Deliberative democratization across borders: participation and deliberation in regional environmental governance

AbstractThis contribution is based on a set of reflections presented at the REGov Workshop. These reflections were offered as part of a panel discussion around the topic “Environmental regionalization, democracy, and civil society.” Additional presentations pro-vided in the context of this panel discussion include those of Lorraine Elliott, Australian National University (this volume), and Nicolas Evrard, European Association of Elected Representatives from Mountain Areas (this volume). Webcasts of all presenta-tions are available at http://www.reg-observatory.org/outputs.html

On the electric conductivity of highly ordered monolayers of monodisperse metal nanoparticles

Monolayers of colloidally synthesized cobalt-platinum nanoparticles of different diameters characterized by TEM (transmission electron microscopy) were deposited on structured silicon oxide substrates and characterized by SEM (scanning electron microscopy), GISAXS (grazing incidence x-ray scattering), and electric transport measurements. The highly ordered nanoparticle films show a thermally activated electron hopping between spatially adjacent particles at room temperature and Coulomb blockade at low temperatures. We present a novel approach to experimentally determine the particles charging energies giving values of 6.7-25.4 meV dependent on the particles size and independent of the interparticle distance. These observations are supported by FEM (finite element method) calculations showing the self-capacitance to be the determining value which only depends on the permittivity constant of the surrounding space and the particles radius.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Einfluss einer Veränderung der Insulinsensitivität auf die koronare Flussreserve

Diabetes ist assoziiert mit Veränderungen der Mikrovaskulatur und einer erhöhten koronaren Flusseserve (CFR). Die CFR ist der Quotient aus dem maximalen hyperämischen Fluss und dem absoluten Baselinefluss vor der Gabe eines Vasodilatators. Der zentrale Defekt in der Entstehung des Typ II-Diabetes sind Veränderungen der Insulinresistenz, welche bereits 10-20 Jahre vor der Manifestation der Erkrankung messbar sind. Diese Studie untersucht den Zusammenhang zwischen Insulinsensitivität und mikrovaskulärer Flussreserve bei nichtdiabetischen Patienten. Von 4083 Patienten, die sich in einem 24-monatigen Zeitraum einer Koronarangiographie unterzogen, erfüllten nur 18 (0,4%) die Studienkriterien. Patienten mit strukturellen Veränderungen der Koronargefäße sowie Faktoren mit Einfluss auf die zu untersuchenden Studienparameter CFR und M-Wert wurden ausgeschlossen. Die CFR lag bei 3.1 0.8, bestimmt durch die intrakoronare Doppleruntersuchung des RIVA. Der M-Wert als Maß der Gesamtkörperinsulinsensitivität lag bei 7.5 2.9 mg/kg/min und wurde mittels Hyperinsulinämischer-Euglykämischer CLAMP-Technik bestimmt. Es zeigt sich in der linearen Regressionsanalyse eine hohe, signifikante Korrelation zwischen CFR und Insulinsensitivität (r=0.76, p3.0) (6.0 2.5 im Vergleich zu 9.0 2.5 mg/kg/min, P= 0.021). In der Multiplen Regressionsanalyse bleibt der signifikante Zusammenhang zwischen CFR und M-Wert unabhängig von möglichen Störfaktoren (Alter, Geschlech, LDL-Cholesterin, Gesamtcholesterin) bestehen. Es findet sich eine starke Assoziation der Insulinsensitivität mit der CFR als Ausdruck der koronaren Vasoreagibilität. Patienten mit Insulinresistenz haben eine eingeschränkte CFR auch in der Abwesenheit anderer Risikofaktoren

Quantum dot attachment and morphology control by carbon nanotubes

Novel applications in nanotechnology rely on the design of tailored nano-architectures. For this purpose, carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles are intensively investigated. In this work we study the influence of non-functionalized carbon nanotubes on the synthesis of CdSe nanoparticles by means of organometallic colloidal routes. This new synthesis methodology does not only provide an effective path to attach nanoparticles non-covalently to carbon nanotubes but represents also a new way to control the shape of nanoparticles.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Toward a Commonly Shared Public Policy Perspective for Analyzing Risk Coping Strategies

The concept of risk has received scholarly attention from a variety of angles in the social, technical, and natural sciences. However, public policy scholars have not yet generated a comprehensive overview, shared understanding and conceptual framework of the main problem-solving approaches applied by governments in coping with risks. In this regard, our main aim is to examine existing perspectives on prevailing risk coping strategies, find a common denominator among them and contribute to current policy and risk science literature through providing a conceptual framework that systematically spans the spectrum of risk coping strategies and incorporates the essence of the most relevant insights. To this end, we first examine the concept of risk in-depth by exploring various definitions and types of risk. We then review different approaches proposed by different strands of research for addressing risk. Finally, we assess current knowledge and develop an amalgamated perspective for examining how risks can be addressed by classifying them into six general types of response (no response; prevention; control; precaution; toleration; and adaptation) as well as indicators to identify these responses. We argue that these strategies can function as a heuristic tool fo

