bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A maintenance-focused approach to complex system design
Authors: Yu Bo Yang , Honda Tomonori , Zubair Syed M. , Sharqawy Mostafa H. , Yang Maria C.
Published: July 2016

Maintenance plays a critical role in reducing operating cost and maximizing reliability of a complex engineering system. This paper proposes a novel maintenance-focused, system-level design framework that attempts to capture the interactions between maintenance strategies and system-level design parameters overlooked in current modeling approaches. The goal of this maintenance-focused approach is to help designers better understand the interconnectedness of system architecture, choice of maintenance strategy, and uncertainties in a design. Application of the proposed design framework is demonstrated through a case example of a power plant condenser system. Results show that using an integrated approach can reveal the many nonobvious interactions between subsystems, and produce system designs that have lower life-cycle cost compared to traditional sequential design approaches.
METRIC REGULARITY—A SURVEY PART 1. THEORY
Authors: IOFFE A. D.
Published: July 2016

Metric regularity theory lies at the very heart of variational analysis, a relatively new discipline whose appearance was, to a large extent, determined by the needs of modern optimization theory in which such phenomena as nondifferentiability and set-valued mappings naturally appear. The roots of the theory go back to such fundamental results of the classical analysis as the implicit function theorem, Sard theorem and some others. This paper offers a survey of the state of the art of some principal parts of the theory along with a variety of its applications in analysis and optimization.
Women's Transnational Activism, Norm Cascades, and Quota Adoption in The Developing World
Authors: Swiss Liam , Fallon Kathleen M.
Published: July 2016

Electoral quotas are a key factor in increasing women's political representation in parliaments globally. Despite the strong effects of quotas, less attention has been paid to the factors that prompt countries to adopt electoral quotas across developing countries. This article employs event history modeling to analyze quota adoption in 134 developing countries from 1987 to 2012, focusing on quota type, transnational activism, and norm cascades. The article asks the following questions: (1) How might quota adoption differ according to quota type—nonparty versus party quotas? (2) How has the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China (Beijing 95), contributed to quota diffusion? (3) Do global, regional, or neighboring country effects contribute more to quota adoption? Results provide new evidence of how quota adoption processes differ according to quota type, the central role played by participation in Beijing 95, and how increased global counts contribute to faster nonparty quota adoption while increased neighboring country counts lead to faster to party quota adoption.
The pancreatitis-associated protein VMP1, a key regulator of inducible autophagy, promotes KrasG12D-mediated pancreatic cancer initiation
Authors: Loncle C , Molejon M I , Lac S , Tellechea J I , Lomberk G , Gramatica L , Fernandez Zapico M F , Dusetti N , Urrutia R , Iovanna J L
Published: July 2016

Both clinical and experimental evidence have firmly established that chronic pancreatitis, in particular in the context of Kras oncogenic mutations, predisposes to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the repertoire of molecular mediators of pancreatitis involved in Kras-mediated initiation of pancreatic carcinogenesis remains to be fully defined. In this study we demonstrate a novel role for vacuole membrane protein 1 (VMP1), a pancreatitis-associated protein critical for inducible autophagy, in the regulation of Kras-induced PDAC initiation. Using a newly developed genetically engineered model, we demonstrate that VMP1 increases the ability of Kras to give rise to preneoplastic lesions, pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs). This promoting effect of VMP1 on PanIN formation is due, at least in part, by an increase in cell proliferation combined with a decrease in apoptosis. Using chloroquine, an inhibitor of autophagy, we show that this drug antagonizes the effect of VMP1 on PanIN formation. Thus, we conclude that VMP1-mediated autophagy cooperate with Kras to promote PDAC initiation. These findings are of significant medical relevance, molecules targeting autophagy are currently being tested along chemotherapeutic agents to treat PDAC and other tumors in human trials.
TRPC5 channels participate in pressure-sensing in aortic baroreceptors
Authors: Lau On-Chai , Shen Bing , Wong Ching-On , Tjong Yung-Wui , Lo Chun-Yin , Wang Hui-Chuan , Huang Yu , Yung Wing-Ho , Chen Yang-Chao , Fung Man-Lung , Rudd John Anthony , Yao Xiaoqiang
Published: July 2016

Blood pressure is maintained within a normal physiological range by a sophisticated regulatory mechanism. Baroreceptors serve as a frontline sensor to detect the change in blood pressure. Nerve signals are then sent to the cardiovascular control centre in the brain in order to stimulate baroreflex responses. Here, we identify TRPC5 channels as a mechanical sensor in aortic baroreceptors. In Trpc5 knockout mice, the pressure-induced action potential firings in the afferent nerve and the baroreflex-mediated heart rate reduction are attenuated. Telemetric measurements of blood pressure demonstrate that Trpc5 knockout mice display severe daily blood pressure fluctuation. Our results suggest that TRPC5 channels represent a key pressure transducer in the baroreceptors and play an important role in maintaining blood pressure stability. Because baroreceptor dysfunction contributes to a variety of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, heart failure and myocardial infarction, our findings may have important future clinical implications.
Photo-thermionic effect in vertical graphene heterostructures
Authors: Massicotte M. , Schmidt P. , Vialla F. , Watanabe K. , Taniguchi T. , Tielrooij K. J. , Koppens F. H. L.
Published: July 2016

