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Schiffbauprojekte müssen trotz steigendem Arbeitsumfang in immer kürzeren Lieferzeiten fertiggestellt werden. Daher haben sich komplexe maritime Wertschöpfungsketten gebildet, die ein hohes Maß an Arbeitsteilung praktizieren. Während eines Schiffbauprojektes müssen viele Arbeiten und Akteure zeitlich und inhaltlich koordiniert werden. Die Kommunikation des Bauzustandes entlang der Wertschöpfungskette spielt eine entscheidende Rolle. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert einen Ansatz, wie durch geeignete Digitalisierung das Bauzustandsmonitoring im Schiffbau optimiert werden kann.

The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has provided advice in relation to the Chemical Weapons Convention on assistance and protection. We present the SAB's response to a request from the OPCW Director-General in 2014 for information on the best practices for preventing and treating the health effects from acute, prolonged, and repeated organophosphorus nerve agent (NA) exposure. The report summarises pre- and post-exposure treatments, and developments in decontaminants and adsorbing materials, that at the time of the advice, were available for NAs. The updated information provided could assist medics and emergency responders unfamiliar with treatment and decontamination options related to exposure to NAs. The SAB recommended that developments in research on medical countermeasures and decontaminants for NAs should be monitored by the OPCW, and used in assistance and protection training courses and workshops organised through its capacity building programmes. Fil: Timperley, Christopher M.. Defence Science and Technology Laboratory; Reino Unido Fil: Abdollahi, Mohammad. Tehran University of Medical Sciences; Irán Fil: Al-Amri, Abdullah Saeed. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation; Arabia Saudita Fil: Baulig, Augustin. Secrétariat Général de la Défense Et de la Sécurité Nationale; Francia Fil: Benachour, Djafer. Université Ferhat Abbas Sétif 1; Argelia Fil: Borrett, Veronica. Bai Scientific; Australia. University of Melbourne; Australia Fil: Cariño, Flerida A.. University Of The Philippines Diliman; Filipinas Fil: Geist, Michael. Basf Se; Alemania Fil: Gonzalez, David. Universidad de la República Facultad de Química; Uruguay Fil: Kane, William. Monsanto Company; Estados Unidos Fil: Kovarik, Zrinka. Institut Za Medicinska Istrazivanja I Medicinu Rada; Croacia Fil: Martínez Álvarez, Roberto. Universidad Complutense de Madrid; España Fil: Mourão, Nicia Maria Fusaro. ABIQUIM; Brasil Fil: Neffe, Slawomir. Military University of Technology; Polonia Fil: Raza, Syed K.. Institute of Pesticides Formulation Technology; India Fil: Rubaylo, Valentin. State Scientific Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology; Rusia Fil: Suarez, Alejandra Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; Argentina Fil: Takeuchi, Koji. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; Japón Fil: Tang, Cheng. National Defence University; China Fil: Trifirò, Ferruccio. Universidad de Bologna; Italia Fil: van Straten, Francois Mauritz. South African Nuclear Energy Corporation SOC Ltd.; Sudáfrica Fil: Vanninen, Paula S.. University of Helsinki; Finlandia Fil: Vucinic, Slavica. Vojnomedicinska Akademija; Serbia Fil: Zaitsev, Volodymyr. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. Taras Shevchenko National University Of Kyiv; Ucrania Fil: Zafar Uz Zaman, Muhammad. National Engineering and Scientific Commission; Pakistán Fil: Zina, Mongia Saïd. Université de Tunis El Manar. Faculté Des Sciences de Tunis; Túnez Fil: Holen, Stian. Opcw Scientific Advisory Board Secretary; Países Bajos Fil: Forman, Jonathan E.. Opcw Scientific Advisory Board Secretary And Science Policy Adviser; Países Bajos. Organisation for The Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; Países Bajos Fil: Alwan, Wesam S.. Monash University Victorian College Of Pharmacy; Australia. OPCW Office of Strategy and Policy; Países Bajos Fil: Suri, Vivek. Opcw Office Of Strategy And Policy; Países Bajos

Blister agents damage the skin, eyes, mucous membranes and subcutaneous tissues. Other toxic effects may occur after absorption. The response of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to a request from the OPCW Director-General in 2013 on the status of medical countermeasures and treatments to blister agents is updated through the incorporation of the latest information. The physical and toxicological properties of sulfur mustard and clinical effects and treatments are summarised. The information should assist medics and emergency responders who may be unfamiliar with the toxidrome of sulfur mustard and its treatment.

