Established Patterns Research Articles

Weed seed mass affects seedling establishment and resource allocation patterns across a cereal rye surface residue gradient

AbstractKnowledge of weed population‐ and community‐level responses to the integration of cover crop surface residues (CCSRs) is vital to understanding their value when integrated into no‐till field crop production systems. Ecological theory suggests that weed seedling survival and resource allocation patterns during the establishment phase should be influenced by the interaction between seed mass and CCSR levels. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to investigate seedling establishment rates and resource allocation patterns in response to increasing CCSR levels across a seed mass gradient, including weed and crop species. The experiment utilised a two‐factor treatment structure, including 10 plant species that varied in seed mass by three orders of magnitude and four cereal rye mulch levels (0, 3360, 6720 and 10,080 kg ha−1). Our results support the hypothesis that the effect of CCSRs on seedling establishment rates is a function of seed mass. Analysis by species showed a decrease in seedling establishment rates of dicotyledon species across all CCSR levels, but this relationship varied among monocotyledon species. CCSR levels were positively correlated with resource allocation to the hypocotyl and specific hypocotyl length of dicotyledon species. Increasing CCSR levels decreased allocation of resources to roots in broadleaved species but did not affect resource allocation patterns in monocotyledon species. We conclude that the combined effects of CCSRs on seedling establishment rates and resource allocation could significantly influence weed population‐ and community‐level dynamics.

Neuroimaging Assessment of Aggressive Pituitary Adenomas

Aggressive pituitary adenomas (APA) are adenomas that show rapid growth, invasiveness, frequent or multiple relapses, or are resistant to conventional therapies. Clinical-imaging assessment of aggressive pituitary adenomas with the aid of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in early prediction, further disease outcomes and aggressive behavior of adenomas.
 Purpose of the Study: was to assess the correlation of neuroimaging data with the hormonal activity of APA.
 Materials and Methods: The study included 74 patients with aggressive pituitary adenomas. The average age of the patients was from 12 to 69. The patients underwent a basal assessment of the level of pituitary hormones: prolactin (PRL), GH (growth hormone), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and blood cortisol by the RIA method, as well as an MRI study. Knop's classification was used to assess the invasion.
 Results: The hormonal workup showed prevalence of inactive pituitary adenomas among aggressive adenomas. No correlation was found between the hormonal activity of aggressive adenomas and the volume of pituitary adenomas. Moreover, MRI data indicated that invasion into the cavernous sinus of the III degree and heterogeneity of the adenoma may be considered equivalents of aggressiveness.
 Conclusion: The established patterns support the need for visualization assessment of aggressive pituitary adenomas and strongly suggest the evaluation of the degree of aggression based on tumor heterogenecity, chiasm compression, hypo- and iso-intensity in T1 mode and hyperintensity in T2 modes.

Genetic Inheritance and Yield Performance of Bambara Groundnut Genotypes Based on Seed Weight

Though many studies on gene action of yield and yield related traits have been conducted on bambara groundnut, none of these focused on seed size and weight. Hence, this study was conducted to established inheritance pattern based on seed weight. Five bambara groundnut genotypes from Nigeria, namely Giwa, Duna, Cancaraki, Jatau, and Maiki were evaluated in randomized complete block design with three replication. The seeds of each genotype were grouped into three seed weight categories namely large, medium and small-seed size. Data were collected on 12 agromorphological traits and statistical analysis was conducted using SAS version 9.4 and variance component and heritability were estimated for each character. The present study revealed significant levels of variability among the five genotypes, fifteen combinations of seed size and genotypes, seed size categories and interaction of genotypes and seed size categories for most of the yield and yield components. High values of genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) coupled with genetic advance (GA) were reported for the number of medium seed per plant, total large seed weight per plant, total medium seed weight per plant and hundred seeds weight, while moderate GCV was observed for the total number of seed per plant. But the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than GCV for all characters. Moderate broad-sense heritability for 100SW is responsible for the selection of this particular trait. Among the combination, G5S is the best for yield and yielding traits, while genotypes G3 is the best for yield and yield components, whereas among the seed size categories small seed size showed the high yield and yielding components. Keywords: Inheritance, yield performance, Bambara groundnut, seed weight.

