bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Private Self-Defence and Necessity in German Penal Law and in the Penal Law Proposal — Some Remarks
Authors: Bernsmann Klaus
Published: February 2016

Self-defence and necessity are central institutions of the General Part of German Penal Law. Numerous problems of considerable practical and theoretical relevance are connected with them. How to deal with “self-defence” and “necessity” is also an indicator of liberality or, on the other hand, of the minimum solidarity and public spirit which a State can concede to its citizens or demand of them. In German criminal theory, “self-defence” and “necessity” are closely connected with the release of the distinction between justification and excuse and all conclusions derived thereof.

Instead of elaborating on fundamental or purely theoretical problems concerning self-defence and necessity, an illustration of the contents of the German provisions of self-defence and necessity from a more technical, but nevertheless practical, point of view will be discussed. In the course of the discussion, some differences between the Israeli Draft law and the German law will be pointed out, and some problems which are unsolved in German law and may possibly confront Israeli law in the future will be brought to your attention.
Some Reflections on the German System of Sanctions
Authors: Jung Heike
Published: February 2016

Comparisons within the field of sanctions have a long established tradition. Yet, at the same time, they are of a particular difficulty. In our search for the standards governing the system of sanctions we are referred to the general standards of civilization and culture. Perhaps, more than anything else in the criminal justice system, sanctions form part of the cultural pattern of society and, in turn, help creating or reinforcing a particular social pattern. As Garland puts it: “Punishment is one of the many institutions which help construct and support the social world by producing the shared categories and authoritative classifications through which individuals understand each other and themselves”. The particular cultural orientation and ambiance of sanctions do not allow for the light-handed transplant of elements of the system of sanctions from one jurisdiction to another. On the other hand, within a field of law which is, to put it mildly, not exactly characterized by an overflow of solutions and categories, an international and cross-cultural exchange of information has always been considered indispensable for the development of one's own system. Moreover, the concept of Human Rights has come to operate as a cross-cultural yardstick of comparison despite continuing discussion about its universalizability. Notwithstanding existing cross-cultural and individual differences, the measure of pain which States may impose on an individual in reaction to an offence is a matter of universal concern.
The Practice and Case Law of Israel in Matters Related to International Law
Authors: Giladi Rotem M.
Published: February 2016

On July 31, 1996, Israel and Canada signed a Free Trade Agreement in Toronto. This Agreement, which is the culmination of two years of negotiations, will — upon its forthcoming entry into force — set the framework for future trade between Israel and Canada. This is a significant step for Israel's trade: Canada's population, as of 1995, was 28.9 million; it is the seventh largest world market: in 1994, its export was $164.3 billion F.O.B. and its import was $151.5 billion C.I.F. The Canadian trade relies heavily on the United States, and a Free Trade Agreement is in force between the two since 1989.

Israel import from Canada totaled $216 million in 1995, most of which included sales of machinery and parts, aluminum, paper and paperboard, electrical equipment and parts, pulp of wood, cereals, sulphur and asbestos, optical measuring and checking equipment, wood and man-made staple fibers. That year, Israel export to Canada was $240.8 million, consisting mainly of diamonds, mechanical and electrical machinery and equipment. Like Canada, Israel has a free trade agreement with the United States. Since 1975, Israel has also had a free trade agreement with the European Community, which is, as of January 1,1996, replaced by the recently signed Association Agreement with the European Communities.
The Constitutionalization of the Israeli Legal System as a Result of the Basic Laws and its Effect on Procedural and Substantive Criminal Law
Authors: Barak Aharon
Published: February 2016

In March 1992, Israel underwent a Constitutional Revolution. In March 1992, two new Basic Laws were passed: Basic Law: Freedom of Occupation and Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty. Under these new Basic Laws, several human rights — among them Dignity, Liberty, Mobility, Privacy, Property — acquired a constitutional force above the regular statutes. Most of these rights were already protected, prior to the constitutionalization. While a few were protected by the legislator, most were protected by the case law of the Supreme Court, developed by some of our greatest judges since the establishment of the State. The main difference made by the Basic Laws is the strengthening of the normative value of these rights. A regular Knesset (Parliamentary) statute can no longer infringe upon these rights, unless it fulfils the requirements of the Basic Laws (the ‘limitation clause’) namely, it befits the values of the State of Israel, it was passed for a worthy purpose and the harm caused to the constitutional Human Right is proportional to the purpose. Thus, we became a constitutional democracy.
Involuntary Self-Incrimination and the Right to Privacy in Criminal Proceedings
Authors: Roxin Claus
Published: February 2016

In any rule-of-law system the law of criminal procedure is bound to weigh the intended investigation of the truth against the interest of the person charged with a criminal offence in protecting his privacy. The German law of criminal procedure is a typical example of the permanent struggle with these conflicting demands. While the majority of the courts are making an effort to reinforce the protection provided to the accused, the latest pieces of legislation reveal a tendency of allowing increasingly far-reaching invasion of privacy. I will try to map out the most important aspects of this development.

