Radical Theory Research Articles

Decarbonization and the Capitalist State

ABSTRACTDecarbonization is the most important challenge of our time. Though quite modest, states are taking more climate action. How should we approach these efforts? Sociologists have paid less attention to decarbonization overall but frameworks in political sociology can make sense of state power and climate politics. In this review, I first discuss two sets of literature. The first extends “state‐capacity” and institutionalist frameworks. The second is based on radical and Marxist state theories. Following this, I draw from Mann's concept of “infrastructural power” which combines elements of both and can situate state power in a transnational context. Using this concept and recent literature in political economy, I discuss three infrastructures—finance, trade, and energy—and consequential ways states have altered them in recent years. These actions reveal profound geoeconomic contradictions which will undermine decarbonization. Together, this review provides a wide survey of state theories and macroscopic climate politics with the hope of spurring further discussion and debate.

Comparative Analysis of Natural vs. Synthetic Antioxidants in Nigeria

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the comparative analysis of natural vs. synthetic antioxidants in Nigeria. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study indicated that natural antioxidants, derived from plant sources such as fruits, vegetables, and herbs, are often preferred for their bioavailability and health benefits, including their ability to neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. They are associated with lower toxicity and potential health-boosting properties, such as reducing the risk of chronic diseases. On the other hand, synthetic antioxidants, which are chemically manufactured, tend to have a more stable and consistent potency, making them more effective in industrial applications like food preservation. However, concerns about their long-term health effects, including potential toxicity and adverse side effects, have led to a growing preference for natural alternatives. While both types play important roles in protecting cells from damage, natural antioxidants are often seen as safer, though their effectiveness can vary depending on the source and concentration. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Free radical theory of aging, phytochemical hypothesis and toxicology of food additives may be used to anchor future studies on the comparative analysis of natural vs. synthetic antioxidants in Nigeria. In practical terms, health professionals should advocate for the incorporation of natural antioxidants into dietary guidelines, emphasizing foods rich in these beneficial compounds, such as fruits, vegetables, and herbs. From a policy perspective, there is a pressing need for regulatory frameworks that impose stricter guidelines on the use of synthetic antioxidants in food products, prioritizing safety assessments and considering long-term health impacts.

Palestine and the Dialectic of Racial Capitalism

This article situates racial capitalism as a historical-theoretical framework to generate new and alternative theory on the question of Palestine. It argues that the genocidal assault on Gaza must be understood as the clearest expression of the logic of racial capitalism and the terrain upon which we must generate theory and strategy able to dismantle Zionism, colonialism and Imperialism. Many of the critiques of Zionism deploy frameworks of apartheid, understood by radicals in South Africa as a social structure reproduced by racial capitalism. It was understood that such a system could only be effectively dismantled through a national liberation project which understood race, class, capital and Imperialism as a single contradiction which must be overthrown as a totality. Similarly, earlier theorists within the Palestinian anti-colonial struggle, such as Fayez Sayegh, understood Zionist settler colonialism as an outpost of Western Imperialism. By tracing the emergence of racial capitalism within the South African anti-apartheid struggle and the similarities between the white minority regime and Zionism, this article acts as a point of departure to drawing together histories of the Black radical tradition and the Palestinian struggle in crafting radical theory relevant for our present moment.

Opportunities and challenges of foodborne polyphenols applied to anti-aging health foods.

With the increasing proportion of the global aging population, aging mechanisms and anti-aging strategies become hot topics. Nonetheless, the safety of non-natural anti-aging active molecule and the changes in physiological function that occur during aging have not been clarified. There is therefore a need to develop safer pharmaceutical interventions for anti-aging. Numerous types of research have shown that food-derived biomolecules are of great interest due to their unique contribution to anti-aging safety issues and the prevention of degenerative diseases. Among these, polyphenolic organic compounds are widely used in anti-aging research for their ability to mitigate the physiological functional changes that occur during aging. The mechanisms include the free radical theory, immune aging theory, cellular autophagy theory, epigenetic modification theory, gut microbial effects on aging theory, telomere shortening theory, etc. This review elucidates the mechanisms underlying the anti-aging effects of polyphenols found in food-derived bioactive molecules, while also addressing the challenges associated with anti-aging pharmaceuticals. The review concludes by offering insights into the current landscape of anti-aging active molecule research, aiming to serve as a valuable resource for further scholarly inquiry.

Analysis of hydrogen peroxide production in pure water: Ultrahigh versus conventional dose-rate irradiation and mechanistic insights.

