bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decoupling of relaxation and diffusion in random pinning glass-forming liquids
Authors: Li Yan-Wei , Zhu You-Liang , Sun Zhao-Yan
Published: March 2015

We investigate numerically the relaxation and diffusion dynamics in three-dimensional Kob-Andersen glass-forming liquids in which part of the particles are randomly chosen and pinned permanently. We find that both the relaxation dynamics and diffusion dynamics slow down as increasing the pinning concentration (cpin) at fixed temperatures that we study. For higher temperature and lower cpin, the α relaxation time τ and the diffusion coefficient D have the scaling relationship D ∼ τ−1. However, this coupling behavior breaks down if cpin is further increased, and the scaling relationship is replaced by D ∼ τ−ν with ν < 1. At temperatures around the onset temperature of the bulk system, a transition from ν ∼ 0.75 to ν ∼ 0.61 with increasing cpin is found. However, at lower temperatures, ν ∼ 0.67 holds in the whole studied cpin range. By fitting the relaxation time as a function of cpin with Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman equation, we find that the change of scaling exponent ν is accompanied with the change of fragility parameter K at higher temperatures. However, at lower temperatures, pinning particles have little effect on the system’s qualitative properties. Moreover, we investigate three measures of heterogeneity of dynamics and find that the relaxation and the diffusion motion of particles show different responses to the pinned particles, which may lead to the slower relaxation than diffusion and the decoupling of relaxation and diffusion. The string-like motion is found to saturate at the mode-coupling theory (MCT) crossover point, which indicates that other relaxation modes may exist below the MCT transition point.
Band gap engineering via doping: A predictive approach
Authors: Andriotis Antonis N. , Menon Madhu
Published: March 2015

We employ an extension of Harrison's theory at the tight binding level of approximation to develop a predictive approach for band gap engineering involving isovalent doping of wide band gap semiconductors. Our results indicate that reasonably accurate predictions can be achieved at qualitative as well as quantitative levels. The predictive results were checked against ab initio ones obtained at the level of DFT/SGGA + U approximation. The minor disagreements between predicted and ab initio results can be attributed to the electronic processes not incorporated in Harrison's theory. These include processes such as the conduction band anticrossing [Shan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 1221 (1999); Walukiewicz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 1552 (2000)] and valence band anticrossing [Alberi et al., Phys. Rev. B 77, 073202 (2008); Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 162105 (2008); Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 051909 (2007); Phys. Rev. B 75, 045203 (2007)], as well as the multiorbital rehybridization. Another cause of disagreement between the results of our predictive approach and the ab initio ones is shown to be the result of the shift of Fermi energy within the impurity band formed at the edge of the valence band maximum due to rehybridization. The validity of our approach is demonstrated with example applications for the systems GaN1−xSbx, GaP1−xSbx, AlSb1−xPx, AlP1−xSbx, and InP1−xSbx.
Well-posedness for the fractional Fokker-Planck equations
Authors: Wei Jinlong , Tian Rongrong
Published: March 2015

In this paper, we study the fractional Fokker-Planck equation and obtain the existence and uniqueness of weak Lp-solutions (1 ⩽ p ⩽ ∞) under the assumptions that the coefficients are only in Sobolev spaces. Moreover, to L∞-solutions, we gain the well-posedness for BV coefficients. Besides, the non-negative weak Lp-solutions and renormalized solutions are derived. After then, we achieve the stability for stationary solutions.
Molecular tilting and columnar stacking of Fe phthalocyanine thin films on Au(111)
Authors: Bartolomé F. , Bunău O. , García L. M. , Natoli C. R. , Piantek M. , Pascual J. I. , Schuller I. K. , Gredig T. , Wilhelm F. , Rogalev A. , Bartolomé J.
Published: March 2015

Scanning tunneling microscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopic results at the Fe K edge of Fe phthalocyanine (FePc) thin films grown on Au substrates, together with theoretical calculations, allow us to refine the structure of the film. In particular, we show that the columnar stacking of the FePc molecules is different from that found in bulk α and β phases. Moreover, the molecules do not lay parallel to the surface of the substrate. These structural findings are relevant to understand magnetism of FePc films.
Anomalous Hall effect in YIG|Pt bilayers
Authors: Meyer Sibylle , Schlitz Richard , Geprägs Stephan , Opel Matthias , Huebl Hans , Gross Rudolf , Goennenwein Sebastian T. B.
Published: March 2015

We measure the ordinary and the anomalous Hall effect in a set of yttrium iron garnet|platinum (YIG|Pt) bilayers via magnetization orientation dependent magnetoresistance experiments. Our data show that the presence of the ferrimagnetic insulator YIG leads to an anomalous Hall effect like voltage in Pt, which is sensitive to both Pt thickness and temperature. Interpretation of the experimental findings in terms of the spin Hall anomalous Hall effect indicates that the imaginary part of the spin mixing conductance Gi plays a crucial role in YIG|Pt bilayers. In particular, our data suggest a sign change in Gi between 10 K and 300 K. Additionally, we report a higher order Hall effect contribution, which appears in thin Pt films on YIG at low temperatures.
Effects of high energy photon emissions in laser generated ultra-relativistic plasmas: Real-time synchrotron simulations
Authors: Wallin Erik , Gonoskov Arkady , Marklund Mattias
Published: March 2015

