Book Review: Leonard Harris, A Philosophy of Struggle: The Leonard Harris Reader. Edited by Lee A. McBride III (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2020).

The following paper serves as a review of a recent compilation of essays by Leonard Harris (edited by Lee A. McBride III), addressing the reimagining of philosophy contained therein and engaging a handful of views borne by this unique philosophical conception from a Deleuzo-Guattarian perspective, focusing on a few of the strategic merits and challenges faced by a potential alliance between these thinkers.

The mass of the 4\pi^+$

The most precise value for the pion mass was determined from a precision measurement at PSI of the muon momentum in pion decay at rest, \pi^+ \rightarrow \mu^+ + \nu_{\mu}π+→μ++νμ. The result is m_{\pi^+} = 139.570\,21(14)mπ+=139.57021(14)~MeV/c^22. This value is more precise, however, in agreement with the recent compilation of the Particle Data Group for m_{\pi^-}mπ−. The agreement of m_{\pi^+}mπ+ with the recent measurement. This yields a new quantitative measure of CPT invariance in the pion sector: (m_{\pi^+} - m_{\pi^-})/m_{\pi}(\mbox{av}) = (-2.9 \pm 2.0)\cdot 10^{-6}(mπ+−mπ−)/mπ(av)=(−2.9±2.0)⋅10−6, an improvement by two orders of magnitude.

SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF AVIAN INFECTIOUS BRONCHITIS IN NIGERIA

Avian infectious bronchitis is an acute rapidly spreading viral respira­tory disease of chickens characterized by tracheal rales, coughing and sneezing. In adult laying flocks it causes a drastic drop in egg production — most of which are malformed.The disease was first described in the U.S.A. by Schalk and Hawn (1931) and its viral aetiology was confirmed 5 years later (Beach and Schalm, 1936). It is now report­ed to be world-wide in distribution (Estola, 1966).However, the F.A.O. Animal Health Year Books do not .list AIB as being present in Nigeria. Similarly, a recent compilation of Nigeria Veterinary bibliography (1970-1983) did not include AIB and the disease until a previous report (Komolafe and Erojikwe, 1985) has not been described in Nigeria.In the present communication, a serological evidence based on the detection of AIR virus specific preci­pitating antibody in the sera of sufs­pected cases is reported.

Some new Bythinella spp. from southern Greece (Gastropoda: Bythinellidae)

In addition to a recent compilation of the Greek Bythinella spp. nine more species are described as new for science from Parnassus Mountains, Peloponnese Peninsula and Kithira Island. They are compared with the hitherto known species. For the protection of the mostly very small populations we only took a few specimens, not enough for dissections. Therefore, the descriptions are based on shell characters only which show a great diversity in Greece.

Integrating model and data over the Southern Ocean at the Last Glacial Maximum to better understand the sea-ice cover

<p><span> At the interface of the atmosphere and the oceans, sea ice is a thin and reactive layer which depends on the surface temperatures of the two and with significant impact on both. In this vein, sea ice affects the regional energy budget due to its high albedo, modulates the transfer of gas and energy at the ocean-atmosphere by its simple presence and modifies the water column vertical structure through brine rejection during freezing and freshwater input during melting. As the densification of surface waters can lead to deep water formation, sea ice has an impact on deep ocean circulation (Ferrari et al. [2014], Marzocchi et al. [2019]). </span></p><p><span> Around 21,000 years ago, the glacial period called the LGM was marked by extensive ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere, a consequent lower sea-level, and lower atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations than today’s. However, the processes driving these lower atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations are still not fully understood. Paleotracer data (Curry and Oppo [2005]) suggest that the Antarctic Bottom Water was a poorly ventilated and voluminous water mass, therefore efficiently trapping carbon. Proxies also allow for the reconstruction of LGM sea ice (de Vernal et al. [2013]), and their studies have indicated both an extended Southern Ocean sea ice and an enhanced seasonality (Gersonde et al. [2005], Allen et al. [2011], Benz et al. [2016]).</span></p><p><span> Models are very helpful to investigate the potentially complex response of the climate system to any perturbation. The Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project (now in phase 4) has proposed standardized LGM boundary conditions which notably allows for an evaluation of the model performance under cold conditions. During past PMIP phases, the simulation of the LGM deep ocean circulation has proven to be challenging (Otto-Bliesner et al. [2007], Muglia and Schmittner [2015]), which could be linked – at least partially – to the limitations in modelling past sea-ice changes (Goosse et al. [2013], Roche et al. [2012]).</span></p><p><span> In this study, the iLOVECLIM model – of intermediate complexity – (Goosse et al. [2010]) is used under the PMIP4 experimental design with both the ICE-6G-C and GLAC-1D topographies. The simulated sea ice is compared with a recent compilation of proxy data (Crosta, pers. com.). We look for potential sources of the observed model-data discrepancies using different model configurations. We examine in particular the simulated SSTs compared to MARGO [2009] data and show a regional and seasonal model-data disagreement that is quite consistent with the sea-ice model-data comparison.</span></p>

Brown dwarfs in Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld and beyond Horndeski theories

We studied herein the mass and the radius of brown dwarfs predicted by beyond Horndeski (BH) and Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld (EiBI) gravity theories by numerically solving the modified non-relativistic hydrostatic equations of both theories. We used a recent compilation of brown dwarf masses and radii obtained from Ref. Bayliss et al. (Astrophys J 153:1, 2016) to constrain the free parameter of both theories. We obtain the range of the corresponding parameters with 1$$\sigma $$σ and 5$$\sigma $$σ confidence by using chi-squared analysis. Furthermore, the minimum chi-squared values can be reached for the cases of $$\kappa = 0.17 \times 10^2 ~\mathrm{m}^5\,\mathrm{kg}^{-1}\,\mathrm{s}^{-2}$$κ=0.17×102m5kg-1s-2 and $$\gamma = -0.1207$$γ=-0.1207 for EiBI and BH theories, respectively. The corresponding parameter values with the minimum chi-squared values are relatively small; therefore, they cannot significantly change the brown dwarf mass limits determined from the equivalence of nuclear and photosphere luminosities for the pp (hydrogen burning) and pp+pd (deuterium burning) reactions.

