bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase field modeling of flexoelectricity in solid dielectrics
Authors: Chen H. T. , Zhang S. D. , Soh A. K. , Yin W. Y.
Published: July 2015

A phase field model is developed to study the flexoelectricity in nanoscale solid dielectrics, which exhibit both structural and elastic inhomogeneity. The model is established for an elastic homogeneous system by taking into consideration all the important non-local interactions, such as electrostatic, elastic, polarization gradient, as well as flexoelectric terms. The model is then extended to simulate a two-phase system with strong elastic inhomogeneity. Both the microscopic domain structures and the macroscopic effective piezoelectricity are thoroughly studied using the proposed model. The results obtained show that the largest flexoelectric induced polarization exists at the interface between the matrix and the inclusion. The effective piezoelectricity is greatly influenced by the inclusion size, volume fraction, elastic stiffness, and the applied stress. The established model in the present study can provide a fundamental framework for computational study of flexoelectricity in nanoscale solid dielectrics, since various boundary conditions can be easily incorporated into the phase field model.
Interference effects in photoluminescence spectra of Cu2ZnSnS4 and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films
Authors: Larsen J. K. , Li S.-Y. , Scragg J. J. S. , Ren Y. , Hägglund C. , Heinemann M. D. , Kretzschmar S. , Unold T. , Platzer-Björkman C.
Published: July 2015

Photoluminescence (PL) is commonly used for investigations of Cu2ZnSnS(e)4 [CZTS(e)] and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cells. The influence of interference effects on these measurements is, however, largely overlooked in the community. Here, it is demonstrated that PL spectra of typical CZTS absorbers on Mo/glass substrates can be heavily distorted by interference effects. One reason for the pronounced interference in CZTS is the low reabsorption of the PL emission that typically occurs below the band gap. A similar situation occurs in band gap graded CIGS where the PL emission originates predominantly from the band gap minimum located at the notch region. Based on an optical model for interference effects of PL emitted from a thin film, several approaches to reduce the fringing are identified and tested experimentally. These approaches include the use of measured reflectance data, a calculated interference function, use of high angles of incidence during PL measurements as well as the measurement of polarized light near the Brewster angle.
Phase transition sequence in Pb-free 0.96(K0.5Na0.5)0.95Li0.05Nb0.93 Sb0.07O3−0.04BaZrO3 ceramic with large piezoelectric response
Authors: Gao Jinghui , Ren Shuai , Zhang Le , Hao Yanshuang , Fang Minxia , Zhang Ming , Dai Ye , Hu Xinghao , Wang Dong , Zhong Lisheng , Li Shengtao , Ren Xiaobing
Published: July 2015

The piezoceramic 0.96(K0.5Na0.5)0.95Li0.05Nb0.93Sb0.07O3−0.04BaZrO3 (KNLNS0.07-BZ), which shows large piezoelectric response (d33 ≈ 425 pC/N), has been considered as one of the promising Pb-free substitutions for Pb(Zr,Ti)O3. In this paper, we investigate the phase transition sequence for KNLNS0.07-BZ by employing the dielectric measurement, mechanical spectroscopy, as well as Raman spectroscopy. Two ferroelectric-ferroelectric transitions have been detected by inspecting anomalies in the spectra, indicating the existence of three ferroelectric phases. Moreover, in-situ X-ray diffraction study has been further performed on KNLNS0.07-BZ to identify the crystal structure for each phase. The result reveals that the phase sequence for KNLNS0.07-BZ evolves from tetragonal (T) to rhombohedral (R) via an intermediate orthorhombic (O) phase. And the piezoelectric-optimal region for KNLNS0.07-BZ locates on a T-O boundary rather than the previously reported T-R boundary. Strong piezoelectricity may stem from the easier polarization rotation on the T-O boundary with reduced polarization anisotropy.
Transport of sputtered particles in capacitive sputter sources
Authors: Trieschmann Jan , Mussenbrock Thomas
Published: July 2015

