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Suitable rootstock enhances apple tree resilience. In 2021, we studied "Buckeye Gala" apple (Malus domestica var. Buckeye Gala") on nine rootstocks with contrasting vigor in NS and BC, Canada. Rootstock effects on vigor, yield, and midday stem water potential were significant in BC. After sustained heat events, the large-dwarfing rootstocks Geneva 935, Geneva 4814, and Geneva 969 had lower ratio of sunburn fruits, resulting in higher projected damage-free yield. We discussed how higher stem water potential and larger canopy volume supported by vigorous rootstocks contributed to alleviate heat stress and improve apple resilience to global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing research on emotion recognition commonly uses mel spectrogram (MelSpec) and Geneva minimalistic acoustic parameter set (GeMAPS) as acoustic parameters to learn the audio features. MelSpec can represent the time-series variations of each frequency but cannot manage multiple types of audio features. On the other hand, GeMAPS can handle multiple audio features but fails to provide information on their time-series variations. Thus, this study proposes a speech emotion recognition model based on a multi-input deep neural network that simultaneously learns these two audio features. The proposed model comprises three parts, specifically, for learning MelSpec in image format, learning GeMAPS in vector format, and integrating them to predict the emotion. Additionally, a focal loss function is introduced to address the imbalanced data problem among the emotion classes. The results of the recognition experiments demonstrate weighted and unweighted accuracies of 0.6657 and 0.6149, respectively, which are higher than or comparable to those of the existing state-of-the-art methods. Overall, the proposed model significantly improves the recognition accuracy of the emotion "happiness", which has been difficult to identify in previous studies owing to limited data. Therefore, the proposed model can effectively recognize emotions from speech and can be applied for practical purposes with future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Milel ve Nihal is the property of Milel ve Nihal Journal for Studies of Beliefs, Culture & Mythology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The N uptake can affect kiwiberry yield and quality; however, the relationship between an increasing N dose and micronutrient accumulation in leaves and fruit is still to be elucidated. Interrelationships between essential nutrients are one of the most important issues in terms of effectiveness in plant mineral nutrition. A pattern in leaf nutrient accumulation throughout the growing period is required to indicate a suitable sampling time for the purpose of nutrient diagnostics and controlled plant feeding. The experiment was conducted on two commercially available cultivars of kiwiberry, 'Weiki' and 'Geneva', during the 2015–2016 growing seasons with an increasing soil N fertility (30–50–80 mg N kg−1 soil DW) to test the relationship between soil N level and leaf/fruit micronutrient concentration. The leaf Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn concentrations significantly increased with a higher N supply in 'Geneva', while in 'Weiki' only Mn increased. Leaf B, Fe, and Mn gradually increased throughout the growing season, while Cu decreased. Between mid-July and the beginning of August, the lowest fluctuations in the micronutrient contents were recorded. The effect of the growing season on leaf micronutrient accumulation was highly significant; except for Fe, significantly higher micronutrient levels were revealed in 2016. Compared to the leaves, the growing season effect was smaller in the case of fruit micronutrient concentrations. Irrespective of cultivar, the increase in N fertilization resulted in a higher fruit Mn concentration and was insignificant in the case of other micronutrients. The results indicate that the N dose may affect the accumulation of micronutrients within a certain range depending on the tissue type and the genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Born in Geneva in 1857, Albert Brun studied pharmacy before going on to mineralogy. He was a member of many scientific societies and carried out extensive research in mineralogy and volcanology alongside his career as a pharmacist. His numerous articles and other communications shed light both on his varied interests and the development of the Earth Sciences at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He was particularly interested in 'volcanic exhalations', the gasses released by volcanoes, and devoted much of his spare time to collecting and analyzing them. A large part of his collection of rocks and minerals is now housed in the Natural History Museum of Geneva. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GMS Journal for Medical Education is the property of German Medical Science Publishing House gGmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Geneva databases are a data resource covering the period 1800-1880 for the city of Geneva, and occasionally the canton of Geneva. The research team adopted an alphabetical sampling approach, collecting data on individuals whose surname begins with the letter B. The individuals and households belonging to this sample in six population censuses between 1816 and 1843 were digitised and linked. A second database collected marriage and divorce records for the period 1800-1880. A third collection of data included residence permits. All these sources were used for a massive reconstitution of families. This article presents the sources, the linking methods, the typologies used to code places and occupations, to study household structures and forms of solitude. Combined with qualitative information extracted from the archives of public administrations and the National Protestant Church, as well as from newspapers, these databases were used to study the transformation of a medium-sized European city, sociopolitical tensions embedded in demographic and social structures, and the impact of the immigrants who made the 'Calvinist Rome' a religiously mixed city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Levelized costs, economic impact multiplier and share of domestic impact are assessed for geothermal district heating. • Choosing the right share of geothermal heat in the district heating is crucial for levelized costs. • The choice of auxiliary heat strongly influences district heating's economic impacts. • Standalone geothermal systems have higher domestic economic impacts. • Integrating waste incineration heat often maximizes both competitiveness and economic impacts. Geothermal district heating could play an important role towards climate change mitigation, but its slow uptake implies that it is cost competitive only under specific sets of conditions, including drilling success and design of the district heating. Even in cases when geothermal district heating may be less cost competitive than other alternatives, expenditure that occurs during its development brings indirect economic impact that could also benefit domestic economy. Using the case study of the State of Geneva in Switzerland, this paper analyzes cost competitiveness and economic impacts of 5′892 decision paths (combinations of decisions) to develop geothermal district heating, including the choice of auxiliary heat source, and uses comprehensive sensitivity analysis to identify the most influential decisions. The right share of geothermal coverage in the heat mix to achieve an optimum combination of investment costs and geothermal heat production, and the integration of waste incineration as auxiliary heat source are crucial for cost competitiveness. High economic impact multipliers are created by geothermal systems