Chilling Effect Research Articles

A quasi‐normative conflict: Resolving the tension between investment treaties and climate action

AbstractThe conflict between investment treaties and climate action is escalating due to recent investment arbitration cases challenging States' fossil fuel phase‐out measures as violations of investment treaty obligations. As countries continue to implement climate mitigation and adaptation measures across various industries, this tension is expected to result in a rise in climate‐related investment arbitration claims. The current literature has primarily presented the tension between investment and climate treaties as a vertical conflict, with investment treaties having a chilling effect on States' climate regulation. The common defence for States' regulation has been based on their ‘right to regulate’. It remains unclear whether there exists a horizontal conflict between investment and climate treaties, primarily due to the flexible nature of climate treaty obligations. However, a sovereignty‐based justification fails to recognise the international obligation of climate action and is insufficient for reconciling the conflict. This article delves into the intricate nature of the conflict between States' climate measures and their investment treaty obligations and argues that the conflict exhibits a ‘quasi‐normative’ nature, given the combination of binding climate obligations, permissive implementation methods and normative expectations of ambition. The article suggests that investment treaties should include clearly defined conflict clauses that outline the scope of the conflict between investment and climate treaties and establish specific mechanisms for resolving such conflicts.

The ability of biostimulants and copper-containing fungicide to protect cotton against chilling stress

BackgroundCotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), adapted to tropical and subtropical regions of the world, is highly sensitive to low temperatures throughout its life cycle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitigating effects of different doses of animal-derived (0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.00% Isabion® ), seaweed-based (0.165%, 0.330%, and 0.660% Proton®) biostimulants, as well as a copper (Cu)-containing fungicide application, on cotton cultivar Lazer seedlings at the four true leaves (V4) stage. The plants were exposed to a low temperature of 5 °C for 48 h, and the changes in morphological (seedling fresh and dry weight, plant height, and stem diameter) and physiological parameters (leaf temperature, chlorophyll content, relative water content, electrolyte leakage, and relative injury) were examined.ResultsThe results revealed that chilling stress reduced plant growth, while biostimulants helped protect the plants and overcome the adverse effects of chilling. Under chilling stress, there was a considerable reduction in seedling fresh weight (SFW), seedling dry weight (SDW), plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), leaf temperature (LT), and relative water content (RWC). Cotton seedlings treated with the animal-derived biostimulants showed significantly enhanced SFW, SDW, PH, SD, LT, chlorophyll content (Chl), electrolyte leakage (EL), and relative injury (RI), although there were no positive changes in RWC. No significant differences in the morphological traits were observed among the doses of seaweed biostimulants. For SDW, PH, EL, and RI, the best results were obtained with the application of a fungicide containing copper.ConclusionThese results show the efficiency of the biostimulant and fungicide treatments in mitigating low-temperature stress in cotton seedlings. Applying a copper-containing fungicide to cotton seedlings helped to counteract the negative effects of low-temperature stress and to protect the plants from damage by maintaining electrolyte balance. Among the biostimulant applications, all levels of animal-derived biostimulant applications, as well as the 0.660% level of the seaweed-derived biostimulant, led to increased tolerance of cotton plants to chilling stress.

Effects of chilling and cryoprotectants on glycans in shrimp embryos

Glycans are carbohydrates present in every organism that bind to specific molecules such as lectins, a diverse group of proteins. Glycans are vital to cell proliferation and protein trafficking. In addition, embryogenesis is a critical phase in the development of marine organisms. This study investigated the effects of chilling and cryoprotective agents (CPAs) on glycans in the embryos of Stenopus hispidus. The glycan profiles of embryos of S. hispidus at the heartbeat stage were analyzed using lectin arrays. The results of analyses revealed that mannose was the most abundant glycan in the S. hispidus embryos; mannose is crucial to cell proliferation, providing the energy required for embryonic growth. Additionally, the results reveled that chilling altered the content of several glycans, including fucose and Gla-GlcNAc. Chilling may promote monosaccharide accumulation, facilitating osmotic regulation of cells and signal molecules to aid S. hispidus embryos in adapting to cold conditions. Changes were also observed in the lectins NPA, orysata, PALa, ASA, discoidin II, discoidin I, UDA, PA-IIL, and PHA-P after the samples were treated with different CPAs. DMSO may minimize cell damage during exposure to chilling by preserving cell structures, membrane properties, and functions. The present study is the first to investigate the profiles and functions of glycans in shrimp embryos subjected to low-temperature injuries. This study enhances the understanding of cell reproduction during embryogenesis and provides valuable information for the study of glycans in embryos.

