bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced charge photogeneration promoted by crystallinity in small-molecule donor-acceptor bulk heterojunctions
Authors: Paudel Keshab , Johnson Brian , Thieme Mattson , Haley Michael M. , Payne Marcia M. , Anthony John E. , Ostroverkhova Oksana
Published: July 2014

We examined sub-nanosecond time-scale charge carrier dynamics in crystalline films of a functionalized anthradithiophene (ADT) donor (D) with three different acceptor (A) molecules. A four-fold enhancement in ultrafast charge carrier separation efficiency was observed in D/A blends with a fullerene acceptor added at 7–10 wt. % concentrations, whereas a gradual decrease in peak photocurrent amplitude with acceptor concentration was observed with functionalized pentacene and indenofluorene acceptors. The results were directly correlated with the ADT-tri(ethylsilyl)ethynyl-F donor crystallinity. In the best-performing blends, the presence of crystalline acceptor domains was also established.
A versatile femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy setup with tunable pulses in the visible to near infrared
Authors: Zhu Liangdong , Liu Weimin , Fang Chong
Published: July 2014

We demonstrate a versatile and efficient setup to perform femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS). Technical innovations are implemented to achieve the wavelength tunability for both the picosecond narrowband Raman pump pulse and femtosecond broadband Raman probe pulse. Using a simplified one-grating scheme in a home-built second harmonic bandwidth compressor followed by a two-stage noncollinear optical parametric amplifier, we tune the Raman pump pulse from ca. 480 to 750 nm. To generate the suitable Raman probe pulse in tandem, we rely on our recently demonstrated broadband up-converted multicolor array technique that readily provides tunable broadband laser sidebands across the visible to near-infrared range. This unique setup has unparalleled flexibility for conducting FSRS. We measure the ground-state Raman spectra of a cyclohexane standard using tunable pump-probe pairs at various wavelengths across the visible region. The best spectral resolution is ∼12 cm−1. By tuning the pump wavelength closer to the electronic absorption band of a photoacid pyranine in water, we observe the pre-resonantly enhanced Raman signal. The stimulated Raman gain of the 1627 cm−1 mode is increased by over 15 times.
Intergenerational transmission of emotional trauma through amygdala-dependent mother-to-infant transfer of specific fear
Authors: Debiec Jacek , Sullivan Regina Marie
Published: July 2014

Significance

Despite clinical evidence that specific fear is transmitted across generations, we have little understanding of mechanisms. Here, we model social transmission of mother-to-infant fear in rodents. We show that maternal fear responses to a conditioned fear odor are sufficient to induce robust fear learning throughout infancy, with robust retention. Assessment of mechanism showed that maternal fear expression increases pups’ stress hormone corticosterone and amygdala activation to induce this cue-specific fear learning. Suppressing pups’ amygdala or preventing pups from mounting a stress response blocked this fear learning. Specific fears may thus be transferred across generations through maternal emotional communication and infant’s associative learning mechanisms. Elucidating the mechanisms of this transmission may inform the development of novel therapeutic and preventive approaches.
The habenula encodes negative motivational value associated with primary punishment in humans
Authors: Lawson Rebecca P. , Seymour Ben , Loh Eleanor , Lutti Antoine , Dolan Raymond J. , Dayan Peter , Weiskopf Nikolaus , Roiser Jonathan P.
Published: July 2014

Significance

Organisms must learn adaptively about environmental cue–outcome associations to survive. Studies in nonhuman primates suggest that a small phylogenetically conserved brain structure, the habenula, encodes the values of cues previously paired with aversive outcomes. However, such a role for the habenula has never been demonstrated in humans. We establish that the habenula encodes associations with aversive outcomes in humans, specifically that it tracks the dynamically changing negative values of cues paired with painful electric shocks, consistent with a role in learning. Importantly, habenula responses predicted the extent to which individuals withdrew from or approached negative and positive cues, respectively. These results suggest that the habenula plays a central role in driving aversively motivated learning and behavior in humans.
Structures and organization of adenovirus cement proteins provide insights into the role of capsid maturation in virus entry and infection
Authors: Reddy Vijay S. , Nemerow Glen R.
Published: July 2014

