FIRA: Instrument of Regulation or Vote-Maximization?

The establishment of the Foreign Investment Review Agency can be explained on the basis that such a screening instrument was the most efficient instrument to deal with the problem of foreign direct investment in Canada. However, Jacques Pauwels argues that FIRA was created not for the efficient regulation of foreign direct investment but for political purposes; that is, FIRA provided the Trudeau government with considerable vote-maximizing possibilities. Moreover, Pauwels suggests that Mulroney\u27s introduction of the Investment Canada Act, replacing FIRA with Investment Canada, can similarly be explained

FIRA: Instrument of Regulation or Vote-Maximization?

The establishment of the Foreign Investment Review Agency can be explained on the basis that such a screening instrument was the most efficient instrument to deal with the problem of foreign direct investment in Canada. However, Jacques Pauwels argues that FIRA was created not for the efficient regulation of foreign direct investment but for political purposes; that is, FIRA provided the Trudeau government with considerable vote-maximizing possibilities. Moreover, Pauwels suggests that Mulroney\u27s introduction of the Investment Canada Act, replacing FIRA with Investment Canada, can similarly be explained

Exotic beams produced by fast neutrons

First results from the research and development program PARRNE (Production d'Atomes Radioactifs Riches en NEutrons) are presented. Its aim is the investigation of the optimum conditions for the production of neutron-rich fission fragment beams extracted from thick targets irradiated by fast neutrons

Once-daily fluticasone furoate (FF)/vilanterol reduces risk of severe exacerbations in asthma versus FF alone

BACKGROUND: Combination therapy with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting β(2) agonist (LABA) is recommended for patients with asthma symptomatic on ICS alone. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the risk-benefit ratio of using LABA in asthma. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the addition of a novel LABA, vilanterol (VI), to a once-daily ICS, fluticasone furoate (FF), on the risk of severe asthma exacerbations in patients with uncontrolled asthma. METHODS: This randomised double-blind comparative study of variable duration (≥24–78 weeks) was designed to finish after 330 events (each patient's first on-treatment severe asthma exacerbation). 2019 patients with asthma aged ≥12 years with ≥1 recorded exacerbation within 1 year were randomised and received FF/VI 100/25 μg or FF 100 μg, administered once daily in the evening. The primary endpoint was time to first severe exacerbation; secondary endpoints were rate of severe asthma exacerbations per patient per year and change in trough evening forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) from baseline. RESULTS: Compared with FF, FF/VI delayed the time to first severe exacerbation (HR 0.795, 95% CI 0.642 to 0.985) and reduced the annualised rate of severe exacerbations (rate reduction 25%, 95% CI 5% to 40%). Significantly greater improvements in trough FEV(1) (p<0.001) were observed with FF/VI than with FF at weeks 12, 36, 52 and at endpoint. Both treatments were well tolerated with similar rates of treatment-related adverse events and on-treatment serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Once-daily FF/VI reduced the risk of severe asthma exacerbations and improved lung function compared with FF alone, with good tolerability and safety profile in adolescents and adults with asthma currently receiving ICS. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV NO: NCT0108638

Management of COPD according to guidelines. A national survey among Belgian physicians

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe