bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Achievements of the Codification Commission of the Second Republic of Poland — a Century After Regaining the Independence
Authors: Guzik-Makaruk Ewa M. , Fiedorczyk Piotr
Published: January 2019

Reborn in 1918, the Polish state inherited from the partition countries: Russia, Prussia and Austria their legal systems. The task of unifying the codification of the law was entrusted to the Codification Commission, established on the basis of the Act of 1919. The Commission was to prepare draft legislation in the field of civil and criminal law. It was a body of 44 lawyers and had a high degree of independence from political factors. As a result of the Commission’s work, more than 20 legal acts
were created. In the area of civil law, these were laws mainly related to foreign legal transactions. These included, among others, bills of exchange and cheque law, copyright law, patent law, law on combating unfair competition. The two laws of 1926 were of particular importance: private international law and inter-district law. Three codes of private law were also created: the Code of Obligations (1933, considered the most outstanding civil work of the Commission), the Commercial Code and the Code of Civil Procedure. In the area of criminal law, a full codification was carried out, first by implementing the Code of Criminal Procedure (1928)
and then the Criminal Code (1932). These two acts were based on different doctrinal bases, which made criminal law inconsistent. The Criminal Code of Juliusz Makarewicz in particular was an outstanding work, based on the findings of the School of Sociological Criminal Law. The Codification Commission did not finish its work until the outbreak of the war. However, present codes are largely based on the solutions developed within the Commission.
Professor Waclaw Szyszkowski — a Lawyer, Anticommunist, One From the Generation of Independent Poland
Authors: Kardela Piotr
Published: January 2019

The article presents the activity of Wacław Szyszkowski, a lawyer, an emigration independence activist and an outstanding scientist, who fought in the Polish-Bolshevik war of 1920 and, after Poland regained independence, was active in a secret Union of the Polish Youth “Zet” and a public Union of the Polish Democratic Youth. Until 1939 W. Szyszkowski was a defence lawyer in Warsaw, supporting the activities of the Central Union of the Rural Youth “Siew” and the Work Cooperative “Grupa Techniczna”. Published articles in political and legal journals, such as “Przełom”, “Naród i Państwo”, “Palestra”, “Głos Prawa”. During World War II — a conspirator of the Union for Defense of the Republic of Poland, soldier of the Union of Armed Struggle and Home Army, assigned to the Bureau of Information and Propaganda of the Home Army Headquarters. Fought in the Warsaw Uprising, after which he was deported by Germans to the Murnau oflag in Bavaria. For helping Jews during the occupation, the Yad Vashem Institute awarded him and his wife Irena the title of Righteous Among the Nations. After 1945, he remained in the West, engaging in the life of the Polish war exile in France, Great Britain and the United States. He received a doctorate in law at the Sorbonne. He belonged to the People’s Party “Wolność”, the Association of Polish Combatants. He was a member of the National Council of the Republic of Poland in Exile. As an anti-communist,
he was invigilated by the communist intelligence of the People’s Republic of Poland. In the 1960s, after returning to Poland, as a lawyer and scientist, he was first affiliated with the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University of Lublin, and then with Nicolaus Copernicus University of Toruń. W. Szyszkowski is the author of nearly two hundred scientific and journalistic publications printed in Poland and abroad.
Competences of the Police in Criminal Proceedings — Experience and Present — Legal and Comparative Approach in the 100th Anniversary of the
Establishment of the Police
Authors: Porwisz Monika
Published: January 2019

The aim of the publication is to present the role and tasks of the police in criminal proceedings in a legal and comparative approach. Over the years, there could have been noticed an evolution in the area of police powers. The rationale for addressing such an important issue is, first of all, to look at the achievements of the authors of reforms in the post-annexation period and to recognise their contribution to the process of shaping high standards of functioning of police authorities. Studies and analysis of legal texts from the period when Poland regained independence is an important element of learning about history and tradition, as well as the possibility of following patterns of lawmaking adequate to the challenges of lawmaking. The original spelling of source texts and
sometimes their archaic language layer, quoted in the text of the publication, is a measure to respect the principle of faithfulness to the sources and, at the same time, to illustrate the development of individual legal institutions. The article focuses on the analysis of selected regulations of the Regulation of the President of the Republic of 19 March 1928 — Code of Criminal Procedure (Journal of Laws of 1928, No. 33, item 313) in relation to the current solutions of the procedural act.
Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems
Authors: Holland John H.
Published: January 2019

Genetic algorithms are playing an increasingly important role in studies of complex adaptive systems, ranging from adaptive agents in economic theory to the use of machine learning techniques in the design of complex devices such as aircraft turbines and integrated circuits. Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems is the book that initiated this field of study, presenting the theoretical foundations and exploring applications.

In its most familiar form, adaptation is a biological process, whereby organisms evolve by rearranging genetic material to survive in environments confronting them. In this now classic work, Holland presents a mathematical model that allows for the nonlinearity of such complex interactions. He demonstrates the model's universality by applying it to economics, physiological psychology, game theory, and artificial intelligence and then outlines the way in which this approach modifies the traditional views of mathematical genetics.

Initially applying his concepts to simply defined artificial systems with limited numbers of parameters, Holland goes on to explore their use in the study of a wide range of complex, naturally occuring processes, concentrating on systems having multiple factors that interact in nonlinear ways. Along the way he accounts for major effects of coadaptation and coevolution: the emergence of building blocks, or schemata, that are recombined and passed on to succeeding generations to provide, innovations and improvements.

Bradford Books imprint
The Dynamic Neuron
Authors: Smythies John
Published: January 2019

A comprehensive review of current research on synaptic plasticity.

The traditional model of synapses as fixed structures has been replaced by a dynamic one in which synapses are constantly being deleted and replaced. This book, written by a leading researcher on the neurochemistry of schizophrenia, integrates material from neuroscience and cell biology to provide a comprehensive account of our current knowledge of the neurochemical basis of synaptic plasticity.

The book presents the evidence for synaptic plasticity, an account of the dendritic spine and the glutamate synapse with a focus on redox mechanisms, and the biochemical basis of the Hebbian synapse. It discusses the role of endocytosis, special proteins, and local protein synthesis. Additional topics include volume transmission, arachidonic acid signaling, hormonal modulation, and psychological stress. Finally, the book considers pharmacological and clinical implications of current research, particularly with reference to schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.

Bradford Books imprint
Interconnecting the Network of Networks
Authors: Noam Eli M.
Published: January 2019

This book describes the transformation of telecommunications from national network monopolies to a new system, the "network of networks," and the glue that holds it together, interconnection. By their very nature, monopoly-owned networks provided a small number of standardized, nationwide services. Over the past two decades, however, new forces in the world economy began to unravel this traditional system. The driving force behind the change was the shift toward an information-based economy. Especially for large organizations, the price, control, security, and reliability of telecommunications became variables requiring organized attention. Thus, monopoly began to give way to the "network of networks," the foundation of today's telecommunications and Internet infrastructure.

Taking a broad, multidisciplinary perspective Eli Noam discusses the importance and history of interconnection policy, as well as recent policy reforms both within the United States and around the globe. Other important topics he discusses include interconnection prices, the unbundling of interconnection, and the technology of interconnection. He concludes with an examination of social and policy issues, including the free flow of content, universal service and privacy protection, and the future of telecommunications.
Mechanizing Proof
Authors: MacKenzie Donald
Published: January 2019

Most aspects of our private and social lives—our safety, the integrity of the financial system, the functioning of utilities and other services, and national security—now depend on computing. But how can we know that this computing is trustworthy? In Mechanizing Proof, Donald MacKenzie addresses this key issue by investigating the interrelations of computing, risk, and mathematical proof over the last half century from the perspectives of history and sociology. His discussion draws on the technical literature of computer science and artificial intelligence and on extensive interviews with participants.

MacKenzie argues that our culture now contains two ideals of proof: proof as traditionally conducted by human mathematicians, and formal, mechanized proof. He describes the systems constructed by those committed to the latter ideal and the many questions those systems raise about the nature of proof. He looks at the primary social influence on the development of automated proof—the need to predict the behavior of the computer systems upon which human life and security depend—and explores the involvement of powerful organizations such as the National Security Agency. He concludes that in mechanizing proof, and in pursuing dependable computer systems, we do not obviate the need for trust in our collective human judgment.
Cyberpolitics in International Relations
Authors: Choucri Nazli
Published: January 2019

An examination of the ways cyberspace is changing both the theory and the practice of international relations.

Cyberspace is widely acknowledged as a fundamental fact of daily life in today's world. Until recently, its political impact was thought to be a matter of low politics—background conditions and routine processes and decisions. Now, however, experts have begun to recognize its effect on high politics—national security, core institutions, and critical decision processes. In this book, Nazli Choucri investigates the implications of this new cyberpolitical reality for international relations theory, policy, and practice.

The ubiquity, fluidity, and anonymity of cyberspace have already challenged such concepts as leverage and influence, national security and diplomacy, and borders and boundaries in the traditionally state-centric arena of international relations. Choucri grapples with fundamental questions of how we can take explicit account of cyberspace in the analysis of world politics and how we can integrate the traditional international system with its cyber venues.

After establishing the theoretical and empirical terrain, Choucri examines modes of cyber conflict and cyber cooperation in international relations; the potential for the gradual convergence of cyberspace and sustainability, in both substantive and policy terms; and the emergent synergy of cyberspace and international efforts toward sustainable development. Choucri's discussion is theoretically driven and empirically grounded, drawing on recent data and analyzing the dynamics of cyberpolitics at individual, state, international, and global levels.
Race and Entrepreneurial Success
Authors: Fairlie Robert W. , Robb Alicia M.
Published: January 2019

A comprehensive analysis of racial disparities and the determinants of entrepreneurial performance—in particular, why Asian-owned businesses on average perform relatively well and why black-owned businesses typically do not.

