bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Getting down to business? Critical discourse analysis of perspectives on the private sector in sustainable development
Authors: Cummings Sarah , Seferiadis Anastasia‐Alithia , de Haan Leah
Published: December 2019

Critical discourse analysis is employed to examine discourses of the private sector within key texts of the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Taking a genealogical approach, four discourses are identified in the literature: the dominant, pro‐private sector discourse, showing unconditional support for the private sector; the sceptical discourse; the middle‐ground discourse with new approaches, specifically designed to leverage development relevance; and the antiprivate sector discourse, which considers that current approaches to the private sector will not be conducive to sustainable development of the global South. The pro‐private sector discourse was found to be predominant within the global goals, reflecting the post‐Washington Consensus as well as the role of the developed countries and the corporate sector in their formulation. All discourses on the private sector, however, place an emphasis on economic and social development at the expense of the key environmental component of sustainable development.
Synthesis, Characterization of a Baicalin‐Strontium(II) Complex and Its BSA‐Binding Activity
Authors: Wang Yang , Xiong Chunhong , Wu Zhongyuan , Liu Yulan , Qiu Yinsheng , Cheng Xianzhong , Zhou Guoqing
Published: December 2019

Baicalin is one of the major bioactive constituents of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, possessed anti‐inflammation, antimicrobial and anticancer activity, has been attained extensive attention. In the present work, a new baicalin‐Sr(II) complex (Sr[baic]⋅3H2O) was synthesized to enhance its biological activity. A series of experiments were carried out to give the satisfying reaction conditions: pH=8.3 and the molar ratio of L:M ≤ 1:1. The obtained complex Sr[baic]⋅3H2O was characterized by IR, ES‐MS UV‐vis, atomic absorption, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The interactions between baicalin/Sr[baic] and bovine serum albumin were also researched through fluorescence spectrum, which accord with the static quenching mechanism, Sr[baic] has higher binding ability than baicalin. Thermodynamic parameters ΔG°<0, ΔH°<0 and ΔS°>0, indicated that electrostatic forces is the major interaction forces in Sr[baic]‐bovine serum albumin system. Furthermore, the synchronous fluorescence experiments were carried out. The studies revealed that both baicalin and Sr[baic] quench the intrinsic fluorescence of bovine serum albumin, and the possible binding site is located on Trp residues. In circular dichroism spectrum, the binding of baicalin and Sr[baic] to bovine serum albumin lead to a loss in helical stability, by contrast, Sr[baic] increases baicalin's binding ability.
Computational, Structural and Spectroscopic Investigations of Two Polymorphs of 5,7‐Dinitro‐8‐(N‐phenylamino)Quinoline
Authors: Strashnov Pavel V. , Tkachev Valeriy V. , Utenyshev Andrey N. , Kazachenko Vladimir P. , Kovalchukova Olga V.
Published: December 2019

Two polymorph modifications of 5,7‐dinitro‐8‐(N‐phenylamino) quinoline (DNPAQ) are isolated in the form of single crystals and studied by experimental and theoretical methods. According to the X‐Ray analysis on single crystals, the two modifications differ by the twist angle between the nitro‐group and the quinoline fragment and the type of molecular packing in the crystals. The theoretical modeling of both polymorphs is performed. The DNPAQ molecular structures of the dimers of neighboring molecules in the polymorphs did not indicate the existence of a significant charge transfer.
Electrochemical Performance of Iron‐doped Li1.2Mn0.6Ni0.2O2 Cathode Materials Prepared by Combustion Synthesis
Authors: Zhang Dongyan , Li Zhimin , Li Gaofeng , Zhang Maolin , Yan Yangxi
Published: December 2019

Li‐rich manganese cathode materials have increasingly attracted much attention because of their high specific capacities applied in Li‐ion batteries. However, they have suffered from low coulombic efficiency and poor rate capability. In this study, we utilize Fe ion doping and control grain morphology to improve the electrochemical performance of Li1.2Mn0.6Ni0.2O2. Fe‐doped Li1.2Mn0.6Ni0.2O2 powders were successfully prepared via combustion synthesis, with equiaxed appearance and submicron size. The electrochemical measurement demonstrated that through Fe doping, a high discharging capacity of 192.0 mAh⋅g−1 was achieved for the sample at the rate of 1 C, and the cyclic stability and rate capacity were significantly enhanced compared. Further investigations illustrated that Fe ions manifested electrochemical activity during lithiation and delithiation, and enabled to stabilize hexagonal structure of the sample and enlarge the crystal interlayer spacing. It is the synergistic effect that endows the doped sample more specific capacity and high cyclic and rate performance.
Metal‐Halide/Ionic‐Liquid Oxidative Carbonylation of Ethanol to Synthesize Diethyl Carbonate with High Activity and Low Corrosion
Authors: Wang Hongbing , Zhang Hua , Hu Jing , Wang Gongying , Deng Zhiyong
Published: December 2019

