bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transient Response Analysis for a Circular Sandwich Plate with an FGM Central Disk
Authors: Dai H.-L. , Dai T. , Cheng S.-K.
Published: May 2015

In this paper, transient response analysis of a circular sandwich plate with a functionally graded material (FGM) central disk and two piezoelectric layers is presented. Material properties of the FGM central disk for the circular sandwich plate are assumed to vary through the structural thickness according to a power law and the Poisson’s ratio is assumed as the same constant. Based on the first-order shear deformation theory and geometric nonlinear relationship, the nonlinear motion equations of the circular sandwich plate are formulated by using the Hamilton’s variational principle, then combining with the boundary and initial conditions, the whole problem is solved by adopting the finite difference method, Newmark method and iterative method. Numerical results are presented to illustrate that the volume fraction index, geometric parameters, mechanical and electrical loads have a great influence on transient response of the circular sandwich plate.
Return to Work Practices and Research with Spinal Cord Injury: An Australian Perspective
Authors: Mpofu Elias , Craig Ashley , Millington Michael , Murphy Gregory , Dorstyn Diana
Published: May 2015

Post-injury return to work (RTW) is an important rehabilitation outcome regardless of injury type. With Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), the odds of successful RTW are lower than for the general population of work-injured. Australians living with a SCI have a higher RTW rate than many other developed countries, including the United States. Important influences on relatively higher post-injury RTW rates in the Australian context include its universal disability care policy, Australia's suite of no-fault accident insurance systems that allow for multi-faceted rehabilitation services to be provided to eligible individuals in addition to appropriate rewards for rehabilitation service providers. A combination of these systemic factors is important when delivering comprehensive rehabilitation services to those with catastrophic injuries, such as SCI. The empirical evidence on drivers of successful RTW post SCI is, however, limited in comparison to the evidence on interventions for enhanced coping following SCI. Future studies could consider the relative merits of specific RTW interventions with SCI contrasting policy and capitation systems as well as utilising study designs that take into account pre-morbid work participation and secondary health conditions.
Novel aspects of direct laser acceleration of relativistic electrons
Authors: Arefiev A. V. , Robinson A. P. L. , Khudik V. N.
Published: May 2015

We examine the impact of several factors on electron acceleration by a laser pulse and the resulting electron energy gain. Specifically, we consider the role played by: (1) static longitudinal electric field, (2) static transverse electric field, (3) electron injection into the laser pulse, and (4) static longitudinal magnetic field. It is shown that all of these factors lead, under certain conditions, to a considerable electron energy gain from the laser pulse. In contrast with other mechanisms such as wakefield acceleration, the static electric fields in this case do not directly transfer substantial energy to the electron. Instead, they reduce the longitudinal dephasing between the electron and the laser beam, which then allows the electron to gain extra energy from the beam. The mechanisms discussed here are relevant to experiments with under-dense gas jets, as well as to experiments with solid-density targets involving an extended pre-plasma.
Towards a Global Tree Assessment
Authors: Newton Adrian , Oldfield Sara , Rivers Malin , Mark Jennifer , Schatz George , Garavito Natalia Tejedor , Cantarello Elena , Golicher Duncan , Cayuela Luis , Miles Lera
Published: May 2015

Although trees have high economic, cultural and ecological value, increasing numbers of species are potentially at risk of extinction because of forest loss and degradation as a result of human activities, including overharvesting, fire and grazing. Emerging threats include climate change and its interaction with the spread of pests and diseases. The impact of such threats on the conservation status of trees is poorly understood. Here we highlight the need to conduct a comprehensive conservation assessment of the world's tree species, building on previous assessments undertaken for the IUCN Red List. We suggest that recent developments in plant systematics, online databases, remote sensing data and associated analytical tools offer an unprecedented opportunity to conduct such an assessment. We provide an overview of how a Global Tree Assessment could be achieved in practice, through participative, open-access approaches to data sharing and evaluation.
Are groups more or less than the sum of their members? The moderating role of individual identification
Authors: Baumeister Roy F. , Ainsworth Sarah E. , Vohs Kathleen D.
Published: May 2015

This paper seeks to make a theoretical and empirical case for the importance of differentiated identities for group function. Research on groups has found that groups sometimes perform better and other times perform worse than the sum of their individual members. Differentiation of selves is a crucial moderator. We propose a heuristic framework that divides formation of work or task groups into two steps. One step emphasizes shared common identity and promotes emotional bonds. In the other step, which we emphasize, group members take increasingly differentiated roles that improve performance through specialization, moral responsibility, and efficiency. Pathologies of groups (e.g., social loafing, depletion of shared resources/commons dilemmas, failure to pool information, groupthink) are linked to submerging the individual self in the group. These pathologies are decreased when selves are differentiated, such as by individual rewards, individual competition, accountability, responsibility, and public identification. Differentiating individual selves contributes to many of the best outcomes of groups, such as with social facilitation, wisdom-of-crowds effects, and division of labor. Anonymous confidentiality may hamper differentiation by allowing people to blend into the group (so that selfish or lazy efforts are not punished), but it may also facilitate differentiation by enabling people to think and judge without pressure to conform. Acquiring a unique role within the group can promote belongingness by making oneself irreplaceable.
Influence of frugivore activity on the species abundance of seedlings and saplings in a lowland tropical forest in Colombia
Authors: Norden Natalia , Stevenson Pablo R.
Published: May 2015

