UK National Report on Asylum and the Status of Non-EU Aliens

(with G. Anthony)

A multiple-radical model for radiation action on DNA and the dependence of OER on LET

We have a developed a multiple-radical model of the chemical modification reactions involving oxygen and thiols relevant to the interactions of ionizing radiations with DNA. The treatment is based on the Alper and Howard-Flanders equation but considers the case where more than one radical may be involved in the production of lesions in DNA. This model makes several predictions regarding the induction of double strand breaks in DNA by ionizing radiation and the role of sensitizers such as oxygen and protectors such as thiols which act at the chemical phase of radiation action via the involvement of free radicals. The model predicts a decreasing OER with increasing LET on the basis that as radical multiplicity increases so will the probability that, even under hypoxia, damage will be fixed and lead to lesion production. The model can be considered to provide an alternative hypothesis to those of 'interacting radicals' or of 'oxygen-in-the-track'.

Exendin-4 protects against post-myocardial infarction remodelling via specific actions on inflammation and the extracellular matrix

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an insulin-releasing hormone clinically exploited for glycaemic control in diabetes, which also confers acute cardioprotection and benefits in experimental/clinical heart failure. We specifically investigated the role of the GLP-1 mimetic, exendin-4, in post-myocardial infarction (MI) remodelling, which is a key contributor to heart failure. Adult female normoglycaemic mice underwent coronary artery ligation/sham surgery prior to infusion with exendin-4/vehicle for 4 weeks. Metabolic parameters and infarct sizes were comparable between groups. Exendin-4 protected against cardiac dysfunction and chamber dilatation post-MI and improved survival. Furthermore, exendin-4 modestly decreased cardiomyocyte hypertrophy/apoptosis but markedly attenuated interstitial fibrosis and myocardial inflammation post-MI. This was associated with altered extracellular matrix (procollagen I��I/III��I, connective tissue growth factor, fibronectin, TGF-��3) and inflammatory (IL-10, IL-1��, IL-6) gene expression in exendin-4-treated mice, together with modulation of both Akt/GSK-3�� and Smad2/3 signalling. Exendin-4 also altered macrophage response gene expression in the absence of direct actions on cardiac fibroblast differentiation, suggesting cardioprotective effects occurring secondary to modulation of inflammation. Our findings indicate that exendin-4 protects against post-MI remodelling via preferential actions on inflammation and the extracellular matrix independently of its established actions on glycaemic control, thereby suggesting that selective targeting of GLP-1 signalling may be required to realise its clear therapeutic potential for post-MI heart failure.

On Extraterritoriality and the Gazprom case

In September 2012 the European Commission opened a formal investigation of Gazprom���s business practices in the EU. The Gazprom investigation raises a number of questions. One of them is the issue of jurisdiction���whether EU competition law applies to Gazprom, a foreign company. A day after the opening of the proceeding, in a press note and alongside other issues, Gazprom raised the question of jurisdiction, noting that it complies with laws of the countries in which it operates and that is it ���registered outside the jurisdiction of the EU���. This statement, possibly, prompted some commentators to consider the applicability of EU law in this case.<br/>In a piece in the ECLR, entitled ���Iron Curtain at the border: Gazprom and the Russian blocking order to prevent the extraterritoriality of EU competition law���, Sean Morris offered his views on some of the aspects of the Gazprom case, including the issue of jurisdiction. Morris discussed also the blocking Order issued by the Russian President in response to the European Commission���s investigation, and its possible effects in the Gazprom case.<br/>This article seeks to add a few important and relevant issues of law relating to extraterritoriality and the reach of EU law generally and in particular��� in the context of the Gazprom investigation and in the light of the Morris article. This piece also sheds some light on the considerations which might have informed Russia���s hastily enactment of the Blocking Order.

David Hume on probability and the Gambler���s fallacy

Cette pr��sentation examinera le degr�� de certitude qui peut ��tre atteint dans le domaine scientifique. Le paradigme scientifique est compos�� de deux extr��mes; causalit�� et d��terminisme d'un c��t�� et probabilit�� et ind��terminisme de l'autre. En faisant appel aux notions de Hume de la ressemblance et la contigu��t��, on peut rejeter la causalit�� ou le hasard objectif comme ��tant sans fondement et non empirique. Le probl��me de l'induction et le sophisme du parieur proviennent d���une m��me source cognitif / heuristique. Hume d��crit ces tendances mentales dans ses essais �� Of Probability �� et �� Of the Idea of Necessary Connexion ��. Une discussion sur la conception de la probabilit�� de Hume ainsi que d'autres interpr��tations de probabilit�� sera n��cessaire. M��me si la science glorifie et id��alise la causalit��, la probabilit�� peut ��tre comprise comme ��tant tout aussi coh��rente. Une attitude probabiliste, m��me si elle est ��galement non empirique, pourrait ��tre plus avantageuse que le vieux paradigme de la causalit��.

