bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Access to Governmental Information and the Judicial Process: United Kingdom Law and the Influence of Europe
Authors: Hare Ivan
Published: October 2012

In the course of attempts by the Thatcher administration to restrain the publication of Spycatcher, the memoirs of a former member of the security and intelligence services, the United Kingdom’s most senior civil servant, the Cabinet Secretary, was subjected to several days of intense cross-examination before Justice Powell in New South Wales and in the High Court in London. Sir Robert Armstrong’s testimony ranged across the recent history of government reactions to the proposed publication of sensitive information by former members of the security services and has since become a significant piece in the jigsaw of the British constitution.
8 Some are More Equal than Others: the Decision of the Court of Justice inGrantv.South-West Trains
Authors: Barnard Catherine
Published: October 2012

InPv.Sthe Court of Justice sent out a strong message that it was keen to protect the rights of minorities. Ruling that the Equal Treatment Directive 76/207 applies to the gender reassignment of the person concerned, the Court gave protection to P, a male to female transsexual. To justify its decision the Court said “[to] tolerate such discrimination [against transsexuals] would be tantamount, as regards such a person, to a failure to respect the dignity and freedom to which he or she is entitled, and which the Court has a duty to safeguard”. Its genuine commitment to safeguarding such rights was put to the test inGrant, when faced by the claim of a lesbian for concessionary rail travel for her partner under Article 141 (Article 119) EC on equal pay.
9 Article 13 EC: Mere Rhetoric or a Harbinger of Change?
Authors: Waddington Lisa
Published: October 2012

Since the signing of the Treaty on European Union in Maastricht in 1992, calls have gradually been increasing for a greater recognition of, and firmer foundation for, fundamental (social) rights within the European Union. These calls naturally became louder following the Opinion of the European Court of Justice excluding the possibility of EC accession to the European Convention of Human Rights and during the lead up to the Amsterdam Intergovernmental Conference. Academics, independent EU Advisory Committees, groups representing the interests of EU citizens and residents and the European Parliament lamented the almost complete absence of fundamental social rights in the Treaty, and called for an ambitious revision of the Treaty. To a large extent these calls went unheard in Amsterdam, and the new Treaty does not incorporate a comprehensive list of social fundamental rights.
5 The Corpus Juris Project and the Fight Against Budgetary Fraud
Authors: Spencer J.R.
Published: October 2012

The greater part of the EU budget comes from money paid directly by citizens of the Member States, or by those who do business with them, in the form of customs dues and VAT. Dishonest people therefore have the opportunity to enrich themselves at the EU’s expense by conducting their business affairs so as to evade payment of these taxes which their fellow citizens dutifully pay. Contrary to popular belief as fostered by the tabloid newspapers, very little of the 82 billion or so ECUs that the EU budget represents is swallowed up in fattening the wallets of MEPs and eurocrats, and nearly all of what comes in goes out again in the form of grants and subsidies. This gives dishonest people a further and even more tempting opportunity to enrich themselves at the EU’s expense by obtaining grants and subsidies to which they are not entitled. The most ingenious dishonest people find ways of cheating on both sides of the equation at once, and manage to evade taxes and fraudulently claim benefits simultaneously.
11 The Role of National Parliaments in the Making of European Law
Authors: Pratt Timothy
Published: October 2012

While the Community Treaties provided the institutional framework for the European Community, much of what now makes up the constitution of the European Union was not provided for in those Treaties, but evolved within that framework. This is certainly true of the role of national parliaments. There is nothing about the role of national parliaments in any of the Treaties concluded prior to the Maastricht Treaty, and even then the references appear not in the body of the Treaty, but only in two Declarations annexed to it, one on the role of national parliaments in the European Union and the other on the Conference of the Parliaments. While the former states that it is important to encourage greater involvement of national parliaments in the activities of the European Union, it gives no indication of what that involvement should be. The Treaty of Amsterdam goes a step further. It includes a protocol on the role of national parliaments. This is important in that, for the first time, it gives substantive treaty recognition to their involvement in European Union activities. But, while it is markedly more supportive than the Maastricht Declarations, it does not confer any specific powers on national parliaments, nor does it attempt to define their functions.
6 Opting In and Opting Out of Rules Concerning the Free Movement of Persons: Problems and Practical Arrangements
Authors: de Zwaan Jaap W.
Published: October 2012

The opt-ins and opt-outs, which appear at different places in the Amsterdam Treaty where the policy related to movement of persons is concerned, are the result of difficult negotiations concerning the future of the Third Pillar, which was introduced by the Treaty on European Union. More particularly, these arrangements are the result of the discussions on “communautarisation” and the integration of Schengen co-operation in the framework of the European Union. “Communautarisation” concerns the process of transferring substantive matters from the Third Pillar area to the First Pillar area. This process implies, as a result, that proper Community procedures become applicable in these new policy fields.
7 The Human Rights Act 1998: Bringing Rights Home
Authors: Palmer Stephanie
Published: October 2012

