bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
War of 1812
Authors: Mayo‐Bobee Dinah
Published: May 2018

The War of 1812 was the culmination of events and diplomatic failures related to wars between France and Britain (1799–1815). For most of that conflict the major belligerents challenged US neutrality and drew Americans into their struggle through the seizures of merchantmen and Britain's impressment of US citizens. Within two decades after the wars in Europe attacks on US shipping led to a declaration of neutrality, government sanction of armed merchant vessels, an undeclared naval war against France (1798–1800) and a system of commercial sanctions largely targeting Great Britain (1805–12), and several prohibitions against trade with either France or Britain (1809–11). Once it became clear that the United States could not sustain Washingtonian neutrality and earn respect for its flag abroad, Congress issued its first declaration of war in 1812. While the War of 1812 (1812–15) concluded without a clear winner, naval victories and attacks on the nation's capital in 1814 facilitated the growth of patriotism and a restructuring of the US diplomatic corps.
Beneš,Edvard (1884–1948)
Authors: Wargelin Clifford F.
Published: May 2018

Edvard Beneš (1884–1948) was a Czech statesman who helped create Czechoslovakia and served at various times as its foreign minister, prime minister, and president. He was also a leading official of the League of Nations during the interwar years. A supporter of Tomáš Masaryk before the First World War (1914–18), from 1915 he, along with Masaryk and the Slovak leader Milan Štefánik, headed the Czechoslovak independence movement abroad. From 1918 to 1935, he served as the foreign minister of Czechoslovakia and was elected president in 1935. Powerless to prevent Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland in October 1938, Beneš was forced to resign under German pressure, going into exile in London. Recognized as president of the Czechoslovak government‐in‐exile during World War II (1939–45), he helped plan the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in 1942. Reelected as president of Czechoslovakia after the war, he oversaw the mass deportation of ethnic Germans and Hungarians. Facing communist political pressure and fearing a Soviet invasion, he agreed to the purge of non‐communists from the government in February 1948, resigned in June, and died in September.
Canning,George (1770–1827)
Authors: Wright Owain
Published: May 2018

George Canning (1770–1827) is probably best remembered for his two terms as British secretary of state for foreign affairs, the first during the Napoleonic Wars, and the second between the suicide of Lord Castlereagh in 1822 and his promotion to prime minister in 1827. Canning was a self‐assured and dynamic man, and an able speaker and writer. He played a significant role in ensuring that the newly independent states of Latin America did not fall under the influence of France at Britain's expense. His efforts to maintain a balance of power in European affairs, and his readiness to use force in defense of British interests, can be considered to have influenced the foreign policy of the later foreign secretary and prime minister Lord Palmerston. Canning was also Britain's shortest‐serving prime minister, taking up that office a mere 119 days before his untimely death in 1827.
Castlereagh,Lord (1769–1822)
Authors: Wright Owain
Published: May 2018

Portrayed as a shy, inarticulate, and passionate man, Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh (1769–1822), rose to a level of international renown that probably exceeded that of any other nineteenth‐century British statesman. During an eventful political career, Castlereagh played a significant role in his native Ireland, leading the suppression of the Irish Rebellion (1798) and the subsequent abolition of the Irish Parliament (1800). As the long‐serving foreign secretary (1812–22) of Britain's Tory prime minister Lord Liverpool, he presided over the reorganization of Europe that took place at the Congress of Vienna (1815), following the Napoleonic Wars. Although he earned respect both in Europe and America, Castlereagh was much maligned in his own country. The considerable stress that this caused him is likely to have played a part in his suicide, amid controversial circumstances, and his funeral entourage was jeered by members of the public who lined the route. However, some of his most vehement political opponents were gracious enough to acknowledge his considerable talents, and the diplomatic legacy he left behind.
DonPacificoIncident (1850)
Authors: Wright Owain
Published: May 2018

The Don Pacifico Incident of 1850 – also widely known as the Don Pacifico Affair – typified the approach to foreign policy taken by the long‐serving British Whig foreign secretary and future Liberal prime minister Lord Palmerston. When the Athens home of Don Pacifico was attacked by an anti‐Semitic mob, Palmerston insisted that the Greek government honor Pacifico's grossly exaggerated claim for compensation, and ordered the Royal Navy to blockade Piraeus in order to ensure compliance. Don Pacifico was a Portuguese Jew who claimed British subject status on account of having been born in Gibraltar, and Palmerston used this tenuous claim as a pretext for naval action which settled a number of existing disputes between the British and Greek governments. His heavy‐handed response proved highly controversial at the time, and is widely held to have been a classic example of gunboat diplomacy.
Grey,SirEdward (1862–1933)
Authors: Bray Dominic M.
Published: May 2018

Sir Edward Grey (1862–1933) was in control of British foreign policy in the crucial period immediately prior to the outbreak of the First World War. His approach to European diplomacy focused upon the maintenance of the “balance of power” in response to the collapse of Russian power after the Russo‐Japanese War. Grey's policy has been criticized as unnecessarily constraining British freedom of action in contrast to his predecessors. However, recent scholarship not only challenges that view but considers Grey's efforts as exemplary when placed against the failures of his European counterparts in 1914.
League of Nations
Authors: Johnson Edward
Published: May 2018

