bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analogue‐to‐digital converter phase insensitive dispersion search method with large search step size for low computational cost
Authors: Xu Bo , Yu Tao , Ling Yun , Qiu Kun
Published: January 2016

Accumulated chromatic dispersion (CD) estimation is crucial for frequency‐domain equalisation in an optical coherent digital receiver. To solve the problems of small search step size and analogue‐to‐digital converter (ADC) sampling phase sensitivity from conventional CD searching algorithm, a CD searching method with modified shift parameters and waveforms is proposed in this study. The modified CD searching method allows a much larger search step size and can achieve faster CD estimation with low computational complexity. The performance of the modified CD searching method is also insensitive to ADC sampling phase. On the basis of simulation results, a very low search error probability is confirmed with a search step size of 50 km. About 1 K symbols are found to be enough for dispersion estimation. After the frequency‐domain equaliser (FDE) with the estimated dispersion value, the residual dispersion length <30 km can be well compensated with a 9‐tap adaptive time‐domain equaliser (TDE) with fast convergence. The overall error rate performance of the tunable electrical dispersion compensation is also studied and compared with lumped and distributed optical dispersion compensation for dynamically switched optical networks.
Improved shifted robust soliton distribution
Authors: Fanglin Niu , Ling Yu , Chen Lei , Dongxia Wang , Zhenzhou Tang
Published: January 2016

In shifted Luby transform (SLT) codes, robust soltion distribution (RSD) degree distribution was conducted with shifted rounding to derive shifted RSD (SRSD) degree distribution based on partial information. In shifted rounding process, the large shift of corresponding probability distribution destroyed belief propagation decoding rule, so the decoding symbols increased. Meanwhile, the overlarge probability distribution value of degree k resulted in the increase of decoding symbols. In this work, traditional SRSD degree distribution was developed to improved SRSD (I‐SRSD) degree distribution function by decreasing degree shift of rounding and limiting probability distribution of degree k. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that SLT codes by I‐SRSD degree distribution can decrease decoding symbols as well as encoding and decoding complexity.
Application of non‐dominated sorting gravitational search algorithm with disruption operator for stochastic multiobjective short term hydrothermal scheduling
Authors: Nadakuditi Gouthamkumar , Sharma Veena , Naresh Ram
Published: January 2016

The hydrothermal scheduling (HTS) is formulated as a stochastic multiobjective short term HTS problem by considering stochastic production cost, NOx emission, SO2 emission and CO2 emission curves for thermal generation plants and uncertainty in load demand. This study presents, a non‐dominated sorting gravitational search algorithm integrated with disruption operator (NSGSA‐D) to solve this problem. In this approach, a set of Pareto optimal solutions are obtained by adopting the concept of non‐dominated sorting. Further, an elite external archive is introduced to keep the Pareto optimal solutions and guide the search process. In addition, a disruption operator is utilised to intensify the search process and also speed up the convergence of the solutions. Furthermore, the most suitable and efficient solution from the non‐dominated solution set is obtained with the help of fuzzy decision making policy. The effectiveness of NSGSA‐D approach is demonstrated on three sample test systems and simulation results thus obtained are compared with the results reported in literature. The obtained results affirm that the NSGSA‐D approach yields good quality solutions and competitive performance for solving stochastic multiobjective short term HTS, while handling the diverse constraints of the problem effectively.
Linear approximated formulation of AC optimal power flow using binary discretisation
Authors: Akbari Tohid , Tavakoli Bina Mohammad
Published: January 2016

This study presents a novel linear approximated methodology for full alternating current‐optimal power flow (AC‐OPF). The AC‐OPF can provide more precise and real picture of full active and reactive power flow modelling, along with the voltage profile of buses compared to the commonly used direct current‐optimal power flow. While the AC‐OPF is a non‐linear programming problem, this can be transformed into a mixed‐integer linear programming environment by the proposed model without loss of accuracy. The global optimality of the solution for the approximated model can be guaranteed by existing algorithms and software. The numerical results and simulations which represent the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed model are given and completely discussed in this study.
Cost, emission and reserve pondered pre‐dispatch of thermal power generating units coordinated with real coded grey wolf optimisation
Authors: Rameshkumar Jayaraman , Ganesan Sivarajan , Abirami Manoharan , Subramanian Srikrishna
Published: January 2016