Controlled experiments fail to capture plant phenological response to chilling temperature

AbstractAimControlled experiments are increasingly important for investigating how and to what degree plant phenology responds to global climate change. Current experiments underline that chilling and forcing temperatures are two major environmental cues shaping the budburst date of temperate species, but whether experiments could reflect the observed responses to chilling has rarely been examined.LocationEurope and North America.Time periods1951–2021.Major taxa studiedTemperate trees and shrubs.MethodsUsing an experimental database of budburst dates for 50 species derived from previous literature and observational data of the same species at 12,579 stations in Europe and 1469 stations in the USA, we compared the response of forcing requirement (FR) of the budburst date to chilling accumulation (CA) between observations and experiments using a common measure of FR and CA.ResultsThe median, variance and probability distribution of CA‐FR curves differed significantly between experiments and observations in most cases. The distinction in chilling effects between experiments and observations could be attributed to the difference in thermal space, heat stress, genetic variation among provenances, different forcing treatments adopted and plant materials used in the experiments.Main conclusionsOur results suggest that the uncertainty of phenological models based solely on the experimental data needs to be re‐evaluated when predicting future spring phenological responses across broad spatial scales.

AI in medical education: the moderating role of the chilling effect and STARA awareness

BackgroundThe rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has been driven by the latest advances in computing power. Although, there exists a dearth of research on the application of AI in medical education.Methodsthis study is based on the TAM-ISSM-UTAUT model and introduces STARA awareness and chilling effect as moderating variables. A total of 657 valid questionnaires were collected from students of a medical university in Dalian, China, and data were statistically described using SPSS version 26, Amos 3.0 software was used to validate the research model, as well as moderated effects analysis using Process (3.3.1) software, and Origin (2021) software.ResultsThe findings reveal that both information quality and perceived usefulness are pivotal factors that positively influence the willingness to use AI products. It also uncovers the moderating influence of the chilling effect and STARA awareness.ConclusionsThis suggests that enhancing information quality can be a key strategy to encourage the widespread use of AI products. Furthermore, this investigation offers valuable insights into the intersection of medical education and AI use from the standpoint of medical students. This research may prove to be pertinent in shaping the promotion of Medical Education Intelligence in the future.

Efekt mrożący

The chilling effect is a real threat to freedom of expression and unfettered public debate. It occurs when, as a result of the conduct of public authorities, an individual decides to refrain from freely exercising his or her rights, even though they have not been formally restricted or taken away. This self-restraint is caused by fear of the negative consequences of freely exercising one’s rights, which leads the individual to calculate whether the action in question, although formally lawful, is cost-effective. Such a fear should be real and therefore at least substantiated by objective factors. The account is less obvious if the renunciation of the exercise of rights is based on a threat that is unreal or vague. In legal discourse, the chilling effect is also identified, not necessarily correctly, in different contexts. First, it is sometimes recognised in cases of pressure by political authorities on independent judges. Second, it is claimed in relations between non-state actors, especially between government-sponsored private agencies that launch smear campaigns against political opponents, or between internet platforms and their users. Such use of the chilling effect doctrine may be intellectually appealing, but ultimately dilutes its meaning. It is much easier to identify a chilling effect when it is assumed to be the consequence of a flaw in the design of a legal provision than when it is alleged to result from acts of application of the law. In the latter case, the concept of chilling effect seems to serve two main purposes: the criticism of bad practices on the part of public actors, and the strengthening of the persuasiveness of judicial decisions that employ the concept. Its usefulness for legal analysis is therefore limited.

