bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Better and faster velocity pulsatility assessment in cerebral white matter perforating arteries with 7T quantitative flow MRI through improved slice profile, acquisition scheme, and postprocessing
Authors: Geurts Lennart , Biessels Geert Jan , Luijten Peter , Zwanenburg Jaco
Published: July 2017

Purpose

A previously published cardiac‐gated 2D Qflow protocol at 7 T in cerebral perforating arteries was optimized to reduce velocity underestimation and improve temporal resolution.

Methods

First, the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) gain of the velocity measurement (SNRv) was tested for two signal averages versus one. Second, the decrease in velocity underestimation with a tilted optimized nonsaturating excitation (TONE) pulse was tested. Third, the decrease in pulsatility index (PI) underestimation through improved temporal resolution was tested. Test‐retest agreement was measured for the resulting acquisition in older volunteers (mean age 63 years), and the results were compared with the other volunteers (mean age 26 years).

Results

Using two signal averages increased SNRv by only 12% (P = 0.04), probably due to motion of the subvoxel‐size arteries. The TONE decreased velocity underestimation, thereby increasing the mean velocity from 0.52 to 0.67 cm/s (P < 0.001). The PI increased substantially with increasing temporal resolution. The test‐retest agreement showed good coefficients of repeatability of 0.18 cm/s for velocity and 0.14 for PI. The measured velocity was lower in the older group: 0.42 versus 0.51 cm/s (P = 0.05).

Conclusions

The optimized sequence yields better velocity and PI estimates in small vessels, has twice as good test‐retest agreement, and has a suitable scan time for use in patients. Magn Reson Med 79:1473–1482, 2018. © 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
A novel projected Fletcher‐Reeves conjugate gradient approach for finite‐time optimal robust controller of linear constraints optimization problem: Application to bipedal walking robots
Authors: Sun Zhongbo , Tian Yantao , Wang Jing
Published: July 2017

For finite‐time optimal robust control problem of bipedal walking robot, a class of global and feasible projected Fletcher‐Reeves conjugate gradient approach is proposed based on an online convex optimization algorithm. The optimal robust controllers are solved by projected Fletcher‐Reeves conjugate gradient approach. The approach can rapidly converge to a stable gait cycle by selecting an initial gait. Under some suitable conditions, we provide a rigorous proof of global convergence and well‐defined properties for projected Fletcher‐Reeves conjugate gradient approach. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the bipedal walking robot, we will conduct numerical simulations on the model of 3‐link robot with nonlinear, impulsive, and underactuated dynamics. Furthermore, to indicate the availability of high‐dimensional robotic system, the main result is illustrated on a nonlinear impulsive model of a bipedal walking robot through simulations via finite‐time optimal robust controller. Numerical results show that the projected Fletcher‐Reeves conjugate gradient approach is feasible and effective for bipedal walking robots. Therefore, it is reasonable to infer that the optimal robust control approach can be used in practical systems.
The microstructure and mechanical properties of 3D printed carbon nanotube‐polylactic acid composites
Authors: Patanwala Huseini S. , Hong Danting , Vora Sahil R. , Bognet Brice , Ma Anson W. K.
Published: July 2017

This article reports 3D printing of carbon nanotube‐polylactic acid (CNT‐PLA) composites using an extrusion‐based Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) method. CNTs with an average diameter of 128 nm and an average length of 2.5 μm were first compounded with PLA and extruded into feedstock filaments at 0.5%, 2.5%, and 5% (w/w) CNT loadings. CNT aggregates were observed, but no clogging occurred during printing with a 500‐μm print nozzle. The rheology of the CNT‐PLA samples was characterized to understand the printing‐induced alignment of CNTs along the road axis. Additionally, the effect of printing flow rate was explored for a fixed printing gap and nozzle diameter. Higher flow rates reduced the void fraction in the FDM parts, but unexpectedly resulted in less degree of CNT alignment, which is attributed to radial flow and fusion between adjacent roads. The mechanical properties of the CNT‐PLA tensile test coupons were characterized. Inclusion of CNTs increased the Young's modulus by 30% at 5% CNT loading, but reduced the tensile strength and overall toughness of the FDM parts. Experimental data were compared against the Rule of Mixtures (RoM) model, the Halpin‐Tsai model, and the modified RoM model and were further explained by the void fraction and CNT orientation. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1060–E1071, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Ganciclovir‐Resistant Cytomegalovirus Infection in Abdominal Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: Case Series and Review of the Literature
Authors: Rolling Katherine E. , Jorgenson Margaret R. , Descourouez Jillian L. , Mandelbrot Didier A. , Redfield Robert R. , Smith Jeannina A.
Published: July 2017

