bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
History of the Leech Trade in Ireland, 1750–1915: Microcosm of a Global Commodity
Authors: Sawyer Roy T.
Published: May 2013

In the nineteenth century the medicinal leechHirudo medicinalisevolved into a lucrative commodity in great demand throughout the western world. In less than a century its trade became big business by any measure, involving tens of millions of animals shipped to every inhabited continent. In this context Ireland is particularly instructive in that it was the first country in Europe to exhaust its supply of native leeches. Concomitantly, it was also the first country to import leeches from abroad, as early as 1750. Being an island with manageable border controls, and a clearly definable medical market, Ireland serves superbly as a microcosm of the leech as a worldwide commodity. Being a relative small country it is possible for the first time to gain a balanced perspective of various economic factors underlying this trade, including supply and demand, exploitation of natural resources, and an evolving network of competitive traders.

This paper addresses these and other aspects of the leech trade in Ireland. The principal, and unexpected, finding of this paper is that leeches were unequivocally very expensive in Ireland and became a significant drain on hospital budgets. As such, they found little use amongst the Irish poor. An estimate of several million leeches were imported into Ireland in the nineteenth century, a practice which continued into the twentieth. They were imported initially from Wales and then from France following the defeat of Napoleon, but the bulk came ultimately from Hamburg, via importers in England.
“You Ain’t a Person, and We’ll Keep It That Way”: A Reply to Berkich
Authors: Propson Daniel
Published: May 2013

Don Berkich has argued that the so-called Trajectory Argument for the moral impermissibility of abortion falls short because it fails to establish that an embryo that never becomes a person has the same rights as an embryo that becomes a person. I argue that Berkich’s argument fails to be convincing, since (1) aborting a particular embryo itself causes the embryo not to become a person, and (2) the premise that abortion would be wrong if it were done with the intention of preventing a particular person’s existence assumes that arbitrary killings are somehow better than targeted ones, which is implausible.
Scepticisme, fidéisme et évidentialisme : oppositions et origines
Authors: Logins Artūrs
Published: May 2013

Les principales attitudes adoptées devant les questions centrales de l’épistémologie générale (en particulier la question de la croyance justifiée) sont selon nous l’évidentialisme, le scepticisme (pyrrhonien) et le fidéisme. Dans cet article, nous présentons d’une part les arguments permettant d’accepter une forme de l’évidentialisme selon laquelle aucune croyance fausse ne peut être justifiée sur la base de raisons probantes. D’autre part, nous proposons de considérer l’aspect historique de l’émergence de l’évidentialisme au début des Lumières. Nous explorons un cas particulier qui témoigne de l’émergence de l’évidentialisme moderne comme opposition au fidéisme. Il s’agit de l’opposition entre Pierre Bayle et Jean-Pierre de Crousaz.
THE CONSTRUCT VALIDITY OF GRAMMATICALITY JUDGMENT TESTS AS MEASURES OF IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE
Authors: Gutiérrez Xavier
Published: May 2013

Grammaticality judgment tests (GJTs) have been, and continue to be, frequently used in the field of SLA as a measure of learners’ linguistic ability in the second language (L2). However, only a few studies have examined their construct validity as measures of implicit and explicit knowledge (Bowles, 2011; R. Ellis, 2005), and even fewer have explored in detail how features of these tests, such as time pressure and task stimulus, affect their construct validity (Loewen, 2009). The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect that time pressure and task stimulus have on the type of knowledge representations on which L2 learners draw when performing GJTs. The results show that the grammatical and ungrammatical sections of a timed and an untimed GJT loaded differently in both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. This finding can be interpreted as indicating that grammatical and ungrammatical sentences constitute measures of implicit and explicit knowledge, respectively. Additionally, the results show that time pressure and task stimulus have significant effects on learners’ performance on GJTs.
A lexical semantic approach to interpreting and bracketing English noun compounds
Authors: KIM SU NAM , BALDWIN TIMOTHY
Published: May 2013

This paper presents a study on the interpretation and bracketing of noun compounds (‘NCs’) based on lexical semantics. Our primary goal is to develop a method to automatically interpret NCs through the use of semantic relations. Our NC interpretation method is based on lexical similarity with tagged NCs, based on lexical similarity measures derived from WordNet. We apply the interpretation method to both two- and three-term NC interpretation based on semantic roles. Finally, we demonstrate that our NC interpretation method can boost the coverage and accuracy of NC bracketing.
Travel mode choice and impact of fuel tax in Beijing
Authors: Qin Ping , Zheng Xinye , Wang Lanlan
Published: May 2013

As an international metropolitan area undergoing rapid development, Beijing is facing a sharp rise in the volume of motor vehicles and mobility, which has become the major contributor to the air pollution in this city. This is evident in the recent ranking of Beijing as the most congested as well as the most polluted city in the world by the Millennium Cities Database. Local government has adopted a battery of policies to reduce these problems. In this study, we investigate the impact of increasing the fuel tax on travel mode choice based on a large sample of travel survey data. We estimate that if the price of gasoline increased to a moderate level, 11.53 RMB/liter, the total car volume on the road would be reduced by 7 per cent, which corresponds to a reduction in CO2 emissions of 786,002.4 tons, or about 8 per cent of vehicular emissions from private cars and company-owned cars in Beijing.
What's in a grammar? Modeling dominance and optimization in contact
Authors: SHARMA DEVYANI
Published: May 2013

Muysken's article is a timely call for us to seek deeper regularities in the bewildering diversity of language contact outcomes. His model provocatively suggests that most such outcomes can be subsumed under four speaker optimization strategies. I consider two aspects of the proposal here: the formalization in Optimality Theory (OT) and the reduction of contact outcomes to four basic strategies.
How optimal is the Optimization Model?
Authors: HEINE BERND
Published: May 2013

Pieter Muysken's article on modeling and interpreting language contact phenomena constitutes an important contribution.The approach chosen is a top–down one, building on the author's extensive knowledge of all matters relating to language contact. The paper aims at integrating a wide range of factors and levels of social, cognitive, and linguistic accounts, incorporating findings on bilingual individuals in the same way as on language systems in contact and bilingual speech communities. It enables the reader to place seemingly disparate phenomena in a wider perspective and to relate quite divergent manifestations of language contact to one another in a principled way. In accordance with its ambitious goal, the paper proposes a high level of generalization, or abstraction.
Access, prestige and losses in contact languages
Authors: PARKVALL MIKAEL
Published: May 2013

I am generally positive about Muysken's (M) approach, and the potential use of unifying various seemingly related phenomena is obvious. The approach could also serve as a tool in determining to what extent these phenomena actually are sides of the same coin (I am somewhat less convinced of this than most contact linguists).
Effect of Crystallographic Orientation on Subcritical Grain Boundary Cracking in a Conventionally Cast Polycrystalline Nickel-Based Superalloy
Authors: Swaminathan Kameshwaran , Blendell John E. , Trumble Kevin P.
Published: May 2013

The role of grain orientation and grain boundary misorientation on the formation of subcritical grain boundary cracks in creep of a conventionally cast nickel-based superalloy has been studied. The crystallographic orientations of the grains adjacent to grain boundaries normal to the tensile axis were measured using electron backscattered diffraction. The difference in the Schmid factor for the {111} ⟨112⟩ slip system between the grains was compared to the occurrence of grain boundary cracking. In addition, the difference in the amount of potential primary creep was calculated. The cracked grain boundaries were found to have a larger difference in Schmid factor, as well as a larger difference in potential primary creep, compared with uncracked grain boundaries.
A Feminist Theory of Corruption: Lessons from Iceland
Authors: Johnson Janet Elise , Einarsdóttir Þorgerður , Pétursdóttir Gyða Margrét
Published: May 2013

Half a decade into a new global economic crisis, most policymakers, pundits, and scholars discuss the situation in nongendered ways, carting out long-standing criticisms of bloated states or of neoliberalism, despite powerful feminist critiques. At the same time, feminist scholars, particularly those within feminist political science (FPS) studying advanced democracies, have been struggling with a “central paradox . … The widespread formal adoption and development of … gender equality … initiatives … [but] their partial and variable institutionalization in terms of impact on institutional practices, norms, and outcomes” (Mackay, Monro, and Waylen 2009, 254–55). In this article, we make a case for a feminist theory of political corruption that can help explain both the economic crisis and this paradox of “strong equality policy, weak practice.”
Conclusion and Rejoinders
Authors: Matthes Melissa
Published: May 2013

At a time when both the value of gender mainstreaming as well as of higher education itself is being debated, this collection of essays on gender mainstreaming in the discipline of political science is an important rejoinder regarding the necessity of both. First, implicit in these essays is a reminder that the value of a college education resides as much in its contribution to the maintenance of democratic life in the United States as it does in the possibility of earning a good salary. Indeed, entwined with the advocacy of gender mainstreaming in the discipline of political science is a belief that the discipline itself contributes to the development of empowered democratic citizens and the cultivation of a robust political culture. The study and teaching of politics is part of how we learn to participate in political life: political science is a form of civic education. Including women—all women as well as all men—in the curriculum of political science ensures the vitality of our democracy. Further, including women in the discipline both as faculty and as students ensures that the agenda of the discipline itself will be transformed. After a decade of gender mainstreaming, the goal remains not only to ensure that women become part of the mainstream, but also that they transform the mainstream.
Cyber-Mobbing: Eine Bestandsaufnahme
Authors: Petermann Franz , Marées Nandoli von
Published: May 2013

Die Nutzung der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie (IKT) hat der Menschheit nicht nur Vorteile gebracht. Ein Nachteil liegt in der Entstehung und der Zunahme von Cyber-Mobbing. Diese besondere Form des Mobbings hat Auswirkungen auf Kinder und Jugendliche aller Altersstufen, Eltern und Lehrkräfte und stellt eine zunehmende Herausforderung für Schulen dar. Dieser Artikel bietet einen Überblick über den aktuellen Stand der Forschung in Bezug auf die Prävalenz und Formen des Cyber-Mobbings, die psychosozialen Korrelate bei Opfern, Tätern und Täter-Opfern sowie Auswirkungen auf Täter und Opfer. Mögliche Wege für Präventionsmaßnahmen und Implikationen für die zukünftige Forschung werden aufgezeigt.
Theoretical investigation of graphene-based photonic modulators
Authors: Gosciniak Jacek , Tan Dawn T. H.
Published: May 2013