Academic freedom restrictions in the practice of the European Court of Human Rights

Academic freedom restrictions in the practice of the European Court of Human Rights

Reporting after removal: the effects of journalist expulsion on foreign news coverage

Abstract What happens to international media reporting when governments expel foreign journalists? Countries around the world expel foreign reporters, yet there is no consensus about the effects of such expulsions. We argue there are three possible outcomes of expulsion: a chilling effect, resilience, and backlash. Using China as a case study, we evaluate these competing theories by collecting a novel dataset of foreign news stories about China and applying time-series causal inference methods to measure the effects of expulsion on information origination, composition, and reach after March 2020, when the Chinese government expelled a large number of foreign correspondents. Results show that expelled media organizations did not experience a chilling effect or backlash on reporting and may have changed their production processes to account for expulsion. These findings suggest that news organizations can remain resilient to the impact of extraordinary events which target the organization and disrupt internal production processes.

Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom in Higher Education in England

ABSTRACT: This article considers the context, development, and significance of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 . The Act was relatively unusual in aiming to increase the normative strength of freedom of speech. The central justification given for the Act was the need to respond to an increasing number of interferences with free speech and academic freedom occurring at universities. The growth of a "cancel culture" was having a "chilling effect" on students, staff, and visiting speakers. The article examines a range of high-profile cases and incidents that have attracted political and media attention. Many of these have concerned contemporary debates related to trans issues and identity politics. The issues discussed in the article are of wider international interest. Similar controversies have been experienced in universities in other states. The article makes comparative reference to developments in the field in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The article examines the perceived issues and evidential bases for the Act, reviews the legal duties, and analyzes the key legal concepts. It considers these in terms of compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights (1950). It concludes by addressing three thematic issues: (i) a Model Code; (ii) challenging university ideologies; and (iii) securing cultural change.

Policy Dialogue on Twenty-First-Century Book Banning in the US

AbstractBook banning is a topic covered in many US history classrooms. Students learn that in the first decades of the twentieth century, fights over the teaching of evolution led to restrictions on science texts. Meanwhile, fears about the spread of communism sparked campaigns to limit access to “subversive” ideas. Well into the 1960s, textbooks usually explain, Americans remained at odds about what schools should be free to teach.What’s old is new, it seems. And tomorrow’s textbooks will have to be updated with stories from the present. As this issue goes to press, conservative groups across the United States have sought to remove hundreds of titles from schools and libraries. Such attempts range from challenges filed by individual parents—often inspired by the list curated on BookLooks.org—to statewide legislative efforts to recall books from schools. Thousands of books have been removed from libraries and classrooms, and the chilling effect has led cautious educators to self-censor even further.For this policy dialogue, the HEQ editors asked Adam Laats and Kasey Meehan to discuss book banning in the US, focusing particularly on the motivations of groups seeking to limit what young people can read. Adam Laats is a professor of education and history at SUNY Binghamton. A leading scholar of conservative activism in education, he is the author of several books including The Other School Reformers (Harvard University Press, 2015) and Fundamentalist U (Oxford University Press, 2018). Kasey Meehan is the director of the Freedom to Read program at PEN America, where she leads initiatives to protect the right of students to freely access literature in schools. Founded in 1922, PEN America is the largest of the more than one hundred centers worldwide that make up the PEN International network. PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others.HEQ policy dialogues are, by design, intended to promote an informal, free exchange of ideas between scholars. At the end of the exchange, we offer a list of references for readers who wish to follow up on sources relevant to the discussion.

Philadelphia Latine Immigrant Birthing People's Perspectives on Mitigating the Chilling Effect on Prenatal Care Utilization.