incorporating individual pellet boilers as auxiliary heat source. High share of domestic impact consistently occurs in the case of standalone geothermal installations, especially when they are used with second or third generation of district heating. Combining geothermal district heating from medium and deep wells (1′500 m and 2′500 m) with heat from waste incineration creates synergies where above-average cost competitiveness and economic impacts are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper describes the testicular cancer trends for incidence, survival, socio-economic status (SES) disparities and second cancer occurrence in Geneva, Switzerland, a high-risk population.Methods: We included all testicular germ-cell tumors recorded in the population-based Geneva cancer registry during the period 1970-2012. Changes in incidence trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression to calculate the annual percentage change (APC). Overall and cancer-specific survivals (OS, CSS) were estimated by Kaplan Meyer methods. To evaluate the risk of a second cancer we calculated the Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIR) using the Geneva population incidence rates.Results: The average annual testicular cancer rate was 7.32/100 000 men, with a non-significant increasing trend during the study period. The highest rates were observed among men younger than 39 years. Despite a trend toward earlier diagnosis, 14% of patients were diagnosed at a late stage. Patients with non-seminoma tumours and patients with low SES were more often diagnosed with an advanced stage. Both OS and CSS improved during the study period but with strong differences by age, stage, morphology and SES. The risk for developing a second cancer was more than doubled. This risk was particularly high for a contralateral testicular cancer, bladder cancer and pancreatic cancer.Conclusions: Overall, there was no substantial increase in the incidence of testicular cancer in Geneva in recent decades, however the prognosis has improved. The high risk of developing a second cancer, the differences in stage at diagnosis and survival by SES, require enhanced awareness and surveillance by clinicians, patients and men in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WHO Archives in Geneva has been closed to researchers and the public since March 11, 2020. The Archives hold valuable, vast official correspondences, documents, photographs, and other kinds of dated records of the World Health Organization and related defunct establishments dating back to 1907. The closure of the archives became necessary in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic and the general lockdown that attended it. While normalcy has since returned in virtually every institution and sector across the globe, the closure of the WHO Archives has continued unbroken for over 2 years and 4 months with grave implications for research and scholarship on the history of international public health. This essay is a critique of that protracted closure which is now clearly unnecessary and unjustifiable. It is also a call for an urgent end to it in the interest of the fundamental right of access to information, and knowledge production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of particle accelerator induced neutron fields is challenging but fundamental for research and industrial activities, including radiation protection, neutron metrology, developments of neutron detectors for nuclear and high-energy physics, decommissioning of nuclear facilities, and studies of neutron damage on materials and electronic components. This work reports on the study of a novel approach to the experimental characterization of neutron spectra at two complex accelerator environments, namely the CERF, a high-energy mixed reference field at CERN in Geneva, and the Bern medical cyclotron laboratory, a facility used for multi-disciplinary research activities, and for commercial radioisotope production for nuclear medicine. Measurements were performed through an innovative active neutron spectrometer called DIAMON, a device developed to provide in real time neutron energy spectra without the need of guess distributions. The intercomparison of DIAMON measurements with reference data, Monte Carlo simulations, and with the well-established neutron monitor Berthold LB 6411, has been found to be highly satisfactory in all conditions. It was demonstrated that DIAMON is an almost unique device able to characterize neutron fields induced by hadrons at 120 GeV/c as well as by protons at 18 MeV colliding with different materials. The accurate measurement of neutron spectra at medical cyclotrons during routine radionuclide production for nuclear medicine applications is of paramount importance for the facility decommissioning. The findings of this work are the basis for establishing a methodology for producing controlled proton-induced neutron beams with medical cyclotrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a noninvasive determination, Raman and XRF analyses showed the possibility of identifying specific phases and elements characteristic of the use of recipes and ingredients imported from Europe, according to the information documented in Chinese and European archives. Two sets of objects, supposed to have been produced during the Qing Dynasty (1662–1912) at the Forbidden City ('imperial bowls' of the Baur Foundation, Geneva) and in the customs district of Guangzhou (Musée Ariana, Geneva), were analyzed with pXRF and also for some objects with Raman microspectroscopy also on-site. The heterogeneity of the colored zones, in three spatial directions, requires the development of a new methodology. We focused particular attention on the cobalt used in the colored areas and marks, drawn either on the body layer (standard underglaze) or on the glaze itself (overglaze). Comparison is made with previous data on Chinese and Vietnamese porcelains from the Yuan (1271–1368) and Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) periods. Combined data for objects attributed to Guangzhou from the Kangxi and Yongzheng periods indicates the use of the same raw materials containing cobalt, associated with arsenic, nickel, zinc, copper and bismuth, according to the European sources. Similarity of the glaze composition and impurities promotes the production of the glazed body with the same raw materials as those used at Jingdezhen. A consistent shift in data for Qianlong style items, which are significantly richer in manganese, is compatible with their partial mixing with Asian cobalt. The deliberate selection of conflicting objects—namely, examples belonging to the other places of production or different periods—are well-observed outside the 'Guangzhou' cluster. Some artifacts have anachronistic purity characteristics that support a production after ca. 1850. For instance, two objects on which certain attributions had been made concerning the stylistic analysis are definitive examples of ceramics using a refined 'cobalt', and therefore now may be assigned to the later production period of the first half of the 19th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the Soviet Atomic Power Cooperation Program by A. N. Lavrishchev, a Soviet Union delegate at the Geneva Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy which was held in Geneva, Switzerland on August 8-20, 1955, in a paper prepared for the conference. In response to an invitation from the Soviet Union government, delegates from various countries visited the Soviet Union in order to see first hand their atomic projects and to discuss the proposed agreements. According to Lavrishchev, all countries signing the agreements will receive radioactive isotopes produced in the Soviet Union. The agreements include provisions for assistance by scientists in the training of personnel.

