bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Core Principles of European Expropriation Law
Authors: Sluysmans J.A.M.A. , Waring E.J.L. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThis article stems from on an international collaboration and the publication of a book investigating and identifying the existence of core principles of European expropriation law in 15 different countries. Despite a long tradition of expropriation, surprisingly little thought appears to have been paid to justifying expropriation. Grotius’ work still provides the theoretical underpinning by recognising society’s superior right or ‘a dominium eminens’ over individual property rights. Despite varying backgrounds across the surveyed European countries, there are some basic common European rules on expropriation. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these include the need for expropriation to take place in the ‘public interest’ and the article notes the complexities caused by this requirement across jurisdictions.The article argues that a recurring problem across Europe, historically and today, is the level of acceptable private party involvement in expropriation proceedings and suggests that this is an area which merits further attention. Additionally, the article notes the core requirement of judicial involvement in expropriation proceedings, both in hearings and sometimes in setting levels of appropriate compensation. The judicial role is an important safeguard in expropriation proceedings and has to be balanced against competing interests of legislative supremacy and constitutional limits. The right to financial compensation is another core feature of expropriation law across Europe. Whilst compensation is vital, the level at which it is awarded provides a valuable snapshot of the different societal approaches taken to property rights across Europe. The relative roles of experts and the judiciary in calculating compensation is also noted as being of interest. Additionally, the article argues that there are common challenges including, complex legislation, the varying impact of expropriation on owners, and the possible restitution of property no longer needed for expropriation purposes. The article concludes that there are core principles of European expropriation law, and that whilst these may seem unsurprising their continued existence across so many varied legal systems is an achievement in itself.
Revising the Procedure for Expropriations in South Africa: 2015 Bill and 1975 Act compared
Authors: Mostert Hanri 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThis article comments on the procedural novations in South Africa’s latest Expropriation Bill (2015), which is awaiting presidential signature. It questions the need for a revision of the scale envisaged by the Bill and concludes that the motivation for introducing a new generation of expropriation law is not primarily because the existing law is “of preconstitutional vintage” but rather because of far-reaching changes envisioned in government’s policies on land and agricultural reform. The analysis includes a comparison of the structure and content of the 2015 Bill and the existing Expropriation Act of 1975. It focuses particularly on the process envisaged by the Bill, and scrutinises the additional steps in the process added for accountability in the pre-expropriation phase: investigation, state consultation and notification. In conclusion the analysis is critical of the poor attempts at involving the expropriatee as a key stakeholder in consultations which should be formative of the decision to expropriate.
Expropriations in South Africa: Dramatis Personae of the envisioned Expropriation Law
Authors: Young Cheri 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe Expropriation Act 63 of 1975 governs the process of expropriations in South Africa, though it is expected to be replaced by the Expropriation Bill [B4D-2015] (“Bill”). The Bill, if approved, will substantially overhaul the processes, roleplayers and stakeholders involved in, and impacted by, the expropriation process. The purpose of this paper is to set out the various roleplayers and stakeholders who play a role in the completion of the expropriation process. This includes parties who are necessarily involved and directly impacted, such as the expropriating authority and the expropriated property owner or holder. It also includes the secondary parties who, depending on the circumstances, may be expected to play a role, such as the valuer-general, appointed inspector, the courts and relevant organs of state. In addition, this paper will highlight some of the major amendments that the Expropriation Bill makes to the legal framework governing expropriations, particularly in respect of the stakeholders involved in the process
Effects of waste eggshells and SiC addition in the synthesis of aluminum hybrid green metal matrix composite
Authors: Dwivedi Shashi Prakash , Sharma Satpal , Mishra Raghvendra Kumar 
Published: December 2016

