bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Planning the optimal installation of a solar power station through wind‐state analysis
Authors: Obara Shin'ya , Utsugi Yuta
Published: June 2017

Wind‐state analysis is required for the installation planning of a solar power station, since the wind's cooling effect controls the photovoltaic cell temperature. In this study, a large‐scale solar power system and the configuration of the target installation location are digitized based on open data from the Geographical Survey Institute of Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. A method for obtaining the temperature distribution of the photovoltaic array is proposed by applying heat fluid analysis (wind‐state analysis), including heat transmission analysis using the above data. Furthermore, as a case study, we plan the installation of a large‐scale solar power system in Hamamasu, Shinshinotsu, and Chitose, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Ishikari Development and Promotion Bureau of Hokkaido. The distribution of the wind and heat flow in the photovoltaic array's circumference is determined, as well as the temperature distribution and the average conversion efficiency, considering the actual photovoltaic array configuration. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Enhancement of steady‐state visual evoked potential‐based brain–computer interface systems via a steady‐state motion visual stimulus modality
Authors: Punsawad Yunyong , Wongsawat Yodchanan
Published: June 2017

Steady‐state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)‐based brain–computer interface (BCI) systems are among the most accurate assistive devices for patients with severe disabilities. However, existing visual stimulation patterns lead to eye fatigue, which affects the system performance. Therefore, in this study, we propose two improvements to SSVEP‐based BCI systems. First, we propose a novel visual stimulator that incorporates a visual motion stimulus for the steady‐state visual stimulus to reduce eye fatigue while maintaining the advantages associated with SSVEPs. We also propose two corresponding feature extraction algorithms, i.e. SSVEP detection and visual attention detection, to capture the phenomena of steady‐state motion visual stimulus responses. The accuracy of the test was ∼83.6%. Second, we propose a novel hybrid BCI‐SSVEP system and a motion visual stimulus hybrid BCI system to enhance the SSVEP‐based BCI system during a state of eye fatigue. Participants used the SSVEP system until reaching a fatigued state and then began using a hybrid motion visual stimulus. The accuracy of the proposed system was ∼85.6%. The proposed improvements can be incorporated into practical BCI systems for wheelchair control. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Implementation and evaluation of an FPGA‐based network data anonymizer
Authors: Nakamura Yuichi , Sawaguchi Sota , Nishi Hiroaki
Published: June 2017

Privacy concern is a key element in recent Internet development, as more data transfers are acquired and analyzed while packets traverse the network. Data analysis can provide many benefits to internet service providers and users, such as recommendation services based on user activity on the Internet. While these services make use of the vast amounts of content and statistical data that can be acquired from network transactions, service providers face the challenge of ensuring that their services do not cause any privacy infringements. To cope with this problem, anonymization methods such as anonymity and l‐diversity are commonly utilized to generalize datasets and eliminate private information. However, performing anonymization on a vast amount of data acquired from a network imposes high calculation costs. In this paper, we focus on proposing and implementing a field‐programmable gate array (FPGA)‐based data anonymizer to accelerate the anonymization of data that are used for internet services. A RAM‐based anonymizer is proposed and tested using real‐life internet traffic to evaluate how it performs under network applications. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Alleviation of the acute stress response following mild orange essential oil administration
Authors: Lekamge Sugeeswari , Nakachi Masaki , Sato Shu , Ito Kanetoshi , Nomura Shusaku
Published: June 2017

We investigated the effect of two different concentrations of orange aroma on peripheral and cardiac autonomic nervous system activity under a stressful condition in a highly reproducible manner. In the within‐subjects experiment, 19 subjects performed a 30‐min calculation task under three aroma conditions: 1% orange, 20% orange, and scentless air (control). Each aroma was delivered to the subject intermittently with the use of a proprietary olfactometer in a counter‐balanced order. Along with a visual analog scale (VAS), nose tip temperature and the cardiac activity on electrocardiograms were recorded throughout the experiment. Regardless of the aroma condition, significant decreases in nose tip temperature and the high‐frequency (HF) component of heart rate variability (HRV) and a significant increase in heart rate (HR) were observed during the task, denoting a typical acute stress response. However, the increase/decrease in HR and HF were significantly smaller with 1% orange than with 20% orange and the control condition, indicating an inhibition of sympathetic nervous system elevation and parasympathetic nervous system suppression. There were no significant differences between the two doses for the VAS scores. The findings suggest that mild orange essential oil inhalation inhibits the cardiac stress response while demonstrating no significant effect on subjective stress. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Theoretical analysis of concurrent flashover characteristics in a three‐parallel gap configuration
Authors: Shindo Takatoshi , Miki Megumu , Miki Toru
Published: June 2017

Concurrent flashover characteristics with three gaps in parallel are analyzed theoretically considering the statistical characteristics of time to flashover of a gap. The analysis shows that the concurrent flashover phenomena are likely to occur if the overvoltage ratio is large even if there are three gaps. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Simple design of four‐element planar butler matrix using two‐section branch‐line hybrids
Authors: Kuwana Shunya , Hayashi Hitoshi , Ueda Ryo
Published: June 2017

