bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pauli Presents His Neutrino Hypothesis (1930)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

All through the 1920s, the greatest discoveries took place in quantum theory, culminating in the development of quantum mechanics and its applications. Radioactivity or, as it gradually was called, nuclear physics stood in the background. But not quite. Experimental facts, concerning the β decay, were accumulated that were difficult to explain until Pauli resorted to a ‘desperate remedy’ by postulating the existence of a new particle, later called the neutrino. A beautiful account of the history of the neutrino was written by Pauli himself in his last year [1].
Anderson Discovers the Positron (1932)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

Anderson [1] was born in New York but grew up in Los Angeles, where he attended a technically oriented high school. From his physics teacher he heard of the recently founded California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and, although discouraged by other teachers, he applied and was admitted as student of physics. The domineering figure there was Millikan. Besides leading Caltech as a whole he was also Chairman of the Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy. He chose the subject of Anderson’s Ph.D. thesis, the spatial distribution of electrons produced by X rays, but as Anderson recollected, the busy ‘Chief’ never came to see him in his lab.
Nuclear Reaction Brought About by Machine (1932)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

In Episode 47, we mentioned that Lawrence and Livingston failed to be the first to observe nuclear reactions by artificially accelerated particles although they had built an excellent accelerator. Instead, the discovery was made [1] in the Cavendish Laboratory, which was the centre of nuclear physics. Since 1919 the laboratory was directed by Rutherford who had reaped great successes by bombarding nuclei with radiation, particularly α particles from radioactive decays. But, like others, he saw that the limited energy (a few MeV) and also the limited intensity made further progress difficult. At a meeting of the Royal Society in November 1927, addressing the Society as its president, Rutherford spoke about the importance to produce high electric and magnetic fields. He pointed out the advances in the production of high voltages, which had been developed to transport electric energy over large distances [2]. He reported that so far a vacuum tube suitable for the acceleration of particles withstood voltages only up to 300 000 V, i.e., 300 kV. That was only about one-twentieth of the voltage needed to reach the energy provided by natural radioactivity. Still, Rutherford stressed the importance of trying to obtain particles with energies beyond those provided by radioactivity: ‘This would open up an extraordinarily interesting field of investigation which could not fail to give us information of great value, not only on the constitution and stability of atomic nuclei but in many other directions.’
Fermi Produces Radioactivity with Neutrons (1934)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

In Episode 53, we described the origins of Fermi’s group in Rome. After the completion of quantum mechanics it had become more and more clear that research had to be redirected from the atomic shell to the nucleus. Accordingly, a cloud chamber and also Geiger–Müller counters were built by the group and put in use.
Prediction of the Meson (1934) – Discovery of the Muon (1937)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

Soon after the discovery of the neutron and its recognition as constituent of the nucleus Heisenberg (Episode 51) in 1932 and Fermi (Episode 53) in 1933 presented the first quantum theories of nuclear binding and of nuclear β decay, respectively. The next important step towards a theory of the nucleus was done in 1934 by Yukawa, then an unknown young scientist in Japan. His work would go unnoticed until, more than two years later, a particle that his theory predicted was apparently found.
Landau Explains Superfluidity (1941)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

In Episode 58 we saw how Kapitza, under circumstances forced upon him, late in 1937 discovered superfluidity. In April 1939, he declared in a letter to Molotov that he needed help from a theoretician, namely, Landau, to go on with his work. Landau at the time was in one of Stalin’s prisons and in this way Kapitza succeeded to save his life. It lies in the nature of science that results, generally, cannot be produced to order. But Landau, defying this rule, within two years created the theory of superfluidity.
The Synchrotron: Phase Stability (1945) and Strong Focussing (1952)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

Many, if not most, fundamental discoveries in nuclear physics were possible by simply using the projectiles made available by natural radioactivity. But even though, it was felt desirable to have well-controlled sources of particles of higher energies; and thus the first particle accelerators, the Cockkroft–Walton generator (Episode 50) and the cyclotron (Episode 47) were built. Part of the rapid increase in detailed knowledge on isotopes and nuclear reactions in the 1930s and 1940s was possible because of these machines. Concerning elementary particle physics, we have the reverse situation. Although some important particles were observed in a natural source, namely, the cosmic radiation, most were produced in the laboratory using artificially accelerated projectiles of ever increasing energy and intensity. All modern accelerators are based on the principle of phase  stability invented in 1944/45. The vast majority are syn-  chrotrons. Since the invention of strong  focussing in 1952 every synchrotron design includes this feature. Let us now see how these two inventions were made, interestingly enough, each of them twice.
Magnetic Resonance (1945)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

