The International Criminal Court and the Transformation of Post-War Justice in Northern Uganda

This article looks at the interface between the International Criminal Court and transitional justice processes in Northern Uganda. It takes a doctrinal approach, drawing on qualitative work in the fields of international criminal law, human rights, and political science. The Ugandan situation demonstrates that top-down transitional justice has both positive and negative dimensions. This article argues that, while the International Criminal Court has helped transform judicial aspects, it has also contributed towards the decline of traditional justice mechanisms. Overall, the article concludes that there is still a compelling case to be made for the involvement of international criminal tribunals in post-war contexts, but that it needs to be done in such a way that promotes good domestic processes and incorporates bottom-up perspectives

Oxygen impurities in NiAl: Relaxation effects

We have used a full-potential linear muffin-tin orbital method to calculate the effects of oxygen impurities on the electronic structure of NiAl. Using the supercell method with a 16-atom supercell we have investigated the cases where an oxygen atom is substitutionally placed at either a nickel or an aluminum site. Full relaxation of the atoms within the supercell was allowed. We found that oxygen prefers to occupy a nickel site over an aluminum site with a site selection energy of 138 mRy (21,370 K). An oxygen atom placed at an aluminum site is found to cause a substantial relaxation of its nickel neighbors away from it. In contrast, this steric repulsion is hardly present when the oxygen atom occupies the nickel site and is surrounded by aluminum neighbors. We comment on the possible relation of this effect to the pesting degradation phenomenon (essentially spontaneous disintegration in air) in nickel aluminides.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. B (Aug. 15, 2001

Do gender and age moderate the association between self-esteem and fear of success?

Fear of success is a negative experience which influences satisfaction with life and overall wellbeing. Socio-demographic factors (e.g., age and gender) and self-esteem have been found to be associated with fear of success. However, whether gender and age influence how self-esteem is liked to fear of success has received little attention. We examined the moderating roles of gender and age moderate in the relationship between self-esteem and fear of success. Participants were 350 Nigerian adults who completed the Index of Self-esteem and the Fear of Success Scale. Hayes regression-based PROCESS macro results indicated that those with low self-esteem reported higher fear of success. Neither age nor gender was associated with fear of success. Gender and age did not moderate the association between self-esteem and fear of success. Interventions to boost people’s self-esteem should be considered in efforts to reduce fear of success

Spillway-Induced Salmon Head Injury Triggers the Generation of Brain αII-Spectrin Breakdown Product Biomarkers Similar to Mammalian Traumatic Brain Injury

Recent advances in biomedical research have resulted in the development of specific biomarkers for diagnostic testing of disease condition or physiological risk. Of specific interest are αII-spectrin breakdown products (SBDPs), which are produced by proteolytic events in traumatic brain injury and have been used as biomarkers to predict the severity of injury in humans and other mammalian brain injury models. This study describes and demonstrates the successful use of antibody-based mammalian SBDP biomarkers to detect head injury in migrating juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) that have been injured during passage through high-energy hydraulic environments present in spillways under different operational configurations. Mortality and injury assessment techniques currently measure only near-term direct mortality and easily observable acute injury. Injury-based biomarkers may serve as a quantitative indicator of subacute physical injury and recovery, and aid hydropower operators in evaluation of safest passage configuration and operation actions for migrating juvenile salmonids. We describe a novel application of SBDP biomarkers for head injury for migrating salmon. To our knowledge, this is the first documented cross-over use of a human molecular biomarker in a wildlife and operational risk management scenario

Structure of some CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeNiPd multicomponent HEA alloys by diffraction techniques

The structure of CoCrFeyNi (y = 0, 0.8 and 1.2) and CoCrFeNi-Pdx (x = 0.0, 0.5, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5) High Entropy Alloys has been investigated by neutron and standard X-ray as well as by high-energy X-ray diffraction techniques. The alloys were produced by arc melting and afterwards heat treated under several different conditions. It has been concluded that the CoCrFeNi alloy in as-cast condition is, contrary to what is claimed in the literature, not single-phase but consists of at least two different phases, both of fcc type. The difference in lattice constant between the two phases is close to 0.001 Å. Diffraction patterns measured by X-ray and neutron diffraction have shown that the structure of the alloy is not affected by 3 h heat treatment up to 1100 °C. Changing the amount of Fe has no drastic effect on alloy structure. The Pd-containing alloys have also all been found not to be single-phase but to consist of at least four different phases, all being of fcc type. The lattice constants for all phases increase with Pd content. The relative amounts of the different phases depend on Pd concentration. Furthermore, heat treatments of 3 h duration at different temperatures have a significant effect on the alloy phase composition. It is suggested that HEAs should be considered as multicomponent alloys presenting “simple” diffraction patterns, e.g. consisting of one or several lattices of fcc, hcp or bcc type with very close lattice parameters

Dietary protein safety and resistance exercise: what do we really know?

Resistance trainers continue to receive mixed messages about the safety of purposely seeking ample dietary protein in their quest for stimulating protein synthesis, improving performance, or maintaining health. Despite protein's lay popularity and the routinely high intakes exhibited by strength athletes, liberal and purposeful protein consumption is often maligned by "experts". University textbooks, instructors, and various forms of literature from personal training groups and athletic organizations continue to use dissuasive language surrounding dietary protein. Due to the widely known health benefits of dietary protein and a growing body of evidence on its safety profile, this is unfortunate. In response, researchers have critiqued unfounded educational messages. As a recent summarizing example, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Position Stand: Protein and Exercise reviewed general literature on renal and bone health. The concluding remark that "Concerns that protein intake within this range [1.4 – 2.0 g/kg body weight per day] is unhealthy are unfounded in healthy, exercising individuals." was based largely upon data from non-athletes due to "a lack of scientific evidence". Future studies were deemed necessary. This assessment is not unique in the scientific literature. Investigators continue to cite controversy, debate, and the lack of direct evidence that allows it. This review discusses the few existing safety studies done specific to athletes and calls for protein research specific to resistance trainers. Population-specific, long term data will be necessary for effective education in dietetics textbooks and from sports governing bodies

Epiphytic metazoans on emergent macrophytes in oxbow lakes of the Krapina River, Croatia: differences related to plant species and limnological conditions

This study investigated the structure of the epiphytic metazoans on emerged macrophytes in the littoral zone of two oxbow lakes with different trophic levels. Differences in the diversity and density of the epiphytic metazoans were analyzed in relation to plant architecture (simple or complex stems), food resources (algae and detritus) and water characteristics (transparency and derived trophic state index). Asignificant negative correlation was found between detritus on plants as food resource, and diversity and density of epiphytic metazoans, indicating grazing of microphagous species. Rotifers dominated in diversity and density in the epiphyton on all habitats. Total density of metazoans, rotifers and copepods in epiphyton were significantly higher on Mentha in mesotrophic lake than on Iris in a eutrophic lake.We presume that macrophyte belt width and trophic state governed biotic interactions and consequently epiphytic assemblages more strongly than macrophyte architecture. However, a Mentha habitat showed a slightly higher density and diversity of epiphytic metazoans in relation to Iris at the same site, but these differences were not significant

Glucocorticoids promote structural and functional maturation of foetal cardiomyocytes: a role for PGC-1α

Glucocorticoid levels rise dramatically in late gestation to mature foetal organs in readiness for postnatal life. Immature heart function may compromise survival. Cardiomyocyte glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is required for the structural and functional maturation of the foetal heart in vivo, yet the molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Here we asked if GR activation in foetal cardiomyocytes in vitro elicits similar maturational changes. We show that physiologically relevant glucocorticoid levels improve contractility of primary-mouse-foetal cardiomyocytes, promote Z-disc assembly and the appearance of mature myofibrils, and increase mitochondrial activity. Genes induced in vitro mimic those induced in vivo and include PGC-1α, a critical regulator of cardiac mitochondrial capacity. SiRNA-mediated abrogation of the glucocorticoid induction of PGC-1α in vitro abolished the effect of glucocorticoid on myofibril structure and mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Using RNA sequencing we identified a number of transcriptional regulators, including PGC-1α, induced as primary targets of GR in foetal cardiomyocytes. These data demonstrate that PGC-1α is a key mediator of glucocorticoid-induced maturation of foetal cardiomyocyte structure and identify other candidate transcriptional regulators that may play critical roles in the transition of the foetal to neonatal heart

Scandium-based hexagonally-closed packed multi-component alloys

Since their early development, High-Entropy Alloys have fueled the investigation of exotic metal combinations. Here, we present a strategy for the rational design of a library for multi-component alloys based on six hcp-structured metals. Seven five- and six-component equimolar alloys based on Co, Gd, Y, Sc, Ti and Zr were prepared via induction melting and characterized by PXRD, SEM–EDX and Vickers hardness. They all present ternary hexagonal phases (ScTiZr or GdScY) co-existing with one or more cubic phases and intermetallic compounds. Both ScTiZr and GdScY appear promising as the starting point for new single-phase High-Entropy Alloys families