Abstract
The mechanical behavior, physical behavior, microstructural characteristics, and corrosion behavior of AA2014/silicon carbide (SiC)/carbonized eggshell hybrid green metal matrix composites (MMCs) were investigated. Twenty-five samples of hybrid composite with different combinations of SiC and carbonized eggshell particles in AA2014 matrix alloy were prepared. Microstructure presents that the reinforcement particles (SiC and eggshells) are uniformly distributed in the matrix AA2014 alloy. Transmission electron microscope image shows proper wettability between SiC, carbonized eggshell, and AA2014 aluminum alloy. The tensile strength and the fatigue strength for the composites containing 2.5 wt.% SiC up to 7.5 wt.% carbonized eggshell were observed to be higher than that of the other selected composites. The hardness values for the composites containing 12.5 wt.% SiC and 2.5 wt.% carbonized eggshell were in all cases higher than that of the other composites. The results show that toughness decreases with the increase in the weight ratio of SiC and carbonized eggshell in the composites. The results reveal that the sample of AA2014/2.5% SiC/12.5% carbonized eggshell shows minimum corrosion rate among all the selected samples. Density, porosity, and overall cost of hybrid metal matrix composites were also calculated to see the effects of carbonized eggshell and SiC addition in AA2014 matrix alloy.
Pyrolysis Products Characterization and Dynamic Behaviors of Hydrothermally Treated Lignite
Authors: Si Chongdian , Wu Jianjun , Miao Zhenyong , Wang Yong , Zhang Yixin , Liu Guangjun 
Published: December 2016

Abstract
This paper describes the effect of hydrothermal dewatering of lignite on pyrolysis products characterization and dynamic behaviors. The effects of different hydrothermal temperature (200 °C, 250 °C, 300 °C) on pyrolysis products were tested. The pyrolysis of hydrothermal dewatering lignite (300 °C) resulted in the solid yields of up to 77.98 %, and gaseous product by 11.73 % yield. Analysis showed that all the hydrothermal dewatering promoted the solid products yields and the reducing of the gaseous and solid products yields. The chemicals in the pyrolysis gas from lignite with and without hydrothermal dewatering were mainly H2, O2, N2, CH4, CO, and CO2. The quality of pyrolysis gas of hydrothermal dewatering lignite was obviously higher than that of raw lignite. The effect of hydrothermal dewatering on the characteristics of pyrolysis carbocoal was explored by MIP, and TG analyses. The pore volume for the lignite treated in hydrothermal dewatering processing conditions is in the macropore size region. The gasification reactivity and ignition temperature of pyrolysis carbocoal of hydrothermal dewatering lignite were reduced, respectively. Kinetic parameters were obtained by Coats–Redfern method and used to model the TG curve. The average activation energy was increased with the increase of hydrothermal temperature. The obtained activation energy for first stage (400–500 °C) pyrolysis was comparably higher than that for the second stage (500–600 °C). The experiments results help to understand and predict the pyrolysis behaviors and propose pre-treatment technology for low rank coals.
Supporting professional development needs for early childhood teachers: an exploratory analysis of teacher perceptions of stress and challenging behavior
Authors: Stormont Melissa , Young-Walker Laine 
Published: December 2016

Abstract
Early childhood teachers are a unique population of teachers and it is important to determine amendable factors that contribute to their stress. According to available research, challenging child behavior is associated with teacher stress and burnout in school-aged teachers. Given the lack of formal and coordinated in-service education and varied qualifications, early childhood teachers are particularly vulnerable to stress. Further, young children are more likely to have challenging behavior given their social-emotional developmental levels. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher characteristics and perceptions related to their stress, commitment, support, and challenging child behavior in their classrooms. Participants included 100 early childhood professionals. A teacher survey was utilized to determine their perceptions related to key variables. Regression analyses documented teacher commitment and challenging behavior in the classroom uniquely predicted variance in teacher ratings of stress and burnout. Commitment to their job was also a significant predictor to their perceptions of challenging behavior. However, only teacher stress/burnout predicted ratings of challenging behavior; thus, relationships among variables may be more complex. Teachers’ years of experience and education level were not related to other variables. For exploratory purposes, teacher professional development perceptions were also surveyed and results indicated that the vast majority of early childhood educators felt professional development was a good use of their time and that they wished more opportunities were available; however, most also indicated they felt training covered information they already knew.
Why cryptography should not rely on physical attack complexity
Authors: Krämer Juliane 
Published: December 2016

