bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Temporary Constitutional Amendments as a Means to Undermine the Democratic Order: Insights from the Israeli Experience
Authors: Dishon Nadav 
Published: October 2018

This article focuses on the adoption of temporary measures within the generally rigid constitutional sphere. Commentators frequently contemplate the extent to which temporary constitutional measures are adequate and necessary within a constitution that is meant to be perpetuated. Some writers are in favour of temporary constitutionalism, claiming that it allows flexibility and relieves the counter-majoritarian problem. Others emphasise the devastating impact of intense implementation of temporary measures on the status and legitimacy of the constitution.The article contends that as beneficial as temporary constitutionalism may be in some circumstances, its use should be scrutinised with great suspicion, especially when it is employed in weak constitutional regimes. In outlining the history of temporary constitutionalism in the State of Israel, the article illustrates how temporary constitutional amendments can be harnessed to undermine the democratic order. The Israeli use of temporary constitutionalism since 2009 reveals a new under-explored manifestation of ‘abusive constitutionalism’, referred to here as ‘abusive temporary constitutionalism’. With abusive temporary constitutionalism, incumbents can entrench their power against their opponents while avoiding both public accountability and judicial review of their actions. Drawing on the Israeli experience, the article outlines several signifiers (i.e. distinctive markers) which will allow judges in the future to monitor and suppress the development of the abusive employment of temporary constitutional amendments.
The medium-term effect of natural compost on the spectroscopic properties of humic acids of Czech soils
Authors: Enev V. , Doskočil L. , Kubíková L. , Klučáková M. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIn the current work, humic acids (HAs) isolated from natural compost and unamended and amended soils in a medium-time field experiment were characterized to evaluate the effects of the amendment at rates of 124, 239 and 478 t/ha on their chemical, compositional and structural features. The impact of the application of compost on their properties was observed over 3 years. Humic acids were characterized using spectral methods and elemental analysis. Humic acid isolated from compost was predominantly aliphatic, with a larger content of nitrogen and low degree of aromaticity and humification. The typical maximum (280/345 nm) of HA obtained from compost lies within the T (tryptophan-like) region, which can be ascribed to proteinaceous organic materials. On the other hand, the HAs obtained from amended soil were mainly aromatic in character, with a larger distribution of oxygen-containing functional groups, molecular weight and greater aromaticity. Fluorophores of HAs obtained from amended soil lie within the C (humic-like) region with typical maxima centred in the range 430–450/500–540 nm, occurring usually in HAs isolated from soil, peat and lignite. According to ultra-violet/visible and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, the larger oxygen contents of these HAs are associated with the substitution of aromatic rings by oxygen-containing functional groups such as carboxylic, hydroxyls and ethers. On the basis of FTIR spectra, it was shown that HAs obtained from amended soil 2 and 3 years after compost application were enriched by peptid, aromatic and polysaccharide compounds absorbing at 1540, 1515 and 1040/cm, respectively.
Shedding of Angiostrongylus costaricensis larvae in the faeces of Swiss mice experimentally infected with different infective doses
Authors: Hermes C.C. , Benvegnú E. , Costa M.M. , Rodriguez R. , Vieira M.I.B. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAbdominal angiostrongyliasis is an endemic zoonosis in southern Brazil caused by the nematode Angiostrongylus costaricensis, which uses terrestrial molluscs as intermediate hosts and wild rodents as final hosts. Humans can be infected by ingesting infectious A. costaricensis larvae. To date, correlations between shedding of first-stage larvae (L1) and different infective doses of third-stage larvae (L3) have not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to assess L1 faecal shedding levels in Swiss mice experimentally infected with different doses of A. costaricensis L3 and to determine whether infective doses are related to mortality. Thirty-two male Swiss mice were divided evenly into a non-infected control (NI-Con); low-dose infection (LD-Inf); medium-dose infection (MD-Inf) and high-dose infection (HD-Inf) groups infected with 0, 5, 15 and 30 A. costaricensis L3, respectively. Faecal samples were collected from each animal, starting at day 20 post infection. HD-Inf mice had greater faecal L1 shedding levels than LD-Inf mice, but not a significantly shortened survival. In conclusion, infective doses of A. costaricensis L3 affect L1 shedding levels without altering mortality in Swiss mice.
In situlong-term monitoring of cardiac activity of two bivalve species from the White Sea, the blue musselMytilus edulisand horse musselModiolus modiolus
Authors: Bakhmet Igor N. , Sazhin Andrey , Maximovich Nikolay , Ekimov Dmitry 
Published: October 2018

AbstractCardiac activity of two White Sea Bivalvia species –Mytilus edulisandModiolus modiolus– was monitoredin situfor one full calendar year every 4 days. During the year, we also assessed the temperature and salinity of the ambient seawater (at intervals of 1 min), measured phytoplankton concentration (every 4 days) and checked the reproductive status of the molluscs (every 2 weeks). Our field study showed a significant linear correlation between the molluscs’ heart rates and the temperature of the ambient seawater. However, during specific periods of the year, we observed that phytoplankton composition or reproductive status became the dominant influence over cardiac activity. Phytoplankton concentrations were generally found to be low throughout the entire year, but two peak periods of drastically elevated phytoplankton concentration were found (April and May), and during April the peak heart rates of the blue mussels significantly increased. Spawning time took place in the middle of June, and at this time the cardiac activity of the molluscs did not change in spite of a 4°C temperature increase in the ambient seawater. Monitoring of the heart rates of the real intertidal blue mussels (animals located at the middle part of intertidal) revealed periodic fluctuations in cardiac activity that correlated strongly with tidal fluctuations. Cardiac activity inM. modioluswas significantly lower than inM. edulisfrom 9 May to 25 November. On the basis of our data, we concluded that the molluscs’ cardiac activity can serve not only as an indicator of the animals’ physiological conditions, but also as an indicator of changes in ambient factors.
Relationships of phosphorus concentration in reproductive organs with soil phosphorus availability for tropical rain-forest trees on Mount Kinabalu, Borneo
Authors: Tsujii Yuki , Kitayama Kanehiro 
Published: October 2018

Abstract:Bornean rain forests on phosphorus (P)-poor soils exhibit a high P-use efficiency in the production of reproductive organs (i.e. the inverse of P concentration in reproductive-organ litter). The mechanism underpinning this high P-use efficiency is not known, but is hypothesized to result from dilution of P in a given type of reproductive organ and/or a shift of the community composition of flower/fruit types with decreasing P availability. These hypotheses were tested using eight forests with different soil P availabilities on Mount Kinabalu, Borneo. Mean P concentration per forest by genus in inflorescences was significantly positively correlated with P availability, while that in seeds or pericarps was not significantly correlated. This trend was consistent across 21 genera that we analysed, suggesting that P concentration in seeds is maintained in exchange with the dilution of P in inflorescences. The composition of fruit types in tree community was estimated based on the relative abundances of genera in each forest. The relative abundance of capsulate species, which required less P in pericarps, tended to increase in tree community with decreasing P availability. Therefore, both mechanisms were involved in P-use efficiency. This work provides an insight into the reproductive adaptation of trees to P deficiency.
The development and evaluation of the Depth and Duration of Awareness Coding Scheme (D-DACS)
Authors: Higginson Sally , Mansell Warren 
Published: October 2018

AbstractRecent advances in transdiagnostic cognitive therapy such as Method of Levels therapy have utilized perceptual control theory (PCT). The current study reports the development and preliminary investigations of the psychometric properties of a newly developed coding scheme – the Depth and Duration of Awareness Coding Scheme (D-DACS) – which utilizes PCT to code a client's awareness of their present moment experiences, counterproductive strategies (arbitrary control), goal conflict and higher-level goals. Fifty participants’ first therapy sessions were coded according to the D-DACS. For the purposes of inter-rater reliability analysis, 25% of sessions were co-coded and inter-rater reliability of the D-DACS was found to fall in the good range. Findings for the convergent validity of the D-DACS were mixed with the finding of a significant association between the D-DACS primary indices and a more global and subjective index of awareness as measured by the D-DACS, but a lack of association between the D-DACS primary indices and self-report measures that were somewhat conceptually related. Support for the predictive validity of the D-DACS primary indices in relation to the prediction of change in symptoms for a subset of the sample who returned for a second session (n = 35) was not found. Limitations to the D-DACS as it stands and to the current study are discussed. Considerations for future research that address such limitations are also discussed.
Anisotropic Physical Properties of Mafic and Ultramafic Rocks From an Oceanic Core Complex
Authors: Bayrakci G. , Falcon‐Suarez I. H. , Minshull T. A. , North L. , Barker A. , Zihlmann B. , Rouméjon S. , Best A. I. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWe analyzed the physical properties of altered mafic and ultramafic rocks drilled at the Atlantis Massif (Mid‐Atlantic Ridge, 30°N; Integrated Ocean Discovery Program Expeditions 304‐305 and 357). Our objective was to find a physical property that allows direct distinction between these lithologies using remote geophysical methods. Our data set includes the density, the porosity,PandSwave velocities, the electrical resistivity, and the permeability of mafic and ultramafic samples under shallow subsurface conditions (confining pressure up to 50 MPa equivalent to ~2‐km depth). In shallow subsurface conditions, mafic and ultramafic samples showed distinct differences in the density, the seismic wave velocities, and the electrical resistivity (mafic samples: 2,840 to 2,860 kg/m3, 5.92 to 6.70 km/s, and 60 to 221 Ω m; ultramafic samples: 2,370 to 2,790 kg/m3, 3.36 and 3.62 km/s, and 8 to 44 Ω m). However, we observed an overlap between physical properties of mafic and ultramafic rocks when we compared our measurements with those acquired from similar environments. The anisotropic homogeneous electrical resistivity inversion shows transverse isotropy symmetry, which is typical of a foliated microstructure. In both the inversion results and the thin sections, the direction of high resistivity axes of ultramafic rock samples is systematically perpendicular to the equivalent axes in mafic rock samples analyzed in this study. Our sample scale study suggests that electrical resistivity anisotropy may allow us to distinguish mafic and ultramafic lithologies via controlled source electromagnetic surveys. When surface conduction is negligible, the electrical resistivity can be used as proxy for permeability.
Simulating the 128‐ka Antarctic Climate Response to Northern Hemisphere Ice Sheet Melting Using the Isotope‐Enabled HadCM3
Authors: Holloway Max D. , Sime Louise C. , Singarayer Joy S. , Tindall Julia C. , Valdes Paul J. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWarmer than present Antarctic and Southern Ocean temperatures during the last interglacial, approximately 128,000 years ago, have been attributed to changes in north‐south ocean heat transport, causing opposing hemispheric temperature anomalies. We investigate the magnitude of Antarctic warming and Antarctic ice core isotopic enrichment in response to Northern Hemisphere meltwater input during the early last interglacial. A 1,600‐year HadCM3 simulation driven by 0.25 Sv of meltwater input reproduces 50–60% of the peak Southern Ocean summer sea surface temperature anomaly, sea ice retreat, and ice core isotope enrichment. We also find a robust increase in the proportion of cold season precipitation during the last interglacial, leading to lower isotopic values at the Antarctic ice core sites. These results suggest that a HadCM3 simulation including 0.25 Sv for 3,000–4,000 years would reconcile the last interglacial observations, providing a potential solution for the last interglacial missing heat problem.
Distinct Influences of Land Cover and Land Management on Seasonal Climate
Authors: Singh Deepti , McDermid Sonali P. , Cook Benjamin I. , Puma Michael J. , Nazarenko Larissa , Kelley Maxwell 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAnthropogenic land use and land cover change is primarily represented in climate model simulations through prescribed transitions from natural vegetation to cropland or pasture. However, recent studies have demonstrated that land management practices, especially irrigation, have distinct climate impacts. Here we disentangle the seasonal climate impacts of land cover change and irrigation across areas of high agricultural intensity using climate simulations with three different land surface scenarios: (1) natural vegetation cover/no irrigation, (2) year 2000 crop cover/no irrigation, and (3) year 2000 crop cover and irrigation rates. We find that irrigation substantially amplifies land cover‐induced climate impacts but has opposing effects across certain regions. Irrigation mostly causes surface cooling, which substantially amplifies land cover change‐induced cooling in most regions except over Central, West, and South Asia, where it reverses land cover change‐induced warming. Despite increases in net surface radiation in some regions, this cooling is associated with enhancement of latent relative to sensible heat fluxes by irrigation. Similarly, irrigation substantially enhances the wetting influence of land cover change over several regions including West Asia and the Mediterranean. The most notable contrasting impacts of these forcings on precipitation occur over South Asia, where irrigation offsets the wetting influence of land cover during the monsoon season. Differential changes in regional circulations and moist static energy induced by these forcings contribute to their precipitation impacts and are associated with differential changes in surface and tropospheric temperature gradients and moisture availability. These results emphasize the importance of including irrigation forcing to evaluate the combined impacts of land surface changes for attributing historical climatic changes and managing future impacts.
Large‐Scale Intrusion of Circumpolar Deep Water on Antarctic Margin Recorded by Stylasterid Corals
Authors: King Theresa M. , Rosenheim Brad E. , Post Alexandra L. , Gabris Theresa , Burt Taylor , Domack Eugene W. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWe present centennial‐scale radiocarbon (14C) records archived by deep sea stylasterid corals from the outer shelf and upper slope of the Antarctic margin. These novel stylasterids (Errina spp.) were collected from the western Ross Sea shelf (500 m) and slope (1,700 m), as well as the eastern Wilkes Land shelf (670 m). We provide two corals from each region and document an abrupt reversal of 14C ages in the upper (younger) part of each coral. We test the statistical robustness of each record and demonstrate the significance of the age reversals, as well as the ability of these corals to record environmental change. We discuss a variety of possible drivers for this 14C reversal and conclude that it is most likely an encroachment of 14C‐depeleted Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW). This water mass has regionally intruded onto the Antarctic margin in recent decades, facilitating loss of grounded Antarctic ice; which has implications for global sea level, deep‐water formation, and carbon sequestration in the Southern Ocean. Thus, understanding the past variability of CDW on the margin is vital to better constrain climate change trajectories in the near future. We estimate large‐scale encroachment of CDW onto the shelf likely commencing after 1830 CE (±120 year). We present possible drivers for the intrusion, but highlight the need for additional chronologic constraint. This study not only demonstrates the utility of a novel coral taxon but also presents the paleoceanographic community with a testable hypothesis concerning a recent, widespread CDW intrusion.
Reprogramming mechanisms influence the maturation of hematopoietic progenitors from human pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Heo Hye-Ryeon , Song Haengseok , Kim Hye-Ryun , Lee Jeong Eun , Chung Young Gie , Kim Woo Jin , Yang Se-Ran , Kim Kye-Seong , Chun Taehoon , Lee Dong Ryul , Hong Seok-Ho 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSomatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) or the forced expression of transcription factors can be used to generate autologous pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Although transcriptomic and epigenomic comparisons of isogenic human NT-embryonic stem cells (NT-ESCs) and induced PSCs (iPSCs) in the undifferentiated state have been reported, their functional similarities and differentiation potentials have not been fully elucidated. Our study showed that NT-ESCs and iPSCs derived from the same donors generally displayed similar in vitro commitment capacity toward three germ layer lineages as well as proliferative activity and clonogenic capacity. However, the maturation capacity of NT-ESC-derived hematopoietic progenitors was significantly greater than the corresponding capacity of isogenic iPSC-derived progenitors. Additionally, donor-dependent variations in hematopoietic specification and commitment capacity were observed. Transcriptome and methylome analyses in undifferentiated NT-ESCs and iPSCs revealed a set of genes that may influence variations in hematopoietic commitment and maturation between PSC lines derived using different reprogramming methods. Here, we suggest that genetically identical iPSCs and NT-ESCs could be functionally unequal due to differential transcription and methylation levels acquired during reprogramming. Our proof-of-concept study indicates that reprogramming mechanisms and genetic background could contribute to diverse functionalities between PSCs.
Laser-induced vapour nanobubbles improve drug diffusion and efficiency in bacterial biofilms
Authors: Teirlinck Eline , Xiong Ranhua , Brans Toon , Forier Katrien , Fraire Juan , Van Acker Heleen , Matthijs Nele , De Rycke Riet , De Smedt Stefaan C. , Coenye Tom , Braeckmans Kevin 
Published: October 2018

AbstractHindered penetration of antibiotics through biofilms is one of the reasons for the alarming increase in bacterial tolerance to antibiotics. Here, we investigate the potential of laser-induced vapour nanobubbles (VNBs) formed around plasmonic nanoparticles to locally disturb biofilm integrity and improve antibiotics diffusion. Our results show that biofilms of both Gram-negative (Burkholderia multivorans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria can be loaded with cationic 70-nm gold nanoparticles and that subsequent laser illumination results in VNB formation inside the biofilms. In all types of biofilms tested, VNB formation leads to substantial local biofilm disruption, increasing tobramycin efficacy up to 1-3 orders of magnitude depending on the organism and treatment conditions. Altogether, our results support the potential of laser-induced VNBs as a new approach to disrupt biofilms of a broad range of organisms, resulting in improved antibiotic diffusion and more effective biofilm eradication.
Synthesis and assembly of colloidal cuboids with tunable shape biaxiality
Authors: Yang Yang , Chen Guangdong , Thanneeru Srinivas , He Jie , Liu Kun , Nie Zhihong 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe design and assembly of monodisperse colloidal particles not only advances the development of functional materials, but also provides colloidal model systems for understanding phase behaviors of molecules. This communication describes the gram-scale synthesis of highly uniform colloidal cuboids with tunable dimension and shape biaxiality and their molecular mesogen-like assembly into various mesophasic structures in pristine purity. The synthesis relies on the nanoemulsion-guided generation of ammonium sulfate crystals that template the subsequent silica coating. The shape of the cuboidal particles can be tuned from square platelike, to biaxial boardlike, and to rodlike by independently controlling the length, width and thickness of the particles. We demonstrated the assembly of the cuboidal colloids into highly pure mesoscopic liquid crystal phases, including smectic A, biaxial smectic A, crystal B, discotic, and columnar phases, as well as established a correlation between mesophasic formation and colloidal biaxiality in experiments.
Network integration of multi-tumour omics data suggests novel targeting strategies
Authors: do Valle Ítalo Faria , Menichetti Giulia , Simonetti Giorgia , Bruno Samantha , Zironi Isabella , Durso Danielle Fernandes , Mombach José C. M. , Martinelli Giovanni , Castellani Gastone , Remondini Daniel 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWe characterize different tumour types in search for multi-tumour drug targets, in particular aiming for drug repurposing and novel drug combinations. Starting from 11 tumour types from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we obtain three clusters based on transcriptomic correlation profiles. A network-based analysis, integrating gene expression profiles and protein interactions of cancer-related genes, allows us to define three cluster-specific signatures, with genes belonging to NF-κB signaling, chromosomal instability, ubiquitin-proteasome system, DNA metabolism, and apoptosis biological processes. These signatures have been characterized by different approaches based on mutational, pharmacological and clinical evidences, demonstrating the validity of our selection. Moreover, we define new pharmacological strategies validated by in vitro experiments that show inhibition of cell growth in two tumour cell lines, with significant synergistic effect. Our study thus provides a list of genes and pathways that could possibly be used, singularly or in combination, for the design of novel treatment strategies.