无罪推定原则视野下的巨额财产来源不明罪

我国《刑法修正案(七)》对巨额财产来源不明罪进行了最新的修正,但该罪却与无罪推定原则存在着诸多矛盾。从巨额财产来源不明罪的立法进程出发,对巨额财产来源不明罪与无罪推定原则进行博弈分析,将该罪名修改为"拒不说明巨额财产来源罪",建立国家工作人员财产申报制度并完善相应的金融监管体系,更有利于惩治贪污腐败犯罪。

Cardioprotection by remote ischemic conditioning: Mechanisms and clinical evidences

In remote ischemic conditioning(RIC), several cycles of ischemia and reperfusion render distant organ and tissues more resistant to the ischemia-reperfusion injury. The intermittent ischemia can be applied before the ischemic insult in the target site(remote ischemic preconditioning), during the ischemic insult(remote ischemic perconditioning) or at the onset of reperfusion(remote ischemic postconditioning). The mechanisms of RIC have not been completely defined yet; however, these mechanisms must be represented by the release of humoral mediators and/or the activation of a neural reflex. RIC has been discovered in the heart, and has been arising great enthusiasm in the cardiovascular field. Its efficacy has been evaluated in many clinical trials, which provided controversial results. Our incomplete comprehension of the mechanisms underlying the RIC could be impairing the design of clinical trials and the interpretation of their results. In the present review we summarize current knowledge about RIC pathophysiology and the data about its cardioprotective efficacy.

Engineering Microneedle Patches for Improved Penetration:Analysis,Skin Models and Factors Affecting Needle Insertion

Transdermal microneedle(MN)patches are a promising tool used to transport a wide variety of active compounds into the skin.To serve as a substitute for common hypodermic needles,MNs must pierce the human stratum corneum(~10 to 20μm),without rupturing or bending during penetration.This ensures that the cargo is released at the predetermined place and time.Therefore,the ability of MN patches to sufficiently pierce the skin is a crucial requirement.In the current review,the pain signal and its management during application of MNs and typical hypodermic needles are presented and compared.This is followed by a discussion on mechanical analysis and skin models used for insertion tests before application to clinical practice.Factors that affect insertion(e.g.,geometry,material composition and cross-linking of MNs),along with recent advancements in developed strategies(e.g.,insertion responsive patches and 3D printed biomimetic MNs using two-photon lithography)to improve the skin penetration are highlighted to provide a backdrop for future research.

Health-related quality of life, anxiety, depression and impulsivity in patients with advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours

AIM To compare health-related quality of life(HRQoL),anxiety, depression, and impulsivity scores in patients with and without carcinoid syndrome(CS), and correlated them with serum 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA) levels.METHODS Patients with advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours(GEPNET), with and without CS completed HRQoL QLQ-C30 and QLQ-GI.NET21, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS) and Barratt Impulsivity Scale(BIS) questionnaires. Twosample Wilcoxon test was applied to assess differences in serum 5-HIAA levels, two-sample Mann-Whitney U test for HRQoL and BIS, and proportion test for HADS, between those with and without CS.RESULTS Fifty patients were included; 25 each with and without CS. Median 5-HIAA in patients with and without CS was 367 nmol/L and 86 nmol/L, respectively(P = 0.003). Scores related to endocrine symptoms were significantly higher amongst patients with CS(P = 0.04) and scores for disease-related worries approached significance in the group without CS, but no other statistically-significant differences were reported between patients with and without CS in responses on QLQ-C30 or QLQ-GI.NET21. Fifteen patients(26%) scored ≥ 8/21 on anxiety scale, and 6(12%) scored ≥ 8/21 on depression scale. There was no difference in median 5-HIAA between those scoring < or ≥ 8/21 on anxiety scale(P = 0.53). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in first or second-order factors(BIS) or total sum(P = 0.23).CONCLUSION Excepting endocrine symptoms, there were no significant differences in HRQoL, anxiety, depression or impulsivity between patients with advanced GEPNET, with or without CS. Over one quarter of patients had high anxiety scores, unrelated to peripheral serotonin metabolism.

Design, Simulation &Optimization of 2D Photonic Crystal Power Splitter

A very compact (80 - 100 μm2) integrated power splitting devices with two outputs (1 × 2), four outputs (1 × 4) and six outputs (1 × 6) channel has been designed, simulated and optimized for Telecommunication purpose with T-Junction, Y-Junction, PC line defect waveguides integrated with multimode interference block (PCLD-MMI) and multiple line defect PC waveguides (MLDPCW) configurations. The optical modeling of these proposed structures was investigated by finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation. With the optimization of the parameters (Hole Radius, R = 0.128 μm, Input Diameter, D = 1.02 μm, Input wavelength, λ = 1.55 μm, Substrate Reflective Index, nsub = Si(1.52), Photonic Crystal Material, npcs = InAs(3.45), and Rectangular crystal structure), 1 × 2 for Y-Junction (100%), 1 × 4 for T-Junction (92.8%) and 1 × 6 configuration for MLDPCW (81%) show maximum power transmission.

Peripheral reflex feedbacks in chronic heart failure:Is it time for a direct treatment?

Despite repeated attempts to develop a unifying hypothesis that explains the clinical syndrome of heart failure(HF),no single conceptual paradigm for HF has withstood the test of time. The last model that has been developed,the neurohormonal model,has the great virtue of highlighting the role of the heart as an endocrine organ,as well as to shed some light on the key role on HF progression of neurohormones and peripheral organs and tissues beyond the heart itself. However,while survival in clinical trials based on neurohormonal antagonist drugs has improved,HF currently remains a lethal condition. At the borders of the neurohormonal model of HF,a partially unexplored path trough the maze of HF pathophysiology is represented by the feedback systems. There are several evidences,from both animal studies and humans reports,that the deregulation of baro-,ergo- and chemo-reflexes in HF patients elicits autonomic imbalance associated with parasympathetic withdrawal and increased adrenergic drive to the heart,thus fundamentally contributing to the evolution of the disease. Hence,on top of guidelinerecommended medical therapy,mainly based on neurohormonal antagonisms,all visceral feedbacks have been recently considered in HF patients as additional potential therapeutic targets.

Evolutionary Relationship of Wheat Protein Disulphide Isomerase (PDI) Gene Promoter Sequence Based on Phylogenetic Analysis

Protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) is an oxidoreductase enzyme abundant in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In plants, PDIs have been shown to assist the folding and deposition of seed storage proteins during the biogenesis of protein bodies in the endosperm. Cloning and characterization of the complete set of genes encoding PDI and PDI like proteins in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Spring) and the comparison of their sequence, structure and expression with homologous genes from other plant species were reported in our previous publications. Promoter sequences of three homoeologous genes encoding typical PDI, located on chromosome group 4 of bread wheat, and PDI promoter sequence analysis of Triticum urartu, Aegilops speltoides and Aegilops tauschii had also been reported previously. In this study, we report the isolation and sequencing of a ~700 bp region, comprising ~600 bp of the putative promoter region and 88 bp of the first exon of the typical PDI gene, in five accessions each from Triticum urartu (AA), Aegilops speltoides (BB) and Aegilops tauschii (DD). Sequence analysis indicated large variation among sequences belonging to the different genomes, while close similarity was found within each species and with the corresponding homoeologous PDI sequences of Triticum aestivum cv. CS (AABBDD) resulting in an overall high conservation of the sequence conferring endosperm-specific expression.

Genomics of crop plant genetic resources

Plant genetic resources collection and utilization had made a huge impact in balancing the genetic diversity of the existing crop plant species and their application in genome based studies had also increased widely. Primarily studies were based on model species, although it now enhances the transferability of information to crops and related species. With the tremendous outbreak of new high-throughput technologies like next-generation sequencing (NGS) and reduction in their costs are bringing many more plants within the range of genome and transcriptome level analysis. The completion of reference genome sequences for many important crops and the ability to perform high-throughput resequencing are providing opportunities for improving our understanding of the crop plant genetic resources to accelerate crop improvement. The future of crop improvement will be centred on comparisons of individual crop plant genomes, and some of the best opportunities may lie in using combinations of new genetic mapping strategies and evolutionary analyses to direct and optimize the discovery and use of genetic variation. Here I review the importance of crop plant genetic resources and insights that have been emerged in recent years.

Different Clinical Phenotypes in Adams-Oliver Syndrome Conservative Approach to Aplasia Cutis: A Report of Two Cases

Adams-Oliver Syndrome (AOS) is a rare genetic disease characterized by combination of aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) and terminal transverse limb defects (TTLD), often accompanied by defects in scalp and skull ossification. Different clinical phenotypes may be related to variable severity both of aplasia cutis and TTLD, and of minor clinical features as cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (CMTC), congenital cardiac defect and vascular anomalies. The treatment is multidisciplinary: dermatologic, orthopedic and surgical consult should be required. It still remains unclear how to treat patients with a large skin defect that can‘t be closed primarly and may require both surgical and conservative management. We report two cases of AOS with typical limb defects and an area of aplasia cutis over vertex of the scalp managed conservatively with two different dermatologic devices.

Rethinking the Method and Function of Proportionality Test in the European Court of Human Rights

Strasbourg’s application of proportionality test has some unique features.Due to the Court inherent subsidiary role,it hardly transplants the formulas and criteria adopted by the German Constitutional Court or Court of Justice European Union(CJEU) in the complete sense.Consequently,the Strasbourg application of the proportionality has been depicted as a "mysterious house" for the reason that it lacks of certainty.Therefore,some scholars often worry the application of the proportionality test will threaten the predictability and the Strasbourg rule of law.Generally,the proportionality test has two internal functions for the Strasbourg judges:(1) strike fair balance between/among the competing interests;(2) testing on the reasonableness and appropriateness between the measures employed and aim pursued.In the first category,the primary task of the Court is to protect the scope of "essence" of the Convention rights from the interference of collective goods relying on the interest-based rights theory.Beyond this scope,the Court would have to balance the interests explicitly incorporated into the Convention rights as well as the external collective goods claimed by the state authorities.In some sensitive judgments,the Strasbourg Court tends to impose the onerous responsibility of "burden of proof" to the State authorities,or strategically defers to the domestic decisions unless they will be found "manifestly unreasonable".Secondly,the Court must take a scrutiny towards the appropriateness between the means employed and ends pursued,and then it has to decide whether a less intrusive alternative existed or will possibly be found or not.Sometimes,the Court might impose state authorities an obligation looking for a new alternation.However,due to subsidiarity characteristic of the Strasbourg Court,the task of the assessments sometimes is complicated and time-consuming,so the Court are not capable of evaluations in all occasions.Finally,the Court could strike down the "chilling consequence" caused by some few of the legitimate measures which may highly potentially threaten the individual rights in the National legal order.

Deference or Proportionality: Two Concepts of Margin of Appreciation in the Strasbourg Court and Their Influences

The margin of appreciation is controversial and difficult to understand. Since its first reference in the case of Greece vs. UK, the meaning of this doctrine has evolved from deference to derogation from the European Convention to an inflation of language used or misused by the Strasbourg Court to preserve the State's 'room for manoeuvre' or 'latitude of deference or error.' In this paper, I divide the concept of margin of appreciation into two categories: the substantive and structural concept. The Strasbourg Court usually generously defers to national decisions in structural scrutiny where it has to respect European pluralism and the collective interests of the contracting parties unless domestic decisions are regarded as 'manifestly unreasonable.' In contrast, the European Human Rights Court scrutinizes carefully in the substantive sense of margin of appreciation. Some factors or test approaches will be identified first, by which the Court substantively narrows or limits the scope of margin preserved for the States. The result of two conceptual margins of appreciation may be reciprocally transformed in some circumstances. When the collective good surely undermines the core of Convention rights, the Court will not stand with the domestic argument since it must ensure the implementation of pan-European human rights standards. On the other side, the Court has no capacity to further increase strict scrutiny in cases where there is a complicated relationship between the means and ends in the proportionality test, implying that domestic courts are better placed than the supranational court given the fact that they know better the local reality and have more local knowledge.

Skill Assessment of North American Multi-Models Ensemble (NMME) for June-September (JJAS) Seasonal Rainfall over Ethiopia

In recent years, there has been increasing demand for high-resolution seasonal climate forecasts at sufficient lead times to allow response planning from users in agriculture, hydrology, disaster risk management, and health, among others. This paper examines the forecasting skill of the North American Multi-model Ensemble (NMME) over Ethiopia during the June to September (JJAS) season. The NMME, one of the multi-model seasonal forecasting systems, regularly generates monthly seasonal rainfall forecasts over the globe with 0.5 - 11.5 months lead time. The skill and predictability of seasonal rainfall are assessed using 28 years of hindcast data from the NMME models. The forecast skill is quantified using canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and root mean square error. The results show that the NMME models capture the JJAS seasonal rainfall over central, northern, and northeastern parts of Ethiopia while exhibiting weak or limited skill across western and southwestern Ethiopia. The performance of each model in predicting the JJAS seasonal rainfall is variable, showing greater skill in predicting dry conditions. Overall, the performance of the multi-model ensemble was not consistently better than any single ensemble member. The correlation of observed and predicted seasonal rainfall for the better performing models—GFDL-CM2p5-FLOR-A06, CMC2-CanCM4, GFDL-CM2p5-FLOR-B01 and NASA-GMAO-062012—is 0.68, 0.58, 0.52, and 0.5, respectively. The COLA-RSMAS-CCSM4, CMC1- CanCM3 and NCEP-CFSv2 models exhibit less skill, with correlations less than 0.4. In general, the NMME offers promising skill to predict seasonal rainfall over Ethiopia during the June-September (JJAS) season, motivating further work to assess its performance at longer lead times.

Strategies and governance to reduce health inequalities:evidences from a cross-European survey

Background:The main objective of the paper is to identify the governance system related to policies to reduce health inequalities in the European regions.Considering the Action Spectrum of inequalities and the check list of health equity governance,we developed a survey in the framework of the AIR Project-Addressing Inequalities Intervention in Regions-was an European project funded by the Executive Agency of Health and Consumers.Methods:A web-based qualitative questionnaire was developed that collected information about practiced strategies to reduce health inequalities.In total 28 questionnaires from 28 different regions,related to 13countries,were suitable for the analysis.Results:Progress in health equity strategies at the national and regional levels has been made by countries such as France,Portugal,Poland,and Germany.On the other hand,Spain,Italy,and Belgium have a variable situation depending on the region.However,the results of the survey indicate that the governance system for health equity different in terms of commitment,resources and tools.Conclusions:The survey highlights a weakness of governance system for the majority of countries in terms of evaluation actions and of impact of interventions in reducing inequalities,and the difficulties in having a clear and integrated vision between the national and regional levels.

Pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation enhances neurite outgrowth in neural cells and modulates inflammation in macrophages

Nerve regeneration following traumas remains an unmet challenge.The application of pulsed electromagnetic field(PEMF)stimulation has gained traction for a minimally invasive regeneration of nerves.However,a sys-tematic exploration of different PEMF parameters influencing neuron function at a cellular level is not available.In this study,we exposed neuroblastoma F11 cells to PEMF to trigger beneficial effects on neurite outgrowth.Different carrier frequencies,pulse repetition frequencies,and duty cycles were screened with a custom ad hoc setup to find the most influential parameters values.A carrier frequency of 13.5 MHz,a pulse repetition frequency of 20 Hz,and a duty cycle of 10%allowed maximal neurite outgrowth,with unaltered viability with respect to non-stimulated controls.Furthermore,in a longer-term analysis,such optimal conditions were also able to in-crease the gene expression of neuronal expression markers NeuN and Tuj-1 and transcription factor Ngn1.Finally,the same optimal stimulation conditions were also applied to THP-1 macrophages,and both pro-inflammatory(TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8)and anti-inflammatory cytokines(IL-10,CD206)were analyzed.The optimal PEMF stimulation parameters did not induce differentiation towards an M1 macrophage phenotype,decreased IL-1β and IL-8 gene expression,decreased TNF-α and IL-8 cytokine release in M1-differentiated cells,increased IL-10 and CD206 gene expression,as well as IL-10 cytokine release in M0 cells.The specific PEMF stimulation regime,which is optimal in vitro,might have a high potential for a future in vivo translation targeting neural regeneration and anti-inflammatory action for treating peripheral nerve injuries.

Extending OpenStack Monasca for Predictive Elasticity Control

Traditional auto-scaling approaches are conceived as reactive automations,typically triggered when predefined thresholds are breached by resource consumption metrics.Managing such rules at scale is cumbersome,especially when resources require non-negligible time to be instantiated.This paper introduces an architecture for predictive cloud operations,which enables orchestrators to apply time-series forecasting techniques to estimate the evolution of relevant metrics and take decisions based on the predicted state of the system.In this way,they can anticipate load peaks and trigger appropriate scaling actions in advance,such that new resources are available when needed.The proposed architecture is implemented in OpenStack,extending the monitoring capabilities of Monasca by injecting short-term forecasts of standard metrics.We use our architecture to implement predictive scaling policies leveraging on linear regression,autoregressive integrated moving average,feed-forward,and recurrent neural networks(RNN).Then,we evaluate their performance on a synthetic workload,comparing them to those of a traditional policy.To assess the ability of the different models to generalize to unseen patterns,we also evaluate them on traces from a real content delivery network(CDN)workload.In particular,the RNN model exhibites the best overall performance in terms of prediction error,observed client-side response latency,and forecasting overhead.The implementation of our architecture is open-source.

Recent achievements on underwater optical wireless communication [Invited]

The growing number of underwater activities is giving momentum to the development of new technologies, such as buoys, remotely operated vehicles, and autonomous underwater vehicles. The data collected by these vehicles need to be transmitted to a high-speed central unit. Clearly, wired solutions are not suitable, since they strongly impact the mobility. In this scenario, a promising solution is offered by underwater optical wireless communication(UOWC) technology, which can achieve both high-speed and wireless operation. Here, we provide a comprehensive survey on the challenges, the experimental realizations, and the state of the art in UOWC researches.

Alternative Splicing in the Anthocyanin Fruit Gene Encoding an R2R3 MYB Transcription Factor Affects Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Tomato Fruits

Tomato(Solanum lycopersicum)fruits are typically red at ripening,with high levels of carotenoids and a low content in flavonoids.Considerable work has been done to enrich the spectrum of their healthbeneficial phytochemicals,and interspecific crosses with wild species have successfully led to purple anthocyanin-colored fruits.The Aft(Anthocyanin fruit)tomato accession inherited from Solanum chilense the ability to accumulate anthocyanins in fruit peel through the introgression of loci controlling anthocyanin pigmentation,including four R2R3 MYB transcription factor-encoding genes.Here,we carried out a comparative functional analysis of these transcription factors in wild-type and Aft plants,and tested their ability to take part in the transcriptional complexes that regulate the biosynthetic pathway and their effi-ciency in inducing anthocyanin pigmentation.Significant differences emerged for SlAN2like,both in the expression level and protein functionality,with splicing mutations determining a complete loss of function of the wild-type protein.This transcription factor thus appears to play a key role in the anthocyanin fruit pigmentation.Our data provide new clues to the long-awaited genetic basis of the Aft phenotype and contribute to understand why domesticated tomato fruits display a homogeneous red coloration without the typical purple streaks observed in wild tomato species.

Separating arbitrary free-space beams with an integrated photonic processor

Free-space optics naturally offers multiple-channel communications and sensing exploitable in many applications. The different optical beams will, however, generally be overlapping at the receiver, and, especially with atmospheric turbulence or other scattering or aberrations, the arriving beam shapes may not even be known in advance. We show that such beams can be still separated in the optical domain, and simultaneously detected with negligible cross-talk, even if they share the same wavelength and polarization, and even with unknown arriving beam shapes. The kernel of the adaptive multibeam receiver presented in this work is a programmable integrated photonic processor that is coupled to free-space beams through a two-dimensional array of optical antennas. We demonstrate separation of beam pairs arriving from different directions, with overlapping spatial modes in the same direction, and even with mixing between the beams deliberately added in the path. With the circuit’s optical bandwidth of more than 40 nm, this approach offers an enabling technology for the evolution of FSO from single-beam to multibeam space-division multiplexed systems in a perturbed environment, which has been a game-changing transition in fiber-optic systems.

Conducting polymer tattoo electrodes in clinical electro-and magneto-encephalography

Temporary tattoo electrodes are the most recent development in the field of cutaneous sensors.They have successfully demonstrated their performances in the monitoring of various electrophysiological signals on the skin.These epidermal electronic devices offer a conformal and imperceptible contact with the wearer while enabling good quality recordings over time.Evaluations of brain activity in clinical practice face multiple limitations,where such electrodes can provide realistic technological solutions and increase diagnostics efficiency.Here we present the performance of inkjet-printed conducting polymer tattoo electrodes in clinical electroencephalography and their compatibility with magnetoencephalography.The working mechanism of these dry sensors is investigated through the modeling of the skin/electrode impedance for better understanding of the biosignals transduction at this interface.Furthermore,a custom-made skin phantom platform demonstrates the feasibility of high-density recordings,which are essential in localizing neuropathological activities.These evaluations provide valuable input for the successful application of these ultrathin electronic tattoos sensors in multimodal brain monitoring and diagnosis.

Bringing sensation to prosthetic hands-chronic assessment of implanted thin-film electrodes in humans

Direct stimulation of peripheral nerves with implantable electrodes successfully provided sensory feedback to amputees while using hand prostheses.Longevity of the electrodes is key to success,which we have improved for the polyimide-based transverse intrafascicular multichannel electrode(TIME).The TIMEs were implanted in the median and ulnar nerves of three trans-radial amputees for up to six months.We present a comprehensive assessment of the electrical properties of the thin-film metallization as well as material status post explantationem.The TIMEs stayed within the electrochemical safe limits while enabling consistent and precise amplitude modulation.This lead to a reliable performance in terms of eliciting sensation.No signs of corrosion or morphological change to the thin-film metallization of the probes was observed by means of electrochemical and optical analysis.The presented longevity demonstrates that thin-film electrodes are applicable in permanent implant systems.