bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Juger les plus hauts responsables pour crimes sexuels à la Cour pénale internationale : l’utilité de la responsabilité par omission à la lumière de la décision de la chambre de première instance dans l’affaire Bemba
Authors: Bienvenu Haba Moussa , Lafontaine Fannie
Published: March 2019

Cet article analyse de façon générale l’interaction entre les modes de responsabilité et la répression des crimes sexuels à la Cour pénale internationale (CPI). Plus précisément, il tente de montrer les difficultés inhérentes à l’établissement de la responsabilité pénale des hauts responsables (hauts dirigeants politiques et militaires) pour des crimes sexuels en vertu des modes d’action prévus à l’article 25 (3) du Statut de Rome de la CPI, principalement la coaction et la complicité résiduelle de l’article 25 (3) (d). De l’expérience de la CPI, la satisfaction des critères objectifs et subjectifs exigeants de ces modes d’action a souvent constitué un goulot d’étranglement pour la répression effective des crimes sexuels. Partant, à la lumière de la décision de la Chambre de première instance dans l’affaire Bemba, la présente contribution met en exergue le rôle que peut jouer la responsabilité du supérieur hiérarchique pour établir la culpabilité des plus hauts responsables qui sont dans le collimateur de la Cour.
Nouveaux développements relatifs à l’article 98-1 du Statut de Rome
Authors: Demaria Tiphaine
Published: March 2019

L’article 98-1 du Statut de Rome régit la situation particulière dans laquelle la Cour pénale internationale requiert d’un État partie la remise d’un accusé disposant d’immunités émanant d’un État non partie. Dans ce cas, la Cour doit préalablement obtenir la levée de cette protection par l’État tiers. Cette disposition – relativement technique – ne laissait présager lors de son adoption la bataille judiciaire engagée depuis entre la Cour et de nombreux États à propos du Président soudanais, Omar Al Bashir. Ce dernier, soumis à un mandat d’arrêt depuis 2009, n’a toujours pas été arrêté et livré malgré son accueil par des États membres de la CPI lors de nombreux déplacements diplomatiques. Se fondant sur la disposition précitée, ces États avancent que, faute de renonciation à l’immunité par la République du Soudan, ils ne peuvent faire droit aux demandes de la Cour. En juillet 2017, une Chambre préliminaire a inauguré une troisième position juridique justifiant la remise du Président Al Bashir, nonobstant la disposition précitée, en se fondant sur la Résolution 1593 (2005) du Conseil de sécurité. Cet article examine cet imbroglio juridique, et analyse les raisons pour lesquelles cette troisième voie ne devrait, de l’avis de l’auteur, être la dernière.
Les dimensions et les dynamiques régionales et internationales de la justice transitionnelle au Burundi : proposition de création d’un organe de droit pénal international au sein de la Communauté Est-Africaine
Authors: Nkurunziza Nestor
Published: March 2019

Cet article utilise le Burundi comme principal cas d’étude pour proposer la création d’un organe de droit pénal international au sein de la Communauté des États d’Afrique de l’Est (EAC). L’article tient compte des projets en cours au sein de l’Union Africaine vers une régionalisation de la justice pénale internationale en Afrique. Il repose en outre sur une pratique prometteuse de l’actuelle Cour de Justice de l’EAC (EACJ) dans les domaines de la bonne gouvernance, l’État de droit et les droits de l’homme. Même si le Burundi est utilisé comme principal cas d’étude, les arguments avancés valent également dans les contextes de la plupart des États membres de la Communauté en situation de transition post conflit, avec des défis comparables en matière d’État de droit. L’argument principal de l’article repose sur l’idée qu’une mise en oeuvre régionaliste du droit pénal international offre des avantages uniques ainsi qu’un potentiel plus élevé pour atteindre des objectifs d’une importance capitale dans les contextes post conflit d’administration de la justice pénale internationale. Par conséquent, l’auteur propose qu’en cas de conflits de compétence entre des juridictions toutes supra-nationales (sous-régional, continental, international), envisageables dorénavant, la juridiction internationale ayant la plus grande proximité avec le territoire du pays où les crimes ont été commis jouit d’une priorité d’intervention, à défaut de poursuites nationales. Situant cet argument dans le contexte de la crise que connait la Cour Pénale Internationale (CPI) sur le continent africain, l’auteur soutient qu’en théorie cette solution qui revient à promouvoir les juridictions régionales comme sphères privilégiées d’application du droit pénal international ne s’inscrit pas nécessairement en porte à faux avec une bonne coopération en matière d’intervention pénale internationale. Au contraire, cette solution est règle générale mieux conforme aux fondements et aux buts d’une politique de complémentarité positive en matière d’intervention pénale internationale dans le contexte d’une pluralité de juridictions supra-nationales de droit pénal international.
LA JUDICIARISATION DES ATTEINTES ENVIRONNEMENTALES : LA COUR PÉNALE INTERNATIONALE À LA RESCOUSSE?
Authors: Tshiamala Banungana Christian
Published: March 2019

