bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subminimal Negation on the Australian Plan
Authors: Tabakci Selcuk Kaan
Published: June 2022

Frame semantics for negation on the Australian Plan accommodates many different negations, but it falls short on accommodating subminimal negation when the language contains conjunction and disjunction. In this paper, I will present a multi-relational frame semantics –multi-incompatibility frame semantics– that can accommodate subminimal negation. I will first argue that multi-incompatibility frames are in accordance with the philosophical motivations behind negation on the Australian Plan, namely its modal and exclusion-expressing nature. Then, I will prove the soundness and completeness results of a subminimal logic that consists of the multi-incompatibility semantics and a proof system with operational rules that characterize subminimal negation, conjunction and disjunction. Lastly, I will prove some key correspondence theorems that relate frame conditions to certain principles that are associated with stronger negations, which will give rise to a new kite of negations that includes subminimal negation.
Graph Neural Network for Context-Aware Recommendation
Authors: Sattar Asma , Bacciu Davide
Published: June 2022

Recommendation problems are naturally tackled as a link prediction task in a bipartite graph between user and item nodes, labelled with rating information on edges. To provide personal recommendations and improve the performance of the recommender system, it is necessary to integrate side information along with user-item interactions. The integration of context is a key success factor in recommendation systems because it allows catering for user preferences and opinions, especially when this pertains to the circumstances surrounding the interaction between users and items. In this paper, we propose a context-aware Graph Convolutional Matrix Completion which captures structural information and integrates the user’s opinion on items along with the surrounding context on edges and static features of user and item nodes. Our graph encoder produces user and item representations with respect to context, features and opinion. The decoder takes the aggregated embeddings to predict the user-item score considering the surrounding context. We have evaluated the performance of our model on 14 five publicly available datasets and compared it with state-of-the-art algorithms. Throughout this we show how it can effectively integrate user opinion along with surrounding context to produce a final node representation which is aware of the favourite circumstances of the particular node.
Asymptotic Optimality for Decentralised Bandits
Authors: Newton Conor J. , Ganesh Ayalvadi , Reeve Henry W. J.
Published: June 2022

We consider a large number of agents collaborating on a multi-armed bandit problem with a large number of arms. The goal is to minimise the regret of each agent in a communication-constrained setting. We present a decentralised algorithm which builds upon and improves the Gossip-Insert-Eliminate method of Chawla et al. (International conference on artificial intelligence and statistics, pp 3471–3481, 2020). We provide a theoretical analysis of the regret incurred which shows that our algorithm is asymptotically optimal. In fact, our regret guarantee matches the asymptotically optimal rate achievable in the full communication setting. Finally, we present empirical results which support our conclusions.
Evolution of CAS human rights jurisprudence: observations from Keramuddin Karim v. FIFA
Authors: Kuwelker Surbhi
Published: June 2022

This essay seeks to analyze certain elements in the 2020 Court of Arbitration for Sport award in Keramuddin Karim v. Fédération International de Football Associations (CAS 2019/A/6388, award dated July 14, 2020) where the former President of the Afghan Football Federation was sanctioned for offences including sexual abuse of Afghan footballers. Against the backdrop of increasing visibility of and focus on safeguarding of sporting bodies in the recent past, this essay looks at three aspects: (1) the definition and constitution of the offence; (2) select evidentiary matters of standard of proof, anonymous witness statements and due process; and (3) sanctioning—contextualizing them against a non-criminal, arbitration forum’s human rights jurisprudence as it currently stands. Concluding observations made include a dearth of robust provisions in applicable regulations, but the possibility to read rights into them, and the necessity of nuanced, perhaps unconventional, approaches to evidentiary standards and sanctioning.
Body composition and obstructive sleep apnoea assessment in adult patients with Prader–Willi syndrome: a case control study
Authors: Pugliese G. , Barrea L. , Sanduzzi Zamparelli A. , de Alteriis G. , Laudisio D. , Muscogiuri G. , Canora A. , Bocchino M. , Colao A. , Savastano S.
Published: June 2022

Introduction

In Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) adult patients, sleep-breathing disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), are very common, whose missed or delayed diagnosis can contribute to further increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Purpose

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate differences in sleep-breathing parameters obtained by overnight cardiorespiratory polygraphy in 13 adult PWS patients and 13 individuals with non-syndromic obesity as controls matched by age, sex, and BMI.

Methods

In all subjects’ anthropometric parameters, body composition using bioimpedance analysis and overnight cardiorespiratory monitoring parameters were obtained.

Results

Ten (76.9%) PWS patients were diagnosed with OSAS, most notably nine (69.2%) and one PWS (7.7%) with mild and severe OSAS, respectively. Compared with the control group, PWS patients had evidence of higher apnoea–hypopnea index (AHI) (p = 0.04) and oxyhaemoglobin desaturation index (ODI) (p = 0.009). However, no differences were found between the two groups regarding OSAS categories or diagnosis of nocturnal respiratory failure. In the PWS group, there were no significant correlations among AHI, ODI and hypoxemia index (T90) and anthropometric measurements, fat mass (FM), and FM percentage (%). Conversely, in the control group, the sleep-related respiratory indices evaluated correlated positively with BMI, waist circumference, FM and FM%.

Conclusions

This study confirmed that AHI and ODI indices were worse in PWS than in age, sex and BMI-matched controls. The lack of their significant association with the anthropometric parameters and FM supported the existence of PWS-related mechanisms in OSAS pathophysiology that are independent of visceral obesity and FM.
Powering data buoys using wave energy: a review of possibilities
Authors: McLeod Iain , Ringwood John V.
Published: June 2022

Data buoys are a widespread method of not only monitoring environmental parameters, but have a range of other applications: from surveillance to providing power for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The majority of data buoys currently in use are either solely powered by batteries, or they employ an array of solar panels to sporadically top up the battery power when environmental conditions are suitable. Less usual for data buoys is the use of wind power—though some successful hybrids of the two, such as the AXYS Technologies WindSentinel, also exist. As wave power technology matures, advancements in this currently underdeveloped technology could allow data buoys the option of using wave energy converters (WECs) as an alternative renewable power source. Data buoys could provide a small-scale application of WECs where many of the issues with harvesting such a stochastic and irregular energy source would be highlighted. The lessons learned in developing wave-powered data buoys could potentially be applied to larger, more costly wave energy applications such as wave farms or megawatt-level generators. This review considers data buoy projects currently in development—particularly those that look to incorporate a wave energy harvesting mechanism as either their primary or secondary power source, and their prospects, both as end-use applications in their own right, and as low-cost platforms to prove emerging wave energy technology for larger-scale use.
Person identification from arm’s hair patterns using CT-twofold Siamese network in forensic psychiatric hospitals
Authors: Salins Rohan Don , Ashwin T. S. , Prabhu G. Ananth , Basthikodi Mustafa , Mallikarjun Chaitra K.
Published: June 2022

Identifying criminals in serious crimes from digital images is a challenging forensic task as their faces will be covered in most cases. In addition, the only available information will be hand. A single robust technique to identify the criminals from arm’s hair patterns can be a potential cost-effective and unobtrusive solution in various other areas such as in criminal psychiatric hospitals during rehabilitation to identify and track patients instead of using barcoding, radio frequency identification (RFID), and biometrics. The existing state-of-the-art methods for person identification uses convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM)-based architectures which require the entire data to be trained once again when new data comes. To address these issues, we proposed a novel Siamese network-based architecture which not only reduces this training paradigm but also performs better than several existing methods. Since there were no standard datasets for person identification from arm’s hair patterns, we created a database with several voluntary participants by collecting their hands’ images. Several data augmentation techniques are also used to make the database more robust. The experimental results show that the proposed architecture performs better for the created database with mAP, mINP, and R1 of 94.8, 90.0, and 93.5, respectively. The proposed CTTSN performs well for the closed world person re-identification problem using soft biometric features in real time (52 frames per second).
Impacts of Urban Rail Transit on City Growth: Evidence from China
Authors: Tao Zhibin , Feng Xuesong , Li Kemeng , Shi Ruolin
Published: June 2022

This research examines the effects of urban rail transit (URT) on city growth measured by the increases in population, gross domestic product (GDP) and employment rate. Forty cities which have URT systems by the end of 2019 in China are taken as investigated samples. Research data related to URT extent, population, GDP, employment rate and five types of control variables which are individual, people's living, economic, science and education, and infrastructure are utilized and their applicability is verified. Panel data models are applied to analyze the effect of URT on city growth, and the robustness of the model estimation results is assessed. The study further analyzes the heterogeneity in the effects of URT systems on cities with different economic development levels. The estimated results indicate that the opening and expansion of URT have a positive effect on the population of the city. URT promotes the development of the urban economy and increases employment opportunities. Nevertheless, because of population migration, URT has little effect on the employment rate. In addition, the positive effect of URT on urban growth is most obvious for cities with a relatively high level of economic development.
Ethical concerns with replacing human relations with humanoid robots: an ubuntu perspective
Authors: Friedman Cindy
Published: June 2022

This paper considers ethical concerns with regard to replacing human relations with humanoid robots. Many have written about the impact that certain types of relations with robots may have on us, and why we should be concerned about robots replacing human relations. There has, however, been no consideration of this issue from an African philosophical perspective. Ubuntu philosophy provides a novel perspective on how relations with robots may impact our own moral character and moral development. This paper first discusses what humanoid robots are, why and how humans tend to anthropomorphise them, and what the literature says about robots crowding out human relations. It then explains the ideal of becoming “fully human”, which pertains to being particularly moral in character. In ubuntu philosophy, we are not only biologically human, but must strive to become better, more moral versions of ourselves, to become fully human. We can become fully human by having other regarding traits or characteristics within the context of interdependent, or humane, relationships (such as by exhibiting human equality, reciprocity, or solidarity). This concept of becoming fully human is important in ubuntu philosophy. Having explained that idea, the main argument of the paper is then put forward: that treating humanoid robots as if they are human is morally concerning if they crowd out human relations, because such relations prevent us from becoming fully human. This is because we cannot experience human equality, solidarity, and reciprocity with robots, which can be seen to characterise interdependent, or humane, relations with human beings.
After the posts: thinking with theory in environmental education research
Authors: Gough Annette , Gough Noel
Published: June 2022