In doing so I will distinguish between state-enforced, involuntary self-incrimination and the right to privacy. These two problems overlap because enforced self-incrimination will often entail invasion of privacy and, conversely, because an invasion of privacy by the state will often result in involuntary self-incrimination. But although these problems are intertwined I will differentiate between them and I accept that there will be some overlapping. After all, there may be invasions of privacy without self-incrimination and there may be cases of self-incrimination which are not caused by an invasion of privacy.
Borderline Justice: Choosing Juries in the Two Niagaras
Authors: Friedland Martin L. , Roach Kent
Published: February 2016

This paper examines the use of juries in criminal cases in Canada and the United States. It is part of a larger study of the administration of criminal justice in Niagara County, Ontario and Niagara County, New York. The basic question examined is why persons accused of serious crimes in the United States usually select a jury, whereas persons in similar circumstances in Canada normally select trial by a judge alone. An investigation of this question will enable us to see some significant differences between the administration of criminal justice in the United States and Canada. It will also show how changes in specific procedural rules may affect other practices. There is a complex interplay between procedural rules. The paper concludes by showing that the widespread use of juries in the United States is consistent with the more populist grass-roots approach in American society which tends to distrust government, compared with the traditional respect for authority, including the authority of judges, in Canada.
Converging Criminal Justice Systems: Guilty Pleas and the Public Interest
Authors: Goldstein Abraham S.
Published: February 2016

It is becoming increasingly apparent to criminal justice scholars that single theory models of criminal procedure — whether termed inquisitorial or adversarial — are being stretched beyond their capacity by the phenomena they are designed to control. Virtually everywhere, formal systems of charge and adjudication cannot possibly be enforced in accordance with the premises underlying them. There are simply too many offenses, too many offenders and too few resources to deal with them all. One result has been a steady movement towards a convergence of legal systems — towards borrowing from others those institutions and practices that offer some hope of relief.

In this transnational effort to cope with system overload, two issues have emerged as more than ordinarily significant: The first is the desirability of abandoning the principle of obligatory prosecution, so common in Continental Europe, and turning instead to the exercise of prosecutorial discretion. The second is the question whether the ban on guilty pleas and plea bargains should be lifted, as in adversarial systems.
Victims of Crime and the Criminal Process
Authors: Spinellis Dionysios
Published: February 2016

In the last two decades the victim of crimes has been moved from the periphery to the centre of interest of penal law and criminal policy.

In the domain of substantive penal law the victimological approach created a trend toward the restriction of the field of application of certain penal provisions, especially in cases where the victim could have protected himself or herself more effectively, e.g., in fraud cases.

In the area of criminal procedure the trend has been toward an increased protection of the victim. This trend was extended gradually to the policies of crime prevention and influenced even the policies of enforcement of penal decisions and treatment of offenders. In this paper, however, I am going to address myself mainly to the problems of the protection of and assistance to the victim in the penal process, which raise a special concern, since they seem sometimes to be in conflict with other purposes of the penal law in general and the criminal process in particular.
Will the “Victim Revolution” Trigger A Reorientation of the Criminal Justice System?
Authors: Sebba Leslie
Published: February 2016

Over the past two decades considerable interest has developed in the subject of the victims of crime. This interest reached a peak in the United States in 1982 with the establishment and report of the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which made numerous recommendations for legislative, executive, and other institutional action on both the Federal and State levels, including an amendment to the United States Constitution. The momentum, however, continued. Subsequent developments have included the establishment of an Office for Victims of Crime in the Office of Justice Programs, a flurry of legislative activity across the nation, and the declaration of National Victims' Rights Weeks with the participation of the U.S. President. The interests of victims have been taken up not only by special organizations established for the purpose, such as the National Organization of Victims' Assistance (NOVA), the Victims' Assistance Legal Organization in Virginia, and the National Victim Center (founded in honor of Sunny von Bulow) — as well as more narrowly focussed groups such as MADD (Mothers against Drunk Driving), but also by such mainstream professional bodies as the American Bar Association, the National Association of Attorneys General, the National Conference of the Judiciary, the American Psychological Association, and the National Institute for Mental Health.
Against ‘Free Proof’
Authors: Stein Alex
Published: February 2016

Consider the following statements, which describe the Anglo-American laws of evidence:

The rules of evidence state what matters may be considered in proving facts and, to some extent, what weight they have. They are largely ununified and scattered, existing for disparate and sometimes conflicting reasons: they are a mixture of astonishing judicial achievements and sterile, inconvenient disasters. There is a law of contract, and perhaps to some extent a law of tort, but only a group of laws of evidence.