The optimisation of unit commitment (UC) problem in the daily operation and planning of the power system may save the electric utilities millions of dollars per year in production costs. Though many works in the literature uses evolutionary techniques to solve the pre‐dispatch of thermal power generating units, search for optimal generation schedules in order to minimise total operating cost is still an interesting research task. In viewpoint of this, a new population‐based bio‐inspired algorithm namely grey wolf optimisation (GWO) has been implemented to solve thermal generation scheduling problem and the core objectives such as minimisations of total operating cost, emission level and maximisation of reliability are optimised subject to various prevailing constraints. Additionally, real coding scheme is adopted in order to handle the constraints effectively. The effectiveness of real coded GWO (RCGWO) has been verified on standard 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 unit systems. Further, a practical 38‐unit system has been utilised to show the feasibility of the RCGWO. The simulation results show that RCGWO is very competent in solving the UC problem in comparison to the state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Multivariate statistical analysis‐based power‐grid‐partitioning method
Authors: Ge Huaichang , Guo Qinglai , Sun Hongbin , Wang Bin , Zhang Boming
Published: January 2016

A multivariate statistical analysis (MSA)‐based power‐grid‐partitioning method is proposed. Considering the effectiveness of automatic voltage regulation of generators, network modelling is based on the quasi‐steady‐state sensitivity of voltage with respect to reactive power. The MSA‐based power‐grid‐partitioning method contains two stages: a quantitative method for determining the appropriate number of zones and allocation of nodes into a number of zones. The proposed method is applied to an automatic voltage control system and an N − 1 robust pilot node selection method is presented. Simulation studies on IEEE 14‐bus, 39‐bus systems and a real provincial power system in China are described to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Technique for online tracking of a utility harmonic impedance using by synchronising the measured samples
Authors: Zebardast Abolfazl , Mokhtari Hossein
Published: January 2016

Utility harmonic impedance estimation is an important stage for the study and control of electrical networks power quality such as harmonic sharing determination between a utility and a customer at a point of common coupling (PCC). In this estimation, non‐invasive methods, as compared with invasive methods, are more desirable since they do not need to apply intentional disturbances to the power network and can work based on natural load fluctuations. The only concern about such methods is the method accuracy. These methods require simultaneous and synchronous measurements of the voltage and current at the PCC. However, one of the causes of error in the utility harmonic impedance measurement is the reference point phase‐angle variations. This is the point with respect to which the electrical parameters are measured and any deviation in the reference point phase‐angle may result in utility impedance calculation error. In this paper, a new technique is proposed in order to remove synchronisation samples problem and perform online tracking of the utility harmonic impedance parameters. The performance of the proposed technique is compared with that of other non‐invasive methods using simulation studies. The proposed method is applied to a real case with real field measurements under different conditions.
Sparse frequency waveform analysis and design based on ambiguity function theory
Authors: Guohua Wang , Chaoyun Mai , Jinping Sun , Yilong Lu
Published: January 2016

This study presents new insights into sparse frequency waveform analysis and new waveform design methods. For a general radar waveform, the total ambiguity in its auto‐correlation function (ACF) is equal to the total energy in its power spectral density (PSD) in the frequency domain. With this relationship, the total ambiguity in an ACF is found to be minimised when the corresponding PSD is uniformly distributed. This property is extended to the sparse frequency waveform by establishing the relationship between the optimal PSD and the minimum ambiguity in ACF. Based on this analysis, a new method of designing sparse frequency waveform with sidelobe constraint is proposed. The new method simultaneously optimises the sidelobe performance and the PSD performance through constrained non‐linear optimisation. This is different from existing methods that compromise the performance of sidelobe to the performance of PSD in an ad‐hoc manner by minimising the weighted sum of the total power in the stopbands and the total power in the sidelobe. The analysis and the design method have been extended to the case of multiple sparse frequency waveforms. Simulation studies are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed new design methods.
Compatibility problems related with pulse‐compression, solid‐state marine radars
Authors: Galati Gaspare , Pavan Gabriele , De Palo Francesco
Published: January 2016

The better and better attention being paid to the primary resources (especially oil and raw materials) and the increasing environmental consciousness are among the main drivers of the growth of vessel traffic, also because sea shipping has a good delivery rate and affordable operating costs in comparison with other transport means. In such a frame, an effective and efficient vessel traffic requires tight control and adequate navigation aids in order to ensure safety, reduction of risks for the environment, as well as efficient, quick and comfortable navigation. This study deals with the evolution of the marine (navigation) radar systems from the point of view of the potential drawbacks due to the implementation of solid‐state (SS) technology (and the subsequent pulse compression) in the incoming, new generation, SS marine radars. The authors found that the high duty cycle of these incoming SS marine radar sets will generate severe interference to all marine radar sets in visibility with a significant reduction, well below the international regulations, of their detection capability. Mitigation of these damaging effects is not an easy task, subject of further research.
Printed arc coupler in a circular cylindrical measurement cavity for suppressing degenerate modes
Authors: Zhang Hai , Ao Lei , Fang Yong , Rao Wei , Liu Baohong
Published: January 2016

