The Data Paradox in Competition Enforcement

There is a data paradox in competition enforcement. Data is an infinitely scalable, widely available, non-rivalrous and non-exclusive asset. The European Commission’s merger decisional practice suggests that these features make data a kind of asset unlikely to be conducive to competition issues. Yet, some observe that digital markets are increasingly dominated by incumbents in possession of large troves of data, raising alarm bells of market power and anticompetitive conduct. To craft sound competition policy, this paradox must be unravelled. To this effect, this article examines the test devised by the Commission to assess a ‘data advantage’, identifying several drawbacks from which that test suffers. It argues that excessive reliance on data’s wide availability and ubiquity to dismiss competition concerns is problematic, since data is not fungible and may not be readily accessible to competitors. Additionally, other factors such as data’s volume, variety, velocity, and spill-overs are decisive for the magnitude a data advantage may reach. Therefore, in spite of its inherent features, data may nevertheless entrench dominance in digital sectors. To solve the deficiencies of the Commission’s test, this article proposes a comprehensive data advantage test that takes due consideration of the dynamics and structural conditions of data-driven markets

Current Approaches to Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content Among the Global Top 50 Online Content-sharing Services

This report provides an overview of the policies and procedures for addressing terrorist and violent extremist content (TVEC) across the global top 50 online content sharing services, with a focus on transparency. It finds that only five of the 50 services issue transparency reports specifically about TVEC, and these five services take different approaches in their reports. These services use different definitions of terrorism and violent extremism, report different types of information, use different measurement and estimation methods, and issue reports with varying frequency and on different timetables. The low number of reporting companies and the variation in what, when and how they report make it impossible to get a clear and complete cross-industry perspective on the efficacy of companies’ measures to combat TVEC online and how they may affect human rights. This situation could be improved if more companies issued TVEC transparency reports and included more comparable information

Transparency reporting on terrorist and violent extremist content online: An update on the global top 50 content sharing services

This benchmarking report explores the degree to which the world’s top 50 online content-sharing services’ approaches to terrorist and violent extremist content (TVEC) online have evolved since a first report in 2020. This new edition finds there has been tangible progress: 11 services have issued TVEC-specific transparency reports over the past year (6 more than in 2020); and the 5 services that already issued such reports now provide additional information. However, transparency reports expressly addressing TVEC remain uncommon and services continue to use different metrics, definitions and reporting frequencies. It remains difficult to gain an industry-wide perspective on the efficacy of companies’ measures to combat TVEC online and how they may affect human rights. Meanwhile, there is a growing risk of regulatory fragmentation due to unco-ordinated transparency requirements across jurisdictions. There is an urgent need for increased, and more comparable, TVEC reporting

Transparency Reporting: Considerations for the Review of the OECD Privacy Guidelines

This report presents evidence on efforts taken by companies to ensure trust in the digital economy through transparency reporting. Focussing on the world’s most widely used social media platforms, online communication services, file-sharing platforms and other online services (many of which are based in the United States), the report identifies both good practices and challenges in transparency reporting. Challenges include limited informative value and comparability, as well as an inability to provide reliable information on the extent to which governments gain access to personal data held by the private sector. A range of actions are proposed to address these challenges, recognising the need to develop a more robust evidence base by expanding the number of countries and companies analysed. This report informed the review of the OECD Privacy Guidelines

A Statistical Approach for Commercial Space Vehicle Integration into the National Airspace System

This paper explores commercial space vehicle (CSV) suborbital flight trajectories in the temporal and spatial domains for CSV integration into the National Airspace System. The research data was collected via the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator (SSFS) housed in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach campus, and analyzed using an original MATLAB data analytics tool. This study primarily focuses on statistical trends observed in previously simulated flights supported by three Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) campaigns comprised of 34 flights and 19 control flights, and to identify relevant milestones in the CSV flight path. The correlations found in these flight milestones are key for the development of a predictive model for flight and ground safety operators, and reduce the necessity for extensively restricted flight hazard areas. In this paper, the PoSSUM and Control flights are compared to evaluate the deviation caused by different thrust operations conducted by the Scientist Astronaut Candidates (SACs) to enhance scientific data collection in the mesosphere. Preliminary results show the adjustments made by the PoSSUM flights have little effect in the domain with a mean difference of 10.4 seconds in time-of-flight (ToF) outside of the NAS, and a noticeable effect in the spatial domain with a mean difference of 9.3 km in the descent threshold range

