bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wastewater discharges and urban land cover dominate urban hydrology signals across England and Wales
Authors: Coxon Gemma , McMillan Hilary , Bloomfield John P , Bolotin Lauren , Dean Joshua F , Kelleher Christa , Slater Louise , Zheng Yanchen
Published: June 2024

Urbanisation is an important driver of changes in streamflow. These changes are not uniform across catchments due to the diverse nature of water sources, storage, and pathways in urban river systems. While land cover data are typically used in urban hydrology analyses, other characteristics of urban systems (such as water management practices) are poorly quantified which means that urbanisation impacts on streamflow are often difficult to detect and quantify. Here, we assess urban impacts on streamflow dynamics for 711 catchments across England and Wales. We use the CAMELS-GB dataset, which is a large-sample hydrology dataset containing hydro-meteorological timeseries and catchment attributes characterising climate, geology, water management practices and land cover. We quantify urban impacts on a wide range of streamflow dynamics (flow magnitudes, variability, frequency, and duration) using random forest models. We demonstrate that wastewater discharges from sewage treatment plants and urban land cover dominate urban hydrology signals across England and Wales. Wastewater discharges increase low flows and reduce flashiness in urban catchments. In contrast, urban land cover increases flashiness and frequency of medium and high flow events. We highlight the need to move beyond land cover metrics and include other features of urban river systems in hydrological analyses to quantify current and future drivers of urban streamflow.
Maize migration mitigates the negative impact of climate change on China’s maize yield
Authors: Su Xun , Chen Minpeng
Published: June 2024

Crop migration as an adaptation to modulate climate change’s impact on crop yields presents both benefits and risks. We explored how maize migration in China modulates yield responses to climate change and quantified the potential economic benefits of maize migration as an adaptation strategy. We employed a panel data model to identify and measure the factors driving the relocation of maize area, linear regression to quantify the effects of maize migration on climate exposure and irrigated area, and an econometric model to estimate the effects of maize migration on yield. The results show that rise in temperature has a significant negative effect on maize area and that precipitation has a significant positive effect. The migration of maize area is driven by socio-economic factors including agricultural gross domestic product, power of farming machines, and fertilizer input. Moreover, expanded irrigation reduces the adverse effects of high temperatures on maize yield, thereby influencing adaptive crop migrations. The beneficial effects of maize migration are primarily achieved by reducing the adverse effects of extreme heat and strengthening the positive effects of irrigation. However, the extent of this adaptation is jointly affected by agricultural policies, irrigation infrastructure, and economic factors. Current market-oriented agricultural policies may be effective in guiding spatial shifts in maize distribution to align with climate-driven changes, potentially decreasing the vulnerability of China’s maize yield to the impact of climate change. China’s food security policies need to consider climate-driven spatial shifts in crop cultivation and enhance food subsidy policies to highlight the benefits of investment in climate change adaptation, such as adjusting cropping acreage and irrigation to farmers in North China.
Wind-driven sediment exchange between the Indian marginal seas over the last 18 000 years
Authors: Kang Xiaoying , Yu Zhaojie , Song Lina , Colin Christophe , Wilson David J , Song Zehua , Su Bai , Tang Xiaojie , Chang Fengming , Bassinot Franck , Wan Shiming
Published: June 2024

The Indian Coastal Current is the only channel for material exchange between the two largest marginal seas in the northern Indian Ocean: the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. However, its past history is poorly known, limiting accurate predictions of its future changes. Here, we present a new clay mineral record from south of India supported by interpretations of model simulations to trace its variability over the last 18 000 years. Decreased smectite/(illite + chlorite) ratios during the cold intervals suggest that a stronger northeasterly wind led to a mean southward flow of the Indian Coastal Current in the Bay of Bengal. In contrast, increased smectite/(illite + chlorite) ratios during the warm intervals suggest the opposite scenario. Combining the proxy record with model simulations, we infer that atmospheric circulation changes were the main driver of the changes. Moreover, a possible link is observed between a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and weakened southward flow of the Indian Coastal Current in the Bay of Bengal during the Holocene. These findings imply that future warming scenarios, if associated with more intense positive IOD events as proposed, may lead to a reduction in fresh water transport from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea.
Refrigeration by modified Otto cycles and modified swaps through generalized measurements
Authors: Behzadi Naghi
Published: June 2024

We introduce two types of thermodynamic refrigeration cycles obtained through modification of the Otto cycle refrigerator by a generalized measurement channel. These refrigerators are corresponding to the activation of the measurement-based stroke before (first type) and after (second type) the full thermalization of the cooling medium by the cold reservoir in the related familiar Otto cycle. We show that the coefficient of performance for the first type modified refrigerator increases linearly in terms of measurement strength parameter, beyond the classical cooling of the familiar Otto cycle refrigerator. The second type interestingly introduces an autonomous refrigerator whose supplying work is provided by a quantum engine induced by the measurement channel and operates simultaneously inside the modified cycle. By the considered measurement channel, we also establish such modifications on the swap refrigerator. It is observed that the thermodynamic properties of the obtained modified swap refrigerators are the same as of the modified Otto cycle ones respectively.
The Law of Just Relationships
Authors: Dagan Hanoch , Dorfman Avihay
Published: June 2024

