Molecular Characterization of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Isolates From Central Inner Sardinia

BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic stimulated an outstanding global sequencing effort, which allowed to monitor viral circulation and evolution. Nuoro province (Sardinia, Italy), characterized by a relatively isolated geographical location and a low population density, was severely hit and displayed a high incidence of infection.MethodsAmplicon approach Next Generation Sequencing and subsequent variant calling in 92 respiratory samples from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients involved in infection clusters from March 2020 to May 2021.ResultsPhylogenetic analysis displayed a coherent distribution of sequences in terms of lineage and temporal evolution of pandemic. Circulating lineage/clade characterization highlighted a growing diversity over time, with an increasingly growing number of mutations and variability of spike and nucleocapsid proteins, while viral RdRp appeared to be more conserved. A total of 384 different mutations were detected, of which 196 were missense and 147 synonymous ones. Mapping mutations along the viral genome showed an irregular distribution in key genes. S gene was the most mutated gene with missense and synonymous variants frequencies of 58.8 and 23.5%, respectively. Mutation rates were similar for the S and N genes with one mutation every ∼788 nucleotides and every ∼712 nucleotides, respectively. Nsp12 gene appeared to be more conserved, with one mutation every ∼1,270 nucleotides. The frequency of variant Y144F in the spike protein deviated from global values with higher prevalence of this mutation in the island.ConclusionThe analysis of the 92 viral genome highlighted evolution over time and identified which mutations are more widespread than others. The high number of sequences also permits the identification of subclusters that are characterized by subtle differences, not only in terms of lineage, which may be used to reconstruct transmission clusters. The disclosure of viral genetic diversity and timely identification of new variants is a useful tool to guide public health intervention measures.

Cities Towards Global Climate Governance: How the Practices of City Diplomacy Foster Hybrid Multilateralism

One of the effects of globalization is the increasing number of transnational ties that central governments not only ceased to control but also ceased to participate in; therefore, in recent decades, cities have been increasingly motivated to respond to international issues and initiate various contacts with foreign economic, cultural, and political centres. This article examines practices of city diplomacy in light of the current climate crisis. Albeit cities could be in conflict with their central government, they are executing the global climate agenda. Nonetheless, how do we frame cities’ autonomous activities in the global governance agenda? The article seeks to determine whether the framework of hybrid multilateralism is the niche for cities to assume the role of the central government in defending common global values such as preservation of the environment when the state fails to do so. Based on a dataset consisting of various subnational initiatives responding to climate change, we suggest a remarkable growth in the pledges to the international climate agreements’ commitments involving many subnational actors. Through these pledges, cities enter the international negotiations with various partners under hybrid policy architecture. Cities hold an enormous potential to influence the global conversation on climate change agenda. Furthermore, we conclude that cities are taking on the states’ role in global issues when they identify the inadequacy of the central governments’ action. Their conflict position forces them to carry out autonomous activities and fosters the new phenomenon of hybrid multilateralism.

A Singular Concept of Biodiversity Remains the Best Way to Address the Plural Values of Nature in Conservation Planning

The term “biodiversity” generally refers to living variation. Biodiversity has recognized anthropocentric values of insurance and investment. Values of “nature” include those of biodiversity and also many other aspects reflecting the scope of human-nature relationships. Systematic conservation planning methods can integrate this range of local to global values. Early case studies in Australia and Papua New Guinea show the potential for such approaches. Recently, there have been calls for a recasting of the concept of biodiversity to capture plurality of values. However, balance among sometimes conflicting values of nature is best-served by a singular biodiversity concept and definition focused on variety, because this enables effective integration with other values of nature. Attempts at pluralistic recastings of biodiversity in fact may promote neglect of global biodiversity values. Further, an extended analysis of the Papua New Guinea case study shows that it cannot be argued that focusing on localized values of nature for conservation will effectively address regional/global scale conservation needs.

Virtue, Shame, and Choice: Perspectives of Sex Work Among Adolescents in Variously Globalized Thai Communities

Although taboo given the traditional Thai value of female sexual conservatism, sex work is a practice for which Thailand has gained international attention. As in other rapidly globalizing contexts, however, Thai youth are increasingly exposed to global values of gender equality, self-fulfillment, and personal choice. This may, in turn, alter youth perspectives of this taboo yet pervasive practice. To understand how Thai youth negotiate local and global values when considering sex work, this study examined the moral evaluations and moral reasoning of adolescents residing in variously globalized communities. Forty participants (20 adolescents in each a more and a less globalized Thai setting) participated in interviews in which they discussed their perspectives of sex work. Quantitative analysis of moral evaluations revealed that rural and urban adolescents alike deemed sex work as mostly morally wrong. Qualitative analysis of moral reasoning revealed that both participant groups prioritized Thai values of sexual purity for women, shame avoidance, and reputation maintenance. Yet distinct values were also endorsed across participant groups. Rural adolescents centered local values (e.g., relational choice, women’s dignity, Buddhist divinity) and urban adolescents drew heavily from global values (e.g., autonomous choice, romantic love, international reputation) when reasoning about the morality and immorality of sex work. Findings point to the manner in which contextual realities shape—and reshape—cultural values in this rapidly globalizing nation.