Community-engaged qualitative study using inductive thematic analysis of semistructured interviews. To understand Latine immigrants' recent prenatal care experiences and develop community-informed strategies to mitigate policy-related chilling effects on prenatal care utilization. Decreased health care utilization among immigrants due to punitive immigration policies (ie, the "chilling effect") has been well-documented among Latine birthing people both pre and postnatally. Currently or recently pregnant immigrant Latine people in greater Philadelphia were recruited from an obstetric clinic, 2 pediatric primary care clinics, and 2 community-based organization client pools. Thematic saturation was achieved with 24 people. Participants' pregnancy narratives and their perspectives on how health care providers and systems could make prenatal care feel safer and more comfortable for immigrants. Participants' recommendations for mitigating the chilling effect during the prenatal period included training prenatal health care providers to sensitively initiate discussions about immigrants' rights and reaffirm confidentiality around immigration status. Participants suggested that health care systems should expand sources of information for pregnant immigrants, either by partnering with community organizations to disseminate information or by increasing access to trusted individuals knowledgeable about immigrants' rights to health care. Participants also suggested training non-medical office staff in the use of interpreters. Immigrant Latine pregnant and birthing people in greater Philadelphia described ongoing fear and confusion regarding the utilization of prenatal care, as well as experiences of discrimination. Participants' suggestions for mitigating immigration-related chilling effects can be translated into potential policy and programmatic interventions which could be implemented locally and evaluated for broader applicability.

Доктрина охлаждающего эффекта как универсальный инструмент защиты прав

Since March 2022, the dissemination of Facebook and Instagram has been prohibited within the territory of Russia, with Meta being included in the list of extremist organizations based on a court decision, thereby subjecting all users of said platforms and company shareholders to the threat of criminal prosecution. Moreover, the exodus of Russian political leaders from the popular social media has seen an expedited pace. Setting aside the issue of political motives behind such a ruling and its ethical implications, the author advocates for scrutiny of extant legal mechanisms operative in alternative jurisdictions relevant to the present case. One such instrument is the doctrine of chilling effect, positing that authorities may infringe upon rights even in the absence of direct intent for such constraint. Although the doctrine of chilling effect was not expressly invoked in the proscription of Meta within Russia, the doctrine could be applied in analogous disputes implicating other digital platforms.

Implementation of hybrid CryoMQL sustainable lubri-cooling to enhance the grindability and surface integrity of tool steel

The current demand for surface finishing processes that are both technically proficient and environmentally friendly is increasing, necessitating the advancement of more efficient sustainable methods. Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) provides excellent lubrication in the tool-work interaction but insufficient cooling impact. Besides, cryogenic enhances the chilling effect but has inadequate lubrication. This research revealed the synergistic impact of hybrid CryoMQL with eco-friendly Al2O3 NFs while grinding AISI D2 tool steel. CryoMQL facilitates the application of MQL-based soybean oil and deionized water (SO+DW) emulsion with 0.5 wt% and 1 wt% concentration of Al2O3 NPs and liquid nitrogen (LN2) through two individual nozzles in the cutting region. The results indicated that CryoMQL reduced grinding force (tangential force, Ft, and normal force, Fn), specific grinding energy (Ug), surface roughness (Ra), and grinding temperature (Tg) by 3.64–25.66 % in Ft, 3.52–12.87 % in Fn, 3.64–25.66 % in Ug, 8.81–25.02 % in Ra and 57.59–58.30 % in Tg, respectively, compared to MQL environment at 0.04 mm downfeed and 150 mm/s table feed rate. Eventually, it was observed that 1 wt% Al2O3 NFs improve Ft, Fn, Ug, Ra and Tg by up to 32.71 %, 20.33 %, 32.71 %, 23.55 %, and 6.81 % in comparison to 0.5 wt% Al2O3 NFs in the CryoMQL mode. The effectiveness of Al2O3 nanofluids with CryoMQL has resulted in good tribological conditions in the grinding zone with enhanced cooling/lubricating action of vegetable oil. Furthermore, negligible chip adhesion over finished surfaces was seen with 0.5 wt% and 1 wt% Al2O3 NFs under CryoMQL grinding. This study provides numerous scientific assistance in the automotive and tooling sectors, such as a better selection of environmentally friendly coolants and sustainable parameters for excellent surface properties, to provide the solution to highly complex and close tolerances of tool steel parts using CryoMQL finishing.