Finding alternative optoelectronic mechanisms that overcome the limitations of conventional semiconductor devices is paramount for detecting and harvesting low-energy photons. A highly promising approach is to drive a current from the thermal energy added to the free-electron bath as a result of light absorption. Successful implementation of this strategy requires a broadband absorber where carriers interact among themselves more strongly than with phonons, as well as energy-selective contacts to extract the excess electronic heat. Here we show that graphene-WSe2-graphene heterostructure devices offer this possibility through the photo-thermionic effect: the absorbed photon energy in graphene is efficiently transferred to the electron bath leading to a thermalized hot carrier distribution. Carriers with energy higher than the Schottky barrier between graphene and WSe2 can be emitted over the barrier, thus creating photocurrent. We experimentally demonstrate that the photo-thermionic effect enables detection of sub-bandgap photons, while being size-scalable, electrically tunable, broadband and ultrafast.
Edge phonons in black phosphorus
Authors: Ribeiro H. B. , Villegas C. E. P. , Bahamon D. A. , Muraca D. , Castro Neto A. H. , de Souza E. A. T. , Rocha A. R. , Pimenta M. A. , de Matos C. J. S.
Published: July 2016

Black phosphorus has recently emerged as a new layered crystal that, due to its peculiar and anisotropic crystalline and electronic band structures, may have important applications in electronics, optoelectronics and photonics. Despite the fact that the edges of layered crystals host a range of singular properties whose characterization and exploitation are of utmost importance for device development, the edges of black phosphorus remain poorly characterized. In this work, the atomic structure and behaviour of phonons near different black phosphorus edges are experimentally and theoretically studied using Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. Polarized Raman results show the appearance of new modes at the edges of the sample, and their spectra depend on the atomic structure of the edges (zigzag or armchair). Theoretical simulations confirm that the new modes are due to edge phonon states that are forbidden in the bulk, and originated from the lattice termination rearrangements.
L-proline: a highly effective cryoprotectant for mouse oocyte vitrification
Authors: Zhang Lu , Xue Xu , Yan Jie , Yan Li-Ying , Jin Xiao-Hu , Zhu Xiao-Hui , He Zhi-Zhu , Liu Jing , Li Rong , Qiao Jie
Published: July 2016

Recent studies have shown that L-proline is a natural osmoprotectant and an antioxidant to protect cells from injuries such as that caused by freezing and thawing in many species including plant, ram sperm and human endothelial cells. Nevertheless, this nontoxic cryoprotectant has not yet been applied to mammalian oocyte vitrification. In this study we evaluated the efficiency and safety of the new cryoprotectant in oocyte vitrification. The results indicated that L-proline improves the survival rate of vitrified oocytes, protects mitochondrial functions and could be applied as a new cryoprotectant in mouse oocyte vitrification.
Shell-ferromagnetism of nano-Heuslers generated by segregation under magnetic field
Authors: Çakır A. , Acet M. , Farle M.
Published: July 2016

We report on a new functional property in an AF martensitic Heusler Ni50Mn45In5, which when annealed at high temperatures under a magnetic field, segregates and forms Ni50Mn25In25 Heusler precipitates embedded in a Ni50Mn50 matrix. The precipitates are paramagnetic whereas the matrix is antiferromagnetic. However, the spins at the interface with the Ni50Mn50 matrix align with the field during their nucleation and growth and become strongly pinned in the direction of the applied field during annealing, whereas the core spins become paramagnetic. This shell-ferromagnetism persists up to 600 K and is so strongly pinned that the remanent magnetization remains unchanged, even when the field is reversed or when the temperature is cycled between low temperatures and close to the annealing temperature.
A C2HC zinc finger is essential for the RING-E2 interaction of the ubiquitin ligase RNF125
Authors: Bijlmakers Marie-José , Teixeira João M. C. , Boer Roeland , Mayzel Maxim , Puig-Sàrries Pilar , Karlsson Göran , Coll Miquel , Pons Miquel , Crosas Bernat
Published: July 2016

The activity of RING ubiquitin ligases (E3s) depends on an interaction between the RING domain and ubiquitin conjugating enzymes (E2), but posttranslational events or additional structural elements, yet largely undefined, are frequently required to enhance or regulate activity. Here, we show for the ubiquitin ligase RNF125 that, in addition to the RING domain, a C2HC Zn finger (ZnF) is crucial for activity and a short linker sequence (Li2120-128) enhances activity. The contribution of these regions was first shown with truncated proteins and the essential role of the ZnF was confirmed with mutations at the Zn chelating Cys residues. Using NMR, we established that the C2HC ZnF/Li2120-128 region is crucial for binding of the RING domain to the E2 UbcH5a. The partial X-ray structure of RNF125 revealed the presence of extensive intramolecular interactions between the RING and C2HC ZnF. A mutation at one of the contact residues in the C2HC ZnF, a highly conserved M112, resulted in the loss of ubiquitin ligase activity. Thus, we identified the structural basis for an essential role of the C2HC ZnF and conclude that this domain stabilizes the RING domain and is therefore required for binding of RNF125 to an E2.
Ultrafast decoherence dynamics govern photocarrier generation efficiencies in polymer solar cells
Authors: Vella Eleonora , Li Hao , Grégoire Pascal , Tuladhar Sachetan M. , Vezie Michelle S. , Few Sheridan , Bazán Claudia M. , Nelson Jenny , Silva-Acuña Carlos , Bittner Eric R.
Published: July 2016

All-organic-based photovoltaic solar cells have attracted considerable attention because of their low-cost processing and short energy payback time. In such systems the primary dissociation of an optical excitation into a pair of photocarriers has been recently shown to be extremely rapid and efficient, but the physical reason for this remains unclear. Here, two-dimensional photocurrent excitation spectroscopy, a novel non-linear optical spectroscopy, is used to probe the ultrafast coherent decay of photoexcitations into charge-producing states in a polymer:fullerene based solar cell. The two-dimensional photocurrent spectra are interpreted by introducing a theoretical model for the description of the coupling of the electronic states of the system to an external environment and to the applied laser fields. The experimental data show no cross-peaks in the twodimensional photocurrent spectra, as predicted by the model for coherence times between the exciton and the photocurrent producing states of 20 fs or less.
Percolation-based precursors of transitions in extended systems
Authors: Rodríguez-Méndez Víctor , Eguíluz Víctor M. , Hernández-García Emilio , Ramasco José J.
Published: July 2016

Abrupt transitions are ubiquitous in the dynamics of complex systems. Finding precursors, i.e. early indicators of their arrival, is fundamental in many areas of science ranging from electrical engineering to climate. However, obtaining warnings of an approaching transition well in advance remains an elusive task. Here we show that a functional network, constructed from spatial correlations of the system’s time series, experiences a percolation transition way before the actual system reaches a bifurcation point due to the collective phenomena leading to the global change. Concepts from percolation theory are then used to introduce early warning precursors that anticipate the system’s tipping point. We illustrate the generality and versatility of our percolation-based framework with model systems experiencing different types of bifurcations and with Sea Surface Temperature time series associated to El Niño phenomenon.
Uplift-driven sediment redness decrease at ~16.5 Ma in the Yumen Basin along the northeastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wang Weitao , Zhang Peizhen , Zheng Wenjun , Zheng Dewen , Liu Caicai , Xu Hongyan , Zhang Huiping , Yu Jingxing , Pang Jianzhang
Published: July 2016

Significant climate shifts in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau have taken place during the Cenozoic, but the reasons behind them remain unclear. In order to unravel the mechanisms driving these climate changes, proxy data with accurate age constraint are needed. Here we present magnetostratigraphy, sediment color (redness a* and lightness L*) and grain-size analysis from an early to middle Miocene (~20–15.3 Ma) sediment sequence preserved in the Yumen Basin on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. In this basin, remarkable increase in lightness, decreases in redness and in ratio of hematite (Hm) to goethite (Gt) took place at ~16.5 Ma. We suggest that these changes result from shorter duration of weathering, climatic wetting and cooling associated with rapid uplift of the Qilian Shan at the middle Miocene.
Newly Diagnosed Anemia Increases Risk of Parkinson’s disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Hong Chien Tai , Huang Yao Hsien , Liu Hung Yi , Chiou Hung-Yi , Chan Lung , Chien Li-Nien
Published: July 2016

Anemia and low hemoglobin have been identified to increase Parkinson’s disease (PD) risk. This population-based cohort study investigated PD risk in newly diagnosed anemic patients by using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. All newly diagnosed anemic patients (n = 86,334) without a history of stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, traumatic brain injury, major operations, or blood loss diseases were enrolled. A cohort of nonanemic controls, 1:1 matched with anemic patients on the basis of the demographics and pre-existing medical conditions, was also included. Competing risk analysis was used to evaluate PD risk in anemic patients compared with that in their matched controls. The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of PD risk in the anemic patients was 1.36 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22–1.52, p < 0.001). Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) patients tended to exhibit a higher PD risk (aHR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.24–1.79, p < 0.001). Furthermore, Iron supplement did not significantly affect the PD risk: the aHRs for PD risk were 1.32 (95% CI: 1.07–1.63, p < 0.01) and 1.86 (95% CI: 1.46–2.35, p < 0.001) in IDA patients with and without iron supplementation, respectively. The population-based cohort study indicated newly diagnosed anemia increases PD risk.
B Lymphocytes in Multiple Sclerosis: Bregs and BTLA/CD272 Expressing-CD19+ Lymphocytes Modulate Disease Severity
Authors: Piancone Federica , Saresella Marina , Marventano Ivana , La Rosa Francesca , Zoppis Martina , Agostini Simone , Longhi Renato , Caputo Domenico , Mendozzi Laura , Rovaris Marco , Clerici Mario
Published: July 2016

