Characteristics of Terrorism

Individual terrorist are frequently behaving seemingly absurd, e.g. by carrying out suicide operations, while activities of the terrorist organisations as a whole often seem to be conducted in a very effective way. These facts caused many researchers to regard the leaders representing the organisations like rational entities, while the followers are supposed to be just obeying and, hence, to be irrational. In this paper we offer a different approach which postulates rationality of all involved agents. We demonstrate how these agents’ behaviour could be modelled, while taking into account options of the terrorist leaders to influence their followers. From our model approaches to counter terrorism on both the leadership as well as the follower level can be derived

World of Crayfish™: a web platform towards real-time global mapping of freshwater crayfish and their pathogens

Freshwater crayfish are amongst the largest macroinvertebrates and play a keystone role in the ecosystems they occupy. Understanding the global distribution of these animals is often hindered due to a paucity of distributional data. Additionally, nonnative crayfish introductions are becoming more frequent, which can cause severe environmental and economic impacts. Management decisions related to crayfish and their habitats require accurate, up-to-date distribution data and mapping tools. Such data are currently patchily distributed with limited accessibility and are rarely up-to-date. To address these challenges, we developed a versatile e-portal to host distributional data of freshwater crayfish and their pathogens (using Aphanomyces astaci, the causative agent of the crayfish plague, as the most prominent example). Populated with expert data and operating in near real-time, World of Crayfish™ is a living, publicly available database providing worldwide distributional data sourced by experts in the field. The database offers open access to the data through specialized standard geospatial services (Web Map Service, Web Feature Service) enabling users to view, embed, and download customizable outputs for various applications. The platform is designed to support technical enhancements in the future, with the potential to eventually incorporate various additional features. This tool serves as a step forward towards a modern era of conservation planning and management of freshwater biodiversity

World of Crayfish™: a web platform towards real-time global mapping of freshwater crayfish and their pathogens

Freshwater crayfish are amongst the largest macroinvertebrates and play a keystone role in the ecosystems they occupy. Understanding the global distribution of these animals is often hindered due to a paucity of distributional data. Additionally, non-native crayfish introductions are becoming more frequent, which can cause severe environmental and economic impacts. Management decisions related to crayfish and their habitats require accurate, up-to-date distribution data and mapping tools. Such data are currently patchily distributed with limited accessibility and are rarely up-to-date. To address these challenges, we developed a versatile e-portal to host distributional data of freshwater crayfish and their pathogens (using Aphanomyces astaci, the causative agent of the crayfish plague, as the most prominent example). Populated with expert data and operating in near real-time, World of Crayfish™ is a living, publicly available database providing worldwide distributional data sourced by experts in the field. The database offers open access to the data through specialized standard geospatial services (Web Map Service, Web Feature Service) enabling users to view, embed, and download customizable outputs for various applications. The platform is designed to support technical enhancements in the future, with the potential to eventually incorporate various additional features. This tool serves as a step forward towards a modern era of conservation planning and management of freshwater biodiversity

Intrauterine bacterial growth during labor

The bacteria encountered in the vagina and cervix of 42 normal parturient patients and their transmission into the amniotic cavity during labor with intact membranes were investigated in correlation with the presence of bacteria in the throat and urine of the newborn infants after delivery. Bacterial growth was found in 26.1 per cent of the vaginal and cervical cultures, in 9.5 per cent of the amniotic fluids, in 7.1 per cent of the throat swabs, and 4.6 per cent of the urine specimens with no maternal or fetal morbidity. The presence of the same microorganisms in the cervicovaginal secretions and the amniotic fluid gives evidence to support the ascending route of bacterial invasion. Besides, the isolation of similar bacteria in the throat and urine of the newborn infant supports the view of bacterial transmission by swallowing to the fetal cavities. © 1972

Ultrastructure of the rat hippocampus after isobaric respirative hyperoxia

After exposing rats to an environment of isobaric h,v ~eroxia.th e ~iltrastructurala lterations of the L hippocampus were studied. No major alterations were found in the nerve cells. Of importante was the moderate osmiophilia and the spindle-like transformation of the mitochondria. Vacuolated synapses and neuraxons were found, containing amorphous material. Astrocytic perivascular end feet were found vacuolated in many places. Many endothelial cells of the capillaries presented high osmiophilia, which sonletimes prevented structural details. Quantitatively, the findings were proportionally related to the time of exposure in the pure oxygen atmosphere (24,48 and 65 hours

The impact of diet upon mitochondrial physiology (Review)

Mitochondria are considered the 'powerhouses' of cells, generating the essential energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate that they need for their energy demands. Nevertheless, their function is easily adaptable as regards the energy demands and the availability of chemical substrates. This allows cells to buffer sudden changes and reassure cellular metabolism, growth or survival. Currently, humans have different dietary habits, which provide several stimuli to the cell. According to the energy substrate availability due to the diet quality and diet temporality, mitochondrial physiology is greatly affected. The present review article aimed to collect all the available information that has been published to date concerning the impact of five different popular diets (high-fat diet, ketogenic diet, fasting, caloric restriction diet and the Mediterranean diet) on specific mitochondrial physiological aspects, such as function, biogenesis, mitophagy and mitochondrial fission/fusion. © 2022 Spandidos Publications. All rights reserved

Differential cross-section measurements and R-Matrix calculations for proton elastic scattering on natMg in the energy range Ep,lab=2.70-4.25 MeV, suitable for EBS

In the current work the first coherent set of differential cross section values for the natMg(p,p0)natMg elastic scattering covering the Ep,lab = 2700-4250 keV energy range is presented for 6 backscattering detection angles (120 degrees, 130 degrees, 140 degrees, 150 degrees, 160 degrees and 170 degrees). R-Matrix calculations were implemented using the AZURE 2.0 code [1] in an attempt to reproduce the obtained experimental data, whilst taking into account the 24Mg(p,p1)24Mg reaction channel. Both results are suitable for EBS and other IBA applications and, furthermore, they form a basis for a future expansion of the current SigmaCalc [2] evaluation, once more experimental data become available. The measurements were performed in the 5.5 MV TN11 HV Tandem Accelerator and the high precision goniometer of N.C.S.R. 'Demokritos', Athens, Greece. The experimental and data analysis procedures are presented in detail, along with the process behind the implementation of the R-Matrix calculations.</p