Significance

Adenoviruses cause acute respiratory, ocular, and enteric diseases, with significant health concerns for immunocompromised individuals. Replication-deficient adenoviruses are among the most frequently used vectors for human gene therapy. However, the structural details of these large (150-MDa) and complex viral vectors remain obscure. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of all cement proteins in the context of the entire virion and, in the process, revised the existing cement protein structures and their locations. Significantly, our results revealed the structure of protein VI, for the first time to our knowledge, with its cleaved propeptide sequestered within peripentonal hexons. This permits untethering and release of the membrane-lytic segment, thereby providing the molecular basis for maturation cleavage of protein VI in adenovirus-mediated endosome disruption.
Rebound burst firing in the reticular thalamus is not essential for pharmacological absence seizures in mice
Authors: Lee Seung Eun , Lee Jaekwang , Latchoumane Charles , Lee Boyoung , Oh Soo-Jin , Saud Zahangir Alam , Park Cheongdahm , Sun Ning , Cheong Eunji , Chen Chien-Chang , Choi Eui-Ju , Lee C. Justin , Shin Hee-Sup
Published: July 2014

Significance

Intrinsic bursts and rhythmic burst discharges are elicited by activation of T-type Ca
2+
channels in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). TRN bursts are believed to be critical for generation and maintenance of thalamocortical oscillations, leading to spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) on the cortical electroencephalogram, which are the hallmarks of absence seizures. Using knockout mice for T-type Ca
2+
channels that completely lack TRN bursts, however, we show that increased tonic firing in the TRN seems sufficient for drug-induced SWD generation. These results call into question the role of burst firing in TRN neurons in the genesis of SWDs, calling for a rethinking of the mechanism for absence seizure induction.
Modeling first impressions from highly variable facial images
Authors: Vernon Richard J. W. , Sutherland Clare A. M. , Young Andrew W. , Hartley Tom
Published: July 2014

Significance

Understanding how first impressions are formed to faces is a topic of major theoretical and practical interest that has been given added importance through the widespread use of images of faces in social media. We create a quantitative model that can predict first impressions of previously unseen ambient images of faces (photographs reflecting the variability encountered in everyday life) from a linear combination of facial attributes, explaining 58% of the variance in raters’ impressions despite the considerable variability of the photographs. Reversing this process, we then demonstrate that face-like images can be generated that yield predictable social trait impressions in naive raters because they capture key aspects of the systematic variation in the relevant physical features of real faces.
Spectroscopic signatures of ozone at the air–water interface and photochemistry implications
Authors: Anglada Josep M. , Martins-Costa Marilia , Ruiz-López Manuel F. , Francisco Joseph S.
Published: July 2014

Significance

Ozone is one of the most important atmospheric trace gases in Earth's atmosphere. It can interact with water in the gas phase as well as with water in cloud droplet surfaces. This work identifies unique spectral signatures for ozone adsorbed at the surface of cloud water droplets in the UV and visible light domains. The adsorption process itself is thermodynamically spontaneous. With this information, it is found that the photochemistry of ozone at the air–water interface is a significant previously unidentified source of OH radicals generated at the surface of clouds. The broader implication is that the surface of cloud water droplets can be an active chemical reactor that contributes to the oxidizing capacity of the troposphere on a global scale.
Threonine-4 of the budding yeast RNAP II CTD couples transcription with Htz1-mediated chromatin remodeling
Authors: Rosonina Emanuel , Yurko Nathan , Li Wencheng , Hoque Mainul , Tian Bin , Manley James L.
Published: July 2014

Significance

When cells sense changes in their environment, molecular pathways relay information to the transcriptional machinery, which induces gene expression changes that allow for adaptation to the new conditions. In this paper, the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the RNA polymerase II largest subunit is shown to be involved in adaptation of yeast cells to conditions of low phosphate levels and where galactose is the primary fuel source. Specifically, threonine residues within the repeated CTD structure are required for induction of genes involved in phosphate and galactose metabolism, by stimulating the eviction of the histone variant Htz1 from the gene promoters. This finding reveals a role for the CTD in chromatin remodeling that facilitates expression of specific genes.
Conflicting obituaries: the Abyssinian ‘outlaw’ Debeb as treacherous bandit and romantic hero in late nineteenth-century Italian imagination
Authors: Bruner Stephen C.
Published: July 2014

In 1886 the Abyssinian chief Debeb became a public figure in Italy as a rapacious colonial bandit. However, over the next five years he acquired additional public personas, even contradictory ones: as acondottieroally, a ladies’ man, a traitor, a young Abyssinian aristocrat and pretender to an ancient throne, a chivalrous warrior, and a figure representing the frontier and an Africa mysterious and hidden to Europeans. Upon his 1891 death in combat, he was the subject of conflicting Italian press obituaries. For some commentators, Debeb exemplified treacherous and deceitful African character, an explanation for Italy's colonial disappointments and defeats. However, other commentators clothed him in a romanticised mystique and found in him martial and even chivalrous traits to admire and emulate. To this extent his persona blurred the line demarcating the African ‘other’. Although he first appeared to Italians as a bandit, the notion of the bandit as a folk hero (the ‘noble robber’ or ‘social bandit’, Hobsbawm) does not fit his case. A more fruitful approach is to consider his multi-faceted public persona as reflecting the ongoing Italian debate over ‘national character’ (Patriarca). In the figure of Debeb, public debates over colonialism and ‘national character’ merged, with each contributing to the other.
Interactions between collagen gene variants and risk of anterior cruciate ligament rupture
Authors: O'Connell Kevin , Knight Hayley , Ficek Krzysztof , Leonska‐Duniec Agata , Maciejewska‐Karlowska Agnieszka , Sawczuk Marek , Stepien‐Slodkowska Marta , O'Cuinneagain Dion , van der Merwe Willem , Posthumus Michael , Cieszczyk Pawel , Collins Malcolm
Published: July 2014

