bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sea Piracy
Authors: Mody Cyrus
Published: February 2025

Although piracy has been around for centuries, modern piracy has a much more distinct character now. This article outlines the current trends and techniques for piracy and also delves into the recent statistics as well as areas of concern.
Turkey's Efforts for Global Maritime Security
Authors: Kayser Sümer
Published: February 2025

Maritime Security is indivisible and interdependent. No state is immune from the spillover effects of a maritime incident, be it related with safety, security, environment, energy, trade, tourism or domestic stability, either on a regional or global scale. The first part of this paper considers the importance and global dimensions of Maritime Security. The second part of this paper highlights Turkey's Maritime Security Initiatives (BLACKSEAFOR, OBSH, OMS, Turkish Navy's efforts to Counter Piracy Operations and Turkish Maritime Task Group). The third part highlights Turkey's MSA Activities. Finally, the paper considers a New Organizational Approach To Maritime Security;. Project “Maritime Security Center Of Excellence-Turkey” (MS COE-TUR).
Operational Analysis in a Port Protection System
Authors: Mednikarova Boyan  , Kalinov Kalin  , Dimitrovr Nedko
Published: February 2025

Port protection in urban areas poses a significant challenge not only for Bulgaria but also for the whole maritime community in the world. The International Maritime Organizations put considerable efforts in providing a common approach for the problems in the area solutions. In spite of all, the particularities of every single port and terrain create many problems in elaboration a common decision in the area of port protection. The participation of too many agencies in the protection system brings additional problems. In this environment the answer of the question “is it possible to elaborate a methodology for a common approach in planning and organizing the port protection system?” is of significant importance. In this context the paper presents the results of a national project for planning the Bulgarian port protection system. Notwithstanding that the focus is on the methodology, some organizational decisions are briefly discussed.
Parallel Distributed Genetic Rule Selection for Data Mining from Large Data Sets
Authors: Nojima Yusuke  , Mihara Shingo  , Ishibuchi Hisao
Published: February 2025

Genetic algorithms (GAs) have been successfully used for data mining thanks to their flexibility. Users easily incorporate their preference into objective functions to be optimized. Although GA-based data mining techniques are useful, there is a serious difficulty in the handling of data sets with a large number of patterns and/or attributes. That is, we need much long computation time for the evaluation of candidate solutions because all the patterns have to be classified by each candidate solution. To reduce the computation time of GA-based data mining, we propose a parallel distributed implementation of genetic rule selection. The main characteristic is to divide not only a population in GA but also a training data set into a number of sub-groups. Then a pair of a sub-population and a training data subset is assigned to a single CPU core. This approach can drastically reduce the computation time with no serious deterioration in the generalization ability of obtained classifiers. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our parallel distributed implementation through computational experiments on large data sets available from the UCI machine learning repository.
On Comutational Robotics
Authors: Luo Zhiwei
Published: February 2025

This paper gives a comprehensive study on “computational robotics” motivated by the recent rapid development of supercomputer technologies. By applying advanced computational scientific approach, it is expected to realize deeper understanding of human as well as to solve more complicated computational problems for the next generation of robotics. Specifically, three main problems are discussed. The first one is about high dimensional super-redundancy considering the full body human motor functions. With the rapid computation ability, it will be possible to realize simultaneous human movement measurement with dynamic human motion analysis and simulation within real time. The second topic is on the massive computation of a robot's complex full body physical interactions with environment and/or manipulated objects such as a cared person. Here, how to simulate, plan and control the interactions with many kinds of frictions are discussed. The discrete feature of physical contacts together with continuous behaviors of motion/force control makes the problem as a hybrid dynamic system. Systematic approach to solve such problem requires massive computation. The final one simply studies on a robot's cognitive motion in the real world so that to adapt to the unknown and/or uncertain environment. Such problem requires to process huge cognitive information inputs within real time so as to determine the robot's environmental adaptive actions.
Saliency-based Geographics Annotation for Robotic Access to Naturally Complex Scenes
Authors: Kamejima Kohji
Published: February 2025

A saliency-based approach is presented to the transfer of landmark information between robotic vehicles participating in over-the-horizon maneuvering processes. By identifying chromatic diversity of naturally complex scenes with degenerated version of fractal attractors, probe vehicles detect and upload as-is representation of scene specific primaries as annotation of the local geographics. In reference to the annotation, future visitors adaptively restore the saliency pattern to be matched with landmarks in encountered scenes. Through experimental studies, the saliency based geographics annotation was demonstrated to significantly reduce the complexity of noisy background.
Exact Pipe Wall Thinning Management with Flow Accelerated Corrosion using Electro-Magnetic Acoustic Transducer
Authors: Kosaka Daigo  , Tabata Hiroki  , Nakamoto Hiroyuki  , Kojima Fumio
Published: February 2025