This introductory chapter succinctly lays out the book’s conceptual and normative claims while delineating its ambition. We argue that private law should, and to a significant degree already does, abide by two fundamental commitments: reciprocal respect for self-determination and substantive equality. This we refer to as relational justice. The chapter highlights the distinctive features of the relational justice theory of private law, sketches its main arguments, and outlines its principled guidelines, originating in the basic features of law and private law. Implicit in this is our opposition to the dominant schools of private law theory, whether they take the private law category seriously or marginalize its significance.
Vergil’s Garden (Georgics 4.116–48)
Authors: Myers K Sara
Published: June 2024

Chapter 2 examines Vergil’s famous garden passage in Georgics 4.116–48 as a literary paradigm for interpreting the Roman garden and as an important model for later Latin authors. Vergil recalls a humble, but sufficient, hortus in Tarentum gardened by an old Corycian. The many and varied ancient and modern interpretations of this complex passage illustrate well the numerous potential associations of (male) gardening: literary, aesthetic, ethical and philosophical, and political. The garden serves as a metapoetic symbol of Vergil’s poetic task and as a statement of his literary affiliations, especially with Hellenistic poetry. Horticulture is presented in a praeteritio, which highlights its special status within the agricultural world and raises questions about its relationship to the rest of the poem, in terms of genre and content. The garden embodies a number of unresolved tensions in the Georgics as a whole between the bucolic and georgic genres, labor and leisure, and humans and the natural world.
Conclusion and Epilogue
Authors: Myers K Sara
Published: June 2024

This chapter offers an overview and summary of the study. It also provides an Epilogue that traces briefly some major changes and continuities in later Latin literature that bring out some of the distinctive features of these earlier representations and remind us that many of our conceptions of the garden are post-Classical. Most notably, the later literary tradition of gardens in Greek and Latin literature is dramatically altered by the influence of the Jewish and Christian traditions, which introduce new allegorical dimensions to the representations of gardens. There is, however, at the same time a remarkable continuity in the techniques and functions of garden descriptions, due to the similar writing and reading practices of late Latin poets with those of the classical past and their desire to associate themselves with the earlier literary tradition. The classical texts and their garden depictions surveyed in this study remained important models for the Latin poets of late antiquity. The cultural value of the villa and its grounds and gardens continues as an important feature of later Roman masculine self-definition. Garden imagery endures as a self-reflexive symbol of aesthetics and poetics, but it gains a Christian interpretation, either as a metaphor for the cultivation of the soul or as an earthly image of the Garden of Eden or Heavenly Paradise.
Video Culture in India
Authors: Tiwary Ishita
Published: June 2024

This book narrates the history of video technology in India as it made its entry in the 1980s, along with its production and reception practices. Each chapter examines forms that arose with the arrival of video. Specifically, it looks at the widespread explosion of the marriage video, the little-known history of the video film, the intensity associated with the video news magazine, and the explosive imagination attached to the religious video. It focuses on the analog period, showing it as an important inflection point for current debates over new and digital media. Video Culture in India draws on oral histories, discarded tapes, and forgotten archives to unravel the history of analog video in India alongside a broad narrative of the cultural history of the country from the 1980s to the early 1990s.
Video as Intimacy
Authors: Tiwary Ishita
Published: June 2024

This chapter looks at the role of straight-to-video productions and their engendering of a film culture that ran parallel with Bollywood. These video films were shot, edited, and distributed on video and introduced to the market by Nari Hira, owner of Magna Publications which published Stardust, India’s most popular film tabloid. They were extremely successful and moved through the video circuit and were connected to the Hindi film industry via a complex and intricate system of links. More than any other form discussed in this volume, the video film demonstrated the medium’s attempt to define itself in opposition to celluloid. All these issues are discussed through a biography of Hiba Films, a process that allowed the chapter to engage with legal regulations, the tabloid Stardust, a complex video infrastructure, a parallel star system, and the aesthetics of the form.
The Afterlives of the Video Pravachana
Authors: Tiwary Ishita
Published: June 2024

This chapter highlights the relationship between video technology and religious movements. It looks at the video pravachana and its relationship to the Rajneesh commune. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, religious videos such as those on the charismatic figure of Rajneesh and videos filmed on devotional songs (notably those produced by T-Series) gained popularity. Through the use of the ‘video darshan’ it delineates the intricate connections between electronic media and religion by examining video’s centrality in the buildup of Rajneesh’s persona.
Ambedkar's Political Philosophy
Authors: Rodrigues Valerian
Published: June 2024

