Law JournalFeeds » International http://law.journalfeeds.com/category/international/ the knowledge syndicate Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:41:56 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Nonparametric Bayesian inference of the fiber orientation distribution from diffusion-weighted MR images http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/nonparametric-bayesian-inference-of-the-fiber-orientation-distribution-from-diffusion-weighted-mr-images/20120203/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/nonparametric-bayesian-inference-of-the-fiber-orientation-distribution-from-diffusion-weighted-mr-images/20120203/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:30:32 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 31 January 2012

Enrico Kaden, Frithjof Kruggel

Diffusion MR imaging provides a unique tool to probe the microgeometry of nervous tissue and to explore the wiring diagram of the neural connections noninvasively. Generally, a forward model is established to map the intra-voxel fiber architecture onto the observable diffusion signals, which is reformulated in this article by adopting a measure-theoretic approach. However, the inverse problem, i.e., the spherical deconvolution of the fiber orientation density from noisy MR measurements, is ill-posed. We propose a nonparametric representation of the tangential distribution of the nerve fibers in terms of a Dirichlet process mixture. Given a second-order approximation of the impulse response of a fiber segment, the specified problem is solved by Bayesian statistics under a Rician noise model, using an adaptive reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo sampler. The density estimation framework is demonstrated by various experiments with a diffusion MR dataset featuring high angular resolution, uncovering the fiber orientation field in the cerebral white matter of the living human brain.


Graphical abstract

Bayesian density estimation allows us to disentangle three crossing fiber bundles in the centrum semiovale.
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Highlights

► The spherical convolution model is reformulated by adopting a measure-theoretic approach. ► The fiber orientation density is represented by a Dirichlet process mixture, which may be used for realistic simulations. ► The inverse problem is solved by nonparametric Bayesian statistics under a Rician noise model. ► The density estimation framework is demonstrated with HARDI datasets.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/nonparametric-bayesian-inference-of-the-fiber-orientation-distribution-from-diffusion-weighted-mr-images/20120203/feed/ 0 Brain Tissue Segmentation in MR Images based on a Hybrid of MRF and Social Algorithms http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/brain-tissue-segmentation-in-mr-images-based-on-a-hybrid-of-mrf-and-social-algorithms/20120203/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/brain-tissue-segmentation-in-mr-images-based-on-a-hybrid-of-mrf-and-social-algorithms/20120203/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:30:32 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 31 January 2012

Sahar Yousefi, Reza Azmi, Morteza Zahedi

Effective abnormality detection and diagnosis in Magnetic Resonance Images (MRIs) requires a robust segmentation strategy. Since manual segmentation is a time-consuming task which engages valuable human resources, automatic MRI segmentations received an enormous amount of attention. For this goal, various techniques have been applied. However, Markov Random Field (MRF) based algorithms have produced reasonable results in noisy images compared to other methods. MRF seeks a label field which minimizes an energy function. The traditional minimization method, simulated annealing (SA), uses Monte Carlo simulation to access the minimum solution with heavy computation burden. For this reason, MRFs are rarely used in real time processing environments. This paper proposed a novel method based on MRF and a hybrid of social algorithms that contain an ant colony optimization (ACO) and a Gossiping algorithm which can be used for segmenting single and multispectral MRIs in real time environments. Combining ACO with the Gossiping algorithm helps find the better path using neighborhood information. Therefore, this interaction causes the algorithm to converge to an optimum solution faster. Several experiments on phantom and real images were performed. Results indicate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the traditional MRF and hybrid of MRF-ACO in speed and accuracy.


Graphical abstract

Effective abnormality detection and diagnosis in Magnetic Resonance Images (MRIs) requires a robust segmentation strategy. Since manual segmentation is a so time-consuming task which engages valuable human resources, automatic MRI segmentation have been received an enormous amount of attention. For this purpose various techniques have been applied however Markov Random Field (MRF) based algorithms have produced better results in noisy images compared to other methods. MRF seeks for a label field which minimizes energy function. Traditional minimization method, simulated annealing (SA), uses Monte Carlo simulation to access the minimum solution with heavy computation burden. For this reason MRFs never be used in real time processing environments. This paper proposed a novel method based on MRF and hybrid of social algorithms contains ant colony optimization (ACO) and Gossiping algorithm. Combining ACO with Gossiping algorithm assists ants to find the better path using the information of their neighbors. Therefore, this interaction causes the algorithm converges to optimum solution faster. Several experiments on phantom and real images were performed. Results indicate the proposed algorithm outperforms the traditional MRF in speed and accuracy.
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Highlights

► This article presents a novel unsupervised MRF-based model for MRI segmentation. ► The proposed method uses ACO and gossiping algorithm to speed up the classic MRF. ► Tackling Gossiping algorithm, the proposed method assists ants in smart decision. ► The IBSR and Brainweb datasets have been used for testing the method. ► Results. ► demonstrate the novel method outperforms other models in speed and quality.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/brain-tissue-segmentation-in-mr-images-based-on-a-hybrid-of-mrf-and-social-algorithms/20120203/feed/ 0 Understanding the Phase Contrast Optics to Restore Artifact-free Microscopy Images for Segmentation http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/understanding-the-phase-contrast-optics-to-restore-artifact-free-microscopy-images-for-segmentation/20120203/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/understanding-the-phase-contrast-optics-to-restore-artifact-free-microscopy-images-for-segmentation/20120203/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:30:32 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 2 February 2012

Zhaozheng Yin, Takeo Kanade, Mei Chen

Phase contrast, a noninvasive microscopy imaging technique, is widely used to capture time-lapse images to monitor the behavior of transparent cells without staining or altering them. Due to the optical principle, phase contrast microscopy images contain artifacts such as the halo and shade-off that hinder image segmentation, a critical step in automated microscopy image analysis. Rather than treating phase contrast microscopy images as general natural images and applying generic image processing techniques on them, we propose to study the optical properties of the phase contrast microscope to model its image formation process. The phase contrast imaging system can be approximated by a linear imaging model. Based on this model and input image properties, we formulate a regularized quadratic cost function to restore artifact-free phase contrast images that directly correspond to the specimen’s optical path length. With artifacts removed, high quality segmentation can be achieved by simply thresholding the restored images. The imaging model and restoration method are quantitatively evaluated on microscopy image sequences with thousands of cells captured over several days. We also demonstrate that accurate restoration lays the foundation for high performance in cell detection and tracking.

Graphical abstract
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Highlights

► Understand the phase contrast optics and its artifacts. ► Derive the computational imaging model for phase contrast optics. ► Design an effective algorithm to restore artifact-free phase contrast images. ► Facilitate high-performance microscopy image analysis such as cell segmentation.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/understanding-the-phase-contrast-optics-to-restore-artifact-free-microscopy-images-for-segmentation/20120203/feed/ 0 On price discrimination, parallel trade and the availability of patented drugs in developing countries http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/on-price-discrimination-parallel-trade-and-the-availability-of-patented-drugs-in-developing-countries/20120127/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/on-price-discrimination-parallel-trade-and-the-availability-of-patented-drugs-in-developing-countries/20120127/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:07:42 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 25 January 2012

Mainak Mazumdar, Dyuti S. Banerjee

This paper examines the effect of product patent act and parallel trade on the availability of an essential drug in the developing countries. Price discrimination by a Multinational Corporation (MNC) alleviates the problem of non-availability of the drug in a developing country compared to uniform pricing strategy. Incorporating an upstream -downstream market structure we show that in the presence of parallel trade ‘a form of arbitrage’ by traders the MNC cannot successfully discriminate the prices for its product. The analysis however, indicate that if the market size of the developing nation is relatively large, then with Cournot competition among the traders, the manufacturer earns higher profit by allowing parallel trade than by perfectly discriminating the prices for its product. Under Bertrand competition, the strategy to allow parallel trade always dominates the strategy to restrain it.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/on-price-discrimination-parallel-trade-and-the-availability-of-patented-drugs-in-developing-countries/20120127/feed/ 0 A Probabilistic Framework for Image Information Fusion with An Application to Mammographic Analysis http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-probabilistic-framework-for-image-information-fusion-with-an-application-to-mammographic-analysis/20120124/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-probabilistic-framework-for-image-information-fusion-with-an-application-to-mammographic-analysis/20120124/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:17:55 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 24 January 2012

Marina Velikova, Peter J.F. Lucas, Maurice Samulski, Nico Karssemeijer

The recent increased interest in information fusion methods for solving complex problem, such as in image analysis, is motivated by the wish to better exploit the multitude of information, available from different sources, to enhance decision-making. In this paper, we propose a novel method, that advances the state of the art of fusing image information from different views, based on a special class of probabilistic graphical models, called causal independence models. The strength of this method is its ability to systematically and naturally capture uncertain domain knowledge, while performing information fusion in a computationally efficient way. We examine the value of the method for mammographic analysis and demonstrate its advantages in terms of explicit knowledge representation and accuracy (increase of at least 6.3% and 5.2% of true positive detection rates at 5% and 10% false positive rates) in comparison with previous single-view and multi-view systems, and benchmark fusion methods such as naïve Bayes and logistic regression.


Graphical abstract

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Highlights

► We develop a multi-stage probabilistic framework for multi-view image analysis. ► The framework is computationally efficient and quite general to apply to any domain. ► A sound unbiased evaluation procedure for multi-stage models is proposed. ► Comparison with previous mammographic CAD systems show improved performance.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-probabilistic-framework-for-image-information-fusion-with-an-application-to-mammographic-analysis/20120124/feed/ 0 Editorial board http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/editorial-board-23/20120124/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/editorial-board-23/20120124/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:17:55 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Volume 16, Issue 2, February 2012, Pages IFC

[No author name available]

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/editorial-board-23/20120124/feed/ 0 Recent Developments in EU Merger Control: 1 September 2010-31 August 2011 http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/recent-developments-in-eu-merger-control-1-september-2010-31-august-2011/20120120/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/recent-developments-in-eu-merger-control-1-september-2010-31-august-2011/20120120/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:27:39 +0000 admin During the period covered, there has been a marked increase in the number of Phase II investigations and a concomitant decrease in the number of Phase I clearances with commitments.

Significant issues such as parallel mergers, minority shareholdings, and warehousing were debated vigorously—and will have to be clarified in the years ahead.

Flaws have appeared in the cooperation between the Commission and NCAs in relation to upward referrals to the Commission with no guarantee of improvement as a result of the soon to be adopted Guidelines on Best Practices for communication between these authorities.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/recent-developments-in-eu-merger-control-1-september-2010-31-august-2011/20120120/feed/ 0 The Application of EU Competition Law in the Energy Sector http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/the-application-of-eu-competition-law-in-the-energy-sector-2/20120120/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/the-application-of-eu-competition-law-in-the-energy-sector-2/20120120/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:07:08 +0000 admin The centre of gravity of EU competition law enforcement in the energy sector has shifted from the European Commission towards national competition authorities, which are following the lead set by the Commission over the last couple of years while also setting their own priorities.

The Commission is instead focusing on achieving the internal market for energy by regulatory means, by trying to ensure implementation of the third energy package and by facilitating the convergence of market rules in cooperation with ACER.

