bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the feasibility of utilizing dry leaf waste from the UNDIP-Semarang Region for bio-pellet production
Authors: Pusparizkita Y M , Bagaskara A P , Mayaratih W , Junaidi
Published: December 2023

Biomass is often considered an environmentally friendly alternative energy source. The biomass type used in this study is dry leaves waste found in the UNDIP-Tembalang area. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the possibility of dry leaves waste being used as an environmentally friendly alternative source of energy in the form of bio pellets. This study tested the water content of four dry leaves ketapang (Terminalia catappa), teak (Tectona grandis), banana (Musa paradisiaca), and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus). This is because the raw material used must meet the most important requirement of water content prior to processing into bio-pellet. On average, existing dry leaf waste does not meet the requirements for raw materials, namely 18-21%. Consequently, efforts are being made to further dry naturally with sunlight and oven. Of the three drying time variations, the material that met the bio pellet criteria (<12%) were leaves that were dried for 15 minutes in the 100°C oven and had 9.18 %-10.29% moisture content. In addition, the moisture content of dried ketapang leaves drying under the sun for 24 hours was 11.45%.
An overview of biodiesel, a fuel blend made from palm oil.
Authors: Fardilah VA , Pusparizkita Y M , Tauviqirrahman M , Bayuseno A P
Published: December 2023

With the increasing global demand and rising fossil fuel prices, the oil industry is turning to alternative fuels from renewable sources like biodiesel or vegetable oils. To compensate for the scarcity of fossil fuels, fuel from vegetable oils is one of the alternatives to meet energy needs. Biodiesel is considered a suitable and better choice due to its environmentally friendly features, reduced carbon dioxide emissions, and functional properties similar to fossil fuels. The diesel blend is a renewable fuel derived from a mixture of hydrocarbons (diesel) and fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). This article focuses on biodiesel produced in Indonesia from palm oil as a feedstock for biofuel production. As one of the world’s largest palm oil producers, the production of biodiesel in Indonesia, especially biodiesel from palm oil, has many advantages and disadvantages in terms of economic, social and economic aspects. environment. Use specifically as a fuel is sometimes problematic because biodiesel is hygroscopic and can corrode steel. The scope of this study is based on a brief overview of the progress and challenges in developing palm oil biodiesel feedstock to pursue in the future.
The characterization of pyrolysis oil from plastic waste using FTIR and GC-MS techniques
Authors: Pranoto  , Mazlan
Published: December 2023

This research aims to investigate the characterization of pyrolysis oil products derived from plastic waste using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) techniques. Plastic waste samples were subjected to pyrolysis, and the resulting pyrolysis oils were analyzed using FTIR to identify the functional groups present in the oil product. Additionally, GC-MS analysis was performed to obtain detailed information about the composition of the pyrolysis oils. The FTIR spectra revealed the presence of various functional groups, indicating the complexity of the pyrolysis oil composition. The functional groups identified in the pyrolysis oil included methyl C-H stretch and C-C stretch. The GC-MS analysis provided insights into the specific compounds present in the pyrolysis oils. The results demonstrate the potential of pyrolysis as a method for converting plastic waste into valuable oil products. The characterization of these products using FTIR and GC-MS techniques provides valuable information for further optimization and utilization of pyrolysis oil derived from plastic waste.
Synthesizing dielectric nanocomposites from recycling rubber waste and agricultural silica: exploring leakage current characteristics for advanced applications
Authors: Syakur Abdul , Facta Mochammad , Arfan Muhammad
Published: December 2023

Rubber waste, primarily from discarded tires, is emerging as a significant environmental challenge. As the world produces 1.5 billion tires annually, this creates a vast amount of non-degradable waste. This often results in these tires accumulating in landfills or being burned, both of which pose severe environmental threats. Recognizing this issue, researchers have turned their focus to innovative recycling techniques. One such method involves transforming rubber waste into valuable composites. They are doing this by combining rubber with agricultural silica wastes, such as rice husk ash. This amalgamation results in the creation of environmentally-friendly dielectric materials suitable for electronic and electrical applications. Epoxy resin forms the base of this composite matrix. When supplemented with waste-derived nanofillers, the resin exhibits improved heat conductivity and mechanical resilience. These enhanced nanocomposite insulators have proven superior to their pure epoxy counterparts. The study also delved into insulator designs, evaluating various fin types to optimize high-voltage insulation. For dry environments, Isolator C with its unique fractal fins stood out, while for wet conditions, Isolator B’s serrated fins were ideal. This groundbreaking work showcases that rubber waste, when combined with agricultural by- products, can lead to sustainable advancements in the electronics sector.
Water saving potential at small enterprise: case study Mandhegani eco-print Surabaya
Authors: Andajani E , Simangunsong T L , Kusumawardhany P A
Published: December 2023

