bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Article 19
Authors: Payandeh Mehrdad
Published: September 2024

This chapter addresses Art 19 of the UN Charter, which aims at ensuring the fiscal capabilities of the UN. It is meant to incentivize member States to honour their financial obligations towards the Organization. The provision must be seen in the systematic context of Chapter IV of the Charter: under Art 19, the failure of a member State to meet its financial obligations stemming from Art 17 (2) will lead to a suspension of that State’s voting rights within the General Assembly under Art 18. The provision thereby establishes a sanction for a State’s violation of its financial obligations under the Charter. In this regard, Art 19 provides for a more narrowly focused suspension of membership rights than the general provision of Art 5, which empowers the GA to suspend member States from the exercise of their rights and privileges of membership on a broader scale when the Security Council has taken preventive or enforcement action against that State. Article 19, moreover, does not exclude other measures in reaction to a member State’s violation of its duty to contribute financially to the UN.
Article 20
Authors: Eick Christophe
Published: September 2024

This chapter describes Art 20 of the UN Charter. Article 20 provides that ‘the General Assembly shall meet in regular annual sessions and in such special sessions as occasion may require’. The ‘special sessions shall be convoked by the Secretary-General at the request of the Security Council or of a majority of the Members of the United Nations’. The GA can decide to meet abroad for the opening of a session, a complete session, parts of a session, or even just a few meetings. A simple majority is sufficient for the validity of such a decision. However, according to Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedure, the GA must not decide to shift one or more meetings away from New York City after the opening of a session. Only member States have the right to request the transfer of a session to a place other than New York City.
Article 25
Authors: Peters Anne
Published: September 2024

This chapter examines Art 25 of the UN Charter, which provides that ‘the Members of the United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the present Charter’. During the San Francisco Conference, the principle underlying Art 25, namely that the Organization was to possess a binding decision-making power, was not questioned. The proposal to limit the binding force of the decisions of the SC to those taken under Chapters VI, VII, and VIII did not meet with sufficient support. Despite the adherence by the majority of the participants at the San Francisco Conference to the provision of binding decisions by the SC beyond Chapter VII of the Charter, the true scope of Art 25 of the Charter eventually remained open. This has led to controversies in UN practice and in scholarship over the meaning of Art 25. In addition, Art 25 has been rarely explicitly cited in decisions adopted by the SC.
Article 26
Authors: Koch Nikolaus , Schütz Hans-Joachim
Published: September 2024

This chapter evaluates Art 26 of the UN Charter. Article 26 provides that ‘in order to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the world’s human and economic resources, the Security Council shall be responsible for formulating, with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee referred to in Article 47, plans to be submitted to the Members of the United Nations for the establishment of a system for the regulation of armaments’. It is one of three Articles in the UN Charter which deal with armaments and their possible limitation, the other two Articles being Arts 11 (1) and 47 (1). In order to qualify as ‘plan’ within the meaning of Art 26, a proposal must possess a certain degree of concreteness and must contain specific practical measures. Plans merely containing abstract principles and statements do not satisfy the requirements of Art 26.
Article 31
Authors: Kreuter-Kirchhof Charlotte
Published: September 2024

This chapter describes Art 31 of the UN Charter. According to Art 31, ‘any Member of the United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brought before the Security Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of that Member are specially affected’. Non-member States are invited to participate only when they are parties to a dispute. In the light of the wording of Art 31, it might be argued that a State is not ‘specially affected’ if the consequences of a SC resolution touch upon fundamental interests of the international community as a whole. However, the practice of the SC has so far been to assume that the right of the State to participate is not diminished by the fact that other States of a region or of a continent are affected in the same manner.
Article 33
Authors: Tomuschat Christian
Published: September 2024

This chapter studies Art 33 of the UN Charter. Generally, Art 33 (1) can be characterized as a fundamental policy rule which divides the areas of responsibility of the parties to a dispute. Primary responsibility rests with the parties, which means that the competence of the Security Council and that of the General Assembly is subsidiary. Non-exhaustion of the existing ways and means of peaceful settlement can therefore be raised as a preliminary objection to all these organs’ efforts at mediation. In practice, however, the SC is hardly ever impressed by such objections. Article 33 (2), on the other hand, sets forth one of the various powers of the SC. By appealing to the parties to do what in any event they are bound to do under Art 2 (3), the SC refers responsibility back to them. In such instances, the SC refrains from taking a stance on the substance of the conflict. Nonetheless, an appeal made in accordance with Art 33 (2) can be supported at the diplomatic level through appropriate efforts by members of the SC.
Article 36
Authors: Giegerich Thomas
Published: September 2024

