In dimension n = 1, we obtain $L^{p_1}(\mathbb R) \times\dots\times L^{p_m}(\mathbb R)$ to $L^p(\mathbb R)$ boundedness for the multilinear spherical maximal function in the largest possible open set of indices and we provide counterexamples that indicate the optimality of our results.

The International Journal of Cultural Property (IJCP) is proud to award yearly the Pierre Lalive and John Henry Merryman Fellowship in Art and Cultural Heritage Law, hosted by the International Cultural Property Society and the Art-Law Centre of the University of Geneva.

Carbon stocks in root biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC) were analysed in tropical mountain cloud forest (TMCF) of Mexico. Additionally, the hypothesis that the concentration of roots in the forest is not homogeneous but that they are concentrated near the trunks of the trees was evaluated. Root biomass was 707.68 ± 150.41 g·m−2, which stores ∼353.85 ± 75.21 g·C·m−2. Coarse roots contributed 36.8%, fine roots 35.5%, and very fine roots 27.7% of the total biomass. The results did not support the hypothesis that fine roots are concentrated near the trunks of the trees. On average, SOC was 108.23 ± 33.21 Mg·C·ha−1. Mean C stored in the soil (C in roots + SOC) was 111.77 ± 32.97 Mg·C·ha−1. The TMCF is an ecosystem with a high potential for soil carbon storage, with similar C values reported to those in other tropical forests.

Metabolite supplementation during in vitro embryo development improves blastocyst quality, however, our understanding of the incorporation of metabolites during in vitro maturation (IVM) is limited. Two important metabolites, follistatin and choline, have beneficial impacts during in vitro culture; however, effects of supplementation during IVM are unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate combining choline and follistatin during IVM on bovine oocytes and subsequent early embryonic development. We hypothesized that supplementation of choline with follistatin would synergistically improve oocyte quality and subsequent early embryonic development. Small follicles were aspirated from slaughterhouse ovaries to obtain cumulus oocyte complexes for IVM with choline (0, 1.3 or 1.8 mM) and follistatin (0 or 10 ng/mL) supplementation in a 3 × 2 design. A subset of oocytes underwent transcriptomic analysis, the remaining oocytes were used for IVF and in vitro culture (IVC). Transcript abundance of CEPT1 tended to be reduced in oocytes supplemented with 1.8 mM choline and follistatin compared to control oocytes (P = 0.07). Combination of follistatin with 1.8 mM choline supplementation during maturation, tended (P = 0.08) to reduce CPEB4 in oocytes. In the blastocysts, HDCA8, NANOG, SAV1 and SOX2 were increased with choline 1.8 mM supplementation without follistatin (P < 0.05), while HDCA8 and SOX2 were increased when follistatin was incorporated (P < 0.05). The combination of choline and follistatin during oocyte maturation may provide a beneficial impact on early embryonic development. Further research is warranted to investigate the interaction between these two metabolites during early embryonic development and long-term influence on fetal development.

In the past decade, the Vietnamese lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBT+) movement has succeeded in repositioning this population from the stigmatising label of “social evils” to a more positive social representation. Despite the limited space for civil society in this authoritarian environment, Vietnamese activists and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have effectively changed public attitudes, improved visibility, and gained legal recognition for this marginalised community. This study uses qualitative data from interviews with twelve activists and fieldwork observations to explain how activist strategies in this setting align with the “service delivery” function of civil society. By examining how activists have addressed healthcare and education deficits, I demonstrate that activism in authoritarian regimes can be effective when it assists instead of challenges the government. The findings contribute to scholarship on global queer activism by demonstrating how a service delivery approach can achieve social change, highlighting the role of NGOs and international development in this process. Additionally, the findings expose existing challenges that hinder these activists’ efforts, showing how funding dependency and inadequate legal recognition can significantly limit the creativity and autonomy of grassroots activist groups.

After its initial founding by the Council on Religion and Law at Harvard, the Journal of Law and Religion had its first life at Hamline University School of Law beginning in 1983. This essay is a history of its second life—from 1987/1988 to 2013—describing the vision and the people who pursued that vision through the journal in those years and some of the roundtables and symposia it published.

Turkey’s Europeanization process provides a particularly interesting case study of the extra-jurisdictional impact of European Union (EU) law, both through policy convergence and through the so-called Brussels effect. Formally, Turkey must adopt certain EU rules due to its status as an EU candidate country, but its candidacy process has been lengthy and uncertain, resulting in partial and uneven adoption of EU rules. Nevertheless, EU-style policymaking has persisted in various policy areas, including environmental and climate policy. This paper aims to analyze the convergence of climate change policies between the EU and Turkey by employing multidimensional scaling, a method that enables the visualization and examination of the connectivity and intensity of cooperation between states. For the period from 2007 to 2023, our comparative analysis demonstrates that policy divergence occurs when the EU’s share of Turkey’s total trade decreases and when political challenges are experienced. On the other hand, periods of policy convergence coincide with periods of increased trade volume and expanded trade opportunities. The results suggest that through its market size and regulatory capacity, the EU exerts soft power which forces Turkey to align its climate policies with the EU to protect and maintain its competitiveness in the European marketplace.