Thirteen million people in the United States—roughly one in ten workers—own a business. And yet rates of business ownership among African Americans are much lower and have been so throughout the twentieth century. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, businesses owned by African Americans tend to have lower sales, fewer employees and smaller payrolls, lower profits, and higher closure rates. In contrast, Asian American-owned businesses tend to be more successful. In Race and Entrepreneurial Success, minority entrepreneurship authorities Robert Fairlie and Alicia Robb examine racial disparities in business performance. Drawing on the rarely used, restricted-access Characteristics of Business Owners (CBO) dataset compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau, Fairlie and Robb examine in particular why Asian-owned firms perform well in comparison to white-owned businesses and black-owned firms typically do not. They also explore the broader question of why some entrepreneurs are successful and others are not. After providing new comprehensive estimates of recent trends in minority business ownership and performance, the authors examine the importance of human capital, financial capital, and family business background in successful business ownership. They find that a high level of startup capital is the most important factor contributing to the success of Asian-owned businesses, and that the lack of startup money for black businesses (attributable to the fact that nearly half of all black families have less than $6,000 in total wealth) contributes to their relative lack of success. In addition, higher education levels among Asian business owners explain much of their success relative to both white- and African American-owned businesses. Finally, Fairlie and Robb find that black entrepreneurs have fewer opportunities than white entrepreneurs to acquire valuable pre-business work experience through working in family businesses.
Design Things
Authors: Binder Thomas , De Michelis Giorgio , Ehn Pelle , Jacucci Giulio , Linde Per , Wagner Ina
Published: January 2019

A new perspective on design thinking and design practice: beyond products and projects, toward participatory design things.

Design Things offers an innovative view of design thinking and design practice, envisioning ways to combine creative design with a participatory approach encompassing aesthetic and democratic practices and values. The authors of Design Things look at design practice as a mode of inquiry that involves people, space, artifacts, materials, and aesthetic experience, following the process of transformation from a design concept to a thing.

Design Things, which grew out of the Atelier (Architecture and Technology for Inspirational Living) research project, goes beyond the making of a single object to view design projects as sociomaterial assemblies of humans and artifacts—“design things.” The book offers both theoretical and practical perspectives, providing empirical support for the authors' conceptual framework with field projects, case studies, and examples from professional practice. The authors examine the dynamics of the design process; the multiple transformations of the object of design; metamorphing, performing, and taking place as design strategies; the concept of the design space as “emerging landscapes”; the relation between design and use; and the design of controversial things.
Flexibility in Engineering Design
Authors: de Neufville Richard , Scholtes Stefan
Published: January 2019

A guide to using the power of design flexibility to improve the performance of complex technological projects, for designers, managers, users, and analysts.

Project teams can improve results by recognizing that the future is inevitably uncertain and that by creating flexible designs they can adapt to eventualities. This approach enables them to take advantage of new opportunities and avoid harmful losses. Designers of complex, long-lasting projects—such as communication networks, power plants, or hospitals—must learn to abandon fixed specifications and narrow forecasts. They need to avoid the “flaw of averages,” the conceptual pitfall that traps so many designs in underperformance. Failure to allow for changing circumstances risks leaving significant value untapped. This book is a guide for creating and implementing value-enhancing flexibility in design. It will be an essential resource for all participants in the development and operation of technological systems: designers, managers, financial analysts, investors, regulators, and academics.

The book provides a high-level overview of why flexibility in design is needed to deliver significantly increased value. It describes in detail methods to identify, select, and implement useful flexibility. The book is unique in that it explicitly recognizes that future outcomes are uncertain. It thus presents forecasting, analysis, and evaluation tools especially suited to this reality. Appendixes provide expanded explanations of concepts and analytic tools.
Standards
Authors: Busch Lawrence
Published: January 2019

An investigation into standards, the invisible infrastructures of our technical, moral, social, and physical worlds.

Standards are the means by which we construct realities. There are established standards for professional accreditation, the environment, consumer products, animal welfare, the acceptable stress for highway bridges, healthcare, education—for almost everything. We are surrounded by a vast array of standards, many of which we take for granted but each of which has been and continues to be the subject of intense negotiation. In this book, Lawrence Busch investigates standards as “recipes for reality.” Standards, he argues, shape not only the physical world around us but also our social lives and even our selves.

Busch shows how standards are intimately connected to power—that they often serve to empower some and disempower others. He outlines the history of formal standards and describes how modern science came to be associated with the moral-technical project of standardization of both people and things. Busch suggests guidelines for developing fair, equitable, and effective standards. Taking a uniquely integrated and comprehensive view of the subject, Busch shows how standards for people and things are inextricably linked, how standards are always layered (even if often addressed serially), and how standards are simultaneously technical, social, moral, legal, and ontological devices.
The Environmental Advantages of Cities
Authors: Meyer William B.
Published: January 2019

An analysis that offers evidence to challenge the widely held assumption that urbanization and environmental quality are necessarily at odds.