Although seed dispersal plays a critical role for plant regeneration, the long-term benefits of frugivores for recruitment success have been poorly explored. We evaluated the relative importance of tree species abundance and of frugivore-related factors for successful plant recruitment on 18 tree species in a lowland Colombian rain forest. We combined census data from four 1-ha plots of trees (>10 cm dbh), saplings (1–5 cm dbh) and seedlings (<1.7 m) with a dataset describing tree–frugivore interactions. Seedling abundance was higher for large-seeded species dispersed by the spider monkey, while sapling abundance was higher for large-seeded species dispersed by birds. The identity of the dispersal agent and its interaction with seed size explained 20–30% of the total variance in seedling and sapling abundance across scales. Seed size consistently influenced the species abundance of seedlings and saplings across scales, but in opposite ways. These developmental changes suggest that what is beneficial to seedlings is not necessarily beneficial to saplings. Species identity explained 10–50% of the total variance in seedling and sapling abundance among and within 1-ha plots. Overall, our findings suggest that recruitment success is context-dependent as the relative importance of the different variables addressed may shift along spatial and temporal scales.
Comparison of epidemiologically linkedCampylobacter jejuniisolated from human and poultry sources
Authors: LAJHAR S. A. , JENNISON A. V. , PATEL B. , DUFFY L. L.
Published: May 2015

Campylobacter jejuniis responsible for most foodborne bacterial infections worldwide including Australia. The aim of this study was to investigate a combination of typing methods in the characterization ofC. jejuniisolated from clinical diarrhoeal samples (n= 20) and chicken meat (n= 26) in order to identify the source of infection and rank isolates based on their relative risk to humans. Sequencing of theflaAshort variable region demonstrated that 86% of clinical isolates had genotypes that were also found in chicken meat. A polymerase chain reaction binary typing system identified 27 different codes based on the presence or absence of genes that have been reported to be associated with various aspects ofC. jejunipathogenicity, indicating that not all isolates may be of equal risk to human health. The lipooligosaccharide (LOS) of theC. jejuniisolates was classified into six classes (A, B, C, E, F, H) with 10·4% remaining unclassified. The majority (72·7%) of clinical isolates possessed sialylated LOS classes. Sialylated LOS classes were also detected in chicken isolates (80·7%). Antimicrobial tests indicated a low level of resistance, with no phenotypic resistance found to most antibiotics tested. A combination of typing approaches was useful to assign isolates to a source of infection and assess their risk to humans.
Classification of degree three polynomial solutions to the Polubarinova–Galin equation
Authors: LIN YU-LIN
Published: May 2015

The Polubarinova–Galin equation describes a parametric conformal map for the zero-surface-tension Hele-Shaw flow driven by injection or suction. In this paper, we classify degree three polynomial solutions to the Polubarinova–Galin equation into three categories: global solutions, solutions which can be continued after blow-up and solutions which cannot be continued after blow-up. The coefficient region of the initial functions in each category is obtained.
Consuming communities: the neighbourhood unit and the role of retail spaces on British housing estates, 1944–1958
Authors: GREENHALGH JAMES
Published: May 2015

This article challenges perceptions about the origins and objectives of the ‘neighbourhood unit principle’ that emerged in 1944, by focusing on the location and purpose of shops. It argues that the positioning of retail spaces was central, but largely overlooked, to the socio-spatial schema that lay at the heart of the neighbourhood principle. Planners saw shops as a hub of face-to-face interaction, through which nebulous objectives like ‘community spirit’ might be engendered. However, planners did not account for the way that their need-based model of shopping might be undermined by the consumer habits of inhabitants and the changing objectives of retailers.
HARM PRINCIPLES
Authors: Edwards James
Published: May 2015

Much time has been spent arguing about the soundness of “the harm principle.” But in the philosophical literature there is no single such principle; there are many harm principles. And many objections pressed against “the harm principle” are objections to only some of these principles. The first half of this paper draws a number of distinctions between harm principles. It then argues that each harm principle is compatible with many other principles that impose limits on the law, including but not limited to other harm principles. The second half of the paper applies the lessons of the first to a number of prominent objections to “the harm principle.” That principle has been accused of a) being underinclusive; b) misrepresenting the reasons why many act-types ought to be legally proscribed; c) permitting lawmakers to treat people as mere means of achieving their ends; and d) being overinclusive. The paper argues that one harm principle survives all four objections.
Age Dating from Electron Microprobe Analyses of U, Th, and Pb: Geological Advantages and Analytical Difficulties
Authors: Bowles John F.W.
Published: May 2015