In an article in this issue of BJPsych Advances a courageous psychiatrist describes judicial criticism of his expert testimony in a case before the UK's Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). This commentary reflects on the value of criticism and feedback on expert witness work, contrasting the psychiatrist's positive response to the judge's words with the reaction of an expert witness in clinical negligence case, who rejected criticism of his evidence.

Selenium (Se) is a mineral with several biological functions, and studies have shown that its deficiency can be linked to many complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aims to systematically review the effects of Se supplementation in patients with CKD undergoing haemodialysis (HD). This systematic review was carried out according to the PRISMA statement. Clinical trials were searched in PubMed, Lilacs, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases from inception to July 2021 and updated in July 2024. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021231444). Two independent reviewers performed the study screening and data extraction, and the risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. Thirteen studies were included in this review. Only nine studies showed results on Se levels; in all, reduced Se levels were observed before supplementation. A positive effect of supplementation on plasma Se level was demonstrated. Of the ten studies analysed, six demonstrated positive effects on antioxidant and inflammatory markers. Only one study analysed immunological parameters, showing a positive impact. From two studies that analysed thyroid hormones, only one showed positive results. All studies were classified as high risk of bias. The findings suggest that Se supplementation significantly increases plasma Se levels in these patients; however, there are still not enough studies to clarify the effects of Se supplementation on the antioxidant and inflammatory markers, immune system and thyroid hormones. Further studies are needed to elucidate the effects of Se supplementation and to provide a recommendation for patients with CKD undergoing HD.

The role of micro- and mesopores of archaeological ceramics in preserving ancient biomolecules is not well established. To understand the formation of these nano-sized pores in ceramics, reference pottery briquettes were made using two different clay types (illitic and kaolinitic clays), two different tempers (sand and chalk), and two different firing temperatures (600 and 800°C). The mineral content of the briquettes was determined by quantitative X-ray diffraction, and the micro- and mesopores were characterized with the N2 adsorption method. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method, the adsorbed volume near liquefaction, and application of non-local density functional theory (NLDFT) were used on the N2 adsorption data to determine specific surface areas, specific pore volumes, and pore-size distributions. Values of the micro- and mesoporosity parameters of most of the briquettes were approximately proportional to the initial clay content and unrelated to temper; the proportionality factors were much larger for illitic clay than for kaolinitic clay. When chalk-tempered briquettes were fired at the higher firing temperature of 800°C, the parameters were no longer proportional to the initial clay content; they decreased in most briquettes formed of illitic clay due to reaction of the clay with lime, and they increased in briquettes formed of kaolinitic clay due mostly to the porosity of unreacted lime. Micropore volumes in briquettes formed mostly of illitic clay were substantial: of the order of 5 mm3 g−1. The work presented here forms a basis for future studies to establish a plausible mechanism of organic residue absorption and preservation in ancient ceramics.

Although most people experiencing psychosis are not violent, a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder is associated with an increased likelihood of violence. Some progress has been made in delineating the nature of this association, but it remains unclear whether specific types of psychotic experience make a specific contribution to the propensity for violence. Just as the phenomenological approach has produced a fuller understanding of psychotic experiences (that can inform improved aetiological and interventional frameworks), the authors assert that such an approach (with its closer attention to the full extent of the patient's subjectivity) has the potential to advance our understanding of the relationship between psychosis and violent behaviour in a way that has clinical applicability. This article examines this potential by overlaying approaches to the phenomenology of psychosis with a framework for the subjectivity of violence to demonstrate how a fuller explanatory formulation for violent behaviour can be derived.

One of the most immediate effects of the Russian war against Ukraine was the unprecedented influx of Ukrainian refugees in some countries. This article analyzes temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in two countries—the Czech Republic and Poland, which represent the countries most exposed to immigration from Ukraine. The authors compare the political and legal response of both countries to the institute of temporary protection to reveal similarities and differences in the scope, tools, and nature of temporary protection, including causes and consequences. Both countries go beyond the minimum standards set in the EU Temporary Protection Directive and differ in their approach to its implementation. The authors claim that although the concept of temporary protection has expanded with the current situation, it allows significant benefits in allowing fast-track integration into the labor market, which aligns with the concept of refugees’ “deservingness.” However, the duration of temporary protection is a major limitation to refugees’ integration due to the emphasis on voluntary return to the country of origin.