Integration of electronics and photonics for future applications requires an efficient conversion of electrical to optical signals. The excellent electronic and photonic properties of graphene make it a suitable material for integrated systems with extremely wide operational bandwidth. In this paper, we analyze the novel geometry of modulator based on the rib photonic waveguide configuration with a double-layer graphene placed between a slab and ridge. The theoretical analysis of graphene-based electro-absorption modulator was performed showing that a 3 dB modulation with ~ 600 nm-long waveguide is possible resulting in energy per bit below 1 fJ/bit. The optical bandwidth of such modulators exceeds 12 THz with an operation speed ranging from 160 GHz to 850 GHz and limited only by graphene resistance. The performances of modulators were evaluated based on the figure of merit defined as the ratio between extinction ratio and insertion losses where it was found to exceed 220.
Molecular determinants of co- and post-translational N-glycosylation of type I transmembrane peptides
Authors: Malaby Heidi L. H. , Kobertz William R.
Published: May 2013

Type I transmembrane peptides acquire N-linked glycans during and after protein synthesis to facilitate anterograde trafficking through the secretory pathway. Mutations in N-glycosylation consensus sites (NXT and NXS, where X≠P) that alter the kinetics of the initial N-glycan attachment have been associated with cardiac arrhythmias; however, the molecular determinants that define co- and post-translational consensus sites in proteins are not known. In the present study, we identified co- and post-translational consensus sites in the KCNE family of K+ channel regulatory subunits to uncover three determinants that favour co-translational N-glycosylation kinetics of type I transmembrane peptides which lack a cleavable signal sequence: threonine-containing consensus sites (NXT), multiple N-terminal consensus sites and long C-termini. The identification of these three molecular determinants now makes it possible to predict co- and post-translational consensus sites in type I transmembrane peptides.
Magnetic field calculation for a 10 MeV positron emission tomography cyclotron
Authors: Chen Dezhi , Chen Zihao , Liu Kaifeng , Yang Jun , Li Dong , Qin Bin , Xiong Yongqian
Published: May 2013

The magnetic field calculation and correction for a 10 MeV positron emission tomography cyclotron is presented. 3D TOSCA analysis results are compared with the measured data, and the calculation error is used to calibrate the B-H curve to obtain a very precise finite element method estimator, which is used to predict the correction of the magnet pole for achieving the isochronous field. The isochronous field error is approximated with the effects of a set of standard patches. On the assumption that the effect of each small patch is proportional to its surface, the correction of the magnet pole is found by solving a system of equations using the least square scheme. The magnet shimming is performed and the measured magnetic field is found in good agreement with the prediction, with an error less than 2 G.
Optical absorption of Mg-doped layers and InGaN quantum wells on c-plane and semipolar GaN structures
Authors: Sizov Dmitry , Bhat Rajaram , Zah Chung-en
Published: May 2013

We studied optical absorption of Mg-doped AlInGaN layers using excitation-position dependent and polarization resolved photoluminescence from the slab-waveguide edge of a laser structure. The major absorption in the Mg-doped layers was found only when p-doping is activated. It increases with the removal of residual hydrogen, which in case of Mg doping is a p-type passivation impurity, and reversibly disappears after passivation by hydrogen. This absorption is weakly wavelength and temperature dependent, and isotropic. This can be attributed to acceptor-bound hole absorption, because those holes concentration is nearly equal to that of activated acceptors and weakly temperature dependent (unlike the free hole concentration, which is much lower and is an exponential function of temperature due to high ionization energy). The cross section of photon absorption on such activated acceptor was quantified to be in the order of 10−17 cm−2. The absorption cross section of free electrons was found to be at least one order of magnitude lower and below detection limit. The same technique was used to experimentally quantify band structure polarization components along basis directions for green InGaN quantum wells (QWs) grown on c- and semipolar planes. The A1 and B1 valence subbands of c-plane QW were found to comprise mostly |X⟩ and |Y⟩ states. There was rather minor amount of |Z⟩ states with average square fraction of only 0.02. In (20-21) plane, due to small band anticrossing near gamma-point, we observed highly polarized absorption edges of A1- and B1-subbands consisting mainly of |Y⟩ and |X⟩ states, respectively, and found their energy splitting to be ∼40 meV. For (11-22) plane with smaller band splitting and polarization, we observed polarization switching with indium (In) concentration greater than 30% in the QW (or photon energy less than 2.3 eV). We confirmed our study of valence band structures by optical gain measurements.
Driven translocation of a semi-flexible chain through a nanopore: A Brownian dynamics simulation study in two dimensions
Authors: Adhikari Ramesh , Bhattacharya Aniket
Published: May 2013

We study translocation dynamics of a semi-flexible polymer chain through a nanoscopic pore in two dimensions using Langevin dynamics simulation in presence of an external bias F inside the pore. For chain length N and stiffness parameter κb considered in this paper, we observe that the mean first passage time ⟨τ⟩ increases as \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\langle \tau (\kappa _b) \rangle \sim \langle \tau (\kappa _b=0) \rangle l_p^{a_N}$\end{document}⟨τ(κb)⟩∼⟨τ(κb=0)⟩lpaN, where κb and lp are the stiffness parameter and persistence length, respectively, and aN is a constant that has a weak N dependence. We monitor the time dependence of the last monomer xN(t) at the cis compartment and calculate the tension propagation time (TP) ttp directly from simulation data for ⟨xN(t)⟩ ∼ t as alluded in recent nonequlibrium TP theory [T. Sakaue, Phys. Rev. E 76, 021803 (2007)10.1103/PhysRevE.76.021803] and its modifications to Brownian dynamics tension propagation theory [T. Ikonen, A. Bhattacharya, T. Ala-Nissila, and W. Sung, Phys. Rev. E 85, 051803 (2012)10.1103/PhysRevE.85.051803; T. Ikonen, A. Bhattacharya, T. Ala-Nissila, and W. Sung, J. Chem. Phys. 137, 085101 (2012)10.1063/1.4742188] originally developed to study translocation of a fully flexible chain. We also measure ttp from peak position of the waiting time distribution W(s) of the translocation coordinate s (i.e., the monomer inside the pore), and explicitly demonstrate the underlying TP picture along the chain backbone of a translocating chain to be valid for semi-flexible chains as well. From the simulation data, we determine the dependence of ttp on chain persistence length lp and show that the ratio ttp/⟨τ⟩ is independent of the bias F.
Versatile plug flow catalytic cell for in situ transmission/fluorescence x-ray absorption fine structure measurements
Authors: Centomo P. , Meneghini C. , Zecca M.
Published: May 2013

A novel flow-through catalytic cell has been developed for in situ x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) experiments on heterogeneous catalysts under working conditions and in the presence of a liquid and a gas phase. The apparatus allows to carry out XAS measurements in both the transmission and fluorescence modes, at moderate temperature (from RT to 50-80 °C) and low-medium gas pressure (up to 7-8 bars). The materials employed are compatible with several chemicals such as those involved in the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (O2, H2, H2O2, methanol). The versatile design of the cell allows to fit it to different experimental setups in synchrotron radiation beamlines. It was used successfully for the first time to test nanostructured Pd catalysts during the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in methanol solution from dihydrogen and dioxygen.
Non-covalent interactions and thermochemistry using XDM-corrected hybrid and range-separated hybrid density functionals
Authors: Otero-de-la-Roza A. , Johnson Erin R.
Published: May 2013

The exchange-hole dipole-moment model (XDM) for dispersion is combined with a collection of semilocal, hybrid, and range-separated hybrid functionals. The resulting XDM-corrected functionals are tested against standard benchmarks for non-covalent interactions at and away from equilibrium, conformer ranking in water clusters, thermochemistry, and kinetics. We show that functionals with the correct −1/r tail of the exchange potential yield superior accuracy for weak interactions. Thus, balancing long-range exchange with dispersion interactions in XDM is essential in the correct description of dimers with significant non-dispersion contributions to binding. With the exception of the noble gases, the performance of PW86PBE-XDM is improved upon at the semilocal (BLYP), hybrid (B3LYP), and range-separated hybrid (LC-ωPBE) levels. Based on its excellent performance, we propose LC-ωPBE-XDM as an accurate functional for hard and soft matter.
Photon-induced positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy using ultrashort laser-Compton-scattered gamma-ray pulses
Authors: Taira Y. , Toyokawa H. , Kuroda R. , Yamamoto N. , Adachi M. , Tanaka S. , Katoh M.
Published: May 2013

High-energy ultrashort gamma-ray pulses can be generated via laser Compton scattering with 90° collisions at the UVSOR-II electron storage ring. As an applied study of ultrashort gamma-ray pulses, a new photon-induced positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy approach has been developed. Ultrashort gamma-ray pulses with a maximum energy of 6.6 MeV and pulse width of 2.2 ps created positrons throughout bulk lead via pair production. Annihilation gamma rays were detected by a BaF2 scintillator mounted on a photomultiplier tube. A positron lifetime spectrum was obtained by measuring the time difference between the RF frequency of the electron storage ring and the detection time of the annihilation gamma rays. We calculated the response of the BaF2 scintillator and the time jitter caused by the variation in the total path length of the ultrashort gamma-ray pulses, annihilation gamma rays, and scintillation light using a Monte Carlo simulation code. The positron lifetime for bulk lead was successfully measured.
DELICIOUS III: A multipurpose double imaging particle coincidence spectrometer for gas phase vacuum ultraviolet photodynamics studies
Authors: Garcia G. A. , Cunha de Miranda B. K. , Tia M. , Daly S. , Nahon L.
Published: May 2013

We present a versatile double imaging particle coincidence spectrometer operating in fully continuous mode, named DELICIOUS III, which combines a velocity map imaging device and a modified Wiley-McLaren time of flight momentum imaging analyzer for photoelectrons and photoions, respectively. The spectrometer is installed in a permanent endstation on the DESIRS vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) beamline at the French National Synchrotron Radiation Facility SOLEIL, and is dedicated to gas phase VUV spectroscopy, photoionization, and molecular dynamics studies. DELICIOUS III is capable of recording mass-selected threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence spectra with a sub-meV resolution, and the addition of a magnifying lens inside the electron drift tube provides a sizeable improvement of the electron threshold/ion mass resolution compromise. In fast electron mode the ultimate kinetic energy resolution has been measured at ΔE/E = 4%. The ion spectrometer offers a mass resolution—full separation of adjacent masses—of 250 amu for moderate extraction fields and the addition of an electrostatic lens in the second acceleration region allows measuring the full 3D velocity vector for a given mass with an ultimate energy resolution of ΔE/E = 15%, without sacrificing the mass resolution. Hence, photoelectron images are correlated both to the mass and to the ion kinetic energy and recoil direction, to access the electron spectroscopy of size-selected species, to study the photodissociation processes of state-selected cations in detail, or to measure in certain cases photoelectron angular distributions in the ion recoil frame. The performances of DELICIOUS III are explored through several examples including the photoionization of N2, NO, and CF3.
Analysis of electron capture at oxide traps by electric field injection
Authors: Engstrom Olof , Sedghi Naser , Mitrovic Ivona Z. , Hall Stephen
Published: May 2013

