bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forest structure of Mediterranean yew (Taxus baccata L.) populations and neighbor effects on juvenile yew performance in the NE Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Casals Pere , Camprodon Jordi , Caritat Antonia , Rios Ana I. , Guixé David , Garcia-Marti Xavier , Martín-Alcón Santiago , Coll Lluis
Published: December 2015

Aim of study: In the Mediterranean region, yew (Taxus baccata L.) usually grows with other tree species in mixed forests. Yew recruitment and juvenile growth may depend on the structure of the forest and the net balance between competition for soil water and nutrients with neighbors and facilitation that these neighbors exert by protecting the plants from direct sun exposure. This study aims, at a regional scale, to analyze the structure of forests containing yew, and, on an individual level, to analyze the effect of the surrounding vegetation structure on the performance of yew juveniles.Area of study: The structural typologies of yew populations were defined based on field inventories conducted in 55 plots distributed in 14 localities in the North-Eastern (NE) Iberian Peninsula, covering a wide range of yew distribution in the area. In a second step, an analysis of neighboring species' effects on juveniles was conducted based on the data from 103 plots centered in yew juveniles in five localities.Main Results: A cluster analysis classified the inventoried stands into four forest structural types: two multi-stratified forests with scattered yew and two yew groves. Multiple regression modeling showed that the δ13C measured in last year's leaves positively relates to the basal area of conifer neighbors, but negatively with the cover of the yew crown by other trees.Research highlights: At a stand-level, the density of recruits and juveniles (625 ± 104 recruits ha-1, 259 ± 55 juveniles ha-1) in mixed forests was found to be higher than that on yew dominant stands (181 ± 88 recruits ha-1 and 57 ± 88 juveniles ha-1). At an individual-level, the water stress (estimated from leaf δ13C) of yew juveniles seems alleviated by the crown cover by neighbors while it increases with the basal area of conifers. Yew conservation should focus on selective felling for the reduction of basal area of neighbors surrounding the target tree, but avoid affecting the canopy cover to contribute to enhanced yew juvenile growth.Keywords: Biodiversity conservation; δ13C; forest management; plant-plant interaction; recruitment; Taxus baccata; water use efficiency.
Growth-climate relationships at yew and wild service trees on the eastern edge of their range in Europe
Authors: Cedro Anna , Cedro Bernard
Published: December 2015

Aim of study: The aim of the study was the construction of regional chronologies for South-Western Poland for yew (Taxus baccata L.) and wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis L.), two of the rarest native tree species on the edge of their range in Europe. The relationships growth-climate and incremental dynamics at both these species were investigated as well.Area of study: The eastern borders of the ranges of yew and wild service trees run across Poland. The majority of the yew occurrence sites are situated in South Poland, within the area of uplands and mountains, whereas the wild service tree grows in the western part of the country. The study plots (5 for yew trees, 4 for wild service trees) were located in nature reserves in SW Poland.Material and Methods: The research materials were cores from 200 trees (115 yew trees and 85 wild service trees). The annual growth widths were measured, then, local chronologies were constructed using classic methods of dating. Regional chronologies were based on yew trees with the Student’test t > 6.0, and wild service trees with t > 5.9. The chronologies were subjected to the indexation and used for dendroclimatological analyses: pointer years, correlation and response function.Main results: The yew chronology, spanning 219 years (1790-2008), was established on the basis of 51 samples, the average width of annual growths amounted to 0.61 mm. The wild service tree chronology, representing the period 1841-2013 (173 years), was produced from 37 samples, the average width of annual growth amounted to 0.60 mm (from 0.27 up to 0.58 mm). Dendroclimatological analyses of the yew indicated thermal conditions of the winter months and beginning of spring (straight correlations) as the predominating factor affecting the annual growth widths. Summer drought was an additional factor limiting growth. For the wild service trees cool and humid summer months in the growing season favour the formation of wide growths.Research highlights: On account of strong dispersion and limited small populations of these two tree species, there are few dendrochronological studies available. Therefore, every piece of information on the ecology of the yew and wild service tree allows us to broaden our knowledge of these rare species enriching the biodiversity of the native tree flora.Keywords: tree-ring width; Taxus baccata L.; Sorbus torminalis L.; dendroclimatology; Poland.
Overview of MPC applications in supply chains: Potential use and benefits in the management of forest-based supply chains
Authors: Pinho Tatiana M. , Moreira A. Paulo , Veiga Germano , Boaventura-Cunha José
Published: December 2015

