bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feel the drama of poetry
Authors: Williams Brenda
Published: February 2015

Brenda Williams presents two styles of poem which can be read out loud and will give pupils an appreciation of how poetic form can achieve very different effects.
Start building a website and then ‘run with it’
Authors: Bosley Rachel , Bosley Mark
Published: February 2015

Key stage 2 is not too early introduce the basics of web design. Expect pupils to be quick to grasp the fundamentals and excited to take their knowledge further.
Amelia Earheart and the mystery of her last flight
Authors: Davies John
Published: February 2015

Not only did she wear some really cool clothes but she also wanted to be the first woman to fly around the world. Use these activities to fire children's imaginations.
Read, record, talk and edit
Authors: McKeown Sal
Published: February 2015

Sal McKeown outlines how one school is combining a range of resources to help children bring their stories to life with rich language, structure and pace.
Feeling under pressure
Authors: Welch Rachel
Published: February 2015

Self-harming does not just affect adolescents – it is increasingly becoming a problem for primary-aged pupils. Charity selfharmUK provides important advice.
In their best interests?
Authors: Lepkowska Dorothy
Published: February 2015

This government's vision for the academisation of primaries continues to attract controversy. In part one of a new series, Dorothy Lepkowska unpicks the issues.
High hopes? The gender equality duty and its impact on responses to gender-based violence
Authors: Burman Michele , Johnstone Jenny
Published: February 2015

From 2007 until 2011, the Gender Equality Duty (GED) required public bodies in Britain to take gender equality into consideration in all policies and services. This article traces its implementation in Scotland, following devolution. It focuses on the GED’s perceived potential as a policy tool for driving change in the way public bodies, particularly those responsible for the delivery of criminal justice, respond to gender-based violence. We highlight the distinctive approach taken to genderbased violence in Scotland, and argue that despite some evidence of mainstreaming, the real potential for change afforded by the GED was never fully realised.
Gypsies and Travellers: a big or divided society?
Authors: Ryder Andrew Richard
Published: February 2015

The aim of this article is to explore the impact of localism on vulnerable minorities like Gypsies and Travellers. This paper draws on the literature on social contract, with particular reference to Hobbes, Rawls and Habermas. The key findings of this paper indicate that localism can impede equality but also that statist forms of centralism can be counterproductive to the achievement of equality. The insights in this paper contribute to the literature on equality by proposing a policy framework which fuses the participatory and deliberative practices associated with forms of localism with the safeguards and protection of centralism.
On support for welfare state reforms and deservingness in the Netherlands
Authors: Raven Judith , Achterberg Peter , van der Veen Romke
Published: February 2015

Since the mid-1980s, welfare state arrangements have become increasingly conditional and austere. Simultaneously, deservingness perceptions have become increasingly important. This paper examines preferences as to which social categories contemporary welfare state reforms should target. Using unique data from a 2006 Dutch survey, the results reveal that the Dutch discern two principles of welfare state reforms – the first tapping into distributive reforms – decreasing redistribution, the latter tapping into commodifying reforms – increasing recommodification. Moreover, the level of people's identification with social categories explains why the public prefers commodifying reform to be intensively targeted at some social categories, but not at others.
A stage-based model of design teaching
Authors: Beier Sofie
Published: February 2015

With a focus on the teaching of design students in higher education, the article will present a teaching approach model that follows the stages of the design process. The model suggests that at the Definition stage, the supervisor can focus on leading the student into a more thorough elaboration of the design problem; at the Analysis stage, the supervisor can facilitate a controlled structure of what needs to be investigated by taking on the role of a caring guide; at the Creating stage the supervisor can ask questions that reveal alternative angles; and at the Form Making stage the supervisor can apply an approach inspired by the master–apprentice relationship, where the student learns by observing the master at work.
The Pinterest project: Using social media in an undergraduate second year fashion design course at a United States University
Authors: Lapolla Kendra
Published: February 2015

This article is a research evaluation of a project that utilizes the social media website, Pinterest.com, in a collaborative learning experience between second year fashion design students at a United States university and young urban professionals as customers. Technology is changing the higher education environment, and interacting with social media in engaging ways provides fashion design students the opportunity to connect with a wider community of customers to better understand their needs. Second year students in a fashion design course at a university in the United States were asked to collaborate with young urban professional customers using the website Pinterest.com to develop a six-piece garment collection based on the customer’s inspiration and feedback of the student designs. Student responses suggest this was beneficial experience for using social media in a learning environment. Communication between students and customers illustrate an example for interactive social media use that could be replicated in other fashion design courses.
The role of the agreement: Art students, dyslexia, reading and writing
Authors: Tobias-Green Karen
Published: February 2015

This article looks at experiences of writing in higher art education. It demonstrates how the experiences of art students with dyslexia affect their perceptions of themselves as writers. It proposes the role of the agreement in providing a negotiated space for students with dyslexia to explore difficulties and to take on responsibilities regarding their academic literacy. The need for an agreement becomes clearer when we examine the significant role writing can play in expressing ideas, concepts and theories about students’ own visual practice, This article proposes the idea of agreements that might facilitate the process of integration between writing and creative visual practice. These agreements take place at the institutional, diagnostic and educational level. The article highlights the importance of these agreements in establishing a culture of mature and democratic discourse around education; one that acknowledges both rights and responsibilities.
Drumming for community building: The development of the Community Drumming Network (CDN) and its impact in Singapore society
Authors: Onishi Pamela Costes
Published: February 2015

