bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alpha‐thalassaemia promotes frequent vaso‐occlusive crises in children with sickle cell anaemia through haemorheological changes
Authors: Renoux Céline , Connes Philippe , Nader Elie , Skinner Sarah , Faes Camille , Petras Marie , Bertrand Yves , Garnier Nathalie , Cuzzubbo Daniela , Divialle‐Doumdo Lydia , Kebaïli Kamila , Renard Cécile , Gauthier Alexandra , Etienne‐Julan Maryse , Cannas Giovanna , Martin Cyril , Hardy‐Dessources Marie‐Dominique , Pialoux Vincent , Romana Marc , Joly Philippe
Published: January 2017

Background

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is a severe hereditary haemoglobinopathy characterised by haemorheological abnormalities, which play a role in the occurrence of several acute and chronic clinical complications. While βS‐haplotypes and alpha‐thalassaemia modulate SCA clinical severity, their effects on blood rheology have been incompletely described. The aim of this study was to test the effects of these genetic modifiers on the haemorheological properties and clinical complication of children with SCA.

Procedure

Steady‐state haemorheological profile, biological parameters, βS‐haplotypes, alpha‐globin status, vaso‐occlusive crisis (VOC) and acute chest syndrome frequencies were analysed in 128 children (aged 5 to 18 years) with SCA.

Results

Patients with alpha‐thalassaemia showed increased red blood cell (RBC) deformability and aggregation compared to those without. Median VOC rate was higher in patients with homozygous alpha‐thalassaemia compared to those with a normal alpha genotype. Conversely, the haemorheological profile and clinical complications were not influenced by the βS‐haplotypes in our study.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that alpha‐thalassaemia is associated with higher risk for VOC events in children with SCA, which may be due in part to its effects on RBC deformability and aggregation.
Exposure to reactive intermediate‐inducing drugs during pregnancy and the incident use of psychotropic medications among children
Authors: Tran Yen‐Hao , Groen Henk , Bergman Jorieke E.H. , Hak Eelko , Wilffert Bob
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Our study aimed to investigate the association between prenatal exposure to reactive intermediate (RI)‐inducing drugs and the initiation of psychotropic medications among children.

Methods

We designed a cohort study using a pharmacy prescription database. Pregnant women were considered exposed when they received a prescription of RI‐inducing drugs. These drugs could be either used alone (RI+/FAA−) or combined with drugs exhibiting folic acid antagonism (FAA, RI+/FAA+). The reference group included pregnant women who did not receive any RI‐inducing drugs or FAA drugs.

Results

We analyzed 4116 exposed and 30 422 reference pregnancies. The hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was 1.27 (95%CI 1.15–1.41) for pregnancies exposed to RI‐inducing drugs as a whole. Considering subgroups of RI‐inducing drugs, prenatal exposure to both RI+/FAA+ and RI+/FAA− was associated with the children's initiation of psychotropic medications, HRs being 1.35 (95%CI 1.10–1.66) and 1.26 (1.13–1.41), respectively. The HRs were increased with prolonged exposure to RI‐inducing drugs, especially in the first and second trimesters. In a detailed examination of the psychotropics, the incidences of receiving antimigraine preparations and psychostimulants were significantly increased for the exposed children, compared with the reference children. The incidences of receiving antipsychotics and hypnotics were also higher for the exposed children; however, the HRs did not reach significance after adjustment.

Conclusions

We found a significantly increased incident use of psychotropic medications among children prenatally exposed to RI‐inducing drugs, especially during the first and second trimesters. This suggests a detrimental effect during critical periods of brain development. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluating the economic viability of CdTe/CIS and CIGS/CIS tandem photovoltaic modules
Authors: Nanayakkara Sanjini U. , Horowitz Kelsey , Kanevce Ana , Woodhouse Michael , Basore Paul
Published: January 2017

We analyze the potential cost competitiveness of two frameless, glass–glass thin‐film tandem photovoltaic module structures, cadmium telluride (CdTe)/CuInSe2 (CIS) and CuIn0.3Ga0.7Se2 (CIGS)/CIS, based on the demonstrated cost of manufacturing the respective component cell technologies in high volume. To consider multiple economic scenarios, we base the CdTe/CIS module efficiency on the current industrial production of CdTe modules, while for CIGS/CIS, we use an aspirational estimate for CIGS efficiency. We focus on four‐terminal mechanically stacked structures, thus avoiding the need to achieve current matching between the two cells. The top cell in such a tandem must have a transparent back contact, which has not been successfully implemented to date. However, for the purpose of understanding the economic viability of both tandems, we assume that this can be implemented at a cost similar to that of sputtered indium tin oxide. The cost of both tandem module structures was found to be nearly identical on an equal‐area basis and approximately $30/m2 higher than the single‐junction alternatives. Both tandem modules are about 4% (absolute) more efficient than a module by using the top‐cell material alone. We find that these tandem modules might reduce total system cost by as much as 11% in applications having a high area‐related balance‐of‐system cost, such as area‐constrained residential systems; however, the relative advantage of tandems decreases in the cases where balance‐of‐system costs are lower, such as in commercial and utility scale systems. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural and functional insights into thermally stable cytochrome c′ from a thermophile
Authors: Fujii Sotaro , Oki Hiroya , Kawahara Kazuki , Yamane Daisuke , Yamanaka Masaru , Maruno Takahiro , Kobayashi Yuji , Masanari Misa , Wakai Satoshi , Nishihara Hirofumi , Ohkubo Tadayasu , Sambongi Yoshihiro
Published: January 2017

