Digital Commons Network^™

The Sub-Commission's Initiative On Human Rights And Intellectual Property, David Weissbrodt, Kell Schoff

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In 2000 the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights adopted a resolution raising concerns about the consistency of international intellectual property protections and human rights norms. This article summarises human rights norms relevant to intellectual property and the pertinent aspects of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, which overlap or potentially conflict. The article provides several examples of potential conflict and how they might be resolved. The article demonstrates that the Sub-Commission resolution helped to initiate a major international discussion and some action on the relationship between human rights and intellectual property.

On The Theory Class's Theories Of Asbestos Litigation: The Disconnect Between Scholarship And Reality, Lester Brickman

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No abstract provided.

Spectres Of Law And Economics (Book Review), William H. Widen

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No abstract provided.

The Future Of Sustainable Development: A European Perspective, Ruth Kelly

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We are living in times of turbulence and complex changes without precedent in history. It is becoming increasingly evident that humans are an intrinsic component of nature in that their actions affect both the biotic and abiotic environments, and are in turn affected by everything that shapes those environments. In evolutionary terms, population growth, societal restructuring, exhaustion of natural resources and technological advancements have usually been so slow as to be indiscernible during an individual lifetime. However, in the past two centuries the global economy has shown exponential growth, transforming the character of the planet and especially of human life …

Ionizing Radiation Induces A Stress Response In Primary Cultures Of Rainbow Trout Skin, Fiona Lyng, M. Lyons-Alcantara, P. Owell, Sharon Ni Shuilleabhain, Colin Seymour, D. Cottell, Carmel Mothersill

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Fish skin is very vulnerable to damage from physical and chemical pollutants because it is in direct contact with the aquatic environment. In this study, the effect of g radiation on primary cultures of rainbow trout skin was investigated. Primary cultures containing two cell types, epidermal cells and goblet mucous cells, were exposed to doses ranging from 0.5–15 Gy 60Co g radiation. Expression of PCNA, c-myc and BCL2 was investigated as well as growth and levels of apoptosis and necrosis. Morphological and functional changes were also studied. The irradiated cultures showed evidence of a dose-dependent increase in necrosis and enhanced …

Protein Fingerprinting: A Domain-Free Approach To Protein Analysis, Jeffery L. Shultz, Chet Langin, Dennis G. Watson, David Lightfoot

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An alternative method for analyzing proteins is proposed. Currently, protein search engines available on the internet utilize domains (predefined sequences of amino acids) to align proteins. The method presented converts a protein sequence with the use of 1200 numeric codes that represent a unique three—amino-acid protein sequence. Each numeric code starts with one of three specific amino acids, followed by any two additional amino acids. With the use of the FPC (FingerPrinted Contig) program, the total protein database (including “redundant” records) from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) has been processed and placed into “bins/contigs” based on associations of …

Assessment Of Obesity And Fear Of Fatness Among Inner-City Dublin Schoolchildren In A One-Year-Follow-Up Study, Anne Griffin, Katherine Younger, Mary Flynn

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Background: Positive secular trends in adolescent obesity and an increased prevalence of fear of fatness, particularly among girls, have been documented world-wide. There is a lack of consensus about assessment criteria for childhood obesity and no standard exists for assessing Irish children. In 1990, the Irish National Nutrition Survey used body mass index (BMI) $26 kgm22 to describe the prevalence of overweight among Irish adolescents.

