bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthetic near-wall small-scale turbulence and its application in wall-modeled large-eddy simulation
Authors: Wang Hai-Ning , Huang Wei-Xi , Xu Chun-Xiao
Published: September 2021

A suitable representation of the universal near-wall small-scale motions helps the understanding of physical mechanisms as well as the development of simulation techniques of wall turbulence. Minimum flow unit (MFU) as a reduced-order model of wall turbulence serves the purpose, but requires non-trivial computational cost. Motivated by improving the MFU-based near-wall turbulence prediction model [Yin et al., “Prediction of near-wall turbulence using minimal flow unit,” J. Fluid Mech. 841, 654–673 (2018)] for better use in large-eddy simulations (LES), the present study seeks to supply near-wall small-scale turbulence fluctuations with synthetic flow fields generated from universal model of MFU, thus avoiding the auxiliary simulation and lowering the computational cost. We first obtain MFU data ranging from Reτ=2000 to 8000 using direct numerical simulations and reconstruct 3-dimensional space–time spectra of MFU using the generalized local modulated wave method. The space–time spectra serve as the universal model of near-wall small-scale turbulence. We then propose a method to generate turbulent flow fields from space–time spectra, based on the synthetic random Fourier method. The generated flow is statistically consistent with and structurally similar to the authentic MFU. At last, the generated flow fields at different Reynolds numbers are applied to LES of off-wall channels, and the reasonable results obtained suggest that our synthetic near-wall small-scale turbulence is as effective as authentic MFU in constructing off-wall boundary conditions.
The Amazon is reaching its carbon tipping point
Authors: Miller Johanna L.
Published: September 2021

The tropical forest can no longer be counted on to help clean up humanity’s environmental mess.
Illuminating gelatinous life in the deep sea
Authors: Daniels Joost , Sherman Alana D. , Katija Kakani
Published: September 2021

Many transparent animals rely for survival on structures built from their own mucus. To study such organisms deep underwater, researchers are using robots outfitted with lasers.
Δ40p53 isoform up-regulates netrin-1/UNC5B expression and potentiates netrin-1 pro-oncogenic activity
Authors: Sun Yan , Manceau Ambroise , Frydman Lisa , Cappuccio Lucie , Neves David , Basso Valeria , Wang Hong , Fombonne Joanna , Maisse Carine , Mehlen Patrick , Paradisi Andrea
Published: September 2021

Significance

Netrin-1 is frequently overexpressed in aggressive cancers, acting as the antiapoptotic ligand of the dependence receptors DCC and members of the UNC5H family. Accordingly, netrin-1 inhibition induces apoptosis and tumor growth inhibition. We have previously shown that the transcription factor p53 regulates netrin-1 gene expression in cancer cells treated with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs. We show here that netrin-1 is a target gene of the N-terminal p53 isoform Δ40p53, acting independently of full-length p53 activity, thus promoting cell survival. We show that netrin-1 interference, in presence of Δ40p53, triggers apoptosis in cancer and primary cells and tumor growth inhibition in preclinical in vivo models. We propose that netrin-1 inhibition is a promising therapeutic strategy in tumors expressing high levels of Δ40p53.
Sensitive detection of cell-derived force and collagen matrix tension in microtissues undergoing large-scale densification
Authors: Wang Xiang , Gao Qiang , Han Xiaoning , Bu Bing , Wang Longfei , Li Aoqi , Deng Linhong
Published: September 2021

Significance

Tissue development and remodeling are highly regulated by the forces from cell contraction and collagen cross-linking, which is also dependent on microenvironment mechanics. However, such forces have seldom been studied in very soft tissue because of a lack of techniques to detect force without interference from the probe. Here, we overcame this challenge by using polymer-based, highly flexible microstrings to grow microtissues and then quantify the strain-induced force by measuring the microstring deflection during large-scale densification of the microtissues. We thus revealed the minimal contraction force required for microtissue densification that is controlled by external boundary mechanics and a dynamic shift from cell-derived force to collagen tension in terms of the main contribution to microtissue force during densification.
Effect of Si-doped InGaN underlayers on photoluminescence efficiency and recombination dynamics in InGaN/GaN quantum wells
Authors: Church S A , Christian G M , Barrett R M , Hammersley S , Kappers M J , Frentrup M , Oliver R A , Binks D J
Published: September 2021