The transformation of ethanol into high‐value‐added products has attracted considerable attention. Diethyl carbonate (DEC) is an important organic carbonate, and widely used as lithium battery electrolyte, fuel additive. et al. In this study, DEC is synthesized by oxidative carbonylation of ethanol using metal halide‐Ionic liquids (ILs) as the catalyst. And it is found that CuCl2‐[BMIm]BF4 shows higher catalytic performance which is attributed to the synergistic effect of the Brønsted and Lewis acid sites. Under the optimized conditions of nIL/nCuCl2=1.5:1, T=120 °C, P=4.0 MPa, PCO/PO2=9:1, and reaction time 2 h, the conversion of ethanol and selectivity of DEC were 38.8% and 99.7% respectively, which is the highest reported for the synthesis of DEC by oxidative carbonylation under similar reaction conditions. Moreover, the CuCl2‐[BMIm]BF4 catalyst has the advantages of good stability and reusability which was reused seven times without obviously decrease in the catalytic activity. Besides, the corrosion rate and inhibition efficiencies on stainless steel are 0.004 mm/a and 92% with CuCl2‐[BMIm]BF4 catalyst.
Lead Sulfide Quantum Dots as a Bifunctional Layer for Efficient and Stable All‐Inorganic Cesium Lead Iodide Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Ding Xihong , Cai Molang , Liu Xiaoyan , Ding Yong , Liu Xuepeng , Wu Yahan , Hayat Tasawar , Alsaedi Ahmed , Dai Songyuan
Published: December 2019

All‐inorganic cesium lead iodide (CsPbI3) perovskite has aroused great attention while their spontaneous phase transition from the active black α‐phase to the undesired yellow δ‐phase at room temperature has restrained their further application. In addition, the widely‐used organic hole‐transporting materials (HTMs), such as 2,2’,7,7’‐tetrakis(N,N‐di‐p‐methoxyphenylamine)‐9,9’‐spirobifluorene (Spiro‐OMeTAD), with hygroscopic additives not only accelerate the phase transition but also hamper the commercialization process because of its high price and complicated synthesis procedure. Herein, we employ colloidal lead sulfide quantum dots (PbS QDs) synthesized by a hot‐injection method as both hole‐transporting material (HTM) and water‐repelling barrier for all‐inorganic α‐CsPbI3 perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The CsPbI3 films capped with PbS QDs as HTM demonstrate much improved phase‐stability and can remain the black α‐phase for at least 30 d without any encapsulation in air. The PSCs with PbS QDs as HTM showed high performance with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.07%. Furthermore, 89% of the original PCE is remained after storage for 504 h without any encapsulation due to strong moisture resistance resulting from hydrophobic ligands of PbS QDs.
An Integrated Plasmo‐Photoelectronic Nanostructure Biosensor Detects an Infection Biomarker Accompanying Cell Death in Neutrophils
Authors: Park Younggeun , Ryu Byunghoon , Deng Qiufang , Pan Baihong , Song Yujing , Tian Yuzi , Alam Hasan B. , Li Yongqing , Liang Xiaogan , Kurabayashi Katsuo
Published: December 2019

Bacterial infections leading to sepsis are a major cause of deaths in the intensive care unit. Unfortunately, no effective methods are available to capture the early onset of infectious sepsis near the patient with both speed and sensitivity required for timely clinical treatment. To fill the gap, the authors develop a highly miniaturized (2.5 × 2.5 µm2) plasmo‐photoelectronic nanostructure device that detected citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3), a biomarker released to the blood circulatory system by neutrophils. Rapidly detecting CitH3 with high sensitivity has the great potential to prevent infections from developing life‐threatening septic shock. To this end, the author's device incorporates structurally engineered arrayed hemispherical gold nanoparticles that are functionalized with high‐affinity antibodies. A nanoplasmonic resonance shift induces a photoconduction increase in a few‐layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) channel, and it provides the sensor signal. The device achieves label‐free detection of serum CitH3 with a 5‐log dynamic range from 10−4 to 101 ng mL and a sample‐to‐answer time <20 min. Using this biosensor, the authors longitudinally measure the dynamic CitH3 profiles of individual living mice in a sepsis model at high resolution over 12 hours. The developed biosensor may be poised for future translation to personalized management of systemic bacterial infections.
Fat grafting rescues radiation-induced joint contracture
Authors: Borrelli Mimi R. , Diaz Deleon Nestor M. , Adem Sandeep , Patel Ronak A. , Mascharak Shamik , Shen Abra H. , Irizarry Dre , Nguyen Dung , Momeni Arash , Longaker Michael T. , Wan Derrick C.
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study was to explore the therapeutic effects of fat grafting on radiation-induced hind limb contracture. Radiation therapy (RT) is used to palliate and/or cure a range of malignancies but causes inevitable and progressive fibrosis of surrounding soft tissue. Pathological fibrosis may lead to painful contractures which limit movement and negatively impact quality of life. Fat grafting is able to reduce and/or reverse radiation-induced soft tissue fibrosis. We explored whether fat grafting could improve extensibility in irradiated and contracted hind limbs of mice. Right hind limbs of female 60-day-old CD-1 nude mice were irradiated. Chronic skin fibrosis and limb contracture developed. After 4 weeks, irradiated hind limbs were then injected with (a) fat enriched with stromal vascular cells (SVCs), (b) fat only, (c) saline, or (d) nothing (n = 10/group). Limb extension was measured at baseline and every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. Hind limb skin then underwent histological analysis and biomechanical strength testing. Irradiation significantly reduced limb extension but was progressively rescued by fat grafting. Fat grafting also reduced skin stiffness and reversed the radiation-induced histological changes in the skin. The greatest benefits were found in mice injected with fat enriched with SVCs. Hind limb radiation induces contracture in our mouse model which can be improved with fat grafting. Enriching fat with SVCs enhances these beneficial effects. These results underscore an attractive approach to address challenging soft tissue fibrosis in patients following RT.
Contemplating the future: Mutating capitalism
Authors: Fatehi Kamal , Taasoobshirazi Gita
Published: December 2019

