bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Domain adaptation strategies in statistical machine translation: a brief overview
Authors: Costa-Jussà Marta R.
Published: October 2015

Statistical machine translation (SMT) is gaining interest given that it can easily be adapted to any pair of languages. One of the main challenges in SMT is domain adaptation because the performance in translation drops when testing conditions deviate from training conditions. Many research works are arising to face this challenge. Research is focused on trying to exploit all kinds of material, if available. This paper provides an overview of research, which copes with the domain adaptation challenge in SMT.
Generalised Cantor sets and the dimension of products
Authors: OLSON ERIC J. , ROBINSON JAMES C. , SHARPLES NICHOLAS
Published: October 2015

In this paper we consider the relationship between the Assouad and box-counting dimension and how both behave under the operation of taking products. We introduce the notion of ‘equi-homogeneity’ of a set, which requires a uniformity in the cardinality of local covers at all length-scales and at all points, and we show that a large class of homogeneous Moran sets have this property. We prove that the Assouad and box-counting dimensions coincide for sets that have equal upper and lower box-counting dimensions provided that the set ‘attains’ these dimensions (analogous to ‘s-sets’ when considering the Hausdorff dimension), and the set is equi-homogeneous. Using this fact we show that for any α ∈ (0, 1) and any β, γ ∈ (0, 1) such that β + γ ⩾ 1 we can construct two generalised Cantor setsCandDsuch that dimBC= αβ, dimBD= α γ, and dimAC= dimAD= dimA(C×D) = dimB(C×D) = α.
The Hasse principle for lines on diagonal surfaces
Authors: JAHNEL JÖRG , LOUGHRAN DANIEL
Published: October 2015

Given a number field k and a positive integer d, in this paper we consider the following question: does there exist a smooth diagonal surface of degree d in $\mathbb{P}$3 over k which contains a line over every completion of k, yet no line over k? We answer the problem using Galois cohomology, and count the number of counter-examples using a result of Erdős.
American Government Textbooks and The Federalist Papers
Authors: Adkison Danny M. , Palmer Lisa McNair
Published: October 2015

It seems appropriate in this bicentennial year to examine the treatment introductory American government textbooks give the U.S. Constitution. Nearly every text devotes a chapter (typically, the second) to the events leading up to, and the writing of, the Constitution. But what of the political theory on which the Constitution is based? The Constitution, by itself, is too brief and devoid of theory to provide students with an overall assessment of that document. The source that is often relied upon by constitutional scholars to provide that theory is The Federalist Papers. It is the textbooks' treatment of these essays that we will explore here.

The Federalist Papers were 85 newspaper editorials written by Hamilton, Madison, and jay, under the pseudonym Publius, in support of ratification of the proposed Constitution. The first essay was published October 27, 1787, and when the last essay was published, the authors had written 175,000 words. This was an average of 1,000 words a day, and was about 35 times the length of the Constitution itself.

Hamilton initiated the project in reaction to another set of pseudonymous literature published in New York. New York support of the Constitution was essential, and it was doubtful that the state would ratify. As the seat of the central government, New York was in a pivotal position on the eastern seaboard. It had a lively commerce, and thus was not eager for change. Governor George Clinton staunchly opposed ratification. New York had not signed the Constitution because all of its delegates, except Hamilton, had left in protest and no one signatory was authorized to approve the document for the state.
Staging the Revolution (in Politics 101)
Authors: Miles William F. S.
Published: October 2015

One of the most frustrating tasks in teaching “Introduction to Politics” is to convey a tangible, realistic sense of what revolution means to American undergraduate students. Insulated as most Americans are from the turbulence of political upheaval (which is actually the norm for many of the world's nation-states), ongoing revolutions around the world are very far away from their own concerns.

As a result, I decided to take a chance and engage in some of my own revolutionary teaching and stage a revolution in the classroom. I conspired in advance with several graduate students who were strategically positioned throughout the large lecture hall. For the experiment to succeed, authenticity had to be the key.

I seized upon one of the students' main concerns and frustrations with the course: the protracted and inconvenient scheduling of their weekly sections with the teaching assistants. Half-way through one lecture I announced a change in the T.A. assignments. One student “rebel” (one of the plants) vehemently vocalized the class' sense of outrage. My altercation with him (as I autocratically asserted my role as authority) resulted in my telling him to leave the class. When he refused, I called on my teaching assistant (“lackey running dog”) to go to the dean's office (calling on higher authority and perhaps force) to quash this rebellion. When the teaching assistant attempted to exit, the rebel physically prevented him from leaving the room (true insurrection). As I went to break up the confrontation, I was expelled, along with the teaching assistant, from the lecture hall (overthrow).
Teaching and Taking: A Seminar on Cultural Theory
Authors: Wildavsky Aaron
Published: October 2015

The proposal and syllabus that follow are primarily concerned with the content of a seminar on cultural theory. I would like to preface these materials by saying a bit about teaching.

Because of the vast confusion surrounding the concept of culture, a seminar is an ideal place to work on clarification.

The version of cultural theory being discussed departs from ordinary modes of thought and raises many questions, albeit in a more political direction: What sort of people, organized into which cultures, would act in certain ways (accept or reject blame, tax and spend high or low, participate a little or a lot, etc.) in order to do what matters most to them—support their way of life and discomfort their opponents? Hence time for questions in the seminar is essential. Hours and hours of discussion do more to straighten out thought than any amount of reading.

Application of this cultural theory is also essential. Doing is different than thinking. I have found that 1,000-word essays on such subjects as the Comanche Indians (competitive individualists to the core) or the Khmer Rouge (radical egalitarians) enable seminar members to come to grips with the theories they are trying out. Immersion in this material, bolstered by continuous discussion, sharpened by several short applications, greatly facilitates writing a research paper. The idea is to take a paper already written, or about to be written, derive a problem from it, and see how one cultural theory compares to others.
Resurgent Governors in the Federal System
Authors: O'Rourke Timothy G. , Vallier Rickey
Published: October 2015

The time is July 1988, and baseball fever is rising. With barely a glimmer of hope remaining, “Big Jim” Thompson steps into the batter's box to swat a ninth inning “home run” that prevents the White Sox from going down to defeat—or more accurately—from going down to Florida. Such is the stuff of legends, although the real story is hardly less dramatic. Seated at a desk at home plate of Comiskey Park, Illinois Governor James Thompson signed a $ 150 million financing package for the construction of a new stadium that will keep the White Sox in Chicago and fore-close the team's removal to St. Petersburg. With vigorous lobbying from the Governor, the Illinois General Assembly, in the closing minutes of its 1988 session, had narrowly approved the stadium legislation.

The news from Chicago, however, is more than a baseball story. The news tells us a great deal about modern governors in domestic policy making. They are more activist than their counterparts a generation or so ago, particularly in the realm of homestate economic development. Though most governors do not serve as long as Thompson–by late 1988, he had been governor for nearly 12 years–modern governors, as compared to their 1950s counterparts, are staying in office longer and, perhaps as a consequence, acquiring greater national influence.
Civil Liberties Under State Constitutions
Authors: Tarr G. Alan
Published: October 2015

Ask most political scientists about constitutional law, and they will tell you about the Federal Constitution and its interpretation by the U.S. Supreme Court. Examine a text on American constitutional law, and you will likely find the same tendency to equate constitutional law with the U.S. Constitution. Even the recent campaign for constitutional literacy during the Bicentennial of the Constitution altogether ignored the most obvious gap in Americans' constitutional knowledge—namely, the virtually total ignorance about state constitutions.

This inattention to state constitutions and state constitutionalism is unfortunate, because state constitutions are assuming an increasing importance in American politics. They have served as the incubators for institutional innovations that are now receiving national attention. President Reagan's proposals for a balanced budget amendment and for an item veto both had their origins in state charters. Moreover, because most state constitutions can be amended relatively easily, they have provided an alternative avenue by which groups that are blocked in the legislative process can pursue political change. California's Proposition 13 is a case in point. Finally, state constitutions have furnished the basis for probably the most significant development in civil liberties law over the past two decades, namely, the rediscovery of state bills of rights as independent protections for civil liberties.
Clashing Viewpoints: Teacher Partisanship and Classroom Checks and Balances
Authors: Sonenshein Raphael J. , Stone Barbara S.
Published: October 2015

Those who teach political science are likely to hold strong, even passionate political opinions. They must confront the question of the role these views ought to play in the classroom. Two common but opposite approaches might be characterized as “partisan” and “neutral.” The former involves a clear presentation of the teacher's views (“I'm a Marxist, and I'll tell you that right off”). The latter aspires to be fair to all beliefs; its practitioners may be proud that students are unaware of the teacher's own views. Most teachers probably fall somewhere in the middle, hoping to inject life into political instruction by drawing on their own opinions while trying to be fair to all sides. After a thorough analysis of both partisan and neutral approaches, Glenn (1979) concluded that only such “fair-mindedness” can be justified as a pedagogical style.

We agree that: (1) controversy is a central attraction of political education and (2) unrestrained teacher partisanship raises serious questions of ethics and educational technique. This article describes an experimental course that suggests another way of approaching the goal of utilizing controversy without unfair teacher input.

