First-Principles Density Limit Scaling in Tokamaks Based on Edge Turbulent Transport and Implications for ITER

A first-principles scaling law, based on turbulent transport considerations, and a multimachine database of density limit discharges from the ASDEX Upgrade, JET, and TCV tokamaks, show that the increase of the boundary turbulent transport with the plasma collisionality sets the maximum density achievable in tokamaks. This scaling law shows a strong dependence on the heating power, therefore predicting for ITER a significantly larger safety margin than the Greenwald empirical scaling [Greenwald et al., Nucl. Fusion, 28, 2199 (1988)] in case of unintentional high-to-low confinement transition

Traditional foods of Black Sea Countries

INTRODUCTION: Traditional dietary patterns, generally beneficial to health as judged over time, should be promoted beyond the native country’s borders. Scientific data is a prerequisite for the successful promotion of a sustainable diet. The Mediterranean diet is a distinguished example of such a dietary pattern. Accumulating scientific evidence has established it globally as a model diet. OBJECTIVES: A framework for the investigation of traditional foods, aiming primarily at the elucidation of their role on health, was recently expanded to the Black Sea Area Countries (BSAC) through BaSeFood. A principal objective of BaSeFood is to deliver information on bioactive substances and potential related health claims of BSAC traditional foods in order to give opportunities to stakeholders to develop sustainable diets. METHOD/DESIGN: Thirty-three BSAC traditional foods have been selected for in-depth investigation. The study includes: • Nutrient and bioactive composition data. • Information on microbiological aspects • Recording of the traditional production methods. • Technological study on their potential industrial or semi-industrial production. • Integrated records related to their traditional character • Historical and folkloric review, which documents their traditional identity. • Food indexing using Langual RESULTS: Anticipated outcomes of the study on the BSAC traditional foods include: • Insight on their impact on health • Enrichment of the BSAC food composition tables with validated nutrient data • Potential proprietary or health claims • Promotion into new markets • Preservation of the traditional culture • Development of sustainable agriculture CONCLUSIONS: Several Mediterranean traditional foods are likely to contribute to better health. It remains to be substantiated if the same also applies to BSAC traditional foods. BaSeFood has contributed to an initial registration of BSAC traditional foods and has provided essential tools for their promotion within and beyond the region.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n.º 227118

Human trafficking in Greece

Greece has been both a destination and a transit country for human trafficking since the 1990s. Public perceptions, the understanding and policy responses towards trafficking have been shaped by its connection with migration and the conditions of migrant exploitation in various sectors of the Greek economy. Using the rubric of criminogenic asymmetries to bring the above dimensions fully into the analysis, this chapter builds on extant research and other open sources to offer an overview of the issue of trafficking and the development of policy responses in Greece

A linked organ-on-chip model of the human neurovascular unit reveals the metabolic coupling of endothelial and neuronal cells

The neurovascular unit (NVU) regulates metabolic homeostasis as well as drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in the central nervous system. Metabolic fluxes and conversions over the NVU rely on interactions between brain microvascular endothelium, perivascular pericytes, astrocytes and neurons, making it difficult to identify the contributions of each cell type. Here we model the human NVU using microfluidic organ chips, allowing analysis of the roles of individual cell types in NVU functions. Three coupled chips model influx across the blood–brain barrier (BBB), the brain parenchymal compartment and efflux across the BBB. We used this linked system to mimic the effect of intravascular administration of the psychoactive drug methamphetamine and to identify previously unknown metabolic coupling between the BBB and neurons. Thus, the NVU system offers an in vitro approach for probing transport, efficacy, mechanism of action and toxicity of neuroactive drugs