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As the current decade is witnessing a shift from traditional System — On — Chip (SoC) to Network — On — Chip, but the inherent problems such as congestion, latency and delay still remains the major issues of concern. The effect of these issues in a chip may somehow be minimized by carefully designing a topology and a suitable routing algorithm which offers both path diversity and scalability. In this paper, an attempt is being made to minimize, the congestion in the internal routers of the MIN Fat Tree, by adding an extra link in each router for the purpose of interconnection amongst the router. The simulation of the resultant topology shows promising results in terms of average delay and average hop count when compared to MIN Fat Tree.

Spacecraft carrying optical communication lasers can be treated as artificial stars, whose relative astrometry to Gaia reference stars provides spacecraft positions in the plane-of-sky for optical navigation. To be comparable to current Deep Space Network delta-Differential One-way Ranging measurements, thus sufficient for navigation, nanoradian optical astrometry is required. Here we describe our error budget, techniques for achieving nanoradian level ground-base astrometry, and preliminary results from a 1 m telescope. We discuss also how these spacecraft may serve as artificial reference stars for adaptive optics, high precision astrometry to detect exoplanets, and tying reference frames defined by radio and optical measurements.

The efficiency of a System — On — Chip (SoC) depends upon the arrangement of different components on the chip. In order to get full operational capability, the communication between these components must incur less cost: latency and delay. Traditionally these components are connected via shared bus, which becomes a bottleneck. To overcome this bottleneck a new era has begun called the Network — on — chip era, which advocates of placing a well formed network within a chip so that, scalability, latency etc. incurred in communication may be minimized and an optimal performance may be guaranteed. This paper examines a new MIN based FAT TREE topology which has limited scalability and the routing is based on fully grouped strategy.

A routing algorithm plays a critical role in the performance of a Network — on — Chip architecture. An apt routing strategy should cater the performance demands expected from the network, and also the algorithm should be able to scale up seamlessly as the network grows in size. Keeping this in back drop, an attempt is made in this paper to develop a fully grouped routing for Homogeneous Fat Tree Network — On — Chip topology which is both efficient and scalable in nature.

Current and near-term Mars relay telecommunications services are provided by a set of NASA and ESA Mars science orbiters equipped with UHF relay communication payloads employing operationally simple low-gain antennas. These have been extremely successful in supporting a series of landed Mars mission, greatly increasing data return relative to direct-to-Earth lander links. Yet their relay services are fundamentally constrained by the short contact times available from the selected science orbits. Future Mars areostationary orbiters, flying in circular, equatorial, 1-sol orbits, offer the potential for continuous coverage of Mars landers and rovers, radically changing the relay support paradigm. Achieving high rates on the longer slant ranges to areostationary altitude will require steered, high-gain links. Both RF and optical options exist for achieving data rates in excess of 100 Mb/s. Several point designs offer a measure of potential user burden, in terms of mass, volume, power, and pointing requirements for user relay payloads, as a function of desired proximity link performance.

An adaptive optics (AO) testbed was integrated to the Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) ground station telescope at the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) as part of the free space laser communications experiment with the flight system on board the International Space Station (ISS). Atmospheric turbulence induced aberrations on the optical downlink were adaptively corrected during an overflight of the ISS so that the transmitted laser signal could be efficiently coupled into a single mode fiber continuously. A stable output Strehl ratio of around 0.6 was demonstrated along with the recovery of a 50 Mbps encoded high definition (HD) video transmission from the ISS at the output of the single mode fiber. This proof of concept demonstration validates multi-Gbps optical downlinks from fast slewing low-Earth orbiting (LEO) spacecraft to ground assets in a manner that potentially allows seamless space to ground connectivity for future high data-rates network.

Transition metal oxides, in particular, 3d or 4d perovskites have provided diverse emergent physics that originates from the coupling of various degrees of freedom such as spin, lattice, charge, orbital, and also disorder. 5d perovskites form a distinct class because they have strong spin-orbit coupling that introduces to the system an additional energy scale that is comparable to bandwidth and Coulomb correlation. Consequent new physics includes novel Jeff = 1/2 Mott insulators, metal-insulator transitions, spin liquids, and topological insulators. After highlighting some of the phenomena appearing in Ruddlesden-Popper iridate series Srn+1IrnO3n+1, we focus on the transport properties of perovskite SrIrO3. Using epitaxial thin films on various substrates, we demonstrate that metal-insulator transitions can be induced in perovskite SrIrO3 by reducing its thickness or by imposing compressive strain. The metal-insulator transition driven by thickness reduction is due to disorder, but the metal-insulator transition driven by compressive strain is accompanied by peculiar non-Fermi liquid behaviors, possibly due to the delicate interplay between correlation, disorder, and spin-orbit coupling. We examine various theoretical frameworks to understand the non-Fermi liquid physics and metal-insulator transition that occurs in SrIrO3 and offer the Mott-Anderson-Griffiths scenario as a possible solution.

