bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Historical Gloss, the Recognition Power, and Judicial Review
Authors: Bradley Curtis A.
Published: June 2017

The U.S. executive branch has long declined to recognize any country’s sovereignty over Jerusalem, insisting that the matter be worked out through negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The U.S. Congress, by contrast, has tended to support Israeli sovereignty over the city. In 2002, Congress enacted the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003, Section 214(d) of which provides that, “[f]or purposes of the registration of birth, certification of nationality, or issuance of a passport of a United States citizen born in the city of Jerusalem, the Secretary [of State] shall, upon the request of the citizen or the citizen’s legal guardian, record the place of birth as Israel.” Both the Bush Administration and the Obama Administration declined to comply with this statutory directive. In Zivotofsky v. Kerry (Zivotofsky II), the Supreme Court sided with the executive branch, holding that Section 214(d) unconstitutionally interferes with the exclusive authority of the President to recognize foreign sovereigns.
Zivotofsky II’s Two Visions for Foreign Relations Law
Authors: Cohen Harlan Grant
Published: June 2017

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Supreme Court’s decision in Zivotofsky v. Kerry (Zivotofsky II), was the open disagreement between Justice Kennedy and Chief Justice Roberts. What Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion, holding that the President has exclusive power to recognize states and governments and that Congress cannot constitutionally impinge on that power by requiring the President to list Israel in the passports of U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem, means for future foreign relations law cases is something of a puzzle. Solving it requires understanding the two competing visions at the case’s center and the fluctuating relationship between the two Justices who hold them.
Zivotofsky v. Kerry and the Balance of Power
Authors: Galbraith Jean
Published: June 2017

Zivotofsky v. Kerry (Zivotofsky II) is a case about the constitutional distribution of power. The narrow question is whether Congress or the President has the power to determine whether a U.S. citizen born in Jerusalem can have “Israel” listed as his country of birth on his passport when the President does not formally recognize Jerusalem as part of Israel. As for the broader question—well, the case is packed with broader questions. Does the President have the exclusive constitutional authority to undertake the international legal act of recognition? Does the President have further exclusive constitutional authority to control the content of executive-branch communications with foreign nations? What powers does Congress have in foreign affairs? And are these justiciable issues for the federal courts to resolve?
Enter the Fox—Lumping and Splitting in the Study of Transnational Networks: A Response to Stavros Gadinis
Authors: Ahdieh Robert B.
Published: June 2017

Over the last two decades, the scholarly study of transnational networks has—with select exceptions—been characterized by two features.

The first is an approach to transnational networks as a relatively singular phenomenon. Networks have largely been studied as a broadly encompassing choice of institutional design—with emphasis on the common characteristics that distinguish them from other design choices, rather than those that distinguish them from one another.
Zivotofsky: The Difference Between Inherent and Exclusive Presidential Power
Authors: Mortenson Julian Davis
Published: June 2017

If we stipulate that the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 2002 presented a genuine constitutional conflict between the President and Congress, reasonable minds can differ about the outcome in Zivotofsky v. Kerry (Zivotofsky II). The Court’s answer to the specific question presented is actually the least interesting thing about the decision—indeed, the majority avers its insignificance so often that a casual reader might be forgiven for wondering why certiorari was granted in the first place.
Zivitofsky and the Politics of Passports
Authors: Torpey John
Published: June 2017

In Zivotofsky v. Kerry, the Supreme Court addressed the constitutionality of a 2002 law, Section 214(d) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003, which required consular officials to mark the word “Israel” as the birthplace of U.S. citizens who were born in Jerusalem if they requested that designation. The U.S. State Department refused to comply, pursuant to a policy of neutrality by the executive branch of the U.S. government concerning sovereignty over the much-contested city. The parents of a boy born in Jerusalem sued in federal court to see the law enforced. In its decision, the court found that Section 214(d) was an unconstitutional usurpation by Congress of the President’s exclusive authority to recognize foreign governments. The policy of official U.S. neutrality in regard to sovereignty over Jerusalem was upheld.
An Urgent Suggestion to Pour Old Wine into New Bottles: Comment on “A New Jurisprudential Framework for Jurisdiction”
Authors: Ryngaert Cedric
Published: June 2017

Dan Svantesson is quickly establishing himself as a leading voice in the field or jurisdiction. Coming to this field from Internet and data protection law, he is surely well placed to criticize the current legal framework of international jurisdiction in light of technological evolution, which has made territoriality lose its salience as the cornerstone of jurisdiction. I myself have recently been characterized as one of the border guards of territoriality, on the basis of my earlier monograph on Jurisdiction in International Law. Accordingly, the informed reader might believe that I will severely criticize as iconoclastic such a proposal as Svantesson’s namely, doing away with territoriality as the very linchpin of jurisdiction. As it happens, however, I largely concur with Svantesson’s ideas, at least to the extent they apply to cross-border transactions via the Internet. In this contribution, I argue that the reality of a de-territorialized Internet necessitates jurisdictional rethinking, but that this rethinking in fact heavily relies on previous scholarship, predating the Internet era. The advent of the current era, however, has lent particular urgency to those earlier proposals.
Comment on “A New Jurisprudential Framework for Jurisdiction”
Authors: Ginsburg Tom
Published: June 2017

