bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deprotonation states of the two active site water molecules regulate the binding of protein phosphatase 5 with its substrate: A molecular dynamics study
Authors: Wang Lingyun , Yan Feng
Published: July 2017

Protein phosphatase 5 (PP5), mainly localized in human brain, can dephosphorylate tau protein whose high level of phosphorylation is related to Alzheimer's disease. Similar to other protein phosphatases, PP5 has a conserved motif in the catalytic domain that contains two binding sites for manganese (Mn2+) ions. Structural data indicate that two active site water molecules, one bridging the two Mn2+ ions and the other terminally coordinated with one of the Mn2+ ions (Mn1), are involved in catalysis. Recently, a density functional theory study revealed that the two water molecules can be both deprotonated to keep a neutral active site for catalysis. The theoretical study gives us an insight into the catalytic mechanism of PP5, but the knowledge of how the deprotonation states of the two water molecules affect the binding of PP5 with its substrate is still lacking. To approach this problem, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to model the four possible deprotonation states. Through structural, dynamical and energetic analyses, the results demonstrate that the deprotonation states of the two water molecules affect the structure of the active site including the distance between the two Mn2+ ions and their coordination, impact the interaction energy of residues R275, R400 and H304 which directly interact with the substrate phosphoserine, and mediate the dynamics of helix αJ which is involved in regulation of the enzyme's activity. Furthermore, the deprotonation state that is preferable for PP5 binding of its substrate has been identified. These findings could provide new design strategy for PP5 inhibitor.
Screening and structural and functional investigation of a novel ferritin from Phascolosoma esculenta
Authors: Ding Hongwei , Zhang Dijun , Chu Shuangshuang , Zhou Jun , Su Xiurong
Published: July 2017

Ferritins are primary iron storage proteins and play a crucial role in iron storage and detoxification. Yeast two‐hybrid method was employed to screen the cDNA library of Phascolosoma esculenta. Sequence of positive colony FER147 was analyzed. The higher similarity and conserved motifs for ferritin indicated that it belonged to a new member of ferritin family. The interaction between Ferritin and Fer147 was further confirmed through co‐immunoprecipitation. The pET‐28a‐FER147 prokaryotic expression vector was constructed. The expressed recombinant Fer147 was then isolated, purified, and refolded. When ferritins were treated by different heavy metals, several detection methods, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), circular dichroism (CD), and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) were applied to examine the structures and functions of the new protein Fer147, recombinant P. esculenta ferritin (Rferritin), and natural horse‐spleen ferritin (Hferritin). SEM revealed that the three ferritin aggregates changed obviously after different heavy metals treatment, meanwhile, a little different in aggregates were detected when the ferritins were trapped by the same heavy metal. Hence, changes in aggregation structure of the three proteins are related to the nature of the different heavy metals and the interaction between the heavy metals and the three ferritins. CD data suggested that the secondary structure of the three ferritins hardly changed after different heavy metals were trapped. ICP–MS revealed that the ferritins exhibit different enrichment capacities for various heavy metals. In particular, the enrichment capacity of the recombinant Fer147 and Rferritin is much higher than that of hferritin.
Explosion behavior of ammonia and ammonia/methane in oxygen‐enriched air
Authors: Di Sarli Valeria , Cammarota Francesco , Salzano Ernesto , Di Benedetto Almerinda
Published: July 2017

The effect of enriching air with oxygen on the explosion behavior of ammonia and ammonia/methane has been experimentally investigated in a closed 5‐l cylindrical vessel. Results have shown that for both ammonia and ammonia/methane, when moving from air to pure oxygen, a transition takes place from a normal deflagration behavior to one that near or at the end is accompanied by a combustion‐induced Rapid Phase Transition (cRPT) pressure pulse, an explosion mode characterized by strong oscillations in pressure time histories culminating in over‐adiabatic peaks (i.e., values of the peak pressure even higher than 400 bar and, thus, much higher than the thermodynamic value). On the basis of these findings under the experimental conditions applied in our tests, the occurrence of cRPT should be carefully considered in the development of industrial processes based on ammonia reactions in oxygen‐enriched atmosphere. For that, the phenomenon should be investigated in equipment of larger volume. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 36: 368–371, 2017
Time and Space in Strategy Discourse: Implications for Intertemporal Choice
Authors: Crilly Donal
Published: July 2017

Research summary: When describing the future, executives draw analogies between time and space (“we are on the right path,” “the deadline is approaching”). These analogies shape how executives construe the future and influence attitudes to action with long‐term benefits but short‐term costs. Ego‐moving frames (“we are approaching the future”) prompt a focus on the present, whereas time‐moving frames (“the future is approaching”) underscore the advent of the future as inevitable. Ultimately, action that prioritizes long‐term returns depends both on how executives conceive of the future and whether they believe they can engender favorable outcomes. This balance between recognizing the inevitability of the future (time‐moving frame) and the capacity to shape outcomes (control beliefs) stands in contrast to the more agentic forms of discourse that are dominant in strategy.

