Legislative efforts to combat spam : joint hearing before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection and the Subcommittee Telecommunications and the Internet of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, first session, July 9, 2003.

"Serial no. 108-35."

European Schools Survey Project on Alcohol and other drugs (ESPAD)

ESPAD is a collaborative effort of independent research teams in about forty European countries and the largest cross-national research project on adolescent substance use in the world. Data are collected every fourth year with 1995 as the starting point. The fourth data collection was carried out in 35 countries during the spring of 2007 and the results were published March 26, 2009 The overall purpose of the ESPAD project is to study adolescent substance use in Europe from a comparative and longitudinal perspective. The basic goal is to collect comparable data on the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs among students throughout European countries. Data should be collected in cooperation between countries using a strictly standardised methodology, in order to offer as comparable results as possible. In the long run the most important aim is to monitor the of trends of the adolescent substance use in European countries and to compare trends between countries. This includes the mapping of differences and the monitoring of trends for policy purposes as well as the scientific study of the context, predictors and consequences of adolescent substance use. In relation to the EU action plan on drugs and the WHO Europe declaration about young people and alcohol, ESPAD-data can provide information for the evaluation of these charters. It is intended to repeat the surveys every fourth year. All European countries are welcome to join the ESPAD study, in the effort of making the coverage across Europe as complete as possible. Click here to download PDF 2.1mb

Evolution of fiscal policy in the Caribbean: based on data for the period 1987-1996

Includes bibliography

Report on activities at the Caribbean subregional level to support the integration of women into the social and economic development of Latin America and the Caribbean for the period June 1994 to August 1997

Summary Lists the meetings and conferences for which ECLAC/CDCC provided substantive servicing. Provides details on non-recurrent publications produced by the ECLAC/CDCC secretariat. These include: an investigative study on women and the micro-enterprise sector in the Bahamas, and poverty eradication and female headed household (FHH); in the Caribbean. Finally, provides a list of the instances in which ECLAC/CDCC has provided advice and technical assistance and notes the governments and countries which were beneficiaries of such assistance.

Book Review of <i> Twilight of the Mammoths: Ice Age Extinctions and the Rewilding of America</i> by Paul S. Martin

Applying ecological studies to the adaptations of prehistoric human hunter-gatherer groups has greatly increased our abilities to interpret effects of an ever-changing environment and our access to critical resources on these populations. The Pleistocene/Holocene transition, its climate and human genesis in the new world, draws intensive interest from a number of scientific communities. In Twilight of the Mammoths, Paul Martin adds his views, which are of no surprise, on the megafaunal extirpations during a cultural period referred to in North America as Clovis.

The dual impact of gender and the influence of timing of parenthood on men���s and women���s career development: Longitudinal findings

This study investigated the impact of gender, the gender-related self-concept (agency and communion), and the timing of parenthood on objective career success of 1,015 highly educated professionals. Hypotheses derived from a dual-impact model of gender and career-related processes were tested in a 5-wave longitudinal study over a time span of 10 years starting with participants��� career entry. In line with our hypotheses we found that the communal component of the gender self-concept had an impact on parenthood, and the agentic component influenced work hours and objective career success (salary, status) of both women and men. Parenthood had a negative direct influence on women���s work hours and a negative indirect influence on women���s objective career success. Women who had their first child around career entry were relatively least successful over the observation period. Men���s career success was independent of parenthood. Sixty-five percent of variance in women���s career success and 33% of variance in men���s career success was explained by the factors analyzed here. Mothers with partners working full time reduced their work hours more than mothers with partners not working full time. A test for a possible reverse influence of career success on the decision to become a parent revealed no effect for men and equivocal effects for women. We conclude that the transition to parenthood still is a crucial factor for women���s career development both from an external gender perspective (expectations, gender roles) and from an internal perspective (gender-related self-concept).

