bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correction Factors of the Measurement Errors of the LAMOST-LRS Stellar Parameters
Authors: Zhang Shuhui , Hu Guozhen , Liu Rongrong , Pan Cuiyun , Li Lu , Shao Zhengyi
Published: November 2022

We aim to investigate the propriety of stellar parameter errors of the official data release of the LAMOST low-resolution spectroscopy (LRS) survey. We diagnose the errors of radial velocity (RV), atmospheric parameters ([Fe/H], T
eff,

log
g

) and α-enhancement ([α/M]) for the latest data release version of DR7, including 6,079,235 effective spectra of 4,546,803 stars. Based on the duplicate observational sample and comparing the deviation of multiple measurements to their given errors, we find that, in general, the error of [α/M] is largely underestimated, and the error of RV is slightly overestimated. We define a correction factor k to quantify these misestimations and correct the errors to be expressed as proper internal uncertainties. Using this self-calibration technique, we find that the k-factors significantly vary with the stellar spectral types and the spectral signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). Particularly, we reveal a strange but evident trend between k-factors and error themselves for all five stellar parameters. Larger errors tend to have smaller k-factor values, i.e., they were more overestimated. After the correction, we recreate and quantify the tight correlations between S/N and errors, for all five parameters, while these correlations have dependence on spectral types. It also suggests that the parameter errors from each spectrum should be corrected individually. Finally, we provide the error correction factors of each derived parameter of each spectrum for the entire LAMOST-LRS DR7 and plan to update them for the later data releases.
Born–Oppenheimer and the geometry of ray space: an application to cold atoms
Authors: Samuel Joseph
Published: November 2022

It is known that, within the Born–Oppenheimer approximation, the slow modes of the nuclear motion are altered by three effects that emerge from integrating out the fast modes of the electronic motion. The first is an effective scalar potential

V

d
y
n

coming from the eigenvalue of the electronic state, the second is an effective magnetic field coming from the Berry phase vector potential A. The third term is an additional potential

V

g
e
o
m

originating in the geometry of ray space and the Fubini–Study metric. In this article, we illustrate these effects and their geometric origin in the context of a simple toy model of a slow neutron interacting with a strong, spatially varying magnetic field. Regarding the neutron spin as a fast degree of freedom, we work out the slow dynamics of the motion of the neutron. Our treatment is geometrical and brings out the effects originating in the Kähler geometry of ray space and the Fubini–Study metric. We then give examples of magnetic field configurations which isolate these three separate effects. Finally we apply these ideas to the trapping of cold atoms. Our main result is that the geometric electric potential

V

g
e
o
m

dominates for smaller traps and can be used to confine cold atoms in static traps. This observation could result in better and smaller atomic clocks. This paper is dedicated to Michael Berry on his 80th birthday.
Syllable-PBWT for space-efficient haplotype long-match query
Authors: Wang Victor , Naseri Ardalan , Zhang Shaojie , Zhi Degui
Published: November 2022

Motivation

The positional Burrows–Wheeler transform (PBWT) has led to tremendous strides in haplotype matching on biobank-scale data. For genetic genealogical search, PBWT-based methods have optimized the asymptotic runtime of finding long matches between a query haplotype and a predefined panel of haplotypes. However, to enable fast query searches, the full-sized panel and PBWT data structures must be kept in memory, preventing existing algorithms from scaling up to modern biobank panels consisting of millions of haplotypes. In this work, we propose a space-efficient variation of PBWT named Syllable-PBWT, which divides every haplotype into syllables, builds the PBWT positional prefix arrays on the compressed syllabic panel, and leverages the polynomial rolling hash function for positional substring comparison. With the Syllable-PBWT data structures, we then present a long match query algorithm named Syllable-Query.

Results

Compared to the most time- and space-efficient previously published solution to the long match query problem, Syllable-Query reduced the memory use by a factor of over 100 on both the UK Biobank genotype data and the 1000 Genomes Project sequence data. Surprisingly, the smaller size of our syllabic data structures allows for more efficient iteration and CPU cache usage, granting Syllable-Query even faster runtime than existing solutions.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/ZhiGroup/Syllable-PBWT

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
AptaMat: a matrix-based algorithm to compare single-stranded oligonucleotides secondary structures
Authors: Binet Thomas , Avalle Bérangère , Dávila Felipe Miraine , Maffucci Irene
Published: November 2022

Motivation

Comparing single-stranded nucleic acids (ssNAs) secondary structures is fundamental when investigating their function and evolution and predicting the effect of mutations on their structures. Many comparison metrics exist, although they are either too elaborate or not sensitive enough to distinguish close ssNAs structures.

