JURNAL AGROTEKNOLOGI
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The sources of resilience of international human rights courts: the case of the inter-American system
No full textInternational courts (ICs) with human rights mandates have recently faced instances of backlash aiming to curb their authority. Taking cues from research on the functioning of ICs, we argue that ICs will be resilient—able to maintain their competences and authority in the face of backlash—to the extent that they are embedded in domestic “legal complexes.” Our framework identifies key sites of embeddedness and stresses the importance of synergies between them, including: (1) the incorporation of treaties into domestic law; (2) independent courts; (3) acceptance and use of IC jurisprudence by domestic judiciaries; (4) strong national human rights institutions; (5) incorporation of international law into legal training and research; and (6) the presence of NGOs that rely on ICs. This article explores resilience in the Inter-American System of Human Rights. First, we discuss and map the state of each source of resilience across Latin America. Second, we show how the activation of sources of resilience helped preserve the integrity of Inter-American institutions in the face of backlash orchestrated by several countries between 2011 and 2014
Taxonomic revision and classification of extant holococcolithophores previously placed in the genus 'Anthosphaera' Kamptner emend. Kleijne 1991
No full textThe genus Anthosphaera Kamptner emend. Kleijne is one of the most taxonomically confusing modern coccolithophores and its
species level taxonomy has long been in a state of flux. Based on the review of imaged specimens from our collections, we attempt to rectify
the nomenclatural problems and elucidate the obfuscated taxonomy of the genus. Review of included formally and informally described
species shows that they are a distinctive group with shared characters, including ten different morphotypes of probable species level. Two
of these, including the type species A. fragaria, have been shown to form life-cycle associations with heterococcoliths of the Syracosphaera
molischii type. Hence, all species are transferred to Syracosphaera and the new combinations S. periperforata, S. lafourcadii, and S. origami
are proposed. In addition, various informally described morphotypes are now formally described as Syracosphaera molischii var. pertusa,
S. periperforata var. cylindrata, S. periperforata var. tridentata, S. rotaconica, and S. elevata
Cluster of angiostrongyliasis cases following consumption of raw monitor lizard in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and review of the literature
No full textAngiostrongyliasis in humans causes a range of symptoms from mild headache and myalgia to neurological complications, coma and death. Infection is caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked intermediate or paratenic hosts infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis or via contaminated vegetables or water. We describe a cluster of cases involved in the shared meal of wild raw monitor lizard in the Lao PDR. Seven males, aged 22–36 years, reported headaches, abdominal pain, arthralgia, myalgia, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, neurological effects and loss of appetite. Five were admitted to hospital. The final diagnosis was made by clinical presentation and case history, and positive A. cantonensis PCR for two cases. All hospitalized patients recovered fully following supportive treatment. The remaining two individuals sought local home remedies and made full recovery. Whilst most published reports concern infections via consumption of molluscs, few detailed reports exist on infections that result from the consumption of reptiles and there exists little awareness in Lao PDR. This case cluster, which originates from a single meal, highlights the potential public health risk of the consumption of raw and wild-caught meat in Lao PDR and the Southeast Asia region. Without specific diagnostics, clinical history and the consideration of recent food consumption are important when evaluating patients
A Sustainability Compass for policy navigation to sustainable food systems
No full textGrowing acknowledgement that food systems require transformation, demands comprehensive sustainability assessments that can support decision-making and sustainability governance. To do so, assessment frameworks must be able to make trade-offs and synergies visible and allow for inclusive negotiation on food system outcomes relevant to diverse food system actors. This paper reviews literature and frameworks and builds on stakeholder input to present a Sustainability Compass made up of a comprehensive set of metrics for food system assessments. The Compass defines sustainability scores for four societal goals, underpinned by areas of concern. We demonstrate proof of concept of the operationalization of the approach and its metrics. The Sustainability Compass is able to generate comprehensive food system insights that enables reflexive evaluation and multi-actor negotiation for policy making
Phylogenetic analysis of Massilia phlebovirus in Portugal
No full textIn the last two decades, molecular surveys of arboviruses have enabled the identification of several new viruses, contributing to the knowledge of viral diversity and providing important epidemiological data regarding possible new emerging viruses. A combination of diagnostic assays, Illumina sequencing and phylogenetic inference are here used to characterize two new Massilia phlebovirus strains isolated from sandflies collected in the Arrabida region, Portugal. Whole genome sequence analysis enabled their identification as reassortants and the recognition of genomic variants co-circulating in Portugal. Much is still unknown about the life cycle, geographic range, evolutionary forces and public health importance of these viruses in Portugal and elsewhere, and more studies are needed
Survival of people with valvular heart disease in a large, English community-based cohort study
No full textObjective Valvular heart disease (VHD) is present in half the population aged >65 years but is usually mild and of uncertain importance. We investigated the association between VHD and its phenotypes with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.
Methods The OxVALVE (Oxford Valvular Heart Disease) population cohort study screened 4009 participants aged >65 years to establish the presence and severity of VHD. We linked data to a national mortality registry and undertook detailed outcome analysis.