We already met Bloch as student in Zurich, witnessing Schrödinger’s first public presentation of his wave equation, and in Leipzig as Heisenberg’s first doctoral student, writing his thesis which laid the foundation of the quantum theory of conductors and semiconductors (Episode 44). He worked in Zurich, Utrecht, and Leiden before returning to Leipzig as Heisenberg’s assistant. There he became Privatdozent with a thesis on ferromagnetism. When Hitler came to power, Bloch left Germany, spent a few months in Zurich, and then went to Rome to work in Fermi’s group. Fermi, who excelled as no other physicist in both theory and experiment, advised him to do some experimental physics, because ‘it was fun’. As the present episode will show, Bloch made good use of this advice.
The Transistor (1947)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

Late in 1874 Braun , then a young science teacher at a gymnasium in Leipzig, published a paper entitled On  the  Conduction  of  Current  through  Sulphuric  Metals [1]. In this paper, now often regarded to mark the beginning of semiconductor physics, he reports that in some crystals he found a pronounced deviation from Ohm’s law. In several cases the magnitude, not only the direction, of the current through a crystal changed if the voltage was reversed. He speaks of unipolar  conductivity. In modern language, a circuit with such a behaviour is a rectifier since current flows more easily in one direction than in the other; in an ideal rectifier it flows in one direction only. Braun even described a case in which this effect depended on the places where the metallic leads were connected to the crystal. Three years later Braun obtained his first professorship, in Marburg; others followed. Today he is best known for Braun’s  tube, until recently the basis of oscilloscopes and TV sets, but he was awarded the Noble Prize for an essential improvement of wireless transmitters and receivers by the introduction of resonant oscillator circuits. In wireless transmission of Morse code or voice, the amplitude of a high-frequency carrier wave is modulated with the signal itself. In the receiver the signal is retrieved by rectification of the high-frequency current caused by the carrier. In the early days of wireless a crystal  detector, designed by Braun, was usually used as rectifier in receivers. Essential for the rectifying property was the point  contact between a suitable crystal and the sharp tip of a metal conductor.
Quantum Electrodynamics and Feynman Diagrams (1949)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

Quantum electrodynamics or, as it is often simply called, QED, is the theory in which the electron (and other charged leptons) as well as the electromagnetic field are consistently described in the framework of relativistic quantum mechanics or, as to use a more appropriate name, of a relativistic quantum field theory. It took nearly a quarter of a century to complete it [1], about the same time it took from the first appearance of the quantum idea in 1900 to the creation of quantum mechanics by Heisenberg, Dirac, and Schrödinger in 1925/26. Once completed, QED became the model quantum  field  theory. Such theories now successfully describe not only the electromagnetic but also the weak and the strong interaction between particles. In all of them Feyn-  man  diagrams, also called Feynman  graphs, play a central role in visualization and computation. Feynman and his diagrams will also be in the centre of this episode.
The Maser (1954)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

In one of his very influential papers [1] Einstein identified three fundamental types of interaction between matter and light, absorption, spontaneous  emis-  sion, and stimulated  emission: By absorbing a light quantum a molecule (or atom) performs a transition to a state of higher energy; it can spontaneously, i.e., without being prompted to do so, return to a state of lower energy by emitting a quantum; finally, it can also emit a quantum and transit to a lower energy, if stimulated by another light quantum. In the latter case the stimulating and the emitted quantum have the same wavelength and also the same phase. It is this quality which made the maser and, later, the laser (Episode 82) instruments of outstanding qualities.
The Neutrino Finally Observed (1956)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

In Episode 46 we told how, in 1930, Pauli postulated the existence of the neu-  trino in order to save the conservation laws of energy, momentum, and angular momentum in β decay. Fermi, in the successful theory of weak interactions he developed in 1933 (Episode 53), made use of the creation as a pair of an electron and a neutrino. With the advent of the positron as antiparticle of the electron it became clear that the neutrino which was pair-created with a positron, for instance, in the β decay of an artificially produced isotope which emits positrons, is the antiparticle of the original Pauli neutrino. By convention the original neutrino was called an antineutrino, , in order to describe the pair of particles created in β decay as one particle, the electron, and one antiparticle, the antineutrino.
Weak Interaction Better Understood – The V − A Theory (1957)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

Fermi’s ‘theory of β rays’ (Episode 53) or, as it came to be called, the theory of weak interaction, was decisively advanced by two experimental discoveries. The first was the realization that the muon observed in cosmic rays (Episode 57) was not the meson proposed by Yukawa. Studies of its decay led to the notion of universal  Fermi  interaction. The second discovery was that of parity non-conservation (Episode 77). Still in 1957 it led to a formulation of the theory of weak interaction much more precise than the one originally proposed by Fermi in 1933.
There are Just Three Generations (1989)
Authors: Brandt Siegmund
Published: November 2023