In this essay, we argue that postqualitative inquiry is not a useful descriptor for environmental education research and that it is time to consider what comes after the posts. We argue that thinking with theory as a process methodology in the onto-epistemological framings of our research is more generative and opens up opportunities for this research being interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary/cross-disciplinary, intersectional, ecofeminist/more-than-humanist, indigenous, participatory, experimental and transgressive.
Incidental Jurisdiction in Human Rights Litigation: Surprising Absence and Rival Techniques
Authors: Raible Lea
Published: June 2022

Human rights courts and bodies do not rely on the concept of incidental jurisdiction. As far as I am aware, they never have. Given that these courts and bodies are in many ways typical examples of international courts, this is at first glance surprising. However, a closer look suggests that human rights bodies employ rival techniques to tackle the same problem to which incidental jurisdiction is supposedly responding. This essay sets out, first, that there is nothing unique about the institutional set up of human rights courts and human rights bodies in international law that might explain the absence of incidental jurisdiction. Second, I offer a plausible reconstruction of this absence. I argue that it is not only a rational response to the particular demands of human rights litigation, but that it may even be normatively preferable. The tension between dispute settlement and state consent is modified and heightened in international human rights law; this justifies treating incidental questions with the weight usually attached to the main issues of a case by turning them into questions of treaty interpretation. Third, I illustrate these rival techniques in two areas: jurisdiction in international human rights law, and cases involving armed conflicts.
Impact of fluoroquinolone cascade reporting of urine samples on antibiotic prescribing rates in a network of urgent care clinics
Authors: Weichman Brittani M. , Bushman Amanda M. , Rogers Kathie L. , Rosa Rossana
Published: June 2022

Cascade reporting is an antimicrobial stewardship strategy that has been successfully implemented in inpatient settings, but evidence of its impact on outpatient settings is scarce. We report on the impact on fluroquinolone prescribing at a network of urgent care clinics following the implementation of cascade reporting of Enterobacterales in urine cultures.
Non-modal growth of finite-amplitude disturbances in oscillatory boundary layer
Authors: Gong Minjiang , Xiong Chengwang , Mao Xuerui , Cheng Liang , Wang Shi-Ping , Zhang A-Man
Published: June 2022

The essence of sub-critical transition of oscillatory boundary-layer flows is the non-modal growth of finite-amplitude disturbances. The current understanding of the mechanisms of the orderly and bypass transitions of oscillatory boundary-layer flows is limited. The present study adopts optimisation approaches to predict the maximum energy amplification of two- and three-dimensional perturbations in response to the optimal initial disturbance with or without external forcing. A series of direct numerical simulations are also performed to compare with the results obtained from the stability analyses. In particular, the optimal initial perturbation similar to a Tollmien–Schlichting (T–S) wave yields the largest transient growth under the combined effects of the Orr mechanism and inflectional point instability. With a considerable level of two-dimensional disturbance, the vortex tube nonlinearly develops from the T–S-like wave, and then either deforms into a

$\varLambda$

-vortex in the near-wall region or rolls up to the free shear region. The further burst of turbulence can follow the first pathway as K-type transition or the second one as vortex tube breakdown due to the elliptical instability. Additionally, non-modal growth can initiate the inception of streaky structures by favourable three-dimensional initial perturbations and/or forcing. The secondary instabilities responsible for the streak breakdown are classified as the varicose (symmetric) and sinuous (anti-symmetric) modes. Under a sufficiently high level of three-dimensional disturbance, the bypass transition is predominantly characterised by the formation of the sinuous mode and turbulent spots, which leads to the suppression of inflection point instability.
Dynamics of a rigid-flexible coupling system in a uniform flow
Authors: Sun Yuehao , Peng Ze-Rui , Yang Dan , Xiong Yongliang , Wang Lei , Wang Lin
Published: June 2022

Dynamics of two-dimensional flow past a rigid flat plate with a trailing closed flexible filament acting as a deformable afterbody are investigated numerically by an immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method for the fluid flow and a finite element method for the filament motion. The effects of Reynolds number (

$Re$

) and length ratio (

$Lr$

) on the flow patterns and dynamics of the rigid-flexible coupling system are studied. Based on our numerical results, five typical state modes have been identified in

$Lr\unicode{x2013}Re$

plane in terms of the filament shape and corresponding dynamics, i.e. static deformation, micro-vibration, multi-frequency flapping, periodic flapping and chaotic flapping modes, respectively. Benefiting from the passive flow control by using the flexible filament as a deformable afterbody, the coupled system may enjoy a significant drag reduction (up to

