The translational side of topological band insulators

Spin-orbit coupled materials have attracted revived prominent research interest as of late, especially due their connection with topological materials. A hallmark of this pursuit is arguably formed by the advent of topological band insulators (TBIs). Whereas such topological systems are often characterized by the presence of metallic edge states, we here provide a review on the equally rich, although far less explored, aspects of the bulk. Starting from the fact that pi fluxes unambiguously probe the nontrivial nature of time reversal invariant TBIs upon binding special excitations, we summarize the criteria for the formation of similar localized modes in the presence of crystal dislocations. These criteria under which dislocations act as effective fluxes directly relate to their status as unique probes of translational symmetry breaking and as such pinpoint an indexing of TBIs beyond the standard tenfold way. Apart from elucidating refined classification schemes that include crystal symmetries, we also review why the predicted dislocation physics may be perceived compelling in its own right. For example, the study of these defects could result in new routes to explore spin-charge separated excitations. Similarly, arrays of dislocations, as realizable in ordinary grain boundaries, can be shown to host self organized semimetals that have distinct transport properties. Most importantly, however, research efforts on the material side as well as recent experimental signatures further indicate that the outlined perspective can very well provide for an attractive, timely and experimentally viable research agenda beyond the edge state focussed activities

Reactivity to sustainability metrics: A configurational study of motivation and capacity

Previous research on reactivity – defined as changing organisational behaviour to better conform to the criteria of measurement in response to being measured – has found significant variation in company responses towards sustainability metrics. We propose that reactivity is driven by dialogue, motivation and capacity in a configurational way. Empirically, we use fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to analyse company responses to the sustainability index FTSE4Good. We find evidence of complimentary and substitute effects between motivation and capacity. Based on these effects we develop a typology of reactivity to sustainability metrics, which also theorises the use of metrics as tools for performance feedback and the building of calculative capacity. We show that when reactivity is studied configurationally, we can identify previously underacknowledged types of responses. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications for studying and using sustainability metrics as governance tools for responsible behaviour

Simlandscape: serious gaming in participatory spatial

In an attempt to improve support for contemporary spatial planning practice, Simlandscape has been developed. In this document the development of Simlandscape as ¿serious game¿ in digital form is described. In its current state, Simlandscape exists in two methodological forms; as an analogue game and as a planning support system using GIS for research and design. The game focuses on simulation of plan processes and on the resulting transformation of areas involved. Players interact with an analogue area model. The planning support system focuses on design and evaluation of plan scenarios and the data handling and presentation accompanying this process. A major challenge now is to integrate, upgrade and digitize components of the analogous game with the planning support system. Several interesting components (practical and scientific) of this project are identified and are discussed

The politics of reactivity: Ambivalence in corporate responses to corporate social responsibility ratings

Organizational ratings exude anxiety and allure, but relatively little is known about how managers balance resisting and mobilizing ratings. We explore this duality with a qualitative study on managerial responses to corporate social responsibility (CSR) ratings. Based on interviews focused on CSR ratings with managers of 60 companies, we induce four responses to ratings: grumbling, contestation, cherry-picking and microstatactivism. We further show how managers combine resistance and mobilization in two ambivalent engagement modes. Our analysis contributes to the literature by developing a more nuanced theory of corporate responses to organizational ratings, which demonstrates the importance of ambivalence in managing institutional pressure

Global Phase Diagram of a Dirty Weyl Liquid and Emergent Superuniversality

Pursuing complementary field-theoretic and numerical methods, we here paint the global phase diagram of a three-dimensional dirty Weyl system. The generalized Harris criterion, augmented by a perturbative renormalization-group analysis shows that weak disorder is an irrelevant perturbation at the Weyl semimetal (WSM)-insulator quantum-critical point. But, a metallic phase sets in through a quantum phase transition (QPT) at strong disorder across a multicritical point. The field-theoretic predictions for the correlation length exponent v = 2 and dynamic scaling exponent z = 5/4 at this multicritical point are in good agreement with the ones extracted numerically, yielding v = 1.98 +/- 0.10 and z = 1.26 +/- 0.05, from the scaling of the average density of states (DOS). Deep inside the WSM phase, generic disorder is also an irrelevant perturbation, while a metallic phase appears at strong disorder through a QPT. We here demonstrate that in the presence of generic but strong disorder, the WSM-metal QPT is ultimately always characterized by the exponents v = 1 and z = 3/2 (to one-loop order), originating from intranode or chiral-symmetric (e.g., regular and axial potential) disorder. We here anchor such emergent chiral super-universality through complementary renormalization-group calculations, controlled via. expansions, and numerical analysis of average DOS across WSM-metal QPT. In addition, we also discuss a subsequent QPT (at even stronger disorder) of a Weyl metal into an Anderson insulator by numerically computing the typical DOS at zero energy. The scaling behavior of various physical observables, such as residue of quasiparticle pole, dynamic conductivity, specific heat, Gruneisen ratio, inside various phases as well as across various QPTs in the global phase diagram of a dirty Weyl liquid, are discussed

