2,059 research outputs found
Anarchism and non-domination
This is the final version. Available on open access from Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this record.In this article we recover the classical anarchist deployment of republican tropes of non-domination, tyranny and slavery, to expose the conservative limits of the contemporary neo-Roman republican revival. For the anarchists, the modern nation state and the institution of private property are antithetical to freedom as non-domination, acting as structural constraints to freedom rather than the means for its realisation. We re-examine the grounds of this critique to advance two arguments. First, that a commitment to either the state or private property represents an unwarranted positive moral and ethical commitment that skews the negative theory of freedom contemporary republicans seek to develop. Second, the prior moral commitment to the state renders neo-Roman republicanism fundamentally conservative. Anarchist theories of freedom as non-domination push much further than the contemporary republican revival seems to permit, opening new possibilities for institutional and constitutional innovation while remaining consistent with the core republican normative value of non-domination
Occupy and the constitution of anarchy
This is the final version. Available on open access from Cambridge University Press via the DOI in this recordThis paper provides the first comparative reading of the minutes of the General Assemblies of three iconic Occupy camps: Wall Street, Oakland and London. It challenges detractors who have labelled the Occupy Wall Street movement a flash-in-the-pan protest, and participant-advocates who characterised the movement anti-constitutional. Developing new research into anarchist constitutional theory, we construct a typology of anarchist constitutionalising to argue that the camps prefigured a constitutional order for a post-sovereign anarchist politics. We show that the constitutional politics of three key Occupy Wall Street camps had four main aspects: (i) declarative principles, preambles and documents; (ii) complex institutionalisation; (iii) varied democratic decision-making procedures; and (iv) explicit and implicit rule making processes, premised on unique foundational norms. Each of these four was designed primarily to challenge and constrain different forms of global and local power, but they also provide a template for anarchistic constitutional forms that can be mimicked and linked up, as opposed to scaled up.Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC
Antiviral Activity of 4âČ-thioIDU and Thymidine Analogs against Orthopoxviruses
The search for effective therapies for orthopoxvirus infections has identified diverse classes of molecules with antiviral activity. Pyrimidine analogs, such as 5-iodo-2âČ-deoxyuridine (idoxuridine, IDU) were among the first compounds identified with antiviral activity against a number of orthopoxviruses and have been reported to be active both in vitro and in animal models of infection. More recently, additional analogs have been reported to have improved antiviral activity against orthopoxviruses including several derivatives of deoxyuridine with large substituents in the 5 position, as well as analogs with modifications in the deoxyribose moiety including (north)-methanocarbathymidine, and 5-iodo-4âČ-thio-2âČ-deoxyuridine (4âČ-thioIDU). The latter molecule has proven to have good antiviral activity against the orthopoxviruses both in vitro and in vivo and has the potential to be an effective therapy in humans
Conflicts between reindeer herding and an expanding caribou herd in Alaska
The reindeer industry has existed in Alaska since 1892. This industry has largely been concentrated on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska because suitable habitat has been available and caribou have been absent here for over 100 years. Until recently, reindeer meat and velvet antler production consistently generated millions of dollars in revenue critical to the economies of rural Alaskan communities. From 1976 to 1996 the Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) increased from about 75 000 to 463 000 animals. Concurrently, seasonal range use of the WACH shifted westward onto traditional reindeer ranges of the Seward Peninsula. Reindeer herders lost 75-100% of their herds through commingling and out¬migration with wild caribou. This loss of over 12 000 reindeer represents a potential economic value of 13 million dollars. Sustainable meat and velvet antler production and the economies of western Alaskan are likely to be affected by these changes
Taxing the Informal Economy: The Current State of Knowledge and Agendas for Future Research
This paper reviews the literature on taxation of the informal economy, taking stock of key debates
and drawing attention to recent innovations. Conventionally, the debate on whether to tax has frequently focused