The COL5A1 and COL12A1 variants are independently associated with modulating the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture in females. The objective of this study was to further investigate if COL3A1 and COL6A1 variants independently, as well as, collagen gene–gene interactions, modulate ACL rupture risk. Three hundred and thirty‐three South African (SA, n = 242) and Polish (PL, n = 91) participants with diagnosed ACL ruptures and 378 controls (235 SA and 143 PL) were recruited. Participants were genotyped for COL3A1 rs1800255 G/A, COL5A1 rs12722 (T/C), COL6A1 rs35796750 (T/C) and COL12A1 rs970547 (A/G). No significant associations were identified between COL6A1 rs35796750 and COL3A1 rs1800255 genotypes and risk of ACL rupture in the SA cohort. The COL3A1 AA genotype was, however, significantly (p = 0.036) over‐represented in the PL ACL group (9.9%, n = 9) when compared to the PL control (CON) group (2.8%, n = 4). Although there were genotype distribution differences between the SA and PL cohorts, the T+A‐inferred pseudo‐haplotype constructed from COL5A1 and COL12A1 was significantly over‐represented in the female ACL group when compared to the female CON group within the SA (T+A ACL 50.5%, T+A CON 38.1%, p = 0.022), PL (T+A ACL 56.3%, T+A CON 36.3%, p = 0.029) and combined (T+A ACL 51.8%, T+A CON 37.5%, p = 0.004) cohorts. In conclusion, the novel main finding of this study was a significant interaction between the COL5A1 rs12722 T/C and COL12A1 rs970547 A/G variants and risk of ACL injury. These results highlight the importance of investigating gene–gene interactions in the aetiology of ACL ruptures in multiple independent cohorts.
Schistosomiasis and the Pulmonary Vasculature (2013 Grover Conference Series)
Authors: Graham Brian B. , Kumar Rahul
Published: July 2014

Inflammation is associated with multiple forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), including autoimmune (scleroderma) and infectious (HIV, schistosomiasis) etiologies. More than 200 million people worldwide are infected with Schistosoma, predominantly in Brazil, Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Schistosomiasis causes PAH in about 6.1% of those chronically infected and is particularly associated with the species Schistosoma mansoni. Treatment for schistosomiasis‐associated PAH includes antihelminthic treatment, if active infection is present (although associated with little immediate benefit to the pulmonary hypertension), and then pharmacologic treatment with targeted pulmonary vascular therapies, including phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and endothelin receptor antagonists. The pathophysiological mechanism by which this parasitic infection causes pulmonary hypertension is unknown but is unlikely to be simple mechanical obstruction of the pulmonary vasculature by parasite eggs. Preexisting hepatosplenic disease due to Schistosoma infection is likely important because of portopulmonary hypertension and/or because it allows egg embolization to the lung by portocaval shunts. Potential immune signaling originating in the periegg granulomas causing the pulmonary vascular disease includes the cytokines interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐6, IL‐13, and transforming growth factor β. Modulating these pathways may be possible targets for future therapy of schistosomiasis‐associated PAH specifically, and study of this disease may provide novel insights into other inflammatory causes of PAH.
Right Ventricle in Acute and Chronic Pulmonary Embolism (2013 Grover Conference Series)
Authors: Gerges Christian , Skoro‐Sajer Nika , Lang Irene M.
Published: July 2014

