A General Method for Obtaining a Lower Bound for the Ground State Entropy Density of the Ising Model With Short Range Interactions

We present a general method for obtaining a lower bound for the ground state entropy density of the Ising Model with nearest neighbor interactions. Then, using this method, and with a random coupling constant configuration, we obtain a lower bound for the ground state entropy density of the square, triangular, and hexagonal two-dimensional lattices with free, cylindrical, and toroidal boundary conditions.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Perspective of buried oxide thickness variation on triple metal-gate (TMG) recessed-S/D FD-SOI MOSFET

Recently, Fully-Depleted Silicon on Insulator (FD-SOI) MOSFETs have been accepted as a favourable technology beyond nanometer nodes, and the technique of Recessed-Source/Drain (Re-S/D) has made it more immune in regards of various performance factors. However, the proper selection of Buried-Oxide (BOX) thickness is one of the major challenges in the design of FD-SOI based MOS devices in order to suppress the drain electric penetrations across the BOX interface efficiently. In this work, the effect of BOX thickness on the performance of TMG Re-S/D FD-SOI MOSFET has been presented at 60 nm gate length. The perspective of BOX thickness variation has been analysed on the basis of its surface potential profile and the extraction of the threshold voltage by performing two-dimensional numerical simulations. Moreover, to verify the short channel immunity, the impact of gate length scaling has also been discussed. It is found that the device attains two step-up potential profile with suppressed short channel effects. The outcomes reveal that the Drain Induced Barrier Lowering (DIBL) values are lower among conventional SOI MOSFETs. The device has been designed and simulated by using 2D numerical ATLAS Silvaco TCAD simulator

Temperature Dependent Raman Studies and Thermal Conductivity of Few Layer MoS2

We report on the temperature dependence of in-plane E2g and out of plane A1g Raman modes in high quality few layers MoS2 (FLMS) prepared using a high temperature vapor-phase method. The materials obtained were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. The frequencies of these two phonon modes were found to vary linearly with temperature. The first order temperature coefficients for E2g and A1g modes were found to be 1.32*10-2 and 1.23*10-2 cm-1/K, respectively. The thermal conductivity of the suspended FLMS at room temperature was estimated to be about 52 W/mK

Convergence of socio-ecological dynamics in disparate ecological systems under strong coupling to human social systems

bioRxiv preprint first posted online Apr. 6, 2018; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/296202. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not peer-reviewed) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.It is widely recognized that coupled socio-ecological dynamics can be qualitatively different from the dynamics of social or ecological systems in isolation from one another. The influence of the type of ecological dynamics on the dynamics of the larger socio-ecological system is less well studied, however. Here, we carry out such a comparison using a mathematical model of a common pool resource problem. A population must make decisions about harvesting a renewable resource. Individuals may either be cooperators, who harvest at a sustainable level, or defectors, who over-harvest. Cooperators punish defectors through social ostracism. Individuals can switch strategies according the costs and benefits of harvesting and the strength of social ostracism. These mechanisms are represented by a differential equation for social dynamics which is coupled to three different types of resource dynamics: logistic growth, constant inflow, and threshold growth. We find that when human influence is sufficiently weak, the form of natural dynamics leaves a strong imprint on the socio-ecological dynamics, and human social dynamics are qualitatively very different from natural dynamics. However, stronger human influence introduces a broad intermediate parameter regime where dynamical patterns converge to a common type: the three types of ecological systems exhibit similar dynamics, but also, social and ecological dynamics strongly mirror one another. This is a consequence of stronger coupling and is reminiscent of synchrony from other fields, such as the classic problem of coupled oscillators in physics. Socio-ecological convergence has implications for how we understand and manage complex socio-ecological systems. In an era of growing human influence on ecological systems, further empirical and theoretical work is required to determine whether socio-ecological convergence is present in real systems

Development Projects and Project-Affected Peoples: The Need to Advance Sustainable Development by Establishing an International Development Institutions Inspection Panel to Redress Grievances

Indigenous and tribal communities are frequently affected by development projects in an adverse manner. Often they do not have any effective way of redressing their grievances, particularly against noncompliance of environmental guidelines and rules by International Development Institutions. This thesis explores avenues open to affected peoples to redress their grievances regarding the negative impacts of development projects. The thesis begins by defining Project Affected Peoples, explores the concept of sustainable development, and suggests consequent principles for development projects. Then follows an examination of an existing grievance-redressal mechanism, the World Bank Inspection Panel, which has been mandated to redress complaints from peoples affected by Bank projects. Within this context, the reasons for the formation of the Panel and the Bank\u27s Operational Directives, Policies and Procedures are examined. An assessment of the effectiveness of the Panel\u27s decisions and the degree of the Panel\u27s independence from the Bank management is made. A number of suggestions that could strengthen the Panel\u27s functioning are listed. This thesis argues that the jurisdiction of the World Bank Inspection Panel might be expanded to encompass other International Development Institutions. These might include those that were identified as members of the Committee of International Development Institutions on the Environment formed in 1980 as one outcome of the 1972 Stockholm Declaration

Chiral-symmetry restoration in the linear sigma model at nonzero temperature and baryon density

We study the chiral phase transition in the linear sigma model with 2 quark flavors and $N_c$ colors. One-loop calculations predict a first-order phase transition at both $\mu=0$ and $\mu\neq 0$. We also discuss the phase diagram and make a comparison with a thermal parametrization of existing heavy-ion experimental data.Comment: 12 pages, 6 ps-figures, LaTe

UM breaks into top 30 in QS Asia rankings

KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Malaya (UM) broke into QS Quacquarel­i Symonds Asia's top 30 rankings as Malaysian universities across the board improved their rankings in the latest QS evaluation for 2015 released yesterday

Congenital Juvenile Xanthogranuloma of Foot, a Nodular Lesion: An Unusual Case in 2-month-old Infant

A 2-month-old infant presented with a circumscribed nodule on left foot since birth. Excision biopsy showed juvenile xanthogranuloma, an uncommon diagnosis in an unusual site; common sites being head and neck. Uncommon sites are groin, genital organs, limbs and even internal organs. It carries a favorable prognosis