A printed arc coupler has been proposed for avoiding and suppressing the spurious mode in the permittivity measurement cavity. Geometric parameters such as radius of arc (r), the central angle of the arc (θ), and the height of the board (t) are varied and their effects are investigated. Due to the central symmetry design of the coupler, the cavity has a clear TE011 mode, when r, θ, and t modify the resonance magnitude of the system. Simulation and experimental results show reasonable agreement. The error introduced due to coupling will be reduced. This method has the advantages of simple setting of the apparatus and fast tuning of the coupling.
Ball bearing test‐rig research and fault diagnosis investigation
Authors: Yau Her‐Terng , Kuo Ying‐Che , Chen Chieh‐Li , Li Yu‐Chung
Published: January 2016

This study designed and implemented a bearing test rig with which four major features can be tested: axial and radial load, inner ring radial thrust and speed. This test rig can be used to observe forces being applied to the bearing. Replacements can also be quickly made according to bearing specifications. Optimisation of the four major features can be done using the orthogonal arrays of the Taguchi method. The contribution of vibration signals is analysed using the scientific method while the bearing is subjected to different forces. The different vibration signal modes are used for the detection of bearing faults using a method based on the Chen‐Lee chaos system and fractal theory. The extension theory is used for intelligent fault diagnosis. The final experimental results obtained show that under different fault point diameters, the diagnostic rate can be up to 99% and the overall fault diagnostic rate achieved was 92%.
Improving the structural quality and electrical resistance of SrTiO3 thin films on Si (001) via a two-step anneal
Authors: Zhang Lei , Wang Yaqiang , Engel-Herbert Roman
Published: January 2016

We report on the optimization of structural and electrical properties of SrTiO3 thin films grown on Si (001) by hybrid molecular beam epitaxy. Using a dual buffer layer template, 46-nm-thick films grown at high temperatures (850 °C) resulted in a layer-by-layer growth mode and a good crystalline quality with rocking curve full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the 002 SrTiO3 peak of nearly 0.6°, which was reduced to 0.4° by increasing the film thickness to 120 nm. A high temperature post-deposition anneal was employed to further reduce the rocking curve FWHM down to 0.2° while preserving a smooth film surface morphology. The low sheet resistance of as-grown and post-growth annealed samples was increased by five orders of magnitude exceeding 107 Ω/◻ using a lower temperature anneal in dry air. This two-step annealing method provides an easy and effective way to improve the crystalline quality of SrTiO3 thin films on Si, providing a path towards the development of electrically insulating, wafer scale virtual perovskite substrates.
General solutions of the supersymmetric ℂP2 sigma model and its generalisation to ℂP
N−1
Authors: Delisle L. , Hussin V. , Zakrzewski W. J.
Published: January 2016

A new approach for the construction of finite action solutions of the supersymmetric ℂPN−1 sigma model is presented. We show that this approach produces more non-holomorphic solutions than those obtained in previous approaches. We study the ℂP2 model in detail and present its solutions in an explicit form. We also show how to generalise this construction to N > 3.
Theoretical analysis of transverse impact response in double layer graphene sheets
Authors: Natsuki Toshiaki , Ni Qing-Qing
Published: January 2016

In designing future nanoscale devices or nanostructures as new element in structural mechanics, it is very important to predict the responses for these elements against various mechanical loading conditions. In this letter, an analytical solution of the impact response in double layer graphene sheets (DLGSs) is presented using a continuum mechanics theory. In this analytical model, the DLGSs are considered as a layer stack of two individual graphene sheet (GS) bound together by van der Waals (vdW) forces. The influence of impact velocity and mass on the impact response are predicted by using numerical simulation. The result shows that impact response of GSs subjected to nanomass has exceedingly short times with picoseconds order.
Edge enhancement control in linear arrays of ungated field emitters
Authors: Harris J. R. , Jensen K. L. , Shiffler D. A.
Published: January 2016

In arrays of ungated field emitters, the field enhancement factor of each emitter decreases as the distance between the emitters decreases, an effect known as screening. At the edge of these arrays, emitters experience reduced screening, leading to higher field enhancement factors than emitters at the array center, causing nonuniform emission across the array. Here, we consider this effect in linear arrays of ungated field emitters spaced at distances comparable to their heights, which is the regime that generally maximizes their average current density. A Line Charge Model is used to assess the degree to which these edge effects propagate into the array interior, and to study the impact of varying the height, location, and tip radius of emitters at the ends of an array on the edge enhancement. It is shown that each of these techniques can accomplish this edge enhancement control, but each has advantages and disadvantages that will be discussed.
Advanced fabrication of single-crystalline silver nanopillar on SiO2 substrate
Authors: Mori Tomohiro , Tanaka Yasuhiro , Suzaki Yoshifumi , Yamaguchi Kenzo
Published: January 2016

