Preliminary results of investigations of possible ground deformation structures in the early christian basilica, ancient Lechaion harbour, Corinth, Greece.

Η Παλαιοχριστιανική Βασιλική Λεχαίου, Κόρινθος, κατασκευάστηκε στα τέλη του 5ου αι. μ.Χ. στον δυτικό βραχίονα του αρχαίου λιμανιού του Λεχαίου, και σύμφωνα με αρχαιολογικές ανασκαφές καταστράφηκε από την σεισμική δραστηριότητα του 551-552 μ.Χ.. Διάσπαρτα βυθίσματα και υβώματα που παρατηρήθηκαν στο δάπεδο της Βασιλικής αποτελούν ενδεικτικές δομές εδαφικής παραμόρφωσης η οποία πιθανόν να σχετίζεται με ρευστοποίηση εδάφους. Με στόχο την διερεύνηση της στρωματογραφίας και της δομής του υπεδάφους πραγματοποιήθηκαν γεωφυσικές διασκοπήσεις GPR και μετρήσεις αγωγιμότητας του εδάφους κατά μήκος δέκα επιλεγμένων τομών και συσχέτιση τους με τη στρωματογραφία όπως αυτή περιγράφεται από αρχαιολογικά σκάμματα. Τα αποτελέσματα της μελέτης είναι ενδεικτικά δομών παραμόρφωσης των υποκείμενων εδαφικών σχηματισμών με χαρακτηριστικά που επιτρέπουν την συσχέτιση των επιφανειακών δομών που παρατηρήθηκαν στο δάπεδο της Βασιλικής με το φαινόμενο της ρευστοποίησης εδάφους.The Early Christian Basilica of Lechaion, Corinth, located on the western jetty of the ancient Lechaion harbour, was constructed during the late 5th century AD and archaeological excavations suggest that it was destroyed by seismic activity during 551-552 AD. Numerous depressions and buckling structures observed on the Basilica floor are indicative of ground deformation structures, likely associated with liquefaction. In an attempt to investigate the subsurface soil structure, and stratigraphy, a GPR survey and horizontal distribution of ground conductivity along ten selected transects was carried out, supplemented by stratigraphic data as described by archaeological trenches. The results of the study revealed subsurface deformation features providing sufficient indications that allow us to suggest that the surface structures observed on the Basilica floor are the surface expression of earthquake-induced ground liquefaction

Supporting postgraduate students in their role as clinical teachers: a pilot study

In higher education, reliance on part-time teachers, including postgraduate students (PGs), in our undergraduate (UG) programmes is widespread. Dental education is no exception: the bulk of our UG clinical teaching/supervision is provided by casually-employed clinicians. Consistent with reports highlighting the need for professional development for part-time (including PG) teachers, we identified our PGs needed support. This paper describes the programme we developed for our PGs and the initial evaluation. Recommendations from the literature informed our programme design. Evaluation of the programme involved PG-clinical teachers’ perceptions of their experience and analysis of their learning outcomes, using pre- and post-tests. The tests required PG-clinical teachers to identify behaviours related to UG clinical assessment criteria and clinical teacher attributes, and judge the level of performance portrayed in a series of UG clinic video simulations. To check that clinical assessment criteria for UGs and clinical teacher attributes were identifiable, experienced-clinical teachers completed the same tests. Learning from repeated viewing of the test-videos was not evident. It was difficult to identify and/or classify UG clinical assessment criteria in the videos. Both PG- and experienced-clinical teachers identified and classified more clinical teacher attributes than UG clinical assessment criteria. There was some improvement by PG-clinical teachers in identifying and classifying clinical teacher attributes. These data indicated the programme may have contributed to PG-clinical teachers’ learning about their role, but it did not consistently contribute to improved outcomes for evaluating UG performance. Implications for our PG-clinical teaching programme and how we evaluate our UG performance are discussed.Tracey Winning, Frances Greenwood, Dimitra Lekka

