bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AC susceptibility measurement of magnetic nanoparticles using an optically pumped magnetometer and a flux transformer
Authors: Sasayama Teruyoshi , Taue Shuji , Yoshida Takashi
Published: January 2024

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is used to detect small magnetic fields in magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). As a first step in MPI systems, we proposed an AC susceptibility measurement system with an optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) based on a flux transformer. First, the magnetic frequency response of the OPM was obtained for calibration. Second, the AC susceptibility of the Resovist MNPs in liquid and solid phases was obtained using the calibration data. These results are consistent with those of previous studies. Therefore, the proposed method is useful for detecting weak MNP magnetic signals in relatively strong magnetic fields and is expected to be applicable to MPI.
External magnet-guided targeted delivery and tissue distribution analysis of anti-cluster of differentiation 3 conjugated magnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4 using in vivo imaging system
Authors: Hasan Mahbub , Choi Jong-Gu , Lee Sang-Suk
Published: January 2024

Drug distribution is a vital parameter for depicting the pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic agents. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) conjugated with anti-cluster of differentiation 3 (anti-CD3) monoclonal antibody (MNPs-Ab) is a promising immunotherapeutic agent. Magnet-guided targeted delivery of MNPs has been studied exclusively in oncology. The distribution of MNPs is routinely analyzed by measuring Fe levels using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). However, the ICP-based methods measure the total iron content, including endogenous iron. We used an efficient approach that measured MNPs-Ab distribution after intravenous administration using an in vivo imaging system. The fluorescent-labeled anti-CD3s are conjugated with dextran-coated magnetic nanoparticles (50 nm diameter) by the glutaraldehyde conjugation method. MNPs-Ab was intravenously administered to BALB/c mice. The fluorescence intensity in live animal and organs were analyzed after 0, 1, and 24 h. The conjugation of fluorescently labeled antibodies with MNPs was validated. The attachment of a permanent magnet on the dorsal skin area successfully guided the intravenously injected Ab-MNPs within 24 h. However, after 1 h, no observable fluorescence was seen at the target site. The in vitro organ distribution study confirms nanoparticles’ predominant distribution in the liver and kidneys-the intensities of the fluorescence increase after 24 h than 1 h. Our in vivo imaging studies confirmed the external magnet-driven targeted distribution of the antibody-conjugated nanoparticle. Besides, the in vivo imaging system enables rapidly identifying the distributed nanoparticles.
The effect of functional magnetic resonance imaging connectivity on resting motor threshold transcranial magnetic stimulation in schizophrenia participants
Authors: Lewis Connor J. , Mittal Neil , Pandurangi Anand K. , Mehta Urvakhsh M. , Hadimani Ravi L.
Published: January 2024

Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder known to influence the motor region. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique being investigated as a treatment for schizophrenia. Resting motor threshold (RMT) is the dosage parameter for TMS treatment protocols and is known to vary between participants with limited understanding of the drivers of this variance. Previous investigations have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and individual level neuroanatomy to explain RMT variability. Our previous investigation showed neuroanatomy influences RMT in both schizophrenia and healthy populations and this relationship was weakened by the presence of schizophrenia. In this study, 54 participants with schizophrenia-diagnosed, who were antipsychotic naive and 43 non-impaired controls underwent single pulse TMS, structural magnetic resonance imaging, and fMRI. An independent component analysis (ICA) was used to process fMRI data into 25 distinct channels where correlations were derived between channels. Linear and multiple regression models were used to evaluate first, the influence of these channel interactions on RMT followed by their influence when individual level neuroanatomy was also considered. We found that between-channel functional connectivity was altered in individuals with schizophrenia and that fMRI can contribute to prediction of RMT, but differently in both cohorts and to a lesser degree than individual level neuroanatomical measures. This suggests that functional connectivity influences TMS response and fMRI might help in dosage calculations of clinical TMS protocols.
Leading primary care under the weight of COVID-19: how leadership was enacted in six australian general practices during 2020
Authors: Wisbey Kathleen , Lane Riki , Neil Jennifer , Advocat Jenny , Alexander Karyn , Crabtree Benjamin F. , Miller William L. , Russell Grant
Published: January 2024