We model the emission of high energy photons due to relativistic charged particle motion in intense laser-plasma interactions. This is done within a particle-in-cell code, for which high frequency radiation normally cannot be resolved due to finite time steps and grid size. A simple expression for the synchrotron radiation spectra is used together with a Monte-Carlo method for the emittance. We extend previous work by allowing for arbitrary fields, considering the particles to be in instantaneous circular motion due to an effective magnetic field. Furthermore, we implement noise reduction techniques and present validity estimates of the method. Finally, we perform a rigorous comparison to the mechanism of radiation reaction, and find the emitted energy to be in excellent agreement with the losses calculated using radiation reaction.
Enhanced magnetostrictive effect in epoxy-bonded TbxDy0.9−xNd0.1(Fe0.8Co0.2)1.93 pseudo 1–3 particulate composites
Authors: Liu J. J. , Pan Z. B. , Song X. H. , Zhang Z. R. , Ren W. J.
Published: March 2015

The spin configuration and spontaneous magnetostriction λ111 of TbxDy0.9−xNd0.1(Fe0.8Co0.2)1.93 (0.20 ≤ x ≤ 0.60) alloys have been investigated. The easy magnetization direction (EMD) at room temperature was observed towards the 〈111〉 axis when 0.40 ≤ x ≤ 0.60, accompanied by a rhombohedral distortion with large spontaneous magnetostriction coefficients λ111, which increases from 1640 ppm for x = 0.40 to 1900 ppm for x = 0.60. The strong 〈111〉-oriented pseudo 1–3 particulate composite was fabricated by embedding and aligning particles in a passive epoxy matrix under an applied magnetic field. An enhanced magnetostrictive effect, the large low-field magnetostriction, λa, as high as 480 ppm at 3 kOe, was obtained for the sample of x = 0.40, in an excess of 75% of its polycrystalline alloy although it only contains 27 vol. % alloy particles. This enhanced effect can be attributed to its low magnetic anisotropy, anisotropic magnetostrictive nature (e.g., λ111 ≠ λ100, 〈111〉EMD), chain structure, and the 〈111〉-textured orientation. In addition, we give a direct experimental support that the 〈111〉EMD of particle and the strong 〈111〉-textured orientation are the crucial factors to realize the enhanced magnetostrictive effect in 1–3 particulate composites.
Charge carrier concentration optimization of thermoelectric p-type half-Heusler compounds
Authors: Rausch Elisabeth , Balke Benjamin , Deschauer Torben , Ouardi Siham , Felser Claudia
Published: March 2015

The carrier concentration in the p-type half-Heusler compound Ti0.3Zr0.35Hf0.35CoSb1−xSnx was optimized, which is a fundamental approach to enhance the performance of thermoelectric materials. The optimum carrier concentration is reached with a substitution level x = 0.15 of Sn, which yields the maximum power factor, 2.69 × 10−3 W m−1 K−2, and the maximum ZT = 0.8. This is an enhancement of about 40% in the power factor and the figure of merit compared to samples with x = 0.2. To achieve low thermal conductivities in half-Heusler compounds, intrinsic phase separation is an important key point. The present work addresses the influence of different preparation procedures on the quality and reproducibility of the samples, leading to the development of a reliable fabrication method.
Measurement of Young's modulus variation with layer pair and interplanar spacing in gold–nickel nanolaminates using nanoindentation and the tapping mode
Authors: Ahmed H. S. Tanvir , Jankowski Alan F.
Published: March 2015

The features of grain size and interface separation strengthen the mechanical behavior of metallic nanolaminates. In addition, the presence of interlayer lattice strains can lead to a superlattice structure within the nanolaminate. The superlattice affects intrinsic properties of technological interest including electronic, magnetic, and elastic. The complex elastic and plastic behaviors of gold–nickel nanolaminate superlattice coatings as studied using nanoindentation are revisited with the tapping mode of a force microscope. Young's modulus is determined with nanoindentation during the initial elastic unloading after plastic deformation at depths up to one-fifth the coating thickness. The tapping mode provides a measurement during the initial elastic deformation at depths of only a few nanometers. The tapping mode utilizes the shift in the resonant frequency of the probe-cantilever system as contact is made with the sample surface. Both of these nanoprobe test methods produce results for measurements conducted with loading normal to the surface plane. A softening in the Young's modulus of gold–nickel nanolaminate coatings occurs for samples with layer pair spacing between 1 and 9 nm. The magnitude of softening corresponds with a progressive increase in the tensile state as measured with the change of interplanar spacing along the growth direction.
Effect of Ba substitution on the multiferroic properties of BiFeO3 films on glass substrates
Authors: Chang H. W. , Yuan F. T. , Tu K. T. , Lo Y. C. , Tu S. Y. , Wang C. R. , Yang A. B. , Tu C. S. , Jen S. U. , Chang W. C.
Published: March 2015

