bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of tungsten carbide and tungsten disulfide on vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube forests and their application as non-Pt electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Lin Jhih-Fong , Pitkänen Olli , Mäklin Jani , Puskas Robert , Kukovecz Akos , Dombovari Aron , Toth Geza , Kordas Krisztian
Published: May 2015

Direct growth of tungsten carbide and sulfide on vertically aligned CNTs is demonstrated for a facile construction of three-dimensional electrocatalyst nanostructures.
Citric acid modification of PLLA nano-fibrous scaffolds to enhance cellular adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation
Authors: Shao Jundong , Chen Si , Du Chang
Published: May 2015

Citric acid (CA) was used in a thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) process to improve the surface hydrophilicity and cell affinity of PLLA nano-fibrous scaffolds.
Cu2+-embedded carbon nanoparticles as anticancer agents
Authors: Palashuddin Sk Md , Goswami Upashi , Ghosh Siddhartha Sankar , Chattopadhyay Arun
Published: May 2015

We report the synthesis of luminescent carbon nanoparticles embedded with Cu2+ as anticancer agents.
A graphene quantum dots based fluorescent sensor for anthrax biomarker detection and its size dependence
Authors: Ryu Jaehoon , Lee Eunwoo , Lee Kisu , Jang Jyongsik
Published: May 2015

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with two different diameters were modified via hybridization with a EuIII–macromolecule complex, and their application as dual emission fluorescent sensors for detection of Bacillus anthracis spores was investigated.
Evaluation of osteogenesis and angiogenesis of icariin loaded on micro/nano hybrid structured hydroxyapatite granules as a local drug delivery system for femoral defect repair
Authors: Wu Yuqiong , Xia Lunguo , Zhou Yuning , Ma Wudi , Zhang Na , Chang Jiang , Lin Kaili , Xu Yuanjin , Jiang Xinquan
Published: May 2015

Icariin has been identified to promote osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).
Understanding the behaviour of different metals in loaded scintillators: discrepancy between gadolinium and bismuth
Authors: Bertrand Guillaume H. V. , Dumazert Jonathan , Sguerra Fabien , Coulon Romain , Corre Gwenolé , Hamel Matthieu
Published: May 2015

A case study: the quenching effect of organometallics containing bismuth or gadolinium was studied in fluorescent polymers.
Investigation from chemical structure to photoluminescent mechanism: a type of carbon dots from the pyrolysis of citric acid and an amine
Authors: Song Yubin , Zhu Shoujun , Zhang Shitong , Fu Yu , Wang Li , Zhao Xiaohuan , Yang Bai
Published: May 2015

We clarified the chemical structure of typical “bottom-up” CDs and proved that IPCA is the molecular state photoluminescence center.
Predictable adjustment of spin crossover temperature in solutions of iron(iii) complexes functionalized with alkyl-urea tails
Authors: Johnson Chloe J. , Morgan Grace G. , Albrecht Martin
Published: May 2015

A new series of amphiphilic alkylurea functionalised iron(iii) sal2trien complexes were prepared by substitution of phenolic ligand site with OCnH2n–NHC(O)NHCmH2m+1 tails (n = 5, 9, m = 4, 12, 14, 16).
Slc5a8, a Na+-coupled high-affinity transporter for short-chain fatty acids, is a conditional tumour suppressor in colon that protects against colitis and colon cancer under low-fibre dietary conditions
Authors: Gurav Ashish , Sivaprakasam Sathish , Bhutia Yangzom D. , Boettger Thomas , Singh Nagendra , Ganapathy Vadivel
Published: May 2015

Mammalian colon harbours trillions of bacteria under physiological conditions; this symbiosis is made possible because of a tolerized response from the mucosal immune system. The mechanisms underlying this tolerogenic phenomenon remain poorly understood. In the present study we show that Slc5a8 (solute carrier gene family 5a, member 8), a Na+-coupled high-affinity transporter in colon for the bacterial fermentation product butyrate, plays a critical role in this process. Among various immune cells in colon, dendritic cells (DCs) are unique not only in their accessibility to luminal contents but also in their ability to induce tolerogenic phenotype in T-cells. We found that DCs exposed to butyrate express the immunosuppressive enzymes indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A2 (Aldh1A2), promote conversion of naive T-cells into immunosuppressive forkhead box P3+ (FoxP3+) Tregs (regulatory T-cells) and suppress conversion of naive T-cells into pro-inflammatory interferon (IFN)-γ-producing cells. Slc5a8-null DCs do not induce IDO1 and Aldh1A2 and do not generate Tregs or suppress IFN-γ-producing T-cells in response to butyrate. We also provide in vivo evidence for an obligatory role for Slc5a8 in suppression of IFN-γ-producing T-cells. Furthermore, Slc5a8 protects against colitis and colon cancer under conditions of low-fibre intake but not when dietary fibre intake is optimal. This agrees with the high-affinity nature of the transporter to mediate butyrate entry into cells. We conclude that Slc5a8 is an obligatory link between dietary fibre and mucosal immune system via the bacterial metabolite butyrate and that this transporter is a conditional tumour suppressor in colon linked to dietary fibre content.
Engineered protease inhibitors based on sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1) provide insights into the role of sequence and conformation in Laskowski mechanism inhibition
Authors: de Veer Simon J. , Swedberg Joakim E. , Akcan Muharrem , Rosengren K. Johan , Brattsand Maria , Craik David J. , Harris Jonathan M.
Published: May 2015