We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Canadian Government’s consultation on a modern copyright framework for AI and the Internet of Things. Below, we present some of our research findings relating to the importance of flexibility in copyright law to permit text and data mining (“TDM”). As the consultation paper recognizes, TDM is a critical element of artificial intelligence. Our research supports the adoption of a specific exception for uses of works in TDM to supplement Canada’s existing general fair dealing exception. Empirical research shows that more publication of citable research takes place in countries with “open” research exceptions -- that is, research exceptions that are open to all uses (e.g. reproduction and communication), to all works, and to all users. Empirical research also shows that text and data mining research is promoted through exceptions that more specifically authorize text and data mining research. While these studies are preliminary and we are still improving on them, they provide evidence that supports the approach of combining a general research exception with a more specific data mining exception.

This chapter examines the Canadian Equustek case, tracing the development of internet jurisdiction cases in the late 1990s to the current legal battles over the appropriate scope of court orders that wield far greater effect than conventional, domestic-based orders. The chapter begins by recounting the Yahoo France case, the internet jurisdiction case that placed the conflict challenges squarely on the legal radar screen. It continues with a detailed examination of the Equustek decision and its aftermath, including efforts by Google to curtail the effect of the Canadian court order by obtaining a countervailing order from a US court and the use by Canadian courts to extend the ruling to other internet platforms and online issues. It also cites one additional risk with overbroad national court orders related to online activity, namely the prospect of further empowering large internet intermediaries, who may selectively choose which laws and orders to follow, thereby overriding conventional enforcement of court orders and national regulation.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an effective treatment for heart failure (HF); however, a third of patients are non-responders. The development of quadripolar left ventricular (LV) lead was shown, mainly in single manufactures’ registry, to improve LV remodeling and overall mortality. However, limited reports exist on the impact of quadripolar LV leads on HF hospitalization rates in real-life cohorts. We evaluated the clinical outcomes associated with quadripolar LV leads in a large nation-wide registry including all patients implanted with a cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D). Between July 2010 and October 2016, 2913 consecutive patients were implanted with a CRT-D and all were prospectively enrolled in the Israeli ICD Registry. Quadripolar LV leads were implanted in 973 (33.4%) patients during this period, and their clinical outcomes were compared to CRT-D recipients implanted with a bipolar LV lead. Primary endpoint was HF hospitalization rate. Quadripolar leads were implanted more in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and for primary prevention indication and less in post-infarction patients and for secondary prevention of sudden death. Longer QRS duration was observed with quadripolar leads (147 ± 23 vs 143 ± 25; p

Limited information exists about detailed clinical characteristics and management of the small subset of Brugada syndrome (BrS) patients who had an arrhythmic event (AE).To conduct the first nationwide survey focused on BrS patients with documented AE.Israeli electrophysiology units participated if they had treated BrS patients who had cardiac arrest (CA) (lethal/aborted; group 1) or experienced appropriate therapy for tachyarrhythmias after prophylactic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation (group 2).The cohort comprised 31 patients: 25 in group 1, 6 in group 2. Group 1: 96% male, mean CA age 38 years (range 13-84). Nine patients (36%) presented with arrhythmic storm and three had a lethal outcome; 17 (68%) had spontaneous type 1 Brugada electrocardiography (ECG). An electrophysiology study (EPS) was performed on 11 patients with inducible ventricular fibrillation (VF) in 10, which was prevented by quinidine in 9/10 patients. During follow-up (143 ± 119 months) eight patients experienced appropriate shocks, none while on quinidine. Group 2: all male, age 30-53 years; 4/6 patients had familial history of sudden death age50 years. Five patients had spontaneous type 1 Brugada ECG and four were asymptomatic at ICD implantation. EPS was performed in four patients with inducible VF in three. During long-term follow-up, five patients received ≥ 1 appropriate shocks, one had ATP for sustained VT (none taking quinidine). No AE recurred in patients subsequently treated with quinidine.CA from BrS is apparently a rare occurrence on a national scale and no AE occurred in any patient treated with quinidine.