Effect of Ba substitution on the multiferroic properties of non-epitaxially grown polycrystalline Bi1−xBaxFeO3 (BBFO) films on refined Pt(111) electrode buffered glass substrates is studied. The structural analysis shows that a pure perovskite phase is present for BBFO films (x = 0.05-0.15), and (110) preferred orientation is developed for films with high x = 0.15. The grain size and surface roughness are reduced with increasing x. All studied BBFO films show desired ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties. The good ferroelectric properties with the remanent polarization (2Pr) of 36-70 μC/cm2 and electrical coercive field (Ec) of 318-570 kV/cm are attained. On the other hand, the substitution of Ba2+ for Bi3+ in the A site of the BFO crystal structure can effectively enhance the ferromagnetic properties with magnetization (Ms) of 9.4-13.9 emu/cm3 and coercivity (Hc) of 1216-1380 Oe. The ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties and leakage behavior as functions of Ba content x are discussed.
Magnetic, dielectric, and magnetoelectric properties in Sr2CoGe2O7
Authors: Song Y. Q. , Li Q. , Zhang Z. M. , Zhou W. P. , Cao Q. Q. , Xu Q. Y. , Wang D. H. , Du Y. W.
Published: March 2015

We investigate the magnetoelectric effect in Sr2CoGe2O7, which has a two-dimensional magnetic interaction between Co ions in the ab plane. This compound shows a weak magnetism and field-induced magnetic transition below the temperature of 7 K. It does not exhibit electric polarization under zero magnetic field. However, by applying an external magnetic field, the electric polarization is induced around its Néel temperature and increases with increasing magnetic field. The induced electric polarization in Sr2CoGe2O7 is almost two orders of magnitude smaller than that of Ba2CoGe2O7. This result suggests that the different ionic radius of the strontium and the barium anion plays a key role in determining the property of electric polarization. The origins of electric polarization and magnetoelectric effect are discussed.
Caustics and clustering in the vicinity of a vortex
Authors: Ravichandran S. , Govindarajan Rama
Published: March 2015

We study the formation of caustics in vortex-dominated flows. We find that only particles starting within a critical distance of a vortex which scales as the square roots of the particle inertia and the circulation can form sling caustics. We show that particles starting in an annular region around this critical radius contribute the densest clusters in the flow. The large density spikes occurring for such particles, even at small inertia, are indicative that these particles will experience large collision rates.
Spin-phonon coupling in scandium doped gallium ferrite
Authors: Chakraborty Keka R. , Paul Barnita , Grover Vinita , Mukadam M. D. , Roy Anushree , Basu S. , Tyagi A. K. , Yusuf S. M.
Published: March 2015

We embarked on a study of Scandium (Sc) doped (onto Ga site) gallium ferrite (GaFeO3) and found remarkable magnetic properties. In both doped as well as parent compounds, there were three types of Fe3+ ions (depending on the symmetry) with the structure conforming to space group Pna21 (Sp. Grp. No. 33) below room temperature down to 5 K. We also found that all Fe3+ ions occupy octahedral sites, and carry high spin moment. For the higher Sc substituted sample (Ga1−xScxFeO3: x = 0.3), a canted magnetic ordered state is found. Spin-phonon coupling below Néel temperature was observed in doped compounds. Our results indicated that Sc doping in octahedral site modifies spin-phonon interactions of the parent compound. The spin-phonon coupling strength was estimated for the first time in these Sc substituted compounds.
Hole growth dynamics in a two dimensional Leidenfrost droplet
Authors: Raufaste Christophe , Celestini Franck , Barzyk Alexandre , Frisch Thomas
Published: March 2015

We studied the behaviors of Leidenfrost droplets confined in a Hele-Shaw cell. These droplets are unstable above a critical size and a hole grows at their center. We experimentally investigate two different systems for which the hole growth dynamics exhibits peculiar features that are driven by capillarity and inertia. We report a first regime characterized by the liquid reorganization from a liquid sheet to a liquid torus with similarities to the burst of micron-thick soap films. In the second regime, the liquid torus expands and thins before fragmentation. Finally, we propose models to account for the experimental results.
Movement of basal plane dislocations in GaN during electron beam irradiation
Authors: Yakimov E. B. , Vergeles P. S. , Polyakov A. Y. , Lee In-Hwan , Pearton S. J.
Published: March 2015

The movement of basal plane segments of dislocations in low-dislocation-density GaN films grown by epitaxial lateral overgrowth as a result of irradiation with the probing beam of a scanning electron microscope was detected by means of electron beam induced current. Only a small fraction of the basal plane dislocations was susceptible to such changes and the movement was limited to relatively short distances. The effect is explained by the radiation enhanced dislocation glide for dislocations pinned by two different types of pinning sites: a low-activation-energy site and a high-activation-energy site. Only dislocation segments pinned by the former sites can be moved by irradiation and only until they meet the latter pinning sites.
Mechanism research on fast pyrolysis of Organosolv lignin by pyrolyzer coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry
Authors: Guo Xiujuan , Wang Shurong
Published: March 2015