Conventional wisdom about the environmental impact of cities holds that urbanization and environmental quality are necessarily at odds. Cities are seen to be sites of ecological disruption, consuming a disproportionate share of natural resources, producing high levels of pollution, and concentrating harmful emissions precisely where the population is most concentrated. Cities appear to be particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, to be inherently at risk from outbreaks of infectious diseases, and even to offer dysfunctional and unnatural settings for human life. In this book, William Meyer tests these widely held beliefs against the evidence.

Borrowing some useful terminology from the public health literature, Meyer weighs instances of “urban penalty” against those of “urban advantage.” He finds that many supposed urban environmental penalties are illusory, based on commonsense preconceptions and not on solid evidence. In fact, greater degrees of “urbanness” often offer advantages rather than penalties. The characteristic compactness of cities, for example, lessens the pressure on ecological systems and enables resource consumption to be more efficient. On the whole, Meyer reports, cities offer greater safety from environmental hazards (geophysical, technological, and biological) than more dispersed settlement does. In fact, the city-defining characteristics widely supposed to result in environmental penalties do much to account for cities' environmental advantages.

As of 2008 (according to U.N. statistics), more people live in cities than in rural areas. Meyer's analysis clarifies the effects of such a profound shift, covering a full range of environmental issues in urban settings.
The gut microbiome correlates with conspecific aggression in a small population of rescued dogs(Canis familiaris)
Authors: Kirchoff Nicole S. , Udell Monique A.R. , Sharpton Thomas J.
Published: January 2019

Aggression is a serious behavioral disorder in domestic dogs that endangers both dogs and humans. The underlying causes of canine aggression are poorly resolved and require illumination to ensure effective therapy. Recent research links the compositional diversity of the gut microbiome to behavioral and psychological regulation in other mammals, such as mice and humans. Given these observations, we hypothesized that the composition of the canine gut microbiome could associate with aggression. We analyzed fecal microbiome samples collected from a small population of pit bull type dogs seized from a dogfighting organization. This population included 21 dogs that displayed conspecific aggressive behaviors and 10 that did not. Beta-diversity analyses support an association between gut microbiome structure and dog aggression. Additionally, we used a phylogenetic approach to resolve specific clades of gut bacteria that stratify aggressive and non-aggressive dogs, including clades withinLactobacillus,Dorea,Blautia,Turicibacter,andBacteroides. Several of these taxa have been implicated in modulating mammalian behavior as well as gastrointestinal disease states. Although sample size limits this study, our findings indicate that gut microorganisms are linked to dog aggression and point to an aggression-associated physiological state that interacts with the gut microbiome. These results also indicate that the gut microbiome may be useful for diagnosing aggressive behaviors prior to their manifestation and potentially discerning cryptic etiologies of aggression.
Efficient generation of human primordial germ cell-like cells from pluripotent stem cells in a methylcellulose-based 3D system at large scale
Authors: Wang Xiaoman , Liao Tingting , Wan Cong , Yang Xiaoyu , Zhao Jiexiang , Fu Rui , Yao Zhaokai , Huang Yaping , Shi Yujia , Chang Gang , Zheng Yi , Luo Fang , Liu Zhaoting , Wang Yu , Mao Xinliang , Zhao Xiao-Yang
Published: January 2019

Background

The mechanisms underlying human germ cell development and infertility remain largely unknown due to bioethical issues and the shortage of experimental materials. Therefore, an effective in vitro induction system of human primordial germ-like cells (hPGCLCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) is in high demand. The current strategies used for the generation of hPGCLCs are not only costly but also difficult to perform at a large scale, thereby posing barriers to further research. In this study, we attempted to solve these problems by providing a new 3D culture system for hPGCLC differentiation.

Methods

The efficiency and relative yield of a methylcellulose (MC)-based 3D hPGCLC induction system were first compared with that of a conventional U96 system. Then, we examined the gene expression of germ cell marker genes and the key epigenetic modifications of the EpCAM-/INTEGRINα6-high cells from the 3D MC induction system and the U96 system via quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence. Finally, the reliability of the MC-based 3D hPGCLC induction system was evaluated via the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from the testicular cells of one patient with obstructive azoospermia (OA) and followed by the subsequent differentiation of iPSCs into the germ cell lineage.

Results

In the present study, we demonstrated that the 3D MC induction system combined with low-cell attachment plates facilitated the generation of hPGCLCs at a large scale. We found that the hPGCLCs generated via the MC system shared similar characteristics to that via the U96 system in terms of the gene expression profiles, germ cell-specific markers, epigenetic modification states and cellular states. In addition, hPGCLCs from iPSCs derived from one OA patient were generated with high efficiency via the present 3D MC induction system.

Discussion

The in vitro induction of hPGCLCs from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs)/human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has significant implications in exploring the underlying mechanisms of the origin and specification of hPGCs and the epigenetic programming of the human germ line as well as treating male infertility. Here, we developed a simple and efficient 3D induction system to generate hPGCLCs from hESCs/hiPSCs at a large scale, which facilitated the study of human germ cell development and stem cell-based reproductive medicine.
First record ofPhyllorhizasp. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) in a Chinese coastal aquaculture pond
Authors: Dong Zhijun , Morandini André C. , Schiariti Agustin , Wang Lei , Sun Tingting
Published: January 2019

Background

It has been suggested that aquaculture ponds on the Chinese coast could act as breeding grounds for scyphozoans. Here, we present the first record of the scyphomedusaPhyllorhizasp. in an aquaculture pond on the coast of the southern Yellow Sea, based on a combination of morphological characteristics and mitochondrial 16S DNA sequence data.

Methods

A field survey was performed on June 29, 2017 in a pond used for culturing the shrimpPenaeus japonicus, located in the southern Yellow Sea, China. Jellyfish specimens were collected for morphological and genetic analysis. The morphological characters of the jellyfish specimens were compared to taxonomic literature. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial 16S fragments of these specimens were also conducted.

Results

These specimens had the following morphological characters: hemispherical umbrella without scapulets; J-shaped oral arms; a single larger terminal club on each arm; bluish colored with a slightly expanded white tip; and mouthlets present only in the lower half to one-third of each arm. These morphological features of the medusae indicated that the specimens found in the shrimp culture ponds belong to the genusPhyllorhizaAgassiz, 1862, but did not match with the description of any of the known species of the genusPhyllorhiza.Phylogenetic analyses of the mtDNA 16S regions revealed that these specimens, together withPhyllorhizasp. from Malaysian coastal waters, belong to a sister group ofPhyllorhiza punctata. Juveniles and ephyrae ofPhyllorhizasp. were observed in the aquaculture pond. The mean density ofPhyllorhizasp. medusa in the surface water within the pond was estimated to be 0.05 individuals/m2.

Discussion

Based on our observations of the gross morphology and molecular data, we state that the specimens collected in the aquaculture pond can be identified asPhyllorhizasp. This is the first record ofPhyllorhizasp. in Chinese seas. Large scale dispersal through ballast water or the expansion of jellyfish aquarium exhibitions are possible pathways of invasion, but this needs to be confirmed in further studies.
Climatic niche evolution in the viviparousSceloporus torquatusgroup (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae)
Authors: Martínez-Méndez Norberto , Mejía Omar , Ortega Jorge , Méndez-de la Cruz Fausto
Published: January 2019

The cold-climate hypothesis maintains that viviparity arose as a means to prevent increased egg mortality in nests owing to low temperatures, and this hypothesis represents the primary and most strongly supported explanation for the evolution of viviparity in reptiles. In this regard, certain authors have stated that viviparous species will exhibit speciation via climatic niche conservatism, with similar climatic niches being observed in allopatric sister species. However, this prediction remains to be tested with bioclimatic variables relevant to each viviparous group. In the present study, we examined climatic niche evolution in a group of North American viviparous lizards to determine whether their diversification is linked to phylogenetic niche conservatism (PNC). We evaluated the phylogenetic signal and trait evolution of individual bioclimatic variables and principal component (PC) scores of a PC analysis, along with reconstructions of ancestral climate tolerances. The results suggest that diversification of theSceloporus torquatusgroup species is associated with both niche differentiation and PNC. Furthermore, we did not observe PNC across nearly all bioclimatic variables and in PC2 and PC3. However, in Precipitation Seasonality (Bio15), in Precipitation of Coldest Quarter (Bio19) and in PC1 (weakly associated with variability of temperature), we did observe PNC. Additionally, variation of the scores along the phylogeny and Pagel’s delta (δ) >1 of PC3 suggests a fast, recent evolution to dry conditions in the clade that sustainsS. serrifer.
Carabid community structure in northern China grassland ecosystems: Effects of local habitat on species richness, species composition and functional diversity
Authors: Tsafack Noelline , Rebaudo François , Wang Hui , Nagy Dávid D. , Xie Yingzhong , Wang Xinpu , Fattorini Simone
Published: January 2019

Background

Most carabid beetles are particularly sensitive to local habitat characteristics. Although in China grasslands account for more than 40% of the national land, their biodiversity is still poorly known. The aim of this paper is to identify the main environmental characteristics influencing carabid diversity in different types of grassland in northern China.

Methods

We investigated the influence of vegetation (plant biomass, cover, density, height and species richness), soil (bulk density, above ground litter, moisture and temperature) and climate (humidity, precipitation and temperature) on carabid community structure (species richness, species composition and functional diversity—measured as body size, movement and total diversity) in three types of grasslands: desert, typical and meadow steppes. We used Canonical correspondence analysis to investigate the role of habitat characteristics on species composition and eigenvector spatial filtering to investigate the responses of species richness and functional diversities.

