Academic freedom in Europe: time for a Magna Charta?

This paper is a preliminary attempt to establish a working definition of academic freedom for the European Union states. The paper details why such a definition is required for the European Union and then examines some of the difficulties of defining academic freedom. By drawing upon experience of the legal difficulties beset by the concept in the USA and building on previous analyses of constitutional and legislative protection for academic freedom, and of legal regulations concerning institutional governance and academic tenure, a working definition of academic freedom is then derived. The resultant definition which, it is suggested, could form the basis for a European Magna Charta Libertatis Academicae, goes beyond traditional discussions of academic freedom by specifying not only the rights inherent in the concept but also its accompanying duties, necessary limitations and safeguards. The paper concludes with proposals for how the definition might be tested and carried forward

Common Practice for Behavioral Health Screening in Pediatric Primary Care Settings

Mental health disorders in the United States are highly prevalent, affecting 14-20% of children yearly. Only 25-35% receive treatment after on average a six-plus year delay from symptom onset. Current recommendations suggest primary care physicians/providers (PCP) manage mental health conditions, however, PCPs are wary, citing lack of time, training and resources.This study evaluated pediatric/adolescent PCPs using a self-report questionnaire assessing knowledge/skill, clinical practice (e.g. screening tool) and perceived barriers when managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression (N = 11). Self-reported knowledge/skill diagnosing, treating and referring each disorder were recorded on a 5-point Likert scale and evaluated using repeated-measures ANOVA with post-hoc Bonferroni tests. Percentages of providers screening for each disorder were calculated (91% for depression, 55% for ADHD and 9% for anxiety). Results showed significant differences in self-reported skill diagnosing the conditions assessed, and in self-reported skill treating the conditions assessed, F (2, 20) = 13.671, p F (2, 20) = 14.933, p p = 0.01), and the significant differences in skill treating were between ADHD (M=3.45, SD=0.688) and anxiety (M=2.36, SD=0.5, p \u3c 0.001), and between ADHD and depression (M=2.73, SD=0.9, p = 0.036). Providers were unlikely to screen for anxiety indicating an area where PCPs could improve their management of mental health disorders. Further study may reveal differences in clinical practice and perceived barriers to increased PCP screening and management

Lunar Crater Volcanic Field (Reveille and Pancake Ranges, Basin and Range Province

The Lunar Crater volcanic field (LCVF) in central Nevada (USA) is domi­nated by monogenetic mafic volcanoes spanning the late Miocene to Pleisto­cene. There are as many as 161 volcanoes (there is some uncertainty due to erosion and burial of older centers); the volumes of individual eruptions were typically ~0.1 km 3 and smaller. The volcanic field is underlain by a seismically slow asthenospheric domain that likely reflects compositional variability rela­tive to surrounding material, such as relatively higher abundances of hydrous phases. Although we do not speculate about why the domain is in its cur­rent location, its presence likely explains the unusual location of the LCVF within the interior of the Basin and Range Province. Volcanism in the LCVF occurred in 4 magmatic episodes, based upon geochemistry and ages of 35 eruptive units: episode 1 between ca. 6 and 5 Ma, episode 2 from ca. 4.7 to 3 Ma, episode 3 between ca. 1.1 and 0.4 Ma, and episode 4, ca. 300 to 35 ka. Each successive episode shifted northward but partly overlapped the area of its predecessor. Compositions of the eruptive products include basalts, teph­rites, basanites, and trachybasalts, with very minor volumes of trachyandesite and trachyte (episode 2 only). Geochemical and petrologic data indicate that magmas originated in asthenospheric mantle throughout the lifetime of the volcanic field, but that the products of the episodes were derived from unique source types and therefore reflect upper mantle compositional variability on spatial scales of tens of kilometers. All analyzed products of the volcanic field have characteristics consistent with small degrees of partial melting of ocean island basalt sources, with additional variability related to subduction­-related enrichment processes in the mantle, including contributions from recycled ocean crust (HIMU source; high­-µ, where µ = 238 U/ 204 Pb) and from hydrous flu­ids derived from subducted oceanic crust (enriched mantle, EM source). Geo­chemical evidence indicates subtle source heterogeneity at scales of hundreds of meters to kilometers within each episode­ scale area of activity, and tempo­rary ponding of magmas near the crust­-mantle boundary. Episode 1 magmas may have assimilated Paleozoic carbonate rocks, but the other episodes had little if any chemical interaction with the crust. Thermodynamic modeling and the presence of amphibole support dissolved water contents to ~5–7 wt% in some of the erupted magmas. The LCVF exhibits clustering in the form of overlapping and colocated monogenetic volcanoes that were separated by variable amounts of time to as much as several hundred thousand years, but without sustained crustal reservoirs between the episodes. The persistence of clusters through different episodes and their association with fault zones are consistent with shear­ assisted mobilization of magmas ponded near the crust­-mantle boundary, as crustal faults and underlying ductile deformation persist for hundreds of thousands of years or more (longer than individual episodes). Volcanoes were fed at depth by dikes that occur in en echelon sets and that preserve evidence of multiple pulses of magma. The dikes locally flared in the upper ~10 m of the crust to form shallow conduits that fed erup­tions. The most common volcanic landforms are scoria cones, agglomerate ramparts, and ‘a‘ ā lava fields. Eruptive styles were dominantly Strombolian to Hawaiian; the latter produced tephra fallout blankets, along with effusive activity, although many lavas were likely clastogenic and associated with lava fountains. Eroded scoria cones reveal complex plumbing structures, includ­ing radial dikes that fed magma to bocas and lava flows on the cone flanks. Phreatomagmatic maar volcanoes compose a small percentage of the land­ form types. We are unable to identify any clear hydrologic or climatic drivers for the phreatomagmatic activity; this suggests that intrinsic factors such as magma flux played an important role. Eruptive styles and volumes appear to have been similar throughout the 6 m.y. history of the volcanic field and across all 4 magmatic episodes. The total volume and time­ volume behavior of the LCVF cannot be precisely determined by surface observations due to erosion and burial by basin­fill sediments and subsequent eruptive products. However, previous estimates of a total volume of 100 km3 are likely too high by a factor of ~5, suggesting an average long­term eruptive flux of ~3–5 km 3 /m.y