Mandhegani eco-print is one of the small enterprises at Kalidami, Surabaya. Eco-printing is a textile design method that involves imprinting plant parts onto fabric using natural dyes. Eco-print process consumes water from preparing plant materials to finishing fabrics but there is no research conducted on the usage of water in the eco-print process and the water-saving potential. The objectives of the research were to estimate the water usage at the eco-print process and the characteristics of eco-print wastewater. The sampling of wastewater and interviews with the handicrafters were conducted to quantify the water usage at every step of the eco-print process. The results of the study showed that with the mirroring method, the total water usage was 11 liters for 6 meters of fabric. The characteristic of wastewater at the scouring phase was BOD 180 ppm, COD 747.78 ppm, and TSS 1900 ppm. The first mordanting stage: BOD 620 ppm, COD 1382.76 ppm, and TSS 61980 ppm. At the second mordanting was BOD 80 ppm, COD 192.18 ppm, TSS 9300 ppm, and total Fe 0.97 ppm. The water-saving potential could be up to 30% if the enterprise managed the water usage at the mordanting and mordan-in step of the process.
Mapping of Landslide Potential Zone with FRM Method and Mitigation in Ayah, Kebumen Regency
Authors: Rahman A , Ramadan A , Hudzaifah  , Widiarso D A , Musyarofah R
Published: December 2023

Landslides phenomena occur yearly in Ayah sub-district and various factors persist in the future cause these landslides. The Frequency Ratio Method is one approach to mapping landslide potential. It involves direct data collection of potential landslide points in the field. This method uses parameters such as Lithology, slope, NDVI, Monthly Precipitation, and Land Use to calculate landslide potential. These parameters are overlaid with the frequency of potential landslide points in Ayah sub- district. The resulting frequency ratio value is classified into five potential landslide zones. The findings reveal that high values covering 10.97% and very high values covering 41.75% are distributed across almost all the settlements in Ayah Sub-district, except for the northern area. The high frequency value shows the dominance of steep slope, presence of weathered breccia and limestone lithology as well as agricultural land with fibrous roots and it is also related to the complex changes in land use, such as mining and clearing activities. This highlights the importance of taking preventive and escalation measures among the relevant stakeholders to minimize the impact of this landslide.
Effect of withdrawal speed variations on coating quality of electrophoretically deposited biogenic hydroxyapatite on AISI 316L
Authors: Taqriban R B , Jamari J , Ismail R , Bayuseno A P
Published: December 2023

The use of biogenic waste for multipurpose materials has started to be encouraged in the current decade to support the world’s environmental sustainability campaign. Biogenic calcium phosphate-derived materials are potential biomaterials because of their similar properties to human bone. This paper used hydroxyapatite (HAp) powder derived from green mussel shells (Perna viridis) to coat the AISI 316L metallic implant material using the electrophoretic deposition coating method. In this study, the post-deposition withdrawal speeds of 5mm/s, 3mm/s, and 1mm/s were varied to find their effect on the quality of the HAp coating layer. Crystallography, micrography, and image processing were used to characterize the coating and calculate the percentage of HAp layer and cracks. The crystallographic data shows the HAp peaks, which conclude that the green mussel shells HAp successfully coat the substrate and can be used to coat the AISI 316L implant material. However, the appearance of the substrate crystal peaks and color difference on high withdrawal speed specimens conclude that the coating layer has cracks. In conclusion, the emergence of cracks can be minimized using 1mm/s post-deposition withdrawal speed and eventually produce high-quality HAp coating.
Study of the dispersion of particulate emissions from industrial areas and its impact on surrounding residential areas
Authors: Huboyo H S , Khasanah N , Samadikun B P , Astuti W
Published: December 2023

Industrial growth and the use of fossil fuels in vehicles have increased the amount of pollution in recent decades and endangered human health. This study aims to estimate the distribution of point source emissions emitted by industrial areas and estimate the impact on surrounding residential areas. The mathematical calculation approach for emission dispersion used is the Gaussian method with the AERMOD model. The data used in AERMOD modeling include particulate concentration data and meteorological data in the form of wind direction, wind speed, and topography. In this study, seasonal variations were used to see differences in emission distribution in the dry and rainy seasons. The results showed that the particulate concentration with AERMOD modeling for 24 hours in January - March had a peak concentration of 0.756 μg/m3, in April - June had a peak concentration of 0.679 μg/m3, in July -September had a peak concentration of 0.349 μg/m3 and in October - December had a peak concentration of 0.641 μg/m3. In the research, it was found that the distribution of industrial emissions reached residential areas and had an impact on the health of residents as far as 2 km from the emission source. Studies are needed on the projection of industrial development and its impact on the surrounding population.
High-speed physical layer secure communication scheme based on synchronous chaotic and electro-optic self-feedback dual-phase encryption
Authors: Gu Wenfu , Gao Xulin
Published: December 2023