Laskowski inhibitors regulate serine proteases by an intriguing mode of action that involves deceiving the protease into synthesizing a peptide bond. Studies exploring naturally occurring Laskowski inhibitors have uncovered several structural features that convey the inhibitor's resistance to hydrolysis and exceptional binding affinity. However, in the context of Laskowski inhibitor engineering, the way that various modifications intended to fine-tune an inhibitor's potency and selectivity impact on its association and dissociation rates remains unclear. This information is important as Laskowski inhibitors are becoming increasingly used as design templates to develop new protease inhibitors for pharmaceutical applications. In this study, we used the cyclic peptide, sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1), as a model system to explore how the inhibitor's sequence and structure relate to its binding kinetics and function. Using enzyme assays, MD simulations and NMR spectroscopy to study SFTI variants with diverse sequence and backbone modifications, we show that the geometry of the binding loop mainly influences the inhibitor's potency by modulating the association rate, such that variants lacking a favourable conformation show dramatic losses in activity. Additionally, we show that the inhibitor's sequence (including both the binding loop and its scaffolding) influences its potency and selectivity by modulating both the association and the dissociation rates. These findings provide new insights into protease inhibitor function and design that we apply by engineering novel inhibitors for classical serine proteases, trypsin and chymotrypsin and two kallikrein-related peptidases (KLK5 and KLK14) that are implicated in various cancers and skin diseases.
PGC-1α overexpression suppresses blood pressure elevation in DOCA-salt hypertensive mice
Authors: Zhao Qingbin , Zhang Junfang , Wang Huifang
Published: May 2015

Increasing evidences have accumulated that endothelial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) has been identified as an essential factor that protects against endothelial dysfunction in vascular pathologies. However, the functional role of PGC-1α in hypertension is not well understood. Using an adenovirus infection model, we tested the hypothesis that PGC-1α overexpression retards the progression of hypertension in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt mice model through preservation of the function of endothelium. We first demonstrated that PGC-1α expression not only in conductance and resistance arteries but also in endothelial cells was decreased after DOCA-salt treatment. In PGC-1α adenovirus-infected mice, the elevation of blood pressure in DOCA-salt mice was attenuated, as determined using tail-cuff measurement. Furthermore, PGC-1α overexpression inhibited the decrease in nitric oxide (NO) generation and the increase in superoxide anion (O2−) production in DOCA-salt-treated mice, in parallel with improved endothelium-dependent relaxation. Rather than affecting endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) total expression and phosphorylation, PGC-1α significantly inhibited eNOS uncoupling, as evidenced by increased eNOS homodimerization, BH4 levels, GTP-cyclohydrolase 1 (GTPCH1) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) expression and heat-shock protein (Hsp)90–eNOS interaction. Our findings demonstrate that PGC-1α overexpression preserves eNOS coupling, enhances NO generation, improves endothelium-dependent relaxation and thus lowers blood pressure, suggesting that up-regulation of PGC-1α may be a novel strategy to prevent and treat hypertension.
Molecular pathways in protecting the liver from ischaemia/reperfusion injury: a 2015 update
Authors: Gracia-Sancho Jordi , Casillas-Ramírez Araní , Peralta Carmen
Published: May 2015

Ischaemia/reperfusion injury is an important cause of liver damage during surgical procedures such as hepatic resection and liver transplantation, and represents the main cause of graft dysfunction post-transplantation. Molecular processes occurring during hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion are diverse, and continuously include new and complex mechanisms. The present review aims to summarize the newest concepts and hypotheses regarding the pathophysiology of liver ischaemia/reperfusion, making clear distinction between situations of cold and warm ischaemia. Moreover, the most updated therapeutic strategies including pharmacological, genetic and surgical interventions, as well as some of the scientific controversies in the field are described.
High- and Low-Frequency Decrement Contribution to Spectral Enhancement
Authors: DiGiovanni Jeffrey J. , Riffle Travis L. , Nagaraj Naveen K.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

The relative benefit of a single, flanking, high- or low-frequency decrement was assessed to better understand properties of spectral enhancement that may aid in algorithm design.

Method

Detection thresholds were measured for intensity increments applied to a narrow target band of frequencies embedded in a broadband signal while 400-Hz-wide, 9- or 12-dB-deep intensity decrements were placed above, below, or on both sides of the target band. A mono condition with no decrements was used as a control. Eight participants with normal hearing and 8 participants with hearing impairment took part in this experiment.

Results

Performance improved in the presence of decrements for both groups and was equivalent for both high- or low-frequency decrements. Comparison with individually measured auditory filters revealed that participants with normal hearing made use of energy cues available within these filters, whereas some participants with hearing impairment, despite improved increment detection, underutilized this information.

