bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Halakhic Responsibility of the Deceased: A Further Study of the Concept of Inheritance in Talmudic Thought
Authors: Edrei Arye
Published: February 2016

In this paper I would like to examine the status of inheritors with respect to the religious obligations of a person who died and could not discharge them. Apparently, this question is completely unfounded: religious obligations are personal, and how could one person discharge an obligation by the act of another, and what possible religious value or significance could such an act have?

In our case the question is even more difficult, since the person under obligation is now dead and exempt from religious precepts. If so, what could the ramifications of his discharge from duties be? In the present discussion, I will question these premises and introduce two completely different approaches to understanding the concept of inheritance in Talmudic literature. I intend to draw attention to the close connection between the legal and religious parts of the Halakhah, which treat matters of religious permissibility and the fulfillment of religious precepts, in the same manner as they treat purely legal issues.
Justifying Retributivism
Authors: Moore Michael S.
Published: February 2016

I shall address two concerns in this paper: first, what retributivism is, and second, how one justifies retributivism as the only proper theory of punishment. Since this paper is necessarily short, treatment of these topics is likewise abbreviated, although hopefully not so abbreviated but that it whets the appetite for those who wish to pursue them in greater depth.

Retributivism is the view that we ought to punish offenders because and only because they deserve to be punished. Punishment is justified, for a retributivist, solely by the fact that those receiving it deserve it. Punishment of deserving offenders may produce beneficial consequences other than giving offenders their just deserts. Punishment may deter future crime, incapacitate dangerous persons, educate citizens in the behavior required for a civilized society, reinforce social cohesion, prevent vigilante behavior, make victims of crime feel better, or satisfy the vengeful desires of citizens who are not themselves crime victims.
Constitutional Principles and Criminal Law
Authors: Kremnitzer Mordechai
Published: February 2016

The enactment of Basic Law: Human Dignity and Freedom marks the beginning of a new era in Israeli law. This is a fitting opportunity to sketch an initial outline for the relationship between the constitution and the substantive criminal law, and the effect of constitutional principles on penal law. The truth be told, the constitutional principles already existed prior to the enactment of the Basic Law. And if, for example, we examine Prof. Feller's approach to criminal law, we cannot but be impressed by the highly developed constitutional element. Nevertheless, Basic Law: Human Dignity and Freedom does provide an excellent excuse for addressing the subject. Moreover, its enactment paves the way for certain interpretive changes in Israeli penal law, and because it allows for judicial review of the legislature of the future, some clarification is called for as to the limits of legislative power in the field of criminal law in light of fundamental constitutional principles.

Basic to constitutional law and criminal law is a shared image of human beings. It is a conception of human beings as “morally” autonomous, with the basic faculty to understand reality and distinguish right from wrong, able to contribute to developing social norms and to understand and internalize them, competent to decide how to act and capable of realizing that decision.
Judicial Creativity in a Common Law System
Authors: Gordon Gerald H.
Published: February 2016

The most remarkable feature of Scots criminal law is that it is still a common law system. It contains, of course, many statutory offences, mostly recent and concerned with the regulation of modern developments such as road traffic or wireless telegraphy. There are also a large number of statutory frauds, dealing with all kinds of things, such as companies, bankruptcies, the regulation of professions, etc., but many of those are unnecessary, in the sense that the behaviour they prohibit can be dealt with as common law fraud, which covers the achievement of any practical result. There are also some modern preventive crimes created by statute, such as carrying offensive weapons in public, but other preventive offences, such as housebreaking with intent to steal, were created by the common law. There are very few of what might be regarded as basic crimes which are statutory. The most striking example is the crime of incest which, until recently, was dealt with under the Incest Act of 1567, passed by the Scottish Parliament in the wake of the Reformation. The Incest Act incorporated the 18th chapter of Leviticus into the law of Scotland, and with some amendments, it remained the law until the passing of the Incest and Related Offences (Scotland) Act 1986. But that was an oddity, and there is some authority that parent-child incest is a common law crime. The basic crimes, such as those concerned with injuring the person or property of others, are essentially matters regulated by the common law, the creations of judges, without any statutory definitions, and all with the same maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The History of the Draft Code of Crimes Against the Peace and Security of Mankind
Authors: Bassiouni M. Cherif
Published: February 2016

Since 1946, the United Nations efforts to codify international crimes and to establish an international criminal court have overlapped, with scant results from either endeavor.

The Assembly began its efforts to codify international crimes in its first session when the United States sponsored resolution 95 (I), adopted on December 11, 1946, which affirmed “the principles of international law recognized by the Charter of the Nuremberg Tribunal and the judgment of the Tribunal”. Furthermore, the Assembly directed the Committee on the Codification of International Law, the International Law Commission's predecessor, to formulate a general codification of offenses against the peace and security of mankind.