After the fall of international communism in the former Soviet Union, capitalism has remained the only viable option for managing the economy. Economic and financial problems of capitalism of recent times, however, have brought forth debate about the role and shape of capitalism, and mainly its future. These problems have made it very clear that unbridled capitalism may not produce the proclaimed prosperity. Some have questioned its future viability in the present form and predicated its metamorphosing into a different kind that could make it more beneficial to the people and more resilient to survive. Questions regarding its future shape and form and the reasons for such predication are the subject of this article.
Effect of cadmium on osteoclast differentiation during bone injury in female mice
Authors: He Shuangjiang , Zhuo Liling , Cao Ying , Liu Gang , Zhao Hongyan , Song Ruilong , Liu Zongping
Published: December 2019

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that represents an occupational hazard and environmental pollutant toxic heavy metal, which can cause osteoporosis following accumulation in the body. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Cd on bone tissue osteoclast differentiation in vivo. Female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups and given drinking water with various concentrations of Cd (0, 5, and 25 mg/L) for 16 weeks, after which the mice were sacrificed after collecting urine and blood. The level of Cd, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), trace elements, and some biochemical indicators were measured, and the bone was fixed in a 4% formaldehyde solution for histological observation. Bone marrow cells were isolated to determine the expression of osteoclast‐associated mRNA and proteins. Cd was increased in the blood, urine, and bone in response to Cd in drinking water in a dose‐dependent manner. The content of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) was significantly increased, whereas Ca and P were decreased in bone compared to the control group. Cd affected the histological structure of the bone, and induced the upregulation and downregulation of tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP‐5b) and estradiol in the serum, respectively. Cd had no significant effect on the alkaline phosphatase activity in the serum. The expression of osteoclast marker proteins, including TRACP, cathepsin K, matrix metalloprotein 9, and carbonic anhydrases were all increased in the Cd‐treated bone marrow cells. Cd significantly increased the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL), but had lower effect on the expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) in both bone marrow cells and bone tissue. Thus, Cd exposure destroyed the bone microstructure, promoted the formation of osteoclasts in the bone tissue, and accelerated bone resorption, in which the OPG/RANKL pathway may play an important role.
Towards a Business Case for Responsible Innovation
Authors: Schönherr Norma , Martinuzzi André , Jarmai Katharina
Published: December 2019

There is still work to be done in conceptualizing how responsible innovation applies to business. Lessons can be drawn from adjacent fields of inquiry such as sustainability-oriented or social innovation. However, the central challenge of developing a business case for responsible innovation requires additional insights into how responsible innovation may support companies in generating competitive advantage, and what levers can be effectively employed to engage business. This final chapter summarises the most important lessons learned from the contributions to this volume. Based on these insights, the authors develop the outlines of a business case for responsible innovation. In doing so, they show that responsibility and innovation can mutually strengthen each other. Such a synergy between responsibility and innovation may help to maintain trust in business’ ability to drive desirable social change while improving innovation performance.
Effects of fireworks on particulate matter concentration in a narrow valley: the case of the Medellín metropolitan area
Authors: Hoyos Carlos D. , Herrera-Mejía Laura , Roldán-Henao Natalia , Isaza Alejandra
Published: December 2019

The extensive use of fireworks generates large amounts of pollutants, deteriorating air quality and potentially causing adverse health impacts. In Medellín and its metropolitan area, although fireworks are banned during December, their use is widespread during the Christmas season, particularly during the midnight of November 30 (La Alborada) and New Year’s Eve (NYE). It is therefore essential to assess the effects of these celebrations on air quality in the region. Air-quality data from the official monitoring network and a low-cost particulate matter (PM) citizen science project, backscattering intensity (BI) retrievals from a ceilometer network, potential temperature from a microwave radiometer, and information from a radar wind profiler provide an excellent platform to study the spatio-temporal distribution of contaminants resulting from the La Alborada and NYE celebrations. Substantial increases in PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations due to La Alborada and NYE, ranging in some cases from 50 to 100 μgm−3, are observed in the Aburrá Valley and particularly in the densely populated communes of Medellín, with most concentration changes corresponding to ultrafine and fine particles. The PM increments resulting from fireworks show almost no increase in the net amount of black carbon in the atmosphere. Ceilometer BI profiles show a substantial change immediately after the La Alborada and NYE midnights, confined to the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Strong thermal inversions lead to fairly homogeneous increments in BI within the ABL, lasting until the onset of the convective boundary layer. In contrast, weak thermal inversions lead to rapid dispersion of aerosols, allowing them to episodically escape above the ABL.
The framing of nothing and the psychology of choice
Authors: Scholten Marc , Read Daniel , Stewart Neil
Published: December 2019

