Interpersonal, intrapersonal, extrapersonal? Qualitatively investigating coordinative couplings between rowers in Olympic sculling

Coordinative couplings are commonly classified as interpersonal and intrapersonal. Interpersonal coordination is normally thought of as between organisms but a subset can also be considered where the co-actors movements are coupled to an environmental rhythm. This can be termed extrapersonal coordination. This study explores how coordination is achieved in a situation that demands that at least one actor makes use of extrapersonal sources. In this case multi-seat rowing, where one actor cannot see the other one behind them. A qualitative approach using experiential knowledge from expert rowers (N=9) and coaches (N=4) was used to examine how interpersonal coordination was achieved and maintained in 2 person rowing boats. It was reported that where possible, both rowers coordinated their movements by coupling with an invariant provided by the boat. This invariant is underpinned by perception of water flow past the boat; which is in turn used to determine changes in acceleration - 'rowing with the boat.' Bow seat also identified the rower in front and stroke seat identified the looming of the stern as viable alternative sources for coupling.

Variability of metal composition and concentrations in road dust in the urban environment

Urban road dust comprises of a range of potentially toxic metal elements and plays a critical role in degrading urban receiving water quality. Hence, assessing the metal composition and concentration in urban road dust is a high priority. This study investigated the variability of metal composition and concentrations in road dust in 4 different urban land uses in Gold Coast, Australia. Samples from 16 road sites were collected and tested for selected 12 metal species. The data set was analyzed using both univariate and multivariate techniques. Outcomes of the data analysis revealed that the metal concentrations in road dust differ considerably within and between different land uses. Iron, aluminum, magnesium and zinc are the most abundant in urban land uses. It was also noted that metal species such as titanium, nickel, copper and zinc have the highest concentrations in industrial land use. The study outcomes revealed that soil and traffic related sources as key sources of metals deposited on road surfaces.

Damage evaluation based on a wave energy flow map using multiple PZT sensors

A new wave energy flow (WEF) map concept was proposed in this work. Based on it, an improved technique incorporating the laser scanning method and Betti’s reciprocal theorem was developed to evaluate the shape and size of damage as well as to realize visualization of wave propagation. In this technique, a simple signal processing algorithm was proposed to construct the WEF map when waves propagate through an inspection region, and multiple lead zirconate titanate (PZT) sensors were employed to improve inspection reliability. Various damages in aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced plastic laminated plates were experimentally and numerically evaluated to validate this technique. The results show that it can effectively evaluate the shape and size of damage from wave field variations around the damage in the WEF map.

A vibrational spectroscopic study of a hydrated hydroxy-phosphate mineral fluellite, Al2(PO4)F2(OH)·7H2O

Raman and infrared spectra of two well-defined fluellite samples, Al2(PO4)F2(OH)�7H2O, from the Krásno near Horní Slavkov (Czech Republic) and Kapunda, South Australia (Australia) were studied and tentatively interpreted. Observed bands were assigned to the stretching and bending vibrations of phosphate tetrahedra, aluminum oxide/hydroxide/fluoride octahedra, water molecules and hydroxyl ions. Approximate O–H���O hydrogen bond lengths were inferred from the Raman and infrared spectra.

Impacts of vessel capacity reduction programmes on efficiency in fisheries : the case of Australia’s multispecies northern prawn fishery

Capacity reduction programmes, in the form of buybacks or decommissioning, have had relatively widespread application in fisheries in the US, Europe and Australia. A common criticism of such programmes is that they remove the least efficient vessels first, resulting in an increase in average efficiency of the remaining fleet, which tends to increase the effective fishing power of the remaining fleet. In this paper, the effects of a buyback programme on average technical efficiency in Australia’s Northern Prawn Fishery are examined using a multi-output production function approach with an explicit inefficiency model. As expected, the results indicate that average efficiency of the remaining vessels was generally greater than that of the removed vessels. Further, there was some evidence of an increase in average scale efficiency in the fleet as the remaining vessels were closer, on average, to the optimal scale. Key factors affecting technical efficiency included company structure and the number of vessels fishing. In regard to fleet size, our model suggests positive externalities associated with more boats fishing at any point in time (due to information sharing and reduced search costs), but also negative externalities due to crowding, with the latter effect dominating the former. Hence, the buyback resulted in a net increase in the individual efficiency of the remaining vessels due to reduced crowding, as well as raising average efficiency through removal of less efficient vessels.

The use of phospholipid fatty acid analysis to measure impact of acid rock drainage on microbial communities in sediments

The impact of acid rock drainage (ARD) and eutrophication on microbial communities in stream sediments above and below an abandoned mine site in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, was quantified by PLFA analysis. Multivariate analysis of water quality parameters, including anions, soluble heavy metals, pH, and conductivity, as well as total extractable metal concentrations in sediments, produced clustering of sample sites into three distinct groups. These groups corresponded with levels of nutrient enrichment and/or concentration of pollutants associated with ARD. Total PLFA concentration, which is indicative of microbial biomass, was reduced by >70% at sites along the stream between the mine site and as far as 18 km downstream. Further downstream, however, recovery of the microbial abundance was apparent, possibly reflecting dilution effect by downstream tributaries. Total PLFA was >40% higher at, and immediately below, the mine site (0-0.1 km), compared with sites further downstream (2.5-18 km), even after accounting for differences in specific surface area of different sediment samples. The increased microbial population in the proximity of the mine source may be associated with the presence of a thriving iron-oxidizing bacteria community as a consequence of optimal conditions for these organisms while the lower microbial population further downstream corresponded with greater sediments' metal concentrations. PCA of relative abundance revealed a number of PLFAs which were most influential in discriminating between ARD-polluted sites and the rest of the sites. These PLFA included the hydroxy fatty acids: 2OH12:0, 3OH12:0, 2OH16:0; the fungal marker: 18:2ω6; the sulfate-reducing bacteria marker 10Me16:1ω7; and the saturated fatty acids 12:0, 16:0, 18:0. Partial constrained ordination revealed that the environmental parameters with the greatest bearing on the PLFA profiles included pH, soluble aluminum, total extractable iron, and zinc. The study demonstrated the successful application of PLFA analysis to rapidly assess the toxicity of ARD-affected waters and sediments and to differentiate this response from the effects of other pollutants, such as increased nutrients and salinity.

Insight into morphology and structure of different particle sized kaolinites with same origin

The particle size, morphology, crystallinity order and structural defects of four kaolinite samples are characterized by the techniques including particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MAS NMR). The particle size of four kaolinite samples gradually increases. Four samples all belong to the ordered kaolinite and show a decrease in structural order with the increase of kaolinite particle size. The changes of structural defect are proved by the increase of the band splitting in Raman spectroscopy, the decrease of the intensity of absorption bands in infrared spectroscopy, and the decrease of equivalent silicon atom and the increase of nonequivalent aluminum atom in MAS NMR spectroscopy. The differences in morphology and structural defect are attributed to the broken bonds of Al–O–Si, Al–O–Al and Si–O–Si and the Al substitution for Si in tetrahedral sheets.

Plasma-enabled growth of single-crystalline SiC/AlSiC Core–Shell nanowires on porous alumina templates

We report the catalyst-free synthesis of the arrays of core–shell, ultrathin, size-uniform SiC/AlSiC nanowires on the top of a periodic anodic aluminum oxide template. The nanowires were grown using an environmentally friendly, silane-free process by exposing the silicon supported porous alumina template to CH4 + H2 plasmas. High-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies revealed that the nanowires have a single-crystalline core with a diameter of about 10 nm and a thin (1–2 nm) amorphous AlSiC shell. Because of their remarkable length, high aspect ratio, and very high surface area-to-volume ratio, these unique structures are promising for nanoelectronic and nanophotonic applications that require efficient electron emission, light scattering, etc. A mechanism for nanowire growth is proposed based upon the reduction of the alumina template to nanosized metallic aluminum droplets forming between nanopores. The subsequent incorporation of silicon and carbon atoms from the plasma leads to nucleation and growth from the top of the alumina template.

Synthesis and structural properties of Al-C-N-O composite thin films

Al-C-N-O composite thin films have been synthesized by radio frequency reactive diode sputtering of an aluminum target in plasmas of N2+O2+CH4 gas mixtures. The chemical structure and composition of the films have been investigated by means of infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results reveal the formation of C-N, Al-C, Al-N and Al-O bonds. The X-ray diffraction pattern suggests that the films are of nanometer composite material and contain predominately crystalline grains of hexagonal AlN and α-Al2O3. A good thermal stability of the composite has been confirmed by the annealing treatment at temperatures up to 600 °C.

Plasma Enabled Fabrication of Silicon Carbide Nanostructures

Silicon carbide is one of the promising materials for the fabrication of various one- and two-dimensional nanostructures. In this chapter, we discuss experimental and theoretical studies of the plasma-enabled fabrication of silicon carbide quantum dots, nanowires, and nanorods. The discussed fabrication methods include plasma-assisted growth with and without anodic aluminium oxide membranes and with or without silane as a source of silicon. In the silane-free experiments, quartz was used as a source of silicon to synthesize the silicon carbide nanostructures in an environmentally friendly process. The mechanism of the formation of nanowires and nanorods is also discussed.