Dan Svantesson has introduced an important proposal to reformulate the way we allocate jurisdiction in the international community. Rather than asking whether a proposed assertion of jurisdiction falls into one of the canonical principles identified in the Harvard Research Draft Convention on Jurisdiction with Respect to Crime of 1935, Svantesson proposes to subject claims of jurisdiction to three “core” principles: (1) whether there is a substantial connection between the matter and the State seeking to exercise jurisdiction; (2) whether the State seeking to exercise jurisdiction has a legitimate interest in the matter; and (3) whether the claim of jurisdiction is reasonable given the balance between the state’s interests and other interests that might be asserted. He sees the first two of these as being implicit in the Harvard Draft paradigm, and the third a helpful addition to resolve conflicts in an increasingly interdependent world.
An Alternative Approach to the Conventionality Control Doctrine
Authors: Dulitzky Ariel E.
Published: June 2017

Judge Eduardo Ferrer Mac-Gregor presents a very clear and concise description of the main contours of the conventionality control theory articulated by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (“Court,” “Tribunal,” or “Inter-American Court”). So, I will not repeat his masterful explanation, which states, in brief, that the conventionality control requires all State authorities, particularly judges, to apply the American Convention on Human Rights (“the Convention”) as interpreted by the Court.
Should we Care what the Pope Says About Climate Change?
Authors: Bodansky Daniel
Published: June 2017

The brokerage firm, E.F. Hutton, used to have a tagline that went, “When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen.” On climate change, the Pope has spoken, but will people listen? And should they? The first question is empirical; the second, normative.

The papal encyclical, Laudato Si’, was released in May 2015 to much acclaim. It is an extraordinarily wideranging document. Although I will focus, in particular, on its discussion of climate change, it is worth noting that the encyclical addresses virtually the entire litany of environmental problems—loss of biodiversity, hazardous chemicals and wastes, marine pollution, replacement of virgin forests with monoculture plantations, and lack of access to clean drinking water, among others—as well as related social problems such as extreme poverty and urban overcrowding.
Western Australia’s Remote Indigenous Communities: A Case Against Closures and a Call For New Governance
Authors: Hill Asta
Published: June 2017

In the late 1970s thousands of Indigenous Australians initiated a movement back to the ancestral lands they had been removed from during the assimilationist era. Less than 50 years since their return to country, Aboriginal people living in Western Australia’s (WA) remote communities are again grappling with their impending redispossession. Wa Premier Colin Barnett’s announcement late last year was panic inducing:

It is a problem that I do not want and the government does not want, but it is a reality. There are something like 274 Aboriginal communities in Western Australia—I think 150 or so of those are in the Kimberley itself—and they are not viable. They are not viable and they are not sustainable . . . I am foreshadowing that a number of communities are inevitably going to close.
Indigenous Title and its Contextual Economic Implications: Lessons for International Law From Canada’sTsilhqot’inDecision
Authors: Newman Dwight
Published: June 2017

International law on the rights of Indigenous peoples has developed rapidly in recent decades. In the latest phase of this development, international instruments on the rights of Indigenous peoples have increasingly offered universalized statements. However, the reality remains that the implementation of Indigenous rights must take place in particular circumstances in particular states. The form of domestic implementation of Indigenous rights may or may not connect closely to international law statements on these rights, and there may be good reasons for that. This essay takes up a particular example of Indigenous land rights and a significant recent development on land rights in the Supreme Court of Canada.
Indigenous Peoples, International Law, and Extractive Industry Contracts
Authors: Odumosu-Ayanu Ibironke T.
Published: June 2017

The extractive industry has contributed to the development of international law since colonial times. Contracts between states and extractive companies largely drive this global industry. This essay situates extractive industry contracts involving Indigenous peoples, long term actors who have significantly informed the development of international law, within the context of international law. While these contracts are usually analyzed from domestic perspectives, they are impacted by international norms and, as developing transnational practices, even have the potential to show ways ahead in international law. As regards engagement with Indigenous peoples, contracts, which are typically regarded as private instruments, have significant public ramifications. This is especially the case where states, Indigenous peoples, and transnational corporations (TNCs) are involved and where internationally recognized principles relating to Indigenous rights, notably free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) are implicated.
The International Criminal Court, Aggression, and Other Matters: A Response to Koh and Buchwald
Authors: Rostow Nicholas
Published: June 2017

This essay, stimulated by themes discussed by Harold Koh and Todd Buchwald, examines the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the amendment to the 1998 Rome Statute to include the crime of aggression within the ICC’s jurisdiction. The definition adopted in Kampala in 2010 is too long to quote in full but merits careful examination. For example, it states that the “‘crime of aggression’ means the planning, preparation, initiation or execution, by a person in a position effectively to exercise control over or to direct the political or military action of a State, of an act of aggression which, by its character, gravity and scale, constitutes a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations.” It then adopts large swaths of UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 1974—the definition of aggression—as its own. Commentators recognized problems with the 1974 definition at the time. The post-Kampala Rome Statute purports to achieve objectivity with respect to aggression through removal of everything having to do with context and the totality of the circumstances. These matters surely should be—and must be—of central importance not only to nonparties but also to the parties to the Rome Statute. The fact that they are absent forms the raison d’être of this essay. Because the ICC is a permanent body, able to take jurisdiction of ongoing problems, its actions may have significant implications for world public order.
TWAIL and the “Unwilling or Unable” Doctrine: Continuities and Ruptures
Authors: Tzouvala Ntina
Published: June 2017

