On the Segregation of Genetically Modified, Conventional, and Organic Products in European Agriculture: A Multi-market Equilibrium Analysis, October 2005

Evaluating the possible benefits of the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops must address the issue of consumer resistance as well as the complex regulation that has ensued. In the European Union (EU) this regulation envisions the “co-existence” of GM food with conventional and quality-enhanced products, mandates the labelling and traceability of GM products, and allows only a stringent adventitious presence of GM content in other products. All these elements are brought together within a partial equilibrium model of the EU agricultural food sector. The model comprises conventional, GM and organic food. Demand is modelled in a novel fashion, whereby organic and conventional products are treated as horizontally differentiated but GM products are vertically differentiated (weakly inferior) relative to conventional ones. Supply accounts explicitly for the land constraint at the sector level and for the need for additional resources to produce organic food. Model calibration and simulation allow insights into the qualitative and quantitative effects of the large-scale introduction of GM products in the EU market. We find that the introduction of GM food reduces overall EU welfare, mostly because of the associated need for costly segregation of non-GM products, but the producers of quality-enhanced products actually benefit.

Immigration and contested nation-building : explaining the political salience of immigration in multi-national societies

Multi-national societies present a complex setting for the politics of immigration, as migration’s linguistic, economic and cultural effects may coincide with existing contestation over nationhood between sub-units and the central state. Empirically, though, political actors only sometimes, and in some places, explicitly connect the politics of immigration to the stakes of multi-level politics. With reference to Canada, Belgium and the United Kingdom, this paper examines the conditions under which political leaders link immigration to ongoing debate about governance in multi-national societies. The paper argues that the distribution of policy competencies in the multi-level system is less important for shaping immigration and integration politics than is the perceived impact (positive or negative) on the sub-unit’s societal culture or its power relationship with the center. Immigration and integration are more often politicized where center and sub-unit hold divergent views on migration and its place in national identity.

Reliability and validity of the cross-culturally adapted French version of the Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI) in patients with low back pain.

PURPOSE: To conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI) into French according to established guidelines. METHODS: Seventy outpatients with chronic low back pain were recruited from six spine centres in Switzerland and France. They completed the newly translated COMI, and the Roland Morris disability (RMQ), Dallas Pain (DPQ), adjectival pain rating scale, WHO Quality of Life, and EuroQoL-5D questionnaires. After ~14 days RMQ and COMI were completed again to assess reproducibility; a transition question (7-point Likert scale; "very much worse" through "no change" to "very much better") indicated any change in status since the first questionnaire. RESULTS: COMI whole scores displayed no floor effects and just 1.5% ceiling effects. The scores for the individual COMI items correlated with their corresponding full-length reference questionnaire with varying strengths of correlation (0.33-0.84, P < 0.05). COMI whole scores showed a very good correlation with the "multidimensional" DPQ global score (Rho = 0.71). 55 patients (79%) returned a second questionnaire with no/minimal change in their back status. The reproducibility of individual COMI 5-point items was good, with test-retest differences within one grade ranging from 89% for 'social/work disability' to 98% for 'symptom-specific well-being'. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the COMI whole score was 0.85 (95% CI 0.76-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the French version of this short, multidimensional questionnaire showed good psychometric properties, comparable to those reported for German and Spanish versions. The French COMI represents a valuable tool for future multicentre clinical studies and surgical registries (e.g. SSE Spine Tango) in French-speaking countries.