High-resolution analysis of the pneumococcal transcriptome under a wide range of infection-relevant conditions.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an opportunistic human pathogen that typically colonizes the nasopharyngeal passage and causes lethal disease in other host niches, such as the lung or the meninges. The expression and regulation of pneumococcal genes at different life-cycle stages, such as commensal or pathogenic, are not entirely understood. To chart the transcriptional responses of S. pneumoniae, we used RNA-seq to quantify the relative abundance of the transcriptome under 22 different infection-relevant conditions. The data demonstrated a high level of dynamic expression and, strikingly, all annotated pneumococcal genomic features were expressed in at least one of the studied conditions. By computing the correlation values of every pair of genes across all studied conditions, we created a co-expression matrix that provides valuable information on both operon structure and regulatory processes. The co-expression data are highly consistent with well-characterized operons and regulons, such as the PyrR, ComE and ComX regulons, and have allowed us to identify a new member of the competence regulon. Lastly, we created an interactive data center named PneumoExpress (https://veeninglab.com/pneumoexpress) that enables users to access the expression data as well as the co-expression matrix in an intuitive and efficient manner, providing a valuable resource to the pneumococcal research community

The institutional and social construction of responsible investment

This paper provides a summary of the symposium on the institutional and social construction of Responsible Investment (RI), held at the 22nd IABS Conference. In the context of the symposium, we propose to move beyond the dominant focus on the financial impact of RI to consider the potential of emergent institutional and sociological perspectives to explain the practices and concepts related to RI. In doing so, our aim is to explore in greater detail the current changes in the RI infrastructure and the impact of these changes on wider issues of corporate sustainability and social responsibility

Fossil and recent soil formation in lateleistocene loess deposits in the southern part of the Netherlands.

In the younger, Weichselian (Wurm, Wisconsin) loess deposits in the south of the Netherlands there is a horizon with fossil pedotubules (filled animal burrows). These pedotubules, 3 mm ( plus or minus 1 mm) in diameter, unbranched, without preferential orientation, are most abundant in the zone extending from about 30 cm above the decalcification boundary (situated 2-3 m below the soil surface) to some decimeters below it. They are rare in the B3t horizon of the overlying Hapludalf. Their lower extension boundary occurs some 2 m below the decalcification boundary. These tubules result from fossil animal activity followed by decalcification, mainly of a Boelling soil surface. A loess layer some 2 m thick was probably deposited in the post-Boelling period; the lower part of this layer has a lamellae spot zone. Micromorphological evidence shows that the lamellae spot zone was originally at the actual soil surface. Consequently a geogenic origin of the lamellae spot zone rather than a pedogenic origin seems likely. Soil formation subsequently intensified the textural differences. It is suggested that the post-Boelling loess was free of calcium carbonate at the beginning of the Holocene and was deposited non-calcareously or was decalcified synsedimentarily. In Western Europe, loess soils formed from Pleistocene deposits probably matured earlier in the Holocene than has been assumed hitherto. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Genetic Susceptibility to Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia in the West and is an incurable malignancy. No firmly established evidence exists for environmental risk factors in the etiology of CLL. However, CLL is estimated to have one of the highest familial risks for a hematologic malignancy; this along with other evidence strongly supports an inherited genetic component. In the past 5 years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have provided the foundation for new avenues in the investigation of pathogenesis of this disease with 22 susceptibility loci currently identified. We review here the advances made in identifying these loci, the potential to translate these findings into clinical practice, and future directions needed to advance our understanding of the genetic susceptibility of CLL. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved