bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation between cranial form and geography in Homo sapiens: CRANID – a computer program for forensic and other applications
Authors: Wright R.V.S.
Published: November 2014

The paper studies the correlation between cranial form and geography. It uses 2524 crania from around the world, measured by W.W. Howells. The first two principal components of cranial shape are rotated to maximum congruence with the world map. A correlation of 0.451 is found with longitude and 0.637 with latitude. A better (albeit unquantified) correlation is found when 20 components of shape are used, and the results portrayed as a dendrogram. The author describes a computer program CRANID, which allows the user to clarify the origin of an unknown cranium by assisting its comparison with the shape of the 2524 crania. Forensic applications of CRANID are suggested. Application to the Late Pleistocene Zhoukoudian Upper Cave 103 specimen supports the conclusion of a previous study on Upper Cave 101. Both crania resemble African/Australian/Melanesian crania rather than Asiatic/New World. The significance of this morphological result to the out‐of‐Africa theory is discussed, with special reference to recent proto‐Mongoloid assertions by the multiregional school of human evolution.
Lapita lithics: trade/exchange and technology. A view from the Reefs/Santa Cruz
Authors: Sheppard Peter J.
Published: November 2014

An analysis of the obsidian and chert flaked stone assemblages from three Reefs/Santa Cruz Lapita sites (SE‐SZ‐8, SE‐RF‐2, SE‐RF‐6) is presented. Data on extraction, transport, core reduction, tool use and deposition are examined to see how well they fit a resource maximization model. It is concluded that factors other than utilitarian resource maximization are significant for an understanding of the use and distribution of lithic raw materials at these sites. It is suggested that transported obsidian and chert may have a complex commodity value history of which only the last stage is represented at the archaeological sites.
The transport of Mopir obsidian to late Pleistocene New Ireland
Authors: Summerhayes Glenn R. , Allen Jim
Published: November 2014

Obsidian from the site of Matenbek, New Ireland, in contexts dated to c.20,000‐18,000 B.P. was subjected to sourcing analyses using PIXE‐PIGME. We report here on the site of Matenbek, the distribution of obsidian in the site and the results of the sourcing analyses. We also report briefly on a revision of the Matenkupkum sourcing allocations which arose out of their inconsistency with the Matenbek allocations. The results demonstrate the dominance of obsidian from Mopir, West New Britain, in New Ireland during the late Pleistocene and mid‐Holocene.
Review
Authors: Tacon Paul S.C.
Published: November 2014

Australian rock art: a new synthesis. By Robert Layton. 1992. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0 521 34666 5. Pp. xi + 284 $49.95
Review
Authors: Cheney Susan Lawrence
Published: November 2014

Wybalenna: the archaeology of cultural accomodation in Nineteenth Century Tasmania. By Judy Birmingham. The Australian Society for Historical Archaeology, Sydney. 1992. ISBN 0.909797.15.3. Pp. 202. $35
Review
Authors: Athens J. Stephen
Published: November 2014

Anahulu: The anthropology of history in the Kingdom of Hawaii. Volume 1: Historical Ethnography, by Marshall Sahlins with the assistance of Dorothy B. Barrère. Volume 2: The Archaeology of History, by Patrick V. Kirch with the assistance of Marshall Sahlins, Marshall Weisler, and Matthew Spriggs. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 1992. ISBN 0‐226‐73363‐7 (v. 1). Pp. ix + 243. U.S. $45.00 ISBN 0‐226‐73364‐5 (v. 2). Pp. xiv + 201. U.S. $45.00
New surface exposure ages for petroglyphs from the Olary Province, South Australia
Authors: Nobbs Margaret , Dorn Ronald
Published: November 2014

Exposed surfaces of rock engravings in the Olary Province of South Australia develop coatings of rock varnish, amorphous silica, and oxalate‐rich crusts. Instead of relying on any single approach, we use three experimental approaches to assign minimum ages to the petroglyphs. Three methods involve dating manganiferous rock varnish formed over the petroglyphs: 14C measurements of organic matter at the varnish/weathering rind interface provides numerical ages; calibrated ages are obtained by cation‐ratio dating; and sequences of layers within varnish are used to discriminate relative ages. A different approach is radiocarbon dating of organic remains within the weathering rind entombed by either rock varnish or amorphous silica. In addition to updating our 1988 results, we report two dozen new radiocarbon ages, eight new cation‐ratio ages, and studies of varnish stratigraphy. Although the techniques we use are experimental, our data suggest that petroglyphs have been made in the Olary Province for the last 40,000 radiocarbon years, making its rock art the oldest known in the world. Broader implications of our findings for the cultural history of the Olary Province and for different approaches to dating rock art are explored.
Nurrabullgin Cave: preliminary results from a pre‐37,000 year old rockshelter, North Queensland
Authors: David Bruno
Published: November 2014

Evidence is presented for occupation pre‐dating 37,000 BP at Nurrabullgin Cave, a recently excavated site from southeast Cape York Peninsula. The site is well stratified and contains stone artefacts, bone and large quantities of charcoal, representing a number of distinct occupational phases separated by a series of hiatuses. Ochre fragments were also recovered from mid‐ and late‐Holocene levels; their absence from earlier deposits may indicate that the numerous paintings located on the walls date to relatively recent times. The precise antiquity of the earliest occupation remains unknown.
Wamba yadu, a later Holocene cemetery of the central River Murray
Authors: Pardoe Colin
Published: November 2014

Forty seven burials exposed by erosion at Wamba yadu dune, near the River Murray in northwestern Victoria, were mapped and information on age, sex, orientation and method of burial collected. Data collection was restricted by preservation and exposure. This locality is a cemetery. Orientation of graves appears typical of the central Murray region, with most heads towards WSW and a small number towards NNE. Children made up 11% of the group. Wamba yadu was probably in use during the last 3000 years, with ‘household’ or living occupation preceding the cemetery and starting in the mid to early Holocene when the landscape was being formed.
Humans and megafauna in a late Pleistocene environment from Cuddie Springs, north western New South Wales
Authors: Dodson John , Fullagar Richard , Furby Judith , Jones Robert , Prosser Ian
Published: November 2014

We report the first site in Australia with a dated association of human technology and megafauna, in a palaeoenvironmental context. There are few sites in Australia where evidence of humans and Pleistocene megafauna coincide (Flannery and Gott, 1984; Flood, 1983 151–159; Gillespie et al., 1978; Gorecki et al., 1984). Such coincidences are often poorly dated or undated due to their antiquity or stratigraphic context. Cuddie Springs contains several distinct concentrations of megafaunal bone, in addition to a scatter of bone through all the sediments examined. Most of the deposit is beyond radiocarbon dating but an upper portion of sediment has been dated between 19,000 and 30,000 B.P. Artefacts and increased charcoal appear about 30,000 B.P. and then have a continuous presence. The artefact assemblage includes grindstones with starch residues, ochre, a probable cylcon and stone artefacts with reworked edges containing blood and hair. These combine to provide evidence of plant and animal processing and cultural practices at 30,000 B.P. The bones and artefacts were deposited when Cuddie Springs was a shallow freshwater lake surrounded by a relatively arid shrubland, the lake then became ephemeral and the environment more arid as the glacial maximum approached.
Review
Authors: Beaton J. M.
Published: November 2014

Recovering the Tracks: the story of Australian Archaeology. By David Horton. Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra, 1991. ISBN 0 85575 221 1. Pp. 378. $A22.95
Review
Authors: Colley Sarah
Published: November 2014

The archaeology of the Angophora Reserve rock shelter. By Josephine McDonald. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Environmental Heritage Monograph Series, No. 1, 1992. ISBN 0 7305 7358 3. Pp. 184. $24.95
30,000 years of fishery in western New South Wales
Authors: Balme Jane
Published: November 2014

Two hundred and sixteen open midden sites from the lower Darling River area of western NSW demonstrate that people have fished for many aquatic resources in diverse hydrological environments since about 30,000 years ago. Some of the earliest of these sites, which have been interpreted as single foraging expeditions, contain evidence of highly organised food collecting strategies which at times allowed large gatherings of people. There appears to have been little change in these strategies or in the importance of the main waterways in the region since this time. However sites dating from about 7000 years ago are larger, more complex and contain a greater range of fauna. This suggests a change in camping practice resulting either from a change in economic strategy, where Pleistocene base camps were only located away from rivers and lakes, or from the development of more permanent base camps. This evidence is a regional example of adaptive and efficient exploitation in Pleistocene and Holocene Australia.
Review
Authors: Donlon Denise
Published: November 2014

Paleopathology of Aboriginal Australians: Health and disease across a hunter‐gatherer continent. By Stephen Webb. Cambridge University Press, 1995. ISBN 0 521 46044 1. Pp. xii + 324. $75 (Hardback)
Review
Authors: Young Linda
Published: November 2014

Looking after Heritage Places. The Basics of Heritage Planning for Managers, Landowners and Administrators. By Michael Pearson and Sharon Sullivan. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1995. ISBN 0‐522‐84554‐1. Pp. xiv + 384.

Tourism and the Protection of Aboriginal Cultural Sites. By Jane M. Jacobs and Fay Gale. Special Australian Heritage Publication Series, No. 10. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1994. ISSN 0814‐8171. Pp. xii + 146.
Reduced cerebellar neurodegeneration after combined therapy with cyclodextrin/allopregnanolone and miglustat in NPC1: A mouse model of Niemann‐Pick type C1 disease
Authors: Maass Fabian , Petersen Jana , Hovakimyan Marina , Schmitt Oliver , Witt Martin , Hawlitschka Alexander , Lukas Jan , Rolfs Arndt , Wree Andreas
Published: November 2014

Niemann‐Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease is a lysosomal storage disease characterized by a deficiency of NPC1 gene function. The malfunction of protein results in a progressive accumulation of lipids in many organs. A combined approach with substrate‐reduction therapy (SRT) and byproduct therapy (BPT) has been shown to ameliorate the disease course in a mutant mouse model (NPC1–/–). The present study examines the morphological parameters underlying these changes. For the combined SRT/BPT treatment, NPC1–/– mutant mice (NPC1–/–SRT/BPT) were injected with allopregnanolone/cyclodextrin weekly, starting at postnatal day (P) 7. Starting at P10, a miglustat injection was administered daily until P23. Thereafter, miglustat was added to the powdered chow. For the sham treatment, both mutant NPC1–/– (NPC1–/–sham) and wild‐type (NPC1+/+sham) mice received an NaCl injection and were fed powdered chow without miglustat. Analysis was performed on cerebellar slices by histology and immunohistochemistry. The volumes and cell counts of cerebellar structures were quantified. Additionally, ultrastructural analysis was performed with transmission electron microscopy. In agreement with previous studies, the current study demonstrates Purkinje cell degeneration in the mutant mice, which was partially abrogated by SRT/BPT. The volumes of cerebellar white matter and molecular layer were reduced as well. Also, the number of neurons was reduced in granular and molecular layers. However, only the molecular layer benefited from the therapy, as shown by an increase in the volume and the amount of neurons. The volume and number of neurons of the deep cerebellar nuclei were significantly decreased in mutant mice; an appreciable therapeutic benefit could be demonstrated for the nucleus interpositus. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Essential role of Her3 in two signaling transduction patterns: Her2/Her3 and MET/Her3 in proliferation of human gastric cancer
Authors: Yun Chen , Gang Li , Rongmin Gu , Xu Wen , Xuezhi Ming , Huanqiu Chen
Published: November 2014

Various receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathways were verified in many cancers including gastric cancer (GC), We sought to investigate the expression of RTKs including Her2, Her3, and Met and their transduction patterns in human GC. Over‐expression of Her2, Her3, and c‐Met in human GC was verified by immunohistochemistry leading to constitutive activation of RTK signaling pathways. Combined RTKs expression was valuable indicators for poor prognosis of GC patients. Using ErbB2 specific inhibitor Lapatinib and c‐Met specific inhibitor PHA‐665752, we further demonstrated that this constitutive activation of RTK signaling is necessary for the survival of GC cells. However, various RTK pattern: Her3/Her2 and Met/Her3 were verified in the transduction growth stimulus from outside via both AKT and MAPK signaling. Moreover, the essential roles of Her3 in both two heterodimers were obtained which showed significantly attenuated growth effect due to Her3 knockdown both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, various molecular transduction patterns: Her2/Her3 and Met/Her3 were verified in human GC, and Her3 could serve as a potential target in GC treatment. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Blood plasma lipidomic signature of epicardial fat in healthy obese women
Authors: Scherer Max , Montoliu Ivan , Qanadli Salah D. , Collino Sebastiano , Rezzi Serge , Kussmann Martin , Giusti, Vittorio , Martin François‐Pierre J.
Published: November 2014

Objectives

A lipidomic approach was employed in a clinically well‐defined cohort of healthy obese women to explore blood lipidome phenotype ascribed to body fat deposition, with emphasis on epicardial adipose tissue (EAT).

Methods

The present investigation delivered a lipidomics signature of epicardial adiposity under healthy clinical conditions using a cohort of 40 obese females (age: 25–45 years, BMI: 28–40 kg/m2) not showing any metabolic disease traits. Lipidomics analysis of blood plasma was employed in combination with in vivo quantitation of mediastinal fat depots by computerized tomography.

Results

All cardiac fat depots correlated to indicators of hepatic dysfunctions (ALAT and ASAT), which describe physiological connections between hepatic and cardiac steatosis. Plasma lipidomics encompassed overall levels of lipid classes, fatty acid profiles, and individual lipid species. EAT and visceral fat associated with diacylglycerols (DAG), triglycerides, and distinct phospholipid and sphingolipid species. A pattern of DAG and phosphoglycerols was specific to EAT.

Conclusions

Human blood plasma lipidomics appears to be a promising clinical and potentially diagnostic readout for patient stratification and monitoring. Association of blood lipidomics signature to regio‐specific mediastinal and visceral adiposity under healthy clinical conditions may help provide more biological insights into obese patient stratification for cardiovascular disease risks.
High-Throughput Analysis and Automation for Glycomics Studies
Authors: Shubhakar Archana , Reiding Karli R. , Gardner Richard A. , Spencer Daniel I. R. , Fernandes Daryl L. , Wuhrer Manfred
Published: November 2014

This review covers advances in analytical technologies for high-throughput (HTP) glycomics. Our focus is on structural studies of glycoprotein glycosylation to support biopharmaceutical realization and the discovery of glycan biomarkers for human disease. For biopharmaceuticals, there is increasing use of glycomics in Quality by Design studies to help optimize glycan profiles of drugs with a view to improving their clinical performance. Glycomics is also used in comparability studies to ensure consistency of glycosylation both throughout product development and between biosimilars and innovator drugs. In clinical studies there is as well an expanding interest in the use of glycomics—for example in Genome Wide Association Studies—to follow changes in glycosylation patterns of biological tissues and fluids with the progress of certain diseases. These include cancers, neurodegenerative disorders and inflammatory conditions. Despite rising activity in this field, there are significant challenges in performing large scale glycomics studies. The requirement is accurate identification and quantitation of individual glycan structures. However, glycoconjugate samples are often very complex and heterogeneous and contain many diverse branched glycan structures. In this article we cover HTP sample preparation and derivatization methods, sample purification, robotization, optimized glycan profiling by UHPLC, MS and multiplexed CE, as well as hyphenated techniques and automated data analysis tools. Throughout, we summarize the advantages and challenges with each of these technologies. The issues considered include reliability of the methods for glycan identification and quantitation, sample throughput, labor intensity, and affordability for large sample numbers.
Differential Modulation of S1PR(1–5) and Specific Activities of SphK and nSMase in Pulmonary and Cerebral Tissues of Rats Exposed to Hypobaric Hypoxia
Authors: Chawla Sonam , Saxena Shweta
Published: November 2014

Recent preclinical and clinical studies have unfolded the potential of pharmacological modulation of activities of sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P) receptors and S1P metabolizing enzymes for the development of therapeutic interventions against a variety of pathologies. An understanding of differential and temporal effects of hypoxia exposure on the key components of S1P signalling would certainly aid in designing improved drug development strategies in this direction. In view of this, the aim of the present study was to assess the effect of progressive hypobaric hypoxia exposure on expression of S1P receptors (S1PR1–5) and specific activities of S1P synthesizing enzymes—neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase) and sphingosine kinase (Sphk) in pulmonary and cerebral tissues of rats exposed to simulated altitude of 21,000 feet in an animal decompression chamber. Along with this, development of cerebral and pulmonary edema and markers of inflammation were studied at 12, 24, and 48 h to validate our study model of hypobaric hypoxia‐induced stress. The protein expression of S1PR1–5 and activities of Sphk and nSMase enzymes were observed to be dramatically affected by simulated hypobaric hypoxia exposure, concurrent with deterioration of pathology, with 12 h of exposure appearing to be the most critical of the various time points studied.
Role of defects in the process of graphene growth on hexagonal boron nitride from atomic carbon
Authors: Dabrowski J. , Lippert G. , Schroeder T. , Lupina G.
Published: November 2014

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is an attractive substrate for graphene, as the interaction between these materials is weak enough for high carrier mobility to be retained in graphene but strong enough to allow for some epitaxial relationship. We deposited graphene on exfoliated h-BN by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), we analyzed the atomistic details of the process by ab initio density functional theory (DFT), and we linked the DFT and MBE results by random walk theory. Graphene appears to nucleate around defects in virgin h-BN. The DFT analysis reveals that sticking of carbon to perfect h-BN is strongly reduced by desorption, so that pre-existing seeds are needed for the nucleation. The dominant nucleation seeds are CNCB and ONCN pairs and B2O3 inclusions in the virgin substrate.
Evolution of the linear-polarization-angle-dependence of the radiation-induced magnetoresistance-oscillations with microwave power
Authors: Ye Tianyu , Wegscheider W. , Mani R. G.
Published: November 2014

We examine the role of the microwave power in the linear polarization angle dependence of the microwave radiation induced magnetoresistance oscillations observed in the high mobility GaAs/AlGaAs two dimensional electron system. The diagonal resistance Rxx was measured at the fixed magnetic fields of the photo-excited oscillatory extrema of Rxx as a function of both the microwave power, P, and the linear polarization angle, θ. Color contour plots of such measurements demonstrate the evolution of the lineshape of Rxx versus θ with increasing microwave power. We report that the non-linear power dependence of the amplitude of the radiation-induced magnetoresistance oscillations distorts the cosine-square relation between Rxx and θ at high power.
Nonlinear transmission of an intense terahertz field through monolayer graphene
Authors: Hafez H. A. , Al-Naib I. , Oguri K. , Sekine Y. , Dignam M. M. , Ibrahim A. , Cooke D. G. , Tanaka S. , Komori F. , Hibino H. , Ozaki T.
Published: November 2014

We report nonlinear terahertz (THz) effects in monolayer graphene, giving rise to transmission enhancement of a single-cycle THz pulse when the incident THz peak electric field is increased. This transmission enhancement is attributed to reduced photoconductivity, due to saturation effects in the field-induced current and increased intraband scattering rates arising from transient heating of electrons. We have developed a tight-binding model of the response using the length gauge interaction Hamiltonian that provides good qualitative agreement. The model fully accounts for the nonlinear response arising from the linear dispersion energy spectrum in graphene. The results reveal a strong dependence of the scattering time on the THz field, which is at the heart of the observed nonlinear response.
Interior acoustic cloak
Authors: Akl Wael , Baz A.
Published: November 2014

Acoustic cloaks have traditionally been intended to externally surround critical objects to render these objects acoustically invisible. However, in this paper, the emphasis is placed on investigating the application of the acoustic cloaks to the interior walls of acoustic cavities in an attempt to minimize the noise levels inside these cavities. In this manner, the acoustic cloaks can serve as a viable and efficient alternative to the conventional passive noise attenuation treatments which are invariably heavy and bulky. The transformation acoustics relationships that govern the operation of this class of interior acoustic cloaks are presented. Physical insights are given to relate these relationships to the reasons behind the effectiveness of the proposed interior acoustic cloaks. Finite element models are presented to demonstrate the characteristics of interior acoustic cloaks used in treating the interior walls of circular and square cavities both in the time and frequency domains. The obtained results emphasize the effectiveness of the proposed interior cloaks in eliminating the reflections of the acoustic waves from the walls of the treated cavities and thereby rendering these cavities acoustically quiet. It is important to note here that the proposed interior acoustic cloaks can find applications in acoustic cavities such as aircraft cabins and auditoriums as well as many other critical applications.
Letter from the Editors (8)
Authors: Vaughan-Eden Viola , Butters Rob
Published: November 2014

no abstract
ViQuaS: an improved reconstruction pipeline for viral quasispecies spectra generated by next-generation sequencing
Authors: Jayasundara Duleepa , Saeed I. , Maheswararajah Suhinthan , Chang B.C. , Tang S.-L. , Halgamuge Saman K.
Published: November 2014

Motivation: The combined effect of a high replication rate and the low fidelity of the viral polymerase in most RNA viruses and some DNA viruses results in the formation of a viral quasispecies. Uncovering information about quasispecies populations significantly benefits the study of disease progression, antiviral drug design, vaccine design and viral pathogenesis. We present a new analysis pipeline called ViQuaS for viral quasispecies spectrum reconstruction using short next-generation sequencing reads. ViQuaS is based on a novel reference-assisted de novo assembly algorithm for constructing local haplotypes. A significantly extended version of an existing global strain reconstruction algorithm is also used.

Results: Benchmarking results showed that ViQuaS outperformed three other previously published methods named ShoRAH, QuRe and PredictHaplo, with improvements of at least 3.1–53.9% in recall, 0–12.1% in precision and 0–38.2% in F-score in terms of strain sequence assembly and improvements of at least 0.006–0.143 in KL-divergence and 0.001–0.035 in root mean-squared error in terms of strain frequency estimation, over the next-best algorithm under various simulation settings. We also applied ViQuaS on a real read set derived from an in vitro human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 population, two independent datasets of foot-and-mouth-disease virus derived from the same biological sample and a real HIV-1 dataset and demonstrated better results than other methods available.

Availability and implementation:  http://sourceforge.net/projects/viquas/

Contact:  d.jayasundara@student.unimelb.edu.au

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
R/qtlcharts: interactive graphics for quantitative trait locus mapping
Authors: Broman Karl W.
Published: November 2014

Every data visualization can be improved with some level of interactivity. Interactive graphics hold particular promise for the exploration of high-dimensional data. R/qtlcharts is an R package to create interactive graphics for experiments to map quantitative trait loci (QTL; genetic loci that influence quantitative traits). R/qtlcharts serves as a companion to the R/qtl package, providing interactive versions of R/qtl’s static graphs, as well as additional interactive graphs for the exploration of high-dimensional genotype and phenotype data.
Capacitive detection of organic vapours at low ppm level by porous silicon: role of molecular structure in sensing mechanism
Authors: Hasan P.M.Z. , Islam Sheikh S. , Islam Tarikul , Azam Ameer , Harsh
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the dependence of capacitive sensing of organic vapours by porous silicon (PS) on its molecular structure for the realization of a organic vapour sensor, compatible with existing silicon technology, with desired miniaturization and selectivity.

Design/methodology/approach

The method introduces large surface area of PS obtained by electrochemically etching of silicon wafer for characterization of organic vapours through capacitive sensing.

Findings

The method provides a comparative study of sensor response for organic vapour molecules of different structures and leads to an insight into the sensing mechanism.

Research limitations/implications

The surface of PS has been stabilized by thermal oxidation process.

Practical implications

The method is useful for the development of a simple, cost‐effective sensor for selective gas analysis.

Originality/value

The result is an outcome of regular experimental work carried out to observe the capacitive sensing behavior of PS for different organic vapours.
Tomorrow’s Packaging – Chip Scale Packaging vs Flip Chip
Authors: Boustedt K. , Vardaman E.J.
Published: November 2014

The
electronics packaging industry is debating whether CSP, Chip Scale Packaging, or flip chip is
going to become the major alternative for future products. The user wants more functionality
and portability at an ever increasing speed and the need for denser packaging is becoming
urgent. The issue of acquiring adequate circuit boards is pressing. However, the comparison
between CSP and flip chip is not straightforward, since many CSPs are really flip chips in
small packages. CSPs therefore, do not compare with flip chip on board but with packaged die.
Staff experiences of working in crisis resolution and home treatment
Authors: Freeman Jon , Vidgen Andrew , Davies‐Edwards Ellen
Published: November 2014

Purpose

This paper seeks to explore staff experiences of working in Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment (CRHT). There is a paucity of research in the area and a particular lack of in‐depth qualitative accounts of staff experiences with most research focused on output and outcomes of CRHTs, including inpatient admission and bed‐occupancy rates.

Design/methodology/approach

Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to investigate participants' experiences of working in this service context. Five CRHT workers were interviewed about their experiences, including the aspects of their work that they found enjoyable and those that they found stressful, and how they coped with challenges related to the work.

Findings

Three master themes, each with corresponding subordinate themes, emerged from the analysis. These were: “motivating factors”, “stressors” and “coping”. These findings indicated these subjective experiences emphasised the opportunities to make a difference and help service users and build therapeutic relationships. Perceived stressors were understood in the context of a complex service context, operational issues, responsibility for service users, and supervision and training needs.

Research limitations/implications

The implications of the research for CRHT staff are discussed as well as the limitations of this study.

Originality/value

This study offers a timely development in understanding the experiences of staff working in CRHTs.
Measuring brand performance through metrics application
Authors: Rajagopal
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the essential components of a brand metrics strategy and application of brand scorecard as an integrated approach to measure the overall performance of brands. Tools for brand performance measurement are integrated by firms into brand measurement systems, with new models for prioritizing the factors of brand influence introduced continuously. Hence, brands need to be periodically measured in terms of the impact on consumers, stimulating market demand, sustaining seasonality effects and exploring opportunities for proliferation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper determines the essential components of a brand metrics strategy conceptualizing the inter‐dependence of “Five‐A” factors which include awareness, acquaintance, association, allegiance and appraisal to measure the performance of brands. The application of a brand scorecard process as an integrated approach to measure the overall performance of brands is also discussed, explaining how different constituents of metrics can be linked to business performance.

Findings

Brand metrics are considered to be effective tools for measuring the qualitative parameters of brand performance in a given market and time, allowing the firm to measure the effectiveness of brand‐building activity in reference to brand investment (financial inputs) and brand impact (growth outputs) in the business. It is also argued in the paper that brand management is not just a marketing issue; it also directly affects corporate profitability. Effective brand portfolio management starts by creating a fact base about the equity in each brand and the brand's economic contribution.

Research limitations/implications

An effective brand measurement system helps businesses to understand how the brand is performing with the framework of customer values and against competing brands. This is a simple and effective tool of measuring brand performance in the market woven around the principle of pooling quantitative variables in various combinations in the metrics. It is important for a firm to understand relationships between brand perception, brand performance and financial impact, to work within the brand metrics process.

Practical implications

Application of brand metrics and brand scorecard would be useful for the managers to conduct analysis of brand metrics for mapping yield‐loss score in reference to brands gained versus brands lost. The metrics tools help in measuring the impact of various market drivers such as demand, consumer preferences, retail sales, brand promotion, price sensitivity, product attributes, trial effects and repeat purchase behavior of consumers on the performance of brands.

Originality/value

Brand metrics is a new concept and plays a major role in measuring the performance of brand in the market and applications of brand scorecard helps the process of determining the brand yield.
The Admiral Nurse Academy: a clinical academic pathway to support a specialist dementia nursing service
Authors: Hibberd Penny
Published: November 2014

Purpose

This paper seeks to provide an overview of The Admiral Nurse Academy, which provides a web‐based resource for the clinical and academic development of all admiral nurses. Its role is to: facilitate changes to practice development and group supervision; support knowledge development and learning and regulate the Admiral Nurse Induction Programme. The introduction of the Admiral Nurse Competency Framework in 2003 marked its beginning.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides background on the development and role of Admiral Nursing and an overview of The Admiral Nurse Academy in providing training.

Findings

The need for Admiral Nurses to develop a transparent framework of regulating their practice and learning is consistent both with developments in nursing more widely and with recent UK policy emphasis on enhancing the quality of the dementia care workforce. In addition to offering a clinical and academic pathway tailored to each Admiral Nurse, the academy offers a route for those practicing at an advanced level to ensure their clinical expertise and leadership skills are commensurate with master's level qualifications. Dementia UK promotes and maintains the business development of admiral nursing. A senior Admiral Nurse group maintains and oversees the academy.

Originality/value

At a time when public sector resources are shrinking whilst demands on care services and calls for improved care quality are increasing, The Admiral Nurse Academy offers a timely reminder of the importance of practice development for specialist nurses working with people with dementia and their family carers wherever they may be in the service system and whatever their level of need.
Monitoring Reverse Logistics Programs: A Roadmap to Sustainable Development in Emerging Markets
Authors: Glenn Richey R. , Tokman Mert , Wright Robert E. , Harvey Michael G.
Published: November 2014

This manuscript develops a reverse logistics monitoring system for controlling reverse flows of materials through marketing channels in emerging economies. Institutional theory is incorporated to show that both positive and negative impacts on environmental sustainability can be predicted. A partner control framework and scales are then developed for use by managers and researchers in furthering their understanding of the effective management of global reverse logistic networks
Romantic Relationships in Organizations: A Test of a Model of Formation and Impact Factors
Authors: Pierce Charles A. , Aguinis Herman
Published: November 2014

We obtained questionnaire data from 465 employees to test a model containing hypothesized formation and impact factors from Pierce, Byrne, and Aguinis’s (1996) conceptual model of workplace romance. As predicted, results indicate that (a) employees’ attitudes toward romance and sexual intimacy at work and levels of perceived job autonomy are positively associated with their participation in a workplace romance; and (b) employees’ participation in a workplace romance is positively associated with their levels of job satisfaction and, to a lesser degree, organizational commitment. Employees’ participation in a workplace romance was not, however, predictive of their levels of job performance or intrinsic work motivation. We discuss implications for future workplace romance research.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Entrepreneurial Collaborations
Authors: Garvis Dennis M. , Duane Ireland R. , Zahra Shaker A.
Published: November 2014

Increasingly, companies are using alliances and joint ventures to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. These collaborations are voluntary arrangements between two or more firms that exchange, share, bundle, and create resources in pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities. This paper proposes that the innovativeness and risk characteristics of these entrepreneurial collaborations significantly influence the outcomes that partner firms realize. Furthermore, interfirm trust works to moderate the effects of these characteristics and allows partners to effectively manage these arrangements. Using data from a sample of alliances and joint ventures engaged in new product development in the telecommunications, medical, and electronics industries, we empirically test the effects of these characteristics on partner satisfaction and partnership success.
A Methodological Approach to Studying the Fit Between Commitment Management and Competitive Strategy
Authors: Roca‐Puig Vicente , Belen Escrig Tena Ana , Carlos Bou Llusar Juan
Published: November 2014

This work develops a new methodological process that attempts to test the contingent and universalistic arguments regarding the influence of human resources management on firm performance. Using moderator regression analysis, we analyze how economic results associated with a policy of human resources management committed to employees depend on the strategic profile adopted by the company. The results obtained support the contingent proposition, since competitive strategy moderates both the intensity and the direction of this effect. In addition, it is shown that commitment management is especially beneficial when a cost focus strategy is adopted.
Organizational Commitment: Toward a Different Understanding of the Ways People Feel Attached to Their Organizations
Authors: Rego Arménio , Leite Regina , Carvalho Teresa , Freire Carla , Vieira Armando
Published: November 2014

This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the three‐dimensional model of organizational commitment proposed by Meyer and Allen (e.g., 1991). It focuses on whether continuance commitment should be considered one‐dimensional or bidimensional (low alternatives; high sacrifices). Whether affective commitment should be divided into two components (affective commitment; future in common) or if it should remain as a one‐dimensional construct is also discussed. The paper also considers a “new” factor identified by Rego (2003), which he named “psychological absence”, but which we denominated here as accommodating commitment. Besides the confirmatory factor analysis, the paper shows how four dimensions of organizational justice (distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational) explain organizational commitment. The sample comprises 366 individuals from 22 organizations operating in Portugal. The predictive value of the justice perceptions for both instrumental commitment components is quite weak, despite ranging from 25 per cent to 36 per cent for the other components. Procedural and interpersonal justice are the main predictors. The accommodating dimension improves the fit indices of the factorial model, but its meaning is not clear. It is also not clear whether one should consider it as a new component of commitment or whether its items should be removed from the measuring instruments. The findings suggest that some gains can be achieved in the partition of the affective and instrumental commitment, but further research is necessary to clarify the issue.
Elastodynamic response of thermoelastic diffusion due to inclined load
Authors: Sharma Nidhi , Kumar Rajneesh , Ram Paras
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The paper's aim is to investigate a two‐dimensional deformation of homogeneous, anisotropic generalized thermoelastic diffusion as a result of an inclined load by applying Laplace and Fourier transforms. The inclined load is assumed to be a linear combination of a normal load and a tangential load.

Design/methodology/approach

As an application, concentrated and distributed loads have been taken to illustrate the utility of the approach. The transformed solutions are inverted numerically, using a numerical inversion technique.

Findings

The variations of normal displacement, temperature distribution and chemical potential distribution due to different sources for different angle of inclinations with distance have been shown graphically to depict the effect of diffusion and anisotropy. A special case is also deduced from the present investigation.

Originality/value

It can contribute to the theoretical consideration of the seismic and volcanic sources since it can account for the deformation fields in the entire volume surrounding the sources region.
State of the Art Review of Engineering Materials Selection Methods
Authors: Sapuan S.M. , Mujtaba I.M. , Wright C.S.
Published: November 2014

In this paper, a review of materials selection methods is presented. It initially discusses the importance of materials selection in various fields of scientific study particularly in engineering design. Various tools and methods for the selection of materials are reviewed. These include materials handbook, materials data‐bases, materials selection charts, artificial intelligence systems, and other computeraided materials selection systems.
The impact of trial on technology adoption: the case of mobile TV
Authors: Soscia Isabella , Arbore Alessandro , Hofacker Charles F.
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at television delivered to a mobile device, in order to better understand the adoption of such services. The research focuses on the role of trial in new technology‐based services adoption. The authors hypothesize that trial increases both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, and that it is especially effective with women.

Design/methodology/approach

A field experiment was conducted to test the hypotheses of the study. A two group independent groups design was used to manipulate product trial, while the other variables were measured by questionnaire.

Findings

The authors' empirical results reveal that product trial positively impacts perceived ease of use, but not perceived usefulness. It is also shown that the relationship between product trial and ease of use is stronger for females than for males. Moreover, product trial, working through perceived ease of use, influences the intention to adopt the new technology.

Practical implications

In many cases where a service is provided by software, the cost of offering a trial is quite modest and management ought to give it serious thought as a promotional tactic.

Social implications

Our research suggests that trial can be quite efficacious with women: it could help to increase confidence in consumers' ability to use new technologies.

Originality/value

While numerous researchers have studied the impact of communication on adopting new technology‐based services, the present studies emphasize that product trial is a key yet underutilized – and understudied – marketing tactic for such services.
Managing continuity and change: a new approach for strategizing in e‐government
Authors: Nasim Saboohi , Sushil
Published: November 2014

Purpose

Managing e‐government is invariably managing change. Despite plethora of literature on change management, the rate of success of e‐government projects is dismal, especially in developing countries. Deriving from strategy and change management literature, this paper seeks to present a new approach to strategize for better change outcomes in e‐government domain. A new construct of “continuity” is introduced and proposed to be managed concurrently with change forces to attain better delivery of strategic deliverables in e‐government projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Continuity and change forces affecting e‐government domain identified from the literature are statistically validated by conducting an “idea engineering” exercise. For this response from e‐government experts to a structured questionnaire is elicited to validate the forces, which are further modeled in the strategic framework proposed.

Findings

Drawing from strategy and change management literature, it is hypothesized that “managing change in e‐government can be better leveraged by consciously and concurrently managing continuity”. Based on expert survey, out of the initial six continuity and eight change forces proposed, only one continuity force has been dropped and the rest are further modeled in the framework. Propositions for future research and implications for policy makers and implementers are highlighted.

Practical implications

Given the low rate of success of e‐government initiatives, especially in developing countries, this framework may serve as an important approach to strategizing in e‐government domain and may be of value to not just the policy makers but also to other stakeholders like project planners, implementers and also the beneficiaries.

Originality/value

The value of this paper lies in the application of the concept of strategic management of continuity and change in e‐government domain; identification of continuity and change forces in e‐government; and proposing a model linking the “constructs of continuity and change” forces with strategic deliverables of e‐government.
AN HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE EARLY DEBATE ON CONSUMER'S SURPLUS THEORY
Authors: BUTTON K.J.
Published: November 2014

Consumer's surplus now plays an important role in public sector investment analysis (notably social cost‐benefit analysis) and is central to much of modern welfare economic theory. Despite this it is still a topic of considerable controversy and debate; indeed few concepts in the recent history of economic thought have aroused such a diversity of opinion. It must be almost unique, for example, for two Nobel laureates in the same discipline to take diametrically opposed positions over the importance of a basic method of measurement in their own subject. We find, however, Sir John Hicks arguing that ‘if economists are to play their part in shaping the canons of economic policy fit for a new age, they will have to build on the foundations of consumer's surplus’ whilst on the contrary Paul Samuelson dismisses the concept as being of ‘historical and doctrinal interest with a limited amount of appeal as a purely mathematical puzzle’.
RECENT PROGRESS TOWARDS A THEORY OF TELEOGENIC SYSTEMS
Authors: LOCKER A. , COULTER N.A.
Published: November 2014

From the point of view of goals to be pursued, three kinds of system can be distinguished: (1) the teleonomic (or goal determined) system, which acts according to fixed goals, (2) the teleozetic (or goal selecting) system, which is able to choose among a repertoire of goals and (3) the teleogenic (or goal generating) system which is able to generate (previously non‐existing) goals for its own activity. The aim of the paper is to explore the possibility for the existence (i.e. realization) of such systems. Therefore, the problems arising with systems description and prescription are outlined and some distinctions regarding goals and different modes of teleogenesis are proposed. After a hint at preliminary mathematical models and computer simulations the realization problem is briefly examined.