bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic loci with parent of origin effects cause hybrid seed lethality betweenMimulusspecies
Authors: Garner Austin G. , Kenney Amanda M. , Fishman Lila , Sweigart Andrea L.
Published: July 2015

The classic finding in both flowering plants and mammals that hybrid lethality often depends on parent of origin effects suggests that divergence in the underlying loci might be an important source of hybrid incompatibilities between species. In flowering plants, there is now good evidence from diverse taxa that seed lethality arising from interploidy crosses is often caused by endosperm defects associated with deregulated imprinted genes. A similar seed lethality phenotype occurs in many crosses between closely related diploid species, but the genetic basis of this form of early-acting F1postzygotic reproductive isolation is largely unknown. Here, we show that F1hybrid seed lethality is an exceptionally strong isolating barrier between two closely relatedMimulusspecies,M. guttatusandM. tilingii, with reciprocal crosses producing less than 1% viable seeds. Using a powerful crossing design and high-resolution genetic mapping, we identify both maternally- and paternally-derived loci that contribute to hybrid seed incompatibility. Strikingly, these two sets of loci are largely non-overlapping, providing strong evidence that genes with parent of origin effects are the primary driver of F1hybrid seed lethality betweenM. guttatusandM. tilingii. We find a highly polygenic basis for both parental components of hybrid seed lethality suggesting that multiple incompatibility loci have accumulated to cause strong postzygotic isolation between these closely related species. Our genetic mapping experiment also reveals hybrid transmission ratio distortion and chromosomal differentiation, two additional correlates of functional and genomic divergence between species.
Early modern human dispersal from Africa: genomic evidence for multiple waves of migration
Authors: Tassi Francesca , Ghirotto Silvia , Mezzavilla Massimo , Vilaça Sibelle Torres , Santi Lisa De , Barbujani Guido
Published: July 2015

Background

Anthropological and genetic data agree in indicating the African continent as the main place of origin for modern human. However, it is unclear whether early modern humans left Africa through a single, major process, dispersing simultaneously over Asia and Europe, or in two main waves, first through the Arab peninsula into Southern Asia and Oceania, and later through a Northern route crossing the Levant.

Results

Here we show that accurate genomic estimates of the divergence times between European and African populations are more recent than those between Australo-Melanesia and Africa, and incompatible with the effects of a single dispersal. This difference cannot possibly be accounted for by the effects of hybridization with archaic human forms in Australo-Melanesia. Furthermore, in several populations of Asia we found evidence for relatively recent genetic admixture events, which could have obscured the signatures of the earliest processes.

Conclusions

We conclude that the hypothesis of a single major human dispersal from Africa appears hardly compatible with the observed historical and geographical patterns of genome diversity, and that Australo-Melanesian populations seem still to retain a genomic signature of a more ancient divergence from Africa
Evolution of selenophosphate synthetases: emergence and relocation of function through independent duplications and recurrent subfunctionalization
Authors: Mariotti Marco , Santesmasses Didac , Capella-Gutierrez Salvador , Mateo Andrea , Arnan Carme , Johnson Rory , D'Aniello Salvatore , Yim Sun Hee , Gladyshev Vadim N. , Serras Florenci , Corominas Montserrat , Gabaldón Toni , Guigó Roderic
Published: July 2015

Selenoproteins are proteins that incorporate selenocysteine (Sec), a nonstandard amino acid encoded by UGA, normally a stop codon. Sec synthesis requires the enzyme Selenophosphate synthetase (SPS or SelD), conserved in all prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes encoding selenoproteins. Here, we study the evolutionary history of SPS genes, providing a map of selenoprotein function spanning the whole tree of life. SPS is itself a selenoprotein in many species, although functionally equivalent homologs that replace the Sec site with cysteine (Cys) are common. Many metazoans, however, possess SPS genes with substitutions other than Sec or Cys (collectively referred to as SPS1). Using complementation assays in fly mutants, we show that these genes share a common function, which appears to be distinct from the synthesis of selenophosphate carried out by the Sec- and Cys- SPS genes (termed SPS2), and unrelated to Sec synthesis. We show here that SPS1 genes originated through a number of independent gene duplications from an ancestral metazoan selenoprotein SPS2 gene that most likely already carried the SPS1 function. Thus, in SPS genes, parallel duplications and subsequent convergent subfunctionalization have resulted in the segregation to different loci of functions initially carried by a single gene. This evolutionary history constitutes a remarkable example of emergence and evolution of gene function, which we have been able to trace thanks to the singular features of SPS genes, wherein the amino acid at a single site determines unequivocally protein function and is intertwined to the evolutionary fate of the entire selenoproteome.
On EXAFS Debye-Waller factor and recent advances
Authors: Fornasini P. , Grisenti R.
Published: July 2015

