bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geographical location is a key component to effective breeding of clary sage (Salvia sclarea) for essential oil composition
Authors: Zutic Ivanka , Nitzan Nadav , Chaimovitsh David , Schechter Alona , Dudai Nativ
Published: April 2016

Wild populations of Croatian clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) were examined for variability to determine cultivation suitability in Croatia and Israel for breeding purposes. Phenotypic variability (coefficient of variation; %) was recorded for inflorescence weight (39.6%), inflorescence yield (52.8%), and essential oil yield (67.6%) when grown in Croatia. Associations were identified between inflorescence yield and essential oil yield (r = 0.9; P < 0.0001), inflorescence weight and inflorescence yield (r = 0.8; P < 0.0001), and inflorescence weight and inflorescence length (r = 0.6; P = 0.0056), suggesting that populations with elongated inflorescence are indirectly associated with higher essential oil yield. In Israel, the populations reached full bloom between the end of May and early June, corresponding on average to 397.5 days post planting. Linalyl acetate, linalool, α–terpineol, sclareol, and geranyl acetate were the leading essential oil components in both Croatia and Israel. The principal compounds in the oil were linalyl acetate (48.5%) and linalool (17.7%), signifying that the Croatian populations were of the linalool chemotype. A two-way ANOVA indicated an interaction between growing location (Croatia vs. Israel) and population for linalool (P = 0.02), α–terpineol (P = 0.007), and linalyl acetate (P = 0.09); evidence of an environmental effect on essential oil composition. The variation observed suggested that the wild population of clary sage in Croatia had the genetic heterogeneity essential for breeding. Nevertheless, the differences in essential oil composition between Croatia and Israel suggest that breeding efforts should be separately focused for each agriculture production system.
Plant community associations and complexes of associations in the Lithuanian seashore: retrospective on the studies and tragic fate of the botanist Dr Abromas Kisinas (1899-1945)
Authors: Naujalis Jonas Remigijus , Rimgailė-Voicik Radvilė
Published: April 2016

The life and scientific activities and discoveries of Dr Abromas Kisinas (1899–1945, also appearing in the literature as Avraham, Abraham, Kisin or Kissin) are presented here for the first time. He was a botanist, a Lithuanian, a graduate of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, a polyglot and a social figure. In 1936, Kisinas’ major phytosociological work “Plant Associations and Complexes of Associations in Lithuanian Seaside (without Klaipėda Region)” was published in the Works of Vytautas Magnus University Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The publication was written in Lithuanian with a summary in German and summarized Kisinas’ PhD dissertation, which was defended in 1934 under the supervision of Prof. Constantin Regel. In his research, Kisinas applied ideas proposed by the Uppsala School of Phytosociology. For plant communities evaluation he used linear transects with 1 m2, 4 m2 and 16 m2 sampling squares. In a 15 km seashore range Kisinas determined 63 plant community associations and 26 sub-associations. The fate of this gifted scientist was tragic. In 1941 he and his family were deported to the Kaunas Ghetto. In 1945 Kisinas died at the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.
On the diet of the invasive crab Charybdis longicollis Leene, 1938 (Brachyura: Portunidae) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Stasolla Gianluca , Innocenti Gianna , Galil Bella S.
Published: April 2016

We present the first results on the diet of the invasive portunid crabCharybdis longicollisin the eastern Mediterranean. No differences were found between sexes, seasons, class size or infection by the rhizocephalanHeterosaccus dollfusi. Size differences were noted between crabs collected at different depths, with larger specimens at shallower sites, as well as significant interaction between sex and infection factors, with males more parasitized than females. Sex has had no bearing on food items. No significant impacts were observed of seasons, depth, class size, sex and infection on stomach fullness.Charybdis longicollisis benthophagic, with preference for infaunal and slow moving prey, as attested by the notable amount of sediment in their stomachs; the most frequent food items were molluscs, crustaceans and fish, similar to congeners. Microplastics were detected in a quarter of the specimens examined. Since the species is extremely abundant in the Levantine littoral and sublittoral, it is likely to impact the local biota.
Excitation of external kink mode by trapped energetic particles
Authors: Guo S.C. , Xu X.Y. , Liu Y.Q. , Wang Z.R.
Published: April 2016