This chapter highlights provisions contained in Art 36 of the UN Charter on certain dispute-settlement powers of the Security Council. It points out how the SC may recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment. It also mentions the League Covenant, which urged the member States to submit their legal disputes to arbitration. Article 36 (3) demonstrates a preference for referring disputes to the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the UN. It categorizes Art 36 powers of the SC as those of good offices, but with an additional element of procedural mediation.
Responsibility to Protect
Authors: Vashakmadze Mindia
Published: September 2024

This chapter details the failure of the international community to avert major humanitarian disasters in Rwanda (1994) and Srebrenica (1995), which demonstrated the need to rethink the role of States and the international community in preventing mass atrocity crimes. It looks at the report of the Canadian-sponsored International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) on the concept of the responsibility to protect. It also considers the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document as the most authoritative statement of the responsibility to protect (R2P). The chapter discusses how the United Nations Security Council invoked R2P when it authorized member States to protect civilians from repressive government forces in Libya. It provides a legal analysis of the R2P concept, addressing its normative implications from an international law perspective.
Article 40
Authors: de Wet Erika
Published: September 2024

This chapter analyses Art 40 of the UN Charter discussing how the Security Council may call upon the parties concerned to comply with provisional measures to prevent an aggravation of a situation of conflict. It mentions the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals that included provisional measures that were raised by China and immediately accepted by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom. It also discusses Res 1696 (2006) against Iran that required the suspension of a diverse range of activities pertaining to the enrichment and reprocessing activities of uranium, including research and development. The chapter details provisional measures that encompass demands for the suspension of hostilities, troop withdrawal, and agreement on or adherence to a ceasefire. It highlights measures classified under Art 40 that have been adopted in relation to internal conflicts and were originally envisaged for parties to inter-State conflicts.
Article 41
Authors: de Wet Erika
Published: September 2024

This chapter explains Art 41 of the UN Charter, which covers the Security Council that may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions. It recounts how the SC agreed on a mandatory embargo against the racist minority regime of Southern Rhodesia in 1996. It also reviews measures on the complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic relations. The chapter looks at guidelines for assessing the humanitarian implications of sanctions, including mechanisms for reviewing their humanitarian impact in some resolutions. It describes the systematic shift to narrowly tailored targeted sanctions in the late 1990s that fits into the pattern of obtaining a better balance between the efficacy of measures and unintended adverse humanitarian consequences.
Article 44
Authors: Novak Gregor , Reinisch August
Published: September 2024

This chapter discusses Art 44 of the UN Charter, which regulates the participation in Security Council decisions on military action of States that have placed forces at its disposal. It analyses the general significance of the collective security of Art 44 within the UN system. It also explains that Art 44 informs the practical arrangements that have developed in the context of peacekeeping forces authorized by the SC. The chapter reviews the debates within the SC that have frequently concerned the importance of cooperation and consultation of the SC with troop- and police-contributing States and their participation in the context of peacekeeping operations. It points out that Art 44 has no model in the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals but was nonetheless later included in the Charter.
Article 46
Authors: Novak Gregor , Reinisch August
Published: September 2024

This chapter analyses the concept of concerted military planning built upon the experience of World War II, including the coordinated Anglo-American planning under a system of Combined Chiefs of Staff. It details that the UN Charter drew on French demands in the framework of the League of Nations for more effective enforcement measures through advance military planning. It also considers Art 46 as an introduction to paragraph 9 of the Dumbarton Oaks Draft Proposals. The chapter discusses how Art 46 can refer to long- and medium-term advance military planning. It describes national military planning, such as military alliances, that are usually directed towards potential conflict scenarios and external threats.
Article 50
Authors: Novak Gregor , Reinisch August
Published: September 2024

This chapter looks at the purpose of Art 50 of the UN Charter, which is to aid States that incur economic difficulties as a result of preventive and enforcement measures undertaken by the Security Council. It discusses the issue of the potential unintended consequences of preventive or enforcement measures by the SC that has been raised regularly in SC debates. It also reviews the draft of Art 50, which was modified in order to make it clear that the State against which sanctions were being taken was not to be the beneficiary of the provision. The chapter points out how Art 50 provides member States and non-member States with the right to consult the SC. It implies that the scope of Art 50 is limited to special economic problems arising from carrying out UN sanctions.
Article 55 (a) and (b)
Authors: Stoll Tobias
Published: September 2024

