bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Displacement related to the Impacts of Disasters and
Climate Change
Authors: Goodwin-Gill Guy S , McAdam Jane , Dunlop Emma
Published: September 2021

This chapter explores the nature of movement occasioned by the impacts of disasters and climate change. There is scientific consensus that the effects of climate change are aggravating and amplifying many ‘natural’ environmental hazards. This, in turn, may threaten a range of human rights including the right to life, health, housing, culture, means of subsistence, and the right to be free from inhuman or degrading treatment. Moreover, disasters linked to sudden-onset natural hazards continue to trigger the largest number of new internal displacements annually. The chapter then considers the law as it pertains to internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as the limits and capacity of the international and regional legal frameworks that may apply to those who were displaced across an international border (refugee law, human rights law, and the law on statelessness). While a number of international instruments now include language on climate change, disasters, and displacement, including the 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, more is required to give full effect to these undertakings, both with regard to the capacity to anticipate displacement, and to determine what kind of ‘protection’ is called for, by whom, and where.
Nationality, Statelessness, and Protection
Authors: Goodwin-Gill Guy S , McAdam Jane , Dunlop Emma
Published: September 2021

This chapter studies nationality, statelessness, and protection. Domestic law determines the content of nationality, and historically only those elements of nationality bearing on the relations between States were considered of relevance to international law. Questions of nationality, therefore, are in principle within the reserved domain of domestic jurisdiction, even if that leaves many questions open. At one time, it was easier to envisage that the realm of the domestic might not be co-extensive with the realm of the international—that a State’s nationals for the purposes of international law, might yet be divided ‘back home’ into those who did, and those who did not, enjoy the full benefits of civil status. In a post-modern age sensible of human rights, such distinctions, though not unknown, are difficult to justify. If the domestic conception of citizenship did not encompass a sense of protection by the State, including admission or re-admission, then it failed as an instance of nationality in the sense of international law. The chapter then reflects on statelessness in international law and practice. It looks at the elimination and prevention of statelessness and the protection of stateless refugees.
Emergency Arbitration in Investment Treaty Arbitration
Authors: Sim Cameron
Published: September 2021

This chapter discusses emergency arbitration in the context of investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS), and specifically, investment treaty arbitration. The key distinction between emergency arbitration in commercial arbitration and in investment treaty arbitration concerns the application of the second principle of emergency arbitration, namely that the parties must consent to emergency arbitration. Several jurisdictional issues may arise in an investment treaty emergency arbitration, which will not arise in the commercial context. Aside from various preliminary issues, including whether the claimant is a qualifying investor with a protected investment under the applicable treaty, these include issues of State consent, the application of cooling-off periods, and the treatment of most-favoured-nation (MFN) clauses. In addition, the principles applicable in an emergency arbitration in the commercial context to the standards applied to determine the application, and the measures that the emergency arbitrator may impose, are equally applicable in the ISDS context. Finally, the same enforcement issues which arise for an emergency arbitration decision in the commercial context are likely to arise in the ISDS context, and concerns surrounding State sovereignty might also be invoked as an additional shield in enforcement proceedings.
Cultivating the US Overseas Market
Authors: Jordan Cally
Published: September 2021

This chapter details how the United States introduced a trio of regulatory initiatives which represented a turning point in international capital markets. The growing significance of international markets could no longer be ignored nor left to the regulatory hinterlands. The first two initiatives, Regulation S and Rule 144A (under the US 1933 Act), have become standard features of virtually all international capital raisings. Although very different in conception and operation, they are fraternal twins, both responses to a 1987 United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) report on internationalization. They were considered and adopted by the SEC on the same day in April of 1990. The third initiative, the creation of a Multijurisdictional Disclosure System (MJDS) between Canada and the United States, is a younger sibling, conceived in the same flurry of interest in international markets, but making its appearance a year later.
Stock Exchanges—An Endangered Species
Authors: Jordan Cally
Published: September 2021

This chapter explores stock exchanges, which are the most visible and vocal among capital market institutions. Despite the waves of demutualization and consolidation, exchanges remain idiosyncratic institutions. Even where similar structural reorganizations have occurred, the underlying factors prompting such moves, and potentially the on-going operations of the exchanges, are often quite different. As capital markets grew in importance, the role of exchanges extended beyond that of a trading venue. The modern exchange also serves political masters, acting as a national symbol in some cases, and thus eliciting regulatory responses not based on market considerations alone. More importantly, exchanges are imbued, implicitly or explicitly, with a ‘public interest’ due to their impact on the related issues of economic growth, systemic financial stability, and investor protection. The chapter then considers high frequency trading, which drove institutional investors off the exchanges and into the ‘dark pools’, creating concerns over exchange liquidity, transparency, and price-discovery.
Fragmentation
Authors: Young Margaret A.
Published: September 2021

