The effective assessment of clinical legal education

In January 2003, a new unit was established under the auspices of the Human Rights and Social Justice Research Institute of London Metropolitan University to deal with human rights cases from Russia (see Leach, 2003). The new unit, the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC), is assisting lawyers and non-governmental organisations based in Russia to utilise the European Convention on Human Rights (which Russia ratified in 1998) by providing advice and assistance in taking cases to the European Court of Human Rights. By March 2003 EHRAC was already advising on cases alleging very serious human rights abuses arising out of armed conflict in Chechnya and the first (law) students at London Metropolitan University had begun to assist EHRAC’s staff. One of the goals of EHRAC is, in due course, to introduce aspects of 'clinical legal education' into the curriculum of students studying human rights law, practice and theory

Effects of Weightlessness on Human Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology

The changes that occur in human fluid and electrolyte physiology during the acute and adaptive phases of adaptation to spaceflight are summarized. A number of questions remain to be answered. At a time when plasma volume and extracellular fluid volume are contracted and salt and water intake is unrestricted. ADH does not correct the volume deficit and serum sodium decreases. Change in secretion or activity of a natriuretic factor during spaceflight is one possible explanation. Recent identification of a polypeptide hormone produced in cardiac muscle cells which is natiuretic, is hypotensive, and has an inhibitory effect on renin and aldosterone secretion has renewed interest in the role of a natriuretic factor. The role of this atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in both long- and short-term variation in extracellular volumes and in the inability of the kidney to bring about an escape from the sodium-retaining state accompanying chronic cardiac dysfunction makes it reasonable to look for a role of ANF in the regulation of sodium during exposure to microgravity. Prostaglandin-E is another hormone that may antagonize the action of ADH. Assays of these hormones will be performed on samples from crew members in the future

Some Applications of Generalized Beam Theory

Generalised Beam Theory (GBT) has been developed by Professor R Schardt and his colleagues at the University of Darmstadt in Germany. The definitive reference at the present time is a recent German text(1) which describes the first-order theory. For the analysis of cold-formed sections, second-order theory may be required and this is less well documented. This paper will attempt to describe the principles involved and illustrate them by means of some practical examples. GBT unifies the conventional theories for the analysis of prismatic thin-walled structural members within a consistent notation. It then extends them into new territory. Conventional beam theory identifies four fundamental modes of deformation, namely extension, bending about two principal axes and torsion. These may be referred to as the rigid-body modes because they do not involve any distortion of the cross-section. Higher-order modes also exist but these involve cross-section distortion together with transverse bending. In first-order theory, all modes are orthogonal. This means that they are uncoupled and can be considered separately before their effects are combined. In second-order theory, the modes may become coupled but their orthogonal nature ensures that the coupling is minimised so that important results can often be obtained by a trivial calculation involving a single mode. GBT is a big subject with many ramifications and a full treatment is not possible within the confines of a single paper. No attempt will, therefore, be made to derive the basic equations and attention will be confined to explanation and application

On inter-state litigation and armed conflict cases in Strasbourg

The reluctance of Council of Europe member states to challenge each other at the bar of Europe, through the litigation of inter-state cases at the European Court, used to be a regular feature of the Strasbourg system. However, conflicts of different kinds in eastern Europe have led to a surge of such cases in recent years, as well as the introduction of thousands of related individual applications. The serious challenges presented, in particular by conflict-related cases, have led some commentators to question whether they can feasibly remain part of the Strasbourg process. For others, the focus should rather be on how such cases can be more effectively processed and assessed. This article emphasises the significance of both inter-state cases in general, and of cases arising from armed conflict (including individual applications): their political and legal importance; their centrality to the European human rights system; and how vital they are for individual victims of human rights violations. It analyses a number of controversial or challenging aspects of the adjudication of these cases, and puts forward some proposals for reform

The Analysis of Restrained Purlins Using Generalised Beam Theory

A paper presented at the Eleventh Speciality Conference in 1992(1) introduced the Generalized Beam Theory (GBT) and illustrated its use. It was used in ftrst-order analyses t0 calculate the stress distribution in a cross section takeing account of cross section distortion, and in second-order bifurcation problems to calculate the critical buckling load of a free cross section subject to axial load. Subsequent papers(2,3) have given more detailed information on the basis of GBT and used its second-order facilities to investigate the buckling of sections under both uniform and non-uniform bending moment. This paper extends the use of GBT to consider the behaviour of a cross section which is elastically restrained continuously along its length. A typical application of this facility is in the analysis of a purlin which receives both lateral and torsional restraint from the sheeting which it supports. The paper illustrates how the basic equations of GBT can be used to calculate the buckling load of an elastically restrained cross section taking account of interaction between the different buckling modes. Using this estimate of the buckling load, an assessment of the collapse load of a restrained section can be made using the interaction formulae of Eurocode 3(4) to allow for both buckling and yielding

Creative Thesis Statement

The artist becomes the maker of esthetic choices, and makes those choices along a scale which runs from complete (extravagant) to void (economical) in many considerations. Many artists todayare extending one of the extremes, while others draw on both. I wish to discuss my sculpture done at the University of Colorado during the past three years in terms of consistencies and parallels in level of choice by examining three of these considerations -- formal readability, scale and degree of finish. I will discuss levels of choice found in art and offer some reasons for the suspension or choosing of extremes. I believe the discussion can best be served by an examination of two of my recent works. I have selected "Boston Beaver Press Co." because of its typicality in the whole body of my work and &ldquo;Sugar/Yeast Ramp" because it is atypical, yet adheres to the basic considerations which will be discussed. &nbsp;</p

Novel Roles for Selected Genes in Meiotic DNA Processing

High-throughput studies of the 6,200 genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have provided valuable data resources. However, these resources require a return to experimental analysis to test predictions. An in-silico screen, mining existing interaction, expression, localization, and phenotype datasets was developed with the aim of selecting minimally characterized genes involved in meiotic DNA processing. Based on our selection procedure, 81 deletion mutants were constructed and tested for phenotypic abnormalities. Eleven (13.6%) genes were identified to have novel roles in meiotic DNA processes including DNA replication, recombination, and chromosome segregation. In particular, this analysis showed that Def1, a protein that facilitates ubiquitination of RNA polymerase II as a response to DNA damage, is required for efficient synapsis between homologues and normal levels of crossover recombination during meiosis. These characteristics are shared by a group of proteins required for Zip1 loading (ZMM proteins). Additionally, Soh1/Med31, a subunit of the RNA pol II mediator complex, Bre5, a ubiquitin protease cofactor and an uncharacterized protein, Rmr1/Ygl250w, are required for normal levels of gene conversion events during meiosis. We show how existing datasets may be used to define gene sets enriched for specific roles and how these can be evaluated by experimental analysis