New Set Of Instruments Research Articles

Defining “Crisis” in Migration Governance: a Critical Legal Mapping of EU Crisis Response Mechanisms

Abstract Over the past ten years, the language of crisis has become increasingly common in discourse about migration governance at the European Union (EU) level, and policy responses have been oriented by an emergency rationale that prioritizes short-term solutions over long-term planning. EU migration and asylum law incorporates several crisis response mechanisms, and the addition of a new set of instruments has recently been proposed. This paper offers a critical legal mapping of what counts as a “crisis” in EU migration and asylum law, and the mechanisms for responding to such crises. It exemplifies a complex system in which the tension between the imperative to address threats purportedly arising from unwanted migration is intricately intertwined with the necessity of granting Member States flexibility to respond to contingencies without compromising the integrity of the common EU asylum and migration system.

Pangamelan: reciclar sartenes para una música colectiva y sostenible

The artistic and educational project of Pangamelan.org raises the process of building musical instruments based on the recycling of disused frying pans and with affordable and low- cost technical requirements. It is inspired by the Indonesian musical tradition of Gamelan, and implements its logic of group performance with a new set of instruments, made with pans recovered from recycling centers or contributed by the participants in the workshops, bringing us closer to Indonesian sonorities: The pans they can sound like bells or gongs, the handles become drumsticks and hammers; the supporting structures are built by recycling old furniture and fabrics. During the construction and sound design, notions about acoustic physics, hearing awareness, non-Western musical tonalities and scales are introduced, and in the musical practice phase, the dynamics of group interpretation, techniques and rhythms are introduced in counterpoint according to the Balinese tradition, to the creation of new musical forms typical of each group.

EXTENSION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW ORDER IN THE INFORMATION AREA THROUGH DIGITAL DIPLOMACY

Hybrid threats cover the whole spectrum of fake news, cyber/information warfare. They periodically impose the multimedia agenda in all known spaces to man. If for the Earth’s natural spaces, we have norms and customs respected international, the navigation in the digital space does not confer to the user the same protection given by a code of laws accepted worldwide, although we have a new set of instruments with shield role against dangers called cyber security. In order for this cyber security to be accepted by as many (non) state actors as possible, we need international norms, built by professionals with expertise and proactive thinking. The people with specific responsibilities for negotiating such rules are diplomats, in this case we have the digital diplomats. What is their purpose? What is the connection between hybrid warfare, digital diplomacy and humanitarian law? These are questions that we answer through this research. In the structure of the paper we used concepts from International Humanitarian Law (IHL) norms that can be adapted to cyber operations and hybrid threats. In the case of the use of aggressive cyber actions and cyber capabilities, the competence of current international law is the objective of the article for the emergence of the right to self-defence. Then, we look at aspects of military actions involving cyberattacks, designed on the spectrum of the cyber operation, and these cyber actions will be examined applying principles established by existing laws.

Assessment of cognitive functions in patients with multiple sclerosis applying the normative values of the Rao\u2019s brief repeatable battery in the Portuguese population

BackgroundThe Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRBN-T) is one of the most sensitive and used measures for detecting cognitive impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (MS).ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to adapt and validate this battery to the Portuguese population of MS patients.MethodsThe Portuguese version of the BRBN-T was applied to a stratified control national sample of 326 individuals considering sex, age, educational level and geographic location and also a clinical sample of 115 MS patients from several national hospitals. Through the exploration of its psychometrics properties, the Portuguese BRBN-T norms were produced.ResultsThe normative data is presented as a regression-based formula to adjust test scores for gender, education and age, and the results reveal the BRBN-T has the ability to differentiate between MS patients and healthy participant’s cognitive performance.ConclusionThis study demonstrated in our clinical population a good ability to detect cognitive impairment. Its clearly contributed to reinforcing the neuropsychological assessment in Portugal in patients with MS, by providing a new set of instruments, which can be used in the clinical practice, and in future studies. Moreover, it will allow a rigorous and precise support in relation to neuropsychological assessment for future longitudinal studies and clinical trials.