Nanoscale crystallographic textures have received very little attention in research on surface plasmons using metallic nanostructures. A single-crystalline metallic nanostructure with a controlled crystallographic texture is expected to reduce optical losses. We elucidated the grain growth mechanism in silver thin films deposited on a highly transparent SiO2 substrate by electron backscatter diffraction methods with nanoscale resolution. At higher substrate temperatures, the grain growth was facilitated but the preferred orientation was not achieved. Moreover, we fabricated a single-crystalline silver nanopillar in a (111)-oriented large growing grain, which was controlled by varying the substrate temperature during film deposition by focused ion-beam milling. Furthermore, the light intensity of the scattering spectrum was measured for a single-crystalline silver nanopillar (undersurface diameter: 200 nm) for which surface plasmon resonance was observed. The single-crystalline silver nanopillar exhibits a stronger and sharper spectrum than the polycrystalline silver nanopillar. These results can be applied to the direct fabrication of a single-crystalline silver nanopillar using only physical processing.
Imaging the inside of thick structures using cosmic rays
Authors: Guardincerri E. , Durham J. M. , Morris C. , Bacon J. D. , Daughton T. M. , Fellows S. , Morley D. J. , Johnson O. R. , Plaud-Ramos K. , Poulson D. C. , Wang Z.
Published: January 2016

The authors present here a new method to image reinforcement elements inside thick structures and the results of a demonstration measurement performed on a mock-up wall built at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The method, referred to as “multiple scattering muon radiography”, relies on the use of cosmic-ray muons as probes. The work described in this article was performed to prove the viability of the technique as a means to image the interior of the dome of Florence Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and among the highest profile buildings in existence. Its result shows the effectiveness of the technique as a tool to radiograph thick structures and image denser object inside them.
Comparison of medication policies to guide nursing practice across seven Victorian health services
Authors: Fossum Mariann , Hughes Lee , Manias Elizabeth , Bennett Paul , Dunning Trisha , Hutchinson Alison , Considine Julie , Botti Mari , Duke Maxine M. , Bucknall Tracey
Published: January 2016

Objectives The objective of this paper is to review and compare the content of medication management policies across seven Australian health services located in the state of Victoria. Methods The medication management policies for health professionals involved in administering medications were obtained from seven health services under one jurisdiction. Analysis focused on policy content, including the health service requirements and regulations governing practice. Results and Conclusions The policies of the seven health services contained standard information about staff authorisation, controlled medications and poisons, labelling injections and infusions, patient self-administration, documentation and managing medication errors. However, policy related to individual health professional responsibilities, single- and double-checking medications, telephone orders and expected staff competencies varied across the seven health services. Some inconsistencies in health professionals’ responsibilities among medication management policies were identified. What is known about the topic? Medication errors are recognised as the single most preventable cause of patient harm in hospitals and occur most frequently during administration. Medication management is a complex process involving several management and treatment decisions. Policies are developed to assist health professionals to safely manage medications and standardise practice; however, co-occurring activities and interruptions increase the risk of medication errors. What does this paper add? In the present policy analysis, we identified some variation in the content of medication management policies across seven Victorian health services. Policies varied in relation to medications that require single- and double-checking, as well as by whom, nurse-initiated medications, administration rights, telephone orders and competencies required to check medications. What are the implications for practitioners? Variation in medication management policies across organisations is highlighted and raises concerns regarding consistency in governance and practice related to medication management. Lack of practice standardisation has previously been implicated in medication errors. Lack of intrajurisdictional concordance should be addressed to increase consistency. Inconsistency in expectations between healthcare services may lead to confusion about expectations among health professionals moving from one healthcare service to another, and possibly lead to increased risk of medication errors.
The impact of bilingualism on cognitive ageing and dementia
Authors: Bak Thomas H.
Published: January 2016

Within the current debates on cognitive reserve, cognitive ageing and dementia increasingly showing a positive effect of mental, social and physical activities on health in older age, bilingualism remains one of the most controversial issues. Some reasons for it might be social or even ideological. However, one of the most important genuine problems facing bilingualism research is the high number of potential confounding variables. Bilingual communities often differ from monolingual ones in a range of genetic and environmental variables. In addition, within the same population, bilingual individuals could be different from the outset from those who remain monolingual. We discuss the most common confounding variables in the study of bilingualism, aging and dementia, such as group heterogeneity, migration, social factors, differences in general intelligence and the related issue of reverse causality. We describe different ways in which they can be minimised by the choice of the studied populations and the collected data. In this way, the emerging picture of the interaction between bilingualism and cognitive aging becomes more complex, but also more convincing.
Comparisons of the transferability of plasmids pCAR1, pB10, R388, and NAH7 among Pseudomonas putida at different cell densities
Authors: Yanagida Kosuke , Sakuda Ayako , Suzuki-Minakuchi Chiho , Shintani Masaki , Matsui Kazuhiro , Okada Kazunori , Nojiri Hideaki
Published: January 2016

