bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Large deviations for randomly connected neural networks: I. Spatially extended systems
Authors: Cabana Tanguy , Touboul Jonathan D. 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
In a series of two papers, we investigate the large deviations and asymptotic behavior of stochastic models of brain neural networks with random interaction coefficients. In this first paper, we take into account the spatial structure of the brain and consider first the presence of interaction delays that depend on the distance between cells and then the Gaussian random interaction amplitude with a mean and variance that depend on the position of the neurons and scale as the inverse of the network size. We show that the empirical measure satisfies a large deviations principle with a good rate function reaching its minimum at a unique spatially extended probability measure. This result implies an averaged convergence of the empirical measure and a propagation of chaos. The limit is characterized through a complex non-Markovian implicit equation in which the network interaction term is replaced by a nonlocal Gaussian process with a mean and covariance that depend on the statistics of the solution over the whole neural field.
Feathering rate impact on growth and slaughter traits of Japanese quail
Authors: Mahmoud B. Y. , Abdel Hafez A. S. , Emam A. M. , Abdelmoniem A. M. , ElSafty S. A. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractA total of 1180 1-day-old Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) chicks were used to investigate the effect of feathering rates on growth and slaughter traits. Feathering rates were classified based on the results of stepwise regression using numbers and lengths of both primaries and secondaries and tail length at 7 and 10 days of age as predictors. At 7 and 10 days old, number of primary feathers had phenotypically positive low correlations (rps) with body weight (BW), whereas number of secondaries had positive medium rps with BW at different ages. Lengths of primary, secondary and tail feathers had highly positive rps with BW traits at different ages. Results of stepwise multiple regressions indicated that BW at 14, 21 and 28 days of age can be predicted using lengths of secondary and tail feathers at 10 days old, number of secondaries at 7 days old and length of secondaries at 7 days old, respectively. Body weight at 35 days of age can be predicted using number of primaries,lengths of secondaries and tail at 10 days of age and number of secondaries at 7 days of age. Higher BWs were obtained in the fast-feathering class from 21 up to 35 days of age than in other groups, whereas the slow-feathering class had the lowest BW. Significant class differences were found for carcass weight, feather weight and dressing% favouring the fast- over the slow-feathering class. Therefore, early feathering rates improved BW at later ages and slaughter traits in Japanese quail.
Authoritarian deliberation revisited
Authors: He Baogang , Wagenaar Hendrik 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThis introductory paper reviews the origin and development of the concept of authoritarian deliberation, and highlights the importance of culture and cultural tradition associated with public consultation. This paper summarizes and illustrates six key features of authoritarian deliberation in China. First, deliberation in China is a precarious balance between legal rule and state intervention. Second, the Party appeals to public reason to address and manage social conflict, and develop the soft coercion that accompanies much authoritarian deliberation. Third, this highly controlled deliberative process does, however, allow the freedom of local participants to find spaces for democratic expression, and local experiments to develop elements of deliberative democracy. Fourth, authoritarian deliberation is characterized by mutual instrumentalism. Fifth, there is an importance of an administrative and policy perspective in authoritarian deliberation. Six, the concept of authoritarian deliberation is not limited to China. There is the convergence in real-world deliberative process and outcome between authoritarian and liberal democratic systems.
How democratic are Chinese grassroots deliberations? An empirical study of 393 deliberation experiments in China
Authors: Tong Dezhi , He Baogang 
Published: November 2018

AbstractChinese public hearings or consultations have been subject to numerous debates, doubts, and scepticism about the existence of Chinese deliberative democracy. More empirical evidence, however, is required about these debates before we can offer any meaningful account of the nature, characteristics, and direction of Chinese deliberation. In addition, although there have been many case studies on grassroots deliberative democracy, such studies are intellectually isolated from each other in the sense that they do not comprise a statistical unit. To overcome this deficiency, we developed a new research method for studying grassroots deliberation by collecting and validating the existing case studies, thereby making them a statistical unit. This paper aims to offer a big-picture perspective and the national statistical trend behind the uneven development of grassroots deliberative democracy. It develops an intellectual framework to assess whether grassroots deliberation is democratic. By collecting, validating, and coding 393 cases of Chinese grassroots deliberations, we have assessed Chinese grassroots deliberation, confirmed the cases’ democratic attributes, and provided a solid statistical result. Although there is strong evidence to support the claim that these grassroots deliberation experiments are democratic, there remain some variations, nuances, and shortcomings. The full picture is not simple, but instead provides a mixed perspective.