Can Monetary Policy Prevent Financial Crises?

Monetary policy is an important public policy, but it is not the only one to stabilize our economy and reduce its business cycles. The leading central bank, the Federal Reserve of the U.S., has introduced, after the 2008 global financial crisis, new instruments and unusual facilities to implement its new innovative monetary policy. The financial world and mostly the social scientists watch as the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decides on a target interest rate in the federal funds market for the next period. The framework that the FOMC uses to implement monetary policy has changed over the last twelve years and continues to evolve today. Here, we try to evaluate the new instruments and their “effectiveness”. Before the 2008 financial crisis, policymakers used one set of traditional instruments (tools) to achieve the target rate. However, several policy interventions, introduced soon after the crisis, drastically altered the landscape of the federal funds market and the traditional economic theory. This new and uncertain environment, with enormous reserves and even interest on reserves, necessitated a new set of instruments by the Fed for its monetary policy implementation. Lately, after seven years of zero interest rate, the FOMC began in December 2015 to increase the target rate and then, went back again to a lower one, but many questions arise. How did they evaluate the effectiveness of these new instruments? Is the current federal funds rate the appropriate one for our economic wellbeing? How efficient was so far this ZIR monetary policy after the latest global financial crisis? Why the Fed put all these burdens of its ‘innovated” new monetary policy to the poor taxpayers (bail out) and to the risk-averse depositors (bail in)? Is it possible for the Fed’s policy to prevent the future financial crises? The federal funds rate was very low and affected negatively the financial markets (bubbles were growing), the real rates of interest (it is negative for twelve years), and the deposit rates (they are closed to zero for twelve years). The redistribution of wealth of depositors and taxpayers continues, which means the true economic welfare is falling and a new global recession was in preparation, if the current unfair easy money policy will persist, ignoring the necessity of a prevention of financial crises. Then, it came as an unexpected plague the coronavirus pandemic, following with a new but, the worse in economic history global crisis (chaos).

Implementing Monetary Policy after the 2008 Financial Crisis

Every six weeks or so (9 times during the year), the financial world watches as the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decides on a target interest rate in the federal funds market for the next period. But what happens next? How do policymakers make sure that interest rates in the fed funds market trade within the target range? What will be the effect of the new target rate on the Wall Street and the Main Street? How efficient is so far the monetary policy after the latest global financial crisis? Is the target rate the correct one? The framework that the FOMC uses to implement monetary policy has changed over the last decade and continues to evolve today. Before the 2008 financial crisis, policymakers used one set of instruments to achieve the target rate. However, several policy interventions introduced soon after the crisis drastically altered the landscape of the federal funds market. This new and uncertain environment, with enormous reserves, necessitated a new set of instruments for monetary policy implementation. Lately, after December 2015, as the FOMC began to unwind the effects of these policy interventions, some questions arise: What rules will be followed by the Fed? What happens next as the federal funds market converges to a “new normal”? How effective will be the new policy? Can the Fed prevent a new crisis? The federal funds rate is very low and affects negatively the financial markets (bubbles are growing), the real rates of interest, and the deposit rates, which means the true economic welfare is falling and a new global recession is in preparation, if the latest easy money policy will continue.

An Assessment of Direct and Indirect Liabilities of Polish Banks AD 2015 (Bezpoorednie I Poorednie Obciiienia Polskich Bankkw Ad 2015. Prrba Inwentaryzacji I Pomiaru Niekttrych Z Nich)

The present document is an attempt at a comprehensive analysis of direct and indirect burdens imposed upon banks in 2015. The idea to present such factors — which are often extremely varied in nature — in a single study was born out of the fact that these factors are often considered separately, on the basis of various criteria, which causes them to be split into different groups. This approach results in a fairly common tendency for fragmentary assessment of their impact and, more importantly, in the adoption of piecemeal regulations which fail to take into account the full impact of the actions taken in different areas. This applies in equal measures to supervisory authorities, regulators, analysts, policymakers and the media, which means that, in a somewhat oversimplified sense, the above statement is applicable to the public at large. This situation can be most succinctly characterised in the manner presented below. In the aftermath of the crisis, banks require a new set of instruments to regulate the functioning thereof. This is because they are to become more stable, safe, less risk-prone and more customer-friendly. Each of these areas requires a separate set of regulatory instruments, along with the respective subgroups thereof. Oftentimes they are not synchronised with each other and are usually aimed at the implementation of a specific, particular goal to an excessive extent. In addition, there are also “special tasks” such as the reform of the Credit and Saving Unions (SKOK).