This study is organized around a set of key concepts that Ambedkar, the Indian thinker and leader of the socially marginalized, proposed to reconstruct public life, factoring in oppression and degradation. This framework conceived human beings as endowed with a distinct set of attributes entitling them to consideration as moral equals despite other differences among them. It also accorded a procedural priority to consciousness in human understanding. Ambedkar deployed this framework to contend against social institutions of caste, untouchability, and other forms of marginalities and to interrogate texts, traditions, and modes of social dominance. Ambedkar regards justice as foundational to modern societies. It called for ‘initial equality’ across its members while recognizing desert. All differential accomplishments, however, cannot be rewarded or compensated. Democracy is an essential requirement to resolve competing claims. As a self-governing mode of rule, democracy affords access to its members to multiple avenues of reach, learning, and enablement. Nationalism, a distinctive bond that precipitates with the entry of the masses into the political arena, is justiciable only if it has a definitive tilt towards democracy. Social relations, however, are caught in trappings of power across levels of a social ensemble. Control over state power is an indispensable condition to undermine dominance and enable the commons. The representational, constitutional, and institutional architecture of power must be geared to this end. Such a pursuit needs to be secured through an apt moral anchor shored up through religious sanctions. In Ambedkar’s view only Buddhism can measure up to this demand.
Constitutionalism and Rule of Law
Authors: Rodrigues Valerian
Published: June 2024

Ambedkar thought that as an institutional complex the state needs to be clear about its objectives. In the Indian Constitution, he paid close attention to the preamble in this regard, revamping Jawaharlal Nehru’s formulation. While he argued for the fundamental rights of citizens, he did not regard them any one of them as absolute and pleaded for considering them as a whole and not discretely. He sought positive interventions of the state for the enablement of citizens and to protect the context of rights. While he upheld the principle of separation of powers and considered federalism as a commendable device to manage large and diverse polities, he argued that it is not a stand-alone principle but needs to be in consonance with constitutional objectives. A constitutional scheme would succeed only if there was general deference to constitutional morality, which, he argued, is habitual fealty to constitutional provisions.
Religion and the Modern Public
Authors: Rodrigues Valerian
Published: June 2024

In Ambedkar we find a sustained emphasis on the significance of religion in public life. Religion sacralizes life, affirms it, and forbids its violation. The sanctions and interdictions that religion invokes enjoy greater deference than moral codes and laws. Law and morality have little capacity to hold out unless they are grounded in religious sensibility. What religion holds as sacrosanct, however, has undergone mutations over time. In modern times, the religious imaginary revolves around the value of the individual and his/her claim to justice. Such an imaginary tends to subject all existing religions to test. Ambedkar thought that the teachings of the Buddha are in consonance with this imaginary and, therefore, eminently suited to be the foundational basis of modern public life.
Conclusion: An Imaginary of Public Life From Social Margins
Authors: Rodrigues Valerian
Published: June 2024

There is a consistent and remarkably coherent set of arguments that Ambedkar advances for the constitution of public life placing those in social margins at the centre of his thought. While these arguments address the concerns of a people wrestling against colonial context, they at the same time are imbued with the concerns of those at the social margins everywhere: These arguments seek to place the idea of the human at the centre of public life and make it the measure of a fulfilling life to every man and woman. Ambedkar calls for a radical overhauling of the social, economic, constitutional and religious parameters of society for the purpose. The rich arguments that he deploys while they craft a distinct map of public life are, however, caught in contentions, and even antinomies.
Comparison of clevidipine vs nicardipine in the treatment of hypertensive urgency and emergency in critically ill patients
Authors: Johnson Logan , Erdman Michael , Ferreira Jason
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Evidence has suggested that clevidipine may provide faster blood pressure (BP) reduction with less volume than nicardipine in stroke and cardiothoracic surgery patients, but its use in hypertensive crises has not been well established. The primary objective of this study was to compare the treatment success of clevidipine and nicardipine in hypertensive crisis.

Methods

This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study including patients who received either clevidipine or nicardipine for treatment of hypertensive crisis. The primary outcome was the time from infusion start to attainment of goal BP, defined as the higher value of the guideline-directed 25% reduction in BP or the physician-ordered goal. Secondary outcomes were the time from infusion start to guideline-directed 25% reduction in BP, drug and total volume intake, the time from order entry to BP goal attainment, the number of BP and heart rate excursions, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, and study medication cost.

Results

In total, 182 patients were included in the study (103 receiving nicardipine and 79 receiving clevidipine). Time to goal BP was similar between the groups (35 vs 33 minutes for clevidipine vs nicardipine, respectively; P = 0.37). Time to guideline-directed 25% reduction was also similar (P = 0.42). Volume from study drug was significantly less with clevidipine (222 vs 518 mL; P = 0.01); however, the total volume received in the ICU was similar (3,370 vs 3,383 mL; P = 0.43). Percent time in the goal BP range was similar (43.1% vs 42.3%). The cost of clevidipine was $199.37 per vial (based on the average wholesale price as of June 2023). This cost was 682% higher than that for a bag of nicardipine.