Electron microprobe analysis of U, Th, and Pb in naturally occurring minerals can indicate their age. Where the Pb is entirely due to the radioactive decay of U and Th, the time since mineral formation or equilibration can be calculated. Uraninite (UO2), monazite (REE PO4), zircon (ZrSiO4), and xenotime (YPO4) have been used, the latter containing U and/or Th in minor proportions. Any stable U- or Th-bearing phase can be considered. Careful analysis is required with attention to interferences, background measurement, detection limits, and Pb-free sample preparation. Extended counting times (600 s) at a probe current >200 nA are recommended. Ages can be determined from uraninite older than 2 Ma for a Pb detection limit of 0.02% and up to 700−1,000 Ma, after which Pb can be lost from the structure. The youngest monazite ages permitted by the Pb detection limit are 50–100 Ma and ages greater than 3,000 Ma have been determined. The method does not provide the detail of isotopic methods, but results can be obtained more readily. Examples show dating of cheralite ((Ca,Ce)(Th,Ce)(PO4)2), a rock containing primary and secondary UO2, and a suite of detrital uraninite grains that formed a part of a mineral exploration program.
The Trade Facilitation Agreement: A New Hope for the World Trade Organization
Authors: ELIASON ANTONIA
Published: May 2015

The new WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) is a significant step forward for the international trading regime, representing new hope for the relevance of the WTO.

The TFA is the first multilateral agreement since the creation of the WTO in 1995 and includes novel measures to help developing countries build capacity, while also taking into consideration regulatory concerns of WTO members through the application of the general GATT exceptions to the new agreement. While the TFA may appear narrow in scope, with regards to goods it is arguably the broadest WTO Agreement besides the GATT, since all goods that cross national borders find themselves subject to trade facilitation measures. If the TFA is properly interpreted, the combination of capacity-building measures, a focus on technological improvements and the judicious invocation of Article XX could result in a win-win situation wherein routine positive trade is streamlined, reducing time required to cross borders, while negative trade is more easily controlled and regulated at the border.

Despite regulatory questions concerning implementation, it is likely that the TFA will reduce the cost of trading across borders, while improving trade for developing countries and allowing WTO members to better control trade flows, through a combination of procedural streamlining and regulatory discretion.
Over ‘Sexed’ Regulation and the Disregarded Worker: An Overview of the Impact of Sexual Entertainment Policy on Lap-Dancing Club Workers - CORRIGENDUM
Authors: Colosi Rachela
Published: May 2015

In the original article an error was contained within the following paragraph on page 242. It should have read;

Under the new amendments, which were laid out in Section 27 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 (Great Britain, 2009), lap-dancing clubs and other venues in which there is ‘any live display of nudity’ and where there have been more than ‘eleven occasions on which relevant entertainment has been so provided which fall (wholly or partly) within the period of 12 months ending with that time’ (Section 27, schedule 2Ai, Policing and Crime Act 2009) are now included as SEs.
Shark biodiversity in the Sea of Marmara: departures and arrivals over a century
Authors: Kabasakal Hakan , Karhan Selahattin Ünsal
Published: May 2015

The oldest records on the sharks of the Sea of Marmara are limited to a few notes on two great white sharks,Carcharodon carcharias, which were caught in the southern part of the Bosphorus Strait by the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) handliners in February and November of 1881 (Fergusson, 1996: Appendix 3, 345). A review of the shark-specific or general ichthyology studies of the Sea of Marmara, as well as of the daily newspapers published since the beginning of 1900s, providing information on the capture of sharks in Marmaric waters, revealed the historical and contemporary occurrence of 21 shark species in the Sea of Marmara. The contemporary occurrence of 13 of the 21 species in the Sea of Marmara has been confirmed by recent studies and fishery records. Recent studies showed that the fish fauna of the Sea of Marmara comprises 235 species, 13 of which are shark species, with the confirmed contemporary occurrences of sharks representing 5.53% of the total ichthyofauna.
First records of the grey nurse shark Carcharias taurus (Lamniformes: Odontaspididae) from oceanic coral reefs in the Timor Sea
Authors: Momigliano Paolo , Jaiteh Vanessa Flora
Published: May 2015

The threatened grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) is reported for the first time from oceanic coral reefs in the Timor Sea. Generally known from temperate and subtropical coastal reef habitats, this species was encountered by Indonesian traditional fishers on oceanic coral reefs in an area of the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone known as the 1974 MoU Box, some 200 km from the Australian mainland. The presence ofC. tauruson these remote tropical reefs bears important management implications, including the species’ protected status in Australian waters and the challenges of regulating catches in areas permitted for traditional Indonesian fishing.
Records of vagrant bird species in Antarctica: new observations
Authors: Petersen Elisa De Souza , Rossi Liana Chesini , Petry Maria Virginia
Published: May 2015

