La justificación de la guerra. Tony Blair ante el Parlamento: “Les ruego aprobar la moción"

El martes 18, en un discurso que seguramente pasará a la historia, el primer ministro británico pidió a la Cámara de los Comunes aprobar la acción militar en Irak. Allí explicó por qué la guerra resultaba a su juicio inevitable, relató en detalle los esfuerzos diplomáticos -mencionando al presidente de Chile-, advirtió sobre la división del mundo entre dos nuevos polos e incluso informó de la existencia de una "bomba radiactiva sucia" en manos de terroristas. Publicamos los capítulos principales de su intervención (El Mercurio, domingo 23 de marzo de 2003, cuerpo D, Reportajes)

El Reino Unido en el Mundo

Discurso pronunciado por el primer ministro británico Tony Blair ante la Conferencia sobre Liderazgo del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de la Commonwealth británico. El mundo nunca ha sido más interdependiente. Las convulsiones económicas o en materia de seguridad se propagan con la rapidez de las infecciones. Las naciones reconocen, más que nunca, que a los retos ha de responderse, al menos en parte, colectivamente. El Reino Unido tiene un papel muy claro en este nuevo mundo

Declaración conjunta del presidente George W. Bush y el primer ministro Tony Blair sobre Irak

8 de abril de 2003. Centro de Documentación, Sección de Información y Cultura, Embajada de los Estados Unidos, Santiago de Chile

Characterization of culture-positive adenovirus serotypes from respiratory specimens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada: September 2007–June 2008

This study describes the prevalence of culture-positive adenovirus serotypes in culture-positive respiratory specimens sent to the Central Public Health Laboratory, Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the period September 2007–June 2008. Total nucleic acid was extracted from virus cultures using an automated extraction method followed by polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing of the adenovirus hexon gene hypervariable region 7. 73% of specimens (n = 70) were from patients ≤ 4 years of age. Of the 96 adenovirus isolates, the most common identified serotypes were serotype 3 (n = 44, 46%), serotype 2 (n = 25, 26%), serotype 1 (n = 17, 18%), and serotype 21 (n = 5, 5%). Adenovirus serotype 14 was not found in this study group. The leading serotype, Ad3, was identified throughout the duration of the study period. Molecular methods allow for the determination of circulating adenovirus serotypes and be used to document the spread of highly virulent adenoviral serotypes into a region

Vitamin C Prevents Hypogonadal Bone Loss

Epidemiologic studies correlate low vitamin C intake with bone loss. The genetic deletion of enzymes involved in de novo vitamin C synthesis in mice, likewise, causes severe osteoporosis. However, very few studies have evaluated a protective role of this dietary supplement on the skeleton. Here, we show that the ingestion of vitamin C prevents the low-turnover bone loss following ovariectomy in mice. We show that this prevention in areal bone mineral density and micro-CT parameters results from the stimulation of bone formation, demonstrable in vivo by histomorphometry, bone marker measurements, and quantitative PCR. Notably, the reductions in the bone formation rate, plasma osteocalcin levels, and ex vivo osteoblast gene expression 8 weeks post-ovariectomy are all returned to levels of sham-operated controls. The study establishes vitamin C as a skeletal anabolic agent. © 2012 Zhu et al

Delivering agile marketing projects: a view from practice

Successful marketing projects are vital to most organisations to ensure their survival. The paper advocates an 'agile approach' in creating effective marketing initiatives. It underscores the necessity of clearly defined objectives and internal efficiency, addressing power issues for optimal resource allocation. Brand definition, understanding the customer base through profiling, and implementing a differentiated, segmented approach are crucial aspects. The paper recommends data gathering for analysis and leveraging technology to support these projects, all encapsulated within the 'agile approach.' The research methodology involved a survey of literature, complemented by a semi-structured group interview with experienced UK-based marketing professionals. Inductive analysis was applied to the gathered data, extracting principal themes. The outcome of this research proposes a framework for delivering 'Agile marketing projects' based on a project management 'learning' model. This structured approach contributes valuable insights for organizations seeking success in their marketing endeavors

The feasibility of using a parenting programme for the prevention of unintentional home injuries in the under-fives: A cluster randomised controlled trial

Background: Unintentional injury is the leading cause of preventable death of children over the age of 1 year in the UK and a major cause of attendance at emergency departments. Children having one injury are at increased risk of further injuries. Parenting programmes can reduce injuries in preschool children if delivered in the home and on a one-to-one basis. It is not known if group-based programmes delivered outside the home are effective. Objectives: To develop (1) a parenting programme to prevent recurrent unintentional home injuries in preschool children and (2) a tool for parents to report unintentional home injuries occurring to their preschool children. To assess the feasibility of delivering and evaluating the parenting programme through a cluster randomised controlled trial, specifically to (1) assess methods for the recruitment and retention of parents; (2) determine the training, equipment and facilities needed for the delivery of the programme; (3) establish appropriate primary and secondary outcome measures and methods for their collection; (4) determine how 'normal care' in a comparison arm should be defined; and (5) determine the resource utilisation and costing data that would need to be collected for the cost-effectiveness component of a future trial; and (6) produce estimates of effect sizes to inform sample size estimation for a main trial. Design: Feasibility multicentre, cluster, randomised, unblinded trial. Setting: Eight children's centres in Bristol and Nottingham, UK. Participants: Ninety-six parents of preschool children who had sustained an unintentional injury requiring medical attention in the previous 12 months. Interventions: The First-aid Advice and Safety Training (FAST) parent programme, comprising parenting support and skills combined with first aid and home safety advice. Main outcome measures: Parent-reported medically attended injuries in the index child and any preschool siblings sustained during a 6-month period of observation. Results: An 8-week parenting programme was produced, designed with participant-friendly, incrementally progressive content. A slimline, month-to-a-view injury calendar, spiral bound and suitable for hanging on a wall, was designed for parents to record injuries occurring to their preschool children during the 6-month period of observed time. Fifty-one parents were recruited (40 meeting eligibility criteria plus 11 following 'open invite' to participate); 15 parents completed the FAST parent programme and 49 provided data at baseline and during follow-up. Completion of the programme was significantly greater for participants using the 'open invite' approach (85%) than for those recruited using the original eligibility criteria (31%). Prototype resource use checklists, unit costs and total costs were developed for phases 0, 1 and 2 of the study for use in a future trial. Conclusions: This feasibility study has developed an innovative injury prevention intervention and a tool to record parent-reported injuries in preschool children. It was not feasible to recruit parents of children who had sustained a recent injury, or to ask health visitor teams to identify potential participants and to deliver the programme. A trial should target all families attending children's centres in disadvantaged areas. The intervention could be delivered by a health professional supported by a member of the children's centre team in a community setting. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN03605270. Source of funding: This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 18, No. 3. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. © Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO 2014