bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconfigurable assembly of superparamagnetic colloids confined in thermo-reversible microtubes
Authors: Liu Ping , de Folter Julius W. J. , Petukhov Andrei V. , Philipse Albert P.
Published: June 2015

Confinement combined with the application of an external magnetic field results in a switchable structure formation of magnetizable colloidal spheres.
Microwave plasma-induced graphene-sheet fibers from waste coffee grounds
Authors: Wang Zhipeng , Ogata Hironori , Morimoto Shingo , Fujishige Masatsugu , Takeuchi Kenji , Muramatsu Hiroyuki , Hayashi Takuya , Ortiz-Medina Josue , Mohd Yusop Mohd Zamri , Tanemura Masaki , Terrones Mauricio , Hashimoto Yoshio , Endo Morinobu
Published: June 2015

Microwave plasma-induced graphene-sheet fibers from waste coffee grounds showed potential applications for electrochemical conversion and storage with excellent performance.
Design of hybrid nanovehicles for remotely triggered drug release: an overview
Authors: Liu Ji , Detrembleur Christophe , Mornet Stéphane , Jérôme Christine , Duguet Etienne
Published: June 2015

This review addresses the advantages of remote triggers, e.g. ultrasounds, near infrared light and alternating magnetic fields, the fabrication of the hybrid nanovehicles, the release mechanisms and the next challenges.
Sb deficiencies control hole transport and boost the thermoelectric performance of p-type AgSbSe2
Authors: Guin Satya N. , Biswas Kanishka
Published: June 2015

We demonstrate a new strategy to control the carrier transport in AgSbSe2by introducing Sb deficiencies. Enhanced electrical conductivity and ultra-low thermal conductivity resulted a peak ZT value ∼1 at 610 K in Sb deficient AgSbSe2.
Improved anisotropic diffusion equation based on new non‐local information scheme for image denoising
Authors: Yuan Jianjun
Published: June 2015

This study presents a new Perona–Malik (PM) model which is based on new non‐local means (NLM) theory for an image denoising. In the proposed model, the intensity, space position and gradient information are introduced into NLM model, which weakens the staircasing effect and preserves edge in a processed image. The new PM model enhances the denoising capability, and decreases fine characteristics to be over‐smoothed. Comparative experiments show that the denoising capability of the proposed model is superior to the other three existing models.
Modelling and analysis of M ‐ary variable pulse position modulation for visible light communications
Authors: Yoo Jong‐Ho , Kim Byung Wook , Jung Sung‐Yoon
Published: June 2015

Visible light communication (VLC) is an emerging communication paradigm that supports illumination and data transmission simultaneously. To provide dimming control functionality, a range of dimmable modulation methods have been exploited. Among them, the variable pulse position modulation (VPPM) scheme, which is deployed using the IEEE 802.15.7 VLC standard is very simple and easy to implement. On the other hand, it has a limited data rate because it just uses binary PPM for data transmission. This study proposes the M ‐ary VPPM (M ‐VPPM) scheme to increase the data rate of the VPPM scheme. To evaluate the performance of this scheme, the modelling of the transmitter, optical wireless channel and the receiver for M ‐VPPM are provided. In addition, the error probability according to the dimming ratio and modulation order was analysed mathematically. The simulation results showed that the analytical bounds on the error probability are tight, which provides key insights into the performance trade‐off of M ‐VPPM in a dispersive VLC channel environment.
ContactLess Integrated Photonic Probe for light monitoring in indium phosphide‐based devices
Authors: Melati Daniele , Carminati Marco , Grillanda Stefano , Ferrari Giorgio , Morichetti Francesco , Sampietro Marco , Melloni Andrea
Published: June 2015

The increasing complexity of photonic integrated circuits requires the possibility to monitor the state of the circuit in order to stabilise the working point against environmental fluctuations or to perform reliable reconfiguration procedures. Although indium phosphide (InP) technologies can naturally integrate high‐quality photodiodes, their use as tap monitors necessarily affects the circuit response and is restricted to few units per chip. Transparent power monitors are hence key components for complex circuits. In this study, the authors present the implementation of a ContactLess Integrated Photonic Probe (CLIPP) realising a non‐invasive integrated light monitor on InP‐based devices. They describe an innovative vertical scheme of the CLIPP monitor which exploits the back side of the chip as a common electrode, thus enabling a reduction of the device footprint and a simplification of the electrical connectivity. They characterise the response of the CLIPP and demonstrate its functionality as power monitor. Lastly, they provide a direct demonstration that CLIPP monitor allows accessing more accurate information on the working point of photonic integrated circuits compared with conventional external or integrated photodetectors.
Analysis of common‐mode electromagnetic interference noise in a flyback converter using a self‐supply power control integrated circuit
Authors: Cheng Weichang , He Xiaoying , Xu Shen , Sun Weifeng
Published: June 2015

