Understanding European cross-border cooperation: a framework for analysis

European integration has had a dual impact on border regions. On the one hand, borders were physically dismantled across most of the EU’s internal territory. On the other hand, they have become a fertile ground for territorial co-operation and institutional innovation. The degree of cross-border co-operation and organization achieved varies considerably from one region to another depending on a combination of various facilitating factors for effective cross-border co-operation, more specifically, economic, political leadership, cultural/identity and state formation, and geographical factors. This article offers a conceptual framework to understand the growth and diversity of cross-border regionalism within the EU context by focusing on the levels of and drives for co-operation

Transport properties of chemically synthesized polypyrrole thin films

The electronic transport in polypyrrole thin films synthesized chemically from the vapor phase is studied as a function of temperature as well as of electric and magnetic fields. We find distinct differences in comparison to the behavior of both polypyrrole films prepared by electrochemical growth as well as of the bulk films obtained from conventional chemical synthesis. For small electric fields F, a transition from Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping to Arrhenius activated transport is observed at 30 K. High electric fields induce short range hopping. The characteristic hopping distance is found to be proportional to F^(-1/2). The magnetoresistance R(B) is independent of F below a critical magnetic field, above which F counteracts the magnetic field induced localization.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Development and tests of a new prototype detector for the XAFS beamline at Elettra Synchrotron in Trieste

The XAFS beamline at Elettra Synchrotron in Trieste combines X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction to provide chemically specific structural information of materials. It operates in the energy range 2.4-27 keV by using a silicon double reflection Bragg monochromator. The fluorescence measurement is performed in place of the absorption spectroscopy when the sample transparency is too low for transmission measurements or the element to study is too diluted in the sample. We report on the development and on the preliminary tests of a new prototype detector based on Silicon Drift Detectors technology and the SIRIO ultra low noise front-end ASIC. The new system will be able to reduce drastically the time needed to perform fluorescence measurements, while keeping a short dead time and maintaining an adequate energy resolution to perform spectroscopy. The custom-made silicon sensor and the electronics are designed specifically for the beamline requirements.Comment: Proceeding of the 6YRM 12th-14th Oct 2015 - L'Aquila (Italy). Accepted for publication on Journal of Physics: Conference Serie

A Cellular Automata Model for Citrus Variagated Chlorosis

A cellular automata model is proposed to analyze the progress of Citrus Variegated Chlorosis epidemics in S\~ao Paulo oranges plantation. In this model epidemiological and environmental features, such as motility of sharpshooter vectors which perform L\'evy flights, hydric and nutritional level of plant stress and seasonal climatic effects, are included. The observed epidemics data were quantitatively reproduced by the proposed model varying the parameters controlling vectors motility, plant stress and initial population of diseased plants.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, Scheduled tentatively for the issue of: 01Nov0

Modelling soil water balance and root water uptake in cotton grown under different soil conservation practices in the Indo-Gangetic Plain

Although soil conservation practices are being promoted as better environmental protection technologies than traditional farmers’ practice, limited information is available on how these practices affect soil water balance and root water uptake. The root water uptake (RWU) patterns of cotton grown under soil conservation practices and soil water balance in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fieldsunder a cotton-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system were analyzed using the Hydrus-2D model. The treatments were: conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT), permanent narrow beds (PNB), permanent broad beds (PBB), ZT with residue (ZT+R), PNB with residue (PNB+R) and PBB with residue (PBB+R). Results in the third year of the cotton crop indicated that the surface (0–15cm layer) field saturated hydraulic conductivity in both PNB and PBB plots were similar and were significantly higher than in the ZT plots. Computed potential transpiration rates (Trp) under CT were lower than in other treatments, due to less radiation interception and lower Leaf Area Index (LAI). Both PNB and PBB plots had higher Trp and crop yields than CT plots, which were further improved by residue retention. Predicted soil water content (SWC) patterns during the simulation periods of third and fourth years showed strong correlation (R2=0.88, n=105, P<0.001, the root mean square error (RMSE)=0.025, and the average relative error (AVE)=7.5% for the third year and R2=0.81, n=105, P<0.001, RMSE=0.021, and AVE=9% for the fourth year) with the actual field measured SWCs. Cumulative RWU (mm) were in the order: ZT (143

