Bounded rationality and voting decisions over 160 years : voter behavior and increasing complexity in decision-making

Using a quasi-natural voting experiment encompassing a 160-year period (1848–2009) in Switzerland, we investigate whether a higher level of complexity leads to increased reliance on trusted parliamentary representatives. We find that when more referenda are held on the same day, constituents are more likely to refer to parliamentary recommendations when making their decisions. This finding holds true even when we narrow our focus to referenda with a relatively lower voter turnout on days on which more than one referendum is held. We also demonstrate that when constituents face a higher level of complexity, they follow the parliamentary recommendations rather than those of interest groups. "Viewed as a geometric figure, the ant’s path is irregular, complex, hard to describe. But its complexity is really a complexity in the surface of the beach, not a complexity in the ant." ([1] p. 51)

Structural layers of communication on Twitter

Twitter is used for a range of communicative purposes. These extend from personal tweets that address what used to be Twitter’s default question, “What’s happening?”, through one-on-one @reply conversations between close friends and attempts at getting the attention of celebrities and other public actors, to discussions in communities built around specific issues—and back again to broadcast-style statements from well-known individuals and brands to their potentially very large retinue of followers.

Effects of wall transition regions on surface-wave propagation in a plasma layer bounded by a metal

Effect of near-wall transition regions on the surface wave propagation in a magnetoactive plasma layer bounded by a metal. It is shown that the account for inhomogeneities of plasma density or magnetic field causes an appearance of coupling between surface waves, propagating across magnetic field and localized near difference boundaries of the structure. The resonance damping of surface waves is analyzed too.

Resonant second harmonics generation of the submillimeter surface wave in the semiconductor superlattice bounded by a metal

In this study, the process of the resonant second harmonics generation of the submillimeter (SM), which is of interest for design of the semiconductor frequency multipliers is evaluated. Particularly, the possibility to use the semiconductor superlattice-metal structures as an effective second harmonics generator is demonstrated.

Heating self-interaction mechanism of surface magnetoplasma waves in plasma-like medium bounded by metal

The influence of electron heating in the high-frequency surface magnetoplasma wave(SM) field on dispersion properties of the considered SM is investigated. High frequency SM propagate at the interface between a plasma like medium with a finite electrons pressure and a metal. The nonlinear dispersion relation for the SM is derived and investigated.

Theorizing in design science research : an abstraction layers framework

For Design Science Research (DSR) to gain wide credence as a research paradigm in Information Systems (IS), it must contribute to theory. “Theory cannot be improved until we improve the theorizing process, and we cannot improve the theorizing process until we describe it more explicitly, operate it more self-consciously, and decouple it from validation more deliberately” (Weick 1989, p. 516). With the aim of improved design science theorizing, we propose a DSR abstraction-layers framework that integrates, interlates, and harmonizes key methodological notions, primary of which are: 1) the Design Science (DS), Design Research (DR), and Routine Design (RD) distinction (Winter 2008); 2) Multi Grounding in IS Design Theory (ISDT) (Goldkuhl & Lind 2010); 3) the Idealized Model for Theory Development (IM4TD) (Fischer & Gregor 2011); and 4) the DSR Theorizing Framework (Lee et al. 2011). Though theorizing, or the abstraction process, has been the subject of healthy discussion in DSR, important questions remain. With most attention to date having focused on theorizing for Design Research (DR), a key stimulus of the layered view was the realization that Design Science (DS) produces abstract knowledge at a higher level of generality. The resultant framework includes four abstraction layers: (i) Design Research (DR) 1st Abstract Layer, (ii) Design Science (DS) 2nd Abstract Layer, (iii) DSR Incubation 3rd Layer, and (iv) Routine Design 4th Layer. Differentiating and inter-relating these layers will aid DSR researchers to discover, position, and amplify their DSR contributions. Additionally, consideration of the four layers can trigger creative perspectives that suggest unplanned outputs. The first abstraction layer, including its alternative patterns of activity, is well recognized in the literature. The other layers, however, are less well recognized; and the integrated representation of layers is novel.

ZnO layers for opto-electronic applications from solution-based and low-temperature processing of an organometallic precursor

As printed and flexible plastic electronic gadgets become increasingly viable today, there is a need to develop materials that suit the fabrication processes involved. Two desirable requirements are solution-processable active materials or precursors and low-temperature processability. In this article, we describe a straightforward method of depositing ZnO films by simple spin coating of an organometallic diethylzinc precursor solution and annealing the resulting film at low temperatures (≤200 °C) without involving any synthetic steps. By controlling the humidity in which annealing is conducted, we are able to adjust the intrinsic doping level and carrier concentration in diethylzinc-derived ZnO. Doped or conducting transport layers are greatly preferable to undoped layers as they enable low-resistance contacts and minimize the potential drops. This ability to controllably realize doped ZnO is a key feature of the fabrication process that we describe in this article. We employ field-effect measurements as a diagnostic tool to measure doping levels and mobilities in ZnO and demonstrate that doped ZnO with high charge carrier concentration is ideal for solar cell applications. Respectable power conversion efficiencies (up to 4.5%) are achieved in inverted solar cells that incorporate diethylzinc-derived ZnO films as the electron transport layer and organic blends as the active material. Extensions of this approach to grow ternary and quaternary films with organometallic precursor chemicals will enable solution based growth of a number of semiconductor films as well as a method to dope them.