A simple design of a four‐element planar Butler matrix is proposed, comprising two‐section branch‐line hybrids to enhance broadband characteristics obtained by 90° short stubs used to improve relative‐phase characteristics between output ports. Over the frequency range from 2.2 to 2.6 GHz, the experimental matrix exhibits phase errors (in the desired phase differences between output ports) and couplings of within 6° and −7.2 ± 1 dB, respectively. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Measurement of propagation velocity driven by current microstimulation in the mouse auditory cortex in vitro
Authors: Yamamura Daiki , Tateno Takashi
Published: June 2017

All sensory cortical areas, including the auditory cortex, are considered to be wired according to the same general laminar structure schema, commonly referred to as the canonical model of cortical circuitry. The auditory cortex in vivo, however, is functionally anisotropic; the functional organization along the tonotopic axis is qualitatively different from that orthogonal to this axis. In the current study, we examined whether the functional anisotropy of the auditory cortex observed in vivo is reflected in propagation activity driven by electric stimulation in the local microcircuitry in vitro. Using in vitro preparations of coronal and angled horizontal brain slices, we directly investigated their isotropic versus anisotropic properties using microstimulation and multi‐site recording with a multielectrode array substrate. Our results clearly demonstrated the isotropic properties of the circuits in slice preparations of the auditory cortex. Additionally, we found that driven by stimulation current in layer 4, the horizontal velocity of activity propagation in layer 2/3 was faster than the vertical velocity from layer 4 to layer 2/3 and the horizontal velocity in layer 4. On the basis of these results, we discuss the local network and its possible functions in the auditory cortex. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Estimating the amount of disaster waste using RapidEye data
Authors: Shirai Hikaru , Kageyama Yoichi , Ohuchi Azuma , Nishida Makoto
Published: June 2017

Because estimating the amount of disaster waste will affect all subsequent restoration processing, it is necessary to quickly estimate the quantity and extent of disaster waste. This estimation can be accomplished using remote sensing data with the development of a method for extracting detailed information buried in a one‐pixel mixed class (‘mixel’). In a previous study, the use of RapidEye data observed during, before and after an earthquake, we proposed methods to extract detailed information buried in the mixel and classify land cover information. Moreover, we proposed methods of estimating disaster building domain and disaster building numbers. However, the amount of disaster waste has not yet been estimated. In this paper, we propose such a method using the results of estimating disaster building numbers. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Topics at the Frontier of Statistics and Network Analysis
Authors: Kolaczyk Eric D.
Published: June 2017

This snapshot of the current frontier of statistics and network analysis focuses on the foundational topics of modeling, sampling, and design. Primarily for graduate students and researchers in statistics and closely related fields, emphasis is not only on what has been done, but on what remains to be done.
Expanding the Archival Horizon: American Archives for Researching Postcolonial Rwandan History
Authors: Tsuruta Aya
Published: June 2017

There is growing scholarly interest in the history of postcolonial Africa. However, this study entails several methodological challenges, including insufficient availability of archival materials. A multi-archival strategy offers one solution to the challenge of locating new documentary sources. In this paper, I suggest that nonconventional archives such as the National Archives of the United States should be explored in historical studies of postcolonial African countries, including smaller countries like Rwanda. Focusing on the political events that occurred in Rwanda in January 1961 that led to significant changes in the country, this paper demonstrates how American archival materials can enhance our understanding by shedding light on what existing colonial archives have not revealed.
Three-dimensional wave evolution on electrified falling films
Authors: Tomlin R. J. , Papageorgiou D. T. , Pavliotis G. A.
Published: June 2017

We consider the full three-dimensional dynamics of a thin falling liquid film on a flat plate inclined at some non-zero angle to the horizontal. In addition to gravitational effects, the flow is driven by an electric field which is normal to the substrate far from the flow. This extends the work of Tseluiko & Papageorgiou (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 556, 2006b, pp. 361–386) by including transverse dynamics. We study both the cases of overlying and hanging films, where the liquid lies above or below the substrate, respectively. Starting with the Navier–Stokes equations coupled with electrostatics, a fully nonlinear two-dimensional Benney equation for the interfacial dynamics is derived, valid for waves that are long compared to the film thickness. The weakly nonlinear evolution is governed by a Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation with a non-local term due to the electric field effect. The electric field term is linearly destabilising and produces growth rates proportional to $|\unicode[STIX]{x1D743}|^{3}$, where $\unicode[STIX]{x1D743}$ is the wavenumber vector of the perturbations. It is found that transverse gravitational instabilities are always present for hanging films, and this leads to unboundedness of nonlinear solutions even in the absence of electric fields – this is due to the anisotropy of the nonlinearity. For overlying films and a restriction on the strength of the electric field, the equation is well-posed in the sense that it possesses bounded solutions. This two-dimensional equation is studied numerically for the case of periodic boundary conditions in order to assess the effects of inertia, electric field strength and the size of the periodic domain. Rich dynamical behaviours are observed and reported. For subcritical Reynolds number flows, a sufficiently strong electric field can promote non-trivial dynamics for some choices of domain size, leading to fully two-dimensional evolutions of the interface. We also observe two-dimensional spatiotemporal chaos on sufficiently large domains. For supercritical flows, such two-dimensional chaotic dynamics emerges in the absence of a field, and its presence enhances the amplitude of the fluctuations and broadens their spectrum.
Numerical Study of Conventional and Biomimetic Marine Current Turbines in Tandem by Using Openfoam®
Authors: Chu Y. J. , Chong W. T.
Published: June 2017

