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The Directive on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Protecting Its Victims : A Commentary Elgar Commentaries in Transnational and EU Criminal Law
No full textNetwork of positive affect and depression in older adults
No full textBackgroundDepression in older adults poses significant health challenges, yet the protective role of positive affect remains understudied. This research examined the complex network of positive affect and depression in older adults using advanced network analysis techniques to identify potential targets for intervention.MethodsBayesian Gaussian Graphical Models and Directed Acyclic Graph modelling were used to analyse associations between ten positive affect variables and depression. Exploratory and confirmatory network analyses ensured stability and node predictability quantified variable influence. Stepwise linear regression confirmed whether specific positive affective variables identified in the networks predicted lower depression scores.ResultsEnthusiasm emerged as a key ancestral node with the highest predictability (R2 = 0.65), initiating cascades of positive affect. A primary pathway to depression was identified through feeling active (strength = 1.00, direction = 0.79), with an indirect pathway from feeling enthusiastic via active (strength = 0.98, direction = 0.79) to depression (strength = 1.00, direction = 0.79). Confirmatory longitudinal analysis showed that feeling active and enthusiastic consistently predicted lower depression scores (p < 0.001). The network structure remained stable across analyses.ConclusionsEnthusiasm was identified as a central catalyst in the positive affect network, revealing clear pathways through which positive affect may protect against depression in older adults. Enhancing enthusiastic and active emotional experiences emerged as potential effective, nonpharmacological strategies for preventing and treating depression in older adults
Is goal-setting an effective strategy for global sustainability governance? : Insights from the Sustainable Development Goals
No full textBasal Metabolic Requirements, Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health, and Anthropometric Measures of Obesity in Women and Men With Restricted Growth Conditions
No full textPopulation-specific thresholds have not been defined for the levels of adiposity and systemic biomarkers that predict chronic health risks in people with restricted growth conditions. Here, anthropometric measures of adiposity, basal metabolic requirements, and fasted blood samples were obtained from adults with restricted growth (age 41 ± 14 years, height 1.30 ± 0.10 m, body mass 60.5 ± 18.3 kg, female: male n = 24:13, achondroplasia n = 26; mean ± SD). Basal metabolic rate was 6529 ± 1703 kJ·d−1 and total mass-normalized energy requirements were higher for females versus males. Plasma concentrations of glucose (5.55 ± 0.73 mmol·L−1), insulin (36.4 ± 19.9 pmol·L−1) and lipids (triacylglycerol 0.84 ± 0.37 mmol·L−1; total cholesterol 4.54 ± 0.85 mmol·L−1; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol 1.41 ± 0.31 mmol·L−1; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 2.73 ± 0.69 mmol·L−1) were mostly within healthy clinical reference ranges. Sagittal abdominal diameter was positively correlated with plasma glucose and leptin concentrations (r = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.95; p < 0.0001, and r = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.95; p < 0.0001, respectively). Mean ± SD body mass index (BMI) was 36.1 ± 11.0 kg·m−2. However, we found that body mass scaled to height by the power of 1.4 (95% CI: 0.2, 2.6) rather than 2 associated with conventional BMI. Conventional biomarkers of cardiometabolic health are not substantially elevated in these individuals with restricted growth despite the classification of obesity using height-dependent references (e.g., traditional BMI)
Optimism and pragmatism in mission cities: Exploring narratives for climate neutrality in Stockholm and Amsterdam
No full textClimate neutrality of cities has emerged as a critical goal for sustainable urban development. This is typified by the mission in the European Union (EU) to achieve 100 climate neutral and smart cities by 2030. The idea of carbon or climate neutrality holds diverse interpretations. This paper investigates the dominant socio-technical imaginary for urban climate neutrality within the context of the EU Cities Mission, focusing on the cities of Stockholm and Amsterdam. Through narrative analysis of interviews and documents six key narratives are identified: 1) sustainable mobility and transport, 2) community engagement and just transition, 3) frontrunners in urban climate action, 4) the city as an experiment, 5) green economy and business innovation, and 6) the city as a complex system. This paper sheds light on the overlaps and contradictions between the narratives, suggesting opportunities for integrated policies centred on justice, leadership and experimentation. The analysis also reveals contrasting perspectives on the 2030 goal – namely an optimistic approach in the case of Stockholm and a pragmatic approach in the case of Amsterdam
Dose-response relationships in neuroendocrine tumours treated with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy
No full textThe Past, Present and Possible Futures of Workplace Democracy : Central Dimensions and Empirical Insights
