bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Could the Colombian Peace Accord Trigger an ICC Investigation on Colombia?
Authors: Leon Nelson Camilo Sanchez
Published: July 2017

It is very unlikely—if not impossible—that a guerrilla movement would voluntarily agree to demobilize if the cost is that a majority of its members will receive long prison sentences. For this reason, any peace accord between the Colombian government and the Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) Marxist guerilla will not be able to adapt to a strict interpretation of the duty to investigate, judge, and penalize. The challenge in this context is to incentivize demobilization while fulfilling the accountability standards of criminal law.
The Legal Status of the Colombian Peace Agreement
Authors: Restrepo Laura Betancur
Published: July 2017

One of the many roles played by international law in the Colombian Peace Accord is that of guarantor—that is, creating assurances that the parties will comply with their commitments. To this end, negotiators declared that the Final Peace Accord would constitute a Special Agreement (SA) in “terms of Article 3 common to all Geneva Conventions of 1949,” which “will be introduced [in the Colombian legal system] as part of the constitutional block” and deposited “before the Swiss Federal Council.” Furthermore, they stated, “a presidential declaration will be made taking the form of a unilateral declaration of the Colombian State before the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” and its incorporation in a Resolution of the Security Council will be requested.
Feminist Legacies
Authors: Engle Karen
Published: July 2017

In February 2013, Navi Pillay, then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, gave a speech to the General Assembly reflecting on the twenty years that had passed since the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights. She discussed three principal achievements of the Vienna Declaration and Programmeof Action, two of which were “its role in advancing women’s rights” and “its impact on the fight against impunity.” With regard to the first, she discussed the success of the “Women’s Rights are Human Rights” slogan at the conference and the institutional gains it spawned around violence against women(VAW). As for the second, she noted that “[p]erhaps most significantly, just one month after the establishment of the first ad hoc tribunal since Nuremberg [the ICTY], the Declaration nudged the International Law Commission to continue its work on a permanent international criminal court.” Although Pillay did not connect those two achievements—the recognition of women’s human rights and a new focus on impunity alongside international criminal responses to combat it—they were in fact intertwined.
Divided We Stand? The AD HOC Tribunals and the CEE Region
Authors: Bílková Veronika
Published: July 2017

After WWII, countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) actively backed the establishment of the military tribunals in Nuremberg and Tokyo. In the early 1990s, when the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and for Rwanda (ICTR) were created by the UN Security Council, the CEE countries again lent uniform, albeit largely rhetorical support to these institutions. A quarter of a century later, this uniformity seems to be gone. While the CEE countries continue to express belief in international criminal justice, they no longer agree with each other on whether this justice has actually been served by the ad hoctribunals. The diverging views on the achievements of the ICTY and ICTR might also partly account for the differences in the approach to the permanent International Criminal Court (ICC), though the grounds for these differences are more complex.
Toward A New Dialogue Between Conflict of Laws and International Law
Authors: Whytock Christopher A.
Published: July 2017

International law, as it appears in the pages of theAmerican Journal of International Law, is largely public international law. Conflict of laws is usually considered to be either outside international law or part of private international law. This symposium in AJIL Unbound, with its focus on the Restatement of the Law (Third) Conflict of Laws, is therefore noteworthy. It also is welcome, because there is much to gain from thinking about conflict of laws and international law together.
Oliver Sacks: Our Correspondence About Twins/Twin Research: Vanishing Twins Syndrome; Discordant Sex in MZ Twins; Pregnancy Outcomes in IVF and ICSI Conceived Twins/Print and Media: Superfetated Twins; Twins Discordant for Smoking; Twins in Fashion; Yale University Twin Hockey Players; Conjoined Twin–Visiting Professor
Authors: Segal Nancy L.
Published: July 2017

The late neurologist and author, Oliver Sacks, published an insightful 1986 review of Marjorie Wallace's book, The Silent Twins, in the New York Times. Taking exception to his assertion about Sir Francis Galton, I wrote a letter to the Times’ editor. The letter was unpublished, but it brought a wonderful response from Sacks himself that is reproduced and examined. Next, brief reviews of twin research concerning the vanishing twin syndrome (VTS), discordant sex in a monozygotic (MZ) twin pair, and multiple pregnancy outcomes from assisted reproductive technology (ART) are presented. This section is followed by popular coverage of superfetated twins, smoking-discordant co-twins, twins in fashion, Yale University twin hockey players, and a visiting professor who was a conjoined twin.
Holocene Selection for Variants Associated With General Cognitive Ability: Comparing Ancient and Modern Genomes
Authors: Woodley Michael A. , Younuskunju Shameem , Balan Bipin , Piffer Davide
Published: July 2017

Human populations living during the Holocene underwent considerable microevolutionary change. It has been theorized that the transition of Holocene populations into agrarianism and urbanization brought about culture-gene co-evolution that favored via directional selection genetic variants associated with higher general cognitive ability (GCA). To examine whether GCA might have risen during the Holocene, we compare a sample of 99 ancient Eurasian genomes (ranging from 4.56 to 1.21 kyr BP) with a sample of 503 modern European genomes (Fst= 0.013), using three different cognitive polygenic scores (130 SNP, 9 SNP and 11 SNP). Significant differences favoring the modern genomes were found for all three polygenic scores (odds ratios = 0.92,p= 001; .81,p= 037; and .81,p= .02 respectively). These polygenic scores also outperformed the majority of scores assembled from random SNPs generated via a Monte Carlo model (between 76.4% and 84.6%). Furthermore, an indication of increasing positive allele count over 3.25 kyr was found using a subsample of 66 ancient genomes (r= 0.22,pone-tailed= .04). These observations are consistent with the expectation that GCA rose during the Holocene.
Tracking Water Through the North Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Berx Barbara , Larsen Karin , Rossby T.
Published: July 2017

