bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical protection of soil carbon in macroaggregates does not reduce the temperature dependence of soil CO2 emissions
Authors: Chevallier Tiphaine , Hmaidi Kaouther , Kouakoua Ernest , Bernoux Martial , Gallali Tahar , Toucet Joële , Jolivet Claudy , Deleporte Philippe , Barthès Bernard G.
Published: May 2015

In a warmer world, soil CO2 emissions are likely to increase. There is still much discussion about which soil organic C (SOC) pools are more sensitive to increasing temperatures. While the temperature sensitivity of C stabilized by biochemical recalcitrance or by sorption to mineral surfaces has been characterized, few studies have been carried out on the temperature sensitivity—expressed as Q10—of C physically protected inside soil macroaggregates (0.2–2 mm). It has been suggested that increasing the availability of labile SOC by exposing C through macroaggregate crushing would decrease Q10, i.e., the temperature dependence of soil CO2 emissions. To test this hypothesis, the temperature dependence of CO2 emissions from C physically protected in macroaggregates was measured through 21‐d laboratory incubations of crushed and uncrushed soils, at 18°C and 28°C. 199 topsoil samples, acidic or calcareous, with SOC ranging from 2 to 121 g kg−1 soil were investigated. The CO2 emissions were slightly more sensible to temperature than to C deprotection: about 0.3 mg C g−1 soil (= 13 mg C g−1 SOC) and 0.2 mg C g−1 (= 12 mg C g−1 SOC) were additionally mineralized, in average, by increasing the temperature or by disrupting the soil structure, respectively. The mean Q10 index ratio of CO2 emitted at 28°C and 18°C was similar for crushed and uncrushed soil samples and equaled 1.6. This was partly explained because Q10 of macro‐aggregate‐protected C was 1. The results did not support the initial hypothesis of lower temperature dependence of soil CO2 emissions after macroaggregate disruption, although a slight decrease of Q10 was noticeable after crushing for soils with high amounts of macroaggregate‐protected C. Field research is now needed to confirm that soil tillage might have no effect on the temperature sensitivity of SOC stocks.
Discrimination of Semen cassiae from two related species based on the multivariate analysis of high‐performance liquid chromatography fingerprints
Authors: Tang Liying , Wu Hongwei , Zhou Xidan , Xu Yilong , Zhou Guohong , Wang Ting , Kou Zhenzhen , Wang Zhuju
Published: May 2015

A simple and efficient high‐performance liquid chromatography fingerprint method was developed to discriminate Semen cassiae from two related species: Cassia obtusifolia L. (CO) and Cassia tora L. (CT), the seeds of which are abbreviated as COS and CTS, respectively. 22 major bioactive ingredients in 42 samples (20 COS and 22 CTS) collected from different provinces of China were identified. The statistical methods included similarity analysis and partial least‐squares discriminant analysis. The pattern analysis method was specific and could be readily used for the comprehensive evaluation of Semen cassiae samples. Therefore, high‐performance liquid chromatography fingerprint in combination with pattern analysis provided a simple and reliable method for discriminating between COS and CTS.
Fire‐Free Fallow Management by Mechanized Chopping of Biomass for Sustainable Agriculture in Eastern Amazon: Effects on Soil Compactness, Porosity, and Water Retention and Availability
Authors: Reichert José Miguel , Rodrigues Miriam Fernanda , Bervald Clóvis Moisés Priebe , Kato Osvaldo Ryohei
Published: May 2015

Many Amazon soils are naturally fragile and develop under intense rainfall and high temperature climate. Soil structural quality is improvable through vegetation management systems providing abundant soil mulch and little soil disturbance. We tested the effect of the chopping‐and‐mulching systems of secondary forest‐vegetation on selected soil physical properties of a sandy Oxisol, located in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. The treatments consisted of two fallow forest‐vegetation, namely, chop‐and‐mulch of secondary vegetation with a dual vertical‐rotor chopper (VC) and with a horizontal‐rotor chopper (HC) and a control composed of standing secondary forest‐vegetation (SF). Six months after vegetation chopping, we evaluated soil bulk density (BD), degree‐of‐compactness (DC), pore‐size distribution and soil hydraulic properties. Compared with SF, the VC and HC systems did not affect soil BD in surface layer (0·00–0·05 m) but increased BD in subsurface layers. DC in surface layer are below the range of the optimum values for most crops (77%–88%), while for other layers DC was within this optimum range. High macroporosity and sandy granulometry were responsible for high drainable water from soil saturation until field capacity, down to 0·20 m depth in all systems. Pore‐size distribution was influenced by vegetation chopping with increase in smaller pores. These pores represent a small percentage of total porosity and contribute more to water retention and availability. Chopping by VC and HC mechanisms was effective in maintaining soil physical quality, characterized by lower soil bulk density, higher porosity and water retention, build up during growth of secondary vegetation in fallow period between cash crops. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Click Functionalization of Aromatic Polymers for Organic Electronic Device Applications
Authors: Michinobu Tsuyoshi
Published: May 2015