The effects of structural and vibrational disorder on the EXAFS signals are parameterized in terms of the Debye Waller (DW) factor. Here the vibrational contribution is addressed, which for most systems can be singled out by studying the temperature dependence of the EXAFS DW factor, which corresponds to a good accuracy to the parallel mean square relative displacement (MSRD) around the inter-atomic equilibrium distance. By comparing the first-shell EXAFS thermal expansion with the crystallographic thermal expansion one can evaluate the perpendicular MSRD. The results of recent measurements on copper and on several tetrahedral semiconductors are here critically compared and some properties of the MSRDs are discussed, such as the dependence of correlation, force constants and vibrational anisotropy on crystal structure and bond ionicity as well as the relative merits of the correlated Debye and Einstein models. The anharmonic contribution to the parallel MSRD of CdTe has been evaluated and a quasi-harmonic analysis has been attempted, leading to an estimation of the bond Grüneisen parameter.
Neutron interferometric measurement and calculations of a phase shift induced by Laue transmission
Authors: Potocar T. , Zawisky M. , Lemmel H. , Springer J. , Suda M.
Published: July 2015

This study investigates the phase shift induced by Laue transmission in a perfect Si crystal blade in unprecedented detail. This `Laue phase' was measured at two wavelengths in the vicinity of the Bragg condition within a neutron interferometer. In particular, the sensitivity of the Laue phase to the alignment of the monochromator and interferometer (rocking angle) and beam divergence has been verified. However, the influence of fundamental quantities, such as the neutron–electron scattering length, on the Laue phase is rather small. The fascinating steep phase slope of 5.5° [(220) Bragg peak] and 11.5° [(440) Bragg peak] per 0.001 arcsec deviation from the Bragg angle has been achieved. The results are analysed using an upgraded simulation tool.
Image definition evaluation functions for X-ray crystallography: a new perspective on the phase problem
Authors: Li Hui , He Meng , Zhang Ze
Published: July 2015

The core theme of X-ray crystallography is reconstructing the electron-density distribution of crystals under the constraints of observed diffraction data. Nevertheless, reconstruction of the electron-density distribution by straightforward Fourier synthesis is usually hindered due to the well known phase problem and the finite resolution of diffraction data. In analogy with optical imaging systems, the reconstructed electron-density map may be regarded as the image of the real electron-density distribution in crystals. Inspired by image definition evaluation functions applied in the auto-focusing process, two evaluation functions are proposed for the reconstructed electron-density images. One of them is based on the atomicity of the electron-density distribution and properties of Fourier synthesis. Tests were performed on synthetic data of known structures, and it was found that this evaluation function can distinguish the correctly reconstructed electron-density image from wrong ones when diffraction data of atomic resolution are available. An algorithm was established based on this evaluation function and applied in reconstructing the electron-density image from the synthetic data of known structures. The other evaluation function, which is based on the positivity of electron density and constrained power spectrum entropy maximization, was designed for cases where only diffraction data of rather limited resolution are available. Tests on the synthetic data indicate that this evaluation function may identify the correct phase set even for a data set with resolution as low as 3.5 Å. Though no algorithm for structure solution has been figured out based on the latter function, the results presented here provide a new perspective on the phase problem.
Anomalous halogen bonds in the crystal structures of 1,2,3-tribromo-5-nitrobenzene and 1,3-dibromo-2-iodo-5-nitrobenzene
Authors: Romero José A. , Aguirre Hernández Gerardo , Bernès Sylvain
Published: July 2015

The title trihalogenated nitrobenzene derivatives, C6H2Br3NO2and C6H2Br2INO2, crystallize in triclinic and monoclinic cells, respectively, with two molecules per asymmetric unit in each case. The asymmetric unit of the tribromo compound features a polarized Brδ+...Brδ-intermolecular halogen bond. After substitution of the Br atom in theparaposition with respect to the nitro group, the network ofX...Xhalogen contacts is reorganized. Two intermolecular polarized halogen bonds are then observed, which present the uncommon polarization Brδ+...Iδ-: the more electronegative site (Br) behaves as a donor and the less electronegative site (I) as an acceptor for the charge transfer.
Crystal structure of metobromuron
Authors: Kang Gihaeng , Kim Jineun , Kwon Eunjin , Kim Tae Ho
Published: July 2015