This chapter examines fragmentation within the field of international environmental law. There is long-standing scholarly engagement with the fragmentation of international law into largely self-contained ‘regimes’ such as trade, investment, the law of the sea, and human rights. Such regimes are of fundamental importance to the governance of environmental matters. Multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) covering specific issues and sectors now number in the hundreds, and at times their aims and methods may be in opposition, while gaps remain especially in implementation. The chapter begins with a discussion of the functional conception of law-making within ‘regimes’, which has origins in both international relations and international law, and argues that the governance of environmental matters does not always (or even most often) happen in the context of environmental treaties and environmental institutions but also within norms and institutions that are constituted to pursue other functions, such as trade liberalization or investment protection. It then considers how international adjudication and the proliferation of international courts and tribunals have special salience for environmental matters. The chapter also looks at coordinating initiatives, including the proposal for a Global Pact for the Environment.
Ethical Considerations
Authors: Gillespie Alexander
Published: September 2021

This chapter focuses on the dominant philosophical values currently operating within international environmental law. Collectively, international environmental law operates in a maze of anthropocentric and non-anthropocentric values. Often these values overlap both within and between regimes, and conflicts are relatively rare. Although anthropocentric values are more common than non-anthropocentric ones, there is no one dominant philosophical value that towers above others in international environmental law. Non-anthropocentric values are also becoming particularly noticeable across a large range of topics. However, what is obvious in international environmental law is that the debates about the philosophical value of the environment are not novel. In the space of twenty years, debates which were once the exclusive province of philosophy journals have moved to the core of many of the most high-profile international regimes which are seeking to resolve some of the most pressing difficulties of the twenty-first century.
Precaution
Authors: Peel Jacqueline
Published: September 2021

This chapter describes the concept of precaution in international environmental law, which concerns anticipatory action in response to scientifically uncertain threats of environmental harm. Its most frequently referenced formulation can be found in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The Rio Declaration's endorsement of precaution in Principle 15 introduced to international environmental law a new discourse over the appropriate evidentiary foundations of global environmental regulation. The chapter then focuses on four key questions (and attendant debates) regarding precaution that have been critical in understanding its role in international environmental law. These questions concern the meaning of precaution as a conceptual pillar of international environmental law; the legal status of precaution as a principle of international environmental law; the formulation and understanding of precaution evident from international environmental treaties and case law; and the consequences of applying precaution in decision-making concerning threats of environmental damage.
Customary International Law and the Environment
Authors: Dupuy Pierre-Marie , Le Moli Ginevra , Viñuales Jorge E.
Published: September 2021

This chapter highlights how, despite the large number of environmental agreements at all levels, the role of customary international law remains key in practice. First, many treaties in force remain largely unimplemented. Secondly, treaties only bind those states parties to them, and that introduces sometimes important variations in the scope of environmental agreements. Thirdly, there is at present no treaty formulating binding overarching principles interweaving sectorial environmental agreements. As a result, it is often necessary to revert to customary norms when difficulties of interpretation or implementation arise. Fourthly, custom is important to mediate between a range of environmental and non-environmental interests governed by different treaties. Finally, custom plays an important role in disputes concerning a disputed area or where there is no applicable treaty. The chapter then analyses the process of custom formation with reference to environmental norms in order to show both the ‘banality’ and the peculiarities of this process. It also looks at the content of customary international environmental law as recognized in the case law.
Multilateral Environmental Treaty Making
Authors: Bodansky Daniel
Published: September 2021

This chapter reflects on multilateral environmental treaty making. From its inception, international environmental law has consisted primarily of treaties and other forms of negotiated instruments, which offer several advantages over more informal mechanisms of international cooperation. Traditionally, treaties were comparatively static arrangements, memorializing the rights and duties of the parties as agreed at a particular point in time. Today, environmental agreements are usually dynamic arrangements, establishing ongoing regulatory processes. The result is that, in most environmental regimes, the treaty text itself represents just the tip of the normative iceberg. Most norms are adopted through more flexible techniques, which allow international environmental law to respond quickly to the emergence of new problems and new knowledge. The chapter then introduces the basic types of international instruments, analysing why states negotiate and accept them. It describes the process by which agreements are created, from the inception of negotiations to the adoption and entry into force of the resulting instrument. The chapter also explores various design issues in developing international environmental agreements.
The State
Authors: Marauhn Thilo
Published: September 2021