A series of single InGaN/GaN quantum wells (QWs) with a Si-doped InGaN underlayer were studied to investigate the impact of the underlayer on photoluminescence efficiency and recombination dynamics. The thickness of the GaN capping layer was varied between samples, which changed the electric field across the QW due to band bending near the surface. When directly exciting the wells, thermionic emission of carriers results in a rapid drop in the photoluminesence efficiency with increasing temperature such that no emission is observed above 100 K. However, exciting above the energy of the barriers caused the intensity of the QW emission to drop more slowly, with up to 12% of the 10 K emission intensity remaining at 300 K. This difference is attributed to hole transfer from the underlayer into the QW, which increases in efficiency at higher temperatures, and is enhanced by stronger electric fields present in the GaN barriers of samples with thinner GaN capping layers. Further, the sample with the narrowest cap layer of 2 nm has a different shape and characteristic time for its photoluminescence decay transient and a different emission energy temperature dependence than the other samples. This behaviour was ascribed to a change in carrier localisation for this sample due to a reversal of the net field across the well compared to the other samples.
Imaging depth adaptive resolution enhancement for optical coherence tomography via deep neural network with external attention
Authors: Ren Shangjie , Shen Xiongri , Xu Jingjiang , Li Liang , Qiu Haixia , Jia Haibo , Wu Xining , Chen Defu , Zhao Shiyong , Yu Bo , Gu Ying , Dong Feng
Published: September 2021

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a promising non-invasive imaging technique that owns many biomedical applications. In this paper, a deep neural network is proposed for enhancing the spatial resolution of OCT en face images. Different from the previous reports, the proposed can recover high-resolution en face images from low-resolution en face images at arbitrary imaging depth. This kind of imaging depth adaptive resolution enhancement is achieved through an external attention mechanism, which takes advantage of morphological similarity between the arbitrary-depth and full-depth en face images. Firstly, the deep feature maps are extracted by a feature extraction network from the arbitrary-depth and full-depth en face images. Secondly, the morphological similarity between the deep feature maps is extracted and utilized to emphasize the features strongly correlated to the vessel structures by using the external attention network. Finally, the SR image is recovered from the enhanced feature map through an up-sampling network. The proposed network is tested on a clinical skin OCT data set and an open-access retinal OCT dataset. The results show that the proposed external attention mechanism can suppress invalid features and enhance significant features in our tasks. For all tests, the proposed SR network outperformed the traditional image interpolation method, e.g. bi-cubic method, and the state-of-the-art image super-resolution networks, e.g. enhanced deep super-resolution network, residual channel attention network, and second-order attention network. The proposed method may increase the quantitative clinical assessment of micro-vascular diseases which is limited by OCT imaging device resolution.
Neutral beam injection for fusion reactors: technological constraints versus functional requirements
Authors: Hopf C. , Starnella G. , den Harder N. , Fantz U.
Published: September 2021

In this paper we look at the technological constraints of neutral beam injection (NBI) systems and compare them with the functional requirements that NBI has in the various envisaged plasma scenarios for tokamak fusion reactors of the DEMO and fusion power plant (FPP) class. We show in particular that there is an intermediate beam energy range in which beamlines are unattractive because of size. Furthermore, for scenarios that consider NBI only for ion heating during the ramp-up and heat-to-burn phase we show that the use of beam energies in the range of 100 to 200 keV, which could be produced from positive ion beams with a much simpler system, could be an attractive option that should be further investigated.
Performance comparison of single and double pass PV/T solar collectors integrated with rectangular plate fin absorber
Authors: Amrizal  , Hidayat Y P , Irsyad M
Published: September 2021

Solar panel can act as a medium for transforming sunlight into electrical energy. Nevertheless, not all of the sunlight received on this device can be converted into electrical energy and the remainder will be dissipated into thermal energy. If a solar panel is continuously exposed to the sun, so its temperature will increase and thereby reduce its electrical efficiency. To deal with the issue, it may combine a PV panel with a thermal collector which is called a hybrid PV/T collector. Furthermore, in the present study the effects of fluid flow direction and mass flow rate on the thermal and electrical efficiency of the PV/T collectors are extensively analyzed. Single and double pass collectors with rectangular plate fin absorber were attached to backside of the PV panel. They were tested using a solar simulator with different flow rate ranging between 0.01 and 0.05 kg/s of the working fluid. The results show that the use of double pass PV/T air collector increase its performance compared with the single pass one. The highest values obtained from this type collector are found to be 73.23% in the thermal efficiency and 10.16% in the electrical efficiency with the working fluid mass flow rate of 0.048 kg/s.
Effect of austempering temperatures on surface hardness of AISI 4140 steel
Authors: Badaruddin M , Bakti B , Prasetyo B , Sugiyanto
Published: September 2021

AISI 4140 steel is widely used in various engine elements, such as connecting rods, crankshafts, axles, piston rods, and sprockets. The purpose of this study was to determine the hardness value and microstructure using temperature variations in the austempering process. The test results show that after the austempering process with temperature variations changed the hardness. The austempering process can increase the hardness value, but after the temperature is raised, the hardness value decreases. The greatest hardness value at 350°C was 264.4 BHN. After increasing the temperature to 400°C, the hardness decreased to 239.1 BHN. At a temperature of 450°C, the hardness was 226.7 BHN. Microstructure observations showed that the bainite is more uniform with increasing temperature. The test results show that the austempering temperature affects the hardness value and microstructure. When the austempering temperature is increased, the hardness value decreases.
Corrosion of Carbon Steel and alloy Steel: effect of humidity and hydrochloric acid
Authors: Muhammad Abdulkader A. , Almula Thamir A. D. M. S. , Sultan Dyhia A.
Published: September 2021