This study analyses electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise sources generated from a new type of flyback converter which is operated from a self‐supplied power control integrated circuit (IC). On the basis of analysis, a new analytical mathematical model of common‐mode (CM) EMI noise path is presented. This model is easier to construct and allows researchers to better understand the impact of each parameter on CM EMI noise than former models. According to the proposed model, the capacitors from the traces connected to the ground (GND), voltage drain drain (VDD), current sense (CS) and feedback (FB) pins to the ground demonstrate the greatest impact on CM EMI. Two improved layouts are designed to verify the analysis result. The layouts were driven by the newly developed model. Test results show that they correspond with theoretical calculations supporting the analysis and the model that was developed in the course of this work.
High‐voltage gain dc–dc boost converter with coupled inductors for photovoltaic systems
Authors: Freitas Antônio Alisson Alencar , Tofoli Fernando Lessa , Sá Júnior Edilson Mineiro , Daher Sergio , Antunes Fernando Luiz Marcelo
Published: June 2015

This study presents the analysis, design and experimental evaluation of a high‐voltage gain dc–dc converter applied to photovoltaic (PV) systems. A PV module rated at 17 V is connected to the input side, whereas the converter is responsible for stepping the voltage up to 311 V with the achievement of maximum power point tracking (MPPT). An experimental prototype rated at 100 W is implemented, which does not employ electrolytic capacitors, thus increasing the useful life of the arrangement and also allowing the incorporation of the converter to the PV module. Prominent advantages of the topology are low cost and simplicity in terms of the MPPT algorithm and the system implementation, which are mandatory characteristics for renewable energy applications.
The preparation of the Sustainable Energy Action Plan as a city-level tool for sustainability: The case of Genoa
Authors: Schenone Corrado , Delponte Ilaria , Pittaluga Ilaria
Published: June 2015

To ensure European Union (EU) commitments to the Kyoto protocol, on 29 January 2008 the European Commission launched the Covenant of Mayors (CoM). This is an initiative aimed at unilateral and voluntary participation of European cities in energy efficiency improvement, renewable energy source usage increase, and greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2020. The Municipality of Genoa, Italy, joined the initiative on February 2009 and its Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP), aimed at a 23.7% CO2 reduction by 2020, has been the first among European cities to be officially published by the European Commission. Following a description of EU environmental policies concerning the energy sector and related regulatory framework, this paper presents issues of CoM and SEAP from an overall standpoint and their application in the city of Genoa. The SEAP approach and criteria, initially considered at a general level, are then analyzed in detail with their operational consequences regarding the city. The Baseline Emission Inventory for the city, preparation of the SEAP, its implementation in the various sectors involved (buildings, renewable energy sources, transport, public policy, and others) are analyzed. Eventually, the SEAP monitoring strategy is addressed, considering assessment of the implemented actions, biennial monitoring report, and dynamic management of the CoM. In this way, a useful benchmark is provided to those facing this issue and, more generally, to those dealing with the management of energy sustainability at various levels.
An accurate and efficient computational protocol for obtaining the complete basis set limits of the binding energies of water clusters at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory: Application to (H2O)m, m = 2-6, 8, 11, 16, and 17
Authors: Miliordos Evangelos , Xantheas Sotiris S.
Published: June 2015

We report MP2 and Coupled Cluster Singles, Doubles, and perturbative Triples [CCSD(T)] binding energies with basis sets up to pentuple zeta quality for the (H2O)m=2−6,8 water clusters. Our best CCSD(T)/Complete Basis Set (CBS) estimates are −4.99 ± 0.04 kcal/mol (dimer), −15.8 ± 0.1 kcal/mol (trimer), −27.4 ± 0.1 kcal/mol (tetramer), −35.9 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (pentamer), −46.2 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (prism hexamer), −45.9 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (cage hexamer), −45.4 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (book hexamer), −44.3 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (ring hexamer), −73.0 ± 0.5 kcal/mol (D2d octamer), and −72.9 ± 0.5 kcal/mol (S4 octamer). We have found that the percentage of both the uncorrected (De) and basis set superposition error-corrected (DeCP) binding energies recovered with respect to the CBS limit falls into a narrow range on either sides of the CBS limit for each basis set for all clusters. In addition, this range decreases upon increasing the basis set. Relatively accurate estimates (within <0.5%) of the CBS limits can be obtained when using the “23, 13” (for the AVDZ set) or the “12, 12” (for the AVTZ, AVQZ, and AV5Z sets) mixing ratio between De and DeCP. These mixing rations are determined via a least-mean-squares approach from a dataset that encompasses clusters of various sizes. Based on those findings, we propose an accurate and efficient computational protocol that can be presently used to estimate accurate binding energies of water clusters containing up to 30 molecules (for CCSD(T)) and up to 100 molecules (for MP2).
Near-isothermal furnace for in situ and real time X-ray radiography solidification experiments
Authors: Becker M. , Dreißigacker C. , Klein S. , Kargl F.
Published: June 2015