De nos jours, l’ampleur caractérisant la criminalité environnementale rend compte de l’inadaptation des mesures législatives et juridictionnelles adoptées par les États en vue de la répression des actes graves d’atteinte à l’environnement. Cette inadaptation met en évidence l’incapacité de l’appareil judiciaire de l’État à rencontrer efficacement les réalités criminelles définissant la commission de certaines atteintes environnementales. Il en résulte un phénomène quasi endémique d’impunité à l’égard des milliers d’actes de portée criminelle perpétrés contre l’environnement à des fins lucratives. S’inscrivant dans une démarche prospective, cette étude entend, à l’instar de la démonstration des limites du cadre actuel de répression de la criminalité environnementale, réfléchir sur les possibilités visant à étendre la compétence de la Cour pénale internationale à la répression des atteintes graves portées à l’environnement commises dans un contexte de paix. Pour y arriver, il va falloir amender le Statut de Rome instituant la Cour pénale internationale pour y intégrer la répression des actes qualifiés comme tels et l’adapter aux exigences propres à la singularité des atteintes portées à l’environnement. Ainsi, le crime international d’écocide deviendrait le cinquième crime dans la compétence matérielle de la Cour pénale internationale.
Empirical Issues and Challenges for Multilevel Governance: The Case of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games
Authors: Parent Milena , Rouillard Christian , Chappelet Jean-Loup
Published: March 2019

How did a large network of over 600 actors successfully organize itself to serve a mega project dominated by three levels of government, even as control rested with a non-profit entity, included other sectors, and the governments involved did not normally work well together? The purpose of this paper is to examine how the three levels of government in Canada established a network to coordinate efforts for hosting the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. This case study was built by means of documents and interviews, and supported by participant observations. The network was not found to be dense, but did include a multiplexity of ties (e.g., transactions, communications, collaborations, and coordinating bridges) by actors serving diverse strategic goals and scopes of work. The case was compared to data collected for the 2012 London Olympic Games to draw out key network governance coordination themes. Nine governance themes emerged associated with governance structure, processes, and evaluation: coordination mechanisms; internal engagement, momentum, and motivation; external transparency; formalization; balancing autonomy and interdependence; co-location; readiness exercises; political alignment; and time. The findings provide a framework for examining the governance of multi-level, multi-sectorial networks created to undertake a mega project and indicate how a network’s public and non-profit organizations’ activities and procedures can be influenced, modified, and impacted by the other actors (i.e., other public or non-profit organizations).
Rural Governmentality in Alberta: A Case Study of Neoliberalism in Rural Canada
Authors: Hallstrom Lars K.
Published: March 2019

Rural communities in Canada have faced a long history of capital and labour flight, resource extraction, and political marginalization. At the same time, despite decades of efforts toward rural development and economic/social diversification, there is little evidence of change or improved resilience in rural Canada. This article seeks to examine this lack of change against the backdrop of that developmental history, and the underlying logics that have informed rural policy-making. Focusing on Alberta, this paper argues that rural communities face a third phase of developmental approaches embedded within a neoliberal governmentality, one that emphasizes equality of opportunity, competition, capacity-building, and collaboration. This approach is simultaneously situated within a broader neoliberal objective of defining both citizens and rural communities as economic actors. In turn, this article examines the scope, scale, and role of energy and agricultural investments as a demonstration of how neoliberal governmentality structures not only how rural development is framed, but constructs economic agency for rural communities as “the only game in town” for the very populations that bear the costs. As a result, the historical failure of rural development is unlikely to change, yet, rather than be understood as problematic, will increasingly be seen as a failure on the part of rural communities themselves.
La dialectique aedificatio-dedicatio dans l’oeuvre d’Augustin d’Hippone
Authors: Méhu Didier
Published: March 2019

Le sermon 163 d’Augustin d’Hippone aurait été prononcé à l’occasion de la dédicace de la basilica Honoriana de Carthage, le 23 septembre 417. Ancré dans le commentaire du verset 5,16 de l’épître aux Galates, Spiritu ambulate et concupiscentias carnis ne perfeceritis, il propose une comparaison entre le processus du salut humain et l’édification de l’église. Les deux aboutissent à la « dédicace », celle du temple de pierres que l’on célèbre alors et celle des élus réunis auprès de Dieu. Nous cherchons à discerner les implications historiques de la dialectique aedificatio-dedicatio qui traverse le sermon, en regard de l’évolution du discours sur le lieu de culte chrétien et de la mise en place d’une structure sociale polarisée par les églises au tournant des ive et ve siècles.
La question de l’étranger et de l’hospitalité chez les prophètes
Authors: Di Pede Elena
Published: March 2019

La question de l’hospitalité dans la Bible, chez les prophètes en particulier, est intimement liée à la question de l’étranger. La dynamique est complexe et la littérature prophétique en rend compte à sa manière. On essayera de mettre en évidence — thématiquement et essentiellement de manière synchronique — la manière dont l’hospitalité que l’on peut réserver, à l’étranger, est envisagée dans ce corpus biblique, essentiellement sous trois points : 1) dans la ligne de la Torah, l’étranger est quelqu’un à accueillir et respecter ; 2) l’étranger — auquel Israël souhaite parfois ressembler — apparaît comme un ennemi qui soumet Israël mais que ce dernier finira par soumettre à son tour ; 3) le contraste entre l’exclusivité d’Israël aux yeux de son dieu, Yhwh, et l’accueil que celui-ci réserve aux Nations.
L'utilisation de données de recherche sans votre accord lors d'un partenariat de santé mondiale
Authors: Ridde Valéry
Published: March 2019