This chapter assesses the role of the state in international environmental law. The starting point is the Westphalian notion of states' unimpaired freedom of action, increasingly revealed as a ‘myth’. The chapter then considers ideas of contemporary statehood—an element of a global system of environmental governance. Contemporary statehood and its relevance for international environmental law can best be illuminated by focusing on the roles assumed by states as authors, addressees, and guardians of international law. Finally, the chapter discusses the changing role of states in light of ongoing transformations in the international legal system, including the growing plurality of actors, norms, and institutions, as well as the growth of inter-linked networks of states and other actors.
Regional Organizations the European Union
Authors: Maljean-Dubois Sandrine
Published: September 2021

This chapter addresses the European Union (EU) as a preeminent example of a regional organization and its role in international environmental law. It first examines the progressive affirmation of EU competence in the environmental field and its development of a distinctive environmental policy. The chapter then turns to the external dimension of EU environmental competence, discussing the EU's participation in and enforcement of international environmental law, as well as the general question of whether the EU can be said to have an external environmental policy. The EU internal environmental policy expands on the international stage. Even if it lacks the internal structures and resources fully and effectively to assume a role as a global environmental leader, the EU participates in environmental negotiations, concludes and implements international treaties, and exercises its ‘soft power’ to promote the development and implementation of international environmental law. The chapter concludes with some brief reflections on other regional organizations and their distinctions from the largely sui generis EU example.
Migration
Authors: Kälin Walter
Published: September 2021

This chapter investigates the relationship between environmental law and migration law, which traditionally have had little in common and rarely interacted. Their respective subject matters are increasingly reflected as integrated issues in international instruments alongside the growing recognition that environmental factors are important drivers of forced migration as well as predominantly voluntary migration. The chapter argues that environmental law has a relevant role to play in addressing these challenges despite the fact that they are primarily within the purview of migration and human rights law. In particular, it can contribute to addressing environmental drivers of migration and mitigate displacement risks by reducing natural hazards and enhancing the resilience of populations at risk as well as dealing with environmental consequence of such human mobility. On the negative side, environmental law may contribute to forcing people out of conservation areas, unless it provides for measures mitigating such effects of environmental protection.
Intellectual Property
Authors: Benjamin Lisa
Published: September 2021

This chapter focuses on the role of intellectual property law and intellectual property rights (IPRs) in international environmental law. IPRs such as patents are also closely associated with biotechnology developments, and so are highly relevant to efforts to preserve biological diversity, ensure food security, and implement sustainable development goals (SDGs). Issues relating to IPRs arise in three broad areas of international environmental law: whether IPRs should be granted for potentially environmentally damaging technologies; the extent to which IPRs protect Indigenous environmental knowledge; and the extent to which IPRs may limit the transfer of environmentally sound technology. The chapter then provides an overview of IPRs under the 1994 Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) and the 2001 International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGFA). It also considers the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); the 2010 Nagoya Protocol; the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); and the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Armed Conflict and the Environment
Authors: Bruch Carl , Payne Cymie R. , Sjöstedt Britta
Published: September 2021

This chapter looks at how the concern for the environment in relation to armed conflict can be addressed from several bodies of international law. These diverse bodies of law emerged largely isolated from one another: international humanitarian law, international environmental law, international criminal law, international human rights law, the United Nations (UN) Charter, and so on. Hence, a fragmented and unclear legal framework protects the environment in times of armed conflict. The chapter focuses on the interlinkages between international environmental law and other bodies of international law to protect the environment in relation to armed conflict. The thesis is that international environmental law norms are increasingly shaping protection of the environment in relation to armed conflict, in contrast to the relative rigidity of international humanitarian law norms, which is traditionally the starting point for analysing wartime environmental protection. The chapter begins with a brief consideration of international law applicable during all temporal phases of armed conflict: before conflict (including conflict prevention); during conflict; and after conflict. It then explores the issues and relevant law particular to specific phases.
Financial Assistance
Authors: De Chazournes Laurence Boisson
Published: September 2021

This chapter studies the important role of financial assistance in furthering environmental protection. Financial assistance is composed of a complex mosaic of financial mechanisms and sources, which are linked to and affected by global conventions, multilateral institutions, bilateral aid, and private sector investment. Moreover, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities has provided a specific rationale for the provision of financial assistance within multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and through various financial mechanisms. Through the provision of financial assistance, developed countries contribute to covering the incremental costs of protecting the global environment incurred by developing countries. The functions of financial assistance include, inter alia, capacity-building, disaster relief, financing of pollution control equipment, and compliance assistance. Among these various targets, capacity-building has received an important political emphasis. The chapter then outlines the different types and sources of financial assistance, as well as its aim and nature, before analysing the legal structure of financial mechanisms.
Technology Assistance and Transfers
Authors: Alam Shawkat
Published: September 2021

