International Data Exchange Research Articles

Appeal Case: Sonofon A/S v. IFPI Denmark, November 28, 2008 (English Translation)

This is an English translation of the Danish injunction order in the so-called thepiratebay.org case decided on 26 November 2008 by the Court of Appeals, Denmark. Appellant is a Danish ISP. Appellees are the music industry. The court affirmed the ordered from the Bailiff's Court of Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) [Frederiksberg Fogedrets Kendelse FS 14324/2007] of 5 February 2008. The court ordered the ISP – a Danish telephone company – to block its customers from access to the Swedish website, www.thepiratebay.org, which helps users get music files from each other. Indirectly, the case involves the international issue of how to block online access to information or business from foreign countries and thus hinder international exchange of data – one of the main purposes with the Internet. It also involved the problems copyright holders are having online to protect their interests.

Supreme Court Case: Sonofon A/S v. IFPI Denmark, May 27, 2010 (English Translation)

This is an unofficial English translation of the Danish injunction order in the so-called thepiratebay.org case decided on 27 May 2010 by the Supreme Court of Denmark. Appellant is a Danish ISP. Appellees are the music industry. The court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeals (see in English http://ssrn.com/abstract=1649682), which affirmed the ordered from Bailiff's Court of Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) [Frederiksberg Fogedrets Kendelse FS 14324/2007] of 5 February 2008. The court ordered the ISP – a Danish telephone company – to block its customers from access to the Swedish website thepiratebay.org, which help users get music files from each other. Indirectly, the case involves the international issue of how to block online access to information or business from foreign countries and thus hinder international exchange of data - one of the main purposes with the Internet. It also involved the problems copyright holders are having online to protect their interests.

Legal and ethical consequences of international biobanking from a national perspective: the German BMB-EUCoop project

The international transfer of human biomaterial and data has become a prerequisite for collaborative biomedical research to be successful. However, although a national legal framework for 'biobanking' has already been formulated in many countries, little is known about how an international exchange of data and samples might affect the legal position of national biobanks and their donors. The German Telematics Platform and the Competence Network 'Congenital Heart Defects' jointly instigated a project (BMB-EUCoop) to (i) identify and assess the legal risks ensuing for biobanks and their donors in the context of Europe-wide research collaborations, (ii) devise practical recommendations to minimize or avoid these risks, and (iii) provide generic informational text, contracts and agreements to facilitate their practical implementation. Four different countries were included in the study; namely, the UK, Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland. The results of the study indicate that the degree of similarity between legal systems in different countries varies according to the respective field of jurisdiction. Although personality and property rights have long been enshrined in virtually identical pieces of law, the applicable medical professional regulations were found to be somewhat heterogeneous. Furthermore, clear-cut differences were often found to be lacking between regulations that reflect either 'soft law' or the nationally binding 'hard law' that has emerged from it. In view of the potential ambiguities, the experts uniformly concluded that the rights and interests of national (in this case, German) biobanks and their donors would be best protected by explicitly addressing any uncertainties in formal contractual agreements.

A survey of European sea level infrastructure

Abstract. This paper summaries findings from a survey of European sea level infrastructure (tide gauges, telemetry methods, ancillary information) conducted at the end of 2008 on behalf of the Tsunami Risk ANd Strategies For the European Region (TRANSFER), Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas (NEAMTWS), European Sea Level Service (ESEAS) and Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS) projects and programmes. Approximately 478 strategic tide gauges were found to be operational at this time, of which about three-quarters have near-real time data telemetry of various kinds. Around half of the gauges take part in real-time international data exchange. The NEAMTWS network can be considered to be in good shape in that most of its sites for which a gauge exists will be capable of meeting required standards in the near future. On the other hand, NEAMTWS (and the European and North African network in general) contains major gaps along the North African coastline and on European Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts which require new installations. The paper also summaries standards for the various sea level programmes, and reviews existing European infrastructure in the form of data centres and web sites.

