bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics and clinical significance of myocardial injury in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Shi Shaobo , Qin Mu , Cai Yuli , Liu Tao , Shen Bo , Yang Fan , Cao Sheng , Liu Xu , Xiang Yaozu , Zhao Qinyan , Huang He , Yang Bo , Huang Congxin
Published: May 2020

Aims

To investigate the characteristics and clinical significance of myocardial injury in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods and results

We enrolled 671 eligible hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 from 1 January to 23 February 2020, with a median age of 63 years. Clinical, laboratory, and treatment data were collected and compared between patients who died and survivors. Risk factors of death and myocardial injury were analysed using multivariable regression models. A total of 62 patients (9.2%) died, who more often had myocardial injury (75.8% vs. 9.7%; P < 0.001) than survivors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of initial cardiac troponin I (cTnI) for predicting in-hospital mortality was 0.92 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.87–0.96; sensitivity, 0.86; specificity, 0.86; P < 0.001]. The single cut-off point and high level of cTnI predicted risk of in-hospital death, hazard ratio (HR) was 4.56 (95% CI, 1.28–16.28; P = 0.019) and 1.25 (95% CI, 1.07–1.46; P = 0.004), respectively. In multivariable logistic regression, senior age, comorbidities (e.g. hypertension, coronary heart disease, chronic renal failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and high level of C-reactive protein were predictors of myocardial injury.

Conclusion

The risk of in-hospital death among patients with severe COVID-19 can be predicted by markers of myocardial injury, and was significantly associated with senior age, inflammatory response, and cardiovascular comorbidities.
Klotho modulates electrical activity and calcium homeostasis in pulmonary vein cardiomyocytes via PI3K/Akt signalling
Authors: Hung Yuan , Chen Yao-Chang , Huang Shih-Yu , Lu Yen-Yu , Lin Yung-Kuo , Kao Yu-Hsun , Lin Wei-Shiang , Chen Shih-Ann , Chen Yi-Jen
Published: May 2020

Aims

Klotho, a potential antiageing protein has remarkable cardiovascular effects, which is lower in the patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Chronic kidney disease increases the risk of atrial fibrillation, majorly triggered by pulmonary vein (PV) arrhythmogenesis. This study investigated whether klotho protein can modulate PV electrical activity and the underlying potential mechanisms.

Methods and results

A conventional microelectrode and whole-cell patch clamp were used to investigate the action potentials and ionic currents in isolated rabbit PV tissue preparations and single cardiomyocytes before and after klotho administration. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signalling was studied using western blotting. Klotho significantly reduced PV spontaneous beating rates in PV tissue preparations at 1.0 and 3.0 ng/mL (but not at 0.1 and 0.3 ng/mL). In the presence of the Akt inhibitor (10 µM), klotho (1.0 and 3.0 ng/mL) did not change PV electrical activities. Klotho (1.0 ng/mL) significantly decreased the late sodium current (INa-Late) and L-type calcium current (ICa-L), similar to the Akt inhibitor (10 µM). Western blots demonstrated that klotho (1.0 ng/mL)-treated PV cardiomyocytes had less phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473) compared with klotho-untreated cardiomyocytes. Compared with control PVs, klotho at relatively lower concentrations (0.1 and 0.3 ng/mL) significantly reduced beating rates and decreased the amplitudes of delay afterdepolarizations in CKD PVs.

Conclusion

Klotho modulated PV electrical activity by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signalling, which may provide a novel insight into CKD-induced arrhythmogenesis.
Magnetic characteristics of Guangshan loess from northern piedmont of Dabie Mountains, east-central China
Authors: Han Yan , Liu Xiuming , Zhao Guoyong , Zhang Zhenke , Lü Bin , Chen Qu
Published: May 2020

The loess from the northern piedmont of the Dabie Mountains is in a transition area between loess from the Chinese Loess Plateau, the Quaternary red soils of southern China and the Xiashu loess. Despite its significant location, the study has been inadequate. In this study, the Guangshan section in the northern piedmont of the Dabie Mountains was selected for investigation. Environmental magnetism, geochemistry, colour reflectance and optical diffuse reflection spectroscopy analyses were applied to detect the magnetic variations in the loess. The results showed that (1) the magnetic minerals consisted mainly of magnetite, maghemite, hematite and goethite, which are the same as those in the Quaternary loess from the Chinese Loess Plateau, the Xiashu loess and the Quaternary red soils of southern China. The average magnetic particles were in the pseudo-single domain, like those of the Chinese Loess Plateau loess. (2) Unit III of the Guangshan section (2.4–4 m), with high chemical index of alteration and low Ba-index, was demonstrated as the most strongly developed palaeosol in the whole section, in agreement with field observations (more Fe-Mn films and weakly vermiculated development). However, it exhibited minimal susceptibility values and the lowest concentration of fine ferrimagnetic minerals. Simultaneously, the unit had low hematite to goethite ratio (Hm/Gt), suggesting that the pedogenic environment was humid; and it also had high values of b* and Gt%, implying that there was more goethite. Therefore, we can conclude that excessive soil moisture and intensive pedogenesis dissolved the fine ferrimagnetic minerals originally produced by pedogenesis and transformed them into goethite. These results could help to trace the palaeoclimatic evolution of the study area and clarify the magnetic variations of loess in different climates throughout China.
XKS splitting-based upper-mantle deformation in the Jiaodong Peninsula records the boundary between the North China Craton and South China Block
Authors: Wu Chenglong , Xu Tao , Ai Yinshuang , Dong Weiyu , Li Long
Published: May 2020