The League of Nations was established in 1919 at the Versailles Peace Conference marking the end of the First World War. It was the first modern example of a standing international organization with a commitment to peace and security. Its prime mover was the American president, Woodrow Wilson, who conceived of it as something which would manage a new world order and change the basis of international relations. What emerged, however, was not a revolutionary organization but rather one in which state sovereignty was still paramount. The league was built on the assumption that states would opt for peace rather than war in their relations and that they would come to each other's assistance through a system of collective security if attacked. This was misplaced as the league found to its cost when it was challenged by Japan, Italy, and Germany in the 1930s to the extent that, when the Second World War broke out in 1939, the League of Nations was an irrelevance.
Bernadotte,Folke (1895–1948)
Authors: Jönsson Christer
Published: May 2018

Count Folke Bernadotte (1895–1948) is remembered for two major diplomatic missions. In 1945 he was instrumental in arranging the release of prisoners from German concentration camps in an operation known as the “white buses.” In 1948 he was appointed UN mediator in Palestine. He managed to arrange a truce in the hostilities that broke out after the state of Israel was proclaimed. He drafted two plans for a solution of the Palestine conflict, which were both rejected. While carrying out his UN assignment, Bernadotte was assassinated by members of the Jewish extremist “Stern Gang” in Jerusalem on September 17, 1948.
Blockhovius,Petrus (1610–49)
Authors: Hesselink Reinier H.
Published: May 2018

Petrus Blockhovius (1610–49), the ambassador sent by the Dutch East India Company to Japan in 1649, was in reality just a principal of the Latin school at Batavia in the Dutch East Indies. His life and death at sea show how the Dutch complied with the requirements of the East Asian diplomatic tradition that they were forced to adhere to in Japan.
Consular Affairs
Authors: Carroll Francis M.
Published: May 2018

The history of consular affairs extends back into the ancient and medieval periods, where the need was recognized to protect and promote the interests of one's nationals in foreign lands. As the modern state emerged the responsibilities for the duties of the consul were assumed by the national governments. In the course of the last century and a half, the consular services of the leading powers have been reformed, professionalized, and integrated with their diplomatic services to form a unified foreign service. The 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations effectively created an international law standard for the appointment and termination of consular relations, the settlement of issues of consular privileges and immunities, and the definition of matters of consular rank and functions.
Diplomatic Ceremonial
Authors: Osborne Toby
Published: May 2018

Since late antiquity, diplomacy has been subject to various protocols governing the treatment of ambassadors and their behavior. With the gradual spread of new ways of doing diplomacy, and the increasing correlation of diplomacy with sovereignty during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, questions of diplomatic ceremonial in Europe became paramount. Diplomatic ceremonial accordingly developed both as a mechanism for regulating diplomatic interactions, but also the focal point for intense intersovereign competition. It was not until the nineteenth century that diplomatic ceremonial began to decline as a point of intense international controversy, though it still remains an element of practice in contemporary diplomacy.
Eighty Years' War (1568–1648)
Authors: Onnekink David
Published: May 2018

The Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) was a conflict in which the Northern Provinces of the Low Countries unified and gained independence from the Spanish Empire and established the Dutch Republic. It started as a revolt against taxes, central rule, and religious persecution but escalated into a grand‐scale war against Habsburg rule. It partly coincided with the Thirty Years' War (1618–48) and ended with the Peace of Westphalia (1648) in which the Dutch gained international recognition as an independent state.
Fashoda Incident (1898)
Authors: Mangold Peter
Published: May 2018

The 1898 Fashoda incident occurred during the Scramble for Africa at the end of the nineteenth century. It was a confrontation on the White Nile between a small French expedition under Captain Jean‐Baptiste Marchand and a superior British force under General Sir Herbert Kitchener. Outnumbered, and lacking international support, the French were forced to withdraw. The crisis left deep scars on the French side.
H
ouse,
E
dward
M
andell (1858–1938)
Authors: Carroll Francis M.
Published: May 2018

Edward M. House (1858–1938) formed a strong friendship with Woodrow Wilson in 1911 when the latter was seeking the presidency. Once elected, Wilson found Colonel House to be someone whom he could trust when needing advice about political matters. House's travels in Europe made him a valuable confidant on international affairs and particularly after the First World War broke out in 1914. House represented Wilson in 1915 and 1916 in attempts to open talks to end the war. After the United States entered the war, House spoke for Wilson when negotiating arrangements for American forces and drafting the terms for the Armistice to end the fighting. Wilson appointed House one of the American Commissioners to Negotiate Peace, but their relations deteriorated at the Peace Conference when House proved more willing to compromise with the Europeans than Wilson.
K
ellogg,
F
rank
B
illings (1856–1937)
Authors: Carroll Francis M.
Published: May 2018

Frank B. Kellogg (1856–1937), a prominent lawyer and internationalist, served as a United States senator from Minnesota (1917–23), ambassador to Great Britain (1923–25), secretary of state (1925–29), judge on the Permanent Court of International Justice (1930–35), and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1929. Secretary of State Kellogg worked to improve United States relations in Latin America and China. His most notable achievement was the Kellogg–Briand Peace Pact, officially the General Treaty for Renunciation of War as an Instrument of National Policy (1928), in which the signatory powers agreed to renounce the legality of war, except for purposes of self‐defense.
Kennan,George (1905–2005)
Authors: Stanke Jaclyn
Published: May 2018