Ganciclovir‐resistant cytomegalovirus (GR‐CMV) is emerging as a significant infection in the abdominal transplant population. GR‐CMV is difficult to manage, and treatment options are limited. We report a descriptive case series of 15 patients who had documented GR‐CMV at our center and review the literature on treatment of GR‐CMV. The first case in this series was detected in 2012; the majority of cases occurred after January 1, 2014, with approximately 50% occurring in 2015. UL97 and UL54 viral genome mutations were present in 100% and 40% of CMV‐infected patients, respectively. GR‐CMV infection occurred ≤ 1 year posttransplantation in 11 patients (73%). All patients experienced dose reduction of valganciclovir (the oral prodrug of ganciclovir) before the development of GR‐CMV. Initial treatment for GR‐CMV included a variety of regimens, all including reduction in maintenance immunosuppression. Of the 6 patients with detectable GR‐CMV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) who were discharged without GR‐CMV treatment and had a length of stay (LOS) less than 14 days, 83% were subsequently readmitted for treatment of GR‐CMV within 2 months (60% in < 20 days); none received leflunomide. Of six patients with a LOS ≥ 14 days, 80% had CMV PCR below quantification on hospital discharge, and only one patient was readmitted in less than 20 days; 83% received leflunomide. Following GR‐CMV, there was a 50% rejection incidence, 27% graft loss, and 20% mortality. For patients with more than three admissions for GR‐CMV treatment, 100% had a major complication: 60% rejection, 20% graft loss, and 40% mortality. Common clinical characteristics of patients with GR‐CMV included high‐risk serostatus, lymphocyte depletion, and history of valganciclovir dose reduction. Overall, outcomes were poor. It appears that hospital readmission rate was reduced when CMV was treated to negativity with an initial treatment regimen of reduced immunosuppression, foscarnet, intravenous immunoglobulins, and leflunomide.
Validation of the modified Chinese Cancer Survivor's Unmet Needs (CaSUN‐C) for women with breast cancer
Authors: Fang Su‐Ying , Cheng Hsiu‐Rong , Lin Chung‐Ying
Published: July 2017

Objective

The aims of the study were to modify the Cancer Survivor's Unmet Need (CaSUN) Scale into a short form and then test its psychometric scale‐specific properties for breast cancer survivors in Taiwan.

Methods

Using convenience sampling, recruited breast cancer survivors were separated into 2 samples (sample 1, n = 150, and sample 2, n = 162). First, we translated and modified the CaSUN to ensure cultural adaptation. Second, we used statistical methods to eliminate some items and conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using sample 1 to explore the factor structure of the CaSUN‐C. Finally, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis using sample 2 to confirm the structure suggested by the EFA and tested the criterion validity and known‐group validity of the CaSUN‐C.

Results

Twenty items within 4 factors (information, physical /psychological, medical care, and communication needs) were identified for the CaSUN‐C. Each factor had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha = .61 to .82). The criterion validity was supported by the significant correlations between the CaSUN‐C scores and scores on fear of recurrence and depression. Known‐group comparisons revealed that women who survived more than 60 months had fewer physical/psychological needs than those less 60 months, which supported the validity of CaSUN‐C.

Conclusion

The CaSUN‐C demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity for assessing unmet needs among breast cancer survivors in Taiwan. Using this simple assessment to target the individual needs of these survivors can help healthcare professionals provide personalized care efficiently.
Comparison of species classification models of mass spectrometry data: Kernel Discriminant Analysis vs Random Forest; A case study of Afrormosia (Pericopsis elata (Harms) Meeuwen)
Authors: Deklerck V. , Finch K. , Gasson P. , Van den Bulcke J. , Van Acker J. , Beeckman H. , Espinoza E.
Published: July 2017

Rationale

The genus Pericopsis includes four tree species of which only Pericopsis elata (Harms) Meeuwen is of commercial interest. Enforcement officers might have difficulties discerning this CITES‐listed species from some other tropical African timber species. Therefore, we tested several methods to separate and identify these species rapidly in order to enable customs officials to uncover illegal trade. In this study, two classification methods using Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART™) ionization coupled with Time‐of‐Flight Mass Spectrometry (DART‐TOFMS) data to discern between several species are presented.

Methods

Metabolome profiles were collected using DART™ ionization coupled with TOFMS analysis of heartwood specimens of all four Pericopsis species and Haplormosia monophylla (Harms) Harms, Dalbergia melanoxylon Guill. & Perr. Harms, and Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg. In total, 95 specimens were analysed and the spectra evaluated. Kernel Discriminant Analysis (KDA) and Random Forest classification were used to discern the species.

Results

DART‐TOFMS spectra obtained from wood slivers and post‐processing analysis using KDA and Random Forest classification separated Pericopsis elata from the other Pericopsis taxa and its lookalike timbers Haplormosia monophylla, Milicia excelsa, and Dalbergia melanoxylon. Only 50 ions were needed to achieve the highest accuracy.

