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International Commission (international + commission)
Selected AbstractsNotes on the origins of Epilepsia and the International League Against EpilepsyEPILEPSIA, Issue 3 2009Simon D. Shorvon Summary The recent discovery of archival material has shed interesting light on the origins of Epilepsia and also the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). The idea of an international journal devoted to epilepsy seems first to have arisen from talks between Dr. L. J. J. Muskens and Dr. W. Aldren Turner in 1905. A protracted series of subsequent letters between Muskens and a Haarlem publisher show how the idea slowly took shape. The committee of patronage, editorial board, and editorial assistants was probably first approached at the First International Congress of Psychiatry, Neurology, Psychology, and Nursing of the Insane, held in Amsterdam in 1907. At this meeting, the concept of an international organization to fight epilepsy (to become the ILAE) was also first proposed in public, again by Muskens. The concept of the ILAE was clearly modeled on another international organization,the International Commission for the Study of the Causes of Mental Diseases and Their Prophylaxis. This Commission had been first publicly proposed in 1906 by Ludwig Frank, at the Second International Congress for the Care and Treatment of the Insane. The proposed Commission and ILAE shared many features, aims, and personnel. Despite an auspicious start, the International Commission was prevented by personal and political differences from ever actually coming into being. However, the first issue of Epilepsia appeared in March 1909 and the ILAE was inaugurated in August 1909; and both have flourished and celebrate their centenaries this year. [source] Education for the 21st Century: lessons and challengesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, Issue 2 2008ROBERTO CARNEIRO On the basis of proposals contained in the 1996 report Learning: the Treasure Within by the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century (established by UNESCO), the authors examine the influence and pertinence of its construct of education on the four pillars learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, and learning to live together 12 years later. Focusing on learning to live together, the article reviews the background against which the Delors report was published, synthesises the concepts and practices of learning to live together, and proposes some ways forward. [source] The Responsibility to Protect and the problem of military interventionINTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, Issue 4 2008ALEX J. BELLAMY The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) has come a long way in a relatively short space of time. From inauspicious beginnings, the principle was endorsed by the General Assembly in 2005 and unanimously reaffirmed by the Security Council in 2006 (Resolution 1674). However, the principle remains hotly contested primarily because of its association with humanitarian intervention and the pervasive belief that its principal aim is to create a pathway for the legitimization of unilateral military intervention. This article sets forth the argument that a deepening consensus on R2P is dependent on its dissociation from the politics of humanitarian intervention and suggests that one way of doing this is by abandoning the search for criteria for decision-making about the use of force, one of the centre pieces of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty 2001 report that coined the phrase R2P. Criteria were never likely to win international support, the article maintains, and were less likely to improve decision-making on how best to respond to major humanitarian crises. Nevertheless, R2P can make an important contribution to thinking about the problem of military intervention by mitigating potential ,moral hazards', overcoming the tendency of international actors to focus exclusively on military methods and giving impetus to efforts to operationalize protection in the field. [source] Characterisation of oregano water extracts and their effect on the quality characteristics of cooked porkINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Jonas Dama Summary The present study characterises oregano water extracts and reports their effects on the shelf life and quality characteristics of cooked pork. Some changes in oregano extract taking place during its thermal treatment were observed. The main volatile compound in the unheated and heated extracts was carvacrol; however, the second major constituent in the unheated extract ,-caryophyllene was absent in the heated one. Colour changes during heating were characterised by an International Commission on Illumination (CIE L a b) method. The heated extract better scavenged 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl radicals, most likely owing to the formation of stronger radical-scavenging derivatives during thermal treatment. The effect of oregano extracts on the shelf life and colour characteristics of stored meat samples in most cases was not significant; however, sensory assessment clearly showed that the addition of extracts had some negative influence on meat flavour and colour. [source] Realizing the Responsibility to ProtectINTERNATIONAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVES, Issue 2 2009Alex J. Bellamy Written prior to the release of the UN Secretary-General's report on implementing the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), this article examines the effort to translate the principle from words into deeds. It begins by noting a post-2005 "revolt" against the principle in which a number of states expressed skepticism about the principle and its use in different settings. This revolt, the article contends, was largely a product of the continuing association between R2P and humanitarian intervention. This association was, in turn, caused by a