This paper describes quantitative nondestructive evaluations of wall thinning in power plants by electro-magnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT). Among Japan's aging plants, their inspections and costs are increasing. Therefore, Interest is currently focused on continuous monitoring to the plants in operation. Inspection using EMAT is suitable for the continuous monitoring, because EMAT itself is attracted on the pipe. In this paper, we tested corrosion shapes of straight pipes which were machined to simulate flow-accelerated corrosions. Additionally, we measured thicknesses of an elbow pipe. The measured values gave close agreement with the observed values which were measured by an ultrasound thick gauge. We confirm that EMAT has the capability to measure thicknesses of corrosion wastages of the pipes.
Simulation Algorithms for Continuous Time Markov Chain Models
Authors: Banks H.T.  , Broido Anna  , Canter Brandi  , Gayvert Kaitlyn  , Hu Shuhua  , Joyner Michele  , Link Kathryn
Published: February 2025

Continuous time Markov chains are often used in the literature to model the dynamics of a system with low species count and uncertainty in transitions. In this paper, we investigate three particular algorithms that can be used to numerically simulate continuous time Markov chain models (a stochastic simulation algorithm, explicit and implicit tau-leaping algorithms). To compare these methods, we used them to analyze two stochastic infection models with different level of complexity. One of these models describes the dynamics of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infection in a hospital, and the other is for the early infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) within a host. The relative efficiency of each algorithm is determined based on computational time and degree of precision required. The numerical results suggest that all three algorithms have similar computational efficiency for the VRE model due to the low number of species and small number of transitions. However, we found that with the larger and more complex HIV model, implementation and modification of tau-Leaping methods are preferred.
Crack Identification by the Passive and the Active Methods with the Use of Piezoelectric Film and Inverse Analysis
Authors: Kubo S.  , Sakagami T.  , Ioka Seiji
Published: February 2025

By using piezoelectric film the present authors proposed the passive electric potential CT (computed tomography) method and the active pulse echo method for crack identification with the help of the inverse analysis. This paper describes the passive and the active methods using the piezoelectric film and their applications to the identification of cracks. The passive electric potential CT method used the electric potential distribution incurred due to the direct piezoelectric effect on the surface of a piezoelectric film pasted on a cracked body subjected to mechanical load. The present authors proposed a smart layer composed of the piezoelectric film and flexible printed circuit. By applying electric pulse to the smart layer a supersonic wave is emitted due to the inverse piezoelectric effect. The active pulse echo method used the reflected wave observed on the smart layer for the crack identification. The applicability of these methods to the identification of two- and three-dimensional cracks was demonstrated.
The Importance of Strategic Communication and Public Diplomacy in Combating Terrorism
Authors: Nacos Brigitte L.
Published: February 2025

In the fights against terrorism, a perception has developed in the Muslim world that this is a fight against Islam, as poll results show. This problem may at least partially be the result of different perceptions of the same messages in different parts of the world. In order to combat this perception while at the same time maintaining counterterrorist efforts, it is important to use the appropriate messages in both strategic communications and public diplomacy. After explaining these terms, this article delves into how this can be improved by examining some successes in this realm. In particular, the use of specialists native to the target areas and populations could be very helpful in winning the communications battle as well as the counterterrorist battles.
Legal Responses to Terrorist Use of the Internet
Authors: Gercke Marco
Published: February 2025

Terrorist organisations have already stated to make use of the Internet. Possible activities include cyber-attacks, fundraising, training, recruitment, secret communication, data mining, propaganda and radicalisation. The following article summarises the result of a research undertaken by the author for the Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) and provides an overview about legal response to terrorist use of the Internet.
Telling a Story by Dry Statistics: Suicide Terror Attacks in Israel: (1993-2008)
Authors: Ben-Israel Galit M.  , Shorer-Zeltser Marina
Published: February 2025

This paper presents an analysis of data of suicide terrorism attacks (167 case studies) which were carried out by terrorist organizations in the period 1993-2008, in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A description of these events is used as a key to understand a unique Israeli phenomenon, that of the direct influence of terror attacks on internal Israeli politics. In this paper, we will examine the case studies with the help of two methodological approaches. The first, the positivistic approach, will help us to expose the official narrative of the events, namely, the chronological history of the case studies as portrayed in books and in the Israeli mass media. Then, with the help of the interpretive approach, we will show the alternative narrative which represents an attempt to decipher the phenomenon of the Israeli national symbols.
Trends in the Insurgency in Iraq: The Impact of Suicide Bombings in the Period 2003-2006
Authors: Moreno Alberto P.
Published: February 2025