The Jiaodong Peninsula consists of the Jiaobei massif and the Northern Sulu UHP massif. These are separated by the Wulian suture zone (WSZ), a key region for understanding the collision between the North China Craton (NCC) and South China Block (SCB). To interpret this collisional zone, a broad-band seismic profile of 20 stations was installed across the WSZ. Shear wave splitting analysis of teleseismic data revealed a contrast in the splitting patterns beneath different structural zones of the Jiaodong Peninsula. The anisotropic structures of the Jiaobei massif and Northern Sulu UHP massif can be explained by a single anisotropic layer model with WNW-ESE or E-W oriented fast directions. In the WSZ, splitting parameters exhibit pronounced variation in backazimuths indicating a two-layer anisotropy pattern. The lower layer exhibits a WNW-ESE fast direction consistent with that observed in the other two regions. Because the fast direction is generally parallel to the present-day direction of Pacific plate subduction, the anisotropy most likely represents asthenospheric return flow in the big mantle wedge caused by Pacific plate subduction. The upper layer exhibits an NE fast direction, that is, parallel to faulting associated with the WSZ. The lithosphere may preserve fossilized anisotropy induced by the Late Triassic collision of the NCC and SCB even after subsequent destruction and thinning from the Late Mesozoic to Cenozoic. We infer that the WSZ represents a lithospheric-scale structural boundary between the NCC and SCB.
Consequences of access to water from managed aquifer recharge systems for blood pressure and proteinuria in south-west coastal Bangladesh: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial
Authors: Naser Abu Mohd , Doza Solaiman , Rahman Mahbubur , Unicomb Leanne , Ahmed Kazi M , Anand Shuchi , Selim Shahjada , Shamsudduha Mohammad , Narayan KM Venkat , Chang Howard , Clasen Thomas F , Gribble Matthew O , Luby Stephen P
Published: May 2020

Background

Drinking-water salinity has been associated with high blood pressure (BP) among communities in south-west coastal Bangladesh. We evaluated whether access to water from managed aquifer recharge (MAR)—a hydrogeological intervention to lower groundwater salinity by infiltrating rainwater into the aquifers—can reduce community BP.

Methods

We conducted a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial with five monthly visits between December 2016 and April 2017 in 16 communities. At each visit following baseline, four communities were randomized to access MAR water. Systolic BP was the primary outcome, measured during each visit using Omron® HEM–907 devices. We also measured participants’ 24-hour urinary sodium and households’ drinking- and cooking-water salinity each visit. We used multilevel regression models to estimate the effects of MAR-water access on participants’ BP. The primary analysis was intention-to-treat.

Results

In total, 2911 person-visits were conducted in communities randomized to have MAR-water access and 2834 in communities without MAR-water access. Households without MAR-water access predominantly used low-salinity pond water and 42% (range: 26–50% across visits) of households exclusively consumed MAR water when access was provided. Communities randomized to MAR-water access had 10.34 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11, 19.58] mmol/day higher mean urinary sodium, 1.96 (95% CI: 0.66, 3.26; p = 0.004) mmHg higher mean systolic BP and 1.44 (95% CI: 0.40, 2.48; p = 0.007) mmHg higher mean diastolic BP than communities without MAR-water access.

Conclusions

Our findings do not support the scale-up of MAR systems as a routine drinking-water source, since communities that shifted to MAR water from the lower-salinity pond-water source had higher urinary sodium and BP.
Patients With Natural Killer (NK) Cell Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Have Immature NK Cells and Hyperactivation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and STAT1 Pathways
Authors: Howe Matthew K , Dowdell Kennichi , Kuehn Hye Sun , Li Qingxue , Hart Geoffrey T , Garabedian Doreen , Liepshutz Kelly , Hsu Amy P , Su Hua , Niemela Julie E , Stoddard Jennifer L , Uzel Gulbu , Shereck Evan , Schulz Laura , Feldman Tatyana , Rosenzweig Sergio D , Long Eric O , Dropulic Lesia , Cohen Jeffrey I
Published: May 2020

Background

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) presents with high levels of viral genomes in blood and tissue infiltration with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–positive lymphocytes. The pathogenesis of CAEBV is poorly understood.