Indian National Bibliography: Past, Present and Future

This article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the bibliographic coverage of the Indian National Bibliography, with its multiplicity of languages and scripts, and compares INB with a number of prominent bibliographies around the world. The Indian National Bibliography is affected with the disease of sluggishness in publication and incomplete coverage. The author describes the application of ICT and the level of success that INB has achieved with regard to its timeliness and comprehensiveness. The publication's workflow uses a customized version of the library system Libsys, version IV, with transliteration using diacritical marks and GIST (Graphics and Intelligence based Script Technology) to overcome language problems. The Central Reference Library, Kolkata, which compiles the bibliography, is currently working towards implementation of UNICODE and discarding GIST to facilitate international cooperation and data exchange. The author examines a number of aspects of the bibliography's production, with special emphasis on remedial measures to be followed to improve currency and coverage.

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Reports: Germany and Austria's Migration Project ‘Moving to MARC 21’

With the aim of improving international bibliographic interoperability, in 2004 Germany and Austria initiated a migration from the German data exchange format Maschinelles Austauschformat für Bibliotheken (MAB2) to the Anglo-American format MARC 21. The article outlines the main elements of the project ‘Moving to MARC 21’: a mapping of the data exchange formats MAB2 and MARC 21 to one another to ascertain gaps between the formats, the design of an editorial support system for the translation of MARC 21, and professional information sessions introducing the new format to the library community. Elements from MAB2 considered to be indispensable for exchange were either introduced to the format through Machine-Readable Bibliographic Information committee (MARBI) proposals or where they would not need Germany-wide application, defined in local fields. The project came to completion in June 2009 and has laid the foundation for international data exchange by assimilating processes and eliminating the need for intensive conversion work in Germany and Austria. An incidental but significant aspect of the project was the productive combined efforts of German and Austrian professionals and their Anglo-American partners in successfully overcoming differences in language and bibliographic transport and processing traditions through cooperative problem-solving.

An Electronic Infrastructure for Research and Treatment of the Thalassemias and Other Hemoglobinopathies: The Euro-Mediterranean Ithanet Project

Hemoglobin (Hb) disorders are common, potentially lethal monogenic diseases, posing a global health challenge. With worldwide migration and intermixing of carriers, demanding flexible health planning and patient care, hemoglobinopathies may serve as a paradigm for the use of electronic infrastructure tools in the collection of data, the dissemination of knowledge, the harmonization of treatment, and the coordination of research and preventive programs. ITHANET, a network covering thalassemias and other hemoglobinopathies, comprises 26 organizations from 16 countries, including non-European countries of origin for these diseases (Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Tunisia and Turkey). Using electronic infrastructure tools, ITHANET aims to strengthen cross-border communication and data transfer, cooperative research and treatment of thalassemia, and to improve support and information of those affected by hemoglobinopathies. Moreover, the consortium has established the ITHANET Portal, a novel web-based instrument for the dissemination of information on hemoglobinopathies to researchers, clinicians and patients. The ITHANET Portal is a growing public resource, providing forums for discussion and research coordination, and giving access to courses and databases organized by ITHANET partners. Already a popular repository for diagnostic protocols and news related to hemoglobinopathies, the ITHANET Portal also provides a searchable, extendable database of thalassemia mutations and associated background information. The experience of ITHANET is exemplary for a consortium bringing together disparate organizations from heterogeneous partner countries to face a common health challenge. The ITHANET Portal as a web-based tool born out of this experience amends some of the problems encountered and facilitates education and international exchange of data and expertise for hemoglobinopathies.

Translation of Danish ('thepiratebay.org') case: IFPI Denmark v. DMT2 A/S (Frederiksberg Fogedrets Kendelse FS 14324/2007, 5 February 2008) [Bailiff's Court of Frederiksberg (Copenhagen)

This is an English translation of the Danish injunction order in the so-called thepiratebay.org case decided on 5 February 2008 by the Bailiff's Court of Frederiksberg (Copenhagen). Plaintiffs are the music industry. Defendant is a Danish ISP. The court ordered defendant - a Danish telephone company - to block its customers from access to the Swedish website, which help users get music files from each other. Indirectly, the case involves the international issue of how to block online access to information or business from foreign countries and thus hinder international exchange of data - one of the main purposes with the Internet. It also involved the problems copyright holders are having online to protect their interests.