Ultrahigh dose-rate radiation (UHDR) produces less hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in pure water, as suggested by some experimental studies, and is used as an argument for the validity of the theory that FLASH spares the normal tissue due to less reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In contrast, most Monte Carlo simulation studies suggest the opposite. We aim to unveil the effect of UHDR on H2O2 production in pure water and its underlying mechanism, to serve as a benchmark for Monte Carlo simulation. We hypothesized that the reaction of solvated electrons ( ) removing hydroxyl radicals (•OH), the precursor of H2O2, is the reason why UHDR leads to a lower G-value (molecules/100eV) for H2O2 (G[H2O2]), because: 1, the third-order reaction between and •OH is more sensitive to increased instantaneous ROS concentration by UHDR than a two-order reaction of •OH self-reaction producing H2O2; 2, has two times higher diffusion coefficient and higher reaction rate constant than that of •OH, which means would dominate the competition for •OH and benefit more from the inter-track effect of UHDR. Meanwhile, we also experimentally verify the theory of long-lived radicals causing lower G(H2O2) in conventional irradiation, which is mentioned in some simulation studies. H2O2 was measured by Amplex UltraRed assay. 430.1MeV/u carbon ions (50 and 0.1Gy/s), 9MeV electrons (600 and 0.62Gy/s), and 200kV x-ray tube (10 and 0.1Gy/s) were employed. For three kinds of water (real hypoxic: 1% O2; hypoxic: 1% O2 and 5% CO2; and normoxic: 21% O2), unbubbled and bubbled samples with N2O, the scavenger of , were irradiated by carbon ions and electrons with conventional and UHDR at different absolute dose levels. Normoxic water dissolved with sodium nitrate (NaNO3), another scavenger of , and bubbled with N2O was irradiated by x-ray to verify the results of low-LET electron beam. UHDR leads to a lower G(H2O2) than conventional irradiation. O2 and CO2 can both increase G(H2O2). N2O increases G(H2O2) of both UHDR and conventional irradiation and eliminates the difference between them for carbon ions. However, N2O decreases G(H2O2) in electron conventional irradiation but increases G(H2O2) in the case of UHDR, ending up with no dose-rate dependency of G(H2O2). Three-spilled carbon UHDR does not have a lower G(H2O2) than one-spilled UHDR. However, the electron beam shows a lower G(H2O2) for three-spilled UHDR than for one-spilled UHDR. Normoxic water with N2O or NaNO3 can both eliminate the dose rate dependency of H2O2 production for x-ray. UHDR has a lower G(H2O2) than the conventional irradiation for both high LET carbon and low LET electron and x-ray beams. Both scavengers for , N2O and NaNO3, eliminate the dose-rate dependency of G(H2O2), which suggests is the reason for decreased G(H2O2) for UHDR. Three-spilled UHDR versus one-spilled UHDR indicates that the assumption of residual radicals reducing G(H2O2) of conventional irradiation may only be valid for low LET electron beam.

Understanding the Multifaceted Process of Aging: Theories, Mechanisms, and Implications for Treatment

The aging process is a multifaceted biological phenomenon characterized by alterations at the molecular, cellular, and organ levels that culminate in a gradual, unavoidable, and unavoidable reduction in the body's capacity to react suitably to internal and/or external stimuli. Aging is a complex process that involves different mechanisms as The "Wear and Tear" Theory ,The Genetic Control Theory ,The Neuroendocrine Theory ,Waste Accumulation Theory ,Divisions Theory, Autoimmune Theory, Thymic-Stimulating Theory ,Mitochondrial Theory Mitochondria, Errors and Repairs Theory, Redundant DNA Theory Cross-Linkage Theory , Death Hormone Theory (DECO), Caloric Restriction Theory ,The Rate of Living Theory ,Gene Mutation Theory, Accumulated mutations Theory, Theory, Order to Disorder Theory, Disposable soma Theory, Antagonistic pleiotropy theory, The Telomerase Theory ,The free radical Theory. The two main categories of aging theories that explain cellular aging are structural damage and programmed theories. Different types of cells experience physiological stressors due to a range of circumstances. Notably, post-mitotic and mitotic cells have different capacities for proliferation and age differently in response to these pressures through different processes of cellular senescence and death, respectively. Over time, these aging cells build up and eventually cause old tissues to malfunction. The aim of this review is to throw light upon the effected of aging and who to treatment it.