Methods

We evaluated 2 patients with natural killer (NK) cell CAEBV and studied their NK cell phenotype and signaling pathways in cells.

Results

Both patients had increased numbers of NK cells, EBV predominantly in NK cells, and immature NK cells in the blood. Both patients had increased phosphorylation of Akt, S6, and STAT1 in NK cells, and increased total STAT1. Treatment of 1 patient with sirolimus reduced phosphorylation of S6 in T and B cells, but not in NK cells and did not reduce levels of NK cells or EBV DNA in the blood. Treatment of both patients’ cells with JAK inhibitors in vitro reduced phosphorylated STAT1 to normal. Patients with T- or B-cell CAEBV had increased phosphorylation of Akt and S6 in NK cells, but no increase in total STAT1.

Conclusions

The increase in phosphorylated Akt, S6, and STAT1, as well as immature NK cells describe a new phenotype for NK cell CAEBV. The reduction of STAT1 phosphorylation in their NK cells with JAK inhibitors suggests a novel approach to therapy.
Immune Profiling Panel: A Proof-of-Concept Study of a New Multiplex Molecular Tool to Assess the Immune Status of Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Tawfik Dina M , Vachot Laurence , Bocquet Adeline , Venet Fabienne , Rimmelé Thomas , Monneret Guillaume , Blein Sophie , Montgomery Jesse L , Hemmert Andrew C , Pachot Alexandre , Moucadel Virginie , Yugueros-Marcos Javier , Brengel-Pesce Karen , Mallet François , Textoris Julien
Published: May 2020

Background

Critical illness such as sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome defined as a dysregulated host response to infection and is characterized by patients exhibiting impaired immune response. In the field of diagnosis, a gap still remains in identifying the immune profile of critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

A new multiplex immune profiling panel (IPP) prototype was assessed for its ability to semiquantify messenger RNA immune-related markers directly from blood, using the FilmArray System, in less than an hour. Samples from 30 healthy volunteers were used for the technical assessment of the IPP tool. Then the tool was clinically assessed using samples from 10 healthy volunteers and 20 septic shock patients stratified using human leukocyte antigen–DR expression on monocytes (mHLA-DR).

Results

The IPP prototype consists of 16 biomarkers that target the immune response. The majority of the assays had a linear expression with different RNA inputs and a coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.8. Results from the IPP pouch were comparable to standard quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the assays were within the limits of agreement in Bland–Altman analysis. Quantification cycle values of the target genes were normalized against reference genes and confirmed to account for the different cell count and technical variability. The clinical assessment of the IPP markers demonstrated various gene modulations that could distinctly differentiate 3 profiles: healthy volunteers, intermediate mHLA-DR septic shock patients, and low mHLA-DR septic shock patients.

Conclusions

The use of IPP showed great potential for the development of a fully automated, rapid, and easy-to-use immune profiling tool. The IPP tool may be used in the future to stratify critically ill patients in the ICU according to their immune status. Such stratification will enable personalized management of patients and guide treatments to avoid secondary infections and lower mortality.
T-Cell Subset Counts in Peripheral Blood Can Be Used as Discriminatory Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Severity Prediction of Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Jiang Mei , Guo Yang , Luo Qing , Huang ZiKun , Zhao Rui , Liu ShuYuan , Le AiPing , Li JunMing , Wan LaGen
Published: May 2020

This study evaluated the significance of lymphocyte subset detection in peripheral blood in the diagnosis and prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Our results revealed that CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells were significantly decreased in patients with COVID-19. These patients had a relatively slight decrease in CD4+ T cells but a severe decrease in CD8+ T cells. The significantly elevated CD4/CD8 ratio was observed in COVID-19 patients. T-cell subset counts were related to the severity and prognosis of COVID-19, suggesting that the counts of CD8+ T and CD4+ T cells can be used as diagnostic markers of COVID-19 and predictors of disease severity.
Salivary microRNAs are potential biomarkers for the accurate and precise identification of inflammatory response after tail docking and castration in piglets
Authors: Lecchi Cristina , Zamarian Valentina , Gini Chiara , Avanzini Chiara , Polloni Alessia , Rota Nodari Sara , Ceciliani Fabrizio
Published: May 2020