Background The COVID-19 pandemic challenged health care delivery globally, providing unique challenges to primary care. Australia’s primary healthcare system (primarily general practices) was integral to the response. COVID-19 tested the ability of primary health care to respond to the greater urgency and magnitude than previous pandemics. Early reflections highlighted the critical role of leaders in helping organisations negotiate the pandemic’s consequences. This study explores how general practice leadership was enacted during 2020, highlighting how leadership attributes were implemented to support practice teams. Methodology We performed secondary analysis on data from a participatory prospective qualitative case study involving six general practices in Melbourne, Victoria, between April 2020 and February 2021. The initial coding template based on Miller et al.’s relationship-centred model informed a reflexive thematic approach to data re-analysis, focused on leadership. Our interpretation was informed by Crabtree et al.’s leadership model. Results All practices realigned clinical and organisational routines in the early months of the pandemic – hierarchical leadership styles often allowing rapid early responses. Yet power imbalances and exclusive communication channels at times left practice members feeling isolated. Positive team morale and interdisciplinary teamwork influenced practices’ ability to foster emergent leaders. However, emergence of leaders generally represented an inherent ‘need’ for authoritative figures in the crisis, rather than deliberate fostering of leadership. Conclusion This study demonstrates the importance of collaborative leadership during crises while highlighting areas for better preparedness. Promoting interdisciplinary communication and implementing formal leadership training in crisis management in the general practice setting is crucial for future pandemics.
Soybean and corn yield as affected by crop rotation and surface liming under a no-tillage system
Authors: Fontoura Sandra Mara Vieira , Melinski Albert Matheus , Motta Antônio Carlos Vargas , Gotz Lenir Fátima , Araujo Eloá Moura , Prior Stephen A. , Pauletti Volnei
Published: January 2024

Context In no-tillage systems, surficial lime application may induce an alkalinisation front that can correct soil acidity with depth and impact crop yields. Aims Our objective was to determine maintenance liming rates that provide the highest yield of soybean and corn in different crop rotations and to assess the speed and persistence of surficial lime application with soil depth in a no-tillage system. Methods The experiment was conducted in Southern Brazil on a clayey Oxisol under no-tillage with four lime treatments (0, 3.5, 5.7, and 11.1 Mg ha−1 of dolomitic lime) and three crop rotations (for grain or biomass production). Grain yield was evaluated, and soil chemical variables were annually determined on samples collected from four soil depths over 10 years. Key results Soybean and corn surpassed state production levels, and grain production in winter did not compromise summer grain yield. In 10 years, the alkalinisation front reached the 40–60 cm soil layer. Application of lime at 5.7 Mg ha−1 allows for maintenance of crop yield and stable acidity levels. Conclusions In this no-tillage system, the cultivation of different winter plant species did not interfere with corn and soybean yield, lime effects in deeper soil layers, or liming need. Lime applied to the soil surface was efficient in controlling acidity in upper and deeper soil layers (up to 60 cm) in soil with high buffering capacity. Implications Due to slow movement, soil samples should be collected every 4 to 5 years to monitor soil acidity.
Social mobility in the Tang Dynasty as the Imperial Examination rose and aristocratic family pedigree declined, 618–907 CE
Authors: Wen Fangqi , Wang Erik H. , Hout Michael
Published: January 2024

Data from the distant past are fertile ground for testing social science theories of education and social mobility. In this study, we construct a dataset from 3,640 tomb epitaphs of males in China’s Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), which contain granular and extensive information about the ancestral origins, family background, and career histories of the deceased elites. Our statistical analysis of the complete profiles yields evidence of the transition away from an aristocratic society in three key trends: 1) family pedigree (i.e., aristocracy) mattered less for career achievement over time, 2) passing the Imperial Examination (
Keju
) became an increasingly important predictor of one’s career achievement, and 3) father’s position always mattered throughout the Tang, especially for men who did not pass the
Keju
. The twilight of medieval Chinese aristocracy, according to the data, began in as early as the mid-seventh century CE.
Jan Ignacy Necisław Baudouin de Courtenay (1845–1929)
Authors: Comtet Roger
Published: January 2024

Cet article envisage les différentes conceptions de la science des sons illustrée par le linguiste polonais Jan
Baudouin de Courtenay (1845–1929). Comme en bien d’autres domaines, il n’y a cessé d’évoluer au cours de
sa carrière académique au gré de ses différentes affectations; handicapé dans le monde universitaire russe de l’époque par
sa nationalité polonaise, il a dû enseigner dans six universités différentes, de Saint-Pétersbourg à Varsovie (en 1918, suite à la
restauration de l’état polonais) en passant par Kazan, Dorpat (actuelle Tartu, en Estonie) et Cracovie. Chacun de ces
changements s’accompagnait d’un changement de paradigme, au point que l’on a pu affirmer que chaque
nouvelle affectation s’accompagnait d’une nouvelle école linguistique. Baudouin s’est intéressé à une
multitude de sujets linguistiques, mais la postérité a surtout retenu sa conception du phonème comme unité phonique fonctionnelle
élaborée à Kazan avec son disciple Mikołaj Kruszewski (lui aussi polonais) de 1875 à 1883. Nous nous proposons de montrer que la
vision de Baudouin sur le monde des sons a de fait évolué en relation avec les différentes étapes de son parcours universitaire;
ainsi serons-nous amené à faire se succéder une phase initiale phonétique, plus ou moins néogrammairienne, la phonologie de Kazan,
et une ultime conception psychologique. À chaque étape, ses disciples du moment recueillent le message correspondant et
l’adaptent, d’où les différentes écoles qui se réclament de lui, depuis celle de Saint-Pétersbourg, autour de son
élève Ščerba, l’école de Varsovie animée par ses anciens élèves polonais de Cracovie et même celles de Moscou et du Cercle
de Prague où l’on décèle son influence. On mesure mieux ainsi le rôle éminent joué par Baudouin dans l’élaboration
des théories de la science des sons au début du XXe siècle, par delà toutes ses contradictions et une pensée en
perpétuel mouvement.
Using lexical bundles to teach prepositions to Korean EFL students
Authors: Kang Sanghee , Shin Yu Kyoung , Yoo Isaiah WonHo
Published: January 2024

Integrating corpus-based analyses with instructed SLA, this study explores how lexical bundles can be used to teach prepositions to EFL learners. It first identifies lexical bundles occurring most frequently with preposition errors in a learner corpus of L1-Korean high school student writing. It then uses the 10 identified bundles to compare three different types of instructional treatment: one hundred L1-Korean high school EFL students received either implicit instruction (teaching each bundle as a unit with no emphasis on embedded prepositions) or one of two types of explicit instruction (focusing on embedded prepositions with or without input enhancement). The explicit-instruction-with-input-enhancement group showed the greatest improvement, followed closely by the implicit-instruction group; the other explicit group showed the least improvement. These results suggest that textual enhancement can facilitate L2 preposition acquisition and that recurrent sequences such as lexical bundles can serve as a useful pedagogical means to teach linguistic forms.
An expressive ansatz for low-depth quantum approximate optimisation
Authors: Vijendran V , Das Aritra , Koh Dax Enshan , Assad Syed M , Lam Ping Koy
Published: January 2024

The quantum approximate optimisation algorithm (QAOA) is a hybrid quantum–classical algorithm used to approximately solve combinatorial optimisation problems. It involves multiple iterations of a parameterised ansatz that consists of a problem and mixer Hamiltonian, with the parameters being classically optimised. While QAOA can be implemented on near-term quantum hardware, physical limitations such as gate noise, restricted qubit connectivity, and state-preparation-and-measurement (SPAM) errors can limit circuit depth and decrease performance. To address these limitations, this work introduces the eXpressive QAOA (XQAOA), an overparameterised variant of QAOA that assigns more classical parameters to the ansatz to improve its performance at low depths. XQAOA also introduces an additional Pauli-Y component in the mixer Hamiltonian, allowing the mixer to implement arbitrary unitary transformations on each qubit. To benchmark the performance of XQAOA at unit depth, we derive its closed-form expression for the MaxCut problem and compare it to QAOA, Multi-Angle QAOA (MA-QAOA) (Herrman et al 2022 Sci. Rep.
12 6781), a classical-relaxed algorithm, and the state-of-the-art Goemans–Williamson algorithm on a set of unweighted regular graphs with 128 and 256 nodes for degrees ranging from 3 to 10. Our results indicate that at unit depth, XQAOA has benign loss landscapes with local minima concentrated near the global optimum, allowing it to consistently outperform QAOA, MA-QAOA, and the classical-relaxed algorithm on all graph instances and the Goemans–Williamson algorithm on graph instances with degrees greater than 4. Small-scale simulations also reveal that unit-depth XQAOA invariably surpasses both QAOA and MA-QAOA on all tested depths up to five. Additionally, we find an infinite family of graphs for which XQAOA solves MaxCut exactly and analytically show that for some graphs in this family, special cases of XQAOA are capable of achieving a much larger approximation ratio than QAOA. Overall, XQAOA is a more viable choice for variational quantum optimisation on near-term quantum devices, offering competitive performance at low depths.
Stipules in angiosperms
Authors: Ye Tongxin , Ronse De Craene Louis
Published: January 2024

Stipules are generally regarded as the outgrowths of the leaf base in angiosperms. Other interpretations see stipules as independent organs comparable to leaves. Stipules have been recognized as an important trait for plant taxonomy and identification, and there has been great progress in the understanding of their morphology, development, origin, function, and gene regulation over time. Therefore, this review will briefly summarize past research and aims to clarify the occurrence, location, and morphology of stipules in the families recognized by APG IV and reconstruct their ancestral states. Additionally, the developmental morphology of different types of stipule is presented through scanning electron microcopy observations and a survey of the existing literature. The difference between stipules and ligules is discussed in relation to the occurrence of postgenitally or congenitally fused ‘continuous’ stipules. A distinction is made between ‘true’ stipules and ‘pseudostipules’. The origin of stipules at the base of the leaf is explained from different perspectives. About one-third of the families are reported to have stipules, mostly concentrated in the Rosid clade with the highest level of diversity. On the basis of the ancestral state reconstructions, stipules may be absent in the ancestors of angiosperms, but are present in the ancestor of Rosids, with a pair appearing on both sides of the petiole base. The transition between paired and annular stipules is discussed, the latter arising postgenitally or congenitally. Several hypotheses are discussed to explain the abundance of stipules in the Rosid clade and their limited presence in the Asterid clade.
A haplotype-resolved gap-free genome assembly provides novel insight into monoterpenoid diversification in Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata’
Authors: Yang Hanting , Wang Can , Zhou Guanru , Zhang Yuxuan , He Tianxing , Yang Lulu , Wu Ya , Wang Zhengnan , Tang Xin , Chen Gang , Liu Zhaoyu , Tang Huanyu , Zhou Hanlin , Kang Xumei , Zhang Sanyin , Leng Liang , Chen Shilin , Song Chi
Published: January 2024

