bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water in the Shaping and Unmaking of Khmer Identity on the Vietnam-Cambodia Frontier
Authors: Taylor Philip
Published: February 2014

This paper attempts an explanation for the persistence of Khmer cultural identifications on the Ca Mau Peninsula of Vietnam. This low-lying peninsula is a unique human environment, where Khmer villages, Buddhist temple festivals and livelihood activities are centred on a network of saline-infested rivers. The presence of Khmer communities along these waterways is noteworthy, for much scholarship suggests that the waterways of the multi-ethnic lower Mekong region tend to be dominated by non-Khmer ethnic groups. The vigorous Khmer presence on the peninsula is even more intriguing given that the peninsula is a migratory and trade oriented region, long under Vietnamese administration and subject to military and environmental upheavals that have challenged Khmer tenure.

The paper suggests that mastery of communal water harvesting allowed Khmers to survive the long saline water season and gave them a secure foothold in this region. Additionally, their collaborative water harvesting practices contributed to cohesion and a common identity among Khmers and helped strengthen the Theravada Buddhist wat as one of the key cultural institutions on the peninsula. However, the development of an extensive irrigation network by the Vietnamese state in the last thirty years has had the opposite effect. Canal developments facilitated intensive agriculture, immigration and the introduction of new cultural models into the peninsula, while creating economic and environmental insecurity for Khmers and undercutting the traditional grounds for collaboration. Such changes cast light on the links between ethnic identifications and the system of fresh water provision in the lower Mekong region.
High saturated-fat and low-fibre intake: a comparative analysis of nutrient intake in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes
Authors: Breen C , Ryan M , McNulty B , Gibney M J , Canavan R , O'Shea D
Published: February 2014

Objective:

The aim of dietary modification, as a cornerstone of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) management, is to optimise metabolic control and overall health. This study describes food and nutrient intake in a sample of adults with T2DM, and compares this to recommendations, and to intake in age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and social-class matched adults without T2DM.

Design:

A cross-sectional analysis of food and nutrient intake in 124 T2DM individuals (64% male; age 57.4±5.6 years, BMI 32.5±5.8 kg m−2) and 124 adults (age 57.4±7.0 years, BMI 31.2±5.0 kg m−2) with no diabetes (ND) was undertaken using a 4-day semiweighed food diary. Biochemical and anthropometric variables were also measured.

Results:

While reported energy intake was similar in T2DM vs ND (1954 vs 2004 kcal per day, P=0.99), T2DM subjects consumed more total-fat (38.8% vs 35%, P⩽0.001), monounsaturated-fat (13.3% vs 12.2%; P=0.004), polyunsaturated-fat (6.7% vs 5.9%; P<0.001) and protein (18.6% vs 17.5%, P⩽0.01). Both groups exceeded saturated-fat recommendations (14.0% vs 13.8%). T2DM intakes of carbohydrate (39.5% vs 42.9%), non-milk sugar (10.4% vs 15.0%) and fibre (14.4 vs 18.9 g) were significantly lower (P<0.001). Dietary glycaemic load (GL) was also lower in T2DM (120.8 vs 129.2; P=0.02), despite a similar glycaemic index (59.7 vs 60.1; P=0.48). T2DM individuals reported consuming significantly more wholemeal/brown/wholegrain breads, eggs, oils, vegetables, meat/meat products, savoury snacks and soups/sauces and less white breads, breakfast cereals, cakes/buns, full-fat dairy, chocolate, fruit juices, oily fish and alcohol than ND controls.

Conclusion:

Adults with T2DM made different food choices to ND adults. This resulted in a high saturated-fat diet, with a higher total-fat, monounsaturated-fat, polyunsaturated-fat and protein content and a lower GL, carbohydrate, fibre and non-milk sugar content. Dietary education should emphasise and reinforce the importance of higher fibre, fruit, vegetable and wholegrain intake and the substitution of monounsaturated for saturated-fat sources, in energy balanced conditions.
Determination of selenium in soil samples using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and direct solid sample analysis
Authors: Castilho Ivan N. B. , Pereira Éderson R. , Welz Bernhard , Shaltout Abdallah A. , Carasek Eduardo , Gonzaga Martens Irland B.
Published: February 2014

Least squares background correction (LSBC) for spectral interference of the NO and PO molecules in the determination of Se.
Heterostructured ZnO/SnO2−xnanoparticles for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production
Authors: Li Mingyang , Hu Yue , Xie Shilei , Huang Yongchao , Tong Yexiang , Lu Xihong
Published: February 2014

Heterostructured ZnO/SnO2−xnanoparticles exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity due to increased oxygen vacancies and matched band edge alignment.
SnO2/C composites fabricated by a biotemplating method from cotton and their electrochemical performances
Authors: Li Bo , Zai Jiantao , Xiao Yinglin , Han Qianyan , Qian Xuefeng
Published: February 2014

Biomorphic SnO2/C composites were synthesized by a facile biotemplating method using natural cotton as the structure template and the bio-carbon source. The composites calcinated at 300 °C exhibited a reversible capacity of 530 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1.
The role of various iron species in Fe-β catalysts with low iron loadings for NH3-SCR
Authors: Liu Haiyan , Wang Jun , Yu Tie , Fan Shikuan , Shen Meiqing
Published: February 2014