In Episode 96, we mentioned that CERN was already planning a large electron– positron collider, named LEP , to study electroweak interactions and, in particular, the properties of the W  ± and Z bosons, when a shortcut was proposed by which these bosons were discovered years earlier. Nevertheless, the LEP project was continued because it did offer the possibility of precision measurements which allowed thorough testing of the standard model of particle physics and the determination of its basic parameters.
Particle Astrophysics
Authors: Perkins D H
Published: November 2023

The last years have seen a symbiosis of the fields of elementary particle physics and the astrophysics of the early universe. This text presents the background of the subjects and the latest developments at a level suitable for final year undergraduates and beginning graduate students. The first chapters cover the properties and interactions of elementary particles followed by discussion of the early universe, including inflation, dark matter and dark energy, and the growth of the galactic structure. The final chapters discuss cosmic rays and particle physics in the stars. The close relation between particle interactions and large scale development of the cosmos is a constant theme in the text, with emphasis on the interplay between experiment and theory. This book is an enlarged and updated version of the first edition published five years ago. In a rapidly evolving field, emphasis has of course been placed on the most recent developments. However, the opportunity has also been taken to re-arrange the material and present it in more detail and at somewhat greater length.
Data Protection And Privacy Issues
Authors: Palca Julia , Taylor Catherine
Published: November 2023

The Data Protection Act 1998 (the DPA) was introduced by the Government to implement the EC Directive 95/46/EC on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of Personal Data and on the free movement of such data. It replaced the Data Protection Act 1984, which had provided limited protection for individuals in relation to computer records.

The DPA came into force on 1 March 2000 but because of a transitional period most of the obligations relating to manual record-keeping only came into effect on 24 October 2001. Although the DPA covers all aspects of the use of Personal Data, this book deals solely with its impact on employers and employees (including workers), and these terms will be used rather than the data protection specific terms.
Combinatorial Solutions of the Ising Model
Authors: Mussardo Giuseppe
Published: November 2023

There are many methods to solve exactly the two-dimensional Ising model at zero magnetic field. Some of these methods have proved to be quite general and they have been employed in the solution of other important models of statistical mechanics. This is the case, for instance, for the method of commuting transfer matrices, based on the solution of the Yang–Baxter equations, which will be discussed in the next chapter. On the contrary, other methods prove to be applicable only to the Ising model, such as the two combinatorial approaches that we are going to discuss in this chapter. Both methods are quite ingenious and original and this alone justifies their detailed analysis. The first method, which starts from the high-temperature series expansion of the Ising model, finally reduces the free energy computation to a problem of a random walk on a lattice. The second method, which also starts from the high-temperature series, transforms the problem of computing the free energy of the Ising model into a counting problem of dimer configurations on a lattice.
Fermionic Formulation of the Ising Model
Authors: Mussardo Giuseppe
Published: November 2023

In this chapter we will study the continuum limit formulation of the two-dimensional Ising model, starting from the hamiltonian limit of its transfer matrix. We will first derive the quantum hamiltonian of the model and then we will study its most important properties, such as the duality transformation. This symmetry involves the order and disorder operators and we will clarify their physical interpretation. Afterwards, we will see how to diagonalize the quantum hamiltonian by means of particular fermionic fields. The operator mapping between the order/disorder operators and the fermionic fields is realized by the so-called Wigner–Jordan transformation: this brings the original hamiltonian to a quadratic form in the creation and annihilation operators of the fermions. The determination of the spectrum is then obtained by a Bogoliubov transformation, a technique extremely useful also in other contexts, such as superconductivity phenomena. In the limit in which the lattice spacing goes to zero, the Ising model becomes a theory of free Majorana fermions. They satisfy a relativistic dispersion relation and their mass is a direct measurement of the displacement of the temperature from the critical value.
The Arena of Conformal Models
Authors: Mussardo Giuseppe
Published: November 2023