An unstable fishbone-like non-resonant external kink mode (FLEM) is numerically found to be driven by the precessional drift motion of trapped energetic particles (EPs) in both reversed-field pinch (RFP) and tokamak plasmas, even under the ideal wall boundary condition. In the presence of a sufficiently large fraction of trapped energetic ions in high beta plasmas, the FLEM instability may occur. The excitation condition is discussed in detail. The frequency of the FLEM is linked to the precessional drift frequency of EPs, and varies with the plasma flow speed. Therefore, it is usually much higher than that of the typical resistive wall mode (RWM). In general, the growth rate of FLEM does not depend on the wall resistivity. However, the wall position can significantly affect the mode’s property. The drift kinetic effects from thermal particles (mainly due to the transit resonance of passing particles) play a stabilizing role on FLEMs. In the presence of EPs, the FLEM and the RWM can co-exist or even couple to each other, depending on the plasma parameters. The FLEM instabilities in RFP and tokamaks have rather similar physics nature, although certain sub-dominant characters appear differently in the two configurations.
Sensing a bud in the yeast morphogenesis checkpoint: a role for Elm1
Authors: Kang Hui , Tsygankov Denis , Lew Daniel J.
Published: April 2016

Bud formation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae must be coordinated with the nuclear cycle to enable successful proliferation. Many environmental stresses temporarily disrupt bud formation, and in such circumstances, the morphogenesis checkpoint halts nuclear division until bud formation can resume. Bud emergence is essential for degradation of the mitotic inhibitor, Swe1. Swe1 is localized to the septin cytoskeleton at the bud neck by the Swe1-binding protein Hsl7. Neck localization of Swe1 is required for Swe1 degradation. Although septins form a ring at the presumptive bud site before bud emergence, Hsl7 is not recruited to the septins until after bud emergence, suggesting that septins and/or Hsl7 respond to a “bud sensor.” Here we show that recruitment of Hsl7 to the septin ring depends on a combination of two septin-binding kinases: Hsl1 and Elm1. We elucidate which domains of these kinases are needed and show that artificial targeting of those domains suffices to recruit Hsl7 to septin rings even in unbudded cells. Moreover, recruitment of Elm1 is responsive to bud emergence. Our findings suggest that Elm1 plays a key role in sensing bud emergence.
Efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis/inferior vena cava tumor thrombosis: evaluation by comparison with conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy
Authors: Matsuo Yoshiro , Yoshida Kenji , Nishimura Hideki , Ejima Yasuo , Miyawaki Daisuke , Uezono Haruka , Ishihara Takeaki , Mayahara Hiroshi , Fukumoto Takumi , Ku Yonson , Yamaguchi Masato , Sugimoto Koji , Sasaki Ryohei
Published: April 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) compared with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Forty-three patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT)/inferior vena cava tumor thrombosis (IVCTT) treated with SBRT (27 with CyberKnife (CK) and 16 with TrueBeam (TB)) from April 2013 to December 2014, and 54 treated with 3DCRT from June 2008 to March 2013 were evaluated. Dosimetric parameters, response to radiotherapy (RT) and survival outcomes were compared in total SBRT vs. 3DCRT, CK vs. 3DCRT and TB vs. 3DCRT, respectively. The median biologically effective dose 10 (BED10) values in total SBRT, CK, TB and 3DCRT were 73.4 Gy10, 75.0 Gy10, 60.5 Gy10 and 58.5 Gy10, respectively (P < 0.001 in total SBRT vs. 3DCRT, P < 0.001 in CK vs. 3DCRT, P = 0.004 in TB vs. 3DCRT). The tumor response rates were 67%, 70%, 62% and 46%, respectively (P = 0.04, P = 0.04, P = 0.25). The 1-year overall survival rates were 49.3%, 56.7%, 38.1% and 29.3%, respectively (P = 0.02, P = 0.02, P = 0.30), and the 1-year local progression rates were 20.4%, 21.9%, 18.8% and 43.6%, respectively (P = 0.01, P = 0.04, P = 0.10). The use of SBRT made it possible to achieve a higher BED10 compared with the use of 3DCRT. Improvements in local control and survival were achieved in the CK group and the total SBRT group. Our results suggest that SBRT may have the potential to be the standard RT technique for the treatment of PVTT/IVCTT.
Three-dimensional relativistic MHD simulations of active galactic nuclei jets: magnetic kink instability and Fanaroff–Riley dichotomy
Authors: Tchekhovskoy Alexander , Bromberg Omer
Published: April 2016

Energy deposition by active galactic nuclei jets into the ambient medium can affect galaxy formation and evolution, the cooling of gas flows at the centres of galaxy clusters, and the growth of the supermassive black holes. However, the processes that couple jet power to the ambient medium and determine jet morphology are poorly understood. For instance, there is no agreement on the cause of the well-known Fanaroff–Riley (FR) morphological dichotomy of jets, with FRI jets being shorter and less stable than FRII jets. We carry out global 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations of relativistic jets propagating through the ambient medium. We show that the flat density profiles of galactic cores slow down and collimate the jets, making them susceptible to the 3D magnetic kink instability. We obtain a critical power, which depends on the galaxy core mass and radius, below which jets become kink-unstable within the core, stall, and inflate cavities filled with relativistically hot plasma. Jets above the critical power stably escape the core and form powerful backflows. Thus, the kink instability controls the jet morphology and can lead to the FR dichotomy. The model-predicted dependence of the critical power on the galaxy optical luminosity agrees well with observations.
Theory of the jitter radiation in a magnetized plasma accompanying a temperature gradient
Authors: Hattori Makoto , Fujiki Kazushiro
Published: April 2016