This chapter covers Art 55 (a) and (b) of the UN Charter, which states that the UN is built on the understanding that peace needs to be secured by economic and social welfare and by the realization of human rights. It details how the cooperation of UN and its members became a key area of activity to many bodies of the UN System. It also recounts how Art 55 resulted from the strands of thought that developed at the close of World War II. The chapter considers Art 55 as representative of an early and prominent example for what was later coined ‘the law of co-operation’. It reviews rules on cooperation that vary in view of the degree of commitment undertaken and in regard to the definition of contributions that States have to make.
Article 55 (c)
Authors: Frenz Eva , Hanschel Dirk
Published: September 2024

This chapter focuses on Art 55 (c) of the UN Charter, which is of great relevance and has constituted the basis for a whole range of mechanisms on human rights protection over the decades. It shows how Art 55 (c) obliges the UN and the State parties to respect and observe human rights as an inevitable step to meet the objective of protection of human rights. It also discusses the demand of Art 55 (c) for the universal respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the claim for universality. The chapter highlights the distinction of Art 55 (c) between ‘universal respect for’ and ‘observance of’ human rights and looks at the limited or conclusive wording of the non-discrimination clause in Art 55 (c) that might be seen as an expression of its strength.
Human Rights Council
Authors: Miklasová Júlia , Nussberger Angelika
Published: September 2024

This chapter discusses the Human Rights Council which is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System that is responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe. It considers the Human Rights Council as the lynchpin of the UN human rights machinery that brings together States, independent experts, UN staff, and civil society actors. It also describes the Human Rights Council as a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly within the United Nations institutional architecture. The chapter discusses the forty-seven members of the Human Rights Council that are elected by the UN General Assembly in line with the principle of equitable geographical distribution. It recounts the abolition of the Human Rights Commission and the creation of the Human Rights Council which was seen as a remarkable innovation within the UN institutional architecture.
Article 62
Authors: Röben Volker
Published: September 2024

This chapter covers Art 62 of the UN Charter, which contains a general definition of the functions and powers of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It explains that Art 62 states the issue areas in which ECOSOC functions, such as economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and related matters. It also highlights the promotion of respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. The chapter encompasses matters that are capable of being furthered by international cooperation and where international cooperation will remove causes for conflict between States and within States. It emphasizes that Art 62 does not encompass political matters or particular legal disputes between States.
Article 65
Authors: Klimke Romy , Tietje Christian
Published: September 2024

This chapter discusses the threats to international peace and security that usually go hand in hand with human rights violations and social and economic destabilization, intertwining the mandates of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Security Council. It focuses on Art 65 of the UN Charter which forms the foundation for the working relationship between ECOSOC and the SC. It also points out that Art 65 calls upon ECOSOC to provide assistance, which anticipates the need for supporting SC measures. The chapter reviews the relationship between ECOSOC and the SC, which is specified in several provisions of ECOSOC’s Rules of Procedure. It recounts the invitation of the SC to ECOSOC in 1998 to contribute to designing a long-term programme of support for Haiti while avoiding a formal mentioning of Art 65.
Article 71
Authors: Hobe Stephan
Published: September 2024