This paper presents a review of the vagrant species recorded in different areas of the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Seven bird species were observed at Elephant Island, King George Island and Nelson Island. Elephant Island was the area with the largest number of species recorded (N = 5). Among all the species observed in Antarctica, White-rumped Sandpiper and Cattle Egrets were the species with the most observations. There are different hypotheses used to explain the presence of vagrant bird species in Antarctica: (I) storms, irregular ocean currents, climate change and navigator errors can suggest why the birds are registered out of their usual areas of distribution; (II) changes in ocean currents may influence resource distributions and, consequently, influence bird distribution patterns. It is important to gather more information on bird species that are using new areas, to understand the diversity of birds in Antarctic regions, to characterize changes in migratory routes and to observe the responses of species facing global climate change.
The Link between Cognitive Ability and Scholastic Cheating: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Paulhus Delroy L. , Dubois Patrick J.
Published: May 2015

Do less able students cheat more? Although relevant research has been published over the past eight decades, no consensus has been reached. We reviewed all studies using objective measures of both ability and cheating. A comprehensive search yielded 20 such articles, including 22 samples, that estimated the ability-cheating association. A meta-analysis yielded a clear conclusion: all associations between ability and cheating were negative with a median value of −.26. The pattern was also robust across contrived versus noncontrived cheating situations, collaborative versus noncollaborative cheating, choice of ability measures, and educational levels. The associations were somewhat lower when cheating detection methods were “high-tech” rather than traditional. Broader implications are discussed.
N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed [2+3] cyclocondensation of α-chloroaldehydes with azomethine imines
Authors: Gao Zhong-Hua , Chen Xiang-Yu , Cheng Jin-Tang , Liao Wei-Lin , Ye Song
Published: May 2015

The N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed enantioselective [2+3] cyclocondensation of α-chloroaldehydes with azomethine imines was developed to give the corresponding pyrazolidinones in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities.
An anion sensor based on an organic field effect transistor
Authors: Minami Tsuyoshi , Minamiki Tsukuru , Tokito Shizuo
Published: May 2015

An OFET sensor device possessing an anion receptor was able to electrically detect basic anion species in water, meaning that OFETs can effectively read out anion recognition behaviour of supramolecular receptors.
Functionalization of graphene oxide nanostructures improves photoluminescence and facilitates their use as optical probes in preclinical imaging
Authors: Prabhakar Neeraj , Näreoja Tuomas , von Haartman Eva , Şen Karaman Didem , Burikov Sergey A. , Dolenko Tatiana A. , Deguchi Takahiro , Mamaeva Veronika , Hänninen Pekka E. , Vlasov Igor I. , Shenderova Olga A. , Rosenholm Jessica M.
Published: May 2015

Functionalized nGO probes for preclinical imaging.
Efficacy of dihydroxy-mercaptopyrimidine functionalized polymeric resin for the trace determination of Cd by SPE coupled flame atomic absorption spectrometry
Authors: Islam Aminul , Zaidi Noushi , Ahmad Hilal , Kumar Suneel
Published: May 2015

The efficacy and applicability of a cadmium extractor prepared by functionalizing polystyrene resin with 2-thiobarbituric acid is studied. This is the first time that 2-thiobarbituric acid is reported in solid phase extraction as a chelating resin.
A highly selective CHEF-type chemosensor for monitoring Zn2+ in aqueous solution and living cells
Authors: Lee Jae Jun , Lee Seul Ah , Kim Hyun , Nguyen LeTuyen , Noh Insup , Kim Cheal
Published: May 2015

A new quinolone-based chemosensor was synthesized and successfully applied to quantify and image Zn2+ in water samples and living cells.
Electrospinning of a PMA-co-PAA/FP biopolymer nanofiber: enhanced capability for immobilized horseradish peroxidase and its consequence for p-nitrophenol disposal
Authors: Li Changlong , Zhou Lei , Wang Cuie , Liu Xinhua , Liao Kaiming
Published: May 2015

A biocompatible nanofiber of PMA-co-PAA/FP was fabricated by electrospinning and employed as a matrix for immobilization of HRP. The resulting PMA-co-PAA/FP–HRP can function as an active and recyclable nanobiocatalyst for PNP disposal.
III-defined concepts in chemistry: rigid force constants vs. compliance constants as bond strength descriptors for the triple bond in diboryne
Authors: Grunenberg Jörg
Published: May 2015

In a recent publication in this journal, the interpretation of the Braunschweig's diboryne as a true triple bond is questioned.
Edge-channel interferometer at the graphene quantum Hall pn junction
Authors: Morikawa Sei , Masubuchi Satoru , Moriya Rai , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Machida Tomoki
Published: May 2015

We demonstrate a quantum Hall edge-channel interferometer in a high-quality graphene pn junction under a high magnetic field. The co-propagating p and n quantum Hall edge channels traveling along the pn interface functions as a built-in Aharonov-Bohm-type interferometer, the interferences in which are sensitive to both the external magnetic field and the carrier concentration. The trajectories of peak and dip in the observed resistance oscillation are well reproduced by our numerical calculation that assumes magnetic flux quantization in the area enclosed by the co-propagating edge channels. Coherent nature of the co-propagating edge channels is confirmed by the checkerboard-like pattern in the dc-bias and magnetic-field dependences of the resistance oscillations.
Tailoring the slow light behavior in terahertz metasurfaces
Authors: Manjappa Manukumara , Chiam Sher-Yi , Cong Longqing , Bettiol Andrew A. , Zhang Weili , Singh Ranjan
Published: May 2015