The [2 + 2] cycloaddition–retroelectrocyclization between electron‐rich alkynes and tetracyanoethylene (TCNE)/7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), yielding the tetracyanated donor–acceptor (D–A) chromophores, is a new class of click chemistry reactions, due to the high efficiencies, no byproducts, and applicability to polymer syntheses. As compared to the conventional click reactions represented by the Cu(I)‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), these new click reactions provide fascinating optoelectronic properties originating from the D–A chromophore structures formed. A series of π‐conjugated aromatic polymers containing electron‐rich alkynes were successfully functionalized by these click reactions, producing novel organic or organometallic materials featuring conducting and photovoltaic properties in thin film electronic devices. This review article describes the recent results of the author's research group. The power of click chemistry is highlighted by the polymer synthesis using CuAAC. This is followed by the alkyne–TCNE/TCNQ postfunctionalization to produce high‐performance aromatic polymers for use as active components in organic electronic devices, such as thin film transistors, organic solar cells and polymer memory devices.

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Quantum Mechanical Computations and Microkinetic Modeling to Obtain Mechanism and Kinetics of Oxidative Degradation of a Polyimide
Authors: Kunnikuruvan Sooraj , Parandekar Priya V. , Prakash Om , Tsotsis Thomas K. , Basu Sumit , Nair Nisanth N.
Published: May 2015

Improving the high‐temperature long‐term thermo‐oxidative stability of high‐performance polymers is crucial for their applications in aerospace industry. For designing novel polymers with improved oxidative stability, it is vital to identify the most reactive moiety of the polyimide toward oxidation and understand the mechanism of oxidation. Quantum chemical calculations and microkinetic analysis have been carried out here to obtain the molecular level details of the oxidative degradation of a commercially important polyimide, PMR‐15, at high temperatures. This study identifies the most vulnerable moiety of PMR‐15 toward oxidation. Moreover, the rate‐determining step in the oxidative degradation is also scrutinized. Mechanistic understanding of the reaction leads us to propose new modifications of PMR‐15 with a better thermo‐oxidative stability.
α‐Tocopherol long‐chain metabolite α‐13’‐COOH affects the inflammatory response of lipopolysaccharide‐activated murine RAW264.7 macrophages
Authors: Wallert Maria , Schmölz Lisa , Koeberle Andreas , Krauth Verena , Glei Michael , Galli Francesco , Werz Oliver , Birringer Marc , Lorkowski Stefan
Published: May 2015

Scope

Inflammatory response of macrophages is regulated by vitamin E forms. The long‐chain metabolite α‐13′‐carboxychromanol (α‐13′‐COOH) is formed by hepatic α‐tocopherol (α‐TOH) catabolism and acts as a regulatory metabolite via pathways that are different from its metabolic precursor.

Methods and results

Using semisynthetically‐derived α‐13′‐COOH we profiled its action on LPS‐induced expression of pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory genes using RT‐qPCR and of key proteins by Western blotting. Effects on inflammatory response were assessed by measuring production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin (PG) E2, PGD2, and PGF2α. α‐13′‐COOH inhibits proinflammatory pathways in LPS‐stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages more efficiently than α‐TOH. Profiling inflammation‐related genes showed significant blocking of interleukin (Il)1β by the metabolite and its precursor as well, while upregulation of Il6 was not impaired. However, induction of Il10, cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNos) by LPS and consequently the formation of nitric oxide and PG was significantly reduced by α‐13′‐COOH. Interestingly, α‐13′‐COOH acted independently from translocation of NFκB subunit p65.

Conclusion

Our study sheds new light on the mode of action of α‐TOH on the inflammatory response in macrophages, which may be mediated in vivo at least in part by its metabolite α‐13′‐COOH. Our data show that α‐13′‐COOH is a potent anti‐inflammatory molecule.
Protocatechuic acid activates key components of insulin signaling pathway mimicking insulin activity
Authors: Scazzocchio Beatrice , Varì Rosaria , Filesi Carmelina , Del Gaudio Ilaria , D'Archivio Massimo , Santangelo Carmela , Iacovelli Annunziata , Galvano Fabio , Pluchinotta Francesca Romana , Giovannini Claudio , Masella Roberta
Published: May 2015

Scope

Insulin resistance represents an independent risk factor for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Researchers have been interested in identifying active harmless compounds, as many insulin‐sensitizing drugs have shown unwanted side‐effects. It has been demonstrated that anthocyanins and one of their representative metabolites, protocatechuic acid (PCA), ameliorate hyperglycemia, and insulin sensitivity. This study investigated the mechanism of action of PCA responsible for the glucose uptake upregulation.

Methods and results

In human visceral adipocytes, PCA stimulated insulin receptor substrate‐1 (IRS‐1) tyrosine phosphorylation (+40% with respect to untreated cells) and the downstream events, i.e. phosphoinositide 3‐kinase binding to IRS‐1 and Akt phosphorylation (+100%, +180%, respectively, with respect to untreated cells). The insulin‐like activity of PCA seemed to be mediated by insulin receptor since by inhibiting its autophosphorylation, the PCA effects were completely abolished. Furthermore, PCA was able to activate adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase, a serine/threonine kinase whose activation elicits insulin‐sensitizing effects.

Conclusion

This study showed that PCA stimulates the insulin signaling pathway in human adipocytes increasing GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake. Decreasing insulin resistance is a most desirable aim to be reached for an effective therapeutic/preventive action against metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Identifying specific food/food components able to improve glucose metabolism can offer an attractive, novel, and economical strategy.
Dieckol, a major phlorotannin in Ecklonia cava, suppresses lipid accumulation in the adipocytes of high‐fat diet‐fed zebrafish and mice: Inhibition of early adipogenesis via cell‐cycle arrest and AMPKα activation
Authors: Choi Hyeon‐Son , Jeon Hui‐Jeon , Lee Ok‐Hwan , Lee Boo‐Yong
Published: May 2015

Scope

Dieckol is a major polyphenol of Ecklonia cava. This study demonstrates a mechanistic role for dieckol in the suppression of lipid accumulation using three models.

Methods and results

Mice were split into four experimental groups (n = 10 per group): normal diet, high‐fat diet (HFD), and dieckol‐supplemented diets. Dieckol‐supplemented mice groups showed a significant decrease of body weight gain (38%) as well as fats of organs including epididymal (45%) compared with a HFD‐fed group. LDL cholesterol level was reduced by 55% in dieckol‐supplemented group. Adipogenic factors and lipid synthetic enzymes were analyzed via real‐time PCR or immunoblotting. Dieckol regulated mRNA expressions of early adipogenic genes in 3T3‐L1 cells. These results were reflected in downregulation of late adipogenic factors, resulting in a decrease in triacylglycerol content. These data were also verified in zebrafish and mouse models. Dieckol activated AMP‐activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) signaling to inhibit lipid synthesis in 3T3‐L1 and mouse model. Dieckol was also shown to inhibit mitotic clonal expansion via cell‐cycle arrest.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate that dieckol inhibits lipid accumulation via activation of AMPKα signaling and cell‐cycle arrest.
Childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality features: The role of anxiety sensitivity among adolescents
Authors: Bounoua Nadia , Felton Julia F. , Long Katie , Stadnik Ryan D. , Loya Jennifer M. , MacPherson Laura , Lejuez Carl W.
Published: May 2015

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a pervasive personality disorder that poses a burden for affected individuals, their family members and society as a whole. Current research suggests that early childhood abuse, including emotional abuse, may be an important predictor of later BPD symptomology. Further, an emerging body of literature suggests that anxiety sensitivity (AS) may serve as a form of emotional vulnerability and be a key variable in the relation between abuse and the development of BPD symptomatology. This literature has relied on retrospective recall of abuse and AS in adult samples. As a result, there is a dearth of literature examining these variables in adolescence, which is a developmental period in which personality traits begin to emerge. This study explored the impact of AS in the development of BPD symptoms in a group of 277 adolescents. Results suggest a significant indirect effect of emotional abuse on BPD symptoms via AS, after controlling for sex, grade and prior levels of AS (indirect effect = 0.04, standard error (SE) = 0.02 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.001–0.070)). These findings suggest that, among adolescents, AS may serve as an important contributor to the development of BPD symptoms. Implications for interventions and future research are further discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bismuth‐doped Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber prepared by multi‐layer precursor method and its solar cell
Authors: Chantana Jakapan , Hironiwa Daisuke , Watanabe Taichi , Teraji Seiki , Kawamura Kazunori , Minemoto Takashi
Published: May 2015

Bismuth (Bi)‐doped Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) films were prepared by the so‐called “multi‐layer precursor method”, obtained by depositing them onto Bi layers with various thicknesses on Mo‐coated soda‐lime glass (SLG) substrates. Material composition (Cu, In, Ga, and Se) profiles of the CIGS films are almost identical, whereas sodium (Na) is reduced, when Bi thickness is increased. Moreover, the incorporation of Bi into the CIGS film is enhanced with thicker Bi layer. With Bi thickness from 0 to 70 nm, the 2.4‐μm‐thick CIGS absorbers demonstrate the increase in CIGS grain size, carrier lifetime, and carrier concentration, thus improving their cell performances, especially open‐circuit voltage (VOC). With further increase in Bi thickness of above 70 nm, the CIGS films show the deterioration of CIGS film quality owing to the formation of Bi compounds such as Bi, BiSe, and Bi4Se3. Consequently, Bi‐doped CIGS absorber with thickness of 2.4 μm, prepared with the 70‐nm‐thick Bi layer on Mo‐coated SLG substrate, gives rise to the improvement of photovoltaic performances, especially VOC. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
In vivo Antimalarial Activity of α‐Mangostin and the New Xanthone δ‐Mangostin
Authors: Upegui Yulieth , Robledo Sara M. , Gil Romero Juan Fernando , Quiñones Winston , Archbold Rosendo , Torres Fernando , Escobar Gustavo , Nariño Bibiana , Echeverri Fernando
Published: May 2015

