The Boston Marathon and the Visa Negotiations between the EU and Russia: Time to get real and positive. CEPS Commentary, 8 May 2013

Against the background of the Boston Marathon bombing as a violent reminder of the lawlessness throughout much of the Northern Caucasus, Michael Emerson calls in this commentary for a fresh direction in the EU’s negotiations with Russia over visa-free travel. While finding that a ‘visa liberalisation’ regime has a very slim prospect of materialising any time soon, on the other hand, he sees realistic possibilities for fast delivery of a ‘virtual visa free regime’ of the multi-year, multi-entry visa, which would be a real and important achievement for EU-Russian relations.

Comorbidity Between Major Depression and Alcohol Use Disorder From Adolescence to Adulthood

Background—Limited information exists regarding the long-term development of comorbidity between Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD; abuse/dependence). Using a representative prospective study, we examine multiple aspects pertaining to MDD+AUD comorbidity, with a focus on the relation between disorders across periods (adolescence, early adulthood, adulthood) and cumulative impairments by age 30. Method—816 participants were diagnostically interviewed at ages 16, 17, 24, and 30. Results—Rates of comorbid MDD+AUD were low in adolescence (2%), but increased in early adulthood (10%) and adulthood (7%). Rates of cumulative comorbidity were elevated (21%). Most individuals with a history of MDD or AUD had the other disorder, except for women with MDD. Prospectively, adolescent AUD predicted early adult MDD, while early adult MDD predicted adult AUD. Compared to pure disorders, MDD+AUD was associated with higher risk of alcohol dependence, suicide attempt, lower global functioning, and life dissatisfaction. Conclusions—Lifetime rates of comorbid MDD+AUD were considerably higher than in crosssectional studies. Comorbidity was partly explained by bidirectional and developmentally-specific associations and predicted selected rather than generalized impairments. Clinically, our findings emphasize the need to always carefully assess comorbidity in patients with MDD or AUD, taking into account concurrency and developmental timing.

Road to Proscription: The EU and Hezbollah since the Arab Spring. EU Diplomacy Paper 07/2013

The European Union (EU) has traditionally taken a rather nuanced view of the activities of Hezbollah. Despite historic links to violent activity, Europe always remained reluctant to place the Lebanese militant group on its list of terrorist organisations. Internal divergences among member states, as well as the strategic-realist goals of the EU in both Lebanon and the Middle East more generally meant that such a listing never materialised. This remained the case even in the initial turmoil following the Arab uprisings, when Hezbollah’s relatively moderating objectives were viewed as a force for stability. However, the EU shifted policy in July 2013 by listing the military wing of Hezbollah as a terrorist entity. This paper will investigate the reasons behind this decision, as well as the likely implications and effectiveness of the new policy. Two principal catalysts were behind the decision. The first was a Hezbollah-linked bombing in Bulgaria which provided the focal point around which a consensus of the EU member states could emerge in the Council. Secondly, the escalation both of the Syrian conflict and Hezbollah’s role in it provided a more political and strategic impetus for the decision. This paper maintains that although a change in policy was somewhat necessary, it is questionable whether the artificial separation of Hezbollah’s political and military wings and the symbolic proscription of the latter is the most propitious choice to achieve European objectives.

THE NEW WALLS AND FENCES: CONSEQUENCES FOR ISRAEL AND PALESTINE. CEPS Middle East Working Paper No. 9, June 2003

Good fences make good neighbours’ wrote the poet Robert Frost. Israel and Palestine are certainly not good neighbours and the question that arises is will a fence between Israel and Palestine turn them into ‘good neighbours’. This paper deals with the Israeli decision to construct a fence that will divide Israel and the West Bank. Almost all public debate of the wall in Israel has been limited to the security aspects. In light of the success enjoyed so far by the wall or fence around the Gaza Strip in preventing suicide bombers from getting through, the defence for needing a similar wall around the West Bank seems like an easy task. One of the main proponents of the wall concept in Israel is Dan Scheuftan, whose book on the subject has served as a guide for policy-makers. The paper provides a critique of Scheuftan’s book. The paper addresses various aspects of the wall and focuses on the different consequences of building a barrier between the two entities. Significant attention is paid to the economic consequences of the wall. The paper also looks at other issues such as the impact the wall will have on future attempts of peace-making. The paper attempts to show that the prevention of Palestinian access to Israel – the main goal of the wall – may not really have the hoped for effect of enhancing Israel’s security

Turkey’s new election: War or peace? EPC Commentary, 30 October 2015

Turkey is headed to its second parliamentary election in five months with snap polls slated for November 1. The election will take place in a highly charged atmosphere with escalating violence and financial volatility. The renewed conflict between Turkey and the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is spreading throughout the country with the rise of ethnic tensions posing a big threat to internal harmony. Even a peace rally in the capital Ankara was hit by suicide bombers marking the deadliest terror attack in Turkey's history. Turkey, which has always been the most stable country in a turbulent region, risks its security being seriously jeopardised unless the violence is urgently stopped and the political ambiguity is ended through a stable government.