We experimentally study the effect of near field coupling on the transmission of light in terahertz metasurfaces. Our results show that tailoring the coupling between the resonators modulates the amplitude of resulting electromagnetically induced transmission, probed under different types of asymmetries in the coupled system. Observed change in the transmission amplitude is attributed to the change in the amount of destructive interference between the resonators in the vicinity of strong near field coupling. We employ a two-particle model to theoretically study the influence of the coupling between bright and quasi-dark modes on the transmission properties of the system and we find an excellent agreement with our observed results. Adding to the enhanced transmission characteristics, our results provide a deeper insight into the metamaterial analogues of atomic electromagnetically induced transparency and offer an approach to engineer slow light devices, broadband filters, and attenuators at terahertz frequencies.
Polyanalytic relativistic second Bargmann transforms
Authors: Mouayn Zouhaïr
Published: May 2015

We construct coherent states through special superpositions of eigenstates of the relativistic isotonic oscillator. In each superposition, the coefficients are chosen to be L2-eigenfunctions of a σ-weight Maass Laplacian on the Poincaré disk, which are associated with the eigenvalue 4mσ−1−m, m∈Z+∩0,σ−1/2. For each nonzero m, the associated coherent states transform constitutes the m-true-polyanalytic extension of a relativistic version of the second Bargmann transform, whose integral kernel is expressed in terms of a special Appel-Kampé de Fériet’s hypergeometric function. The obtained results could be used to extend the known semi-classical analysis of quantum dynamics of the relativistic isotonic oscillator.
Measurement incompatibility and Schrödinger-Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering in a class of probabilistic theories
Authors: Banik Manik
Published: May 2015

Steering is one of the most counter intuitive non-classical features of bipartite quantum system, first noticed by Schrödinger at the early days of quantum theory. On the other hand, measurement incompatibility is another non-classical feature of quantum theory, initially pointed out by Bohr. Recently, Quintino et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 160402 (2014)] and Uola et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 160403 (2014)] have investigated the relation between these two distinct non-classical features. They have shown that a set of measurements is not jointly measurable (i.e., incompatible) if and only if they can be used for demonstrating Schrödinger-Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering. The concept of steering has been generalized for more general abstract tensor product theories rather than just Hilbert space quantum mechanics. In this article, we discuss that the notion of measurement incompatibility can be extended for general probability theories. Further, we show that the connection between steering and measurement incompatibility holds in a border class of tensor product theories rather than just quantum theory.
Polymer translocation into and out of an ellipsoidal cavity
Authors: Polson James M.
Published: May 2015

Monte Carlo simulations are used to study the translocation of a polymer into and out of an ellipsoidal cavity through a narrow pore. We measure the polymer free energy F as a function of a translocation coordinate, s, defined to be the number of bonds that have entered the cavity. To study polymer insertion, we consider the case of a driving force acting on monomers inside the pore, as well as monomer attraction to the cavity wall. We examine the changes to F(s) upon variation in the shape anisometry and volume of the cavity, the polymer length, and the strength of the interactions driving the insertion. For athermal systems, the free energy functions are analyzed using a scaling approach, where we treat the confined portion of the polymer to be in the semi-dilute regime. The free energy functions are used with the Fokker-Planck (FP) equation to calculate mean translocation times, as well as translocation time distributions. We find that both polymer ejection and insertion are faster for ellipsoidal cavities than for spherical cavities. The results are in qualitative agreement with those of a Langevin dynamics study in the case of ejection but not for insertion. The discrepancy is likely due to out-of-equilibrium conformational behaviour that is not accounted for in the FP approach.
Air-stable solution-processed n-channel organic thin film transistors with polymer-enhanced morphology
Authors: He Zhengran , Shaik Shoieb , Bi Sheng , Chen Jihua , Li Dawen
Published: May 2015

N,N′-1H,1H-perfluorobutyl dicyanoperylenecarboxydiimide (PDIF-CN2) is an n-type semiconductor exhibiting high electron mobility and excellent air stability. However, the reported electron mobility based on spin-coated PDIF-CN2 film is much lower than the value of PDIF-CN2 single crystals made from vapor phase deposition, indicating significant room for mobility enhancement. In this study, various insulating polymers, including poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and poly(alpha-methylstyrene) (PαMS), are pre-coated on silicon substrate aiming to enhance the morphology of the PDIF-CN2 thin film, thereby improving the charge transport and air stability. Atomic force microscopy images reveal that with the pre-deposition of PαMS or PMMA polymers, the morphology of the PDIF-CN2 polycrystalline films is optimized in semiconducting crystal connectivity, domain size, and surface roughness, which leads to significant improvement of organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) performance. Particularly, an electron mobility of up to 0.55 cm2/V s has been achieved from OTFTs based on the PDIF-CN2 film with the pre-deposition of PαMS polymer.
Communication: Tolman length and rigidity constants of water and their role in nucleation
Authors: Wilhelmsen Øivind , Bedeaux Dick , Reguera David
Published: May 2015