Based on the previously reported in vitro antiplasmodial activity of several xanthones from Garcinia mangostana, two xanthones, α‐mangostin and a new compound, δ‐mangostin, were isolated from mangosteen husk, and the in vitro antiplasmodial and cytotoxic effects were determined. α‐Mangostin was more active against the resistant Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine‐resistant (FCR3) strain (IC50 = 0.2 ± 0.01 μM) than δ‐mangostin (IC50 = 121.2 ± 1.0 μM). Furthermore, the therapeutic response according to the administration route was evaluated in a Plasmodium berghei malarial murine model. The greatest therapeutic response was obtained with intraperitoneal administration; these xanthones reduced parasitemia by approximately 80% with a daily dose of 100 mg/kg administered twice a day for 7 days of treatment. Neither compound was effective by oral administration. Noticeable toxicological effects were not observed. In addition to the antimalarial effect of these xanthones isolated from G. mangostana husk, the availability of larger amounts of husk raw material to purify the bioactive xanthones is advantageous, permitting additional preclinical assays or chemical transformations to enhance the biological activity of these substances. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptive tracking control for a class of uncertain pure‐feedback systems
Authors: Liu Yong‐Hua
Published: May 2015

This paper concerns the global output tracking for uncertain pure‐feedback systems. By adding an integrator, the original systems with nonaffine‐in‐control are transformed into the augmented affine‐in‐control systems. Through a novel change of coordinates, an adaptive control scheme is proposed via backstepping approach, which eliminates the need of overparametrization. It is proven that the proposed control scheme is sufficient to ensure the global asymptotic tracking, as well as the boundedness of all the closed‐loop signals. An illustrative example is provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Security–quality aware routing for wireless multimedia sensor networks using secret sharing
Authors: Rashwan Abdelnaser , Wang Honggang , Wu Dalei , Huang Xinming
Published: May 2015

Security and video quality are progressively significant attributes for wireless multimedia sensor networks. Most of existing research considers security and video quality separately. However, it is crucial to integrate security and video quality together for video transmission because delivering video data across a secure path does not often meet video quality requirements in many traditional approaches. Applying the general concept of secret sharing algorithm on a data packet and delivering it through disjoint multipaths can be considered to deliver the data securely. However, using the general concept of secret sharing is not efficient when large‐size video data are routed. To tackle these issues, we propose a novel security and quality aware routing (SQAR) protocol to address these two issues concurrently. We jointly consider security and video quality in wireless multimedia networks by proposing a video distortion model based on a new secret image sharing scheme. In SQAR, a secret image sharing is only applied on the intra‐frames of the video codec H.264 and can significantly reduce the transmission overheads. Simulation results show that SQAR scheme can achieve better trade‐off between the security and quality over the traditional routing protocols. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ctbp2 Modulates NuRD-Mediated Deacetylation of H3K27 and Facilitates PRC2-Mediated H3K27me3 in Active Embryonic Stem Cell Genes During Exit from Pluripotency
Authors: Kim Tae Wan , Kang Byung-Hee , Jang Hyonchol , Kwak Sojung , Shin Jihoon , Kim Hyunsoo , Lee Sang-Eun , Lee Soon-Min , Lee Jong-Hyuk , Kim Jae-Hwan , Kim Seon-Young , Cho Eun-Jung , Kim Ju Han , Park Keun Soo , Che Jeong-Hwan , Han Dong Wook , Kang Min Jueng , Yi Eugene C. , Youn Hong-Duk
Published: May 2015

For cells to exit from pluripotency and commit to a lineage, the circuitry of a core transcription factor (CTF) network must be extinguished in an orderly manner through epigenetic modifications. However, how this choreographed epigenetic remodeling at active embryonic stem cell (ESC) genes occurs during differentiation is poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that C-terminal binding protein 2 (Ctbp2) regulates nucleosome remodeling and deacetylation (NuRD)-mediated deacetylation of H3K27 and facilitates recruitment of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)-mediated H3K27me3 in active ESC genes for exit from pluripotency during differentiation. By genomewide analysis, we found that Ctbp2 resides in active ESC genes and co-occupies regions with ESC CTFs in undifferentiated ESCs. Furthermore, ablation of Ctbp2 effects inappropriate gene silencing in ESCs by sustaining high levels of H3K27ac and impeding H3K27me3 in active ESC genes, thereby sustaining ESC maintenance during differentiation. Thus, Ctbp2 preoccupies regions in active genes with the NuRD complex in undifferentiated ESCs that are directed toward H3K27me3 by PRC2 to induce stable silencing, which is pivotal for natural lineage commitment. Stem Cells  2015;33:2442–2455
How (and why) do quality improvement professionals measure performance?
Authors: Lighter Donald E.
Published: May 2015

