Klassificering av koncessionskontrakt inom offentlig upphandling

This thesis deals with examining the characteristics of a concession contract and under which circumstances a contract should be classified as a concession contract. It also deals with investigating applicable rules for the award of concession contracts and when they are applicable. Characteristic for a concession contract is that the consideration consists either solely in the right to exploit the subject of the contract or in that right together with payment. Furthermore the contract shall involve the transfer of a risk to the supplier. Based on cases from the CJEU the thesis deals with investigating what kind of risk that must be transferred and how the risk assessment should be carried out. Due to the concessions directive the same questions are dealt with according to this new regulation and also how the scope of the concessions directive relates to the new directive on public procurement. The thesis further compares the classification of a concession contract with the principles that are applied when classifying mixed contracts. The conclusion is that the difference between the definition of a concession contract according to the classic directive and the concessions directive is that from the latter it is clear from the definition that a concession contract includes the transfer of an operational risk in exploiting the subject of the contract. It is further noted that the risk assessment is based on different criteria under the concessions directive compared to the case law. The assessment is not based on the size of the transferred risk but rather on whether the part of the transferred risk is exposed to the vagaries of the market and whether the potential estimated losses for the supplier are merely nominal or negligible. It is also noted that the principles used when classifying mixed contracts has been introduced in articles in the concessions directive dealing with the scope of the concessions directive in relation to the procurement directive.Uppsatsen utreder vad som kännetecknar ett koncessionskontrakt och under vilka förutsättningar ett kontrakt ska klassificeras som ett koncessionskontrakt. Vidare utreds vilka regler som är tillämpliga vid tilldelning av koncessionskontrakt och när de är tillämpliga. Kännetecknande för ett koncessionskontrakt är att ersättningsformen består av en nyttjanderätt eller av dels en sådan rätt, dels betalning. Vidare kännetecknas koncessionskontrakt av att en risk överförs till leverantören. I uppsatsen behandlas EU-domstolens praxis om vilken typ av risk som avses och hur riskbedömningen ska göras. Samma frågor behandlas även utifrån koncessionsdirektivet och hur koncessionsdirektivets tillämpningsområde förhåller sig till det nya upphandlingsdirektivet. I uppsatsen jämförs klassificering av koncessionskontrakt med de principer som används vid klassificering av blandade kontrakt. Slutsatsen är att skillnaden mellan definitionen av ett koncessionskontrakt enligt det klassiska direktivet och koncessionsdirektivet är att av det senare framgår det redan av definitionen att ett koncessionskontrakt innefattar att en verksamhetsrisk överförs till leverantören. Det kan också konstateras att riskbedömningen sker utifrån andra grunder enligt koncessionsdirektivet jämfört med EU-domstolens praxis. Det är inte längre en viss del av risken som ska överföras utan istället utgår bedömningen bland annat från huruvida den del av risken som överförts omfattas av verklig exponering för marknadens nycker och huruvida de eventuella uppskattade förlusterna endast är nominella eller försumbara. Det kan också konstateras att de principer som används vid klassificering av blandade kontrakt har införts i koncessionsdirektivets regler om hur tillämpningsområdet för direktivet förhåller sig till upphandlingsdirektivet

Una caricatura de Juan Ruíz de Alarcón

En este número no se incluyeron resúmenes ni palabras clave.

Persistent organic pollutants have dose and CAG repeat length dependent effects on androgen receptor activity in vitro.

Recently, the effect of exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on sperm concentration was only seen in men with a short androgen receptor (AR) gene CAG repeat. In order to investigate whether these effects could be observed also in vitro, we tested the impact of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethene (4,4'-DDE) on 5α-dihydrotestosterone activated ARs containing 16, 22 and 28 CAG repeats, respectively. Single exposure to 4,4'-DDE had the most pronounced effect on the AR activity containing 16 CAG repeats, whereas 28 CAG was the most sensitive variant when a mixture of the two compounds was added. Thus, our in vitro results have confirmed the in vivo data indicating a CAG repeat length dependent effect of endocrine disrupters on the AR activity

