Piezoelectric rotator for studying quantum effects in semiconductor nanostructures at high magnetic fields and low temperatures

We report the design and development of a piezoelectric sample rotation system, and its integration into an Oxford Instruments Kelvinox 100 dilution refrigerator, for orientation-dependent studies of quantum transport in semiconductor nanodevices at millikelvin temperatures in magnetic fields up to 10T. Our apparatus allows for continuous in situ rotation of a device through >100deg in two possible configurations. The first enables rotation of the field within the plane of the device, and the second allows the field to be rotated from in-plane to perpendicular to the device plane. An integrated angle sensor coupled with a closed-loop feedback system allows the device orientation to be known to within +/-0.03deg whilst maintaining the sample temperature below 100mK.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Music preferences of Malaysian students and KBSM curriculum implications

Preferences were investigated of a sample of teenage students for ethnic-based and non ethnic related Malaysian music, and the effects of selected listener haracteristics: familiarity and musical training. Ten excerpts of ethnic-based Malaysian music and twenty excerpts of non ethnic-related music comprising ten popular music excerpts and ten Western art music excerpts were utilised. Ratings of preferences, familiarity, and musical training were gathered from 139 randomly selected teenage students of two public schools in Serdang. The results showed that the teenage students had a strong preference for non ethnic-related music especially popular music. Familiarity proved to be a significant determinant of preferences for both ethnic-based Malaysian music and non ethnic-related music. Implications of these findings include the proposal of new strategies in teaching approaches and preparation of learning materials for the music subject of the Malaysian Integrated Secondary School Curriculum or KBSM

Methods to select areas to survey for biological control agents: An example based on growth in relation to temperature and distribution of the weed Conyza bonariensis

A novel approach for selecting areas to survey for biological control agents, incorporating climate and a hypothesised biological control agent, is demonstrated using the target weed Conyza bonariensis (Asteraceae). This weed has become important in Australian cropping regions due to its persistence and herbicide resistance, and it is also increasingly an environmental weed. Both are reasons for the investigation of biological control options. We developed a species niche model for C. bonariensis in CLIMEX based on parameters informed by plant growth and distribution of the species in the Americas. A hypothetical biological control agent (HBCA-cold) was proposed that has its ideal growth range 5 °C below that of the weed, so as to favour development of the agent over that of the weed in parts of Australia. The southern part of the weed's native distribution in Argentina, Chile and the highlands of Ecuador and Columbia were identified as the most suitable areas for surveys that take into account both the climate suitable for the HBCA-cold and the target regions in Australia. This was compared to a model (HBCA-hot) that had an ideal growth range 5 °C above that of the weed, but which identified potential areas for surveys in South America that were not climatically aligned with the main regions of the weed's economic impact in Australia. This species distribution modelling method allows for prioritisation of search areas for biological control agents in the case of widespread target species such as C. bonariensis. © 2016 Published by Elsevier Inc

Potential distribution of Rapistrum rugosum (turnip weed)

Rapistrum rugosum (L.) All. (Brassicaceae) is a widely distributed weed of annual crops, especially pulses, in southern Australia. With the south-west of Western Australia predicted to become drier and hotter due to climate change, the development of predictive models to determine future weed threats to the agricultural industry is essential for early intervention and to enable adaptation measures to be put in place. We measured the plant’s growth in relation to temperature and used this information along with soil moisture and phenology information based on the known distribution to derive growth parameters to develop a CLIMEX model. Under a warming climateR. rugosum is projected to increase its distribution in the northern hemisphere, but to decrease its distribution in Australia

The Effects of Musical Fit on Consumers' Ability to Freely Recall Related Products

Previous studies have claimed that music can prime the selection of certain products and influence consumers’ propensity to spend because it activates related knowledge of the world and subsequently raises the salience of certain products and behaviours associated with that music. The possibility that music can raise the salience of associated products has not been tested directly, however, and ought to manifest itself through enhanced ability to recall the products in question when associated music is played. Accordingly, this study investigated the impact of musical ‘fit’ on product recall. Participants were asked to list as many Malay and Indian food items as they could while listening to either Malay or Indian music. Among ethnically Chinese participants, more Malay food items were recalled when Malay music was played and more Indian food items were recalled when Indian music was played. Ethnically Malay and Indian participants were more likely to recall food from their own cultures, irrespective of the music played

The Effects of Musical Fit on Consumers' Ability to Freely Recall Related Products

Previous studies have claimed that music can prime the selection of certain products and influence consumers’ propensity to spend because it activates related knowledge of the world and subsequently raises the salience of certain products and behaviours associated with that music. The possibility that music can raise the salience of associated products has not been tested directly, however, and ought to manifest itself through enhanced ability to recall the products in question when associated music is played. Accordingly, this study investigated the impact of musical ‘fit’ on product recall. Participants were asked to list as many Malay and Indian food items as they could while listening to either Malay or Indian music. Among ethnically Chinese participants, more Malay food items were recalled when Malay music was played and more Indian food items were recalled when Indian music was played. Ethnically Malay and Indian participants were more likely to recall food from their own cultures, irrespective of the music played

IL-33 biology in cancer: An update and future perspectives.

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a member of the IL-1 family of cytokines that is constitutively expressed in the nucleus of epithelial, endothelial and fibroblast-like cells. Upon cell stress, damage or necrosis, IL-33 is released into the cytoplasm to exert its prime role as an alarmin by binding to its specific receptor moiety, ST2. IL-33 exhibits pleiotropic function in inflammatory diseases and particularly in cancer. IL-33 may play a dual role as both a pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic cytokine, dependent on tumor and cellular context, expression levels, bioactivity and the nature of the inflammatory environment. In this review, we discuss the differential contribution of IL-33 to malignant or inflammatory conditions, its multifaceted effects on the tumor microenvironment, while providing possible explanations for the discrepant findings described in the literature. Additionally, we examine the emerging and divergent functions of IL-33 in the nucleus, and aspects of IL-33 biology that are currently under-addressed

Unabridged phase diagram for single-phased FeSexTe1-x thin films

A complete phase diagram and its corresponding physical properties are essential prerequisites to understand the underlying mechanism of iron based superconductivity. For the structurally simplest 11 (FeSeTe) system, earlier attempts using bulk samples have not been able to do so due to the fabrication difficulties. Here, thin FeSexTe1-x films with the Se content covering the full range were fabricated by using pulsed laser deposition method. Crystal structure analysis shows that all films retain the tetragonal structure in room temperature. Significantly, the highest superconducting transition temperature (TC = 20 K) occurs in the newly discovered domain, 0.6 - 0.8. The single-phased superconducting dome for the full Se doping range is the first of its kind in iron chalcogenide superconductors. Our results present a new avenue to explore novel physics as well as to optimize superconductors