This article is based on the commissioned research report submitted to the National Arts Council (NAC) of Singapore on the Community Drumming Network (CDN). The eight-month-long qualitative field research is a collaborative project by the NAC and the UNESCO National Institute of Education Centre for Arts Research in Education (UNESCO NIE-CARE). The two main objectives of the research are: (1) to gain insights into the social impact of the CDN; and (2) to understand the mechanisms of the CDN in order to advocate and support the growth of arts interest groups1 in Singapore. The study was conducted from 30 January to 31 August 2012. The focus of this article is on the factors that make a successful arts interest group in Singapore, highlighting the synergy between community grassroots leaders and government statutory boards. In the Singapore context, government support and events have the capacity to encourage the growth of local interest groups. In the responses gathered in this study about the benefits of engaging in a community interest group, there appears to be a strong goal of harmonizing the diverse ethnic communities and creating intergenerational bonds.2 The model that ensues from this unique situation would hopefully be helpful in understanding local interest groups elsewhere. Central to the study is the art activity that was used to facilitate individuals of different ethnic backgrounds to come together as one community; this is the drum circle. This study shows how the drum circle is found to have the potential to be an effective tool in promoting racial harmony and to bridge the gap between generations. It features the voices of the community members who relentlessly engage in this activity in bringing out the meanings and benefits of the drum circle at the personal and communal levels.
Community music-making in regional Australia: Creating, improvising and performing at a festival
Authors: Joseph Dawn
Published: February 2015

Community arts in Australia, as in many other countries, continue to permeate society, illuminating the past and shaping the future. This article situates itself as an aspect of community music through creative music-making within a larger research project that started at Deakin University (DU) (Melbourne, Australia) in 2011 called ‘Flows and Catchments’. Through the lens of creative arts and music-making, I argue that community partnerships between local communities and tertiary institutions are a fertile ground to celebrate arts practice where the cultural and artistic life of the community is promoted, fostering respect and understanding between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. In 2012, I presented a music workshop at the 8th Annual Lake Bolac Eel Festival (LBEF) in Western Victoria. Using the African term Masakhane, which means ‘let us build together’, I provide a snapshot of my experience through journaling and anecdotal feedback as I reflect in and on the teaching and learning episode of the volcanic composition. The community partnership between DU (academics in an urban space) and the LBEF (local community in a regional place) provided an opportunity for people of all ages to engage, explore and experience music-making collectively in a social context. As a tertiary music educator, I propose more pathways being established with regional communities in order to deepen the knowledge and understanding of them; schools, communities, artists, academics and tertiary students can form cultural synergies in place-based settings like those of festivals.
Masks of Schwartz-Bartter Syndrome clinical pictures: a case report
Authors: Pigarova E A , Dzeranova L K , Rozhinskaya L Ya
Published: February 2015

Schwartz-Bartter Syndrome (synonyms: syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone syndrome of inappropriate secretion of vasopressin, anti-diabetes insipidus) - this is a rare disease characterized by excessive secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) from the posterior pituitary, or other source, resulting in developing hyponatremia and water intoxication. Hyponatremia dilutions at Schwartz-Bartter Syndrome is usually non-specific symptoms, such as headache, nausea, vomiting and confusion. Marked reduction in blood sodium levels may lead to seizures or even coma.
Psychological aspects of diet therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Starostina E G
Published: February 2015

The importance of studying the psychological aspects of nutrition diet is, perhaps, the most commonly used words in the lexicon of Endocrinology and Diabetology and most unpleasant - for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Any restrictions on certain aspects of nutrition in patients with diabetes create a negative attitude to the disease, since they require non-established habits and tastes, a significant change in lifestyle, often - constant "struggle" with gusto. And if type 1 diabetes decrease dietary restrictions for patient education - the so-called liberalized diet - allows much to make life easier to patient without compromising compensation diabetes [3, 11], the rules for type 2 diabetes, especially in combination with obesity, are fundamentally based on constraints.
Validierung von Steuerungscode mit Hilfe automatisch generierter Simulationsmodelle
Authors: Schmidt Philipp Puntel , Fay Alexander , Riediger Willi , Schulte Thomas , Köslin Fabian , Diehl Stephan
Published: February 2015

Der Simulation kommt im Rahmen einer durchgehenden digitalen Fabrikplanung immer größere Bedeutung zu. Eine Möglichkeit, die Qualität
sowie Termintreue bei der Erstellung von automatisierten fertigungstechnischen Anlagen sicherzustellen, stellt die virtuelle
Inbetriebnahme (VIBN) dar. Der dafür notwendige Modellbildungsprozess ist jedoch oftmals mit hohen Aufwänden verbunden. Der Beitrag
zeigt, wie sich dieser Aufwand durch eine automatische Simulationsmodellgenerierung minimieren lässt.
Automatisierte Modellgenerierung auf Basis formalisierter Anforderungsbeschreibung
Authors: Magnus Stephan , Krause Jan , Diedrich Christian
Published: February 2015