Workshop on Currents and Transports Across the Iceland-Faroe-Scotland Ridge; Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, 9–10 January 2017
Saturn Unveiled: Ten Notable Findings from Cassini-Huygens
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: July 2017

The soon-to-end NASA mission to Saturn changed the way we think of habitability beyond Earth, opened our eyes to dynamics in the gas giant’s atmosphere, and more.
KMT2A promotes melanoma cell growth by targeting hTERT signaling pathway
Authors: Zhang Changlin , Song Chen , Liu Tianze , Tang Ranran , Chen Miao , Gao Fan , Xiao Binyi , Qin Ge , Shi Fen , Li Wenbin , Li Yixin , Fu Xiaoyan , Shi Dingbo , Xiao Xiangsheng , Kang Lan , Huang Wenlin , Wu Xiaojun , Tang Bing , Deng Wuguo
Published: July 2017

Melanoma is an aggressive cutaneous malignancy, illuminating the exact mechanisms and finding novel therapeutic targets are urgently needed. In this study, we identified KMT2A as a potential target, which promoted the growth of human melanoma cells. KMT2A knockdown significantly inhibited cell viability and cell migration and induced apoptosis, whereas KMT2A overexpression effectively promoted cell proliferation in various melanoma cell lines. Further study showed that KMT2A regulated melanoma cell growth by targeting the hTERT-dependent signal pathway. Knockdown of KMT2A markedly inhibited the promoter activity and expression of hTERT, and hTERT overexpression rescued the viability inhibition caused by KMT2A knockdown. Moreover, KMT2A knockdown suppressed tumorsphere formation and the expression of cancer stem cell markers, which was also reversed by hTERT overexpression. In addition, the results from a xenograft mouse model confirmed that KMT2A promoted melanoma growth via hTERT signaling. Finally, analyses of clinical samples demonstrated that the expression of KMT2A and hTERT were positively correlated in melanoma tumor tissues, and KMT2A high expression predicted poor prognosis in melanoma patients. Collectively, our results indicate that KMT2A promotes melanoma growth by activating the hTERT signaling, suggesting that the KMT2A/hTERT signaling pathway may be a potential therapeutic target for melanoma.
T-cell autonomous death induced by regeneration of inert glucocorticoid metabolites
Authors: Rocamora-Reverte Lourdes , Reichardt Holger M , Villunger Andreas , Wiegers GJan
Published: July 2017

Glucocorticoids (GC) are essential regulators of T-cell development and function. Activation of the immune system increases systemic adrenal-derived GC levels which downregulate immune activity as part of a negative feedback control system. Increasing evidence shows, however, that GC can also be derived from extra-adrenal sources such as the thymus or intestine, thus providing local control of GC-mediated effects. The thymus reportedly produces GC, but whether thymic epithelial cells or thymocytes produce GC acting either in an autocrine or paracrine fashion is not clear. We studied the expression of two main enzymes involved inde novoGC synthesis, CYP11A1 and CYP11B1, as well as the expression and activity of HSD11B1, an enzyme catalyzing interconversion of inert GC metabolites with active GC. While we found no evidence ofde novoGC synthesis in both thymocytes and peripheral T cells, abundant regeneration of GC from the inactive metabolite 11-dehydrocorticosterone was detectable. Irrespective of their maturation stage, T cells that produced GC in this manner undergo autonomous cell death as this was blocked when glucocorticoid receptor-deficient T cells were treated with GC metabolites. These results indicate that both immature and mature T cells possess the capacity to undergo apoptosis in response to intrinsically generated GC. Consequently, positive selection of thymocytes, as well as survival of peripheral T cells may depend on TCR-induced escape of otherwise HSD11B1-driven autonomous T-cell death.
PKC-ѳ is dispensable for OX40L-induced TCR-independent Treg proliferation but contributes by enabling IL-2 production from effector T-cells
Authors: Alharshawi Khaled , Marinelarena Alejandra , Kumar Prabhakaran , El-Sayed Osama , Bhattacharya Palash , Sun Zuoming , Epstein Alan L. , Maker Ajay V. , Prabhakar Bellur S.
Published: July 2017

We have previously shown that OX40L/OX40 interaction is critical for TCR-independent selective proliferation of Foxp3+ Tregs, but not Foxp3− effector T-cells (Teff), when CD4+ T-cells are co-cultured with GM-CSF derived bone marrow dendritic cells (G-BMDCs). Events downstream of OX40L/OX40 interaction in Tregs responsible for this novel mechanism are not understood. Earlier, OX40L/OX40 interaction has been shown to stimulate CD4+ T-cells through the formation of a signalosome involving TRAF2/PKC-Ѳ leading to NF-kB activation. In this study, using CD4+ T-cells from WT and OX40−/− mice we first established that OX40 mediated activation of NF-kB was critical for this Treg proliferation. Although CD4+ T-cells from PKC-Ѳ−/− mice were also defective in G-BMDC induced Treg proliferation ex vivo, this defect could be readily corrected by adding exogenous IL-2 to the co-cultures. Furthermore, by treating WT, OX40−/−, and PKC-Ѳ−/− mice with soluble OX40L we established that OX40L/OX40 interaction was required and sufficient to induce Treg proliferation in vivo independent of PKC-Ѳ status. Although PKC-Ѳ is dispensable for TCR-independent Treg proliferation per se, it is essential for optimum IL-2 production by Teff cells. Finally, our findings suggest that OX40L binding to OX40 likely results in recruitment of TRAF1 for downstream signalling.
Active nuclear transcriptome analysis reveals inflammasome-dependent mechanism for early neutrophil response to Mycobacterium marinum
Authors: Kenyon Amy , Gavriouchkina Daria , Zorman Jernej , Napolitani Giorgio , Cerundolo Vincenzo , Sauka-Spengler Tatjana
Published: July 2017