Thermophilic Hydrogenophilus thermoluteolus cytochrome c′ (PHCP) exhibits higher thermal stability than a mesophilic counterpart, Allochromatium vinosum cytochrome c′ (AVCP), which has a homo‐dimeric structure and ligand‐binding ability. To understand the thermal stability mechanism and ligand‐binding ability of the thermally stable PHCP protein, the crystal structure of PHCP was first determined. It formed a homo‐dimeric structure, the main chain root mean square deviation (rmsd) value between PHCP and AVCP being 0.65 Å. In the PHCP structure, six specific residues appeared to strengthen the heme‐related and subunit–subunit interactions, which were not conserved in the AVCP structure. PHCP variants having altered subunit–subunit interactions were more severely destabilized than ones having altered heme‐related interactions. The PHCP structure further revealed a ligand‐binding channel and a penta‐coordinated heme, as observed in the AVCP protein. A spectroscopic study clearly showed that some ligands were bound to the PHCP protein. It is concluded that the dimeric PHCP from the thermophile is effectively stabilized through heme‐related and subunit–subunit interactions with conservation of the ligand‐binding ability.

Brief Summary

We report the X‐ray crystal structure of cytochrome c′ (PHCP) from thermophilic Hydrogenophilus thermoluteolus. The high thermal stability of PHCP was attributed to heme‐related and subunit–subunit interactions, which were confirmed by a mutagenesis study. The ligand‐binding ability of PHCP was examined by spectrophotometry. PHCP acquired the thermal stability with conservation of the ligand‐binding ability. This study furthers the understanding of the stability and function of cytochromes c.
Structural changes of an outer tropical cyclone rain band encountering the topography of northern Taiwan
Authors: Yu Cheng‐Ku , Tsai Chia‐Lun
Published: January 2017

This study utilized ground‐based Doppler radar observations to document the detailed structures of an outer tropical cyclone rain band (TCR) of Typhoon Longwang (2005) as the rain band passed over the topography of northern Taiwan on 1 October 2005. The TCR was oriented northeast–southwest and was roughly parallel to the mountain barrier with a higher (lower) terrain height in its southern (northern) landfalling segment. During the pre‐landfall stage, the TCR was characterized by convective precipitation on its inner side, where the front‐to‐rear flow met with the rear‐to‐front flow to lift air upward with overturning‐updraught‐like signatures. Significant (relatively minor) changes in the TCR's structures were evident in the southern (northern) landfalling segment during the landfalling stage. In particular, the southern landfalling segment exhibited a much stronger front‐to‐rear flow that passed through the region of the rain band, resulting in the absence of low‐level organized convergence and a relatively disorganized nature of precipitation. This structural change was shown to be closely related to a significant decrease in the cross‐barrier flow due to the orographic blocking that occurred as easterly ambient winds encountered local high mountains in the vicinity of the rain‐band segment. As the TCR propagated over the western side of the major topography, the low‐level rear‐to‐front flow reappeared due to the collapse of low‐level orographic blocking, and the convergence between the front‐to‐rear flow and the rear‐to‐front flow tended to rebuild a well‐organized convective circulation along the rain band. Results from this case‐study provide insight into processes that contribute to rapid structural changes in a landfalling TCR over mountainous regions.
Comparative evaluation of label‐free quantification methods for shotgun proteomics
Authors: Bubis Julia A. , Levitsky Lev I. , Ivanov Mark V. , Tarasova Irina A. , Gorshkov Mikhail V.
Published: January 2017

Rationale

Label‐free quantification (LFQ) is a popular strategy for shotgun proteomics. A variety of LFQ algorithms have been developed recently. However, a comprehensive comparison of the most commonly used LFQ methods is still rare, in part due to a lack of clear metrics for their evaluation and an annotated and quantitatively well‐characterized data set.

Methods

Five LFQ methods were compared: spectral counting based algorithms SIN, emPAI, and NSAF, and approaches relying on the extracted ion chromatogram (XIC) intensities, MaxLFQ and Quanti. We used three criteria for performance evaluation: coefficient of variation (CV) of protein abundances between replicates; analysis of variance (ANOVA); and the root‐mean‐square error of logarithmized calculated concentration ratios, referred to as standard quantification error (SQE). Comparison was performed using a quantitatively annotated publicly available data set.

Results

The best results in terms of inter‐replicate reproducibility were observed for MaxLFQ and NSAF, although they exhibited larger standard quantification errors. Using NSAF, all quantitatively annotated proteins were correctly identified in the Bonferronni‐corrected results of the ANOVA test. SIN was found to be the most accurate in terms of SQE. Finally, the current implementations of XIC‐based LFQ methods did not outperform the methods based on spectral counting for the data set used in this study.

Conclusions

Surprisingly, the performances of XIC‐based approaches measured using three independent metrics were found to be comparable with more straightforward and simple MS/MS‐based spectral counting approaches. The study revealed no clear leader among the latter. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ESIPT Coupled RAHB Probe for Estimation of Cyanide in Human Blood Serum/Plasma like Solutions Using Chemodosimetric Approach
Authors: Gupta Akul Sen , Paul Kamaldeep , Luxami Vijay
Published: January 2017

Benzimidazole based probe 2 has been synthesized that exhibits both RAHBs and ESIPT phenomenons on single platform. Probe 2 is used for selective estimation of CN− ions. The chemodosimetric approach is successfully used for estimation of CN− ions (100 nM) in human blood sample and plasma like solutions. The interaction behaviour of CN− with probe 2 has been confirmed through NMR titrations as well as DFT calculations.
Structural, Textural, and Catalytic Properties of Ti(IV)‐Fe(III) Mixed Oxides Prepared by a Modified Sol‐Gel Route
Authors: Khaleel Abbas , Al‐Zuhair Sulaiman , Al‐Mamary Said , Parvin Maliha , Khan Ahmad H.
Published: January 2017

Iron(III) titanates and Fe(III)‐modified titania were prepared via a modified sol‐gel method. Structures, texture and phase transformations after calcination at different temperatures were investigated. Fe(III) ions below 10 % were well dispersed in the titania lattice. Pseudorutile (Fe2Ti3O9) was prepared starting with a solution containing 40 % Fe(III) and calcining the product at 500 °C. Starting with equal concentrations of both metal ions resulted in a mixture of pseudorutile and pseudobrookite, Fe2TiO5. However, using 66.7 % Fe(III) to prepare pseudobrookite resulted in segregation of trace amounts of iron(III) oxide and rutile. All mixed oxides possessed significantly higher surface areas (178‐217 m2/g), larger pore volumes (0.16‐0.27 cc/g), and more homogeneous mesopores compared with the parent single metal oxides. Fe2TiO5 showed promising catalytic activity in the catalytic oxidation of toluene. A conversion of 100 % to CO2 was obtained at temperatures ≥300 °C and its catalytic activity correlates with its enhanced reducibility as studied by H2‐temperature programmed reduction (H2‐TPR).
Title: Periodic Mesoporous Hexagonal Boron Nitride at High Pressure: A Route to Cubic Boron Nitride Nanocrystals and Mesoporous Cubic Boron Nitride
Authors: Mandal Manik , Liu Cong , Sanders Toby , Haso Fadi , Bhadram Venkata , Arslan Ilke , Liu Tianbo , Fei Yingwei , Landskron Kai
Published: January 2017

Periodic mesoporous hexagonal boron nitride was investigated as a precursor for nanoscale forms of cubic boron nitride. Cubic boron nitride (c‐BN) nanocrystals were obtained at a pressure of 14 GPa and a temperature of 1300 °C. The synthesized nanocrystals have diameters of ∼ 50 nm and are solution‐processible. Mesoporous c‐BN formed at a pressure of 10 GPa and 1000 °C. The mesoporous c‐BN has a pore size distribution centered around 3 nm and a surface area of 122 m2/g as determined by electron tomography. At pressures of 8 and 6 GPa near monodisperse h‐BN nanodiscs with diameters of 0.5‐1 μm and 0.2‐0.5 μm were formed, respectively. The discs formed colloidal solutions in acetone. The hydrodynamic radius of the discs matched the radii determined by dynamic light scattering indicating absence of nanodisc aggregation in solution.
Quickly Manufactured, Drug Eluting, Calcium Phosphate Composite Coating
Authors: Thomas Midhun Ben , Metoki Noah , Geuli Ori , Sharabani‐Yosef Orna , Zada Tal , Reches Meital , Mandler Daniel , Eliaz Noam
Published: January 2017

Calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramics have been prevalently used as coatings for implants because of their excellent osteoconductive and bioactive properties. Yet, bone regeneration procedures might have complications such as bacterial infection, local inflammation, bone destruction, and impaired bone healing. Here, we present a novel in situ electrodeposition of CaP with chitosan nanoparticles containing antibiotics. The deposition was shown to be fast and efficient. The deposited layer of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) and monotite contained a large amount of gentamicin, which was released gradually over a period of 15 days. These phases may be beneficial for bone growth, as OCP has higher solubility than the stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HAp) and is commonly considered as a precursor to HAp, while monotite has even faster resorbability. In addition, both the cytotoxicity and biomineralization of the coating were studied, and the coating was proven to be non‐cytotoxic and highly biomimetic.
PTSA‐Catalyzed Reaction of Indoles with 2‐Oxoaldehydes: Synthesis of α,α‐Bis(indol‐3‐yl) Ketones
Authors: Suárez Anisley , Martínez Fernando , Suárez‐Pantiga Samuel , Sanz Roberto
Published: January 2017