Academic freedom: in justification of a universal ideal

This paper examines the justification for, and benefits of, academic freedom to academics, students, universities and the world at large. The paper surveys the development of the concept of academic freedom within Europe, more especially the impact of the reforms at the University of Berlin instigated by Wilhelm von Humboldt. Following from this, the paper examines the reasons why the various facets of academic freedom are important and why the principle should continue to be supported

Should Central Banks Use Distributed Ledger Technology and Digital Currencies to Advance Financial Inclusion?

This paper examines how central banks might use distributed ledger technology (“DLT”) to improve access to safe and affordable financial products and services. We consider how central banks might use DLT to advance objectives such as Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) compliance and discuss both central bank digital currencies (“CBDC”) and private digital currencies. We consider implementation challenges for these new approaches relating to interoperability, privacy, and efficiency. We conclude that financial inclusion is far from an assured outcome: central banks must work to ensure that any new technologies they adopt or foster do not exclude marginalized groups and instead focus with intentionality on low-income households. Moreover, difficult issues with respect to financial disintermediation, credit availability, and financial stability would need to be addressed

Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) Expansion: Measuring Racial, Religious, and National Aspects of Sense of Ethnic Identity Within the United Kingdom

These studies examined the degree to which racial, religious, and national aspects of individuals' sense of ethnic identity stand as interrelated, yet distinct, constructs. Results of exploratory factor analyses in Study 1 (n = 272) revealed that a three-factor model specifying racial, religious, and national identities yielded optimal fit to correlational data from an expanded, 36-item version of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM; Roberts et al., 1999), although results left room for improvement in model fit. Subsequently, results of confirmatory factor analyses in Study 2 (n = 291) revealed that, after taking covariance among the items into account, a six-factor model specifying exploration and commitment dimensions within each of the racial, religious, and national identity constructs provided optimal fit. Implications for the utility of Goffman's (1963b) interactionist role theory and Erikson's (1968) ego psychology for understanding the full complexity of felt ethnic identity are discussed

Homogeneous Cu-Fe super saturated solid solutions prepared by severe plastic deformation

A Cu-Fe nanocomposite containing 50 nm thick iron filaments dispersed in a copper matrix was processed by torsion under high pressure at various strain rates and temperatures. The resulting nanostructures were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography and M\"ossbauer spectrometry. It is shown that alpha-Fe filaments are dissolved during severe plastic deformation leading to the formation of a homogeneous supersaturated solid solution of about 12 at.% Fe in fcc Cu. The dissolution rate is proportional to the total plastic strain but is not very sensitive to the strain rate. Similar results were found for samples processed at liquid nitrogen temperature. APT data revealed asymmetric composition gradients resulting from the deformation induced intermixing. On the basis of these experimental data, the formation of the supersaturated solid solutions is discusse

Insights into the Epidemiology and Determinants of Helicobacter Pylori Negative Gastritis: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP)-negative gastritis is rising in the United States, yet its origins and risk factors remain largely unexplored. This study aims to assess the prevalence of HP-negative gastritis and explore the demographic, clinical, and risk factor profiles that differentiate HP-negative from HP-positive subjects with histological evidence of gastritis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 241 patients who underwent Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for upper gastrointestinal symptoms at a tertiary care center between July 2020 and July 2021. Symptoms prompting referral included dysphagia, abdominal pain, nausea, and others. Gastric biopsies were collected from the antrum and body, and clinical, demographic, and laboratory data were analyzed to compare HP-negative and HP-positive gastritis cases. Results: Of the patients biopsied, 38.2% (n=92) showed histological evidence of gastritis, with 78% of these being HP-negative and 22% HP-positive. HP-negative cases were predominantly chronic chemical gastritis (61.5%), while all HP-positive cases were active chronic gastritis. Significant ethnic disparities were noted; 61.5% of HP-negative patients were Caucasian, and 72.7% of HP-positive patients were African American. Medical comorbidities, particularly gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), were more associated with HP-negative gastritis. The antrum was more frequently affected in HP-negative cases compared to HP-positive cases. Conclusion: HP-negative gastritis is significantly linked with Caucasian ethnicity and existing medical comorbidities but shows no strong associations with the analyzed lifestyle or medication factors. These findings highlight the need for further large-scale prospective studies to better understand the etiology, risk factors, and clinical implications of HP-negative gastritis

Rise and Fall of a Multi-sheet Intrusive Complex, Elba Island, Italy

Elba Island intrusive complex: multisheet laccoliths, sheeted pluton, mafic dyke swarm. Laccolith magma fed from dykes and emplaced in crustal discontinuities (traps). Pluton growth by downward stacking of three magma pulses. Laccoliths and plutons: different outcomes of similar processes in different conditions. Emplacement of excess magma in a short time led to massive gravity slide