Background: We examined the determinants of adolescents' Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and psychological distress (self-reported and parent-reported) during the COVID-19 pandemic, using a random sample of the population of Geneva, Switzerland. Methods: Data was drawn from participants aged 14–17 years, who participated with their families to a serosurvey conducted in November and December 2020. Adolescents' HRQoL was evaluated using the validated adolescent-reported KIDSCREEN-10 and parent-reported KINDL® scales. Psychological distress was assessed with self-reported sadness and loneliness, and using the KINDL® emotional well-being scale. Using generalized estimating equations, we examined the role of socio-demographic, family and behavioural characteristics in influencing adolescents' mental health status and wellbeing. Results: Among 240 adolescents, 11% had a low HRQoL, 35% reported sadness and 23% reported loneliness. Based on parents' perception, 12% of the adolescents had a low HRQoL and 16% a low emotional well-being. Being a girl (aOR = 3.20; 95%CI: 1.67–6.16), increased time on social media (aOR = 2.07; 95%CI: 1.08–3.97), parents' average to poor mood (aOR = 2.62; 95%CI: 1.10–6.23) and average to poor household financial situation (aOR = 2.31; IC95%: 1.01–6.10) were associated with an increased risk of sadness. Mismatches between adolescents' and their parents' perception of HRQoL were more likely for girls (aOR = 2.88; 95%CI: 1.54–5.41) and in households with lower family well-being (aOR = 0.91; 95%CI: 0.86–0.96). Conclusions: A meaningful proportion of adolescents experienced low well-being during the second wave of COVID-19, and average well-being was lower than pre-pandemic estimates. Adolescents living in underprivileged or distressed families seemed particularly affected. Monitoring is necessary to evaluate the long-term effects of the pandemic on adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Healthcare workers often experience skin dryness and irritation from performing hand hygiene frequently. Low acceptability and tolerability of a formulation are barriers to hand hygiene compliance, though little research has been conducted on what specific types of formulation have higher acceptability than others. Objective: To compare the acceptability and tolerability of an ethanol-based handrub gel with superfatting agents to the isopropanol-based formulations (a rub and a gel formulation) currently used by healthcare workers at the University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. Methods: Forty-two participants were randomized to two sequences, testing the isopropanol-based formulation that they are using currently (Hopirub® or Hopigel®), and the ethanol-based formulation containing superfatting agents (Saniswiss Sanitizer Hands H1). Participants tested each of the formulations over 7–10 day work shifts, after which skin condition was assessed and feedback was collected. Results: H1 scored significantly better than the control formulations for skin dryness (P = 0.0209), and participants felt less discomfort in their hands when using that formulation (P = 0.0448). H1 caused less skin dryness than Hopirub®/Hopigel® (P = 0.0210). Though overall preference was quite polarized, 21 participants preferred H1 intervention formulation and 17 preferred the Hopirub®/Hopigel® formulation that they normally used in their care activities. Conclusion: We observed a difference in acceptability and strongly polarized preferences among the participants' reactions to the formulations tested. These results indicate that giving healthcare workers a choice between different high-quality products is important to ensure maximum acceptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based, early intervention significantly improves developmental outcome in young children with autism. Nonetheless, there is high interindividual heterogeneity in developmental trajectories during the therapy. It is established that starting intervention as early as possible results in better developmental outcomes. But except for younger age at start, there is no clear consensus about behavioral characteristics that could provide a reliable individual prediction of a child's developmental outcome after receiving an early intervention. In this study, we analyze developmental trajectories of preschoolers with autism who received 2 years of intervention using the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) approach in Geneva, Switzerland in an individual setting (n = 55, aged 28.7 ± 5.1 months with a range of 15-42). Our aim was to identify early predictors of response to intervention. We applied a cluster analysis to distinguish between 3 groups based on their cognitive level at intake, and rates of cognitive change over the course of intervention. The first group of children only had a mild cognitive delay at intake and nearly no cognitive delay by the end of intervention (Higher Cognitive at baseline: HC). The children in the two other groups all presented with severe cognitive delay at baseline. However, they had two very different patterns of response to intervention. The majority significantly improved developmental scores over the course of intervention (Optimal Responders: OptR) whereas a minority of children showed only modest improvement (Minimal Responders: MinR). Further analyses showed that children who ended up having an optimal 2-year intervention outcome (OptR) were characterized by higher adaptive functioning at baseline combined with rapid developmental improvement during the first 6 months of intervention. Inversely, less significant progress by the sixth month of intervention was associated with a less optimal response to treatment (MinR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grapevine is a climbing plant and allows for the manipulation of vegetative canopies to change the microclimate and exposure of leaves and clusters to solar radiation, affecting the primary and secondary metabolisms of plants. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate how the lyre and Geneva double-curtain (GDC) training systems could contribute to the volatile composition of sparkling wines in replicates of vinifications carried out in the Serra da Mantiqueira (Brazil) in two consecutive summer harvests (2017 and 2018). Fifty-four free volatile compounds were identified by HS-SPME/GC-MS in the wines in both systems and vintages. Multivariate analysis differentiated the vintages in component 1 (22.7%) and the training systems in component 2 (7.1%). The crops were differentiated by aldehydes in 2017 and in 2018 by isoamyl acetate ester, probably derived from the amino acid leucine, the season having been more humid, with lower temperatures and less radiation. For the training systems, besides the alcohol compounds, the GDC was differentiated by the terpenoid compounds geranylacetone and β-damascenone, which may contribute more pleasant aromas to sparkling wines. This work promotes additional research and enables winegrowers, through the management of their vineyards, to achieve sparkling wines with different volatile compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwaters circulating in Upper Mesozoic carbonates are of great interest for geothermal heat production and storage applications in the Geneva area. This study aims at providing new insights and proposing new interpretations about the mineral-water reactions and the fluid-flow paths mechanisms across the Geneva Basin (GB). Data from previous studies are combined and improved by new ones collected from cold and hot springs and geothermal exploration wells in 2018 and 2020 in the framework of the GEothermies program and HEATSTORE project. Major ions, trace elements, and the isotopes of Oxygen, Hydrogen, Sulfur, Strontium, and Carbo have been analysed and the results show that the sampled waters have a meteoric origin, the carbonate aquifers act as preferential host rocks for geothermal waters, and partial contribution from the Cenozoic sediments can be observed in some samples. The Jura Mountains and the Saleve Ridge are the main catchment areas and an evolution from a pure Ca-HCO3 footprint for the cold springs, to a Na > Ca-HCO3 and a Na-Cl composutions, is observed at the two geothermal wells. The residence time is in the order of a few years for the cold springs and reaches up to 15–20,000 years for the deep wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: University students' psychological health is linked to their academic satisfaction. This study aimed to investigate students' psychological health and academic satisfaction in the context of COVID-19 and academic year-end stress. Materials and methods: Standardized self-filled scales for anxiety, depression, stress, psychological well-being, academic satisfaction (subjective assessment of students' quality of life in their educational setting), and an ad-hoc scale for stress on the learning experience due to COVID-19 were used in this cross-sectional study. Participants were first- to third-year students of eight different health-related tracks in Geneva, Switzerland. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analyses were applied. Results: In June 2020, out of 2835 invited students, 433 (15%) completed the survey. Academic satisfaction was a stronger mental health predictor than COVID-19 stress on the learning experience, which mainly predicted stress and anxiety. Lower academic satisfaction scores were significantly associated with stress (β = −0.53, p < 0.001), depression (β = −0.26, p < 0.001), anxiety (β = −0.20, p < 0.001), while higher scores with psychological well-being (β = 0.48, p < 0.001). Identifying as female was strongly associated with anxiety and stress but not with depression or psychological well-being. Lower age was associated with stress only. The nature of the academic training had a lesser impact on mental health and the academic year had no impact. Conclusions: Academic satisfaction plays a more substantial role than COVID-19 stress on the learning experience in predicting students' overall mental health status. Training institutions should address the underlying factors that can enhance students' academic satisfaction, especially during the COVID-19 period, in addition to ensuring that they have a continuous and adequate learning experience, as well as access to psychosocial services that help them cope with mental distress and enhance their psychological well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is a vital and purest form of natural resource. In the recent years, various anthropogenic causes threat its natural quality. Therefore, its suitability for drinking, irrigation and other purposes make doubtful conditions of human well-being, especially in developing countries. In this present study, groundwater quality was evaluated for drinking, irrigation and human health hazard purposes particularly in Chotanagpur plateau fringe of India. In total, 58 water samples were collected from different locations in pre-monsoon (February–March 2020) and post-monsoon (October–November 2020) seasons to delineate seasonal variation of groundwater quality according to as reported by WHO (WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality, World Health Organization, Geneva, 2011) guidelines. Groundwater Quality Index (GWQI) and Heavy metal Pollution Index (HPI) have been applied to assess the suitability of drinking purposes. Irrigation parameters (SAR, SSP, MAR, PI, KR) showed the significant deterioration of water quality in pre-monsoon than post-monsoon period. Major cations (such as sodium, calcium) and major anions (such as bicarbonate, nitrate and fluoride) exceeded their standard limit in both the seasons. Non-carcinogenic health risk is found due to heavy metal contamination through drinking water. The health risk index was higher for children in comparison with adults. This research finding can definitely help to planners and administrators for immediate decision making regarding public health (for groundwater quality improvement). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the highlights of the Fifth Geneva Conference on Person-Centered Medicine, held from April 28 to May 2, 2012 in Geneva, Switzerland. The conference, titled "Chronic Diseases: Person- and People-Centered Perspectives," includes a number of plenary symposia, workshops and brief oral presentations. Major topics include person-centered integrative diagnosis (PID) and related diagnostic projects, and person-centered care for chronic psychiatric and neurological disorders.