In this paper, we present a newly developed near-isothermal X-ray transparent furnace for in situ imaging of solidification processes in thin metallic samples. We show that the furnace is ideally suited to study equiaxed microstructure evolution and grain interaction. To observe the growth dynamics of equiaxed dendritic structures, a minimal temperature gradient across the sample is required. A uniform thermal profile inside a circular sample is achieved by positioning the sample in the center of a cylindrical furnace body surrounded by a circular heater arrangement. Performance tests with the hypo-eutectic Al-15wt.%Cu and the near-eutectic Al-33wt.%Cu alloys validate the near-isothermal character of the sample environment. Controlled cooling rates of less than 0.5 K min−1 up to 10 K min−1 can be achieved in a temperature range of 720 K–1220 K. Integrated in our rotatable laboratory X-ray facility, X-RISE, the furnace provides a large field of view of 10.5 mm in diameter and a high spatial resolution of ∼4 μm. With the here presented furnace, equiaxed dendrite growth models can be rigorously tested against experiments on metal alloys by, e.g., enabling dendrite growth velocities to be determined as a function of undercooling or solutal fields in front of the growing dendrite to be measured.
Electrophoretic mobility of semi-flexible double-stranded DNA in defect-controlled polymer networks: Mechanism investigation and role of structural parameters
Authors: Khairulina Kateryna , Li Xiang , Nishi Kengo , Shibayama Mitsuhiro , Chung Ung-il , Sakai Takamasa
Published: June 2015

Our previous studies have reported an empirical model, which explains the electrophoretic mobility (μ) of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as a combination of a basic migration term (Rouse-like or reptation) and entropy loss term in polymer gels with ideal network structure. However, this case is of exception, considering a large amount of heterogeneity in the conventional polymer gels. In this study, we systematically tune the heterogeneity in the polymer gels and study the migration of dsDNA in these gels. Our experimental data well agree with the model found for ideal networks. The basic migration mechanism (Rouse-like or reptation) persists perfectly in the conventional heterogeneous polymer gel system, while the entropy loss term continuously changes with increase in the heterogeneity. Furthermore, we found that in the limit where dsDNA is shorter than dsDNA persistence length, the entropy loss term may be related to the collisional motions between DNA fragments and the cross-links.
Rarefied flow expansion in linear aerospikes
Authors: Giovannini Andrea Z. , Abhari Reza S.
Published: June 2015

The formation of the kinetic boundary layer (KBL) on diverging surfaces is studied experimentally and computationally. The diverging surfaces are chosen to follow profiles commonly used for linear aerospikes, in order to study the KBL formation in an ideal and two-dimensional flow expansion bounded only on one side. Experiments with different operating conditions at low Re number (from 132 to 2826) and in the transition regime (Kn number from 6.4 to 0.42) are used to evaluate the thickness of the KBL. The ambient pressure, the ratio between the stagnation and surface temperature, the roughness and the shape of the surface are parametrically varied maintaining the same pressure ratio between the total and the ambient pressures. Simulations are validated and used to study the influence of gas-surface interaction on formation of the KBL and to quantify the non-equilibrium state of the flow field. It is shown that the topography of the surface does not influence the growth of the KBL, but the flow can be tailored by modifying the shape of the surface. Using the experimental and computational data, a phenomenological model is developed to predict growth of the KBL. The thickness of the KBL is proportional to the length along the surface and to the mean free path. Furthermore, the ratio between the mean free path on the surface and the thickness of the KBL is found to be an invariant for the diverging surfaces modified through linear corrections. In the aerospike system, the KBL reduces the thrust by 35% and the proposed corrected geometry increases the real thrust by 20%.
Modeling direct band-to-band tunneling: From bulk to quantum-confined semiconductor devices
Authors: Carrillo-Nuñez H. , Ziegler A. , Luisier M. , Schenk A.
Published: June 2015

A rigorous framework to study direct band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) in homo- and hetero-junction semiconductor nanodevices is introduced. An interaction Hamiltonian coupling conduction and valence bands (CVBs) is derived using a multiband envelope method. A general form of the BTBT probability is then obtained from the linear response to the “CVBs interaction” that drives the system out of equilibrium. Simple expressions in terms of the one-electron spectral function are developed to compute the BTBT current in two- and three-dimensional semiconductor structures. Additionally, a two-band envelope equation based on the Flietner model of imaginary dispersion is proposed for the same purpose. In order to characterize their accuracy and differences, both approaches are compared with full-band, atomistic quantum transport simulations of Ge, InAs, and InAs-Si Esaki diodes. As another numerical application, the BTBT current in InAs-Si nanowire tunnel field-effect transistors is computed. It is found that both approaches agree with high accuracy. The first one is considerably easier to conceive and could be implemented straightforwardly in existing quantum transport tools based on the effective mass approximation to account for BTBT in nanodevices.
Excitation energies from frozen-density embedding with accurate embedding potentials
Authors: Artiukhin Denis G. , Jacob Christoph R. , Neugebauer Johannes
Published: June 2015

We present calculations of excitation energies within the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) extension of frozen-density embedding (FDE) using reconstructed accurate embedding potentials. Previous applications of FDE showed significant deviations from supermolecular calculations; our current approach eliminates one potential error source and yields excitation energies of generally much better agreement with Kohn–Sham-TDDFT. Our results demonstrate that the embedding potentials represent the main error source in FDE-TDDFT calculations using standard approximate kinetic-energy functionals for excitations localized within one subsystem.
Interaction and dynamics of ionic liquids based on choline and amino acid anions
Authors: Campetella M. , Bodo E. , Caminiti R. , Martino A. , D’Apuzzo F. , Lupi S. , Gontrani L.
Published: June 2015