Tuning Resistive Switching On Single-pulse Doped Multilayer Memristors

Short-period multilayers containing ultrathin atomic layers of Al embedded in titanium dioxide (TiO2) film - here called single-pulse doped multilayers - are fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) growth methods. The approach explored here is to use Al atoms through single-pulsed deposition to locally modify the chemical environment of TiO2 films, establishing a chemical control over the resistive switching properties of metal/oxide/metal devices. We show that this simple methodology can be employed to produce well-defined and controlled electrical characteristics on oxide thin films without compound segregation. The increase in volume of the embedded Al2O3 plays a crucial role in tuning the conductance of devices, as well as the switching bias. The stacking of these oxide compounds and their use in electrical devices is investigated with respect to possible crystalline phases and local compound formation via chemical recombination. It is shown that our method can be used to produce compounds that cannot be synthesized a priori by direct ALD growth procedures but are of interest due to specific properties such as thermal or chemical stability, electrical resistivity or electric field polarization possibilities. The monolayer doping discussed here impacts considerably on the broadening of the spectrum of performance and technological applications of ALD-based memristors, allowing for additional degrees of freedom in the engineering of oxide devices. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.243Levi, B.G., (2007) Phys. Today, 60 (6), p. 23. , 10.1063/1.2754590 0031-9228Eckstein, J.N., Oxide interfaces: Watch out for the lack of oxygen (2007) Nature Materials, 6 (7), pp. 473-474. , DOI 10.1038/nmat1944, PII NMAT1944Smadici, S., Lee, J.C.T., Wang, S., Abbamonte, P., Logvenov, G., Gozar, A., Cavellin, C.D., Bozovic, I., (2009) Phys. Rev. Lett., 102 (10). , 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.107004 0031-9007 107004Schooley, J.F., Hosler, W.R., Cohen, M.L., (1964) Phys. Rev. Lett., 12 (17), p. 474. , 10.1103/PhysRevLett.12.474 0031-9007Koida, T., Lippmaa, M., Fukumura, T., Itaka, K., Matsumoto, Y., Kawasaki, M., Koinuma, H., (2002) Phys. Rev., 66 (14). , 10.1103/PhysRevB.66.144418 0163-1829 B 144418Ogawa, N., Satoh, T., Ogimoto, Y., Miyano, K., (2008) Phys. Rev., 78 (21). , 10.1103/PhysRevB.78.212409 1098-0121 B 212409Nanda, B.R.K., Satpathy, S., (2008) Phys. Rev. Lett., 101 (12). , 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.127201 0031-9007 127201Ahn, C.H., Tybell, T., Antognazza, L., Char, K., Hammond, R.H., Beasley, M.R., Fischer, O., Triscone, J.-M., Local, nonvolatile electronic writing of epitaxial Pb(Zr 0.52Ti0.48)O3/SrRuO=3 heterostructures (1997) Science, 276 (5315), pp. 1100-1103. , DOI 10.1126/science.276.5315.1100Cohen Ronald, E., Origin of ferroelectricity in perovskite oxides (1992) Nature, 358 (6382), pp. 136-138. , DOI 10.1038/358136a0Haeni, J.H., Irvin, P., Chang, W., Uecker, R., Reiche, P., Li, Y.L., Choudhury, S., Schlom, D.G., Room-temperature ferroelectricity in strained SrTiO3 (2004) Nature, 430 (7001), pp. 758-761. , DOI 10.1038/nature02773Warusawithana, M.P., (2009) Science, 324 (5925), p. 367. , 10.1126/science.1169678 0036-8075Cheng, G., (2011) Nature Nanotechnol., 6 (6), p. 343. , 10.1038/nnano.2011.56 1748-3387Yang, J.J., Pickett, M.D., Li, X., Ohlberg, D.A.A., Stewart, D.R., Williams, R.S., (2008) Nature Nanotechnol., 3 (7), p. 429. , 10.1038/nnano.2008.160 1748-3387Yang, J.J., Miao, F., Pickett, M.D., Ohlberg, D.A.A., Stewart, D.R., Lau, C.N., Williams, R.S., (2009) Nanotechnology, 20 (21). , 10.1088/0957-4484/20/21/215201 0957-4484 215201Kwon, D.H., (2010) Nature Nanotechnol., 5 (2), p. 148. , 10.1038/nnano.2009.456 1748-3387Sawa, A., Resistive switching in transition metal oxides (2008) Materials Today, 11 (6), pp. 28-36. , DOI 10.1016/S1369-7021(08)70119-6, PII S1369702108701196Siles, P.F., Archanjo, B.S., Baptista, D.L., Pimentel, V.L., Yang, J.J., Neves, B.R.A., Medeiros-Ribeiro, G., (2011) J. Appl. Phys., 110 (2). , 10.1063/1.3609065 0021-8979 024511Xue, D., Betzler, K., Hesse, H., (2000) J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, 12 (13), p. 3113. , 