bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical analysis of 1D resonant tunneling behavior in ion-enhanced cold field and thermo-field emission
Authors: Tan Xi , Rumbach Paul , Griggs Nathaniel , Jensen Kevin L. , Go David B.
Published: December 2016

In cold field and thermo-field emission, positive ions or adsorbates very close to the cathode surface can enhance emission current by both resonant and non-resonant processes. In this paper, resonant tunneling behavior is investigated by solving the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation in the presence of an ion, and the enhancement due to resonant processes is evaluated. Results shows that as the applied electric field increases, the resonant states move from higher to lower energies as the ion energy levels are shifted down. Conversely, as the ion position moves closer to the cathode, the resonant states shift up in energy. Further, through a simplified perturbation analysis, the general scaling of these trends can be predicted. These shifts of resonant states directly impact the emission current density, and they are especially relevant when the applied field is on the order of a few volts per nanometer (∼0.5–3 V/nm) and the ion is a few nanometers (∼0.5–3 nm) away from the cathode. Further, when the energy level for resonant emission coincides with the Fermi level of a metallic cathode, the current density is particularly enhanced. The results of this study suggest that it may be possible to control (augment/inhibit) the resonant emission current by manipulating the supply function of a cathode relative to the operating conditions of the emitter in either ion-enhanced or adsorbate-enhanced field emission, which can be applied to various plasma and electron emission technologies.
Atomic displacement in the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy – A scaling factor to predict solid solution strengthening
Authors: Okamoto Norihiko L. , Yuge Koretaka , Tanaka Katsushi , Inui Haruyuki , George Easo P.
Published: December 2016

Although metals strengthened by alloying have been used for millennia, models to quantify solid solution strengthening (SSS) were first proposed scarcely seventy years ago. Early models could predict the strengths of only simple alloys such as dilute binaries and not those of compositionally complex alloys because of the difficulty of calculating dislocation-solute interaction energies. Recently, models and theories of SSS have been proposed to tackle complex high-entropy alloys (HEAs). Here we show that the strength at 0 K of a prototypical HEA, CrMnFeCoNi, can be scaled and predicted using the root-mean-square atomic displacement, which can be deduced from X-ray diffraction and first-principles calculations as the isotropic atomic displacement parameter, that is, the average displacements of the constituent atoms from regular lattice positions. We show that our approach can be applied successfully to rationalize SSS in FeCoNi, MnFeCoNi, MnCoNi, MnFeNi, CrCoNi, CrFeCoNi, and CrMnCoNi, which are all medium-entropy subsets of the CrMnFeCoNi HEA.
MHD instabilities developing in a conductor exploding in the skin effect mode
Authors: Oreshkin V. I. , Chaikovsky S. A. , Datsko I. M. , Labetskaya N. A. , Mesyats G. A. , Oreshkin E. V. , Ratakhin N. A. , Rybka D. V.
Published: December 2016

The results of experiments with exploding copper conductors, performed on the MIG facility (providing currents of amplitude of about 2.5 MA and rise time of 100 ns), are analyzed. With an frame optical camera, large-scale instabilities of wavelength 0.2–0.5 mm were detected on the conductor surface. The instabilities show up as plasma “tongues” expanding with a sound velocity in the opposite direction to the magnetic field gradient. Analysis performed using a two-dimensional MHD code has shown that the structures observed in the experiments were formed most probably due to flute instabilities. The growth of flute instabilities is predetermined by the development of thermal instabilities near the conductor surface. The thermal instabilities arise behind the front of the nonlinear magnetic diffusion wave propagating through the conductor. The wavefront on its own is not subject to thermal instabilities.
Transfer matrix method solving interface optical phonons in wurtzite core-multishell nanowires of III-nitrides
Authors: Xue Z. X. , Qu Y. , Xie H. , Ban S. L.
Published: December 2016

Within the framework of dielectric continuum and Loudon’s uniaxial crystal models, the transfer matrix method (TMM) is developed to investigate interface optical phonons (IOPs) in cylindrical wurtzite core-multishell nanowires (CMSNWs) consisting of ternary mixed crystals (TMCs). The IOPs in GaN/InxGa1-xN/InyGa1-yN and GaN/InxGa1-xN/InyGa1-yN/InzGa1-zN CMSNWs are calculated as examples. The results show that there may be several types of IOPs existing in certain frequency regions in CMSNWs for a given component due to the phonon dispersion anisotropy in wurtzite nitrides. The IOPs are classified by possible combinations of the interfaces in CMSNWs. Furthermore, the dispersion relations and electro-static potentials of each kind of IOPs are discussed in detail. The dispersion relations of IOPs in CMSNWs is found to be the combination of that in each nearest two layer CSNW. It can explain the fact that the total branch number of IOPs obey the 2n rule. It is also found that the peak positions of electro-static potentials are decided by the layer component order from the inner layer to outside in CMSNWs. The results indicate that TMM for IOPs is available and can be commodiously extended to other cylindrical wurtzite III-nitride CMSNWs. Based on this method, one can further discuss the IOPs related photoelectric properties in nitride CMSNWs consisting of TMCs.
Electronic structure and magnetism of Ge(Sn)TMXTe1−X (TM = V, Cr, Mn): A first principles study
Authors: Liu Yong , Bose S. K. , Kudrnovský J.
Published: December 2016