Managerial summary: Executives often prioritize maximizing immediate returns over investing to build a long‐term competitive advantage. How they think about the future offers one explanation for this short‐termism. This article distinguishes two ways of framing the future with implications for decision‐making. Are we approaching the future (the ego‐moving frame) or is it approaching us (the time‐moving frame)? As long as executives have confidence in their ability to achieve forecasted results, they focus on long‐term returns in their decision‐making when they recognize the advent of the future as inevitable (the time‐moving frame). In contrast, though executives use the ego‐moving frame to show that they are active agents, they weigh future returns less heavily when framing the future in this way. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Why do some Food Availability Policies Fail? A Simulation Approach to Understanding Food Production Systems in South‐east Africa
Authors: Gerber Andreas
Published: July 2017

Food production systems in south‐east Africa face a persistent puzzle: despite the implementation of numerous plausible food availability policies, the region's history is characterized by many cases of food production systems that have underperformed by not feeding the relevant population. This puzzle is addressed by investigating the dynamics of the region's food production systems. A theory‐based framework is proposed to describe the interaction of biological and socio‐economic processes that determine the availability of food calories. The framework is translated into a formal model and computer simulation used to analyse its dynamics in a population growth scenario together with different policy interventions. The results suggest three key concepts for understanding the performance of food production systems: stock management of soil organic matter, policy effort threshold and land use anticipation. These concepts constitute theoretical approaches to explaining how dynamic interactions can create the puzzle of potentially beneficial policies failing to provide enough food calories. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From Metaphor to Practice: Operationalizing the Analysis of Resilience Using System Dynamics Modelling
Authors: Herrera Hugo
Published: July 2017

This paper operationalizes an analysis of resilience for social‐ecological systems using system dynamics (SD) modelling. Resilience is a versatile concept that continues to gain popularity among researchers who study ways to reduce the vulnerability of social‐ecological systems to a wide range of disturbances. However, its application in the policymaking domain still remains underdeveloped because it is difficult to understand the mechanisms that might enhance resilience and to measure the impact of potential policies. This paper proposes to use SD modelling as a tool to analyse resilience using simulations to quantify system response to disturbances and a causal analysis to identify ways to influence this response. With this aim, this paper proposes a set of fundamental characteristics of resilient responses and describes how to measure them using the results produced by SD models. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis of octenylsuccinic‐anhydride‐modified cassava starch in supercritical carbon dioxide
Authors: Bai Jun , Xie Xinling , Li Xidu , Zhang Youquan
Published: July 2017

The aim of this work was to synthesize octenylsuccinic‐anhydride‐modified starch (OSAS) via esterification of cassava starch and octenylsuccinic anhydride (OSA) in supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO2). Using ScCO2 as the medium and hexamethylene as the co‐solvent, a reaction efficiency of 84.47% was obtained using 4 wt% OSA. The ester carbonyl groups were successfully introduced into the starch molecule, which was confirmed via FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. In the present study, ScCO2 was an excellent processing aid for the synthesis of OSAS because it could dissolve OSA, allowing the OSA to diffuse into the starch granules. This resulted in esterification occurring on the starch granule surface and in the interior of the starch granule, which led to an even distribution of the substituted groups in the starch granule. As a result, the esterification altered the morphology of the starch granules, and the relative crystallinity of the starch decreased from 36.66 to 30.99% compared to that of cassava starch. Additionally, the OSAS prepared in ScCO2 exhibited a lower gelatinization temperature and a higher peak paste viscosity than the products prepared using a dry method, which indicated that the OSAS prepared in ScCO2 can be used as an effective thickener.
Co‐production in climate change research: reviewing different perspectives
Authors: Bremer Scott , Meisch Simon
Published: July 2017

Notions of ‘co‐production’ are growing in popularity in social science and humanities research on climate change, although there is some ambiguity about the meanings of the term and how it is being used. It is time to critically and reflexively take stock of this expanding area of scholarship. A comprehensive review of over 130 scientific publications first mapped the scholars using co‐production, relative to characteristics like their discipline, nationality, and research themes. Second, it looked at how this diversity of scientific perspectives has opened up a multiplicity of meanings of co‐production. While most discussions of co‐production stop at a basic distinction between descriptive and normative uses of the term, this review unpacked eight conceptual lenses on co‐production, each discernible by its particular emphases, academic traditions, logic, and criteria of success. There are two important implications of this work. On one hand, it urges self‐reflexive transparency when using co‐production concepts. The multiple meanings attached to co‐production add richness to the concept and open it up to different uses. However, it is important that scholars clearly communicate how they use the term and are mindful of what they ‘buy into’ by using the concept in certain ways. On the other hand, there are tensions between the different perspectives as well as opportunities for combining them into a compound concept of co‐production. In this way, co‐production is reconceptualized as a prism, where each aspect allows different but complimentary insights on the relationship between science, society, and nature.WIREs Clim Change2017, 8:e482. doi: 10.1002/wcc.482