Arguments by definition : Felipe Calder��n���s war on drugs and the power to persuade

Les ��tudes rh��toriques ont document�� la pertinence de la rh��torique pr��sidentielle et le pouvoir du pr��sident de d��finir les enjeux publics par le discours. Cette recherche porte sur les pratiques rh��toriques par lesquelles l'ancien pr��sident mexicain Calder��n a d��fini la lutte contre la drogue qui a caract��ris�� son administration. Je soutiens que Calder��n a avanc�� une d��finition du probl��me de la drogue par des pratiques de d��finition telles que l'association, la dissociation et les symboles de condensation. Mon analyse 1) identifie les pratiques rh��toriques de d��finition qui ont caract��ris�� la lutte �� la drogue de Calder��n; 2) examine les implications de ces pratiques; et 3) aborde les limites auxquelles les politiciens font face en tentant de modifier des d��finitions pr��alablement avanc��es. En conclusion, j���explique comment les m��taphores et les pratiques de d��finition de Calder��n ont ouvert un espace rh��torique o�� les droits humains pouvaient ��tre r��voqu��s et la violence encourag��e.

A Comparative Study on Internationalization and the Role of International Offices at Selected Middle Eastern and German Universities

Internationalization of higher education has become one of the most important policies for institutions of higher education worldwide. Though universities are international by nature, the need for intensified quality activities of international nature has promoted internationalization to be under spotlight of researchers, administrators and policy makers and to be an area for research. Each institution follows its certain way to govern its international affairs. Most Universities, especially in the 'Developed World' started to plan it strategically. This study explores the meanings and importance of internationalization especially that it means different things to different people. It also studies the rationales behind internationalizing higher education. It focuses on the four main prevailing rationales; political, cultural/social, economic/financial, and academic on both national and institutional levels. With the increasing need to strategically plan, the study explores internationalization strategies in terms of how to develop them, what are their approaches and types, and their components and dimensions. Damascus University has witnessed an overwhelming development of its international relations and activities. Therefore, it started to face a problem of how to deal with this increasing load especially that its International Office is the only unit that deals with the international issues. In order to study the internationalization phenomenon at Damascus University, the 2WH approach, which asks the what, why, and how questions, is used and in order to define the International Office's role in the internationalization process of the University, it studies it and the international offices of Kassel University, and Humboldt University in Germany, The University of Jordan, and Al Baath University in Syria using the 'SOCIAL' approach that studies and analyses the situation, organization, challenges, involvement, ambitions, and limitations of these offices. The internationalization process at the above-mentioned Universities is studied and compared in terms of its meaning, rationales for both the institution and its academic staff, challenges and strategic planning. Then a comparison is made among the international offices of the Universities to identify their approaches, what led to their success and what led to their failure in their practices. The aim is to provide Damascus University and its International Office with some good practices and, depending on the experiences of the professionals of the case-studies, a suggested guidance to the work of this Office and the University in general is given. The study uses the interviews with the different officials and stakeholders of the case-studies as the main method of collecting the information in addition to site visits, studying their official documents and their websites. The study belongs to qualitative research that has an action dimension in it since the recommendations will be applied in the International Office. The study concludes with few learned lessons for Damascus University and its International Office depending on the comparison that was done according to a set of dimensions. Finally a reflection on the relationship between internationalization of higher education and politics, the impact of politics on Middle Eastern Universities, and institutional internationalization strategies are presented.

The ���War on Terror��� and the Principle of Distinction in International Humanitarian La

Las nuevas amenazas a la seguridad que han surgido en los ��ltimos��a��os est��n poniendo seriamente en juego la importancia y la implementaci��n��del derecho internacional humanitario. Este art��culo investiga el impacto de��la guerra del terror en el principio de distinci��n en el derecho internacional��humanitario. Examina, de forma espec��fica, pr��cticas estatales, por ejemplo,��de los Estados Unidos, que han cedido frente al surgimiento de nuevas reglas��relativas al principio de distinci��n. Para esto, se hace un an��lisis de dicho��principio bajo dos perspectivas: blancos concretos y captura