patient relationship and informed consent, etc. The position of health informatics professionals as well as hard- and software providers is also affected. A further complicating factor is outsourcing. This paper identifies relevant issues and outlines some of their implications.
The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) is systematically ambiguous between electronic expert systems that are used by healthcare professionals in carrying out their tasks and full AIs, which are ...stand-alone independent electronic entities that function much like human healthcare professionals except that they are electronic and not biological in nature. This discussion sketches the distinct ethical considerations that are relevant to the two kinds of AI while acknowledging that currently there are no full AIs.
For implementation of sustainable land use strategies in Europe tools for evaluating long-term changes of peatland functions are essential. Therefore a semi-quantitative peatland management decision ...support system for agricultural used peatlands in Europe was developed. It is called Peatland Management Decision Support System (PMDSS). The aim of the tool is to better understand and to forecast long-term processes in peatland ecosystems in order to help scientists, water boards and environmental agencies in decision making about long-term management. PMDSS is based on derived indicators of ecosystem functions of peatlands, which are: harvest of plant products, land use category, mean summer water table (MSWT), nitrogen discharge, Global Warming Potential (GWP) and conservation value of plants. PMDSS is realized as an easy to use spreadsheet program in Excel. The model is one-dimensional and applicable for a site or field, where the input parameters, particularly land use category, vegetation type and MSWT are relatively homogenous. It is running with annual intervals and for a time span of 100 years (vegetation 50 years). Results are presented as values, text and diagrams. PMDSS is accessible via internet.
PMDSS was applied to sites in several European countries. A case study in the Eider Valley peatland is presented, which is typical for Weichselian landscapes of northwest Germany. The site has a deep peat layer and is mainly influenced by groundwater discharge. It was used as a meadow and pasture during the past centuries and is left abandoned since the mid 1990s. Effects of different land use and water management scenarios onto the development of the site are determined. The scenarios are typical for peatland sites in northwest Germany and northwest Europe. Results are plausible as a rough estimate of magnitude and development trend.
PDF