This chapter discusses Art 71 of the UN Charter, which is the only Article that applies to non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It highlights how NGOs influence the international legal system by monitoring State performance or advocating new policy agendas. It also reviews the contribution of NGOs to the development, interpretation, judicial application, and enforcement of international law. The chapter explains how Art 71 grants the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) the power to make suitable arrangements for consultation with NGOs. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with national organizations after consultation with the Member of the United Nations concerned. It examines the terms in which Art 71 was drafted that have given ECOSOC sufficient flexibility to organize the modalities of its relations with NGOs.
Article 75
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter covers the international trusteeship system of Chapter XII of the UN Charter. The international trusteeship system governed the administration of trust territories by their administering authorities and their supervision by the UN. Moreover, similar to Chapter XI, the trusteeship system marked the transition of non-self-governing territories from colonial rule to independence while establishing higher requirements for the administering authorities. The chapter discusses the function, historical background, and lasting significance of the trusteeship system. It also considers the legal status of the trust territories, which correlates to the close relationship between sovereignty and legal personality in international law.
Article 77
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter examines Art 77 of the Charter of the United Nations. The provision defines the different categories of territories covered by the trusteeship system, which was the outcome of contentious negotiations at various conferences on the future of the international order after World War II. The chapter considers the former mandates found in the Middle East, Central Africa, the Pacific Islands, South West Africa, and Namibia. Article 77 also pertained to territories detached from enemy States which were primarily Italian and Japanese territories. The chapter notes that the voluntary basis of the trusteeship system constituted a serious problem.
Article 78
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter focuses on Art 78 of the UN Charter. It explains the provision’s function of determining trusteeship as a one-way street during a transitory phase to which territories that have attained the status of independent States may not return. The negotiating history of Chapter XII reveals that Arab States feared that France might place Syria or Lebanon under trusteeship, making them lose their recently attained status as independent States. The reference to sovereign equality in the second part of Art 78 goes back to the Soviet Union’s proposal to safeguard the position of new member States. The chapter notes that a newly independent State was accepted as a member of the UN at the expiry of trusteeship.
Article 79
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter explores Art 79 of the Charter of the UN. Article 79 holds that trusteeship agreements should serve as a legal basis for individual trusteeships and determines the parties concluding them. It then elaborates on the legal nature of the trusteeship agreements. Since the Charter is silent on the legal nature of trusteeship agreements, they depend on general international law. The chapter explains the controversial notion of the term ‘states directly concerned’ as such status makes a State a necessary party to a trusteeship agreement. The chapter notes that the drafting of Art 79 marginalized the significance of the trusteeship system for the process of decolonization.
Article 80
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter examines Art 80 of the Charter of the UN. It explains that Art 80 contains a declaratory function to smooth the transition from the mandate system of the League to the trusteeship system. Article 80 refers to the situation of territories under mandate only, therefore it does not apply to other territories that may be placed under the trusteeship system of the UN Charter. The chapter elaborates on the importance of Art 80 on the future of Palestine after the Arab States rejected the plan for the partition of Palestine. Moreover, the International Court of Justice used the provision to corroborate its view that the League of Nations’ mandates continued to exist after the end of the League of Nations.
Article 83
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter covers Art 83 of the Charter of the UN. According to Art 83 (1) of the UN Charter, the powers of the UN relating to strategic areas were vested in the Security Council, which approved the trusteeship agreement for the Pacific Islands. The text of Art 83 (3) is ambiguous with regard to the role of the Trusteeship Council and its relationship with the SC. The chapter also elaborates on the implementation of Art 76, which correlates to the notion of peace and security. It explores the provisions within the trusteeship agreement, which include the administering authority promoting development towards self-government or independence of the trust territory.
Article 86
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter focuses on the composition of the Trusteeship Council (TC). It highlights the purpose of Art 86 to achieve a balanced composition of the TC between administering and non-administering powers while reserving seats to the permanent members of the Security Council. To ensure a balance of composition, the drafters took into account the fact that the number of trust territories and the number of administering powers would change over time. The chapter looks into the principle of the balanced composition between administering and non-administering members of the TC during the process of decolonization. It then notes the conclusion of the TC's operations in 1994 after the objectives of the trusteeship system had been fulfilled.
Article 87
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter elaborates on the notion of the trusteeship system by referencing Art 87 of the UN Charter. The core competencies of UN organs in the trusteeship system were based on two main principles of a State authority administering a trust territory and the administration being internationally supervised. The significance of Art 87 lies in it furnishing the legal basis for obtaining comprehensive information. The chapter explains that Art 87 ensured that the supervisory organ received information from three sources thereby guaranteeing a comprehensive picture of the administration’s policy and practice. It clarifies that the provision only applied directly to those trust territories which were not designated as strategic areas.
Article 88
Authors: Goldmann Matthias
Published: September 2024

This chapter explains that Art 88 supplements the provision of Art 87 (a) on the competence of the Trusteeship Council (TC) to examine reports submitted by the administering authority. Additionally, Art 88 applied to non-strategic areas and strategic areas, if the strategic areas did not fall within the competence of the General Assembly. The chapter then considers the ambiguity of the provision with regard to whether the TC should create a single, uniform questionnaire for all trust territories or a specific one for each territory. It explains the obligations concerned for the report of the administering authority.
Article 98
Authors: Chesterman Simon
Published: September 2024

This chapter examines the provisions of Art 98 of the UN Charter. It notes that Art 98 outlines what may be conceived as the administrative functions of the Secretary-General, most of which are highly political in nature. Additionally, the Secretary-General also represents the Organization and may enter into agreements that bind the UN. The general administrative and executive functions of the Secretary-General in supporting the principal organs include conducting meetings, managing communications, and monitoring the implementation of and coordinating work across the UN’s various organs. The chapter also explains that the Secretary-General presents an annual report to the General Assembly regarding the Organization’s activities.
Article 100
Authors: Ebner Christian , Marschik Axel
Published: September 2024

