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On a space of functions with entire Laplace transforms and its connection with the optimality of the Ingham-Karamata theorem
No full textWe study approximation properties of the Fréchet space of all continuously differentiable functions τ such that τ (x) = o(1) and such that their Laplace transforms admit entire extensions to C. As an application, these approximation results are combined with the open mapping theorem to show the optimality theorem for the InghamKaramata Tauberian theorem.We study approximation properties of the Fréchet space of all continuously differentiable functions τ such that τ (x) = o(1) and such that their Laplace transforms admit entire extensions to C. As an application, these approximation results are combined with the open mapping theorem to show the optimality theorem for the InghamKaramata Tauberian theorem.A
L'intelligence artificielle pour les juristes /
No full textLes progrès de l’IA générative depuis l’arrivée de ChatGPT fin 2022 obligent tout juriste à s’intéresser aux outils « intelligents » qui sont en train de renouveler la production de contenus, notamment de textes juridiques. L’ouvrage entend accompagner les juristes, en particulier les avocats, qui songent à intégrer ces outils d’IA dans leur pratique. Après une présentation des notions et du fonctionnement de l’IA générative, ainsi que de ses forces et limites (partie I), l’ouvrage montre à l’aide de nombreux exemples comment l’IA peut être mise au service des juristes (partie II). Un guide des bonnes pratiques dans la composition des prompts et la conversation avec l’IA est proposé. De nombreux autres usages, comme l’analyse, le brainstorming ou la recherche à l’aide de l’IA sont illustrés à partir de cas concrets. Faisant le point sur les obligations déontologiques des avocats face à l’IA, l’ouvrage propose des pistes pour limiter les risques, par exemple en matière de confidentialité et de données personnelles. Dans une partie III, la régulation européenne de l’IA et les grands défis de société posés par l’IA, par exemple en matière environnementale, de désinformation, de protection des créateurs et des données personnelles, sont discutés. Juristes et praticiens trouveront ici beaucoup d’informations qui leur feront découvrir des usages insoupçonnés de ces outils et les aideront à en tirer profit. Ce livre tient compte des développements survenus jusqu’au début de 2025. Il est le fruit d’échanges et d’expériences avec de nombreux collègues. Il peut servir de base à des formations au barreau ou pour d’autres métiers du droit.Les progrès de l’IA générative depuis l’arrivée de ChatGPT fin 2022 obligent tout juriste à s’intéresser aux outils « intelligents » qui sont en train de renouveler la production de contenus, notamment de textes juridiques. L’ouvrage entend accompagner les juristes, en particulier les avocats, qui songent à intégrer ces outils d’IA dans leur pratique. Après une présentation des notions et du fonctionnement de l’IA générative, ainsi que de ses forces et limites (partie I), l’ouvrage montre à l’aide de nombreux exemples comment l’IA peut être mise au service des juristes (partie II). Un guide des bonnes pratiques dans la composition des prompts et la conversation avec l’IA est proposé. De nombreux autres usages, comme l’analyse, le brainstorming ou la recherche à l’aide de l’IA sont illustrés à partir de cas concrets. Faisant le point sur les obligations déontologiques des avocats face à l’IA, l’ouvrage propose des pistes pour limiter les risques, par exemple en matière de confidentialité et de données personnelles. Dans une partie III, la régulation européenne de l’IA et les grands défis de société posés par l’IA, par exemple en matière environnementale, de désinformation, de protection des créateurs et des données personnelles, sont discutés. Juristes et praticiens trouveront ici beaucoup d’informations qui leur feront découvrir des usages insoupçonnés de ces outils et les aideront à en tirer profit. Ce livre tient compte des développements survenus jusqu’au début de 2025. Il est le fruit d’échanges et d’expériences avec de nombreux collègues. Il peut servir de base à des formations au barreau ou pour d’autres métiers du droit
Hermann Broch und der Roman der Moderne : vom „natürlichen Erzählertum“ zur „Sklavenarbeit der Präzision“ /
No full textDelayed knowledge transfer : cross-modal knowledge transfer from delayed stimulus to EEG for continuous attention detection based on spike-represented EEG signals