Introduction Life expectancy of less than 1 year is usually a contraindication for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation. The aim was to identify patients at risk of death during the first year after implantation. Methods and results Data were derived from a prospective Israeli ICD Registry. Two groups of patients were compared, those who died and those who were alive 1 year after ICD implantation. Factors associated with 1-year mortality were identified on a derivation cohort. A risk score was established and validated. A total of 2617 patients have completed 1 year of follow-up after ICD or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation. Age greater than 75 years (hazard ratio [HR], 2.7; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.6 to 4.4), atrial fibrillation (AF; HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.12 to 3.17), chronic lung disease (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.76), anemia (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.93) and chronic renal failure (CRF; HR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.74 to 6.6) were independent risk factors for 1-year mortality. We propose a simple AAACC ("triple A double C") score for prediction of 1-year mortality after ICD implantation: Age greater than 75 years (3 points(pts)), anemia (2 pts), AF (1 pt), CRF (3 pts) and chronic lung disease (1 pt). Mortality risk increased with rising number of points (from 1% with 0 pts to 12.5% with >4 pts). The risk score was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve of the validation curve is 0.71 (95% CI, 0.66 to 0.76). Conclusions Age greater than 75, AF, chronic lung disease, anemia, and CRF were independent risk factors for 1-year mortality. AAACC risk score identifies patients at high risk of death during 1 year after ICD implantation.

Considering legal uncertainty in the online environment.

Renal Function and Outcomes After Defibrillator Implantation Background Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduce mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and left ventricular dysfunction. However, their efficacy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is controversial. Objective We examined the association between renal dysfunction and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing ICD and CRT defibrillator (CRTD) implantation. Methods Data were collected from the Israeli ICD registry. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at implantation was assessed using the modification of diet in renal disease formula. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included the composite endpoints of death or HF and death or ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation [VT/VF]); any hospitalizations; first appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapy. Results During the study period (July 2010–November 2012), 2,811 patients were implanted with ICD or CRTD. One-year follow-up data were available for 730 ICD patients and 453 CRTD patients. Patients with eGFR < 30 mL/minute/1.73 m2 (n = 54, 4.6%) were older, had a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, or ischemic heart disease. eGFR

Since the United States, the European Union, Japan, Canada, and a handful of other countries announced their participation in the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement negotiations in October 2007, the ACTA has been dogged by controversy. The negotiating process has operated largely below the public radar since its inception, yet each round of talks brings closer an agreement that could have a dramatic effect on laws worldwide.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly encountered arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation has significant implications in terms of morbidity and effects on quality of life, especially due to the risk of embolic phenomena and in particular embolic stroke that may have significant prognostic implications. The prevalence of AF increases with age and in patients with cardiac disease. Atrial fibrillation ablation is becoming a viable option and the number of procedures is on the rise in suitable patients. In this review we describe the rationale behind this procedure in terms of underlying mechanisms of AF, various techniques and risks vs. benefits in different patient groups. Whether atrial fibrillation ablation, should be used as first line therapy is still controversial. In addition, it should be remembered that even after a presumably successful ablation, it is not an indication to stop anticoagulation therapy. Anticoagulation should be maintained if appropriate guideline indications exist. e

