A survey of stakeholder organisations on the proposed new European chemicals policy

In February 2001, the European Commission published a White Paper proposing that a single new system of chemical regulation should be applied throughout the Member States of the European Union. The proposed Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) system was to include both new and existing chemicals, with the aim of ensuring that sufficient pertinent data were made available to enable human health and the environment to be protected. The policy was founded on the principle of sustainable industrial development, and ambitiously attempted to incorporate the needs and views of key stakeholder organisations, such as industry, trade associations, consumer groups, environmentalists, animal welfarists and Member State governments. During the period between the publication of the White Paper and the on-line publication of consultation documents, as part of a public consultation exercise, in May 2003, many of these key stakeholder organisations produced material in support of or critical of the White Paper, either in part or as a whole. In this paper, we have attempted to review this extensive material and to present it in the context of the current chemical regulatory system that the REACH system will replace. Emphasis is placed on the impact of the new policy on the number of animals used in the testing regimes within the REACH system and the inclusion of alternative methods into the legislation. Although supportive of the overriding aims of the new policy, FRAME believes that the fundamental concept of a risk-free environment is flawed, and that the new REACH system will involve the unjustifiable use of millions of laboratory animals. The new policy does include alternative methods, particularly for base-set substances. Nevertheless, alternative testing methods that are already available have been excluded and replaced with outdated in vivo versions. There is also insufficient detail with regard to the further development and validation of alternative methods, particularly for substances of high concern, such as endocrine disrupters or reproductive toxins, for which no alternative testing methods currently exist.     

A stakeholder perspective into wildlife policy in India

We investigated perceptions of wildlife policy and issues through questionnaires (n = 148) administered to policy makers, conservation scientists, individuals representing non-government organizations (NGOs), and field officials, who implemented government policies and enforced laws. We found significant differences among attitudes of stakeholders identifying major threats to wildlife, the use of science, the role of poaching in conservation, and the composition of species illegally traded. Policy makers and field officials differed in their views with NGOs and scientists on community response to wildlife policies and the varying threat perceptions to different species due to poaching and illegal trade. We noted ambiguity among stakeholders about sustainable use principles in India. Policies must be more effective in conservation and the process of making policy must be broad-based and participatory if wildlife conservation is to advance on the subcontinent. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

Suggesting a new European language policy

Conflict is the most intriguing aspect of contact linguistics. Throughout history ever since the Tower of Babel was left unfinished, contacts between speakers of different languages have unavoidably resulted in conflicts between speakers of those languages. Without any doubt, the European Union (EU)--above all after the decision to enlarge the community--has accepted the multidisciplinary symbolic function of language and culture as a basis for European political unification. Accordingly, European Union policy makers have had to analyze conflicts caused by monolingualism and multilingualism, all aspects of contact linguistics. Can these conflicts be solved, minimized or neutralized by strategies of language planning, language policies and language politics? Initial results of European language policy strategies permit at least a cautious measure of optimism and open broad perspectives for the future of a New Multilingualism which will be discussed in our contribution.     

The European federation of organisations for medical physics policy statement no. 15: Recommended guidelines on the role of the medical physicist within the hospital governance board

This EFOMP Policy Statement presents an outline on hospital governance and encourages the participation of the Medical Physicist in the hospital governance. It also emphasises how essential it is for Medical Physicists to engage in their hospital's governing board's committees for the overall good of the patient.     

A survey of contraception in five west European countries

In 1984 and 1985, a survey was conducted of 7696 women aged 15-44 living in Italy, France, Great Britain, Spain and the Federal Republic of Germany. The aim of the study was to examine the use of contraceptive methods, the differences in contraceptive use, knowledge of fertility, communication about contraception, motives for choice and the perceptions held by women regarding contraceptive methods, particularly oral contraception. The results show important differences between the countries studied.     

The European federation of organisations for medical physics policy statement No. 13: Recommended guidelines on the development of safety and quality management systems for medical physics departments

This EFOMP Policy Statement outlines the way in which a Safety and Quality Management System can be developed for Medical Physics Departments. The Policy Statement can help Medical Physicists to eliminate or at least minimize accidents or incidences due to improper use or application of medical technology on one hand and on the other to guarantee a safe, effective and efficient usage of new highly complicated and sophisticated technologies and procedures.     

A new proposed sweet potato starch granule structure--pomegranate concept

There are two competing concepts about organization of starch granule, fibrillar concept (or amylopectin clustering concept) and blocklet concept. A new micrograph of gelatinized sweet potato starch mixed with lactose might combine the two concepts and recover the mysterious structure of starch granule. Here we propose a possible granule structure of sweet potato starch by analyzing its gelatinization micrographs mixed with different carbohydrates. As the structure of pomegranate, out-layer of granule is equivalent to skin of pomegranate, blocklets are same to garnet of pomegranate, the amylopectin clusters with one reducing end at hilum, equivalent to primary body of pomegranate, constitute the basic structure of granule, in the special parts of the clusters, lots of blocklets form and increase, very like the born of garnet of pomegranate. At the same time double helix appears in blocklets, the arrangements of blocklets, same as garnet in pomegranate, form the semi-crystalline growth rings. The crystal type of starch is determined by arrangement of blocklet on it, hexagonal for A type, monoclinic for B type.     

石椒草属植物化学成分与药理活性研究概况

石椒草属植物在我国西南地区有较多的分布,是我国传统的民族药之一。本文概述了石椒草属植物化学成分与药理活性的研究进展。