Cutting through complexity: Evaluating countering violent extremism (CVE)

Programmes and interventions to counter violent extremism (CVE) have become widespread across Europe. CVE is a relatively new and very complex phenomenon. The term itself has become a – contested – catch phrase for a broad array of interventions targeting different populations at different stages in the radicalization process. The complexity of CVE has resulted in a serious lack of evaluations in the field. Those few evaluations that we can draw upon are very heterogeneous, both in terms of evaluation method and the type of interventions that they address. It is therefore impossible to make any grounded statements on the effectiveness of CVE. Academia thus has little theoretical basis for adequately advising the policy and practitioner community on the best course of action. We are in need of an evaluation method that can accommodate the complexity of CVE, while providing an authoritative basis for new evaluations and at the same time exposing incorrect or too limited, normative assumptions in CVE policy. We also require a ‘meta-analysis’ method for synthesizing the variety of evaluations available to produce generic insights. This study applies and further develops realistic evaluation and realist review to provide an evaluation and synthesis method for complex social programmes such as CVE. The end result is heuristic development of the realistic evaluation method which provides a basis for future CVE evaluation studies. The dissertation also provides insights on relevant contexts and mechanisms in CVE, which will help policymakers further develop their CVE programmes

Cutting through complexity:Evaluating countering violent extremism (CVE)

Programmes and interventions to counter violent extremism (CVE) have become widespread across Europe. CVE is a relatively new and very complex phenomenon. The term itself has become a – contested – catch phrase for a broad array of interventions targeting different populations at different stages in the radicalization process. The complexity of CVE has resulted in a serious lack of evaluations in the field. Those few evaluations that we can draw upon are very heterogeneous, both in terms of evaluation method and the type of interventions that they address. It is therefore impossible to make any grounded statements on the effectiveness of CVE. Academia thus has little theoretical basis for adequately advising the policy and practitioner community on the best course of action. We are in need of an evaluation method that can accommodate the complexity of CVE, while providing an authoritative basis for new evaluations and at the same time exposing incorrect or too limited, normative assumptions in CVE policy. We also require a ‘meta-analysis’ method for synthesizing the variety of evaluations available to produce generic insights. This study applies and further develops realistic evaluation and realist review to provide an evaluation and synthesis method for complex social programmes such as CVE. The end result is heuristic development of the realistic evaluation method which provides a basis for future CVE evaluation studies. The dissertation also provides insights on relevant contexts and mechanisms in CVE, which will help policymakers further develop their CVE programmes

Substitution Électrophile Aliphatique v. Etude cinétique de la bromodémétallation de tétraalkylplombs dans le méthanol

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Combination of Bayesian networks and FEM models to predict reliability of LED systems

Intelligent LED lighting systems can save up to 80% of energy compared to incandescent lighting systems. In order to provide these products at reasonable costs, integration and miniaturization are important steps [1]. Another attractive feature of LED systems is the claimed long life expectancy. The design lifetime of LED luminaries is typically 25 to 50 thousand hours [2, 3]. The long design lifetime, in combination with short-cycled technological innovations in LED packaging, pose challenges to traditional test-in reliability engineering approaches. Innovations in LED packaging are required to meet future cost target requirements at proven and designed-in lifetimes. Integral design of complex systems - such as LED systems merging optical, thermal, electrical, and mechanical disciplines - becomes more difficult [4, 9] as reliability engineering builds on the higher specialization per discipline. In this work we explore novel approaches for reliability engineering

Bone turnover predicts change in volumetric bone density and bone geometry at the radius in men

Purpose  To determine prospective change in bone density and geometry at the radius in men, and examine the influence of bone turnover markers and sex hormones on that change. Methods  Men aged 40-79 years were recruited from population registers in Manchester (UK) and Leuven (Belgium). At baseline, markers of bone formation (P1NP and Osteocalcin) and resorption (β-cTX and ICTP ) were assessed. Total and bioavailable testosterone, and oestradiol were also measured. Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) was used to scan the radius at distal and midshaft sites at baseline and a median of 4.3 years later.Results  514 men, mean (SD) age 59.6 (10.5) years, contributed data. At the midshaft site there was a significant decrease in mean cortical volumetric BMD (vBMD) (-0.04%/year), bone mineral content (BMC) (-0.1%/year) and cortical thickness (-0.4%/year), whilst total and medullary area increased (+0.5%/year, +2.4%/year, respectively). At the distal radius, total vBMD declined (-0.5%/year) and radial area increased (+0.6%/year). Greater plasma concentrations of bone resorption and formation markers were associated with greater decline in BMC and cortical area at the midshaft and total vBMD at the distal site. Increased bone resorption was linked with an increase in total and medullary area and decrease in cortical thickness at the midshaft. Sex hormone levels were unrelated to change in pQCT parameters.Conclusions  Age-related changes in vBMD and bone geometry are greater in men with higher biochemical markers of bone turnover at baseline. Sex hormones have little influence on change in pQCT parameters.Mini abstract  Peripheral quantitative computed tomography scans of the distal and mid-shaft radius were performed in 514 European men aged 40-79 years at baseline and a median of 4.3 years later. Age-related changes in vBMD and bone geometry were greater in men with higher biochemical markers of bone turnover at baseline

Influence of bone remodelling rate on quantitative ultrasound parameters at the calcaneus and DXA BMDa of the hip and spine in middle-aged and elderly European men: the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS)

Objective: To assess the influence of sex hormones on markers of bone turnover and to explore the association between these markers and bone health in middle-aged and elderly European men. Design: A cross-sectional population-based survey. Methods: Men aged 40-79 years were recruited from population registers in eight European centres. Subjects completed a postal questionnaire which included questions concerning lifestyle and were invited to undergo quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus and to provide a fasting blood sample from which the bone markers serum N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP) and crosslinks (beta C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide (beta-cTX)), total testosterone, total oestradiol (E(2)), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) were measured. Dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the hip and lumbar spine was performed in two centres. Results: A total of 3120, mean age 59.9 years (S.D. = 11.0) were included. After adjustment for centre, age, height, weight, lifestyle factors, season and other hormones, total and free E(2) were negatively associated with beta-cTX but not P1NP while SHBG, IGF1 and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were positively associated with both beta-cTX and P1NP. Total or free testosterone was not independently associated with either bone marker. After the same adjustments, higher levels of both bone markers were significantly associated with lower QUS parameters and lower DXA-assessed bone density at the total hip and lumbar spine. Conclusions: E(2), SHBG, IGF1 and PTH contribute significantly to the regulation/rate of bone turnover in middle-aged and older European men. Higher rates of bone remodelling are negatively associated with male bone healt