This article contends that the humanitarianism that developed in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s and, in particular, because of the Spanish Civil War, was shaped by a transnational network that was fundamentally female. Within this network, women with diverse political experiences converged; however, suffragism, pacifism and anti-fascism occupied a central place. Humanitarianism became for them a favourable space from which to intervene politically. To demonstrate this, we focus on the CAEERF, an aid organisation formed in 1939 in response to the arrival of Spanish refugees in France. It was created, led by and composed mainly of women from different backgrounds. The first part of this article concerns anti-fascist and humanitarian women’s networks that emerged during the Spanish Civil War. The second traces the journey of the British Quaker Edith Mary Pye, the driving force behind the CAEERF. The third and fourth parts discuss its creation and the work that it carried out on the ground.

An all-silica-fiber thulium-doped fiber laser emitting at 0.82 μm on the transition from 3H4 to the ground state 3H6 outputs 105 W continuous-wave power and 555 W quasi-continuous-wave instantaneous power with 0.96% duty cycle in 240 μs rectangular pulses. The system comprises a double-clad thulium-doped fiber designed and fabricated in-house, incorporated into an all-fiber cavity and cladding-pumped by diode lasers at 0.79 μm. Co-lasing at 1.9 μm counteracts population trapping in 3F4. The slope efficiency reaches 64% and 77.5% under quasi-continuous-wave and continuous-wave operations, respectively. Under quasi-continuous-wave conditions, the beam quality M2 becomes 2.2 (beam parameter product: 0.57 mm mrad) and 2.45 (0.64 mm mrad) in orthogonal directions at approximately 250 W of instantaneous output power. In addition, a modified quasi-continuous-wave setup is continuously wavelength-tunable from 812 to 835 nm. We believe this is the first reported demonstration of high-power laser operation of the 3H4 → 3H6 transition in a thulium-doped fiber.

Metarhizium guizhouense (Clavicipitaceae) is an insect pathogen employed as a mycoinsecticide against many insect pests worldwide. In this study, for the first time in a laboratory setting, the pathogenicity of the M. guizhouense isolate PSUM04 was evaluated against the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae). Following the exposure (1 × 109 spores/mL) of H. hampei to M. guizhouense PSUM04, morpho-histopathological changes and numbers of apoptotic cells via the TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), dUTP (deoxyuridine triphosphate) nick-end labelling) assay in H. hampei were evaluated at 12-hour intervals until 144 hours after exposure. The external morphology of H. hampei underwent drastic changes from 24 to 144 hours post-exposure accompanied by the degeneration of integument and adipose tissues. The semi-quantitative analytical score of TUNEL-positive cells showed a slight increase at 12 hours after exposure and a significant increase in TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells at 48 hours after exposure. These results suggest a series of tissue alterations of H. hampei during its process of infection with a strain of M. guizhouense, highlighting the pathogen’s potential as a biological control agent in natural settings.

While the plague of Provence is the most studied outbreak of the disease in early modern Europe, there is little in the extensive historiography on this topic about fears of the cross-species transmission of disease which re-emerged in the early eighteenth century because of events in southwestern France. Concerns about the interplay between cattle murrains and human plague resurfaced in the early eighteenth century because the plague of Provence followed an outbreak of cattle disease which swept across Europe and killed tens of thousands of animals. This article focuses on the debate about the spread of contagious diseases between species which occurred in Britain during this time. Links between the health of animals and that of humans became objects of heated discussion especially following the issuing of the 1721 Quarantine Act, which was designed to prevent the plague currently ravaging southwestern France from taking hold in Britain. It then considers the different beliefs regarding contagion and the transmission of diseases between different species during the plague of Provence. While focusing on the richly documented and highly revealing discussions in early eighteenth-century Britain about the interplay between plague in cattle and plague in humans, it also utilises materials from earlier centuries to examine more fully how early modern populations understood the relationship between plague in humans and cattle murrains.

Proposing ‘the littoral’ as a subject of historical enquiry, this article centres on British rule over the waters, isles, and shores in nineteenth-century colonial Hong Kong. It argues that similar and connected to its rule over urban space, the British government endeavoured to regulate the colony’s watery fringes out of racial and other concerns. Commensurate with the growth of shipping, colonial rulers demarcated particular littoral spaces as mirrors or even extensions of land spaces. In the late nineteenth century, an emerging hierarchy of delineated navigational, anchorage, and quarantine spaces was discernible in Hong Kong’s littorals. Despite their efforts to structure littoral space, British colonial authorities failed to direct its actual usage. Not only did stakeholders compete and negotiate over using Victoria Harbour, but also, many Chinese watercraft countered official control by venturing across administrative boundaries. More broadly, the case of Hong Kong suggests perspectives for addressing the complexity of the littoral history of colonial port cities in Asia. First is the examination of connections between different areas within littoral space. Second is the inseparability between littoral space and urban space in terms of government policies. Third is the contrast between colonial designs and actual negotiations regarding the use of littoral space.