Results

In this context, we developed AptaMat, a simple and sensitive algorithm for ssNAs secondary structures comparison based on matrices representing the ssNAs secondary structures and a metric built upon the Manhattan distance in the plane. We applied AptaMat to several examples and compared the results to those obtained by the most frequently used metrics, namely the Hamming distance and the RNAdistance, and by a recently developed image-based approach. We showed that AptaMat is able to discriminate between similar sequences, outperforming all the other here considered metrics. In addition, we showed that AptaMat was able to correctly classify 14 RFAM families within a clustering procedure.

Availability and implementation

The python code for AptaMat is available at https://github.com/GEC-git/AptaMat.git.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Immunology of allergen immunotherapy
Authors: Rahman Rifat S , Wesemann Duane R
Published: November 2022

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only disease-modifying therapy for allergic disease. Through repeated inoculations of low doses of allergen—either as whole proteins or peptides—patients can achieve a homeostatic balance between inflammatory effectors induced and/or associated with allergen contact, and mediators of immunologic non-responsiveness, potentially leading to sustained clinical improvements. AIT for airborne/respiratory tract allergens and insect venoms have traditionally been supplied subcutaneously, but other routes and modalities of administration can also be effective. Despite differences of allergen administration, there are some similarities of immunologic responses across platforms, with a general theme involving the restructuring and polarization of adaptive and innate immune effector cells. Here we review the immunology of AIT across various delivery platforms, including subcutaneous, sublingual, epicutaneous, intradermal, and intralymphatic approaches, emphasizing shared mechanisms associated with achieving immunologic non-responsiveness to allergen.
The impact of palliative care consultation on reducing antibiotic overuse in hospitalized patients with terminal cancer at the end of life: a propensity score-weighting study
Authors: Kim Jeong-Han , Yoo Shin Hye , Keam Bhumsuk , Heo Dae Seog
Published: November 2022

Objectives

A substantial number of hospitalized patients with terminal cancer at the end-of-life phase receive antibiotics, even with imminent death. We evaluated the impact of palliative care consultation on antibiotic use in hospitalized patients with terminal cancer during the end-of-life phase.

Methods

We identified adult patients with metastatic solid cancer who died at a tertiary medical centre in Seoul, Republic of Korea, following at least 4 days of hospitalization (January 2018–December 2020). Patients were divided into palliative and non-palliative care consultation groups. Propensity score-weighted, multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to compare the proportion of patients receiving antibiotics within 3 days before death between the two groups.

Results

Among 1143 patients analysed, 940 (82.2%) received antibiotics within 3 days before death. The proportion of patients receiving antibiotics was significantly lower (propensity score-weighted P < 0.001) in the palliative care consultation group (344/468; 73.5%) than in the non-palliative care consultation group (596/675; 88.3%). The decrease in the proportion of patients receiving antibiotics in the palliative care consultation group was significant for a carbapenem (42.4% versus 22.4%; P < 0.001), a glycopeptide (23.3% versus 11.1%; P < 0.001) and a quinolone (30.5% versus 19.4%; P = 0.012). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, receiving palliative care consultation (adjusted OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.33–0.65; P < 0.001) was independently associated with reduced antibiotic use during the end-of-life phase.

Conclusions

Palliative care consultation may reduce aggressive antibiotic use in hospitalized patients with terminal cancer during the end-of-life phase.
Jasmonate-deficient mutantlox3areveals crosstalk between jasmonate and ethylene in the differential regulation of male and female flower opening and early fruit development inCucurbita pepo
Authors: Cebrián Gustavo , Segura María , Martínez Javier , Iglesias-Moya Jessica , Martínez Cecilia , Garrido Dolores , Jamilena Manuel
Published: November 2022

Jasmonate (JA) has been found to be a relevant hormone in floral development in numerous species, but its function in cucurbit floral development and sex determination is unknown. Crosstalk between JA and ethylene (ET) in the differential regulation of male and female floral development was investigated by using the novel JA-deficient mutant lox3a, and the ET-deficient and -insensitive mutants, aco1a and etr2b, respectively, of Cucurbita pepo. The lox3a mutation suppresses male and female flower opening and induces the development of parthenocarpic fruit. A bulked-segregant analysis coupled with whole genome sequencing and fine mapping approach allowed the identification of lox3a mutation in CpLOX3A, a LIPOXYGENASE gene involved in JA biosynthesis. The reduced JA content and expression of JA-signalling genes in male and female flowers of lox3a, and the rescue of lox3a phenotype by external application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA), demonstrated that JA controls petal elongation and flower opening, as well as fruit abortion in the absence of fertilization. JA also rescued the phenotype of ET mutants aco1a and etr2b, which are both specifically defective in female flower opening and fruit abortion. ET, the sex determining hormone of cucurbits, is induced in female flowers towards anthesis, activating JA production and promoting the aperture of the female flower, and the abortion of the unfertilized ovary. Given the close association between flower closure and parthenocarpic fruit development, we propose that flower opening can act as a switch that triggers fruit set and development in fertilized ovaries, but may alternatively induce the abortion of the unfertilized ovary. Both ET and JA from mature and senescent petals can serve as remote signals that determine the alternative development of the ovary and fruit.
Debt Restructuring
Authors: Olivares-Caminal Rodrigo , Kornberg Alan , Paterson Sarah , Singh Dalvinder , McLaughlin Eric
Published: November 2022

