Seeking the right balance: NATO and EU in Dutch Foreign and Defense Policy

No passado, a política externa holandesa foi caracterizada pela expressão “paz, ganhos e princípios”. Na verdade, a política externa holandesa tem características semelhantes à de outras potências médias com desenvolvimento elevado. Enquanto instrumento de política externa, o uso ofensivo das suas forças armadas não é a primeira escolha; muito pelo contrário, o seu cerne está no reforço do primado do Direito Internacional e nas instituições, com o objectivo de criar relações internacionais estáveis e pacíficas. O que realmente distingue a Holanda é a sua ênfase nas relações transatlânticas como forma de manter a sua independência relativamente aos restantes poderes continentais. Devido às mudanças geoestratégicas dos anos 90, esta ênfase tem vindo a perder relevância. Dado que a Europa deixou de ser a prioridade estratégica dos EUA em matéria de segurança e defesa, a Holanda tenta encontrar um novo equilíbrio entre o tradicional transatlantismo, através da NATO, e a emergente Política Europeia de Segurança e Defesa (PESD) da União Europeia

Políticas de segurança e defesa dos pequenos e médios estados europeus

Seminário internacional aberto ao público, realizado no dia 23 de Novembro de 2007, no Instituto da Defesa Nacional, organizado em parceria com a Representação da Comissão Europeia em Portugal. O 1º Painel incluiu a sessão de abertura, onde foram intervenientes Anibal Ferreira da Silva, director do Instituto da Defesa Nacional; Manuel Romano, representante da Comissão Europeia em Portugal; Isabel Ferreira Nunes, sub-directora do Instituto da Defesa Nacional; Miguel Freire, investigador associado do Instituto da Defesa Nacional; moderador Pedro Aires Oliveira. O 2º Painel incluiu intervenções de Miguel Monjardino, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisboa; Carlos Gaspar, Instituto de Relações Internacionais; moderador José Loureiro dos Santos. O 3º Painel incluiu intervenções Rob de Wijk, Centro de Estudos de Haia; Henrik Larsen, Universidade de Copenhaga; moderadora Isabel Ferreira Nunes. O 4º Painel incluiu intervenções de Sonja Kopf e Ben Tonra, Instituto Europeu de Dublin; Lisbeth Aggestam, Centre of International Studies, Universidade de Cambridge; moderadora Isabel Ferreira Nunes.N/

Structure characterization of the central repetitive domain of high molecular weight gluten proteins. II. Characterization in solution and in the dry state

The structure of the central repetitive domain of high molecular weight (HMW) wheat gluten proteins was characterized in solution and in the dry state using HMW proteins Bx6 and Bx7 and a subcloned, bacterially expressed part of the repetitive domain of HMW Dx5. Model studies of the HMW consensus peptides PGQGQQ and GYYPTSPQQ formed the basis for the data analysis. In solution, the repetitive domain contained a continuous nonoverlapping series of both type I and type II β-turns at positions predicted from the model studies; type II β-turns occurred at QPGQ and QQGY sequences and type I β-turns at YPTS and SPQQ. The subcloned part of the HMW Dx5 repetitive domain sometimes migrated as two bands on SDS-PAGE; we present evidence that this may be caused by a single amino acid insertion that disturbs the regular structure of β-turns. The type I β-turns are lost when the protein is dried on a solid surface, probably by conversion to type II β-turns. The homogeneous type II β-turn distribution is compatible with the formation of a β-spiral structure, which provides the protein with elastic properties. The β-turns and thus the β-spiral are stabilized by hydrogen bonds within and between turns. Reformation of this hydrogen bonding network after, e.g., mechanical disruption may be important for the elastic properties of gluten proteins

Between Suicide Bombings and Burning Banlieues: The Multiple Crises of Europe's Parallel Societies. CEPS ESF Working Papers No. 22, 23 June 2006

In addition to the regular "Chairman’s summing-up" by ESF Chairman François Heisbourg, this number in the ESF Working Paper series includes a contribution on "The Role of Islam in Europe: Multiple Crises?" by Amel Boubekeur (CEPS) and Samir Amghar (EHESS, Paris); one entitled "The Multiple Crisis in Dutch Parallel Societies" by Rob de Wijk (Clingendael Institute, The Hague); and "Islam in Russia in 2020", by Alexey Malashenko (Carnegie Centre, Moscow)

A systematic review of local field potential physiomarkers in Parkinson's disease: from clinical correlations to adaptive deep brain stimulation algorithms

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment has proven effective in suppressing symptoms of rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor in Parkinson's disease. Still, patients may suffer from disabling fluctuations in motor and non-motor symptom severity during the day. Conventional DBS treatment consists of continuous stimulation but can potentially be further optimised by adapting stimulation settings to the presence or absence of symptoms through closed-loop control. This critically relies on the use of 'physiomarkers' extracted from (neuro)physiological signals. Ideal physiomarkers for adaptive DBS (aDBS) are indicative of symptom severity, detectable in every patient, and technically suitable for implementation. In the last decades, much effort has been put into the detection of local field potential (LFP) physiomarkers and in their use in clinical practice. We conducted a research synthesis of the correlations that have been reported between LFP signal features and one or more specific PD motor symptoms. Features based on the spectral beta band (~ 13 to 30 Hz) explained ~ 17% of individual variability in bradykinesia and rigidity symptom severity. Limitations of beta band oscillations as physiomarker are discussed, and strategies for further improvement of aDBS are explored

ANS responses and facial expressions differentiate between the taste of commercial breakfast drinks.

The high failure rate of new market introductions, despite initial successful testing with traditional sensory and consumer tests, necessitates the development of other tests. This study explored the ability of selected physiological and behavioral measures of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to distinguish between repeated exposures to foods from a single category (breakfast drinks) and with similar liking ratings. In this within-subject study 19 healthy young adults sipped from five breakfast drinks, each presented five times, while ANS responses (heart rate, skin conductance response and skin temperature), facial expressions, liking, and intensities were recorded. The results showed that liking was associated with increased heart rate and skin temperature, and more neutral facial expressions. Intensity was associated with reduced heart rate and skin temperature, more neutral expressions and more negative expressions of sadness, anger and surprise. Strongest associations with liking were found after 1 second of tasting, whereas strongest associations with intensity were found after 2 seconds of tasting. Future studies should verify the contribution of the additional information to the prediction of market success