In one of our classics of literature, Alice in Wonderland, one of the characters is the Cheshire Cat who keeps appearing and disappearing and fading away, so that sometimes one could see the whole body, sometimes only a head, sometimes only a vague outline and sometimes nothing at all, so that Alice was never sure whether or not he was there or, indeed, whether he existed at all. In practice, our rules of evidence appear to be rather like that.
What Can Be Done About Cost and Delay in Civil Litigation?
Authors: Zander Michael
Published: February 2016

I am the fortieth person to have given the Lionel Cohen lecture since 1953 when Professor Arthur Goodhart gave the first lecture in this series. The lecture was founded by, and in the name of one of British Jewry's most distinguished figures and the list of Lionel Cohen lecturers is illustrious indeed. It is a great honour to have been asked to join their company. For me it has an additional pleasure — my late father, Dr. Walter Zander, was closely involved in the establishment of the lecture and in its development for its first eighteen years. From 1944 to 1971 my father was Secretary of the British Friends of the Hebrew University and the annual event of the Lionel Cohen lecture and the subsequent “report back” dinner at Lincoln's Inn was a part of his work which he always enjoyed and regarded as of importance. I obviously regret that he did not live long enough to see his eldest son honoured in this way.
Leading Decisions of the Supreme Court of Israel and Extracts of the Judgment
Authors: Omi
Published: February 2016

Ganimat v. The State of Israel (1995) 49(iv) P.D. 589.

The appellant was indicted in the Jerusalem Magistrate Court for two incidents of car theft. His detention was requested on the grounds that he posed a “danger to society”. The Magistrate Court agreed to his arrest, holding that a custom has been established whereby custody may be justified in crimes which have become “a nationwide scourge”, including car theft. The District Court rejected the appeal. The appellant was granted permission to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court (decision of Dorner J. and Barak J.; Cheshin J. dissenting) and his conditional release was ordered. However, it was decided to hold Special Proceedings in order to discuss some of the important issues raised by the case. The principal constitutional question raised by the case was whether the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty influences the interpretation of the existing law, in the present case, the law of arrest as regulated by the Law of Criminal Procedure.
Halakha and Patriarchal Motherhood —An Anatomy of the New Israeli Surrogacy Law
Authors: Shalev Carmel
Published: February 2016

The second half of the 20th century has been a period of innovation in medical technology, with much significance for the social relations of reproduction. The invention of the contraceptive pill changed our attitudes towards the control and prevention of pregnancy, and allowed us to differentiate between female sexual and reproductive activities. The development of blood-typing and genetic tests radically altered the legal procedures for proving paternity, and deeply influenced our understanding of the uncertainty of biological fatherhood. The innovation of various methods of medical imaging gave concrete and human shape to the image of the fetus in its mother's womb. The very moment of conception was transformed, by means of in vitro fertilisation, from a mysterious event taking place in the hidden spaces of a woman's body to an overt and exposed occurrence in a laboratory petri-dish.
Reconciling Israeli Antidumping Law With WTO/GATT International Trade Law Rules
Authors: Einhorn Talia
Published: February 2016

Dumping is defined, basically, as the sale of goods to an export market at a price below that charged for comparable goods in the exporter's home market. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) does not forbid such action, not even when injurious to the competing domestic industry. However, it has taken the view that dumping constitutes an unfair trade practice. Under GATT, Article VI Contracting Parties (or Members, as they are now termed in the GATT 1994 Agreements) are authorized, as an exception to other GATT obligations, to unilaterally impose antidumping (hereinafter: AD) duties to counteract the effects of dumping. The duties should create a level playing field in which producers all over the world will be able to compete fairly with each other. The principles sound simple and straightforward, yet their application is one of the most contentious topics in international trade law.

The economic coherence of AD rules is controversial. In international trade, price discrimination between national markets is typically made possible when the exporter has a powerful position in the home market and re-exportation to that market is not feasible. In the domestic arena price discrimination is countered by the laws of competition and antitrust. International trade law offers states a very different remedy, that first and foremost protects the competing local industry, regardless of the procompetitive or anticompetitive effects of dumping on the market as a whole.
Self-Determination in Perspective: Palestinian Claims to Statehood and the Relativity of the Right to Self-Determination
Authors: Becker Tal
Published: February 2016

“Self-determination” is not a mere phrase. It is an imperative principle of action, which statesmen will henceforth ignore at their peril.

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, 11 February 1918, reprinted in R.S. Baker and W.E. Dodd, eds., War and Peace, Presidential Messages, Addresses and Public Papers, vol. 1 (1927) 182.

The phrase is simply loaded with dynamite. It will raise hopes which can never be realized. It will, I fear, cost thousands of lives. In the end it is bound to be discredited, to be called the dream of an idealist who failed to realize its danger until too late to check those who attempt to put the principle in force. What a calamity that the phrase was ever uttered. What misery it will cause!