Function Follows Form: From Semiconducting to Metallic toward Superconducting PbS Nanowires by Faceting the Crystal

In the realm of colloidal nanostructures, with its immense capacity for shape and dimensionality control, the form is undoubtedly a driving factor for the tunability of optical and electrical properties in semiconducting or metallic materials. However, influencing the fundamental properties is still challenging and requires sophisticated surface or dimensionality manipulation. In this work, we present such a modification for the example of colloidal lead sulphide nanowires. We show that the electrical properties of lead sulphide nanostructures can be altered from semiconducting to metallic with indications of superconductivity, by exploiting the flexibility of the colloidal synthesis to sculpt the crystal and to form different surface facets. A particular morphology of lead sulphide nanowires has been synthesized through the formation of {111} surface facets, which shows metallic and superconducting properties in contrast to other forms of this semiconducting crystal, which contain other surface facets ({100} and {110}). This effect, which has been investigated with several experimental and theoretical approaches, is attributed to the presence of lead rich {111} facets. The insights promote new strategies for tuning the properties of crystals as well as new applications for lead sulphide nanostructures.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figure

A New Synthesis Approach for Carbon Nitrides: Poly(triazine imide) and Its Photocatalytic Properties

Poly (triazine imide) (PTI) is a material belonging to the group of carbon nitrides and has shown to have competitive properties compared to melon or g-C3N4, especially in photocatalysis. As most of the carbon nitrides PTI is usually synthesized by thermal or hydrothermal approaches. We present and discuss an alternative synthesis for PTI which exhibits a pH dependent solubility in aqueous solutions. This synthesis is based on the formation of radicals during electrolysis of an aqueous melamine solution, coupling of resulting melamine radicals and the final formation of PTI. We applied different characterization techniques to identify PTI as the product of this reaction and report the first liquid state NMR experiments on a triazine-based carbon nitride. We show that PTI has a relatively high specific surface area and a pH dependent adsorption of charged molecules. This tunable adsorption has a significant influence on the photocatalytic properties of PTI which we investigated in dye degradation experiments

High‐Performance n‐ and p‐Type Field‐Effect Transistors Based on Hybridly Surface‐Passivated Colloidal PbS Nanosheets

Colloidally synthesized nanomaterials are among the promising candidates for future electronic devices due to their simplicity and the inexpensiveness of their production. Specifically, colloidal nanosheets are of great interest since they are conveniently producible through the colloidal approach while having the advantages of two-dimensionality. In order to employ these materials, according transistor behavior should be adjustable and of high performance. We show that the transistor performance of colloidal lead sulfide nanosheets is tunable by altering the surface passivation, the contact metal, or by exposing them to air. We found that adding halide ions to the synthesis leads to an improvement of the conductivity, the field-effect mobility, and the on/off ratio of these transistors by passivating their surface defects. Superior n-type behavior with a field-effect mobility of 248 cm^2V^-1s^-1 and an on/off ratio of 4×10^6 is achieved. The conductivity of these stripes can be changed from n-type to p-type by altering the contact metal and by adding oxygen to the working environment. As a possible solution for the post-Moore era, realizing new high quality semiconductors such as colloidal materials is crucial. In this respect, our results can provide new insights which helps to accelerate their optimization for potential applications

Growth and reductive transformation of a gold shell around pyramidal cadmium selenide nanocrystals

We report the growth of an unstable shell-like gold structure around dihexagonal pyramidal CdSe nanocrystals in organic solution and the structural transformation to spherical domains by two means: i) electron beam irradiation (in situ) and (ii) addition of a strong reducing agent during synthesis. By varying the conditions of gold deposition, such as ligands present or the geometry of the CdSe nanocrystals, we were able to tune the gold domain size between 1.4 nm to 3.9 nm and gain important information on the role of surface chemistry in hetero nanoparticle synthesis and seed reactivity, both of which are crucial points regarding the chemical design of new materials for photocatalysis and optoelectronic applications.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Single‐Crystalline Colloidal Quasi‐2D Tin Telluride

Tin telluride is a narrow‐gap semiconductor with promising properties for infrared (IR) optical applications and topological insulators. A convenient colloidal synthesis of quasi‐2D SnTe nanocrystals through the hot‐injection method in a nonpolar solvent is reported. By introducing the halide alkane 1‐bromotetradecane as well as oleic acid and trioctylphosphine, the thickness of 2D SnTe nanostripes can be tuned down to 30 nm, while the lateral dimensional can reach 6 µm. The obtained SnTe nanostripes are single crystalline with a rock‐salt crystal structure. The absorption spectra demonstrate pronounced absorption features in the IR range revealing the effect of quantum confinement in such structures