In this study, fast pyrolysis of Organosolv lignin was carried out on an analytical pyrolyzer coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry detectors. The pyrolytic products included phenols, furans, linear acids, or esters, as well as a small amount of alcohol and acetic acid. Phenolic compounds were main products, whose yields changed not obviously at different temperature with holding time increasing. But the successive tests showed that the fast pyrolysis with rapid condensation extensively favored the formation of phenolic compounds. The breakage of propane side chain at different positions led to various formations of products. The Cα-Cβ bond was easiest to break and formed aldehyde group, which produced the most abundant products of vanillin and syringaldehyde. The breakage of C4-Cα bond to form guaiacol and syringol was the most difficult reaction in the aromatic skeleton degradation.
Phosphorus diffusion in nanocrystalline 3C-SiC
Authors: Schnabel Manuel , Siddique Abu Bakr , Janz Stefan , Wilshaw Peter R.
Published: March 2015

Phosphorus diffusion in nanocrystalline 3C silicon carbide (nc-SiC) with a grain size of 4–7 nm is studied using polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) as the phosphorus source. Diffusion is much faster than in monocrystalline SiC and proceeds exclusively via grain boundaries (GBs). The poly-Si deposition step, alone or followed by a 1000 °C drive-in step, is sufficient to create a shallow phosphorus profile <100 nm deep, while drive-in steps above 1100 °C lead to phosphorus penetrating the 200 nm thick films and reaching the Si substrate. In the bulk of the films, GB diffusion is Fickian, and thermally activated with an activation energy of 5.2 ± 0.3 eV, which is substantially lower than in the monocrystalline case. Boltzmann-Matano analysis corroborates the analysis of the phosphorus profiles in the bulk of the films using error functions and shows that the high near-surface concentrations observed can be explained in terms of a concentration-dependent diffusivity. The concentration dependence is stronger and begins at higher concentrations for higher drive-in temperatures.
Interlayer exchange coupling between perpendicularly magnetized structures through a Ru/Ta composite spacer
Authors: Yun Seok Jin , Lim Sang Ho , Lee Seong-Rae
Published: March 2015

In stacks using a Ru/Ta composite spacer [Pt/Co]6/Ru/Ta/CoFeB/MgO, both strong interlayer exchange coupling and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy are achieved. The composite spacer has the additional advantages of high post-annealing stability over a conventional Ru spacer; for a Ru (0.8 nm)/Ta (0.4 nm) spacer, where the antiparallel coupling is strongest, the coupling strength remains nearly constant at the highest annealing temperature of 375 °C. An interlayer exchange coupling is observed at very small Ru thicknesses down to 0.2 nm, which can be compared with the previous limit of 0.6 nm.
Stress and structural damage sensing piezospectroscopic coatings validated with digital image correlation
Authors: Freihofer Gregory , Dustin Joshua , Tat Hong , Schülzgen Axel , Raghavan Seetha
Published: March 2015

The piezospectroscopic effect, relating a material’s stress state and spectral signature, has recently demonstrated tailorable sensitivity when the photo-luminescent alpha alumina is distributed in nanoparticulate form within a matrix. Here, the stress-sensing behavior of an alumina-epoxy nanoparticle coating, applied to a composite substrate in an open hole tension configuration, is validated with the biaxial strain field concurrently determined through digital image correlation. The coating achieved early detection of composite failure initiation at 77% failure load, and subsequently tracked stress distribution in the immediate vicinity of the crack as it progressed, demonstrating non-invasive stress and damage detection with multi-scale spatial resolution.
Twinned silicon and germanium nanocrystals: Formation, stability and quantum confinement
Authors: Yu Ting , Pi Xiaodong , Ni Zhenyi , Zhang Hui , Yang Deren
Published: March 2015

Although twins are often observed in Si/Ge nanocrystals (NCs), little theoretical investigation has been carried out to understand this type of important planar defects in Si/Ge NCs. We now study the twinning of Si/Ge NCs in the frame work of density functional theory by representatively considering single-twinned and fivefold-twinned Si/Ge NCs. It is found that the formation of twinned Si/Ge NCs is thermodynamically possible. The effect of twinning on the formation of Si NCs is different from that of Ge NCs. For both Si and Ge NCs twinning enhances their stability. The quantum confinement effect is weakened by twinning for Si NCs. Twinning actually enhances the quantum confinement of Ge NCs when they are small (<136 atoms), while weakening the quantum confinement of Ge NCs as their size is large (>136 atoms). The current results help to better understand the experimental work on twinned Si/Ge NCs and guide the tuning of Si/Ge-NC structures for desired properties.
Microring embedded hollow polymer fiber laser
Authors: Linslal C. L. , Sebastian S. , Mathew S. , Radhakrishnan P. , Nampoori V. P. N. , Girijavallabhan C. P. , Kailasnath M.
Published: March 2015

Strongly modulated laser emission has been observed from rhodamine B doped microring resonator embedded in a hollow polymer optical fiber by transverse optical pumping. The microring resonator is fabricated on the inner wall of a hollow polymer fiber. Highly sharp lasing lines, strong mode selection, and a collimated laser beam are observed from the fiber. Nearly single mode lasing with a side mode suppression ratio of up to 11.8 dB is obtained from the strongly modulated lasing spectrum. The microring embedded hollow polymer fiber laser has shown efficient lasing characteristics even at a propagation length of 1.5 m.
The Achromatic Object-Colour Manifold is Three-Dimensional
Authors: Logvinenko Alexander D
Published: March 2015