Electron injection into oxide traps of metal/high-k oxide/interlayer/silicon structures is investigated by modeling. We demonstrate the influence on flat-band voltage by the sharpness of the interlayer/silicon interface and by the properties of traps in the oxide. Since charge carrier injection in this kind of structures may take place by two different processes simultaneously, excluding one or the other in the interpretation of data may lead to considerable erroneous results in extracted values of capture cross sections.
Effects of Ag-induced acceptor defects on the band gap tuning and conductivity of Li:ZnO films
Authors: Li Jian-Chang , Cao Qing , Hou Xue-Yan
Published: May 2013

The effects of Ag-induced acceptor defects on the band gap tuning and conductivity of Li:ZnO film grown by the sol-gel method were investigated. The structural analyses indicate that the Ag-Li:ZnO films possess hexagonal structure with the substitutional Ag defect at the Zn site (AgZn) and the interstitial Li defect (Lii). The decreased film transmittance and band gap with Ag-Li codoping is mainly due to the incorporation of foreign impurity levels by the AgZn and Lii defects. The electrical measurements reveal that doping can obviously improve the film conductivity, which could be attributed to the reduction of the grain boundary scattering and the inter-diffusion of the Ag nanoparticles, as well as the decreased ionization energy of the acceptor owing to the AgZn defects. The electronic structures of Ag-Li:ZnO were further studied by the first-principles calculations and the results show that the AgZn defects may lead to p-type conductivity of ZnO.
Influence of sulfurization temperature on physical properties of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films
Authors: Narayana T. , Venkata Subbaiah Y. P. , Prathap P. , Reddy Y. B. K. , Ramakrishna Reddy K. T.
Published: May 2013

Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide (Cu2ZnSnS4 or CZTS) is gaining much attention recently as a potential light absorber alternative to CuInGaSe2 due to its suitable energy band gap ∼1.5 eV with p-type conductivity, high optical absorption coefficient of ∼105 cm−1. Moreover, all its constituents are abundant in the crust of the earth and environmentally harmless. In the present investigation, CZTS thin films were prepared using simple two step process of, sulfurization of sequentially sputtered stack, Glass/Zn/Sn/Cu (hereafter CTZ) metallic precursors on soda lime glass substrate held at temperature 200 °C. The sputter power was optimized individually for Zn, Sn, and Cu layers. The sputtered CTZ precursors were annealed at different temperatures in the range, 300–550 °C with an increment of 50 °C for 2 h in the ambience of vaporized elemental sulfur. The XRD pattern revealed that the films sulfurized in the temperature range 300–400 °C showed various spurious (binary and ternary) phases and the films sulfurized at 450 °C exhibited a clear phase corresponding to CZTS that becomes predominant at 500 °C. The optimized (500 °C) CZTS thin films showed kesterite structure with (112) preferred orientation. The sharp Raman shift centered at 336 cm−1 confirms the single phase CZTS for the precursors sulfurized at 500 °C. From the transmittance measurements, the energy gap is found to be 1.62 eV for optimized CZTS films. The optical profilometer studies indicated an increase in the surface roughness with the sulfurization temperature. AFM measurements revealed compact morphology with pyramidal texture.
Switching of a single ferromagnetic layer driven by spin Hall effect
Authors: Finocchio G. , Carpentieri M. , Martinez E. , Azzerboni B.
Published: May 2013

The magnetization switching of a thin ferromagnetic layer placed on top of a heavy metal (such as Pt, Ta, or W) driven by an in-plane current has been observed in recent experiments. The magnetization dynamics of these processes is studied in a full micromagnetic framework which takes into account the transfer-torque from spin Hall effect due to the spin-orbit coupling. Simulations indicate that the reversal occurs via nucleation of complex magnetization patterns. In particular, magnetic bubbles appear during the reversal of the magnetization in the perpendicular configuration while for the in-plane configuration, nucleation of vortexes is observed.
Structural and optical characterization of GaN nanowires
Authors: Kamyczek P. , Placzek-Popko E. , Zytkiewicz Z. R. , Gumienny Z. , Zielony E. , Sobanska M. , Klosek K. , Reszka A.
Published: May 2013

