Enforcing the rights and freedoms of disabled people: the role of transnational law (Part I)

In Part I of this article we examined the actual and potential application of global international law (GIL) to the development of rights and freedoms for people with disabilities. We concluded that there is currently no binding and accessible GIL instrument that specifically relates to this group. Instead, an emphasis was placed upon those instruments that have a generic application to human rights and a clear potential application to the protection of disability rights primarily through their provisions relating to non-discrimination. Moreover, we stressed that the instruments of GIL also have the potential to provide an indirect benefit to disabled people as tools of influence and persuasion in the development of non-discrimination and affirmative action empowerment programmes at both a national and international level. In Part II, we apply a similar analysis to the opportunities offered by European international law (EIL).</p

Fork-decompositions of matroids

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On matroids of branch-width three

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Near-infrared spectra of Seyfert galaxies and line production mechanisms

New observations are reported of J-band spectra (1.04micron -- 1.4 micron) of three Seyfert 2 galaxies, Mkn 34, Mkn 78 and NGC 5929. In each case the spectral range includes the near-infrared lines of [FeII], [PII], HeI and Pa beta. Each Seyfert galaxy has a known radio jet, and we investigate the infrared line ratios of the nuclear and extended regions of each galaxy compared to the radio structure. In Mkn 34 there is a clear indication of an extranuclear region, probably coincident with a shock induced by the radio jet, in which [FeII] is considerably enhanced, although the nuclear emission is almost certainly the result of photoionization by the continuum of the active nucleus. Similar effects in extranuclear regions are seen in the other objects, in the case of Mkn 78 confirming recent studies by Ramos Almeida et al. A possible detection of extranuclear [PII] emission suggests, if real, that photoionization by the active nucleus is the dominant line excitation mechanism over the whole source, including the regions coincident with the radio jet.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures. Accepted by MNRA

Minimal energy control of a nanoelectromechanical memory element

The Pontryagin minimal energy control approach has been applied to minimise the switching energy in a nanoelectromechanical memory system and to characterise global stability of the oscillatory states of the bistable memory element. A comparison of two previously experimentally determined pulse-type control signals with Pontryagin control function has been performed, and the superiority of the Pontryagin approach with regard to power consumption has been demonstrated. An analysis of global stability shows how values of minimal energy can be utilized in order to specify equally stable states

Cognitive learning outcomes in a cardiac nursing course: A pilot study

This study measured the cognitive learning outcomes of registered nurses who completed a short cardiac nursing course. This course was held in a metropolitan teaching hospital during four weeks in September, 1989. The author grouped the twenty participants into one of two groups according to prior acute cardiac nursing experience; (1) those who had less than six months post-basic cardiac nursing experience; and (2) those who had six months or more post-basic cardiac nursing experience. A pre-course test and post-course test was given to the participants to measure the dependent variable, that is, cognitive knowledge. Using as case-comparative design, the results of both groups were then compared to determine what effect prior experience, the independent variable, had on the learning outcomes. That is, which group benefits more from a course? The study’s main purpose was to contribute to the dearth of literature on assessment of cognitive learning outcomes in nursing courses. An adaptation of Stake’s Countenance Model of Evaluation (1973) was used which provided a means to propose and test relationships between the variables via three hypotheses. The Gestalt cognitive discovery view of learning formed the theoretical rationale for the study and results were discussed in light of this view. This study found that whilst prior relevant experience has significant effect on the scores gained by the experienced nurses, the most significant results was the gain scores of the non-experienced nurses whose scores from pre-test to post-test rose by almost two standard deviations. The gain scores of the experienced nurses rose be only one standard deviation. These results indicate that cognitive learning had taken place and that both groups of nurses benefit from such a course. As even a rise of one standard deviation is very significant

The Nuclear Outflow in NGC 2110

We present a HST/STIS spectroscopic and optical/radio imaging study of the Seyfert NGC 2110 aiming to measure the dynamics and understand the nature of the nuclear outflow in the galaxy. Previous HST studies have revealed the presence of a linear structure in the Narrow-Line Region (NLR) aligned with the radio jet. We show that this structure is strongly accelerated, probably by the jet, but is unlikely to be entrained in the jet flow. The ionisation properties of this structure are consistent with photoionisation of dusty, dense gas by the active nucleus. We present a plausible geometrical model for the NLR, bringing together various components of the nuclear environment of the galaxy. We highlight the importance of the circum-nuclear disc in determining the appearance of the emission line gas and the morphology of the jet. From the dynamics of the emission line gas, we place constraints on the accelerating mechanism of the outflow and discuss the relative importance of radio source synchrotron pressure, radio jet ram pressure and nuclear radiation pressure in accelerating the gas. While all three mechanisms can account for the energetics of the emission line gas, gravitational arguments support radio jet ram pressure as the most likely source of the outflow.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures; accepted to MNRA