EU - Russia relations: "try again, fail again, fail better"

This study argues that the security dimension - broadly defined to include both more traditional military security and “soft security” – of the EU-Russia relationship is becoming increasingly important. The relationship is of strategic significance for both sides, and some important progress has been made in establishing a closer bureaucratic relationship. There is, however, a tension between this progress and a series of differences on key political issues, including energy security and crisis management. Moreover, despite some improvements, there are problems in the decision-making structures on both sides that hinder the development of a positive practical relationship

EU - Russia relations: "try again, fail again, fail better"

This study argues that the security dimension - broadly defined to include both more traditional military security and “soft security” – of the EU-Russia relationship is becoming increasingly important. The relationship is of strategic significance for both sides, and some important progress has been made in establishing a closer bureaucratic relationship. There is, however, a tension between this progress and a series of differences on key political issues, including energy security and crisis management. Moreover, despite some improvements, there are problems in the decision-making structures on both sides that hinder the development of a positive practical relationship

Comparison of C═C bond hydrogenation in C-4 unsaturated nitriles over Pt/alumina

The hydrogenation of allyl cyanide (but-1-ene-4-nitrile, AC), trans- and cis-crotononitrile (E- and Z-but-2-ene nitrile, TCN and CCN), and methacrylonitrile (2-cyano-1-propene, MCN) were studied, both singly and competitively, over a Pt/alumina catalyst in the liquid phase. Each unsaturated nitrile only underwent C═C bond hydrogenation: no evidence was found for the formation of the saturated or unsaturated amine. The nonconjugated allyl cyanide was found to be the most reactive unsaturated nitrile. Activation energies for the hydrogenation of the C═C bond in AC and MCN were determined giving values of 64 ± 7 kJ mol–1 for AC and 37 ± 4 kJ mol–1 for MCN. The reaction was zero order for both nitriles. Competitive hydrogenations revealed that not only does allyl cyanide react preferentially over the other isomers but also it inhibits the hydrogenation of the other isomers. When all four nitriles were simultaneously hydrogenated, inhibition effects were easily seen suggesting that in terms of strength of bonding to the surface an order of AC > CCN > TCN ∼ MN can be generated

Climate change, the green economy and reimagining the city: the case of structurally disadvantaged European maritime port cities

The concept of the New Environmental Politics of Urban Development (NEPUD) examines the impact of international and national environmental regulation on the politics of urban development. The NEPUD concept emerged from case studies of environmental governance in entrepreneurial cities. However, little is known about the concept’s relevance for less competitive cities, especially urban centres facing profound problems associated with economic decline, social deprivation and negative external images or ‘structurally disadvantaged cities.’ This paper examines how the NEPUD has played out within two structurally disadvantaged maritime port cities in Northern Europe, Hull (UK) and Bremerhaven (Germany). Both cities face serious social and economic challenges associated with long-term industrial decline, such as high unemployment rates, low skill levels, economic peripherality, and poor external images. Nevertheless, new opportunities opened up by climate change and the green economy have prompted political actors in Hull and Bremerhaven to build new alliances between local government, business and civil society and enhance governance capacities on climate change and green urban development. Highlighting similarities and differences between these two places, the paper reveals how climate change regulations provide opportunities for certain structurally disadvantaged cities to attract ‘green jobs’ and transform their external image

3D geological models and their hydrogeological applications : supporting urban development : a case study in Glasgow-Clyde, UK

Urban planners and developers in some parts of the United Kingdom can now access geodata in an easy-to-retrieve and understandable format. 3D attributed geological framework models and associated GIS outputs, developed by the British Geological Survey (BGS), provide a predictive tool for planning site investigations for some of the UK's largest regeneration projects in the Thames and Clyde River catchments. Using the 3D models, planners can get a 3D preview of properties of the subsurface using virtual cross-section and borehole tools in visualisation software, allowing critical decisions to be made before any expensive site investigation takes place, and potentially saving time and money. 3D models can integrate artificial and superficial deposits and bedrock geology, and can be used for recognition of major resources (such as water, thermal and sand and gravel), for example in buried valleys, groundwater modelling and assessing impacts of underground mining. A preliminary groundwater recharge and flow model for a pilot area in Glasgow has been developed using the 3D geological models as a framework. This paper focuses on the River Clyde and the Glasgow conurbation, and the BGS's Clyde Urban Super-Project (CUSP) in particular, which supports major regeneration projects in and around the City of Glasgow in the West of Scotland