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) encompasses deep‐vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (PE). It is the third‐most‐frequent cardiovascular disease, with an overall annual incidence of 1–2 per 1,000 population. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is regarded as a late sequela of PE, with a reported incidence varying between 0.1% and 9.1% of those surviving acute VTE. Right ventricular (RV) function is dependent on afterload. The most precise technique to describe RV function is invasive assessment of the RV–to–pulmonary vascular coupling. However, assessments of RV afterload (i.e., steady and pulsatile flow components and their product, the RC‐time) may be useful hemodynamic surrogates of coupling. RV load is different in acute and chronic PE. In acute PE, more than 60% occlusion of the crosssectional area of the pulmonary artery within a short period of time leads to abrupt hemodynamic collapse. If the time of occlusion is limited to ∼15 seconds, significant decreases in fractional area change, tricuspid annulus systolic excursion, and RV free‐wall deformation (strain) occur, with the latter showing significant postsystolic shortening. These changes have similarities to ischemic stunning, and they recover within minutes. In CTEPH, studies of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary arterial compliance demonstrated low RC‐times that were further lowered after pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). Immediate postoperative PVR was the only predictor of long‐term survival/freedom from lung transplantation, suggesting that the effect of PEA on opening vascular territories to flow outweighs its effect on proximal stiffness. This review summarizes the current knowledge on vascular and intrinsic RV adaptation to VTE, including CTEPH, and the role of imaging.
Alexander the Great: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Bowden Hugh
Published: July 2014

Alexander the Great: A Very Short Introduction demonstrates the profound influence the legends of Alexander's life have had on our historical understanding of him by focusing on the evidence from his own time. Aged just 20, Alexander the Great became king of Macedon in 336 bc; he died aged 32. During his reign, he conquered the Achaemenid Persian Empire, the largest empire that had ever existed, leading his army from Greece to Pakistan, and from the Libyan desert to the steppes of Central Asia. He had a profound effect on the world he moved through and his achievements became legendary both in his lifetime and in the centuries that followed.
On backward dispersion correction of Hopkinson pressure bar signals
Authors: Tyas A. , Ozdemir Z.
Published: July 2014

Elastic theory shows that wide spectrum signals in the Hopkinson pressure bar suffer two forms of distortion as they propagate from the loaded bar face. These must be accounted for if accurate determination of the impact load is to be possible. The first form of distortion is the well-known phase velocity dispersion effect. The second form, which can be equally deleterious, is the prediction that at high frequencies, the stress and strain generated in the bar varies with radial position on the cross section, even for a uniformly applied loading. We consider the consequences of these effects on our ability to conduct accurate backward dispersion correction of bar signals, that is, to derive the impact face load from the dispersed signal recorded at some other point on the bar. We conclude that there is an upper limit on the frequency for which the distortion effects can be accurately compensated, and that this can significantly affect the accuracy of experimental results. We propose a combination of experimental studies and detailed numerical modelling of the impact event and wave propagation along the bar to gain better understanding of the frequency content of the impact event, and help assess the accuracy of experimental predictions of impact face load.
Biogenesis and multifaceted roles of outer membrane vesicles from Gram-negative bacteria
Authors: Kulkarni Heramb M. , Jagannadham Medicharla V.
Published: July 2014

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) released from Gram-negative bacteria consist of lipids, proteins, lipopolysaccharides and other molecules. OMVs are associated with several biological functions such as horizontal gene transfer, intracellular and intercellular communication, transfer of contents to host cells, and eliciting an immune response in host cells. Although hypotheses have been made concerning the mechanism of biogenesis of these vesicles, research on OMV formation is far from complete. The roles of outer membrane components, bacterial quorum sensing molecules and some specific proteins in OMV biogenesis have been studied. This review discusses the different models that have been proposed for OMV biogenesis, along with details of the biological functions of OMVs and the likely scope of future research.
RETRACTED: The Arabidopsis Malectin-Like Leucine-Rich Repeat Receptor-Like Kinase IOS1 Associates with the Pattern Recognition Receptors FLS2 and EFR and Is Critical for Priming of Pattern-Triggered Immunity
Authors: Chen Ching-Wei , Panzeri Dario , Yeh Yu-Hung , Kadota Yasuhiro , Huang Pin-Yao , Tao Chia-Nan , Roux Milena , Chien Shiao-Chiao , Chin Tzu-Chuan , Chu Po-Wei , Zipfel Cyril , Zimmerli Laurent
Published: July 2014

