bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Dynamic Studies of the Complex Polyethylenimine and Glucose Oxidase
Authors: Szefler Beata , Diudea Mircea , Putz Mihai , Grudzinski Ireneusz
Published: October 2016

Glucose oxidase (GOx) is an enzyme produced by Aspergillus, Penicillium and other fungi species. It catalyzes the oxidation of β-d-glucose (by the molecular oxygen or other molecules, like quinones, in a higher oxidation state) to form d-glucono-1,5-lactone, which hydrolyses spontaneously to produce gluconic acid. A coproduct of this enzymatic reaction is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). GOx has found several commercial applications in chemical and pharmaceutical industries including novel biosensors that use the immobilized enzyme on different nanomaterials and/or polymers such as polyethylenimine (PEI). The problem of GOx immobilization on PEI is retaining the enzyme native activity despite its immobilization onto the polymer surface. Therefore, the molecular dynamic (MD) study of the PEI ligand (C14N8_07_B22) and the GOx enzyme (3QVR) was performed to examine the final complex PEI-GOx stabilization and the affinity of the PEI ligand to the docking sites of the GOx enzyme. The docking procedure showed two places/regions of major interaction of the protein with the polymer PEI: (LIG1) of −5.8 kcal/mol and (LIG2) of −4.5 kcal/mol located inside the enzyme and on its surface, respectively. The values of enthalpy for the PEI-enzyme complex, located inside of the protein (LIG1) and on its surface (LIG2) were computed. Docking also discovered domains of the GOx protein that exhibit no interactions with the ligand or have even repulsive characteristics. The structural data clearly indicate some differences in the ligand PEI behavior bound at the two places/regions of glucose oxidase.
NIRFaceNet: A Convolutional Neural Network for Near-Infrared Face Identification
Authors: Peng Min , Wang Chongyang , Chen Tong , Liu Guangyuan
Published: October 2016

Near-infrared (NIR) face recognition has attracted increasing attention because of its advantage of illumination invariance. However, traditional face recognition methods based on NIR are designed for and tested in cooperative-user applications. In this paper, we present a convolutional neural network (CNN) for NIR face recognition (specifically face identification) in non-cooperative-user applications. The proposed NIRFaceNet is modified from GoogLeNet, but has a more compact structure designed specifically for the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Automation (CASIA) NIR database and can achieve higher identification rates with less training time and less processing time. The experimental results demonstrate that NIRFaceNet has an overall advantage compared to other methods in the NIR face recognition domain when image blur and noise are present. The performance suggests that the proposed NIRFaceNet method may be more suitable for non-cooperative-user applications.
Could Cupping Therapy Be Used to Improve Sports Performance?
Authors: Musumeci Giuseppe
Published: October 2016

“Cupping Therapy” is the topic chosen for the fourth editorial of this newly launched journal. The aim of this editorial is to deepen this interesting topic, little analyzed in the present literature, in order to explain the technique and deal with the evidence of the effects of cupping therapy in musculoskeletal disorders, and some possible relation to sports performance.
Reduced Subthreshold Characteristics and Flicker Noise of an AlGaAs/InGaAs PHEMT Using Liquid Phase Deposited TiO2 as a Gate Dielectric
Authors: Lam Kai-Yuen , Huang Jung-Sheng , Zou Yong-Jie , Lee Kuan-Wei , Wang Yeong-Her
Published: October 2016

This study presents the fabrication and improved properties of an AlGaAs/InGaAs metal-oxide-semiconductor pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (MOS-PHEMT) using liquid phase deposited titanium dioxide (LPD-TiO2) as a gate dielectric. Sulfur pretreatment and postoxidation rapid thermal annealing (RTA) were consecutively employed before and after the gate dielectric was deposited to fill dangling bonds and therefore release interface trapped charges. Compared with a benchmark PHEMT, the AlGaAs/InGaAs MOS-PHEMT using LPD-TiO2 exhibited larger gate bias operation, higher breakdown voltage, suppressed subthreshold characteristics, and reduced flicker noise. As a result, the device with proposed process and using LPD-TiO2 as a gate dielectric is promising for high-speed applications that demand little noise at low frequencies.
Synthesis and Study on Ionic Conductive (Bi1−x,Vx)O1.5−δ Materials with a Dual-Phase Microstructure
Authors: Lai Yu-Wei , Wei Wen-Cheng
Published: October 2016

Homogeneous Bi2O3-V2O5 powder mixtures with different amounts of V2O5 content (≤15 mol%) were prepared by colloidal dispersion and sintering to high density. The sintered and annealed samples were studied by thermal analysis, quantitative X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The electrical and ionic conductivities of the conductors were also measured by a four-probe direct current (DC) method. The results of the samples prepared at 600–800 °C and annealed for as long as 100 h show that the sintered samples consisting of a pure γ phase or δ + γ binary phase perform differently in conductivity. The highly conductive δ phase in the composition of Bi0.92V0.08O1.5−δ enhances the electric conductivity 10-times better than that of the pure γ-sample (Bi0.94V0.06O1.5−δ) between 400 and 600 °C. The compatible regions of the γ phase with the α- or δ phase are also reported and discussed, so a part of the previously published Bi2O3-V2O5 phase diagram below 800 °C is revised.
The Role of Concentration and Solvent Character in the Molecular Organization of Humic Acids
Authors: Klučáková Martina , Věžníková Kateřina
Published: October 2016

The molecular organization of humic acids in different aqueous solutions was studied over a wide concentration range (0.01–10 g·dm−3). Solutions of humic acids were prepared in three different media: NaOH, NaCl, and NaOH neutralized by HCl after dissolution of the humic sample. Potentiometry, conductometry, densitometry, and high resolution ultrasound spectrometry were used in order to investigate conformational changes in the humic systems. The molecular organization of humic acids in the studied systems could be divided into three concentration ranges. The rearrangements were observed at concentrations of ~0.02 g·dm−3 and ~1 g·dm−3. The first “switch-over point” was connected with changes in the hydration shells of humic particles resulting in changes in their elasticity. The compressibility of water in the hydration shells is less than the compressibility of bulk water. The transfer of hydration water into bulk water increased the total compressibility of the solution, reducing the ultrasonic velocity. The aggregation of humic particles and the formation of rigid structures in systems with concentrations higher than 1 g·dm−3 was detected.
Two-Dimensional Semiconductor Optoelectronics Based on van der Waals Heterostructures
Authors: Lee Jae , Shin Jun-Hwan , Lee Gwan-Hyoung , Lee Chul-Ho
Published: October 2016

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and black phosphorous have drawn tremendous attention as an emerging optical material due to their unique and remarkable optical properties. In addition, the ability to create the atomically-controlled van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures enables realizing novel optoelectronic devices that are distinct from conventional bulk counterparts. In this short review, we first present the atomic and electronic structures of 2D semiconducting TMDCs and their exceptional optical properties, and further discuss the fabrication and distinctive features of vdW heterostructures assembled from different kinds of 2D materials with various physical properties. We then focus on reviewing the recent progress on the fabrication of 2D semiconductor optoelectronic devices based on vdW heterostructures including photodetectors, solar cells, and light-emitting devices. Finally, we highlight the perspectives and challenges of optoelectronics based on 2D semiconductor heterostructures.
TWEAK Negatively Regulates Human Dicer
Authors: Lambert Marine , Pépin Geneviève , Peralta-Zaragoza Oscar , Matusiak Raphaël , Ly Sophia , Landry Patricia , Provost Patrick
Published: October 2016

The ribonuclease Dicer plays a central role in the microRNA pathway by processing microRNA precursors (pre-microRNAs) into microRNAs, a class of 19- to 24-nucleotide non-coding RNAs that regulate expression of ≈60% of the genes in humans. To gain further insights into the function and regulation of Dicer in human cells, we performed a yeast two-hybrid (Y2HB) screen using human Dicer double-stranded RNA-binding domain (dsRBD) as bait. This approach identified tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) as a Dicer-interacting protein candidate. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy revealed the colocalization of Dicer and TWEAK proteins at the perinuclear region of HeLa cells. The Dicer-TWEAK protein interaction was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation and found not likely to be mediated by RNA. TWEAK dose-dependently reduced pre-microRNA conversion into mature microRNA in Dicer activity assays using extracts of transfected human HEK 293 cells. TWEAK expression also impaired microRNA-guided RNA silencing of a reporter gene induced by a pre-microRNA. These findings suggest a role for TWEAK—a pro-inflammatory cytokine—in regulating Dicer function and microRNA biogenesis, and its possible involvement in regulating gene expression during inflammatory processes and diseases.
Recent Advances in Dual Temperature Responsive Block Copolymers and Their Potential as Biomedical Applications
Authors: Kotsuchibashi Yohei , Ebara Mitsuhiro , Aoyagi Takao , Narain Ravin
Published: October 2016

The development of stimuli responsive polymers has progressed significantly with novel preparation techniques, which has allowed access to new materials with unique properties. Dual thermoresponsive (double temperature responsive) block copolymers are particularly of interest as their properties can change depending on the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) or upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of each segment. For instance, these block copolymers can change from being hydrophilic, to amphiphilic or to hydrophobic simply by changing the solution temperature without any additional chemicals and the block copolymers can change from being fully solubilized to self-assembled structures to macroscopic aggregation/precipitation. Based on the unique solution properties, these dual thermo-responsive block copolymers are expected to be suitable for biomedical applications. This review is divided into three parts; LCST-LCST types of block copolymers, UCST-LCST types of block copolymers, and their potential as biomedical applications.
Synthesis and Characterization of Two-Dimensional Conjugated Polymers Incorporating Electron-Deficient Moieties for Application in Organic Photovoltaics
Authors: Hsiow Chuen-Yo , Wang Han-Ying , Lin Yu-Hsiang , Raja Rathinam , Rwei Syang-Peng , Chiu Wen-Yen , Dai Chi-An , Wang Leeyih
Published: October 2016

A series of novel p-type conjugated copolymers, PTTVBDT, PTTVBDT-TPD, and PTTVBDT-DPP, cooperating benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDT) and terthiophene-vinylene (TTV) units with/without thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) or pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione (DPP) via Stille polymerization were synthesized and characterized. Copolymer PTTVBDT shows a low-lying HOMO energy level and ordered molecular-packing behavior. Furthermore, two terpolymers, PTTVBDT-TPD and PTTVBDT-DPP, display stronger absorption ability, alower-lying HOMO energy level, and preferred molecular orientation, due to the replacement TTV-monomer units with electron-deficient groups. Furthermore, bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells were fabricated using blends of the PTTVBDT-TPD, and PC61BM gave the best power conversion efficiency of 5.01% under the illumination of AM 1.5G, 100 mW·cm−2; the short circuit current (Jsc) was 11.65 mA·cm−2 which displayed a 43.8% improvement in comparison with the PTTVBDT/PC61BM device. These results demonstrate a valid strategy combining the two-dimensional molecular structure with random copolymerization strikes promising conjugated polymers to achieve highly efficient organic photovoltaics.
Forest Fragmentation in the Lower Amazon Floodplain: Implications for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Provision to Riverine Populations
Authors: Renó Vivian , Novo Evlyn , Escada Maria
Published: October 2016

This article analyzes the process of forest fragmentation of a floodplain landscape of the Lower Amazon over a 30-year period and its implications for the biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services to the riverine population. To this end, we created a multi-temporal forest cover map based on Landsat images, and then analyzed the fragmentation dynamics through landscape metrics. From the analyses of the landscape and bibliographic information, we made inferences regarding the potential impacts of fragmentation on the biodiversity of trees, birds, mammals and insects. Subsequently, we used data on the local populations’ environmental perception to assess whether the inferred impacts on biodiversity are perceived by these populations and whether the ecosystem services related to the biodiversity of the addressed groups are compromised. The results show a 70% reduction of the forest habitat as well as important changes in the landscape structure that constitute a high degree of forest fragmentation. The perceived landscape alterations indicate that there is great potential for compromise of the biodiversity of trees, birds, mammals and insects. The field interviews corroborate the inferred impacts on biodiversity and indicate that the ecosystem services of the local communities have been compromised. More than 95% of the communities report a decreased variety and/or abundance of animal and plant species, 46% report a decrease in agricultural productivity, and 19% confirm a higher incidence of pests during the last 30 years. The present study provides evidence of an accelerated process of degradation of the floodplain forests of the Lower Amazon and indicate substantial compromise of the ecosystem services provision to the riverine population in recent decades, including reductions of food resources (animals and plants), fire wood, raw material and medicine, as well as lower agricultural productivity due to probable lack of pollination, impoverishment of the soil and an increase of pests.
Earthquake-Induced Building Damage Detection with Post-Event Sub-Meter VHR TerraSAR-X Staring Spotlight Imagery
Authors: Gong Lixia , Wang Chao , Wu Fan , Zhang Jingfa , Zhang Hong , Li Qiang
Published: October 2016

Compared with optical sensors, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can provide important damage information due to its ability to map areas affected by earthquakes independently from weather conditions and solar illumination. In 2013, a new TerraSAR-X mode named staring spotlight (ST), whose azimuth resolution was improved to 0.24 m, was introduced for various applications. This data source made it possible to extract detailed information from individual buildings. In this paper, we present a new concept for individual building damage assessment using a post-event sub-meter very high resolution (VHR) SAR image and a building footprint map. With the building footprint map, the original footprints of buildings can be located in the SAR image. Based on the building imaging analysis of a building in the SAR image, the features in the building footprint can be extracted to identify standing and collapsed buildings. Three machine learning classifiers, including random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM) and K-nearest neighbor (K-NN), are used in the experiments. The results show that the proposed method can obtain good overall accuracy, which is above 80% with the three classifiers. The efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated based on samples of buildings using descending and ascending sub-meter VHR ST images, which were all acquired from the same area in old Beichuan County, China.
Sensor Location Problem Optimization for Traffic Network with Different Spatial Distributions of Traffic Information
Authors: Bao Xu , Li Haijian , Qin Lingqiao , Xu Dongwei , Ran Bin , Rong Jian
Published: October 2016

To obtain adequate traffic information, the density of traffic sensors should be sufficiently high to cover the entire transportation network. However, deploying sensors densely over the entire network may not be realistic for practical applications due to the budgetary constraints of traffic management agencies. This paper describes several possible spatial distributions of traffic information credibility and proposes corresponding different sensor information credibility functions to describe these spatial distribution properties. A maximum benefit model and its simplified model are proposed to solve the traffic sensor location problem. The relationships between the benefit and the number of sensors are formulated with different sensor information credibility functions. Next, expanding models and algorithms in analytic results are performed. For each case, the maximum benefit, the optimal number and spacing of sensors are obtained and the analytic formulations of the optimal sensor locations are derived as well. Finally, a numerical example is proposed to verify the validity and availability of the proposed models for solving a network sensor location problem. The results show that the optimal number of sensors of segments with different model parameters in an entire freeway network can be calculated. Besides, it can also be concluded that the optimal sensor spacing is independent of end restrictions but dependent on the values of model parameters that represent the physical conditions of sensors and roads.
A 3D Optical Surface Profilometer Using a Dual-Frequency Liquid Crystal-Based Dynamic Fringe Pattern Generator
Authors: Joo Kyung-Il , Kim Mugeon , Park Min-Kyu , Park Heewon , Kim Byeonggon , Hahn JoonKu , Kim Hak-Rin
Published: October 2016

