bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Technique for Reducing the Grating Lobes of the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope
Authors: Amy S. W. , Large M. I.
Published: July 2016

The grating ring response of the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope can be reduced by the installation of 60° phase switches into each of 176 signal paths of the antenna. A suitable voltage-controlled UHF phase switch has been designed and tested at 843 MHz. It consists of two varactor diodes in series with a microstrip. Although designed to provide only two phase states, the device works well as a continuous phase shifter with a coefficient of ∼3° per volt. Details of the design, performance and application to the radio telescope are given.
Hα and Hβ Imaging of the Planetary Nebula NGC 6302
Authors: Ashley Michael C. B.
Published: July 2016

NGC 6302 is one of the highest excitation planetary nebulae known. It has an obscured central star with a temperature estimated at 430,000 K. We present here CCD images in Hα and Hβ of NGC 6302, and interpret the differences between the images as being due to extinction caused by dust within the nebula. The dust appears to be concentrated in the core, as expected from infrared observations. There is no evidence of patchy foreground extinction, although there is a slight difference in the average extinction between the eastern and western lobes of the nebula. A comparison between the Hα image and a 5 GHz map gives a dust extinction of ΔAV~3.5 to the central star. The outer contours of the 5 GHz map are not in good agreement with the optical images, and further observations at this frequency would be useful.
RINGO: a Method of Determining Radio Source Positions
Authors: Wark Robin M. , Wright Alan E.
Published: July 2016

We report on a new method of determining radio source positions with the Parkes radio telescope. The method is appreciably quicker than, but has a comparable accuracy to, established methods such as orthogonal scanning. It has been particularly useful during 1989 in tracking theVoyager IIspacecraft as it approaches Neptune; a method of accurately pointing at the source of the radio signal was required without the signal degradation which is introduced by moving appreciably off source.
Gravitational Micro-lensing Effects and Astrophysical Applications
Authors: Chang K.
Published: July 2016

The most favourable methods of observing the phenomenon of gravitational lensing are through high-amplification events and the time delay between the images. These effects provide us with the information to determine the Hubble parameter and the matter distribution in the universe. The image properties due to micro-lensing can be used to find the size and structure of the source.
The Parkes-MIT-NRAO Southern Sky Survey at 4850 MHz
Authors: Griffith M. , Wright A. E. , Hunt A. J. , Troup E. , Ekers R. D. , Buckett P. , Cooke D. J. , Freeman G. , Glowacki J. , Jennings D. , Knop U. , Lam B. , McGovern I. , McConnell D. , Norris R. P. , Otrupcek R. , Twardy R. , Williams T. , Behrens G. , Chestnut C. , Burke B. F. , Fletcher A. , Russell K. S. , Savage A. , Lim J. , Vaughan A. E. , Côté S. , Anderson M. , Hons A. , White G. L. , Amy S. , Burgess A. , Chan S. , Cram L. , Gray A. , Walsh W. , Campbell-Wilson D. , McIntyre V. , Randall P. , Suters M. , Zealey W. J.
Published: July 2016

During 1990 we surveyed the southern sky using a multi-beam receiver at frequencies of 4850 and 843 MHz. The half-power beamwidths were 4 and 25 arcmin respectively. The finished surveys cover the declination range between +10 and −90 degrees declination, essentially complete in right ascension, an area of 7.30 steradians. Preliminary analysis of the 4850 MHz data indicates that we will achieve a five sigma flux density limit of about 30 mJy. We estimate that we will find between 80 000 and 90 000 new sources above this limit. This is a revised version of the paper presented at the Regional Meeting by the first four authors; the surveys now have been completed.
The Stability of a Warped Accretion Disc
Authors: Coleman Colin S. , Kumar Sanjiv
Published: July 2016

An accretion disc becomes warped when subjected to a torque which is misaligned with the disc plane. Such torques may be caused by Lense-Thirring precession near a spinning compact object, or the quadrupole field of a binary star. Here the flow in an adiabatic warped disc is modelled as a two-dimensional shear layer with linear velocity profile and free surface boundary conditions, and is investigated by means of a linear stability analysis.

The flow is found to be unstable whenever it contains a critical layer, i.e., a level at which the shear velocity is equal to the phase velocity. The instability occurs over a broad wavenumber range and has a typical dimensionless growth rate ≈ 0.1 for both the compressible and incompressible cases. These waves grow with a time-scale of about one orbital period, and are likely to have a major effect on the disc viscosity.
The Distribution of Radio Polarisation in Three Southern Galaxies
Authors: Harnett J. I. , Klein U. , Wielebinski R. , Haynes R. F.
Published: July 2016

We are studying the distribution and morphology of magnetic fields in southern face-on and edge-on galaxies with the intention of clarifying the distribution, lifetimes and transport mechanisms of cosmic rays, and investigating the intensity and orientation of the disc, halo and poloidal magnetic fields. As a preliminary study, before the Australia Telescope was available, we observed a sample of well-known southern spiral galaxies with the Parkes radio telescope.

Here, we present the resulting polarisation images for three galaxies, NGC 253, M 83 and NGC 4945, which were observed at 4.75 GHz and 8.55 GHz. The corresponding total power contour plots have been already published by Harnett et al. (1989a, 1990).
Study of Pulsations in the Nova-like Variable KR Aur and the Intermediate Polar BG CMi
Authors: Singh J. , Agrawal P. C. , Apparao M. V. K. , Manchanda R. K. , Rao P. Vivekananda , Sarma M. B. K.
Published: July 2016

Fast photometric observations of a nova-like variable KR Aurigae and the intermediate polar BG CMi (3A0729+103) were made in the B and U bands during 1984–89 to study pulsations in them. The light curves of KR Aur show large amplitude quasi-periodic pulsations with periods in the range 500–800s which can be ascribed to inhomogeneities in the accretion disc. The light curves of the X-ray emitting intermediate polar BG CMi show variable amplitude pulsations with 913s period. From the times of maxima of the pulsations obtained from observations over the period 1984–1989, the pulsation period is derived to be 0.010572966 ± 8 days and the spin-up rate to be (−5.7 ± 0.5) × 10−11 ss−1. The spin-up rate is consistent with the pulsating source being a white dwarf and not a neutron star.
MK Morphology of Am Stars
Authors: Rao S. Sreedhar , Abhyankar K. D.
Published: July 2016

We present the results of an analysis of the spectra obtained for a sample of 27 Am stars. We find evidence for the presence of groups amongst these stars and argue that all Am stars exhibit a pseudo–luminosity effect.
A Large Number of Herbig-Haro Objects/Candidates in Star-Forming Regions
Authors: Ogura Katsuo
Published: July 2016

Altogether 26 new Herbig-Haro (HH) objects have been discovered by slit spectroscopy and narrow-band CCD imagery. Several of them are very remarkable in various aspects. We have also found a total of over 1000 HH candidates in L1641, L1630 and NGC 2264 on deep Schmidt plates. Fibre spectroscopy is currently underway, confirming already some 70 HH objects. Implications of this large number are briefly discussed.
Preliminary Research on the Hot Spots of Energy Flares since Cycle 21
Authors: Baorong Luo
Published: July 2016

The time and spatial distributions of the ‘energy flare indices’ which have been observed since Cycle 21 are analysed and 13 hot spots of energy flares during this period are given in this article. These active regions of the ‘hot spots’ appear repeatedly where there erupted the energy flares accounting for 63.2 per cent of the total indices. The characteristics of the hot spots of the energy flares and the relationship between the hot spots and the evolution of the large-scale magnetic fields are also further discussed in this paper.
Light-pollution Prevention Ordinance in the Town of Bisei
Authors: Isobe Syuzo , Sugihara Noboru
Published: July 2016

The authors discuss the light-pollution prevention ordinance passed by the Japanese town of Bisei in 1989.
A Planetarium and Observatory Complex for Sydney
Authors: Vaughan A. E.
Published: July 2016

This paper describes the plans for a planetarium and observatory at Sydney’s Macquarie University.
Shockwaves and their Radiations: Problems and Prospects
Authors: Dopita M. A.
Published: July 2016

It is impossible in half an hour to do justice to the vast literature on Shockwaves in interstellar space. Here, an attempt is made to identify outstanding problems with particular regard to the optical spectrum and to determine what physical data can be relatively unambiguously obtained from interpretation of this.
Brown and Black Dwarfs: their Structure, Evolution and Contribution to the Missing Mass
Authors: Stevenson D. J.
Published: July 2016

According to Oort (1965), the mass density in the solar neighbourhood (inferred from the gravity component normal to the galactic plane) is between 50% and 150% greater than the mass density inferred from non-dwarf stars. One possible explanation for the “missing mass” is an overabundance of faint M-dwarfs (Weistrop 1972), but present indications are that this overabundance is either small (Weistrop 1976; Sanduleak 1976) or non-existent (Faber et al. 1976; Eggen 1976). Nevertheless, Salpeter’s initial mass function (Salpeter 1955) suggests that the total mass may be dominated by low mass stars, including masses M≤0.08M⊙ which never undergo significant hydrogen burning.
Status of the Perth Observatory Automated Supernova Search Program
Authors: Williams A. J. , Blair D. G. , Burman R. , Evans M. , Martin R. , Birch P. V. , Candy M. P. , Verveer A. , Koch R. , Lynch M. J. , Dai X. , Zadnik M. G. , Foster D.
Published: July 2016

The Perth Astronomy Research Group (PARG), consisting of members from Curtin University of Technology, Perth Observatory and the University of Western Australia, is in the process of developing an automated supernova search system, using the 61-cm Lowell-Perth reflector, a CCD camera and an 80386-based computer for image analysis. Computer control of the telescope and dome, a liquid-nitrogen-cooled CCD camera, and modified VISTA image analysis software will be completed in late 1990, allowing initial semi-automatic searching of external galaxies, together with CCD photometry of flare stars and newly discovered supernovae. Full-scale automation will be introduced subsequently, in collaboration with the Berkeley group. This paper describes the project, and reports on its current status.
Further Evidence for Large Grains in the Dust Shell Surrounding AG Carinae
Authors: Hyland A. R. , Robinson G.
Published: July 2016