Perceived regulatory gaps in the regulation of wholesale energy trade have been addressed with a new transparency regulation, which is supposed to enhance regulatory oversight by imposing far-reaching reporting obligations on undertakings and prohibiting insider trading.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/the-application-of-eu-competition-law-in-the-energy-sector-2/20120120/feed/ 0 A CANDLE for a deeperin-vivoinsight http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-candle-for-a-deeperin-vivoinsight/20120118/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-candle-for-a-deeperin-vivoinsight/20120118/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:28:54 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 18 January 2012

Pierrick Coupé, Martin Munz, Jose V. Manjon, Edward Ruthazer, D. Louis Collins

A newCollaborativeApproach for eNhancedDenoising underLow-lightExcitation (CANDLE) is introduced for the processing of 3D laser scanning multiphoton microscopy images. CANDLE is designed to be robust for low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions typically encountered when imaging deep in scattering biological specimens. Based on an optimized non-local means filter involving the comparison of filtered patches, CANDLE locally adapts the amount of smoothing in order to deal with the noise inhomogeneity inherent to laser scanning fluorescence microscopy images. An extensive validation on synthetic data, images acquired on microspheres andin vivoimages is presented. These experiments show that the CANDLE filter obtained competitive results compared to a state-of-the-art method and a locally adaptive optimized nonlocal means filter, especially under low SNR conditions (PSNR<8dB). Finally, the deeper imaging capabilities enabled by the proposed filter are demonstrated on deep tissuein vivoimages of neurons and fine axonal processes in the Xenopus tadpole brain.


Graphical abstract

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Highlights

► A new method for the denoising of confocal and multiphoton images is proposed. ► An extensive validation demonstrates the high denoising performance of our filter. ► The deeperin vivoimaging capabilities enabled by our filter are presented.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-candle-for-a-deeperin-vivoinsight/20120118/feed/ 0 June–September 2011 http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/june-september-2011/20120117/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/june-september-2011/20120117/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:45:29 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/june-september-2011/20120117/feed/ 0 Mass Preserving Image Registration for Lung CT http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/mass-preserving-image-registration-for-lung-ct/20120114/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/mass-preserving-image-registration-for-lung-ct/20120114/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:57:31 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 13 January 2012

Vladlena Gorbunova, Jon Sporring, Pechin Lo, Martine Loeve, Harm A Tiddens, …

This paper presents a mass preserving image registration algorithm for lung CT images. To account for the local change in lung tissue intensity during the breathing cycle, a tissue appearance model based on the principle of preservation of total lung mass is proposed. This model is incorporated into a standard image registration framework with a composition of a global affine and several free-form B-Spline transformations with increasing grid resolution. The proposed mass preserving registration method is compared to registration using the sum of squared intensity differences as a similarity function on four groups of data: 44 pairs of longitudinal inspiratory chest CT scans with small difference in lung volume; 44 pairs of longitudinal inspiratory chest CT scans with large difference in lung volume; 16 pairs of expiratory and inspiratory CT scans; and 5 pairs of images extracted at end exhale and end inhale phases of 4D-CT images. Registration errors, measured as the average distance between vessel tree centerlines in the matched images, are significantly lower for the proposed mass preserving image registration method in the second, third and fourth group, while there is no statistically significant difference between the two methods in the first group. Target registration error, assessed via a set of manually annotated landmarks in the last group, was significantly smaller for the proposed registration method.


Graphical abstract

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Highlights

► Preservation of mass is a plausible model of lung parenchyma. ► Mass preserving model simulates lung tissue density change related to the change in regional ventilation. ► Incorporating mass preserving model into an image registration leads to more accurate results.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/mass-preserving-image-registration-for-lung-ct/20120114/feed/ 0 Strategic Delegation And “Judicial Couples” In The Italian Constitutional Court http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/strategic-delegation-and-%e2%80%9cjudicial-couples%e2%80%9d-in-the-italian-constitutional-court/20120113/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/strategic-delegation-and-%e2%80%9cjudicial-couples%e2%80%9d-in-the-italian-constitutional-court/20120113/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:05:32 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 13 January 2012

Fabio Padovano, Nadia Fiorino

We analyze the selection of the Justice Reporter by the Justice President of the Italian Constitutional Court, the most important form of agenda setting power and act of delegation in decisions of constitutional (il)legitimacy. We estimate a series of econometric models that evaluate the relative importance of the determinants of the creation of these “judicial couples”, namely, professional background, political affiliation, age etc. Professional background is shown to be an important determinant of the creation of the couples, more so with time, although the onset of the Second Republic has reduced its importance. This analysis sheds light into the inner workings of the Italian Constitutional Court and the actual processes through which its jurisprudence is generated.


Highlights

► We analyze the selection of the Justice Reporter by the Justice President of the Italian Constitutional Court, the most important form of agenda setting power and act of delegation in decisions of constitutional (il)legitimacy. ► This paper is probably the first, or one of the very few, to empirically analyze the internal relationships within a Kelsenian Court, their drivers and to what extent they affect the jurisprudence of the Court. ► Specifically, we estimate an econometric model that evaluates the relative importance of the determinants of the creation of these “judicial couples”, namely, professional background, political affiliation, age etc. ► Professional background is shown to be an important determinant of the creation of the couples, more so with time, although the onset of the Second Republic has reduced its importance. ► The paper also discusses the reasons why the Italian Constitutional Court is an especially suited testing ground for analyzing issues of delegation within Kelsenian Courts.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/strategic-delegation-and-%e2%80%9cjudicial-couples%e2%80%9d-in-the-italian-constitutional-court/20120113/feed/ 0 Explaininguniformity in rule design: The role of citizen participation in enforcement http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/explaininguniformity-in-rule-design-the-role-of-citizen-participation-in-enforcement/20120112/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/explaininguniformity-in-rule-design-the-role-of-citizen-participation-in-enforcement/20120112/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:55:38 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 11 January 2012

Timo Goeschl, Ole Jürgens

Uniform rules incur high aggregate compliance costs when agents are sufficiently heterogeneous. Despite this, uniformity remains a common feature in regulation. Focusing on the monitoring stage of enforcement, this paper highlights an underappreciated benefit of uniform rules: Uniformity of regulation can enhance the productivity of monitoring. We illustrate the general mechanism by showing that in the presence of members of the public that are willing and able to report violations to the regulator at a cost to themselves, uniform rules allow substituting third-party participation for costly own monitoring. However, socially desirable acts may have to be punished to generate deterrence for undesirable acts. Individualizing monitoring and enforcement and citizens acting on welfare considerations do not improve on the outcome.


Highlights

► The paper highlights an underappreciated benefit of uniformity in regulation. ► Motivated citizens can participate in the monitoring of agents. ► Subjecting all agents to the same rule makes detection of violations easier for citizens. ► The reduced monitoring costs for the regulator can outweigh the losses from uniformity. ► Individualized enforcement and welfare-oriented citizens do not improve on the outcome.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/explaininguniformity-in-rule-design-the-role-of-citizen-participation-in-enforcement/20120112/feed/ 0 Editorial of the New SGEI Package http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/editorial-of-the-new-sgei-package/20120112/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/editorial-of-the-new-sgei-package/20120112/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:31:35 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/editorial-of-the-new-sgei-package/20120112/feed/ 0 Protecting the Environment Without Distorting Competition http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/protecting-the-environment-without-distorting-competition/20120112/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/protecting-the-environment-without-distorting-competition/20120112/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:31:35 +0000 admin Distortion of competition is often at the core of environmental regulation. In some cases, this is a necessary price to pay, since regulation has to favor certain industries or production techniques at the expense of others. However, stressing environmental protection should not let us forget that competition is no less important for EU objectives. The internal market has contributed to the European political, economic and social welfare as much as any other policy. Therefore, environmental regulation has to avoid or, at least, reduce the distortion of competition as much as possible. For the same reason, Competition policy cannot take into account environmental goals to the extent that it will not be able to fulfill its own purpose.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/protecting-the-environment-without-distorting-competition/20120112/feed/ 0 Cardiac MR perfusion image processing techniques: A survey http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/cardiac-mr-perfusion-image-processing-techniques-a-survey/20120110/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/cardiac-mr-perfusion-image-processing-techniques-a-survey/20120110/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:54:55 +0000 admin Publication year: 2012
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 10 January 2012

Vikas Gupta, Hortense A. Kirişli, Emile A. Hendriks, Rob J. van der Geest, Martijn van de Giessen, …

First-pass cardiac MR perfusion (CMRP) imaging has undergone rapid technical advancements in recent years. Although the efficacy of CMRP imaging in the assessment of coronary artery diseases (CAD) has been proven, its clinical use is still limited. This limitation stems, in part, from manual interaction required to quantitatively analyze the large amount of data. This process is tedious, time-consuming, and prone to operator bias. Furthermore, acquisition and patient related image artifacts reduce the accuracy of quantitative perfusion assessment. With the advent of semi- and fully automatic image processing methods, not only the challenges posed by these artifacts have been overcome to a large extent, but a significant reduction has also been achieved in analysis time and operator bias. Despite an extensive literature on such image processing methods, to date, no survey has been performed to discuss this dynamic field. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the current state of the field with a categorical study, along with a future perspective on the clinical acceptance of image processing methods in the diagnosis of CAD.


Graphical abstract

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Highlights

► Survey of semi- and fully automatic image processing methods for cardiac MR perfusion quantification. ► Classification of image processing methods based on their registration, segmentation and multimodality fusion and visualization algorithms. ► Investigation of the advantages and drawbacks of the surveyed methods and their robustness to acquisition artifacts. ► Extensive literature overview of the last 20 years.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/cardiac-mr-perfusion-image-processing-techniques-a-survey/20120110/feed/ 0 Competition Law in Regulated Industries: On the Case and Scope for Intervention http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/competition-law-in-regulated-industries-on-the-case-and-scope-for-intervention/20120110/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/competition-law-in-regulated-industries-on-the-case-and-scope-for-intervention/20120110/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:54:00 +0000 admin In recent years, competition authorities have applied general competition rules in regulated industries, in addition to or instead of the regulation there in force.

This raises issues as the two sets of rules are not necessarily identical and the authorities in charge of applying them do not always pursue the same objectives.

This article proposes criteria helping to distinguish cases in which competition law is likely to be a more or less useful complement to regulation.