The combination of amino acid anions with the choline cation gives origin to a new and potentially important class of organic ionic liquids that might represent a viable and bio-compatible alternative with respect to the traditional ones. We present here a detailed study of the bulk phase of the prototype system composed of the simplest amino acid (alanine) anion and the choline cation, based on ab initio and classical molecular dynamics. Theoretical findings have been validated by comparing with accurate experimental X-ray diffraction data and infrared spectra. We find that hydrogen bonding (HB) features in these systems are crucial in establishing their local geometric structure. We have also found that these HBs once formed are persistent and that the proton resides exclusively on the choline cation. In addition, we show that a classical force field description for this particular ionic liquid can be accurately performed by using a slightly modified version of the generalized AMBER force field.
Dibenzothiophene adsorption at boron doped carbon nanoribbons studied within density functional theory
Authors: López-Albarrán P. , Navarro-Santos P. , Garcia-Ramirez M. A. , Ricardo-Chávez J. L.
Published: June 2015

The adsorption of dibenzothiophene (DBT) on bare and boron-doped armchair carbon nanoribbons (ACNRs) is being investigated in the framework of the density functional theory by implementing periodic boundary conditions that include corrections from dispersion interactions. The reactivity of the ACNRs is characterized by using the Fukui functions as well as the electrostatic potential as local descriptors. Non-covalent adsorption mechanism is found when using the local Perdew-Becke-Ernzerhof functional, regardless of the DBT orientation and adsorption location. The dispersion interactions addition is a milestone to describe the adsorption process. The charge defects introduced in small number (i.e., by doping with B atoms), within the ACNRs increases the selectivity towards sulfur mainly due to the charge depletion at B sites. The DBT magnitude in the adsorption energy shows non-covalent interactions. As a consequence, the configurations where the DBT is adsorbed on a BC3 island increase the adsorption energy compared to random B arrangements. The stability of these configurations can be explained satisfactorily in terms of dipole interactions. Nevertheless, from the charge-density difference analysis and the weak Bader charge-distribution interactions cannot be ruled out completely. This is why the electronic properties of the ribbons are analyzed in order to elucidate the key role played by the B and DBT states in the adsorbed configurations.
Microfluidic chip system for the selection and enrichment of cell binding aptamers
Authors: Stoll Heidi , Kiessling Heiko , Stelzle Martin , Wendel Hans Peter , Schütte Julia , Hagmeyer Britta , Avci-Adali Meltem
Published: June 2015

Aptamers are promising cell targeting ligands for several applications such as for the diagnosis, therapy, and drug delivery. Especially, in the field of regenerative medicine, stem cell specific aptamers have an enormous potential. Using the combinatorial chemistry process SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment), aptamers are selected from a huge oligonucleotide library consisting of approximately 1015 different oligonucleotides. Here, we developed a microfluidic chip system that can be used for the selection of cell specific aptamers. The major drawbacks of common cell-SELEX methods are the inefficient elimination of the unspecifically bound oligonucleotides from the cell surface and the unspecific binding/uptake of oligonucleotides by dead cells. To overcome these obstacles, a microfluidic device, which enables the simultaneous performance of dielectrophoresis and electrophoresis in the same device, was designed. Using this system, viable cells can be selectively assembled by dielectrophoresis between the electrodes and then incubated with the oligonucleotides. To reduce the rate of unspecifically bound sequences, electrophoretic fields can be applied in order to draw loosely bound oligonucleotides away from the cells. Furthermore, by increasing the flow rate in the chip during the iterative rounds of SELEX, the selection pressure can be improved and aptamers with higher affinities and specificities can be obtained. This new microfluidic device has a tremendous capability to improve the cell-SELEX procedure and to select highly specific aptamers.
Inhomogeneity in breakup of suspensions
Authors: Zhao Hui , Liu Hai-Feng , Xu Jian-Liang , Li Wei-Feng , Lin Kuang-Fei
Published: June 2015

During pinch-off of a non-Brownian suspension or a slurry, the particle concentration in the pinch-off zone is found to decrease as its minimal diameter decreases, resulting in a pure liquid interstitial fluid. Snapshot images feature three successive stages during suspension pinch-off, referred to as suspension, transition, and liquid stages. We focus on the characteristics of the final liquid stage. Particles are jammed above and below the pinch-off zone when the minimal diameter of the thread created in pinch-off approaches the particle size. The volume of pure liquid is found to be proportional to the particle size and increases with decreasing particle concentration. The particle size and concentration also influence strongly the length of the thread in the liquid stage, the properties of which are quantified and analyzed.
Spontaneous formation of complex structures made from elastic membranes in an aluminum-hydroxide-carbonate system
Authors: Kiehl Micah , Kaminker Vitaliy , Pantaleone James , Nowak Piotr , Dyonizy Agnieszka , Maselko Jerzy
Published: June 2015

