Search

The current study explored the use of ballistic examinations and cross-border information sharing across 14 European countries. The presented data were collected using a mixed methods technique consisting of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires that were completed by participants. The results painted a very heterogeneous picture of the use of automated ballistic systems across these countries, as well as how ballistic analyses are integrated in the fight against gun-enabled crime. Three super-ordinates themes emerged from the thematic analysis: use of automated ballistic systems; Ballistic evidence recovery and analysis; knowledge exchange and best practices. The ability to draw firm conclusions regarding the value of ballistics comparison systems, either on a national or cross-border basis, is hampered by inconsistencies regarding data recording practices and definitions. Therefore, key recommendations are suggested to establish better cross border cooperation between member states and develop a better understanding of data sharing procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chronological synopsis of the history of the technology used in experimental and testing work relating to artillery pieces is presented. The period covered is from the mid-seventeenth century up to the Cold War era of the mid-twentieth century. Although the focus is on the development of ballistics measurement in Britain, there are important links to related work in continental Europe. The locus for much of what is described is the Royal Artillery proof and experimental range at Shoeburyness and the key individuals and groups of men and women who worked there. There are longitudinal connections between the very earliest technologies of mechanical chronometry, with paper screens and paper-based calculations, and the later technology where timings, screens and calculations had all become electronic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human remains have been displayed in museums in Europe since many centuries for historical, cultural, and educational reasons. Of particular interest are skeletal remains and body parts that have suffered violent deaths and such remains often feature in Criminology Museums. Despite the well-acknowledged value of human remains in medical education, bioarchaeology, and research, the display of human remains still raises ethical considerations ranging in severity depending on the cultural substrate and legal framework of each country. Recent developments in medical imaging and visualisation are offering an alternative way. Taking into account the emerging issues regarding exhibition and handling of human remains, this research project aims to use virtual methods to reconstruct the circumstances of the death of a nineteenth-century outlaw comprising one of the human exhibits at the Criminology Museum of Athens in Greece.For the purpose of the project, the severed head of the outlaw Stavrou was CT scanned, and the data were used to reconstruct and to evaluate the ballistic trauma sustained at the time of his death. From the scans, it was possible to determine the minimum number of shots, entrance and exit wounds, approximate calibre of the bullets, approximate distance from which they were fired, and general velocity of the round.Shots are fired from the lateral left and backside of the head and bullets exited from the right frontal and temporal area causing extensive damage to the right craniofacial region. The direction of the shots coming from the back and left suggests that Stavrou was more likely ambushed by gendarmerie squads and not shot in a fair fight which would have caused entry wounds in the anterior surface of the body. This is in agreement with historical evidence that placed him in gunfire with his fellow gang member Karapanos against a government squad. On the other hand, the possibility of being captured alive and executed cannot be rejected based only on wound ballistics.This work would be excellent supplementary material to the actual human exhibit for the accurate presentation of Stavrou's history at the Criminology Museum. In addition, it would allow the virtual exhibition of the material for historical and teaching purposes to museums and universities anywhere in Greece and along the globe, thus overcoming the obstacles of moving the actual remains.

