bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Concept of Rights as Limits on Government
Authors: Nedelsky Jennifer
Published: October 2015

Most Americans take for granted the notion that the powers of government are circumscribed by individual rights. But this commonplace notion is, in fact, very complicated conceptually and poses difficult problems institutionally. This course explored both the conceptual and the institutional problems, from their origins to their contemporary manifestations. We began with the formation of the Constitution: the writing of the document in the Constitutional Convention of 1787, its ratification, the addition of the Bill of Rights in 1789, and the establishment of judicial review. As a starting point, I offered my own perspective through excerpts from my forthcoming book, Private Property and the Limits of American Constitutionalism: The Madisonian Framework and Its Legacy. My central argument is that the Framers' concern with protecting the rights of property distorted both their understanding of constitutionalism and the institutions they designed to implement that understanding. The Framers wanted to design a republican form of government based on the notion of consent by the governed, and thus some form of democratic (as we would call it today) representation. But the Federalists, whose views dominated the convention, also wanted to ensure that civil rights would be secure in the new republic. Property became the focus of their efforts to make the political rights implicit in republican government compatible with the security of civil rights. Unfortunately, their focus on the protection of unequal property, the property of the minority as threatened by the (future) propertyless majority, distorted their vision of the basic problem of protecting individual rights in a democracy. Their fears of the propertyless bred a focus on containing the political power of the people.
What Every Student Should Know About the Bill of Rights
Authors: Petracca Mark P.
Published: October 2015

In June of 1789, Representative James Madison fulfilled a campaign promise to his Virginia constituents by asking colleagues in the House of Representatives to consider a group of constitutional amendments designed to secure basic individual liberties. By December of 1791, ten of these were ratified by the necessary number of states, becoming the first amendments to the new Constitution—the U.S. Bill of Rights. Despite the bicentennial “burnout” which some individuals are experiencing, the bicentennial of the Bill of Rights—which we begin in earnest this spring—should be a most meaningful occasion for every American. The Declaration of Independence made the nation a possibility; the Constitution created the structure of public authority in the nation; but the Bill of Rights has done nothing less than define the very quality of public and private life in the United States. If the Constitution is a “living document,” then surely the Bill of Rights is about daily living and the freedom we have to experience life. This makes the Bill of Rights America's most important “founding” document.

The Bill of Rights has been variously described as “a shield to every American citizen,” “the one guarantee of freedom to the American people,” “fetters against doing evil which no honest government should decline,” and “the foundation of liberty against the encroachments of government.” However, even as we prepare to celebrate its bicentennial, ignorance, indifference, intolerance, ideology, and perhaps even modernity threaten the viability of its guarantees. Historian Michael Kammen (1986: 336-356) calls it a “subtle attack” while others see it as a direct frontal assault.
Teaching the Vietnam War: An Examination of History, Policy, and Impact
Authors: Daniels R. Steven , Clarke-Daniels Carolyn L.
Published: October 2015

The study of the politics of the Vietnam War raises some interesting dilemmas for both teachers and students. Opinions differ about the importance of the war to the politics and history of the United States. Many books are available concerning the American involvement in the Vietnam war, but most accounts differ from book to book. The relevance of the Vietnam experience needs to be discussed in a broader perspective. Certainly, the Vietnam war was different than any war fought previously by the United States of America.

Recently, a professor at a southern university defined war as having winners and losers (c.f. Emerson, 1976). She then asked her 150-student American government class to identify the winner of the Vietnam war. Because no one could provide an answer, her second question concerned the last time American troops were used in a foreign country. The answer the professor was expecting was the Christmas 1989 invasion of Panama. No one made the correct identification. The only student who hazarded a response suggested that the last use of troops was in Nicaragua! If students have difficulty remembering what happened a few months in the past, they are likely to conceive of the Vietnam war as ancient history. Yet, the war provides lessons that future decision makers need to learn.

One dilemma for teachers is choice among subject matter. American policies are important, but other factors need examination as well. Should a combination of both American and Vietnamese politics (North and South) be considered? What about those who stayed home, protested, or went to Canada? The material can be overwhelming.
What I Learned About Politics on Campus
Authors: Kinney Kara
Published: October 2015

In the fall of 1986, I agreed to meet with a handful of students and a Policy Studies professor to discuss undergraduate education at Syracuse University. I had no idea that four years later I would be referred to as “founding member and president of Undergraduates for a Better Education.” I'm still trying to sort out what exactly happened and how it affected me. It's true that, in the beginning, I was idealistic and had hopes for great improvement at the university. It's also true that the more I learned about how the university works, the less confident I felt that anything could be accomplished by an energetic, but somewhat naive group of students. At this point, I'm wavering between “Wow. I was president of a national student organization” and “Higher education is a mess and it will always be a mess and what good did any of it do?” In spite of this indecision about what I actually accomplished, I have little doubt about what I learned.

