The Problem Of Prohibition On The Use Of Nuclear Weapons

As a result of United States’bombing of two Japanese cities in 1945, the Soviet Union, by setting fire of a weapon competition, became the second State which has developed nuclear weapons and has global interest in the nuclear division. The general nuclear weapons are not the only risk. The September 11th incident has been increased concerns about the world’s nuclear power stations and means that could be target of the terrorists. After the Second World War, an increasing trend of proliferation of nuclear weapons have led to negotiations on the control and restrictions that would be concluded with reduction of these weapons as number. There is a fairly widespread belief that nuclear deterrence helped to maintain peace over several decades. Moreover, the employment of nuclear weapons is now envisaged - at least by some nuclear powers - not only as a last resort, but also as a way to react to any attacks committed with chemical or biological or even conventional weapons. As long as the use of nuclear weapons has not been unreservedly prohibited, the efforts to create a nuclear-weapon-free world will remain useless. This article, considering existing restrictions and applicable law on the use of weapons, intends to determine what the future works are, in order to reach this aim eventually.Nuclear weapons, Nuclear deterrence, Legality, Disarmament, International Court of Justice, Conventional prohibitions Martens Clause.

Electron-phonon superconductivity in the filled skutterudites LaRu4P12, LaRu4As12, and LaPt4Ge12

This is the final version of the article. Available from American Physical Society via the DOI in this record.We have reported on the structural, elastic, electronic, lattice dynamical and electron-phonon interaction properties of LaT4X12 (T=Ru, Pt and X=P, As, Ge) by using the generalized gradient approximation of the density functional theory and the plane-wave pseudopotential method. These lanthanum-filled skutterudites are found to be characterized with a flat band, resulting in a sharp peak in the electronic density of states, near the Fermi level. The lattice dynamical properties of these materials change considerably when the P atom is replaced by larger As or Ge atoms. The Migdal-Eliashberg approach is used to determine the Eliashberg spectral function for all the considered compounds. Using the calculated Eliashberg spectral function, the value of average electron-phonon coupling parameter is found to be 0.74 for LaRu4P12, 1.03 for LaRu4As12, and 1.08 for LaPt4Ge12. The superconducting critical temperature (Tc) values for LaRu4P12, LaRu4As12, and LaPt4Ge12 are estimated to be 6.95, 11.56, and 8.32 K, respectively, which compare well enough with their experimentally measured values of 7.2, 10.45, and 8.23 K.Some of the calculations for this project were carried out using the computing facilities on the Intel Nehalem (i7) cluster (ceres) in the School of Physics, University of Exeter, United Kingdo

Empirical essays on performance of management buyouts

This thesis investigates value creation in MBO transactions and the effect of earnings management on the perceived performance improvements following buyout. Various samples of buyouts are used to examine earnings management and performance, however, especial attention is given to private-to-private MBOs. We find that MBOs and private equity sponsors generate little additional value after controlling for selection bias. MBO performance peaks in the year preceding MBO, a result that could indicate practice of earnings management before MBO transactions. Further analysis of accounting numbers reveals that managers of private firms inflate earnings prior to MBO. The earnings management practice and resulting accrual reversals have substantial impact on the subsequent performance. We also show that earnings management is mainly practiced by private non-family firms while family firms do not engage in earnings management prior to MBO transaction. The presence of a private equity investor in the team tends to constrain practice of earnings management in MBOs, while private equity investors tend to inflate earnings at the time of exit. Overall, the results suggest that value gains or losses subsequent to buyout do not fully reflect operational activities. Selective investment strategies of private equity funds and earnings management influence performance. Key to understanding performance is the distinct managerial and ownership motivations for undertaking an MBO that vary across different types of buyouts

Partial Liquid Ventilation: Animal Studies on Lung Function

Various mechanical ventilation techniques have been investigated, both experimentally and clinically, to improve outcome from acute respiratory failure. As an alternative means of respiratory support, perfluorocarbon (PFC) liquids have gained Interest first in liquid breathing applications, and then have formed the basis for the liquid ventilation technique. Combining the liquid and gas ventilation techniques, a new ventilatory support technique, namely partial liquid ventilation, is In progress as an investigational treatment modality in which gas tidal ventilation is superimposed on PFC-treated lungs. This thesis consists of six articles focusing on this topic. One review and five articles describing original experimental work on partial liquid ventilation are presented. Partial liquid ventilation is Investigated with respect to its effects on pUlmonary gas exchange and respiratory system mechanics in an animal model of acute respiratory failure and in healthy animals

The effect of spin orbit interaction on the physical properties of LaTSi3 (T = Ir, Pd, and Rh): First-principles calculations

This is the final version of the article. Available from AIP Publishing via the DOI in this record.We have presented the structural, elastic, electronic, phononic, and electron-phonon interaction properties of the La-based noncentrosymmetric superconductors, such as LaIrSi3, LaRhSi3, and LaPdSi3, by using the generalized gradient approximation of the density functional theory. The calculated elastic constants reveal the mechanical stability of all the studied compounds in their noncentrosymmetric structure, while the lack of inversion symmetry gives rise to lift the degeneracy of their electronic bands, except in the Γ-Z and X-P directions. The calculated Eliashberg spectral function shows that all phonon branches of these materials couple considerably with electrons, and thus, all of them make contribution to the average electron-phonon coupling parameter λ. Using the calculated values of λ and the logarithmically averaged phonon frequency ωln, the superconducting critical temperature Tc values for LaIrSi3, LaRhSi3, and LaPdSi3 are estimated to be 0.89, 2.56, and 2.40 K, respectively, which accord very well with their corresponding experimental values of 0.77, 2.16, and 2.60 K.This work was supported by the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) (Project No. MFAG-115F135)

On the Nesterov-Todd Direction in Semidefinite Programming

On the Nesterov-Todd Direction in Semidefinite Programmin

Circadian blood pressure rhythm in normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the circadian blood pressure (BP) rhythm using ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) in normotensive children with a family history of essential hypertension. Methods: Group 1 consisted of children with hypertensive mothers and/or fathers (n = 20), Group 2 consisted of children with hypertensive grandparents (n = 20), and Group 3 consisted of children with normotensive parents (n = 20). All participating children underwent a 24-h ABPM and echocardiography. Results: Significantly higher systolic burden was found in children with hypertensive parents (p < 0.05) and grandparents (p < 0.05) compared to controls. Ambulatory BP measurements had a higher daytime systolic BP in Group 1 compared to controls (p < 0.05). While left ven­tricular (LV) posterior wall thickness was similar in Group 1 and Group 2, it was significantly higher in both of these groups compared to the controls. The LV mass index (LVMI) was signifi­cantly higher in Group 1 than in controls (p < 0.05). However, diastolic BP was significantly higher in dippers compared to non-dippers (p < 0.05). LV posterior wall thickness, interven­tricular septum thickness and LVMI were significantly higher among non-dippers compared to dippers (p < 0.05). In children with a family history of hypertension, a positive correlation between nocturnal systolic BP and LVMI was found, and increasing nocturnal BP values were associated with increasing LVMI (p < 0.01). Conclusions: In children with a family history of hypertension, target-organ damage may precede the clinical detection of hypertension, and in those with a nocturnal non-dipper status, a more marked effect on LVMI may occur