We propose a liquid crystal (LC)-based 3D optical surface profilometer that can utilize multiple fringe patterns to extract an enhanced 3D surface depth profile. To avoid the optical phase ambiguity and enhance the 3D depth extraction, 16 interference patterns were generated by the LC-based dynamic fringe pattern generator (DFPG) using four-step phase shifting and four-step spatial frequency varying schemes. The DFPG had one common slit with an electrically controllable birefringence (ECB) LC mode and four switching slits with a twisted nematic LC mode. The spatial frequency of the projected fringe pattern could be controlled by selecting one of the switching slits. In addition, moving fringe patterns were obtainable by applying voltages to the ECB LC layer, which varied the phase difference between the common and the selected switching slits. Notably, the DFPG switching time required to project 16 fringe patterns was minimized by utilizing the dual-frequency modulation of the driving waveform to switch the LC layers. We calculated the phase modulation of the DFPG and reconstructed the depth profile of 3D objects using a discrete Fourier transform method and geometric optical parameters.
Electrochemical Behavior and Determination of Chlorogenic Acid Based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Screen-Printed Electrode
Authors: Ma Xiaoyan , Yang Hongqiao , Xiong Huabin , Li Xiaofen , Gao Jinting , Gao Yuntao
Published: October 2016

In this paper, the multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified screen-printed electrode (MWCNTs/SPE) was prepared and the MWCNTs/SPE was employed for the electrochemical determination of the antioxidant substance chlorogenic acids (CGAs). A pair of well-defined redox peaks of CGA was observed at the MWCNTs/SPE in 0.10 mol/L acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.2) and the electrode process was adsorption-controlled. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods for the determination of CGA were proposed based on the MWCNTs/SPE. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method exhibited linear ranges from 0.17 to 15.8 µg/mL, and the linear regression equation was Ipa (µA) = 4.1993 C (×10−5 mol/L) + 1.1039 (r = 0.9976) and the detection limit for CGA could reach 0.12 µg/mL. The recovery of matrine was 94.74%–106.65% (RSD = 2.92%) in coffee beans. The proposed method is quick, sensitive, reliable, and can be used for the determination of CGA.
The New Eugenics: Black Hyper-Incarceration and Human Abatement
Authors: Oleson James
Published: October 2016

In the early twentieth century, the eugenics movement exercised considerable influence over domestic US public policy. Positive eugenics encouraged the reproduction of “fit” human specimens while negative eugenics attempted to reduce the reproduction of “unfit” specimens like the “feebleminded” and the criminal. Although eugenics became a taboo concept after World War II, it did not disappear. It was merely repackaged. Incarceration is no longer related to stated eugenic goals, yet incapacitation in prisons still exerts a prophylactic effect on human reproduction. Because minorities are incarcerated in disproportionately high numbers, the prophylactic effect of incarceration affects them most dramatically. In fact, for black males, the effect of hyper-incarceration might be so great as to depress overall reproduction rates. This article identifies some of the legal and extralegal variables that would be relevant for such an analysis and calls for such an investigation.
Epistemic Communities, Human Rights, and the Global Diffusion of Legislation against the Organ Trade
Authors: Amahazion Fikresus
Published: October 2016

Over the past several decades, over 100 countries have passed legislation banning commercial organ transplantation. What explains this rapid, global diffusion of laws? Based on qualitative data from in-depth interviews, historical analysis, and secondary sources, this paper explores the role played by the medical epistemic community and human rights in the global spread of laws against the organ trade. In addition to shaping, guiding, and influencing norms and approaches to transplantation, the epistemic community has been instrumental in the development of various resolutions, policy initiatives, recommended practices, statements, legislation, and model laws. Moreover, the epistemic community helped position the organ trade as an issue of societal and global importance, and it persistently encouraged states to undertake actions, such as implementing legislation, to combat the organ trade. Critically, the epistemic community’s efforts against the organ trade incorporated the concepts of human rights, integrity, and dignity, which had diffused globally and become institutionalized in the period after WWII.
Groundwater Depth Prediction Using Data-Driven Models with the Assistance of Gamma Test
Authors: Tian Jiyang , Li Chuanzhe , Liu Jia , Yu Fuliang , Cheng Shuanghu , Zhao Nana , Wan Jaafar Wan
Published: October 2016

Prediction of the groundwater dynamics via models can help better manage the groundwater resources and guarantee their sustainable use. Three types of data-driven models are built for groundwater depth prediction in the plain of Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province in North China. The data-driven models include the Power Function Model (PFM), Back-Propagation Artificial Neural Network (BPANN) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) with two kernel functions of linear kernel function (LKF) and radial basis function (RBF). Five classes of factors (including 12 indices) are considered as potential model input variables. The Gamma Test (GT) is adopted in this study to help identify the relative importance of the input indices and tackle the tricky issue of the optimal input combinations for the data-driven models. The established models are evaluated in both fitting and testing procedures based on the root mean squared error (RMSE) and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (E) for different input combination schemes. The results show that SVM (RBF) performs the best. It is interesting to find that the natural factors (i.e., precipitation and evaporation) are less relevant to the groundwater depth variations. The methods used in this study have much significance for groundwater depth prediction in areas lacking hydrogeological data.
Environmental Performance of Electricity Generation Based on Resources: A Life Cycle Assessment Case Study in Turkey
Authors: Günkaya Zerrin , Özdemir Alp , Özkan Aysun , Banar Müfide
Published: October 2016

The aim of this paper was to determine how to change the environmental performance of electricity generation depending on the resources and their shares, in order to support decision-makers. Additionally, this paper presents an application of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to determine the environmental burdens of electricity generation in Turkey. Electricity generation data in Turkey for the years 2012 and 2023 were used as a case study. The functional unit for electricity generation was 1 kWh. The LCA calculations were carried out using CML-IA (v3.00) data and the results were interpreted with respect to Monte Carlo simulation analysis (with the Monte Carlo function built in SimaPro 8.0.1 software). The results demonstrated that the fossil fuel consumption not only contributes to global warming, but it also has effects on the elemental basis of abiotic depletion due to raw material consumption for plant infrastructure. Additionally, it was observed that the increasing proportion of wind power in the electricity mix would also increase certain life cycle impacts (such as the elemental basis of abiotic depletion, human ecotoxicity, and terrestrial ecotoxicity) in Turkey’s geography compared to increasing the share of other renewable energy sources, such as hydropower, geothermal, as well as solar.
Comments on Boelaert et al. Determination of Asymmetric and Symmetric Dimethylarginine in Serum from Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: UPLC–MS/MS versus ELISA. Toxins 2016, 8, 149
Authors: Tsikas Dimitrios , Beckmann Bibiana , Araujo Pedro
Published: October 2016

Boelaert et al. [1] compared UPLC–MS/MS with ELISA assays for the determination of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), two endogenous inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis [2], in serum of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and healthy subjects.[...]
A Spaceborne Multisensory, Multitemporal Approach to Monitor Water Level and Storage Variations of Lakes
Authors: Taravat Alireza , Rajaei Masih , Emadodin Iraj , Hasheminejad Hamidreza , Mousavian Rahman , Biniyaz Ehsan
Published: October 2016

Lake Urmia, the second largest saline Lake on earth and a highly endangered ecosystem, is on the brink of a serious environmental disaster similar to the catastrophic death of the Aral Sea. Progressive drying has been observed during the last decade, causing dramatic changes to Lake Urmia’s surface and its regional water supplies. The present study aims to improve monitoring of spatiotemporal changes of Lake Urmia in the period 1975–2015 using the multi-temporal satellite altimetry and Landsat (5-TM, 7-ETM+ and 8-OLI) images. In order to demonstrate the impacts of climate change and human pressure on the variations in surface extent and water level, Lake Sevan and Van Lake with different characteristics were studied along with the Urmia Lake. Normalized Difference Water Index-Principal Components Index (NDWI-PCs), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Modified NDWI (MNDWI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Water Ratio Index (WRI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI), and MultiLayer Perceptron Neural Networks (MLP NNs) classifier were investigated for the extraction of surface water from Landsat data. The presented results revealed that MLP NNs has a better performance in the cases where the other models generate poor accuracy. The results show that the area of Lake Sevan and Van Lake have increased while the area of Lake Urmia has decreased by ~65.23% in the past decades, far more than previously reported (~25% to 50%). Urmia Lake’s shoreline has been receding severely between 2010 and 2015 with no sign of recovery, which has been partly blamed on prolonged droughts, aggressive regional water resources development plans, intensive agricultural activities, and anthropogenic changes to the system. The results also indicated that (among the proposed factors) changes in inflows due to overuse of surface water resources and constructing dams (mostly during 1995–2005) are the main reasons for Urmia Lake’s shoreline receding. The model presented in this manuscript can be used by managers as a decision support system to find the effects of building new dams or other infrastructures.
L’ordonnance de la CIJ dans l’affaire Certaines activités menées par le Nicaragua dans la région frontalière (Costa Rica c. Nicaragua) (mesures conservatoires)
Authors: Fleury Thibaut Charles
Published: October 2016

Saisie par le Costa Rica d’une demande en indication de mesures conservatoires dans le cadre d’un litige territorial qui oppose celui-ci au Nicaragua, la cour internationale de Justice a rendu le 8 mars 2011 une ordonnance dont l’intérêt tient à la fois au raisonnement adopté par la cour et à la nature des mesures indiquées : cette dernière a recherché en effet si les droits dont le Costa Rica entendait obtenir la protection étaient «plausibles » , consacrant ainsi explicitement une nouvelle condition d’indication de mesures conservatoires ; elle a, de plus, contraint les deux parties, et non le seul défendeur, à se retirer du territoire litigieux, tout en prenant les mesures nécessaires pour assurer la sauvegarde environnementale de la zone concernée par le litige.
Application de la convention internationale sur l’élimination de toutes les formes de discrimination raciale (Géorgie c. Fédération de Russie), exceptions préliminaires : un formalisme excessif au service du classicisme ?
Authors: Dubuy Mélanie
Published: October 2016