The transferability of plasmids pCAR1, pB10, R388, and NAH7 was compared using the same donor-recipient system at different cell density combinations in liquid or on a solid surface. pCAR1 was efficiently transferred in liquid, whereas the other plasmids were preferentially transferred on a solid surface. Difference of liquid or solid affected the transfer frequency especially at lower cell densities.
Pharmacokinetic Interaction of Riociguat with Ketoconazole, Clarithromycin, and Midazolam
Authors: Becker Corina , Frey Reiner , Unger Sigrun , Thomas Dirk , Reber Michael , Weimann Gerrit , Dietrich Hartmut , Arens Erich R. , Mück Wolfgang
Published: January 2016

Riociguat is a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension that is principally metabolized via the cytochrome P450 (CYP) pathway. Three studies in healthy males investigated potential pharmacokinetic interactions between riociguat and CYP inhibitors (ketoconazole, clarithromycin, and midazolam). In two studies, subjects were pretreated with either once‐daily ketoconazole 400 mg or twice‐daily clarithromycin 500 mg for 4 days before cotreatment with either riociguat 0.5 mg ± ketoconazole 400 mg or riociguat 1.0 mg ± clarithromycin 500 mg. In the third study, subjects received riociguat 2.5 mg 3 times daily (tid) for 3 days, followed by cotreatment with riociguat 2.5 mg tid ± midazolam 7.5 mg. Pharmacokinetic parameters, the effect of smoking on riociguat pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability were assessed. Pre‐ and cotreatment with ketoconazole and clarithromycin led to increased riociguat exposure. Pre‐ and cotreatment with riociguat had no significant effect on midazolam plasma concentrations. In all studies, the bioavailability of riociguat was reduced in smokers because its clearance to the metabolite M1 increased. Riociguat ± ketoconazole, clarithromycin, or midazolam was generally well tolerated. The most common treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) across all studies were headache and dyspepsia. One serious TEAE was reported in the midazolam study. Owing to the potential for hypotension, concomitant use of riociguat with multipathway inhibitors, such as ketoconazole, should be approached with caution. Coadministration of riociguat with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, for example, clarithromycin, does not require additional dose adjustment. No significant drug‐drug interaction was revealed between riociguat and midazolam.
Inflectional Morphology in Language Acquisition
Authors: Stoll Sabine
Published: January 2016

The acquisition of morphology is one of the major challenges in first language acquisition and the tasks children encounter vary to an extreme degree across different languages. The acquisition of morphological markers is presented from a cross-linguistic perspective with special focus on those characteristics of morphology which are relevant for acquisition. The chapter aims to give an overview of studies illuminating exactly this variation in a wide variety of typologically different languages. Special emphasis is placed on the interplay of individual grammars and learning strategies and on the question of whether morphological learning is better explained by the application of rules or rather by a step-by-step process of learning individual constructions, which are then generalized to more abstract schemas. A major challenge in acquisition studies is the question of how to determine productivity. The chapter presents some recent proposals in this domain, based on research on longitudinal corpora.
Disorders
Authors: Walenski Matthew
Published: January 2016

This chapter explores the elicited production of regular, irregular, and semi-regular inflected verb forms by patients with neurocognitive disorders. Patients with similar profiles of neurological damage and cognitive dysfunction also exhibit similar language deficits. In one profile, dysfunction of semantic memory and damage to temporal lobe brain structures correspond to a deficit at producing irregular and other memory-dependent inflected forms. Alzheimer’s disease, Semantic dementia, Herpes Simplex Encephalitis, and Williams syndrome fall into this first pattern. In patients with a different profile, motor dysfunction and damage to frontal/basal-ganglia circuits corresponds to abnormal production of regular affixed forms, though retrieval deficits affecting production of irregular forms can also be found. This pattern encompasses (at least) Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, autism, and schizophrenia. Both patterns hold cross-linguistically, across (at least) English, Italian, Greek, French, and German, and are discussed in light of diverse neurocognitive perspectives of morphology and language.
Inflection in Murrinh-Patha
Authors: Nordlinger Rachel
Published: January 2016

This chapter discusses the complex inflectional system of Murrinh-Patha, a polysynthetic language of northern Australia, spoken by approximately 2500 people and still being acquired by children. Murrinh-Patha poses a number of interesting challenges for our understanding of inflectional morphology cross-linguistically, especially within the verbal domain. Although its verbal morphology is largely agglutinating, it is templatic and is rife with discontinuous dependencies, multiple exponence, and the interspersal of inflectional and derivational material. In addition, the verbal word is a complex predicate, built on a discontinuous stem, one part of which (the ‘classifier stem’) is taken from one of thirty eight largely fusional sub-paradigms exhibiting high degrees of suppletion, homophony, and irregularity. Furthermore, some of this verbal inflectional material is co-opted into the nominal system to derive nominal predicates raising interesting questions for the distinction between inflection and derivational morphology.
Inflection in Nen
Authors: Evans Nicholas
Published: January 2016