A convenient procedure for accessing α,α‐bis(indol‐3‐yl) ketones from indoles and α‐oxoaldehydes is described using an inexpensive and commercially available catalyst such as p‐toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate. This protocol allows for the first time the synthesis of 2,2‐bis(indolyl)‐1‐alkylethanones by employing aliphatic 2‐oxoaldehydes, even as aqueous solutions. The high‐yielded obtained ketones have been shown as useful starting materials for further synthetic transformations.
Scaffolding of Enzymes on Virus Nanoarrays: Effects of Confinement and Virus Organization on Biocatalysis
Authors: Patel Anisha N. , Anne Agnès , Chovin Arnaud , Demaille Christophe , Grelet Eric , Michon Thierry , Taofifenua Cécilia
Published: January 2017

Organizing active enzyme molecules on nanometer‐sized scaffolds is a promising strategy for designing highly efficient supported catalytic systems for biosynthetic and sensing applications. This is achieved by designing model nanoscale enzymatic platforms followed by thorough analysis of the catalytic activity. Herein, the virus fd bacteriophage is considered as an enzyme nanocarrier to study the scaffolding effects on enzymatic activity. Nanoarrays of randomly oriented, or directionally patterned, fd bacteriophage virus are functionalized with the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx), using an immunological assembly strategy, directly on a gold electrode support. The scaffolding process on the virus capsid is monitored in situ by AFM (atomic force microscopy) imaging, while cyclic voltammetry is used to interrogate the catalytic activity of the resulting functional GOx‐fd nanoarrays. Kinetic analysis reveals the ability to modulate the activity of GOx via nanocarrier patterning. The results evidence, for the first time, enhancement of the enzymatic activity due to scaffolding on a filamentous viral particle.
Low Dose Radiation Causes Skin Cancer in Mice and Has a Differential Effect on Distinct Epidermal Stem Cells
Authors: Revenco Tatiana , Lapouge Gaelle , Moers Virginie , Brohée Sylvain , Sotiropoulou Panagiota A.
Published: January 2017

The carcinogenic effect of ionizing radiation has been evaluated based on limited populations accidently exposed to high dose radiation. In contrast, insufficient data are available on the effect of low dose radiation (LDR), such as radiation deriving from medical investigations and interventions, as well as occupational exposure that concern a large fraction of western populations. Using mouse skin epidermis as a model, we showed that LDR results in DNA damage in sebaceous gland (SG) and bulge epidermal stem cells (SCs). While the first commit apoptosis upon low dose irradiation, the latter survive. Bulge SC survival coincides with higher HIF-1α expression and a metabolic switch upon LDR. Knocking down HIF-1α sensitizes bulge SCs to LDR-induced apoptosis, while upregulation of HIF-1α in the epidermis, including SG SCs, rescues cell death. Most importantly, we show that LDR results in cancer formation with full penetrance in the radiation-sensitive Patched1 heterozygous mice. Overall, our results demonstrate for the first time that LDR can be a potent carcinogen in individuals predisposed to cancer.
Direct bioethanol production from wheat straw using xylose/glucose co-fermentation by co-culture of two recombinant yeasts
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Wang Caiyun , Wang Lulu , Yang Ruoxin , Hou Peilei , Liu Junhong
Published: January 2017

To achieve a cost-effective bioconversion of lignocellulosic materials, a novel xylose/glucose co-fermentation process by co-culture of cellulose-utilizing recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) and xylan-utilizing recombinant Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris) was developed, in which ethanol was produced directly from wheat straw without additional hydrolytic enzymes. Recombinant S. cerevisiae coexpressing three types of cellulase and recombinant P. pastoris coexpressing two types of xylanase were constructed, respectively. All cellulases and xylanases were successfully expressed and similar extracellular activity was demonstrated. The maximum ethanol concentration of 32.6 g L−1 with the yield 0.42 g g−1 was achieved from wheat straw corresponding to 100 g L−1 of total sugar after 80 h co-fermentation, which corresponds to 82.6% of the theoretical yield. These results demonstrate that the direct and efficient ethanol production from lignocellulosic materials is accomplished by simultaneous saccharification (cellulose and hemicellulose) and co-fermentation (glucose and xylose) with the co-culture of the two recombinant yeasts.
Ketogenic diet in pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency: short‐ and long‐term outcomes
Authors: Sofou Kalliopi , Dahlin Maria , Hallböök Tove , Lindefeldt Marie , Viggedal Gerd , Darin Niklas
Published: January 2017

Objectives

Our aime was to study the short‐ and long‐term effects of ketogenic diet on the disease course and disease‐related outcomes in patients with pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency, the metabolic factors implicated in treatment outcomes, and potential safety and compliance issues.

Methods

Pediatric patients diagnosed with pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency in Sweden and treated with ketogenic diet were evaluated. Study assessments at specific time points included developmental and neurocognitive testing, patient log books, and investigator and parental questionnaires. A systematic literature review was also performed.

Results

Nineteen patients were assessed, the majority having prenatal disease onset. Patients were treated with ketogenic diet for a median of 2.9 years. All patients alive at the time of data registration at a median age of 6 years. The treatment had a positive effect mainly in the areas of epilepsy, ataxia, sleep disturbance, speech/language development, social functioning, and frequency of hospitalizations. It was also safe—except in one patient who discontinued because of acute pancreatitis. The median plasma concentration of ketone bodies (3‐hydroxybutyric acid) was 3.3 mmol/l. Poor dietary compliance was associated with relapsing ataxia and stagnation of motor and neurocognitive development. Results of neurocognitive testing are reported for 12 of 19 patients.

