Search

The papers in this special issue were submitted to all the conferences organized by IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society (TEMS) in a given calendar year. In 2017, IEEE TEMS initiated its flagship conference TEMSCON (held in Silicon Valley), which serves as rebranding from its original International Technology Management Conferences (ITMC). Following that, in 2018, two more conferences were initiated globally, one in Asia known as IEEE TEMS International Symposium on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ISIE), and one in Europe as IEEE TEMS International Conference on Technology and Entrepreneurship (ICTE). For this special issue, we invited authors attending any of the three aforementioned conferences in 2018 to submit full manuscripts for reviews, and the present special issue with eleven papers is the result of a careful selection following our usual rigid double-blinded peer-review process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the Brazilian scientific production about acupuncture in dentistry, outlining the profile of the works about the subject presented at the Meetings of the Brazilian Society of Dental Research (SBPqO). It was a cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, based on secondary data. An analysis of all abstracts presented in the last ten SBPqO Meetings (2009-2018) published in the annals of the event was carried out. For the research the location of the term "acupuntura" or "acupuncture" among the abstracts was realized and the following information was collected: type of institution that carried out the research (public or private), Brazilian region where it was realized, area or specialty of dentistry and whether it involved humans or animals. Of the 26,514 dental research abstracts published in the annals, only 27 papers were experimental studies or systematic reviews about the subject. Of the total, 23 (85.2%) were developed in public institutions, 15 (55.6%) did not receive financial support 20 (74.1%) were carried out in humans and 13 (48.2%) were developed in the Southeast region. Regarding the dental specialty, the majority (70.4%) investigated acupuncture in "Temporomandibular Dysfunction and Orofacial Pain". Therefore, it can be concluded that few acupuncture studies in dentistry have been developed in the last ten years in Brazil, according to the papers presented at the SBPqO Meetings. Thus, it is suggested that research on the subject be carried out and widely disseminated between the academic and professional milieu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to review the perceptions of the Southeast European countries toward the NPT and TPNW and identify the main determinants of their disarmament policies. It analyzes official statements of the Southeast European states during the NPT preparatory meetings and review conferences, and their positions in various stages of the TPNW development, to bring out a position of a certain country toward the NPT and TPNW and then dive into analysis of the determinants of the outcomes. The paper contributes to the deeper understanding of the disarmament policy choices of the Southeast European states, thus also contributing to the assessment of possible changes in their positions regarding the nuclear weapons ban. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meeting was hosted by St George's Hospital, London 13th–15th September 2023 at the Twickenham Conference and Events Centre, London. The full abstracts of the platform presentations are followed by the titles of those submissions accepted as short orals and e-posters. The order of abstracts is that of presentation. Any papers in the programme that were not presented to the society at the meeting have not been published. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most cardiac imaging conferences have adopted social media as a means of disseminating conference highlights to a global audience well beyond the confines of the conference location. A deliberate and thoughtful social media campaign has the potential to increase the reach of the conference and allow for augmented engagement. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered a radical transformation in not just the delivery of healthcare but also the dissemination of science within the medical community. In the past, in-person medical conferences were an integral annual tradition for most medical professionals to stay up to date with the latest in the field. Social distancing requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in either cancelling medical conferences or shifting to a virtual format. Following suit, for the first time in its history, the 2021 Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) annual meeting was an all-virtual event. This called for a modified social media strategy which aimed to re-create the sociability of an in-person conference whilst also promoting global dissemination of the science being presented. This paper describes the employment of social media as well as the evolution through the SCMR scientific sessions for 2020 and 2021 that serves as a model for future cardiovascular conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 41st IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science (ICOPS14) and the 20th IEEE International Conference on High-Power Particle Beams (Beams14) combined for the first time in 2014 as the IEEE ICOPS/Beams meeting. This scientific meeting took place from May 25 to May 29, 2014, in Washington, DC, at the historical Marriott Wardman Park hotel in Northwest DC. Participation included a broad range of scientific attendance, with a total of 566 researchers from 36 countries, with scientists from China, Russia, and Japan making the largest contribution to the international contingent. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: The objective of this paper is to outline the updated methodological approach for conducting a JBI mixed methods systematic review with a focus on data synthesis, specifically, methods related to how data are combined and the overall integration of the quantitative and qualitative evidence. Introduction: Mixed methods systematic reviews provide a more complete basis for complex decision-making than that currently offered by single method reviews, thereby maximizing their usefulness to clinical and policy decision-makers. Although mixed methods systematic reviews are gaining traction, guidance regarding the methodology of combining quantitative and qualitative data is limited. In 2014, the JBI Mixed Methods Review Methodology Group developed guidance formixedmethods systematic reviews; however, since the introduction of this guidance, there have been significant developments in mixed methods synthesis. As such, the methodology group recognized the need to revise the guidance to align it with the current state of knowledge on evidence synthesis methodology. Methods: Between 2015 and 2019, the JBI Mixed Methods Review Methodology Group undertook an extensive review of the literature, held