Plasma membrane-localized pattern recognition receptors such as FLAGELLIN SENSING2 (FLS2) and EF-TU RECEPTOR (EFR) recognize microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) to activate the first layer of plant immunity termed pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). A reverse genetics approach with genes responsive to the priming agent β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) revealed IMPAIRED OOMYCETE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 (IOS1) as a critical PTI player. Arabidopsis thaliana ios1 mutants were hypersusceptible to Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. Accordingly, ios1 mutants demonstrated defective PTI responses, notably delayed upregulation of PTI marker genes, lower callose deposition, and mitogen-activated protein kinase activities upon bacterial infection or MAMP treatment. Moreover, Arabidopsis lines overexpressing IOS1 were more resistant to P. syringae and demonstrated a primed PTI response. In vitro pull-down, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, coimmunoprecipitation, and mass spectrometry analyses supported the existence of complexes between the membrane-localized IOS1 and FLS2 and EFR. IOS1 also associated with BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1-ASSOCIATED KINASE1 (BAK1) in a ligand-independent manner and positively regulated FLS2/BAK1 complex formation upon MAMP treatment. Finally, ios1 mutants were defective in BABA-induced resistance and priming. This work reveals IOS1 as a regulatory protein of FLS2- and EFR-mediated signaling that primes PTI activation upon bacterial elicitation.
Quantitative analysis of blind tower-crane lifts using laser-scanning information
Authors: Shapira Aviad , Filin Sagi , Wicnudel Amit
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This study aims to show how laser scanning data can be utilised to quantitatively assess “blind lifts” with respect to their rate and spatial distribution.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study employed time study of crane cycles for quantitative measuring of the crane’s work periods in dead areas and mapping the crane operator’s field of view and developing a model that allows the spatial analysis of blind lifts.

Findings

– This study found a discrete geometric laser scan-based model that is capable of locating and quantifying the visible and invisible zones from the crane operator’s cabin; 28 per cent of the analyzed crane’s work area represented by the model were found to be invisible, which corresponds fairly to 35 per cent of the half-cycles measured manually that were found to involve blind lifting; the range of blind lifts duration derived from the spatial information-based model was 50 to 84 per cent, which is in excellent correspondence with the 54 per cent to 82 per cent range obtained from the time unit-based analysis.

Research limitations/implications

– The laser-based model and the ensuing analyses are limited to the type of buildings whose envelope can practically be represented by the vertical extrusion of their footprint.

Practical implications

– The practical implications of the study are reduction of blind lifts as a factor when selecting the location of the crane and staging areas; more effective preplanning of signallers positioning; and ad hoc consideration of analysed dead space for various lift task-based decision-making during construction.

Originality/value

– This study demonstrates the ability to capture the geometric relations that characterise the work scene around the tower crane by harnessing the increasingly available laser technology and correlates the results of the manual observations with those obtained from the laser-based model.
Screening design and construction technologies of skyscrapers
Authors: AboMoslim Saad , Russell Alan
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The paper aims to study screening design and construction technologies of skyscrapers. Skyscraper projects provide an illustration of important driving factors (e.g. economies of scale and international expertise) when utilising a wide range of solutions, including innovative ones, in the design and construction of building systems and subsystems. The need exists for a methodology for the speedy screening and comprehensive evaluation of candidate solutions covering the complete spectrum of systems that comprise a building project and that have an impact on life cycle performance. Presented in this paper is a three-step evaluation framework directed at meeting this need, along with application of the first step to three case studies performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Research objectives were achieved by an extensive literature review of the current state-of-the-art evaluation tools and criteria; formulation of a three-step evaluation process for screening and ranking candidates; identification and structuring of comprehensive checklists of evaluation criteria; application of the first step of the evaluation framework to three case studies to gauge completeness and ease of use; and assessment of the framework by experienced practitioners.

Findings

– The framework proposed provides a structured and transparent approach to assessing design/construction choices. It makes explicit the spectrum of criteria to be considered when assessing their feasibility. Feedback from industry professionals indicates that the framework is reflective of industry needs.

Originality/value

– The originality and value of the approach lies in the comprehensiveness of the criteria considered, their relevance to signature building projects that draw on international expertise and technologies and their relevance to all phases of the project life cycle.
Gendering governance: the case of Mauritius
Authors: Tandrayen-Ragoobur Verena
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The relationship between gender and governance is often neglected in both conceptual and empirical work. However, gender equality in the decision-making fora is vital, for enabling far-reaching social change and for empowering people excluded from decision making. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the participation of women in governance institutions in a small island economy like Mauritius. Though, there has been some progress in Mauritius in redressing the gender imbalance in national and local governance processes, more is still to be achieved. This paper analyses women participation in governance by using gender-sensitive governance indicators.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from different sources namely from the Mauritian Electoral Commissioner's Office, Statistics Mauritius, Mauritius Household Budget Surveys and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources. Data were also made available from the Global Gender Gap Report, 2012; the Global Parliamentary Report, 2012 and the SADC Gender Protocol Barometer, 2012. These data were used in the computation of gender-sensitive governance indicators used by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2006). The indicators are the Global Gender Gap Index, the percentage of seats reserved in parliament for women, voter turnout among registered females and prevalence of women in poor districts.

