Nexus (data format)

Abstract: NeXus is an effort by an international group of scientists to define a common data exchange and archival format for neutron, X-ray and muon experiments. NeXus is built on top of the scientific data format HDF5 and adds domain-specific rules for organizing data within HDF5 files, in addition to a dictionary of well defined domain-specific field names. The NeXus data format has two purposes. First, it defines a format that can serve as a container for all relevant data associated with a beamline. This is a very important use case. Second, it defines standards in the form of application definitions for the exchange of data between applications. NeXus provides structures for raw experimental data as well as for processed data.

Abstract: China’s President Xi Jinping’s Central Asian tour in fall 2013 marked Beijing’s unprecedented (re)turn to Central Asia as a lynchpin of the “Silk Road Economic Belt” of the globally ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China’s BRI positions Central Asia as the crucial nexus for the cross-regional long-distance loops of trade, investment, and infrastructure development. By revisiting the classical geopolitical theory about the original Eurasian Heartland and its contemporary offshoots, we extract some insights for understanding the new China-Central Asia transboundary regional nexus. In a double-pronged empirical analysis of China’s development strategies regarding Central Asia, we examine: (1) the construction of oil and gas pipelines from Central Asia to transmit energy all the way to China’s east coast, and (2) the launch and expansion of the Eurasian Railroad to transport goods from China’s manufacturing bases in both coastal and inland regions to Europe and Central Asia. In synthesizing the findings from this coupled analysis through classical and contemporary theoretical lenses, we discuss how China’s growing influence in Central Asia via the BRI can reshape the region’s diverse national interests, development opportunities and constraints while fostering closer China-Central Asia bilateral cooperation across multiple national boundaries. In light of the analysis, we also offer an updated view and critique of the classical Heartland/Rimland theories and discuss how a China-centric “New Great Game” differs from its original nineteenth century antecedent while pointing to similar underpinnings.

Abstract: 1. Introduction: The Economic-Security Nexus in Northeast Asia, T.J. Pempel Part I: Economics and Security in Northeast Asia: Geographical Interfaces 2. Drinking Poison to Quench a Thirst? The Security Consequences of China-Taiwan Economic Integration, Scott L. Kastner 3. The North Korean Economy and International Society, Hiroku Imamura Part II: Economics and Security in Northeast Asia: Functional Interfaces 4. Economics, Security and Technology in Northeast Asia: Maneuvering Between Nationalist and Globalist Forces, Tai Ming Cheung 5.Bolstering Economic Interdependence Despite Bullying Memories in Northeast Asia, Jong Kun Choi 6. Northeast Asia After the Global Financial Crisis: Power Shift, Competition, and Cooperation in the Global and Regional Arenas, Mie Oba Part III: Northeast Asian Structures for Economic Cooperation and Conflict Management 7. Security Implications of Free Trade Arrangements for South Korea, Min Gyo Koo 8. Regional Institutions and the Economic-Security Nexus, T.J. Pempel 9. Trilateral Dialogue in Northeast Asia: A Case of Spillover from Economic to Security Cooperation?, Keisuke Iida 10. Conclusion: The Uneasy Dance of Economics and Security, T.J. Pempel

Abstract: Summary: The NEXUS Class Library (NCL) is a collection of C++ classes designed to simplify interpreting data files written in the NEXUS format used by many computer programs for phylogenetic analyses. The NEXUS format allows different programs to share the same data files, even though none of the programs can interpret all of the data stored therein. Because users are not required to reformat the data file for each program, use of the NEXUS format prevents cut-and-paste errors as well as the proliferation of copies of the original data file. The purpose of making the NCL available is to encourage the use of the NEXUS format by making it relatively easy for programmers to add the ability to interpret NEXUS files in newly developed software. Availability: The NCL is freely available under the GNU General Public License from http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.