text:
\section{Introduction}
\label{sec:1}
Atrial fibrillation (AF), with an estimated number of 33.5 million individuals affected worldwide in 2010, along with rising incidence, prevalence and mortality \cite{Chugh}, is the most wide\-spread cardiac arrhythmia. AF presents a disorganized electrical activity leading to irregular, uncorrelated and faster heart rate \cite{January}, and can yield significant symptoms, such as palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness and reduced exercise ability \cite{January}, with an increased risk of stroke and heart failure \cite{Wolf,Roger} and a decreased quality of life.

Several clinical studies agree in finding a reduction of the cardiac efficiency and performance, in terms of reduced stroke volume and cardiac output during AF \cite{clark,daoud,alboni,upshaw,giglioli}. Although the impact of AF on the cardiovascular system is a subject of great medical interest, for the most part of the hemodynamic variables, such as cardiac and systemic arterial pressures, literature results are quite surprisingly contrasting \cite{clark,alboni,giglioli,kaliujnaya}. In vivo measurements face, indeed, a variety of different issues, which can hinder the observed hemodynamic scenario. For example, AF often arises with other concomitant pathologies (e.g., hypertension, atrial dilatation, valvular disorders, etc..), thus the net role of the arrythmia is not easily detectable. Moreover, oscillometric instruments do not work accurately in AF mainly because of the heart rate fluctuations \cite{Stergiou,Pagonas}, while current clinical techniques, such as Doppler echocardiography, do not have the resolving power to detail the instantaneous pressure and flow rate signals along the arterial districts \cite{Tae-Seok}. In addition, the variable cycle length induced by the cardiac disorganization requires suitable approaches, such as the wave intensity analysis \cite{Parker}, to estimate reflection and waveform indexes.

In order to overcome the current clinical lackings and become an effective supportive tool, computational hemodynamics has recently started to be adopted from a translational medicine perspective \cite{severi1,severi2}. In par\-ti\-cu\-lar, lumped-parameter approaches have been recently exploited to simulate AF conditions and evaluate the global hemodynamic response \cite{scarsoglio,CMBBE_2016,anselmino}. Multiscale modelling combines an appropriate alternation of submodels of different dimensions (e.g., zero- and one-dimensional), leading to an optimal compromise among computational efforts, required data and accuracy of the results (see, among many others, \cite{alastruey,blanco,reymond2,Mynard}). However, to the best of our knowledge, multiscale models have not fully been exploited to date to understand, from a mechanical point of view, the local arterial hemodynamics during AF.

The rationale of the work is to characterize the variability of the arterial hemodynamics during AF. This topic has been poorly investigated so far, both from computational and clinical points of view. As a consequence, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown: to date there is no clear evidence on how AF modifies waveform and propagation of the hemodynamic signals. For example, little is known about the propagation of the RR beating irregularity along the arterial tree and whether this cardiac disorder can significantly alter the vascular perfusion at the tissue and organ level. Only recently, the higher beat-to-beat blood pressure variability in AF has been associated to a possible vascular dysfunction, which could contribute itself to the increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality during AF \cite{Olbers}. An explorative analysis of the hemodynamic variability at the arterial level is therefore important, since it can offer a modeling perspective for the behaviour of the arterial hemodynamics during AF, which is mostly unknown. This work represents a first approach towards an unexplored area and can be the starting point for the design of future clinical studies to investigate in vivo consequences of the pathophysiological findings emerged.

In the present work, we adopt the multiscale model proposed and validated by Guala and coauthors \cite{guala1,guala2,guala3}, which includes a lumped parameterization of the cardiac and distal circulation together with one-dimensional modelling of large-to-medium systemic arteries, to investigate in detail the local effect of AF on the arterial fluid dynamics. AF and normal sinus rhythm (NSR) conditions are simulated extracting 2000 $\mathrm{RR}$ heartbeats for each configuration to guarantee the statistical stationarity of the outcomes. To facilitate the comparison and elucidate AF-induced alterations, NSR and AF are simulated at the same mean heart rate (HR = 75 bpm). Among the fibrillated $\mathrm{RR}$ features, we therefore focus on the increased variability and decreased temporal correlation, rather than on the accelerated heart rate.

\noindent The multiscale approach allows us to estimate the main cardiac parameters, such as ejection fraction, cardiac output, stroke work, as well as to capture their variations during AF with respect to NSR. However, the study mostly involves the arterial vasculature and, more specifically, the propagation of the hemodynamic signals along the arterial tree during AF. In fact, we recall that the main aim is to quantify, through an accurate statistical analysis of pressure and flow rate waveforms, how AF affects the arterial circulation when moving away from the heart. Results will be presented to highlight the ability of the arterial system to take in the disturbances imposed at the cardiac level, whether by amplifying or damping them. In particular, pressure signals will be analyzed along the aortic trunk and brachial sections, while flow rate time series are considered in the gastrointestinal region.

\noindent The paper is organized as follows. The stochastic modelling approach is described in the Methods section, together with the parameter definition as well as the $\mathrm{RR}$ extraction. Results are proposed and discussed in the following sections (Results and Discussion), by dividing the cardiac parameters from the arterial and propagation response. Limiting aspects are reported before drawing the conclusive remarks of the study.

\section{Methods}
\label{sec:2}
\subsection{Mathematical model}
\label{sec:2.1}
The present work adopts the physically-based multiscale modelling approach of the left heart and the arterial systemic circulation proposed by Guala et al. \cite{guala1}. The geometrical domain (see Fig. \ref{fig:1}) includes left heart, with mitral and aortic valves, 48 large and medium arteries, 18 micro-circulation groups and 24 arterial bifurcations. Right heart, venous return, and cerebral circulation are not modelled, while coronary circulation is not analyzed here. Both left and right arm vessels are taken into account because of their asymmetric geometry, but only the right leg is introduced exploiting the symmetry in leg arteries. The essential modelling description is briefly recalled below (all details can be found in \cite{guala1}).

Concerning large and medium arteries, vessel geometry and flow field are taken axisymmetric. Flow is laminar, being the mean Reynolds number, $Re = D_0\overline{u}$/$\nu$ ($D_0$ is the arterial diameter at the reference pressure, $P_0$=100 mmHg, $\overline{u}$ is the bulk velocity along the axis of the chosen arterial section and $\nu$ is the blood kinematic viscosity), in the range 1000$\div$100 from the central to the distal arteries.
Arterial walls are set longitudinally tethered, producing small and only radial motions. Blood is homogeneous and Newtonian, with density $\rho$=1050 kg/$\text{m}^\text{3}$ and kinematic viscosity $\nu$=3.8 $\text{mm}^\text{2}$/s. Large and medium vessels are described through the 1D form of the mass and momentum balance equations, integrated over the transversal section
\begin{equation}
\frac{\partial A}{\partial t} + \frac{\partial Q}{\partial x} = 0,\label{eq1}
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\centering
\frac{\partial Q}{\partial t} + \frac{\partial}{\partial x}\int_0^R {2 \pi {u}^2 r dr} = -\frac{A}{\rho}\frac{\partial P}{\partial x} + 2\pi\nu\left
[r\frac{\partial u}{\partial r}\right]_{r=R},\label{eq2}
\end{equation}
where $x$ identifies the position along the vessel axis, $r$ is the radial coordinate, $t$ is time, $A(x,t)$ is the cross-sectional area, $P(x,t)$ is the radially-constant pressure, $Q(x,t)=\text{2}\pi \int_\text{0}^R{u r dr}$ is the flow rate, $u(x,r,t)$ is the velocity profile, and $R(x,t)$ is the vessel radius. Convective and viscous terms in the Eq. (\ref{eq2}) require to define a velocity profile, which is modelled according to \cite{guala1}
\begin{eqnarray}
 u(x,r,t)=
\begin{cases}
\tilde{u}(x,t) \,\,\, & \mbox {if } 0<r<R(x,t)-\delta(x,t),\\
\frac{{R^2(x,t)}-{r}^2}{2R(x,t)\delta(x,t)-{\delta ^2(x,t)}} \tilde{u}(x,t) \,\,\, & \mbox{if } r\ge R(x,t)-\delta(x,t).
\end{cases}
\label{eq3}
\end{eqnarray}
The flat velocity profile, $\tilde{u}$, related to the arterial flow rate, $Q$, and radius, $R$, is completed by a parabolic boundary layer of thickness $\delta$ to take into account the viscous effects. The thickness, $\delta$, is evaluated through the Womersley number, $\alpha = R\sqrt{\omega/\nu}$, where $\omega$=2$\pi$/$\mathrm{RR}$ is the cardiac pulsation, while $\mathrm{RR}$ is the cardiac beating period.
By imposing $\alpha$=1, one has $\delta$=$\sqrt{\nu/\omega}$, that adds up to around 0.7 mm for $\mathrm{RR}$=0.8 s. By substituting the profile (\ref{eq3}) into the Eq. (\ref{eq2}), we obtain
\begin{equation}
\frac{\partial Q}{\partial t} + \frac{\partial}{\partial x} \left(\beta \frac{{Q}^{2}}{A}\right) = -\frac{A}{\rho}\frac{\partial P}{\partial x} + {N}_{4}, \label{eq5}
\end{equation}
where $\frac{\partial}{\partial x} \left(\beta \frac{{Q}^{\text{2}}}{A}\right)$ and ${N}_{\text{4}}$ express the convective and viscous terms, respectively \cite{guala1}. To solve the system (\ref{eq1})-(\ref{eq5}), a constitutive relation is needed, which links $P$ to $A$ and derives from the anisotropic non-linear visco-elastic behaviour of the arterial walls. $P$ can be therefore split into an elastic pressure component, $P_e$, and a viscous pressure component, $P_v$, as
\begin{equation}
P(x,t) = P_e(x,t) +P_v(x,t). \label{eq6}
\end{equation}
For large/medium vessels, we impose impermeability and no slip at the walls as boundary conditions.

