bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of flushing with fatty acid supplementation in ewes ration on folliculogenesis
Authors: Nurlatifah A , Khotijah L , Komalasari K , Astuti D A
Published: January 2020

This study aims to evaluate the effect of flushing with different fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) from lemuru fish oil in the rations of local sheep on folliculogenesis. Sixteen ewes divided into 4 groups fed rations T0=basal ration; T1=flushing rations containing linoleic without enriched EPA and DHA; T2=flushing rations containing linoleic enriched with EPA and DHA, T3=flushing rations containing linoleic enriched with EPA and DHA with two times from maintenance requirement. Ratio forages and concentrates in the ration were 30%:70%. The parameter observed were body weight gain (BWG), body condition score (BCS), nutrient consumption, corpus luteum, diameter and amount of follicle, blood cholesterol, and blood glucose. The data obtained are analyzed by analysis of variance follow by Duncan Test. The results showed that the treatments did not significant effect to the dry matter consumption, protein, fiber, and total digestible nutrient, but significantly effect to fat consumptions (P<0.05). Flushing treatment for three weeks increased BCS from 0.75 to 0.87. There were significant effect to large follicles, the diameters of large follicle and corpus luteum. Plasma glucose and cholesterol concentrations during the flushing period have significantly different (P< 0.05) among all treatments.
Wireless sensor network development in unmanned aerial vehicle (uav) for water quality monitoring system
Authors: Etikasari B , Husin  , Kautsar S , Riskiawan H Y , Setyohadi D P S
Published: January 2020

Based on the results of monitoring data by Badan Pengendalian Lingkungan Hidup (BPLHD) on 13 rivers that crossed Jakarta area in 2010 showed that both river water and ground water have high organic and inorganic pollutants. To tackle the pollution, government take a river water sample at waste disposal location periodically to examine its water content. The industrial waste disposal location point is not always easy to reach. At the certain condition, officers must ride raft boat or walk down the river to access that location. Besides taking a longer time, human safety factors are also become consideration. Based on these problems, in this research a wireless sensor network was developed in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV / drone) using 912 MHz radio frequency. UAV in this research is equipped with various sensors to determine water quality, namely: PH, temperature, turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and carbon dioxide. All sensors are integrated and monitored wirelessly using Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART) on the ground station. The telemetry system is designed to be able to send and receive data up to 1 KM distance in real-time. There are three general stages in this research, namely configuration design, manufacturing, and UAV flight test.
Application Legume Compost with Bio-Activator Trichoderma sp as Inorganic Fertilizer Substitution in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L. Saccharata) Cultivation
Authors: Kusparwanti T R , Eliyatiningsih  , Wardana R
Published: January 2020

Legume litter can be used as compost with the help of bio-activator Trichoderma sp. as a decomposing microorganism. Legume compost can function as a source of organic fertilizer for plants and can reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers. This study aims to determine the best dose combination using inorganic fertilizer balanced with legume compost fertilizer. The study used non factorial randomized block design with 5 levels of treatment that were control, legume compost 20 ton/ha + 100% inorganic fertilizer, legume compost 30 ton/ha + 75% inorganic fertilizer, legume compost 40 ton/ha + 50% inorganic fertilizer, and legume compost 50 ton/ha + 25% inorganic fertilizer. Based on Anova test showed that the application of various combinations of inorganic fertilizer (Urea, SP-36, KCl) and legume compost had significant effect on the age of 2 WAP, 4 WAP and 5 WAP on the parameters of plant height, significant to the parameters cob weight, and had no significant effect on the sweetness level of sweet corn.
Identification Secondary Metabolite of Weed as Organic Pesticide on Tomato
Authors: Putri SU , Jumiatun J , Wihartiningsih N
Published: January 2020

One of horticulture commodity is tomato. The tomato production every years is fluctuating. Because of many problem on tomato cultivation. One of problem is pest controlling which use synthetic pesticide to pest control. One of effort to minimize synthetic pesticide is application organic pesticide from nature compose (in around us). This research to know secondary metabolite of weed as organic pesticide on tomato. This research randomized block design with fourth threatmen are Ageratum conyzoides, Cyperus rotundus, Cyperus kyllinga, Chromolaema odorata. The fourth weed was cyperaceae group and broadleaves. The result showed that potential secundary metabolite whose not saponin to fourth organic pesticide.
Maize yield in a dryland area as affected by rainfall variability
Authors: Jaya I K D , Sudirman  , Rosmilawati  , Soemeinaboedhy I N , Sudika I W
Published: January 2020