In this chapter we will study some significant minimal conformal models. As shown in Chapter 11, these models provide explicit examples of exactly solved quantum field theories: of these theories we know the operator content, the fusion rules of their fields, the corresponding structure constants, the correlation functions of the order parameters and, finally, their modular invariant partition function on a torus. Despite this large amount of knowledge, there is still an important open problem, namely the identification of the classes of universality they are describing. Is there a way to associate these exactly solved critical theories to the continuum limit of lattice statistical models? Unfortunately there is no direct method to answer this question: the identification of the various classes of universality can be achieved only by comparison of the critical exponents predicted by conformal field theory with the values obtained by the exact solution of the models defined on a lattice, further supporting this identification on the basis of the symmetry of the order parameters. This has been the approach followed, for instance, by Huse who identified a particular critical regime of the lattice RSOS models solved by Andrew, Baxter, and Forrester with the unitarity minimal models of conformal field theory. In this chapter, rather than going into a technical analysis of this identification, we prefer to analyze in detail the first minimal models (in the following denoted, in general cases, by p,qand qfor the unitary cases), in particular those corresponding to the Ising model, the tricritical Ising model and the Yang–Lee model. We will also discuss the three-state Potts model as an example of a statistical model associated to a partition function of the type (A, D), according to the notation introduced in Chapter 11. Finally, we will study the statistical models of geometric type (as, for instance, those that describe self-avoiding walks) and their formulation in terms of conformal minimal models.
In the Vicinity of the Critical Points
Authors: Mussardo Giuseppe
Published: November 2023

In the previous chapters we have dedicated ample space to the study of two-dimensional statistical systems at criticality, providing their exact solutions in terms of conformal field theories. In this chapter we start investigating the deformations of conformal field theories that move the statistical systems away from criticality. As pointed out in Chapter 8, in the renormalization group approach the characterization of the universality classes must include, in addition to the conformal theory of the fixed points, also the description of the scaling region nearby.
Products
Authors: Castagnino John-Peter
Published: November 2023

This chapter introduces the more common derivative products: this group of the more common products comprises the forward contract, the futures contract, the option contract, the warrant, the forward rate agreement, the swap, and cap, floor, and collar contracts. A basic explanation is provided of how each product works and how it is used in terms of the cash flows that it creates. In addition, some history and background is provided to place each product in its proper context. Swaps are given some prominence in this chapter, because they are conceptually the most difficult to analyse. In particular, although the idea of the swap is almost beguilingly easy, the actual operation of a swap must be carefully considered, as this operation requires very particular documentation, and gives rise to a number of interesting economic and legal issues. This chapter next considers the constant proportion portfolio insurance (CPPI) structure, which both creates an exposure to the underlying, which increases if the underlying performs in an advantageous manner, and also provides protection of the amount invested.
Legal Issues
Authors: Castagnino John-Peter
Published: November 2023

A number of diverse legal issues arise in respect of either or both the exchange-based and the OTC derivative markets. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce these issues, and to illustrate how the broad concepts underpinning derivatives as financial products, as laid out in Chapter 4, the legal and regulatory foundation of the derivative markets, as identified in Chapter 5, and the contractual basis on which the derivative markets operate, as explained in Chapters 6 and 7, can be seen to form a cohesive whole. The general observation is made that OTC derivative contracts give rise to more challenging legal questions than listed derivative contracts that are traded on exchanges. Accordingly, aside from part 8.2 of this chapter, which discusses the regulatory perimeter against the background of business in listed sugar futures dealt on-exchange, the focus of this chapter remains firmly on the OTC market.
Article 5: Initiation of Anti-Dumping Proceedings
Authors: Müller Wolfgang , Khan Nicholas , Scharf Tibor
Published: November 2023

Article 5 contains the procedural provisions governing the initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding. The initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding falls under the exclusive competence of the Commission. The necessary impetus to the initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding can come from two different sources. First, the Community industry concerned can submit a complaint whose merits will then be examined by the Commission (cf paras. 5.03 to 5.31 below). Secondly, the Commission can initiate an anti-dumping proceeding on its own initiative, i.e. without any complaint submitted by or on behalf of the Community industry (cf paragraph. 5.32 below).
Article 11: Duration, Review and Refunds
Authors: Müller Wolfgang , Khan Nicholas , Scharf Tibor
Published: November 2023

Anti-dumping measures normally have a duration of five years. It is obvious that the circumstances underlying the measures imposed can change during this period and that there must be mechanisms which allow for these changes to be taken into consideration. There can also be circumstances which require the extension of the validity of anti-dumping measures beyond the initial five-year period. Article 11(1) sets out the principle that ‘[a]n anti-dumping measure shall remain in force only as long as, and to the extent that, it is necessary to counteract the dumping which is causing injury’.This principle is not, however, directly.
Article 18: Non-Co-Operation
Authors: Müller Wolfgang , Khan Nicholas , Scharf Tibor
Published: November 2023

