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ispartof: Journal Of European Integration vol:44 issue:44:5 pages:715-730 status: published

We describe a scalp-recorded measure of tonotopic selectivity, the "cortical onset response" (COR) and compare the results between humans and cats. The COR results, in turn, were compared with psychophysical masked-detection thresholds obtained using similar stimuli and obtained from both species. The COR consisted of averaged responses elicited by 50-ms tone-burst probes presented at 1-s intervals against a continuous noise masker. The noise masker had a bandwidth of 1 or 1/8th octave, geometrically centred on 4000 Hz for humans and on 8000 Hz for cats. The probe frequency was either - 0.5, - 0.25, 0, 0.25 or 0.5 octaves re the masker centre frequency. The COR was larger for probe frequencies more distant from the centre frequency of the masker, and this effect was greater for the 1/8th-octave than for the 1-octave masker. This pattern broadly reflected the masked excitation patterns obtained psychophysically with similar stimuli in both species. However, the positive signal-to-noise ratio used to obtain reliable COR measures meant that some aspects of the data differed from those obtained psychophysically, in a way that could be partly explained by the upward spread of the probe's excitation pattern. Our psychophysical measurements also showed that the auditory filter width obtained at 8000 Hz using notched-noise maskers was slightly wider in cat than previous measures from humans. We argue that although conclusions from COR measures differ in some ways from conclusions based on psychophysics, the COR measures provide an objective, noninvasive, valid measure of tonotopic selectivity that does not require training and that may be applied to acoustic and cochlear-implant experiments in humans and laboratory animals. ispartof: JARO-JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH IN OTOLARYNGOLOGY vol:23 issue:4 pages:513-534 ispartof: location:United States status: published

ispartof: Recht in beweging: 30ste VRG-Alumnidag 2023 pages:67-84 ispartof: VRG Alumni pages:67-84 status: published

Different studies have suggested that language and developmental disorders such as dyslexia are associated with a disturbance of auditory entrainment and of the functional hemispheric asymmetries during speech processing. These disorders typically result from an issue in the phonological component of language that causes problems to represent and manipulate the phonological structure of words at the syllable and/or phoneme level. We used Auditory Steady-State Responses (ASSRs) in EEG recordings to investigate the brain activation and hemisphere asymmetry of theta, alpha, beta and low-gamma range oscillations in typical readers and readers with dyslexia. The aim was to analyse whether the group differences found in previous electrode level studies were caused by a different source activation pattern or conversely was an effect that could be found on the active brain sources. We could not find differences in the brain locations of the main active brain sources. However, we observed differences in the extracted waveforms. The group average of the first DSS component of all signal-to-noise ratios of ASSR at source level were higher than the group averages at the electrode level. These analyses included a lower alpha synchronisation in adolescents with dyslexia and the possibility of compensatory mechanisms in theta, beta and low-gamma frequency bands. The main brain auditory sources were located in cortical regions around the auditory cortex. Thus, the differences observed in auditory EEG experiments would, according to our findings, have their origin in the intrinsic oscillatory mechanisms of the brain cortical sources related to speech perception.

In the absence of agreed institutional arrangements for the post-Brexit EU-UK relationship the present contribution explores whether guidance can be found for the institutional dimension of their future relationship in a number of other documents and principles. We will, first of all, examine the institutional framework laid down in the ‘Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, done at Brussels and London on 24 January 2020’, and its implementation. Second, we will uncover some aspects of the future institutional relationship based on the ‘Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom’ of 17 October 2019, which was adopted by the EU and the UK in parallel with the Withdrawal Agreement. Third, we will explore how the Commission sees that relationship based on its March 2020 draft text. Fourth, we will discuss at a meta level the principles which will in any event govern the institutional side of the future relationship, in particular the principle of good faith. Some brief concluding remarks round up. Brexit, Institutional Framework, European Union, United Kingdom, Withdrawal Agreement, Political Declaration