A series of Fe-β catalysts, containing 0.17–0.52 wt% Fe, were prepared by a liquid ion-exchange method to study the influence of various iron species on NH3-SCR activity.
Enhanced biodegradation of sugarcane bagasse by Clostridium thermocellum with surfactant addition
Authors: Cheng Jingrong , Yu Yang , Zhu Mingjun
Published: February 2014

SCB biodegradation and reducing sugar accumulation were remarkably increased by adding surfactant in the CBP system usingC. thermocellum.
Mechanisms of Hg species induced toxicity in cultured human astrocytes: genotoxicity and DNA-damage response
Authors: Pieper Imke , Wehe Christoph A. , Bornhorst Julia , Ebert Franziska , Leffers Larissa , Holtkamp Michael , Höseler Pia , Weber Till , Mangerich Aswin , Bürkle Alexander , Karst Uwe , Schwerdtle Tanja
Published: February 2014

Inorganic and organic mercury species strongly disturb a DNA damage induced signalling reaction in human astrocytes.
Discovering p-doped mechanism in non-magnetic Ni–P films for HDD substrate: a combined experimental and theoretical study
Authors: Cui Guofeng , Liu Shaofang , Wang Kaiming , Li Qing , Wu Gang
Published: February 2014

A new mechanism is proposed for the redox of hypophosphorous acid catalyzed by a nickel cluster theoretical and spectroscopic measurements.
Low temperature grown CuBi2O4 with flower morphology and its composite with CuO nanosheets for photoelectrochemical water splitting
Authors: Patil Rupali , Kelkar Sarika , Naphade Rounak , Ogale Satishchandra
Published: February 2014

A peculiar synthesis protocol is highlighted for p-type CuBi2O4 and its nanocomposite with CuO at 78 °C, which yields a highly crystalline and anisotropic morphology, and superior photoelectrochemical water splitting performance.
Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of graphene based Au–TiO2photocatalysts for efficient visible-light hydrogen production
Authors: Wang Ying , Yu Jiaguo , Xiao Wei , Li Qin
Published: February 2014

Au–TiO2–graphene photocatalysts display high visible-light hydrogen production activity due to the load of Au nanoparticles and introduction of graphene.
Nanostructured p-type Cr/V2O5thin films with boosted thermoelectric properties
Authors: Loureiro Joana , Santos Joao R. , Nogueira Adriana , Wyczisk Frederic , Divay Laurent , Reparaz Sebastian , Alzina Francesc , Sotomayor Torres Clivia M. , Cuffe John , Montemor Fatima , Martins Rodrigo , Ferreira Isabel
Published: February 2014

This work reports the influence of a Cr layer in boosting the thermoelectric properties of a non-toxic and abundant thermoelectric material, V2O5, deposited as a thin film by thermal evaporation and annealed at 500 °C, reachingZT> 0.1.
Advanced dextran based nanogels for fightingStaphylococcus aureusinfections by sustained zinc release
Authors: Malzahn Kerstin , Jamieson William D. , Dröge Melanie , Mailänder Volker , Jenkins A. Toby A. , Weiss Clemens K. , Landfester Katharina
Published: February 2014

Zinc loaded polysaccharide based nanogel shell hybrid structures with prolonged zinc retention and antibacterial activity are presented.
Unusual formation of a N-heterocyclic germylene via homolytic cleavage of a C–C bond
Authors: Li Yan , Mondal Kartik Chandra , Stollberg Peter , Zhu Hongping , Roesky Herbert W. , Herbst-Irmer Regine , Stalke Dietmar , Fliegl Heike
Published: February 2014

A N-heterocyclic germylene has been synthesized via an unusual homolytic cleavage of a C–C bond under reductive conditions.
Target-induced structure switching of DNA for label-free and ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescent detection of proteins
Authors: Yang Mengli , Chen Ying , Xiang Yun , Yuan Ruo , Chai Yaqin
Published: February 2014

Highly sensitive and label-free detection of thrombin is achieved via a target-induced DNA structure switching strategy and Exo III-assisted recycling amplification.
Structure-based engineering and comparison of novel split inteins for protein ligation
Authors: Aranko A. Sesilja , Oeemig Jesper S. , Zhou Dongwen , Kajander Tommi , Wlodawer Alexander , Iwaï Hideo
Published: February 2014

We introduced a nomenclature for split inteins and engineered mini-inteins. 21 new split inteins were created based on the four intein structures.trans-Splicing and cross-activity of 24 split inteins were systematically compared. >75% of the split inteins were active and >90% of the combinations were orthogonal.
FeCl3·6H2O catalyzed aqueous media domino synthesis of 5-monoalkylbarbiturates: water as both reactant and solvent
Authors: Kalita Subarna Jyoti , Mecadon Hormi , Deka Dibakar C.
Published: February 2014

Water as both reactant and solvent in a FeCl3·6H2O catalyzed domino reaction towards 5-monoalkylbarbiturates is described.
New interference alignment schemes with full and half‐duplex relays for the quasi‐static X channel
Authors: Jin Dong‐Sup , No Jong‐Seon , Shin Dong‐Joon
Published: February 2014