Zero outcomes are inconsequential in most models of choice. However, when disclosing zero outcomes they must be designated. It has been shown that a gamble is judged to be more attractive when its zero outcome is designated as “losing $0” rather than “winning $0,” an instance of what we refer to as the mutable-zero effect. Drawing on norm theory, we argue that “losing $0” or “paying $0” evokes counterfactual losses, with which the zero outcome compares favorably (a good zero), and thus acquires positive value, whereas “winning $0” or “receiving $0” evokes counterfactual gains, with which the zero outcome compares unfavorably (a bad zero), and thus acquires negative value. Moreover, we propose that the acquired value of zero outcomes operates just as the intrinsic value of nonzero outcomes in the course of decision making. We derive testable implications from prospect theory for mutable-zero effects in risky choice, and from the double-entry mental accounting model for mutable-zero effects in intertemporal choice. The testable implications are consistently confirmed. We conclude that prevalent theories of choice can explain how decisions are influenced by mutable zeroes, on the shared understanding that nothing can have value, just like everything else.
Application of seismic attribute analysis in fluvial seismic geomorphology
Authors: Hossain Shakhawat
Published: December 2019

Seismic attributes can be important predictors, either qualitative or quantitative, of reservoir geometries when they are correctly used in reservoir characterization studies. This paper discusses seismic attribute analyses and their usefulness in seismic geomorphology study of Moragot field of Pattani Basin, Gulf of Thailand. Early to Middle Miocene fluvial channel and overbank sands are the reservoirs in Pattani Basin. Due to their limited horizontal and vertical distribution, it is not always possible to predict the geometry and distribution of these sands based on the conventional seismic interpretation. This study utilized various seismic attributes, e.g., RMS amplitude analysis, spectral decomposition, semblance and dip-steered similarity, RGB blending to image the geometry and the spatial distribution of sand bodies in horizon and stratal slices at different stratigraphic intervals. Attribute analyses reveal, at shallow stratigraphic levels, RMS and semblance can successfully identify channel-shaped sand bodies and mud-filled channels associated with channel belts. On the other hand in deeper stratigraphic intervals, sand distribution can be imaged more effectively by using spectral decomposition and dip-steered similarity volumes. High-frequency spectral decomposition slices can image thin sands, and low-frequency slices can image thick sands quite effectively in deeper intervals. RGB blending of different frequency slices is particularly useful in delineating channel systems of various dimensions at deeper intervals. These images show the distribution of sands and mud-filled channels at various stratigraphic levels. The width of channel belts varies from 200 m to 3 km. These channel belts are N–S or NW–SE oriented. From the channel pattern and their dimensions, depositional environments can be predicted. Mud-filled channels identified in the horizon slices will act as a connectivity barrier between sand bodies at either side of the channel. They can also act as lateral and up-dip seal to form stratigraphic traps. The seismic attribute analyses clearly show the geometry and spatial distribution of sand bodies. Hence, this method for predicting sand body geometry might help in field development planning as well as in reducing exploration risk.
Cryopreservation of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) polyembryoids via encapsulation–desiccation
Authors: Palanyandy Sharrmila Rengeswari , Gantait Saikat , Subramaniam Sreeramanan , Sinniah Uma Rani
Published: December 2019

The current report assesses the efficiency of encapsulation–desiccation protocol to cryopreserve oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) polyembryoids. Specifically identified polyembryoids, comprising of haustorium and torpedo-shaped structures, were encapsulated [comprising 3% (w/v) sodium alginate and 100 mM CaCl2]. Calcium alginate-encapsulated and sucrose-precultured polyembryoids were subjected to different spans of desiccation in a laminar air-flow cabinet, followed by freezing in liquid nitrogen. The effect of sucrose preculture (with gradual exposure to 0.3, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 M for 7 days) and dehydration periods (0–10 h) under sterile air-flow on post-freezing survival and regrowth of encapsulated polyembryoids were studied. Cryopreserved and thawed polyembryoids (initially precultured in sucrose, followed by 9 h air-desiccated to 23.3% moisture content) displayed the highest survival percentage (73.3%) and regeneration (of shoot, root and secondary somatic embryo) on Murashige and Skoog regrowth medium containing sucrose (0.3–1 M) and 0.2 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid. In addition, ultrastructural study using scanning electron microscopy exhibited successful revival of cryopreserved polyembryoids, owing to retention of cellular membrane stability through optimized and protected (encapsulated) desiccation. The present study thus substantiates the potential of this encapsulation–desiccation procedure in cryopreservation of oil palm polyembryoids for long-term conservation programs.
Life Expectancy of White and Non-White Elite Heavyweight Boxers
Authors: Han Thang S. , Gabe Jonathan , Sharma Pankaj , Lean Michael E. J.
Published: December 2019

Background

In post-industrial countries, ethnic minorities suffer poorer health and premature deaths. The present study examined ethnic differences in life expectancy and related features among elite heavyweight boxers.