This chapter explores the meaning and purpose of Art 100 of the Charter of the UN. It notes that the Secretary-General and the staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or any other authority external to the Organization. Article 100 establishes the exclusively international character of the Secretariat as a core principle of the UN’s constitution. The chapter expounds on the notion of recruitment, direction of appointments, transparency, accountability, and settlement of staff disputes as per the provision. It mentions that an analysis of Art 100 shows signs of gradual erosion of the independence of the Secretary-General and staff.
Article 101
Authors: Rohde Christian
Published: September 2024

This chapter examines Art 101 of the UN Charter. It explains that Art 101 is the main pillar of the UN framework for the recruitment and employment of its staff, the authority of the UN Secretary-General to administer the staff of the Organization, and the authority of the UN General Assembly to regulate the staff of the United Nations. While Art 101 (1) and (2) establish the division of competencies and the Secretariat’s structure, Art 101 (3) lays down several of the Organization’s basic principles of human resources policy-making. The chapter details the key employment principles as per the provisions of Art 101. It also provides an overview of the legal framework for staff of the Organization in the UN Charter.
Article 103
Authors: Leiss Johann Ruben , Paulus Andreas
Published: September 2024

This chapter focuses on Art 103 of the Charter of the UN. As one of its central provisions, Art 103 gives the law of the UN Charter a superior character over other international treaties and all other international laws. The real value of Art 103 lies in being a last resort when all efforts to interpret obligations under other binding legal instruments in line with the Charter fail. The chapter elaborates on the scope and effect of Art 103, while also considering the correlation between the provisions and the law of treaties. It highlights the importance of Art 103 in maintaining the coherence and unity of the international legal system under the UN Charter.
Article 104
Authors: Ziegler Andreas R
Published: September 2024

This chapter explains the general notions of Art 104 of the UN Charter. Article 104 exclusively deals with the capacity of the UN in the territory of each of its member States and establishes the functional limits of the capacity of the UN and the interpretation of its scope of legal personality. The chapter also looks into the juridical personality of the United Nations and its limitations with regards to time and the internal structure of the UN and at the liability of its members for acts of the UN.
Article 105
Authors: Ziegler Andreas R
Published: September 2024

This chapter provides an overview of Art 105 of the Charter of the UN. It starts with the history and rationale of Art 105, which introduces the principle of the functional necessity of privileges and immunities for the UN member States. The implementation of Art 105 (3) by the General Assembly has been the object of various polemic discussions and setbacks due to the establishment of a comprehensive system of privileges and immunities. The chapter considers the implementation of Art 105 in line with multilateral conventions, host nation agreements, and national legislation. It elaborates further on various privileges and immunities granted by Art 105.
Article 107
Authors: Couzigou Irène
Published: September 2024

This chapter focuses on Art 107 of the UN Charter. It discusses the correlation between Art 107 and Art 53 as enemy State clauses that provide for dispensation from obligations under the Charter. Article 107 is applicable only for those actions which were taken or authorized as a result of World War II, but it does not specify the notion of the result of that war therefore it does not have any strict limitations. The chapter then looks into the settlement of unresolved problems with respect to Germany resulting from that war while discussing the treaties concerned with the German process of reunification. It clarifies that the legal significance of Art 107 is linked to the post-war situation.
An Opera of Convenience: Musical Diplomacy and Nationalist Politics at the Barcelona Premiere of Amaya in 1934
Authors: Odriozola Otamendi Asier
Published: September 2024

This article analyses the political background surrounding the 1934 Barcelona premiere of the opera Amaya (1920) by the Basque composer Jesús Guridi (1886–1961). During the Second Spanish Republic, amid escalating political tensions between Basque and Catalan nationalist parties and the central government in Madrid, the premiere of Amaya at the Gran Teatre del Liceu presents significant points for historiographical discussion. By interpreting the interactions between Basque and Catalan nationalists as diplomatic exchanges, this essay assesses the role conferred on musical practices in fostering solidarity and self-legitimation among sub-state actors. Drawing on archival documentation and press sources, this study provides a detailed overview of the internal mechanisms that facilitated the premiere of Amaya, with a particular focus on the strategies employed by sub-state agents to garner public recognition, musical agency, and political legitimacy.
Is modulation of immune checkpoints on glioblastoma-infiltrating myeloid cells a viable therapeutic strategy?
Authors: Du Ruochen , Zhang Jianzhong , Lukas Rimas V , Tripathi Shashwat , Ahrendsen Jared T , Curran Michael A , Dmello Crismita , Zhang Peng , Stupp Roger , Rao Ganesh , Heimberger Amy B
Published: September 2024