This chapter highlights the role of technological assistance and transfers in international environmental law. At its heart, technology transfers aim to address the inequitable distribution of costs and benefits that have occurred between developed and developing countries under conventional patterns of economic growth. This has been reflected through a range of international environmental law instruments. However, despite the prevalence of technology provisions in international environmental law, there remains a lack of effective implementation. This can be attributed, in part, to the tension between technology transfers and the protection of intellectual property rights. Direct confrontation between the intellectual property and technology transfer regimes has been side-stepped, but there remains a strong need to seek complementarity between the two systems.
International Environmental Responsibility and Liability
Authors: Voigt Christina
Published: September 2021

This chapter analyses the relationship between international environmental law and state responsibility, considering primary obligations, environmental harm, and the standard of care/due diligence. Accountability for internationally illegal acts, such as breach of a treaty or the violation of customary law rules, is relatively well developed in general international law under the concept of state responsibility, though not in a codified, treaty-based manner and some uncertainties exist. In general, ‘state responsibility’ refers to the accountability of a state for a violation of international law and is premised upon an internationally wrongful act which can be attributed to a state. The consequences of international responsibility for a wrongful act are the obligation of the wrongdoer to cease that act, to offer assurances of non-repetition, and to make full reparation of the injury caused by the internationally wrongful act, including compensation for environmental damage. On the other hand, rules for strict liability for environmental harm resulting from lawful activities are not so well established, and remain singular and exceptional.
South America
Authors: Tigre Maria Antonia
Published: September 2021

This chapter explores international environmental law in the courts of South America. Courts in South America have applied international environmental law on a limited scale. Multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) are usually cited in higher courts to reinforce environmental principles or general norms already been incorporated in national law. Whenever applicable, national law is preferred, reducing reliance on international law. Treaties are more likely to be used as an additional argument to advance theories with lower acceptance at the national level. For example, MEAs are often cited when decisions apply the precautionary principle and favour environmental protection in the absence of scientific certainty about environmental damage. More recently, international law has also been cited in pushing forward innovative theories without national legal support, such as the rights of nature. The recent decisions in Colombia have shifted the paradigm, as these directly use international law to justify environmental protection on a broader level. In light of the growth of climate cases filed in national courts, it is likely that international law is directly applied in other national courts as well, as has happened in Colombia.
Jus Cogens
Authors: Shelton Dinah
Published: September 2021

The doctrine of peremptory norms (jus cogens) is a set of core obligations in international law. In this volume in the Elements of International Law series, Dinah Shelton explores its origins and history, its revival in the twentieth century, and its place in international and domestic jurisprudence. Providing a fresh, objective, and non-argumentative approach to the discipline of international law, the Elements series is an accessible go-to source for practicing international lawyers, judges and arbitrators, government and military officers, scholars, teachers, and students.
The Origins and Sources of Jus Cogens
Authors: Shelton Dinah
Published: September 2021

This chapter traces the origins and sources of jus cogens. Jus cogens has been developed largely by international legal scholarship, which has attempted to identify the theoretical foundations of a world juridical order. Every classic author in the field of international law expounds a theory of the source of obligation and the nature of international law. They typically distinguish between voluntary or consensual law and compulsory norms that bind a state independently of its will. Some early writers found the source of compulsory law in divine or religious law binding all humans and human institutions. A related theory derives the concept of jus cogens from general principles of law, noting the existence of overriding public policy and superior norms in all legal systems. Finally, positivists rely on state consent for the origin, content, and functions of jus cogens.
Range limits and thermal physiological adaptation of intertidal limpets belonging to the genusNipponacmea
Authors: Yu Shan-shan , Dong Yun-wei , Wang Qing-lin
Published: September 2021