International space launch notification and data exchange

As missile and space launch technology continue to proliferate around the world, nations will benefit from increased transparency to mitigate the potentially strategic consequences of early warning false alarms or misinterpretations. Previous false alarms and risk mitigation steps taken by the United States and the former Soviet Union and Russia are examined. Two pre-launch notification initiatives, the bilateral US/Russia Joint Data Exchange Center and the multilateral Hague Code of Conduct, offer means to further build confidence among spacefaring nations and enhance strategic stability. Pragmatic recommendations are offered to strengthen the emerging pre-launch notification regime.

World Marrow Donor Association guidelines for use of HLA nomenclature and its validation in the data exchange among hematopoietic stem cell donor registries and cord blood banks

Since the advent of the European Marrow Donor Information System in the first half of the last decade, fully automated data exchange between registry computer systems has been playing an ever-increasing role in the international search for unrelated donors of blood progenitor cells. This exchange, however, was hampered by different local conventions used to present HLA data and complicated by the need to extend the official WHO nomenclature to accommodate the registries' information systems and to cross-validate HLA data obtained with different methods and/or at different loci. The guidelines presented here have been developed by the World Marrow Donor Association to standardize the nomenclature to be used and the validation checks to be applied in the international electronic exchange of HLA-typing data among unrelated volunteer hematopoietic stem cell donor registries and umbilical cord blood banks. Two reference web sites have been designated to maintain and update the approved HLA nomenclature and all the ancillary information needed by the conventions described here.

Editorial

Editorial

Some statistics of freezing precipitation and rime for the territory of the former USSR from ground-based weather observations

This work is a continuation of the previous climatological study of freezing precipitation and rime over the USSR territory [ Bezrukova, N.A., Minina, L.S., Naumov, A.Ya., 2000. Freezing precipitation climatology in the former European USSR. Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation, pp.737-739, Reno, Nevada, USA, 14-18 August 2000; Bezrukova, N.A., Jeck, R.K., Minina, L.S., Khalili, M.F., Stulov, E.A., 2004. 10-year Statistics on Freezing Precipitation across the former USSR from surface weather observations. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation, pp.731-734, Bologna, Italy, 19-23 August 2004.] aimed at creating an atlas of the frequency of these phenomena. This study gives considerable information about and a statistical analysis of freezing precipitation and rime events observed over the territory of the former USSR during a decade (1981–1990) and over the European territory of the USSR during two decades (1971–1990). This paper intends to draw the attention of the reader to the atlas and statistics by showing some interesting points. The authors used the data provided by the ground-based weather stations involved in the international exchange of meteorological data. The USSR network's Monthly Meteorological Tables (1971–1990) [Monthly Meteorological Tables, 1971–1990. Part 1, Novosibirsk-Obninsk. (in Russian).] comprising selected daily ground-based meteorological observations from more than 220 stations served as a basis for the analysis. All the types of freezing precipitation (FP) events were given as WMO Codes 56, 57, 66, 67, 24 and freezing fog (FF) deposited rime as WMO Codes 48, 49. The entire territory was divided into six major regions: the Arctic, the European part of the USSR, the Trans-Caucasus, Central Asia, Siberia, and the Far East. The frequency and distribution of events by regions versus temperature, atmospheric pressure, clouds base height, and some other meteorological parameters concerned were obtained. Climatic maps of annual mean, monthly mean, and seasonal mean occurrences of FP and FF were constructed for these regions. The study also analyzes the space–time variability of monthly mean ice-coating duration in hours for the 20-year period of 1971–1990 as observed at over 80 stations in the European part of the USSR (ET), and climatic maps of annual mean and monthly mean ice coating duration for the ET are constructed. The correlation between ice coating duration and height has been evaluated.

Surveillance übertragbarer Krankheiten auf der Grundlage des Infektionsschutzgesetzes in Deutschland durch den öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienst

By the Protection against Infection Act new instruments were established for infectious disease surveillance in Germany. The main innovations were a shift of responsibility for notifications from clinicians to laboratories, the validation of cases by means of case definitions in local public health departments, and the electronic transmission of single case data via state health departments to the Robert Koch Institute. Four years after the Protection against Infection Act was enacted, its implementation was successful from the perspective of state and national health authorities. This was proven by the detection and successful investigation of several diffuse outbreaks. However, further improvements seem necessary and the following points should be considered in a revision of the act: reduction of time limits for data transmission, unambiguous regulation of responsibilities and for data exchange in non-localized outbreaks as well as for international exchange of case data, and introduction of an obligation for clinicians to supply local public health departments with complementary information regarding laboratory reports on demand. The public health sector can contribute to a further improvement of the surveillance system by working to better inform clinicians and laboratories and therewith motivate them to comply with their obligations for notifying diseases and by promoting the scientific evaluation of the system, in particular concerning potential underreporting.