Eulejeunea crenulata Schiffn., a new synonym of Lejeunea umbilicata (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta)

Stephani (1915) proposed the transfer of Eulejeunea crenulata Schiffner (1890: 33) to Lejeunea Libert (1820: 373). However, as the combination already existed and thus not available for use, Lejeunea crenulata (Schiffn.) Stephani (1915: 784) is a later homonym of Lejeunea crenulata Mitten (1871: 415). Nonetheless, Eulejeunea crenulata remains a validly published name (Söderström et al. 2015). According to the recent compilation of species binomials in Lejeuneaceae published between 1884 and 1893 (Söderström et al. 2015), Eulejeunea crenulata is listed as a heterotypic synonym of Lejeunea patersonii (Stephani 1896: 92) Stephani (1915: 784) following Hürlimann (1993). However, this is an error as Hürlimann (1993) cited Lejeunea crenulata Mitten as a synonym of Lejeunea patersonii, following Grolle (1980), and not Eulejeunea crenulata Schiffn. (Lejeunea crenulata (Schiffn.) Steph.). This has prompted us to revisit the true identity of Eulejeunea crenulata.

Balanced conditions or slight mass gain of glaciers in the Lahaul and Spiti region (northern India, Himalaya) during the nineties preceded recent mass loss

The volume change of the Chhota Shigri Glacier (India, 32° 20 N, 77° 30' E) between 1988 and 2010 has been determined using in situ geodetic measurements. This glacier has experienced only a slight mass loss between 1988 and 2010 (−3.8 ± 2.0 m w.e. (water equivalent) corresponding to −0.17 ± 0.09 m w.e. yr−1). Using satellite digital elevation models (DEM) differencing and field measurements, we measure a negative mass balance (MB) between 1999 and 2010 (−4.8 ± 1.8 m w.e. corresponding to −0.44 ± 0.16 m w.e. yr−1). Thus, we deduce a slightly positive or near-zero MB between 1988 and 1999 (+1.0 ± 2.7 m w.e. corresponding to +0.09 ± 0.24 m w.e. yr−1). Furthermore, satellite DEM differencing reveals that the MB of the Chhota Shigri Glacier (−0.39 ± 0.15 m w.e. yr−1) has been only slightly less negative than the MB of a 2110 km2 glaciarized area in the Lahaul and Spiti region (−0.44 ± 0.09 m w.e. yr−1) during 1999−2011. Hence, we conclude that the ice wastage is probably moderate in this region over the last 22 yr, with near equilibrium conditions during the nineties, and an ice mass loss after. The turning point from balanced to negative mass budget is not known but lies probably in the late nineties and at the latest in 1999. This positive or near-zero MB for Chhota Shigri Glacier (and probably for the surrounding glaciers of the Lahaul and Spiti region) during at least part of the 1990s contrasts with a recent compilation of MB data in the Himalayan range that indicated ice wastage since 1975. However, in agreement with this compilation, we confirm more negative balances since the beginning of the 21st century.

Legal Terminology and Lesser Used Languages: The Case of Mòcheno

The article aims at outlining the specific problems connected with the elaboration of legal and administrative terminology in a lesser used language and illustrating the methods and tools proposed considering the knowledge and competences to be conveyed. Since 2003 the Institute for Specialised Communication and Multilingualism of the European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC) offers education courses in legal terminology work, coupled with introductions in related/complementary disciplines, e.g. documentation, specialised translation and technical writing. Next to professional trainings, the Institute held also ad-hoc courses, such as a two-day course organised in 2008 for the Mòcheni, a Germanic minority living in the Italian Province of Trento. Since the passing of provincial law no. 6/2008, which foresees specific measures for the protection and promotion of local language minorities, the Mòcheno-speaking community has the right to use their language in all situations of social, economic and administrative life in both oral and written communications. Notwithstanding the recent compilation of a standard grammar, the Mòcheno language is not yet developed for the use in technical and specialised contexts. Indeed, the most urgent needs seem to exist in the translation of administrative terminology.

Advection-Dominated Accretion, Jets, and the Spectral Energy Distribution of LINERs

Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGNs) represent the bulk of the AGN population in the present-day universe and they trace low-level accreting supermassive black holes. The observational properties of LLAGNs suggest that their central engines are intrinsically different from those of more luminous AGNs. It has been suggested that accretion in LLAGNs occurs via an advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) associated with strong jets. In order to probe the accretion physics in LLAGNs as a class, we model the multiwavelength spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 24 LINERs (taken from a recent compilation by Eracleous et al.) with a coupled accretion-jet model. The accretion flow is modeled as an inner ADAF outside of which there is a truncated standard thin disk. These SEDs include radio, near-IR to near-UV HST data, and Chandra X-ray data. We find that the radio emission is severely underpredicted by ADAF models but can be explained by the relativistic jet. The origin of the X-ray radiation in most sources can be explained by three distinct scenarios: the X-rays can be dominated by emission from the ADAF, the jet, or from both components contributing at similar levels. From the model fits, we estimate important parameters of the central engine of LINERs, such as the mass accretion rate — relevant for studies of the feeding of AGNs — and the mass-loss rate in the jet and the jet power — relevant for studies of the kinetic feedback from jets.