Nipponacmea fuscoviridis and N. radula are common intertidal species along China's coast and are characterized by divergent biogeographic patterns. In order to understand the effects of thermal stress on the distribution of these rocky shore species, the upper thermal limits and thermal safety margins of these two species were determined and compared. Thermal tolerance of the southern species N. fuscoviridis was higher than that of its northern congener N. radula: (1) the lethal temperature (LT50) of N. fuscoviridis (mean ± SD = 44.19 ± 0.34 °C) was higher than that of N. radula (42.44 ± 0.17 °C); (2) levels of the heat shock protein HSP70 reached maximum values at 40 and 42 °C in N. radula and N. fuscoviridis, respectively; (3) the temperatures at which hsp70 and hsp90 genes were induced (Ton) in N. fuscoviridis were higher than those of N. radula; and (4) Arrhenius breakpoint temperatures (ABTs) of cardiac performance of N. radula and N. fuscoviridis were 36.74 ± 1.27 and 36.84 ± 1.04 °C, respectively. With the consideration of environmental temperature, the maximum habitat temperature (MHT) of the northern species, N. radula, was close to its ABT and lower than its LT50. The MHT for the southern species, N. fuscoviridis, was much higher than its ABT and closed to its LT50. These results indicate that the southern species, despite its higher upper thermal tolerance limit, is living nearer to its lethal temperature and might be more sensitive to the increasing air and ocean temperatures in the face of climate change.
CyanoOmicsDB: an integrated omics database for functional genomic analysis of cyanobacteria
Authors: Zhou Peng , Wang Li , Liu Hai , Li Chunyan , Li Zhimin , Wang Jinxiang , Tan Xiaoming
Published: September 2021

With their photosynthetic ability and established genetic modification systems, cyanobacteria are essential for fundamental and biotechnological research. Till now, hundreds of cyanobacterial genomes have been sequenced, and transcriptomic analysis has been frequently applied in the functional genomics of cyanobacteria. However, the massive omics data have not been extensively mined and integrated. Here, we describe CyanoOmicsDB (http://www.cyanoomics.cn/), a database aiming to provide comprehensive functional information for each cyanobacterial gene. CyanoOmicsDB consists of 8 335 261 entries of cyanobacterial genes from 928 genomes. It provides multiple gene identifiers, visualized genomic location, and DNA sequences for each gene entry. For protein-encoding genes, CyanoOmicsDB can provide predicted gene function, amino acid sequences, homologs, protein-domain super-families, and accession numbers for various public protein function databases. CyanoOmicsDB integrates both transcriptional and translational profiles of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under various environmental culture coditions and genetic backgrounds. Moreover, CyanoOmicsDB includes 23 689 gene transcriptional start sites, 94 644 identified peptides, and 16 778 post-translation modification sites obtained from transcriptomes or proteomes of several model cyanobacteria. Compared with other existing cyanobacterial databases, CyanoOmicsDB comprises more datasets and more comprehensive functional information. CyanoOmicsDB will provide researchers in this field with a convenient way to retrieve functional information on cyanobacterial genes.
USP39 promotes non-homologous end-joining repair by poly(ADP-ribose)-induced liquid demixing
Authors: Kim Jae Jin , Lee Seo Yun , Hwang Yiseul , Kim Soyeon , Chung Jee Min , Park Sangwook , Yoon Junghyun , Yun Hansol , Ji Jae-Hoon , Chae Sunyoung , Cho Hyeseong , Kim Chan Gil , Dawson Ted M , Kim Hongtae , Dawson Valina L , Kang Ho Chul
Published: September 2021

Mutual crosstalk among poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR), activated PAR polymerase 1 (PARP1) metabolites, and DNA repair machinery has emerged as a key regulatory mechanism of the DNA damage response (DDR). However, there is no conclusive evidence of how PAR precisely controls DDR. Herein, six deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) associated with PAR-coupled DDR were identified, and the role of USP39, an inactive DUB involved in spliceosome assembly, was characterized. USP39 rapidly localizes to DNA lesions in a PAR-dependent manner, where it regulates non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) via a tripartite RG motif located in the N-terminus comprising 46 amino acids (N46). Furthermore, USP39 acts as a molecular trigger for liquid demixing in a PAR-coupled N46-dependent manner, thereby directly interacting with the XRCC4/LIG4 complex during NHEJ. In parallel, the USP39-associated spliceosome complex controls homologous recombination repair in a PAR-independent manner. These findings provide mechanistic insights into how PAR chains precisely control DNA repair processes in the DDR.
Anesthesia triggers drug delivery to experimental glioma in mice by hijacking caveolar transport
Authors: Spieth Lena , Berghoff Stefan A , Stumpf Sina K , Winchenbach Jan , Michaelis Thomas , Watanabe Takashi , Gerndt Nina , Düking Tim , Hofer Sabine , Ruhwedel Torben , Shaib Ali H , Willig Katrin , Kronenberg Katharina , Karst Uwe , Frahm Jens , Rhee Jeong Seop , Minguet Susana , Möbius Wiebke , Kruse Niels , von der Brelie Christian , Michels Peter , Stadelmann Christine , Hülper Petra , Saher Gesine
Published: September 2021

Background

Pharmaceutical intervention in the CNS is hampered by the shielding function of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). To induce clinical anesthesia, general anesthetics such as isoflurane readily penetrate the BBB. Here, we investigated whether isoflurane can be utilized for therapeutic drug delivery.