The provisions contained in Article 18 are of considerable practical importance because they ensure that anti-dumping proceedings are carried out efficiently even if a party concerned does not co-operate. They define the acts and omissions which amount to non-co-operation, the consequences of such non-co-operation and the applicable procedural rules. The raison d’être of Article 18 is that both as regards parties within the Community and those in third countries, the Commission can only seek the disclosure of information on a voluntary basis— Basic Regulation 384/96 does not contain any provisions corresponding to those found in Regulation (EEC) 17/62which confer powers of inspection on the Commission in carrying out its duties in the enforcement of competition rules. Article 18 is a powerful tool which to some extent overcomes the lack of any powers of inspection.
Substantive Grounds For Judicial Review
Authors: Müller Wolfgang , Khan Nicholas , Scharf Tibor
Published: November 2023

Article 230(2) EC provides that the Court may review the legality of acts of the institutions on grounds of lack of competence, infringement of an essential procedural requirement, infringement of the Treaty or misuse of powers. Although dealt with in turn below, there is a considerable overlap between these grounds of annulment and essentially the same argument can often be presented under more than one of the grounds enumerated in Article 230 EC. It should be emphasized that the role of the Court is not to carry out the investigation a second time; it is a constant refrain of judgments that measures adopted after an administrative investigation are based on, ‘an appraisal of complex economic situations’ and that it is not in the nature of judicial review for the Court to substitute its own appraisals of such matters for those of the Community institutions.In practice, the Court’s role in reviewing the legality of anti-dumping measures translates into rigorous control by the Court of procedural requirements,particularly those guaranteeing the rights of the defenceand verification of primary facts,whilst allowing the Community institutions a wide margin of discretion in their evaluation of primary facts.
Psychological Barriers To Gasoline Taxation
Authors: Hsu Shi-Ling
Published: November 2023

Economists are in almost universal agreement that, in concept, pollution taxes are the most cost-effective means of reducing pollution. Despite near unanimity among economists, however, pollution taxes remain widely unpopular among almost everyone else. While they are most unpopular in the United States and Canada, various other countries have also experienced varying degrees of political resistance towards pollution taxes. Some resistance is cultural, deriving from suspicion that government would waste the tax proceeds, or at least spend them in a way inconsistent with the stated purposes. However, most resistance is based on the notion that those polluters paying taxes would face extreme economic hardships, raising fairness issues.
Back to the Courts
Authors: Loadman John , James Francis
Published: November 2023

One person who did not have a stand at the Great Exhibition was Stephen Moulton, friend of Charles Goodyear, although he had started a rubber manufacturing business in the West Country in 1848. Because of his importance in the legal battles soon to be fought by Charles Macintosh Co., it is worth looking at his background in the rubber business. Born in 1794, he had emigrated to America with his wife, Elizabeth, and their nine children sometime before 1842, and there he struck up friendships with a number of rubber pioneers including Goodyear, Hayward, and the three Rider brothers.
James Lyne Hancock & Co.
Authors: Loadman John , James Francis
Published: November 2023

As we have seen, Thomas Hancock passed his own company to h is nephew, James Lyne Hancock (Fig. 16.1), son of Thomasߣ eldest brother James and his wife, Elizabeth née Lyne, in 1842. James had worked with his uncle for a number of years and was considered his most able assistant. It was obvious therefore that if Thomas intended to keep the business in the family it should pass to him. Another point in James’ favour was that he held the same high principles and beliefs as Thomas and he was also a governor of the Wiltshire Society, thereby confirming his belief in the power of education and apprenticeship as the main route out of poverty for deprived children.
Introduction
Authors: Kingsmill Slg Edmée
Published: November 2023

This verse in the Song of Songs occurs twice, at 2: 6 and 8: 3, and is one of many which have given rise in modern times to the view that the Song is a collection of love lyrics and concerns a pair of lovers engaged in a highly-charged sexual affair. But this view is very modern indeed. From Methodius of Olympus in the third century to the end of the nineteenth century the Song has been seen as an exhortation to chastity: in the earlier centuries for the sake of God; in the later centuries for the sake of morality. Paul Ricoeur, in a chapter on the Song called ‘The Nuptial Metaphor’, writes very positively about the change in the reader which has led ‘to the kind of assumption that today distinguishes the naturalistic from the allegoristic reading’.
Breast Imagery
Authors: Kingsmill Slg Edmée
Published: November 2023

A major image in the Song of Songs, which occurs eight times in the Masoretic text and five more times in the versions, is that of ‘breasts’, and it is this image which has been adduced in the modern era as evidence of erotic intent. But an examination of the two words for ‘breast’ throughout the Hebrew Bible reveals that they occur only in poetical contexts, where the image is symbolic of nurture, including Ezekiel’s allegories, first of Jerusalem in chapter 16, and then of Jerusalem and Samaria in chapter 23, as I hope to show. There are no references to breasts in narrative passages concerning sexual encounters.
Emissions Trading System From The Perspective Of Enterprises
Authors: Li Zhiping
Published: November 2023