Aim of study: This work aims to provide an overview of Model Predictive Controllers (MPC) applications in supply chains, to describe the forest-based supply chain and to analyse the potential use and benefits of MPC in a case study concerning a biomass supply chain.Area of study: The proposed methods are being applied to a company located in Finland.Material and methods: Supply chains are complex systems where actions and partners’ coordination influence the whole system performance. The increase of competitiveness and need of quick responses to the costumers implies the use of efficient management techniques. The control theory, particularly MPC, has been successfully used as a supply chain management tool. MPC is able to deal with dynamic interactions between the partners and to globally optimize the supply chain performance in the presence of disturbances. However, as far as is authors’ knowledge, there are no applications of this methodology in the forest-based supply chains. This work proposes a control architecture to improve the performance of the forest supply chain. The controller is based on prediction models which are able to simulate the system and deal with disturbances.Main results: The preliminary results enable to evaluate the impacts of disturbances in the supply chain. Thus, it is possible to react beforehand, controlling the schedules and tasks’ allocation, or alert the planning level in order to generate a new plan.Research highlights:   Overview of MPC applications in supply chains; forest-based supply chain description; case study presentation: wood biomass supply chain for energy production; MPC architecture proposal to decrease the operation times.Keywords: biomass; forest; Model Predictive Control; planning; supply chain.
Dark Matter-Like Effects in Spiral Galaxies Caused by Intense Isotropic Background Radiation of Ultralong Wavelength Photons
Authors: Schultheiss Christoph
Published: December 2015

The rotation anomaly of outer branches of spiral galaxies can be explained on the basis by a gravitational theory published in 2008. It is based on the interaction of charges with electromagnetic radiation with ultralong wavelengths which were generated by the Big Bang and which are densely distributed in the expanding space. The cross section of the interaction of charges with these waves depends on the Rayleigh scattering governed by the well known - factor to the fourth, where ω is the frequency of the wave and ωp the “natural frequency” of the particle. Natural frequency means that charges respectively matter oscillate with higher frequency. The -factor implies an increase of the gravitation constant with increasing length of path in space and gives a possible explanation of why stars in outer spirals move with higher orbital velocity.
Review on “Blended Learning” in Language Teaching
Authors: Li Xueping
Published: December 2015

As blended learning enters the college English reform in China, more and more researchers have made attempts to explore the effects of blended learning context. This paper intends to make an overview of application of it in English teaching in China by reviewing 20 papers published in core journals, with an aim to get a picture of the current situation of blended learning research and application in Chinese context. Thus reasonable suggestions are offered for appropriate approaches to more fully fulfill the role of blended learning in English teaching modernization in China.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for English Language and Literature Studies, Vol. 5, No. 4
Authors: Ding Alice
Published: December 2015

Reviewer Acknowledgements for English Language and Literature Studies, Vol. 5, No. 4, 2015.
Bourdieusian Reading of Caryl Churchill’s Serious Money
Authors: Marandi Pegah , Anushiravani Alireza
Published: December 2015

Caryl Churchill is one of the most widely performed female dramatists in contemporary British theatre. She is arguably the most successful and best-known socialist-feminist playwright to have merged from Second Wave feminism. Her plays have been performed all over the world. In her materialist plays, she shows the matters of culture, education, power, politics, and myth. Her oeuvre hovers over the material conditions which testify to the power relations within society at a given time in history. Pierre Bourdieu, a French sociologist, and theorist in cultural studies points out the dynamics of power relations in social life throughout ideas such as capital, field, habitus, symbolic violence, theories concerned with class and culture. The overarching concern for the purpose of this essay is to analyse Churchill’s Serious Money (1987) in the light of Bourdieu’s sociological concepts. In accordance with Bourdieu, there exist various kinds of capital (cultural, economic, social, and symbolic) which distinguish every individual’s status both in society and in relation to other individuals. The present study attempts to show that in Serious Money, the capital especially economic capital forms the foundation of social life and dictates one’s position within the social order and respectively, determining the power discourse in the matrix of social life.
Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield: New Critical Reconsiderations
Authors: Alhaj Ali Albashir Mohammed
Published: December 2015

The current study aims at reconsidering critically Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield. Charles Dickens is perhaps the greatest—if not the most perfect—of Victorian story-teller whose works have become synonymous with Victorian England. Many of his novels came out in monthly installments and were awaited by his readers eagerly. His popularity lay in his ability to write gripping, sentimental stories filled with memorable characters. On a more serious level, his novels are a detailed account of both the good and bad sides of Victorian life. In the semi-autobiographical David Copperfield, the author paints a graphic picture of the living condition of the urban poor. He also denounces the exploitation of children by adults and the cruel competitive nature of Victorian society.

To conclude, characters such as Micawber (a portrait based on Dickens’s own father) has passed into folk lore and become household names, used by people who have never read a Dickens novel in their lives. Also, the writer uses too much black paint. However, he wanted to raise kindness and goodness in men’s hearts, and he used tears and laughter to reach his aims. He probably brought a little improvement in some condition, but very often, he failed to do so.
Researching Second Language Task Complexity: A Critical Review
Authors: Xing Jiaxin
Published: December 2015

The past three decades witnesses a substantial development of task-bask language teaching (TBLT) and task-based research (TBR). Consequently, task has become a fashionable word in both L2 teaching pedagogy and SLA research. Among many task features, task complexity has attracted researchers’ attention due to its importance in task implementation. This paper aims to provide a comparatively comprehensive review of the studies conducted so far. It first explores the development of the construct task complexity, and then critically reviewes some empirical studies about task complexity and language production, task complexity and interaction, and task complexity and language development. Finally, the paper summarizes the achievement that has already been made in the field and predicted the orientations for future research.
Mainstreaming English Language Learners: Does It Promote or Hinder Literacy Development?
Authors: Some-Guiebre Esther
Published: December 2015