Conclusions

DART‐TOFMS spectra of the taxa were reproducible and the results of the chemometric analysis provided comparable accuracy. Haplormosia monophylla was visually distinguished based on the heatmap and was excluded from further analysis. Both classification methods, KDA and Random Forest, were capable of distinguishing Pericopsis elata from the other Pericopsis taxa, Milicia excelsa, and Dalbergia melanoxylon, timbers that are commonly traded.
Robust robot localization in a complex oil and gas industrial environment
Authors: Merriaux Pierre , Dupuis Yohan , Boutteau Rémi , Vasseur Pascal , Savatier Xavier
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we propose a LiDAR‐based robot localization method in a complex oil and gas environment. Localization is achieved in six degrees of freedom (DoF) thanks to a particle filter framework. A new time‐efficient likelihood function, based on a precalculated three‐dimensional likelihood field, is introduced. Experiments are carried out in real environments and their digitized point clouds. Six DoF real‐time localization is achieved with spatial and angular errors of less than 2.5 cm and 1°,  respectively, in a real environment of . The proposed approach focuses on real‐time performance on embedded platforms. It enabled the Vikings team to win the first two ARGOS Challenge contests.
Analysis of some basic creep tests on concrete and their implications for modeling
Authors: Torrenti Jean‐Michel , Le Roy Robert
Published: July 2017

The basic creep of concrete is the delayed deformation that occurs when concrete is subjected to loading without drying. This paper analyzes some findings from the literature. The derivatives of the compliance function J of basic creep tests with different loading ages t0 are compared. It has been observed that when dJ/dt is considered as a function of time t, the long‐term behavior is logarithmic with a uniform slope. This indicates that basic creep could be expressed as a logarithmic function in which the age of loading does not affect the final slope. In the recent fib Model Code 2010 (MC2010), basic creep is expressed exactly in this way. Using experimental data, the parameters of the model are calculated for each test and compared with the values proposed by MC2010. It is shown that MC2010 gives a fairly good set of values for the parameters whose accuracy could nevertheless be improved by adjusting these parameters to match experimental results.
Fetal middle cerebral artery Doppler to time intrauterine transfusion in red‐cell alloimmunization: a randomized trial
Authors: Dodd J. M. , Andersen C. , Dickinson J. E. , Louise J. , Deussen A. , Grivell R. M. , Voto L. , Kilby M. D. , Windrim R. , Ryan G. ,   for the MCA Doppler Study Group
Published: July 2017

Objectives

To evaluate whether Doppler measurement of middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA‐PSV) for timing subsequent intrauterine transfusions (IUTs) in fetuses that had undergone one IUT for anemia secondary to red‐cell alloimmunization is non‐inferior to timing based on expected decrease in fetal hematocrit (Hct) or fetal hemoglobin level, without compromising infant hemoglobin at birth.

Methods

This was an international, pragmatic multicenter randomized controlled trial. Women with a pregnancy complicated by fetal anemia secondary to red‐cell alloimmunization (due to any antibody alone or in combination), as indicated by the need to undergo a single IUT, were eligible for inclusion. Women were randomized to the determination of timing of further transfusion(s) by Doppler measurement of MCA‐PSV (MCA‐PSV Group), with a serial upward trend of values >1.5 multiples of the median considered indicative of the need for another IUT, or timing of transfusion by a decrease in fetal Hct (fetal Hct Group), with subsequent IUTs timed according to an estimated fall in fetal Hct of 1% per day or fetal hemoglobin of 0.3 g/dL per day, to maintain fetal hemoglobin level between 7 and 10 g/dL. The primary outcome was infant hemoglobin level measured at birth.

Results

A total of 71 women were randomized, 36 to the MCA‐PSV Group and 35 to the fetal Hct Group. Median gestational age at randomization was 30.3 weeks, the majority of women were Caucasian and non‐smokers, 9.9% of women had Kell alloimmunization, and 14% of fetuses were hydropic at their first IUT. No statistically significant differences between the two treatment groups were observed with regard to mean hemoglobin levels at birth (MCA‐PSV Group, 10.36 ± 3.82 g/dL vs fetal Hct Group, 12.03 ± 3.14 g/dL; adjusted mean difference –1.56 g/dL (95% CI, –3.24 to 0.13 g/dL); P = 0.070), or the number of IUTs performed after randomization (MCA‐PSV Group, 1.75 ± 1.79 vs fetal Hct Group 1.80 ± 1.32; adjusted relative risk 0.88 (95% CI, 0.61–1.26); P = 0.474). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with respect to the risk of adverse infant outcomes related to alloimmunization or procedure‐related complications.

Conclusion

Both Doppler measurement of MCA‐PSV and estimation of the decrease in fetal Hct or hemoglobin can be used to determine the timing of second and subsequent IUTs in fetuses with red‐cell alloimmunization. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Genetically encoded iron‐associated proteins as MRI reporters for molecular and cellular imaging
Authors: Naumova Anna V. , Vande Velde Greetje
Published: July 2017

All cell imaging applications rely on some form of specific cell labeling to achieve visualization of cells contributing to disease or cell therapy. The purpose of this review article is to summarize the published data on genetically encoded iron‐based imaging reporters. The article overviews regulation of iron homeostasis as well as genetically encoded iron‐associated molecular probes and their applications for noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of transplanted cells. Longitudinal repetitive MRI of therapeutic cells is extremely important for providing key functional endpoints and insight into mechanisms of action. Future directions in molecular imaging and techniques for improving sensitivity, specificity and safety of in vivo reporter gene imaging are discussed. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2018, 10:e1482. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1482