Nen is a previously undescribed language of Southern New Guinea. It is an SOV language with ergative/absolutive case alignment and twelve distinct cases, a morphological split of intransitive verbs on a stative vs. dynamic basis, and verb morphology integrating prefixal and suffixal material to make a rich set of TAM distinctions as well as coding direction and person/number information for two arguments. It lacks verb chaining but has a rich set of non-finite constructions in which nominalized verbs are inflected for case, and a complex system of grammatical number, distinguishing up to four number values within some sub-parts of the inflectional system. It is notable for the extent that it exploits distributed, paradigmatic, and constructive/unificational architectures to give complete grammatical feature specifications. Verbs integrate information from prefix and suffix paradigms into a circumfixal paradigm for TAM, and actor and undergoer agreement. This chapter has a particular focus on verb morphology.
Inflection Classes
Authors: Stump Gregory
Published: January 2016

This chapter presents a detailed account of inflection classes and the issues that they raise for morphological theory and typology. Drawing particularly on evidence from Icelandic, the author defines the notion ‘inflection class’ and discusses the canonical characteristics proposed for inflection classes by Corbett (2009); various simple and complex deviations from this canonical ideal are examined. The correlations between a lexeme’s inflection-class membership and its morphology are shown to be quite variable; the same is true of the extra-morphological correlates of a language’s inflection classes. As the author shows, inflection-class systems arise and evolve in response to various kinds of diachronic pressures. He considers the appropriate mode of representation for inflection classes in the formal, synchronic definition of a language’s grammar and the status of inflection classes as a dimension of typological variation.
Global Diversity Management
Authors: Öztürk Mustafa Bilgehan , Tatli Ahu , Özbilgin Mustafa
Published: January 2016

Diversity management is an increasingly mature field defined by a wide array of conceptual approaches and competing discourses of diversity. This chapter briefly reviews the field of diversity to locate our discussion of a crucial problematic in global diversity management: implementing global diversity management standards locally. We take the UK as the local context for our analysis, and report findings from a study funded by the Equal Opportunities Commission on the use of equality and diversity tools. Our empirical evidence underscores the importance of localities and specific contexts, and emphasizes that equality and diversity tools can serve as an effective resource for local diversity officers of global firms to progress their agendas for organizational change locally. In the UK context effective diversity management crucially hinges on securing the buy-in of businesses and providing context-sensitive toolkits to local diversity management officers and organizational change agents to ensure equality and inclusion.
Intersectionality at the Intersection
Authors: Mercer Danielle , Paludi Mariana Ines , Mills Jean Helms , Mills Albert J.
Published: January 2016

The term intersectionality made its entrance in the research community at the end of the twentieth century. Since that time, many different approaches to intersectionality have arisen that vary in discipline, methodology, epistemology, and in conceptualization. Unfortunately though, little research has examined how to study or to apply intersectionality. While the broad research community has created a variety of conceptualizations of intersectionality, less work has been done on its application. This chapter examines the messiness and controversy of intersectionality, arguing that the problematic nature of the ‘operationalization’, or application, of intersectionality is integrally linked to its conceptualization across varying paradigmatic approaches.
Intersectionality, Social Identity Theory, and Explorations of Hybridity
Authors: Taksa Lucy , Powell Glen , Jayasinghe Laknath
Published: January 2016

The fundamental difference in focus between the fields of sociology and psychology, notably between discriminatory processes and cognitive processes, has limited attempts to consider intersectionality and Social Identity Theory (SIT) together. The aim of this chapter is to address this gap by combining intersectional and SIT approaches, recognizing their contributions and identifying issues and gaps. The chapter provides an overview of the epistemological and ontological differences between the two fields and the divergent ways intersectional and SIT scholars conceptualise individual and collective identity/ies. Close attention is given to the way multiple identities and groups are construed and interpreted. The chapter highlights the significance of conceptualizations of emergent identities, hybridity, practices and space for the study of identity. On this basis, itr examines how studies on spatial contexts of racialised masculinity and the bodily experiences of racialised men can enhance understandings of individual identity negotiations and group processes in specific locations.
The Intersectionalities of Age, Ethnicity, and Class in Organizations
Authors: Hanappi-Egger Edeltraud , Ortlieb Renate
Published: January 2016

