bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gyrotron multistage depressed collector based on E × B drift concept using azimuthal electric field. I. Basic design
Authors: Wu Chuanren , Pagonakis Ioannis Gr. , Avramidis Konstantinos A. , Gantenbein Gerd , Illy Stefan , Thumm Manfred , Jelonnek John
Published: March 2018

Multistage Depressed Collectors (MDCs) are widely used in vacuum tubes to regain energy from the depleted electron beam. However, the design of an MDC for gyrotrons, especially for those deployed in fusion experiments and future power plants, is not trivial. Since gyrotrons require relatively high magnetic fields, their hollow annular electron beam is magnetically confined in the collector. In such a moderate magnetic field, the MDC concept based on E × B drift is very promising. Several concrete design approaches based on the E × B concept have been proposed. This paper presents a realizable design of a two-stage depressed collector based on the E × B concept. A collector efficiency of 77% is achievable, which will be able to increase the total gyrotron efficiency from currently 50% to more than 60%. Secondary electrons reduce the efficiency only by 1%. Moreover, the collector efficiency is resilient to the change of beam current (i.e., space charge repulsion) and beam misalignment as well as magnetic field perturbations. Therefore, compared to other E × B conceptual designs, this design approach is promising and fairly feasible.
Scalable gamma-ray camera for wide-area search based on silicon photomultipliers array
Authors: Jeong Manhee , Van Benjamin , Wells Byron T. , D’Aries Lawrence J. , Hammig Mark D.
Published: March 2018

Portable coded-aperture imaging systems based on scintillators and semiconductors have found use in a variety of radiological applications. For stand-off detection of weakly emitting materials, large volume detectors can facilitate the rapid localization of emitting materials. We describe a scalable coded-aperture imaging system based on 5.02 × 5.02 cm2 CsI(Tl) scintillator modules, each partitioned into 4 × 4 × 20 mm3 pixels that are optically coupled to 12 × 12 pixel silicon photo-multiplier (SiPM) arrays. The 144 pixels per module are read-out with a resistor-based charge-division circuit that reduces the readout outputs from 144 to four signals per module, from which the interaction position and total deposited energy can be extracted. All 144 CsI(Tl) pixels are readily distinguishable with an average energy resolution, at 662 keV, of 13.7% FWHM, a peak-to-valley ratio of 8.2, and a peak-to-Compton ratio of 2.9. The detector module is composed of a SiPM array coupled with a 2 cm thick scintillator and modified uniformly redundant array mask. For the image reconstruction, cross correlation and maximum likelihood expectation maximization methods are used. The system shows a field of view of 45° and an angular resolution of 4.7° FWHM.
Effect of a magnetic field on molecule–solvent angular momentum transfer
Authors: Rzadkowski Wojciech , Lemeshko Mikhail
Published: March 2018

Recently it was shown that a molecule rotating in a quantum solvent can be described in terms of the “angulon” quasiparticle [M. Lemeshko, Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 095301 (2017)]. Here we extend the angulon theory to the case of molecules possessing an additional spin-1/2 degree of freedom and study the behavior of the system in the presence of a static magnetic field. We show that exchange of angular momentum between the molecule and the solvent can be altered by the field, even though the solvent itself is non-magnetic. In particular, we demonstrate a possibility to control resonant emission of phonons with a given angular momentum using a magnetic field.
Quantitative evaluation of the mechanical strength of titanium/composite bonding using laser-generated shock waves
Authors: Ducousso M. , Bardy S. , Rouchausse Y. , Bergara T. , Jenson F. , Berthe L. , Videau L. , Cuvillier N.
Published: March 2018

Intense acoustic shock waves were applied to evaluate the mechanical strength of structural epoxy bonds between a TA6V4 titanium alloy and a 3D woven carbon/epoxy composite material. Two bond types with different mechanical strengths were obtained from two different adhesive reticulations, at 50% and 90% of conversion, resulting in longitudinal static strengths of 10 and 39 MPa and transverse strengths of 15 and 35 MPa, respectively. The GPa shock waves were generated using ns-scale intense laser pulses and reaction principles to a confined plasma expansion. Simulations taking into account the laser–matter interaction, plasma relaxation, and non-linear shock wave propagation were conducted to aid interpretation of the experiments. Good correlations were obtained between the experiments and the simulation and between different measurement methods of the mechanical strength (normalized tests vs laser-generated shock waves). Such results open the door toward certification of structural bonding.
Hydrogel droplet single-cell processing: DNA purification, handling, release, and on-chip linearization
Authors: Zimny Philip , Juncker David , Reisner Walter
Published: March 2018

The preparation and handling of mammalian single-cell genomic DNA is limited by the complexity bottleneck inherent to performing multi-step, multi-reagent operations in a microfluidic environment. We have developed a method for benchtop preparation of high-molecular weight, intact, single-cell genomes and demonstrate the extraction of long nucleic acid molecules in a microfluidic system. Lymphoblasts are encapsulated inside of alginate microparticles using a droplet microfluidics, and cells are lysed in bulk. The purified genomes are then delivered to and imaged on a dedicated microfluidic device. High-molecular weight DNA is protected from shear and retains its original cellular identity. Using this encapsulation protocol, we were able to extract individual nucleic acid strands on the millimeter scale inside of a microfluidic channel.
Characteristics of an elongated plasma column produced by magnetically coupled hollow cathode plasma source
Authors: Bhuva M. P. , Karkari S. K. , Kumar Sunil
Published: March 2018

An elongated plasma column in the presence of an axial magnetic field has been formed using a cylindrical hollow cathode (HC) and a constricted anode (CA). The plasma characteristics of the central line have been found to vary with the magnetic field strength and the axial distance from the source. It is believed that the primary electrons constituting the discharge current are steered by the axial magnetic field to undertake ionizing collisions along the plasma column. The current carrying electrons from the HC reach the anode by cross-field diffusion towards the central line. The above observation has been substantiated using a phenomenological model which links the observed characteristics of the source with the plasma column. The experimental results are found to be in qualitative agreement with the model.
3D multilevel spin transfer torque devices
Authors: Hong J. , Stone M. , Navarrete B. , Luongo K. , Zheng Q. , Yuan Z. , Xia K. , Xu N. , Bokor J. , You L. , Khizroev S.
Published: March 2018

Spin-transfer torque magnetic tunneling junction devices capable of a multilevel three-dimensional (3D) information processing are studied in the sub-20-nm size range. The devices are built using He+ and Ne+ focused ion beam etching. It has been demonstrated that due to their extreme scalability and energy efficiency, these devices can significantly reduce the device footprint compared to the modern CMOS approaches and add advanced features in a 3D stack with a sub-20-nm size using a spin polarized current.
Inverse design of multicomponent assemblies
Authors: Piñeros William D. , Lindquist Beth A. , Jadrich Ryan B. , Truskett Thomas M.
Published: March 2018

Inverse design can be a useful strategy for discovering interactions that drive particles to spontaneously self-assemble into a desired structure. Here, we extend an inverse design methodology—relative entropy optimization—to determine isotropic interactions that promote assembly of targeted multicomponent phases, and we apply this extension to design interactions for a variety of binary crystals ranging from compact triangular and square architectures to highly open structures with dodecagonal and octadecagonal motifs. We compare the resulting optimized (self- and cross) interactions for the binary assemblies to those obtained from optimization of analogous single-component systems. This comparison reveals that self-interactions act as a “primer” to position particles at approximately correct coordination shell distances, while cross interactions act as the “binder” that refines and locks the system into the desired configuration. For simpler binary targets, it is possible to successfully design self-assembling systems while restricting one of these interaction types to be a hard-core-like potential. However, optimization of both self- and cross interaction types appears necessary to design for assembly of more complex or open structures.
Interaction of a supersonic particle with a three-dimensional complex plasma
Authors: Zaehringer E. , Schwabe M. , Zhdanov S. , Mohr D. P. , Knapek C. A. , Huber P. , Semenov I. L. , Thomas H. M.
Published: March 2018

The influence of a supersonic projectile on a three-dimensional complex plasma is studied. Micron sized particles in a low-temperature plasma formed a large undisturbed system in the new “Zyflex” chamber during microgravity conditions. A supersonic probe particle excited a Mach cone with Mach number M ≈ 1.5–2 and double Mach cone structure in the large weakly damped particle cloud. The speed of sound is measured with different methods and particle charge estimations are compared to the calculations from standard theories. The high image resolution enables the study of Mach cones in microgravity on the single particle level of a three-dimensional complex plasma and gives insight to the dynamics. A heating of the microparticles is discovered behind the supersonic projectile but not in the flanks of the Mach cone.
Influence of a charge-gradient force on dust acoustic waves
Authors: Khrapak Alexey G. , Khrapak Sergey A.
Published: March 2018

The influence of charge-gradient force, associated with variations of the particle charge in response to external perturbations, on the propagation of low-frequency waves in weakly coupled complex (dusty) plasmas is investigated. The magnitude of the effect is compared with that due to polarization force, studied previously in the literature. Numerical estimates are presented for the regime, where the orbital motion limited approach to particle charging is relevant.
Microfluidics platform simplifies preparation of long DNA strands for optical mapping
Authors: Liebendorfer Adam
Published: March 2018

New technique using alginate gel microparticles promises to provide easier use of benchtop techniques for handling long strands of DNA from single-cell samples.
Metallophytes on Zn-Pb mineralised soils and mining wastes in Broken Hill, NSW, Australia
Authors: Paul Adrian L. D. , Erskine Peter D. , van der Ent Antony
Published: March 2018