Conclusion

Inclusion of a single, adjacent, high- or low-frequency decrement improved increment detection but not to the same extent as when decrements flanked both sides.
Guidelines for Audiologists on the Benefits and Limitations of Genetic Testing
Authors: Mercer Danielle
Published: May 2015

Purpose

This tutorial provides information to aid audiologists in determining when a referral for a genetics evaluation is appropriate for a patient with hearing loss. Direction is given on discussing the benefits and limitations of genetic testing with parents of children with hearing loss.

Method

Genetic patterns of inheritance are reviewed, particularly in reference to syndromic and nonsyndromic forms of hearing loss. A review of pertinent literature was performed.

Conclusion

Audiologists are in a unique position to facilitate investigation into the etiology of a patient's hearing loss. This is of high importance in genetic etiologies because the diagnosis can provide information on recurrence risks and other potential health implications. Suggestions are made to help audiologists recognize when a genetics referral is warranted, counsel patients and their parents about the benefits and limitations of genetic testing, and interpret genetic test results.
The Effect of Repetition Rate on Air-Conducted Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (oVEMPs)
Authors: Bogle Jamie M. , Zapala David A. , Burkhardt Brittany , Walker Kurt , Lundy Larry , Shelfer Janet , Pratt Terri , Garry Millicent , Walker David
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) are used to describe utricular/superior vestibular nerve function; however, optimal recording parameters have not been fully established. This study investigated the effect of repetition rate on air-conducted oVEMPs.

Method

Ten healthy adults were evaluated using 500-Hz tone bursts (4-ms duration, Blackman gating, 122 dB pSPL). Four repetition rates were used (1.6, 4.8, 8.3, and 26.6 Hz) and resulting oVEMP response presence, amplitude, amplitude asymmetry, and n1/p1 latency were assessed.

Results

Response presence was significantly reduced for 26.6 Hz using monaural stimulation and for 8.3 Hz and 26.6 Hz for binaural stimulation. For monaural stimulation using 1.6, 4.8, and 8.3 Hz, no significant differences were noted for amplitude or latency. Responses obtained using binaural stimulation demonstrated a significant effect of rate on amplitude, with 8.3 Hz producing significantly reduced amplitude. Binaural amplitudes were significantly larger than monaural contralateral responses but with reduced response presence. No significant differences were noted for latency or amplitude asymmetry.

Conclusion

Using repetition rates of approximately 5 Hz or less may produce more consistent oVEMP response presence with minimal effects on amplitude for monaural or binaural recordings.
Bilateral photoplethysmography analysis for arteriovenous fistula dysfunction screening with fractional‐order feature and cooperative game‐based embedded detector
Authors: Wu Jian‐Xing , Lin Chia‐Hung , Wu Ming‐Jui , Li Chien‐Ming , Lim Bee‐Yen , Du Yi‐Chun
Published: May 2015

The bilateral photoplethysmography (PPG) analysis for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) dysfunction screening with a fractional‐order feature and a cooperative game (CG)‐based embedded detector is proposed. The proposed detector uses a feature extraction method and a CG to evaluate the risk level for AVF dysfunction for patients undergoing haemodialysis treatment. A Sprott system is used to design a self‐synchronisation error formulation to quantify the differences in the changes of blood volume for the sinister and dexter thumbs’ PPG signals. Bilateral PPGs exhibit a significant difference in rise time and amplitude, which is proportional to the degree of stenosis. A less parameterised CG model is then used to evaluate the risk level. The proposed detector is also studied using an embedded system and bilateral optical measurements. The experimental results show that the risk of AVF stenosis during haemodialysis treatment is detected earlier.
Dynamic modelling of wind turbine gearbox bearing loading during transient events
Authors: Bruce Thomas , Long Hui , Dwyer‐Joyce Rob S.
Published: May 2015

Wind turbine gearbox bearings (WTGBs) are the most reliability critical component in wind turbine gearboxes because of their high failure rate and long downtime‐per‐failure. Current design methods predict bearing failure‐by‐fatigue life models. However, premature WTGB failures have been observed by many other modes. This study presents the development of a multibody dynamic gearbox model, used to determine maximum bearing contact stresses from laboratory measured shaft torque data during normal operation and shutdown conditions. The model was validated by comparing its results to other models of the 750 kW National Renewable Energy Laboratory test drive train by the Gearbox Reliability Collaborative. During normal operation, the maximum contact stress experienced by the planetary stage bearings exceeded recommended levels by 1% and during shutdown by 15%. High‐speed shaft bearings also exceeded recommended levels during shutdown by 18%.
The crystal-fluid interfacial free energy and nucleation rate of NaCl from different simulation methods
Authors: Espinosa Jorge R. , Vega Carlos , Valeriani Chantal , Sanz Eduardo
Published: May 2015

In this work, we calculate the crystal-fluid interfacial free energy, γcf, for the Tosi-Fumi model of NaCl using three different simulation techniques: seeding, umbrella sampling, and mold integration. The three techniques give an orientationaly averaged γcf of about 100 mJ/m2. Moreover, we observe that the shape of crystalline clusters embedded in the supercooled fluid is spherical. Using the mold integration technique, we compute γcf for four different crystal orientations. The obtained interfacial free energies range from 100 to 114 mJ/m2, being (100) and (111) the crystal planes with the lowest and highest γcf, respectively. Within the accuracy of our calculations, the interfacial free energy either does not depend on temperature or changes very smoothly with it. Combining the seeding technique with classical nucleation theory, we also estimate nucleation free energy barriers and nucleation rates for a wide temperature range (800-1040 K). The obtained results compare quite well with brute force calculations and with previous results obtained with umbrella sampling [Valeriani et al., J. Chem. Phys, 122, 194501 (2005)].
Adaptive resolution simulation of a biomolecule and its hydration shell: Structural and dynamical properties
Authors: Fogarty Aoife C. , Potestio Raffaello , Kremer Kurt
Published: May 2015