Variations in Modeled Dengue Transmission over Puerto Rico Using a Climate Driven Dynamic Model

Dengue fever is a mosquitoborne viral disease reemerging throughout much of the tropical Americas. Dengue virus transmission is explicitly influenced by climate and the environment through its primary vector, Aedes aegypti. Temperature regulates Ae. aegypti development, survival, and replication rates as well as the incubation period of the virus within the mosquito. Precipitation provides water for many of the preferred breeding habitats of the mosquito, including buckets, old tires, and other places water can collect. Because of variations in topography, ocean influences and atmospheric processes, temperature and rainfall patterns vary across Puerto Rico and so do dengue virus transmission rates. Using NASA's TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite for precipitation input, groundbased observations for temperature input, and laboratory confirmed dengue cases reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for parameter calibration, we modeled dengue transmission at the county level across Puerto Rico from 20102013 using a dynamic dengue transmission model that includes interacting vector ecology and epidemiological components. Employing a Monte Carlo approach, we performed ensembles of several thousands of model simulations for each county in order to resolve the model uncertainty arising from using different combinations of parameter values that are not well known. The top 1% of model simulations that best reproduced the reported dengue case data were then analyzed to determine the most important parameters for dengue virus transmission in each county, as well as the relative influence of climate variability on transmission. These results can be used by public health workers to implement dengue control methods that are targeted for specific locations and climate conditions

A technology platform for enabling behavioural change as a “PATHway” towards better self-management of CVD

We describe a technology platform developed as part of a novel approach to technology-enabled exercise-based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR), termed PATHway. We explain the overall concept and explain how technology can facilitate remote participation and better adherence to communitybased long-term Phase III CR. The demo will showcase the user experience of interacting with the PATHway system, including navigation and manual data entry, whilst also demonstrating real-time sensing and analysis of exercise movements and automatic adaptation of exercise based on physiological response

Understanding Russia's Measures of War

In the context of NATO and its member states seeking to enhance deterrence and defence postures and looking ahead to 2030, the article argues for a shift from seeing Moscow's activities as "measures short of war," blurring the lines between war and peace, toward greater clarity on Russian military strategy and the blurring of lines between the offensive and the defensive

Assessing Disparities of Dengue Virus Transmission Risk across the US-Mexican Border Using a Climate Driven Vector-Epidemiological Model

Dengue fever is a mosquitoborne viral disease reemerging throughout much of the tropical Americas. Dengue virus transmission is explicitly influenced by climate and the environment through its primary vector, Aedes aegypti. Temperature regulates Ae. aegypti development, survival, and replication rates as well as the incubation period of the virus within the mosquito. Precipitation provides water for many of the preferred breeding habitats of the mosquito, including buckets, old tires, and other places water can collect. Although transmission regularly occurs along the border region in Mexico, dengue virus transmission in bordering Arizona has not occurred. Using NASA's TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite for precipitation input and Daymet for temperature and supplemental precipitation input, we modeled dengue transmission along a USMexico transect using a dynamic dengue transmission model that includes interacting vector ecology and epidemiological components. Model runs were performed for 5 cities in Sonora, Mexico and southern Arizona. Employing a Monte Carlo approach, we performed ensembles of several thousands of model simulations in order to resolve the model uncertainty arising from using different combinations of parameter values that are not well known. For cities with reported dengue case data, the top model simulations that best reproduced dengue case numbers were retained and their parameter values were extracted for comparison. These parameter values were used to run simulations in areas where dengue virus transmission does not occur or where dengue fever case data was unavailable. Additional model runs were performed to reveal how changes in climate or parameter values could alter transmission risk along the transect. The relative influence of climate variability and model parameters on dengue virus transmission is assessed to help public health workers prepare location specific infection prevention strategies