Gauging the Commitment of Clandestine Group Members

Since the attacks of September 11th, 2001, there has been a great deal of attention given to understanding the inner workings of terrorist organizations in order for the United States to be successful in the Global War on Terrorism. Group dynamics has been one area of interest pursued to gain more insight into a terrorist\u27s cognitive battlespace. Until a few years ago, most research on individual commitment and organizational cohesion has been based primarily on questionnaires and open observations on groups that desire to be understood. However, terrorist organizations are clandestine; they constantly employ operations security (OPSEC) to ensure protection and mission accomplishment. This thesis uses Decision Analysis principles, specifically a Value-Focused Thinking-like approach, to develop an initial hierarchical model of significant factors influencing an individual s commitment to a terrorist organization, or any clandestine group of violent extremists. Individuals are evaluated and scored according to the model to identify exploitable vulnerabilities in their commitment level. This information is then used to identify fissures of the entire organization that can be used to diminish the cohesion of the group

遠野物語における熊譚の環境教育的鑑賞の試み

The adoption of a new ID document in Brazil, most commonly known as RIC (Registro de Identidade Civil or Civil Identity Registry) has already a long story, having started with its provision by Law number 9.454, enacted in 1997. In order to contribute to the analysis and critique this process, this paper highlights the specificities of the Brazilian implementation of the new identity document (RIC). Therefore, we will firstly present the general characteristics of this new document and its historical context and, secondly, we point out the unique features that mark its implementation. © The author(s), 2012.1011827Bennett, C., Lyon, D., (2008) Playing the Identity Card, , London: RoutledgeCeyhan, A., Technologie et sécurité: Une gouvernance libérale dans un contexte d'incertitudes (2006) Cultures & Conflits, p. 64. , http://conflits.revues.org/index2173.htmlCeyhan, A., Enjeux d'identification et de surveillance à l'heure de la biométrie (2006) Cultures & Conflits, p. 64. , http://conflits.revues.org/index2176.htmlCurry, M., The profiler's question and the treacherous traveler: Narratives of belonging in commercial aviation (2004) Surveillance & Society, 1 (4), pp. 475-499. , http://www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles1(4)/treacherous.pdfDagnino, E., Sociedade civil, participação e cidadania: De que estamos falando? (2004) Políticas De Ciudadanía Y Sociedad Civil En Tiempos De Globalización, pp. 95-110. , http://www.red.org.ve/view/docs/primeraspaginasr2.pdf, ed. Daniel Mato, Caracas: Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales, Universidad Central de VenezuelaDoneda, D., (2006) Da Privacidade À Proteção De Dados Pessoais. Rio De Janeiro: Renovar. Garfinkel, Simson, p. 2000. , Database Nation. Sebastopol: O'ReilllyKanashiro, M.M., Evangelista, R., Science, communication and society in Brazil: The narrative of deficit (2004) Journal of Science Communication, 3 (4). , http://jcom.sissa.it/archive/03/04/F030403/jcom0304%282004%29F03.pdfKanashiro, M.M., Surveillance cameras in Brazil: Exclusion, mobility regulation and new meanings of security (2008) Surveillance & Society, 5, pp. 270-289. , http://www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles5(3)/brazil.pdfLyon, D., (2009) Identifying Citizens, , Cambridge: Polity PressWood, D.M., Firmino, R., (2009) Inclusion Or Repression? Opening Up Questions of Identification and Exclusion In Brazil Through a Case of 'identity Fraud', , In: Second Multidisciplinary Workshop on Identity in the Information Society. Proceedings of II IDIS London (UK)Wood, M.D., Firmino, R., Inclusão ou repressão? Questões de identificação e exclusão no Brasil (2010) Bruno, Firmino E Kanahiro (2010). Vigilância E Visibilidade: Espaço, Tecnologia E Identificação, pp. 248-271. , Porto Alegre: SulinaPelbart, P.P., Pouvoir sur la vie, puissance de la vie (2002) Multitudes: Revue Politique, Artistique, Philosophique, p. 9. , http://multitudes.samizdat.net/Pouvoir-sur-la-vie-puissance-de-l

Computable trustworthiness ranking of medical experts in Italy during the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic

Source trustworthiness can help discerning reliable and truthful information. We offer a computable model for the dynamic assessment of sources trustworthiness based on their popularity, knowledge-ability, and reputation. We apply it to the debate among medical experts in Italy during three distinct phases of the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic, and validate it against a dataset of newspaper articles. The model shows promising results in the analysis of expert debates their impact on public opinion

Covid-19 vaccine: A survey of hesitancy in patients with celiac disease

(1) Background: COVID-19 vaccination campaigns offer the best hope of controlling the pandemic. However, the fast production of COVID-19 vaccines has caused concern among the general public regarding their safety and efficacy. In particular, patients with chronic illnesses, such as celiac disease (CD), may be more fearful. Information on vaccine hesitancy plays a pivotal role in the development of an efficient vaccination campaign. In our study, we aimed to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Italian CD patients. (2) Methods: an anonymous questionnaire was sent to CD patients followed at our tertiary referral center for CD in Milan, Italy. Patients were defined as willing, hesitant and refusing. We evaluated the reasons for hesitancy/refusal and the possible determinants, calculating crude and adjusted odds ratios [AdjORs] with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]. (3) Results: the questionnaire was sent to 346 patients with a response rate of 29.8%. Twenty-six (25.2%) of the 103 respondents were hesitant, with a total refusal rate of 4.8%. The main reason was fear of adverse events related to vaccination (68.2%). Among hesitant patients, 23% declared that their opinion was influenced by their CD. The determinants positively influencing willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 were adherence to a GFD, perception of good knowledge about COVID-19 and its vaccines, and a positive attitude to previous vaccines (AdjOR 12.71, 95% CI 1.82–88.58, AdjOR 6.50, 95% CI 1.44–29.22, AdjOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.11–4.34, respectively). (4) Conclusions: CD patients should be vaccinated against COVID-19 and a specific campaign to address the determinants of hesitancy should be developed