This study aimed to report maize yield in a dryland area of North Lombok as affected by rainfall variability. A three-year study was conducted during a period of maize growing season (December to April) in 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 in Gumantar village, North Lombok. Daily rainfall data was collected from a rain gauge installed in one of maize farmers’ land. Estimation of drain upper limit and crop lower limit was done based on gravimetric method. Hand-held core kits were used to collect soil samples at 0-15cm, 15-30cm, 30-60cm depth at sowing, fast vegetative growth stage (35 days after sowing=DAS), grain filling stage (85 DAS), and at harvest. Maize yield data were collected from 20 farmers that all grew maize as main crop and legume crop (ground nut or mung bean) as secondary crop. There was great rainfall variability in term of the beginning of rainy season, volume and distribution of the rain as well as the occurrence of dry-spell period resulted in great maize yield variability. The highest maize yield recorded was 8.4 ton/ha and the lowest was 0.6 ton/ha. Growing legume crop in addition to maize can be a good practice in dryland area to avoid total yield loss.
Research and Design of Road Intelligent Parking Based on IoT
Authors: Wang Lei , Li Kunqin , Luo Yong
Published: January 2020

Development of auto industry leads to parking difficulty and traffic jam in the city, which decreases operating efficiency of the city and happiness of people. Under the circumstances, parking space is planned on both sides of roads, by which the traffic jam is relieved to a certain extent. But some problem exists in management of the parking space as follows: Firstly, the management cost is high such as Human Resources investment. Secondly, rate of received fees (about 30 percent) is low because many car owners don’t pay parking fees consciously. For the above problems, in this paper, the road intelligent parking request is firstly analyzed, and then an intelligent management and fee collecting solution for the road parking based on IoT is put forward. Besides, a management and control platform of road intelligent parking is designed. Finally key technologies for this system are analyzed. The purpose is to realize intelligent management, lower management cost, and higher fee collecting rate for the road parking.
How to Implement the Commodity Publishing System in Ecommerce Platform
Authors: Li Lijun , He Hong
Published: January 2020

The Commodity publishing system is one of the most important software component of the ecommerce platform system. A simple and practical publishing system is necessary for the ecommerce platform system blooming everywhere. We describe how to design a commodity publishing system, including the system design features, the database design and software implementation. The method is helpful for software engineers.
An Improved Hydraulic Driven Feeding and Loading Wagon
Authors: Liao Yinglong , Yi Jiangang , Fang Bangxu , Li Changjun
Published: January 2020

In the process of rapid development manufacturing industry, feeding and loading wagon plays an important role in the connection and switching of each industrial station. In this paper, a hydraulic-driven feeding and loading system is proposed, and the system scheme and structure are given. On the basis of it, the finite element analysis and verification of the support are carried out. The designed wagon not only saves manpower and material resources, but also improves the work efficiency to a great extent.
The Implementation and Application of the MBPP Technology in Aircraft Development Process
Authors: Yin Haijun , Zhang Hui , Shan Yingji
Published: January 2020

In this paper, the model based technical requirements of MBPP system Implementation plan is put forward by the application requirement analysis of MBD technology in aircraft development process. Then it is described for the application target, application architecture, implementation process and the main business functions of MBPP system. Based on the application example, the application process of the system is also introduces in the development process of certain aircraft, which has some reference value for the development and application of 3D CAPP based on model.
Mining and Analyzing “Multi-Meters in One” Comprehensive Energy Data
Authors: Wang Zhelong , Du Yan , Guo Liang , Guo Hongxia , Jing Zhen , Li Zhe , Zhu Hongxia , Yang Jie
Published: January 2020

In the present paper, the massive comprehensive energy data was utilized to establish energy consumption analysis model, energy consumption suggestion model, energy consumption loss model, vacant household discrimination, holiday energy consumption analysis model, and so on. The comprehensive energy data was fully excavated, which can guide customers to use energy scientifically, help enterprises to save energy and reduce losses, and provide data support for government decision-making.
Single Channel Speech Enhancement Algorithm based on BLSTM-DNN Bidirectional Optimized Hybrid Model
Authors: Sun Xiaoyue , Li Ruwei , Li Tao , Yang Dengcai
Published: January 2020

The performance of existing speech enhancement algorithms based on deep learning is not ideal in complex noise environment. To improve the problem, a bidirectional optimized hybrid network named BLSTM-DNN is constructed based on bidirectional long-short term memory (BLSTM) network and fully-connected deep neural network (DNN). This structure uses BLSTM to extract high-level information including past and future temporal context of noisy speech. Next, fully-connected DNN fits the high-level information to ideal ratio mask (IRM). Finally, the IRMs estimated by the BLSTM-DNN are used to enhance the noisy speech. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the speech quality and intelligibility under unknown noise conditions.
Research on Automatic Discharge System of Stamping Line Tail
Authors: Yi Jiangang , Bo Wen , Wang Zibo
Published: January 2020

The automatic discharge system of stamping line tail is an important part of automatic logistics production line, which can solve the problem of disorderly placement and management of end workpieces. In this paper, an intelligent automatic discharge system for stamping line tail is proposed, focusing on the design of horizontal discharging mechanism, vertical lifting mechanism and conveying mechanism. Through reasonable selection and calculation analysis, the mechanism composition of each part is given. On this basis, the key components are modelled and simulated by finite element method.
Adaptive Audio Watermarking Algorithm Based on Wavelet Transform
Authors: Lu Hanyu , Zhong Mingjing , Lan Haixiang , Hou Ruchong , Hu Zhengjiang
Published: January 2020