Mentha is a commonly used spice worldwide, which possesses medicinal properties and fragrance. These characteristics are conferred, at least partially, by essential oils such as menthol. In this study, a gap-free assembly with a genome size of 414.3 Mb and 31,251 coding genes was obtained for Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata’. Based on its high heterozygosity (1.5%), two complete haplotypic assemblies were resolved, with genome sizes of 401.9 and 405.7 Mb, respectively. The telomeres and centromeres of each haplotype were almost fully annotated. In addition, we detected a total of 41,135 structural variations. Enrichment analysis demonstrated that genes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis were affected by these structural variations. Analysis of volatile metabolites showed that M. suaveolens mainly produces piperitenone oxide rather than menthol. We identified three genes in the M. suaveolens genome which encode isopiperitenone reductase (ISPR), a key rate-limiting enzyme in menthol biosynthesis. However, the transcription levels of ISPR were low. Given that other terpenoid biosynthesis genes were expressed, M. suaveolens ISPRs may account for the accumulation of piperitenone oxide in this species. The findings of this study may provide a valuable resource for improving the detection rate and accuracy of genetic variants, thereby enhancing our understanding of their impact on gene function and expression. Moreover, our haplotype-resolved gap-free genome assembly offers novel insights into molecular marker-assisted breeding of Mentha.
Faithfully Flat Descent of Quasi-Coherent Complexes on Rigid Analytic Varieties via Condensed Mathematics
Authors: Mikami Yutaro
Published: January 2024

Faithfully flat descent of pseudo-coherent complexes in rigid geometry was proved by Mathew. In this paper, we generalize the result of Mathew to solid quasi-coherent complexes on rigid analytic varieties, which have been introduced by Clausen and Scholze by means of condensed mathematics.
Effects of Nanoparticle-Mediated Dihydromyricetin to Diabetic Wounds: An In Vivo Study
Authors: Wang Zhao-Nan , Ma Jiu-Cheng , Xi Ming-Fan , Yin Dong , Jiang Li-Fan , Qi Jun
Published: January 2024

Diabetic wound is one of the serious complications of diabetes, and the wound is persistent and easily recurring, which seriously endangers the health and life of patients. How to effectively promote the healing of diabetic wounds has been a hot spot and difficult area of clinical research. Some previous studies have shown that dihydromyricetin has the effects of regulating blood glucose, controlling the severity, and inhibiting scarring. In the present study, we used polylactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles as a carrier to load dihydromyricetin to make drug-loaded nanoparticles and applied them dropwise (200 µL) to diabetic mice wounds by topical application to observe the healing and scar formation of diabetic wounds. We found that the healing rate of the diabetic mice was faster and the scar formation was less obvious. In addition, the elevated blood glucose level and weight loss of the mice in the treatment group were also reduced. Therefore, nanoparticle-mediated dihydromyricetin may be an effective treatment for diabetic wounds.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Computer-Aided Detection During Active Case Finding for Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Scott Alex J , Perumal Tahlia , Hohlfeld Ameer , Oelofse Suzette , Kühn Louié , Swanepoel Jeremi , Geric Coralie , Ahmad Khan Faiz , Esmail Aliasgar , Ochodo Eleanor , Engel Mark , Dheda Keertan
Published: January 2024

Background

Computer-aided detection (CAD) may be a useful screening tool for tuberculosis (TB). However, there are limited data about its utility in active case finding (ACF) in a community-based setting, and particularly in an HIV-endemic setting where performance may be compromised.

Methods

We performed a systematic review and evaluated articles published between January 2012 and February 2023 that included CAD as a screening tool to detect pulmonary TB against a microbiological reference standard (sputum culture and/or nucleic acid amplification test [NAAT]). We collected and summarized data on study characteristics and diagnostic accuracy measures. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed methodological quality against Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies–2 criteria. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies (PRISMA-DTA) guidelines were followed.