As for cases in which competition law may, in principle, be useful, the authors argue for an intervention that accounts for the objectives set by regulation.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/competition-law-in-regulated-industries-on-the-case-and-scope-for-intervention/20120110/feed/ 0 The Conundrum of Shifting Orthodoxies: FTAs And Korea’s Currency Controls http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/the-conundrum-of-shifting-orthodoxies-ftas-and-koreas-currency-controls/20120106/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/the-conundrum-of-shifting-orthodoxies-ftas-and-koreas-currency-controls/20120106/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:15:23 +0000 admin The financial services regime, comprising the General Agreement on Trade in Services and bilateral free trade and investment agreements, reflects the ‘orthodoxy’ of highly liberalized and lightly regulated financial markets that has supported the ascendancy of financialization. That orthodoxy has fractured as the post-2007 global financial crisis exposed systemic instability in the financialization model and the failings of the associated regulatory regime. Yet, binding and enforceable financial services and investment agreements tie governments to that regime. Although international institutions and commentators increasingly advocate alternative strategies, such as the imposition of currency controls, governments that adopt them risk legal challenges for breaching their trade obligations. This risk is illustrated by assessing South Korea’s capital controls of June 2010 against the market access, national treatment and transfers obligations, investment protections and prudential exceptions in Korea’s free trade agreements with the USA and the European Union. To date, states whose firms dominate global finance have resisted high-profile calls within and outside the World Trade Organization to revisit the financial services regime. If they maintain that position, these embryonic tensions seem likely to intensify. Placing unacceptable constraints on national governments could propel the trade in financial services regime towards a crisis of legitimacy.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/the-conundrum-of-shifting-orthodoxies-ftas-and-koreas-currency-controls/20120106/feed/ 0 Mineral Export Restraints and Sustainable Development–Are Rare Earths Testing the WTO’s Loopholes? http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/mineral-export-restraints-and-sustainable-development-are-rare-earths-testing-the-wtos-loopholes/20120106/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/mineral-export-restraints-and-sustainable-development-are-rare-earths-testing-the-wtos-loopholes/20120106/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:15:23 +0000 admin China’s actions in limiting the export of rare earths have drawn the world’s attention. The USA, Japan, and the European Union (EU) have been frustrated with China’s measures, even threatening to bring the case to the WTO. These rare earth trade disputes are but the tip of the iceberg. Forms of export restraints on minerals have been increasingly practiced by developing countries, reflecting developing countries’ determination to upgrade their own economic condition against a broader backdrop of international economic transition in a mineral-hungry world. Such issues of mineral export restraints are deeply rooted in the traditional international trade structure, and in turn serve as a historic move to break it. The WTO’s consensus-based approach, with developing countries comprising more than two-thirds of WTO membership, has to accommodate this changing situation in both its judicial and negotiation scenarios. Accused of being trade-distorting and inconsistent with the WTO Agreement on the part of mineral export restraints, developing countries expect to defend themselves by reasons of environmental protection and conservation of exhaustible natural resources. This article anticipates that, in the next round of multilateral negotiation, the developed world will attempt to bring the issue of export restraints under multilateral mandates.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/mineral-export-restraints-and-sustainable-development-are-rare-earths-testing-the-wtos-loopholes/20120106/feed/ 0 Certificates of Free Sale: Who is Being Protected from Whom? http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/certificates-of-free-sale-who-is-being-protected-from-whom/20120106/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/certificates-of-free-sale-who-is-being-protected-from-whom/20120106/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:15:23 +0000 admin Certificates of Free Sale (CFS) are little known but widely used instruments in international trade. A CFS states that a product meets the regulatory requirements of the exporting country and can be sold freely in that country. Many developing countries require a CFS as a condition of importation in sensitive sectors, such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, cosmetics, and food products. This paper is the first major work to explore the legal implications of certificates of free sale. It describes various CFS requirements and examines the WTO-legality of trade restrictions imposed by importing countries based on the failure of exported goods to meet the domestic standards of the exporting country. The authors conclude that most CFS schemes are likely to violate WTO obligations. They suggest WTO-consistent ways of protecting legitimate developing country interests that eliminate the need for CFS schemes.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/certificates-of-free-sale-who-is-being-protected-from-whom/20120106/feed/ 0 China’s Anti-Monopoly Law and its Merger Enforcement: Convergence and Flexibility http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/chinas-anti-monopoly-law-and-its-merger-enforcement-convergence-and-flexibility/20120106/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/chinas-anti-monopoly-law-and-its-merger-enforcement-convergence-and-flexibility/20120106/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:15:23 +0000 admin As the world’s second largest economy and the world’s fastest growing economy, China is a late but significant entrant into the competition law club with the implementation of the Anti-Monopoly Law (AML) on 1 August 2008. This article provides a review of the enactment of the AML and a detailed discussion of the merger provisions and application of those provisions by the competition enforcement agency. Despite the short history of application of the AML, empirical findings on merger enforcement illustrate that China is making efforts to realize a soft convergence with international norms. Meanwhile, China’s gradual approach to convergence gives it the flexibility to stop, to adjust, and to make an exception whenever necessary to accommodate its transitional and growing economy.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/chinas-anti-monopoly-law-and-its-merger-enforcement-convergence-and-flexibility/20120106/feed/ 0 EC – Fasteners: Opening the Pandora’s Box of Non-Market Economy Treatment http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/ec-fasteners-opening-the-pandoras-box-of-non-market-economy-treatment/20120106/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/ec-fasteners-opening-the-pandoras-box-of-non-market-economy-treatment/20120106/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:15:23 +0000 admin On 15 July 2010, the Appellate Body of the WTO circulated its report in EC – Fasteners. In its report, the Appellate Body, for the first time, adjudicated the issue of non-market economy (NME) treatment towards imports from China and provided plausible interpretations of China’s special commitments under the Accession Protocol and certain articles of the Anti-Dumping Agreement. However, a number of NME-related questions remain unanswered owing to the scope of claims submitted by the applicants. Insofar as the enforcement of WTO rulings is concerned, legislation amendments, as required in the report, are imperative during the implementation process of the European Union. Furthermore, there is also the chance that the European Court will award duty repayment to importers that have been subject to NME country-wide duties.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/journal-of-international-economic-law/ec-fasteners-opening-the-pandoras-box-of-non-market-economy-treatment/20120106/feed/ 0 A fast analysis method for non-invasive imaging of blood flow in individual cerebral arteries using vessel-encoded arterial spin labeling angiography http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-fast-analysis-method-for-non-invasive-imaging-of-blood-flow-in-individual-cerebral-arteries-using-vessel-encoded-arterial-spin-labeling-angiography/20111227/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-fast-analysis-method-for-non-invasive-imaging-of-blood-flow-in-individual-cerebral-arteries-using-vessel-encoded-arterial-spin-labeling-angiography/20111227/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:07:05 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 27 December 2011

Michael A. Chappell, Thomas W. Okell, Stephen J. Payne, Peter Jezzard, Mark W. Woolrich

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI offers a non-invasive means to create blood-borne contrastin vivofor dynamic angiographic imaging. By spatial modulation of the ASL process it is possible to uniquely label individual arteries over a series of measurements, allowing each to be separately identified in the resulting angiographic images. This separation requires appropriate analysis for which a general Bayesian framework has previously been proposed. Here this framework is adapted for clinical dynamic angiographic imaging. This specifically addresses the issues of computational speed of the algorithm and the robustness required to deal with real patient data. An algorithm is proposed that can incorporate planning information about the arteries being imaged whilst adapting for subsequent patient movement. A fast maximuma priorisolution is adopted and shown to be only marginally less accurate than Monte Carlo sampling under simulation. The final algorithm is demonstrated onin vivodata with analysis on a time scale of the order of 10 minutes, from both a healthy control and a patient with a vertebro-basilar occlusion.


Graphical abstract

image

Highlights

► Non-invasive vessel selective MR angiography. ► Fast Bayesian analysis for artery flow contributions. ► Robust treatment of imperfect artery location specification e.g. due to patient movement. ► Robust to clinical scenarios e.g. occluded arteries.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/a-fast-analysis-method-for-non-invasive-imaging-of-blood-flow-in-individual-cerebral-arteries-using-vessel-encoded-arterial-spin-labeling-angiography/20111227/feed/ 0 Copyright Owners Cannot Require Satellite Broadcasters to Impose Territorial Restrictions on the Use of Decoder Cards http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/copyright-owners-cannot-require-satellite-broadcasters-to-impose-territorial-restrictions-on-the-use-of-decoder-cards/20111226/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/copyright-owners-cannot-require-satellite-broadcasters-to-impose-territorial-restrictions-on-the-use-of-decoder-cards/20111226/#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:19:51 +0000 admin The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice has held that it is anticompetitive for the Football Association Premier League (FAPL), when licensing the broadcasting of football matches by satellite, to require its licensees not to supply decoder cards so as to enable access to the broadcasts in EU Member States outside their exclusive territories.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/copyright-owners-cannot-require-satellite-broadcasters-to-impose-territorial-restrictions-on-the-use-of-decoder-cards/20111226/feed/ 0 Massive State Aid to Anglo Irish Bank, Small Distortions of Competition http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/massive-state-aid-to-anglo-irish-bank-small-distortions-of-competition/20111223/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/massive-state-aid-to-anglo-irish-bank-small-distortions-of-competition/20111223/#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:41:11 +0000 admin The aid granted by the Irish State to Anglo Irish Bank was approved under European State aid rules as it did not distort competition with the exit of the bank from the market, but the case illustrates that a more active prudential control is needed to avoid states having to bear the burden of inadequate management.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/massive-state-aid-to-anglo-irish-bank-small-distortions-of-competition/20111223/feed/ 0 New French Fining Notice–The Price to Pay for Transparency? http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/new-french-fining-notice-the-price-to-pay-for-transparency/20111223/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/new-french-fining-notice-the-price-to-pay-for-transparency/20111223/#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:41:11 +0000 admin Since last May, the French Competition Authority is endowed with fining guidelines combining provisions of the corresponding European Guidelines and considerations of its own.

The Notice lays down a two-step method—basic amount adjusted on an individual and legal basis—and aims at granting a more foreseeable nature to penalties.

But its structured and sometimes stiff provisions generate a risk of soaring sanctions—hence the hope, in the French antitrust community, that they will be applied with some restraint by the competition authority.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/new-french-fining-notice-the-price-to-pay-for-transparency/20111223/feed/ 0 The Morgan Stanley/Visa Saga: How does Economics help Address Double-Sided Markets http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/the-morgan-stanleyvisa-saga-how-does-economics-help-address-double-sided-markets/20111223/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/the-morgan-stanleyvisa-saga-how-does-economics-help-address-double-sided-markets/20111223/#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:41:10 +0000 admin In Morgan Stanley/Visa, the Commission compelled the later company to open its payment system to the former.

In economics, the case raised questions dealt with under the ‘double-sided market’ theory.

