Shares in the EMCA : the time is ripe for true no par value shares in the EU, and the 2nd directive is not an obstacle

The most interesting proposal in the draft European Model Companies Act ( EMCA) concerning shares and the focus of this Article is the recommendation to introduce true no par value shares, as they have been in use in the US for many years and were introduced in Australia, New Zealand but also Finland more recently. Contrary to what has often been assumed, the 2nd EU Company Law Directive does not preclude no par value shares. There is nothing in the wording of the Directive to suggest otherwise, and the reference in the Directive to shares without a nominal value is a reference to Belgian law, which has allowed true no par value shares in all but name since at least 1913. EU member states could therefore introduce such shares even for public companies. True no par value shares offer a far more flexible framework in case of capital increases or mergers, but since under a no par value system there is no link between par value and shareholder rights, additional disclosure about these rights might be warranted under a no par value system. Traditional par value shares offer no protection to creditors, shareholders or other stakeholders, so that their abolition should not be mourned. The threat of new share issues at an unacceptably high discount is more efficiently countered by disclosure and shareholder decision rights

An evaluation of the relative efficacy of an open airway, an oxygen reservoir and continuous positive airway pressure 5 cmH2O on the non-ventilated lung

Publisher's copy made available with the permission of the publisher © Australian Society of AnaesthetistsThe aim of this study, during one-lung ventilation, was to evaluate if oxygenation could be improved by use of a simple oxygen reservoir or application of 5 cmH2O continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to the non-ventilated lung compared with an open airway. Twenty-three patients with lung malignancy, undergoing thoracotomy requiring at least 60 minutes of one-lung ventilation before lung lobe excision, were studied. After routine induction and establishment of one-lung ventilation, the three treatments were applied in turn to the same patient in a sequence selected randomly. The first treatment was repeated as a fourth treatment and these results of the repeated treatment averaged to minimize the effect of slow changes. Arterial oxygenation was measured by an arterial blood gas 15 minutes after the application of each treatment. Twenty patients completed the study. Mean PaO2 (in mmHg) was 210.3 (SD 105.5) in the 'OPEN' treatment, 186.0 (SD 109.2) in the 'RESERVOIR' treatment, and 240.5 (SD 116.0) in the 'CPAP' treatment. This overall difference was not quite significant (P=0.058, paired ANOVA), but comparison of the pairs showed that there was a significant better oxygenation only with the CPAP compared to the reservoir treatments (t=2.52, P=0.021). While the effect on the surgical field was not apparent in most patients, in one patient surgery was impeded during CPAP. Our results show that the use of a reservoir does not give oxygenation better than an open tube, and is less effective than the use of CPAP 5 cmH2O on the non-ventilated lung during one-lung ventilation.J. Slimani, W. J. Russell, C. Jurisevichttp://www.aaic.net.au/Article.asp?D=200404

Contribuir para o desenvolvimento das estratégias de coping das pessoas com doença mental grave através da implementação de um programa de promoção de estilos de vida saudáveis

Mestrado em Enfermagem, Especialização Saúde Mental e Psiquiátrica, 2011, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de LisboaO desenvolvimento de competências resulta de um aumento de conhecimentos científicos, técnicos e éticos e da sua aplicação à prática profissional, através de um processo de experimentação, treino e reflexão, conjugando características pessoais e profissionais na acção. Este processo organizou-se em torno de dois contextos, ambulatório e internamento do DPSM, do H. S. Francisco Xavier. O primeiro decorreu nas Equipas Comunitárias de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental de Cascais e da Parede e no Fórum Sócio-ocupacional de Cascais; o segundo na Unidade de Internamento de Psiquiatria de doentes agudos do sexo masculino. O principal alvo dos cuidados foi as PDMG, às quais foi identificada uma necessidade de cuidados de enfermagem visando a promoção da saúde física e mental. A evidência comprova que as PDMG, designadamente os portadores de esquizofrenia, apresentam uma taxa de mortalidade precoce, cerca 10 a 15 anos menos do que a população em geral, assim como uma elevada prevalência de co-morbilidades físicas fortemente condicionada pelos estilos de vida não saudáveis e estratégias de coping ineficazes. Como resposta a esta necessidade de cuidados de enfermagem foi construído e implementado o programa “ SER + saudável”, desenvolvido com três grupos distintos de clientes e tendo por base, três objectivos principais: Promover estilos de vida saudáveis nas PDMG; Incentivar o desenvolvimento de estratégias de coping eficazes nas PDMG; e Promover o desenvolvimento de competências básicas de comunicação nas PDMG. Na implementação do programa segundo os contextos, constatou-se que os clientes atribuíram um enfoque diferente aos conteúdos abordados. Assim, o grupo comunitário valorizou aspectos relacionados com a saúde física e vida em sociedade, enquanto o grupo do internamento se centrou na gestão dos sintomas e na prevenção da recaída. O Programa “ SER + saudável” foi avaliado na sua globalidade pelos clientes, como tendo um impacto positivo no seu bem-estar, pelos benefícios na interacção social e pelo aumento dos conhecimentos adquiridos. Estes resultados parecem indicar que o programa contribuiu para o desenvolvimento das estratégias de Coping das PDMG

