The origin of the sub-terahertz (sub-THz) component of radio emission from solar flares, which is characterized by the increase flux with frequency in the 100-400 GHz range, is considered. On the basis of equations of 1D non-LTE radiation hydrodynamics we simulated the altitude distribution of the plasma density and temperature inside the flare loop caused by the interaction of non-stationary beam of accelerated electrons in the form of a triangular pulse with the chromospheric plasma. The FLARIX numerical code was used to calculate the dynamics of the flare plasma parameters at different heights which are compared with the RADYN numerical code. We found that the characteristic heights of the formation of sub-THz emission vary over a wide range with time for both codes. The main contribution to the sub-THz emission comes from the chromospheric and transition region plasma with temperatures of 104–105K.

Much has been written about the so-called Franklin expedition (1845–), but not about the master mariners, who joined as “Greenland pilots,” as experienced whaling masters on Royal Navy expeditions were usually called in the 19th century. Having been on Royal Navy expeditions to the Arctic before, Thomas Blanky, the ice master of HMS Terror, was mentioned here and there in contemporary sources. But who he was and how and why he joined the expedition are still widely unanswered questions, to be dealt with for the first time here.

This article bridges a gap in the study of Aristophanic humour by better demonstrating how individual jokes (in this case, the para prosdokian ‘contrary to expectation’ joke) contribute to the wider comic scenes in which they are embedded. After analysing ancient and modern explanations and examples of para prosdokian jokes, this paper introduces the concept of ‘comic bit’, a discrete unit of comedy that builds humour around a central premise, and establishes how para prosdokian jokes contribute to comic bits in a way that recent theories of para prosdokian cannot account for.

This response to Kariyawasam and Rai affirms their critique of the pathologization of trans youth but forecasts a foreseeable negative outcome of their proposed elimination of diagnosis as a prerequisite to gender-affirming care (GAC) — the risk of removing GAC entirely from the medical sphere and compromising the wellbeing of those transgender individuals for whom GAC is deeply affirming. We suggest an ethical framework of GAC that expands past a focus on autonomy to incorporate a principle of respect for persons that affirms the dignity and diversity of trans youth — recognizing the need to facilitate both medical assistance and social change.

Like coeval classical kingdoms of Southeast Asia, the Dali Kingdom (937–1253 CE) of Yunnan adopted politico-religious ideologies for Buddhist kingship. Understanding Buddhist kingship as a medium for bolstering both spiritual and temporal authority, this article investigates if relations between twelfth-century Duan monarchs and their Gao ministers of state were the same as those depicted in post-thirteenth-century sources and scrutinises the argument for the eighteenth monarch Duan Zhixing (r.1173–1200) promoting himself as a dharmarāja to assert superiority over his Gao ministers. I reframe Duan-Gao relations from one of tension and conflict to one of collaboration, and postulate twelfth-century Duan-Gao relations then changing before the 1250s, when thirteenth century sources mention Gao domination. I argue for a working hypothesis of the dissemination of Duan Zhixing's politico-religious ideology dovetailing with administration at the kingdom's core areas. Dissemination was implemented by Gao ministers of state and monks from the royal Chongsheng Temple, and the process reveals a collaborative rather than confrontational relationship between Duan monarchs and the Gao clan.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare systemic inequities shaped by social determinants of health (SDoH). Public health agencies, legislators, health systems, and community organizations took notice, and there is currently unprecedented interest in identifying and implementing programs to address SDoH. This special issue focuses on the role of medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) in addressing SDoH and racial and social inequities, as well as the need to support these efforts with evidence-based research, data, and meaningful partnerships and funding.

Fine mapping and discovery of watermelon rind trait candidate genes are of great significance for modern watermelon breeding and development. In this study, we used the high-resolution genetic mapping and genome-wide genetic variation detection technology, combined with genome survey and sequencing technology, to locate and discover the candidate genes for rind traits of star watermelon varieties ‘Su XuanBai’ and ‘SHLX21’. Firstly, we identified a total of eight quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to watermelon rind traits on chromosome 6. Secondly, a total of 208,240 single nucleotide polymorphisms and 75,345 small Indels (insertions/deletions) were detected in the two parents by high-coverage re-sequencing, respectively. Based on the genetic variation of the two parents and combined with Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis using the planta database, the QTL region was reduced to 0.02 Mb. Finally, we identified the six potential regulatory factors for watermelon rind traits using real-time quantitative PCR. In conclusion, our results revealed the fine localization of candidate genes for watermelon rind traits and the successful discovery of candidate genes for regulating watermelon rind traits, which is of importance for watermelon rind traits and breeding-improved watermelon varieties.

Regulating war has long been a concern of the international community. From the Hague Conventions to the Geneva Conventions and the multiple treaties and related institutions that have emerged in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, efforts to mitigate the horrors of war have focused on regulating weapons, defining combatants, and ensuring access to the battlefield for humanitarians. But regulation and legal codes alone cannot be the end point of an engaged ethical response to new weapons developments. This short essay reviews some of the existing ethical works on lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), highlighting how rule- and consequence-based accounts fail to provide adequate guidance for how to deal with them. I propose a virtue-based account, which I link up with an Aristotelian framework, for how the international community might better address these weapons systems.