This article is about the impact of human bombs on the political process in Iraq, which between 2003 and 2006 was the global centre of suicide terrorism. The profile of perpetrators is designed and the main characteristics of the missions are analyzed. The author argues that no single explanation on individual level can be found; the motivation behind the attacks is rather a mix of fanaticism, nationalism, personal trauma and religious fervour. The conclusion is made that suicide bombing is one of the main challenges to the political stability of the country.
6. Dynamic Configuration of Home Services
Authors: McBryan Tony  , Gray Phil
Published: February 2025

This chapter addresses the challenge of the configuration of modern interactive systems (ubiquitous, context-sensitive, mobile et al.) where it is difficult or impossible to predict the resources available for evolution, the criteria for judging the success of the evolution, and the degree to which human judgements must be involved in the evaluation process used to determine the configuration. A conceptual model of interactive system configuration over time is presented (known as interaction evolution) which relies upon the following steps; (i) identification of opportunities for change in a system, (ii) reflection on the available configuration alternatives, (iii) decision-making and (iv) implementation, and finally iteration of the process. This conceptual model underpins the development of a dynamic evolution environment based on a notion of configuration evaluation functions (here-after referred to as evaluation functions) that provides greater flexibility than current solutions and, when supported by appropriate tools, can provide a richer set of evaluation techniques and features that are difficult or impossible to implement in current systems. Specifically this approach has support for changes to the approach, style or mode of use for configuration. These features may result in more effective systems, less effort involved to configure them, and a greater degree of control for the user.
Comparative Methods For The Assessment Of Threats Of Terrorist and Unauthorized Actions
Authors: Makhutov Nikolay A.  , Gadenin Mikhail M.
Published: February 2025

The methodological foundation and methods for risk reduction have been developed in all countries of the world in the framework of the analysis of natural and technogenic risks. The problem was also intensively addressed to in Russia during the realization of the State Scientific Program “Safety of People and National Economy Assets in view of Risks of Accidents and Catastrophes” (1990-2000) and the Federal Research Program “Reduction of Risks and Mitigation of Consequences of Natural and Technogenic Emergencies in the RF until 2010.” In 1990-s it was suggested that the human factor be incorporated into the system of risk assessment in connection with unauthorized and erroneous actions. In the beginning of the 21stcentury that approach proved to be insufficient taking into account the acts of local, national and international terrorism. The generalization of terrorism evaluations led us to the concept of three kinds of terrorism – traditional, technological and intelligent ones. They differ in damage factors and in their initial, secondary and cascade effects as well. In view of the above it becomes possible to improve the evaluations of terrorist actions and to incorporate the results of the study into the complex system of safety research.
Risk evaluation of threats to critical infrastructure
Authors: Baecher Gregory B.
Published: February 2025

By 2050, 80% of the world's population will live in urban areas and be totally dependent on infrastructure service systems. Immediate steps need to be taken to insure that future infrastructures meet the constraints of reliability, security, and global sustainability. Infrastructures mediate between societal behaviors and environmental conditions. The sustainability of modern civilization, in balance with a sustained global environment, will necessarily rely on implementing sustainable global infrastructures; and yet we know so little of how interconnected infrastructure systems perform, or how to manage them at large scales, or how they interact with social and environmental processes. To this end, efforts are in progress in North America and Europe to develop an analytical understanding of the behaviors and vulnerabilities of interacting infrastructure systems; to create a risk-informed analysis capability for modeling the behavior of complex infrastructure; to apply emerging information technology to the problems of designing, constructing, monitoring, and operating sustainable infrastructures; and to build an understanding of the social, economic, and environmental factors that effect, and are effected by, infrastructure systems and networks. The major education objective is to develop a new generation of globally engaged scientists and engineers who will facilitate the development of sustainable global infrastructures.
Incorporation of Manmade Risk Components into General Risk Management Systems for Dams
Authors: Escuder-Bueno Ignacio  , Altarejos-García Luis
Published: February 2025

Being aware that the understanding of all risk factors involved in dam and reservoir management activities constitutes the conceptual basis to implement logic systems or models aimed to inform decision making, the main objective of the very recently started project entitled “IPRESARA: Incorporation of manmade risk components into general risk management systems for dams, BIA2010-17852, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Dec 2010-Dec 2013” consists in incorporating all factors and components of security risk to the overall safety management of dams and reservoirs, so that needed actions and investments on such critical infrastructures may be justified and prioritized using a comprehensive risk informed approach.
Innovative Aspects Of Organizational Behaviour In Interests of Counterterrorism On Complex Technical Systems
Authors: Vishnyakov J.D.  , Kiseleva S.P.
Published: February 2025