Objectives: (1) To examine the range in classification of Dublin schoolchildren as overweight according to four standard assessment methods; (2) to assess changes in weight status, prevalence of fear of fatness and accompanying slimming practices …

Molecular Cloning And Characterization Of Two Mouse Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Alpha (Ppara) Regulated Peroxisomal Acyl-Coa Thioesterases., Maria Westin, Mary Hunt, Stefan Alexson

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Peroxisomes are organelles that function in the b-oxidation of very-long and long-chain acyl-CoAs, bile acid-CoA intermediates, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, thromboxanes, dicarboxylic fatty acids, pristanic acid and xenobiotic carboxylic acids. The very long- and long-chain acyl-CoAs are mainly chain-shortened and then transported to mitochondria for further metabolism. We have now identified and characterized two peroxisomal acyl- CoA thioesterases, named PTE-Ia and PTE-Ic, which hydrolyze acyl-CoAs to the free fatty acid and coenzyme A. PTE-Ia and PTE-Ic show 82% sequence identity at amino acid level and a putative peroxisomal type 1 targeting signal of –AKL was identified at the carboxy-terminal end of both …

The Politics Of Infertility: Recognizing Coverage Exclusions As Discrimination, Elizabeth Pendo

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Infertility affects approximately ten percent of the reproductive-age population in the United States, and strikes people of every race, ethnicity and socio-economic level. It is recognized by the medical community as a disease, one with devastating physical, psychological, and financial effects. Nonetheless, comprehensive coverage of infertility treatments under employer-sponsored plans - where, like Jane, most Americans get health insurance - appears to be the exception rather than the rule. Can Jane sue for disability discrimination, sex discrimination, or both? While the answer - "it depends" - should not be surprising to anyone who has survived even a semester of law …

Tribal Sovereignty Over Water Quality, Jessica Owley

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No abstract provided.

Color/Identity/Justice: Chicano Trials (Book Review), Anthony V. Alfieri

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No abstract provided.

Objective Measurements Of Image Quality, Jacinta Browne, Amanda Watson, Nicholas Gibson, Nicholas Dudley, Alex Elliott

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Tissue harmonic imaging (THI) and compound imaging have been reported clinically to improve contrast resolution, tissue differentiation and overall image quality. However, there have been limited studies to date to quantify objectively the improvements in image quality achieved with these new imaging techniques. The aim of this study was to quantify differences in image quality that exist between conventional B-mode imaging, harmonic imaging, compound imaging and harmonic compound imaging. An ATL HDI 5000 scanner with three probes (C5-2, L7-4 and L12-5) was tested with two different types of test object, the Gammex-RMI model 404 GS LE and the Gammex-RMI 403 …

Copyright And Information Theory: Toward An Alternative Model Of Authorship, Alan L. Durham

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Both literary scholars and students of copyright law have challenged the romantic model of authorship a model emphasizing individual genius and creation ex nihilo Authorship they argue is actually a collaborative effort Authors assemble their works from the fragments of their cultural environment transforming as much as creating Copyright law however still champions the rights of authors and it requires a coherent theory of what authorship is An alternative to the romantic model of authorship can be found in information theory a branch of mathematics dealing at a very fundamental level with all forms of communication Authorship could be defined …

The Enhanced Proliferation Control Initiative: National Security Necessity Or Unconstitutionally Vague Comment, Daniel H. Joyner

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No abstract provided.

Restructuring The Multilateral Export Control Regime System, Daniel H. Joyner

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This article identifies a current disharmony arising from increased expectations for the effectiveness and scope of the multilateral non-proliferation export control regime system, coupled with the reality of regime structures the inherent institutional limitations of which form significant barriers to meeting these expectations. The article will propose that, through employing international legal and organisational theory, this disharmony can be substantially mediated, and that the expectations of the multilateral non-proliferation community can be essentially met through efforts of reform and restructuring of the multilateral export control regimes. These efforts, while endowing the regimes with the increased formality necessary for higher levels …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between In-Vitro And In-Vivo Ultrasound Image Quality Parameters, Jacinta Browne, Amanda Watson, Cathy Muir, Peter Hoskins, Alex Elliott

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The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between Bmode and colour Doppler technical test methods with the clinical perception of Bmode and Doppler invivo test parameters. It was found that technical and clinical comparisons between the Bmode test parameters: lateral resolution versus clinical resolution; anechoic target detection versus clinical noise; and penetration depth versus clinically useful penetration depth, demonstrated moderate correlations, (r= 0.69, p