The Labour government has quickly acted on its election promise to introduce a bill of rights into domestic law. The Human Rights Act 1998 partially incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into United Kingdom law. This legislation is part of a wider constitutional package including devolved government for Scotland and Wales and reform of the House of Lords. The government’s programme is intended to modernise and indeed transform the British constitutional structure. According to the government, the Human Rights Act will bring rights home. Individuals will be able to argue for their Convention rights in the United Kingdom’s own courts and tribunals and judges will be able to adjudicate directly on Convention issues. All new laws will be carefully scrutinised to ensure compatibility with Convention rights.
EC Legislation Prohibiting Age Discrimination: “Towards a Europe for All Ages”?
Authors: McGlynn Clare
Published: October 2012

In 2000 the European Community adopted the General Framework Directive aimed at combating discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation as regards employment and occupation. This important measure followed closely on the heels of the Race Discrimination Directive adopted earlier in the year. The adoption of these measures was made possible after the Treaty of Amsterdam inserted a new Article 13 into the EC Treaty which empowered the Community to adopt measures to combat discrimination on the above grounds, as well as in the fields of sex, race and ethnicity. While Article 13 was greeted with much acclaim, doubts were expressed as to whether or not binding measures would be forthcoming. As it has turned out, such pessimism was unwarranted and the Community has now adopted measures aimed at eliminating discrimination on all the grounds specified in Article 13. The adoption of these directives is, therefore, a highly significant expansion of the Community’s competence and ensures the continued development of the Community beyond its original purely economic focus.
The Vertical Agreements Regulation: A Critical Appraisal
Authors: Taylor Paul M.
Published: October 2012

The Vertical Agreements Regulation may be judged in one of two ways, each yielding a different conclusion. It may be regarded, on the one hand, merely as a limited measure required at a particular time in the development of competition policy to correct some of the more obvious errors of previous Regulations. On the other hand, it may be assessed for its potential as a template for future Regulations. Is it to be regarded as a means of rectifying historic block exemptions or is it at the cutting edge of progressive policy? Without doubt it appears chronologically at one of the most important shifts in competition policy in decades and that is why there is much to be gained from reviewing the Regulation critically for improvements that can be carried forward into future Regulations.
Flexibility—The Experience So Far
Authors: Usher John A.
Published: October 2012

The choice of the word “flexibility” in the title of this paper rather than the term “closer co-operation” introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam is not accidental: since the general Amsterdam provisions on closer co-operation have not so far been used, a paper on the experience of those provisions since their entry into force would be very short—even if they have given rise to an extensive literature. It should nevertheless be remembered that under the terms of the Amsterdam Treaty itself there are situations where those provisions are deemed to have been used: under Article 1 of the Protocol Integrating the Schengen acquis into the Framework of the European Union, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland and Sweden, as signatories to the Schengen agreements, are “authorised to establish closer co-operation among themselves” within the scope of those agreements and related provisions; furthermore, under Article 5 of that Protocol, where either Ireland or the United Kingdom or both have not notified the President of the Council in writing within a reasonable period that they wish to take part,

“the authorisation referred to in Article 11 of the Treaty establishing the European Community or Article 40 of the Treaty on European Union shall be deemed to have been granted to the Member States referred to in Article 1 and to Ireland or the United Kingdom where either of them wishes to take part in the areas of co-operation in question”.
“Collective Amnesia” of Europe v. Engagement with Asia: Forging a Middle Path for Australia in the Age of Regionalism
Authors: Ward Angela
Published: October 2012

“A country at odds with its region will be a defensive, anxious society, and one which is likely to be dependent on heavy defence expenditure. It will be a country, too, that will be unable to exploit fully its commercial and other potential”

“… the collective amnesia concerning Europe in otherwise well-informed circles in Australia is a debilitating disease. It creates a lethargy where there is opportunity. It is blind to potential difficulties. It squanders a still-important reservoir of good will. Above all, it is a denial of identity. No group can be free until it recognises and comes to terms with its past, whether it likes it or not”.

These two quotations, which appeared in articles published only twelve years apart, illustrate the complexity of contemporary challenges facing Australia’s international relations policy makers. It addresses the riddle of how to posit a still dominantly (ethnically and culturally speaking) European society, but one, which is located geographically nearer Asia, within the intricate web of inter-state intercourse which has become a hallmark of the modern world. The dilemma is, of course, far from new, but it has taken on enhanced proportions with the rise of regionalism, and the dissection of the planet into inter-governmental blocks.
Ousting Jurisdiction and the European Conventions
Authors: Fentiman Richard
Published: October 2012

The Brussels and Lugano Conventions together create a common European regime for regulating jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. This was never intended to replace entirely the equivalent rules of national law, and local rules conferring jurisdiction generally govern if the defendant is not domiciled in a Contracting State. But it remains unclear when, if at all, national rules for declining jurisdiction may be employed if a court’s competence derives from the European regime.
A German View on the European Charter of Fundamental Rights: Effect on the Bundesverfassungsgericht
Authors: Schwarze Jürgen
Published: October 2012

As already stated in the title of this article I will present a German view on the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. In Germany, like almost everywhere else, the views of lawyers hardly ever coincide—at least not completely. This is also true concerning a matter which has often been regarded as a typical German problem or to use the less diplomatic French expression, une querelle allemande: that is the need for a proper dogmatic concept of the protection of human rights in EC law.

