Multiplicate inverse forms of terminating hypergeometric series

The multiplicate form of Gould--Hsu's inverse series relations enables to investigate the dual relations of the Chu-Vandermonde-Gau{\ss}'s, the Pfaff-Saalsch\"utz's summation theorems and the binomial convolution formula due to Hagen and Rothe. Several identitity and reciprocal relations are thus established for terminating hypergeometric series. By virtue of the duplicate inversions, we establish several dual formulae of Chu-Vandermonde-Gau{\ss}'s and Pfaff-Saalsch\"utz's summation theorems in Section (3)\cite{ChuVanGauss} and (4)\cite{PfaffSaalsch}, respectively. Finally, the last section is devoted to deriving several identities and reciprocal relations for terminating balanced hypergeometric series from Hagen-Rothe's convolution identity in accordance with the duplicate, triplicate and multiplicate inversions.Comment: 15 page

On the Frontlines of Fear Migration and Climate Change in the Local Context of Sardinia, Italy

Migration and climate change are hot topics generating widespread concerns and fears in European public opinion. However, a striking difference between them is the ‘efficacy’ of the fears that surround the two topics. For migration, the spectre of a looming invasion and similar narratives translate into immense impacts and a securitisation of the matter. For climate change, growing awareness over the prospect of a climate emergency only sporadically translates into urgent action. This article engages with this remarkable difference of great political relevance. While analyses of fear and securitisation of migration and climate have privileged inter-state politics and international discourses, here we investigate how fear is produced, mobilised, and contested in sub-national political arenas. Rather than on a spectacular case (as Lampedusa or a Pacific Island) we focus on Sardinia, an ordinary region that, for both climate change and migration, is not under the spotlight – there are no melting glaciers nor climate refugees. Drawing on focus groups and interviews with Sardinian local authorities, we detail how mayors and municipality feel on the frontline against both climate change and migration. However, rather than as security issues, both emerge tangled with questions such as austerity, spopolamento(depopulation), economic decline, and rural-urban dynamics. But while fears over migration translate into strong citizen pressure mayors feel compelled to react to, concerns about climate change instead lead to a sort of fatalism or deferral. We conclude the paper with reflections on the implications that this important difference has for broader debates on climate and migration

Climate Change, Security Risks, and Violent Conflicts

Research on security-related aspects of climate change is an important element of climate change impact assessments. Hamburg has become a globally recognized center of pertinent analysis of the climate-conflict-nexus. The essays in this collection present a sample of the research conducted from 2009 to 2018 within an interdisciplinary cooperation of experts from Universität Hamburg and other institutions in Hamburg related to the research group “Climate Change and Security” (CLISEC). This collection of critical assessments covers a broad understanding of security, ranging from the question of climate change as a cause of violent conflict to conditions of human security in the Anthropocene. The in-depth analyses utilize a wide array of methodological approaches, from agent-based modeling to discourse analysis

Covid, Crisis, Care, and Change?

Die Covid-19-Krise hat bereits bestehende soziale Ungleichheiten in verschiedenen Bereichen verschärft. Die Autor*innen untersuchen, wie grundlegend und nachhaltig die sozialen Veränderungen im Zuge der Corona-Pandemie auf den gesellschaftlichen Ebenen Arbeit, Sorgearbeit und staatliche Regulierung in ihren geschlechtsspezifischen Dimensionen sind.; The Covid-19 crisis has intensified already existing social inequalities in different spheres. The authors examine how fundamental and sustainable the social changes over the course of the corona pandemic are at the social levels of labour, care work and state regulation in their gender dimensions

Covid, Crisis, Care, and Change?