The increasing demands on renewable energy nowadays caused the development of marine current turbine industry. In order to improve the current design of marine current turbines, studies were conducted to analyse their hydrodynamic performances during operation. Since most of the time marine current turbines operate in arrays, it is important to understand the interactions between the turbines in order to design the optimum turbine farm. OpenFOAM® was used to simulate the turbine interactions of conventional and biomimetic marine current turbines in tandem configuration. The conventional marine current turbines were referred to Pinon et al. (2012) and Mycek et al. (2013) while the biomimetic marine current turbine was adopted from Chu (2016). The numerical simulations were conducted with turbines in different inter-device distances, A/D. The percentage differences of ‘‘efficiency’’, η between the IFREMER-LOMC and the biomimetic turbine case of inter-device distances, A/D = 4, 6, 8 and 10 are 14.3%, 6.4%, 3% and 1.92% respectively. The results show that the power produced by the biomimetic turbines in tandem is comparable with the IFREMER-LOMC turbines when A/D > 4. The biomimetic marine current turbines can be a fair choice due to their potential to have alternative fabrication method of their sheet-like turbine blades.
Opinion-based centrality in multiplex networks: A convex optimization approach
Authors: REIFFERS-MASSON ALEXANDRE , LABATUT VINCENT
Published: June 2017

Most people simultaneously belong to several distinct social networks, in which their relations can be different. They have opinions about certain topics, which they share and spread on these networks, and are influenced by the opinions of other persons. In this paper, we build upon this observation to propose a new nodal centrality measure for multiplex networks. Our measure, calledOpinion centrality, is based on a stochastic model representing opinion propagation dynamics in such a network. We formulate an optimization problem consisting in maximizing the opinion of the whole network when controlling an external influence able to affect each node individually. We find a mathematical closed form of this problem, and use its solution to derive our centrality measure. According to the opinion centrality, the more a node is worth investing external influence, and the more it is central. We perform an empirical study of the proposed centrality over a toy network, as well as a collection of real-world networks. Our measure is generally negatively correlated with existing multiplex centrality measures, and highlights different types of nodes, accordingly to its definition.
ON STANDARD INFERENCE FOR GMM WITH LOCAL IDENTIFICATION FAILURE OF KNOWN FORMS
Authors: Lee Ji Hyung , Liao Zhipeng
Published: June 2017

This paper studies the GMM estimation and inference problem that occurs when the Jacobian of the moment conditions is rank deficient of known forms at the true parameter values. Dovonon and Renault (2013) recently raised a local identification issue stemming from this type of degenerate Jacobian. The local identification issue leads to a slow rate of convergence of the GMM estimator and a nonstandard asymptotic distribution of the over-identification test statistics. We show that the known form of rank-deficient Jacobian matrix contains nontrivial information about the economic model. By exploiting such information in estimation, we provide GMM estimator and over-identification tests with standard properties. The main theory developed in this paper is applied to the estimation of and inference about the common conditionally heteroskedastic (CH) features in asset returns. The performances of the newly proposed GMM estimators and over-identification tests are investigated under the similar simulation designs used in Dovonon and Renault (2013).
Welcoming Remarks
Authors: Henderson D. M.
Published: June 2017

Welcome to Edinburgh and this second symposium on the plant life of SW Asia, supported by the University of Edinburgh, the Royal Botanic Garden and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. It is fifteen years since the first symposium was held as part of the Garden's tercentenary and now at this occasion you have an opportunity to consider progress, to renew old friendships and to make new ones. That should be easy, for the list of participants shows a wonderful representation from all the countries of SW Asia and also of the institutes in Europe and America involved in SW Asian studies. Unfortunately, not all of our friends are here for since we last met we have lost quite a few: we particularly miss Professor Michael Zohary and Professor Per Wendelbo, who died alas, a relatively young man, far too soon.
Flora and vegetation of Sinai
Authors: Danin Avinoam
Published: June 2017