In this study, two relay‐aided interference alignment (IA) schemes are proposed for the quasi‐static M × 2 X channel where M is the number of transmitters and two is the number of receivers, respectively. The first scheme utilises one full‐duplex relay and the second one utilises two half‐duplex relays. In the proposed schemes, the transmitters transmit signals in every time slot and the relays operate in the amplify‐and‐forward (AF) mode. By verifying the linear independence between the desired signals and the interference, it is shown that the proposed schemes can achieve 2M/(M + 1) degrees of freedom (DoF) which is the maximum DoF for the M × 2 X channel. It is also shown by using the concept of reciprocity that the proposed IA schemes are applicable to the 2 × M X channel. Finally, through the numerical analysis, it is confirmed that the proposed IA schemes provide good alternatives to the previously known relay‐aided IA scheme.
Impulsive observer‐based stabilisation of uncertain linear systems
Authors: Chen Wu‐Hua , Yang Wu , Lu Xiaomei
Published: February 2014

This study considers impulsive observer‐based control of uncertain linear systems. A novel time‐varying Lyapunov function is introduced to explore the hybrid characteristic of the impulsive observed‐based control systems. By applying the time‐varying Lyapunov function method combined with convex combination technique, sufficient conditions for the existence of the impulsive observer‐based controller is derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The control and observer gains can be obtained from the feasible solutions of the newly‐obtained LMI‐based conditions. Two numerical examples are presented to show the efficiency of the proposed design method.
Convex sufficient conditions on asymptotic stability and ℓ2 gain performance for uncertain discrete‐time switched linear systems
Authors: Xiang Weiming , Xiao Jian
Published: February 2014

In this brief article, the stability and disturbance attenuation property in the sense of ℓ2 gain for switched linear discrete‐time systems are investigated. The computation of ℓ2 gains against dwell time has been viewed as an open problem so far. A novel dwell‐time dependent Lyapunov function (DTDLF) is introduced to study the stability and ℓ2 gain analysis problems. The main advantage of DTDLF approach is that the derived conditions are all convex in system matrices, thus it is capable to be generalised to switched systems with uncertainties. Then, as an application, the ℋ∞ control problem is considered. Based on the DTDLF approach, the control synthesis procedures including state‐feedback controllers and switching law design are unified into one‐step method that explicitly facilitates the control synthesis process. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate the proposed results.
Optimal scheduling of electric vehicle charging and vehicle‐to‐grid services at household level including battery degradation and price uncertainty
Authors: Ortega‐Vazquez Miguel A.
Published: February 2014

It is expected that electric vehicles (EVs) will soon represent a large share of the demand for electricity. Several research works have extolled the advantages of these devices as flexible demands, not only to charge their batteries when it is cheaper to do so, but also to provide services in the form of vehicle‐to‐grid (V2G) power injections to the system. These services, however, could reduce the useful life of the battery and thus introduce a cost that needs to be taken into account when scheduling the charging of these vehicles. This study presents a scheduling algorithm for EVs under a real time pricing scheme with uncertainty. The objective function explicitly takes into account the cost of battery degradation not only when used to provide services to the system but also in terms of the EV utilisation for motion. The results show that the scheduling of the V2G services is sensitive to the electricity prices uncertainty and to the degradation costs derived from the energy arbitrage. Also, the optimal energy state of charge of the batteries is highly dependent on whether the cost of battery degradation is taken into account or not.
Semi‐automatic object segmentation using colour invariance and Graph Cuts
Authors: Yuan Xingsheng , Xiang Fengtao , Wang Zhengzhi
Published: February 2014

Conventional semi‐automatic or interactive methods, which require a small amount of user inputs for region segmentation of objects, have obtained the best segmentation results. A new semi‐automatic segmentation technique by using coloured scale‐invariant feature transform (CSIFT) to extract seed pixels in Graph Cuts is introduced here. First, CSIFT is used to extract feature points of objects in the image. Then, a voting process is used to extract the matched points as object seeds. The detailed technique via s–t Graph Cuts has been presented, and a new segmentation energy cost function with two colour‐invariant descriptors has been proposed: colour‐name descriptor and colour‐shade descriptor. The colour‐name descriptor introduces high‐level considerations resembling top‐down intervention, and the colour‐shade descriptor allows us to include physical consideration derived from the image formation model capturing gradual colour surface variations and provides congruencies in the presence of shadows and highlights in the segmentation. The experimental results prove that the proposed method provides high‐quality segmentations with object details.
Novel coordinated secondary voltage control strategy for efficient utilisation of distributed generations
Authors: Alobeidli Khaled , El Moursi Mohamed Shawky
Published: February 2014

This study presents a novel coordinated secondary voltage control (CSVC) and reactive power management scheme for efficient utilisation of distributed energy resources in a smart distribution network. The proposed controller is developed to achieve efficient voltage regulation and to maximise the dynamic reactive power reserve in a distribution network to react during system contingencies. The simulated distribution system, including an on‐load tap changer (OLTC) and distributed energy resources, is implemented using PSCAD/EMTDC. The CSVC is designed to provide slow and medium speed responses, using low‐pass filters for OLTC and diesel generators, respectively, and a fast response by utilising inverter‐based distributed energy resources. Therefore it applies a control strategy with different bandwidth dedicated by the decentralised voltage controllers and reactive power management scheme. The CSVC is used to enhance the bus voltage control by utilising the reactive power loading capabilities among distributed energy resources and on‐load tap changers of the substation transformer. A comprehensive simulation has verified the superior performance of the proposed coordinated secondary voltage control with the reactive power management scheme for enhancing the voltage profile and the fault ride‐through capability, ensuring higher dynamic reactive power reserves in a distribution network, and improving the transient stability margin.
Patterning of graphene microscale structures using electrohydrodynamic atomisation deposition of photoresist moulds
Authors: Wang Dazhi , Ma Qian , Liang Junsheng , Xue Fanghong , Chen Li , Wang Xiaodong , Zhou Xufeng , Liu Zhaoping
Published: February 2014