The vehicle was a course we designed and conducted, entitled Clashing Viewpoints, which featured teacher debate on highly controversial issues. We believed that by instituting checks and balances, we could have it both ways—teacher partisanship and fair-mindedness.
Simulating Supreme Court Decision Making
Authors: Pacelle Richard L.
Published: October 2015

Students of the judiciary have long been concerned with the factors that contribute to decision-making at the individual and institutional levels. In particular, analysts have focused a great deal of attention on the Supreme Court and the behavior of its members. Despite this attention, analysts have differed as to the relative influence of the factors justices rely upon when making their decisions. Even the courses taught in a standard political science undergraduate curriculum send mixed signals about these factors to students. Basic constitutional law courses tend to overestimate the role of doctrinal interpretation and precedent and underestimate the impact of the values and attitudes of the Court's members. Courses on the judicial process and politics err in the opposite direction.

When the decision-making literature is viewed as a whole, five basic determinants of judicial decisions emerge: the background of the justice (Tate 1981), the justice's attitudes and values (Rohde and Spaeth 1976), the dynamics inherent in small-groups (Murphy 1964; Woodward and Armstrong 1979), the member's conception of the role of the Court (Howard 1977), and the impact of external stimuli (Casper and Posner 1974). Some of these variables can be measured, but some are very difficult to gauge. As a consequence, analysts cannot accurately assess the relative impact of these five factors upon the individual's decision.
Introducing American Government Through a You-Be-the-Judge Exercise
Authors: Lenchner Paul
Published: October 2015

The first day of class is always a challenge (Vile 1985). An instructor has several objectives: to convey a sense of what the course will entail, to begin convincing students that what they are about to study is important, and to leave the impression that the class will be a stimulating experience. I remember my first class during my initial semester of teaching, a section of introductory American government. Fresh from graduate school, I lectured on how the study of politics could be scientific and dazzled the students with a tour through social science terminology—norms, roles, institutions, and so on. The response was, to be charitable, restrained.

Fortunately for my students, I've moved on to other approaches. One that has been particularly successful in basic American government classes is to place the students in a you-be-the-judge situation through consideration of a Supreme Court case that raises issues of substantive importance to which introductory students can readily relate. The case must have resulted in a non-unanimous decision that is not widely known among undergraduates. (There is no problem in meeting these criteria.) The legal background and facts of the case are presented, as are highlights from the majority and dissenting opinions, but without indicating which is which. The students are then given the opportunity to put their thoughts about the case on paper and to discuss their opinions with their colleagues, first in small groups and then with the whole class.
The Challenge of Teaching Public Administration Ethics
Authors: Lee Dalton S.
Published: October 2015

There seems to be little question that the ethical conduct of public servants is important to our form of government. However, transmitting this to students in public administration programs is quite another matter. Designing and teaching an ethics course is difficult, but not for the reasons that one might expect.
Simulating the Nuclear Threat in the Classroom
Authors: Houseman Gerald L.
Published: October 2015

It should not be surprising that freshmen students in an introductory political science course know little about the threat of nuclear war. Like a great percentage of the general public, they are unfamiliar with strategic options, weapons systems, technology, or even some of the ethical issues raised by the presence and possible use of such weapons. Some of these students tell me that they deliberately try to not think about such things because the realities are too horrible to contemplate. Others simply prefer to leave such matters to our leaders and “the experts” or, for whatever reason, are overwhelmed by the ennui which is a threat to any lecture session on any topic.

One way around the pitfall of routine boredom which can affect any college course is to vary the menu of activities; and one of the best learning devices to supplement lecture and written materials, I have found, is simulation. Simulation brings some aspects of reality—decision-making, interactions, the perspective of sitting in a seat of power, and others—into the classroom without claiming that this supposed “slice of life” can replicate the real world in every detail. Some of the processes and institutions of government—Congress, juries, city councils, mediation of labor disputes, and others—lend themselves well to the simulation and gaming format.
Liberalism Under Attack
Authors: Pennock J. Roland
Published: October 2015

The title of this article is much broader than its subject matter, which discussespoliticalliberalism only and only a selection of the attacks that have been made upon it and some of the responses they have elicited. More specifically, certain large and important topics are almost wholly excluded: to wit, the Marxist attacks, the concept of liberty, and rights and justice.

It will appear as we proceed that the arguments develop on various levels: philosophical (especially epistemological) foundations, practical ethics, and theories of governmental operation. However, these will not be used as the basis of organization in what follows.

