Further insights into aspects of the EU illicit drugs market: summaries and key findings

This publication presents key findings and summaries of selected reports from the study ‘Further insights into aspects of the EU illicit drugs market’ (Trautmann, Kilmer and Turnbull, forthcoming 2013), which provides an analysis of characteristics and operations of the EU’s illicit drugs market, as called for by the European Commission. This study is a follow-up of the earlier European Commission study, which presented an analysis of the developments of the global illicit drug markets, the drug problems and drug policy responses in the period 1998-2007 (Reuter and Trautmann 2009). The discussions of that study resulted in a number of further research questions. Some of the questions considered most important by the European Commission have been put together in a call for a further analysis of the EU illicit drugs market and responses to it, focusing on a number of aspects in the following four areas: A. An analysis of specific characteristics, mechanisms and factors that govern the EU illicit drugs market, including a conceptual framework for thinking about the structure of drug suppliers in the EU, an assessment whether there have been significant shifts in how drugs are supplied in the EU and an assessment of the extent to which drug suppliers are involved in different drugs and other criminal activities. B. A detailed analysis of the size and share of the EU illicit drug market, providing an estimate of the volume of the ‘EU market’ in illicit drugs (production and trafficking), providing an estimate of the profits generated by this market, analysing whether the EU drugs market is more supply or demand driven and exploring various aspects of drug use: user types, availability and consumption estimates. C. A detailed analysis of a number of potential policy impacts on the EU drug market(s) in recent years, assessing the impact of opioid substitution treatment (OST) on the European heroin market and the impact of policy changes on two EU drug markets. D. Scanning the future – trends in the market and policy responses, exploring expert views on future key trends of the illicit drug markets and policy responses in the EU

Long-term variations in the net inflow record for Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi is the third largest lake in Africa and plays an important role in water supply, hydropower generation, agriculture and fisheries in the region. Lake level observations started in the 1890s and anecdotal evidence of variations dates back to the early 1800s. A chronology of lake level and outflow variations is presented together with updated estimates for the net inflow to the lake. The inflow series and selected rainfall records were also analysed using an unobserved component approach and, although there was little evidence of long-term trends, there was some indication of increasing interannual variability in recent decades. A weak quasi-periodic behaviour was also noted with a period of approximately 4–8 years. The results provide useful insights into the severity of drought and flood events in the region since the 1890s and the potential for seasonal forecasting of lake levels and outflows

Long-term variations in the net inflow record for Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi is the third largest lake in Africa and plays an important role in water supply, hydropower generation, agriculture and fisheries in the region. Lake level observations started in the 1890s and anecdotal evidence of variations dates back to the early 1800s. A chronology of lake level and outflow variations is presented together with updated estimates for the net inflow to the lake. The inflow series and selected rainfall records were also analysed using an unobserved component approach and, although there was little evidence of long-term trends, there was some indication of increasing interannual variability in recent decades. A weak quasi-periodic behaviour was also noted with a period of approximately 4–8 years. The results provide useful insights into the severity of drought and flood events in the region since the 1890s and the potential for seasonal forecasting of lake levels and outflows

A functional correlate of severity in alternating hemiplegia of childhood

OBJECTIVE: Mutations in ATP1A3, the gene that encodes the α3 subunit of the Na(+)/K(+) ATPase, are the primary cause of alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC). Correlations between different mutations and AHC severity were recently reported, with E815K identified in severe and D801N and G947R in milder cases. This study aims to explore the molecular pathological mechanisms in AHC and to identify functional correlates for mutations associated with different levels of disease severity. METHODS: Human wild type ATP1A3, and E815K, D801N and G947R mutants were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and Na(+)/K(+) ATPase function measured. Structural homology models of the human α3 subunit containing AHC mutations were created. RESULTS: The AHC mutations examined all showed similar levels of reduction in forward cycling. Wild type forward cycling was reduced by coexpression with any mutant, indicating dominant negative interactions. Proton transport was measured and found to be selectively impaired only in E815K. Homology modeling showed that D801 and G947 lie within or near known cation binding sites while E815 is more distal. Despite its effect on proton transport, E815K was also distant from the proposed proton transport route. INTERPRETATION: Loss of forward cycling and dominant negativity are common and likely necessary pathomechanisms for AHC. In addition, loss of proton transport correlated with severity of AHC. D801N and G947R are likely to directly disrupt normal Na(+)/K(+) binding while E815K may disrupt forward cycling and proton transport via allosteric mechanisms yet to be elucidated