In 1947, the United Nations established the International Law Commission (ILC). In a resolution again sponsored by the United States the United Nations directed the ILC to:

(a) formulate the principles of international law recognized in the Charter of the Nuremberg Tribunal and in the Judgment of the Tribunal, and

(b) prepare a draft code of offenses against the peace and security of mankind, indicating clearly the place to be accorded to the principles mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) above.
Optimal Dividend Policy and Tax Distortions
Authors: Qoshen Zohar
Published: February 2016

A logical starting point for any discussion about dividends is the Irrelevance Theorem developed by Modigliani & Miller. According to this theorem, dividend policy does not affect the firm's value if its investment policy is predetermined. In practice, however, the market does not behave in this manner. Firms do distribute dividends, and increases in dividends usually lead to increases in share prices. Given the inferior tax treatment of cash dividends as opposed to capital gains and the high costs involved in raising new funds in the market, this suggests, contrary to the irrelevance theorem, that investors and managers do care about dividend policy. This phenomenon is known as the “Dividend Puzzle”.

The literature on dividend policy revolves around this “puzzle”. Why do managers distribute dividends at all? Why do investors care about dividends? Various explanations have been offered suggesting some benefits to compensate for the extra costs associated with dividend distribution: information or signaling effects (managers use dividends to credibly signal their forecast of the firm's future performance through changes in the level of distribution); reduction of agency costs (by both driving the firm into the capital market and diminishing the internal cash flow available to management).
The Fallacies of Objections to Selective Conscientious Objection
Authors: Paz-Fuchs Amir , Sfard Michael
Published: February 2016

This paper critically analyzes the theoretical and pragmatic arguments raised against the refusal of individuals to serve in a specific military campaign that they view as immoral. The Israeli Supreme Court case ofZonshein v Judge-Advocate Generalwill serve as an axis of the discussion, as it combines two related facets: first, the Court's decision touches upon most of the difficult issues in the field of conscientious objection. And second, the development leading up to the decision was accompanied by an exceptional clash of academics, each side summoning expert opinions in support of its claim.

Courts worldwide have accepted that a categorical distinction exists between universal and selective conscientious objection. The combination of theZonsheindecision and the accompanying academic debate presents the opportunity to reexamine the theoretical and pragmatic reasons that are offered as support for distinguishing the two ‘types’ of conscientious objection. Close scrutiny finds them wanting.
(DIS)EMBODYING SOVEREIGNTY: DIVINE KINGSHIP IN CENTRAL AFRICAN HISTORIOGRAPHY
Authors: GORDON DAVID M.
Published: February 2016

In the aftermath of late nineteenth-century conquests, European intellectuals developed social scientific concepts that compared political and religious institutions. ‘Divine kingship’, one such concept, signified a premodern institution that unified spiritual and secular power in the body of a man who ensured the welfare of land and people. By tracing the development of the concept of divine kingship and its application to the Bemba rulers of Northern Zambia, this article explores Western intellectual engagements with changing African spiritual and secular sovereignties. Divine kingship helped scholars, including Godfrey and Monica Wilson, Audrey Richards, Luc de Heusch, and Jan Vansina construct spatial and temporal models of sovereignty amidst struggles over the nature of sovereignty itself. Tracing its evolution sheds light on the historiography of embodied power. The article demonstrates how divine kingship theory helped historians imagine kingship as a key political institution in Central African historiography as well as inform ideas of political secularization and religious change.
WRITING MEDICAL AUTHORITY: THE RISE OF LITERATE HEALERS IN GHANA, 1930–70
Authors: OSSEO-ASARE ABENA DOVE
Published: February 2016

For generations, healers sustained medical knowledge in African communities through oral communication. During the twentieth century, healers who learned to read and write used literacy as a vehicle for establishing medical authority. In particular, literate healers lobbied colonial and national governments for recognition, wrote medical guidebooks, advertised in African newspapers, and sent letters to other healers to organise their profession. This article examines the case of literate healers in colonial and postcolonial Ghana living near the twin port cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. There, an early organisation of ‘Scientific African Herbalists’ and later, the ‘Ghana Psychic and Traditional Healing Association,’ used literacy to reclaim the public's trust in their medical expertise. An examination of literacy shows historical avenues for professional formation and the continued quest for medical legitimacy and respectability.
AFRICA AND THE PRICE REVOLUTION: CURRENCY IMPORTS AND SOCIOECONOMIC CHANGE IN WEST AND WEST-CENTRAL AFRICA DURING THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
Authors: GREEN TOBY
Published: February 2016

The past decade has seen much ink spilled on global interconnections in the early modern economy, especially those linking European and Asian economies. But this Eurasian concentration has excluded Africa from the discussion. This article addresses this absence by showing that West and West-Central Africa were integral to the global price revolution of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Considering evidence from West and West-Central Africa reveals how the price revolution was a genuinely global phenomenon, with increasing imports of locally-used currencies that created inflation in line with the inflation of gold and silver in Europe and Asia. The article argues that the coexistence of exchangeable value and other social uses of currencies also contributed to a relative depreciation in Africa's global economic strength. Also related to this phenomenon were the rise of an export slave trade and changes in the production and distribution of West and West-Central African cloth industries.
High levels of acetoacetate and glucose increase expression of cytokines in bovine hepatocytes, through activation of the NF-κB signalling pathway
Authors: Li Yu , Ding Hongyan , Wang Xichun , Liu Lei , Huang Dan , Zhang Renhe , Guo Lihui , Wang Zhe , Li Xiaobing , Liu Guowen , Wu Jinjie , Li Xinwei
Published: February 2016