The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of the academic debate on age, ethnicity, and class, in particular their intersectionalities within organizations. Although the social categories of age and ethnicity are well studied by diversity scholars, literature on the combined effects of these dimensions for individuals and organizations is still scarce. This holds even more for the category of class. While there exist scattered analyses of class-related issues within the field of diversity studies, up to now there is no analysis that considers the interplay of class with both age and ethnicity. Against this background the chapter examines the age–ethnicity–class intersectionality by concentrating on the three dyadic relationships: age–ethnicity, age–class, and class–ethnicity. It provides a summary of previous research findings, a critical reflection of thinking that relies on social categories, and a discussion of avenues for future research.
People with Disabilities
Authors: Baldridge David , Beattie Joy , Konrad Alison M. , Moore Mark E.
Published: January 2016

Disability status continues to have a significant negative impact on employment outcomes, even in countries with nondiscrimination policies, and outcomes differ by gender and age. These subpar outcomes can be linked to both environmental and psychological factors. The design of jobs and workplaces often limits the ability of workers with disabilities to contribute to their fullest capacity, while stigmatization reduces employer willingness to hire workers with disabilities and make reasonable accommodations to allow them to perform effectively. Exclusion and stigmatization create barriers to the development of a positive self-identity as a person with a disability. Considerably more research is needed to understand how the actions of organizations, leaders, and teams affect the employment outcomes of workers with disabilities and how impacts differ by gender and age. But based upon extant knowledge, there are many actions employers can take to improve outcomes for this group of workers.
Future Challenges for Practices of Diversity Management in Organizations
Authors: Benschop Yvonne , Holgersson Charlotte , van den Brink Marieke , Wahl Anna
Published: January 2016

In this chapter, we zoom in on a set of diversity practices that prevail in organizations: training, mentoring, and networks. These practices meet scholarly critique for their lack of transformation. They are often seen as targeting ‘the Other’ employees to get them at par with majority employees, leaving the current system intact. However, it can be questioned whether values, practices and routines indeed remain intact in the organizations that engage in diversity training, mentoring, and networks. The aim of this chapter is to come to a better assessment of the transformative potential of these popular diversity practices. The notion of transformative potential means the potential for diversity practices to diminish inequalities by changing organizational work practices, norms, routines and interactions. We use the so-called 3D model that provides a systematic way of assessing diversity practices. We find that training, mentoring and networking can denote so many different things that it is as incorrect to dismiss any single of these interventions, as it is to praise them in general. We conclude that a multi-dimensional power perspective challenging structural discrimination and addressing conflicting interests is key to any diversity practice that strives for transformative change.
Queer Perspectives Fuelling Diversity Management Discourse
Authors: Bendl Regine , Hofmann Roswitha
Published: January 2016

Diversity management discourse shows that theoretical concepts and strategies often neglect issues of ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘sexuality’, and unwittingly reinforce patterns of exclusion in organizational practice. This chapter considers the diversity category ‘sexual orientation’ within a broader theoretical framework, by highlighting the constitutive connectedness between ‘sex’, ‘gender’, and ‘sexuality’. It uses queer theoretical concepts to give insight into the normative intersections of ‘sex’, ‘gender’, and ‘sexuality’ and, thus, heteronormative phenomena in diversity management discourse. Based on an exploration of multinational corporations (MNCs) and their codes of conduct (CoCs) it highlights the interventional and transformative potential of queer theory as an approach to DM discourse.
Organizational Benefits through Diversity Management
Authors: Dye Kelly , Golnaraghi Golnaz
Published: January 2016

This chapter explores the business case for diversity as it is situated within the broader discourse of diversity management. Of interest is the ‘making of meaning’ in terms of how arguments in support of the organizational benefits of diversity management are communicated and thus legitimized. Although this chapter is dedicated to the specifics of the business case for diversity, a brief discussion of its origins within the evolution of the broader discourse of diversity management is included. Asking a series of fundamental questions, this chapter shows it is important to consider both the intended and unintended consequences of the reliance of the business case.
Plant-Microbe Communication Enhances Auxin Biosynthesis by a Root-Associated Bacterium, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9
Authors: Liu Yunpeng , Chen Lin , Zhang Nan , Li Zunfeng , Zhang Guishan , Xu Yu , Shen Qirong , Zhang Ruifu
Published: January 2016

Mechanisms by which beneficial rhizobacteria promote plant growth include tryptophan-dependent indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis. The abundance of tryptophan in the rhizosphere, however, may influence the level of benefit provided by IAA-producing rhizobacteria. This study examined the cucumber-Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9 system and found that SQR9, a bacterium previously shown to enhance the growth of cucumber, increased root secretion of tryptophan by three- to fourfold. Using a split-root system, SQR9 colonization of roots in one chamber not only increased tryptophan secretion from the noninoculated roots but also increased the expression of the cucumber tryptophan transport gene but not the anthranilate synthesis gene in those roots. The increased tryptophan in isolated rhizosphere exudates was sufficient to support increased IAA production by SQR9. Moreover, SQR9 colonization of roots in one chamber in the split-root system resulted in sufficient tryptophan production by the other roots to upregulate SQR9 IAA biosynthesis genes, including a 27-fold increase in the indole-3-acetonitrilase gene yhcX during subsequent colonization of those roots. Deletion of yhcX eliminated SQR9-mediated increases in root surface area, likely by reducing IAA-stimulated lateral root growth. This study demonstrates a chemical dialogue between B. amyloliquefaciens and cucumber in which this communication contributes to bacteria-mediated plant-growth enhancement.
Protein stability: a crystallographer's perspective
Authors: Deller Marc C. , Kong Leopold , Rupp Bernhard
Published: January 2016

Protein stability is a topic of major interest for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and food industries, in addition to being a daily consideration for academic researchers studying proteins. An understanding of protein stability is essential for optimizing the expression, purification, formulation, storage and structural studies of proteins. In this review, discussion will focus on factors affecting protein stability, on a somewhat practical level, particularly from the view of a protein crystallographer. The differences between protein conformational stability and protein compositional stability will be discussed, along with a brief introduction to key methods useful for analyzing protein stability. Finally, tactics for addressing protein-stability issues during protein expression, purification and crystallization will be discussed.
Crystallization and X-ray diffraction of LGN in complex with the actin-binding protein afadin
Authors: Carminati Manuel , Cecatiello Valentina , Mapelli Marina
Published: January 2016

Asymmetric stem-cell divisions are fundamental for morphogenesis and tissue homeostasis. They rely on the coordination between cortical polarity and the orientation of the mitotic spindle, which is orchestrated by microtubule pulling motors recruited at the cortex by NuMA–LGN–Gαi complexes. LGN has emerged as a central component of the spindle-orientation pathway that is conserved throughout species. Its domain structure consists of an N-terminal TPR domain associating with NuMA, followed by four GoLoco motifs binding to Gαi subunits. The LGNTPRregion is also involved in interactions with other membrane-associated proteins ensuring the correct cortical localization of microtubule motors, among which is the junctional protein afadin. To investigate the architecture of LGNTPRin complex with afadin, a chimeric fusion protein with a native linker derived from the region of afadin upstream of the LGN-binding domain was generated. The fusion protein behaves as a globular monomer in solution and readily crystallizes in the presence of sulfate-containing reservoirs. The crystals diffracted to 3.0 Å resolution and belonged to the cubic space groupP213, with unit-cell parametera= 170.3 Å. The structure of the engineered protein revealed that the crystal packing is promoted by the coordination of sulfate ions by residues of the afadin linker region and LGNTPR.
Sense of calling and career satisfaction of hotel frontline employees
Authors: Lee Kyoung-Joo
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between sense of calling and career satisfaction of hotel frontline employees and to analyze the mediation role of knowledge sharing with organizational members given the rapidly growing academic interest in the meaning of work.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a survey of 357 frontline employees in 12 super-deluxe hotels in Korea, this study performed confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling analysis to test the hypothesis of causal relationships in the research model.

Findings

– Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), this study shows that sense of calling has a positive and significant effect on the career satisfaction of hotel frontline employees and that the relationship was mediated by active participation in knowledge sharing with supervisors and coworkers.

Practical implications

– The research result highlights the significance of service providers’ calling orientation on career satisfaction and their pursuit of skills and knowledge for higher personal development and performance to achieve career success.

Originality/value

– Based on SDT, this study deepens our understanding on the process of how calling orientation leads to career satisfaction and knowledge sharing behavior in organizations.
The effects of the perceived external prestige of the organization on employee deviant workplace behavior
Authors: Tuna Muharrem , Ghazzawi Issam , Yesiltas Murat , Tuna Aysen Akbas , Arslan Siddik
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine the effects of perceived external prestige (PEP) on deviant workplace behavior (DWB) and the mediating role of job satisfaction (JS).

Design/methodology/approach

– The relationship was tested via hierarchical regression analyses. The study used data drawn from 401 employees of five-star hotels located in the Turkish cities of Ankara and Antalya.

Findings

– The study findings suggest that there is a negative correlation between JS and organizational deviant work behaviors. Employees’ satisfaction leads to workplace harmony and brings employees closer to the purpose of the organization. Additionally, the study shows that positive PEP reflects positively on JS and vice versa. JS plays a mediating role between PEP and DWB.

Research limitations/implications

– The first limitation of the study is that the sample involves a specific area and, therefore, may not be generalizable. Additionally, the study contains only five-star hotels. Therefore, future researchers could replicate the findings with a heterogeneous population sample comprising employees of various hotels’ levels.

Originality/value

– The external reputation of an organization (image) is an important subject for researchers, as it fosters organizational members’ JS, and higher PEP decreases members’ deviant work behavior. This empirical study focuses on hospitality employees because this group has not received attention from researchers, despite their importance as the top contributors to the high-level service industry.