Synopsis

Most of Sinai belongs to the Saharo-Arabian phytogeographical region. It is covered with a sparse vegetation of semishrubs, restricted to wadis or growing on slopes of rocky hills and in sand fields. The high mountains of southern Sinai support a mainly Irano-Turanian steppe vegetation. Smooth-faced rock outcrops supply sufficient run-off water to permit the survival of trees, shrubs, many relict species, and most of the endemics of Sinai. There are 28 endemic species in Sinai, of which 25 occur in the mountainous districts of Sinai. The foothills of eastern Sinai and the coastal area of the Gulf of Elat have a savanna-like vegetation and support thermophilous Sudanian trees and shrubs in wadis and rock crevices.
Dictionary form in decoding, encoding and retention: Further insights
Authors: Dziemianko Anna
Published: June 2017

The aim of the paper is to investigate the role of dictionary form (paper versus electronic) in language reception, production and retention. The body of existing research does not give a clear answer as to which dictionary medium benefits users more. Divergent findings from many studies into the topic might stem from differences in research methodology (including the various tasks, participants and dictionaries used by different authors). Even a series of studies conducted by one researcher (Dziemianko, 2010, 2011, 2012b) leads to contradictory conclusions, possibly because of the use of paper and electronic versions of existing dictionaries, and the resulting problem with isolating dictionary form as a factor. To be able to argue with confidence that the results obtained follow from different dictionary formats, rather than presentation issues, research methodology should be improved. To successfully generalize about the significance of the medium for decoding, encoding and learning, the current study replicates previous research, but the presentation of lexicographic data on paper and on screen is now balanced, and the paper/electronic opposition is operationalized more appropriately. A real online dictionary and its paper-based counterpart composed of printouts of screen displays were used in the experiment in which the meaning of English nouns and phrases was explained, and collocations were completed with missing prepositions. A delayed post-test checked the retention of the meanings and collocations. The results indicate that dictionary medium does not play a statistically significant role in reception and production, but it considerably affects retention.
Incarnational Anthropology
Authors: Haldane John
Published: June 2017

The renaissance of philosophy of mind within the analytical tradition owes a great deal to the intellectual midwifery of Ryle and Wittgenstein. It is ironic, therefore, that the current state of the subject should be one in which scientific and Cartesian models of mentality are so widely entertained. Clearly few if any of those who find depth, and truth, in the Wittgensteinian approach are likely to be sympathetic to much of what is most favoured in contemporary analytic philosophical psychology. Finding themselves in a minority, they might well look elsewhere for support, hoping to establish the idea that opposition to scientific and Cartesian ways of thinking is by no means philosophically eccentric. Perhaps this partly explains the increasing British and North American interest in ‘continental’ thought, particularly as it bears (as most of it does) on the nature of human beings. Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Sartre are obvious enough subjects for such attention.
Normalizing Foreign Relations Law After Zivotofsky II
Authors: Spiro Peter J.
Published: June 2017

These have been heady times for those interested in foreign relations law. The last twenty years have seen the field transformed. In the 1970s and 1980s, Vietnam had triggered significant attention on constitutional war powers, but that interest was more political than scholarly. Other foreign relations law issues were debated only at the margins. The Restatement (Third) supplied a largely unchallenged conventional wisdom in the area, even if some of its main points were more aspirational than descriptive. The courts had long been missing in action; though they had been active in the first century or so of the Republic on international law and foreign relations law issues, probably the most important Supreme Court ruling in the area from the second half of the twentieth-century merely served to confirm the judicial timidity. On many of the most important issues of foreign relations, sparse judicial precedents (such as they existed) had no more than oracular application to contemporary questions. Other actors nonetheless managed to achieve constitutional equilibria with little help from the courts or scholars. The second half of the twentieth-century was characterized by a remarkable level of constitutional stability regarding the allocation of foreign relations powers.
Presidential Signing Statements and Dialogic Constitutionalism
Authors: Powell Catherine
Published: June 2017

When the Supreme Court held that the executive branch has exclusive authority to recognize foreign sovereigns in the Jerusalem passport case, Zivotofsky v. Kerry (Zivotofsky II), Jack Goldsmith hailed the decision as a “vindication” of presidential signing statements and executive power. Indeed, in the context of the debate over the treatment of the terror suspects, the New York Times had called such signing statements the “constitutionally ludicrous” work of an overreaching, “imperial presidency.”
Theology and Politics in Laudato Si’
Authors: Jamieson Dale
Published: June 2017

Pope Francis has more epistemological and moral authority than any scientist, philosopher, lawyer, or politician. He has the second most popular twitter feed, and his messages are more likely to be retweeted than anyone else’s. The Pope has the power to order some and to persuade others. Most of all he has the power to affect the global agenda. When the Pope speaks, people listen.

