To be or not to be an auctioneer: Some thoughts on the legal nature of online eBay auctions and the protection of consumers

This paper discusses the legal classification of online “eBay” auctions. The discussion has key implications on the scope of consumer protection law as sale by auctions are, for example, excluded from the scope of the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000. The paper uncovers that online “eBay” auctions cannot always be considered as traditional auctions and that eBay, as an intermediary, is not to be considered as an auctioneer. This creates difficulties associated with a distributive application of consumer protection laws such as the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000. Another set of difficulties is associated with a lenient legal regime applicable to the liability of eBay under the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 . The paper concludes that there is an urgent need to clarify the legal classification of online auctions and to rethink the liability of online auction sites to better protect consumers

BODIPY-based conjugated polymers for broadband light sensing and harvesting applications

The synthesis of novel low band-gap polymers has significantly improved light sensing and harvesting in polymer-fullerene devices. Here the synthesis of two low band-gap polymers based on the 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene core (BODIPY), and either bis(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (bis-EDOT) or its all-sulfur analogue bis(3,4-ethylenedithiathiophene) (bis-EDTT) are described. The polymers demonstrate ambipolar charge transport and are shown to be suitable for broadband light sensing and solar energy harvesting in solution-processable polymer-fullerene devices

Three-dimensional coherent X-ray diffraction imaging of a ceramic nanofoam: determination of structural deformation mechanisms

Ultra-low density polymers, metals, and ceramic nanofoams are valued for their high strength-to-weight ratio, high surface area and insulating properties ascribed to their structural geometry. We obtain the labrynthine internal structure of a tantalum oxide nanofoam by X-ray diffractive imaging. Finite element analysis from the structure reveals mechanical properties consistent with bulk samples and with a diffusion limited cluster aggregation model, while excess mass on the nodes discounts the dangling fragments hypothesis of percolation theory.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, 30 reference

Consumer credit information systems: A critical review of the literature. Too little attention paid by lawyers?

This paper reviews the existing literature on consumer credit reporting, the most extensively used instrument to overcome information asymmetry and adverse selection problems in credit markets. Despite the copious literature in economics and some research in regulatory policy, the legal community has paid almost no attention to the legal framework of consumer credit information systems, especially within the context of the European Union. Studies on the topic, however, seem particularly relevant in view of the establishment of a single market for consumer credit. This article ultimately calls for further legal research to address consumer protection concerns and inform future legislation

Structural-Properties Of Amorphous Hydrogenated Carbon .1. A High-Resolution Neutron-Diffraction Study

The structure of samples of amorphous hydrogenated carbon, prepared from acetylene and propane precursors, containing 35 and 32 at.% hydrogen, respectively, was investigated by time-of-flight neutron diffraction in the range 0.2-50 angstrom-1 using the ISIS spallation source. The large dynamic range of the data ensures a real-space resolution sufficient to reveal directly the proportions of sp2 and sp3 hybridized carbon. The results show that, in these hard carbon materials, the carbon-atom sites are predominantly sp2 bonded, and the carbon-carbon single bond:carbon-carbon double bond ratio is about 2.5:1. The detailed information on atomic correlations thus provided is used to discuss current structural models, and in particular the data are used to show that these models require significant modification

Engineering molecular chains in carbon nanotubes

A range of mono- and bis-functionalised fullerenes have been synthesised and inserted into single-walled carbon nanotubes. The effect of the size and shape of the functional groups of the fullerenes on the resultant 1D arrays formed within the nanotubes was investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The addition of non-planar, sterically bulky chains to the fullerene cage results in highly ordered 1D structures in which the fullerenes are evenly spaced along the internal nanotube cavity. Theoretical calculations reveal that the functional groups interact with neighbouring fullerene cages to space the fullerenes evenly within the confines of the nanotube. The addition of two functional groups to opposite sides of the fullerene cages results in a further increase in the separation of the fullerene cages within the nanotubes at the cost of lower nanotube filling rates.This work was financially supported by FWF project I83-N20 (ESF IMPrESS), the Royal Society, the European Research Council (ERC), "Fundacao para a Ciencia ea Tecnologia" through the program Ciencia 2008, the project SeARCH (Services and Advanced Research Computing with HTC/HPC clusters) and Nottingham Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Centre (NNNC)

Assay strategies for the discovery and validation of therapeutics targeting <i>Brugia pahangi</i> Hsp90