The transport of sputtered aluminum inside a multi frequency capacitively coupled plasma chamber is simulated by means of a kinetic test multi-particle approach. A novel consistent set of scattering parameters obtained for a modified variable hard sphere collision model is presented for both argon and aluminum. An angular dependent Thompson energy distribution is fitted to results from Monte Carlo simulations and used for the kinetic simulation of the transport of sputtered aluminum. For the proposed configuration, the transport of sputtered particles is characterized under typical process conditions at a gas pressure of p = 0.5 Pa. It is found that—due to the peculiar geometric conditions—the transport can be understood in a one dimensional picture, governed by the interaction of the imposed and backscattered particle fluxes. It is shown that the precise geometric features play an important role only in proximity to the electrode edges, where the effect of backscattering from the outside chamber volume becomes the governing mechanism.
Schottky-contacted vertically self-aligned ZnO nanorods for hydrogen gas nanosensor applications
Authors: Ranwa Sapana , Kumar Mohit , Singh Jitendra , Fanetti Mattia , Kumar Mahesh
Published: July 2015

Vertically well aligned ZnO nanorods (NRs) were grown on Si(100) substrate using RF magnetron sputtering technique. Scanning electron microscopy images confirms uniform distribution of NRs on 2 in. wafer with average diameter, height and density being ∼75 nm, ∼850 nm, and ∼1.5 × 1010 cm−2, respectively. X-ray diffraction reveals that the ZnO NRs are grown along c-axis direction with wurtzite crystal structure. Cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, which shows a single strong peak around 3.24 eV with full width half maxima 130 meV, indicates the high crystalline and optical quality of ZnO and very low defect density. Vertically aligned nanosensors were fabricated by depositing gold circular Schottky contacts on ZnO NRs. Resistance responses of nanosensors were observed in the range from 50 to 150 °C in 1% and 5% hydrogen in argon environment, which is below and above the explosive limit (4%) of hydrogen in air. The nanosensor's sensitivity increases from 11% to 67% with temperature from 50 to 150 °C and also shows fast response time (9–16 s) and moderate recovery time (100–200 s). A sensing mechanism is proposed based on Schottky barrier changes at heterojunctions and change in depletion region of NRs.
Development of single-channel heterodyne-detected sum frequency generation spectroscopy and its application to the water/vapor interface
Authors: Yamaguchi Shoichi
Published: July 2015

Single-channel heterodyne-detected sum frequency generation (HD-SFG) spectroscopy for selectively measuring vibrational spectra of liquid interfaces is presented. This new methodology is based on optical interference between sum frequency signal light from a sample interface and phase-controlled local oscillator light. In single-channel HD-SFG, interferometric and spectrometric measurements are simultaneously carried out with an input IR laser scanned in a certain wavenumber range, which results in a less task than existing phase-sensitive sum frequency spectroscopy. The real and imaginary parts of second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility (χ(2)) of interfaces are separately obtained with spectral resolution as high as 4 cm−1 that is approximately six times better than existing multiplex HD-SFG. In this paper, the experimental procedure and theoretical background of single-channel HD-SFG are explicated, and its application to the water/vapor interface is demonstrated, putting emphasis on the importance of a standard for the complex phase of χ(2).
Growth and Mortality in Coastal Populations of Winter Flounder: Implications for Recovery of a Depleted Population
Authors: Yencho Melissa A. , Jordaan Adrian , Cerrato Robert M. , Baumann Hannes , Frisk Michael G.
Published: July 2015

We studied growth, mortality, and settlement distributions of juvenile Winter Flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus in two bays of Long Island, New York, to better understand localized population dynamics of a species experiencing a protracted population decline. Juvenile mortality in Long Island bays ranged between 0.02 and 0.04 per day and was as high as or higher than values reported for other systems. Settlement distributions had multiple peaks (cohorts) occurring between March and late July in 2007 and between February and May in 2008. The presence of multiple cohorts limited the usefulness of field-derived, length-based estimates of growth, resulting in unrealistic values compared with otolith-based measures (field based: −0.05 to 0.25 cm/d; otolith based: 0.05–0.06 cm/d). Thus, we recommend the use of otolith methods or the repeated measurement of individuals to estimate growth of juvenile Winter Flounder. Otolith-based growth rate was significantly higher for Port Jefferson Harbor during 2007 than for all other year × location combinations. Together with previous research showing genetic differentiation and migratory diversity, our finding of multiple spawning cohorts in Long Island Winter Flounder suggests a degree of isolation, and local management will be needed to support healthy populations. Future research to determine adult spawning, migratory behavior, stock structure, duration of the larval period, and settlement timing is required to unravel the complex behavior of Winter Flounder.