Experimental Environmental Profiles and Sloshing Dynamics Aboard Zero-G Aircraft

This study presents the results of a parabolic flight experiment to study the sloshing dynamics of the magneto-active propellant management device experiment. This device utilizes a magnetoactive membrane and magnets located external to the tank to effectively damp the liquid free surface motion. This research work establishes a benchmark with sloshing analytical formulation and sensor calibration methods that can be used to characterize future research parabolic flights while providing important environmental profiles measured during flight, such as accelerations, pitch angle, velocity, temperature, total volatile content, carbon dioxide, relative humidity, magnetic field, and radiation. Correlation between these flight variables and the sloshing experiment are suggested to improve suppression of sloshing. Preliminary postflight analysis suggests a close correlation between high peaks of carbon dioxide and total volatile compound levels during the parabolas – levels sustained for up to one hour combined during cruise in some parabolic flights

Suitability Testing for PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Candidates using the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator with an IVA Spacesuit

This paper evaluates key functional data parameters that must be considered for suborbital spaceflight participants wearing pressurized suits for intravehicular activity (IVA). Data parameters of an analog spacesuit worn in an analog flight environment were obtained from 40 civilian participants using the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator (SSFS) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) while donning Final Frontier Design’s (FFD) fully pressurized third-generation spacesuit as part of their training for Project PoSSUM (the Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere Project). The physiological data collected included: blood pressure, electrocardiograms, heart rate, grip strength, and skin temperature. These parameters were measured using a blood pressure monitor, a Zephyr Bioharness, and a BioRadio respectively. Other data collected include participants’ motion sickness, discomfort and mobility, and stress and workload. These parameters were self-assessed using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), the Modified Cooper Harper Rating Scale, and the NASA-Task Load Index (TLX) respectively. Preliminary results show that 29% of the participants experienced basic spacesuit donning discomfort, while 17% of the participants showed some doffing discomfort. Feet, shoulders, neck, arms, and ankles were the most sensitive parts in this process and throughout their use of the suit. Our results also indicate that the spacesuit limited participants by approximately 24% of their normal cross-body reach range of motion. Nevertheless, the operational capability of this suit is currently being evaluated as a viable option for supporting future suborbital, orbital, and exploration missions. This research will enhance the functionality of the suit, standardize suit testing procedures, aid in identifying key parameters for reducing physiological deconditioning in the use of emerging spacesuit technologies, and provide comparative analysis reference for future studies

Cytoplasmic LSM-1 protein regulates stress responses through the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans

This article is distributed exclusively by the RNA Society for the first 12 months after the full-issue publication date. After 12 months, it is available under a Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International).-- et al.Genes coding for members of the Sm-like (LSm) protein family are conserved through evolution from prokaryotes to humans. These proteins have been described as forming homo-or heterocomplexes implicated in a broad range of RNA-related functions. To date, the nuclear LSm2-8 and the cytoplasmic LSm1-7 heteroheptamers are the best characterized complexes in eukaryotes. Through a comprehensive functional study of the LSm family members, we found that lsm-1 and lsm-3 are not essential for C. elegans viability, but their perturbation, by RNAi or mutations, produces defects in development, reproduction, and motility. We further investigated the function of lsm-1, which encodes the distinctive protein of the cytoplasmic complex. RNA-seq analysis of lsm-1 mutants suggests that they have impaired Insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS), which is conserved in metazoans and involved in the response to various types of stress through the action of the FOXO transcription factor DAF-16. Further analysis using a DAF-16:GFP reporter indicated that heat stress-induced translocation of DAF-16 to the nuclei is dependent on lsm-1. Consistent with this, we observed that lsm-1 mutants display heightened sensitivity to thermal stress and starvation, while overexpression of lsm-1 has the opposite effect. We also observed that under stress, cytoplasmic LSm proteins aggregate into granules in an LSM-1-dependent manner. Moreover, we found that lsm-1 and lsm-3 are required for other processes regulated by the IIS pathway, such as aging and pathogen resistance.This work was supported by a grant from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (Exp. PI12/01554). R.J. and D.B. were supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Canada grant. D.B. holds a Canada Research Chair. J.C. is a Miguel Servet Researcher (ISCIII). E.C. was supported with a CTP-AIRE fellowship from AGAUR (Generalitat de Catalunya) and a TRANSBIO SUDOE collaborative project.Peer Reviewe

Estudio de la trabeculación ósea en la artrodesis subastragalina

En este artículo presentamos nuestra casuística en artrodesis artroscópica subastragalina revisando los principios biomecánicos que rigen esta articulación y presentando ésta como una técnica válida para el tratamiento de distintas patologías en el retropié que interesan esta articulación.We present our casuistic on arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis reviewing the biomechanics of this joint and presenting it as a valid technique for the treatment of some pathologies in the rearfoot that affect this joint.Premio al mejor trabajo en el XXXII Congreso de la Sociedad Ibérica de Biomecánica y BiomaterialesPeer ReviewedAward-winnin