B lymphocytes contribute to the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by secreting antibodies and producing cytokines. This latter function was analyzed in myelin olygodendrocyte protein (MOG)-stimulated CD19+ B lymphocytes of 71 MS patients with different disease phenotypes and 40 age-and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Results showed that: 1) CD19+/TNFα+, CD19+/IL-12+ and CD19+/IFNγ+ lymphocytes are significantly increased in primary progressive (PP) compared to secondary progressive (SP), relapsing-remitting (RR), benign (BE) MS and HC; 2) CD19+/IL-6+ lymphocytes are significantly increased in PP, SP and RR compared to BEMS and HC; and 3) CD19+/IL-13+, CD19+/IL-10+ and CD19+/IL-10+/TGFβ+ (Bregs) B lymphocytes are reduced overall in MS patients compared to HC. B cells expressing BTLA, a receptor whose binding to HVEM inhibits TcR-initiated cytokine production, as well as CD19+/BTLA+/IL-10+ cells were also significantly overall reduced in MS patients compared to HC. Analyses performed in RRMS showed that fingolimod-induced disease remission is associated with a significant increase in Bregs, CD19+/BTLA+ and CD19+/BTLA+/IL-10+ B lymphocytes. B lymphocytes participate to the pathogenesis of MS via the secretion of functionally-diverse cytokines that might play a role in determining disease phenotypes. The impairment of Bregs and CD19+/BTLA+ cells, in particular, could play an important pathogenic role in MS.
Liquid crystalline nanoparticles encapsulating cisplatin and docetaxel combination for targeted therapy of breast cancer
Authors: Thapa Raj Kumar , Choi Ju Yeon , Gupta Biki , Ramasamy Thiruganesh , Poudel Bijay Kumar , Ku Sae Kwang , Youn Yu Seok , Choi Han Gon , Yong Chul Soon , Kim Jong Oh
Published: July 2016

Dual drug-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles for targeted therapy of metastatic breast cancer.
Fluorescence indicator displacement detection based on pillar[5]arene-assisted dye deprotonation
Authors: Hua Bin , Shao Li , Yu Guocan , Huang Feihe
Published: July 2016

A fluorescence switch based on a pH-sensitive dye and a cationic pillar[5]arene was employed in fluorescence indicator displacement detection of phenolic contaminants.
Stability and geometry of silica nano-ribbons (SNRs): a first-principles study
Authors: Fang C. M. , van Blaaderen A. , van Huis M. A.
Published: July 2016

First-principles simulations predict a high stability of one-dimensional silica nano-ribbons (SNRs) with versatile structures, posing a challenge for experimental synthesis.
Templated growth of gold satellites on dimpled silica cores
Authors: Chomette C. , Duguet E. , Mornet S. , Yammine E. , Manoharan V. N. , Schade N. B. , Hubert C. , Ravaine S. , Perro A. , Tréguer-Delapierre M.
Published: July 2016

We synthesize robust clusters of gold satellites positioned with tetrahedral symmetry on the surface of a patchy silica core by adsorption and growth of gold on the patches. First we conduct emulsion polymerization of styrene in the presence of 52 nm silica seeds whose surface has been modified with methacryloxymethyltriethoxysilane (MMS). We derive four-dimple particles from the resulting silica/polystyrene tetrapods. Polystyrene chains are covalently bound to the silica surface within the dimples due to the MMS grafts and they may be thiolated to induce adsorption of 12 nm gold particles. Using chloroauric acid, ascorbic acid and sodium citrate at room temperature, we grow gold from these 12 nm seeds without detachment from or deformation of the dimpled silica surface. We obtain gold satellites of tunable diameter up to 140 nm.
Hypolipidemic effects of Myrica rubra extracts and main compounds in C57BL/6j mice
Authors: He Kai , Li Xuegang , Xiao Yubo , Yong Yang , Zhang Zaiqi , Li Shuping , Zhou Taimei , Yang Daqing , Gao Pincao , Xin Xiaoliang
Published: July 2016

The present study evaluated the antihyperlipidemic activity of myricetin, myricetrin, the alcohol fraction (AF) and the ethyl acetate fraction (EF) obtained from the bark ofMyrica rubra(MR) in high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFHC) induced hyperlipidemic C57BL/6j mice.
Rapid, metal-free and aqueous synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine under ambient conditions
Authors: Chapman Michael R. , Kwan Maria H. T. , King Georgina E. , Kyffin Benjamin A. , Blacker A. John , Willans Charlotte E. , Nguyen Bao N.
Published: July 2016

A route to access the privileged imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine scaffold in one step, 1–10 minutes using only aqueous NaOH, is reported.
Solution-processable bipolar S,S-dioxide-dibenzothiophene chromophores for single-layer organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Zhao Sen , Xie Yuan , Liang Junfei , Guo Ting , Ying Lei , Wu Hongbin , Yang Wei , Peng Junbiao , Cao Yong
Published: July 2016

Four novel solution processable small molecular chromophores that consist of regioisomeric S,S-dioxide-dibenzothiophene units are designed and synthesized.
Spectroscopic differentiation between monomeric and aggregated forms of BODIPY dyes: effect of 1,1-dichloroethane
Authors: Castillo Marlius , Raut Sangram L. , Price Sarah , Bora Ilkay , Jameson Laramie P. , Qiu Changling , Schug Kevin A. , Gryczynski Zygmunt , Dzyuba Sergei V.
Published: July 2016

1,1-Dichloroethane (1,1-DCE) can induce spectroscopic differentiation between aggregated and monomeric forms of BODIPY dyes.
Structural revision of aristol: a fresh look at the oxidative coupling of thymol under iodination conditions
Authors: Radulović Niko S. , Đorđević Miljana R. , Blagojević Polina D.
Published: July 2016

Aristol represents a complex mixture of products of oxidative coupling of iodothymols and monomeric iodinated thymol derivatives.
Highly conductive air-stable ZnO thin film formation under in situ UV illumination for an indium-free transparent electrode
Authors: Cho Boram , Kim Hongbum , Yang Dasom , Shrestha Nabeen K. , Sung Myung Mo
Published: July 2016