There is growing evidence for the notion that large grains are an important constituent of the interstellar medium. It has been found to be necessary to invoke the presence of large grains (of radius a > 1.0 μm) in a number of circumstellar shells, including those around Eta Carinae, and some late type giants and supergiants. Most recently, as a result of IRAS observations, the same idea has been used in the interpretation of the extensive optically thin disks found around some young early type stars. It is important to establish size constraints on these grains, so as to determine better the probable mix of interstellar grains. Previous work on AG Carinae suggested merely that the grains in the circumstellar shell need to be larger than 1 μm, but gave no information regarding the maximum size which would be acceptable. In this paper, we explore the question of the characteristic size of the dust grains in the AG Carinae shell, by fitting the spatially integrated model energy distribution to observations over the wavelength range 360 nm–100 μm, and conclude that silicate grains of radius ~ 1.0 μm give a satisfactory fit to the spectrum and angular distribution, but that grains appreciably larger or smaller than this radius are unsatisfactory.
Population III Objects and Lithium Abundance
Authors: Ramadurai S.
Published: July 2016

The earlier work on the production of deuterium in the accretion tori around Population III objects has been criticised on the basis of relative production ratios of deuterium, helium-3 and 7Li. It is shown here that the criticism on the basis of helium-3 over-production is unjustified, as no measurement of helium-3 and lithium abundances for the same stars is available. It is predicted that indeed the helium-3 abundance determination will be the best means to verify the original hypothesis.
Young Stars and Jets
Authors: Zealey W. J. , Williams P. M. , Sandell G.
Published: July 2016

We present results of infrared continuum observations of the circumstellar disk surrounding the complex M78-SSV63.
Edinburgh Astronomy and Educational Teaching Packages
Authors: Savage Ann , Tritton Sue , Brück Mary
Published: July 2016

Film copies of original astronomical plates taken with the 1.2-metre UK Schmidt Telescope (UKST) at Siding Spring Observatory, New South Wales have been used for several years at Edinburgh University. Two teaching packages are intended for undergraduate use; the educational packages are mainly designed as visual aids for colleges, schools and amateur groups.
The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Mission
Authors: Welsh Barry Y.
Published: July 2016

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) is a NASA funded astronomy mission which will operate in the 70–760Å spectral hand. The science payload has been designed and built by the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley and consists of three grazing incidence scanning telescopes and an EUV spectrometer/deep survey instrument.

We give an overview of the planned mission profile and briefly discuss the instrumentation which comprises the science payload. The EUVE is scheduled for launch in late August 1991.
A Regression Model derived from Proxy Data for the 11-year Solar Cycle
Authors: Murphy J.O. , Veblen T.T. , Sampson H.
Published: July 2016

Ring-width time series obtained from Engelmann Spruce trees growing at high altitude sites in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, exhibit dominant 11-year spectral periodicities. A significant linear cross-correlation also exists between these series and the Zurich series of annual sunspot numbers. A regression model based on these proxy data has been developed for the annual variation of the 11-year solar cycle. It is established that over the calibration period a very high percentage of the variance (40%) in growth patterns, contributed by a single source, can be explained by solar variation. The model correlates with the Zürich series of sunspot numbers at the 99% significance level post 1870 AD. However, over the total period 1700–1870 AD the comparison was found to be not statistically significant at lag 0. Some possible reasons for this are considered.
Ammonia and Near-Infrared Observations of Southern Dark Clouds
Authors: Bourke T.L. , Hyland A.R. , Robinson G. , James S.D.
Published: July 2016

The Parkes radio telescope has been used to search a list of small, dense southern dark clouds and Bok globules for ammonia emission at 23.7 GHz. The ammonia observations, together with IRAS data and the cloud’s visual appearance, have been used to determine a short list of dark clouds for observation with the infrared imaging system (IRIS) on the Anglo-Australian Telescope, in an attempt to determine the dust density distribution within the clouds. Near-infrared images of a number of the short listed clouds have been obtained with IRIS at J, H and K’. Preliminary results are reported for this ammonia survey, together with IRIS images of the strong ammonia source DC 297.7–2.8. Coincident with the dense ammonia core of this object is an IRAS ‘core’ source, IRAS 11590–6452 and an extremely interesting near-infrared source, which lies on the edge of the error ellipse of the IRAS source.
Molecular Ices as Temperature Indicators in the ISM
Authors: Smith R. G. , Robinson G. , Hyland A. R.
Published: July 2016

Molecular ices are a common component of the dust in many molecular clouds and circumstellar shells. The most abundant molecule, H2O, has several infrared spectral features which have strongly temperature dependent shapes (FWHM) and peak wavelengths. This paper describes how a study of these features, both astronomically and in the laboratory, can lead to constraints on the temperatures of interstellar dust grains. This is demonstrated in part by comparing several astronomical spectra with laboratory spectra of H2O ice.
Spectropolarimetry of Supernova 1992A
Authors: Spyromilio Jason , Bailey Jeremy
Published: July 2016