The mechanisms governing neutrophil response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis remain poorly understood. In this study we utilise biotagging, a novel genome-wide profiling approach based on cell type-specific in vivo biotinylation in zebrafish to analyse the initial response of neutrophils to Mycobacterium marinum, a close genetic relative of M. tuberculosis used to model tuberculosis. Differential expression analysis following nuclear RNA-seq of neutrophil active transcriptomes reveals a significant upregulation in both damage-sensing and effector components of the inflammasome, including caspase b, NLRC3 ortholog (wu: fb15h11) and il1β. Crispr/Cas9-mediated knockout of caspase b, which acts by proteolytic processing of il1β, results in increased bacterial burden and less infiltration of macrophages to sites of mycobacterial infection, thus impairing granuloma development. We also show that a number of immediate early response genes (IEGs) are responsible for orchestrating the initial neutrophil response to mycobacterial infection. Further perturbation of the IEGs exposes egr3 as a key transcriptional regulator controlling il1β transcription.
Engineered isopeptide bond stabilized fibrin inspired nanoscale peptide based sealants for efficient blood clotting
Authors: Ghosh Snehasish , Mukherjee Sanchita , Dutta Chiranjit , Chakraborty Kasturee , Gayen Paramita , Jan Somnath , Bhattacharyya Dhananjay , Roy Rituparna Sinha
Published: July 2017

Designing biologically inspired nanoscale molecular assembly with desired functionality is a challenging endeavour. Here we report the designing of fibrin-inspired nanostructured peptide based sealants which facilitate remarkably fast entrapping of blood corpuscles (~28 seconds) in contrast to fibrin (~56 seconds). Our engineered sealants are stabilized by lysine-aspartate ionic interactions and also by Nε(γ-glutamyl) lysine isopeptide bond mediated covalent interaction. Each sealant is formed by two peptides having complementary charges to promote lysine-aspartate ionic interactions and designed isopeptide bond mediated interactions. Computational analysis reveals the isopeptide bond mediated energetically favourable peptide assemblies in sealants 1–3. Our designed sealants 2 and 3 mimic fibrin-mediated clot formation mechanism in presence of transglutaminase enzyme and blood corpuscles. These fibrin-inspired peptides assemble to form sealants having superior hemostatic activities than fibrin. Designed sealants feature mechanical properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability and high adhesive strength. Such nature-inspired robust sealants might be potentially translated into clinics for facilitating efficient blood clotting to handle traumatic coagulopathy and impaired blood clotting.
Decreasing parental task specialization promotes conditional cooperation
Authors: Iserbyt Arne , Fresneau Nolwenn , Kortenhoff Tiffanie , Eens Marcel , Müller Wendt
Published: July 2017

How much to invest in parental care and by who remain puzzling questions fomented by a sexual conflict between parents. Negotiation that facilitates coordinated parental behaviour may be key to ease this costly conflict. However, understanding cooperation requires that the temporal and sex-specific variation in parental care, as well as its multivariate nature is considered. Using a biparental bird species and repeated sampling of behavioural activities throughout a major part of reproduction, we show a clear division of tasks between males and females in provisioning, brooding and foraging. Such behavioural specializations fade with increasing nestling age, which stimulates the degree of alternated feeding visits, as a recently promoted form of conditional cooperation. However, such cooperation is thought to benefit offspring development, which is not supported by our data. Thus, from a proximate point of view, conditional cooperation via alternation critically depends on the division of parental tasks, while the ultimate benefits have yet to be shown.
Critical Behavior and Macroscopic Phase Diagram of the Monoaxial Chiral Helimagnet Cr1/3NbS2
Authors: Clements Eleanor M. , Das Raja , Li Ling , Lampen-Kelley Paula J. , Phan Manh-Huong , Keppens Veerle , Mandrus David , Srikanth Hariharan
Published: July 2017

Cr1/3NbS2 is a unique example of a hexagonal chiral helimagnet with high crystalline anisotropy, and has generated growing interest for a possible magnetic field control of the incommensurate spin spiral. Here, we construct a comprehensive phase diagram based on detailed magnetization measurements of a high quality single crystal of Cr1/3NbS2 over three magnetic field regions. An analysis of the critical properties in the forced ferromagnetic region yields 3D Heisenberg exponents β = 0.3460 ± 0.040, γ = 1.344 ± 0.002, and TC = 130.78 K ± 0.044, which are consistent with the localized nature the of Cr3+ moments and suggest short-range ferromagnetic interactions. We exploit the temperature and magnetic field dependence of magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) to accurately map the nonlinear crossover to the chiral soliton lattice regime from the chiral helimagnetic phase. Our observations in the low field region are consistent with the existence of chiral ordering in a temperature range above the Curie temperature, TC < T < T*, where a first-order transition has been previously predicted. An analysis of the universal behavior of ΔSM(T,H) experimentally demonstrates for the first time the first-order nature of the onset of chiral ordering.
Analytical investigation of nonreciprocal response in 1D nonlinear photonic crystals
Authors: Lu Ronger , Jiang Jiachu , Zhao Ruizhi , Feng Xia , Hong Xuhao , Zhang Chao , Qin Yiqiang , Zhu Yongyuan
Published: July 2017