$22\,\%$

) compared with bare plate scenarios (

$Lr=1$

). Maximum drag reduction achieved at

$L_{c,{min}} \in [1.8, 2]$

is often accompanied by the onset of the system state transition. The flow characteristic and its relation to the change in hydrodynamic drag are further explored in order to reveal the underlying mechanisms of the counterintuitive dynamical behaviour of the coupled system. The scaling laws for the form drag and the friction drag, which arise from the pressure and viscous effects, respectively, are proposed to estimate the overall drag acting on the system. The results obtained in the present study may shed some light on understanding the dynamical behaviour of rigid-flexible coupling systems.
Gender diversity and productivity in manufacturing firms: evidence from six Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries
Authors: Abbey Emmanuel , Adu-Danso Emmanuel
Published: June 2022

We revisit predictions about the relationship between gender diversity and firm productivity using data on 1,082 manufacturing firms from six Sub-Saharan African countries: Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Kenya. Recent evidence suggests that a gender-diverse workforce opens up a firm to a vast range of talent, knowledge and perspectives critical to enhancing innovation and problem solving, and thereby, increasing firm productivity. Given the importance of manufacturing for employment and structural transformation in Africa, we test the gender diversity–productivity proposition by exploring structural differences (heterogeneity) across manufacturing firms using the Industry without Smokestacks (IWOSS) classification. We find that while gender diversity promotes firm productivity at lower levels, this effect is displaced with further increases. Our results did not show that IWOSS firms do any better in promoting the diversity–productivity link. Implications of this finding and areas for future studies are also discussed.
Biocultural conflicts: understanding complex interconnections between a traditional ceremony and threatened carnivores in north Kenya
Authors: Torrents-Ticó Miquel , Fernández-Llamazares Álvaro , Burgas Daniel , Nasak Job Guol , Cabeza Mar
Published: June 2022

Biological and cultural diversity are inextricably linked and rapidly eroding worldwide. As a response, many conservation efforts foster synergies between cultural and biological diversity agendas through biocultural approaches. However, such approaches do not always address biocultural conflicts, where certain cultural practices can lead to biodiversity loss and, in turn, threaten the continuance of such practices. In this study, we examined a biocultural conflict in the Dimi ceremony, the most important rite of passage of the Daasanach agro-pastoralists of north Kenya, in which skins from threatened carnivore species are used extensively as traditional ornaments. We quantified the current use of skins in Dimi as well as changes in the cultural ceremony that exacerbate its impacts on wildlife. We collected field-based data on the context of the use of skins through structured interviews, focus-group discussions, participant observation and counts of skins in two Dimi ceremonies. We counted a total of 121 skins of four carnivore species being used in a single ceremony. We also found that Dimi has become environmentally unsustainable, threatening distant cheetah Acinonyx jubatus and leopard Panthera pardus populations and local species with spotted skins (African civet Civettictis civetta, common genet Genetta genetta and serval Leptailurus serval). The young Daasanach are deeply concerned about the lack of availability of skins in their area, as well as the prohibitive prices, and they are calling for alternatives to the use of skins in Dimi. Overall, our study shows that acknowledging biocultural conflicts and opening space for dialogue with local communities are essential for the maintenance of both biological and cultural diversity.
Hiding in plain sight: three chemically distinctα-helix types
Authors: Zhang Shuguang , Egli Martin
Published: June 2022

Linus Pauling in 1950 published a three-dimensional model for a universal protein secondary structure motif which he initially called the alpha-spiral. Jack Dunitz, then a postdoc in Pauling's lab suggested to Pauling that the term helix is more accurate than spiral when describing the right-handed peptide and protein coiled structures. Pauling agreed, hence the rise of the alpha-helix, and, by extension, the ‘double helix’ structure of DNA. Although structural biologists and protein chemists are familiar with varying polar and apolar characters of amino acids in alpha-helices, to non-experts the three chemically distinct alpha-helix types classified here may hide in plain sight.
Religion, Law, and the Dynamics of Intellectual Transmission: Weimar Jurisprudence among Religious Socialists in Israel
Authors: Kaye Alexander
Published: June 2022

Weimar legal philosophy enjoyed a surprising prominence in religious kibbutzim. These were communities, established in Palestine/Israel, whose members attempted to create revolutionary utopian societies organized around the principles of socialism, Jewish nationalism, and Orthodox Jewish law. The kibbutzim existed under the shadow of a double crisis: the economic and social upheaval of the era, and the intellectual and spiritual challenge of synthesizing the diverse world views to which they were committed. Remarkably, the legal philosophy developed by the jurists of Weimar Germany – Hans Kelsen and Gustav Radbruch in particular – provided an intellectual framework by which the thinkers of the religious kibbutz navigated these crises.This article identifies references to Weimar jurisprudence in the discourse of the religious kibbutz, and addresses how and why kibbutz thinkers used it to think through issues that were so far removed from interwar Germany. It also expands our understanding of legal and historical phenomena in general, beyond the confines of the study of Israel or Judaism. It explores the ways that jurisprudence may be employed in religious and social thought. It also demonstrates how legal ideas flow along paths of immigration and intellectual exchange, how they can be applied by diverse actors in very different social circumstances, and how law and legal transplants operate, even outside the context of the state.
Production of a functionally active recombinant SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) 3C-like protease and a soluble inactive 3C-like protease-RBD chimeric in a prokaryotic expression system
Authors: De Marco Verissimo Carolina , López Corrales Jesús , Dorey Amber L. , Cwiklinski Krystyna , Lalor Richard , Calvani Nichola Eliza Davies , Jewhurst Heather L. , Flaus Andrew , Doyle Sean , Dalton John P.
Published: June 2022