Konotacije leksičkog sloja motiva stida u engleskim prijevodima bošnjačke balade “Hasanaginica”

Translating a work of literary art, especially poetry, also means translating its style. At the lexico-stylistic level, style manifests itself in both denotative and connotative meanings of the lexical units of a text. By analyzing the connotations of the lexical layer of shame motif in English translations of Bosniak ballad “Hasanaginica”, we can identify and problematize the interpretation of this motif in the target texts in relation to the source text. Applying the method of lexico-stylistic analysis to the key verses of the shame motif, both in the source text and in the target texts in English, we examine the ways in which different translators build the mystical motif as the only abstract concept that never develops into a poetic image, leaving space for multi-layered connotations that are imposed on the reader. The results of the analysis point to the translations that are closest to the source text in terms of containing minimal differences in the degree of their interpretive limitation or intrusiveness. The most vividly evoked key verse of the shame motif is found in Francis Jones’ translation. However, the final vocabulary choice made by a discerning translator possessing a high degree of stylistic awareness should also be influenced by other aspects of the original text, such as its established rhythmic pattern or meter that requires preservation and other formal characteristics of this ballad, which are not to be found in Jones’ translation. Therefore, our conclusion is that the results of lexico-stylistic analysis of the original should be weighed against the results of analysis on other linguo-stylistic levels of expression (phonostylistic and syntaxostylistic) in order to synthesize them as successfully as possible, which could help recreate a new, more effective and reliable translation of this masterpiece of our oral literature.

Data‐driven evidence for three distinct patterns of amyloid‐β accumulation

AbstractBackgroundAmyloid burden staging models assume a single spatial‐temporal progression of amyloid accumulation across subjects, while disease heterogeneity suggests there might be subtypes with distinct trajectories. Here, we apply a data‐driven model which simultaneously resolves subtypes and stages (SuStaIn)1 to amyloid PET data to assess evidence for Aβ accumulation subtypes.MethodAmyloid PET data of 3010 subjects () were pooled from ALFA+, EMIF‐AD, ABIDE, OASIS, and ADNI. SUVr was extracted for 17 regions. Next, GMM was applied to regional SUVr of cognitively unimpaired subjects per cohort, per tracer, to derive z‐scores. Then, we applied SuStaIn to baseline data to determine the optimal number of subtypes and the most probable subtype/stage per scan. Subtypes and stages were related to the proportion of APOE‐ε4 carriers and diagnostic groups, mean age, and Centiloid. The final model was also applied to longitudinal scans (>4 years after baseline) from ADNI and OASIS (N=519) for validation, where we assessed subtype stability and stage progression.ResultSuStaIn identified three subtypes, referred to as Frontal, Parietal and Occipital based on the first regions to show abnormality (). This 3‐subtype model was preferred to a traditional one‐trajectory model () based on the Cross‐Validation Information Criteria. Most subjects displayed no amyloid (stage 0: N=1810, 60.1%) or abnormal amyloid levels across all regions (stage 17: N=282, 9.4%), challenging subtyping. Of the N=835 (27.7%) with strong subtype assignment (>50% probability), the majority was assigned to Frontal (55.0%), followed by Parietal (24.1%), and Occipital subtypes (21.0%). Statistically significant differences included lower age for the Parietal subtype (Frontal:71.9±8.3; Parietal:69.3±9.6; Occipital:72.1±8.1), and distinct proportions of APOE‐ε4 carriership (Frontal:61.8%, Parietal:57.1%, Occipital:49.4%) and subjects with dementia across subtypes (Frontal:19.7%, Parietal:19.1%, Occipital:31.0%). Older age, APOE‐ε4 carriership, and Centiloid burden were positively associated with stage independent of subtype. At follow‐up, most subjects (77.9%) maintained baseline subtype assignment, and 65.3% progressed to a later stage within their subtype.ConclusionWhile a one‐trajectory model recovers the established pattern of amyloid accumulation, SuStaIn identified three subtypes with distinct associations to AD risk factors. These initial results suggest subtype classification may have clinical relevance and/or improve risk assessment compared to previous staging models.

Disruptive Localism – How Far Does Clientelism Shape the Prospects of Neighbourhood Planning in Deprived Urban Communities?

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a study of Neighbourhood Planning in more deprived urban areas of the North West region of England, revealing that the stance of elected representatives is important in shaping the processes and outcomes of this new more citizen-led form of planning. The paper considers how far barriers to Neighbourhood Planning, and the variable support offered by local planning authorities to deprived urban communities, might be accounted for by practices of clientelism. It concludes that clientelism provides a useful lens through which to interpret attitudes towards Neighbourhood Planning as a disruptor of established patterns of influence and powerholding.

The definition of low wall shear stress and its effect on plaque progression estimation in human coronary arteries

Wall shear stress (WSS), the frictional force of the blood on the vessel wall, plays a crucial role in atherosclerotic plaque development. Low WSS has been associated with plaque growth, however previous research used different approaches to define low WSS to investigate its effect on plaque progression. In this study, we used four methodologies to allocate low, mid and high WSS in one dataset of human coronary arteries and investigated the predictive power of low WSS for plaque progression. Coronary reconstructions were based on multimodality imaging, using intravascular ultrasound and CT-imaging. Vessel-specific flow was measured using Doppler wire and computational fluid dynamics was performed to calculate WSS. The absolute WSS range varied greatly between the coronary arteries. On the population level, the established pattern of most plaque progression at low WSS was apparent in all methodologies defining the WSS categories. However, for the individual patient, when using measured flow to determine WSS, the absolute WSS values range so widely, that the use of absolute thresholds to determine low WSS was not appropriate to identify regions at high risk for plaque progression.

Agrolandscapes of the East Sayan Mountain Province of Eastern Siberia and the Far East of Russian

According to the data of the agro-landscape and ecological zoning of Eastern Siberia and the Far East, conducted by the authors, the spatial distribution of biological and ecological patterns in the East Sayan Mountain province was established. The province is located in the Eastern Sayan mountain system within the Southern Taiga zone. Its area is 17022.5 thousand hectares. Mountains occupy 76% of the province’s territory, plains – 24%. In the structure of land forests occupy more than 68% of the area of the province . Other land (mainly rocks and glaciers) occupies 20%. Under water is 3.4% of the area, swamps occupy 2.8%. Shrubs occupy less than 1%, mountain deer pastures – 0.8% of the area of the province. Agricultural land occupies 4.5% of the total area of the province. Including arable land – 0.9%, pastures – 2.6%, hayfields – 1%. The structure of natural forage lands (NFL) is dominated by mountain pastures on mountain soils (76%). The plains and foothills of the province are dominated by dry southern taiga meadows (13%). Floodplain meadows (5%) and swampy meadows (5%) are also represented. The ecological state of the province’s landscapes is good and satisfactory. In particular, NFL – good and satisfactory, forests – good and satisfactory, mountain deer pastures – good. The ecological state of arable land is tense. The established patterns are the necessary information basis for the development and implementation of innovative technologies for sustainable agricultural development, rational nature management and environmental protection in the East Sayan Mountain Province of Eastern Siberia and the Far East.

Gallo-Romance imperfects betwixt multiple morphomic patterns

What kind of object is ‘left behind’ when part of an established paradigmatic distribution pattern splits away as a positively identifiable morphome? Drawing on comparative data from modern Occitan, French and Catalan, this study explores the wide range of paradigmatic distributions involving imperfect indicative forms (the ‘remnants’ of the erstwhile Latin infectum distribution, following the differentiation of the N- and L-pattern cells). While robust relationships are found to exist amongst imperfect indicative forms, there is little consistency in relationships between imperfect indicative forms and other paradigm cells, including other infectum reflexes. Furthermore, there is scant evidence for the modern distributions acting as productive templates for analogy. The study identifies distinctive lexical type frequency as a salient factor underlying observed contrasts in behaviour between individual distributions of inflectional exponents; and offers a means of reconciling the theoretical claim that all paradigmatic distributions are morphomic with the empirical observation that not all paradigmatic distributions are equally productive or resilient.

A contested financial frontier: banking and empire building in Eritrea,c.1952–73

AbstractThis article provides an account of the relationship between imperial Ethiopia and Eritrea in the realm of banking governance from the start of the federation to the last years of the imperial regime. It looks in particular at the relationship between the Ethiopian administrations and an Italian bank, Banco di Roma, which had its headquarters in Eritrea from 1948 to 1967 before moving to Addis Ababa. The struggle for control of the economic flows generated by the Italian bank is an index of the changes in centre–periphery linkages between Addis Ababa and the sub-regional centre of Asmara. Archival evidence highlights the multifaced nature of Ethiopian governance and the role performed by the Italian institution in providing alternative sources of diplomatic leverage and wealth accumulation to the Eritrean elite. It is argued that the extraterritorial status enjoyed by Banco di Roma until 1967 was actively tolerated by a section of the Ethiopian establishment, which resorted to an established pattern of imperial governance based on flexibility in return for tribute. This centre–periphery arrangement was harshly opposed by prominent Ethiopian officials from the Ministry of Finance and the National Bank of Ethiopia, who struggled to enforce tighter government control over capital flows within and across the country's borders. The National Bank's final success in the quest for financial centralization drained significant resources out of Eritrea, with adverse effects on the preservation of thepax aethiopicain the former Italian colony.