In China, the emissions trading system, the total pollutant discharge load control system, and pollutant-discharge permit system make up a complementary whole. Since 1987, 18 cities in China began applying the pollutant-discharge permit system, and from the mid-1980s, some cities began piloting projects for emissions trading.
Chinese Trade And Border Tax Adjustments Based On Environmental Protection: The Impact Of Wto Rules
Authors: Butcher Bill , Kreiser Larry , Sprohge, Hans , Sirisom Julsuchada
Published: November 2023

The second Trade Policy Review of China, completed by the World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat in April 2008, includes an examination of China’s environmental policies, with some reference to its use of tax-based trade policy measures to protect the environment. These include the granting of variable VAT rebates based partly on environmental considerations and a 5—15 per cent export tax on energy-intensive goods.
Exports And Imports Under A Carbon Tax
Authors: Kendall Keith
Published: November 2023

One of the major challenges facing the world is how to deal with pollution. While local and regional pollution has been around since the beginning of civilized society, only in much more recent times have many nations needed to find jointly a means to tackle pollution. Arguably the most pressing of these issues currently is carbon emissions. Even if the contribution of carbon emissions to climate change is ignored, carbon is a major contributor to other problems, such as smog and respiratory illness.
The Use Of Taxation Incentives To Create New Eco-Service Markets
Authors: Martin Paul , Werren Kip
Published: November 2023

Environmental taxation reform is an important impetus towards sustainability. However, governments have demonstrated a limited appetite to adopt ‘green taxation’ such as shifting from taxes on employment to taxes on energy use. We suggest a politically modest tax-reform model has a better chance of adoption than radical changes. This chapter demonstrates the potential to combine modest taxation reform with existing farming, financial, and social institutions to markedly improve the social and environmental performance of farming.
Exploring The ‘Real’ Obstacle To Implementing The ‘Polluter-Pays Principle’: Taking The Hong Kong Case,As A Touchstone
Authors: Gao Li
Published: November 2023

The polluter-pays principle (PPP) is a general rule of international environmental law,2 imposing the pollution-abatement cost on polluters, rather than on their governments.3 Specifically, the PPP functions as a rationale for environmental taxation and other market-based environmental instruments. Since its establishment in the early 1970s, the PPP has been incorporated in many international or regional instruments and regarded as ‘the essential conceptual basis for a range of legal instruments at the core of environmental legislation’..
CLAVATA signaling in plant–environment interactions
Authors: Bashyal Sagar , Gautam Chandan Kumar , Müller Lena Maria
Published: November 2023

Plants must rapidly and dynamically adapt to changes in their environment. Upon sensing environmental signals, plants convert them into cellular signals, which elicit physiological or developmental changes that allow them to respond to various abiotic and biotic cues. Because plants can be simultaneously exposed to multiple environmental cues, signal integration between plant cells, tissues, and organs is necessary to induce specific responses. Recently, CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION-related (CLE) peptides and their cognate CLAVATA-type receptors received increased attention for their roles in plant–environment interactions. CLE peptides are mobile signaling molecules, many of which are induced by a variety of biotic and abiotic stimuli. Secreted CLE peptides are perceived by receptor complexes on the surface of their target cells, which often include the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase CLAVATA1. Receptor activation then results in cell-type and/or environment-specific responses. This review summarizes our current understanding of the diverse roles of environment-regulated CLE peptides in modulating plant responses to environmental cues. We highlight how CLE signals regulate plant physiology by fine-tuning plant–microbe interactions, nutrient homeostasis, and carbon allocation. Finally, we describe the role of CLAVATA receptors in the perception of environment-induced CLE signals and discuss how diverse CLE-CLAVATA signaling modules may integrate environmental signals with plant physiology and development.
Initial validation of the 12-item Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia in a retrospective sample of adults with chronic headache
Authors: Sturgeon John A , Pierce Jennifer , Trost Zina
Published: November 2023

Introduction

An area of emerging interest in chronic pain populations concerns fear of pain and associated fear of movement (kinesiophobia)—a cognitive appraisal pattern that is well-validated in non-headache chronic pain. However, there is limited research on whether this construct can be measured in a similar manner in headache populations.

Methods

The current project details a confirmatory factor analysis of the 12-Item Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-12) using a clinical data set from 210 adults with diverse headache diagnoses presenting for care at a multidisciplinary pain clinic. One item (concerning an “accident” that initiated the pain condition) was excluded from analysis.