Conclusion

Time to goal BP was similar for clevidipine and nicardipine in this population. Any decreases in medication-associated volume with clevidipine were no longer evident when all volume sources were considered. These results show that clevidipine may not provide meaningful benefit in this heterogenous population. The difference in cost does not seem justified given the lack of improvement in clinically relevant outcomes.
Oncogenic alterations in KIR3DL1 in cutaneous acral CD8+ lymphoproliferative disorder
Authors: Wobser Marion , Appenzeller Silke , Roth Sabine , Siedel Claudia , Goebeler Matthias , Geissinger Eva , Rosenwald Andreas , Maurus Katja
Published: June 2024

Background

Primary cutaneous acral CD8+ T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder (TLPD) is a rare and indolent lymphoma entity. Although TLPD was first identified many years ago, the molecular pathogenesis is still not fully understood.

Objectives

In order to better understand the molecular pathogenesis of cutaneous acral CD8+ TLPD and to identify further discriminatory markers to differentiate this lymphoma subtype from other CD8+ cutaneous lymphomas, we analysed five cases of cutaneous acral CD8+ TLPD for putative molecular alterations.

Methods

Somatic alterations were assessed using whole-exome and targeted sequencing of paraffin-embedded tissue. Results were evaluated using immunohistochemical staining of respective relevant proteins. CD8+ cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (n = 12) served as control for KIR3DL1 staining.

Results

Copy number variation analysis revealed a homozygous deletion of the KIR3DL1 gene in two of the analysed cases. This resulted in loss of KIR3DL1 protein expression, which was observed in all cases of cutaneous acral CD8+ TLPD. In contrast, KIR3DL1 expression was more variable in other CD8+ cutaneous T-cell lymphomas with 50% of analysed cases (n = 12) found to be positive. In addition, one further case of acral CD8+ TLPD harboured a loss-of-function mutation in the PIK3R1 gene, presumably activating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT pathway.

Conclusions

Alterations of the KIR3DL1 gene may be of pathogenetic relevance for acral CD8+ TLPD. Loss of KIR3DL1 protein expression may support the diagnosis of this indolent lymphoma entity; however, this is not a subtype-specific discriminative feature.
Urticaria and the risk of cancer: a Danish population-based cohort study
Authors: Sørensen Sissel B T , Farkas Dóra K , Vestergaard Christian , Schmidt Sigrun A J , Lindahl Lise Maria , Mansfield Kathryn E , Langan Sinead M , Sørensen Henrik T
Published: June 2024

Background

Urticaria has been tentatively linked to cancer, but epidemiological evidence supporting this link is sparse and conflicting. We conducted a population-based cohort study using healthcare databases covering the Danish population (January 1980–December 2022). We followed 87 507 people for a median of 10.1 years after their first hospital contact for urticaria.

Objectives

To examine associations of a hospital diagnosis of urticaria with incident cancer.

Methods

We computed the absolute risk of cancer and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) standardized to Danish national cancer rates. In a cross-sectional analysis, we examined whether the extent of cancer spread differed between people with vs. without a previous urticaria diagnosis.

Results

The overall SIR for all types of cancer was 1.09 (95% CI 1.06–1.11) based on 7788 observed vs. 7161 expected cases. The risk for any cancer was 0.7% (95% CI 0.6–0.7) for the first year of follow-up. Cancer was diagnosed in 588 people with urticaria during the first year of follow-up (SIR 1.49, 95% CI 1.38–1.62) and in 7200 people thereafter (SIR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04–1.09). During the first year of follow-up, we found strong associations with haematological cancers (e.g. non-Hodgkin lymphoma; SIR 2.91, 95% CI 1.92–4.23). Cancer stage was similar in people with vs. without a previous urticaria diagnosis.

Conclusions

At the time of urticaria diagnosis, or in the first year afterward, we found a large increase in the risk of cancer. In subsequent years, a persistent 6% increase in risk remained. Diagnostic efforts may partly explain the elevated short-term risk, but occult cancer may promote urticaria, or cancer and urticaria share common risk factors.
Treatment of palmoplantar psoriasis with oral roflumilast: a case series
Authors: Lasheras-Pérez Miguel Antonio , Peñuelas-Leal Rodrigo , Sanchez-Carazo José Luis , Javier Sahuquillo-Torralba Antonio , Magdaleno-Tapial Jorge , Torres-Navarro Ignacio , Unamuno-Bustos Blanca , López-Davia Javier , Pujol-Marco Conrad , Escutia-Muñoz Begoña , Botella-Estrada Rafael
Published: June 2024

Palmoplantar psoriasis (PP) is a particular type of psoriasis that can justify systemic treatment. Roflumilast is a targeted inhibitor of phosphodiesterase-4 that has been recently approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration as a cream for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. In a small randomized clinical trial and single case reports, oral roflumilast has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of plaque psoriasis. To the best of our knowledge, we present the first case series of patients with PP treated with oral roflumilast.
An early accumulation of serum uric acid confers more risk of heart failure: a 10-year prospective cohort study
Authors: Tian Xue , Chen Shuohua , Zhang Yijun , Xia Xue , Xu Qin , Wu Shouling , Wang Anxin
Published: June 2024

Background

Evidence on the longitudinal association of serum uric acid (SUA) with the risk of heart failure (HF) was limited and controversial. This study aimed to investigate the associations of cumulative SUA (cumSUA), incorporating its time course of accumulation, with the risk of HF.

Methods and results

This prospective study enrolled 54 606 participants from the Kailuan study. The magnitude of SUA accumulation was expressed as cumSUA, exposure duration, and cumulative burden from baseline to the third survey, with cumSUA, calculated by multiplying mean values between consecutive examinations by time intervals between visits, as the primary exposure.

During a median follow-up of 10 years, 1260 cases of incident HF occurred. A higher risk of HF was observed in participants with the highest vs. the lowest quartile of cumSUA [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.54; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29–1.84], 6-year vs. 0-year exposure duration (aHR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.43–2.45), cumulative burden >0 vs. = 0 (aHR, 1.55; 95 CI, 1.29–1.86), and those with a negative vs. positive SUA slope (aHR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02–1.25). When cumSUA was incorporated with its time course, those with cumSUA ≥median and a negative SUA slope had the highest risk of HF (aHR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.29–1.86).

Conclusions

Incident HF risk was associated with the magnitude and time course of cumSUA accumulation. Early accumulation resulted in a greater risk of HF compared with later accumulation, indicating the importance of optimal SUA control earlier in life.
Three-dimensional reconstruction computed tomography in thoracoscopic segmentectomy: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chen Kai , Niu Zhenyi , Jin Runsen , Nie Qiang , Gong Xian , Du Mingyuan , Jiang Benyuan , Zheng Bin , Chen Chun , Zhong Wenzhao , Li Hecheng
Published: June 2024

OBJECTIVES

Thoracoscopic segmentectomy is the recommended treatment option for small peripheral pulmonary nodules. To assess the ability of preoperative three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction computed tomography (CT) to shorten the operative time and improve perioperative outcomes in thoracoscopic segmentectomy compared with standard chest CT, we conducted this randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

The DRIVATS study was a multicentre, randomized controlled trial conducted in 3 hospitals between July 2019 and November 2023. Patients with small peripheral pulmonary nodules not reaching segment borders were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 3D reconstruction CT or standard chest CT before thoracoscopic segmentectomy. The primary end-point was operative time. The secondary end-points included incidence of postoperative complications, intraoperative blood loss and operative accident event.

RESULTS

A total of 191 patients were enrolled in this study: 95 in the 3D reconstruction CT group and 96 in the standard chest CT group. All patients underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy except for 1 patient in the standard chest CT group who received a wedge resection. There is no significant difference in operative time between the 3D reconstruction CT group (median, 100 min [interquartile range (IQR), 85–120]) and the standard chest CT group (median, 100 min [IQR, 81–140]) (P = 0.82). Only 1 intraoperative complication occurred in the standard chest CT group. No significant difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative complications between the 2 groups (P = 0.52). Other perioperative outcomes were also similar.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with small peripheral pulmonary nodules not reaching segment borders, the use of 3D reconstruction CT in thoracoscopic segmentectomy was feasible, but it did not result in significant differences in operative time or perioperative outcomes compared to standard chest CT.
Temporal variations of the ‘in-situ’ nonlinear behaviour of shallow sediments during the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake sequence
Authors: Esfahani Reza , Cotton Fabrice , Bonilla Luis Fabian
Published: June 2024

Strong ground shaking has the potential to generate significant dynamic strains in shallow materials such as soils and sediments, thereby inducing nonlinear site response resulting in changes in near-surface materials. The nonlinear behaviour of these materials can be characterized by an increase in wave attenuation and a decrease in the resonant frequency of the soil; these effects are attributed to increased material damping and decreased seismic wave propagation velocity, respectively. This study investigates the ‘in-situ’ seismic velocity changes and the predominant ground motion frequency evolution during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake sequence. This sequence includes two foreshocks (Mw 6 and Mw 6.2) followed by a mainshock (Mw 7.2) that occurred 24 hr after the last foreshock. We present the results of the seismic velocity evolution during these earthquakes for seismological records collected by the KiK-net (32 stations) and K-NET (88 stations) networks between 2002 and 2020. We analyse the impulse response and autocorrelation functions to investigate the nonlinear response in near-surface materials. By comparing the results of the impulse response and autocorrelation functions, we observe that a nonlinear response occurs in near-surface materials. We then quantify the velocity reductions that occur before, during, and after the mainshock using both approaches. This allows us to estimate the ‘in-situ’ shear modulus reduction for different site classes based on V$_{S30}$ values (V$_{S30}\lt 360$ m s−1, $360\lt $V$_{S30}\lt 760$ m s−1 and V$_{S30}\gt 760$ m s−1). We also establish the relationships between velocity changes, shear modulus reduction, variations in predominant ground motion frequencies and site characteristics (V$_{S30}$). The results of this analysis can be applied to site-specific ground motion modelling, site response analysis and the incorporation of nonlinear site terms into ground motion models.
Integrated transcriptome and metabolome reveal that SlSYTA modulates ROS responses driving resistance defense in Solanum lycopersicum
Authors: Tian Shaorui , Liu Changyun , Luo Futing , Qiao Gang , Dong Jie , Wang Qin , Wen Yuxia , Wei Xuefeng , Pan Qi , Ma Xiaozhou , Sun Xianchao
Published: June 2024