This work presents the results of first principles calculations of the electronic and magnetic properties of the compound SnTe and GeTe in zinc blende (ZB) and rock salt (RS) structures, doped with 3d transition metal V, Cr, and Mn. The present study, initiated from the viewpoint of potential application in spintronics, is motivated by our earlier work involving these two compounds, where the doping was limited to the Sn and Ge sublattices. In view of some discrepancies between our calculated results and the available experimental data, in this work we have examined the effect of the Te-sublattice doping. The case of Mn-doping, where the previous results of calculations seemed to differ most from the experimentally available data, is examined further by looking at the effect of Mn atoms partially occupying interstitial sites as well. From the standpoint of potential application in spintronics, we look for half-metallic (HM) states and tabulate their properties in both rock salt and zinc blende structures. ZB structure is found to be more conducive to HM state in general. Among the binary compounds we identify several HM candidates: VGe, VSn, MnGe, MnSn and MnTe at their equilibrium volumes and all in ZB structure. Estimates of the Curie temperature for the ferromagnetic compounds including the half-metals are presented. It is shown that despite the ferromagnetic (FM) nature of the Mn-Mn interaction for the Te-doped case, a simultaneous doping of both Ge(Sn)- and Te-sublattice with Mn atoms would leave the material predominantly antiferromagnetic (AFM).
The role of defects in the electrical properties of NbO2 thin film vertical devices
Authors: Joshi Toyanath , Borisov Pavel , Lederman David
Published: December 2016

Epitaxial NbO2 thin films were grown on Si:GaN layers deposited on Al2O3 substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Pulsed current-voltage (IV) curves and self-sustained current oscillations were measured across a 31 nm NbO2 film and compared with a similar device made from polycrystalline NbO2 film grown on TiN-coated SiO2/Si substrate. Crystal quality of the as grown films was determined from x-ray diffractometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy data. The epitaxial film device was found to be more stable than the defect-rich polycrystalline sample in terms of current switching and oscillation behaviors.
High carrier mobility of Sn-doped polycrystalline-Ge films on insulators by thickness-dependent low-temperature solid-phase crystallization
Authors: Sadoh Taizoh , Kai Yuki , Matsumura Ryo , Moto Kenta , Miyao Masanobu
Published: December 2016

To realize the advanced thin-film transistors (TFTs), high-carrier-mobility semiconductor films on insulator structures should be fabricated with low-temperature processing conditions (≤500 °C). To achieve this, we investigated the solid-phase crystallization of amorphous-GeSn films on insulating substrates under a wide range of Sn concentrations (0%–20%), film thicknesses (30–500 nm), and annealing temperatures (380–500 °C). Our results reveal that a Sn concentration close to the solid solubility of Sn in Ge (∼2%) is effective in increasing the grain-size of poly-GeSn. In addition, we discovered that the carrier mobility depends on the film thickness, where the mobilities are determined by the counterbalance between two different carrier scattering mechanisms. Here, vacancy-related defects dominate the carrier scattering near the insulating substrates (≤∼120 nm), and grain-size determined by bulk nucleation dominates the grain-boundary scattering of thick films (≥∼200 nm). Consequently, we obtained the maximum mobilities in samples with a Sn concentration of 2% and a film thickness of 200 nm. The effect of increasing the grain-size of poly-GeSn by lowering the annealing temperature was also clarified. By combining these results, a very high carrier mobility of 320 cm2/Vs was obtained at a low temperature of 380 °C. This mobility is about 2.5 times as high as previously reported data for Ge and GeSn films grown at low temperatures (≤500 °C). Our technique therefore opens up the possibility of high-speed TFTs for use in the next generation of electronics.
Self-reported testing and treatment histories among older Australian men and women who may be at risk of a sexually transmissible infection
Authors: Heywood Wendy , Lyons Anthony , Fileborn Bianca , Minichiello Victor , Barrett Catherine , Brown Graham , Hinchliff Sharron , Malta Sue , Crameri Pauline
Published: December 2016

Background: Rates of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are increasing among older adults in many countries. Little is known about the testing and treatment histories of these populations. Correlates of testing in the past 5 years among older adults who may be at risk of a STI were examined. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 2137 Australians aged 60+ years that involved questions on STIs and STI testing was conducted in 2015. To help inform potential education campaigns, analyses focused on those who may have been at risk of a STI (n = 805, 38%). Results: Less than one in three reported a STI test in the past 5 years (n = 241, 30%) while 6% (n = 51) reported a STI diagnosis. Those diagnosed typically received treatment from a family doctor or general practitioner. Among men, lower testing rates were associated with older age, identifying as heterosexual, lower educational attainment, not using online dating and reporting one partner in the past 5 years. For women, lower rates of testing were found among those who did not use a condom at their most recent sexual encounter and those with one partner in the past 5 years. Conclusions: STI testing rates were low. This study indicates that consideration should be given to the way targeted education campaigns are formulated, such as emphasising the importance of STI testing to older people who are at risk, as well as encouraging healthcare professionals to discuss sexual health with their older patients.
Transcription factor Zeb2 regulates commitment to plasmacytoid dendritic cell and monocyte fate
Authors: Wu Xiaodi , Briseño Carlos G. , Grajales-Reyes Gary E. , Haldar Malay , Iwata Arifumi , Kretzer Nicole M. , KC Wumesh , Tussiwand Roxane , Higashi Yujiro , Murphy Theresa L. , Murphy Kenneth M.
Published: December 2016