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging
Reduction Kinetics of Wüstite Scale on Pure Iron and Steel Sheets in Ar and H2 Gas Mixture
Authors: Mao Weichen , Sloof Willem G.
Published: July 2017

A dense and closed Wüstite scale is formed on pure iron and Mn alloyed steel after oxidation in Ar + 33 vol pct CO2 + 17 vol pct CO gas mixture. Reducing the Wüstite scale in Ar + H2 gas mixture forms a dense and uniform iron layer on top of the remaining Wüstite scale, which separates the unreduced scale from the gas mixture. The reduction of Wüstite is controlled by the bulk diffusion of dissolved oxygen in the formed iron layer and follows parabolic growth rate law. The reduction kinetics of Wüstite formed on pure iron and on Mn alloyed steel are the same. The parabolic rate constant of Wüstite reduction obeys an Arrhenius relation with an activation energy of 104 kJ/mol if the formed iron layer is in the ferrite phase. However, at 1223 K (950 °C) the parabolic rate constant of Wüstite reduction drops due to the phase transformation of the iron layer from ferrite to austenite. The effect of oxygen partial pressure on the parabolic rate constant of Wüstite reduction is negligible when reducing in a gas mixture with a dew point below 283 K (10 °C). During oxidation of the Mn alloyed steel, Mn is dissolved in the Wüstite scale. Subsequently, during reduction of the Wüstite layer, Mn diffuses into the unreduced Wüstite. Ultimately, an oxide-free iron layer is obtained at the surface of the Mn alloyed steel, which is beneficial for coating application.
Optimization of patch antennas via multithreaded simulated annealing based design exploration
Authors: Richie James E. , Ababei Cristinel
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we present a new software framework for the optimization of the design of microstrip patch antennas. The proposed simulation and optimization framework implements a simulated annealing algorithm to perform design space exploration in order to identify the optimal patch antenna design. During each iteration of the optimization loop, we employ the popular MEEP simulation tool to evaluate explored design solutions. To speed up the design space exploration, the software framework is developed to run multiple MEEP simulations concurrently. This is achieved using multithreading to implement a manager-workers execution strategy. The number of worker threads is the same as the number of cores of the computer that is utilized. Thus, the computational runtime of the proposed software framework enables effective design space exploration. Simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed software framework.

Highlights A software framework for the optimization of the design of microstrip patch antennas. A simulated annealing algorithm to perform the design space exploration. The popular MEEP simulator is employed to evaluate explored solutions for accuracy. Multithreading is used as a technique to speed-up the proposed tool.
Current evidence for universal molecular testing for colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Campos Fábio Guilherme , Figueiredo Marleny Novaes , Martinez Carlos Augusto Real
Published: July 2017

Background Risk assessment for Lynch Syndrome may be a complex and challenging task. Demonstration of germline mutations has the benefits of confirming Lynch Syndrome diagnosis and may also provide screening and surgical orientation for affected members and relief for non-affected relatives.

Objective The present paper aimed to critically review the criteria to diagnose Lynch Syndrome, focusing the attention on the new perspective of adopting universal screening for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Methods We performed a literature review about the rationale and preliminary results of universal testing for Lynch Syndrome.

Results The use of selective eligibility criteria to determine who should undergo Lynch Syndrome testing may fail in a substantial proportion of cases. Moreover, universal strategy is feasible, cost-effective and more sensitive than previous methods. However, there still exist problems regarding clinical practice implementation and compliance either by medical doctors and patients.

Conclusions Standard guidelines for colorectal cancer screening are not ideal to provide early detection of Lynch Syndrome patients. And although universal screening has been associated with an increased identification of Lynch Syndrome patients, a successful implementation of this approach is still limited by the lack of clinical expertise among physicians, and also requires standardization of the existing protocols for routine genetic screening.
Aristotle's Concept of Mind
Authors: Jiménez Erick Raphael
Published: July 2017

In this book, Erick Raphael Jiménez examines Aristotle's concept of mind (nous), a key concept in Aristotelian psychology, metaphysics, and epistemology. Drawing on a close analysis of De Anima, Jiménez argues that mind is neither disembodied nor innate, as has commonly been held, but an embodied ability that emerges from learning and discovery. Looking to Aristotle's metaphysics and epistemology, Jiménez argues that just as Aristotelian mind is not innate, intelligibility is not an innate feature of the objects of Aristotelian mind, but an outcome of certain mental constructions that make those objects intelligible. Conversely, it is through these same mental constructions that thinkers become intelligent, or come to possess minds. Connecting this account to Aristotle's metaphysics and epistemology, Jiménez shows how this concept of mind fits within Aristotle's wider philosophy. His bold interpretation will interest a wide range of readers in ancient and later philosophy.
Marine Conservation
Authors: Probert P. Keith
Published: July 2017