It is known that underestimation of human factor and insufficient attention to it is the principal risk in the field of management of complex technical systems (CTS) in conditions of the terrorist threats. The innovation aspects of organizational behavior presented by authors concern modern and specific approach to the dynamics of activity of terrorist and counterterrorism structures not only inside the CTS areas, but also in the adjacent areas, including the information, communication and control systems. Special attention has to be paid to growing international character of the terrorist and counterterrorist activity. In accordance with the estimation of modern situation in the field examined it is expedient to establish a new research project «Forecast and Prevention of Technogenic Emergencies Caused by the Troubles in the CTS Normal Operation as a Result of Terrorist Attacks» within the framework of NATO «SCIENCE FOR PEACE» program. The main targets of the project are the increasing of readiness of emergency forces on different levels to respond to the warning about the troubles, and prevention of accidents on critical facilities.
Technological and Intelligent Terrorism: Specific Features and Assessment Approaches
Authors: Reznikov Dmitry O.
Published: February 2025

The paper addresses specific features of assessing terrorist risks for complex technical systems (CTS). These include feedback between CTS vulnerability towards a specific type of terrorist attack and the threat of such attack, ability of terrorists to learn lessons from previous attacks, react upon actions taken by counterterrorist forces; high level of uncertainty regarding terrorists' intentions, resources, and system of values. Conventional safety analysis for CTS is to be focused on the question: What is the way for an accident scenario to be realized in the given system? When addressing security problems for CTS one should also consider the situation from the terrorist's standpoint. Hence the modified question for security analysis should be: What is to be done for the given scenario to be realized in CTS? Two types of attacks at complex technical systems are assessed: (1) Attack of technological terrorism implies powerful unauthorized impacts at CTS capable of: (a) breaking through the CTS protection system; (b) initiating secondary catastrophic processes due to hazardous substances, energy, and information, stored or processed at the CTS; (c) escalation of the accident outside the CTS boundaries with substantially increased secondary and cascade losses. (2) Attack of intelligent terrorism (smart terrorism, insiders terrorism), i.e. a purposeful unauthorized interference into the process of designing, building and/or operating the CTS aimed at the increase of its existing vulnerabilities and creation of new ones in the system so that to use these input vulnerabilities, insider's knowledge of the system and access to its elements for future realization of most disastrous scenarios of a terrorist attack. Comparative assessment of these two types of terrorism is presented. Dynamic three-sided models that allow one to assess the situation from standpoints of terrorists, law enforcement agencies and administrations of CTS and analyze actions and counteractions of various sides involved.
Development of Standards of Care for Polytrauma in Multiple-Casualty Incidents
Authors: Kopljar Mario  , Bakota Bore
Published: February 2025

Over the last 25 years, many advances have resulted in improved survival of severely injured patients in multiple-casualty incidents. Some of the most important are the development of trauma centers and trauma systems and improved proficiency of surgeons with severe injury management. The cornerstone of surgical practice remains the care of the patient with a surgical emergency and the provision of an emergency operation where appropriate. The ideal resuscitation strategy for multiply injured patients remains a topic of ongoing debate.
Blast Injuries
Authors: Jurjević Matija  , Matić Ivo  , Ajdinović Asja  , Hrečkovski Boris  , Pajić-Penavić Ivana  , SAMARDžić Josip  , Lovrić Zvonimir
Published: February 2025

An increasing number of mass disasters involve explosions. Their principal effect is the creation of tremendous kinetic energy over a short period. The main cause of blast injuries is explosives, and there are five injury types. When approaching an explosion site, medical personnel must coordinate their actions with the police and fire-rescue services to ensure their own safety. Patient care can then be performed using standard the ABCDE principle and trauma algorithms. All vital organ systems can be affected by the blast, so a medical rescuer in the field can expect a variety of injuries.
Communication between Emergency Medical Services and Media during Mass-Casualty Events in Croatia
Authors: Bardak Branka  , Bašić Marijan  , Pavliško Igor
Published: February 2025

When we discuss communication during a mass-casualty event, we first refer to communication between EMS (emergency medical services) staff and the EMS and other emergency services. However, in a mass-casualty event it is necessary to take communication between victims and their families into account, as well as communication with the wider public. Crisis emergency risk communication was a protocol designed in the United States with the goal of assisting this communication. EMS in Croatia have no official protocols for communication with media during mass-casualty events.
Medical Response to Major Incidents: A Standardized Postgraduate Course in Management and Performance in Major Incidents & Disasters
Authors: Hrečkovski Boris  , Montán Kristina Lennquist  , Dobson Bob
Published: February 2025