When in shadow, the achromatic object colours appear different from when they are in light. This immediate observation was quantitatively confirmed by Logvinenko and Maloney (2006, Perception & Psychophysics, 68, 76–83) who, using multidimensional scaling (MDS), showed the two-dimensionality of achromatic object colours. As their experiments included only cast shadows, a question arises: is this also the case for attached shadows? Recently, Madigan and Brainard (2014) argued in favour of the negative answer. However, they also failed to confirm the two-dimensionality for cast shadows. To resolve this issue, an experiment was conducted in which observers rated the dissimilarity between achromatic Munsell chips presented in light and in shadows of both types. Specifically, the chips were presented in four conditions: in front in light; at slant in light; in front in shadow; and at slant in shadow. MDS analysis of the obtained dissimilarities confirmed the two-dimensionality of achromatic colours for both types of shadow. Furthermore, the dimension induced by the cast shadow (shadowedness) was found to be different from that induced by the attached shadow (shading). In the three-dimensional MDS output configuration these were represented by clearly different dimensions. This quantitatively supports a fact, well-known to artists, that attached and cast shadows are experienced as different phenomenological entities. It is argued that a shading gradient is perceptually experienced as shape (ie spatial relief).
Prevalence of FOB testing in eastern‐Australian general practice patients: what has a national bowel cancer screening program delivered?
Authors: Paul Christine L. , Carey Mariko L. , Russell Grant , D'Este Cate , Sanson‐Fisher Rob W. , Zwar Nicholas
Published: March 2015

Issues addressed

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) was introduced in Australia in 2006, offering free immunochemical Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) to persons aged 50, 55 or 65. The study aimed to examine the prevalence of selfreported screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) using the FOBT and factors associated with not having an FOBT.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study of Australian general practice patients aged 50 and over with no personal history of CRC completed a health risk survey while waiting for scheduled appointments between November 2010 and November 2011.

Results

A total of 5671 patients from 12 practices were approached to participate. Of the 4707 eligible patients (adults attending for care who understood English and were capable of providing informed consent), 4062 (86%) consented to participate, with 2269 eligible to complete the FOBT items. Approximately half (52%) of participants reported ever having an FOBT. More than one‐third (39.7%) of the sample reported having an FOBT in the prior three years. Those who recalled receiving a mailed kit as part of the NBCSP were five times more likely to report being screened. Those less likely to report screening were aged 50–59 years, were female and had been diagnosed with a form of cancer other than CRC.

Conclusions

There is justification for the extension of the NBCSP to ensure a majority of the age‐appropriate population is screened for CRC.
Effects of slope position, aspect and cropping system on soil nutrient variability in hilly areas
Authors: Gou Yu , Chen Hui , Wu Wei , Liu Hong-Bin
Published: March 2015

Human activities and topography are main factors affecting soil nutrient variation. However, the relationships between these factors are both site- and scale-specific. In hilly areas of south-western China, the dominant cropping systems are rice, vegetables, oranges, Chinese red pepper and maize–sweet potato intercropping. In the present study, slope position (valley, low slope, flat slope, middle slope, upper slope, ridge) and aspect (north, east, south, west) were derived to investigate the relationships among cropping system, terrain, and soil nutrients at county scale. Crops were mainly planted at middle or flat slope positions. Rice and orange plants were evenly distributed across the aspects whereas vegetables were mostly planted on the northern aspect. Red pepper and maize–sweet potato plants were mainly grown on the western and southern aspects. Rice sites had higher contents of organic matter and available nitrogen (N) and lower contents of available phosphorus (P) and available potassium (K). For dryland cropping systems, vegetable sites had higher contents of organic matter, available N, and available P. Red pepper sites had higher contents of available K. Contents of organic matter and available N were generally higher at lower landscape positions. Contents of available K were higher at lower and flat slope positions. Contents of available P were higher at higher landscape positions. Contents of organic matter and available N were higher on the northern and eastern, and lower on the western aspects. Contents of available P were higher on the western and lower on the northern aspects. No significant differences were found for available K across the aspects. Classification tree algorithms indicated that relative importance of the variables on soil nutrient variation was in the order: (i) cropping system, (ii) slope position, and (iii) aspect.
Global patterns in fire leverage: the response of annual area burnt to previous fire
Authors: Price Owen F. , Pausas Juli G. , Govender Navashni , Flannigan Mike , Fernandes Paulo M. , Brooks Mathew L. , Bird Rebecca Bliege
Published: March 2015

Prescribed fire is practiced around the world to reduce the effect of unplanned fire, but we hypothesise that its effectiveness is proportional to the mean annual area burnt by unplanned fire, which varies among biomes. Fire history mapping was obtained for six global case studies from a range of biomes: Portugal, Spain (both Mediterranean), Alberta (boreal Canada), Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (montane USA), the Sandy Desert (arid Australia) and Kruger National Park (South African savanna). Leverage is the unit reduction in unplanned fire area resulting from one unit of previous fire as measured at a regional scale over a long period. We calculated leverage for each case study using statistical modelling of annual area burnt, controlling for annual climatic variation. We combined the six leverage values with those from four previously published cases to conduct a global test of our hypothesis. Leverage was high in Portugal (~0.9) and moderate in the Sandy Desert (~0.3). However, the other case studies showed no evidence of leverage: burnt area was not influenced by past fire. In all regions, climatic variation had more influence than past area burnt on annual area burnt. The global analysis revealed a positive relationship between mean area burnt and leverage but only when outlying cases were removed. In biomes with low fire activity, prescribed fire is unlikely to reduce unplanned fire area at all, while for many others, the return for effort is likely to be low. Lessons derived from one biome cannot necessarily be applied to another.
Degradation and detection of fox (Vulpes vulpes) scats in Tasmania: evidence from field trials
Authors: Brown W. E. , Ramsey D. S. L. , Gaffney R.
Published: March 2015

Context The Tasmanian Government is attempting to eradicate foxes from Tasmania and carnivore-scat surveys using humans and dogs combined with DNA testing are the main methods of detection. Understanding the rate that scats degrade is a key component for estimating the power of monitoring for detecting cryptic predators and will contribute to a broader understanding of the use of scat monitoring for informing eradication programs. Aims To estimate the degradation rate of fox scats and derive an estimate of the abundance of scats available to observers monitoring for fox presence. Methods In total, 486 fresh fox scats were placed at nine sites within three bioregions in Tasmania and left to degrade for up to 126 days. Scats were observed periodically by both humans and dogs to determine when they became unrecognisable and/or undetectable. Key results Recognition of scats by humans declined faster in summer than in winter and did not vary systematically among bioregions. Median survival times of scats were 19 days in summer and 26 days in winter. Recognition of scats by dogs was higher in summer than in winter, with dogs recognising scats past the time they became unrecognisable to humans. Using estimates of scat degradation derived from human observers, the equilibrium abundance of detectable scats within a fox home range was estimated to be 179–243 scats. However, the abundance of detectable scats on linear features subject to monitoring was estimated to be 10–15 scats. Conclusions Using our estimate of the abundance of scats on linear features, the current distribution of fox scats detected in Tasmania may not be as anomalous as has been suggested by others. However, fox detection from scats will be highly dependent on deposition patterns and distribution of scats on linear features and this should be critically reassessed in Tasmania. Implications Fox scats are not expected to exhibit systematic regional differences in degradation rates that might have an impact on monitoring strategies. Estimates of the abundance of scats detectable by observers are critical for assessing the effectiveness of scat-monitoring programs. We advocate that a rigorous assessment of future scat-monitoring programs in Tasmania be undertaken to determine their power to detect foxes.
Progress on research on rodents and rodent-borne zoonoses in South-east Asia
Authors: Blasdell Kim , Bordes Frédéric , Chaisiri Kittipong , Chaval Yannick , Claude Julien , Cosson Jean-François , Latinne Alice , Michaux Johan , Morand Serge , Pagès Marie , Tran Annelise
Published: March 2015

This review aims to synthesise knowledge regarding the taxonomy of South-east Asian murine rodents and the challenges associated with the identification of habitat preferences and associated rodent-borne diseases. Recent studies concerning the Rattini tribe have identified unclear species boundaries that would benefit from further investigation. The development of barcoding may allow more accurate identification of rodents, specifically for complex species. However, knowledge on the distribution and habitat specialisations of many common murine rodents is still scarce, particularly regarding the specific habitat preferences of most synanthropic rodent species (Rattus tanezumi or Rattus exulans). Several studies have analysed the prevalence of major rodent-borne diseases in South-east Asia and it appears that the greatest risk of rodent zoonoses are in the lowland rain-fed and irrigated landscapes, generally in and around rice fields.
On the borrowability of subject pronoun constructions in Turkish–Dutch contact
Authors: Doğruöz A. Seza
Published: March 2015

Turkish spoken in the Netherlands (NL-Turkish) sounds different in comparison to Turkish spoken in Turkey (TR-Turkish) due to Dutch influence. In addition to borrowed Dutch words/phrases, Dutch influence on NL-Turkish is also observed through literally translated constructions. This study investigates the Dutch influence on NL-Turkish constructions with subject pronouns. Analyses of NL-Turkish and TR-Turkish spoken corpora do not reveal any significant differences in terms of subject pronoun frequency. However, qualitative analysis of the data reveals some unconventional cases of subject pronoun use in NL-Turkish. In these cases, subject pronouns do not lead to unconventionality on their own but as parts of larger constructions that are copied from Dutch as chunks. Following the principles of usage-based approaches, these unconventional constructions are further analyzed in terms of their level of schematicity and flexibility.
On the universality of frames
Authors: Hasegawa Yoko , Lee-Goldman Russell , Fillmore Charles J.
Published: March 2015

This paper investigates the cross-linguistic applicability of the concept of frame as developed in the Berkeley FrameNet project. We examine whether the frames created for the annotation of English texts can also function as a tool for the assessment of the accuracy of English-to-Japanese translations. If the semantic structure of a source text is analyzed in terms of the frames evoked by its constituent words and the ways in which the elements of those frames are realized, then those frames, their constituent elements, and their interconnections must somehow be present in the translation. The paper concentrates on passages involving causation, as causal relationships are considered by many to exhibit the most salient differences in rhetorical preference between the two languages.
Constructions do not cross Languages
Authors: Wasserscheidt Philipp
Published: March 2015