Der Einsatz von Modellen als Grundlage für eine automatisierte Testfallerzeugung bietet einen wesentlichen Vorteil durch eine Erhöhung
der Testabdeckung, eine vereinfachte Wiederholbarkeit der Testerstellung und damit verbunden einer Qualitätssteigerung der Produkte. In
diesem Beitrag wird eine Methode zur Modellsynthese vorgestellt. Dabei wird aus formalisierten Anforderungen automatisiert ein
Spezifikationsmodell für den Zweck der automatisierten Testfallerzeugung generiert. Im Zuge der Modellgenerierung erfolgt eine
Verifizierung des Modells, um widersprüchliche oder redundante Beschreibungen aufzudecken.
Interdisziplinärer Produktlinienansatz zur Steigerung der Wiederverwendung
Authors: Vogel-Heuser Birgit , Fuchs Julia , Feldmann Stefan , Legat Christoph
Published: February 2015

Die steigende Herausforderung, kundenindividuelle Produkte in kurzer
Zeit fertigen zu können, führt zu einer Vielzahl von Maschinenvarianten. Um diese Variabilität geeignet verwalten zu können, ist ein
Konzept zur Wiederverwendung von Engineering-Dokumenten erforderlich, das die
am Entwicklungsprozess beteiligten Disziplinen umfasst. Im Beitrag werden die
benötigten Bestandteile für einen interdisziplinären Produktlinienansatz unter
Berücksichtigung der Kundensicht vorgestellt.
Mnk kinases in cytokine signaling and regulation of cytokine responses
Authors: Joshi Sonali , Platanias Leonidas C.
Published: February 2015

The kinases Mnk1 and Mnk2 are activated downstream of the p38 MAPK and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. Extensive work over the years has shown that these kinases control phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E and regulate engagement of other effector elements, including hnRNPA1 and PSF. Mnk kinases are ubiquitously expressed and play critical roles in signaling for various cytokine receptors, and there is emerging evidence that they have important functions as mediators of proinflammatory cytokine production. In this review, the mechanisms of activation of MNK pathways by cytokine receptors are addressed and their roles in diverse cytokine-dependent biological processes are reviewed. The clinical-translational implications of such work and the relevance of future development of specific MNK inhibitors for the treatment of malignancies and autoimmune disorders are discussed.
Die Hunnen bei Malalas
Authors: Schäfer Tibor
Published: February 2015

At several places of his work, the early Byzantine historian Ioannes Malalas mentions Huns as protagonists of historical events in the 2nd and 3rd century AD. In historical research, these passages were previously regarded as anachronisms. This study shows that Malalas did not substitute the Huns for other peoples such as the Parthians. The Huns in Malalas must be regarded as auxiliary forces of the Parthians, who settled at that time already in Central Asia. Malalas found the name of this people in texts related to these events, probably in Syrian sources that have not been preserved.
Zu Iustinians dies imperii und zum Problem von Datierungen in der Osterzeit. Überlegungen zur antiken Überlieferung, besonders zu Constantinus Porphyrogenitus, De cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae 1,95
Authors: Szidat Joachim
Published: February 2015

A connection cannot be established between the 4th April 527 and Justinian’s investiture, nor to his assumed subsequent coronation by the patriarch. It results from dating the elevation of Justinian into the Easter period and can first be found in Procopius’ Anecdota and Cyrillus’ Vita Sabae, i.e. already in the 6th century. The same date in Petrus Patricius is the result of a correction made before his report was included into the De cerimoniis of Constantine Porphyrogenitus in the 10th century. Dates of events in the Easter season are sometimes set in relation to feasts such as Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday. This can lead to redatings or wrong datings, which appear as different dates in the later tradition.
From the Editor
Authors: Meyers Fabienne
Published: February 2015

If at this point you are still looking for a New Year’s resolution, you may find inspiration in Natalia Tarasova’ s feature focusing on where and how chemistry can meet the world’s needs. (see page 4) The key topics underlined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the recent focus on their delivery by 2030 provide a renewed momentum for scientific communities to set well-focused targets. As Tarasova points out, “Chemistry and chemical technology might be considered as a means to achieve these strategic goals.”
Chemical Speciation of Environmentally Significant Metals: An IUPAC contribution to reliable and rigorous computer modelling
Authors: Powell Kipton J. , Brown Paul L. , Byrne Robert H. , Gajda Tamas , Hefter Glenn , Leuz Ann-Kathrin , Sjöberg Staffan , Wanner Hans
Published: February 2015

The mobility and bioavailability of metal ions in natural waters depend on their chemical speciation, which involves a distribution of the metal ions between different complex (metal-ligand) species, colloid-adsorbed species and insoluble phases, each of which may be kinetically labile or inert. For example, in fresh water the metal ions are distributed among organic complexes (e.g., humates), colloids (e.g., as surface-adsorbed species on colloidal phases such as FeOOH), solid phases (e.g., hydroxide, oxide, carbonate mineral phases), and labile complexes with the simple inorganic anionic ligands commonly present in natural waters (e.g., for Zn
Copper-amine complex solution as a low-emission catalyst for flexible polyurethane foam preparation
Authors: Sridaeng Duangruthai , Sukkaneewat Benjatham , Chueasakol Nuttawut , Chantarasiri Nuanphun
Published: February 2015