La recherche en santé mondiale est la majeure partie du temps réalisée dans un contexte de collaboration internationale, notamment Nord/Sud. Le contexte particulier de ce type partenariat (pouvoir, argent, distance, normes, formation, etc.) peut notamment entrainer des enjeux importants dans l'utilisation des données collectées. Cette étude de cas permet au lecteur de s'interroger sur cet enjeu particulier et sur les actions qu'il pourrait réaliser pour y faire face.
Impact study of data locality on task-based applications through the Heteroprio scheduler
Authors: Bramas Bérenger
Published: March 2019

The task-based approach has gained much attention to use modern heterogeneous computing nodes. It allows parallelizing with an abstraction of the hardware by delegating task distribution and load balancing to a dynamic scheduler. In this organization, the scheduler is the most critical component that solves the DAG-scheduling problem in order to select the right processing unit for the computation of each task. In this work, we extend our Heteroprio scheduler that was originally created to execute the fast multipole method on multi-GPUs nodes. We improve Heteroprio by taking into account data locality during task assignation. The main principle is to use different task-lists for the different memory nodes and to investigate how locality affinity between the tasks and the different memory nodes can be evaluated without looking at the tasks' dependencies. The interest of the present method was evaluated on two linear algebra applications and a stencil code. It was deduced that simple heuristics can provide significant performance improvement and cut by more than half the total memory transfer of an execution.
Hydrogeochemical characterization of the urban coastal aquifers of Napoli (southern Italy): an overview
Authors: Corniello Alfonso , Ducci Daniela
Published: March 2019

The presence of phenomena of salt water intrusion in aquifers located in coastal urbanized areas, especially depended on the use of groundwater, is a widespread problem in the world. The study deals with the large coastal belt of the Municipality of Naples(southern Italy), located between the volcanic areas of the Somma-Vesuvius (East) and the Phlegrean Fields (West). Three different coastal sectors were analysed: the plain of Bagnoli-Fuorigrotta (BF), the area of Mount Echia (E) and the area of Eastern Naples (EN). Acquired chemical data allowed of the identification of three different groundwater chemical features and the prevalent absence of sea water contamination, mainly due to the low use of these waters. The study highlighted the chief role of the presence of faults in this volcanic area, favouring the upwelling of gases (prevalently CO2). These gases increase the groundwater reactivity causing, in the Mount Echia sector, the presence of sulphurous mineral waters and, in the Bagnoli-Fuorigrotta sector, determining the alteration of the natural relationship between freshwater and saltwater. Moreover, in the Eastern Naples sector, the occurrence of lenses of peat, which play an important hydrogeologic role as aquiclude, can determine reducing condition in the aquifers, with high concentrations in Fe and Mn.
Instrument-Assisted Soft-Tissue Mobilization for the Management of Chronic Plantar Heel Pain: A Pilot Study
Authors: Jones Edward R. , Finley Margaret A. , Fruth Stacie J. , McPoil Thomas G.
Published: March 2019

Background:

The purpose of this study was to determine feasibility of further investigation of treatment with instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization (IASTM), using the Graston technique, compared with conservative care for treatment of chronic plantar heel pain (CPHP).

Methods:

Eleven participants with plantar heel pain lasting 6 weeks to 1 year were randomly assigned to one of two groups, with each group receiving up to eight physical therapy visits. Both groups received the same stretching, exercise, and home program, but the experimental group also received IASTM using the Graston technique. Outcome measures of pain and function were recorded at baseline, after final treatment, and 90 days later. Feasibility of a larger study was determined considering recruitment and retention rates, compliance, successful application of the protocol and estimates of the treatment effect.

Results:

Both groups demonstrated improvements in current pain (pain at time of survey), pain with the first step in the morning, and function after final treatment and at 90-day follow up. Medium-to-large effect sizes between groups were noted, and sample size estimates demonstrated a need for at least 42 participants to realize a group difference. A larger-scale study was determined to be feasible with modifications including a larger sample size and higher recruitment rate.

Conclusions:

This pilot study demonstrates that inclusion of IASTM using the Graston technique for CPHP lasting longer than 6 weeks is a feasible intervention warranting further study. Clinically important changes in the IASTM group and moderate-to-large between-group effect sizes suggest that further research is warranted to determine whether these trends are meaningful.
Decoupling sensory from decisional choice biases in perceptual decision making
Authors: Linares Daniel , Aguilar-Lleyda David , López-Moliner Joan
Published: March 2019

The contribution of sensory and decisional processes to perceptual decision making is still unclear, even in simple perceptual tasks. When decision makers need to select an action from a set of balanced alternatives, any tendency to choose one alternative more often—choice bias—is consistent with a bias in the sensory evidence, but also with a preference to select that alternative independently of the sensory evidence. To decouple sensory from decisional biases, here we asked humans to perform a simple perceptual discrimination task with two symmetric alternatives under two different task instructions. The instructions varied the response mapping between perception and the category of the alternatives. We found that from 32 participants, 30 exhibited sensory biases and 15 decisional biases. The decisional biases were consistent with a criterion change in a simple signal detection theory model. Perceptual decision making, thus, even in simple scenarios, is affected by sensory and decisional choice biases.
Antigen receptor control of methionine metabolism in T cells
Authors: Sinclair Linda V , Howden Andrew JM , Brenes Alejandro , Spinelli Laura , Hukelmann Jens L , Macintyre Andrew N , Liu Xiaojing , Thomson Sarah , Taylor Peter M , Rathmell Jeffrey C , Locasale Jason W , Lamond Angus I , Cantrell Doreen A
Published: March 2019