The American diplomat George Frost Kennan (1905–2005) was one of the most influential figures in the formulation of US foreign policy during the early Cold War. In particular, many scholars and foreign policy experts consider him the architect of America's containment policy, the strategy adopted by President Harry Truman to confront communism and subsequently pursued in some form or fashion by every president until the end of the Cold War. Kennan held various diplomatic posts throughout his career with the State Department. After retiring in 1953, he took a position with Princeton University's Institute for Advanced Study, where he wrote numerous books and became an outspoken critic of US foreign policy, especially concerning American involvement in Vietnam and the spiraling nuclear arms race. He lived to see the end of the Cold War, though he never claimed that the policy of containment was responsible for its conclusion.
Munich and theCzechoslovakCrisis (1938)
Authors: Stone Glyn
Published: May 2018

The Czechoslovak Crisis was entirely the responsibility of the German Führer, Adolf Hitler, whose declared intention, following the May weekend crisis of 1938, was “to smash Czechoslovakia” with a deadline for attack of October 1, 1938. Concern for Reich security against bombing attacks from Czechoslovakia was a factor which lay behind Hitler's resolve but strategic and economic considerations had a higher priority in his thinking. He sought to exploit the multi‐ethnic nature of the Czechoslovak state by encouraging the Sudeten Germans to agitate first for autonomy and then full national self‐determination in the spring and summer of 1938. The British and French governments were only too aware that Czechoslovakia would be the next target for German attention following theAnschluss. As the crisis deepened in late summer, British prime minister Neville Chamberlain visited Berchtesgaden to persuade Hitler to resolve the Sudeten issue by peaceful negotiation. Encouraged by his promise that this would be his last territorial claim in Europe British and French ministers persuaded the Czechoslovak government of Edvard Beneš to accept the peaceful cession of the Sudetenland. But, at Bad Godesburg, Hitler raised the stakes by insisting that the occupation take place within a single day, October 1, and by raising the claims of Poland and Hungary to territory within the Czechoslovak state. The response was Czech mobilization of its forces on September 24, French army mobilization on September 25, and the mobilization of the Royal Navy on September 27. With Europe on the brink of war, Hitler backed down on September 28. Instead, he accepted Benito Mussolini's suggestion of a conference to be held at Munich the following day. The outcome was the Munich Agreement and the Anglo‐German Declaration. After Munich Hitler felt cheated of his military victory and regretted it thereafter. More damaging for Germany's long‐term prospects was the effect of Hitler's action in breaking both the Munich Agreement and the Anglo‐German Declaration by destroying what remained of the Czechoslovak state in March 1939, as it brought an end to Anglo‐French appeasement, encouraged Dominion participation in the Second World War from the outset, and ensured support of the allied cause in the United States.
Ō
shima
H
iroshi (1886–1975)
Authors: Boyd James
Published: May 2018

Ōshima Hiroshi (1886–1975) was a Japanese military officer and diplomat who played an important part in the promotion of closer Japanese–German diplomatic relations during the 1930s. He served first as military attaché to Berlin, and then, based on the role in concluding the Japanese–German Anti‐Comintern Pact in 1936, was appointed ambassador to Germany. Apart from a short period following the signing of the August 1939 German–Soviet non‐aggression pact, Ōshima served as Japan's ambassador to Nazi Germany until May 1945. Following the war Ōshima was tried on war crimes charges by the International Military Tribunal Far East and was found guilty. Although sentenced to life imprisonment, he was released in 1955.
P
eace of
P
rague (1635)
Authors: Osborne Toby
Published: May 2018

The Peace of Prague (1635) was a major diplomatic moment in the Thirty Years' War (1618–48). Its aim was to reduce the scale of war in the Holy Roman Empire, where most of the conflict was being waged, and to establish peace amongst German powers, involving principally the emperor and the Lutheran elector of Saxony, whose involvement in the peace, so it was anticipated, would lead to other Protestant powers following suit. In the emperor's mind at least, the peace was also intended to reinforce imperial power. Accordingly, the agreement can be seen as pivotal in the wider war, though it did not result in full peace. Sweden continued its military efforts, while some German powers explicitly excluded from the peace continued to resist the emperor. The French in fact escalated their military involvement in the empire, out of fear that the peace might result in a Habsburg victory.
Peace ofVenice (1177)
Authors: Benham Jenny
Published: May 2018

The Peace of Venice (1177) brought an end to nearly two decades of strife between Pope Alexander III and his allies, and the Holy Roman emperor, Frederick I. The peace resulted in several separate agreements between the parties involved, following the defeat of the emperor at the battle of Legnano in 1176. The negotiations at Venice were accompanied by splendid celebrations symbolizing the reconciliation, and the memory of these became the greatest legacy of the Peace of Venice rather than the treaties concluded.
Public Diplomacy
Authors: Pamment James
Published: May 2018

Public diplomacy (PD) refers to the efforts of an international actor to understand, inform, and influence foreign audiences in support of achieving desired policy goals. The term was coined by former US ambassador Edmund Gullion in the mid‐1960s, though its use has been traced back to the mid‐nineteenth century. Since the 1990s, and particularly following 9/11, its definition has been increasingly associated with (i) soft power, or the attractiveness of a nation's values and institutions as a complement to the use of force; (ii) broader changes in the conduct of diplomacy, including the ways in which policy is formulated and the diffusion of actors involved; and (iii) engagement, or the dialogical and collaborative potential of the communication technologies increasingly used in PD.
R
usk,
D
ean (1909–94)
Authors: Colman Jonathan
Published: May 2018

US secretary of state (1961
–
69) Dean Rusk (1909
–
94) was closely involved with the Berlin Crisis, the Cuban Missile Crisis, NATO issues, and the war in Vietnam, tending to favor a cautious stance on most issues with the notable exception of the latter. He established only a distant relationship with President Kennedy but worked more closely with President Johnson. Both presidents appreciated his loyalty and his low‐key style. Although an indefatigable worker, Rusk exhibited little talent as a manager of the Department of State.
Salazar,Antóniode Oliveira (1889–1970)
Authors: Stone Glyn
Published: May 2018