Synaptotagmin A (SYTA), renowned for its indispensable role in mammalian vesicle trafficking, has recently captured attention in plant biology owing to its potential regulatory functions. This study meticulously delves into the involvement of Solanum lycopersicum SlSYTA in plant immunity, focusing on its response to an array of pathogens affecting tomatoes. Our comprehensive inquiry uncovers that SlSYTA overexpression heightens susceptibility to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), Phytophthora capsici, Botrytis cinerea, and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000, whereas RNA interference (RNAi) plants show a robust and encompassing resistance to these pathogens. Remarkably, our findings shed light on SlSYTA's negative regulation of pivotal aspects of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) defense, notably hindering the reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, impeding stomatal closure, and curtailing callose deposition. Through meticulous scrutiny via transcriptome and metabolome analyses, our studies reveal SlSYTA's profound impact on diverse plant defense pathways, specifically influencing phenylpropanoid metabolism, hormone signaling, and oxidative phosphorylation, primarily via NADPH synthesis modulation in the pentose phosphate pathway, and ultimately interplay within ROS signaling. Collectively, our research presents groundbreaking insights into the intricate molecular mechanisms governing plant immunity, emphasizing the significant role of SlSYTA in orchestrating plant responses to biotic stress.
Epicardial and endocardial surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation: outcomes from CASE-AF Registry
Authors: Mitrovic Ivana , Eszlari Edgar , Cvorak Adi , Liebold Andreas , Rastan Ardawan , Grubitzsch Herko , Knaut Michael , Fischlein Theodor , Ouarrak Taoufik , Senges Jochen , Hanke Thorsten , Doll Nicolas , Eichinger Walter
Published: June 2024

OBJECTIVES

The German CArdioSurgEry Atrial Fibrillation Registry is a prospective, multicentric registry analysing outcomes of patients undergoing surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation as concomitant or stand-alone procedures. This data sub-analysis of the German CArdioSurgEry Atrial Fibrillation Registry aims to describe the in-hospital and 1-year outcomes after concomitant surgical ablation, based on 2 different ablation approaches, epicardial and endocardial surgical ablation.

METHODS

Between January 2017 and April 2020, 17 German cardiosurgical units enrolled 763 consecutive patients after concomitant surgical ablation. In the epicardial group, 413 patients (54.1%), 95.6% underwent radiofrequency ablation. In the endocardial group, 350 patients (45.9%), 97.7% underwent cryoablation. 61.5% of patients in the epicardial group and 49.4% of patients in the endocardial group presenting with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Pre-, intra- and post-operative data were gathered.

RESULTS

Upon discharge, 32.3% (n = 109) of patients after epicardial surgical ablation and 24.0% (n = 72) of patients after endocardial surgical ablation showed recurrence of atrial fibrillation. The in-hospital mortality rate was low, 2.2% (n = 9) in the epicardial and 2.9% (n = 10) in the endocardial group. The overall 1-year procedural success rate was 58.4% in the epicardial and 62.2% in the endocardial group, with significant symptom improvement in both groups. The 1-year mortality rate was 7.7% (n = 30) in epicardial and 5.0% (n = 17) in the endocardial group.

CONCLUSIONS

Concomitant surgical ablation is safe and effective with significant improvement in patient symptoms and freedom from atrial fibrillation. Adequate cardiac rhythm monitoring should be prioritized for higher quality data acquisition.
Expanded perspectives: integrating clinicians’ insights for comprehensive patient-reported outcomes in value-based healthcare
Authors: Barello Serena , Bergamaschi Roberto , Provenzi Livio
Published: June 2024

The manuscript explores value-based healthcare (VBHC) and its role in assessing healthcare quality beyond clinical metrics. It identifies four value types: personal, technical, allocative, and societal. Emphasizing the integration of diverse stakeholder perspectives, including patients, families, and clinicians, the study highlights the importance of patient- and family-reported measures (PROMs and PREMs) and clinician input. Clinicians’ insights on treatment feasibility and effectiveness are crucial for a holistic understanding of healthcare quality. The manuscript advocates for combining machine learning with participatory approaches to enhance data analysis and continuous quality improvement in VBHC, driving better outcomes for patients and communities.
Discretionary justice in antitrust
Authors: Waller Spencer Weber
Published: June 2024