Elevated levels of blood interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor–α (TNF–α) increase insulin resistance and result in inflammation. It is not clear whether elevated blood level of acetoacetate (ACAC) and decreased blood level of glucose, which are the predominant characteristics of clinical biochemistry in ketotic dairy cows, increase proinflammatory cytokines and subsequent inflammation. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that ACAC and glucose activate the NF-κB signalling pathway to regulate cytokines expression in bovine hepatocytes. Bovine hepatocytes were cultured with ACAC (0–4·8 mm) and glucose (0–5·55 mm) with or without NF-κB inhibitor PDTC for 24 h. The secretion and mRNA levels of cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The NF-κB signalling pathway activation was evaluated by western blotting. Results showed that the secretion and expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α increased in an ACAC dose-dependent manner. Additionally, there was an increase in the secretion and mRNA expression of these three cytokines in glucose treatment group, which increased significantly when the glucose concentrations exceed 3·33 mm. Furthermore, both ACAC and glucose upregulated NF-κB p65 protein expression and IκBα phosphorylation levels. However, these effects were reduced by PDTC. These results demonstrate that elevated levels of ACAC and glucose increase the synthesis and expression of proinflammatory factors by activating NF-κB signalling pathway in hepatocytes, which may contribute to inflammation injury in ketotic dairy cows.
Production and chemical composition of two dehydrated fermented dairy products based on cow or goat milk
Authors: Moreno-Fernández Jorge , Díaz-Castro Javier , Alférez Maria J. M. , Hijano Silvia , Nestares Teresa , López-Aliaga Inmaculada
Published: February 2016

The aim of this study was to identify the differences between the main macro and micronutrients including proteins, fat, minerals and vitamins in cow and goat dehydrated fermented milks. Fermented goat milk had higher protein and lower ash content. All amino acids (except for Ala), were higher in fermented goat milk than in fermented cow milk. Except for the values of C11:0, C13:0, C16:0, C18:0, C20:5, C22:5 and the total quantity of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, all the other fatty acid studied were significantly different in both fermented milks. Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu and Se were higher in fermented goat milk. Fermented goat milk had lower amounts of folic acid, vitamin E and C, and higher values of vitamin A, D3, B6and B12. The current study demonstrates the better nutritional characteristics of fermented goat milk, suggesting a potential role of this dairy product as a high nutritional value food.
Covariance structures of fat and protein influence the estimation of IgG in bovine colostrum
Authors: Løkke Mette Marie , Engelbrecht Rikke , Wiking Lars
Published: February 2016

On-farm instruments for assessing colostrum quality are needed in order to ensure that the calf is supplied with enough IgG to avoid failure of passive transfer. The aim of this study was to evaluate methods for estimating the IgG concentration in cows' colostrum. This research included 126 colostrum samples from 21 Danish farms with different breeds, ensuring a broad variation pattern in IgG, total protein and fat concentration. Approximately one third of the samples did not fulfil the recommendation of >50 g IgG/l colostrum, and the IgG concentration decreased with time from calving to milking. The ratio of IgG to total protein varied from 6 to 61%, however IgG and total protein were correlated withr2= 0·70. The variation in fat was independent of variations in protein and IgG. The IgG concentration was measured by ELISA and compared to fast measurements by specific gravity by colostrometer, Brix by refractometer and prediction from infrared spectroscopy. The three fast methods were all correlated to the total protein concentration of colostrum; however specific gravity was also influenced by the fat concentration. Furthermore, specific gravity generally overestimated the IgG concentration, and the cut-off level should be raised to 1050 in order to ensure adequate IgG in colostrum. None of the methods estimated IgG concentration better than the correlation of total protein and IgG, meaning that they all depended on the indirect correlation between total protein and IgG. The results suggest that using a refractometer for quality control of colostrum is an easy and feasible method, and a cut-off level of Brix 22 seems sufficient to assure adequate IgG concentration in colostrum fed to the calf.
A prospective examination of Axis I psychiatric disorders in the first 5 years following moderate to severe traumatic brain injury
Authors: Alway Y. , Gould K. R. , Johnston L. , McKenzie D. , Ponsford J.
Published: February 2016

Background

Psychiatric disorders commonly emerge during the first year following traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, it is not clear whether these disorders soon remit or persist for long periods post-injury. This study aimed to examine, prospectively: (1) the frequency, (2) patterns of co-morbidity, (3) trajectory, and (4) risk factors for psychiatric disorders during the first 5 years following TBI.

Method

Participants were 161 individuals (78.3% male) with moderate (31.2%) or severe (68.8%) TBI. Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, administered soon after injury and 3, 6 and 12 months, and 2, 3, 4 and 5 years post-injury. Disorder frequencies and generalized estimating equations were used to identify temporal relationships and risk factors.