Humans rely on the temporal processing ability of the auditory system to perceive speech during everyday communication. The temporal envelope of speech is essential for speech perception, particularly envelope modulations below 20 Hz. In the literature, the neural representation of this speech envelope is usually investigated by recording neural phase-locked responses to speech stimuli. However, these phase-locked responses are not only associated with envelope modulation processing, but also with processing of linguistic information at a higher-order level when speech is comprehended. It is thus difficult to disentangle the responses into components from the acoustic envelope itself and the linguistic structures in speech (such as words, phrases and sentences). Another way to investigate neural modulation processing is to use sinusoidal amplitude-modulated stimuli at different modulation frequencies to obtain the temporal modulation transfer function. However, these transfer functions are considerably variable across modulation frequencies and individual listeners. To tackle the issues of both speech and sinusoidal amplitude-modulated stimuli, the recently introduced Temporal Speech Envelope Tracking (TEMPEST) framework proposed the use of stimuli with a distribution of envelope modulations. The framework aims to assess the brain's capability to process temporal envelopes in different frequency bands using stimuli with speech-like envelope modulations. In this study, we provide a proof-of-concept of the framework using stimuli with modulation frequency bands around the syllable and phoneme rate in natural speech. We evaluated whether the evoked phase-locked neural activity correlates with the speech-weighted modulation transfer function measured using sinusoidal amplitude-modulated stimuli in normal-hearing listeners. Since many studies on modulation processing employ different metrics and comparing their results is difficult, we included different power- and phase-based metrics and investigate how these metrics relate to each other. Results reveal a strong correspondence across listeners between the neural activity evoked by the speech-like stimuli and the activity evoked by the sinusoidal amplitude-modulated stimuli. Furthermore, strong correspondence was also apparent between each metric, facilitating comparisons between studies using different metrics. These findings indicate the potential of the TEMPEST framework to efficiently assess the neural capability to process temporal envelope modulations within a frequency band that is important for speech perception. ispartof: FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY vol:13 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

ispartof: The Nexus Between Organized Crime and Terrorism. Types and Responses pages:1-16 ispartof: pages:1-16 status: published

ispartof: Multilateralism and Regionalism in Challenging Times: Relations between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean pages:89-99 ispartof: pages:89-99 status: published

ispartof: European papers vol:5 pages:175-278 status: published

After the June 2010 federal elections in Belgium, a fractured federal parliament revealed deepening political divisions, triggering a crisis which reached a solution only after 541 days, in December 2011. And yet, the collapse of Belgium is far from inevitable, as it is a case of federalism rife with contradictions. The Belgian federal system does reflect a complex balance among the different entities that constitute this country. At the same time, the six successive waves of reform that have federalised Belgium have also institutionalised socio-cultural fault lines which today run deeper than ever. As we provide an overview of some of the key features of the origins and functioning of federalism in Belgium, we shall also try to highlight some of its paradoxes. In addition to the tensions between enabling unity and deepening divides, we will look at the contradictions that are inherent to combining a devolved system with a consensus democracy at the federal level. We will also consider what the implications are in the context of an ever more important relationship with the European Union (‘EU’ or ‘Union’). We will begin with a brief historical overview which will help explain the rise of federalism in Belgium. We will then delve into key aspects of the six state reforms that have gradually transformed Belgium into a federal system. We will then focus on the current functioning of this system and highlight some of its peculiarities, both internally and vis-à-vis the international and EU levels of governance. ispartof: Jura Falconis vol:57 issue:3 pages:1-17 status: published

ispartof: European Papers vol:5 issue:1 pages:255-277 status: accepted

ispartof: Rechtskundig Weekblad vol:84 pages:1617-1622 status: published

ispartof: Recht in Beweging pages:161-182 ispartof: 25 pages:161-182 status: published

status: published

status: published

ispartof: Communio: Internationaal Katholiek Tijdschrift vol:43 issue:2 pages:146-151 status: published

ispartof: La dimension environnementale de l'action extérieure de l'Union européenne status: submitted

The International Court of Justice’s 1962 Advisory Opinion Certain Expenses of the United Nations relates to a relatively narrow legal question. The Court was asked to decide whether expenses authoriszed by the UN General Assembly relating to peacekeeping missions constituted ‘expenses of the organization’ according to art. 17(2) of the UN Charter. In deciding this question, the Court elaborates on some important issues for international law and the law of international organizations including the doctrine of implied powers, treaty interpretation in the context of the UN Charter, the doctrine of ultra vires, and the Court’s relationship with other UN organs. The opinion also has consequences for the UN General Assembly, including its role in the system of collective security, its budgetary powers, and its relationship with the UN Security Council. The chapter not only examines the Court’s reasoning but also discusses the wider significance of the case for international law.