This new edition offers detailed legal analysis of international corporate, banking, and sovereign debt restructuring, from the perspective of creditors and debtors. It provides practical guidance to help practitioners, policymakers, and academics in the UK and US to understand current developments in debt restructuring, and it provides solutions for creditors holding distressed debt and debtor options in a distressed scenario. The Corporate Debt section includes significant changes to highlight the impact of COVID-19 on restructurings. It also includes the recent adoption of the Part 26A Restructuring Plans and the EU Restructuring Directive. Amendments to the Bank Resolution section reflect decisions by the Single Resolution Board, and national authority resolution decisions notified to the European Banking Authority. A sub-section on domestic bank insolvency and liquidation covers the developments under the Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive, and a new chapter addresses the international debate on a special resolution regime for insurance firms. Other updates include the 2017 code of practice, the ‘third country’ branch model after Brexit, non-equivalence regarding depositor protection arrangements, and the Resolvability Assessment Framework. There is detailed coverage of US and UK developments, examining the increased role of sanctions and the possibility of piercing the corporate veil in SoEs (Chrystallex), as well as the increased push for domestic laws to be used to curtail litigation. The book also covers developments in re-designation and the emergence of the ‘pac-man technique’ in the context of collective action clauses. The impact of COVID-19 on the adoption of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Common Framework are also analysed.
Insolvency in the UK and the US
Authors: Olivares-Caminal Rodrigo , Guynn Randall D , Kornberg Alan W , Paterson Sarah , Singh Dalvinder
Published: November 2022

Chapter 1 provides an overview of a comparative approach between the US and English models of financial restructuring. This chapter includes a brief summary of the duties of a company’s directors in promoting a restructuring in the US. Further, through synthesis of case law and statutes, Chapter 1 summarizes the state of the law in the US for fraudulent conveyances, preference actions, and safe harbours as they relate to certain financial transactions that occur prior to a restructuring. Similarly, it includes analysis of directors’ duties in distress in restructuring in the UK and of the UK transaction avoidance regime in a restructuring context.
The Uncitral Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency
Authors: Olivares-Caminal Rodrigo , Guynn Randall D , Kornberg Alan W , Paterson Sarah , Singh Dalvinder
Published: November 2022

Chapter 4 provides an overview and analysis of the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency, and discusses how the US and UK have differed in implementing the Model Law in their respective jurisdictions. This chapter includes a brief examination of the objectives and scope of the Model Law, examines key aspects of the US and English versions as enacted, and discusses why there appears to be a growing divergence in the way in which the Model Law is applied in the US and UK. In doing so, Chapter 4 provides a history of chapter 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code, and examines recent developments in chapter 15 case law, before considering the UK’s Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations (CBIR) and the implications of recent changes in UK restructuring law for the court’s approach to the CBIR.
Legal Aspects of Banking Regulation in the UK And US
Authors: Olivares-Caminal Rodrigo , Guynn Randall D , Kornberg Alan W , Paterson Sarah , Singh Dalvinder
Published: November 2022

Chapter 5 sets out the principal features of the UK and US bank regulation. The first part outlines the UK, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) supervisory regime. It will primarily focus on the PRA as the principal bank regulator and supervisor. The second part outlines the US federal bank regulatory system and the impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010 (‘the Dodd-Frank Act 2010’) on the bank regulatory system as well as its impact on areas of the regulatory and supervisory regime. The chapter will focus on how supervision has undergone significant reform to improve the safety and soundness of banking and bring supervisory measures to the fore that brings ‘resolution’ in to the forefront of supervision rather than at the tail-end.
Banking Act Restructuring and Insolvency Procedures
Authors: Olivares-Caminal Rodrigo , Guynn Randall D , Kornberg Alan W , Paterson Sarah , Singh Dalvinder
Published: November 2022

