bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Chromosomal Aberration Frequencies and Glutathione-S-Transferase M1 and T1 Genes in Workers Occupationally Exposed to Uranium in Northern Kazakhstan
Authors: Toksobayeva G.A.  , Kakabayev A.A.  , Bersimbaev R.I.
Published: February 2025

In the present study, uranium mine-workers in the Stepnogorsk mining-milling complex in Northern Kazakhstan were investigated for the expression of chromosome aberrations and for genetic factors that can modify the exposure-related expression of chromosome damage. From our interview of volunteers, 100 qualified workers occupationally exposed to uranium and 56 control people who had not been exposed to radiation or other hazardous agents were selected. The workers were subdivided into 3 groups according to the duration of exposure: group I – 1-10 years, group II – 11-20 years, group III – 21-25 years. Our data show that workers in all three exposure groups had higher frequencies of chromosome aberrations than the control group. Uranium-exposed workers who had inherited the null GSTM1 and/or GSTT1 genotypes had a significant increase in the frequency of chromosome aberrations compared with those who had the intact GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes for the different group of workers. Our study suggests that uranium mine-workers in Northern Kazakhstan have excessive exposure that can cause an increased risk for health consequences such as cancer. In addition, GSTM1 and/or GSTT1 null genetically susceptible individuals may have higher health risk.
Age Dynamics of DNA Damage, Apoptosis, and Cell Senescence in Mice After Exposure to Low Dose Gamma-Irradiation at Early Development Stages
Authors: Moskalev Alexey A.  , Velegzhaninov Ilya O.
Published: February 2025

The aim of the research was to analyse life span, DNA damages and the apoptosis of peripheral blood leukocytes as well as cell senescence and the activity of caspase-3 of dermal tissue in mice that developed in the conditions of chronic low dose-rate γ-irradiation (8±2 cGy). The analysis has proved the delayed increase of the level of DNA damage in leukocytes, the decrease of body weight and the reduction of life span. The data suggest that low dose-rate irradiation at early development stages leads to hypersensitivity on both cell and organism level.
Retrospective Biological Dosimetry of the Absorbed Dose – Training on Estimation of the Radiation Dose of a Person Presumably Exposed to X – Ray Radiation by FISH
Authors: Miszczyk Justyna  , Cebulska-Wasilewska Antonina
Published: February 2025

It is well known that fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a powerful method largely used for detecting many chromosomal rearrangements and translocations, which are important biomarkers for the dose assessment, particularly in cases of the not well defined time of the subject’s exposure to ionizing radiation. In 2008 one person suspected himself of an accidental exposure to ionizing radiation, but the employer was informed about this accident in 2009. Here we present an example of the work, the aim of that was to estimate the absorbed dose of this presumably exposed to radiation person, in cells obtained from the subject about a one year after the accident. The aim for RADIPER participant’s training was enabling them to learn the results of this practical application of the translocation analysis for the purpose of the retrospective biological dosimetry. Then, during the training participants were to estimate the potential dose of the exposed anonymous subject, on the base of the analysis of cellular responses given in two sets of images of the aberrations in chromosome pairs: 1, 2 and 4 (the first one set was simulating results of the overexposure, and the second one set simulating results equal to the average level of the frequencies evaluated in our research for the control group of unexposed persons), and to compare its own results of the observed and detected translocations frequency in chromosome 1 with the investigated earlier response relationship. The chromosome pairs 1, 2 and 4 were treated using the three-color FISH technique. Stable chromosomal aberration, especially translocations, were scored, in the 60 images for each investigated case, by 10 course participants and the absorbed dose was reconstructed on the basis of a calibration curve established earlier in our laboratory for lymphocytes irradiated in vitro. The simulated absorbed dose was estimated by participants below 2 Gy, with an average frequencies of the translocations observed for the overexposed example as much as 0.068 ± 0.012 and in the control as 0.033 ± 0.008 in the chromosome 1. A rather small dispersion between results of measurements obtained by participants of the course clearly demonstrate a reproducibility and great value of the FISH method in retrospective biological dosimetry of the absorbed dose. Results of the real investigations, performed in cells of the person presumable exposed to the radiation, based on frequency of translocations in chromosome 1, appeared to be in the range of frequencies observed in unexposed subjects, in a consequence, the risk of the deterministic overexposure to radiation have been excluded, however further study on a larger number of metaphases for investigated patient and analysis of the influence of endogenous and exogenous factors altering the cellular responses to radiation is needed to confirm our findings.
Heritable Versus Somatic Effects In Vivo and In Vitro
Authors: Anderson Diana
Published: February 2025