The corrosion performance of hypo-eutectoid carbon steel, and alloy steel used in steam boilers at Al-Najibiyah Thermal Power Station in the Iraqi city of Basra was investigated. These metals were exposed to different media such as moisture and acids for (30, 45, and 60) days, then the rate of corrosion was calculated in a way of weight loss. The influence of carbon content, corrosive media and duration of immersion on samples of hypo-eutectic carbon steel and alloy steel were studied. The results showed an increase in the percentage of corrosion as a result of the increase in carbon content, and alloy steel has a high resistance to corrosion than carbon steel in the different corrosive media used in this study.
Micro-electro discharge machining (Micro-EDM) models for conductive and nonconductive materials: A review
Authors: Ali M Y , Sabur A , Ya’akub S R , Hamid A D A , Alao A R , Singh R
Published: September 2021

Models are useful in controlling the process effectively and efficiently in micro electro discharge machining (Micro-EDM). There are two types of models which are empirical models and theoretical models. Most of the models are basically formulated for conductive work materials. However, nowadays there is a trend to cut nonconductive materials using micro-EDM where the models developed for conductive materials are not applicable. There are only few models that are developed to cut nonconductive materials with micro EDM but these models have limitations. In this article, models for cutting conductive materials and nonconductive materials using micro EDM are compared in view of their applications.
Flexural behaviour of jute, glass, and Carbon fibre reinforced Polyester hybrid composites
Authors: Murdani A , Amrullah U S
Published: September 2021

This study is a part of a project in developing natural fibre reinforced composite for wind turbine blade. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of fibre stacking sequence on flexural behaviour of the natural fibre reinforced composite hybridized with synthetic fibre. The flexural behaviour of the composite becomes an important consideration in deciding stacking sequence of the fibres. Material used in this study is polyester resin as the matrix. Jute, glass, and carbon fibres are used as the reinforcement. The composites were fabricated using vacuum bagging method cured at room temperature. The combinations of fibre as the reinforcement are configured by arrange two and three types of fibre. As a natural fibre, jute exists in all kind of combination. Flexural behaviour was observed using 3-point-bending test. The specimens were tested in accordance to the fibre stacking sequence. The result shows that stacking sequence of the fibres give significant different flexural behaviour regardless the effect of the fibre strength.
Fusion deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing parameters correlation: An analysis of different polymers surface roughness
Authors: Barreno-Avila A F , Monar-Naranjo M , Barreno-Avila E M
Published: September 2021

One of the most popular methods for manufacturing new products is FDM (Fusion Deposition Modeling). In which two segments are established: industrial and desktop. The latter group has had notable growth in recent years. One of the disadvantages found in this method is its surface finish, which presents a remarkable roughness. In this research work, the correlation that exists in the printing configuration’ parameters and the resulting roughness analyzed by means of the ISO 4287-1997 standard will be analyzed. The configuration parameters to take into account are: layer height, printing speed. The materials to be analyzed are: PLA, PET-G, ASA, Wood Filament, TPU. Besides, the equipment used is a Prusa brand desktop printer with the manufacturer’s software. What is more, the acceleration, extruder temperature and bed recommended in the software are used for each material. Hence, the constant printing characteristics are: perimeter thickness, 10% infill, extrusion diameter 0.4 mm. The objects to be evaluated are printed and the roughness on the walls of the Z axis, base plane and upper plane is measured. This analysis was carried out by means of the correlation by the use of the analysis of variance ANOVA. The printing speed does not affect the resulting surface roughness in any plane, while the layer height only shows a significant correlation ( < 0.05) with the roughness of the lateral plane of the samples.
Cobalt phosphide nanowires as efficient near-infrared light-driven antibacterial agents with high stability and cytocompatibility
Authors: Yin Yixin , Ma Linmao , Yan Yuanyuan , Han Hecheng , Zheng Luning , Li Xiaoyan , Xu Xin
Published: September 2021

Rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has brought huge threat to global healthcare systems. Alternative strategies are urgently needed to fight against these superbugs. In this study, we synthesized a series of cobalt phosphide nanoarchitectures and characterized their physicochemical properties as well as their antibacterial activities. We found that all nanomaterials showed an impressive photothermal property as indicated by their strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption capacity. In particular, 1D-CoP nanowires exhibited the optimal photothermal efficiency due to their higher aspect ratio. Under NIR light illumination, the temperature of the 1D-CoP nanowires suspension was increased by 45.4 °C within 20 min. In contrast, the temperatures of 2D-CoP nanoplates and 3D-CoP nanocubes were increased by 25.5 °C and 26.9 °C, respectively. The growth of planktonic bacteria can be effectively inhibited by 99% within 30 min under NIR irradiation with the presence of 1D-CoP nanowires in suspension. In comparison, up to 60% of the bacteria could be killed when treated with 2D-CoP nanoplates and 3D-CoP nanocubes. Moreover, all nanomaterials displayed high cytocompatibility. This work emphasizes that the anisotropy plays an important role in governing the photothermal properties of NIR-driven materials. Furthermore, the application of CoP nanowires is a promising strategy to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
An inductively coupled plasma metal organic chemical vapor deposition based on showerhead structure for low temperature growth
Authors: Zhang Zixuan , Luo Yi , Yu Jiadong , Li Xiang , Wang Jian , Yu Wangyang , Wang Lai , Hao Zhibiao , Sun Changzheng , Han Yanjun , Xiong Bing , Li Hongtao
Published: September 2021

An inductively coupled plasma metal organic chemical vapor deposition (ICP-MOCVD) based on showerhead structure is proposed for the low temperature growth of thin solid films including GaN. The flow field of precursors in the chamber of ICP-MOCVD was analyzed and the structure of showerhead was optimized by changing the showerhead diameter to obtain uniform velocity field above the substrate. The thickness non-uniformity of GaN films grown at 600 °C was improved from 5.14% to 1.86% after the optimization of showerhead. On that basis, the influence of triethylgallium (TEG) and trimethylgallium (TMG) on low-temperature GaN growth were investigated and TEG was proved to be the more appropriate Ga source in this case. Finally, GaN film with high c-axis and in-plane orientations was obtained on sputtered AlN/sapphire template and the full width half maximums of (002) and (102) x-ray rocking curves are 0.45° and 0.57° respectively. Our results provide a practicable method for the optimization of low-temperature MOCVD, which has potential to obtain large-scale crystalline films at low temperature.
(Dis)connectedness of nonlocal minimal surfaces in a cylinder and a stickiness property
Authors: Dipierro Serena , Onoue Fumihiko , Valdinoci Enrico
Published: September 2021

We consider nonlocal minimal surfaces in a cylinder with prescribed datum given by the complement of a slab. We show that when the width of the slab is large the minimizers are disconnected and when the width of the slab is small the minimizers are connected. This feature is in agreement with the classical case of the minimal surfaces.

Nevertheless, we show that when the width of the slab is large the minimizers are not flat discs, as it happens in the classical setting, and, in particular, in dimension 

2
2

we provide a quantitative bound on the stickiness property exhibited by the minimizers.

Moreover, differently from the classical case, we show that when the width of the slab is small then the minimizers completely adhere to the side of the cylinder, thus providing a further example of stickiness phenomenon.
Volume functions on blow-ups and Seshadri constants
Authors: Ballaÿ François
Published: September 2021

We exhibit some relations between the Seshadri constant of an ample divisor along a closed subscheme and the behaviour of the volume function on the corresponding blow-up. As an application, we give an equivalent formulation of Nagata’s conjecture in terms of the differentiability of a real valued function.
𝐿^{𝑝}-Bernstein inequalities on 𝐶²-domains and applications to discretization
Authors: Dai Feng , Prymak Andriy
Published: September 2021

We prove a new Bernstein type inequality in

L
p

L^p

spaces associated with the normal and the tangential derivatives on the boundary of a general compact

C
2

C^2

-domain. We give two applications: Marcinkiewicz type inequality for discretization of

L
p

L^p

norms and positive cubature formulas. Both results are optimal in the sense that the number of function samples used has the order of the dimension of the corresponding space of algebraic polynomials.
Differential transcript usage analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA-seq data with DTUrtle
Authors: Tekath Tobias , Dugas Martin
Published: September 2021

Motivation

Each year, the number of published bulk and single-cell RNA-seq datasets is growing exponentially. Studies analyzing such data are commonly looking at gene-level differences, while the collected RNA-seq data inherently represents reads of transcript isoform sequences. Utilizing transcriptomic quantifiers, RNA-seq reads can be attributed to specific isoforms, allowing for analysis of transcript-level differences. A differential transcript usage (DTU) analysis is testing for proportional differences in a gene’s transcript composition, and has been of rising interest for many research questions, such as analysis of differential splicing or cell-type identification.

Results

We present the R package DTUrtle, the first DTU analysis workflow for both bulk and single-cell RNA-seq datasets, and the first package to conduct a ‘classical’ DTU analysis in a single-cell context. DTUrtle extends established statistical frameworks, offers various result aggregation and visualization options and a novel detection probability score for tagged-end data. It has been successfully applied to bulk and single-cell RNA-seq data of human and mouse, confirming and extending key results. In addition, we present novel potential DTU applications like the identification of cell-type specific transcript isoforms as biomarkers.

