Shear-horizontal surface waves in a half-space of piezoelectric semiconductors

We study the propagation of shear-horizontal waves near the surface of a piezoelectric semiconductor half-space of crystals of class 6 mm with the presence of a biasing electric field in the propagation direction. The three-dimensional equations of linear piezoelectric semiconductors are used. A transcendental equation that determines the dispersion relation is obtained and solved numerically. Results show that the semiconduction affects the wave speed and causes wave dispersion as well as attenuation, and that the waves can be amplified by the biasing electric field.     

Predicting risk decisions in a modified Balloon Analogue Risk Task: Conventional and single-trial ERP analyses

Event-related potential (ERP) has the potential to reveal the temporal neurophysiological dynamics of risk decision-making, but this potential has not been fully explored in previous studies. When predicting risk decision with ERPs, most studies focus on between-trial analysis that reflects feedback learning, while within-trial analysis that could directly link option assessment with behavioral output has been largely ignored. Suitable task design is crucial for applying within-trial prediction. In this study, we used a modified version of the classic Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). In each trial of the task, participants made multiple rounds of decisions between a risky option (pump up the balloon) and a safe option (cash out). Behavioral results show that as the level of economic risk increased, participants were less willing to make a risky decision and also needed a longer response time to do so. In general, the ERP results showed distinct characteristics compared with previous findings based on between-trial prediction, particularly about the role of the P1 component. Specifically, both the P1 (amplitude and latency) and P3 (amplitude) components evoked by current outcomes predicted subsequent decisions. We suggest that these findings indicate the importance of selective attention (indexed by the P1) and motivational functions (indexed by the P3), which may help clarify the cognitive mechanism of risk decision-making. The theoretical significance of these findings is discussed.     

Chemistry (intrinsic) and inclusion (extrinsic) effects on the toughness and Weibull modulus of Fe-based bulk metallic glasses

Systematic changes in composition were employed to increase the notch toughness of a variety of Fe-based Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMGs). The Fe₅₀Mn₁₀Mo₁₄Cr₄C₁₆B₆ BMG possessed very high hardness (e.g. 12 GPa) but very low notch toughness (e.g. 5.7 MPa m^1/2) at room temperature, consistent with fracture surface observations of brittle features. Many of the other Fe-BMG variants, created to change the Poisson's ratio via systematic changes in alloy chemistry, exhibited higher toughness but more scatter in the data, reflected in a lower Weibull modulus. SEM examination revealed fracture initiation always occurred at inclusions in samples exhibiting lower toughness and/or Weibull modulus for a given chemistry. Implications of these observations on reliability of BMGs are discussed.     

Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy studies on a - and ß-C3N4 films

Crystalline carbon nitride films have been synthesized on Si(100) substrates by the microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition technique. In order to understand their structure, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectra of aand b-C3N4 were calculated using a scale factor and the observed Raman and infrared spectra of a- and b-Si N . A scale factor (1.47) for the stretching 3 4 frequencies from the tetrahedral C-N to Si-N bonds was calculated through Hooke's law. Experimental Raman and infrared spectra conform to the calculated results: so we conclude that the film contain a-C3N4 and b-C3N4     

Similarity and social interaction: when similarity fosters implicit behavior toward a stranger

People interact more readily with someone whom they think they have something in common with. At a pedestrian crossing, confederates asked participants for the time and, in one condition, said she/he had the same watch as the participant. The amount of time that participants lingered near a confederate was used as the dependent variable. Participants in the similarity condition spent significantly more time near the confederate than when no similarity was manipulated. The results showed that similarity fosters implicit behavior, adding to the growing body of data on the positive effects of similarity and its role in social interaction.     

Boundary Issues and Multiple Relationships in Genetic Counseling Supervision: Supervisor,Non-supervisor,and Student Perspectives

Boundary issues and multiple relationships potentially affect all supervision interactions. Boundary crossings are departures from the strictest professional role and may or may not benefit supervisees. Boundary violations are outside common practice and may place supervisees at significant risk. Multiple relationships occur when supervisors concurrently or consecutively hold two or more roles with supervisees. Studies in other fields indicate supervisors and supervisees may be uncertain about professional conduct regarding these issues. In this study, genetic counselor supervisors (n?=?126), non-supervisors (n?=?72), and genetic counseling students (n?=?129) completed an anonymous survey investigating four major questions: 1) Are various boundary issues and multiple relationships perceived as differentially appropriate? 2) Do supervisor, non-supervisor, and student perceptions differ? 3) What challenging situations have respondents experienced? and 4) What management strategies did they use? There was general agreement among groups in their appropriateness ratings of 56 hypothetical supervisor behaviors, although supervisor ratings tended to reflect stricter boundaries regarding the appropriateness of interactions than student ratings. A majority rated unavoidable boundary crossings and supervisor multiple relationships involving an academic relationship as most appropriate, and romantic/sexual multiple relationships and/or boundary violations as least appropriate. Analysis of respondents’ actual challenging situations revealed many involved boundary violations, placed students at risk of harm, and often resulted in student compliance.     

"共享"及其相关概念辨析

建设社会主义和谐社会,必须保证让人民"共享"发展成果.要实现共享,就必须正确的理解并处理好"共享与平均"、"共享与共富"、"共享与共建"、"共享与发展"的关系.通过对这些关系的比较和分析,我们可以发现,"共享"与"和谐"、"平均"、"共富"、"共建"、"发展"具有以下辩证关系:和谐处于核心的地位,是目标和前提;"共建"才能实现"发展",才会具有"共享"的内容;"共享"的过程就是"共富"的过程;只有"共富"才有"共建"的动力.     

'Silent' priming of translation-dependent LTP by ß-adrenergic receptors involves phosphorylation and recruitment of AMPA receptors

The capacity for long-term changes in synaptic efficacy can be altered by prior synaptic activity, a process known as "metaplasticity." Activation of receptors for modulatory neurotransmitters can trigger downstream signaling cascades that persist beyond initial receptor activation and may thus have metaplastic effects. Because activation of β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) strongly enhances the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1 region, we examined whether activation of these receptors also had metaplastic effects on LTP induction. Our results show that activation of β-ARs induces a protein synthesis-dependent form of metaplasticity that primes the future induction of late-phase LTP by a subthreshold stimulus. β-AR activation also induced a long-lasting increase in phosphorylation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) GluA1 subunits at a protein kinase A (PKA) site (S845) and transiently activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Consistent with this, inhibitors of PKA and ERK blocked the metaplastic effects of β-AR activation. β-AR activation also induced a prolonged, translation-dependent increase in cell surface levels of GluA1 subunit-containing AMPA receptors. Our results indicate that β-ARs can modulate hippocampal synaptic plasticity by priming synapses for the future induction of late-phase LTP through up-regulation of translational processes, one consequence of which is the trafficking of AMPARs to the cell surface.     

Impact of interactivity on identification with characters in fiction

The effect of interactivity on identification with characters in audiovisual fiction was observed. 310 participants were asked to watch a film in one of these two conditions: 1) interactive (they selected the plot), and 2) non-interactive (they consumed the fiction in a conventional way). After watching the movie, they completed a questionnaire with the EDI scale of identification and empathy with characters, created by Igartua and Paez. The capacity to intervene in the configuration of the plot (interactivity) affected identification with characters. The results provide data about the psychology of media and interactivity in communication and allow us to understand the processes of empathy and identification with characters.