annual face-to-face meetings (which were supplemented by teleconferences and regular email correspondence), sought advice from experts in the field, and presented at scientific conferences. This process led to the development of guidance in the form of a chapter in the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis, the official guidance for conducting JBI systematic reviews. In 2019, the guidance was ratified by the JBI International Scientific Committee. Results: The updated JBI methodological guidance for conducting a mixed methods systematic review recommends that reviewers take a convergent approach to synthesis and integration whereby the specific method utilized is dependent on the nature/type of questions that are posed in the systematic review. The JBI guidance is primarily based on Hong et al. and Sandelowski's typology on mixed methods systematic reviews. If the review question can be addressed by both quantitative and qualitative research designs, the convergent integrated approach should be followed, which involves data transformation and allows reviewers to combine quantitative and qualitative data. If the focus of the review is on different aspects or dimensions of a particular phenomenon of interest, the convergent segregated approach is undertaken, which involves independent synthesis of quantitative and qualitative data leading to the generation of quantitative and qualitative evidence, which are then integrated together. Conclusions: The updated guidance on JBI mixed methods systematic reviews provides foundational work to a rapidly evolving methodology and aligns with other seminal work undertaken in the field of mixed methods synthesis. Limitations to the current guidance are acknowledged, and a series of methodological projects identified by the JBI Mixed Methods Review Methodology Group to further refine the methodology are proposed. Mixed methods reviews offer an innovative framework for generating unique insights related to the complexities associated with health care quality and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the challenges posed for the ongoing implementation of multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARACs) for police forces in England and Wales during the 2020 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: This is rapid response research involving qualitative methods primarily online semi-structured interviewing with a sample of police domestic abuse leads in England and Wales. Findings: The findings point to increased use of virtual platforms particularly for MARACs and that this has beneficial consequences both for the police and in their view also for victim-survivors. Research limitations/implications: The findings reported here are from policing domestic abuse leads. More work needs to be done to explore the value of engaging in virtual MARACs for all the agencies concerned but also whether MARACs continue to be the best way to ensure the victim-survivor is kept in view. Practical implications: The use of virtual platforms carries a range of practice implications for the future of MARACs for the foreseeable future. These range from ensuring attendance of the appropriate agencies to the range and frequency of meetings, to infrastructural support for all agencies to engage. Originality/value: This is an original study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council examining police and court responses to domestic abuse during the covid-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this paper is to describe the updated methodological guidance for conducting a JBI scoping review, with a focus on new updates to the approach and development of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (the PRISMA-ScR). Introduction: Scoping reviews are an increasingly common approach to informing decision-making and research based on the identification and examination of the literature on a given topic or issue. Scoping reviews draw on evidence from any research methodology and may also include evidence from non-research sources, such as policy. In this manner, scoping reviews provide a comprehensive overview to address broader review questions than traditionally more specific systematic reviews of effectiveness or qualitative evidence. The increasing popularity of scoping reviews has been accompanied by the development of a reporting guideline: the PRISMA-ScR. In 2014, the JBI Scoping Review Methodology Group developed guidance for scoping reviews that received minor updates in 2017 and was most recently updated in 2020. The updates reflect ongoing and substantial developments in approaches to scoping review conduct and reporting. As such, the JBI Scoping Review Methodology Group recognized the need to revise the guidance to align with the current state of knowledge and reporting standards in evidence synthesis. Methods: Between 2015 and 2020, the JBI Scoping Review Methodology Group expanded its membership; extensively reviewed the literature; engaged via annual face-to-face meetings, regular teleconferences, and email correspondence; sought advice from methodological experts; facilitated workshops; and presented at scientific conferences. This process led to updated guidance for scoping reviews published in the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. The updated chapter was endorsed by JBI's International Scientific Committee in 2020. Results: The updated JBI guidance for scoping reviews includes additional guidance on several methodological issues,such as whena scoping reviewis (or is not) appropriate, and howto extract, analyze, and present results, and provides clarification for implications for practice and research. Furthermore, it is aligned with the PRISMA-ScR to ensure consistent reporting. Conclusions: The latest JBI guidance for scoping reviews provides up-to-date guidance that can be used by authors when conducting a scoping review. Furthermore, it aligns with the PRISMA-ScR, which can be used to report the conduct of a scoping review. A series of ongoing and future methodological projects identified by the JBI Scoping Review Methodology Group to further refine the methodology are planned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 15th International NETTAB workshop and the 11th Integrative Bioinformatics Symposium were held together in Bari, on October 14-16, 2016, as Joint NETTAB/IB 2015 Meeting. A special topic for the meeting was "Bioinformatics for ncRNA", but the traditional topics of both meetings series were also included in the event. About 60 scientific contributions were presented, including six keynote lectures, one special guest lecture, and many oral communications and posters. A "Two-Day Hands-on Tutorial" event was organised before the workshop. Selected full papers from some of the best works presented in Bari were submitted either to the Journal of Integrative Bioinformatics or to a purpose Call for a Supplement of BMC Bioinformatics. Here, we provide an overview of meeting aims and scope. We also shortly introduce selected