Given the long history of violent encounters between the Global North and the Global South, legal arguments concerning the use of force are a fertile ground for testing the virtues and limits of Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) as a theory aspiring to “address the material and ethical concerns of Third World peoples.” This essay examines the usefulness and limits of TWAIL in the context of the “unwilling or unable” doctrine currently promoted by a series of Western scholars and states in order to expand the scope of application of the right to self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. Adopting TWAIL’s impulse to historicize, this essay argues that the structure of this doctrine closely replicates the “standard of civilization” that informed international legal theory and practice throughout the nineteenth century. At the same time, widespread resistance to the “unwilling or unable” doctrine indicates that the profound transformation of international law on the use of force after 1945 and the diffusion of sovereignty outside the West put into question certain methodological and political commitments of TWAIL.
The Relative Success of WTO Dispute Settlement and What Planet Would the EU Investment Court System Be On? A Rejoinder to AJIL Unbound Comments
Authors: Pauwelyn Joost
Published: June 2017

I am extremely grateful, and humbled, by the wealth of comments received on my AJIL article through this AJIL Unbound Symposium. One of the many points I take away from these reactions is, indeed, that my analysis offers a snapshot and that many of the critiques now leveled against Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) are, in Catherine Rogers’s words, “effectively recycled versions of criticisms that were originally leveled against the WTO and its decision-makers.” (Freya Baetens makes a similar point.)

In this rejoinder, I would only like to make two points. Firstly, many commentators seem to think that in this article I took the normative position that World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement is “better” than ISDS. Although I did point to the current discrepancy in public perception of the respective regimes, I purposefully avoided expressing any personal, normative position on one being “better” than the other (but apparently not explicitly enough).
Marital Rape: The Long Arch of Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls
Authors: Goodwin Michele
Published: June 2017

If no permanent injury has been inflicted, nor malice, cruelty nor dangerous violence shown by the husband, it is better to draw the curtain, shut out the public gaze, and leave the parties to forget and forgive.

State v. Oliver, 70 N.C. 60, 62 (1874)

Prologue: The Context

Sadly, sexual violence against women and girls remains deeply entrenched and politicized around the globe. Perhaps no other allegation of crime exposes a woman’s credibility to such intense hostility and imposes the penalties of shame and stigma to a more severe degree than alleging rape. Factors irrelevant to sexual violence, including the victim’s choice of clothing, hairstyle, and time of the attack frequently serve as points of searching inquiry, and scrutiny. Such extraneous points of critique further compound an atmosphere of shaming and stigmatization associated with sexual violence, but are seen as crucial in bolstering an affirmative defense and inevitably building the case against rape victims.
Crenothrix are major methane consumers in stratified lakes
Authors: Oswald Kirsten , Graf Jon S , Littmann Sten , Tienken Daniela , Brand Andreas , Wehrli Bernhard , Albertsen Mads , Daims Holger , Wagner Michael , Kuypers Marcel M M , Schubert Carsten J , Milucka Jana
Published: June 2017

Methane-oxidizing bacteria represent a major biological sink for methane and are thus Earth’s natural protection against this potent greenhouse gas. Here we show that in two stratified freshwater lakes a substantial part of upward-diffusing methane was oxidized by filamentous gamma-proteobacteria related to Crenothrix polyspora. These filamentous bacteria have been known as contaminants of drinking water supplies since 1870, but their role in the environmental methane removal has remained unclear. While oxidizing methane, these organisms were assigned an ‘unusual’ methane monooxygenase (MMO), which was only distantly related to ‘classical’ MMO of gamma-proteobacterial methanotrophs. We now correct this assignment and show that Crenothrix encode a typical gamma-proteobacterial PmoA. Stable isotope labeling in combination swith single-cell imaging mass spectrometry revealed methane-dependent growth of the lacustrine Crenothrix with oxygen as well as under oxygen-deficient conditions. Crenothrix genomes encoded pathways for the respiration of oxygen as well as for the reduction of nitrate to N2O. The observed abundance and planktonic growth of Crenothrix suggest that these methanotrophs can act as a relevant biological sink for methane in stratified lakes and should be considered in the context of environmental removal of methane.
Sara phosphorylation state controls the dispatch of endosomes from the central spindle during asymmetric division
Authors: Loubéry Sylvain , Daeden Alicia , Seum Carole , Holtzer Laurent , Moraleda Ana , Damond Nicolas , Derivery Emmanuel , Schmidt Thomas , Gonzalez-Gaitan Marcos
Published: June 2017

During asymmetric division, fate assignation in daughter cells is mediated by the partition of determinants from the mother. In the fly sensory organ precursor cell, Notch signalling partitions into the pIIa daughter. Notch and its ligand Delta are endocytosed into Sara endosomes in the mother cell and they are first targeted to the central spindle, where they get distributed asymmetrically to finally be dispatched to pIIa. While the processes of endosomal targeting and asymmetry are starting to be understood, the machineries implicated in the final dispatch to pIIa are unknown. We show that Sara binds the PP1c phosphatase and its regulator Sds22. Sara phosphorylation on three specific sites functions as a switch for the dispatch: if not phosphorylated, endosomes are targeted to the spindle and upon phosphorylation of Sara, endosomes detach from the spindle during pIIa targeting.
Lithospheric foundering and underthrusting imaged beneath Tibet
Authors: Chen Min , Niu Fenglin , Tromp Jeroen , Lenardic Adrian , Lee Cin-Ty A. , Cao Wenrong , Ribeiro Julia
Published: June 2017