Abstract
This work presents two implementation attacks against cryptographic algorithms. Based on these two presented attacks, this
thesis shows that the assessment of physical attack complexity is error-prone. Hence, cryptography should not rely on
it. Cryptographic technologies have to be protected against all implementation attacks, have they already been realized or
not. The development of countermeasures does not require the successful execution of an attack but can already be carried
out as soon as the principle of a side channel or a fault attack is understood.
Scaled weighted total least-squares adjustment
for partial errors-in-variables model
Authors: Zhao J. 
Published: December 2016

Abstract
Scaled total least-squares (STLS) unify LS, Data
LS, and TLS with a different choice of scaled parameter.
The function of the scaled parameter is to balance the
effect of random error of coefficient matrix and observation
vector for the estimate of unknown parameter. Unfortunately,
there are no discussions about how to determine
the scaled parameter. Consequently, the STLS solution
cannot be obtained because the scaled parameter is
unknown. In addition, the STLS method cannot be applied
to the structured EIV casewhere the coefficient matrix contains
the fixed element and the repeated random elements
in different locations or both. To circumvent the shortcomings
above, the study generalize it to a scaledweighted TLS
(SWTLS) problem based on partial errors-in-variable (EIV)
model. And the maximum likelihood method is employed
to derive the variance component of observations and coefficient
matrix. Then the ratio of variance component is
proposed to get the scaled parameter. The existing STLS
method and WTLS method is just a special example of the
SWTLS method. The numerical results show that the proposed
method proves to bemore effective in some aspects.
“In loco qui dicitur Galca”. New Observations and Hypotheses on the Norman Palace in Palermo
Authors: Longo Ruggero 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThis paper presents the results of an intensive study of both historical sources and literature concerning the Royal Palace in Palermo. The study of this architectural palimpsest deals with the intrinsic difficulty in distinguishing continuity and discontinuity across a stratified overlap of medieval phases, here defined as a mimetic phase of transition. The paper aims to trace the development of the building from the Norman conquest to the establishment of the kingdom, also taking into account a possible pre-Norman phase and the transformations which occurred in the Early Modern period. Issues concerning the construction of the first Palatine Chapel are also addressed, which leads to the individuation of hidden layers of the Palace. The final part of the paper focuses on one of the most important Norman portions of the Palace: the Torre Pisana. The analysis of its medieval structure reveals its Islamic features and opens new hypotheses on its original function and configuration.
Spatial Organization of Chromatic Pathways in the Mouse Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
Authors: Denman Daniel J. , Siegle Joshua H. , Koch Christof , Reid R. Clay , Blanche Timothy J. 
Published: December 2016

In both dichromats and trichromats, cone opsin signals are maintained independently in cones and combined at the bipolar and retinal ganglion cell level, creating parallel color opponent pathways to the central visual system. Like other dichromats, the mouse retina expresses a short-wavelength (S) and a medium-wavelength (M) opsin, with the S-opsin shifted to peak sensitivity in the ultraviolet (UV) range. Unlike in primates, nonuniform opsin expression across the retina and coexpression in single cones creates a mostly mixed chromatic signal. Here, we describe the visuotopic and chromatic organization of spiking responses in the dorsal lateral geniculate and of the local field potentials in their recipient zone in primary visual cortex (V1). We used an immersive visual stimulus dome that allowed us to present spatiotemporally modulated UV and green luminance in any region of the visual field of an awake, head-fixed mouse. Consistent with retinal expression of opsins, we observed graded UV-to-green dominated responses from the upper to lower visual fields, with a smaller difference across azimuth. In addition, we identified a subpopulation of cells (<10%) that exhibited spectrally opponent responses along the S–M axis. Luminance signals of each wavelength and color signals project to the middle layers of V1.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTIn natural environments, color information is useful for guiding behavior. How small terrestrial mammals such as mice use graded expression of cone opsins to extract visual information from their environments is not clear, even as the use of mice for studying visually guided behavior grows. In this study, we examined the color signals that the retina sends to the visual cortex via the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus. We found that green dominated responses in the lower and nasal visual field and ultraviolet dominated responses in the upper visual field. We describe a subset of cells that exhibit color opponent responses.
Nonlinear Y-Like Receptive Fields in the Early Visual Cortex: An Intermediate Stage for Building Cue-Invariant Receptive Fields from Subcortical Y Cells
Authors: Gharat Amol , Baker Curtis L. 
Published: December 2016