Pope Francis commands respect for many reasons. He sits atop a hierarchy with which 1.2 billion people are affiliated. Organized more like a multinational corporation than a nation-state, the Catholic Church and its members are spread across all the countries of the world. But it is not just Catholics who take his pronouncements seriously. As a man of the South, occupying an office in the North, with no national allegiance except to a country of 110 acres with a population of 842, he is uniquely situated to speak out on global issues. Laudato Si’ also commands respect because it is an astonishingly well-written argument for a powerful point of view, one that in various bits and pieces can be found in the small journals and ignored books of environmental philosophy and theology.
Dominion and Stewardship
Authors: Shelton Dinah
Published: June 2017

The Encyclical Letter of Pope Francis centers on an interpretation of Biblical texts that establishes human power over other creatures and the right to beneficial use of them, imposing a type of guardianship or a trust, not a right of ownership. The Pope emphasizes that message he presents is intended to be a universal one, not limited to all Catholics or even all Christians, but to “every person living on this planet.” The encyclical begins by reviewing several aspects of the present ecological crisis, then considers some principles drawn from the Judaeo-Christian tradition which can render commitment to the environment more coherent.
On the Necessity of Necessity Measures: A Response to Alan O. Sykes
Authors: van Aaken Anne
Published: June 2017

Applying economic theory to the analysis of economic “necessity” defenses in international law is highly desirable and Alan Sykes does a wonderful job in his editorial comment. As I have argued, the application of contract theory to international investment agreements (IIAs) helps us analyze their commitment and flexibility mechanisms. Sykes uses such an optimal contracting approach to address the problem of necessity in IIAs. I concur in broad terms with his conclusion, but I argue for greater contextualization in the application of the argument. Contract theory, although useful as a basic frame to address necessity claims, does not by itself fully encompass the economic analysis of law. Economic theory is diverse and not always unequivocal in its insights. Contract theory, as applied so far to international law, takes the state as a black box and assumes that the state will behave rationally. I will take a look into the box in order to analyze the incentives of different actors involved, including some of the beneficiaries of Iias—foreign investors.
Marital Rape, Consent, and Human Rights: Comment on “Criminalizing Sexual Violence Against Women in Intimate Relationships”
Authors: West Robin
Published: June 2017

Randall and Venkatesh’s important essay Criminalizing Sexual Violence against Women in Intimate Relationships is a breakthrough in our understanding of human rights, rape, and the institution of marriage, and the intersection of the three. Rape within marriage, the authors argue, strips its victims of multiple human rights, and therefore any state’s refusal to criminalize it is a violation of international law. However, more than half the countries in the world, according to the authors, fail to explicitly criminalize rape or sexual assault within marriage (which I will sometimes call “marital rape” in this comment). In this comment I will first briefly elaborate on the authors’ thesis, emphasizing what it tells us about the meaning, respectively, of “marriage,” “rape,” and “law.” I will then register three objections, or qualifications, to their argument.
Politics, the Rule of Law, and the Role of the Crime of Aggression: A Response to Koh and Buchwald
Authors: Dannenbaum Tom
Published: June 2017

In this essay, I take up two concerns raised by Harold Koh and Todd Buchwald in their critique of the Kampala amendments on aggression: what they term “proxy prosecution” and the notion of aggression as a uniquely political question. I also take issue with the argument in Alain Pellet’s response on attacks by nonstate actors.

These areas of contention notwithstanding, there are important issues on which I think that Koh and Buchwald get it right. In forthcoming work, I argue that the object and purpose of the criminalization of aggression precludes an interpretation of Article 8bisof the Rome Statute that would include humanitarian interventions not authorized by the Security Council. Nonetheless, the failure to make this textually explicit at Kampala was a mistake that the authors are correct to lament. Similarly, they accurately identify the ambiguities in the provisions on the amendments’ entry into force as an entirely avoidable defect that creates unnecessary confusion. These important points notwithstanding, the article takes some misleading positions on the politics of the crime.
Alea Iacta Est: The Kampala Amendment on the Crime of Aggression Post-2017: A Response to Koh and Buchwald
Authors: Zimmermann Andreas
Published: June 2017

Having embarked in 49 BCE on his long war against Pompey, Julius Caesar reportedly commented “alea iacta est”—events have passed a point of no return. With the adoption and uptake of the Kampala amendment on the crime of aggression the Rubicon has also been crossed with twenty-six states (i.e. merely four less than the required quorum) having ratified the amendment. A significant further number of states have ratified the Rome Statute after the adoption of the Kampala amendment, posing the interesting question whether they ought to be counted towards that quorum.
Apparent Dichotomies, Covert Similarities: A Response to Joost Pauwelyn
Authors: Rogers Catherine A.
Published: June 2017

In his thoughtful article, Joost Pauwelyn poses a perplexing question: How can it be that trade and investment are converging in their substantive “legal orders,” but diverging in terms of perceived legitimacy? Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), he argues, is in a “state of crisis” whereas World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement is generally regarded as “successful.” Pauwelyn’s provocative and counter-intuitive explanation for this paradox focuses on the apparent differences between the pool of decision-makers in each regime: WTO disputes are resolved by nameless, faceless, panel-inexperienced bureaucrats who often lack legal training, whereas “investment arbitrators are typically high-powered, elite jurists” with more expertise and experience than their WTO counterparts.
The Rule of Law or the Perception of the Beholder? Why Investment Arbitrators are Under Fire and Trade Adjudicators are Not: A Response to Joost Pauwelyn
Authors: Baetens Freya
Published: June 2017