Changes in the prairie–forest ecotone in northwest Ontario (Canada) across the Holocene

AbstractPollen and diatom assemblages from well-dated sediment cores from three lakes forming a west-to-east transect across the boreal forest in northwest Ontario (Canada) were used to evaluate the timing and nature of the movement of the prairie–forest ecotone (PFE) across the Holocene. Changes in vegetation, temperature, and effective moisture were inferred from pollen and pollen-based transfer functions. Analyses indicated site-specific vegetational and climate changes across short spatial distances, with prolonged prairie-like conditions during the middle Holocene at the westernmost site. Increased reconstructed temperatures at this westernmost site occurred from ~9000 to 3000 cal yr BP, alongside increases in diatom-inferred lake levels beginning at ~6000 cal yr BP. The abundance of Quercus peaked concurrently with rising lake levels before declining to trace levels by ~3000 cal yr BP. Increases in the abundance of non-arboreal pollen between ~8500 and ~4500 cal yr BP at the more eastern lakes suggest relatively delayed and truncated PFE influence, before the reestablishment of primarily boreal taxa by ~4500 cal yr BP, coincident with diatom-inferred increases in lake levels. This study shows that the PFE moved both farther east and north than previously determined, but generally agrees with established patterns in vegetation from other studied regions along the PFE.

Comparative Internal Market Law: The UK and the EU

Abstract The United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 introduces a new field of enquiry for scholars. It allows reflection on the model of an internal market chosen by the United Kingdom to regulate relations between its four constituent elements now that, after Brexit, the authority of the EU’s common rules has come to an end. It allows comparison and contrasts between the UK’s chosen model and the longer established patterns of the EU internal market. It is an invitation to develop a comparative study of the law of internal markets. The overall structure of the UK internal market envisaged by the 2020 Act is readily compared to that which exists in the EU, but there are also points of contrast. The most significant is that the UK model is less tolerant of regulatory diversity among its constituent elements than applies under EU free movement law. The scope to justify rules that obstruct trade within the UK is less generous than in the EU, with the consequence that the UK’s internal market has a more deregulatory flavour than the EU’s. This model of limited availability to protect local regulatory autonomy over unrestricted intra-UK trade pays little regard to sensitivities in Scotland and Wales, while the position of Northern Ireland, locked into the Protocol attached to the EU–UK Withdrawal Agreement, is different but also fragile. Internal markets possess economic motivations and they are built on legal rules, but they involve political choices and they have political implications. The UK Internal Market Act presents challenges to the stability of the United Kingdom itself. Accordingly the ambition of this paper is to explain the shape of the UK internal market and to compare and contrast it with the EU’s internal market. It also aims to demonstrate the political sensitivity of the choices that need to be made in designing an internal market against the background competing tensions of unhindered market access, on the one hand, and, on the other, respect for the regulatory autonomy enjoyed by the constituent units.

Conifer Establishment and Encroachment on Subalpine Meadows around Mt. Baker, WA, USA

The subalpine ecotone is experiencing significant changes in habitat availability and connectivity as a result of climate change. The conversion of meadow habitats to forests has been observed in many mountainous regions. Rates of conifer encroachment into meadows appears to have increased in the 20th century, but the patterns of conifer establishment seem highly variable over both space and time. To understand how and why these changes vary temporally and spatially in the Pacific Northwest, we collected cross-sections and whorl counts from conifers along four transects in subalpine meadows around Mt. Baker, Washington. We quantified the relationships between temporal patterns of conifer establishment and a suite of climate variables, and between spatial patterns of conifer density and microsite characteristics. Our results show that establishment occurred in pulses throughout the 20th century, with greater establishment on drier sites during periods of greater precipitation, and greater establishment on wetter sites during periods of higher temperatures. We found that April precipitation and September temperature are particularly strongly correlated with establishment rates, suggesting that the best conditions for conifer seedling establishment occur in years with the warmth and soil moisture needed for the growing season to start earlier or last longer. Within individual meadows, conifer seedling establishment was greater on convex surfaces and in areas with a higher percentage of Vaccinium cover. Our findings at Mt. Baker show that periods of conifer establishment occurred somewhat synchronously across multiple mountains in the region, but we also identified distinct spatial and temporal differences linked to local site conditions.