10.1088/0953-8984/12/13/319 0953-8984Yeo, Y.C., King, T.J., Hu, C., (2002) Appl. Phys. Lett., 81 (11), p. 2091. , 10.1063/1.1506941 0003-6951Takemura, K., Sakuma, T., Miyasaka, Y., (1994) Appl. Phys. Lett., 64 (22), p. 2967. , 10.1063/1.111396 0003-6951Torrezan, A.C., Strachan, J.P., Medeiros-Ribeiro, G., Williams, R.S., (2011) Nanotechnology, 22 (48). , 10.1088/0957-4484/22/48/485203 0957-4484 485203Hur, J., Kim, K.M., Chang, M., Lee, S.R., Lee, D., Lee, C.B., Lee, M., Chung, U., (2012) Nanotechnology, 23 (22). , 10.1088/0957-4484/23/22/225702 0957-4484 225702Yoon, K.J., Lee, M.H., Kim, G.H., Song, S.J., Seok, J.Y., Han, S., Yoon, J.H., Hwang, C.S., (2012) Nanotechnology, 23 (18). , 10.1088/0957-4484/23/18/185202 0957-4484 185202Zhang, L., Jiang, H.C., Liu, C., Dong, J.W., Chow, P., Annealing of Al2O3 thin films prepared by atomic layer deposition (2007) Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 40 (12), pp. 3707-3713. , DOI 10.1088/0022-3727/40/12/025, PII S0022372707450616, 025Lee, S.W., (2011) Chem. Mater., 23 (8), p. 2227. , 10.1021/cm2002572 0897-4756Kukli, K., Ritala, M., Pore, V., Leskelä, M., Sajavaara, T., Hegde, R.I., Gilmer, D.C., Aspinall, H.C., (2006) Chem. Vapor Depos., 12 (2-3), p. 158. , 10.1002/cvde.200506388 0948-1907Ng, C.J.W., Gao, H., Tan, T.T.Y., (2008) Nanotechnology, 19 (44). , 10.1088/0957-4484/19/44/445604 0957-4484 445604Kim, S.K., Hwang, C.S., (2004) J. Appl. Phys., 96 (4), p. 2323. , 10.1063/1.1769090 0021-8979Kundu, M., Miyata, N., Ichikawa, M., (2001) Appl. Phys. Lett., 78 (11), p. 1517. , 10.1063/1.1355294 0003-6951Groner, M.D., Elam, J.W., Fabreguette, F.H., George, S.M., Electrical characterization of thin Al2O3 films grown by atomic layer deposition on silicon and various metal substrates (2002) Thin Solid Films, 413 (1-2), pp. 186-197. , DOI 10.1016/S0040-6090(02)00438-8, PII S0040609002004388Diebold, U., (2003) Surf. Sci. Rep., 48 (5-8), p. 53. , 10.1016/S0167-5729(02)00100-0 0167-5729Stamate, M.D., (2000) Thin Solid Films, 372 (1-2), p. 246. , 10.1016/S0040-6090(00)01027-0 0040-6090Pang, C.L., Bikondoa, O., Humphrey, D.S., Papageorgiou, A.C., Cabailh, G., Ithnin, R., Chen, Q., Thornton, G., Tailored TiO2(110) surfaces and their reactivity (2006) Nanotechnology, 17 (21), pp. 5397-5405. , DOI 10.1088/0957-4484/17/21/019, PII S0957448406285362, 019Zhao, Z., Li, Z., Zou, Z., (2010) J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, 22 (17). , 10.1088/0953-8984/22/17/175008 0953-8984 175008Simmons, J.G., (1963) J. Appl. Phys., 34 (9), p. 2581. , 10.1063/1.1729774 0021-8979Horowitz, G., Fichou, D., Peng, X.D., Delannoy, P., (1990) J. Phys. France, 51 (13), p. 1489. , 10.1051/jphys:0199000510130148900 0302-0738Delannoy, P., (1981) Mater. Sci., 7, pp. 13-21Jogi, I., Kukli, K., Kemell, M., Ritala, M., Leskela, M., Electrical characterization of Alx Tiy Oz mixtures and Al2 O3 -Ti O2 - Al2 O3 nanolaminates (2007) Journal of Applied Physics, 102 (11), p. 114114. , DOI 10.1063/1.2822460Unno, H., Sato, Y., Toh, S., Yoshinaga, N., Matsumura, S., (2010) J. Electron Microsc., 59 (S1), p. 107. , 10.1093/jmicro/dfq037 0022-0744Kuo, D.H., Tzeng, K.H., (2004) Thin Solid Films, 460 (1-2), p. 327. , 10.1016/j.tsf.2004.02.026 0040-6090Parratt, L.G., (1954) Phys. Rev., 95 (2), p. 359. , 10.1103/PhysRev.95.359 0031-899XStrukov, D.B., Williams, R.S., (2009) Appl. Phys., 94 (3), p. 515. , 10.1007/s00339-008-4975-3 0947-8396 AYang, J.J., Kobayashi, N.P., Strachan, J.P., Zhang, M.X., Ohlberg, D.A.A., Pickett, M.D., Li, Z., Williams, R.S., (2011) Chem. Mater., 23 (2), p. 123. , 10.1021/cm1020959 0897-4756Ellingham, H.J.T., (1944) J. Soc. Chem. Indust., 63 (5), p. 125. , 10.1002/jctb.5000630501 0368-407

Cellular automata model for citrus variegated chlorosis

A cellular automata model is proposed to analyze the progress of citrus variegated chlorosis epidemics in São Paulo orange plantations. In this model epidemiological and environmental features, such as motility of sharpshooter vectors that perform Lévy flights, level of plant hydric and nutritional stress, and seasonal climatic effects, are included. The observed epidemic data were quantitatively reproduced by the proposed model on varying the parameters controlling vector motility, plant stress, and initial population of diseased plants