A proper understanding of nucleation is crucial in several natural and industrial processes. However, accurate quantitative predictions of this phenomenon have not been possible. The most popular tool for calculating nucleation rates, classical nucleation theory (CNT), deviates by orders of magnitude from experiments for most substances. We investigate whether part of this discrepancy can be accounted for by the curvature-dependence of the surface tension. To that end, we evaluate the leading order corrections for water, the Tolman length and the rigidity constants, using square gradient theory coupled with the accurate cubic plus association equation of state. The Helfrich expansion is then used to incorporate them into the CNT-framework. For water condensation, the modified framework successfully corrects the erroneous temperature dependence of the nucleation rates given by the classical theory and reproduces experimental nucleation rates.
Note: Rapid reduction of graphene oxide paper by glow discharge plasma
Authors: Bo Zheng , Qian Jiajing , Han Zhao Jun , Duan Liangping , Qiu Kunzan , Ostrikov Kostya (Ken) , Yan Jianhua , Cen Kefa
Published: May 2015

This note reports on a novel method for the rapid reduction of graphene oxide (GO) paper using a glow discharge plasma reactor. Glow discharge is produced and sustained between two parallel-plate graphite electrodes at a pressure of 240 mTorr. By exposing GO paper at the junction of negative-glow and Faraday-dark area for 4 min, the oxygen-containing groups can be effectively removed (C/O ratio increases from 2.6 to 7.9), while the material integrality and flexibility are kept well. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the as-obtained reduced GO paper can be potentially used for supercapacitor application.
Reducing intrinsic loss in superconducting resonators by surface treatment and deep etching of silicon substrates
Authors: Bruno A. , de Lange G. , Asaad S. , van der Enden K. L. , Langford N. K. , DiCarlo L.
Published: May 2015

We present microwave-frequency NbTiN resonators on silicon, systematically achieving internal quality factors above 1 M in the quantum regime. We use two techniques to reduce losses associated with two-level systems: an additional substrate surface treatment prior to NbTiN deposition to optimize the metal-substrate interface and deep reactive-ion etching of the substrate to displace the substrate-vacuum interfaces away from high electric fields. The temperature and power dependence of resonator behavior indicate that two-level systems still contribute significantly to energy dissipation, suggesting that more interface optimization could further improve performance.
Lattice distortion mechanism study of TiO2 nanoparticles during photocatalysis degradation and reactivation
Authors: Wu Wenhui , Xue Xudong , Jiang Xudong , Zhang Yupeng , Wu Yichu , Pan Chunxu
Published: May 2015

In this paper, the photocatalytic process of TiO2 (P25) is directly characterized by using a positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and UV Raman spectroscopy (Raman). The experimental results reveal that: 1) From PALS measurements, because τ1 and τ2 values and their intensity (I1 and I2) assigned to the different size and amounts of defects, respectively, their variations indicate the formation of different types and amounts of defects during the absorption and degradation. 2) HRTEM observations show that the lattice images become partly blurring when the methylene blue is fully degradated, and clear again after exposed in the air for 30 days. According to the results, we propose a mechanism that the lattice distortion induces the defects as electron capture sites and provides energy for improving photocatalytic process. Meanwhile, the lattice distortion relaxation after exposing in the air for 30 days perfectly explains the gradual deactivation of TiO2, because the smaller vacancy defects grow and agglomerate through the several photocatalytic processes. The instrumental PL and Raman are also used to analyze the samples and approved the results of PALS and HRTEM.
Diglycidyl Esters Cross-Linked with Low Molecular Weight Polyethyleneimine for Magnetofection
Authors: Yu Hao , Li Shufeng , Feng Liandong , Liu Yucheng , Qi Xiaoliang , Wei Wei , Li Junjian , Dong Wei
Published: May 2015

Magnetic polyethyleneimine (PEI) complexes have demonstrated to be simple and efficient vectors for enhancing gene transfection. However, the high cytotoxicity of PEI restricts its further application in vivo. In this study, we synthesized several low cytotoxicity biodegradable cationic polymers derived from PEI (Mw 600) linked with diglycidyl tartrate (DT-PEI) or its analogues (diglycidyl succinate (DS-PEI) and diglycidyl malate (DM-PEI); D-PEIs for all 3 polymers). Moreover, a type of biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with negative charges was prepared to assemble with D-PEIs/DNA complexes via electrostatic interactions. The magnetic ternary complexes have appropriate sizes of 120–150 nm and zeta potential values of ~20–25 mV. The transfection ability and cell viability of D-PEIs increased as the amount of hydroxyl groups increased in the repeat unit, which indicated that increasing the hydroxyl number in the backbone of D-PEIs can enhance gene expression and decrease cytotoxicity in A549 cells. Magnetofection of DT-PEI showed similar transfection efficiency with 30 min incubation; in contrast, the standard incubation time was 4 h. All three magnetic complexes displayed lower cytotoxicity when compared with those of PEI complexes in COS-7 and A549. These results indicated that these series of magnetic PEI derivatives complexes could be potential nanocarriers for gene delivery.
Adsorption of Water and Methanol on Highly Graphitized Thermal Carbon Black and Activated Carbon Fibre
Authors: Horikawa Toshihide , Takenouchi Masanori , Do Duong D. , Sotowa Ken-Ichiro , Alcántara-Avila J. Rafael , Nicholson David
Published: May 2015