A popular playground for studying chemo-hydrodynamic patterns and instabilities is chemical gardens, also known as silicate gardens. In these systems, complex structures spontaneously form, driven by buoyant forces and either osmotic or mechanical pumps. Here, we report on systems that differ somewhat from classical chemical gardens in that the membranes are much more deformable and soluble. These properties lead to structures that self-construct and evolve in new ways. For example, they exhibit the formation of chemical balloons, a new growth mechanism for tubes, and also the homologous shrinking of these tubes. The stretching mechanism for the membranes is probably different than for other systems by involving membrane “self-healing.” Other unusual properties are osmosis that sometimes occurs out of the structure and also small plumes that flow away from the structure, sometimes upwards, and sometimes downwards. Mathematical models are given that explain some of the observed phenomena.
Optomechanical transduction and characterization of a silica microsphere pendulum via evanescent light
Authors: Madugani Ramgopal , Yang Yong , Ward Jonathan M. , Le Vu H. , Nic Chormaic Síle
Published: June 2015

Dissipative optomechanics has some advantages in cooling compared to the conventional dispersion dominated systems. Here, we study the optical response of a cantilever-like, silica, microsphere pendulum, evanescently coupled to a fiber taper. In a whispering gallery mode resonator, the cavity mode and motion of the pendulum result in both dispersive and dissipative optomechanical interactions. This unique mechanism leads to an experimentally observable, asymmetric response function of the transduction spectrum, which can be explained using coupled-mode theory. The optomechanical transduction and its relationship to the external coupling gap are investigated, and we show that the experimental behavior is in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. A deep understanding of this mechanism is necessary to explore trapping and cooling in dissipative optomechanical systems.
Two surface plasmon decay of plasma oscillations
Authors: Kluge T. , Metzkes J. , Zeil K. , Bussmann M. , Schramm U. , Cowan T. E.
Published: June 2015

The interaction of ultra-intense lasers with solid foils can be used to accelerate ions to high energies well exceeding 60 MeV [Gaillard et al., Phys. Plasmas 18, 056710 (2011)]. The non-linear relativistic motion of electrons in the intense laser radiation leads to their acceleration and later to the acceleration of ions. Ions can be accelerated from the front surface, the foil interior region, and the foil rear surface (target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA), most widely used), or the foil may be accelerated as a whole if sufficiently thin (radiation pressure acceleration). Here, we focus on the most widely used mechanism for laser ion-acceleration of TNSA. Starting from perfectly flat foils, we show by simulations how electron filamentation at or inside the solid leads to spatial modulations in the ions. The exact dynamics depend very sensitively on the chosen initial parameters which has a tremendous effect on electron dynamics. In the case of step-like density gradients, we find evidence that suggests a two-surface-plasmon decay of plasma oscillations triggering a Raileigh-Taylor-like instability.
Timing of x-ray burst from X-pinch
Authors: Zhao Shen , Zhang Ran , Zhu Xinlei , Zou Xiaobing , Wang Xinxin
Published: June 2015

The x-ray burst timings of X-pinches, TXB, made using eight different wires for different current were measured. The results showed that a higher current makes a shorter TXB for a given X-pinch wire. In other words, TXB scales linearly with the line mass density for a given current. Based on the snow-plow model for Z-pinch plasma, it was derived that for a given X-pinch wire the integral of the current over time from zero to TXB is constant, i.e., ∫0TXBi(t)⋅dt=const.. This theoretically derived relation was confirmed by our experiments.
Dependence of the inverse magnetocaloric effect on the field-change rate in Mn3GaC and its relationship to the kinetics of the phase transition
Authors: Scheibel F. , Gottschall T. , Skokov K. , Gutfleisch O. , Ghorbani-Zavareh M. , Skourski Y. , Wosnitza J. , Çakır Ö. , Farle M. , Acet M.
Published: June 2015

We study the dependence of the magnetocaloric effect on the magnetic field-change-rate the first order magnetostructural transition in Mn3GaC by measuring the adiabatic temperature change ΔT at three different time scales: 11 mT s−1, 700 mT s−1, and ∼1000 T s−1. We find that the maximum adiabatic temperature-change of about 5 K is reached in the 11 mT s−1 and 700 mT s−1 rates, whereas for the ∼1000 T s−1-rate the transition lags the change in the magnetic field so that the maximum adiabatic temperature-change is not attained.
Dispersionless propagation of electron wavepackets in single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Rosati Roberto , Dolcini Fabrizio , Rossi Fausto
Published: June 2015

We investigate the propagation of electron wavepackets in single-walled carbon nanotubes via a Lindblad-based density-matrix approach that enables us to account for both dissipation and decoherence effects induced by various phonon modes. We show that, while in semiconducting nanotubes the wavepacket experiences the typical dispersion of conventional materials, in metallic nanotubes its shape remains essentially unaltered, even in the presence of the electron-phonon coupling, up to micron distances at room temperature.
All fiber-coupled, long-term stable timing distribution for free-electron lasers with few-femtosecond jitter
Authors: Şafak K. , Xin M. , Callahan P. T. , Peng M. Y. , Kärtner F. X.
Published: June 2015