Results

Of 1748 articles reviewed, 5 met with the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. A meta-analysis revealed pooled sensitivity of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.78–0.96) and specificity of 0.74 (95% CI, 0.55–0.93), just below the World Health Organization (WHO)–recommended target product profile (TPP) for a screening test (sensitivity ≥0.90 and specificity ≥0.70). We found a high risk of bias and applicability concerns across all studies. Subgroup analyses, including the impact of HIV and previous TB, were not possible due to the nature of the reporting within the included studies.

Conclusions

This review provides evidence, specifically in the context of ACF, for CAD as a potentially useful and cost-effective screening tool for TB in a resource-poor HIV-endemic African setting. However, given methodological concerns, caution is required with regards to applicability and generalizability.
What’s in It for the Baby? Weighing Children’s and Parents’ Interests in Commercial Surrogacy Agreements. A Reply to Gheaus
Authors: Straehle Christine
Published: January 2024

In this chapter, Straehle engages with Gheaus’s model of attributing custody. Straehle challenges Gheaus’s premise that only the best available custodian should be granted custody of the newborn child, thus making genetic or intentional links between commissioning parents and the child not the relevant criterion for attributing custody. Straehle argues instead that the wellbeing interests of the child also require secure relationships in order for the right of children to be carefree to be possible. One of the enabling conditions of being carefree are secure relationships. Straehle then argues that the intending parents may be best placed to provide for such security.
Women and Children First. A Reply to Straehle
Authors: Gheaus Anca
Published: January 2024

This is Gheaus’s answer to Straehle. The chapter outlines the area of agreement between the two views, which concerns women’s moral right to engage in gestating children with the intention that other adults will bring them up. It then explains the main points of disagreement: Straehle’s view does not do justice to the interest of would-be surrogates: First, it either devalues or it discourages any bonds created during pregnancy between surrogate mother and child. Second, it requires women who serve as surrogates to enter labour contracts that, in comparison to existing ones, are extraordinarily constricting; as such, it represents an illiberal proposal. And third, it wrongfully restricts the access of the surrogate to the child she carried after the child’s birth. Finally, it explains the source of the fundamental disagreement between Gheaus and Straehle about the way in which children’s moral status prohibits adults from settling custody over children via private agreements. Straehle’s proposal depends on the view that, in gestational surrogacy, the intending parents are always the moral parents of the child. This, in turn, relied on the belief that people have a presumptive right to parent the children created from gametes they produced or rightfully obtained from others; this belief is itself indefeasible without a proprietarian understanding of the child-parent relationship.
Glomerulonephritis, Tubulointerstitial Nephritis, and Vasculitis
Authors: Malik Shafi
Published: January 2024

This chapter focuses on multisystem disorders that involve the kidney such as vasculitis and systemic lupus. Often these conditions are influenced by immune-mediated pathways, and an understanding of the basic science involved helps guide management. Questions test areas of factual knowledge such as biopsy findings and recent trial evidence, as well as problem-solving in vasculitis and glomerulonephritis clinical scenarios. Familiarity with international guidelines, such as Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR), is recommended.
Chronic Kidney Disease, Haematuria, and Proteinuria
Authors: Malik Shafi
Published: January 2024

This chapter explores the key differentials when evaluating a patient with non-visible haematuria and proteinuria. The diagnostic tests required for evaluation of these presentations are reviewed, as are the appropriate management strategies. Proteinuria is a risk factor for progressive chronic kidney disease, and specialist management of those with chronic kidney disease is also explored.
Haemodialysis
Authors: Malik Shafi
Published: January 2024

Treatment with haemodialysis (HD) has revolutionized the management of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Dialysis involves movement of solutes and water across semipermeable membrane by convection and diffusion. Conventional HD uses either low- or high-flux membranes, and haemodiafiltration adds a convective component to high-flux HD. The adequacy of dialysis is usually measured by either the urea reduction ratio or urea kinetic modelling by using the normalized urea clearance (Kt/V). Though thrice-weekly HD with a target Kt/V of 1.2 is effective in controlling uraemia, overnight or frequent dialysis of up to 6 times a week is more effective in controlling parameters such as phosphate, blood pressure, and volume overload, and may also improve survival. This chapter deals with all aspects of HD, including efficacy, complications, and physiology.
Some Reflections on Causation
Authors: Shan Yafeng
Published: January 2024

Philosophical analyses of causation have been centred on the question of what causation is. More precisely speaking, philosophers tend to address four different issues: metaphysical (what is causation out there?), epistemological (how can a causal claim be established and assessed?), conceptual (what does the word ‘cause’ mean?), and methodological (what methods ought one to use in order to establish and assess causal claims?). This chapter argues that the practical issue of causation (what is a causal claim for in practice?) is highly relevant to the metaphysical, epistemological, conceptual, and methodological issues of causation. Any philosophical enquiry into causation without an examination of this practical issue is incomplete. In other words, a promising approach to causation ought to take all of the metaphysical, epistemological, conceptual, methodological, and practical issues into account.
Causation
Authors: Tooley Michael
Published: January 2024