During the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) intracellular life-cycle, two large polyproteins, pp1a and pp1ab, are produced. Processing of these by viral cysteine proteases, the papain-like protease (PLpro) and the chymotrypsin-like 3C-like protease (3CL-pro) release non-structural proteins necessary for the establishment of the viral replication and transcription complex (RTC), crucial for viral replication. Hence, these proteases are considered prime targets against which anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) drugs could be developed. Here, we describe the expression of a highly soluble and functionally active recombinant 3CL-pro using Escherichia coli BL21 cells. We show that the enzyme functions in a dimeric form and exhibits an unexpected inhibitory profile because its activity is potently blocked by serine rather than cysteine protease inhibitors. In addition, we assessed the ability of our 3CL-pro to function as a carrier for the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike protein. The co-expressed chimeric protein, 3CLpro-RBD, did not exhibit 3CL-pro activity, but its enhanced solubility made purification easier and improved RBD antigenicity when tested against serum from vaccinated individuals in ELISAs. Chimeric proteins containing the 3CL-pro could represent an innovative approach to developing new COVID-19 vaccines.
Accidental Occupational Exposure to a Large Volume of Liquid Fentanyl on a Compromised Skin Barrier with No Resultant Effect
Authors: Feldman Ryan , Weston Benjamin W.
Published: June 2022

The high prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply has generated concern among first responders regarding occupational exposure. Social media sharing of unconfirmed first responder overdoses after brief exposure to fentanyl may be contributing to an inappropriate risk perception of brief dermal fentanyl exposure. This case details a dermal exposure to a large dose of analytically confirmed pharmaceutical fentanyl (fentanyl citrate, 10 microgram fentanyl base per ml), over a large skin surface area. Additionally, the exposure occurred at a site with some skin barrier compromise, a factor that can increase fentanyl absorption. The patient underwent appropriate decontamination and underwent a brief medical assessment with no clinical effects of opioid exposure observed. This information is of value to first responders and other health care workers who are at risk of occupational fentanyl exposure. Findings are consistent with in vitro and ex vivo data supporting low risk of rapid absorption after brief dermal fentanyl exposure.
Quantification of Ion-Implanted Single-Atom Dopants in Monolayer MoS2 via HAADF STEM Using the TEMUL Toolkit
Authors: Hennessy Michael , O'Connell Eoghan N , Auge Manuel , Moynihan Eoin , Hofsäss Hans , Bangert Ursel
Published: June 2022

In recent years, atomic resolution imaging of two-dimensional (2D) materials using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has become routine. Individual dopant atoms in 2D materials can be located and identified using their contrast in annular dark-field (ADF) STEM. However, in order to understand the effect of these dopant atoms on the host material, there is now the need to locate and quantify them on a larger scale. In this work, we analyze STEM images of MoS2 monolayers that have been ion-implanted with chromium at ultra-low energies. We use functions from the open-source TEMUL Toolkit to create and refine an atomic model of an experimental image based on the positions and intensities of the atomic columns in the image. We then use the refined model to determine the likely composition of each atomic site. Surface contamination stemming from the sample preparation of 2D materials can prevent accurate quantitative identification of individual atoms. We disregard atomic sites from regions of the image with hydrocarbon surface contamination to demonstrate that images acquired using contaminated samples can give significant atom statistics from their clean regions, and can be used to calculate the retention rate of the implanted ions within the host lattice. We find that some of the implanted chromium ions have been successfully integrated into the MoS2 lattice, with 4.1% of molybdenum atoms in the transition metal sublattice replaced with chromium.
AN ANALYTICAL APPROXIMATION FOR CONVERTIBLE BONDS
Authors: GOARD JOANNA
Published: June 2022

This paper looks at adapting the method of Medvedev and Scaillet for pricing short-term American options to evaluate short-term convertible bonds. However unlike their method, we provide explicit formulae for the coefficients of our series solution. This means that we do not need to solve complicated recursive systems, and can efficiently provide fast solutions. We also compare the method with numerical solutions, and find that it performs extremely well, giving accurate bond prices as well as accurate optimal conversion prices.
Tweets and Doorknocks. Differentiation and Cooperation between Black Lives Matter and Community Organizing
Authors: Petitjean Clément , Talpin Julien
Published: June 2022