Action of the left ventricle is described through a time-varying elastance model \cite{korakianitis,scarsoglio}, in which the elastance function, $E_{LV}(t)$, relates the left-ventricular pressure, $P_{LV}(t)$, to the left-ventricular volume, $V_{LV}(t)-V_0$ ($V_0$ is the unstressed left-ventricular volume), as follows
\begin{equation}
E_{LV}(t) = \frac{P_{LV}(t)}{V_{LV}(t)-V_0}. \label{eq9}
\end{equation}

\noindent According to the phases of the cardiac cycle, $E_{LV}(t)$ varies between its maximum ($E_{LV,max}$) and minimum ($E_{LV,min}$) values. Mitral valve is simulated as an ideal diode with a resistive term, $R_{MI}$, turning from 3 mmHg s/l to infinite when the valve closes \cite{reymond1}. The blood flow rate through mitral valve, $Q_{MI}$, results
\begin{equation}
Q_{MI}(t) = \frac{P_{LA}-P_{LV}(t)}{R_{MI}}, \label{eq12}
\end{equation}
where $P_{LA}$, the left atrial pressure, is taken constant with time.

\noindent Motion of aortic valve is reproduced through the pressure-flow rate relation as in \cite{blanco}
\begin{equation}
L \frac{dQ_{AA}}{dt} + RQ_{AA} +B|Q_{AA}|Q_{AA} = \Theta \left(P_{LV}-P_{AA}\right). \label{eq13}
\end{equation}
Here, $P_{AA}$ and $Q_{AA}$ are the pressure and flow rate at the entrance of the aorta, respectively. $L$ is the fluid inertance, $R$ represents the viscous resistance, $B$ is known as the turbulent flow separation coefficient and $\Theta$ is a function of the aortic valve opening angle, $\theta$
\begin{equation}
\Theta = \frac{(1 - \cos(\theta(t)))^4}{(1 - \cos(\theta_{max}))^4}. \label{eq14}
\end{equation}
$\theta$ varies between a minimum, $\theta_{min}$=$\ang{0}$, and a maximum, $\theta_{max}$=$\ang{75}$. The valve mechanisms are accurately modeled since the governing equation for $\theta$ accounts for the pressure difference across the valve (i.e., $P_{AA}$ and $P_{LV}$), as well as other blood flow effects such as frictional effects from neighboring tissue resistance, the dynamic effect of the blood acting on the valve leaflet, and the action of the vortex downstream of the valve \cite{korakianitis}.

The distal boundary conditions account for: (i) the effects of the missing cerebral circulation on the remaining part of the cardiovascular system at the terminal carotid and vertebral arteries; (ii) the peripheral micro-circulation groups. Both boundary conditions are expressed as three-element Windkessel sub-models \cite{guala1}, as follows
\begin{equation}
\frac{dQ_b}{dt} - \frac{1}{R_1}\frac{dP_b}{dt} = \frac{P_b-P_{ven}}{R_1 R_2 C} - \left(1+\frac{R_1}{R_2}\right) \frac{Q_b}{R_1 C}. \label{eq16}
\end{equation}
$Q_b$ and $P_b$ are the flow rate and pressure at the distal boundary region, $R_1$ represents the viscous effects for the last large/medium vessel before the distal group, and $R_2$ and $C$ stand for the viscous and elastic reactions from the distal area, respectively. $P_{ven}$=5 mmHg is the constant pressure of the micro-circulation venous region.

We set the conservation of the total pressure and mass at each arterial junction. If the generic parent artery 0 divides into the daughter arteries 1 and 2, at the bifurcation we have
\begin{equation}
\begin{cases} P_0(L_0,t) + \frac{1}{2}\rho\overline{u}_0^2(L_0,t) = P_1(0,t) + \frac{1}{2}\rho \overline{u}_1^2(0,t), \\ P_0(L_0,t) + \frac{1}{2}\rho \overline{u}_0^2(L_0,t) = P_2(0,t) + \frac{1}{2}\rho \overline{u}_2^2(0,t), \\ Q_0(L_0,t) = Q_1(0,t) + Q_2(0,t),
\end{cases} \label{eq17}
\end{equation}
where $L$ is the vessel length and $\overline{u}$ is the mean blood velocity.

The mathematical model is solved numerically through a Runge-Kutta Dis\-con\-tin\-u\-ous-Galerkin method. First, space is discretized by a Discontinuous-Galerkin approach, then time evolution is solved by an explicit second order Runge-Kutta scheme. Simulations are carried out with a time step equal to 10$^{\text{-\text{4}}}$ s and a minimum element length of 2.5 cm. Solutions are not dependant on initial conditions (constant pressure equal to 100 mmHg and no flow everywhere) and convergence is reached after about 7 heart cycles.

Setting of the geometrical and hemodynamic parameters is performed according to previous studies. In particular, sizes and distal values of the arterial vasculature are those reported in \cite{reymond2}, while the arterial wall thicknesses and viscoelasticity coefficients are those indicated by \cite{blanco}. Apart from the minimum ($E_{LV,min}=0.08$ mmHg/ml) and maximum ($E_{LV,max}=2.88$ mmHg/ml) values of the time-varying elastance, $E_{LV}(t)$, as well as $V_0=14.00$ ml and $P_{LA}=8.33$ mmHg, all the other cardiovascular parameters are set as in \cite{guala1}, in order to reproduce the physiological behaviour of the heart-systemic circulation, for an healthy young man with normal beating (HR= 75 bpm).

\subsection{Beating features: normal sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation}
\label{sec:2.4}

In order to identify the effects of AF on the arterial response, we force the cardiovascular system with two different sequences of cardiac interbeats, $\mathrm{RR}_{NSR}$ and $\mathrm{RR}_{AF}$.

\noindent NSR beating is a remarkable example of pink noise \cite{hayano}, thus normal sinus intervals, $\mathrm{RR}_{NSR}$, are extracted from a pink-correlated Gaussian distribution (mean value $\mu=$0.8 s, standard deviation $\sigma=$ 0.06 s), as usually observed in sinus rhythm \cite{hennig,scarsoglio}. Differently to the white noise which is uncorrelated, pink noise introduces a temporal correlation, which is a common feature of the NSR beating.

\noindent The AF distribution is fully described \cite{hennig,hayano} by the  superposition  of  two   statistically  independent  time intervals,  $\mathrm{RR}_{AF}=\varphi+\eta$. Time intervals $\varphi$ are  obtained  from  a  correlated  pink  Gaussian  distribution,   $\eta$  are instead  drawn  from  an uncorrelated exponential distribution (rate parameter $\gamma$). The resulting AF intervals, $\mathrm{RR}_{AF}$, are thus extracted from an uncorrelated Exponential Modified Gaussian distribution (mean value $\mu=$ 0.8 s, standard deviation $\sigma=$ 0.19 s, rate parameter $\gamma=$ 7.24 [Hz]), which is the most common (60-65\% of the cases) unimodal distribution during AF \cite{hennig,hayano}. The AF beating results less correlated and with a higher variability than NSR, as clinically observed \cite{hennig,Bootsma,hayano}.

\noindent The $\mathrm{RR}$ parameters in NSR and AF conditions are suggested  by the available literature \cite{hennig,Sosnowski,hayano}, and by considering that the coefficient of variation, $cv$, is around 0.24 during AF \cite{Tateno}. Once these $\mathrm{RR}$ intervals have been validated and tested over clinically measured beating \cite{hennig,hayano}, we adopt them as the most suitable and reliable $\mathrm{RR}$ sequences to mimic NSR and AF. More details on the beating features are offered elsewhere \cite{scarsoglio,anselmino}. To facilitate the comparison, both series are taken at the same mean HR (75 bpm). Leaving aside the accelerated beating, the focus is thus on the other two AF beating characteristics: a reduced temporal correlation and an increased temporal variability ($\sigma_{AF}>\sigma_{NSR}$) with respect to the NSR.

The cardiac force-frequency relationship, which is especially important in AF for the $\mathrm{RR}$ variability, is here taken into account since the elastance model adopted is defined through an activation function, which explicitly depends on the $\mathrm{RR}$ length \cite{korakianitis}. As for the contractile strength, in patients with chronic AF and concomitant cardiomyopathy, a ventricular contractile dysfunction may develop \cite{Tanabe}, translating into a reduction of the maximum LV elastance, $E_{LV,max}$. However, a possible dysfunction solely induced by AF is far from being clear and contrasting trends emerge in literature \cite{Tanaka}. Given the lack of definitive data \cite{scarsoglio} during AF, the same left ventricular contractility (i.e., $E_{LV,max}$) was assumed in both NSR and AF.

To accurately model NSR and AF beating features, 2000 heartbeats are extracted for each configuration to guarantee the statistical stationarity of the results. The $\mathrm{RR}_{NSR}$ and $\mathrm{RR}_{AF}$ series, corresponding to about half an hour of cardiac activity, together with the corresponding probability density functions (PDFs) are reported in Fig. \ref{fig:2}. The main statistics of the $\mathrm{RR}$ intervals are compared in Table \ref{tab:1}.

\section{Results}
\label{sec:3}

Through the modelling approach, we gain the complete hemodynamic signals for the left-ventricular pressure and volume, as well as for the pressure and flow rate at each arterial section. We identify some quantities of interest concerning the left ventricle and the vessels, and calculate their PDFs from the 2000 corresponding data. Each PDF is characterized through the related mean value, $\mu$, standard deviation, $\sigma$, and coefficient of variation, $cv=\sigma/\mu$. To highlight AF-induced changes, for each hemodynamic parameter considered we carry out the analysis of percentile variation between NSR and AF: firstly, we define the 5th and 95th percentiles in NSR as reference thresholds; secondly, during AF we evaluate to which percentile each of the NSR thresholds corresponds. In so doing, independently from the PDF shape, we can quantify whether AF is able to enhance the probability of reaching extreme values, either uncommonly high or low. An example is reported in Fig. \ref{fig:2}b, for the $\mathrm{RR}$ distribution (and analogously applies for all the hemodynamic variables considered in the following). The $\mathrm{RR}$ values individuated by the $5th$ and $95th$ percentiles in NSR correspond to the $33rd$ and $72nd$ percentiles in AF, respectively.

\noindent We present the main results for both left ventricle and arteries in the three following subsections. The first one involves the main cardiac and hemodynamic parameters, the second one regards arterial pressure patterns along the systemic tree, and the last one inquires into the mechanisms of wave propagation and reflection.