Conclusion

Ketogenic diet was an effective and safe treatment for the majority of patients. Treatment effect was mainly determined by disease phenotype and attainment and maintenance of ketosis.
Erectile Dysfunction in Male Adults with Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis
Authors: Egeberg Alexander , Hansen Peter R. , Gislason Gunnar H. , Skov Lone , Thyssen Jacob P.
Published: January 2017

Introduction

Patients with psoriasis have increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but data on atopic dermatitis (AD) are less clear-cut. However, it is well-established that erectile dysfunction (ED) can serve as a risk marker for coronary disease.

Aim

To investigate the incidence, prevalence, and risk of ED in men with psoriasis and AD.

Methods

The sample included all Danish men at least 30 years old. In patients with AD and psoriasis, we determined disease severity based on use of systemic therapy. We performed a cross-sectional study (January 1, 2008) using logistic regression to estimate the prevalence and odds ratio of ED. Moreover, in a cohort study design, patients were followed from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2012, and Cox regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios of new-onset ED. Models were adjusted for potential confounding factors, including age, socioeconomic status, health care consumption, smoking, alcohol abuse, diabetes, and cholesterol-lowering drug use.

Main Outcome Measures

The outcome was initiation of pharmacotherapy used for treatment of ED.

Results

The sample consisted of 1,756,679 Danish men (age range = 30–100 years), of which 2,373 and 26,536 had adult AD (mild = 1,072; severe = 1,301) and psoriasis (mild = 21,775; severe = 4,761), respectively. Mean ages (SDs) were 53.0 (14.6), 46.7 (12.0), and 56.3 (13.8) years for the general population, patients with AD, and patients with psoriasis, respectively. Prevalences of ED were 8.7%, 6.7%, and 12.8% for the general population, patients with AD, and patients with psoriasis, respectively. Adjusted odds ratios (logistic regression) of ED were decreased in patients with AD (0.68; 0.57–0.80) but increased in those with psoriasis (1.15; 1.11–1.20). Adjusted odds ratios for mild and severe AD were 0.63 (0.48–0.82) and 0.72 (0.58–0.88), respectively, and those for psoriasis these were 1.16 (1.11–1.21) and 1.13 (1.03–1.23). Adjusted hazard ratios (Cox regression) were 0.92 (0.76–1.11) for AD and 1.14 (1.08–1.20) for psoriasis. The ED risk was not increased in men with mild AD (0.85; 0.63–1.14) or severe AD (0.97; 0.76–1.24) but was significantly increased in men with mild psoriasis (1.13; 1.09–1.20) and severe psoriasis (1.17; 1.04–1.32).

Conclusion

We found an increased prevalence and risk of ED in men with psoriasis, whereas the risk was comparable to (and even slightly lower than) the general population for men with AD.
ECMO in the Adult Patient
Authors: Vuylsteke Alain , Brodie Daniel , Combes Alain , Fowles Jo-anne , Peek Giles
Published: January 2017

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is developing rapidly, and is now part of the toolkit for the management of all patients with severe respiratory or cardiac failure. Clinicians of all disciplines are in need of a simple manual, easy and fun to read, that will take them through the management of these patients, explaining the principles of safe and successful practice. Part of the Core Critical Care series, this book is an easy-to-read guide for the aspiring ECMO clinician. Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, pharmacists and all other key members of the team will learn the basics required to better understand the technology and care of the patient. The experienced clinician will enjoy reading through the chapters, which present structured thoughts and knowledge acquired through clinical experience.
An Introduction to the International Criminal Court
Authors: Schabas William A.
Published: January 2017

The International Criminal Court ushered in a new era in the protection of human rights. The Court prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression when national justice systems are either unwilling or unable to do so themselves. This fifth edition of the seminal text describes a Court which is no longer in its infancy; the Court is currently examining situations that involve more than twenty countries in every continent of the planet. This book considers the difficulties in the Court's troubled relationship with Africa, the vagaries of the position of the United States, and the challenges the Court may face as it confronts conflicts around the world. It also reviews the history of international criminal prosecution and the Rome Statute. Written by a leading commentator, it is an authoritative and up-to-date introduction to the legal issues involved in the creation and operation of the Court.
Quantifying non-linearity in planar supersonic potential flows
Authors: Meijer M.-C. , Dala L. , Dala L.
Published: January 2017

An analysis is presented which allows the engineer to quantitatively estimate the validity bounds of aerodynamic methods based in linear potential flows a-priori. The development is limited to quasi-steady planar flows with attached shocks and small body curvature. Perturbation velocities are parameterised in terms of Mach number and flow turning angle by means of a series-expansion for flow velocity based in the method of characteristics. The parameterisation is used to assess the magnitude of non-linear term-groupings relative to linear groups in the full potential equation. This quantification is used to identify dominant nonlinear terms and to estimate the validity of linearising the potential flow equation at a given Mach number and flow turning angle. Example applications include the a-priori estimation of the validity bounds for linear aerodynamic models for supersonic aeroelastic analysis of lifting surfaces and panels.
Understanding Older Adults’ Resilience During the Brisbane Floods: Social Capital, Life Experience, and Optimism
Authors: Brockie Lauren , Miller Evonne
Published: January 2017

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore how social capital or the impact of life and previous disaster experience facilitated resilience in older adults who experienced the 2011 and 2013 floods in Brisbane, Australia.