Because of its genealogy and a shared commitment to racial justice, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement might be expected to have strong cooperative links with community organizing groups. Close, localized study of the interactions between these two approaches to social change reveals, however, something quite different. Far from being harmonious, the relations between BLM and community organizing prove to be marked by distrust, sometimes competition, and, more sporadically, cooperation. This article, based on ethnographic surveys in Los Angeles and Chicago, investigates how the BLM movement deployed and took root at the local level and how it interacted with community organizing groups in both cities. Emphasizing the importance of blending a meso-sociological level of analysis with a micro-sociological approach, we argue that the relations of competition and distinction, embodied in distinct group styles, repertoires of action, and organizational forms, can be explained by taking into account the actors’ resources, social properties, socializations, and trajectories. The article’s comparative perspective also shows that forms of cooperation may exist despite competition, and that cooperation is made possible in particular by younger people playing a bridging role.
Self-Judging Security Exception Clause as a Kind of Carte Blanche in Investment Treaties: Nature, Effect and Proper Standard of Review
Authors: BAHMAEI Mohammad-Ali , SABZEVARI Habib
Published: June 2022

In investment treaties, the self-judging security exception clause allows states to restrict the exercise of investors’ rights and protections provided for by such treaties during security emergencies. During the last decade, such a clause has been included in numerous investment treaties to support state positionsvis-à-visforeign investors. States consider that this provision gives them a very broad discretion to limit or derogate from obligations which arise under the treaty. In this article, after having identified the self-judging character of this clause, it will be demonstrated that such a clause does not affect the jurisdiction of the tribunal but requires the tribunal to apply the principle of good faith as the proper standard of review to interpret the elements of the clause, preventing states’ abuse of such a clause.
Observational Constraint on the Contribution of Surface Albedo Feedback to the Amplified Tibetan Plateau Surface Warming
Authors: Chen Yan , Ji Duoying , Moore John C. , Hu Jiangling , He Yanyi
Published: June 2022

Surface albedo feedback (SAF) is one of the main causes of amplified warming over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Several recent studies have used the latest reanalysis datasets to evaluate the SAF induced warming, but without fully considering the fidelity of the surface albedo change and surface downward solar radiation in the reanalysis datasets, which directly affect the amplitude of SAF induced warming. This study finds that the state‐of‐the‐art reanalysis datasets (ERA‐Interim, ERA5, MERRA, MERRA‐2, JRA‐55 and CRA) and climate models that participated in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) exhibit varying biases compared with observations in both surface albedo change and surface downward solar radiation over the TP. The state‐of‐the‐art reanalysis datasets present no obvious advantages over the lower resolution but less constrained CMIP6 multi‐model ensemble in representing SAF related processes over the TP. The surface albedo change drives most of the spread in SAF induced warming. The reanalysis datasets and CMIP6 climate models reveal a significant linear relationship between surface albedo change and its contribution to surface temperature change over the TP. Using the observation constrained linear relationship and satellite surface albedo products, the spread of warming contribution due to SAF in reanalysis datasets and climate models is greatly reduced, the estimated TP warming due to SAF is in the range of 0.26–0.50 K in winter and 0.27–0.77 K in spring over recent decades.
Complex Interplay Between Organic and Secondary Inorganic Aerosols With Ambient Relative Humidity Implicates the Aerosol Liquid Water Content Over India During Wintertime
Authors: Gopinath Amar Krishna , Raj Subha S. , Kommula Snehitha M. , Jose Christi , Panda Upasana , Bishambu Yukti , Ojha Narendra , Ravikrishna R. , Liu Pengfei , Gunthe Sachin S.
Published: June 2022

Aerosol Liquid Water Content (ALWC), a ubiquitous component of atmospheric aerosols, modulates atmospheric chemistry through aerosol surface reactions and reduces the atmospheric visibility. However, the complex dependency of ALWC on aerosol chemistry and relative humidity (RH) in the Indian region remains poorly characterized. Here, we combine available measurements of aerosol chemical composition with thermodynamic model, ISORROPIA2.1, to reveal a comprehensive picture of ALWC in fine mode aerosols during the winter season over the Indian continental region. The factors modulating ALWC are primarily dependent on the RH, such that the effect of aerosol dry mass and hygroscopicity are significant at high RH while the effect of hygroscopicity significantly reduces with decreasing RH. ALWC is observed to display a sharp non‐linear rise, beyond a critical value of ambient RH dependent on the particle hygroscopicity. Further analysis by coupling Weather Research Forecasting‐Chem simulation with ISORROPIA2.1 revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in ALWC over India, strongly associating with regions of high aerosol mass loading and RH. The Indo‐Gangetic Plain is consequently observed to be a hotspot of higher ALWC, which explains the prevalent conditions of haze and smog during winter in this region. Our findings re‐emphasize that high aerosol mass resulting from intense pollution is vital in modulating aerosol–climate interaction under favorable meteorological conditions. Observations suggest the need for localized pollution control strategies, directed at the reduction in aerosol emissions of specific chemical composition observed to contribute to the enhancement in PM through an increase in ALWC during wintertime in the region.
Estimation of the Ventilation Transit Time Distribution at the Yap−Mariana Junction Using 39Ar, 85Kr and 14C Tracers
Authors: Gu Ji‐Qiang , Jiang Wei , Tong Amin L. , Yang Guo‐Min , Dong Xi‐Ze , Ritterbusch Florian , Wang Fan , Wang Jianing
Published: June 2022

