Reforming International Environmental Governance: An Institutionalist Critique of the Proposal for a World Environment Organisation

This article argues that a World Environment Organisation (WEO) does not promise to enhance international environmental governance. First, we claim that the establishment of an international organisation alone in a policy field currently populated by regimes cannot be expected to significantly improve environmental governance because there is no qualitative difference between these two forms of governance institutions. Second, we submit that significant improvement of international environmental governance through institutional re-arrangement must rely on a modification of decision-making procedures and/or a change of institutional boundaries. Third, we develop three principal models of a possible WEO. A WEO formally providing an umbrella for existing regimes without modifying issue-areas and decision-making procedures would be largely irrelevant. A WEO integrating decision-making processes of existing regimes so as to form comprehensive world environment rounds of intergovernmental bargaining would be largely dysfunctional and prone to a host of negative side-effects. A supranational WEO including large-scale use of majority decision-making and far-reaching enforcement mechanisms across a range of environmental issues might considerably enhance international environmental governance, but it appears to be grossly utopian. In conclusion, a WEO cannot be at the same time realistic, significant and beneficial for international environmental governance. Available political resources should be invested in advancing existing and emerging sectoral environmental regimes rather than in establishing a WEO.     

Predictive Validity of the SVR-20 and Static-99 in a Dutch Sample of Treated Sex Offenders

In this retrospective study, the interrater reliability and predictive validity of 2 risk assessment instruments for sexual violence are presented. The SVR-20, an instrument for structured professional judgment, and the Static-99, an actuarial risk assessment instrument, were coded from file information of 122 sex offenders who were admitted to a Dutch forensic psychiatric hospital between 1974 and 1996 (average follow-up period 140 months). Recidivism data (reconvictions) from the Ministry of Justice were related to the risk assessments. The base rate for sexual recidivism was 39%, for nonsexual violent offenses 46%, and for general offenses 74%. Predictive validity of the SVR-20 was good (total score: r = .50, AUC = .80; final risk judgment: r = .60, AUC = .83), of the Static-99 moderate (total score: r = .38, AUC =.71; risk category: r = .30, AUC = .66). The SVR-20 final risk judgment was a significantly better predictor of sexual recidivism than the Static-99 risk category.     

Simultaneous determination of thirteen beta-blockers and one metabolite by gradient high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array UV detection

A new rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method has been developed for the simultaneous identification and quantification in human plasma of the 13 most commonly prescribed beta-blockers and one active metabolite-atenolol, sotalol, diacetolol, carteolol, nadolol, pindolol, acebutolol, metoprolol, celiprolol, oxprenolol, labetalol, propranolol, tertatolol and betaxolol. It involves liquid-liquid extraction procedures followed by liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode-array UV detection with a fixed wavelength at 220 nm for quantification. Compounds were separated on a 5 microm Hypurity C(18) (ThermoHypersil) analytical column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, i.d.) using a gradient of acetonitrile-phosphate buffer pH 3.8 at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The total analysis time was 26 min per sample. Extraction recoveries were between 74 and 113% for the polar compounds and between 20 and 56% for the most apolar compounds. Calibration lines were linear in the range from 25 to 1000 ng/ml for all compounds excepted carteolol and nadolol (50-1000 ng/ml), all of them with coefficients of determination (r2 values) >/=0.994. Limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 5 to 10 ng/ml. Intra-assay and inter-assay precision and accuracy were studied at two concentration levels (100 and 500 ng/ml). The intra-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) for all compounds were 相似文献   

Forensic value of 14 novel STRs on the human Y chromosome

We identified and characterized 14 novel short-tandem-repeats (STRs) on the Y chromosome and typed them in two samples, a globally diverse panel of 73 cell lines, and 148 individuals from a European-American population. These Y-STRs include eight tetranucleotide repeats (DYS449, DYS453, DYS454, DYS455, DYS456, DYS458, DYS459, and DYS464), five pentanucleotide repeats (DYS446, DYS447, DYS450, DYS452, and DYS463), and one hexanucleotide repeat (DYS448). Sequence data were obtained to designate a repeat number nomenclature. The gene diversities of an additional 22 Y-STRs, including the most commonly used in forensic databases, were directly compared in the cell line DNAs. Six of the 10 most polymorphic markers include the newly identified Y-STRs. Furthermore, these novel Y-STRs greatly improved the resolution of paternal lineages, above the level obtained with commonly used Y-STRs, in the European-American population.     

HIV-related stigma and discrimination--the epidemic continues

This article is one of a series commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, discussing past developments and future directions in areas of policy and law related to HIV/AIDS. It looks at HIV-related stigma and discrimination. The article summarizes the present situation as described in reports from numerous countries throughout the world. It reviews the institutional, non-institutional, and structural dimensions of HIV-related discrimination. It also identifies some essential components of anti-discrimination efforts: legal protection; public, workplace, and health-care programs; community mobilization; and strategizing on the determinants of health.     

Compulsory HIV testing after an occupational exposure

In December 2001, the Ontario legislature passed Bill 105, authorizing a Medical Officer of Health to order blood testing of a source person in the event that emergency service workers and "good Samaritans" (as well as other categories of people) may have been exposed to a communicable disease. Similar legislation (Bill C-217) is before a committee of the House of Commons. This article discusses the value of information about the health status of the source person, Bill C-217 and Bill 105, current public health guidelines, recent Canadian research, and the conclusions of Backgrounder prepared by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.     

Pulmonary embolism: a rare cause of sudden infant death

Pulmonary embolism can be observed at any age, but it occurs very rarely in the infant. The authors report the case of a 12-month-old boy who suddenly died during clinical improvement of gastroenteritis associated with otitis. Autopsy showed signs of dehydration and acute left pulmonary embolism, which was the cause of death. Thrombosis of the inferior vena cava extending into renal veins was seen. In this case, plasma hyperosmolality caused by dehydration might have favored the formation of venous thromboses. The various risk factors of pulmonary embolism in the child are discussed, including genetic factors.     

Economic Perceptions and Vote Choice: Disentangling the Endogeneity

Much previous research shows that variation in vote choice closely follows variation in economic perceptions over time. A number of scholars argue that the pattern is rooted in cross-sectional effects and have found apparent evidence of such effects. However, most of these studies do not take into account the possibility that economic perceptions are themselves structured by vote choice, which poses potentially serious implications. We begin to address this endogeneity, focusing specifically on Lewis-Beck's (1988) analysis of economic voting. The results suggest that the cross-sectional effects of the economy on vote choice have been substantially overstated.