Results

Results of the confirmatory factor analysis for the remaining 12 items indicated adequate model fit for the previously established 2-factor structure (activity avoidance and bodily harm/somatic focus subscales). In line with previous literature, total TSK-12 scores showed moderate correlations with pain severity, pain-related interference, positive and negative affect, depressive and anxious symptoms, and pain catastrophizing.

Discussion

The current study is the first to examine the factor structure of the TSK-12 in an adult headache population. The results support the relevance of pain-related fear to the functional and psychosocial status of adults with chronic headache, although model fit of the TSK-12 could be characterized as adequate rather than optimal. Limitations of the study include heterogeneity in headache diagnosis and rates of comorbid non-headache chronic pain in the sample. Future studies should replicate these findings in more homogenous headache groups (eg, chronic migraine) and examine associations with behavioral indices and treatment response.
The behaviour of a forced spherical pendulum operating in a weightless environment
Authors: Grundy R E
Published: November 2023

In this article, we show that by subjecting the pivot of a simple inextensible pendulum to small amplitude high frequency rectilinear oscillations it is possible to make it operate in a weightless environment. The axis of vibration of the pivot defines a preferred direction in space and a consequential dynamical structure which is completely absent when the pivot is fixed. Using spherical polar coordinates centred at the pivot, we show that the motion of such a pendulum has fast and slow-scale components which we analyse using the method of multiple scales. The slow scale equation for the polar angle is autonomous, and a phase plane analysis reveals the essential orbital structure including the existence of conical solutions analogous to the terrestrial fixed pivot conical pendulum. In the absence of an azimuthal velocity component, its behaviour can provide a direct simulation of a plane terrestrial simple fixed pivot pendulum with a correspondingly simple form for the small amplitude period. We can also use a two-scale analysis to examine the effects of damping. Here, the slow scale polar equation has two asymptotically stable states, and we employ a combination of numerical and asymptotic analyses to elicit the slow scale orbital trajectories.
Market Discipline in the Direct Lending Space
Authors: Davydiuk Tetiana , Marchuk Tatyana , Rosen Samuel
Published: November 2023

Using the exclusion of business development companies (BDCs) from stock indexes, this paper studies the effectiveness of market discipline in the direct lending space. Amid share sell-offs by institutional investors, a drop in BDCs’ valuations limits their ability to raise new equity capital. Following this funding shock, BDCs do not adjust their capital structure. At the same time, they are reducing the risk exposure of their portfolios. We document a greater reduction in risk for BDCs subject to stronger market discipline from their debtholders. BDCs pass through the capital shock to their portfolio firms by reducing their investment intensity.
Leveraged speculators and asset prices
Authors: Jiang Wenxi
Published: November 2023

I test the hypothesis that the use of leverage by market speculators can increase the likelihood and magnitude of crashes in asset prices. Using a direct leverage measure derived from US public filings, I find that (1) stocks held by highly leveraged hedge funds subsequently have more negatively skewed returns than stocks held by less leveraged funds and (2) upon extremely negative earnings surprises or funding liquidity shocks, stocks owned by high-leverage funds exhibit abnormal price declines and subsequent reversal. Consistent with the fire sale and contagion hypothesis, high-leverage funds tend to reduce the position following negative news about a stock, and such selling can extend to other stocks in the portfolio, increasing the crash proneness of the stocks they hold.
When passive funds affect prices: evidence from volatility and commodity ETFs
Authors: Todorov Karamfil
Published: November 2023

This article studies exchange-traded funds’ (ETFs) price impact in the most ETF-dominated asset classes: volatility (VIX) and commodities. I propose a new way to measure ETF-related price distortions based on the specifics of futures contracts. This allows me to isolate a component in VIX futures prices that is strongly related to the rebalancing of ETFs. I derive a novel decomposition of ETF trading demand into leverage rebalancing, calendar rebalancing, and flow rebalancing, and show that trading against ETFs is risky. Leverage rebalancing has the largest effects on the ETF-related price component. This rebalancing amplifies price changes and exposes ETF counterparties to variance.
Where is Home without Legal Status? Understanding the Choice to Stay Among Post-Cessation Liberians in Nigeria
Authors: Durodola Tosin Samuel
Published: November 2023