This chapter sets out and offers a detailed defense of a non-reductive, theoretical-term analysis of the concept of the relation of causation. That defense involves, first of all, an appeal to several very desirable properties of the analysis itself, including that it is by far the simplest of all analyses, that it immediately entails the correct relationships between causation and probabilities, and that it provides the basis for the only satisfactory account of the relation of temporal priority. Then, secondly, the chapter considers alternative accounts that other philosophers have defended––Humean reductionist approaches, non-Humean reductionist approaches, and the view that the concept of the relation of causation is analytically basic. The author argues that all of those approaches are open to decisive objections, none of which pose any problem at all for the account that he has offered.
Multiple effects of variation in light on the photosynthesis system
Authors: Ford E. David
Published: January 2024

Processes that protect a plant from damage, or repair damage when it does occur, are important in the growth process. This is particularly important for photosynthesis. A curvilinear relationship between an increase in light received by foliage and the photosynthetic rate achieved is well established, with the maximum rate referred to as the photosynthetic capacity. Within foliage canopies, light received by foliage changes continually with time. Data from a field investigation show that not just the photosynthetic rate but also the photosynthetic capacity varies over the day and over the growing season and photosynthetic capacity was greater during the later growing season when less radiation was received, but not all of this effect is related to higher temperature or reduced stomatal conductance. For the early season the role of systems protecting foliage tissue from the damaging effects of high radiation is discussed. Light flux to foliage within a canopy can change markedly over a few minutes, resulting in a decline in photosynthetic capacity during reduced flux and induction of the photosynthesis system when light flux increases.
Control processes of plant growth
Authors: Ford E. David
Published: January 2024

Engineers have established an extensive science of control systems that includes a classification of the different types and descriptions of how they function and the types of control they provide. The main types of control are reviewed and both engineering and biological examples are discussed: passive and active; open and closed loop; feedforward and feedback. Particular characteristics of control in plants that do not occur in engineering are discussed. ‘Feedback’ is an omnibus term in biology, but in engineering feedback control has a specific structure, for example as used in temperature control systems, and requires a set point. In contrast, homeostasis in biological systems (an equivalent control objective) may not be achieved through a set point but through interaction of a network of controls. Characteristics of active control in plants are discussed.
The ageing plant
Authors: Ford E. David
Published: January 2024

As plants age, growth and development occur that can change both the importance of particular physiological processes and plant structure which can affect the internal environment of the plant. This is illustrated for cases of both semelparous and iteroparous plants―within both groups there is considerable variation in the ageing process. In the semelparous plant Zea mays, there is a distinct developmental change from vegetative growth to sexual reproduction: the plant’s structure and physiology function together to produce seed―when seed is formed there is a change from photosynthesis being source to sink limited. Senescence and chemical changes, where they occur, are an integral part of seed production so that death and decay of the parent may be considered as incidental. In the iteroparous plant Pseudotsuga menziesii, increasing tree height results in a decline in water potential and so an increase in the possibility of xylem embolisms. This is mitigated, in part, by anatomical changes in the new xylem produced. The continued production of new foliage is through epicormic branches that tend to produce foliage with a more favourable water status. In both Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus longaeva (Chapter 2) the morphological processes of reiteration determine a limit to growth.
Why does population matter?
Authors: Barthelemy Marc , Verbavatz Vincent
Published: January 2024

We explain why the population matters, i.e. how and why it is a good proxy for other urban variables. In particular, we will elaborate on the concept of scaling laws in cities and the limits to this reasoning. More precisely, scaling laws and associated scaling exponents are fundamental objects. Used for example in biology in order to understand how the metabolic rate varies with body size, scaling was widely used in physics to understand polymers, phase transitions, fluid dynamics and turbulence. Scaling also became a central tool for describing macroscopic properties of complex systems for mainly two reasons. First, the existence of a scaling law points to self-similarity: the system reproduces itself as the scale change. Second, scaling laws behave often as power-laws and the corresponding exponents constitute precious guides for identifying critical factors and mechanisms in complex systems. In particular, when they cannot be deduced from simple dimensional considerations, they point to relevant scales and ingredients.
About city dynamics
Authors: Barthelemy Marc , Verbavatz Vincent
Published: January 2024

In this chapter, we analyze the model for the dynamics of urban population obtained from first principles considerations (see Chapter 9). In particular, we will show that this model is able to simultaneously explain observations about the stationary population distribution and the temporal dynamics of systems of cities. In particular, this model is able to identify the causes of the diversity of empirical observations about the hierarchical organization of cities, the occurrence of megacities, and the empirical instability in city dynamics seen in the births and deaths of large cities on short time scales.
Outlook: Beyond Zipf’s law
Authors: Barthelemy Marc , Verbavatz Vincent
Published: January 2024