Plants in the genera Astragalus and Oxytropis, collectively referred to as “locoweeds,” contain swainsonine, a toxic alkaloid synthesized by their fungal endophyte Alternaria sect. Undifilum. The ecological role of this endophyte across the mutualism–commensalism–parasitism continuum is unknown. We examined the fitness traits of Astragalus and Oxytropis species growing with and without the endophyte, in a 9-yr, common-garden experiment. Silky crazyweed (Oxytropis sericea Nutt.) and woolly loco (Astragalus mollissimus Torr.) plants germinated from seeds that naturally host the endophyte (E+) and with it mechanically removed (E−) were established in a common garden in southwest Montana. We measured mortality, gas exchange, flower and seed production, seed germination, and final biomass. Astragalus mollissimus plants grew as annuals under common-garden conditions regardless of endophyte status. Oxytropis sericea plants grew as perennials with survival unaffected by endophyte; however, E+ O. sericea plants produced slightly more reproductive stems, flowers per stem, and crown and stem biomass. Maternal effects detected in the parental generation disappeared in subsequent generations. Gas exchange, fecundity, and seed germination were unaffected by endophyte. Contrary to our initial hypothesis of mutualism, the endophyte did not improve host survival or fecundity, nor did we detect transgenerational effects. However, the endophyte did slightly increase the number of reproductive stems and flowers per stem and crown and stem mass in O. sericea, suggesting endophytic effects on carbohydrate biochemistry and pollination parameters should be examined. Lack of selection for or against endophyte-containing plants allows both nontoxic and toxic swainsonine-producing plants to persist in Astragalus and Oxytropis populations, posing a continued threat to grazing livestock.

A type of signal-interference fourth-order dual-band bandpass filter (BPF) with multiple out-of-band transmission zeros (TZs) is reported. A second-order dual-band BPF block is firstly discussed, which is composed of two microstrip-to-slotline vertical transitions that are back-to-back connected by means of an in-parallel asymmetrical microstrip-line-based closed loop. It exhibits spectrally symmetrical passbands regarding the design frequency fD and three TZs at the inter-band region. Subsequently, by using stepped-impedance-line segments at the longest path of the transversal signal-interference closed loop, its dual-band BPF counterpart with second-order spectrally asymmetrical dual passbands is presented. Next, in order to increase the filter order as well as the number of out-of-band TZs for augmented stopband attenuation, a fourth-order dual-band BPF circuit is conceived. To this aim, two Y-shaped stepped-impedance microstrip stubs are loaded at the input and output ports of the previously devised second-order frequency-symmetrical dual-band BPF block. The RF operational principles of all these dual-band BPFs are detailed through their associated transmission-line-based equivalent circuits. Moreover, for experimental-demonstration purposes, a 1.154-/2.818-GHz two-layer microstrip proof-of-concept prototype of a fourth-order sharp-rejection dual-band BPF is designed, simulated, and characterized. It features inter-band power-rejection levels higher than 28.68 dB and lower-/upper-stopband attenuation levels above 40.92 dB from DC to 4.64 GHz.

Quantifying snow water equivalent (SWE) with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) in a warming climate is complicated by the incidence and variability of liquid water in snow. Snow surveys conducted during the melt season serve as a valuable analog to conditions under future warming. Here, we determine the variability of wet snowpack properties (relative permittivity and density) to quantify their impact on SWE estimates using GPR. We collected spatially continuous snowpack measurements with 400 MHz GPR in 2012 and 2021 across repeat transects (∼150 km each year) along with spring and summer snow depth and density measurements from snow pits and snow cores. Snow relative permittivity values ranged from 2.06 to 2.62 in 2012 and 2.11 to 5.11 in 2021, resulting in calculated volumetric liquid water content (LWC) between 1.7% and 5.7% in 2012 and 2.1% and 16% in 2021. This variability in snow relative permittivity results in SWE uncertainties of 8% —33%, with more extreme cases reaching 13%—45%. We attribute this uncertainty to spatial and temporal variability in LWC when using GPR to estimate SWE. As snowpacks become wetter with rising atmospheric temperatures, GPR surveys should include in situ relative permittivity measurements to reduce depth and SWE interpretation uncertainties.

What are the repressive consequences of civil society participation in international human rights complaints mechanisms? Such mechanisms allow civil society actors to make governments’ human rights violations known to international organizations. International organizations can respond by ‘naming and shaming’ states. We expect that complaint-based shaming increases repression against civil society organizations (CSOs). In particular, governments exploit the specific and personalized information contained in complaint-based shaming to repress challengers and deter future complaints. We test our theory with three studies – (i) a cross-national analysis, (ii) a CSO-level analysis with original survey data, and (iii) a media-based analysis – using multiple identification strategies, including instrumental variables. Our evidence shows that shaming in response to complaints has detrimental effects for CSOs in both democracies and autocracies. Our findings highlight that personalized shaming creates the risk of targeted reprisals and call for reforms that take this risk more seriously.

