64 research outputs found
Early warning signals for predicting cryptomarket vendor success using dark net forum networks
In this work we focus on identifying key players in dark net cryptomarkets.
Law enforcement aims to disrupt criminal activity conducted through these
markets by targeting key players vital to the market's existence and success.
We particularly focus on detecting successful vendors responsible for the
majority of illegal trade. Our methodology aims to uncover whether the task of
key player identification should center around plainly measuring user and forum
activity, or that it requires leveraging specific patterns of user
communication. We focus on a large-scale dataset from the Evolution
cryptomarket, which we model as an evolving communication network. While user
and forum activity measures are useful for identifying the most successful
vendors, we find that betweenness centrality additionally identifies those with
lesser activity. But more importantly, analyzing the forum data over time, we
find evidence that attaining a high betweenness score comes before vendor
success. This suggests that the proposed network-driven approach of modelling
user communication might prove useful as an early warning signal for key player
identification
Lack of evidence for reduced prefrontal cortical serotonin and dopamine efflux after acute tryptophan depletion
Selectively Incapacitating Frequent Offenders: Costs and Benefits of Various Penal Scenarios
Cerebral Accumulation of Dietary Derivable Plant Sterols does not Interfere with Memory and Anxiety Related Behavior in Abcg5β/β Mice
Plant sterols such as sitosterol and campesterol are frequently applied as functional food in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Recently, it became clear that plasma derived plant sterols accumulate in murine brains. We questioned whether plant sterols in the brain are associated with alterations in brain cholesterol homeostasis and subsequently with brain functions. ATP binding cassette (Abc)g5β/β mice, a phytosterolemia model, were compared to Abcg5+/+ mice for serum and brain plant sterol accumulation and behavioral and cognitive performance. Serum and brain plant sterol concentrations were respectively 35β70-fold and 5β12-fold increased in Abcg5β/β mice (Pβ<β0.001). Plant sterol accumulation resulted in decreased levels of desmosterol (Pβ<β0.01) and 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol (Pβ<β0.01) in the hippocampus, the brain region important for learning and memory functions, and increased lanosterol levels (Pβ<β0.01) in the cortex. However, Abcg5β/β and Abcg5+/+ displayed no differences in memory functions or in anxiety and mood related behavior. The swimming speed of the Abcg5β/β mice was slightly higher compared to Abcg5+/+ mice (Pβ<β0.001). In conclusion, plant sterols in the brains of Abcg5β/β mice did have consequences for brain cholesterol metabolism, but did not lead to an overt phenotype of memory or anxiety related behavior. Thus, our data provide no contra-indication for nutritional intake of plant sterol enriched nutrition
Trajectories of Delinquency and Parenting Styles
We investigated trajectories of adolescent delinquent development using data from the Pittsburgh Youth Study and examined the extent to which these different trajectories are differentially predicted by childhood parenting styles. Based on self-reported and official delinquency seriousness, covering ages 10β19, we identified five distinct delinquency trajectories differing in both level and change in seriousness over time: a nondelinquent, minor persisting, moderate desisting, serious persisting, and serious desisting trajectory. More serious delinquents tended to more frequently engage in delinquency, and to report a higher proportion of theft. Proportionally, serious persistent delinquents were the most violent of all trajectory groups. Using cluster analysis we identified three parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian (moderately supportive), and neglectful (punishing). Controlling for demographic characteristics and childhood delinquency, neglectful parenting was more frequent in moderate desisters, serious persisters, and serious desisters, suggesting that parenting styles differentiate non- or minor delinquents from more serious delinquents
Correction:How the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the necessity of animal research (vol 30, pg R1014, 2020)
(Current Biology 30, R1014βR1018; September 21, 2020) As a result of an author oversight in the originally published version of this article, a number of errors were introduced in the author list and affiliations. First, the middle initials were omitted from the names of several authors. Second, the surname of Dr. van Dam was mistakenly written as βDam.β Third, the first name of author Bernhard Englitz was misspelled as βBernardβ and the surname of author B.J.A. Pollux was misspelled as βPullox.β Finally, Dr. Keijer's first name was abbreviated rather than written in full. These errors, as well as various errors in the author affiliations, have now been corrected online
Selective phosphodiesterase inhibitors: a promising target for cognition enhancement
# The Author(s) 2008. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Rationale One of the major complaints most people face during aging is an impairment in cognitive functioning. This has a negative impact on the quality of daily life and is even more prominent in patients suffering from neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders including Alzheimerβs disease, schizophrenia, and depression. So far, the majority of cognition enhancers are generally targeting one particular neurotransmitter system. However, recently phosphodiesterases (PDEs) have gained increased attention as a potential new target for cognition enhancement. Inhibition of PDEs increases the intracellular availability of the second messengers cGMP and/or cAMP. Objective The aim of this review was to provide an overvie
Comparing the effects of community service and short-term imprisonment on recidivism: a matched samples approach
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