Development of comparable agro‐climatic zones for the international exchange of data on the efficacy and crop safety of plant protection products1

Data on the efficacy and crop safety of plant protection products can be used for registration purposes in other countries, provided crop growth conditions are comparable. This article identifies the main conditions which are relevant in this respect, with particular emphasis on climatic conditions. Comparison of several systems of agro‐climatic classification developed for the EPPO region, particularly the climate diagrams of Walter & Lieth, the climate classification system of Köppen & Geiger, the agro‐climatic areas of Thran & Broekhuizen and natural vegetation maps, has led to a division of the EPPO region (Europe, Mediterranean area, Middle East) into four agro‐climatic zones (Mediterranean, Maritime, North‐east, Central) within which conditions can be considered comparable.

Advocate's Viewpoint on Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Cancer

This paper discusses the presentation I held at the symposium on genetics during the 4th European Breast Cancer Conference held in Hamburg in March 2004.Primarily, the goals and working methods of the advocacy group specialised in Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Cancer of the Dutch Breast Cancer Patient Organisation known as BorstkankerVereniging Nederland (BVN) are explained. Furthermore, some specific individual problems that mutation carriers might encounter before and after BRCA1/2 susceptibility testing are discussed. These include: dilemmas in choosing preventive interventions, dealing with the psychological impact of knowing you are a mutation carrier, dealing with the social implications of being genetically at risk, an example of insurance discrimination. In addition, some controversial social and ethical issues that are currently under debate are highlighted, such as the issue of the European patenting of the breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. Since this topic could also become relevant for other gene-related diseases, society as a whole has to consider the ethical and social implications related to the patenting of human genes in general. Another ethical area of debate is the controversial issue of prenatal BRCA testing and the choice of pregnancy termination.Finally, the Working Party pleads for the international co-operation and exchange of data and experience among professionals as well as patients. It appears that professionals in different European countries tend to advise on different risk management strategies and treatments and as such, the Working Party strongly advocates the international standardisation of risk management and treatment of mutation carriers. In this respect, specific attention should be given to a group that has had a non-informative or negative BRCA test result, because this group is still considered to be at high risk to develop the disease.

Current concept of chronic mountain sickness: pulmonary hypertension–related high-altitude heart disease

High-altitude heart disease, a form of chronic mountain sickness, has been well established in both Tibet and Qinghai provinces of China, although little is known regarding this syndrome in other countries, particularly in the West. This review presents a general overview of high-altitude heart disease in China and briefly summarizes the existing data with regard to the prevalence, clinical features, and pathophysiology of the illness. The definition of high-altitude heart disease is right ventricular enlargement that develops primarily (by high-altitude exposure) to pulmonary hypertension without excessive polycythemia. The prevalence is higher in children than adults and in men than women, but is lower in both sexes of Tibetan high-altitude residents compared with acclimatized newcomers, such as Han Chinese. Clinical symptoms consist of headache, dyspnea, cough, irritability, and sleeplessness. Physical findings include a marked cyanosis, rapid heart and respiratory rates, edema of the face, liver enlargement, and rales. Most patients have complete recovery on descent to a lower altitude, but symptoms recur with a return to high altitude. Right ventricular enlargement, pulmonary hypertension, and remodeling of pulmonary arterioles are hallmarks of high-altitude heart disease. It is hoped that this information will assist in understanding this type of chronic mountain sickness, facilitate international exchange of data, and stimulate further research into this poorly understood condition.

