Information resources : a holistic approach

Geoportal technologies and the Processes behind the Metadata Editor highlighted that the progress achieved to data entailed steps as the issue of a prototype of a discovery view client for metadata both in JRC and in Malta, where an option would be to use Mapinfo or Arcinfo to export the metadata and then make it INSPIRE compliant. There is potential to have one metadata client across for all Europe, in addition creating a 2-way system, where the national clients feed the European client. Two options also exist in transmission where the metadata xml is uploaded to one repository (url) or else to create a csw system. MT can take the option to upload all its metadata to the JRC folder as in the case of the EEA CDR function.peer-reviewe

Sensitivity and specificity of NT-proBNP to detect heart failure at post mortem examination

NT-proBNP, a marker of cardiac failure, has been shown to be stable in post mortem samples. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of NT-proBNP to detect heart failure in the forensic setting. One hundred sixty-eight consecutive autopsies were included in the study. NT-proBNP blood concentrations were measured using a chemiluminescent immunoassay kit. Cardiac failure was assessed by three independent forensic experts using macro- and microscopic findings complemented by information about the circumstances of body discovery and the known medical story. Area under the receiving operator curve was of 65.4% (CI 95%, from 57.1 to 73.7). Using a standard cut-off value of >220 pg/mL for NT-proBNP blood concentration, heart failure was detected with a sensitivity of 50.7% and a specificity of 72.6%. NT-proBNP vitreous humor values were well correlated to the ones measured in blood (r2 = 0.658). Our results showed that NT-proBNP can corroborate the pathological findings in cases of natural death related to heart failure, thus, keeping its diagnostic properties passing from the ante mortem to the post mortem setting. Therefore, biologically inactive polypeptides like NT-proBNP seem to be stable enough to be used in forensic medicine as markers of cardiac failure, taking into account the sensitivity and specificity of the test

TECHNICAL DOCUMENT Climate change and

communicable disease

The Central Perspective: Belgium and Flanders

The Red Devils, chocolate or beer and the King, such is the typical answers given to the oft-asked question of what is still holding Belgium together. To these three symbols, two extra elements are often added: the debt and Brussels, the capital of the country and of the Flemish Region/Community, the French Community (politically but not constitutionally the Wallonia-Brussels Federation), the European Union (to be more specific, one of the three capitals, along with Strasbourg and Luxemburg), while being as well the seat of the Brussels Capital Region. Generally, the list of factors of unity in Belgium ends with this short list. Is it already too long, or on the contrary, is it really too short? This is the main question of this chapter. Paradoxically, although this question often arises, there are very few scientific writings analyzing it. To do so, this chapter will discuss six sets of factors: historical, identity, socio-economic, political, international and symbolic. Nonetheless, it is important to take into account that such enterprise seeks to be informative and not prescriptive. This chapter does not assume that Belgium should be united. There are several points of view about what Belgium should be, and this contribution merely wishes to nurture the political debate by conveying an original approach on six types of factors

Anger and Courage: Fitna and the politics of disengagement

This article addresses the shifting nature of the political debate in the Netherlands and the tendency by some to feed and feed upon the fear of the populace in respect of the problem of immigration