In this paper, a novel secure communication scheme based on temporal spreading and dual-phase perturbation is proposed to improve security at the physical layer. For one thing, the traditional electro-optical feedback phase encryption system is significantly sophisticated by the introduction of additional synchronized chaotic phase encryption. Besides, more keys in this system are available, with the attendance of dispersion and optical chaos, the key space is notably enhanced to ∼236, resisting the eavesdropping attacks. After passing through a series of encryption devices, the information is ultimately displayed as a noise-like signal. A 32 Gb s−1 on-off keying signal is successfully transmitted over a 100 km standard single-mode fiber. Simulation results show that by selecting the appropriate system parameters, a bit error rate as low as 10−10 can be obtained for legitimate terminals, and the effect of different hardware parameter mismatches on the decryption performance is also investigated which indicates a certain tolerance range for the mismatch of each parameter. This paper provides a new idea to combine an electro-optical feedback system with optical chaos to establish optical secrecy communication.
Generating artificial displacement data of cracked specimen using physics-guided adversarial networks
Authors: Melching David , Schultheis Erik , Breitbarth Eric
Published: December 2023

Digital image correlation (DIC) has become a valuable tool to monitor and evaluate mechanical experiments of cracked specimen, but the automatic detection of cracks is often difficult due to inherent noise and artefacts. Machine learning models have been extremely successful in detecting crack paths and crack tips using DIC-measured, interpolated full-field displacements as input to a convolution-based segmentation model. Still, big data is needed to train such models. However, scientific data is often scarce as experiments are expensive and time-consuming. In this work, we present a method to directly generate large amounts of artificial displacement data of cracked specimen resembling real interpolated DIC displacements. The approach is based on generative adversarial networks (GANs). During training, the discriminator receives physical domain knowledge in the form of the derived von Mises equivalent strain. We show that this physics-guided approach leads to improved results in terms of visual quality of samples, sliced Wasserstein distance, and geometry score when compared to a classical unguided GAN approach.
Revolutionary processes, leaders, and outcomes
Authors: Goldstone Jack A.
Published: December 2023

This chapter presents the different types of revolutions (violent or non-violent, social or political, anti-colonial, communist, color revolutions) and the distinctive processes and outcomes of various types. It also examines the role of revolutionary leaders in the success and varied outcomes of revolutions.
Revolutions in the ancient world
Authors: Goldstone Jack A.
Published: December 2023

Revolutions were common in the ancient world, in both classical Greece and Rome. However, after the city-state republics were succeeded by large empires, revolutions went into abeyance, replaced by dynastic and regional conflicts. There were just two major exceptions, both in the Middle East—the Maccabean and Abbasid Revolutions.
Communist revolutions: Russia, China, and Cuba
Authors: Goldstone Jack A.
Published: December 2023

In the twentieth century, communist revolutions drawing on Marxist ideas of social transformation became popular in developing countries hoping to “leap” into modernity. However, such revolutions often delivered harsh authoritarian government along with economic development. Moreover, while some countries did industrialize and grow after communist revolutions, like Russia and China, they also suffered episodes of famine and war with high death tolls. Some communist revolutions, like that of Cuba, even failed to deliver strong economic growth.
Recent and future revolutions
Authors: Goldstone Jack A.
Published: December 2023

Revolutions have not ceased; indeed they have become even more common since the beginning of the twenty-first century. Their character, however, has changed. Recent revolutions are more often non-violent, less ideological, and more focused on making governments more accountable and democratic. At the same time, revolutions have succeeded less often, as authoritarian governments have gotten better at suppressing revolutionary movements. Nonetheless, as long as there are unjust regimes, especially led by personalist rulers, we will likely see future revolutions when such regimes encounter economic or military crises.
Exploring the Views of Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Investigation into Social Participation and Support Perceptions in Türkiye
Authors: Rfat Mustafa , Ilme Emine , Namik Deniz , Koçak Orhan
Published: December 2023

In Türkiye, care for children with disabilities is performed predominantly by mothers, but they lack support from social services and close family, which exacerbates their challenges. This study examines social participation, social relations and perceptions of social support of mothers of children with developmental disabilities (MCDDs) from a social work perspective. A qualitative research method was used to understand MCDDs’ needs. The research population consisted of ten mothers living in Beyoğlu, a district of Istanbul. The data were obtained through semistructured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews. The themes were determined and explored using descriptive analysis. The study revealed that MCDDs bear the responsibility for their children's care with limited support from close family members. As a result, MCDDs face severe social isolation and mental health issues and have uncertain futures due to the inability to work or attend school. Moving forward, the situation of MCDDs requires intervention at the micro-, mezzo- and macrolevels to improve the overall well-being of mothers. The social work profession should intervene and assist mothers in accessing needed programmes and services.
An atypical airway cast
Authors: Ng Wincy Wing-Sze , Wong Max Kwun-Hung
Published: December 2023