A low-emission catalyst for the preparation of flexible polyurethane (FPUR) foams was developed. Copper-amine complex solutions in ethylene glycol (EG), namely, Cu(OAc)2(en)2-EG and Cu(OAc)2(trien)-EG (en, ethylenediamine; trien, triethylenetetramine), were synthesized and used as catalysts for the preparation of FPUR foams. The synthesis of Cu(OAc)2(en)2-EG and Cu(OAc)2(trien)-EG is convenient because the synthesis of copper-amine complexes can be done in situ using ethylene glycol as a solvent and no purification step is needed. It was found that Cu(OAc)2(en)2-EG was a suitable catalyst for FPUR foam preparation. In comparison to Dabco EG (or triethylenediamine), which is a commercial catalyst for FPUR foam preparation, Cu(OAc)2(en)2-EG had a comparable catalytic activity in gelling reaction and a higher catalytic activity in blowing reaction. The FPUR foam prepared from Cu(OAc)2(en)2-EG had a lower density than that prepared from Dabco EG.
Sexist Humor in Facebook Profiles: Perceptions of Humor Targeting Women and Men
Authors: Strain Megan , Saucier Donald , Martens Amanda
Published: February 2015

Despite advances in women’s equality, and perhaps as a result of it, sexist humor is prevalent in society. Research on this topic has lacked realism in the way the humor is conveyed to participants, and has not examined perceptions of both men and women who use sexist humor. We embedded jokes in printed Facebook profiles to present sexist humor to participants. We manipulated the gender of the individual in the profile (man or woman), and the type of joke presented (anti-men, anti-women, neutral) in a 2×3 between-groups design. We found that both men and women rated anti-women jokes as more sexist than neutral humor, and women also rated anti-men jokes as sexist. We also found that men who displayed anti-women humor were perceived less positively than men displaying anti-men humor, or women displaying either type of humor. These findings suggest that there may be different gender norms in place for joke tellers regarding who is an acceptable target of sexist humor.
Like Watching a Motorway Crash: Exploring the Embarrassment Humor of The Office
Authors: Schwind Kai Hanno
Published: February 2015

This article focuses on the construction of embarrassment humor in the British sitcom
Synchrophasors-Assisted IPII-Based Intelligent Relaying for Transmission Lines Including UPFC
Authors: Jena Manas Kumar , Samantaray S. R.
Published: February 2015

This paper proposes a synchrophasors-assisted intelligent relaying scheme for transmission lines compensated by Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC). The algorithm uses a new relaying signal termed as imaginary part of integrated impedance (IPII). The synchronized phasor measurements at both ends of the transmission line are used to extract voltage and current phasors from instantaneous voltage and current signals. The voltage and current phasors are utilized to derive IPII of each phase. Further, IPII of each phase is used as input to a data-mining model termed as decision tree (DT) which provides the final relaying decision. The proposed algorithm is validated on real-time digital simulator (RTDS) platform, and the results obtained indicate that the proposed scheme is both dependable and secure in protecting transmission system compensated by UPFC.
Magnetorheological Finishing (MRF) of a Freeform Non-magnetic Work Material
Authors: Pattanaik Laxmi Narayan , Agarwal Himanshu
Published: February 2015

One of the newly developed methods for obtaining super-finished shiny surfaces for non-magnetic freeform jobs is magnetorheological finishing (MRF). MRF is an advanced finishing process in which the grinding force is controlled by magnetic field. The material removal in MRF is governed by the magnetorheological (MR) fluid which mainly consists of carbonyl iron (CI), abrasive particles, carrier fluids and additives. It is a precision-finishing process that can finish complicated geometries or difficult-to-approach regions. MRF process is capable of giving nanometre-scale surface finish. The process makes use of an MR fluid as a tool that acts as a flexible magnetic abrasive brush that provides finishing action. The relative motion between the finishing medium and the work can be obtained either by rotating the work, rotating the finishing medium or both. In the present paper, a set-up has been developed for MRF application using a pillar-drilling machine. Experiments were conducted to finish freeform jobs of copper alloy using the developed process. The effects of various process parameters, viz composition of the MR fluid, rotational speed of work and vessel containing MR fluid, mesh size of abrasives on surface finish, were explored.
Optimization of an Electromagnetic Technology in ArcelorMittal Gent for Improving Products Quality in Steel Industry
Authors: Domgin J.-F. , Anderhuber M. , De Doncker M. , De Paepe A.
Published: February 2015

A multi-mode electromagnetic stirring technology (MM-EMS) delivered by Danieli–Rotelec Company has been implemented in ArcelorMittal Gent CC2. This solution is able to control the liquid steel flows in CC mould by braking, accelerating or stirring them through the use of three different modes: EMLS, EMLA and EMRS. This paper presents the methodology followed in order to optimize the working of this new technology for improving the quality of products in terms of slivers defects. Different tools were developed and used by ArcelorMittal Maizières R&D to reach this objective: Numerical simulation with MagnetoHydroDynamics (MHD) tool to simulate the fluid flows in mould under the influence of magnetic fields, Submeniscus Velocity Control (SVC) tool to directly measure the liquid steel flows in the mould and finally some quality investigation tool like Automatic Surface Inspection System to detect defects directly on coils and qualify quality of products. Numerical and experimental approaches were associated to finally deliver to ArcelorMittal Gent steelplant an optimized actuator efficient for reducing defects in slabs and improving the final quality of products.
Tlos, Oinoanda and the Hittite Invasion of the Lukka lands. Some Thoughts on the History of North-Western Lycia in the Late Bronze and Iron Ages
Authors: Gander Max
Published: February 2015