Ruling on four preliminary objections brought by russia against Georgia, the court ended a dispute opposing the two states since August 2008. Finding it did not have jurisdiction, the court considered that Georgia failed to satisfy the procedural conditions laid down by the arbitration clause in the 1965 convention on racial discrimination on the basis of which Georgia had chosen to bring the case. in a particularly restrictive reading of the clause, coupled with excessive formalism, the court opted to deny Georgia access to the forum. In a classical solution, it declined to direct justice towards people by taking account of the specific features of the convention.
La jurisprudence de la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme et les pouvoirs du parquet en matière de liberté
Authors: Chappez Jean
Published: October 2016

France was sentenced several times by the european court of Human rights in 2010. the court considers that the french public prosecutor, who is not independent from the executive or the political parties, is not authorised by law to exercise judicial authority. consequently he cannot make judicial decisions restricting civil liberties. The french court of cassation has sided with european case law, but the recent reform of the rights of people held in custody by the police is not yet compliant with the judicial precedent of the court in Strasbourg, despite some progress.
The Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age I Transition in the Southern Levant: Determining Continuity and Discontinuity or “Mind the Gap”
Authors: Braun Eliot , Roux Valentine
Published: October 2016

La question de la transition entre le Chalcolithique final et le Bronze ancien I dans le sud Levant fait l’objet de nombreux débats depuis maintenant plusieurs décennies. Le volume qui lui est consacré ici est destiné à faire état de nouvelles données archéologiques qui permettent d’en renouveler les réponses. On rappellera au préalable les principales étapes de la recherche sur le sujet. Ces étapes ont été déterminées par l’état des connaissances et la qualité des datations ; elles témoignent aussi de l’évolution de notre regard sur une transition, longtemps oblitérée, témoignant de la transformation des sociétés au cours de la première moitié du IVe millénaire avant notre ère selon des scénarios différents selon les régions.
The South-Eastern Jordan’s Chalcolithic – Early Bronze Age Pastoral Nomadic Complex : Patterns of Mobility and Interaction
Authors: Abu-Azizeh Wael
Published: October 2016

Dès les recherches entreprises au début des années 1980 dans le sud jordanien, en particulier dans le secteur compris entre Aqaba et Ma’an, un mode d’occupation basé sur le pastoralisme nomade a pu être mis en évidence pour les périodes du Chalcolithique et du Bronze ancien. L’image reflétée par cette extension de l’occupation “ timnienne” contraste avec celle du peuplement des zones agricoles sédentaires. Les données récentes fournies par l’étude micro-régionale du secteur de al-Thulaythuwat, ainsi que celles issues de l’exploration du désert profond du sud-est jordanien, permettent de réaliser une première synthèse sur des stratégies de subsistance attestées dans cette région. À travers l’analyse de l’organisation des campements constitués d’enceintes de pierres et la mise en parallèle avec les itinéraires historiques de transhumance, il est possible de définir les différents schémas de mobilité de ces populations nomades associés à la conquête et à la mise en valeur de territoires reculés du désert. Bien qu’une dichotomie culturelle assez nette soit perceptible entre cette occupation pastorale nomade et le monde sédentaire, la mobilité et l’exploitation des ressources naturelles spécifiques au désert, pour la production d’éclats corticaux par exemple, semblent avoir ouvert la voie à de fortes interactions et à l’intégration d’un système d’échanges avec le désert dans l’organisation socio-économique plus globale du sud levantin au cours du Chalcolithique et du Bronze ancien.
Some remarks on the chronological position of the Predynastic settlement at Maadi (Egypt) and its relations to the Southern Levant
Authors: Hartung Ulrich
Published: October 2016

L’établissement Prédynastique de Maadi, qui a donné son nom à la culture chalcolithique de Basse-Égypte de la première moitié du 4e millénaire, est un site clé pour la compréhension des interconnections entre la Haute et la Basse-Égypte, et entre la Vallée du Nil et le sud du Levant. Si l’établissement évoque à première vue un village rural fondé sur l’agriculture, le site a révélé des importations venant de Haute-Égypte, suggérant des relations commerciales dans la Vallée du Nil et permettant de situer cet établissement dans la chronologie de la culture de Naqada. En outre, le site a révélé l’existence de différentes phases de relations avec le sud du Levant : des structures inhabituelles, semi-souterraines, ressemblent aux installations souterraines de la culture chalcolithique de Beersheva, bien que moins sophistiquées que ces dernières. Plus tard, Maadi semble avoir établi des relations commerciales avec des sites du Bronze ancien IA dans le sud de la Palestine, afin d’obtenir du cuivre et d’autres marchandises. Ces données, divergentes chronologiquement, sont commentées et complétées par une série de datations radiocarbones issues des nouvelles fouilles menées à Maadi par l’Institut archéologique allemand au Caire (DAI). Ces dates confirment que l’établissement est contemporain de la transition entre le Chalcolithique récent et le Bronze ancien dans le sud du Levant.
Another piece in the puzzle – A new PPNA site at Bir el-Maksur (Northern Israel)
Authors: Malinsky-Buller Ariel , Aladjem Emil , Givol-Barzilai Yael , Bonnes Doron , Goren Yuval , Yeshurun Reuven , Birkenfeld Michal
Published: October 2016