Aiming at the problem of small capacity and poor robustness of audio watermarking information, an adaptive digital audio blind watermarking algorithm based on wavelet transform is proposed. In this algorithm, each frame of the audio signal is converted into a discrete transform by using Haar wavelet, and the fine and approximate components are obtained, and the component masking threshold is calculated. Finally, the watermark embedding position is selected by the adaptive algorithm, quantized and modulated in the audio. The intermediate and low frequency coefficients of the signal. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has some resistance to common signal processing attacks and is robust to resampling and low-pass filtering attacks.
Research on Multi-UAV Networks in Disaster Emergency Communication
Authors: Zhou Jianguo , Yang Jintao , Lu Lu
Published: January 2020

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are an emerging technology that can be used in military, public, and civilian applications. Military use of UAVs is more than 25 years old, mainly for border surveillance, reconnaissance and so on. UAVs can do the job more efficiently and cost-effectively than with a single UAV system. In disaster emergency communications system, UAVs system can be deployed rapidly and its coverage can be dynamically adjusted. It provides network support for disaster site rescue in a timely and efficient manner, and real-time information of disaster scene can be returned to the Rescue center to better rescue the affected people. This dissertation proposed SDN-based disaster emergency UAVs networks to realize the flexible deployment and management of high dynamic dis-aster area networks. Meanwhile, it has a significantly improvement in network lifetime and node switching time comparing with Optimized Link State Routing protocol (OLSR) and Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector Routing protocol (AODV).
Cut-Node Tree and Loops of LDPCs
Authors: Zhang Huanming
Published: January 2020

Bipartite graph is used to illustrate Low-density parity-check (LDPC) code by Tanner [1]. In this thesis, we introduce a new algorithm to depict LDPC codes. Cut-node tree(CNT), although appearing to be a tree defined in graph theory, can figure out all cycles of an LDPC. And this method can apply to decoding, help to prevent superfluous iteration in belief propagation (BP).
Design and Test of Anti-EMI for Rail Trains
Authors: Wu Tong , Mu Xiaotong , Huo Baichen , Song Jilei , Shang Baoying , Hu Liwen , Liu Kai
Published: January 2020

With the continuous improvement of the intelligence level of the rail transit system, the installation density of electrical and electronic equipment in rail trains becomes larger and larger, which causes the increasingly prominent electromagnetic interference (EMI) problem among any equipment, systems and subsystems. This paper proposes an anti-EMI design scheme for rail trains, which improves the anti-EMI capability of the entire train system from four aspects, i.e. equipment grounding, filtering, shielding and wiring. By taking Shanghai Metro Lines 4 and 6 as an example, we carried out the system implementation and testing. The test results show that the proposed scheme is verified to be effective and reliable to improve the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance.
Structural, optical and conductivity study of hydrothermally synthesized TiO2 nanorods
Authors: Kumar N Santhosh , Kumar S K Naveen , Yesappa L
Published: January 2020

TiO2 nanorods are synthesized by hydrothermal method using the commercially available TiO2 nanopowder (P25) as a precursor. This work mainly focused on the study of the various properties and comparison among the P25, 20 mg TiO2 nanorods and 40 mg TiO2 nanorods by different characterizations. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was carried out and the results confirmed the formation and presence of TiO2 nanorods by shifting peak positions from 1433 cm−1 to 1424cm−1 and 1420cm−1. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate that the crystallinity of TiO2 nanorods increased significantly and was confirmed by the variation in the diffraction peak intensity and the peak at 2θ = 25.23° is conformed the anatase phase. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) images clearly show the formation and presence of TiO2 nanorods. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) reveal that increasing in thermal stability and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) evaluates the increase in melting temperature of TiO2 nanorods. The UV–vis absorption spectra show the absorption peak redshift towards higher wavelength and it leads to expansion of optical activities of TiO2 nanorods. The optical band gap energy was found to be decreased to 5.3, 5.2 and 4.9 eV for P25, 20 and 40 mg respectively. The dielectric constant has increased twice and the dielectric loss by almost ten times compared to dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the P25. The current versus voltage (I-V) characteristics show the linear curve which reveals the easy flow of current is more in TiO2 nanorods. From the obtained results, it could be concluded that TiO2 nanorods are suitable for potential applications.
Density functional theory calculations for electronic, optoelectronic and thermodynamic properties of dibenzothiophene metal complexes
Authors: Anu  , Srivastava Anurag , Khan Mohd Shahid
Published: January 2020