papers that have been either accepted for publication in this Supplement or published in the Journal of Integrative Bioinformatics, for a more complete presentation of the outcomes of the meeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personality and its assessment are growth areas in the psychological literature and are important in applied practice. In the decades since personality reemerged as a viable scientific construct following the person-situation debate, we have learned much about the nature and full breadth of personality traits as well as refined methods for the assessment of personality characteristics. Indeed, the personality assessment literature currently is vibrant and now intersects with numerous other disciplines, including traditional psychometrics, developmental psychology and psychopathology, clinical psychology, neuroscience, industrial-organizational psychology, and educational and social psychology. This growth in the personality assessment literature inspired us to organize an expert meeting on personality assessment. This 2-day event-which was held in Oostduinkerke (Belgium) in September 2016-brought together junior and senior personality assessment researchers as well as a number of methodologists from around the world and focused on sharing modern viewpoints on personality assessment from a wide diversity of perspectives. Following the meeting, we envisioned this special issue, including papers from meeting attendees addressing topics that emerged from the discussion sessions and are the result of fruitful and often new collaborations. Although the papers were invited, all were subjected to critical peer review and underwent revisions prior to their publication here. In what follows, the overall rationale for the present special issue and the connection between the different papers will be outlined from an integrative perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a personal reflection on the founding of positive psychology. A researcher of subjective well-being for 20 years before the advent of positive psychology, Ed Diener was well positioned to understand how professional acceptance of positive topics changed over time. He describes the impact that Martin Seligman had on the field. Diener provides a description of the early positive psychology initiatives, and includes several personal anecdotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to summarize the outcomes of the Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) conference held in Warsaw in February 2016. The main aim of this conference was to facilitate a discussion on European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines implementation across the region and neighbouring countries and to present the current obstacles in benchmarking HIV care in Europe. Methods During a 2-day meeting, there were country-based presentations using a predefined template so as to make the data comparable and focus the discussion. Areas covered were country epidemiology, surveillance, national strategy for treatment and prevention, standards of care, access to care and treatment availability. Each participant filled in a questionnaire investigating HIV guidelines usage per country. Results In total, 16 Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and neighbouring countries were represented at the conference: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Turkey. EACS guidelines version 7.1 were used in 14 (87%) countries. In 11 (69%) countries, national guidelines were available, of which eight had been recently updated. Half of the countries declared that they use World Health Organization (WHO) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, over one-third the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) HIV testing guidelines and one in five the International Antiviral Society USA (IAS-USA) Panel guidelines from 2012. Conclusions Participants declared their will to promote the widespread use of EACS guidelines for HIV infection in the CEE region and neighbouring countries by signing the Warsaw Declaration. They also emphasized the need to increase publishing of data from national cohorts in that region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The development of a nursing practice, improvements in nurses’ autonomy, and increased professional and personal responsibility for the medical services provided all require professional documentation with records of health status assessments, decisions undertaken, actions and their outcomes for each patient. The International Classification for Nursing Practice is a tool that meets all of these needs, and although it requires continuous evaluation, it offers professional documentation and communication in the practitioner and researcher community. Aim: The aim of this paper is to present a theoretical critique of an issue related to policy and experience of the current situation in Polish nursing – especially of the efforts to standardize nursing practices through the introduction and development of the Classification in Poland. Discussion: Despite extensive promotion and training by International Council of Nurses members worldwide, there are still many countries where the Classification has not been implemented as a standard tool in healthcare facilities. Recently, a number of initiatives were undertaken in cooperation with the local and state authorities to disseminate the Classification in healthcare facilities. Conclusions: Thanks to intense efforts by the Polish Nurses Association and the International Council of Nurses Accredited Center for ICNP® Research & Development at the Medical University of Łódź, the Classification is known in Poland and has been tested at several centres. Nevertheless, an actual implementation that would allow for national and international interoperability requires strategic governmental decisions and close cooperation with information technology companies operating in the country. Implications for nursing & health policy: Discussing the barriers to the implementation of the Classification can improve understanding of it and its use. At a policy level, decision makers need to understand that use Classification in eHealth services and tools it is necessary to achieve interoperability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analize the content of the agreement adopted by the general meeting about exercising corporate action for liability against directors, according to LSC. Indeterminate agreements are repealed explaining the problems that could raise them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at a pre-conference workshops held October 1-14, 2015 during the World Association of Medical Editors conference at New Delhi, India. Topics include the role of the editor of the journal, rejection rate received of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal, and what kind of staff is needed for a journal. The workshops featured moderator, facilitators and speakers including Dr. Rod J. Rohrich, Aaron Weinstein, and Duncan MacRae.