Die Covid-19-Krise hat bereits bestehende soziale Ungleichheiten in verschiedenen Bereichen verschärft. Die Autor*innen untersuchen, wie grundlegend und nachhaltig die sozialen Veränderungen im Zuge der Corona-Pandemie auf den gesellschaftlichen Ebenen Arbeit, Sorgearbeit und staatliche Regulierung in ihren geschlechtsspezifischen Dimensionen sind.; The Covid-19 crisis has intensified already existing social inequalities in different spheres. The authors examine how fundamental and sustainable the social changes over the course of the corona pandemic are at the social levels of labour, care work and state regulation in their gender dimensions

Novel integrated pest management components for the control of the glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) on glasshouse-grown tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum)

PhD ThesisThe glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood) is one of the most important U.K. pests. This phloem-feeding insect is a particular threat to glasshouse-grown crops, including the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Integrated Pest Management (IPM) involves applying a range of biological, cultural, physical and chemical control measures, with monitoring, to reduce pest and pathogen numbers on commercial crops below acceptable economic thresholds, with minimal environmental damage. Different IPM tools are used together to achieve an acceptable control level. Whilst IPM has been effectively utilised to control the glasshouse whitefly, greater knowledge of individual IPM components is still needed to continue to effectively protect greenhouse-grown tomatoes in the future, particularly with increasing pesticide resistance levels in whitefly populations. Therefore, this PhD thesis sought to advance knowledge of existing and novel IPM components for whitefly control on tomatoes. Several distinct IPM methods were investigated. A wild tomato species, Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium (L.) Mill, was assessed for enhanced whitefly resistance, with a novel dual method of resistance discovered, one pre- and one post-phloem penetration, which may be introduced into modern tomato cultivars to enhance whitefly resistance. The ‘push-pull’ method of intercropping tomatoes with whitefly-repellent species, and surrounding them with attractive host species, was investigated in a large scale glasshouse trial, with French marigolds revealed to be an effective intercrop plant to reduce whitefly numbers on tomatoes. The potential of whitefly-induced plant volatiles to enhance whitefly resistance in uninfested tomatoes was examined, with plant-plant communication shown to be an effective method at reducing settling and oviposition in volatile-exposed tomatoes, potentially by priming defences against a subsequent whitefly infestation. It is anticipated that these IPM tools could be combined to achieve control of the glasshouse whitefly in glasshouse-grown tomatoes, contributing to environmentally sustainable food production and reduced synthetic pesticide use, whilst managing whitefly pesticide resistance.Stockbridge Technology Centre and BBSR

Staphylococcus Aureus Evasion of the Innate Immune System

Upon entry into the host, pathogens must overcome innate immunity in order to cause disease. The innate immune system represents a fast-acting initial line of defense to prevent infection. In order to withstand innate defenses, bacterial pathogens like the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, produce a wide array of virulence factors that can inhibit innate immune cell recruitment and antimicrobial activity, or directly target and kill phagocytic leukocytes thereby facilitating pathogenesis. Infection with S. aureus can cause disease in virtually any tissue site and is a significant burden to human health. In this dissertation, we sought to understand how S. aureus counters the host innate immune system to cause disease. Macrophages are professional phagocytic leukocytes that are central to innate defenses. As such, we hypothesized that S. aureus must be able to overcome macrophage inflammatory responses to aid in its pathogenesis.Data from a forward genetic screen using S. aureus cell free supernatants derived from a transposon mutant library, uncovered that a mutation in the gene encoding the lipoic acid synthetase (LipA), which is required for the de novo synthesis of the cofactor lipoic acid, resulted in enhanced TLR2-dependent activation of macrophages. We found that the hyper-inflammatory response elicited by a ï„lipA mutant correlated with the absence of lipoylation on the E2 subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (E2-PDH). In wild type cells, the release of lipoyl-E2-PDH occurred during exponential growth and required the major staphylococcal autolysin Atl. Purified S. aureus lipoyl-E2-PDH prevented TLR1/2 activation by triacylated lipopeptides. Moreover, the absence of lipoyl-protein production in vivo resulted in the recruitment of activated inflammatory macrophages that are better able to restrict S. aureus growth through production of bactericidal reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.Overall, data in this dissertation indicates that S. aureus lipoylated E2-PDH moonlights as a novel immune evasion protein by suppressing TLR-mediated macrophage activation. Our data also suggest that lipoic acid synthesis in S. aureus promotes bacterial persistence during infection through limitation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species generation by macrophages. Broadly, this work furthers our understanding of the intersections between bacterial metabolism and the immune response to infection