4-hexylbithieno[3,2-b:2′3′-e]pyridine: An efficient electron-accepting unit in fluorene and indenofluorene copolymers for light-emitting devices

4-Hexylbithienopyridine has been prepared as a novel electron-accepting monomer for conjugated polymers. To test its electronic properties, alternating copolymers with fluorene and indenofluorene polymers have been prepared. The copolymers displayed reduction potentials about 0.5 V lower than for the corresponding fluorene and indenofluorene homopolymers, indicating much improved electron-accepting properties. Analysis of the microscopic morphology of thin films of the copolymers by AFM shows that they lack the extensive supramolecular order seen with the homopolymers, which is attributed to the bithienopyridine units disrupting the π-stacking. LEDs using these polymers as the emitting layer produce blue-green emission with low turn-on voltages with aluminum electrodes confirming their improved electron affinity. The indenofluorene copolymer displayed an irreversible red shift in emission at high voltages, which is attributed to oxidation of the indenofluorene units. This red shift occurred at higher potentials than for indenofluorene homopolymers in LEDs, suggesting that the heterocyclic moieties offer some protection against electrically promoted oxidation.

Impact of al passivation and cosputter on the structural property of β-FeSi2 for Al-Doped β-FeSi2/ n -Si(100) based solar cells application

The aluminum (Al) doped polycrystalline p-type β-phase iron disilicide (p-β-FeSi2) is grown by thermal diffusion of Al from Al-passivated n-type Si(100) surface into FeSi2 during crystallization of amorphous FeSi2 to form a p-type β-FeSi 2/n-Si(100) heterostructure solar cell. The structural and photovoltaic properties of p-type β-FeSi2/n-type c-Si structures is then investigated in detail by using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy analysis, and electrical characterization. The results are compared with Al-doped p-β-FeSi2 prepared by using cosputtering of Al and FeSi2 layers on Al-passivated n-Si(100) substrates. A significant improvement in the maximum open-circuit voltage (Voc) from 120 to 320 mV is achieved upon the introduction of Al doping through cosputtering of Al and amorphous FeSi2 layer. The improvement in Voc is attributed to better structural quality of Al-doped FeSi2 film through Al doping and to the formation of high quality crystalline interface between Al-doped β-FeSi2 and n-type c-Si. The effects of Al-out diffusion on the performance of heterostructure solar cells have been investigated and discussed in detail.

Separating resource rents from intra-marginal rents in fisheries economics survey data

Economic surveys of fisheries are undertaken in several countries as a means of assessing the economic performance of their fisheries. The level of economic profits accruing in the fishery can be estimated from the average economic profits of the boats surveyed. Economic profits consist of two components—resource rent and intra-marginal rent. From a fisheries management perspective, the key indicator of performance is the level of resource rent being generated in the fishery. Consequently, these different components need to be separated out. In this paper, a means of separating out the rent components is identified for a heterogeneous fishery. This is applied to the multi-purpose fleet operating in the English Channel. The paper demonstrates that failing to separate out these two components may result in a misrepresentation of the economic performance of the fishery.

Vision-based operations of a large industrial vehicle : autonomous hot metal carrier

Hot metal carriers (HMCs) are large forklift-type vehicles used to move molten metal in aluminum smelters. This paper reports on field experiments that demonstrate that HMCs can operate autonomously and in particular can use vision as a primary sensor to locate the load of aluminum. We present our complete system but focus on the vision system elements and also detail experiments demonstrating reliable operation of the materials handling task. Two key experiments are described, lasting 2 and 5 h, in which the HMC traveled 15 km in total and handled the load 80 times.

The new conquistadors: Patent law and expressed sequence tags

It's akin to the old Spanish, English and Portuguese explorers. They would take their boats until they found some edge of land, then they would go up and plant the flag of their king or queen. They didn't know what they'd discovered; how big it is, where it goes to - but they would claim it anyway. David Korn of the Association of American Medical Colleges This article analyses recent litigation over patent law and expressed sequence tags (ESTs). In the case of In re Fisher, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit engaged in judicial consideration of the revised utility guidelines of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). In this matter, the agricultural biotechnology company Monsanto sought to patent ESTs in maize plants. A patent examiner and the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences had doubted whether the patent application was useful. Monsanto appealed against the rulings of the USPTO. A number of amicus curiae intervened in the matter in support of the USPTO - including Genentech, Affymetrix, Dow AgroSciences, Eli Lilly, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Association of American Medical Colleges. The majority of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit supported the position of the USPTO, and rejected the patent application on the grounds of utility. The split decision highlighted institutional tensions over the appropriate thresholds for patent criteria - such as novelty, non-obviousness, and utility. The litigation raised larger questions about the definition of research tools, the incremental nature of scientific progress, and the role of patent law in innovation policy. The decision of In re Fisher will have significant ramifications for gene patents, in the wake of the human genome project. Arguably, the USPTO utility guidelines need to be reinforced by a tougher application of the standards of novelty and non-obviousness in respect of gene patents.