Methods

Data were drawn from in-depth interviews of 10 older adults from Brisbane who were evacuated in both the 2011 and 2013 floods. A combined qualitative approach drawing from the methods of constructivist grounded theory and narrative inquiry was applied and the data were analyzed by using (inductive) line-by-line and axial coding.

Results

The narratives of the older adults revealed a strong theme of resilience linked to social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking) and previous disaster experience. The results reflected the changing face of disaster management strategies and sources of social capital.

Conclusions

Changes in disaster management polices (toward self-reliance) and more formalized sources of social capital highlight the need to build strong and healthy resilient communities that are capable of positively recovering from natural disasters. The results from this research emphasize the importance of initiatives that enhance social cohesion, trust, and social capital within local communities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:72–79)
Something Brewing in Boston: A Study of Forward Integration in American Breweries at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
Authors: NOWAK ZACHARY
Published: January 2017

In this article, I describe the partial forward integration of turn-of-the-twentieth-century Boston breweries. I argue that both brewers and saloonkeepers used the fluid market in capital lending as a lever of power. An analysis of the minutes of three breweries and their loan records, covering more than ten years, reveals that saloonkeepers were often delinquent in repaying their annual loans and brewery owners only infrequently threatened to call the loans. Using the structure-conduct-performance paradigm, I suggest that the particular conditions in Boston (a limited number of saloon licenses and a geographical position that precluded long-distance shipping of beer) gave the saloonkeepers much greater leverage in the so-called “tied system.” Brewers used vertical restraints but, because of obligations to British owners, did not fully forward integrate by buying saloon property, as brewers did in the United Kingdom.
“Post-Gezi Islamic Theology: Intersectional Islamic Feminism in Turkey”
Authors: Dorroll Philip
Published: January 2017

The legacy of the 2013 Gezi Park protests has been controversial and its impact on Turkish politics difficult to assess. At the same time, there has been little reflection on contemporary Islamic feminist thinking in English sources. This essay argues that one important political and intellectual legacy of the Gezi movement has been the development of certain intersectional discourses in Islamic feminism in Turkey, whereby the shared experience of marginalization felt by pious Muslims, women, ethnic and religious minorities, and the LGBTIQ community has begun to broaden and complicate the scope of Islamic feminist discussions of liberation and social justice. By delineating and linking some important connecting threads of Islamic feminist theological thought in Turkey of the past 30 years, this essay will attempt to summarize key developments in the history of Islamic feminism in contemporary Turkey, demonstrating how they have led to new strands of intersectional feminist thinking in the post-Gezi era of Turkish politics.
Syed Mohammad Yunus Jaffery 1930–2016
Authors: Koch Ebba
Published: January 2017

Dr. Yunus Jaffery, distinguished Persian scholar and teacher and a living legend of old Delhi, died on Monday, August 29 at the age of 86 after a short stay at Apollo Hospital, Delhi, surrounded by his nephew Faridun, his niece Simin and other family members. An authority on Delhi and Indo–Persian literature and author of influential text editions of Persian historians and poets who wrote during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1628–58), Dr. Jaffery taught Persian at the Anglo-Arabic School of Zakir Husain College (previously Delhi College) until his retirement in 1995. His room, his hujra in the historical building of the madrasa of Ghaziuddin in which the Anglo-Arabic School is situated outside Ajmeri Gate became a place of pilgrimage for an international community of scholars, writers, students, and journalists who sought to study classical Persian, acquire knowledge on the history and culture of old Delhi and the Mughals, sought a rare publication in his library, or who just wanted to meet the famous Dr. Jaffery, who had been the guide of William Dalrymple to his “City of Djinns.”
John Ruedy 1927–2016
Authors: Tucker Judith E.
Published: January 2017

John “Jack” Ruedy was an illustrious historian of Algeria, an inspiring mentor, a teacher of great gifts, the founding director of a long-flourishing M.A. program, and a man for whom principle was not a matter of convenience. A Francophile who came to the study of French colonialism in Algeria as the result of an impromptu sail from the south of France to that country while still a student. Jack then engaged deeply with the Maghreb, an interest and commitment that began with his book Land Policy in Colonial Algeria (1967), and ultimately culminated in the writing of Modern Algeria: The Origins and Development of a Nation in 1992. This latter book has endured as a seminal account of the theories and practices of settler colonialism in Algeria, often cited and serving as the springboard for much later work on Algerian history. His research interests in colonial land policies also led him to make an early and signal contribution to Palestine studies in a chapter, “The Dynamics of Land Alienation,” he contributed to Ibrahim Abu-Lughod's The Transformation of Palestine in 1971.
Monitoring the effects of iodine prophylaxis in the adult population of southern Italy with deficient and sufficient iodine intake levels: a cross-sectional, epidemiological study
Authors: Bonofiglio Daniela , Catalano Stefania , Perri Anna , Santoro Marta , Siciliano Lorenza , Lofaro Danilo , Gallo Massimiliano , Marsico Stefania , Bruno Rosalinda , Giordano Cinzia , Barone Ines , Andò Sebastiano
Published: January 2017