Robert Lansing, U.S. Secretary of State, 30 December 1918, reprinted in Robert Lansing, The Peace Negotiations — A Personal Narrative (1921) 97.
Civil Jewish Jurisdiction in the Days of Emperor Justinian (527–565): Codex Justinianus 1.9.8.
Authors: Rabello Alfredo Mordechai
Published: February 2016

The extent to which the Roman government which had conquered the Land of Israel (Palaestina) as well as large areas outside of it (collectively termed the Roman Empire) permitted Jewish courts to rule in matters regarding Jews is a question which has attracted relatively little attention. In his fundamental book Les Juifs dans l'Empire Romain the renowned scholar Jean Juster sums up the situation of the Jewish judiciary as such: “After the fall of Jerusalem, the Jews continued to bring their cases not only before Jewish judges (whom it was possible to define as arbiters) but even before actual Jewish courts authorized to judge according to Jewish law and granted authority to do so by the Romans. The Jewish court received the status of a regular court the moment one of the Jewish sides submitted a claim to it, thereby effectively preventing the submission of the case to a rival non-Jewish court. The Jewish court thus received the authority to summon the defendant, to force him to appear, and to ensure that its rulings would be enforced. Its rulings would be recognized by the Roman authorities as coming from legitimate judicial authority”.
The Practice and Case Law of Israel in Matters Related to International Law
Authors: Giladi Rotem M.
Published: February 2016

On 15 February 1999, the Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter addressed to the Heads of the Diplomatic Missions in Israel concerning “recent meetings held by diplomatic representatives in the Orient House in Jerusalem”. This letter noted that under the Israeli-Palestinian agreements, Jerusalem is one of the final status negotiations issues and that as the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Council does not cover Jerusalem, the Council cannot locate its offices in the City. The letter also took the position that holding meetings at the Orient House was “a clear and serious violation” of the agreements. The Heads of the Diplomatic Missions were therefore urged not to encourage or participate in “any such violation” — nor to allow their staff and visitors to do so.
Constitutionalization of Substantive Criminal Law: A Realistic View
Authors: Kremnitzer M.
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this short essay is to examine how the constitution could contribute in the area of substantive criminal law. We should distinguish between two levels: the theoretical level and the realistic level. From a theoretical point of view, a lot could be expected from judicial review. The reason is the very broad gap between the principles of criminal law and the norms and real life of criminal law. Judicial review can function as a guardian — perhaps the guardian of the principles of criminal law.

To exemplify the gap between criminal law in theory and criminal law in practice, it is sufficient to mention three issues: Criminal law in theory is an instrument of last resort, but the reality of criminal law is that it is often an instrument of first resort. Secondly, in theory, the most basic principle of criminal law is the principle of legality, of prior warning, but when we read the statutory provisions of criminal law we understand that the citizen is not the real addresee of these norms. When we read case law in criminal law, we find out that real interpretation in criminal law has very little to do with prior warning.
Preparatory Offences
Authors: Bein Dan
Published: February 2016

The derivative forms of criminal liability — attempt and complicity — are the subject of a vast literature, yet there has not been a systematic, comprehensive examination of the preparatory offences in legislation, case law, or even in scholarly writings. One can hardly even find a satisfactory definition of such offences. Therefore, our first task will be an attempt to provide one, because absent a definition, we will not be able to proceed toward a solution to problems that are of no insignificant practical importance.

First among these problems is the question of the appropriate legislative policy to be followed in deciding when and in what areas to create preparatory offences. Second comes the question of whether it is appropriate to “derive” offences of attempt and complicity from preparatory offences, or, in other words, is it possible to speak of attempting a preparatory offence or being an accomplice to it. Third, should we make recourse to the principles applicable to criminal attempt in construing preparatory offences?
Criminal Attempts and Moral Luck
Authors: Jareborg Nils
Published: February 2016

1. Any doctrine or theory of criminal attempts must address a number of basic questions:

At what point does an attempt begin? What is merely preparing a deed, and what is beginning to perform the deed?

What kind of mens rea is required? Is intention required, or is mere belief concerning the outcome sufficient?

Is the attempt basically constituted by the mental (fault) element or the physical (conduct) element of the deed? Should attempts to do the impossible be criminalized?

Should the punishment be the same for an attempt and a completed (consummated) crime, or should the punishment be less severe for an attempt?

I suggest that the first two questions are different from the last two. The answer to the first two questions seems to be a matter of criminal policy and conceptual convenience. The solutions adopted in different jurisdictions depend considerably on the context, the design of the criminal law system, and on how wide the legislator wants to cast the protective net of threat of punishment.
The Obligation to Extradite or Prosecute
Authors: Wise Edward M.
Published: February 2016

This paper is concerned with the alternative obligation to extradite or prosecute contained in multilateral treaties requiring suppression of “international offenses”. Such an obligation appears, for instance, in Article 7 of the Hague Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft of 1970, and in provisions of other anti-terrorism treaties modelled on the Hague Convention. The first part of this paper considers the extent to which the principle underlying Article 7 of the Hague Convention has been incorporated into multilateral treaties; the second part, the question of the extent to which that principle can be regarded as a norm of customary international law generally applicable to “international offenses” even apart from the specific treaties in which it is embodied.