Taajuusmuuttajien suorituskyvyn automaattinen testausympäristö

Tämä insinöörityö tehtiin ABB Oy, Drivesin Product AC -tulosyksikön tuotekehitysosastolle Helsingissä. Työssä kehitettiin taajuusmuuttajien suorituskyvyn automaattinen testausympäristö. ABB:n taajuusmuuttajien suorituskykytestejä ei ole aikaisemmin automatisoitu. Testit on tehty käsin ja niiden suorittamiseen ja tulosten käsittelyyn on kulunut paljon aikaa. Automaattisella testauksella pyrittiin testien suorittamiseen ja tulosten käsittelyyn kuluvan ajan huomattavaan pienentymiseen. Työssä ei ollut tarkoituksena tehdä suorituskykytestejä vaan kehittää automaattinen testausympäristö eli suorituskykytestipenkki, jossa suorituskykytestit on mahdollista suorittaa. Työssä keskityttiin taajuusmuuttajan nopeus- ja momenttisäätäjien suorituskykyyn. Työ toteutettiin suunnittelu- ja ohjelmointityönä. Testausympäristön laitteisto perustuu ABB:n tuotekehityslaboratorioiden olemassaoleviin testipaikkoihin. Testausympäristössä käytetään taajuusmuuttajien lisäksi pääasiassa kolmivaiheisia oikosulkumoottoreita. Lisäksi laitteistoon kuuluu ACS800-sarjan taajuusmuuttaja kuormakäyttönä, momenttianturi ja takometri eli kierrosnopeusmittari. Ohjelmointi tehtiin National Instrumentsin LabVIEW-ohjelmointiympäristön versiolla 8.0. Testausympäristön käyttöliittymänä toimii saman yrityksen TestStand-testausohjelmiston versio 3.5. Testattavien taajuusmuuttajien ohjausta ja momenttianturin lukemista varten ohjelmoitiin virtuaali-instrumentteja. Virtuaali-instrumentteja kutsutaan TestStand-testisekvensseistä. Testisekvenssit luodaan TestStandin sekvenssieditorilla ja suoritetaan sekvenssieditorissa tai operaattorin käyttöliittymässä. Työn tuloksena syntyi taajuusmuuttajien suorituskyvyn automaattinen testausympäristö. Testausympäristöä voidaan hyödyntää sekä nykyisen että seuraavan sukupolven taajuusmuuttajien testauksessa. Sillä on mahdollista suorittaa yleisimmät taajuusmuuttajien suorituskykytestit, kuten nopeus- ja momenttisäätöjen staattinen ja dynaaminen tarkkuus, hyvin kattavasti. Testit voidaan automaattisesti suorittaa koko testikäytön sallimalla pyörimisnopeus- ja kuormitusalueella. Näytteenottotaajuus voi olla enintään 1 kHz luettaessa pyörimisnopeutta ACS800-sarjan taajuusmuuttajan kautta ja momenttianturia samanaikaisesti. Virtuaali-instrumenteista koostuvia testisekvenssejä voidaan vapaasti muokata ja kehittää testejä edelleen tai luoda kokonaan uusia testejä. Testausympäristö perustuu teollisuudessa yleisesti käytettyihin ohjelmistoihin ja tarjoaa hyvät mahdollisuudet jatkokehitykselle.

Feasibility of replacing multiple ADSL connections with Multi-Dwelling Access

This final project was made for the Broadband/Implementation department of TeliaSonera Finland. The question to be examined is if the operator should replace multiple ADSL connections implemented over a leased line with Multi-Dwelling access based on an Ethernet/Optical Fibre access network. The project starts with describing the technology related to these access network solu-tions and presents the technology that is used in TeliaSonera Finland's access network. It continues from the technology to describe the problem with some of the ADSL implemen-tations of TeliaSonera. The problem is the implementations done over a leased line that can cost TeliaSonera over years as much as a possible investment to extend network when there is several lines leased to the same building. The project proposes a Multi-Dwelling access as a solution to this problem and defines the circumstances when to use it. After a satisfactory solution has found the project takes a view how implementation of the solution might alter the network and a new problem is found. When used commonly to replace need of ADSL implementation Multi-Dwelling access would significantly increase optical cable congestion near operators POP. As a final deed this project also proposes a technical change to existing way to implement multi-dwelling access with EPON technology.

Metastatic tumors to the colon and rectum: a multi-institutional study.