We present analyses of bubble number-density (BND) data from the South Pole Ice Core (SPC14) showing warming of ∼7.5°C from the Late Glacial (∼19.5 ka), then relatively stable temperatures during the Holocene (<0.5°C warming), in close agreement with results of independent paleothermometers. The BND data span from ∼160 m just below pore close-off, to ∼1200 m, where bubble loss by clathrate formation is significant. Measurements were made with standard bubble ‘thick’-section techniques and a new application of three-dimensional micro-computed tomography (CT) imagery; the nearly identical results recommend the faster, nondestructive micro-CT. The very high BND at South Pole, typically 800 and 900 bubbles cm−3, reflects the joint effects of the relatively low mean-annual temperature (−49°C) and high accumulation rate (∼7.5 cm w.e. a−1). High BND is physically linked to small grain sizes at pore close-off, which in turn helps explain the near-absence of brittle-ice behavior at the site, contributing to the high quality of the recovered core with implications for siting of future ice cores. The accumulation history, derived from δ15N-N2 firn-column thickness estimates, correlates with the temperature history but varies somewhat more than saturation vapor pressure, suggesting dynamic controls including upstream slope variability.

Kant claims that we must Believe (or have faith, Glaube) in the attainability of our ultimate moral end – the Highest Good – and that God exists. According to a strand of orthodoxy, this claim rests on a rational principle, called Attainability: one can rationally will an end only if one thinks that it is attainable. However, this orthodox view faces four prominent objections concerning (1) acting as if, (2) the modal content of Beliefs, (3) approximation, and (4) withholding belief about Attainability. I show that Attainability should be read as a principle of willing simpliciter and that these objections do not withstand critical scrutiny. Kant’s critics, therefore, will need either to sharpen their objections or seek alternatives elsewhere.

Single ventricle patients undergoing comprehensive stage II palliation have higher incidence of severe acute kidney injury compared to the bidirectional Glenn palliation; however, the optimal method for early detection remains unknown. Several urinary biomarkers are increased in other patient populations with postoperative kidney injury. We explored the kinetics of these biomarkers in this high-risk population.

We conducted prospective, observational study of 20 patients with single ventricle physiology who underwent second stage palliation (July 2019–December 2021). Acute kidney injury was defined by Kidney Diseases Improving Global Guidelines, based on peak serum creatinine value and urine output. Urine samples were collected pre-operatively and at 1-, 6-, and 24-hours post-surgery. Urinary biomarkers neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, interleukin-18, liver fatty acid-binding protein, kidney injury molecule-1, and cystatin C were quantified by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, normalised to urinary creatinine, and shown as median [interquartile range].

Four patients (50%) undergoing comprehensive stage II and 1 patient (8%) undergoing bidirectional Glenn palliation developed stage ≥ 2 acute kidney injury. Comprehensive stage II compared to bidirectional Glenn group had higher median neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (1769 [1309–1961] versus 91[18–1120] ng/mg) and liver fatty acid-binding protein (12,836 [5016–19798] versus 1272 [220–5172] ng/mg) that peaked 1-hour post-surgery. Kidney injury molecule-1 was significantly greater at 1-, 6-, and 24-hours (greatest) post-surgery in comprehensive stage II than bidirectional Glenn (24h: 11[9–23]) versus 2 [1–6] ng/mg).

Elevated urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, liver fatty acid-binding protein, and kidney injury molecule-1 may be useful biomarkers for early detection of acute kidney injury in children following comprehensive stage II palliation.

We give a short proof of the anticyclotomic analogue of the “strong” main conjecture of Kurihara on Fitting ideals of Selmer groups for elliptic curves with good ordinary reduction under mild hypotheses. More precisely, we completely determine the initial Fitting ideal of Selmer groups over finite subextensions of an imaginary quadratic field in its anticyclotomic $\mathbb {Z}_p$-extension in terms of Bertolini–Darmon’s theta elements.

This paper presents the first empirical analysis demonstrating how international security influences global data flows. Firms exchange data traffic to achieve fast, stable, and affordable access to digital infrastructure, driving digital interdependence. While international security shapes economic interdependence, the mechanisms linking the two – sanctions, tariffs, boycotts, and contracts – create little risk for Internet interconnection, which is commonly exempted from sanction and tariff regimes, not directly consumed by the public, and not enabled through traditional contracts. I theorize that international conflict generates cybersecurity externalities as state and non-state actors directly weaponize digital interdependence. Firms and their networks sit directly in the path of future conflicts. Leveraging network topographical measurements from computer engineering, I test whether conflict expectations increase states’ mutual reliance to move data. I find robust evidence that power politics shapes digital interdependence and use additional analyses to argue that externalities, rather than state preferences, drive this process.