Two-Dimensional Wigner Crystal in Anisotropic Semiconductor

We investigate the effect of mass anisotropy on the Wigner crystallization transition in a two-dimensional (2D) electron gas. The static and dynamical properties of a 2D Wigner crystal have been calculated for arbitrary 2D Bravais lattices in the presence of anisotropic mass, as may be obtainable in Si MOSFETs with (110) surface. By studying the stability of all possible lattices, we find significant change in the crystal structure and melting density of the electron lattice with the lowest ground state energy.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, 4 figure

Schwinger boson theory of anisotropic ferromagnetic ultrathin films

Ferromagnetic thin films with magnetic single-ion anisotropies are studied within the framework of Schwinger bosonization of a quantum Heisenberg model. Two alternative bosonizations are discussed. We show that qualitatively correct results are obtained even at the mean-field level of the theory, similar to Schwinger boson results for other magnetic systems. In particular, the Mermin-Wagner theorem is satisfied: a spontaneous magnetization at finite temperatures is not found if the ground state of the anisotropic system exhibits a continuous degeneracy. We calculate the magnetization and effective anisotropies as functions of exchange interaction, magnetic anisotropies, external magnetic field, and temperature for arbitrary values of the spin quantum number. Magnetic reorientation transitions and effective anisotropies are discussed. The results obtained by Schwinger boson mean-field theory are compared with the many-body Green's function technique.Comment: 14 pages, including 7 EPS figures, minor changes, final version as publishe

The use of mini-dose suxamethonium to facilitate the insertion of a laryngeal mask airway

The use of mini-dose suxamethonium to facilitate the insertion of a laryngeal mask airway was investigated. Sixty patients were assigned randomly in a double-blind manner to receive 0.9% sodium chloride or suxamethonium 0.1 mg.kg−1 intravenously, following intravenous induction with propofol 2.5 mg.kg−1. The laryngeal mask was inserted after the first attempt in 87% of patients. Mini-dose suxamethonium improved the correct positioning of the laryngeal mask during the first attempt (93 vs. 67%, p < 0.02), decreased the incidence of swallowing (p < 0.001), gagging (p < 0.001) and head or limb movement (p < 0.05). Laryngeal mask insertion was graded as easy in 93% of patients who had mini-dose suxamethonium, compared with 60% in the placebo group (p < 0.01). The duration of apnoea between the two groups was not significantly different (0.54 vs. 0.61 min, p = 0.46). The total dose of propofol needed to insert the laryngeal mask was lower in the suxamethonium group (2.57 vs. 3.25 mg.kg−1, p < 0.01) and was associated with less hypotension (p < 0.05). Fasciculation (17%) and mild myalgia (23%) were common despite the small dose of suxamethonium used. In conclusion, mini-dose suxamethonium facilitates laryngeal mask insertion. Myalgia is common and the technique is not recommended for patients who are prone to suxamethonium myalgia

Anticonvulsant Activity of Phenylmethylenehydantoins: A Structure-Activity Relationship Study

10.1021/jm030450cJournal of Medicinal Chemistry4761527-1535JMCM