Availability and implementation

The R package DTUrtle is available at https://github.com/TobiTekath/DTUrtle with extensive vignettes and documentation at https://tobitekath.github.io/DTUrtle/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation and chemolithotrophic denitrification in a temperate eutrophic lake
Authors: Roland Fleur A E , Borges Alberto V , Bouillon Steven , Morana Cédric
Published: September 2021

While the emissions of methane (CH4) by natural systems have been widely investigated, CH4 aquatic sinks are still poorly constrained. Here, we investigated the CH4 cycle and its interactions with nitrogen (N), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) cycles in the oxic-anoxic interface and deep anoxic waters of a small, meromictic and eutrophic lake, during two summertime sampling campaigns. Anaerobic CH4 oxidation (AOM) was measured from the temporal decrease of CH4 concentrations, with the addition of three potential electron acceptors (NO3–, iron oxides (Fe(OH)3) and manganese oxides (MnO2)). Experiments with the addition of either 15N-labeled nitrate (15N-NO3–) or 15N-NO3– combined with sulfide (H2S), to measure denitrification, chemolithotrophic denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) rates, were also performed. Measurements showed AOM rates up to 3.8 µmol CH4 L–1 d–1 that strongly increased with the addition of NO3– and moderately increased with the addition of Fe(OH)3. No stimulation was observed with MnO2 added. Potential denitrification and anammox rates up to 63 and 0.27 µmol N2 L–1 d–1, respectively, were measured when only 15N-NO3– was added. When H2S was added, both denitrification and anammox rates increased. Altogether, these results suggest that prokaryote communities in the redoxcline are able to efficiently use the most available substrates.
Microbial characterisation and Cold-Adapted Predicted Protein (CAPP) database construction from the active layer of Greenland's permafrost
Authors: Varliero Gilda , Rafiq Muhammad , Singh Swati , Summerfield Annabel , Sgouridis Fotis , Cowan Don A , Barker Gary
Published: September 2021

Permafrost represents a reservoir for the biodiscovery of cold-adapted proteins which are advantageous in industrial and medical settings. Comparisons between different thermo-adapted proteins can give important information for cold-adaptation bioengineering. We collected permafrost active layer samples from 34 points along a proglacial transect in southwest Greenland. We obtained a deep read coverage assembly (>164x) from nanopore and Illumina sequences for the purposes of i) analysing metagenomic and metatranscriptomic trends of the microbial community of this area, and ii) creating the Cold-Adapted Predicted Protein (CAPP) database. The community showed a similar taxonomic composition in all samples along the transect, with a solid permafrost-shaped community, rather than microbial trends typical of proglacial systems. We retrieved 69 high- and medium-quality metagenome-assembled clusters, 213 complete biosynthetic gene clusters and more than three million predicted proteins. The latter constitute the CAPP database that can provide cold-adapted protein sequence information for protein- and taxon-focused amino acid sequence modifications for the future bioengineering of cold-adapted enzymes. As an example, we focused on the enzyme polyphenol oxidase, and demonstrated how sequence variation information could inform its protein engineering.
International Law Concentrate
Authors: Bantekas Ilias , Papastavridis Efthymios
Published: September 2021

Each Concentrate revision guide is packed with essential information, key cases, revision tips, exam Q&As, and more. Concentrates show you what to expect in a law exam, what examiners are looking for, and how to achieve extra marks. International Law Concentrate provides a comprehensive overview of international law and includes key information, key cases, revision tips, and exam questions and answers. Topics covered include the nature of international law and the international system, sources of international law, and the law of treaties. The book also looks at the relationship between international and domestic law. It considers personality, statehood, and recognition, as well as sovereignty, jurisdiction, immunity, and the law of the sea. The book describes state responsibility and looks at peaceful settlement of disputes. Finally, it looks at the use of force and human rights.
Foster on EU Law
Authors: Foster Nigel
Published: September 2021

Foster on EU Law offers an account of the institutions and procedures of the EU legal system as well as focused analysis of key substantive areas, including free movement of goods; free movement of persons; citizenship; and competition law, including state aids. This clear structure provides a solid foundation in the mechanisms and applications of EU law. The book considers the supremacy of EU law in relation to ordinary domestic law, member state constitutional law, and international law, including UN Resolutions. It includes a consideration of EU law and Germany and France, as well as a briefer look at a number of other member states and contains discussion of human rights, in particular the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the moves of the EU to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights. The material on remedies in Chapter 6 has been rearranged to aid presentation and understanding. It follows the further developments of Art 263 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and has rearranged the material on the free movement of persons to take account of the judgments of the Court of Justice. The relationship between the UK and the EU and Brexit are dealt with in a new, dedicated chapter.
Competition Act 1998: substantive provisions
Authors: Whish Richard , Bailey David
Published: September 2021