The nonreciprocal response of the SHG process in 1D periodical nonlinear photonic crystals with a defect embedded has been theoretically studied by solving the nonlinear coupled equations. The nonreciprocal response has been deduced analytically with the solution of non-reciprocity parameters obtained. The result shows that as the non-reciprocity approaches 100%, the crystal length and the input power needed increase at a logarithmic rate. Any target nonreciprocal response can be reached in this structure by adjusting the structure parameters.
Linking the morphological and metabolomic response of Lactuca sativa L exposed to emerging contaminants using GC × GC-MS and chemometric tools
Authors: Hurtado Carlos , Parastar Hadi , Matamoros Víctor , Piña Benjamín , Tauler Romà , Bayona Josep M.
Published: July 2017

The occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in irrigation waters (up to low μg L−1) and irrigated crops (ng g−1 in dry weight) has been reported, but the linkage between plant morphological changes and plant metabolomic response has not yet been addressed. In this study, a non-targeted metabolomic analysis was performed on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L) exposed to 11 CECs (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, anticorrosive agents and surfactants) by irrigation. The plants were watered with different CEC concentrations (0–50 µg L−1) for 34 days under controlled conditions and then harvested, extracted, derivatised and analysed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GC × GC-TOFMS). The resulting raw data were analysed using multivariate curve resolution (MCR) and partial least squares (PLS) methods. The metabolic response indicates that exposure to CECs at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.05 µg L−1) can cause significant metabolic alterations in plants (carbohydrate metabolism, the citric acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway and glutathione pathway) linked to changes in morphological parameters (leaf height, stem width) and chlorophyll content.
Increased Prevalence of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Eastern China Clustered with Multiple Genotypes and Reasserted Virus during 2010–2015
Authors: Li Zhifeng , Hu Jianli , Cui Lunbiao , Hong Ye , Liu Jianwei , Li Pengfei , Guo Xiling , Liu Wendong , Wang Xiaochen , Qi Xian , Wu Bin , Feng Zhi , Shen Aihua , Liu Xuejian , Zhao Hongjun , Tan Wenwen , Zhou Jiangang , Xing Zheng , Bao Changjun
Published: July 2017

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a novel tick-borne viral disease with high mortality. Since January 2010, we have conducted an epidemiological surveillance and etiological study of SFTS in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. From January 2010 through December 2015, a total of 286 SFTS cases were confirmed in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces with a case fatality rate of 16.1%. The majority of confirmed SFTS cases were distributed in the border area of Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. Our findings suggest that the SFTS prevalence rate rose since 2010 and reached its highest in 2015. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the majority of the SFTSV strains (83.6%) from Jiangsu and Anhui provinces belonged to genotypes A and D. Notably, we identified three strains of SFTSV clustered into the genotype E. This is the first report of the genotype E SFTSV strains in mainland of China. A reassortment between genotype A and D was found in the central region of the endemic areas, where three SFTSV genotypes (A, C and D) were co-circulating.
Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from Meningitis: Epidemiology, Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Ku Yee-Huang , Chuang Yin-Ching , Chen Chi-Chung , Lee Mei-Feng , Yang Yan-Chang , Tang Hung-Jen , Yu Wen-Liang
Published: July 2017

Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) resistance to broad-spectrum cephalosporin (BSC) in meningitis is important because of limited therapeutic options. To investigate the antibiotic resistance, virulence and epidemiology of KP in meningitis, we conducted a retrospective study for 33 non-metastatic isolates, including primary meningitis (n = 20) and post-craniotomy meningitis (n = 13) collected from 1999 to 2013. BSC resistance was found in 9 (27.3%) isolates, all from post-craniotomy meningitis, harboring blaSHV-5 (n = 6), blaCMY-2 (n = 2), blaDHA-1 (n = 2), and blaTEM-1B (n = 1). Positive virulence factors were hypermucoviscosity (n = 22), larger bacterial size (n = 24), virulent capsule serotypes (n = 24, K2, 11; K1, 5; K57, 3; K5, 2; K20, 2 and K54, 1), rmpA (n = 23), rmpA
2
(n = 20), aerobactin gene (n = 22) and high-grade serum resistance (n = 23, 69.7%). Higher mouse lethality (LD50 < 106) was found in 16 isolates (48.5%). Post-craniotomy isolates were significantly less virulent than primary meningitis isolates, except for similar serum resistance capability. The pulsotype and sequence typing (ST) results were diverse. A minor cluster with pulsotype C and ST23 (n = 5) was identified in primary meningitis isolates. In conclusion, virulence factors and BSC resistance corresponded to about 70% and 30% of KP meningitis isolates respectively. BSC remains appropriate for treating primary meningitis, whereas meropenem is indicated for post-craniotomy meningitis empirically.
Pressure Induced Liquid-to-Liquid Transition in Zr-based Supercooled Melts and Pressure Quenched Glasses
Authors: Dmowski W. , Gierlotka S. , Wang Z. , Yokoyama Y. , Palosz B. , Egami T.
Published: July 2017

Through high-energy x-ray diffraction and atomic pair density function analysis we find that Zr-based metallic alloy, heated to the supercooled liquid state under hydrostatic pressure and then quenched to room temperature, exhibits a distinct glassy structure. The PDF indicates that the Zr-Zr distances in this glass are significantly reduced compared to those quenched without pressure. Annealing at the glass transition temperature at ambient pressure reverses structural changes and the initial glassy state is recovered. This result suggests that pressure causes a liquid-to-liquid phase transition in this metallic alloy supercooled melt. Such a pressure induced transition is known for covalent liquids, but has not been observed for metallic liquids. The High Pressure Quenched glasses are stable in ambient conditions after decompression.
microRNA-352 regulates collateral vessel growth induced by elevated fluid shear stress in the rat hind limb
Authors: Guan Yinglu , Cai Baizhen , Wu Xiaoqiong , Peng Song , Gan Liaoying , Huang Da , Liu Guangmin , Dong Liping , Xiao Lin , Liu Junwen , Zhang Bin , Cai Wei-Jun , Schaper Jutta , Schaper Wolfgang
Published: July 2017