Liberalism may be considered as a kind of individualism, a fact that is relied upon by both its proponents and its opponents. Individualism comes in many varieties (see Lukes 1973). Oversimplifying, I shall reduce them to three. The first of these (with which many critics of liberalism identify it) may be called “atomistic” individualism. It represents the extreme view of the priority (both chronologically and in terms of value) of the individual as opposed to society. The works of Thomas Hobbes, F. A. Hayek, and Robert Nozick are representative of this type of theory. They tend to think of the individual as having a fixed nature dominated by rational self-interest, emphasizing the satisfaction of preferences. In the words of Christopher J. Berry, individuals “are depicted variously as alienated, selfish, competitive, possessive, apathetic, and so on” (Berry 1989, 2).
The National Model League of Arab States
Authors: Dunn Joe P.
Published: October 2015

Among the excellent national simulations available—the Harvard Model UN, Cleveland Model UN, Howard University Model Organization of African States, etc., and several regional models—the best may be the National Model League of Arab States, held annually in March at American University in Washington, DC. Sponsored by the Arab League Information Center and the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, the Model (in its seventh year in 1989) imitates the League of Arab States, an organization founded in 1945 for the purpose of coordinating issues related to Arab development and cooperation.

College and university student delegations represent the 22 member states of the Arab nation. As they debate, lobby, and caucus, students learn about the interplay of the state system, international and regional organization, intra-Arab cooperation and conflict, issues of the region, and superpower impact upon the area. As participants gain greater understanding of the culture, concerns, achievements, and problems of the Arab world, they shed stereotypes, question prejudices, and begin to appreciate another perspective on regional issues.

The Model League consists of plenary sessions, five committees (political, economic, social and cultural, legal, and Palestinian affairs), and a summit conference of the League Council. The bulk of time is spent in the committee sessions, where students introduce, debate, and build coalitions in support of resolutions. In the process, they practice parliamentary procedure and sharpen forensic and bargaining skills. Faculty advisors evaluate the delegations and nominate individuals for awards.
Civil Rights and Social Change: The Contributions of Interest Groups, Social Movements and the Courts
Authors: O'Connor Karen
Published: October 2015

The twenty participants in this seminar came from a variety of colleges and universities that ranged from major research institutions to small teaching colleges. The academic ranks and interests of those in attendance also were diverse. This heterogeneity of participants was intentional and designed to facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas and perspectives on the topics to be discussed. Formal class sessions were held for three and one-half hours each morning. The instructor made herself available for individual discussions later each day. Seminar participants were urged to take advantage of the unique location of the seminar. It was held at the APSA convention site only a few blocks away from the Martin Luther King, Jr. birth site and the MLK Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

The focus of this seminar in the main was to explore the role that interest groups have played and are likely to continue to play in the judicial process. Our focus was on the federal level, particularly the United States Supreme Court. Given the varied backgrounds and interests of those attending this seminar, it was believed that such an approach would provide a broader and richer understanding of not only the development of law concerning civil rights but also of the judicial process itself.

After introductions the first morning, we immediately launched into a discussion of the readings for the day. They were designed to acquaint the participants with some of the literature on interest group litigation. Interestingly, however, the focus of our attention was immediately turned to the idea of “group” and what was meant by interest group or social movement. Several participants had been grappling with these questions in their own research, and others had had extensive experience in a diverse set of groups. A lengthy discourse from varied perspectives then ensued.
A Practical Project for Introductory American Politics Classes
Authors: Berch Neil
Published: October 2015

Many political scientists find that they have difficulty generating enthusiasm (from both themselves and their students) when they teach the introductory course in American politics. The material can be very dry and basic, students are often required to take the course, and many believe they know the material from high school civics classes. In short, motivation can be a major problem, and the instructor must find a way to get students involved with the course. This is especially important, because this course often serves as the gateway to other offerings in American politics. If students are not excited about the Intro class, they may not go any farther in political science.

I believe the key to motivation in this class lies in getting students to actually participate in the interest group process. This allows them to test the theoretical constructs presented in the course in the laboratory of real world politics. Therefore, I have designed an introductory course in American politics that is centered around a small group project that requires students to try to get a government (local, state, or national) to do something substantial that the group proposes.

In many respects, my course is a fairly traditional introduction to American politics. We cover the Constitution, federalism, interest groups, civil rights, elections, theories of power,and the institutions. The reading is reduced a bit to allow time for students to work on the projects. After describing the project, I will explain how it fits into the framework of the course.
Choice or Sequester? A Classroom Simulation in Budgetary Politics
Authors: Mock Carol
Published: October 2015

Simulations, like many games of sport and politics, are capable of producing complex, entertaining and, often, instructive behavior on the basis of a simple format and small set of rules which structure the activity. Although the real congressional budget process is highly complex, the simple simulation materials presented here reproduced an authentic process and set of outcomes for the students involved in it. In our “run” of this simulation last fall, these results came as quite a surprise to the student participants, who began the exercise skeptical both of Congress' efforts to reduce the deficit and of the power of simulations to capture real, complex phenomena. After the simulation, the shared experience provided a basis for several discussions of the merits of different explanations of policy outcomes: those achieved in the simulation, in the current Congress, and by policy makers more generally.