In situ UV irradiation during ALD cycles generates oxygen-vacancies, partially removes O–H bonds, and thereby produces a highly transparent and highly conductive air-stable ZnO film.
Punicalagin induces apoptosis-independent autophagic cell death in human papillary thyroid carcinoma BCPAP cells
Authors: Cheng Xian , Gao Yanyan , Yao Xin , Yu Huixin , Bao Jiandong , Guan Haixia , Sun Yang , Zhang Li
Published: July 2016

Punicalagin induces apoptosis-independent autophagic cell death in BCPAP cells.
Tunable nanothermometer based on short poly(phenylene ethynylene)
Authors: Darwish Ghinwa H. , Abouzeid Jihane , Karam Pierre
Published: July 2016

We report a self-referencing ratiometric nanothermometer based on short conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs).
General synthesis of xLi2MnO3·(1 − x)LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (x = 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2) hollow microspheres towards enhancing the performance of rechargeable lithium ion batteries
Authors: Li Jingfa , Li Min , Zhang Lei , Wang Jiazhao
Published: July 2016

Well-crystallized and high-performance xLi2MnO3·(1 − x)LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (x = 1/2, 1/3, 1/4) hollow microspheres are prepared through a simple in situ self-sacrificial template route.
An efficient counter electrode material for dye-sensitized solar cells—flower-structured 1T metallic phase MoS2
Authors: Wei Wei , Sun Kai , Hu Yun Hang
Published: July 2016

A flower-structured 1T metallic phase MoS2 film was directly grown onto a FTO glass as a counter electrode for DSSCs, leading to an excellent energy conversion efficiency of 7.08%, which is 3 times larger than that of the DSSC with a 2H MoS2 counter electrode.
The hydrogen-induced structural stability and promising electronic properties of molybdenum and tungsten dinitride nanosheets: a first-principles study
Authors: Wang Yanli , Ding Yi
Published: July 2016

Transition-metal dinitride nanosheets can be well stabilized by hydrogenation, which brings tunable electronic properties depending on structural conformations.
Active disturbance rejection and predictive control strategy for a quadrotor helicopter
Authors: Ma Dailiang , Xia Yuanqing , Li Tianya , Chang Kai
Published: July 2016

In this study, an active disturbance rejection and predictive control strategy is presented to solve the trajectory tracking problem for an unmanned quadrotor helicopter with disturbances. The proposed control scheme is based on the quadrotor's dynamic model, where effects of wind gust are considered as additive disturbances on six degrees of freedom. The predictive controller solves the path following problem with extended state observers to estimate and compensate disturbances. The active disturbance rejection control scheme is used for the stabilisation of rotational movements. The suggested control structure is verified in simulation studies with the presence of external disturbances and parametric uncertainties. The proposed method improves the robustness for the modelling error and disturbances while performing a smooth tracking of the reference trajectory.
Optimal power flow based on successive linear approximation of power flow equations
Authors: Yang Zhifang , Zhong Haiwang , Xia Qing , Bose Anjan , Kang Chongqing
Published: July 2016

In this study, the authors introduce a new solution to the alternating current optimal power flow problem based on successive linear approximation of power flow equations. The polar coordination of the power flow equations is used to take advantage of the quasi‐linear P– θ relationship. A mathematical transformation for the crossing term of voltage magnitude is used, which guarantees the accuracy of the linear approximation when the quality of initial points regarding voltage magnitude is relatively low in the first few iterations. As a result, the accuracy of the proposed approximation becomes very high in very few iterations. Linearisation method for the quadratic apparent branch flow limits is provided. Methods to recover the AC feasibility from the obtained optimal power flow solution and correct possible constraint violations are introduced. The proposed method is tested in several IEEE and Polish benchmark systems. The difference in objective functions relative to MATPOWER benchmark results is generally <0.1% when the algorithm terminates.
Generalised direct matrix synthesis approach for lossless filters
Authors: He Yuxing , Wang Gang , Sun Liguo , Rushingabigwi Gerard
Published: July 2016

A generalised direct matrix synthesis is proposed for microwave lossless filters with arbitrary phase shift at centre frequency and complex terminal impedances. The functions of traditional lossless filters, ideal phase shifters, and ideal impedance matching networks are thus substantially combined into one entity to provide an attractive technique for the realisation of compact narrowband microwave front‐ends. The synthesis starts with a group of general S‐parameters that consider both amplitude and phase responses as well as complex terminations for an Nth‐order filter. A transversal array network incorporating resonators as well as non‐resonating nodes is then introduced to accommodate the given S‐parameters. In result, a canonical (N + 2) × (N + 2) coupling matrix with newly defined source–source and load–load couplings is generated. Some examples, including a fully canonical prototype and a mixed topology diplexer, are demonstrated to show the flexibility of the methodology. Moreover, an eighth‐order coaxial cavity filter, with a −120° additional phase shift for S‐parameters, is designed and fabricated. The measured results are well consistent with the synthesis ones, which validates the availability of this study in physical implementations.
Diagnostik und Therapie der gestörten Zwerchfellfunktion
Authors: Windisch W. , Schönhofer B. , Magnet F. , Stoelben E. , Kabitz H.-J.
Published: July 2016

Eine Störung der Zwerchfellfunktion ist vielschichtig und kann alle Komponenten der Atempumpe betreffen. Dabei erscheint insbesondere die Diagnostik und Therapie der uni- und bilateralen Zwerchfellparese schwierig.

