Evidence of longterm cyclic evolution of radio pulsar periods

The measurements of pulsar frequency second derivatives have shown that they are 1e2...1e6 times larger than expected for standard pulsar spin-down law. Moreover, the second derivatives as well as braking indices are even negative for about half the pulsars. We explain these paradoxical results on the basis of the statistical analysis of the rotational parameters f0, f1 and f2 of the subset of 295 pulsars taken mostly from the ATNF database. We have found a strong correlation between f2 and f1 for both f2 > 0 (correlation coefficient r ~ 0.9) and f2 < 0 (r ~ 0.85), as well as between f0 and f1 (r ~ 0.6...0.7). We interpret these dependencies as evolutionary ones due to f1 being nearly proportional to the pulsars' age. The derived statistical relations as well as "anomalous" values of f2 are well described by assuming the existence of long-time variations of the spin-down rate. The pulsar frequency evolution, therefore, consists of secular change of f0_{ev}(t), f1_{ev}(t) and f2_{ev}(t) according to the power law with n ~ 5, the irregularities, observed within the timespan as timing noise, and the non-monotonous variations on the timescale of several tens of years, which is larger than that of the timespan. It is possible that the nature of long-term variations is similar to that of short-term ones. The idea of non-constant secular pulsars' braking index n is also analysed.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures. To appear in Advances in Space Research in the proceedings of the 36th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Beijing, July 200

Memo to the Obama Administration on the Burma Responsible Investment Reporting Requirements

In September 2013, CCSI sent a memo to President Obama and his Administration in response to the first public reports submitted by U.S. companies in compliance with the Burma Responsible Investment Reporting Requirements. The memo applauded the U.S. Government’s efforts to encourage responsible investment in Burma, noting that robust due diligence is essential to ensuring that international investments contribute to sustainable development. Yet the memo also urged the Obama Administration to take steps to strengthen future reporting. In particular, CCSI urged the Administration to issue clarifying guidance that any U.S. investor submitting a report should (1) provide information on due diligence policies and procedures related to land rights, and (2) provide thorough information in response to each reporting question, regardless of whether its investments are “passive.

The Business and Human Rights Arbitration Rule Project: Falling Short of its Access to Justice Objectives

The Hague Rules on Business and Human Rights Arbitration, initiated by the Business and Human Rights Arbitration Working Group, aims to create an international private judicial dispute resolution avenue available to parties involved in business and human rights issues, thereby helping to address the significant remedy gap faced by victims of business-related abuses. With the perspective that “international arbitration holds great promise as a method to be used to resolve human rights disputes involving business,” the Drafting Team released, in November 2018, an Elements Paper on Business and Human Rights Arbitration, as well as, in June 2019, Draft Arbitration Rules on Business and Human Rights. Both documents were released for public consultation and comment. A designated Sounding Board, of which CCSI is a member, was also consulted. With respect to the Elements Paper, CCSI submitted comments to the Drafting Team focusing on the following aspects of the Elements Paper: (1) which parties are necessary and sufficient to ensure effective access to justice of victims, including discussion of the desirable roles for both business and states, (2) the appropriate role for both international human rights law (IHRL) as well as other legal norms, and how IHRL should be interpreted and applied in this context, (3) whether model contract clauses are desirable, (4) the critical importance of choosing the appropriate appointing authority, (5) desirable qualifications of BHR arbitrators, including how they should be selected and how challenges to arbitrators should be handled, (6) how principles of transparency and access to information and effective participation should be treated, (7) the desirability of allowing amicus participation as a matter of right, and (8) principles that should govern allocation of costs, as well as a role for financial assistance for claimants and regulation of third-party funding. Following the release of the Draft Rules, CCSI published this Briefing Note and a blog, Saving the Business and Human Rights Arbitration Rule project: Put Human Rights Holders at the Heart,each of which build on our comments on the Elements Paper and elaborate certain serious concerns that CCSI has regarding the ability of the Draft Rules to advance access to justice in cases of injustices caused or perpetuated by business activity. Our comments are based on observed realities regarding both how arbitration has operated in other contexts and how companies have sought generally to avoid liability for human rights harms, as well as the steps that companies would need to take to facilitate arbitration and the enforcement of judgments against them. We suggest, among other things, that pressure devoted to seeing corporates submit to BHR Arbitration also be devoted to stopping them from undermining access to justice in domestic courts. We also note that the Draft Rules suffer from procedural and substantive gaps. As a procedural matter, we urge that, before the Draft Rules are finalized, every single one is reviewed carefully by a specific group that is representative of rights-holders and potential claimants. In terms of substance, multiple points, detailed in the above publications, also give us pause. These include, among others: the lack of anti-retaliation protections; a suggested loser-pays fee-shifting arrangement that ignores the reality of most human rights claimants; vague guidance on early dismissal of claims that could further tilt the process against rights-holder claimants; a proposal that interested third parties may need to bear the costs of their participation, which may effectively skew such participation away from all but corporate third parties; and suggestions on interim measures that could place unfathomable responsibility on human rights victims