This simulation was developed for use in an introductory course in public policy, but it is equally well-suited for any course involving legislative policy making or national taxing and spending policy. The simulation materials themselves are provided in the last section of this presentation. The next sections describe the context of the simulation in the course, how it worked when we used it, and the character of the discussion which resulted from it.

The purposes of this introductory course in public policy are first, to introduce students to the substance of public policies, for example, to what defense policy or tax policy actually consists of, and second, and more important, to develop in students a capacity to think critically about why particular policy outcomes evolve as they do. We use texts, such as Dye's Understanding Public Policy (1987), which combine substantive material with different theoretical approaches. The simulation comes at the point in the course where we are shifting from political explanations of policy choices to structural and environmental theories; that is, from explanations which reference the interests and intentions of policy makers, to theories which explain choice in terms of constraints, such as the amount of resources available, which cannot easily be manipulated by decision makers.
A Commentary on Maritime Boundary Arbitration between Bangladesh and India Concerning the Bay of Bengal
Authors: KAŁDUŃSKI MARCIN
Published: October 2015

This article considers the law of maritime delimitation as applied by the Arbitral Tribunal in the 2014 Bangladesh v. India case. The dispute concerned the delimitation of the maritime boundary between the two states in the north-eastern part of the Bay of Bengal. The Tribunal's Award covers several important issues which require careful examination, such as the land boundary terminus, the delimitation methodology, the role of objectivity, predictability and transparency in maritime delimitation, and the impact of the established case law on the present delimitation procedures. The commentary analyses the Award from the viewpoint of the law of maritime delimitation and traces how the Tribunal applied and developed the methodology used in maritime delimitation. The key points where the Award advances the law of the sea concern the concavity of the coast as a relevant circumstance and the creation of grey area. The Tribunal made significant pronouncements on the continental shelf, especially, beyond 200 nm. It confirmed the concept of a single continental shelf and reasoned that legal regimes of the EEZ and the continental shelf are independent and separable. However, the creation of another grey area met with strong disagreement from Dr Rao. The author considers the Award and the Dissenting Opinion to argue that the adjustment of the equidistance line raises certain concerns and that the creation of grey area is permissible under UNCLOS.
Introduction to the Mini-Symposium on Croatia v. Serbia
Authors: MAMO ANDREW
Published: October 2015

On 3 February 2015, the International Court of Justice delivered its Judgment on the merits of the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Croatia v. Serbia) case. This Judgment concludes the Court's involvement with allegations of state responsibility for genocide in the Balkans, which has spanned more than two decades since Bosnia brought a case against Serbia under the Genocide Convention in 1993. The many judgments and separate and dissenting opinions in the Bosnia and Croatia genocide cases have not only addressed the elements of the crime of genocide itself and the obligations imposed by the Genocide Convention, but have also considered jurisdictional questions, matters of state succession, and the relationship between the International Court of Justice and the work of the ad hoc tribunals, in particular the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

The Leiden Journal of International Law has organized a mini-symposium about the Croatia Judgment in order to address this important decision. The six articles in this symposium address several of the main issues raised by the judgment. A brief summary of the judgment follows.
The Actus Reus of Genocide in the Croatia v. Serbia Judgment: Between Legality and Acceptability
Authors: FOURNET CAROLINE
Published: October 2015

The long-awaited verdict of the International Court of Justice in the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide case between Croatia and Serbia brought to an end the speculations as to whether or not a finding of genocide would be reached. After lengthy considerations on the genocidal actus reus, the Court dismissed all the claims of genocide, based on the lack of genocidal intent. If this conclusion is perfectly in line with established law and case law, its wider readability and acceptability outside of the legal microcosm is perhaps doubtful. How can a judgment which recognizes that acts falling within the list of proscribed genocidal acts have been committed but which then refutes their qualification as genocidal due to a lack of specific intent be explicable to those who lost their loved ones in what they feel was an enterprise of destruction?
A line sink in a flowing stream with surface tension effects
Authors: HOLMES R. J. , HOCKING G. C.
Published: October 2015

We examine a problem in which a line sink causes a disturbance to an otherwise uniform flowing stream of infinite depth. We consider the fully non-linear problem with the inclusion of surface tension and find the maximum sink strength at which steady solutions exist for a given stream flow, before examining non-unique solutions. The addition of surface tension allows for a more thorough investigation into the characteristics of the solutions. The breakdown of steady solutions with surface tension appears to be caused by a curvature singularity as the flow rate approaches the maximum. The non-uniqueness in solutions is shown to occur for a range of parameter values in all cases with non-zero surface tension.
Type-based amortized resource analysis with integers and arrays
Authors: HOFFMANN JAN , SHAO ZHONG
Published: October 2015