The public has become more aware that exposure of males to certain agents can adversely affect their offspring. The hazards associated with exposure to ionizing radiation have been recognised for nearly a century. There was a civil court case on behalf of two of the alleged victims of paternal irradiation at Seascale against British Nuclear Fuels. The case foundered on “the balance of probabilities”. Nevertheless, there was support for paternal exposure from Japanese experimental X-ray studies in mice. The tumours were clearly heritable as shown by F2 transmission in vivo. In addition in humans, smoking fathers appear to give rise to tumours in the F1generation. Using rodent models, developmental abnormalities/congenital malformations and tumours can be studied after exposure of males in an extended dominant lethal assay and congenital malformations can be determined which have similar manifestations in humans. The foetuses can also be investigated for skeletal malformations and litters can be allowed to develop to adulthood when tumours, if present, can be observed. Karyotype analysis can be performed on foetuses and adult offspring to determine if induced genetic damage can be transmitted. Using this study design, cyclophosphamide, 1,3-butadiene and urethane have been examined and each compound produced positive responses: cyclophosphamide in all endpoints examined, 1,3-butadiene in some and urethane only produced liver tumours in F1male offspring. Using reactive oxygen species which are known to be produced during ionizing radiation, we examined human sperm and lymphocytes in vitro after treatment with six oestrogenic compounds in the Comet assay, which measures DNA damage, and observed that all caused damage in both cell types. The damage was diminished in nearly all cases by catalase, and in some instances by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Vitamin C (Vit C). This response pattern was also seen with hydrogen peroxide. This similarity suggests that the oestrogen-mediated effects could be acting via the production of hydrogen peroxide since catalase always markedly reduced the response.
Analyzing Social Conflict via Computational Social Simulation: A Review of Approaches
Authors: Amblard Frédéric  , Geller Armando  , Neumann Martin  , Srbljinović Armano  , Wijermans Nanda
Published: February 2025

Social conflict entails a variety of social phenomena, including international conflict, civil war, genocide, organized violence, insurgencies and rebellions, terrorism, riots, etc. Given the heterogeneity of social phenomena encompassed by this notion, it is not surprising that a variety of methodological and theoretical approaches have been applied to study it, ranging from formal game theoretic models to the hermeneutics of narratives. Social conflict has also been studied by means of complex systems research methods, such as agent-based social simulation. We conduct a review of the main formal-theoretical approaches to social conflict including agent-based modeling. We promote the usage of agent-based social simulation for it affords shedding light onto the nature of generative processes related to social conflict. We discuss the implications of such an approach to the study of social conflict against orthodox research designs and point toward its advantages which may facilitate development of more adequate conflict prevention and conflict management procedures.
Passive Supporters of Terrorism and Phase Transitions
Authors: August Friedrich  , Blanchard Philippe  , Delitzscher Sascha  , Krüger Tyll
Published: February 2025

We discuss some social contagion processes to describe the formation and spread of radical opinions. We use threshold dynamics to describe the local spread of opinions, and mean field effects. We calculate and observe phase transitions in dynamical variables resulting in a rapidly increasing number of passive supporters. Results strongly indicate that military solutions to the problem of terrorism are inappropriate.
The Macroscopic Effects of Microscopic Forces: Study of Diversity of Collective Behaviour
Authors: Kłopot Stanisław W.  , Pabjan Barbara  , Pekalski Andrzej
Published: February 2025

A complex social system consists of a variety of social elements and processes. One of the crucial problems which social researchers try to understand and explain is how social order and collective phenomena emerge from individual behaviours, and what the specific features of a particular type of social aggregate are. Another important problem is the application of appropriate research methods that allow explication of the distinctiveness of social reality. Recently there has been increased interest in the use of agent-based modelling, social network analysis, and socio-physics. These novel approaches often treat social phenomena as any other physical phenomena. We believe that these methods should take into account peculiarities of social realm in greater extent. We would like to discuss some of these novel approaches with placing special attention on some methodological problems that result from usage of models for investigation of complex social behaviours. In this paper we discuss the problem of macroscopic effects of microscopic forces using social constructions of security and threat as an example.
Generating rooted trees of m nodes uniformly at random
Authors: Matheis Kenneth  , Magliveras Spyros S.
Published: February 2025

A rooted tree is an ordinary tree with an equivalence condition: two treesare the same if and only if one can be transformed into the other by reorderingsubtrees. In this paper, we construct a bijection and use it to generate rooted trees(or forests) of any specified nodecount m uniformly at random. As an application,Raddum and Semaev [6] Raddum and Semaev propose a technique to solve systemsof polynomial equations over\mathbb{F}2
Permutation decoding for codes from designs, finite geometries and graphs
Authors: Key J.D.
Published: February 2025

Recent advances in technology have produced a requirement for new implementations of good error-correcting codes. Such applications of codes also require efficient encoding and decoding methods.
Codes and modules associated with designs and t-uniform hypergraphs
Authors: Wilson Richard M.
Published: February 2025

The Smith normal form and the invariant factors of an integer matrix are introduced. We give selected examples of how invariant factors, a chain of linear codes, and self-dual codes have appeared and been applied in the theory of combinatorial designs. In the latter part of these notes, we are concerned with diagonal forms of various incidence matrices arising from designs and uniform hypergraphs. Results on diagonal forms of such matrices can be applied to a certain zero-sum Ramsey-type problem.
What does Geography Tell us about NATO’s Durability? An Interpretation
Authors: Rynning Sten
Published: February 2025

