Traumatic rupture of the aorta after a jump from the 3-meter-board (author's transl)]

Report on a protracted rupture of the aorta in an unusual place (on the diphragmatic fissure and over the junction of the renal arteries). A 13 years old boy who jumped from the 3-meter-board landed flat on his back in the water. A complete rupture with haemorrhaging in the left thoracic cavity and the para-aortal tissue developed 20 h after the accident under clinical observation with non-specific symptoms. Judging by the biomechanical development, the rupture can best be explained as the result of horizontal deceleration. Pathological changes in the aorta wall could not be identified.     

Die „Friedensdividende“ der Globalisierung: Außenwirtschaftliche Öffnung und innenpolitische Stabilität in den Entwicklungsländern

One of the disputed consequences of global economic integration is the possible effect that foreign economic liberalization exerts on social cohesion. Proponents of commercial liberalism expect a stabilization, while globalization critics are much more sceptical. They assume, at least in the short run, destabilizing effects. We examine in this paper the contradictory claims for the developing world. “The rush to free trade”, to use Rodrik’s famous metaphor, has been particularly pronounced in this group of countries. Our results refute, based on different indicators, the fear that growing economic interdependence undermines the all too often fragile developing countries. The positive effect of economic openness is, however, only limited.     

Results of a collaborative study of the EDNAP group regarding the reproducibility and robustness of the Y-chromosome STRs DYS19, DYS389 I and II, DYS390 and DYS393 in a PCR pentaplex format

A collaborative exercise was carried out by the European DNA Profiling Group (EDNAP) in the frame work of the STADNAP program, i.e. standardization of DNA profiling in Europe, in order to evaluate the performance of a Y-chromosome STR pentaplex, which includes the loci DYS19, DYS389 I and II, DYS390 and DYS393 and to determine whether uniformity of results could be achieved among different European laboratories.Laboratories were asked to analyze the five Y-STRs using singleplex and multiplex conditions in three bloodstains and one mixed stain (95% female and 5% male).All the laboratories reported the same results even for the mixed stain included in the exercise. This demonstrates the reproducibility and robustness of Y-chromosome STR typing even with multiplex formats and proves the usefulness of Y-STR systems for analyzing mixed stains with a male component.A total of 930 male samples from 10 different populations from Europe were also analysed for all the loci included in the pentaplex. Eight of these ten populations also included haplotype data.As for single gene analysis, haplotype diversity was higher in Germany and Italy and lower in Western European countries and Finland.Pairwise haplotype analysis shows the Finnish departure from the rest of the populations and a relatively homogeneity in the other European populations with F(ST) estimates lower than 0.05.UPGMA analysis shows an association of Western European population (Ireland, UK, Portugal and Galicia) on the one hand and central European populations on the other.     

The fiscal impact of privatisation in Latin America

The goal of achieving fiscal balance through privatisation is misplaced because the revenues generated are rarely large or timely enough to bring the budget deficit under control. In Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile fiscal crisis preceded and encouraged the decision to privatise, but only in Argentina did the revenues from privatisation contribute significantly to fiscal adjustment. The article develops a model, incorporating time preferences and longer term fiscal impacts, which shows that major fiscal benefits can be expected only under rare circumstances. Politicians continue to tout the fiscal benefits of privatisation perhaps to gain support or to signal their commitment to economic reform.     

Responding to fiscal stress: Fiscal institutions and fiscal adjustment in four Brazilian states

Despite similar external shocks and pressures, Brazilian state leaders varied in the timing and the manner in which they adjusted to fiscal stress. Some state leaders rapidly switched to market-oriented strategies that cut public intervention in the economy. Other state leaders delayed adjustment, and when they finally put their accounts in order it was through market-governing strategies that preserved government activism. In part, these different fiscal policy regimes were products of the decision-making process in which chief executives operated. In states where budgeting obeyed a more open and democratic pattern, chief executives lacked autonomy and were forced to build coalitions to adjust. This meant that they adjusted more slowly and their adjustment strategies included appeals to broad interests, including those seeking protection from market pressures. In states where budgeting was more autocratic, chief executives could act quickly and without building a coalition. The current project uses structured comparison to contrast adjustment patterns in two democratic-budgeting states and two autocratic-budgeting states. The link between budget institutions and adjustment strategy appears to hold regardless of the socioeconomic condition of the states and the political hue of the state leaders.     

Commission's Action Plan to combat counterfeiting and piracy: right-holders, help yourself, and the Commission will help you!

The European Commission's Directorate General Taxation and CustomsUnion (DG TAXUD), in charge of the monitoring of border measuresunder Regulation 1383/2003, invited right-holders and otherinterested parties to an informal meeting in Brussels on 24February 2006.     

Retail cascading in Germany a model for a revision of the PD?

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. Key points

• The EU Prospectus Directive (the ‘PD’),as implemented in several EEA member states, including the UnitedKingdom, and the Regulation accompanying the PD (the ‘Regulation’)render difficult or even inhibit public offers of debt securitiesto retail investors.
• Market participants and their advisors,trade associations such as the International Capital MarketAssociation (‘ICMA’), as well as the United KingdomListing Authority (‘UKLA’) and the Committee ofEuropean Securities Regulators (‘CESR’) have beendealing with the issues. UKLA and ICMA have come forward byproposing a solution regarding the information requirementsof Annex V.5 of the Regulation. The proposal is to utilize Article23.4 of the Regulation allowing information required by theRegulation to be omitted if the information is not pertinentto the offer. CESR may take a wider approach. It has indicatedits willingness to assess whether further Level 2 work is appropriateand legislative action will . . . [Full Text of this Article]