Proving bounds on the resource consumption of a program by statically analyzing its source code is an important and well-studied problem. Automatic approaches for numeric programs with side effects usually apply abstract interpretation-based invariant generation to derive bounds on loops and recursion depths of function calls. This article presents an alternative approach to resource-bound analysis for numeric and heap-manipulating programs that uses type-based amortized resource analysis. As a first step towards the analysis of imperative code, the technique is developed for a first-order ML-like language with unsigned integers and arrays. The analysis automatically derives bounds that are multivariate polynomials in the numbers and the lengths of the arrays in the input. Experiments with example programs demonstrate two main advantages of amortized analysis over current abstract interpretation–based techniques. For one thing, amortized analysis can handle programs with non-linear intermediate values likef((n + m)2). For another thing, amortized analysis is compositional and works naturally for compound programs likef(g(x)).
Mesolimbic dopamine and its neuromodulators in obesity and binge eating
Authors: Naef Lindsay , Pitman Kimberley A. , Borgland Stephanie L.
Published: October 2015

Obesity has reached epidemic prevalence, and much research has focused on homeostatic and nonhomeostatic mechanisms underlying overconsumption of food. Mesocorticolimbic circuitry, including dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), is a key substrate for nonhomeostatic feeding. The goal of the present review is to compare changes in mesolimbic dopamine function in human obesity with diet-induced obesity in rodents. Additionally, we will review the literature to determine if dopamine signaling is altered with binge eating disorder in humans or binge eating modeled in rodents. Finally, we assess modulation of dopamine neurons by neuropeptides and peripheral peptidergic signals that occur with obesity or binge eating. We find that while decreased dopamine concentration is observed with obesity, there is inconsistency outside the human literature on the relationship between striatal D2receptor expression and obesity. Finally, few studies have explored how orexigenic or anorexigenic peptides modulate dopamine neuronal activity or striatal dopamine in obese models. However, ghrelin modulation of dopamine neurons may be an important factor for driving binge feeding in rodents.
Formation of Nanoporous Gold Studied by Transmission Electron Backscatter Diffraction
Authors: de Jeer Leo T.H. , Ribas Gomes Diego , Nijholt Jorrit E. , van Bremen Rik , Ocelík Václav , De Hosson Jeff Th.M.
Published: October 2015

Transmission electron backscatter diffraction (t-EBSD) was used to investigate the effect of dealloying on the microstructure of 140-nm thin gold foils. Statistical and local comparisons of the microstructure between the nonetched and nanoporous gold foils were made. Analyses of crystallographic texture, misorientation distribution, and grain structure clearly prove that during the dealloying manufacturing process of nanoporous materials the crystallographic texture is enhanced significantly with a clear decrease of internal strain, whereas maintaining the grain structure.
A NEURAL NETWORK FOR THE GENERALIZED NONLINEAR COMPLEMENTARITY PROBLEM OVER A POLYHEDRAL CONE
Authors: KE YIFEN , MA CHANGFENG
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we consider a neural network model for solving the generalized nonlinear complementarity problem (denoted by GNCP) over a polyhedral cone. The neural network is derived from an equivalent unconstrained minimization reformulation of the GNCP, which is based on the penalized Fischer–Burmeister function${\it\phi}_{{\it\mu}}(a,b)={\it\mu}{\it\phi}_{\mathit{FB}}(a,b)+(1-{\it\mu})a_{+}b_{+}$. We establish the existence and the convergence of the trajectory of the neural network, and study its Lyapunov stability, asymptotic stability and exponential stability. It is found that a larger${\it\mu}$leads to a better convergence rate of the trajectory. Simulation results are also reported.
Combinations of cover crop mixtures and bio-waste composts enhance biomass production and nutrients accumulation: a greenhouse study
Authors: Messiga Aime Jean , Sharifi Mehdi , Munroe Sheena
Published: October 2015

Improved farming practices are needed to produce more food in a sustainable way. This study assessed 12 combinations of cover crop mixtures and amendment treatments and their effects on shoot and root dry (matter (DM) weights, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptakes in plants, Mehlich-3 extractable P (PM3) and K (KM3). Shoot and root DM weights were increased by 30–63% with combinations of clover-based cover crop mixtures and 65 Mg ha−1of municipal solid food waste (MSFW) compared with synthetic fertilizer. The combination of clover-based cover crop mixtures with MSFW increased N uptake by 38 and 30%, P uptake by 57 and 40% and K uptake by 77 and 77% compared with fertilized and unfertilized treatments, respectively. The combination of vetch-based cover crop mixtures with MSFW had no effect on N uptake, but increased P uptake on average by 43%, and K uptake on average by 11% compared with fertilized and unfertilized treatments. The highest soil PM3and KM3values were obtained with additions of MSFW, while the lowest were obtained with synthetic fertilizer indicating that the amount of P and K added with MSFW were greater than cover crop needs. Combining cover crop mixtures and MSFW at levels recommended for N fertilization allows meeting cover crops’ nutrient needs and increases biomass inputs to agricultural soils, but long-term monitoring of soil P is required to limit potential P build-up.
Treatment of Anxiety Disorders in a Psychology Clinic
Authors: Labrador Francisco J. , Estupiñá Francisco J. , Bernaldo-de-Quirós Mónica , Fernández-Arias Ignacio , Alonso Pablo , Ballesteros Francisco , Blanco Carmen , Gómez Laura
Published: October 2015