Background: Renal dysfunction is associated with increased mortality in heart failure (HF) patients. However, there are limited data regarding clinical and arrhythmic outcomes associated with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy in this population. Methods: We evaluated outcomes associated with the severity of renal dysfunction with or without dialysis among 2,289 patients who were enrolled and prospectively followed up in the Israeli ICD Registry. The primary endpoint of the study was all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints included cardiac mortality, HF hospitalization, non-cardiac hospitalization, and appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapy. Results: Severe renal dysfunction patients (estimated glomerular filtration rate 2; n = 144 patients; 6%) were older, with higher comorbidities prevalence, and more likely to suffer from advanced HF. Among severe renal dysfunction patients, those on dialysis had a lower prevalence of wide QRS and complete left bundle branch morphology, resulting in lower cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRTD) implantation rates. Dialysis was associated with an overall increased risk for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR) 3.22; 95% CI 1.69-6.13; p < 0.01) and for noncardiac hospitalizations (HR 2.80; p < 0.001) compared to all other study patients. However, within the subgroup of patients with severe renal dysfunction, the presence of dialysis was not an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (HR 0.99; p = 0.97) as compared to non-dialysis. The rate of appropriate ICD therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias increased with declining renal function, with the highest rate observed among those undergoing dialysis. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that dialysis does not significantly modify the adverse outcomes associated with severe renal dysfunction following ICD/CRTD implantation.

Although ICD therapy is seen as an irrevocable mode of therapy in most patients, a small number of patients do have their devices permanently explanted. The long-term outcome in these patients has not been described. The purpose of this single center study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of patients whose ICD was explanted and not replaced and to propose clinical variables that can be considered when making the decision to discontinue therapy. Ten of 323 (3.1%) patients in our ICD registry had their devices permanently explanted or turned off between 1986 and December 1998. The devices had been in place for 39 +/- 31 months preexplant. No patient had received appropriate therapy prior to surgery, which was indicated for infection or lead fracture. All patients are alive and well 75 +/- 30 months postexplant with 1 (10%) patient requiring late reimplantation. We reviewed the English language literature describing ICD explanation without replacement. A total of 151 patients were reported in eight studies and were followed for up to 30 months postexplant. Excluding patients with terminal illness or heart transplantation 57.6% survived without reimplantation. In selected patients, after not using an ICD for a long period and when clinical circumstances justify, device therapy may be discontinued with some degree of safety.

Limited prospective data are available regarding the influence of pacemaker leads on tricuspid valve function. To examine the true incidence of these complications, 35 patients were prospectively examined by two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography before and after implantation of either a permanent pacemaker or an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Of the 35 patients imaged preoperatively, the amount of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) was judged as normal or trivial in 15 (43%), mild in 10 (29%), moderate in 8 (23%), and severe in 2 (6%). Following electrode implantation, TR was noted to be normal or trivial in 13 (38%), mild in 15 (48%), moderate in 6 (17%) and severe in 1 (3%). We conclude that implantation of permanent right ventricular electrodes is not usually associated with an acute worsening of tricuspid regurgitation in most patients.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduce mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and left ventricular dysfunction. However, their efficacy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is controversial.We examined the association between renal dysfunction and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing ICD and CRT defibrillator (CRTD) implantation.Data were collected from the Israeli ICD registry. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at implantation was assessed using the modification of diet in renal disease formula. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included the composite endpoints of death or HF and death or ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation [VT/VF]); any hospitalizations; first appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapy.During the study period (July 2010-November 2012), 2,811 patients were implanted with ICD or CRTD. One-year follow-up data were available for 730 ICD patients and 453 CRTD patients. Patients with eGFR30 mL/minute/1.73 m(2) (n = 54, 4.6%) were older, had a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, or ischemic heart disease. eGFR30 mL/minute/1.73 m(2) was associated with increased mortality risk in ICD (HR 5.4; 95% CI 1.5-19.2), but not in CRTD patients (HR 0.9; 95% CI 0.1-7.5). Renal dysfunction was associated with the composite endpoints of death or HF and death or VT/VF in ICD, but not in CRTD patients. Mean eGFR during follow-up decreased by 8.0 ± 4.3 mL/minute/1.73 m(2) in ICD patients (P = 0.06) and by 1.8 ± 1.3 mL/minute/1.73 m(2) in patients with CRTD (P = 0.2).Based on this retrospective analysis, CKD is associated with adverse prognosis after ICD implantation, but not after CRTD implantation. GFR decreased in patients with ICD, but not in CRTD patients.