Methods

Dates of birth and death, anthropometry, and championship years were gathered from media archives for champions and challengers (never been a champion) between years 1889 and 2019. Cox regression adjusted for age at contest, nationality, BMI, champion/challenger status, and number of contests was used to assess survival.

Results

All 237 boxers, 83 champions (37.3% whites) and 154 challengers (61.0% whites), who contested for heavyweight championships were identified. By 2019, 110 (75 whites, 34 non-whites) were known to have died. Non-white boxers died at an earlier age than whites boxers (mean ± SD = 59.8 ± 14.2 years versus 67.3 ± 16.4 years, p = 0.018) and had shorter survival: HR = 2.13 (95% CI = 1.4–3.3). Among non-white boxers, deaths were higher from neurological disorders: OR = 8.2 (95% CI = 1.3–13.5) and accidents: OR = 15.1 (95% CI = 2.3–98.2), while death from natural causes was lower: OR = 0.2 (95% CI = 0.03–0.8). After boxing careers, fewer non-white boxers had non-manual jobs (34.4% versus 71.8%) than manual (34.4% versus 19.7%) or were unemployed (28.1% versus 2.8%). Reported substance abuse was similar across ethnicity (8.0% versus 8.8%) but conviction rates were higher among non-white boxers (17.6%) than white (1.3%).

Conclusions

Compared with white boxers, non-white boxers tend to die younger with excess neurological and accidental deaths, and they have lower social positions in later life. Sporting authorities should reappraise the wisdom of permitting head injuries in sport and monitor and support the health and wellbeing of sports men and women after retirement.
When is EROI Not EROI?
Authors: Carbajales-Dale Michael
Published: December 2019

This paper outlines some very real issues with the use of energy return
on investment (EROI) for comparing different energy delivery pathways, particularly
when directly comparing EROI calculated at the scale of a single energy facility (as
a ratio of full lifetime energy transfers) with that calculated at the scale of a
geographical region or industry (as a ratio of annual energy flows). While these two
ratios may converge, it is only under a very specific set of circumstances. The aim
of this paper is to outline this issue in detail and provide some specific examples
of the difference between these two ratios for the global wind and photovoltaics
industries.
Reducing Ingroup Bias in Ethical Consumption: The Role of Construal Levels and Social Goodwill
Authors: Costa Pinto Diego , Borges Adilson , Maurer Herter Márcia , Boto Ferreira Mário
Published: December 2019

Business ethics research has long been interested in understanding the conditions under which ethical consumption is consistent versus context-dependent. Extant research suggests that many consumers fail to make consistent ethical consumption decisions and tend to engage in ethical decisions associated with ingroup (vs. outgroup) identity cues. To fill this gap, four experiments examine how construal levels moderate the influence of ingroup versus outgroup identity cues in ethical consumption. The studies support the contention that when consumers use concrete construal to process information, they will focus on ingroup cues and make ethical consumption decisions that are aligned with ingroup biases. However, when consumers use abstract construal, they will act more consistently with their inner goals rather than focusing on ingroup and outgroup cues. Social goodwill, which indicates desires to give back to society, is identified as mediating the effects. The findings have important implications for ethical consumption and social influence literature.
Foreign Law, Democracy, and Constitutional Interpretation: A German-American Comparison
Authors: Hwang Shu-Perng
Published: December 2019

Democracy is usually relied upon as an important argument against the excessive influence of international and foreign law on the domestic legal order, and especially on domestic constitutional law. Both in Germany and the United States, skeptics and opponents of the Europeanization or internationalization of domestic constitutional law repeatedly raise democratic concerns. From a comparative perspective, this Article examines the German and American democratic arguments against an overreliance on international and foreign law in constitutional interpretations. In exploring the democratic concerns expressed in German and American discussions, this Article focuses especially on the contrast between German dualism on the one hand and American exceptionalism on the other hand. This Article shows that, while the German dualists and the American exceptionalists base their arguments on different understandings of democracy, they share the viewpoint that democracy can only be realized on the national level, whereas international law aims at uniformity und thus inevitably runs counter to democratic self-governance and self-determination of the states. Precisely in this sense, it can be said that there is no qualitative, but rather only a quantitative distinction between German and American democratic arguments. Thus conceived, the alleged contrast between the principle of open statehood emphasized by German constitutional law scholars and the Constitutional Court and the idea of American exceptionalism embraced by a number of critics of the use of foreign law lies only in the extent to which the reference to international or foreign law in interpreting the domestic Constitution is deemed legitimate and justifiable.
The Dialectics Between Constitutional Identity and Common Constitutional Traditions: Which Language for Cooperative Constitutionalism in Europe?
Authors: Fichera Massimo , Pollicino Oreste
Published: December 2019