This article examines the experiences of “residual” Liberian refugees in Nigeria, individuals who remained in their country of asylum after the UNHCR terminated their refugee status. This study explores how the diverse interpretations of home and flight contribute to their decision to “stay” rather than opt for voluntary repatriation. In the context of transnationalism, the concept of simultaneity, where individuals feel a sense of belonging in both their home country and their host nation, underscores the need to consider the dynamics of movement and attachment in both places, and how these connections evolve over time. However, the idealisation of home as an unchanging and secure haven can result in flawed policy decisions that overlook the fact that many refugees have been displaced precisely because their homeland is no longer safe. The findings shed light on the aftermath of cessation, which might place “residual refugees” in a precarious position where they must navigate the intricate interplay between agency and constraint without state protection. This article offers a broader perspective on their ability to manoeuvre within these confines, balancing between two aspects: legal status and social leverage as responses to their precarious legal situation and transitional efforts to establish new homes.
Mesenchymal Cells Retain the Specificity of Embryonal Origin During Osteogenic Differentiation
Authors: Lobov Arseniy , Kuchur Polina , Khizhina Aigul , Kotova Anastasia , Ivashkin Andrei , Kostina Daria , Klausen Polina , Khokhlova Evgeniia , Repkin Egor , Postnikova Kseniia , Perepletchikova Daria , Denisov Evgeny , Gerashchenko Tatiana , Tikhilov Rashid , Bozhkova Svetlana , Sereda Andrey , Karelkin Vitaliy , Enukashvily Natella , Malashicheva Anna
Published: November 2023

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in therapy, but the differences between MSCs of various origins and their ability to undergo osteogenic differentiation and produce extracellular matrix are not fully understood. To address this, we conducted a comparative analysis of mesenchymal cell primary cultures from 6 human sources, including osteoblast-like cells from the adult femur, adipose-derived stem cells, Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal cells, gingival fibroblasts, dental pulp stem cells, and periodontal ligament stem cells. We analyzed these cells’ secretome, proteome, and transcriptome under standard and osteogenic cultivation conditions. Despite the overall similarity in osteogenic differentiation, the cells maintain their embryonic specificity after isolation and differentiation in vitro. Furthermore, we propose classifying mesenchymal cells into 3 groups: dental stem cells of neural crest origin, mesenchymal stem cells, and fetal stem cells. Specifically, fetal stem cells have the most promising secretome for various applications, while mesenchymal stem cells have a specialized secretome optimal for extracellular matrix production. Nevertheless, mesenchymal cells from all sources secreted core bone extracellular matrix-associated proteins. In conclusion, our study illuminates the distinctive characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells from various sources, providing insights into their potential applications in regenerative medicine and enhancing our understanding of the inherent diversity of mesenchymal cells in vivo.
A 1.5-Mb continuous endogenous viral region in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis
Authors: Zhao Hongda , Zhang Ruixuan , Wu Junyi , Meng Lingjie , Okazaki Yusuke , Hikida Hiroyuki , Ogata Hiroyuki
Published: November 2023

Most fungal viruses are RNA viruses, and no double-stranded DNA virus that infects fungi is known to date. A recent study detected DNA polymerase genes that originated from large dsDNA viruses in the genomes of basal fungi, suggestive of the existence of dsDNA viruses capable of infecting fungi. In this study, we searched for viral infection signatures in chromosome-level genome assemblies of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. We identified a continuous 1.5-Mb putative viral region on a chromosome in R. irregularis strain 4401. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the viral region is related to viruses in the family Asfarviridae of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. This viral region was absent in the genomes of four other R. irregularis strains and had fewer signals of fungal transposable elements than the other genomic regions, suggesting a recent and single insertion of a large dsDNA viral genome in the genome of this fungal strain. We also incidentally identified viral-like sequences in the genome assembly of the sea slug Elysia marginata that are evolutionally close to the 1.5-Mb putative viral region. In conclusion, our findings provide strong evidence of the recent infection of the fungus by a dsDNA virus.
Essential procedures of single-cell RNA sequencing in multiple myeloma and its translational value
Authors: Du Jun , Gu Xiao-Ran , Yu Xiao-Xiao , Cao Yang-Jia , Hou Jian
Published: November 2023

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant neoplasm characterized by clonal proliferation of abnormal plasma cells. In many countries, it ranks as the second most prevalent malignant neoplasm of the hematopoietic system. Although treatment methods for MM have been continuously improved and the survival of patients has been dramatically prolonged, MM remains an incurable disease with a high probability of recurrence. As such, there are still many challenges to be addressed. One promising approach is single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), which can elucidate the transcriptome heterogeneity of individual cells and reveal previously unknown cell types or states in complex tissues. In this review, we outlined the experimental workflow of scRNA-seq in MM, listed some commonly used scRNA-seq platforms and analytical tools. In addition, with the advent of scRNA-seq, many studies have made new progress in the key molecular mechanisms during MM clonal evolution, cell interactions and molecular regulation in the microenvironment, and drug resistance mechanisms in target therapy. We summarized the main findings and sequencing platforms for applying scRNA-seq to MM research and proposed broad directions for targeted therapies based on these findings.