Deliberation and governance in Chinese middle-class neighborhoods
Authors: Tang Beibei 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThis paper examines the mechanisms of deliberation and conflict resolution in Chinese urban middle-class residential communities. Along with the rise of private home ownership and urban middle-class residential estates, disputes and conflicts have risen between the residents, resident self-elected organization (homeowner associations), real estate developer and property management companies, and the local government. Through the lens of deliberation in middle-class neighborhoods, this paper analyzes (1) how and to what extent deliberation is introduced and employed as an instrumental tool by the local government to achieve their goal of maintaining social stability. (2) In what ways and to what extent deliberation has served as part of governance strategies. And (3) whether and how the state and non-state actors interact with each other during this process to produce more democratic governance under the Party-state's authoritarian rule. This paper adopts a systemic approach to examine authoritarian deliberation as a neighborhood governance strategy. The findings suggest that (1) deliberation has become an instrumental tool for conflict resolution introduced by the local government to middle-class neighborhoods. Residents’ Committees, on behalf of the state, has become key coordinator and mediator during the deliberation process. (2) The systemic approach of authoritarian deliberation includes a mix of deliberative elements and other features of political culture, traditions, strategies, and institutions. The dynamic interactions between deliberation and authoritarianism, between deliberative and non-deliberative features, and between formal deliberative meetings and informal deliberative talks all contribute to a functional deliberative system.
Why was Wilsonian-Taisho moment lost in Japan in spite of its economic success?
Authors: Harada Yutaka 
Published: November 2018

AbstractJapan during the interwar period was more globalized in many ways than it is now. Japan prospered under the liberal international order. The Japanese people at the time believed that the country needed more land overseas to feed the increasing population, but the growing mainland economy gave jobs to the most Japanese population. The benefits the colonies conferred were not great, but some Japanese, particularly military and civil personnel in the colonies, were major beneficiaries. Japan was among the first to recover from the Great Depression, and by the middle of the 1930s was in a full employment situation. Japan did not need to export its population to other countries or to acquire territories through military action. The military expansion into China and the shift to a controlled economy in Japan and Manchukuo benefitted those who supplied goods to the military and obeyed the authorities. Such benefits, though, came at the expense of Japanese taxpayers and consumers, who were oppressed and were unable to criticize the military. The benefits gained from the military clampdown and a controlled economy were quite visible, but the benefits of the liberal international order often cannot be clearly seen. Japan still had a chance to recognize the true benefits of the liberal international order and the false benefits of colonization, military expansion, and a controlled economy, but could not. Wilsonian-Taisho moment was lost at the end of the 1930s.
The Wilsonian moment in Yanaihara Tadao's political thought
Authors: Nakano Ryoko 
Published: November 2018

AbstractAlbeit with little reference to Woodrow Wilson, Yanaihara Tadao, the Chair of Colonial Policy at Tokyo Imperial University in the 1920s and 1930s, and a pious Christian, adapted the core ideas of Wilsonian liberalism such as national self-determination, multilateralism, and democracy to the political and legal framework of imperial Japan. Yanaihara advocated the principle of autonomy for the Japanese empire to transform itself into the core of a liberal international order. He articulated that the combination of colonialism and unfettered capitalism had detrimental effects on the colonized and advocated for a Japanese empire that reflected the voice of its colonized people. However, having seen little improvement in the status of the colonized, Yanaihara increasingly regarded Japanese pan-Asianist ideas in the 1930s as a cover-up of Japanese expansionism. Almost abandoning his earlier ideas about empire as a multiethnic society, he criticized Japan's military venture as economically unprofitable, and policies toward Manchuria as stoking the rise of Chinese nationalism. He advocated for the normative framework advanced by the Mandate System of the League of Nations as a way toward the universalization of sovereignty, and protection of stateless populations. The failure of the Wilsonian moment in Japan forced Yanaihara out of Tokyo Imperial University but also strengthened his inclination towards liberal internationalism.