Context.-Unlike the small bowel, the colorectal mucosa is seldom the site of metastatic disease. Objective.-To determine the incidence of truly colorectal metastases, and subsequent clinicopathologic findings, in a substantial colorectal cancer population collected from 7 European centers. Design.-During the last decade, 10 365 patients were identified as having colorectal malignant tumors, other than systemic diseases. Data collected included patient demographics, clinical symptoms, treatment, the presence of metastases in other sites, disease-free interval, follow-up, and overall survival. All secondary tumors resulting from direct invasion from malignant tumors of the contiguous organs were excluded, as well as those resulting from lymph node metastases or peritoneal seeding. Results.-Only 35 patients were included (10 men) with a median age of 59 years. They presented with obstruction, bleeding, abdominal pain, or perforation. The leading source of metastases was the breast, followed by melanoma. Metastases were synchronous in 3 cases. The mean disease-free interval for the remaining cases was 6.61 years. Surgical resection was performed in 28 cases. Follow-up was available for 26 patients; all had died, with a mean survival time of 10.67 months (range, 1-41 months). Conclusions.-Colorectal metastases are exceptional (0.338%) with the breast as a leading source of metastases; they still represent a late stage of disease and reflect a poor prognosis. Therefore, the pathologist should be alert for the possibility of secondary tumors when studying large bowel biopsies. Any therapy is usually palliative, but our results suggest that prolonged survival after surgery and complementary therapy can be obtained in some patients.

Assessment of volumetric bone mineral density of the femoral neck in postmenopausal women with and without vertebral fractures using quantitative multi-slice CT.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the validity and reliability of volumetric quantitative computed tomography (vQCT) with multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for hip bone mineral density (BMD) measurements, and to compare the differences between the two techniques in discriminating postmenopausal women with osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures from those without. METHODS: Ninety subjects were enrolled and divided into three groups based on the BMD values of the lumbar spine and/or the femoral neck by DXA. Groups 1 and 2 consisted of postmenopausal women with BMD changes <-2SD, with and without radiographically confirmed vertebral fracture (n=11 and 33, respectively). Group 3 comprised normal controls with BMD changes > or =-1SD (n=46). Post-MSCT (GE, LightSpeed16) scan reconstructed images of the abdominal-pelvic region, 1.25 mm thick per slice, were processed by OsteoCAD software to calculate the following parameters: volumetric BMD values of trabecular bone (TRAB), cortical bone (CORT), and integral bone (INTGL) of the left femoral neck, femoral neck axis length (NAL), and minimum cross-section area (mCSA). DXA BMD measurements of the lumbar spine (AP-SPINE) and the left femoral neck (NECK) also were performed for each subject. RESULTS: The values of all seven parameters were significantly lower in subjects of Groups 1 and 2 than in normal postmenopausal women (P<0.05, respectively). Comparing Groups 1 and 2, 3D-TRAB and 3D-INTGL were significantly lower in postmenopausal women with vertebral fracture(s) [(109.8+/-9.61) and (243.3+/-33.0) mg/cm3, respectively] than in those without [(148.9+/-7.47) and (285.4+/-17.8) mg/cm(3), respectively] (P<0.05, respectively), but no significant differences were evident in AP-SPINE or NECK BMD. CONCLUSION: the femoral neck-derived volumetric BMD parameters using vQCT appeared better than the DXA-derived ones in discriminating osteoporotic postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures from those without. vQCT might be useful to evaluate the effect of osteoporotic vertebral fracture status on changes in bone mass in the femoral neck.