Information about several papers discussed at the conference titled "Toward a Science of Consciousness" 2015 held at the University of Helsinki in Finland on June 9-13, 2015, is presented. Topics include metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and social science. The conference featured notable speakers including Basil Hiley, John Heil, and Alyssa Ney.

Do you teach physiology? Do you use best practices when you teach physiology? Have you ever thought about conducting educational research? Do you need collaborators to help with ideas for educational research or to expand your research populations? The American Physiological Society (APS) Teaching Section has developed a biennial Institute on Teaching and Learning (ITL) through the APS Conference Program to address these issues. The first institute was held in June 2014, and the second institute was held in June 2016. A Physiology Education Community of Practice (PECOP) was created to help connect the institute participants and other physiology educators and to share evidence-based teaching in physiology at all education levels. The 2018 APS ITL will be the next meeting to learn best practices, to share ideas with colleagues, and to find collaborators in improving the teaching of physiology for students. The meeting will include workshops modeling best practices, plenary talks about hot new issues in physiology and science education, and poster sessions and informal meals to discuss interests with colleagues. Even if one's primary responsibility is bench research or administration, the training from the institute will improve efficiency and effectiveness when teaching. The two prior ITLs (2014 and 2016) were highly evaluated by educators of both undergraduate and professional students who spent a week together emphasizing improvement in their teaching. This paper reports the outcomes of the 2016 ITL and encourages participation in the upcoming ITL in Madison, WI, June 18-22, 2018. Watch the APS Conference site for more information about the 2018 ITL (http://www.theaps.org/mm/Conferences/APS-Conferences). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes work presented at the Nordic Symposium on Digital Pathology 2014, Linköping, Sweden. Quick and seamless integration between input devices and the navigation of digital slides remains a key barrier for many pathologists to "go digital." To better understand this integration, three different input device implementations were compared in terms of time to diagnose, perceived workload and users' preferences. Six pathologists reviewed in total nine cases with a computer mouse, a 6 degrees-of-freedom (6DOF) navigator and a touchpad. The participants perceived significantly less workload (P < 0.05) with the computer mouse and the 6DOF navigator, than with the touchpad, while no effect of the input device used on the time to diagnose was observed. Five out of six pathologists preferred the 6DOF navigator, while the touchpad was the least preferred device. While digital slide navigation is often designed to mimic microscope interaction, the results of this study demonstrate that in order to minimize workload there is reason to let the digital interaction move beyond the familiar microscope tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the highlights of papers presented during the international conference on scholar Paul Kahle held in Turin, Italy from April 10-11, 2014. Topics mentioned include the importance and meaning of the term masora and Kahle's understanding and misunderstanding of the history of the Biblical text.