The introduction of electronic systems into the comparison of weapon marks in the mid 1990s caused a revolution in the discipline of "forensic ballistics". Most European states now use this technology to search their national open case files. Globalisation of crime and the loss of effective border controls have made the idea of a unified European ballistic system seem logical. The article critically considers the requirements and possible outcomes of such a system. Based on the experience of forensic practitioners it seems probable that a shared European electronic ballistic system will be of a very limited value at present. Further improvements of existing systems to reach compatibility are encouraged., (Copyright © 2011 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the spring of 1944, Kurt von Gottberg, the SS police chief in Minsk, was shot and injured by 2 Soviet agents. Although he was only slightly injured, he died 6 hours later. The bullets were hollow and contained a crystalline white powder. They were 4-g bullets, semi-jacketed in cupronickel, containing 28 mg of aconitine. They were later known as akonitinnitratgeschosse. The Sipo (the Nazi security police) then ordered a trial with a 9-mm Parabellum cartridge containing Ditran, an anticholinergic drug with hallucinogenic properties causing intense mental confusion. In later years, QNB was used and given the NATO code BZ (3-quinuclidinyl-benzylate). It was proven that Saddam Hussein had this weapon (agent 15) manufactured and used it against the Kurds. Serbian forces used the same type of weapon in the Bosnian conflict, particularly in Srebrenica.The authors go on to list the Cold War toxic weapons developed by the KGB and the Warsaw pact countries for the discreet elimination of dissidents and proindependence leaders who had taken refuge in the West. These weapons include PSZh-13 launchers, the Troika electronic sequential pistol, and the ingenious 4-S110T captive piston system designed by the engineer Stechkin. Disguised as a cigarette case, it could fire a silent charge of potassium cyanide. This rogues gallery also includes the umbrella rigged to inject a pellet of ricin (or another phytalbumin of similar toxicity, such as abrin or crotin) that was used to assassinate the Bulgarian writer and journalist Georgi Markov on September 7, 1978, in London.During the autopsy, the discovery of a bullet burst into 4 or 5 parts has to make at once suspecting the use of a toxic substance. Toxicological analysis has to look for first and foremost aconitine, cyanide, suxamethonium, Ditran, BZ, or one of the toxic phytalbumins. The use of such complex weapons has to make suspect a powerful organization: army, secret service, terrorism. The existence of the Russian UDAR spray gun in the present day, however, shows that these weapons are still present. The possibility that one might be used to spray a charge of cyanide is still very real, especially as it would not be very difficult for an informed amateur to produce homemade toxic ammunition by adapting existing civil or military cartridges.

During the Upper Paleolithic, lions become an important theme in Paleolithic art and are more frequent in anthropogenic faunal assemblages. However, the relationship between hominins and lions in earlier periods is poorly known and primarily interpreted as interspecies competition. Here we present new evidence for Neanderthal-cave lion interactions during the Middle Paleolithic. We report new evidence of hunting lesions on the 48,000 old cave lion skeleton found at Siegsdorf (Germany) that attest to the earliest direct instance of a large predator kill in human history. A comparative analysis of a partial puncture to a rib suggests that the fatal stab was delivered with a wooden thrusting spear. We also present the discovery of distal lion phalanges at least 190,000 old from Einhornhöhle (Germany), representing the earliest example of the use of cave lion skin by Neanderthals in Central Europe. Our study provides novel evidence on a new dimension of Neanderthal behavioral complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article gives a short history of the word "computer" beginning from its use in early Roman times up to the introduction of the digital computer. In many dictionaries, the etymology of computer is not typically given because the entry for this word follows that of the verb compute, for which the derivation normally given is computare, a word that can be broken down into com, the Latin for "together" and putare, the Latin for "to reckon" or "to settle." Although this is generally correct, the Latin word cornputus may well have been the one giving rise to the word computer as used in the modern sense, because this word was in widespread use in Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Indeed, the word computus may have been used for the first time in the third century AD, initially taking the same varied meaning as computation, for example referring to arithmetic or economic "estimation." In the first few decades of the past century, the demand for more human computers continued to rise. During World War I, for example, many computers were employed on both sides of the war to perform tasks related to ballistics, surveying, navigation, and cartography. Also, because most of the men went to war, this period marked an increase in women computers.

