Measurement of the relative strain ratios normal to the crystal planes in Cu thin films using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction

The relative strain normal to the crystal planes in Cu thin films has been experimentally measured using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. This was performed by measuring the ratio of the strain exerted in the same specific (hkl) crystal plane parallel and perpendicular to the film surface. The strain ratios of the (1?1?1), (2?0?0), (2?2?0) and (3?0?0) planes were found to be –0.804, –1.324, –1.003, and –1.369, respectively. These values are within experimental error of those calculated theoretically under the assumptions of plane stress conditions.     

Heterophase polydomain structure and metal-semiconductor phase transition in vanadium dioxide thin films deposited on (1010) sapphire

Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) thin films deposited on ₍1010₎ sapphire are composed of two mixed monoclinic phases, namely M1 and M2. The M1 phase is unstable because of the existence of a larger misfit strain in the ₍102₎ VO₂ film. The reduction of misfit strain in the film favours the formation of the M2 phase. The X-ray diffraction and pole figure results show that both M1 and M2 phases are well aligned with the substrate and both contain twinned structures. Therefore, the microstructure of the film can be regarded as being a transversely modulated heterophase polydomain. A higher electrical resistivity ratio of the semiconductor phase to the metallic phase (rho_s/rho_m) can be achieved only in single-phase VO₂ thin films, either the M2 or M1 phase. Phase mixing degrades the ratio of rho_s/rho_m. The film with a single M2 phase exhibits a lower transition temperature of 58 C without any degradation of the rho_s/rho_m ratio.     

Atomistic calculation of the interaction between an edge dislocation and a free surface

By using molecular statics, we compute the variation in the excess energy associated with the gradual approach of an edge dislocation towards the free surface of a crystal. The calculations rely on a phenomenological potential adapted to aluminium and an appropriate constraint procedure that allows investigations of both the extended and the perfect configurations of the dislocation core. Thereby, an estimation of the energy required for the introduction of a dislocation in a thin film is obtained.     

No Relationship Between Joint Position Sense and Force Sense at the Shoulder

In practice, a single test is used to quantify an individual's proprioception. Previous studies have not found a correlation between joint position sense (JPS) and force sense (FS), which are submodalities of proprioception. The purpose of the present study is to determine if root mean square (RMS) error in JPS and FS are related at the shoulder, controlling for external load and elevation angle. Active shoulder angle and force reproduction protocols were performed. No correlation was found between JPS and FS (r = –.019, p = .941) nor were any individual angle and load combinations significant. The main effect for angle in JPS was significant (p < .001). Follow-up contrast demonstrated a significant (p < .001) decrease in RMS error with increased elevation. A significant load by angle interaction was found for FS (p = .014). Follow-up simple effects tests by angle demonstrated RMS error decreased with load at 50° and 70° but not at 90°. By load, RMS error only decreased for 120% between 50° and 90°. JPS and FS demonstrate different behavior with load and angle. This differing behavior is more likely responsible for the lack of correlation than angle and load differences in JPS and FS protocols.     

The Numinosum and the brain: The weaving thread of consciousness

The world bangs on a thin thread and that is the psyche of man —C. G.Jung, A Matter of Heart (the film)     

Cross-modal correlation of dichotic and tachistoscopic language laterality tasks: the importance of familial sinistrality

Previous studies have found little if any correlation between dichotic and tachistoscopic language laterality task performance asymmetries. Problems with these studies have been that quite dissimilar auditory and visual tasks have often been used, and the reliability of the asymmetry measures has generally been unknown or, when known, relatively poor. We assessed the cross-modal correlation for two tasks, the Bilateral Object Naming Latency Task (BONLT) and the Dichotic Object Naming Latency Task (DONLT). These tasks are highly similar and have demonstrated high reliabilities. A significant, though rather small, cross-modal correlation was found (r = +.28). When cross-modal correlations were computed for FS- and FS+ subjects separately, no correlation was found for FS+ subjects (r = +.02), but the correlation for FS- subjects was highly significant (r = +.54, p less than .004). This led us to reexamine some previously collected data (P.L. Van Eys and W. F. McKeever, 1988, Brain and Cognition, 4, 413-429) which had administered two highly reliable language laterality tasks (the BONLT and the Dichotic Consonant Vowel Task), but had not assessed cross-modal correlation. A significant cross-modal correlation was found for FS- but not for FS+ subjects. The results are consistent with the hypothesis of H. Hecaen, M. De Agnostini, and A. Monzon-Montes (1981, Brain and Language, 12, 261-284) which suggests that one effect of FS+ is to induce a greater heterogeneity of localizations of different language processes.     