Development of a valid and reliable evaluation instrument for undergraduate nursing students during simulation

Background : Many nurse educators are using instruments to evaluate undergraduate nursing students' performance during simulation. Rigorous reliability and validity testing for such instruments is often not presented. Evaluation and testing of instruments used is needed to support objective measurement of student performance. Methods : This paper describes the development and testing of three new scenario-specific checklist instruments used for evaluating undergraduate nursing students' performance on an Objective Structured Clinical Examination using simulation. The new instruments were compared with original weighted ones previously used. An informal Delphi method was used to enhance content validity; Cronbach's alpha was utilized for reliability testing. Results : Although neither set of instruments had been used with trained raters, the new set of instruments performed better on reliability analysis. Conclusions : Checklist instruments may be more reliable in the objective measurement of student performance.

Facing up to the Bear: Confronting Putin's Russia

Under the autocratic rule of Vladimir Putin, Russia has become fundamentally antagonistic to the West, and it will not become cooperative in the near future. The Russian regime wants to secure its own authoritarian power structure, recreate an empire and weaken the West. It has developed a new set of instruments, such as hybrid warfare and projecting political influence, to which the West still has to find the right answer. However, the project of strengthening the West to face this massive threat must be undertaken. NATO and the EU will have to find innovative answers. What is crucial is finding the political will to do so.

Torque and Force Induced by ProTaper Universal and ProTaper Next during Shaping of Large and Small Root Canals in Extracted Teeth

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to compare peak torque and force between ProTaper Universal (PTU) and ProTaper Next (PTN) instruments during the preparation of large and small root canals in extracted teeth. MethodsTwelve maxillary incisors and each independent canal of 6 mesial roots of mandibular molars were randomly assigned to be prepared with a new set of either PTU or PTN instruments after a glide path was achieved. A total of 12 new sets of each instrument system were used. The tests were run in a standardized fashion in a torque-testing platform. Peak torques (Ncm) and force (N) were registered; analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc tests were then applied. ResultsAmong instruments in the same sequence, no significant differences in peak torque and force were found among PTN instruments when shaping small or large root canals, but some PTU instruments showed statistically lower peak torque and force (P < .01) than others for both types of canals. Whereas PTU instruments showed significant differences in peak torque and force (P < .05) between large and small root canals, PTN instruments showed significantly lower force (P < .04) in large canals, but peak torque was not significantly different for upper central incisors or mesial mandibular root canals. ConclusionsUnder the conditions of this study, instruments in ProTaper Next set showed greater regularity in peak torque for small and large canals than ProTaper Universal instruments.

The Thirty-Meter Telescope: Science and Instrumentation for a Next-Generation Observatory

The Thirty-Meter Telescope international observatory will enable transformational observations over the full cosmic timeline all the way from the first luminous objects in the Universe to the planets and moons of our own solar system. To realize its full scientific potential, TMT will be equipped with a powerful suite of adaptive optics systems and science instruments. Three science instruments will be available at first light: an optical multi-object spectrometer, a near-infrared multi-slit spectrometer and a diffraction-limited near-infrared imager and integral field spectrometer. In addition to these three instruments, a diverse set of new instruments under study will bring additional workhorse capabilities to serve the science interests of a broad user community. The development of TMT instruments represents a large, long-term program that offers a wide range of opportunities to all TMT partners.