Background Defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing during placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) has been considered mandatory. Accumulating data suggest a more limited role for DFT. Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of ICD recipients who underwent DFT testing compared with those who did not. Methods In this prospective cohort analysis of patients who received an ICD between July 2010 and March 2013, we compared patients who underwent DFT testing and those who did not. Primary end-points were death and malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Secondary end-points included the composite end-points and inappropriate ICD discharges. Results Of the 3596 patients in the registry, 614 patients (17%) underwent DFT testing during ICD placement vs 2982 (83%) who did not. Variables associated with ICD testing were implantation for secondary prevention (relative risk [RR] 1.87), prior ventricular arrhythmias (RR 1.81), use of antiarrhythmic medication (RR 1.59), and sinus rhythm (RR 2.05). Factors predisposing against testing were cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator implantation (RR 0.56) and concomitant diuretic use (RR 0.71). ICD testing was not associated with 1-year mortality (5.3% vs 5.1%, P = .74), delivery of appropriate shocks (8.6% vs 5.6%, P = .16), combined outcomes of ventricular arrhythmias and death (12.9% vs 11.3%, P = .45), or inappropriate ICD discharges (3.9% vs 2.1%, P = .2) compared to no DFT testing. Conclusion No significant differences in the incidence of mortality, malignant ventricular arrhythmias, or inappropriate ICD discharges were observed between patients who underwent DFT testing compared to those who did not. Our results may support avoiding DFT testing during ICD placement, but this requires confirmation by additional prospective studies.

Introduction by Michael Geist Standard of Review and the Courts 1. Of Reasonableness, Fairness and the Public Interest: Judicial Review of Copyright Board Decisions in Canada's Copyright Pentalogy - Graham Reynolds 2. Courts and Copyright: Some Thoughts on Standard of Review - Paul Daly 3. The Context of the Supreme Court's Copyright Cases - Margaret Ann Wilkinson Fair Dealing 4. Fair Use 2.0: The Rebirth of Fair Dealing in Canada - Ariel Katz 5. Fairness Found: How Canada Quietly Shifted from Fair Dealing to Fair Use - Michael Geist 6. The Arithmetic of Fair Dealing at the Supreme Court of Canada - Giuseppina D'Agostino 7. Fair Dealing Practices in the Post-Secondary Education Sector after the Pentalogy - Samuel E. Trosow 8. Fairness of Use: Different Journeys - Meera Nair Technological Neutrality 9. Technological Neutrality: (Pre)Serving the Purposes of Copyright Law - Carys J. Craig 10. Technological Neutrality in Canadian Copyright Law - Gregory R. Hagen Copyright Collective Management 11. Copyright Royalty Stacking - Jeremy de Beer 12. The Internet Taxi: Collective Management of Copyright and the Making Available Right, after the Pentalogy - Daniel Gervais The Scope of Copyright 13. Righting a Right: Entertainment Software Association v. SOCAN and the Exclusive Rights of Copyright for Works - Elizabeth F. Judge 14. Acknowledging Copyright's Illegitimate Offspring: User-Generated Content and Canadian Copyright Law - Teresa Scassa

The combination of diagnostic angiography and angioplasty as a single procedure is becoming common practice in many institutions, but the feasibility and safety of this strategy have not been reported. This report describes 2,069 patients who underwent coronary angioplasty over a 3-year period at an institution where combined angiography and angioplasty is the norm. All patients were prepared before angiography for potential immediate angioplasty. In 1,719 patients, angioplasty was performed immediately after the diagnostic angiogram, while separate procedures were performed in 350 patients. Of those 350 patients, 254 were referred for angioplasty after diagnostic angiography at other hospitals. One thousand one hundred ninety-seven patients were admitted electively for treatment of stable angina pectoris, and 872 underwent procedures during hospitalization for unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction. One thousand nine hundred seven patients (92.2%) had successful angioplasties; in 130 patients (6.3%) the lesion could not be dilated, but no complication occurred, and in 32 patients (1.5%) angioplasty ended with a major complication (0.8% death, 1.0% Q-wave myocardial infarction, 0.5% emergency coronary artery bypass surgery). There was no difference between the combined and staged groups with regard to success, major and minor complication rates or in length of hospitalization after angioplasty. We conclude that routine combined strategy for angiography and angioplasty is feasible, safe, easier for the patient, and more cost-effective than 2 separate procedures.