The title compound [systematic name: 3-(4-bromophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea], C9H11BrN2O2, is a phenylurea herbicide. The dihedral angle between the plane of the urea group and that of the bromophenyl ring is 39.13 (10)°. In the crystal, N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds and weak C—H...π interactions link adjacent molecules, forming chains along thea-axis direction. In addition, short intermolecular Br...Br contacts [3.648 (4) Å] are present, resulting in a two-dimensional network extending parallel to (101).
Crystal structure of pyriproxyfen
Authors: Kang Gihaeng , Kim Jineun , Park Hyunjin , Kim Tae Ho
Published: July 2015

In the title compound {systematic name: 4-phenoxyphenyl (RS)-2-[(pyridin-2-yl)oxy]propyl ether}, C20H19NO3, which is a juvenile hormone mimic and insecticide, the dihedral angles between the plane of the central benene ring and those of the pendant pyridine ring and phenyl ring are 78.09 (6) and 82.14 (8)°, respectively. The conformation of the O—C—C—O linkage isgauche[torsion angle = −75.0 (2)°]. In the crystal, weak aromatic π–π stacking interactions [centroid–centroid separation = 3.8436 (13) Å] and C—H...π interactions link adjacent molecules, forming a three-dimensional network.
Crystal structure of nuarimol
Authors: Kang Gihaeng , Kim Jineun , Park Hyunjin , Kim Tae Ho
Published: July 2015

The title compound [systematic name: (RS)-(2-chlorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)(pyrimidin-5-yl)methanol], C17H12ClFN2O, is a pyrimidine fungicide. The asymmetric unit comprises two independent molecules,AandB, in which the dihedral angles between the plane of the pyrimidine ring and those of the chlorophenyl and fluorophenyl rings are 71.10 (6) and 70.04 (5)° in moleculeA, and 73.24 (5) and 89.30 (5)° in moleculeB. In the crystal, O—H...N hydrogen bonds link the components into [010] chains of alternatingAandBmolecules. The chains are cross-linked by C—H...F hydrogen bonds and weak C—H...π and C—Cl...π [Cl...ring centroid = 3.7630 (8) Å] interactions, generating a three-dimensional network.
Crystal structure and absolute configuration of preaustinoid A1
Authors: Stierle Andrea , Stierle Donald , Decato Daniel
Published: July 2015

The absolute structure of the title compound preaustinoid A1 [systematic name: (5aR,7aS,8R,10S,12R,13aR,13bS)-methyl 10-hydroxy-5,5,7a,10,12,13b-hexamethyl-14-methylene-3,9,11-trioxohexadecahydro-8,12-methanocycloocta[3,4]benzo[1,2-c]oxepine-8-carboxylate], C26H36O7, has been determined by resonant scattering using CuKα radiation [Flack parameter = 0.07 (15)]. The structure is consistent with that reported previously [Stierleet al.(2011).J. Nat. Prod.74, 2272–2277], determined by detailed analysis of MS and NMR data. The molecule consists of a fused four-ring arrangement. The seven-membered oxepan-2-one ring has a chair conformation, as do the central cyclohexane rings, while the outer cyclohexa-1,3-dione ring has a boat conformation. In the crystal, molecules are linkedviaO—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming helical chains propagating along [100].
HRM and temporary workers’ well-being: a study in Portugal and Brazil
Authors: Chambel Maria José , Farina Anete
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Temporary agency workers (TAWs) are regarded as experiencing employment conditions that tend to facilitate high strain. In this study, the authors view this situation as not being inevitable and dependent on the opportunity of having positive experiences in the professional context. The purpose of this paper is to propose that perceptions of the human resource management (HRM) practices system are positively related to work engagement, which in turn, is positively related to context free well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

– These hypotheses were tested with two samples of TAWs, from Portugal (n=241) and Brazil (n=228), contracted by the same international agency. Data were analyzed with multiple group analyses.

Findings

– Results confirmed that in both the Portuguese and Brazilian samples the HRM practices system is positively related to TAWs’ context free well-being and their work engagement mediates this relationship. However, the authors also verified that the relationship between work engagement and satisfaction with life was stronger for the Portuguese TAWs than for their Brazilian counterparts.

Research limitations/implications

– The study is limited, due to the nature of the data (self-reported) and the lack of a longitudinal design.

Practical implications

– An important implication of this research study is that agencies should acknowledge the fact that HRM practices are an investment with a return from TAWs, since they are positively related to their well-being.