The AKP rebooted – What next for Turkey? EPC Commentary, 30 October 2015

Turkey is headed to its second parliamentary election in five months with snap polls slated for November 1. The election will take place in a highly charged atmosphere with escalating violence and financial volatility. The renewed conflict between Turkey and the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is spreading throughout the country with the rise of ethnic tensions posing a big threat to internal harmony. Even a peace rally in the capital Ankara was hit by suicide bombers marking the deadliest terror attack in Turkey's history. Turkey, which has always been the most stable country in a turbulent region, risks its security being seriously jeopardised unless the violence is urgently stopped and the political ambiguity is ended through a stable government.

Analysis of Protein Turnover by Quantitative SNAP-Based Pulse-Chase Imaging

Assessment of protein dynamics in living cells is crucial for understanding their biological properties and functions. The SNAP-tag, a self labeling suicide enzyme, presents a tool with unique features that can be adopted for determining protein dynamics in living cells. Here we present detailed protocols for the use of SNAP in fluorescent pulse-chase and quench-chase-pulse experiments. These time-slicing methods provide powerful tools to assay and quantify the fate and turnover rate of proteins of different ages. We cover advantages and pitfalls of SNAP-tagging in fixed- and live-cell studies and evaluate the recently developed fast-acting SNAPf variant. In addition, to facilitate the analysis of protein turnover datasets, we present an automated algorithm for spot recognition and quantification.

Perfil sociodemográfico das pessoas que cometeram suicídio no período de 2007 a 2013 em Arapiraca, Alagoas, e a possível exposição aos agrotóxicos

Trata-se de um estudo descritivo de série histórica, com os dados coletados do Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade, através de relatórios do TABWIN, gerados em Excel, com banco de dados e análise estatística feitas no programa estatístico SPSS. Tem por objetivo determinar a mortalidade por suicídio na população do município de Arapiraca-AL, no período de 2007 a 2013, caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico e verificar a existência da associação entre a exposição a agrotóxicos e o suicídio. Identificamos 76 óbitos por suicidio no periodo, porém 14 óbitos foram eliminados por apresentarem informações ignoradas. Dos 53 óbitos, que apresentou uma média de 7,6 óbitos/ano, 40 foram praticados por homens e 13 por mulheres, a faixa etária inferior a 30 anos teve 45% dos óbitos, concentrados entre 20 a 29 anos, com 32,1%; os solteiros representaram 64,1%; pessoas de cor parda, com 41 mortos, (77,3%); a escolaridade apresentou 50,9% com um a 7 anos de estudos; 73,6% das pessoas residiam na zona urbana; 37,7% eram trabalhadores da agricultura, e o meio mais utilizado foi o enforcamento com 28 dos óbitos, (52,9%), seguido do uso de pesticidas com 16 óbitos, (30,2%). O Teste Exato de Fisher utilizado para avaliar a associação entre os fatores que poderiam influenciar a prática do suicídio, mostrou não existir diferença estatística na prática do suicídio entre os trabalhadores com agrotóxicos (p=0,64), bem como em relação a ocupação (p=0,76). Porém, foram encontradas associações significativas entre o desfecho suicídio e a existência de quadro depressivo (p=0,001) e a utilização de medicamentos (p=0,03). Novos estudos devem ser realizados com o intuíto de melhor explicar a ocorrência de depressão e do suicídio e principalmente determinar a sua relação causal com a exposição aos agrotóxicos. Palavras-chave: Suicídio; Mortalidade; Agrotóxicos.