Instituut voor Internationaal Recht. Onderzoekseenheid Internationaal en buitenlands recht. ispartof: Tijdschrift voor Militair Recht en Oorlogsrecht / Revue de Droit Militaire et de Droit de la Guerre vol:44 issue:1 pages:139-174 status: published

Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) have proliferated over the last two decades. Currently there are at least more than 400 schemes operating internationally. The paper starts with a description of the emergence, proliferation and global diffusion of VSS. It subsequently focuses on the diversity between systems in the wider group of VSS. What emerges is a diverse and growing (both on the supply and demand side) market of VSS. This proliferation and diversification of VSS is creating problems such as a credibility gap, increased costs to gain certification by multiple VSS systems and a potential race to the bottom of systems. These problems point to the need for increased cooperation between VSS systems. Next, the paper introduces and discusses two mechanisms which can facilitate more cooperation, mutual recognition and meta-regulation. Mutual recognition is especially suited to address cost issues, while meta-regulation might contribute to leveling the playing field. The paper analyses these mechanisms and argues that cooperation in the market of VSS is currently more developed with regard to addressing the credibility gap (meta-regulation) rather than with regard to addressing the cost issue (mutual recognition)., United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS)

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Marrakech, Morocco, 2013

This Introduction states the main objective of this book, which is to draw attention to a phenomenon that is omnipresent in global governance, something that seems largely neglected by international lawyers, namely, informal international lawmaking (IN-LAW). On the basis of extensive empirical studies1 this book is going to highlight elements of normative global processes that prima facie fall outside the traditional scope of 'law' but may nevertheless be seen as forming part of a lawmaking process.

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Barcelona, Spain, 2011

Inleiding: Het lijdt geen twijfel dat een ernstige auditieve beperking de kindertaalontwikkeling sterk beïnvloedt. Onder andere door de neonatale gehoorscreening en cochleaire implantatie op jonge leeftijd ligt het taalniveau van deze kinderen echter steeds dichter bij dat van normaalhorende leeftijdsgenootjes. Hierdoor groeit de nood aan een uitgebreid evaluatie-instrument waarmee de taalontwikkeling van ernstig slechthorende en dove kinderen gedetailleerd in kaart gebracht kan worden. Het huidige onderzoek wil (1) nagaan of de CELF-4-NL hiervoor bruikbaar is en (2) onderzoeken of uit de verschillende taalevaluaties een specifiek taalprofiel opduikt. Methode: Er namen tien kinderen tussen 06;07 jaar en 07;10 jaar deel aan het onderzoek; vijf droegen een cochleair implantaat en vijf een hoortoestel. Hun resultaten op de CELF-4-NL werden vergeleken met twee normaalhorende controlegroepen; één groep gematcht op chronologische leeftijd en één gematcht op hoorleeftijd. Resultaten: Het globale taalniveau van de slechthorende kinderen ligt één à twee standaardafwijkingen onder de norm. Hoewel de variabiliteit in scores groot is, duikt toch een specifi ek patroon op in de resultaten. De hoogste scores worden behaald op de subtests die hoofdzakelijk semantische en lexicale vaardigheden meten. Op opdrachten waarbij de kinderen naast taal- ook goede auditieve vaardigheden nodig hebben, wordt het zwakst gepresteerd. Uit een diepgaande foutenanalyse komt naarvoren dat slechthorende kinderen signifi cant meer moeite hebben met plaatsaanduidingen, voornaamwoorden en bepaalde lidwoorden dan normaalhorende (hoor) leeftijdsgenootjes. Conclusie: De grote spreiding van de resultaten wijst erop dat de CELF-4-NL bij ernstig slechthorende en dove kinderen voldoende differentieert, zowel tussen de kinderen onderling als tussen de taalvaardigheden. Er duikt een taalprofiel op met lexicon en semantiek als sterke punten en morfologie en syntaxis als zwakke taalaspecten. Op opdrachten waarbij zowel sterke taal- als auditieve vaardigheden vereist zijn, zoals 'Begrippen en aanwijzigen volgen' en 'Zinnen herhalen', scoren de slechthorende kinderen het zwakste. De foutenanalyse wijst bovendien op het bestaan van specifieke afwijkingen in de morfosyntactische taalontwikkeling van slechthorende kinderen.

