Illuminating Facets of Diamond Regulation in the EU: Theoretical Explanations for Implementation

This study examines the viability of two theories - constructivist theory (where norms interact with preferences to shape policy outcomes) and rational choice theory (where actors make decisions to further their self-interest) - as a means to explain the European Union's (EU) implementation of international diamond regulation. The regulation in place, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), is a multilevel governance initiative designed to stem the flow of conflict diamonds. For decades, the illicit diamond trade has spawned human rights atrocities in countries where diamonds are procured, impacting the development of several diamond-producing nations. Seeing as over 80 percent of international diamond transactions occur within the EU's borders, this governing authority has a large stake in international diamond industry regulation. In recent years, EU scholars have explored the fruitfulness of constructivism in explaining EU policy implementation, in part because it accounts for the way in which the EU exerts its authority in our globalized world. That is, scholars have analyzed how the EU exerts its authority through values, norms and principles (i.e. upholding human rights abroad), as opposed to more traditional forms of power such as military force. My hypothesis states that diamond regulation implementation is a case for constructivist theory, as it best accounts for the underlying forces behind this highly complex and global supply chain. However, the findings in this study indicate that the theoretical explanations behind the EU's KPCS implementation are just as multifaceted as the diamond industry itself

Relationship between HER2 expression and efficacy with first-line trastuzumab emtansine compared with trastuzumab plus docetaxel in TDM4450g: a randomized phase II study of patients with previously untreated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to retrospectively explore the relationship between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and efficacy in patients receiving trastuzumab plus docetaxel (HT) or trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1).MethodsPatients with HER2-positive, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (MBC) were randomly assigned to HT (n=70) or T-DM1 (n=67). HER2 status was assessed locally using immunohistochemistry or fluorescence in situ hybridization and confirmed retrospectively by central testing. HER2 mRNA expression was assessed using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.ResultsHER2 mRNA levels were obtained for 116/137 patients (HT=61; T-DM1=55). Median pretreatment HER2 mRNA was 8.9. The risk of disease progression in the overall population was lower with T-DM1 than with HT (hazard ratio (HR)=0.59; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36 to 0.97). This effect was more pronounced in patients with HER2 mRNA≥median (HR=0.39; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.85) versus ConclusionsThis exploratory analysis suggests that while overall, patients with HER2-positive MBC show improved PFS with T-DM1 relative to HT, the effect is enhanced in patients with tumor HER2 mRNA ≥ median.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT00679341

Gastropoden aus paläozoischen Geschieben des Kies-Sand-Rückens in der Laerheide (Landkreis Osnabrück)

Aus altpaläozoischen karbonatischen Gesteinen, die als nordische Geschiebe in den Kame-Ablagerungen der Laerheide am Nordrand der Westfälischen Bucht vorkommen, werden ordovizische und silurische Gastropoden beschrieben. Altpaläozoische Gastropoden sind zwar aus verschiedenen südskandinavischen Kalkstein-Geschieben seit langem bekannt, jedoch sind Bestimmungen und Eingruppierungen innerhalb der modernen Gastropoden-Systematik bislang noch nicht erfolgt, so dass auf diesem Gebiet noch erheblicher Nachholbedarf besteht, wozu hiermit ein erster Beitrag geleistet wird.Glacial erratic boulders from kame sediments of the Laerheide in the northern part of the „Westfälische Bucht“ south of Osnabrück have yielded Ordovician and Silurian gastropods. Although early Palaeozoic gastropods are fairly well known from glacial erratics they lack adequate descriptions and classification within the modern systematic framework which is presented here

Measurement of Customer Satisfaction in the Ophthalmology

Tématem bakalářské práce je měření spokojenosti zákazníků (klientů) s očním oddělením v Kyjově. Práce je rozdělena do jednotlivých částí. Nejprve na samotném začátku musela být vytyčena teoretická východiska pro následně možné měření spokojenosti. Určili jsme si co je to služba a jaké vlastnosti služby vůbec mají. Následně proběhla stručná charakteristika nemocnice Kyjov a jejího očního oddělení. Data v naší práci byla získána pomocí dotazníkového šetření. Dotazníky byly rozdány na očním oddělení v nemocnici Kyjov. Jednotlivé otázky z dotazníku byly analyzovány s využitím tabulek a grafů. Pomocí těchto dat pak byla určena celková spokojenost klientů s očním oddělením a byly dané návrhy na zvýšení dané spokojenosti.The topic of this bachelor thesis is the measurement of customer satisfaction (clients) with ophthalmology department in Kyjov. The work is divided into individual parts. First, the theoretical basis for the subsequent satisfaction measurement had to be set out at the very beginning. We have determined what a service is and what service features they have. Subsequently there was a brief description of the Kyjov hospital and its ophthalmology department. Data in our work was obtained using a questionnaire survey. Questionnaires were distributed at the ophthalmology department at Kyjov Hospital. Individual questions from the questionnaire were analyzed using tables and graphs. This data was then used to determine the overall satisfaction of the clients with the ophthalmology department and suggestions were made to increase the satisfaction.116 - Katedra marketingu a obchodudobř