Estimating the temperature limitations for growth cessasion and floral initiation in red rasberry (Rubus idaeus L.) and the floral-inducing effect of winter chilling

ABSTRACT Floral initiation in biennial-fruiting red raspberry is controlled by the interaction of temperature and photoperiod. To determine the threshold temperatures for short day (SD) floral initiation in early- and late-flowering cultivars, we exposed plants of ‘Glen Ample’, ‘Glen Mor’ and ‘Duo’ to 12°, 16° and 20°C in a daylight phytotron under naturally decreasing autumn daylength at Ås, Norway (59°40’N). While none of the cultivars ceased growing or initiated floral primordia at 20°C, ‘Glen Ample’ and ‘Glen Mor’ initiated buds at 12° and 16°C, whereas ‘Duo’ formed flower buds at 12°C only. Surprisingly, however, all plants flowered abundantly in spring after winter chilling in the dark at −1.5 ± 0.5°C for 7 months. We discuss two possible explanations for this unusual and novel flowering response. Fractional induction is well known in raspberry, and we visualise that in SD at 20°C, the SD requirement is fulfilled, while floral induction is still blocked by inappropriate temperature. A vernalisation-like response is alternatively suggested as this can take place at near-freezing temperatures in the dark. A combination of the two mechanisms is also possible and likely. We conclude, however, that the two floral induction processes are fundamentally different and controlled by different physiological mechanisms.

The Painful and Chilling Effects of Legal Violence: Immigration Enforcement and Racialized Legal Status Inequities in Worker Well-Being

A wave of restrictive immigration policies implemented over the past several decades dramatically increased immigrant detentions and deportations in the United States (U.S.), with important consequences for a host of immigrant outcomes. Still, questions remain as to how temporal and geographic variation in immigration enforcement within and across the U.S. shaped racialized legal status inequities in health and well-being, particularly among those employed in precarious occupations. To fill this gap, we interrogated the links between changes in county-level immigration enforcement and racialized legal status inequalities in musculoskeletal pain and social welfare benefits utilization among U.S. agricultural workers over nearly two decades (2002–2018). We merged data from three sources [(1) restricted-access, geocoded data from the National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) (n = 37,619); (2) county-level immigration enforcement data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC); and (3) population data from the Census and American Community Survey (ACS)] and estimated linear probability models with year, month, and state fixed effects. We show that, in counties with high enforcement rates, workers—especially undocumented workers—were at increased risk of musculoskeletal pain, including pain that was severe. Heightened enforcement was also associated with declines in needs-based benefits utilization, especially among documented and U.S.-citizen non-White workers and undocumented White and non-White workers. Together, these findings highlight how changes in sociopolitical and legal contexts can shift and maintain racialized legal status hierarchies, with especially important consequences for the well-being of vulnerable workers.

Effect of Cooling and Chilling on Chemical Composition and Quality Attributes of Nile Lebeo (Labeo niloticus) and Sharp Tooth Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Fishes from Nasser Lake

Effect of Cooling and Chilling on Chemical Composition and Quality Attributes of Nile Lebeo (Labeo niloticus) and Sharp Tooth Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Fishes from Nasser Lake

Constitutional Property and Progressive Property’s Compatibility: A Reappraisal

Progressive property theory is driven by a desire to improve the law, and legal outcomes, for those on the margins of society. At the same time, it largely assumes the compatibility of constitutional property rights with its aims. However, constitutional property doctrine is often ambiguous on the core question of what distribution of collective burdens is susceptible to invalidation. Such ambiguity in turn can support political over-inflation of the strength of constitutional protection for property rights. Given the resulting chilling effect that constitutional property rights can have on measures that interfere with property rights, the Article argues that progressive property should be more sceptical of property rights guarantees that are interpreted judicially as having anti-redistributive effects. At the very least, it should more closely analyse and account for the political effects of such rights.