No full textDecoding visual and auditory stimuli from brain activities, such as electroencephalography (EEG), offers promising advancements for enhancing machine-to-human interaction. However, effectively representing EEG signals remains a significant challenge. In this paper, we introduce a novel Delayed Knowledge Transfer (DKT) framework that employs spiking neurons for attention detection, using our experimental EEG dataset. This framework extracts patterns from audiovisual stimuli to model brain responses in EEG signals, while accounting for inherent response delays. By aligning audiovisual features with EEG signals through a shared embedding space, our approach improves the performance of brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. We also present WithMeAttention, a multimodal dataset designed to facilitate research in continuously distinguishing between target and distractor responses. Our methodology demonstrates a 3% improvement inaccuracy on the WithMeAttention dataset compared to a baseline model that decodes EEG signals from scratch. This significant performance increase highlights the effectiveness of our approach Comprehensive analysis across four distinct conditions shows that rhythmic enhancement of visual information can optimize multi-sensory information processing. Notably, the two conditions featuring rhythmic target presentation - with and without accompanying beeps - achieved significantly superior performance compared to other scenarios. Furthermore, the delay distribution observed under different conditions indicates that our delay layer effectively emulates the neural processing delays in response to stimuli.Decoding visual and auditory stimuli from brain activities, such as electroencephalography (EEG), offers promising advancements for enhancing machine-to-human interaction. However, effectively representing EEG signals remains a significant challenge. In this paper, we introduce a novel Delayed Knowledge Transfer (DKT) framework that employs spiking neurons for attention detection, using our experimental EEG dataset. This framework extracts patterns from audiovisual stimuli to model brain responses in EEG signals, while accounting for inherent response delays. By aligning audiovisual features with EEG signals through a shared embedding space, our approach improves the performance of brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. We also present WithMeAttention, a multimodal dataset designed to facilitate research in continuously distinguishing between target and distractor responses. Our methodology demonstrates a 3% improvement inaccuracy on the WithMeAttention dataset compared to a baseline model that decodes EEG signals from scratch. This significant performance increase highlights the effectiveness of our approach Comprehensive analysis across four distinct conditions shows that rhythmic enhancement of visual information can optimize multi-sensory information processing. Notably, the two conditions featuring rhythmic target presentation - with and without accompanying beeps - achieved significantly superior performance compared to other scenarios. Furthermore, the delay distribution observed under different conditions indicates that our delay layer effectively emulates the neural processing delays in response to stimuli.A
Approaching the sterile womb theory in dogs and cats : a multi-technique investigation
No full textThe study investigated whether bacterial seeding occurs in utero in dogs and cats using a multi-technique approach, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing, culture, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Healthy pregnant bitches and queens (n = 8) undergoing ovariohysterectomy between 30 and 45 days of gestation were included. Placenta and amniotic fluid samples from two foetuses per dam, along with multiple controls (uterine serosa, sampling table, and surgeon's gloves), were collected and analysed. Bacterial sequences were detected in all foetal samples, with no significant differences in intra- and intersample diversity (i.e., alpha and beta diversities, respectively) based on sample type or species. However, the surgeon's gloves showed species-specific differences in bacterial composition. After removing control sequences, significant differences based on foeto-maternal units emerged. Moraxella spp. was cultured from the canine placenta with the highest bacterial load, and Burkholderia cepacia was isolated from two feline placentae. FISH showed low bacterial presence in 50 % of placentae without histological signs of inflammation. No bacterial growth was observed in amniotic fluid or control samples. A multi-technique approach, including multiple controls, is essential in studies involving low-biomass samples, as the results of the present study indicated that contamination could mask real bacterial composition of foetal samples. After decontamination, differences were observed based on the foeto-maternal unit. This study confirmed the presence of bacterial DNA in placental and amniotic fluid samples during mid-term, healthy pregnancies in dogs and cats. Bacterial DNA is not equivalent to living bacteria, hence bacterial DNA fragments in the uterus probably originate from the dam but are unlikely to indicate the presence of a resident foetal microbiome.The study investigated whether bacterial seeding occurs in utero in dogs and cats using a multi-technique approach, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing, culture, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Healthy pregnant bitches and queens (n = 8) undergoing ovariohysterectomy between 30 and 45 days of gestation were