In this reported work, a graphene suspension was atomised and deposited using the electrohydrodynamic atomisation technique, enabling the formation of a wide range of graphene thin films. The influences of the atomisation‐substrate distance on the characteristics of the graphene films and their sheet resistances were analysed. A distance of 3 mm was found to be the optimum deposition distance for this graphene suspension to produce an even film and a low sheet resistance. At a lower and a higher working distance the graphene films exhibited a sharp‐angled heave surface behaviour and a high sheet resistance. In addition, electrohydrodynamic atomisation combined with a photolithography polymeric micromoulding technique was used to form graphene structures. After removing the photoresist micromould, the graphene structures remained under well‐arranged characteristics. After two layers of electrohydrodynamic atomisation deposition at a working distance of 3 mm, the thickness of the film was ∼400 nm and exhibited a sheet resistance of 127.5 Ω sq−1 (ohms per square).
A genetic algorithm based optimization framework to visualize, evaluate, and modify 3D space configurations in Desktop VR
Authors: Chandramouli Magesh , Bertoline Gary R.
Published: February 2014

This paper presents the design and implementation of a Desktop VR (Virtual Reality) framework for generating and evaluating Pareto-optimal alternate 3D spatial configurations using GA (genetic algorithms). The 3-tier framework involves the generation of the Pareto-optimal plans using GA which are subsequently visualized first using a Java-based 2D Interface and finally in the form of a 3D VR scene. The search spaces (function domains) are extremely large in today’s multifaceted interior design situations, and the optimization procedure involves conflicting objective functions, and limitations in the form of constraint functions. The interior space allocation problem is formulated and implemented as the “optimal configuration of artifacts”. When using GAs, a group of Pareto-optimal solutions (Pareto set) are available for the planners and decision-makers, wherefrom one solution ought to be picked. Therefore, this study applies a tool to not only visually evaluate the plans, but also to interact with those plans to develop them further if needed. Besides enabling the optimal spatial configuration of the scene elements, this framework also facilitates evaluation and interaction via the 3D VR worlds. The framework aids the proactive exploration, analysis, and finalization of design aspects such as color, size, lighting, etc. of the various elements prior to the actual construction. The results demonstrate the robust performance of the GA and the final 3D VR environment with dynamic interactive capabilities. This final interface facilitates “GA-Compliant” transformations and scene modifications thereby facilitating the exploration and examination of alternative scene configurations.
New combination bands of N2O-CO2, N2O-OCS, and N2O-N2 complexes in the N2O ν1 region
Authors: Rezaei M. , Michaelian K. H. , Moazzen-Ahmadi N.
Published: February 2014

Spectra of the weakly bound complexes N2O-CO2, N2O-OCS, and N2O-N2 were studied in the region of the ν1 fundamental of N2O (∼2224 cm−1) using a tunable quantum cascade laser to probe a pulsed supersonic jet expansion with an effective rotational temperature of about 2.5 K. One new combination band was observed for each complex: a band involving an intermolecular in-plane bending mode for N2O-N2, a band involving the disrotation (in-plane geared bend) for of N2O-CO2, and a band involving the out-of-plane torsional vibration for isomer b of N2O-OCS. Small perturbations were noted for the N2O-OCS band. Because of the absence of theoretical prediction, the nature of the intermolecular bending mode for N2O-N2 has not been identified. The resulting intermolecular frequencies are 34.175(1), 17.107(1), and 22.334(1) cm−1 for N2O-CO2, N2O-OCS, and N2O-N2, respectively. In addition, the previously known fundamental band of N2O-N2 at 2225.99 cm−1 was analyzed in improved detail. This band exhibits very weak a-type transitions which were not detected in the first infrared observation of this complex, indicating that N2O-N2 is not exactly T-shaped. That is, the N2O molecular axis is not exactly perpendicular to the a-inertial axis, in agreement with a previous structural determination of this complex by rotational spectroscopy.
Revisiting density functionals for the primitive model of electric double layers
Authors: Jiang Jian , Cao Dapeng , Henderson Douglas , Wu Jianzhong
Published: February 2014

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are typically based on approximate functionals that link the free energy of a multi-body system of interest with the underlying one-body density distributions. Whereas good performance is often proclaimed for new developments, it is difficult to vindicate the theoretical merits relative to alternative versions without extensive comparison with the numerical results from molecular simulations. Besides, approximate functionals may defy statistical-mechanical sum rules and result in thermodynamic inconsistency. Here we compare systematically several versions of density functionals for ionic distributions near a charged surface using the primitive model of electric double layers. We find that the theoretical performance is sensitive not only to the specific forms of the density functional but also to the range of parameter space and the precise properties under consideration. In general, incorporation of the thermodynamic sum rule into the DFT calculations shows significant improvements for both electrochemical properties and ionic distributions.
Low temperature and magnetic field behaviour of the (Cr84Re16)89.6V10.4 alloy
Authors: Jacobs B. S. , Sheppard C. J. , Prinsloo A. R. E. , Lodya L.
Published: February 2014