No full textEpigenetic regulation of transposable elements in human brain development and disease
No full textTransposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic sequences comprising around 50% of human DNA. TEs shape gene regulatory networks in development, pluripotency and inflammation, and are implicated in a number of neurological disorders. Therefore, TEs are tightly controlled by epigenetic regulators which form a complex repressive network throughout different stages of development. However, while the repressive mechanisms controlling TEs have been extensively studied, the interplay between these mechanisms and their relevance to human disease remain largely unknown. In this thesis we systematically investigate the effects of depletions and patient mutations in epigenetic regulators of TEs in early human brain development, with a particular focus on heterochromatin. We found that maintaining TE silencing depends on an intricate interaction between HUSH-MORC2 corepressor, DNA methylation and H3K9me3 in human pluripotent stem cells and neural progenitor cells. We identified a mechanistic hierarchy in epigenetic TE regulation by these pathways during early human neurodevelopment (paper I, II, and III). We modelled mutations in key TE regulators found in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and measured the consequences for TE activity and downstream changes in gene expression programs specific for neural lineages and genomic integrity (paper II, and IV). Together, our findings reveal the interplay of epigenetic TE repressors and the consequences of their malfunction during early human brain development and suggest that TE activity could play a significant role in human neurodevelopmental disorders
Phosphorus-Containing Acrylate-Based Core–Shell Polymers: Synthesis and Flame-Retardant Properties
No full textTo address the flammability issues limiting polymer applications, phosphorus-containing flame retardants have received increasing attention as halogen-free alternatives. In this study, two phosphorus-containing methacrylate monomers, diphenylphosphinyl methacrylate (DPMA, +1 oxidation state, P–Ph bond) and diphenylphosphoryloxy methacrylate (DPOMA, +5 oxidation state, P–O–C bond), were synthesized and selectively incorporated into the shell of core–shell polymers via seeded emulsion polymerization. The resulting particles were uniform, spherical, and low polydispersity (PDI < 0.07). The flame-retardant behavior was strongly affected by the oxidation state of phosphorus. When 70 wt % of each monomer was placed in the shell, PA-DPMA70 reduced the peak heat release rate (pk-HRR) by 44% and showed a significant decrease in the fire growth index (FGI) and average effective heat of combustion (av-EHC), indicating a dominant gas-phase inhibition. In contrast, PA-DPOMA70 reduced the pk-HRR by 19% but greatly increased the residual char yield, producing a dense and highly graphitized structure with an ID/IG ratio of 1.56, which is characteristic of condensed-phase protection. These findings clearly demonstrate that the oxidation state of phosphorus determines whether gas-phase radical quenching or condensed-phase char formation governs the flame-retardant mechanism. In addition to earlier reports on incorporating phosphorus methacrylates into bulk matrices or silicone–acrylic adhesives, this work establishes a shell-specific localization strategy that clarifies the oxidation state mechanism relationship and offers guidance for the rational design of next-generation halogen-free flame-retardant polymers
Thermal reactivity and fire risk in lagging systems : Influence of contaminants, lagging materials, and metals
No full textLagging fires pose a significant safety risk in industrial systems where organic contaminants interact with lagging (insulation) materials. This study used isothermal calorimetry to investigate factors influencing the self-heating and ignition propensity of various C18-based substances and rapeseed oil, as contaminants in the lagging. The contaminant and lagging under investigation were added to glass ampoules, and pentane was used as a solvent to distribute the contaminant on the lagging. The factors studied were lagging materials, molecular functionalities, and metal contaminants. It was found that substances with non-conjugated double bonds, particularly those containing bis-allylic hydrogen, gave rise to the greatest peak thermal powers. Noteworthy, all tested substances exhibited some level of reactivity, suggesting no substance can be considered completely safe without system-specific analysis. To evaluate different lagging materials, rapeseed oil was used. Greater peak thermal powers were observed with glass wool and stone wool treated at temperatures ≥500 °C, likely due to the degradation of the binder materials, as supported by TGA, SEM, and EDS analyses. Furthermore, it was found that metal salts (Mn, Fe, and Cu) and copper shavings significantly increased the reactivity, while stainless steel shavings had no significant effect. Mixtures of reactive substances behaved as single entities, and their peak thermal power could be estimated as a weighted average of the pure components’ peak thermal powers. The findings have practical implications for system design, material selection, and experimental protocols, aiding engineers in evaluating fire risks and developing safer insulation systems under realistic operating conditions