Network on chip is an advanced version of System on chip which gives both scalabilities and flexible communication inside the chip. In this paper we proposed a new topology by keeping in mind the factors like minimum chip area, high throughput and minimum latency with path diversity. We compared our proposed topology with some existing topologies like fat tree and Multipath Topology in terms of latency, throughput, hop count, the hardware used and the number of events to be carried out the simulation. The proposed topology provides us with minimum latency, less hardware used, high throughput better than the existing topologies that we compared. We used an adaptive routing algorithm which is a deadlock and live lock free algorithm, provides path diversity along with a proper load balance and maximum channel utilization in our proposed topology. The required simulation is done using with an open source simulator named OMNET++.

Network-on-Chip (NoC) is a new on chip communication design system that replaced bus-based communication in System-on-Chip (SoC). It provides efficient and scalable communication among the IPs (Intellectual Properties) in a single chip. Mainly, it was introduced to fulfill the growing demand of electronics system which needs to integrate a large number of computational resources into a single chip with an aim to get high performances, And to get efficient performance, the interconnection network plays an important role in chip design. The network architecture or topology should be highly scalable so that it can incorporate a large number of IPs without degrading the performance. In this paper, we proposed a network topology that provides multiple path diversity and high degree of scalability. The architecture of the proposed topology is described along with a packet based adaptive routing algorithm. We simulated the network using an open source simulator named OMNeT++. The topology is tested for average latency, number of events that to be carried in the simulation using a packet based routing algorithm and has been compared with existing Fat tree topology.

Rapidly varying but of nearly-mean-zero longitudinal dispersion profile has been adopted to achieve self-similar propagation of parabolic optical pulses through a chalcogenide glass based and segmented highly-nonlinear bandgap optical fiber at 2.8 µm.

5d transition-metal-based oxides display emergent phenomena due to the competition between the relevant energy scales of the correlation, bandwidth, and most importantly, the strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC). Starting from the prediction of novel oxide topological insulators in bilayer ABO3 (B = 5d elements) thin-film grown along the (111) direction, 5d-based perovskites (Pv) form a new paradigm in the thin-film community. Here, we reviewed the scientific accomplishments in Pv-SrIrO3 thin films, a popular candidate for observing non-trivial topological phenomena. Although the predicted topological phenomena are unknown, the Pv-SrIrO3 thin film shows many emergent properties due to the delicate interplay between its various degrees of freedom. These observations provide new physical insight and encourage further research on the design of new 5d-based heterostructures or superlattices for the observation of the hidden topological quantum phenomena in strong spin-orbit coupled oxides., Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures, a research update article about perovskite SrIrO3 to appear in Current Applied Physics

Generation of high-amplitude high-frequency pure-tone mechanical vibrations over a wide frequency range is required in many applications, such as Vibrotactile VT stimulation, material testing and so on. This paper describes development of three different types of actuator systems, pneumatic, electromagnetic and piezoelectric, towards the objective of conducting VT psychophysical experiment above 1i¾źkHz starting from few hundreds of Hz. While the piezoelectric system offers compactness, the 120i¾źW electromagnetic system offers wider bandwidth and is capable of generating suprathreshold stimulus even above 2i¾źkHz. Design and response of the piezoelectric actuator system, including the custom built LVDT coupled with the actuator are detailed in this paper. The frequency response of the tested configuration remains flat over a wide bandwidth till 4i¾źkHz, even at high level of excitation, while generating bursts of 100i¾źµm amplitude sine waves. The developed linear charge-drive is suitable for low-current application ~50i¾źmA, maintaining low EMI and small size.

