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This paper presents a model that identifies accountability, responsibility, and choice as high-level determinants of employee psychological empowerment in the oil and gas industry particularly in relation to improving operational quality. Psychological Empowerment is targeted at influencing the hearts and minds of the individual and can only be said to have taken place when the individual truly believes he is empowered. As such, there is a need to promote highly situated human cognition targeted at creating an empowered state of mind leading to the conviction, commitment, and conversion of the personnel to embracing organizational goals, in this case quality. To examine the relationship amongst the dimensions of psychological empowerment, a survey was administered to 239 oil and gas industry personnel in different countries. The results showed personnel in the industry link high empowerment to accountability, responsibility, and choice when investigated with meaningfulness, mindfulness, competence and impact.

The Uba6–Use1 ubiquitin enzyme cascade is a poorly understood arm of the ubiquitin–proteasome system required for mouse development. Recently, we reported that Uba6 brain-specific knockout (termed NKO) mice display abnormal social behavior and neuronal development due to a decreased spine density and accumulation of Ube3a and Shank3. To better characterize a potential role for NKO mice in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), we performed a comprehensive behavioral characterization of the social behavior and communication of NKO mice. Our behavioral results confirmed that NKO mice display social impairments, as indicated by fewer vocalizations and decreased social interaction. We conclude that UBA6 NKO mice represent a novel ASD mouse model of anti-social and less verbal behavioral symptoms.

A phytase from Penicillium oxalicum PJ3, PhyA, was purified near to homogeneity with 427-fold increase in specific phytase activity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatographies. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and zymogram analysis of the purified enzyme indicated an estimated molecular mass of 65 kD. The optimal pH and temperature of the purified enzyme were pH 4.5 and 55°C, respectively. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by Ca(2+), Cu(2+), Zn(2+), and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). The Km value for sodium phytate was 0.545 mM with a Vmax of 600 U/mg of protein. The phyA gene was cloned, and it contains an open reading frame of 1,383 with a single intron (118 bp), and encodes a protein of 461 amino acids.

We have studied vortex motions along the across-fan and in-fan directions in YBa2Cu3O7 single crystals with crossed columnar defects using micro-Hall probe array. We find anisotropic critical current density, Jc, depending on the relative orientation of the vortex motion with respect to the defect configuration. Jc was higher for the across-fan motion. On the other hand, the normalized relaxation rate, S, and the activation energy, U, did not show a clear anisotropy except at 30 K. The lack of obvious directional dependence in S and U compared to Jc implies that the observed Jc anisotropy is mainly due to the anisotropy in the flux bundle volume. In addition, during the flux entry below the full penetration we find the largest relaxation takes place at the advancing flux front.

The adsorption of R-phenylglycine on Cu(1 1 0) surfaces shows that the periodic superstructure of the chiral overlayer destroys the substrate mirror plane symmetry. Here, we report on the novel linear dichroism electron scattering method to determine the chirality, based on the unique symmetry of the chiral surface. The details of the molecular structure, with the absolute surface chirality, are derived from the azimuthal variation of intensity of individual vibrational modes.

Asphaltenes isolated from coal liquids and tar sand bitumen have been converted thermally and with acid and/or hydrogenation catalysts. The conversions, based on solubility classes — preasphaltenes, asphaltenes and oil — have been determined for increasing reaction time. The removal of heteroatoms in each solubility class was also followed with increasing conversion. Gaseous deuterium was utilized in some studies to follow the extent of exchange reactions. There is a rapid initial conversion at each reaction temperature, and this is followed by a much slower conversion process. The deuterium distribution in the products suggest that the asphaltene decomposes to produce a stable oil molecule and a radical fragment that remains in the asphaltene solubility range.

An accurate and simple analytical technique for uranium isotopes in highly contaminated soil samples was developed and validated by application to IAEA-Reference samples and environmental samples. For overcoming the demerits of the TBP extraction method, sample materials were decomposited with HNO(3) and HF and uranium isotopes were purified with an anion exchange resin and a TRU Spec resin. With the extraction chromatography method, hindrance elements were completely removed from the uranium fraction. The chemical yields with the extraction chromatography method were10% higher than those with the TBP extraction method. The concentrations of uranium isotopes using the extraction chromatography method were consistent with the reference values reported by the IAEA.