Medical Response to Major Incidents (MRMI) is a standardized postgraduate course developed by an international group of experts within the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery. It is entirely interactive, with all participants training in their routine positions. It covers the whole chain of management—scene, transport, hospitals, command and communication, management of individual patients—and thereby permits training in the important coordinating between different units, which often is the weak point in real incidents. The scenarios are based on real injuries from terrorist incidents. The training is done in real time using actual simulated resources, thereby providing a measurable result of the response as a base for further development and training.
Education and Training for Major Incidents and Disasters: Croatia Case Study
Authors: Lovrić Zvonimir  , Hrečkovski Boris  , Samardžić Josip
Published: February 2025

Education and training for major incidents and disasters started in Croatia 20 years ago during the Homeland War, 1991-1995. In the beginning of the war in Croatia, all medical institutions were receiving orders and instructions for crisis preparation from the Crisis Headquarters of the Ministry of Health. The integrated health system had been established in which civilian and military systems were mutual. Proper planning and preparedness resulted in excellent medical care performed by civilian and military organizations; 20 years later we started education and training in Croatia based on Medical Response to Major Incidents courses.
Tau Triage Decisions Mediated by the Chaperone Network
Authors: Cook Casey  , Petrucelli Leonard
Published: February 2025

The pathological accumulation of the microtubule-binding protein tau is linked to an increasing number of neurodegenerative conditions associated with aging, though the mechanisms by which tau accumulates in disease are unclear. In this review, we will summarize our previous research assessing the mechanism of action, as well as the therapeutic potential of Hsp90 inhibition for the treatment of tauopathies. Specifically, we describe the development of a high-throughput screening approach to identify and rank compounds, and demonstrate the selective elimination of aberrant p-tau species in the brain following treatment with an Hsp90 inhibitor. Additionally, we identify CHIP as an essential component of the Hsp90 chaperone complex that mediates tau degradation, and present evidence to suggest that CHIP functions to identify and sequester neurotoxic tau species. Finally, we discuss recent data identifying an additional mechanism by which CHIP modulates protein triage decisions involving Hsp90. Specifically, CHIP indirectly regulates Hsp90 chaperone activity by modulating steady-state levels of the Hsp90 deacetylase, HDAC6, thus influencing both the acetylation state and function of Hsp90. Thus future research directions will focus on the manipulation of this network to promote degradation of pathogenic tau species in disease.
AD Gene 3-D: Moving Past Single Layer Genetic Information to Map Novel Loci Involved in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Myers Amanda J.
Published: February 2025

Over the past 5 years, there has been considerable advancement in the genetics of Alzheimer's disease. This review will provide an overview of the current state of the field for analysis of genetic variation and Alzheimer's disease. Highlighted in this review will be the results from some of the more conventional approaches, including linkage and association studies, as well as an overview of an alternate approach: eQTL analysis. The emphasis will be on taking genomics to the next level by applying additional datasets to truly create maps of a 3-dimensional Alzheimer's genome by including the downstream effects of risk variation.
Alzheimer's Disease and the “Valley of Death”: Not Enough Guidance from Human Brain Tissue?
Authors: Beach Thomas G.
Published: February 2025

Medical science is currently perceived as underperforming. This is because of the relatively slow recent rate of development of new disease treatments. This has been blamed on cultural, regulatory, and economic factors that generate a so-called “Valley of Death”, hindering new drug candidates from being moved into clinical trials and eventually approved for use. We propose, however, that for neurodegenerative diseases, a relative decline of human brain tissue research is also a contributor. The present pharmacological agents for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) were identified through direct examination of postmortem human brain tissue more than 30 years ago. Since that time the percentage of research grants awarded to human brain tissue-using projects has dropped precipitously and publication rates have stagnated. As human brain tissue research has played a central and often initiating role in identifying most of the targets that have gone to AD clinical trials, it is proposed that the rate of discovery of new targets has been curtailed. Additionally, the continued rejection of cortical biopsy as a diagnostic method for AD has most probably depressed the perceived effect sizes of new medications and contributed to the high Phase II clinical trial failure rates. Despite the relative lack of funding, human brain discovery research has continued to make important contributions to our understanding of neurodegenerative disease, and brain banks have played an essential role. It is likely that the pace of discovery will dramatically accelerate over the coming decades as increasingly powerful tools including genomics, epigenetics, transcriptomics, regulatory RNA, gene expression profiling, proteomics, and metabolomics are applied. To optimize the promise of these new technologies, however, it is critical that brain banks are rejuvenated by enhanced governmental and/or private support.
Trait, State, and Mechanism: Looking Back, Looking Forward, and Understanding Why
Authors: Lovestone Simon
Published: February 2025