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Aalborg, Denmark, 2010

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Glasgow, Scotland, 2009

The lowering of barriers to foreign direct investment and waves of privatisation have caused amounts of FDI to increase greatly in recent decades, allowing enormous sums of money to flow into certain countries. Olivier De Schutter, Jo Swinnen and Jan Wouters introduce recent research focusing on the impact of FDI on Human Rights, beyond the much studied impact of FDI on growth, with a particular emphasis on measurement and policy issues.

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2008

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2008

In this paper the localization cue preservation of a noise reduction algorithm for binaural hearing aids is analyzed. In a binaural noise reduction procedure based on Multi-channel Wiener Filtering (MWF), the basic cost function is extended with terms related to the Interaural Transfer Functions (ITF) of a speech and noise source. To make the algorithm computationally feasible, these cost terms are simplified to quadratic terms. First it is shown that this approach cannot preserve the ITF of the speech and noise component simultaneously. However, the obtained output ITF is related to the output SNR. This will lead to a perceptually advantageous effect: a noisy output signal (low SNR) will be perceived in the direction of the noise source, while a clean output signal (high SNR) will be perceived in the direction of the speech source. ispartof: pages:1-5 ispartof: Proceedings of the European Conference on Signal Processing 2008 pages:1-5 ispartof: European Conference on Signal Processing location:Lausanne, Switzerland date:25 Aug - 29 Aug 2008 status: published

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Toulouse, France, 2002

Griet Meyfroots – Zwembaden en badgebouwen in het Brusselse. [Swimming pools and bathhouses in and around Brussels.], Roger Deneef en Jan Wouters – De ondergang en wederopstanding van het Torfbroek te Berg-Kampenhout. [Decline and resurrection of the ‘Torfbroek’ marchlands at Berg-Kampenhout.], Summary, Binnenkrant

Generiek, Jan Wouters – De conservatie van de codex Eyckensis. [The conservation of the Codex Eyckensis.], Goedbedoelde maar nefaste restauratieve ingrepen uit de vijftiger jaren leidden vanaf 1986 tot de hoogdringende conserverende behandeling van de 9de-eeuwse Codex Eyckensis, genoemd naar de oorspronkelijke bewaarplaats Aldeneik. Geruggesteund door een commissie ad hoc leidde Jan Wouters voor het Koninklijk Instituut voor het Kunstpatrimonium de zorgvuldige analyse, de totstandkoming van een nauwkeurige diagnose en de behoedzame therapie. Christine Vanthillo weet dan weer het evangelieboek kunsthistorisch te duiden, ter verklaring van de huidige opsplitsing in een Codex Ia en Ib., Jan Esther en Benoit Delaey – Het huis de Halleux. [The Halleux house. Restoration of the houses at Oude Burg 21 and 23-25 in Brugge.], Het gegeven is klassiek: een naar hedendaagse normen té ruim pand met laat-middeleeuwse kern, 18de-eeuwse gevel met binnenaankleding en diepgaande 19de-eeuwse herfatsoenering.De opdracht tot herbestemming en restauratie van dit Brugse Huis de Halleux kon voor Groep Planning dan ook niet anders dan begeleid worden door de Stedelijke Dienst voor Monumentenzorg. Architect Benoît Delaey en kunsthistoricus Jan Esther commentariëren de bevindingen, opties en resultaten bij een stapsgewijze verkenning van het monument., Patric Jacobs – Geoconservatie. [Geoconservation.], Slechts moeizaam groeit het besef dat de Aarde als systeem haar perken kent en wijzigingen aan haar samenstelling of ingrepen in haar evolutie onomkeerbaar blijven.Gerichte initiatieven tot behoud van landschapsvormen, ontsluitingen van gesteenten dan wel actieve geologische processen horen tot de Geoconservatie, een voor Patric Jacobs essentiële discipline., Hubert Bats, Etienne Paulissen en Patric Jacobs – De grindgroeve Hermans te As. Een beschermd landschap. [The gravel pit in As as a protected landscape.], De nog recente bescherming als landschap van de grintgroeve Hermans te As, om uitsluitend geologische redenen, vormde voor Vlaanderen een primeur.Een praktische toepassing van geoconservatie waar Hubert Bats de nodige toelichting bij geeft., Summary, M&L Binnenkrant

ispartof: ICOM Committee for Conservation ispartof: ICOM Committee for Conservation 10th Triennial Meeting Washington DC USA 20-27 August 1993 location:Washington status: published