Basic Psychological Needs and Extremism: Understanding Theories Through Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT Extremist attacks pose a dangerous threat to society and past work suggests that many factors can contribute to radicalization. The present project aims to combine literature from multiple theories of radicalization to meta-analyze the association between basic psychological needs and extremism. From 46 articles containing 75 samples, 248 effect sizes were retrieved (N = 30,082). There is not a significant overall association between basic psychological needs and extremism. However, the operationalization of the need explains a significant amount of variance in the effect sizes, such that need satisfaction is negatively associated with extremism (r = −0.09, 95 percent CI [−0.15, −0.03]) whereas desire for a need is positively associated with extremism (r = 0.21, 95 percent CI [0.14, 0.28]). This finding suggests that how researchers define basic psychological needs is important when examining the role of needs in radicalization and theorists should continue to incorporate them in their models. Furthermore, the nature of extremism explains a significant amount of variance in the effect sizes, such that basic psychological needs are positively associated with Islamist extremism and negatively associated with far-left extremism. Directions for future research and implications for countering violent extremism interventions are discussed.

Effects of age on oxidative stress and locomotion in the pollinator, Megachile rotundata

Despite numerous aging studies, the relationship between oxidative stress, aging, and decline in functions such as locomotion is still debated. Insects offer a promising model for analyzing the relationship between oxidative stress and aging, because they exhibit vast differences in lifespan that may be affected by the environment, social factors, levels of activity, and aging interventions. In this study, we explore the effects of aging on oxidative stress and locomotion using the pollinator, Megachile rotundata, a species that is very mobile and active in the adult stage. Across the adult lifespan of M. rotundata, we assessed changes in walking, flight, oxidative damage, and antioxidant defenses. Our results suggest that M. rotundata experience age-related declines in flight, but not walking. Additionally, we found that oxidative damage and antioxidant capacity initially increase with age and physical activity, but then levels are maintained. Overall, these data show that M. rotundata, like some other organisms, may not perfectly follow the free radical theory of aging.

Evolution = Exchange

Darwin’s theory of natural selection raises two critical questions: What is ultimately being selected? Why is it inevitably being innovative? In response, the five key theories of evolution begin with species, genes, organisms, systems, processes. And they lead to a sixth key theory that begins with exchange. Specifically, I re-configure Darwin-Peirce-Einstein’s special theories of evolution-semiosis-relativity in a radical theory of exchangesignificationvalue. In this context I suggest that the relative signifying relations of exchange are both exuberantly innovative and restrictively selective and they drive the process of evolution. Instead of beginning with a post hoc theory of restrictive selection, therefore, I begin with an ad hoc theory of exuberant innovation. Every so-called thing in this so-called universe is actually no-thing more and no-thing less than a co-incidental articulation of the long evolutionary history of the relative signifying relations of exchange—beginning with energymass  massenergy. In fact, time itself can be understood as the rhythmic syntax of exchange. While some recent general theories of evolutionary history begin with energy flows, quantum bits, emergent complexities, etc., I suggest that the dynamic of exchange evolves nature, the practice of exchange evolves culture, the syntax of exchange evolves history. Here we arrive at the proof that is to be demonstrated: Evolution = Exchange.

Introduction: Toward a Radical International Thought

Bringing together political theorists of empire with critical scholars of international relations who have interrogated the methodological nationalism (indeed the fetish of the nation-state) of their disciplines, this special issue examines the multifaceted dimensions (including political, ideological, and psycho-affective) of a radical international thought. Going beyond articulations of anti-colonial struggle at the national level, the issue charts radical theories and praxes of insurgency and revolutionary violence and brings an internationalist framework to bear on historical moments like the Spanish Civil War, the rise of anti-imperial development alternatives, and the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, and others. In doing so, the issue spotlights thinkers who are rarely read in a global register, such as Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, Jalāl Āl-e Ahmad, Ghassan Kanafani, and Eqbal Ahmad, among others. Furthermore, the introduction argues, the essays track these understudied articulations of radical international thought in the context of the traveling projects of imperial domination to which they responded. These radical figures’ political thought and action, in turn, inspired further imperial responses, such as political assassinations in the Third World, counterrevolutionary tactics, and other modes of violence in the service of empire.