The interpretative practice of the International Court of Justice

This article provides an overview of the interpretative practice of the International Court of Justice on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. Whilst the jurisprudence of the nascent icj played an important role in the formulation of Articles 31 to 33 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, we explore the extent to which the Court has followed the rubric of those articles over its existence, how the Court has understood the interpretative elements contained therein, and whether it has privileged certain elements over others. We argue that the Court has shown flexibility and context-specificity in its practice, both in terms of the interpretative approach adopted as well as the materials used

A virtual customer assistant for the wealth management domain in the UWMP project

The Universal Wealth Management Platform (UWMP) project has the objective of creating a new service model in the financial domain. An integral part of this service model is the creation of a new Virtual Customer Assistant, that is able to assist customers via natural language dialogues. This paper is a report of the activities performed to develop this assistant. It illustrates a general architecture of the system, and describes the most important decisions made for its implementation. It also describes the main financial operations that it is able to assist customers with. Finally, it delineates some avenues for future work

“Availability is the poor cousin of marketing and pricing”: Qualitative study of stakeholders’ views on policy priorities around tobacco and alcohol availability

BackgroundReducing alcohol and tobacco availability is one potential way to reduce harm from these unhealthy commodities. This study explores key stakeholders’ views in relation to policy priorities and considerations for both alcohol and tobacco availability.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 stakeholders from alcohol and/or tobacco third sector organizations, government, public health and licensing in Scotland. Interviews explored their views on alcohol/tobacco availability, including its place in the policy landscape and experiences in gaining support for policies. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsStakeholders believed that alcohol and tobacco availability have not received as much policy attention as pricing and marketing. Stakeholders highlighted the importance of public support and having sufficient evidence to inform policy. Key considerations for future policies include: drawing on lessons from tobacco control policies to address alcohol availability, considering different aspects of availability (especially online availability), ensuring policies reflect their local context, considering the impact of policies on children, and managing retailers’ involvement in the policy process.ConclusionThis study highlights key considerations for policies to address alcohol and tobacco availability. There is a need for more research to consider retailers’ views and provide greater detail on specific policy suggestions

An anthropological perspective: Another dimension to modern dental wear concepts

Extent: 6p.For many years, research on tooth wear by dental academics has been diametrically opposite to that of anthropological research, with each discipline having a different understanding as to the nature of the wear processes. Dental focus revolved around preventive and restorative considerations while the anthropological focus was a biological understanding related to human evolution, diet, environment, form, and function and included all the craniofacial structures. Introducing the anthropological perspective into modern dentistry gives an insight into the “bigger picture” of the nature and extent of tooth wear. By combining anthropological evidence with clinical knowledge and experience, it is most likely to provide the best-informed and biologically based approach to the management of tooth wear in modern societies.John A. Kaidonis, Sarbin Ranjitkar, Dimitra Lekkas, and Grant C. Townsen

“Availability is the poor cousin of marketing and pricing”: qualitative study of stakeholders’ views on policy priorities around tobacco and alcohol availability

Background: Reducing alcohol and tobacco availability is one potential way to reduce harm from these unhealthy commodities. This study explores key stakeholders’ views in relation to policy priorities and considerations for both alcohol and tobacco availability. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 stakeholders from alcohol and/or tobacco third sector organizations, government, public health and licensing in Scotland. Interviews explored their views on alcohol/tobacco availability, including its place in the policy landscape and experiences in gaining support for policies. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Stakeholders believed that alcohol and tobacco availability have not received as much policy attention as pricing and marketing. Stakeholders highlighted the importance of public support and having sufficient evidence to inform policy. Key considerations for future policies include: drawing on lessons from tobacco control policies to address alcohol availability, considering different aspects of availability (especially online availability), ensuring policies reflect their local context, considering the impact of policies on children, and managing retailers’ involvement in the policy process. Conclusion: This study highlights key considerations for policies to address alcohol and tobacco availability. There is a need for more research to consider retailers’ views and provide greater detail on specific policy suggestions.</p

Instagram,*como*instrumento*para* fomentar*una*juventud*pacífica,*crítica*y* constructiva

Treball Final de Màster Universitari en Estudis Internacionals de Pau, Conflictes i Desenvolupament (Pla de 2013). Codi: SBG120. Curs acadèmic: 2018-201