A key issue in cooperation research is to determine the conditions under which individuals invest in a public good. Here, we tested whether cues of being watched increase investments in an anonymous public good situation in real life. We examined whether individuals would invest more by removing experimentally placed garbage (paper and plastic bottles) from bus stop benches in Geneva in the presence of images of eyes compared to controls (images of flowers). We provided separate bins for each of both types of garbage to investigate whether individuals would deposit more items into the appropriate bin in the presence of eyes. The treatment had no effect on the likelihood that individuals present at the bus stop would remove garbage. However, those individuals that engaged in garbage clearing, and were thus likely affected by the treatment, invested more time to do so in the presence of eyes. Images of eyes had a direct effect on behaviour, rather than merely enhancing attention towards a symbolic sign requesting removal of garbage. These findings show that simple images of eyes can trigger reputational effects that significantly enhance on non-monetary investments in anonymous public goods under real life conditions. We discuss our results in the light of previous findings and suggest that human social behaviour may often be shaped by relatively simple and potentially unconscious mechanisms instead of very complex cognitive capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes the methodology used to create a multimedia collection of cases with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) at the University Hospitals of Geneva. The dataset contains high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) image series with three-dimensional annotated regions of pathological lung tissue along with clinical parameters from patients with pathologically proven diagnoses of ILDs. The motivations for this work is to palliate the lack of publicly available collections of ILD cases to serve as a basis for the development and evaluation of image-based computerized diagnostic aid. After 38 months of data collection, the library contains 128 patients affected with one of the 13 histological diagnoses of ILDs, 108 image series with more than 41l of annotated lung tissue patterns as well as a comprehensive set of 99 clinical parameters related to ILDs. The database is available for research on request and after signature of a license agreement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we argue that in order to test competing hypotheses on the emergence of social mortality differentials, one has to adopt a long-term perspective. Studying social inequality in mortality in Geneva from 1625 to 2005, we use historical mortality data published by different authors and contemporary data drawn from an ongoing research project. The comparison over four centuries gives evidence to both the constancy and convergence hypotheses. Mortality is systematically lower-than-average among elites on the one hand. but on the other hand the difference between the top and the bottom of the social ladder is decreasing over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the new research project of the Geneva Art-Law Centre, which aims to study alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods for art-related disputes. It gives a brief introduction on the topic of the research the project - the significant potential of ADR mechanisms in art law - and provides an overview of the growing international consideration for ADR in art-law matters. While types of art-related disputes vary considerably from case to case, certain common features may be identified to explain the need for adapted dispute resolution in this area. The Art-Law Centre's research project will involve the creation of an Art-Law ADR Database recording art-related disputes worldwide that were resolved by means of ADR methods, as well as a thorough case analysis. To illustrate the nature of the research project, this paper specifies the different project stages and gives examples of collected art-law cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the doctrinal foundations of criminal law in Calvin's ecclesiology, namely his theology of the original sin, and its practical implementation in Geneva's consistory. On these grounds, I analyse the distinction between civil and ecclesiastical criminal law. Both State and Church were granted by Calvin a ius gladii, but only the former can claim a right to impose physical punishment, whereas the latter should just punish spiritually. Here lays, in my view, the difference between law and discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study presents the upstream–downstream complexity of the Rhone, which earlier was a braided river. The fluvial patterns of the Rhône ca. 1860–70 are discussed, i.e. at the end of the Little Ice Age, which was also the beginning of the period of river dredging for improving navigation in the channel (1840–1930) and before the development of a chain of hydroelectric dams (1892–1986) on the river. Flowing across Switzerland and France to the Camargue delta on the Mediterranean, the Rhône drains the western part of the Alps in Europe. Befitting a large river flowing from the mountains, the Rhône was braided along most of its course, due to large quantities of coarse sediments formerly contributed by tributaries from the Alps, Jura Mountains, and Massif Central. The paper begins with a summary of palaeo-environmental studies on the Rhône, which show that the river experienced several events of fluvial metamorphosis during the Holocene. The reaches, which were braided during the late 19th century, alternated between meandering and braided patterns during this period due to the high sensitivity of the channel pattern to external variables such as changing water and sediment discharges. A discussion on the methods used to describe different aspects of the braided pattern of the Rhône from 1860 to 1870, using large-scale maps follows. Discrete reaches on the river are identified using slope, downstream variations of discharge, and stream power. These can be attributed to three factors: the tributaries (large supplies of bed load are brought by the Arve, the Ain, the Drôme, the Ardèche and the Durance rivers), Quaternary tectonics, and the along-channel distance from tributary confluences. Finally, the study assesses the pre-modern conditions of the Rhône for restoring selected reaches on the modern river. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Sociedade e Estado is the property of Sociedade e Estado and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Urban planning involves compromise between the diverse and often contradictory issues supported by the different stakeholders. The literature generally agrees on the need to broaden the participation base to overcome this difficulty. However, participation should not be limited to problem solving, but should also take place in the problem setting phase. This paper proposes a participatory diagnosis process for structuring the problem setting phase. We describe an experiment in a participatory diagnosis conducted with the residents of a Geneva neighborhood. The experiment began by identifying the residents'' concerns, which were then reformulated under broader issues. Some 20 spatial indicators were built using GIS tools, and were then applied in a second phase of resident consultations to assess the relative importance of each issue. The ensuing priority issues formed the core of the diagnosis. The approach emphasized comparison between the daily experiences of residents and so-called official information (i.e. census tract, traffic measurement, and so on). The residents were therefore involved in a learning process that allowed them to consolidate or modify their opinions. The process led to the emergence of a clearly defined collective awareness that supplanted individual aspirations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

DNA, as the signature of life, has been extensively studied in a wide range of environments. While DNA analysis has become central to work on natural gene exchange, forensic analyses, soil bioremediation, genetically modified organisms, exobiology, and palaeontology, fundamental questions about DNA resistance to degradation remain. This paper investigated on the presence of plant DNA in groundwater and artesian fountain (groundwater-fed) samples, which relates to the movement and persistence of DNA in the environment. The study was performed in the groundwater and in the fountains, which are considered as a traditional artesian drinking water in Geneva Champagne Basin. DNA from water samples was extracted, analysed and quantified. Plant gene sequences were detected using PCR amplification based on 18S rRNA gene primers specific for eukaryotes. Physicochemical parameters of water samples including temperature, pH, conductivity, organic matter, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total organic carbon (TOC) were measured throughout the study. The results revealed that important quantities of plant DNA can be found in the groundwater. PCR amplification based on 18S rDNA, cloning, RFLP analysis and sequencing demonstrated the presence of plant DNA including Vitis rupestris, Vitis berlandieri, Polygonum sp. Soltis, Boopis graminea, and Sinapis alba in the water samples. Our observations support the notion of plant DNA release, long-term persistence and movement in the unsaturated medium as well as in groundwater aquifers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the context of building a new foundation for the harmonious continuation of the established world order, religions/cultures/civilizations are now being summoned to the cause of creating peace and security. The dialogue projects which are carried out to serve this goal work to resolve the lack of mutual knowledge among the communities described as "the West and Islam", to discover the common values, and thus to establish some kind of universal understanding. In this article, no distinction is made between the efforts variously described as "interreligious dialogue", "intercultural dialogue", or "the alliance of civilizations". Instead, all these endeavors will be commonly referred to as the "Dialogue between the West and Islam". This is because, in practice, these efforts are all premised upon the idea that Islam constitutes a threat to the universal values which the West represents. This paper argues that dialogue alone will be insufficient to preserve peace and security in a world in which some two billion eight hundred people are living on less than two dollars per day, and a further one billion two hundred million are struggling to stay alive with less than one dollar. One banner that the anti-globalist demonstrators unfurled in Geneva provides a succinct summary of this case: "If there is no justice, there will be no peace." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a data base constructed from six population censuses organized in the city of Geneva between 1816 and 1843. We look at cohabitation structures in a sibling perspective. First, we show to which extent cross-sectional data can inform about life course patterns. Second, we examine the transitions from one sibling status to another in the next 6 years, and the effect of several demographic, familial, and social variables on transition probabilities. Results show how the life of siblings was framed by the interactions between a (neo-)Malthusian demographic regime and a nuclear family system. Population heterogeneity resulted from the social importance of statistically marginal behaviors, as well as from the coexistence of two systems of leaving home: the socially differentiated one of the siblings who grew up in urban families, and another one of children from rural families who went through Geneva during their period of life cycle service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in Geneva in December 2003. Under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the WSIS is the first cyber summit to debate the changes brought forth by the use of the Internet and other informational technologies throughout the world. There are two main paradigms that are often associated with development and communication: modernization and capitalist growth versus dependency and underdevelopment. Modernization theory was supported by cold war ideologies and dominated most international communication research in the 1950s and 1960s. It was deeply rooted in neoliberal economic theory, focusing on efficiency and expansion. In terms of communication models, promoters of growth within Third World countries focused on disseminating information to target audiences in attempts to change behavioral patterns, usually via mass media channels. In contrast to the modernization and dependency paradigms of development communication, alternative models are concerned not only with economics but also with emancipation from cultural, political, and psychological dependencies on colonial rule.