Originality/value

– The findings highlight the importance of the HRM practices system in developing positive psychological states with TAWs, not only at work, but also outside this context. This observation was confirmed in two different countries.
Team performance in cross cultural project teams
Authors: Mach Merce , Baruch Yehuda
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test the conditional effect of team composition on team performance; specifically, how collective team orientation, group consensus, faultline configurations and trust among team members explain the objective performance of project teams in cross-cultural contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

– Employing path analytical framework and bootstrap methods, the authors analyze data from a sample of 73 cross cultural project teams. Relying on ordinary least-squares regression, the authors estimate the direct and indirect effects of the moderated mediation model.

Findings

– The findings demonstrate that the indirect effect of collective team orientation on performance through team trust is moderated by team member consensus, diversity heterogeneity and faultlines’ strength. By contrast, high dispersion among members, heterogeneous team configurations and strong team faultlines lead to low levels of trust and team performance.

Research limitations/implications

– The specific context of the study (cross-cultural students’ work projects) may influence external validity and limit the generalization of the findings as well as the different compositions of countries-of-origin.

Practical implications

– From a practical standpoint, these results may help practitioners understand how the emergence of trust contributes to performance. It will also help them comprehend the importance of managing teams while bearing in mind the cross-cultural contexts in which they operate.

Social implications

– In order to foster team consensus and overcome the effects of group members’ cross-cultural dissimilarities as well as team faultlines, organizations should invest in improving members’ dedication, cooperation and trust before looking to achieve significant results, specially in heterogeneous teams and cross-cultural contexts.

Originality/value

– The study advances organizational group research by showing the combined effect of team configurations and collective team orientation to overall team performance and by exploring significant constructs such as team consensus, team trust and diversity faultline strength to examine their possible moderated mediation role in the process.
Evaluating Polish digital libraries from the perspective of non-academic users
Authors: Górny Miroslaw , Catlow John , Mazurek Jolanta
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate the role played by digital libraries in Polish society, particularly in relation to users who are not in education or professionally engaged in academic work.

Design/methodology/approach

– Results are presented from a survey of non-academic users, identified as one of the key groups of digital library users in an exploratory survey in 2008-2009. The targeted survey was carried out by sending e-mails to persons who had supplied their addresses in the first survey or had set up accounts with the Digital Library of Wielkopolska. Analysis was also made of e-mail correspondence between digital library users and librarians, and data from digital library server logs, during 2008-2013.

Findings

– The research provided three interesting results. The first is that the creation of digital libraries in Poland has caused a significant number of people to pursue an interest in genealogical or local historical research. The second result is that the evaluations of digital libraries made by non-academics do not differ significantly from those made by students and academics. The third is the fact that at present, approximately 50 per cent of digital library users in the non-academic category are over 50 years of age.

Originality/value

– This is the first comprehensive study on the use of digital libraries in Poland by non-academic users. It shows what role digital libraries play, and to what extent, in the stimulation of cultural activity in Polish society.
Towards an understanding of job satisfaction as it correlates with organizational change among personnel in computer-based special libraries in Southwest Nigeria
Authors: Adigwe Ifeanyi , Oriola Josephus
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to understand job satisfaction as correlate with organizational change among personnel in computerized-based special libraries in Southwest, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study used a survey approach in collecting data. The population of the study comprised all intermediate and senior personnel of the special libraries in Southwest, Nigeria involved in the study on grade levels 06 to 17. Based on the 180 response sample drawn, 148 responses were received from the survey.

Findings

– The degree and level of satisfaction derived from one’s job issine qua nonto the level of productivity obtained in due cause. Job satisfaction varies from individual to individual and from place to place. Although, organizational change is the basis for spontaneous increase of job dissatisfaction. Findings of the study revealed that organizational change is seen as a precursor to influencing job satisfaction of employees but the level of job satisfaction of employees depend on the impact of organizational change.

Research limitations/implications

– It should be noted that a number of limitations exist relative to this research, the review of which should both place the research findings discussed, in an appropriate context and thereby suggest direction for future research. This study focused on employees attitudes in special libraries in six states of the federation at one time. Considering the fact that a very wide and varying cultural environmental differences which without doubt affected personnel dispositions in many different ways.