Time Perspective, Awareness of Narrative Identity, and the Perceived Coherence of Past Experiences Among Adults
Authors: Hallford David John , Fava Nicholas J. , Mellor David 
Published: November 2018

Abstract. The ability to mentally project oneself into the past and future is theoretically central to perception of a salient and cohesive narrative identity. Despite these theorized links, to date, the relationship between time perspective and narrative identity has not been empirically studied. We examined the association between these constructs in a sample of 212 participants ( Mage = 28.3 years, SD = 10.9) who completed the Balanced Time Perspective Scale and the Awareness of Narrative Identity Questionnaire (ANIQ). Congruent with our hypotheses, stronger past perspective and a bias for past perspective over future were associated with a stronger awareness of having a narrative identity and the perception of temporal, causal, and thematic coherency of past experiences. When the past and future time perspective scales were examined together as predictors of the ANIQ subscales, past time perspective emerged as a significant predictor of stronger awareness of a narrative identity through dimensions of perceived coherence of past experiences, whereas future time perspective was a weak, direct predictor of lower awareness. The findings indicate that individual differences in time perspective, and in particular a bias for past time perspective, are associated with a potentially more adaptive perception of narrative identity.
Decadal Variation in IOD Predictability During 1881–2016
Authors: Song Xunshu , Tang Youmin , Chen Dake 
Published: November 2018

AbstractIn this study, a long‐term retrospective hindcast experiment is performed for the period from 1881 to 2016 with respect to tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans using a newly developed tropical intermediate coupled model. We focus on the predictability of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) mode, especially its decadal variation. There is a considerable decadal variation in IOD predictability, with high skill after the 1980s and low skill in 1940–1960. This decadal variation is significant when the prediction target is observed in the boreal autumn and winter months. Further diagnostic analysis revealed that this decadal variation was primarily due to the decadal variation in the El Nino and Southern Oscillation (ENSO)‐IOD relation that characterized the ENSO‐induced precursor processes, strengthening the predictable IOD signal. Unlike the ENSO predictability that is substantially related to the ENSO signal, the IOD predictability is related to the ENSO‐induced signal rather than the total IOD signal.
CAPE Times P Explains Lightning Over Land But Not the Land‐Ocean Contrast
Authors: Romps David M. , Charn Alexander B. , Holzworth Robert H. , Lawrence William E. , Molinari John , Vollaro David 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThe contemporaneous pointwise product of convective available potential energy (CAPE) and precipitation is shown to be a good proxy for lightning. In particular, the CAPE × P proxy for lightning faithfully replicates seasonal maps of lightning over the contiguous United States, as well as the shape, amplitude, and timing of the diurnal cycle in lightning. Globally, CAPE × P correctly predicts the distribution of flash rate densities over land, but it does not predict the pronounced land‐ocean contrast in flash rate density; some factor other than CAPE or P is responsible for that land‐ocean contrast.