Modelling of dissolution kinetics of thin amorphous chalcogenide films

A theoretical relationship for the dissolution kinetics of thin chalcogenide films is proposed. The influence of light irradiation on the film dissolution is taken into account. The theoretical curves are in good agreement with the experimental dissolution results obtained for As₂S₃ thin amorphous films.     

Leg stiffness: Comparison between unilateral and bilateral hopping tasks

Leg stiffness is a predictor of athletic performance and injury and typically evaluated during bilateral hopping. The contribution of each limb to bilateral leg stiffness, however, is not well understood. This study investigated leg stiffness during unilateral and bilateral hopping to address the following research questions: (1) does the magnitude and variability of leg stiffness differ between dominant and non-dominant legs? (2) Does unilateral leg stiffness differ from bilateral leg stiffness? and (3) Is bilateral leg stiffness determined by unilateral leg stiffness? Thirty-two physically active males performed repeated hopping tests on a force platform for each of the three conditions: bilateral hopping, unilateral hopping on the dominant leg, and unilateral hopping on the non-dominant leg. Leg stiffness was estimated as the ratio of the peak vertical force and the maximum displacement using a simple 1-D mass-spring model. Neither the magnitude nor variability of leg stiffness differed between dominant and non-dominant limbs. Unilateral leg stiffness was 24% lower than bilateral stiffness and showed less variability between consecutive hops and subjects. Unilateral leg stiffness explained 76% of the variance in bilateral leg stiffness. We conclude that leg stiffness estimates during unilateral hopping are preferable for intervention studies because of their low variability.     

A piezoelectric gyroscope based on thickness-shear modes of an AlN bimorph with inclined c-axes

We propose a new structure for piezoelectric gyroscope application. It consists of a two-layered plate of AlN with inclined c-axes. Through a theoretical analysis, it is shown that when the plate is electrically driven into thickness-shear (TSh) vibration in one direction and is rotating about the plate normal, the rotation causes a TSh vibration in a perpendicular direction with an electrical output which can be used to measure the angular rate of the rotation. Since AlN can be made into thin film devices much smaller than conventional crystal acoustic wave devices, the proposed gyroscope can be made much smaller than existing piezoelectric gyroscopes. The structure can also work with other crystals of class 6mm such as ZnO and polarized ceramics.     

A comparison of computational driver models using naturalistic and test-track data from cyclist-overtaking manoeuvres

The improvement of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and their safety assessment rely on the understanding of scenario-dependent driving behaviours, such as steering to avoid collisions.This study compares driver models that predict when a driver starts steering away to overtake a cyclist on rural roads. The comparison is among four models: a threshold model, an accumulator model, and two models inspired by a proportional-integral and proportional-integral-derivative controller. These models were tested and cross-applied using two different datasets: one from a naturalistic driving (ND) study and one from a test-track (TT) experiment. Two perceptual variables, expansion rate (the horizontal angular expansion rate of the image of the lead road user on the driver’s retina) and inverse tau (the ratio between the image’s expansion rate and its horizontal optical size), were tested as input to the models. A linear cost function is proposed that can obtain the optimal parameters of the models by computationally efficient linear programming.The results show that the models based on inverse tau fitted the data better than the models that included expansion rate. In general, the models fitted the ND data reasonably well, but not as well the TT data. For the ND data, the models including an accumulative component outperformed the threshold model. For the TT data, due to the poorer fit of the models, more analysis is required to determine the merit of the models. The models fitted to TT data captured the overall pattern of steering onsets in the ND data rather well, but with a persistent bias, probably due to the drivers employing a more cautious strategy in TT.The models compared in this paper may support the virtual safety assessment of ADAS so that driver behaviour may be considered in the design and evaluation of new safety systems.     