The linear stability of a magnetized plasma accompanying a temperature gradient is reexamined by using plasma kinetic theory. We propose that the anisotropic velocity distribution function should be decomposed into two components. One is proportional to the temperature gradient parallel to the background magnetic field. The other is proportional to the temperature gradient perpendicular to the background magnetic field. Since the amplitude of the anisotropic velocity distribution function is proportional to the heat conductivity, and the heat conductivity perpendicular to the magnetic field is strongly reduced, the first component of the anisotropic velocity distribution function is predominant. The anisotropic velocity distribution function induced by the temperature gradient along the background magnetic field drives plasma kinetic instability and circular polarized magnetic plasma waves are excited. We show that the instability is almost identical to the Weibel instability in the weakly magnetized plasma. However, in the case of the instability caused by the temperature gradient, whether wave vectors of modes are parallel to or antiparallel to the background magnetic field, the growth rate of one mode is suppressed and the growth rate of the other mode is enhanced due to the background magnetic field. In the strongly magnetized plasma, one mode is stabilized and only one of the modes remains unstable. The formulae for the jitter radiation spectrum emitted by relativistic electrons when they travel through the magnetized plasma with the plasma waves driven by the instability are deduced at the first time. We show that the synchrotron emission and the jitter radiation are simultaneously emitted from the same relativistic electron. The jitter radiation is expected to be circularly polarized but with a very small polarization degree since almost the same amounts of left-handed and right-handed circular polarized magnetic waves are excited by the instability.
Effect of Verticillium dahliae Soil Inoculum Levels on Spinach Seed Infection
Authors: Sapkota Rumakanta , Olesen Merete Halkjær , Deleuran Lise Christina , Boelt Birte , Nicolaisen Mogens
Published: April 2016

Verticillium dahliae is a soilborne pathogen and a threat to spinach seed production. The aim of this study was to understand the relation between V. dahliae soil inoculum and infection in harvested seed. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used for quantification of the pathogen. Semifield experiments in which spinach was grown in soils with different inoculum levels enabled us to determine a threshold level for V. dahliae DNA of 0.003 ng/g of soil for seed infection to occur. Soils from production fields were sampled in 2013 and 2014 during and before planting, as well as the harvested seed. Seed from plants grown in infested soils were infected with V. dahliae in samples from both the semifield and open-field experiments. Lower levels of pathogen were found in seed from spinach grown in soils with a scattered distribution of V. dahliae (one or two positive of three soil subsamples) than in soils with a uniform distribution of the pathogen (three of three positive soil subsamples). Our results showed that infection of V. dahliae in harvested seed strongly depended on the presence of pathogen inoculum in the soil.
Susceptibility of Maize to Stalk Rot Caused by Fusarium graminearum Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone Mutants
Authors: Quesada-Ocampo L. M. , Al-Haddad J. , Scruggs A. C. , Buell C. R. , Trail F.
Published: April 2016

Fusarium graminearum is a destructive pathogen of cereals that can cause stalk rot in maize. Stalk rot results in yield losses due to impaired grain filling, premature senescence, and lodging, which limits production and harvesting of ears. In addition, mycotoxins can make infected tissues unfit for silage. Our objectives were to evaluate the natural variation in stalk rot resistance among maize inbreds, to establish whether deoxynivalenol (DON)- and zearalenone (ZEA)-deficient strains are pathogenic on a panel of diverse inbreds, and to quantify the accumulation of DON in infected stalk tissue. Wild-type F. graminearum and mycotoxin mutants (DON and ZEA) were used to separately inoculate stalks of 9-week-old plants of 20 inbreds in the greenhouse. Plants were evaluated for lesion area at the inoculation point at 0, 2, 14, and 28 days postinoculation and tissues around lesions were sampled to determine the DON content. Regardless of their ability to produce DON or ZEA, all tested F. graminearum strains caused stalk rot; however, significant differences in disease levels were detected. Among the tested inbreds, Mp717 was resistant to all three F. graminearum strains while Mp317 and HP301 were only partially resistant. Accumulation of DON was significantly lower in infected stalks of the resistant and partially resistant inbreds than the susceptible inbreds. Analysis of the 20 inbreds using data from 17 simple-sequence repeats revealed population structure among the individuals; however, there was no association between genetic clustering and stalk rot resistance. These findings are an additional step toward breeding maize inbreds suitable for planting in fields infested with F. graminearum.
Discrimination betweenOnchocerca volvulusandO. ochengifilarial larvae inSimulium damnosum(s.l.) and their distribution throughout central Ghana using a versatile high-resolution speciation assay
Authors: Doyle Stephen R. , Armoo Samuel , Renz Alfons , Taylor Mark J , Osei-Atweneboana Mike Yaw , Grant Warwick N
Published: April 2016

Background

Genetic surveillance of the human filarial parasite,Onchocerca volvulus, from onchocerciasis endemic regions will ideally focus on genotyping individual infective larval stages collected from their intermediate host, Simuliid blackflies. However, blackflies also transmit otherOnchocercaspecies, including the cattle parasiteO. ochengi, which are difficult to distinguish from the human parasite based on morphological characteristics alone. This study describes a versatile approach to discriminate betweenO. volvulusandO. ochengithat is demonstrated using parasite infective larvae dissected from blackflies.