Validation Of A Sensitivity Performance Index Test Protocol And Evaluation Of Colour Doppler Sensitivity For A Range Of Ultrasound Scanners, Jacinta Browne, Amanda Watson, Peter Hoskins, Alex Elliott

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The ability to detect flow is the most crucial aspect of an ultrasound (US) system because, if flow cannot be detected, no other aspect of performance matters. The objectives of this study were to validate a Doppler “sensitivity performance index,” a figure of merit, and to determine if it could be used to differentiate colour Doppler sensitivity performance in scanners of varying complexity. The sensitivity performance index was developed to give a combined measure of related aspects of sensitivity, such as the lowest detectable velocity, the vessel size and the penetration depth. The colour Doppler sensitivity was evaluated objectively as …

A Novel Tiq2-Assisted Solar Photocatalytic Batch-Process Disinfection Reactor For The Treatment Of Biological And Chemical Contaminants In Domestic Drinking Water In Developing Countries, E. F. Duffy, F. Al Touati, S. C. Kehoe, O. A. Mcloughlin, L. W. Gill, W. Gernjak, I. Oller, M. I. Maldonado, S. Malato, John Cassidy, R. H. Reed, K. G. Mcguigan

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he technical feasibility and performance of photocatalytic Ti02 coatings in batch-process solar disinfection (SODIS) reactors to improve potability of drinking water in developing countries have been studied. Borosilicate glass and PET plastic SODIS reactors fitted with flexible plastic inserts coated with Ti02 powder were shown to be 2(Jt1o and 25% more effective, respectively, than standard SODIS reactors for the inactivation of E. coli K12. Isopropanol at 100 ppm concentration levels was observed to be completely photodegraded after 24 h continuous exposure to lOG mW/cm2 simulated sunlight in a similar solar photocatalytic disinfector (SPC-DIS) reactor. The technique for p roducing the …

The Lengthening Shadow Of Androcentrisim Symposium: Innate Differences: Responses To The Remarks By Lawrence H. Summers, Bryan K. Fair

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No abstract provided.

Detection Of Five Common Cftr Mutations By Rapid-Cycle Real Time Amplification Refractory Mutation System Pcr., Eugene Dempsey, David Barton, Fergus Ryan

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No abstract provided.

Obvious To Whom? Evaluating Inventions From The Perspective Of Phosita, Rebecca S. Eisenberg

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In this Article, I consider the possibility of giving the USPTO input from currently active technological practitioners in evaluating the obviousness of claimed inventions. Such input could potentially serve three useful functions. First, it could improve the accuracy of USPTO decisionmaking by providing access to the perspective of actual practitioners as to the obviousness of inventions from the perspective of the hypothetical PHOSITA. Second, it could help the USPTO document the evidentiary basis for rejections that rest in part upon tacit knowledge within technological communities. Third, it could provide a quality control mechanism that would improve the credibility of USPTO …

Capitalism And Freedom -- For Whom? Feminist Legal Theory And Progressive Corporate Law,, Kellye Y. Testy

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Beginning at least in the 1980s, the version of corporate law and governance prevailing in the U.S. (as well as widely exported to other nations) was a radically privatized one, treating the corporation as a contractual arrangement for maximizing shortterm share price in a laissez faire global marketplace. Though many robust and varied social movements, many of which were bolstered by the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle, have been and are engaged in challenging this hegemony from many angles, few have found their way into corporate law reform. That is not to say, however, that there are no progressive legal …

Cash For Kidneys? Utilizing Incentives To End America's Organ Shortage, Steve P. Calandrillo

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This article addresses the growing organ shortage in America, analyzes current donation and procurement law, and explores both monetary and nonmonetary incentives aimed at eliminating the worsening crisis.