The present article contains observations on the invasion of Lycia by the Hittite king Tudhaliya IV as described in the Yalburt inscription. The author questions the commonly found identification of the land of vitis/Wiyanwanda with the city of Oinoanda on account of the problems raised by the reading of the sign vitis as well as of archaeological and strategical observations. With the aid of Lycian and Greek inscriptions the author argues that the original Wiyanawanda/Oinoanda was located further south than the city commonly known as Oinoanda situated above İncealiler. These insights lead to a reassessment of the Hittite-Luwian sources concerning the conquest of Lycia.
Zur Kritik historischer Darstellung im Zweiten Makkabäerbuch
Authors: Bringmann Klaus
Published: February 2015

Das Zweite Makkabäerbuch verkürzt die fünf Bücher seiner Vorlage, des verlorengegangen Geschichtswerkes eines Jason von Kyrene, auf eine einzige Buchrolle. Leitendes Prinzip der Verkürzung ist die religiös-didaktische Absicht, die dramatischen Ereignisse von der Verfolgung der jüdischen Religion bis zur jüdischen Selbstbehauptung unter Judas Makkabaios (168–161 v. Chr.) gemäß der Geschichtsdeutung der alttestamentlichen Prophetie darzustellen: dass Gott sein Volk für seinen Abfall straft und sich ihm nach seiner Rückkehr zur Religion der Väter wieder zuwendet. Dieser Tendenz ist in entscheidenden Punkten die historische Genauigkeit geopfert. Mit diesem Ergebnis wird neueren Versuchen widersprochen, die Darstellung der Ereignisgeschichte im Zweiten Makkabäerbuch für bare Münze zu nehmen.
Morpho-anatomical characteristics of Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) from Potohar Plateau, Pakistan
Authors: Irshad Nausheen , Mahmood Tariq , Nadeem Muhammad Sajid
Published: February 2015

We collected 10 live and two dead specimens of Indian pangolin (
Science teachers’ perceptions of nanotechnology teaching and professional development: a survey study in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Shu-Fen , Chen Jun-Yi , Shih Kun-Yi , Wang Kuo-Hua , Chang Huey-Por
Published: February 2015

Inclusion of nanotechnology in the science curriculum has received great attention in many countries. Taiwan’s government has been funding the National Program on Nanotechnology (NPNT) for nearly 10 years. The purpose of this study was to examine Taiwanese secondary school science teachers’ understanding of nanotechnology teaching after implementing the NPNT, as well as the teachers’ perceptions of school support and their professional development intentions. The study adopted the questionnaire survey method. Using stratified cluster sampling, a total of 1600 questionnaires were distributed to 178 secondary schools. Finally, the responses of 663 junior high school teachers and 632 senior high school teachers who completed the instrument were analyzed. The instrument for the study is the Teachers’ Perceptions of Nanotechnology Teaching Scale (TPNTS). The TPNTS included 42 Likert-scale items. The results reveal that secondary school teachers’ intentions to pursue professional development are high, but their perceptions of school support are low. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of nanotechnology teaching is significantly above average, but failed to reach the “very satisfied” level. In addition, the senior high school teachers’ perceptions of nanotechnology teaching and professional development are significantly higher than those of the junior high school teachers. Implications of the findings are discussed.
A comprehensive review on biodegradable polymers and their blends used in controlled-release fertilizer processes
Authors: Majeed Zahid , Ramli Nur Kamila , Mansor Nurlidia , Man Zakaria
Published: February 2015

Biodegradable polymer-coated controlled-release fertilizers (PC-CRFs) are essential means to reduce cost, improve marketability, conserve land fertility, achieve high crop yields and combat climate challenges. It is known that about 15–30% of any fertilizer packed in a PC-CRF does not get released due to the concentration gradient difference across the polymer coatings. To release the trapped fertilizer(s), it is desired that polymer-based coatings should biodegrade after the fertilizer is completely released into the soil. This review has aimed to provide a comprehensive account for various biodegradable polymers/blends derived either from natural or synthetic sources which are cited in the literature for PC-CRFs. In addition, this review covers the discussion on their classification criteria, trends in the processes of fertilizer coatings, methodological issues for their biodegradation assessment, coating attributes that affect the biodegradability and an outlook into their biodegradation kinetic models that involve enzymes and microbial processes. It also concludes that experimental as well as modeling data are insufficient to assess the biodegradation contribution of the overall nutrient release in PC-CRFs.
Business cycle (de)synchronization in the aftermath of the global financial crisis: implications for the Euro area
Authors: Bekiros Stelios , Nguyen Duc Khuong , Uddin Gazi Salah , Sjö Bo
Published: February 2015