Broadly defined, “international offenses” are offenses on the part of individuals which states have an obligation, usually under a multilateral treaty, to proscribe or prosecute. Such offenses more or less coincide with those which Professor Feller designates asdelicta juris gentium(although he further assumes that all such offenses permit the exercise of “universal jurisdiction”).
Political Disobedience in the IDF: The Scope of the Legal Right of Soldiers to be Excused from Taking Part in Military Activities in the Occupied Territories
Authors: Medina Barak
Published: February 2016

At issue is the appropriate legal reaction to so-called “selective” conscientious objections in the current Israeli context, accounting for both consequential considerations and deontological ones. It is argued that a relevant distinction in this respect is between objections committed by members of a permanent minority, which are based on views that are practically excluded from the political discourse, and objections which are guided by what Rawls calls “political principles”, that is, “the principles of justice which regulate the constitution”. This distinction can explain and justify the current policy of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of granting exemptions to Ultra-Orthodox Jews and to Arabs (even if not all these cases reflect so-called “full” conscientious objection) while denying an exemption to those who refuse to serve based on their opposition to the IDF's activities in the Occupied Territories. However, it is argued that the important expressive role of such refusals requires a more measured approach, by either legitimizing a limited number of such acts or imposing only minimal sanctions (while formally de-legitimizing such acts). These arguments are preceded by an assessment of an alternative possible justification of legitimizing refusals, to prevent the implementation of unlawful activities by the IDF. It is argued that this purpose does not justify legitimization of refusals except in particular instances that are specified.
WHEN MARRYING A MUSLIM: THE SOCIAL CODE OF POLITICAL ELITES IN THE WESTERN SUDAN,c.1600–c.1850
Authors: JANSEN JAN
Published: February 2016

This study analyzes the marriage patterns in accounts of ‘founder strangers’ and ‘first-comers’. By telling whether and when a child from a marriage between a Muslim and a warrior was successful or not, the accounts reveal the social code of the political elites in the Western Sudan in the periodc.1600–c.1850. This social code expressed the elites’ concern with legitimizing their political autonomy as well as with reproducing their ruling position in a context of increasing warfare and growing reformist Islam. This social code structured accounts of both matrilineal warrior rulers and patrilineal Muslim rulers. Though methodologically rooted in classical approaches, historiographically this study contributes not only to recent research on state formation in Kaabu (present-day Guinea-Bissau) and Kankan (present-day Guinea), but also offers an approach to the Sunjata epic that hints at a seventeenth- and eighteenth-century origin of most of the epic as we know it. These fresh insights may shed new light on the history of the Mali Empire and its aftermath, and on processes of state formation in the Western Sudan in general.
Whey cheese: membrane technology to increase yields
Authors: Riera Francisco , González Pablo , Muro Claudia
Published: February 2016

Sweet cheese whey has been used to obtain whey cheese without the addition of milk. Pre-treated whey was concentrated by nanofiltration (NF) at different concentration ratios (2, 2·5 and 2·8) or by reverse osmosis (RO) (2–3 times). After the concentration, whey was acidified with lactic acid until a final pH of 4·6–4·8, and heated to temperatures between 85 and 90 °C. The coagulated fraction (supernatant) was collected and freely drained over 4 h. The cheese-whey yield and protein, fat, lactose and ash recoveries in the final product were calculated. The membrane pre-concentration step caused an increase in the whey-cheese yield. The final composition of products was compared with traditional cheese-whey manufacture products (without membrane concentration). Final cheese yields found were to be between 5 and 19·6%, which are higher than those achieved using the traditional ‘Requesón’ process.
Effects of α-linolenic acid-enriched diets on gene expression of key inflammatory mediators in immune and milk cells obtained from Holstein dairy cows
Authors: Rezamand Pedram , Hatch Brent P. , Carnahan Kevin G. , McGuire Mark A.
Published: February 2016

Immune system and inflammatory responses are affected by α-linolenic acid (αLA: 18:3 ω-3). The objective of this study was to determine the effects of αLA-enriched rations on gene expression of systemic (blood) and local (mammary gland) inflammatory markers in Holstein dairy cattle. Further, the effect of dietary treatments was evaluated on the concentration of αLA in serum phospholipids. Camelina (Camelina sativa) meal (containing 24·2% αLA) was fed at 0, 3, 6, and 9% (dry matter basis) replacing canola meal (rich in 18:1 ω-9) to provide rations with incremental concentrations of αLA. Lactating primiparous Holstein cows (n= 18) were randomly assigned to a treatment sequence in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Each period lasted 16 d and milk and blood samples were collected during the final 2 d of each period. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and milk cells (MC) were harvested, and RNA extracted and converted to complementary DNA for quantitative real time PCR analysis. The effect of dietary treatments (αLA) on the relative abundance of pro- and anti-inflammatory genes in the PBMC and MC was tested by the MIXED procedure of SAS. Expression of pro-inflammatory tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α in MC was linearly reduced (up to 40%) as dietary αLA increased. Expression of pro-inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α was reduced (29, 20, and 27%, respectively) in PBMC isolated from cows fed 6% camelina meal ration as compared with cows fed 0% (control). Expression of IL-6 was, however, increased with inclusion of camelina meal. Greater dietary αLA linearly increased serum phospholipids αLA contents, and when fed up to 6% DM down-regulated expression of some of the local (milk) and systemic (blood) pro-inflammatory markers in vivo.
Proton imaging of 3D density distribution for dense DT plasmas using regularization method
Authors: Li Xuemei , Wang Yuhua
Published: February 2016