This Article revisits the role and function of constitutional identity and common constitutional traditions and claims that the latter have had an increasingly stronger influence on the process of European integration—more than may appear at first sight. In addition, the relevance of common constitutional traditions has not been undermined but, on the contrary, strengthened by the emergence of fundamental rights in EU law and the subsequent conferral of binding force on the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Constitutional identity and common constitutional traditions are part of two discourses—security and fundamental rights—which are an expression of the security of the European project as an overarching frame characterizing the EU as a polity and legal system. After an overview of some of the most important rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union, this Article concludes by emphasizing the importance of the recent conciliatory attitude recently adopted by the Court of Justice, although the more ambivalent attitude of the Italian Constitutional Court indicates how conflictual features are becoming increasingly important and can no longer be concealed as the EU reaches a more advanced stage of integration.
Illiberal Constitutionalism: The Case of Hungary and Poland
Authors: Drinóczi Tímea , Bień-Kacała Agnieszka
Published: December 2019

This Article argues that, as far as Hungary and Poland are concerned, the use of term “illiberal constitutionalism” is justified. It also claims that, without denying that other states could also be considered illiberal democracies, Hungary and Poland display unique and distinctive features. These features include populist politics, which lead to the relativization of the rule of law and democracy principles, and human rights protection, which captured the constitution and constitutionalism by constitutionalizing populist nationalism, constitutional identity, and created new patrionalism and clientelism. All these features are supported by the ideological indoctrination of political constitutionalism. In the course of this process, formal and informal constitutional amendments are used, and a formal sense of constitutional democracy is maintained. Overturning these illiberal democracies by constitutional and legal means, at this time, seems doubtful, if not impossible.
A 2D scintillator-based proton detector for high repetition rate experiments
Authors: Huault M. , De Luis D. , Apiñaniz J. I. , De Marco M. , Salgado C. , Gordillo N. , Gutiérrez Neira C. , Pérez-Hernández J. A. , Fedosejevs R. , Gatti G. , Roso L. , Volpe L.
Published: December 2019

We present a scintillator-based detector able to measure the proton energy and the spatial distribution with a relatively simple design. It has been designed and built at the Spanish Center for Pulsed Lasers (CLPU) in Salamanca and tested in the proton accelerator at the Centro de Micro-Análisis de Materiales (CMAM) in Madrid. The detector is capable of being set in the high repetition rate (HRR) mode and reproduces the performance of the radiochromic film detector. It represents a new class of online detectors for laser–plasma physics experiments in the newly emerging high power laser laboratories working at HRR.
Impact Fracture of Polymer-Filled Braided Composite Tubes
Authors: Hwang S. F. , Yu H. L.
Published: December 2019

Three types of polymer including polyurethane, polyethylene, and polysulfone were used as filler inside composite tubes to evaluate their effects on the crashworthiness. The composite tube consisting of carbon fiber fabric and polyurethane was fabricated by resin transfer molding and subjected to impact loading. In addition, the finite element analysis with progressive failure and delamination was used to simulate the crushing behavior of the polymer-filled composite tube. From the comparison between experiment and simulation, the finite element analysis is reliable, could reasonably describe the crushing behavior of the polymer-filled tube, and has nice prediction on the crashworthiness performance. From both the experiment and simulation results, the polyethylene-filled composite tube has clearly higher specific absorbed energy than the hollow composite tube, and polyethylene could be considered as an effective filler. However, the other two types of polymer filler have no clear effect.
Fabrics-Shear Strength Links of Silicon-Based Granular Assemblies
Authors: Judes Sujatha S. , Jahanger Z. K. , Barbhuiya S. , Antony S. Joseph
Published: December 2019

Silicon (Si)-based materials are sought in different engineering applications including Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Materials, Energy and Minerals engineering. Silicon and Silicon dioxide are processed extensively in the industries in granular form, for example to develop durable concrete, shock and fracture resistant materials, biological, optical, mechanical and electronic devices which offer significant advantages over existing technologies. Here we focus on the constitutive behaviour of Si-based granular materials under mechanical shearing. In the recent times, it is widely recognised in the literature that the microscopic origin of shear strength in granular assemblies are associated with their ability to establish anisotropic networks (fabrics) comprising strong-force transmitting inter-particle contacts under shear loading. Strong contacts pertain to the relatively small number of contacts carrying greater than the average normal contact force. However, information on how such fabrics evolve in Si-based assemblies under mechanical loading, and their link to bulk shear strength of such assemblies are scarce in the literature. Using discrete element method (DEM), here we present results on how Si-based granular assemblies develop shear strength and their internal fabric structures under bi-axial quasi-static compression loading. Based on the analysis, a simple constitutive relation is presented for the bulk shear strength of the Si-based assemblies relating with their internal fabric anisotropy of the heavily loaded contacts. These findings could help to develop structure-processing property relations of Si-based materials in future, which originate at the microscale.
Girl with a monkey
Authors: Cantrell Kate
Published: December 2019

Poem for Thea Astley
Thea Astley's modernism of the 'Deep North', or on (un)kindness
Authors: Gildersleeve Jessica
Published: December 2019