In this chapter, we propose a recap about the validity of Zipf’s law and discuss possible directions for future research. In particular, we mention the importance of space and the necessity to understand this aspect of city growth.
Social outcomes contracting
Authors: Carter Eleanor , Ball Nigel
Published: January 2024

This chapter explores cross-sector partnerships and collaboration as a potential approach through which to tackle longstanding and entrenched social challenges. In social outcomes contracts these partnerships bring together actors from the public sector, private sector, and social economy. The chapter draws on a range of literature describing partnerships and governance arrangements and utilizes the concept of formal relational contracting as a form of partnership that might better suit the provision of complex services in the social economy, where adaptation and innovation are essential. The chapter describes the adoption of social impact bonds and also offers case studies to contrast outcomes-based and alliance-based contracting arrangements. A focus on measurable outcomes may offer a way to bring together different parts of social economy, government, and the private sector around a shared definition of success, underpinned by relationships.
Conclusions
Authors: Krlev Gorgi , Wruk Dominika , Pasi Giulio , Bernhard Marika
Published: January 2024

This chapter shows why the social economy might be more, not less important, exciting or relevant than other fields for understanding and addressing sustainability challenges. We highlight how the social economy’s functions as an organizational role model, promoter of new impact standards, or driver of new institutional design processes spur change across levels of society. We also critically assess how, for example, a continued ignorance of local interactions by the social economy and a lack of assertiveness and leadership hold the social economy back from unfolding its transformational potential. Against this background, we develop directions for future research. First, we discuss which contributions the chapters of Social Economy Science make jointly to different streams of research, whereby elements that grant stability to the organizational issue field and those that promote change, which we refer to as three ‘transformation pathways’, are equally important. Second, we derive a future research agenda for the social economy and beyond the social economy. Third, and to uphold the scholar-practitioner and practitioner-scholar character of this book, we develop a vision of the future. In this vision policy and practice are actively leveraging the social economy’s capacities to accelerate its functions in changing the economy and making society more resilient.
Topics tackled
Authors: Wise Steven P.
Published: January 2024

Early primates had a small cerebral cortex: no larger than the one that rodents have today. In all modern primates, the cortex is large. These facts raise five questions: When did cortical expansions occur; in which primates did it happen; what ecological factors selected for a large cortex; what new areas contributed to it; and how similar was cortical enlargement in other mammals? Along with comparative neuroanatomy, three fields of biology provide some answers. Paleontology reveals the skeletal and dental adaptations of extinct primates; paleoecology considers a bygone world and the life of primates in it; and paleoneurology provides important information about their cortex. Findings from paleoneurology and comparative neuroanatomy reveal that several independently evolving primate lineages developed a cortex that dominates the brain and includes numerous new areas.
Tempo and temperature
Authors: Wise Steven P.
Published: January 2024

Three generalizations emerge from primate paleoneurology: Several pulses of cortical expansion occurred during global cooling trends; cortical expansion preceded adaptive radiations in several lineages; and skeletal changes usually occurred millions of years before the cortex enlarged. However, only the second of these generalizations applies to hominoids, the clade that includes gibbons, great apes, and humans. The hominoid cortex expanded during the early Miocene, a time of stable and warming temperatures, and most of their characteristic skeletal traits—such as bodies weighing more than 10 kg, broad chests, and highly flexible shoulder joints—evolved after the cortex reached a size typical of modern species. Except for dental morphology, these hominoids closely resembled Old World monkeys. Thus, a hominoid-size cortex first evolved in animals that were smaller and more agile than modern great apes.
Other orders
Authors: Wise Steven P.
Published: January 2024

Midway through the Mesozoic, ~196–190 Ma, mammalian brains reached a size typical of Paleocene eutherians, which lived at least 120 million years later. Across all mammals, body mass increased during the Paleocene without much, if any, relative increase in brain or cortex size. Later, the cortex expanded independently in several mammalian lineages. Cortical enlargement in cetaceans most closely resembled what happened in primates: a cortical expansion in toothed whales by the late Eocene (in parallel with Eocene primates); another in oceanic dolphins during the middle-to-late Miocene (in parallel with monkeys). In contrast, cortical expansion in other large-cortex mammals, such as ungulates and carnivores, had a different, mostly later time course. Like primates, several carnivore lineages developed a relatively large cortex independently. In mammals, a larger brain almost always resulted from cortical expansion, but there were exceptions.
Introduction
Authors: Gifkins Jess
Published: January 2024