Although collateral vessel growth is distinctly enhanced by elevated fluid shear stress (FSS), the underlying regulatory mechanism of this process remains incompletely understood. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a pivotal role in vascular development, homeostasis and a variety of diseases. Therefore, this study was designed to identify miRNAs involved in elevated FSS-induced collateral vessel growth in rat hind limbs. A side-to-side arteriovenous (AV) shunt was created between the distal stump of one of the bilaterally occluded femoral arteries and the accompanying vein. The miRNA array profile showed 94 differentially expressed miRNAs in FSS-stressed collaterals including miRNA-352 which was down-regulated. Infusion of antagomir-352 increased the number and proliferation of collateral vessels and promoted collateral flow restoration in a model of rat hind limb ligation. In cell culture studies, the miR-352 inhibitor increased endothelial proliferation, migration and tube formation. In addition, antagomir-352 up-regulated the expression of insulin-like growth factor II receptor (IGF2R), which may play a part in the complex pathway leading to arterial growth. We conclude that enhanced collateral vessel growth is controlled by miRNAs, among which miR-352 is a novel candidate that negatively regulates arteriogenesis, meriting additional studies to unravel the pathways leading to improved collateral circulation.
Visual perception in dyslexia is limited by sub-optimal scale selection
Authors: Johnston Richard , Pitchford Nicola J. , Roach Neil W. , Ledgeway Timothy
Published: July 2017

Readers with dyslexia are purported to have a selective visual impairment but the underlying nature of the deficit remains elusive. Here, we used a combination of behavioural psychophysics and biologically-motivated computational modeling to investigate if this deficit extends to object segmentation, a process implicated in visual word form recognition. Thirty-eight adults with a wide range of reading abilities were shown random-dot displays spatially divided into horizontal segments. Adjacent segments contained either local motion signals in opposing directions or analogous static form cues depicting orthogonal orientations. Participants had to discriminate these segmented patterns from stimuli containing identical motion or form cues that were spatially intermingled. Results showed participants were unable to perform the motion or form task reliably when segment size was smaller than a spatial resolution (acuity) limit that was independent of reading skill. Coherence thresholds decreased as segment size increased, but for the motion task the rate of improvement was shallower for readers with dyslexia and the segment size where performance became asymptotic was larger. This suggests that segmentation is impaired in readers with dyslexia but only on tasks containing motion information. We interpret these findings within a novel framework in which the mechanisms underlying scale selection are impaired in developmental dyslexia.
Fast modal decomposition for optical fibers using digital holography
Authors: Lyu Meng , Lin Zhiquan , Li Guowei , Situ Guohai
Published: July 2017

Eigenmode decomposition of the light field at the output end of optical fibers can provide fundamental insights into the nature of electromagnetic-wave propagation through the fibers. Here we present a fast and complete modal decomposition technique for step-index optical fibers. The proposed technique employs digital holography to measure the light field at the output end of the multimode optical fiber, and utilizes the modal orthonormal property of the basis modes to calculate the modal coefficients of each mode. Optical experiments were carried out to demonstrate the proposed decomposition technique, showing that this approach is fast, accurate and cost-effective.
Metal-free Ternary BCN Nanosheets with Synergetic Effect of Band Gap Engineering and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Sun Changlong , Ma Fukun , Cai Liang , Wang Aizhu , Wu Yongzhong , Zhao Mingwen , Yan Wensheng , Hao Xiaopeng
Published: July 2017

Introducing the synergy effect of magnetic properties and band gap engineering is highly desired for two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets. Here, we prepare metal-free ternary 2D carbon (C) doped boron nitride (BN) nanosheets (BCN) with band gap engineering and magnetic properties by a synergetic way. The substitutional occupation of C atoms, as revealed by X-ray absorption spectrum, in BCN nanosheets induces tunable band gap reduction (5.5 eV to 2.6 eV) and intensive intrinsic ferromagnetism at room temperature. First-principle calculations also reveal that substituted C atoms in BCN nanosheets can broaden the light adsorption region and reduce the optical band gap, and ferromagnetic ordering is energetically more favorable than antiferromagnetic. This design opens up new possibility for synergetic manipulation of exchange interactions and band gap engineering in 2D nanostructures.
Broad spectrum infrared thermal desorption of wipe-based explosive and narcotic samples for trace mass spectrometric detection
Authors: Forbes Thomas P. , Staymates Matthew , Sisco Edward
Published: July 2017

Implementation of infrared emission enabled rapid heating rates of wipe-collected trace analytes for efficient thermal desorption and mass spectrometric detection.
Recent trends in electrochemiluminescence aptasensors and their applications
Authors: Nasiri Khonsari Yasamin , Sun Shiguo
Published: July 2017

An overview of recent advances in the development and applications of aptamer-based ECL sensors has been presented.
A green route to methyl acrylate and acrylic acid by an aldol condensation reaction over H-ZSM-35 zeolite catalysts
Authors: Ma Zhanling , Ma Xiangang , Liu Hongchao , He Yanli , Zhu Wenliang , Guo Xinwen , Liu Zhongmin
Published: July 2017

An aldol condensation reaction was first conducted with DMM and MAc over zeolite catalysts to produce MA and AA.
Morphological evolution of hierarchical Bi2Se3/BiOBr nanostructures and enhanced activity for p-nitrophenol reduction by NaBH4
Authors: Wang Jianjun , Tang Aidong , Tan Lin , Yang Huaming , Ouyang Jing
Published: July 2017