Significance

Distinct transcription factors regulate the development of immune cell lineages, and changes in their expression can alter the balance of cell types responding to infection. Recent studies have identified Zeb2 as a transcription factor important for the final maturation of natural killer cells and effector CD8
+
T cells. In this study, we show that Zeb2 is required for the development of two myeloid cell types, the monocyte and the plasmacytoid dendritic cell, and clarify that this factor is not required for the development of classical dendritic cells.
Cliff-edge model of obstetric selection in humans
Authors: Mitteroecker Philipp , Huttegger Simon M. , Fischer Barbara , Pavlicev Mihaela
Published: December 2016

Significance

Compared with other primates, human childbirth is difficult because the fetus is large relative to the maternal pelvic canal. It is a long-standing evolutionary puzzle why the pelvis has not evolved to be wider, thus reducing the risk of obstructed labor. We present a mathematical model that explains the high rates of fetopelvic disproportion by the discrepancy between a wide symmetric phenotype distribution and an asymmetric, “cliff-edged” fitness function. Only weak selection for a large newborn, a narrow pelvis, or both is necessary to account for the high incidence of fetopelvic disproportion. Because the regular use of Caesarean sections has reduced maternal mortality, the model predicts an evolutionary response of fetal or maternal dimensions, increasing the rates of fetopelvic disproportion.
Regional diversity on the timing for the initial appearance of cereal cultivation and domestication in southwest Asia
Authors: Arranz-Otaegui Amaia , Colledge Sue , Zapata Lydia , Teira-Mayolini Luis Cesar , Ibáñez Juan José
Published: December 2016

Significance

Recent studies show that cultivation of wild and domesticated plants was a protracted process that developed across southwest Asia. However, there have not been sufficient data to evaluate whether cereal cultivation and domestication developed in parallel in all the regions or at different times. Our findings indicate that cultivation of wild cereal forms during Pre-Pottery Neolithic A was common only in specific regions such as the southern-central Levant. Domesticated-type cereal chaff (>10%) is found in southern Syria around 10.7–10.2 ka Cal BP but appears around 400–1,000 y later in the other regions. Regionally diverse plant-based subsistence during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic could have contributed to (if not caused) chronological dissimilarities in the development of cereal cultivation and domestication in southwest Asia.
Ideal charge-density-wave order in the high-field state of superconducting YBCO
Authors: Jang H. , Lee W.-S. , Nojiri H. , Matsuzawa S. , Yasumura H. , Nie L. , Maharaj A. V. , Gerber S. , Liu Y.-J. , Mehta A. , Bonn D. A. , Liang R. , Hardy W. N. , Burns C. A. , Islam Z. , Song S. , Hastings J. , Devereaux T. P. , Shen Z.-X. , Kivelson S. A. , Kao C.-C. , Zhu D. , Lee J.-S.
Published: December 2016

Significance

Compelling evidence of various forms of nonsuperconducting electronic order in the cuprate high-temperature superconductors has fundamentally altered our understanding of the essential physics of these materials. However, it has been difficult to establish the nature of the quantum (zero-temperature) phases that compete and/or coexist with superconductivity. By studying high-quality crystals of YBCO using an X-ray laser and pulsed magnetic fields, we have established that the field induced charge-density-wave (CDW) order that arises when superconductivity is suppressed at low temperatures is incommensurate, unidirectional, and 3D-ordered. While disorder ultimately precludes true CDW long-range order, there does appear to be a sharply defined crossover field, which we associate with a transition to a nematic state with long-range orientational order.
Impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on land use and transboundary freshwater resources
Authors: Müller Marc François , Yoon Jim , Gorelick Steven M. , Avisse Nicolas , Tilmant Amaury
Published: December 2016

Significance

The notion that sudden impacts on shared international waters can be detected and quantified, even in a war zone, is important to scientists and policy makers, who have been stifled in the past by inaccessibility to such regions and the consequent inability to collect relevant data. Our study uses satellite imagery of war-torn Syria, showing how conflict and migration caused sudden reductions in Syrian agricultural land use and water use. An unexpected effect of the conflict was increased flow in the Yarmouk River to Jordan, which nonetheless remains one of the world’s most water-poor nations. The study illustrates that conflict and human displacement can significantly alter a basin’s water balance with dramatic effects on the transboundary partitioning of water resources.
CO synthesized from the central one-carbon pool as source for the iron carbonyl in O
2
-tolerant [NiFe]-hydrogenase
Authors: Bürstel Ingmar , Siebert Elisabeth , Frielingsdorf Stefan , Zebger Ingo , Friedrich Bärbel , Lenz Oliver
Published: December 2016