This chapter describes the substantive provisions of the Competition Act 1998 in the UK. The focus of attention in this chapter is the ‘Chapter I prohibition’, which prohibits anti-competitive agreements, and the ‘Chapter II prohibition’, which prohibits the abuse of a dominant position. The Chapter I and II prohibitions are closely modelled upon Articles 101 and 102 TFEU, although they are by no means identical in every respect. Following an overview of the Competition Act, and the changes introduced as a result of Brexit, it considers in turn the decisional practice and case-law under the Chapter I and Chapter II prohibitions. It then discusses the duty in section 60A of the Competition Act that sets out the principles to be applied in determining questions that arise in relation to competition within the UK with effect from 1 January 2021. The chapter also contains a table of all the decisions under the Competition Act to have been published on the website of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) since the ninth edition of the book in December 2017.
Horizontal agreements (1): cartels
Authors: Whish Richard , Bailey David
Published: September 2021

This chapter is concerned with the prohibition of cartels. It begins with a discussion of the widespread consensus among competition authorities worldwide that cartels should be condemned, and gives examples of recent enforcement that led to the imposition of significant fines and sentences of imprisonment. It also looks at anti-cartel enforcement in the EU. The chapter then considers the application of Article 101 to particular types of cartels: price fixing, market sharing, production quotas and other ‘hard-core’ cartel practices. The final section of this chapter looks at anti-cartel enforcement in the UK.
Vertical agreements
Authors: Whish Richard , Bailey David
Published: September 2021

This chapter examines the application of Article 101 TFEU and the Chapter I prohibition in the UK Competition Act 1998 to distribution agreements. The chapter begins with a discussion of distribution chains in the modern economy, looking at the various ways in which producers market their goods or services to consumers; these have been enormously enhanced by the emergence of the digital economy. This is followed by sections on how the law applies to producers carrying on their own distribution function (‘vertical integration’), commercial agency and vertical sub-contracting relationships. It discusses the competition policy considerations raised by distribution agreements, and explains the application of Article 101 to various different types of distribution agreements. This is followed by a section on the provisions of Regulation 330/2010, the block exemption for distribution agreements, and the individual application of Article 101(3) to distribution agreements. The chapter then contains sections on Regulation 461/2010 on motor vehicle distribution. Finally, it deals with the application of the Chapter I prohibition in the UK Competition Act 1998 to distribution agreements.
Mergers (1): introduction
Authors: Whish Richard , Bailey David
Published: September 2021

This chapter briefly discusses the subject of merger control. Merger control is an important component of most, though not all, systems of competition law. Merger control has been under particular scrutiny in recent years, partly as a result of the rapid development of digital technologies and the emergence of powerful digital platforms. Separately there has been a certain backlash against the trend towards the globalisation of markets, and national governments, as well as the EU, have considered whether controls over the foreign acquisition of key industries are required, and whether the basic test of merger control – would a merger be harmful to competition? – should be supplemented by broader provisions enabling ‘the public interest’ to be taken into account. Against this background, the chapter begins by explaining what is meant by a ‘merger’ or ‘concentration’, the term used by the EU Merger Regulation (EUMR). It then proceeds to describe the different effects of mergers between independent firms from within and different production levels, the proliferation of systems of merger control, why firms merge, and the purpose of merger control. The final section of the chapter deals with how to design a system of merger control when a country decides, as a matter of policy, to adopt one.
The English Legal System
Authors: Gillespie Alisdair , Weare Siobhan
Published: September 2021

The English Legal System presents the main areas of the legal system and encourages a critique of the wider aspects of how law is made and reformed. The book is structured in five parts. Part I looks at the sources of law including domestic and international sources. Part II looks at the courts and the practitioners. It considers the structure of the courts and tribunals, judges and judicial independence, the legal professions, and legal aid. Part III examines the criminal justice system. It describes issues related to lay justice, trials, and criminal appeals. The next part is about the civil justice system. It looks at civil litigation, remedies, appeals and alternative dispute resolution, as well as the funding of civil litigation. The final part looks to the future.
Poole's Casebook on Contract Law
Authors: Merkin QC Robert , Saintier Séverine
Published: September 2021

Poole’s Casebook on Contract Law provides a comprehensive selection of case law that addresses all aspects of the subject encountered on undergraduate courses. Extracts have been chosen from a wide range of historical and contemporary cases to illustrate the reasoning processes of the courts and to show how legal principles are developed. The book begins with some guidance on reading cases, and then turns to agreement and agreement problems. Next it looks at the enforceability of promises and intention to be legally bound and the capacity to contract. The content of the contract is examined. Exemption clauses and unfair contract terms are analysed in detail. The book then considers initial impossibility, misrepresentation, duress, undue influence, and illegality. The book ends by discussing issues relating to breach of contract and remedies, and excuses for non-performance.
European Union Law
Authors: Horspool Margot , Humphreys Matthew , Wells-Greco Michael
Published: September 2021