Neuromuskuläre Erkrankungen, Verletzungen, iatrogene Bedingungen, Tumorkompressionen, aber auch infektiöse oder inflammatorische Bedingungen können ebenso Gründe für eine Zwerchfellparese sein wie die neuralgische Schultermyatrophie oder die idiopathische Zwerchfellparese.

Die Diagnostik umfasst zunächst die Anamnese, die körperliche Untersuchung, die Blutgasanalyse, die Lungenfunktion sowie die Diagnostik der Grunderkrankung. Zusätzlich stehen jedoch heute auch spezifische Tests zur atemmuskulären Funktionsdiagnostik und bildgebende Verfahren wie die Zwerchfellsonografie zur Verfügung.

Therapeutisch sind primär ein Atemmuskeltraining, die nicht-invasive Beatmung und die operative Zwerchfellraffung in selektierten Patientengruppen etabliert.
Mechanical properties of composite coating on cast iron by laser
Authors: Lin Pengyu , Zhang Zhihui , Kong Shuhua , Zhou Hong , Tong Xin , Ren Luquan
Published: July 2016

We report a composite coating on vermicular graphite cast iron reinforced with Al2O3 particulates, processed by selective laser surface alloying, with the thickness of ∼600 µm and coverage fraction of 20%. The original microstructure was thus considerably modified. Different fractions of the Al2O3 particulates were added, ranging from 5 to 25 wt-%. Microhardness and strength were both increased, due to the formation of the composite coating, which led to a series of strengthening mechanisms. In addition, in thermal fatigue test, the crack density was reduced, due to the surface composite coating and the particular scanning strategy. Cracking on the sample surface was effectively restrained by the composite coating.
Drought Index Insurance for the Central Valley Project in California
Authors: Maestro Teresa , Barnett Barry J. , Coble Keith H. , Garrido Alberto , Bielza María
Published: July 2016

A multi‐year drought has taken a severe toll on the agricultural economy of California’s Central Valley. Index insurance is an instrument with the potential to protect water users from economic losses due to periodic water shortages. An index insurance product based on the Sacramento Index and adapted to the Central Valley Project water supply is proposed. To address the potential for intertemporal adverse selection, three product designs are suggested: (1) “early bird” insurance; (2) variable premium insurance; and (3) variable deductible insurance. The performance of the designs are assessed using loss functions from the Westlands Water District in the San Joaquin Valley.
BioPartsDB: a synthetic biology workflow web-application for education and research
Authors: Stracquadanio Giovanni , Yang Kun , Boeke Jef D. , Bader Joel S.
Published: July 2016

Summary: Synthetic biology has become a widely used technology, and expanding applications in research, education and industry require progress tracking for team-based DNA synthesis projects. Although some vendors are beginning to supply multi-kilobase sequence-verified constructs, synthesis workflows starting with short oligos remain important for cost savings and pedagogical benefit. We developed BioPartsDB as an open source, extendable workflow management system for synthetic biology projects with entry points for oligos and larger DNA constructs and ending with sequence-verified clones.

Availability and Implementation: BioPartsDB is released under the MIT license and available for download at https://github.com/baderzone/biopartsdb. Additional documentation and video tutorials are available at https://github.com/baderzone/biopartsdb/wiki. An Amazon Web Services image is available from the AWS Market Place (ami-a01d07c8).

Contact:  joel.bader@jhu.edu
cisASE: a likelihood-based method for detecting putative
cis
-regulated allele-specific expression in RNA sequencing data
Authors: Liu Zhi , Gui Tuantuan , Wang Zhen , Li Hong , Fu Yunhe , Dong Xiao , Li Yixue
Published: July 2016

Motivation: Allele-specific expression (ASE) is a useful way to identify cis -acting regulatory variation, which provides opportunities to develop new therapeutic strategies that activate beneficial alleles or silence mutated alleles at specific loci. However, multiple problems hinder the identification of ASE in next-generation sequencing (NGS) data.

Results: We developed cisASE, a likelihood-based method for detecting ASE on single nucleotide variant (SNV), exon and gene levels from sequencing data without requiring phasing or parental information. cisASE uses matched DNA-seq data to control technical bias and copy number variation (CNV) in putative cis -regulated ASE identification. Compared with state-of-the-art methods, cisASE exhibits significantly increased accuracy and speed. cisASE works moderately well for datasets without DNA-seq and thus is widely applicable. By applying cisASE to real datasets, we identified specific ASE characteristics in normal and cancer tissues, thus indicating that cisASE has potential for wide applications in cancer genomics.

Availability and Implementation: cisASE is freely available at http://lifecenter.sgst.cn/cisASE .