Originality/value

– This paper differs from the previous literature in presenting statistical evidence to confirm the relationships between job satisfaction and organizational change and a range of potential outcomes.
Mobile devices for academic practices by students of college of sciences in selected Nigerian private universities
Authors: Fasae Joseph Kehinde , Adegbilero-Iwari Idowu
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to look at the use of mobile devices by science students with emphasis only on privately owned universities in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

– A descriptive research design was used, as the study was a survey research. Eighty copies of structured questionnaire were distributed to collect data from science students in advanced levels of their undergraduate programmes in Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) and Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) Ikeji-Arakeji, in their lecture halls and laboratories with the permission and assistance of their lecturers. The data were collected within a period of five weeks. All the administered questionnaire were correctly filled and returned, yielding a 100 per cent return rate. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics which includes frequency and percentage presented in tables and charts.

Findings

– The study found that science students in the selected private universities mostly (83.7 per cent) use smartphones than other mobile devices. Also, the students own mobile devices for the purpose of using educational applications (77.50 per cent) and to chat with people (72.50 per cent). The students use the Internet on their devices very often. The Internet facilities mostly used by the students are e-mails (71.25 per cent), social media (68.75 per cent) and search engines (60.50 per cent). The challenges mostly faced by the students using mobile devices for academic practices are poor Internet connectivity (81.25 per cent) and high cost of data subscription (53.75 per cent).

Practical implications

– Given the knowledge gained from this study, it is desired that universities across Nigeria would encourage the integration of the use of mobile devices into core educational programmes. Also, mobile data service providers need to reduce the cost of data subscription, especially on campuses for students. Moreover, owners of private universities should ensure the provision of good Internet connectivity for mobile devices campus-wide. Free and accessible Wi-Fi hot spots should be created for students.

Social implications

– Policy makers in the country should encourage mobile data service providers to reduce cost of data subscription on university campuses so as to enable students enjoy to the fullest the numerous features of mobile devices for academic practices.

Originality/value

– Research on the use of mobile devices for academic practices by students is somewhat new in Nigeria more so that privately owned universities are in focus. The study has therefore opened the floor for more in-depth studies on the subject now that mobile devices should be seen as tools rather than fanciful gadgets.
Authorship pattern and collaborative research in the field of spacecraft technology
Authors: Rajgoli Iqbalahmad U , Laxminarsaiah Ashalatha
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study and analyse the authorship pattern, degree of collaboration, prepare list of prolific authors and test Lotka’s law of scientific productivity in spacecraft technology research.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data are collected from the print versions of three journals in the field of spacecraft technology for the period 2001-2011. In all 154 volumes containing 1,907 papers have been analysed, and data are presented in different table headings.

Findings

– Study reveals that 4,355 authors have contributed 1,907 papers. Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets has published maximum (1,487) number of papers during the study period. Multi-authored papers with 87.15 per cent of contributions have dominated this field of research. Journal of Spacecraft Technology has recorded highest degree of collaboration of 0.90. James M. Longuski has published 20 papers in Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets during the period 2001-2011. Lotka’s law of scientific productivity is tested and conforms only partially.

Research limitations/implications

– Study is restricted only for the period 2001-2011, and the data are collected from the print versions of three journals in the field of spacecraft technology research.

Originality/value

– As far as space science and technology is concerned, there are not many bibliometric studies reported in the published literature. The present study will add value to the bibliometrics literature and provide publishing trends in spacecraft technology research.
Wikipedia at university: what faculty think and do about it
Authors: Aibar Eduard , Lladós-Masllorens Josep , Meseguer-Artola Antoni , Minguillón Julià , Lerga Maura
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate university faculty perceptions and practices of using Wikipedia as a teaching resource.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study is based on a large survey to all faculty members in two large public universities. A total of 913 valid responses were collected through an online questionnaire with 9 control variables and 41 Likert-scaled questions.

Findings

– The results do not support an overwhelming sceptical attitude among faculty towards Wikipedia. The overall quality of Wikipedia articles is highly valued and most faculty are regular users, just as students are. Though most faculty show a positive view on the teaching usefulness of Wikipedia, few of them actually use it for teaching purposes. A certain conflict has been detected between standard academic procedures of knowledge building and the open collaborative model on which Wikipedia rests. In the end, two important factors play a role in shaping faculty views: their colleagues’ perceived opinions and practices, and academic disciplines.

Research limitations/implications

– The survey has only been conducted in two universities. More institutions are needed to broaden the scope.

Originality/value

– The authors have gathered a greater number of answers than those collected in previous studies. The questionnaire is also very extensive. The survey has been addressed to all faculty members at one online university and at one standard brick-and-mortar university.
Young children’s storybook searching with a visualized search interface
Authors: Chao Po-Yao , Lin Chia-Ching
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how young children interact with a visualized search interface to search for storybooks by assembling the provided visual searching items and to explore the difference in visual search behaviours and strategies exhibited by pre-schoolers and second-graders.

Design/methodology/approach

– The visualized search interface was used to help young children search for storybooks by dragging-and-dropping story characters, scene objects and colour icons to perform search queries. Twenty pre-schoolers and 20 second-graders were asked to finish a search task through the visualized search interface. Their activities and successes in performing visual searches were logged for later analysis. Furthermore, in-depth interviews were also conducted to research their cognitive strategies exhibited while formulating visual search queries.

Findings

– Young children with different grades adopted different cognitive strategies to perform visual searching. In contrast to the pre-schoolers who performed visual searching by personal preference, the second-graders could exercise visual searching accompanied with relatively high-order thinking. Young children may also place different foci on the storybook structure to deal with conditional storybook queries. The pre-schoolers tended to address the characters in the story, whereas the second-graders paid much attention to the aspects of scene and colour.

Originality/value

– This paper describes a new visual search approach allowing young children to search for storybooks by describing an intended storybook in terms of its characters, scenes or the background colours, which provides valuable indicators to inform researchers of how pre-schoolers and second-graders formulate concepts to search for storybooks.
A bibliometric analysis of the Journal of Membrane Science (1976-2010)
Authors: Fu Hui-Zhen , Ho Yuh-Shan
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to examine publication characteristics and development of a science journal Journal of Membrane Science (JMS) with 35 years
'
history by bibliometric indicators.

Design/methodology/approach

– A bibliometric approach was used to identify its document types, impact factor, publication outputs, most cited articles and large contributing countries/territories and institutions. The main indicators included impact factor, CPP (citations per publication), TC2010 (number of citations from one paper’s publication to the end of 2010), C2010 (number of citations in the year of 2010), number of total articles, “single country articles” and “single institution articles”, “internationally collaborative articles” and “inter-institutionally collaborative articles”, “first author articles” and “corresponding author articles”. The annual citations of most cited articles were displayed in a table list.

Findings

– The two-year citation window used by impact factor is not fair for a journal which had its peak annual citations in the third or more years. JMS would get a better citation performance if impact factor can be calculated for three or four years. Impact factor is affected by the size of its subject categories. JMS showed higher impact factor rankings in both chemical engineering and polymer science category in the early twenty-first century. Furthermore, the G8 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the USA) contributed more than a half of the total, with higher CPP. National University of Singapore, University of Twente and Chinese Academy of Sciences were the main contributing institutions. The citation life cycles revealed the impact history of most cited articles.

Originality/value

– A bibliometric analysis has been carried out to analyze the characteristics of a journal with 35 years
'
history. Some improved indicators including TC2010, C2010, TP, SP, CP, FP and RP have been used for the evaluation. This study provides an evidence from JMS to discuss the feasibility and limitations of impact factor.
Preparing students for Flipped or Team-Based Learning methods
Authors: Balan Peter , Clark Michele , Restall Gregory
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Teaching methods such as Flipped Learning and Team-Based Learning require students to pre-learn course materials before a teaching session, because classroom exercises rely on students using self-gained knowledge. This is the reverse to “traditional” teaching when course materials are presented during a lecture, and students are assessed on that material during another session at a later stage. The purpose of this paper is to describe an introductory class session that prepares and engages students to be successful participants in courses requiring pre-learning.

Design/methodology/approach

– A sequence of seven learning activities drawn from the education literature was implemented in an introductory undergraduate entrepreneurship class. These activities were evaluated using exploratory qualitative research.

Findings

– Student evaluations of the learning activities showed that they readily identified important aspects of learning, critical factors related to student success, and the learning purposes of the introductory session.

Practical implications

– The sequence of seven activities develops a positive learning culture where students understand their obligations regarding pre-learning, and are prepared for active engagement in the course. These also give the educator valuable information for understanding the learning motivations, expectations, and perceptions of student learners, that allows teaching approaches to be tailored to the needs of that class.

Originality/value

– The sequence of learning activities is novel and gives both students and educators insights into learning processes required for effective pre-learning for active engagement in student-centred classes. This approach can be applied in different fields of higher education.
Technology mentors: enablers of ICT uptake in Australian small business
Authors: Woodley Carolyn J , Burgess Stephen , Paguio Rafael , Bingley Scott
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to report on the innovative employment of students as technology mentors as part of a Blended Learning Program (BLP) that supported a group of owner-managers of small businesses to adopt appropriate information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance their work practices.

Design/methodology/approach

– This discussion uses various evaluations undertaken throughout the project to examine why the technology mentor role is vital in supporting small businesses to develop digital literacies. The participants’ self-reporting of their ICT skills as well as their progress in using ICT was also assessed by technology mentors in the course of the program and reported in mentor reflections. Academic staff also evaluated the performances of technology mentors in relation to each business.

Findings

– Participants in the BLP pilot program singled out the technology mentors as being essential in promoting their uptake of ICT and in their ability to use specific technologies at work.

Research limitations/implications

– Findings are based on a pilot program involving six learners and two technology mentors. While this is a statistically insignificant number of evaluations, both the findings and the model of the BLP remain of interest. This model has the capacity to address a long-standing and global challenge to support small businesses in the use of ICT. A scaled up version of the program is required to validate the findings.

Practical implications

– In the final evaluation, participants all self-assessed as having increased ICT knowledge and skills. They provided specific examples of how they now use ICT. The BLP could be taken up by local and state governments who periodically attempt to support small businesses in the uptake of technologies. The BLP could also be applied to vocational education students in business, information technologies or information systems. As well as supporting small businesses to adopt ICT, this model also provides an important alternative to resource-intensive work-placement programs that are designed to develop students’ employability skills through work-integrated learning.

Originality/value

– Less effective attempts to support small businesses often involve face-to-face training for unrealistic periods of time that foreground technology rather than real world, useful and relevant outcomes (IBSA, 2013). This BLP successfully supported owner operators of small businesses to identify, apply and evaluate a range of software applications (“apps”) and online programs to enhance their work practices.
Analysis of VET in Ukraine since the Soviet era
Authors: Zinser Richard
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how vocational education and training (VET) in Ukraine has changed since the Soviet era; and to determine its structure, successes, and challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

– The author conducted interviews and tours at 15 vocational schools in seven cities in Ukraine.

Findings

– Ukraine is struggling to establish itself as an independent, modern country; education includes elements from the Soviet era and contemporary European practices; the VET system is taking on the state-regulated bureaucratic model; it has mixed success mainly due to economic development; social support for secondary students is very strong.

Research limitations/implications

– Since Ukraine will eventually be a key player in international relations, it is important for scholars to understand how the VET system is developing.

Originality/value

– This study provides an in-depth view of VET in this once closed country which is now susceptible to influence from Russia and Europe.
LTE-Advanced and IEEE 802.11ac
Authors: Yang Samuel C. , Winter Peter
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Mobile data traffic globally is increasing rapidly in both enterprise and consumer segments. The purpose of this paper is to identify a new network architecture and opportunity that support ubiquitous mobile work for higher-education institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

– It reviews existing literature and enabling technologies and proposes integrating both wide-area Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-Advanced) and local-area IEEE 802.11ac networks for seamless, gigabit-speed services. A decision framework for moving toward such architecture and a cost/benefit analysis are also presented.

Findings

– Integrating both LTE-Advanced and IEEE 802.11ac networks for seamless connectivity is technically and organizationally feasible, provided that a higher-education institution has faculty and staff that require locational and interactional mobility. The cost/benefit analysis also shows that moving to the new architecture has potential benefits that can accrue to the higher-education institution.

Research limitations/implications

– With the coming availability of these wide-area and local-area gigabit networks, a new architecture that can ubiquitously supports mobile workers may be advantageous to universities and colleges.

Originality/value

– To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first that proposes such integrated architecture in the context of higher-education institutions. In addition to the examination of technological issues and proposed architecture, the decision framework, and cost/benefit analysis should be valuable for institutions contemplating the move toward the new architecture and for guiding further research in this area.
Brain-brain integration in 2035: metaphysical and ethical implications
Authors: Hongladarom Soraj
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to think ahead into the year 2035 and reflect on the ethical implications of brain-to-brain linking.

Design/methodology/approach

– Philosophical argument.

Findings

– It is quite likely that the direction of technological research today is heading toward a closer integration of mind and machine in 2035. What is interesting is that the integration also makes mind-mind or brain-brain integration possible too. There is nothing in principle that would prevent hooking up more than one brain to a machine, or connecting two or more brains together to harness their processing power to tackle a very complicated task. If that happens, the whole notion of what it is to be an individual and a self will have to be rethought. I have offered a way in which that can be done: Instead of viewing the self as being contained in a closed space traditionally defined by the skin, the self can expand outside of the skin and merge temporarily with other selves too. This also has profound implications on the notion of privacy, especially on how it is conceptualized and justified.