As dictator of Portugal and founder of theEstado Novo, António de Oliveira Salazar (1889–1970) was the key decision‐maker in Portuguese foreign policy for thirty‐six years. The Spanish Civil War brought him to prominence as an international figure supporting the Nationalist cause in opposition to the Spanish Republicans who he believed posed a considerable threat to Portuguese independence and territorial integrity within the Iberian Peninsula. While support for the Nationalists brought him into closer contact with Germany and Italy he sought a more proactive relationship with Britain under the longstanding Anglo‐Portuguese Alliance. In both the Czechoslovak and Polish crises (1938 and 1939) he encouraged General Franco to adopt a policy of neutrality and he continued with the policy of keeping the Iberian Peninsula neutral during the Second World War. He maintained confidence in an ultimate British victory because of her connection with the United States and sanctioned the Atlantic Bases deal of August 1943. After the war his outstanding anti‐communist credentials ensured Portuguese membership of NATO and the support of London and Washington. However, his insistence on maintaining the Portuguese empire by military force in the 1960s threatened to undermine relations with Britain, America, and Western Europe.
S
timson,
H
enry
L
. (1869–1950)
Authors: Carroll Francis M.
Published: May 2018

Henry L. Stimson (1869–1950), a lawyer and an internationalist, was an outstanding American public figure in the first half of the twentieth century, serving every president from Theodore Roosevelt to Harry Truman, with the exception of Warren G. Harding. Among other appointments, he was secretary of war from 1911 to 1912 and 1940 to 1945 and secretary of state from 1929 to 1933. As secretary of state he implemented the so‐called “Stimson Doctrine” of non‐recognition of Japan's military expansion into Manchuria and China, and as secretary of war during the Second World War he supported the “Europe First” policy and the development of the atomic bomb.
Treaty ofWindsor (1175)
Authors: Benham Jenny
Published: May 2018

The Treaty of Windsor was concluded on October 6, 1175, between King Henry II of England and Rory O'Connor, king of Connacht and high king of Ireland. The treaty formalized the land‐holdings of Henry and his Anglo‐Norman lords in Ireland as well as those of the native Irish, and further established that Rory was to be king under Henry II with other Irish lords serving under him and paying tribute to the English king through him. The treaty may not have lasted more than a few years but is often seen as a watershed in the history of Ireland and indirectly leading to more than 700 years of direct English and, later, British involvement in Ireland.
VictorAmadeus ofSavoy (1666–1732)
Authors: Osborne Toby
Published: May 2018

Duke Victor Amadeus II of Savoy (1666–1732) succeeded to his throne in 1675, and assumed personal power in 1684. Despite his marriage to a French princess, he pursued a traditional Savoyard approach to foreign policies of playing leading powers against each other, and alternating his alignments, to secure his various international interests, as was manifest from the 1690s. Deeply involved in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–14), he acquired the kingdom of Sicily, later substituted by the kingdom of Sardinia, thus fulfilling the longstanding royal ambitions of his family.
Mamluk Diplomacy
Authors: Dekkiche Malika
Published: May 2018

The Mamluk sultanate that ruled in Egypt, Syria, parts of Anatolia, and seasonally over the Hijaz from 1250 until 1517, represents one of the best case studies for an inquiry into premodern Islamic diplomacy. The position of the sultanate, at the junction of two worlds (i.e., “ancient” and “modern”) and different traditions (Islamic, Asiatic, and European), makes it a particularly relevant case. This can be seen through the practice of diplomacy as established from the capital, Cairo. Because of the importance of the sultans on the political, economic, military, cultural, and religious scenes, Cairo received, on a daily basis, many foreign embassies aiming to discuss diverse matters with the sultans. The description we have of those receptions shows the richness of Mamluk diplomatic display and ceremonial.
Amicitia
Authors: Dmitriev Sviatoslav
Published: May 2018

The Romans used the concept ofamicitia, or “friendship,” to designate the status and obligations of other political powers with respect to Rome. The Romans expected theiramici, or “friends,” to abide by Roman political and diplomatic principles, while they themselves determined what obligations, if any, they owed to their “friends.”
Fides
Authors: Dmitriev Sviatoslav
Published: May 2018

The concept offides(“confidence,” “faith,” “trust”) enabled the Romans to implement an efficient diplomatic and military policy in more than one way, by giving them a pretext for diplomatic and military interference. Extralegal by nature,fidescreated a network of Roman friends and allies, all of whom had some type of obligation to Rome, while the Romans remained uncommitted and avoided political, legal, and moral responsibilities.
Johnson,LyndonB. (1908–73)
Authors: Colman Jonathan
Published: May 2018

Democratic US president (1963–69) Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–73) was more comfortable with domestic rather than international affairs, and his reputation will always be sullied by the decision in 1965 to wage war in Vietnam – by 1968 there were 500,000 US troops there, with no victory in sight. However, he implemented more successful policies in Western Europe and in relation to the Soviet Union. The Nuclear Non‐Proliferation Treaty of 1968 could also be claimed among the achievements.
Printable Skin‐Driven Mechanoluminescence Devices via Nanodoped Matrix Modification
Authors: Qian Xin , Cai Zheren , Su Meng , Li Fengyu , Fang Wei , Li Yudong , Zhou Xue , Li Qunyang , Feng Xiqiao , Li Wenbo , Hu Xiaotian , Wang Xiandi , Pan Caofeng , Song Yanlin
Published: May 2018