People with anxiety disorders demand psychological attention most often. Therefore, it seems important to identify both the characteristics of the patients who demand help and the clinical variables related to that demand and its treatment. A cohort of 292 patients who requested help at a university clinical facility was studied. The typical profile of the patient was: being female, young, unmarried, with some college education, and having previously received treatment, especially pharmacological one. The three most frequent diagnoses of anxiety, which include 50% of the cases, were: Anxiety Disorder not otherwise specified, Social Phobia, and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia. Regarding the characteristics of the intervention, the average duration of the assessment was 3.5 sessions (SD= 1.2), and the duration of the treatment was 14 sessions (SD= 11.2). The percentage of discharges was 70.2%. The average cost of treatment was around €840. The results are discussed, underlining the value of empirically supported treatments for anxiety disorders.
Vascular compression syndromes
Authors: Czihal Michael , Banafsche Ramin , Hoffmann Ulrich , Koeppel Thomas
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Dealing with vascular compression syndromes is one of the most challenging tasks in Vascular Medicine practice. This heterogeneous group of disorders is characterised by external compression of primarily healthy arteries and/or veins as well as accompanying nerval structures, carrying the risk of subsequent structural vessel wall and nerve damage. Vascular compression syndromes may severely impair health-related quality of life in affected individuals who are typically young and otherwise healthy. The diagnostic approach has not been standardised for any of the vascular compression syndromes. Moreover, some degree of positional external compression of blood vessels such as the subclavian and popliteal vessels or the celiac trunk can be found in a significant proportion of healthy individuals. This implies important difficulties in differentiating physiological from pathological findings of clinical examination and diagnostic imaging with provocative manoeuvres. The level of evidence on which treatment decisions regarding surgical decompression with or without revascularisation can be relied on is generally poor, mostly coming from retrospective single centre studies. Proper patient selection is critical in order to avoid overtreatment in patients without a clear association between vascular compression and clinical symptoms. With a focus on the thoracic outlet-syndrome, the median arcuate ligament syndrome and the popliteal entrapment syndrome, the present article gives a selective literature review on compression syndromes from an interdisciplinary vascular point of view.
White House Science Adviser Blasts Congress at NSF Meeting
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2015

John Holdren, science adviser to President Obama, critiqued geoscience budget cuts passed by the House of Representatives and Congress members equating geosciences with climate change research.
The biogeography of the atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) gut microbiome
Authors: Llewellyn Martin S , McGinnity Philip , Dionne Melanie , Letourneau Justine , Thonier Florian , Carvalho Gary R , Creer Simon , Derome Nicolas
Published: October 2015

Although understood in many vertebrate systems, the natural diversity of host-associated microbiota has been little studied in teleosts. For migratory fishes, successful exploitation of multiple habitats may affect and be affected by the composition of the intestinal microbiome. We collected 96 Salmo salar from across the Atlantic encompassing both freshwater and marine phases. Dramatic differences between environmental and gut bacterial communities were observed. Furthermore, community composition was not significantly impacted by geography. Instead life-cycle stage strongly defined both the diversity and identity of microbial assemblages in the gut, with evidence for community destabilisation in migratory phases. Mycoplasmataceae phylotypes were abundantly recovered in all life-cycle stages. Patterns of Mycoplasmataceae phylotype recruitment to the intestinal microbial community among sites and life-cycle stages support a dual role for deterministic and stochastic processes in defining the composition of the S. salar gut microbiome.
Optical meta-atom for localization of light with quantized energy
Authors: Lannebère Sylvain , Silveirinha Mário G.
Published: October 2015

The capacity to confine light into a small region of space is of paramount importance in many areas of modern science. Here we suggest a mechanism to store a quantized ‘bit’ of light—with a very precise amount of energy—in an open core-shell plasmonic structure (‘meta-atom’) with a nonlinear optical response. Notwithstanding the trapped light state is embedded in the radiation continuum, its lifetime is not limited by the radiation loss. Interestingly, it is shown that the interplay between the nonlinear response and volume plasmons enables breaking fundamental reciprocity restrictions, and coupling very efficiently an external light source to the meta-atom. The collision of an incident optical pulse with the meta-atom may be used to release the trapped light ‘bit’.
Microscale insights into pneumococcal antibiotic mutant selection windows
Authors: Sorg Robin A. , Veening Jan-Willem
Published: October 2015

The human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae shows alarming rates of antibiotic resistance emergence. The basic requirements for de novo resistance emergence are poorly understood in the pneumococcus. Here we systematically analyse the impact of antibiotics on S. pneumoniae at concentrations that inhibit wild type cells, that is, within the mutant selection window. We identify discrete growth-inhibition profiles for bacteriostatic and bactericidal compounds, providing a predictive framework for distinction between the two classifications. Cells treated with bacteriostatic agents show continued gene expression activity, and real-time mutation assays link this activity to the development of genotypic resistance. Time-lapse microscopy reveals that antibiotic-susceptible pneumococci display remarkable growth and death bistability patterns in response to many antibiotics. We furthermore capture the rise of subpopulations with decreased susceptibility towards cell wall synthesis inhibitors (heteroresisters). We show that this phenomenon is epigenetically inherited, and that heteroresistance potentiates the accumulation of genotypic resistance.
Implementation of continuous-variable quantum key distribution with composable and one-sided-device-independent security against coherent attacks
Authors: Gehring Tobias , Händchen Vitus , Duhme Jörg , Furrer Fabian , Franz Torsten , Pacher Christoph , Werner Reinhard F. , Schnabel Roman
Published: October 2015

Secret communication over public channels is one of the central pillars of a modern information society. Using quantum key distribution this is achieved without relying on the hardness of mathematical problems, which might be compromised by improved algorithms or by future quantum computers. State-of-the-art quantum key distribution requires composable security against coherent attacks for a finite number of distributed quantum states as well as robustness against implementation side channels. Here we present an implementation of continuous-variable quantum key distribution satisfying these requirements. Our implementation is based on the distribution of continuous-variable Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen entangled light. It is one-sided device independent, which means the security of the generated key is independent of any memoryfree attacks on the remote detector. Since continuous-variable encoding is compatible with conventional optical communication technology, our work is a step towards practical implementations of quantum key distribution with state-of-the-art security based solely on telecom components.
Mycobacterium-Infected Dendritic Cells Disseminate Granulomatous Inflammation
Authors: Harding Jeffrey S. , Rayasam Aditya , Schreiber Heidi A. , Fabry Zsuzsanna , Sandor Matyas
Published: October 2015

The disappearance and reformation of granulomas during tuberculosis has been described using PET/CT/X-ray in both human clinical settings and animal models, but the mechanisms of granuloma reformation during active disease remains unclear. Granulomas can recruit inflammatory dendritic cells (iDCs) that can regulate local T-cell responses and can carry bacteria into the lymph nodes, which is crucial for generating systemic T-cell responses against mycobacteria. Here, we report that a subset of mycobacterium-infected iDCs are associated with bacteria-specific T-cells in infected tissue, outside the granuloma and that this results in the formation of new and/or larger multi-focal lesions. Mycobacterium-infected iDCs express less CCR7 and migrate less efficiently compared to the non-infected iDCs, which may support T-cell capture in granulomatous tissue. Capture may reduce antigen availability in the lymph node, thereby decreasing systemic priming, resulting in a possible regulatory loop between systemic T-cell responses and granuloma reformation. T-cell/infected iDCs clusters outside the granuloma can be detected during the acute and chronic phase of BCG and Mtb infection. Our studies suggest a direct role for inflammatory dendritic cells in the dissemination of granulomatous inflammation.
Identifying the metabolic perturbations in earthworm induced by cypermethrin using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry based metabolomics
Authors: Ch Ratnasekhar , Singh Amit Kumar , Pandey Pathya , Saxena Prem Narain , Reddy Mudiam Mohana Krishna
Published: October 2015

Globally, cypermethrin is one of the most widely used synthetic pyrethroid for agricultural and domestic purposes. Most part of the pesticides used in the agriculture ends up as residues in the soil, making soil dwelling organisms, especially earthworms more susceptible to pesticide intoxication. Cypermethrin is known to be a neurotoxicant to many model organisms, including mammals and insects, but such type of toxicity evidence is not available for invertebrate systems like earthworms. In the present work, metabolomics based approach was utilized to identify the toxic mechanism of action of cypermethrin on earthworm (Metaphire posthuma) and these were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of cypermethrin such as 2.5 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg (1/40th, 1/20th, 1/10th and 1/5th of LC50, respectively) for fourteen days. The results revealed that 22 metabolites (mainly fatty acids, sugars and amino acids) were shown significant responses in the exposed earthworms and these responses are dose dependent. It is proposed that mainly carbohydrate and fatty acids in neural system metabolism was disturbed. Overall, the results provided that metabolomics can be an effective tool to understand the effects of cypermethrin on the metabolic responses of earthworm Metaphire posthuma.