Significance

Activation of dihydrogen is by far not a trivial catalytic reaction. Microbes have evolved sophisticated hydrogenases with complex transition metal centers to get access to H
2
. A recurring feature of these centers is the presence of iron atoms equipped with carbon monoxide ligands. In case of [NiFe]-hydrogenases, which contain a NiFe(CN)
2
CO catalytic center, biosynthesis of the toxic CO ligand remained elusive. We show that [NiFe]-hydrogenases that are catalytically active in the presence of dioxygen use a dedicated maturase for CO ligand synthesis under aerobic conditions. CO is derived from the most oxidized intermediate of the central one-carbon metabolism, formyl-tetrahydrofolate. This discovery contributes a so far unknown reaction to the one-carbon metabolism and opens perspectives for chemical and of bioinspired catalysis.
Casitas B-cell lymphoma (Cbl) proteins protect mammary epithelial cells from proteotoxicity of active c-Src accumulation
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Chandrani , Triplett Aleata , Bargar Tom , Heckman Carol , Wagner Kay-Uwe , Naramura Mayumi
Published: December 2016

Significance

Casitas B-cell lymphoma (Cbl) family proteins are RING finger-containing E3 ubiquitin ligases involved in degradation of activated tyrosine kinases. Previous studies in Cbl-deficient models focused primarily on the consequences of persistent tyrosine kinase signaling resulting in uncontrolled cell activation and proliferation. In the present study, we provide evidence that, in the complete absence of Cbl family proteins, failure to turn over active tyrosine kinases induces irreparable breakdown of the homeostasis of the protein milieu in primary mouse mammary epithelial cells and triggers stress-mediated cell death. Thus, our data reveal that well-regulated removal of active tyrosine kinases is essential for cell survival, an aspect of Cbl family protein functions that has not been previously fully appreciated.
Concentrator photovoltaic module architectures with capabilities for capture and conversion of full global solar radiation
Authors: Lee Kyu-Tae , Yao Yuan , He Junwen , Fisher Brent , Sheng Xing , Lumb Matthew , Xu Lu , Anderson Mikayla A. , Scheiman David , Han Seungyong , Kang Yongseon , Gumus Abdurrahman , Bahabry Rabab R. , Lee Jung Woo , Paik Ungyu , Bronstein Noah D. , Alivisatos A. Paul , Meitl Matthew , Burroughs Scott , Hussain Muhammad Mustafa , Lee Jeong Chul , Nuzzo Ralph G. , Rogers John A.
Published: December 2016

Significance

Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems, wherein light focuses onto multijunction solar cells, offer the highest efficiencies in converting sunlight to electricity. The performance is intrinsically limited, however, by an inability to capture diffuse illumination, due to narrow acceptance angles of the concentrator optics. Here we demonstrate concepts where flat-plate solar cells mount onto the backplanes of the most sophisticated CPV modules to yield an additive contribution to the overall output. Outdoor testing results with two different hybrid module designs demonstrate absolute gains in average daily efficiencies of between 1.02% and 8.45% depending on weather conditions. The findings suggest pathways to significant improvements in the efficiencies, with economics that could potentially expand their deployment to a wide range of geographic locations.
Tet proteins influence the balance between neuroectodermal and mesodermal fate choice by inhibiting Wnt signaling
Authors: Li Xiang , Yue Xiaojing , Pastor William A. , Lin Lizhu , Georges Romain , Chavez Lukas , Evans Sylvia M. , Rao Anjana
Published: December 2016

Significance

Methylation of cytosine bases in DNA is an epigenetic modification that influences gene expression. TET (ten-eleven translocation)-family dioxygenases catalyze conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) and additional oxidized methylcytosines in DNA. Here, we show that both Tet3- and Tet1/2/3-deficient mouse ES cells showed impaired neural conversion, with skewing toward cardiac mesoderm. Genome-wide analyses showed that Tet3 mediates cell-fate decisions by inhibiting Wnt signaling. Consistent with these findings, Wnt signaling was hyperactivated in Tet1/2/3-deficient embryos, leading to aberrant differentiation of bipotent neuromesodermal progenitors into mesoderm at the expense of neuroectoderm. Our data demonstrate a key role for TET proteins in modulating Wnt signaling and establishing the proper balance between neural and mesoderm cell fate determination.
Resistance mutation conserved between insects and mites unravels the benzoylurea insecticide mode of action on chitin biosynthesis
Authors: Douris Vassilis , Steinbach Denise , Panteleri Rafaela , Livadaras Ioannis , Pickett John Anthony , Van Leeuwen Thomas , Nauen Ralf , Vontas John
Published: December 2016

Significance

An old enigma in insect toxicology, the mode of action (MoA) of selective chitin biosynthesis inhibitors in arthropods, is resolved. Benzoylureas, buprofezin, and etoxazole share a MoA by directly interacting with chitin synthase 1. The finding that a single mutation confers striking levels of insecticide resistance against three putative different MoAs has important ramifications on resistance management strategies and rational use of insecticides against major agricultural pestsand vectors of human diseases. Our results also show that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gain-of-function mutations in single-copy genes of highly conserved target sites in arthropods provide opportunities for comprehensive insecticide resistance investigations across species boundaries and against several insecticide classes.
POWERDRESS and HDA9 interact and promote histone H3 deacetylation at specific genomic sites in
Arabidopsis
Authors: Kim Yun Ju , Wang Ruozhong , Gao Lei , Li Dongming , Xu Chi , Mang Hyunggon , Jeon Jien , Chen Xiangsong , Zhong Xuehua , Kwak June M. , Mo Beixin , Xiao Langtao , Chen Xuemei
Published: December 2016