\subsection{Cardiac and hemodynamic parameters}
\label{sec:3.1}

The most important cardiac and hemodynamic parameters are analyzed in terms of mean, standard deviation and $cv$ values, during NSR and AF, as reported in Table \ref{tab:2}. We define the end-diastole as the time immediately before the beginning of the isovolumic contraction, when the mitral valve closes. At this point we compute the end-diastolic left ventricular pressure, $EDP$, and end-diastolic left ventricular volume, $EDV$. The end-systole is taken as the instant at which aortic valve closes, and here the end-systolic left-ventricular pressure, $ESP$, and volume, $ESV$, are evaluated. We also compute the following left-ventricle cardiac parameters: the stroke volume, $SV = EDV - ESV$ [ml], the ejection fraction, $EF = SV/EDV \cdot 100$ [\%], the cardiac output $CO = SV \cdot HR$ [l/min], and the stroke work, $SW$ [J], as the area of the PV loop. Available literature data are also compared with the present results, by adopting the following notation for the average variations during AF with respect to NSR: $+$ increase, $−-$ decrease, $=$  no substantial variation, $/$ no data available.

Starting with the NSR condition, we find that the present average values, $SV = 66.57$ ml, $EF = 55.38$ \%, $CO = 4.99$ l, $SW = 0.92$ J, are in good agreement with the physiological values \cite{guyton,westerhof1,Klabunde}. The aortic systolic ($P_{AA,syst}= 120.50$ mmHg) and diastolic  ($P_{AA,dia}= 71.00$ mmHg) pressures also fall within the physiological aortic pressure range \cite{guyton,caro,Klabunde}.

In terms of AF variations with respect to NSR (last two columns of Table \ref{tab:2}), a qualitative good correspondence is observed between present outcomes and literature results. Indeed, almost all trends here found agree with clinical data. To test the statistical significance of the mean variations between NSR and AF, we performed a t-test for all the couples (NSR and AF) of the hemodynamic variables, using the hypothesis of unequal variances (Welch's t-test). p-values are reported in the fifth column of Table 2. Apart from the systolic pressure, $P_{AA,sys}$, all the hemodynamic variables show a significant difference between NSR and AF.

\noindent A more detailed quantitative assessment involving the specific values assumed by the hemodynamic variables is out of the scope of the present work, as we recall that: (i) clinical data are heterogeneous differing in age, sex, type of AF (e.g., chronic, paroxysmal, ...), concomitant pathologies, AF treatment (e.g., cardioversion, catheter ablation, drugs  treatment, ...), and follow-up periods. This heterogeneity has no counterpart in the modelling approach, which is exploited to analyze the global heart-arterial response to AF for a generic young healthy patient. (ii) To facilitate the comparison between NSR and AF, the two configurations are here simulated at the same mean HR (75 bpm). As a consequence, percentage variations of mean values are small and, in general, underestimated. Keeping these two aspects in mind, it is worth noting that, given the same HR, the irregular and uncorrelated AF beating features are able themselves to promote hemodynamic variations, which go in the same direction as clinically observed.

\noindent Despite end-diastole volume and pressure are the variables which are mostly affected by the assumption of a constant left-atrial pressure, the PV loops reported in Fig. \ref{fig:3}a correctly describe the characteristic phases of the cardiac cycle during NSR \cite{guyton}, while the PV loops in AF (Fig. \ref{fig:3}b) are fully representative of the much higher variability induced by AF at the cardiac level (about 3 times higher than NSR).

\subsection{Arterial pressure patterns}
\label{sec:3.2}

To analyze the arterial patterns, we introduce the distance from the heart, $x$ [cm] ($x=0$ is the beginning of the ascending aorta), which is purely representative of the arterial location and does not account for the different number of bifurcations that might have occurred in the path from heart to the location $x$. Regarding large/medium arteries, we consider the systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures. PDFs of systolic and diastolic pressures are reported in Fig. \ref{fig:4}, together with a portion of the pressure time-series at some representative arterial regions moving away from the heart at different $x$. It is evident that systolic and diastolic pressure values cover wider intervals during AF than in NSR, as a consequence of the greater variability of the local pressure values. Moreover, the AF-induced variability extends to the whole arterial system, including the aortic trunk as well as lower and upper limbs.

\noindent As shown in Fig. \ref{fig:5}a, in NSR, mean systolic pressures grow along the aorta, while diastolic pressures reduce, resulting in an increase of the pulse pressure, $PP$, thereby confirming the normal physiological trend \cite{Klabunde,Vosse}. NSR oscillations around mean values are in the intervals 2-3\%, 4-5\% and 1-2\% for systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures, respectively. Fig. \ref{fig:5}b indicates that $cv$ values, in NSR, grow for diastolic pressures and decrease for systolic ones, moving away from the heart. This means that the arterial system tends to amplify diastolic pressure oscillations, reducing the systolic ones during NSR. However, the trends are in general non-monotonic and, especially for the pulse pressure, quite variable along the aorta, already revealing in physiological conditions the complexity of the arterial fluid dynamics.

During AF, mean values of the systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures vary minimally site by site. On the contrary, the intervals of fluctuations around mean values in AF increase, becoming 7-8\%, 14-19\% and 3-10\% for systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures, respectively. These results are evident from the PDFs for systolic and diastolic pressures shown in Fig. \ref{fig:4}, but are better highlighted by the $cv$ ratios between AF and NSR along the arterial tree, as depicted in Fig. \ref{fig:6}a,b. The $cv$ ratios vary between 3 to 4, implying a much higher variability during AF with respect to NSR. Moreover, Fig. \ref{fig:6}a,b indicate the ability of the arterial system to amplify or damp the introduced variability with respect to the ascending aorta. In fact, the constant horizontal lines in panels a and b represent the $cv$ ratio values at the beginning of the aorta (3.15 for the diastolic, 2.95 for the systolic, 4.5 for the pulse pressures). If data along the $x$ direction fall above the horizontal line, an amplification of the variability occurs, while if they fall below the horizontal line, the arterial system is able to damp the variability introduced at the aortic root level. In general, $cv$ ratios of both systolic and diastolic pressures do not display a monotonic trend along the arterial pathway (Fig. \ref{fig:6}a), meaning that the response is not solely influenced by the distance from the heart, $x$ [cm]. However, it can be noted that, for $x>30$ cm (that is, overcoming the abdominal region), both systolic and diastolic $cv$ ratios tend to be amplified. Apart from a few exceptions near the abdominal zones (around $x=30-35$ cm), the $cv$ ratio of the pulse pressure along $x$ (Fig. \ref{fig:6}b) is instead kept well below ($cv$ between 3.5 and 4) the starting value at the beginning of the aorta ($cv$=4.5, evidenced by the horizontal dashed line).

Given the $5th$ and $95th$ reference percentiles of the PDFs for systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures in NSR, Fig. \ref{fig:6}c,d and e represent how these percentiles modify in AF along the arterial tree. Pressure percentiles are relatively constant, with no clear trend to increase or decrease along $x$, and with a greater variability for the pulse pressure (Fig. \ref{fig:6}e). The lateral areas of the PDFs grow in AF with respect to NSR, strongly increasing the probability of extreme values. In all the cases reported, the $5th$ and $95th$ percentiles in NSR correspond in AF to about the $30th$ and $70th$ percentiles, respectively.

\subsection{Wave propagation and reflection}
\label{sec:3.3}

Since in NSR wave propagation and reflection along the arterial tree is a balanced interplay between forward and backward signals, we inquire here whether AF is able to perturb this equilibrium. Therefore, for both NSR and AF, at different arterial points we evaluate the phase velocity, $c$, through the foot-to-foot method \cite{westerhof1}, and the Reflection Magnitude \cite{murgo,westerhof2,li,westerhof1}, $RM$. Chosen a vessel section, beat by beat, $c$ is an estimate of the local wave speed within the high frequency range, while $RM$ is the ratio between the amplitudes of the local backward and forward pressure signals.

Fig. \ref{fig:7} shows different aspects of the behaviour of the phase velocity, $c$, in NSR and AF. Mean and $cv$ values for $c$ along the arterial pathway in NSR are shown in panels a and b, respectively. Mean phase velocity rises with the distance from the heart, $x$, within the interval 4.2-6.5 m/s, in agreement with what observed in literature \cite{caro,Klabunde}. Fluctuations around mean values regularly and smoothly decrease towards the distal regions, going from 3.5\% to 1.5\% moving away from the heart (Fig. \ref{fig:7}b). This means that, even if the signal maintains the same variability $\sigma$, the phase velocity fluctuations are less impacting since the mean velocity increases.

\noindent Regarding AF, as already observed for the pressures, mean values of $c$ (not shown here) practically do not change as imposing $\mathrm{RR}_{AF}$, in reference to the results for $\mathrm{RR}_{NSR}$ (percentage differences are below 1\%). The average trends in NSR and AF along $x$ are pretty similar, with small differences at more distal zones. Instead, fluctuations around the mean values of $c$ largely upsurge in AF with respect to the NSR, as one can see from Fig. \ref{fig:7}c. The $cv$ ratio between AF and NSR of $c$ not only is always greater than 1, but for all the arterial locations, $x$, is also higher than the value individuated at the beginning of the ascending aorta, where the $cv$ ratio is about 2.5 (as evidenced by the constant horizontal line). This implies that for increasing distances $x$, during AF the phase velocity fluctuations (in terms of $cv$) are not damped, contrarily to what happens in NSR. Fig. \ref{fig:7}d indicates, for different distances $x$, to which AF percentiles the $5th$ and $95th$ NSR percentiles correspond. As for the pressure PDFs, the phase velocity PDFs enlarge dramatically in AF, too. In all the arterial regions considered, the $5th$ percentiles in NSR become around $30th$ in AF, while the $95th$ percentiles in NSR are in the interval $60th$-$80th$ in AF, with a decreasing worsening trend towards the peripheral regions.

\noindent Trends of the phase velocity in AF have not been analyzed in detail so far, thus they represent a novel aspect of the present work. We recall that phase velocity is determined by blood density and distensibility \cite{caro}. Assumed the former as constant, distensibility is a property of the blood vessel, being at the same time dependent on pressure and frequency. Since during AF pressure waveforms and heart rate exhibit a higher variability, it is reasonable that the phase velocity computing, which is carried out through approximation methods based on the hemodynamic signals, inherits such a higher variability, as observed in Fig. \ref{fig:7}c and \ref{fig:7}d.