included. Placenta and amniotic fluid samples from two foetuses per dam, along with multiple controls (uterine serosa, sampling table, and surgeon's gloves), were collected and analysed. Bacterial sequences were detected in all foetal samples, with no significant differences in intra- and intersample diversity (i.e., alpha and beta diversities, respectively) based on sample type or species. However, the surgeon's gloves showed species-specific differences in bacterial composition. After removing control sequences, significant differences based on foeto-maternal units emerged. Moraxella spp. was cultured from the canine placenta with the highest bacterial load, and Burkholderia cepacia was isolated from two feline placentae. FISH showed low bacterial presence in 50 % of placentae without histological signs of inflammation. No bacterial growth was observed in amniotic fluid or control samples. A multi-technique approach, including multiple controls, is essential in studies involving low-biomass samples, as the results of the present study indicated that contamination could mask real bacterial composition of foetal samples. After decontamination, differences were observed based on the foeto-maternal unit. This study confirmed the presence of bacterial DNA in placental and amniotic fluid samples during mid-term, healthy pregnancies in dogs and cats. Bacterial DNA is not equivalent to living bacteria, hence bacterial DNA fragments in the uterus probably originate from the dam but are unlikely to indicate the presence of a resident foetal microbiome.A
Gender, Pain and a Protocol for a Questionnaire to Study their Relationship
No full textBACKGROUND AND AIMS: Binominal sex differences (male/female) have been extensively examined in pain research, revealing a trend wherein individuals categorized as female exhibit heightened sensitivity to pain compared to those categorized as male. However, this categorization might be inadequate to capture the diversity of the entire population and elucidate the observed variations in pain experiences. A gender context model of pain encompasses a complex interplay of psychosocial factors, including social expectations, cultural influences and individual perceptions. Hence, it is important that tools are developed to map these interactions. This protocol aims to develop a questionnaire that comprehensively maps gender and gender beliefs about pain, that can be linked to experimental pain outcomes and employed in clinical settings.METHODS: An English questionnaire will be developed containing statements regarding gender conceptualization, gender identity and gender roles in pain, which are scored on a Likert scale. Based on preliminary considerations the authors will develop a first version of the questionnaire, which will be revised based on the input of an international multidisciplinary expert committee. Afterwards, online sequential funnel- based focus groups existing of participants with different profiles will go back and forth with the expert committee, to revise until data saturation is achieved. Five of these focus groups (n/group = 5 – 8) will be organized: a gender-diverse group, a neuro-diverse group, a socio-economically diverse group, a culturally diverse group and a group of pain patients. Finally, the finished questionnaire’s reliability and validity will be tested. Content validity will be assessed by the expert committee through a content validity index, content validity ratio and inter-rater agreement. Internal consistency through Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest reliability through an intraclass correlation coefficient and Kappa coefficient will be assessed in a larger, seperate sample (n = 200 - 400).RESULTS: The result will be a questionnaire with items that can be organized into various continua which we hypothesize to be interrelated. In a data-driven approachwe will then be able to construct different profiles related to intrapersonal gender and pain dynamics.CONCLUSIONS: This new assessment tool will be useful for clinical pain practice and pain research and has the potential to provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of the interaction between pain and gender and for tailoring therapeutic pain interventions.BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Binominal sex differences (male/female) have been extensively examined in pain research, revealing a trend wherein individuals categorized as female exhibit heightened sensitivity to pain compared to those categorized as male. However, this categorization might be inadequate to capture the diversity of the entire population and elucidate the observed variations in pain experiences. A gender context model of pain encompasses a complex interplay of psychosocial factors, including social expectations, cultural influences and individual perceptions. Hence, it is important that tools are developed to map these interactions. This protocol aims to develop a questionnaire that comprehensively maps gender and gender beliefs about pain, that can be linked to experimental pain outcomes and employed in clinical