Structural problems do largely account for a university's shortcomings. Many of our proposals for change were met with an administrator's explanation of logistical problems. At first, we were convinced that our ideas were being brushed away with excuses. I finally began to realize that there are serious structural problems in university communities which prevent even small changes from being made. One dean told us early on, “You fix one problem, you get twenty more.” I didn't really believe him at the time. Now I do. Also, there are structural problems in motivating students to take steps toward improvement. It's not easy to find a student who will complain about an incompetent professor who teaches a ridiculously easy course.
Video Review: “Overview of Senate Procedure”
Authors: Connelly William F.
Published: October 2015

C-SPAN's mission is to present as complete and unfiltered a view of the policy process as possible. The organization prides itself on providing “the whole story without editing and without commentary.” The Purdue Public Affairs Video Archives tapes and catalogs all of C-SPAN's 24-hour daily coverage of the policy process, thus facilitating the use of C-SPAN for teaching and research. For professors reluctant to adopt the added burden of using C-SPAN in the classroom, Purdue Archives significantly reduces that burden.

C-SPAN viewing is not meant to replace lectures and classroom discussions. Rather C-SPAN viewing is meant to enrich a course curriculum. Ideally, the use of tapes should complement class lectures and discussions. C-SPAN allows students in an American Government or Congress course to observe directly the House and Senate in action. Viewing can incite student interest, reinforce class materials, and enable students to experience the drama of the legislative process. C-SPAN viewing will instigate class discussions, though professors must provide the context for student viewing by introducing the tape and directing discussion afterwards. These tapes are not filmstrips.
Fragmentation of International Law Revisited: Insights, Good Practices, and Lessons to be Learned from the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: RACHOVITSA ADAMANTIA
Published: October 2015

This article discusses the contribution of the European Court of Human Rights to mitigating difficulties arising from the fragmentation of international law. It argues that the Court's case law provides insights and good practices to be followed. First, the article furnishes evidence that the Court has developed an autonomous and distinct interpretative principle to construe the European Convention on Human Rights by taking other norms of international law into account. Second, it offers a blueprint of the methodology that the Court employs when engaging with external norms in the interpretation process. It analyses the Court's approach to subtle contextual differences between similar or identical international norms and its position towards the requirements of Article 31(3)(c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT). It concludes that international courts are developing innovative interpretative practices, which may not be strictly based on the letter of the VCLT.
Rape and Sexual Violence in the ICJ's Judgment in Croatia v. Serbia
Authors: PECORELLA GIULIA
Published: October 2015

This article examines the approach followed by the International Court of Justice in Croatia v. Serbia in relation to rape and sexual violence as acts of genocide under Article II of the Genocide Convention. It is argued that this decision leaves much uncertainty with respect to the elements constituting the actus reus of genocide. First, the Court has narrowed the interpretation given by the ad hoc tribunals to what constitutes ‘serious harm’ under Article II(b). Second, it has introduced an objective requirement, which is in fact unnecessary under Article II(c) of the Convention. Third, it seems that, according to the Court, in order for rape and sexual violence to be regarded as genocidal conduct within the meaning of Article II(d) of the Convention, it is necessary to prove that such conduct did in fact prevent births at least within a part of the group.
A Strategic Choice: The State Policy Requirement in Core International Crimes
Authors: CHOULIARAS ATHANASIOS
Published: October 2015

The article focuses on one of the most intriguing and, at the same time, controversial issues of international criminal law: whether the state policy requirement should be considered as a constitutive element in core international crimes. Adopting a criminal policy perspective, my intention is to contribute to the ongoing discussion by offering a doctrinal and criminological corroboration of the position that answers in the affirmative. Nevertheless, I am not necessarily promoting a normative choice entailing the amendment of the definition of core international crimes, but I rather call for a policy choice of focusing on cases that presume a state policy component.
‘The Record on Which History Will Judge Us Tomorrow’: Auto-History in the Opening Statements of International Criminal Trials
Authors: STOLK SOFIA
Published: October 2015

In international criminal tribunal discourse, appeals to history and legitimacy are omnipresent. This article addresses the widespread practice of combining these appeals into one narrative. It analyses how international prosecutors engage with justifying the legitimacy of trials through the invocation of a tribunal'sownhistory. The scrutiny of such ‘auto-histories’ as a specific form of history-telling illuminates an overlooked dimension of trials as fora for writing history. The opening statement is a perfect opportunity for constructing and communicating auto-histories. A comparative study of opening statements at the International Military Tribunal, the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the International Criminal Court reveals a recurrent, self-justifying narrative where both rootedness in history and a break with the past are key to singing the tribunal into existence as a crucial mechanism in the transition from chaos to peace. The connections between auto-histories at different tribunals show how legal practitioners discursively contribute to constructing the international criminal law's identity by relying on both origins and future.
The potential link between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and post-exercise airway narrowing across puberty: a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Emerson Sam R , Rosenkranz Sara K , Rosenkranz Richard R , Kurti Stephanie P , Harms Craig A
Published: October 2015

Objective

The prevalence of asthma is rising, presenting serious public health challenges. Recent data suggest that sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption plays a role in asthma aetiology. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether SSB consumption is linked to post-exercise airway narrowing (predictor of asthma development) across puberty.