The present study aimed to investigate whether acute pain associated with castration and tail docking of male piglets may modulate the expression of salivary microRNAs (miRNAs) and to explore their potential use as biomarkers. Thirty-six healthy 4-d-old piglets (Hermitage × Duroc) were randomly assigned to three groups: the first group (12 piglets) has been pretreated with anesthetic and anti-inflammatory drugs (ANA) and then castrated and tail docked; the second one (12 piglets) has been castrated and tail docked without any drugs (CONV); the third one (12 piglets) has been only handled (SHAM). Saliva was collected 10 min before (control group) and 30 to 45 min after the procedures. Salivary cortisol has been quantified. The expression concentrations of seven miRNAs, namely miR-19b, miR-27b-3p, miR-215, miR-22-3p, miR-155-5p, hsa-miR-365-5p, and hsa-miR-204, were measured and assessed as potential biomarkers of pain by quantitative Polimerase Chain Reaction using TaqMan probes. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of miRNAs. The concentration of salivary cortisol increased after treatment in CONV and ANA, while no significant variation was observed in the SHAM group. The comparative analysis demonstrated that the concentrations of salivary miR-19b (P = 0.001), miR-27b (P = 0.042), and miR-365 (P < 0.0001) were significantly greater in CONV as compared with pretreatment. The AUC of pretreatment vs. CONV and CONV vs. ANA were excellent for miR-19b and miR-365 and fair for miR-27b. Combining two miRNAs, namely miR-19b and miR-365, in a panel increased the efficiency of distinguishing between pre- and post-treatment groups. No differences have been identified between SHAM and ANA groups. mRNA potential targets of differentially expressed-miRNA were investigated, and genes related to pain and inflammation were identified: miR-19b potentially modulates TGF-beta and focal adhesion pathways, miR-365 regulates cytokines expression (i.e., IL-1, Tumor Necross Factor-alpha, and IL-8 cytokine), and miR-27b regulates macrophage inflammatory protein pathways (i.e., MIP1-beta). In conclusion, we demonstrated that the abundance of miR-19b, miR-27b, and miR-365 increases in the saliva of piglets castrated and tail docked without the administration of pain-relieving drugs. Further studies are needed to assess their potential during routine husbandry procedures and to extend their assessment in other stressful events, such as weaning or chronic pain.
Indirect predictions with a large number of genotyped animals using the algorithm for proven and young
Authors: Garcia Andre L S , Masuda Yutaka , Tsuruta Shogo , Miller Stephen , Misztal Ignacy , Lourenco Daniela
Published: May 2020

Reliable single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) effects from genomic best linear unbiased prediction BLUP (GBLUP) and single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) are needed to calculate indirect predictions (IP) for young genotyped animals and animals not included in official evaluations. Obtaining reliable SNP effects and IP requires a minimum number of animals and when a large number of genotyped animals are available, the algorithm for proven and young (APY) may be needed. Thus, the objectives of this study were to evaluate IP with an increasingly larger number of genotyped animals and to determine the minimum number of animals needed to compute reliable SNP effects and IP. Genotypes and phenotypes for birth weight, weaning weight, and postweaning gain were provided by the American Angus Association. The number of animals with phenotypes was more than 3.8 million. Genotyped animals were assigned to three cumulative year-classes: born until 2013 (N = 114,937), born until 2014 (N = 183,847), and born until 2015 (N = 280,506). A three-trait model was fitted using the APY algorithm with 19,021 core animals under two scenarios: 1) core 2013 (random sample of animals born until 2013) used for all year-classes and 2) core 2014 (random sample of animals born until 2014) used for year-class 2014 and core 2015 (random sample of animals born until 2015) used for year-class 2015. GBLUP used phenotypes from genotyped animals only, whereas ssGBLUP used all available phenotypes. SNP effects were predicted using genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV) from either all genotyped animals or only core animals. The correlations between GEBV from GBLUP and IP obtained using SNP effects from core 2013 were ≥0.99 for animals born in 2013 but as low as 0.07 for animals born in 2014 and 2015. Conversely, the correlations between GEBV from ssGBLUP and IP were ≥0.99 for animals born in all years. IP predictive abilities computed with GEBV from ssGBLUP and SNP predictions based on only core animals were as high as those based on all genotyped animals. The correlations between GEBV and IP from ssGBLUP were ≥0.76, ≥0.90, and ≥0.98 when SNP effects were computed using 2k, 5k, and 15k core animals. Suitable IP based on GEBV from GBLUP can be obtained when SNP predictions are based on an appropriate number of core animals, but a considerable decline in IP accuracy can occur in subsequent years. Conversely, IP from ssGBLUP based on large numbers of phenotypes from non-genotyped animals have persistent accuracy over time.
The ECCC’s Approach to Evidence and Proof
Authors: McDermott Yvonne
Published: May 2020

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) has made normative decisions as to the probative value of different categories of evidence and the manner in which the evidentiary record should be assessed. Defying expectations that the ECCC’s inquisitorial model would render it quite unique in relation to matters of evidence and proof, this article argues that many of the key epistemological debates witnessed before other international criminal tribunals have also seeped into the practice of the ECCC. Indeed, an analysis of its practice shows that there are several commonalities in approach between the ECCC and the principal contemporary international criminal tribunals on such key issues as whether the evaluation of evidence should be carried out in a piecemeal or a holistic manner, and the weight to be given to hearsay and other categories of evidence. Despite an enormously challenging fact-finding environment and inconsistencies in practice, the ECCC has developed an admirably thorough approach to the evaluation of evidence.
Barriers to Effective Tick Management and Tick-Bite Prevention in the United States (Acari: Ixodidae)
Authors: Eisen Lars , Stafford Kirby C
Published: May 2020