settings.METHODS: An English questionnaire will be developed containing statements regarding gender conceptualization, gender identity and gender roles in pain, which are scored on a Likert scale. Based on preliminary considerations the authors will develop a first version of the questionnaire, which will be revised based on the input of an international multidisciplinary expert committee. Afterwards, online sequential funnel- based focus groups existing of participants with different profiles will go back and forth with the expert committee, to revise until data saturation is achieved. Five of these focus groups (n/group = 5 – 8) will be organized: a gender-diverse group, a neuro-diverse group, a socio-economically diverse group, a culturally diverse group and a group of pain patients. Finally, the finished questionnaire’s reliability and validity will be tested. Content validity will be assessed by the expert committee through a content validity index, content validity ratio and inter-rater agreement. Internal consistency through Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest reliability through an intraclass correlation coefficient and Kappa coefficient will be assessed in a larger, seperate sample (n = 200 - 400).RESULTS: The result will be a questionnaire with items that can be organized into various continua which we hypothesize to be interrelated. In a data-driven approachwe will then be able to construct different profiles related to intrapersonal gender and pain dynamics.CONCLUSIONS: This new assessment tool will be useful for clinical pain practice and pain research and has the potential to provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of the interaction between pain and gender and for tailoring therapeutic pain interventions.
Investigating the supply-demand gap of farmland ecosystem services to advance sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Central Asia
No full textFarmland ecosystem services (FESs) are closely intertwined with the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), which aim to maintain ecological balance, enhance agricultural productivity, and increase overall human well-being. However, the FES supply-demand gaps in rainfed and irrigated farmlands, as well as their relative contributions to SDGs, remain uncertain. Data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) were employed to determine the spatiotemporal variations in FES supply-demand gaps across Central Asia from 1995 to 2099. Then, the natural and socioeconomic factors influencing the coordination of the FES supply and demand were explored. Finally, SDG scores of farmland ecosystems in Central Asia were calculated and predicted under the SSP245, SSP370 and SSP585 scenarios. The research results revealed that grain production and soil conservation services demonstrated a considerable supply surplus and a notable demand deficit and that the water yield exhibited a considerable imbalance (supply SDG15 (34.51 %-36.74 %) > SDG6 (27.88 %-30.65 %). During the 2050 s and 2090 s, the overall SDG index values of agroecosystems in Central Asia were projected to decrease, particularly under the SSP585 scenario (68.11 %-66.37 %). This decline was especially notable for SDG14 and SDG12 in the upper Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins. To promote these SDGs in the above regions and achieve sustainable agricultural development, policymakers should prioritize balancing the supply and demand for water production and sand fixation services.Farmland ecosystem services (FESs) are closely intertwined with the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), which aim to maintain ecological balance, enhance agricultural productivity, and increase overall human well-being. However, the FES supply-demand gaps in rainfed and irrigated farmlands, as well as their relative contributions to SDGs, remain uncertain. Data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) were employed to determine the spatiotemporal variations in FES supply-demand gaps across Central Asia from 1995 to 2099. Then, the natural and socioeconomic factors influencing the coordination of the FES supply and demand were explored. Finally, SDG scores of farmland ecosystems in Central Asia were calculated and predicted under the SSP245, SSP370 and SSP585 scenarios. The research results revealed that grain production and soil conservation services demonstrated a considerable supply surplus and a notable demand deficit and that the water yield exhibited a considerable imbalance (supply SDG15 (34.51 %-36.74 %) > SDG6 (27.88 %-30.65 %). During the 2050 s and 2090 s, the overall SDG index values of agroecosystems in Central Asia were projected to decrease, particularly under the SSP585 scenario (68.11 %-66.37 %). This decline was especially notable for SDG14 and SDG12 in the upper Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins. To promote these SDGs in the above regions and achieve sustainable agricultural development, policymakers should prioritize balancing the supply and demand for water production and sand fixation services.