This article reviews research undertaken over the past two decades to support international policy on small arms and light weapons (SALW) – which include firearms – and discusses its relevance to academic debates and policy on gun violence. It examines whether SALW research generated a greater understanding of the most problematic uses and users of firearms, and of the role of different weapons as instruments of violence. SALW research helped shift international policy from armed conflicts to gun violence occurring in a range of developing and post-conflict settings, and in Europe following the 2015–16 terror attacks. This work underscored the proximate weapons sources that armed groups often utilise, and the importance of flows of certain weapons – such as converted firearms – and ammunition in fuelling violence. Undertaking impact evaluations of novel interventions, monitoring the impact of new technologies, and investigating the relationship between ammunition supply and violence are suggested ways forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-lead hunting rifle bullets were developed to make superior quality ammunition, and the need to reduce lead exposure of wildlife and humans. European and US hunters' concerns about non-lead bullets involve perceptions of availability, costs, efficacy, accuracy, toxicity, and barrel fouling. These concerns are politically powerful and, if not addressed, could thwart greater use of non-lead ammunition. Product availability (i.e. that which is made) of non-lead rifle ammunition in a wide range of calibres is large in Europe and is suited for all European hunting situations. At least 13 major European companies make non-lead bullets for traditional, rare, and novel rifle calibres. Local retail availability is now a function of consumer demand which relates, directly, to legal requirements for use. Costs of non-lead and equivalent lead-core hunting bullets are similar in Europe and pose no barrier to use. Efficacy of non-lead bullets is equal to that of traditional lead-core bullets. Perceptions of reduced accuracy and greater barrel fouling must be addressed by industry and hunter organizations and, if verified, resolved. Non-lead bullets are made in fragmenting and non-fragmenting versions, but there is no advice to hunters yet given on the use of these two bullet types. The non-toxicity of ingested metallic copper, the principal component of non-lead bullets, is scientifically well-established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article brings to a conclusion the series of three special sections published in 2015 and 2016 byReligion, State and Societyon ‘Religion and local politics in southern Europe’. We set up a research agenda on the interactions between religion and local politics in Southern Europe. In doing so, we focus on the localisation of religion, including religious debates, and on the impact of the recent economic crisis. More specifically, we address the local as a contested concept, the multilevel governance of religion as a scalar opportunity structure – in relation to the transnational dimension of religious actors – the effects of such changes in the welfare landscape and the impact of the economic crisis on the activities and strategies of religious actors in Southern Europe. Our research agenda focuses on the interactions between two main dimensions: the territorial impact of political and economic changes, and the multiscalar schemes of territorial governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2014 was a year when the world finally taken out of its auto-imposed self-confidence and serenity. Ukraine triggered the unavoidable confrontation between Russian Federation and both USA and EU. The European economical problems became impossible to be ignored anymore and the anti-system groups win a bigger influence power with each political election. After eight years since the invasion against Georgia, Russian Federation showed that it has a rapid action capability able to trigger an attack to reconquer the lost territories after the Russian collapse. While the Americans are installing the anti-ballistic shield in Europe, the Russians are installing their missile system in Ukraine in order to establish their own readiness system. Two antiballistic capabilities are foreseen for 2016 - American and Russian, facing each other within a range of 800 kilometer distance, which means an overreaction on both sides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the current status of forensic veterinary pathology, a survey was composed directed at pathology laboratories and institutes, mostly in Europe. The questions included number of and type of cases, resources available, level of special training of the investigating pathologists and the general view on the current status and future of the discipline. The surveys were sent to 134 laboratories and were returned by 72 respondents of which 93 per cent work on forensic pathology cases. The results indicate scarcity of training opportunities and special education, and insufficient veterinary-specific reference data and information on forensic analyses. More cooperation with human forensic pathology was desired by many respondents, as was more interaction across country borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much work remains to be done on the role of engineers in Europe in the eighteenth century and we do not, in this short introductory survey, claim to offer an exhaustive historical perspective. Instead, we try to provide a framework within which to capture, by means of examples, the main lines of development. At this stage, it is not possible to cover all the national cases, nor even to provide a fully comparative analysis of those studies that have been undertaken. The aim is more modest: to suggest some hypotheses based on individual research and wide reading. For its initial results and a large bibliography on the question: Vérin and Gouzévitch, Sobre la Institucion y el Desarrollo de la Ingeneria, 2005, 115–64.  The century of European enlightenment (1697–1815), characterized by exchanges between scientists and academies, is also that of economic rivalry, technical competition, political conflict, and war. All these factors combine to produce in Europe a new practice of engineering in the midst of transformation. Yet, depending upon the country, we can observe significant differences in the strategies of knowledge appropriation in order to promote the growth of technology, a great variety in the training of engineers as well as in the exercise of their profession, their social status, even their title of engineer. Some common points are: the importance of military engineering which profits from the attentions of governments, the very progressive introduction of sciences in the practice of engineers, and the creation of special schools. But, once again, depending upon the country, these schools are grafted onto particular traditional teachings. Accordingly we propose a typology of the country-specific training and education of engineers in eighteenth century Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have seen a welcome revival of scholarly interest in the Seven Years War (1756—63). This has not been accompanied, however, by sufficient appreciation of the burdens imposed by the fighting and the enormous impact of these upon the states which were at war. Drawing upon the abundant recent scholarship, this article argues that the adoption of an international and comparative perspective, together with an extension of the time frame within which consequences are assessed, makes clear that the Seven Years War was decisive for the European ancien régime. It drove governments to adopt new policies and to introduce fundamental reforms, and in some states stimulated opposition to established political authority. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses a court case on the death of demonstrator Carlo Giuliani in Europe. The author notes that the case was filed to challenge the right to life, democracy and state responsibility in the shooting of Giuliani during the mass protests held together with the G8 Summit in Genoa, Italy in July 2001. The decisions of the Grand Chamber were based on the use of lethal force, regulatory framework, planning and control, and duty to investigate.