Lyme and other tick-borne diseases are increasing in the United States. Development of tick control tools have focused primarily on the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say. Application of acaricides or entomopathogenic fungal agents to kill host-seeking ticks or ticks on rodents can suppress I. scapularis abundance in residential landscapes, but evidence is lacking for impact on human tick bites or tick-borne disease. Similar studies remain limited for the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.). Other knowledge gaps include how well homeowners and pest control companies perform in the broadcast application of tick-killing products, relative to high efficacy reported in research studies, and the tick-killing potential of natural product formulations exempt from Environmental Protection Agency registration. Area-wide control based on preventing ticks from feeding on their main reproductive host, the white-tailed deer, can suppress populations of both I. scapularis and A. americanum. Some studies also suggest an impact on Lyme disease cases, but this needs to be further validated in larger-scale intervention studies. The effectiveness, scale, cost, and implementation of various tick management strategies are important considerations in efforts to reduce human tick encounters and tick-borne disease. Additional barriers include weak incentives for industry and academia to develop, test, and register new tick and pathogen control technologies, including vaccines targeting humans, tick reproductive hosts, or wildlife pathogen reservoirs. Solutions will need to be ‘two-pronged’: improving the tick and pathogen control toolbox and strengthening the public health workforce engaging in tick control at local and state levels.
Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
Authors: Baumann Antje
Published: May 2020

This chapter discusses the arbitration rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). It begins with a background on the ICC International Court of Arbitration, with emphasis on its role in the development of international commercial arbitration. It then examines the 2017 ICC Arbitration Rules, citing some relevant figures related to ICC arbitration for the year 2017, including the number of parties involved in cases, the arbitral tribunals, and awards rendered by arbitral tribunals. Figures on other ICC dispute resolution rules are also given. The chapter concludes with a commentary of Articles 1–42 of the ICC Arbitration Rules, which cover topics such as definitions; time limits for written notifications or communications; request for arbitration and the respondent’s counterclaims to such a request; effect of the arbitration agreement; constitution of the arbitral tribunal; appointment, confirmation, challenge, and replacement of arbitrators; and rules of law applicable to the arbitral proceedings.
New York Convention
Authors: Haas Ulrich , Kahlert Heiner
Published: May 2020

This chapter focuses on the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York Convention or NYC), the most important convention on international commercial arbitration. It first provides an overview of the content and role of the NYC before discussing its history and its future prospects. It then considers the legal nature of (international) arbitration and how the provisions in the NYC are to be interpreted. It also offers a commentary on Articles I–VII of the NYC, which cover topics such as the prerequisites for recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards, obligation to recognize and enforce foreign arbitral awards, settlements in arbitration proceedings, recognition of arbitration agreements and the requirements as to their form, grounds for refusal of recognition, and enforcement of an arbitral award, and the relationship of the NYC to international and national regulations on the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards.
Introduction
Authors: John Dewar
Published: May 2020

This introductory chapter discusses the definition and characteristics of project finance. Project finance deals with the financing of a specific asset in which lenders look principally to the revenues generated by the operation of that asset for the source of funds from which loans will be repaid. Project finance is commonly deployed in the development of large infrastructure projects (e.g. power generation, toll roads, and telecommunications), social infrastructure (such as hospitals and schools), and the exploitation of energy and other natural resources, but it can be used to finance a broad range of assets and services. Common characteristics of project finance include project development through a separate—and usually single—purpose, financial and legal entity; separation of the debt of the project company from the sponsors' direct obligations; and project assets (including contracts with third parties) and revenues being generally pledged as security for the lenders.
Approaching Legal Issues in a Project Finance Transaction
Authors: Fletcher Phillip
Published: May 2020

Project finance is at its core a form of secured lending. It entails lenders extending a large amount of credit to a newly formed, thinly capitalized company whose principal assets at the time of closing are not physical but rather merely contracts, licences, and ambitious plans. There is a broad commonality of legal and commercial issues to be considered across virtually all projects, and the reliability of the approaches customarily used by project finance professionals in analysing those issues has been tested and proven through decades of complex transactions. How those methods are applied to individual transactions may vary, but the issues to be assessed remain consistent across industries, jurisdictions, and financial structures. This chapter considers both those methods and their application in specific contexts.
Allocation of Risks in Project Documentation
Authors: Dewar John , Taufatofua Chris
Published: May 2020

This chapter discusses the allocation of risks within the project’s contractual architecture. Stakeholders and potential stakeholders in a project will typically approach risk allocation from one of two perspectives. The first perspective will be as a potential contract counterparty negotiating its involvement in the project document structure—i.e. such a counterparty will be directly involved in the risk allocation process itself. The second perspective will be as a potential lender (or sometimes equity investor) performing due diligence to assess the risk allocation under an existing or proposed project document structure so as to determine whether the project is bankable (or, in the case of a potential equity investor, whether the risk allocation justifies the making of an investment in the project).
International Projects—Sector Focus
Authors: Davies Aled , Orme James
Published: May 2020