Determination of Reference Equation for Chest Expansion in Healthy Indian Children

BACKGROUND Measurement of chest expansion is commonly done in physical examination of patients as it gives reliable idea about the rib cage mobility & capacity of lungs along with thorax to expand. Chest expansion values are reduced in diseases and it can be used to check progression of the diseases. In India there is lack of reference data on chest expansion due to which the values derived from other population are used for reference in India. Comparison of the patient with wrong population data will create misinformation & wrong diagnosis. This study was designed to establish reference value for expansion of chest in healthy Indian children, understand relation of age, height, and weight with chest circumference & compare these values with published global values. METHODS Chest expansion & circumference of chest was measured in 229 boys and 226 girls aged 6 – 15 years. The study was conducted in Mumbai metropolitan region and Navi - Mumbai. Standing height, weight, age, sitting chest circumference and chest expansion were recorded. Chest expansion was measured at three different levels i.e. axillary, mammary and xiphoid. The correlation coefficient was used to understand relation of age, weight, height with chest expansion & chest circumference. The prediction equation was derived for both genders separately by multivariate regression. RESULTS Significant positive correlation of chest circumference was observed with age and weight and negative correlation with height. Chest expansion was higher in males as compared to females. Chest expansion had shown positive correlation with age, height and weight. Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.927, 0.885 & - 0.337 respectively. Different prediction equations were drawn for males and females for expansion of chest at all three levels. Significant difference was noted in values of this study and global values. CONCLUSIONS Gender wise differences exist in chest expansion values. Males have higher values than females. Hence gender specific equations are needed for estimation of chest expansion. KEY WORDS Chest Circumference, Indian Children, Chest Expansion, Prediction Equation

Global Values — The Basis for the Life Support Paradigm Development

The article is devoted to the study of the accounting paradigm, which is based on global values, priorities of companiesstakeholders and individuals. To comprehend the task, the key values of the global community aimed at its sustainable development are identified and compared with a similar resource of companies and individuals. In the recent years, the significant economic, technological, social and environmental changes have a significant impact on the revision of life priorities at all levels: person — company — global community. The dramatic transformation of global life values that took place in 2020 (and is still ongoing) under the influence of the COVID‑19 pandemic has profoundly and seriously affected the entire life support system of physical and economic entities. All this together determined the need to develop a new value-oriented foundation for building an accounting paradigm. In the course of the study, the authors used methods and techniques of comparative, logical and expert analysis. The authors studied a chronology of the emergence of modern accounting models which is based of generalization of the works of modern scientists in this field. The main purpose of the study was to substantiate the global initial grounds for constructing an accounting paradigm based on a common value characteristic of life support for interested users and economic entities in conditions of uncertainty as well as risks and new opportunities associated with environmental and social changes. Thus, its results caused the justification of the commonality and interdependence of the life activity of an individual, company and society; the necessity and possibility of developing a new value-based view of life support for the accounting sphere. The proposed methods are aimed to improve the life quality in general. They are recommended for the accounting and reporting theory development, as well as to be a basis for improving the quality of the information space of the economy and society.

State Sovereignty in the Planetary Management of Natural Resources

Protagonists of global environmental governance often view the sovereign State as well as the principle of sovereignty as major stumbling blocks for effective environmental conservation and sustainable development. Some even herald the demise of the idea of the sovereign State. However, reality has it differently. Sovereignty is no longer an unqualified concept. Manifold new duties have been imposed upon the sovereign State as a result of the progressive development of international law. Much of the modern international law movement vests States with the responsibility to adopt regulations, to monitor and secure compliance and exercise justice in order to achieve its implementation, whereas supranational global environmental governance has remained notoriously weak. This article examines this proposition by reference to the environmental and developmental role of states in three landmark multilateral treaties: The United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (1982), the Convention on the Conservation of Biological Diversity (1992) and the Paris Agreement on climate change (2015). They demonstrate that sovereignty serves as a key organisational principle for the realization of global values, such as environmental conservation and sustainable development.

Eternity in a Global Context

This chapter analyses eternity clauses in a transnational context, as part of the story of the internationalized nature of constitution-making processes and the growing diffusion of global values in democratic constitutionalism. It explains this diffusion along two axes: the internationalization of constitutional authorship and the rise of international and regional organizations as constitutional norm entrepreneurs. The chapter also describes the adjudication of unamendability as transnationally embedded, which takes the form of national courts that rely on international law or a transnational referent when developing unconstitutional constitutional amendment doctrines. It also explores the possibility of international courts developing supranational forms of unconstitutional constitutional amendment doctrines. This chapter raises awareness about the impact of the transnational on the content and authorship of eternity clauses, but also cautions against assuming positive transnational engagement in the adjudication of unamendability. The chapter highlights the mounting backlash against universalistic values and international law as anchors to ground and orient unconstitutional constitutional amendment doctrines.