Biofilms and biodiversity: an interactive exploration of aquatic microbial biotechnology and ecology

The study of biofilms provides a unique educational opportunity to examine ecosystems, biodiversity and applications of environmental biotechnology. There are many variables that could be studied for measuring the interactions between bacterial biofilms and invertebrate biodiversity as a method for assessing the health of aquatic ecosystems. These interactions also lend themselves to an easily replicated model system which can be used to reach a wide audience with an educational opportunity for students as well as a professional development opportunity for teachers. At the foundation of the research are invaluable basic microbiology skills: strain collection, isolation, cultivation and characterization. Through the additional process of characterizing, identifying and enumerating invertebrate organisms that attach to bacterial biofilms in aquatic ecosystems, there evolved a multidisciplinary class laboratory activity that has found broad application. This activity is captivating not only to undergraduate microbiology students but to middle and high school students and their teachers. The demand for information about the activity has led to the development of a truly interactive web-based lesson, which in turn has resulted in additional inquiries and further refinement of the lesson as an undergraduate independent research course. Both of these are freely accessible on the web, with growing international participation and data exchange. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 24, 334–338.

Radar horizon modelling as a requirement of SHMI radar network enhancement

First part of the paper introduce a short history of the radar network of Slovak and previously Czechoslovak territory, when the radar composite image was made by-hand from manual radar measurements. Digital data from radar MRL-5 were used later, after additional automation of this radar. Measurements with the higher space and temporal resolution were used consecutively. The installation of new fully automated Doppler weather radar in 1997 on the radar site Malý Javorník represents further qualitative step in radar meteorology of SHMI. Evenly the building-up of new radar sites in Slovakia is assumed in the near future as a new perspective of meteorological and hydrological radar network of SHMI. Major importance of this network will be due to the following points of view: 1. it will be a part of the prepared total flood warning system and 2. the international co-operation and exchange of radar data. Therefore the 2nd part of our paper deals with a radar horizon modelling and analyses by means of a digital terrain model. The way of the modelling of basic products BASE, CAPPI and the minimum visibility height is described as parameters to appreciate the radar horizon quality of selected radar site. Compositing of these products to the common maps is the next step of the modelling to be able to appreciate propriety of various combinations of single radar sites. Preliminary project of the future radar network of SHMI will be presented on the base of results of radar horizon modelling, which must fulfil strait meteorological and hydrological requirements and criteria necessary for a wide project of prepared total flood warning system.

OPERA: Operational programme for the exchange of weather radar information. First results and outlook for the future

The importance of exchanging weather radar data within Europe as a means of extending each NMSs national radar network at little or no extra cost was recognised by the ICWED Directors in 1992 when they set up the Liaison Group on Operational European Weather Radar Networking (GORN group). As a follow-up activity to GORN the optional EUMETNET programme OPERA was established with the main objective “to harmonise and improve the operational exchange of weather radar information between National Meteorological Services”. The OPERA activity commenced in January 1999 with the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics Vienna / Austria as responsible member, and with 22 European National Meteorological Services participating. The programme has been divided into 4 work areas with a working group for each of them. The work areas are: production of radar data, international radar data exchange, archiving and management. Operational radar data exchange is already being performed by all participating Meteorological Services, using the GTS-network and the BUFR-encoding and decoding software developed under the OPERA-programme. Applying the OPERA-standards for data-exchange and archiving makes it very easy for Meteorological Services to extend or complement their national radar-networks with neighbouring radars.

Electronic network for monitoring travellers' diarrhoea and detection of an outbreak caused by Salmonella enteritidis among overseas travellers.

The Traveller's Diarrhoea Network, by which the Infectious Disease Surveillance Center is electronically connected with two major airport quarantine stations and three infectious disease hospitals, was launched in February 1988 in Japan. The data on travellers' diarrhoea detected is reported weekly by e-mail. Two clusters of infection among travellers returning from Italy were reported by two airport quarantine stations at the end of September 1998. A total of 12 salmonella isolates from 2 clusters were examined. All were identified as Salmonella enteritidis, phage type 4 and showed identical banding patterns on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. A case-control study showed that the scrambled eggs served at the hotel restaurant in Rome were the likely source of this outbreak. This outbreak could not have been detected promptly and investigated easily without the e-mail network. International exchange of data on travellers' diarrhoea is important for preventing and controlling food-borne illnesses infected abroad.