The article examines aspects of the work "A Briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia," a 1588 book by Thomas Harriot that reported on the English colony of Virginia. The central focus of the article is on texts, such as Harriot's, and the way they shaped European attitudes about the New World.

Charlie Chaplin's nimble ascension into the forefront of international stardom is also the popular cultural context for the rise and international proliferation of the Dada movement in Europe. In this essay, I argue that by drawing upon early cinema stardom's signifying practices, and the attributes of the cinematographic image itself, Parisian Dadaists radicalized their concept of identity to express the simultaneously recognizable and unknowable aspects of the modern self. I suggest that by 1920 cinematographic stardom presents itself as a succinct model for the Dadaists' transformation of artistic identity into a set of radical art practices. By pilfering mass popular techniques of cinema stardom, they re-routed the economy of individual production and reception. Parisian Dadaists drew upon the same operations that transformed Chaplin's uniquely expressive style into an internationally identifiable semantics that made the most oblique gesture a powerfully articulate statement capable of mobilizing the masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the discretion and scope of judicial review and institutional balance in European law. It surveys the actions taken by the European community courts to determine their role in the exercise of judicial review powers. It proposes a theoretical framework for analyzing the aspects of the division of competences between the European Commission and the General Courts as part of the principle of institutional balance. Also outlined is the procedural law background for the recognition and control of discretionary powers.

While thinking about the notion of the "global" in the history of the history of science, this essay examines a related but equally basic concept: the idea of "Western science." Tracing its rise in the nineteenth century, it shows how it developed as much outside the Western world as within it. Ironically, while the idea itself was crucial for the disciplinary formation of the history of science, the global history behind this story has not been much attended to. Drawing on examples from nineteenth-century Egypt and China, the essay begins by looking at how international vectors of knowledge production (viz., missionaries and technocrats) created new global histories of science through the construction of novel genealogies and through a process of conceptual syncretism. Turning next to the work of early professional historians of science, it shows how Arabic and Chinese knowledge traditions were similarly reinterpreted in light of the modern sciences, now viewed as part of a diachronic and universalist teleology ending in "Western science." It concludes by arguing that examining the global emergence of the idea of Western science in this way highlights key questions pertaining to the relation of the history of science to knowledge traditions across the world and the continuing search for global histories of science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of artillery in Europe at the end of the Middle Ages brought a necessary change in military architecture. This change was a radical rethinking of the entire geometry and architectural design of city walls which required an increase in thickness to resist repeated artillery strikes. The damage due to the impact loads on Middle Age fortification walls is analyzed herein with explicit dynamic analyses. This study was developed both with finite element models and an innovative rigid body-spring model with diagonal springs (RBSM), showing the different peculiarities of these two different approaches and how their results can be integrated. The numerical models clearly showed that the presence of an inner core of softer material tends to modify the impact effects by reducing the degree of damage at the expense of an extension of the damaged area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents evidences against the arguments that Europe and Asia were on the same level in terms of economic performance, technological capability and standards of living before the eighteenth century. It cited that in the twelfth century onwards Europe had showed progress through a cumulative, self-reinforcing process of assimilation, innovation and invention. Several books on developmental dynamism of Europe had been presented as supporting evidence.