In the first part, I will follow the title to the letter and illustrate the legal effect of the Charter on the German Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) in a narrow sense. In the second part, I would like to extend my report, and consider the general acceptance of the Charter in Germany in a broader sense. I will conclude with a personal statement on the Charter.
When Europeans Complain: The Work of the European Ombudsman
Authors: Harden Ian
Published: October 2012

The office of European Ombudsman was created by the Treaty of Maastricht. The first Ombudsman, Jacob Söderman, began work in September 1995. To judge by the number of requests for materials and interviews that the office receives, particularly from students, academic lawyers are well aware of the existence of the European Ombudsman. There is also a growing body of literature about the office. Many practising lawyers, however, remain uncertain about the scope and functions of the work of the European Ombudsman. This is partly because the concept of an ombudsman is not always well understood, even by specialists in public law. This article will explain what an ombudsman is, the relationship between the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman, and the nature of the latter’s work. The aim is to persuade colleagues working in the field of European public law that the office of the European Ombudsman is well worth monitoring.
Will the Sparks Fly? The Role of the European Union in the Liberalisation of the Electricity Industry
Authors: Johnston Angus
Published: October 2012

The impact of the increasing liberalisation of the energy sector in general and electricity supply in particular is hard to deny. Yet just a few short years ago, such developments were almost unthinkable. A complex combination of factors has led to an increasingly favourable political and economic climate for market opening and competition. However, the benefits of these developments remain distinctly unevenly spread throughout Europe, while the potential difficulties that an unchecked liberalisation process can cause are slowly coming to the fore. The challenge faced by the European Union in this sector is to promote these developments while remaining alive to their potential social and environmental consequences.
The Criminal Liability of Politicians in France
Authors: Bell John
Published: October 2012

In an unusual step the Conseil constitutionnel published a communiqué on 10 October 2000 concerning the criminal liability of the head of state. In it, the Conseil stated that “the criminal law position of the Head of State does not confer a ‘criminal immunity’, but a privilege of jurisdiction during his tenure of office”. This statement contains the nub of the difficulty in understanding how French law treats the criminal law liability of the head of state and of ministers. Does the Constitution afford them immunity for their actions performed during their tenure of office, or does it merely make provision for a different court to try the offences?
On Discrimination and the Theory of Mandatory Requirements
Authors: Spaventa Eleanor
Published: October 2012

According to the traditional view, quantitative restrictions and discriminatory rules could be justified only according to the Treaty derogations contained in Article 30 of the EC Treaty. On the other hand, most indistinctly applicable measures, benefit also from other and broader grounds of justification: the mandatory (or imperative) requirements.

This distinction has been in recent years occasionally disregarded by the Court: this has led to a certain degree of confusion as to the theoretical explanation of the mandatory requirements doctrine. In particular doubts have been raised as to whether the mandatory requirements should not in fact be considered as additional grounds of derogation to those listed in Article 30 EC.
The Evolving Role of the Court of First Instance of the European Communities: Some Comments on the Changes Agreed at Nice as they Affect the Judicial Architecture of the Community courts
Authors: Forwood Nicholas
Published: October 2012

The draft treaty agreed at the Nice Intergovernmental Conference (“IGC”) has had a very mixed press throughout the European Union, even if not all of the criticisms have been entirely justified. Its rejection by voters in the Irish Republic in the referendum on 7 June 2001 appears, according to most commentators, to have been motivated by a wide range of concerns, only some of which relate directly to what was actually agreed at Nice. Whilst this rejection has certainly added to the impression that the Nice Treaty itself is inherently flawed, there are however some aspects of the Treaty of Nice which are undoubtedly very positive, and which should be relatively uncontroversial, even to those most sensitive to the development of the Union. Not the least of these are the provisions that will create the possibility of far-reaching improvements to the present system of Community courts in Luxembourg, and to the Court of First Instance of the European Communities (“CFI”) in particular.
The EC and WTO Trade and Environment Case Law: Procedural Aspects, Legal Principles and Institutional Matters
Authors: Notaro Nicola
Published: October 2012