Endocrine and dog factors associated with semen quality

Knowledge of factors associated with semen quality may help in investigations of the aetiology and pathophysiology. We investigated the correlation between biomarkers for testicular cell function (antimüllerian hormone, AMH, Inhibin B, testosterone, free androgen-index (testosterone/sex-hormone binding globulin), insulin like peptide 3, INSL-3), alkaline phosphate (ALP), canine prostate-specifc esterase (CPSE), and heterophilic antibodies with dog variables, semen quality, and fertility. Blood and semen were collected from 65 Bernese Mountain Dogs. We evaluated total sperm count, motility and morphological parameters. The semen quality ranged from poor to excellent, with an average total sperm count of 1.1 × ­109 and 50% morphologically normal spermatozoa (MNS). Age and abnormal testicular consistency correlated with decreased motility and MNS. Higher ALP correlated with higher total sperm count. AMH could not be detected in seminal plasma. AMH in blood correlated with head defects and high AMH concentration correlated with a severe decline in several semen parameters. Testosterone was negatively and CPSE positively correlated with age. No correlations were found for INSL-3, inhibin B, or heterophilic antibodies. Our fndings contribute to the understanding of factors associated with semen quality in dogs, particularly related to Sertoli cell function

Bait flavor preference and immunogenicity of ONRAB baits in domestic dogs on the Navajo Nation, Arizona

Rabies is responsible for an estimated 59,000 human deaths worldwide, and domestic dogs are the primary reservoir and vector of the disease. Among some nations, widespread vaccination has led to elimination of rabies in domestic dogs, yet dogs are still susceptible to rabies infection from interactions with wildlife reservoirs. On Tribal lands in the United States, less than 20% of domestic dogs are vaccinated for rabies, and parenteral vaccination is often unfeasible. Oral rabies vaccination may provide a solution, but a suitable bait flavor and vaccine must be identified. We evaluated 5 bait flavors (bacon, cheese, egg, fish, and sweet) in pairwise flavor-preference trials using placebo Ultralite baits in 26 domestic dogs on the Navajo Nation, Arizona. Each bait flavor was offered a total of 104 times. In all paired comparisons, bacon was more frequently preferred to the alternative. The sweet flavor (the flavor used operationally for oral rabies vaccine (ORV) distribution in Canada) was least preferred. Forty domestic dogs were offered baits containing ONRAB ORV: 14 received the sweet-flavored bait packet and 26 received bacon-flavored baits. Serum was collected from dogs before vaccination and at day 14 and 30 or 37 days after vaccination. Thirty-seven dogs consumed the baits, 2 baits (both sweet flavored) were chewed and spit out, and 1 (sweet flavored) was swallowed without apparent chewing (gulped). Eight dogs had preexisting rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) titers and 13 naïve dogs failed to seroconvert during the study period. Overall, 27 dogs (67.5%) showed increased RVNA titers after vaccination, including 1 dog who chewed and spit out the bait and all dogs with positive baseline RVNA titers. Geometric mean titers for all dogs that seroconverted during the study period peaked at day 14 (1.2 IU/ mL; n = 24) and decreased slightly by the final sampling day (0.8 IU/mL; n = 27).We conclude that bacon flavor may be a suitable bait flavor for ORV distribution in loosely kept or free-roaming domestic dogs. Seroconversion among dogs who ingested ONRAB-filled baits was variable. Why 13 dogs who consumed ORV baits failed to seroconvert remains unknown. Additional research to improve seroconversion rates in domestic dogs after vaccination with ONRAB is recommended

Bait flavor preference and immunogenicity of ONRAB baits in domestic dogs on the Navajo Nation, Arizona

Rabies is responsible for an estimated 59,000 human deaths worldwide, and domestic dogs are the primary reservoir and vector of the disease. Among some nations, widespread vaccination has led to elimination of rabies in domestic dogs, yet dogs are still susceptible to rabies infection from interactions with wildlife reservoirs. On Tribal lands in the United States, less than 20% of domestic dogs are vaccinated for rabies, and parenteral vaccination is often unfeasible. Oral rabies vaccination may provide a solution, but a suitable bait flavor and vaccine must be identified. We evaluated 5 bait flavors (bacon, cheese, egg, fish, and sweet) in pairwise flavor-preference trials using placebo Ultralite baits in 26 domestic dogs on the Navajo Nation, Arizona. Each bait flavor was offered a total of 104 times. In all paired comparisons, bacon was more frequently preferred to the alternative. The sweet flavor (the flavor used operationally for oral rabies vaccine (ORV) distribution in Canada) was least preferred. Forty domestic dogs were offered baits containing ONRAB ORV: 14 received the sweet-flavored bait packet and 26 received bacon-flavored baits. Serum was collected from dogs before vaccination and at day 14 and 30 or 37 days after vaccination. Thirty-seven dogs consumed the baits, 2 baits (both sweet flavored) were chewed and spit out, and 1 (sweet flavored) was swallowed without apparent chewing (gulped). Eight dogs had preexisting rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) titers and 13 naïve dogs failed to seroconvert during the study period. Overall, 27 dogs (67.5%) showed increased RVNA titers after vaccination, including 1 dog who chewed and spit out the bait and all dogs with positive baseline RVNA titers. Geometric mean titers for all dogs that seroconverted during the study period peaked at day 14 (1.2 IU/ mL; n = 24) and decreased slightly by the final sampling day (0.8 IU/mL; n = 27).We conclude that bacon flavor may be a suitable bait flavor for ORV distribution in loosely kept or free-roaming domestic dogs. Seroconversion among dogs who ingested ONRAB-filled baits was variable. Why 13 dogs who consumed ORV baits failed to seroconvert remains unknown. Additional research to improve seroconversion rates in domestic dogs after vaccination with ONRAB is recommended

Time trends in referrals to child and adolescent gender identity services : a study in four Nordic countries and in the UK

Purpose: To explore whether the increase observed in referrals to child and adolescent gender identity services (GIDSs) has been similar in four Nordic countries and in the UK. Materials and methods: Numbers of referrals per year in 2011–2017 were obtained from all GIDS in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the UK and related to population aged <18. Results: A similar pattern of increase in referral rates was observed across countries, resulting in comparable population adjusted rates in 2017. In children, male:female birth sex ratio was even; in adolescents, a preponderance of females (birth sex) was observed, particularly in Finland. Conclusions: The demand for GIDSs has evolved similarly across Nordic countries and the UK. The reasons for the increase are not known but increased awareness of gender identity issues, service availability, destigmatization as well as social and media influences may play a role

Effective Communication About Pregnancy, Birth, Lactation, Breastfeeding and Newborn Care:The Importance of Sexed Language

On 24 September 2021, The Lancet medical journal highlighted an article on its cover with a single sentence in large text; “Historically, the anatomy and physiology of bodies with vaginas have been neglected.” This statement, in which the word “women” was replaced with the phrase “bodies with vaginas,” is part of a trend to remove sexed terms such as “women” and “mothers” from discussions of female reproduction. The good and important intention behind these changes is sensitivity to, and acknowledgment of, the needs of people who are biologically female and yet do not consider themselves to be women because of their gender identity (1). However, these changes are often not deliberated regarding their impact on accuracy or potential for other unintended consequences. In this paper we present some background to this issue, describe various observed impacts, consider a number of potentially deleterious consequences, and suggest a way forward

The effects of species ortholog and SNP variation on receptors for free fatty acids

Although it is widely assumed that species orthologs of hormone responsive G protein-coupled receptors will be activated by the same endogenously produced ligand(s), variation in potency, particularly in cases where more than one receptor responds to the same hormone, can result in challenges in defining the contribution of individual receptors in different species. This can create considerably greater issues when using synthetic chemical ligands and, in some cases, may result in a complete lack of efficacy of such a ligand when used in animal models of pathophysiology. In man, the concept that distinct responses of individuals to medicines may reflect differences in the ability of such drugs to bind to or activate single nucleotide polymorphism variants of receptors is more established as a concept but, in many cases, clear links between such variants that are associated with disease phenotypes and substantial differences in receptor ligand pharmacology have been more difficult to obtain. Herein, we consider each of these issues for the group of receptors, FFA1-FFA4, defined to be activated by free fatty acids of varying chain length which, based on their production by one tissue or location and action in distinct locations, have been suggested to possess characteristics of ‘hormones’