Concerning $RM$, oscillations around mean values are definitely much more pronounced in AF than in NSR, with a $cv$ ratio between AF and NSR in the interval 2-6 along $x$ (Fig. \ref{fig:8}a), which is general well above 1. There is an extreme variability in the magnitude of fluctuations in AF, in reference to the NSR, which is different according to the arterial section. The highest amplification in the $RM$ fluctuations during AF is estimated at the femoral artery, where also fluctuations of the phase velocity are very high (see Fig. \ref{fig:7}c). Along thoracic and abdominal aorta ($20<x<40$ cm), the $cv$ ratio of $RM$ is lower than or equal to that of the ascending aorta, that is about 4. Instead, along the brachial artery (around $x=15-20$ cm), the $cv$ ratio results higher than at the entrance to the aorta. The percentiles in AF, corresponding to the $5th$ and $95th$ percentiles in NSR, are given in Fig. \ref{fig:8}b. It is visible that the PDFs of $RM$ in AF have a higher width than in NSR, with the $5th$ percentile during NSR reaching the range between $20th$ and $40th$ in AF, and the $95th$ percentile in NSR ending up to be within $60th$ and $85th$ during AF. The longest tails in the PDFs during AF are estimated along abdominal aorta, with the $5th$ percentile becoming between $20th$-$35th$ and the $95th$ percentile reaching the interval between $70th$-$85th$. The high variability along $x$ observed for $RM$ through both the $cv$ ratio and the percentiles highlight how differently waves reflect at the arterial junctions in presence of AF.

\noindent As a conclusive remark, it should be mentioned that $x$ only accounts for the distance from the heart and not for the number of bifurcations occurred so far. This may also explain some of the irregularity in the previous plots (e.g., Fig. \ref{fig:5} and \ref{fig:8}) along $x$.

\section{Discussion}
\label{sec:4}

Results so far presented highlight several features of the arterial hemodynamics during AF that deserve to be discussed. We first focus on the behaviour of the coefficient of variation, $cv$, along the arterial tree for systolic and diastolic pressures. We find that the value of $cv$ for diastolic pressure is higher than for systolic pressure at each arterial section. Furthermore, $cv$ reduces for systolic pressures and increases for diastolic pressure with the distance from the heart, $x$. This behaviour is already present in NSR, but is not linearly magnified during AF. In fact, the ratios of $cv$ between AF and NSR (always greater than 1) are everywhere higher for diastolic pressures than for the systolic ones, with a few exceptions along abdominal aorta. In addition, these ratios are not the same site by site and tend to grow for both pressures at more distal areas. Moreover, it can be observed that: (i) diastolic pressures require more or the same number of beats than systolic pressures to overcome the effects of the perturbation, once a variable $\mathrm{RR}$ disturbance is introduced; (ii) distal sites have a greater inertia than central ones in restoring the equilibrium condition. The emerging scenario is that the arterial system is not able to completely absorb and damp the AF-induced variability. On the contrary, the introduced fluctuations tend to grow towards the peripheral regions, being the diastolic pressure the hemodynamic variable which is mostly affected by the AF variability.

A second aspect drawn from this study is that the tails of the distributions for all the quantities under exam are decisively more pronounced in case of AF than in NSR. Thus, in AF, the probability to have extremely low/high values of pressures, phase velocities and coefficients of reflection is much higher than in NSR. This is immediately visible by looking at $5th$ and $95th$ percentile variations experienced by all the quantities analyzed in AF. In particular, the $5th$ percentile tends to be around $30th$ and the $95th$ tends to be around $70th$, for almost all the variables. These results are not too different with the distance from the heart, $x$, apart from $RM$, which reveals more variable percentiles along $x$. In general, if left and right tail values are summed, the 10\% probability of extreme values in NSR becomes 60\% in AF, which is comparable to the median value. This means that an extremely low/high value which is rarely reached in NSR becomes common and frequently attained in AF.

In light of all the above, we find that AF causes non-negligible fluctuations in pressures, as well as phase velocities and magnitudes of reflection, provoking an enlargement of the corresponding PDFs, with respect to the NSR. Notwithstanding, changes in the magnitude of fluctuations
for pressures seem to vary depending on the specific arterial point, as the $cv$ ratios between AF and NSR (Fig. \ref{fig:6}a,b) demonstrate. This aspect can be explained if we have in mind that pressure and flow rate signals, produced by the contracting activity of the heart, are nothing but waves. These last ones travel at the finite and locally variable speed (estimated, beat by beat, through $c$) and are reflected, most of all, because of the arterial bifurcations (the local magnitude of reflection at each beat is given by $RM$). Therefore, chosen an arterial section, it is possible to identify 4 factors responsible for the definition of the local pressure signal: (i) the initial pressure signal at the entrance to aorta, (ii) the local phase velocity, (iii) how waves are reflected at the nearest bifurcations to the chosen site, (iv) the distance between the chosen site and the nearest sites of reflection. This work shows that the first 3 mentioned elements experience substantial modification under AF. Thus, beat by beat, we can recognize these three sources of alteration of the local pressure signal. The first one is related to the fibrillated beating sequence, $\mathrm{RR}$, which varies the initial pressure signal at the ascending aorta level. The other two factors are the mechanisms of wave propagation and reflection, which physiologically vary site by site. We observe, through the $cv$ ratios and percentile variations of $c$ and $RM$, that AF alters the local wave dynamics non-uniformly along the arterial tree. The combination of these three sources of variation is responsible of the complex hemodynamic scenario here described.

To complete the analysis we briefly discuss how mean flow rates per beat, $\overline{Q}$ [ml/beat], are affected by AF at the gastrointestinal bifurcations from the aorta present in the model (see Table \ref{tab:3}). As for the pressures, the average values of $\overline{Q}$ remain almost unvaried comparing AF and NSR, at each site. However, the higher variability induced by AF is well represented by the $cv$ ratios and percentile variations of Table \ref{tab:3}. It is worth noting that, even if the $cv$ ratios are always higher than 1, at the abdominal bifurcations the fluctuations are damped with respect the ascending aorta. As for the percentile variations, the $5th$ and $95th$ percentiles in NSR correspond to about the $25-30th$ and $65-70th$ percentiles in AF, respectively. Overall, the flow rates confirm substantially the dynamics observed for the pressure signals.

The irregular hemodynamic pattern and the repeated exposure to extreme flow rate and pressure values induced by AF could promote local suffering or dysfunction at the arterial level in the long-term. In fact, as very recently observed by Olbers et al. \cite{Olbers}, the higher beat-to-beat variability triggered by AF could be associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, not entirely explained by thromboembolism. Hemodynamic effects of prolonged anomalous pressure levels and local blood flow impairment deserve deeper examination in the future, from both clinical and computational points of view.

\section{Limitations}
\label{sec:5}

One of the limitations of the present work deals with the fact that the model is not equipped with short-term autoregulation mechanisms. In other words, we do not consider any internal adaptive mechanism able to adjust the arterial system response to the beat duration. However, this simplifying assumption is often adopted in cardiovascular modelling \cite{blanco,korakianitis,alastruey,reymond2,Mynard,scarsoglio}. Long-term structural remodelling effects due to the chronic persistence of AF are also neglected. Other limiting aspects are related to the modelling approach. We do not consider the coronary circulation and the small portion of flow rate directed to oxygenate the myocardium and other heart components. Despite the fact that little is known about the AF effects on the cerebral hemodynamics, the absence of the cerebral circulation has no significant repercussions on the results provided trough the model. In fact, the influence of the cerebral districts on the rest of the modelling is adequately replaced by suitable boundary conditions. In the end, the assumptions of a non-contractile left atrium and a constant left atrial pressure mainly affect the left ventricle hemodynamics, by underestimating the fluctuations of the end-diastolic phase in both NSR and AF.

\section{Conclusions}
\label{sec:6}

The present approach proves to be a powerful \textit{in-silico} tool in revealing pressure alterations along the arterial tree during AF, in reference to the NSR. To focus on the AF-induced variability and facilitate the comparison with NSR, both NSR and AF conditions have been simulated at the same mean heart rate (75 bpm). Given this, the irregular and uncorrelated AF beating features are able themselves to promote hemodynamic variations, which qualitatively agree with literature data available for cardiac parameters. Before entering the arterial tree, a much higher variability (3 times higher than NSR) is induced by AF already at the ventricular level. Within the arterial tree, the introduced fluctuations persist and tend to grow in terms of pressure towards the distal regions. The diastolic pressure, in particular, is the most prone to the AF variability. Nevertheless, extreme values in NSR become rather common during AF, and AF is also able to locally alter the wave dynamics, by modifying the interplay between forward and backward signals. A similar scenario is observed for the flow rates, leading to a generalized irregularity of the local perfusion. Thus, the arterial system is not able to completely absorb the fluctuations inserted through the fibrillated beating, $\mathrm{RR}_{AF}$. For flow rates, the variability is damped with respect to the entrance, but remains still quite higher than in NSR. For pressures and phase velocity, fluctuations are amplified with respect to the ascending aorta, reaching values up to 3 to 4 times higher than NSR towards the peripheral circulation. In general, the response along the arterial tree strongly depends on the region considered. It emerges that the fluctuation trends along $x$ are not monotonic and with non-trivial features.

\noindent The proposed work represents a first attempt to characterize the arterial hemodynamics in presence of AF. Considering that heart rate is the same in both NSR and AF conditions, the sole heart rhythm variation is able itself to modify the regular and periodic hemodynamics at the arterial level. In terms of pressure and peripheral perfusion, the evidenced alteration could suggest in the long-term a dysfunction or local suffering due to repeated exposure to irregular and extreme values. All these aspects surely deserve further investigation in the future to provide new insights into the AF hemodynamics, especially in those regions - such as the cerebral and coronary circulations - where clinical evidence is still lacking.

\begin{acknowledgements}
The authors would like to thank Andrea Guala for the valuable and precious support with the model settings and numerical simulations.
\end{acknowledgements}

\section*{Compliance with ethical standards}
\textbf{Conflict of interest} The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


EZvent offers a range of event services, mainly photo booth, food stations, balloons and decor accessories, as well as event management. The website was designed to give an uplifting and vibrant feel, while staying true to its corporate identity colours of purple and orange.
It showcases its services at a glance from its landing page with animation effects to provide an upbeat atmosphere suitable for events.


