bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Obstacles à la surveillance du systéme pénal en pays andins: l'exemple bolivien
Authors: Langlois Denis
Published: November 2011

Une simple visite de quelques centres pénitentiaires de la région andine convainc tout observateur de la différence marquante entre la prison équipée que nous connaissons au Canada, aux États-Unis ou en Europe et celle trop souvent vétuste que doivent supporter les personnes détenues de Bolivie, de Colombie, d'Équateur ou du Pérou. Malgré l'existence d'un cadre constitutionnel et législatif conforme au droit international, les prisonniers de ces pays font face à des conditions de détention parfois infrahumaines et subissent nombre de violations à leurs droits les plus élémentaires. Dans ce contexte, les possibilités effectives de surveillance du système pénal se heurtent à des déficiences structurelles importantes. Cependant, l'action d'institutions publiques telles le Defensor del Pueblo contribue à atténuer la part d'arbitraire toujours existante dans la gestion de ces pénitenciers. L'existence de tribunaux constitutionnels ainsi que le recours par les institutions publiques comme le Defensor del Pueblo et les organisations non-gouvernementales (ONG) à des instances internationales de protection des droits des personnes détenues renforce également la reconnaissance effective de ces mêmes droits. Il est permis d'espérer que la mise en œuvre de plans d'action nationaux entraîne les États concernés à s'acquitter de leurs obligations en matière de droits des personnes sous la responsabilité du système pénal.
Le Comité européen de prévention de la torture: Mécanisme de contrôle des établissements de détention
Authors: Lehalle Sandra , Landreville Pierre , Céré Jean-Paul
Published: November 2011

En Europe, la question du contrôle des établissements de détention se pose de façon d'autant plus accrue que les locaux sont vétustes et en proie à une importante surpopulation. Depuis 1987, un mécanisme original de prévention de la torture et des mauvais traitements des détenus, le Comité européen pour la prévention de la torture et des peines ou traitements inhumains ou dégradants (CPT) effectue des visites des lieux de détention et formule des recommandations aux États concernés. En donnant quelques exemples concrets (notamment du cas français), cet article examine comment le CPT exerce sa mission de contrôle, crée des normes pénitentiaires et exerce une influence sur les pratiques pénitentiaires européennes. L'analyse réalisée permet de soutenir que le CPT constitue, de nos jours, un outil pertinent et un exemple à suivre pour améliorer les conditions de détention et protéger les droits des prisonniers.
Time for Accountability: Effective Oversight of Women's Prisons
Authors: Parkes Debra , Pate Kim
Published: November 2011

Numerous reports and commissions of inquiry have documented the need for oversight and accountability mechanisms to redress illegalities and rights violations in Canada's women's prisons. This article examines the recent troubled history of women's imprisonment in which the calls for meaningful accountability and oversight have arisen, outlines the necessary criteria for any effective oversight body within this correctional context, and measures some of the key recommendations against those criteria. The authors conclude that the judicial oversight model and sanction proposed by Justice Louise Arbour in 1996 is the proposal that best meets the criteria and therefore ought to be implemented.
Ten Uncertainties of Risk-Management Approaches to Security
Authors: Ericson Richard
Published: November 2011

This paper examines 10 sources of uncertainty in any risk-management system and illustrates them in security measures against terrorism. First, any risk assessment is an uncertain knowledge claim about contingent future events that cannot be fully known. Second, only some risks can be selected for attention, and those left unattended are sources of uncertainty. Third, specific decisions in risk management bear the uncertainty of false positives and false negatives. Fourth, risk-management technologies manufacture new uncertainties, some of which pose risks greater than those they were designed to control. Fifth, risk is reactive: as people act on knowledge of risk, they simultaneously change the risk environment and create new uncertainties. Sixth, the complexity of risk-management systems can result in multiple and unexpected failures occurring simultaneously; such "normal accidents" are a source of uncertainty beyond any direct human capacity for control. Seventh, catastrophic failures result in the urge to risk manage everything: intensified surveillance, audit, and regulation increase system complexity and yield more uncertainty. Eighth, risk managers facing an increasingly litigious environment for failures become defensive, focusing more on operational risks that might affect the reputation of their organization than on the real risks they are supposed to manage. Ninth, excessive precaution escalates uncertainty and breeds fear, leading to risk-management measures that are at best misplaced and at worst incubate new risks with catastrophic potential. Tenth, risk-management systems can restrict freedom, invade privacy, discriminate, and exclude populations. Such self-defeating costs and the uncertainties they entail can be minimized only by infusing risk-management systems with value questions about human rights, well-being, prosperity, and solidarity.
The Freedom of Information Act as a Methodological Tool: Suing the Government for Data
Authors: Yeager Matthew
Published: November 2011

The U.S. Freedom of Information Act, enacted in 1966, and the corresponding Access to Information Act in Canada, circa 1983, were designed to make government more open and accountable to the general public. However, neither act has functioned that way, with most requests being made by lawyers, information professionals, corporations, and political parties.

Academic researchers, including criminal justice types, have used the act to access a variety of information from government files. For instance, Alan Block (1975; 1980) used old FBI files for his study of Jewish gangsters in New York City. Ward Churchill and Jim Vander Wall (1990a; 1990b) used the act to illustrate government law breaking in the FBI COINTELPRO program, involving Native Americans, the Black Panthers, and other progressive groups. Only rarely, however, have academics elected to take the government to court and file for judicial review of the government's disclosure decisions.

This article describes two lawsuits filed by the author, one under each act, and illustrates both the potential of those acts for obtaining data from the government and the pitfalls a potential plaintiff faces when prosecuting the state for a violation of the Freedom of Information Act. The two lawsuits in question are Yeager v. Drug Enforcement Administration (1982) and Yeager v. Canada (Correctional Service) [2003]. This methodological approach undoubtedly falls under more progressive theories of criminology, such as conflict, radical, or critical perspectives, since mainstream researchers rarely resort to this technique.
The State of Critical Scholarship in Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies in Canada
Authors: Martel Joane , Hogeveen Bryan , Woolford Andrew
Published: November 2011

This article situates Canadian critical criminology within the ethos of neo-liberalism and in relation to early-twenty-first-century scholarship. Toward this end, we attempt to establish what is critical about “critical” criminology. We argue that it extends critique beyond current ontological limits without laying down foundational content that would (re-)stitch new fabric onto the old. We acknowledge that “critical” scholarship is becoming increasingly restrained by an almost all-encompassing neo-liberal ethos. Scholars working under the critical rubric are finding sources of data defensively guarded, and publishing and funding opportunities increasingly difficult to locate. As a result, several iconic critical scholars have migrated away from “criminology.” However, despite a certain malaise and pessimism surrounding critical criminology, we hope that this article (and the accompanying special issue) will inspire new “critical” horizons in criminology.
Les femmes et l'isolement cellulaire au Canada : un défi de l'esprit sur la matière
Authors: Martel Joane
Published: November 2011

Prisons exhibit many of the characteristics of modernity, in which time and space are central preoccupations. This article discusses findings of a recent study on the segregation (solitary confinement) of incarcerated women in Canada. Specifically, it examines the notions of time and space as they are practised by the prison and experienced by women. It argues that operators of time normally used inside the prison (meals, visits, head counts, recreation time, etc.) are de-structured when a prisoner enters segregation cells where she will face a discipline of the temporal minuscule that tends to blur culturally relevant temporal benchmarks that are necessary for the prisoner's reintegration into society. It also argues that prison segregation is a form of spatial confinement that particularly exacerbates the sacredness of personal objects and of housing, which, in turn, impinges on the maintenance of one's habitus as well as of a space necessary for identity formation.
Hated Identities: Queers and Canadian Anti-hate Legislation
Authors: Moore Dawn , Rennie Angus MacLean
Published: November 2011

Drawing on queer theory and post-structuralism, this article explores two “gay bashings,” the murders of Alain Brousseau and Aaron Webster. In both cases, we argue that the application of anti-hate crime legislation reveals the troubling nature of attempts to legally fix sexual identities. The law imagines gayness to be innate and obvious. These cases show that sexual identity is fluid and contingent. Our study also shows that, through the application of hate-crime law, sexual identification is not necessarily self-determined. Politicized communities, legal actors, assailants, and media all participate in naming someone's “gayness.”
Why Design Is Important: Five Designers Speak to Non-Designers
Authors: Tombs Robert
Published: November 2011

This exploration of the importance of design in scholarly publishing by Robert Tombs was originally presented as the introduction to a panel discussion on the same subject at the annual meeting of the Association of American University Presses in Toronto, Ontario, in 2001. Participants on the panel included George Mackie, RDI, freelance designer; Cameron Poulter, freelance designer; Henk van Assen, acting co-director of the Department of Graphic Design at Yale School of Art; and Jenny Armour, freelance designer.
Serials Prices and Subscriptions in the Social Sciences
Authors: Budd John
Published: November 2011

Scholars and researchers are aware of a serious dilemma relating to the pricing of journals and have focused their recent writings on disciplines with the highest journal pricing: science, medicine, and technology. John M. Budd examines trends in pricing and subscriptions of a selected group of social science journals, noting that while there is a trend toward higher prices and fewer subscribers, the dynamics of publishing in this broad field are complex and deserving of investigation.
Personalities in Publishing: Gervase Muller
Authors: Bell Hazel
Published: November 2011

The sixteenth essay in this series profiles Gervase Muller, who was born in Ireland and moved to Nigeria in the 1960s, where he worked on the publication of newspapers and books. In the midst of political turmoil in Africa and subsequent economic success in the oil industry in Nigeria, Muller established London-based Nelson Africa. Muller thus became one of the first multinational publishers to produce nonfiction and fiction for an African audience. In 1982, Muller became a business consultant for those with particular interest in Africa and subsequently began work for Turpin Transactions, a Royal Society of Chemistry distribution company.
Books for Understanding: The History So Far of AAUP's On-line Public Information Resource
Authors: McLaughlin Brenna
Published: November 2011

Within days of the 11 September, 2001 terrorist attacks, Penn State University Press was swamped with queries about two backlist scholarly titles, Terrorism in Context and The Holy War Idea in Islamic and Western Thought. Sanford Thatcher, director of Penn State's press, knew that other university presses had published similar books and had an idea. On 13 September, Thatcher e-mailed the Association of American University Presses (AAUP), and suggested that AAUP compile a short bibliography of relevant books to post online at www.aaupnet.org. Six months later, under the rubric ‘Books for Understanding,’ that bibliography contained listings for 671 titles from sixty-five non-profit scholarly presses, and had provided the foundation for a dynamic permanent public information resource.
The Cloth-Paper Conundrum: The Economics of Simultaneous Publication
Authors: Courtney Dana
Published: November 2011

The following paper was delivered at a session of the 2001 Association of American University Presses annual meeting, held June 16-19 in Toronto, Canada. The session, ‘The Paper-Cloth Conundrum: Economics of Simultaneous Publication,’ was discussed by participants from sales, editorial, and business. Dana Courtney discusses the situation from a wholesaler's point of view. This article was published, in slightly revised format, in Against the Grain vol. 14, no. 2 (April 2002).
Personalities in Publishing: Jeremy Wilson
Authors: Bell Hazel
Published: November 2011

The seventeenth essay in this series profiles Jeremy Wilson, who is a history scholar, and the author and editor of a number of volumes on T.E. Lawrence, his life and writing. Over the course of his career as a Lawrence scholar, Wilson learned letterpress printing and desktop publishing. In 1996, he turned his attention to the Internet, establishing a reference web site for fellow Lawrence enthusiasts.
Single Authors Are Not Alone: Colleagues Often Help
Authors: Hartley James
Published: November 2011

This article reports on the numbers of times single, pairs, and groups of three or more authors acknowledge the help of colleagues and/or referees in their published papers. The results indicate that significantly more single authors acknowledge the help of others than do pairs who, in turn, do so more than larger groups. However, there were no significant differences between the numbers of acknowledgements made to referees by the three groups.
The Changing Market for University Press Books in the United States: 1997-2002
Authors: Greco Albert , Wharton Robert , Estelami Hooman
Published: November 2011

What was the market for university press books in the United States between 1997 and 2002? What impact did shifts in the general reader market and the creation of library electronic reserve capabilities have on university press net publishers' revenues? What impact did Internet bookselling sites have on new and used frontlist titles? The study reported here reviewed the published literature and statistical data sets. We detected (a) a significant shift in the traditional channels of distribution and (b) the emergence of a sophisticated used book market that undermined both frontlist and backlist sales. Based on a review of the empirical data, we present a series of recommendations for the university press community designed to capitalize on the inherent competitive advantages of university presses.
How to Alienate Your Editor: A Practical Guide for Established Authors
Authors: Donovan Stephen
Published: November 2011

Who submits the worst organized research papers? It is probably senior academics, who seem to forget with time the rules for successful submission learnt in their younger days, but who still manage to get published on the strength of their role and status within their chosen discipline. In at least some cases, it may even be a game, played by profligate authors to test an editor's patience, perhaps in revenge for some perceived slight of yesteryear. To those who play or want to play this game, called PIT* A, here is a summary of some classic moves.
A Cooperative Publishing Model for Sustainable Scholarship
Authors: Schroeder Robert , Siegel Gretta
Published: November 2011

Organizing scholarly publishing as a cooperative business has the promise of making journals more affordable and scholarly publishing more sustainable. The authors describe the development of the modern cooperative from its beginnings in England during the Industrial Revolution and highlight the great extent and diversity of business worldwide that is currently done cooperatively. Some of the current initiatives in scholarly publishing (SPARC, PLoS, German Academic Publishing, etc.) are analysed in light of cooperative business principles, and it is shown that, while these models often partially utilize cooperative business practices, none of them has adopted the cooperative model in totality.
Fair Use in Theory and Practice: Reflections on Its History and the Google Case
Authors: Thatcher Sanford
Published: November 2011

Director Sanford G. Thatcher's perspective on copyright reflects the experience of trying to survive in a perilous enterprise that exists with one foot in the commercial marketplace and the other in the academic community, creating a condition of chronic schizophrenia. The press he directs is dedicated to serving the mission of disseminating scholarship but is required (under current conditions, anyway) to rely on income from sales to pay most of its bills. Because university presses operate so close to the margin, this sector of publishing is especially vulnerable to expansive interpretations of ‘fair use.’
On Commissioning Editors
Authors: Haynes Anthony
Published: November 2011

This article suggests that publishers tend to apply a KSA (knowledge-skills-attitude) model to the recruitment and development of commissioning editors. It proposes in place of this an ODASK model (O for orientation and D for disposition) and considers what types of orientations and dispositions make for commercial success.
Beyond Google: What Next for Publishing?
Authors: Wittenberg Kate
Published: November 2011

This essay first appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education on 16 June 2006.
Measures to Shorten Publication Lags for Journals in China
Authors: Feng-Nian Wang
Published: November 2011

Because of the lengthy time taken for authors to revise and experts to evaluate, most periodicals in China suffer from publication lag. In the intense competition of the periodical publishing industry, publication lag has become one of the key factors in evaluating the quality of periodicals, as well as the academic value of articles. This article discusses ways to shorten the time from submission to publication, such as using electronic technologies and improving communication between authors and editors.
Effects of Nonuniform and Three-Dimensional Contact Stresses on Near-Surface Cracking
Authors: Ozer Hasan , Al-Qadi Imad L. , Duarte Carlos A.
Published: November 2011