The field of immunology has traditionally focused on immune checkpoint modulation of adaptive immune cells. However, many malignancies such as glioblastoma are mostly devoid of T cells and rather are enriched with immunosuppressive myeloid cells of the innate immune system. While some immune checkpoint targets are shared between adaptive and innate immunity, myeloid-specific checkpoints could also serve as potential therapeutics. To better understand the impact of immune checkpoint blockade on myeloid cells, we systematically summarize the current literature focusing on the direct immunological effects of PD-L1/PD-1, CD24/Siglec-10, collagen/LAIR-1, CX3CL1/CX3CR1, and CXCL10/CXCR3. By synthesizing the molecular mechanisms and the translational implications, we aim to prioritize agents in this category of therapeutics for glioblastoma.
How did trust in the police change in COVID-19 times? A longitudinal study
Authors: Panizzolo Davide , Roccato Michele , Russo Silvia
Published: September 2024

Using a unique longitudinal database (large quota sample of the Italian adult population, n = 2,223) structured in seven waves, we analysed how trust in the police changed in the 3.5 years between June 2019 (i.e. before the outbreak of COVID-19) and October 2022 (i.e. after COVID-19). A latent growth model showed that trust in the police changed following a cubic trend. It was stable between June 2019 and April 2020, decreased between April 2020 and April 2022, and increased between April 2022 and October 2022, not returning to prepandemic levels. Two complementary models showed that this change differed from those of two other super partes institutions (the President of the Republic and the judiciary), which showed quadratic trends. The variables that, according to the literature, explain the absolute level of trust in the police were not associated with its change. Strengths, weaknesses, and possible developments of the study are discussed.
Self-reported physical activity properties and 20-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among community-dwelling older adults
Authors: Moshkovits Yonatan , Chetrit Angela , Dankner Rachel
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Physical activity was previously associated with decreased mortality. Current guidelines recommend >150 min/week or >75 min/week of moderate or high-intensity exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle; however, exercise properties most strongly associated with low mortality among the elderly may still be explored.

Methods

A total of 1210 community-dwelling older adults, from the third phase (1999–2004) of the Israel Study on Glucose Intolerance, Obesity, and Hypertension, were followed until 2016 and 2019 for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, respectively. Physical activity properties were recorded and evaluated against all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Results

Mean age at baseline was 73 ± 7 years, with 638 (53%) females, and 585 (48%) reported habitual exercise. When compared to sedentary individuals, multivariable Cox regressions showed a significantly lower risk for all-cause mortality among currently active individuals [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59–0.88, P = .002], those engaging in light-moderate activity (HR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.57–0.89, P = .003), those with diverse exercise types (HR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.44–0.80, P = .001), more sessions/week (HR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.92–0.97, P < .001), those meeting current exercise recommendations (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.58–0.89, P = .03), those who engaged in walking (HR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.45–0.76, P < .001), and swimming (HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.45–0.96, P = .03). Similar HRs were found for cardiovascular mortality, although a somewhat stronger protective association was observed for swimming (HR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.24–0.95, P = .04) compared to a sedentary lifestyle.

Conclusion

The study further supports current exercise guidelines among the elderly. It also underscores the importance of physical activity in older individuals while prioritizing a greater number of sessions/week in addition to the total duration, and highlights specific activity features associated with lower long-term mortality among older adults.

Key message • What is already known on this topic – Physical activity was associated with a lower risk for mortality, although the specific properties and the preferred type of exercise among older adults are still debatable. • What this study adds – The study suggests the optimal activity characteristics in older adults while prioritizing activity sessions over time, light-moderate exercise over strenuous activity, diverse activity, and walking and swimming over other activities. • How this study might affect research, practice or policy – Future exercise guidelines should focus on increasing activity sessions throughout the week and not on the cumulative time to maximize the effect on mortality.
(Dis)harmonic styles of valuation: A study of academic justification across research domains and levels of assessment
Authors: Hammarfelt Björn , Helgesson Claes-Fredrik , Nelhans Gustaf , Joelsson Erik
Published: September 2024