The introduction of Euro currency was a game-changing event intended to induce convergence of Eurozone business cycles on the basis of greater monetary and fiscal integration. The benefit of participating into a common currency area exceeds the cost of losing autonomy in national monetary policy only in case of cycle co-movement. However, synchronization was put back mainly due to country-specific differences and asymmetries in terms of trade and fiscal policies that became profound at the outset of the global financial crisis. As opposed to previous studies that are mostly based on linear correlation or causality modeling, we utilize the cross-wavelet coherence measure to detect and identify the scale-dependent time-varying (de)synchronization effects amongst Eurozone and the broad Euro area business cycles before and after the financial crisis. Our results suggest that the enforcement of an active monetary policy by the ECB during crisis periods could provide an effective stabilization instrument for the entire Euro area. However, as dynamic patterns in the lead-lag relationships of the European economies are revealed, (de)synchronization varies across different frequency bands and time horizons.
A State of Inaction: Regulatory Preferences, Rent, and Income Inequality
Authors: Orbach Barak
Published: February 2015

This Article explores several meanings of a regulatory preference for government inaction. It explains the rise to dominance of this inaction preference in the United States and its distorting influence on the perception and understanding of regulation. Specifically, the Article demonstrates how basic terms in regulation, such as “government failure,” “regulatory capture,” and “deregulation,” acquired misleading connotations suggesting that government inaction is always superior to government action. The Article further explains how, through government inaction, the U.S. legal system accommodates rent extraction - the profitable exploitation of market imperfections and favorable laws. Several developments in recent decades have considerably improved the capacity of very small groups in society to collect rents, namely, use talent and positional advantages to gain increasing levels of earnings. The Article argues that the parallel rise of the inaction preference has contributed to this trend, primarily because the availability of rent extraction opportunities draws talent that utilizes them with growing effectiveness. The purpose of the Article is to clarify several aspects of the relationships between regulation and rent extraction or, more precisely, to emphasize that government inaction may entail undesirable income effects.
Dividend Policy with Controlling Shareholders
Authors: Sáez Maribel , Gutiérrez María
Published: February 2015

This Article investigates the determinants of dividend policy in firms with concentrated ownership structures. A review of the empirical literature shows that dividend payout ratios are lower in firms with controlling shareholders. We explain this finding as a consequence of the legal rules governing cash distributions, which leave the dividend decision in the hands of the firm insiders, and the lack of monitoring mechanisms for checking the power of controlling shareholders. The analysis of the empirical evidence on dividend policy points to the existence of an unresolved agency conflict between controlling shareholders and outside investors. We conclude that controlling shareholders are currently using the dividend policy to expropriate minority shareholders.
The Impact of the Financial Crisis on Nonfinancial Firms: The Case of Brazilian Corporations and the “Double Circularity” Problem in Transnational Securities Litigation
Authors: Gorga Érica
Published: February 2015

This Article discusses the impact of the international financial crisis on Brazilian capital markets. While the banking industry was not severely affected, leading nonfinancial corporations experienced severe financial turmoil. Two Brazilian corporations cross-listed in the United States - Sadia S.A. and Aracruz Celulose S.A. - suffered billion-dollar losses when the Brazilian real unexpectedly plummeted in relation to the dollar. Despite earlier disclosure that these companies had engaged only in pure hedging activity, these great losses were found to be the result of their highly speculative trading in currencyderivatives. Consequently, several private lawsuits were filed both in the United States and in Brazil.

This Article takes a novel approach to the transnational securities litigation debate by examining the particular consequences of private litigation in a developed and in an emerging country. It compares the types of lawsuits filed and their final outcomes. Despite substantially similar alleged wrongdoing, the outcomes for securities holders in each jurisdiction contrast strikingly. Only U.S. investors of both companies were able to obtain substantial financial recoveries; Brazilian investors obtained none. This Article examines the reasons behind these discrepant results and the consequent economic distributional effects on global securities markets after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Morrison.

The Article argues that Morrison aggravates such (i) shareholder cross-border non pro rata compensation and (ii) transfers of company value from foreign to U.S. investors. It identifies a set of costs borne by foreign investors, and so far neglected by scholars, as a consequence of the current status of U.S. and international securities law regimes. These costs are the result not only of the typical “circularity problem” in securities litigation, but also of a “double circularity problem” as they fall on foreign shareholders who also suffered equivalent damages to those experienced by the U.S. class being compensated. The Article then discusses potential policy reforms for fixing transnational securities litigation.
Structure characterization of nanocrystalline porous materials by tomographic electron diffraction
Authors: Mugnaioli Enrico , Kolb Ute
Published: February 2015

Several porous phases have been characterized in the last years by tomographic electron diffraction. This paper provides an overview of the analyzed phases, pointing out the difficulties associated with different classes of materials or specific sample characteristics. The two methods for tomographic electron diffraction acquisition, automated diffraction tomography and rotation electron diffraction, are described in detail, as well as data reduction algorithms. Attainments and limits of different structure determination and refinement algorithms are discussed for inorganic, organic and hybrid organic-inorganic materials. Finally, it is shown how tomographic electron diffraction and X-ray powder diffraction data can be combined for a comprehensive characterization of porous materials.
Powder Zeeman Study of the Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Lower Transition Spectrum for I = 5/2; Application to Orthoperiodic Acid
Authors: Ramaprabhu S. , Rao K. V. S. Rama
Published: February 2015