Numerical analysis for the time distributed-order and Riesz space fractional diffusions on bounded domains

Subdiffusion equations with distributed-order fractional derivatives describe some important physical phenomena. In this paper, we consider the time distributed-order and Riesz space fractional diffusions on bounded domains with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Here, the time derivative is defined as the distributed-order fractional derivative in the Caputo sense, and the space derivative is defined as the Riesz fractional derivative. First, we discretize the integral term in the time distributed-order and Riesz space fractional diffusions using numerical approximation. Then the given equation can be written as a multi-term time–space fractional diffusion. Secondly, we propose an implicit difference method for the multi-term time–space fractional diffusion. Thirdly, using mathematical induction, we prove the implicit difference method is unconditionally stable and convergent. Also, the solvability for our method is discussed. Finally, two numerical examples are given to show that the numerical results are in good agreement with our theoretical analysis.

Einstein Relation in n-Channel Inversion Layers of Nonlinear Optical, Optoelectronic and Related Materials: Simplified Theory, Relative Comparison and Suggestion for an Experimental Determination

In this paper, we study the Einstein relation for the diffusivity to mobility ratio (DMR) in n-channel inversion layers of non-linear optical materials on the basis of a newly formulated electron dispersion relation by considering their special properties within the frame work of k.p formalism. The results for the n-channel inversion layers of III-V, ternary and quaternary materials form a special case of our generalized analysis. The DMR for n-channel inversion layers of II-VI, IV-VI and stressed materials has been investigated by formulating the respective 2D electron dispersion laws. It has been found, taking n-channel inversion layers of CdGeAs2, Cd(3)AS(2), InAs, InSb, Hg1-xCdxTe, In1-xGaxAsyP1-y lattice matched to InP, CdS, PbTe, PbSnTe, Pb1-xSnxSe and stressed InSb as examples, that the DMR increases with the increasing surface electric field with different numerical values and the nature of the variations are totally band structure dependent. The well-known expression of the DMR for wide gap materials has been obtained as a special case under certain limiting conditions and this compatibility is an indirect test for our generalized formalism. Besides, an experimental method of determining the 2D DMR for n-channel inversion layers having arbitrary dispersion laws has been suggested.

Uniformity in Bias Tilt for Nematics Oriented by Polyvinyl Alcohol Surface Layers

Uniformity in bias tilt, for the polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)surface layer induced orientation of nematic liquid crystals, could be achieved for large area display panels, if one of the transparent electrodes is first directionally rubbed with fine abrasive; then both the electrodes coated with PVA, followed by directionally buffing the chemisorbed layers in the same direction. Uniformity may be due to increased 'train' configuration of the adsorbed macromolecule by falling on to microgrooves and maintaining the same sense of asymmetry for the looped segments.

Transitional intermittency in boundary layers subjected to pressure gradient

Results are reported from an extensive series of experiments on boundary layers in which the location of pressure gradient and transition onset could be varied almost independently, by judicious use of tunnel wall liners and transition-fixing devices. The experiments show that the transition zone is sensitive to the pressure gradient especially near onset, and can be significantly asymmetric; no universal similarity appears valid in general. Observed intermittency distributions cannot be explained on the basis of the hypothesis, often made, that the spot propagates at speeds proportional to the local free-stream velocity but is otherwise unaffected by the pressure gradient.

Compressible second-order boundary layers for three-dimensional stagnation point flows with mass transfer

All the second-order boundary-layer effects have been studied for the steady laminar compressible 3-dimensional stagnation-point flows with variable properties and mass transfer for both saddle and nodal point regions. The governing equations have been solved numerically using an implicit finite-difference scheme. Results for the heat transfer and skin friction have been obtained for several values of the mass-transfer rate, wall temperature, and also for several values of parameters characterizing the nature of stagnation point and variable gas properties. The second-order effects on the heat transfer and skin friction at the wall are found to be significant and at large injection rates, they dominate over the results of the first-order boundary layer, but the effect of large suction is just the opposite. In general, the second-order effects are more pronounced in the saddle-point region than in the nodal-point region. The overall heat-transfer rate for the 3-dimensional flows is found to be more than that of the 2-dimensional flows.

Isolation of Pseudomonas pseudomallei from clay layers at defined depths

Twelve strains of Pseudomonas pseudomallei were isolated from the soil and water of a sheep paddock over a two-year period. The organism was recovered from the clay layer of the soil profile as well as from water that seeps into this layer during the "wet" season. Five isolates were obtained before the commencement of the "wet" season; environmental factors appear to play an important role in the survival of Ps. pseudomallei during the "dry" season. Lower isolation rates were recorded than those indicated by workers in southeast Asia and Iran.

Unsteady compressible second-order boundary layers at the stagnation point of two-dimensional and axisymmetric bodies

The unsteady laminar compressible boundary-layer flow over two-dimensional and axisymmetric bodies at the stagnation point with mass transfer has been studied for all second-order boundary layer effects when the basic potential flow admits selfsimilarity. The solutions for the governing equations are obtained by using an implicit finite-difference scheme. Computations have been carried out for different values of the parameters characterizing the unsteadiness in the free stream velocity, wall temperature, mass transfer rate and variable gas properties. The results are found to be strongly affected by the unsteadiness in the free stream velocity. For large injection rates the second-orderboundary layer effects may prevail over the first-order boundary layer, but reverse is true for suction. The wall temperature and the variation of the density-viscosity product across the boundary layer appreciably change the skin-friction and heat-transfer rates due to second-order boundary-layer effects.

Self-similar solution of unsteady compressible three-dimensional stagnation-point boundary layers

The self-similar solution of the unsteady laminar compressible boundary-layer flow with variable properties at a three-dimensional stagnation point with mass transfer has been obtained when the free-stream velocity varies inversely as a linear function of time. The resulting ordinary differential equations have been solved numerically using an implicit finite-difference scheme. The results are found to be strongly dependent on the parameter characterizing the unsteadiness in the free-stream velocity. The velocity profiles show some features not encountered in steady flows.