Spirituality and religion in outpatients with schizophrenia: A multi-site comparative study of Switzerland, Canada, and the United States

Objective: To assess the importance of spirituality and religious coping among outpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder living in three countries. Method: A total of 276 outpatients (92 from Geneva, Switzerland, 121 from Trois-Rivières, Canada, and 63 from Durham, North Carolina), aged 18-65, were administered a semi-structured interview on the role of spirituality and religiousness in their lives and to cope with their illness. Results: Religion is important for outpatients in each of the three country sites, and religious involvement is higher than in the general population. Religion was helpful (i.e., provided a positive sense of self and positive coping with the illness) among 87% of the participants and harmful (a source of despair and suffering) among 13%. Helpful religion was associated with better social, clinical and psychological status. The opposite was observed for the harmful aspects of religion. In addition, religion sometimes conflicted with psychiatric treatment. Conclusions: These results indicate that outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder often use spirituality and religion to cope with their illness, basically positively, yet sometimes negatively. These results underscore the importance of clinicians taking into account the spiritual and religious lives of patients with schizophrenia.

Intraclass reliability of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale in the Brazilian version

This study had as its objective to analyze the intraclass reliability of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), in the Brazilian version, in preterm and term infants. It was a methodological study, conducted from November 2009 to April 2010, with 50 children receiving care in two public institutions in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Children were grouped according to gestational age as preterm and term, and evaluated by three evaluators in the communication laboratory of a public institution or at home. The intraclass correlation indices for the categories prone, supine, sitting and standing ranged from 0.553 to 0.952; most remained above 0.800, except for the standing category of the third evaluator, in which the index was 0.553. As for the total score and percentile, rates ranged from 0.843 to 0.954. The scale proved to be a reliable instrument for assessing gross motor performance of Brazilian children, particularly in Ceará, regardless of gestational age at birth.

Greenstick fractures of the middle third of the forearm. A prospective multi-centre study.

BACKGROUND: Greenstick fractures suffered during growth have a high risk for refracture and posttraumatic deformity, particularly at the forearm diaphysis. The use of a preemptive completion of the fracture by manipulation of the concave cortex is controversial and data supporting this approach are few. AIM: Aim of this study was to determine the factors which predispose to refracture and deformities, and to define therapeutic strategies. METHODS: We prospectively gathered clinical and radiographic data over a period of one year on greenstick fractures of the middle third of the forearm in children as part of a multi-centre study. Endpoint was a follow-up visit at one year. Radiographic deformity, state of consolidation at resumption of physical activities and refracture rate were analysed statistically (ANOVA, Student's t-test and Pearson's chi-square test) with regard to patient age, gender, fracture type, therapy and time in plaster. RESULTS: We collected the data of 103 patients (63 boys, 40 girls), average age 6.6 years (1.3-14.5 years), the vast majority of whom had a combined greenstick fracture of the radius and ulna. 6.7% of the patients sustained a refracture within 49 days (29-76) after plaster removal. They were significantly older (p=0.017) with a significantly higher incidence of manual completion of the fracture with radiographic signs of partial consolidation (p=0.025). Residual deformities were significantly smaller after completion of the fracture compared to reduction without completion (p=0.019) or plaster fixation alone (p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Completion of a greenstick fracture does not prevent refracture. Nevertheless, it diminishes the extent of secondary deformities in cases where the primary angulation exceeds the remodelling capacity. Prevention of refracture should include a routine radiographic follow-up 4-6 weeks after injury with continuation of plaster fixation in cases of partial consolidation.

Use of alcohol in the elderly: transcultural validation of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test – Geriatric Version (MAST-G)

Objective: To evaluate the internal consistency of the version of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test – Geriatric Version (MAST-G) instrument, translated and adapted for Brazil. Method: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire, the ICD-10 and the MAST-G, following the steps of translation and cultural adaptation. One hundred eleven elderly in the city of São Carlos, SP, Brazil were interviewed. Results: The mean age of those interviewed was 70 years, with 45% men and 55% women, with the mean education of three years; 92% resided with family; 48% of the subjects consumed alcoholic beverages. The MAST-G presented a good level of reliability, with Cronbach’s α = 0.7873, and good levels of sensitivity and specificity with a cutoff score of five positive responses. Conclusion: The Brazilian version of the MAST-G presented internal consistency values similar to the original English version,showing it to be adequate for use in the national context.