This study aims to explore how visual aids (VA) are used in ambulatory medical practice. Our research group (two doctors, one graphic designer and one sociologist) have led a qualitative study based on Focus Groups. A semi-structured guide and examples of VA were used to stimulate discussions. Participants were healthcare professionals (HP) working in ambulatory practice in Geneva and French-speaking outpatients. After inductive thematic analysis, the coding process was analyzed and modified to eventually reach consensus. Six focus groups gathered twenty-one HP and fifteen patients. Our study underlines the variety of purposes of use of VA and the different contexts of use allowing the distinction between "stand-alone" VA used out of consultation by patients alone and "interactive" VA used during a consultation enriched by the interaction between HP and patients. HP described that VA can take the form of useful tools for education and communication during consultation. They have questioned the quality of available VA and complained about restricted access to them. Patients expressed concern about the impact of VA on the interaction with HP. Participants agreed on the beneficial role of VA to supplement verbal explanation and text. Our study emphasizes the need to classify available VA, guarantee their quality, facilitate their access and deliver pertinent instructions for use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The challenging clinical dilemma of detecting pulmonary embolism (PE) in suspected patients is encountered in a variety of healthcare settings. We hypothesized that the optimal diagnostic approach to detect these patients in terms of safety and efficiency depends on underlying PE prevalence, case mix, and physician experience, overall reflected by the type of setting where patients are initially assessed. The objective of this study was to assess the capability of ruling out PE by available diagnostic strategies across all possible settings.Methods and Findings: We performed a literature search (MEDLINE) followed by an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis (MA; 23 studies), including patients from self-referral emergency care (n = 12,612), primary healthcare clinics (n = 3,174), referred secondary care (n = 17,052), and hospitalized or nursing home patients (n = 2,410). Multilevel logistic regression was performed to evaluate diagnostic performance of the Wells and revised Geneva rules, both using fixed and adapted D-dimer thresholds to age or pretest probability (PTP), for the YEARS algorithm and for the Pulmonary Embolism Rule-out Criteria (PERC). All strategies were tested separately in each healthcare setting. Following studies done in this field, the primary diagnostic metrices estimated from the models were the "failure rate" of each strategy-i.e., the proportion of missed PE among patients categorized as "PE excluded" and "efficiency"-defined as the proportion of patients categorized as "PE excluded" among all patients. In self-referral emergency care, the PERC algorithm excludes PE in 21% of suspected patients at a failure rate of 1.12% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74 to 1.70), whereas this increases to 6.01% (4.09 to 8.75) in referred patients to secondary care at an efficiency of 10%. In patients from primary healthcare and those referred to secondary care, strategies adjusting D-dimer to PTP are the most efficient (range: 43% to 62%) at a failure rate ranging between 0.25% and 3.06%, with higher failure rates observed in patients referred to secondary care. For this latter setting, strategies adjusting D-dimer to age are associated with a lower failure rate ranging between 0.65% and 0.81%, yet are also less efficient (range: 33% and 35%). For all strategies, failure rates are highest in hospitalized or nursing home patients, ranging between 1.68% and 5.13%, at an efficiency ranging between 15% and 30%. The main limitation of the primary analyses was that the diagnostic performance of each strategy was compared in different sets of studies since the availability of items used in each diagnostic strategy differed across included studies; however, sensitivity analyses suggested that the findings were robust.Conclusions: The capability of safely and efficiently ruling out PE of available diagnostic strategies differs for different healthcare settings. The findings of this IPD MA help in determining the optimum diagnostic strategies for ruling out PE per healthcare setting, balancing the trade-off between failure rate and efficiency of each strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a spectral analysis of four Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) WC-type Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars (BAT99-8, BAT99-9, BAT99-11, and BAT99-52) to shed light on two evolutionary questions surrounding massive stars. The first is: are WO-type WR stars more oxygen enriched than WC-type stars, indicating further chemical evolution, or are the strong high-excitation oxygen lines in WO-type stars an indication of higher temperatures. This study will act as a baseline for answering the question of where WO-type stars fall in WR evolution. Each star's spectrum, extending from 1100 to 25000 Å, was modeled using cmfgen to determine the star's physical properties such as luminosity, mass-loss rate, and chemical abundances. The oxygen abundance is a key evolutionary diagnostic, and with higher resolution data and an improved stellar atmosphere code, we found the oxygen abundance to be up to a factor of 5 lower than that of previous studies. The second evolutionary question revolves around the formation of WR stars: do they evolve by themselves or is a close companion star necessary for their formation? Using our derived physical parameters, we compared our results to the Geneva single-star evolutionary models and the Binary Population and Spectral Synthesis (BPASS) binary evolutionary models. We found that both the Geneva solar-metallicity models and BPASS LMC-metallicity models are in agreement with the four WC-type stars, while the Geneva LMC-metallicity models are not. Therefore, these four WC4 stars could have been formed either via binary or single-star evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turcology Research is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article examines the legal basis for the concept of the responsibility to protect (R2P) in international law. Accordingly, the article attempts to determine the extent to which various elements of the concept have already been incorporated into existing international instruments as well as in customary international law. It also ascertains the extent to which the concept has been accepted as a binding norm of international law, particularly in view of the burgeoning activities and resolutions concerning its use. The study analyses the existing provisions of major international instruments concerning the responsibility to protect, such as the Genocide Convention and Geneva Conventions, as interpreted by the International Court of Justice in its opinions. Finally, as part of the conclusion, the article evaluates the scope and limitations of the concept of R2P under international law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Physics Essays is the property of Physics Essays Publication and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Focuses on a study which described a radial basis function (RBF) neural networks-based method involved the optimization of superconducting magnets of the Large Hadron Collider accelerator project at the European Laboratory for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland. Description of the RBF neural networks; Details of the speed-up scheme for deterministic search algorithms; Analysis of results.

Describes the microhistorical process whereby different groups of scientific actors came to claim that the W boson, a fundamental particle, had been discovered at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. Experimental and theoretical developments in the early 1970s, focusing on high-energy physics; Role of trust and distrust in the directorate's planning of the experimental program; Position of the CERN management on the issue.