Border-Crossing of Taisho Vitalism and Radical Theory of Individuality in Colonial Korea ―― On Genealogy from Henri Bergson, Osugi Sakae to Yeom Sang-seop

Border-Crossing of Taisho Vitalism and Radical Theory of Individuality in Colonial Korea ―― On Genealogy from Henri Bergson, Osugi Sakae to Yeom Sang-seop

Natural Bioactive Compounds as Anti-aging Agents: Current and Future Perspectives

Abstract: Aging is a natural biological process that occurs due to various factors like unhealthy diet, environmental factors, genetic factors, and lack of moisture. This process leads to the loss of skin elasticity, also known as sagging. It happens due to the gradual decline of collagen type VII (Col-7) and fibril, which slows down the connection between the dermis and epidermis layers, causing the skin to look aged externally. There are several theories of aging, such as the free radical theory, membrane theory, DNA or genetic theory, neuroendocrine theory, telomerase theory, mitochondrial decline theory, and Hayflick limit theory. According to WHO, by 2030, one in six individuals worldwide will be 60 years or older. There are synthetic compounds available in the market for anti-aging purposes, but they pose various side effects. Natural products play an essential role in managing aging, and anti-aging phytoconstituents are mostly found in plant parts like fruits, stems, roots, and other plant sources that have no side effects. This review focuses on various anti-aging agents derived from plants and other natural sources.

Thinking hegemony otherwise – an educational critique of Mouffe’s agonism

ABSTRACT The question ‘What is to be done?’ underpins Chantal Mouffe’s agonistic theory of democratic politics. Yet, despite this affirmative tone that distinguishes her from other radical theorists, her theory neglects the cultural work required for hegemony-building. This omission has resulted in operational difficulties when agonistic democracy is put into practice. This article shows how academics inspired by Mouffe unintentionally depend on theoretical resources from competing democratic theories. As a result of this, agonistic practices risk to reinforce neo-liberal regimes instead of developing counter-hegemonic alternatives. To meet this challenge, and to expand the scope of Mouffe’s agonism, we draw on educational theory to provide a more developed theorization of the cultural work required for hegemony-building. We propose that only by embracing different conceptualisations of education, we can activate cultural interventions that facilitate counter-hegemonic ventures.

The Plebs and Irony

The article examines, from the perspective of representation theory, the place of the idea of unrepresentable groups and individuals in contemporary liberal democracies. The author juxtaposes Ernesto Laclaus’ radical theory of populism with Michael Saward’s liberal theory of representative claims. The analysis traces the discursive shift from “demand-side” to “supply-side” representation theory, illustrating how the logic of this shift leads to an “inflation of representation”, where the representation obtained ultimately does not bring fulfilment. The author’s assumption is that the influence of new media creates a paradoxical situation in which the radical heterogeneity of the plebs returns at the level of individual experiences, revealing the internal contradiction of desires and interests of individuals. Although this becomes a source of potential abuse, it also harbours the potential for political subversion, identified in the article as the triumph of plebeian irony.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Open Source Data for Studying Terrorism and Political Radicalization

Compared to studying other forms of illegal violence, terrorism research faces unique data challenges. Notably, consistent police data are generally lacking, victims often have no direct knowledge of attacks and are sometimes killed, and perpetrators are difficult to interview and are often unreliable sources. In the face of these data challenges, the increasing availability of open source data on terrorist attacks and perpetrators has profoundly affected the scientific study of terrorism. Over time, a growing proportion of published academic research on terrorism—especially more heavily quantitative studies—relies on open source data. Moreover, the growing availability of individual-level terrorism data has allowed empirical tests of psychological and social-psychological theories of radicalization. In this paper, we assess the impact of open source data on the study of terrorism. We begin with an overview, providing a brief history of terrorist attack and perpetrator open source data bases. We then consider the major strengths and weaknesses of both types of open source data and suggest ways of countering the weaknesses. We close with observations about the impact of open source data on terrorism research and future opportunities for improvement.

Machine-Learning-Assisted Discovery of Mechanosynthesized Lead-Free Metal Halide Perovskites for the Oxidative Photocatalytic Cleavage of Alkenes.

Lead-free metal halide perovskites can potentially be air- and water-stable photocatalysts for organic synthesis, but there are limited studies on them for this application. Separately, machine learning (ML), a critical subfield of artificial intelligence, has played a pivotal role in identifying correlations and formulating predictions based on extensive datasets. Herein, an iterative workflow by incorporating high-throughput experimental data with ML to discover new lead-free metal halide perovskite photocatalysts for the aerobic oxidation of styrene is described. Through six rounds of ML optimization guided by SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis, BA2CsAg0.95Na0.05BiBr7 as a photocatalyst that afforded an 80% yield of benzoic acid under the standard conditions is identified, which is a 13-fold improvement compared to the 6% with when using Cs2AgBiBr6 as the initial photocatalyst benchmark that is started. BA2CsAg0.95Na0.05BiBr7 can tolerate various functional groups with 22 styrene derivatives, highlighting the generality of the photocatalytic properties demonstrated. Radical scavenging studies and density functional theory calculations revealed that the formation of the reactive oxygen species superoxide and singlet oxygen in the presence of BA2CsAg0.95Na0.05BiBr7 are critical for photocatalysis.