Explores the interaction of home and host country effects on the subsidiary operations of European multinational companies (MNCs). Analysis of domestic industrial relations developments in three European countries and its impact on MNCs; Sector and sector effects on MNCs in the light of September 11 terrorist attacks; Implications for industrial relations in Europe's civil aviation and information technology industry.

This paper sets out some observations on the making, and use, of contemporary classifications of nature in the context of a simultaneous and on-going 'making' of Europe. It looks in particular at two classifications, one of British vegetation communities and the other of European 'biotopes' (a concept that closely relates to natural or semi-natural 'habitats') — respectively, the UK National Vegetation Classification (NVC) and the EU CORINE Biotopes Classification. It investigates aspects of the relationship between these two classifications which has come about through their use in a European conservation policy. The CORINE Biotopes classification, in particular, represents a new ordering of nature in a very active sense: it is a good example of a 'working archive', and is intimately tied into policy decisions at many levels in Europe. The paper addresses questions as to how contemporary classifications are being made and used, and whether certain tacit understandings and conceptual frameworks 'built in' to them reflect back upon the world at a later stage. It argues that these classifications do not always simply reflect the assumptions and understandings built into them: once in the policy domain, they are not as 'reversible' as that. Their categories quickly become unstable, mutating and interacting in sometimes unpredictable ways. The two classifications, through their relationship with policy, have a jointly evolving history. The continual renewal of meaning attached to classes within these classifications appears to reflect outwards rather than inwards — in chorus with the broader social and political context, rather than reflecting the condition of their making. In their evolving forms, they illustrate very well the complex nature of the dynamic between unity and diversity, centre and periphery, that lies at the heart of the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT. Swimming movements of 7 European green frogs (Rana esculenta) were studied, starting from the detailed analysis of the speed and timing of the propulsive, glide, and recovery phases of their intermittent swimming behavior. First, the authors identified the spatiotemporal factors used by the frogs to modulate their swimming behavior. None of the gait variables correlated strongly with average swimming speed, and no significant correlations were found between variables belonging to different phases. There did not seem to be an obvious control strategy. Instantaneous speeds at the transition of the different phases all increased significantly with average speed, however. The strong correlation between maximal speed at the end of propulsion and the speed averaged over a cycle might reflect the dominance of the propulsive phase in the determination of the overall swimming speed. The modulation of swimming speed thus seemed largely comparable with the regulation of jumping distance. That finding was confirmed in a mathematical model, in which the positive correlations between both glide and recovery speeds, on the one hand, and average speed, on the other, were shown to be only mathematical consequences of the strong impact of the propulsive phase on overall swimming performance. That finding suggests that the correlations did not result from an active control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biographies of various professionals worldwide are presented. James Bonsall is recognized as Earthsound Associates director, most of his works deals on archaeology research in military sites in Great Britain, Ireland and Norway. Martin Brown, an archaeologist of the Defense Estates wherein he is responsible for the Ministry of Defence properties archaeological and heritage sites. William O. Frazer, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd., senior project manager and a field archaelogist in the U.S. and Europe.