This study examines the interaction between African immigrant students and their mainstream teachers. I am particularly interested in the influence of classroom practices on the literacy development of Francophone African immigrant children in the U.S. classroom. The student participants in this study (two French speaking African students) were all permanent residents in the United States. They were all born and schooled in their home countries and were fluent in French (the language of instruction in their home countries). Since their immigration to the U.S. with their parents, the children have been confronted to several linguistic, social, cultural, and economic challenges that slowed down their academic progress and achievement. This paper uses Krashen’s (2005) discussion on language acquisition to argue that specific classroom practices can hinder the literacy development of immigrant children. The data used for this discussion was collected through the observation of a 5th grade classroom, informal conversations with two French speaking African students and interviews with their mainstream teacher as well as their English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers.
The Application of Politeness Strategies in English and Chinese Movie Reviews
Authors: Mu Yuting
Published: December 2015

As an important part of social life and interpersonal cooperation, politeness is reflected in languages. Movie review is a typical form of writing that reflects people’s application of politeness strategies consciously or unconsciously. Under the frame of the politeness strategies theory proposed by Brown and Levinson, this paper presents the differences on positive and negative politeness strategies used between English and Chinese movie reviewers. With the selected five famous movies and ten corresponding movie reviews, including five English and five Chinese reviews, the writer discusses the application of positive and negative politeness strategies. Although the difference on frequency of the application of positive and negative politeness strategies within each group is not obvious, the use of specific strategy is different between Chinese and English reviewers. This research also tries to find out the possible reasons of the differences.
Metaphor in Azerbaijani and Russian Media Discourse
Authors: Taghiyeva Ulviyya H.
Published: December 2015

The paper aims to study the role of metaphors in the construction of Azerbaijani and Russian media discourse. It speaks of the fact that metaphor plays a central role in the structure of discourse. Being the unit of the second nomination, metaphor carries out greater expressive function. Metaphoric expression is always directed to attain the maximal communicative effectivity. This situation makes the metaphor an organizing centre of discourse of any type.
Loanwords in the Urban Meccan Hijazi Dialect: An Analysis of Lexical Variation according to Speakers’ Sex, Age and Education
Authors: Alahmadi Sameeha D.
Published: December 2015

This study aims to investigate the degree of lexical variation in Urban Meccan Hijazi Arabic (UMH) by identifying the loan words that are commonly spoken in this dialect and determining from which languages they have been borrowed. Also, it explores the effect of social factors such as age, sex and educational level on the use of loan words by UMH speakers. For the purpose of the study, I designed a questionnaire and distributed it to eighty participants whose mother tongue is UMH. The sample consisted of three groups, namely, old and young, male and female and educated and uneducated participants. In order to provide answers to the research questions, the questionnaire was divided into two sections; section one investigates the participants’ background, i.e., their age, sex, educational level, how long have they been living in Mecca, etc., and section two examines their use of the loan words in UMH. The results revealed that in addition to some words that have been borrowed from Persian and Italian, most of the loan words found in UMH have been borrowed from Turkish. This could have resulted from the Ottoman occupation of Saudi Arabia for around 400 years, and the interaction with pilgrims who visit Mecca every year. Additionally, the results of the t-tests showed that the differences between the three groups (i.e., old vs. young, male vs. female and educated vs. uneducated) are statistically significant. This indicates that the three social factors play a crucial role in the participants’ use of the loan words in UMH. Finally, the study concludes with some recommendations for further research. 
A Study on the Use of Lexical Chunks by Chinese EFL Learners in Writing
Authors: Shi Ling , Wang Lei
Published: December 2015

Lexical Approach put forward by Michael Lewis (1993) is widely acknowledged in EFL teaching and lexical teaching is very important development in the evolution of language teaching (Lowe, 2003). For about thirty years of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in China, more and more teachers have realized the importance of teaching and encouraging learners to use ready-made lexical chunks. However, the present study focuses on the overuse of lexical chunks in learners’ writings in a high stake national test (College English Test Band 6 – CET6). The corpus-based data analysis will be done to find the most commonly used lexical chunks by Chinese EFL learners and demonstrate what is meant to be the overuse of lexical chunks. Furthermore, the reasons for misuse and overuse of lexical chunks will be discussed. The findings drawn from structural and functional analysis of lexical chunks also have some pedagogical implications.
Types and Features of Noun Phrase in Chinese Scholars’ Abstracts
Authors: Wang Li , Pei Fei
Published: December 2015