A 60-year-old man intubated for airway protection after smoke inhalation was found to have decompensated hypercapnic respiratory failure. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed obstructive airway slough and pseudomembrane, a manifestation of severe inhalation injury. Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was established for stabilization. The airway casts were removed successfully with periprocedural veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.
Combinatorial Host-Response Biomarker Signature (BV Score) and Its Subanalytes TRAIL, IP-10, and C-Reactive Protein in Children With Mycoplasma pneumoniae Community-Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Papan Cihan , Sidorov Semjon , Greiter Beat , Bühler Nina , Berger Christoph , Becker Sören L , Meyer Sauteur Patrick M
Published: December 2023

Background

Host-response biomarkers to differentiate bacterial from viral etiology in children with respiratory infections have shown high accuracies, but are understudied in Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) infections.

Methods

We compared BV scores (0–34 indicating viral etiology, and 66–100 indicating bacterial etiology), tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL; pg/mL), interferon-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10; pg/mL), and C-reactive protein (CRP; mg/L) serum levels between Mp-positive (Mp+) and Mp-negative (Mp−) community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients. We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses for clinical features and biomarkers.

Results

Of 80 CAP patients (median age, 6.3 years; 57.5% male), 26 had Mp+CAP. In Mp+CAP patients, compared to Mp−CAP patients, BV scores were lower (14.0 [3.0–27.8] vs 54.0 [12.0–84.8]; P = .0008), TRAIL levels were higher (86.5 [67.4–123.0] vs 65.5 [42.5–103.9]; P = .025), CRP levels were lower (12.9 [4.0–22.3] vs 36.7 [13.0–132.8]; P = .0019), and IP-10 levels were comparable (366.0 [150.2–603.8] vs 331.0 [154.3–878.8]; P = .73) (all median [interquartile range]). ROC analyses yielded a comparable discriminatory accuracy for the combination of age, fever duration, and duration of respiratory symptoms, with either procalcitonin or BV score (area under the ROC curve, 0.87 vs 0.86; P = .94).

Conclusions

Children with Mp+CAP have atypically low, viral levels of the BV score, underscoring the complementary role of microbiological testing.
Reference genome of Townsend’s big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii
Authors: Capel Samantha L R , Hamilton Natalie M , Fraser Devaughn , Escalona Merly , Nguyen Oanh , Sacco Samuel , Sahasrabudhe Ruta , Seligmann William , Vazquez Juan M , Sudmant Peter H , Morrison Michael L , Wayne Robert K , Buchalski Michael R
Published: December 2023

Townsend’s big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii, is a cave- and mine-roosting species found largely in western North America. Considered a species of conservation concern throughout much of its range, protection efforts would greatly benefit from understanding patterns of population structure, genetic diversity, and local adaptation. To facilitate such research, we present the first de novo genome assembly of C. townsendii as part of the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP). Pacific Biosciences HiFi long reads and Omni-C chromatin-proximity sequencing technologies were used to produce a de novo genome assembly, consistent with the standard CCGP reference genome protocol. This assembly comprises 391 scaffolds spanning 2.1 Gb, represented by a scaffold N50 of 174.6 Mb, a contig N50 of 23.4 Mb, and a benchmarking universal single-copy ortholog (BUSCO) completeness score of 96.6%. This high-quality genome will be a key tool for informed conservation and management of this vulnerable species in California and across its range.
Engineering carrier nanoparticles with biomimetic moieties for improved intracellular targeted delivery of mRNA therapeutics and vaccines
Authors: Puccetti Matteo , Pariano Marilena , Schoubben Aurelie , Ricci Maurizio , Giovagnoli Stefano
Published: December 2023

Biological membrane-engineered lipid nanoparticles (LNP) have shown enormous potential as vehicles for drug delivery due to their outstanding biomimetic properties. To make these nanoparticles more adaptable to complex biological systems, several methods and cellular sources have been adopted to introduce biomembrane-derived moieties onto LNP and provide the latter with more functions while preserving their intrinsic nature. In this review, we focus on LNP decoration with specific regard to mRNA therapeutics and vaccines. The bio-engineering approach exploits a variety of biomembranes for functionalization, such as those derived from red blood cells, white blood cells, cancer cells, platelets, exosomes, and others. Biomembrane engineering could greatly enhance efficiency in targeted drug delivery, treatment, and diagnosis of cancer, inflammation, immunological diseases, and a variety of pathologic conditions. These membrane-modification techniques are expected to advance biomembrane-derived LNP into wider applications in the future.
Nomad Protagonists
Authors: Miller Bryan K.
Published: December 2023