Long-standing debates exist over the timing and mechanism of uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and, more specifically, over the connection between lithospheric evolution and surface expressions of plateau uplift and volcanism. Here we show a T-shaped high wave speed structure in our new tomographic model beneath South-Central Tibet, interpreted as an upper-mantle remnant from earlier lithospheric foundering. Its spatial correlation with ultrapotassic and adakitic magmatism supports the hypothesis of convective removal of thickened Tibetan lithosphere causing major uplift of Southern Tibet during the Oligocene. Lithospheric foundering induces an asthenospheric drag force, which drives continued underthrusting of the Indian continental lithosphere and shortening and thickening of the Northern Tibetan lithosphere. Surface uplift of Northern Tibet is subject to more recent asthenospheric upwelling and thermal erosion of thickened lithosphere, which is spatially consistent with recent potassic volcanism and an imaged narrow low wave speed zone in the uppermost mantle.
NEDD4 controls spermatogonial stem cell homeostasis and stress response by regulating messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes
Authors: Zhou Zhi , Kawabe Hiroshi , Suzuki Atsushi , Shinmyozu Kaori , Saga Yumiko
Published: June 2017

P bodies (PBs) and stress granules (SGs) are conserved cytoplasmic aggregates of cellular messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes (mRNPs) that are implicated in mRNA metabolism and play crucial roles in adult stem cell homeostasis and stress responses. However, the mechanisms underlying the dynamics of mRNP granules are poorly understood. Here, we report NEDD4, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, as a key regulator of mRNP dynamics that controls the size of the spermatogonial progenitor cell (SPC) pool. We find that NEDD4 targets an RNA-binding protein, NANOS2, in spermatogonia to destabilize it, leading to cell differentiation. In addition, NEDD4 is required for SG clearance. NEDD4 targets SGs and facilitates their rapid clearance through the endosomal–lysosomal pathway during the recovery period. Therefore, NEDD4 controls the turnover of mRNP components and inhibits pathological SG accumulation. Accordingly, we propose that a NEDD4-mediated mechanism regulates mRNP dynamics, and facilitates SPC homeostasis and viability under normal and stress conditions.
Crop wild relative populations of Beta vulgaris allow direct mapping of agronomically important genes
Authors: Capistrano-Gossmann Gina G. , Ries D. , Holtgräwe D. , Minoche A. , Kraft T. , Frerichmann S.L.M. , Rosleff Soerensen T. , Dohm J. C. , González I. , Schilhabel M. , Varrelmann M. , Tschoep H. , Uphoff H. , Schütze K. , Borchardt D. , Toerjek O. , Mechelke W. , Lein J. C. , Schechert A. W. , Frese L. , Himmelbauer H. , Weisshaar B. , Kopisch-Obuch F. J.
Published: June 2017

Rapid identification of agronomically important genes is of pivotal interest for crop breeding. One source of such genes are crop wild relative (CWR) populations. Here we used a CWR population of <200 wild beets (B. vulgaris ssp. maritima), sampled in their natural habitat, to identify the sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris) resistance gene Rz2 with a modified version of mapping-by-sequencing (MBS). For that, we generated a draft genome sequence of the wild beet. Our results show the importance of preserving CWR in situ and demonstrate the great potential of CWR for rapid discovery of causal genes relevant for crop improvement. The candidate gene for Rz2 was identified by MBS and subsequently corroborated via RNA interference (RNAi). Rz2 encodes a CC-NB-LRR protein. Access to the DNA sequence of Rz2 opens the path to improvement of resistance towards rhizomania not only by marker-assisted breeding but also by genome editing.
Small extracellular vesicles secreted from senescent cells promote cancer cell proliferation through EphA2
Authors: Takasugi Masaki , Okada Ryo , Takahashi Akiko , Virya Chen David , Watanabe Sugiko , Hara Eiji
Published: June 2017

Cellular senescence prevents the proliferation of cells at risk for neoplastic transformation. However, the altered secretome of senescent cells can promote the growth of the surrounding cancer cells. Although extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as new players in intercellular communication, their role in the function of senescent cell secretome has been largely unexplored. Here, we show that exosome-like small EVs (sEVs) are important mediators of the pro-tumorigenic function of senescent cells. sEV-associated EphA2 secreted from senescent cells binds to ephrin-A1, that is, highly expressed in several types of cancer cells and promotes cell proliferation through EphA2/ephrin-A1 reverse signalling. sEV sorting of EphA2 is increased in senescent cells because of its enhanced phosphorylation resulting from oxidative inactivation of PTP1B phosphatase. Our results demonstrate a novel mechanism of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-regulated cargo sorting into sEVs, which is critical for the potentially deleterious growth-promoting effect of the senescent cell secretome.
Architecture of the RNA polymerase II-Paf1C-TFIIS transcription elongation complex
Authors: Xu Youwei , Bernecky Carrie , Lee Chung-Tien , Maier Kerstin C. , Schwalb Björn , Tegunov Dimitry , Plitzko Jürgen M. , Urlaub Henning , Cramer Patrick
Published: June 2017