Design

Participants completed pulmonary function tests, physical activity and dietary habit questionnaires, and an exercise test to exhaustion.

Setting

Community in Manhattan, Kansas, USA.

Subjects

We recruited ten boys and ten girls from an original cohort of forty participants tested in our laboratory approximately 5 years prior. Participants were aged 9·7 (sd0·9) years at baseline and 14·7 (sd0·9) years at follow-up.

Results

Pre-puberty, boys consumed 6·8 (sd4·8) servings/week and girls consumed 6·9 (sd3·7) servings/week, while post-puberty boys consumed 11·5 (sd5·3) servings/week and girls consumed 7·7 (sd4·3) servings/week. Using Pearson correlation, SSB consumption was not significantly related to post-exercise airway narrowing at pre-puberty (r=−0·35,P=0·130). In linear regression analyses, SSB consumption was significantly related to post-exercise airway narrowing post-puberty before (standardizedβ=−0·60,P=0·005) but not after (standardizedβ=−0·33,P=0·211) adjustment for confounders. Change in SSB consumption from pre- to post-puberty was significantly associated with post-exercise airway narrowing post-puberty (r=−0·61,P=0·010) and change in post-exercise airway narrowing from pre- to post-puberty (r=−0·45,P=0·048) when assessed via Pearson correlations.

Conclusions

These findings suggest a possible link between SSB consumption and asthma development during maturation. Reduced SSB intake may be a possible public health avenue for blunting rising asthma prevalence.
Insufficient communication and anxiety in cancer-bereaved siblings: A nationwide long-term follow-up
Authors: Wallin Alexandra Eilegård , Steineck Gunnar , Nyberg Tommy , Kreicbergs Ulrika
Published: October 2015

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to examine siblings’ long-term psychological health in relation to their perception of communication with their family, friends, and healthcare professionals during a brother or sister's last month of life.

Method:

A nationwide questionnaire study was conducted during 2009 in Sweden of individuals who had lost a brother or sister to cancer within the previous two to nine years. Of the 240 siblings contacted, 174 (73%), participated. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was employed to assess psychological health (anxiety). The data are presented as proportions (%) and relative risks (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI95%).

Results:

Siblings who werenotsatisfied with the amount they talked about their feelings with others during their brother or sister's last month of life were more likely to report anxiety (15/58, 26%) than those whoweresatisfied (13/115, 11%;RR= 2.3(1.2–4.5)). The same was true for those who had been unable to talk to their family after bereavement (RR= 2.5(1.3–4.8)). Avoiding healthcare professionals for fear of being in their way increased siblings’ risk of reporting anxiety at follow-up (RR= 2.2(1.1–4.6)), especially avoidance in the hospital setting (RR= 6.7(2.5–18.2)). No such differences were seen when the ill brother or sister was cared for at home.

Significance of results:

Long-term anxiety in bereaved siblings might be due to insufficient communication. Avoiding healthcare professionals, especially when the brother or sister is cared for at the hospital, may also increase the risk of anxiety.
High and Low Trait Anger, Angry Thoughts, and the Recognition of Anger Problems
Authors: Alcázar-Olán Raúl J. , Deffenbacher Jerry L. , Hernández Guzmán Laura , Jurado Cárdenas Samuel
Published: October 2015

This research had two goals: (1) it tested hypotheses of the State-Trait Model of anger, and (2) it explored characteristics that may distinguish individuals with high trait anger who recognize problems with their anger from those who do not recognize anger problems. Regarding the first goal, findings supported three hypotheses tested. In particular, compared to those low in trait anger, individuals with high trait anger reported: (a) more intense anger (intensity hypothesis), p < .001, effect size (η2) = .109; (b) more thoughts involving pejorative labeling/denigration, p < .001, η2 = .280, thoughts of revenge, p < .001, η2 = .170, more outward, negative anger expression (anger-out), p < .001, η2 = .229, and more physically aggressive expression, p < .001, η2 = .046-.123, (aggression hypothesis); and (c) more anger suppression (anger-in), p < .001, η2 = .231, and fewer thoughts of self-control, p < .001, η2 = .088, and behavioral efforts to control angry feelings (anger control-in), p < .001, η2 = .116, and behavior (anger control-out), p < .001, η2 = .260 (reduced positive coping hypothesis). For the second goal we employed two types of individuals, both with high trait anger: those who identified anger as a personal problem and wanted help, and those who did not identify anger as a personal issue. As a result, compared to those who did not report anger problems, those who reported anger problems demonstrated a higher overall propensity to experience anger (i.e., higher trait anger), p < .01, η2 = .028, greater anger suppression and harboring grudges (anger-in), p < .001, η2 = .035, fewer thoughts of self-control, p < .05, η2 = .015, and attempts to control their angry feelings (anger-control-in), p < .05, η2 = .016, and behavior (anger-control-out), p < .001, η2 = .054. Gender was not associated with trait anger or anger problem recognition. Findings were discussed in terms of State-Trait Theory and implications for anger interventions.
Group Violence and Migration Experience among Latin American Youths in Justice Enforcement Centers (Madrid, Spain)
Authors: Martínez García José Manuel , Martín López María Jesús
Published: October 2015

Group violence among Latin American immigrant youth has led to ongoing debates in political, legal, and media circles, yet none of those many perspectives has arrived at a solid, empirically supported definition for the phenomenon. This study aims to explore the relationship between the immigrant experience and violent group behavior in youths from Latin America serving prison sentences in Justice Enforcement Centers in the Community of Madrid. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 juveniles, and content analysis was applied to the resulting transcripts, employing Grounded Theory to create an axial codification of intra- and inter-categorical contents, and Delphi panels for quality control. The research team delved into 62 topics, addressing participants’ perceptions of the immigrant experience and its effects on five socialization settings (neighborhood, school, family, peer group, and significant other), and each one’s relationship to violent behavior. The results led us to believe the young people’s immigration experiences had been systematically examined. Their personal and social development was influenced by negative socioeconomic conditions, ineffective parental supervision, maladjustment and conflict at school, and experiences of marginalization and xenophobia. All those conditions favored affiliation with violent groups that provided them instrumental (economic and material), expressive, or affective support.
Exercise rehabilitation for peripheral artery disease: An exercise physiology perspective with special emphasis on the emerging trend of home-based exercise
Authors: Gardner Andrew W.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a significant medical concern that is highly prevalent, costly, and deadly. Additionally, patients with PAD have significant impairments in functional independence and health-related quality of life due to leg symptoms and ambulatory dysfunction. Exercise therapy is a primary treatment for patients with PAD, as ambulatory outcome measures improve following a program of exercise rehabilitation. This review describes the outcomes that improve with exercise, the potential mechanisms for improved leg symptoms, key exercise program considerations for training patients with PAD with walking-based exercise, other exercise modalities that have been utilised, the use of on-site supervised exercise programs, and a major focus on historical and contemporary trials on conducting home-based, minimally supervised exercise program to treat PAD. The review concludes with recommendations for future exercise trials, with particular emphasis on reported greater details of the exercise prescription to more accurately quantify the total exercise dose of the program.
Ist Pflege bereit für kritische Denker?
Authors: Bensch Sandra
Published: October 2015

Zusammenfassung. Kritisch denkende Pflegende sind wissbegierig, reflektiert und veränderungswillig. Derart Pflegende auszubilden, erfordert Umbrüche in Pflegepraxis und -didaktik. Diese Ausrichtungen scheinen aus internationaler Sicht unerlässlich. Kann ein stärkerer Fokus auf Kritisches Denken ein Weg für die deutsche Pflege sein?
Concept Mapping und kritisches Denken
Authors: Georg Jürgen
Published: October 2015

Zusammenfassung. Pflegende, die mit dem Pflegeprozess arbeiten sind es gewohnt in den linearen Schritten des Pflegeprozesses zu arbeiten. Demgegenüber fördern so genannte „Concept Maps“ kritisches Denken und erlauben den Fall eines Klienten zu visualisieren und Zusammenhänge zu erkennen.
Schwierige Schüler/innen und ihre Lehrer/innen
Authors: Oelke Uta
Published: October 2015

Zusammenfassung. Wie Teil 1 dieses Beitrags (vgl. Padua 2015_4) ist auch dieser als Resultat von Beobachtungen und Erfahrungen entstanden, die ich in Hochschul- und Fortbildungsseminaren zum Thema „Schwierige Schüler/innen und ihre Lehrer/innen“ gewonnen habe. Nach einer kurzen Beschreibung des zugrunde liegenden Seminarkonzepts werden drei Muster schwierigen Schülerverhaltens vorgestellt, die in den Seminaren überproportional häufig thematisiert wurden.
Gelebte Beratung im Krankenhaus
Authors: Dengler Kerstin
Published: October 2015

Zusammenfassung. Patientenversorgung in Kliniken gehört zur Kernaufgabe im Gesundheitswesen. Doch wo werden Angehörige in ihrer besonderen Situation aufgefangen? Vor allem dann, wenn eine plötzliche und schwere Erkrankung viele Fragen aufwirft. Im Klinikum Bremen-Ost haben Angehörige mit der klinischen Pflegexpertin Kerstin Dengler eine Ansprechpartnerin und werden von ihr begleitet. Beratung, Information und Gesprächsbedarf wird individuell gedeckt und so ein transparenter Rehabilitationsprozess gestaltet.
A Latent State-Trait Analysis of Current Achievement Motivation	Across Different Tasks of Cognitive Ability
Authors: Freund Philipp Alexander , Jaensch Vanessa Katharina , Preckel Franzis
Published: October 2015