Three-dimensional (3D) density distribution of inhomogeneous dense deuterium tritium plasmas in laser fusion is revealed by the energy loss of fast protons going through the plasmas. The fast protons generated in the laser–plasma interaction can be used for the simulation of a plasma density diagnostics. The large linear and ill-posed equation set of the densities of all grids is obtained and then solved by the Tikhonov regularization method after dividing a 3D area into grids and knowing the initial and final energies of the protons. 3D density reconstructions with six proton sources are done without and with random noises added to the final energy. The revealed density is a little smaller than the simulated one in most simulated zones and the error is as much as those of 2D reconstructions with four proton sources. The picture element N is chosen as 2744 with consideration of smoothness and calculation memory of the computers. With fast calculation speed and low error, the Tikhonov regularization method is more suitable for 3D density reconstructions with large calculation amount than simultaneous iterative reconstruction method. Also the analytical expressions between the errors and the noises are established. Furthermore, the density reconstruction method in this paper is particularly suitable for plasmas with small density gradient. The errors without noises and with 2% noises added to the final proton energies are 3 and 20%, respectively, for the homogeneous plasma.
IS THE LINK BETWEEN HEALTH AND WEALTH CONSIDERED IN DECISION MAKING? RESULTS FROM A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Authors: Garau Martina , Shah Koonal Kirit , Sharma Priya , Towse Adrian
Published: February 2016

Objectives:The aim of this study was to explore whether wealth effects of health interventions, including productivity gains and savings in other sectors, are considered in resource allocations by health technology assessment (HTA) agencies and government departments. To analyze reasons for including, or not including, wealth effects.

Methods:Semi-structured interviews with decision makers and academic experts in eight countries (Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom).

Results:There is evidence suggesting that health interventions can produce economic gains for patients and national economies. However, we found that the link between health and wealth does not influence decision making in any country with the exception of Sweden. This is due to a combination of factors, including system fragmentation, methodological issues, and the economic recession forcing national governments to focus on short-term measures.

Conclusions:In countries with established HTA processes and methods allowing, in principle, the inclusion of wider effects in exceptional cases or secondary analyses, it might be possible to overcome the methodological and practical barriers and see a more systematic consideration of wealth effect in decision making. This would be consistent with principles of efficient priority setting. Barriers for the consideration of wealth effects in government decision making are more fundamental, due to an enduring separation of budgets within the public sector and current financial pressures. However, governments should consider all relevant effects from public investments, including healthcare, even when benefits can only be captured in the medium- and long-term. This will ensure that resources are allocated where they bring the best returns.
Honesty and deception in populations of selfish, adaptive individuals
Authors: Catteeuw David , Manderick Bernard
Published: February 2016

Biologists have mostly studied under what circumstances honest signaling is stable.Stability, however, is not sufficient to explain theemergenceof honest signaling. We study the evolution of honest signaling between selfish, adaptive individuals and observe that honest signaling can emerge through learning. More importantly, honest signaling may emerge in cases where it is not evolutionary stable. In such cases, honesty and dishonesty co-exist. Furthermore, honest signaling does not necessarily emerge in cases where it is evolutionary stable. We show that the latter is due to the existence of other, more important equilibria and that the importance of equilibria is related to Pareto-optimality.
MARIA THERESIA AND THE ‘CHINESE’ VOICING OF IMPERIAL SELF: THE AUSTRIAN CONTEXTS OF METASTASIO'S CHINA OPERAS
Authors: CHEN JEN-YEN
Published: February 2016

Pietro Metastasio's two librettos featuring ostensibly Chinese subject matter,Le cinesi(1735, revised 1749) andL'eroe cinese(1752), came into being during a period of crisis in the Holy Roman Empire, as the reigning Habsburg dynasty confronted a war of succession motivated by resistance to the Empress Maria Theresia's accession to the throne. This article investigates how Austria envisioned China and how this was used to voice notions of rightful political legitimacy at a time of grave threat to the continuance of a long-standing ruling house. It argues that idealized traits of the Chinese other such as loyalty, deference and wisdom furnished the basis for a reflexive critique that helped to bolster and renew a native imperial self. This stance of ‘dialogic monologism’ towards a foreign culture emerges in a detailed examination of the textual style of the two librettos, the musical characteristics of the settings performed in or near Vienna around the middle of the eighteenth century and the conditions of sponsorship of these performances.
Wind Shear Measures Help Predict Tropical Cyclones
Authors: Strelich Lily
Published: February 2016

New experiments explore how wind shear impacts tropical storm dynamics and may hold clues for better prediction.
Satellites Track Chlorophyll Fluorescence to Monitor Drought
Authors: Strelich Lily
Published: February 2016

New satellite observations show connection between solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence and soil moisture—a key mechanism behind drought onset.
Conservation Farming Shown to Protect Carbon in Soil
Authors: Kelleher Shannon
Published: February 2016