Mechanically driven light generation is an exciting and under‐exploited phenomenon with a variety of possible practical applications. However, the current driving mode of mechanoluminescence (ML) devices needs strong stimuli. Here, a flexible sensitive ML device via nanodopant elasticity modulus modification is introduced. Rigid ZnS:M2+(Mn/Cu)@Al2O3 microparticles are dispersed into soft poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film and printed out to form flexible devices. For various flexible and sensitive scenes, SiO2 nanoparticles are adopted to adjust the elasticity modulus of the PDMS matrix. The doped nanoparticles can concentrate stress to ZnS:M2+(Mn/Cu)@Al2O3 microparticles and achieve intense ML under weak stimuli of the moving skin. The printed nano‐/microparticle‐doped matrix film can achieve skin‐driven ML, which can be adopted to present fetching augmented animations expressions. The printable ML film, amenable to large areas, low‐cost manufacturing, and mechanical softness will be versatile on stress visualization, luminescent sensors, and open definitely new functional skin with novel augmented animations expressions, the photonic skin.
High frequency/ultrasonic communication in a critically endangered nocturnal primate, Claire's mouse lemur (Microcebus mamiratra)
Authors: Hasiniaina Alida F. , Scheumann Marina , Rina Evasoa Mamy , Braud Diane , Rasoloharijaona Solofonirina , Randrianambinina Blanchard , Zimmermann Elke
Published: May 2018

The critically endangered Claire's mouse lemur, only found in the evergreen rain forest of the National Park Lokobe (LNP) and a few lowland evergreen rain forest fragments of northern Madagascar, was described recently. The present study provides the first quantified information on vocal acoustics of calls, sound associated behavioral context, acoustic niche, and vocal activity of this species. We recorded vocal and social behavior of six male–female and six male–male dyads in a standardized social‐encounter paradigm in June and July 2016 at the LNP, Nosy Bé island. Over six successive nights per dyad, we audio recorded and observed behaviors for 3 hr at the beginning of the activity period. Based on the visual inspection of spectrograms and standardized multiparametric sound analysis, we identified seven different call types. Call types can be discriminated based on a combination of harmonicity, fundamental frequency variation, call duration, and degree of tonality. Acoustic features of tonal call types showed that for communication, mouse lemurs use the cryptic, high frequency/ultrasonic frequency niche. Two call types, the Tsak and the Grunt call, were emitted most frequently. Significant differences in vocal activity of the Tsak call were found between male–female and male–male dyads, linked primarily to agonistic conflicts. Dominant mouse lemurs vocalized more than subdominant ones, suggesting that signaling may present an honest indicator of fitness. A comparison of our findings of the Claire's mouse lemur with published findings of five bioacoustically studied mouse lemur species points to the notion that a complex interplay between ecology, predation pressure, and phylogenetic relatedness may shape the evolution of acoustic divergence between species in this smallest‐bodied primate radiation. Thus, comparative bioacoustic studies, using standardized procedures, are promising to unravel the role of vocalization for primate species diversity and evolution and for identifying candidates for vocalization‐based non‐invasive monitoring for conservation purposes.
Stature estimation equations for South Asian skeletons based on DXA scans of contemporary adults
Authors: Pomeroy Emma , Mushrif‐Tripathy Veena , Wells Jonathan C. K. , Kulkarni Bharati , Kinra Sanjay , Stock Jay T.
Published: May 2018

Objectives

Stature estimation from the skeleton is a classic anthropological problem, and recent years have seen the proliferation of population‐specific regression equations. Many rely on the anatomical reconstruction of stature from archaeological skeletons to derive regression equations based on long bone lengths, but this requires a collection with very good preservation. In some regions, for example, South Asia, typical environmental conditions preclude the sufficient preservation of skeletal remains. Large‐scale epidemiological studies that include medical imaging of the skeleton by techniques such as dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) offer new potential datasets for developing such equations.

Materials and methods

We derived estimation equations based on known height and bone lengths measured from DXA scans from the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents Study (Hyderabad, India). Given debates on the most appropriate regression model to use, multiple methods were compared, and the performance of the equations was tested on a published skeletal dataset of individuals with known stature.

Results

The equations have standard errors of estimates and prediction errors similar to those derived using anatomical reconstruction or from cadaveric datasets. As measured by the number of significant differences between true and estimated stature, and the prediction errors, the new equations perform as well as, and generally better than, published equations commonly used on South Asian skeletons or based on Indian cadaveric datasets.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the utility of DXA scans as a data source for developing stature estimation equations and offer a new set of equations for use with South Asian datasets.
Die exponentielle isotherme Amplifikation von Nukleinsäuren und Assays zur Detektion von Proteinen, Zellen, kleinen Molekülen und Enzymaktivitäten: Anwendungen für EXPAR
Authors: Reid Michael S. , Le X. Chris , Zhang Hongquan
Published: April 2018