Immune activated T lymphocytes modulate the activity of key metabolic pathways to support the transcriptional reprograming and reshaping of cell proteomes that permits effector T cell differentiation. The present study uses high resolution mass spectrometry and metabolic labelling to explore how murine T cells control the methionine cycle to produce methyl donors for protein and nucleotide methylations. We show that antigen receptor engagement controls flux through the methionine cycle and RNA and histone methylations. We establish that the main rate limiting step for protein synthesis and the methionine cycle is control of methionine transporter expression. Only T cells that respond to antigen to upregulate and sustain methionine transport are supplied with methyl donors that permit the dynamic nucleotide methylations and epigenetic reprogramming that drives T cell differentiation. These data highlight how the regulation of methionine transport licenses use of methionine for multiple fundamental processes that drive T lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation.
Identitetspolitikk til besvær – om det nye ubehaget i profesjonsutøvelsen
Authors: Båtnes Per Inge
Published: March 2019

Den moderne profesjonsutøveren synes å ha pådratt seg noen nye utfordringer med hensyn til forvaltning av egen myndighet som ikke var på langt nær like påtakelig bare for få tiår siden. Det er snakk om en form for ubehag eller en frykt som er knyttet til faren for å krenke andre menneskers identitetsfølelse og kanskje utløse aggresjon. Det som skrives i dette lille essayet berører spørsmål som gjelder sammenhenger mellom identitetspolitikk og myndighetsutøvelse i samfunnet. Det som skrives kan også leses som en personlig reorientering med hensyn til spørsmål som gjelder identitet. En fordums begeistring over menneskers innsats når det gjelder å presisere og polere sine identiteter har blitt erstattet av en form for besinnelse og ettertanke.
Old wild wolves: ancient DNA survey unveils population dynamics in Late Pleistocene and Holocene Italian remains
Authors: Ciucani Marta Maria , Palumbo Davide , Galaverni Marco , Serventi Patrizia , Fabbri Elena , Ravegnini Gloria , Angelini Sabrina , Maini Elena , Persico Davide , Caniglia Romolo , Cilli Elisabetta
Published: March 2019

Background

The contemporary Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus) represents a case of morphological and genetic uniqueness. Today, Italian wolves are also the only documented population to fall exclusively within the mitochondrial haplogroup 2, which was the most diffused across Eurasian and North American wolves during the Late Pleistocene. However, the dynamics leading to such distinctiveness are still debated.

Methods

In order to shed light on the ancient genetic variability of this wolf population and on the origin of its current diversity, we collected 19 Late Pleistocene-Holocene samples from northern Italy, which we analyzed at a short portion of the hypervariable region 1 of the mitochondrial DNA, highly informative for wolf and dog phylogenetic analyses.

Results

Four out of the six detected haplotypes matched the ones found in ancient wolves from northern Europe and Beringia, or in modern European and Chinese wolves, and appeared closely related to the two haplotypes currently found in Italian wolves. The haplotype of two Late Pleistocene samples matched with primitive and contemporary dog sequences from the canine mitochondrial clade A. All these haplotypes belonged to haplogroup 2. The only exception was a Holocene sample dated 3,250 years ago, affiliated to haplogroup 1.

Discussion

In this study we describe the genetic variability of the most ancient wolf specimens from Italy analyzed so far, providing a preliminary overview of the genetic make-up of the population that inhabited this area from the last glacial maximum to the Middle Age period. Our results endorsed that the genetic diversity carried by the Pleistocene wolves here analyzed showed a strong continuity with other northern Eurasian wolf specimens from the same chronological period. Contrarily, the Holocene samples showed a greater similarity only with modern sequences from Europe and Asia, and the occurrence of an haplogroup 1 haplotype allowed to date back previous finding about its presence in this area. Moreover, the unexpected discovery of a 24,700-year-old sample carrying a haplotype that, from the fragment here obtained, falls within the canine clade A, could represent the oldest evidence in Europe of such dog-rich clade. All these findings suggest complex population dynamics that deserve to be further investigated based on mitochondrial or whole genome sequencing.
Mammut pacificussp. nov., a newly recognized species of mastodon from the Pleistocene of western North America
Authors: Dooley Alton C. , Scott Eric , Green Jeremy , Springer Kathleen B. , Dooley Brett S. , Smith Gregory James
Published: March 2019

A new species of mastodon from the Pleistocene of western North America,Mammut pacificussp. nov. is herein recognized, with specimens identified throughout California and from two localities in southern Idaho. This new taxon differs from the contemporaneousM. americanumin having narrower teeth, most prominently in M3/m3, as well as six sacral vertebrae, femur with a proportionally greater mid-shaft diameter, and no mandibular tusks at any growth stage. All known PleistoceneMammutremains from California are consistent with our diagnosis ofM. pacificus, which indicates thatM. americanumwas not present in California.
Pixel: a content management platform for quantitative omics data
Authors: Denecker Thomas , Durand William , Maupetit Julien , Hébert Charles , Camadro Jean-Michel , Poulain Pierre , Lelandais Gaëlle
Published: March 2019

Background

In biology, high-throughput experimental technologies, also referred as “omics” technologies, are increasingly used in research laboratories. Several thousands of gene expression measurements can be obtained in a single experiment. Researchers are routinely facing the challenge to annotate, store, explore and mine all the biological information they have at their disposal. We present here the Pixel web application (Pixel Web App), an original content management platform to help people involved in a multi-omics biological project.