Results

In the first 5 years post-injury, 75.2% received a psychiatric diagnosis, commonly emerging within the first year (77.7%). Anxiety, mood and substance-use disorders were the most common diagnostic classes, often presenting co-morbidly. Many (56.5%) experienced a novel diagnostic class not present prior to injury. Disorder frequency ranged between 61.8 and 35.6% over time, decreasing by 27% [odds ratio (OR) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65–0.83] with each year post-injury. Anxiety disorders declined significantly over time (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.63–0.84), whilst mood and substance-use disorder rates remained stable. The strongest predictors of post-injury disorder were pre-injury disorder (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.41–4.25) and accident-related limb injury (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.03–3.07).

Conclusions

Findings suggest the first year post-injury is a critical period for the emergence of psychiatric disorders. Disorder frequency declines thereafter, with anxiety disorders showing greater resolution than mood and substance-use disorders.
Diagnostic accuracy of a brief screening tool for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in UK prison inmates
Authors: Young S. , González R. A. , Mutch L. , Mallet-Lambert I. , O'Rourke L. , Hickey N. , Asherson P. , Gudjonsson G. H.
Published: February 2016

Background

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is overrepresented in prison, making it imperative to identify a screening tool that can be quickly applied to efficiently detect the disorder. We explored the discrimination ability of a widely used ADHD screen, the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale (BAARS-IV), against a clinical diagnostic interview. A brief version of the screen was then developed in order to simplify its use in the prison context, and maximize its diagnostic properties.

Method

A cross-sectional study of 390 male prison inmates was performed in the UK, all participants were screened and interviewed via the Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults 2.0 (DIVA-2).

Results

A total of 47 (12.1%) inmates screened positive for ADHD using the full BAARS-IV, and 96 (24.6%) were clinically diagnosed, for a sensitivity of 37.9 and a specificity of 96.3. Our models identified the six items that most predicted ADHD diagnosis, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 2.66 to 4.58. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 0.82, 0.84 and 0.84, respectively, for the developed brief scale, and 0.71, 0.85 and 0.81 for its validation. Weighted probability scores produced an area under the curve of 0.89 for development, and 0.82 for validation of the brief scale.

Conclusions

The original BAARS-IV performed poorly at identifying prison inmates with ADHD. Our developed brief scale substantially improved diagnostic accuracy. The brief screening instrument has great potential to be used as an accurate and resource-effective tool to screen young people and adults for likely ADHD in the criminal justice system.
Context-sensitive reward shaping for sparse interaction multi-agent systems
Authors: de Hauwere Yann-Michaël , Devlin Sam , Kudenko Daniel , Nowé Ann
Published: February 2016

Potential-based reward shaping is a commonly used approach in reinforcement learning to direct exploration based on prior knowledge. Both in single and multi-agent settings this technique speeds up learning without losing any theoretical convergence guarantees. However, if speed ups through reward shaping are to be achieved in multi-agent environments, a different shaping signal should be used for each context in which agents have a different subgoal or when agents are involved in a different interaction situation.

This paper describes the use of context-aware potential functions in a multi-agent system in which the interactions between agents are sparse. This means that, unknown to the agentsa priori, the interactions between the agents only occur sporadically in certain regions of the state space. During these interactions, agents need to coordinate in order to reach the global optimal solution.

We demonstrate how different reward shaping functions can be used on top of Future Coordinating Q-learning (FCQ-learning); an algorithm capable of automatically detecting when agents should take each other into consideration. Using FCQ-learning, coordination problems can even be anticipated before the actual problems occur, allowing the problems to be solved timely. We evaluate our approach on a range of gridworld problems, as well as a simulation of air traffic control.
‘INSPIRE US GENIUS OF THE DAY’: REWRITING THE REGENT IN THE BIRTHDAY ODE FOR QUEEN ANNE, 1703
Authors: MURPHY ESTELLE
Published: February 2016

In 1701–1702 writer and poet Peter Anthony Motteux collaborated with composer John Eccles, Master of the King's Musick, in writing the ode for King William III's birthday. Eccles's autograph manuscript is listed in the British Library manuscript catalogue as ‘Ode for the King's Birthday, 1703; in score by John Eccles’ and is accompanied by a claim that the ode had already reached folio 10v when William died, requiring the words to be amended to suit his successor, Queen Anne. A closer inspection of this manuscript reveals that much more of the ode had been completed before the king's death, and that much more than the words ‘king’ and ‘William’ was amended to suit a succeeding monarch of a different gender and nationality. The work was performed before Queen Anne on her birthday in 1703 and the words were published shortly afterwards. Discrepancies between the printed text and that in Eccles's score indicate that no fewer than three versions of the text were devised during the creative process. These versions raise issues of authority with respect to poet and composer. A careful analysis of the manuscript's paper types and rastrology reveals a collaborative process of re-engineering that was, in fact, applied to an already completed work. This article explores the problems of textual versus musical authority embodied in the ode and the difficulties faced by its creators in reworking a piece originally celebrating a foreign male war-hero for a female British queen during a period of political and religious fragility.
MARIE-JUSTINE FAVART, NÉE DURONCERAY: SOME NEW BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Authors: CHARLTON DAVID
Published: February 2016