We experimentally and theoretically investigated the stimulated emission band in neatly prepared 2,5-dioctyloxy poly(p-phenylene-vinylene) (DOO-PPV) films. We found that at moderately high excitation intensity spectral narrowing (SN) occurs due to the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). A complex ASE build-up and decay dynamics as a function of excitation intensity and stripe length is observed. We also found that the exciton energy relaxation process within the inhomogenously broadened energy distribution becomes faster when ASE occurs. A theoretical model taking into account the polymer film gain and loss, the propagation effect and the time dependent exciton generation process is developed and used to explain the experimental data.

Femtosecond time-resolved studies of photoluminescence (PL) and stimulated emission (SE) have been conducted, for the first time, in neat thin films of poly( p -phenylenevinylene) derivatives. We found that the SE spectral narrowing is accompanied by a dramatic lifetime shortening from ∼250 to ∼3 ps, which enhances energy migration within the inhomogeneously broadened exciton distribution. In addition, the SE is delayed with respect to the PL onset by a few picoseconds depending on excitation intensity and the illumination stripe length. In some cases, a second, delayed SE is formed in the film due to the continuing energy migration into exciton states with superior radiative coupling. A set of coupled rate equations, which take into account the time-dependent exciton generation, propagation effect, optical gain and absorption loss, can simulate correctly all the observed SE dynamics.

A method is described for electrodepositing the alpha-emitting nuclides. To determine the optimum conditions for plating plutonium, the effects of electrolyte concentration, chelating reagent, current, pH of electrolyte and the time of plating on the electrodeposition were investigated on the base of the ammonium oxalate–ammonium sulfate electrolyte containing diethyl triamino pentaacetic acid. An optimized electrodeposition procedure for the determination of plutonium was validated by application to environmental samples. The chemical yield of the optimized method of electrodeposition step in the environmental sample was a little higher than that of Talvitie's method. The developed electrodeposition procedure in this study was applied to determine the radionuclides such as thorium, uranium and americium that the electrodeposition yields were a little higher than those of the conventional method.

The interacting multiple model (IMM) algorithm is applied to enhancing speech contaminated by additive white or colored noise. Noisy speech is modeled by a linear state-space model with Markovian switching parameters. The parameters are estimated from the training speech and noise processes. The simulation results shows that the proposed method offers performance gains relative to the previous results with slightly increased complexity.

When a G/D/1/B1 queue's B position buffer overflows, arriving or buffered jobs must be dropped. Assuming a nonbatch arrival process with bounded increments, we use sample path arguments to identify the overflow dropping policy that minimizes the average number of consecutively dropped jobs (the average service gap). This policy, which creates gaps whenever possible, as close to the front of the buffer as possible, remains optimal drop-by-drop for batch arrivals, blocking servers, and time-varying buffer sizes.

Femtosecond time-resolved studies of photoluminescence (PL) and stimulated emission (SE) have been conducted in neat thin films of poly( p -phenylene vinylene) derivatives. For high excitation intensity I , we found that the SE spectral narrowing is accompanied by a dramatic lifetime shortening from ∼250 to ∼3 ps, which enhances energy migration within the inhomogeneously broadened exciton distribution. In addition, the SE is delayed with respect to the PL onset by a few picoseconds, depending on I and the illumination stripe length. In some cases, a second delayed SE is formed in the film due to the continuing energy migration into exciton states with superior radiative coupling.