A Preseismic Strain Anomaly Detected Before M6 Earthquakes in the South Iceland Seismic Zone From GPS Station Velocities
Authors: Árnadóttir Thóra , Haines John , Geirsson Halldór , Hreinsdóttir Sigrún 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThe South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) accommodates E‐W translation due to oblique spreading between the North American and the Eurasian plates in South Iceland with ruptures on N‐S faults. Strain is released in earthquake sequences that last days to years, at average intervals of 80–100 years. Two M6.5 earthquakes struck in the SISZ in June 2000, and two M6 earthquakes in May 2008. These events released only half of the strain accumulated since the last earthquake sequence in 1896–1912. GPS station velocities are estimated from annual campaigns and continuous measurements in the SISZ during 2001–2015. The GPS station velocities are used to calculate strain rates from a new method using the vertical derivatives of horizontal stress. Our new strain rates are obtained by integrating vertical derivatives of horizontal stress rates, rather than differentiating interpolated GPS velocities, allowing finer resolution of strain. Estimating the strain rates for eight time intervals, we find high strain rates in the SISZ (0.5–1 microstrain per year) with significant temporal and spatial variation. The strain rates in the SISZ reveal contraction in the Hengill area and dilatation over a large area in eastern SISZ, indicating inflation of the magma system beneath Hekla volcano. A prominent strain anomaly is evident in the epicentral area prior to the May 2008 earthquakes. We suggest that this signal is primarily caused by plate motion and an increase in the rate of contraction in the Hengill area, located ∼10 km west of the epicentral area.
Smartphone app for non-invasive detection of anemia using only patient-sourced photos
Authors: Mannino Robert G. , Myers David R. , Tyburski Erika A. , Caruso Christina , Boudreaux Jeanne , Leong Traci , Clifford G. D. , Lam Wilbur A. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractWe introduce a paradigm of completely non-invasive, on-demand diagnostics that may replace common blood-based laboratory tests using only a smartphone app and photos. We initially targeted anemia, a blood condition characterized by low blood hemoglobin levels that afflicts >2 billion people. Our app estimates hemoglobin levels by analyzing color and metadata of fingernail bed smartphone photos and detects anemia (hemoglobin levels <12.5 g dL−1) with an accuracy of ±2.4 g dL−1 and a sensitivity of 97% (95% CI, 89–100%) when compared with CBC hemoglobin levels (n = 100 subjects), indicating its viability to serve as a non-invasive anemia screening tool. Moreover, with personalized calibration, this system achieves an accuracy of ±0.92 g dL−1 of CBC hemoglobin levels (n = 16), empowering chronic anemia patients to serially monitor their hemoglobin levels instantaneously and remotely. Our on-demand system enables anyone with a smartphone to download an app and immediately detect anemia anywhere and anytime.
Redirecting Primary Metabolism to Boost Production of Tyrosine-Derived Specialised Metabolites in Planta
Authors: Timoneda Alfonso , Sheehan Hester , Feng Tao , Lopez-Nieves Samuel , Maeda Hiroshi A. , Brockington Samuel 
Published: November 2018

AbstractL-Tyrosine-derived specialized metabolites perform many important functions in plants, and have valuable applications in human health and nutrition. A necessary step in the overproduction of specialised tyrosine-derived metabolites in planta is the manipulation of primary metabolism to enhance the availability of tyrosine. Here, we utilise a naturally occurring de-regulated isoform of the key enzyme, arogenate dehydrogenase, to re-engineer the interface of primary and specialised metabolism, to boost the production of tyrosine-derived pigments in a heterologous plant host. Through manipulation of tyrosine availability, we report a 7-fold increase in the production of tyrosine-derived betalain pigments, with an upper range of 855 mg·kg−1·FW, which compare favourably to many in vitro and commercial sources of betalain pigments. Since the most common plant pathway for tyrosine synthesis occurs via arogenate, the de-regulated arogenate dehydrogenase isoform is a promising route for enhanced production of tyrosine-derived pharmaceuticals in diverse plant hosts.
Development of a multi-locus CRISPR gene drive system in budding yeast
Authors: Yan Yao , Finnigan Gregory C. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThe discovery of CRISPR/Cas gene editing has allowed for major advances in many biomedical disciplines and basic research. One arrangement of this biotechnology, a nuclease-based gene drive, can rapidly deliver a genetic element through a given population and studies in fungi and metazoans have demonstrated the success of such a system. This methodology has the potential to control biological populations and contribute to eradication of insect-borne diseases, agricultural pests, and invasive species. However, there remain challenges in the design, optimization, and implementation of gene drives including concerns regarding biosafety, containment, and control/inhibition. Given the numerous gene drive arrangements possible, there is a growing need for more advanced designs. In this study, we use budding yeast to develop an artificial multi-locus gene drive system. Our minimal setup requires only a single copy of S. pyogenes Cas9 and three guide RNAs to propagate three gene drives. We demonstrate how this system could be used for targeted allele replacement of native genes and to suppress NHEJ repair systems by modifying DNA Ligase IV. A multi-locus gene drive configuration provides an expanded suite of options for complex attributes including pathway redundancy, combatting evolved resistance, and safeguards for control, inhibition, or reversal of drive action.
Evidence for ‘critical slowing down’ in seagrass: a stress gradient experiment at the southern limit of its range
Authors: El-Hacen El-Hacen M. , Bouma Tjeerd J. , Fivash Gregory S. , Sall Amadou Abderahmane , Piersma Theunis , Olff Han , Govers Laura L. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThe theory of critical slowing down, i.e. the increasing recovery times of complex systems close to tipping points, has been proposed as an early warning signal for collapse. Empirical evidence for the reality of such warning signals is still rare in ecology. We studied this onZostera noltiiintertidal seagrass meadows at their southern range limit, the Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania. We analyse the environmental covariates of recovery rates using structural equation modelling (SEM), based on an experiment in which we assessed whether recovery after disturbances (i.e. seagrass & infauna removal) depends on stress intensity (increasing with elevation) and disturbance patch size (1 m2vs. 9 m2). The SEM analyses revealed that higher biofilm density and sediment accretion best explained seagrass recovery rates. Experimental disturbances were followed by slow rates of recovery, regrowth occurring mainly in the coolest months of the year. Macrofauna recolonisation lagged behind seagrass recovery. Overall, the recovery rate was six times slower in the high intertidal zone than in the low zone. The large disturbances in the low zone recovered faster than the small ones in the high zone. This provides empirical evidence for critical slowing down with increasing desiccation stress in an intertidal seagrass system.
Six years of grazing exclusion is the optimum duration in the alpine meadow-steppe of the north-eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Li Wen , Liu Yuzhen , Wang Jinlan , Shi Shangli , Cao Wenxia 
Published: November 2018

AbstractGrazing exclusion is an effective management strategy for restoring degraded grasslands worldwide, but the effects of different exclusion durations on vegetation structure and soil properties remain unclear. Therefore, we evaluated vegetation characteristics and soil properties in an alpine meadow-steppe under grazing exclusion of different lengths (with grazing and with 3-year, 6-year, 9-year and 11-year grazing exclusions) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). We also explored the relationships among above-ground biomass, biodiversity and soil properties to ascertain the mechanism underlying the impact of grazing exclusion on these factors. The results showed that the above- and below-ground biomass, total number of plant species, community density, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, evenness index, richness index, soil and vegetation carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) storage and ecosystem C and N storage exhibited a hump-shaped pattern in response to the length of grazing exclusion with a 6-year threshold. In addition, structural equation modelling showed that the bulk density, soil moisture content, micro sand content and clay and silt contents were the most important determining factors leading to an increase in above-ground biomass in the alpine meadow-steppe after grazing exclusion, whereas the soil total N, available N, available phosphate and soil organic C content were the most important determining factors leading to a decrease in biodiversity. Considering the stability of the plant community and the C and N pools, long-term grazing exclusion (>9 years) is unnecessary, and the optimum exclosure duration of the moderately degraded Elymus nutans - Kobresia humilis type alpine meadow-steppe is six years on the north-eastern QTP.