Results

A speciation assay was designed based on genetic differentiation betweenO. volvulusandO. ochengimitochondrial genome sequences that can be performed in highthroughput high-resolution melt (HRM)- or lower throughput conventional restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. This assay was validated on 185Onchocercalarvae dissected from blackflies captured from 14 communities in Ghana throughout 2011-13. The frequency ofO. ochengiwas approximately 67 % of all larvae analysed, which is significantly higher than previously reported in this region. Furthermore, the species distribution was not uniform throughout the study region, with 25 %, 47 % and 93 % ofO. volvulusbeing found in the western-most (Black Volta, Tain and Tombe), the central (Pru) and eastern-most (Daka) river basins, respectively.

Conclusions

This tool provides a simple and cost-effective approach to determine the identity and distribution of twoOnchocercaspecies, and will be valuable for future genetic studies that focus on parasites collected from blackflies. The results presented highlight the need to discriminateOnchocercaspecies in transmission studies, as the frequency of each species varied significantly between the communities studied.
Three-dimensional disorganization of the cancer genome occurs coincident with long-range genetic and epigenetic alterations
Authors: Taberlay Phillippa C. , Achinger-Kawecka Joanna , Lun Aaron T.L. , Buske Fabian A. , Sabir Kenneth , Gould Cathryn M. , Zotenko Elena , Bert Saul A. , Giles Katherine A. , Bauer Denis C. , Smyth Gordon K. , Stirzaker Clare , O'Donoghue Sean I. , Clark Susan J.
Published: April 2016

A three-dimensional chromatin state underpins the structural and functional basis of the genome by bringing regulatory elements and genes into close spatial proximity to ensure proper, cell-type–specific gene expression profiles. Here, we performed Hi-C chromosome conformation capture sequencing to investigate how three-dimensional chromatin organization is disrupted in the context of copy-number variation, long-range epigenetic remodeling, and atypical gene expression programs in prostate cancer. We find that cancer cells retain the ability to segment their genomes into megabase-sized topologically associated domains (TADs); however, these domains are generally smaller due to establishment of additional domain boundaries. Interestingly, a large proportion of the new cancer-specific domain boundaries occur at regions that display copy-number variation. Notably, a common deletion on 17p13.1 in prostate cancer spanning the TP53 tumor suppressor locus results in bifurcation of a single TAD into two distinct smaller TADs. Change in domain structure is also accompanied by novel cancer-specific chromatin interactions within the TADs that are enriched at regulatory elements such as enhancers, promoters, and insulators, and associated with alterations in gene expression. We also show that differential chromatin interactions across regulatory regions occur within long-range epigenetically activated or silenced regions of concordant gene activation or repression in prostate cancer. Finally, we present a novel visualization tool that enables integrated exploration of Hi-C interaction data, the transcriptome, and epigenome. This study provides new insights into the relationship between long-range epigenetic and genomic dysregulation and changes in higher-order chromatin interactions in cancer.
The contribution of privatization and competition in the education system to the development of an informal management culture in schools.
A case study in Israel
Authors: Klein Joseph , Shimoni-Hershkoviz Lizi
Published: April 2016

Purpose

Regulation and privatization of education systems has led to a “league standing” mentality regarding school achievements. The present study examines how school principals deal with the pressures of competition and achievements while aspiring to imbue pupils with values and a broad education.

Design/methodology/approach

12 high school principals were interviewed about external demands imposed on them, their educational policy and modes of operation.

Findings

Publicly, school supervisors advocate a balance between core studies and education for values and enrichment. Informally they pressure principals to allocate maximal resources to preparing for high risk tests at the expense of other educational activities. School administrators and teachers, while dissatisfied with this approach, maintain a covert informal culture that concentrates mainly on external test achievements, which contrasts to their public value-rich educational vision, and undertake actions that raise educational, management and ethical questions.

Research limitations/implications

Understanding school culture requires a grasp of informal external pressures on school staffs and their influence on the gap between a school’s declared and actual policies.

Practical implications

Placing the schools’ informal culture on the research agenda will increase institutional transparency and may contribute to a greater correspondence between school visions advocating knowledge and values, and the policy actually implemented.

Originality/value

Raising this subject for discussion may contribute to a demand for more transparency in how schools allocate their resources. It may also help to increase the correspondence between the values and vision promulgated by schools and the educational policy they actually implement.
The patient
'
s voice in health and social care professional education
Authors: Towle Angela , Farrell Christine , Gaines Martha E , Godolphin William , John Gabrielle , Kline Cathy , Lown Beth , Morris Penny , Symons Jools , Thistlethwaite Jill
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a statement about the involvement of patients in the education of health and social care professionals developed at an international conference in November 2015. It aims to describe the current state and identify action items for the next five years.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper describes how patient involvement in education has developed as a logical consequence of patient and public participation in health care and health research. It summarizes the current state of patient involvement across the continuum of education and training, including the benefits and barriers. It describes how the conference statement was developed and the outcome.

Findings

– The conference statement identifies nine priorities for action in the areas of policy, recognition and support, innovation, research and evaluation, and dissemination and knowledge exchange.

Originality/value

– The conference statement represents the first time that an international and multidisciplinary group has worked together to assemble in a single document specific priorities for action to embed the patient’s voice in health professional education.
What patients do and their impact on implementation
Authors: Boaz Annette , Robert Glenn , Locock Louise , Sturmey Gordon , Gager Melanie , Vougioukalou Sofia , Ziebland Sue , Fielden Jonathan
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– The potential for including patients in implementation processes has received limited attention in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to explore the different roles adopted by 63 patients that emerged during and after four participatory quality improvement interventions, and the nature of their impact upon implementation processes and outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

– A cross-case ethnographic comparison of Experience-based Co-design in two clinical pathways in two UK NHS Trusts.

Findings

– Two key themes emerge from the data. First, the authors found a range of different roles adopted by patients within and across the four projects; some were happy to share their experiences, others also helped to identify improvement priorities alongside staff whilst others were also involved in developing potential solutions with the staff who had cared for them. A few participants also helped implement those solutions and became “experts by experience” through engaging in the whole co-design process. Second, in terms of the impact of patient engagement with the co-design process whilst the changes championed by patients and carers were often small scale, as co-designers patients provided innovative ideas and solutions. Through their involvement and contributions they also acted as catalysts for broader change in the attitudes of staff by providing a motivation for wider organisational and attitudinal changes.

Research limitations/implications

– The research was conducted in two clinical pathways in two NHS trusts. However, the findings complement and add to the growing body of knowledge on experience based co-design.

Practical implications

– Patient engagement is likely to require support and facilitation to ensure that patients can play a meaningful role as partners and co-designers in service improvement and implementation. Different roles suited particular individuals, with participants stepping in and out of the co-design process at various stages as suited their needs, capacities and (albeit sometimes perceptions re) skills. In this context, facilitation needs to be sensitive to individual needs and flexible to support involvement.

Social implications

– Patients and carers can play active roles in service improvement, particularly where the approach facilitate active engagement as co-designers.

Originality/value

– Analysis of the role patients and carers in implementation and improvement.
Individual intellectual capital versus collective intellectual capital in a meta-organization
Authors: Vale José , Branco Manuel Castelo , Ribeiro João
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyse how intellectual capital (IC) is created and deteriorated in a meta-organization by assessing the interdependency between the collective IC of the meta-organization and the individual IC of its members.

Design/methodology/approach

– A case study conducted in a seaport is adopted to explore how creation or deterioration of IC at one level of analysis affects the IC at the other. Four different illustrations are provided, depicting different instances of articulation between both types of IC.

Findings

– Evidence suggests that, in a meta-organization, IC appears as a function of both individual and collective IC dimensions. Changes in the meta-organization’s IC or in its members’ IC may have different impacts on each other, generating intellectual assets or intellectual liabilities at both levels. Evidence also suggests that those changes in IC should be analysed in a longitudinal way, since both levels affect each other in different ways over time.

Research limitations/implications

– Despite the validity of the interpretations provided in the context of the case study, generalization to other situations should be conducted only in a theoretically framed manner.

Practical implications

– This study provides important strategic and managerial implications for meta-organizations and their members, who are concerned with their performance.

Originality/value

– Although there have been some efforts to apply the traditional IC methodologies to a bigger scope, such as regions or nations, some meso level empirical contexts are yet far unexplored, such as the case of meta-organizations. Furthermore there is a gap in management sciences’ research on seaports.
Managing intellectual capital through a collective intelligence approach
Authors: Secundo Giustina , Dumay John , Schiuma Giovanni , Passiante Giuseppina
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a new framework for managing intellectual capital (IC) inside a university considering the collective intelligence perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research method uses the fourth stage of IC research and adopts the collective intelligence approach. The underlying assumption behind the framework is to consider the university as a collective intelligence system in which the tangible and intellectual assets are coordinated towards the achievement of strategic goals.

Findings

– The conceptual framework for IC management harnesses the power of IC, collectively created by the engagement of multiple stakeholders inside the university network. The main components are the final goal of a university (what); the collective human capital to achieve the goal (who); the processes activated inside the university (how); and finally the motivations behind the achievement of the goal (why).

Research limitations/implications

– The research is exploratory and the framework offers opportunities for refinement. Future research is needed to verify the application of the framework to other organisations in the public sector intended as collective intelligence systems. A new perspective for managing IC in universities adopting the collective intelligence approach is developed. Contribution to the fourth stage (ecosystem) of IC research is highlighted, expanding the concept of IC value creation beyond the university into wider society.

Practical implications

– The framework can be used to manage IC strategically in all the systems interpreted as collective intelligence systems in which the role of IC creation from multiple actors is relevant. This makes possible the understanding of how IC helps create value for the society and the region in which the university operates.

Originality/value

– The originality of the paper is in bringing together issues usually dealt within the literature in separate domains, such as IC management and collective intelligence perspective. The concept of collective intelligence remains an unexplored field in relation to IC management in the public sector. The collective intelligence approach provides a novel contribution to managing IC and is intended to inspire future research.
Do all elements of intellectual capital matter for organizational performance? Evidence from Russian context
Authors: Andreeva Tatiana , Garanina Tatiana
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– Intellectual capital (IC) has been argued to be the key element of value creation in contemporary economies and this argument has been widely supported by empirical research, but mainly based on data from developed markets. The question of how IC and its elements work in other contexts remains under-researched and the limited empirical evidence that exists contradicts the conclusions drawn from developed countries. The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical insight into the relationship between three main elements of IC (human, relational and structural) and organizational performance in the particular context of Russian manufacturing companies.

Design/methodology/approach

– The sample comprises 240 Russian manufacturing companies. The data are collected by survey using the scales already validated in the international context. The authors use a two-step analysis – factor and regression analyses – to answer the research questions.

Findings

– The findings demonstrate that structural and human capitals positively influence organizational performance, explaining a quarter of its variation, while relational capital does not.

Practical implications

– The core managerial implication of this study is that developing structural capital is of particular importance for Russian manufacturing companies.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to further development of IC theory by investigating its application in the new institutional and cultural context of Russia.
The “Dean’s Squeeze” revisited: a contextual approach
Authors: Alajoutsijärvi Kimmo , Kettunen Kerttu
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework for identifying the primary tensions that business school dean’s encounter when moving between different university contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is part of a larger research project on the development of business schools. This conceptual paper builds on the studies and personal experiences of business schools and their management in a number of different countries, primarily in Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East.

Findings

– The present study argues that as a response to the increasing corporatization of higher education, the university sector has fragmented into at least three identifiable contexts: the traditional research university, the academic capitalist university, and the corporate university. The authors conclude that the match between a dean’s worldview and the university context ultimately determines the appropriateness, survival, and success of deanship.

Practical implications

– The paper provides practical suggestions for managing business schools. Given that “good” leadership is always context dependent, no single deanship would fit for all business schools. As an outcome, both deans and the selection committees making decisions regarding their recruitment should be sensitive to their worldviews originating from the university contexts in which they previously worked.

Originality/value

– Emphasizing a contextual approach to business school leadership, this paper proposes a new typology of deanship situations.
Economic geography and multipolar strategies: an empirical analysis
Authors: Caiazza Rosa , Ferrara Graziella
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– In the last years global economy has become more integrated and multidirectional. Thus, in a world characterized by multiples center of economic power, firms need to define multipolar strategies based on geographical diversification in several countries that makes them able to compete with everyone, from everywhere and for everything. Despite of the relevance of such strategies, literature on this topic is almost absent. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Considering the exploratory nature of the research objectives, the authors present a case study for highlighting the main challenges of cross-border M & A under multipolar-world pressures.

Findings

– The paper evidences new trends in economic geography and multipolar strategies.

Originality/value

– The paper offers a new perspective on multipolar strategies.
Organizations workforce demographic age preferences: multiple case-studies from Brazil
Authors: Vasconcelos Anselmo Ferreira
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify whether there is some common pattern between organizations that give primacy either to younger workforce or to older one.

Design/methodology/approach

– It depicts the empirical evidence of eight case studies and some theoretical contributions thereof. All case units are considered outstanding employers in Brazil business scenario, given the magnitude of their human resource (HR) feats and society acknowledgements. Taken together, they are eight representative cases derived fromÉpocamagazine and Great Place to Work® Institute 2013 list.

Findings

– Case units exhibited strongest group age preferences on an ongoing basis. Rather, they depicted an unbalanced labor force demographic age frame for the sake of their own HR choices. As a result, they all could be labeled as age bias companies in a more or less degree. Given that their options (i.e. percentage of preferences) have been somewhat consistent during the period of analysis, one may therefore infer that such options have been buttressed by the leadership held values. Surprisingly, all case units had not provided logical arguments or wise explanations in light of their decisions related to it. Moreover, the companies had not offered compelling evidence that they were implementing robust diversity and inclusion polices aiming to provide an equalitarian treatment to all age groups or that they were at least paying attention to these issues in a coherent form. In fact, they have been astonishingly silent on these matters.

Research limitations/implications

– The purposeful sample strategy that was carried out in this study does not permit that the results be generalized. Actually, they are derived from only a specific cohort of companies – to some extent, they are outliers in the list of the best organizations to work for in Brazil – that has been noticeable for their extreme workforce age options.

Practical implications

– The case units sample showed to have huge difficulties to mitigate organizational age bias effects in their headcount. In fact, the majority of the case units that were perused demonstrated to give a consistent priority for either having either younger workforce or older one.

Originality/value

– Overall, it is expected that this study may contribute to diversity management theory by bringing further knowledge about how some of the best organizations to work for in Brazil implement their workforce demographic age policies.
Functional Finishing of Cotton Using Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Gupta Kamal K. , Jassal Manjeet , Agrawal Ashwini K.
Published: April 2016

Nanoparticles of TiO2 and ZnO were chemically synthesized by different routes and were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These particles were applied to cotton fabric using 1-10 wt% acrylic binder and cured. The photocatalytic activity of the finished fabric was investigated and a comparison was drawn between the synthesized and commercially available TiO2 (Degussa P25) sample. Experiments were carried out by exposing the coffee stained samples to solar light. The self-cleaning leading to stain discolouration was quantified from the residual concentration of stain to assess the photoactivity of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles. An attempt was also made to study the effect of concentration of nanoparticles (0.5-1.0 wt% on weight of fabric (owf) and acrylic binder concentration (1, 2, 10 wt% owf) on the self cleaning action. TiO2 particles with smaller particle size of <10 nm was able to show significantly better activity than the commercial sample. At the same time, finish with nano ZnO though showed a bit lower activity; the self cleaning effect was significant and similar to the commercial TiO2.
Effects of Laundering on Conductivity of Polypyrrole-Coated Textiles
Authors: Hurren Christopher James , Kaynak Akif , Wang Xungai
Published: April 2016

This study examines the resistance change in conductive polypyrrole-coated PET fabrics under the AS 2001.4.15 – 1994 laundering test conditions. The effects of individual detergent components of a standard detergent, including auxiliary chemicals, at four different temperatures were studied. When the coated fabric was washed under the AS 2001.4.15-1994 conditions, the ECE reference detergent and pure soap flakes (sodium sterate) both decreased the conductivity of the coating at a rate exponentially proportional to the laundering temperature. Detergent types had an influence over the rate of degradation; pH conditions had a large influence on the rate of polymer deterioration with the acidic nonionic detergent giving rise to significantly improved laundering conditions. The auxiliary chemicals, sodium carbonate and sodium perborate were seen to cause large degradation of polymers during laundering. Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid was seen to have only a slight influence on the reduction of conductivity of polymers.
Optimising the Electroless Nickel Plating Process for Textile Application
Authors: Kan C.W. , Yuen C.W.M. , Jiang S.Q. , Tung W.S.
Published: April 2016

In this paper, the optimisation of electroless nickel plating is investigated through the Orthogonal Array Testing Strategy. It was found that the electroless nickel plating process at the deposition stage with various parameters, i.e. temperature = 40°C, time = 20 minutes and pH = 10, is the most effective method in improving the metal adhesion performance. The performance of nickel-plated polyester fabrics was found to be dependent on the amount of nickel particles adhered on the fabric surface. The properties of optimised nickel-plated polyester were enhanced in term of fabric weight, fabric thickness and tensile strength. However, there was a moderate decrease in tearing strength and crocking fastness.
Visual Textures Combined with Metallic, Retro-Reflective and Stainless Steel Yarns in Semi-Transparent Fabrics
Authors: Önlü Nesrin , Yaşar Neslihan
Published: April 2016

Fashion and technology of weaving fabrics have a wide range of industries that feel obliged to be renovated at the present time. Pre- and post-modified features, technological performances of fabrics, and aesthetic values are of great importance to fabric/yarn business. Self-cleaning, heat-keeping or heat-decreasing fabric for sanitary purposes are one of the new research fields in science, designing and technology. Functional fabrics are manufactured with high-tech fibers, different materials and finishing processes. Aesthetic fabrics are also made for fashions with high-tech fibers and threads, such as transparent and semi-transparent fabrics. Designers explore the limits of transparent and semi-transparent fabric effects using progressive fibers and yarn. The scope of this study is designing and producing transparent garment fabrics with new-tech metallic stainlees steel and retro-reflective fibers. Fourteen samples of woven fabrics were made, and visual effects related to type, number, density and structure were studied.
Similarities of Miao Embroidery and Ancient Chinese Embroidery and their Cultural Implications
Authors: Torimaru Tomoko
Published: April 2016

This paper discusses the chain stitch embroidery technique and examines interesting new findings made during my field research of Miao embroidery. The Miao people of Guizhou, China, use two different types of chain stitch. One is a standard chain stitch similar to Western style. The other one, which I termed “ancient” chain stitch, is distinctly different in execution and appearance, and is a technique that only Miao are known to practise currently. Numerous examples of fine chain stitch embroidery have been excavated from archeological sites in China, including the Jiangling Mashan No.1 Chu Tomb, Jingzhou, Hubei, Warring States period (770 - 221 B.C.) and the Mawangdui No.1 Tomb, Changsha, Hunan, Western Han period (206 B.C. - A.D. 8). These extant embroideries clearly illustrate a unique expression of fine, fluid, curvilinear lines which are only possible using “ancient” chain stitch. The relevance of this connection is highly significant in its implications of a shared history between the Miao people and ancient Chinese civilizations.
A Sequential Two-Step Algorithm for Fast Generation of Vehicle Racing Trajectories
Authors: Kapania Nitin R. , Subosits John , Christian Gerdes J.
Published: April 2016

The problem of maneuvering a vehicle through a race course in minimum time requires computation of both longitudinal (brake and throttle) and lateral (steering wheel) control inputs. Unfortunately, solving the resulting nonlinear optimal control problem is typically computationally expensive and infeasible for real-time trajectory planning. This paper presents an iterative algorithm that divides the path generation task into two sequential subproblems that are significantly easier to solve. Given an initial path through the race track, the algorithm runs a forward–backward integration scheme to determine the minimum-time longitudinal speed profile, subject to tire friction constraints. With this fixed speed profile, the algorithm updates the vehicle's path by solving a convex optimization problem that minimizes the resulting path curvature while staying within track boundaries and obeying affine, time-varying vehicle dynamics constraints. This two-step process is repeated iteratively until the predicted lap time no longer improves. While providing no guarantees of convergence or a globally optimal solution, the approach performs very well when validated on the Thunderhill Raceway course in Willows, CA. The predicted lap time converges after four to five iterations, with each iteration over the full 4.5 km race course requiring only 30 s of computation time on a laptop computer. The resulting trajectory is experimentally driven at the race circuit with an autonomous Audi TTS test vehicle, and the resulting lap time and racing line are comparable to both a nonlinear gradient descent solution and a trajectory recorded from a professional racecar driver. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method is a viable option for online trajectory planning in the near future.
RANS Based Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Fully Developed Turbulent Newtonian Flow in Concentric Annuli
Authors: Xiong Xiao , Aziz Rahman Mohammad , Zhang Yan
Published: April 2016

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation is performed via ansys–CFX for a fully developed turbulent flow in concentric annuli with two radius ratios (R1/R2 = 0.4 and 0.5) at three Reynolds numbers (Re = 8900, 26,600, and 38,700) in terms of the hydraulic diameter D and the bulk velocity Ub. Near-wall turbulence structures close to the inner and outer walls are characterized by analyzing the first-order and second-order statistics. Effects of transverse curvature and the Reynolds number on development of the turbulence structures are emphasized. This study demonstrates the ability to predict the asymmetric features of turbulent flows in annular pipes by using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) model. Estimation of viscous dissipation in the flow using a RANS model is compared with direct numerical simulation (DNS) results for the first time.
Biaxial Thermal Creep of Alloy 617 and Alloy 230 for VHTR Applications
Authors: Mo Kun , Lv Wei , Tung Hsiao-Ming , Yun Di , Miao Yinbin , Lan Kuan-Che , Stubbins James F.
Published: April 2016

In this study, we employed pressurized creep tubes to investigate the biaxial thermal creep behavior of Inconel 617 (alloy 617) and Haynes 230 (alloy 230). Both alloys are considered to be the primary candidate structural materials for very high-temperature reactors (VHTRs) due to their exceptional high-temperature mechanical properties. The current creep experiments were conducted at 900 °C for the effective stress range of 15–35 MPa. For both alloys, complete creep strain development with primary, secondary, and tertiary regimes was observed in all the studied conditions. Tertiary creep was found to be dominant over the entire creep lives of both alloys. With increasing applied creep stress, the fraction of the secondary creep regime decreases. The nucleation, diffusion, and coarsening of creep voids and carbides on grain boundaries were found to be the main reasons for the limited secondary regime and were also found to be the major causes of creep fracture. The creep curves computed using the adjusted creep equation of the form ε=Aσcosh−1(1+rt)+Pσntm agree well with the experimental results for both alloys at the temperatures of 850–950 °C.