This chapter discusses the key features of project financing in the following sectors: oil and gas mining, conventional power, renewable energy, and nuclear power. The chapter is organized as follows. Section A on oil and gas covers project structuring, sales contracts, key risks in an oil and gas project, and financial considerations. Section B on mining covers environmental and social impact, completion risk, reserve estimates and market risks, resource nationalism and political risk, terms of a mining financing; and steaming agreements, royalty agreements, and other alternative finance options. Section C on conventional power covers the IPP model, an overview of power markets, IPP risk allocation and contractual structure, key risks in an independent power project, and financing considerations. Sections D and E cover renewable energy and nuclear power projects, respectively. Section F focuses on the development and financing of public infrastructure and public private partnership (PPP) projects.
Dispute Resolution in Project Finance Transactions
Authors: Nolan Michael , Canning Tom , Culbertson Erin , Kinninmont Paul
Published: May 2020

In the project finance context, dispute resolution mechanisms are a means of enforcing the allocation of risks among a project’s many participants—sponsors, lenders, contractors and subcontractors, service providers, offtake purchasers, and others. To the extent that a dispute resolution mechanism is swift, flexible, reliable, final, and enforceable, the project’s intended allocation of risks can be maintained. This chapter identifies various dispute resolution mechanisms that are available to project participants and discusses their suitability for the maintenance of a project’s intended risk allocation. It first addresses the options for the resolution of disputes about commercial risks. It then considers options for resolving disputes about political risks. Finally, it discusses the enforcement of arbitral awards and domestic judgments.
Civil Enforcement by Regulators
Authors: Russen Jonathan , Kingham Robin
Published: May 2020

This chapter studies regulators’ extensive power of enforcement action. In broad summary, regulators may discipline authorised firms and approved persons through the imposition of financial penalties or through the issuance of ‘public censure’; and vary, cancel, or impose requirements upon a firm’s Part 4A permission to carry out a regulated activity. They may also prohibit an individual from being employed in connection with a regulated activity; require restitution of profits which have accrued to authorised persons contravening relevant requirements or persons engaged in market abuse, or of losses which have been suffered by others as a result of those breaches; and apply to court for injunctions and other orders against persons contravening relevant requirements or persons engaged in market abuse. Part 26 of the FSMA contains the procedural requirements that must be met before the relevant regulator may impose the sanctions and penalties. The chapter then considers the constitution and procedures of the Regulatory Decisions Committee, which has a central role in the regulatory function of the FCA.
The Disclosure Paradigm
Authors: Hu Henry T C
Published: May 2020

This chapter focuses on the United States' (US) disclosure paradigm. It explains that the disclosure paradigm contemplates a unique regulatory role for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Here, the fulfilment of its core mission is essential not only to investor protection and market efficiency, but to a wide variety of transparency-dependent corporate governance mechanisms. Financial innovation is contributing to a ‘too complex to depict’ problem that brings into question the sufficiency of the core approach to information that the SEC has used since its creation. Moreover, particular financial innovations pose product-specific challenges to the fulfilment of the SEC's mission. Additionally, changing conceptions of the ends to be achieved by public disclosure, within the SEC disclosure system itself and pursuant to a new disclosure system driven by regulators with far different mindsets, raise new issues. It is now demonstrable that the new modes of information and the alternative data made possible by technological innovation can help address some of the disclosure challenges posed by financial innovation. At the same time, these new modes and alternative data introduce regulatory complexities. The chapter thus concludes that modern divergences are making life interesting for regulators, practitioners, and academics alike.
The Contents of the Prospectus
Authors: Strampelli Giovanni
Published: May 2020

This chapter focuses on the financial information to be included in a prospectus. It argues that as far as financial information is concerned, the new EU prospectus regime is in line with the objectives of the European Commission to reduce the administrative burden for issuers when drawing up a prospectus, and to make the prospectus a more relevant disclosure tool for potential investors. Nevertheless, in spite of such simplifications, it remains that financial information is one of the most technical elements of the prospectus contents and, as such, is primarily addressed to sophisticated investors. In particular, pro forma financial information and profit estimates and forecast are deemed to be of limited usefulness for unsophisticated investors. Therefore, in this regard, it is particularly important that (as recommended by the European Commission) the information included in the prospectus summary and primarily addressed to retail investors should not be a mere compilation of excerpts from the prospectus.
Omission of Information, Incorporation by Reference, Publication, and Language of the Prospectus
Authors: Leocani Paola
Published: May 2020