Measurements of the temperature (T) dependence of the magnetic susceptibility (χ) and electrical resistance (R) on an antiferromagnetic (AFM) (Cr84Re16)89.6V10.4 alloy are reported in order to probe the existence of quantum critical behaviour (QCB) utilizing static magnetic fields (H) as a tuning parameter. The results indicate that an increase in H suppresses TN in such a way that it varies exponentially with increasing H. R(T) measurements show evidence of possible superconducting (SC) behaviour below 1 K at H = 0 T. These results therefore indicate the coexistence of the AFM and SC phases in the (Cr84Re16)89.6V10.4 alloy.
Development of a novel shape memory alloy-actuated resettable locking device for magnetic bearing reaction wheel
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyong , Yan Xiaojun , Zhang Shaowei , Nie Jingxu
Published: February 2014

The current investigation proposes a shape memory alloy (SMA)-actuated resettable locking device for magnetic bearing reaction wheel. The device employed two SMA wire-based actuators to realize locking and unlocking. Dual-slope mating surfaces were used on one hand to transmit the motion between a moving part and a clamp, and on the other hand to achieve a self-locking linkage in the locking state. Moreover, geometric parameters of the two SMA wires and corresponding bias springs were also designed. Based on the proposed design scheme, four locking devices were manufactured and assembled. Performance and environmental tests were performed to verify the proposed locking device. Test results show that the locking device can protect the magnetic bearing reaction wheel from launch vibration damage, and can withstand the thermal environment in the launch and on-orbit stage. Moreover, the device can be successfully operated for 76 times, and the response time for the locking and unlocking processes under 7 V power supply is 0.9 s and 5.6 s, respectively. Considering the results obtained from these tests, we conclude that the proposed resettable locking device is an attractive alternative technology to conventional motor-driven or pyrotechnics-based technologies, and can be applied reliably in the magnetic bearing reaction wheel.
Extended gyrokinetic field theory for time-dependent magnetic confinement fields
Authors: Sugama H. , Watanabe T.-H. , Nunami M.
Published: February 2014

A gyrokinetic system of equations for turbulent toroidal plasmas in time-dependent axisymmetric background magnetic fields is derived from the variational principle. Besides governing equations for gyrocenter distribution functions and turbulent electromagnetic fields, the conditions which self-consistently determine the background magnetic fields varying on a transport time scale are obtained by using the Lagrangian, which includes the constraint on the background fields. Conservation laws for energy and toroidal angular momentum of the whole system in the time-dependent background magnetic fields are naturally derived by applying Noether's theorem. It is shown that the ensemble-averaged transport equations of particles, energy, and toroidal momentum given in the present work agree with the results from the conventional recursive formulation with the WKB representation except that collisional effects are disregarded here.
Flow structure around a square cylinder impacting a wall
Authors: Choi Changyoung , Yoon Hyun Sik , Ha Man Yeong
Published: February 2014

The behavior of the flow resulting from the collision of a square cylinder with a wall without rebound at a Reynolds number of 200 was investigated computationally using the direct-forcing/fictitious domain method coupled with the finite volume method. While the emphasis of the numerical simulation was on the case in which the square cylinder collided with the wall at different impact angles, the flow generated by the impact of a circular cylinder was included for comparison. At a Reynolds number of 200, we could not observe any three-dimensional effects in the fluid flow around the square and circular cylinders resulting from the impact regardless of cylinder shape. However, the flow structure around a square cylinder after impact was more complex than that around a circular cylinder. The movement of vortex tubes around each cylinder after impact was influenced not only by the cylinder shape but also by the impact angle. The x- and y-direction drag forces on the cylinder also varied with respect to the cylinder shape and impact angle.
Characterization of low-temperature microwave loss of thin aluminum oxide formed by plasma oxidation
Authors: Deng Chunqing , Otto M. , Lupascu A.
Published: February 2014

We report on the characterization of microwave loss of thin aluminum oxide films at low temperatures using superconducting lumped resonators. The oxide films are fabricated using plasma oxidation of aluminum and have a thickness of 5 nm. We measure the dielectric loss versus microwave power for resonators with frequencies in the GHz range at temperatures from 54 to 303 mK. The power and temperature dependence of the loss are consistent with the tunneling two-level system theory. These results are relevant to understanding decoherence in superconducting quantum devices. The obtained oxide films are thin and robust, making them suitable for capacitors in compact microwave resonators.
Dielectric and microwave attenuation properties of graphene nanoplatelet–epoxy composites
Authors: Wang Zhou , Luo Jia , Zhao Guang–Lin
Published: February 2014

Graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)–epoxy composites were fabricated for the investigation of the dielectric permittivity and microwave absorption in a frequency range from 8 to 20 GHz. The intrinsically conductive GNP particles and polarized interfacial centers in the composites contribute to the microwave absorption. A minimum reflection loss of −14.5 dB at 18.9 GHz is observed for the GNP–epoxy composites with 15 wt. % GNP loading, which is mainly attributed to electric conductivity and the charge multipoles at the polarized interfaces in the GNP–epoxy composites.
Electrical control of interfacial trapping for magnetic tunnel transistor on silicon
Authors: Lu Y. , Lacour D. , Lengaigne G. , Le Gall S. , Suire S. , Montaigne F. , Hehn M. , Wu M. W.
Published: February 2014

We demonstrate an electrical control of an interfacial trapping effect for hot electrons injected in silicon by studying a magnetic tunnel transistor on wafer bonded Si substrate. Below 25 K, hot electrons are trapped at the Cu/Si interface, resulting in collector current suppression through scattering in both parallel and antiparallel magnetic configurations. Consequently, the magneto-current ratio strongly decreases from 300% at 27 K to 30% at 22 K. The application of a relatively small electric field (∼333 V/cm) across the Cu/Si interface is enough to strip the trapped electrons and restore the magneto-current ratio at low temperature. We also present a model taking into account the effects of both electric field and temperature that closely reproduces the experimental results and allows extraction of the trapping binding energy (∼1.6 meV).
Polymer/cathode interface barrier limiting the open circuit voltage in polymer:fullerene organic bulk heterojunction solar cells: A quantitative analysis
Authors: Nolasco J. C. , Ramos-Ortiz G. , Maldonado J. L. , Barbosa-Garcia O. , Ecker B. , von Hauff E.
Published: February 2014

By exploring the origin of the saturation current (J0), we show that the polymer/cathode interface determines the open circuit voltage (Voc) in polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells. We fabricate and characterize P3HT:PCBM solar cells and compare their electrical characteristics using as reference P3HT/cathode Schottky diodes. We demonstrate with thermionic emission theory that J0 has the same origin in both devices. Thus, a general barrier-dependent expression for Voc, valid for non-ohmic cathode contacts is proposed and discussed.
Non-destructive inspection of ferromagnetic pipes based on the discrete Fourier coefficients of magnetic flux leakage
Authors: Nara T. , Fujieda M. , Gotoh Y.
Published: February 2014

For non-destructive inspection of ferromagnetic pipes using magnetic flux leakage (MFL), a sensor consisting of two coils to measure the discrete Fourier sine and cosine coefficients of MFL is developed. The position of a crack in a pipe can be estimated from the squared sum and the ratio of the voltages induced in the two coils. Each coil has sixteen elemental coils with 78 permalloy cores which are placed along a circle with a radius of 6.3 mm and connected in series. The number of turns comprising an elemental coil at an angle ϕ is proportional to sinϕ in one coil and proportional to cosϕ in the other. It was experimentally shown that a circular crack 4 mm in diameter in a ferromagnetic pipe with diameter 21.6 mm was localized. The proposed structure is suitable for narrow pipe inspection where the sensitivity of our previous sensor composed of two coaxial crescent-shaped coils decreases.
Magnetization plateaus of dipolar spin ice on kagome lattice
Authors: Xie Y. L. , Wang Y. L. , Yan Z. B. , Liu J.-M.
Published: February 2014

Unlike spin ice on pyrochlore lattice, the spin ice structure on kagome lattice retains net magnetic charge, indicating non-negligible dipolar interaction in modulating the spin ice states. While it is predicted that the dipolar spin ice on kagome lattice exhibits a ground state with magnetic charge order and √3 × √3 spin order, our work focuses on the magnetization plateau of this system. By employing the Wang-Landau algorithm, it is revealed that the lattice exhibits the fantastic three-step magnetization in response to magnetic field h along the [10] and [01] directions, respectively. For the h//[1 0] case, an additional √3/6Ms step, where Ms is the saturated magnetization, is observed in a specific temperature range, corresponding to a new state with charge order and short-range spin order.
Self-assembled photonic-plasmonic nanotweezers for directed self-assembly of hybrid nanostructures
Authors: O'Dell Dakota , Serey Xavier , Erickson David
Published: February 2014

We demonstrate a technique for assembling photonic-plasmonic nanotweezers by optically driving the adsorption of multi-walled carbon nanotubes onto a silicon waveguide. The nanotweezers are then used to trap and release individual polystyrene beads. Additionally, we demonstrate the ability to localize the deposition of metallic nanoparticles to the intersection points between multiple carbon nanotubes with the goal of forming more complex hybrid nanostructures.
Digital control strategy for solar photovoltaic fed inverter to improve power quality
Authors: Albert Alexander S. , Manigandan T.
Published: February 2014

This paper presents the design of control circuit based on digital logic functions for a solar Photovoltaic (PV) fed Cascaded Multilevel Inverter in order to reduce the number of semiconductor switches and also to improve power quality. The proposed control circuit is used to achieve the maximum number of output voltage levels without the requirement of transformers, boost choppers, and complicated look up tables. The multilevel inverter is implemented with asymmetrical DC sources from solar PV to get 2ns+1-1 levels, where ns is the number of inverter stages. In conventional multilevel inverter, it requires n DC sources or n number of transformers for 2ns + 1 level. Hence to obtain a 15 level inverter, the proposed method requires 12 switches whereas in conventional method it requires 28 switches. The advantage of this method is the reduction of Total Harmonic Distortion in a renewable energy system. Simulations are carried out in MATLAB/Simulink for various levels of multilevel inverter. The mathematical modeling of the solar panel is also introduced which has the same rating as that of hardware setup. The proposed method is implemented in a 3 kWp solar plant and the performance parameters are measured and compared with the conventional inverters.
Changes in forest fire danger for south-western China in the 21st century
Authors: Tian Xiao-rui , Zhao Feng-jun , Shu Li-fu , Wang Ming-yu
Published: February 2014