In his thought-provoking and timely article, Pauwelyn asks how it can be “that today’s perception of two parallel processes involving the legalization of world politics, and on two closely related subjects of global economic affairs—cross-border trade and cross-border investment—differs so much?” He focuses on one explanation: the individuals deciding World Trade Organization (WTO) versus International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) disputes.
Venus, Mars, and Brussels: Legitimacy and Dispute Settlement Culture in Investment Law and WTO Law: A Response to Joost Pauwelyn
Authors: Howse Robert
Published: June 2017

Late last year, the European Commission unveiled an ambitious and complex proposal to replace investor-state arbitration with a transnational court, including an appellate instance, which has now been incorporated into its new bilateral agreements with Vietnam and Canada (CETA). The Commission was responding to strong public resistance to including investor protections in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the trade and investment agreement being negotiated between the European Union and the United States. This resistance reflects a remarkable shift in emphasis from the World Trade Organization (WTO) to the investment regime in what could be called loosely the antineoliberal globalization movement. The overarching concern is that international decision-makers with a neoliberal or procorporate bias will limit the policy space of sovereign states, especially in sensitive areas such as public services, the environment, health, and safety. While it is arguable that few of the actual outcomes in investor-state disputes can properly be understood in this way, the pursuit by Philip Morris of its attack on tobacco regulation through the investment regime has certainly provided a very obvious example for the activists. (The defeat of that challenge on jurisdictional grounds doesn’t really provide assurance about the substantive norms at issue and their consistency with policy space.)
Does International Law Really Require the Criminalization of Marital Rape?
Authors: Stark Barbara
Published: June 2017

Nothing can be said in favor of intimate sexual violence, including marital rape, as Randall and Venkatesh, the authors of Intimate Sexual Violence, Human Rights Obligations and the State, make plain. As the New York Court of Appeals held in 1984:

Rape is not simply a sexual act to which one party does not consent. Rather, it is a degrading, violent act which violates the bodily integrity of the victim and frequently causes severe, long-lasting physical and psychic harm. To ever imply consent to such an act is irrational and absurd. . . . A married woman has the same right to control her body as does an unmarried woman.

There is something to be said, however, in favor of clearly setting out a legal position before condemning it, in favor of a conservative approach to the wholesale expansion of human rights, and in favor of enabling women, even women in states that do not criminalize marital rape, to set their own priorities. The authors draw on international law to make a passionate case against marital rape, and against domestic laws that fail to recognize it as a crime. Their argument would be more persuasive if their demand for what domestic law must criminalize were clearer, if their international legal analysis were more rigorous and more focused, and if they justified the top-down approach they recommend here, which seems particularly problematic in this context.
The Papal Encyclical & The Role of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities in the International Climate Change Negotiations
Authors: Rajamani Lavanya
Published: June 2017

A fundamental theme running through the remarkable 192-page Papal Encyclical on Climate Change is the notion of solidarity—;between nations and peoples, and between and within generations. In the words of the Encyclical, “[w]e require a new and universal solidarity.”. This translates, in the Encyclical’s vision, into principled cooperation between states and peoples, because “[a]ll of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.”. In the international climate change regime this vision takes the form of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDRRC), a principle that the Encyclical explicitly endorses. The CBDRRC principle, however, lends itself to varying interpretations and has thus proven deeply contentious as the basis for climate cooperation. This is in particular in relation to the 2015 climate agreement that is due to be finalized in Paris in December 2015. This short essay explores the extent to which the Encyclical supports one or the other interpretation of this principle, and how closely aligned (or not) the Encyclical’s vision is to the emerging 2015 climate change agreement.
An Autonomous Boat to Investigate Acidic Crater Lakes
Authors: McFarlane Donald , Lundberg Joyce , van Rentergem Guy , Ramírez Carlos
Published: June 2017

A novel aquatic drone ventured into highly acidic waters to test the feasibility of remotely exploring and surveying hazardous volcanic lakes.
Ubiquity and quantitative significance of bacterioplankton lineages inhabiting the oxygenated hypolimnion of deep freshwater lakes
Authors: Okazaki Yusuke , Fujinaga Shohei , Tanaka Atsushi , Kohzu Ayato , Oyagi Hideo , Nakano Shin-ichi
Published: June 2017