The wastes of metalliferous mining activities produce a substrate that is generally unfavourable for normal plant establishment and growth. However, metallophytes have evolved to grow in hostile environments that are rich in metals. They possess key properties that commend them for revegetation of mines and metal-contaminated sites. This field survey aimed to identify native metallophytes occurring on minerals wastes and mineralised outcrops in Broken Hill (New South Wales, Australia). Foliar concentrations of minerals were very high compared with non-mineralised soils but within the range expected for plants in such environments. Neither hyperaccumulators nor obligate metallophytes have been found, but they may be present on isolated mineralised outcrops in the wider Broken Hill area; however, a range of facultative metallophytes was identified in this study. These species could be introduced onto mining leases if establishment protocols for such species were developed.
Adaptive diversification of growth allometry in the plantArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Vasseur François , Exposito-Alonso Moises , Ayala-Garay Oscar J. , Wang George , Enquist Brian J. , Vile Denis , Violle Cyrille , Weigel Detlef
Published: March 2018

Significance

Are there biological constants unifying phenotypic diversity across scales? Metabolic scaling theory (MST) predicts mathematical regularity and constancy in the allometric scaling of growth rate with body size across species. Here we show that adaptation to climate inArabidopsis thalianais associated with local strains that substantially deviate from the values predicted by MST. This deviation can be linked to increased stress tolerance at the expense of seed production, and it occurs through selection on genes that are involved in the abiotic stress response and are geographically correlated with climatic conditions. This highlights the evolutionary role of allometric diversification and helps establish the physiological bases of plant adaptation to contrasting environments.
An EZH2-mediated epigenetic mechanism behind p53-dependent tissue sensitivity to DNA damage
Authors: Kuser-Abali Gamze , Gong Lu , Yan Jiawei , Liu Qingqing , Zeng Weiqi , Williamson Amanda , Lim Chuan Bian , Molloy Mary Ellen , Little John B. , Huang Lei , Yuan Zhi-Min
Published: March 2018

Significance

p53 is widely perceived as a determinant of sensitivity to radio-/chemotherapy. We report a distinct mechanism whereby p53-regulated MDM2 works together with MDMX to modulate sensitivity to DNA damage by controlling EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) turnover. Our work uncovers a mechanism of chromatin modification underlying tissue sensitivity to DNA damage. The MDM2/MDMX disruptor can be used for protecting renewable tissues from chemo-/radiotherapy-induced damage, and the EZH2 inhibitor for sensitizing p53-mutant cancer cells to chemo-/radiotherapy.
A Guarded Courtship: Soviet Cultural Diplomacy in Iran from the Late 1940s to the 1960s
Authors: Mossaki Nodar , Ravandi-Fadai Lana
Published: March 2018

By bringing to bear previously unstudied Soviet archival documents and conducting firsthand interviews with former diplomats, the article traces the ways in which the Soviet Union sought out opportunities to reinvigorate deteriorated Soviet‒Iranian ties through cultural organizations and events in Iran during the decades following World War II. A variety of Soviet cultural representatives—from wrestlers to classical musicians to scholars of Iranian literature—were marshaled for this effort, which bore unexpected fruit considering the modest expectations of the Soviet leadership, ideological differences between the two countries, and increasingly dominant US cultural projection. The connections between cultural ties and state goals, Iranian perceptions of Russia, and the Soviet/Russian sympathies of some members of the shah’s government are among sub-themes examined.
Synthesis of multiple single crystal diamonds by DC-GD-CVD
Authors: Lyu Ji-lei , Wang Shao-long , Wang Bo , Nishimura Kazhihito , Jiang Nan
Published: March 2018

Multiple single crystal diamonds (SCDs) were first synthesised on 24 high pressure high temperature (HPHT) synthetic type Ib (100) SCD seeds by direct current glow discharge plasma chemical vapour deposition (DC-GD-CVD) system with gas mixture of CH4–H2–Ar. Owing to the increase of the formed plasma density and temperature caused by the addition of 1.2 vol.-% Ar gas, a high growth rate of 22.2 µm h−1 for diamonds deposition was achieved by the plasma with diameter of 2 inches at 900–950°C. After deposition for 50 h, diamond material with a thickness of about 1 mm was uniformly deposited on each seed. The average FWHM value, hardness and transmittance of as-obtained SCDs were 3.2 cm−1, 105 GPa and 69.4%, revealing the high quality of multiple SCDs fabricated by the DC-GD-CVD method.
On the trace formula for Hecke operators on congruence subgroups
Authors: Popa Alexandru
Published: March 2018

We give a new, simple proof of the trace formula for Hecke operators on modular forms for finite index subgroups of the modular group. The proof uses algebraic properties of certain universal Hecke operators acting on period polynomials of modular forms, and it generalizes an approach developed by Don Zagier and the author for the modular group. This approach leads to a very simple formula for the trace on the space of cusp forms plus the trace on the space of modular forms. As applications, we investigate what happens when one varies the weight or the level in the trace formula.
On the number of dominating Fourier coefficients of two newforms
Authors: Chiriac Liubomir
Published: March 2018

Let

f

=

∑

n
≥
1

λ
f

(
n
)

n

(

k
1

−
1
)

/

2

q
n

f\!=\!\sum _{n\geq 1} \lambda _f(n)n^{(k_1-1)/2}q^n

and

g

=

∑

n
≥
1

λ
g

(
n
)

n

(

k
2

−
1
)

/

2

q
n

g\!=\!\sum _{n\geq 1} \lambda _g(n)n^{(k_2-1)/2}q^n

be two newforms with real Fourier coeffcients. If

f
f

and

g
g

do not have complex multiplication and are not related by a character twist, we prove that