Received July 10, 2014; accepted April 10, 2015
Beginning at the end: DNA replication within the telomere
Authors: Gerbi Susan A.
Published: July 2015

Using single molecule analysis of replicated DNA (SMARD), Drosopoulos et al. (2015; J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201410061) report that DNA replication initiates at measurable frequency within the telomere of mouse chromosome arm 14q. They demonstrate that resolution of G4 structures on the G-rich template strand of the telomere requires some overlapping functions of BLM and WRN helicase for leading strand synthesis.
Bidimensional Measurements of Right Ventricular Function for Prediction of Survival in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension: Comparison of Reproducibility and Time of Analysis with Volumetric Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis
Authors: Corona‐Villalobos Celia P. , Kamel Ihab R. , Rastegar Neda , Damico Rachel , Kolb Todd M. , Boyce Danielle M. , Sager Ala‐Eddin S. , Skrok Jan , Shehata Monda L. , Vogel‐Claussen Jens , Bluemke David A. , Girgis Reda E. , Mathai Stephen C. , Hassoun Paul M. , Zimmerman Stefan L.
Published: July 2015

We tested the hypothesis that bidimensional measurements of right ventricular (RV) function obtained by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are faster than volumetric measures and highly reproducible, with comparable ability to predict patient survival. CMR‐derived tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), RV fractional shortening (RVFS), RV fractional area change (RVFAC), standard functional and volumetric measures, and ventricular mass index (VMI) were compared with right heart catheterization data. CMR analysis time was recorded. Receiver operating characteristic curves, Kaplan‐Meier, Cox proportional hazard (CPH), and Bland‐Altman test were used for analysis. Forty‐nine subjects with PAH and 18 control subjects were included. TAPSE, RVFS, RVFAC, RV ejection fraction, and VMI correlated significantly with pulmonary vascular resistance and mean pulmonary artery pressure (all P < 0.05). Patients were followed up for a mean (± standard deviation) of 2.5 ± 1.6 years. Kaplan‐Meier curves showed that death was strongly associated with TAPSE <18 mm, RVFS <16.7%, and RVFAC <18.8%. In CPH models with TAPSE as dichotomized at 18 mm, TAPSE was significantly associated with risk of death in both unadjusted and adjusted models (hazard ratio, 4.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.0–11.3; P = 0.005 for TAPSE <18 mm). There was high intra‐ and interobserver agreement. Bidimensional measurements were faster (1.5 ± 0.3 min) than volumetric measures (25 ± 6 min). In conclusion, TAPSE, RVFS, and RVFAC measures are efficient measures of RV function by CMR that demonstrate significant correlation with invasive measures of PAH severity. In patients with PAH, TAPSE, RVFS, and RVFAC have high intra‐ and interobserver reproducibility and are more rapidly obtained than volumetric measures. TAPSE <18 mm by CMR was strongly and independently associated with survival in PAH.
Investigating structural aspects to understand the putative/claimed non-toxicity of the Hg-based Ayurvedic drugRasasindurausing XAFS
Authors: Ramanan Nitya , Lahiri Debdutta , Rajput Parasmani , Varma Ramesh Chandra , Arun A. , Muraleedharan T. S. , Pandey K. K. , Maiti Nandita , Jha S. N. , Sharma Surinder M.
Published: July 2015