Simple Summary: Both marine and terrestrial mammal predators come into conflict with humans in Europe and yet their situations are rarely compared. Areas of conflict include the predation of livestock and farmed fish, and also perceived competition for wild prey (for example wolves competing with hunters for deer and seals competing with fishermen for salmon). A lethal method (shooting) and non-lethal methods of conflict reduction used for terrestrial large carnivores (e.g., bear, wolf, wolverine, lynx) and marine mammals (seals) are discussed and their potential impacts on predator welfare are considered. The importance of carrying out an animal welfare assessment when choosing a control method is emphasized along with possible assessment methods. Recommendations for future work are also made. The control of predators, on land and in the sea, is a complex topic. Both marine and terrestrial mammal predators come into conflict with humans in Europe in many ways and yet their situations are rarely compared. Areas of conflict include the predation of livestock and farmed fish, and the perceived competition for wild prey (for example wolves competing with hunters for deer and seals competing with fishermen for salmon). A lethal method (shooting) and non-lethal methods of conflict reduction (including enclosures, guarding, and aversion) used for terrestrial large carnivores (e.g., bear, wolf, wolverine, lynx) and marine mammals (seals) are discussed. Control measures tend to be species- and habitat-specific, although shooting is a widely used method. Potential impacts on predator welfare are described and welfare assessments which have been developed for other wildlife control scenarios, e.g., control of introduced species, are considered for their potential use in assessing predator control. Such assessments should be applied before control methods are chosen so that decisions prioritizing animal welfare can be made. Further work needs to be carried out to achieve appropriate and widely-accepted animal welfare assessment approaches and these should be included in predator management planning. Future research should include further sharing of approaches and information between terrestrial and marine specialists to help ensure that animal welfare is prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the influence of light pollution of the night sky on the conditions of visibility of astronomical objects such as planets, stars and comets. This phenomenon has a huge impact on the observability of astronomical objects, especially in cities, where the brightness of the sky makes it difficult or even impossible to conduct astronomical observations. The main purpose of this article is to measure and analyse the surface brightness of the night sky in Rzeszów and its surroundings. A device called the Sky Quality Meter was used to measure the brightness of the night sky. This paper presents measurement results for the years 2015 and 2018, from which it is clear that the quality of the night sky has been deteriorated in terms of the observability of celestial bodies. As an example, the numerical value of the measurement for the centre of Rzeszów has been taken. In 2015, this value was 18.70 ± 1.87 mag/arcsec 2 , while in 2018, it was equal to 16.73 ± 1.67 mag/arcsec 2 . The results obtained were used to analyse the visibility of celestial bodies. Here, particular attention was paid to the analysis of the visibility of comets (also during the outburst), in the context of increasing light pollution of the night sky. Observers in neighboring villages have also experienced a change in the sky quality from Bortle Class V to Class VII, requiring objects to be approximately one magnitude brighter in order to be visible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-attended meeting, called "Brainstorming discussion for a possible biomedical facility at CERN", was held by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics on 25 June 2012. This was concerned with adapting an existing, but little used, 78-m circumference CERN synchrotron to deliver a wide range of ion species, preferably from protons to at least neon ions, with beam specifications that match existing clinical facilities. The potential extensive research portfolio discussed included beam ballistics in humanoid phantoms, advanced dosimetry, remote imaging techniques and technical developments in beam delivery, including gantry design. In addition, a modern laboratory for biomedical characterisation of these beams would allow important radiobiological studies, such as relative biological effectiveness, in a dedicated facility with standardisation of experimental conditions and biological end points. A control photon and electron beam would be required nearby for relative biological effectiveness comparisons. Research beam time availability would far exceed that at other facilities throughout the world. This would allow more rapid progress in several biomedical areas, such as in charged hadron therapy of cancer, radioisotope production and radioprotection. The ethos of CERN, in terms of open access, peer-reviewed projects and governance has been so successful for High Energy Physics that application of the same to biomedicine would attract high-quality research, with possible contributions from Europe and beyond, along with potential new funding streams.

The yaw angle in flight of high velocity bullets has been discussed for a number of years, due to its contribution to the tumbling of the bullet in the target. Since few unclassified reports of contemporary bullets are available, we investigated the yaw angles of the bullets used in the M16A2, G3, AK-47 and AK-74 rifles by the shadowgraph technique. Our results show that bullets from military rifles tend to stabilize at less than 3 degrees within 25 m, and this angle has been thought to be insignificant in the production of gunshot wounds. Bullets from some modern small calibre high velocity rifles such as the M16A2 and the AK-74 can have quite large yaw angles in their initial flight. The results, which confirm the opinion of contemporary writers, should settle the controversy in this area of wound ballistics.