NATO’s struggle to cohere and leave clear imprints on entrenched modern conflicts suggests that the Alliance is bereft of a strategic purpose. Yet mainstream international relations theory struggles to offer a convincing explanation for NATO’s durability – it turned 60 in 2009 – and its ability to run the ISAF operation in Afghanistan. There is probably no single convincing explanation for NATO’s durability. Understanding the positions in the NATO debate – their theoretical as well as normative foundations – becomes all the more important. To promote this type of understanding I resort to geography. I outline three geopolitical views as a heuristic device to dissect the NATO debate: Continental Geopolitics, Globalization, and Eurasian Geopolitics. I then engage NATO’s strategic direction since 1991 and the International Relations literature making sense of it. The result is not a turn-key research agenda but an overview of the stakes in the debate and a resource for making strong arguments.
NATO: One of the Main Guarantees of Peace and Security in South Caucasus
Authors: Chitadze Nika
Published: February 2025

Here we analyse the main aspects of cooperation between Georgia and NATO, which includes the history of NATO-Georgia relations, the main steps to be taken for Georgia to satisfy NATO standards and the importance of becoming a plenipotentiary member of the alliance to Georgia. We also deal with the main reasons for the August 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, in which one of the basic reasons was Georgia’s intention to join European and Euro-Atlantic Structures. Important attention is also paid to the Alliance’s geopolitical and geostrategic interests in the south Caucasus, with special attention focused on the importance of the region’s geopolitical, geo-economic and geostrategic location, and the role of the south Caucasus and the Caspian Sea region for the Euro-Atlantic region energy security.
Youth Violence and Immigration: The Trauma Perspective
Authors: Pat-Horenczyk Ruth  , Khodabakhsh Atoosa  , van Heemstra Jetse  , Brom Danny
Published: February 2025

Violence among youngsters is a major public health concern in western society. Detecting the causes of this phenomenon is crucial for developing effective interventions to curtail violence in children and adolescents. In this chapter we explore the interaction between two possible factors in the development of youth violence. The exposure to traumatic experiences, the first factor, has been shown to create difficulties in the regulation of emotions, and, among others, of anger. Immigration, another factor, might lead to violence because of the social difficulties of the immigrants' experience. In this chapter we maintain that one of the precipitating factors that can lead to youth violence among immigrants might be the exposure to traumatic experiences, prior to or in the process of immigration, and the resulting post traumatic distress.
Considerations over Factors Empowering Radicalization in the European Union
Authors: de Divitiis Valerio
Published: February 2025

Muslim immigrants present heterogeneous characteristics across EU countries implying the existence of diverse instances entailing radicalization cases and related risks which require modern policy capacities. EU Muslim immigrants, in particular youth, might be misled by radicalized messages deriving from current jihadist view of religious tenets. EU born immigrants (hence not belonging to first generation immigrants) are particularly exposed and vulnerable to the influence of vengeful purposes against Western societies. Some terrorist plots discovered in EU confirm this trend. Interestingly, effective actions carried out for counter-radicalization purposes are the chance for promoting equal opportunities, social integration and educational policies further than preventing terrorist organization proliferation. The identification of a common EU vision regarding terrorism-related matters borne by immigration and radicalization of Islam doctrine is the audacious commitment undertaken by relevant authorities in the course of recent years. The cultural power of the distorted and insane messages grounding on violent extremism and radicalization represents a strategic modus operandi for the proliferation of terrorist purposes. A comprehensive engagement for the development of policies and actions tailored for countering the misleading drift of religious tenets towards terrorism has to rely on an updated debate and open discussion among practitioners, academicians, policy-makers and lawenforcement actors.
Religious Revitalization in the West
Authors: Achterberg Peter  , Roeland Johan  , Houtman Dick
Published: February 2025

This chapter studies how people deal with loss of meaning due to a key process of modernization – that of secularization. Will people increasingly tend to oppose this major trend in Western societies? After putting forward some expectations in the next section, and explaining the data and measures in the third section, we will show how religious people respond to the growing pressures of the process of secularization around them in the fourth section. In the final section we will discuss the wider relevance of these results for immigrants' responses to some of the ill effects of modernity. The process of modernization can increasingly render people to feel lost, insecure and without a clear idea of meaning and identity. In addition, people will oppose these ill effects of modernization. In such a case they will start a renewed search for commonly shared fundamental values which combat the consequences of modernity.
Impact of Immigration on Mental Health: Moroccan Origin Women in Israel
Authors: Latzer Yael  , Suchday Sonia
Published: February 2025