The nickel(II) complex of a bulky pincer-type ligand, N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-2,6-pyridinedicarboxamido, was examined for sp3–sp3 coupling of Grignard reagents with polychlorinated solvents. The nickel(II) complex catalyzed C C coupling of polychlorinated alkyl halides, such as dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), chloroform (CHCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), with various Grignard reagents. The effective activation of multiple C Cl bonds proceeded under ambient reaction conditions and within a short time (20 min). This catalyst displays the highest activity yet reported for this reaction type, with catalyst loading as low as 0.4 mol% and turnover frequency (TOF) as high as 724 h−1. The catalyst is capable of replacing all chlorine atoms with C C bond formations for all of the polychlorinated solvents under investigation. The catalytic process could prove to be an efficient method of remediation of toxic polychlorinated solvents while generating synthetically and commercially important chemicals.

This work outlines a novel method for the synthesis of stable gold nanoparticles within the spatially confined region of vesicles. For the first time, Span/cholesterol based niosomes have been used for nanoparticle synthesis. The restricted geometry within niosomes prevents nanoparticle aggregation. The results have important implications for controlled delivery of nanoparticles for therapeutic applications.

We report the impact of halo implants on short-channel effects of nanoscale Ge channel pMOSFETs in terms of different electrical device parameters such as threshold voltage ( $V_{\rm TH}$ ), subthreshold slope (SS), and drain-induced barrier lowering. The analysis is based on 2-D surface potential approach taking into account the interface-trapped-charge density, the fixed-oxide-charge density, and halo implants. The higher value of halo concentration as well as halo length shifts the $V_{\rm TH}$ toward the more negative value making pMOS devices suitable for circuit applications and also reduces SS. A design space defined by halo concentration and halo length for $V_{\rm TH}$ almost independent of channel length has been predicted for Ge pMOS devices with gate lengths down to 20 nm. Results obtained from our model show excellent agreement with numerical simulation data obtained using ATLAS and with reported experimental data.

We present the successful design and synthesis of few-layer graphenes over an Au/MgO catalytic system by chemical vapor deposition with methane as the carbon source. The resulting structures were composed of a few graphitic layers, and the highest synthesis yield was found to be 62% when the methane flow rate was 120 mL/min. The dimension of the in-plane crystallites was found to increase with the reaction time. A simple purification step was used to remove the MgO support that resulted in graphene sheets decorated with Au nanoparticles. Such an approach makes it possible to synthesize high purity Au–graphene nanostructured composites by using a single reaction step and without the need for additional functionalization or attachment.

Radio frequency sputtering system is employed to fabricate metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors using an ultra-thin layer of HfAlO x dielectric deposited on n-GaAs substrates with and without a Si interface control layer incorporated in between the dielectric and the semiconductor. Measurements are performed to obtain capacitance voltage ( C – V ) and current voltage ( I – V ) characteristics for GaAs/Si/HfAlO x and GaAs/HfAlO x capacitors under different constant voltage and constant current stress conditions. The variation of different electrical parameters such as change in interface trap density, hysteresis voltage with various values of constant voltage stress and the dependence of flat band voltage, fractional change in gate leakage current density, etc. with stress time are extracted from the C – V and I – V data for capacitors with and without a Si interlayer. Further the trap charge density and the movement of trap centroid are investigated for various injected influences. The dielectric breakdown and reliability properties of the dielectric films are studied using constant voltage stressing. A high time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB, t bd ⩾ 1350 s) is observed for HfAlO x gate dielectric with a silicon inter-layer under the high constant voltage stress at 8 V. Compared to capacitors without a Si interlayer, MOS capacitors with a Si interlayer exhibit improved electrical and breakdown characteristics, and excellent interface and reliability properties.

While marketers often rely upon banner ads to generate revenues, it is unclear as to how these ads might influence consumer perceptions of host websites. In this paper, we conduct three studies to ...

In the presence of a small amount of a proteinous amino acid (arginine/tryptophan/histidine) or a nucleoside (adenosine/guanosine/cytidine), graphene oxide (GO) forms supramolecular stable hydrogels. These hydrogels have been characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and rheology. The morphology of the hydrogel reveals the presence of nanofibers and nanosheets. This suggests the supramolecular aggregation of GO in the presence of an amino acid/nucleoside. Rheological studies of arginine containing a GO-based hydrogel show a very high G' value (6.058 × 10(4) Pa), indicating the rigid, solid-like behavior of this gel. One of these hydrogels (GO-tryptophan) has been successfully utilized for the in situ synthesis and stabilization of Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) within the hydrogel matrix without the presence of any other external reducing and stabilizing agents to make Au NPs containing the GO-based nanohybrid material. The Au NPs containing the hybrid hydrogel has been characterized by using UV/vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In this study, gold salt (Au(3+)) has been bioreduced by the tryptophan within the hydrogel. This is a facile "green chemical" method of preparing the GO-based nanohybrid material within the hydrogel matrix. The significance of this method is the in situ reduction of gold salt within the gel phase, and this helps to decorate the nascently formed Au NPs almost homogeneously and uniformly on the surface of the GO nanosheets within the gel matrix.