Chapter 7 explains the key features of the resolution regime and how it applies to both banks and investment firms. It specifically looks at the reforms introduced by the Financial Services Act 2012, the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013, and the move to implement the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive 2015 (as well as The Bank Recovery and Resolution (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which implement the BRRD and the BRRD II post Brexit) to put in place a special regime for banks and investment banks. The chapter discusses the specific measures concerning the broader special administration and insolvency arrangements. The chapter looks at the treatment of depositors and client assets and explains the priority accorded to them during the administration and insolvency procedure.
European Bank Resolution Regime
Authors: Olivares-Caminal Rodrigo , Guynn Randall D , Kornberg Alan W , Paterson Sarah , Singh Dalvinder
Published: November 2022

Chapter 9 explains the salient features of the European framework of resolution. It will also explain separately the European Banking Authority (EBA) technical standards and/or guidance where necessary to assist the interpretation of the provisions in the directive. It explains the key features of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive 2015 (BRRD). It also looks at the lessons learnt resulting in revisions (as part of the European Banking Package) introduced by BRRD II and SRMR II adopted in 2019. The chapter also explains the key features of the Banking Union with specific reference to the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) and a Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM) and their respective roles in bank resolution for those Member States participating in the Banking Union.
An Introduction to Sovereign Debt Restructuring
Authors: Olivares-Caminal Rodrigo , Guynn Randall D , Kornberg Alan W , Paterson Sarah , Singh Dalvinder
Published: November 2022

Chapter 10 provides an overarching introduction to the topic of sovereign debt, presenting the main finance options, the players, the available restructuring options and tools, and the peculiar dynamics of these types of restructuring due to the lack of a cross-border international framework. Moreover, the sovereign nature of the debtor poses an even bigger challenge, altering the whole dynamics of the system since the debtor cannot be ‘forced’ to pay due to the absence of other mechanisms available in the corporate context (ie the appointment of and administrator or the liquidation of the debtor) and the creditor must settle or litigate, which poses even greater challenges.
Article 5
Authors: Timmer Alexandra , Holtmaat Rikki
Published: November 2022

This chapter addresses Article 5 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which contains both self-standing and transversal norms, acting as both a substantive provision and an interpretative tool. What makes this such an important provision in the Convention, and indeed in international human rights law generally, is that it provides the pre-eminent legal basis for transformative gender equality. Article 5 contains the obligation to modify gender stereotypes and fixed parental gender roles and to eliminate gender stereotyping that leads to discrimination. The scope of this provision is correspondingly very broad: the CEDAW Committee has clarified that it encompasses a wide range of ideas, beliefs, and social and cultural practices, as well as institutional arrangements. Moreover, this provision can also provide much-needed tools to analyse new developments such as cyber-bullying or stereotypes embedded in artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms.
Article 8
Authors: Wittkopp Sarah
Published: November 2022

This chapter studies Article 8 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Article 8 codifies women’s participatory entitlement in international affairs, thus complementing their participatory rights as stated in Article 7. Similarly to Article 7, the object of Article 8 is the realization of equality of men and women in all spheres of public life on the international level. Thus, it includes international organisations, the international civil service, and has gained particular importance in the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. The article has played a comparatively minor role in the work of the Committee. However, the conceptual work of the Committee as regards State obligations under Article 7 in political and public life—the interpretation of substantive equality, the obligation to reach parity as the ultimate goal, and the obligation to adopt proactive measures, including TSMs, to that end—can be applied to the areas covered by Article 8 as well. In this understanding, the article can contribute to the advancement of gender equality and the realization of women’s human rights in general.
Article 13
Authors: Rudolf Beate
Published: November 2022

This chapter examines Article 13 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Article 13 obliges States parties to ensure women’s equality in all areas of economic and social life, including cultural life. It complements the Convention provisions covering political life, specific rights in the social sphere (education, employment, and health), and those pertaining to the private sphere. Article 13 thus reaffirms the indivisibility of all human rights and the central Convention premise that women are entitled to participate in all areas of life on a basis of equality. Recognizing that women, like men, are entitled freely to choose economic activity according to their own aspirations, Article 13 guarantees women’s right to autonomy in the economic sphere and to earn their livelihood as entrepreneurs as well as women’s non-discrimination with respect to family benefits and financial credit. Conceptually, Article 13 is underdeveloped in the work of the Committee, as is evidenced by the lack of a general recommendation on this provision. Yet, the past decade has seen an increased focus of the Committee on Article 13, in particular with respect to women’s right to food, water, sanitation, adequate housing, social services and social security, and women’s equality in poverty alleviation programmes.
Article 14
Authors: Banda Fareda
Published: November 2022