We report recent progress made in a complete fiber-optic, high-precision, long-term stable timing distribution system for synchronization of next generation X-ray free-electron lasers. Timing jitter characterization of the master laser shows less than 170-as RMS integrated jitter for frequencies above 10 kHz, limited by the detection noise floor. Timing stabilization of a 3.5-km polarization-maintaining fiber link is successfully achieved with an RMS drift of 3.3 fs over 200 h of operation using all fiber-coupled elements. This all fiber-optic implementation will greatly reduce the complexity of optical alignment in timing distribution systems and improve the overall mechanical and timing stability of the system.
Soil carbon sequestration in cool-temperate dryland pastures: mechanisms and management options
Authors: Eyles Alieta , Coghlan Garth , Hardie Marcus , Hovenden Mark , Bridle Kerry
Published: June 2015

Permanent pastures, which include sown, native and naturalised pastures, account for 4.3 Mha (56%) of the national land use in Australia. Given their extent, pastures are of great interest with respect to their potential to influence national carbon (C) budgets and CO2 mitigation. Increasing soil organic C (SOC) mitigates greenhouse gases while providing other benefits such as pasture productivity, soil health and ecosystem services. Several management approaches have been recommended to increase C sequestration in pasture-based systems; however, results have proved variable and often contradictory between sites and years. Here, we present an overview of the processes and mechanisms responsible for C sequestration in permanent pastures. In addition, we discuss the merits of traditional and emerging pasture-management practices for increasing SOC in pastures, with a focus on dryland pasture systems of south-eastern Australia. We conclude by summarising the knowledge gaps and research priorities for soil C-sequestration research in dryland pastures. Our review confirms that soils under a range of pasture types have considerable potential for sequestration of atmospheric CO2 in Australia, and that the magnitude of this potential can be greatly modified by pasture-management practices. Although the shortage of long-term studies under Australian conditions limits our ability to predict the potential of various management approaches to sequester soil C, our review indicates that prevention of erosion through maintenance of groundcover and adoption of options that promote deep C sequestration are likely to confer broad-scale maintenance or increases in SOC in pasture soils over a decade or longer. We acknowledge that the evidence is limited; therefore, confidence in the recommended practices in different locations and climates is largely unknown.
Modelling static fire hazard in a semi-arid region using frequency analysis
Authors: Adab Hamed , Kanniah Kasturi Devi , Solaimani Karim , Sallehuddin Roselina
Published: June 2015

Various fire hazard rating systems have been used by many countries at strategic and tactical levels for fire prevention and fire safety programs. Assigning subjective weight to parameters that cause fire hazard has been widely used to model wildland fire hazard. However, these methods are sensitive to experts’ judgements because they are independent of any statistical approaches. Therefore, in the present study, we propose a wildland fire hazard method based on frequency analysis (i.e. a probability distribution model) to identify the locations of fire hazard in north-eastern Iran, which has frequent fire. The proposed methodology uses factors that do not change or change very slowly over time to identify static fire hazard areas, such as vegetation moisture, slope, aspect, elevation, distance from roads and proximity to settlements, as essential parameters. Several probability distributions are assigned to each factor to show the possibility of fire using non-linear regressions. The results show that approximately 86% of MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) hot spot data are located truly in the high fire hazard areas as identified in the present study and the most significant contributing factor to fire in Golestan Province, Iran, is elevation. The present study also reveals that approximately 14% of the total study area (~20 368 km2) has a fire hazard of 66%, which can be considered very high. Therefore, this area – located mostly in the central, west and north-east regions of Golestan Province – should be considered for an effective conservation strategy of wildland fire.
Driving factors of fire density can spatially vary at the local scale in south-eastern France
Authors: Ganteaume Anne , Long-Fournel Marlène
Published: June 2015

South-eastern France is the most wildfire-prone region of the country. To identify the main driving factors in fire density (defined as the number of fires per hectare) at the local scale (clusters of communities that are homogeneous in terms of land cover, climate and wildland–urban interface (WUI)) and to assess their spatial variation at this scale, fire density was investigated in the département Bouches du Rhône using geo-referenced fire ignitions. To assess relationships between fire density and explanatory factors, statistical analyses and spatial evaluation were performed on each cluster taking into account climatic conditions, topography, land cover, WUI (defined as a buffer of 100 m around housing located less than 200 m from natural vegetation), minor road and population densities, with fire density as the dependent variable. High fire density was mainly related to high proportion of WUI in the study area. The proportion of natural vegetation and steep slope were also among the most important drivers of fire density. Depending on the cluster, some biophysical factors can in turn enhance or mitigate fire density but coolest and wettest climate conditions related to highest elevations as well as low housing density always mitigated fire density. This work showed that, at the local scale, the identification of factors driving fire density could improve fire prevention because this would enable the factors to be better targeted.
Embracing cultural similarities and bridging differences in supportive communication
Authors: Feng Hairong
Published: June 2015