The conserved polymerase-associated factor 1 complex (Paf1C) plays multiple roles in chromatin transcription and genomic regulation. Paf1C comprises the five subunits Paf1, Leo1, Ctr9, Cdc73 and Rtf1, and binds to the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription elongation complex (EC). Here we report the reconstitution of Paf1C from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and a structural analysis of Paf1C bound to a Pol II EC containing the elongation factor TFIIS. Cryo-electron microscopy and crosslinking data reveal that Paf1C is highly mobile and extends over the outer Pol II surface from the Rpb2 to the Rpb3 subunit. The Paf1-Leo1 heterodimer and Cdc73 form opposite ends of Paf1C, whereas Ctr9 bridges between them. Consistent with the structural observations, the initiation factor TFIIF impairs Paf1C binding to Pol II, whereas the elongation factor TFIIS enhances it. We further show that Paf1C is globally required for normal mRNA transcription in yeast. These results provide a three-dimensional framework for further analysis of Paf1C function in transcription through chromatin.
Understanding the origin of Paris Agreement emission uncertainties
Authors: Rogelj Joeri , Fricko Oliver , Meinshausen Malte , Krey Volker , Zilliacus Johanna J. J. , Riahi Keywan
Published: June 2017

The UN Paris Agreement puts in place a legally binding mechanism to increase mitigation action over time. Countries put forward pledges called nationally determined contributions (NDC) whose impact is assessed in global stocktaking exercises. Subsequently, actions can then be strengthened in light of the Paris climate objective: limiting global mean temperature increase to well below 2 °C and pursuing efforts to limit it further to 1.5 °C. However, pledged actions are currently described ambiguously and this complicates the global stocktaking exercise. Here, we systematically explore possible interpretations of NDC assumptions, and show that this results in estimated emissions for 2030 ranging from 47 to 63 GtCO2e yr−1. We show that this uncertainty has critical implications for the feasibility and cost to limit warming well below 2 °C and further to 1.5 °C. Countries are currently working towards clarifying the modalities of future NDCs. We identify salient avenues to reduce the overall uncertainty by about 10 percentage points through simple, technical clarifications regarding energy accounting rules. Remaining uncertainties depend to a large extent on politically valid choices about how NDCs are expressed, and therefore raise the importance of a thorough and robust process that keeps track of where emissions are heading over time.
Sequence variants in ARHGAP15, COLQ and FAM155A associate with diverticular disease and diverticulitis
Authors: Sigurdsson Snaevar , Alexandersson Kristjan F. , Sulem Patrick , Feenstra Bjarke , Gudmundsdottir Steinunn , Halldorsson Gisli H. , Olafsson Sigurgeir , Sigurdsson Asgeir , Rafnar Thorunn , Thorgeirsson Thorgeir , Sørensen Erik , Nordholm-Carstensen Andreas , Burcharth Jakob , Andersen Jens , Jørgensen Henrik Stig , Possfelt-Møller Emma , Ullum Henrik , Thorleifsson Gudmar , Masson Gisli , Thorsteinsdottir Unnur , Melbye Mads , Gudbjartsson Daniel F. , Stefansson Tryggvi , Jonsdottir Ingileif , Stefansson Kari
Published: June 2017

Diverticular disease is characterized by pouches (that is, diverticulae) due to weakness in the bowel wall, which can become infected and inflamed causing diverticulitis, with potentially severe complications. Here, we test 32.4 million sequence variants identified through whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 15,220 Icelanders for association with diverticular disease (5,426 cases) and its more severe form diverticulitis (2,764 cases). Subsequently, 16 sequence variants are followed up in a diverticular disease sample from Denmark (5,970 cases, 3,020 controls). In the combined Icelandic and Danish data sets we observe significant association of intronic variants inARHGAP15(Rho GTPase-activating protein 15; rs4662344-T:P=1.9 × 10−18, odds ratio (OR)=1.23) andCOLQ(collagen-like tail subunit of asymmetric acetylcholinesterase; rs7609897-T:P=1.5 × 10−10, OR=0.87) with diverticular disease and inFAM155A(family with sequence similarity 155A; rs67153654-A:P=3.0 × 10−11, OR=0.82) with diverticulitis. These are the first loci shown to associate with diverticular disease in a genome-wide study.
Quantum gambling based on Nash-equilibrium
Authors: Zhang Pei , Zhou Xiao-Qi , Wang Yun-Long , Liu Bi-Heng , Shadbolt Pete , Zhang Yong-Sheng , Gao Hong , Li Fu-Li , O’Brien Jeremy L.
Published: June 2017

The problem of establishing a fair bet between spatially separated gambler and casino can only be solved in the classical regime by relying on a trusted third party. By combining Nash-equilibrium theory with quantum game theory, we show that a secure, remote, two-party game can be played using a quantum gambling machine which has no classical counterpart. Specifically, by modifying the Nash-equilibrium point we can construct games with arbitrary amount of bias, including a game that is demonstrably fair to both parties. We also report a proof-of-principle experimental demonstration using linear optics.
NMR structure of the Bacillus cereus hemolysin II C-terminal domain reveals a novel fold
Authors: Kaplan Anne R. , Kaus Katherine , De Swastik , Olson Rich , Alexandrescu Andrei T.
Published: June 2017