Hundreds of studies have been conducted by lawyers, economists and political scientists on international trade and environment, yet very few attempts have been made to compare judicial decisions adopted in this area by the European Court of Justice, its Court of First Instance, and GATT/WTO rulings on trade and environment. Most of the existing publications are either limited in scope, because they only focus on a comparison of two cases at any one time, or are outdated, especially in the light of innovative European and Appellate Body jurisprudence of the last few years. Here, a comparison of the main trade and environment themes traversing the two bodies of case-law, including procedural issues, will be undertaken. This will cast light on the means by which the current tension between trade and environment might be resolved. Account will be taken of the different “constitutional” positions of judicial bodies in the two legal orders, the role played by the presence (or absence) of the legislator, and its influence on reasoning in judicial decisions.
Modernising the Community Courts
Authors: Arnull Anthony
Published: October 2012

A purist might say that the judicial architecture of what is now the European Union was first altered by the 1957 Convention on Certain Institutions Common to the European Communities. That Convention set up a single Court of Justice with jurisdiction under the three Community Treaties which had by then been signed. However, the 1957 Convention should probably be regarded as the last brick in the original edifice, which was to remain unchanged for nearly 30 years. Although the Court started to express concern about its capacity to cope with its workload in the 1970s, the Member States did not respond until 1986, when provision for a court of first instance was made in the Single European Act. That reform marked the beginning of a period of rapid change in the judicial architecture of the Union.
Isolated Hydatid Cyst of the Kidney
Authors: Lacetera Vito , Galosi Andrea B. , Quaresima Luigi , Cantoro Ubaldo , Conti Alessandro , Cantoro Daniele , Catanzariti Francesco , Raquban Rami , Muzzonigro Giovanni
Published: October 2012

Background

A hydatid cyst is a parasitic disease caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Kidney involvement represents 4% of all cases, and is rare compared to that in the liver or lung, even more as an isolated site of infection. We present a case report of a woman with septic status, cutaneous fistula and a renal cystic mass revealed to be a solitary hydatid cyst of the kidney.

Methods

A 60-year-old woman was referred acutely by another hospital to our department because of septic fever, cutaneous lumbar fistula and a left kidney cystic mass of 10 x 8 cm. We suspected a renal abscess and the patient underwent immediate left nephrectomy.

Results

We performed an extraperitoneal nephrectomy with a lumbar access under the 12th rib with complete resection of the fistula. The histopathological examination revealed it to be a hydatid cyst involving 2/3 of the kidney. After surgery a medical therapy with albendazol was administrated for 6 months, and the patient did not have any other localization 24 months after surgery.

Conclusions

An isolated renal hydatid cyst presenting as cutaneous fistula with a septic status is a very rare condition. A pre-surgical diagnosis is not always possible as in this case. The surgical therapy (nephron-sparing or radical) is the key of the success and a medical therapy after surgery is recommended to prevent other localizations of this parasitic disease.
Efficient Enzymatic Amine Resolution at High Substrate Input Using Diethyl Malonate as an Acyl Donor of Low Hazard Potential
Authors: Simon Sabine , Oßwald Steffen , Roos Jürgen , Gröger Harald
Published: October 2012

Diethyl malonate turned out to be both a “green” and highly efficient acyl donor in the lipase-catalyzed resolution of amines, thus representing an attractive alternative to currently applied acyl donors. By means of this acyl donor a highly efficient enzymatic process for the resolution of amines, running at high substrate input of up to 200 g/L in an organic solvent classified as “usable” according to the Pfizer Solvent Selection Guide, is presented.
The Methylene-bridged Dialuminium Compound R2Al-CH2-AlR2 [R=CH(SiMe3)2] as an Effective Chelating Lewis Acid – Adducts with Halides, Perchlorate and Isopropylamide
Authors: Uhl Werner , Rösener Christian , Stefaniak Christina , Choy Tim , Jasper-Peter Beate , Kösters Jutta , Layh Marcus , Hepp Alexander
Published: October 2012

The new methylene-bridged dialuminium compound Aryl2Al-CH2-AlAryl2 1b was synthesised from Cl2Al-CH2-AlCl2 and four equivalents of LiAryl [Aryl=C6H2(2,4,6-i-Pr)3]. A 1 : 2 stoichiometric ratio of the starting compounds afforded the dimeric aluminium halide (Aryl2AlCl)2 (2) by dismutation. The coordination behaviour of the related, but more easily available dialuminium compound R2Al-CH2-AlR2 [R=CH(SiMe3)2] 1a was explored. It yields the Lewis acid base adducts [M][R2Al-CH2-AlR2(μ-X)] [3a, M=Li(TMEN)2, X=Cl; 3b, M=Li(TMEN)2, X=Br; 3c, M=K(18-crown-6), X=ClO4; 3d, M=Li(TMEN)2, X=NH(i-Pr)] with X residing in a bridging position between the two Al atoms as evident from NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography (3b, 3c, 3d). Compound 3c is a unique example of a stable, in organic solvents soluble adduct that features a ClO4
- anion coordinated by an alkylaluminium compound via two of its oxygen atoms.
Operando Infrared Spectroscopic and Quantum-chemical Studies on Iridium-catalyzed Hydroformylation
Authors: Hess Dieter , Hannebauer Bernd , Königa Matthias , Reckers Matthias , Buchholz Stefan , Franke Robert
Published: October 2012