This chapter presents a framework for reconfiguring the history of the first nomadic empire from an Inner Asian perspective, highlighting pastoral traditions and practices of mobility that enabled the Xiongnu to create an efficient and resilient political organism. It expounds the economic practices and social conventions of steppe herders as fertile foundations for the creation of sophisticated institutions and infrastructures of empire. Through this, it renders a model of empires of mobilities, which engaged the control less of towns and territories and more of the movements of communities and capital to fuel their regimes. Summaries of historical and archaeological records from the Xiongnu era, which are woven together throughout the book, are provided to introduce the spectrum of varied data and analyses employed in the construction of a more robust steppe-centered narrative of the Xiongnu Empire.
Masters of the Steppe
Authors: Miller Bryan K.
Published: December 2023

This chapter recounts the endeavors of the early Xiongnu rulers to formulate a new political order and, through a succession of rapid conquests, establish centralized imperial rule over all of Inner Asia. Attention is given to the ways in which they established hegemony over neighboring polities, especially against the peer empire of Han China. The chapter details the ranks and hierarchy of the imperial regime, centered on a handful of noble nomads under a supreme leader, as well as the varied resources, including animals, people, grains, and luxuries, which the Xiongnu sought to control in order to feed their growing empire.
Of Wolves and Sheep
Authors: Miller Bryan K.
Published: December 2023

This chapter recounts the internal and external forces that tested the strength and stability of the empire. The first phase consisted of all-out war with the neighboring Han Empire, leading to drastic but not deadly reconfigurations of the Xiongnu Empire, followed by a colder war of diplomacy and distant conflicts involving the web of Central Asian states and territories over which the Han and Xiongnu struggled to exert supremacy. The second and more crippling phase brought to bear internal conflicts of repeated attempts by regional entities to throw off the Xiongnu imperial yoke and of challenges to imperial supremacy by the ruling lineage stemming from provincial factions and regional “kings” of the empire. This chapter shows that it was less external military pressure and more underlying internal struggles that could bring crippling crises of imperial dissolution.
The Quotable Guide to Punctuation
Authors: Spector Stephen
Published: December 2023

This book makes punctuation more fun and easier to learn than traditional approaches do. It teaches the natural way, by example: each lesson begins with quotes that exemplify good punctuation and sentence structure. Quotations are humorous and informative, drawn from the words of notable figures--Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Jerry Seinfeld, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lawrence, and many others. Short essays accompany each lesson, showing how each punctuation mark originated and how its use has altered over time. Correct punctuation is vital for clear, accurate, and natural writing. Anyone preparing a course assignment, applying for a job or for college admission, or doing any other formal writing needs to know the standard conventions of punctuation. Yet many people have never been taught how to punctuate. A necessary addition to any writer's bookshelf, this enjoyable book will teach readers to punctuate effectively and confidently--through over 500 memorable quotes and clear explanations of the rules.
Raiding, Conquering, and Settling Down in Britain
Authors: Zori Davide
Published: December 2023

This chapter addresses the Viking raids that characterize the age by focusing on the causes, effects, and motivations of the Viking ventures in Britain. The chapter begins by interlacing accounts of Viking raids in written texts with archaeological evidence of destroyed settlements and raided objects brought back to Scandinavia and deposited in treasure hoards in Britain. These more traditional lines of evidence are augmented with new scientific data from DNA and isotopic study of human bones. Anthropological models of group formation offer insights into how multi-regional Viking raiding parties came into existence. The act of going on a raid, combined with political acts of reciprocity and feasting, provided the crucible in which the raiding party became a unified group. Viking attacks evolved over time from seasonal raids to multi-seasonal expeditions and to campaigns and state-sponsored invasions. Viking strategies and goals shifted over time with fluctuations in the underlying push-and-pull factors that drove their expansion. As the influences of these forces altered, Scandinavian involvement in Britain became more peaceful and shifted to processes of acculturation and identity re-formation. Those new communities that were politically dominated by Scandinavians were creative in forming not just hybrid identities but new identities that were expressed in novel ways such as in monumental stone sculpture and coinage. In most of Britain, Scandinavians integrated into local Christian culture after periods of creative syncretization, while a near ubiquitous cultural assimilation to Scandinavian culture occurred in the northern Scottish Isles.
Lessons Learned and Remaining Questions
Authors: Eisenberg Daniel , Raghavan Ramesh
Published: December 2023

This chapter synthesizes major themes, lessons, and lingering questions from the data and evidence compiled in previous chapters. A key lesson is the need for better evidence, which will require investment in implementation and rigorous evaluation of promising but unproven interventions. Another lesson is the importance of balancing the need for standardized evidence with adapting interventions to local context and culture; a focus on core components versus adaptable features can help in this regard. Other themes and lessons relate to purveyor organizations, local champions and leadership, alignment of financial incentives, and incorporating new technologies. A recurrent, cross-cutting theme is the importance of addressing social inequities through investments in children’s mental health.
The fragile foundations of the African Mining Consensus
Authors: Radley Ben
Published: December 2023

