A practical guide to the Freedom of Information Act 2000

The Constitution Unit has rewritten the Practical Guide to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The revised edition differs considerably from the original in format and content. Foremest among the changes are the three case studies (with comments) at the end and the references to recently published, more detailed official advice. The guide is designed for practitioners who are responsible for or otherwise involved in their authority's plans to implement and operate the FoI Act. The guide serves as an introduction to implementation and operation of the FoI Act, focusing specifically on its core principles and features, how public authorities should prepare for implementation and what FoI practitioners should do when they receive requests for information

A Computational flow model of oxygen and nitric oxide transport & reactions and the relation with glaucoma

The purpose of this project is to create a computational model of a precapillary arteriole network near the optic nerve head (ONH) using computational fluid dynamics modeling (CFD, Fluent, ANSYS, Inc.). The CFD analysis will contain a blood flow model coupled with oxygen (O2) and nitric oxide (NO) transport and reactions. Until recently it was believed that elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) was causal in glaucoma, however recent studies demonstrate that glaucoma is associated with sensitivity to IOP itself. Because of this insight, other mechanisms besides mechanical damage that could cause glaucomatous neurodegeneration need to be explored, such as alterations in blood flow and oxygenation due to systemic changes. Excessive NO has often been associated with glaucoma and can cause increased vasodilation. NO has also been shown to have neurotoxic effects on the ONH when available in excess. NO generation mostly occurs within the endothelium and is directly related to the local oxygen concentration although there is considerable debate in the literature about the cause of surplus NO generation. Several theories exist attempting to explain this surplus production. One theory proposes that surplus NO is generated in ischemic regions within the choroid, the vascular layer of tissue that provides nutrient transport to different layers of the eye. Others suggest that the NO is produced due to reperfusion injuries and a third proposes the failure of autoregulation may cause the surplus NO. The relationship between these theories, IOP, and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death (glaucoma), are not well understood. The purpose of this CFD model is to provide a quantitative framework for the analysis of blood flow and gas transport within the eye and to look at the contribution of ischemic regions, reperfusion injuries, and/or the failure of autoregulation leading to glaucomatous neurodegeneration. Concentrations and distributions of O2 and NO will be modeled throughout an arteriole network and surrounding tissue to predict what concentration is ultimately delivered to the ONH. This work will provide the preliminary quantitative framework that is needed to determine the role of excessive NO generation on glaucoma development and provide a framework for further species transport modeling in the eye

Noble Savage, Noble Scotsman: The Act of Union as a Dubious Model for British Colonialism

It has become almost a cliché that during the period of intense colonialism by the great powers of Europe \u27the sun never set on the British empire\u27. The reason that this cliché persists is that the idea behind it is true: according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, [b]y the end of the 19th century, the British Empire comprised nearly one-quarter of the world’s land surface and more than one-quarter of its total population (Britannica). This vast conquest was not done on a whim: it had deep roots in ideas of cultural and economic superiority and, more to the point, the (demonstrably false) idea that the British Empire represented progress and \u27civilization\u27, while the rest of the world represented backwardness and so-called \u27barbarism\u27. These ideas arose, developed, and even to some extent occurred in Scotland through the academic works of writers such as Adam Smith, William Robertson,and James MacPherson, as well as the myths that arose around the Jacobite Rebellion, putting Scotland at the forefront of the horrors that were to come when those myths were exploited by later revisionists

The Development of Survey Instruments

The paper gives a short review of the development of survey instruments. Some highlights in the development are emphasized : — The realization of Heinrich Wild's ideas in the early twenties — the geodimeter 1947, the tellurometer 1957 — electronic tacheometers in the seventies — doppler satellite receivers and inertial surveying systems, also in the seventies. The surveyor and his instrument have been integrated parts in the process of measurements. Will, however, future survey instruments be more or less “black boxes” and consequently the surveyor’s role be reduced to pushing buttons ? What effect will it have on the surveyor’s professional practice