The concept of deep-space optical communications was formulated shortly after the invention of lasers. The promise of laser communications, high data rate delivery with significantly reduced aperture size for the flight terminal, led to the pursuit of several successful experiments from Earth orbit and provided the incentive for further demonstrations to extend the range to deep space. This paper is aimed at presenting an overview of the current status of optical communications with an emphasis on deep space. Future perspectives and applications of optical communications related to near-Earth and interplanetary communications are also addressed.

Consumer regret can result in unfavorable outcomes for marketers. To prevent regret, many retailers promise to refund money to consumers who discover lower prices after purchase. The authors show that a refund's effect on felt regret depends on how consumers view these promises. If consumers mainly view them as protective tools (i.e., adopt a protection focus), postrefund regret is minimal. If consumers primarily view such promises as sources of information about the retailer's price status (i.e., adopt an information focus), regret persists even after refund. The authors show that regret persists with these consumers because finding a lower price results in a perception of trust violation. They find that subject to boundary conditions, using a disclaimer that states that the retailer does not claim to offer the lowest prices helps avoid this negative outcome for information-focused consumers. The authors contribute to the literature on outcome reversibility and regret by showing that outcome reversal does not necessarily obviate regret. In addition, they show that regulatory focus serves as the motivational basis for how consumers view refund promises.

We report the photo-thermal properties of single and double wall carbon nanotubes (CNT) dispersed in various solvents with different concentrations when exposed to near infrared nm laser irradiations. All these studies were correlated to the dispersivity of CNT in various solvents. The observed temperature increase of the various nanotube solutions was found to be determined by the concentration of the optically active nanotubes, as determined from their Raman scattering spectra, which are resonant in the spectral range of the laser excitation. Such findings could significantly improve the understanding of the optically active CNT species, their overall laser induced-heating levels, and thus reducing the amount of the CNT required for bio-medical photothermal applications to limit the possible undesired cytotoxic effects that occur at high nanotube concentrations. Our studies open up the possibility of using selective species of CNT as effective low-toxic photo thermal agents for cancer targeting and ablation.

Metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) capacitors fabricated by depositing yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ) using radio frequency sputtering system on top of n-GaAs substrates have been investigated. To study the interface properties, charge trapping behavior and breakdown characteristics of Y 2 O 3 gate dielectric, the MOS capacitors were subjected to constant current stress, high pulse voltage stress and high constant voltage stress. The average value of the cross section of generated traps during electrical stress has been determined from our experimental data. Further the trap charge density, its distribution and location have been investigated by measurements on application and subsequent withdrawal of high pulse voltage stress. Additionally, stress induced leakage current density and time dependent dielectric breakdown characteristics have been obtained and time-to-breakdown exceeding 840 s is observed for Y 2 O 3 gate dielectrics directly deposited on n-GaAs. Our experimental results have been analyzed with simple analytical formulae available in the literature.

We have studied an ionic CrV(O) complex of a cyclic amido ligand (1) for cyclic carbonate synthesis using epoxide and carbon dioxide (CO2) as starting materials. Lithium salt of 1 (Li1) showed a high turnover number (TON) of 2950 at 180 °C and 450 psig CO2 pressure. Reactions were run under solvent-free conditions and in the presence of a Lewis base, which acts as a cocatalyst. Important reaction parameters such as pressure, temperature, and variation of cocatalyst to catalyst ratio were studied in order to obtain optimum reaction conditions. Besides the obvious effect of the anionic CrV on the catalytic activity, the cation of the complex has a profound effect on the overall catalytic activity of the complex. The effect is most significant when the cation is Li+. In order to probe the effect of cation and particularly of Li+ on the catalytic activity, several CrV(O) complexes were synthesized with various cations. Both inorganic (Na+, K+) and organic cations ((Ph)4P+, (Bu)4N+) were used to synthesize the...

In this paper, electrical behavior of symmetric double gate Ge channel MOSFETs with high-k dielectrics is reported on the basis of carrier concentration formalism. The model relies on the solution of Poisson–Boltzmann equations subject to suitable boundary conditions taking into account the effect of interface trap charge density (Dit) and the Pao-Sah’s current formulation considering field dependent hole mobility. It is continuous as it holds good for sub-threshold, weak and strong inversion regions of device operation. The proposed model has been employed to calculate the drain current of DG MOSFETs for different values of gate voltage and drain voltage along with various important device parameters such as transconductance, output conductance, and transconductance per unit drain current for a wide range of interface trap charge density, equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and bias conditions. Moreover, most of the important device parameters are compared with their corresponding Si counter parts. Accuracy of the model has been verified by comparing analytical results with the numerical simulation data. A notable improvement of the drive current and transconductance for Ge devices is observed with reference to Si devices, particularly when Dit is small.

We report design and synthesis of novel polymer-based nanocomposite for carbon capture and direct conversion into carbonate using a simple drop-casting method that allows uniform mixing of multiple oxide nanoparticles in a polymer matrix. Different functional properties including reactions with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and entrapping, and catalytic actions of the individual oxide nanoparticles were combined for their synergistic functions to occur in a single material system that resulted in enhanced reactions with CO 2 and direct conversion of CO 2 into thermodynamically favored and stable carbonates. These nanocomposites can be conveniently sprayed to coat surfaces for large-area CO 2 capture and storage.

A facile technique is demonstrated for the fabrication of super water repellent co-polymer blend-silver composite films from fatty acid surface functionalized fine silver flakes. Initially, high concentrations of surface functionalized silver flakes were dispersed in poly(vinyl chloride-co-vinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol) copolymer in solution to form electrically conducting adhesives/paints (ECAs) with a bulk resistivity of similar to 3 x 10(-5) Omega cm. The solvent-borne ECAs were then blended with a water-dispersed perfluoromethacrylate copolymer (Zonyl 8740) using a simple solvent-inversion process to obtain super water-repellent colloidal copolymer blend-silver emulsions. The colloidal emulsions could be spray-deposited on a number of fibrous substrates including fabrics and paper. A particular example is demonstrated herein by spray-depositing these emulsions onto molten paraffin wax-based laminates (60 degrees C), which were partially impregnated into fabrics to fabricate highly water repellent, flexible, and thermoresponsive fabrics. A paraffin wax/polyolefin blend base film was used for the purpose. The surface topology of the superhydrophobic copolymer/silver composite films displayed fractal-like hierarchical structures ideal for self-cleaning hydrophobicity. On relatively low-absorbent permeable porous surfaces such as cellulosic films (paper) impregnated with wax/polyolefin films, self-cleaning ability of the coatings was maintained even for temperatures at which paraffin wax component of the laminated film was molten indicated by low-water roll-off angles. Hence, the composites have excellent compatibility with organic phase change materials such as paraffin wax and wax/polyolefin blends, and they can be used to fabricate nonwetting, thermoregulated, and electroactive fabrics. Antimicrobial properties of silver offer additional advantages for potential biomedical applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 32: 576-585, 2011. (C) 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers

The feasibility of employing yttrium oxide (Y2O3) as high-k gate dielectrics for GaAs metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices has been investigated. MOS capacitors were fabricated using RF-sputtered deposited Y2O3 films on NH4OH treated n-GaAs substrate. Indeed high-k (Y2O3)/GaAs MOS capacitors exhibiting fairly good electrical characteristics, for instance, especially low leakage current density, low hysteresis and allowable density of interface states, have been achieved. The effects of several annealing treatments on Y2O3-gated GaAs MOS capacitors have been investigated in order to optimize the process conditions. A decrease in accumulation capacitance (Cacc) following PDA effectively increases the equivalent oxide thickness (EOT), which is predicted to be correlated with the growth and continuous increase in the physical thickness of a lower-k inter-layer sandwiched between Y2O3 and GaAs. However, leakage currents and interface trap densities are reduced with higher values of annealing temperature. The variation of current density with an equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) has also been investigated.

Large area and few to multi-layer graphene sheets were synthesized on a bimetallic catalyst system via radio-frequency chemical vapor deposition (RF-CVD). Synthesis conditions were varied and their effects on the morphological properties of the graphene structures were observed. As the flow rate of the hydrocarbon was varied, the diameter of the graphene structures increased from a few hundred nanometers to a few micrometers. The number of graphene layers was also found to be dependent on the hydrocarbon concentration. This method shows great potential for the synthesis of large area few-layer graphene sheets, which can be used in various electronic applications.