This article is categorized under:

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Knowledge and Practice
Post-stack Seismic Inversion and Attribute Analysis in Shallow Offshore of Krishna-Godavari Basin, India
Authors: Das Baisakhi , Chatterjee Rima , Singha Dip Kumar , Kumar Rajan
Published: July 2017

Seismic attributes such as: amplitude envelope, instantaneous phase and cosine of instantaneous phase of 2D post-stack seismic data facilitates structural and stratigraphic interpretation of shallow marine offshore, Krishna-Godavari basin. Two seismic sections namely, X and Y oriented N-S passing through wells W-1 and W-2 respectively are considered for seismic attribute analysis and porosity prediction. The gamma ray log trend indicates deposition of cleaning upward sediment. Coarsening upward, clayey-silty-sandy bodies, making a series of about 50-60 m thickness, have been evidenced from the gamma ray log. An extensional structural style comprising growth faults is associated with the progradational style of deposition. Four seismic zones have been distinguished. These zones differ in amplitude, frequency and continuity of the reflectors. Channel sands of Cretaceous age of Raghavapuram shale are identified in well log, seismic section and its acoustic impedance section. Major stratigraphic horizons along with faults extending to basement are marked with the help of attribute analysis. Porosity is mapped from transformation of acoustic impedance. The shales/unconsolidated sediments measure a high porosity with low impedance and the more porous sands are in an intermediate range. The predicted impedance and porosity values may be erroneous beyond the drilled depth because of non availability of well log data for calibration.
Risk Assessment of Metals from Groundwater in Northeast Rajasthan
Authors: Duggal Vikas , Rani Asha , Mehra Rohit , Balaram V.
Published: July 2017

The present study was conducted to investigate trace metal (Li, Be, B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As Se, Mo, Cd, Sb, Ba and Pb) concentrations of drinking water samples in northeast Rajasthan, India. Furthermore, the study aimed to ascertain carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks of metals by ingestion and dermal absorption pathways to the local residents. Metal concentrations were analyzed by using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and compared with permissible limits set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, United States Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization. The results indicate that the concentrations of Be, B, Al, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Sb and Ba were lower than their respective permissible limits, whereas the concentrations of Mn, Ni, Se, Cd and Pb in some samples were higher than their permissible limits. The total hazard index (summing the hazard index through ingestion and dermal routes) at all the sampling sites exceeded or nearing unity, indicating the presence of non-carcinogenic health effects from ingestion of water and dermal contact with water. The results indicate that the total excess lifetime cancer risk (considering both ingestion and dermal exposure pathways) of metals exposure was in accordance to the acceptable lifetime risks for carcinogens in drinking water (10−6–10−4). Both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were mainly attributed to the ingestion pathways.
Vaccination and autoimmune diseases: is prevention of adverse health effects on the horizon?
Authors: Vadalà Maria , Poddighe Dimitri , Laurino Carmen , Palmieri Beniamino
Published: July 2017

Autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes mellitus, affect about 5% of the worldwide population. In the last decade, reports have accumulated on various autoimmune disorders, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura, myopericarditis, primary ovarian failure, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), following vaccination. In this review, we discuss the possible underlying mechanisms of autoimmune reactions following vaccinations and review cases of autoimmune diseases that have been correlated with vaccination. Molecular mimicry and bystander activation are reported as possible mechanisms by which vaccines can cause autoimmune reactions. The individuals who might be susceptible to develop these reactions could be especially not only those with previous post-vaccination phenomena and those with allergies but also in individuals who are prone to develop autoimmune diseases, such as those with a family history of autoimmunity or with known autoantibodies, and the genetic predisposed individuals.

Further research is encouraged into the direct associations between vaccines and autoimmune conditions, and the biological mechanisms behind them.
Beyond Broken Bodies and Brains: A Mixed Methods Study of Mental Health and Life Transitions After Brain Injury
Authors: Glintborg Chalotte , Thomsen Ane S. , Hansen Tia G.B.
Published: July 2017

Purpose: Clients with an acquired brain injury (ABI) are at risk of mental health problems and it has been argued that transitions throughout the rehabilitation process are a challenge for rehabilitation practice; however, the link between transitions and psychosocial outcome has been under-researched. Therefore, this study aims to (1) investigate the status of clients with moderate or severe ABI two-year post-discharge on the following outcomes variables: Physical and cognitive function, depression, quality of life, civil and work status, (2) examine correlations between these outcomes and (3) explore through qualitative interviews the subjective experiences of individuals with ABI in order to increase our understanding of clients’ perspectives on this outcome and its relation to life transitions in a two-year period.

Method: 37 individuals aged 18–66 with moderate or severe ABI were interviewed two years after discharge. At this time, they also completed standard measures of depression (MDI), quality of life (WHOQOL-bref) and functional independence (FIM™). Historical data of their FIM™ status at discharge were obtained for comparison.

Results: We found psychological problems two years post-hospitalization, especially depression (35.1%) and decreased psychological QOL (61%). Analysis of interviews found six main factors perceived as important for psychosocial outcome: family relations, return to work, waiting lists, psychological support, fatigue and personal competences.

Conclusions: Clients’ status two years post-hospitalization is often characterized by psychological problems. Based on clients’ accounts, we found a connection between psychosocial outcome and life transition experiences and developed a model of factors that are perceived as helping and hindering positive outcome.
Clinical and therapeutic potential of protein kinase PKR in cancer and metabolism
Authors: Garcia-Ortega MB , Lopez GJ , Jimenez G , Garcia-Garcia JA , Conde V , Boulaiz H , Carrillo E , Perán M , Marchal JA , Garcia MA
Published: July 2017

The protein kinase R (PKR, also called EIF2AK2) is an interferon-inducible double-stranded RNA protein kinase with multiple effects on cells that plays an active part in the cellular response to numerous types of stress. PKR has been extensively studied and documented for its relevance as an antiviral agent and a cell growth regulator. Recently, the role of PKR related to metabolism, inflammatory processes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases has gained interest. In this review, we summarise and discuss the involvement of PKR in several cancer signalling pathways and the dual role that this kinase plays in cancer disease. We emphasise the importance of PKR as a molecular target for both conventional chemotherapeutics and emerging treatments based on novel drugs, and its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target for several pathologies. Finally, we discuss the impact that the recent knowledge regarding PKR involvement in metabolism has in our understanding of the complex processes of cancer and metabolism pathologies, highlighting the translational research establishing the clinical and therapeutic potential of this pleiotropic kinase.
Statistical analysis of dental variation in the Oligocene equidMiohippus(Mammalia, Perissodactyla) of Oregon
Authors: Famoso Nicholas A.
Published: July 2017

As many as eight species of the “anchitherine” equidMiohippushave been identified from the John Day Formation of Oregon, but no statistical analysis of variation in these horses has yet been conducted to determine if that level of diversity is warranted. Variation of the anterior-posterior length and transverse width of upper and lower teeth of Turtle Cove MemberMiohippuswas compared to that ofM.equinanus,Mesohippus bairdii,Equus quagga, andTapirus terrestrisusingttests of their coefficients of variation (V). None of thettests are significant, indicating that the variation seen in Turtle CoveMiohippusis not significantly different from any of the populations of other perissodactyls examined in this study. Data also indicate thatMesohippusis present in the Turtle Cove Member. Additionally, hypostyle condition, used to diagnose all species ofMiohippus, was found to be related to stage of wear using an ordered logistic regression. Only two species of equid, oneMiohippusand oneMesohippus, in the Turtle Cove Member can be identified, therefore onlyMiohippus annectens, the genotype and first species described from the region, can be recognized as the soleMiohippusspecies known from the Turtle Cove assemblage. There are insufficient data to determine which species ofMesohippusis present. The dependence of hypostyle condition on crown height inMiohippusimplies that wear stage must also be considered in investigations of dental morphology in the “Anchitheriinae.”
On the Formation of the First Quasars
Authors: Valiante Rosa , Agarwal Bhaskar , Habouzit Melanie , Pezzulli Edwige
Published: July 2017

Observations of the most luminous quasars at redshiftz> 6 reveal the existence of numerous supermasssive black holes (>199M⊙) already in place about 12 billion years ago. In addition, the interstellar medium of the galaxies hosting these black holes are observed to be chemically mature systems, with metallicities (Z> Z⊙) and dust masses (>108M⊙) similar to that of more evolved, local galaxies. The connection between the rapid growth of the first supermassive black holes and the fast chemical evolution of the host galaxy is one of the most puzzling issues for theoretical models. Here, we review state-of-the-art theoretical models that focus on this problem with particular emphasis on the conditions that lead to the formation of quasar seeds and their subsequent evolution atz⩾ 6.
DEATH BY COMBAT AT THE DAWN OF THE BRONZE AGE? PROFILING THE DAGGER-ACCOMPANIED BURIAL FROM RACTON, WEST SUSSEX
Authors: Needham Stuart , Kenny James , Cole Garrard , Montgomery Janet , Jay Mandy , Davis Mary , Marshall Peter
Published: July 2017

A previously unresearched Early Bronze Age dagger-grave found in 1989 at Racton, West Sussex, is profiled here through a range of studies. The dagger, the only grave accompaniment, is of the ‘transitional’ Ferry Fryston type, this example being of bronze rather than copper. Bayesian analysis of relevant radiocarbon dates is used to refine the chronology of the earliest bronze in Britain. While the Ferry Fryston type was current in the earlier half of the twenty-second centurybc, the first butt-riveted bronze daggers did not emerge until the second half. The Racton dagger is also distinguished by its elaborate rivet-studded hilt, an insular innovation with few parallels.

The excavated skeleton was that of a senior male, buried according to the appropriate rites of the time. Isotopic profiling shows an animal-protein rich diet that is typical for the period, but also the likelihood that he was brought up in a region of older silicate sedimentary rocks well to the west or north west of Racton. He had suffered injury at or close to the time of death; a slice through the distal end of his left humerus would have been caused by a fine-edged blade, probably a dagger. Death as a result of combat-contested leadership is explored in the light of other injuries documented among Early Bronze Age burials. Codified elite-level combat could help to explain the apparent incongruity between the limited efficacy of early dagger forms and their evident weapon-status.
Tuberculous otitis media: a resurgence?
Authors: Kameswaran M , Natarajan K , Parthiban M , Krishnan P V , Raghunandhan S
Published: July 2017

Objective:

Tuberculosis is a global health problem that is especially prevalent in developing countries such as India. Recently, atypical presentation has become more common and a high index of suspicion is essential. This study analysed the various presenting symptoms and signs of tuberculous otitis media and the role of diagnostic tests, with the aim of formulating criteria for the diagnosis.

Methods:

A total of 502 patients underwent tympanomastoidectomy over a two-year period. Microbiological and histopathological examinations and polymerase chain reaction analysis of tissue taken during tympanomastoidectomy were performed.

Results:

A total of 25 patients (5 per cent) were diagnosed with tuberculous otitis media. Severe mixed hearing loss, facial palsy, labyrinthine fistula, post-aural fistula, perichondritis and extradural abscess were noted.

Conclusion:

There seems to be a resurgence in tuberculous otitis media in India. Microbiological, histopathological and polymerase chain reaction tests for tuberculosis are helpful for its diagnosis.
Cytogenetic study on the invasive species Gmelinoides fasciatus in the ecosystem of the Gulf of Finland
Authors: Barabanova Larisa , Galkina Svetlana , Mikhailova Elena
Published: July 2017

The amphipod Gmelinoides fasciatus from Lake Baikal is an example of a species being introduced into a number of water bodies in Russia, including the water system of North-west Russia, to expand food reserves of commercial fish. The interest in this crustacean has been attributed to its successful adaptation and expanding habitat area in the region. In order to assess the role of genetic mechanisms in adaptation to new conditions the frequency of chromosomal aberrations (ChA) at anaphase and telophase stages of mitosis in G. fasciatus embryos from six local populations of Lake Baikal and two invasive populations of the Gulf of Finland, originating from natural habitats were studied in two sequential years. The average level of ChA varied slightly between 0.95% in the samples collected in Lake Baikal and 2.9% in those from the Gulf of Finland. A significant increase in the frequency of ChA was found at two sites in Lake Baikal in 2015 and at two locations in the Gulf of Finland in 2016. First information on G. fasciatus chromosome number and constitution acquired by means of molecular cytogenetic techniques is presented and discussed. The results enable us to suggest this amphipod as a sensitive model to study possible mechanisms of biological adaptation and at the same time as a natural bioindicator of the environmental state.
OPTIMAL FISCAL AND MONETARY POLICY, DEBT CRISIS, AND MANAGEMENT
Authors: Cantore Cristiano , Levine Paul , Melina Giovanni , Pearlman Joseph
Published: July 2017

The initial government debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio and the government's commitment play a pivotal role in determining the welfare-optimal speed of fiscal consolidation in the management of a debt crisis. Under commitment, for low or moderate initial government debt-to-GDP ratios, the optimal consolidation is very slow. A faster pace is optimal when the economy starts from a high level of public debt implying high sovereign risk premia, unless these are suppressed via a bailout by official creditors. Under discretion, the cost of not being able to commit is reflected into a quick consolidation of government debt. Simple monetary–fiscal rules with passive fiscal policy, designed for an environment with “normal shocks,” perform reasonably well in mimicking the Ramsey-optimal response to one-off government debt shocks. When the government can issue also long-term bonds—under commitment—the optimal debt consolidation pace is slower than in the case of short-term bonds only, and entails an increase in the ratio between long- and short-term bonds.
EQUILIBRIUM INDETERMINACY IN ONE-SECTOR SMALL OPEN ECONOMIES: THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR MIGRATION
Authors: Parello Carmelo P.
Published: July 2017

This paper presents a Ramsey-like dynamic small open economy with endogenous labor migration. In the model, the domestic economy is free to borrow or lend as much as it wants at the given world interest rate, and individuals are supposed to be free to move from a country to another in response to the emergence of a wage differential between countries. Our analysis can be ideally split in two parts. Initially, we propose a baseline model in which only natives are allowed to save and invest in capital assets and traded bonds, whereas immigrants are credit constrained. Next, we provide an extension in which all individuals, including immigrants, have full access to international financial markets. We find that the steady state is always local indeterminate, and that the adjustment dynamics of the competitive equilibrium is dependent upon the initial level of the immigration ratio.
IMMIGRATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS: CAN HIGH IMMIGRANT FERTILITY EXPLAIN VOTER SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRATION?
Authors: Bohn Henning , Lopez-Velasco Armando R.
Published: July 2017

First generation immigrants to the United States have higher fertility rates than natives. This paper analyzes to what extent this factor provides political support for immigration, using an overlapping generation model with production and capital accumulation. In this setting, immigration represents a dynamic trade-off for native workers as more immigrants decrease current wages but increase the future return on their savings. We find that immigrant fertility has surprisingly strong effects on voter incentives, especially when there is persistence in the political process. If fertility rates are sufficiently high, native workers support immigration. Persistence, either due to inertia induced by frictions in the legal system or through expectational linkages, significantly magnifies the effects. Entry of immigrants with high fertility has redistributive impacts across generations similar to pay-as-you-go social security: initial generations are net winners, whereas later generations are net losers.
Identifying dietary differences between Scotland and England: a rapid review of the literature
Authors: Chambers Stephanie , Barton Karen L , Albani Viviana , Anderson Annie S , Wrieden Wendy L
Published: July 2017

Objective

Rates of premature mortality have been higher in Scotland than in England since the 1970s. Given the known association of diet with chronic disease, the study objective was to identify and synthesise evidence on current and historical differences in food and nutrient intakes in Scotland and England.

Design

A rapid review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature was carried out. After an initial scoping search, Medline, CINAHL, Embase and Web of Science were searched. Relevant grey literature was also included. Inclusion criteria were: any date; measures of dietary intake; representative populations; cross-sectional or observational cohort studies; and English-language publications. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-sectional Studies. A narrative synthesis of extracted information was conducted.

Results

Fifty publications and reports were included in the review. Results indicated that children and adults in Scotland had lower intakes of vegetables and vitamins compared with those living in England. Higher intakes of salt in Scotland were also identified. Data were limited by small Scottish samples, difficulty in finding England-level data, lack of statistical testing and adjustment for key confounders.

Conclusions

Further investigation of adequately powered and analysed surveys is required to examine more fully dietary differences between Scotland and England. This would provide greater insight into potential causes of excess mortality in Scotland compared with England and suitable policy recommendations to address these inequalities.
A combined high-sugar and high-saturated-fat dietary pattern is associated with more depressive symptoms in a multi-ethnic population: the HELIUS (Healthy Life in an Urban Setting) study
Authors: Vermeulen Esther , Stronks Karien , Snijder Marieke B , Schene Aart H , Lok Anja , de Vries Jeanne H , Visser Marjolein , Brouwer Ingeborg A , Nicolaou Mary
Published: July 2017

Objective

To identify a high-sugar (HS) dietary pattern, a high-saturated-fat (HF) dietary pattern and a combined high-sugar and high-saturated-fat (HSHF) dietary pattern and to explore if these dietary patterns are associated with depressive symptoms.

Design

We used data from the HELIUS (Healthy Life in an Urban Setting) study and included 4969 individuals aged 18–70 years. Diet was assessed using four ethnic-specific FFQ. Dietary patterns were derived using reduced rank regression with mono- and disaccharides, saturated fat and total fat as response variables. The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms by using continuous scores and depressed mood (identified using the cut-off point: PHQ-9 sum score ≥10).

Setting

The Netherlands.

Results

Three dietary patterns were identified; an HSHF dietary pattern (including chocolates, red meat, added sugars, high-fat dairy products, fried foods, creamy sauces), an HS dietary pattern (including sugar-sweetened beverages, added sugars, fruit (juices)) and an HF dietary pattern (including high-fat dairy products, butter). When comparing extreme quartiles, consumption of an HSHF dietary pattern was associated with more depressive symptoms (Q1v. Q4:β=0·18, 95 % CI 0·07, 0·30,P=0·001) and with higher odds of depressed mood (Q1v. Q4: OR=2·36, 95 % CI 1·19, 4·66,P=0·014). No associations were found between consumption of the remaining dietary patterns and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Higher consumption of an HSHF dietary pattern is associated with more depressive symptoms and with depressed mood. Our findings reinforce the idea that the focus should be on dietary patterns that are high in both sugar and saturated fat.
The association between food insecurity and academic achievement in Canadian school-aged children
Authors: Faught Erin L , Williams Patty L , Willows Noreen D , Asbridge Mark , Veugelers Paul J
Published: July 2017

Objective

Education is a crucial social determinant of health. Food insecurity can be detrimental to children’s academic achievement, potentially perpetuating a cycle of poverty and food insecurity. We aimed to assess the relationship between food insecurity and academic achievement in Canadian school-aged children.

Design

Cross-sectional study of children and parents. Parents completed the short-form Household Food Security Survey Module and questions about income and education level (socio-economic status). Children completed FFQ. Data were prospectively linked to children’s performance on standardized exams written one year later. Mixed-effect logistic regression was employed to assess the relationship between food insecurity and likelihood of meeting academic expectations adjusting for socio-economic status, diet quality and potential confounders.

Setting

Nova Scotia, Canada in 2011–2012.

Subjects

Students (n4105) in grade 5 (10–11 years; 2167 girls) and their parents.

Results

Low food security was reported by 9·8 % of households; very low food security by 7·1 % of households. Students from low-income households and reporting poor diet quality were less likely to do well in school. Children who lived in households reporting very low food security had 0·65 times the odds (OR=0·65; 95 % CI 0·44, 0·96) of meeting expectations for reading and 0·62 times the odds (OR=0·62; 95 % CI 0·45, 0·86) of meeting expectations for mathematics.

Conclusions

Very low household insecurity is associated with poor academic achievement among children in Nova Scotia.
Health and well-being promotion strategies for ‘hard to reach’ older people in England: a mapping exercise
Authors: Iliffe Steve , Walters Kate , Manthorpe Jill , Goodman Claire , Kharicha Kalpa
Published: July 2017

Background

Older people from deprived areas, the oldest old and those from ethnic minorities engage less in health promotion interventions and related research, potentially generating inequities.

Aim

To explore and map the extent to which such ‘hard to reach’ groups of older people, are the focus of local health and well-being strategies in England.

Methods

Document analysis of current health and well-being promotion strategies in a purposive sample of 10 localities in England with high proportions of some or all of the three hard to reach groups. Documents were analysed using an interpretive approach.

Findings

A total of 254 documents were retrieved and reviewed. Much of the content of the documents was descriptive and reported the implications for resources/services of population ageing rather than actual initiatives. All localities had an Older People’s Strategy. Strategies to counter deprivation included redistribution of winter fuel payments, income maximisation, debt reduction and social inclusion initiatives, a focus on older owner occupiers and recruitment of village ‘agents’ to counter rural deprivation. The needs of the oldest old were served by integrated services for older people, a community alarm service with total coverage of the 85+ population, and dietary advice. The needs of black and minority ethnic (BME) older people were discussed in all localities and responses included community work with BME groups, attention to housing needs and monitoring of service use by BME older people. Three other themes that emerged were: use of telecare technologies; a challenge to the idea of ‘hard to reach’ groups; and outreach services to those at most risk.

Conclusions

Document analysis revealed a range of policy statements that may indicate tailoring of policy and practice to local conditions, the salience of national priorities, some innovative local responses to policy challenges and even dissenting views that seek to redefine the policy problem.
Determinants of Comparative Advantage in GMO Intensive Industries
Authors: SMITH PAMELA J. , JAMIYANSUREN BOLORMAA , KITSUKI AKINORI , YANG JOOYOUNG , LEE JAESEOK
Published: July 2017

This paper examines the supply-side determinants of international trade in crops that are intensive in genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The theoretical framework is a variant of the Heckscher–Ohlin model, which we estimate using cross-country data for 1995 and 2010 to examine soybeans, maize, and cotton trade. The data include measures of country land endowments, which we disaggregate into GMO and non-GMO components, as well as recently released measures of GMO regulations. Findings show land endowments are a primary source of comparative advantage in GMO intensive industries before and after the advent of GMOs. Further, an increase in a country's allocation of land to GMO crops has a positive effect on her net exports in GMO intensive industries. This positive effect occurs both across countries and time. Finally, a country's GMO regulations have a negligible effect as a supply-side determinant of comparative advantage. However, a country's decision about whether to adopt GMO technologies does matter to trade. These findings are robust with respect to a variety of considerations.
Critical Mass Agreements: The Proven Template for Trade Liberalization in the WTO
Authors: WINSLETT GARY
Published: July 2017

The expansion of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) in 2015 was the most successful attempt at trade liberalization under the auspices of the WTO since its inception in 1995. Its success makes it a template for other trade liberalization efforts. In this article, I explain how the ITA expansion came to pass and explicate the contours of the template it provides. I highlight four factors that were crucial to the ITA expansion's successful completion: a narrower scope without a single undertaking approach, a negotiating group that contained many but not all WTO members, a focus on tariffs rather than non-tariff barriers, and avoiding a nationalistic opposition. I conclude by discussing what lessons these factors and the ITA expansion suggest for other ongoing trade negotiations such as the Environmental Goods Agreements (EGA).
Due Process and the Iraq Sanctions: A Response to Devika Hovell
Authors: Gordon Joy
Published: July 2017

Devika Hovell raises deeply significant questions about the role of due process in the legitimacy of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Hovell gives us a fine-grained analysis of what exactly makes due process so compelling; in her approach, the reasons why it is compelling will vary in different contexts, depending upon the particular value and function it serves. In particular, she discusses three ways of articulating the values underlying due process, and the models of due process that would follow from each. She then discusses how her analysis would play out in two situations: The Council’s use of asset freezes, and the role of the UN in the cholera epidemic in Haiti. In her case studies, she looks at situations where due process has been insufficient, and discusses some of the UN’s attempts to remedy this, and the organizational difficulties in doing so.
The Presumption Against Extraterritoriality in Two Steps
Authors: Dodge William S.
Published: July 2017

For the past twenty-five years, the presumption against extraterritoriality has been the Supreme Court’s principal tool for determining the geographic scope of federal statutes. In 2010, Morrison v. National Australia Bank used the presumption to decide the scope of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act, which prohibits securities fraud. Morrison approached the question in two steps. First, it looked for a “clear indication of extraterritoriality” to rebut the presumption and found none. Second, it looked to see if application of the statute would be domestic or extraterritorial by examining the “focus” of the provision. Plaintiffs argued that applying Section 10(b) would be domestic because the alleged fraud occurred in the United States, although they had bought their shares in Australia. The Court disagreed, holding that application of Section 10(b) would be extraterritorial because “the focus of the Exchange Act is not upon the place where the deception originated, but upon purchases and sales of securities in the United States,” and in this case the transaction occurred abroad.
Sykes-Picot and “Artificial” States
Authors: Bâli Aslı
Published: July 2017

A century after they met to conclude a secret agreement dividing Ottoman territories into British and French zones of influence, Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot have been back in the news. Images of an ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) bulldozer rolling over a small section of the frontier between Syria and Iraq in order to destroy the “Sykes-Picot” border shone a spotlight on the agreement. Western commentators reflecting on the centenary of the agreement have tended to share the view that colonial borders bear a share of responsibility for the ills of the region. The underlying argument is that the “artificial” boundaries drawn by European colonial powers produced faultlines that have driven subsequent conflicts.
The Sykes-Picot Agreement’s Regional Moment: Drawing Lines of Development in a New and Open Space
Authors: Loevy Karin
Published: July 2017

What was the geopolitical scale of the Sykes-Picot agreement (May 1916)? What did the British and French mid-level officials who drew lines on its maps imagine as the territorial scope of their negotiations? This essay claims that the Sykes-Picot agreement cannot be understood strictly as the beginning of a story about territorial division in the Middle East, but also as an end of a story of perceived regional potency. Rather than a blueprint for what would later become the postwar division of the region into artificially created independent states, the Sykes-Picot agreement was still based on a powerful vision of a broad region that is open for a range of developmental possibilities. This forgotten regional aspect of the Middle East’s colonial history should be revisited today in view of the disintegration of its more obvious legacies. Perhaps the significance of the Sykes Picot agreement is not strictly the enduring impact of its “lines in the sand” but rather the light it sheds on the roots of a more regional oriented system.
Globalizing Justice, Homogenizing Sexual Violence: The Legacy of the ICTY and ICTR in terms of Sexual Violence
Authors: Bluen Kelly-Jo
Published: July 2017

In their contribution to the AJIL Symposium, Robinson and MacNeil remark that a prolific legacy of the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) is that “it is now commonsense that rape is and must be a war crime.” This line distills the complexity of the legacies of the tribunals regarding sexual and gender-based violence. On the one hand, it articulates the critical role of the tribunals in cementing the idea that sexual violence, hitherto largely relegated to indifference in international criminal law and policy frameworks, is worthy of international attention. Simultaneously, it encapsulates the ways in which the tribunals’ jurisprudence has been received globally to narrate a narrow conception of conflict-related sexual violence as a “weapon of war” or committed as part of “strategic” conflict-related goals. In fact, there is little that constitutes common sense about sexual violence in conflict, nor is it always, or even most predominantly, committed as a war crime, crime against humanity,or in pursuit of genocide as envisaged by international criminal law. Various studies suggest that sexual violence in war takes many forms and causalities with differentiation across and within conflict contexts.