Findings

– The paper argues that the overall gender gap index for Mauritius has increased over the years but the scores for economic participation and political attainment remain very low. In the economic sphere, the author note a rising female unemployment rate, though girls perform better than boys at all educational levels. Mauritius has been adept at the politics of recognition of different ethnic groups but this approach has not addressed the issue of women. The findings reveal that women are often excluded from decision making, from the household up to the highest levels of policymaking. The “invisibility” of women in parliament, is a concern and is “a grave democratic deficit” for the country (Sachs, 2001).

Originality/value

– No study has taken a gender perspective of governance issues in Mauritius. The author assess the importance of gender in a democratic country like Mauritius which has performed well on the economic front but gender is still too often ignored in governance and other spheres. There is thus a growing need for greater gender equality and participation of women in governance institutions and processes.
Fostering an entrepreneurial attitude – challenging in principal leadership
Authors: Hörnqvist Maj-Lis , Leffler Eva
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to uncover the meaning of entrepreneurship in schools and a school leadership which aims to nurture an entrepreneurial attitude. The authors will also discuss what challenges there could be for principals to lead activities to develop an entrepreneurial attitude to learning and teaching.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper integrates policy documents and scientific material concerning entrepreneurial attitude, leadership and school culture.

Findings

– In Sweden as well as internationally there are clear policy intentions for renewal of schoolwork in a more entrepreneurial direction. The most striking challenges for principals are to be enough creative within the boarders set by school authorities when setting vision and goals for the development of their schools to enhance an entrepreneurial attitude, building trust and distributing power among staff, along with having courage to think outside “the box”.

Research limitations/implications

– The point of departure is entrepreneurial attitude in education as understood in a Swedish context. International policies as well as research are discussed.

Practical implications

– The paper illuminates strategic ways of thinking and acting according to leadership in an entrepreneurial learning school context.

Originality/value

– The role of principals as well as the significance of culture in a school context focused on developing an entrepreneurial attitude is quite often discussed in research. School differs from business in that there are more restrictions set by school authorities. The paper shows an undeveloped area which can be useful to identify and problematize challenges for leadership.
Internship for accounting undergraduates: comparative insights from stakeholders
Authors: Maelah Ruhanita , Muhammaddun Mohamed Zakiah , Ramli Rosiati , Aman Aini
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This study utilises an internship framework to justify the need for feedback from all three groups of internship stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to determine the benefits, skills, and outcomes students gained through internships from the perspective of students, university and employers.

Design/methodology/approach

– A set of structured questionnaires was used to survey the perceptions of students, university and employers of an accounting internship. A total of 172 responses were analysed.

Findings

– Findings show that all three groups of stakeholders perceived that students benefit from the internship programme. They also perceived that an internship provides the students with both the technical and soft skills required in the marketplace. However, the mean score and ranking differ among the students, university and employers.

Research limitations/implications

– The study was conducted based on feedback on a single accounting programme. Therefore any characteristics inherent in this sample that differ from the overall population of accounting programmes could bias the results and limit its generalisability and any associated inferences. Questionnaire responses should be interpreted with caution as perceptions and self-insights are subjective and may or may not be reflective of reality. This study falls short of putting forward any reasons why results differ from previous studies or why the mean scores of the three stakeholders all differ. Further research may take into consideration a comparison of internship programmes across institutions and disciplines. Future studies can also use the reflection approach and interview to better explain the benefits and skills developed through accounting internship programmes.

Practical implications

– Practically, findings from this study provide feedback to the students, university and employers to continuously improve accounting internship for undergraduate accounting programmes.

Social implications

– Social implications lie within the research framework that emphasises the student learning experience, university support through theoretical understanding and employer contribution through the practical component.

Originality/value

– Internships have become part of an accounting curriculum in many universities globally. To date, most studies on internship practices are limited in scope and focus on feedback from a single perspective. This study fills the gap in the literature by conducting a perception-based survey of internship stakeholders: students, university and employers, on benefits and skills acquired through internship.
Conflict in context
Authors: Avgar Ariel , Kyung Lee Eun , Chung WonJoon
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating effect of discretion and social capital on the relationship between individual perceptions of team conflict and employee-level outcomes. The authors propose that both employee discretion and unit-level social capital influence the negative effects of perceived conflict on employee stress and turnover intentions. They argue that an individual’s perceptions of these central organizational characteristics are likely to alter the consequences associated with conflict and the manner in which individuals respond to it.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study empirically tests the moderating effects of discretion and unit-level social capital on the relationship between individual’s perception of team conflict and employee-level outcomes. Analysis was conducted with survey data from a sample of health care care providers in 90 units across 20 nursing home organizations. We applied hierarchical linear modeling analyses to test our hypotheses.