We report on a multi‐tracer study at the Yap‐Mariana Junction in the western Pacific using three tracers—85Kr, 39Ar, and 14C—with different half‐lives and source functions to the oceans. The vertical profiles of 85Kr and 39Ar are measured using the state‐of‐the‐art Atom Trap Trace Analysis method. This method allows analysis of 85Kr and 39Ar isotopes with samples collected in regular Niskin bottles. Combined with the calculated natural 14C data, we infer the ventilation transit‐time distribution (TTD) at the Yap‐Mariana Junction. The mean ages of the seawater below the thermocline at the Yap‐Mariana Junction are over 1,000 years. Moreover earlier 39Ar and natural 14C data collected in other parts of the Pacific are used to infer the local TTDs and compared with the one at the Yap‐Mariana Junction. The age spectra of the Pacific bottom waters show progressive changes and increasing tails of the old water along the route from south to north. The dominance of the North Pacific Deep Water (NPDW) in the North Pacific and the effect of mixing between old water masses and younger ones at the Yap‐Mariana Junction are reflected from the different shapes of the TTDs at these locations. The TTD shows the oldest water exists at about 2,000 m depth in the North Pacific. The western Pacific shows the highest degree of mixing at 1,000 m depth, while the southern Pacific has the highest degree of mixing close to the bottom.
Global Distribution and Spectral Features of Intense Lightning by the ISUAL Experiment
Authors: Chuang Chia‐Wen , Chen Alfred Bing‐Chih
Published: June 2022

During the 12 years of the Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning (ISUAL) experiment onboard the Taiwanese FORMOSAT‐2 satellite (2004/07/01–2016/6/20), 297,349 transient events were recorded, but only 48,414 events (16.3%) were manually classified as transient luminous events (TLEs). Since the main target of ISUAL is to observe TLEs, only the top ∼0.82% of intense lightning can meet the trigger threshold, which means the ISUAL experiment can also serve as a space‐borne intense lightning survey. An autonomous lightning identification algorithm was developed in this work to screen and locate lightning flashes in images, and 292,248 intense lightning discharges were identified successfully. Combining the statistical analysis of lightning events and unique spectral observations of ISUAL, the global distribution of intense lightning with spectral characteristics was constructed. The intense lightning occurrence rate of ISUAL was 1.29 fl s−1, and the land‐to‐ocean ratio 1.27. Intense lightning is most active near the equator, and the bimodal pattern peaks in April and September, different from the typical lightning behavior that occurs in the northern hemisphere during the summertime from July to August. In addition, the spectral statistics show that more than 95% of intense lightning is accompanied by nitrogen band emissions (1PN2, 2PN2, 1NN2+). Far‐ultraviolet photons mainly come from the radiation processes in the mesosphere to the ionosphere, and its radiation flux may correlate with lightning energies. Further, a significant 777.4 nm background enhancement is recognized in South America, which may affect the trigger of space‐borne 777.4 nm lightning surveys.
Joint analysis of functionally related genes yields further candidates associated with Tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Chelu Alexandru , Williams Simon G. , Keavney Bernard D. , Talavera David
Published: June 2022

Although several genes involved in the development of Tetralogy of Fallot have been identified, no genetic diagnosis is available for the majority of patients. Low statistical power may have prevented the identification of further causative genes in gene-by-gene survey analyses. Thus, bigger samples and/or novel analytic approaches may be necessary. We studied if a joint analysis of groups of functionally related genes might be a useful alternative approach. Our reanalysis of whole-exome sequencing data identified 12 groups of genes that exceedingly contribute to the burden of Tetralogy of Fallot. Further analysis of those groups showed that genes with high-impact variants tend to interact with each other. Thus, our results strongly suggest that additional candidate genes may be found by studying the protein interaction network of known causative genes. Moreover, our results show that the joint analysis of functionally related genes can be a useful complementary approach to classical single-gene analyses.
Tipping the balance: toward rational combination therapies to overcome venetoclax resistance in mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Thus Yvonne J. , Eldering Eric , Kater Arnon P. , Spaargaren Marcel
Published: June 2022