The papers selected by the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease for commentary cover three interlinked areas of research: the search for genetic susceptibility of trait markers, the search for biomarkers or state markers, and the search for novel therapeutic targets through an understanding of the mechanisms of disease. This work is reviewed and some directions of travel for the next phase of research suggested. Specifically both state and trait marker research will benefit from advances in technology but will require, on the one hand, larger sample sets and, on the other, the use of study designs other than case-control. Routine collection of data through the electronic medical record coupled with samples collected in clinical care represents a major opportunity to scale these studies. Success in identifying trait markers for stratification and state markers for experimental medicine may be necessary to exploit the increased understanding of mechanisms and the new therapeutic opportunities this is allowing.
Oxidative Modification of Brain Proteins in Alzheimer's Disease: Perspective on Future Studies Based on Results of Redox Proteomics Studies
Authors: Sultana Rukhsana  , Butterfield D. Allan
Published: February 2025

Aging is the major risk factor associated with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Until now no clear understanding of the mechanisms of initiation and progression of this dementing disorder exists. Based on the studies that have been conducted so far amyloid β-peptide (Aβ), a protein found in senile plaques, one of the key pathological hallmarks of AD, has been reported to be critical in the pathogenesis of AD. Studies from our laboratory and others showed that Aβ can induce oxidative stress, which leads to oxidative modification of biomolecules, thereby diminishing the normal functions of neuronal cells and eventually leading to loss of neurons and AD. In this review paper, we summarize evidence of oxidative stress in brains of AD and mild cognitive impairment patients, as well as the results from redox proteomics studies. The investigations have provided insights into the downstream effects of oxidative modification of key brain proteins in the pathogenesis of AD. Based on these redox proteomics results, we suggest future areas of research that could be considered to better understand this devastating dementing disorder.
The Metal Theory of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Bush Ashley I.
Published: February 2025

Brain homeostasis of transition metals is severely perturbed in Alzheimer's disease (AD), with extracellular pooling of zinc and copper in amyloid, and intraneuronal accumulation of iron. Rapidly accumulating evidence indicates that these perturbances themselves may contribute significantly to the cognitive loss and neurodegeneration, even in the absence of AD proteopathy. There is now strong evidence that each of the major protein participants in AD pathology has physiologically important interactions with transition metals: AβPP is the neuronal iron export ferroxidase with a major interaction with ferroportin, presenilins are needed for the import of ≈50% of cellular copper and zinc, and tau promotes the export of neuronal iron by facilitating the trafficking of AβPP to the surface. Therefore, amyloid and tau pathology arise in a milieu of constitutively high metal flux, and the major components of AD pathology may contribute to the disease by failing in their metal transport roles.
Multimodal Comparative Studies of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Grossman Murray
Published: February 2025

Here we provide a brief description of our program to improve diagnostic accuracy in cases with phenotypically similar presentations that are due to distinct histopathologic abnormalities. We propose a staged approach to diagnosis, beginning with a screening assessment of specific, quantitative neuropsychological measures, and followed by assessments of imaging and biofluid biomarkers. Our goal is to determine the specific histopathologic abnormalities contributing to an individual's neurodegenerative condition.
Characterizing the Preclinical Stages of Alzheimer's Disease and the Prospect of Presymptomatic Intervention
Authors: Caselli Richard J.  , Reiman Eric M.
Published: February 2025

Studies of asymptomatic carriers of genes that are known to predispose to Alzheimer's disease (AD) have facilitated the characterization of preclinical AD. The most prevalent genetic risk factor is the ϵ4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE). Neuropathological studies of young deceased ϵ4 carriers have shown modest but abnormal amounts of neocortical amyloid and medial temporal neurofibrillary tangles that is also reflected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, amyloid-β, and phospho-tau in particular. MRI studies have shown progressive hippocampal and gray matter atrophy with the advent of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and fluorodeoxyglucose PET scans show reduced cerebral metabolism in posterior cingulate and related AD regions evident even in 30 year olds. Cerebral amyloidosis disclosed by more recent amyloid ligand PET studies in asymptomatic 60 year olds increases in parallel with ϵ4 gene dose. Longitudinal neuropsychological studies have revealed accelerated memory decline in ϵ4 carriers beginning around age 55–60 years whose severity again parallels ϵ4 gene dose. The clinico-pathological correlation of declining memory and AD-like neuropathological change defines preclinical AD and has set the stage for the accelerated evaluation of presymptomatic AD treatments. In this article, we briefly consider some of the earliest detectable changes associated with the predisposition to AD, and some of the prevention trial strategies that have been proposed to help find treatments to reduce the risk, postpone the onset of, or completely prevent AD symptoms as soon as possible.
Lessons from Epidemiologic Research about Risk Factors, Modifiers, and Progression of Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease in New York City at Columbia University Medical Center
Authors: Devanand Devangere  , Lee Joseph  , Luchsinger Jose  , Manly Jennifer  , Marder Karen  , Mayeux Richard  , Scarmeas Nikolaos  , Schupf Nicole  , Stern Yaakov
Published: February 2025