Methods

Barrier function in primary endothelial cells was evaluated by transepithelial/transendothelial electrical resistance, and nanoscale STED and SRRF microscopy. In mice, BBB permeability was quantified by extravasation of several fluorescent tracers. Mouse models including the GL261 glioma model were evaluated by MRI, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, western blot, and expression analysis.

Results

Isoflurane enhances BBB permeability in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. We demonstrate that, mechanistically, isoflurane disturbs the organization of membrane lipid nanodomains and triggers caveolar transport in brain endothelial cells. BBB tightness re-establishes directly after termination of anesthesia, providing a defined window for drug delivery. In a therapeutic glioblastoma trial in mice, simultaneous exposure to isoflurane and cytotoxic agent improves efficacy of chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Combination therapy, involving isoflurane-mediated BBB permeation with drug administration has far-reaching therapeutic implications for CNS malignancies.
Shift work tolerance
Authors: Degenfellner J , Schernhammer E
Published: September 2021

Background

Shift work is widespread due to 24-h work in many occupations. Understanding differences in individual shift work tolerance (SWT) can help develop coping strategies for shift workers.

Aims

This in-depth qualitative review elucidates the architecture of SWT, providing an overview of the research advances in the last decade (2011–2021).

Methods

We searched Google Scholar, PubMed and Medline for different word combinations concerning SWT. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for the potential genetic basis of SWT were additionally searched in GWAS Central and GWAS Catalogue.

Results

Eleven new studies were published since 2011, with the proportion of longitudinal studies on SWT having more than doubled in the past decade. They consolidate prior findings (e.g. hardiness most consistently associated with SWT) and discovered additional aspects of SWT like resistance to change and job stress. The 15 large-scale GWAS identified, most of which using UK Biobank (UKB) and 23andMe data, involved mapped genes showing overlap especially within analysis of the same phenotype (e.g. PER2/3 for morningness, PAX8 for sleep duration and LINGO1 for neuroticism). Individual GWAS for additional traits such as resilience have also been published though assessments of gene overlap are not yet possible.

Conclusions

Progress regarding longitudinal studies on SWT has been made though a more consistent definition of SWT remains crucial for future research. Non-genetic studies on SWT suggest several important traits and factors; many of which have now also been explored using GWAS. Such evidence could serve as basis for individualized risk prediction and disease prevention approaches for night-shift workers.
‘Frank’s sign: dermatological marker for coronary artery disease’
Authors: Elawad Omer Ali Mohamed Ahmed , Albashir Ahmed Abdalazim Dafallah
Published: September 2021

Frank’ sign or diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) is a diagonal earlobe crease that extends backwards from the tragus at an angle of 45 degree across the lobule to the ear edge of the auricle. It has been described as a dermatological marker for coronary artery disease. Frank’s sign is a useful clinical sign for coronary artery disease. Inspection of the earlobes should be considered as integral part of the physical examination in clinical practice for patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
Embedded Leverage
Authors: Frazzini Andrea , Pedersen Lasse Heje
Published: September 2021

Many financial instruments are designed with embedded leverage, such as options and leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Embedded leverage alleviates investors’ leverage constraints, and, therefore, we hypothesize that embedded leverage lowers required returns. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find empirically that options and leveraged ETFs provide significant amounts of embedded leverage; this embedded leverage increases return volatility in proportion to the embedded leverage; and higher embedded leverage is associated with lower risk-adjusted returns. The results are statistically and economically significant, and we provide extensive robustness tests and discuss the broader implications of embedded leverage for financial economics. (JEL G02, G11, G12, G13, G14, G20)
Distributions from Foreign Foundations and Trusts—The Case-law of the German Federal Fiscal Court (BFH)
Authors: Niermann Marcus , Muscheites Erik
Published: September 2021

The taxation of distributions from foreign foundations and trusts to beneficiaries resident in Germany is highly relevant in practice, but continues to be fraught with uncertainties. The article shows that recent case-law of the German Federal Fiscal Court (BFH) has clarified the position only partially. It is shown that economic double taxation burdens can only be avoided with careful planning which should ideally start before establishing German tax residency.
Modeling the effects of steroid implant use on the environmental and economic sustainability of Brazilian beef production
Authors: Capper Judith L , De Carvalho Thiago B , Hancock Andrew S , Sá Filho Ocilon G , Odeyemi Isaac , Bartram David J
Published: September 2021