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise and reliable guides for students at all levels. The eleventh edition of European Union Law provides a systematic overview of the European institutions and offers thorough, wide-ranging coverage of the key substantive law topics, including separate chapters on competition, discrimination, environmental law and services. It also features a new chapter on the EU and its relationship with third countries, including the UK. Incisive analysis of the governing themes and principles of EU law is consistently delivered, while chapter summaries, critical questions, further reading suggestions and the new ‘Brexit checklist’ feature help to guide the reader through the subject and support further research. Topics covered also include supremacy and direct effect, the European Courts, general principles, free movement of goods and persons and citizenship.
Contract Law Directions
Authors: Taylor Richard , Taylor Damian
Published: September 2021

Without assuming prior legal knowledge, books in the Directions series introduce and guide readers at undergraduate level through key points of law and legal debate. Questions, diagrams, and exercises help readers to engage fully with each subject and check their understanding as they progress. Contract Law Directions is a comprehensive guide, now in its eighth edition, to all aspects of contract law. It is structured in four parts. Part 1 looks at the creation of obligations. It considers agreement, intention to create legal regulations, and consideration and estoppel. Part 2 is about contents and borders and looks at positive terms, exemption clauses, and misrepresentation. Part 3 examines defects in terms of mistake, duress, undue influence, and unconscionable bargains. The final part explains finishing and enforcing obligations. It analyses frustration, damages, specific remedies, and privity and the interests of third parties.
Employment Law Concentrate
Authors: Jefferson Michael
Published: September 2021

Each Concentrate revision guide is packed with essential information, key cases, revision tips, exam Q&As, and more. Concentrates show you what to expect in a law exam, what examiners are looking for, and how to achieve extra marks. Employment Law Concentrate helps to consolidate knowledge in this area of law. This seventh edition includes updates on employment law, including further coverage of the employment status, written particulars, restraint of trade, and equal pay. The book includes discussion of recent cases, including Supreme Court ones, and forthcoming amendments to the law are noted where appropriate. The volume also looks at implied terms, discrimination, parental rights, working time, and types of breach of employment contracts and termination of employment contracts. Finally, the text looks at dismissal issues (including both wrongful and unfair dismissal), redundancy, and trade unions. The chapter on trade unions has been transferred to online-only content, available in the online resources for this book.
The cognitive development from childhood to adolescence of low birthweight children born after medically assisted reproduction—a UK longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Cozzani Marco , Aradhya Siddartha , Goisis Alice
Published: September 2021

Background

Previous research has documented that children conceived through medically assisted reproduction (MAR) are at increased risk of poor birth outcomes, such as low birthweight (LBW), which are risk factors for stunted longer-term cognitive development. However, parents who undergo MAR to conceive have, on average, advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds which could compensate for the negative effects of being born LBW. Previous studies have not analysed whether the negative effects of LBW are attenuated among MAR conceived children.

Methods

We draw on the UK Millennium Cohort Study (sweeps 1–6) which contains a sub-sample of (N = 396) MAR-conceived children. The dependent variable measures cognitive ability at around ages 3, 5, 7, 11 and 14. We examine the cognitive development of four groups of children: MAR-conceived low birthweight (MAR LBW); MAR-conceived non-low birthweight (MAR NLBW); naturally conceived low birthweight (NC LBW); naturally conceived non-low birthweight (NC NLBW). We estimate the two following linear regression models for each sweep: (i) a baseline model to examine the unadjusted association between cognitive development and low birthweight by mode of conception; and (ii) a model adjusted by socio-demographic family characteristics.

Results

In baseline models, MAR LBW children [age 3: β  =  0.021, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.198, 0.241; age 5: β  =  0.21, 95% CI: 0.009, 0.418; age 7: β  =  0.163, 95% CI: -0.148, 0.474; age 11: β  =  0.003, 95% CI: -0.318, 0.325; age 14: β  =  0.156, 95% CI: -0.205, 0.517], on average perform similarly in cognitive ability relative to NC NLBW at all ages, and display higher cognitive scores than NC LBW children until age 7. When we account for family characteristics, differences are largely attenuated and become close to zero at age 14.

