bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental demonstration of line-width modulation in plasmonic lithography using a solid immersion lens-based active nano-gap control
Authors: Lee Won-Sup , Kim Taeseob , Choi Guk-Jong , Lim Geon , Joe Hang-Eun , Gang Myeong-Gu , Moon Hyungbae , Kim Do-Hyung , Min Byung-Kwon , Park Young-Pil , Park No-Cheol
Published: February 2015

Plasmonic lithography has been used in nanofabrication because of its utility beyond the diffraction limit. The resolution of plasmonic lithography depends on the nano-gap between the nanoaperture and the photoresist surface—changing the gap distance can modulate the line-width of the pattern. In this letter, we demonstrate solid-immersion lens based active non-contact plasmonic lithography, applying a range of gap conditions to modulate the line-width of the pattern. Using a solid-immersion lens-based near-field control system, the nano-gap between the exit surface of the nanoaperture and the media can be actively modulated and maintained to within a few nanometers. The line-widths of the recorded patterns using 15- and 5-nm gaps were 47 and 19.5 nm, respectively, which matched closely the calculated full-width at half-maximum. From these results, we conclude that changing the nano-gap within a solid-immersion lens-based plasmonic head results in varying line-width patterns.
Growth-induced electron mobility enhancement at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface
Authors: Fête A. , Cancellieri C. , Li D. , Stornaiuolo D. , Caviglia A. D. , Gariglio S. , Triscone J.-M.
Published: February 2015

We have studied the electronic properties of the 2D electron liquid present at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface in series of samples prepared at different growth temperatures. We observe that interfaces fabricated at 650 °C exhibit the highest low temperature mobility (≈10 000 cm2 V−1 s−1) and the lowest sheet carrier density (≈5×1012 cm−2). These samples show metallic behavior and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in their magnetoresistance. Samples grown at higher temperatures (800–900 °C) display carrier densities in the range of ≈2−5×1013 cm−2 and mobilities of ≈1000 cm2 V−1 s−1 at 4 K. Reducing their carrier density by field effect to 8×1012 cm−2 lowers their mobilities to ≈50 cm2 V−1 s−1 bringing the conductance to the weak-localization regime.
Bubble generation and mechanism in polydimethylsiloxane based polymerase chain reaction chip
Authors: Chen Jingdong , Chen Di , Xie Yao , Chen Xiang , Wang Kan , Cui Daxiang , Du Hangxiang , Wang Zhigang
Published: February 2015

In order to explain the mechanism of bubble generation in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), we investigated the crucial factors: the surface wettability and permeability of PDMS. Two microfluidic chips were designed and fabricated: a PDMS/glass chip and a glass/PDMS/glass sandwich chip (about 1 μm in thickness of PDMS). Then, two sets of experiments were carried out: a comparison between the PDMS/glass chips untreated and treated with O2 plasma, and another comparison between a PDMS/glass chip and a glass/PDMS/glass sandwich chip. The bubble in the PDMS/glass chip was avoided by treating with O2 plasma. After the treatment, the residual gas between the PDMS surface and water was eliminated in that the PDMS surface became hydrophilic. In addition, the gas molecules required higher energy to enter the chambers due to the reduced contact angle of PDMS and water. The glass/PDMS/glass sandwich chip was treated with the vacuum processing to eliminate the residual gas. And the gas outside of the chip did not enter the chambers through the thin layer of PDMS easily. This further verified that the surface wettability and the permeability of PDMS can result in the bubble generation.
Structure and morphology of Ge nanowires on Si (001): Importance of the Ge islands on the growth direction and twin formation
Authors: Boudaa F. , Blanchard N. P. , Descamps-Mandine A. , Benamrouche A. , Gendry M. , Penuelas J.
Published: February 2015

Understanding and controlling the structural properties of Ge nanowires are important for their current and future use in technological applications. In this study, the initial stages of the heteroepitaxial growth of Ge nanowires on Si(001) via the Au catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method are investigated. We observe a Ge island located at the base of each nanowire. We propose that these islands are formed by the VLS mechanism and initiate the nanowire growth. Analysis of the islands morphology helps to explain the 〈011〉 growth direction commonly observed for Ge nanowires. Moreover, our observations provide an insight into the formation of twins that propagate along the growth direction.
Transparent and transferrable organic optoelectronic devices based on WO3/Ag/WO3 electrodes
Authors: Qi Zhe , Cao Jiamin , Ding Liming , Wang Jizheng
Published: February 2015

With a thin metal film inserted between two oxide layers, the WO3/Ag/WO3 (WAW) multilayer structure owns both high transmittance and high conductivity. By carefully optimizing Ag film thickness, WAW shows high average transmittance of 82.5% in 400–750 nm range and low sheet resistance of 20 Ω/sq. Employing such WAW electrodes, transparent organic photodetectors are fabricated, and with help of a polyacrylonitrile protective layer, the devices can be smartly separated and transferred onto other substrates while maintaining their performances well. Moreover, transferrable organic solar cells are also realized with such transparent WAW electrodes.
Electronic structure of (Ca0.85La0.15)FeAs2
Authors: Liu Z.-H. , Kim T. K. , Sala A. , Ogino H. , Shimoyama J. , Büchner B. , Borisenko S. V.
Published: February 2015

We report a comprehensive study of orbital character and tridimensional nature of the electronic structure of (Ca0.85La0.15)FeAs2 from recently discovered “112” family of Iron-based superconductors (IBS), with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We observed that the band structure is similar to that of “122” family, namely, there are three hole-like bands at the Brillouin zone (BZ) center and two electron-like bands at the BZ corner. The bands near the Fermi level (EF) are mainly derived from the Fe t2g orbitals. On the basis of our present and earlier studies, we classify IBS into the three types according to their crystal structures. We show that although the bands near EF mainly originate from Fe 3d electrons, they are significantly modified by the interaction between the superconducting slabs and the intermediate atoms.
Broad temperature range study of Jc and Hirr anisotropy in YBa2Cu3Ox thin films containing either Y2O3 nanoparticles or stacking faults
Authors: Xu Aixia , Jaroszynski Jan , Kametani Fumitake , Larbalestier David
Published: February 2015

Industrially optimized coated conductors generate very high current densities Jc and irreversibility field Hirr by quasi-empirical additions of multiple pin types. However, their microstructural complexity makes it hard to securely explain all aspects of their properties. We here describe the properties of two specially grown pulsed laser deposited YBa2Cu3Ox thin films with simpler pinning landscapes, for which we conducted detailed Jc(T, H, θ) and Hirr(T, H, θ) characterizations from 10 K to Tc, and in magnetic fields up to 31 T. One film has a random insulating Y2O3 nanoparticle distribution, while the second was grown with many ab-plane stacking faults. As a whole, the Y2O3-containing sample shows significantly higher Jc(θ) at all temperatures, except around the ab-plane at greater than 40 K. Consistent with our earlier studies of the effect of BaZrO3 (BZO) nanorods in commercial coated conductors, we find that there is significant additional Jc at low temperatures when insulating precipitates with strain mismatch are present that we attribute to point defect pinning that can resist thermal fluctuations only below about 30 K. In addition to this significantly enhanced low temperature Jc, the Y2O3-containing thin film also exhibits significantly reduced effective Ginzburg-Landau (G-L) anisotropy parameter fits for Hirr(θ), which fall to γeff ≈ 3.6 from the more usual γeff ≈ 5 in the stacking-fault containing thin film. Of significant practical importance is our finding that the Y2O3 containing film achieved a bulk flux pinning force density Fp of 1000 GN/m3 at 16 T and 4.2 K, a value about 30% larger than the mixed BZO-RE2O3 pin coated conductors which are presently the state of the art.
A Wildfire-relevant climatology of the convective environment of the United States
Authors: Potter Brian E. , Anaya Matthew A.
Published: February 2015

Convective instability can influence the behaviour of large wildfires. Because wildfires modify the temperature and moisture of air in their plumes, instability calculations using ambient conditions may not accurately represent convective potential for some fire plumes. This study used the North American Regional Reanalysis to develop a climatology of the convective environment specifically tied to large fire events. The climatology is based on the period 1979–2009 and includes ambient convective available potential energy (CAPE) as well as values when surface air is warmed by 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 K or moistened by 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 g kg–1. Results for the 2.0 K and 2.0 g kg–1 modifications are presented. The results reveal spatial and seasonal patterns of convective sensitivity to added heat or moisture. The patterns suggest that use of ambient CAPE to estimate the potential plume growth of a large wildfire may underestimate that potential in heat- or moisture-sensitive regions.
Two-photon brightness of azobenzene photoswitches designed for glutamate receptor optogenetics
Authors: Carroll Elizabeth C. , Berlin Shai , Levitz Joshua , Kienzler Michael A. , Yuan Zhe , Madsen Dorte , Larsen Delmar S. , Isacoff Ehud Y.
Published: February 2015

Significance

MAGs (maleimide-azobenzene-glutamate) are photoswitches that covalently bind to genetically engineered glutamate receptors (GluRs) and, under the control of light, mimic or block the action of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. However the blue and near-UV light that optimally photoswitch MAGs do not penetrate well into the brain. In this paper, we show how MAGs can instead be photoswitched by two-photon (2P) absorption of near-infrared light, which penetrates deeper into tissue. We demonstrate 2P control of MAG-dependent ionic currents in neurons, and synthesize a new MAG photoswitch to enable 2P activation of a G protein coupled receptor signaling cascade through a metabotropic GluR. These optogenetic tools bring exceptional spatiotemporal resolution and pharmacological specificity to the study of synaptic transmission and plasticity in intact neural circuits.
Bulldozers, homes and highways: Nairobi and the right to the city
Authors: Manji Ambreena
Published: February 2015

In Kenya road building, widely viewed as an ‘unqualified human good’, is closely linked to an ‘Africa Rising’ narrative. In this paper the author argues that road building is an attempt to assert political authority derived from a longstanding developmentalist impulse, one in which private accumulation and spectacular public works go hand in hand. In light of massive infrastructural transformations, the author develops a conceptualisation of the right to the city: what is needed is a radical understanding of the city and its potentialities that wrests control of the idea away from a bureaucratic vision, and imbues it instead with collective meaning.
Different means of protest, same causes: popular struggles in Burkina Faso
Authors: Engels Bettina
Published: February 2015

The article examines the relationship of riots to more organised and sustained protests by trade unions and other established oppositional organisations. It focuses on protests related to the 2007–2008 food and fuel price crisis. In a case study on Burkina Faso, actors, means and achievements of the popular struggles are analysed. It is argued that protests by the trade unions on the one side and riots on the other relate to one another. Both present struggles by different segments of the popular classes that sometimes use different means but emerge from the same structural causes and address the same problem.
How Berlusconi will be remembered: notoriety, collective memory and the mediatisation of posterity
Authors: Gundle Stephen
Published: February 2015

This article explores the ways in which Silvio Berlusconi might figure in collective memory. It approaches this from a number of angles. First, consideration is given to the way political figures of the past have resonated culturally and the role of institutions including the mass media in this. Second, Berlusconi's own efforts to situate himself in relation to a shared past are explored, with reference to the place of three nostalgic appeals that figured with varying intensity at different points in his career. Third, Berlusconian aesthetics are investigated to explore the relative roles of kitsch and glamour. It is shown that kitsch gained the upper hand and that this also manifested itself in the monarchical aspects that his personality cult took on. Finally, Berlusconi is considered as a possible subject for a biopic and a discussion is offered of the way his life and career might be presented in different variants of this genre. Overall, it is suggested that expectations that he will be damned by history fail to take account both of the way he imposed himself on the collective consciousness and of the generic requirements of the mass media.
Silvio Berlusconi and the Italian presidency: accordions, triangles and constitutional change
Authors: Furlong Paul
Published: February 2015

This article considers the changed role of the Italian presidency and the impact and legacy of Silvio Berlusconi on this. After consideration of some of the methodological difficulties raised by these issues, the article looks at the role of the presidency up to 1992, when the presidency was interpreted in narrow terms set by the framers of the 1948 constitution and by the predominance of the party leaders of the period over the political direction of the State. The article considers how presidents from Sandro Pertini (1978–85) on, sought in different ways to expand the political role of their office. The article analyses the different ways that Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Giorgio Napolitano used their formal and informal powers both to maintain the status of the office and to promote political goals, and concludes with an assessment of the likely long-term impact of these changes and of Berlusconi's role in them.
‘Berlusconi's Italy’: the media between structure and agency
Authors: Padovani Cinzia
Published: February 2015

In this article, I explore the conditions of the media in Italy by taking into consideration a variety of elements: the context of media legislation and media concentration that have favoured the interests of Silvio Berlusconi, and the role of progressive agency (media professionals, citizens' groups) as they worked within those constraints to keep alive the flames of democracy during the ‘Berlusconi era’. This perspective is intended to provide an alternative interpretation to what has become the prevailing view of contemporary Italy: an ‘abnormal’ country; the ‘Sick Man of Europe’; worse yet: a country of ‘servants’. The framework of analysis includes the influence of the media-magnate-turned-politician on media legislation and the television sector, but also evaluates the important roles that media professionals and citizens have played to improve pluralism. The article argues that despite extreme levels of media concentration and an unprecedented conflict of interests, a commitment to engage in political discourse has continued to characterise Italy's political culture. This commitment has been expressed by a multiplicity of actors, from journalists and media professionals to citizens' organisations and media activists.
Characterizing upper-ocean mixing and its effect on the spring phytoplankton bloom with in situ data
Authors: Brody Sarah R. , Lozier M. Susan
Published: February 2015

Since publication, the Sverdrup hypothesis, that phytoplankton are uniformly distributed within the ocean mixed layer and bloom once the ocean warms and stratifies in spring, has been the conventional explanation of subpolar phytoplankton spring bloom initiation. Recent studies have sought to differentiate between the actively mixing section of the upper ocean and the uniform-density mixed layer, arguing, as Sverdrup implied, that decreases in active mixing drive the spring bloom. In this study, we use in situ data to investigate the characteristics and depth of active mixing in both buoyancy- and wind-driven regimes and explore the idea that the shift from buoyancy-driven to wind-driven mixing in the late winter or early spring creates the conditions necessary for blooms to begin. We identify the bloom initiation based on net rates of biomass accumulation and relate changes in the depth of active mixing to changes in biomass depth profiles. These analyses support the idea that decreases in the depth of active mixing, a result of the transition from buoyancy-driven to wind-driven mixing, control the timing of the spring bloom.
SMT19969 for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI): in vivo efficacy compared with fidaxomicin and vancomycin in the hamster model of CDI
Authors: Sattar Abdul , Thommes Pia , Payne Lloyd , Warn Peter , Vickers Richard J.
Published: February 2015

Objectives

SMT19969 is a novel narrow-spectrum antimicrobial under development for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). The objectives were to assess the relative efficacies of SMT19969, vancomycin and fidaxomicin in the hamster model of CDI.

Methods

Hamsters were infected with either C. difficile BI1 (ribotype 027) or C. difficile 630 (ribotype 012) prior to treatment with vehicle, SMT19969, fidaxomicin or vancomycin for 5 days. Animals were further monitored through to day 28 and survival recorded. Plasma and gastrointestinal concentrations of SMT19969 following single and repeat administration in infected hamsters were determined.

Results

Following infection with C. difficile BI1, treatment with SMT19969, vancomycin and fidaxomicin resulted in 100% survival during the 5 day dosing period, with 90%–100% of animals receiving SMT19969 and fidaxomicin surviving during the post-dosing follow-up period. Whilst protective during treatment, onset of mortality was observed on day 11 in animals treated with vancomycin, with a 10% survival recorded by day 28. Similar results were observed for SMT19969 and vancomycin following infection with C. difficile 630, with day 28 survival rates of 80%–100% and 0%, respectively. Fidaxomicin protected animals infected with C. difficile 630 from mortality during dosing, although day 28 survival rates varied from 0% to 40% depending on dose. Plasma levels of SMT19969 were typically below the limit of quantification, but levels in the gastrointestinal tract remained far in excess of the MIC.

Conclusions

These data show that SMT19969 is highly effective at treating both acute infection and preventing recurrent disease and support continued investigation of SMT19969 as a potential therapy for CDI.
Low HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance in Bulgaria against a background of high clade diversity
Authors: Alexiev Ivailo , Shankar Anupama , Wensing A. M. J. , Beshkov Danail , Elenkov Ivaylo , Stoycheva Mariyana , Nikolova Daniela , Nikolova Maria , Switzer William M.
Published: February 2015

Objectives

To determine transmitted drug resistance (TDR) and HIV-1 genetic diversity in Bulgaria.

Methods

The prevalence of TDR and HIV-1 subtypes was determined in 305/1446 (21.1%) persons newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS from 1988 to 2011. TDR mutations (TDRMs) in protease and reverse transcriptase were defined using the WHO HIV drug mutation list. Phylogenetic analysis was used to infer polymerase (pol) genotype.

Results

TDRMs were found in 16/305 (5.2%) persons, 11 (3.6%) with resistance to NRTIs, 5 (1.6%) with resistance to NNRTIs and 3 (0.9%) with resistance to PIs. Dual-class TDRMs were found in three (1.0%) patients and one statistically supported cluster of TDRMs comprising two individuals with subtype B infection. TDRMs were found in 10 heterosexuals, 4 MSM and two intravenous drug users. Phylogenetic analyses identified high HIV-1 diversity consisting of mostly subtype B (44.6%), subtype C (3.3%), sub-subtype A1 (2.6%), sub-subtype F1 (2.3%), sub-subtype A-like (3.6%), subtype G (0.3%), CRF14_BG (1.6%), CRF05_DF (1.3%), CRF03_AB (0.3%) and unique recombinant forms (1.3%).

Conclusions

We found a low prevalence of TDR against a background of high HIV-1 genetic diversity among antiretroviral-naive patients in Bulgaria. Our results provide baseline data on TDR and support continued surveillance of high-risk populations in Bulgaria to better target treatment and prevention efforts.
Impact of Decentralized Care and the Xpert MTB/RIF Test on Rifampicin-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Initiation in Khayelitsha, South Africa
Authors: Cox Helen S. , Daniels Johnny F. , Muller Odelia , Nicol Mark P. , Cox Vivian , van Cutsem Gilles , Moyo Sizulu , De Azevedo Virginia , Hughes Jennifer
Published: February 2015

Background.  Globally, case detection and treatment access are poor for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB). The Xpert MTB/RIF test has the potential to increase detection and reduce time to treatment (TTT). However, these benefits are dependent on health system capacity to provide treatment.

Methods.  We retrospectively assessed the impact of Xpert on treatment initiation and TTT in the context of decentralized RR-TB care in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, using routine programmatic data. Community-based treatment was introduced progressively from 2008. Before 2007, diagnosis relied on phenotypic resistance (culture). During 2007–2008, the line probe assay (LPA) was introduced, followed by Xpert in 2012.

Results.  Before decentralization (2003–2006), median TTT was 71 days (interquartile range [IQR], 49–134; n = 158). The LPA introduction during 2007–2008 was associated with reduced median TTT from 76 to 50 days (P < .0001, n = 257). Between January 2009 and June 2013, 938 RR-TB cases were diagnosed (74% human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]-infected). Decentralization during 2008–2011 was associated with declining TTT (P < .0001, test for trend), a decline to 28 days in 2011 (IQR, 16–40; n = 173). Xpert was associated with a further reduction to 8 days in 2013 (IQR, 5–25; n = 89; P < .0001). Treatment initiation remained unchanged with Xpert and was lower among HIV-infected (2010–2013); 87.9% (445 of 506) compared with 96.9% (188 of 194) for HIV-uninfected (P < .0001) patients.

Conclusions.  Improved case detection and rapid treatment initiation are required to interrupt transmission and reduce mortality. In this setting, decentralization was associated with high treatment initiation and reduced TTT. Xpert implementation significantly enhanced the reduction in TTT and has the potential to reduce transmission.
Unique fur and skin structure in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)—thermal insulation, drag reduction, or both?
Authors: Erdsack Nicola , Dehnhardt Guido , Witt Martin , Wree Andreas , Siebert Ursula , Hanke Wolf
Published: February 2015

Vertebrate surface structures, including mammalian skin and hair structures, have undergone various modifications during evolution in accordance with functional specializations. Harbour seals rely on their vibrissal system for orientation and foraging. To maintain tactile sensitivity even at low temperatures, the vibrissal follicles are heated up intensely, which could cause severe heat loss to the environment. We analysed skin samples of different body parts of harbour seals, and expected to see higher hair densities at the vibrissal pads as a way to reduce heat loss. In addition to significantly higher hair densities around the vibrissae than on the rest of the body, we show a unique fur structure of hair bundles consisting of broad guard hairs along with hairs of a new type, smaller than guard hairs but broader than underhairs, which we defined as ‘intermediate hairs’. This fur composition has not been reported for any mammal so far and may serve for thermal insulation as well as drag reduction. Furthermore, we describe a scale-like skin structure that also presumably plays a role in drag reduction.
Altered retinoic acid signalling underpins dentition evolution
Authors: Gibert Yann , Samarut Eric , Pasco-Viel Emmanuel , Bernard Laure , Borday-Birraux Véronique , Sadier Alexa , Labbé Catherine , Viriot Laurent , Laudet Vincent
Published: February 2015

Small variations in signalling pathways have been linked to phenotypic diversity and speciation. In vertebrates, teeth represent a reservoir of adaptive morphological structures that are prone to evolutionary change. Cyprinid fish display an impressive diversity in tooth number, but the signals that generate such diversity are unknown. Here, we show that retinoic acid (RA) availability influences tooth number size in Cyprinids. Heterozygous adult zebrafish heterozygous for thecyp26b1mutant that encodes an enzyme able to degrade RA possess an extra tooth in the ventral row. Expression analysis of pharyngeal mesenchyme markers such asdlx2aandlhx6shows lateral, anterior and dorsal expansion of these markers in RA-treated embryos, whereas the expression of the dental epithelium markersdlx2banddlx3bis unchanged. Our analysis suggests that changes in RA signalling play an important role in the diversification of teeth in Cyprinids. Our work illustrates that through subtle changes in the expression of rate-limiting enzymes, the RA pathway is an active player of tooth evolution in fish.
Exoconformers ofN-(pyridin-2-yl)- andN-(pyridin-3-yl)norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide crystals
Authors: Vazquez-Vuelvas Oscar F. , Hernández-Madrigal Julia V. , Pineda-Contreras Armando , Hernández-Ortega Simón , Reyes-Martínez Reyna , Morales-Morales David
Published: February 2015

Two isomeric pyridine-substituted norbornenedicarboximide derivatives, namelyN-(pyridin-2-yl)-exo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide, (I), andN-(pyridin-3-yl)-exo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide, (II), both C14H12N2O4, have been crystallized and their structures unequivocally determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The molecules consist of norbornene moieties fused to a dicarboximide ring substituted at the N atom by either pyridin-2-yl or pyridin-3-yl in ananticonfiguration with respect to the double bond, thus affordingexoisomers. In both compounds, the asymmetric unit consists of two independent molecules (Z′ = 2). In compound (I), the pyridine rings of the two independent molecules adopt different conformations,i.e. synandanti, with respect to the methylene bridge. The intermolecular contacts of (I) are dominated by C—H...O interactions. In contrast, in compound (II), the pyridine rings of both molecules have ananticonformation and the two independent molecules are linked by carbonyl–carbonyl interactions, as well as by C—H...O and C—H...N contacts.
Caesium bis(5-bromosalicylaldehyde thiosemicarbazonato-κ3O,N,S)ferrate(III): supramolecular arrangement of low-spin FeIIIcomplex anions mediated by Cs+cations
Authors: Powell Robyn Elizabeth , Schwalbe Carl H. , Tizzard Graham J. , Koningsbruggen Petra J. van
Published: February 2015

The synthesis and crystal structure determination (at 293 K) of the title complex, Cs[Fe(C8H6BrN3OS)2], are reported. The compound is composed of two dianionicO,N,S-tridentate 5-bromosalicylaldehyde thiosemicarbazonate(2−) ligands coordinated to an FeIIIcation, displaying a distorted octahedral geometry. The ligands are orientated in two perpendicular planes, with the O- and S-donor atoms incispositions and the N-donor atoms intranspositions. The complex displays intermolecular N—H...O and N—H...Br hydrogen bonds, creatingR44(18) rings, which link the FeIIIunits in theaandbdirections. The FeIIIcation is in the low-spin state at 293 K.
Quality, productivity and business performance in home based brassware manufacturing units
Authors: Prasad Kapil Deo , Jha Sanjay Kumar , Prakash Anand
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper examines the ways in which the concepts of “quality”, “productivity” and “business performance” are dealt in the literature to exhibit that terms used within these fields are vaguely defined and poorly understood. The purpose of this paper is to define quality, productivity and business performance along with their linkages for home-based brassware manufacturing units.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper reviews related academic literature mostly since past ten years.

Findings

– This paper clarifies meaning and linkages of quality, productivity and business performance in home-based brassware manufacturing units.

Research limitations/implications

– The meaning and interpretations of quality, productivity and business performance may differ for other manufacturing units.

Practical implications

– This paper highlights determinants of quality, productivity and business performance using key performance areas as applied explicitly for home-based brassware manufacturing units. The systems approach has been applied to understand productivity.

Originality/value

– This paper creates terminologies that reduce the existing confusion with the field for applications in academia and brassware industry.
Measuring the benefits of tracking medical treatment through RFId
Authors: Gastaldi Luca , Mangiaracina Riccardo , Miragliotta Giovanni , Perego Alessandro , Tumino Angela
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– Radio frequency identification (RFId) technology has a great potential to improve process efficiency and effectiveness. However, because of the variety of application areas and achievable benefits, structured assessment models are needed to support managers in the adoption decision. The purpose of this paper is to describe a structured method to support the evaluation of the benefits enabled by RFId technology in medical treatment support in the healthcare industry. The method, and its application to an Italian case study, are deeply illustrated so as to increase the knowledge available to decision makers.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research underlying this paper has modelled the relationship between the technology and the performance driver of the target process, and then between the performance driver and the measurable key performance indicators of that process. This knowledge, focused on the healthcare industry but still quite general, has been formalised into 12 causal maps. Starting from these maps, a six-step procedure to prioritise the analysis, tailor the maps and adapt (or develop) analytical models to estimate the benefits is presented. The overall method and its application to an Italian case study are deeply illustrated so as to increase the open available knowledge to decision makers.

Findings

– The findings are twofold: first, the knowledge represented by the causal maps; and second, the findings of the case study, which shows that efficiency benefits can cover the operative expenses of RFId adoption, but need to be integrated with effectiveness benefits in order to fully justify the investment costs.

Originality/value

– The paper provides a contribution for both researchers and practitioners. As the former are concerned, the paper is a first attempt to fill the existing lack of structured approaches concerning the evaluation of potential benefits of RFId for product traceability within a healthcare facility. As for the latter, the presented method has been developed to practically support all those managers who are evaluating whether to adopt RFId technology in their organisation or not. This contribution has a relevant practicality, as it helps decision makers to address their decisions relying on a sound conceptual baseline, and on objective evaluations.
Perceptions and practices of innovation in retailing
Authors: Hristov Latchezar , Reynolds Jonathan
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purposes of this paper are to develop a more complete understanding both of the characteristics of innovation within retail firms and of the ways in which retailers perceive innovation and measure its effectiveness. Whilst there is a broad consensus that innovation is an application of new ideas that stimulate economic performance, the term attracts a wide range of interpretations that are largely contingent upon the context within which innovation occurs.

Design/methodology/approach

– These aims are achieved through analysis at the level of the firm by means of qualitative research in the form of a series of in-depth interviews with more than 50 senior retail executives and other industry experts internationally.

Findings

– The research results show that whilst retailers clearly recognise the important role of innovation for successful business performance, innovation in retailing nevertheless possesses a range of sector-specific meanings and measurement approaches that are distinct from more generic understandings of the phenomenon.

Originality/value

– Whilst the paper summarises relevant literatures and presents the results of the primary research it also sets out a number of novel conceptual frameworks, which seek better to categorise the perceived meanings of retail innovation and the measurement tools most frequently employed to determine innovation effectiveness in retail firms. The proposed frameworks facilitate future scholarly exploration but are also of use to practitioners as a means of better understanding the nature of innovation within their businesses.
How leaders influence followers through the use of nonverbal communication
Authors: Talley Linda , Temple Samuel
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to address the relationship between a leader’s use of nonverbal immediacy (specific hand gestures) and followers’ attraction to the leader. This study provides initial evidence that certain hand gestures are more effective than others at creating immediacy between leaders and followers.

Design/methodology/approach

– In an experimental study, participants (male=89; female=121) were shown one of three videos of an actor, as leader, using three positive hand gestures, three defensive hand gestures, and no hand gestures, which have not been previously operationalized (and were grouped arbitrarily by the experimenter). Three hypotheses were tested using a 3×2 ANOVA (by group and gender) for main and interactional effects.

Findings

– The independent variable, positive hand gestures (M=2.4), was perceived by participants as more immediate than the other two independent variables, defensive hand gestures (M=−19.2) or no hand gestures (M=−21.6). Analysis of data indicate that participants perceived leaders with no hand gestures and defensive hand gestures to be distant or non-immediate and the leader with positive hand gestures to be more immediate or attractive.

Research limitations/implications

– This study is limited as a pilot study establishing differences between specific hand gestures for the first time.

Practical implications

– The research provides initial evidence that the hand gestures arbitrarily defined as “positive” create more immediacy between the followers and the leader than usage of “negative” gestures and no gestures.

Social implications

– The current research can act as a motivator for leaders to fast forward relationships with followers through the use of specific hand gestures.

Originality/value

– The results suggest the possibility that some hand gestures are more effective than others.
Leadership style and the process of organizational change
Authors: Holten Ann-Louise , Brenner Sten Olof
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify processes which may contribute to followers’ positive reactions to change. By focusing on the relationship between change antecedents and explicit reactions, the authors investigate the direct and indirect relationships between leadership styles (transformational and transactional) and followers’ appraisal of change through manager engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using data from a longitudinal survey among 351 followers in two Danish organizations, the study tracked the planned implementation of team organization at two different times. Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

– Transformational and transactional leadership styles were positively related to the engagement of managers. Managers’ engagement was associated with followers’ appraisal of change. The two leadership styles also had a direct, long-term effect on followers’ change appraisal; positive for transformational leadership and negative for transactional leadership.

Practical implications

– The results have potential implications for change management, as followers’ change appraisal may be improved by developing managers’ leadership style and engagement.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to provide longitudinal evidence of the direct and indirect effects of leadership styles on followers’ change appraisal.
Performance appraisal systems in academic and research libraries in Ghana: a survey
Authors: Agyen-Gyasi Kwaku , Boateng Michael Sakyi
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to discuss the impact of performance appraisal on the productivity levels of professional and para-professional librarians in selected academic and research libraries in Ghana, namely, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Building and Road Research Institute, Crop Research Institute and the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Kumasi Polytechnic.

Design/methodology/approach

– Both primary and secondary sources of data were used for the study. The primary data involved the use of a structured questionnaire to 60 respondents, but 50 of them, representing 83.3 per cent, responded. This was supplemented by secondary sources such as records on file, journals, books and Internet sources.

Findings

– The survey revealed that these institutions practice performance appraisal on an annual basis as a way of promoting team work, reducing grievances, identifying employees’ strengths and weaknesses and their training needs. It was observed that these institutions do not have a common appraisal format for appraising their staff. Furthermore, only the Head Librarians carry out the appraisals instead of the Line Mangers who are always in touch with these employees on a daily basis.

Originality/value

– The paper will be of significant value to policymakers and administrators in academic and research institutions in the planning and implementation of performance appraisal systems. Challenges facing these institutions in implementing effective performance appraisal have been highlighted and appropriate recommendations have been made to ensure quality service delivery.
Micro perceptive on absorptive capacity in joint ICT project teams in Malaysia
Authors: Ojo Adedapo Oluwaseyi , Raman Murali
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to investigate the micro-antecedents of the multidimensional construct of absorptive capacity (ACAP) from the perspective of the individual characteristics underlying learning capability in joint project information and communications technology (ICT) teams. Specifically, the model proposes prior experience and learning goal orientations as the micro-antecedents and delineates ACAP into four dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach

– The context of study was the joint project teams, set up to facilitate the transfer of knowledge from expatriate to local employees in Malaysian ICT sector. Data collected through the cross-sectional survey of 205 local team members of joint ICT projects in Malaysia were analyzed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

– Individual’s prior experience and learning orientation were associated with the ability to assimilate and recognize the value of partner’s knowledge, respectively. Furthermore, the hypothesized relationships among the ACAP dimensions were supported, and the mediating effect of shared cognition was confirmed.

Research limitations/implications

– The use of cross-sectional and self-reported survey is a major limitation of this study.

Practical implications

– Managerial implications are offered on the selection of team members and designing the joint project team.

Originality/value

– This study demonstrates prior experience and learning orientation as antecedents of individuals’ learning capability, thereby extending extant conceptualization on the multifaceted nature of ACAP.
From value-based human resource practices to i-deals: software companies in Vietnam
Authors: Luu Tuan Trong , Rowley Chris
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– Idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) are employees’ proactive individualized negotiations with their employer for higher job autonomy corresponding to their competencies and values. The path to i-deals in the organization can commence with value-based human resource (HR) practices. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this path from value-based HR practices to i-deals through the mediating roles of corporate social responsibility (CSR), emotional intelligence (EI) and upward influence behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

– The hypothesized model was verified through the structural equation modeling-based analysis of cross-sectional data from 362 respondents from Vietnam-based software companies.

Findings

– Research findings found value-based HR practices as the starting point of the path to i-deals, in which consecutive crucial milestones are ethical CSR, EI and organizationally beneficial upward influence behaviors.

Originality/value

– I-deals literature, through this empirical inquiry, is further extended by discovering the socialized driving forces, such as CSR and EI, behind individualized i-deals.
Being pushed and pulled: a model of US HR professionals’ roles in bullying situations
Authors: Cowan Renee L. , Fox Suzy
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to clarify how human resource professionals (HRPs) in the United States (US) understand their roles in bullying situations and how they perceive others (targeted employees and senior management) understand their roles. It is important to understand these role expectations as HRPs are integral actors in bullying situations and are often evaluated negatively by those in bullying situations.

Design/methodology/approach

– Strauss
&
Corbin’s grounded theory approach was used to uncover HRPs role perceptions. Narrative and respondent in-depth interviews were conducted with HRPs and revealed an evolving HR role that clashed with perceived target and senior management role expectations.

Findings

– This research has revealed a theoretical model of the progressive role HRPs play in bullying situations. The authors discovered HRPs play several important roles in bullying situations and they link these roles in a temporal and situational manner. They first play the role of first, a trust listener; second, an objective, neutral third-party investigator; third, a management advisor; and fourth, a mediator/trainer/coach. Throughout this role execution they also became an emotional laborer. This model was often in contention with the HRP’s perceptions of targets and senior management expectations in bullying situations.

Originality/value

– This research revealed a more detailed, nuanced view of the roles HRPs play in bullying situations and called existing research on US HRPs and their roles in bullying situations into question. How HRPs view their roles and role expectations is revealing of why and how they deal with allegations of bullying the way they do. This research has practical value for HR, management, targets, and organizations in general.
Learning information literacy through drawing
Authors: Brier David James , Lebbin Vickery Kaye
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore drawing as an instructional method to teach information literacy.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors describe their work using Collaborative Speed Drawing with students in a collection of information literacy workshops for students enrolled in English 100 (first-year composition). Examples of student drawings from the workshops are examined to demonstrate the benefits and problems of this teaching method.

Findings

– Drawing is an excellent low-tech teaching method that helps students demonstrate their competence (or ignorance) of information literacy concepts. This method enables librarians to clarify, reinforce, challenge or change the pictures in student’s heads that underpin their understandings of library instruction and information literacy.

Practical implications

– This article provides ideas on how to use drawing in information literacy sessions or credit courses. Many of the ideas shared can be copied, enhanced or tailored to meet the needs of diverse lessons and students taking face-to-face instruction sessions.

Originality/value

– This is the first paper in library literature that focuses on and promotes drawing as a teaching method. In doing so, it challenges the high-tech instruction imperative and invites librarians to explicitly consider the images behind the words and concepts used in information literacy and library instruction sessions.
The social ecology of girls' bullying practices: exploratory research in two London schools
Authors: Jamal Farah , Bonell Chris , Harden Angela , Lorenc Theo
Published: February 2015

This exploratory study adopts a socio‐ecological approach to examine the context of school bullying. It asks: (1) what are students' accounts of bullying practices?; (2) how are these enabled and constrained by the school‐environment?; (3) how is gender implicated? Qualitative data were collected from girls in two schools in London via focus groups (one in each school; students aged 12‐15) and seven semi‐structured interviews (in one school; students aged 16‐18); and from school policy documents. Our interpretation of girls' accounts, informed by Giddens' structuration theory, suggests that bullying practices were spatially patterned in the schools and often characterised by the regulation of girls' sexuality and sexual‐harassment. Repeated acts of aggression were fluid with regard to the bully and victim role, challenging the dominant view of bullying as characterised by consistent disparities in power between individuals. Schools structured bullying behaviour via policies and practices that ignored these forms of abuse and which focused on and may have been complicit in the making of stable ‘bully’ and ‘victim’ roles, thus indirectly contributing to the reproduction of unhealthy relationships between students. In terms of gender, traditional gendered and sexual discourses appear to structure the identities of the schools and girls in our study.
The role of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in the cardiovascular system
Authors: Yang L. , Mäki‐Petäjä K. , Cheriyan J. , McEniery C. , Wilkinson I. B.
Published: February 2015

There is increasing evidence suggesting that epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) play an important role in cardioprotective mechanisms. These include regulating vascular tone, modulating inflammatory responses, improving cardiomyocyte function and reducing ischaemic damage, resulting in attenuation of animal models of cardiovascular risk factors. This review discusses the current knowledge on the role of EETs in endothelium‐dependent control of vascular tone in the healthy and in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors, and considers the pharmacological potential of targeting this pathway.