The Zeeman effect of the nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) lower transition (± 3/2 ↔ 1/2) spectrum for I=5/2 in crystalline powder has been studied and the frequency splittings of the ±3/2 ↔ ± 1/2 transition line have been plotted as a function of the asymmetry parameter η and the external magnetic field H. The experimental Zeeman frequency splittings of the 127I lower transition line in crystalline powder of H5IO6 have been compared with the theoretical values in order to evaluate η. The present value of η agrees with the earlier values reported from the two transition frequencies and also from a single crystal Zeeman study on the ± 3/2 ↔ ± 1/2 transition line.
The Chemical Shift of the 29Si Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in a Synthetic Single Crystal of Mg2SiO4
Authors: Weiden N. , Rager H.
Published: February 2015

The angular dependence of the chemical shift of the 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance has been measured in a synthetic single crystal of Mg2SiO4 (space group Pbnm, Z = 4). The measurements were performed at room temperature at a frequency of 39.758 MHz using the FT-NMR technique. The eigenvalues of the shift tensor with respect to 29Si in TMS are δx = - 38.8 ppm, δv = -55.3 ppm and δz = - 95.4 ppm, with the eigenvector y parallel to c and the eigenvector z forming an angle of 7.5° with a. The results show clearly the influence of the individual S i - O bonds on the chemical shift tensor. The chemical shift along the S i -O bond depends in good approximation exponentially on the S i - O bond distance.
19F High-Resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study of Structure and Properties of Crystalline sym-C6Cl3F3
Authors: Yoshioka Yoshichika , Nakamura Nobuo , Chihara Hideaki
Published: February 2015

From the high-resolution 19F NMR spectrum of single crystal sym-C6Cl3F3 its chemical shift shielding tensor is determined. The most shielded direction lies perpendicular to the molecular plane and the least shielded one in the molecular plane perpendicular to the C-F bond. The most (σ33) and least (σ11) shielded components change significantly in going from sym-C6H3F3 and sym-C6Cl3F3 to C6F6 whereas the component in the C-F bond direction (σ22) changes little. It is concluded that the π-electron density distribution varies little but the σ-electron density is changed when other substituents are introduced. At 20 °C the sym-C6Cl3F3 molecule rotates about its figure axis and its motion averages out the shielding tensor components within the molecular plane. The mode of the molecular motion does not change at the phase transition point (296 K) and up to the melting point in the time scale of l9F high-resolution spectra.
Lattice Statics of a Hydrogen Centre in Magnesium
Authors: Bratschek B. , Rager B. , Volkert H.-J.
Published: February 2015

In this work we consider the static perturbation of the hexagonal lattice of magnesium by one stored hydrogen atom.

Equations are given to evaluate the equilibrium positions of the ions in the disturbed crystal. The effect of the hydrogen atom is described by a so-called Kanzaki force, an additional force in the ideal lattice. The force between two ions of the ideal lattice is assumed to obey the harmonic approximation. The force constants are calculated form an effective ion-ion potential. The static Green tensor, which is the inverse of the tensor of force constants, is calculated and with its aid the equations of lattice statics are transformed. The transformed equations are solved under the assumption of a Kanzaki force acting only upon the nearest and next-nearest neighbors of the hydrogen atom at a tetrahedral interstitial site. Finally we calculate the volume change Δ V and compare the result with the experimental value.
Smectic C to Nematic Phase Transition Studies in NOBA
Authors: Rao N. V. S. , Pisipati V. G. K. M.
Published: February 2015

The variation of density ϱ with temperature of p-n-nonyloxy benzoic acid in its isotropic, nematic and smectic-C phases is presented. The density jumps and the computed thermal expansion coefficient maxima suggest the order of the N - SC and N - I transitions to be first order. The pressure dependence of the transition temperatures as computed from the Clausius- Clapeyron equation and the presence of pretransitional effects at the N - SC and N - I transitions in the nematic phase are discussed.
ESR Study of Molecular Ordering in 50.1,50.2 and 50.4
Authors: Rao N. V. S. , Pisipati V. G. K. M. , Prasad P. V. Datta , Saran D.
Published: February 2015

An ESR study of the liquid crystals N(p-n-pentyloxy benzylidene) p-n-alkylanilines [alkyl = methyl, 50.1; ethyl, 50.2; butyl, 50.4] has been carried out using a nitroxide radical as paramagnetic probe. The order parameters determined in this way are in close agreement with those determined from refractive indices by the Neugebauer method.
Density, Refractive Index and Ultrasonic Velocity Studies Involving N-(p-n-Pentyloxybenzylidene)-p-n-octylaniline
Authors: Pisipati V. G. K. M. , Rao N. V. S. , Prasad P. V. Datta , Alapati P. R.
Published: February 2015

The density, refractive index and ultrasonic velocity dependence on temperature for N-(p-npentyloxybenzylidene)- p-n-octylaniline, 50.8, is presented. The compound 50.8 exhibits smectic-B, smectic-A and nematic phases between the solid and isotropic liquid phases. The nematic-isotropic and smectic A-smectic B phase transformations are found to be first order. The interesting smectic A - nematic transformation is confirmed from the results to be second order, although the thermal expansion coefficient and reported enthalpy data had suggested a weak first order transition. The computed adiabatic compressibility, βad, molar sound velocity, Rn, and molar compressibility Aw are presented.
Numerical Investigation of Laser Oscillation in a Recombining Hydrogen Plasma Interacting with Helium Gas in TPD-I
Authors: Oda Toshiatsu , Furukane Utaro
Published: February 2015