The era of value-based care has engulfed healthcare delivery systems around the world. Pediatricians are especially challenged by constrained resources for providing care to our vulnerable population, and methods for achieving value for children through improved quality and reduced cost of care are crucial for success. This paper examines the use of mea-sures to determine the two components of the value proposition: quality and cost. The impli-cations for adopting Lean Six Sigma as an improvement paradigm are reviewed, and the case for using these concepts is detailed with examples of measures used in health systems in the United States and several other countries.
Chronological History of the West Indies
Authors: Southey Thomas
Published: May 2015

Thomas Southey (1777–1838) joined the navy at the age of twelve, saw action during the French Revolutionary Wars, and was first posted to the West Indies in early 1804. Promoted to captain in 1811 and later employed as a customs officer, he died on the voyage home from his last posting in Demerara. His only book, published in 1827, is dedicated to his older brother, Robert, a Romantic poet, who also wrote on historical subjects (his books on Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, and Brazil are also available in the Cambridge Library Collection). Thomas's three-volume work draws on extensive reading, with substantial passages quoted verbatim from his sources. He concludes that the history of the West Indies presents 'little more than a melancholy series of calamities and crimes', but commends the British government's efforts to put an end to slavery. Volume 2 covers the period from 1655 to 1783.
Gauge/Gravity Duality
Authors: Ammon Martin , Erdmenger Johanna
Published: May 2015

Gauge/gravity duality creates new links between quantum theory and gravity. It has led to new concepts in mathematics and physics, and provides new tools to solve problems in many areas of theoretical physics. This book is the first textbook on this important topic, enabling graduate students and researchers in string theory and particle, nuclear and condensed matter physics to get acquainted with the subject. Focusing on the fundamental aspects as well as on the applications, this textbook guides readers through a thorough explanation of the central concepts of gauge/gravity duality. For the AdS/CFT correspondence, it explains in detail how string theory provides the conjectured map. Generalisations to less symmetric cases of gauge/gravity duality and their applications are then presented, in particular to finite temperature and density, hydrodynamics, QCD-like theories, the quark-gluon plasma and condensed matter systems. The textbook features a large number of exercises, with solutions available online at www.cambridge.org/9781107010345.
Pure Inductive Logic
Authors: Paris Jeffrey , Vencovská Alena
Published: May 2015

Pure inductive logic is the study of rational probability treated as a branch of mathematical logic. This monograph, the first devoted to this approach, brings together the key results from the past seventy years plus the main contributions of the authors and their collaborators over the last decade to present a comprehensive account of the discipline within a single unified context. The exposition is structured around the traditional bases of rationality, such as avoiding Dutch Books, respecting symmetry and ignoring irrelevant information. The authors uncover further rationality concepts, both in the unary and in the newly emerging polyadic languages, such as conformity, spectrum exchangeability, similarity and language invariance. For logicians with a mathematical grounding, this book provides a complete self-contained course on the subject, taking the reader from the basics up to the most recent developments. It is also a useful reference for a wider audience from philosophy and computer science.
The City of the Sultan, and Domestic Manners of the Turks, in 1836
Authors: Pardoe Julia
Published: May 2015

Julia Pardoe (1804–62) was famous for her historical biographies (some of which are also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection), but this two-volume work, first published in 1837, arose from a visit to Turkey made by Pardoe and her father in 1836. It was very successful, with new editions appearing over the next twenty years, while Pardoe was considered to be second only to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu among female writers on Turkey. Attempting to give her readers 'a more just and complete insight into Turkish domestic life, than they have hitherto been enabled to obtain', in Volume 1 Pardoe describes the inhabitants of Istanbul, both the Ottoman governing elite and the expatriate community of Greeks, Italians, Russians and French, with their constant political intrigues. Her lively and observant account of life in the declining but still powerful Ottoman empire remains of great interest.
Taking Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Seriously in International Criminal Law
Authors: Schmid Evelyne
Published: May 2015

Is the neglect of economic, social and cultural abuses in international criminal law a problem of positive international law or the result of choices made by lawyers involved in mechanisms such as criminal prosecutions or truth commissions? Evelyne Schmid explores this question via an assessment of the relationship between violations of economic, social and cultural rights and international crimes. Based on a thorough examination of the elements of international crimes, she demonstrates how a situation can simultaneously be described as a violation of economic, social and cultural rights and as an international crime. Against the background of the emerging debates on selectivity in international criminal law and the role of socio-economic and cultural abuses in transitional justice, she argues that international crimes overlapping with violations of economic, social and cultural rights deserve to be taken seriously, for much the same reasons as other international crimes.
Quantum Phase Transitions in Transverse Field Spin Models
Authors: Dutta Amit , Aeppli Gabriel , Chakrabarti Bikas K. , Divakaran Uma , Rosenbaum Thomas F. , Sen Diptiman
Published: May 2015

The transverse field Ising and XY models (the simplest quantum spin models) provide the organising principle for the rich variety of interconnected subjects which are covered in this book. From a generic introduction to in-depth discussions of the subtleties of the transverse field Ising and related models, it includes the essentials of quantum dynamics and quantum information. A wide range of relevant topics has also been provided: quantum phase transitions, various measures of quantum information, the effects of disorder and frustration, quenching dynamics and the Kibble–Zurek scaling relation, the Kitaev model, topological phases of quantum systems, and bosonisation. In addition, it also discusses the experimental studies of transverse field models (including the first experimental realisation of quantum annealing) and the recent realisation of the transverse field Ising model using tunable Josephson junctions. Further, it points to the obstacles still remaining to develop a successful quantum computer.
Portfolio Theory and Risk Management
Authors: Capiński Maciej J. , Kopp Ekkehard
Published: May 2015