Significance

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) belong to a large protein family in plants, and little is known about how target specificity of each HDAC is achieved. We show that a paired SANT (SWI3/DAD2/N-CoR/TFIII-B) domain-containing protein, POWERDRESS, specifically acts with HDA9 to confer the deacetylation of histone H3 lysine residues at a set of genomic targets to regulate various biological processes. Our study elucidates the functional correlation between SANT domain-containing proteins and HDACs in plants.
Efficacy of Environmental DNA to Detect and Quantify Brook Trout Populations in Headwater Streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York
Authors: Baldigo Barry P. , Sporn Lee Ann , George Scott D. , Ball Jacob A.
Published: December 2016

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is rapidly evolving as a tool for monitoring the distributions of aquatic species. Detection of species’ populations in streams may be challenging because the persistence time for intact DNA fragments is unknown and because eDNA is diluted and dispersed by dynamic hydrological processes. During 2015, the DNA of Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis was analyzed from water samples collected at 40 streams across the Adirondack region of upstate New York, where Brook Trout populations were recently quantified. Study objectives were to evaluate different sampling methods and the ability of eDNA to accurately predict the presence and abundance of resident Brook Trout populations. Results from three‐pass electrofishing surveys indicated that Brook Trout were absent from 10 sites and were present in low (<100 fish/0.1 ha), moderate (100–300 fish/0.1 ha), and high (>300 fish/0.1 ha) densities at 9, 11, and 10 sites, respectively. The eDNA results correctly predicted the presence and confirmed the absence of Brook Trout at 85.0–92.5% of the study sites; eDNA also explained 44% of the variability in Brook Trout population density and 24% of the variability in biomass. These findings indicate that eDNA surveys will enable researchers to effectively characterize the presence and abundance of Brook Trout and other species’ populations in headwater streams across the Adirondack region and elsewhere.

Received April 15, 2016; accepted September 26, 2016 Published online December 6, 2016
Evaluation of Peanut Meal as an Alternative Dietary Protein Source for Channel Catfish
Authors: Li Menghe H , Lucas Penelope M
Published: December 2016

Use of peanut meal as an alternative protein source in diets for Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus was evaluated in a 9-week study under controlled laboratory conditions. Five practical diets (28% crude protein and 6% crude lipid) were formulated to contain 0, 10, 15, 20, and 25% peanut meal as a replacement for cottonseed meal and soybean meal in the control diet. The control diet was a plant-based diet containing principally soybean meal (25%), cottonseed meal (20%), corn (20%), and corn germ meal (20%). All diets met or exceeded all known nutrient requirements of Channel Catfish. Twenty Channel Catfish fingerlings (mean initial weight: 12.8 g/fish) were stocked into 25 water flow-through glass aquaria (110 L). The fish were fed once daily to apparent satiation. Among dietary treatments, there were no significant differences in feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and survival, and no differences in muscle protein, fat, or moisture levels. The results demonstrate up to 25% peanut meal can be used as a protein source alternative to cottonseed meal or soybean meal in Channel Catfish diets without adversely affecting growth, feed efficiency, and body composition.
Sex-Reversal Effect of Dietary Aloe vera (Liliaceae) on Genetically Improved Farmed Nile Tilapia Fry
Authors: Gabriel Ndakalimwe Naftal , Qiang Jun , Ma Xin Yu , He Jie , Xu Pao , Omoregie Edosa
Published: December 2016

We evaluated the hypothesis that administering dietary Aloe vera to sexually undifferentiated fry of genetically improved farmed Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus for 30 d would affect their sex ratio. Five experimental treatments were designed, including a control and 100% A. vera powder incorporated into the feed at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0%. After 30 d of feeding, the experimental diets were replaced with a commercial diet, which was administered to the fish for another 42 d to attain the size at which sex determination was possible. Based on logistic regression analysis, an increase in the A. vera inclusion level from 1.0% to 4.0% resulted in a significantly greater percentage of males compared to the control and the 0.5% A. vera inclusion level, with the 4.0% A. vera group presenting potent masculinization effects (67.62% male). However, the survival percentage among fish that received 4.0% A. vera was significantly lower than survival in the other groups. The present results indicate that A. vera extracts have the potential to be used as sex-reversal agents in Nile Tilapia culture, but additional studies are necessary.
Development of Systematic Sustainability Assessment (SSA) for the Malaysian Industry
Authors: Turan Faiz Mohd , Johan Kartina , Lanang Wan Nurul Syahirah Wan , Nor Nik Hisyamudin Muhd
Published: December 2016