Generiek, Eloy Koldeweij – “Het goude leer”. [Gold leather.], Historische binnenaankledingen blijven een nog nauwelijks ontgonnen onderzoeksterrein waar M&L graag met enige regelmaat plaats voor ruimt. Ooit fel gegeerd en met eigen Zuidnederlandse productiecentra, verdient goudleder in dit opzicht meer dan de gewone aandacht. Ontstaan en bloei - met de nadruk op de 17de en 18de eeuw - van dit merkwaardig ambachtelijk product worden door Eloy Koldeweij met een vanzelfsprekende eruditie meteen ook een Europese dimensie aangemeten., Ann Bergmans en Eloy Koldeweij – Inventaris van het 17de- en 18de-eeuwse goudleder in Vlaanderen. [Inventory of the 17th and 18th century gold leather in Flanders.], Aansluitend op het totstandkomingsverhaal gingen Ann Bergmans en Eloy Koldeweij gezamenlijk op zoek naar wàt van deze kostbare goudledervellen in Vlaanderen bewaard bleef. Tegelijk, zo blijkt, verrassend veel maar ook bedroevend weinig.Of vormt deze inventaris slechts een eerste aanzet?, Jan Wouters – Opbouw en analyse van leder: een uiteenzetting voor een beter begrip van conservatorische problemen en ingrepen. [Structure and analysis of leather: fundamentals for a better understandig of conservation problems and treatments.], Meer nog dan reeds gebruikelijk veronderstelt de conserverende behandeling van goudleder een grondige kennis van het materiaal en aanmaakproces dan wel de afbraakmechanismen.Huid en looistoffen in het bijzonder maken voor Jan Wouters elk bereid vel immers vrijwel uniek. Meteen brengt hij de elementen aan voor een verantwoorde diagnose., An Peckstadt, Lieve Watteeuw en Jan Wouters – Conservering van het goudlederbehang van de dekenij van Zele. [Conservation of the gold leather hangings from the deanery of Zele.], Van vele aftakelingsverschijnselen die de restauratieve aanpak van goudlederbehang onontkoombaar maken bood het ensemble in de dekenij van Zele een uitgelezen staalkaart. Redenen te over dus om de ingreep zelf te laten voorafgaan door een intensief vooronderzoek. An Peckstadt, Lieve Watteeuw en Jan Wouters illustreren met het relaas van deze opdracht nogmaals het belang van een interdisciplinaire benadering., Beter voorkomen dan genezen. Richtlijnen voor de bewaring van goudleder., Summary, M&L Binnenkrant

Building a \BBz experiment with the ability to probe neutrino mass in the inverted hierarchy region requires the combination of a large detector mass sensitive to \BBz, on the order of 1-tonne, and unprecedented background levels, on the order of or less than 1 count per year in the \BBz signal region. The MAJORANA Collaboration proposes a design based on using high-purity enriched Ge-76 crystals deployed in ultra-low background electroformed Cu cryostats and using modern analysis techniques that should be capable of reaching the required sensitivity while also being scalable to a 1-tonne size. To demonstrate feasibility, the collaboration plans to construct a prototype system, the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR, consisting of 30 kg of 86% enriched \Ge-76 detectors and 30 kg of natural or isotope-76-depleted Ge detectors. We plan to deploy and evaluate two different Ge detector technologies, one based on a p-type configuration and the other on n-type., Comment: paper submitted for the 2008 Carolina International Symposium on Neutrino Physics

It is sometimes argued that more attention needs to be paid to the cost of realizing human rights in human rights scholarship and practice. In Ethiopia, a focus on the cost of realizing human rights has played a crucial role in justifying the government’s aggressive development plans. While the aim of this development is to reduce poverty and secure greater rights and well-being for the future, rapid growth has come at a considerable human rights cost. This raises questions about what the relevant costs of rights are and how those costs ought to be understood or justified. A straightforward costs-approach to human rights, however, may not adequately take into account the cost of generating the means to pay for rights. We find that examining rights from a costs perspective in a case like Ethiopia requires investigations not only into what rights cost the government, but also into how that wealth is generated.