Apparently, that theory was not used by the Commission—which, as a result, failed to benefit from its insights regarding firms dealing with distinct customer groups such as merchants and final consumers in the case at issue.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/the-morgan-stanleyvisa-saga-how-does-economics-help-address-double-sided-markets/20111223/feed/ 0 Karen Murphy: Decoding Licences and Territorial Exclusivity http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/karen-murphy-decoding-licences-and-territorial-exclusivity/20111223/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/karen-murphy-decoding-licences-and-territorial-exclusivity/20111223/#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:41:10 +0000 admin A broadcasting licensing system granting territorial exclusivity and dividing the Internal Market along a Member State basis, without allowing alternative access to a particular broadcaster through a decoder card, is contrary to EU free movement rules and Article 101(1) TFEU and, in this case, is not justified.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/economics/journal-of-european-competition-law-practice/karen-murphy-decoding-licences-and-territorial-exclusivity/20111223/feed/ 0 Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction Combining MR Imaging with Non-Imaging Information http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/nonlinear-dimensionality-reduction-combining-mr-imaging-with-non-imaging-information/20111222/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/nonlinear-dimensionality-reduction-combining-mr-imaging-with-non-imaging-information/20111222/#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:55:16 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 22 December 2011

Robin Wolz, Paul Aljabar, Joseph V. Hajnal, Jyrki Lötjönen, Daniel Rueckert

We propose a framework for the extraction of biomarkers from low-dimensional manifolds representing inter-subject brain variation. Manifold coordinates of each image capture information about structural shape and appearance and, when a phenotype exists, about the subject’s clinical state. Our framework incorporates subject meta-information into the manifold learning step. Apart from gender and age, information such as genotype or a derived biomarker is often available in clinical studies and can inform the classification of a query subject. Such information, whether discrete or continuous, is used as an additional input to manifold learning, extending the Laplacian eigenmap objective function and enriching a similarity measure derived from pairwise image similarities. The biomarkers identified with the proposed method are data-driven in contrast to a-priori defined biomarkers derived from, e.g., manual or automated segmentations. They form a unified representation of both the imaging and non-imaging measurements, providing a natural use for data analysis and visualization. We test the method to classify subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy controls enrolled in the ADNI study. Non-imaging metadata used are ApoE genotype, a risk factor associated with AD, and the CSF-concentration of Aβ1-42, an established biomarker for AD. In addition, we use hippocampal volume as a derived imaging-biomarker to enrich the learned manifold. Our classification results compare favorably to what has been reported in a recent meta-analysis using established neuroimaging methods on the same database.


Graphical abstract

The top figure shows a 2D manifold embedding of images acquired from subjects with AD (squares) and healthy controls (circles) using pairwise image similarities with Laplacian Eigenmaps. The bottom figure shows an embedding obtained with the proposed method incorporating metadata (color-coded) into the manifold learning process. A better separation between the two groups can be obtained when considering both measures. Misclassiclassified subjects are marked by a black outline.
image