From Short- to Long-Term Effects of C-Section Delivery on Microbiome Establishment and Host Health

The establishment of gut microbiota has been proven to be impacted by several factors during pregnancy, delivery, and neonate periods. The body of evidence describing C-section delivery (CSD) as one of the most disruptive events during early life has expanded in recent years, concluding that CSD results in a drastic change in microbiota establishment patterns. When comparing the gut microbiota composition of CSD babies with vaginally delivered (VD) babies, the former show a microbiome that closely resembles that found in the environment and the mother’s skin, while VD babies show a microbiome more similar to the vaginal microbiome. Although these alterations of normal gut microbiota establishment tend to disappear during the first months of life, they still affect host health in the mid–long term since CSD has been correlated with a higher risk of early life infections and non-transmissible diseases, such as inflammatory diseases, allergies, and metabolic diseases. In recent years, this phenomenon has also been studied in other mammals, shedding light on the mechanisms involved in the effects of a CSD on host health. In addition, strategies to revert the disruptions in gut microbiomes caused by a CSD are currently in the process of development and evaluation. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in CSD research, from the alteration of gut microbiota establishment to the possible effects on host health during early life and development.

Patterns of coloring with ionic dyes of the base glass matrix and enamel coatings in the system R2O–ВаО–ZnO–Al2O3–В2О3–TiO2–SiO2

The paper presents the study on the identification of patterns of coloring of a basic glass matrix and enamel coatings based on it in the system R2O–ВаО–ZnO–Al2O3–В2О3–TiO2–SiO2 by a number of ionic dyes. Regardless of the dye content, ionic dyes give the same color tone to both glasses and coatings based on these glasses as follows: CuO (1.0–3.0 wt.%) =489–494 nm (blue-green), Fe2O3 (0.5–2.0 wt.%) =575–585 nm (yellow), K2Cr2O7 (0.5–2.0 wt.%) =570–576 nm (yellow-green), CoO (0.5–1.0 wt.%) =441–463 nm (blue-violet), and NiO (0.5–1.0 wt.%) glass=559'–571' nm, coatings=598–629 nm (brown). It is shown that according to the degree of color intensity of glasses and coatings based on them, the dyes are arranged in the following sequence: CoO>NiO>CuO>K2Cr2O7>Fe2O3.. The research was conducted using a special computer program COLOR GLASS. The established patterns are used in the development of lead-free glass enamels for jewelry and decorative products.

Glass formation and properties of glasses in the system SrO–B2O3–SiO2–xAl2O3 (x=0; 10 mol.%)

The paper shows the prospects of the system SrO–Al2O3–B2O3–SiO2 as a basis for the synthesis of new vitreous and glass-ceramic materials, which are widely used as electrical insulated and high-temperature coatings, for sealing of solid oxide fuel cells, and in the production of heat resistant materials. We experimentally established the conditions of glass formation, regions of glass-forming melts and properties of glasses, the chemical composition of which is limited by the following content of components (mol.%): SrO 30–80, B2O3 10–60, SiO2 10–60, and Al2O3 0–10. It is shown that during the synthesis of glasses in the corundum crucible at the temperature of 13500С the region of glass formation in the system SrO–B2O3–SiO2 is limited by the following content of components (mol.%): SrO 30–60, B2O3 10–60, and SiO2 10–50. It is found that the introduction of Al2O3 to the composition of these glasses expands the region of glass formation towards increase of the SiO2 content in the glass up to 60 mol.%. Experimentally determined values of glass properties are within the following limits: coefficient of linear thermal expansion (67–118)10–7 К–1; glass transition temperature 570–6600С; dilatometric softening point 580–7000С; and density 2.62–3.71 g cm–3. The established patterns of influence of the components and conditions of glass formation on the physical and chemical characteristics of glasses may serve as an experimental basis for designing of new materials with a complex of specified properties, which allows solving the problems of their practical use.