A fully atomistic modelling of many biophysical and biochemical processes at biologically relevant length- and time scales is beyond our reach with current computational resources, and one approach to overcome this difficulty is the use of multiscale simulation techniques. In such simulations, when system properties necessitate a boundary between resolutions that falls within the solvent region, one can use an approach such as the Adaptive Resolution Scheme (AdResS), in which solvent particles change their resolution on the fly during the simulation. Here, we apply the existing AdResS methodology to biomolecular systems, simulating a fully atomistic protein with an atomistic hydration shell, solvated in a coarse-grained particle reservoir and heat bath. Using as a test case an aqueous solution of the regulatory protein ubiquitin, we first confirm the validity of the AdResS approach for such systems, via an examination of protein and solvent structural and dynamical properties. We then demonstrate how, in addition to providing a computational speedup, such a multiscale AdResS approach can yield otherwise inaccessible physical insights into biomolecular function. We use our methodology to show that protein structure and dynamics can still be correctly modelled using only a few shells of atomistic water molecules. We also discuss aspects of the AdResS methodology peculiar to biomolecular simulations.
Effect of heterostructure design on carrier injection and emission characteristics of 295 nm light emitting diodes
Authors: Mehnke Frank , Kuhn Christian , Stellmach Joachim , Kolbe Tim , Lobo-Ploch Neysha , Rass Jens , Rothe Mark-Antonius , Reich Christoph , Ledentsov Nikolay , Pristovsek Markus , Wernicke Tim , Kneissl Michael
Published: May 2015

The effects of the heterostructure design on the injection efficiency and external quantum efficiency of ultraviolet (UV)-B light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been investigated. It was found that the functionality of the AlxGa1−xN:Mg electron blocking layer is strongly influenced by its aluminum mole fraction x and its magnesium doping profile. By comparing LED electroluminescence, quantum well photoluminescence, and simulations of LED heterostructure, we were able to differentiate the contributions of injection efficiency and internal quantum efficiency to the external quantum efficiency of UV LEDs. For the optimized heterostructure using an Al0.7Ga0.3N:Mg electron blocking layer with a Mg to group III ratio of 4% in the gas phase the electron leakage currents are suppressed without blocking the injection of holes into the multiple quantum well active region. Flip chip mounted LED chips have been processed achieving a maximum output power of 3.5 mW at 290 mA and a peak external quantum efficiency of 0.54% at 30 mA.
Bright reddish-orange emission and good piezoelectric properties of Sm2O3-modified (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics
Authors: Hao Jigong , Xu Zhijun , Chu Ruiqing , Li Wei , Du Juan
Published: May 2015

Reddish orange-emitting 0.948(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-0.052LiSbO3-xmol%Sm2O3 (KNN-5.2LS-xSm2O3) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with good piezoelectric properties were fabricated in this study, and the photoluminescence and electrical properties of the ceramics were systematically studied. Results showed that Sm2O3 substitution into KNN-5.2LS induces a phase transition from the coexistence of orthorhombic and tetragonal phases to a pseudocubic phase and shifts the polymorphic phase transition (PPT) to below room temperature. The temperature stability and fatigue resistance of the modified ceramics were significantly improved by Sm2O3 substitution. The KNN-5.2LS ceramic with 0.4 mol. % Sm2O3 exhibited temperature-independent properties (25–150 °C), fatigue-free behavior (up to 106 cycles), and good piezoelectric properties (d33* = 230 pm/V, d33 = 176 pC/N, kp = 35%). Studies on the photoluminescence properties of the samples showed strong reddish-orange emission upon blue light excitation; these emission intensities were strongly dependent on the doping concentration and sintering temperature. The 0.4 mol. % Sm2O3-modified sample exhibited temperature responses over a wide temperature range of 10–443 K. The maximum sensing sensitivity of the sample was 7.5 × 10−4 K at 293 K, at which point PPT occurred. A relatively long decay lifetime τ of 1.27–1.40 ms and a large quantum yield η of 0.17–0.19 were obtained from the Sm-modified samples. These results suggest that the KNN-5.2LS-xSm2O3 system presents multifunctional properties and significant technological potential in novel multifunctional devices.
Non-Newtonian flow of an ultralow-melting chalcogenide liquid in strongly confined geometry
Authors: Wang Siyuan , Jain Chhavi , Wondraczek Lothar , Wondraczek Katrin , Kobelke Jens , Troles Johann , Caillaud Celine , Schmidt Markus A.
Published: May 2015