The modelling and geometry optimisation of metal-organic complexes of dibenzothiophene have been done to analyse their electronic, optoelectronic, and thermodynamic properties in the gas phase and in solvent phase (Heptane, Chloroform, Dichloroethane, Ethanol, Acetonitrile, Water). The Density functional theory (DFT) has been used to deduce the properties like polarizability (α), dipole moment (μ), first hyperpolarizability (β), second hyperpolarizability (γ), susceptibility (χ), dielectric constant (ϵ), refractive index (n), and thermodynamic properties, using the B3LYP functional and LANL2DZ basis function. The high values of n, χ, β, and α, and the small values of HOMO-LUMO energy gap, and ϵ affirm good optoelectronic and electronic applications for the studied molecules.
Tunneling devices based on graphene/black phosphorus van der Waals heterostructures
Authors: Jiang Xiao-Qiang , Li Xiao-Kuan , Chen Shao-Nan , Su Bao-Wang , Huang Kai-Xuan , Liu Zhi-Bo , Tian Jian-Guo
Published: January 2020

Vertically stacked devices of two-dimensional layered materials (2DLMs) based on van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) have recently attracted considerable attention due to their good properties. A tunneling structure is presented in this paper that, unlike other tunneling structures, has no specific insulating two-dimensional materials, such as boron nitride. The tunneling structure is comprised of graphene and black phosphorus. Black phosphorus is chemically active, and can be easily oxidized in the air to form an insulating layer. A tunneling device was produced based on this characteristic of black phosphorus. The insulation layer was an oxide layer formed by the oxidation of black phosphorus. The structure takes advantage of the easy oxidation ability of black phosphorus. The presence of a black phosphorus oxide layer was determined by XPS analysis. The tunneling characteristics of the overlay structure were determined by measuring the current-voltage (Id-V) curve of the device. Simulation studies showed that the oxidation layer was responsible for the tunneling effect. Compared with other black phosphorus devices, the photoelectric properties of the proposed device were greatly improved.
Photoelectric properties of Bi2Se3 films grown by thermal evaporation method
Authors: Xiao Liu , Liu Qiya , Zhang Min , Liu Ligang
Published: January 2020

The Bi2Se3 films were prepared by thermal evaporation on different substrates (FTO, ITO and Glass). The structure and morphology are characterized by XRD and SEM. The optical band gap (E
g) is 1.47 eV, 1.54 eV, and 1.59 eV, respectively. The I-V and C–V curves have been obtained by a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell system, and the results indicated the Bi2Se3 film is n-type semiconductor. The transient photocurrent response of Bi2Se3/FTO and Bi2Se3/ITO were measured to evaluate the application potential of Bi2Se3 films in solar cell. The above results indicated that the Bi2Se3 films have advantages in the application of solar cells.
Classical solutions of oblique derivative problem in nonsmooth domains with mean Dini coefficients
Authors: Dong Hongjie , Li Zongyuan
Published: January 2020

We consider second-order elliptic equations in nondivergence form with oblique derivative boundary conditions. We show that any strong solutions to such problems are twice continuously differentiable up to the boundary when the boundary can be locally represented by a

C
1

C^1

function whose first derivatives are Dini continuous and the mean oscillations of coefficients satisfy the Dini condition. This improves a recent result by Dong, Lee, and Kim. To the best of our knowledge, such a result is new even for the Poisson equation. An extension to concave fully nonlinear elliptic equations is also presented.
Activation-induced substrate engagement in ERK signaling
Authors: Paul Sayantanee , Yang Liu , Mattingly Henry , Goyal Yogesh , Shvartsman Stanislav Y. , Veraksa Alexey
Published: January 2020

Activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) shows increased affinity to its substrate Capicua (Cic). This preferential binding prevents unproductive competition of Cic with unphosphorylated ERK and is required for both down-regulation of Cic and stabilization of phosphorylated ERK. High-affinity substrate binding thus increases the specificity and efficiency of ERK signaling.
Hemerythrins enhance aerobic respiration inMethylomicrobium alcaliphilum20ZR, a methane-consuming bacterium
Authors: Nariya Snehal , Kalyuzhnaya Marina G
Published: January 2020

Numerous hemerythrins, di-iron proteins, have been identified in prokaryote genomes, but in most cases their function remains elusive. Bacterial hemerythrin homologs (bacteriohemerythrins, Bhrs) may contribute to various cellular functions, including oxygen sensing, metal binding and antibiotic resistance. It has been proposed that methanotrophic Bhrs support methane oxidation by supplying oxygen to a core enzyme, particulate methane monooxygenase. In this study, the consequences of the overexpression or deletion of the Bhr gene (bhr) in Methylomicrobiam alcaliphillum 20ZR were investigated. We found that the bhrknockout (20ZRΔbhr) displays growth kinetics and methane consumption rates similar to wild type. However, the 20ZRΔbhr accumulates elevated concentrations of acetate at aerobic conditions, indicating slowed respiration. The methanotrophic strain overproducing Bhr shows increased oxygen consumption and reduced carbon-conversion efficiency, while its methane consumption rates remain unchanged. These results suggest that the methanotrophic Bhr proteins specifically contribute to oxygen-dependent respiration, while they have minimal, if any, input of oxygen for the methane oxidation machinery.
Transition from continental rift to back-arc basin in the southern Japan Sea deduced from seismic velocity structures
Authors: Sato Takeshi , No Tetsuo , Arai Ryuta , Miura Seiichi , Kodaira Shuichi
Published: January 2020