Bilateral Cavitations of Ganglionic Eminence: A Fetal MR Imaging Sign of Halted Brain Development

SUMMARY: Ganglionic eminence is the main transitory proliferative structure of the ventral telencephalon in human fetal brain and it contributes for at least 35% to the population of cortical interneurons; however data on the human GE anomalies are scarce. We report 5 fetal MR imaging observations with bilateral symmetric cavitations in their GE regions resembling an inverted open C shape and separating the GE itself form the deeper parenchyma. Imaging, neuropathology, and follow-up features suggested a malformative origin. All cases had in common characteristics of lissencephaly with agenesis or severe hypoplasia of corpus callosum of probable different genetic basis. From our preliminary observation, it seems that GE cavitations are part of conditions which are also accompanied by severe cerebral structure derangement

Consumer credit in comparative perspective

We review the literature in sociology and related fields on the fast global growth of consumer credit and debt and the possible explanations for this expansion. We describe the ways people interact with the strongly segmented consumer credit system around the world—more specifically, the way they access credit and the way they are held accountable for their debt. We then report on research on two areas in which consumer credit is consequential: its effects on social relations and on physical and mental health. Throughout the article, we point out national variations and discuss explanations for these differences. We conclude with a brief discussion of the future tasks and challenges of comparative research on consumer credit.Accepted manuscrip

Anti-sulfatide reactivity in patients with celiac disease

Objective: To explore a possible significance of the presence of anti-ganglioside and anti-sulfatide antibodies in sera of adult patients with celiac disease (CD) in different clinical scenario. Methods: We selected 22 adult patients with newly diagnosed CD and 20 age\u2013sex matched non-CD controls. Patients\u2019 serum was tested\u2013before and after at least 6 months on a gluten-free diet (GFD)\u2013for anti-GM1, GM2, GM3, GD1a, GD1b, GD3, GT1a, GT1b, GQ1b and sulfatide IgM, IgG and IgA auto-antibodies, by means of a dot blot technique and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: We found the presence of auto-antibodies in untreated patients. In particular, anti-sulfatide IgG antibodies were present in 8 (36%) patients independently of the presence of neurological symptoms. Anti-sulfatide IgA antibodies were present in 3 (19%) patients. During GFD, anti-sulfatide IgG disappeared in all the patients, whereas IgA were observed in 2 patients. Anti-sulfatide, anti-GM1 and anti-GM2 IgM antibodies were also observed in 2 patients on a GFD. All the other auto-antibodies were absent and no demographic or clinical parameters were associated. Non-CD controls did not present any auto-antibody. Conclusions: We found anti-sulfatide IgG antibodies in CD patients on a gluten-containing diet. Anti-sulfatide IgA antibodies persisted during GFD together with the occurrence of other IgM auto-antibodies. These data suggest a possible link between gluten and IgG auto-antibodies

Silicon photonics in Pirelli

Silicon is the dominant material in the microelectronic industry and silicon photonics is rapidly gaining importance as a technological platform for a wide range of applications in telecom, and optical interconnect. It allows the implementation of many photonic functions through the use of wafer-scale technologies normally used for advanced CMOS-processing. In this paper some of the most important issues toward a practical implementation of Silicon photonics into an industrial device will be addressed: low loss waveguides, polarization handling, tunability, hitless switching. A tunable Add-Drop multiplexer has been chosen as a case Study of a fully integrated device

A systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the contribution of mr imaging to the diagnosis of foetal brain abnormalities In Utero.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review was undertaken to define the diagnostic performance of in utero MR (iuMR) imaging when attempting to confirm, exclude or provide additional information compared with the information provided by prenatal ultrasound scans (USS) when there is a suspicion of foetal brain abnormality. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched as well as relevant journals and conference proceedings. Reference lists of applicable studies were also explored. Data extraction was conducted by two reviewers independently to identify relevant studies for inclusion in the review. Inclusion criteria were original research that reported the findings of prenatal USS and iuMR imaging and findings in terms of accuracy as judged by an outcome reference diagnosis for foetal brain abnormalities. RESULTS: 34 studies met the inclusion criteria which allowed diagnostic accuracy to be calculated in 959 cases, all of which had an outcome reference diagnosis determined by postnatal imaging, surgery or autopsy. iuMR imaging gave the correct diagnosis in 91 % which was an increase of 16 % above that achieved by USS alone. CONCLUSION: iuMR imaging makes a significant contribution to the diagnosis of foetal brain abnormalities, increasing the diagnostic accuracy achievable by USS alone. KEY POINTS: • Ultrasound is the primary modality for monitoring foetal brain development during pregnancy • iuMRI used together with ultrasound is more accurate for detecting foetal brain abnormalities • iuMR imaging is most helpful for detecting midline brain abnormalities • The moderate heterogeneity of reviewed studies may compromise findings