This review summarizes the findings and importance of 12 articles from research at Columbia University in New York City that were among the most cited in the literature between 2006 and 2011. The 12 articles summarized in this review made important contributions to the field of Alzheimer's disease in the last 5 years. Four of the articles established the Mediterranean diet as a food consumption pattern that may prevent Alzheimer's disease in addition to physical activity. Two of the articles advanced our knowledge of predictors of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. Four of the articles provided important knowledge of risk factors for the progression of Alzheimer's disease and its complications. Lastly, one of the articles laid the theoretical framework for the study of cognitive reserve, an important modifier of the manifestation of Alzheimer's disease. These studies have advanced our knowledge about risk factors, modifiers, and progression of late onset Alzheimer's disease.
Synaptotoxic Amyloid-β Oligomers: A Molecular Basis for the Cause, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease?
Authors: Klein William L.
Published: February 2025

The oligomer hypothesis for Alzheimer's disease (AD) was introduced in 1998. It was based on evidence that oligomers could exist free of amyloid fibrils, that fibril-free oligomer solutions rapidly inhibited long term potentiation, and that oligomers ultimately caused a highly selective nerve cell death. Fibrils no longer were the only toxins made by amyloid-β (Aβ), and likely not the most important ones. Oligomers provided a new basis for instigating AD. Since introduction of the hypothesis, more than 1,500 articles on oligomers have been published. Articles for this review were selected for contributions to oligomer theory at three different levels. The first set demonstrated new aspects of oligomer pathobiology in cell models, showing that exposure of neurons to oligomers is sufficient to cause key features of AD neuropathology. The second set confirmed the relationship between oligomers and salient AD neuropathology in animal models, consistent with other in vivo studies that overall have substantiated cell-based discoveries. The third set developed strategies for therapeutic targeting of oligomers, introducing both small molecule and antibody-based approaches. These and related findings from many groups have helped establish oligomers as central to the mechanism of AD pathogenesis. Comprising a ligand-based attack on specific synapses, the action of toxic oligomers gives a molecular basis to account for key features of AD neuropathology and to explain why early disease targets memory. Although there still is no effective treatment for AD, insights over the past five years raise hopes that new approaches targeting Aβ oligomers could finally bring disease-modifying therapeutics.
Terrorism and Human Rights
Authors: White Larry D.
Published: February 2025

The fight against terrorism is not just about protection of lives, but also about protection of values, so human rights must be a consideration in all antiterrorism activities. In addition to the worldwide human rights establishment, counterterrorist forces, whether acting in a police or military capacity, must plan and execute actions consistent with the principles of human rights.
The Role of Intelligence in Defence against Terrorism
Authors: Edwards Matthew
Published: February 2025

The fight against terrorism is highly dependent upon good intelligence. Intelligence has many different disciplines within that field – HUMINT, SIGINT, COMINT, ELINT, IMINT, MASINT, OSINT – each with strengths and weaknesses. However, intelligence support to counterterrorism cannot rely on one or two of these disciplines, but must fuse together information from all of them to produce actionable intelligence for the fight against terrorism. This article explores the process and use of intelligence in counterterrorism.
Captured Terrorists as Intelligence Sources and Counterradicalization Leverage: Lessons from Terrorist Rehabilitation Programs
Authors: Sim Susan
Published: February 2025

In the last ten years, more than a dozen countries have embarked on what are loosely termed terrorist rehabilitation programs. These usually start out as an interrogation program to extract intelligence from captured terrorists to neutralize current threats, then become a platform to involve the community in countering radicalization. Based on field research into national programs in three Southeast Asian countries and Afghanistan, this article draws out several lessons and good practices in using captured terrorists as HUMINT sources and in countering violent extremism.
British choices of geotechnical design approach and partial factors for EC7
Authors: Simpson Brian
Published: February 2025

The Eurocode system allows each nation to specify, for designs to be constructed on its territory, which of its three geotechnical “design approaches” are to be used and what values are to be given to partial factors. These are published in the National Annex to Eurocode 7 (EC7). This paper reviews the choices made by British engineers working under the auspices of BSI to produce the UK National Annex. The UK has chosen to use Design Approach 1, judging that it has the potential to provide the best balance between safety and economy over a wide range of design types, while allowing broad compatibility with previous designs. It also facilitates use of finite element analysis, a feature not shared with Design Approach 2. At this stage in development, values for the partial factors have been selected on the basis of calibration against past experience; probabilistic calculations have not been used to a significant extent in this process. Particular difficulties have been encountered in providing for pile design to EC7, for which the code gives separate requirements for design based on load testing and design based on calculation using ground properties. In practice in the UK, these are often used in combination, and it was found necessary to vary the factors offered for calculations by EC7 as a function of the amount and type of testing undertaken.
Influence of Ground Water Level on Shallow Foundation Design. Application of EC7 Probabilistic and Deterministic Methods
Authors: Pereira Carlos  , Caldeira Laura
Published: February 2025

