From vocational training to education: the development of a no-frontiers education policy for Europe?

This article focuses on developments towards an EU educational policy. Education was not included as one of the Community competencies in the Treaty of Rome. The first half of the article analyses the way that the European Court of Justice and the Commission of the European Communities between them managed to develop a series of substantial Community programmes out of Article 128 on vocational training. The second half of the article discusses educational developments in the community following the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty of Amsterdam. Whilst the legal competence of the community now includes education, the author's argument is that the inclusion of an educational competence will not result in further developments to mirror those in the years before the Treaty on Europe</p

More Competences than You Knew? The Web of Health Competence for European Union Action in Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak

To combat COVID-19, unlike its Member States, the Union may act“only within thelimits of the competences conferred upon it by the Member States in the Treaties to attainthe objectives set out therein”.4As legal scholars, we understand why one may think thatthe Union has no power to act in ways that public health experts and others, such aseconomists and behavioural psychologists, suggest would be helpful. The Union’spowers in the health domain are traditionallyunderstood to be severely constrained:health law and policy are seen as matters for Member States.We propose an alternative to this standard legal analysis. The Union has more possiblelegal powers to create health law and policy in response to the COVID-19 outbreak than istraditionally understood, particularly if the different iterations of the protection andpromotion of public and human health throughout the Treaty on the Functioning of theEuropean Union (TFEU) are readin relation toone another. This alternativeinterpretation of the Union’s competence norms, the“legal bases”on which the Unioninstitutions act to adopt either binding legal rules or persuasive measures, suggests thatthere are legal options that permit the Union a wider range of actions than it has takento date, and that support–and go further than–the approaches that the EuropeanCommission (Commission) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Controlhave suggested in various policy documents, guidance and communications in Marchand April 2020.5In short, we are arguing thatlegalimpediments to Union action areless restrictive than is commonly understood

Telling stories about European Union Health Law: The emergence of a new field of law

The ideational narrative power of law has now solidified, and continues to solidify, ‘European Union health law’, into an entity with a distinctive legal identity. EU health law was previously seen as either non-existent, or so broad as to be meaningless, or as existing only in relations between EU law and health (the ‘and’ approach), or as consisting of a body of barely or loosely connected policy domains (the ‘patchwork’ approach). The process of bringing EU health law into being is a process of narration. The ways in which EU health law is narrated (and continues to be narrated) involve three main groups of actors: the legislature, courts and the academy

The Wisconsin-IIASA Set of Energy/Environment (WISE) Models for Regional Planning and Management: An Overview

This report presents an overview of the analytical framework and quantitative methods used in the IIASA case studies on Regional Energy/Environment Management and Planning. Its purpose is to summarize the structure of the models, to provide a complete listing of the sources of more detailed model and data descriptions, and to indicate how the models are integrated to provide a foundation for regional energy/environment policy maker analysis. The audience for the report includes managers, planners, technical advisors, and modelers. The set of models used in the research project encompasses socioeconomic links to the energy system; energy demand in the residential, industrial, commercial/service, agricultural and transportation sectors; the energy supply sector, environmental impacts associated with the energy system; and policy makers' preferences. The report gives a brief description of the purpose and general structure of each model, data requirements, examples of input and output, and model limitations. As a whole, the models integrate information about energy flows in a region to simulate the energy system and its relationship to other regional variables, e.g., demographic and economic trends and the environment

Simultano UV-spektrofotometrijsko određivanje ramiprila, acetilsalicilne kiseline i atorvastatin kalcija u kapsulama primjenom kemometrijskih metoda

In the present work, three different spectrophotometric methods for simultaneous estimation of ramipril, aspirin and atorvastatin calcium in raw materials and in formulations are described. Overlapped data was quantitatively resolved by using chemometric methods, viz. inverse least squares (ILS), principal component regression (PCR) and partial least squares (PLS). Calibrations were constructed using the absorption data matrix corresponding to the concentration data matrix. The linearity range was found to be 1-5, 10-50 and 2-10 µg mL–1 for ramipril, aspirin and atorvastatin calcium, respectively. The absorbance matrix was obtained by measuring the zero-order absorbance in the wavelength range between 210 and 320 nm. A training set design of the concentration data corresponding to the ramipril, aspirin and atorvastatin calcium mixtures was organized statistically to maximize the information content from the spectra and to minimize the error of multivariate calibrations. By applying the respective algorithms for PLS 1, PCR and ILS to the measured spectra of the calibration set, a suitable model was obtained. This model was selected on the basis of RMSECV and RMSEP values. The same was applied to the prediction set and capsule formulation. Mean recoveries of the commercial formulation set together with other figures of merit (calibration sensitivity, selectivity, limit of detection, limit of quantification and analytical sensitivity) were estimated. Validity of the proposed approaches was successfully assessed for analyses of drugs in the various prepared physical mixtures and formulations.U radu su opisane tri različite spektrofotometrijske metode za određivanje ramiprila, acetilsalicilne kiseline i atorvastatin kalcija u sirovinama i formulacijama. Preklapanje podataka kvantitativno je riješeno pomoću kemometrijskih metoda, tj. metodama inverznih najmanjih kvadrata (ILS), regresije glavnog sastojka (PCR) i djelomičnih najmanjih kvadrata (PLS). Kalibracije su postavljene pomoću matrice podataka za apsorpciju koja odgovara matrici pripadajućih koncentracija. Područje linearnosti za ramipril iznosilo je 1–5, za acetilsalicilnu kiselinu 10–50, a za atorvastatin kalcij 2–10 µg mL–1. Matrica s apsorbancijama dobivena je mjerenjem apsorbancije nultog reda na valnim duljinama između 210 i 320 nm. Set podataka za koncentracije ramiprila, acetilsalicilne kiseline i atorvastatin kalcija u smjesi statistički je tako organiziran da osigura maksimalnu količinu informacije u spektrima i minimalizira grešku multivarijantnih kalibracija. Primjenom odgovarajućih algoritama za PLS, PCR i ILS na snimljene spektre kalibracijskog seta dobiven je dobar model, koji je odabran na temelju RMSECV i RMSEP vrijednosti. Isti model je primijenjen i na set s predviđenim vrijednostima i na kapsule sa smjesom ove tri ljekovite tvari. Određena je srednja vrijednost povrata za komercijalnu formulaciju te ostale analitičke izvedbene značajke (kalibracijska osjetljivost, selektivnost, granica dokazivanja, granica određivanja i analitička osjetljivost). Potvrđena je primjenjljivost predloženih metoda u analizama lijekova u fizičkim smjesama i u gotovim ljekovitim oblicima