Methods

The Pixel Web App is built with open source technologies and hosted on the collaborative development platform GitHub (https://github.com/Candihub/pixel). It is written in Python using the Django framework and stores all the data in a PostgreSQL database. It is developed in the open and licensed under the BSD 3-clause license. The Pixel Web App is also heavily tested with both unit and functional tests, a strong code coverage and continuous integration provided by CircleCI. To ease the development and the deployment of the Pixel Web App, Docker and Docker Compose are used to bundle the application as well as its dependencies.

Results

The Pixel Web App offers researchers an intuitive way to annotate, store, explore and mine their multi-omics results. It can be installed on a personal computer or on a server to fit the needs of many users. In addition, anyone can enhance the application to better suit their needs, either by contributing directly on GitHub (encouraged) or by extending Pixel on their own. The Pixel Web App does not provide any computational programs to analyze the data. Still, it helps to rapidly explore and mine existing results and holds a strategic position in the management of research data.
Do Visual and Haptic Cues Affect Taste?
Authors: Chen Fang-Ping , Chen Hsiang , Hou Hsiao-Chi , Fang Wenchang
Published: March 2019

Previous studies have found that touch input influences customer attitudes and behavior; however, most research in this area has focused on diagnostic rather than nondiagnostic input. The concept is that the perceptual transfer of haptic cues is from the product container to evaluation of the product itself. Two studies were conducted. The study1 (75 participants) tested whether high- or low-autotelic NFT consumers tended to incorporate haptic cues into their product evaluations. The study2 (153 participants) examined whether haptic cues influenced taste effects through the moderating role of the visual cues. In addition, this study also examined the moderating role of visual cues with 2 languages (Japanese and Chinese) in product packaging. The analysis was conducted using ANOVA. The experimental findings suggest that haptic and visual cues affect quality evaluations, brand attitudes, and purchase intentions. In addition, visual cues and the autotelic need for touch moderate the relationship among haptic cues, quality evaluations, and brand attitudes. The results have implications for product and packaging designers, not only regarding material attributes but also on the visual presentation of products.

Keywords: Visual cues, Autotelic need for touch, Brand attitudes, Purchase intentions, Quality evaluation.

To cite this document: Mehmet Fang-Ping Chen, Hsiang Chen, Hsiao-Chi Hou, Wenchang Fang, " Do Visual and Haptic Cues Affect Taste?", International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies, Vol.15, No.1, pp.25-51, 2019.

Permanent link to this document:

https://doi.org/10.7903/cmr.18814
Effects of Li+ Doping Concentration on Structure and Photoluminescence of the Y2O3: Ho3+/Yb3+ Up-conversion Film
Authors: Sun Min , Hou Wenbo , Liu Juncheng , Nie Lifang
Published: March 2019

The Li+ co-doped Y2O3: Ho3+/Yb3+ films were prepared with sol-gel method and spin-coating technique. The effects of Li+ on the structure and luminescent properties of the films were investigated. The results show the grain size increased first and then decreased with the increase of Li+ doping concentration. The crystal size of particles composing the film got the maximum value when Li+ concentration took 4 mol%. As Li+ doping concentration increased, the optical transmittance of the Y2O3: Ho3+/Yb3+ film improved at first then reduced and got the maximum at 3 mol%. Excited with a 980-nm laser, there were two green emissions in the up-conversion emission spectra, one centered at 535 nm, the other at 550 nm, which ascribed to the 5F4→5I8 and 5S2→5I8 transitions of Ho3+, respectively. The up-conversion luminescence intensity also increased firstly and then decreased with the Li+ doping concentration increase, and got the highest value at 2 mol%.
The Riparian Tree Species Composition and Diversity of the Midstream of Halda River in Chittagong, Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Md. Humayain , Barua Hillol
Published: March 2019

Riparian vegetation has been depleting in the many river basins of Bangladesh. Consequently, this study assessed the tree species composition, structure and diversity of the midstream area of the Halda River in Bangladesh. Twenty two quadrats (20 × 20m in size) were sampled. A total of 414 individual tree stems of ≥10 cm DBH of 36 tree species belonging to 31 genera and 15 families were enumerated. Density, Basal area and volume of the tree species were measured. Different diversity indices, i.e. Shannon-Wienners Diversity Index, Simpson's Dominance Index, Pielou’s Species Evenness Index, Margalef's and Menhinick’s richness index were calculated. Fabaceae was the most represented family with nine species, followed by Moraceae, Meliaceae and Anacardiaceae. Density, basal area and volume of the trees were 470.45 stem/ha, 19.09m²/ha and 139.42m³/ha, respectively. Samanea saman was found to be dominant, showing a maximum IVI, followed by v, Mangifer aindica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Artocarpus heterophyllus. The findings of the study will be helpful for the posterior researchers in their research work and their future tree based planning programs and conservation. So it is recommended that greater emphasis should be taken to proper management and conservation against over extraction and illegal felling for the maintenance of existing tree species composition and density.
Synthesis, Characterization and DNA Binding Studies of (E)-1-((Pyridin-2-yl)methylidene) semicarbazide Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) Complexes
Authors: U-wang Oinam , Singh R. K. Bhubon , Devi W. Bembee , Singh U. Ibotomba , Devi R. K. Bindiya , Devi O. Bijeta , . Ramina , Singh Th. Surchandra , Swu Toka
Published: March 2019