Providing a comprehensive account of marine conservation, this book examines human use and abuse of the world's seas and oceans and their marine life, and the various approaches to management and conservation. Healthy marine ecosystems - the goods and services that they provide - are of vital importance to human wellbeing. There is a pressing need for a global synthesis of marine conservation issues and approaches. This book covers conservation issues pertinent to major groups of marine organisms, such as sharks, marine turtles, seabirds and marine mammals; key habitats, from estuaries, wetlands and coral reefs to the deep sea; and from local and regional to international initiatives in marine conservation. An ideal resource for students, researchers and conservation professionals, the book pays appropriate attention to the underlying marine biology and oceanography and how human activities impact marine ecosystems, enabling the reader to fully understand the context of conservation action and its rationale.
Negation in Early English
Authors: Wallage Phillip W.
Published: July 2017

Informed by detailed analysis of data from large-scale diachronic corpora, this book is a comprehensive account of changes to the expression of negation in English. Its methodological approach brings together up-to-date techniques from corpus linguistics and minimalist syntactic analysis to identify and characterise a series of interrelated changes affecting negation during the period 800–1700. Phillip Wallage uses cutting-edge statistical techniques and large-scale corpora to model changes in English negation over a period of nine hundred years. These models provide crucial empirical evidence which reveals the specific processes of syntactic and functional change affecting early English negation, and identifies diachronic relationships between these processes.
Morphological Complexity
Authors: Baerman Matthew , Brown Dunstan , Corbett Greville G.
Published: July 2017

Inflectional morphology plays a paradoxical role in language. On the one hand it tells us useful things, for example that a noun is plural or a verb is in the past tense. On the other hand many languages get along perfectly well without it, so the baroquely ornamented forms we sometimes find come across as a gratuitous over-elaboration. This is especially apparent where the morphological structures operate at cross purposes to the general systems of meaning and function that govern a language, yielding inflection classes and arbitrarily configured paradigms. This is what we call morphological complexity. Manipulating the forms of words requires learning a whole new system of structures and relationships. This book confronts the typological challenge of characterising the wildly diverse sorts of morphological complexity we find in the languages of the world, offering both a unified descriptive framework and quantitative measures that can be applied to such heterogeneous systems.
Leading from the Periphery and Network Collective Action
Authors: Hassanpour Navid
Published: July 2017

Political revolutions, economic meltdowns, mass ideological conversions and collective innovation adoptions occur often, but when they do happen, they tend to be the least expected. Based on the paradigm of 'leading from the periphery', this groundbreaking analysis offers an explanation for such spontaneity and apparent lack of leadership in contentious collective action. Contrary to existing theories, the author argues that network effects in collective action originating from marginal leaders can benefit from a total lack of communication. Such network effects persist in isolated islands of contention instead of overarching action cascades, and are shown to escalate in globally dispersed, but locally concentrated networks of contention. This is a trait that can empower marginal leaders and set forth social dynamics distinct from those originating in the limelight. Leading from the Periphery and Network Collective Action provides evidence from two Middle Eastern uprisings, as well as behavioral experiments of collective risk-taking in social networks.
Collision Phenomena in Liquids and Solids
Authors: Yarin Alexander L. , Roisman Ilia V. , Tropea Cameron
Published: July 2017

A comprehensive account of the physical foundations of collision and impact phenomena and their applications in a multitude of engineering disciplines. In-depth explanations are included to reveal the unifying features of collision phenomena in both liquids and solids, and to apply them to disciplines including theoretical and applied mechanics, physics and applied mathematics, materials science, aerospace, mechanical and chemical engineering, and terminal ballistics. Covering a range of examples from drops, jets, and sprays, to seaplanes and ballistic projectiles, and detailing a variety of theoretical, numerical, and experimental tools that can be used in developing new models and approaches, this is an ideal resource for students, researchers, and practicing engineers alike.
Property Rights in Post-Soviet Russia
Authors: Gans-Morse Jordan
Published: July 2017

The effectiveness of property rights - and the rule of law more broadly - is often depicted as depending primarily on rulers' 'supply' of legal institutions. Yet the crucial importance of private sector “demand” for law is frequently overlooked. This book develops a novel framework that unpacks the demand for law in Russia, building on an original enterprise survey as well as extensive interviews with lawyers, firms, and private security agencies. By tracing the evolution of firms' reliance on violence, corruption, and law over the two decades following the Soviet Union's collapse, the book clarifies why firms in various contexts may turn to law for property rights protection, even if legal institutions remain ineffective or corrupt. The author's detailed demand-side analysis of property rights draws attention to the extensive role that law plays in the Russian business world, contrary to frequent depictions of Russia as lawless.
Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution
Authors: Gerstmann Evan
Published: July 2017