Sustainability assessment is recognized as a powerful and important tool to measure the performance of sustainability in a company or industry. There are various initiatives exists on tools for sustainable development. However, most of the sustainability measurement tools emphasize on environmental, economy and governance aspects. Some of the companies also implement different of sustainability indicators to evaluate the performance of economy, social and environmental separately. In this research, a new methodology for assessing sustainability in the context of Malaysian industry has been developed using integration of Green Project Management (GPM) P5 Integration Matrix, new scale of “Weighting criteria” and Rough-Grey Analysis. This systematic assessment will help the engineers or project managers measure the critical element of sustainability compliance.
The Aspergillus niger growth on the treated concrete substrate using variable antifungals
Authors: Parjo U K , Sunar N M , Leman A M , Gani P , Embong Z , Tajudin S A A
Published: December 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Aspergillus niger (A. niger) growth on substrates after incorporates with different compounds of antifungals which is normally used in food industry. The antifungals named as potassium sorbate (PS), calcium benzoate (CB) and zinc salicylate (ZS) were applied on concrete substrate covered with different wall finishing such as acrylic paint (AP), glycerol based paint (GBP), thin wallpaper (THIN) and thick wallpaper (THICK). The concrete substrate were inoculated with spore suspension, incubated at selected temperature (30oC) and relative humidity (90%)in plant growth chamber. The observations were done from the Day 3 until Day 27. The results showed that the growth of the A. niger for concrete treated by PS for AP, GBP, THIN, and THICK were 64%, 32%, 11% and 100%, respectively. Meanwhile for CB, the growth of A. niger on AP, GBP, THIN, and THICK were 100%, 12%, 41%, and 13%, respectively. Similarly, treated concrete by ZS revealed that the growth of A. niger on the same substrate cover were 33%, 47%, 40%, and 39%, respectively. The results obtained in this study provide a valuable knowledge on the abilities of antifungals to remediate A. niger that inoculated on the concrete substrate. Consequently, this study proved that the PS covering with THIN more efficiency compares CB and ZS to prevent A. niger growth.
Characterization of green rHDPE biocomposites filled with natural filler: Rheological and thermal studies
Authors: Lim B Y , Voon C H , Mahmod R Adawiah
Published: December 2016

Palm kernel shell filled recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE/PKS) biocomposites were produced in order to reduce the waste product from palm oil production. The biocomposites at various filler loading were prepared by melt mixing at 180 °C. Ultra Plast TP0' was selected as coupling agent in rHDPE/PKS biocomposites, in order to modify the properties of biocomposites. It was found that the higher filler loading had reduced the melt flow index (MFI) values. However, with the increasing of testing temperature from 180 to 210 °C, the MFI values of the biocomposites were increased. The presence of Ultra Plast TP01was capable to increase MFI values of the biocomposites. The thermal studies showed that thermal stability of the biocomposites was affected by PKS loading and coupling agent. Though the thermal stability of biocomposites was reduced by PKS, it can be improved by Ultra Plast TP01. Hence, Ultra Plast TP01 can serve as an effective coupling agent for rHDPE/PKS.
Hidden Markov Model and Forward-Backward Algorithm in Crude Oil Price Forecasting
Authors: Bon Abdul Talib , Isah Nuhu
Published: December 2016

In light of the importance of crude oil to the world's economy, it is not surprising that economists have devoted great efforts towards developing methods to forecast price and volatility levels. Crude oil is an important energy commodity to mankind. Several causes have made crude oil prices to be volatile such as economic, political and social. Hence, forecasting the crude oil prices is essential to avoid unforeseen circumstances towards economic activity. In this study, daily crude oil prices data was obtained from WTI dated 2nd January to 29th May 2015. We used Hidden Markov Model (HMM) and Forward-Backward Algorithm to forecasting the crude oil prices. In this study, the analyses were done using Maple software. Based on the study, we concluded that model (0 3 0) is able to produce accurate forecast based on a description of history patterns in crude oil prices.
Industrial training approach using GPM P5 Standard for Sustainability in Project Management: a framework for sustainability competencies in the 21st century
Authors: Johan Kartina , Turan Faiz Mohd
Published: December 2016

Malaysian Engineering Accreditation (Engineering Programme Accreditation Manual, 2007) requires all bachelor degree in engineering programmes to incorporate a minimum of two months industrial training in order for the programme to be accredited by the council. The industrial training has the objective to provide students on the insights of being an engineer at the workplace hence increasing their knowledge in employability skills prior to graduation. However the current structure of industrial training is not able to inculcate good leadership ability and prepare students with sustainability competencies needed in the era of Sustainable Development (SD). This paper aims to study project management methodology as a framework to create a training pathway in industrial training for students in engineering programs using Green Project Management (GPM) P5 standard for sustainability in project management. The framework involves students as interns, supervisors from both university and industry and also participation from NonProfit Organisation (NPO). The framework focus on the development of the student's competency in employability skills, lean leadership and sustainability competencies using experiential learning approach. Deliverables of the framework include internship report, professional sustainability report using GPM P5 standard and competency assessment. The post-industrial phase of the framework is constructed for students to be assessed collaboratively by the university, industry and the sustainability practitioner in the country. The ability for the interns to act as a change agent in sustainability practices is measured by the competency assessment and the quality of the sustainability report. The framework support the call for developing holistic students based on Malaysian Education Blueprint (Higher Education) 2015-2025 and address the gap between the statuses of engineering qualification to the sustainability competencies in the 21st century in particular by achieving the Sustainability Graduates (SG) attributes outlined in the framework.
Assessment and Comparison of Electrokinetic and Electrokinetic-bioremediation Techniques for Mercury Contaminated Soil
Authors: Azhar A T S , Nabila A T A , Nurshuhaila M S , Zaidi E , Azim M A M , Farhana S M S
Published: December 2016