Although she is often perceived as a writer of the local, the rural or the regional, Thea Astley herself notes writing by American modernists as her primary literary influence, and emphasises the ethical value of transnational reading and writing. Similarly, she draws parallels between writing of the American ‘Deep South’ and her own writing of the ‘Deep North’, with a particular focus on the struggles of the racial or cultural outsider. In this article, I pursue Astley’s peculiar blend of these literary genres — modernism, the Gothic and the transnational — as a means of understanding her conceptualisation of kindness and community. Although Astley rejects the necessity of literary community, her writing emphasises instead the value of interpersonal engagement and social responsibility. With a focus on her first novel, Girl with a Monkey (1958), this article considers Astley’s representation of the distinction between community and kindness, particularly for young Catholic women in Queensland in the early twentieth century. In its simultaneous critique of the expectations placed on women and its upholding of the values of kindness and charity, Astley considers our responsibilities in our relations with the Other and with community.
Susan Sheridan, 'The Fiction of Thea Astley, Cambria Australian Literature', edited by Susan Lever, New York: Cambria Press, 2016, 186 ppl., ISBN 9 7816 0497 9329, US$99.99.
Authors: Henry Louise
Published: December 2019

Susan Sheridan, The Fiction of Thea Astley, Cambria Australian Literature, edited by Susan Lever, New York: Cambria Press, 2016, 186 ppl., ISBN 9 7816 0497 9329, US$99.99.
Analysis of the relationship between changes in the auditory brainstem response and prognosis in patients with sudden hearing loss
Authors: Bang J , Lee H , Choi H , Lee D , Kim Y , Kim D-K
Published: December 2019

Objective

To analyse how the auditory brainstem response changes in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Method

Data were collected via retrospective medical chart review.

Results

Forty-three patients were included in this study. The mean latency of auditory brainstem response wave 1 was significantly longer for the affected side than for the unaffected side (p = 0.003). The mean latency of auditory brainstem response wave 1 was significantly shorter, and the mean amplitude of auditory brainstem response wave 1 was significantly larger, in the good response group compared to the poor response group. In forward conditional logistic regression analysis, auditory brainstem response wave 1 latency was an independent predictor of a good response (odds ratio = 34.37, 95 per cent confidence interval = 1.56–757.15, p = 0.025).

Conclusion

In patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, the latency of wave 1 of the auditory brainstem response was significantly increased and was related to prognosis.
Writing for redress: redrawing the epistolary relationship under the New Poor Law
Authors: Jones Peter D. , Carter Natalie
Published: December 2019

This article investigates how the new welfare bureaucracy impacted on the epistolary relationship between paupers and those who administered it locally and nationally. In particular, it traces the changes in those relationships between the earliest years of the new regime and its maturity in the 1870s. It explores the ways that paupers responded to the New Poor Law, and how they negotiated the structural and sentimental shifts that took place over that period. In particular, it looks in detail at the new uses to which the epistolary relationship was put by outdoor paupers, their advocates and workhouse inmates.
Imitation of human motion for humanoid robot in lift and carry event
Authors: Chiang Shu-Yin , Jiang Hao-Ge
Published: December 2019

This study proposed a method to enable a humanoid robot to step up onto a stair by imitating the step-up motion of a human and to accomplish a lift and carry event in HuroCup of Federation of International RoboSports Association. The step-up motion, divided into five states, was captured by a Kinect sensor, and the human joints corresponded to the humanoid robot joints. Selected servomotors and their angle variation were matched with that of human joint numbers by a designed fuzzy inference system on the basis between the human and the humanoid robot joints. Then, the rest of the robot motors were adjusted by the zero moment point obtained from force-sensing registers to maintain stability. Next, two intermediate transition states were added between each state of the humanoid robot step-up to maintain its balance and reduce motor damage. Finally, to be applied in a real lift and carry event, a vision system was integrated to recognize the edge of a color board and determine a suitable site for the step-up. With these functions integrated, the robot under the proposed method was verified to successfully achieve the task of the lift and carry event without losing its balance or falling.
Story choice matters for caregiver extra-textual talk during shared reading with preschoolers
Authors: MUHINYI Amber , HESKETH Anne , STEWART Andrew J. , ROWLAND Caroline F.
Published: December 2019

This study aimed to examine the influence of the complexity of the story-book on caregiver extra-textual talk (i.e., interactions beyond text reading) during shared reading with preschool-age children. Fifty-three mother–child dyads (3;00–4;11) were video-recorded sharing two ostensibly similar picture-books: a simple story (containing no false belief) and a complex story (containing a false belief central to the plot, which provided content that was more challenging for preschoolers to understand). Book-reading interactions were transcribed and coded. Results showed that the complex stories facilitated more extra-textual talk from mothers, and a higher quality of extra-textual talk (as indexed by linguistic richness and level of abstraction). Although the type of story did not affect the number of questions mothers posed, more elaborative follow-ups on children's responses were provided by mothers when sharing complex stories. Complex stories may facilitate more and linguistically richer caregiver extra-textual talk, having implications for preschoolers’ developing language abilities.
Functions and mechanism of noncoding RNA in the somatic cells of the testis
Authors: Li Chunjie , Chen Baiqi , Wang Jing
Published: December 2019