In 2015 the Supreme Court made history by ruling that the constitution protects the right of same-sex couples to get married. The third edition of perhaps the most influential book on the subject explains the Court's reasoning and what the consequences of the decision have been. The book also explains why the Supreme Court declined to rule that a ban on same-sex marriage was irrational or hateful or that the ban was an indirect form of gender discrimination. Instead, the Court ruled that there is a fundamental constitutional right to marry that covers same-sex couples. The book discusses the dissent's claims that the decision will lead to constitutional protection for polygamy. It also covers the controversy over whether there should be special laws that allow religious business owners not to serve same-sex couples who are married. This book is free of jargon and is accessible to anyone interested in same-sex equality, the Supreme Court or constitutional law generally.
WHY MILITARY INSTITUTIONS MATTER FOR MING HISTORY
Authors: Robinson David
Published: July 2017

Systemic attention to military institutions sharpens our understanding of the Ming dynasty in comparative, global terms and yields a fuller perspective on the state and its role in people’s lives. First, the Ming dynasty devoted more resources, in absolute terms, to its military enterprise than any other contemporary power. It maintained enormous standing armies that drilled regularly, empire-wide logistical systems, welfare provisions for military dependents and retired or injured military personnel, and multi-tiered, standardized arms productions under state supervision. Western European states were just starting to achieve such capacity in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Second, focused on civil administration, such as taxes, labor service, magistrates, land surveys, tithing communities, and mutual responsibility organizations, past scholarship has largely ignored how the state’s extensive military institutions both shaped society and served as resources that people used to advance their personal, family, and community interests.
WHY MILITARY INSTITUTIONS MATTER FOR CHINESE HISTORY CIRCA 600–1800
Authors: Robinson David
Published: July 2017

This special issue ofJournal of Chinese Historymakes the case that military institutions are essential for understanding Chinese history. Our goal is to engage a broad audience instead of talking exclusively to specialists in military history. Thus, rather than an institutional account of, say, the imperial guard, or detailed campaign narratives, readers will find here exploration of the dynamic interplay between military institutions and political control, socioeconomic change, dynastic finances, and cultural values.
MILITARY INSTITUTIONS AS A DEFINING FEATURE OF THE SONG DYNASTY
Authors: Lorge Peter
Published: July 2017

Although the standard narrative of the Song dynasty is one of civil dominance over the military within the government and society, the institutional development of the government bureaucracy argues for a more nuanced description. The martial side of the government achieved parity in size with the civil side during the Song, exclusive of the army and its bureaucracy. Literati with civil exam degrees filled most of the upper ranks of this martial bureaucracy and therefore occupied themselves with martial, rather than civil, concerns on a day to day basis. A significant number of important civil literati spent most of their time on military tasks and military policy. Functionally then, in contrast to their ideology, many civil literati were militarized by their roles in the bureaucracy while they were controlling it.
WHOLE LIFE ORDERS: ARTICLE 3 COMPLIANT AFTER ALL
Authors: Bild Jonathan
Published: July 2017

The exercise of the Secretary of State's power to release from prison a murderer sentenced to a whole life order would be controversial and politically fraught. The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights’ (“ECtHR”) succinct summary of the offending leading to the whole life order imposed on the applicant in Hutchinson v United Kingdom (57592/08), Judgment of 17 January 2017, demonstrates quite why a Secretary of State would find exercising their compassionate release powers so politically unpalatable: “In October 1983, the applicant broke into a family home, where he stabbed to death a man, his wife and their adult son. He then repeatedly raped their 18-year-old daughter, having first dragged her past her father's body” (at [10]). Yet the power to release life sentence prisoners on compassionate grounds under s. 30 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 has become the fig leaf covering a more fundamental disagreement between the domestic courts and the ECtHR: whether it is possible to commit offences of such gravity that, for the purposes of retribution and deterrence, a person must forfeit their right to liberty for the duration of their life.
Inaudible Visitors: Theories of sound reproduction in the studio practice of Pierre Schaeffer
Authors: de Lautour Reuben
Published: July 2017

In this article I explore the relationship of theories of sound reproduction formulated in the decades between the two world wars with the studio practice of Pierre Schaeffer. I argue that the 1920s–1930s was a period of significance for sound-based arts, and compare it to analogous defining moments in cinema and art photography. After examining the legacy of this period, I turn to one specific moment from Schaeffer’s early studio experiments with musique concrète in April 1948, showing how the theories of sound reproduction formed in the earlier time period informed practical decisions in Schaeffer’s working methods at a critical time when his ideas about the sound object were forming. Schaeffer’s studio practice and, to an extent, his theories of listening thus carry traces of this prior sonic culture. Considering the decisive influence of Schaeffer’s writings and teaching on later generations and developments in electroacoustic music, I speculate on the proliferation of these ideas beyond Schaeffer’s immediate circle, focusing in particular on soundscape composition. The title of this article is a reference to James Lastra’s ‘invisible auditor’, a term he coined to characterise the approach to sound reproduction discussed in this article (Lastra 2000: 159).
Early Computer Music Experiments in Australia and England
Authors: Doornbusch Paul
Published: July 2017