text:
Numberfire Video Animation
By team on February 10, 2015
"What is numberFire.com?"
That was the question that numberFire wanted to answer. They have a game-changing sports analytics platform that can put sports fans ahead of the field, but needed a way to get that message across to potential users.
But it couldn't just be any old video, it needed to be fast paced and intense to match the sports it covers, and it had to match numberFire's established branding and messaging.
Enter ExplanatoryVideos.com
These days, sport is a numbers game.
Every play, every hit and every pass on the field generate statistics and data which can potentially predict game outcomes and future performance. Problem is, there's so much unstructured and misleading data around that making sense of the numbers and using them to your advantage can be close to impossible.
Sure, there are other services out there that interpret stats and give score predictions, but the truth is, they're not all that accurate.
But numberFire.com is different. They know that performance on paper and performance on the field are two very different things. It means more to throw 300 yards against the Steelers than the Browns so why judge a quarterback just by yardage alone?
numberFire.com don't.
Their mathematical models and performance algorithms can accurately judge the true value of decisions and plays as they happen and translate them into accurate performance and score predictions.
So how good is numberFire.com? Put it this way: If you use numberFire.com to predict your fantasy team performance, you'll have a 30% better chance of winning your league!
So there it is, numberFire.com has made science and math the new MVP for sports fans everywhere.
It's probably dating a cheerleader.
So how do you create an explainer video that quickly transmits the benefits of numberFire.com to potential users?
We worked with the client to create a script that pinpointed the unique selling points and did it in just over 70 seconds, well within the attention span of almost all internet users.
Secondly the style of the illustration and voice over was tailored to fit numberFire's existing branding. Obviously a hand-drawn illustration style would clash with the existing site, so we created a photo-collage style that matched numberFire.com's look and feel. It also does a great job of blending the performance statistics element of the service with the on-the-field excitement of sporting events.
The voice over was carefully selected to match what sport fans are used to hearing during games and further re-enforcing the in-game feel of the video.
When brought all together, these elements work perfectly together to act as an exceptional promotional tool for numberFire.com.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This morning we launched 'Compass', an innovative new tool to point young jobseekers in the direction of new learning and work opportunities.
The search tool is powered by hundreds of information factsheets and employment support service listings created by youth information website SpunOut.ie.
I'd be very grateful if you could share Compass with your networks. I've included suggested text below which might be of use.


How To: Broiling Think of broiling as grilling, indoors and upside down.
Think of broiling as grilling, indoors and upside down.
Preheat the broiler for about 5 minutes.
Broiling sears chicken very quickly; choose cuts like boneless breasts, wings and thighs to ensure doneness.
For easy clean up, wrap both levels of a broiler pan in foil and cut vents so fat drains to the catch pan.
If you prefer, cover a cookie sheet in foil and set a cooling rack on it to hold the chicken.
For easy turning spray everything with cooking oil.
If you have an oven light, keep it on so you can easily size up progress.
Keeping the oven door slightly ajar can help keep the oven from getting too hot.
Delivers high heat from an overhead element. Uses a grate with variable heat coming from below.
Doesn't change the taste of food. Wood and charcoal- burning grills infuse added flavor.
Can be done indoors any time of year. Many people grill year-round; most prefer "grilling season."


Helix Racing Products Aluminized Hear Barrier - Heavy Duty Blanket, 12"x40". Available with adhesive or without adhesive.
Helix Racing Products Heat Shield Strips, 1.5" wide. Available in 3 ft. or 10 ft. lengths.
Helix Racing Products Heat Shield Sheet, 18"x18".
M6x1.00 Scooter Body Fasteners found on most scooters are used to mount plastic parts such as front fairings, kick panels and side covers - Set of 10.
4.2mm Screw Scooter Body Fasteners found on most scooters are used to mount plastic parts such as front fairings, kick panels and side covers - Set of 10.


In our opinion Formica is one of the best surfaces for desk tops. It has a fantastic range of colours and textures.
We laminate to birch ply and instantly we have a hard wearing, long life, stable, durable and beautiful surface. This desk illustrates the best of both materials.
Like the desk, don't like the colour? Just drop us an email and we'll sort it out.


On an island in the middle of the sea, in a city with a sleepy old port cut with the vertical lines of masts, and the mountains jutting up behind it, green with feather white clouds drifting across the tops, and closed in by two lighthouses, a green and an orange, protecting the tiny opening, or just pointing out its edges, we know we have left the continent.
The city pressing against the port is run-down and crumbling, the paint peeling off in sheaths. The shops smell of almond cookies — a thing you can get anywhere in the Mediterranean; they go by 101 names — and pungent ham and hand-wrapped soaps. Glistening bottles of liquor stand on shelves, a thin layer of dust crowning each one.
And we walk in the heat.
The hotel is horrendous, windowless, with two hard, narrow beds wedged into a corner and an enormous, tiled bathroom that does little to compensate. I feel as though I've been shoved underground, stuffed into darkness. I am too ashamed to take a picture. At night, I cry myself to sleep, hoping J____ doesn't hear but I know she does.
Me and my bad French screwed up the reservation. All my fault. I could understand so well most of the time, though. Most of the time is not all the time. It is best never to make assumptions in a language that is not yours.
I still cannot eat. My stomach turns over at the sight of food, and the waiters feel terrible. Bring us free shots of limoncello and pastis. Because they think we haven't enjoyed our dinner. But we did! We tell them. We're just… not well. Not totally well yet.
We find the chapel, the enormous sun pattern created in tiny little stones on the ground outside. There is a painting inside, I read, that depicts the circumcision of Jesus — a rare and strange subject for a painter, and I want to see.
The chapel glitters. The walls are hung in red velvet. Crystal chandeliers gleam in the low light. I am agape, admiring the art, the carved ceiling, a gilt tabernacle, the things that make it seem more like a ballroom in a French chateau than a tiny chapel on a hidden street.
It is utterly plain, a wooden box like in a Vampire movie, little handles on the sides. It sits on a bier in the main aisle.
She ignores the mounting hysteria in my voice and goes to look closer. To learn whether this is some tradition or preparation, a leftover sliver of some ancient ritual, or whether we are simply alone in a church with a dead body.
Under the flood of daylight, standing on the sun mosaic, I am still shaken. I am not a particularly phobic person, but coffins. Funeral parlors. The smell of gardenias, sticky sweet and cool. These things double me over, turn me to jell-o. Even as a joke. Even at Halloween.
We tread back to the square, past an obscenely muscled statue of Napoleon, laurel-crowned, done up like Caesar in a toga. Local boy made good. A pack of kids plays at his feet, squealing at the tops of their lungs, tossing fistfuls of dirt in each other's faces, or just sitting, sifting it through their little fingers in clouds, watching it slide to the ground.
Citadel, originally uploaded by Miss Laura M..
You can go to Calvi with one dress and a bathing suit in a bag and maybe a bottle of sunblock, and you can stay in a grass green room above a courtyard full of hibiscus and hydrangeas and you can take a tiny little train through the mountains to get there.
You can rent a chair and an umbrella for about $10 and swim in water that is clear and waveless except for the ripples made by the wind.
You can spy the snow on the tops of the mountains and remember a story that a guy told you once about how you can only see the snow and the sea at the same time in a scant few places on earth, and then he named the places. But he didn't name this one.
And you won't appreciate in the moment how this is all making you better, or teaching you something, but you can sense the shape of that change coming, how it might seem in hindsight when you're on a sun-baked sidewalk a thousand miles away or on another beach somewhere else, under some other palm tree.
You can miss everyone and no one and two or three specific people so much that it aches, and you can be almost sure that they don't miss you. Because they're not on a beach, on an island, in the middle of the sea, waiting to go somewhere.


text:
Elena Sotgiu (born 18 July 1995) is a Belgian field hockey player for the Belgian national team.

She participated at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup.

References

External links

1995 births
Living people
Belgian female field hockey players
Female field hockey goalkeepers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Michael Hart, Carleton University
International Affairs Professor Ottawa, Ontario mhart@ccs.carleton.ca Mobile: (613) 739-0847
Office: (613) 520-2600 ext. 1370
Canada-United States Relations Canadian foreign policy NAFTA Trade negotiations Trade policy
Michael Hart holds the Simon Reisman chair in trade policy at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, where he teaches courses on the laws and institutions of international trade as well as Canadian foreign policy. Professor Hart spent the 2004-5 acad...
Michael Hart holds the Simon Reisman chair in trade policy at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, where he teaches courses on the laws and institutions of international trade as well as Canadian foreign policy. Professor Hart spent the 2004-5 academic year in Washington, DC, working on a book on Canadian foreign policy and the United States, as the Fulbright-Woodrow Wilson Center Visiting Research Chair in Canada-US Relations. Concurrently, he was also a Scholar-in-Residence in the School of International Service and a Senior Fellow in the Center for North American Studies at American University in Washington.
He is a former official in Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, where he specialized in trade policy and trade negotiations. He holds an MA from the University of Toronto and is the author, editor, or co-editor of more than a dozen books and numerous articles and chapters in books on international trade issues, including A Trading Nation, short-listed for the Donner Prize (Public Policy), the J.W. Dafoe Prize (History), the Donald V. Smiley Prize (Political Science), and Purvis Prize (Economics) in 2003 and Decision at Midnight, short-listed for the for the Gelber Prize and the Canadian Business Book


Security aboard flights into Glasgow Airport was beefed up two weeks ago with protection by U.S. air marshals who are now on board every inbound and outgoing European flight, according to a Homeland Security official.
Air marshals also began guarding flights into Prague at the same time, and in May stepped up coverage to guard all flights into and out of Germany, where terrorists are reportedly in the advanced planning stages of an attack. Air marshals are also guarding some flights into South Asia airports.
An official who asked to remain anonymous said suspicious events aboard flights have been reported and are being investigated but declined to reveal any details of the events.
"There is so much going on out there. We do know these guys are definitely in an operational phase right now," the official said.
As of yesterday, eight suspects including three physicians had been taken into custody by British authorities for questioning in the weekend attack on the Glasgow Airport and two car bombs dismantled in London.
The aviation sector in the U.S. has been on high, "Orange Alert" since August, when another plot was uncovered in Britain to hijack nearly a dozen airlines and use liquid explosives to bomb the planes over U.S. airspace.
"We're also concerned about people coming from Europe to the United States, which is why we've taken some very vigorous steps to increase the type of information we collect on passengers coming to the United States from overseas," Mr. Chertoff told ABC News.
The official confirmed reports that there has been an increase in communication that plans for an attack are in place in the U.S. and that there continues to be concerns over a "spectacular attack" in Germany.
"Flying remains the biggest concern. [The terrorists] … come back to aviation" as a target, the official said.
"We have an increasing concern about people who might be training in Pakistan or Afghanistan or in South Asia and who might then be traveling to Europe, where they have European documents because they're European citizens, and then might use Europe as a platform to launch an attack against the U.S." Mr. Chertoff said.
"And we've taken some very specific measures to increase the amount of information we're gathering on passengers precisely for that reason," Mr. Chertoff said.


text:
Fri, Apr 09, 2010 page6
China confirms it will attend meeting to discuss Iran
China confirmed plans to meet with other world powers in New York yesterday to discuss the next steps to be taken against Iran over its suspected nuclear program.
"China will participate in the relevant discussions," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu (姜瑜) told reporters.
"China still believes dialogue and consultation are the best way to solve the nuclear issue," she continued.
The talks bring together the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the US — plus Germany, who have been negotiating with Iran for months.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in Paris on Wednesday that China had agreed to join the so-called P5+1 talks in New York, but admitted he was unsure if sanctions would be on the table.
"What will this discussion be like? Will we be able to talk about a text, of content? Will we be going through the motions? I don't know," Kouchner said.
China has until now refused to back Western calls for new sanctions against Tehran and last week played host to the Islamic republic's chief nuclear negotiator.
Beijing has a close diplomatic and trade relationship with Iran, dominated by its imports of Iranian energy resources.
Last week, US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said China was ready for "serious negotiations" on Iran — a move hailed by the White House as an "important step" — but Beijing has so far not signaled any policy shift.
The US and its allies suspect Iran is secretly trying to develop an atom bomb, but Tehran says its nuclear drive is purely for civilian energy purposes and that it has the right to such nuclear technology.
Russia has also been reluctant to agree new sanctions but has taken a harder line on Iran's nuclear program in recent weeks.