XANES- and EXAFS-based analysis of the Ayurvedic Hg-based nano-drugRasasindurahas been performed to seek evidence of its non-toxicity.Rasasindurais determined to be composed of single-phase α-HgS nanoparticles (size ∼24 nm), free of Hg0or organic molecules; its structure is determined to be robust (<3% defects). The non-existence of Hg0implies the absence of Hg-based toxicity and establishes that chemical form, rather than content of heavy metals, is the correct parameter for evaluating the toxicity in these drugs. The stable α-HgS form (strong Hg—S covalent bond and robust particle character) ensures the integrity of the drug during delivery and prevention of its reduction to Hg0within the human body. Further, these comparative studies establish that structural parameters (size dispersion, coordination configuration) are better controlled inRasasindura. This places the Ayurvedic synthesis method on par with contemporary techniques of nanoparticle synthesis.
Effective public speaking: a conceptual framework in the corporate-communication field
Authors: Baccarani Claudio , Bonfanti Angelo
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of effective public speaking (EPS), and its antecedents and effects to provide a conceptual framework for the study of EPS in the field of corporate communication.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a conceptual paper whose analytical approach draws heavily on theoretical evidence published mainly in the corporate-communication literature.

Findings

– Public speaking means communicating with rather than to the audience: it does not denote a one-way broadcasting of information but a conversation between the speaker and audience. Strong arguments (logos) presented in a credible (ethos) and exciting (pathos) manner form the basis of EPS. Delivering an interesting, appealing and engaging presentation (i.e. the antecedents of EPS) requires that public speakers combine skills of logic (i.e. public speaking as science) with an “outside-the-box” approach (i.e. public speaking as art). EPS produces positive effects in the professional growth of an organisation’s human resources, trust in corporate leadership, corporate-change process, motivation of human resources and corporate reputation.

Practical implications

– Underestimating the importance of the preparation phase is a critical mistake in EPS performance. Communicating from the heart ensures the speaker achieves the objective to be heard and remembered by the audience. Developing storytelling skill helps to persuade listeners more effectively because they feel more involved in the discourse. It is important to remember that perfection is artificial and imperfection is natural. EPS requires a training oriented towards personal exploration. As such, companies should invest in public speaking courses that adopt techniques such as experiential theatre.

Originality/value

– This paper proposes a conceptual framework which can be considered a first step towards compensating for the lack of studies of EPS because, although it does not claim to be thorough in any way, it should encourage future researchers to explore this area in greater depth.
Stakeholder cross-impact analysis: a segmentation method
Authors: Mariconda Simone , Lurati Francesco
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce a method that the authors call stakeholder cross-impact analysis (SCIA), which is aimed at analyzing how a given set of stakeholders influence one another and also how such stakeholders relate to a given set of issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors first identify, in the current literature, a lack of analytical tools for assessing mutual influences among stakeholders. The authors then identify cross-impact analysis, a method that was initially developed in the field of futures research, as a suitable method to be applied in the present research. Its application, which the authors call SCIA, is described in detail through a fictitious case.

Findings

– SCIA permits to assess the direction and the strength of relationships between stakeholders. Furthermore, it allows for the classification of stakeholders based on their level of dependence and influence on others. Also, it is possible to integrate SCIA with social network analysis in order to understand the degree to which stakeholders agree on how issues influence one another, as well as to identify which issues most stakeholders consider to be central and which stakeholders have the most shared opinion on how issues are related.

Practical implications

– This method can be used, along with traditional segmentation techniques, by corporate communication and public relations practitioners in order to gain a more sophisticated understanding of the complexity of organizations’ environments.

Originality/value

– SCIA represents a much-needed and novel way of understanding the complexity of organizations’ environments.
The social media transformation process: curating content into strategy
Authors: Kilgour Mark , Sasser Sheila L. , Larke Roy
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Social media is an engaging area of research that is rapidly evolving. The purpose of this paper is to focus on how corporations should effectively utilize this new media as a marketing channel. The key to any successful communication strategy is matching the message to the target audience and achieving customer engagement. Two important target audience variables were identified as crucial when determining an organization’s social media communications strategy: the level of brand relationship, and the level of category involvement.

Design/methodology/approach

– Depth interviews were initially employed, followed by questionnaires, and then computer assisted content analysis was performed on 723 online media articles relating to social media marketing to identify semantic and conceptual relationships.