Disciplines display field-specific ways of valuing research contributions, and these different ‘styles of valuation’ influence how academic careers are assessed and formed. Yet, differences in how research is evaluated are also prevalent between different levels of assessment: collegial and organizational. Consequently, we employ a multifaceted two-dimensional approach for studying styles of valuation where both horizontal (across domains) and vertical (organization levels) variations in assessment practices are examined. For this purpose, we make use of 16 faculty guidelines and 112 referee reports concerning candidates for becoming ‘docent’ (Habilitation) from four broad domains: the humanities, the social sciences, medicine and the natural sciences (including technology). By inductively identifying five broad dimensions used when assessing publication merits: (1) Attribution of work, (2) Qualities of content, (3) Publication channel, (4) Publication impact, and (5) Publication volume we can distinguish specific styles of valuation for each of our four domains. Moreover, by extending the analysis to an organizational level we detect opposing ways in which the evaluations are justified—what we call ‘disharmonic styles of valuation’. Thus, when developing insights on ‘quality understandings’—and their operationalization through styles of valuation—in academia we need to put less emphasis on their origins and rather focus on how they come to travel between and co-exist within specific evaluative contexts.
Determination of neutron spectrum based on artificial neural network using liquid scintillation detector EJ-301
Authors: Bo Wan , Gang Li , Kun Li , Qichang Huang , Bangping Xiong , Jiao Cai , Jiaji He , Wenbin Wei , Yuan Xia , Daibo Yang
Published: September 2024

This paper focuses on the neutron spectrum measurement using a liquid scintillation detector, where the neutron spectrum could be identified and unfolded from the light output distribution of the EJ-301 liquid scintillation detector through a linear artificial neural network (ANN). The response functions of the EJ-301 detector for monoenergetic neutron sources, as well as the light outputs, have been simulated and calculated by Monte Carlo procedure FLUKA. The linear ANN was trained and tested through the simulated data, where response functions were set as the input of ANN and the corresponding neutron spectra were output. Therefore, the neutron spectrum-unfolding model was created. This spectrum-unfolding model was tested through the light outputs induced by monoenergetic neutrons and the random superposition of them. Unfolding results show that this model could identify the information of the neutron spectrum accurately from the light outputs of a liquid scintillation detector. Moreover, the EJ-301 detector was used to measure the radioactivity of 252Cf, and the pulse height distribution induced by neutrons was derived through the charge-comparison method to remove the influence of gamma rays. The measured pulse height distribution was unfolded by the trained model, and measured results show that the unfolded neutron spectrum of 252Cf was consistent with the reference one. This paper presents the feasibility that the unknown neutron spectrum could be identified and confirmed through a linear neural network trained by simulated monoenergetic neutron response functions, which could be a candidate of choice for the determination of the neutron spectrum.
Metformin acts on miR-181a-5p/PAI-1 axis in stem cells providing new strategies for improving age-related osteogenic differentiation decline
Authors: Hong Guanhao , Zhou Yulan , Yang Shukai , Yan Shouquan , Lu Jiaxu , Xu Bo , Zhan Zeyu , Jiang Huasheng , Wei Bo , Wang Jiafeng
Published: September 2024

A general decline in the osteogenic differentiation capacity of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) in the elderly is a clinical consensus, with diverse opinions on the mechanisms. Many studies have demonstrated that metformin (MF) significantly protects against osteoporosis and reduces fracture risk. However, the exact mechanism of this effect remains unclear. In this study, we found that the decreased miR-181a-5p expression triggered by MF treatment plays a critical role in recovering the osteogenic ability of aging hBMSCs (derived from elderly individuals). Notably, the miR-181a-5p expression in hBMSCs was significantly decreased with prolonged MF (1000 μM) treatment. Further investigation revealed that miR-181a-5p overexpression markedly impairs the osteogenic ability of hBMSCs, while miR-181a-5p inhibition reveals the opposite result. We also found that miR-181a-5p could suppress the protein translation process of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), as evidenced by luciferase assays and Western blots. Additionally, low PAI-1 levels were associated with diminished osteogenic ability, whereas high levels promoted it. These findings were further validated in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs). Finally, our in vivo experiment with a bone defects rat model confirmed that the agomiR-181a-5p (long-lasting miR-181a-5p mimic) undermined bone defects recovery, while the antagomiR-181a-5p (long-lasting miR-181a-5p inhibitor) significantly promoted the bone defects recovery. In conclusion, we found that MF promotes bone tissue regeneration through the miR-181a-5p/PAI-1 axis by affecting MSC osteogenic ability, providing new strategies for the treatment of age-related bone regeneration disorders.
Evolutionary and Epidemiological Insights from Historical and Modern Genomes of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola, the Causal Agent of Bacterial Leaf Streak of Rice
Authors: Hutin Mathilde , Carpenter Sara , Baruah Shivrajani , Campos Paola , Boyer Karine , Andriantsimialona Dodelys , Rapanarivo Solo Hery , Pruvost Olivier , Becker Nathalie , Gagnevin Lionel , Koebnik Ralf , Szurek Boris , Koita Ousmane , Bogdanove Adam J. , Rieux Adrien
Published: September 2024