This article documents the early experiments in both Australia and England to make a computer play music. The experiments in England with the Ferranti Mark 1 and the Pilot ACE (practically undocumented at the writing of this article) and those in Australia with CSIRAC (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Automatic Computer) are the oldest known examples of using a computer to play music. Significantly, they occurred some six years before the experiments at Bell Labs in the USA. Furthermore, the computers played music in real time. These developments were important, and despite not directly leading to later highly significant developments such as those at Bell Labs under the direction of Max Mathews, these forward-thinking developments in England and Australia show a history of computing machines being used musically since the earliest development of those machines.1
DIALOGICAL TRANSCENDENCE AND HOPE
Authors: Nakajima Takahiro
Published: July 2017

“Japan has everything except hope.” This is a phrase that has become current to explain the social climate of contemporary Japan, such as the problems of bullying in schools and workplaces, the high suicide rate, people who have withdrawn from society, ethnic discrimination, and so on. These are not accidental problems, but historically and socially structured ones that have surfaced as expressions of the modern forms of individualism. They are not isolated phenomena found only in Japan, but may be seen as aspects of a broader crisis of global modernity. How can we transform this desperate, self-destructing social situation and find a sustainable future? This line of questioning is one of the crucial problems in this critically important book by Prasenjit Duara.
Measuring Individual Differences in Implicit Learning with Artificial	Grammar Learning Tasks
Authors: Danner Daniel , Hagemann Dirk , Funke Joachim
Published: July 2017

Abstract. Implicit learning can be defined as learning without intention or awareness. We discuss conceptually and investigate empirically how individual differences in implicit learning can be measured with artificial grammar learning (AGL) tasks. We address whether participants should be instructed to rate the grammaticality or the novelty of letter strings and look at the impact of a knowledge test on measurement quality. We discuss these issues from a conceptual perspective and report three experiments which suggest that (1) the reliability of AGL is moderate and too low for individual assessments, (2) a knowledge test decreases task consistency and increases the correlation with reportable grammar knowledge, and (3) performance in AGL tasks is independent from general intelligence and educational attainment.
Measuring the Zero-Risk Bias
Authors: Schneider Elisabeth , Streicher Bernhard , Lermer Eva , Sachs Rainer , Frey Dieter
Published: July 2017

Abstract. Uncertainty is a dynamic state that is perceived as discomforting and individuals are highly motivated to reduce these feelings. With regard to risky decision making, people tend to overweigh the value of certainty and opt for zero-risk solutions, even if this results in a less favorable outcome. This phenomenon is referred to as the zero-risk bias and it has been demonstrated in varying contexts and with different methods. However, there is a high variance in the emergence of the bias reported by the existing literature, leaving it unclear to what extent the bias was evoked by the method or whether other psychological factors influenced people’s decision making. Four studies were conducted in order to investigate methodological and situational factors on the bias, comparing its emergence within different task formats (questionnaires vs. behavioral tasks), decision types (forced choice vs. free resource allocation), and different decision domains. Results indicate that the zero-risk bias is persistent over different methods but highly sensitive to contextual factors: abstractness of the task, decision domain, and appropriateness of the zero-risk option. First, its emergence varied between the task formats, in that it was shown more often in abstract than in concrete tasks. Second, participants’ choice of zero-risk did not correlate between different tasks, indicating effects of decision domain. Third, a zero-risk strategy seemed to be appropriate for dividing risks on objects (lottery urns in a gambling task) but not on persons (in a health scenario). In the latter situation, aspects like fairness influenced choice. Future research is needed to explore the relation between these factors and identify their underlying mechanisms.
Redox-dependent substrate-cofactor interactions in the Michaelis-complex of a flavin-dependent oxidoreductase
Authors: Werther Tobias , Wahlefeld Stefan , Salewski Johannes , Kuhlmann Uwe , Zebger Ingo , Hildebrandt Peter , Dobbek Holger
Published: July 2017

How an enzyme activates its substrate for turnover is fundamental for catalysis but incompletely understood on a structural level. With redox enzymes one typically analyses structures of enzyme–substrate complexes in the unreactive oxidation state of the cofactor, assuming that the interaction between enzyme and substrate is independent of the cofactors oxidation state. Here, we investigate the Michaelis complex of the flavoenzyme xenobiotic reductase A with the reactive reduced cofactor bound to its substrates by X-ray crystallography and resonance Raman spectroscopy and compare it to the non-reactive oxidized Michaelis complex mimics. We find that substrates bind in different orientations to the oxidized and reduced flavin, in both cases flattening its structure. But only authentic Michaelis complexes display an unexpected rich vibrational band pattern uncovering a strong donor–acceptor complex between reduced flavin and substrate. This interaction likely activates the catalytic ground state of the reduced flavin, accelerating the reaction within a compressed cofactor–substrate complex.
Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Delphinium anthriscifolium var. majus
Authors: Shan Lian-Hai , Zhang Ji-Fa , Gao Feng , Huang Shuai , Zhou Xian-Li
Published: July 2017

Extensive phytochemical investigation on the whole herbs of Delphinium anthriscifolium var. majus led to the identification of fourteen diterpenoid alkaloids, including three new C20–diterpenoid alkaloids (anthriscifolsines A–C, 1–3), six new C19–diterpenoid alkaloids (anthriscifolrines A–F, 4–9), and five know compounds (10–14). Among them, anthriscifolsine A represents a novel C20–diterpenoid alkaloid characterized by a seco C–ring. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, including HR-ESI–MS, X–ray, and 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Bioactivity of compounds 3–6 was evaluated for their cytotoxicity against the MCF–7, HepG2 and H460 cancer cell lines.
Small RNA mediated repression of subtilisin production in Bacillus licheniformis
Authors: Hertel Robert , Meyerjürgens Sandra , Voigt Birgit , Liesegang Heiko , Volland Sonja
Published: July 2017

The species Bacillus licheniformis includes important strains that are used in industrial production processes. Currently the physiological model used to adapt these processes is based on the closely related model organism B. subtilis. In this study we found that both organisms reveal significant differences in the regulation of subtilisin, their main natural protease and a product of industrial fermentation processes. We identified and characterized a novel antisense sRNA AprAs, which represents an RNA based repressor of apr, the gene encoding for the industrial relevant subtilisin protease. Reduction of the AprAs level leads to an enhanced proteolytic activity and an increase of Apr protein expression in the mutant strain. A vector based complementation of the AprAs deficient mutant confirmed this effect and demonstrated the necessity of cis transcription for full efficiency. A comparative analysis of the corresponding genome loci from B. licheniformis and B. subtilis revealed the absence of an aprAs promoter in B. subtilis and indicates that AprAs is a B. licheniformis species specific phenomenon. The discovery of AprAs is of great biotechnological interest since subtilisin Carlsberg is one of the main products of industrial fermentation by B. licheniformis.
Plasma-derived exosome characterization reveals a distinct microRNA signature in long duration Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Garcia-Contreras Marta , Shah Sanket H. , Tamayo Alejandro , Robbins Paul D. , Golberg Ronald B. , Mendez Armando J. , Ricordi Camillo
Published: July 2017

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) results from an autoimmune attack against the insulin-producing ß cells which leads to chronic hyperglycemia. Exosomes are lipid vesicles derived from cellular multivesicular bodies that are enriched in specific miRNAs, potentially providing a disease-specific diagnostic signature. To assess the value of exosome miRNAs as biomarkers for T1DM, miRNA expression in plasma-derived exosomes was measured. Nanoparticle tracking analysis and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of plasma-derived exosomes (EXOs) isolated by differential centrifugation. Total RNA extracted from plasma-derived EXOs of 12 T1DM and 12 control subjects was hybridized onto Nanostring human v2 miRNA microarray array and expression data were analyzed on nSolver analysis software. We found 7 different miRNAs (1 up-regulated and 6 down-regulated), that were differentially expressed in T1DM. The selected candidate miRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR analysis of cohorts of 24 T1DM and 24 control subjects. Most of the deregulated miRNAs are involved in progression of T1DM. These findings highlight the potential of EXOs miRNA profiling in the diagnosis as well as new insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in T1DM.
Contingent sounds change the mental representation of one’s finger length
Authors: Tajadura-Jiménez Ana , Vakali Maria , Fairhurst Merle T. , Mandrigin Alisa , Bianchi-Berthouze Nadia , Deroy Ophelia
Published: July 2017

Mental body-representations are highly plastic and can be modified after brief exposure to unexpected sensory feedback. While the role of vision, touch and proprioception in shaping body-representations has been highlighted by many studies, the auditory influences on mental body-representations remain poorly understood. Changes in body-representations by the manipulation of natural sounds produced when one’s body impacts on surfaces have recently been evidenced. But will these changes also occur with non-naturalistic sounds, which provide no information about the impact produced by or on the body? Drawing on the well-documented capacity of dynamic changes in pitch to elicit impressions of motion along the vertical plane and of changes in object size, we asked participants to pull on their right index fingertip with their left hand while they were presented with brief sounds of rising, falling or constant pitches, and in the absence of visual information of their hands. Results show an “auditory Pinocchio” effect, with participants feeling and estimating their finger to be longer after the rising pitch condition. These results provide the first evidence that sounds that are not indicative of veridical movement, such as non-naturalistic sounds, can induce a Pinocchio-like change in body-representation when arbitrarily paired with a bodily action.
Mimicking Paracrine TGFβ1 Signals during Myofibroblast Differentiation in 3D Collagen Networks
Authors: Ansorge Michael , Sapudom Jiranuwat , Chkolnikov Marina , Wilde Martin , Anderegg Ulf , Möller Stephanie , Schnabelrauch Matthias , Pompe Tilo
Published: July 2017

TGFβ1 is a key regulator for induction of tissue remodeling after dermal wounding. We present a model of paracrine delivery of TGFβ1 for differentiation of dermal fibroblasts based on a fibrillar 3D collagen matrix and embedded TGFβ1 releasing microparticles. We found differentiation into myofibroblasts was achieved in a TGFβ1 dependent manner at much lower doses than systemic delivery. This effect is accounted to the slow and sustained TGFβ1 release mimicking paracrine cell signals.