Newts are amphibians commonly present in small ponds or garden pools in urban areas. They are protected in many countries and their presence is monitored through visual observation and/or trapping. However, newts are not easy to spot as they are small, elusive and often hidden at the bottom of water bodies. In recent years, environmental DNA (eDNA) has become a popular tool for detecting newts, with a focus on individual species using qPCR assays. Here, we assess the effectiveness of eDNA metabarcoding compared to conventional visual surveys of newt diversity in 45 ponds within urban areas of Geneva canton, Switzerland. We designed newt-specific mitochondrial 16S rRNA primers, which assign the majority of amplicons to newts, and were able to detect four species known to be present in the region, including the invasive subspecies Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalis, native to the Italian peninsula, that has been introduced in the Geneva area recently. The obtained eDNA results were congruent overall with conventional surveys, confirming the morphological observations in the majority of cases (67%). In 25% of cases, a species was only detected genetically, while in 8% of cases, the observations were not supported by eDNA metabarcoding. Our study confirms the usefulness of eDNA metabarcoding as a tool for the effective and non-invasive monitoring of newt community and suggests its broader use for the survey of newt diversity in urban area at larger scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMH), Geneva, SwitzerlandCorrespondence: Andrzej KokoszkaII Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, 03-242 Kondratowicza 8 street, Warsaw, PolandTel/Fax +48 22 326 58 92Email [email protected] Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the structure and validate the Polish version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) scale, as the current translations of the original English version significantly vary in their psychometric properties. Patients and Methods: Two hundred and sixteen consecutive Polish outpatients were invited to participate in this international cross-sectional study on depression in diabetes. The research was based on the demographic and clinical characteristics of the study population, including the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and scores obtained in the Polish versions of the following questionnaires: PAID, World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9). The psychiatric diagnosis was conducted with the use of Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.). Results: Exploratory factor analyses yielded a 1-factor structure that included all 20 items. The internal consistency of the Polish version of PAID was high (Cronbach α = 0.97). There were significant positive correlation between PAID and PHQ-9 and a negative correlation between PAID and WHO-5. We also observed a negative association between PAID scores and age and a positive correlation between PAID and HbA1c levels. Patients with depression reported significantly higher PAID scores as compared with those without depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The Polish version of PAID has a one-factor structure and is a reliable, valid outcome measure for Polish outpatients with type 2 diabetes and it may constitute a useful instrument for screening for psychologic issues in diabetic patients during their appointments at the diabetes clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate the large potential of proton minibeam radiotherapy (pMBRT) as a new method to treat tumor diseases, a preclinical proton minibeam radiation facility was designed. It is based on a tandem Van-de-Graaff accelerator providing a 16 MeV proton beam and a 3 GHz linac post-accelerator (designs: AVO-ADAM S.A, Geneva, Switzerland and ENEA, Frascati, Italy). To enhance the transmission of the tandem beam through the post-accelerator by a factor of 3, two drift tube buncher units were designed and constructed: A brazed 5-gap structure (adapted SCDTL tank of the TOP-IMPLART project (ENEA)) and a non-brazed low budget 4-gap structure. Both are made of copper. The performance of the two differently manufactured units was evaluated using a 16 MeV tandem accelerator beam and a Q3D magnetic spectrograph. Both buncher units achieve the required summed voltage amplitude of 42 kV and amplitude stability at a power feed of less than 800 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievement of the targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions set by the Paris Agreements and the Swiss federal law on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 law) requires massive use of renewable energies, which cannot be achieved without their adoption by the general public. The solar cadaster developed as part of the INTERREG G2 Solar project is intended to assess the solar potential of buildings at the scale of Greater Geneva—for both industrial buildings and for individual residential buildings—at a resolution of 1 m. The new version of the solar cadaster is intended to assess the solar potential of roofs, as well as that of vertical facades. The study presented here aims to validate this new version through a comparison with results obtained with two other simulation tools that are widely used and validated by the scientific community. The good accordance with the results obtained with ENVI-met and DIVA-for-Rhino demonstrates the capability of the radiative model developed for the solar cadaster of Greater Geneva to accurately predict the radiation levels of building facades in configurations with randomly distributed buildings (horizontally or vertically). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's well-being has become the subject of attention in international comparative studies of childhood. The concept is central to understanding childhoods and generational orders within societies. Current challenges in conceptualizing children's well-being include addressing the normativity of well-being, how children themselves conceptualize well-being, and how this is embedded in social and cultural contexts. This is especially true with regard to the spatiality of wellbeing. How well-being is spatially constructed in children's narratives is rarely addressed by child well-being researchers. In this article, we assume that a better understanding of the spatiality of well-being will be helpful in disclosing the dynamics and characteristics of well-being. We offer findings from a multinational qualitative study to demonstrate the value of spatial analysis for understanding the social refiguration of childhoods beyond methodological nationalism. We draw upon examples from Baku (Azerbaijan), Geneva (Switzerland), Berlin (Germany), Sydney (Australia), and Tel Aviv (Israel). Our findings indicate that the exercise of agency, the democratization of childhoods, and the importance of having a translocal digital "own space" are significant norms central to and expressed in children's understandings of well-being. A structural feature of the current refiguration of childhoods is that it is always specific to local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geotechnical Journal is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)