The ionic conductivity of a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based solid polymer electrolyte is 1.4×10−3 S cm−1, which is sufficient for the electrolyte to be used in a rechargeable lithium polymer battery. The anodic stability of the solid polymer electrolyte is over 4.6 V (vs. Li/Li+). A reduced, highly sulfonated form of polyaniline (SPAn) and Ramsdellite–MnO2 (R-MnO2) are synthesized and used as a cathodic material for a rechargeable lithium polymer battery. Three kinds of cathodes are prepared from SPAn, R-MnO2, and a mixture of SPAn and R-MnO2. The electrochemical properties and diffusion coefficient of lithium ions in each cathode, and the interface between the solid polymer electrolyte and each cathode are investigated by cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. The redox processes of the SPAn cathode are two-step reactions. The cathodic and anodic peak currents increase as the cycle number increases. In the redox processes of the R-MnO2 cathode, the cathodic peak current on the second cycle is 62% of that on the first cycle. The Li/R-MnO2 battery has a very high initial discharge capacity, but very poor cycleability. For the composite cathode, the cathodic peak current on the second cycle is 72% of that on the first cycle, i.e., higher than that for the R-MnO2 cathode. The diffusion coefficient of the composite cathode during the discharge process is close to the sum of each variation in the SPAn and R-MnO2 cathodes. The instability of the R-MnO2 cathode at x=0.3 and x=0.2 during the charge process is not observed with the composite cathode. The discharge–charge performance of three types of battery are investigated. The initial discharge capacity of the Li/composite cathode battery is 97.0 m Ah g−1. This battery has higher discharge capacity than the Li/SPAn battery (66.8 m Ah g−1), and better cycleability than the Li/R-MnO2 battery.

An InGaAsP/InP Electroabsorption Modulator (EAM) with single-sided large optical cavity (LOC) was studied and fabricated by low-pressure Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD). Results show that the optical profile of EAM is greatly improved by the LOC structure, which is expected to increase the coupling efficiency and the optical saturation power.

We have studied magnetic and thermal properties of MoN films with different nitrogen concentrations. When a small amount of nitrogen is incorporated into the Mo-underlayer of a top-type spin valve, we do not observe any significant thermal degradation of its magnetic properties after annealing at 220 °C. The magnetoresistance ratio of the as-deposited spin-valve structure is 7.0% and slightly increases to 7.5 % even at the annealing temperature of 220 °C. The amount of nitrogen in the MoN underlayer seems to affect the texture growth of NiFe (1 1 1) and to improve the magnetic characteristics of the spin valve. From the XPS analysis of MoN thin films and XRD analysis of NiFe films grown on the MoN underlayer, it is concluded that spin-valve structure grown on the MoN underlayer with N 2 gas-flow rate of 5 sccm is more stable than that grown with N 2 gas-flow rate of 1 sccm.

The 2-4 nm FePt nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction and dispersed into the aqueous solution after the surface modification. The dielectric spectra were measured by an open-ended transmission line technique. An open-ended coaxial cable line was designed to transmit the microwave signals into nanoparticle-filled solutions. The reflection signal revealed the dielectric properties of hydrophobic-coated FePt-filled solution was received by the transmission line. The analysis showed that the effective permittivity was around 70 and down to 50 by the external magnetic field. The flexibility of nanoparticles' permittivity revealed in this study implicates their potential applications ranged from in microwave and millimeter-wave components to biomedical drug delivery system and positron emission tomography scan

A multi-wavelength channel distributed feedback laser diode array (DFB-LDA) for the low-cost and low-power consumption applications of WDM-based datacentre networks is reported. The gain spectrum and lasing wavelength of each channel are controlled by using selective area growth and E-beam lithography techniques, respectively. To reduce the operation current and parasitic capacitance of the proposed array, an etched mesa buried hetero-structure (EMBH) is introduced. From this study, it was found that an eight-channel 300 μm long λ/4-shifted DFB-LDA has a threshold current of 10 ± 1.5 mA and a side mode suppression ratio of over 50 dB at a current of 50 mA for all channels. A transmission test for this LDA showed a clear eye opening with a dynamic extinction ratio of over 4.5 dB at 10 Gb/s after a 2 km transmission.

The discharge–charge characteristics and performance of a Li/FeOOH(an) solid polymer battery are investigated. The cell uses a cathode of amorphous FeOOH with aniline derivatives (FeOOH(an)) and a polyacrylonitrile-based solid polymer electrolyte. The ionic conductivity of the electrolyte sample used for electrochemical measurements is 1.6×10−3 Ω−1 cm−1 at room temperature. Its anodic stability is above 4.5 V. The diffusion coefficient of Li+ ions into the cathode is found to be 2.97×10−11 cm2 s−1 by a.c. impedance spectroscopy. Variations of impedance parameters and the diffusion coefficient are investigated during the first discharge–charge. From the results of these measurements, it is concluded that the structure of FeOOH(an) is deformed by Li+ ion insertion/extraction. The electrochemical redox reaction of FeOOH(an) is investigated by cyclic voltammetry. In the potential range 2.0 to ∼4.0 V, the first discharge–charge is irreversible. Thereafter, reversible cycling processes take place. The initial discharge capacity is ∼130 mA h g−1 at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2.