Isotherme exponentielle Amplifikationstechniken, wie die Strangverdrängungsamplifikation (SDA), die Rolling‐Circle‐Amplifikation (RCA), die Loop‐vermittelte isotherme Amplifikation (LAMP), die Nukleinsäuresequenz‐basierte Amplifikation (NASBA), die Helikase‐abhängige Amplifikation (HDA) und die Rekombinase‐Polymerase‐Amplifikation (RPA) besitzen großes Anwendungspotential für Vor‐Ort‐Analysen, patientennahe Labordiagnostik und In‐situ‐Assays. Diese Amplifikationsmethoden benötigen im Gegensatz zur Polymerasekettenreaktion (PCR) keine Temperaturzyklen, liefern aber vergleichbare Ausbeuten. In diesem Kurzaufsatz stellen wir die neuesten Entwicklungen der exponentiellen Amplifikationsreaktion (EXPAR) zur Detektion von Nukleinsäuren, Proteinen, Enzymaktivitäten, Zellen und Metallionen vor. Mithilfe der Verwendung von Fluoreszenz, Kolorimetrie, Chemilumineszenz, Raman und elektrochemischer Verfahren konnte bereits eine hoch sensitive Detektion einer Vielzahl verschiedener Ziele (Targets) realisiert werden. Dennoch bleiben offene Fragen, wie insbesondere die der unerwünschten Hintergrundamplifikation aus unspezifischen Templat‐Interaktionen, die es zu lösen gilt, um die Entwicklung der isothermen und exponentiellen Amplifikationstechniken weiter voranzutreiben.
Ein asymmetrisches kovalentes Triazin‐Netzwerk für effiziente Photoredox‐Katalyse durch Energietransfer‐Kaskaden unter sichtbarem Licht
Authors: Huang Wei , Byun Jeehye , Rörich Irina , Ramanan Charusheela , Blom Paul W. M. , Lu Hao , Wang Di , Caire da Silva Lucas , Li Run , Wang Lei , Landfester Katharina , Zhang Kai A. I.
Published: May 2018

Um die Konstruktion der natürlichen Photosynthese‐Systeme zu imitieren, werden meist komplexe Mehrkomponenten‐Halbleiter‐Photokatalysatoren hergestellt, damit eine erhöhte katalytische Effizienz erreicht werden kann. Die Effizienz der Einkomponenten‐Photokatalysatoren ist jedoch aufgrund der schnellen Rekombination der photogenerierten Exzitonen beeinträchtigt. Hier zeigen wir das Design eines asymmetrischen kovalenten Triazin‐Netzwerkes, das als effizienterer und rein organischer Einkomponenten‐Photokatalysator fungiert. Das asymmetrische kovalente Triazin‐Netzwerk beinhaltet auf molekularer Ebene vier verschiedene Donor‐Akzeptor‐Domänen. Ein solches strukturelles Design führt zu einer verbesserten photogenerierten Ladungsseparation, die durch intramolekulare Energietransfer‐Kaskaden zustande kommt. Im Vergleich zu den symmetrischen kovalenten Triazin‐Netzwerken, zeigt das asymmetrische Netzwerk eine wesentlich höhere photokatalytische Effizienz bei der Herstellung von Benzophospholoxiden aus Diphenylphosphinoxiden und Diphenylacetylenen unter Bestrahlung mitsichtbares Licht.
Structural Basis of Outstanding Multivalent Effects in Jack Bean α‐Mannosidase Inhibition
Authors: Howard Eduardo , Cousido‐Siah Alexandra , Lepage Mathieu L. , Schneider Jérémy P. , Bodlenner Anne , Mitschler André , Meli Alessandra , Izzo Irene , Alvarez H. Ariel , Podjarny Alberto , Compain Philippe
Published: May 2018

Multivalent design of glycosidase inhibitors is a promising strategy for the treatment of diseases involving enzymatic hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds in carbohydrates. An essential prerequisite for successful applications is the atomic‐level understanding of how outstanding binding enhancement occurs with multivalent inhibitors. Herein we report the first high‐resolution crystal structures of the Jack bean α‐mannosidase (JBα‐man) in apo and inhibited states. The three‐dimensional structure of JBα‐man in complex with the multimeric cyclopeptoid‐based inhibitor displaying the largest binding enhancements reported so far provides decisive insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying multivalent effects in glycosidase inhibition.
Spontaneously Self‐Assembled Naphthalimide Nanosheets: Aggregation‐Induced Emission and Unveiling a‐PET for Sensitive Detection of Organic Volatile Contaminants in Water
Authors: Meher Niranjan , Iyer Parameswar Krishnan
Published: May 2018

A simple design strategy of long alkyl chain substitution was formulated to block the detrimental π–π interaction that potentially transforms the aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ) chromophores into aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) active smart nanomaterials. The long octadecyl pendant chain substituted naphthalimide (NI) derivatives self‐assembled into fluorescent nanosheets (NS)‐like structures that spontaneously have surfaces coated with NI cores in water. The fluorescent NS were subsequently used to recognize the organic volatile contaminants (OVCs) at ppb levels via an acceptor‐excited photoinduced electron transfer (a‐PET) mechanism, unveiled as the first representative example. A new design strategy is thereby provided to detect toxic xylene derivatives in water using smart nanomaterials.
Engineering the Frontier Orbitals of a Diazadiborinine for Facile Activation of H2, NH3, and an Isonitrile
Authors: Su Yuanting , Li Yongxin , Ganguly Rakesh , Kinjo Rei
Published: April 2018

An annulated 1,3,2,5‐diazadiborinine with 14 π electrons has been synthesized and fully characterized. Experimental and computational studies revealed that this compound features a rather small HOMO–LUMO gap, which leads to enhanced reactivity towards small molecules. Thus, the 1,3,2,5‐diazadiborinine readily cleaves the H−H bond of dihydrogen and an N−H bond of ammonia under mild conditions. Moreover, it reacts with 2,6‐dimethylphenylisonitrile in a [4+1] cycloaddition at room temperature.
Total Synthesis of (+)‐ and (±)‐Hosieine A
Authors: Huang Yu‐Wen , Kong Ke , Wood John L.
Published: May 2018