Highlights

► We propose an extension to nonlinear dimensionality reduction with Laplacian Eigenmaps. ► MR imaging information is combined with clinical metadata. ► The representation of subjects in the low-dimensional space is interpreted as biomarker. ► We use this biomarker to classify AD subjects from healthy controls. ► We evaluate the method on the ADNI study.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/nonlinear-dimensionality-reduction-combining-mr-imaging-with-non-imaging-information/20111222/feed/ 0 Ulrich Fastenrath, Rudolf Geiger, Daniel-Erasmus Khan, Andreas Paulus, Sabine von Schorlemer, Christoph Vedder (eds). From Bilateralism to Community Interest. Essays in Honour of Judge Bruno Simma http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/ulrich-fastenrath-rudolf-geiger-daniel-erasmus-khan-andreas-paulus-sabine-von-schorlemer-christoph-vedder-eds-from-bilateralism-to-community-interest-essays-in-honour-of-judge-bruno-simma/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/ulrich-fastenrath-rudolf-geiger-daniel-erasmus-khan-andreas-paulus-sabine-von-schorlemer-christoph-vedder-eds-from-bilateralism-to-community-interest-essays-in-honour-of-judge-bruno-simma/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:42 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/ulrich-fastenrath-rudolf-geiger-daniel-erasmus-khan-andreas-paulus-sabine-von-schorlemer-christoph-vedder-eds-from-bilateralism-to-community-interest-essays-in-honour-of-judge-bruno-simma/20111221/feed/ 0 Giuseppe Martinico and Oreste Pollicino (eds), The National Judicial Treatment of the ECHR and EU Laws. A Comparative Constitutional Perspective http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/giuseppe-martinico-and-oreste-pollicino-eds-the-national-judicial-treatment-of-the-echr-and-eu-laws-a-comparative-constitutional-perspective/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/giuseppe-martinico-and-oreste-pollicino-eds-the-national-judicial-treatment-of-the-echr-and-eu-laws-a-comparative-constitutional-perspective/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:42 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/giuseppe-martinico-and-oreste-pollicino-eds-the-national-judicial-treatment-of-the-echr-and-eu-laws-a-comparative-constitutional-perspective/20111221/feed/ 0 On Reading Horace Odes 3.2 with Rusty Latin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/on-reading-horace-odes-3-2-with-rusty-latin/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/on-reading-horace-odes-3-2-with-rusty-latin/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:42 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/on-reading-horace-odes-3-2-with-rusty-latin/20111221/feed/ 0 Rudiger Wolfrum, Peter-Tobias Stoll and Holger P. Hestermeyer (eds), WTO: Trade in Goods http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/rudiger-wolfrum-peter-tobias-stoll-and-holger-p-hestermeyer-eds-wto-trade-in-goods/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/rudiger-wolfrum-peter-tobias-stoll-and-holger-p-hestermeyer-eds-wto-trade-in-goods/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:42 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/rudiger-wolfrum-peter-tobias-stoll-and-holger-p-hestermeyer-eds-wto-trade-in-goods/20111221/feed/ 0 Gregory C. Shaffer and Ricardo Melendez-Ortiz (eds), Dispute Settlement at the WTO: The Developing Country Experience http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/gregory-c-shaffer-and-ricardo-melendez-ortiz-eds-dispute-settlement-at-the-wto-the-developing-country-experience/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/gregory-c-shaffer-and-ricardo-melendez-ortiz-eds-dispute-settlement-at-the-wto-the-developing-country-experience/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:42 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/gregory-c-shaffer-and-ricardo-melendez-ortiz-eds-dispute-settlement-at-the-wto-the-developing-country-experience/20111221/feed/ 0 Michael P. Scharf and Paul R. Williams, Shaping Foreign Policy in Times of Crisis: the Role of International Law and the State Department Legal Adviser http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/michael-p-scharf-and-paul-r-williams-shaping-foreign-policy-in-times-of-crisis-the-role-of-international-law-and-the-state-department-legal-adviser/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/michael-p-scharf-and-paul-r-williams-shaping-foreign-policy-in-times-of-crisis-the-role-of-international-law-and-the-state-department-legal-adviser/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:42 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/michael-p-scharf-and-paul-r-williams-shaping-foreign-policy-in-times-of-crisis-the-role-of-international-law-and-the-state-department-legal-adviser/20111221/feed/ 0 Munich Alumni and the Evolution of International Human Rights Law http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/munich-alumni-and-the-evolution-of-international-human-rights-law/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/munich-alumni-and-the-evolution-of-international-human-rights-law/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin As a tribute to Bruno Simma on the occasion of his 70th birthday this article follows the traces of two of his fellow alumni from Munich University who belonged to the first generation of ‘droit-de-l’hommistes’. In the early 1940s they laid the foundations for the entrenchment of human rights in the international legal order. Ernst Rabel and Karl Loewenstein, who taught in Munich during the inter-war period, each played a significant role in breaking the mould of isolationism prevalent in German legal scholarship at the time. Hitler’s rise to power, however, put an abrupt end to the internationalization of legal thought in Germany. Rabel and Loewenstein, like many other legal scholars of Jewish descent, were forced into exile. It so happened that in 1942 the two Munich alumni were invited by the American Law Institute to join a committee ‘representing the major cultures of the world’. This committee was charged with the momentous task of drafting an international bill of rights for a new post-war global order. Their draft was later to become the single most important blueprint for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Against this backdrop the article attempts to identify the specific contribution made by Rabel and Loewenstein to the evolution of international human rights law.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/munich-alumni-and-the-evolution-of-international-human-rights-law/20111221/feed/ 0 The Dynamics of International Legal Regime Formation: The Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong Revisited: A Reply to Roda Mushkat http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited-a-reply-to-roda-mushkat/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited-a-reply-to-roda-mushkat/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited-a-reply-to-roda-mushkat/20111221/feed/ 0 Doing Justice to the Political: The International Criminal Court in Uganda and Sudan: A Rejoinder to Bas Schotel http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/doing-justice-to-the-political-the-international-criminal-court-in-uganda-and-sudan-a-rejoinder-to-bas-schotel/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/doing-justice-to-the-political-the-international-criminal-court-in-uganda-and-sudan-a-rejoinder-to-bas-schotel/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/doing-justice-to-the-political-the-international-criminal-court-in-uganda-and-sudan-a-rejoinder-to-bas-schotel/20111221/feed/ 0 Horizontal Review between International Organizations: Why, How, and Who Cares about Corporate Regulatory Capture http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/horizontal-review-between-international-organizations-why-how-and-who-cares-about-corporate-regulatory-capture/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/horizontal-review-between-international-organizations-why-how-and-who-cares-about-corporate-regulatory-capture/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin A diverse set of national and international bodies is increasingly commenting upon other organizations’ compliance with ‘global administrative law’ norms, creating a complex network of interaction and review. Although many forms of interaction can be identified and observed, horizontal review between international organizations appears to be relatively rare. This article examines one instance in which review did emerge: the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s criticisms of the transparency and accountability of the World Health Organization (WHO) during the H1N1 pandemic. Two key questions arise from the case study. First, what structural or institutional features allowed inter-institutional review to take place? And, secondly, why would two institutions have such divergent views of an international organization’s accountability and transparency? The analysis suggests that a key factor in allowing horizontal review to occur is diversity in institutional composition – in terms either of membership, distribution of power between members, or interests represented by members. In this case study, the Parliamentary Assembly represented the interests of states’ legislative branches, whereas the WHO representatives reflect the interests of states’ executive branches. Variations in baseline assumptions regarding the WHO’s function in regulating infectious disease response and to whom it should be accountable may partially explain the substantive divergence of opinion.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/horizontal-review-between-international-organizations-why-how-and-who-cares-about-corporate-regulatory-capture/20111221/feed/ 0 Nino – In His Own Words; In this Issue; The Last Page and Roaming Charges http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/nino-in-his-own-words-in-this-issue-the-last-page-and-roaming-charges/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/nino-in-his-own-words-in-this-issue-the-last-page-and-roaming-charges/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/nino-in-his-own-words-in-this-issue-the-last-page-and-roaming-charges/20111221/feed/ 0 The Dynamics of International Legal Regime Formation: The Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong Revisited: A Rejoinder to Kevin Tan http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited-a-rejoinder-to-kevin-tan/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited-a-rejoinder-to-kevin-tan/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited-a-rejoinder-to-kevin-tan/20111221/feed/ 0 On First Understanding Plato’s Republic http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/on-first-understanding-platos-republic/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/on-first-understanding-platos-republic/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/on-first-understanding-platos-republic/20111221/feed/ 0 Sir Hersch Lauterpacht, The Function of Law in the International Community http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/sir-hersch-lauterpacht-the-function-of-law-in-the-international-community/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/sir-hersch-lauterpacht-the-function-of-law-in-the-international-community/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/sir-hersch-lauterpacht-the-function-of-law-in-the-international-community/20111221/feed/ 0 Doing Justice to the Political. The International Criminal Court in Uganda and Sudan: A Reply to Sarah Nouwen and Wouter Werner http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/doing-justice-to-the-political-the-international-criminal-court-in-uganda-and-sudan-a-reply-to-sarah-nouwen-and-wouter-werner/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/doing-justice-to-the-political-the-international-criminal-court-in-uganda-and-sudan-a-reply-to-sarah-nouwen-and-wouter-werner/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin This article is a reaction to Sarah Nouwen and Wouter Werner, ‘Doing Justice to the Political. The International Criminal Court in Uganda and Sudan’, 21 EJIL (2010) 941. It takes issue with attempts to understand international law and particularly the workings of the International Criminal Court in terms of Carl Schmitt’s thesis on the political as distinguishing between friend and enemy. My contention is that parties to a violent/political conflict may try to mobilize the law in their struggle, but that the structure of the law itself escapes the logic of the political: law cannot be ‘political’ in the Schmittian sense. The unexpected upshot of this is that Schmitt’s notion of the political may operate as a normative criterion for testing whether legal officials are still respecting the constraints of their practice. If legal authorities are indeed in the business of defining the enemy of mankind, then they are not doing this through or with the help of the law. They may simply act against the law. To substantiate this point, the article thinks through the difference between conventional and absolute/real enemies and contrasts these notions with the characteristics of (international criminal) law.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/doing-justice-to-the-political-the-international-criminal-court-in-uganda-and-sudan-a-reply-to-sarah-nouwen-and-wouter-werner/20111221/feed/ 0 Peter G. Danchin and Horst Fischer (eds), United Nations Reform and the New Collective Security * Spencer Zifcak. United Nations Reform: Heading North or South? http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/peter-g-danchin-and-horst-fischer-eds-united-nations-reform-and-the-new-collective-security-spencer-zifcak-united-nations-reform-heading-north-or-south/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/peter-g-danchin-and-horst-fischer-eds-united-nations-reform-and-the-new-collective-security-spencer-zifcak-united-nations-reform-heading-north-or-south/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/peter-g-danchin-and-horst-fischer-eds-united-nations-reform-and-the-new-collective-security-spencer-zifcak-united-nations-reform-heading-north-or-south/20111221/feed/ 0 Regulating War: A Taxonomy in Global Administrative Law http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/regulating-war-a-taxonomy-in-global-administrative-law/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/regulating-war-a-taxonomy-in-global-administrative-law/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin This article examines the intersection between the private security and military industry and the emerging framework of global administrative law (‘GAL’). I explore in this article one aspect of this intersection, namely the use of GAL to create a taxonomy of the industry’s regulatory schemes. The industry is characterized by a fragmented and decentralized regulatory framework, which has yet to be presented in a complete and orderly fashion. This article fills the gap by applying GAL’s methodology to the private security and military industry. Using the industry as a case study in GAL, I identify (1) international formal administration (the United Nations Working Group on Mercenaries); (2) distributed domestic administration (contract and domestic legislation); (3) hybrid modes of administration (multi-stakeholder initiatives); and (4) private modes of administration (industry associations and codes of conduct). By emphasizing – but not limiting itself to – hybrid and private modes of administration, this article describes what is an increasingly complex manifestation of global governance. Its purpose is to highlight GAL’s potential in understanding and contending with the growth of the private security and military industry.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/regulating-war-a-taxonomy-in-global-administrative-law/20111221/feed/ 0 Jane McAdam (ed.), Climate Change and Displacement. Multidisciplinary Perspectives http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/jane-mcadam-ed-climate-change-and-displacement-multidisciplinary-perspectives/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/jane-mcadam-ed-climate-change-and-displacement-multidisciplinary-perspectives/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/jane-mcadam-ed-climate-change-and-displacement-multidisciplinary-perspectives/20111221/feed/ 0 Olivier Corten, The Law Against War http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/olivier-corten-the-law-against-war/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/olivier-corten-the-law-against-war/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/olivier-corten-the-law-against-war/20111221/feed/ 0 Samantha Besson and John Tasioulas (eds), The Philosophy of International Law http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/samantha-besson-and-john-tasioulas-eds-the-philosophy-of-international-law/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/samantha-besson-and-john-tasioulas-eds-the-philosophy-of-international-law/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/samantha-besson-and-john-tasioulas-eds-the-philosophy-of-international-law/20111221/feed/ 0 The Convergence of the European Legal System in the Treatment of Third Country Nationals in Europe: The ECJ and ECtHR Jurisprudence http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-convergence-of-the-european-legal-system-in-the-treatment-of-third-country-nationals-in-europe-the-ecj-and-ecthr-jurisprudence/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-convergence-of-the-european-legal-system-in-the-treatment-of-third-country-nationals-in-europe-the-ecj-and-ecthr-jurisprudence/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin This article, based on a broader project, focuses on the interaction between the two European Courts (the Court of Justice of the European Union – ECJ and the European Court of Human Rights – ECtHR) and uses the specific area of expulsion/deportation of third country nationals (non-EU nationals) from European territory as a case study. The work examines the ECJ’s and ECtHR’s divergent approaches in this area of law, and it then provides some preliminary reflections on the potential of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the EU’s accession to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to achieve a more harmonious and convergent human rights system in Europe. It finally argues that the post-Lisbon era has the potential to enhance the protection of fundamental rights within the continent.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-convergence-of-the-european-legal-system-in-the-treatment-of-third-country-nationals-in-europe-the-ecj-and-ecthr-jurisprudence/20111221/feed/ 0 Roaming Charges: Places of Worship: Piazza Duomo Milano http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/roaming-charges-places-of-worship-piazza-duomo-milano/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/roaming-charges-places-of-worship-piazza-duomo-milano/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/roaming-charges-places-of-worship-piazza-duomo-milano/20111221/feed/ 0 Peter H. Sand, Atoll Diego Garcia: Naturschutz zwischen Menschenrecht und Machtpolitik http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/peter-h-sand-atoll-diego-garcia-naturschutz-zwischen-menschenrecht-und-machtpolitik/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/peter-h-sand-atoll-diego-garcia-naturschutz-zwischen-menschenrecht-und-machtpolitik/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/peter-h-sand-atoll-diego-garcia-naturschutz-zwischen-menschenrecht-und-machtpolitik/20111221/feed/ 0 Antonio Cassese, Five Masters of International Law: Conversations with R-J Dupuy, E Jimenez de Arechaga, R Jennings, L Henkin and O Schachter http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/antonio-cassese-five-masters-of-international-law-conversations-with-r-j-dupuy-e-jimenez-de-arechaga-r-jennings-l-henkin-and-o-schachter/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/antonio-cassese-five-masters-of-international-law-conversations-with-r-j-dupuy-e-jimenez-de-arechaga-r-jennings-l-henkin-and-o-schachter/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/antonio-cassese-five-masters-of-international-law-conversations-with-r-j-dupuy-e-jimenez-de-arechaga-r-jennings-l-henkin-and-o-schachter/20111221/feed/ 0 General Principles and Comparative Law http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/general-principles-and-comparative-law/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/general-principles-and-comparative-law/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin This article explores the source ‘general principles of international law’ from the point of view of comparative law scholarship. The currently accepted definition of general principles and methodology for identifying such principles are critiqued. The criterion of the representativeness of the major families of legal systems, to which courts and tribunals tend to pay lip service rather than applying rigorously, is meant to anchor general principles in state consent, but is not a sound technique either for identifying principles of relevance to international law or for preventing judges from referring only to the legal systems they know best. Furthermore, the emphasis on extracting the essence of rules results in leaving behind most of what is interesting and useful in what judges may have learned by studying municipal legal systems. Comparative scholarship is an obvious, rich, and strangely neglected source of guidance for international judges who wish to draw insights from legal systems outside international law.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/general-principles-and-comparative-law/20111221/feed/ 0 The Dynamics of International Legal Regime Formation: The Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong Revisited http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin The academic literature on the systems that govern relations between states is rich but not without gaps. The subject of international legal regime formation is one that may benefit from further exploration. The protracted and unnerving process leading to the signing of a path-breaking agreement between China and the United Kingdom regarding the future of Hong Kong, a topic which has fascinated historians but has not galvanized socio-legal researchers into action on a meaningful scale, may offer considerable insights pertaining to the development of governance systems that regulate complex interaction between states.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/the-dynamics-of-international-legal-regime-formation-the-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-the-question-of-hong-kong-revisited/20111221/feed/ 0 General/Particular International Law and Primary/Secondary Rules: Unitary Terminology of a Fragmented System http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/generalparticular-international-law-and-primarysecondary-rules-unitary-terminology-of-a-fragmented-system/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/generalparticular-international-law-and-primarysecondary-rules-unitary-terminology-of-a-fragmented-system/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin This article takes issue with certain fundamental aspects of the fragmentation analysis by addressing the normative underpinnings of the proposition that international law is structured as a legal system. To this end, focus is had on the unitary character of the general/particular international law and primary/secondary rules terminology, as normative differentiations to the international legal system (the ‘whole’), by virtue of the residual (default) applicability of the sets of norms they denote. Ergo, on the one hand, the doubts expressed by the ILC Study Group on Fragmentation concerning the allegedly obscure meaning and scope of the term ‘general international law’ are dispelled by demonstrating that the term indeed signifies the set of international legal norms binding erga omnes; on the other, the article elaborates on the crucial role of the distinction between primary and secondary norms for the proper operation of lex specialis, focal to the fragmentation analysis. Overall, the pertinence of the general/particular international law and primary/secondary norms termini technici in international adjudication supports the view that the international legal system is indeed equipped with the proper normative tools to cope with the challenges set by fragmentation.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/generalparticular-international-law-and-primarysecondary-rules-unitary-terminology-of-a-fragmented-system/20111221/feed/ 0 Gerd Hankel, Das Totungsverbot im Krieg http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/gerd-hankel-das-totungsverbot-im-krieg/20111221/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/gerd-hankel-das-totungsverbot-im-krieg/20111221/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:45:41 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/european-journal-of-international-law/gerd-hankel-das-totungsverbot-im-krieg/20111221/feed/ 0 3D Segmentation of SBFSEM Images of Neuropil by a Graphical Model over Supervoxel Boundaries http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/3d-segmentation-of-sbfsem-images-of-neuropil-by-a-graphical-model-over-supervoxel-boundaries/20111219/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/3d-segmentation-of-sbfsem-images-of-neuropil-by-a-graphical-model-over-supervoxel-boundaries/20111219/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:30:10 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 19 December 2011

Bjoern Andres, Ullrich Koethe, Thorben Kroeger, Moritz Helmstaedter, Kevin L. Briggman, …

The segmentation of large volume images of neuropil acquired by serial sectioning electron microscopy is an important step towards the 3D reconstruction of neural circuits. The only cue provided by the data at hand are boundaries between otherwise indistinguishable objects. This indistinguishability, combined with the boundaries becoming very thin or faint in places, makes the large body of work on region based segmentation methods inapplicable. On the other hand, boundary-based methods that exploit purely local evidence do not reach the extremely high accuracy required by the application domain that cannot tolerate the global topological errors arising from false local decisions.As a consequence, we propose a supervoxel merging method which arrives at itsdecisions in a non-local fashion, by posing and approximately solving ajointcombinatorial optimization problem overallfaces between supervoxels. The use of supervoxels allows the extraction of expressive geometric features. These are used by the higher-order potentials in a graphical model that assimilate knowledge about the geometry of neural surfaces by automated training on a gold standard.The scope of this improvement is demonstrated on the benchmark dataset E1088 (Helmstaedter et al.,2011) of 7.5 billion voxels from the inner plexiform layer of rabbit retina. We provide C++ source code for annotation, geometry extraction, training and inference.