The teams Aston Villa and Newcastle meet in the match of the 9th round of the Championship season in England.
The players of Aston Villa are 18th in the standings with a total asset of 8 points, achieved after a win, 5 draws and 2 losses since the beginning of the championship, as in played 8 games have made 8 goals in the door of his rivals and allowed eight hits in his door. As the host team played 4 matches in which there is a win, 3 draws and 1 loss nor home, realized a 7 goals in the door of his opponents and has received 4 goals in his net.
The away team Newcastle is third in the table standing with a grand total of 15 points after five wins and 3 losses since the beginning of the championship, played in 8 games has a positive goal difference of 16-6. In an away game the team has played four matches so far, which has 3 wins and one loss, has scored nine goals in the opponent's goal and has received only one goal in his net.
In their last two home games Aston Villa reached two draws - 2-2 with Derby County and 1-1 with QPR. In his previous two visits Newcastle achieved 2 wins - 2-0 against the team of Derby County and 6-0 against QPR.
In the last 10 games played between the two teams, Aston Villa will win a single victory, the team of Newcastle has achieved success 5 and 5 meetings both opponents have failed to win, a total goal difference of 6-11. In the previous five meetings before their fans with the team of Magpies players of Villa do not win, 3 draws and 2 defeats.


The big-hitting Jamaican ?? has returned to #Kolkata! A cracking pull shot here, a blistering drive there! The #KKR fans got their first glimpse of @Russell12A ?? at Jadavpur University Campus Ground this evening.
Next article'গুড ফ্রাইডে' দিনটির নেপথ্যে থাকা এই কাহিনিটা কি আপনি জানেন?


You felt guilty for pasta? You should've felt guilty for all those FRIES!!! You deserve a shorter ride today.
Ditto what Don said :)…… almost looked like a Fry Salad…lol…. that's it…. that will get rid of the guilt.
What was under the fries? It looked delicious! Beautiful pics!
Nice pics as always….wine is looking good. Flat Flat Flat…enjoy it!!!!!
Beautiful scenery. Don't let anyone tell you that you did not deserve the lunch and dinner carbs…..Montana is not a flat place!
Sounds like really great riding weather. Enjoy. Really like the pic of the curving road with the mountains in the background and the power poles in the foreground (colors are great too). That lunch was "Supersized" right?
Biking! LoL Keep having fun????
Beautiful scenery…..oh to be retired! Enjoy!
To ME, fries, fries and fried pork chop sandwich! Courtney, not sure it qualified as a sandwich, but the fries were mighty tasty!


Scrub for all skin types. This gentle scrub has been specifically designed for sensitive skins. It cleans deeply, softening the skin for radiance with cherry freshness.
Key active ingredients: crushed cherry stone, cherry extract, amber, poppy fl ower water, macadamia and borage oils, cocoa butter. 98% of ingredients are natural plantbased. 34% of ingredients come from organic farming.
Instructions: Place a small knob of scrub in the palm of the hand and apply to the face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Wet the hands and scrub the face and neck with circular movements. Rinse with warm water and a facecloth before drying with a towel, then apply Eau des champs au coquelicot (Poppy Flower Water).
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil*, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Glycerin, Silicia, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Amber Powder, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Papaver Rhoeas Petal Extract*, Sodium Stearoyl Lactilate, Prunus Cesarus (Bitter Cherry) Shell Powder, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Algin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Prunus Cesarus (Bitter Cherry) Fruit Extract, Sorbic Acid, Parfum (Fragrance), Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.


text:
Unfriendly fire
By Roch Thornton, CAP 2-7-2, 1970-71Even in the restricted fire zones where most CAPs operated, there was considerable danger of friendly fire. Sometimes it seemed you had an equal chance of being killed by friends and enemies alike.
Friendly fire could be personal or impersonal; a single bullet from a guy you knew like a brother or a hail of shells from a distant battery that had no idea you existed. You could die from malice or because a sleepy artillery officer forgot to carry the '2.'
One of the biggest dangers we faced was re-entering the CAP perimeter after a night-time patrol, known first as "killer teams" and later, the more politically correct "security patrols."
We sent out four- or five-man killer teams to roam our ville at night looking for Charlie, just like our daytime patrols. Charlie was much more likely to be found at night, but the scariest part of most night patrols was re-entering the CAP's night position.
The KT leader would plan a route through the ville and estimate a return time so the rest of the CAP knew when to expect them. But the returning KT was still required to walk closer and closer to the CAP perimeter, waiting for the man on watch to see them. That was the moment of maximum danger, when the watchstander saw movement and had a few seconds to decide whether he was looking at Marines or VC.
Sometimes KTs carried a radio so they could call ahead and say, "We're coming in." Sometimes they would fire a green or red star cluster to announce their arrival. Both methods had disadvantages and KT leaders often decided not to use them.
I know of two Marines killed by friendly fire while leading KTs. On July 6, 1970, a KT was returning to the CAP 2-7-4 night position. A PF sleeping on watch awoke suddenly to see a shadow in front of him. He fired a burst that killed the point man, John Sievers of Gunnison, Colo., and wounded Angel Washington of San Antonio, Texas.
Ronnie Ross of CAP 2-7-10 was mortally wounded under similar circumstances, though many suspect his death was murder rather than an accident. He had argued with the PF officer who shot him. The PF was transferred and the incident hushed up to avoid a complete break in relations with the South Vietnamese.
Fearing such incidents, CAP 2-7-2 killer teams always re-entered our night site through a Marine watch position. It was not unusual for PFs to daydream or fall asleep while standing watch, and they tended to open fire when startled.
Friendly artillery fire was a lot more random, impersonal and potentially destructive. I escaped injury three times from friendly shells.
The first time, CAP 2-7-2 was in a night position in the grave mounds on the north side of the "Island." I was standing watch alone, early on a quiet, starry morning. I could hear an artillery battery firing far off to the west, then it fell silent. About five minutes later I heard a single, distant 'boom' from that direction and wondered what it was.
Seconds later I heard the rushing sound of an incoming shell and I ducked down beside a grave mound. The shell, probably a 105mm, blew up barely 50 yards away. I quickly got on the radio to CACO 2-7, shouting, "CHECK FIRE! CHECK FIRE!" because one shell was often the prelude to a barrage. The radio operator at 2-7 checked and told me the artillery bases within range all claimed they had not fired.
No more shells landed, so the CAP soon went back to sleep. We never learned who fired the shell although we knew there were 105mm batteries and a tank base in the area west of us.
Another time, CAP 2-7-2 was on the move at maybe 9 p.m. We were strung out in single file, walking up a path to the north side of the Island near a house we called the Flower Garden. Suddenly there came the familiar ripping sound of an incoming shell. This one hit the ground about 50 feet to the right of our file, but didn't explode. We all froze. Then came a loud "POP" and a parachute flare was flung out of the hole made by the shell. It caught in a banana tree and began burning brightly.
Thirty seconds later another shell came screaming towards us on a low arc from the north. This one spat out its flare about 100 feet above ground, then crashed into the roof of the Flower Garden on our left. Every man in the CAP had the same thought, "SHIT, we're bracketed!"
I urgently radioed CACO 2-7 and asked if they were firing illumination with their 81mm mortars. The radio man said, yes, they were firing a mission for CAP 2-7-10.
"Well your FUCKING flares are landing on our HEADS!" I shouted, as another shell plowed into the brick courtyard of the Flower Garden. "Somebody is gonna get KILLED!"
Despite eyewitness testimony, the CACO radio man assured me that their mortar fire couldn't be hitting us, because we were OUT OF RANGE! He also chided me for using foul language on the tactical net. I pleaded with him to "check fire" and call CAP 2-7-10. Another 81mm shell landed in the rice paddy in front of our column, spitting out its flare. By now there were flares burning all around us. We were still strung out on the trail, kneeling or flat on our faces. Another shell landed to our right, and that was the last.
The CACO radio man came back on the net and admitted the illumination they were firing never arrived in the skies over CAP 2-7-10, but he still would not admit their shells were falling on CAP 2-7-2. Out of range, end of story. I was a little upset and our actual "Willie" Williams was beside me by then shouting, "What the FUCK! is going on!?"
Willie took the handset and shared a few of his thoughts with CACO 2-7, and that was pretty much the end of it. I was shaking a little when we moved out again. Even though illumination shells don't explode, you can get hurt if a 15-pound chunk of metal hits you going 1,000 feet per second.
There were other dicey moments when we called for illumination. One time we got 155mm illumination from a battery near Hoi An. Those babies popped right overhead. The night was so quiet you could hear the flares hissing a thousand feet overhead, and you could hear the empties tumbling down with a soft "whoo-Whoo-WHoo-WHOO" until they hit the earth with a 40-pound THUD!
Finally there was the incident of the drunken Army advisors. It was December, I think, during the rainy season. I remember I was getting short. I was leading a patrol of five or six men around midnight near "The Farm" in the western part of our ville. Once again we were strung out single file, but this time I was walking point. I heard the distinctive sound of a mortar firing at the ARVN compound guarding the bridge over the Thanh Quit River. It was the old Delta 1 compound.
I paid little attention because our ville was a restricted fire zone. Anybody firing into our area was supposed to call CAP 2-7-2 and ask permission. Then a mortar shell came hissing earthward. We all hit the dirt as the high explosive shell blew up about 50 yards away. I grabbed our radio, switched the frequency and called the U.S. Army advisors based at the ARVN compound.
"Check fire on your mortar," I told the Army man on the radio, "You're hitting near us."
Another mortar shell landed. This one was closer.
"How close was that last one?" the Army man asked.
"About 35 yards," I replied.
"Don't worry," the advisor advised, "The killing radius for a 60mm is only 15 yards."
I started cursing angrily and 7th Co. commander Capt. Bob Mallard came on the frequency and told me to shut up and get off the net. Then HE started cursing the Army advisor and demanding he cease fire. No more shells fell. I got off the Army freq to call CAP 2-7-2 and missed the rest of the conversation.
I heard later that the Army major assigned to the ARVN compound was entertaining a visiting major when they got drunk and decided to fire a little high explosive to liven up the evening. I also heard the major was reprimanded and transferred, but I don't know if that's true.