Regional detection and assessment of chilling damage on maize considering land surface temperature, crop growth status and solar radiation changes

AbstractIncreased frequency and severity of chilling damage events pose potential risks to crop performance and productivity due to climate change. Accurate and real‐time access to chilling damage is important for crop growth and yield stability based on field's actual environment. To precisely identify regional chilling events and evaluate the impacts on crops, this study presents a model to estimate field air temperature in view of field crop situations. Land surface temperature, enhanced vegetation index, solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence and solar declination were involved in the model. With field simultaneous continuous monitoring and multisource fused remote sensing data, the model was calibrated and validated in Jiefangzha Irrigation Area (JIA) and Changchun City (CC) in North China, accompanied by the determination coefficient ≥0.756, root mean square error ≤0.782°C, relative error ≤0.041 and consistency index ≥0.902. Meanwhile, sensitivities of the model factors were determined through path analysis, where the factors performed according to the order solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence >solar declination >land surface temperature > enhanced vegetation index. Using the validated model, chilling damage to maize was further detected in JIA and CC from 2010 to 2020. Results showed that the severity of chilling damage was greater in CC than in JIA, along with the sterile‐type occurring three events in JIA and seven in CC, while the delayed‐type only twice in JIA in 2012 and 2016, but five times in CC in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019, respectively, being consistent with local statistics. In response to chilling damage, enhanced vegetation index and solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence demonstrated the negative chilling effects on greenness and light use efficiency for fluorescence. Serious yield losses were caused, with yield‐reducing by 5.00% (Dehui, 2013), 19.00% (Jiutai, 2014), 21.65% (Suburban district, 2016), 8.83% (Shuangyang, 2017) and 2.19% (Jiutai, 2019) in CC. The linear relationship between yield and growing degree days was a bit weakened by chilling damage, with the determination coefficient varying from 0.614 to 0.531. The increasing rate of yield with growing degree days decreased from 20.365 kg/(°C·d) in non‐chilling damage years to 9.670 kg/(°C·d) in chilling damage years. These findings indicate that the presented model is especially adaptive for agricultural field environments, enabling rapid precision detection of chilling damage on crops at regional scales. It will provide references for gauging the impact of chilling damage on crops, finding efficient solutions to the stress and ensuring sustainable development of agriculture.

Chilling effect: Turning the poison into an antidote for fundamental rights in Europe

In the famous case of Baka v. Hungary, Judge Sicilianos proposed that the European Court of Human Rights should recognize a subjective right for judges to have their individual independence safeguarded and respected by the State. Such a reading of Article 6 of the Convention would enable national judges to claim a violation of that provision each time their individual independence is interfered with. It would also allow the Court to address one of the critical blind spots in the Convention system. However, the Court left the proposal dormant until recently. It is now put before the parties in three pending cases. This article argues that the Court should seize the opportunity to enhance the protection of judicial independence, but not by employing the proposed subjective right approach. Instead, it should rely on the better alternative: the chilling effect. Such an approach would enable the Court to fill the gaps in the Convention while remaining faithful to the text and avoiding the impression that judicial independence is a privilege of judges.

“Dancing in Chains”: Chilling Effects of Content Creators on Chinese Social Media

ABSTRACT The notion of “chilling effects” is not new, but several theoretical and empirical gaps remain. Existing evidence of chilling effects lies primarily in social media consumption rather than production behaviors. Do Chinese content creators consciously experience chilling effects? What do creators do when they perceive chilling effects? This study helps to answer these questions by exploring chilling effects among 32 content creators on Chinese social media. Through in-depth interviews, this work proposes a model of chilling effects for content creators, including (a) the three major influencing factors, (b) the four manifestations of chilling effects, and (c) the presentation of chilling and anti-chilling effects. The results indicate that the influencing factors of content creators’ chilling effects are extremely complex and cannot be attributed solely to political factors in China. Instead, the impacts of platform capitalism, data surveillance, and personal factors should be emphasized. Furthermore, creators have taken a series of anti-chilling effects measures to minimize the conflicts between chilling effects and freedom of creation so that they can remain stable, profitable, and creative. This is one of the first studies investigating chilling effects among content creators in China.