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), an aggressive, but incurable B-cell lymphoma, is genetically characterized by the t(11;14) translocation, resulting in the overexpression of Cyclin D1. In addition, deregulation of the B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family proteins BCL-2, B-cell lymphoma-extra large (BCL-XL), and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) is highly common in MCL. This renders these BCL-2 family members attractive targets for therapy; indeed, the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax (ABT-199), which already received FDA approval for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), shows promising results in early clinical trials for MCL. However, a significant subset of patients show primary resistance or will develop resistance upon prolonged treatment. Here, we describe the underlying mechanisms of venetoclax resistance in MCL, such as upregulation of BCL-XL or MCL-1, and the recent (clinical) progress in the development of inhibitors for these BCL-2 family members, followed by the transcriptional and (post-)translational (dys)regulation of the BCL-2 family proteins, including the role of the lymphoid organ microenvironment. Based upon these insights, we discuss how rational combinations of venetoclax with other therapies can be exploited to prevent or overcome venetoclax resistance and improve MCL patient outcome.
The role of pancreas to improve hyperglycemia in STZ-induced diabetic rats by thiamine disulfide
Authors: Rad Mahtab Ghanbari , Sharifi Mohammadreza , Meamar Rokhsareh , Soltani Nepton
Published: June 2022

Background

The present study investigated the effect of thiamine disulfide (TD) on the pancreas in terms of hyperglycemia improvement and insulin sensitivity increase in diabetic male rats. We also aimed to study the function of Pdx1 (pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1) and Glut2 (glucose transporter 2) genes in pancreatic tissue.

Methods

Type 1 diabetes was induced through injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ). The diabetic rats were divided into four groups, namely diabetic control (DC), diabetic treated with thiamine disulfide (D-TD), diabetic treated with insulin (D-insulin), and diabetic treated with TD and insulin (D-insulin+TD). The non-diabetic (NDC) and diabetic groups received a normal diet (14 weeks). Blood glucose level and body weight were measured weekly; insulin tolerance test (ITT) and glucagon tolerance test (GTT) were performed in the last month of the study. The level of serum insulin and glucagon were measured monthly and a hyperglycemic clamp (Insulin Infusion rate (IIR)) was done for all the groups. Pancreas tissue was isolated so that Pdx1and Glut2 genes expression could be measured.

Results

We observed that TD therapy decreased blood glucose level, ITT, and serum glucagon levels in comparison with those of the DC group; it also increased serum insulin levels, IIR, and expression of Pdx1 and Glut2 genes in comparison with those of the DC group.

Conclusion

Administration of TD could improve hyperglycemia in type 1 diabetic animals through improved pancreas function. Therefore, not only does TD have a significant effect on controlling and reducing hyperglycemia in diabetes, but it also has the potential to decrease the dose of insulin administration.
Autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis in tumor immunotherapy
Authors: Gao Weitong , Wang Xueying , Zhou Yang , Wang Xueqian , Yu Yan
Published: June 2022

In recent years, immunotherapy represented by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has led to unprecedented breakthroughs in cancer treatment. However, the fact that many tumors respond poorly or even not to ICIs, partly caused by the absence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), significantly limits the application of ICIs. Converting these immune “cold” tumors into “hot” tumors that may respond to ICIs is an unsolved question in cancer immunotherapy. Since it is a general characteristic of cancers to resist apoptosis, induction of non-apoptotic regulated cell death (RCD) is emerging as a new cancer treatment strategy. Recently, several studies have revealed the interaction between non-apoptotic RCD and antitumor immunity. Specifically, autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis exhibit synergistic antitumor immune responses while possibly exerting inhibitory effects on antitumor immune responses. Thus, targeted therapies (inducers or inhibitors) against autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis in combination with immunotherapy may exert potent antitumor activity, even in tumors resistant to ICIs. This review summarizes the multilevel relationship between antitumor immunity and non-apoptotic RCD, including autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, and the potential targeting application of non-apoptotic RCD to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy in malignancy.
Cyanophages from a less virulent clade dominate over their sister clade in global oceans
Authors: Maidanik Ilia , Kirzner Shay , Pekarski Irena , Arsenieff Laure , Tahan Ran , Carlson Michael C G , Shitrit Dror , Baran Nava , Goldin Svetlana , Weitz Joshua S , Lindell Debbie
Published: June 2022

Environmental virus communities are highly diverse. However, the infection physiology underlying the evolution of diverse phage lineages and their ecological consequences are largely unknown. T7-like cyanophages are abundant in nature and infect the marine unicellular cyanobacteria, Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, important primary producers in the oceans. Viruses belonging to this genus are divided into two distinct phylogenetic clades: clade A and clade B. These viruses have narrow host-ranges with clade A phages primarily infecting Synechococcus genotypes, while clade B phages are more diverse and can infect either Synechococcus or Prochlorococcus genotypes. Here we investigated infection properties (life history traits) and environmental abundances of these two clades of T7-like cyanophages. We show that clade A cyanophages have more rapid infection dynamics, larger burst sizes and greater virulence than clade B cyanophages. However, clade B cyanophages were at least 10-fold more abundant in all seasons, and infected more cyanobacteria, than clade A cyanophages in the Red Sea. Models predicted that steady-state cyanophage abundances, infection frequency, and virus-induced mortality, peak at intermediate virulence values. Our findings indicate that differences in infection properties are reflected in virus phylogeny at the clade level. They further indicate that infection properties, together with differences in subclade diversity and host repertoire, have important ecological consequences with the less aggressive, more diverse virus clade having greater ecological impacts.