#
{
n
≤
x
 

|

 

λ
f

(
n
)
>

λ
g

(
n
)
}
≫
x
.

\begin{equation*} \#\{n\leq x~|~\lambda _f(n)>\lambda _g(n)\}\gg x. \end{equation*}
Control of insulin granule formation and function by the ABC transporters ABCG1 and ABCA1 and by oxysterol binding protein OSBP
Authors: Hussain Syed Saad , Harris Megan T. , Kreutzberger Alex J. B. , Inouye Candice M. , Doyle Catherine A. , Castle Anna M. , Arvan Peter , Castle J. David
Published: March 2018

In pancreatic β-cells, insulin granule membranes are enriched in cholesterol and are both recycled and newly generated. Cholesterol’s role in supporting granule membrane formation and function is poorly understood. ATP binding cassette transporters ABCG1 and ABCA1 regulate intracellular cholesterol and are important for insulin secretion. RNAi inter­ference–induced depletion in cultured pancreatic β-cells shows that ABCG1 is needed to stabilize newly made insulin granules against lysosomal degradation; ABCA1 is also involved but to a lesser extent. Both transporters are also required for optimum glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, likely via complementary roles. Exogenous cholesterol addition rescues knockdown-induced granule loss (ABCG1) and reduced secretion (both transporters). Another cholesterol transport protein, oxysterol binding protein (OSBP), appears to act proximally as a source of endogenous cholesterol for granule formation. Its knockdown caused similar defective stability of young granules and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, neither of which were rescued with exogenous cholesterol. Dual knockdowns of OSBP and ABC transporters support their serial function in supplying and concentrating cholesterol for granule formation. OSBP knockdown also decreased proinsulin synthesis consistent with a proximal endoplasmic reticulum defect. Thus, membrane cholesterol distribution contributes to insulin homeostasis at production, packaging, and export levels through the actions of OSBP and ABCs G1 and A1.
Human CLASP2 specifically regulates microtubule catastrophe and rescue
Authors: Lawrence Elizabeth J. , Arpag˘ Göker , Norris Stephen R. , Zanic Marija
Published: March 2018

Cytoplasmic linker-associated proteins (CLASPs) are microtubule-associated proteins essential for microtubule regulation in many cellular processes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying CLASP activity are not understood. Here, we use purified protein components and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to investigate the effects of human CLASP2 on microtubule dynamics in vitro. We demonstrate that CLASP2 suppresses microtubule catastrophe and promotes rescue without affecting the rates of microtubule growth or shrinkage. Strikingly, when CLASP2 is combined with EB1, a known binding partner, the effects on microtubule dynamics are strongly enhanced. We show that synergy between CLASP2 and EB1 is dependent on a direct interaction, since a truncated EB1 protein that lacks the CLASP2-binding domain does not enhance CLASP2 activity. Further, we find that EB1 targets CLASP2 to microtubules and increases the dwell time of CLASP2 at microtubule tips. Although the temporally averaged microtubule growth rates are unaffected by CLASP2, we find that microtubules grown with CLASP2 display greater variability in growth rates. Our results provide insight into the regulation of microtubule dynamics by CLASP proteins and highlight the importance of the functional interplay between regulatory proteins at dynamic microtubule ends.
The Influence of Sodium and Potassium Intake and Insulin Resistance on Blood Pressure in Normotensive Individuals Is More Evident in Women
Authors: Murao Satoshi , Takata Yasunori , Yasuda Mitsugi , Osawa Haruhiko , Kohi Fumikazu
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

Considering sex differences, salt sensitivity, and insulin resistance (IR), the effect of sodium restriction and increased potassium intake on blood pressure remains unclear in normotensive Asian individuals, compared to that in hypertensive patients.

METHODS

To assess the influence of sodium and potassium intake in normotensive individuals, we evaluated the estimated 24-hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion rate in 3,392 drug-naïve normotensive Japanese individuals (average age: 48.4 years) and analyzed its relation to blood pressure using multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

Multivariate regression analysis revealed that a 10-mmol/day increment in urinary sodium excretion related to an elevation in systolic blood pressure of 0.16 mm Hg in men and 0.37 mm Hg in women, after adjusting for known risk factors to salt sensitivity, including age, body mass index, serum creatinine, homeostasis model assessment of IR, and urinary potassium excretion. For urinary potassium excretion, a 10-mmol/day increment was associated with a decrease in systolic blood pressure, −0.54 mm Hg in men and −1.49 mm Hg in women, respectively. Furthermore, involvement of IR on blood pressure was observed only in women.