Adsorption of water and methanol on different carbonaceous solids was carried out to investigate the roles of porous structure and functional groups on the adsorption of associating fluids. A highly graphitized thermal carbon black, non-porous Carbopack F, was chosen to study the effects of functional groups and their concentration, and two samples of porous activated carbon fibre (ACF), microporous A-5 and micro-mesoporous A-15, were used to investigate the interplay between the functional groups and confinement. On Carbopack F, adsorption of water at 298 K is not experimentally detectable until the relative pressure reaches about 0.9, and the adsorption isotherm exhibits a large hysteresis loop spanning a very wide range of pressure; by contrast methanol adsorption at the same temperature shows an onset of adsorption at a lower relative pressure of 0.2 and the isotherm has a very small hysteresis loop. This early onset, compared with water, is due to the dispersion interaction between the methyl group and the graphene surface; an interaction which is absent in water. For the porous ACF samples, the onset of water uptake shifts from a relative pressure of 0.9; as observed for Carbopack F, to the much lower values, depending on pore size, of 0.3 for microporous A-5 and 0.5 for micro-mesoporous A-15.
The decline in xylem flow to mango fruit at the end of its development is related to the appearance of embolism in the fruit pedicel
Authors: Nordey Thibault , Léchaudel Mathieu , Génard Michel
Published: May 2015

The decline in xylem flow during the late growth stage in most fruits may be due either to a decrease in the water potential gradient between the stem bearing the fruit and the fruit tissues or to a decrease in the hydraulic conductivity of xylem vessels, or both. In this study, we analysed changes in xylem flows to the mango Mangifera indica L. fruit during its development to identify the sources of variation by measuring changes in the water potential gradient and in the hydraulic properties of the fruit pedicel. The variations in xylem and transpiration flows were estimated at several stages of mango fruit development from the daily changes in the fresh mass of detached and girdled fruits on branches. The water potential gradient was estimated by monitoring the diurnal water potential in the stem and fruit. The hydraulic properties of the fruit pedicel were estimated using a flow meter. The results indicated that xylem flow increased in the early stages of fruit development and decreased in the late stage. Variations in xylem flow were related to the decrease in the hydraulic conductivity of xylem vessels but not to a decrease in the water potential gradient. The hydraulic conductivity of the fruit pedicel decreased during late growth due to embolism caused by a decrease in the fruit water potential. Further studies should establish the impact of the decrease in the hydraulic conductivity of the fruit pedicel on mango growth.
The Science and Industry Endowment Fund: Supporting the Development of Australian Science
Authors: Smith Susan , Spurling Thomas H.
Published: May 2015

The Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF) was established in 1926 by the passage in the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia of the Science and Industry Endowment Act at the same time as the Science and Industry Research Act established the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The SIEF played a major role in funding the training of Australian research workers from 1926 to 1950 and funded much of the research carried out in Australian universities in the pre-war period. This paper documents the activities of the SIEF from its inception in 1926 until inflation eroded the value of the Fund in the 1970s. The Fund was later reinvigorated by the injection of $150 million by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation between 2009 and 2010.
How Astronomers Focused the Scope of their Discussions: The Formation of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Authors: Lomb Nick
Published: May 2015

Scientific societies provide an important forum for scientists to meet and exchange ideas. In the early days of European settlement in Australia the few people interested in the sciences joined together to form societies that embraced all their individual disciplines. From 1888 the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science with its different sections allowed a growing number of astronomers to share meetings only with researchers in the closely allied fields of mathematics and physics. Eventually, all three of these groups formed their own societies with the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) being the last in 1966. Archival records are used to illustrate how the formation of the ASA came about and to identify the people involved. The makeup of Australian astronomy at that period and some of its research fields are looked at, as well as the debates and discussions in the Society's first year while its future structure and role were established.
Precision medicine: Clarity for the clinical and biological complexity of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases
Authors: Montine Thomas J. , Montine Kathleen S.
Published: May 2015

The goal of precision medicine is to deliver optimally targeted and timed interventions tailored to an individual’s molecular drivers of disease. This concept has wide currency in cancer care and in some diseases caused by monogenetic mutations, such as cystic fibrosis, and recently has been endorsed by the White House Office of Science and Technology for more widespread application in medicine. Here we describe our vision of how precision medicine can bring greater clarity to the clinical and biological complexity of the two most common neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Toward Discourse Comprehension of Traditional Vedānta
Authors: Webster Travis D.
Published: May 2015