Fiction that falls in the cracks between genres.
The Lascaux Review provides a showcase for emerging and established writers and artists. Annual contests are conducted in flash fiction, short fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
The Laurel Review prints poetry, short fiction, essays and reviews. Aesthetic schools don't matter to us; what matters is that the poem or story or essay presents a real investigation of the art and what it is to be human.
Limestone, a literary journal housed at the University of Kentucky, publishes original art, poetry, and prose from established and emerging writers.
Our mission is to publish unique fiction that's on the cusp: neither here nor there, unbound by convention or genre expectations.
LIT is a biannual literary magazine published by The New School Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program, which promotes innovative writing and art via print and digital publishing.
Caffeinating minds for twenty one years. Stimulating careers for writers; great literature for readers. First ten years gave away 30,000 copies free in New York coffeehouses. Now free online to all.
The Literary Review publishes contemporary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, as well as works in translation.
We are a high-quality, innovative, literary magazine specializing in short fiction. We publish stories that excite us from new and established writers with strong voices and something to say.
Little Patuxent Review is a biannual print journal and online blog featuring writers and artists from the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.


SB1 - Eminent Domain Powers Delegated to Regional Agencies — Orinda Watch Sign up!
A Declaration in Opposition to SB 1 is a State-wide, non-partisan effort and will be presented to Governor Brown before the January legislative session. The deadline for signing the Declaration is December 16, 2013. Please note that you must be a registered voter of Contra Costa County to sign the Declaration. (Other counties have the same Declaration.) Please participate in this endeavor to keep our tax dollars in our schools and retain local control of Lamorinda development.
Senate Bill 1 (co-authored by Steinberg/DeSaulnier) is one of the most threatening pieces of legislation that our cities and townships could see in California. From the financing of our schools to the rights of private property ownership - little remains unaffected with implementation of this Bill.
The Bill passed in both the Senate and Assembly this year, but was temporarily withdrawn until January for fear that it would be vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown. At this time, negotiations to sweeten the Bill for the Governor's signature or amass legislative support to override a veto are in progress. We cannot allow this Bill to go unchallenged when it is reintroduced.
* Redefines "Blight" as "inefficient land use patterns" vs. property deterioration caused by long-term neglect.
Here is a quick summary of what is in SB1 (click here) that we wrote while ago.


The Effect of Patient Characteristics on 1 to 2-Year and Minimum 5-Year Outcomes After Total Ankle Arthroplasty.
Home » Topics » Patient Monitoring » Research » The Effect of Patient Characteristics on 1 to 2-Year and Minimum 5-Year Outcomes After Total Ankle Arthroplasty.
Summary of "The Effect of Patient Characteristics on 1 to 2-Year and Minimum 5-Year Outcomes After Total Ankle Arthroplasty."
Total ankle arthroplasty has shown durable improvements in patient-reported outcomes. However, the impact of common comorbidities and patient factors has not been fully characterized. The purpose of this study was to identify patient comorbidities and characteristics that impact outcomes after total ankle arthroplasty.
FIVE-YEAR FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES AFTER EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE SURGERY: A Prospective, Controlled Study.
To evaluate 5-year functional outcomes involving the inner retina after epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery.
Decomposition of changes in the consumption of macronutrients in Vietnam between 2004 and 2014.
Hip Arthroscopic Surgery With Labral Preservation and Capsular Plication in Patients With Borderline Hip Dysplasia: Minimum 5-Year Patient-Reported Outcomes: Response.
Osseointegrated Percutaneous Prosthetic System for the Treatment of Patients With Transfemoral Amputation: A Prospective Five-year Follow-up of Patient-reported Outcomes and Complications.
Hip Arthroscopic Surgery With Labral Preservation and Capsular Plication in Patients With Borderline Hip Dysplasia: Minimum 5-Year Patient-Reported Outcomes: Letter to the Editor.


SDMU-253 - SOD Female Employees Get A Chance To Double Their Summer Bonuses! The Office Treasure Hunt Game See Their Pretty Bare Asses! On All Fours! Big Time Challenge Of Shame While Their Colleagues Continue To Do Their Work!


The Stars and Stripes and The Lone Star are flying now, in the front of The Daily Flag offices. All it took was a little thinking and some ingenuity.
It has rained every day since we arrived, until yesterday —Sunday—when the sun finally came back out and the heat returned, too. We took an extended walk around the grounds and studied the options. My life experience means that I start with easiest and least expensive idea, then progress upwards to conclusion.
I mentioned in a previous post that because we lease this house, I did not want to attach the flags to the house or deck. But this simple, basic installation will work for anyone who wants to display both flags adjacent to each other.
As you can see from the photo, I started with an aluminum tube (old shower curtain rod). I cut the rod in half and drove the two sections into the ground about 18″ deep, and just placed the flag poles into them. I had to add an extra 2′ section to each flag pole to get enough height, but I think the results work.
The wind hasn't been much of a factor this past week, but I'm sure it can blow, when it takes a notion. Time will tell if my cheap inexpensive installation will hold up to the wind and rain.
It sure is good to see the Red, White, and Blue flying again. I feel better already.


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Expanding options for efficiency: UNCITRAL's Expedited Arbitration Rules
By Rachel Howie, Emily McMurtry, and Maggie Sullivan
Over last few years, several arbitration institutions have adopted expedited rules or procedures that provide parties with an option for more streamlined proceedings and a shorter timeline for certain disputes, usually those under a specific dollar value. The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), creator of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, has now followed suit.
In 2018, in response to increasing concerns over costs and delay in international arbitration, UNCITRAL launched a Working Group to consider measures to improve the efficiency of arbitral proceedings. The result is the Expedited Arbitration Rules, which were adopted by UNCITRAL on July 16, 2021, and are set to take effect on September 19, 2021.[1] The Expedited Rules, accompanied by the Working Group's draft Explanatory Note (to be finalized in the fall of 2021) seek to balance the need for streamlined and cost-effective dispute resolution on the one hand, with the importance of procedural fairness, due process, and fair treatment on the other.[2] Once in effect, the Expedited Rules will substantially broaden the options for parties looking for rules to assist in ad hoc arbitrations (those not administered by an institution).
The following is a high-level overview of some key aspects of the UNCITRAL Expedited Rules.
Application of the Expedited Rules
The Expedited Rules are not a stand-alone document. They must be read in conjunction with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. Indeed, Article 1 of the Expedited Rules provides that where parties agree to the Expedited Rules, the dispute "shall be settled in accordance with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules as modified by [the] Expedited Rules and subject to such modification as the parties may agree." Conveniently, a footnote to Article 1 of the Expedited Rules identifies the Articles in the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules that do not apply to proceedings governed by the Expedited Rules (subject, of course, to party agreement otherwise).
Unlike many other expedited arbitral procedures, the Expedited Rules contain no monetary threshold for their application. Instead, they apply to any dispute "[w]here [the] parties have agreed"[3] to their application. This provides flexibility for parties to agree to "opt-in" once a dispute has arisen or to consider whether, if negotiating an arbitration agreement as part of another agreement or transaction, it might be possible to specify at that point certain disputes that ought to proceed in a streamlined manner.
Key differences in the Expedited Rules
One of the first differences in the Expedited Rules is a compressed timeline for initial steps in the proceeding. Unless altered by agreement, a claimant is to send its statement of claim with its notice of arbitration.[4] A respondent then has 15 days to provide its response and 15 days from constitution of the tribunal to provide its statement of defence. While this is potentially a shorter time period for a defence than the more open "time determined by the tribunal" in the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, there is of course nothing to prevent a respondent from requesting more time from the tribunal if such is needed and the parties do not agree on a new date.
As is common in other expedited procedures, the Expedited Rules default to a sole arbitrator. To facilitate the tribunal's prompt constitution, the claimant must propose an arbitrator and appointing authority in its notice of arbitration.[5] A respondent must include the comments on the claimant's proposed arbitrator and appointing authority with its response. To facilitate the appointment of the tribunal, if the parties do not agree on the arbitrator or appointing authority then within 15 days of a proposal (and similar to the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules) either party may request the Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration designate the appointing authority or decide that it shall appoint the tribunal.
Reflecting what is seen in other expedited procures, "after inviting the parties to express their views and in the absence of a request to hold hearings" the tribunal has the authority to decide that no hearings shall be held,[6] along with what evidence will be accepted, and the procedure for delivering evidence.[7] The Expedited Rules also expressly authorize the tribunal, after hearing from the parties, to "utilize any technological means as it considers appropriate to conduct the proceedings" including to conduct hearings.
Lastly, Article 16 of the Expedited Rules provides that the arbitral award shall be rendered within six months from the tribunal's constitution, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.[8] In exceptional circumstances, the tribunal may extend this time period to no longer than nine months, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.[9] It remains to be seen what circumstances may be considered "exceptional," however, the Explanatory Note confirms that the tribunal has complete discretion in determining whether circumstances are exceptional and warrant an extension for the deadline for the final award.[10] Depending on the applicable law, the lapsing of this deadline may result in the proceedings being terminated or the annulment of any subsequent award.[11] The Explanatory Notes also comment that it might be possible for a party to request, under Article 2(2) of the Expedited Rules, for the tribunal to find the Expedited Rules no longer apply thereby removing this time limit.[12] Many other expedited rules contain similar timeframes for awards; these are frequently met by parties and arbitrators without issue. While the Explanatory Notes highlight a method for addressing potential issues in this time limit, converting a matter from being under the "Expedited Rules" to the main UNCITAL Arbitration Rules could also bring about unintended consequences for the proceeding; any decision on this would by necessity be dependant upon the unique circumstances of a particular matter.
As with all expedited rules, the UNCITRAL Expedited Rules can greatly assist parties in disputes where a more streamlined procedure is preferable to traditional timeframes. The Expedited Rules also preserve the flexibility seen in the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, and provide a much-needed efficient procedure for users of international arbitration that prefer ad hoc proceedings and are familiar with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. However, without a built-in monetary threshold or trigger for their application, it will be up to parties to expressly agree to adopt the Expedited Rules as disputes arise or to include a metric for their potential application in arbitration agreements.
[1] Draft UNCITRAL Expedited Arbitration Rules, 54th Sess, UN Doc A/CN.9/1082 (2021) [Expedited Rules].
[2] Draft Explanatory Note to the UNCITRAL Expedited Arbitration Rules, 54th Sess, UN Doc A/CN.9/1082/Add.1 (2021), para 1 [Explanatory Note].
[3] Expedited Rules, supra, Article 1.
[4] Expedited Rules, supra, Article 4(2).
[5] Expedited Rules, supra, Article 4(1)(a)-(b).
[6] Explanatory Note, supra, Article 11.
[8] Expedited Rules, supra, Article 16(1).
[9] Expedited Rules, supra, Article 16(2)-(3).
[10] Explanatory Note, supra, para 85.
[12] Explanatory Note, supra, paras 17, 88.
About Rachel Howie
Rachel is a partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group and co-leader for Dentons Canada's national ADR and Arbitration group. Her clients are primarily in the energy and natural resources industries, where she advises on complex matters that have an international or multi-jurisdictional aspect.
About Emily McMurtry
Emily McMurtry is an associate in the Firm's Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. Based in Ottawa, Emily's practice focuses on commercial litigation, where she acts on various arbitration matters (international and domestic), construction disputes and shareholder litigations. She brings a unique background, with extensive experience in international law (commercial, investment and public), arbitration and mooting.
About Maggie Sullivan
Maggie Sullivan is an Articling Student in the Ottawa Office.
Virtual Hearings in Arbitration: Here to Stay, How to Prepare
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected how disputes are heard. While arbitration, and in particular international arbitration, was already fairly amenable […]
By Michael D. Schafler and Rachel Howie
Petrowest: SCC affirms primacy of parties' arbitration agreement, creates narrow exception for insolvencies
By Michael D. Schafler, Rachel Howie, and Ekin Cinar
British Columbia's new Arbitration Act and the VANIAC
British Colombia made substantial changes to the Arbitration Act that came into force on September 1, 2020. Our authors discuss […]
By David Wotherspoon, Rachel Howie, and Chelsea Wilson