CONCLUSIONS

In drug-naïve normotensive individuals, the effects of a lower-salt and higher-potassium diet, and IR on blood pressure, were more evident in women. These results suggest that to prevent the new onset of hypertension and its complications, the balances of a sodium restriction and an increased potassium intake are important even in normotensive individuals, independent of known risk factors for salt sensitivity, especially in women.
The Structure of Interests in Property in Commercial Transactions
Authors: Raczynska Magda
Published: March 2018

This chapter discusses the legal structure of property interests in commercial transactions, first by explaining the relevant legal concepts such as the distinction between property rights and personal rights. It proceeds by considering contractual rights and how property as assets differ from property as interests in assets. It then examines the key forms and purposes of key proprietary interests, noting that parties that enter into commercial transactions create proprietary interests and personal obligations, namely: contracts of sale with retention-of-title clause, title-based interests (hire-purchase agreements and leases) and security interests (pledges, charges and mortgages). The chapter also analyses the nature of parties' legal relationship inherent when proprietary interests are created, focusing on the relevance of the agreement and whether the legal relationship between the parties to the transactions may be fiduciary. Finally, it describes the power to act and the authority to act with respect to such relationships.
Agreements with Derived Asset Clauses
Authors: Raczynska Magda
Published: March 2018

This chapter considers the ways in which a secured creditor or a holder of a title-based interest may bargain for interest in derived assets (proceeds, products or fruits) where the agreement contains a derived asset clause. Parties may bargain for interest in proceeds, products or fruits by way of a clause in the agreements or by virtue of the relationship between proprietary interests and derived assets. The effect of dispositions of assets subject to security interests depends on whether the charge is fixed and floating. The chapter first examines sale of goods contracts with retention-of-title (RoT) clauses that extend the retention of title to proceeds and products, along with security agreements bearing derived asset clauses. It also explains the effect of derived asset clauses as after-acquired property clauses, focusing on pledges and legal mortgages, equitable security interests, and security interest in after-acquired property granted in a document by an individual.
Claims to Proceeds of Unauthorized Acts
Authors: Raczynska Magda
Published: March 2018

This chapter examines the possible basis for proprietary restitutionary claims to proceeds of unauthorised dispositions of assets subject to security interests and title-based interests. In particular, it considers the extent to which the nature of the legal relationship between the parties to the transaction might influence the basis of such claims by revisiting the Court of Appeal decision in Buhr v Barclays Bank. It also asks whether the creditor has an automatic right to proceeds of an unauthorised disposition, along with issues arising from proprietary claims to proceeds of unauthorised dispositions based on vindicatio and unjust enrichment. It shows that a secured creditor's automatic right to proceeds of unauthorised dispositions cannot be greater than what he had in the case of authorised transactions.
What Should a Default Proceeds Rule Be?
Authors: Raczynska Magda
Published: March 2018

This chapter examines the extent to which security interests and title-based interests should be asserted by default in proceeds, products and fruits of the original asset. It considers whether allowing or disallowing a secured creditor or a supplier to automatically have a proprietary interest in the proceeds, products and fruits should be a default or a mandatory rule. It also explains how the extent to which extending interests to proceeds, products or fruits affects the categorization of interests as security or title-based finance. After discussing the issue of reform of the English law governing secured transactions and title-based finance, the chapter analyses property law and economic efficiency considerations in shaping the default rules. It also looks at security in proceeds under Article 9 of the U.S. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) and asks whether reform of the English law should follow Article 9 UCC.
Introduction to Private Investment Funds
Authors: Spangler Timothy
Published: March 2018

This chapter provides an introduction to private investment funds. It first considers the governance challenge in private investment funds that can be regarded as a need to improve the standard of corporate governance in the legal vehicles that comprise such funds. In particular, it examines the manner in which hedge funds and private equity funds affect the corporate governance of the portfolio companies in which they invest. The chapter proceeds by discussing governance issues arising from the use of partnerships vs. corporations as private fund vehicles, along with the consequences of governance failures and the function of private investment funds. It also analyses legal and regulatory issues surrounding the structuring and operations of private investment funds, the legal and fiduciary duties of the investment manager, and fiduciary duty in the financial services regulatory regime. Finally, it describes alternatives to centralised, top-down regulation of private investment funds.
Marketing Private Investment Funds
Authors: Spangler Timothy
Published: March 2018

This chapter examines how private investment funds are marketed, first by considering the different distribution approaches for such funds. Private investment funds are distributed mainly through private placements rather than public offers. With limited exceptions, this is generally driven by restrictions on public marketing efforts imposed by financial regulations such as the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) in the UK. The chapter proceeds by discussing financial promotion restrictions in the UK as well as exemptions to these restrictions, including one-off communications, high net worth individuals, and sophisticated investors. It also explains the promotion of collective investment schemes (CIS) and the consequences of CIS categorisation before concluding with an analysis of laws that govern the marketing of private investment funds in the United States, namely: the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Self-Regulation and Private Actors
Authors: Spangler Timothy
Published: March 2018

This chapter focuses on self-regulation as a means for private actors to address the governance challenge in private investment funds. It first considers the role and limits of financial regulation before discussing the ways that self-regulation and private actors can help in governing the organization, renumerating, risk management and reporting activities of private investment funds. It then examines four codes of conduct for private actors involved in private investment funds: the Best Practices of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, the Managed Fund Association’s Sound Practices, Sir Andrew Large’s consultation on ‘Hedge Fund Standards’, and the Institutional Limited Partners Association guidelines. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the role of investors in investor protection failures and the importance of private law for private actors seeking to address the governance challenge.
Side Letters as a Means of Mitigating the Governance Challenge
Authors: Spangler Timothy
Published: March 2018

This chapter explains how an investor can mitigate the governance challenge by entering a side letter agreement with the fund and/or the fund manager. ‘Side letter agreements’ operate to amend or supplement particular terms within the fund documentation in order to accommodate the particular commercial, legal and regulatory needs of the investors. Side letters can be used to overcome provisions in the constitutional documents of a Partnership PIF or a Company PIF that have been deemed problematic. The chapter first provides an overview of general issues surrounding side letters before discussing the terms of a side letter and how this agreement can help address the governance challenge. It also examines practical issues that must be taken into account when assessing the potential effectiveness of side letters as a private monitoring solution to the governance challenge in private investment funds.
Evaluating and Implementing Private Monitoring Solutions
Authors: Spangler Timothy
Published: March 2018

This chapter considers three private monitoring solutions designed to help fund investors better address the problems arising from the governance challenge by facilitating a better flow of information from the fund manager to the investors and their agents. All three private monitoring solutions recognise the commercial contexts in which private investment funds operate by emphasizing voluntary steps that fund managers and investors can take incrementally. Each focuses on the provision of accurate and timely information as the means to overcome the investment protection concerns that arise due to the collectivised nature of the private investment fund. The chapter first looks at the criticisms against private monitoring solutions as well as the limits of financial regulation before discussing due diligence as the commercial foundation for private monitoring solutions. It also examines how to best support the wider adoption and implementation of private monitoring solutions.
Litigation and Enforcement involving Private Funds after the Global Financial Crisis
Authors: Spangler Timothy
Published: March 2018

This chapter focuses on the increase in the amount of litigation and enforcement actions against private investment funds in the United States, the UK, and across the globe as a result of the global financial crisis. As more disputes arose during the course of the global financial crisis, the legal and regulatory regime impacting private investment funds has been the subject of closer scrutiny than has been seen in previous decades. The chapter first considers the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) enforcement actions against hedge funds as well as U.S. civil litigation prior to the financial crisis before discussing Dodd-Frank and its effect on enforcement. It then examines the SEC’s enforcement actions regarding broker-dealer registration, along with some of its key enforcement actions after Dodd-Frank. It also analyses the Financial Conduct Authority’s enforcement priorities after the global financial crisis and key litigation in the UK involving private investment funds.
International Law and the Use of Force
Authors: Gray Christine
Published: March 2018

This book explores the use of force in international law. It examines not only the use of force by states but also the role of the UN in peacekeeping and enforcement action, and the increasing role of regional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security. The UN Charter framework is under challenge: Russia’s invasion of Georgia and intervention in Ukraine, the USA’s military operations in Syria, and Saudi Arabia’s campaign to restore the government of Yemen by force all raise questions about the law on intervention. The ‘war on terror’ that began after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the USA has not been won. It has spread far beyond Afghanistan, leading to targeted killings in Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen, and to intervention against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Is there an expanding right of self-defence against non-state actors? The development of nuclear weapons by North Korea has reignited discussion about the legality of pre-emptive self-defence. The NATO-led operation in Libya increased hopes for the implementation of ‘responsibility to protect’, but it also provoked criticism for exceeding the Security Council’s authorization of force because its outcome was regime change. UN peacekeeping faces new challenges, especially with regard to the protection of civilians, and UN forces have been given revolutionary mandates in several African states, but UN peacekeeping is not suited to counter-terrorism or enforcement operations. The UN now turns to regional organizations as first responders in situations of ongoing armed conflict.
Invitation and intervention
Authors: Gray Christine
Published: March 2018

This chapter focuses on the law concerning the use of force and intervention in internal conflicts such as civil wars. The 1970 Declaration on Friendly Relations (General Assembly Resolution 2625) spelled out the content of the prohibition of the use of force in civil conflicts: every state has the duty not to foment, finance, incite, or tolerate subversive, terrorist, or armed activities directed towards the violent overthrow of the regime of another state and the duty not to interfere in civil strife in another state. The International Court of Justice in the Nicaragua case and in Armed Activities on the Territory of Congo confirmed that these provisions of the Declaration on Friendly Relations were declaratory of customary international law. The chapter shows that in most cases of forcible intervention in a civil war it is not the interpretation but the application of the law that leads to difficulty.
Self-defence: the framework
Authors: Gray Christine
Published: March 2018

This chapter discusses the general framework of the law of self-defence. The scope of the right of self-defence is the subject of the most fundamental disagreement between states and between writers. Some of the divisions over the scope of the right of self-defence, especially as to whether anticipatory self-defence against an imminent armed attack and the protection of nationals abroad are lawful, date back to the creation of the United Nations. Other divisions centre on the right to use force in self-defence in response to colonial occupation, to terrorist attacks, and to other attacks by non-state actors. This chapter also discusses the special regime of collective self-defence.
The use of force against terrorism: a new war for a new century?
Authors: Gray Christine
Published: March 2018