Contact:  biosinodx@gmail.com or yxli@sibs.ac.cn

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Between Stability and Change in the Law of the Sea Convention
Authors: Buga Irina
Published: July 2016

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) contains both explicit and implicit mechanisms to deal with the changing international environment. Subsequent practice has had a significant impact on the development of the LOSC framework and will continue to do so in the future. This chapter begins by describing the process of modification by subsequent practice in general. It then explores examples of modification in the LOSC and looks at the role of subsequent practice in the process of regime interaction between the law of the sea and other regimes. It examines alternative mechanisms that facilitate informal adaptation and regime interaction in the LOSC, therefore reducing the need for modification by subsequent practice. The final section draws some conclusions regarding the evolution of the LOSC.
Maritime Boundary Delimitation
Authors: Evans Malcolm
Published: July 2016

This chapter provides an overview of maritime boundary delimitation, drawing on its history whilst focusing on points of contemporary relevance. Topics covered include the delimitation of the territorial sea; the ‘equidistance’ or ‘equitable principles’ debate and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC); the delimitation process; issues concerning the identification of the relevant area, islands, and low-tide elevations; the relevance of economic and jurisdictional issues to the delimitation process; and the 2014 Bay of Bengal Maritime Boundary Arbitration.
Polar Oceans and Law of the Sea
Authors: Scott Karen , Vanderzwaag David
Published: July 2016

This chapter assesses the implementation of the law of the sea in the Arctic Ocean and Southern Ocean, focusing on the issues of disputed sovereignty, environmental vulnerabilities, and access to marine resources. It highlights how the two regions are ‘poles together’, sharing some key governance similarities, such as being subject to general law of the sea provisions applicable to maritime safety and environmental protection. It describes how the regions are ‘poles apart’ by examining the differing law of the sea contexts and divergent regional approaches and challenges to ocean governance in the Arctic and Antarctic, respectively. It identifies future challenges for both regions focusing on institutional developments in the Arctic and the development of new spatially-focused conservation tools in the Antarctic.
Marine Bioprospecting
Authors: Mossop Joanna
Published: July 2016

Bioprospecting is the process of identifying unique characteristics of marine organisms for the purpose of developing them into commercially valuable products. This chapter explores the legal regime for bioprospecting. It identifies the legal rules that apply to bioprospecting and the issues that may require future development. It discusses the UN Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) and the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) before turning to the rules that apply to marine bioprospecting within and outside areas of national jurisdiction.
The Continued Relevance of Established Rules and Institutions Relating to the Use of Force
Authors: Crawford James , Nicholson Rowan
Published: July 2016

This chapter examines the relevance of the international law and institutions governing the use of force (jus ad bellum). It considers a number of critiques centred on whether the rules expressed in the UN Charter are effective in practice, too indeterminate, or too strict. First is the realist critique that views the rules on the use of force as ineffective. Second is the legal critique that the prohibition on the use of force does not amount to international law at all. In particular, the chapter discusses Michael Glennon’s argument in Chapter 3 of this volume that the principle of ‘sovereign equality’ has prevented the United Nations, especially the Security Council, from addressing emerging crises. It also argues that the UN Charter rules, while not always optimally effective, have played a key role in reducing interstate armed conflict since 1945.
Feminist Perspectives on the Law on the Use of Force
Authors: Heathcote Gina
Published: July 2016

This chapter examines the use of force from a feminist perspective and its prohibition in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. Using structural bias feminism, it demonstrates how the gendering of international legal categories contributes to the harm and discrimination experienced by women worldwide. The chapter cites UN Security Council action in Libya in 2011 as an example of the normative and organizational exclusion of women and the justification of the use of force. It discusses the relationship between race and gender privilege in international law and argues that the Council’s resolutions on women, peace, and security, support, and legitimate use of force undermine feminist peace activism. It proposes a transformative approach to the foundations of international law that articulates the prohibition on the use of force as a useful first step for imagining the potential of humanity rather than justifying further force, further violence, or further destruction.
Regional Organizations and Arrangements
Authors: De Wet Erika
Published: July 2016

This chapter focuses on the African Union’s (AU) military operations since the turn of the century and the legal framework pertaining to its regional security. It examines the AU’s increasing involvement in peace operations since the late 1990s in the context of its relationship with the United Nations Charter. The chapter first clarifies the meaning of the term ‘regional organizations’ based on Article 53(1) of the UN Charter before discussing whether and to what extent regional enforcement action can be taken under regional arrangements or by regional agencies without the authorization of the UN Security Council. It then evaluates the legal basis of the AU’s military operations and their relationship with the UN Security Council, citing the cases of Burundi, Sudan, Somalia, and the Comoros.
A Novel Rapidly Growing Mycobacterium Species Causing an Abdominal Cerebrospinal Fluid Pseudocyst Infection
Authors: Hussain Cory K. , de Man Tom J. B. , Toney Nadege C. , Kamboj Kamal , Balada-Llasat Joan-Miquel , Wang Shu-Hua
Published: July 2016

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are a rare cause of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections. We describe the isolation and identification of a novel, rapidly growing, nonpigmented NTM from an abdominal cerebrospinal fluid pseudocyst. The patient presented with fevers, nausea, and abdominal pain and clinically improved after shunt removal. NTM identification was performed by amplicon and whole-genome sequencing.
The Difference that Peter I Made
Authors: Zitser Ernest A.
Published: July 2016

Arguing that the modernity, rationality and secularity of Peter the Great’s project have been generally over-emphasized, this chapter contends that the Tsar’s drive to transform his vast realm into a wealthy, powerful and well-regulated Empire derived less from his fondness for things foreign or from the constant demands of warfare than from his sense of divine election for his imperial vocation and his unswerving belief—nurtured by his intimates, tested by the ups-and-downs of political and military fortune, and represented by ceremonies and spectacles, both sacred and profane—that he was predestined for greatness.
Introduction
Authors: Howe Blake , Jensen-Moulton Stephanie , Lerner Neil , Straus Joseph
Published: July 2016