A new set of instruments for laparoscopic pyeloplasty: development and assessment

Objective To overcome some difficulties and technical challenges encountered during pure laparoscopic pyeloplasty,we designed a set of new instruments and assessed them using porcine model.Methods According to the ideas from the surgeons,our medical engineer designed three new instruments,including the right angle laparoscopy scissors,the petal-shape ureter dilator and the guide tube.Four experienced laparoscopic experts were involved in a no survival porcine study to assess the help of these new instruments.Four experiments were conducted on live pigs that weighed 22 to 25 kg at the same time.After general anesthesia was administered,transperitoneal ureteroureterostomy was performed using standard laparoscopic instruments,including placing the double J stent anterograde.Then,the opposite lateral was done by the same surgeon plus these new devices for side-by-side comparative analysis.All experts were interviewed to assess these new instruments by the questionnaire based on the visual analog scale (VAS) from 1 (none) to 10 (very much).Results The procedures were all technically successful.The right angle laparoscopy scissors and the guide tube were accepted by all participants and the Help Scores was 6.75 and 4.25 respectively,at the same time the New Difficulty Score 1.25 and 1.75.However,the petal-shape ureter dilator got 1.50 Help Score and 6.50 New Difficulty Score,these surgeons made a negative comment and one of surgeons recommended the stone basket more suitable.Conclusion The right angle laparoscopy scissors and the guide tube may be helpful to minimize some difficulties in pure laparoscopic pyeloplasty.The petal-shape ureter dilator needs improvement. Key words: Laparoscopy; Pyeloplasty ; Instrument; Pig

Influence of Rescrubbing Before Laparotomy Closure on Abdominal Wound Infection After Colorectal Cancer Surgery

To test the hypothesis that strict asepsis in closing wounds following laparotomy reduces the risk for surgical wound infection in elective colorectal cancer surgery. Multicenter randomized clinical trial conducted from June 1, 2009, through June 1, 2010. Colorectal surgery units of 9 Spanish hospitals. A total of 969 patients who underwent elective colorectal cancer surgery were eligible for randomization. In closing the laparotomy wound, the patients were randomized to 2 groups: conventional (n=516) and new operation (n=453). In the conventional group, a new set of instruments was used, surgical staff changed their gloves, and the surgical drapes surrounding the laparotomy were covered by a new set of drapes. The new operation group involved removing all drapes, the surgical staff scrubbed again, and a new set of drapes and instruments was used. Incisional (superficial and deep) surgical site infection 30 days after the operation and risk factors for postoperative wound infections. A total of 146 incisional surgical site infections (15.1%) were diagnosed. Of these, 96 (9.9%) were superficial and 50 (5.1%) were deep infections. On an intent-to-treat basis, significant differences were found between both groups (66 [12.8%] in the conventional group vs 80 [17.7%] in the new operation group [P=.04]). This study does not support the use of rescrubbing to reduce the incidence of incisional surgical site infection. isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN19463413

Interprofessional Education

The past decade witnessed momentum toward redesigning the U.S. health care system with the intent to improve quality of care. To achieve and sustain this change, health professions education must likewise reform to prepare future practitioners to optimize their ability to participate in the new paradigm of health care delivery. Recognizing that interprofessional education (IPE) is gaining momentum as a crucial aspect of health care professions training, this article provides an introduction to IPE programs from three different academic health centers, which were developed and implemented to train health care practitioners who provide patient-centered, collaborative care. The three participating programs are briefly described, as well as the processes and some lessons learned that were critical in the process of adopting IPE programs in their respective institutions. Critical aspects of each program are described to allow comparison of the critical building blocks for developing an IPE program. Among those building blocks, the authors present information on the planning processes of the different institutions, the competencies that each program aims to instill in the graduates, the snapshot of the three curricular models, and the assessment strategies used by each institution. The authors conclude by providing details that may provide insight for academic institutions considering implementation of IPE programs.

Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery–Based Transanal Access for Colorectal Surgery: Experience on Human Cadavers

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) was described in 1983 for local excision of rectal tumors. In the context of natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery, we have modified the original TEM system and developed a new set of instruments. These are more curved and, in addition, steerable. After extensive studies in an ex-vivo model, we developed a novel technique for transanal rectosigmoid resection and colorectal anastomosis. The technique comprises closure of the rectal lumen by purse-string suture, transection of the rectal wall distal to the closure, circumferential mobilization of rectum and mesorectal tissue in the anatomical plane from below upward, control of the inferior mesenteric vessel, removal of mobilized colorectum through the anus, and, finally, the colorectal anastomosis by either stapled or hand-sutured technique. This procedure was performed on three alcohol-glycerol preserved well-built human cadavers (M:F=2:1). The average operating time was 190 minutes. The average length of the resected specimen was 23 cm. There was no fecal contamination or injury to the resected specimen. Postprocedure laparotomy revealed adequate mesorectal resection and no inadvertent injury to other viscera. During dissection in the pelvis, as the resected rectum was pushed upward, an unobstructed "empty pelvis" situation was developed in the operating site, thus facilitating the mesorectal resection. Transanal access for colorectal surgery seems feasible. It provides a precise definition of the distal safety margin, good view of the pelvis for meticulous mesorectal resection, and reduces the abdominal wall trauma. These may enhance the outcome of colorectal resection. However, further clinical studies can only substantiate these findings.

Institutions and Economic Performance: Endogeneity and Parameter Heterogeneity

The hallmark of the recent development and growth literature is the quest to identify institutions that explain significant portions of the observed differences in living standards. There are two drawbacks to the prominent approaches that focus either on the global sample, or on developing nations. First, it is unclear whether the identified institutions also hold explanatory power in advanced countries. Second, it is unclear whether the identified institutions matter to the same degree across all countries, or whether perhaps an altogether different set of institutions matters in advanced countries. To address these issues, we examine parameter heterogeneity in prominent approaches to institutions and economic performance. We find that parameter heterogeneity is so strong that it requires a new set of instruments to control for endogeneity. At the same time, however, we confirm that a common set of economically important institutions does exist among advanced and developing nations. The impact of these institutions is shown to vary substantially across subsamples; they are about three times more important in developing countries than in OECD countries.

Institutions and Economic Performance: Endogeneity and Parameter Heterogeneity

The hallmark of the recent development and growth literature is the quest to identify institutions that explain significant portions of the observed differences in living standards. There are two drawbacks to the prominent approaches that focus either on the global sample, or on developing nations. First, it is unclear whether the identified institutions also hold explanatory power in advancedcountries. Second, it is unclear whether the identified institutions matter to the same degree across all countries, or whether perhaps an altogether different set of institutions matters in advanced countries. To address these issues, we examine parameter heterogeneity in prominent approaches to institutions and economic performance. We find that parameter heterogeneity is so strong that it requires a new set of instruments to control for endogeneity. At the same time, however, we confirm that a common set of economically important institutions does exist among advanced and developing nations. The impact of these institutions is shown to vary substantially across subsamples; they are about three times more important in developing countries than in OECD countries.

On the Retail Service Quality Expectations of Chinese Shoppers

The development of effective retailing strategies that are sensitive to cross-cultural differences would seem to be of considerable importance to their success in the global marketplace. Building on two existing models, SERVQUAL and RSQS, this study developed scales to examine service quality in Hong Kong's supermarkets. Based on intensive field study, we revised the existing service quality instruments and developed a new set of instruments to measure service quality in Hong Kong's markets. A new underlying structure emerged, suggesting that in Hong Kong, Chinese consumers perceived service quality in the regular supermarkets based on their purchasing process instead of from the tangible and non-tangible aspects found in previous studies. In the enhanced supermarkets, however, consumers perceived service quality differently than did the consumers in the regular type of store, suggesting a different model would be appropriate. Overall study results indicated that the measurement and underlying structure of service quality perception was not only industry and culture specific, but also specific to the form of retail structures that may enter the cultural mélange of the Chinese marketplace.