The emerging Bi2Se3/BiOBr composite with a flower like microsphere structure prepared by a mild solvothermal method using BiOBr microspheres as a template and presenting an enhanced catalytic activity in the reduction of p-nitrophenol.
Atomic-scale computational design of hydrophobic RE surface-doped Al2O3 and TiO2
Authors: Czelej Kamil , Zemła Marcin Roland , Śpiewak Piotr , Wejrzanowski Tomasz , Kurzydłowski Krzysztof Jan
Published: July 2017

Surface doping of Al2O3(0001) with Ce leads to the formation of a unique surface structure which is predicted to be hydrophobic.
Photo-induced proton-coupled electron transfer and dissociation of isolated flavin adenine dinucleotide mono-anions
Authors: Stockett Mark H.
Published: July 2017

Action spectroscopy experiments reveal the excited-state dynamics leading to dissociation of flavin adenine dinucleotide.
Competition and selectivity in supramolecular synthesis: structural landscape around 1-(pyridylmethyl)-2,2′-biimidazoles
Authors: Gunawardana C. A. , Desper J. , Sinha A. S. , Ðaković M. , Aakeröy C. B.
Published: July 2017

Three isomeric forms of 1-(pyridylmethyl)-2,2′-biimidazole,A1–A3, have been synthesized and subjected to systematic co-crystallizations with selected hydrogen- and halogen-bond donors in order to explore the impact of electrostatics and geometry on the resulting supramolecular architectures. The solid-state supramolecular behavior ofA1–A3is largely consistent in halogen-bonded co-crystals. Only two types of primary interactions, the N–H⋯N/N⋯H–N homomeric hydrogen-bond interactions responsible for the pairing of biimidazole moieties and the I⋯N(pyridine) halogen bonds responsible for the co-crystal formation and structure extension, are present in these systems. The co-crystallizations with hydrogen-bond donors (carboxylic acids), however, lead to multiple possible structural outcomes because of the presence of the biimidazole–acid N–H⋯OC/N⋯H–O heterosynthon that can compete with biimidazole–biimidazole N–H⋯N/N⋯H–N homosynthon. In addition, the somewhat unpredictable nature of proton transfer makes the hydrogen-bonded co-crystals structurally less consistent than their halogen-bonded counterparts.
A Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed oil-based carbon solid acid catalyst for the production of biodiesel
Authors: Wang Weitao , Lu Ping , Tang Hao , Ma Yangmin , Yang Xiufang
Published: July 2017

A carbon solid acid catalyst was prepared from Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed oil for the production of biodiesel in one pot.
Gold nanospheres and gold nanostars immobilized onto thiolated eggshell membranes as highly robust and recyclable catalysts
Authors: Li Yunhua , Geng Xi , Leng Weinan , Vikesland Peter J. , Grove Tijana Z.
Published: July 2017

This study describes a facile method for immobilizing nanoparticles with different morphologies onto a biopolymeric fibrous network – eggshell membranes (ESM).
Rhodium(iii)-catalyzed synthesis of indanones via C–H activation of phenacyl phosphoniums and coupling with olefins
Authors: Li Yunyun , Yang Xifa , Kong Lingheng , Li Xingwei
Published: July 2017

Phosphonium ylide acts as an efficient directing group in the oxidative carbocyclization between arenes and activated olefins for indanone synthesis.
Correction: Ni(ii)-Catalyzed enantioselective Mukaiyama–Mannich reaction between silyl enol ethers and cyclic N-sulfonyl α-ketiminoesters
Authors: Xie Lei , Ma Hongli , Li Jiaqi , Yu Xuan , Qin Zhaohai , Fu Bin
Published: July 2017

Correction for ‘Ni(ii)-Catalyzed enantioselective Mukaiyama–Mannich reaction between silyl enol ethers and cyclic N-sulfonyl α-ketiminoesters’ by Lei Xie, et al., Org. Chem. Front., 2017, DOI: 10.1039/c7qo00370f.
Incipient plasticity of diamond during nanoindentation
Authors: Xu Chao , Liu Chunmei , Wang Haikuo
Published: July 2017

The incipient plasticity of diamond is probed, and is shown to result from the propagation of dislocations and structural phase transitions.
Topochemical polymerization of dumbbell-shaped diacetylene monomers: relationship between chemical structure, molecular packing structure, and gelation property
Authors: Kim Dae-Yoon , Lee Sang-A , Jung Daseal , Koo Jahyeon , Soo Kim Jin , Yu Yeon-Tae , Lee Cheul-Ro , Jeong Kwang-Un
Published: July 2017

The dumbbell-shaped diacetylene monomers are synthesized to stabilize their self-organized superstructure through topochemical polymerization.
Chemical Synthesis of the Multiply Phosphorylated and Biotinylated N-Terminal Transactivation Domain of Human p53 (p53TAD)
Authors: Tan Zhongping , Guan Xiaoyang , Chaffey Patrick , Ruan Yuan , Hurd Connor , Taatjes Dylan
Published: July 2017

Phosphorylation of the N-terminal transactivation domain (TAD) of tumor suppressor p53 (p53TAD) helps regulate many of p53’s biological functions. Chemical synthesis of the p53TAD sequence with various phosphorylation patterns, through native chemical ligation and metal-free desulfurization, would facilitate studies of p53TAD phosphorylation and its role in regulating p53 function. Here, unphosphorylated, mono- and pentaphosphorylated p53TAD constructs were chemically synthesized. During the synthesis, methionine oxidation was found to be a serious problem and reduction was required at different stages, according to the number of phosphorylation sites.
The Use of a High-Tech Knee Pad for Reduction of the Postoperative Effusion after Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Innocenti Massimo , Mancini Michele , Faccio Marina , Carulli Christian , Buselli Paolo , Messina Sara , Quattrone Giuseppe , Spaggiari Piergiorgio
Published: July 2017

Purpose After total knee arthroplasty (TKA), pain and swelling, especially in older and less cooperative patients, can limit the retrieval of a good range of motion and muscle tone and consequently the achievement of an optimal function outcome. A high-tech knee pad made of metal fibers emitting infrared energy was used in a group of patients undergoing TKA to assess its efficacy in the postoperative period with respect to a group with a placebo.