Marie-Justine-Benoîte Duronceray was an extraordinary, multi-talented artist, described by Bruce Alan Brown as a singer, actor, dancer and dramatist. Her performances on the Paris stage between 1745 and 1771 met with general enthusiasm, and her pioneering of realistic stage costume was influential. Her mastery of the modern Italian aria, linked with Italianate acting style, was crucial to the development of modern opéra comique. Biographers and others have recounted her life, creatively linked with that of her husband, the dramatist Charles-Simon Favart, and images, sometimes capturing a role that she played, have been reproduced; a sculpted likeness can be found in the Louvre. Figure 1 celebrates Marie-Justine in 1753, an eventful year during which she even appeared at Fontainebleau opposite Marie Fel and Pierre Jélyotte, in La Coquette trompée (with music by Antoine Dauvergne and text by C.-S.
Azealia Banks's “212”: Black Female Identity and the White Gaze in Contemporary Hip-Hop
Authors: MCNALLY JAMES
Published: February 2016

Azealia Banks's 2011 hit single “212” established her as one of hip-hop's rising stars, with critics highlighting the song's provocative lyrics and Banks's ability as an MC as standout qualities. Banks would later receive attention for her public dispute with white rapper Iggy Azalea, whom she accused of exploiting black musical culture. This article integrates an analysis of “212” with a discussion of Banks's recent public rhetoric in order to examine the ways in which Banks rearticulates the figure of the black female rapper and criticizes white fascination with black female sexuality and black cultural forms. I conclude by situating this discussion within the broader context of contemporary “post-racial” politics, in which the political elements of hip-hop and the systemic racial inequalities they address have become increasingly marginalized in favor of “color-blind” conceptions of United States society and popular culture.
A MODAL TRANSLATION FOR DUAL-INTUITIONISTIC LOGIC
Authors: SHRAMKO YAROSLAV
Published: February 2016

We construct four binary consequence systems axiomatizing entailment relations between formulas of classical, intuitionistic, dual-intuitionistic and modal (S4) logics, respectively. It is shown that the intuitionistic consequence system is embeddable in the modal (S4) one by the usual modal translation prefixing □ to every subformula of the translated formula. An analogous modal translation of dual-intuitionistic formulas then consists of prefixing ◊ to every subformula of the translated formula. The philosophical importance of this result is briefly discussed.
New Model Predicts Big Solar Proton Storms
Authors: Stanley Sarah
Published: February 2016

Forecasts of dangerous solar events could buy time for astronauts en route to the Moon or Mars.
Evaluation of an Ecologically Valid Group Intervention to Address Sleep Health in Families of Children With Allergic Diseases
Authors: Meltzer Lisa J. , Booster Genery D.
Published: February 2016

Sleep issues in children with allergic diseases may be a result of illness-related factors (e.g., itching, wheezing) and/or poor sleep habits due to disrupted routines and parental permissiveness. However, the ability of parents to attend a multisession sleep intervention may be limited. Thus, we examined the validity of a one-time sleep health group intervention for parents of children with allergic diseases. Ninety-three parents of children who were admitted to a 2-week intensive day hospital treatment program completed measures of child sleep habits (Children’s Report of Sleep Patterns), parent sleep habits (Sleep Hygiene Inventory), parent sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and parental insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index) before the group intervention and 1-month after program discharge; 54 parents attended the sleep health group. Sleep habits and sleep quality improved for both parents and children at the 1-month follow-up. However, improvements were seen regardless of group attendance. Potential reasons for the lack of difference between those who did and did not participate in group are presented, and implications of this study for pediatric psychologist in practice are discussed.
On the Autonomy of Psychology from Neuroscience: A Case Study of Skinner's Radical Behaviorism and Behavior Analysis
Authors: Zilio Diego
Published: February 2016

The main goal of this article is to discuss the place of psychology in the domain of natural sciences as an autonomous endeavor from neuroscience. However, given that psychology is not a monolithic field, it is necessary to specify which particular psychological approach is being taken into account. Here, I take B. F. Skinner's radical behaviorism and behavior analysis as a case study. The focus on Skinner's behaviorism can be justified for at least 2 reasons: (a) Skinner is one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century, and (b) he is well known for his defense of the autonomy of behavior analysis from neuroscience. The first part of this article is dedicated to the analysis of Skinner's arguments for the autonomy of behavior analysis from neuroscience in 73 of his works, published between 1933 and 1993. In the second part of this article, I analyze Skinner's arguments by taking into account contemporary neuroscience. Incredible advances occurred in neuroscience since the 1930s, and even the late 1980s, period in which Skinner developed his ideas. Therefore, it is important to discuss the pertinence of his arguments in light of today's neuroscience in order to evaluate the validity of his “autonomy” position. I argue that the relation between behavior analysis and neuroscience can shed some light on the more general debate about the relation between psychology and neuroscience by presenting an interesting nonreductionist alternative free of the problems faced by cognitivist theories.
Affinity purification-mass spectrometry analysis of bcl-2 interactome identified SLIRP as a novel interacting protein
Authors: Trisciuoglio D , Desideri M , Farini V , De Luca T , Di Martile M , Tupone M G , Urbani A , D'Aguanno S , Del Bufalo D
Published: February 2016