Cet article livre les résultats de la fouille de sauvetage effectuée à Bir el-Maksur, un site du Néolithique pré-céramique A (PPNA) situé en Basse Galilée, dans le nord d’Israël, où a été mise au jour une vaste occupation avec de riches assemblages. Malgré l’absence de structures architecturales claires, les nombreux artefacts permettent de reconstituer une variété d’activités : le traitement de ressources végétales et fauniques et leur consommation, une production lithique in situ et des procédés pyrotechniques à grande échelle. Une sépulture secondaire complexe de deux individus, accompagnés de ce qui pourrait être des objets funéraires (principalement outillage de mouture), indique aussi l’existence d’activités socioculturelles plus complexes. Les fouilles et les assemblages retrouvés sont présentés avec une analyse des activités associées et de leur signification. Le Néolithique représente un mouvement vers de nouvelles sphères économiques et sociales, mais il est important de combler les lacunes dans notre connaissance actuelle des modes de peuplement liés à ce mouvement. Notre objectif est donc de reconstituer la fonction de Bir el-Maksur et replacer ce site dans le cadre chrono-culturel du PPNA. À cet égard et malgré les processus taphonomiques, ainsi que la superficie restreinte de la zone étudiée, ces fouilles apportent des données nouvelles significatives sur l’occupation de la Basse Galilée au cours de cette période importante.
Animal Management Strategies during the Chalcolithic in the Lower Galilee: New Data from Marj Rabba (Israel)
Authors: Price Max D. , Buckley Mike , Kersel Morag M. , Rowan Yorke M.
Published: October 2016

Le Chalcolithique (4500-3600 cal. av. J.-C.) du Levant Sud est le foyer d’une différentiation sociale et d’une spécialisation économique accrue. Parmi les principales sources de spécialisation économique figurent les produits d’origine animale, particulièrement les produits dérivés des moutons, chèvres et bovins. Les suidés tiennent également une place importante, bien que négligée dans la littérature. Dans cet article, nous utilisons les informations relatives à la faune provenant du site de Marj Rabba en Basse Galilée. Nous étudions en particulier les courbes d’abattage, les données métriques, ainsi que les artefacts. Afin de distinguer les chèvres des moutons, nous avons analysé l’empreinte collagène (ZooMS) des dents de caprinés. Ces données sont comparées à celles d’autres sites chalcolithiques du Levant Sud afin d’explorer les différences régionales en termes de stratégies de gestion des troupeaux durant cette phase cruciale de changements socio-économiques. À l’inverse des sites du nord du Néguev et de Tulaylat al-Ghassul, les stratégies de gestion des troupeaux à Marj Rabba n’étaient pas destinées à la spécialisation. Elles mettent en revanche l’accent sur la minimisation des risques. De plus, comme dans la vallée septentrionale du Jourdain, les suidés constituaient une ressource importante. Enfin, les restes de bovidés de Marj Rabba montrent un nombre conséquent de pathologies liées à l’activité de traction. Cependant, les courbes d’abattage indiquent que les éleveurs n’ont pas cherché à différer l’âge d’abattage des bovins pour utiliser leur force de traction. Les pathologies suggèrent qu’on mettait en avant la production de grains. La différence entre la faune du nord du Néguev, du Golan, de la vallée du Jourdain et de la Galilée, met l’accent sur une économie des produits animaux extrêmement diversifiée dans le Levant Sud au cours du Chalcolithique.
Effect of monocortical and bicortical screw numbers on the properties of a locking plate-intramedullary rod configuration
Authors: Parsons Kevin , Etches Julie , Hamilton Katie , Burton Neil , Field Elinor
Published: October 2016

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of varying the number and configuration of locking bicortical and monocortical screws on a plate-rod construct using a mid-diaphyseal femoral ostectomy model.

Methods: Thirty Greyhound femurs were assigned to six groups (A-F). An intramedullary pin was placed in each bone following which a 3.5 mm locking plate was applied with six differing locking screw configurations. Groups A to C had one bicortical screw in the most proximal and distal plate holes and one to three monocortical locking screws in the proximal and distal fragments. Groups D to F had no bicortical screws placed and two to four monocortical locking screws in proximal and distal fragments. Each construct was axially loaded at 4 Hz from a preload of 10 Newtons (N) to 72 N, increasing to 144 N and 216 N, each of 6000 cycles with a further 45,000 cycles at 216 N to simulate a three to six week postoperative convalescence period. Constructs were then loaded to failure.

Results: No construct suffered screw loosening or a significant change in construct stiffness during cyclic loading. There was no significant difference in load to failure of any construct (p = 0.34), however, less variation was seen with monocortical constructs. All constructs failed at greater than 2.5 times physiological load, and failure was by bending of the intramedullary pin and plate rather than screw loosening or pull-out.

