The Universal Periodic Review mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council - a hope for universal coverage and equal treatment of states?

The UN General Assembly, in its resolution 60/251 mandated the Human Rights Council to undertake a universal periodic review, based on objective and reliable information, of the fulfilment by each state of its human rights obligations in a manner which ensures universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all states. All member states of the Council are to be reviewed during their term of membership. At its fifth session, the Council adopted, in resolution 5/1, detailed provisions regarding the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. This article explores the bases for the review, its advantages and challenges, and its features

Retrieval-induced forgetting as motivated cognition

Recalling information from a particular category can reduce one's memory capability for related, non-retrieved information. This is known as the retrieval-induced forgetting effect (RIF; Anderson et al., 1994). The present paper reviews studies that show that the RIF effect is motivated. More specifically, we describe research showing that the need for closure (NFC; the motivation to attain epistemic certainty; Kruglanski and Webster, 1996) generally enhances the RIF, because this prevents uncertainty and confusion from the intrusion of unwanted memories during selective-retrieval. However, when the content of the to-be-forgotten information serves the retriever's goals, NFC reduces RIF. Overall, the present findings are consistent with the view that motivation can affect the magnitude of RIF effects which, in turn, can serve as a mechanism for reaching preferred conclusion

Вербальний мем: лінгвістичний аспект

У статті розглядаються проблеми визначення, класифікування та функціонування явища мема у сучасному англійському мовленні, пропонується широке визначення мема як знака, надано комплексний опис критеріїв визначення мема. Основна увага зосереджується на вербальному аспекті мема, його семантичних та функціональних особливостях. (The article is focused on the problems of defining, classifying and functioning of memes in the modern English language. The author suggests a broad definition of the meme as a language sign and gives a complex description of the meme’s defining criteria. Special attention is paid to the verbal aspect of the meme, its semantic and functional specifics.

Low Baseline Pneumococcal Antibody Titers Predict Specific Antibody Deficiency, Increased Upper Respiratory Infections, and Allergy Sensitization.

Background:Inadequate titers of pneumococcal antibody (PA) are commonly present among patients with recurrent respiratory infections. Objective:We sought to determine the effect of the degree of inadequacy in baseline PA titers on the subsequent polysaccharide vaccine response, the incidence of sinusitis, and allergic conditions. Methods:A total of 313 patients aged 6 to 70 years with symptoms of recurrent respiratory infections were classified by baseline-pPA (percentage of protective [≥1.3 µg/mL] PA serotypes/total tested serotypes) and postvaccination pPA (post-pPA): Group A (adequate baseline-pPA), Group B (inadequate baseline-pPA, adequate post-pPA, responders), and Group C (inadequate baseline-pPA, inadequate postpPA, nonresponders, specific antibody deficiency [SAD]). Immunity against Streptococcus pneumoniae was defined as adequate when the pPA was ≥70%. Each group and combined groups, Group AB (inadequate baseline-pPA), and Group BC (adequate post-pPA) were analyzed for demographics, history of sinusitis, recurrent sinusitis in the following year, allergic conditions, and association with inadequate individual serotype titers. Results:Over 80% of patients with respiratory symptoms had inadequate baseline-pPA. Baseline-pPA and SAD prevalence are inversely related (odds ratio = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.15-3.57, P = .01). Inadequate serotype 3 antibody titer is highly associated with SAD (odds ratio = 2.02, 96% CI: 1.61-5.45, P < .01). The groups with inadequate pPA (Group B and C, or BC) had significantly higher percentage of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (P < .001), allergic sensitization, and allergic rhinitis (P < .05). Group A contained higher percentage of patients with recurrent upper airway infections (P < .001). Conclusion:Low baseline-pPA and low antibody titers to serotype 3 are highly associated with SAD, increased incidence of respiratory infections including CRS and allergic conditions

Derivation and quantitative analysis of the differential self-interrogation Feynman-alpha method

A stochastic theory for a branching process in a neutron population with two energy levels is used to assess the applicability of the differential self-interrogation Feynman-alpha method by numerically estimated reaction intensities from Monte Carlo simulations. More specifically, the variance to mean or Feynman-alpha formula is applied to investigate the appearing exponentials using the numerically obtained reaction intensities.Comment: Proceedings 52nd INMM conference, Palm Desert, 17-21 July 201