The chemotherapy of lymphatic filariasis relies upon drugs such as diethylcarbamazine and ivermectin that largely target the microfilarial stages of the parasite, necessitating continued treatment over the long reproductive life span of the adult worm. The identification of compounds that target adult worms has been a long-term goal of WHO. Here we describe a fluorescence polarization assay for the identification of compounds that target Hsp90 in adult filarial worms. The assay was originally developed to identify inhibitors of Hsp90 in tumor cells, and relies upon the ability of small molecules to inhibit the binding of fluorescently labelled geldanamycin to Hsp90. We demonstrate that the assay works well with soluble extracts of Brugia, while extracts of the free-living nematode C. elegans fail to bind the probe, in agreement with data from other experiments. The assay was validated using known inhibitors of Hsp90 that compete with geldanamycin for binding to Hsp90, including members of the synthetic purine-scaffold series of compounds. The efficacy of some of these compounds against adult worms was confirmed in vitro. Moreover, the assay is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between binding of purine-scaffold compounds to human and Brugia Hsp90. The assay is suitable for high-throughput screening and provides the first example of a format with the potential to identify novel inhibitors of Hsp90 in filarial worms and in other parasitic species where Hsp90 may be a target

A call for transparent reporting to optimize the predictive value of preclinical research

The US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke convened major stakeholders in June 2012 to discuss how to improve the methodological reporting of animal studies in grant applications and publications. The main workshop recommendation is that at a minimum studies should report on sample-size estimation, whether and how animals were randomized, whether investigators were blind to the treatment, and the handling of data. We recognize that achieving a meaningful improvement in the quality of reporting will require a concerted effort by investigators, reviewers, funding agencies and journal editors. Requiring better reporting of animal studies will raise awareness of the importance of rigorous study design to accelerate scientific progress

Communication in health practices: integrative literature review

Objectivethis study aims to describe the main thematic axes explored in the communication field in health practices in the scenarios of the Unified Health System (SUS). Methodintegrative literature review conducted by means of search for articles in the databases Latin American Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS), International Literature on Health Sciences (MedLine), and Science Direct, using the descriptors: health communication or communication. A crossing of the descriptors communication and health education was provided. Resultfour themes were constructed: 1) communication to establish relationships between health professionals and users; 2) (in)communication: barriers to the communicative act, 3) communication and health professional education; and 4) communicative health models: search for the dialogic model. Conclusionby understanding dialogic communication, which must be observed in communication, the new requirements posed by the legalization of SUS have shown weaknesses of the single-line and vertical communication model and the need to provide health professionals, since the undergraduate course, with knowledge that enable dialogic communication practices. The challenge of reflective and participatory experiences in the various health care settings still remains, in order to promote a sharing of knowledge that leads to understanding between the interlocutors involved in the communicative act.Objetivoeste artigo tem por objetivo descrever os principais eixos temáticos explorados no campo da comunicação nas práticas em saúde nos cenários do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Métodorevisão integrativa da literatura realizada a partir da busca de artigos nas bases de dados Literatura Latino-Americana em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs), Literatura Internacional em Ciências da Saúde (MedLine) e Science Direct, utilizando os descritores: comunicação em saúde ou comunicação. Procedeu-se ao cruzamento dos descritores comunicação e educação em saúde. Resultadoforam construídas quatro temáticas: 1) a comunicação no estabelecimento de relações entre profissionais da saúde e usuários; 2) (des)comunicação: barreiras ao ato comunicativo; 3) comunicação e formação do profissional da saúde; e 4) modelos comunicativos em saúde: a busca pelo modelo dialógico. Conclusãoa partir do entendimento da comunicação dialógica, que deve estar presente na comunicação, as novas demandas da legalização do SUS vêm mostrando fragilidades do modelo unilinear e verticalizado de comunicação e a necessidade de instrumentalizar os profissionais da saúde, desde a graduação, com saberes que proporcionem práticas comunicativas dialógicas. Persiste o desafio de vivências reflexivas e participativas nos vários cenários de assistência à saúde, de forma a promover um compartilhamento de saberes que conduza ao entendimento entre os interlocutores envolvidos no ato comunicativo.Universidade Federal de PernambucoUniversidade Federal de Pernambuco Departamento de FonoaudiologiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Centro de Desenvolvimento do Ensino Superior em SaúdeUniversidade Federal de Pernambuco Departamento de EnfermagemUNIFESP, Centro de Desenvolvimento do Ensino Superior em SaúdeSciEL