We obtain the crustal structure from active-source seismic surveys using ocean bottom seismographs and seismic shots to elucidate the evolutionary process from continental rifting to the backarc basin opening in the Yamato Basin and Oki Trough in the southern Japan Sea. Results show that the crust changes from approximately 14–15 km thick in the basin (the southern Yamato Basin) to 16.5–17 km in the margin of the basin (the southwestern edge of the Yamato Basin). The P-wave velocity distribution in the crust of the southern Yamato Basin is missing a typical continental upper crust with P-wave velocities of 5.4–6.0 km s–1, and is thought be a thicker oceanic crust formed by a backarc basin opening. By contrast, the crust of the southwestern edge of the Yamato Basin might have been formed by continental rifting because there is an unit with P-wave velocities of 5.4–6.0 km s–1 and with a gentle velocity gradients, corresponding to the continental upper crust in this area. This variation might reflect differences in mantle properties from continental rifting to backarc basin opening of the Yamato Basin. Because the Oki Trough has a crustal thickness of 17–19 km and having a unit with P-wave velocities of 5.4–6.0 km s–1, corresponding to the continental upper crust with a high-velocity lower crust, we infer that this trough was formed by continental rifting with magmatic intrusion or underplating. These crustal variations might reflect transitional stages from continental rifting to backarc basin opening in the southern Japan Sea.
Inelastic strain rate and stress fields in and around an aseismic zone of Kyushu Island, Japan, inferred from seismic and GNSS data
Authors: Yuasa Y , Matsumoto S , Nakao S , Matsushima T , Ohkura T
Published: January 2020

Understanding earthquake processes and crustal deformation requires knowledge of the stress concentration process in the crust. With the enhancement of observation networks, it has become possible to consider in detail the relationships between localized deformation and seismic activity in island arcs and the process of stress concentration. According to previous studies, inelastic deformation in localized weak zones in the crust is considered to play an important role in the stress concentration process. Kyushu, located in southwest Japan, has a 20–30 km band-like active seismic activity and an enclosed aseismic zone. In particular, a part of the seismic active region called the Beppu-Simahara Graben, which is dominated by north–south extensional deformation, is characterized by high seismic activity and a remarkable aseismic zone. We identified the relationship between inelastic deformation and stress concentration processes in this area by using analyses of geodetic and seismic data. The results inverted from both the strain rate field obtained by the geodetic observations and the deviatoric stress field estimated from focal mechanism data reveal a large inelastic deformation zone ($\sim {10^{ - 7}} \,\mathrm{ yr}^{-1}$) beneath the area of active seismicity. From comparison with previous works, the inelastic deformation zone in the lower crust may correspond to an area with high temperature and/or fluid. This may suggest that inelastic deformation is in progress in the area where the strength of lower crustal rocks has reduced due to the presence of geothermics and/or fluids. Furthermore, we confirmed that this inelastic deformation causes stress concentrations of up to $10\,\,{\rm{kPa}}\,\,{\rm{yr}}^{-1}$ in the upper crust. These results show that stress concentration occurs locally in the upper crust, above the inelastic deformation zone in the weakened lower crust, owing to the presence of geothermal and/or fluid; this stress concentration induces seismic activity and crustal deformation.
Adam Smith, the Competitive Process, and the Flawed Consumer Welfare Standard
Authors: Grimes Warren
Published: January 2020

Scottish economist Adam Smith wrote in 1776 that the collective buying and selling of individuals would result in the preferred allocation of society’s resources. That insight has endured and is the basis for the competition law goal of fostering and protecting the competitive process. That goal, with venerable roots on both sides of the Atlantic, has been sidetracked by emergence of the consumer welfare standard, which is now preeminent in competition law analysis. The narrow focus of the consumer welfare standard has led to confusion and misdirected decisions that do not adequately protect the competitive process. I point to confusion about who is the buyer and who is the seller in many transactions, and describe why that classification should, in any event, be irrelevant in applying competition law. When competition is distorted, the central goal of protecting the process and ensuring a preferred allocation of resources is undermined, regardless of the impact on the consumer.