This chapter evaluates Article 14 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which focuses on the particularity of rural women’s experiences. While recognizing that all the other articles in the Convention apply to rural women, Article 14 highlights issues which impact disproportionately on this group. These include that rural living increases women’s socio-economic disadvantages due to lack of access to services including health and reproductive services, education and information, water, housing, and transport. Their vulnerability to poverty is further exacerbated by legal and social policies that exclude them from land ownership and access to credit. Article 14 also speaks to rural women’s right to voice their opinions in development planning and in local and community government. Notable developments in the CEDAW Committee’s interpretation of Article 14 include a greater engagement with the impact of climate change and extraterritorial obligations of States parties in extractive and other industries. The Committee is also alive to global inequalities and the lack of resources for States in crisis, particularly as relates to rural women, recommending international assistance.
Article 18
Authors: Boerefijn Ineke , Fraser Julie
Published: November 2022

This chapter addresses Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Article 18 deals with States parties’ reports, the main procedure for reviewing their implementation of Convention obligations. Until the adoption of the Optional Protocol, this constituted the only procedure for monitoring Convention compliance. The reporting procedure is comprehensive, covering all substantive articles of the Convention, and is periodic, thus allowing the Committee to identify trends within States parties and at the international level. Article 18 do not provide details as to how the Committee should undertake this task, merely stating that it shall ‘consider’ reports. This leaves much room for the Committee to apply the provision in a way that best contributes to its general mandate under Article 17: ‘considering the progress made in the implementation of the present Convention’. The lack of detail has also allowed the Committee to develop its working methods over the years and to improve the efficacy of the reporting procedure.
Article 19
Authors: Boerefijn Ineke , Fraser Julie
Published: November 2022

This chapter describes Article 19 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Article 19 provides that the CEDAW Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure and elect its officers for a term of two years. The CEDAW Committee has determined that it shall have five officers: one Chairperson, three Vice-Chairpersons, and a Rapporteur. The Rules of Procedure reflect the development of the Committee’s working methods over the past four decades. The text of the treaty is relatively brief on the Committee’s mandate to examine reports. This has allowed the Committee important discretion to develop its methods in order to strengthen the effectiveness of the reporting procedure by adopting concluding observations, developing a follow-up procedure, and by inviting national human rights institutions (NHRIs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to submit information. For these actors, however, it is a time-consuming process to determine the applicable working methods and rules. This requires consulting annual reports and additional sources on the website to obtain a complete picture. Over the years, the Committee has adopted numerous decisions on its practice, which regularly leads to an amendment of its Rules of Procedure.
Article 24
Authors: Byrnes Andrew , Campbell Meghan
Published: November 2022

This chapter discusses Article 24 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). At first sight, Article 24 seems to state an obvious principle of international law: that States parties must take measures at the domestic level to give effect to the obligations they accept under a treaty. It also appears to repeat, and to be subsumed by, other obligations set out in the Convention. Articles 2, 3, and 24 are closely linked and overlapping articles, and the omission of Article 24 from the Convention would be unlikely to have any significant impact on the obligations of States parties. Indeed, some commentators suggest that Article 24 may be ‘redundant’. Nevertheless, the drafters included Article 24 in the Convention as a separate article; accordingly, it is appropriate to consider its history and potential role, as well as to analyse the references States parties and the CEDAW Committee have made to Article 24. However, the exact function that Article 24 is intended to perform is far from clear and the Committee rarely engages with this provision.
Article 30
Authors: Kroworsch Susann
Published: November 2022

This chapter addresses Article 30 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It is current practice that treaties concluded under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) provide in their final clauses that the texts are equally authentic in all the official languages of the UN and officially recognized at the date the treaty was adopted. The official languages are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. These are the languages in which the meaning of the Convention’s provisions is to be determined and only the wording of the six authentic languages is binding. Although the Convention does not require that the text be made available in accessible format for persons with disabilities, the Convention should be construed in light of subsequent treaties such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Article 49. States parties have started distributing the Convention or State party reports in Braille and in electronic formats and audio tape as well as in all official languages, although the Convention does not call for this explicitly.
Introduction
Authors: Vinson Donald E , Reichert Klaus
Published: November 2022

This chapter provides an overview of international arbitration. Typically, the seat of an international arbitration determines the country laws applicable to the arbitration, but the actual commencement location of arbitration could still shift depending on the agreement of the parties. The planning phase of the arbitration follows the formation of the tribunal, which is also in line with the meeting between the tribunal and counsel. Then, the written phase of the arbitration involved the memorial of claimants and respondents, while the oral phase begins with the call for witnesses’ cross-examination. The chapter highlights the significance of persuasion when delivering information to the tribunal.
How Arbitrators See and Hear
Authors: Vinson Donald E , Reichert Klaus
Published: November 2022