Optical properties of GaN nanowires (NWs) grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Si(111) substrates were studied with the use of micro-Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence. Two types of NWs, hereafter labeled as A and B, grown with different values of Ga flux were studied. Morphology of the samples was probed by high resolution scanning electron microscopy. It was found that large Ga flux has led to a partial coalescence of nanowires in sample A. Reduction of Ga flux during growth of sample B resulted in an ensemble of separated nanowires. Micro-Raman and photoluminescence spectra were taken under illumination of 325 nm He-Cd laser line. Micro-Raman data reveal hexagonal phase of GaN NWs as well as a slight strain of Si substrate. Photoluminescence data yield that ensembles of separated NWs in sample B are defect free, whereas the spectra for coalesced wires in sample A exhibit both broad yellow luminescence band and defect-related band centered around 3.36 eV. Moreover, it was found that photoluminescence spectra are sensitive to UV illumination in agreement with the model of photoinduced surface desorption of oxygen. The effect is stronger for sample B due to larger surface-to-volume ratio for separated NWs as compared to the coalesced NWs in sample A.
Effect of Visual Stimuli on Temporal Order Judgments of a Sequence of Pure Tones
Authors: Tanabe Shoya , Iwaki Mamoru
Published: May 2013

We investigated what effect visual spatial information had on auditory temporal order judgments (TOJs) and examined what effect visual stimuli had on the TOJs of sequences of pure tones in experiment 1. The auditory stimuli were sequences of four distinct pure tones. The visual stimuli consisted of two vertically aligned flashes: one flashed before the first tone and the other flashed after the last tone. Participants judged whether the temporal order of the second and third tones in auditory stimuli occurred with the higher tone being first or the lower tone being first. As a result, the proportion of responses for higher-tone-first increased when the flash of the upper LED preceded that of the lower LED, independent of the actual temporal order. Participants in experiment 2 were asked to make simultaneity judgments instead, which were also affected by visual stimuli. The auditory stimuli in experiment 3 were the same as those in experiment 1, whereas the visual stimuli consisted of two horizontally aligned flashes. Furthermore, the participants made TOJs, which were not affected by the horizontally aligned visual stimuli. We concluded that vertically aligned visual stimuli had an effect on auditory TOJs with some response bias.
Effects of Head Movement and Proprioceptive Feedback in Training of Sound Localization
Authors: Honda Akio , Shibata Hiroshi , Hidaka Souta , Gyoba Jiro , Iwaya Yukio , Suzuki Yôiti
Published: May 2013

We investigated the effects of listeners' head movements and proprioceptive feedback during sound localization practice on the subsequent accuracy of sound localization performance. The effects were examined under both restricted and unrestricted head movement conditions in the practice stage. In both cases, the participants were divided into two groups: a feedback group performed a sound localization drill with accurate proprioceptive feedback; a control group conducted it without the feedback. Results showed that (1) sound localization practice, while allowing for free head movement, led to improvement in sound localization performance and decreased actual angular errors along the horizontal plane, and that (2) proprioceptive feedback during practice decreased actual angular errors in the vertical plane. Our findings suggest that unrestricted head movement and proprioceptive feedback during sound localization training enhance perceptual motor learning by enabling listeners to use variable auditory cues and proprioceptive information.
Early Sound Symbolism for Vowel Sounds
Authors: Spector Ferrinne , Maurer Daphne
Published: May 2013

Children and adults consistently match some words (e.g., kiki) to jagged shapes and other words (e.g., bouba) to rounded shapes, providing evidence for non-arbitrary sound–shape mapping. In this study, we investigated the influence of vowels on sound–shape matching in toddlers, using four contrasting pairs of nonsense words differing in vowel sound (/i/ as in feet vs. /o/ as in boat) and four rounded–jagged shape pairs. Crucially, we used reduplicated syllables (e.g., kiki vs. koko) rather than confounding vowel sound with consonant context and syllable variability (e.g., kiki vs. bouba). Toddlers consistently matched words with /o/ to rounded shapes and words with /i/ to jagged shapes ( p < 0.01). The results suggest that there may be naturally biased correspondences between vowel sound and shape.
Uni- and Multisensory Brain Areas are Synchronised across Spectators When Watching Unedited Dance Recordings
Authors: Jola Corinne , McAleer Phil , Grosbras Marie-Hélène , Love Scott A. , Morison Gordon , Pollick Frank E.
Published: May 2013

The superior temporal sulcus (STS) and gyrus (STG) are commonly identified to be functionally relevant for multisensory integration of audiovisual (AV) stimuli. However, most neuroimaging studies on AV integration used stimuli of short duration in explicit evaluative tasks. Importantly though, many of our AV experiences are of a long duration and ambiguous. It is unclear if the enhanced activity in audio, visual, and AV brain areas would also be synchronised over time across subjects when they are exposed to such multisensory stimuli. We used intersubject correlation to investigate which brain areas are synchronised across novices for uni- and multisensory versions of a 6-min 26-s recording of an unfamiliar, unedited Indian dance recording (Bharatanatyam). In Bharatanatyam, music and dance are choreographed together in a highly intermodal-dependent manner. Activity in the middle and posterior STG was significantly correlated between subjects and showed also significant enhancement for AV integration when the functional magnetic resonance signals were contrasted against each other using a general linear model conjunction analysis. These results extend previous studies by showing an intermediate step of synchronisation for novices: while there was a consensus across subjects' brain activity in areas relevant for unisensory processing and AV integration of related audio and visual stimuli, we found no evidence for synchronisation of higher level cognitive processes, suggesting these were idiosyncratic.
Odour, dust and non-methane volatile organic-compound emissions from tunnel-ventilated layer-chicken sheds: a case study of two farms
Authors: Dunlop Mark , Ristovski Zoran D. , Gallagher Erin , Parcsi Gavin , Modini Robin L. , Agranovski Victoria , Stuetz Richard M.
Published: May 2013