In addition to multiple virulence factors, Bacillus cereus a pathogen that causes food poisoning and life-threatening wound infections, secretes the pore-forming toxin hemolysin II (HlyII). The HlyII toxin has a unique 94 amino acid C-terminal domain (HlyIIC). HlyIIC exhibits splitting of NMR resonances due to cis/trans isomerization of a single proline near the C-terminus. To overcome heterogeneity, we solved the structure of P405M-HlyIIC, a mutant that exclusively stabilizes the trans state. The NMR structure of HlyIIC reveals a novel fold, consisting of two subdomains αA-β1-β2 and β3-β4-αB-β5, that come together in a barrel-like structure. The barrel core is fastened by three layers of hydrophobic residues. The barrel end opposite the HlyIIC-core has a positively charged surface, that by binding negatively charged moieties on cellular membranes, may play a role in target-cell surface recognition or stabilization of the heptameric pore complex. In the WT domain, dynamic flexibility occurs at the N-terminus and the first α-helix that connects the HlyIIC domain to the HlyII-core structure. In the destabilizing P405M mutant, increased flexibility is evident throughout the first subdomain, suggesting that the HlyIIC structure may have arisen through gene fusion.
CXCL12 and osteopontin from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells improve muscle regeneration
Authors: Maeda Yasushi , Yonemochi Yasuhiro , Nakajyo Yuki , Hidaka Hideaki , Ikeda Tokunori , Ando Yukio
Published: June 2017

Muscle satellite cells are essential for muscle regeneration. However, efficient regeneration does not occur without muscle-resident mesenchymal progenitor cells. We show here that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (Bm-MSCs) also facilitate muscle regeneration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) model mice. Bm-MSCs transplanted into peritoneal cavities of DMD model mice with severe muscle degeneration strongly suppressed dystrophic pathology and improved death-related symptoms, which resulted in dramatic lifespan extension. Isolated single myofibers from Bm-MSC-transplanted mice manifested considerably less myofiber splitting compared with myofibers from non-transplanted mice, which indicated that transplantation significantly ameliorated abnormal regeneration. With regard to the number of satellite cells, several cells remained on myofibers from Bm-MSC-transplanted model mice, but satellite cells rarely occurred on myofibers from non-transplanted mice. Also, CXCL12 was crucial for muscle regeneration. CXCL12 facilitated muscle regeneration and paired box protein–7 (PAX7) expression after cardiotoxin-related muscle injury in vivo. The majority of primary muscle satellite cells sorted by integrin-α7 and CD34 expressed CXCR4, a receptor specific for CXCL12. CXCL12 strongly suppressed p-STAT3 expression in these sorted cells in vitro. CXCL12 may therefore influence muscle regeneration through STAT3 signaling in satellite cells. Targeting these proteins in or on muscle satellite cells may improve many degenerative muscle diseases.
Exogenous interleukin 37 ameliorates atherosclerosis via inducing the Treg response in ApoE-deficient mice
Authors: Ji Qingwei , Meng Kai , Yu Kunwu , Huang Song , Huang Ying , Min Xiaohong , Zhong Yucheng , Wu Bangwei , Liu Yuzhou , Nie Shaoping , Zhang Jianwei , Zhou Yujie , Zeng Qiutang
Published: June 2017

Our previous study indicated that interleukin (IL)-37 is involved in atherosclerosis. In the present study, Anterior tibial arteries were collected from diabetes patients and controls. A histopathological analysis showed that IL-37 was over-expressed in human atherosclerotic plaques. Many types of cells including macrophages, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), endothelial cells and T lymphocyte expressed IL-37 in human atherosclerotic plaques. ApoE−/− mice were divided into a control group and a recombinant human IL-37-treated group. The IL-37 treatment resulted in a significant decrease in macrophages and CD4+ T lymphocytes and a substantial increase in VSMCs and collagen in atherosclerotic plaques, resulting in a reduction in atherosclerotic plaque size. Furthermore, the IL-37 treatment modulated the CD4+ T lymphocyte activity, including a decrease in T helper cell type 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells and an increase in regulatory T (Treg) cells, and inhibited the maturity of dendritic cells both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, treatment with anti-IL-10 receptor monoclonal antibody abrogated the anti-atherosclerotic effects of IL-37. These data suggest that exogenous IL-37 ameliorates atherosclerosis via inducing the Treg response. IL-37 may be a novel therapeutic to prevent and treat atherosclerotic disease.
Discovering overlapped protein complexes from weighted PPI networks by removing inter-module hubs
Authors: Maddi A. M. A. , Eslahchi Ch.
Published: June 2017

Detecting known protein complexes and predicting undiscovered protein complexes from protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks help us to understand principles of cell organization and its functions. Nevertheless, the discovery of protein complexes based on experiment still needs to be explored. Therefore, computational methods are useful approaches to overcome the experimental limitations. Nevertheless, extraction of protein complexes from PPI network is often nontrivial. Two major constraints are large amount of noise and ignorance of occurrence time of different interactions in PPI network. In this paper, an efficient algorithm, Inter Module Hub Removal Clustering (IMHRC), is developed based on inter-module hub removal in the weighted PPI network which can detect overlapped complexes. By removing some of the inter-module hubs and module hubs, IMHRC eliminates high amount of noise in dataset and implicitly considers different occurrence time of the PPI in network. The performance of the IMHRC was evaluated on several benchmark datasets and results were compared with some of the state-of-the-art models. The protein complexes discovered with the IMHRC method show significantly better agreement with the real complexes than other current methods. Our algorithm provides an accurate and scalable method for detecting and predicting protein complexes from PPI networks.
Sb2Se3 assembling Sb2O3@ attapulgite as an emerging composites for catalytic hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol
Authors: Tan Lin , Tang Aidong , Zou Yue , Long Mei , Zhang Yi , Ouyang Jin , Chen Jing
Published: June 2017