The implantable loop recorder (ILR) is an important tool for the evaluation of unexplained syncope, particularly in cases of rarely occurring arrhythmia.To review the clinical experience of two Israeli medical centers with the ILR.We reviewed the medical records of patients with unexplained syncope evaluated with the ILR at Rabin Medical Center (2006-2010) and Wolfson Medical Center (2000-2009).The study group included 75 patients (44 males) followed for 11.9 +/- 9.5 months after ILR implantation. Patients' mean age was 64 +/- 20 years. The ILR identified an arrhythmic mechanism of syncope in 20 patients (17 bradyarrhythmias, 3 tachyarrhythmias) and excluded arrhythmias in 12, for a diagnostic yield of 42.7%. It was not diagnostic in 17 patients (22.7%) at the time of explant; 26 patients (34.7%) were still in follow-up. In two patients ILR results that were initially negative were reversed by later ILR tracings. The patients with bradyarrhythmias included 9 of 16 (56.3%) with surface electrocardiogram conduction disturbances and 2 of 12 (16.7%) with negative findings on carotid sinus massage. All bradyarrhythmic patients received pacemakers; the seven patients for whom post-intervention data were available had no or mild symptoms.The ILR has a high diagnostic yield. Pre-ILR findings correlating with the ILR results are conduction disturbances (positive predictor of arrhythmia) and negative carotid sinus massage results (negative predictor of arrhythmia). Proper patient instruction is necessary to obtain accurate results. Caution is advised when excluding an arrhythmia on the basis of ILR tracings, and long-term follow-up is warranted.

LinkWay S2 , the mesh IP satellite communications system for the Army's Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) and Marine's Support Wide Area Network (SWAN) program, has proven itself over the last decade to be the fastest and most flexible mesh MF-TDMA modem available. Traditionally utilized predominantly in fixed or At-The Halt (ATH) applications, new improvements in the LinkWay S2 waveform make ground-mobile and even airborne mesh communications using LinkWay S2 possible. High-speed mesh communications with a manned ISR aircraft was demonstrated in a mesh MF-TDMA network which combined At-the-Halt (ATH), ground mobile, and an airborne SATCOM terminal in a single, hubless tactical LinkWay S2 meshed IP network. In two separate exercises using the LinkWay S2 mesh MF-TDMA modem, high-definition (HD), high-speed ISR video was transmitted from a King Air manned ISR aircraft to 2.4m aperture ATH terminals while the aircraft simultaneously participated in IP video teleconferences (VTCs) with the ATH terminals. Operating on a 10 Msps Mesh TDMA carrier, ISR HD video rates exceeding 6 Mbps, and VTC rates exceeding 1 Mbps, were transmitted and received without error while the aircraft performed evasive maneuvers at airspeed in excess of 230 mph. The ground mobile SATCOM terminals communicated with the ATH terminals simultaneous with the airborne terminal operation, and, for the first time, direct mesh communication between an airborne terminal and a ground mobile terminal. These exercises were the first demonstrations of airborne mesh satellite communications, achieved the highest speed TDMA operation from any mobile terminal (10 Msps) to date, and are the first networks to combine airborne and ground mobile terminals is a single mesh MF-TDMA network. These exercises conclusively demonstrate that high-speed mesh satellite communications-on-the-move (COTM) is possible using LinkWay S2 without requiring a large hub infrastructure and is being deployed today.

LinkWay S2 ™, the mesh IP satellite communication modem system for the U.S. Department of Defense, has proven itself over many years of fielded service to be the most flexible and capable mesh multi-frequency time-division multiple access (MF-TDMA) modem available for net-centric warfare. LinkWay S2 is currently used in the Army's Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) program, the Marine's Support Wide Area Network (SWAN) program and a number of other government programs. The latest development in the LinkWay S2 system take the IP network platform to a new level of performance, with improvements in efficiency, data handling capacity, and security, bringing even more capability to LinkWay S2 -based SATCOM terminals. This paper discusses the history of LinkWay and how development has led to the latest improvements to the LinkWay S2 system and their positive implications for the warfighter. These improvements include, for example, a new turbo coded TDMA waveform, doubling the TDMA maximum symbol rate to 10Msps; 8PSK modulation for even higher speed TDMA; pseudo-spread BPSK waveform for mobile and/or disadvantaged terminals, configurable modulation and coding on a per-link basis; embedded TRANSEC; integrated DVB-S2 receiver; increased IP packet processing capability; and enhanced IP QoS. In addition, the overall system architecture has been improved with a new network control server supporting automatic geographic redundancy. Also discussed are recent communications on-the-move (OTM) demonstrations and future enhancements including a further-developed communications on-the-move (OTM) capability through the implementation of a spread spectrum waveform, and even higher data rate handling with improved hardware.