We incorporated nitrogen in the Mo underlayer and investigated the effect of nitrogen concentration on the magnetic properties and annealing behavior of the spin valve devices. The spin valve structure was Si/SiO2/Mo(MoN)(35Aring)/NiFe(21 Aring)/CoFe(28 Aring)/Cu(22 Aring)/CoFe(18 Aring)/IrMn(65 Aring)/Ta(25Aring). It is concluded that MoN underlayer is magnetically as good as Ta underlayer for N2 gas flow rate of less than 6 sccm

Following the thermodecomposition synthetic route, water soluble γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles have been successfully prepared, with average size 8.8±1.3 nm. Based on the process we developed, the magnetic particles have carboxyl group on their surfaces. By using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimrthylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride [EDC] as a liker reagent, we successfully modified a protein, streptavidin, on the surface of γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles. With the strong affinity between biotin with streptavidin, we could use the streptavidin-modified magnetic nanoparticles to separate the rare biotin functionalized molecules from the mixed solution. On the other hand, streptavidin functionalized Fe 2 O 3 can catch a biotin labeled single strand oligonucleotides through the strong affinity between streptavidin and biotin. The oligonucleotides functionalized magnetic nanoparticle would separate a specific oligonucleotide from a mixture. This design may be used to create a technique to detect diseases in the future.

Tungsten carbon nitride (W-C-N) thin films were produced by reactive radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering of tungsten in Ar-N₂ gas mixture. The effects of the variation of nitrogen partial pressure on the composition, and structural properties of these films as well as the influence of post-deposition annealing have been studied. When La_(0.67)Sr_(0.33)MnO₃ was coated on the W-C-N/Si substrate, coercivity (Hc) and magnetization at room temperature shows 58.73 Oe, and 29.4 emu/cc, respectively. In order to improve the diffusion barrier characteristics, we have studied the impurity behaviors to control the ratios of nitrogen and carbon concentrations.

Introduction This randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study evaluated the addition of cediranib, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1–3, to standard carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Methods Eligible patients received paclitaxel (200mg/m 2 ) and carboplatin (area under the concentration time curve 6) intravenously every 3weeks. Daily oral cediranib/placebo 20mg was commenced day 1 of cycle 1 and continued as monotherapy after completion of 4–6 cycles of chemotherapy. The primary end-point of the study was overall survival (OS). The trial would continue to full accrual if an interim analysis (IA) for progression-free survival (PFS), performed after 170 events of progression or death in the first 260 randomised patients, revealed a hazard ratio (HR) for PFS of ⩽0.70. Results The trial was halted for futility at the IA (HR for PFS 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66–1.20, p =0.45). A final analysis was performed on all 306 enrolled patients. The addition of cediranib increased response rate ([RR] 52% versus 34%, p =0.001) but did not significantly improve PFS (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.71–1.18, p =0.49) or OS (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69–1.30, p =0.72). Cediranib patients had more grade 3 hypertension, diarrhoea and anorexia. Conclusions The addition of cediranib 20mg daily to carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy increased RR and toxicity, but not survival.

Catalytic performance of Co/ZSM-5 with different metal loadings and of HZSM-5 was compared in the NO + O2, C3H8 + O2, and NO + C3H8 + O2 reactions. It was found that Co/ZSM-5 catalysts containing only isolated cobalt ions in cationic positions are inactive in NO2 formation. To achieve appreciable NO conversion in the SCR process over these catalysts higher reaction temperatures are required. These results make it possible to suggest that NO2 formation is not a prerequisite for the SCR of NO with hydrocarbons over Co/ZSM-5. With increasing Co loading, however, Co/ZSM-5 begins to exhibit activity in NO2 formation. This is explained by the formation of cobalt oxide particles on the zeolite carrier, which are active in the NO2 formation. Increase in NO2 formation strongly enhances catalytic activity in SCR of NO at lower reaction temperatures. Comparison of the C3H8 conversion in the C3H8 + O2 and C3H8 + O2 + NO reactions provides evidence that NO2 activates hydrocarbon molecules resulting in the formation of the reaction intermediates of the SCR process.