Described herein is a concise total synthesis of the highly potent nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ligand hosieine A in racemic and enantioenriched forms. The synthesis requires only seven steps and features a telescoped reaction sequence initiated by a gold‐catalyzed Rautenstrauch reaction.
An Abnormal 3.7 Volt O3‐Type Sodium‐Ion Battery Cathode
Authors: Wang Peng‐Fei , Xin Hanshen , Zuo Tong‐Tong , Li Qinghao , Yang Xinan , Yin Ya‐Xia , Gao Xike , Yu Xiqian , Guo Yu‐Guo
Published: May 2018

Layered O3‐type sodium oxides (NaMO2, M=transition metal) commonly exhibit an O3–P3 phase transition, which occurs at a low redox voltage of about 3 V (vs. Na+/Na) during sodium extraction and insertion, with the result that almost 50 % of their total capacity lies at this low voltage region, and they possess insufficient energy density as cathode materials for sodium‐ion batteries (NIBs). Therefore, development of high‐voltage O3‐type cathodes remains challenging because it is difficult to raise the phase‐transition voltage by reasonable structure modulation. A new example of O3‐type sodium insertion materials is presented for use in NIBs. The designed O3‐type Na0.7Ni0.35Sn0.65O2 material displays a highest redox potential of 3.7 V (vs. Na+/Na) among the reported O3‐type materials based on the Ni2+/Ni3+ couple, by virtue of its increased Ni−O bond ionicity through reduced orbital overlap between transition metals and oxygen within the MO2 slabs. This study provides an orbital‐level understanding of the operating potentials of the nominal redox couples for O3‐NaMO2 cathodes. The strategy described could be used to tailor electrodes for improved performance.
Erneuerbare Polyether über die GaBr3‐katalysierte Reduktion von Polyestern
Authors: Dannecker Patrick‐Kurt , Biermann Ursula , von Czapiewski Marc , Metzger Jürgen O. , Meier Michael A. R.
Published: May 2018

Ein neues Konzept zur Synthese mittel‐ bis langkettiger aliphatischer Polyether beruht auf der GaBr3‐katalysierten Reduktion verschiedener Polyester mit TMDS als Reduktionsmittel. Eine Reihe linearer und verzweigter Polyester wurde synthetisiert und systematisch im Hinblick auf diese Reduktionsstrategie untersucht, wodurch die Eignung und Vielseitigkeit dieses Reduktionsverfahrens demonstriert werden konnten. Die mittel‐ und langkettigen Polyether wurden aus den entsprechenden Polyestern ohne oder mit geringfügigem Kettenabbau erhalten, wohingegen kurzkettige Polyester wie Poly‐l‐Milchsäure oder Poly‐(R)‐3‐hydroxybuttersäure einen deutlichen Kettenabbau zeigten. Auf diese Weise konnten bislang unbekannte und unkonventionelle Polyether hergestellt und untersucht werden.
Total Synthesis and Biological Investigation of (−)‐Artemisinin: The Antimalarial Activity of Artemisinin Is not Stereospecific
Authors: Krieger Johannes , Smeilus Toni , Kaiser Marcel , Seo Ean‐Jeong , Efferth Thomas , Giannis Athanassios
Published: May 2018

Here, we describe an efficient and diversity‐oriented entry to both (−)‐artemisinin (1) and its natural antipode (+)‐artemisinin, starting from commercially and readily available S‐(+)‐ and R‐(−)‐citronellene, respectively. Subsequently, we answered the still open question regarding the specificity of artemisinins action. By using a drug‐sensitive Plasmodium falciparum NF54 strain, we showed that the antimalarial activity of artemisinin is not stereospecific. Our straightforward and biomimetic approach to this natural endoperoxide enables the synthesis of artemisinin derivatives that are not accessible through applying current methods and may help to address the problem of emerging resistance of Plasmodium falciparum towards artemisinin.
Molecular Dynamics, Phase Transition and Frequency‐Tuned Dielectric Switch of an Ionic Co‐Crystal
Authors: Liu Jing‐Yan , Zhang Shi‐Yong , Zeng Ying , Shu Xia , Du Zi‐Yi , He Chun‐Ting , Zhang Wei‐Xiong , Chen Xiao‐Ming
Published: May 2018

Dielectric switches that can be converted between high and low dielectric states by thermal stimuli have attracted much interest owing to their many potential applications. Currently one main drawback for practical application lies in the non‐tunability of their switch temperatures (TS). We report here an ionic co‐crystal (Me3NH)4[Ni(NCS)6] that contains a multiply rotatable Me3NH+ ion and a solely rotatable one due to a more spacious supramolecular cage for the former one. This compound undergoes an isostructural order–disorder phase transition and it can function as a frequency‐tuned dielectric switch with highly adjustable TS, which is further revealed by the variable‐temperature structure analyses and molecular dynamics simulations. In addition, the distinct arrangements and molecular dynamics of two coexisting Me3NH+ ions confined in different lattice spaces as well as the notable offset effect on the promoting/hindering of dipolar reorientation after dielectric transition provide a rarely observed but fairly good model for understanding and modulating the dipole motion in crystalline environment.
Transition‐Metal‐Catalyzed Carboxylation Reactions with Carbon Dioxide
Authors: Tortajada Andreu , Juliá‐Hernández Francisco , Börjesson Marino , Moragas Toni , Martin Ruben
Published: May 2018