Patients with malignant refractory ventricular arrhythmias present a unique therapeutic challenge. In recent years, this challenge has become even more complex due to the wide spread use of implantable cardiac defibrillators. If, in the past, a majority of the patients succumbed due to these arrhythmias, today, due to the defibrillators, they survive and then need further treatment. The defibrillators treat the arrhythmias when they occur but in most cases do not prevent their initiation. In many cases we need to resort to other modalities. We present three patients who exemplify various options of dealing with this complex issue.

In crafting new paradigms to balance the often competing demands of technological advancement and privacy, it is critical to treat the issue from an international perspective. Differences in politics, culture and even views regarding the benefits of certain technological advances argue against the creation of a truly universal paradigm. Using the differing treatment of individual privacy and service provider liability as analytical paradigms, this article contends that the lack of international standards at this time might not be so problematic as appears at first glance. Regulation before a particular technology is understood can result in over- or under- protection of privacy rights. Moreover, the present lack of international standards allows for greater experimentation in crafting acceptable boundaries in privacy protection, including, critically, focusing on greater consumer awareness of the intersections between technology and privacy. The international implications of the intersections between technology and privacy will only continue to grow. Part of the solution is to begin to create an international dialogue with a goal to establishing a middle ground and to include multinational organizations as part of the dialogue.

Fair.com? reviews all 3094 ICANN Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) decided through July 7, 2001 finding that that the allocation of cases may be unfairly biased toward trademark holders. It arrives at that conclusion based on three key findings. First, forum shopping has become an integral part of the UDRP. ICANN delegates the administration of the UDRP to four dispute resolution providers. Each provider maintains a roster of panelists who serve as judges in deciding the disputes. Complainants, who are invariably trademark holders, have the right to select which provider will handle their case. Track records of the various providers are a matter of public record and show that 90% of complainants rationally choose the two providers who feature panelists that render the most pro-complainant decisions. Second, there is a correlation between the selection of panelists and case outcome. UDRP cases are decided by either single or three-member panels. Single member panels feature one judge chosen exclusively by the arbitration provider. Three-member panels contain three judges selected by both the complainant and the respondent. This is significant since data shows that when providers control who decides a case, complainants win just over 83 percent of the time. As provider influence over panelists diminishes, such as in three-member panel cases, the complainant winning percentage drops to 60 percent. In an attempt to explain this, the study arrives at the third key finding - the higher winning percentage in single member panel cases may stem from provider bias toward ensuring that pro-complainant panelists decide the majority of cases. Although the allocation of cases is supposed to be random, the study finds that this may not be the case. For example, the National Arbitration Forum, one of the larger dispute resolution providers, has 135 panelists. However, 53 percent of its single panel cases are decided by only six of them. Those six panelists rule in favour of complainants 94 percent of the time. The article concludes that the solution to the forum shopping issue, and with it the concerns about bias and inconsistency within the UDRP, is surprisingly simple -- all contested UDRP actions should involve three-member panels. Establishing the three-member panel as the default would remove most provider influence over panelist selection and ensure better quality decisions by forcing panelists to justify their reasoning to their colleagues on the panel. As with the current system, both parties would play a role in selecting one panelist, who may be part of any ICANN-accredited providers' roster, while the provider would select the third panelist from among a list that both parties have reviewed and accepted.