The new, interdisciplinary field of Disability Studies offers a sociopolitical analysis of disability, focusing on its social construction and shifting attention from biology to culture. Within music, disability has been shown to be a core feature of the musical identity of music makers (especially composers and performers), often an identity that is affirmatively claimed in the face of widespread stigma. It has also inflected reception of the lives and work of composers and performers. Although music is a famously nonrepresentational art form, scholars have shown that musical works represent disability in various ways. Furthermore, music has proven a fertile ground for exploring the contention within Disability Studies that disability (like gender) can be understood as a performance: something you do rather than something you are. In all of these ways, disability both shapes and is shaped by culture, including musical culture.
Disabled Union Veterans and the Performance of Martial Begging
Authors: Accinno Michael
Published: July 2016

This essay discusses the phenomenon of disabled Union veterans who turned to the profession of organ grinding during and after the American Civil War: they became mendicant musicians who played music in the streets to beg for money. Within a cultural logic that emphasized the sorting of worthy from unworthy poor—and “true” veterans from “imposters”—the related practices of street music and mendicancy were harshly stigmatized. Although artistic and literary representations of disabled organ grinders often used the performers as rhetorical devices to elicit fear, loathing, or pity, closer scrutiny of surviving documentary evidence reveals that the men indeed possessed agency, along with a capacity and desire for self-representation.
Stevie Wonder’s Tactile Keyboard Mediation, Black Key Compositional Development, and the Quest for Creative Autonomy
Authors: Fulton Will
Published: July 2016

There has been limited examination of Stevie Wonder’s compositional process and performance style as they relate to his disability. One largely unaddressed aspect of Wonder’s work is the keyboard performance technique used on his funk recordings, which feature a style of performance that he developed in part due to his blindness. Wonder’s studio recordings of the early 1970s exhibit what could be understood as the problem of autonomy for a disabled musician. As Wonder creates recordings as a technological one-man band using the assistance of multitrack recording, he strives toward creative autonomy. At the same time, the recording studio serves as a site for “complex power relations” that are common between people with disabilities and those who assist them. The availability of newer, smaller electronic instruments later made it possible for Wonder to increase his personal control over music production and to pioneer the use of new recording technologies.
Music Education, Social Justice, and the “Student Voice”
Authors: Spruce Gary
Published: July 2016

This chapter considers issues around “student voice,” social justice, and the alienation and disengagement of young people from school music education. It begins by arguing that the subtle and problematized accounts of student voice found in much of the literature has generally failed to influence the implementation of student voice initiatives in school. Rather, “student voice” has come to be a tool for the furtherance of performative and managerial agendas. Moving on, the argument will be made that despite a disposition toward inclusion and participation, music education in England has often failed to “hear” the student voice in the discourse of curriculum, pedagogy, and musical value, resulting in the disengagement of many young people from formal music education in school. In the final section a dialogical approach to music education is posited as one way in which the voice of the student might be heard within music education discourses.
Sublanguages and Controlled Languages
Authors: Kittredge Richard I.
Published: July 2016

Restricted subsystems of language can arise spontaneously in a subject-matter domain where speech or writing is used for special purposes. Alternatively, language restrictions can be imposed by conscious design. This chapter introduces the phenomenon of natural sublanguage in the first case, and contrasts it with the increasingly important notion of controlled language, which applies in the second case. Many of the successful language processing applications which deal with language meaning are limited to naturally occurring sublanguages. We give examples of natural sublanguages and describe their key properties for automatic processing. One or more related sublanguages may serve as the basis for a controlled language, where standards are introduced to reduce ambiguity, limit complexity, and enforce uniform style.
Corpora
Authors: McEnery Tony
Published: July 2016

In this chapter the use of corpora in natural-language processing (NLP) is overviewed. The chapter begins by defining what a corpus is. In doing so it introduces different types of corpora such as monolingual, parallel and comparable corpora. It also discusses key issues in corpus design, notably balance and representativeness. The chapter then overviews the history of corpus linguistics, from its early beginnings in the pre computer age to its current digital form. Following this there is a brief survey of the current state of corpora, taking into account recent innovations in corpus construction, notably the development of the notion of the ‘Web as corpus’. The chapter concludes by briefly considering the use of corpora in a range of NLP systems.
Durable Authoritarianism
Authors: Levitsky Steven , Way Lucan A.
Published: July 2016

Recent studies of authoritarian durability highlight the role of institutions, particularly ruling parties. Yet party-based regimes vary markedly in their durability. Efforts to explain this variation have led scholars to examine the historical roots of strong authoritarian institutions. Drawing on recent historical institutionalist research, this chapter argues that robust authoritarian institutions frequently emerge out of periods of violent conflict. The chapter identifies two paths to durable authoritarianism: (1) arevolutionarypath, in which disciplined liberation parties build (and penetrate) their own coercive apparatus and destroy the social and institutional bases for future opposition; and (2) acounter-revolutionarypath, in which elites threatened by radical insurgencies agree to “protection pacts” that endow emerging autocrats with the authority and resources to build powerful party and coercive structures. The chapter also examines mechanisms of authoritarian reproduction, arguing that a challenge for historical institutionalism lies in identifying the conditions under which founding legacies end.