This chapter considers the topics of omission of information, incorporation by reference, publication, and language of the prospectus. It argues that the reform of the prospectus provisions governing these topics is aimed to facilitate the recourse to capital markets by reducing the costs of a prospectus, without weakening investor protection. The new rules also determine a more efficient coordination of the prospectus regime with other aspects of the EU legal framework for capital markets. Indeed, the Prospectus Regulation allows for prospectus information to be omitted in some cases without the responsible parties being accountable for it, provided that specific requirements are complied with in order to guarantee investor protection. The first type of omission allowed is the incorporation by reference, where the relevant information is not expressly disclosed, but incorporated by reference to one or more documents having certain characteristics. Here, enhancement of the incorporation by reference is a valuable instrument to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens of drawing up a prospectus, to make the prospectus a more relevant disclosure tool for potential investors, and to achieve more convergence between the EU prospectus and other EU disclosure rules.
The Approval of Prospectus
Authors: Di Noia Carmine , Gargantini Matteo
Published: May 2020

This chapter sets out the rules regarding competent authorities, approval of the prospectus, notification, and sanctions. It analyses the regulatory framework for prospectus approval by national competent authorities (NCAs). NCAs approve prospectuses after verifying that they are complete, consistent, and comprehensible. The delegated acts supplementing the Prospectus Regulation specify the contents of the supervisory activity at a much greater level of detail than the previous regime. However, it remains to be seen whether this will suffice to ensure an actual level playing field across the Union. Indeed, NCAs might maintain different approaches during the approval process even in the presence of ESMA's coordination efforts. Next to this, Member States retain discretion on some crucial regulatory options, and the liability regimes are often uneven across Member States. All these remaining differences create space for arbitration, and make the rules on the identification of the relevant NCA all the more important. This chapter thus analyses the legal regime for the allocation of the power to approve prospectuses from two different perspectives.
France
Authors: Bonneau Thierry
Published: May 2020

This chapter sets out the French law. Financial operations triggering the obligation to draw up a prospectus are common in France. By contrast, the chapter shows that there is no judicial decision holding people accountable for infringing the prospectus legislation. However, this does not mean that there are no decisions concerning prospectuses or, more generally, financial information. The chapter asserts that these decisions to in fact exist. However, in these decisions, either provisions other than provisions of the prospectus legislation are applied to prospectuses, or the document of information is other than the prospectus. More often than not, the decisions are about people who are accused of having spread false or misleading information. From this point of view, these decisions are relevant regardless of the context and the document used in order to disseminate such information. The solutions resulting from these decisions are applicable to difficulties concerning information included in a prospectus.
Relocating Manzanar: Environmental Histories of Racial Violence in Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s Farewell to Manzanar and Nina Revoyr’s Southland
Authors: Toy Gregory
Published: May 2020

Whereas previous studies of internment have emphasized the political and psychological dimensions of the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, this essay considers the entanglement of land use, urban segregation, and water politics that underlies the construction of Manzanar War Relocation Center. In unearthing the multilayered histories underlying the formation of Manzanar War Relocation Center, this essay shows how the evacuation of Japanese Americans to California's Owens Valley emerges out of and draws into relief the region's overlapping histories of environmental and social injustice, as evident in regional conflicts such as the California water wars, that extend beyond the scope of World War II. In doing so, this essay advances an environmental critique of US imperialist expansion and settler colonialism by focusing on recurrent environmental tropes in two works that cast internment and adjacent sites of racial containment as interlinked spaces of unequal political status: Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston's memoir Farewell to Manzanar (1973), coauthored with her husband James D. Houston, and Nina Revoyr's novel Southland (2003). These texts suggest that the racial geography of the United States has been shaped by the concentration of people of color in devitalized landscapes, intended sites of environmental ruin and economic disinvestment, that serve to assimilate or alienate ethnic populations.
Correct Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment Allows Sailor to Remain on Active Duty
Authors: Frazier Andrea R
Published: May 2020

Diabetes is a growing epidemic worldwide and among our active duty population, posing a significant threat to maintaining military health and operational readiness. Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is a growing clinical phenotype of diabetes, with overlap between traditional type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this case, a 27-year-old active duty male presented with polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, and recent weight loss. He was diagnosed with LADA, placed on a period of limited duty status and started on insulin. Eight months after diagnosis, he was transitioned from insulin to a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist in an effort to be returned to full duty status and worldwide deployable. Over 3 years after initial diagnosis, he has achieved partial clinical remission. He remains on active duty, serving on a medically limited platform with a single medication (a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist) and high compliance with a gluten-free, low-carbohydrate diet and regular exercise. One should consider the diagnosis of LADA and its unique management, especially in the younger active duty population. Not only is making the correct diagnosis regarding the type of diabetes critical in regard to prognosis and optimal medical management, but it can affect the ability of military members to remain on active duty.
Erythema Multiforme Versus Stevens–Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Subtle Difference in Presentation, Major Difference in Management
Authors: Newkirk Russell E , Fomin Daren A , Braden Mary M
Published: May 2020