The African Mining Consensus rests on fragile theoretical foundations. Together, the lines of critique developed in this book suggest that, while helping to drive high growth rates, foreign corporate-led mining industrialization in low-income African countries might be reproducing similar processes of peripheral polarization, marginalization, and exclusion to those identified by earlier structuralist and dependency thinkers. Moreover, the evidence presented indicates that the Consensus preference for foreign ownership accentuates the effects of the identified structural constraints, further eroding the space for any potentially transformative impact of mining-based development. This underscores the urgency of moving to domestic forms of mining ownership and management. This would enable an increased share of value retention within-country, including an increased share of value capture by domestic firms and capitalists, both critical elements for the advancement of national sovereign development projects in the African periphery.
Introduction
Authors: Heyndels Sybren , Bengtson Audun , Mesel Benjamin De
Published: December 2023

This chapter contains an introduction by the editors of the volume P.F. Strawson and His Philosophical Legacy. First, the chapter describes Strawson’s life and gives a summary of his most important works, ranging from his early ‘On Referring’ to his latest book Analysis and Metaphysics. Second, it gives an overview of the contributions that appear in P.F. Strawson and His Philosophical Legacy. Lastly, a bibliography of primary and secondary sources is given. The aim of the chapter is to introduce the reader to Strawson’s work and to facilitate the learning process of becoming acquainted with Strawson’s philosophical project in much more detail.
Meaning and Speech Acts
Authors: Rumfitt Ian
Published: December 2023

In ‘Meaning and Truth’, P.F. Strawson staged a ‘Homeric struggle’ between the theorists of communication-intention and the theorists of formal semantics over the question of what meaning consists in. This chapter draws on recent work on the speech act of telling in order to refute Strawson’s argument in favour of the first party. On Strawson’s analysis, a speaker S succeeds in telling an audience H that p only if H comes to believe that S believes that p; this chapter argues that belief in the speaker’s sincerity is not necessary for successful telling. It then criticizes John McDowell’s alternative account, whereby telling someone that p is a ‘cognitive stand-in’ for a direct confrontation with the state of affairs that p; this neglects the role believing the speaker plays in communication. We do better to follow the Peircean account recently developed by Richard Moran: to tell H something is to offer H one’s guarantee of the truth of what one says. Since truth-conditions now emerge as intrinsic to acts of telling, and since Strawson’s theorists of formal semantics assign truth-conditions to declarative sentences, what they provide is central to an account of telling. However, the notion of truth-conditions thereby vindicated differs from some popular conceptions of them, notably that of Donald Davidson. The chapter concludes with some initial remarks about the shape of a semantic theory cast on Strawsonian lines.
To Reply, or Not to Reply, That Is the Question
Authors: D’Oro Giuseppina
Published: December 2023

How should one respond to scepticism? Should one seek to refute it? Or should scepticism be ignored? This chapter explores four responses to scepticism: that of ambitious, truth-directed transcendental arguments; that of modest transcendental arguments; that of the naturalist; and that of the descriptive metaphysician. It argues that descriptive metaphysics occupies an intermediate logical space between truth-directed transcendental arguments aimed at refuting the sceptic and the quietist stance of the Humean naturalist who declines to take up the sceptical challenge, but that it occupies this intermediate logical space in a very distinctive way, one that differs from that in which this middle ground has recently been claimed by advocates of modest transcendental strategies. While descriptive metaphysics is not ontologically ambitious, it does not pursue a strategy of epistemic humility. It seeks to show, rather, that the sceptic is not a genuine partner in conversation.
Navigating ‘Freedom and Resentment’
Authors: Allais Lucy
Published: December 2023

This chapter proposes that part of the explanation for the divergent interpretations of ‘Freedom and Resentment’ is that a variety of seemingly very different readings are genuinely grounded in the text. In particular, it is argued that key notions in Strawson’s account can be understood in different ways, including: his appeal to ‘the facts as we know them’, his contrast between the ‘objective’ and ‘participant’ views, his notion of ‘quality of will’, and his claim that the responsibility practices revealed and expressed by our reactive responses are neither capable of nor in need of justification. The chapter argues that our initial interpretation of an idea leads us down a path which puts the next idea in a particular light, but where a different starting interpretation could have led to an alternative picture, equally coherent and compatible with the text. Finally, the chapter evaluates how Strawson’s argument is affected by the fact that he does not define determinism, saying that he does not know what the thesis of determinism is. It is argued that his argument is compatible with very different understandings of determinism, with implications for the nature of the resulting compatibilism.
Between Exemption and Excuse
Authors: McGeer Victoria
Published: December 2023