Clinical significance: Axially loaded locking monocortical plate-rod constructs applied to the canine femur may confer no difference biomechanically to those employing locking bicortical screws.
INNOVATION CAPABILITIES IN EU COUNTRIES: HAVE CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES BEEN CATCHING UP?
Authors: KONDRATIUK-NIERODZIŃSKA Monika
Published: October 2016

The paper answers two questions: which innovation capabilities most strongly differentiate CEECs and highly developed European economies and to what extent CEECs’ performance within each of the innovation capabilities has changed over a decade. The research method is based on construction of composite indicators describing national performance within five innovation capabilities in two periods: 1998–2000 and 2010–2012 as well as regression analysis in order to test the accuracy of the main findings. The study has allowed to arrive at a conclusion that CEECs have been able to catch up to highly developed European economies with respect to absorptive capacity related to the existence and use of technological infrastructure as well as participation in inward technology transfer in the form of FDI and capital goods imports. There is, however, a lingering performance gap in new knowledge and innovation creation capabilities and R&D effort. Continuation of this trend and lack of considerable improvement also in terms of absorptive capacity related to the quality of human resources might result in CEECs’ permanent inability to catch up to their highly developed European counterparts.
INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF OPTICAL SELECTION EFFECTS ON OBSERVED REST-FRAME PROMPT GRB PROPERTIES
Authors: Turpin D. , Heussaff V. , Dezalay J.-P. , Atteia J-L. , Klotz A. , Dornic D.
Published: October 2016

Measuring gamma-ray burst (GRB) properties in their rest frame is crucial for understanding the physics at work in GRBs. This can only be done for GRBs with known redshifts. Since redshifts are usually measured from the optical spectrum of the afterglow, correlations between prompt and afterglow emissions may introduce biases into the distribution of the rest-frame properties of the prompt emission, especially considering that we measure the redshift of only one-third of Swift GRBs. In this paper, we study the optical flux of GRB afterglows and its connection to various intrinsic properties of GRBs. We also discuss the impact of the optical selection effect on the distribution of rest-frame prompt properties of GRBs. Our analysis is based on a sample of 90 GRBs with good optical follow-up and well-measured prompt emission. Seventy-six of them have a measure of redshift and 14 have no redshift. We compare the rest-frame prompt properties of GRBs with different afterglow optical fluxes in order to check for possible correlations between the promt properties and the optical flux of the afterglow. The optical flux is measured two hours after the trigger, which is a typical time for the measure of the redshift. We find that the optical flux of GRB afterglows in our sample is mainly driven by their optical luminosity and depends only slightly on their redshift. We show that GRBs with low and high afterglow optical fluxes have similar E

, E

, and L

, indicating that the rest-frame distributions computed from GRBs with a redshift are not significantly distorted by optical selection effects. However, we found that the

distribution is not immune to optical selection effects, which favor the selection of GRBs with longer durations. Finally, we note that GRBs well above the E

–E

relation have lower optical fluxes and we show that optical selection effects favor the detection of GRBs with bright optical afterglows located close to or below the best-fit E

–E

relation (Amati relation), whose redshift is easily measurable. With more than 300 GRBs with a redshift, we now have a much better view of the intrinsic properties of these remarkable events. At the same time, increasing statistics allow us to understand the biases acting on the measurements. The optical selection effects induced by the redshift measurement strategies cannot be neglected when we study the properties of GRBs in their rest frame, even for studies focused on prompt emission.
A STUDY OF THE RELATION BETWEEN STAR FORMATION AND MOLECULAR CLUMPS ON SUBPARSEC SCALES IN 30 DORADUS
Authors: Nayak O. , Meixner M. , Indebetouw R. , Marchi G. De , Koekemoer A. , Panagia N. , Sabbi E.
Published: October 2016

We present 12CO and 13CO molecular gas data observed by ALMA, massive early-stage young stellar objects (YSOs) identified by applying color–magnitude cuts to Spitzer and Herschel photometry, and low-mass late-stage YSOs identified via

excess. Using dendrograms, we derive properties for the molecular cloud structures. This is the first time a dendrogram analysis has been applied to extragalactic clouds. The majority of clumps have a virial parameter equal to unity or less. The size–linewidth relations of 12CO and 13CO show the clumps in this study have a larger linewidth for a given size (by factors of 3.8 and 2.5, respectively) in comparison to several, but not all, previous studies. The larger linewidths in 30 Doradus compared to typical Milky Way quiescent clumps are probably due to the former’s highly energetic environmental conditions. The slopes of the size–linewidth relations of 12CO, 0.65 ± 0.04, and 13CO, 0.97 ± 0.12, are on the higher end but consistent within 3σ of those of previous studies. Massive star formation occurs in clumps with high masses (>1.83 × 102
M
⊙), high linewidths (v > 1.18 km s−1), and high mass densities (>6.67 × 102
M
⊙ pc−2). The majority of embedded, massive YSOs are associated with a clump; however, the majority of more evolved, low-mass YSOs are not.