Near-surface cracking, sometimes referred to as top-down cracking, is one of the predominant distress types in flexible pavements. The incidence of near-surface cracking has increased in recent years with the increased construction of relatively thick (hot-mix asphalt layer > 200 mm) flexible pavements. However, understanding the mechanisms of near-surface cracking and its integration into pavement design protocols remains a challenge. Analysis of this problem can be complex because of multiaxial stress states in the vicinity of tires. The near-surface response to nonuniform tire contact stresses is investigated, and the potential for crack occurrence near the surface is analyzed in a typical relatively thick flexible pavement. The generalized finite element method (GFEM) is used to analyze pavement structure. This method provides a computational framework for the arbitrary orientation of cracks in a finite element mesh that is particularly useful for mixed-mode fracture problems. A three-dimensional (3-D) model for a typical pavement structure with a thick bituminous layer is created, and 3-D and nonuniform tire–pavement contact stresses are applied to the pavement surface. Aggregate-scale cracks are inserted at various locations and orientations in the pavement. Results of this numerical study indicate that complex stress states in the presence of strong mode mixity may cause shear or tensile fracture in flexible pavements. The importance of novel computational methods such as the GFEM to the discovery and understanding of mechanisms governing the premature failure of pavements is highlighted.
Investigating the Role of Social Networks in Start Time and Duration of Activities
Authors: Habib Khandker M. Nurul , Carrasco Juan-Antonio
Published: November 2011

In the context of improving understanding and modeling the capabilities of activity-scheduling processes in travel behavior, this paper explores the role of social networks in the start time and the duration of social activities. The study was performed with a trivariate joint econometric model that was capable of capturing the correlation between unobserved influential factors causing the endogeneity of these three key decisions. The model captures the relevance not only of sociodemographic variables but also of the social network dimension for travelers, or the with whom variable, that is, individuals with whom travelers perform social activities. A particularly relevant case is the role of travel time to social activities, which has a positive effect on longer durations and late start times and which acts as a link between these two basic dimensions (start time and duration) of activity scheduling. The results confirm the relevance of the social context in an episode's temporal characteristics and illustrate aspects that future activity-based travel demand models should incorporate to be able to capture the socializing side of mobility decisions.
Transcending the Typical Weekday with Large-Scale Single-Day Survey Samples
Authors: Verreault Hubert , Morency Catherine
Published: November 2011

Many urban areas are increasingly experiencing significant levels of congestion where and at times when travel was once easy. In fact, the norm today is heavy congestion during off-peak periods and at weekends. However, most models and planning frameworks rely on data for the a.m. peak period for a typical weekday, and important decisions are based on their results. A better understanding of the changes occurring in metropolitan areas is required to assist in decision making, and at the same time the evolution of the data and methods used must be continuously monitored. In such a context, it is important to ask questions about specific travel behaviors on weekdays and weekend days and about how the behaviors vary throughout the year. Therefore, the concept of a typical weekday needs to be challenged for modeling purposes and updated to consist of a concept that will more thoroughly represent the complexity of travel and activity behaviors. With the benefit of the availability of the large-scale origin–destination travel surveys regularly carried out in the greater Montreal, Canada, area, this paper illustrates how such data can help assess the variability of behaviors. By using critical indicators of travel behaviors and statistical methods, this research confirms that behavior differs significantly across the days of the week.
Spatial Analysis of Propensity to Escort Children to School in Southern California
Authors: Yoon Seo Youn , Doudnikoff Marjorie , Goulias Konstadinos G.
Published: November 2011

The spatial distribution of children's school commute behavior is analyzed from three perspectives: commuting to school independently of parents, commuting to school by active modes, and allocation of escorting tasks for children between mothers and fathers. Accessibility measures and population density are introduced in the propensity regression models to account for the impact of spatial characteristics around school locations and to identify the spatial distribution of behavioral patterns. The results from the models are presented as maps combining the impacts of all the significant spatial variables to display the spatial patterns of behavior and intrahousehold interaction. These patterns can identify and pinpoint the impact of barriers, with the paper offering the example of the negative impact of a park area in the middle of the city of Los Angeles, California, on children's independent and active commutes to school. Similarly, barriers create significantly different intra-household interaction patterns at different locations in the region. The results of this study show that an opportunity exists to expand the micro-analysis to a more comprehensive treatment of travel behavior in space and to contribute to the development of models integrating land use and transportation.
Establishing the phylogenetic origin, history, and age of the narrow endemic Viola guadalupensis (Violaceae)
Authors: Marcussen Thomas , Blaxland Kim , Windham Michael D. , Haskins Kristin E. , Armstrong Fred
Published: November 2011

• Premise of the study: Climate change and shifts in land use are two major threats to biodiversity and are likely to disproportionately impact narrow endemics. Understanding their origins and the extent of their genetic diversity will enable land managers to better conserve these unique, highly localized gene pools. Viola guadalupensis is a narrow endemic of the Guadalupe Mountains (west Texas, USA). Its affinities within Viola section Chamaemelanium have been the subject of some debate. Furthermore, the polyploid and presumably reticulate relationships within this section remain largely unknown.