The Grizzly, May 4, 1993

Yeltsin Receives Vote of Confidence • Snakes, Crocs, and Turtles: Reptile World Comes to Ursinus • $10,000 Scholarship Awarded to Ursinus Sophomore • Bernie Bernie Headflap Plays Wismer Lower Lounge • Exam Schedule • U.S.G.A. Minutes • Student Art Awards Given • Sports Shortshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1317/thumbnail.jp

The Business and Human Rights Arbitration Rule Project: Falling Short of its Access to Justice Objectives

The Hague Rules on Business and Human Rights Arbitration, initiated by the Business and Human Rights Arbitration Working Group, aims to create an international private judicial dispute resolution avenue available to parties involved in business and human rights issues, thereby helping to address the significant remedy gap faced by victims of business-related abuses. With the perspective that “international arbitration holds great promise as a method to be used to resolve human rights disputes involving business,” the Drafting Team released, in November 2018, an Elements Paper on Business and Human Rights Arbitration, as well as, in June 2019, Draft Arbitration Rules on Business and Human Rights. Following the release of the Draft Rules, CCSI published this Briefing Note, "The Business and Human Rights Arbitration Rule Project: Falling Short of its Access to Justice Objectives

The Business and Human Rights Arbitration Rule Project: Falling Short of its Access to Justice Objectives

The Hague Rules on Business and Human Rights Arbitration, initiated by the Business and Human Rights Arbitration Working Group, aims to create an international private judicial dispute resolution avenue available to parties involved in business and human rights issues, thereby helping to address the significant remedy gap faced by victims of business-related abuses. With the perspective that “international arbitration holds great promise as a method to be used to resolve human rights disputes involving business,” the Drafting Team released, in November 2018, an Elements Paper on Business and Human Rights Arbitration, as well as, in June 2019, Draft Arbitration Rules on Business and Human Rights. Following the release of the Draft Rules, CCSI published this Briefing Note, "The Business and Human Rights Arbitration Rule Project: Falling Short of its Access to Justice Objectives

Methanotrophic bacterial symbionts fuel dense populations of deep-sea feather duster worms (Sabellida, Annelida) and extend the spatial influence of methane seepage

Deep-sea cold seeps are dynamic sources of methane release and unique habitats supporting ocean biodiversity and productivity. Here, we describe newly discovered animal-bacterial symbioses fueled by methane, between two species of annelid (a serpulid Laminatubus and sabellid Bispira) and distinct aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria belonging to the Methylococcales, localized to the host respiratory crown. Worm tissue δ¹³C of −44 to −58‰ are consistent with methane-fueled nutrition for both species, and shipboard stable isotope labeling experiments revealed active assimilation of ¹³C-labeled methane into animal biomass, which occurs via the engulfment of methanotrophic bacteria across the crown epidermal surface. These worms represent a new addition to the few animals known to intimately associate with methane-oxidizing bacteria and may further explain their enigmatic mass occurrence at 150–million year–old fossil seeps. High-resolution seafloor surveys document significant coverage by these symbioses, beyond typical obligate seep fauna. These findings uncover novel consumers of methane in the deep sea and, by expanding the known spatial extent of methane seeps, may have important implications for deep-sea conservation

Methanotrophic bacterial symbionts fuel dense populations of deep-sea feather duster worms (Sabellida, Annelida) and extend the spatial influence of methane seepage

Deep-sea cold seeps are dynamic sources of methane release and unique habitats supporting ocean biodiversity and productivity. Here, we describe newly discovered animal-bacterial symbioses fueled by methane, between two species of annelid (a serpulid Laminatubus and sabellid Bispira) and distinct aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria belonging to the Methylococcales, localized to the host respiratory crown. Worm tissue δ¹³C of −44 to −58‰ are consistent with methane-fueled nutrition for both species, and shipboard stable isotope labeling experiments revealed active assimilation of ¹³C-labeled methane into animal biomass, which occurs via the engulfment of methanotrophic bacteria across the crown epidermal surface. These worms represent a new addition to the few animals known to intimately associate with methane-oxidizing bacteria and may further explain their enigmatic mass occurrence at 150–million year–old fossil seeps. High-resolution seafloor surveys document significant coverage by these symbioses, beyond typical obligate seep fauna. These findings uncover novel consumers of methane in the deep sea and, by expanding the known spatial extent of methane seeps, may have important implications for deep-sea conservation

Режимы лазерного восстановления оксида графена

Обработка светом (фотолитография) хорошо зарекомендовала себя в твердотельной электронике и на данный момент играет важную роль в микроэлектронной промышленности. С данной точки зрения представляется научный интерес работы по возможностям модификации пленок ОГ для получения гибкой, биосовместимой и "зеленой" электроникиPhotolithography is a powerfull instrument for designing a solid state electronics. Today is plays an important role in the microelectronic industry. Scientific interest of this work is on the possibilities of modifications of the graphene oxide film to obtain flexibility, biocompatible and "green" electronic