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola ( Xoc) causes bacterial leaf streak (BLS) of rice. This disease represents a major constraint for rice production, which is a crop feeding more than half of the world's population. Xoc was first described in 1918 in the Philippines and is prevalent in southeast Asia. Today, BLS is also omnipresent in both East- and West-Africa, where the disease was first reported in the early 1980s. The appearance of Xoc in Africa decades after its first report in Asia suggests that the disease could have been introduced from Asia to Africa. Strict conservation of five transcription activator-like (TAL) effectors in whole-genome sequences of 10 strains of Xoc including three from West-Africa and seven from Asia also support this hypothesis. East-Africa, especially Madagascar, where the disease was first described in 1985 is located at the interface between Asia and Africa, hence representing an interesting region to explore the link between strains from Asia and West-Africa. In this study, we did the following: (i) reconstructed the genome of a historical Xoc strain from a herbarium specimen of rice showing symptoms of BLS that was sampled in Madagascar in 1931, 50 years before the first description of the disease, and (ii) sequenced nine new modern strains, including five from Madagascar and East-Africa. The analysis of those new genomes along with previously published ones shed light within the evolutionary and epidemiological history of Xoc.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Unraveling Pinus massoniana’s Defense Mechanisms Against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Under Aseptic Conditions: A Transcriptomic Analysis
Authors: Zhu Jinghui , Lim Kean-Jin , Fang Tianyu , Zhang Chen , Ye Jianren , Zhu Li-Hua
Published: September 2024

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is caused by the pine wood nematode (PWN, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) and significantly impacts pine forest ecosystems globally. This study focuses on Pinus massoniana, an important timber and oleoresin resource in China, which is highly susceptible to PWN. However, the defense mechanism of pine trees in response to PWN remains unclear. Addressing the complexities of PWD, influenced by diverse factors such as bacteria, fungi, and environment, we established a reciprocal system between PWN and P. massoniana seedlings under aseptic conditions. Utilizing combined second- and third-generation sequencing technologies, we identified 3,718 differentially expressed genes post PWN infection. Transcript analysis highlighted the activation of defense mechanisms via stilbenes, salicylic acid and jasmonic acid pathways, terpene synthesis, and induction of pathogenesis-related proteins and resistance genes, predominantly at 72 h postinfection. Notably, terpene synthesis pathways, particularly the mevalonate pathway, were crucial in defense, suggesting their significance in P. massoniana’s response to PWN. This comprehensive transcriptome profiling offers insights into P. massoniana’s intricate defense strategies against PWN under aseptic conditions, laying a foundation for future functional analyses of key resistance genes.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
Noninvasive, Presymptomatic Detection of Potato Cyst Nematode Infection in Tomato Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analysis
Authors: van Himbeeck Robbert , Binnebösz Eline Laura , Amora Deisy , Gottardi Michele , Willig Jaap-Jan , Geisen Stefan , Helder Johannes
Published: September 2024

Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs) are notorious pathogens in all major potato production areas worldwide. Mainly due to the low mobility of this soil pathogen, PCN infestations are mostly observed as patches (“foci”) that only cover a fraction of the acreage. In-field presymptomatic localization of these pathogens is valuable, as it would allow for the localized application of control measures. Although the mapping of foci is technically feasible, it is unpractical, as it would require the analysis of numerous soil samples. We investigated whether chlorophyll fluorescence (Chl-F) could be suitable as a rapid, nondestructive method for early PCN detection. To this end, the impact of four Globodera pallida densities on the Chl-F of tomato was investigated in a phenotyping greenhouse for 26 days. Furthermore, the classical plant performance indicators of biomass and root surface area were compared with Chl-F. Thermal dissipation (NPQ) and an estimate of the photosynthetic rate (ΦPSII) responded at 1 day postinoculation, and ΦPSII was most sensitive to low PCN infection levels. Chl-F parameters responded more readily to PCN infection than biomass and root surface area. The maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and the potential activity of photosystem II (Fv/F0) initially increased at low PCN infection levels, whereas a sharp decrease was observed at higher infestation levels. Hence, our data suggest that low PCN levels promoted plant performance before becoming detrimental at higher levels. Although Chl-F allowed for early and sensitive PCN detection, it remains to be investigated whether these signals can be distinguished from those produced by other belowground stressors in the field.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .