Temperature dependence of nucleation rate in a binary solid solution

The influence of regression (partial dissolution) effects on the temperature dependence of nucleation rate in a binary solid solution has been studied theoretically. The results of the analysis are compared with the predictions of the simplest Volmer–Weber theory. Regression effects are shown to have a strong influence on the shape of the curve of nucleation rate versus temperature. The temperature T_M at which the maximum rate of nucleation occurs is found to be lowered, particularly for low interfacial energy (coherent precipitation) and high-mobility species (e.g. interstitial atoms).     

Microstructural evolution of single-walled carbon nanotubes under electron irradiation

A sample containing single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) has been annealed at 900°C and then irradiated by high-energy electrons in an ultrahigh-vacuum transmission electron microscope. Sequential high-resolution images showed that the structures of SWCNT bundles and individual SWCNT segments first collapsed into disordered and fullerene-like carbon materials and then reorganized into graphitic particles under continuous electron irradiation. The speed of structural evolution is dependent on the flux density of the electron irradiation.     

Observation of phase separation in magnetron sputter-deposited Al–Cu thin films

The microstructures of Al–1.8 to 92.5?at.% Cu thin films prepared by radiofrequency (13.56?MHz) cathodic magnetron sputtering have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). A phase separation occurs in films of nominal Al–66.64?at.% Cu composition, consisting of a fcc Al solid solution phase, a fcc Cu solid solution phase and an unexpected sc Cu₃Al ordered phase with a Cu₃Au structure and a lattice parameter of about 0.36?nm.     

A first HREM observation of the ordered carbon sublattice in a transition-metal carbide (VC1-x)

Abstract

The microstructure of long-range-ordered vanadium carbides based on V₆C₅ has been analysed by means of high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). Lattice images have been produced by including in the objective-aperture superlattice spots associated with the ordered distribution of vacancies in the interstitial carbon sublattice of these substoichiometric compounds: ‘perfectly’ ordered structures have been imaged, and a direct discussion of the experimental micrographs is made in terms of positions of the vacancy-containing columns. This HREM study will soon be extended to theinvestigation of various kinds of planar defects within differently annealed specimens.     

Ishmael as Abraham's Sacrifice: Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Kathīr on the Intended Victim

This article examines how Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Kathīr shift the Islamic exegetical tradition towards accepting Ishmael as Abraham's intended sacrifice. Earlier exegetes, such as al-?abarī, maintained that Isaac was the intended sacrifice through a philological analysis of the qur'anic text. Contrary to expectations, Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Kathīr do not only use Prophetic reports (Hadith) to make their case but also employ biblical and philological arguments. The modern dominance of Ibn Taymiyya's qur'anic hermeneutic and the popularity of Ibn Kathīr's qur'anic exegesis have influenced Islamic orthodoxy to hold that Ishmael was the sacrificial son and to be more skeptical of biblical sources.     

Predicting eating problems among Malaysian Chinese: Differential roles of positive and negative perfectionism

Positive and negative perfectionism (measured by the Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale; PANPS) are found to have differential roles in predicting eating problems. This study translated and back-translated the PANPS into Chinese and then examined whether its factor structure was comparable to the original PANPS. The relationships between positive and negative perfectionism (using Chinese PANPS) and eating problems were also evaluated. Malaysian Chinese (N = 205) adults completed the Chinese PANPS, Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) and Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Principal Component Analysis showed the two-factor solution of the Chinese PANPS accounted for 33.42% of the total variance, which was comparable to previous studies. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that negative perfectionism significantly predicted all eating disorder symptoms for females, but not drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction for males. Conversely, positive perfectionism significantly predicted lower total EDI scores, lower ineffectiveness and lower interpersonal distrust, but only predicted lower body dissatisfaction among females. In conclusion, negative perfectionism was consistently associated with eating problems whereas positive perfectionism might be a potentially adaptive factor, confirming the distinctive roles each played in the development of eating problems, even in a non-Western population.     

Influencing and adjusting in daily emotional situations: A comparison of European and Asian American action styles

Emotions are for action, but action styles in emotional episodes may vary across cultural contexts. Based on culturally different models of agency, we expected that those who engage in European-American contexts will use more influence in emotional situations, while those who engage in East-Asian contexts will use more adjustment. European-American (N=60) and Asian-American (N=44) college students reported their action style during emotional episodes four times a day during a week. Asian Americans adjusted more than European Americans, whereas both used influence to a similar extent. These cultural differences in action style varied across types of emotion experienced. Moreover, influencing was associated with life satisfaction for European Americans, but not for Asian Americans.     

Measuring the role of conditioning and stimulus generalisation in common fears and worries

Common and persistent fears may emerge through learning mechanisms such as fear conditioning and generalisation. Although there have been extensive studies of these learning processes in healthy but also psychiatric samples, many of the tasks used to produce conditioning and assess generalisation either use painful and aversive stimuli as the unconditioned stimuli (UCS), or suffer from poor belongingness between the conditioned stimuli and the UCS. Here, we present novel data from a paradigm designed to examine fear conditioning and generalisation in healthy individuals. Two female faces served as conditioned threat cue (CS+) and conditioned safety cue (CS?) respectively. The CS+ was paired repeatedly with a fearful, screaming face (unconditioned stimulus). Generalisation included intermediate faces which varied in their similarity to the CS+ and CS?. We measured eyeblink startle reflex and self-reported ratings. Acquired fear of the CS+ generalised to intermediate stimuli in proportion to their perceptual similarity to the CS+. Our findings demonstrate how fears of new individuals may develop based on resemblance to others with whom an individual has had negative experiences. The paradigm offers new opportunities for probing the role of generalisation in the emergence of common and persistent fears.     

Fathering Self-Efficacy, Marital Satisfaction and Father Involvement in Hong Kong

We examined the predictability of fathering self-efficacy and marital satisfaction on father involvement. The moderating effect of marital satisfaction on the relationship between father efficacy and father involvement was also explored. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the convenience sampling method. A total of 2,029 valid questionnaires were collected from fathers with children aged 2–6 from 48 nurseries in Hong Kong. The fathers’ mean age is 39.1. 72.9 % of the fathers graduated from secondary school and 86 % had full-time jobs. Measures including self-efficacy subscale in the Parenting Sense of Competency Scale, the Index of Marital Satisfaction, the Inventory of Father Involvement were adopted in the present study. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that fathering self-efficacy and marital satisfaction were significant positive predictors of father involvement, whereas marital satisfaction moderated the effect of fathering self-efficacy on father involvement. It is thus important to improve martial satisfaction and enhance fathering self-efficacy for promoting father involvement. To gain a more comprehensive picture, future studies of father involvement may benefit by adopting a longitudinal research design, including the mothers and children as informants, and addressing other parenting correlates such as parenting stress and spousal support.