Graphical abstract

image

Highlights

► We propose a supervoxel merging method for segmenting 3D SBFSEM images of neuropil. ► All merging decisions are coupled in a graphical model. ► Knowledge about correct segments is incorporated in higher-order potentials. ► These potentials are learned automatically from training data. ► The scope of this improvement is demonstrated on the benchmark dataset E1088.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/3d-segmentation-of-sbfsem-images-of-neuropil-by-a-graphical-model-over-supervoxel-boundaries/20111219/feed/ 0 The protective scope of Common Article 3: more than meets the eye http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-protective-scope-of-common-article-3-more-than-meets-the-eye/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-protective-scope-of-common-article-3-more-than-meets-the-eye/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:31 +0000 admin Research Articles
Jelena Pejic,
International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 189-225

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-protective-scope-of-common-article-3-more-than-meets-the-eye/20111214/feed/ 0 National implementation of international humanitarian law http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/national-implementation-of-international-humanitarian-law-4/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/national-implementation-of-international-humanitarian-law-4/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:31 +0000 admin Research Articles

International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 227-238

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/national-implementation-of-international-humanitarian-law-4/20111214/feed/ 0 Recent acquisitions of the Library & Research Service, ICRC http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/recent-acquisitions-of-the-library-research-service-icrc-5/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/recent-acquisitions-of-the-library-research-service-icrc-5/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:31 +0000 admin Books Received

International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 239-256

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/recent-acquisitions-of-the-library-research-service-icrc-5/20111214/feed/ 0 Between a rock and a hard place: integration or independence of humanitarian action? http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place-integration-or-independence-of-humanitarian-action/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place-integration-or-independence-of-humanitarian-action/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:30 +0000 admin Research Articles
Antonio Donini,
International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 141-157

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place-integration-or-independence-of-humanitarian-action/20111214/feed/ 0 30 years in Afghanistan. ICRC photo archives account by Alberto Cairo http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/30-years-in-afghanistan-icrc-photo-archives-account-by-alberto-cairo/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/30-years-in-afghanistan-icrc-photo-archives-account-by-alberto-cairo/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:30 +0000 admin Research Articles

International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 159-160

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/30-years-in-afghanistan-icrc-photo-archives-account-by-alberto-cairo/20111214/feed/ 0 Picture section http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/picture-section/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/picture-section/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:30 +0000 admin Miscellaneous

International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 161-171

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/picture-section/20111214/feed/ 0 The International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan: reasserting the neutrality of humanitarian action http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-international-committee-of-the-red-cross-in-afghanistan-reasserting-the-neutrality-of-humanitarian-action/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-international-committee-of-the-red-cross-in-afghanistan-reasserting-the-neutrality-of-humanitarian-action/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:30 +0000 admin Research Articles
Fiona Terry,
International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 173-188

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-international-committee-of-the-red-cross-in-afghanistan-reasserting-the-neutrality-of-humanitarian-action/20111214/feed/ 0 Combatants, not bandits: the status of rebels in Islamic law http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/combatants-not-bandits-the-status-of-rebels-in-islamic-law/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/combatants-not-bandits-the-status-of-rebels-in-islamic-law/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:29 +0000 admin Research Articles
Sadia Tabassum,
International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 121-139

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/combatants-not-bandits-the-status-of-rebels-in-islamic-law/20111214/feed/ 0 International law and armed non-state actors in Afghanistan http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/international-law-and-armed-non-state-actors-in-afghanistan/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/international-law-and-armed-non-state-actors-in-afghanistan/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:29 +0000 admin Research Articles
Annyssa Bellal, Gilles Giacca, Stuart Casey-Maslen,
International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 47-79

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/international-law-and-armed-non-state-actors-in-afghanistan/20111214/feed/ 0 The Layha for the Mujahideen : an analysis of the code of conduct for the Taliban fighters under Islamic law http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-layha-for-the-mujahideen-an-analysis-of-the-code-of-conduct-for-the-taliban-fighters-under-islamic-law/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-layha-for-the-mujahideen-an-analysis-of-the-code-of-conduct-for-the-taliban-fighters-under-islamic-law/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:29 +0000 admin Research Articles
Muhammad Munir,
International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 81-102

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-layha-for-the-mujahideen-an-analysis-of-the-code-of-conduct-for-the-taliban-fighters-under-islamic-law/20111214/feed/ 0 The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Layha [Code of Conduct] For Mujahids http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-the-layha-code-of-conduct-for-mujahids/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-the-layha-code-of-conduct-for-mujahids/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:29 +0000 admin Research Articles

International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 103-120

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/the-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-the-layha-code-of-conduct-for-mujahids/20111214/feed/ 0 Interview with Fatima Gailani http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/interview-with-fatima-gailani/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/interview-with-fatima-gailani/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:28 +0000 admin Research Articles

International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 5-9

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/interview-with-fatima-gailani/20111214/feed/ 0 Has the armed conflict in Afghanistan affected the rules on the conduct of hostilities? http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/has-the-armed-conflict-in-afghanistan-affected-the-rules-on-the-conduct-of-hostilities/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/has-the-armed-conflict-in-afghanistan-affected-the-rules-on-the-conduct-of-hostilities/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:28 +0000 admin Research Articles
Robin Geiß, Michael Siegrist,
International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp 11-46

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/has-the-armed-conflict-in-afghanistan-affected-the-rules-on-the-conduct-of-hostilities/20111214/feed/ 0 IRC volume 93 issue 881 Cover and Back matter http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/irc-volume-93-issue-881-cover-and-back-matter/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/irc-volume-93-issue-881-cover-and-back-matter/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:27 +0000 admin Miscellaneous

International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp b1-b2

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/irc-volume-93-issue-881-cover-and-back-matter/20111214/feed/ 3 IRC volume 93 issue 881 Cover and Front matter http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/irc-volume-93-issue-881-cover-and-front-matter/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/irc-volume-93-issue-881-cover-and-front-matter/20111214/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:26 +0000 admin Miscellaneous

International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881, pp f1-f6

Abstract

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/irc-volume-93-issue-881-cover-and-front-matter/20111214/feed/ 0 Consistent Segmentation using a Rician Classifier http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/consistent-segmentation-using-a-rician-classifier/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/consistent-segmentation-using-a-rician-classifier/20111214/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:15:18 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 13 December 2011

Snehashis Roy, Aaron Carass, Pierre-Louis Bazin, Susan Resnick, Jerry L. Prince

Several popular classification algorithms used to segment magnetic resonance brain images assume that the image intensities, or log-transformed intensities, satisfy a finite Gaussian mixture model. In these methods, the parameters of the mixture model are estimated and the posterior probabilities for each tissue class are used directly as soft segmentations or combined to form a hard segmentation. It is suggested and shown in this paper that a Rician mixture model fits the observed data better than a Gaussian model. Accordingly, a Rician mixture model is formulated and used within an expectation maximization (EM) framework to yield a new tissue classification algorithm called RiCE (Rician Classifier using EM). It is shown using both simulated and real data that RiCE yields comparable or better performance to that of algorithms based on the finite Gaussian mixture model. As well, we show that RiCE yields more consistent segmentation results when used on images of the same individual acquired with different T1-weighted pulse sequences. Therefore, RiCE has the potential to stabilize segmentation results in brain studies involving heterogeneous acquisition sources as is typically found in both multi-center and longitudinal studies.


Graphical abstract

image

Highlights

► Noise in magnetic resonance images should be modeled as Rician distribution. ► Rician distribution fits the MR image histogram better than a Gaussian one. ► Cortical surfaces from the brain MR images can be better delineated using Rician models in a segmentation algorithm compared to a Gaussian one. ► Segmentations between same brain MR images acquired under different pulse sequences are more consistent using Rician modeling.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/consistent-segmentation-using-a-rician-classifier/20111214/feed/ 0 Don’t Say You’re Sorry Unless You Mean It: Pricing Apologies to Achieve Credibility http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/don%e2%80%99t-say-you%e2%80%99re-sorry-unless-you-mean-it-pricing-apologies-to-achieve-credibility/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/don%e2%80%99t-say-you%e2%80%99re-sorry-unless-you-mean-it-pricing-apologies-to-achieve-credibility/20111214/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:07:55 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 13 December 2011

Murat C. Mungan

Remorse and apologies by offenders have not been rigorously analyzed in the law and economics literature. This is perhaps because apologies are regarded as’cheap talk’and are deemed to be non-informative of an individual’s conscious state. In this paper, I develop a formal framework in which one can analyze remorse and apologies. I argue that legal procedures can be designed topriceapologies, such that only truly remorseful individuals apologize. Hence, apologies would not be mere ’cheap talk’ and could send correct signals regarding an offender’s true conscious state, making them credible. This will lead victims, upon receiving apologies, to forgive offenders more frequently. Moreover, pricing apologies does not negatively impact the possibility of achieving optimal deterrence. An (arguably negative) effect of pricing apologies is its elimination of insincere apologies. If it is assumed that apologies, even if insincere, carry rehabilitative and/or palliative benefits, then the optimality of pricing apologies depends on a trade-off between achieving credibility and increasing such rehabilitative and palliative benefits.