Findings

– Research from both a customer and corporate perspective led to insights into how organizations can develop their social media strategies in order to transform their brand message from being perceived as a commercial source of information to a social source – the social media transformation process.

Research limitations/implications

– This research suggests a finer level of segmentation of social media users that will lead to content strategies adapted to fit the current levels of brand and category involvement. This could be used by organization to develop a model of best practice to achieve their social media objectives.

Practical implications

– It is crucial for organizations to understand how different groups of users influence, receive, curate, and interact via social media. The greater the depth of this knowledge, the greater the effectiveness of content marketing strategies developed by the corporation. Organizations that utilize social media marketing must carefully analyse the large amount of consumer information available to them, listen to consumer conversations, and determine the needs and segments that will be most receptive to different approaches. They must also accept that in a social media environment user generated content and interactive communication processes should be at the heart of successful strategy.

Originality/value

– To date, there has been limited analysis of how relationship and involvement factors drive social media content (Cho et al., 2014; Malthouse et al., 2013). More research is needed to understand how key user characteristics lead to content that fully utilizes the social interaction and message diffusion potential of this media. This paper introduces a hierarchy of content marketing based upon the type of relationship between the user and the organization, as well as their level of product category involvement.
Consumer motives for purchasing organic coffee
Authors: Lee Kyung Hee , Bonn Mark A. , Cho Meehee
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to investigate consumer choice motives for purchasing organic coffee by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) approach and how those are influenced by different degrees of ethical concern and price sensitivity to gain a better understanding about consumer behavior related to the rapidly growing demand for this unique product.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from consumers at cafés (n= 482) located in seven metropolitan cities in South Korea using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.

Findings

– Results documented that health and environmental protection were predictors of purchase attitude and subjective norm. Environmental protection was found to be a predictor of perceived behavioral control. TPB antecedents were significantly related to purchase intention. Ethical concern and price sensitivity documented the significant moderating roles upon organic coffee purchasing behavior.

Research limitations/implications

– Findings further contribute to a better understanding about influential choice motives regarding organic coffee and their effect upon consumer purchase behavior.

Practical implications

– Findings assist in understanding the roles ethical concerns and price sensitivity play upon consumer behavior issues specific to purchasing organic coffee. New research findings assist with marketing and promoting the social benefits associated with organic coffee while also offering pricing strategies for café and restaurant businesses to optimize their organic coffee sales revenue potential.

Originality/value

– This study is one of the first to clarify consumer motives for purchasing organic coffee, and to ascertain whether consumer purchase attitudes and intentions regarding organic coffee are influenced by different degrees of ethical concern and price sensitivity.
Impact of organisational culture on job stress and burnout in graded accommodation establishments in the Free State province, South Africa
Authors: Kokt Deseré , Ramarumo Relebohile
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of organisational culture on job stress and burnout in graded accommodation establishments. The demanding nature of work in the hospitality industry (e.g. long hours and shift work) renders job stress and burnout, a persisting challenge for the industry. Employees that are constantly subjected to a challenging work environment may experience increased levels of job stress and burnout or even leave the industry entirely. The Free State province of South Africa has a well-established hospitality sector, and this investigation shows the extent to which job stress and burnout are mitigated by a favourable organisational culture.

Design/methodology/approach

– A structured questionnaire was administered to 46 graded accommodation establishments in the two main economic clusters (Bloemfontein and Clarens) of the Free State province of South Africa. The investigation was quantitative in nature and the robust competing values framework (CVF) was used as conceptual guide.

Findings

– The findings indicate that graded accommodation establishments had a predominantly Rational Culture, which points to strong external positioning and competitiveness. Correlation and regression analyses further confirmed that although the Rational Culture does have a mitigating effect on job stress and burnout, the values associated with the Group Culture and Developmental Culture exert an even stronger mitigating effect.

Practical implications

– Managers need to establish a flexible, employee-oriented work environment where employees are allowed to be innovative and entrepreneurial.