Members of the bcl-2 protein family share regions of sequence similarity, the bcl-2 homology (BH) domains. Bcl-2, the most studied member of this family, has four BH domains, BH1–4, and has a critical role in resistance to antineoplastic drugs by regulating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Moreover, it is also involved in other relevant cellular processes such as tumor progression, angiogenesis and autophagy. Deciphering the network of bcl-2-interacting factors should provide a critical advance in understanding the different functions of bcl-2. Here, we characterized bcl-2 interactome by mass spectrometry in human lung adenocarcinoma cells. In silico functional analysis associated most part of the identified proteins to mitochondrial functions. Among them we identified SRA stem–loop interacting RNA-binding protein, SLIRP, a mitochondrial protein with a relevant role in regulating mitochondrial messenger RNA (mRNA) homeostasis. We validated bcl-2/SLIRP interaction by immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence experiments in cancer cell lines from different histotypes. We showed that, although SLIRP is not involved in mediating bcl-2 ability to protect from apoptosis and oxidative damage, bcl-2 binds and stabilizes SLIRP protein and regulates mitochondrial mRNA levels. Moreover, we demonstrated that the BH4 domain of bcl-2 has a role in maintaining this binding.
Structural simulation of adenosine phosphate via plumbagin and zoledronic acid competitively targets JNK/Erk to synergistically attenuate osteoclastogenesis in a breast cancer model
Authors: Qiao H , Wang T-y , Yu Z-f , Han X-g , Liu X-q , Wang Y-g , Fan Q-m , Qin A , Tang T-t
Published: February 2016

The treatment of breast cancer-induced osteolysis remains a challenge in clinical settings. Here, we explored the effect and mechanism of combined treatment with zoledronic acid (ZA) and plumbagin (PL), a widely investigated component derived fromPlumbago zeylanica, against breast cancer-induced osteoclastogenesis. We found that the combined treatment with PL and ZA suppressed cell viability of precursor osteoclasts and synergistically inhibited MDA-MB-231-induced osteoclast formation (combination index=0.28) with the abrogation of recombinant mouse receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced activation of NF-κB/MAPK (nuclear factor-κB/mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathways. Molecular docking suggested a putative binding area within c-Jun N-terminal kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (JNK/Erk) protease active sites through the structural mimicking of adenosine phosphate (ANP) by the spatial combination of PL with ZA. A homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence assay further illustrated the direct competitiveness of the dual drugs against ANP docking to phosphorylated JNK/Erk, contributing to the inhibited downstream expression of c-Jun/c-Fos/NFATc-1 (nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic, calcineurin-dependent 1). Then,in vivotesting demonstrated that the combined administration of PL and ZA attenuated breast cancer growth in the bone microenvironment. Additionally, these molecules prevented the destruction of proximal tibia, with significant reduction of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAcP)-positive osteoclast cells and potentiation of apoptotic cancer cells, to a greater extent when combined than when the drugs were applied independently. Altogether, the combination treatment with PL and ZA could significantly and synergistically suppress osteoclastogenesis and inhibit tumorigenesis bothin vitroandin vivoby simulating the spatial structure of ANP to inhibit competitively phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (JNK/Erk).
Coupled RNA-SIP and metatranscriptomics of active chemolithoautotrophic communities at a deep-sea hydrothermal vent
Authors: Fortunato Caroline S , Huber Julie A
Published: February 2016

The chemolithoautotrophic microbial community of the rocky subseafloor potentially provides a large amount of organic carbon to the deep ocean, yet our understanding of the activity and metabolic complexity of subseafloor organisms remains poorly described. A combination of metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and RNA stable isotope probing (RNA-SIP) analyses were used to identify the metabolic potential, expression patterns, and active autotrophic bacteria and archaea and their pathways present in low-temperature hydrothermal fluids from Axial Seamount, an active submarine volcano. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic results showed the presence of genes and transcripts for sulfur, hydrogen, and ammonium oxidation, oxygen respiration, denitrification, and methanogenesis, as well as multiple carbon fixation pathways. In RNA-SIP experiments across a range of temperatures under reducing conditions, the enriched 13C fractions showed differences in taxonomic and functional diversity. At 30 °C and 55 °C, Epsilonproteobacteria were dominant, oxidizing hydrogen and primarily reducing nitrate. Methanogenic archaea were also present at 55 °C, and were the only autotrophs present at 80 °C. Correspondingly, the predominant CO2 fixation pathways changed from the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle to the reductive acetyl-CoA pathway with increasing temperature. By coupling RNA-SIP with meta-omics, this study demonstrates the presence and activity of distinct chemolithoautotrophic communities across a thermal gradient of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent.
Approaching a universal scaling relationship between fracture stiffness and fluid flow
Authors: Pyrak-Nolte Laura J. , Nolte David D.
Published: February 2016