Noun phrases, as the basic components of sentences, carry large amounts of information. Based on corpus-based research method, this study aims to explore the use of nouns in the journal abstracts written by Chinese scholars. Statistically significant difference was found in the noun effect between Chinese scholars’ dissertation abstracts (CSDA) and English-speaking scholars’ dissertation abstracts (ESDA), so effect was chosen as an example word throughout the research. The results show that (1) Chinese scholars tend to use more simple noun phrases while international journal scholars are inclined to use complex noun phrases in their articles. (2) As for the use of the colligation adjective+effect, Chinese scholars are likely to use synonyms or to replace the more appropriate adjectives, which cause non-native expressions. (3) As for the colligation of effect+preposition, in is most frequently used by Chinese scholars, but seem to be untypical to the international journal scholars. The study found that interlingual transfer (mother tongue transfer) and intralingual transfer appear to be the main causes of these discrepancies.
Employee’s (Happy) Branding Corporate’s ‘Social’ Reputation: Can You Put a Price on That?
Authors: Nadeem Mohammed
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between Corporate ‘Social’ Reputation (CSR) and employees’ increasing usage of Social Media (SM) and related technologies in promoting and strengthening their company’s branding strategies. This study draws on the (Rokka, Karlsson, & Tienari, 2014) conceptualization of corporate reputation management in SM as balancing acts, which take place in relation to different, contradictory, and sometimes paradoxical priorities related to branding and managing employees. The research method of this study was based on the quality content analysis and primarily relied on the recent research articles, and surveys. The findings contribute to the existing discussion on the role of SM, particularly on the employees’ growing usage of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in building CSR bottom line. Future research is discussed regarding the motivation that drives employees to become brand evangelists. Key implications for researchers, practitioners and policy makers are highlighted.
Salespeople Motivation and Job Satisfaction: Evaluation of Female Salespeople in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alolayan Fahad Saleh , Saidi Hanan Ali
Published: December 2015

In Saudi Arabia, sales force positions have been totally occupied by men until recently. The Saudi Government has taken a number of promising legislative steps to promote women’s employment in the retail industry, especially in department stores that specialize in women’ goods. Saudi women are now entering such positions, and they need encouragement and support in order to retain their place in the labor market and to reduce their high rate of unemployment. At this early stage of Saudi female employment in the sales force, this study aims to support them by evaluating the level of work motivation and job satisfaction in their workplace. Utilizing the Herzberg model, data was collected from 280 female salespeople. The results show that Saudi female salespeople are not well motivated at work, and they have a low contentment with the working environment. It is therefore recommended that the companies hiring female salespeople take the issue of job satisfaction and work motivation seriously by giving women more responsibilities, ameliorating the conditions of advancement and growth, increasing the number of training programs, and improving the work conditions as well as increasing salaries.

 
On-line Commerce and Town Centre Retailers’ Experience
Authors: Caboni Federica , Bruni Roberto
Published: December 2015

This paper is an attempt to develop a new way to sell products or services for retailers within town centres. An analysis of the literature revealed that the use of the Internet and digital commerce strategies are rarely used as tools to revitalize urban retail and develop a multidimensional experience of place. Thus, this paper aims to highlight which new modes of online commerce—e-commerce, s-commerce and m-commerce—are more suitable than others to help town centre retailers revitalize the place where they work. The research questions are as follows: 1) What are the origins of the growth and development of new forms of selling? and 2) How might town centre retailers integrate new forms of selling with traditional retailing? In answering the previously stated questions, this paper provides a proposed model that, by combining physical and virtual means to sell products and services, can provide specific strengths in revitalizing town centres.
Determining the Effects of Perceived Utilitarian and Hedonic Value on Online Shopping Intentions
Authors: AVCILAR Mutlu Yuksel , OZSOY Tufan
Published: December 2015

In today’s digital world, the Internet is having vigorous and transformational effects on consumer’s behavior. Over the past ten years, consumers all over the world have increasingly used the Internet as an efficient medium in their shopping experience. Online retailers are trying to influence consumers shopping attitude and behavior by creating renewed shopping experiences in order to sustain their business under the catastrophic destructive competition among online and offline retailers. In the catastrophic destructive rivalry environment, it is vital for retailers to understand online consumers’ beliefs, attitudes, shopping intentions and behavior toward online shopping. Therefore, this study was designated to clarify consumers’ online shopping intentions within the online shopping environment. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) and consumer perceived value theory.

In the data gathering process, we used convenience sampling and face-to-face interviews techniques. The 400 valid questionnaires were gathered from the Internet shoppers who voluntarily participated with in our research in Osmaniye, Turkey. In order to test the research model, we used Partial Least Squares (PLS-PM) analysis method. The analysis results provide strong support for the research model. Particularly, perceived usefulness, hedonic value, and online shopping satisfaction dimensions have statistically positive effect on online shopping intentions. The findings suggest that perceived usefulness and positive online shopping attitude plays a significant role in increasing both perceived utilitarian and hedonic online shopping value. In addition, online shopping satisfaction and hedonic value have a significant effect on consumer online shopping intentions. Finally, analysis results give some useful insights into the consumers’ online shopping intentions.
The Influence of 4G Mobile Value Added Services on Usage Intention: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Value of Smartphone and Phablet
Authors: Chi Hsinkuang , Lai Yanting
Published: December 2015

With the development of Phablet, as well as the coming of new age of 4G network, people pay more attention to the network quality and the market demand for network increases day by day. Telecommunications network service offers diversified products and service to satisfy different consumers’ demands. Telecommunications service has gradually become the trend, but the issues about consumers’ degree of cognitive involvement in using Smartphone or Phablet are the problems concerned by operators. In addition, the items supplied by the operators of telecommunications service will directly influence consumers’ usage intention. Therefore, this study discussed whether the telecommunications mobile value added services will influence consumers’ usage intention through the perceived value of Smartphone or Phablet. The research subjects were the users of general Smartphone. In total, 300 questionnaires were distributed, 240 questionnaires were retrieved and 224 questionnaires were valid. The research results show that (1) 4G mobile value added services have the significant positive influence on the perceived value of Smartphone; (2) 4G mobile value added services have the significant positive influence on usage intention; (3) Smartphone and Phablet have the mediating effect on 4G mobile value added services and usage intention. All the functions and value added services provided by Smartphone or Phablet play the key mediating effect. Thus, users will generate the sense of worth where acquisition utility is greater than expenditure cost, and they will generate the purchase intention and behavior towards this mobile phone products.

Keywords:4G mobile value added services,perceived value of smartphone,perceived value of phablet,usage intention
Utilitarian and Hedonic Values Affect Brand Switching: Consumer Satisfaction as Moderator
Authors: Randheer Kokku
Published: December 2015

This study tested the existence of positive relationship between utilitarian values, hedonic values and consumer satisfaction. Further it also tested the significance of utilitarian and hedonic values influenced by consumer satisfaction affecting brand switching. Four independent products and brands were selected for data collection. Confirmatory factor analysis validated two dimensions along with factors via utilitarian values which include savings, convenience, affordability and multiple benefits. Hedonic values included freedom, self-expression, entertainment and exploration. Regression analysis revealed the existence of relationship between dependant and independent variables with variance obtained by these two dimensions and factors to be on higher side. Hypothesis proved a positive effect of both utilitarian and hedonic values on customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction created by utilitarian and hedonic values has significant effect on brand switching. Managerial implications include suggestions on product pricing, variety, availability, upgrading consumer knowledge and consumer personal image.
Implementing Revenue Management for Travel Agencies
Authors: Chan Grace Suk Ha , Guillet Basak Denizci
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this descriptive study is to explore revenue management (RM), it may relevant for travel agencies in their business management. In view of the features that this sector shares with traditional revenue management (RM) users such as the airline and hotel industries, travel agencies have the potential to enhance revenue by applying various RM techniques. Both traditional and non-traditional users of RM have benefitted greatly from the use of RM strategies. In particular, revenue per available tour product (RevPATP) is invoked, both in the present modified typology of RM and in developing RM strategies for the travel sector. The study utilized data from in-depth interviews with industry professionals to determine their perceptions of RM and understand their comments about the possibility of RM implementation in travel agencies. The study’s results reveal that travel agencies have limited knowledge of RM, limiting themselves to profit maximization alone. Although the professionals interviewed were aware of the unpredictable nature of the environment in which they operated, most believed that only large travel agencies were capable of applying RM to their operations.
Holistic Biomass Transport Model for Sustainable Development of Cellulosic Biofuel
Authors: Golecha Rajdeep
Published: December 2015

Sustainable development of the cellulosic biofuel sector will require biomass supply strategies that can minimize the cost of cellulosic biomass. While the conversion cost of cellulosic biofuel has come down significantly in the last decade, there has not been as significant change in biomass cost. Several studies have provided optimization models for minimizing biomass cost. However, most of the existing models have focused on a modelling approach to optimize a single component of biomass cost, using an integrated biomass transportation model. While separate studies have provided a model on farmer supply response that includes farmer participation and the incentives offered by biorefineries. However, there is a gap in understanding the linkage between transport cost, farmer participation and farmer incentives on biomass cost. As a result most optimization models available in literature are focused on reducing biomass transport cost. This study shows that a strong linkage exists between biomass transport cost and incentives offered to farmers. A holistic biomass supply model is developed that incorporates an integrated biomass transportation model, as well as the relationship between farmer incentives and farmer participation using data from some recent surveys. The holistic model enables a trade-off between increase in incentives and reduction in transport cost. This will help companies develop sustainable long term supply contracts between biorefineries and farmers. The study shows that biorefineries that focus on minimizing biomass cost through optimization of transport cost alone, without considering its relationships with farmer supply response will incur 15 to 20% higher biomass cost.
High-efficiency contact grating fabricated on the basis of a Fabry–Perot type resonator for terahertz wave generation
Authors: Yoshida Fumiko , Nagashima Keisuke , Tsubouchi Masaaki , Ochi Yoshihiro , Maruyama Momoko , Sugiyama Akira
Published: December 2015