Hydroformylation of 1-butene using a triphenylphosphine-modified iridium catalyst was investigated by operando infrared spectroscopy. The spectra were interpreted by comparison with quantumchemically calculated vibrational spectra at the density functional theory level. The processes during activation of the catalyst and hydroformylation were investigated in detail, and the results are discussed. The recently discovered phenomenon of activity enhancement in iridium-catalyzed hydroformylation by a preceding activation step, in which the reaction mixture is treated with synthesis gas containing an excess of carbon monoxide under pressure, could be correlated with the appearance of a complex HIr(PPh3)(CO)3. The similarities and differences between iridium- and rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation are discussed.
The Good Vibrations of Beer. The Use of Infrared and UV/Vis Spectroscopy and Chemometry for the Quantitative Analysis of Beverages
Authors: Klein Oliver , Roth Andreas , Dornuf Fabian , Schöller Otmar , Mäntele Werner
Published: October 2012

Infrared spectroscopy in combination with a specially developed attenuated total reflection (ATR) flow cell and multivariate analysis was used for the quantitative analysis of beer and other beverages. IR spectra of samples were obtained in the range from below 1000 cm-1 to 4000 cm-1 and subjected to a multivariate analysis based on calibration sets with laboratory reference standards. In the case of beer, this calibration set included 240 beer samples spanning the entire range of ethanol content, extract and CO2. Based on this calibration, an infrared and UV/Vis spectroscopy-based sensor for the quick and quantitative quality control of beer was developed and subjected to extensive tests in breweries. This sensor meets and exceeds all requirements from brewers for the routine control in the production and bottling. Its use for other beverages, for example wine, juices or apple wine, requires only another set of calibration data for the specific beverage.
Synthesis and Characterization of Imidazolium Salts with the Weakly Coordinating [B(C6F5)4]– Anion
Authors: Zhang Bo , Köberl Mathias , Pöthig Alexander , Cokoja Mirza , Herrmann Wolfgang A. , Kühn Fritz E.
Published: October 2012

Graphical Abstract

Synthesis and Characterization of Imidazolium Salts with the Weakly Coordinating [B(C6F5)4]– Anion
Carbon Dioxide as a Carbon Resource – Recent Trends and Perspectives
Authors: Hölscher Markus , Gürtler Christoph , Keim Wilhelm , Müller Thomas E. , Peters Martina , Leitner Walter
Published: October 2012

With the growing perception of industrialized societies that fossil raw materials are limited resources, academic chemical research and chemical industry have started to introduce novel catalytic technologies which aim at the development of economically competitive processes relying much more strongly on the use of alternative carbon feedstocks. Great interest is given world-wide to carbon dioxide (CO2) as it is part of the global carbon cycle, nontoxic, easily available in sufficient quantities anywhere in the industrialized world, and can be managed technically with ease, and at low cost. In principle carbon dioxide can be used to generate a large variety of synthetic products ranging from bulk chemicals like methanol and formic acid, through polymeric materials, to fine chemicals like aromatic acids useful in the pharmaceutical industry. Owing to the high thermodynamic stability of CO2, the energy constraints of chemical reactions have to be carefully analyzed to select promising processes. Furthermore, the high kinetic barriers for incorporation of CO2 into C-H or C-C bond forming reactions require that any novel transformation of CO2 must inevitably be associated with a novel catalytic technology. This short review comprises a selection of the most recent academic and industrial research developments mainly with regard to innovations in CO2 chemistry in the field of homogeneous catalysis and processes.
Muscle Dysmorphia: A Comparison Between Competitive Bodybuilders and Fitness Practitioners
Authors: Cella Stefania , Iannaccone Mara , Cotrufo Paolo
Published: October 2012