Highlights

► A credible apology system can be designed by pricing apologies. ► When apologies are priced, remorseful offenders can relieve their guilty consciences by sending credible signals to their victims, which will lead victims to forgive remorseful offenders more frequently. ► When there are no sizeable benefits attached to insincere apologies, pricing regimes are optimal. ► When there are rehabilitative and palliative benefits attached to insincere apologies, the optimality of pricing regimes depends on a trade-off between achieving credibility and increasing rehabilitative and palliative benefits attached to insincere apologies. ► Results hold regardless of whether or not sanctions are costly to impose.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/don%e2%80%99t-say-you%e2%80%99re-sorry-unless-you-mean-it-pricing-apologies-to-achieve-credibility/20111214/feed/ 0 Volume 93 Issue 881 http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/volume-93-issue-881-3/20111214/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/volume-93-issue-881-3/20111214/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:23:21 +0000 admin International Review of the Red Cross, Volume 93 Issue 881 The International Review of the Red Cross is published by the International Committee of the Red Cross and Cambridge University Press. It promotes reflection on humanitarian law, policy and action in armed conflict and other situations of collective armed violence. A specialized journal in humanitarian law, it endeavours to promote knowledge, critical analysis and development of the law and contribute to the prevention of violations of rules protecting fundamental rights and values. The Review offers a forum for discussion about contemporary humanitarian action as well as analysis of the causes and characteristics of conflicts, so as to give a clearer insight into the humanitarian problems they generate. Finally, the Review informs its readership on questions pertaining to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and in particular on the activities and policies of the Red Cross.
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The extensive archives of the International Review of the Red Cross are now available online. The archive of the current journal is available below. For more information, and links to the other archives, please click here .
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Current Contentsreg;/Social and Behavioral Sciences

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]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-the-red-cross/volume-93-issue-881-3/20111214/feed/ 0 The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea: Activities in 2010 http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/the-international-tribunal-for-the-law-of-the-sea-activities-in-2010/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/the-international-tribunal-for-the-law-of-the-sea-activities-in-2010/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin This paper gives an overview of the activities of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in 2010. It provides information on organizational matters, the jurisdiction of the Tribunal and cases before it.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/the-international-tribunal-for-the-law-of-the-sea-activities-in-2010/20111213/feed/ 0 Back Cover http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/back-cover/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/back-cover/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/back-cover/20111213/feed/ 0 State Reputation and Compliance with International Law: Looking through a Chinese Lens http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/state-reputation-and-compliance-with-international-law-looking-through-a-chinese-lens/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/state-reputation-and-compliance-with-international-law-looking-through-a-chinese-lens/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin There is no single credible explanation for the diverse patterns of rule conformity observed in the global arena. The subject has been approached from multiple perspectives, some inspired by positivist/scientific paradigms of the rationalist type. Among the latter, attempts to systematically account for the effect of reputational capital have been particularly cogent, incisively expressed and empirically well-supported. Nevertheless, the body of knowledge that has been built up is not devoid of theoretical and methodological gaps, a feature brought into focus by examining relevant developments in the seldom addressed by Western legal scholars, but highly pertinent, China context.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/state-reputation-and-compliance-with-international-law-looking-through-a-chinese-lens/20111213/feed/ 0 Chinese Society of International Law http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/chinese-society-of-international-law/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/chinese-society-of-international-law/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/chinese-society-of-international-law/20111213/feed/ 0 Of Occupation, Jus ad Bellum and Jus in Bello: A Reply to Solon Solomon’s "The Great Oxymoron: Jus In Bello Violations as Legitimate Non-Forcible Measures of Self-Defense: The Post-Disengagement Israeli Measures towards Gaza as a Case Study" http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/of-occupation-jus-ad-bellum-and-jus-in-bello-a-reply-to-solon-solomons-the-great-oxymoron-jus-in-bello-violations-as-legitimate-non-forcible-measures-of-self-defense-the-post-disengagement/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/of-occupation-jus-ad-bellum-and-jus-in-bello-a-reply-to-solon-solomons-the-great-oxymoron-jus-in-bello-violations-as-legitimate-non-forcible-measures-of-self-defense-the-post-disengagement/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin This reply critically addresses three arguments advanced in Solon Solomon’s article. Firstly, it underscores the existing doubts as to the evolution of the right to self-defense towards encompassing operations against non-State actors. Secondly, it demonstrates that, contrary to Solomon’s suggestion, Gaza continues to be occupied by Israel after the 2005 disengagement. This qualification blocks Israel from invoking its jus ad bellum right to self-defense against actions emanating from Gaza. Finally, this reply argues that, even if the self-defense argument is accepted, the legality of Israeli measures under international law depends on their conformity with both jus ad bellum and jus in bello, since both legal regimes are independent from one another and apply simultaneously to Israeli actions.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/of-occupation-jus-ad-bellum-and-jus-in-bello-a-reply-to-solon-solomons-the-great-oxymoron-jus-in-bello-violations-as-legitimate-non-forcible-measures-of-self-defense-the-post-disengagement/20111213/feed/ 0 Developing Countries’ Pursuit of an Intellectual Property Law Balance under the WTO TRIPS Agreement http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/developing-countries-pursuit-of-an-intellectual-property-law-balance-under-the-wto-trips-agreement/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/developing-countries-pursuit-of-an-intellectual-property-law-balance-under-the-wto-trips-agreement/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin Progressive and steady technological advancement in developing countries has generated serious debate whether government discretion to manoeuvre IP laws is unduly curbed by the ever-increasing and fragmented international regulatory regime. The global regime has expanded from WIPO conventions to TRIPS at the WTO, and to a myriad of regional and bilateral agreements stipulating TRIPS-plus standards. The way that a harmonized IP fashion operates affects internal decisions in striking a proper balance between incentives to create and those to promote dynamic competition. For developing countries, the ultimate goal is to transform to a knowledge-based and innovative economy. In this regard, the TRIPS “balance” objective is ambiguously formulated and hence cannot be actively considered by WTO panels. Secondly, conditions in the individual exceptions are so restrictively applied that governments are set back from devising innovative exceptions to balance their obligatory commitments. To maximize the use of TRIPS leeway for technological development schemes, both deficiencies need to be managed by a balance-oriented initiative taken by the WTO judicial and/or legislative bodies.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/developing-countries-pursuit-of-an-intellectual-property-law-balance-under-the-wto-trips-agreement/20111213/feed/ 0 Editorial Board http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/editorial-board-22/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/editorial-board-22/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/editorial-board-22/20111213/feed/ 0 On the Al Qaida/Taliban Sanctions Regime: Due Process and Sunsetting http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/on-the-al-qaidataliban-sanctions-regime-due-process-and-sunsetting/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/on-the-al-qaidataliban-sanctions-regime-due-process-and-sunsetting/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin The Al Qaida/Taliban sanctions regime established under Resolution 1267 of the UN Security Council has been under severe strain due to lack of adherence to due process standards. Over the years, the Security Council has incrementally adopted measures to try to alleviate some of the concerns, including through the creation of an ombudsperson to receive petitions from listed individuals requesting to be de-listed. In June 2011, the Security Council adopted two resolutions further strengthening the due process standards. This paper considers whether the new measures adopted are sufficient to respond to some of the concerns raised. While the new initiatives are a significant improvement, as a matter of law, the due process objections remain.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/on-the-al-qaidataliban-sanctions-regime-due-process-and-sunsetting/20111213/feed/ 0 Front Cover http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/front-cover/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/front-cover/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/front-cover/20111213/feed/ 0 Chinese Practice in Public International Law: 2010 (II) http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/chinese-practice-in-public-international-law-2010-ii/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/chinese-practice-in-public-international-law-2010-ii/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin This part supplemented materials reflecting Chinese practice in 2010 relating to: I. International Law of the Sea (Responsibility and Obligations of States Sponsoring Persons and Entities with Respect to Activities in the International Seabed Area; Arctic Cooperation); II. International Law on Outer Space (Peaceful Use of Outer Space); III. International Criminal Law (Crime of Aggression); IV. International Environmental Law (Climate Change).

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/chinese-practice-in-public-international-law-2010-ii/20111213/feed/ 0 Information for Authors http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/information-for-authors/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/information-for-authors/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/information-for-authors/20111213/feed/ 0 The Presidency of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the "National State Extension" Concern http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/the-presidency-of-the-international-tribunal-for-the-law-of-the-sea-and-the-national-state-extension-concern/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/the-presidency-of-the-international-tribunal-for-the-law-of-the-sea-and-the-national-state-extension-concern/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin The functions of the President of the International Tribunal for the Law (ITLOS) of the Sea are three-dimensional: the President is a normal international judge, an organizational leader and a judicial leader in a particular case. The Presidency is a powerful one, perhaps more so than that in other international judicial bodies, and can be a platform for the “national State extension” vice—the President’s possible partiality towards his or her national State—to take effect. Several antidotes or safeguards exist to combat this, including the relatively short term of office, the judicial solemn declaration and the efforts to equalize the parties by ensuring “national representation” on the Bench in a case, and the principle of separation of functions and the disqualification of the national President as President but not as Judge. However, uncertainties remain regarding the timing and scope of the application of the principle of separation of functions and disqualification of the national President. The context of the ITLOS Statute and Rules and the good administration of justice militate in favour of an early trigger point at the time when a particular case is first presented to the Tribunal and the widest scope possible for the application of the principle to cover a situation where the national State of the President is not a party but is in the same interest or substantially in the same interest as a party in a case, including the situation where, though not factually connected, the non-party national State of the President and a party share a legal position that is decisive in the case. Finally, the paper suggests that, as a further antidote, the possibility be considered of requiring a presidential solemn declaration (separate from and in addition to the judicial one) or revising the current judicial declaration to encompass presidential functions.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/the-presidency-of-the-international-tribunal-for-the-law-of-the-sea-and-the-national-state-extension-concern/20111213/feed/ 0 Table of Contents http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/table-of-contents-5/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/table-of-contents-5/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/table-of-contents-5/20111213/feed/ 0 Compliance Mechanisms in Multilateral Environmental Agreements: An Effective Way to Improve Compliance? http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/compliance-mechanisms-in-multilateral-environmental-agreements-an-effective-way-to-improve-compliance/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/compliance-mechanisms-in-multilateral-environmental-agreements-an-effective-way-to-improve-compliance/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin Compliance mechanisms in multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) have slowly but certainly replaced the classic dispute settlement procedures as the preferred means to ensure compliance with environmental obligations in public international law and their importance is growing. These mechanisms and procedures apply uniquely to the treaties that created them. At the same time, they show remarkable overlap and similarities. This article looks into the practice of 22 MEAs and compares the compliance mechanisms, procedures and practices found in these international agreements to the classic dispute settlement procedures. Based on this analysis, conclusions are drawn on the necessity and effectiveness of these compliance mechanisms in MEAs.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/compliance-mechanisms-in-multilateral-environmental-agreements-an-effective-way-to-improve-compliance/20111213/feed/ 0 Wang Tieya Award and Han Depei Award http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/wang-tieya-award-and-han-depei-award/20111213/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/wang-tieya-award-and-han-depei-award/20111213/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:54 +0000 admin http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/chinese-journal-of-international-law/wang-tieya-award-and-han-depei-award/20111213/feed/ 0 Spatially Variable Rician Noise in Magnetic Resonance Imaging http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/spatially-variable-rician-noise-in-magnetic-resonance-imaging/20111210/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/spatially-variable-rician-noise-in-magnetic-resonance-imaging/20111210/#comments Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:04:37 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 9 December 2011

Ivan I. Maximov, Ezequiel A. Farrher, Farida Grinberg, N. Jon Shah

Magnetic resonance images tend to be influenced by various random factors usually referred to as “noise”. The principal sources of noise and related artefacts can be divided into two types: arising from hardware (acquisition coil arrays, gradient coils, field inhomogeneity); and arising from the subject (physiological noise including body motion, cardiac pulsation or respiratory motion). These factors negatively affect the resolution and reproducibility of the images. Therefore, a proper noise treatment is important for improving the performance of clinical and research investigations. Noise reduction becomes especially critical for the images with a low signal-to-noise ratio, such as those typically acquired in diffusion tensor imaging at high diffusion weightings. The standard methods of signal correction usually assume a uniform distribution of the standard deviation of the noise across the image and evaluate a single correction parameter for the whole image. We pursue a more advanced approach based on the assumption of an inhomogeneous distribution of noise in space and evaluate correction factors for each voxel individually. The Rician nature of the underlying noise is considered for low and high signal-to-noise ratios. The approach developed here has been examined using numerical simulations andin vivobrain diffusion tensor imaging experiments. The efficacy and usefulness of this approach is demonstrated here and the resultant effective tool is described.