In research on bilingualism it is often assumed that linguistic structures can be shared across languages. The emphasis on generalization and categorization in construction grammar also seems to imply that speakers can develop cross-linguistic representations. This contribution argues that generalizations can occur only on the semantic level. Data from typologically distinct languages shows that generalizations over form are not likely to play a role in language processing. It is further argued that neither syntactical nor grammatical form is needed in order to explain syntactic transfer.
D-possessives and the origins of Moroccan Arabic
Authors: Heath Jeffrey
Published: March 2015

Despite the general view that Berber was the only important substratum for Maghrebi Arabic, Moroccan Arabic (MA) took shape in the 7th–8th centuries AD in Roman cities in which Late Latin (LL) was spoken. The occupation of Morocco was far more tenuous than in other areas conquered during the Arab expansion. Rapid language shift from LL to a contact Arabic introduced by eastern Berber troops left telltale signs in phonology and in morphological simplification. Archaic MA D-possessives di, d- and dyal- reflect Latin dē and pronominal combinations thereof, and must be dated to the language-shift period. Recognition of this has been delayed by hesitation to recognize the LL/MA relationship and by Arabic-internal explanations of D-possessives that must be rejected in light of what we now know about Maghrebi Arabic dialects.
Competing modals
Authors: Nuyts Jan , Byloo Pieter
Published: March 2015

This paper presents the results of a corpus-based diachronic investigation into the semantic evolution of the Dutch modals kunnen “can”, mogen “may” and moeten “must”, revealing an interaction between processes of (inter)subjectification and of semantic competition (‘no synonymy’). Mogen and kunnen do, but moeten does not, show an evolution in terms of (inter)subjectification. But developments in mogen and kunnen also show an effect of the fact that historically they have been competing for the same semantic ground. There is no comparable competition for semantic ground in moeten. This strongly suggests an interaction between the ‘no synonymy’ principle and (inter)subjectification, whereby the former may actually trigger the latter.
The effect of gestured instruction on the learning of physical causality problems
Authors: Carlson Crystal , Jacobs Steven A. , Perry Michelle , Breckinridge Church Ruth
Published: March 2015

Recent research has demonstrated instruction that includes gesture can greatly impact the learning of certain mathematics tasks for children and much of this work relies on face-to-face instruction. We extend the work on this problem by asking how gesture in instruction impacts adult learning from a video production for a science concept. Borrowing from research by Perry and Elder (1997), the research presented here examines what role adding gesture to instruction plays for adults learning about gear movement. In this pretest-instruction-posttest design, 56 college-aged participants were asked to complete problems relating to gear movement. Participants viewed either an instructional video in which an instructor used speech only (control) or speech-plus-gesture (experimental) to explain a fundamental principle in the physics of gear movement. Results showed that adults who knew less actually learned more and that instruction was effective, but significantly more effective when gesture was added. These findings shed light on the role of gesture input in adult learning and carry implications for how gesture may be utilized in asynchronous instruction with adults.
A repertoire of Yoruba hand and face gestures
Authors: Agwuele Augustine
Published: March 2015

Gesture is part of the linguistic capital of every culture. Members learn from birth those gestures operative in their culture and community. Once learned, the use of gestures becomes so routinized that it appears as the natural and logical way to meaningfully communicate. This paper documents, illustrates, and describes some of the hand and facial gestures in use among Yoruba people of Nigeria. Accompanying the descriptions are the interpretations of the identified quotable gestures within the socio-cultural context of their usage. Further, the paper highlights the ‘face of earnest’ because of the cross-cultural miscommunication that it generates.
Genie’s middle-finger points and signs
Authors: Looney Veronica , Meier Richard P.
Published: March 2015

The ubiquity of index-finger pointing, and its early emergence in child development, has suggested that such pointing may be biologically-determined. However, cross-cultural variation in the form of pointing has also been noted, with some observations of middle-finger pointing. Here we examine the limited corpus of publically-available video data on the signs and gestures of Genie, a child who suffered severe social and linguistic deprivation throughout her childhood. These data suggest that Genie favored the use of the middle finger in points, in ASL signs that have an index-finger target handshape, and in object exploration. We speculate that middle-finger pointing in children may reflect an articulatory preference that is not limited to pointing, but that may encompass a range of manual behaviors.
The corpus-based identification of cross-lectal synonyms in pluricentric languages
Authors: Peirsman Yves , Geeraerts Dirk , Speelman Dirk
Published: March 2015

This article discusses a corpus-based method for the automatic identification of synonyms across different varieties of the same language. This method, based on the paradigm of distributional semantics, quantifies semantic similarity on the basis of contextual similarity in two comparable corpora. In two case studies for Dutch and German, we show that it automatically identifies the correct synonym for 31% and 25% of the target words, respectively. A manual error analysis moreover indicates that many additional synonyms are very close in the distributional model, while most other distributional neighbours are semantically related to the target word along other dimensions than synonymy. On the basis of these results, we argue that distributional-semantic methods can play a crucial role in the further evolution of corpus-based lexical semantics to a more quantitative discipline.
The role of advance preparation in simultaneous interpreting
Authors: Díaz-Galaz Stephanie , Padilla Presentacion , Bajo M. Teresa
Published: March 2015