Results

We found that carabid community structure was strongly influenced by local habitat characteristics and particularly by climatic factors. Carabids in the desert steppe showed the lowest richness and functional diversities. Climate predictors (temperature, precipitation and humidity) had positive effects on carabid species richness at both regional and ecosystem levels, with difference among ecosystems. Plant diversity had a positive influence on carabid richness at the regional level. Soil compaction and temperature were negatively related to species richness at regional level. Climatic factors positively influenced functional diversities, whereas soil temperature had negative effects. Soil moisture and temperature were the most important drivers of species composition at regional level, whereas the relative importance of the various environmental parameters varied among ecosystems.

Discussion

Carabid responses to environmental characteristics varied among grassland types, which warns against generalizations and indicates that management programs should be considered at grassland scale. Carabid community structure is strongly influenced by climatic factors, and can therefore be particularly sensitive to ongoing climate change.
Pós-pornô, dissidência sexual e a situación cuir latino-americana: pontos de partida para o debate
Authors: Sarmet Érica
Published: January 2019

Este artigo tem, entre seus objetivos, apresentar o conceito de pós-pornografia e sua ligação com osestudos e a militância queer e feminista; aprofundar a relação entre o pós-pornô e a pornografia tradicional; esuscitar algumas reflexões acerca das possibilidades de se produzir e pensar o pós-pornô na América Latina apartir de referencias teóricos outros, ressaltando a necessidade de voltarmos nossos olhares à história da artefeminista latino-americana e aos movimentos sociais e culturais do passado, nos quais residem práticaspornopolíticas que muito podem contribuir para a desconstrução dos imaginários contemporâneos sobre o sexo ea sexualidade.
Interplay between Structural and Thermoelectric Properties in Epitaxial Sb2+xTe3 Alloys
Authors: Cecchi Stefano , Dragoni Daniele , Kriegner Dominik , Tisbi Elisa , Zallo Eugenio , Arciprete Fabrizio , Holý Václav , Bernasconi Marco , Calarco Raffaella
Published: January 2019

In recent years strain engineering is proposed in chalcogenide superlattices (SLs) to shape in particular the switching functionality for phase change memory applications. This is possible in Sb2Te3/GeTe heterostructures leveraging on the peculiar behavior of Sb2Te3, in between covalently bonded and weakly bonded materials. In the present study, the structural and thermoelectric (TE) properties of epitaxial Sb2+xTe3 films are shown, as they represent an intriguing option to expand the horizon of strain engineering in such SLs. Samples with composition between Sb2Te3 and Sb4Te3 are prepared by molecular beam epitaxy. A combination of X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, together with dedicated simulations, allows unveiling the structural characteristics of the alloys. A consistent evaluation of the structural disorder characterizing the material is drawn as well as the presence of both Sb2 and Sb4 slabs is detected. A strong link exists among structural and TE properties, the latter having implications also in phase change SLs. A further improvement of the TE performances may be achieved by accurately engineering the intrinsic disorder. The possibility to tune the strain in designed Sb2+xTe3/GeTe SLs by controlling at the nanoscale the 2D character of the Sb2+xTe3 alloys is envisioned.
A Nanoprobe for Diagnosing and Mapping Lymphatic Metastasis of Tumor Using 3D Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography Owing to Aggregation/Deaggregation Induced Spectral Change
Authors: Wu Yinglong , Chen Junjie , Sun Lihe , Zeng Fang , Wu Shuizhu
Published: January 2019

Lymphatic metastasis of tumor is one of leading causes of cancer‐related death, and diagnosing lymphatic metastasis is of significance in terms of optimal disease management and possible better outcomes for patients. Herein a turn‐on optoacoustic nanoprobe is reported for noninvasively diagnosing and locating lymphatic metastasis in vivo. A positively charged tricyanofuran‐containing polyene chromophore (TCHM) with high extinction coefficient is designed, synthesized, and allowed to form the nanoprobe with a negatively charged hyaluronan. The TCHMs take an aggregated state within the nanoprobe and exhibit weak absorption at 882 nm, the overexpressed hyaluronidase in cancer cells specifically degrades hyaluronan into small fragments and disaggregates TCHMs, thereby greatly enhancing the absorption at 882 nm and generating prominent optoacoustic signals. For multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) imaging in vivo, mice models with subcutaneous tumor and orthotopic bladder tumor are imaged first to demonstrate the nanoprobe's capability for detecting HAase‐overexpressing tumors. A mouse model of lymphatic metastasis of tumor is then established and the lymphatic metastasis is successfully imaged and tracked optoacoustically. The imaging results were verified using multiple biochemical assays. Moreover, 3D MSOT renderings are obtained for precisely locating and tracking the metastasis of tumor in lymphatic system in a spatiotemporal manner.
Tribotronics for Active Mechanosensation and Self‐Powered Microsystems
Authors: Zhang Chi , Bu Tianzhao , Zhao Junqing , Liu Guoxu , Yang Hang , Wang Zhong Lin
Published: January 2019

Tribotronics has attracted great attention as a new research field that encompasses the control and tuning of semiconductor transport by triboelectricity. Here, tribotronics is reviewed in terms of active mechanosensation and human–machine interfacing. As a fundamental unit, contact electrification field‐effect transistors are analyzed, in which the triboelectric potential can be used to control electrical transport in semiconductors. Several tribotronic functional devices have been developed for active control and information sensing, which has demonstrated triboelectricity‐controlled electronics and established active mechanosensation for the external environment. In addition, the universal triboelectric power management strategy and the triboelectric nanogenerator‐based constant sources are also reviewed, in which triboelectricity can be managed by electronics in the reverse action. With the implantation of triboelectric power management modules, the harvested triboelectricity by various kinds of human kinetic and environmental mechanical energy can be effectively managed as a power supply for self‐powered microsystems. In terms of the research prospects for interactions between triboelectricity and semiconductors, tribotronics is expected to demonstrate significant impact and potential applications in micro‐electro‐mechanical systems/nano‐electro‐mechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), flexible electronics, robotics, wireless sensor network, and Internet of Things.
Exosome Biochemistry and Advanced Nanotechnology for Next‐Generation Theranostic Platforms
Authors: Yang Bowen , Chen Yu , Shi Jianlin
Published: January 2019

Recent marked technological advances in the field of exosome nanotechnology have provided unprecedented opportunities to bloom the developments of exosome‐related biology, chemistry, pathology, and therapeutics, which have laid a solid basis for scientific community to design exosome‐based nanotheranostic platforms. The unique structural/compositional/morphological characteristics of exosomes as natural nanocarriers, as well as their fascinating physicochemical/biochemical properties, which underpin their special physiopathological roles, have triggered the concept that these cell‐derived nanovesicles with intrinsic biological functions can be highly competent for the establishment of next‐generation nanomedicine. Herein, efforts are made to give a comprehensive overview on the recent advances of exosome nanotechnology based on the representative examples of the current state of the art of exosome‐based research, ranging from their formation, biological function, preparation, and characterization to their extensive nanomedical applications. It is highly expected that the better and clearer elucidation of the fundamental principles for advanced nanotechnology in constructing exosome‐based theranostic nanoplatforms, as well as integrating the intrinsic advantages of exosomes as endogenous cell‐derived nanocarriers with the advanced design methodology of traditional nanomedicine, will help to unlock the innate powers of exosomes for the establishment of next‐generation theranostic nanoplatforms.
Controlled Carbon Doping in Anatase TiO2 (101) Facets: Superior Trace‐Level Ethanol Gas Sensor Performance and Adsorption Kinetics
Authors: Raghu Appu Vengattoor , Karuppanan Karthikeyan K. , Pullithadathil Biji
Published: January 2019

A facile mild thermal decomposition method is adopted to synthesize carbon‐doped TiO2 (C‐TiO2)(101) facets for development of highly performance ethanol gas sensor with low power consumption at reducing working temperature. Controlled carbon doping provides a favorable pathway for constructing more oxygen vacancies and active functional groups on the TiO2 surface. The estimation of work functions based on Kelvin probe force microscopy reveals that there is a significant change in the energy band states during controlled carbon doping on TiO2. Both substitutional and interstitial carbon doping in TiO2 lattice introduce more surface active sites which significantly enhance the ethanol gas sensing performance (34.8%) compared to undoped TiO2 (8.5%) with rapid response/recovery time (2 and 2.8 s) at reduced operating temperature (150 °C) and possess negligible noise to signal ratio. The interfacial reaction mechanism between the ionosorbed species during ethanol gas sensing demonstrates that presence of ionosorbed oxygen species and oxygen vacancies formed in the anatase TiO2 lattice during C‐doping is found to have profound roles in the redox reactions. Carbon doping in TiO2 lattice can be therefore considered as an effective method for the fabrication of gas sensors with pronounced sensing performances at reduced working temperature for real‐time applications.
Emerging Memory Devices for Neuromorphic Computing
Authors: Upadhyay Navnidhi K. , Jiang Hao , Wang Zhongrui , Asapu Shiva , Xia Qiangfei , Joshua Yang J.
Published: January 2019

A neuromorphic computing system may be able to learn and perform a task on its own by interacting with its surroundings. Combining such a chip with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS)‐based processors can potentially solve a variety of problems being faced by today's artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Although various architectures purely based on CMOS are designed to maximize the computing efficiency of AI‐based applications, the most fundamental operations including matrix multiplication and convolution heavily rely on the CMOS‐based multiply–accumulate units which are ultimately limited by the von Neumann bottleneck. Fortunately, many emerging memory devices can naturally perform vector matrix multiplication directly utilizing Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's law when an array of such devices is employed in a cross‐bar architecture. With certain dynamics, these devices can also be used either as synapses or neurons in a neuromorphic computing system. This paper discusses various emerging nanoscale electronic devices that can potentially reshape the computing paradigm in the near future.
Enhanced Quality Factors of Surface Lattice Resonances in Plasmonic Arrays of Nanoparticles
Authors: Le‐Van Quynh , Zoethout Erwin , Geluk Erik‐Jan , Ramezani Mohammad , Berghuis Matthijs , Gómez Rivas Jaime
Published: January 2019