This chapter tackles the importance of perception for arbitrators. Perception refers to the process of understanding and apprehending the world through the senses. Thus, the perception of arbitrators focuses on the individual arbitrator views and the events amidst the arbitration due to selective sensitization. The attire, language, accent, and grooming could affect the perception of a person. Additionally, eyewitness testimony could help achieve the perception of people’s evidence despite the possibility of inaccuracies and distortion. An issue of attention, internal sets, distraction, and oral hearing could cause problems in perception as well. The chapter expounds on adaptation level theory and the theory of signal detection.
Protection of Detainees and Prisoner-of-War Status
Authors: Bellal Annyssa , Casey-Maslen Stuart
Published: November 2022

This chapter covers the protection of prisoners provided by the international humanitarian law (IHL). The IHL insists on the humane treatment of detainees, which meant they are protected from violence at the hands of others while their basic needs are met. Additionally, prisoners of war tend to achieve additional rights, such as the right to immunity from prosecution, under the 1949 Geneva Convention III, 1977 Additional Protocols, and customary law. The chapter discusses how women must be given specific treatment if they gain prisoner of war status. According to the 1949 Geneva Convention III, the use of firearms against an escaping prisoner of war should be an extreme measure preceded by warnings appropriate to the circumstances.
Relief Operations
Authors: Bellal Annyssa , Casey-Maslen Stuart
Published: November 2022

This chapter focuses on relief operations conducted to address humanitarian needs created by armed conflicts. It recognises armed conflict as the principal driver of massive population displacement. The norms related to humanitarian relief have a more general nature with no specific mandate on humanitarian organisations. The chapter then presents the regulations that international humanitarian law (IHL), human rights law, and norms front during humanitarian relief operations and accessing populations in need despite inherent limits. The perspective of armed non-State actors on humanitarian operations revolves around neutrality, impartiality, and independence. The chapter also considers the negative impact on the civilian population of the restrictions and impediments to humanitarian relief operations.
The Distinctive Emblems
Authors: Bellal Annyssa , Casey-Maslen Stuart
Published: November 2022

This chapter explains the distinctive medals worn by wounded soldiers on the battlefield that signify the presence of doctors and nurses near the soldiers. It highlights the importance of the emblem’s uniformity and universality. However, emblems in armed conflict could be marred by political disputes and cultural relativism. Thus, the international humanitarian law (IHL) primarily recognises the red cross, the rest crescent, the red crystal, and the red sun and lion due to their respective significance and function according to the Statutes of the Movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The chapter also covers the rules on emblems within the IHL, the Geneva Conventions, and the 1977 Additional Protocols.
The Rule of Distinction (Objects)
Authors: Bellal Annyssa , Casey-Maslen Stuart
Published: November 2022

This chapter explores the rule of distinctions, which governs the conduct of hostilities in international humanitarian law (IHL). It clarifies that the rule particularly targets objects under the two 1977 Additional Protocols, other IHL treaties, and customary law. The 1977 Additional Protocol explicitly focuses on the overarching obligation to distinguish between civilian objects and military objectives in the conduct of hostilities. The chapter also recognises how certain objects have no military function by their nature, but the virtue of their location makes an effective contribution to military action. Moreover, any civilian object could become a military objective as a consequence of its use for military functions. The chapter then highlights the special protection to hospitals and cultural property.
Redfern and Hunter on International Arbitration
Authors: Blackaby KC Nigel , Partasides Constantine , Redfern Alan
Published: November 2022

This book is an established treatise on the law and practice of international arbitration. It follows the chronology of an arbitration from the drafting of the arbitration agreement right through to the enforcement of arbitral awards. This seventh edition takes a fresh look at the law and practice of international arbitration in today’s world, against a background of constant change and evolution. The new edition has been completely revised to incorporate the latest significant developments in the field. These include changes in many of the major arbitration rules and supporting guidelines; leading court decisions on arbitration matters from a wider-than-ever spread of jurisdictions; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the practice of arbitration; and significant developments in the specialist field of investor-state dispute resolution. In reviewing the many changes that have taken and are taking place, the new edition positions these changes in context as part of the constant evolution of a voluntary system of dispute resolution that is today recognised and established worldwide.
Powers, Duties, and Jurisdiction of an Arbitral Tribunal
Authors: Blackaby Nigel , Partasides Constantine , Redfern Alan
Published: November 2022

This chapter focuses on the arbitral tribunal’s powers, duties, and jurisdiction. It mentions the difference between the operation of a national court and an arbitral tribunal settling international disputes. The powers are established to enable operation in relation to applicable law. Then, an arbitrator’s duties are imposed by either parties, law, or ethical duties. According to national laws and international conventions, an arbitral tribunal is not allowed to exceed its jurisdiction, whiles its decision is subject to control by the courts of law. The chapter also looks into Recital 12, which covers the regulation not applicable to any action relating to the establishment of an arbitral tribunal.
Role of National Courts During the Proceedings
Authors: Blackaby Nigel , Partasides Constantine , Redfern Alan
Published: November 2022