The construction and application of a new type of composite material are achieved more and more attention. However, expected Sb2Se3/attapulgite composites aim to use the low price, and high adsorption of attapulgite in assembling Sb2Se3 is quite difficult to be acquired by a facile and benign environmental hydrothermal method. In this manuscript, we developed a new way for preparation of an emerging composite by means of Sb2O3 as a media linking Sb2Se3 and attapulgite together, and finally won an emerging composite Sb2Se3/Sb2O3@attapulgite, which presented an excellent catalytic properties for catalytic hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol. It was noted that the Sb2Se3/Sb2O3@attapulgite composites exhibited a high conversion rate for the hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol that was up to 90.7% within 15 min, which was far more than the 61.5% of Sb2Se3 sample. The excellent catalytic performance was attributed to the highly dispersion Sb2Se3 microbelts and Sb2Se3@Sb2O3@attapulgite rods, which would improve the adsorption of the reactant species and facility electronic transfer process of the catalytic hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol.
Visual adaptation reveals an objective electrophysiological measure of high-level individual face discrimination
Authors: Retter Talia L. , Rossion Bruno
Published: June 2017

The ability to individualize faces is a fundamental human brain function. Following visual adaptation to one individual face, the suppressed neural response to this identity becomes discriminable from an unadapted facial identity at a neural population level. Here, we investigate a simple and objective measure of individual face discrimination with electroencephalographic (EEG) frequency tagging following adaptation. In a first condition, (1) two facial identities are presented in alternation at a rate of six images per second (6 Hz; 3 Hz identity repetition rate) for a 20 s testing sequence, following 10-s adaptation to one of the facial identities; this results in a significant identity discrimination response at 3 Hz in the frequency domain of the EEG over right occipito-temporal channels, replicating our previous findings. Such a 3 Hz response is absent for two novel conditions, in which (2) the faces are inverted and (3) an identity physically equidistant from the two faces is adapted. These results indicate that low-level visual features present in inverted or unspecific facial identities are not sufficient to produce the adaptation effect found for upright facial stimuli, which appears to truly reflect identity-specific perceptual representations in the human brain.
Prognostic nutritional index predicts clinical outcome in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Chen Qing-Jie , Qu Hui-Juan , Li Dong-Ze , Li Xiao-Mei , Zhu Jia-Jun , Xiang Yang , Li Lei , Ma Yi-Tong , Yang Yi-Ning
Published: June 2017

We aimed to investigate whether the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), a combined nutritional-inflammatory score based on serum albumin levels and lymphocyte count, was associated with mortality in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). From September 2011 to November 2014, 309 consecutive patients with STEMI undergoing pPCI were prospectively enrolled. Patients with a combined score of albumin (g/L) + 5 × total lymphocyte count × 109/L ≥ 45 or <45 were assigned a PNI score of 0 or 1, respectively. Of the 309 STEMI patients, 24 (7.74%) died in the hospital, and 15 (4.83%) died during long-term follow-up (median follow-up time, 19.5 [3–36] months). Compared to patients with a PNI of 0, patients with a PNI of 1 had significantly higher in-hospital (14.2% vs. 3.7%; P < 0.001) and long-term follow-up (21.7% vs. 6.9%, P < 0.001) mortality rates. PNI (1/0, HR, 2.414; 95% CI, 1.016 to 5.736; P = 0.046) was a significant independent predictor of mortality in patients with STEMI undergoing pPCI. Moreover, cumulative survival was significantly lower for patients with a PNI of 1 compared to patients with a PNI of 0 (78.3% vs. 93.1%, log-rank P < 0.001). PNI appears useful for the risk stratification of STEMI patients undergoing pPCI.
PTH [1–34] induced differentiation and mineralization of mandibular condylar cartilage
Authors: O’ Brien Mara Heather , Dutra Eliane Hermes , Lima Alexandro , Nanda Ravindra , Yadav Sumit
Published: June 2017

Intermittent Parathyroid Hormone (I-PTH) is the only FDA approved anabolic drug therapy available for the treatment of osteoporosis in males and postmenopausal females. The effects of I-PTH on the chondrogenic lineage of the mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC) are not well understood. To investigate the role of I-PTH on the MCC and subchondral bone, we carried out our studies using 4 to 5 week old triple transgenic mice (Col1a1XCol2a1XCol10a1). The experimental group was injected with PTH (80 μg/kg) daily for 2 weeks, while control group was injected with saline. Our histology showed that the I-PTH treatment led to an increased number of cells expressing Col1a1, Col2a1 and Col10a1. Additionally, there was an increase in cellular proliferation, increased proteoglycan distribution, increased cartilage thickness, increased TRAP activity, and mineralization. Immunohistochemical staining showed increased expression of pSMAD158 and VEGF in the MCC and subchondral bone. Furthermore our microCT data showed that I-PTH treatment led to an increased bone volume fraction, tissue density and trabecular thickness, with a decrease in trabecular spacing. Morphometric measurements showed increased mandibular length and condyle head length following I-PTH treatment. In conclusion, our study suggests that I-PTH plays a critical role in cellular proliferation, proteoglycan distribution, and mineralization of the MCC.
Amplifying the signal of localized surface plasmon resonance sensing for the sensitive detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7
Authors: Song Liping , Zhang Lei , Huang Youju , Chen Liming , Zhang Ganggang , Shen Zheyu , Zhang Jiawei , Xiao Zhidong , Chen Tao
Published: June 2017

Gold nanorods (Au NRs) based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors have been widely employed in various fields including biology, environment and food safety detection, but their size- and shape-dependent sensitivity limits their practical applications in sensing and biological detection. In our present work, we proposed an approach to maximally amplify the signal of Au NRs based LSPR sensing by coating an optimized thickness of mesoporous silica onto Au NRs. The plasmonic peaks of Au NRs@SiO2 with different shell thickness showed finely linear response to the change of surrounding refractive index. The optimized thickness of mesoporous silica of Au NRs@SiO2 not only provided high stability for LSPR sensor,but also displayed much higher sensitivity (390 nm/RIU) than values of Au NRs from previous reports. The obtained Au NRs@SiO2 based LSPR sensor was further used in practical application for selectively detection of the E. coli O157:H7, and the detection limit achieved 10 CFU, which is much lower than conventional methods such as electrochemical methods and lateral-flow immunochromatography.
Diagnostic capability of Pulsar perimetry in pre-perimetric and early glaucoma
Authors: Hirasawa Kazunori , Takahashi Natsumi , Matsumura Kazuhiro , Kasahara Masayuki , Shoji Nobuyuki
Published: June 2017

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic capability of Pulsar perimetry (Pulsar) in pre-perimetric glaucoma (PPG) and early glaucoma (EG) with that of Flicker perimetry (Flicker) and spectral-domain optical conference tomography (SD-OCT). This prospective cross-sectional study included 25 eyes of 25 PPG patients, 35 eyes of 35 EG patients, and 42 eyes of 42 healthy participants. The diagnostic capability using the area under the curve (AUC) of the best parameter and agreement of detectability between structural and functional measurements were compared. For PPG patients, the AUC of Pulsar, Flicker, OCT-disc, and OCT-macular was 0.733, 0.663, 0.842, and 0.780, respectively. The AUC of Flicker was significantly lower than that of OCT-disc (p = 0.016). For EG patients, the AUC of Pulsar, Flicker, OCT-disc, and OCT-macular were 0.851, 0.869, 0.907, and 0.861, respectively. There was no significant difference in AUC among these methods. The agreement between structural and functional measurements expressed by kappa value ranged from −0.16 to 0.07 for PPG and from 0.01 to 0.25 for EG. Although the diagnostic capability of Pulsar in the PPG and EG groups was equal to that of Flicker and SD-OCT, the agreements between structural and functional measurements for both PPG and EG were poor.
Quantized chiral anomaly materials cloak
Authors: Zeng Lunwu , Song Runxia
Published: June 2017

Chiral anomaly materials (CAM, e.g., axion insulator, topological insulator and some of Weyl semimetal) are new states of quantum matter. Anomalous Hall effect can occur in CAM, the anomalous Hall effect is closely related to the topological magneto-electric effect, i.e., when an electric field is applied to CAM, not only the electric field is induced, but also the magnetic field, vice versa. According to those properties, we design an electric cloak with quantized CAM and conductor, and a magnetic cloak with quantized CAM and superconductor. Simulation and calculation results show that the electric cloak can cloak applied electric field and induce magnetic field, and the magnetic cloak can cloak applied magnetic field and induce electric field. When applied electric field is generated by a point charge, the monopole can be obtained.
Clinicopathological features and surgical treatment of cervical oesophageal cancer
Authors: Chen Shao-bin , Yang Xi-hong , Weng Hong-rui , Liu Di-tian , Li Hua , Chen Yu-ping
Published: June 2017

Cervical oesophageal cancer (CEC) is a relatively uncommon malignancy. The biological behaviour and treatment have not been well studied. This retrospective study reviewed the clinicopathological features of 28 patients with CEC who underwent surgical resection to investigate the biological behaviour, treatment and prognosis of CEC. The long-term outcomes of these patients were compared with those of the CEC patients who received definitive chemoradiotherapy and those of thoracic or abdominal oesophageal cancer patients who underwent surgery. The study group contained 21 men and 7 women, ranging in age from 41 to 67 years (median: 56.5 years). The median survival time and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 25.0 months, 83.8%, 48.8%, and 41.9%, respectively. Only salvage surgery was found to affect the overall survival (P = 0.007). The long-term outcomes for CEC patients who underwent surgery were significantly better than those who received definitive chemoradiotherapy (P = 0.045) but were similar to those of thoracic or abdominal oesophageal cancer patients. In summary, CEC is an uncommon and aggressive malignancy. The malignant potential of CEC is similar to that of thoracic or abdominal oesophageal cancer. Surgical resection is an important therapeutic strategy and may be associated with better survival rates than definitive chemoradiotherapy.