This paper predicts future changes in fire danger and the fire season in the current century for south-western China under two different climate change scenarios. The fire weather index (FWI) system calculated from daily outputs of a regional climate model with a horizontal resolution of 50×50km was used to assess fire danger. Temperature and precipitation demonstrated a gradually increasing trend for the future. Forest fire statistics for 1987–2011 revealed that the FWI, initial spread index and seasonal severity rating were significantly related to the number of forest fires between 100 and 1000ha in size. Over three future periods, the FWI component indices will increase greatly. The mean FWI value will increase by 0.83–1.85, 1.83–2.91 and 3.33–3.97 in the periods 2011–2040, 2041–2070 and 2071–2100. The regions with predicted FWI increases are mainly in central and south-eastern China. The fire season (including days with high, very high and extreme fire danger ratings) will be prolonged by 9–13, 18–21 and 28–31 days over these periods. This fire season extension will mainly be due to days with an extreme fire danger rating. Considering predicted future changes in the forest fire danger rating and the fire season, it is suggested that climate change adaptation measures be implemented.
The Latin ‘third stem’ and its Romance descendants
Authors: Maiden Martin
Published: February 2014

The ‘third stem’ in the Latin verb provides one of Aronoff’s best-known illustrations of the notion of ‘morphome’: unpredictably variable in form, it is also consistently associated with an abstract and heterogeneous pattern of distribution. My perspective is diachronic, exploring the history of the third stem as it continues into Romance (especially Romanian). My findings support the ‘psychological reality’ of the morphome for successive generations of speakers, but suggest also that unity of lexical meaning is of central importance in the diachronic persistence of morphomes in general, such persistence finding an explanation, perhaps surprisingly, in universal principles of form-meaning iconicity.
The diachrony of light and auxiliary verbs in Indo-Aryan
Authors: Slade Benjamin
Published: February 2014

This study examines the historical development of light verbs in Indo-Aryan. I investigate the origins of the modern Indo-Aryan compound verb construction, and compare this construction with other light verb constructions in Indo-Aryan. Examination of the antecedents of the Indo-Aryan compound verb construction alongside other Indo-Aryan light verb constructions, combined with analysis of lexical and morphosyntactic differences between the compound verb systems of two Indo-Aryan languages (Hindi and Nepali), demonstrate that light verbs are not a stable or unchanging part of grammar, but rather undergo a variety of changes, including reanalysis as tense/aspect auxiliaries.
Understanding diachronic change in Cappadocian Greek
Authors: Karatsareas Petros
Published: February 2014

This article challenges the widely held view that a series of pervasive diachronic innovations in Cappadocian Greek owe their development to language contact with Turkish. Placing particular emphasis on its genealogical relationships with the other dialects of Asia Minor, the claim is that language change in Cappadocian is best understood when considered within a larger dialectological context. Examining the limited use of the definite article as a case in point and in comparison with parallel developments attested in Pontic and Silliot Greek, it is shown in detail that the surface similarity of the outcomes of Cappadocian innovations to their Turkish structural equivalents represents the final stages in long series of language-internal developments whose origins predate the intensification of Cappadocian–Turkish contact. The article thus offers an alternative to contact-oriented approaches and calls for a revision of accepted views on the language-internal and -external dynamics that shaped Cappadocian into its modern form.
How Does A Prime Minister Speak?
Authors: Craig Geoffrey
Published: February 2014

This paper investigates how political subjectivity is framed and expressed through language use in television political interviews. The paper argues that Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and field provide a useful framework for analyses of political subjectivity in news media interviews, but it also argues that the more sociological emphasis of Bourdieu’s theory cannot sufficiently account for the constitutive importance of discourse in the agency of the habitus and the boundaries and authority of different fields. As such, the analysis also draws on critical discourse analysis to demonstrate how Prime Ministerial discourse involves negotiations of different constitutive features of an individual subjectivity, and also negotiations between a particular habitus and the exigencies of the journalistic and political fields. Through an analysis of interviews of former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on influential Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) programmes,Insidersand the7.30 Report, it is argued that the Prime Minister attempts to exercise political authority through an ensemble of discourses, initiating different relations with the interviewers, political colleagues and opponents, leading public figures in other fields, and the Australian public.
Between public and private
Authors: Lehti Lotta
Published: February 2014

The article shows that while public discourse is claimed to be undergoing a process of conversationalisation – i.e. adopting features of casual and informal communicative situations – this process does not apply to any great extent to French politicians’ blogs. The parameters investigated in a corpus of 80 politicians’ blog posts during September 2007 are private and informal topics, and conversation-like interaction. The main focus of the study is on the minority of blogs in the material which are in fact conversationalised. These blogs are examined from the point of view of persuasion, as devices in constructing a credible image of the author. The results show that while these few conversationalised blogs construct an image of the author as an ‘ordinary’ person close to the public, the majority of the blogs create an authorial image as a remote political expert. The extent to which the construction of a lay image is successful, however, is questioned in the analysis.
H.R. 2499 Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2010
Authors: Shenk Elaine M.
Published: February 2014