Findings

– Results demonstrate that employee discretion moderates the relationship between perceived task conflict and job stress. Unit-level social capital was shown to moderate the relationship between perceived relationship conflict and employee turnover intentions. Our findings also document a varied moderation effect at low to moderate levels of conflict versus high levels of conflict. This finding suggests that the moderating role of contextual variables is more nuanced and complex than the existing conceptual frameworks acknowledge.

Research limitations/implications

– This study contributes to the research on conflict and conflict management by extending a multilevel approach to the effect of conflict and by providing new insights regarding the contextual manner in which conflict affects workplace outcomes.

Practical implications

– The effects of discretion and unit-level social capital on how conflict is metabolized by organizations and their members varied. Contextual factors matter differently for different individual level outcomes. In attempting to manage the consequences associated with workplace conflict, organizations and their managers must consider different contextual factors.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the research on conflict and its management in organization by providing new insights regarding the contextual manner in which conflict affects organizational and individual outcomes. This study provides support for the claim that the relational and task-related context under which employees experience conflict affects employee stress levels and the extent to which they report their intentions to leave the organization.
Unemployment outflows: the relevance of gender and marital status in Italy and Spain
Authors: Mussida Chiara , Fabrizi Enrico
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to shed light on transitions from the state of unemployment to that of employment and of inactivity in Italy and Spain.

Design/methodology/approach

– First, the paper investigates the determinants of unemployment outflows in these two Mediterranean labour markets. Then, the paper examines discrepancies and similarities between specific outflow determinants, especially the interactions between gender and marital status, by comparing results obtained across countries.

Findings

– The findings of the paper suggest that gender and marital status influence the probability of unemployment outflows in both countries, although not in the same way, especially with reference to marital status. Discrepancies also emerge in relation to the role of geographical area of residence.

Originality/value

– International comparisons of unemployment outflows are rather new in the literature, and as far as we know none have been performed using European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions data. Further, although studies quite often examine the issue of gender-related labour mobility using the European Community Household Panel survey that took place in the 1990s (Arulampalamet al., 2007; Garcia Pérez and Rebollo Sanz, 2005; Theodossiou and Zangelidis, 2009), one of the main contributions of this paper is that it provides a systematic examination of the issue, considering the influence of gender and marital status differences on patterns of unemployment outflows to employment and inactivity.
Loss of labor time due to malfunctioning ICTs and ICT skill insufficiencies
Authors: van Deursen Alexander , van Dijk Jan
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to unexplore the area of information and communication technology (ICT) use in organizations related to the assumed productivity gains by the use of ICTs. On the one hand, the paper focus on the losses of labor time that are caused by malfunctioning hardware or non-functional software, and on the other hand, the paper focus on the labor time losses that are caused by a lack of skills to maximize ICT.

Design/methodology/approach

– To estimate these losses, the paper conducted a large-scale survey among the Dutch workforce. The respondents were presented scenarios, and then they were asked to assess the loss of labor time.

Findings

– When working with ICTs, malfunctioning ICT and ICT skill insufficiencies lead to a loss in labor time of 7.5 percent. The losses increase with decreasing educational attainment level. Age does not contribute to the total average losses. Workers highly underestimate the effects of ICT-related training. The role of co-workers is more significant than the formally organized means by the organization.

Originality/value

– Due to ICT's significance among the labor force, investigating the reported losses is an important step to further improve the use of ICTs in the workplace.
Self-employment and job satisfaction: an empirical analysis
Authors: Álvarez Gema , I. Sinde-Cantorna Ana
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test whether the usual positive effect of self-employment on job satisfaction remains once the greater autonomy and flexibility afforded by self-employment have been factored in, as well as the existence of differences in unobserved characteristics across individuals.

Design/methodology/approach

– It may be thought that the probability of being self-employed and the declared job satisfaction are not independent from each other due to differences in unobserved characteristics – as psychological or personality traits – across individuals. Therefore, self-employment should be treated as an endogenous variable when it is introduced as an explanatory variable in a job satisfaction equation. Given this, the paper proposes the estimation of a treatment effect model in which self-employment and job satisfaction equations are estimated jointly.

Findings

– The results suggest that the usual positive effect of self-employment on job satisfaction is due to the greater work autonomy afforded by self-employment, and not to the greater willingness of the self-employed to report higher levels of satisfaction. Thus, the paper finds that once flexibility and autonomy are considered, the usual positive effect of self-employment on job satisfaction disappears and becomes negative.

Research limitations/implications

– It would be useful further empirical analysis using other data, especially panel data, to test the robustness of the results.