Key in the application of plasmonics is the realization of low loss or high quality (Q) factor resonances. Nanoparticle arrays are systems capable of sustaining remarkably high Q‐factor resonances through the hybridization of plasmonic and photonic modes, known as surface lattice resonances (SLRs). SLRs result from the coupling of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) to in‐plane orders of diffraction known as Rayleigh anomalies (RAs). To date, the highest Q‐factors have been achieved with the (±1, 0) diffraction orders. However, these Q‐factors are highly sensitive to the angle of excitation. Here, a strategy is presented to generate high Q‐factor SLRs with low dispersion by coupling LSPRs to the (0, ±1) diffraction orders. 2D arrays of silver nanoparticles are investigated experimentally and numerically, and it is shown that the Q‐factor of SLRs critically depends on the quality of the metal film, the detuning between RAs and LSPRs, and the absorption of adhesive layer used between the substrate and the metallic nanoparticles. These silver nanoparticle arrays can achieve Q‐factors higher than 330 in the visible range. These extraordinarily high Q‐factors could be increased to values above 1500 if no adhesive layer is used, which could significantly improve sensors and enhance nonlinearities in plasmonic systems.
Enzyme Cascade Reactions for the Biosynthesis of Long Chain Aliphatic Amines from Renewable Fatty Acids
Authors: Lee Da‐Som , Song Ji‐Won , Voß Moritz , Schuiten Eva , Akula Ravi Kumar , Kwon Yong‐Uk , Bornscheuer Uwe , Park Jin‐Byung
Published: January 2019

Enzyme cascade reactions for the synthesis of long chain aliphatic amines such as (Z)‐12‐aminooctadec‐9‐enoic acid, 10‐ or 12‐aminooctadecanoic acid, and 10‐amino‐12‐hydroxyoctadecanoic acid from renewable fatty acids were investigated. (Z)‐12‐aminooctadec‐9‐enoic acid was produced from ricinoleic acid ((Z)‐12‐hydroxyoctadec‐9‐enoic acid) via (Z)‐12‐ketooctadec‐9‐enoic acid with a conversion of 71% by a two‐step in vivo biotransformation involving a long chain secondary alcohol dehydrogenase (SADH) from Micrococcus luteus and a variant of the amine transaminase (ATA) from Vibrio fluvialis. 10‐Aminooctadecanoic acid was prepared from oleic acid ((Z)‐octadec‐9‐enoic acid) via 10‐hydroxyoctadecanoic acid and 10‐ketooctadecanoic acid by an in vivo three‐step biocatalysis reaction involving not only the SADH and ATA variants, but also a fatty acid double bond hydratase (OhyA) from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

10‐Aminooctadecanoic acid was produced at a total rate of 4.4 U/g dry cells with a conversion of 87% by recombinant Escherichia coli expressing the SADH and ATA variants, and OhyA simultaneously. In addition, bulky aliphatic amines could also be produced by the isolated enzymes (i. e., the SADH, the ATA variants, and a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase from Lactobacillus brevis) with methylbenzylamine or benzylamine as amino donor. This study thus contributes to the biosynthesis of long chain aliphatic amines having two large substituents next to the amine functionality.

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Sustainable Liquid Luminescent Solar Concentrators
Authors: Frias Ana R. , Correia Sandra F. H. , Martins Margarida , Ventura Sónia P. M. , Pecoraro Edison , Ribeiro Sidney J. L. , André Paulo S. , Ferreira Rute A. S. , Coutinho João A. P. , Carlos Luís D.
Published: January 2019

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are photovoltaic (PV) complementary devices to overcome the mismatch between the Si‐based PV cells, response and the solar spectrum, allowing PV urban integration. Challenges for the luminescent layer include the use of abundant and sustainable natural organic molecules. Here, LSCs composed of a glass container and based on bundles of cylindrical hollow‐core plastic optical fibers filled with aqueous solutions of R‐phycoerythrin (R‐PE), extracted from Gracilaria sp. algae are presented. The R‐PE solutions absorb in the UV/visible spectral range (300–550 nm) and convert this radiation into red‐emission (550–700 nm) with a maximum absolute quantum yield of ≈0.39. In this work, LSCs with distinct geometries are reported, in which the R‐PE emission yields optical conversion efficiency values up to ≈6.88% and ≈4.74% for a planar device and for a bundle of cylindrical LSCs, respectively, which are the largest values known for liquid‐based LCSs using sustainable emitting centres. Moreover, the coupling of the LSCs to commercial Si‐based PV devices yields power conversion efficiency values of ≈0.27% (planar) and ≈23.03 × 10−3%, (bundle). These values illustrate the potential of this approach for the development of natural‐based LSCs meeting the requirements of reliable, sustainable, and competitive energy systems.