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the features of Muscle Dysmorphia and other body image-related concerns in a sample of competitive male bodybuilders. Method: We screened 217 male athletes, 119 bodybuilders and 98 fitness practitioners, recruited in 12 gymnasiums in Southern Italy, by means of an ad hoc socio-demographic schedule, the Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory (MDI) and the Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale (MASS).
Results: Twenty one of the bodybuilders (17.6%) show high levels of preoccupation and dissatisfaction with their muscularity, 45.4% (N=54) a marked dependence on bodybuilding; 35.3% (N=42) follow a high-protein diet and 35.3% (N=42) used vitamin supplements to improve their weightlifting performances and favor post-training physical recovery. In addition, forty-three (36.1%) also report use of substance while nine subjects (7.6%) declare to avoid situations in which their body might be seen or manifest high levels of distress when this happens. The ANCOVA (Exercise Frequency per Week as a covariate) results indicate that bodybuilders, compared to fitness practitioners, report significant elevations in all measures. Moreover, considering only the bodybuilders sample, who report a regular use of substance scored higher in Dietary Behavior, Body size-symmetry, Physique Protection, Supplement Use MDI scales and on Body building Dependence, Muscle Checking and Injury MASS subscales.
Discussion: Our findings seem to suggest that the practice of the bodybuilding is associated to the proposed criteria of muscle dysmorphia if compared with regular fitness practice. In particular, we found that a regular use of substance was associated with greater dissatisfaction with muscularity.
Gastro-Intestinal Complaints Related to Various Eating Behaviors
Authors: Burkert Nathalie Tatjana , Großschädl Franziska , Muckenhuber Johanna , Rásky Éva , Stronegger Willibald Julius , Freidl Wolfgang
Published: October 2012

Background: Many studies report a beneficial health effect as well as a lower mortality rate for individuals following diets containing lots of fruits and vegetables. Results of studies on abdominal, and colon diseases are, however, inconsistent. Therefore, the aim of our study was to analyze differences between various eating behaviors and the incidence of gastro-intestinal complaints.
Methods: The sample used for this study was taken from the Austrian Health Interview Survey ATHIS 2006/07 (N=14 318). Logistic regressions were calculated controlling for age, BMI, and physical activity to analyze differences regarding the incidence of gastric or intestinal ulcer, abdominal pain, and specific medication taken due to these complaints.
Results: A lacto-/ovo-, as well as a semi-vegetarian diet is associated with a higher risk for gastrointestinal complaints. The odds ratio for gastric or intestinal ulcer, and the intake of specific medication is significantly higher for these diets.
Conclusion: A carnivorous diet containing also lots of fruits and vegetables is recommended to avoid abdominal complaints. Furthermore, public health programs are needed in order to reduce the health risk due to nutritional factors.
Consummatory Taste Reward in Obesity
Authors: Simon Jonathan B , Abdeen Ghalia N , Miras Alexander D , Le Roux Carel W.
Published: October 2012

Obesity is a disease of multiple origins and results from the interaction between the genetic predisposition of a person and environmental factors, including food preferences. Even though the literature is not always consistent, there is strong support for the notion that the obese do not just consume more calories, but also prefer calorifically dense foods. In this review, the evidence for differences in the consummatory reward of taste, and in particular sweet and fat taste, will be examined in the context of food preferences in obesity.
Malnutrition in Community-Dwelling Anorexia Nervosa Patients: Alterations of Physical and Laboratory Features
Authors: Gentile Maria Gabriella , Manna Giulia Maria , Iaccarino Laura , Cometto Luisa , Mariani Nicoletta , Lessa Chiara
Published: October 2012

Background and aims: Malnutrition in Anorexia Nervosa may determine many abnormalities and consequences for both physical and psychological points. Their early detection and management may improve the prognosis.
This study aims at identifying clinical predictors of disease highlight possible correlations between signs-symptoms and degree of malnutrition.
Methods: The authors present a retrospective study of 302 Anorexia Nervosa outpatients aged 23.2 ± 9.4 years (`X ± SD) observed at arrival in Eating Disorder Unit.
Results: 302 patients were examined, (BMI 14.7 ± 1.9 kg/m2). We observed a significant reduction of measured basal metabolic rate (less 19.3 ± 15.3%) in almost all patients, and almost one patient over four have some clinical complications such as bradycardia, hypotension, anemia, hypoglycemia, showing a high correlation with malnutrition degree.
Conclusions: Determining malnutrition degree is relevant to identify and to treat Anorexia Nervosa patients as well as to contract setting of care with patients and parents for reducing delayed treatment.
International Activities and Relations of National Libraries: Report on an Exploratory Survey
Authors: Huang Chunsheng , Lor Peter Johan
Published: October 2012

The paper describes the result of a project undertaken for the IFLA National Organizations and International Relations Special Interest Group (NOIR SIG). The purpose of the project is to understand the nature and scope of international activities in which national libraries worldwide participate. Fifty-five libraries from five UNESCO regions responded to the survey. The survey covers three main themes of international activities among national libraries, including international relations and cooperative activities, participation in international organizations, and responsibility for international relations. Results from this survey show that in addition to traditional activities there are new cooperative activities taking place, such as digital preservation projects, Web preservation, and digital reference. It is also shown that national libraries are actively involved in international professional organizations. Not surprisingly, larger national libraries participate in international activities and organizations more actively than their smaller counterparts. Results will be used by the NOIR SIG to develop its programme of activities aimed at supporting and promoting the international work of national libraries.
The National Repository Library of Finland
Authors: Paakkinen Kari , Vattulainen Pentti
Published: October 2012

