Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is now considered routine in IVF laboratories with micromanipulation capability and access to genetic diagnostic services. The past two decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of PGD, the number of cycles performed, and the indications for which PGD has been used. This increase has been mirrored by a slow, but steady, increase in the range o...

Introduction: The portfolio can be seen as a tool for assessmentof a variety of learning activities that differ in content, usage, andassessment. The portfolio not only meets the learner’s educationalneeds but also the political and public reassurance demand thatthe health professional has achieved the required competency ofthe curriculum that allows him or her to practice safely with orwithout...

Contrasting effects of temperature and winter mixing on the seasonal and inter-annual variability of the carbonate system in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean C. Dumousseaud, E. P. Achterberg, T. Tyrrell, A. Charalampopoulou, U. Schuster, M. Hartman, and D. J. Hydes National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK School of Environmental Science, Unive...

Recently, it was reported that the relationship of the Indian southwest monsoon rainfall with El Niño– Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has weakened since around 1980. Here, it is reported that in contrast, the relationship between ENSO and the northeast monsoon (NEM) in south peninsular India and Sri Lanka from October to December has not weakened. The mean circulation associated with ENSO over thi...

The relationship between alder (Alnus japonica) distribution and surrounding land use in Kushiro Mire was spatially assessed using remotely sensed imagery. From the result, it was found out that the expanding area of alder trees in Kushiro Mire was affected by the agricultural land area in the upper course of the river basin and flooding in the lower course of the river. The soil sediments flow...

Failures in national and international infrastructures have causes that stretch well beyond the specific events that trigger an accident or incident. The following pages argue that these latent causes can be traced back through the decisions of local management teams to higher-levels of public policy. For example, the 2003 blackout of areas in Canada and the USA was triggered by ‘flash overs’ t...

Since broadband network connections are becoming ubiquitous, people expect access to multimedia content anywhere anytime. This new demand results in a need to create and develop new, powerful devices for multimedia consumption. The new devices, each having their set of network and terminal capabilities, allow transparent access to multimedia and therefore open the path to transparent mobility o...