With its emphasis on examples, exercises and calculations, this book suits advanced undergraduates as well as postgraduates and practitioners. It provides a clear treatment of the scope and limitations of mean-variance portfolio theory and introduces popular modern risk measures. Proofs are given in detail, assuming only modest mathematical background, but with attention to clarity and rigour. The discussion of VaR and its more robust generalizations, such as AVaR, brings recent developments in risk measures within range of some undergraduate courses and includes a novel discussion of reducing VaR and AVaR by means of hedging techniques. A moderate pace, careful motivation and more than 70 exercises give students confidence in handling risk assessments in modern finance. Solutions and additional materials for instructors are available at www.cambridge.org/9781107003675.
Computation, Proof, Machine
Authors: Dowek Gilles
Published: May 2015

Computation is revolutionizing our world, even the inner world of the 'pure' mathematician. Mathematical methods - especially the notion of proof - that have their roots in classical antiquity have seen a radical transformation since the 1970s, as successive advances have challenged the priority of reason over computation. Like many revolutions, this one comes from within. Computation, calculation, algorithms - all have played an important role in mathematical progress from the beginning - but behind the scenes, their contribution was obscured in the enduring mathematical literature. To understand the future of mathematics, this fascinating book returns to its past, tracing the hidden history that follows the thread of computation. Along the way it invites us to reconsider the dialog between mathematics and the natural sciences, as well as the relationship between mathematics and computer science. It also sheds new light on philosophical concepts, such as the notions of analytic and synthetic judgment. Finally, it brings us to the brink of the new age, in which machine intelligence offers new ways of solving mathematical problems previously inaccessible. This book is the 2007 winner of the Grand Prix de Philosophie de l'Académie Française.
Language and Society in the Greek and Roman Worlds
Authors: Clackson James
Published: May 2015

Texts written in Latin, Greek and other languages provide ancient historians with their primary evidence, but the role of language as a source for understanding the ancient world is often overlooked. Language played a key role in state-formation and the spread of Christianity, the construction of ethnicity, and negotiating positions of social status and group membership. Language could reinforce social norms and shed light on taboos. This book presents an accessible account of ways in which linguistic evidence can illuminate topics such as imperialism, ethnicity, social mobility, religion, gender and sexuality in the ancient world, without assuming the reader has any knowledge of Greek or Latin, or of linguistic jargon. It describes the rise of Greek and Latin at the expense of other languages spoken around the Mediterranean and details the social meanings of different styles, and the attitudes of ancient speakers towards linguistic differences.
A Philosophy of Criminal Attempts
Authors: Donnelly-Lazarov Bebhinn
Published: May 2015

An investigation of criminal attempts unearths some of the most fundamental, intriguing and perplexing questions about criminal law and its place in human action. When does attempting begin? What is the relationship between attempting and intending? Do we always attempt the possible and, if so, possible to whom? Does attempting involve action and does action involve attempting? Is my attempt fixed by me or can another perspective reveal what it is? How 'much' action is needed for an attempt, how 'much' intention is needed and can these matters be decided categorically? Bebhinn Donnelly-Lazarov's answers to these questions will interest criminal law theorists, philosophers and lawyers or law reformers, who encounter the mixed practical and philosophical phenomenon of attempting. Inspired by G. E. M. Anscombe's philosophy, Part I examines attempting generally and its relationship with intention, action subjectivity, and possibility. From the conclusions reached, Part II proposes a specific theory of criminal attempts.
Lincoln's Ethics
Authors: Carson Thomas
Published: May 2015

Unlike many important leaders and historical figures, Abraham Lincoln is generally regarded as a singularly good and morally virtuous human being. Lincoln's Ethics assesses Lincoln's moral character and his many morally fraught decisions regarding slavery and the rights of African-Americans, as well as his actions and policies as commander in chief during the Civil War. Some of these decisions and policies have been the subject of considerable criticism. Lincoln undoubtedly possessed many important moral virtues, such as kindness and magnanimity, to a very high degree. Despite this, there are also grounds to question the goodness of his character. Many fault him as a husband, father and son, and many claim that he was a racist. Carson explains Lincoln's virtues and assesses these criticisms.
Free Trade and its Enemies in France, 1814–1851
Authors: Todd David
Published: May 2015