Brazilian beef systems contribute 14.9% of global beef production, therefore given climate change concerns, there is a clear need to reduce environmental impacts while maintaining economic viability. This study evaluated the hypothesis that steroid implant use in Brazilian beef cattle would reduce resource use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and economic costs of production, thereby improving environmental and economic sustainability. A deterministic model based on beef cattle population demographics, nutrition and performance was used to quantify resource inputs and GHG emissions per 1.0 × 106 kg of hot carcass weight (HCW) beef. System boundaries extended from cropping input manufacture to cattle arriving at the slaughterhouse. Beef systems were modeled using herd population dynamics, feed and performance data sourced from producers in four Brazilian states, with additional data from global databases. Implants were used in calves, growing and finishing cattle at low (LI), medium (MI), and high (HI) levels of performance enhancement, compared to nonimplanted (NI) controls. Feed use results were used in combination with producer-derived input costs to assess the economic impacts of implant use, including production costs and returns on investment. Improved FCE, ADG, and carcass weights conferred by implant use reduced the number of cattle and the time taken to produce 1.0 × 106 kg HCW beef. Compared to NI controls, the quantities of feed, land, water and fossil fuels required to produce 1.0 × 106 kg HCW beef was reduced in implanted cattle, with reductions proportional to the performance-enhancing effect of the implant (HI > MI > LI). Implant use reduced GHG emissions per 1.0 × 106 kg HCW beef by 9.4% (LI), 12.6% (MI), or 15.8% (HI). Scaling up the MI effects to represent all eligible Brazilian cattle being implanted, revealed avoided GHG emissions equivalent to the annual exhaust emissions of 62.0 × 106 cars. Economic impacts of implant use reflected the environmental results, resulting in a greater margin for the producers within each system (cow-calf through to finishing). The 6.13% increase in kg of HCW beef produced generates a cost reduction of 3.76% and an increase in the return on invested capital of 4.14% on average. Implants offer the opportunity for Brazilian beef producers to demonstrate their dedication to improving environmental and economic sustainability through improved productivity, although care must be taken to avoid negative trade-offs.
Unmarked Gene Editing in Clavibacter michiganensis Using CRISPR/Cas9 and 5-Fluorocytosine Counterselection
Authors: Chen Xing , Tan Qing , Lyu Qingyang , Yu Chengxuan , Jiang Na , Li Jianqiang , Luo Laixin
Published: September 2021

Plant-pathogenic bacteria in the genus Clavibacter are important quarantine species that cause considerable economic loss worldwide. The development of effective gene editing techniques and additional selectable markers is essential to expedite gene functional analysis in this important Gram-positive genus. The current study details a highly efficient unmarked CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing system in Clavibacter michiganensis, which couples the expression of cas9 and single-guide RNA with homology-directed repair templates and the negative selectable marker codA::upp within a single plasmid. Initial experiments indicated that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated transformation could be utilized for both site-directed mutagenesis, in which an A to G point mutation was introduced at the 128th nucleotide of the C. michiganensis rpsL gene to generate a streptomycin-resistant mutant, and complete gene knockout, in which the deletion of the C. michiganensis celA or katA genes resulted in transformants that lacked cellulase and catalase activity, respectively. In subsequent experiments, the introduction of the codA::upp cassette into the transformation vector facilitated the counterselection of unmarked transformants by incubation in the absence of the selective antibiotic, followed by plating on M9 agar containing 5-fluorocytosine at 100 μg/ml, in which an unmarked katA mutant lacking the transformation vector was recovered. Compared with conventional homologous recombination, the unmarked CRISPR/Cas9-mediated system was more useful and convenient because it allowed the template plasmid to be reused repeatedly to facilitate the editing of multiple genes, which constitutes a major advancement that could revolutionize research into C. michiganensis and other Clavibacter spp.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Hypoxemia in Young Children Undergoing One-lung Ventilation: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Templeton T. Wesley , Miller Scott A. , Lee Lisa K. , Kheterpal Sachin , Mathis Michael R. , Goenaga-Díaz Eduardo J. , Templeton Leah B. , Saha Amit K. ,   for the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group Investigators
Published: September 2021

Background

One-lung ventilation in children remains a specialized practice with low case numbers even at tertiary centers, preventing an assessment of best practices. The authors hypothesized that certain case factors may be associated with a higher risk of intraprocedural hypoxemia in children undergoing thoracic surgery and one-lung ventilation.