This chapter tackles the role of national courts amidst proceedings. The relationship between arbitral tribunals and courts is defined as a partnership and forced cohabitation. Court intervention could occur at the beginning of the arbitral process under the grounds of the enforcement of the arbitration agreement, the establishment of the tribunal, and challenges to jurisdiction. The chapter expounds on the powers given to national courts by legislation, which is also imposed to serve the interests of justice. Thus, an appropriate balance should be struck between the rights of courts to supervise arbitrations and the rights of parties to ask for assistance from the court.
Award
Authors: Blackaby Nigel , Partasides Constantine , Redfern Alan
Published: November 2022

This chapter discusses awards as the destination of international arbitration. Both the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) recognise the significance of an award at the place of arbitration. Arbitral awards include awards made by both arbitrators and by permanent arbitral bodies that the parties submitted. The chapter clarifies the difference between an award and an order in terms of a tribunal’s decisions. However, no arbitral tribunal is expected to guarantee the enforcement of its award in the winner’s choice of country. While all awards are final and binding, they are still subject to certain exceptions, such as their delivery.
Introduction
Authors: Eliav Lieblich , Eyal Benvenisti
Published: November 2022

This chapter introduces the international law of occupation as a branch of international humanitarian law that regulates the actions of states—and possibly other actors such as international organizations—which gain effective control over hostile territory during an armed conflict. The chapter provides a very brief explanation of the law of occupation and its underlying tensions, such as the relations between occupation and sovereignty, the limited powers of the occupant, and its obligations toward the local population. It then moves to introduce the book's premises, scope of inquiry, and structure.
Part 2 The Scope of the Occupant’s Powers and Obligations, 5 Security Measures and Military Necessity: Powers and Limitations
Authors: Eliav Lieblich , Eyal Benvenisti
Published: November 2022

This chapter deals with the scope of the occupant’s security powers. It begins by discussing the valid security considerations that can be taken into account by the occupant, and the general security means that are available to it. Doing so, it discusses the emergence of proportionality as a general limitation on security powers. The chapter then moves to discuss security measures specifically permitted by the law of occupation, such as indictment in military courts, assigned residence and internment—as well as their limitations. The chapter then addresses the protection of individuals in relation to security measures, and specific prohibitions such as that on inhumane treatment and torture. It closes with a brief discussion of the resort to force in occupied territories.
Part 2 The Scope of the Occupant’s Powers and Obligations, Concluding Thoughts: The Present and Future of the Law of Occupation
Authors: Eliav Lieblich , Eyal Benvenisti
Published: November 2022

This is the conclusion of the book, summarizing the key themes and tensions explored throughout it, such as the conflicts of interest that inhere the law of occupation, and the fragmentation of international law which challenges the autonomy of the law of occupation. In addition to this summary, it offers some thoughts concerning the future of the law of occupation, in light of current developments. Among other things, it mentions the intensifying globalization of international problems, algorithmic decision-making, and the extension of state control to new maritime zones and outer space as issues that the law of occupation would have to grapple with in the future.
Mitochondria as multifaceted regulators of ferroptosis
Authors: Guo Jingyi , Zhou Yunhao , Liu Dingfei , Wang Mengfei , Wu Yi , Tang Daolin , Liu Xingguo
Published: November 2022