A numerical investigation on the basis of a collisional-radiative (CR) model has shown that laser oscillation between the levels with the principal quantum numbers i = 2 and 3 can be generated in a recombining hydrogen plasma interacting with a dense helium gas as a cooling medium in TPD-I, which is a magnetically confined quiescent high-density plasma source consisting basically of two parts, namely, the discharge region with the cathode at the center of the cusped magnetic field and the plasma column region with the axial magnetic field. The population inversion is found to exceed significantly a threshold level for the laser oscillation even in the quasi-steady state when the hydrogen plasma with ne = 1013 ~ 1014 cm−3 interacts with the helium gas with a pressure of about 50 Torr.
Singlet Mechanism for Trans → Cis Photoisomerization of Quaternary Salts of 4-Substituted 4′-Azastilbenes (R = CN, H, CH3, and OCH3) and their Quinolinium Analogues. VIII
Authors: Görner H. , Fojtik A. , Wróblewski J. , Currell L. J.
Published: February 2015

The trans → cis photoisomerization of a series of substituted stilbazolium salts (At
+X− , At
+: trans-1-alkyl-4-[4-R-styryl]-pyridinium and -quinolinium, R = CN. H, CH3 and OCH3, X− = I and ClO4
−) was studied by laser flash photolysis and steady state irradiation measurements. The quantum yields of cis ⇄ trans photoisomerization (ϕc → t and ϕt → c ) and of fluorescence of the trans isomers (ϕf) were determined in several solvents at room temperature and at low temperatures in mixtures of either 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-dichloromethane or ethanolmethanol (E-M). In polar solvents at room temperature ϕt → c is substantial ( ≧ 0.3) and ϕf is small (10−3-10−2). Competition of fluorescence and an activated step in the trans → cis pathway is indicated by the effects of temperature on ϕf and ϕt → c (activation energy: 2 - 3 kcal/mol). A transient, observed only at low temperatures (lifetime τT > 0.5 ms in E-M below -170°C), is assigned to the lowest triplet state with trans configuration. On the basis of the effects of temperature on ϕf, ϕt → c , and the triplet yield and those of quenchers on ϕf and ϕt → c , involvement of the triplet state in the twisting process at room temperature is excluded. Therefore, a singlet mechanism is suggested for the trans → cis photoisomerization of the stilbazolium salts examined. Significant reduction of ϕt → c for iodides in solvents of moderate polarity, where ion pairs are present, is accounted for by photoinduced electron transfer in competition to trans → cis photoisomerization.
Semiempirical Theory of Solid Solubility in Transition Metal Alloys
Authors: López J. M. , Alonso J. A.
Published: February 2015

A semiempirical theory of solid solubility in transition metal alloys is presented. The theory is based on writing the energy of formation of the solid solution as a sum of several contributions: a) a chemical contribution due to electronic redistribution in forming the alloy, b) an elastic contribution arising from the difference in size between solute and solvent atoms and c) a structural contribution due to the difference in crystal structure between solute and solvent and to the change in average valence when disolving foreign atoms. Special care is taken in evaluating these contributions in the concentrated alloy regime. The influence of charge transfer on the effective atomic volumes of the components in the alloy is also considered and found to be important. The results obtained are in good agreement with experiment.
Microwave Absorption in a Plasma Resonator operated with Hydrogen
Authors: Himmel G. , Osterhold M.
Published: February 2015

The permeation of microwave pulses (ƒ = 9.4 GHz,pulse duration: 0.5-0.7 μs) through a partially ionized hydrogen plasma is investigated. At supercritical electron densities (line-averaged density: ne= 1.2-1.8 x 1018 m-3) a resonant enhancement of the wave amplitude is observed between the plasma column and the metallic end reflector of the waveguide. Local measurements of the electric field strength in the cut-off layer next to the end reflector are correlated with the transient behaviour of the Hβ line intensity, of the electron density, and of the mean electron energy. From these measurements, both the reduced Hβ excitation rate and the reduced ionization rate by electron collisions are obtained as functions of the reduced effective field strength in the range 30 - 65 Vm-1 Pa-1.
Kristallstruktur und Schwingungsspektrum des Tetra-Thallium-Hexaselenidohypodiphosphates Tl4P2Se6
Authors: Brockner Wolfgang , Ohse Lothar , Pätzmann Ulrich , Eisenmann Brigitte , Schäfer Herbert
Published: February 2015

Tl4P2Se6 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21,/c (No. 14) with the lattice constants a = 1221.6(5) pm, b = 903.8(3) pm, c = 1230.0(5) pm, β = 98.9(1)°. In the new structure type there are two crystallographically different kinds of P2Se6
4- anions. The TlI ions show very distorted Se-coordination polyhedra with coordination numbers 6 to 8. The far infrared, infrared and Raman spectra of the title compound have been recorded. The observed frequencies are assigned on the basis of P2Se6
4- units with D3d symmetry. The melting point of Tl4P2Se6 is 485 ± 5 °C.