Methods Twelve patients used knee pads after surgery for 3 weeks and were evaluated using visual analog scale (VAS), Knee Society Rating Score, Cincinnati Knee Rating Score, and painkillers at specific timings.

Results At 3 weeks, all scores improved in a significant manner in the treated group compared with the placebo group. At 2 months after surgery, VAS was better in the study group than the control group, whereas other parameters were similar. However, the use of rescue drugs was less in the study group than in the placebo group.

Conclusion A high-tech knee pad may contribute to a faster recovery within the first week after a knee replacement, limiting the use of painkillers and allowing a quick functional recovery by the control of pain and postoperative effusion.

Level of Evidence Level II, randomized prospective study with small sample size.
Bore Disruption: An Unusual Mechanical Failure of Two Hip Hemiarthroplasties
Authors: Dettoni Federico , Cottino Umberto , Spriano Silvia , Bonasia Davide , Rossi Roberto
Published: July 2017

We report a case of two hemiarthroplasties (HAs) that underwent an unexpected mechanical failure. Two patients affected by femoral fractures were treated with an HA. At 5 and 7 years after surgery, they showed a breakage of the HA at the head–stem junction. We analyzed macroscopically and microscopically (by a scanning electron microscopy) the surfaces of the broken prostheses. In both cases, a fracture was detected starting at the joining point between the femoral head and the slot that receives the taper cone of the stem (the so-called bore), with the typical macroscopic and microscopic pattern of a fatigue fracture. The fatigue fracture resulted from repeated cycles of torsional stresses throughout the years. In literature, we did not find any other report of such HA failure.
Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: Modes of Failure and Conversion to Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Vasso Michele , Corona Katia , D'Apolito Rocco , Mazzitelli Giuseppe , Panni Alfredo
Published: July 2017

Despite the excellent success rates of the modern unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), results of knee replacement registries still shows a relatively high revision and failure rate for UKA, especially when compared with traditional total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Bearing dislocation continues to be advocated as the predominant mechanism of failure in mobile UKA, whereas polyethylene wear and aseptic loosening remains the main cause of failure of fixed UKA. Degeneration of the unreplaced compartments has been reported in both mobile and fixed designs. When the revision is required, most of failed UKAs are converted to TKAs. Surgical challenges of the UKA revision, and outcomes of UKA converted to TKA are still debated in literature.
Juvenile Recurrent Parotitis: A Case Report
Authors: Pittappilly Babu , Kandathil Julio , Jalal Muhammed
Published: July 2017

Juvenile recurrent parotitis (JRP) is defined as recurrent inflammatory parotitis in children of unknown etiology. It is described as recurrent parotid inflammation, usually associated with non-obstructive sialectasis of peripheral ducts of the parotids with periductal lymphocytic infiltration of the parotid gland. It is characterized by multiple episodes of parotid swelling and/or pain associated with fever or malaise over a period of years. Symptoms resolve spontaneously after puberty. All children with recurrent parotitis should be screened to exclude Sjögren's syndrome, lymphoma, and immunodeficiency including human immunodeficiency virus. We present the case of a 4-year-old boy who had four episodes of recurrent parotid swelling over a period of 6 months.
Herzinsuffizienz – ein Modell für Multimorbidität
Authors: Güder Gülmisal , Ertl Georg
Published: July 2017

Heart failure frequently is the consequence of different cardiac diseases and is associated with multiple cardiac and non-cardiac co-morbidities. It may be exemplary for multi-morbidity in the elderly, has negative impact on various organ systems and may induce further comorbidities. The following article addresses heart failure as a multisystem disorder.
Fieber und Kopfschmerzen nach Thailandurlaub
Authors: Schwermer Benedikt , Eschle Daniel , Bloch-Infanger Constantine
Published: July 2017

Anamnese Ein 50-jähriger Patient stellt sich mit Kopfschmerzen sowie hohem Fieber etwa eine Woche nach Rückkehr aus seinem Thailandurlaub vor. Hausärztlicherseits vorbehandelt wurde er mit Amoxicillin/Clavulansäure ohne Suche eines Infektfokus oder Erregerdiagnostik.

Untersuchungen Wegbereitend für das weitere Prozedere war das pathologische Ergebnis einer Lumbalpunktion mit vorwiegend lymphozytärer Pleozytose von 80 Zellen/μl (< 5) mit auf 782 mg/l (< 450) erhöhtem Protein, normwertigem Glukosegehalt sowie einem Laktat im oberen Normbereich.

Therapie und Verlauf Nach Abnahme von Blut- sowie Liquorkulturen erfolgt eine kalkulierte antiinfektiöse Therapie, um bis zum Eintreffen der mikrobiologischen Analysen möglichst viele Meningitis-/Enzephalitiserreger abzudecken.

Eine Multiplex-PCR des Liquors auf in der Schweiz endemische virale und bakterielle Erreger bleibt negativ. Nachdem sich auch in Liquor- und Blutkulturen kein Keimwachstum abzeichnet, kann die antiinfektiöse Therapie abgesetzt werden. Die Suche nach Malaria, HIV, Chikungunya- und Dengue- sowie FSME-Virus ergibt negative Befunde. Nach etwa 10 Tagen erreicht uns eine deutlich positive Serologie für das Japanische Enzephalitisvirus (JEV).