The influence of ground water level on shallow foundation design is presented for the ultimate limit state of the bearing resistance, according to the formulation presented in annex D of EN 1997:2004. Probabilistic and deterministic methods were used and compared. Concerning probabilistic methods, the advanced first-order second-moment method (AFOSM) was applied and the results were validated by Monte Carlo simulations. For the deterministic calculation, the partial factors method recommended by the Eurocode and applied in most practical cases, was implemented. For the assumptions herein made the width B determined by the probabilistic method is always smaller than the one obtained deterministically.
Experiences with Limit State Approach for Design of Spread Foundations in the Czech Republic
Authors: Vaníček Martin  , Vaníček Ivan
Published: February 2025

The first experience with limit state design approach was introduced in the Czech Republic already 45 years ago for shallow foundations. However just the experiences with the second version which was implemented in 1987 (25 years ago) will be discussed here in more detail. The paper describes both limit states Ultimate and Serviceability limit states.
Geotechnical Design Code Development in Canada
Authors: Fenton Gordon A.
Published: February 2025

Canada has two national codes of practice which include geotechnical design provisions: the National Building Code of Canada and the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code.Both ofthese codeshave beenusing a load and resistance factor format for about two decades now, but are still in the process of adopting a reliability-based design framework. This paper describes the advancesplanned for these codes.
An Explanation of Characteristic Values of Soil Properties in Eurocode 7
Authors: Hicks Michael A.
Published: February 2025

The paper investigates the philosophy and use of characteristic soil property values in Eurocode 7. Due to the spatial nature of soil variability, characteristic property values are shown to be problem-dependent and a function of two competing factors: the spatial averaging of properties along potential failure planes, which reduces the coefficient of variation of property values; and the tendency for failure to follow the path of least resistance, which causes an apparent reduction in the property mean. The Random Finite Element Method provides a self-consistent framework for quantifying and understanding this behaviour, and for deriving characteristic values satisfying the requirements of Eurocode 7. It is widely accepted that characteristic values may be over-conservative if they do not account for the spatial averaging of property values. Conversely, this paper argues that characteristic values based only on variance reduction techniques may be unconservative, if no account is taken of the apparent reduction of the mean along potential failure planes. Simpler probabilistic methods can be effective in guiding design through quantifying uncertainty. However, further research is needed to assess when such methods are applicable, and when they are significantly in error and require further attention.
Public Health, Intelligence, and National Security: an Approach for the 21st Century
Authors: Birnbaum Jesse  , Hopmeier Michael
Published: February 2025

The threat of infectious diseases and pathogenic agents appearing among a population is nothing revolutionary and has appeared countless times throughout world history. This Chapter examines the intersection of public health, intelligence and national security, and raises the issue that, unlike in the past, public health should be considered a national security priority and, as such, is deserving of similar priorities and resources. In addition, many of the tools developed to support the field of “intelligence” can be used in the public health arena, and vice versa. The emerging pathogenic threat is not becoming greater so much as society is becoming more vulnerable through ever-increasing technological advances in global travel and continued urbanization; this provides a mechanism for the rapid dissemination of disease across normal population barriers. This threat is compounded by the lack of effective bio-surveillance, threat detection, and multinational mitigation capabilities. The argument concludes that the public health, national security, and intelligence communities must cooperate and that “we,” as a security community, have yet to realize the possibilities, or opportunities, that exist currently in leveraging technological advantages, such as the Internet, and information processes to further our preparedness, prevention, and responsive capabilities.
Energy Security and Its Impact on the Domestic and Foreign Policies of the Central Asian Countries
Authors: Yesdauletova Ardak
Published: February 2025

This paper seeks to examine energy as a key factor in the domestic and foreign policies of the Central Asian states. The paper explores the domestic and regional dimensions of energy security for the Central Asian countries by elucidating the key issues in the domestic aspects of their energy policies as well as their policies towards other regional actors. In fact, all of the Central Asian states, namely; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, have their own niche in regional politics as well as the energy resources of oil, natural gas and water. These factors shape the energy security strategies of the Central Asian countries and their capabilities in meeting the challenges of energy security. In this respect, one of the key security challenges facing the Central Asian states is the Afghan problem. The Central Asian countries could contribute to enhancing security in Afghanistan through realizing the following energy projects: Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline and the Central Asia - South Asia electricity scheme (CASA). In addition, the support of the Central Asian countries for NATO's Northern Distribution Network (NDN) could also enhance energy security in this region considerably.