This study explores insights on the effect of relationship marketing orientation (RMO) implementation in the hotel industry when competitive pressures compel hotels to trade off longer-term gains from relational strategies for transactional profit measures aligned to a cost-orientation (CO) implementation. When relational practices succumb to price/cost-based competitive pressures, a focus on cost cutting moderates the importance afforded by business to service quality and customer satisfaction. Developing theory to examine CO's moderating effect on RMO implementation for enhanced business performance can clarify RMO adoption efficacy. This study contributes to enhancing understanding of the essentiality of long-term consistency of RMO strategies implementation in the hotel industry, and how these can be compromised by temporary adoption of CO.

Korea has developed a Helium Cooled Ceramic Reflector Test Blanket Module (Ko HCCR TBM) related to the ITER project. Tungsten is considered as a prime candidate for the plasma facing materials in fusion reactors, and for the structure material of Ko HCCR TBM. KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) has been evaluating neutron cross sections of tungsten isotopes for neutron energy of up to 150 MeV based on nuclear reaction codes and available measurement data. New experimental data were measured at nELBE of HZDR (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf) for a comparison with the evaluated and existing measurement data. The neutron source nELBE adopts a 40 MeV superconducting electron linac and a liquid Pb target for time-of-flight measurements. The nELBE neutron source uses no moderator and provides fast neutrons. An electron bunch length of 5 ps and a compact target provide a good neutron energy resolution with a relatively short flight length compared to other time-of-flight neutron sources. Transmission data of a natural tungsten sample were measured with a flight path length of 852.1 cm and a repetition rate of 101.56 kHz. The neutron total cross section of natural tungsten was obtained for an energy range of 100 keV to 10 MeV.

A ridge waveguide quantum dot (QD) laser with a stripe width of 15 /spl mu/m was fabricated by using the seven-stacked InAs QD layers based on the InAlGaAs-InAlAs material system on InP [001] substrate. Room-temperature lasing operation was observed at 1.501 /spl mu/m, which is the first observation from the InAs QDs with the InAlGaAs-InAlAs structure. The characteristic temperature of the InAs QD laser calculated from the temperature dependence of threshold current density was 135 K in the temperature range from 200 K to room temperature.

Background/Aims: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies have been reported to occur more frequently in healthy first-degree relatives of patients with ulcerative colitis than in healthy controls. The aim of this study was to determine their prevalence in families in which more than one member was affected with inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: With use of an indirect immunofluorescence method, 168 affected members and 197 unaffected first-degree relatives in 56 such families were studied. Results: Antibodies were detected in 46% of patients with ulcerative colitis without a positive family history and in 44% of those within families with several affected members. There was no evidence of clustering of antibodies in particular families. Within families in which both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease coexisted, antibodies were detected primarily in patients with ulcerative colitis. Antibodies were seldom present (3%) in those patients with Crohn's disease, whether they were familial or nonfamilial cases. Similarly, antibodies were seldom present (3%) in controls or the unaffected first-degree relatives of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Conclusions: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies are associated with ulcerative colitis, and their presence is not increased in the first-degree relatives of patients with ulcerative colitis. They are more likely to be a consequence of the disease than a subclinical genetic disease marker.

Three-dimensional finite element studies were conducted on hot-spot stresses for a tubular T-joint under combined axial and bending loading. Two sets of combined loading components, axial plus in-plane bending (IPB) and axial plus out-of-plane bending (OPB), were investigated for five different combined axial-to-bending stress ratios of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0. The finite element results for the peak hot-spot stress were compared with the results obtained from the API RP2A code procedure using a superposition method for combined loading. The finite element studies also provide the complete hot-spot stress distributions around the intersection, and this information indicates the location of the peak hot-spot stress where fatigue cracking is expected to occur.