(E)-1-((pyridin-2-yl)methylidene)semicarbazide (PMSC) complexes of [Mn(PMSC)2 ]Cl2 (1), [Co(PMSC)2]Cl2 (2), [Ni(PMSC)2]Cl2.5H2O (3), and [Cu(PMSC)(H2O)]Cl2 (4) have been synthesized and characterized by different spectroscopic techniques, EPR, magnetic susceptibility and thermal stability measurements. Complex 3 crystallizes as octahedral coordination complex in monoclinic crystal system. Complexes 1 and 2 have been found to have octahedral geometries and 4 to have square planar geometry. The complexes were found to be groove binding to calf-thymus DNA.
Asset Ownership and Welfare Deprivation of Women in Rural Nigeria: A Bi-Causal Relationship
Authors: Oladokun Yetunde Olasimbo Mary , Adenegan Kemisola Omorinre
Published: March 2019

Women are an important segment of the human population and appropriate investment in their welfare would be of great benefit to the individual, household, and community levels. There has been an increasing incidence of welfare deprivation among women in rural Nigeria. However, information on the link between asset ownership and welfare deprivation of women in rural Nigeria is scanty. Thus, the relationship between the level of asset ownership and welfare deprivation of women in rural Nigeria was investigated. Data on 18,869 women living in rural Nigeria were sourced from Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2013. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, composite score analysis, fuzzy analysis and Instrumental Variable(IV) Tobit Regression at α0.05. A higher proportion of the rural women-owned physical assets such as mobile phone (68.7%) and radio (63.5%), while only 5.9% owned natural asset (land). Women in low-LAO, intermediate-LAO and high-LAO were 20.3%, 63.8% and 15.9%, respectively. Level of asset ownership (β=-0.31), age (β=-0.01), being a widow (β=0.04), being a female household head (β=-0.08), and Geo-Political Zone (North-East, β=0.04; South-East, β=-0.05; South-West, β=-0.07) explained welfare deprivation of women. A unit increase in the level of asset ownership led to 30.8% decrease in welfare deprivation.  An increase in the level of asset ownership decreased welfare deprivation. Asset ownership had a positive influence on women’s welfare deprivation.
Endemism
Authors: Young Kenneth R.
Published: March 2019

Endemism refers to the uniqueness of the biota of a particular place. It provides insights into the historical biogeography of regions, and helps evaluate the role of dispersal barriers in affecting the evolution of the biota. Oceanic islands such as the Galapágos have high endemism because of their distance from the mainland and because their biota has evolved further under island conditions. Endemic species restricted to islands or unique habitat types are among the most threatened species. Systematic planning for biodiversity uses endemism, among other variables, to choose conservation portfolios that best include the species and places of concern. Under future conditions, endemic species will likely often be even more threatened, as biophysical controls on species distributions shift, requiring dispersal to and successful colonization of new sites.
Rust Belt Cities
Authors: Fasenfest David
Published: March 2019

Rust Belt cities both large and small, once urban centers of industrial production creating the middle class of America, fell victim to global restructuring, technological change, and international competition. By the late 1970s they became synonymous with poverty, population loss, and urban decay. To reverse this decline, these cities now focus on the arts, urban agrarianism, and repurposing abandoned industrial spaces to house new technologies and create jobs to attract immigrants and new, younger residents.
Geographic Information System
Authors: Chang Kang‐Tsung
Published: March 2019

A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, querying, analyzing, and displaying geospatial data. Geospatial data describe both the location and attributes of spatial features. A GIS comprises the components of hardware, software, data, people, and organization. Prompted by the introduction of personal computers (PCs) and graphical user interfaces, GIS flourished in the 1980s. Now GIS is an indispensable tool in resource management, emergency planning, crime analysis, public health, land records management, precision farming, and many other fields. Geospatial data are spatially referenced and can be either vector or raster. Common GIS operations include data acquisition, data management, data query, vector data analysis, raster data analysis, and data display. An important trend is the integration of desktop GIS and web and mobile technologies, which has already led to the development of location‐based services, collaborative web mapping, and volunteered geographic information.
Logistics
Authors: Hesse Markus
Published: March 2019

Logistics includes the processes of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost‐effective, and synchronized flow and storage of raw materials, inventory, finished goods, and related information, from point of origin to point of consumption and vice versa (as it concerns data, vessels, reverse logistics). While it initially emerged from the preparation and organization of military operations, logistics is now used to optimize issues as diverse and complex as corporate management, global trade, and a broad range of transport operations. Since logistics can be considered as the art of governing time–space relationships, it helps in exerting control over both flows and territories. Logistics is thus essential for geography, and it is also highly political.
Radical Geography
Authors: Pickerill Jenny
Published: March 2019