The primary aim of this chapter is to describe a study which examined the type of difficulties encountered by traditional-oriented Moroccan immigrants while seeking treatment for psychiatric problems in a Western-oriented therapeutic setting. Specifically, we tried to understand which age group encountered more dificulties and conflicts related to the disparities between their traditional beliefs and the Western-oriented beliefs of their therapists. A study example will be presented to illustrate the topic. The study sample was comprised of 38 women of Moroccan origin, ranging in age from 20-60 years old, who were living in Israel and undergoing treatment for psychiatric disorders at an outpatient clinic, as well as the nine psychiatrists treating them. The data were collected through ethnographic semi-structured interviews conducted with both groups. Three age groups emerged within the study: young women, mature women and older women. The results show differences between the three age groups in the patient's illness perception, including the symptoms, the illness and recovery process, and the difficulties encountered in the therapeutic relationship. While cultural conflict appeared to affect the development of mental illness in each group, it was the strongest among mature women in the middle age range. Moreover, problems in the therapeutic alliance were greatest in this age group, though the therapists continued to maintain a Western perspective in their diagnosis and treatment of these patients despite the lack of cooperation and alliance in the therapeutic relationship. It is suggested that professionals treating traditional-oriented populations should try to be more sensitive to the context of cultural beliefs rather than imposing Western standards of treatment. Additionally, the adolescents stage of immigration and acculturation should also be taken into account, for improving the effectiveness of the treatment. Although this research concentrated on the problems of a specific immigrant population in Israel with respect to the effects of contrasting views of mental health practices, it nevertheless mirrors similar conflicts experienced by other immigrant populations and their doctors, both in Israel and in other host countries. In fact, it may also reflect a wider conflict between Western perspectives on health care and traditional healing practices and the impact on acculturation and adjustment to the new culture in particular among adolescents.
NMR Spectroscopy Inside Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
Authors: Bertrand Karl  , Burz David S.  , Shekhtman Alexander  , Dutta Kaushik
Published: February 2025

In the past few decades, biological processes such as protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions have been studied to atomic resolution under “near-physiological” conditions using in vitro NMR spectroscopy. With the advent of in-cell NMR spectroscopy, biological interactions can now be studied within a cellular environment to provide information at atomic resolution under physiological conditions. By performing NMR spectroscopy on living cells, we can begin to better understand the structural underpinnings of biological activity. This article will discuss the more recent advances in the field of in-cell NMR spectroscopy, both in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Relaxation Dispersion Studies of Enzyme Motions
Authors: Doucet Nicolas  , Loria J. Patrick
Published: February 2025

Recent developments in spin-1/2 isotope labeling and NMR pulse sequence advances have been leveraged to investigate μs – ms motions in enzyme function. These studies have identified concerted motions that occur over large regions of enzymes and often involve highly conserved amino acids. In combination with functional studies these NMR-identified motions have been implicated in partaking in the rate-determining step in the catalytic cycle. This review examines several of the more recent solution NMR studies that demonstrate the essential nature of conformational motions.
Fast Acquisition Methods in Multidimensional NMR
Authors: Mobli Mehdi  , Hoch Jeffrey C.  , King Glenn F.
Published: February 2025

The advent of isotope labeling strategies for macromolecules has enabled the application of multidimensional heteronuclear NMR experiments to biomolecular systems of unprecedented size and complexity. The improved signal dispersion afforded by multiple dimensions; however, comes at a price: each added dimension exponentially increases the required NMR data acquisition time if the conventional approach of Fourier Transform NMR is employed. Efforts to overcome this time barrier have been given additional impetus due to technological advances such as the advent of cryogenically cooled probes, increased strength of high-field magnets, and improvements in computation. In this chapter we review the most successful methods for accelerating NMR data acquisition, highlighting relationships among the methods as well as their respective strengths and weaknesses. Our aim is to provide a practical reference guide for researchers to better understand this rapidly growing field and help identify the approach best suited to a particular problem.
NMR Studies of Large Protein Systems
Authors: Pai Ming-Tao  , Tzeng Shiou-Ru  , Kalodimos Charalampos G.
Published: February 2025

The use of NMR to determine the structure and dynamics of small proteins and domains up to about 20 kilodaltons has become fairly routine. Recent advances in technology and analysis have now made it possible to extend NMR studies to proteins and complexes of extreme size. It is even possible to obtain structural and dynamic information of complexes in the mega-dalton range.
Experimental and Computational Characterization of Disordered States of Proteins
Authors: Marsh Joseph A.  , Forman-Kay Julie D.
Published: February 2025

Disordered states of proteins include (i) the unfolded states of folded proteins and (ii) the biologically functional intrinsically disordered proteins. Due to the highly dynamic and conformationally heterogeneous nature of disordered states, traditional methods for structural characterization are not directly applicable. Nevertheless, recent years have brought major advances in the experimental characterization of disordered states. In particular, multidimensional NMR methods have proven extremely valuable for improving our understanding of these highly flexible systems. Extensive experimental evidence now supports the idea that disordered states under non-denaturing or mildly denaturing conditions have interesting structural properties that deviate substantially from the random coil-like behavior observed for chemically denatured proteins. In this chapter, we review various experimental techniques for characterizing non-random secondary and tertiary structure in disordered states of proteins. In addition, we discuss recent attempts at combining experimental measurements with computational methods in order to build detailed atomic-level models of various unfolded and intrinsically disordered proteins.
New Approaches for the Study of Paramagnetic Metalloproteins
Authors: Abriata Luciano A.  , Zaballa María-Eugenia  , Vila Alejandro J.
Published: February 2025