An observational study was undertaken to measure odour and dust (PM10 and PM2.5) emission rates and identify non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and odorants in the exhaust air from two tunnel-ventilated layer-chicken sheds that were configured with multi-tiered cages and manure belts. The study sites were located in south-eastern Queensland and the West Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Samples were collected in summer and winter on sequential days across the manure-belt cleaning cycle. Odour emissions ranged from 58 to 512 ou/s per 1000 birds (0.03–0.27 ou/s.kg) and dust emission rates ranged 0.014–0.184 mg/s per 1000 birds for PM10 and 0.001–0.190 mg/s per 1000 birds for PM2.5. Twenty NMVOCs were identified, including three that were also identified as odorants using thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/olfactometry analysis. Odour emission rates were observed to vary with the amount of manure accumulation on the manure belts, being lowest 2–4 days after removing manure. Odour emission rates were also observed to vary with diurnal and seasonal changes in ventilation rate. Dust emissions were observed to increase with ventilation rate but not with manure accumulation. Some NMVOCs were identified at both farms and in different seasons whereas others were observed only at one farm or in one season, indicating that odorant composition was influenced by farm-specific practices and season.
Phosphenium-Insertion and Chloronium-Addition Reactions Involving the cyclo-Phosphanes (t-BuP)n (n=3, 4)
Authors: Holthausen Michael H. , Knackstedt Dane , Burford Neil , Weigand Jan J.
Published: May 2013

The transfer of a Ph2P+-moiety provided by Ph2PCl and chloronium-addition with PCl5 or PhICl2 to the cyclo-phosphanes (t-BuP)n (n = 3 (4), 4 (5)) were investigated. The reactions strongly depend on the presence of GaCl3 or Me3SiOTf as a halide abstracting reagent. The reaction of 4 with Ph2PCl and GaCl3 quantitatively yields cation [Ph2P(t-BuP)3]+ (6+) as a GaCl4–-salt. Using Me3SiOTf as a halide abstracting reagent leads to the ring expansion of (t-BuP)3 (4) to tetrameric (t-BuP)4 (5) and cation 6+ is only formed as a minor product. Chloronium addition employing the PCl5/GaCl3 or PhICl2/Me3SiOTf systems as Cl+-sources to 4 gives complex reaction mixtures. In contrast, the Cl+-addition to 5 gives cation [Cl(t-BuP)4]+ (8+) quantitatively when the system PCl5/GaCl3 is used. Utilising PhICl2 in the presence of Me3SiOTf gives t-BuPCl2 as the main product.
Polymeric Hydrogels and Nanoparticles: A Merging and Emerging Field
Authors: Ye Enyi , Loh Xian Jun
Published: May 2013

Hydrogels have had extensive applications in scientific and industrial applications since their invention over 50 years ago. Responsive hydrogels based on temperature, light, and pH stimuli have been developed by changing the chemical components of the matrix structure. On the other hand, metallic nanoparticles of different shapes and sizes have been prepared by physical as well as chemical methods. These inorganic assemblies are currently widely used in the biomedical sciences and engineering fields. Recently, the combined use of hydrogels and nanoparticles in a single entity has gained enormous attention in areas such as catalysts, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, biosensors, and drug delivery. In this review, recent literature describing these technologies is summarized and an outlook on the promising future of this emerging field is provided.
The novel porcine gene early growth response 4 (Egr4) is differentially expressed in the ovaries of Erhualian and Pietrain pigs
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Zhao Yongyan , Gu Kecui , Yu Ping , Zhang Baole , Wang Wei , Yang Juanjuan , Xu Yinxue
Published: May 2013

The early growth response 4 (Egr4) gene plays a critical role in human and mouse fertility. In the present study, Affymetrix microarray gene chips were used to evaluate differential gene expression in the ovaries between Erhualian and Pietrain pigs. In all, 487 and 573 transcripts were identified with significantly higher and lower expression, respectively, in Erhualian compared with Pietrain sows. The Egr4 gene, one of the differentially expressed genes, was cloned and its genomic structure was analysed. Egr4 expression is increased 120-fold in ovaries from Erhualian sows. The full-length cDNA of porcine Egr4 was obtained by in silico cloning and 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The gene consists of two exons and its predicted protein contains a Cys2His2 zinc finger structure. The porcine transcript is alternatively spliced by exon sequence deletion, producing two different mRNAs differing at the 5′ end of Exon 2. Egr4 transcripts were detected in the central nervous system, including the cerebrum, cerebellum, hypothalamus and pituitary gland, and were highly expressed in the ovary. The Egr4 gene was evaluated as a candidate gene for porcine reproductivity. To investigate the role of Egr4 in the ovary, Egr4 was knocked down using short interference (si) RNA in porcine granulosa cells. Knockdown of Egr4 using siRNA effectively inhibited Egr4 mRNA and protein expression and knockdown significantly affected the expression of Bax, P450arom, P450scc, Egr1, Egr2, and Egr3. In conclusion, these observations establish an important role for Egr4 in the porcine ovary.
Top-down proteomics reveals a unique protein S-thiolation switch in
Salmonella
Typhimurium in response to infection-like conditions
Authors: Ansong Charles , Wu Si , Meng Da , Liu Xiaowen , Brewer Heather M. , Deatherage Kaiser Brooke L. , Nakayasu Ernesto S. , Cort John R. , Pevzner Pavel , Smith Richard D. , Heffron Fred , Adkins Joshua N. , Paša-Tolić Ljiljana
Published: May 2013

