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New and well-dated evidence of sulphate deposits in Greenland and Antarctic ice cores indicate a substantial and extensive atmospheric acidic dust veil at A.D. 533–534 ± 2 years. This was likely produced by a large explosive, near equatorial volcanic eruption, causing widespread dimming and contributing to the abrupt cooling across much of the Northern Hemisphere known from historical records and tree-ring data to have occurred in A.D. 536. Tree-ring data suggest that this was the most severe and protracted short-term cold episode across the Northern Hemisphere in the last two millennia, even surpassing the severity of the cold period following the Tambora eruption in 1815.

This article presents reasons for undertaking "The Comparative Study of the Prevention of Crime and Violence by Mentally Ill Persons" and reasons for decisions regarding the study design and choice of measures. A brief portrait of the forensic patients that have been recruited is also presented. Community treatment programs could offer long-term cost-effective care for offenders with major mental disorders (MMDs). The study aims to identify the necessary ingredients of an effective program. Sites are selected in four countries where identification of most, if not all, persons with MMD who commit crimes within the catchment area was possible. Within each site, two samples of patients with MMD are recruited, one from a forensic hospital and one from a general psychiatric hospital. Assessments are completed prior to discharge. Participants are followed during a 5-year period. Comparisons of the forensic patients recruited in the four sites indicate many more similarities than differences. © 2007 American Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology.

This paper describes the design and implementation of a computerized team version of the ancient strategy game of Go. The game is called Go*Team, and forms part of a research effort investigating how people and groups coordinate, cooperate and share information, especially in a military network-centric environment. Of particular interest in the research are human or group related factors that may impede or even prevent the successful achievement of such coordination, cooperation and information sharing despite the availability or presence of the technological capability to support it. Accordingly, Go*Team is designed to embed its players in an environment that involves conflict, cooperation and coordination, but also competition, uncertainty, complexity and timely and appropriate decision making In addition to these aspects, the game is designed to be played in a network-centric environment in which players can be required, or choose, to make use of modern communication tools such as email, voice over IP, group support systems, chat rooms and the like to effect the cooperation and coordination they need to successfully play the game. Go*Team is implemented as a multiplayer network computer game by the use of a Simulation Framework designed for setting up distributed simulations. The simulation framework provides a component architecture for implementing game rules, game entities and their sensors. The game is currently being tested in a university environment and more tests are planned within military education facilities. Development work is continuing.