The National Repository Library of Finland was founded in 1989 as a means of providing the most economical way of storing library material for all libraries in Finland. It also acts as a connecting link in the country's library network and a centre for interlending. The paper describes the cost savings that have been achieved (€3.5 million annually) by the use of this central facility. Interlibrary loan requests are processed within 24 hours of receipt. Physical copies are mailed to user libraries, and periodical articles are scanned and despatched electronically. Fulfilling an important function in national collection policy, the National Repository Library has allowed other libraries to concentrate on maintaining active local collections, in the knowledge that research material sent to the Repository Library can be made available to them quickly and efficiently. As repositories acquire more and more material they become print resources on a regional or national scale, leading to the possibility that in time they might come together in a network to create a Universal Repository Library.
SCURL's Collaboration in Scotland on Content: The Collaborative Academic Store for Scotland
Authors: Evans Jill
Published: October 2012

The Collaborative Academic Store for Scotland (CASS) was a pilot project from 2004 to 2009 and was supported by the Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL). This paper investigates the environment, the demand for the model of resource sharing, and the conclusions which emerged after a funded bid for a six-month study. The drivers were space constraints attributed to continuing growth of collections of print content, library refurbishments, and a new library build. The partners wished to investigate if they could operate in this environment with the practical challenges involved, so it was considered a test bed for future collaboration on storage and looking ahead to collaborative retention and disposal policies. Further contributing factors were the Scottish Government's agenda of shared services and widening access to collections to support a knowledgeable, smarter Scotland. The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh provided accommodation in which to store the print content. The challenges and the opportunities which emerged from CASS are examined and although the project was finalized in 2009 there is evidence arising of the desire to re-open the doors to collaborative accommodation.
Supporting Research in Scotland: The Scottish Higher Education Digital Library
Authors: Cannell Sheila
Published: October 2012

The Scottish Higher Education Digital Library was established in 2009. This paper examines the environment which led up to its establishment in universities, libraries and with procurement. The investigative report which led to the creation of SHEDL is described, together with the first steps and a description of the SHEDL model. SHEDL has continued to grow and is well used. It is widely recognized as a successful shared service, which was created from existing funds with no additional funding. Challenges facing the SHEDL model are reviewed. While there are many challenges, there are also many opportunities. SHEDL is well placed to move forward addressing both challenges and opportunities within an environment which has changed radically since the project was started.
Undergraduate Student Experiences with Composite Materials
Authors: Boyles Charles T. , Moynihan Andrew R. , Mulroy James D. , Fitch Brady , Watts Paul J. , Evans Jeffrey L.
Published: October 2012

Composite materials are being used in a variety of important strategic lightweight applications, especially in aerospace structural designs. Undergraduate students need greater exposure to this critical area of engineering materials selection and design than most curricula currently provide. Mechanical and aerospace engineering undergraduate students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) have had a number of opportunities to learn hands-on skills in designing with composites and fabricating a number of structural components. They have had these opportunities in undergraduate student competitions and associations such as the NASA Great Moon Buggy Race, the Formula SAE team, and the UAH Charger Rocket Works Club. Additionally, real industrial applications of composites are learned through co-operative employment experiences. This paper describes some of the experiences that UAH undergraduate students have encountered.
Development of a Motion Platform for an Educational Flight Simulator
Authors: Van Heerden Albert S. J. , Lidbetter Raine , Liebenberg Leon , Mathews Edward H. , Meyer Josua P.
Published: October 2012

Flight simulators are regularly used in the undergraduate and postgraduate training of mechanical and aeronautical engineers. Due to advances in computing technology, several flight simulation-related tasks can now be accomplished in real-time using low-cost PC platforms and inexpensive commercial software. The difficulty in realising an educational flight simulator system with motion platform therefore lies with the design and construction of an effective motion platform. Costs become exorbitant when simulation platforms of more than two degrees of freedom (i.e. pitch and roll) are attempted. This paper describes the development of a drive system for a motion platform with two degrees of freedom (pitch and roll) for use in undergraduate engineering training. Use was made of off-the-shelf PC equipment and flight simulation software and hardware, together with commercial actuators and drive systems. The motion platform was manufactured from square tubing and consisted of three frames: the stationary main frame and, rotating inside this, the roll frame and pitch frame. These rotated relative to each other and were actuated by two similar-sized DC motors and gearbox/chain transmissions. The system effectively simulated the pitch and roll motions of commercial airliners, using a low-cost, easily maintainable motion platform. The educational value of the simulator was twofold: first, it was to be displayed in the science exploratorium (SciEnza) of the University of Pretoria; and second, it provided a platform on which mechanical (as well as electrical, electronic and computer) engineering students could conduct practical work in courses such as dynamics and control, and on which final-year and postgraduate students could conduct research.
Innovative Approaches to Teaching Engineering Drawing at Tertiary Institutions
Authors: Kosse Vladis , Senadeera Wijitha
Published: October 2012

This paper arises from our concern for the level of teaching of engineering drawing at tertiary institutions in Australia. Little attention is paid to teaching hand-drawing and tolerancing. Teaching of engineering drawing is usually limited to computer-aided design (CAD) using AutoCAD or one of the solid-modelling packages. As a result, many engineering graduates have difficulties in understanding how views are produced in different projection angles, are unable to produce engineering drawings of professional quality, or read engineering drawings, and unable to select fits and limits or surface roughness. In the Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering at the Queensland University of Technology new approaches to teaching engineering drawing have been introduced. In this paper the results of these innovative approaches are examined through surveys and other research methods.
A Control Systems Laboratory for Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Education
Authors: Nudehi Shahin S. , Johnson Peter E. , Duncan G. Scott
Published: October 2012

This article describes seven laboratory experiments that have been developed for the automatic controls course at Valparaiso University. It also presents the results of a self-assessment survey taken by the students after they had done these laboratory experiments. Automatic controls recently became a required course for all undergraduate mechanical engineering students. When taught as an elective, it was noticed that many students tended to struggle with this class. Most students perceive this class to be a collection of different mathematical tools without any application or use in their future careers. To alleviate this situation and assist students in visualizing control systems in practical situations, a half-credit elective control laboratory, which consists of five experiments and two laboratory projects, has been developed. These experiments will help students to understand the application of this topic and to learn to develop appropriate mathematical models and control routines in closed-loop systems with computers in the loop.
The Surprising Rolling Wheel
Authors: Kaufman Richard
Published: October 2012

A force applied to a cylinder on a flat surface is usually expected to make the cylinder roll in the direction of the force. Contrary to expectation, an example shows that the frictional force can exceed the applied force, causing the cylinder to roll in a direction opposite to the force (and expectation).
Regional radiographic damage and functional limitations in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: Differences in early and late disease
Authors: Ward Michael M. , Learch Thomas J. , Gensler Lianne S. , Davis John C. , Reveille John D. , Weisman Michael H.
Published: October 2012

Objective

Both radiographic damage and functional limitations increase with the duration of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We examined whether radiographic damage contributed more to functional limitations in late AS than in early AS, and if the strength of association varied with the anatomic region of damage.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study of 801 patients with AS, we examined associations of the lumbar modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS), the cervical mSASSS, lumbar posterior fusion, cervical posterior fusion, and hip arthritis with the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire modified for the spondyloarthritides (HAQ‐S).

Results

Higher lumbar and cervical mSASSS scores were associated with more functional limitations, but there was an interaction between mSASSS scores and the duration of AS, such that the strength of their association with functional limitations decreased with increasing duration of AS. Cervical posterior fusion was associated with worse functioning independent of mSASSS scores. Hip arthritis was significantly associated with functional limitations independent of spinal damage measures. Among patients with AS duration ≥40 years, the number of comorbid conditions accounted for most of the variation in functioning. Results were similar for both the BASFI and the HAQ‐S.

Conclusion

Although both radiographic damage and functional limitations increase over time in AS, the relative contribution of radiographic damage to functional limitations is lower among patients with longstanding AS than with early AS, suggesting patients may accommodate to limited flexibility. Damage in different skeletal regions impacts functioning over the duration of AS. Functional limitations due to comorbidity supervene in late AS.
Publication Outcomes of Abstracts Presented at an American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Scientific Meeting
Authors: Amarilyo Gil , Woo Jennifer M. P. , Furst Daniel E. , Hoffman Olivia L. , Eyal Rotem , Piao Cijing , Parker Douglass S. , McCurdy Deborah K.
Published: October 2012

Objective

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) Annual Scientific Meeting is an important forum for early dissemination of novel ideas. However, unlike published studies in peer‐reviewed journals, reviewers select abstracts based solely on a general summary of the research. Analyses of the scientific impact and the publication record of the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting have not been previously described. This study characterizes publication trends and outcomes associated with abstracts presented at the ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting.

Methods

We identified all abstracts accepted for oral or poster presentation at the 2006 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting. Using a defined search algorithm, we conducted a manual PubMed search for each accepted abstract, which was repeated by a custom computerized search, and analyzed the resulting journal title, impact factor, and time to publication.

Results

A total of 2,149 abstracts were analyzed. The overall publication ratio was 59.1%. The mean ± SD time from abstract presentation to publication was 18.2 ± 15.2 months with a mean ± SD impact factor of 5.61 ± 4.20. Overall, studies presented in oral format were significantly more likely to be published than poster presentations (P < 0.0001). The average time to publication was significantly shorter for basic science studies than clinical research studies (P < 0.0001). The average journal impact factor of published studies presented in oral format was significantly higher than those presented as posters (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

These results reflect high research productivity with a publication ratio of approximately 60% for abstracts presented at the 2006 Annual Scientific Meeting.