The flow of high-viscosity liquids inside micrometer-size holes can be substantially different from the flow in the bulk, non-confined state of the same liquid. Such non-Newtonian behavior can be employed to generate structural anisotropy in the frozen-in liquid, i.e., in the glassy state. Here, we report on the observation of non-Newtonian flow of an ultralow melting chalcogenide glass inside a silica microcapillary, leading to a strong deviation of the shear viscosity from its value in the bulk material. In particular, we experimentally show that the viscosity is radius-dependent, which is a clear indication that the microscopic rearrangement of the glass network needs to be considered if the lateral confinement falls below a certain limit. The experiments have been conducted using pressure-assisted melt filling, which provides access to the rheological properties of high-viscosity melt flow under previously inaccessible experimental conditions. The resulting flow-induced structural anisotropy can pave the way towards integration of anisotropic glasses inside hybrid photonic waveguides.
Don't mind the ‘funding gap’: what Dutch post crisis storytelling tells us about elite politics in financialized capitalism
Authors: Engelen Ewald
Published: May 2015

In this paper the lobbying efforts of the Dutch financial elite aimed at safeguarding the securitization of Dutch mortgages, which had become a crucial part of Dutch banking business models, is reconstructed, centred on the so-called Liquidity Coverage Ratio of the Basle Committee of Banking Supervision, which dates from January 2013. Section 2 traces the effects of these lobbying efforts. Section 3 describes the storyline used by the Dutch elite to distinguish Dutch securitization (‘good’) from its US counterpart (‘bad’). Section 4 contrasts this storyline with some ‘empirical irritants’ (‘ugly’) which raise broader questions about the role of securitization in the crisis, to lead, in section 5 to the straightforward question: who is telling this story and why? The concluding section draws lessons from this case about elite politics in financialized capitalism.
Virtual environments with soundscapes: a study on immersion and effects of spatial abilities
Authors: Chandrasekera Tilanka , Yoon So-Yeon , D'Souza Newton
Published: May 2015

In this study we explore how soundscapes can be used as navigational aids in virtual environments and empirically investigate the correlation between immersiveness in virtual environments and spatial abilities when soundscapes are used as landmarks for wayfinding. We attempt to advance knowledge regarding auditory cues contributing to enhanced immersive and navigational experience in virtual environments. Findings are likely to be utilized in effective design for physical environments and wayfinding.
Basic farmland zoning and protection under spatial constraints with a particle swarm optimisation multiobjective decision model: a case study of Yicheng, China
Authors: Zhang Ran , Li Jing , Du Qingyun , Ren Fu
Published: May 2015

The rapid development of the Chinese economy has led to an increasing fraction of agricultural land being converted to nonagricultural uses. The zoning and protection of farmland with the best agricultural quality (basic farmland) is extremely intensive and complicated work. In this paper we establish a remote sensing, geographic information system, and particle swarm optimisation (PSO) multiobjective decision model (MODM) to calculate the optimum solution for basic farmland protection. Furthermore, a new particle evolution rule combined with a genetic algorithm is introduced to improve the solution performance. The PSO-based zoning model is then utilised in the case study of Yicheng, Hubei Province, China, to demonstrate that our MODM framework excels in providing an optimum solution for balancing the three objectives of basic farmland zoning and protection: maximising farmland spatial compactness, maximising farmland soil fertility, and minimising transportation cost. In particular, the model compares alternative Pareto-optimal scenarios in which several objectives can be achieved without compromising the other objectives to obtain a real and practical blueprint for action. Our model enables urban planners to test and compare the different scenarios under various particle swarm conditions. In addition, the PSO-based zoning model constitutes a true guide for real-world planners, and this model can be extended to specify basic farmland protection optimisations in other regions of China.
Contradiction, intervention, and urban low carbon transitions
Authors: Broto Vanesa Castán
Published: May 2015

This paper presents an analysis of contradictions in urban low carbon transitions as engines of change. Following Kojève's reading of contradiction in Hegel's oeuvre, I argue that contradiction is a constitutive feature of low carbon interventions. This is an alternative to conventional readings of contradiction as a provisional encounter of opposites in which one will eventually cancel out the other. I unpack the concept of contra diction in three ways: first, by displaying a Hegelian-inspired understanding of contradiction in relation to change, time, and desire; second, by explaining how inherent contradictions can also be read in relation to the excesses that characterize the deployment of methods of calculation in low carbon interventions; and third, by situating these contradictions within the overall dynamics of carbon governance and purposive attempts to bring about a low carbon transition. The paper explores the practical implications of this analysis in a case of low carbon interventions in social housing in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The case study shows that, if contradictions are at the heart of low carbon interventions, contradiction analysis may provide a direction towards broader reconfigurations of social and technological practices and generate a desire to change.
Genetic parameters for liveweight, wool and worm resistance traits in multi-breed Australian meat sheep. 1. Description of traits, fixed effects, variance components and their ratios
Authors: Brown D. J. , Swan A. A. , Gill J. S. , Ball A. J. , Banks R. G.
Published: May 2015

Sheep breeders in Australia that focus on lamb production simultaneously breed sheep that have higher growth rate, improved carcass quality and are resistant to internal parasites. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for 11 traits recorded in Australian meat sheep, covering liveweight, carcass and internal parasite resistance traits. As the population of meat sheep in this database have become increasingly crossbred this study also investigates the genetic variation within and between breeds. The data comprised 1 046 298 animals from 149 Poll Dorset, 17 Suffolk, 24 Texel and 118 White Suffolk flocks. The results are averages of analyses of 10 datasets constructed by randomly sampling 25% of these flocks. There was considerable genetic variation in all traits analysed: the lowest heritabilities (0.12) were found for weaning weight and the highest heritabilities (0.31–0.32) for eye muscle depth. There were also significant differences between breeds for most traits, which breeders appear to be utilising through crossbreeding. Direct heterosis effects were small and only significant for the liveweight traits ranging from 2% to 3.4% of the phenotypic means. Maternal heterosis was not significant for any trait studied. The inclusion of heterosis effects in the model did not significantly influence the estimated genetic parameters. The results from this study have been used to review the genetic parameters used in the LAMBPLAN routine genetic evaluations conducted by Sheep Genetics.
Genetic parameters for liveweight, wool and worm resistance traits in multi-breed Australian meat sheep. 2. Genetic relationships between traits
Authors: Brown D. J. , Swan A. A.
Published: May 2015

Australian sheep breeders aim to simultaneously breed sheep that have high growth rate, superior carcass quality and are resistant to internal parasites. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic and phenotypic relationships between 11 traits recorded in Australian meat sheep, covering liveweight, carcass and internal parasite resistance traits. The data comprised 1 046 298 animals from 149 Poll Dorset, 17 Suffolk, 24 Texel and 118 White Suffolk flocks. Within all trait groups, the different age expressions were moderately to highly correlated. The genetic correlations between liveweight with both fat and eye muscle depth were generally negative ranging between –0.10 and –0.42. Fat and eye muscle depth were moderately correlated (0.27–0.59). Results indicate that selection for an increase in liveweight will have a negative effect on fat and eye muscle depth. The negative correlations of ultrasound scan traits and worm egg count indicates that animals with high genetic merit for fat and eye muscle depth are less prone to infection from internal parasites. The results from this study have been used to review the genetic correlations used in the LAMBPLAN routine genetic evaluations conducted by Sheep Genetics.
Crude protein requirements of free-range laying hens
Authors: Brainer Mônica Maria de Almeida , Rabello Carlos Bôa-Viagem , Batista dos Santos Marcos José , Ludke Jorge Vitor , Lopes Claudia da Costa , Leite de Medeiros Waleska Rocha , Costa Fernando Guilherme Perazzo
Published: May 2015

The goal of this study was to estimate the crude protein (CP) requirement for the maintenance, weight gain and egg production of free-range hens, and produce a predictive protein requirement equation. A linear regression equation of the nitrogen that was retained in the body relative to the production of eggs as a function of different nitrogen intake levels (ad libitum, 80%, 60% and 40% of the original ad libitum intake) provided the nitrogen requirement for maintenance. This relationship was determined at the x-axis intercept, and the efficiency of dietary nitrogen utilisation was expressed by the regression coefficient. The CP requirement for weight gain was estimated as a function of the nitrogen content in the carcass, and the dietary nitrogen utilisation efficiency was found after each week’s slaughter. The CP requirement for egg production was determined by comparing egg protein concentrations with the efficiency of egg protein deposition. The requirements and efficiency of maintenance protein utilisation were 4.7 g CP/kg0.75.day and 56%, respectively. Because there were no changes in the live bodyweights and nitrogen contents of bird carcasses, the CP requirement and efficiency value for weight gain were not estimated. The protein requirement and utilisation efficiency for egg production were 0.18 g CP/g egg mass (EM) produced and 62%, respectively. From the requirements that were estimated in the present study, the following equation can be used to predict the protein requirements of free-range hens during the laying phase: CP = 4.7 × W0.75 + 0.18 × EM (g/bird.day).
Trolox enhances follicular survival after ovarian tissue autograft in squirrel monkey (Saimiri collinsi)
Authors: Scalercio Sarah R. , Amorim Christiani A. , Brito Danielle C. , Percário Sandro , Oskam Irma C. , Domingues Sheyla F. S. , Santos Regiane R.
Published: May 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate ovarian tissue pre-treatment with 50 µM Trolox followed by heterotopic transplantation in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri collinsi) and to assess tissue functionality via immunohistochemical analysis of the stroma and ovarian follicles. Five healthy and sexually mature squirrel monkey (Saimiri collinsi) females were used. Heterotopic autografting of fresh ovarian tissue with or without previous exposure to the antioxidant Trolox was performed and grafts were recovered for analysis 7 days later. Tissue vascularisation was confirmed by both macroscopic inspection and cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) staining. Trolox prevented massive follicular activation and kept the percentages of morphologically normal follicles higher than in untreated grafts. Expression of anti-Müllerian hormone in developing follicles was observed only in controls and Trolox-treated grafts. Also, immunostaining for growth differentiation factor-9 was positive only in primordial follicles from controls and from Trolox-treated grafts. Although Trolox improved follicular quality and avoided apoptosis in stromal cells, ovarian tissue fibrosis was increased in Trolox-treated grafts, mainly due to an increase in collagen Type I synthesis.
Introduction
Authors: Grano Thomas
Published: May 2015