The Institutional Interplay Regarding the New Architecture for the EC's External Assistance

Abstract: The article concerns the inter‐institutional relations and describes the dynamics between the main EC institutions in the decision‐making process regarding the adoption of the new external action instruments. In 2004, the Commission had proposed a set of new external action instruments as base for the delivery of the Community's external assistance. By that time, the existing instruments amounted to more than 30 different legal instruments, which implicated a loss of efficiency in the management of the EC's external assistance. After 2 years of inter‐institutional negotiations between the European Parliament, Council and the Commission, the new set of instruments was finally adopted. Compared to the initial Commission proposals, the design of the new instruments got significantly reshaped in the course of the inter‐institutional decision‐making procedure. In particular, the European Parliament had gained an unprecedented degree of power over the legislative framework for external spending.Compared to the former range of geographic and thematic regulations, the new external action instruments fundamentally reform the delivery of external financial assistance with their streamlined and simplified structure. They consist of three horizontal instruments to respond to particular needs or crisis situation: an Instrument for Stability, an Instrument for Nuclear Safety Co‐operation) and a European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. With regard to geographic coverage, four instruments will implement particular policies: the Instrument for Pre‐accession Assistance, the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument and the Instrument for Development Co‐operation and an Instrument for Co‐operation with Industrialised Countries.

European Regulators in the Network Sectors: Revolution or Evolution?

The coming into force of the electronic communications directives, the energy directives and Regulation 1/2003 has given the European Commission a new set of instruments to safeguard the uniform application of European law by the 27 independent national regulatory authorities founded by the member states in implementation of European legislation. On the one hand, the Commission has itself acquired wide-ranging powers to monitor and regulate the national authorities both directly and ex ante. It has the power to formulate ex ante rules, including binding comitology guidelines and European policy rules which, on the grounds of Article 10 EC and specific co-operation obligations laid down in European legislation, national authorities must take into account when exercising their powers. The Commission also has the power, in the interests of uniform application of European law, to intervene ex ante in national procedures by making comments, vetoing decisions and/or removing a national authority from a case. On the other hand, the Commission has increasingly used 'hybrid' forms of regulation through the founding of independent European networks of national regulators. Within these networks, the national regulatory authorities in the various member states must co-operate with each other and with the Commission to guarantee uniform application of European law. These networks include the European Energy Regulators Group (ERGEG), the European Regulators Group for Communications Networks and Services (ERG) and the European Competition Network (ECN). A network of financial regulatory authorities had already been set up earlier in the financial sector, in the form of the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR). The European networks of national regulators are hybrid in nature. Their lack of legal personality means they do not have the status of 'EU independent agencies' which, established on the basis of European regulations, do have legal personality and are able to carry out their daily tasks at one remove from the European institutions. Neither are the European networks national agencies. The independent European networks of national regulators are increasingly manifesting themselves as autonomous entities. Through hybrid forms of regulation (such as Common Positions or European policy rules) created as a consequence of the interaction between informal European and national actions, they are able to influence the decisions of both the Commission and the national authorities. As part of the reform of European legislation in the network sectors, the Commission is currently looking at the possibilities for uniform application of European law in the member states and looking at ways of improving the co-ordination between the different national regulatory authorities (see section 6). The Commission wishes to increase its own ex ante powers and is examining whether the role of the European networks of national regulators could be further strengthened by the creation of 'European networks plus'. It recently published a proposal for a Regulation founding a European Agency for the Co-operation between Energy Regulators. As this paper will show, owing to the hybrid nature of the European networks and their actions, there are a number of 'accountability gaps' both in the present situation and in the proposals for the 'European networks plus'. This article analyses the problems which arise with regard to the political and legal accountability of the independent national regulatory authorities which work together with each other and with the Commission in the European networks of national regulators or the 'European networks plus'. It devotes attention to the political monitoring by and accountability to the European Parliament and/or the national parliaments at the European and national level, respectively, and to the potential role of judicial oversight by the European Court of Justice and the national courts. A distinction is consistently drawn between the present situation of more informal co-operation between the national regulatory authorities in the European networks and the strengthened co-operation within the 'European networks plus'. This article also makes a number of proposals for improving the accountability of the 'European networks plus'.