Activation of ��v��3-Vitronectin Binding Is a Multistage Process in which Increases in Bond Strength Are Dependent on Y747 and Y759 in the Cytoplasmic Domain of ��3

Integrin receptors serve as mechanical links between the cell and its structural environment. Using ��v��3 integrin expressed in K562 cells as a model system, the process by which the mechanical connection between ��v��3 and vitronectin develops was analyzed by measuring the resistance of these bonds to mechanical separation. Three distinct stages of activation, as defined by increases in the ��v��3-vitronectin binding strength, were defined by mutational, biochemical, and biomechanical analyses. Activation to the low binding strength stage 1 occurs through interaction with the vitronectin ligand and leads to the phosphorylation of Y747 in the ��3 subunit. Stage 2 is characterized by a 4-fold increase in binding strength and is dependent on stage1 and the phosphorylation of Y747. Stage 3 is characterized by a further 2.5-fold increase in binding strength and is dependent on stage 2 events and the availability of Y759 for interaction with cellular proteins. The Y747F mutant blocked the transition from stage 1 to stage 2, and the Y759F blocked the transition from stage 2 to stage 3. The data suggest a model for tension-induced activation of ��v��3 integrin.

Lectures and essays on fevers and diphtheria, 1849 to 1879 /

Advertisements on p. [1]-[8] at end.

Fiscal policy and the energy crisis. Hearings, Ninety-third Congress, first [and second sessions.]

Hearings held Nov. 27, 1973-Jan. 29, 1974

Impacts of flood hazards on small and medium companies:strategies for property level protection and business continuity

Worldwide floods have become one of the costliest weather-related hazards, causing large-scale human, economic, and environmental damage during the recent past. Recent years have seen a large number of such flood events around the globe, with Europe and the United Kingdom being no exception. Currently, about one in six properties in England is at risk of flooding (EA, 2009), and the risk is expected to further increase in the future (Evans et al., 2004). Although public spending on community-level flood protection has increased and some properties are protected by such protection schemes, many properties at risk of flooding may still be left without adequate protection. As far as businesses are concerned, this has led to an increased need for implementing strategies for property-level flood protection and business continuity, in order to improve their capacity to survive a flood hazard. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute a significant portion of the UK business community. In the United Kingdom, more than 99% of private sector enterprises fall within the category of SMEs (BERR, 2008). They account for more than half of employment creation (59%) and turnover generation (52%) (BERR, 2008), and are thus considered the backbone of the UK economy. However, they are often affected disproportionately by natural hazards when compared with their larger counterparts (Tierney and Dahlhamer, 1996; Webb, Tierney, and Dahlhamer, 2000; Alesch et al., 2001) due to their increased vulnerability. Previous research reveals that small businesses are not adequately prepared to cope with the risk of natural hazards and to recover following such events (Tierney and Dahlhamer, 1996; Alesch et al., 2001; Yoshida and Deyle, 2005; Crichton, 2006; Dlugolecki, 2008). For instance, 90% of small businesses do not have adequate insurance coverage for their property (AXA Insurance UK, 2008) and only about 30% have a business continuity plan (Woodman, 2008). Not being adequately protected by community-level flood protection measures as well as property- and business-level protection measures threatens the survival of SMEs, especially those located in flood risk areas. This chapter discusses the potential effects of flood hazards on SMEs and the coping strategies that the SMEs can undertake to ensure the continuity of their business activities amid flood events. It contextualizes this discussion within a survey conducted under the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded research project entitled ���Community Resilience to Extreme Weather ��� CREW���.

Effect of reading sport chronicles on the perception of justice and the predisposition to protest actions in soccer

In this study three chronicles from national newspapers (one generalist and two sport press) were analyzed. The chronicles belong to Spain���s soccer final of the King���s Cup in 2014. The aim of the study was to know if there was any influence on the readers��� perception of justice and consequently if this influence could cause a particular predisposition to participate in acts of protest. 462 university students participated. The results showed that different chronicles caused differences in the perception of justice depending on the chronicle read. However, a clear influence on the willingness to participate in acts of protest was not obtained. These results should make us think about the impact of sport press and its influence, and to be aware of the indirect responsibility of every sector on the antisocial behaviors generated by soccer in our country.