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Hornets fall to Old Forge, 28-21
By: Ed Weaver | WellsboroFootball.com | November 28, 2015
The Wellsboro Varsity Football team's historic season came to an end as they lost 28-21 to Old Forge in the first round of PIAA playoffs on Friday, November 27.
The District II champion Blue Devils scored the game's first points after sophomore Chase Moser coughed up the football inside the Devils' 30-yard line. Old Forge rattled off three straight runs by Cooper Califano to get into Wellsboro territory, then quarterback Joseph Gutowski hit Jaret Horn on a big 35 yard gain for a first down to the Hornets' 12-yard line. Three plays later Califano went 7 yards and crossed the goal line for the score. Horn made the extra point and Old Forge led 7-0 with 6:57 remaining in the first quarter.
Wellsboro went backwards on their second drive and were forced to punt after three plays, but the defense forced Old Forge to a three-and-out and forced them to punt. Sophomore quarterback Quinn Henry returned the punt 26 yards to set up the Hornets near midfield. After an incomplete pass and a loss by senior Nick Tremper, the Hornets were facing a third down and eventually picked up the first down on a pass interference call.
Two plays later Henry hit junior Brandon Lamphier for 25 yards down to the Devils' 13-yard line. Henry's next pass fell incomplete, but he then hit back-to-back passes to sophomore Parker Mann and junior Parker Jones to get down to the 1-yard line. Henry then snuck the ball across the goal line with 11:29. Sophomore Nic Ingerick's extra point was on the money, and the game was tied at 7-7 with 11:29 left in the first half.
Old Forge's next drive ate a huge chunk of time off the clock as they kept the ball on the ground. The Devils put together a 10-play drive, and picked up three first downs, but were eventually stopped on fourth down at the Hornets' 22-yard line. The Hornets went back to work as Moser Henry busted off a 9 and 10 yard runs, but the drive stalled as they were penalized for having a lineman illegally down field on a screen pass to Tremper forcing another punt.
Starting at their own 42-yard line, Gutowski picked up a 16 yard gain on first down then hit Califano on a swing pass one play later for a 42 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 with 3:46 remaining in the half.
Trailing 14-7 as the second half started the Hornets' defense held Old Forge to a three-and-out on their first drive on the half and got the ball back at midfield after the punt. The Hornets lost yards on their first two plays as sophomore Alex Kozuhowski was dropped for an 11 yard loss and Henry was sacked. Facing third-and-22 Henry hit Jones for 11 yards to get some of the yards back, but were forced to punt the ball away.
Head coach Matt Hildebrand dug into his bag of tricks on the punt as he dialed up a fake punt. Sophomore Collin Pietropola rolled out to his right but pulled up and hit Moser for a 12 yard gain to pick up the first down. One play later, Henry went up the middle of the Devils' defense and raced 39 yards for the score to tie it at 14-14 with 7:02 left in the third quarter.
"We gave Collin the opportunity to make a play," Hildebrand said. "We gave him the chance to take a look. If he likes the matchup he can throw it or tuck it an run and he made a great throw. You have to pull out all the stops at this point in the year."
With any big play, the fake punt brought the Hornets back to life and shifted momentum that Old Forge had as the second half started.
"I was happy how we came out of the locker room," continued Hildebrand. "We stopped them on their first drive and were able to capitalize there ourselves, and that fake punt opened our guys' eyes a little bit to the fact that we could play with them. We were close several times, but someone has to win and someone has to lose and unfortunately we came up with the short end of the stick."
Califano broke the tie on Old Forge's next drive as he ran four out of five plays, with the last run being 22 yards, to retake the lead at 21-14 with 4:39 remaining in the third.
Both offense's struggled for the remainder of the third and the majority of the fourth quarter. Wellsboro had the ball with under three minutes remaining in the game and tried to get creative, but it ultimately backfired as Brendan Mozeleski intercepted Henry and returned it 32 yards for the Devils' final touchdown to make it 28-14 with 2:07 left.
Down but not out, Wellsboro put together a nice drive after the touchdown. Henry hit Tremper for 20 yards into Old Forge territory, then on fourth down Henry found Jones for 25 yards to set up the Hornets with a first-and-goal from the 10-yard line. Henry went back to Jones one play later for the score to trail 28-21 with 49 seconds remaining.
Wellsboro tried the onsides kick the following play for one last shot, but Old Forge recovered the kick and took a knee to end the game and the Hornets' season.
"That last part of the game shows the character of this team," Hildebrand continued. "We don't have many seniors, but it stems from them. Nobody expected us to be here at this point of the year and as seniors they took the bull by the horns early on said we're going to win a district title and they did just that. They never backed down tonight. Tremper, Anthony Cooper, Wyatt Wood, guys like that have been doing this for four years and they've stepped up and taken whatever punch was thrown at them and threw one back and did it all night. We got big stops on defense at times. We were there, we had our opportunity and you can't ask for anything more losing by a touchdown. We competed in a game that everyone said shouldn't be close and I'm just very pleased with the kids."
Henry finished the game 13-for-29 passing for 171 yards and a score. He also rushed for a team-high 46 yards and two scores. Henry ends the season with 1,373 passing yards and 16 touchdowns and 1,045 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns to become the first Wellsboro quarterback to throw for 1,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.
Moser carried the ball 9 times for 16 yards and Tremper was held for 0 yards on three attempts. Jones led all receivers with six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Jones ended the year as the Hornets' leading receiver with 40 receptions for 577 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Defensively, Tremper made 16 tackles to set a new Wellsboro Football record* with 161 tackles in a season. The senior ends his career with back-to-back 100+ tackle seasons and 291 career tackles. Freshman Robert Brown made 14 stops on the night and Pietropola pitched in eight tackles.
The District IV champion Hornets end the year with a record of 10-3, the best overall season record in team history tied the 2013 team for the most wins in a season.
"This is a huge springboard going into next year," Hildebrand concluded. "It's very encouraging, they're upset but it was definitely a learning experience for them."
* - Records may not be accurate to date due to incomplete stats. If you know of a record not currently listed on this page, or have game statistics or film from previous years, please contact us.


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Home » Nintendo Switch Emulator
Nintendo Switch is an eighth-generation video gaming console that was developed by Nintendo in 2017. This is a tablet size video gaming console that can be used as a home video gaming console with the help of a dock. Therefore, it's also known as a hybrid console. It competes with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4 You can play Nintendo Switch games on the Nintendo Switch emulator. To download the emulator select the file from below.
Download Nintendo Switch Emulator
Nintendo Switch Emulator PC- Switch Lite Emulator
Nintendo Switch Emulator Android
Nintendo Switch Specs
These are the best Nintendo Switch Emulators for PC and android. This can also run Nintendo Switch Lite games You can download them from the below according to your need.
Yuzu Windows, Linux, Mac Freeware
Ryujinx Windows, Linux, Mac Freeware
This is one of the best Nintendo Switch Emulator for android platform.
Android Nintendo Switch Emulator Android Freeware
These are the specifications of Nintendo Switch You can check that your device can run the Nintendo Switch Emulator.
Nintendo Switch system software
Nvidia Tegra X1
ARM 4 Cortex-A57 cores @ 1.02 GHZ
4 GB LPDDR4 @ 1331/1600 MHz
microSD/HC/XC (up to 2 TB)
256 Maxwell-based CUDA cores @ 307.2–768 MHz
Neo Geo Emulator
MAME Emulator
Atari Jaguar Emulator