ЗАКОНОМЕРНОСТИ ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ ГАЗОДИНАМИЧЕСКОЙ И ГЕОМЕХАНИЧЕСКОЙ ОБСТАНОВКИ НА КАЛИЙНЫХ РУДНИКАХ

Mining operations in potash and salt deposits are complicated by gas emissions and gas dynamic phenomena. The analysis of a large number of gas dynamic phenomena and intense gas emissions at potash mines in Russia and Belarus allowed the authors to identify some patterns. In particular, it was found that the maximum number of gas dynamic phenomena occurs in the 7–10 year of operation of the mines. The purpose of the study is to analyze and identify available information on the influence of heliophysical and manmade factors on the state of rock massifs, which will allow purposefully predicting and preventing the manifestations of these factors, increasing labor safety and efficiency of mining enterprises. Research methods: methods of a full-scale mine experiment to determine the gas content of rocks and the gas content of workings, as well as analysis of statistical data. The results of the study showed that the analysis of data on 84 cases of gas dynamic phenomena at the mines of PJSC Uralkali revealed an increase in the volume of gas emissions from the developed lavas spaces at the mines of JSC Belaruskali as a result of a drop in barometric pressure on the surface. In conclusion, it can be noted that the combination of natural factors together with a powerful man-made impact on the environment creates certain prerequisites for disasters of various scales, ranging from destructive earthquakes to subsidence of mountain pressure, gas dynamic phenomena and intense gas emissions in mines and mines. The set of established patterns formed the basis for the development of a number of preventive measures that increase the safe working conditions of miners and the efficiency of mining enterprises.

Evaluation of milkweed (Asclepias spp.) restoration in the Rolling Plains ecoregion of West Texas for the enhancement of monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) habitat

The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is among the best-known insects in the world, renowned for its conspicuousness, spectacular migration, and interesting biology. Unfortunately, monarch populations have declined dramatically due, in large part, to the widespread losses of the milkweed plants which they depend upon for reproduction. This has led to concerted efforts to restore milkweed, particularly in the Midwestern US where most monarch breeding occurs. However, recently there has been a call to expand milkweed restoration across more of the monarch’s migratory distribution, with Southern states, like Texas, being emphasized. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of milkweed restoration in the Rolling Plains ecoregion of West Texas, an area with numerous reports of monarchs but relatively limited conservation initiatives. We founded milkweed colonies that included four species of milkweed in three counties across West Texas, and the establishment and growth of milkweed in these was monitored for up to four years. Generalized additive mixed-effect models were then used to assess milkweed establishment and growth as a factor of plant age, species, and location. Temporal patterns in establishment and growth were also examined. Milkweed were successfully established across all colonies and as many as 45% of some species persisted four years after being planted. Additionally, we found age (p < 0.001), species (p = 0.02), and location (p = 0.04) to be significant predictors of establishment, while species was a significant predictor of growth (p = 0.001). While more research is needed to assess the restoration of milkweed in West Texas, this is, to our knowledge, the first study to monitor milkweed over an entire season in this area and may provide valuable data to facilitate development of a regionally adapted milkweed restoration strategy.

Evolution of Graphene Patterning: From Dimension Regulation to Molecular Engineering.

The realization that nanostructured graphene featuring nanoscale width can confine electrons to open its bandgap has aroused scientists' attention to the regulation of graphene structures, where the concept of graphene patterns emerged. Exploring various effective methods for creating graphene patterns has led to the birth of a new field termed graphene patterning, which has evolved into the most vigorous and intriguing branch of graphene research during the past decade. The efforts in this field have resulted in the development of numerous strategies to structure graphene, affording a variety of graphene patterns with tailored shapes and sizes. The established patterning approaches combined with graphene chemistry yields a novel chemical patterning route via molecular engineering, which opens up a new era in graphene research. In this review, the currently developed graphene patterning strategies is systematically outlined, with emphasis on the chemical patterning. In addition to introducing the basic concepts and the important progress of traditional methods, which are generally categorized into top-down, bottom-up technologies, an exhaustive review of established protocols for emerging chemical patterning is presented. At the end, an outlook for future development and challenges is proposed.

Accommodating Liberal Consociations: The District Brčko Case and the Role of Informal Institutions in the Consociational Model

ABSTRACT Assuming the primacy of established patterns of bargaining over the formal ones, in transitional, unstable settings—well-known to the power-sharing systems—informal institutions can emerge as the preponderant rules of interaction. Yet, there is significant negligence in the power-sharing literature that should have been devoted to the informalities embedded in the political systems of divided societies. Filling in this gap, the paper analyses the creation, role and meaning of informal institutions in the consociational model. Using the case study of the Brčko District in Bosnia and Herzegovina and framework offered by Helmke and Levitsky (‘Informal institutions and comparative politics: A research agenda’, Perspectives on Politics, 4, 724–740, 2004), it claims that the presence of informal-corporate institutions is crucial for the functioning of its consociational system and necessary to accommodate the existing formal-liberal ones. The detailed case study analysis brings conclusions that could extend the current understanding of the power-sharing model and tackle the debate about liberal consociationalism being the preferred version of power sharing.