We present spectropolarimetric observations of the type Ia supernova 1992A obtained 2 weeks and 7 weeks after maximum light. No significant polarisation was detected across any of the spectral features.
Molecular Hydrogen outside the Near-infrared
Authors: Burton Michael
Published: July 2016

This paper discusses the observation of molecular hydrogen line emission outside near-infrared wavelengths, and in particular the opportunities afforded to molecular astrophysics by studies in the mid- and far-infrared.
A Study on the Period Distribution of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables
Authors: Wu Kinwah , Wickramasinghe Dayal T.
Published: July 2016

we use Monte Carlo simulations of the period distribution of magnetic cataclysmic variables to show that the synchronised AM Herculis-type systems and the asynchronous Intermediate Polars are essentially unrelated systems following different evolutionary scenarios.
A Near-infrared View of SNR—Molecular Cloud Interactions
Authors: Burton Michael , Spyromilio Jason
Published: July 2016

Spectroscopic imaging of the SNR RCW 103 has revealed extensive emission in near-infrared lines of H2and [Fe II], where the blast wave is encountering a molecular cloud. The H2 appears to be located outside the [FeII], a morphology which challenges our understanding of shock wave physics. It is suggested that reverse shocks may be responsible for the phenomenom.
The Importance of Accurate Positions in the QSO Story
Authors: Murdoch H.S.
Published: July 2016

Who discovered QSOs? What was the first QSO discovered? To Maarten Schmidt (1963) goes the credit for realising that the emission lines he saw in a 13 mag star were the Balmer series in hydrogen at a redshift of 0.158. The first QSO had been recognised. But discovery is a complex process. Schmidt observed the ‘star’ because it was associated with a radio source 3C 273 by means of an accurate radio position. This was the first of several instances where accurate radio positions have enabled significant progress in the QSO story.
Hydrodynamics of Stellar Encounters
Authors: Gingold R. A. , Monaghan J. J.
Published: July 2016

When the separation between two stars becomes sufficiently small, tidal forces may cause one or both stars to disrupt. Roche (1850) studied the problem of the stability of a liquid in synchronous, circular orbit with a point mass, and predicted an instability of the liquid star for separations ≤ 2.5 r S⅓ where R is the initial radius of the liquid star, and S is the ratio of the mass of the point to the mass of the liquid star. Darwin generalized the problem to allow for two liquid stars in circular orbit. The whole of the classical research has been systematically analysed by Chandrasekhar (1969) using the tensor virial method. An error in Chandrasekhar’s analysis was corrected by Tassoul (1975).
The Beta Cephei Variables: Current Problems
Authors: Shobbrook R. R.
Published: July 2016

The β Cep variables are characterised by light variations of a few per cent and velocity variations of up to a few tens of km/s over periods of from about 2.5 to 7 hours. Spectral types range from BO to B2 and luminosity classes from IV to II-III, corresponding to masses from 8 to 18 M ⊙. The light and velocity curves are 90° out of phase, so that maximum light (and also maximum temperature) occur at minimum radius.
Dust and Gas Correlations in the Region of the South Celestial Pole
Authors: King D. J. , Taylor K. N. R.
Published: July 2016

About 20 years ago de Vaucouleurs (1955, 1960) drew attention to faint but extensive nebulosity in the region of the South Celestial Pole. He tentatively identified it as being emission nebulosity, excited by OB stars in the overlying galactic plane. The extent of these nebulae has become even more apparent in recent years on IIIa-J plates taken for the U.K. Schmidt survey of the southern sky. From a study of survey plates covering the sky south of declination 80° a map has been prepared of the nebulosity visible in the region. A study made of this ∽nebulosity suggests that it is predominantly reflection nebulosity, with the main source of illumination being integrated starlight of the overlying Carina spiral arm. The bulk of it is of very low surface brightness (fainter than about 26 mag. per square arcsec) and appears to be in the form of a broken layer underlying the local galactic plane at an altitude of ∽ 40–80 pc. There are a number of brighter nebulous patches and filaments, frequently highly structured on a scale of minutes of arc, and extending across several degrees, usually parallel to the galactic plane.
An Inversion Technique for the Determination of Velocity Fields from Spectral Line Profiles
Authors: KavetSky A. , O’Mara B.J.
Published: July 2016

Studies of solar absorption line profiles obtained at high spatial and spectral resolution have usually been content to extract one parameter (the frequency shift in the core of the line) from each profile to describe the velocity field. However, attempts have been made to obtain the variation of velocity with depth in the solar atmosphere either by simultaneous observation of the frequency shift in the cores of several lines with different excitation potentials or by measuring the bisector-shift in a single line profile as described by Kulander and Jefferies (1966). In the first method it is necessary to assign a depth of formation to the core of each line used while in the second method a depth of formation has to be assigned to each point in the line profile. Parnell and Beckers (1969) have discussed the problems involved in assigning a depth on formation and in particular they have shown that when a velocity field is present the concept of depth of formation is dependent of the velocity field. In this contribution we describe a method of determining the velocity field from a single line profile which does not suffer from the problems associated with methods based on the concept of depth of formation.
The Sydney University 11.4m Prototype Stellar Interferometer
Authors: Davis J . , Tango W.J.
Published: July 2016

The Chatterton Astronomy Department has constructed an 11.4 m baseline prototype stellar interferometer as part of its long term programme of high angular resolution astronomy. The background and present status of the instrument is described.
Interferometric Measurements of Atmospheric Seeing
Authors: O’Byrne J . W .
Published: July 2016

In conjunction with the Stellar Interferometer project at Sydney University, a shearing interferometer system has been constructed to measure the atmospheric ‘seeing’ in real time using a portable telescope. The interferometric method allows direct measurement of the parameter ro, which derives from the theory of atmospheric turbulence. This permits reliable comparison with ‘seeing’ determinations by other methods. This paper briefly describes the instrument and presents initial results of the observing program.
Astronomy at the Molonglo Radio Observatory
Authors: Mills B. Y.
Published: July 2016

Since its commissioning in 1981 the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope has been used by the Astrophysics Department in the University of Sydney for many astronomical programs. These include completed surveys of both Magellanic Clouds made to study their SNR and HII content. The SNR work is essentially complete with 55 remnants identified and firm indications that the previously assumed evolution of a typical SNR (if such exists!) is incompatible with observation. The cataloguing and analysis of the HII regions and planetary nebulae data is complete in the SMC but barely started in the LMC. Other observing programs include the mapping of southern radio and ‘normal’, galaxies, the study of variable sources, ‘deep mapping’ of a selection of far southern fields for cosmological studies, studies of mass loss stars, the Galactic centre and a general survey of a strip along the Galactic plane as a long term program. In addition, advantage has been taken of the ‘real-time’ beams for pulsar studies and for the development of a ‘transient event recorder’ to permit a search for pulsed or other rapidly varying phenomena during normal map synthesis. Some of these programs have been completed but the majority are still in progress.
Synthesis Observations of Southern Supernova Remnants
Authors: Milne D. K. , Caswell J. L. , Haynes R. F. , Kesteven M. J . , Wellington K. J . , Roger R. S. , Bunton J . D.
Published: July 2016

The synthesis telescopes at Fleurs and Molonglo have been used to map 50 supernova remnants. Additional specialized software to process the maps has been developed, and Parkes observations have been used to supply short spacing information missing from the maps.
High resolution mapping with the FST
Authors: Bunton J . D. , Jones I. G. , Brown D. R.
Published: July 2016

Recent modifications to the Fleurs digital receiver enable the additional correlations between the six 13.7 m dishes to be measured. Previously, only those correlations formed between the four east-west 13.7 m dishes and the thirty-two 5.7 m dishes were measured. This enables the production of three type of maps; each with full 20 arc second resolution but with properties which suit differing astronomical applications.
Frequency Dependence of Radar Meteor Echo Rates
Authors: Thomas R. M . , Whitham P. S. , Elford W. G.
Published: July 2016

Meteor rates have been measured with a large HF Radar at a number of frequencies. At the top end of the HF band our results match those of Greenhow (1963). However at lower frequencies we find high echo rates which indicate that past observations measured only a few percent of the total meteor flux incident on the Earth’s atmosphere. This explains the ‘missing mass’ discrepancy observed when radar results are compared with satellite or visual data. Accounting for’this missing mass results in a four-fold increase in the calculated total meteoroid mass influx to the surface of the Earth from 4000 to 16,000 tonnes per year. Our results also imply that the majority of echoes originate from altitudes above 100 km.
Consumer Protection in China: An Examination of the Toshiba Notebook Case from an Australian Perspective
Authors: Ip Mary
Published: July 2016

China's access to the World Trade Organisation has led to further opening up of its market to foreign operators. However, the influx of foreign investment has simultaneously increased the chance of conflict between Chinese consumers and foreign enterprises. In the past few years, there was an upsurge amongst consumers in China that their rights had been trampled by foreign manufacturers. Amongst all those consumers' complaints, vigorous protests were found against Toshiba Electronic Corporation. Toshiba was being accused of discriminating against Chinese consumers in payment of compensation. This article aims to evaluate the legal issues arising from Toshiba Notebook case. Those issues in Toshiba Notebook case have been addressed from an Australian legal perspective with particular reference to the major consumer legislation that is the Trade Practices Act 1974. Comments are also made on non-legal implications related to the case in question.
Changing Mindsets: How China's Abnormal Sex Ratio Is Turning Its Government into a Champion of Gender Equality
Authors: Tan Liang Ying
Published: July 2016

A combination of factors has led to an increasing imbalance in the sex ratio of China's population. China's sex ratio at birth is 119 boys per 100 girls, far above the global norm of 106. This paper will focus on the abnormal sex ratio as a consequence of traditional Chinese gender attitudes holding women inferior and subordinate to men, which have been brought to the fore by a combination of fertility decline and technological advancement. Accordingly, any solution to the demographic problem must address these prevalent, entrenched mind-sets. The government appears to realise that existing laws prohibiting sex-selective abortion and infanticide will fail to correct the sex ratio. This paper examines the trend in government responses towards efforts to address traditional gender attitudes and argues that the demographic crisis may have turned the Chinese government into an unlikely champion of gender equality.
Islamic Law in a National Legal System: A Study on the Implementation of Shari'ah in Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: Siregar Hasnil Basri
Published: July 2016

The implementation of shari'ah (Islamic law) in the province of Aceh in Indonesia was the consequence of a national policy of legal pluralism, effected in 2001 when the national government decided to give a special status and wide autonomy to this region. However, certain problems have arisen. One of these is whether the Islamic courts of justice have been conferred competence to deal with Islamic criminal law and if so, which judicial institution should deal with the matter. Another is the meaning and scope of mu'amalat law (the law dealing with human relationships). It also appears that the central government has permitted shari'ah to be implemented for political reasons.
Public Interest Litigation and Human Rights Implementation: The Indian and Australian Experience
Authors: Forster Christine M. , Jivan Vedna
Published: July 2016

Public interest litigation [‘PIL’], typically defined as proceedings in which the public or the community at large has some pecuniary or legal interest, demonstrates an ability to foster human rights compliance. It does this by enabling broader community or ‘public’ interests to be recognised and enforced through the judicial process, thereby revealing greater potential than private rights litigation in addressing the systemic nature of many human rights violations. This in turn has presented greater opportunities domestically to monitor each state's accountability to international human rights standards.

This paper compares and contrasts the emergence and development of PIL in two jurisdictions - India and Australia. India was chosen for its remarkable and extensive development of PIL unparalleled in Commonwealth jurisdictions to date, and Australia, for its adoption of a much more restrained and traditional trajectory in line with other members of the Commonwealth. Although PIL has developed differently in the two countries, inevitably shaped by differences in culture, economic development, law and politics, both provide illustrations of PIL's potential (and limitations) in facilitating the development of human rights norms in domestic legal systems.
A Comparative Study of the APEC Privacy Framework- A New Voice in the Data Protection Dialogue?
Authors: Tan Johanna G.
Published: July 2016

The dialogue on data protection has so far been dominated by European and American voices. There are currently a few international conventions in place such as the Council of Europe's 1981 Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Automatic processing of personal data, the 1980 OECD Guidelines Governing the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data , which apply to 30 OECD countries, and the EU Directive 95/46/EC on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data, which binds EU member states but has had some impact on non-European countries due to the restriction on cross border flow of information.

This has changed with the emergence of the APEC Privacy Framework in 2004 which focuses on the importance of the free flow of information in the digital age. Does the APEC Privacy Framework have anything of value to add or does it dilute the standards already in place? This article will examine these questions and argue that perhaps the APEC Privacy Framework is the first step towards a truly global standard for data protection.
Reducing the Role of Government -- The Chinese Experiment
Authors: Bath Vivienne
Published: July 2016

China has taken an original and adventurous approach to the issue of over-regulation through the promulgation of the Administrative Licensing Law, which attempts to limit the number and type of licences and approvals which citizens and enterprises are obliged to obtain from the government. The Administrative Licensing Law has now been in effect for 3 years, and it is therefore an appropriate time to look at licensing and approvals in China. The article focuses on issues relating to the establishment and reduction of licensing requirements, including the actions taken by government to reduce them, the existence of “non-administrative” licensing and approval requirements and issues relating to enforcement. It concludes that although substantial progress has been made, improvements could be made in terms of dealing with the complexity of the system and providing new avenues for enforcement, and that a long-term on-going effort will be required to implement the law fully.
Universal Human Dignity: Some Reflections in the Asian Context
Authors: Lee Man Yee Karen
Published: July 2016

The idea of “human dignity” is accorded a prominent status in domestic constitutions and international human rights law. Its symbolism as a universal ground of human rights sits awkwardly with the absence of a precise definition. The concept has evolved over history and has been interpreted in various ways by people holding different worldviews. The elusive nature of human dignity creates challenges when it is evaluated across cultures. Despite its common association with the concept of liberal democracy, the idea of human worthiness is not necessarily absent in Asian societies, many of which function under alternative political systems.

A cross-cultural perspective requires putting aside ethnocentrism and exploring the convergence of views from different belief systems. Examples from Confucianism and Islam may provide insights on how human dignity is understood and realized in various Asian contexts.
377 and the Unnatural Afterlife of British Colonialism in Asia
Authors: Sanders Douglas E.
Published: July 2016

The late 19thcentury saw the spread of anti-homosexual criminal laws to British colonies. The iconic example was the Indian Penal Code of 1860, with its prohibition of ‘carnal intercourse against the order of nature,’ a rewriting of the anti-Catholic ‘buggery’ law of 1534. The language of 377 travelled around the British colonial world. France and certain other parts of Europe had decriminalized homosexual acts a century earlier, so the colonial powers of Europe spoke with different voices. Modern decriminalization is largely the product of the human rights era - sixty years since the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Unraveling the Puzzle of Differing Rates of FDI and FVCI in India and China
Authors: Lu Haitian , Huang Hong , Deva Swati
Published: July 2016

This study seeks to unravel the puzzle underlying China's and India's differing experiences in attracting two types of foreign investment: namely foreign direct investment (‘FDI’) and foreign venture capital investment (‘FVCI’). Complementing the law and finance literature, we argue that foreign investors prefer the direct investment mode in China despite its poor governance environment because direct investment provides private means of control over the business, and China's institutional environment provides a more facilitating arena for FDI than India's. In contrast, India's legal infrastructure and related institutional settings prove to be better than China's in accommodating foreign portfolio (indirect) investment especially in the form of venture capital. The conclusion of this article has implications for the two countries' legal reform in the direction of the desired type of foreign investment. It also provides comparative insights into the legal institutions of China and India in fostering national innovative capacity and entrepreneurship.
Strange Bedfellows or Soulmates: A Comparison of Merger Regulation in China and Australia
Authors: Healey Deborah J.
Published: July 2016

China and Australia are extremely significant trade partners and investors. Australia has a very well established competition law, now called the Competition and Consumer Law 2010, with a well-established merger regime. China has a relatively new competition law, the Anti-Monopoly Law 2007. This article compares merger control in the two jurisdictions. The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has already referred to an Australian decision in rejecting a merger, the only reference to a foreign decision to date, which confirms the utility of the comparison. This article critically evaluates the determinations of MOFCOM and compares the approach of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian regulator. It assesses the transparency and predictability of procedures and decision-making in the two jurisdictions.
Cavity optomechanical spring sensing of single molecules
Authors: Yu Wenyan , Jiang Wei C , Lin Qiang , Lu Tao
Published: July 2016

Label-free bio-sensing is a critical functionality underlying a variety of health- and security-related applications. Micro-/nano-photonic devices are well suited for this purpose and have emerged as promising platforms in recent years. Here we propose and demonstrate an approach that utilizes the optical spring effect in a high-Q coherent optomechanical oscillator to dramatically enhance the sensing resolution by orders of magnitude compared with conventional approaches, allowing us to detect single bovine serum albumin proteins with a molecular weight of 66 kDa at a signal-to-noise ratio of 16.8. The unique optical spring sensing approach opens up a distinctive avenue that not only enables biomolecule sensing and recognition at individual level, but is also of great promise for broad physical sensing applications that rely on sensitive detection of optical cavity resonance shift to probe external physical parameters.
Peri-exposure protection against Nipah virus disease using a single-dose recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-based vaccine
Authors: DeBuysscher Blair L , Scott Dana , Thomas Tina , Feldmann Heinz , Prescott Joseph
Published: July 2016

Nipah virus is a zoonotic paramyxovirus that causes severe disease in humans and animals. Due to almost yearly outbreaks in Bangladesh, and a large outbreak in Malaysia that lead to the shutdown of swine export, Nipah virus is both a threat to public health and the economy. Infection is associated with respiratory distress, encephalitis and human-to-human transmission, resulting in high case fatality rates during outbreaks. This study aims to address the amount of time needed until protection from a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-based vaccine candidate expressing the Nipah virus glycoprotein (G), which we have previously shown to protect hamsters and non-human primates when administered 28 days before challenge. We found that a single-dose vaccination, when administered 1 day before challenge, reduced viral load, limited pathology and fully protected hamsters from Nipah virus infection. The vaccine was even partially protective when administered at early time points following challenge with Nipah virus. These data indicate that a single administration of this vaccine to high-risk individuals, such as family members and health-care workers of infected patients, could be protective and useful for reducing human-to-human transmission and curbing an outbreak.
Physical analysis of the shielding capacity for a lightweight apron designed for shielding low intensity scattering X-rays
Authors: Kim Seon Chil , Choi Jeong Ryeol , Jeon Byeong Kyou
Published: July 2016

The purpose of this paper is to develop a lightweight apron that will be used for shielding low intensity radiation in medical imaging radiography room and to apply it to a custom-made effective shielding. The quality of existing aprons made for protecting our bodies from direct radiation are improved so that they are suitable for scattered X-rays. Textiles that prevent bodies from radiation are made by combining barium sulfate and liquid silicon. These materials have the function of shielding radiation in a manner like lead. Three kinds of textiles are produced. The thicknesses of each textile are 0.15 mm, 0.21 mm, and 0.29 mm and the corresponding lead equivalents are 0.039 mmPb, 0.095 mmPb, 0.22 mmPb for each. The rate of shielding space scattering rays are 80% from the distance of 0.5 m, 86% from 1.0 m, and 97% from 1.5 m. If we intend to approach with the purpose of shielding scattering X-rays and low intensity radiations, it is possible to reduce the weight of the apron to be 1/5 compared to that of the existing lead aprons whose weight is typically more than 4 kg. We confirm, therefore, that it is possible to produce lightweight aprons that are used for the purpose of shielding low dose radiations.
Towards a structural biology of the hydrophobic effect in protein folding
Authors: Camilloni Carlo , Bonetti Daniela , Morrone Angela , Giri Rajanish , Dobson Christopher M. , Brunori Maurizio , Gianni Stefano , Vendruscolo Michele
Published: July 2016

The hydrophobic effect is a major driving force in protein folding. A complete understanding of this effect requires the description of the conformational states of water and protein molecules at different temperatures. Towards this goal, we characterise the cold and hot denatured states of a protein by modelling NMR chemical shifts using restrained molecular dynamics simulations. A detailed analysis of the resulting structures reveals that water molecules in the bulk and at the protein interface form on average the same number of hydrogen bonds. Thus, even if proteins are ‘large’ particles (in terms of the hydrophobic effect, i.e. larger than 1 nm), because of the presence of complex surface patterns of polar and non-polar residues their behaviour can be compared to that of ‘small’ particles (i.e. smaller than 1 nm). We thus find that the hot denatured state is more compact and richer in secondary structure than the cold denatured state, since water at lower temperatures can form more hydrogen bonds than at high temperatures. Then, using Φ-value analysis we show that the structural differences between the hot and cold denatured states result in two alternative folding mechanisms. These findings thus illustrate how the analysis of water-protein hydrogen bonds can reveal the molecular origins of protein behaviours associated with the hydrophobic effect.
Grid-texture mechanisms in human vision: Contrast detection of regular sparse micro-patterns requires specialist templates
Authors: Baker Daniel H. , Meese Tim S.
Published: July 2016

Previous work has shown that human vision performs spatial integration of luminance contrast energy, where signals are squared and summed (with internal noise) over area at detection threshold. We tested that model here in an experiment using arrays of micro-pattern textures that varied in overall stimulus area and sparseness of their target elements, where the contrast of each element was normalised for sensitivity across the visual field. We found a power-law improvement in performance with stimulus area, and a decrease in sensitivity with sparseness. While the contrast integrator model performed well when target elements constituted 50–100% of the target area (replicating previous results), observers outperformed the model when texture elements were sparser than this. This result required the inclusion of further templates in our model, selective for grids of various regular texture densities. By assuming a MAX operation across these noisy mechanisms the model also accounted for the increase in the slope of the psychometric function that occurred as texture density decreased. Thus, for the first time, mechanisms that are selective for texture density have been revealed at contrast detection threshold. We suggest that these mechanisms have a role to play in the perception of visual textures.
Characterisation of a New Fungal Immunomodulatory Protein from Tiger Milk mushroom, Lignosus rhinocerotis
Authors: Pushparajah V. , Fatima A. , Chong C. H. , Gambule T. Z. , Chan C. J. , Ng S. T. , Tan C. S. , Fung S. Y. , Lee S. S. , Tan N. H. , Lim R. L. H.
Published: July 2016

Lignosus rhinocerotis(Tiger milk mushroom) is an important folk medicine for indigenous peoples in Southeast Asia. We previously reported itsde novoassembled 34.3 Mb genome encoding a repertoire of proteins including a putative bioactive fungal immunomodulatory protein. Here we report the cDNA of this new member (FIP-Lrh) with a homology range of 54–64% to FIPs from other mushroom species, the closest is with FIP-glu (LZ-8) (64%) fromGanoderma lucidum.The FIP-Lrh of 112 amino acids (12.59 kDa) has a relatively hydrophobic N-terminal. Its predicted 3-dimensional model has identical folding patterns to FIP-fve and contains a partially conserved and more positively charged carbohydrates binding pocket. Docking predictions of FIP-Lrh on 14 glycans commonly found on cellular surfaces showed the best binding energy of −3.98 kcal/mol to N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylglucosamine. Overexpression of a 14.9 kDa soluble 6xHisFIP-Lrh was achieved in pET-28a(+)/BL21 and the purified recombinant protein was sequence verified by LC-MS/MS (QTOF) analysis. The ability to haemagglutinate both mouse and human blood at concentration ≥0.34 μM, further demonstrated its lectin nature. In addition, the cytotoxic effect of 6xHisFIP-Lrh on MCF-7, HeLa and A549 cancer cell lines was detected at IC50of 0.34 μM, 0.58 μM and 0.60 μM, respectively.
Deep sequencing reveals global patterns of mRNA recruitment during translation initiation
Authors: Gao Rong , Yu Kai , Nie Jukui , Lian Tengfei , Jin Jianshi , Liljas Anders , Su Xiao-Dong
Published: July 2016

In this work, we developed a method to systematically study the sequence preference of mRNAs during translation initiation. Traditionally, the dynamic process of translation initiation has been studied at the single molecule level with limited sequencing possibility. Using deep sequencing techniques, we identified the sequence preference at different stages of the initiation complexes. Our results provide a comprehensive and dynamic view of the initiation elements in the translation initiation region (TIR), including the S1 binding sequence, the Shine-Dalgarno (SD)/anti-SD interaction and the second codon, at the equilibrium of different initiation complexes. Moreover, our experiments reveal the conformational changes and regional dynamics throughout the dynamic process of mRNA recruitment.