Characterization of the mature protein complement in cells is crucial for a better understanding of cellular processes on a systems-wide scale. Toward this end, we used single-dimension ultra–high-pressure liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to investigate the comprehensive “intact” proteome of the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen
Salmonella
Typhimurium. Top-down proteomics analysis revealed 563 unique proteins including 1,665 proteoforms generated by posttranslational modifications (PTMs), representing the largest microbial top-down dataset reported to date. We confirmed many previously recognized aspects of Salmonella biology and bacterial PTMs, and our analysis also revealed several additional biological insights. Of particular interest was differential utilization of the protein S-thiolation forms S-glutathionylation and S-cysteinylation in response to infection-like conditions versus basal conditions. This finding of a S-glutathionylation-to-S-cysteinylation switch in a condition-specific manner was corroborated by bottom-up proteomics data and further by changes in corresponding biosynthetic pathways under infection-like conditions and during actual infection of host cells. This differential utilization highlights underlying metabolic mechanisms that modulate changes in cellular signaling, and represents a report of S-cysteinylation in Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, the functional relevance of these PTMs was supported by protein structure and gene deletion analyses. The demonstrated utility of our simple proteome-wide intact protein level measurement strategy for gaining biological insight should promote broader adoption and applications of top-down proteomics approaches.
2. Some General Warnings for the Novice Tort Lawyer
Authors: Deakin Simon , Johnston Angus , Markesinis Basil
Published: May 2013

This chapter discusses issues that readers must bear in mind when encountering criticism of individual rules, decisions, and academic opinions in the remainder of the book. These are: how judicial mentality and outlook affects decision-making; academic interests and practitioners’ concerns; ivory tower neatness v. the untidiness of the real world; tort’s struggle to solve modern problems with old tools; need to reform tort law; whether liability rules are restricted because the damages rules have been left unreformed or because the relationship between liability and damages has been neglected; that tort law is, in practice, often inaccessible to the ordinary victim; and that human rights law is set to influence tort law, but this influence is likely to be gradual and indirect.
9. Intentional Interference
Authors: Deakin Simon , Johnston Angus , Markesinis Basil
Published: May 2013

This chapter begins with a discussion of the meaning of intentional interference. It then considers assault, battery, false imprisonment, and residuary trespass and harassment. Intentional physical interference with the person may occur by way of an act that threatens violence (assault), amounts to unlawful contact (battery), or constitutes the deprivation of liberty (false imprisonment). There is, in addition, a residuary and uncertain form of liability for the intentional infliction of physical harm, known as the rule in Wilkinson v. Downton. These torts are normally actionable without proof of damage and they also involve a sharp distinction being drawn between an act and an omission: the latter will not normally suffice to ground liability.
10. Malicious Prosecution
Authors: Deakin Simon , Johnston Angus , Markesinis Basil
Published: May 2013

This chapter considers the ingredients of successful action for malicious prosecution. The claimant must show: that the defendant prosecuted him; that the prosecution ended in the defendant’s favour; that there was no reasonable and probable cause for the prosecution; and that the defendant was actuated by ‘malice’. Damage is also a necessary ingredient.
16. The Rule in Rylands v. Fletcher
Authors: Deakin Simon , Johnston Angus , Markesinis Basil
Published: May 2013

This chapter examines the rule in Rylands v. Fletcher, that anyone who in the course of ‘non-natural’ use of his land ‘accumulates’ thereon for his own purposes anything likely to do mischief if it escapes is answerable for all direct damage thereby caused. The discussions cover the requirements of liability; controlling mechanisms in Rylands v. Fletcher; what and whose interests are protected by the rule; Rylands v. Fletcher and nuisance; and Rylands v. Fletcher and the future of strict liability in general.
18. Employer’s Liability
Authors: Deakin Simon , Johnston Angus , Markesinis Basil
Published: May 2013

The liability of an employer to an employee has two aspects. There is his liability to employees for harm suffered by them, and his liability for harm caused by them in the course of their employment (vicarious liability). Both represent forms of stricter liability. This chapter discusses social security, tort law liability, and statutory duties.
20. Product Liability
Authors: Deakin Simon , Johnston Angus , Markesinis Basil
Published: May 2013

This chapter begins by tracing the evolution of product liability law in England and America. It then discusses the causes of action and components of liability. Liability evolved from an initial position in which the law of negligence played a minor role in compensating victims of dangerously defective products, thanks largely to the ‘privity of contract fallacy’. Donoghue v. Stevenson put an end to this and ushered in the modern, all-embracing duty of care as far as physical injury and property damage are concerned. With the adoption of Directive 85/374/EEC and its subsequent implementation in the form of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, a form of strict or ‘stricter’ liability based on the American model was incorporated into English law.
23. Defences
Authors: Deakin Simon , Johnston Angus , Markesinis Basil
Published: May 2013

This chapter begins with a brief discussion of the role of defences in the law of torts. It then considers their application to torts which require proof of damage in order to be actionable, and in particular with the tort of negligence. The discussions cover contributory negligence; consent; exclusion and limitation of liability; illegality; necessity; inevitable accident; authorization; and limitation of action.