A closer look at cultivated land informs actions to protect the vitality of our soil.
Report Stresses Need for Real Research in Undergraduate Classes
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: February 2016

Its findings arise from a meeting of educators and scientists called by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on including "discovery-based" research in undergraduate courses.
Pleistocene Rocks Tell Tale of Past Ice Sheet Melting
Authors: Kelleher Shannon
Published: February 2016

Researchers examine evidence from a past interglacial period to predict sea level rise in the future.
Novel microbial assemblages inhabiting crustal fluids within mid-ocean ridge flank subsurface basalt
Authors: Jungbluth Sean P , Bowers Robert M , Lin Huei-Ting , Cowen James P , Rappé Michael S
Published: February 2016

Although little is known regarding microbial life within our planet’s rock-hosted deep subseafloor biosphere, boreholes drilled through deep ocean sediment and into the underlying basaltic crust provide invaluable windows of access that have been used previously to document the presence of microorganisms within fluids percolating through the deep ocean crust. In this study, the analysis of 1.7 million small subunit ribosomal RNA genes amplified and sequenced from marine sediment, bottom seawater and basalt-hosted deep subseafloor fluids that span multiple years and locations on the Juan de Fuca Ridge flank was used to quantitatively delineate a subseafloor microbiome comprised of distinct bacteria and archaea. Hot, anoxic crustal fluids tapped by newly installed seafloor sampling observatories at boreholes U1362A and U1362B contained abundant bacterial lineages of phylogenetically unique Nitrospirae, Aminicenantes, Calescamantes and Chloroflexi. Although less abundant, the domain Archaea was dominated by unique, uncultivated lineages of marine benthic group E, the Terrestrial Hot Spring Crenarchaeotic Group, the Bathyarchaeota and relatives of cultivated, sulfate-reducing Archaeoglobi. Consistent with recent geochemical measurements and bioenergetic predictions, the potential importance of methane cycling and sulfate reduction were imprinted within the basalt-hosted deep subseafloor crustal fluid microbial community. This unique window of access to the deep ocean subsurface basement reveals a microbial landscape that exhibits previously undetected spatial heterogeneity.
SCFFbxo22-KDM4A targets methylated p53 for degradation and regulates senescence
Authors: Johmura Yoshikazu , Sun Jia , Kitagawa Kyoko , Nakanishi Keiko , Kuno Toshiya , Naiki-Ito Aya , Sawada Yumi , Miyamoto Tomomi , Okabe Atsushi , Aburatani Hiroyuki , Li ShengFan , Miyoshi Ichiro , Takahashi Satoru , Kitagawa Masatoshi , Nakanishi Makoto
Published: February 2016

Recent evidence has revealed that senescence induction requires fine-tuned activation of p53, however, mechanisms underlying the regulation of p53 activity during senescence have not as yet been clearly established. We demonstrate here that SCFFbxo22-KDM4A is a senescence-associated E3 ligase targeting methylated p53 for degradation. We find that Fbxo22 is highly expressed in senescent cells in a p53-dependent manner, and that SCFFbxo22 ubiquitylated p53 and formed a complex with a lysine demethylase, KDM4A. Ectopic expression of a catalytic mutant of KDM4A stabilizes p53 and enhances p53 interaction with PHF20 in the presence of Fbxo22. SCFFbxo22-KDM4A is required for the induction of p16 and senescence-associated secretory phenotypes during the late phase of senescence. Fbxo22−/− mice are almost half the size of Fbxo22+/− mice owing to the accumulation of p53. These results indicate that SCFFbxo22-KDM4A is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets methylated p53 and regulates key senescent processes.
Simulating Chiral Magnetic and Separation Effects with Spin-Orbit Coupled Atomic Gases
Authors: Huang Xu-Guang
Published: February 2016

The chiral magnetic and chiral separation effects—quantum-anomaly-induced electric current and chiral current along an external magnetic field in parity-odd quark-gluon plasma—have received intense studies in the community of heavy-ion collision physics. We show that analogous effects occur in rotating trapped Fermi gases with Weyl-Zeeman spin-orbit coupling where the rotation plays the role of an external magnetic field. These effects can induce a mass quadrupole in the atomic cloud along the rotation axis which may be tested in future experiments. Our results suggest that the spin-orbit coupled atomic gases are potential simulators of the chiral magnetic and separation effects.
The palaeobiology of high latitude birds from the early Eocene greenhouse of Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada
Authors: Stidham Thomas A. , Eberle Jaelyn J.
Published: February 2016