This chapter outlines the rationale for bringing together legitimacy and practice theory and introduces the concept of legitimation practices. The formal rules of the Security Council tell us little about how decisions are negotiated, so to understand decision-making we need to analyse informal practices. Traditional approaches to the relationship between legitimacy and the Security Council focus on the legitimacy, or otherwise, of the Security Council as an institution and its decisions. Instead, this book analyses the ways in which legitimation shapes the process and outcome of negotiations. It introduces the concepts of internal legitimation practices which relate to the legitimation of decisions, such as prioritizing unanimity, and external legitimation practices which relate to the legitimation of actors in the negotiations, such as maintaining consistent arguments. Foregrounding legitimation practices sheds light on seemingly contradictory moments within Security Council decision-making. The chapter also introduces the case study of the book which is the Security Council’s decisions in responding to atrocities in Darfur in the west of Sudan. It sets out the methodology of the book, which draws on a wide range of primary and secondary sources, including original interviews with diplomats, and sets out the structure of the book.
Rape at Chaumot
Authors: Hamilton Tom
Published: January 2024

After Mathurin Delacanche and his soldiers marched on Chaumot in the winter of 1590, they used sexual violence as a weapon of terror and pillaged the resources of the village. This chapter focuses on the villagers’ experiences of the occupation, and highlights their resilience as they lived through the destruction wrought by the local, small-scale warfare that typified early modern conflicts. It further demonstrates how some historians’ claims that pre-modern societies formally tolerated sexual violence need to be revised in the light of the evidence presented here, which reveals how magistrates, plaintiffs, and witnesses decried rape but often found it difficult to prosecute through criminal justice.
Waging Law
Authors: Hamilton Tom
Published: January 2024

According to Pierre Ayrault, going to court was very much like waging war. ‘In truth, whether the adversary appears in the law courts or on the battlefield, the only difference is in the weaponry: in one case it is the sword, in the other it is the law.’ While the previous chapter explained the weapons in Renée Chevalier’s armoury, namely the wealth, status, and connections she built up over her lifetime, this chapter turns to analyse the laws that governed the field of battle. It surveys the hierarchies that structured legal disputes in general and criminal trials in the Parlement of Paris in particular, as well as the tactics Chevalier deployed as she waged law against her adversary Mathurin Delacanche. Chevalier mobilized her connections both in the Sénonais and in Paris as part of a carefully coordinated prosecution that aimed to out-flank Delacanche and guarantee her victory in the final judgement.
Argentina
Authors: Pardina Martín A. Rodríguez , Schiro Julieta
Published: January 2024

The Argentinian case analyses auction design and implementation decisions in a challenging investment context. In this chapter, we analyse the design, implementation, and results for the first four rounds of the RenovAr programme, which began a series of auctions for the incorporation of renewable energy installations, that took place between May 2016 and mid-2019. Argentina’s auctions benefited from a range of national and multilateral risk-mitigation structures and provisions, which resulted in competitive price outcomes. Nevertheless, project realization rates remain low as awarded projects struggled to secure financing, illustrating the necessity of incorporating investor requirements and commitment in auction design decisions.
Situationism and the Individualization of Responsibility in War
Authors: Valentino Benjamin
Published: January 2024

Defenders of traditionalist just war theory, otherwise known as ‘collectivists’, have forwarded both normative and practical objections to individualist revisionists. In this chapter, Benjamin Valentino presents another crucial practical defence of the traditional view: ‘situationism’, which contends that human beings tend to overestimate the power of stable personal character traits while underestimating the effects that the external environment and context have in shaping behaviour. Valentino asserts that situationism ought to have profound consequences for how we think about individual moral responsibility and justice in war, how we apportion blame, assign punishment, and how we regulate the conduct of war. In short, an appreciation of situationism ought to inform the ways we attempt to apply individualization to war in the real world. In taking situationism seriously, Valentino argues that we would do better to focus our efforts on restructuring the situations and institutions that encourage immoral behaviour in the first place by dividing authority so as to prevent one person from commanding total obedience, or by encouraging diversity among peer groups to prevent destructive conformity and peer pressure.
Two Decades of Civilian Protection Mandates for United Nations Peacekeepers
Authors: Williams Paul D.
Published: January 2024

Since the end of the Cold War there has been a marked increase in UN peacekeeping operations seeking to stabilize war-torn countries, including active sites of armed conflict where there is no peace to keep. In many of these conflict zones, UN peacekeepers faced increasing local and international expectations to protect civilians yet they were not given explicit protection of civilians (POC) mandates until 1999. In this chapter, Paul D. Williams analyses how the individualization of war influenced the evolution of POC mandates as well as their major consequences for UN peacekeepers. He concludes that POC mandates have been a useful addition, despite raising expectations about what UN peacekeepers can achieve in the field. UN peacekeepers have been more successful in stopping, reducing, and mitigating many threats of physical violence to civilians. However, several normative, operational and cross-cutting tensions have bedevilled the UN’s attempts to implement its POC mandates. Moreover, the organization’s attempts at institutional adaptation to improve civilian protection have generally failed to address underlying governance and political problems which generate these threats. In this sense, despite the UN’s significant institutional adaptation at the operational level, there remains a lack of strategic progress and continued institutional contestation over key aspects of the decision-making process related to the UN’s civilian protection agenda.