In this essay, I rely on the work of the great administrative law scholar Kenneth Culp Davis on discretionary justice to propose reforms of the obligations of the antitrust enforcement agencies to explain their overall priorities and certain key individual decisions where the agencies have thoroughly investigated a matter, but chosen not to proceed further. Finally, I respond to some of the criticisms of the movement for a more democratic antitrust regime, and conclude that most of the critiques reflect more of a preference for more laissez-faire market and legal outcomes, and indicate the need for more respect for democratic processes, rather than less.
Adaptive crossover-based marine predators algorithm for global optimization problems
Authors: Yasear Shaymah Akram
Published: June 2024

The Marine Predators Algorithm (MPA) is a swarm intelligence algorithm developed based on the foraging behavior of the ocean’s predators. This algorithm has drawbacks including, insufficient population diversity, leading to trapping in local optima and poor convergence. To mitigate these drawbacks, this paper introduces an enhanced MPA based on Adaptive Sampling with Maximin Distance Criterion (AM) and the horizontal and vertical crossover operators – i.e., Adaptive Crossover-based MPA (AC-MPA). The AM approach is used to generate diverse and well-distributed candidate solutions. Whereas the horizontal and vertical crossover operators maintain the population diversity during the search process. The performance of AC-MPA was tested using 51 benchmark functions from CEC2017, CEC2020, and CEC2022, with varying degrees of dimensionality, and the findings are compared with those of its basic version, variants, and numerous well-established metaheuristics. Additionally, 11 engineering optimization problems were utilized to verify the capabilities of the AC-MPA in handling real-world optimization problems. The findings clearly show that AC-MPA performs well in terms of its solution accuracy, convergence, and robustness. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm demonstrates considerable advantages in solving engineering problems, proving its effectiveness and adaptability.
The Preamble to the 1970 UNESCO Convention
Authors: Andrzej Jakubowski
Published: June 2024

This chapter covers the preamble to the 1970 UNESCO Convention. It defines a preamble as historical events, instruments of international law, and a solemn introduction to a treaty that usually explains the treaty’s background. According to the 1966 Declaration, the treaty's implementation should be undertaken within a wider framework of cultural cooperation and fundamental human rights. The chapter then details the four main pillars of the Preamble to the 1970 Convention, which include the value and significance of international licit cultural exchange and the protection and appreciation of cultural property. It cites that the Convention’s preambular clauses are the fruit of the long debates in the forum of UNESCO since the 1950s.
Article 2 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention: Purposes
Authors: Francesco Francioni
Published: June 2024

This chapter examines Article 2 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. Article 2 consists of elements concerning the practice of illicit traffic in cultural property, which primarily rests on a moral and political understanding regarding the public controls over the transnational movement of cultural property and the excavation and commercial exploitation of archaeological objects. Additionally, the provision establishes a general commitment of States Parties to address such problems through their disposal and international cooperation. The chapter then mentions the complexity of the matter when armed conflict and military occupation are considered. It also elaborates on the implementation of Article 2 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention.
Article 3 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention: Definition of ‘Illicit’
Authors: Marcílio Franca
Published: June 2024

This chapter explores the notion of illicitness and licitness as per Article 3 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. It explains that the distinction between both concepts has legal consequences significant for the stability and coherence of the whole normative system of sanction and nullity. The clandestine trade in cultural goods is one of the most serious global threats to cultural heritage, which only worsened amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Article 3 provides a guideline or a directive for both state behaviour and coordination between States Parties to harmonize national legislations or policies, because of the flexibility of the article. The chapter discusses the drafting history of the provision concerned with the removal of cultural goods from their country of origin.
Article 5(d) of the 1970 UNESCO Convention: The Supervision of Archaeological Excavations
Authors: Zeynep Boz
Published: June 2024

This chapter details the Article 5(d) of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. It explains the provisions aim of protecting archaeological heritage and fighting against illicit trafficking through supervision of archaeological excavations. The supervision of archaeological excavations takes several forms in different countries. However, there is harmony among scientific authorities when it comes to in situ protection and the preservation of sites for future archaeological study. The chapter mentions how countries that previously lost their cultural heritage have increased their calls for the return of their cultural property, highlighting how archaeological property is still at the core of current global fight against illicit trafficking in cultural property.
Article 6 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention: Export Controls
Authors: Jorge Sánchez Cordero
Published: June 2024

This chapter provides an overview of Article 6 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. Article 6 fosters the implementation of export certificates while simultaneously introducing an element of control that impedes the illicit trade of protected cultural property. Moreover, the provision boosts the amount of certainty in the international art market. The chapter then details a brief history of export certificates before examining key multinational and regional legislation from the European Union (EU) and the Americas that saw widespread adoption of export certificates in different guises. It explains that analysing domestic legislation with comparative law methodology allows the recognition of significant contributions to the export certificate dialogue.
Article 7(b)(i) of the 1970 UNESCO Convention: Prohibition of Import of Inventoried Cultural Property
Authors: Charlotte Woodhead
Published: June 2024