Erythema multiforme and Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis are immune-mediated epidermal conditions with variable clinical presentations. Although their clinical presentations often overlap, they have distinct etiologies and potential outcomes, which necessitate specific management strategies. This case is presented to highlight the subtle differences and review management given that Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis can rapidly become life-threatening. The need for astute diagnostic work-up and accuracy is magnified in the military setting given operations in austere environments and availability of medical and medical evacuation resources. Herein, we present a less common case of bullous erythema-multiforme, the diagnostic approach, and clinical differential with special attention to the importance of the military physician.
A long-period (P = 61.8 d) M5V dwarf eclipsing a Sun-like star from TESS and NGTS
Authors: Gill Samuel , Cooke Benjamin F , Bayliss Daniel , Nielsen Louise D , Lendl Monika , Wheatley Peter J , Anderson David R , Moyano Maximiliano , Bryant Edward M , Acton Jack S , Belardi Claudia , Bouchy François , Burleigh Matthew R , Casewell Sarah L , Chaushev Alexander , Goad Michael R , Jackman James A G , Jenkins James S , McCormac James , Günther Maximilian N , Osborn Hugh P , Pollacco Don , Raynard Liam , Smith Alexis M S , Tilbrook Rosanna H , Turner Oliver , Udry Stéphane , Vines Jose I , Watson Christopher A , West Richard G
Published: May 2020

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite has produced a large number of single-transit event candidates which are being monitored by the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). We observed a second epoch for the TIC-231005575 system (Tmag = 12.06 and $T_{\rm eff} = 5500 \pm 85\, \mathrm{ K}$) with NGTS and a third epoch with Las Cumbres Observatory’s telescope in South Africa to constrain the orbital period ($P = 61.777\, \mathrm{ d}$). Subsequent radial velocity measurements with CORALIE revealed the transiting object has a mass of M2 = 0.128 ± 0.003 M⊙, indicating the system is a G-M binary. The radius of the secondary is R2 = 0.154 ± 0.008 R⊙ and is consistent with mesa models of stellar evolution to better than 1σ.
Timing of the accreting millisecond pulsar IGR J17591–2342: evidence of spin-down during accretion
Authors: Sanna A , Burderi L , Gendreau K C , Di Salvo T , Ray P S , Riggio A , Gambino A F , Iaria R , Piga L , Malacaria C , Jaisawal G K
Published: May 2020

We report on the phase-coherent timing analysis of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar IGR J17591–2342, using Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) data taken during the outburst of the source between 2018 August 15 and 2018 October 17. We obtain an updated orbital solution of the binary system. We investigate the evolution of the neutron star spin frequency during the outburst, reporting a refined estimate of the spin frequency and the first estimate of the spin frequency derivative ($\dot{\nu }\sim -7\times 10^{-14}$ Hz s−1), confirmed independently from the modelling of the fundamental frequency and its first harmonic. We further investigate the evolution of the X-ray pulse phases adopting a physical model that accounts for the accretion material torque as well as the magnetic threading of the accretion disc in regions where the Keplerian velocity is slower than the magnetosphere velocity. From this analysis we estimate the neutron star magnetic field Beq = 2.8(3) × 108 G. Finally, we investigate the pulse profile dependence on energy finding that the observed behaviour of the pulse fractional amplitude and lags as a function of energy is compatible with the down-scattering of hard X-ray photons in the disc or the neutron star surface.
Common envelope evolution on the asymptotic giant branch: unbinding within a decade?
Authors: Chamandy Luke , Blackman Eric G , Frank Adam , Carroll-Nellenback Jonathan , Tu Yisheng
Published: May 2020

Common envelope (CE) evolution is a critical but still poorly understood progenitor phase of many high-energy astrophysical phenomena. Although 3D global hydrodynamic CE simulations have become more common in recent years, those involving an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) primary are scarce, due to the high computational cost from the larger dynamical range compared to red giant branch (RGB) primaries. But CE evolution with AGB progenitors is desirable to simulate because such events are the likely progenitors of most bi-polar planetary nebulae (PNe), and prominent observational testing grounds for CE physics. Here we present a high-resolution global simulation of CE evolution involving an AGB primary and 1-$\mathrm{M_\odot }$ secondary, evolved for 20 orbital revolutions. During the last 16 of these orbits, the envelope unbinds at an almost constant rate of about 0.1–$0.2\, \mathrm{M_\odot \, yr^{-1}}$. If this rate were maintained, the envelope would be unbound in less than $10\, {\rm yr}$. The dominant source of this unbinding is consistent with inspiral; we assess the influence of the ambient medium to be subdominant. We compare this run with a previous run that used an RGB phase primary evolved from the same 2-$\mathrm{M_\odot }$ main-sequence star to assess the influence of the evolutionary state of the primary. When scaled appropriately, the two runs are quite similar, but with some important differences.