combination of misplaced commentary and the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty's focus on the intervention question. This article maintains that building consensus on the R2P requires a shift in emphasis and proposes three avenues: clarifying the nature of prevention, developing practical measures, and proposing modest proposals for institutional reform. [source] The systematic approach to flooding problems,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue S1 2006J. (Hans) van Duivendijk maîtrise des crues; mesures non-structurelles; gestion des inondations Abstract Since 1987 one of the working groups of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) has, inter alia, been preparing two manuals concerning approaches to flooding problems. The Manual on Non-Structural Approaches to Flood Management was issued in 1999 while the Manual on the Planning of Structural Approaches to Flood Management has been issued recently (2005). In this paper a broad outline of both manuals is presented. The first manual describes in detail the various planning and response measures in flood management, which are known as non-structural measures. The latter are measures which alter the exposure of life and property to flooding but do not change the flood(ing) phenomenon as such. The said planning and response measures comprise such actions as floodplain land use management, flood forecasting and warning, flood fighting, flood proofing, etc. It is explained that such measures are sometimes the only ones feasible in the prevailing circumstances and that, moreover, non-structural measures should always be added to the so-called structural measures if the latter are considered feasible (i.e. feasible from a technical, economic, socio-economic and ecological point of view). In the second manual a methodology is presented for the planning of structural measures. This type of measure alters the physical characteristics of the floods and in this connection one must think of the operation of flood storage reservoirs, upstream catchment management, modification to river channels, construction of levees, special flood diversion channels (bypasses) and operation of hydraulics works. The idea behind this methodology is that it is difficult for planners and decision makers to select the appropriate flood protection system for a given situation including a range of possible floods if the problem is not approached in a systematic manner. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Depuis 1987 un des groupes de travail de la CIID prépare, entre autres, deux manuels sur la manière d'approcher les problèmes d'inondation. Le ,Manuel d'approche non-structurelle de la gestion des crues' a été publié en 1999, tandis que le ,Manuel de la planification de l'approche structurelle de la gestion des crues' a été publié plus récemment (2005). Le présent article présente une vue d'ensemble de ces deux manuels. Le premier manuel donne une description détaillée des différentes mesures de préparation et de réponse à la gestion des crues, connues comme étant non-structurelles. Ces mesures changent l'exposition de la vie et des propriétés aux inondations mais ne modifient pas le phénomène proprement dit des crues et des inondations. Elles comprennent des actions telles que la gestion de l'espace dans les plaines d'inondations, les prévisions et alertes, la lutte contre les crues, la protection contre les inondations, etc. On y explique que ces mesures sont parfois les seules faisables dans les circonstances données et que, en outre, des mesures non-structurelles devraient toujours être ajoutées aux mesures dites structurelles si ces dernières sont considérées comme faisables (c'est-à-dire faisables d'un point de vue technique, économique, socio-économique et écologique). Dans le second manuel une méthodologie est présentée pour la planification des mesures structurelles. Ce type de mesures modifie les caractéristiques physiques des crues, comme par exemple réservoirs d'écrétage de crue, gestion des hauts bassins, modification des lits des fleuves, construction de digues, canaux spéciaux de déviation des crues (courts circuits) et fonctionnement d'ouvrages hydrauliques. L'idée qui est derrière cette méthodologie est qu'il est difficile aux planificateurs et aux décideurs de choisir le système de protection contre les crues correspondant exactement à une situation comprenant une large gamme d'inondations possibles si le problème n'est pas approché de manière systématique. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Performance of Five Commercially Available Tooth Color-Measuring DevicesJOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 2 2007Alma Dozi Purpose: Visual tooth color assessment is neither accurate nor precise due to various subjective and objective factors. As newly developed tooth color-measuring devices for dental application provide the possibility of a more objective means of color determination, their performances in vitro and in vivo must be evaluated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and precision of five commercially available tooth color-measuring devices in standardized and in clinical environments. Materials and Methods: In an in vitro study, standards (A1, A2, A3, A3.5, and A4 shade tabs of Vita Lumin) were measured five times with five electronic devices (ShadeScan, Easyshade, Ikam, IdentaColor II, and ShadeEye) by two operators. In an in vivo study, the right upper central incisors of 25 dental students were measured with the same electronic devices by a single operator. Vita shade tab codes were expressed as CIE (International Commission on Illumination) L*a*b* values and in terms of the precision and accuracy of ,E color differences. The Mann-Whitney statistical test was used to analyze the differences between the two operators in the in vitro study, and the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance on ranks with the post-hoc Tukey test was used to analyze the accuracy and precision of electronic devices. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the different operators in the in vitro study. The obtained precision was Easyshade > ShadeScan , Ikam > IdentaColor II > ShadeEye. The obtained accuracy was Easyshade > ShadeScan , Ikam > ShadeEye > IdentaColor II. In the in vivo study, the Easyshade and the Ikam were the most precise, and the ShadeEye and the IdentaColor II were more precise than the ShadeScan. With respect to accuracy, there was no statistical difference between the ShadeScan, Ikam, and the Easyshade. The IdentaColor II was considered inaccurate (,Ea= 3.4). Conclusions: In the clinical setting, the Easyshade and Ikam systems were the most reliable. The other devices tested were more reliable in vitro than in vivo. [source] Formal ratification of the Quaternary System/Period and the Pleistocene Series/Epoch with a base at 2.58 Ma,JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010Philip L. Gibbard Abstract In June 2009, the Executive Committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) formally ratified a proposal by the International Commission on Stratigraphy to lower the base of the Quaternary System/Period to the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Gelasian Stage/Age at Monte San Nicola, Sicily, Italy. The Gelasian until then had been the uppermost stage of the Pliocene Series/Epoch. The base of the Gelasian corresponds to Marine Isotope Stage 103, and has an astronomically tuned age of 2.58 Ma. A proposal that the base of the Pleistocene Series/Epoch be lowered to coincide with that of the Quaternary (the Gelasian GSSP) was also accepted by the IUGS Executive Committee. The GSSP at Vrica, Calabria, Italy, which had hitherto defined the basal boundary of both the Quaternary and the Pleistocene, remains available as the base of the Calabrian Stage/Age (now the second stage of the revised Pleistocene). In ratifying these proposals, the IUGS has acknowledged the distinctive qualities of the Quaternary by reaffirming it as a full system/period, correctly complied with the hierarchical requirements of the geological timescale by lowering the base of the Pleistocene to that of the Quaternary, and fully respected the historical and widespread current usage of both the terms ,Quaternary' and ,Pleistocene'. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Ediacaran Period: a new addition to the geologic time scaleLETHAIA, Issue 1 2006ANDREW KNOLL The International Union of Geological Sciences has approved a new addition to the geologic time scale: the Ediacaran Period. The Ediacaran is the first Proterozoic period to be recognized on the basis of chronostratigraphic criteria and the first internationally ratified, chronostratigraphically defined period of any age to be introduced in more than a century. In accordance with procedures established by the International Commission on Stratigraphy, the base of the Ediacaran Period is defined by a Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) placed at the base of the Nuccaleena Formation cap carbonate directly above glacial diamictites and associated facies at Enorama Creek in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia. Its top is defined by the initial GSSP of the Cambrian Period. The new Ediacaran Period encompasses a distinctive interval of Earth history that is bounded both above and below by equally distinctive intervals. Both chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data indicate that the subdivision of the period into two or more series is feasible, and this should be a primary objective of continuing work by the Ediacaran Subcommission of the ICS. [source] Geologic Time Scale 2004 , why, how, and where next!LETHAIA, Issue 2 2004FELIX GRADSTEIN A Geologic Time Scale (GTS2004) is presented that integrates currently available stratigraphic and geochronologic information. The construction of Geologic Time Scale 2004 (GTS2004) incorporated different techniques depending on the data available within each interval. Construction involved a large number of specialists, including contributions by past and present subcommissions officers of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), geochemists working with radiogenic and stable isotopes, stratigraphers using diverse tools from traditional fossils to astronomical cycles to database programming, and geomathematicians. Anticipated advances during the next four years include formalization of all Phanerozoic stage boundaries, orbital tuning extended into the Cretaceous, standardization of radiometric dating methods and resolving poorly dated intervals, detailed integrated stratigraphy for all periods, and on-line stratigraphic databases and tools. The geochronological science community and the International Commission on Stratigraphy are focusing on these issues. The next version of the Geologic Time Scale is planned for 2008, concurrent with the planned completion of boundary-stratotype (GSSP) definitions for all international stages. [source] Revisiting the ,Responsibility to Protect'THE POLITICAL QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2009MICHAEL NEWMAN The Declaration on ,the responsibility to protect' (R2P), unanimously endorsed by the Security Council in April 2006, identified both national and international responsibilities in relation to genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity. This was highly significant in appearing to accept that the prevention of mass atrocities was a legitimate international concern. Subsequently, there has been some disappointment about the limited practical impact of R2P, and also anxiety that its progress may be impeded by the fear that it is designed to legitimise military intervention. However, this article concentrates on a different concern. Arguing that an earlier version of R2P (in the International Commission on Intervention and Sovereignty of 2001) linked the issues with those of human security and development, it suggests that the contemporary focus