The proper welfare standard is unconcerned with where the harm occurs. The standard focuses on anticompetitive conduct at any level of the distribution chain and regardless of whether the anticompetitive effects are directed upstream at sellers or downstream at buyers. The symmetric standard is rooted in competition law decisions on both sides of the Atlantic; it is sound in theory and, compared to the consumer welfare standard, is easier to explain and apply. It more comfortably honors the broader goals of competition, including promoting entry, innovation, and choices for both entrepreneurs and consumers. I assess how this symmetric welfare standard would apply to mergers and classic predatory or exclusionary conduct. The standard offers hope of simplifying analysis and better serving ancillary goals of competition. Fostering and preserving efficiency, enhancing output, and maintaining low consumer prices are among the highly valued benefits of the competitive process, but they are not determinative. The focus must remain on the central goal of preserving the competitive process.
The institutionalization of the Indo-Pacific: problems and prospects
Authors: He Kai , Feng Huiyun
Published: January 2020

Although the term ‘Indo-Pacific’ has become popular in the foreign policy discourse of some countries, we have yet to see any significant institution-building in the Indo-Pacific region. Borrowing insights from functional institutionalism and political leadership studies of international regimes, we introduce a ‘leadership–institution’ model to explore the problems and prospects of institutionalizing the Indo-Pacific. Through a comparative case study of the institutionalization of the Asia–Pacific vs the Indo-Pacific, we argue that two crucial factors contributed to the slow institutionalization of the Indo-Pacific as a regional system in world politics: the lack of ideational leadership from an epistemic community and the weak executive leadership from a powerful state. While ideational leaders can help states identify and expand common interests in cooperation, executive leadership will facilitate states to overcome operational obstacles in cooperation, such as the ‘collective action’ problem and the ‘relative gains’ concern. The future of institution-building in the Indo-Pacific will depend on whether and how these two leadership roles are played by scholars and states in the region. In the conclusion, we discuss the challenges of institutionalizing the Indo-Pacific and highlight China as a wild card in the future of Indo-Pacific regionalism.
Is Australia's Indo-Pacific strategy an illusion?
Authors: Taylor Brendan
Published: January 2020

Australia has been among the most prominent advocates of the increasingly popular Indo-Pacific concept. This article argues that Canberra's enthusiasm for the concept stems from its appeal to the two dominant traditions of Australian foreign policy—a ‘dependent ally’ tradition and a ‘middle power’ approach. While these two traditions are typically seen as being in tension, the Indo-Pacific concept provides a rare point of convergence between them. The article begins by outlining the appeal of the Indo-Pacific concept to each of these traditions. Using a case-study of recent Australian policy toward the South China Sea disputes, however, the article then demonstrates that Australia has in practice implemented its stated Indo-Pacific strategy far less consistently than its very vocal support would appear to suggest. This disjuncture is attributed to the growing influence of a third, generally understudied, ‘pragmatic’ Australian foreign policy tradition. Because Australia has been such a prominent champion of the Indo-Pacific concept, the article concludes that this divergence between the rhetoric and the reality of Australia's Indo-Pacific strategy threatens to have a negative impact on the concept's broader international appeal and sustainability, particularly among Australia's south-east Asian neighbours.
Developmental peace in east Asia and its implications for the Indo-Pacific
Authors: Wei Ling
Published: January 2020

This article adopts a constructive approach to examining the problem of the Indo-Pacific construct. Through reflection on the east Asian experience, it proposes an analytical framework of developmental peace as a constellation of international practices, which means that the more economic development is prioritized by states in regional processes, the more likely it is that a sustainable peace will be achieved. States participating in regional integration comprise a community of practice. On the basis of a shared understanding that development is of overriding importance and underpins security and state legitimacy, the community takes economic development as the anchoring practice; this practice embodies and enacts constitutive rules and fundamental norms for a broader set of practices in regional processes, such as peaceful coexistence and non-interference. The more economic development is prioritized on domestic and regional agendas, the more likely it is that conflicts in the security realm will be relaxed or even resolved to protect security interests. The author draws some useful implications from the developmental peace in east Asia for the Indo-Pacific construct, among which the most important include building shared understandings on the prioritization of economic development, taking advantage of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and using the code of conduct process as a vehicle and best practice to facilitate rule-making for the maritime order. Finally, the author briefly discusses the contributions of the study and limitations of the model.
The Belt and Road Initiative: geo-economics and Indo-Pacific security competition
Authors: Li Mingjiang
Published: January 2020

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been regarded by international society as a major policy tool in China's geo-economic strategy. Under this policy platform, Beijing has pledged to invest billions of dollars in the infrastructure and industrial sectors across Eurasia and in the Indo-Pacific nations. It is widely believed that such huge amount of investment will inevitably generate significant geostrategic repercussions in these regions. In response to the BRI, the United States and other powers have come up with a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’ strategy. This article attempts to address the following question: what impact is the BRI likely to have on the security ties between China and the other major players in the Indo-Pacific? The author finds that the BRI may significantly transform China's international security policy and the expansion of Beijing's security influence may further intensify the security competition between China and other major powers in the Indo-Pacific region. The article also proposes a new analytical angle for the study of geo-economics that unpacks the role of economic activities and processes in generating geopolitical intentions and catalysing geopolitical competition.
When are International Institutions Effective? The Impact of Domestic Veto Players on Compliance with WTO Rulings
Authors: Peritz Lauren
Published: January 2020