A SURVEY FOR ODONTOCETE CETACEANS OFF KAUA‘I AND NI‘IHAU, HAWAI‘I, DURING OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2005: EVIDENCE FOR POPULATION STRUCTURE AND SITE FIDELITY

Considerable uncertainty exists regarding population structure and population sizes of most species of odontocetes in the Hawaiian Islands. A small-boat based survey for odontocetes was undertaken off the islands of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau in October and November 2005 to photoidentify individuals and collect genetic samples for examining stock structure. Field effort on 24 days covered 2,194 km of trackline. Survey coverage was from shallow coastal waters out to over 3,000 m depth, though almost half (47%) was in waters less than 500 m in depth. There were 56 sightings of five species of odontocetes: spinner dolphins (30 sightings); bottlenose dolphins (14 sightings); short-finned pilot whales (6 sightings); rough-toothed dolphins (5 sightings); and pantropical spotted dolphins (1 sighting). One hundred and five biopsy samples were collected and 14,960 photographs were taken to document morphology and for individual photo-identification. Photographs of distinctive individuals of three species (bottlenose dolphins, 76 identifications; rough-toothed dolphins, 157 identifications; short-finned pilot whales, 68 identifications) were compared to catalogs of these species from a survey off Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau in 2003, as well as from efforts off O‘ahu, Maui/Lana‘i and the island of Hawai‘i. Within- and between-year matches were found for all three species with individuals previously identified off Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, though no matches were found with individuals off any of the other islands. This suggests site fidelity to specific island areas, and population structure among island areas for all three species. Movements of photographically identified bottlenose dolphins were documented between deep water areas off the islands of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, as well as between shallow (\u3c350 m) and deep (\u3e350 m) waters. A lack of sightings or reports of false killer whales off Kaua‘i or Ni‘ihau during our study, combined with documented movements among the other main Hawaiian Islands, suggest that there is no “resident” population of false killer whales that inhabits waters only off Kaua‘i or Ni‘iha

Colouring cryo-cooled crystals: online microspectrophotometry

A portable and readily aligned online microspectrophotometer that can be easily installed on macromolecular crystallography beamlines is described. It allows measurement of the spectral characteristics of macromolecular crystals prior, during, and after the X-ray diffraction experiment

Neuroscience Informed Prolonged Exposure Practice: Increasing Efficiency and Efficacy Through Mechanisms

Prolonged exposure (PE) is an empirically supported efficacious treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this focused review, we briefly review the neurobiological networks in PTSD relevant to PE, discuss the theoretical basis of PE, review the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of PE and identify the enhancements that can be applied to increase treatment response and retention. Based on the reviewed studies, it is clear that PTSD results in disrupted network of interconnected regions, and PE has been shown to increase the connectivity within and between these regions. Successful extinction recall in PE is related to increased functional coherence between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), amygdala and the hippocampus. Increased connectivity within the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) following PE is associated with more effective downregulation of emotional responses in stressful situations. Pre-existing neural connectivity also in some cases predicts response to exposure treatment. We consider various enhancements that have been used with PE, including serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), D-cycloserine (DCS), allopregnanolone (ALLO) and propranolol, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), oxytocin and MDMA. Given that neural connectivity appears to be crucial in mechanisms of action of PE, rTMS is a logical target for further research as an enhancement of PE. Additionally, exploring the effectiveness and mechanisms of action of oxytocin and MDMA in conjunction with PE may lead to improvement in treatment engagement and retention