ncRNAs are involved in numerous biological processes by regulating gene expression and cell stability. Studies have shown that ncRNAs also contribute to spermatogenesis. Leydig cells (LCs) and Sertoli cells (SCs) are somatic cells of the testis that support spermatogenesis and are vital to male fertility. In this review, we summarized the findings from studies on ncRNAs in SCs and LCs. In SCs, ncRNAs play key roles in phagocytosis, immunoprotection and development of SCs. In LCs, ncRNAs are involved in steroidogenesis, in particular production of testosterone as well as development of LCs. Here, we discuss the possible target genes and functions of ncRNAs in both types of cells. These ncRNAs regulate the expression of target genes or mRNA coding sequence regions, resulting in a chain reaction that influences cell function. In addition, microRNAs, lncRNAs, piRNA-like RNAs (pilRNAs) and natural antisense transcripts (NATs) are discussed in this review. In summary, we suggest that these ncRNAs might act in coordination to control spermatogenesis and maintain the environmental homeostasis of the testis.
Troponin elevation in the setting of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis in an athletic teenager
Authors: Rausa Jacqueline , Shetty Ira , Loomba Rohit S.
Published: December 2019

Troponin levels are often obtained when chest pain is evaluated in the paediatric emergency department. Elevations in troponin levels can be due to different causes, and it is important to fully understand all of these possible causes to help streamline further evaluation and therapy. We present the case of a teenager who had two episodes of troponin elevation in the setting of rhabdomyolysis.
Ideas, Structural Ambiguity, and the Struggle for Bilingual Signage by Carinthian Slovenes in Austria
Authors: Fedotov Egor
Published: December 2019

The studies of human behaviour that foreground the explanatory role of exogenously given incentives and constraints give short shrift to the role of agency, or the behaviour(s) of actors, in attempting to shed light on both policy and behaviour. This article reverses the emphasis – with the example of ethnic politics in the southern Austrian province of Carinthia with respect to the preservation and/or erection of German-language and Slovenian-language inscriptions – by arguing that the behavioural strategies of vulnerable or disadvantaged groups, such as national minorities, can carry significant political consequences – and thus are worthy of study. Specifically, the article looks into a politics of consensus and a politics of (political) realism, as the latter are advocated by Carinthian Slovenes in Austria. The findings serve as a wake-up call for West European states in particular, which, arguably, have grown complacent about their own minority rights records.
Cognitive Correlates of MRI-defined Cerebral Vascular Injury and Atrophy in Elderly American Indians: The Strong Heart Study
Authors: Suchy-Dicey Astrid , Shibata Dean , Cholerton Brenna , Nelson Lonnie , Calhoun Darren , Ali Tauqeer , Montine Thomas J. , Longstreth W.T. , Buchwald Dedra , Verney Steven P.
Published: December 2019

Objective:

American Indians experience substantial health disparities relative to the US population, including vascular brain aging. Poorer cognitive test performance has been associated with cranial magnetic resonance imaging findings in aging community populations, but no study has investigated these associations in elderly American Indians.

Methods:

We examined 786 American Indians aged 64 years and older from the Cerebrovascular Disease and its Consequences in American Indians study (2010–2013). Cranial magnetic resonance images were scored for cortical and subcortical infarcts, hemorrhages, severity of white matter disease, sulcal widening, ventricle enlargement, and volumetric estimates for white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), hippocampus, and brain. Participants completed demographic, medical history, and neuropsychological assessments including testing for general cognitive functioning, verbal learning and memory, processing speed, phonemic fluency, and executive function.

Results:

Processing speed was independently associated with the presence of any infarcts, white matter disease, and hippocampal and brain volumes, independent of socioeconomic, language, education, and clinical factors. Other significant associations included general cognitive functioning with hippocampal volume. Nonsignificant, marginal associations included general cognition with WMH and brain volume; verbal memory with hippocampal volume; verbal fluency and executive function with brain volume; and processing speed with ventricle enlargement.

Conclusions:

Brain-cognition associations found in this study of elderly American Indians are similar to those found in other racial/ethnic populations, with processing speed comprising an especially strong correlate of cerebrovascular disease. These findings may assist future efforts to define opportunities for disease prevention, to conduct research on diagnostic and normative standards, and to guide clinical evaluation of this underserved and overburdened population.
Is the Sri Lankan ecotourism industry threatened by climate change? A case study of Rekawa coastal wetland using contingent visitation approach
Authors: Salpage Nesha Dushani , Aanesen Margrethe , Amarasinghe Oscar
Published: December 2019

This study investigates intended visitation behavior of tourists toward Rekawa wetland under anticipated climate change (CC) scenarios. An interview-based contingent visitation survey was conducted with 365 foreign and domestic tourists to estimate the effects of CC on future visitation. Based on two IPCC scenarios using two direct and three indirect climatic factors, we composed a CC environmental index. The results show a decline in number of trips equal to 43 per cent and 53 per cent under scenarios 1 and 2 respectively, but the difference is not significant. Foreign and domestic tourists differ significantly with regard to socio-demographic characteristics and beliefs about CC effects at Rekawa. Controlling for such differences, we demonstrate that foreign tourists are less likely than domestic tourists to reduce future visitation to Rekawa due to CC impacts. Still, the future of ecotourism at Rekawa wetland is at risk if adaptation measures are not taken to meet CC impacts.