Between Bacchus and Dionysus: European Union policies on rural development: the cases of Nemea and Basto wine regions

A actividade vitivin��cola possui um conjunto diverso de caracter��sticas presentes no solo, territ��rio e comunidade que fazem parte do patrim��nio cultural de uma determinada regi��o. Quando a tradi����o se traduz num conceito como terroir que �� formado por caracter��sticas territoriais, sociais e culturais de uma regi��o rural, o vinho apresenta uma ���assinatura��� que se escreve ���naturalmente��� no paladar regionalmente identificado. Os vinhos da Regi��o de Nemea, na Gr��cia e de Basto (Regi��o dos Vinhos Verdes) em Portugal, est��o ambos sob a prote����o dos regulamentos das Denomina����es de Origem. No entanto, apesar de ambos serem regulados por sistemas institucionais de certifica����o e controlo de qualidade, afigura-se a necessidade de questionar se o patrim��nio cultural e a identidade territorial espec��fica, ���impressa��� em ambos os terroirs, pode ser protegida num sentido mais abrangente do que apenas origem e qualidade. Em Nemea, a discuss��o entre os produtores diz respeito ao estabelecimento de sub-zonas, isto �� incluir na regula����o PDO uma diferente categoriza����o territorial com base no terroir. Ou seja, para al��m de estar presente no r��tulo a designa����o PDO, as garrafas incluir��o ainda informa����o certificada sobre a ��rea espec��fica (dentro do mesmo terroir) onde o vinho foi produzido. A acontecer resultaria em diferentes status de qualidade de acordo com as diferentes aldeias de Nemea onde as vinhas est��o localizadas. O que teria poss��veis impactos no valor das propriedades e no uso dos solos. Para al��m disso, a n��o participa����o da Cooperativa de Nemea na SON (a associa����o local de produtores de vinho) e como tal na discuss��o principal sobre as mudan��as e os desafios sobre o terroir de Nemea constitui um problema no sector vitivin��cola de Nemea. Em primeiro lugar estabelece uma rela����o de n��o-comunica����o entre os dois mais importantes agentes desse sector ��� as companhias vin��colas e a Cooperativa. Em segundo lugar porque constituiu uma possibilidade real, n��o s�� para os viticultores ficarem arredados dessa discuss��o, como tamb��m (porque n��o representados pela cooperativa) ficar impossibilitado um consenso sobre as mudan��as discutidas. Isto poder�� criar um ���clima��� de desconfian��a levando a discuss��o para ���arenas��� deslocalizadas e como tal para decis��es ���desterritorializadas��� Em Basto, h�� v��rios produtores que come��aram a vender a sua produ����o para distribuidoras localizadas externamente �� sub-regi��o de Basto, mas dentro da Regi��o dos Vinhos Verdes, uma vez que essas companhias tem um melhor estatuto nacional e internacional e uma melhor rede de exporta����es. Isto est�� ainda relacionado com uma competi����o por uma melhor rede de contactos e status mais forte, tornando as discuss��es sobre estrat��gias comuns para o desenvolvimento rural e regional de Basto mais dif��cil de acontecer (sobre isto a palavra imposs��vel foi constantemente usada durante as entrevistas com os produtores de vinho). A rela����o predominante entre produtores �� caracterizada por rela����es individualistas. Contudo foi observado que essas posi����es s��o ainda caracterizadas por uma desconfian��a no interior da rede interprofissional local: conflitos para conseguir os mesmos potenciais clientes; comprar uvas a viticultores com melhor r��cio qualidade/pre��o; estrat��gias individuais para conseguir um melhor status pol��tico na rela����o com a Comiss��o dos Vinhos Verdes. Para al��m disso a inexist��ncia de uma activa intermedia����o institucional (autoridades municipais e a Comiss��o de Vinho Verde), a inexist��ncia entre os produtores de Basto de uma associa����o ou mesmo a inexist��ncia de uma cooperativa local tem levado a regi��o de Basto a uma posi����o de subpromo����o nas estrat��gias de promo����o do Vinho Verde em compara����o com outras sub-regi��es. �� tamb��m evidente pelos resultados que as mudan��as no sector vitivin��colas na regi��o de Basto t��m sido estimuladas de fora da regi��o (em resposta tamb��m ��s necessidades dos mercados internacionais) e raramente de dentro ��� mais uma vez, ���arenas��� n��o localizadas e como tal decis��es desterritorializadas. Nesse sentido, toda essa discuss��o e planeamento estrat��gico, ter��o um papel vital na preserva����o da identidade localizada do terroir perante os riscos de descaracteriza����o e desterritorializa����o. Em suma, para ambos os casos, um dos maiores desafios parece ser como preservar o terroir vitivin��cola e como tal o seu car��cter e identidade local, quando a rede interprofissional em ambas as regi��es se caracteriza, tanto por rela����es n��o-consensuais em Nemea como pelo modus operandi de isolamento sem comunica����o em Basto. Como tal h�� uma necessidade de envolvimento entre os diversos agentes e as autoridades locais no sentido de uma rede localizada de governan��a. Assim sendo, em ambas as regi��es, a exist��ncia dessa rede �� essencial para prevenir os efeitos negativos na identidade do produto e na sua produ����o. Uma estrat��gia de planeamento integrado para o sector ser�� vital para preservar essa identidade, prevenindo a sua desterritorializa����o atrav��s de uma restrutura����o do conhecimento tradicional em simult��neo com a democratiza����o do acesso ao conhecimento das t��cnicas modernas de produ����o vitivin��cola.