The effect of familial sinistrality on the relation between schizophrenialike thinking and pseudoneglect

We have recently reported a correlation between schizophrenialike symptoms and the degree of pseudoneglect in healthy right-handers. We aimed to investigate the effect of familial sinistrality (FS) on this relation. Seventy-six healthy right-handers were divided into four groups on the basis of gender and FS. A computerized version of Corsi's task was used as the visuospatial task. Subjects filled in the Magical Ideation Scale (MI), which asked for delusionlike beliefs, and performed the Corsi's task using each hand. Performance of both hemispaces was separately evaluated. In all groups, performance of the left hemispace was better than that of the right hemispace and FS+ subjects performed better than FS- subjects. When the right hand was used, performance was correlated to MI scores only for FS- groups. Findings suggest that the correlation between right-sided neglect and proneness to schizotypy in normal right-handers is affected by FS.     

Causality, criticality, and reading words: distinct sources of fractal scaling in behavioral sequences

The finding of fractal scaling (FS) in behavioral sequences has raised a debate on whether FS is a pervasive property of the cognitive system or is the result of specific processes. Inferences about the origins of properties in time sequences are causal. That is, as opposed to correlational inferences reflecting instantaneous symmetrical relations, causal inferences concern asymmetric relations lagged in time. Here, I integrate Granger-causality with inferences about FS. Four simulations illustrate that causal analyses can isolate distinct FS sources, whereas correlational techniques cannot. I then analyze three simultaneous sequences of responses from a database of word-naming trials. I find that two, or perhaps three, distinct sources account for the presence of FS in these sequences, but FS is not a general property of the system. This suggests that FS arises due to the properties of a limited number of identifiable psychological and/or neural processes. Finally, I reanalyze a previously published dataset of acoustic frequency spectra using the new tools. The causality/criticality combination introduced here offers a new important perspective in the study of cognition.     

Effects of fear of success, fear of failure, type of opponent, and feedback on female achievement performance

Female undergraduates (N = 240) assessed for fear of success (FS) and fear of failure (FF) competed against a male, female, or no opponent (norms) on an alpha-numeric substitution task. After completing one set of trials, subjects arbitrarily received success or failure feedback, then performed again. While there were no significant effects when subject's FS classification was based on total scores from the entire set of four cues used, performance effects were found for Horner's original cue: FS-absent females performed better against a male than a female opponent, whereas the reverse was true for the FS-present subjects. Two of the other FS cues interacted with FF: at low levels of FF, FS-absent subjects performed better than FS-present subjects; for high levels of FF, there were no differences between FS groups. A number of postperformance affect ratings were consistent with theoretical expectations that FS-present females would experience more negative effect over success in achievement contexts than would FS-absent females.     

The Effect of Family Size on Spanish Simple and Complex Words

This study presents the results of three experiments in which the Family Size (FS) effect is explored. The first experiment is carried out with no prime on simple words. The second and third experiments are carried out with morphological priming on complex words. In the first experiment a facilitatory effect of FS is observed: high FS targets produced faster responses than low FS targets. However, an inhibitory effect of Stem-FS is observed in the second experiment: low Stem-FS targets produced faster responses than high Stem-FS targets. In the third experiment a facilitatory effect is observed when the Affix-FS is manipulated: high Affix-FS targets produced faster responses than low Affix-FS targets. Overall data confirms that the effect of FS plays an important role in lexical access in Spanish. The results also show that the effect of FS is modulated by the lexical nature of the prime (lexical or sublexical) and by the number of candidates activated. Finally, it is suggested that the nonwords employed were decisive in obtaining the results mentioned.     

An investigation of immune system disorder as a "marker" for anomalous dominance

Geschwind and Galaburda (1987) proposed that immune disorder (ID) susceptibility, along with left handedness and familial sinistrality (FS), is a "marker" for anomalous dominance. The theory predicts lesser left lateralization for language processes, lessened left hemisphere abilities, and enhanced right hemisphere abilities. We assessed language laterality (dichotic consonant vowel task) and performances on spatial and verbal tasks. Subjects were 128 college students. The factors of handedness, sex, FS, and immune disorder history (negative or positive) were perfectly counterbalanced. Left-handers were significantly less lateralized for language and scored lower than right-handers on the spatial tasks. Females scored lower on mental rotation than males, but performed comparably to males on the spatial relations task. The only effect of ID was by way of interaction with FS on both spatial tasks--subjects who were either negative or positive on both FS and ID status factors scored significantly higher than subjects negative for one but positive for the other factor. A speculative explanatory model for this interaction was proposed. The model incorporates the notion that FS and ID factors are comparably correlated, but in opposite directions, with hormonal factors implicated by other research as relevant for spatial ability differences. Finally, no support for the "anomalous dominance" hypothesis predictions was found.     

Internalization of age stereotypes into the self-concept via future self-views: a general model and domain-specific differences

We investigated a pathway through which age stereotypes (AS) become internalized into the self. Domain-specific AS, as well as future self-views (FS) and current self-views (CS), were assessed in a sample of middle-aged and older adults. AS were positively related to CS and this effect was mediated via FS. These relations were stronger for older persons, indicating that the internalization process depends on a self-categorization as being old. A comparison of life domains revealed that an age-dependent internalization of AS emerged mainly for those domains in which age-related changes are expected to occur during later phases of life.     

Familial sinistrality, sex, and laterality differences in naming and Lexical Decision Latencies of right-handers

Sixty-four subjects, divided into four groups of 16 according to sex and familial sinistrality (FS), were given a lateralized Object-Naming Latency Task (ONLT) and a Lexical Decision Latency Task (LDLT). Both tasks showed RVF superiorities. On the ONLT a sex × FS × visual field interaction was obtained, with FS− females and FS+ males showing comparably smaller RVF superiorities than FS+ females and FS− males. On the LDLT an FS by Stimulus Type (word-nonword) interaction was found, FS− subjects being more RVF superior for nonword trials and FS+ subjects more RVF superior for word trials. If one compared only FS− males and females, as some studies have done, greater RVF superiorities obtained for males than females on both the ONLT and word trials of the LDLT. However, FS+ subjects showed the opposite pattern. The data support neither the simple model of FS nor sex influence on language laterality. Data aslso suggest that a history of maternal versus paternal left-handedness may affect lateralization differently in the sexes.     

Effect of grain orientation and local strain on the quality of polycrystalline YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 superconductive films

The critical current densities of superconducting thin films and their dependence on the film structural characteristics has been a major research interest for more than a decade. Controlling this relationship is crucial if large-scale high-quality YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 (YBCO) tapes are to be produced. Two major keystones of information have been established in this field. Firstly, there is a direct relationship between the critical current density and the grain-boundary angle in polycrystalline YBCO films. Grain boundaries with a mismatch angle higher than 5° usually result in reduced critical current densities. This detrimental effect of large-angle grain boundaries to the quality of YBCO films has been attributed to strain fields resulting from such grain boundaries. Secondly, the quality of the YBCO film can be enhanced by straining its lattice in specific direction. Here, we report, for the first time, direct experimental results coupling local grain orientation and local strain maps of thin YBCO films deposited on a (001) biaxially textured nickel substrate. These results were correlated to the quality of the film and showed how grain structure in the nickel substrate affects the grain structure in the YBCO films even in the presence of several buffer layers. More importantly, the data show that highquality films with high critical current densities can be produced, in spite of large-angle grain boundaries, if the film is compressed in the range of 0.5% strain normal to the a axis.     

Influence of Guinier-Preston zones on deformation in Ti-rich Ti-Ni thin films

The deformed microstructure of a Ti-48.9at.%Ni thin film has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that Guinier-Preston (GP) zones exist in the thin film and the martensite has (001) compound twins as substructure. The microstructure of the martensite shows that the GP zones do not stop both the shear deformation of martensitic transformation and the twinning shear of (001) deformation twin in the martensite phase. These results give a microstructural explanation for the previous result that Ti-rich Ti-Ni thin films with GP zones show a large transformation strain despite the presence of the GP zones.     

Reduction of feces smearing in a profoundly retarded resident through contingent behavior-specific restraint and reduced attention

A 20-year-old profoundly retarded male resident of a state institution with a 12-year history of faces smearing (FS) was treated using an A-B design employing response contingent elbow restraint and reduced-attention. The rate of FS dropped sharply after the first week of treatment and then declined steadily until stabilizing at a relatively low rate. Incidental behaviors indicated that aversive effects of the treatment procedure were both mild and behavior specific. Procedures and results are compared with other behavioral approaches to treatment of self-injurious behavior.