Abstract. The current study investigates the behavior of task-specific, current achievement motivation (CAM: interest in the task, probability of success, perceived challenge, and fear of failure) across a variety of reasoning tasks featuring verbal, numerical, and figural content. CAM is conceptualized as a state-like variable, and in order to assess the relative stability of the four CAM variables across different tasks, latent state trait analyses are conducted. The major findings indicate that the degree of challenge a test taker experiences and the fear of failing a given task appear to be relatively stable regardless of the specific task utilized, whereas interest and probability of success are more directly influenced by task-specific characteristics and demands. Furthermore, task performance is related to task-specific interest and probability of success. We discuss the implications and benefits of these results with regard to the use of cognitive ability tests in general. Importantly, taking motivational differences between test takers into account appears to offer valuable information which helps to explain differences in task performance.
Strong Storms Flush Out Particulate Nitrogen
Authors: Stanley Sarah
Published: October 2015

Field observations show that with climate change, fiercer tropical storms may release more particulate nitrogen from temperate forests into aquatic ecosystems.
USGS Acting Director Receives Support at Senate Hearing
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2015

Confirmation of Suzette Kimball as U.S. Geological Survey director might happen this time. In 2014, a Senate committee approved her nomination, but Congress adjourned before voting on confirmation.
Mechanical instability of monocrystalline and polycrystalline methane hydrates
Authors: Wu Jianyang , Ning Fulong , Trinh Thuat T. , Kjelstrup Signe , Vlugt Thijs J. H. , He Jianying , Skallerud Bjørn H. , Zhang Zhiliang
Published: November 2015

Despite observations of massive methane release and geohazards associated with gas hydrate instability in nature, as well as ductile flow accompanying hydrate dissociation in artificial polycrystalline methane hydrates in the laboratory, the destabilising mechanisms of gas hydrates under deformation and their grain-boundary structures have not yet been elucidated at the molecular level. Here we report direct molecular dynamics simulations of the material instability of monocrystalline and polycrystalline methane hydrates under mechanical loading. The results show dislocation-free brittle failure in monocrystalline hydrates and an unexpected crossover from strengthening to weakening in polycrystals. Upon uniaxial depressurisation, strain-induced hydrate dissociation accompanied by grain-boundary decohesion and sliding destabilises the polycrystals. In contrast, upon compression, appreciable solid-state structural transformation dominates the response. These findings provide molecular insight not only into the metastable structures of grain boundaries, but also into unusual ductile flow with hydrate dissociation as observed during macroscopic compression experiments.
Large Scale Laser Crystallization of Solution-based Alumina-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) Nanoinks for Highly Transparent Conductive Electrode
Authors: Nian Qiong , Callahan Michael , Saei Mojib , Look David , Efstathiadis Harry , Bailey John , Cheng Gary J.
Published: October 2015

A new method combining aqueous solution printing with UV Laser crystallization (UVLC) and post annealing is developed to deposit highly transparent and conductive Aluminum doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) films. This technique is able to rapidly produce large area AZO films with better structural and optoelectronic properties than most high vacuum deposition, suggesting a potential large-scale manufacturing technique. The optoelectronic performance improvement attributes to UVLC and forming gas annealing (FMG) induced grain boundary density decrease and electron traps passivation at grain boundaries. The physical model and computational simulation developed in this work could be applied to thermal treatment of many other metal oxide films.
Living in a risky world: the onset and ontogeny of an integrated antipredator phenotype in a coral reef fish
Authors: Ferrari Maud C.O. , McCormick Mark I. , Allan Bridie J. M. , Choi Rebecca , Ramasamy Ryan A. , Johansen Jacob L. , Mitchell Matthew D. , Chivers Douglas P.
Published: October 2015

Prey individuals with complex life-histories often cannot predict the type of risk environment to which they will be exposed at each of their life stages. Because the level of investment in defences should match local risk conditions, we predict that these individuals should have the ability to modulate the expression of an integrated defensive phenotype, but this switch in expression should occur at key life-history transitions. We manipulated background level of risk in juvenile damselfish for four days following settlement (a key life-history transition) or 10 days post-settlement and measured a suite of physiological and behavioural variables over 2 weeks. We found that settlement-stage fish exposed to high-risk conditions displayed behavioural and physiological alterations consistent with high-risk phenotypes, which gave them a survival advantage when exposed to predators. These changes were maintained for at least 2 weeks. The same exposure in post-settlement fish failed to elicit a change in some traits, while the expression of other traits disappeared within a week. Our results are consistent with those expected from phenotypic resonance. Expression of antipredator traits may be masked if individuals are not exposed to certain conditions at key ontogenetic stages.
Fluorescently-tagged anti-ganglioside antibody selectively identifies peripheral nerve in living animals
Authors: Massaad Cynthia A. , Zhang Gang , Pillai Laila , Azhdarinia Ali , Liu Weiqiang , Sheikh Kazim A.
Published: October 2015

Selective in vivo delivery of cargo to peripheral nervous system (PNS) has broad clinical and preclinical applications. An important applicability of this approach is systemic delivery of fluorescently conjugated ligands that selectively label PNS, which could allow visualization of peripheral nerves during any surgery. We examine the use of an anti-ganglioside monoclonal antibody (mAb) as selective neuronal delivery vector for surgical imaging of peripheral nerves. Systemic delivery of an anti-ganglioside mAb was used for selective intraneuronal/axonal delivery of fluorescent agents to visualize nerves by surgical imaging in living mice. In this study, we show that intact motor, sensory and autonomic nerve fibers/paths are distinctly labeled following a single nanomolar systemic injection of fluorescently labeled anti-ganglioside mAb. Tissue biodistribution studies with radiolabeled mAb were used to validate neuronal uptake of fluorescently labeled mAb. Implications of this proof of concept study are that fluorescent conjugates of anti-ganglioside mAbs are valuable delivery vectors to visualize nerves during surgery to avoid nerve injury and monitor nerve degeneration and regeneration after injury. These findings support that antibodies and their derivatives/fragments, can be used as selective neuronal delivery vector for transport of various cargos to PNS in preclinical and clinical settings.
Facile Synthesis of Defective TiO2−x Nanocrystals with High Surface Area and Tailoring Bandgap for Visible-light Photocatalysis
Authors: Wajid Shah Muhammad , Zhu Yunqing , Fan Xiaoyun , Zhao Jie , Li Yingxuan , Asim Sumreen , Wang Chuanyi
Published: October 2015

A facile hydrothermal approach has been developed to prepare defective TiO2−x nanocrystals using Ti(III)-salt as a precursor and L-ascorbic acid as reductant and structure direction agent. The prepared TiO2−x nanocrystals are composed of a highly crystallized TiO2 core and a disordered TiO2−x outer layer, possessing high surface area, controlled oxygen vacancy concentration and tunable bandgap via simply adjusting the amount of added L-ascorbic acid. The defective TiO2−x shows high photocatalytic efficiency in methylene blue and phenol degradation as well as in hydrogen evolution under visible light, underlining the significance of the present strategy for structural and bandgap manipulation in TiO2-based photocatalysis.
Trastuzumab resistance induces EMT to transform HER2+ PTEN− to a triple negative breast cancer that requires unique treatment options
Authors: Burnett Joseph P. , Korkaya Hasan , Ouzounova Maria D. , Jiang Hui , Conley Sarah J. , Newman Bryan W. , Sun Lichao , Connarn Jamie N. , Chen Ching-Shih , Zhang Ning , Wicha Max S. , Sun Duxin
Published: November 2015

Although trastuzumab is an effective treatment in early stage HER2+ breast cancer the majority of advanced HER2+ breast cancers develop trastuzumab resistance, especially in the 40% of breast cancers with loss of PTEN. However, HER2+ breast cancer patients continue to receive trastuzumab regardless PTEN status and the consequence of therapy in these patients is unknown. We demonstrate that continued use of trastuzumab in HER2+ cells with loss of PTEN induces the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and transform HER2+ to a triple negative breast cancer. These transformed cells exhibited mesenchymal morphology and gene expression markers, while parent HER2+ cells showed epithelial morphology and markers. The transformed cells exhibited loss of dependence on ERBB family signaling (such as HER2, HER3, HER4, BTC, HRG, EGF) and reduced estrogen and progesterone receptors. Continued use of trastuzumab in HER2+ PTEN− cells increased the frequency of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and metastasis potential. Strikingly, parental HER2+ cells and transformed resistant cells respond to treatment differently. Transformed resistant cells were sensitive to chemical probe (sulforaphane) through inhibition of IL-6/STAT3/NF-κB positive feedback loop whereas parental HER2+ cells did not respond. This data suggests that trastuzumab resistance in HER2+ PTEN− breast cancer induces EMT and subtype switching, which requires unique treatment options.
Optical forces in nanorod metamaterial
Authors: Bogdanov Andrey A. , Shalin Alexander S. , Ginzburg Pavel
Published: October 2015

Optomechanical manipulation of micro and nano-scale objects with laser beams finds use in a large span of multidisciplinary applications. Auxiliary nanostructuring could substantially improve performances of classical optical tweezers by means of spatial localization of objects and intensity required for trapping. Here we investigate a three-dimensional nanorod metamaterial platform, serving as an auxiliary tool for the optical manipulation, able to support and control near-field interactions and generate both steep and flat optical potential profiles. It was shown that the ‘topological transition’ from the elliptic to hyperbolic dispersion regime of the metamaterial, usually having a significant impact on various light-matter interaction processes, does not strongly affect the distribution of optical forces in the metamaterial. This effect is explained by the predominant near-fields contributions of the nanostructure to optomechanical interactions. Semi-analytical model, approximating the finite size nanoparticle by a point dipole and neglecting the mutual re-scattering between the particle and nanorod array, was found to be in a good agreement with full-wave numerical simulation. In-plane (perpendicular to the rods) trapping regime, saddle equilibrium points and optical puling forces (directed along the rods towards the light source), acting on a particle situated inside or at the nearby the metamaterial, were found.
Electronic Properties of Fluoride and Half–fluoride Superlattices KZnF3/KAgF3 and SrTiO3/KAgF3
Authors: Yang Xiaoping , Su Haibin
Published: October 2015

We present the formation of cupratelike electronic structures in KAgF3–related superlattices resulted from the confinement together with structural chemical modification by using the generalized gradient approximation augmented with maximally localized Wannier functions analysis. Strong antiferromagnetic coupling found in bulk KAgF3 is held in purely–fluoride KZnF3/KAgF3. Under 4% in–plane compression strain, its Fermi surface shape breaks away from the edge of electron pocket and resembles that of La2CuO4. While within half–fluoride SrTiO3/KAgF3, out–of–plane electronic reconstruction results in electron doping of AgF2 plane and antiferromagnetic state instability and the Fermi surface shape presents considerable similarity to that in HgBaCuO4. These results shed light on two dimensional antiferromagnetic precursors of a new AgII family of high–temperature superconductors.
Optimizing Multiple Analyte Injections in Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors with Analytes having Different Refractive Index Increments
Authors: Mehand Massinissa Si , Srinivasan Bala , De Crescenzo Gregory
Published: October 2015

Surface plasmon resonance-based biosensors have been successfully applied to the study of the interactions between macromolecules and small molecular weight compounds. In an effort to increase the throughput of these SPR-based experiments, we have already proposed to inject multiple compounds simultaneously over the same surface. When specifically applied to small molecular weight compounds, such a strategy would however require prior knowledge of the refractive index increment of each compound in order to correctly interpret the recorded signal. An additional experiment is typically required to obtain this information. In this manuscript, we show that through the introduction of an additional global parameter corresponding to the ratio of the saturating signals associated with each molecule, the kinetic parameters could be identified with similar confidence intervals without any other experimentation.
Plant-microbe rhizosphere interactions mediated by Rehmannia glutinosa root exudates under consecutive monoculture
Authors: Wu Linkun , Wang Juanying , Huang Weimin , Wu Hongmiao , Chen Jun , Yang Yanqiu , Zhang Zhongyi , Lin Wenxiong
Published: October 2015

Under consecutive monoculture, the biomass and quality of Rehmannia glutinosa declines significantly. Consecutive monoculture of R. glutinosa in a four-year field trial led to significant growth inhibition. Most phenolic acids in root exudates had cumulative effects over time under sterile conditions, but these effects were not observed in the rhizosphere under monoculture conditions. It suggested soil microbes might be involved in the degradation and conversion of phenolic acids from the monocultured plants. T-RFLP and qPCR analysis demonstrated differences in both soil bacterial and fungal communities during monoculture. Prolonged monoculture significantly increased levels of Fusarium oxysporum, but decreased levels of Pseudomonas spp. Abundance of beneficial Pseudomonas spp. with antagonistic activity against F. oxysporum was lower in extended monoculture soils. Phenolic acid mixture at a ratio similar to that found in the rhizosphere could promote mycelial growth, sporulation and toxin (3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol, 15-O-Acetyl-4-deoxynivalenol) production of pathogenic F. oxysporum while inhibiting growth of the beneficial Pseudomonas sp. W12. This study demonstrates that extended monoculture can alter the microbial community of the rhizosphere, leading to relatively fewer beneficial microorganisms and relatively more pathogenic and toxin-producing microorganisms, which is mediated by the root exudates.
The Akt-mTOR axis is a pivotal regulator of eccentric hypertrophy during volume overload
Authors: Ikeda Masataka , Ide Tomomi , Fujino Takeo , Matsuo Yuka , Arai Shinobu , Saku Keita , Kakino Takamori , Oga Yasuhiro , Nishizaki Akiko , Sunagawa Kenji
Published: October 2015

The heart has two major modalities of hypertrophy in response to hemodynamic loads: concentric and eccentric hypertrophy caused by pressure and volume overload (VO), respectively. However, the molecular mechanism of eccentric hypertrophy remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that the Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) axis is a pivotal regulator of eccentric hypertrophy during VO. While mTOR in the heart was activated in a left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP)-dependent manner, mTOR inhibition suppressed eccentric hypertrophy and induced cardiac atrophy even under VO. Notably, Akt was ubiquitinated and phosphorylated in response to VO and blocking the recruitment of Akt to the membrane completely abolished mTOR activation. Various growth factors were upregulated during VO, suggesting that these might be involved in Akt-mTOR activation. Furthermore, the rate of eccentric hypertrophy progression was proportional to mTOR activity, which allowed accurate estimation of eccentric hypertrophy by time-integration of mTOR activity. These results suggested that the Akt-mTOR axis plays a pivotal role in eccentric hypertrophy and mTOR activity quantitatively determines the rate of eccentric hypertrophy progression. As eccentric hypertrophy is an inherent system of the heart for regulating cardiac output and LVEDP, our findings provide a new mechanistic insight into the adaptive mechanism of the heart.
Arabidopsis PARG1 is the key factor promoting cell survival among the enzymes regulating post-translational poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation
Authors: Zhang Hailei , Gu Zongying , Wu Qiao , Yang Lifeng , Liu Caifeng , Ma Hong , Xia Yiji , Ge Xiaochun
Published: October 2015