Folgerungen Die Japanische Enzephalitis wird durch ein Flavivirus ausgelöst, das durch Mücken übertragen wird. Sie ist im asiatischen Raum eine der bedeutendsten Enzephalitiden. Die Letalität bei einer manifesten Erkrankung liegt bei bis zu 30 %. Eine kausale Therapie existiert nicht. Seit 2009 ist jedoch ein gut verträglicher Impfstoff zugelassen.
Größenordnung der Kraft und Geschwindigkeit der kieferorthopädischen Zahnbewegung: Erkenntnisse aus Studien an Hunden
Authors: Maltha Jaap , Kuijpers-Jagtman Anne , Suttorp Christiaan , Noerhadi Nia , Kuijpers Mette , Ongkosuwito Edwin
Published: July 2017

Innerhalb der Kieferorthopädie besteht kein Konsens über das optimale Kraftniveau, um eine möglichst effiziente Zahnbewegung zu erreichen. In dem vorliegenden Artikel fassen wir die wichtigsten Daten aus einer Reihe von Experimenten an Hunden zusammen, die zur Untersuchung der Beziehung zwischen der Größenordnung genau bestimmter konstanter, kontinuierlich wirkender Kräfte und der Geschwindigkeit der Zahnbewegung über einen Zeitraum von mehreren Monaten durchgeführt wurden. Darüber hinaus resümieren wir einen mathematischen Ansatz, der ein besseres Verständnis der optimalen Kraftgröße für die kieferorthopädische Zahnbewegung ermöglicht.

Die in dieser Übersicht vorgestellten Daten wurden anhand von insgesamt 148 experimentellen Stellen in Hunden gewonnen, an denen kieferorthopädische Zahnbewegungen durch die Anwendung unterschiedlicher, standardisierter kontinuierlicher Kräfte vorgenommen wurden. Die vorgestellten Daten zeigen, dass Kräfte zwischen 10 und 300 cN nicht zu signifikanten Unterschieden in der mittleren Geschwindigkeit der Prämolarenbewegung führen, und dass die Anwendung unterschiedlicher Kräfte auf beiden Seiten eines Hundegebisses häufig zur selben Geschwindigkeit der Zahnbewegung führt. Darüber hinaus hat ein Wechsel zwischen den Kräften von 10 cN und 300 cN innerhalb eines Tieres keinen eindeutigen Effekt auf die Geschwindigkeit der Zahnbewegung.

Das von uns vorgeschlagene mathematische Modell hat eine erklärte Varianz R2 von 0,43, was darauf hindeutet, dass mehr als die Hälfte der Varianz anderen Faktoren als der Kraft zugeschrieben werden sollte. Alle diese Ergebnisse lassen stark darauf schließen, dass die Größenordnung der Kraft nicht der entscheidende Faktor für die Geschwindigkeit der Zahnbewegung ist. Zur Beschleunigung der kieferorthopädischen Zahnbewegung bedarf es anderer Methoden als die Erhöhung des Kraftniveaus.
Gingivarezessionen und Kieferorthopädie
Authors: Renkema A. , Padmos J. , de Quincey G.
Published: July 2017

Gingivarezessionen stellen die sichtbarste parodontale Abweichung dar. Die Prävalenz ist hoch. Die Wurzeloberfläche ist buchstäblich negativen Einflüssen wie Erosion, Abnutzung, Verfärbung und Karies ausgesetzt. Außerdem können Gingivarezessionen durch eine erhöhte Thermosensibilität und eine verringerte dentogingivale Ästhetik einen negativen Einfluss auf die Lebensqualität ausüben. Die Ätiologie von Gingivarezessionen ist komplex und wird als multifaktoriell beschrieben. Um Rezessionen während und nach einer kieferorthopädischen Behandlung zu verhindern, müssen verschiedene Faktoren beachtet werden, wobei das Einhalten einer perfekten Mundhygiene und das Respektieren des „biologic envelope“ von überragender Bedeutung sind. Bei bestehenden Rezessionen kann eine kieferorthopädische Behandlung sogar positiv auf deren Therapie wirken.
Breitet sich die sporadisch auftretende amyotrophe Lateralsklerose über axonale Verbindungen aus?
Authors: Braak H. , Neumann M. , Ludolph A. , Del Tredici K.
Published: July 2017

Der pathologische Prozess einer sporadisch auftretenden amyotrophen Lateralsklerose (sALS) ist mit dem Auftreten zytoplasmatischer Einschlusskörper eines normalerweise im Zellkern vorkommenden Proteins (TDP-43) verbunden und ergreift nur wenige Arten langaxoniger Projektionsneurone. Die Riesenpyramidenzellen von Betz im primären motorischen Neokortex und die α-Motorneurone im unteren Hirnstamm und Rückenmark sind früh ergriffene Zellformen. Im zentralen Nervensystem des Menschen sind diese beiden Zellarten durch axonale Projektionen monosynaptisch verbunden. Im Verlauf einer sALS verlieren die Zellkerne affizierter Neurone graduell ihre Immunoreaktivität für TDP-43. Bei α-Motorneuronen entstehen unlösliche TDP-43-Einschlüsse im Zellleib, während in Betz-Zellen derartige Aggregatbildungen zunächst ausbleiben. Es erscheint daher möglich, dass in Betz-Zellen anfänglich eine im Zytoplasma noch lösliche Form des TDP-43 entsteht, die in das Axoplasma gerät, über direkte synaptische Kontakte übertragen wird und im nachfolgenden Neuron erneut die Dysregulation und Aggregation des TDP-43 auslöst. Das im Verlauf einer sALS entstehende Ausbreitungsmuster der Schädigungen ist mit der Vorstellung vereinbar, dass ein zellenschädigendes Agens über axonale Kontakte von kortikalen Projektionsneuronen auf nachfolgende Neuronen übertragen wird und dort den pathologischen Prozess erneut induziert.