This chapter examines the impact of the ‘war against terror’ on international law. The US invasion of Afghanistan in response to the massive terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 11 September 2001 led to a fundamental reappraisal of the law of self-defence. The US response to 9/11 was to announce ‘a different kind of war against a different kind of enemy’—a global war on terrorism. Many writers now argue that 9/11 and subsequent state practice have changed the law on self-defence, but the legal situation is not so clear-cut. More recently, the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and the military response by the USA and other states since 2014, have given rise to renewed debate about the scope of self-defence. And President Trump’s foreign policy with regard to North Korea and Iran has once again raised questions about the controversial doctrine of pre-emptive self-defence.
The UN and the use of force
Authors: Gray Christine
Published: March 2018

This chapter focuses on the role of the UN, illustrating the interpretation and application in practice of Chapter VII of the UN Charter and the development through practice of the institution of peacekeeping. The aim of the drafters of the UN Charter was not only to prohibit the unilateral use of force by states in Article 2(4) but also to centralize control of the use of force in the Security Council under Chapter VII. However, the formal scheme of Chapter VII under which the Security Council would have its own standing army and respond to breaches of the peace, threats to the peace, and acts of aggression did not stand up to the pressure of the Cold War. The chapter shows how peacekeeping has evolved since the end of the Cold War and examines recent proposals for reform.
Security Council authorization of member states to use force
Authors: Gray Christine
Published: March 2018

This chapter discusses Security Council authorization of member states to use force. There is now general agreement that the original scheme of Chapter VII of the UN Charter is not workable, and that the UN itself will not conduct enforcement operations. Instead, the Security Council may authorize member states to take enforcement action, even if the precise legal basis for this in the Charter is not clear. The Security Council has not again authorized member states to use force against an aggressor state in the same way as it did against Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait, but it has authorized action for a variety of other purposes. This chapter then discusses the controversy over claims of implied or revived authorization of the use of force by the Security Council.
A system of three transiting super-Earths in a cool dwarf star
Authors: Díez Alonso E , Suárez Gómez S L , González Hernández J I , Suárez Mascareño A , González Gutiérrez C , Velasco S , Toledo-Padrón B , de Cos Juez F J , Rebolo R
Published: March 2018

We present the detection of three super-Earths transiting the cool star LP415-17, monitored by K2 mission in its 13th campaign. High-resolution spectra obtained with High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher-North/Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (HARPS-N/TNG) showed that the star is a mid-late K dwarf. Using spectral synthesis models, we infer its effective temperature, surface gravity, and metallicity, and subsequently determined from evolutionary models a stellar radius of 0.58 R⊙. The planets have radii of 1.8, 2.6, and 1.9 R⊕ and orbital periods of 6.34, 13.85, and 40.72 d. High-resolution images discard any significant contamination by an intervening star in the line of sight. The orbit of the furthest planet has radius of 0.18 au, close to the inner edge of the habitable zone. The system is suitable to improve our understanding of formation and dynamical evolution of super-Earth systems in the rocky–gaseous threshold, their atmospheres, internal structure, composition, and interactions with host stars.
Probing galaxy assembly bias with LRG weak lensing observations
Authors: Niemiec A , Jullo E , Montero-Dorta A D , Prada F , Rodriguez-Torres S , Perez E , Klypin A , Erben T , Makler M , Moraes B , Pereira M E S , Shan H
Published: March 2018

In Montero-Dorta et al., we show that luminous red galaxies (LRGs) from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) at z ∼ 0.55 can be divided into two groups based on their star formation histories. So-called fast-growing LRGs assemble 80 per cent of their stellar mass at z ∼ 5, whereas slow-growing LRGs reach the same evolutionary state at z ∼ 1.5. We further demonstrate that these two subpopulations present significantly different clustering properties on scales of ∼1−30 Mpc. Here, we measure the mean halo mass of each subsample using the galaxy–galaxy lensing technique, in the ${\sim }190\deg ^2$ overlap of the LRG catalogue and the CS82 and CFHTLenS shear catalogues. We show that fast- and slow-growing LRGs have similar lensing profiles, which implies that they live in haloes of similar mass: $\log (M_{\rm halo}^{\rm fast}/h^{-1}\mathrm{M}_{{\odot }}) = 12.85^{+0.16}_{-0.26}$ and $\log (M_{\rm halo}^{\rm slow}/h^{-1}\mathrm{M}_{{\odot }}) =12.92^{+0.16}_{-0.22}$. This result, combined with the clustering difference, suggests the existence of galaxy assembly bias, although the effect is too subtle to be definitively proven, given the errors on our current weak-lensing measurement. We show that this can soon be achieved with upcoming surveys like DES.
Sensitivity of Botrytis cinerea Isolates from Conventional and Organic Strawberry Fields in Brazil to Azoxystrobin, Iprodione, Pyrimethanil, and Thiophanate-Methyl
Authors: Baggio Juliana S. , Peres Natalia A. , Amorim Lilian
Published: March 2018

Botrytis fruit rot, caused by Botrytis cinerea, is one of the most important strawberry diseases worldwide, and fungicide applications are often used to manage the disease in commercial production. Isolates of B. cinerea were collected from conventional and organic strawberry fields in four Brazilian States from 2013 to 2015 and their sensitivity to the main single-site mode-of action fungicides used in Brazil was tested. Resistance to azoxystrobin, iprodione, pyrimethanil, and thiophanate-methyl was found and values for effective concentration that inhibited mycelial growth by 50% were higher than 71.9, 1.2, 5.0, and 688 µg/ml, respectively, regardless the production system. Resistance to these fungicides was observed in 87.5, 76.6, 23.4, and 92.2% of isolates from conventional fields and 31.4, 22.9, 14.3, and 51.4% of isolates from organic fields, respectively. Moreover, frequencies of isolates with multiple fungicide resistance to the four active ingredients were 20.6 and 2.8% whereas 6.3 and 27.8% were sensitive to the four fungicides for conventional and organic areas, respectively. Molecular analyses of the cytochrome b, β-tubulin, and bos1 genes revealed the presence of G143A; E198A; and I365 N/S, Q369P, or N373S mutations, respectively, in resistant isolates of B. cinerea. Field rates of fungicides sprayed preventively to inoculated strawberry fruit failed to control disease caused by the respective resistant isolates.
CE: Original Research: Recognizing Delirium in Hospitalized Children: A Systematic Review of the Evidence on Risk Factors and Characteristics
Authors: Holly Cheryl , Porter Sallie , Echevarria Mercedes , Dreker Margaret , Ruzehaji Sevara
Published: March 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the evidence regarding the risk factors for and characteristics of acute pediatric delirium in hospitalized children.

Methods: The systematic review method within an epidemiological framework of person, place, and time was used. Fifty-two studies were selected for initial retrieval. Of these, after assessment for methodological quality, 21 studies involving 2,616 subjects were included in the review.

Results: Findings revealed five primary characteristics seen in children experiencing delirium: agitation, disorientation, hallucinations, inattention, and sleep–wake cycle disturbances. Children who were more seriously ill, such as those in a pediatric ICU (PICU) and those with a high Pediatric Risk of Mortality II (PRISM II) score, and children who were mechanically ventilated were at greater risk for development of delirium. Those with a developmental delay or a preexisting anxiety disorder were also more prone to delirium. Although delirium symptoms fluctuate, most episodes occurred at night. Boys were slightly more susceptible than girls, though this difference was not significant. A key finding of this review was that delirium is multifactorial, related to treatment (mechanical ventilation, for example) and to a hospital environment (such as a PICU) that deprives patients of normal sleep–wake cycles and familiar routines.

Conclusion: These findings will be useful in efforts to achieve earlier recognition and better management or prevention of pediatric delirium. This may also help to prevent unnecessary laboratory testing and imaging studies, which can cause children and parents unnecessary pain and anxiety and increase hospital costs.
Association of Patient-Reported Narcotic Use With Short- and Long-Term Outcomes After Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery
Authors: Raad Micheal , Jain Amit , Neuman Brian J. , Hassanzadeh Hamid , Gupta Munish C. , Burton Douglas C. , Mundis Gregory M. , Lafage Virginie , Klineberg Eric O. , Hostin Richard A. , Ames Christopher P. , Bess Shay , Sciubba Daniel M. , Kebaish Khaled M.
Published: March 2018

Study Design.

Retrospective analysis of a prospective registry

Objective.

To investigate associations of preoperative narcotic use with outcomes after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.

Summary of Background Data.

We hypothesized that preoperative narcotic use would predict longer hospital stays, greater postoperative narcotic use, and greater disability 2 years after ASD surgery.

Methods.

A multicenter database of surgical ASD patients was analyzed retrospectively for patients with self-reported data on preoperative narcotic use. Patients were categorized as using narcotics daily or non-daily (including those who used no narcotics), according to self-report. Outcomes were prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS) (>7 days); length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay; and daily narcotic use and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores 2 years postoperatively. Groups were compared by demographic characteristics, pain, disability, radiographic deformity, and surgical invasiveness. Multivariate logistic and linear regression were used to determine associations between preoperative narcotic use and outcomes.

Results.

Of 575 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 425 (74%) had complete 2-year follow-up data. Forty-four percent reported daily preoperative narcotic use. Compared with non-daily users, daily narcotic users were older, had more comorbidities, more severe back pain, higher ODI scores, longer operative times, and worse preoperative malalignment and were more likely to undergo 3-column osteotomy (all, P < 0.05). Daily narcotic use independently predicted prolonged LOS (odds ratio [OR] = 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–2.9), longer ICU stay (difference = 16 hours, 95% CI = 1.9–30 hours), and daily narcotic use 2 years postoperatively (OR = 6.9, 95% CI = 3.7–13), as well as worse 2-year ODI score (difference = 4.5, 95% CI: 0.7–8.3, P = 0.021).

Conclusion.

Daily narcotic use before ASD surgery was associated with prolonged LOS, longer ICU stays, and increased risk of daily narcotic use and greater disability 2 years postoperatively.

Level of Evidence: 3