The electronic structures of SrRu 1 − xIr xO 3 films ( 0 ≤ x ≤ 1) have been investigated by employing polarization-dependent soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy. In SrIrO 3, the coherent quasi-particle peak at the Fermi level ( E F) is clearly observed, reflecting the spin-orbit-coupled correlated metallic nature of SrIrO 3. X-ray linear dichroism signals for x = 0 and x = 1 are negligibly weak, demonstrating the pseudo-cubic structure for SrRuO 3 and the strong spin-orbit coupling in SrIrO 3. In contrast, finite linear dichroism is observed for the intermediate x regime, indicating that the narrow d x z ↓ and d y z ↓ bands close to E F are occupied less than the wide d x y ↓ band due to the enhanced in-plane hopping.The electronic structures of SrRu 1 − xIr xO 3 films ( 0 ≤ x ≤ 1) have been investigated by employing polarization-dependent soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy. In SrIrO 3, the coherent quasi-particle peak at the Fermi level ( E F) is clearly observed, reflecting the spin-orbit-coupled correlated metallic nature of SrIrO 3. X-ray linear dichroism signals for x = 0 and x = 1 are negligibly weak, demonstrating the pseudo-cubic structure for SrRuO 3 and the strong spin-orbit coupling in SrIrO 3. In contrast, finite linear dichroism is observed for the intermediate x regime, indicating that the narrow d x z ↓ and d y z ↓ bands close to E F are occupied less than the wide d x y ↓ band due to the enhanced in-plane hopping.

Ultra-thin layers of the HfYO x gate dielectric were deposited on n-GaAs substrates by employing radio frequency (rf) sputter deposition system with a Si interface control layer sandwiched between the dielectric and semiconductor. The trapping/detrapping behaviour of charge carriers in the ultra-thin HfYO x /Si gate dielectric stack has been extensively studied during constant-voltage stressing (CVS) and compared with the results obtained from directly deposited HfYO x films on n-GaAs. The increase in gate leakage current observed during electrical stress is estimated and explained by taking into account the build up of trap charges and stress induced trap generation. Also, the capture cross-section of the generated traps is estimated. The variation of the trap centroid and the trapped charge density with injected influences have been investigated using constant current stressing (CCS) measurements. The dielectric breakdown and reliability of the dielectric films have been studied using constant-voltage stressing. A high time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB, t bd ⩾ 1700 s) is observed for HfYO x gate dielectric with a silicon inter-layer under a high constant-voltage stress (8 V).

We report a simple and novel top-down method based on a drop-casting process for the controlled synthesis of all-bone-minerals biomimetic multicomponent bionanocomposites. Integration of micro- and nanoscale binary features into nanofibrous biocompatible polymer scaffold structures is successfully demonstrated. Compositional control of the constituents of the bionanocomposites resulted in uniform dispersion of hydroxyapatite nanospheres (~100-500 nm) among collagen nanofibers (~100 nm). The composites also present high calcium and oxygen contents and adequate phosphorus compositions comparable to the levels of bone tissues. Our preliminary results open up further possibilities to develop advanced tissue-engineered bionanocomposites for bone grafting.

In this paper, we present the effects of ultrathin Si interfacial layer on the physical and electrical properties of GaAs MOS capacitors fabricated using RF-sputtered HfAlOx gate dielectric. It is found that HfAlOx/Si/n-GaAs stack exhibits excellent electrical properties with low frequency dispersion (∼4.8%), hysteresis voltage (0.27 V) and interface trap density (1.3 × 1012 eV−1 cm−2). The current density of 3.7 × 10−5 A/cm2 is achieved with an equivalent-oxide-thickness of 1.8 nm at VFB + 1 V for Si-passivated HfAlOx films on n-GaAs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis shows that the suppression of low-k interfacial layer formation is accomplished with the introduction of ultrathin Si interface control layer (ICL). Thus the introduction of thin layer of Si between HfAlOx dielectrics and GaAs substrate is an effective way to improve the interface quality such as low frequency dispersion, hysteresis voltage and leakage current. Additionally, current conduction mechanism has been studied and the dominant conduction mechanisms are found to be Schottky emission at low to medium electric fields and Poole–Frenkel at high fields and high temperatures under substrate injection. In case of gate injection, the main current conduction at low field is found to be the Schottky emission at high temperatures.

Background and Objectives Although serratus plane block reportedly provides satisfactory analgesia for breast and thoracic surgeries, the optimal technique for consistent success has not been studied. The goal of this anatomical study was to evaluate the impact of volume, level, and site of injection on the extent of injectate spread that can influence anesthetic coverage. Methods Ultrasound-guided dye injection and subsequent dissection were performed in 39 cadaveric hemithoraces. Methylene blue was injected according to 1 of 4 injection protocols as follows: one 20-mL bolus, either superficial or deep to the serratus anterior muscle (SAM), at the fifth rib level (groups SUP-20 and DEEP-20, respectively), or two 20-mL boluses, either superior or deep to the SAM, one at the third rib and one at the fifth rib level (group SUP-40 and group DEEP-40, respectively). Following injection, dissection and 3-dimensional digitization were performed to map the area of dye spread. Results We found that the extent of dye spread was mostly influenced by the volume of injection rather than the plane of injection (superficial vs deep to SAM). Increasing the volume from 20 to 40 mL doubled the area of injectate spread and promoted dye spread preferentially to the anterior chest wall, with some impact on cephalad-to-caudad spread and no impact on posterior spread. Dye was found most consistently in the axilla when a separate injection was performed at the third rib level. Conclusions Our data showed that a high-volume double-injection technique provides extensive and consistent dye spread in the anterior chest wall and axilla, regardless of the plane of injection relative to the SAM. This technique likely provides more reliable analgesic coverage for breast procedures especially those that involve the axilla, pending confirmation in future clinical studies.

Background and Objectives Effective postoperative analgesia may enhance early rehabilitation after orthopedic surgery. This randomized double-blind trial investigates the relative contributions of adductor canal block and low-dose intrathecal morphine (ITM) to postoperative analgesia and functional recovery after total knee arthroplasty. Methods Two-hundred one patients undergoing elective unilateral total knee arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia were randomized to 3 groups. All patients received standardized intraoperative local infiltration analgesia and postoperative oral analgesics. Patients in group 1 received a “sham” adductor canal block with 30 mL of normal saline. Patients in group 2 received an adductor canal block with 30 mL of ropivacaine 0.5% with 1:400,000 epinephrine, whereas patients in group 3 received the adductor canal block with the active drug and 100 μg of ITM. The primary outcome measure was the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test on the second postoperative day. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain scores and opioid requirements, distance walked, time to hospital discharge, and self-reported functional outcomes at 3 months. Results All 3 groups had similar values of TUG test on postoperative day (POD) 2 (46 [36–62], 45 [33–61], and 52 [41–69]; P = 0.166) as well as other short-term and 3-month functional outcomes. Patients in group 3 showed a favorable analgesic profile as evidenced by 3 positive secondary outcomes. These positive outcomes were lower pain scores 12 hours postoperatively both at rest (4 [2–6.3], 4 [2.3–6], and 3 [1–4]; P = 0.007) and on movement (6 [4–8], 6 [3–8], and 4 [2–6]; P = 0.002), a lower incidence of “rescue” intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (42%, 34%, and 20%; P = 0.031), and the lowest cumulative opioid requirements for the first 48 hours postoperatively (86 ± 71, 68 ± 46, and 59 ± 39; P Conclusions Our data suggest that there is no difference in either the primary outcome of TUG test on POD 2, other immediate functional secondary outcomes, or in global functional outcome at 3 months postoperatively across all 3 groups. Our data also suggest an improved analgesic profile in the first 48 hours postoperatively when both adductor canal block and low-dose ITM (100 μg) are added to local infiltration analgesia as evidenced by several positive secondary outcomes of lower pain scores and opioid requirements. Clinical Trial Registration This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02411149.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the effectiveness of multiple signals. Specifically, the paper investigates how the individual strength of a marketplace signal varies as a function of whether consumers are exposed to that signal alone or in combination with another signal.Design/methodology/approach – The research uses experimental designs to empirically address the research questions. Hypotheses are formulated primarily based on signaling theory and these hypotheses are tested with laboratory experiments using real consumers.Findings – The key finding is that a signal's stand‐alone credibility largely determines whether its individual strength would be diluted or augmented by the coexistence of another signal. Further, when signals with different stand‐alone strengths coexist, the individual strength of the weaker signal is higher than when that signal is present alone. These effects are observed in brick‐and‐mortar and online shopping media.Originality/value – Past research reports mixed...

In this research we distinguish between ads that compare two different brands (Across-Brand Comparison or ABC ads) and those that compare different versions of the same brand (Within-Brand Comparison or WBC ads). Results from an experiment indicate that when comparative ads use attributes that are relevant to product performance, ad type and brand image interact such that an ABC ad leads to less favorable consumer perceptions than a WBC ad when image of the sponsor brand is low but not when it is high. However, when the ads use attributes that are irrelevant to product performance an ABC ad leads to less favorable consumer outcomes than a WBC ad, regardless of the image of the sponsor brand. We further propose and show that ad believability mediates these effects. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed and directions for future research are provided.

To generate additional sales, marketers frequently cross-promote various kinds of related and unrelated product and service offers to their customers. This paper examines how offers of additional products in a cross-promotion context elicit the emotion of irritation in consumers, and subsequently, how such irritation might negatively influence consumers' attitudes toward the advertiser and the advertised focal brand as well as their intentions to purchase the brand. In addition, this paper examines the moderating effects of the consumer's need to evaluate. We hypothesize that additional offers of unrelated products lead to higher levels of irritation and that this effect is greater for consumers with a high need to evaluate (HNE) than consumers with a low need to evaluate (LNE). In addition, we hypothesize that the emotion of irritation mediates the effects of additional product offers and the need to evaluate on attitudes and intentions. Empirical results support the proposed hypotheses.

Consumers frequently evaluate multiple sequential cues of varying strengths in order to draw inferences about a product's quality. The results of three experiments show that when consumers are not distracted, they judge a product's quality more favorably following a strong–weak cue sequence relative to a weak–strong sequence (a primacy effect). However once consumers are distracted from the evaluation task, the primacy effect reverses to a recency effect, whereby consumers judge a product's quality more favorably following a weak–strong cue sequence. Process tests suggest that distraction crowds consumers' short-term working memory and inhibits the spontaneous rehearsal and the subsequent recall of the cue presented first in the information sequence.

We report fabrication of thin (100∼300 nm) poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) films and their composites with poly (styrene) (PS) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles using a one-step electron beam-assisted vapor phase co-deposition technique. Surface morphology and the structure of the deposited polymer thin film composites were characterized by FTIR, Raman, X-ray spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. As-deposited PPO films and PPO/Ag composites were of porous nature and contrary to solvent casting techniques were free from nodular growth. In the case of PPO/PS thin film polymer composites, however, film morphology displayed nodular growth of PPO with nodule diameters of about ∼200 nm and height of approximately 50 nm. Unique morphological changes on the porous PPO thin film surface were noticed at different Ag filling ratios. Further, the capacitance of PPO/Ag composites (

The widespread use of partitioned pricing by marketers may be the result of perceptions that it enhances the perceived value of the offer. This research identifies boundary conditions for the effectiveness of partitioned pricing by examining the role of the reasonableness of a surcharge and the need for cognition in consumers’ processing of pricing information. Three studies, each consisting of two experiments, examine the effectiveness of partitioned versus combined pricing and show that for high need for cognition persons, partitioned pricing has a more favorable effect than combined pricing when the surcharges are reasonable; these effects reverse when the surcharges are unreasonable. The studies indicate no differences between partitioned and combined pricing across surcharge conditions for low need for cognition consumers. A fourth study incorporating both reasonable and unreasonable surcharges in one experiment substantiates the conclusions of the first three studies. Finally, detailed process measures provide evidence that high versus low need for cognition persons evaluate partitioned pricing information differently in distinct surcharge conditions.

Significant technological advances were made toward utilizing the Hale telescope for receiving the faint laser communication signals transmitted from an optical transceiver on a spacecraft orbiting Mars. The so-called Palomar receive terminal design, which would have supported nominal downlink data rates of 1-30 Mbps, is described. Testing to validate technologies for near-Sun (3deg from edge of solar disc) daytime operations is also discussed. Finally, a laboratory end-to-end link utilizing a 64-ary pulse-position modulated photon-counting receiver and decoder that achieved predicted near-capacity (within 1.4 dB) performance is described.

NASA's Mars laser communications demonstration (MLCD) project (since discontinued) was designed to achieve data rates greater than 1 Mb/s from the farthest Mars range and greater than 30 Mb/s from the nearest Mars range. We present here pathways whereby ongoing optical technology advances should allow 30 dB of increased data rates relative to MLCD by 2020. In other words, technical advances should soon allow the return of deep-space data at rates of 1 Gb/s from the maximum Mars range, 100 Mb/s from Jupiter distances, and 10 Mb/s from Uranus, all many orders of magnitude greater than present radio-frequency capabilities. The potential for realizing the stated capability with less than a three times increase in dc power required from the spacecraft and no increase in payload mass is discussed.