Mitochondria are well known to be “energy factories” of the cell as they provide intracellular ATP via oxidative phosphorylation. Interestingly, they also function as a “cellular suicidal weapon store” by acting as a key mediator of various forms of regulated cell death, including apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis. Ferroptosis, distinct from the other types of regulated cell death, is characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and subsequent plasma membrane rupture. Growing evidence suggests that an impaired ferroptotic response is implicated in various diseases and pathological conditions, and this impaired response is associated with dramatic changes in mitochondrial morphology and function. Mitochondria are the center of iron metabolism and energy production, leading to altered lipid peroxidation sensitivity. Although a growing number of studies have explored the inextricable link between mitochondria and ferroptosis, the role of this organelle in regulating ferroptosis remains unclear. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the role of mitochondria in ferroptosis and summarize the characteristics of this novel iron-based cellular suicide weapon and its arsenal. We also discuss the importance of ferroptosis in pathophysiology, including the need for further understanding of the relationship between mitochondria and ferroptosis to identify combinatorial targets that are essential for the development of successful drug discovery.
Ex vivo explant model of adenoma and colorectal cancer to explore mechanisms of action and patient response to cancer prevention therapies
Authors: Khan Sam , Miles Gareth J , Demetriou Constantinos , Sidat Zahirah , Foreman Nalini , West Kevin , Karmokar Ankur , Howells Lynne , Pritchard Catrin , Thomas Anne L , Brown Karen
Published: November 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the UK. Novel therapeutic prevention strategies to inhibit the development and progression of CRC would be invaluable. Potential contenders include low toxicity agents such as dietary-derived agents or repurposed drugs. However, in vitro and in vivo models used in drug development often do not take into account the heterogeneity of tumours or the tumour microenvironment. This limits translation to a clinical setting. Our objectives were to develop an ex vivo method utilizing CRC and adenoma patient-derived explants (PDEs) which facilitates screening of drugs, assessment of toxicity, and efficacy. Our aims were to use a multiplexed immunofluorescence approach to demonstrate the viability of colorectal tissue PDEs, and the ability to assess immune cell composition and interactions. Using clinically achievable concentrations of curcumin, we show a correlation between curcumin-induced tumour and stromal apoptosis (P < .001) in adenomas and cancers; higher stromal content is associated with poorer outcomes. B cell (CD20+ve) and T cell (CD3+ve) density of immune cells within tumour regions in control samples correlated with curcumin-induced tumour apoptosis (P < .001 and P < .05, respectively), suggesting curcumin-induced apoptosis is potentially predicted by baseline measures of immune cells. A decrease in distance between T cells (CD3+ve) and cytokeratin+ve cells was observed, indicating movement of T cells (CD3+ve) towards the tumour margin (P < .001); this change is consistent with an immune environment associated with improved outcomes. Concurrently, an increase in distance between T cells (CD3+ve) and B cells (CD20+ve) was detected following curcumin treatment (P < .001), which may result in a less immunosuppressive tumour milieu. The colorectal tissue PDE model offers significant potential for simultaneously assessing multiple biomarkers in response to drug exposure allowing a greater understanding of mechanisms of action and efficacy in relevant target tissues, that maintain both their structural integrity and immune cell compartments.
DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) update report 2022
Authors: Tanizawa Yasuhiro , Fujisawa Takatomo , Kodama Yuichi , Kosuge Takehide , Mashima Jun , Tanjo Tomoya , Nakamura Yasukazu
Published: November 2022

The Bioinformation and DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) Center (https://www.ddbj.nig.ac.jp) maintains database archives that cover a wide range of fields in life sciences. As a founding member of the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC), our primary mission is to collect and distribute nucleotide sequence data, as well as their study and sample information, in collaboration with the National Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States and the European Bioinformatics Institute. In addition to INSDC resources, the Center operates databases for functional genomics (GEA: Genomic Expression Archive), metabolomics (MetaboBank), and human genetic and phenotypic data (JGA: Japanese Genotype–Phenotype Archive). These databases are built on the supercomputer of the National Institute of Genetics, whose remaining computational capacity is actively utilized by domestic researchers for large-scale biological data analyses. Here, we report our recent updates and the activities of our services.
How to encourage students in learning chemistry?
Authors: Zhao Weijie
Published: November 2022

Chemistry is a basis for almost all science and engineering disciplines, and needs to be well mastered by both researchers and students. But in the eyes of many Chinese students and their parents, chemistry is not an initial choice because first, it seems to be less important than mathematics and physics, and second, chemistry-majored students usually cannot get high salaries after graduation, and may encounter safety risks when conducting chemical experiments.

How can we encourage students in learning chemistry? How can we improve higher chemistry education so that students can truly grasp the basic chemical principles, increase their chemical skills and apply the learnt knowledge in their future careers? Here in this panel discussion, six experts in higher chemistry education try to give their observations and opinions on these issues.

Yadong Li

President at Anhui Normal University; inorganic chemist.

Yan Li

Professor at College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University.

Jian Pei

Professor at College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University.

Zhenfeng Xi

Professor at College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University.

Song Gao (Chair)

President at Sun Yat-sen University; inorganic chemist.

Lan-Sun Zheng (Chair)

Professor at College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University.
Investigating preferences for soil-based ecosystem services
Authors: Bartkowski Bartosz , Massenberg Julian R , Lienhoop Nele
Published: November 2022

Soil provides multiple benefits for human well-being that are largely invisible to most beneficiaries. Here, we present the results of a discrete choice experiment on the preferences of Germans for soil-based ecosystem services. In an attempt to reduce complexity for respondents, we express soil-based ecosystem service attributes relative to the site-specific potential of soils to provide them. We investigate how knowledge about soils, awareness of their contributions to human well-being, and experience with droughts and floods affect preferences. We find substantial yet heterogeneous preferences for soil-based ecosystem services. Only some measures of familiarity exhibit significant effects on preferences.