Effect of off-stoichiometry on the thermal conductivity of amorphous GeTe

The reversible phase change of Germanium Telluride (GeTe) is essential for developing advanced non-volatile devices. We investigate off-stoichiometric effect on the thermal and structural properties of amorphous Ge$_{1-\delta}$Te (0 $\le$ $\delta$ $\le$ 0.12) via molecular dynamics. The structural optimization due to off-stoichiometry was taken into account with an empirical potential. Our simulated thermal conductivity is in the range of experimental observations. With increasing $\delta$, the thermal conductivity tends to be slightly reduced. Analysis on the coordinate number and the bond angle distribution indicates that the off-stoichiometric Ge$_{1-\delta}$Te still retain its ability of rapid phase transition. These results are helpful in reliable device design and modeling.

A zoosemiotic approach to the transactional model of communication

The analysis of social communication in other-than-human animals poses several theoretical challenges due to the complexity of individual and extra-individual variables. Some previous studies have found a valuable solution in Uexküll’s work by expanding and adapting its usage for the study of communication in a heurtistic manner. An Umwelt analysis provides a theoretical toolbox, which allows researchers to take an emic perspective on the lives and phenomenal world of other animals. However, Umwelt and its elaborations do not allow for a clear distinction between acts of perception and communication and seem to ignore factors that escape the specific communication contexts under analysis. Thus, moving away from the existing linear and cyclical approaches to communication, we propose a complementary approach to the study of social communication by combining Barnlund’s transactional model of communication with Umwelt theory and the functional circle more specifically. Our elaborated model conceives social communication as the process of creating meaning through the interaction of two (or more) subjects and emphasizes the role of species-specific and individual features in its creation. Our goal is to re-evaluate the research on social communication of other-than-human animals by advocating for the theoretical and empirical potential of Umwelt, especially pertaining to animals with complex Umwelten. Our model offers a valuable solution to the analysis of intraspecies communication that accounts for the role of private and public cues as well as the subjects’ specific behaviors, messages, and context in the creation of meaning.

Public Dialogue in the Socio-Cultural Environment and its Management Perspectives in the Communication Theory of W. Barnett Pearce and Vernon E. Cronen (continuation)

Management perspectives of the concept of «public dialogue» are revealed in the article on the basis of secondary data of the project of Сupertino (Сalifornia, USA), carried out in the 90s of the twentieth century by a research group led by W.B. Рeirce and V.E. Кronen. The view of the theory of coordinated control of meaning as the conceptual basis of this project allowed the authors to focus on the co-evolution of its methodological foundations and empirical potential, which was expressed in the development of criteria for evaluating any practical theory and improving its conceptual apparatus. The six key principles identified by the authors as SMM Grammar: coordination, forms of communication, event (case), forces of logic, position of the intermediary personality, and contextual reconstruction allow us to take a broader look at the possibilities of the modern field of scientific discourse and the communicative process as a whole. A long-term social dialogue allows us to harmonize the interests of different social groups not by unilateral managerial influence, but by allowing all stakeholders to engage in a constructive dialogue. The main empirical method here is contextual reconstruction of events (focus groups, group discussions, etc.) with the involvement of an рerson-рosition of the facilitator (moderator).

The structure of aqueous solutions of hexafluoro-iso-propanol studied by neutron diffraction with hydrogen/deuterium isotope substitution and empirical potential structure refinement modeling

Neutron diffraction measurements are made at room temperature for seven H/D substituted hexafluoro-iso-propanol (HFIP; 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3-hexafluoro-2-propanol)-water mixtures at 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 HFIP mole fraction (xHFIP)....

Conceptualizing Soft Balancing Beyond Cold War. What’s Changed, What Remains the Same?

This article is a systematic inquiry into the nature and role of soft balancing in the contemporary theory and practice of international relations. By wading into the contentious debate concerning the place and legitimacy of soft balancing, the article explores the theoretical prominence of the concept and adds methodological content to the study. Thus, the research produces a quantitative corpus-based and thematic analysis of the existing soft balancing literature to demarcate the boundary of the concept. This approach enables the author to enhance conventional theorization and not only identify the main gaps within the existing studies but go beyond the popular post-Cold War era discussion. Additionally, this article addresses the question of how soft balancing is distinguished from other concepts in the balance of power theory. Ultimately, the study reveals that despite its theoretical and empirical potential, the soft balancing research agenda remains underdeveloped, largely due to the limitation in the empirical content. Precisely, the empirical studies are limited to balance of power rhetoric akin to hard vs. soft and its implications for the United States’ hegemonic power.

Unfulfilled Aspirations

The concepts and theories of what constitutes a 'Middle Power' have played a key part in explaining the identity, behavior and foreign policy roles of many states in the international system, including the United Kingdom, France, Australia and Brazil. But, with a few exceptions, these frameworks have failed to travel to scholarship on the Middle East, despite the theoretical and empirical potential that they offer for understanding regional dynamics. The first of its kind, this volume addresses that major gap by interrogating the conceptual, theoretical and empirical underpinnings of the concept of 'Middle Power' at a regional level. Composed of nine chapters, Unfulfilled Aspirations offers the conceptual and theoretical tools to examine 'Middle Powerhood' in the Middle East, as well as insightful empirical analyses of both 'traditional' Middle Powers in the region (Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Algeria) and new, aspiring ones (Qatar, the UAE). The contributors reveal that the Middle Powers of the Middle East have failed, despite their best efforts, to fulfil their regional aspirations.