The extant research relates to what the Millennial generation prefers in their meetings and events. The focus of this paper is to compare the wants and needs of Millennials from five different continents to ascertain similarities and differences. This is the largest study ever done of Millennials with regard to meetings and events. While some differences were uncovered, it was found that Millennials are a very homogeneous group. Thus, event professionals can use similar strategies when targeting this group. However, it was also found that there were some differences in specific areas and event professionals would do well to ascertain their mix of attendees by national origin and then apply the most significant findings of the research at hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the environmental sustainability of the meetings, incentives, conventions, and events (MICE) industry. Topics discussed include the perception and attitude of attendees towards environmental issue, the paper-based survey during the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) held in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the sustainable practices such as water conservation, waste management, and beverage and food consumption.

As the flagship event of the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT), the IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (IEEE ISTAS) provides a multi-disciplinary platform for practitioners, researchers, engineers, policy makers, NGOs, technologists and social scientists. It provides a global forum for representatives from the public, private, education and research, and societal sectors, to collaborate, exchange experiences and good practices, and discuss social, cultural, economic, and ethical implications of current and emerging technologies. The level of emphasis placed on SSIT's five fields of interest (global development and humanitarian technology; ethics, human values and, technology; social inclusion; human society and future use of technology; and sustainable technology) reflects the priorities and activities of those whose papers and oral presentations were accepted in the scientific program of ISTAS 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of creating healthier work environments by providing healthy foods and beverages in worksite cafeterias, in on-site vending machines, and at meetings and conferences is drawing increasing attention. Large employers, federal and state governments, and hospital systems are significant purchasers and providers of food and beverages. The American Heart Association, federal government, and other organizations have created procurement standards to guide healthy purchasing by these entities. There is a need to review how procurement standards are currently implemented, to identify important minimum criteria for evaluating health and purchasing outcomes, and to recognize significant barriers and challenges to implementation, along with success stories. The purpose of this policy paper is to describe the role of food-and-beverage environment and procurement policy standards in creating healthier worksite environments; to review recently created national model standards; to identify elements across the standards that are important to consider for incorporation into policies; and to delineate issues to address as standards are implemented across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special Issue focuses on the field of dusty plasmas or also referred to as complex plasmas. Most of the papers were presented at the 8th International Conference on the Physics of Dusty Plasmas (8 ICPDP, ), which was hosted by Charles University and held in Prague, Czech Republic, on May 20–25, 2017. We would like to join the continuous tradition of special issues of the IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science from April 1994, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016 associated with the other most important triennial meeting for the community, the Workshop on the Physics of Dusty Plasmas. We believe that these two conferences and papers connected to them reflect the current state of the art and progress in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers in this special issue were presented at the 2020 IEEE International Conference on Applied Superconductivity and Electromagnetic Devices (ASEMD), the 6th in its series, that was held online during October 16 –18, 2020, as a virtual conference due to COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers in this special issue were presented at the 2019 IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility, Signal and Power Integrity that was held in New Orleans, LA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at the Third International Symposium titled "Phytophthora: Taxonomy, Genomics, Pathogenecity, Resistance and Disease Management" held at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) in Bengaluru, India on September 9-12, 2015, is presented. Topics discussed include the management of Phytophthora which is considered as a deadly plant pathogen. The symposium featured notable speakers including Sophien Kamoun, Monica Chandran and Andre Drenth.

This paper describes the 5th London-Innsbruck Colloquium on Status Epilepticus and Acute Seizures held in London on April 9–11 2015. It reviews the progress made in this field since 2007, when the first London-Innsbruck Colloquium was held, and the program of the 2015 meeting. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled “Status Epilepticus”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers in this special section were presented at two major EMC events in 2018. These include the 2018 Joint IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility and Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (APEMC) and the 2018 IEEE Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility, and Signal and Power Integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at the board meeting of the Colorado Field Ornithologists (CFO) held at the Center for Innovation and Creativity in Boulder, Colorado on April 18, 2015, is presented. Topics include Colorado Birds, CFO Field Trips, and Social Media Communications. The meeting featured notable speakers including David Gillilan, Larry Modesitt, and Christy Carello.