Landfills are major sources of contamination due to the presence of harmful bacteria and heavy metals. Electrokinetic-Bioremediation (Ek-Bio) is one of the techniques that can be conducted to remediate contaminated soil. Therefore, the most prominent bacteria from landfill soil will be isolated to determine their optimal conditions for culture and growth. The degradation rate and the effectiveness of selected local bacteria were used to reduce soil contamination. Hence, this enhances microbiological activities to degrade contaminants in soil and reduce the content of heavy metals. The aim of this study is to investigate the ability of isolated bacteria (Lysinibacillus fusiformis) to remove mercury in landfill soil. 5 kg of landfill soil was mixed with deionized water to make it into slurry condition for the purpose of electrokinetic and bioremediation. This remediation technique was conducted for 7 days by using 50 V/m of electrical gradient and Lysinibacillus fusiformis bacteria was applied at the anode reservoir. The slurry landfill soil was located at the middle of the reservoir while distilled water was placed at the cathode of reservoir. After undergoing treatment for 7 days, the mercury analyzer showed that there was a significant reduction of approximately up to 78 % of mercury concentration for the landfill soil. From the results, it is proven that electrokinetic bioremediation technique is able to remove mercury within in a short period of time. Thus, a combination of Lysinibacillus fusiformis and electrokinetic technique has the potential to remove mercury from contaminated soil in Malaysia.
“Doing the Wrong Things Right” Site Investigations in Soft Soil
Authors: Jamilus M. H. , Lim A.J.M.S. , Azhar A T S , Azmi M A M
Published: December 2016

Site investigation is a very important process by which geotechnical, geological and other relevant information which might affect the construction or performance of a civil engineering or building project is acquired. However, common practice in site investigations is not always in accordance to the standard that has been defined. Reliability on the information obtained depends upon several factors that involves correct procedures and competent workers and also supervision. Several examples on site investigation methods are discussed in this paper. Explanation on the difference between the site investigation methods used for real practices in the field and how it should be done are discussed in detail. Therefore, it is hoped that site investigation should always be uniquely planned and should be an interactive and flexible process of discovery and changes according to the condition of the soil.
Integrated Geo Hazard Management System in Cloud Computing Technology
Authors: Hanifah M I M , Omar R C , Khalid N H N , Ismail A , Mustapha I S , Baharuddin I N Z , Roslan R , Zalam W M Z
Published: December 2016

Geo hazard can result in reducing of environmental health and huge economic losses especially in mountainous area. In order to mitigate geo-hazard effectively, cloud computer technology are introduce for managing geo hazard database. Cloud computing technology and it services capable to provide stakeholder's with geo hazards information in near to real time for an effective environmental management and decision-making. UNITEN Integrated Geo Hazard Management System consist of the network management and operation to monitor geo-hazard disaster especially landslide in our study area at Kelantan River Basin and boundary between Hulu Kelantan and Hulu Terengganu. The system will provide easily manage flexible measuring system with data management operates autonomously and can be controlled by commands to collects and controls remotely by using “cloud” system computing. This paper aims to document the above relationship by identifying the special features and needs associated with effective geohazard database management using “cloud system”. This system later will use as part of the development activities and result in minimizing the frequency of the geo-hazard and risk at that research area.
Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and risk of atrial fibrillation after thoracic surgery
Authors: Walsh Kevin J. , Tan Kay See , Zhang Hao , Amar David
Published: December 2016

OBJECTIVES: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) occurs frequently in patients after noncardiac thoracic surgery and has been associated with increased morbidity and risk of stroke. Recent studies have shown conflicting results on the role of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and its association with the development of POAF after cardiac surgery. Our goal was to determine whether an association exists between NLR and the incidence of POAF after non-cardiac thoracic surgery.

METHODS: Using a database of 259 consecutive patients age 60 or older who had anatomic lung resection or oesophagectomy for oncologic resection, we compared preoperative, postanaesthesia care unit and postoperative day 1 NLR between patients who did and did not develop POAF during their hospitalization using Fisher’s exact test or logistic regression. We also compared NLR in patients who underwent minimally invasive resection versus open surgery.

RESULTS: POAF occurred in 50/259 (19%) of patients during their hospitalization. There were no significant differences in NLR between patients who did and did not develop POAF. In a secondary analysis of 180 patients who underwent open anatomic lung resection or oesophagectomy and 79 who underwent minimally invasive anatomic lung resection there was no difference in preoperative or immediate postoperative NLR, or an interaction in terms of odds of developing POAF.

CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to cardiac surgery, in patients undergoing major non-cardiac thoracic surgery, we had no evidence to show that either preoperative or early postoperative NLR was associated with the development of POAF.
Sampling for Studying Context
Authors: Gimpel James G.
Published: December 2016

Using the example of Ohio and its media markets, this chapter discusses the geographic distribution of respondents resulting from alternative sampling schemes. Traditional survey research designs for gathering information on voter attitudes and behavior usually ignore variability in context in favor of representation of a target population. When sample sizes are large, these polls also provide reasonably accurate estimates for focal subgroups of the electoral population. As the examples here show, conventional polls frequently lack the variations in geographic context likely to matter most to understanding social environments and the interdependence among voters, limiting variation on such continua as urban and rural, economic equality and inequality, occupational differences, exposure to physical environmental conditions, and a variety of other factors that exhibit spatial variation. The chapter calls for more surveys that represent exposure to a broader range of social and physical environments than researchers have produced up to now.
The Roots of Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Authors: Organ Dennis W.
Published: December 2016

This chapter traces the development of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) back to related constructs discussed by scholars, such as Weber, Barnard, Roethlisberger and Dickson, and Katz and Kahn, in management and organization theory from the early 20th century onward. We look at the pros and cons of the proposition that job satisfaction is a causal factor with respect to members’ contributions to organizational performance, what forms these contributions take, the rival hypotheses that could be consistent with the empirical data, the extent to which OCB has generalizability and meaning across cultures, and the issue of whether OCB at some levels and forms might have undesired effects on organizations and their members. We also take note of a closely related construct, “contextual performance,” which has emphasized the effects of personality on certain discretionary individual contributions to organizational effectiveness.
The Employee–Organization Relationship and Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Authors: Coyle-Shapiro Jacqueline A-M. , Diehl Marjo-Riitta , Chang Chiachi
Published: December 2016

Drawing upon social exchange theory and the norm of reciprocity, we review the employee–organization relationship (EOR). A number of EOR frameworks share common theoretical ground yet have developed independently: psychological contracts, perceived organizational support, employment relationship, social and economic exchange, and idiosyncratic deals. We examine the empirical evidence linking each of the frameworks to employees’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Relationships based on minimal investment (quasi-spot contracts and transactional psychological contracts) and psychological contract breach are negatively related to OCB. Economic exchange is unrelated to OCB. Relationships that demonstrate investment, support, fulfillment of obligations, and granting of idiosyncratic deals are positively related to OCB because they signal a trusting and benefit conferring relationship. We outline challenges and future research directions that address the “value addedness” of the EOR frameworks.
Moon Voyaging, Selenography, and the Scientific Romance
Authors: Taunton Matthew
Published: December 2016

This chapter explores the genre of the scientific romance and its relationship with scientific knowledge and with literary modernism. It does so by focusing on depictions of the moon by Mark Wicks, H. G. Wells, Garrett P. Serviss, Charles Hannan, and G. H. Ryan. These are situated within a broader context of literary and scientific thinking about the moon in order to interrogate the idea—put forward by Jean-Paul Sartre and Marjorie Nicholson—that increasing scientific knowledge of the moon tends to dispel its mythical and poetic power. It is instead argued that scientific knowledge and the literary imagination coexist and at times feed one another. Moreover, despite a tendency in conventional literary histories to position the scientific romance outside modernism, the chapter shows how the depiction of the moon in a modernist text—the ‘Ithaca’ episode of Joyce’s Ulysses—reveals essential similarities with the scientific romances under discussion.
Scientific Formations and Transformations
Authors: Crossland Rachel
Published: December 2016

This chapter probes the ways in which writers registered the new scientific ideas that made 1880‒1920 ‘one of the most turbulent and revolutionary periods of scientific discovery to date’, especially for physics. Writers like Conrad, Eliot, Wells, and Woolf were aware of and engaged with new scientific discoveries such as X-rays, while developments in areas like Brownian motion can be seen as relevant to wider cultural concerns of the period. The chapter explores writers’ contacts, formal and accidental, with new scientific ideas, and the ways in which they transformed such ideas in their own writings. Recent work by Peter Bowler and others has illuminated the role of the periodical press in feeding the wider public’s appetite for popular science. Two specific examples, the Cornhill Magazine and the New Quarterly (edited by Desmond MacCarthy) are explored, and a broader ‘interdisciplinary matrix’ to which literary writers and scientists alike contributed is considered.
The Post-Human Spirit of the Neopagan Movement
Authors: Denisoff Dennis
Published: December 2016

The neopagan movement ran from roughly 1870 to 1920 and, in its time, was most often regarded negatively as an aspect of British decadence. It was, however, the product of diverse interests including archaeological discoveries, modernist philosophy, new spiritualities often rooted in hermeticism and theosophy, and debates in nationalist and socialist politics. Neopaganism was sustained primarily by individuals who felt a deep, personal investment in these ecological faiths and their seemingly uninhibited philosophies and respect for diversity. Authors such as A. E. Benson, Edward Carpenter, Aleistor Crowley, and Michael Field explored the place of the humanist individual in a nature-centred belief system that stands in opposition not only to scientific materialism, but also to the industrialism and consumerism of the age. In so doing, they offered an early queer formulation of what today might be recognized as a post-human eco-spirituality.