In the aftermath of the French Revolution, advocates of protection against foreign competition prevailed in a fierce controversy over international trade. This groundbreaking study is the first to examine this 'protectionist turn' in full. Faced with a reaffirmation of mercantile jealousy under the Bourbon Restoration, Benjamin Constant, Jean-Baptiste Say and regional publicists advocated the adoption of the liberty of commerce in order to consolidate the new liberal order. But after the Revolution of 1830 a new generation of liberal thinkers endeavoured to reconcile the jealousy of trade with the discourse of commercial society and political liberty. New justifications for protection oscillated between an industrialist reinvention of jealousy and an aspiration to self-sufficiency as a means of attenuating the rise of urban pauperism. A strident denunciation of British power and social imbalances served to defuse the internal tensions of the protectionist discourse and facilitated its dissemination across the French political spectrum.
Atlas of Vitrified Blastocysts in Human Assisted Reproduction
Authors: Ebner Thomas , Vanderzwalmen Pierre , Wirleitner Barbara
Published: May 2015

The method of vitrification of oocytes and embryos is fundamental for the outcome of IVF. This atlas presents data on both closed system and open vitrification techniques, and the consequences of each method for survival rates, aiding the comparison of vitrification methods. Structured on a patient-by-patient basis, the atlas describes 100 clinically documented case studies that follow the evolution of cryopreserved blastocysts between warming and blastocyst transfer. It relates fresh to post-warming blastocyst morphology and to response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. For each case, pronuclear morphology and synchrony, as well as embryo morphology, are reported and described. Data on indications for treatment, stimulation type and duration, are accompanied by over 400 high-quality images of vitrified blastocysts. Covering the state-of-the-art techniques, this atlas is an essential aid in selecting the vitrification method for clinical embryologists and physicians in reproductive medicine.
Robot-Oriented Design
Authors: Bock Thomas , Linner Thomas
Published: May 2015

Robot-Oriented Design introduces the design, innovation, and management methodologies that are key to the realization and implementation of the advanced concepts and technologies presented in the subsequent volumes of the Cambridge Handbooks on Construction Robotics series. This book describes the efficient deployment of advanced construction and building technology. It is concerned with the co-adaptation of construction products, processes, organization, and management, and with automated/robotic technology, so that the implementation of modern technology becomes easier and more efficient. It is also concerned with technology and innovation management methodologies and the generation of life cycle-oriented views related to the use of advanced technologies in construction.
Genome-Scale Algorithm Design
Authors: Mäkinen Veli , Belazzougui Djamal , Cunial Fabio , Tomescu Alexandru I.
Published: May 2015

High-throughput sequencing has revolutionised the field of biological sequence analysis. Its application has enabled researchers to address important biological questions, often for the first time. This book provides an integrated presentation of the fundamental algorithms and data structures that power modern sequence analysis workflows. The topics covered range from the foundations of biological sequence analysis (alignments and hidden Markov models), to classical index structures (k-mer indexes, suffix arrays and suffix trees), Burrows–Wheeler indexes, graph algorithms and a number of advanced omics applications. The chapters feature numerous examples, algorithm visualisations, exercises and problems, each chosen to reflect the steps of large-scale sequencing projects, including read alignment, variant calling, haplotyping, fragment assembly, alignment-free genome comparison, transcript prediction and analysis of metagenomic samples. Each biological problem is accompanied by precise formulations, providing graduate students and researchers in bioinformatics and computer science with a powerful toolkit for the emerging applications of high-throughput sequencing.
Divining Slavery and Freedom
Authors: Reis João José
Published: May 2015

Since its original publication in Portuguese in 2008, this first English translation of Divining Slavery has been extensively revised and updated, complete with new primary sources and a new bibliography. It tells the story of Domingos Sodré, an African-born priest who was enslaved in Bahia, Brazil in the nineteenth century. After obtaining his freedom, Sodré became a slave owner himself, and in 1862 was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen goods from slaves in exchange for supposed 'witchcraft'. Using this incident as a catalyst, the book discusses African religion and its place in a slave society, analyzing its double role as a refuge for blacks as well as a bridge between classes and ethnic groups (such as whites who attended African rituals and sought help from African diviners and medicine men). Ultimately, Divining Slavery explores the fluidity and relativity of conditions such as slavery and freedom, African and local religions, personal and collective experience and identities in the lives of Africans in the Brazilian diaspora.
An Introduction to Catholic Ethics since Vatican II
Authors: Kim Andrew
Published: May 2015

This introduction provides a comprehensive overview of the development of Catholic ethics in the wake of the Second Vatican Council (1962–5), an event widely considered crucial to the reconciliation of the Catholic Church and the modern world. Andrew Kim investigates Catholic responses to questions of moral theology in all four principal areas: Catholic social teaching, natural law, virtue ethics, and bioethics. In addition to discussing contemporary controversies surrounding abortion, contraception, labor rights, exploitation of the poor, and just war theory, he explores the historical sources of the Catholic worldview. Beginning with the moral vision revealed through the person of Jesus Christ and continuing with elaborations on this vision from figures such as Augustine and Aquinas, this volume elucidates the continuity of the Catholic moral tradition. Its balance of complexity and accessibility makes it an ideal resource for both students of theology and general readers.
Democratic Intergovernmental Organizations?
Authors: Grigorescu Alexandru
Published: May 2015