In 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passedThe Puerto Rico Democracy Act, a bill that ostensibly focused on the authorization of a plebiscite on the Island’s future political status in relationship to the United States. Nevertheless, the final text included language policy on (a) ballot language, (b) official language legislation, and (c) language ideologies favoring English as the “language of opportunity ”. Using CDA, this paper examines the House discussion of the bill on April 29, 2010, as found in the Congressional Record Proceedings and Debates of the 111th Congress. The paper focuses on how the discussion of the bill shifted from political status issues to the inclusion of language policies to be imposed on the Island, the role of the Burton Amendment in shaping these policies, and the ways in which the construction of identity with and through language was both promoted and erased on the House floor.
Writing the history of the victors?
Authors: Macgilchrist Felicitas , Van Praet Ellen
Published: February 2014

Recently, interest in radical democracy and communism has increased dramatically among cultural theorists. This paper draws attention to two other fields in which a similar shift is visible. First, popular scholarly writing on communism, anarchism and socialism. Second, curricular materials for history teaching. Drawing on ethnographic field work at an educational publishing house in Germany, the paper analyses the production of a history textbook. Analysis identifies ambiguities and tensions in the way forms of political organisation and practice are discussed and changes made. One change involves the subtle revalorization of the 1918 revolution and the early days of the Weimar Republic, which could be considered an attempt at shaping a ‘radical democracy’. The study contributes to emerging work on discourse and social change which aims to not only critique dominant discourse but also explore fissures in hegemonic formations. By analysing the production of these history materials, we explore competing discursive possibilities – ways of understanding and enacting democracy – circulating today.
Bene: Adverb or noun?
Authors: Mirto Ignazio Mauro
Published: February 2014

When Italian bene ‘good / well’ occurs with fare ‘do / make’, several constructs with remarkably different argument frames are involved. This paper deals with three of them: (a) Il latte fa bene ai bambini ‘Milk is good for children’; (b) Fa bene il suo lavoro ‘She does her job well’, and (c) Faresti bene a non dire niente ‘You would do well to say nothing about it’. We discuss dictionary discrepancies concerning the lexical category of bene in (a), which we take to be a noun predicate, and draw a distinction between the adverbial uses in (b) and (c).
Early endosome motility spatially organizes polysome distribution
Authors: Higuchi Yujiro , Ashwin Peter , Roger Yvonne , Steinberg Gero
Published: February 2014

Early endosomes (EEs) mediate protein sorting, and their cytoskeleton-dependent motility supports long-distance signaling in neurons. Here, we report an unexpected role of EE motility in distributing the translation machinery in a fungal model system. We visualize ribosomal subunit proteins and show that the large subunits diffused slowly throughout the cytoplasm (Dc,60S = 0.311 µm2/s), whereas entire polysomes underwent long-range motility along microtubules. This movement was mediated by “hitchhiking” on kinesin-3 and dynein-driven EEs, where the polysomes appeared to translate EE-associated mRNA into proteins. Modeling indicates that this motor-driven transport is required for even cellular distribution of newly formed ribosomes. Indeed, impaired EE motility in motor mutants, or their inability to bind EEs in mutants lacking the RNA-binding protein Rrm4, reduced ribosome transport and induced ribosome aggregation near the nucleus. As a consequence, cell growth was severely restricted. Collectively, our results indicate that polysomes associate with moving EEs and that “off- and reloading” distributes the protein translation machinery.
Live imaging of prions reveals nascent PrPSc in cell-surface, raft-associated amyloid strings and webs
Authors: Rouvinski Alexander , Karniely Sharon , Kounin Maria , Moussa Sanaa , Goldberg Miri D. , Warburg Gabriela , Lyakhovetsky Roman , Papy-Garcia Dulce , Kutzsche Janine , Korth Carsten , Carlson George A. , Godsave Susan F. , Peters Peter J. , Luhr Katarina , Kristensson Krister , Taraboulos Albert
Published: February 2014

Mammalian prions refold host glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored PrPC into β-sheet–rich PrPSc. PrPSc is rapidly truncated into a C-terminal PrP27-30 core that is stable for days in endolysosomes. The nature of cell-associated prions, their attachment to membranes and rafts, and their subcellular locations are poorly understood; live prion visualization has not previously been achieved. A key obstacle has been the inaccessibility of PrP27-30 epitopes. We overcame this hurdle by focusing on nascent full-length PrPSc rather than on its truncated PrP27-30 product. We show that N-terminal PrPSc epitopes are exposed in their physiological context and visualize, for the first time, PrPSc in living cells. PrPSc resides for hours in unexpected cell-surface, slow moving strings and webs, sheltered from endocytosis. Prion strings observed by light and scanning electron microscopy were thin, micrometer-long structures. They were firmly cell associated, resisted phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, aligned with raft markers, fluoresced with thioflavin, and were rapidly abolished by anti-prion glycans. Prion strings and webs are the first demonstration of membrane-anchored PrPSc amyloids.