Quality is key for any organization to survive, compete and move forward in today's increasingly competitive business environment. Quality is determined by the product users, clients or customers, not by society in general. The aim is not to eliminate mistakes or defect completely, but to minimize the occurrence of defects/mistakes a company can manage and handle. A suitable and flexible quality improvement initiative can help companies formalize a systematic well-rounded approach covering top management all the way to the operations level in handling day-to-day tasks. Six Sigma is one of the upcoming methodologies gaining popularity amongst IT and non-IT organizations. Six Sigma is no longer a methodology solely for the manufacturing sector. An increase of Six Sigma adoption and implementation into the field of IT project management for medium-to-large scale organizations is observed. Nevertheless, the purpose of this paper is to create a general overview and raise awareness among IT organizations and IT specialists (especially in the region of South-East Asia) regarding the feasibility and possibility of adopting and implementing Six Sigma into the field of IT in the three IT business areas: IT Processes, IT Services and IT Products, not limiting to a single sub-trade of IT related businesses.

Summary The Uba6 (E1)-Use1 (E2) ubiquitin transfer cascade is a poorly understood alternative arm of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and is required for mouse embryonic development, independent of the canonical Uba1-E2-E3 pathway. Loss of neuronal Uba6 during embryonic development results in altered patterning of neurons in the hippocampus and the amygdala, decreased dendritic spine density, and numerous behavioral disorders. The levels of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Ube3a (E6-AP) and Shank3, both linked with dendritic spine function, are elevated in the amygdala of Uba6-deficient mice, while levels of the Ube3a substrate Arc are reduced. Uba6 and Use1 promote proteasomal turnover of Ube3a in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) and catalyze Ube3a ubiquitylation in vitro. These activities occur in parallel with an independent pathway involving Uba1-UbcH7, but in a spatially distinct manner in MEFs. These data reveal an unanticipated role for Uba6 in neuronal development, spine architecture, mouse behavior, and turnover of Ube3a.

Vertebrates express two enzymes for activation of ubiquitin – UBA1, which is responsible for activation of the vast majority of E2 conjugating enzymes, and UBA6, which uses the dedicated E2, USE1. However, targets and E3s for UBA6-USE1 are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that UBA6-USE1 functions with the UBR1-3 subfamily of N-recognin E3s to degrade the N-end rule substrates RGS4, RGS5, and Arg(R)-GFP. This pathway functions in the cytoplasm in parallel with the UBA1-UBE2A/B-UBR2 cascade, which promotes turnover of nuclear RGS4/5 proteins and an apparently phenotypically distinct pool of cytoplasmic RGS4/5. UBR2 promotes Lys48 (K48)-specific ubiquitin discharge from, and RGS4 ubiquitylation by, both USE1 and UBE2A in vitro. This work provides insight into the machinery employed by the UBA6-USE1 cascade to promote protein turnover, and suggests that the UBA6 and UBA1 pathways can function in parallel with the same E3 to degrade the same targets in a spatially distinct manner.

This paper proposes an obstacle detection method for indoor mobile robot using axial stereo model. In order to acquire the range information about obstacles within short time, the contact points of floor and bottom edges of the obstacles are used since most obstacles existing in indoor environment are lying on the floor where their bottom edges come into contact with. Such points are obtained by the inverse perspective mapping through which the original rear image is projected on the known floor plane. Then, this projected image is mapped perspectively on a known image plane. The contact points are transformed to the mobile robot coordinate frame and 2-dimensional map is constructed. The effectiveness of this method is verified by a series of experiments

A mechanism that may reduce the effective differential gain due to the modulation of the confinement factor with carrier density in quantum-well lasers is described. This mechanism may limit modulation bandwidth for quantum-well lasers with high threshold carrier density and narrow confining layer. >

Surveys reveal that the higher the organization project management maturity level is, the greater it enhances project performance. However it is vital to first understand the requirements of such a maturity model in the context of the target industry or sector. In this study, we aim to assess the current status of project management maturity model (PMMM) adoption in Malaysia's ICT industry as an initiative to conceptualize a model for use in the sector. An online survey was carried out to investigate the level of PMMM awareness, its extent of adoption or practices and its prerequisite requirements for use in the ICT industry. Based on our findings, a preliminary framework of the PMMM is proposed in our next phase of study.

The European Commission project COCOMAT aimed at exploiting the large reserve of strength in composite structures through more accurate prediction of collapse. As part of the research program, curved stiffened composite panels of various designs have been manufactured and tested in compression. In the current pool of experiments it is possible to observe the scatter in results caused by manufacturing defects and material variations. In a bid to account for the scatter in design, two qualitative measures of robustness, called Robust Indices, have been derived so that effective comparisons can be made. The first measure quantifies robustness of structures with respect to their input variables while the second measure quantifies the overall robustness of a structure.

Sterol-induced binding of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane proteins Insig-1 and Insig-2 to SREBP cleavage-activating protein (Scap) and HMG-CoA reductase triggers regulatory events that limit cholesterol synthesis in animal cells. Binding of Insigs to Scap prevents proteolytic activation of sterol-regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs), membrane-bound transcription factors that enhance cholesterol synthesis, by trapping Scap-SREBP complexes in the ER. Insig binding to reductase causes ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome-mediated degradation of the enzyme from ER membranes, slowing a rate-limiting step in cholesterol synthesis. Here, we report the characterization of mutant Chinese hamster ovary cells, designated SRD-20, that are resistant to 25-hydroxycholesterol, which potently inhibits SREBP activation and stimulates degradation of reductase. SRD-20 cells were produced by mutagenesis of Insig-1-deficient SRD-14 cells, followed by selection in 25-hydroxycholesterol. DNA sequencing reveals that SRD-20 cells harbor a point mutation in one Insig-2 allele that results in production of a truncated, nonfunctional protein, whereas the other allele contains a point mutation that results in substitution of glutamic acid for glycine-39. This glycine residue localizes to the first membrane-spanning segment of Insig-2 and is also present in the corresponding region of Insig-1. Mutant forms of Insig-1 and Insig-2 containing the Glu-to-Gly substitution fail to confer sterol regulation upon overexpressed Scap and reductase. These studies identify the intramembrane glycine as a key residue for normal sterol regulation in animal cells.

A simple model based on the unimolecular reaction (RRKM) theory is described and used to calculate the desorption rate constant of carbon monoxide induced by the exoergic reaction between a gaseous oxygen atom and a surface carbon atom on nickel and platinum surfaces. We find that only a small number of neighbouring surface atoms may participate in the activated complex and are mainly responsible for energy quenching in chemically induced desorption. It is predicted that the desorption rate constant kd decreases with increasing number of the neighbouring surface atoms n, exhibiting an approximately linear relationship between log kd and n.

HIFAN 1757 HEAVY ION FUSION SCIENCE VIRTUAL NATIONAL LABORATORY, 3rd QUARTER 2009 MILESTONE REPORT, Upgrade plasma source configuration and carry out initial experiments. Characterize improvements in focal spot beam intensity by S. Lidia, A. Anders, F.M. Bieniosek, A. Faltens, W. Greenway, J.Y. Jung, T. Katayanagi, B.G. Logan, C.W. Lee, M. Leitner, P. Ni, A. Pekedis, M. J. Regis, P. K. Roy, P. A. Seidl, W. Waldron Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA J.J. Barnard, A. Friedman, D. Grote, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA M. Dorf, E. Gilson Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Accelerator Fusion Research Division Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory University of California June 2009 This work was supported by the Director, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