Driven by the inherent synthetic potential of CO2 as an abundant, inexpensive and renewable C1 chemical feedstock, the recent years have witnessed renewed interest in devising catalytic CO2 fixations into organic matter. Although the formation of C−C bonds via catalytic CO2 fixation remained rather limited for a long period of time, a close look into the recent literature data indicates that catalytic carboxylation reactions have entered a new era of exponential growth, evolving into a mature discipline that allows for streamlining the synthesis of carboxylic acids, building blocks of utmost relevance in industrial endeavors. These strategies have generally proven broadly applicability and convenient to perform. However, substantial challenges still need to be addressed reinforcing the need to cover metal‐catalyzed carboxylation area in a conceptual and concise manner, delineating the underlying new principles that are slowly emerging in this vibrant area of expertise.
Ultrathin Titanate Nanosheets/Graphene Films Derived from Confined Transformation for Excellent Na/K Ion Storage
Authors: Zeng Cheng , Xie Fangxi , Yang Xianfeng , Jaroniec Mietek , Zhang Lei , Qiao Shi‐Zhang
Published: May 2018

Confined transformation of assembled two‐dimensional MXene (titanium carbide) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets was employed to prepare the free‐standing films of the integrated ultrathin sodium titanate (NTO)/potassium titanate (KTO) nanosheets sandwiched between graphene layers. The ultrathin Ti‐based nanosheets reduce the diffusion distance while rGO layers enhance conductivity. Incorporation of graphene into the titanate films produced efficient binder‐free anodes for ion storage. The resulting flexible NTO/rGO and KTO/rGO electrodes exhibited excellent rate performances and long cycling stability characterized by reversible capacities of 72 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1 after 10000 cycles and 75 mA h g−1 after 700 cycles at 2 A g−1 for sodium and potassium ion batteries, respectively. These results demonstrate the superiority of the unique sandwich‐type electrodes.
Novel proportional–integral–derivative controller with second order filter for integrating processes
Authors: Medarametla Praveen Kumar , M Manimozhi
Published: May 2018

Many chemical and nonchemical processes exhibit integrating behavior. This paper presents new approach for deriving parameters of proportional–integral–derivative controller for various types of integrating processes. In order to obtain enhanced performance, the controller is augmented by a second order filter. In the process of deriving controller and filter parameters, time delay is approximated by second order Laguerre shift. Analytical tuning rules are derived on the basis of the sensitivity of loop transfer function. With the help of polynomial method, the poles are placed so as to minimize the overshoot in the servo response. A set point filter is also employed to mitigate the overshoot and settling time in servo response. Besides, the set point filter is able to decouple servo and regulatory responses. The proposed method is compared with recently proposed methods. The evaluation is carried out in terms of various performance indices. Investigation of evaluation results reveals that the proposed method offers considerable improvement over the existing methods.
Visible‐Light‐Driven Hydrogen Production and Polymerization using Triarylboron‐Functionalized Iridium(III) Complexes
Authors: Yang Ling‐Xia , Yang Wan‐Fa , Yuan Yong‐Jun , Su Yi‐Bing , Zhou Miao‐Miao , Liu Xiao‐Le , Chen Guang‐Hui , Chen Xin , Yu Zhen‐Tao , Zou Zhi‐Gang
Published: May 2018

The development of novel iridium(III) complexes has continued as an important area of research owing to their highly tunable photophysical properties and versatile applications. In this report, three heteroleptic dimesitylboron‐containing iridium(III) complexes, [Ir(p‐B‐ppy)2(N^N)]+ {p‐B‐ppy=2‐(4‐dimesitylborylphenyl)pyridine; N^N=dipyrido[3,2‐a:2′,3′‐c]phenazine (dppz) (1), dipyrido[3,2‐d:2′,3′‐f]quinoxaline (dpq) (2), and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) (3)}, were prepared and fully characterized electrochemically, photophysically, and computationally. Altering the conjugated length of the N^N ligands allowed us to tailor the photophysical properties of these complexes, especially their luminescence wavelength, which could be adjusted from λ=583 to 631 nm in CH2Cl2. All three complexes were evaluated as visible‐light‐absorbing sensitizers for the photogeneration of hydrogen from water and as photocatalysts for the photopolymerization of methyl methacrylate. The results showed that all of them were active in both photochemical reactions. High activity for the photosensitizer (over 1158 turnover numbers with 1) was observed, and the system generated hydrogen even after 20 h. Additionally, poly(methyl methacrylate) with a relatively narrow molecular‐weight distribution was obtained if an initiator (i.e., ethyl α‐bromophenylacetate) was used. The living character of the photoinduced polymerization was confirmed on the basis of successful chain‐extension experiments.
Palladium‐Catalyzed ortho C−H Arylation of Benzaldehydes Using ortho‐Sulfinyl Aniline as Transient Auxiliary
Authors: Mu Delong , He Gang , Chen Gong
Published: May 2018

A PdII‐catalyzed ortho‐(Csp2)–H arylation reaction of benzaldehydes using a catalytic amount of 2‐(methylsulfinyl)aniline as transient auxiliary was developed. This reaction is compatible with a broad range of benzaldehyde and aryl iodide substrates. Compared with other related reaction systems, an excellent regioselectivity for ortho‐C(sp2)−H bonds over benzylic C(sp3)−H bonds was obtained for ortho‐alkyl‐benzaldehyde substrates.