We have designed and fabricated a contact grating device to increase diffraction efficiency on the basis of the principle of the Fabry–Perot resonator. The grating structure and layer thicknesses were carefully determined by considering the electric field strength in the device and the fabrication accuracy of the grating. The prototype device had a peak diffraction efficiency of 71% at an incident angle of 42°; these values were slightly different from the design values of 78% and 44.5°, respectively. Numerical calculations revealed that this deviation was caused by the fabricated grating structure. A higher terahertz power will be expected with a device as per the design.
Academic inequality through the lens of community ecology: a meta-analysis
Authors: Mori Akira S. , Qian Shenhua , Tatsumi Shinichi
Published: December 2015

Ecological assemblages are generally characterized by a few dominant species and numerous others. Such unequal distributions of dominance also emerge in human society, including in scientific communities. Here, based on formal community ecological analyses, we show the temporal trends in the number of scientific publication in the discipline of “ecology.” Based on this, we infer possible factors causing the imbalance of reputation and dominance among countries. We relied on 454 ecological meta-analysis papers published from 1998 to 2014, which sourced over 29,000 original publications. Formal meta-analyses are essential for synthesizing findings from individual studies and are critical for assessing issues and informing policy. We found that, despite the rapid expansion of outlets for ecology papers (analogous to an increase in carrying capacity, in ecological systems), country diversity as determined from first author affiliations (analogous to species diversity) did not increase. Furthermore, a country identity was more powerful than the popularity of the scientific topic and affected the chance of publication in high-profile journals, independent of the potential novelty of findings and arguments of the papers, suggesting possible academic injustice. Consequently, a rank order and hierarchy has been gradually formed among countries. Notably, this country-dominance rank is not only specific to this scientific domain but also universal across different societal situations including sports and economics, further emphasizing that inequality and hierarchical structure exist even in modern human society. Our study demonstrates a need for having robust frameworks to facilitate equality and diversity in the scientific domain in order to better inform society and policy.
Flautas arqueológicas del Ecuador
Authors:   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Pérez de Arce José
Published: December 2015

En este artículo se presenta el estudio de un corpus de aproximadamente 1.000 ejemplares organológicos provenientes de diferentes culturas prehispánicas de la zona del Ecuador actual. En primer lugar, se analizan las características organológicas de las flautas, que son el grupo más interesante por su variedad y por su significación regional, para diferenciar, a continuación, las diferentes tipologías de acuerdo a estas características, detectando una serie de subtipologías propias de la muestra, que obligan a subdivisiones muy precisas (como “flauta globular de cámara simple” o de “cámara doble”, por ejemplo), las cuales revelan la especificidad alcanzada por las culturas estudiadas. Finalmente se revisan de modo general los antecedentes que emergen de este estudio en términos culturales, relevando la importancia de la cultura Chorrera como matriz organológica de los Andes Centro y Norte y analizando el rol de la organología más allá de su función al servicio de una actividad musical o sonora, revelando funciones simbólicas propias de un conocimiento organológico que circula de un modo interno entre los artesanos, no visible por el resto de la sociedad.
Transportation, Boarding, Lodging, and Trade along the Early Silk Road
Authors: Yang Jidong
Published: December 2015

Excavated from the ruins of a Han dynasty postal and relay station located in the Gansu Corridor, the Xuanquan manuscripts provide a precious chance to look into the daily traffic along the ancient Silk Road. After a brief introduction to the Han postal system, this paper translates and examines some of the Xuanquan documents directly related to foreigners traveling to Han China, such as passports, records of lodging and boarding, and files concerning trade disputes. The author concludes that the management of traffic and trade along the Silk Road was a business tightly controlled by the early Chinese empire.
Korean Books in Japan before Hideyoshi’s Invasion
Authors: Kornicki Peter
Published: December 2015

This article draws upon the fragmentary evidence in various Japanese sources, mostly from the Heian, Kamakura, and Muromachi periods, to examine the extent and nature of imports of books from Korea to Japan before Hideyoshi’s invasion of Korea in the 1590s. Some of the evidence comes from historical chronicles, but the Ishinpō, a voluminous compendium of medicine, also refers to some Korean texts, and the Annals of the Chosŏn Dynasty contain further information, mostly but not only relating to Japanese requests for copies of the Korean printed Buddhist canon.
Ägyptische Tier- und Götterbronzen aus Unterägypten: Untersuchungen zu Typus, Ikonographie und Funktion sowie der Bedeutung innerhalb der Kulturkontakte zu Griechenland. By KatJa Weiß
Authors: Teeter Emily
Published: December 2015

Ägyptische Tier- und Götterbronzen aus Unterägypten: Untersuchungen zu Typus, Ikonographie und Funktion sowie der Bedeutung innerhalb der Kulturkontakte zu Griechenland. By KatJa Weiß. Ägypten und Altes Testament, vol. 81. 2 vols. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2012. Pp. xxxiv + 1092, 79 plts. €198.
Prophecy in the Ancient Near East: A Philological and Sociological Comparison. By Jonathan Stökl
Authors: Snell Daniel
Published: December 2015

Prophecy in the Ancient Near East: A Philological and Sociological Comparison. By Jonathan Stökl. Culture and History of the Ancient Near East, vol. 56. Leiden: Brill, 2012. Pp. xvi + 297. $151.
Ancient Phoenicia: An Introduction. By Mark Woolmer
Authors: Jigoulov Vadim
Published: December 2015

Ancient Phoenicia: An Introduction. By Mark Woolmer. London: Bristol Classical Press, 2011. Pp. 136, illus. (paper).
Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible. By James C. Vanderkam
Authors: Bowley James E.
Published: December 2015

The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible. By James C. Vanderkam. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B.

Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2012. Pp. xiv + 188. $25 (paper).
Neuaramäische Texte in den Dialekten der Khabur-Assyrer in Nordostsyrien. By Shabo Talay
Authors: Häberl Charles G.
Published: December 2015

Neuaramäische Texte in den Dialekten der Khabur-Assyrer in Nordostsyrien. By Shabo Talay. Semitica Viva, vol. 41. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2009. Pp. xv + 712. €148.
Sound and Sense in Classical Arabic Poetry. By Geert Jan van Gelder
Authors: Dmitriev Kirill
Published: December 2015

Sound and Sense in Classical Arabic Poetry. By Geert Jan van Gelder. Arabische Studien, vol. 10. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2013. Pp. xv + 399. €78.
Millennial Sovereign: Sacred Kingship and Sainthood in Islam. By A. Azfar Moin
Authors: Choksy Jamsheed K.
Published: December 2015

The Millennial Sovereign: Sacred Kingship and Sainthood in Islam. By A. Azfar Moin. South Asia across the Disciplines. New York: Columbia University Press, 2012. Pp. xvii + 343. $55, £38 (cloth); $28, £19.50 (paper).
Between Heaven and Hell: Islam, Salvation and the Fate of Others. Edited by Mohammad Hassan Khalil
Authors: Nguyen Martin
Published: December 2015

Between Heaven and Hell: Islam, Salvation and the Fate of Others. Edited by Mohammad Hassan Khalil. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013. Pp. xxii + 335. $99 (cloth); $35 (paper).
Aristotle Poetics: Editio Maior of the Greek Text with Historial Introductions and Philological Commentaries. Edited by Leonardo Tarán and Dimitri Gutas
Authors: Pormann Peter E.
Published: December 2015

Aristotle Poetics: Editio Maior of the Greek Text with Historial Introductions and Philological Commentaries. Edited by Leonardo Tarán and Dimitri Gutas. Mnemosyne Supplements, vol. 338. Leiden: Brill, 2012. Pp. xiii + 536. $226, €162.
West Old Turkic: Turkic Loanwords in Hungarian. By andrás Róna-Tas and Árpad Berta†
Authors: Hitch Doug
Published: December 2015

West Old Turkic: Turkic Loanwords in Hungarian. 2 vols. Turkologica, vol. 84. By andrás Róna-Tas and Árpad Berta†. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2001. Pp. x + 1494. €148.
Vedic Studies: Language, Texts, Culture, and Philosophy. Edited by Hans Henrich Hock
Authors: Joseph Kristen de
Published: December 2015

Vedic Studies: Language, Texts, Culture, and Philosophy. Proceedings of the 15th World Sanskrit Conference, vol. 1. Edited by Hans Henrich Hock. New Delhi: RaShtRiya SanSkRit SanSthan, 2014. Pp. viii + 244.
Emerald City: The Birth and Evolution of an Indian Gemstone Industry. By Lawrence A. Babb
Authors: Cort John E.
Published: December 2015

Emerald City: The Birth and Evolution of an Indian Gemstone Industry. By Lawrence A. Babb. Albany: SUNY Press, 2013. Pp. xii+ 220, 33 figs. $80 (cloth); $26.95 (paper).
Letters and Epistolary Culture in Early Medieval China. By Antje Richter
Authors: Hu Qiulei
Published: December 2015

Letters and Epistolary Culture in Early Medieval China. By Antje Richter. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2013. Pp. x + 268. $75 (cloth); $30 (paper).
Journal of Wu Yubi: The Path to Sagehood. Translated, with introduction and commentary, by M. Theresa Kelleher
Authors: Israel George Lawrence
Published: December 2015

The Journal of Wu Yubi: The Path to Sagehood. Translated, with introduction and commentary, by M. Theresa Kelleher. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 2013. Pp. xliv + 187. $40 (cloth); $13 (paper).
Singing a Hindu Nation: Marathi Devotional Performance and Nationalism. By Anna C. Schultz
Authors: Keune John
Published: December 2015

Singing a Hindu Nation: Marathi Devotional Performance and Nationalism. By Anna C. Schultz. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. Pp. xii + 231. $21.95.
Islamic Geometric Design. By Eric Broug
Authors: Bier Carol
Published: December 2015

Islamic Geometric Design. By Eric Broug. London: Thames and Hudson, 2013. Pp. 256, richly illus. $75, £39.95.
Reading Darwin in Arabic, 1860–1950. By Marwa Elshakry
Authors: Varisco Daniel Martin
Published: December 2015