Current comprehension models recognize the role of prior topic-specific knowledge in the processing of general and specialized discourse (e.g. Gernsbacher 1990; Johnson-Laird 1983; Kintsch 1988). In interpreting, there is widespread consensus that interpreters work better when they prepare in advance. However, research on how preparation affects interpreting has encountered such methodological challenges as high variability and the need for appropriately sensitive measures and tasks (Gile 2005). This article reports an experimental study to assess the effect of advance preparation on simultaneous interpreting of specialized speeches, comparing seven professional interpreters and sixteen interpreting students. All participants did two simultaneous interpretations, into Spanish (their ‘A’ language) from English, of presentations from scientific congresses: one with preparation materials provided half an hour beforehand, the other without preparation. Each source text contained both ‘neutral’ and ‘difficult’ speech segments (the three types of difficulty being terminology, syntactic complexity and lack of redundancy). Dependent variables were accuracy of interpretation and length of ear-voice span (EVS), the rationale being that longer EVS probably reflects processing difficulties. The results show that both groups worked significantly better after advance preparation, this being reflected both in accuracy and in ability to maintain a shorter EVS. Interaction between preparation and type of difficulty was also examined.
Corpus-based research into the presumed effects of short EVS
Authors: Defrancq Bart
Published: March 2015

The aim of this study, based on 32 French speeches simultaneously interpreted into Dutch at plenary sessions of the European Parliament in late 2008, was to ascertain whether short ear-voice span (EVS) affects the quality of the interpretation as is commonly stated in the literature. The speeches and interpretations were taken from the ‘EPIC Ghent’ corpus, which is in preparation at Ghent University. Three phenomena were identified as potential effects of a short EVS: syntactic transcodage (maintaining the right-branching French ‘noun+de+noun’ structure, not using a more natural left-branching structure, in the Dutch interpretation), use of cognates similar in sound to source language forms (‘glissement phonétique’), and certain self-repairs (Barik 1973; Gile 1995). Time tags were applied to both the source and target texts, so that EVS could be measured to the nearest second from the onset of a source language item to the onset of the target language equivalent. The hypothesis was that EVS would be shorter in contexts where these three phenomena occur than elsewhere in the subcorpus. This was borne out in only one case, i.e. use of cognates: short (2 secs.) and very short (1 sec.) EVS was significantly more frequent in contexts where cognates occurred than elsewhere. There was no statistically significant frequency difference in the context of transcodage or of the relevant self-repairs.
Scapegoating the interpreter for listeners’ dissatisfaction with their level of understanding
Authors: Cheung Andrew K.F.
Published: March 2015

Anecdotes abound on interpreters being used as scapegoats, but without hard evidence. The purpose of this study was to observe whether Cantonese-speaking listeners blamed the interpreter for unsatisfactory scores awarded to them in a comprehension test, after listening to a simultaneous interpretation (SI) into Cantonese delivered with a non-native accent. After answering twenty comprehension questions, all 173 participants were shown their scores on a screen. In the neutral feedback group, participants viewed their real, unmanipulated scores. In the positive feedback group, two points had been added to the score; in the negative feedback group, two points had been deducted. Participants were unaware of this manipulation. After viewing their scores, they completed an electronic questionnaire on the quality of the SI. Between-groups comparisons showed that, in terms of SI quality perception, the neutral feedback group differed significantly from the negative feedback group but not from the positive feedback group. These findings suggest that participants in the negative feedback group attributed their unfavorable test results to the interpreter, who was treated as a scapegoat.
Court interpreting and classical rhetoric
Authors: Gallez Emmanuelle , Reynders Anne
Published: March 2015

This case study is based on a transcript of an authentic criminal proceeding in a Belgian Assize Court, where Dutch is the official language and the French-speaking defendant receives simultaneous whispered interpretation of the prosecutor’s closing speech. Examining six excerpts from the speech, which is addressed to the judges and the lay jury, the analysis compares the Dutch original with the French interpretation. The specific focus of the study is the Aristotelian concept of ethos, i.e. the image the speaker seeks to convey of himself by foregrounding his professional expertise, integrity and goodwill towards the audience. Since the rhetorical devices he uses for this purpose are often absent from the interpretation in the extracts analysed, the strategic persuasiveness of his speech is weakened. This means that the defendant is likely to gain an incomplete, misleading perception of his own case. In the light of the examples presented here, the authors argue that the theory of classical rhetoric affords a useful framework for exploring interpreter-mediated legal monologues in a dialogical perspective.
Informed consent in the field of language and sexuality
Authors: Mortensen Kristine Køhler
Published: March 2015

In order to understand how sexual and romantic relations are established and negotiated in discourse, the field of language and sexuality is dependent upon empirical data from naturally occurring spontaneous interaction. However, detailed discussions of research methods are lacking in the field. In this article, I explore ways of accessing intimate spontaneous data in a heterosexual online dating context. Through interactional analysis of three types of online dating interaction, I examine the multi-faceted context for securing informed consent while at the same time preserving participants’ intimacy. I argue that institutionalized informed consent procedures may undercut participant agency and expose symbolic violence towards their carefully built interactional framework. The analysis demonstrates participants’ ability to negotiate ethical issues and to turn such issues into a contribution to the ongoing flirtatious interaction. As a result, I suggest a method that integrates participants’ interactional expertise in the consent-gaining process.