• Methods: We counted chromosomes for V. guadalupensis. Phylogenies for the chloroplast trnL‐F region and the low‐copy nuclear gene GPI for 24 Viola taxa were generated and used to produce a polyploid phylogenetic network. Divergence dates were obtained by fossil calibration.

• Key results: Meiotic chromosome counts revealed that V. guadalupensis is tetraploid (n = 12), and the presence of two GPI homoeologs further suggested allotetraploidy. Phylogenetic reconstructions showed that it originated through hybridization between unidentified members of subsection Canadenses (paternal parent) and subsection Nuttallianae (maternal parent). A fossil‐calibrated relaxed clock dating analysis of GPI estimated the maximum age of V. guadalupensis to be 8.6 (5.7–11.6) Myr, suggesting the species evolved after the Guadalupe Mountains formed 12–13 Ma.

• Conclusions: Viola guadalupensis originated by intersubsectional hybridization followed by polyploidization. Within section Chamaemelanium, this phenomenon has occurred repeatedly in the last 9 Myr (at least for V. bakeri, V. douglasii, V. glabella, and V. sempervirens). Consequences for the systematics of the section are discussed.
Subcellular targeting and biosynthesis of cyclotides in plant cells
Authors: Conlan Brendon F. , Gillon Amanda D. , Barbeta Barbara L. , Anderson Marilyn A.
Published: November 2011

• Premise of the study: The cyclotide kalata B1 is found in the leaves of Oldenlandia affinis and is a potent insecticidal and nematocidal molecule. This peptide is cleaved from a precursor protein, Oak1, and ligation of the N‐ and C‐termini occurs to form a continuous peptide backbone. The subcellular location of the excision and cyclization reactions is unknown, and there is debate as to which enzyme catalyzes the event. To determine where in the plant cell Oak1 is processed, we prepared constructs encoding GFP (green fluorescent protein) linked to the cyclotide precursor Oak1.

• Methods: The GFP constructs were transiently expressed in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana, and GFP fluorescence was observed in living cells using confocal microscopy. A Fei Mao (FM) styryl dye was infiltrated into whole leaves that were still growing and expressing GFP constructs, enabling the plasma membrane and the tonoplast to be highlighted for visualization of the vacuole in living cells.

• Key results: The full length Oak1 precursor directed GFP to the vacuole, suggesting that excision and cyclization of the cyclotide domain occurs in the vacuole where the cyclotides are then stored. The N‐terminal propeptide and N‐terminal repeat of Oak1 were both sufficient to target GFP to the vacuole, although the C‐terminal propeptide, which is essential for cyclization, was not a targeting signal.

• Conclusions: The vacuolar location of cyclotides supports our hypothesis that the vacuolar processing enzyme, asparaginyl endoproteinase, has a pivotal role in excision and cyclization from cyclotide precursors.
Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Protects Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neurons against MPTP Neurotoxicity by Inhibiting Microglial Activation
Authors: Chung Young C. , Bok Eugene , Huh Sue H. , Park Ju-Young , Yoon Sung-Hwa , Kim Sang R. , Kim Yoon-Seong , Maeng Sungho , Hyun Park Sung , Jin Byung K.
Published: November 2011

This study examined whether the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) receptor contributes to the survival of nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. MPTP induced significant loss of nigrostriatal DA neurons and microglial activation in the substantia nigra (SN), visualized with tyrosine hydroxylase or macrophage Ag complex-1 immunohistochemistry. Real-time PCR, ELISA, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry disclosed upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, activation of microglial NADPH oxidase, and subsequent reactive oxygen species production and oxidative damage of DNA and proteins in MPTP-treated SN, resulting in degeneration of DA neurons. Conversely, treatment with nonselective cannabinoid receptor agonists (WIN55,212-2 and HU210) led to increased survival of DA neurons in the SN, their fibers and dopamine levels in the striatum, and improved motor function. This neuroprotection by cannabinoids was accompanied by suppression of NADPH oxidase reactive oxygen species production and reduced expression of proinflammatory cytokines from activated microglia. Interestingly, cannabinoids protected DA neurons against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridinium neurotoxicity in cocultures of mesencephalic neurons and microglia, but not in neuron-enriched mesencephalic cultures devoid of microglia. The observed neuroprotection and inhibition of microglial activation were reversed upon treatment with CB1 receptor selective antagonists AM251 and/or SR14,716A, confirming the involvement of the CB1 receptor. The present in vivo and in vitro findings clearly indicate that the CB1 receptor possesses anti-inflammatory properties and inhibits microglia-mediated oxidative stress. Our results collectively suggest that the cannabinoid system is beneficial for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other disorders associated with neuroinflammation and microglia-derived oxidative damage.
Dosimetric Considerations in Radioimmunotherapy and Systemic Radionuclide Therapies: A Review
Authors: Loke Kelvin , Padhy Ajit , Ng David , Goh Anthony , Divgi Chaitanya
Published: November 2011

Radiopharmaceutical therapy, once touted as the "magic bullet" in radiation oncology, is increasingly being used in the treatment of a variety of malignancies; albeit in later disease stages. With ever-increasing public and medical awareness of radiation effects, radiation dosimetry is becoming more important. Dosimetry allows administration of the maximum tolerated radiation dose to the tumor/organ to be treated but limiting radiation to critical organs. Traditional tumor dosimetry involved acquiring pretherapy planar scans and plasma estimates with a diagnostic dose of intended radiopharmaceuticals. New advancements in single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography systems allow semi-quantitative measurements of radiation dosimetry thus allowing treatments tailored to each individual patient.
Bone Scan "Hot Spot" at the Superior Lateral Orbital Margin Fronto-zygomatic Suture Uptake Characterized with Tc-99m MDP SPECT/CT
Authors: Thang S. , Tan A. E. H , Goh A. S. W
Published: November 2011

Findings of a solitary "hot spot" at the superior lateral orbital margin on bone scan scintigraphy is not uncommonly seen, and is often dismissed as a benign lesion. However, the exact etiology is indeterminate. We present two cases in which hybrid single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging was able to characterize and localize this uptake, demonstrating correlation to the right fronto-zygomatic suture.
Progression to Pars Plana Vitrectomy in Patients With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Alsoudi Amer F. , Wai Karen M. , Koo Euna , Parikh Ravi , Mruthyunjaya Prithvi , Rahimy Ehsan
Published: June 2024

Importance

The Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network Protocol S suggested that vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage (VH) or tractional retinal detachment (TRD) was more common among eyes assigned initially to panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) vs anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). These clinical implications warrant further evaluation in the clinical practice setting.

Objective

To explore outcomes of PDR treated with PRP monotherapy compared with matched patients treated with anti-VEGF monotherapy.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Retrospective cohort study using an aggregated electronic health records research network. Patients with PDR who received PRP or anti-VEGF monotherapy between January and September 2023 were included before propensity score matching. Patients were excluded with 6 or fewer months’ follow-up after monotherapy or with a combination of PRP and anti-VEGF. Data were analyzed in September 2023.

Exposures

Patients with new PDR diagnoses stratified by monotherapy with PRP or anti-VEGF agents using Current Procedural Terminology code.

Main Outcome Measures

Incidence of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), VH, or TRD.

Results

Among 6020 patients (PRP cohort: mean [SD] age, 64.8 [13.4]; 6424 [50.88%] female; 3562 [28.21%] Black, 6180 [48.95%] White, and 2716 [21.51%] unknown race; anti-VEGF cohort: mean [SD] age, 66.1 [13.2]; 5399 [50.52%] male; 2859 [26.75%] Black, 5377 [50.31%] White, and 2382 [22.29%] unknown race) who received treatment, PRP monotherapy was associated with higher rates of PPV when compared with patients treated with anti-VEGF monotherapy at 5 years (RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.36; RD, 1.37%; 95% CI, 0.39%-2.37%; P < .001), with similar associations at 1 and 3 years. PRP monotherapy was associated with higher rates of VH at 5 years (relative risk [RR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.52-1.95; risk difference [RD], 7.05; 95% CI, 5.41%-8.69%; P < .001) and higher rates of TRD at 5 years (RR, 2.76; 95% CI, 2.26-3.37; RD, 4.25%; 95% CI, 3.45%-5.05%; P < .001), with similar magnitudes of associations at 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years, when compared with patients treated with anti-VEGF monotherapy.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings support the hypothesis that patients with PDR treated with PRP monotherapy are more likely to develop VH, TRD, and undergo PPV when compared with matched patients treated with anti-VEGF monotherapy. However, given the wide range in relative risk, confounding factors may account for some of the association between PRP vs anti-VEGF monotherapy and outcomes evaluated.
Discovering Pyramidal Treasures: Multi‐Scale Design of High Strength–Ductility Titanium Alloys
Authors: Wei Shaolou , Kim Kyung‐Shik , Foltz John , Tasan Cemal Cem
Published: June 2024

Mechanical properties of titanium alloys, one of humankind's most essential structural materials, suffer from the lack of 〈c + a〉 dislocations on pyramidal slip planes, failing homogeneous plastic strain accommodation. This mechanical treasure is not easily accessible in titanium alloys because of the required excessively high stress levels. The present work demonstrates that such a dilemma may be overcome by meticulously tuning the c/a ratio, the simplest crystallographic parameter of the hexagonal close‐packed lattice, through Sn alloying. Combining this lattice‐scale design concept with a cross‐rolling based polycrystal‐scale design solution, this study showcases a facile route to bimodal (α + β) titanium alloys with exceptional strength–ductility synergy.
Tuning Electron–Phonon Coupling Interaction for the Efficient Wide Blue Emission of Pb2+‐Doped Cs2InCl5·H2O
Authors: Li Yue , Lu Haolin , Yun Rui , Yang Huanxin , Liu Yuling , Wang Zhaoyu , Wang Song , Long Guankui , Li Xiyan
Published: June 2024

Lead‐free perovskites exhibit unique crystal structures and optical properties due to their low‐dimensional structure. However, the 0D structure of Cs2InCl5·H2O usually demonstrates poor optical properties at room temperature due to their extremely strong electron–phonon coupling interaction. In this study, a doping strategy is employed by introducing Pb2+ into Cs2InCl5·H2O, resulting in the achievement of an efficient broadband blue emission, with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 58%. The temperature‐dependent PL spectra reveal that the efficient emission is attributed to the weakening of the electron–phonon coupling strength in the lattice and the inhibition of the phonon‐assisted non‐radiative recombination process through Pb2+ doping. The validity of this deduction is further corroborated by the results of the Raman spectra. The results of the first‐principle calculation demonstrate that the broadband emission originates from multiple emission paths in In3+ and Pb2+ polyhedrons. In addition, Pb2+‐doped Cs2InCl5·H2O can realize the transformation from sky‐blue emission to deep‐blue emission by absorbing water in the air. Remarkably, this change is reversible during the heating–cooling cycles, demonstrating excellent optical stability with repeatable recyclability.
Vacuum‐Deposited Perovskite Photodiodes for Visible and X‐Ray Photon Detection
Authors: Martínez‐Goyeneche Lucía , Ollearo Riccardo , Bordoni Camilla , Ciavatti Andrea , van Breemen Albert J. J. M. , Gelinck Gerwin H. , Fraboni Beatrice , Tordera Daniel , Sessolo Michele
Published: June 2024

Metal halide perovskite photodiodes have garnered extensive attention owing to their favorable optoelectronic properties, rendering them attractive for visible, near‐infrared, and X‐ray sensors. However, their predominant reliance on solution‐processing deposition techniques poses challenges for seamless integration into existing industrial processes. In this study, this limitation is addressed by developing fully vacuum‐processed perovskite photodiodes with varying hole transport layers (HTL). These findings underscore the critical role of HTL selection in influencing the dark and noise current characteristics of the diodes. With an optimized HTL, photodiodes are obtained with low noise current (≈3 10−14 A Hz−1/2) and high specific detectivity (≈1012 Jones at 710 nm at −0.5 V). The photodiodes are also tested as X‐ray detectors and are found to be stable under X‐ray radiation, with state‐of‐the‐art sensitivity of 33 ± 4 µC Gy−1 cm−2 and a low limit of detection of 2.0 ± 1.6 µG s−1. These insights contribute to the development of perovskite photodiodes with improved performance and broader industrial applicability.
A Strategy for Rapid Synthesis of Carbon Nanodots with Reversible Photoluminescence Switching for Sensitive Dynamic Anti‐Counterfeiting
Authors: Zhang Shiwei , Li Jiurong , Gong Xiao
Published: June 2024

Carbon nanodots (CDs) possess exceptional fluorescence properties, which have been extensively studied in the fields of fluorescence detection and anti‐counterfeiting information. However, the exploration of CDs with simple and fast synthesis paths, secure, and efficient encryption properties, remains a challenge. The rapid synthesis of orange CDs (O‐CDs) is reported with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 57.6% within 10 min at atmospheric pressure using a one‐step pyrolysis method. The O‐CDs exhibit a dual‐emission property, with a blue emission peak at 425 nm and a strong orange emission peak at 590 nm. The dual‐emission peaks of O‐CDs can allow for fast orange/blue switching of fluorescence color with changes in the acid‐base environment. O‐CDs can serve as effective fluorescent probes for pH detection, depending on their fluorescence wavelength and intensity. Additionally, O‐CDs have potential for fluorescence anti‐counterfeiting. When exposed to NH3 gas, O‐CDs fluorescent ink rapidly (1 s) transitions from orange fluorescence to blue fluorescence, and then quickly (4 s) reverts back to orange fluorescence when the gas environment changes to HCl gas atmosphere. Thus, O‐CDs fluorescent inks offer several advantages, including high fluorescence intensity, fast response, recyclability, and lossless encryption/decryption in “on‐off‐on” double encryption anti‐counterfeiting.
Structure‐Dependent Photoluminescence and Chemiluminescence Emission Enhancement in Ag25 Nanoclusters
Authors: Jing Mengmeng , Kuang Kaiyang , Fang Chunmin , Zhou Chuanjun , Li Zhuoyuan , Chen Shuang , Zhu Manzhou
Published: June 2024

Surface ligands crucially influence the structure and luminescence of metal nanoclusters (NCs). In this study, three [Ag25(SPhCl)16−xClx(DPPB)6]2+ (x = 0 for Ag25, x = 1 for Ag25‐Cl, and x = 4 for Ag25‐4Cl) featuring thiol and Cl ligand combinations are synthesized and investigated. Ag25‐4Cl, which has the smallest number of rigid thiol ligands, exhibits the strongest photoluminescence (PL) and chemiluminescence (CL), and its PL quantum yield is 73.43% higher than that of Ag25. Structural analysis indicates that Cl ligands, being smaller and less sterically hindering than thiols, compress the motif layer towards the core, reducing non‐radiative transitions and boosting radiative ones to enhance PL. All three NCs exhibit CL in the presence of singlet oxygen, demonstrating the ability of the NCs to react with radicals and scavenge them. CL and radical scavenging experiments show that Ag25‐4Cl exhibits the highest CL and the lowest radical reaction ability, indicating that CL intensity of an NC depends more on its intrinsic luminescence ability and less on its ability to react with radicals. The regulation of luminescence by ligands and the CL and radical‐scavenging behavior of NCs are expected to be extended to other NC systems and related applications.
Synthesis of Oxaspirocyclohexadienones via Lewis‐Acid Catalyzed [2+3]‐Annulations of p‐Quinone Methides and Iodonium Ylides
Authors: Mujahid Mohd. , Kumar Sanjeev , Pal Kalia Nitin , Kanchupalli Vinaykumar
Published: June 2024

Herein, we report a mild method for the synthesis of oxaspirocyclohexadienones by using a combination of Lewis acid‐HFIP mediated [2+3]‐annulation of p‐quinone methides (p‐QMs) and iodonium ylides. The proposed mechanism proceeds through a one‐pot sequence of carbonyl activation/cyclopropyl formation/Cloke‐Wilson rearrangement to provide a broad range of oxaspirocyclohexadienones in moderate to high yields. Interestingly, the spiro‐annulated products were further converted to tetrahydroxanthane derivatives via BF3.OEt2 mediated dienone‐phenol rearrangement pathway. Moreover, the spiro‐annulated derivatives also showed a moderate anti‐tuberculosis activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra ATCC25177.
Fast Pure Shift NMR Spectroscopy Using Attention‐Assisted Deep Neural Network
Authors: Zhan Haolin , Liu Jiawei , Fang Qiyuan , Chen Xinyu , Ni Yang , Zhou Lingling
Published: June 2024

Pure shift NMR spectroscopy enables the robust probing on molecular structure and dynamics, benefiting from great resolution enhancements. Despite extensive application landscapes in various branches of chemistry, the long experimental times induced by the additional time dimension generally hinder its further developments and practical deployments, especially for multi‐dimensional pure shift NMR. Herein, this study proposes and implements the fast, reliable, and robust reconstruction for accelerated pure shift NMR spectroscopy with lightweight attention‐assisted deep neural network. This deep learning protocol allows one to regain high‐resolution signals and suppress undersampling artifacts, as well as furnish high‐fidelity signal intensities along with the accelerated pure shift acquisition, benefitting from the introduction of the attention mechanism to highlight the spectral feature and information of interest. Extensive results of simulated and experimental NMR data demonstrate that this attention‐assisted deep learning protocol enables the effective recovery of weak signals that are almost drown in the serious undersampling artifacts, and the distinction and recognition of close chemical shifts even though using merely 5.4% data, highlighting its huge potentials on fast pure shift NMR spectroscopy. As a result, this study affords a promising paradigm for the AI‐assisted NMR protocols toward broader applications in chemistry, biology, materials, and life sciences, and among others.
A Multi‐Dimensional Approach to Map Disease Relationships Challenges Classical Disease Views
Authors: Möbus Lena , Serra Angela , Fratello Michele , Pavel Alisa , Federico Antonio , Greco Dario
Published: June 2024

The categorization of human diseases is mainly based on the affected organ system and phenotypic characteristics. This is limiting the view to the pathological manifestations, while it neglects mechanistic relationships that are crucial to develop therapeutic strategies. This work aims to advance the understanding of diseases and their relatedness beyond traditional phenotypic views. Hence, the similarity among 502 diseases is mapped using six different data dimensions encompassing molecular, clinical, and pharmacological information retrieved from public sources. Multiple distance measures and multi‐view clustering are used to assess the patterns of disease relatedness. The integration of all six dimensions into a consensus map of disease relationships reveals a divergent disease view from the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), emphasizing novel insights offered by a multi‐view disease map. Disease features such as genes, pathways, and chemicals that are enriched in distinct disease groups are identified. Finally, an evaluation of the top similar diseases of three candidate diseases common in the Western population shows concordance with known epidemiological associations and reveals rare features shared between Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer's disease. A revision of disease relationships holds promise for facilitating the reconstruction of comorbidity patterns, repurposing drugs, and advancing drug discovery in the future.
Regulation of Glandular Size and Phytoalexin Biosynthesis by a Negative Feedback Loop in Cotton
Authors: Wu Wen‐Kai , Nie Gui‐Bin , Lin Jia‐Ling , Huang Jia‐Fa , Guo Xiao‐Xiang , Chen Mei , Fang Xin , Mao Ying‐Bo , Li Yan , Wang Ling‐Jian , Tao Xiao‐Yuan , Gao Yiqun , Yang Zuo‐Ren , Huang Jin‐Quan
Published: June 2024

Plants have evolved diverse defense mechanisms encompassing physical and chemical barriers. Cotton pigment glands are known for containing various defense metabolites, but the precise regulation of gland size to modulate defense compound levels remains enigmatic. Here, it is discovered that the VQ domain‐containing protein JAVL negatively regulates pigment gland size and the biosynthesis of defense compounds, while the MYC2‐like transcription factor GoPGF has the opposite effect. Notably, GoPGF directly activates the expression of JAVL, whereas JAVL suppresses GoPGF transcription, establishing a negative feedback loop that maintains the expression homeostasis between GoPGF and JAVL. Furthermore, it is observed that JAVL negatively regulates jasmonate levels by inhibiting the expression of jasmonate biosynthetic genes and interacting with GoPGF to attenuate its activation effects, thereby maintaining homeostatic regulation of jasmonate levels. The increased expression ratio of GoPGF to JAVL leads to enlarged pigment glands and elevated jasmonates and defense compounds, enhancing insect and pathogen resistance in cotton. These findings unveil a new mechanism for regulating gland size and secondary metabolites biosynthesis, providing innovative strategies for strengthening plant defense.