This introductory chapter has four primary aims. First, it introduces control and restructuring as the book’s two central topics, and it articulates the book’s central thesis: restructuring, in virtue of its co-occurrence with some control predicates but not others, evidences a basic division within the class of complement control structures, the division being keyed to how the semantics of the control predicate interacts with general principles of clausal architecture and of the syntax—semantics interface. Second, it previews the major empirical and theoretical themes of the book that are involved in substantiating this thesis. Third, it briefly summarizes each of the remaining chapters. Fourth and finally, it delimits the scope of the book by situating complement control within a broader typology of phenomena wherein subjects go missing.
Control and restructuring in Mandarin Chinese
Authors: Grano Thomas
Published: May 2015

The functional restructuring approach to exhaustive control is extended in this chapter to Mandarin Chinese. The chapter argues that in Mandarin, exhaustive control predicates instantiate monoclausal configurations whereas partial control predicates instantiate biclausal configurations. In so doing, the chapter also weighs in on ongoing debate over whether Mandarin has a covert finite/nonfinite distinction. It argues for the negative view: syntactic contrasts which in previous literature have been taken as evidence for a finite/nonfinite split are shown to be more parsimoniously explained by instead appealing to a monoclausal/biclausal split. Phenomena discussed in motivating these proposals include the distribution of overt embedded subjects, the distribution of overt embedded modals and aspectual morphemes, polarity licensing, and focus movement.
Conclusion
Authors: Grano Thomas
Published: May 2015

The concluding chapter distills the book’s content into five central themes. The first is empirical: complement control splits into two classes, as evidenced by how a number of properties cluster. The second is syntactic: the aforementioned split follows from the proposal that some control configurations are monoclausal raising structures whereas others are biclausal PRO-control structures. The third is semantic: in the monoclausal class, a raising syntax can be reconciled with a control semantics via the proposal that control predicates in this class incorporate an obligatorily bound variable. The fourth theme lies at the syntax–semantics interface: the split in control structures is keyed to how the meanings of the embedding predicates interact with general principles of clausal architecture. Finally, the fifth theme is cross-linguistic: English, Mandarin Chinese, and modern Greek behave similarly despite superficial differences in how their grammars treat complement clauses, thereby supporting the cross-linguistic robustness of the book’s proposals.
The History of International Legal Scholarship in Russia
Authors: Mälksoo Lauri
Published: May 2015

This chapter discusses Russia’s encounter with Europe in the history of international law and demonstrates, by discussing ideas of leading Russian international law scholars such as Martens, Taube, Kozhevnikov and Hrabar and other thinkers such as Danilevsky, the tension between pro-European Westernizers and the nativist (Slavophile, Eurasianist) school of thought. Russia’s relatively late arrival in ius publicum europaeum is discussed as well as how this arrival was part of the country’s Europeanizing project. The Soviet period is interpreted as reaction to this forced Europeanization, also with its strong claims to regionalism in the context of international law. Issues in contemporary history writing are touched upon such as the question whether modern international law began in 1648, and whether Muscovy had any role in the Peace of Westphalia. The constraints that international law scholars historically faced in Russia are also discussed.
Theory of International Law in Contemporary Russia
Authors: Mälksoo Lauri
Published: May 2015

The chapter discusses and ‘translates’ main debates in the post-Soviet Russian theory of international law, such as the question whether individuals and transnational companies can be subjects of international law, what is the relationship between international and Russia’s domestic law, and what is the relationship between public and private international law. Further it is discussed how the predominance of the statist (etatist) school of thought is reflected in the discussion of concrete issues of international law such as sovereignty, right of peoples to self-determination, use of military force, human rights, and international economic law. The conclusion is that Russian theory of international law tends to have different accents and positions than what have become mainstream in the post-World War II ‘liberal’ West.
I Clowns
Authors: Gunderson Erik
Published: May 2015

This chapter discusses the difficulty of approaching comedy. It opens with a reading of Fellini’s I Clowns as a theoretical and practical model for making such an approach. One needs to get past functionalists’ descriptions of comedy: ‘X was said because X is funny.’ Reading comedy is difficult, because scholars are reluctant to consider their own complicity with the mechanism humour. An outline of Lacan’s ‘four discourses’ helps to explicate the intersection between subjective orientations and hermeneutic commitments.
Introduction
Authors: Dembour Marie-Bénédicte
Published: May 2015

This introductory chapter sets out the book’s purpose, which is to demonstrate that it has always been, and continues to be, extremely difficult for migrants to get violations of their human rights recognised and denounced by the European Court of Human Rights. The book also shows that another regional human rights court, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, seems far more inclined to push for the recognition of migrants’ rights. The chapter then explains the contrast between the two courts and discusses the bias of the European Court towards the State. This is followed by a description of the book’s organization and structure.
Rejecting the Legacy of Empire: Postcolonial Dereliction
Authors: Dembour Marie-Bénédicte
Published: May 2015

This chapter examines the first migrant case which achieved notoriety in European human rights law. The case dealt with the legislation hastily passed by the British Government in 1968 in order to deprive Asian holders of British passports, then being expelled from East Africa, of their right of abode. The Commission concluded that the UK had acted out of racism, in a manner which contravened Article 3 ECHR which prohibits inhuman and degrading treatment. The chapter notes the difficulty which the drafters of the Convention met in seeking to proclaim human rights in a context which remained colonial, and discusses the links between (post)colonialism, immigration patterns, and the limits of human rights.
Not-so-Threatening Foreigners: Nationality as a Core Human Rights Issue
Authors: Dembour Marie-Bénédicte
Published: May 2015

This chapter considers the first ruling of the Inter-American Court on a migrant issue. This ruling, adopted under the advisory jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court in 1984, concerned conditions of access to nationality through naturalisation in Costa Rica. The Costa Rican case is used to determine how the Strasbourg Court has approached cases which bring out nationality issues. It also sketches important differences in the composition of the European and Inter-American Courts.
Social Protection? All are Equal, But Some More So than Others
Authors: Dembour Marie-Bénédicte
Published: May 2015

This chapter first revisits Gaygusuz v. Austria, a 1996 Chamber judgment, which became celebrated for having entrenched the principle of equality between legally settled migrants and nationals in the field of social security. It then offers a critical analysis of a series of individual cases which, each in their own way, raised questions about how the Strasbourg Court either approached or ignored discrimination complaints made by migrants. These include Timishev v. Russia, Moser v. Austria, Anakomba Yula v. Belgium, Ponomaryovi v. Bulgaria, and Bah v. the United Kingdom. The chapter concludes by expressing regret in the way in which the Court tends to downplay the difficulties migrants encounter.
Reparations are a Big Issue: Taking Human Rights One Step Further
Authors: Dembour Marie-Bénédicte
Published: May 2015

This chapter reviews the judgment of 2005 in the contentious case of Yean and Bosico v. the Dominican Republic, which turned around the refusal by the authorities of the defendant State to register the birth of victims, thus denying them automatic access to nationality and other rights. It demonstrates the comparatively more restrictive approach of the European Court towards migrants’ rights through a discussion of procedural mechanisms, including the conclusion of friendly settlements, the ordering of reparation measures, and the supervision of the execution of judgments.
On the Road to Substantive Equality: Due Process and Non-discrimination at San José
Authors: Dembour Marie-Bénédicte
Published: May 2015

This chapter reviews recent Inter-American migration case law. It discusses the judgments of Nadege Dorzema et al. v. Dominican Republic and Pacheco Tineo v. Bolivia in order to examine where the Inter-American Court is heading in its migration case law. In particular, it focuses on the roads that the Court is navigating in order to ensure that migrants are treated equally and that they benefit from due process guarantees.
Conclusion: The Way Forward
Authors: Dembour Marie-Bénédicte
Published: May 2015

This chapter presents some final thoughts. It considers whether a convergence between the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights is likely to take place in the near future. On the one hand, in a general political context in Europe which continues to be hostile to migrants, it is difficult to believe that the emergence of M.S.S. and other judgments resolutely favourable to migrants’ rights can be taken to signal a determined shift in the Strasbourg mainstream. On the other hand, one would hope that the principles of the pro-homine approach are sufficiently well established in the Inter-American case law to prevent the Inter-American Court from suddenly veering towards a position which would be strikingly less protective of migrants’ rights. The chapter also provides concrete suggestions that Strasbourg should harness the potential which lies dormant within Articles 3, 6, and 14 ECHR. The chapter concludes with the thought that the right to act humanely should top any human rights list.
Semiconductor Materials and Nanostructures
Authors: Toropov Alexey A. , Shubina Tatiana V.
Published: May 2015

This chapter introduces the physics of semiconductor heterostructures and nanostructures. The electronic and optical properties of the most common III–V and II–VI binary semiconductor compounds and their alloys are presented and discussed. The concept of pseudomorphic heterostructures comprising strained layers of these materials is introduced and the basic effects of spatial confinement are considered, focusing on two-dimensional structures (quantum wells) and zero-dimensional structures (quantum dots). In both cases the electron spectra and optical transitions are defined in the framework of a multiband envelope function approximation. Excitonic fine structure is represented both in quantum wells and quantum dots in terms of the symmetry reduction induced by the carrier confining potential. The relationships presented in the chapter allow one to predict the energy and strength of optical transitions, depending on sizes and shapes of semiconductor nanostructures; they can be used to justify the choice of particular nanostructures for the purposes of plasmonics.
Light–Matter Interaction in Metal–Semiconductor Structures
Authors: Toropov Alexey A. , Shubina Tatiana V.
Published: May 2015

This chapter is concerned with a description of the main electromagnetic effects causing enhancement of optical absorption and optical emission in metal–semiconductor nanostructures. To this end, the chapter considers a pure electromagnetic mechanism, which relies on plasmon-induced enhancement of both local optical field intensity and density of photonic modes in the vicinity of a metal object. Relevant concepts are introduced and practical calculations of the electromagnetic enhancement in simplified model structures are presented. In particular, the classical electromagnetic problems are treated analytically for a plane metal–semiconductor interface and a metal sphere embedded into a semiconductor medium. The quasi-static approximation is employed to highlight the effects of the shape of the metallic object. The presented plots and diagrams, calculated within the analytical models, can be used to estimate the enhancement in real metal–semiconductor structures.