Results Mortality data were available for 3511 participants, of whom 361 (10.3%) died (median 6.49 years follow-up). Most had some form of valve abnormality (n=2645, 70.2%). In adjusted analyses, neither mild VHD (prevalence 44.9%) nor clinically significant VHD (moderate or severe stenosis or regurgitation; 5.2%) was associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.51 and HR 1.47, 95% CI 0.94 to 2.31, respectively). Conversely, advanced aortic sclerosis (prevalence 2.25%) and advanced mitral annular calcification (MAC, 1.31%) were associated with an increased risk of death (HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.28 to 3.30 and HR 2.51, 95% CI 1.41 to 4.49, respectively). Mortality was highest for people with both clinically significant VHD and advanced aortic sclerosis or MAC (HR 4.38, 95% CI 1.99 to 9.67).
Conclusions Advanced aortic sclerosis or MAC is associated with a worse outcome, particularly for patients with significant VHD, but also in the absence of other VHD. Older patients with mild VHD can be reassured about their prognosis. The absence of an association between significant VHD and mortality may reflect its relatively low prevalence in our cohort
Expressiveness and Nash equilibrium in iterated Boolean games
No full textWe define and investigate a novel notion of expressiveness for temporal logics that is based on game theoretic equilibria of multi-agent systems. We use iterated Boolean games as our abstract model of multi-agent systems [Gutierrez et al. 2013, 2015a]. In such a game, each agent has a goal , represented using (a fragment of) Linear Temporal Logic (). The goal captures agent ’s preferences, in the sense that the models of represent system behaviours that would satisfy . Each player controls a subset of Boolean variables , and at each round in the game, player is at liberty to choose values for variables in any way that she sees fit. Play continues for an infinite sequence of rounds, and so as players act they collectively trace out a model for , which for every player will either satisfy or fail to satisfy their goal. Players are assumed to act strategically, taking into account the goals of other players, in an attempt to bring about computations satisfying their goal. In this setting, we apply the standard game-theoretic concept of (pure) Nash equilibria. The (possibly empty) set of Nash equilibria of an iterated Boolean game can be understood as inducing a set of computations, each computation representing one way the system could evolve if players chose strategies that together constitute a Nash equilibrium. Such a set of equilibrium computations expresses a temporal property—which may or may not be expressible within a particular fragment. The new notion of expressiveness that we formally define and investigate is then as follows: What temporal properties are characterised by the Nash equilibria of games in which agent goals are expressed in specific fragments of ? We formally define and investigate this notion of expressiveness for a range of fragments. For example, a very natural question is the following: Suppose we have an iterated Boolean game in which every goal is represented using a particular fragment of : is it then always the case that the equilibria of the game can be characterised within ? We show that this is not true in general
Dynamical differences between short and long blocks in the Northern Hemisphere
No full textBlocking events are persistent weather systems that strongly impact daily weather and more importantly our societies. One reason behind their strong impact is their potential long duration, as blocking events can last from 5 days up to four-five weeks. However, the mechanisms explaining this difference of duration have not been properly studied yet. Here, we investigate the differences between short blocks, which last 5 days, and long blocks, which last at least 10 days. We take a broad hemispheric and annual approach to this question, while recognizing that other specific factors may play a role in particular region and seasons. We show that long blocks often involve cyclonic Rossby wave breaking, while short blocks are equally associated with cyclonic and anticyclonic wave breaking. This main result is reproduced in a coupled climate model ensemble. The lower number of long anticyclonic blocks might be due to three main reasons: One/the anticyclone is reinforced on the downstream side during anticyclonic blocks which is less conducive to persistence; two/positive synoptic eddy feedback tends to force the mean zonal wind toward a more northward position during anticyclonic blocks, whereas it forces the mean zonal wind to the south of the block during cyclonic blocks, which has been previously shown to be associated with more persistent weather patterns; three/particularly sustained eddy feedback is needed to maintain long anticyclonic blocks
Molecular determinants of binding of non-oxime bispyridinium nerve agent antidote compounds to the adult muscle nAChR
No full textOrganophosphorus nerve agents (NAs) are the most lethal chemical warfare agents and have been used by state and non-state actors since their discovery in the 1930s. They covalently modify acetylcholinesterase, preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine (ACh) with subsequent loss of synaptic transmission, which can result in death. Despite the availability of several antidotes for OPNA exposure, none directly targets the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) mediated component of toxicity. Non-oxime bispyridinium compounds (BPDs) have been shown previously to partially counteract the effects of NAs at skeletal muscle tissue, and this has been attributed to inhibition of the muscle nAChR. Functional data indicate that, by increasing the length of the alkyl linker between the pyridinium moieties of BPDs, the antagonistic activity at nAChRs can be improved. Molecular dynamics simulations of the adult muscle nAChR in the presence of BPDs identified key residues likely to be involved in binding. Subsequent two-electrode voltage clamp recordings showed that one of the residues, εY131, acts as an allosteric determinant of BPD binding, and that longer BPDs have a greater stabilizing effect on the orthosteric loop C than shorter ones. The work reported will inform future design work on novel antidotes for treating NA exposure