The (many) afterlives of transitional justice : practice-based insights on continuity, impact and evolving justice struggles
No full textIn the past decade, the paradigm of transitional justice has come under increasing scrutiny. Transitional justice scholarship has been characterized by self-reflective critiques, while on the ground even emblematic transitional justice cases have seen the (re)emergence of authoritarian tendencies, raising further questions about the paradigm's legitimacy. Yet, in practice, a wide range of (grassroots) justice actors continue to invoke transitional justice as a mobilizing framework and action repertoire in an increasingly wide range of long and encompassing struggles for justice. These seemingly contradictory dynamics of crisis and expansion raise the question of how transitional justice lives on, both in a temporal and conceptual sense, years to decades after its initial deployment, and in the face of new socio-political and legal dynamics. This article builds on eight focus groups with 69 local justice actors from seven countries to present practitioner-informed insights about the many afterlives of transitional justice. Based on qualitative thematic analysis, we argue that these afterlives are shaped by plural, co-existing dynamics of continuity and ongoingness, unfolding through novel initiatives and processes across varying timelines, driven by the protagonism of victim-survivors, civil society and youth. This temporal stretching led practitioners to highlight the significance of intergenerational initiatives and impacts, to resituate the perceived legacies of early and standardized transitional justice interventions within protracted and evolving justice trajectories and to underscore the importance of the communicative functions and potential of transitional justice language and tools to bolster new and intersecting justice struggles.In the past decade, the paradigm of transitional justice has come under increasing scrutiny. Transitional justice scholarship has been characterized by self-reflective critiques, while on the ground even emblematic transitional justice cases have seen the (re)emergence of authoritarian tendencies, raising further questions about the paradigm's legitimacy. Yet, in practice, a wide range of (grassroots) justice actors continue to invoke transitional justice as a mobilizing framework and action repertoire in an increasingly wide range of long and encompassing struggles for justice. These seemingly contradictory dynamics of crisis and expansion raise the question of how transitional justice lives on, both in a temporal and conceptual sense, years to decades after its initial deployment, and in the face of new socio-political and legal dynamics. This article builds on eight focus groups with 69 local justice actors from seven countries to present practitioner-informed insights about the many afterlives of transitional justice. Based on qualitative thematic analysis, we argue that these afterlives are shaped by plural, co-existing dynamics of continuity and ongoingness, unfolding through novel initiatives and processes across varying timelines, driven by the protagonism of victim-survivors, civil society and youth. This temporal stretching led practitioners to highlight the significance of intergenerational initiatives and impacts, to resituate the perceived legacies of early and standardized transitional justice interventions within protracted and evolving justice trajectories and to underscore the importance of the communicative functions and potential of transitional justice language and tools to bolster new and intersecting justice struggles.A
EU climate policy in turbulent times : understanding the response to the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
No full textEarly studies of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on EU climate policy have found that the crises reinforced EU climate policy. We go beyond these analyses by investigating key drivers underlying the EU's climate policy responses and their dynamics. This enables us to, first, better understand how the responses emerged and, second, explore the circumstances under which EU climate policy development may remain resilient under evolving crisis circumstances. We explore four factors: Commission climate policy entrepreneurship, the East-West climate policy divide among Member States, economic assets and interest groups, and the climate movement. We find that the crises enabled a side-lining of the East-West divisions while offering an opportunity for the Commission to promote its flagship European Green Deal. However, the further development of the four factors suggests that conditions for EU climate policymaking have deteriorated.Early studies of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on EU climate policy have found that the crises reinforced EU climate policy. We go beyond these analyses by investigating key drivers underlying the EU's climate policy responses and their dynamics. This enables us to, first, better understand how the responses emerged and, second, explore the circumstances under which EU climate policy development may remain resilient under evolving crisis circumstances. We explore four factors: Commission climate policy entrepreneurship, the East-West climate policy divide among Member States, economic assets and interest groups, and the climate movement. We find that the crises enabled a side-lining of the East-West divisions while offering an opportunity for the Commission to promote its flagship European Green Deal. However, the further development of the four factors suggests that conditions for EU climate policymaking have deteriorated.