The papers in this special section were presented at the 2013 Advanced Semiconductor Conference (ASMC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fundamental Research Committee (FRC), founded in 1956 to organize regular symposia among pulp and paper scientists, has been aiming to widen access to their archival published proceedings. The FRC decided that it would be best to make their published work freely available on the web rather than continuing to offer CD versions for sale. They wanted to work together with an entity having experience with open access publishing. The FRC has selected BioResources as that entity, based on our 13-year record of open access service to the same branch of science and technology. BioResources is honored to take on this role and accordingly will henceforth prominently list the "Fundamental Research Symposia Archives" on our web page with links to the FRC content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IEEE International Magnetics Conference, Intermag Europe 2017, was held in Dublin, Ireland, from April 24–28, 2017. There were 1470 registrants from over 50 countries (including 45% from Europe, 37% from Asia, and 10% from the USA). A total of 2060 contributed digests were submitted, 73% of which were accepted, together with 96 invited digests. There were 56 oral sessions, 59 poster sessions, and eight special symposia covering the following topics: Magnetocaloric Materials: New Concepts for Energy Application; Smart City, Smart Living; Bio-Applied Magnetism; Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing of Magnets; When THz Meets X-rays: An Ultrafast View on Magnetism; Magnetic Micro- and Nano-Actuators and Robots; STT-MRAM: Toward Volume Production; and Spin-Dependent Phenomena in 2D Materials and van der Waals Heterostructures. A total of 654 papers were submitted, 425 of which were accepted for publication in this issue of the IEEE Transactions on Magnetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at the 2016 Spring European Materials Research Society Meeting held in Lille, France is presented. Topics discussed include the synthesis, characterization and processing of advanced materials in optoelectronic and magnetic devices. It notes the importance of research to improve the fundamental understanding of the development of materials solutions ith a reduced or completely eliminated critical content.

Information about several papers discussed at the Symposium BB held on May 2-6, 2016 in Lille, France, is presented. Topics discussed include effects of grain boundaries and interfaces on the diffusion and transport processes in nanomaterials, electronic structure of defects in nanostructures and evolution and properties of radiation defects in nanosize materials an heterostructures.

Information about several papers discussed at the Symposium K "Group IV Semiconductors Materials Research: Growth, Characterization and Applications to Electronics and Spintronics" held on May 2-6, 2016 in Lille, France, is presented. Topics discussed include nanostructured materials, thin and thick films and electronic and photovoltaic applications. The symposium featured notable speakers including Gudrun Kissinger, Sergio Pizzini and Leo Miglio.

As guest editors for the special section on the 2016 International Conference on Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (CS MANTECH), we are pleased to present the readership of IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing with a selection of papers developed from presentations made at this year’s conference. While semiconductor wafer volume is dominated by technologies based on silicon, compound semiconductor devices and integrated circuits are important for a range of applications and markets. Compound semiconductors have traditionally found use in technological areas demanding maximum performance, often for high speed or high frequency applications. Examples include high-speed wired, fiber, and point-to-point communications infrastructure, defense-related sensing and communications, and high-efficiency RF power amplifiers in consumer mobile wireless applications. However, recent trends have been eroding these traditional distinctions, with emerging applications such as power control and commercial wireless infrastructure being increasingly addressed using GaN and related materials, while ultra-low-power analog–and even future CMOS nodes for logic–embracing narrow-band gap III-V materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Welcome to this Transactions’ Mini-Special Issue, which contains expanded papers from the 2015 Asia–Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC2015), Nanjing, China, December 6–9, 2015. APMC2015 was co-sponsored by the Chinese Institute of Electronics Microwave Society and the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S), and was organized by Southeast University and the Nanjing University of Science and Technology. The purpose of this conference is to boost and promote IEEE MTT-S technical and educational activities as well as IEEE MTT-S international exchanges and collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The papers in this special issue were presented at the 13th International Conference on Inorganic Scintillators and their Applications that was held June 7?12 in Berkeley, CA, USA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Information about several papers discussed at a meeting hosted by the British regulatory body for veterinary surgeons Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Council that was held on March 3, 2016 is presented. Topics include guidance on renal transplantation in cats, governance reform of the RCVS and non-compliance with continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. The meeting featured speaker David Catlow, chairman of RCVS Standards Committee.

The papers in this special section were presented at the IEEE International Wireless Symposium (IWS), which was held in Shenzhen, China, from March 30th to April 1, 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]