Evaluation of Downhole Tubing Disposal for Permanent Plug and Abandonment

Master's thesis in Petroleum engineeringA new method called Downhole Tubing Disposal developed by Oilfield Innovations for performing rigless permanent plug and abandonment is presented. Instead of pulling the production tubing, the tubing is weakened with longitudinal cuts which enables crushing of the tubing into the available liquid space of the constraining casing, effectively providing an unobstructed casing length where cement plugs can be set. By eliminating the requirement for a drilling rig, significant cost savings can be achieved. Evaluation of a full-scale experiment with a 2 3/8” tubing is given, and the plans for conducting a full-scale experiment with 4 ½” tubing is presented and discussed. Furthermore, a small-scale experiment was performed with the main objective being investigation of the influence of cutting pattern and radial clearance between compaction tube and constraint. The discussions from the three experiments are combined and further developed in terms of a real case of Downhole Tubing Disposal. No studies on chaotic crushing of constrained tubes have been found in the literature except for an experiment conducted by the inventors of Downhole Tubing Disposal. The data on the matter were therefore limited, which motivated the small-scale experiment. This experiment clearly shows that weakening a tube with longitudinal cuts reduces its axial compressive strength, and an increasing number of cuts further reduces this strength. Moreover, the compaction ratio increased significantly at moderate loads when more than two cuts were used. Calculations revealed that while a smaller constraining tube gave a reduced compaction ratio, the occupied cross-sectional area of the constraining tube increased at high loads. At moderate loads, the occupied cross-sectional area was identical for the different constraining tubes

Economic Reform in the Soviet Union - the Need for Comprehensive Reform

This paper discusses the prospects for economic reform in the Soviet Union and summarizes the recommendations that were made in a «Joint Study» by the IMF, the World Bank, the OECD, and the EBRD. The paper starts with a review of recent economic trends and a discussion of political factors which condition the economic reform effort. The economic reform program recommended by the four international agencies is outlined under the headings of macroeconomic management, systemic reform, and transitional measures. Because of the close inter-relationships between the policies and institutional reforms proposed, emphasis is placed on the need for a comprehensive reform, i.e., simultaneous or nearly simultaneous action in many areas. This is followed with a summary of the recommendations regarding external assistance. The paper concludes with comments on the prospects for the future

Economic Reform in the Soviet Union - the Need for Comprehensive Reform

This paper discusses the prospects for economic reform in the Soviet Union and summarizes the recommendations that were made in a «Joint Study» by the IMF, the World Bank, the OECD, and the EBRD. The paper starts with a review of recent economic trends and a discussion of political factors which condition the economic reform effort. The economic reform program recommended by the four international agencies is outlined under the headings of macroeconomic management, systemic reform, and transitional measures. Because of the close inter-relationships between the policies and institutional reforms proposed, emphasis is placed on the need for a comprehensive reform, i.e., simultaneous or nearly simultaneous action in many areas. This is followed with a summary of the recommendations regarding external assistance. The paper concludes with comments on the prospects for the future

Urban FM and POPS – implications for UN's SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Urban FM (UFM) is usually understood as micro level Facility Management (FM) methods and tools applied on macro level challenges in communities and neighborhoods in urban areas, among others to improve the citizens' well being. UFM is also often associated with smart cities, technology, and UN's SDGs. However, many studies of UFM overlook property rights and other institutional matters that establish many of the ground rules. Property rights are frequently understood as a bundle of rights, i.e., the right of use (USUS), the right of enjoyment (USUS FRUCTUS), and the right of disposition (ABUSUS). UFM usually takes place across property boundaries, on properties with disparate bundles of rights, including restrictions through public zoning. Many urban transformation projects have established privately owned public spaces (POPS), leading to a restructured division of responsibilities between public authorities and private owners in the management, design, access control, and use of urban public spaces. This paper investigates whether and under which conditions UFM and management of POPS can contribute to realization of UN's SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, hereunder to facilitate development of inclusive, safe, robust, and sustainable cities and local communities.Urban FM and POPS – implications for UN's SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and CommunitiespublishedVersio