The oxygenated hypolimnion accounts for a volumetrically significant part of the global freshwater systems. Previous studies have proposed the presence of hypolimnion-specific bacterioplankton lineages that are distinct from those inhabiting the epilimnion. To date, however, no consensus exists regarding their ubiquity and abundance, which is necessary to evaluate their ecological importance. The present study investigated the bacterioplankton community in the oxygenated hypolimnia of 10 deep freshwater lakes. Despite the broad geochemical characteristics of the lakes, 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrated that the communities in the oxygenated hypolimnia were distinct from those in the epilimnia and identified several predominant lineages inhabiting multiple lakes. Catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed that abundant hypolimnion-specific lineages, CL500-11 (Chloroflexi), CL500-3, CL500-37, CL500-15 (Planctomycetes) and Marine Group I (Thaumarchaeota), together accounted for 1.5–32.9% of all bacterioplankton in the hypolimnion of the lakes. Furthermore, an analysis of single-nucleotide variation in the partial 16S rRNA gene sequence (oligotyping) suggested the presence of different sub-populations between lakes and water layers among the lineages occurring in the entire water layer (for example, acI-B1 and acI-A7). Collectively, these results provide the first comprehensive overview of the bacterioplankton community in the oxygenated hypolimnion of deep freshwater lakes.
Serotonin modulates a depression-like state in Drosophila responsive to lithium treatment
Authors: Ries Ariane-Saskia , Hermanns Tim , Poeck Burkhard , Strauss Roland
Published: June 2017

Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects millions of patients; however, the pathophysiology is poorly understood. Rodent models have been developed using chronic mild stress or unavoidable punishment (learned helplessness) to induce features of depression, like general inactivity and anhedonia. Here we report a three-day vibration-stress protocol for Drosophila that reduces voluntary behavioural activity. As in many MDD patients, lithium-chloride treatment can suppress this depression-like state in flies. The behavioural changes correlate with reduced serotonin (5-HT) release at the mushroom body (MB) and can be relieved by feeding the antidepressant 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan or sucrose, which results in elevated 5-HT levels in the brain. This relief is mediated by 5-HT-1A receptors in the α-/β-lobes of the MB, whereas 5-HT-1B receptors in the γ-lobes control behavioural inactivity. The central role of serotonin in modulating stress responses in flies and mammals indicates evolutionary conserved pathways that can provide targets for treatment and strategies to induce resilience.
The adaptive immune response to cardiac injury—the true roadblock to effective regenerative therapies?
Authors: Sattler Susanne , Fairchild Paul , Watt Fiona M. , Rosenthal Nadia , Harding Sian E.
Published: June 2017

The regenerative capacity of adult human tissues and organs is limited, but recent developments have seen the advent of promising new technologies for regenerative therapy. The human heart is of particular interest for regenerative medicine, as cardiac tissue damage is repaired by the formation of rigid scar tissue, which causes inevitable structural changes and progressive functional decline leading to heart failure. Cardiac regenerative medicine aims to prevent scar formation or replace existing scars to halt or reverse adverse remodeling and therapeutic approaches include the use of biomaterials, gene therapies, delivery of growth factors, and (stem) cell therapies. Regenerative therapies, however, face significant obstacles in a hostile microenvironment. While the early immune response to a myocardial infarct is essential to ensure tissue integrity and to avoid fatal cardiac rupture, excessive activation of endogenous repair mechanisms may lead to ongoing inflammation, fibrosis, and sustained autoimmune-mediated tissue damage. Anti-cardiac autoreactivity of the adaptive immune system has been suggested to be involved in structural remodeling, functional decline, and the development of heart failure. It is, therefore, crucial to first understand the endogenous response to cardiac tissue damage and how to restore immune tolerance to cardiac tissue, before additional regenerative therapies can achieve their full potential.
Biomaterial-driven in situ cardiovascular tissue engineering—a multi-disciplinary perspective
Authors: Wissing Tamar B. , Bonito Valentina , Bouten Carlijn V. C. , Smits Anthal I. P. M.
Published: June 2017

There is a persistent and growing clinical need for readily-available substitutes for heart valves and small-diameter blood vessels. In situ tissue engineering is emerging as a disruptive new technology, providing ready-to-use biodegradable, cell-free constructs which are designed to induce regeneration upon implantation, directly in the functional site. The induced regenerative process hinges around the host response to the implanted biomaterial and the interplay between immune cells, stem/progenitor cell and tissue cells in the microenvironment provided by the scaffold in the hemodynamic environment. Recapitulating the complex tissue microstructure and function of cardiovascular tissues is a highly challenging target. Therein the scaffold plays an instructive role, providing the microenvironment that attracts and harbors host cells, modulating the inflammatory response, and acting as a temporal roadmap for new tissue to be formed. Moreover, the biomechanical loads imposed by the hemodynamic environment play a pivotal role. Here, we provide a multidisciplinary view on in situ cardiovascular tissue engineering using synthetic scaffolds; starting from the state-of-the art, the principles of the biomaterial-driven host response and wound healing and the cellular players involved, toward the impact of the biomechanical, physical, and biochemical microenvironmental cues that are given by the scaffold design. To conclude, we pinpoint and further address the main current challenges for in situ cardiovascular regeneration, namely the achievement of tissue homeostasis, the development of predictive models for long-term performances of the implanted grafts, and the necessity for stratification for successful clinical translation.
The osteogenesis-promoting effects of alpha-lipoic acid against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis through the NOX4, NF-kappaB, JNK and PI3K/AKT pathways
Authors: Lu Shi-Yu , Wang Chang-Yuan , Jin Yue , Meng Qiang , Liu Qi , Liu Zhi-hao , Liu Ke-Xin , Sun Hui-Jun , Liu Mo-Zhen
Published: June 2017