In ‘Freedom and Resentment’, P.F. Strawson famously marks a distinction between agents who are proper targets of our reactive attitudes and practices and those who are not. Agents in the first category are responsible, though sometimes excused, for their (putative) wrongdoings; agents in the second category are not responsible and thereby exempted from ordinary reactive attitudes and practices. Basic as this distinction is to Strawson’s general line on responsible agency, it is, as he acknowledges, a murky one. Not only is the division between responsible and non-responsible agents presumed to be fuzzy, Strawson further suggests that the appropriate treatment of agents in this shadowy zone is correspondingly complex. This chapter explores a distinctive line on the nature of responsible agency, as well as our reactive attitudes and practices that indicates how and why they may be appropriately directed to a range of agents typically relegated to the exempted side of this putative divide. While this may seem to run contrary to Strawson’s general approach to responsible agency, the chapter argues that it does not; in fact, it makes good sense of the suggestive and sketchy remarks he makes regarding how agents transit out of this ‘borderline penumbral area’ into full-blown responsible agency.
Classical and Quantum Parametric Phenomena
Authors: Eichler Alexander , Zilberberg Oded
Published: December 2023

This book provides an overview of the phenomena arising when parametric pumping is applied to oscillators. These phenomena include parametric amplification, noise squeezing, spontaneous symmetry breaking, activated switching, cat states, and synthetic Ising spin lattices. To understand these effects, we introduce topics such as nonlinear and stochastic dynamics, coupled systems, and quantum mechanics. Throughout the book, we keep these introductions as succinct as possible and focus our attention on understanding parametric oscillators. As a result, we familiarize ourselves with many aspects of parametric systems and understand the common theoretical origin of nanomechanical sensors, optical amplifiers, and superconducting qubits. Parametric phenomena have enabled important scientific breakthroughs over the last decades and are still at the focus of intense research efforts. Our intention is to provide a resource for experimental and theoretical physicists entering the field or wishing to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying connections. As such, we combine formal and intuitive explanations, accompanied by exercises based on numerical python codes. This combination allows the reader to experience parametric phenomena from various directions and apply their understanding directly to their own research projects. For lecturers, the book supplies all the material necessary for an advanced class on the topic.
Degenerate Parametric Pumping
Authors: Eichler Alexander , Zilberberg Oded
Published: December 2023

In this chapter, we study the effects arising from a parametric pump in a nonlinear resonator. We characterize the system in terms of its characteristic pumping threshold. Below threshold, the pumping leads to phase-dependent parametric amplification. Above the threshold, the harmonic oscillator becomes unstable and the system undergoes a spontaneous symmetry breaking to one of two phase states, whose amplitude is stabilized by nonlinearities. The stability of a phase state can be understood from a quasi-potential picture and formalized with the method of characteristic exponents. The symmetry of these phase states can, in turn, be broken by an external force. Finally, we learn how a parametric pump can be generated by an external force in the presence of a cubic potential (three-wave mixing)
Fragmentary Modernism
Authors: Goldschmidt Nora
Published: December 2023

Fragmentary Modernism begins from a simple observation: what has been called the ‘apotheosis of the fragment’ in the art and writing of modernism emerged hand in hand with a series of paradigm-shifting developments in classical scholarship, which brought an unprecedented number of fragmentary texts and objects from classical antiquity to light in modernity. Focusing primarily on the writers who came to define the anglophone modernist canon – Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, Hilda Doolittle (H. D.), and Richard Aldington, and the artists like Jacob Epstein and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska with whom they were associated – the book plots the multiple networks of interaction between modernist practices of the fragment and the disciplines of classical scholarship. Some of the most radical writers and artists of the period can be shown to have engaged intensively with the fragments of Greek and Roman antiquity and their mediations by classical scholars. But the direction of influence also worked the other way: the modernist aesthetic of gaps, absence, and fracture came to shape how classical scholars and museum curators themselves interpreted and presented the fragments of the past to audiences in the present. From papyrology to philology, from epigraphy to archaeology, the ‘classical fragment’, as we still often see it today, emerged as the joint cultural production of classical scholarship and the literary and visual cultures of modernism
Archaeologisms
Authors: Goldschmidt Nora
Published: December 2023

Chapter 5 turns to the dialogues between modernism and archaeology. It looks at how the revolution in archaeology which gained momentum in the late nineteenth century filtered into modernist practices of the fragment. Beginning with an overview of how fragment-making in the first decades of the twentieth century engaged with archaeology and its popular dissemination, the chapter then focuses in on two case studies. First, it considers the Archaic Greek sculpture discovered on the Acropolis in Athens and other locations in the Greek world, which went on to become an icon of the visual art of modernism as well as the topic of a monograph – planned but never written – by Ezra Pound. Finally, the discussion turns to Arthur Evans’ digs at the site of Knossos in Crete. A builder of ruins (‘le constructeur des ruines’), as a French journalist described him, Evans famously remade antiquity in the image of avant-garde modernity. But his ‘reconstitutions’ did not just make the past into a new modern whole: they also paralleled the fragment-making activities of his modernist contemporaries by casting, in modern concrete, imaginary fragments of a past that never quite existed.
Introduction
Authors: Golding Gabrielle
Published: December 2023

