International Criminal Jurisdiction in the Twenty First Century: Rediscovering United States v. Bowman

In Part I of this Article, we provide a description of the facts and holding of United States v. Bowman. In Part II, we describe the ways in which lower courts have interpreted this decision. We point to various cases citing Bowman and show how these courts give exceedingly broad application to the holding - far broader application than the opinion warrants. Finally, in Part III, we discuss the ways in which the courts should read Bowman and demonstrate how this more accurate reading of the Court\u27s decision is consistent with the realities of twenty-first century global economies. In doing so, we illustrate how Bowman can be a leading case for a sensible international criminal jurisdiction jurisprudence in a global age

Eculizumab Dosing in Infants

Eculizumab is the therapy of choice for patients with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). Dosing recommendations stem from two trials: one retrospective trial (19 children and 5 infants) and one prospective trial (22 patients and 5 infants). This case report highlights the need for more precise dosing recommendations in children, particularly in infants, and for smaller vials of the medication to facilitate more precise dosing. Such changes would ensure that adverse events are minimized and that the children with aHUS who are treated with eculizumab experience an optimal clinical response

Growth of vertically aligned Si wire arrays over large areas (>1 cm^2) with Au and Cu catalysts

Arrays of vertically oriented Si wires with diameters of 1.5 µm and lengths of up to 75 µm were grown over areas >1 cm^2 by photolithographically patterning an oxide buffer layer, followed by vapor-liquid-solid growth with either Au or Cu as the growth catalyst. The pattern fidelity depended critically on the presence of the oxide layer, which prevented migration of the catalyst on the surface during annealing and in the early stages of wire growth. These arrays can be used as the absorber material in novel photovoltaic architectures and potentially in photonic crystals in which large areas are needed

Residual renal function assessment with cystatin C

Su Jin Kim and coworkers from Korea published an important study on the relationship of residual renal function (RRF) and cystatin in pediatric peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients in this issue of Pediatric Nephrology, both in anuric patients and patients with RRF. Based on a lack of correlation between cystatin C and standard small solute-based dialysis adequacy parameters such as Kt/Vurea but a significant correlation with RRF, the authors concluded that cystatin C may be a good tool to monitor RRF. The editorial reviews the available literature in adults, the different handing between urea and cystatin C, and the determinants of cystatin C clearance in dialysis patients. In adults, cystatin C levels are determined predominantly by RRF, but not exclusively. In anephric hemodialysis and PD patients, there is a correlation with standard weekly Kt/Vurea. Cystatin C levels will also depend on ultrafiltration. Despite these factors that affect cystatin C levels beyond RRF, cystatin C is a useful parameter for monitoring PD patients that may be more closely related to long-term outcomes than small solute adequacy parameters. © 2010 IPNA

Secondary ion mass spectrometry of vapor−liquid−solid grown, Au-catalyzed, Si wires

Knowledge of the catalyst concentration within vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) grown semiconductor wires is needed in order to assess potential limits to electrical and optical device performance imposed by the VLS growth mechanism. We report herein the use of secondary ion mass spectrometry to characterize the Au catalyst concentration within individual, VLS-grown, Si wires. For Si wires grown by chemical vapor deposition from SiCl_4 at 1000 °C, an upper limit on the bulk Au concentration was observed to be 1.7 x 10^16 atoms/cm^3, similar to the thermodynamic equilibrium concentration at the growth temperature. However, a higher concentration of Au was observed on the sidewalls of the wires

Cystatin C reduction ratio depends on normalized blood liters processed and fluid removal during hemodialysis

Background and objectives: A negative correlation between the weekly standard Kt/V (urea) and serum cystatin C level (CysC) in functionally anephric dialysis patients has been previously demonstrated. Our objective was to measure the per dialysis CysC reduction ratio (CCRR) and to compare it with other indices of dialytic functions. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: In a pilot cross-sectional study of 15 functionally anephric patients on conventional high-flux high-efficiency hemodialysis three times per week, CysC levels were drawn pre-, mid-, and postdialysis over 1 week. CCRR was compared with single-pool Kt/V (Sp Kt/V) using urea kinetic modeling, urea reduction ratio (URR), creatinine reduction ratio (CRR), normalized liters processed (LP/kg), and ultrafiltration volume (UF). Normally distributed data (Shapiro-Wilks test) were described as mean ± SD, otherwise as median and interquartile range. Results: The mean pre- and post-CysC levels were 6.0 ± 1.0 and 4.7 ± 1.1 mg/L. The Sp Kt/V and Std Kt/V were 1.5 ± 0.2 and 2.6. The URR, CRR, and CCRR were 70.2% ± 9.0%, 64.5% ± 8.2%, and 26.1% ± 11.8%, respectively. There was no correlation between the CCRR, and the Sp Kt/V, URR, and CRR, whereas CCRR correlated with LP/kg and UF. Multiple regression analysis with these two parameters provided a model that explained 81% of the variance. Conclusions: Our data suggest that normalized liters processed and ultrafiltration volume explain most of the variance of CCRR. Therefore, CCRR may be an excellent method to monitor dialysis efficiency of low molecular weight proteins. Copyright © 2011 by the American Society of Nephrology

Euvolemia in hemodialysis patients: a potentially dangerous goal?

Dialysis patients have high mortality rate and the leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease. Uremic cardiomyopathy differs from that due to conventional atherosclerosis, where cardiovascular changes result in ineffective circulation and lead to tissue ischemia. Modern dialysis has significant limitations with fluid management probably the most challenging. Current evidence suggests that both volume overload and aggressive fluid removal can induce circulatory stress and multi-organ injury. Furthermore, we do not have accurate volume assessment tools. As a result, targeting euvolemia might result in more harm than benefit with conventional hemodialysis therapy. Therefore, it might be time to consider a degree of permissive over-hydration until we have better tools to both determine ideal weight and improve current renal replacement therapy so that the process of achieving it is not so fraught with the current dangers

Estimation of GFR using β-trace protein in children

Background and objectives Sexmay affect the performance of smallmolecularweight proteins as markers of GFR because of differences in fat mass between the two sexes. The hypothesis was that the diagnostic performance of b-trace protein, a novel marker of GFR, would be significantly better in boys than in girls. Design, setting, participants, & measurements GFR, height, weight, serum creatinine, and β-trace protein were measured in 755 children and adolescents (331 girls) undergoing 99technetium diethylenetriamine penta–acetic acid renal scans from July of 1999 to July of 2006. Boys and girls were separated into formula generation cohorts (284 boys and 220 girls) and formula validation cohorts (140 boys and 111 girls). GFRestimating formulas on the basis of β-trace protein, creatinine, and height were derived using stepwise linear regression analysis of log-transformed data. The slope of the regression lines of the sex-specific eGFRswere compared. Bland–Altman analysis was used for testing agreement between 99technetium diethylenetriamine penta–acetic acid GFR and calculated GFR both with this equation in boys and girls as well as previously established Benlamri, White, and Schwartz formulas. Results In the stepwise regression analysis, β-trace protein (R2=0.73 for boys and R2=0.65 for girls) was more important than creatinine (which increased R2 to 0.81 for boys and R2 to 0.75 for girls) and height (which increased R2 to 0.88 for boys and R2 to 0.80 for girls) in the data generation groups. GFR can be calculated using the following formulas: formula present Bland–Altman analysis showed better performance in boys than in girls. The new formulas performed significantly better than the previous Benlamri, White, and Schwartz formulas with respect to bias, precision, and accuracy. Conclusions Improved and sex-specific formulas for the estimation of GFR in children on the basis of β-trace protein, serum creatinine, and height are now available