Recently, accumulating evidence has indicated that glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is closely related to oxidative stress and apoptosis. Alpha-lipoic acid (LA), a naturally endogenous anti-oxidant, possesses anti-oxidative and anti-apoptosis activities, implicating LA as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of GIOP. In this study, the osteogenesis-promoting effects of LA against GIOP were investigated and the mechanisms were further probed. Here, the results showed that LA inhibited oxidative stress, suppressed apoptosis and improved osteopenia by promoting the expression of osteogenesis markers, including ALP, COL-I, OCN, BMP-2, RUNX2 and OSX. Further study revealed that the osteogenesis-promoting effects of LA likely occur via the regulation of the NOX4, NF-kappaB, JNK and PI3K/AKT pathways. The present study indicated that LA may prevent GIOP and promote osteogenesis and might be a candidate for the treatment of GIOP.
Modification of Different Pulps by Homologous Overexpression Alkali-Tolerant Endoglucanase in Bacillus subtilis Y106
Authors: Wang Meimei , Du Jian , Zhang Daolei , Li Xuezhi , Zhao Jian
Published: June 2017

Cellulase (mainly endoglucanase, EG) has been used in pulp modification for improving paper quality through environmentally friendly process. But low activity in alkaline pH and high filter paper activity (FPA) were still obstacles for extending the cellulase application in papermaking industry. In the study, an alkali-tolerant EG gene ofBacillus subtilisY106 was homologous over-expressed for obtaining suitable enzyme used in pulp modification. The engineering strain could produce the crude enzyme with more alkali-tolerant EG and little PFA. Potential of the crude enzyme in modification of different pulps were investigated. It was found that the enzyme could be used for improving drainage and strength properties of pulps from softwood, hardwood and non-wood materials, especially non-wood pulp such as wheat straw pulp. The underlying mechanisms of pulp modification and different effects on various types of pulps by the EG treatment were also discussed by studying the change in fibers characteristics and fiber bonding.
Brain size is reduced by selection for tameness in Red Junglefowl– correlated effects in vital organs
Authors: Agnvall Beatrix , Bélteky Johan , Jensen Per
Published: June 2017

During domestication animals have undergone changes in size of brain and other vital organs. We hypothesize that this could be a correlated effect to increased tameness. Red Junglefowl (ancestors of domestic chickens) were selected for divergent levels of fear of humans for five generations. The parental (P0) and the fifth selected generation (S5) were culled when 48–54 weeks old and the brains were weighed before being divided into telencephalon, cerebellum, mid brain and optic lobes. Each single brain part as well as the liver, spleen, heart and testicles were also weighed. Brains of S5 birds with high fear scores (S5 high) were heavier both in absolute terms and when corrected for body weight. The relative weight of telencephalon (% of brain weight) was significantly higher in S5 high and relative weight of cerebellum was lower. Heart, liver, testes and spleen were all relatively heavier (% of body weight) in S5 high. Hence, selection for tameness has changed the size of the brain and other vital organs in this population and may have driven the domesticated phenotype as a correlated response.
Maternal and Early-Life Circadian Disruption Have Long-Lasting Negative Consequences on Offspring Development and Adult Behavior in Mice
Authors: Smarr Benjamin L. , Grant Azure D. , Perez Luz , Zucker Irving , Kriegsfeld Lance J.
Published: June 2017

Modern life involves chronic circadian disruption through artificial light and these disruptions are associated with numerous mental and physical health maladies. Because the developing nervous system is particularly vulnerable to perturbation, we hypothesized that early-life circadian disruption would negatively impact offspring development and adult function. Pregnant mice were subjected to chronic circadian disruption from the time of uterine implantation through weaning. To dissociate in utero from postnatal effects, a subset of litters was cross-fostered at birth from disrupted dams to control dams and vice versa. Postnatal circadian disruption was associated with reduced adult body mass, social avoidance, and hyperactivity. In utero disruption resulted in more pronounced social avoidance and hyperactivity, phenotypes not abrogated by cross-fostering to control mothers. To examine whether circadian disruption affects development by acting as an early life stressor, we examined birthweight, litter size, maternal cannibalism, and epigenetic modifications. None of these variables differed between control and disrupted dams, or resembled patterns seen following early-life stress. Our findings indicate that developmental chronic circadian disruption permanently affects somatic and behavioral development in a stage-of-life-dependent manner, independent of early life stress mechanisms, underscoring the importance of temporal structure during development, both in utero and early postnatal life.