Fossils attributable to the extinct waterfowl clade Presbyornithidae and the large flightless Gastornithidae from the early Eocene (~52–53 Ma) of Ellesmere Island, in northernmost Canada are the oldest Cenozoic avian fossils from the Arctic. Except for its slightly larger size, the Arctic presbyornithid humerus is not distinguishable from fossils of Presbyornis pervetus from the western United States and the Gastornis phalanx is within the known size range of mid-latitude individuals. The occurrence of Presbyornis above the Arctic Circle in the Eocene could be the result of annual migration like that of its living duck and geese relatives, or it may have been a year-round resident similar to some Eocene mammals on Ellesmere and some extant species of sea ducks. Gastornis, along with some of the mammalian and reptilian members of the Eocene Arctic fauna, likely over-wintered in the Arctic. Despite the milder (above freezing) Eocene climate on Ellesmere Island, prolonged periods of darkness occurred during the winter. Presence of these extinct birds at both mid and high latitudes on the northern continents provides evidence that future increases in climatic warming (closer to Eocene levels) could lead to the establishment of new migratory or resident populations within the Arctic Circle.
Syntabulin regulates the trafficking of PICK1-containing vesicles in neurons
Authors: Xu Junyu , Wang Na , Luo Jian-hong , Xia Jun
Published: February 2016

PICK1 (protein interacting with C-kinase 1) is a peripheral membrane protein that interacts with diverse membrane proteins. PICK1 has been shown to regulate the clustering and membrane localization of synaptic receptors such as AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) receptors, metabotropic glutamate receptor 7, and ASICs (acid-sensing ion channels). Moreover, recent evidence suggests that PICK1 can mediate the trafficking of various vesicles out from the Golgi complex in several cell systems, including neurons. However, how PICK1 affects vesicle-trafficking dynamics remains unexplored. Here, we show that PICK1 mediates vesicle trafficking by interacting with syntabulin, a kinesin-binding protein that mediates the trafficking of both synaptic vesicles and mitochondria in axons. Syntabulin recruits PICK1 onto microtubule structures and mediates the trafficking of PICK1-containing vesicles along microtubules. In neurons, syntabulin alters PICK1 expression by recruiting PICK1 into axons and regulates the trafficking dynamics of PICK1-containing vesicles. Furthermore, we show that syntabulin forms a complex with PICK1 and ASICs, regulates ASIC protein expression in neurons, and participates in ASIC-induced acidotoxicity.
LPS causes pericyte loss and microvascular dysfunction via disruption of Sirt3/angiopoietins/Tie-2 and HIF-2α/Notch3 pathways
Authors: Zeng Heng , He Xiaochen , Tuo Qin-hui , Liao Duan-fang , Zhang Guo-qiang , Chen Jian-xiong
Published: February 2016

Recent studies reveal a crucial role of pericyte loss in sepsis-associated microvascular dysfunction. Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) mediates histone protein post-translational modification related to aging and ischemic disease. This study investigated the involvement of SIRT3 in LPS-induced pericyte loss and microvascular dysfunction. Mice were exposed to LPS, expression of Sirt3, HIF-2α, Notch3 and angiopoietins/Tie-2, pericyte/endothelial (EC) coverage and vascular permeability were assessed. Mice treated with LPS significantly reduced the expression of SIRT3, HIF-2α and Notch3 in the lung. Furthermore, exposure to LPS increased Ang-2 while inhibited Ang-1/Tie-2 expression with a reduced pericyte/EC coverage. Intriguingly, knockout of Sirt3 upregulated Ang-2, but downregulated Tie-2 and HIF-2α/Notch3 expression which resulted in a dramatic reduction of pericyte/EC coverage and exacerbation of LPS-induced vascular leakage. Conversely, overexpression of Sirt3 reduced Ang-2 expression and increased Ang-1/Tie-2 and HIF-2α/Notch3 expression in the LPS treated mice. Overexpression of Sirt3 further prevented LPS-induced pericyte loss and vascular leakage. This was accompanied by a significant reduction of the mortality rate. Specific knockout of prolyl hydroxylase-2 (PHD2) increased HIF-2α/Notch3 expression, improved pericyte/EC coverage and reduced the mortality rate in the LPS-treated mice. Our study demonstrates the importance of SIRT3 in preserving vascular integrity by targeting pericytes in the setting of LPS-induced sepsis.
Caffeine promotes wakefulness via dopamine signaling in Drosophila
Authors: Nall Aleksandra H. , Shakhmantsir Iryna , Cichewicz Karol , Birman Serge , Hirsh Jay , Sehgal Amita
Published: February 2016

Caffeine is the most widely-consumed psychoactive drug in the world, but our understanding of how caffeine affects our brains is relatively incomplete. Most studies focus on effects of caffeine on adenosine receptors, but there is evidence for other, more complex mechanisms. In the fruit flyDrosophila melanogaster, which shows a robust diurnal pattern of sleep/wake activity, caffeine reduces nighttime sleep behavior independently of the one known adenosine receptor. Here, we show that dopamine is required for the wake-promoting effect of caffeine in the fly and that caffeine likely acts presynaptically to increase dopamine signaling. We identify a cluster of neurons, the paired anterior medial (PAM) cluster of dopaminergic neurons, as the ones relevant for the caffeine response. PAM neurons show increased activity following caffeine administration and promote wake when activated. Also, inhibition of these neurons abrogates sleep suppression by caffeine. While previous studies have focused on adenosine-receptor mediated mechanisms for caffeine action, we have identified a role for dopaminergic neurons in the arousal-promoting effect of caffeine.