I prophylaxis is the most effective strategy to eradicate I deficiency disorders, but it has been shown to affect the thyroid disease pattern. In this study, we assessed the frequency of thyroid disorders in an adult population living in two areas of southern Italy after implementing I prophylaxis. To this aim, a cross-sectional, population-based study including 489 subjects from an I-deficient rural and an I-sufficient urban area of southern Italy was conducted. Thyroid ultrasound was performed on all participants, and urine and blood samples were collected from each subject. The levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroglobulin (TgAb) and thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAb), urinary I excretion (UIE), and thyroid volume and echogenicity were evaluated. We found that the median UIE was higher in the urban than in the rural area (P=0·004), whereas the prevalence of subjects affected by goitre was higher in the rural compared with the urban area (P=0·003). Positive TgAb rather than TPOAb were more frequent in subjects from the urban area compared with the rural area (P=0·009). The hypoechoic pattern at thyroid ultrasound (HT-US) was similar between the two areas, but TgAb were significantly higher (P=0·01) in HT-US subjects from the urban area. The frequency of elevated TSH did not differ between the two screened populations, and no changes were found for TgAb positivity in subjects with high TSH in the urban compared with the rural area. Our findings support that the small risks of I supplementation are far outweighed by the substantial benefits of correcting I deficiency, although continued monitoring of populations is necessary.
Dairy food supplementation may reduce malnutrition risk in institutionalised elderly
Authors: Iuliano Sandra , Poon Shirley , Wang Xiaofang , Bui Minh , Seeman Ego
Published: January 2017

Malnutrition in institutionalised elderly increases morbidity and care costs. Meat and dairy foods are high-quality protein sources so adequate intakes may reduce malnutrition risk. We aimed to determine whether inadequate intakes of meat and dairy foods contribute to malnutrition in institutionalised elderly. This cross-sectional study involved 215 elderly residents (70·2 % females, mean age 85·8 years) from twenty-one aged-care facilities in Melbourne, Australia. Dietary intake was assessed using observed plate waste. Food groups and serving sizes were based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Nutrient content was analysed using a computerised nutrient analysis software (Xyris). Malnutrition risk was assessed using the Mini Nutrition Assessment (MNA) tool; a score between 24 and 30 indicates normal nutritional status. Data were analysed using robust regression. Mean MNA score was 21·6 (sd 2·7). In total, 68 % of residents were malnourished or at risk of malnutrition (MNA score≤23·5). Protein intake was 87 (sd 28) % of the Australian recommended dietary intake (RDI). Consumption averaged 1 serving each of dairy foods and meat daily. Number of dairy and meat servings related to proportion of protein RDI (both P<0·001), with the former contributing 13 % and the latter 12 % to protein RDI. Number of dairy servings (P<0·001), but not meat servings increased MNA score; each dairy serving was associated with a 1 point increase in MNA score so based on current intakes, on average if residents consumed the recommend four dairy servings (addition of 3 points to MNA score) they would achieve normal nutrition status (>24 points). Provision of meat and dairy foods did not meet recommended levels. On the basis of current dietary intakes in aged-care residents, increasing consumption of dairy foods to the recommended four servings daily ensures protein adequacy and may reduce malnutrition risk in institutionalised elderly, and so reduce risk of comorbidities and costs associated with malnutrition.
Richard Simeon and the Policy Sciences Project
Authors: Atkinson Michael M.
Published: January 2017

In his classic 1976 article on the state of policy studies in Canada, Richard Simeon explicitly warned against following the path toward a policy science. Simeon was suspicious of the normative agenda embedded in the policy sciences project and worried that it would submerge politics in a broader set of interdisciplinary concerns. Was Simeon right? The policy sciences have not developed the way their principal proponent, Harold Lasswell, had anticipated or hoped, but neither has the study of public policy developed exactly as Simeon advocated. Both Lasswell and Simeon believed strongly in an empirical orientation and Lasswell, more than Simeon, focused on creating a tool kit of techniques. Schools of public policy have moved beyond both critique and technique to estimate risk, ameliorate error and mobilize knowledge. This new agenda requires students of public policy to acquire and employ practical knowledge steeped in the particular and instructed by policy narratives.
Ideas, Institutions and the Politics of Federalism and Territorial Redistribution
Authors: Béland Daniel , Lecours André
Published: January 2017

Drawing on the work of Richard Simeon and using the cases of equalization in Canada and Belgium's social security system, this article shows how nationalist ideas combined with institutional management structures, government formation rules and the configuration of party systems to condition the territorial dynamics around these two programmes. In Canada, resentment against equalization in many provinces, often because it is perceived as accommodating Québécois nationalism, has translated only into moderate pressures on the programme because federal parties have largely stayed away from this divisive issue and federal executive discretion over the programme has meant that provinces cannot force change. In Belgium, pressures on social security have been more intense because the absence of pan-Belgian parties has given greater resonance to Flemish nationalist ideas within the political system.
Revisiting Richard Simeon's “Studying Public Policy”
Authors: Skogstad Grace , White Linda A.
Published: January 2017