Research limitations/implications

– This research is limited to theoretical argumentation only. It relies on the current empirical and scientific investigations that are going on at the moment and provide ethical reflections on them.

Practical implications

– We need to anticipate technological innovations to be more proactive in deliberating and formulating policy and ethical guidelines; otherwise, ethicists will just muse after the fact, implying that there is nothing further to be done.

Social implications

– Brain-to-brain linking has tremendous social implications, so is the ethical reflection on the issue.

Originality/value

– Argument purporting to show the specific content in ethical guidelines on brain-to-brain interlinking based on the metaphysics of the self that is directly implicated by the technology has not been done before, according to the author’s best knowledge.
Ethical considerations of using information obtained from online file sharing sites
Authors: van Wynsberghe Aimee , van der Ham Jeroen
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel approach for the ethical analysis of data collected from an online file-sharing site known as The PirateBay. Since the creation of Napster back in the late 1990s for the sharing and distribution of MP3 files across the Internet, the entertainment industry has struggled to deal with the regulation of information sharing at large. Added to the ethical questions of censorship and distributive justice are questions related to the use of data collected from such file-sharing sites for research purposes.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach is based on previous work analysing the use of data from online social networking sites and involves value analysis of the collection of data throughout the data’s various life cycles.

Findings

– This paper highlights the difficulties faced when attempting to apply a deontological or utilitarian approach to cases like the one used here. With this in mind, the authors point to a virtue ethics approach as a way to address ethical issues related to data sharing in the face of ever-changing data gathering and sharing practices.

Practical implications

– This work is intended to provide a concrete approach for ethical data sharing practices in the domain of Internet security research.

Originality/value

– The approach presented in this paper is a novel approach combining the insights from: the embedded values concept, value-sensitive design and the approach of the embedded ethicist.
Impacting resilience and persistence in underrepresented populations through service-learning
Authors: Daniels Kisha N. , Billingsley Katrina Yvette , Billingsley Janelle , Long Yolonda , Young Deja
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to share the research on the use of service-learning pedagogy as a strategy to promote engaged learning that positively impacts resilience. It purports that although often overlooked as a teaching and learning strategy, service-learning offers a viable method for supporting persistence and resiliency in largely minority population.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research utilizes data from both quantitative and qualitative measures (surveys/questionnaires and open ended responses collected from focus groups). The data were collected over 15 months from undergraduate students who represent 5 different content areas (nursing, public health, psychology, nutrition and physical education).

Findings

– The data revealed that students positively favor service-learning pedagogy and value the tenets of civic responsibility and social justice. These outcomes contribute to a positive impact on persistence and resiliency.

Research limitations/implications

– This research highlights the findings from a small group of students enrolled in a specialized program, therefore may lack generalizability. Future research should replicate the study on a larger scale.

Practical implications

– This paper includes both theoretical foundational knowledge and practical applications to support faculty teaching and learning. Additionally, it seeks to support and increase understanding of strategies that positively impact persistence and resilience constructs.

Social implications

– The social implications of this research reflect an understanding of the inherent needs of students from underrepresented and/or underserved populations.

Originality/value

– This paper fills a void in the literature at the higher education level, by offering specific strategies, which focus on methods to support resilience through increased student engagement, civic responsibility and critical thinking. Additionally, historically black colleges and universities are among the least empirically examined institutions in American higher education.
Swimming not drowning – resilience as a key determinant of success for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pre-tertiary students
Authors: Hall Lisa , Maughan Catherine , Wilkes Michaela , Thorpe Tony , Forrest Joanne , Harrison Angela
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how one tertiary enabling programme designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students uses a specifically designed pedagogy which goes beyond a focus on discrete academic skills to help students develop the resilience and knowledge about learning they need to be successful in tertiary learning contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

– A narrative methodology is used to explore how graduates analysed and evaluated their experience of the course.

Findings

– The stories show that for these students, resilience is a dynamic and multifaceted construct. Strength, confidence and resilience for these students come from seeing and valuing the strength and resilience that already exists in Indigenous people and Indigenous knowledge systems and using this as a basis for developing their own resilience.

Originality/value

– This focus on resilience can provide a transformative experience for students who have largely been marginalised from the mainstream educational system, assisting them to build the crucial “cultural capital” required to be successful in their tertiary studies, while reinforcing the strength and knowledge they already bring with them. Through this process students are offered a way of navigating the higher education landscape on their own terms.