Methods

The Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes database and a local quality improvement database were queried for documentation of one-lung ventilation in children 2 months to 3 yr of age inclusive between 2010 and 2020. Patients undergoing vascular or other cardiac procedures were excluded. All records were reviewed electronically for the presence of hypoxemia, oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry (Spo
2) less than 90% for 3 min or more continuously, and severe hypoxemia, Spo
2 less than 90% for 5 min or more continuously during one-lung ventilation. Records were also assessed for hypercarbia, end-tidal CO2 greater than 60 mmHg for 5 min or more or a Paco
2 greater than 60 on arterial blood gas. Covariates assessed for association with these outcomes included age, weight, American Society of Anesthesiologists (Schaumburg, Illinois) Physical Status 3 or greater, duration of one-lung ventilation, preoperative Spo
2 less than 98%, bronchial blocker versus endobronchial intubation, left operative side, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, lower tidal volume ventilation (tidal volume less than or equal to 6 ml/kg plus positive end expiratory pressure greater than or equal to 4 cm H2O for more than 80% of the duration of one-lung ventilation), and type of procedure.

Results

Three hundred six cases from 15 institutions were included for analysis. Hypoxemia and severe hypoxemia occurred in 81 of 306 (26%) patients and 56 of 306 (18%), respectively. Hypercarbia occurred in 153 of 306 (50%). Factors associated with lower risk of hypoxemia in multivariable analysis included left operative side (odds ratio, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.251 to 0.78]) and bronchial blocker use (odds ratio, 0.351 [95% CI, 0.177 to 0.67]). Additionally, use of a bronchial blocker was associated with a reduced risk of severe hypoxemia (odds ratio, 0.290 [95% CI, 0.125 to 0.62]).

Conclusions

Use of a bronchial blocker was associated with a lower risk of hypoxemia in young children undergoing one-lung ventilation.

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Evaluation of Appropriate Use of Preoperative Echocardiography before Major Abdominal Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Tank Allyson , Hughey Robert , Ward R. Parker , Nagele Peter , Rubin Daniel S.
Published: September 2021

Background

Preoperative resting echocardiography is often performed before noncardiac surgery, but indications for preoperative resting echocardiography are limited. This study aimed to investigate appropriateness of preoperative resting echocardiography using the Appropriate Use Criteria for Echocardiography, which encompass indications from the guidelines on perioperative cardiovascular evaluation and management and nonperioperative indications independent of the perioperative period. The authors hypothesized that patients are frequently tested without an appropriate indication.

Methods

Records of patients in the Truven Health MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental Databases who underwent a major abdominal surgery from 2005 to 2017 were included. These databases contain de-identified records of health services for more than 250 million patients with primary or Medicare supplemental health insurance coverage through employer-based fee-for-service, point-of-service, or capitated plans. Patients were classified based on the presence of an outpatient claim for resting transthoracic echocardiography within 60 days of surgery. Appropriateness was determined via International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision–Clinical Modification, and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision–Clinical Modification principal and secondary diagnosis codes associated with the claims, and classified as “appropriate,” “rarely appropriate,” or “unclassifiable” using the Appropriate Use Criteria for Echocardiography.

Results

Among 230,535 patients in the authors’ cohort, preoperative resting transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 6.0% (13,936) of patients. There were 12,638 (91%) studies classifiable by the Appropriate Use Criteria for Echocardiography, and 1,298 (9%) were unable to be classified. Among the classifiable studies, 8,959 (71%) were deemed “appropriate,” while 3,679 (29%) were deemed “rarely appropriate.” Surveillance of chronic ischemic heart disease and uncomplicated hypertension accounted for 43% (1,588 of 3,679) of “rarely appropriate” echocardiograms.

Conclusions

More than one in four preoperative resting echocardiograms were considered “rarely appropriate” according to the Appropriate Use Criteria for Echocardiography. A narrow set of patient characteristics accounts for a large proportion of “rarely appropriate” preoperative resting echocardiograms.

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Effect of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy on the risk for retinal detachment after cataract surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Huayan , Liu Xianjie , Chen Yutong , Wang Danfeng , Li Yongshan , Chen Haijie , Ma Xiaoli
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy on the incidence of pseudophakic retinal detachment (RD). The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to study location, number of cases, mean follow-up time, and cataract procedure. The final analysis included 11 studies with 309 cases of RD in 65 117 eyes undergoing cataract surgery. Among them, 8232 eyes underwent Nd:YAG capsulotomy. This analysis demonstrated an increased risk for RD with Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy (relative risk [RR], 1.57; 95% CI, 1.17-2.12; P = .003; hazard ratio, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.03-2.62; P = .04). Subgroup analysis suggested somewhat stronger associations in Asian (RR, 4.54; 95% CI, 2.20-9.38; P < .0001) than in non-Asian populations (Americans, P = .12; Europeans and others, P = .21) and with extracapsular cataract extraction (RR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.83-4.83; P < .0001) than with phacoemulsification (P = .95). To conclude, Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy may be associated with an increased risk for pseudophakic RD.