First-principles approach to rotational-vibrational frequencies and infrared intensity for H2_2 adsorbed in nanoporous materials

The absorption sites and the low-lying rotational and vibrational (RV) energy states for H$_2$ adsorbed within a metal-organic framework are calculated via van der Waals density functional theory. The induced dipole due to bond stretching is found to be accurately given by a first-principles driven approximation using maximally-localized-Wannier-function analysis. The strengths and positions of lines in the complex spectra of RV transitions are in reasonable agreement with experiment, and in particular explain the experimentally mysteriously missing primary line for para hydrogen

Area studies and comparative politics: Africa in context

Der Artikel diskutiert die Relevanz der ethnologischen Feldforschungen, die sich den Einwänden der wissenschaftlichen Unwirksamkeit und der eingeschränkten Perspektive ausgesetzt sehen, für die vergleichende Politikwissenschaft. Dabei orientiert sich der Text an der Annahme, dass die Disziplin der vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft eines Wandels bedarf, um einen Verfall ihres heuristischen Wertes zu verhindern. Aus diesem Grund ist hier nach Ansicht des Autors eine stärke Berücksichtigung der Feldforschungen angebracht. Die Ausführungen behandeln drei Fragen: (1) Wie vollzieht sich die Bestimmung eines Gebietes im Rahmen der Feldforschung? (2) Wie lassen sich vergleichende Fragen formulieren, die Prozesse deutlicher beleuchten als nur Unterschiede zu betrachten? (3) Wie gestaltet sich der beste Bericht über Dynamiken und Wandel im Laufe der Zeit? Diese Fragen werden zunächst auf allgemeiner Ebene diskutiert. Anschließend zieht der Autor zur Illustrierung der entwickelten Ansichten die Herangehensweise seiner wissenschaftlichen Arbeit zu dem Forschungsgegenstand der Demokratisierung in Schwarzafrika heran. (ICG2

Jean-Pierre DOZON, Une anthropologie en mouvement : l’Afrique miroir du contemporain

In this volume, Jean-Pierre Dozon has brought together a number of articles he has published in the last thirty years. The ambition, above and beyond making them more widely available, is to reflect on the evolution of African Studies in France by means of his fieldwork experience. The author is well known for his work on Côte d’Ivoire, where he has done research since the seventies, and it is to this country that he returns time and time again in these articles. He has done fieldwork on agri..

A Review of the Effects of Dietary Restriction, Dehydration, and Caffeine Withdrawal on Cognition: Implications for a Disabled Submarine Scenario

In the event that submariners become trapped aboard a disabled submarine (DISSUB), they must perform a multitude of cognitively demanding tasks in order to maximize their likelihood of survival. During this time, submariners will also be forced to endure poor living conditions, including drastic changes to their nutrition. These nutritional changes have the potential to impair submariners’ cognitive functioning and affect operational performance, which could jeopardize survival; however, the effects of DISSUB nutrition on cognitive performance are not well understood. This review first describes the unique nutritional conditions that submariners will experience in a DISSUB scenario, including the change to a high-fat/low-calorie diet, restricted water availability, and cessation of caffeine consumption. The known effects of diet (including a high-fat diet and caloric restriction), dehydration, and caffeine withdrawal on cognition are then separately reviewed, with a discussion of how these effects may impact survivability in a DISSUB scenario

Pan-Kazakh Centrism and the Construction of a Regional Axis in the ‘Innovated’ Asia

The interest of Kazakhstan for Central Asia is the interest of a ‘constructor’. Since 1991, it has been at the direct or indirect origin of several key initiatives: CICA, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and even a project of a Union of Central Asia. Theories of regional integrations have been enriching Asia for 20 years, and for 60 years in Europe. The key concept is that of a regional axis: a region is multilateral but needs to build itself around a privileged bilateralism among two neighbors-partners. The definition of such an “axis” is: two countries that have born among themselves the seeds of tension but that decide, voluntarily, to turn the page of history, through a strong and enduring bilateral relationship, sometimes through a founding Treaty, investing in the irreversible, political link with the aim of ‘radiating’ throughout the region

Sewerage pumping station optimization under real conditions

Construction of a sewer system on a flat area is characterized by a large number of pumping stations (PS), which implies the probability of occurrence of technical problems and increases operational costs. The article focuses on drainage methods for municipalities situated on a flat area where it is necessary to build up a large number of pumping stations. Problems occur in case of multiple serial, parallel or combined connections of PSs. Energy costs can outweigh other costs, especially if the PS runs more than 2000 hours per year (Wilson et al., 2010). It has been shown that there is a large technical and economic potential for energy savings in sewage pumping. The pumping of waste waters in Slovakia is mostly based on the START-STOP method. This means that the pumps operate at all times at full power. In practice, we can also meet with oversizing of pumps. These and other facts lead to increased power consumption. Also rainwater infiltration and “black” stormwater connections belong to significant present problems in sewer system operation. Large amounts of storm water in a sewerage PS lead to increasing intensity of waste-water pumping, which is reflected in increasing operational costs. Optimization of such sewer system is based on mathematical modelling and was implemented in the “Ivanka pri Dunaji” municipality, close to Bratislava – the capital of Slovakia where the above mentioned problems in wastewater discharge cause considerable operating costs and inefficient performance of the system as a whole for a long time. Due to the enormous houses development, the system is inadequately loaded by rain waters as well. Also poor discipline of property owners contributes to the inauspicious situation to a great extent. Despite a ban of connections, paved areas are drained into the sewage system very often. The identification of such connections is very problematic with regard to ownership rights. Rain waters in sewages can degrade the quality of wastewaters, increase operating costs of pumping and reduce system life cycle. It was demonstrated by mathematical modelling that with the use of information technologies, it is possible to make the existing sewerage systems more effective or propose a new system of pumping and discharging waste waters.Pre výstavbu stokovej siete v rovinatom území je typické značné množstvo čerpacích staníc (ČS), čo implikuje pravdepodobnosť vzniku technických problémov a zvyšuje náklady na prevádzku. Príspevok je zameraný na spôsoby odkanalizovania obcí situovaných v rovinatom území, kde je potrebné budovať veľký počet čerpacích staníc (ČS). Problémy nastávajú pri niekoľkonásobnom sériovom, paralelnom alebo kombinovanom zapojení ČS. Spotreba energie tvorí často najväčšiu nákladovú položkou celkových nákladov generovaných počas životného cyklu čerpadla. Náklady na energiu môžu dominovať ostatným nákladom, hlavne ak je čerpadlo v chode viac ako 2000 hodín za rok (Wilson et al., 2010). Bolo dokázané, že existuje veľký technický a ekonomický potenciál úspor energie pri čerpaní splaškových vôd. V praxi sa môžeme veľmi často stretnúť s predimenzovaním čerpadiel. Tieto a ďalšie skutočnosti vedú k zvýšeniu spotreby elektrickej energie. Významným problémom pri prevádzke stokových sieti je aj infiltrácia dažďových vôd a nedovolené pripojenie dažďových zvodov do splaškovej kanalizácie. Množstvo dažďových vôd v ČS v značnej miere ovplyvňuje čerpanie OV, čo sa prejavuje zvýšením nákladov na prevádzku ČS. Optimalizácia takýchto sietí je v značnej miere založená na matematickom modelovaní a bola použitá na kanalizácií obce Ivanka pri Dunaji, kde vyššie uvedené problémy v odvádzaní odpadových vôd už dlhší čas spôsobujú nemalé prevádzkové problémy - zvýšenie prevádzkových nákladov a neefektívny výkon systému ako celku. Systém je v dôsledku enormnej výstavby rodinných domov neprimerane zaťažovaný aj vodami, ktoré zaťažujú systém v čase dažďa. Nemalou mierou k tomu prispieva zlá disciplína majiteľov nehnuteľností v zmysle napojenia spevnených plôch na kanalizáciu. Tieto plochy sú aj napriek zákazu pripojenia mnohokrát zvedené práve do systému splaškovej kanalizácie. Identifikácia takýchto napojení je problematická vzhľadom na vlastnícke práva majiteľov nehnuteľností a tieto napojenia nielenže zhoršujú kvalitu odpadovej vody, ale implikujú zvýšené prevádzkové náklady na čerpanie a znižujú životnosť systému. Matematickým modelovaním bolo preukázané, že pri využití informačných technológii môžeme zefektívniť prevádzku už jestvujúcich sieti alebo navrhnúť nový systém odvádzania a prečerpávania odpadových vôd