Many of the neurons in early visual cortex are selective for the orientation of boundaries defined by first-order cues (luminance) as well as second-order cues (contrast, texture). The neural circuit mechanism underlying this selectivity is still unclear, but some studies have proposed that it emerges from spatial nonlinearities of subcortical Y cells. To understand how inputs from the Y-cell pathway might be pooled to generate cue-invariant receptive fields, we recorded visual responses from single neurons in cat Area 18 using linear multielectrode arrays. We measured responses to drifting and contrast-reversing luminance gratings as well as contrast modulation gratings. We found that a large fraction of these neurons have nonoriented responses to gratings, similar to those of subcortical Y cells: they respond at the second harmonic (F2) to high-spatial frequency contrast-reversing gratings and at the first harmonic (F1) to low-spatial frequency drifting gratings (“Y-cell signature”). For a given neuron, spatial frequency tuning for linear (F1) and nonlinear (F2) responses is quite distinct, similar to orientation-selective cue-invariant neurons. Also, these neurons respond to contrast modulation gratings with selectivity for the carrier (texture) spatial frequency and, in some cases, orientation. Their receptive field properties suggest that they could serve as building blocks for orientation-selective cue-invariant neurons. We propose a circuit model that combines ON- and OFF-center cortical Y-like cells in an unbalanced push–pull manner to generate orientation-selective, cue-invariant receptive fields.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTA significant fraction of neurons in early visual cortex have specialized receptive fields that allow them to selectively respond to the orientation of boundaries that are invariant to the cue (luminance, contrast, texture, motion) that defines them. However, the neural mechanism to construct such versatile receptive fields remains unclear. Using multielectrode recording, we found a large fraction of neurons in early visual cortex with receptive fields not selective for orientation that have spatial nonlinearities like those of subcortical Y cells. These are strong candidates for building cue-invariant orientation-selective neurons; we present a neural circuit model that pools such neurons in an imbalanced “push–pull” manner, to generate orientation-selective cue-invariant receptive fields.
Infundibulo-hypophysitis-like radiological image in a patient with pituitary infiltration of a diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: León-Suárez A , Roldán-Sarmiento P , Gómez-Sámano M A , Nava-De la Vega A , Enríquez-Estrada V M , Gómez-Pérez F J , Cuevas-Ramos D 
Published: December 2016

Summary
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a hematological tumor caused by abnormal lymphoid proliferation. NHL can arise in any part of the body, including central nervous system (CNS). However, pituitary involvement is a quite rare presentation. The diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype when pituitary is infiltrated. Here, we report a case of pituitary infiltration of NHL DLBCL type in a woman with hypopituitarism and an infundibulum-hypophysitis-like image on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A female aged 64 years, complained of dyspepsia, fatigue, weight loss and urine volume increment with thirst. Endoscopy and gastric biopsy confirmed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Treatment with chemotherapy using R-CHOP was initiated. During her hospitalization, hypotension and polyuria were confirmed. Hormonal evaluation was compatible with central diabetes insipidus and hypopituitarism. Simple T1 sequence of MRI showed thickening of the infundibular stalk with homogeneous enhancement. After lumbar puncture analysis, CNS infiltration was confirmed showing positive atypical lymphocytes. Pituitary and infundibular stalk size normalized after R-CHOP chemotherapy treatment. In conclusion, pituitary infiltration of NHL with infundibular-hypophysitis-like image on MRI is a rare finding. Clinical picture included hypopituitarism and central diabetes insipidus. Diagnosis should be suspected after biochemical analysis and MRI results. Treatment consists of chemotherapy against NHL and hormonal replacement for pituitary dysfunction.

Learning points:

Pituitary infiltration by lymphoma can present with signs and symptoms of panhypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus.

MRI findings can resemble an autoimmune hypophysitis.

Patients can recover pituitary function as well as normalization of MRI after chemotherapy treatment.
Dwarfism and Altered Craniofacial Development in Rabbits Is Caused by a 12.1 kb Deletion at the HMGA2 Locus
Authors: Carneiro Miguel , Hu Dou , Archer John , Feng Chungang , Afonso Sandra , Chen Congying , Blanco-Aguiar José A , Garreau Hervé , Boucher Samuel , Ferreira Paula G , Ferrand Nuno , Rubin Carl-Johan , Andersson Leif 
Published: December 2016

Abstract
The dwarf phenotype characterizes the smallest of rabbit breeds and is governed largely by the effects of a single dwarfing allele with an incompletely dominant effect on growth. Dwarf rabbits typically weigh under 1 kg and have altered craniofacial morphology. The dwarf allele is recessive lethal and dwarf homozygotes die within a few days of birth. The dwarf phenotype is expressed in heterozygous individuals and rabbits from dwarf breeds homozygous for the wild-type allele are normal, although smaller when compared to other breeds. Here, we show that the dwarf allele constitutes a ∼12.1 kb deletion overlapping the promoter region and first three exons of the HMGA2 gene leading to inactivation of this gene. HMGA2 has been frequently associated with variation in body size across species. Homozygotes for null alleles are viable in mice but not in rabbits and probably not in humans. RNA-sequencing analysis of rabbit embryos showed that very few genes (4–29 genes) were differentially expressed among the three HMGA2/dwarf genotypes, suggesting that dwarfism and inviability in rabbits are caused by modest changes in gene expression. Our results show that HMGA2 is critical for normal expression of IGF2BP2, which encodes an RNA-binding protein. Finally, we report a catalog of regions of elevated genetic differentiation between dwarf and normal-size rabbits, including LCORL-NCAPG, STC2, HOXD cluster, and IGF2BP2. Levels and patterns of genetic diversity at the LCORL-NCAPG locus further suggest that small size in dwarf breeds was enhanced by crosses with wild rabbits. Overall, our results imply that small size in dwarf rabbits results from a large effect, loss-of-function (LOF) mutation in HMGA2 combined with polygenic selection.
Repair of Meiotic DNA Breaks and Homolog Pairing in Mouse Meiosis Requires a Minichromosome Maintenance (MCM) Paralog
Authors: McNairn Adrian J , Rinaldi Vera D , Schimenti John C 
Published: December 2016

Abstract
The mammalian Mcm-domain containing 2 (Mcmdc2) gene encodes a protein of unknown function that is homologous to the minichromosome maintenance family of DNA replication licensing and helicase factors. Drosophila melanogaster contains two separate genes, the Mei-MCMs, which appear to have arisen from a single ancestral Mcmdc2 gene. The Mei-MCMs are involved in promoting meiotic crossovers by blocking the anticrossover activity of BLM helicase, a function presumably performed by MSH4 and MSH5 in metazoans. Here, we report that MCMDC2-deficient mice of both sexes are viable but sterile. Males fail to produce spermatozoa, and formation of primordial follicles is disrupted in females. Histology and immunocytological analyses of mutant testes revealed that meiosis is arrested in prophase I, and is characterized by persistent meiotic double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs), failure of homologous chromosome synapsis and XY body formation, and an absence of crossing over. These phenotypes resembled those of MSH4/5-deficient meiocytes. The data indicate that MCMDC2 is essential for invasion of homologous sequences by RAD51- and DMC1-coated single-stranded DNA filaments, or stabilization of recombination intermediates following strand invasion, both of which are needed to drive stable homolog pairing and DSB repair via recombination in mice.