When do international institutions promote economic cooperation among countries? The World Trade Organization (WTO) is central to the multilateral trade regime and a benchmark for international dispute resolution. Yet it remains unclear whether it has been effective in restoring trade cooperation. This article uses WTO disputes to examine the impact of domestic politics in the defendant country on compliance with adverse legal rulings. I build a novel data set on compliance. Using the method of synthetic case control, I estimate the effect of adverse rulings on trade flows between disputant countries using product-level time-series trade data. I infer the defendant complied if trade flows increased after the dispute, relative to estimated levels that would have occurred in the absence of the ruling. The results show domestic political divisions—measured by veto players—hinder compliance.
Leaf growth in early development is key to biomass heterosis in Arabidopsis
Authors: Liu Pei-Chuan , Peacock W James , Wang Li , Furbank Robert , Larkum Anthony , Dennis Elizabeth S
Published: January 2020

Arabidopsis thaliana hybrids have similar properties to hybrid crops, with greater biomass relative to the parents. We asked whether the greater biomass was due to increased photosynthetic efficiency per unit leaf area or to overall increased leaf area and increased total photosynthate per plant. We found that photosynthetic parameters (electron transport rate, CO2 assimilation rate, chlorophyll content, and chloroplast number) were unchanged on a leaf unit area and unit fresh weight basis between parents and hybrids, indicating that heterosis is not a result of increased photosynthetic efficiency. To investigate the possibility of increased leaf area producing more photosynthate per plant, we studied C24×Landsberg erecta (Ler) hybrids in detail. These hybrids have earlier germination and leaf growth than the parents, leading to a larger leaf area at any point in development of the plant. The developing leaves of the hybrids are significantly larger than those of the parents, with consequent greater production of photosynthate and an increased contribution to heterosis. The set of leaves contributing to heterosis changes as the plant develops; the four most recently emerged leaves make the greatest contribution. As a leaf matures, its contribution to heterosis attenuates. While photosynthesis per unit leaf area is unchanged at any stage of development in the hybrid, leaf area is greater and the amount of photosynthate per plant is increased.
A flat-spectrum flare in S4 0444+63 revealed by a new implementation of multiwavelength single-dish observations
Authors: Giroletti M , Righini S
Published: January 2020

Relativistic amplification boosts the contribution of the jet base to the total emission in blazars, thus making single-dish observations useful and practical to characterize their physical state, particularly during episodes of enhanced multiwavelength activity. Following the detection of a new gamma-ray source by Fermi-LAT in 2017 July, we observed S4 0444+63 in order to secure its identification as a gamma-ray blazar. We conducted observations with the Medicina and Noto radio telescopes at 5, 8, and 24 GHz for a total of 12 epochs between 2017 August 1 and 2018 September 22. We carried out the observations with on-the-fly cross-scans and reduced the data with our newly developed Cross-scan Analysis Pipeline, which we present here in detail for the first time. We found the source to be in an elevated state of emission at radio wavelength, compared to historical values, which lasted for several months. The maximum luminosity was reached on 2018 May 16 at 24 GHz, with $L_{24}=(1.7\pm 0.3)\times 10^{27}\ \mathrm{W\, Hz}^{-1}$; the spectral index was found to evolve from slightly rising to slightly steep. Besides the new observations, which have proved to be an effective and efficient tool to secure the identification of the source, additional single dish and very long baseline interferometry data provide further insight on the physics of the source. We estimate a synchrotron peak frequency νpeak = 1012.97 Hz and a Doppler factor in excess of δ ∼ 5.0, with both quantities playing a role in the gamma-ray emission from the source.
ssDNA diffuses along replication protein A via a reptation mechanism
Authors: Mishra Garima , Bigman Lavi S , Levy Yaakov
Published: January 2020

Replication protein A (RPA) plays a critical role in all eukaryotic DNA processing involving single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Contrary to the notion that RPA provides solely inert protection to transiently formed ssDNA, the RPA–ssDNA complex acts as a dynamic DNA processing unit. Here, we studied the diffusion of RPA along 60 nt ssDNA using a coarse-grained model in which the ssDNA–RPA interface was modeled by both aromatic and electrostatic interactions. Our study provides direct evidence of bulge formation during the diffusion of ssDNA along RPA. Bulges can form at a few sites along the interface and store 1–7 nt of ssDNA whose release, upon bulge dissolution, leads to propagation of ssDNA diffusion. These findings thus support the reptation mechanism, which involves bulge formation linked to the aromatic interactions, whose short range nature reduces cooperativity in ssDNA diffusion. Greater cooperativity and a larger diffusion coefficient for ssDNA diffusion along RPA are observed for RPA variants with weaker aromatic interactions and for interfaces homogenously stabilized by electrostatic interactions. ssDNA propagation in the latter instance is characterized by lower probabilities of bulge formation; thus, it may fit the sliding-without-bulge model better than the reptation model. Thus, the reptation mechanism allows ssDNA mobility despite the extensive and high affinity interface of RPA with ssDNA. The short-range aromatic interactions support bulge formation while the long-range electrostatic interactions support the release of the stored excess ssDNA in the bulge and thus the overall diffusion.
Disability and Partial Compliance Theory
Authors: Francis Leslie
Published: January 2020