Originality/value

– The paper proposes an alternative way to analyse the relation between self-employment and job satisfaction by taking into account both the greater autonomy and flexibility afforded by self-employment, as well as psychological or personality traits.
Procurement performance and manufacturer-supplier relationships: a multivariate analysis in Kuwaiti manufacturing companies
Authors: Tawfik Mady M. , T. Mady Tarek , T. Mady Sarah
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to report and contrast manufacturer–supplier relationships, supplier selection and procurement performance of two manufacturing sectors in Kuwait. The effect of supplier relationship and selection on the performance of the procurement function was also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

– Surveys of supplier selection, supplier relationship and procurement performance are taken from 62 plants operating in 2 competitive manufacturing sectors in Kuwait (foods industry and refractors industry). The study utilizes multivariate and multi-regression analyses in understanding the effect of supplier relationship and selection on the performance of the procurement function.

Findings

– Findings indicate a significant effect of supplier relationship and supplier selection on a plant’s procurement performance. However, variance in plant size and/or industrial sector was found to not affect this relationship.

Originality/value

– Despite the significance of the Gulf states and the growing importance of the manufacturing sector in these countries, relatively little is known about how buyers and suppliers within this sector interact. This study is the first to document supplier relationships and selection processes in this area of the world. The study also provides a reliable and valid scale for measuring the performance of the procurement function in the Kuwaiti manufacturing sector. Furthermore, the postulated impact of supplier–buyer relationships on the performance of the procurement functions was investigated in a newly emerging economy in the Gulf.
The well-being of women at work: the importance of resources across the life course
Authors: L. Gervais Roxane , Millear Prudence
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that impact on the well-being of women workers, as assessed through depression, anxiety and stress, across the life course, i.e. age, marital status and parental status.

Design/methodology/approach

– The quantitative study was cross-sectional in nature and used an online self-report questionnaire to generate information on job/work characteristics, belief systems and demographic variables. A snowball sample was used to recruit the respondents.

Findings

– The results showed that the availability of resources was the influencing factor in women workers maintaining their well-being. Those respondents with resources, such as job autonomy and support from colleagues, were less likely to be depressed, anxious or stressed. The life course was not an influencing factor in the models tested suggesting that regardless of women's stage in life, they require appropriate resources to address the demands of the work environment, to maintain their well-being.

Practical implications

– The implications of this study are that when considering diversity in the work environment, it is important to assess if all workers have the resources they require to cope with the demands of the workplace.

Originality/value

– This present study outlines the importance of the life course in the context of the workplace, but highlights also that it is only one perspective and that others should be considered; such as those factors that are inherent in improving well-being and relationships within organisations.
The ethical obligations of a banal, content apocalypse
Authors: Grubaugh Carson
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– To ask if humans have a categorical obligation to maintain narratives, especially personal narratives of identity? Or, are we better off evolving past such things? This question is closely related to a discussion of how and why humans tend to place value on a certain amount of organization in content, semantic and otherwise. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Examples from a personal art projects set the stage for the major questions of the paper regarding the ordering of content.

Findings

– One can create a Cartesian mapping of content, with Shannon Entropy and Kolmogorov Complexity as the two vectors, thus constructing a histogram that is useful for the analysis of content of all sorts. Humanity seems to value/find useful, a certain sector of this histogram. The reason for this appears to supervene on biological imperatives for survival. These commitments are now put under pressure due to an increase in variety and complexity in personal and societal narratives, causing an unease about the future.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper formulates the relevant moral questions by providing a structure within to ask them. Answering these questions is for another time.

Practical implications

– The histogram helps situate various degrees of content organization and is thus a useful tool for analyzing content. It could lead to something akin to Birkhoff's Aesthetic Measure, but for content of all sorts rather than just aesthetic objects.

Originality/value

– The format is singular for a journal article.
Ontological study of information: identity and state
Authors: J. Schroeder Marcin
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that sufficiently general concept of information encompassing multi-disciplinary scientific conceptualizations of this term can be useful for a discussion of the long standing philosophical problems.

Design/methodology/approach

– The author is using his concepts of information and its integration along with their mathematical formalization introduced in earlier publications to describe what constitutes an object, its identity and state. The concept of information used here is defined in terms of the categorical opposition of the one-and-many which plays a central role in philosophical tradition. Its formalization is closely related to formalisms of many theories involved in scientific disciplines. These features produce a common stage for philosophical discourse and scientific analysis.

Findings

– The formalism based on author's concept of information opens philosophical concepts such as object, identity and state to analysis consistent with scientific methodology. The analysis, consistent with modern physical theories, such as quantum mechanics, permits resolution paradoxal aspects of object's identity for long time puzzling philosophers.

Originality/value

– The approach to information applied here was introduced in earlier publications, but the analysis of the problems of identity in this context is novel and unprecedented. The author hopes, that even those who prefer different conceptualizations of information can benefit from the present exposition of author's analysis by considering it an example of bridging philosophical and scientific discourse.