The articles in this symposium reflect on Richard Simeon's article, “Studying Public Policy,” published forty years ago in this journal. In this introduction, we review these articles’ contribution to three themes in “Studying Public Policy”: first, the goal of the study of public policy should be policy analysis and explanation, not policy prescription; second, the analysis of public policy outcomes requires a holistic and contextually situated analytical framework; and third, building theory requires methods of comparative analysis, not single case studies. We also propose items for a future policy studies agenda.
“Studying Public Policy”: Historical Institutionalism and the Comparative Method
Authors: Boychuk Gerard W.
Published: January 2017

This article argues that Simeon's insistence on the value of explicit comparison within individual studies of public policy needs to remain central even in historical institutionalist approaches which “take time seriously” and focus on causal mechanisms—a methodological injunction sometimes seen to augur in favour of single-case and single-outcome studies. However, if Simeon's suggested approach is to reflect the major advances that have occurred since he wrote, it will require more fully and more explicitly combining the power of the comparative method with the powerful insights generated by a logic of intertemporal causal mechanisms unfolding over time.
Mapping the Red Threat: The Politics of Exclusion in Leipzig Before 1914
Authors: Retallack James
Published: January 2017

Long before Adolf Hitler’s appearance clouded democracy’s prospects in Germany, election battles had provided a means to disadvantage “enemies of the Reich” in the polling booth. Such battles were waged not only during election campaigns but also when new voting laws were legislated and district boundaries were redrawn. Maps produced during the Imperial era informed voters, statesmen, and social scientists how the principle of the fair and equal vote was compromised at the subnational level, and new maps offer historians an opportunity to consider struggles for influence and power in visual terms. This article argues that local, regional, and national suffrages need to be considered together and in terms of their reciprocal effects. On the one hand, focusing on overlaps and spillovers between electoral politics at different tiers of governance can illuminate the perceptions and attitudes that are constitutive of electoral culture. On the other hand, using cartography to supplement statistical analysis can make election battles more accessible to nonspecialist audiences. Combining these approaches allows us to rethink strategies of political exclusion in Imperial Germany’s coexisting suffrage regimes. Focusing on Leipzig and its powerful Social Democratic organization opens a window on larger issues about how Germans conceived questions of political fairness in a democratizing age.
Paradoxes ofOstpolitik: Revisiting the Moscow and Warsaw Treaties, 1970
Authors: Gray William Glenn
Published: January 2017

This article reexamines the diplomacy of Willy Brandt’sOstpolitik, focusing on two landmark achievements in 1970: the Moscow Treaty in August, and the Warsaw Treaty in December. On the basis of declassified US and German documentation, it argues that envoy Egon Bahr’s unconventional approach resulted in a poorly negotiated treaty with the Soviet Union that failed to address vital problems such as the status of Berlin. The outcome deepened political polarization at home and proved disconcerting to many West German allies; it also forced the four World War II victors—Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union—to save Brandt’sOstpolitikby grinding out an agreement on access to Berlin. By contrast, West German negotiations in Warsaw yielded a treaty more in line with West German expectations, though the results proved sorely disappointing to the Polish leadership. Disagreements over restitution payments (repacked as government credits) and the emigration of ethnic Germans would bedevil German-Polish relations for years to come. Bonn’sOstpolitikthus had a harder edge than the famous image of Brandt kneeling in Warsaw would suggest.
Four new species of Verrucaria from calcareous rocks in Finland
Authors: PYKÄLÄ Juha , LAUNIS Annina , MYLLYS Leena
Published: January 2017

Four new species of Verrucaria are described from calcareous rocks in Finland based on morphology and ITS sequences. Verrucaria lapponica sp. nov. differs from V. cincta by the smaller perithecia, thinner periphysoids and occasional occurrence of pale exciple walls. Verrucaria sublapponica sp. nov. is related to V. lapponica but differs by a shorter involucrellum and larger spores. Verrucaria saanaensis sp. nov. differs from V. nuoljae (H. Magn.) comb. ined. by having larger spores and a fimbriate prothallus. Verrucaria othmarbreussii sp. nov. is closely related to V. tenebrica, but differs by the paler and thinner, less areolate thallus. The four species belong to the Staurothele group based on the BLAST search and the ITS phylogeny. All four species are rare in Finland and all except V. othmarbreussii seem to have a narrow ecogeographical niche on calcareous mountains above the tree line. Lichens restricted to these habitats may be especially sensitive to climate warming.
Why Knowledge is Special
Authors: Ryan Shane
Published: January 2017

I argue against Greco's account of the value of knowledge, according to which knowledge is distinctively valuablevis-à-visthat which falls short of knowledge in virtue of its status as an achievement and achievements being finally valuable. Instead, I make the case that virtuous belief is also an achievement. I argue that the nature of knowledge is such that knowledge is finally valuable in a way that virtuous belief is not, precisely because knowledge is not simply a success from ability. The value of knowledge lies in the positive responsiveness of the world to an agent's epistemic virtuousness.