Recent theorizing about justice for circumstances of injustice has largely bypassed disability. This chapter explores partial compliance theory through achieving disability civil rights. After sketching the non-ideal and partial compliance theory landscape since Rawls’s development of an ideal liberal theory of justice, the chapter disavows the misleading assumption that disability is non-ideal. Rather, injustice is located in social responses to differences in bodies and minds, as with the social model of disability. Using examples from the Americans with Disabilities Act, employment, and education, the chapter demonstrates how partial compliance theory can negotiate difficult questions about obligations when others behave unjustly and improvements seem infeasible. The chapter then explores disability civil rights without idealizations about justice. It concludes with thoughts about eugenics, why disability has largely been left aside in partial compliance theory, and how understanding disability civil rights can contribute importantly to our understanding of justice in non-ideal circumstances.
In Pursuit of Justice for Disability: Model Neutrality Revisited
Authors: Silvers Anita
Published: January 2020

This chapter addresses confusions that contribute to seemingly essential conceptual contestation about whether being disabled is not just being different but is inescapably bad. There are two generally accepted main functions for which models of disability are formulated and used: (1) categorizing individuals as being disabled or not and (2) explaining why people experience limitations due to disability. Conceptualizing disability as a “term of art” is the currently common, but narrowly useful, approach to engaging with the first function. The broader second function is explored by considering a flawed model of disability constructed for policy purposes and discovering how modeling disability for explanatory purposes can go wrong. Finally, the chapter shows what goes wrong for aspirational and epistemic justice when a more controversial third function, modeling disability appraisively, is pursued to advance the claim that being disabled is not merely a difference but is inveterately, even if not definitively, bad.
Laws of Sex, Changed
Authors: Ben-Asher Noa
Published: January 2020

The dramatic legal and social developments in the domains of sex, gender, and sexuality in the last several decades are often understood as progress. But this is not the whole story. This chapter presents these developments through a genealogy in which “bad” legal actors have turned into “good” legal actors. Three factors have facilitated this transition: (1) development of constitutional legal rights; (2) shifts in medical expertise; and (3) emergence of rhetoric of pity for allegedly suffering individuals. The chapter demonstrates this insight by examining three sites of social and legal change: one involving reproduction, one involving homosexuality, and one involving gender identity. In each of these domains, individuals or acts that were once labeled legally criminal are now considered, under the law, as dignified or morally praiseworthy. First, many types of reproductive technologies (such as sperm and egg donations) that were once strictly prohibited have been legalized and are now encouraged. Second, homosexuality, once condemned through criminal sodomy laws, is now understood by the Supreme Court, in the context of marriage, as dignified and respectable. Third, nonconforming gender identities, once criminalized in various ways, are gradually gaining anti-discrimination protections and social acceptability. Each of these social and legal transformations began in criminal prohibition and ended with an extension of liberal rights to individuals or couples. The chapter closely examines how, in these three transformations, Judeo-Christian values such as pity and dignity have seeped into current social and legal consciousness. The chapter concludes with some general thoughts on queer legal studies.
Law, Visual Studies, and Image History
Authors: Behrmann Carolin
Published: January 2020

This chapter argues that normative orders are not simply represented but made through visualities. Rather than just having a subversive purpose, images, symbols, gestures, and performative actions are able to generate legal meaning; this has been discussed since early Renaissance. The reason for the troubled relationship between law and visuality is connected to the long history of skepticism toward the authenticity of images. This chapter looks into the ties between the law and image history and shows that visual media have to be counted as a crucial part of the legal sphere. Both aesthetic knowledge and aesthetic signification of legal normativity have a long historical record. The chapter argues that since the law deploys visual media in different contexts, critical instruments and theoretical approaches must be able to deal with the epistemological qualities of images.
The Sociality of the Platform
Authors: Riles Annelise
Published: January 2020

This chapter explores some of the unstated assumptions of legal debates surrounding free speech on the Internet and brings into view alternative analytical categories and perspectives that have been eclipsed by these debates. Drawing on an ethnographic study of Meridian 180, a multilingual online platform, it highlights the importance of the infrastructure of digital platforms as techno-social configurations and sites of collective commitment. A focus on the platform that sustains online speech brings into view the work of hosting or preparing the speech—and the sociality it engenders. The chapter concludes that we need new categories foreign to legal and anthropological analysis alike—such as friendship—to make critical sense of the sociality of the platform.