This effort contains two main components: The new induction-bunching module is expected to deliver higher fluence in the bunched beam, and the new target positioner will enable a significantly enhanced target physics repetition rate. The velocity ramp that bunches the K{sup +} beam in the neutralized drift compression section is established with a bipolar voltage ramp applied to an acceleration gap. An induction acceleration module creates this voltage waveform. The new bunching module (IBM) specially built for NDCX has approximately twice the capability (volt-seconds) as our original IBM. We reported on the beam line design for the best use of the bunching module in our FY08 Q2 report. Based on simulations and theoretical work, we chose to extend the drift compression section and use the additional volt-seconds to extend the pulse duration and keep the peak voltage swing (and velocity excursions) similar to the present module. Simulations showed that this approach, which extends the drift section, to be advantageous because it limits the chromatic aberrations in the beam spot on target. To this end, colleagues at PPPL have fabricated the meter-long extension to the ferroelectric plasma source and it was installed on the beam line with the new IBM inmore » January 2009. Simulation results suggest a factor of two increase in energy deposition from the bunched beam. In the first WDM target run (August-November 2008) the target handling setup required opening the vacuum system to manually replace the target after each shot (which destroys the target). Because of the requirement for careful alignment of each individual target, the target shot repetition rate was no greater than 1 shot per day. Initial results of this run are reported in our FY08 4th Quarter Milestone Report. Based on the valuable experience gained in the initial run, we have designed and installed an improved target alignment and positioning system with the capability to reposition targets remotely. This capability allows us to significantly increase our shot repetition rate, and to take greater advantage of the pinhole/cone arrangement we have developed to localize the beam at final focus. In addition we have improved the capability of the optical diagnostic systems, and we have installed a new beam current transformer downstream of the target to monitor beam current transmitted through the target during an experiment. These improvements will allow us to better exploit the inherent capability of the NDCX facility for high repetition rate and thus to provide more detailed experimental data to assess WDM physics models of target behavior. This milestone has been met by demonstrating highly compressed beams with the new bunching module, which are neutralized in the longer drift compression section by the new ferro-electric plasma sources. The peak uncompressed beam intensity ({approx}600 kW/cm{sup 2}) is higher than in previous measurements, and the bunched beam current profiles are {approx}2ns. We have also demonstrated a large increase in the experimental data acquisition rate for target heating experiments. In the first test of the new remote-controlled target positioning system, we completed three successful target physics shots in less than two hours. Further improvements are expected.« less

A numerical seek acoustic transfer function method is developed for fast seek acoustic analysis and validated by experiments. The effects of HDD temperature and seek length on seek acoustic are also studied.

Silicon ion implantation on GaAs through tantalum silicide and aluminum nitride films is investigated. Rapid thermal annealing is used to activate the dopant and to provide an abrupt shallow junction. After the annealing process, the carrier mobility, ideality factor and barrier height of Ta5Si3/GaAs Schottky diodes were measured. The carrier profiles were determined by CV and differential Hall methods. A numerical range scaling model is adopted to fit the data and obtain the diffusion coefficient of silicon in GaAs. Rutherford backscattering and photoreflectance were performed in order to study the interdiffusion and internal field near the surface. Our experiments show that the through-film (tantalum silicide or aluminum nitride) implantation is a promising process in self-aligned (SAG) technology.

High-power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) modules encapsulated with different lens shapes after a thermal-aging test were studied experimentally and numerically. Samples from different manufacturers were aged at 65, 85, and 95degC under a constant driving current of 350 mA. The results showed that the optical power of the LED modules at the two view angles of plusmn (45deg~75deg) decreased more than the other view angles as the aging time increased. This was due to the reduction of radiation pattern from the corner effect of lens shape, resulted in lower output power. The simulation of the corner effect of lens shape is in good agreement with the experiment result. Results also showed that the center wavelength of the LED spectrum shift 5 nm after thermal aging 600 hours at 95degC because of degradation the lens material. The key module package related failure modes under thermal-aging may be due to the corner effect of lens shape and the degradation of the lens material. Therefore, improving the lens structure and lens material is essential to extend the operating life of the phosphor-based white LEDs modules.

HIFAN 1667 HEAVY ION FUSION SCIENCE VIRTUAL NATIONAL LABORATORY 4th QUARTER 2008 MILESTONE REPORT Carry out initial target experiment in the new target chamber, using beams compressed and focused by an improved bunching waveform and a final focus solenoid. F.M. Bieniosek, A. Anders, J.J. Barnard, M.R. Dickinson, W. Greenway, E. Henestroza, T. Katayanagi, B.G. Logan, C.W. Lee, M. Leitner, S. Lidia, R. M. More, P. Ni, P. K. Roy, P. A. Seidl, W. Waldron LBNL Accelerator Fusion Research Division Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory University of California Berkeley, California 94720 September 2008 This work was supported by the Director, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

The Heavy Ion Fusion Science Virtual National Laboratory (HIFS-VNL) has completed the fabrication of a new experimental target chamber facility for future Warm Dense Matter (WDM) experiments, and implemented initial target diagnostics to be used for the first target experiments in NDCX-1. The target chamber has been installed on the NDCX-I beamline. This achievement provides to the HIFS-VNL unique and state-of-the-art experimental capabilities in preparation for the planned target heating experiments using intense heavy ion beams.