This paper critically reviews cultural similarities and differences between European Americans and Asians or Asian Americans found in contemporary supportive communication research. In addition to research primarily examining and reporting cultural differences of social support between European Americans and Asians or Asian Americans, recent research in culture and social support has been focusing on examining both cultural similarities and differences. Broad similarities across cultures have been found regarding evaluations of support provision goals, messages, behaviors, ratings of support provision beliefs, attitudes, and intentions, likelihood of seeking support and so forth. These findings therefore provide us an alternative lens to examine supportive communication across cultures: rather than highlighting cultural differences, we instead want to attend to both cultural similarities and differences. Theoretically, this transition allows us to have a comprehensive understanding about support processes across cultures. Practically, this change of focus provides bridging opportunities and helps enhance understanding between European Americans and Asians or Asian Americans during supportive interactions.
“Let the ‘like’ one in”
Authors: Holt Richard
Published: June 2015

This article addresses an ongoing and persistent problem of imbalance between similarity and difference in cultural description by proposing a way to simultaneously explore both similarity and difference, relying on the principles of Russian literary and cultural critic Mikhail Bakhtin. Five principles, employed as sensitizing concepts, are described as portals to allow consideration of cultural similarity into linguistic descriptions of culture:specificity;ownership;tension;open and closed perception; anduncompletedness. These portals are applied to various forms of cultural description to be found in East Asia, including transnational political depictions; cyberactivist protest; and touristic literature. It is concluded that the Bakhtinian ideas offer a convenient and useful means to bring together similarity and difference, with the result that each quality enhances the other.
Proverb commonalities in different languages and its application to Asian Pacific communication
Authors: Manakin Vladimir
Published: June 2015

This article surveys the idea of commonalities in cross-cultural communication through examining potential semantic universals in languages, particularly in their proverbs — the smallest verbal folklore genre that vividly reflects the mentality and culture of any nation. At the proverb level, it is possible to identify, (1) basic cognitive universal mechanisms that lead to the creativity of metaphorical thinking; (2) principles of verbalization of common human values in different languages; and (3) statements of affability, translatability, and as a result, mutual understanding between nations. At the global level, diverse human languages and cultures exist and are interconnected in a dialectical unity reflecting both its universal/common and specific features. Based on the idea of Noosphere, i.e., the latent planetary source of any kind of intellectual and spiritual information, this metaphysical perspective enables us to identify human universality in all its forms.
Sociocultural traits and language attitudes of Chinese Foochow and Hokkien in Malaysia
Authors: Ting Su-Hie , Puah Yann-yann
Published: June 2015

This study examined the effect of age, gender and socio-economic status on attitudes of Malaysians of Chinese descent towards their Chinese dialect and Mandarin, the standard Chinese language. A survey of 300 Chinese (150 Foochow and 150 Hokkien) living in Kuching, Sarawak was conducted. Their Chinese dialect is valued as an ethnic marker but does not derive its importance from numerical dominance or status of ingroup members. The Foochow and Hokkien participants are significantly different in their attitudes on the importance of their Chinese dialect and Mandarin, and their pride in using these languages but are similar in doubting the instrumental value of their Chinese dialect and Mandarin, feeling embarrassed for not speaking the Chinese languages, and valuing their Chinese dialect as an ethnic marker. Factor analyses identified four and six factors which explained 75.85% and 77.32% of the variance for the Foochow and Hokkien participants’ attitudes respectively. The Foochow participants have more homogenous language attitudes than the Hokkien participants. Gender did not have a significant main effect on the language attitudes of both groups but age significantly influenced the Hokkien participants’ attitudes. Socio-economic status has significant main and interaction effects on attitudes of both the Foochow and Hokkien participants.
Power redistribution of languages in Hong Kong under a new national flag
Authors: Lai Mee Ling
Published: June 2015

Four years after the sovereignty of Hong Kong was returned from Britain to China, a Matched-guised Test (MGT) was conducted to examine the subjective reactions of students to speakers of the three major spoken languages used in the city (i.e. Cantonese, English and Putonghua). Respondents were the first cohort of students under the mandatory mother tongue education policy, which was implemented one year after the political handover. Eight years after, when further socio-economic changes had taken place in Hong Kong, the MGT was administered again to find out the attitudes of the younger generation towards the three languages. Although English and Cantonese distinctly excelled in different domains in the first test, the second MGT shows signs of power redistribution among the languages. This paper is to report a comparison between the two tests and thereby uncover the directions of language shift in Hong Kong.
Differential Subject Marking in Nepali imperfective constructions
Authors: Verbeke Saartje , De Cuypere Ludovic
Published: June 2015

We investigate Differential Subject Marking in Nepali imperfective constructions. No previous accounts were satisfying in explaining under what conditions the ergative marker is preferably used. Building on a probabilistic approach to syntactic variability, we conducted statistical analyses on the basis of corpus data, which compared and evaluated the influence of the predictor variables on the ergative marking. We found evidence for the influence of four factors: Animacy, Pronominality, Honorificity, and Tense/Aspect. Animacy appeared to yield the strongest effect. We argue that these factors can be classified into two classes pertaining to two functions of the ergative marker: emphasis of the agent role combined with disambiguation of the patient and the relation of ergativity with verb semantics.
Evidentiality in interaction
Authors: Ahn Mikyung , Yap Foong Ha
Published: June 2015