This work posits that, over the past two centuries, democratic norms have spread from domestic politics to intergovernmental organizations (IGOs). Grigorescu explores how norms shaped IGO decision-making rules such as those driving state participation, voting, access to information, and the role of NGOs and transnational parliaments. The study emphasizes the role of 'normative pressures' (the interaction between norm strength and the degree to which the status quo strays from norm prescriptions). Using primary and secondary sources to assess the plausibility of its arguments across two centuries and two dozen IGOs, the study focuses on developments in the League of Nations, the International Labor Organization, the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Union, and the World Trade Organization.
Fluid Mechanics
Authors: Jog C. S.
Published: May 2015

Fluid mechanics is the study of fluids including liquids, gases and plasmas and the forces acting on them. Its study is critical in predicting rainfall, ocean currents, reducing drag on cars and aeroplanes, and design of engines. The subject is also interesting from a mathematical perspective due to the nonlinear nature of its equations. For example, the topic of turbulence has been a subject of interest to both mathematicians and engineers: to the former because of its mathematically complex nature and to the latter group because of its ubiquitous presence in real-life applications. This book is a follow-up to the first volume and discusses the concepts of fluid mechanics in detail. The book gives an in-depth summary of the governing equations and their engineering related applications. It also comprehensively discusses the fundamental theories related to kinematics and governing equations, hydrostatics, surface waves and ideal fluid flow, followed by their applications.
Precession, Nutation and Wobble of the Earth
Authors: Dehant V. , Mathews P. M.
Published: May 2015

Covering both astronomical and geophysical perspectives, this book describes changes in the Earth's orientation, specifically precession and nutation, and how they are observed and computed in terms of tidal forcing and models of the Earth's interior. Following an introduction to key concepts and elementary geodetic theory, the book describes how precise measurements of the Earth's orientation are made using observations of extra-galactic radio-sources by Very Long Baseline Interferometry techniques. It demonstrates how models are used to accurately pinpoint the location and orientation of the Earth with reference to the stars and how to determine variations in its rotation speed. A theoretical framework is also presented that describes the role played by the structure and properties of the Earth's deep interior. Incorporating suggestions for future developments in nutation theory for the next generation models, this book is ideal for advanced-level students and researchers in solid Earth geophysics, planetary science and astronomy.
Culture and Commerce in Conrad's Asian Fiction
Authors: Francis Andrew
Published: May 2015

Andrew Francis' Culture and Commerce in Conrad's Asian Fiction is the first book-length critical study of commerce in Conrad's work. It reveals not only the complex connections between culture and commerce in Conrad's Asian fiction, but also how he employed commerce in characterization, moral contexts, and his depiction of relations at a point of advanced European imperialism. Conrad's treatment of commerce - Arab, Chinese and Malay, as well as European - is explored within a historically specific context as intricate and resistant to traditional readings of commerce as simple and homogeneous. Through the analysis of both literary and non-literary sources, this book examines capitalism, colonialism and globalization within the commercial, political and social contexts of colonial Southeast Asia.
Richard Nixon and Europe
Authors: Nichter Luke A.
Published: May 2015

The US-European relationship remains the closest and most important alliance in the world. Since 1945, successive American presidents each put their own touches on transatlantic relations, but the literature has reached only into the presidency of Lyndon Johnson (1963–9). This first study of transatlantic relations during the era of Richard Nixon shows a complex, turbulent period during which the postwar period came to an end, and the modern era came to be on both sides of the Atlantic in terms of political, economic, and military relations.
A Student's Guide to Numerical Methods
Authors: Hutchinson Ian H.
Published: May 2015

This concise, plain-language guide for senior undergraduates and graduate students aims to develop intuition, practical skills and an understanding of the framework of numerical methods for the physical sciences and engineering. It provides accessible self-contained explanations of mathematical principles, avoiding intimidating formal proofs. Worked examples and targeted exercises enable the student to master the realities of using numerical techniques for common needs such as solution of ordinary and partial differential equations, fitting experimental data, and simulation using particle and Monte Carlo methods. Topics are carefully selected and structured to build understanding, and illustrate key principles such as: accuracy, stability, order of convergence, iterative refinement, and computational effort estimation. Enrichment sections and in-depth footnotes form a springboard to more advanced material and provide additional background. Whether used for self-study, or as the basis of an accelerated introductory class, this compact textbook provides a thorough grounding in computational physics and engineering.
Property and Practical Reason
Authors: MacLeod Adam J.
Published: May 2015

Property and Practical Reason makes a moral argument for common law property institutions and norms, and challenges the prevailing dichotomy between individual rights and state interests and its assumption that individual preferences and the good of communities must be in conflict. One can understand competing intuitions about private property rights by considering how private property enables owners and their collaborators to exercise practical reason consistent with the requirements of reason, and thereby to become practically reasonable agents of deliberation and choice who promote various aspects of the common good. The plural and mediated domains of property ownership, though imperfect, have moral benefits for all members of the community. They enable communities and institutions of private ordering to pursue plural and incommensurable good ends while specifying the boundaries of property rights consistent with basic moral requirements.