This article focuses on strategies of discourse processing for the relay of Vedic truth-statements (mahāvākyas) in the context of globalization and secular modernity. Of primary interest is situational representation of communicative events and educational reforms surrounding the transmission of brahmajñāna, that is, knowledge (jñāna) of nondual reality (brahman). Culminating at the end of the Vedas, Upaniṣads codify contextual properties of teacher-student successions (guru-śiṣya-paramparās) structuring the transmission of brahmajñāna. Despite ongoing interest in Advaita Vedānta, there is still a need to conceptualize the teaching tradition (sampradāya) as a matter for empirical observation and thereby to propose a set of cognitive hypotheses that make it possible to account for the referential basis of discourse production and situation models representing Upaniṣads as a verbal means of knowledge (śabda-pramāṇa). Consequently, genre expectations in the Advaita sampradāya provide the starting point for further inquiry into variant discourses of Vedānta.
The Semiotics of the “Christian/Muslim Knife”: Meat and Knife as Markers of Religious Identity in Ethiopia
Authors: Zellelew Tilahun Bejitual
Published: May 2015

The knife, a synecdoche of slaughtering, is an important culinary tool that is charged with the power of religious speech acts and that has a significant semiotic function in Christian-Muslim encounters in Ethiopia. The slaughtering rituals not only transform the neutral natural animal into a sacred cultural food but also invest the meat with an intense aura of disgust among followers of the other faith. The slaughtering narratives continue to manifest themselves in other public signs, namely, in the Cross and the Crescent, on butcheries, and restaurants, for example. These two universal signs are the corollaries of an anterior sign, in other words, the knife that, in the discursive realm of food and religious identity in Ethiopia, implicates the different slaughtering rituals of Orthodox Christians and Muslims.
Sign, Meaning, and Understanding in Victoria Welby and Charles S. Peirce
Authors: Petrilli Susan
Published: May 2015

Like Peirce, recognized as the “father-founder” of modern semiotics, Welby too, although just recently (despite her influence on important contemporary scholars), is acclaimed as the “mother-founder,” thus entering the pantheon of the “fathers” of language and sign sciences. These great figures share a common approach to sign and language as exponents of what today is recognized as the major tradition in semiotic studies, “interpretation semiotics.” Meaning, understanding, signs, signifiers, utterers, and listeners are described as evolving in live communication, as part of signifying processes in becoming. Signs develop in ongoing interpretive/ translative processes with other signs, signifiers, and signifying processes. Signs are interrelated with values, consequently sense and significance emerge as major investigation areas for studies on meaning. Moreover, both Welby and Peirce evidence the public, social, and intersubjective dimensions of signifying and understanding, and hence also the importance of intercorporeality, dialogism, otherness, ambiguity for healthy communication, and interpersonal relations.
Four Theories of Things: Aristotle, Marx, Heidegger, and Peirce
Authors: Kockelman Paul
Published: May 2015

This essay is about the relation between meaning and materiality. It offers careful and coherent, albeit noncanonical, readings of particular themes in Aristotle, Marx, Heidegger, and Peirce. And it does this in order to draw together some classic understandings of value: use value, in particular, but also exchange value, truth value, and moral value (and much else besides). Originating as a series of lecture notes offered to students interested in theoretical archeology, it culminates in a theory of embedded interpretants (as opposed to enminded, embodied, or entextualized interpretants), with an emphasis on semiotic grounds (as opposed to semiotic processes). It is meant to offer a relatively accessible summary, synthesis, and extension of four seemingly disparate, and often quite difficult, theorists.
What Does the Time Constant of the Pulmonary Circulation Tell us about the Progression of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension?
Authors: Bellofiore A. , Wang Z. , Chesler N. C.
Published: May 2015

Compliance (C) and resistance (R) maintain a unique, inverse relationship in the pulmonary circulation, resulting in a constant characteristic time τ = RC that has been observed in healthy subjects as well as patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, little is known about the dependence of right ventricular (RV) function on the coupled changes in R and C in the context of this inverse relationship. We hypothesized three simple dependencies of RV ejection fraction (RVEF) on R and C. The first model (linear‐R) assumes a linear RVEF‐R relation; the second (linear‐C) assumes a linear RVEF‐C relation; and the third one combines the former two in a mixed linear model. We found that the linear‐R model and the mixed linear model are in good agreement with clinical evidence. A conclusive validation of these models will require more clinical data. Longitudinal data in particular are needed to identify the time course of ventricular‐vascular impairment in PAH. Simple models like the ones we present here, once validated, will advance our understanding of the mechanisms of RV failure, which could improve strategies to manage RV dysfunction in PAH.
Representation, Symbol, and Semiosis: Signs of a Scholarly Collaboration
Authors: Parmentier Richard J.
Published: May 2015

In focusing on “semiosis,” or sign process, the journal Signs and Society was established to advance through multidisciplinary research the theoretical work of Peirce, the founder of “semiotics,” and Saussure, the founder of “semiology.” This essay provides a brief “representation” of the history of the collaborative relationship between the Semiosis Research Center at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and the Department of Anthropology at Brandeis University, a relationship that is itself a kind of “symbol” entextualized in the pages of Signs and Society.