If one were to ask the average physician to name imminent policy reforms relevant to the medical profession, copyright law is not among those topics most likely to leap to mind. This may soon change: the Canadian government is contemplating dramatic copyright reforms that could have a detrimental

A significant percentage of patients in need of a permanent pacemaker are older than 80 years. The implantation policy may be determined either by the patient's physical activity or by chronologic age. The trend in pacemaker implantation in patients over 80 during the last 10 years in our institution was evaluated and compared with the trend in the patients younger than 80 at the time of implantation. Of 519 patients who had primary pacemaker implantation, 152 (29%) were older than 80 at the time of the procedure. Another 189 patients had second implantation procedures, and 80% of them were older than 80 years. Complete atrioventricular block was the indication for pacing in 44 Â+/- 11% and sick sinus syndrome in 25 Â+/- 7%. The tendency to implant dual-chamber pacemakers increased from 0% during 1985 to 76% in 1994, including 69% DDD and 31% DDDR, but the transition was faster in the younger group. By 1994, there was no difference in the incidence of advanced pacing systems in the 2 age groups. During 1985, only VVI pacemakers were replaced, and during 1994, less than 10% were replaced with simple ventricular pacing units. Pacing system upgrading was frequent during the second half of the decade. The success and complication rate of implantation did not differ in the 2 groups.

The role of plasma lipoproteins in the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis has been well defined. 1 Restenosis after coronary angioplasty is often described as a form of accelerated atherosclerosis due to phenotypic modification and proliferation of medial muscle myocytes. 2 A few recent studies investigated the role of lipoproteins in restenosis, but the results were conflicting. 3–5 Modification of lipoprotein profile can halt the progression and even induce regression of coronary atherosclerosis 6,7 ; whether it can also decrease the rate of restenosis is not clear. In this investigation, we examined the effect of the different lipoprotein fractions on the development of restenosis, using the absolute and relative amounts of late loss of luminal diameter as a continuous measure of restenosis.

From a database of 130 implantable cardiac defibrillator recipients, 2 patients (1.5%) with sudden cardiac death as a presenting symptom, leading to diagnosis of primary hyperaldosteronism, are described. This is a newly described cause of sudden cardiac death, possibly more frequent than suspected, which should be considered in patients with malignant arrhythmias and hypokalemia.

The mechanism of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is still debated. Two different theories have been proposed: direct cardiac compression versus intrathoracic pressure. A patient with dilated right cardiac chambers, who underwent a transesophageal echocardiography study during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is reported. The direct compression mechanism was clearly demonstrated.

This report describes two patients with the combination of a coronary artery fistula from the left anterior descending artery (LAD) to the pulmonary artery together with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

A study of impacts of forest harvest on volcanic ash soils was conducted on three National Forests in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon and Washington. Surface soil conditions were assessed in 11 forest harvest units; sampling employed a randomly positioned grid of randomly oriented line transects. In addition, air permeameter readings were tested in seven units for correlation with bulk density values obtained from core samples. Most of the detrimental soil conditions detected were attributable to compaction. Displacement, although readily apparent during harvest or slash piling with ground-based equipment, was nearly undetected by the methods used on these units, which ranged from 14 to 23 yr old. Detrimental compaction averaged 28 or 19% of the harvest unit area when defined as either a 15 or 20% increase in bulk density, respectively. Area percentages included skid trails and landings but not the transportation system. Statistical tests showed that either 5 or 3 of the 11 units exceeded 20% area in detrimental condition, depending on degree of bulk density increase used to define detrimental compaction. Several other units were borderline in exceeding 20% of the area. Given slow recovery from compaction, there is potential for additional area to be adversely impacted by future entries. Air permeameter readings were poorly correlated with bulk density assessments, even though six of seven correlations were statistically significant. Less than 12% of the total variability was accounted for by regression analyses. The air permeameter does not appear to be accurate enough to measure compaction in volcanic ash soils.

Methods of assessing the N fertility status of ash soils and their relationship to plant parameters were studied in the greenhouse. Soils were collected from forested areas in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon. Highly significant regression relationships were obtained between soil N supply and N uptake of orchardgrass tops (R² = 0.97) or top yield (R² = 0.80) with responding ash soils. A polynomial regression model provided for organic, mineral, and fertilizer N supply sources. Soil organic N supply had a significant influence on plant performance over both narrow and broad ranges of fertilizer addition.