This introductory chapter maps the work’s main aims, arguments, structure, methodological approach, and scope. It begins by highlighting the influential role of terms implied by law in shaping the normative core of contemporary work relationships. The central question that runs throughout the chapters is to what extent terms implied by law shape employment contracts as distinct from contracts for the performance of work. An overview of the chapters is given, as well as an explanation of the methodology underpinning the analysis offered, noting a focus on the legal positions in England and Australia. The potential for rethinking the rationale underpinning terms implied by law into contracts for work is the foundation of the evaluation offered in the book. A brief account of this potential concludes the chapter.
A Legal Overview
Authors: Golding Gabrielle
Published: December 2023

This chapter sets the scene for the remainder of the book by providing an overarching survey of the law across England and Australia, which governs express and implied terms in contracts generally. In doing so, it considers the interplay between general contractual principles and their regulation of contracts for work more specifically. The relationship between implication in fact and implication by law is also examined, as well as the relationship between implication and construction of contractual terms, including policy considerations for the distinction between implication and construction. The chapter considers the relationship between implication and interpretation, noting that the process of implying a term into a contract is no more than a facet of interpreting its ‘true meaning’. In that sense, it is acknowledged that it may sometimes be necessary to imply a term into a contract in order to make the contract work as the parties must have intended. A brief summary of the applicable law is provided, reflective of the fact that its general analysis serves as a precursor for the remaining content of the book.
Conclusion
Authors: Golding Gabrielle
Published: December 2023

Through the lens of terms implied by law, this final chapter arrives at an overarching theory of the nature of the employment contract in relation to other types of contract for the performance of work. This is achieved by making a series of conclusions and recommendations as to the ways in which courts might shape the nature of the employment contract in the future. A rethinking of the courts’ rationale for implying terms by law into those contracts primarily, as well as the broader category of contracts for the performance of work is suggested. Following the analyses in previous chapters, this concluding chapter recommends four main options for reform in both England and Australia. These options include, first, that there is a need for the courts to better articulate their understanding of what actually constitutes the ‘employment contract’ as a distinctive class of contract into which terms are implied by law, separate from the broader notion of ‘contracts for the performance of work’. Secondly, courts must clarify when it is ‘necessary’ to imply a term by law into the class of employment contracts. Thirdly, the judicial role must be clarified in relation to the regulation of employment. Lastly, there ought to be greater clarity around the interrelationship, if any, between a duty of good faith and mutual trust and confidence.
Introduction
Authors: Olaniyan Kolawole
Published: December 2023

The introductory chapter sets the stage for the book, and sketches the current legal rules on recovery and repatriation of proceeds of corruption and money laundering. It traces the global efforts to recover proceeds of corruption since the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) almost two decades ago, and outlines the gaps in the legal rules on recovery and repatriation of proceeds of corruption. It then explores the innovations of international human rights law, particularly the right to wealth and natural resources for developing the theoretical and legal foundations for people’s ownership rights over proceeds of corruption. The chapter examines how the people’s ownership rights over proceeds of corruption would allow them, their representatives, and civil society organizations to challenge states when they are unwilling or unable to take action or bring cases, and to hold private actors to account.
International Legal Rules on Proceeds Deriving from Corruption and Main Legal Challenges
Authors: Olaniyan Kolawole
Published: December 2023

Chapter 4 outlines the international legal rules on the recovery of proceeds of corruption and discusses select domestic and international case studies on grand corruption and asset recovery. Through these case studies, the chapter identifies the main legal and practical challenges that may arise when implementing these rules. Although reference is made to other regional anti-corruption treaties, this chapter focuses on UNCAC because of its comprehensive nature and its universal reach. The UNCAC is the only global, binding international anti-corruption treaty. As of September 2023, it had been ratified by 189 states parties, and many have refrained from making reservations that would damage the integrity of the treaty. The chapter also discusses how the legal and practical challenges to corruption might undermine victims’ access to justice and effective remedies.
International Cooperation and Assistance
Authors: Olaniyan Kolawole
Published: December 2023

Chapter 6 sketches the legal rules on international cooperation and assistance mentioned in anti-corruption and human rights treaties and the obstacles that stand in the way of effective and satisfactory implementation of these rules. It considers how international human rights law, theories, and jurisprudence might help to address these obstacles and also promote, facilitate, and improve the obligations of international cooperation in the recovery and return of proceeds of corruption to their rightful owners. It is clear that given the transnational character of corruption, no single state can effectively and satisfactorily prevent and combat it or address its corrosive consequences. The chapter focuses on international cooperation and assistance in relation to the prevention or transfer of illicitly acquired wealth via freezing, seizure, confiscation, recovery, return, and disposal of proceeds of corruption.