Radical geography is an approach to geographic research that seeks to understand social and spatial problems, and advocate solutions. Radical geographers are interested in everyday lives: the lived experiences of members of society. They are interested in issues of relevance to everyday social life, such as access to safe and affordable food and housing, fair pay, educational opportunities, and basic health care, to name just a few. This emphasis reflects a desire for geographers to do research that is relevant to, and useful for, society. A quest for social justice permeates much of radical geography. Radical geographers, who are often active participants in social justice campaigns, are also committed to building, supporting, and intellectualizing alternatives.
Water and Climate Change
Authors: Chang Heejun
Published: March 2019

Water plays a central role in sustaining human lives and ecosystems. As climate change is likely to increase both temperature and precipitation variability, the spatial and temporal distribution of freshwater availability will shift on Earth. Additionally, as the intensity of the water cycle increases in a warming world, extreme hydroclimatic events will become more frequent over space and time. Floods and droughts will have huge socioeconomic and environmental impacts, which will spread over wider areas for a long time. Future climate adaptation strategies in the water sector should include both structural and nonstructural measures across different water management entities across scales.
A small‐gain approach for adaptive output‐feedback NN control of switched pure‐feedback nonlinear systems
Authors: Si Tian , Long Lijun
Published: March 2019

This paper investigates the problem of adaptive output‐feedback neural network (NN) control for a class of switched pure‐feedback uncertain nonlinear systems. A switched observer is first constructed to estimate the unmeasurable states. Next, with the help of an NN to approximate the unknown nonlinear terms, a switched small‐gain technique‐based adaptive output‐feedback NN control scheme is developed by exploiting the backstepping recursive design scheme, input‐to‐state stability analysis, the common Lyapunov function method, and the average dwell time (ADT) method. In the recursive design, the difficulty of constructing an overall Lyapunov function for the switched closed‐loop system is dealt with by decomposing the switched closed‐loop system into two interconnected switched systems and constructing two Lyapunov functions for two interconnected switched systems, respectively. The proposed controllers for individual subsystems guarantee that all signals in the closed‐loop system are semiglobally, uniformly, and ultimately bounded under a class of switching signals with ADT, and finally, two examples illustrate the effectiveness of theoretical results, which include a switched RLC circuit system.
Humidity‐Resistive Triboelectric Nanogenerator Fabricated Using Metal Organic Framework Composite
Authors: Wen Rongmei , Guo Junmeng , Yu Aifang , Zhai Junyi , Wang Zhong lin
Published: March 2019

With its light weight, low cost, and high efficiency, the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is considered a sustainable and renewable energy source for self‐powered or mobile electronics. However, the performance of TENG is seriously affected by humid environment. Here, for the first time, TENG with improved performance under high humidity is obtained by adding HKUST‐1 (Cu3(BTC)2, (BTC = 1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxylate or trimesate)) to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix. At 10% relative humidity (RH), an effective power (3.17 mW) of the composite TENG based on 5 wt% HKUST‐1 is obtained at a load resistance of 10 MΩ, which is 13 times higher than that of the TENG based on pure PDMS. More importantly, the performance of composite TENG remains constant or becomes higher even under high humidity, while that of conventional TENG dramatically decreases at the same condition. The excellent humidity‐resistive performance comes from the remarkably enhanced electron‐trapping capacity and dielectric constant due to the absorption of HKUST‐1 to water molecules. This work not only demonstrates that a metal organic framework is an effective filler to improve the performance of TENG but also provides a novel strategy to obtain high output properties under highly humid environments by increasing the electron‐trapping capacity and dielectric constant.
Mechanically Defined Microenvironment Promotes Stabilization of Microvasculature, Which Correlates with the Enrichment of a Novel Piezo‐1+Population of Circulating CD11b+/CD115+Monocytes
Authors: Forget Aurelien , Gianni‐Barrera Roberto , Uccelli Andrea , Sarem Melika , Kohler Esther , Fogli Barbara , Muraro Manuele G. , Bichet Sandrine , Aumann Konrad , Banfi Andrea , Shastri V. Prasad
Published: March 2019

Vascularization is a critical step in the restoration of cellular homeostasis. Several strategies including localized growth factor delivery, endothelial progenitor cells, genetically engineered cells, gene therapy, and prevascularized implants have been explored to promote revascularization. But, long‐term stabilization of newly induced vessels remains a challenge. It has been shown that fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells can stabilize newly induced vessels. However, whether an injected biomaterial alone can serve as an instructive environment for angiogenesis remains to be elucidated. It is reported here that appropriate vascular branching, and long‐term stabilization can be promoted simply by implanting a hydrogel with stiffness matching that of fibrin clot. A unique subpopulation of circulating CD11b+myeloid and CD11b+/CD115+monocytes that express the stretch activated cation channel Piezo‐1, which is enriched prominently in the clot‐like hydrogel, is identified. These findings offer evidence for a mechanobiology paradigm in angiogenesis involving an interplay between mechanosensitive circulating cells and mechanics of tissue microenvironment.
Photothermal Therapy Promotes Tumor Infiltration and Antitumor Activity of CAR T Cells
Authors: Chen Qian , Hu Quanyin , Dukhovlinova Elena , Chen Guojun , Ahn Sarah , Wang Chao , Ogunnaike Edikan A. , Ligler Frances S. , Dotti Gianpietro , Gu Zhen
Published: March 2019

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐redirected T lymphocytes (CAR T cells) show modest therapeutic efficacy in solid tumors. The desmoplastic structure of the tumor and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment usually account for the reduced efficacy of CAR T cells in solid tumors. Mild hyperthermia of the tumor reduces its compact structure and interstitial fluid pressure, increases blood perfusion, releases antigens, and promotes the recruitment of endogenous immune cells. Therefore, the combination of mild hyperthermia with the adoptive transfer of CAR T cells can potentially increase the therapeutic index of these cells in solid tumors. It is found that the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan‐4 (CSPG4)‐specific CAR T cells infused in Nod scid gamma mice engrafted with the human melanoma WM115 cell line have superior antitumor activity after photothermal ablation of the tumor. The findings suggest that photothermal therapy facilitates the accumulation and effector function of CAR T cells within solid tumors.
Stimulus‐Responsive Regulation of Enzyme Activity for One‐Step and Multi‐Step Syntheses
Authors: Claaßen Christiane , Gerlach Tim , Rother Dörte
Published: March 2019

Multi‐step biocatalytic reactions have gained increasing importance in recent years because the combination of different enzymes enables the synthesis of a broad variety of industrially relevant products. However, the more enzymes combined, the more crucial it is to avoid cross‐reactivity in these cascade reactions and thus achieve high product yields and high purities. The selective control of enzyme activity, i.e., remote on‐/off‐switching of enzymes, might be a suitable tool to avoid the formation of unwanted by‐products in multi‐enzyme reactions. This review compiles a range of methods that are known to modulate enzyme activity in a stimulus‐responsive manner. It focuses predominantly on in vitro systems and is subdivided into reversible and irreversible enzyme activity control. Furthermore, a discussion section provides indications as to which factors should be considered when designing and choosing activity control systems for biocatalysis. Finally, an outlook is given regarding the future prospects of the field.

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Reaction of Isoquinolin‐1(2H)‐Ones with Methylenecyclopropanes via Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed C−H Activation
Authors: Zhu You‐Quan , Niu Yun‐Xia , Hui Li‐Wen , He Jing‐Li , Zhu Kun
Published: March 2019

Herein, we report a Rh(III)‐catalyzed 1,3‐dienylation of isoquinolin‐1(2H)‐ones through C−H activation. The present reaction enables the preparation of 3‐(buta‐1,3‐dien‐2‐yl)isoquinolin‐1(2H)‐ones through the direct cross‐coupling reaction of readily available isoquinolin‐1(2H)‐ones with methylenecyclopropanes, while tolerating many sensitive functional groups. Therefore, this method provides an efficient and convenient approach for modification of interesting molecules.

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TLR1/2 Specific Small‐Molecule Agonist Suppresses Leukemia Cancer Cell Growth by Stimulating Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes
Authors: Cen Xiaohong , Zhu Gengzhen , Yang Junjie , Yang Jianjun , Guo Jiayin , Jin Jiabing , Nandakumar Kutty Selva , Yang Wei , Yin Hang , Liu Shuwen , Cheng Kui
Published: March 2019

Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2) expressed on antigen presenting cells evokes a series of critical cytokines, which favor the development of tumor‐specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Therefore, TLR2 represents an attractive cancer immunotherapeutic target. Here, a synthetic library of 14 000 compounds together with a series of newly developed compounds for NF‐κB activation using HEK‐Blue hTLR2 cells is initially screened. Following further screening in a variety of cells including HEK‐Blue hTLRs reporter cells, murine, and human macrophage cell lines, a potent small molecule agonist 23 (SMU‐Z1) is identified, which specifically activates TLR2 through its association with TLR1, with a EC50of 4.88 ± 0.79 × 10−9m. Toxicology studies, proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and nitric oxide) and target‐protein based biophysical assays demonstrate the pharmacologically relevant characteristics of SMU‐Z1. In addition, SMU‐Z1 promotes murine splenocyte proliferation and upregulates the expression of CD8+T cells, NK cells and DCs, which results in a significant antitumor effect in a murine leukemia model. Finally, the induced tumors in three out of seven mice disappear after administration of SMU‐Z1. Our studies thus identify a novel and potent TLR1/2 small molecule agonist, which displays promising immune adjuvant properties and antitumor immunity.
Sodium Cobalt Metaphosphate as an Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalyst in Alkaline Solution
Authors: Gond Ritambhara , Singh Dheeraj Kumar , Eswaramoorthy Muthusamy , Barpanda Prabeer
Published: March 2019

Sodium cobalt metaphosphate [NaCo(PO3)3] has CoO octahedra (CoO6) and shows superior oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity in alkaline solution, comparable with the state‐of‐the‐art precious‐metal RuO2 catalyst. OER catalysts of this metaphosphate are prepared by combustion (Cb) and solid‐state (SS) methods. The combustion‐assisted method offers a facile synthesis and one‐step carbon composite formation. Unusually high catalytic activity was observed in NCoM‐Cb‐Ar and could be due to chemical coupling effects between NaCo(PO3)3 and partially graphitized carbon. This novel electrocatalyst exhibits very small overpotential of 340 mV with high mass activity of 532 A g−1. Good charge transfer abilities and chemical coupling between NaCo(PO3)3 and amorphous carbon gives the OER activity in NCoM‐Cb‐Ar.