Graphical abstract

image

Highlights

► Spatially variable noise correction algorithm is applied with the Rician correction. ► Automatic detection of a regions with the Gaussian or Rician noise distributions. ► Improved noise correction scheme for the diffusion-weighted imaging.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/spatially-variable-rician-noise-in-magnetic-resonance-imaging/20111210/feed/ 0 Who Walks Out? Entrepreneurship in a Global Economy http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/who-walks-out-entrepreneurship-in-a-global-economy/20111210/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/who-walks-out-entrepreneurship-in-a-global-economy/20111210/#comments Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:57:21 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 9 December 2011

Juan Pablo Couyoumdjian

Modern entrepreneurially-driven capitalism is embedded in a global economy. Crucially, in this environment entrepreneurship must be viewed as a mobile resource. Entrepreneurs can thus “vote-with-their-feet” when deciding where to establish their businesses. The institutional context for entrepreneurship is a key determinant of an agent’s decision to migrate. In this paper we put forward a new framework for an examination of the relationship between institutional quality and entrepreneurship. We then offer an exploration on the problem of entrepreneurship in an economy that is open to the international movement of goods and services, capital and, above all, labor, especially talented labor.


Highlights

► In a global economy entrepreneurship must be viewed as a mobile resource ► Entrepreneurs can “vote-with-their-feet” when deciding where to establish their businesses ► The institutional context for entrepreneurship is a key determinant of an agent’s decision to migrate ► We put forward a new framework for an examination of the relationship between institutional quality and entrepreneurship ► The migration of entrepreneurs is an important issue.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/who-walks-out-entrepreneurship-in-a-global-economy/20111210/feed/ 0 Manifold Learning for Image-Based Breathing Gating in Ultrasound and MRI http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/manifold-learning-for-image-based-breathing-gating-in-ultrasound-and-mri/20111209/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/manifold-learning-for-image-based-breathing-gating-in-ultrasound-and-mri/20111209/#comments Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:55:05 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: Medical Image Analysis, Available online 8 December 2011

Christian Wachinger, Mehmet Yigitsoy, Erik-Jan Rijkhorst, Nassir Navab

Respiratory motion is a challenging factor for image acquisition and image-guided procedures in the abdominal and thoracic region. In order to address the issues arising from respiratory motion, it is often necessary to detect the respiratory signal. In this article, we propose a novel, purely image-based retrospective respiratory gating method for ultrasound and MRI. Further, we apply this technique to acquire breathing-affected 4D ultrasound with a wobbler probe and, similarly, to create 4D MR with a slice stacking approach. We achieve the gating with Laplacian eigenmaps, a manifold learning technique, to determine the low-dimensional manifold embedded in the high-dimensional image space. Since Laplacian eigenmaps assign to each image frame a coordinate in low-dimensional space by respecting the neighborhood relationship, they are well suited for analyzing the breathing cycle. We perform the image-based gating on several 2D and 3D ultrasound datasets over time, and quantify its very good performance by comparing it to measurements from an external gating system. For MRI, we perform the manifold learning on several datasets for various orientations and positions. We achieve very high correlations by a comparison to an alternative gating with diaphragm tracking.


Graphical abstract

image

Highlights

► Automatic, image-based gating in ultrasound and MRI. ► Application of Laplacian eigenmaps for gating. ► Creation of 4D ultrasound data with wobbler transducer. ► Validation by comparison to alternative gating approaches.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/manifold-learning-for-image-based-breathing-gating-in-ultrasound-and-mri/20111209/feed/ 0 Court Output, Judicial Staffing, and the Demand for Court Services: Evidence from Slovenian Courts of First Instance http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/court-output-judicial-staffing-and-the-demand-for-court-services-evidence-from-slovenian-courts-of-first-instance/20111208/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/court-output-judicial-staffing-and-the-demand-for-court-services-evidence-from-slovenian-courts-of-first-instance/20111208/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:45:22 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 8 December 2011

Valentina Dimitrova-Grajzl, Peter Grajzl, Janez Sustersic, Katarina Zajc

We contribute to the scant empirical literature on court activity by examining how judicial staffing and caseload influence court output in Slovenia, a post-socialist EU member state struggling with implementing an effective judicial system. Unlike the majority of the existing literature, we attempt to tackle endogeneity problems that arise in estimation of the determinants of court output. In addition to controlling for court fixed effects to address endogeneity due to unobserved court-level heterogeneity, an instrumental variables approach based on a plausible assumption of sequential exogeneity of our regressors allows us to address the problem of reverse causality between court output and both caseload and judicial staffing. Our findings suggest that ignoring endogeneity issues may lead to erroneous policy conclusions about the expected impact of resources, as proxied by judicial appointments, devoted to the court system. Our results imply that the primary driving force of output of Slovenian courts is the demand for their services.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/court-output-judicial-staffing-and-the-demand-for-court-services-evidence-from-slovenian-courts-of-first-instance/20111208/feed/ 0 Talent Matters: Judicial Productivity and Speed in Japan http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/talent-matters-judicial-productivity-and-speed-in-japan/20111208/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/talent-matters-judicial-productivity-and-speed-in-japan/20111208/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:45:22 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 8 December 2011

J. Mark Ramseyer

To study the determinants of judicial productivity and speed (measured by published opinions), I examine all 348 trial-court civil medical malpractice opinions published in Japan between 1995 and 2004. For comparative purposes, I add 120 randomly selected civil judgments from the same period. The data cover 706 judges (about a third of the Japanese bench). I find: (A) Productivity (measured as published opinions per year on the bench) correlates with apparent intellectual ability and effort. The judges who attended the most selective universities, who passed the bar exam most quickly, and who were chosen by the courts for an elite career track publish the most opinions. (B) Adjudicatory speed (measured as time from filing to decision, for published opinions) may correlate with apparent ability and effort too (the evidence is weaker), but institutional experience counts as well. As the courts acquired increasing experience with malpractice cases, the pace of adjudication quickened.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/talent-matters-judicial-productivity-and-speed-in-japan/20111208/feed/ 0 On the Optimal Number of Courts http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/on-the-optimal-number-of-courts/20111208/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/on-the-optimal-number-of-courts/20111208/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:45:22 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 8 December 2011

Stefan Voigt

This is the first paper to investigate whether the number of high courts in a country has systematic effects both on the quality of its legal system and on its level of economic development more generally. It is theorized that due to the division of labor and a higher degree of specialization, high courts might be advantageous in terms of court productivity. Yet, they might also be disadvantageous in terms of a less coherent legal system. It is empirically tested whether the positive or the negative effects prevail. Results show that a larger number of high courts never has any positive effects on very broad outcome variables; indeed, with regard to some of these, a greater number of high courts is correlated with worse outcomes.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/on-the-optimal-number-of-courts/20111208/feed/ 0 Optimization, Path Dependence And The Law: Can Judges Promote Efficiency? http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/optimization-path-dependence-and-the-law-can-judges-promote-efficiency/20111208/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/optimization-path-dependence-and-the-law-can-judges-promote-efficiency/20111208/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:45:22 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 8 December 2011

Alain Marciano, Elias L. Khalil

The thesis that judges could (voluntarily or not) promote efficiency through their decisions has largely been discussed since Posner put it forward in the early 1970 s. There nonetheless remains a methodological aspect that has never (to our knowledge) been analyzed and that we address in this paper. We thus show that both promoters and critics of the judge-and-efficiency thesis similarly use a definition of optimization in which history, constraints and path-dependency are viewed as obstacles that must be removed to reach the most efficient outcome. This is misleading. Efficiency cannot be defined in absolute terms, as a “global ideal” that would mean being free from any constraint, including historically deposited ones. That judges are obliged to refer to the past does not mean that they are unable to make the most efficient decision because constraints are part of the optimization process; or optimization is necessarily path-dependent. Thus, the output of legal systems cannot be efficient or inefficientper se. This is what we argue in this paper.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/optimization-path-dependence-and-the-law-can-judges-promote-efficiency/20111208/feed/ 0 Aggregate Litigation and Regulatory Innovation: Another View of Judicial Efficiency http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/aggregate-litigation-and-regulatory-innovation-another-view-of-judicial-efficiency/20111208/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/aggregate-litigation-and-regulatory-innovation-another-view-of-judicial-efficiency/20111208/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:45:22 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 8 December 2011

Giovanni B. Ramello

In this article, we argue that aggregate litigation and the court system can not only restore the protection of victims and the production of deterrence, but also play a pivotal role in stimulating regulatory innovation. This is accomplished through a reward system that seems largely to mimic the institutional devices used in other domains, such as intellectual property rights, by defining a proper set of incentives. Precisely the described solution relies on creating a specific economic framework able to foster economies of scale and grant a valuable property right over a specific litigation to an entrepreneurial individual, who in exchange provides the venture capital needed for the legal action, and produces inputs and focal points for amending regulations. In this light, aggregate litigation thus can be equally seen as an incubator for regulation.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/aggregate-litigation-and-regulatory-innovation-another-view-of-judicial-efficiency/20111208/feed/ 0 The Effect of Rules Shifting Supreme Court Jurisdiction from Mandatory to Discretionary-An Empirical Lesson from Taiwan http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/the-effect-of-rules-shifting-supreme-court-jurisdiction-from-mandatory-to-discretionary-an-empirical-lesson-from-taiwan/20111208/ http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/the-effect-of-rules-shifting-supreme-court-jurisdiction-from-mandatory-to-discretionary-an-empirical-lesson-from-taiwan/20111208/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:45:22 +0000 admin Publication year: 2011
Source: International Review of Law and Economics, Available online 8 December 2011

Theodore Eisenberg, Kuo-Chang Huang

Theoretical works suggest that granting a supreme court discretion in choosing the cases to be decided on the merits could shift dockets away from traditional case-based adjudication and towards issue-based adjudication. According to this prediction, legislatures can recast supreme courts’ roles in society by modifying jurisdictional rules. This study tests this prediction empirically. Using a newly assembled data set on appeals terminated by the Taiwan Supreme Court for the period 1996-2008, we study the effect of jurisdictional-source procedural reform, a switch from mandatory jurisdiction to discretionary jurisdiction in 2003, on the Taiwan Supreme Court’s performance. Our study shows that the 2003 reform failed to transform the function of the Court from correcting error to a greater role in leading the development of legal doctrine as intended by the legislature. Our findings suggest that a supreme court can adjust the way it conducts business according to its own preference and the role it defines for itself, which are influenced both by the background against which it operates and the inertia of its members’ working habits. Our study informs policy-makers that merely amending procedural rules, without more, is unlikely to change the function of a supreme court. Our findings also suggest that statutorily dictated mandatory jurisdiction may not be implemented by a high court faced with caseload pressure.

]]> http://law.journalfeeds.com/international/international-review-of-law-and-economics/the-effect-of-rules-shifting-supreme-court-jurisdiction-from-mandatory-to-discretionary-an-empirical-lesson-from-taiwan/20111208/feed/ 0