Participatory Online Platforms and the Construction of Citizen���s Autonomy in Health Issues

The goal of the present study is mapping the nature of possible contributions of participatory online platforms in citizen actions that may contribute in the fight against cancer and its associated consequences. The research is based on the analysis of online solidarity networks, namely the ones residing on Facebook and the blogosphere, that citizens have been gradually resorting to. The research is also based on the development of newer and more efficient solutions that provide the individual (directly or indirectly affected by issues of oncology) with the means to overcome feelings of impotence and fatality. In this chapter, the authors summarize the processes of usage of these decentralized, freer participatory platforms by citizens and institutions, while attempting to unravel existing hype and stigma; the authors also provide a first survey of the importance and the role of institutions in this kind of endeavor; lastly, they present a prototype, developed in the context of the present study that is specifically dedicated to addressing oncology through social media.

Odour nuisance in Ireland and the potential use of olfactometry for the control of odours

Odour nuisance in other European countries has led to the development of techniques which employ panels of human assessors for the determination of environmental odours. Odour measurement is not widely practised in Ireland, yet local authorities are frequently in receipt of odour derived public complaints. This dissertation examines the fundamentals of odour nuisance in terms of how we perceive odours, common sources of environmental odours, the principles of odour measurement (in particular the Sutch pre-standard on olfactometry) and the extent to which odour nuisance is a problem in Ireland. The intention is to provide a reference document for use by those interested parties in the country who may be variously involved in policy making, legislative development, enforcement of environmental law or any person who has an interest in odours and the public nuisance they can give rise to. In particular the aim was to provide previously undocumented information on the prevalence of odour nuisance in Ireland, the exercision of the available powers to control odours, and the possible value of odour measurement as part of a regulatory process. A questionnaire was circulated to all local authorities in the country and 82% responded with information on their experiences and views on the subject of odours. The results of the survey are presented in summary and detailed form.

Factor Proportions and the Growth of World Trade

Most of the expansion of global trade during the last three decades has been of the North-South kind - between capital-abundant developed and labour-abundant developing countries. Based on this observation, I argue that the recent growth of world trade is best understood from a factor-proportions perspective. I present novel evidence documenting that differences in capital-labour ratios across countries have increased in the wake of two shocks to the global economy: i) the opening up of China and ii) financial globalisation and the resulting upstream capital flows towards capital-abundant regions. I analyse their impact on specialisation and the volume of trade in a dynamic model which combines factor-proportions trade in goods with international trade in financial assets. Calibrating this model, I find that it can account for 60% of world trade growth between 1980 and 2007. It is also capable of predicting international investment patterns which are consistent with the data