on the limited revenue potential, high cost of collection, and potentially adverse impact on small firms. Recent
arguments have increasingly emphasised the more indirect benefits of informal taxation in relation to economic
growth, broader tax compliance, and governance. More research is needed, we argue, into the relevant costs and
benefits for all, including quasi-voluntary compliance, political and administrative incentives for reform, and
citizen-state bargaining over taxation
Effects of Gas Flaring on the Behavior of Night-migrating Birds at an Artificial Oil-production Island, Arctic Alaska
We studied movement rates and the general flight behavior of bird flocks seen on radar and recorded visually at Northstar Island, Arctic Alaska, from 13 to 27 September 2002. Most of this period (13 â 19 and 21 â 27 September) had no gas-flaring events, but a major gas-flaring event occurred on the night of 20 September. Movement rates of targets on radar and of bird flocks recorded visually in the first ~50% â 60% of the night were much lower during the non-flaring period than during the night of flaring, whereas rates in the last ~40% â 50% of the night were similar in all periods. The general flight behavior of birds also differed significantly, with higher percentages of both radar targets and bird flocks exhibiting straight-line (directional) flight behaviors during the non-flaring periods and higher percentages of radar targets and bird flocks exhibiting non-straight-line (erratic and circling) flight behaviors during the gas-flaring period. During the night of gas flaring, the bright illumination appeared to have an effect only after sunset, when flocks of birds circled the island after being drawn in from what appeared to be a substantial distance from the island. On both radar and visual sampling, the number of bird flocks approaching the island declined over the evening, and the attractiveness of the light from flaring appeared to decline. The visibility of the moon appeared to have little effect on the behavior of birds. Because illumination from extensive gas-flaring is such a strong attractant to migrating birds and because most bird flocks fly at low altitudes over the water, flaring booms on coastal and offshore oil-production platforms in Arctic Alaska should be positioned higher than the mean flight altitudes of migrating birds to reduce the chances of incineration.Nous avons Ă©tudiĂ© les taux de dĂ©placement et le comportement de vol gĂ©nĂ©ral des troupeaux dâoiseaux captĂ©s par radar ou consignĂ©s visuellement Ă lâĂźle Northstar, dans lâAlaska de lâArctique, du 13 au 27 septembre 2002. Pendant presque toute cette pĂ©riode (du 13 au 19 et du 21 au 27 septembre), il nây a pas eu de brĂ»lage de gaz Ă la torche, mais la nuit du 20 septembre, il y a eu un important brĂ»lage de gaz Ă la torche. Les taux de dĂ©placement des cibles radar et des troupeaux dâoiseaux consignĂ©s visuellement pendant la premiĂšre tranche dâenviron 50 % Ă 60 % de la nuit Ă©taient beaucoup moins Ă©levĂ©s pendant la pĂ©riode oĂč il nây avait pas de brĂ»lage Ă la torche que pendant la nuit oĂč il y a eu brĂ»lage Ă la torche, tandis que pendant la deuxiĂšme tranche dâenviron 40 % Ă 50 % de la nuit, les taux de dĂ©placement Ă©taient semblables pendant toutes les pĂ©riodes. Le comportement de vol gĂ©nĂ©ral des oiseaux a Ă©galement affichĂ© une diffĂ©rence considĂ©rable. De plus grands pourcentages de cibles radar et de troupeaux dâoiseaux adoptaient un comportement de vol rectiligne (direct) pendant les pĂ©riodes oĂč il nây avait pas de brĂ»lage Ă la torche, et de plus grands pourcentages de cibles radar et de troupeaux dâoiseaux affichaient un comportement de vol non rectiligne (erratique et indirect) pendant la pĂ©riode oĂč il y a eu brĂ»lage Ă la torche. La nuit du brĂ»lage Ă la torche, la vive illumination nâa semblĂ© avoir un effet quâaprĂšs le coucher du soleil, quand les troupeaux dâoiseaux encerclaient lâĂźle aprĂšs avoir Ă©tĂ© attirĂ©s depuis un endroit qui semblait trĂšs lointain. Tant pour lâĂ©chantillonnage prĂ©levĂ© par radar que par consignation visuelle, le nombre de troupeaux dâoiseaux sâapprochant de lâĂźle diminuait dans le courant de la soirĂ©e, et lâattrait de la lumiĂšre Ă©manant du brĂ»lage Ă la torche semblait Ă©galement diminuer. La visibilitĂ© de la lune semblait avoir peu dâeffet sur le comportement des oiseaux. Puisque lâillumination provenant du brĂ»lage prolongĂ© Ă la torche exerce une si grande force dâattraction chez les oiseaux migrateurs, et puisque la plupart des troupeaux dâoiseaux volent en basse altitude au-dessus de lâeau, le torchage effectuĂ© sur les plateformes pĂ©troliĂšres cĂŽtiĂšres et extracĂŽtiĂšres dans lâAlaska de lâArctique devrait ĂȘtre positionnĂ© plus haut que les altitudes moyennes de vol des oiseaux migrateurs afin de rĂ©duire les risques dâincinĂ©ration
Effects of a Hazing-Light System on Migration and Collision Avoidance of Eiders at an Artificial Oil-Production Island, Arctic Alaska