NMR spectroscopy of paramagnetic metalloproteins has been historically disfavored based on the fast nuclear relaxation rates induced by unpaired electrons, which leads to extreme line broadening and impairs magnetization transfer. Recent advances in the application of state-of-the-art pulse sequences are described herein, with particular emphasis on copper proteins, which present unfavorable electron relaxation times. In the case of binuclear copper centers, NMR is particularly useful for obtaining information on the electronic structure of partially populated (invisible) excited states which determine their reactivity.
Unifying Models of Data Flow
Authors: Hoare Tony  , Wickerson John
Published: February 2025

We propose a model of computation, based on data flow, that unifies several disparate programming phenomena, including local and shared variables, synchronised and buffered communication, reliable and unreliable channels, dynamic and static allocation, explicit and garbage-collected disposal, fine-grained and coarse-grained concurrency, and weakly and strongly consistent memory.
Towards a Theory of Architectural Contracts:
Authors: Broy Manfred
Published: February 2025

This paper presents basic concepts and paradigms for the specification and reasoning about systems, their interfaces and architectures as well as their properties in terms of contracts based on the idea of assumptions and promises. The key idea is that an assumption represents a specification of properties of the environment in which a system can be used, and that the promise describes the specification of properties of the system guaranteed under the assumption. Based on this idea explicit system specifications are derived forming implicative interface assertions. On this basis, more specific aspects of the specification and reasoning about properties of systems and their architectures in terms of assumptions and promises are analysed. What we study, in particular, is the fact that system assertions show some specific structure, for instance, in terms of liveness and safety properties as well as causality and realizability. This structure influences the meaning of assume/promise-specifications and imposes healthiness conditions for them.
Mixed Integer Rounding Cuts and Master Group Polyhedra
Authors: Dash Sanjeeb
Published: February 2025

We survey recent research on mixed-integer rounding (MIR) inequalities and a generalization, namely the two-step MIR inequalities defined by Dash and Günlük (2006). We discuss the master cyclic group polyhedron of Gomory (1969) and discuss how other subadditive inequalities, similar to MIR inequalities, can be derived from this polyhedron. Recent numerical experiments have shed much light on the strength of MIR inequalities and the closely related Gomory mixed-integer cuts, especially for the MIP instances in the MIPLIB 3.0 library, and we discuss these experiments and their outcomes. Balas and Saxena (2007), and independently, Dash, Günlük and Lodi (2007), study the strength of the MIR closure of MIPLIB instances, and we explain their approach and results here. We also give a short proof of the well-known fact that the MIR closure of a polyhedral set is a polyhedron. Finally, we conclude with a survey of the complexity of cutting-plane proofs which use MIR inequalities.
The Bulgarian “P” Connection in Belgium. Former Security Agents Sprawling a (Human) Trafficking and Smuggling Business
Authors: Leman Johan  , Janssens Stefaan
Published: February 2025

Through a sprawling of activities in the nineties, former Bulgarian intelligence officials, using their expertise and contacts, developed from a business of smuggling of State capitals into a variegated business of (human) smuggling and trafficking. The “P” connection gives us a transparent example of such a process, connected with “P”, a small town near Sofia, and Belgium.
The Albanian Mafia, a Major Actor in THB
Authors: Farcy François
Published: February 2025

The Albanian clans became a major actor on people smuggling at the end of the years nineties, letting immigrants on the beach of the Pouilles region, smuggled in connection with the local Italian Mafia (Sacra Corona Unita). Sinds then, they have become active in the trade of immigrants from many nationalities, providing services or cooperating with other criminal organisations, among which the Italian Mafias and the Russian mafia for the transit of Asian victims through Moscow as well as with other criminals groups from ex satellite of the Soviet Union. For the trade through Italy, the Albanians need the support of the local Italian mafias. In the Pouilles region, the Sacra Corona Unita asks for payment for her support to “welcome” the immigrants on the beaches between Bari and Brindisi. Elsewhere, Albanian clans pay a tithe to the Camorra and the N'drangheta, in particular on the outskirts of Milano, a crossroad to Northern Europe. Co-operation with Russian criminal organisations is not very well known but it exists in particular in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg concerning the smuggling of Asian immigrants arriving by plane in this country. Earlier, Albanian criminals were managing Albanian girls, and later girls that they brought from Eastern European countries (Lithuania, Belarus, Moldavia, Bulgaria, ...). They have now to face on this market in European cities a growing competition from other criminal organisations namely Bulgarians and Nigerians, but also with Turks, Iraqi's and Pakistani. However, they maintain control on the activities through renting out locations and bars. The Italian mafias have reached a stage of development which gives them the opportunity to get involved in less risky and less visible criminal activities. We can reasonably suppose that the Italian mafias are getting part of the incomes from the prostitution, where the Albanian groups or others are doing the dirty job.
Against Organized Crime, Awareness and Cooperation
Authors: Campagnola Giovan Battista
Published: February 2025

When I arrived here, four years ago, I noted a level of criminality quite high. Bulgaria stays in a very delicate geographic position that is unfortunately also a traditional crossroad for criminality. His integration into Europe is therefore of tremendous importance. When I arrived here, the words ‘criminality’ and ‘corruption’ where not very often used. After four years, this has changed. We are observing tremendous progress, following the adopting of ‘acquis communautaire’, totally satisfaction on legislation thus, still to be complemented on the implementation level.
Uncontrolled Zones as Haven for Organized Crime. The Case of Georgia
Authors: Kukhianidze Alexandre
Published: February 2025

The problem of organized crime and contraband trade through Abkhazia and South Ossetia is closely connected to the problem of separatism, unresolved armed conflicts, violence in these regions, and uncontrolled borders. Smuggling through these regions takes place in an atmosphere of violence, assassinations, kidnappings, hostage takings, and other serious crimes.
Information Communication Technology as a Means of Enhancing the Well-being of Older People
Authors: Johnson Daniel  , Huppert Felicia
Published: February 2025

This chapter provides an informal review of the opportunities provided by Information Communication Technology (ICT) for improving and maintaining well-being among older people. The manner in which ICT might improve well-being is considered across three domains; social networks (broadening and deepening connections, facilitating social contribution, providing indirect monitoring), cognitive function (maintaining and enhancing function, supporting cognitive impairment), and health (preventing and managing disorders, rehabilitation, enhancement of health, improvements in health care). The barriers and opportunities that exist are identified as falling into four categories; psychological, technological, costs (financial and human), and issues of privacy and confidentiality. Based on exploration of these barriers and opportunities, recommendations regarding possible solutions are made.
Apparent Behavioral Benefits of Tau Overexpression in P301L Tau Transgenic Mice
Authors: Morgan Dave  , Munireddy Sanjay  , Alamed Jennifer  , DeLeon Jason  , Diamond David M.  , Bickford Paula  , Hutton Michael  , Lewis Jada  , McGowan Eileen  , Gordon Marcia N.
Published: February 2025

Transgenic mice expressing human tau containing the P301L tau mutation (JNPL3; tau mice) develop motor neuron loss, paralysis and death between 7 and 12 months. Surprisingly, at 5 and 7 months of age, tau transgenic mice were superior to other genotypes in the rotarod task, and had near perfect scores on the balance beam and coat hanger tests. One tau transgenic mouse was performing at a superior level in the rotarod one day prior to developing paralysis. Cognitive function was also normal in the tau mice evaluated in the radial arm water maze and the Y-maze tasks. We also crossed the tau transgenic mice with Tg2576 amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) transgenic mice. Although AβPP mice were deficient in the radial arm maze task, AβPP + tau mice were not impaired, implying a benefit of the tau transgene. Some mice were homozygous for the retinal degeneration mutation (rd/rd) and excluded from the genotype analysis. Only the water maze task discriminated the rd/rd mice from nontransgenic mice. In conclusion, it seems that the modest tau overexpression or the presence of mutant tau in the JNPL3 tau mice may provide some benefit with respect to motor and cognitive performance before the onset of paralysis.
The Canine Model of Human Aging and Disease
Authors: Cotman Carl W.  , Head Elizabeth
Published: February 2025

Aged dogs (beagles) develop losses in executive function, learning and memory. The severity of decline in these cognitive domains represents a spectrum that captures normal aging, mild cognitive impairment and early/mild Alzheimer disease (AD) in humans. In parallel, dogs naturally accumulate several types of neuropathology (although not all) consistent with human brain aging and AD including cortical atrophy, neuron loss, loss of neurogenesis, beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage. Many of these neuropathological features correlate with the extent of cognitive decline in a brain region-dependent manner. Dogs are ideally suited for longitudinal studies and we provide a summary of the beneficial effects of an antioxidant diet, of behavioral enrichment and of Aβ immunotherapy. In addition, combinatorial treatment approaches can be a powerful strategy for improving brain function through enhancement of multiple molecular pathways.
Hippocampal Alterations in Rats Submitted to Streptozotocin-Induced Dementia Model: Neuroprotection with Aminoguanidine
Authors: Rodrigues Letícia  , Biasibetti Regina  , Swarowsky Alessandra  , Leite Marina C.  , Quincozes-Santos André  , Achaval Matilde  , Gonçalves Carlos-Alberto
Published: February 2025

