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Can would-be perpetrators of extreme violence be reliably identified by the linguistic traces they unintentionally leave behind in their online communications? Previous research has shown that identity fusion, a visceral feeling of oneness with the group, can motivate violent self-sacrifice when the in-group is threatened. This thesis tests the hypothesis that a higher degree of identify fusion in online groups, coupled with a range of mediating and moderating variables, increases the likelihood of individuals carrying out violent pro-group action. To date, there has been no systematic analysis of the relationship between identity dynamics within virtual communities and radicalisation towards violence. This research project seeks to fill this gap by investigating the relationship between identity fusion in the digital arena and violent extremist activities in the real world. Using a mixed methods approach, the project combines quantitative natural language processing (NLP) analysis with quantitative text analysis and digital ethnographic research. The first part of the thesis presents a new coding scheme that traces the narratives and linguistic markers found across the written statements published by terrorists prior to launching an attack. A total of 4,000 pages by 15 authors, on a spectrum from violent terrorist to non-violent political manifestos, were analysed in a comparative manifesto analysis and tested via intercoder reliability (ICR) analysis. The statistical and ethnographic findings indicate that linguistic proxies for identity fusion and other relevant variables, such as violence-condoning group norms and dehumanising vocabulary, can be reliably identified and are significantly more prevalent in the documents of would-be terrorists. A weighted score, the so-called “Violence Risk Index”, was created, drawing on the statistical findings of the manifesto analysis. This new language-based violence risk assessment framework was then applied to eight online groups varying in their degree of extreme ideologies, verbal commitment to violence, and real-world links to terrorist activities. A total of over one million messages were collected from online forums and messaging apps and investigated with a view to determining the scale and nature of violence-predicting narratives and language in each of the groups. The calculated Violence Risk Index for each group mirrored the level of real-world engagement in extreme violence and terrorism, thus providing preliminary evidence that the assessment framework offers an accurate estimation of violence risk associated with online groups. This thesis argues that psychologically grounded linguistic markers are a more reliable predictor of extreme violence than taking violent threats at face value. While this project’s findings should be treated with caution, they may contribute to complementing and improving existing early warning systems used by security and intelligence services.

This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative incidence of recurrent varicose veins (vv) and the possibility to differentiate the different types of recurrence.Patients who underwent surgery for saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) incompetence, great saphenous vein (GSV) varicosity and at least one perforator incompetence and varicosity of tributaries between January 1998 and December 2003 were selected for the study. Surgery consisted in SFJ flush ligation, GSV stripping, perforator vein ligature, and phlebectomies. Patients were assessed by detailed interview, clinical examination, and color duplex imaging after 10 years. The differentiation in recurrent, residual and progressive vv was done by comparison of the pre-and intraoperative and the phlebographic documentation in particular with the findings on follow-up..353 patients (400 legs) were analyzed at 120 ± 21 months. At follow up the vv were classified as recurrent in 23,75%, residual in 23,25%, and progressive in 21% of cases. Nine patients (1.9%) were reoperated after 70 ± 33 months, and 17 (3.5%) underwent sclerotherapy during follow-up.Recurrent, residual, and progressive vv can be clearly differentiated with the presented methodology. The authors suggest a revised definition (NEVVAS- new vv after surgery) because the term recurrent and the known acronyms do not embrace exactly the three types of vv after surgery. Since residual and many recurrent vv are due to avoidable technical or tactical errors, it is important to classify them properly in order to avoid these complications.Neovarices, NEVVAS (New Varicose Veins After Surgery), Neovascularization, Recurrent varicose veins, Residual varicose veins, Progressive varicose veins.Obiettivo di questo studio è di riconoscere l’esatta incidenza di varici recidive dopo chirurgia e di vedere se sono differenziabili le recidive vere dalle varici residue e dalle varici dovute ad una progressione della malattia varicosa.Per questo studio furono selezionati tutti i pazienti operati per un’insufficienza primaria della crosse con varicosità della VGS (Vena grande safena) e delle tributarie e con almeno una perforante insufficiente tra gennaio 1998 e dicembre 2003. La tecnica operatoria, cosidetta tecnica radicale secondo Babcock Cockett, consisteva in una legatura e resezione a raso della crosse safenofemorale, stripping della VGS, legatura e sezione di almeno una perforante e di flebectomie multiple. La differenziazione in varici residue, recidive e progressive avenne attraverso il confronto dei dati rilevati pre ed intra operatoriamente ed i risultati del controllo al follow-up. I reperti al follow-up vennero confrontati in particolare con la situazione flebografica preoperatoria.353 pazienti (400 arti) furono controllati a 120±21 mesi dall’intervento (percentuale di follow-up dell’88,6%). All’esame clinico furono diagnosticate vv (vene varicose) in 182 estremità (46%), confermate tutte all’ecocolordoppler. L’ecocolordoppler evidenziò altri 84 arti (20,5%) con vv, non visibili all’esame clinico. Pertanto l’incidenza totale (obiettività clinica e/o ecografica) di vv era del 66,5%, che si compone nel 23,25% di vv residue, nel 23,75% di vv recidive e nel 21% di vv progressive. In 11 casi (2,8%) la classificazione non era possibile per dati imprecisi o per flebografie mancanti.Il presente lavoro ha dimostrato come si possano distinguere nettamente tre entità diverse di vv dopo chirurgia applicando uno schema di documentazione preciso e prospettico basato su un parametro diagnostico affidabile. L’incidenza di varici recidive „vere“ era del 23,75%. Di consequenza viene proposto di sostituire il termine generale „vv recidive“ (REVAS) e di usare un acronimo piu confacente, denominato NEVAS (new varices after surgery- nuove varici dopo chirurgia). La classificazione dei diversi tipi ha un’importanza non solo scientifica e teorica, ma acquista significato clinico e profilattico se si considera che una varice residua può essere evitata con maggiore attenzione al mappaggio, con maggiore precisione nell’approccio ai punti di fuga e nella valutazione causale degli stessi. Le vv recidive invece debbono indurre il chirurgo a rivedere la sua tecnica e la precisione della stessa. Per la varice progressiva, spesso tralasciata in letteratura, purtroppo rimane solo la profilassi generale per l’insufficineza venosa cronica.

A carpus valgus deformity was diagnosed in a five-week-old Brown Swiss calf. The 45 degrees deformity was caused by the malaligned healing of a fracture of the left metacarpus after birth trauma. The deviation improved to 25 degrees after being treated with a semicircular lateral periosteotomy above the distal physis of the radius. A complete correction was made by means of a wedge osteotomy five months after the first treatment. A 20 degrees wedge of bone was removed. The metacarpus was stabilised with a seven-hole dynamic compression plate which was removed 12 weeks later. Thirty months later the calf was sold as a pregnant heifer at an auction of breeding cattle.