Reading Darwin in Arabic, 1860–1950. By Marwa Elshakry. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. Pp. viii + 439. $45.
Back Matter
Authors: Editors
Published: December 2015

Back matter
Plasma turbulence and coherent structures in the polar cap observed by the ICI‐2 sounding rocket
Authors: Spicher A. , Miloch W. J. , Clausen L. B. N. , Moen J. I.
Published: December 2015

The electron density data from the ICI‐2 sounding rocket experiment in the high‐latitude F region ionosphere are analyzed using the higher‐order spectra and higher‐order statistics. Two regions of enhanced fluctuations are chosen for detailed analysis: the trailing edge of a polar cap patch and an electron density enhancement associated with particle precipitation. While these two regions exhibit similar power spectra, our analysis reveals that their internal structures are significantly different. The structures on the edge of the polar cap patch are likely due to nonlinear wave interactions since this region is characterized by intermittency and significant coherent mode coupling. The plasma enhancement subjected to precipitation, however, exhibits stronger random characteristics with uncorrelated phases of density fluctuations. These results suggest that particle precipitation plays a fundamental role in ionospheric plasma structuring creating turbulent‐like structures. We discuss the physical mechanisms that cause plasma structuring as well as the possible processes for the low‐frequency part of the spectrum in terms of plasma instabilities.
Dynamic plasmapause model based on THEMIS measurements
Authors: Liu X. , Liu W. , Cao J. B. , Fu H. S. , Yu J. , Li X.
Published: December 2015

This paper presents a dynamic plasmapause location model established based on 5 years of Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) measurements from 2009 to 2013. In total, 5878 plasmapause crossing events are identified, sufficiently covering all 24 magnetic local time (MLT) sectors. Based on this plasmapause crossing database, we investigate the correlations between plasmapause locations with solar wind parameters and geomagnetic indices. Input parameters for the best fits are obtained for different MLT sectors, and finally, we choose five input parameters to build a plasmapause location model, including 5 min‐averaged SYM‐H, AL, and AU indices as well as hourly‐averaged AE and Kp indices. two out‐of‐sample comparisons on the evolution of the plasmapause is shown during two magnetic storms, demonstrating good agreement between model results and observations. Two major advantages are achieved by this model. First, this model provides plasmapause locations at 24 MLT sectors, still providing good consistency with observations. Second, this model is able to reproduce dynamic variations of the plasmapause on timescales as short as 5 min.
Coaching and Adult Learning: Theory and Practice
Authors: Cox Elaine
Published: December 2015

In this chapter, the author explores how the adult learning theories of andragogy and transformative learning may be used when coaching adult learners.
Coaching as a Strategy for Helping Adults
Authors: Wax Dorothy M. , Wertheim Judith
Published: December 2015

This chapter focuses on the use of coaching for adult learners, the specific characteristics adults bring to the learning environment, and strategies for dealing with the obstacles adult learners may face.
The Future of Coaching Among Adult Populations
Authors: Pappas James P. , Jerman Jerry
Published: December 2015

This chapter considers many of the major directions, issues, and themes that will play an important part in the future of coaching adult populations.
Effect of Zr Content on the Morphology and Emissivity of Surface Oxide Scales on FeCrAlY Alloys
Authors: Huczkowski Pawel , Gopalakrishnan Sayee Ganesh , Nowak Wojciech , Hattendorf Heike , Iskandar Riza , Mayer Joachim , Quadakkers Willem Joseph
Published: December 2015

The investigation aims at obtaining a life time extension of FeCrAlY heating elements by increasing the emissivity of the alumina surface scales. This approach will allow the use of a lower heating element temperature without decreasing the usable heat output. For this purpose, the oxidation mechanisms of Zr‐doped FeCrAlY model alloys were investigated. For thick specimens a high Zr addition is accompanied by an undesired rapid increase of the oxidation rate adversely affecting the life time of the component. However, for thin foil heating elements (typically 50–200 μm thickness) an optimized high Zr content might be a suitable concept for obtaining a high emissivity, because apparently, a dark appearing, high emissivity oxide may be obtained without occurrence of dramatic internal oxidation.
Nickel‐Catalyzed Allylic Alkylation with Diarylmethane Pronucleophiles: Reaction Development and Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Sha Sheng‐Chun , Jiang Hui , Mao Jianyou , Bellomo Ana , Jeong Soo A. , Walsh Patrick J.
Published: December 2015

Palladium‐catalyzed allylic substitution reactions are among the most efficient methods to construct C−C bonds between sp3‐hybridized carbon atoms. In contrast, much less work has been done with nickel catalysts, perhaps because of the different mechanisms of the allylic substitution reactions. Palladium catalysts generally undergo substitution by a “soft”‐nucleophile pathway, wherein the nucleophile attacks the allyl group externally. Nickel catalysts are usually paired with “hard” nucleophiles, which attack the metal before C−C bond formation. Introduced herein is a rare nickel‐based catalyst which promotes substitution with diarylmethane pronucleophiles by the soft‐nucleophile pathway. Preliminary studies on the asymmetric allylic alkylation are promising.