Although the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease remains elusive, many possible risk factors and pathological alterations have been used in the elaboration of in vitro and in vivo models of this disease in rodents, including intracerebral (ICV) infusion of streptozotocin (STZ). Using this model, we evaluated spatial cognitive deficit and neurochemical hippocampal alterations, particularly astroglial protein markers such as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100B, glutathione content, NO production and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) S100B; in addition, prevention of these alterations by aminoguanidine administration was evaluated. Results confirm a spatial cognitive deficit and nitrative stress in this dementia model as well as specific astroglial alterations, particularly S100B accumulation in the hippocampus and decreased CSF S100B. The hippocampal astroglial activation occurred independently of the significant alteration in GFAP content. Moreover, all these alterations were completely prevented by aminoguanidine administration, confirming the neuroprotective potential of this compound, but suggesting that nitrative stress and/or glycation may be underlying these alterations. Findings contribute to the understanding of diseases accompanied by cognitive deficits and the STZ-model of dementia.
The Cholesterol-Fed Rabbit as a Model of AD: The Old, the New and the Pilot
Authors: Sparks D. Larry
Published: February 2025

Pioneering autopsy studies revealed a possible link between coronary artery disease, cholesterol and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the cholesterol-fed rabbit model of human coronary artery disease, we identified numerous neuropathologic features of AD including central accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and cognitive deficits compared to rabbits fed unaltered diet. Removing cholesterol from the diet or treatment with cholesterol-lowering medications reversed the severity of AD-like alterations. This fostered the rationale for testing a cholesterol-lowering statin medication for benefit in the treatment of AD. Further studies suggested that the cholesterol-fed rabbit was a viable model for AD, but the severity of the neuropathology produced exhibited gender-related differences. Furthermore the induction of AD-like neuropathology by dietary cholesterol was found to depend on the quality of water the animal was drinking. Cholesterol-fed rabbits drinking distilled water showed minimal central changes, whereas animals drinking distilled water supplemented with low levels of copper were severely affected. It was clear that cholesterol caused the over-production of Aβ in the brain and copper influenced its clearance to the blood. Emerging data suggest that low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP) on brain capillaries clears Aβ from brain and that excess circulating copper negatively influences this process.
A Rabbit Model of Alzheimer's Disease: Valid at Neuropathological, Cognitive, and Therapeutic Levels
Authors: Woodruff-Pak Diana S.  , Agelan Alexis  , Valle Luis Del
Published: February 2025

Supplementing a rabbit's diet with 2% cholesterol alone or with a trace amount of copper created neuropathological changes that resembled those seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD model rabbits were impaired in eyeblink classical conditioning; a form of learning severely impaired in AD. Our aim was to replicate AD rabbit model neuropathology, test eyeblink conditioning in this model, and determine if galantamine (Razadyne™) would ameliorate impaired conditioning. In Experiment 1 rabbit chow with 2% cholesterol and drinking water with 0.12 mg/liter copper sulfate were administered for 10 weeks. Control rabbits received normal food and water. Rabbit brains were probed for neuropathology. AD model rabbits had significant neuronal loss in frontal cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. Changes in neurons in the hippocampus were consistent with neurofibrillary degeneration and cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for β-amyloid and tau. In Experiment 2 AD model rabbits were injected daily with vehicle or 3.0 mg/kg galantamine and tested on 750 ms trace and delay eyeblink conditioning. Galantamine improved eyeblink conditioning significantly over vehicle. The AD rabbit model has validity from neuropathological to cognitive levels and offers a promising addition to the available animal models of AD. Galantamine ameliorated impaired eyeblink conditioning, extending the validity of the AD rabbit model to treatment modalities.
Large Artificial Water Reservoirs and Dams as Critical Risk Objects in Armenia
Authors: Minasyan R.S.  , Aleksanyan G.A.  , Valyaev A.N.  , Sargsyan L.S.  , Valyaeva A.A.
Published: February 2025

As the whole territory of Armenia is situated in a high seismic active zone, the constant monitoring for its artificial water reservoirs and dams, and the assessment of their risk values, seismic assessment of dam stability is very real and important today. The earthquakes and floods that often take place here may cause dams to be destroyed, with subsequent great damage for the population and the environment. Data have been collected and analysed on the current conditions of reservoirs and dams and showed the main factors that determine the risk levels. The investigations, performed for the two most dangerous homeland large dams, were based on the main principles of total risk analysis for dams as presented in the recommendations of the International Committee of Large Dams (ICOLD [1–3]).
Assessment of Seismic Threats from Active Movement of Plates and their Influence on Seismic Activity in Armenia
Authors: Karakhanian Arkadi S.  , Trifonov Vladimir G.  , Herve Philip  , Avagyan Ara  , Baghdassaryan Haik  , Arakelyan Suren  , Davtyan Vahan
Published: February 2025