During migration, Common and King Eiders (Somateria mollissima and S. spectabilis) cross the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas of Arctic Alaska. Because they may become attracted to lights, eiders are susceptible to collision with structures, including offshore oil facilities. We used ornithological radar in 2001 â 04 to characterize the behavior of eiders migrating past Northstar Island, an oil-production island near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and to assess the effects of a hazing-light system on migrating eiders. âEiderâ radar targets exhibited pulsed, irregular periods of movement; movement rates were higher when sea ice was present, without precipitation, and during tailwinds and crosswinds but were not affected by lights. Velocities (ground speeds) were higher when ice was present and with strong tailwinds. They were lower at night when the lights were on, but higher during the day when the lights were on. Radar targets exhibited little variation in flight behavior as they passed the island; the proportion of non-directional behavior was larger when ice was present, with tailwinds, with weak winds, and near the full moon when it was not visible. Lights had no effect on flight behavior. Birds tended to exhibit more course changes as they approached the island, greater angular changes when they changed course, and larger net increases in passing distance as a result of those course changes when the lights were on; however, none of these differences were statistically significant. Overall, the hazing lights at Northstar did not disrupt the birdsâ migratory movements but resulted in increased avoidance of the island.En pĂ©riode de migration, lâeider Ă duvet et lâeider Ă tĂȘte grise (Somateria mollissima et S. spectabilis) survolent la mer de Beaufort et la mer des Tchouktches dans lâAlaska de lâArctique. Comme ils sont attirĂ©s par les lumiĂšres, les eiders risquent dâentrer en collision avec des structures, y compris les installations pĂ©troliĂšres au large. De 2001 Ă 2004, nous avons utilisĂ© un radar ornithologique pour caractĂ©riser le comportement des eiders qui migrent au-delĂ de lâĂźle Northstar, une Ăźle de production pĂ©troliĂšre prĂšs de Prudhoe Bay, en Alaska, et pour Ă©valuer les effets dâun systĂšme dâĂ©clairage de dispersion sur les eiders en migration. Les « eiders » ciblĂ©s par le radar prĂ©sentaient des pĂ©riodes de mouvement pulsĂ©es et irrĂ©guliĂšres; les taux de mouvement Ă©taient plus importants en prĂ©sence de glace marine, en lâabsence de prĂ©cipitation et en prĂ©sence de vent arriĂšre et de vent latĂ©ral, mais nâĂ©taient pas touchĂ©s par les lumiĂšres. Les vĂ©locitĂ©s (vitesses au sol) Ă©taient plus Ă©levĂ©es en prĂ©sence de glace et de forts vents arriĂšre. Elles Ă©taient plus basses la nuit lorsque les lumiĂšres Ă©taient allumĂ©es, mais plus Ă©levĂ©es le jour lorsque les lumiĂšres Ă©taient allumĂ©es. Nous avons observĂ© peu de variation quant au comportement de vol des cibles atteintes par le radar pendant quâelles survolaient lâĂźle; la proportion de comportements de vol non directionnels Ă©tait plus importante en prĂ©sence de glace, de vent arriĂšre, de vent faible et lorsque la pleine lune nâĂ©tait pas visible. Les lumiĂšres nâont pas eu dâimpact sur le comportement de vol. Lorsque les lumiĂšres Ă©taient allumĂ©es, les oiseaux avaient tendance Ă changer de direction plus souvent durant leur vol Ă lâapproche de lâĂźle et Ă effectuer de plus grandes variations angulaires lorsquâils changeaient de direction, puis prĂ©sentaient une nette augmentation de la distance de passage Ă la suite de ces changements de direction. Toutefois, aucune de ces diffĂ©rences nâĂ©tait statistiquement importante. En gĂ©nĂ©ral, les lumiĂšres de dispersion de lâĂźle Northstar nâont pas nui aux mouvements migratoires des oiseaux, mais ces derniers ont davantage Ă©vitĂ© de voler prĂšs de lâĂźle
Human cytomegalovirus plasmid-based amplicon vector system for gene therapy
We have constructed and evaluated the utility of a helper-dependent virus vector system that is derived from Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV). This vector is based on the herpes simplex virus (HSV) amplicon system and contains the HCMV orthologs of the two cis-acting functions required for replication and packaging of HSV genomes, the complex HCMV viral DNA replication origin (oriLyt), and the cleavage packaging signal (the a sequence). The HCMV amplicon vector replicated independently and was packaged into infectious virions in the presence of helper virus. This vector is capable of delivering and expressing foreign genes in infected cells including progenitor cells such as human CD34+ cells. Packaged defective viral genomes were passaged serially in fibroblasts and could be detected at passage 3; however, the copy number appeared to diminish upon serial passage. The HCMV amplicon offers an alternative vector strategy useful for gene(s) delivery to cells of the hematopoietic lineage
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