The Paper describes the main directions and the outcomes of the reform of EA legislation in practice in 27 former socialist countries in the 1990s. During this period, more than 100 legal acts in the field of EA have been introduced and EA has become one of the most widely used environmental policy tools. The process of political and economic transition has significantly influenced the evolution o

Martin Sunnqvist reflekterar över olika aspekter som rör rättsstaten. Hur byggs en rättsstat upp? Hur bryts en rättsstat ned? Den första frågan har lett till att fri- och rättigheter, oavhängiga domstolar, författningsdomstolar och självständiga advokatväsenden har införts i många länder. Nu måste den motsatta frågan ställas, så att varningsklockorna kan identifieras.

Introduction: Women who smoke, deliver significantly smaller infants. These infants have reduced levels of the vasodilator endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) levels in the umbilical vessels, which may reduce fetal growth. Serum cotinine, the degradation product of nicotine, can be used to determine the level of tobacco exposure. Newborns of environmental smokers are suggested to be smaller a

Membrane fouling and its control is one of the most critical parameters in the application of membrane processes. The degree of fouling depends on the application and on industrial scale, fouling is often observed as reduction in plant capacity over time. One approach to reduce fouling for the pressure driven processes microfiltration and ultrafiltration is to use hydrophilic membranes. This paper

The recent developments in the field of biorefineries open new opportunities for the pulp and paper industry to diverse from classical carton and paper production to bio-based chemicals. The trend is thus to use the three key wood components hemicelluloses, lignin and cellulose as raw materials for production of a wide range of biochemicals. A key success factor is the integration of energy-effici

Despite strong scientific evidence supporting the benefits of regular exercise for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD), physical inactivity is highly prevalent worldwide. In addition to merely changing well-known risk factors for systemic CVD, regular exercise can also improve cardiovascular health through non-traditional mechanisms. Understanding the pathways through whi

Banana starch was isolated and used for preparation of two types of cookies. Chemical composition and digestibility tests were carried out on banana starch and the food products, and these results were compared with corn starch. Ash, protein, and fat levels in banana starch were higher than in corn starch. The high ash amount in banana starch could be due to the potassium content present in this f

The advanced properties of modern materials originate from their nanoscale size and shape and from chemical modifications or doping. Special techniques that can measure the chemical state in the nanoscale are required for exploration and understanding the properties of these materials. While X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) can access the necessary chemical information, conventional setups h

Tortilla samples were elaborated by four small commercial factories in Mexico, employing masas prepared with the traditional nixtamalization process. Samples were stored at 4°C for up to 72 hours and their chemical composition and in vitro starch digestibility features were evaluated. Chemical composition did not change with the storage time, but soluble carbohydrates decreased slightly during sto

The starch content of black beans and cowpeas was assessed enzymatically in freshly cooked as well as in cooked, stored, and reheated samples. The available starch contents of the variously treated seeds were greater in cowpeas (32-33%, dmb) than in black beans (25-28%, dmb). All samples exhibited relatively high levels of retrograded resistant starch (RS) (8-20%, total starch basis), although bea

Subtilisin isoinhibitors (SI) were isolated from jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis L) and broad bean (Vicia faba L) seeds. Jack beans contain three isoinhibitors (pI 6.6, 6.3 and 6.0) that constitute 0.021 g per 100 g of dry seeds, while the two active proteins from broad beans (pI 5.7 and 5.1) represent 0.028%. The molecular weight, determined by gel filtration, is around 8000 D in both legumes. La

Insoluble and soluble dietary fiber was evaluated according to the procedure of Asp et al., in cassava bread samples from different regions of Venezuela. The values for insoluble fiber were between 4.92 and 5.67% while soluble fiber ranged between 3.40 and 3.78% (dry basis). The starch content of cassava bread samples varied between 86.5 and 88.7% (dry basis). Cassava bread starch showed an elevat

Observational learning is a successful method for improving writing skills in various genres. We explore effects of a five lesson intervention series based on peer observation. Fifty-five Swedish 5th-grade students aged 10-12 years followed this intervention program. The language and reading comprehension and working memory capacity were tested. The students watched short film-clips with peers wor