The Contemporary Significance of Agnes Hellers Radical Needs Theory

Needs are a focal point of Marxs examination of human historical activities and a topic of his historical materialism. Examining the generation, function, status, and basic connotations of needs throughout the history of human activities laid the basic link of Marxist need theory. The purpose of this paper is to combine the theory of radical needs proposed by Agnes Heller with the concrete reality of Chinas modernization construction, to directly address the issue of needs in the contemporary social development process of China, and to promote comprehensive social development with needs as the focal point, highlighting the contemporary significance of this theory. The requirements of Hellers radical needs theory are also a study and interpretation of the ideals of a better life and the idea of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Irreducible graded bimodules over algebras and a Pierce decomposition of the Jacobson radical

It is well known that the ring radical theory can be approached via language of modules. In this work, we present some generalizations of classical results from module theory, in the two-sided and graded sense. Let G be a group, F an algebraically closed field with char ( F ) = 0 , A a finite dimensional G-graded associative F -algebra and M a G-graded unitary A -bimodule. We proved that if A = M n ( F σ [ H ] ) with an elementary-canonical G-grading, where H is a finite abelian subgroup of G and σ ∈ Z 2 ( H , F * ) , then M being irreducible graded implies that there exists a nonzero homogeneous element w ∈ M satisfying M = B w and B w = w B . Another result we proved generalizes the last one: if G is abelian, A is simple graded and M is finitely generated, then there exist nonzero homogeneous elements w 1 , w 2 , … , w n ∈ M such that M = A w 1 ⊕ A w 2 ⊕ ⋯ ⊕ A w n , where w i A = A w i ≠ 0 for all i = 1 , 2 , … , n , and each A w i is irreducible. The elements wi ’s are associated with the irreducible characters of G. We also describe graded bimodules over graded semisimple algebras. And we finish by presenting a Pierce decomposition of the graded Jacobson radical of any finite dimensional F -algebra with a G-grading.

Research Progress in Skin Aging and Immunity.

Skin aging is a complex process involving structural and functional changes and is characterized by a decrease in collagen content, reduced skin thickness, dryness, and the formation of wrinkles. This process is underpinned by multiple mechanisms including the free radical theory, inflammation theory, photoaging theory, and metabolic theory. The skin immune system, an indispensable part of the body's defense mechanism, comprises macrophages, lymphocytes, dendritic cells, and mast cells. These cells play a pivotal role in maintaining skin homeostasis and responding to injury or infection. As age advances, along with various internal and external environmental stimuli, skin immune cells may undergo senescence or accelerated aging, characterized by reduced cell division capability, increased mortality, changes in gene expression patterns and signaling pathways, and altered immune cell functions. These changes collectively impact the overall function of the immune system. This review summarizes the relationship between skin aging and immunity and explores the characteristics of skin aging, the composition and function of the skin immune system, the aging of immune cells, and the effects of these cells on immune function and skin aging. Immune dysfunction plays a significant role in skin aging, suggesting that immunoregulation may become one of the important strategies for the prevention and treatment of skin aging.

Exploring juventology: unlocking the secrets of youthspan and longevity programs.

In recent decades, the study of biological aging has evolved from simplistic theories like the free radical theory to more complex and nuanced perspectives. In particular, the identification of evolutionary conserved genes and signaling pathways that can modulate both lifespan but also healthspan has resulted in the expanding understanding of the link between nutrients, signal transduction proteins, and aging along with substantial support for the existence of multiple "longevity programs," which are activated based on the availability of nutrients. Periodic fasting and other dietary restrictions can promote entry into a longevity program characterized by cellular protection and optimized function, and the activation of regenerative processes that lead to rejuvenation. This review discusses the idea of juventology, a novel field proposing the existence of longevity programs that can maintain organisms in a highly functional state for extended periods of time. Drawing upon research on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other model organisms, the review explores the distinctiveness of juventology from traditional aging-centered views. The focus on the "age of youth" challenges conventional thinking and opens new avenues for understanding and extending the period of peak functionality in organisms. Thus, a "juventology"-based strategy can complement the traditional gerontology approach by focusing not on aging but on the longevity program affecting the life history period in which mortality is very low and organisms remain youthful, healthy, and fully functional.