A goal of subsurface geophysical monitoring is the detection and characterization of fracture alterations that affect the hydraulic integrity of a site. Achievement of this goal requires a link between the mechanical and hydraulic properties of a fracture. Here we present a scaling relationship between fluid flow and fracture-specific stiffness that approaches universality. Fracture-specific stiffness is a mechanical property dependent on fracture geometry that can be monitored remotely using seismic techniques. A Monte Carlo numerical approach demonstrates that a scaling relationship exists between flow and stiffness for fractures with strongly correlated aperture distributions, and continues to hold for fractures deformed by applied stress and by chemical erosion as well. This new scaling relationship provides a foundation for simulating changes in fracture behaviour as a function of stress or depth in the Earth and will aid risk assessment of the hydraulic integrity of subsurface sites.
Tyrosine kinase-mediated axial motility of basal cells revealed by intravital imaging
Authors: Roy Jeremy , Kim Bongki , Hill Eric , Visconti Pablo , Krapf Dario , Vinegoni Claudio , Weissleder Ralph , Brown Dennis , Breton Sylvie
Published: February 2016

Epithelial cells are generally considered to be static relative to their neighbours. Basal cells in pseudostratified epithelia display a single long cytoplasmic process that can cross the tight junction barrier to reach the lumen. Usingin vivomicroscopy to visualize the epididymis, a model system for the study of pseudostratified epithelia, we report here the surprising discovery that these basal cell projections—which we call axiopodia—periodically extend and retract over time. We found that axiopodia extensions and retractions follow an oscillatory pattern. This movement, which we refer to as periodic axial motility (PAM), is controlled by c-Src and MEK1/2–ERK1/2. Therapeutic inhibition of tyrosine kinase activity induces a retraction of these projections. Such unexpected cell motility may reflect a novel mechanism by which specialized epithelial cells sample the luminal environment.
Loss of UBE3A from TH-expressing neurons suppresses GABA co-release and enhances VTA-NAc optical self-stimulation
Authors: Berrios Janet , Stamatakis Alice M. , Kantak Pranish A. , McElligott Zoe A. , Judson Matthew C. , Aita Megumi , Rougie Marie , Stuber Garret D. , Philpot Benjamin D.
Published: February 2016

Motivated reward-seeking behaviours are governed by dopaminergic ventral tegmental area projections to the nucleus accumbens. In addition to dopamine, these mesoaccumbal terminals co-release other neurotransmitters including glutamate and GABA, whose roles in regulating motivated behaviours are currently being investigated. Here we demonstrate that loss of the E3-ubiquitin ligase, UBE3A, from tyrosine hydroxylase-expressing neurons impairs mesoaccumbal, non-canonical GABA co-release and enhances reward-seeking behaviour measured by optical self-stimulation.
The mRNA-edited form of GABRA3 suppresses GABRA3-mediated Akt activation and breast cancer metastasis
Authors: Gumireddy Kiranmai , Li Anping , Kossenkov Andrew V. , Sakurai Masayuki , Yan Jinchun , Li Yan , Xu Hua , Wang Jian , Zhang Paul J. , Zhang Lin , Showe Louise C. , Nishikura Kazuko , Huang Qihong
Published: February 2016

Metastasis is a critical event affecting breast cancer patient survival. To identify molecules contributing to the metastatic process, we analysed The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) breast cancer data and identified 41 genes whose expression is inversely correlated with survival. Here we show that GABAA receptor alpha3 (Gabra3), normally exclusively expressed in adult brain, is also expressed in breast cancer, with high expression of Gabra3 being inversely correlated with breast cancer survival. We demonstrate that Gabra3 activates the AKT pathway to promote breast cancer cell migration, invasion and metastasis. Importantly, we find an A-to-I RNA-edited form of Gabra3 only in non-invasive breast cancers and show that edited Gabra3 suppresses breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis. A-to-I-edited Gabra3 has reduced cell surface expression and suppresses the activation of AKT required for cell migration and invasion. Our study demonstrates a significant role for mRNA-edited Gabra3 in breast cancer metastasis.
SIRT7-dependent deacetylation of the U3-55k protein controls pre-rRNA processing
Authors: Chen Sifan , Blank Maximilian Felix , Iyer Aishwarya , Huang Bingding , Wang Lin , Grummt Ingrid , Voit Renate
Published: February 2016

SIRT7 is an NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase with important roles in ribosome biogenesis and cell proliferation. Previous studies have established that SIRT7 is associated with RNA polymerase I, interacts with pre-ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and promotes rRNA synthesis. Here we show that SIRT7 is also associated with small nucleolar RNP (snoRNPs) that are involved in pre-rRNA processing and rRNA maturation. Knockdown of SIRT7 impairs U3 snoRNA dependent early cleavage steps that are necessary for generation of 18S rRNA. Mechanistically, SIRT7 deacetylates U3-55k, a core component of the U3 snoRNP complex, and reversible acetylation of U3-55k modulates the association of U3-55k with U3 snoRNA. Deacetylation by SIRT7 enhances U3-55k binding to U3 snoRNA, which is a prerequisite for pre-rRNA processing. Under stress conditions, SIRT7 is released from nucleoli, leading to hyperacetylation of U3-55k and attenuation of pre-rRNA processing. The results reveal a multifaceted role of SIRT7 in ribosome biogenesis, regulating both transcription and processing of rRNA.
Cybermaterials: materials by design and accelerated insertion of materials
Authors: Xiong Wei , Olson Gregory B
Published: February 2016