Amenia, SE Turkey and NW Iran are in the centre of the zone of continental collision of the Arabian lithosphere plate and have been subjected to intense faulting and earthquakes. An assessment of the natural hazard within the territory of one state is isolated and thus incomplete. The trans-boundary nature of active faults, and of the accompanying seismic and volcanic hazards, calls for trans-boundary cooperation in the study, assessment and mitigation of natural risk in the region.
Geochemical and Radiological Risks in the Most Dangerous Regions of Central Asia and Caucasus
Authors: Valyaev A.N.  , Passell H.D.  , Solodukhin V.P.  , Stepanets O.V.  , Aleksanyan G.M.  , Petrov V.A.  , Valyaeva A.A.
Published: February 2025

Many regions of Central Asia and Caucasus are characterised as zones of great global geochemical and radiological risks. This is connected with intense natural and man-made impacts, as well as the political and economic situation. For the first group of impacts we address mountainous areas with high seismic levels, large lakes and rivers with powerful hydroelectric stations, sizeable reservoirs and large high dams, high degrees of industrial activity that increases probabilities for man-induced and natural catastrophes with irreversible high levels of radioactive, toxic and other pollutants of large areas such as the Black, Caspian and Kara Seas, and their river basins. The second group of impacts relate to the disbanding of the USSR and the creation of new independent states with additional international frictions, which results in inadequate or totally absent environmental monitoring of, especially, trans-boundary areas. The proximity of these regions to zones of dormant or active conflicts promote situations with great opportunities for performing deliberate acts of terrorism using explosives, and area also able to cause man-induced catastrophes and stimulate natural calamities. Presented here is our approach to resolving the noted actual problems, and its implementation will promote the realization of the concept of substantial development and decreasing political stress for all countries located on the continent.
Harmonization of Seismic Hazard and Risk Reduction in the Vrancea Zone: Scientific Results of a NATO Research Project
Authors: Zaicenco A.  , Craifaleanu I.-G.  , Paskaleva I.  , Özcebe G.  , Lungu D.
Published: February 2025

The paper presents some of the main scientific results achieved within the framework of a recently completed NATO Science for Peace and Security research project. The project aimed to harmonize the different seismic risk maps of Romania, Bulgaria, and the Republic of Moldova, and to develop standard maps in Eurocode 8 format, reflecting the real trans-boundary geophysical characteristics. In order to achieve these results, an important amount of research work in the field was carried out by the project teams of the three countries. The project also involved training of young scientists in the fields of seismic hazard, vulnerability and risk, organizing of seminars and workshops with international experts, and upgrading the national seismic networks with new digital equipments. The general coordination of project activities, and the evaluation of the project progress, were performed by a scientific team from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey.
TACIS: Working Together for Nuclear Safety and Against Nuclear Terrorism
Authors: Udovyk Oleg
Published: February 2025

After the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, the European Union set up Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS), and the following year created the TACIS Nuclear Safety Program.
Assessing Radiological Weapons: Attack Methods and Estimated Effects
Authors: Smith Michelle M.  , Ferguson Charles D.
Published: February 2025

In the decade since September 11, 2001, a terrorist attack using radiological materials-usually referred to as a “dirty bomb,” but actually encompassing other means of dispersal-has sometimes seemed inevitable. But terrorists have not yet carried out such an attack. Not only do many groups lack the motivation to engage in radiological terrorism, but these types of attacks also require technical, logistical, and financial means beyond those needed for terrorism using conventional methods. This article seeks to address technical questions associated with radiological terrorism. It first presents a summary of the commercially available radioactive sources, dispersal methods, and exposure pathways that could be deployed in a radiological attack. It then critically assesses the simulation-driven, open source research that has been done in the past ten years in the United States. The article goes on to note the estimated effects of a radiological attack according to these studies, with an emphasis on the motivations for, lessons derived from, and misconceptions or shortcomings contained in the various attack scenarios. Finally, the article draws conclusions and implications for the prevention and mitigation of radiological terrorism based on these studies and their respective limits, which mainly consist of technical, scope, and design limits or omissions, and suggests areas for further inquiry.
Pulsed Eddy Current Testing - Application to Defect Evaluation
Authors: Smetana Milan  , Janousek Ladislav  , Capova Klara  , Michniakova Maria
Published: February 2025

This article deals with the pulsed eddy current testing method as a new trend in electromagnetic nondestructive evaluation of conductive materials. Numerical simulations are carried out to study correlations between the driving and the response signals regarding the defect classification. Parameters of the defect as well shape and adjustment of the driving signal are changed to study variety of possibilities. Moreover, several configurations of the eddy current probe are examined. The gained numerical results are presented and discussed in the paper.
Stress Corrosion Cracks Evaluation in 316 Austenitic Stainless Steel Plate
Authors: Chady Tomasz  , Kowalczyk Jacek  , Psuj Grzegorz
Published: February 2025

In this paper a ECT system was used to inspect stress corrosion cracks (SCC). The system utilizes lock-in amplifier, which enables observation of signals having the amplitude lower than the noise level. The sample with three SCCs examined during test was made of 16 mm thick 316 austenitic stainless steel.