is far narrower, undermining its critical potential with regard to the policies of the global North and reducing its appeal to developing countries. [source] Analysis of Specific Absorption Rate and Current Density in Biological Tissues Surrounding Energy Transmission Transformer for an Artificial Heart: Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Human Body ModelARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 1 2010Naoya Higaki Abstract The transcutaneous energy transmission system used for artificial hearts is a transmission system that uses electromagnetic induction. Use of the TETS improves quality of life and reduces the risk of infection caused by percutaneous connections. This article reports the changes in the electromagnetic effects of TETS that influence a human body when the locations of the air-core coils of the transcutaneous transformer are changed. The specific absorption rate and current density in a model consisting of a human trunk that included 24 different organs are analyzed using an electromagnetic simulator. The air-core coils are located on the pectoralis major muscle near the collarbone in model 1, whereas they are located on the axillary region of the serratus anterior musle, which overlies the rib in model 2. The maximum current densities in models 1 and 2 are 5.2 A/m2 and 6.1 A/m2, respectively. The current density observed in model 2 slightly exceeds the limiting value prescribed by International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). When the volumes of biological tissues whose current densities exceed the limiting value of current density for general public exposure are compared, the volume in model 2 (156.1 cm3) is found to be larger than that in model 1 (93.7 cm3). Hence, it is speculated that the presence of the ribs caused an increase in the current density. Therefore, it is concluded that model 1 satisfies the ICNIRP standards. [source] Exposure assessment of electromagnetic fields near electrosurgical unitsBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 7 2010Jonna Wilén Abstract Electrosurgical units (ESU) are widely used in medical health services. By applying sinusoidal or pulsed voltage in the frequency range of 0.3,5,MHz to the electrode tip, the desired mixture of coagulation and cutting are achieved. Due to the high voltage and current in the cable, strong electromagnetic fields appear near the ESU. The surgeon and others inside the operating room such as nurses, anesthesiologists, etc., will be highly exposed to these fields. The stray fields surrounding the ESU have previously been measured, but now a deeper analysis has been made of the curve shape of the field and the implication of this when assessing exposure from a commonly used ESU in accordance with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. The result showed that for some of the modes, especially those using high-pulsed voltage with only a few sinusoidal periods, the E-field close to the cable could reach linear spatially averaged values of 20,kV/m compared to the 2.1,kV/m stated in ICNIRP guidelines. Assessing the E- and B-field from ESU is not straightforward since in this frequency range, both induced current density and specific absorption rate are restricted by the ICNIRP guidelines. Nevertheless, work needs to be done to reduce the stray fields from ESU. Bioelectromagnetics 31:513,518, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Mobile phone base station-emitted radiation does not induce phosphorylation of Hsp27BIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 2 2007H. Hirose Abstract An in vitro study focusing on the effects of low-level radiofrequency (RF) fields from mobile radio base stations employing the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) cellular system was conducted to test the hypothesis that modulated RF fields act to induce phosphorylation and overexpression of heat shock protein hsp27. First, we evaluated the responses of human cells to microwave exposure at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 80 mW/kg, which corresponds to the limit of the average whole-body SAR for general public exposure defined as a basic restriction in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. Second, we investigated whether continuous wave (CW) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) modulated signal RF fields at 2.1425 GHz induced activation or gene expression of hsp27 and other heat shock proteins (hsps). Human glioblastoma A172 cells were exposed to W-CDMA radiation at SARs of 80 and 800 mW/kg for 2,48 h, and CW radiation at 80 mW/kg for 24 h. Human IMR-90 fibroblasts from fetal lungs were exposed to W-CDMA at 80 and 800 mW/kg for 2 or 28 h, and CW at 80 mW/kg for 28 h. Under the RF field exposure conditions described above, no significant differences in the expression levels of phosphorylated hsp27 at serine 82 (hsp27[pS82]) were observed between the test groups exposed to W-CDMA or CW signal and the sham-exposed negative controls, as evaluated immediately after the exposure periods by bead-based multiplex assays. Moreover, no noticeable differences in the gene expression of hsps were observed between the test groups and the negative controls by DNA Chip analysis. Our results confirm that exposure to low-level RF field up to 800 mW/kg does not induce phosphorylation of hsp27 or expression of hsp gene family. Bioelectromagnetics © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Proliferation and apoptosis in a neuroblastoma cell line exposed to 900 MHz modulated radiofrequency fieldBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 3 2006P. Merola Abstract The aim of this study was to examine whether a modulated radiofrequency of the type used in cellular phone communications at a specific absorption rate (SAR) higher than International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) reference level for occupational exposure, could elicit alterations on proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis processes in a neuroblastoma cell line. The cell line was exposed for 24, 48, and 72 h to 900 MHz radiofrequency and proliferation and differentiation were tested by WST-I assay and by a molecular analysis of specific markers, two oncogenes and a cytoskeleton protein, in exponential growth phase and in synchronized cell cultures. Apoptosis was evaluated by caspase activation analysis and by molecular detection of Poly (ADP-ribose) polimerase (PARP) cleavage. Combined exposures to radiofrequency and to the differentiative agent retinoic acid or to the apoptotic inducer camptothecin were carried out to test possible interference between electromagnetic field and chemical agents. Overall our data suggest that 900 MHz radiofrequency exposure up to 72 h does not induce significant alterations in the three principal cell activities in a neuroblastoma cell line. Bioelectromagnetics 27:164,171, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Current density threshold for the stimulation of neurons in the motor cortex areaBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 6 2002T. Kowalski Abstract The aim of this study was to determine a current density threshold for exciting the motor cortex area of the brain. The current density threshold for excitation of nerve fibres (20 ,m in diameter) found in the literature is approximately 1 A/m2 at frequencies lower than 1 kHz. In consideration of a safety factor of 100, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) recommends to restrict the exposure to 0.01 A/m2. The electromagnetic stimulation of neurons in the motor cortex is used in the clinical diagnosis of nerve lesions and neuropathy by means of magnetic or electrical transcranial stimulation. Combining medical data from clinical studies and technical specifications of the Magstim® Model 200 stimulator, we were able to compute the current density threshold for the excitation of the human motor cortex by means of the finite element method (FEM). A 3D-CAD head model was built on the basis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) slices and segmented into four anatomical structures (scalp, skull, brain, and ventricular system) with different conductivities. A current density threshold for the stimulation of the motor cortex area of the upper limbs of 6 and 2.5 A/m2 at 2.44 kHz and 50 Hz, respectively, was calculated. As these values lie above the recommended ICNIRP values by two orders of magnitude there is no need for lower safety standards with regard to stimulation of the brain. Bioelectromagnetics 23:421,428, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Induced current measurements in whole body exposure condition to radio frequency electric fieldsBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 8 2001Jonna Wilén Abstract The current induced in a human exposed to radio frequency electric fields has been studied by the use of a stripline, in which whole body exposure to vertical electric fields (3,27 MHz) can be produced. We have examined two different techniques to measure the induced current; parallel plate meters and current probes. When the subject has good connection to the ground, the choice of measurement technique is not crucial, since there are only minor differences in readings between the instruments. But when the subject is wearing shoes and/or standing on a wooden plate, the difference between the instruments increases considerably. The difference can mainly be explained by the capacitive coupling between the parallel plate meters and the ground; therefore, the current probes are preferred when the subject does not have perfect contact with the ground. Since the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines demand measurements of induced current in humans exposed to radio frequency fields in the range of 10,110 MHz, the importance of finding an appropriate measurement procedure becomes apparent. Bioelectromagnetics 22:560,567, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Request for existing experimental datasets on color differencesCOLOR RESEARCH & APPLICATION, Issue 2 2007Manuel Melgosa Abstract The Technical Committee 1-55 of the International Commission on Illumination on "Uniform color space for industrial color difference evaluation" is requesting the submission of datasets for use in developing a new approximately uniform color space for industrial use. The data should be submitted to the TC Chair, Dr. Manuel Melgosa at the University of Granada. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 159, 2007 [source] Effect of Thawing and Cold Storage on Frozen Chicken Thigh Meat Quality by High-Voltage Electrostatic FieldJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 4 2010Chang-Wei Hsieh ABSTRACT:, One of the most popular issues in electrostatic biology is the effects of a high-voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) on the thawing of chicken thigh meat. In this study, chicken thigh meat was treated with HVEF (E-group), and compared to samples stored in a common refrigerator (R-group), to investigate how HVEF affects chicken thigh meat quality after thawing at low temperature storage (,3 and 4 °C). The results showed that there were no significant differences in biochemical and microorganism indices at ,3 °C. However, the HVEF can significantly shorten thawing time for frozen chicken thigh meat at ,3 °C. After thawing chicken thigh meat and storing at 4 °C, the total viable counts reached the Intl. Commission on Microbiological Specification for Foods limit of 107 CFU/g on the 6 and 8 d for the R- and E-group, respectively. On the 8th d, the volatile basic nitrogen had increased from 11.24 mg/100 g to 21.9 mg/100 g for the E-group and 39.9 mg/100 g for the R-group, respectively. The biochemical and microorganism indices also indicated that the E-group treatment yielded better results on thawing than the R-group treatment. The application of this model has the potential to keep products fresh. [source] | ||||||||||||||||