Cybermaterials innovation entails an integration of Materials by Design and accelerated insertion of materials (AIM), which transfers studio ideation into industrial manufacturing. By assembling a hierarchical architecture of integrated computational materials design (ICMD) based on materials genomic fundamental databases, the ICMD mechanistic design models accelerate innovation. We here review progress in the development of linkage models of the process-structure–property-performance paradigm, as well as related design accelerating tools. Extending the materials development capability based on phase-level structural control requires more fundamental investment at the level of the Materials Genome, with focus on improving applicable parametric design models and constructing high-quality databases. Future opportunities in materials genomic research serving both Materials by Design and AIM are addressed.
Radiosensitisation of human colorectal cancer cells by ruthenium(II) arene anticancer complexes
Authors: Carter R , Westhorpe A , Romero MJ , Habtemariam A , Gallevo CR , Bark Y , Menezes N , Sadler PJ , Sharma RA
Published: February 2016

Some of the largest improvements in clinical outcomes for patients with solid cancers observed over the past 3 decades have been from concurrent treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT). The lethal effects of RT on cancer cells arise primarily from damage to DNA. Ruthenium (Ru) is a transition metal of the platinum group, with potentially less toxicity than platinum drugs. We postulated that ruthenium-arene complexes are radiosensitisers when used in combination with RT. We screened 14 ruthenium-arene complexes and identified AH54 and AH63 as supra-additive radiosensitisers by clonogenic survival assays and isobologram analyses. Both complexes displayed facial chirality. At clinically relevant doses of RT, radiosensitisation of cancer cells by AH54 and AH63 was p53-dependent. Radiation enhancement ratios for 5–10 micromolar drug concentrations ranged from 1.19 to 1.82. In p53-wildtype cells, both drugs induced significant G2 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Colorectal cancer cells deficient in DNA damage repair proteins, EME1 and MUS81, were significantly more sensitive to both agents. Both drugs were active in cancer cell lines displaying acquired resistance to oxaliplatin or cisplatin. Our findings broaden the potential scope for these drugs for use in cancer therapy, including combination with radiotherapy to treat colorectal cancer.
The local density of optical states of a metasurface
Authors: Lunnemann Per , Koenderink A. Femius
Published: February 2016

While metamaterials are often desirable for near-field functions, such as perfect lensing, or cloaking, they are often quantified by their response to plane waves from the far field. Here, we present a theoretical analysis of the local density of states near lattices of discrete magnetic scatterers, i.e., the response to near field excitation by a point source. Based on a pointdipole theory using Ewald summation and an array scanning method, we can swiftly and semi-analytically evaluate the local density of states (LDOS) for magnetoelectric point sources in front of an infinite two-dimensional (2D) lattice composed of arbitrary magnetoelectric dipole scatterers. The method takes into account radiation damping as well as all retarded electrodynamic interactions in a self-consistent manner. We show that a lattice of magnetic scatterers evidences characteristic Drexhage oscillations. However, the oscillations are phase shifted relative to the electrically scattering lattice consistent with the difference expected for reflection off homogeneous magnetic respectively electric mirrors. Furthermore, we identify in which source-surface separation regimes the metasurface may be treated as a homogeneous interface and in which homogenization fails. A strong frequency and in-plane position dependence of the LDOS close to the lattice reveals coupling to guided modes supported by the lattice.
Diet-induced changes in maternal gut microbiota and metabolomic profiles influence programming of offspring obesity risk in rats
Authors: Paul Heather A. , Bomhof Marc R. , Vogel Hans J. , Reimer Raylene A.
Published: February 2016

Maternal obesity and overnutrition during pregnancy and lactation can program an increased risk of obesity in offspring. In this context, improving maternal metabolism may help reduce the intergenerational transmission of obesity. Here we show that, in Sprague-Dawley rats, selectively altering obese maternal gut microbial composition with prebiotic treatment reduces maternal energy intake, decreases gestational weight gain and prevents increased adiposity in dams and their offspring. Maternal serum metabolomics analysis, along with satiety hormone and gut microbiota analysis, identified maternal metabolic signatures that could be implicated in programming offspring obesity risk and highlighted the potential influence of maternal gut microbiota on maternal and offspring metabolism. In particular, the metabolomic signature of insulin resistance in obese rats normalized when dams consumed the prebiotic. In summary, prebiotic intake during pregnancy and lactation improves maternal metabolism in diet-induced obese rats in a manner that attenuates the detrimental nutritional programming of offspring associated with maternal obesity. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the maternal mechanisms influencing the developmental programming of offspring obesity and provide compelling pre-clinical evidence for a potential strategy to improve maternal and offspring metabolic outcomes in human pregnancy.