Conclusions

Despite the higher incidence of LBW among MAR compared with NC children, they do not seem to experience any disadvantage in their cognitive development compared with naturally conceived children. This finding is likely explained by the fact that, on average, MAR children are born to socioeconomically advantaged parents.
The Military Treatment Facility COVID-19 Response in an Isolated Rural Environment: Challenges and Lessons Learned
Authors: Gillis Breslin T , Murray William O , Brown William J
Published: September 2021

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains an extraordinary event that continues to strain healthcare systems worldwide. Unlike the military treatment facilities (MTFs) in the USA, which have ready access to tertiary care facilities, those MTFs in foreign countries confront a host of challenges in meeting mission requirements. In this article, we discuss the MTFs’ COVID-19 response in the rural environment of Bavaria, Germany. Relevant factors including regional and clinic response, force health protection, and contingency planning, which influenced the MTFs response, are identified. These factors are further analyzed from a “lessons learned” perspective, and recommendations to shape the future response to a pandemic are provided. This current crisis portends a future where pandemics may remain an omnipresent threat.
COVID-19 Operational Response Cell for the III Marine Expeditionary Force: An Interview With Navy Nurse LT Dana Brackup, NC, USN
Authors: Brackup Dana M , King Heather C
Published: September 2021

During the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, overseas military bases faced unique challenges to preserve force health protection while simultaneously caring for military beneficiaries. The response to the rapidly evolving challenges surrounding transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in Okinawa, Japan, required innovative solutions. One innovative solution was the COVID-19 Operational Response Cell established at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler. This interview describes the COVID-19 Response Cell operations and essential lessons learned by a Navy Nurse Corps officer working with III Marine Expeditionary Force, a forward-deployed force in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Army Nurse Corps Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Lessons Learned
Authors: Davis Jack M
Published: September 2021

A new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged in 2020 changing the way the nation looked, worked and lived. In response to this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) reexamined our capabies and agility to respond to a new and rapidly evolving environment. Maintaining the pivot to readiness, providing sustainable support and protecting our most valuable asset-our people-were and continues to be in the forefront of leaders’ thoughts as we faced this invisible adversary. With every new challenge, lessons learned provide an opportunity to re-examine challenges and successes of the response to COVID-19. Organizational restructuring, balancing risks, expanding capabilities and educational platforms were reassessed and adjusted to fill the needs of the environment as they evolved. The year 2020 will stand throughout history as another example where our readiness, resilience, and flexibility as an Army Nurse Corps was tried and tested. We demonstrated our ability to adapt and overcome-displaying our willingness to stand up as part of the Army Medicine Team and face an unknown adversary to protect the nation we vowed to serve.
Spilanthol as a promising antifungal alkylamide for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis
Authors: Fabri Rodrigo L , Freitas Jhamine C O , Lemos Ari S O , Campos Lara M , Diniz Irley O M , Pinto Nícolas C C , Silva Thiago P , Palazzi Cinthia , Marchesini Paula , Monteiro Caio , Barbosa Alan F , Carvalho Mário G , Chedier Luciana M , Araújo Marcelo G F , Apolônio Ana Carolina M , Rocha Vinícius N , Melo Rossana C N , Pinto Priscila F
Published: September 2021

Spilanthol is a bioactive alkylamide from the native Amazon plant species, Acmella oleracea. However, antifungal activities of spilanthol and its application to the therapeutic treatment of candidiasis remain to be explored. This study sought to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of spilanthol previously isolated from A. oleracea (spilanthol(AcO)) against Candida albicans ATCC® 10231™, a multidrug-resistant fungal strain. Microdilution methods were used to determine inhibitory and fungicidal concentrations of spilanthol(AcO). In planktonic cultures, the fungal growth kinetics, yeast cell metabolic activity, cell membrane permeability and cell wall integrity were investigated. The effect of spilanthol(AcO) on the proliferation and adhesion of fungal biofilms was evaluated by whole slide imaging and scanning electron microscopy. The biochemical composition of the biofilm matrix was also analyzed. In parallel, spilanthol(AcO) was tested in vivo in an experimental vulvovaginal candidiasis model. Our in vitro analyses in C. albicans planktonic cultures detected a significant inhibitory effect of spilanthol(AcO), which affects both yeast cell membrane and cell wall integrity, interfering with the fungus growth. C. albicans biofilm proliferation and adhesion, as well as, carbohydrates and DNA in biofilm matrix were reduced after spilanthol(AcO) treatment. Moreover, infected rats treated with spilanthol(AcO) showed consistent reduction of both fungal burden and inflammatory processes compared to the untreated animals. Altogether, our findings demonstrated that spilanthol(AcO) is an bioactive compound against planktonic and biofilm forms of a multidrug resistant C. albicans strain. Furthermore, spilanthol(AcO) can be potentially considered for therapeutical treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis caused by C. albicans.

Lay summary

This study sought to evaluate the antifungal activity of spilanthol against Candida albicans ATCC® 10 231™, a multidrug-resistant fungal strain. Our findings demonstrated that spilanthol(AcO) can be potentially considered for therapeutical treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis caused by C. albicans.