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is a reversible post-translational modification of proteins, characterized by the addition of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) to proteins by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and removal of PAR by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). Three PARPs and two PARGs have been found in Arabidopsis, but their respective roles are not fully understood. In this study, the functions of each PARP and PARG in DNA repair were analyzed based on their mutant phenotypes under genotoxic stresses. Double or triple mutant analysis revealed that PARP1 and PARP2, but not PARP3, play a similar but not critical role in DNA repair in Arabidopsis seedlings. PARG1 and PARG2 play an essential and a minor role, respectively under the same conditions. Mutation of PARG1 results in increased DNA damage level and enhanced cell death in plants after bleomycin treatment.PARG1expression is induced primarily in root and shoot meristems by bleomycin and induction ofPARG1is dependent on ATM and ATR kinases. PARG1 also antagonistically modulates the DNA repair process by preventing the over-induction of DNA repair genes. Our study determined the contribution of each PARP and PARG member in DNA repair and indicated that PARG1 plays a critical role in this process.
Systemic differences in serum metabolome: a cross sectional comparison of women with localised and widespread pain and controls
Authors: Hadrévi J. , Björklund M. , Kosek E. , Hällgren S. , Antti H. , Fahlström M. , Hellström F.
Published: November 2015

Chronic musculoskeletal pain exists either as localised to a single region or as widespread to multiple sites in several quadrants of the body. Prospective studies indicate that widespread pain could act as a far end of a continuum of musculoskeletal pain that started with chronic localised pain. The mechanism by which the transition from localised pain to widespread occurs is not clear, although many studies suggest it to be an altered metabolism. In this study, systemic metabolic differences between women with chronic localised neck-shoulder pain (NP), women with chronic widespread pain (CWP) and women who were healthy (CON) were assessed. Blood samples were analysed taking a metabolomics approach using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). The metabolomics analysis showed a clear systematic difference in the metabolic profiles between the subjects with NP and the CON but only a weak systematic difference between the subjects with CWP and the CON. This most likely reflects a difference in the portion of the metabolome influenced by the two pain conditions. In the NP group, the overall metabolic profile suggests that processes related to energy utilisation and lipid metabolism could be central aspects of mechanisms maintaining disorder.
Dual Tuning of Biomass-Derived Hierarchical Carbon Nanostructures for Supercapacitors: the Role of Balanced Meso/Microporosity and Graphene
Authors: Zhu Zhengju , Jiang Hao , Guo Shaojun , Cheng Qilin , Hu Yanjie , Li Chunzhong
Published: October 2015

Rational design of advanced carbon nanomaterials with a balanced mesoporosity to microporosity is highly desirable for achieving high energy/power density for supercapacitors because the mesopore can allow better transport pathways for the solvated ions of larger than 1 nm. Inspired by the inherent meso/macroporous architecture and huge absorption ability to aqueous solution of auricularia biomass, we demonstrate a new biomass-derived synthesis process for the three-dimensional (3D) few-layered graphene nanosheets incorporated hierarchical porous carbon (GHPC) nanohybrids. The as-prepared GHPC nanohybrids possess a balanced mesoporosity to microporosity with much improved conductivity, which is highly desirable for achieving high energy/power density for supercapacitors. As we predicted, they delivered a high specific capacitance of 256 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 with excellent rate capability (120 F g−1 at 50 A g−1) and long cycle life (92% capacity retention after 10000 cycles) for symmetric supercapacitors in 1 M H2SO4. Based on the as-obtained carbon materials, a flexible and all-solid-state supercapacitor was also assembled, which can be fully recharged within 10 s and able to light an LED even under bended state. Such excellent performance is at least comparable to the best reports in the literature for two-electrode configuration under aqueous systems.
Structural phase transitions in Bi2Se3 under high pressure
Authors: Yu Zhenhai , Wang Lin , Hu Qingyang , Zhao Jinggeng , Yan Shuai , Yang Ke , Sinogeikin Stanislav , Gu Genda , Mao Ho-kwang
Published: November 2015

Raman spectroscopy and angle dispersive X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments of bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) have been carried out to pressures of 35.6 and 81.2 GPa, respectively, to explore its pressure-induced phase transformation. The experiments indicate that a progressive structural evolution occurs from an ambient rhombohedra phase (Space group (SG): R-3m) to monoclinic phase (SG: C2/m) and eventually to a high pressure body-centered tetragonal phase (SG: I4/mmm). Evidenced by our XRD data up to 81.2 GPa, the Bi2Se3 crystallizes into body-centered tetragonal structures rather than the recently reported disordered body-centered cubic (BCC) phase. Furthermore, first principles theoretical calculations favor the viewpoint that the I4/mmm phase Bi2Se3 can be stabilized under high pressure (>30 GPa). Remarkably, the Raman spectra of Bi2Se3 from this work (two independent runs) are still Raman active up to ~35 GPa. It is worthy to note that the disordered BCC phase at 27.8 GPa is not observed here. The remarkable difference in atomic radii of Bi and Se in Bi2Se3 may explain why Bi2Se3 shows different structural behavior than isocompounds Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3.