Perfil sociodemográfico dos sujeitos que tentaram o suicídio no município de Arapiraca, Alagoas

Introdução: as tentativas de suicídio são uma das causas mais frequentes de atendimento nos serviços de urgência no Brasil. Poucos estudos abordam as características epidemiológicas das tentativas de suicídio, principalmente na região nordeste. Diante da importância de se conhecer as características das tentativas de suicídio e propor estratégias de minimização é que o presente estudo caracterizou o perfil sociodemográfico das pessoas que tentaram suicídio em Arapiraca – AL, no período de 2009 a 2013. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo de série histórica, com dados obtidos através da ficha de notificação/ investigação individual de Intoxicação Exógena do SINAN, de pacientes que foram atendidos no serviço de urgência e emergência da Unidade de Emergência Doutor Daniel Houly em Arapiraca. Foram analisadas as seguintes variáveis das tentativas de suicídios: faixa etária, sexo, raça, idade gestacional, zona de residência, vínculo empregatício, agente tóxico, hospitalização e evolução. Resultados: Do ano de 2009 a 2013 o total de atendidos por tentativas de suicídios na referida unidade foi de 1.184 indivíduos, sendo 71,54% do sexo feminino e 28,46% do sexo masculino. A faixa etária de maior frequência foi à de 20-29 anos, correspondendo a 33 % e a raça parda foi a que apresentou maior número de casos, 21% (n= 239). Em relação à residência 77% (n = 922) dos casos residiam em zona urbana, e o principal agente tóxico utilizado nas tentativas de suicídio, foi a ingestão medicamentosa (n = 822, 72%). Cerca de 73% (n=865) tiveram que ser hospitalizados e 95% tiveram tratamento adequado, evoluindo para cura. Conclusão: A partir dos dados foi possível traçar o perfil sociodemográfico das tentativas de suicídio, alcançando os objetivos propostos. A discussão do tema bem como a implementação da educação em saúde se constituem em elementos primordiais para a identificação dos sujeitos com ideação suicida e a busca da evitabilidade de novos casos. Ações de vigilância são necessárias para minimizar as taxas de suicídio, bem como a formação e articulação de rede de assistência no agreste alagoano. Ainda ressalta-se a necessidade de mais estudos com a população que apresenta comportamento suicida no município. Palavras-chave: Tentativa de Suicídio. Saúde Pública. Saúde Mental.

Comorbidity Between Major Depression and Alcohol Use Disorder From Adolescence to Adulthood

Background—Limited information exists regarding the long-term development of comorbidity between Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD; abuse/dependence). Using a representative prospective study, we examine multiple aspects pertaining to MDD+AUD comorbidity, with a focus on the relation between disorders across periods (adolescence, early adulthood, adulthood) and cumulative impairments by age 30. Method—816 participants were diagnostically interviewed at ages 16, 17, 24, and 30. Results—Rates of comorbid MDD+AUD were low in adolescence (2%), but increased in early adulthood (10%) and adulthood (7%). Rates of cumulative comorbidity were elevated (21%). Most individuals with a history of MDD or AUD had the other disorder, except for women with MDD. Prospectively, adolescent AUD predicted early adult MDD, while early adult MDD predicted adult AUD. Compared to pure disorders, MDD+AUD was associated with higher risk of alcohol dependence, suicide attempt, lower global functioning, and life dissatisfaction. Conclusions—Lifetime rates of comorbid MDD+AUD were considerably higher than in crosssectional studies. Comorbidity was partly explained by bidirectional and developmentally-specific associations and predicted selected rather than generalized impairments. Clinically, our findings emphasize the need to always carefully assess comorbidity in patients with MDD or AUD, taking into account concurrency and developmental timing.

[Reports.

Description based on: [No. 2] (Sept. 30, 1945)

Aerology and naval warfare, the Battle of Midway.

"This is one of a series of pamphlets dealing with the weather aspects of Naval and Amphibious Warfare."

National independence; or, A common-sense policy,

Employment demands protection.--Why any exclusive policy?--The free trade trap.--Protection enriched us, not free trade.--Free trade poisons patriotism.--Kill industries and commerce dies.--Theories are dangerous guides.--Industrial displacements spell ruin.--Independence the only policy.--The fatal policy of laissez faire.--"Cheap and nasty."--Our unearned increment.--Free trade a spiteful mistress.--The fertility of character.--We cultivate weakness, not strength.--Britons can manage British business.--Second markets.--The country's average wage.--If trusts, then British trusts.--Labour's true interests.--Germany and her navy.--Class-hatred is suicide.--The tax on wheat.--The little-Englander rat.--The seeds of decay.--Education and patriotism.--Intemperate legislators.--National strongholds.--Futile scheming.--The balance of power.--The suffragette among nations.--Naval warfare in the future.--Universal service.--Broken reeds.

The Oklahoma City tragedy.

Special issue of Customs today, dedicated to victims and survivors of Oklahoma City bombing.

Biathanatos ;

Error in paging: nos. 191-192 repeated.