Transatlantic Relations and Flexibility within the AFSJ

Variable geometry may constitute an entity that appears to be constantly evolving through the Treaties, however, the UK and Ireland, together with Denmark, appear to be its principal beneficiaries thereof, obtaining positions that new accession States are unable to achieve and thus generating lopsided contours to the phenomenon. The opt-out/in provisions ostensibly indicate an outward constitutional stance of isolation towards further and deeper integration and seem to have generated much legal even political incoherence.The paper analyses in detail the impact of the Protocols upon the international relations agreements of the EU, particularly their operation in the specific case of EU-US relations, on the basis of the practice that has developed since the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. Nevertheless, this variable geometry does not in recent years appear to have complicated the negotiation of international agreements dealing with criminal justice and policing measures. Even though it is perhaps too early to establish a definite picture on the UK implication in the external dimension of the AFSJ, it seems clear that the UK is committed to intensify international cooperation in matters dealing with criminal justice and policing measures

STABILOMETRY APPLIED ON THE ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL TECHNIQUE IN THE AIR - RIFLE SHOOTING

The main problem of sport technique in shooting sports is to maintain the body segments as stable as possible. Experimental data proved that shooters adopt a mechanically unstable posture as consequence of the interactions among body segments. Stabilometric analysis, by means of force plates, allows the evaluation of postural stability, measuring displacements of the center of pressure (COP). In this study the postural stability of a high level air - rifle shooter and its relationship with performance has been evaluated. The results confirmed that it is possible to obtain relevant information with respect to shooter's technique, given that, the shooter displayed a trend to achieve better shots trying to intercept the center of the target with moving the whole body – rifle system forwards (

STABILOMETRY APPLIED ON THE ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL TECHNIQUE IN THE AIR - RIFLE SHOOTING

The main problem of sport technique in shooting sports is to maintain the body segments as stable as possible. Experimental data proved that shooters adopt a mechanically unstable posture as consequence of the interactions among body segments. Stabilometric analysis, by means of force plates, allows the evaluation of postural stability, measuring displacements of the center of pressure (COP). In this study the postural stability of a high level air - rifle shooter and its relationship with performance has been evaluated. The results confirmed that it is possible to obtain relevant information with respect to shooter's technique, given that, the shooter displayed a trend to achieve better shots trying to intercept the center of the target with moving the whole body – rifle system forwards (

Laparoscopic image analysis for automatic tracking of surgical tools

Laparoscopy is a surgical technique nowadays embedded in the clinical routine. Recent researches have been focused on analysing video information captured by the endoscope for extracting cues useful for surgeons, such as depth information. In particular, the 3D pose estimation of the surgical tools presents three important added values: (1) to extract objective parameters for the surgical training stage, (2) to develop an image-guided surgery based on the knowledge of the surgery tools localization, (3) to design new roboticsystems for an automatic laparoscope positioning, according to the visual feedback. Tool’s shape and orientation in the image is the key to get its 3D position. This work presents an image analysis for automatic laparoscopic tool’s detection along the recorded video without extra tool markers, using an edges detection strategy. Also, this analysis includes a previous stage of barrel distortion correction for videoendoscopic image

Swelling of Natural Soil Subjected to Acidic and Alkaline Contamination

This paper aims at establishing the influence of acidic and alkalinepore fluids on the swell behaviour of an expansive soil. Aseries of laboratory one dimensional free swell tests were performedto study the behaviour of soil in acidic and alkaline environment.Three different concentrations of sodium hydroxide andsulphuric acid solutions were used as pore fluids to understandthe influence of variable concentrations on the swell behaviourof soil. Results showed that, the swelling of soil that interactedwith sodium hydroxide solution initially increased at lower concentrationand then decreased with increase in concentration.In contrast, the swelling initially decreased at lower concentrationof sulphuric acid and then increased with increase inconcentration of solution. The complexity in the swell behaviourof contaminated soil was assessed by thoroughly investigatingthe mineralogy and microstructure alterations by carrying outX-ray diffraction analysis, Scanning electron microscopy andEnergy dispersive analysis of X-ray at the end of interaction

Geomagnetic storm effects on GPS based navigation

The energetic events on the sun, solar wind and subsequent effects on the Earth's geomagnetic field and upper atmosphere (ionosphere) comprise space weather. Modern navigation systems that use radio-wave signals, reflecting from or propagating through the ionosphere as a means of determining range or distance, are vulnerable to a variety of effects that can degrade the performance of the navigational systems. In particular, the Global Positioning System (GPS) that uses a constellation of earth orbiting satellites are affected due to the space weather phenomena. <br><br> Studies made during two successive geomagnetic storms that occurred during the period from 8 to 12 November 2004, have clearly revealed the adverse affects on the GPS range delay as inferred from the Total Electron Content (TEC) measurements made from a chain of seven dual frequency GPS receivers installed in the Indian sector. Significant increases in TEC at the Equatorial Ionization anomaly crest region are observed, resulting in increased range delay during the periods of the storm activity. Further, the storm time rapid changes occurring in TEC resulted in a number of phase slips in the GPS signal compared to those on quiet days. These phase slips often result in the loss of lock of the GPS receivers, similar to those that occur during strong(>10 dB) L-band scintillation events, adversely affecting the GPS based navigation

The mechanism of silver(I) oxide formation on polycrystalline silver in alkaline solution. Determination of nucleation and growth rates

The nucleation and growth of Ag(I) oxide layers on polycrystalline Ag electrodes is studied by potentiodynamic and potentiostatic current transients in 0.1 M NaOH. A model involving the diffusion controlled growth of a basal layer followed by the nucleation and growth of a secondary layer is proposed. Various nucleation parameters are estimated by comparing experimental data with simulated transients, and the results are discussed in terms of the atomistic theory of electrochemical phase formation. The influence of the nucleation parameters on the shape of the current transients is analysed and some controversial results in the literature are explained.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y AplicadasFacultad de Ciencias Exacta

Cover Crop Impacts on Soil Water Status

Water is a primary concern for producers in the Great Plains; as such, research is warranted to quantify how much cover crops affect the amount of soil water available to subsequent cash crops. Cover crop mixes have been marketed as a means to conserve water in no-till cropping systems following winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) harvest. The objectives of this study are to quantify changes in soil profile water content in the presence of different cover crops and mixtures of increasing species complexity, to quantify their biomass productivity and quality, and to quantify the impact of cover crops on subsequent corn (Zea mays L.) yields. We hypothesized the change in soil water brought on by the cover crop treatments would be correlated to the quantity of biomass produced and the species composition, rather than mixture complexity. Soil moisture was measured using a neutron probe to a depth of 9 ft. Results from 2013–14 showed no difference in water use between cover crop mixtures and single species. Cover crops depleted the soil profile by a maximum of 3.5 in. during growth, but fallow was able to gain 0.75 in. of water during the same period. At the time of corn planting, soil moisture under all cover crops had replenished to levels at cover crop emergence, except for the brassicas, which had extracted water from deeper in the profile. Corn yields were reduced following the grass cover crops and the six-species mix. Corn yields were more closely related to the carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio of the cover crop residue than to profile soil moisture at corn emergence. The fact that yields were similar for corn after fallow and for corn after brassica cover crops implied that water was not the cause of yield reductions after the other cover crops