A dual compartment cuvette system for correcting scattering in whole-cell absorbance spectroscopy of photosynthetic microorganisms.

Funder: Waste Environmental Education Research TrustAbsorption spectroscopy is widely used to determine absorption and transmission spectra of chromophores in solution, in addition to suspensions of particles, including micro-organisms. Light scattering, caused by photons deflected from part or all of the cells or other particles in suspension, results in distortions to the absorption spectra, lost information and poor resolution. A spectrophotometer with an integrating sphere may be used to alleviate this problem. However, these instruments are not universally available in biology laboratories, for reasons such as cost. Here, we describe a novel, rapid, and inexpensive technique that minimises the effect of light scattering when performing whole-cell spectroscopy. This method involves using a custom made dual compartment cuvette containing titanium dioxide in one chamber as a scattering agent. Measurements were conducted of a range of different photosynthetic micro-organisms of varying cell size and morphology, including cyanobacteria, eukaryotic microalgae and a purple non-sulphur bacterium. A concentration of 1 mg ml-1 titanium dioxide, using a spectrophotometer with a slit width of 5 nm, produced spectra for cyanobacteria and microalgae similar (1-4% difference) to those obtained using an integrating sphere. The spectrum > 520 nm was similar to that with an integrating sphere with the purple non-sulphur bacterium. This system produced superior results to those obtained using a recently reported method, the application of the diffusing agent, Scotch™ Magic tape, to the side of the cuvette. The protocol can be completed in an equivalent period of time to standard whole-cell absorbance spectroscopy techniques, and is, in principle, suitable for any dual-beam spectrophotometer.Waste Environmental Education Research Trust Leverhulme Trus

Hospital characteristics and patient populations served by physician owned and non physician owned orthopedic specialty hospitals

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The emergence of physician owned specialty hospitals focusing on high margin procedures has generated significant controversy. Yet, it is unclear whether physician owned specialty hospitals differ significantly from non physician owned specialty hospitals and thus merit the additional scrutiny that has been proposed. Our objective was to assess whether physician owned specialty orthopedic hospitals and non physician owned specialty orthopedic hospitals differ with respect to hospital characteristics and patient populations served.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a descriptive study using Medicare data of beneficiaries who underwent total hip replacement (THR) (N = 10,478) and total knee replacement (TKR) (N = 15,312) in 29 physician owned and 8 non physician owned specialty orthopedic hospitals during 1999–2003. We compared hospital characteristics of physician owned and non physician owned specialty hospitals including procedural volumes of major joint replacements (THR and TKR), hospital teaching status, and for profit status. We then compared demographics and prevalence of common comorbid conditions for patients treated in physician owned and non physician owned specialty hospitals. Finally, we examined whether the socio-demographic characteristics of the neighborhoods where physician owned and non physician owned specialty hospitals differed, as measured by zip code level data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Physician owned specialty hospitals performed fewer major joint replacements on Medicare beneficiaries in 2003 than non physician owed specialty hospitals (64 vs. 678, P < .001), were less likely to be affiliated with a medical school (6% vs. 43%, P = .05), and were more likely to be for profit (94% vs. 28%, P = .001). Patients who underwent major joint replacement in physician owned specialty hospitals were less likely to be black than patients in non physician owned specialty hospitals (2.5% vs. 3.1% for THR, P = .15; 1.8% vs. 6.3% for TKR, P < .001), yet physician owned specialty hospitals were located in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of black residents (8.2% vs. 6.7%, P = .76). Patients in physician owned hospitals had lower rates of most common comorbid conditions including heart failure and obesity (P < .05 for both).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Physician owned specialty orthopedic hospitals differ significantly from non physician owned specialty orthopedic hospitals and may warrant the additional scrutiny policy makers have proposed.</p

Preclinical modeling of lower-grade gliomas

Models for human gliomas prove critical not only to advancing our understanding of glioma biology but also to facilitate the development of therapeutic modalities. Specifically, creating lower-grade glioma (LGG) models has been challenging, contributing to few investigations and the minimal progress in standard treatment over the past decade. In order to reliably predict and validate the efficacies of novel treatments, however, LGG models need to adhere to specific standards that recapitulate tumor genetic aberrations and micro-environment. This underscores the need to revisit existing models of LGG and explore prospective models that may bridge the gap between preclinical insights and clinical translation. This review first outlines a set of criteria aimed to address the current challenges hindering model development. We then evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of existing preclinical models of LGG with respect to these established standards. To conclude, the review discusses potential future directions for integrating existing models to maximize the exploration of disease mechanisms and therapeutics development