Case-Based Deliberation in Cases of Child Abuse: an Innovative Way to Cooperate Between Justice and Care

A lack of communication between care workers, police officers, judicial officials and medical professionals can obstruct a fast and efficient approach of child abuse. This problem inspired a pilot project called ‘the Courage Protocol’, which was introduced as an experiment in the legal district of Antwerp, Flanders (Belgium). The most important novelty in this project is the case-based deliberation between care workers, medical professionals and judiciary officials, as this implies an actual encounter between these representatives in which relevant information is shared and possible ways to approach specific cases are discussed. Based on a scientific evaluation of this deliberative practice, this article discusses its potential as an innovative way of cooperation between justice and care.     

Marriage at the intersection between tradition and globalization: Turkish marriage migration between Emirdag and Belgium from 1989 to present

In this paper, we will investigate the popularity of marriage migration between Turkish communities in Western Europe and emigration regions in Turkey. Our focus here is specifically on the Belgian case, namely the ‘Emirdag connection’. In Belgium, the majority of immigrants with a Turkish background come from the region of Emirdag, in the province of Afyon. On the basis of quantitative research methodologies, we first consider the magnitude of the phenomenon and the socio-economic situation of those involved. Using the qualitative research techniques of participant observation and in-depth interviews, we analyze the mechanisms in an attempt to explain marriage migration between these regions. Why do so many young people, born and raised in Western Europe, opt for an unknown partner from a region that is largely unknown to them but which proves to be their parents', or even grandparents', region of origin? Why does migration remain such a valuable life project for many young people in these regions of origin, despite the real danger of many negative side effects? The popularity of marriage migration is often explained by its role in making migration possible. However, migration theories alone cannot explain this phenomenon. Here we will argue that the existence of a ‘culture of migration’ that binds the region of origin with the region of destination and in which ‘the family’ as an institution is capable of building a bridge between traditional praxis, as well as the challenges linked to international migration, are crucial for understanding the enduring popularity of marriage migration.     

Cross border data transfer: Complexity of adequate protection and its exceptions

The majority of the fear that exists about the cloud arises due to the lack of transparency in the cloud. Fears have persisted in relation to how the data are frequently transferred in a cloud for various purposes which includes storing and processing. This is because the level of protection differs between countries and cloud users who belong to countries which provide a high level of protection will be less in favour of transfers that reduce the protection that was originally accorded to their data. Hence, to avoid client dissatisfaction, the Data Protection Directive has stated that such transfers are generally prohibited unless the country that data is being transferred to is able to provide ‘appropriate safeguards’. This article will discuss the position of the Data Protection Directive and how the new General Data Protection Regulation differs from this Directive. This involves the discussion of the similarity as well as the differences of the Directive and Regulation. In summary, it appears that the major principles of the cross border transfer are retained in the new regulation. Furthermore, the article discusses the exceptions that are provided in the standard contractual clause and the reason behind the transition from Safe Harbor to the new US-EU Privacy Shield. This article subsequently embarks on the concept of Binding Corporate Rule which was introduced by the working party and how the new regulation has viewed this internal rule in terms of assisting cross border data transfer. All the issues that will be discussed in this article are relevant in the understanding of cross border data transfer.     

A Unique Fatal Moose Attack Mimicking Homicide

Fatalities caused by animal attacks are rare, but have the potential to mimic homicide. We present a case in which a moose attacked and killed a woman who was walking her dog in a forest. Autopsy showed widespread blunt trauma with a large laceration on one leg in which blades of grass were embedded. Flail chest was the cause of death. The case was initially conceived as homicide by means of a riding lawn mower. A review of the case by moose experts and analyses of biological trace material that proved to originate from moose, established the true source of injury. The dog probably provoked a moose, which, in response, stomped and gored the victim to death. The injuries resembled those previously reported from attacks by cattle and water buffalo. Fatal moose attacks constitute an extremely rare threat in boreal areas, but can be considered in traumatic deaths of unknown cause.     

The Dutch Euthanasia Act and related issues

In 2002 the Dutch Euthanasia Act came into force. This Act is the result of a lengthy developmental process. It codifies the requirements that have evolved in case law and medical ethics since 1973. Empirical data indicate that the Dutch euthanasia practice is stabilising. Euthanasia and assisted suicide occur in 2.7% of all deaths. Now that the Act has been passed, the focus is on improving the quality of medical decision-making. From an international perspective, the Dutch legislation is exceptional. However, it appears that other countries and international organisations are considering euthanasia legislation as well. It remains to be seen how influential the Dutch model will prove to be.     

Review: The physiology of saliva and transfer of drugs into saliva

Although saliva or oral fluid "lacks the drama of blood, the sincerity of sweat and the emotional appeal of tears", quoting Mandel in 1990 [I.D. Mandel, The diagnostic uses of saliva, J. Oral Pathol. Med. 19 (1990) 119-125], it is now meeting the demand for inexpensive, non-invasive and easy-to-use diagnostic aids for oral and systemic diseases, drug monitoring and detection of illicit use of drugs of abuse, including alcohol. As the salivary secretion is a reflex response controlled by both parasympathetic and sympathetic secretomotor nerves, it can be influenced by several stimuli. Moreover, patients taking medication which influences either the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system, or medication which mimic the latter as a side effect, will have an altered salivary composition and salivary volume. Patients suffering from certain systemic diseases may present the same salivary alterations. The circadian rhythm determines both the volume of saliva that will and can be secreted and the salivary electrolyte concentrations. Dietary influences and the patient's age also have an impact on composition and volume of saliva. The latter implies a wide variation in composition both inter- and intra-individually. Sampling must therefore be performed under standardized conditions. The greatest advantage, when compared to blood sample collection, is that saliva is readily accessible and collectible. Consequently, it can be used in clinically difficult situations, such as in children, handicapped and anxious patients, where blood sampling could be a difficult act to perform.     

Simultaneous analysis of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, gamma-butyrolactone, and 1,4-butanediol by micellar electrokinetic chromatography

A micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method was optimised for simultaneous analysis of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), and 1,4-butanediol (BD). Best conditions for separation and baseline stability were achieved using a carrier electrolyte comprising 30.0mM sodium barbital and 150.0mM sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) at pH 10.2. Calibration functions were linear, giving correlation coefficients (r(2)) >0.998 for the three target compounds. Limits of detection (LOD) defined as three times the noise, were 5.1mg/l, 0.34 and 0.25g/l for GHB, GBL and BD, respectively. The repeatability of migration times and peak areas, expressed as the R.S.D. (n = 9) was better than 0.41 and 3.05%, respectively. Some casework samples were analysed using the optimised conditions.     

The effectiveness of the FCB grid as a tool for writing superior advertising strategy

ABSTRACT

This article, as far as could be determined, is a first attempt at measuring the effectiveness of advertising strategy. It is demonstrated by illustrating how the FCB grid (quadrant and sextant versions) can be used by undergraduate advertising students to write superior advertising strategies when compared with a textbook formula. Strategies written according to three different methods were analysed and evaluated to demonstrate that when the FCB grid is used to write advertising strategies, it results in superior advertising strategies.