Part I details the law governing human organ donation. Under both the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (“UAGA”) and the National Organ Transplant Act (“NOTA”), no donor of a human organ may receive “valuable consideration” for providing it. Congress’ intention was simply that the organ recipient be given the “gift” of life—not one which she had to purchase on the market. In reality, the consequences of the Act bear little resemblance to its …

Vanishing Vaccinations: Why Are So Many Americans Opting Out Of Vaccinating Their Children?, Steve P. Calandrillo

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Part I of this Article details the historical development and medical achievements made possible by vaccines. From Edward Jenner to Jonas Salk to Albert Sabin, immense strides have been made in eradicating or substantially eliminating some of the worst diseases in human history. Smallpox, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, influenza, hepatitis A and B, and even the chicken pox are all now largely preventable.

Literally hundreds of millions of deaths have been avoided and many more lives markedly improved, to say nothing of the financial ramifications for the American healthcare system. All fifty states have therefore enacted compulsory …

On The Links Between Managerial Actions, Keystone Species, And The Resilience Of Ecological-Economic Systems, Amitrajeet A. Batabyal

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Managerial actions influence the survival probabilities of the keystone species of an ecological-economic system. In turn, the well-being of these keystone species translates into the well being or the resilience of the underlying ecological-economic system. What are the theoretical links between managerial actions, keystone species, and the resilience of ecological-economic systems? Recently, Batabyal (2002) has addressed aspects of this question. In this paper, we extend the analysis in Batabyal (2002). First, we use a stochastic model to delineate a stylized ecological-economic system. Next, we discuss the links between managerial actions, keystone species, and this ecological-economic system’s resilience. Finally, we show …

Increased Frequency Of The Mthfr A1298c Mutation In An Irish Population, Cathal Mccarthy, Fergus Ryan, Joseph Vaughan

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No abstract provided.

Improving Laws, Declining World: The Tort Of Contamination, William H. Rodgers, Jr.

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This article considers nature's "baseline" through the lens of modern environmental laws. We measure this "baseline" like never before and are proud of our databases on fish advisories, beach closures, and impaired water bodies, to mention a few. The ubiquitous legal response to these measures of environmental decline is the public warning "Don't Eat the Fish" and "Don't Drink the Water."

This article assesses the function, utility, and purpose of these public warnings and finds them wanting. Their principal value is that they serve as measures of lost natural capital and harbingers of shifting baselines.

Our descriptive journey leaves us …

Beware Of Lawyers Bearing Ggifts: A Critical Evaluation Of The Report Of Wg Ii To The European Convention On Incorporation Of The Eu Charter Of Fundamental Rights And Accession To The European Convention Of Human Rights., Stephen Carruthers

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This article undertakes a critical analysis of the fundamental rights provisions of the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe as presented to the President of the European Council in Rome on 18 July 2003, and in particular the Articles in Parts I and II of the draft Constitution incorporating proposals made in the final Report of Working Group II on “Incorporation of the Charter/Accession to the ECHR”.

Ecotoxicological Research At Dit, Maria Davoren, Colm O'Dowd, Sharon Ni Shuilleabhain

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The term ecotoxicology first defined by Rene Truhart in 1969, essentially describes the study of the harmful effects of chemicals upon ecosystems.

Live And Let Die: Regulatory Mechanisms In Fas-Mediated Apoptosis, James Curtin, Thomas Cotter

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Activation of Fas receptor by Fas ligand causes caspase 8 activation and apoptosis in cells and is an important mechanism by which normal tissue homeostasis and function are maintained. Activation of caspase 8 is preceded by the formation of a death-inducing signalling complex (DISC), and a number of redundant mechanisms regulate DISC formation in vivo. Fas receptor is widely expressed in tissues, and dysfunction of the regulatory mechanisms in Fas receptor signalling has been reported in several diseases including autoimmune disease and cancer. This review aims to identify and discuss the various mechanisms employed by cells to alter their sensitivity …