This chapter examines the extent of Article 7(b)(i) of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. Article 7(b)(i) restricts the import of documented cultural property stolen from a museum, monument, or similar institution. The chapter considers the provisions' direct interaction with Article 7(b)(ii) in providing for the State Party of origin to request the State Party regarding the appropriate steps to recover and return cultural property. It explores the drafting history of Article 7(b)(i), which considers its narrow objective of preventing the import of stolen objects from inventoried collections. States Parties also had the opportunity to widen its scope and have effectuated this in practice.
Article 11 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention: Foreign Occupation
Authors: James AR Nafziger
Published: June 2024

This chapter explores the notion of foreign occupation as per Article 11 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. It provides an overview of the issues of international agreements applicable to armed conflict and its aftermath, customary international law, and the International Court of Justice's ancillary decisions. Regardless of its ambiguity, Article 11 offers a concise, creditable rule that supplied the sensible limitation of the terms of export and transfer of property ownership. Even though Article 11 might be largely abandoned within the UNESCO discourse, it can still claim viability as part of a comprehensive plan of action addressed to international trafficking of cultural material amidst peace and armed conflict. The chapter then highlights the specific international legal background and interpretive tools that pertain to Article 11.
Article 14 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention: National Services and Budget
Authors: Robert Peters
Published: June 2024

This chapter details the implementation of Article 14 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. Generally, Article 14 indicates a general obligation for States Parties to support and equip their national cultural services with necessary financial resources to prevent illicit export and fulfil Convention obligations. The chapter cites the financial implications of protecting cultural heritage. Article 14 took a substantial shift during its drafting history since some States Parties incorporated the provision's aims of purchasing privately owned cultural property of special importance through public funding. Moreover, the provision's wording can be interpreted as a political compromise taken by UNESCO’s General Conference in 1970.
Article 15 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention: Agreements for Return or Restitution of Cultural Property Removed Prior to 1972
Authors: Afolasade A Adewumi , John Oluwole , A Akintayo , Andrzej Jakubowski
Published: June 2024

This chapter elaborates on Article 15 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. In the spirit of maintaining cooperation among States Parties, Article 15 of the 1970 Convention admits the existence of obligations regarding the restitution of cultural property among States Parties outside the framework of the Convention. Thus, the provision offers States Parties the opportunity to create new treaty obligations through the mechanism of special agreements. The chapter notes the criticisms regarding international practice concerning agreements for the recovery of cultural property removed prior to the entry into force of the 1970 Convention. It considers the impact of the Sarr-Savoy Report and the Benin Dialogue Group.
The 1970 UNESCO Convention: Governance and Oversight
Authors: Ana Filipa Vrdoljak
Published: June 2024

This chapter provides an overview of the governance and oversight of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. It mentions that the Convention did not have any governance framework articulated in the text of the treaty. Thus, UNESCO was under increasing pressure to address this situation by the early twenty-first century. The drafting and adoption of the treaty were driven by countries seeking assistance in safeguarding their movable cultural heritage and cooperation in its return. The chapter then focuses on a brief history of the development of the governance structure and comparison with the other cultural conventions before detailing the role and functions of the various elements of its current governance framework.
Article 14 of the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention: Federal or Non-Unitary Constitutional Systems
Authors: Elena Rodríguez-Pineau
Published: June 2024

This chapter expounds on the federal or non-unitary constitutional systems depicted in Article 14 of the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention. Even though international instruments have traditionally incorporated territorial application clauses, the use of clauses evolved through the years and adapted to the changing circumstances of the relations both between and within states. Article 14 works both as a traditional ratification clause and as an interpretation clause that provides elements applied within the treaty of federal states. The chapter mentions how the provision was the first international instrument that dealt with cultural property issues including a territorial units clause. It also examines the drafting history of Article 14.
Introduction
Authors: Schloenhardt Andreas
Published: June 2024

This introductory chapter discusses the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), which marked a significant milestone in the global fight against organized crime. It explains how organized crime grew internationally after technological, political, and global changes affected the potential to commit crime across borders. Thus, the Convention primarily aims to promote cooperation to prevent and combat transnational organized crime more effectively. Thus, UNTOC encourages States to adopt comprehensive countermeasures against organized crime in an effort to achieve some harmonization between national anti-organized crime laws. The chapter highlights how criminal justice is acknowledged by most countries as a cornerstone of national sovereignty.
Scope of Application
Authors: Calderoni Francesco
Published: June 2024

This chapter notes the scope of application of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) according to Article 3. It provides a wide framework for international cooperation against a variety of criminal acts. The wording of the provisions specifies that the treaty applies to the Convention's four established offences and serious crimes with transnational nature and involvement of an organized criminal group. However, the Convention does not provide any clarification on how to determine the involvement of an organized criminal group. Several delegations expressed their preference for a more explicit reference to terrorism within the scope of the Convention, but some States disagreed with the notion due to concerns of lacking definitions of terrorist crimes and the possible extension of the Convention to controversial issues.