This paper examines how hearsay evidential markers in Korean are used within the pragmatic domain to serve a wide range of epistemic and politeness functions. In particular, we focus on a new paradigm of hearsay evidential markers — more specifically, the V-ta ha-X > V-ta-X type, among them-tako,-tamye,-tamyense,-tanun, and-tanta(see Ahn & Yap 2014) — and using data from theSejongContemporary Spoken Corpus, we examine the extended uses of these hearsay evidential markers in natural conversations, and show how these ‘say’-derived evidential markers contribute to the expression of different shades of speaker stance. Special attention is also given to their distinctive roles in modulating the strength — as well as pragmatic nuance — of an epistemic claim. This study also examines the role of main-clause ellipsis, in particular its contribution to the reanalysis of the (quoted) complement clause as a stand-alone ‘new main clause’, and the concomitant reinterpretation of the erstwhileha‘say’ complement-taking matrix clause as a sentence final particle that often retains an evidential reading but also captures the pragmatic nuance of its discourse context. The findings of this study contribute to a fuller understanding of how ‘say’-derived evidential constructions in Korean (and potentially also in other languages) extend their semantic scope to develop into markers of speakers’ subjective and intersubjective/interpersonal stance.
Body, mind, and spirit
Authors: Aikhenvald Alexandra Y.
Published: June 2015

In many languages, terms denoting the human body and its parts constitute a closed subclass of nouns with special grammatical properties. Many if not all parts of the human body may acquire dimensions of meanings with ethnographic importance. I focus on a tri-partite division of visible and invisible parts of a human and their attributes in Manambu, a Ndu language spoken in the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. The trichotomy of ‘body’ (səp), ‘mind’ (mawul) and ‘spirit’ (kayik) in Manambu reflects a culturally embedded conceptualization of what a human is. Each of the three taxonomic units has specific grammatical properties. The physical and mental profile of a human being in Manambu (as in many other languages) cannot be appreciated without understanding the grammar. Conversely, a structural analysis of a language is incomplete unless it makes reference to the system of belief and concepts encoded in it.
Why is there a Present-Day English absolute?
Authors: van de Pol Nikki , Petré Peter
Published: June 2015

This paper examines the divergent evolutions of the Absolute Construction (AC) in the history of the Germanic languages, with a focus on English and Dutch, and provides an explanation of why only the English AC retained its frequency and productivity rate. Three language-internal factors are appealed to in order to account for this divergence: (i) increased with-augmentation of ACs results in fuzzy boundaries with the more frequently used gerunds as well as (regular) prepositional postmodifying constructions; (ii) the overall higher frequency in English of constructions with -ing-forms (gerunds, free adjuncts, and progressives) invites structural priming; and (iii) a possible typological shift of English from strictly bounded construal to a mixture of bounded and unbounded construal. An additional language-external factor is found in different prescriptivist traditions. English never really opposed the use of ACs whereas prescriptivism in other Germanic languages emphatically did.
Shortnose Sturgeon in the Gulf of Maine: Use of Spawning Habitat in the Kennebec System and Response to Dam Removal
Authors: Wippelhauser Gail S. , Zydlewski Gayle B. , Kieffer Micah , Sulikowski James , Kinnison Michael T.
Published: June 2015

Evidence has become available in this century indicating that populations of the endangered Shortnose Sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum migrate outside their natal river systems, but the full extent and functional basis of these migrations are not well understood. Between 2007 and 2013, 40 Shortnose Sturgeon captured and tagged in four Gulf of Maine river systems migrated long distances in coastal waters to reach the Kennebec System where their movements were logged by an acoustic receiver array. Twenty‐one (20%) of 104 Shortnose Sturgeon tagged in the Penobscot River, two (50%) of four tagged in the Kennebec System, one (50%) of two tagged in the Saco River, and 16 (37%) of 43 tagged in the Merrimack River moved to a previously identified spawning site or historical spawning habitat in the Kennebec System in spring. Most (65%) moved in early spring from the tagging location directly to a spawning site in the Kennebec System, whereas the rest moved primarily in the fall from the tagging location to a wintering site in that system and moved to a spawning site the following spring. Spawning was inferred from the location, behavior, and sexual status of the fish and from season, water temperature, and discharge, and was confirmed by the capture of larvae in some years. Tagged fish went to a known spawning area in the upper Kennebec Estuary (16 events) or the Androscoggin Estuary (14 events), an historical spawning habitat in the restored Kennebec River (8 events), or two spawning areas in a single year (7 events). We have provided the first evidence indicating that Shortnose Sturgeon spawn in the restored Kennebec River in an historical habitat that became accessible in 1999 when Edwards Dam was removed, 162 years after it was constructed. These results highlight the importance of the Kennebec System to Shortnose Sturgeon throughout the Gulf of Maine.