Originality/value

– The main causes of job stress and burnout in accommodation establishments revolve around the intense customer focus of the industry and the subsequent performance expected from employees.
Culinary tourism assets and events: suggesting a strategic planning tool
Authors: Sotiriadis Marios D.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to suggest a framework to be used as a strategic planning tool for culinary tourism projects at destination level.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on theoretical background of strategic planning and Leiper’s tourism model, a conceptual tool is suggested. Its value is investigated through an empirical study that was performed, which employed a qualitative research method (discussion groups of experts).

Findings

– The article suggests a framework to be used as a strategic planning tool for culinary tourism projects. The empirical study identified the merits, drawbacks and limitations of the framework to be taken into account. It can be used only in combination with other tools to achieve a comprehensive approach to designing, managing and marketing culinary tourism assets strategically.

Research limitations/implications

– Because of its exploratory nature, the study has inherent drawbacks. The suggested framework should be finalised. Future studies could explore the perspective of visitors deeply and should also investigate the appropriate tools to be implemented at operational management level.

Practical implications

– In the fields of strategic management and marketing, the study enhances a comprehensive approach. It contributes to positioning and analysing culinary tourism within the context of a whole destination system. It provides an additional tool for destination planners and managers to be used along with other tools in performing their tasks at strategic level.

Originality/value

– It is the first study that suggests and empirically investigates a strategic planning tool at destination level, based on the theoretical backgrounds of strategic planning and tourism system. It provides an integrated approach incorporating the main issues to be dealt with in the field of culinary tourism.
Why wait? Impact of waiting lines on self-service technology use
Authors: Kokkinou Alinda , Cranage David A.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the present study is to examine the effect of waiting lines on customers’ decisions between using a self-service alternative and using a service employee. As self-service technologies are expensive and time-consuming to design and implement, service providers need to understand what drives customers to use them. Service operators have the most control over waiting lines and flexibility in expanding capacity, either by adding service employees or by adding self-service kiosks.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study used online scenario-based surveys following a 4 (number of customers waiting for the self-service technology) × 4 (number of customers waiting for the service employee) design. A binary dependent variable was used to record participants’ choice of service delivery alternative.

Findings

– Using logistic regression, the authors found that customers are increasingly motivated to use self-service technology as the waiting line for the service employee grows longer. This effect is influenced by perceived usefulness, anticipated quality of the self-service technology, need for interaction and technology anxiety.

Research limitations/implications

– This study should be replicated in a real-world setting where actual behavior, and not only intention, can be measured.

Practical implications

– The study provides guidance on how service providers can design their service to take advantage of the motivating effect of waiting lines on usage of self-service technology.

Originality/value

– The present study is the first to combine a scenario-based experiment with a binary dependent variable to isolate the impact of waiting lines on the choice between using a self-service technology and using a service employee. The use of the binary dependent variable overcomes the ambiguity of extrapolating from a continuous measure of intention to draw conclusions about behavior, a binary variable.
Comparison of the property practitioners and consumer preferences on housing prices in the Jakarta metropolitan region
Authors: Rahadi Raden Aswin , Wiryono Sudarso Kaderi , Koesrindartoto Deddy Priatmodjo , Syamwil Indra Budiman
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to compare the different preferences between property practitioners and residential consumers on housing prices in the Jakarta Metropolitan Region.

Design/methodology/approach

– The Jakarta Metropolitan Region as the largest metropolitan city in Indonesia was selected as the main sample city for this study. This study comprises 134 respondents from property practitioners and 277 respondents from residential consumers. Data were collected from all regions in Jakarta Metropolitan Region and their respective satellite cities. Descriptive analysis, the correlation study, Wilcoxont-test and principal component analysis were used to compare the findings between each group’s preferences on housing attributes.

Findings

– The results of this research provide an analysis on the different decisive attributes for each group, disparities on the correlation between attributes in housing consumers and property practitioners and disagreements among each group on the attribute preferences influencing housing prices in the Jakarta Metropolitan Region.

Research limitations/implications

– In conclusion, the study provides valid and dependable evidence on different consumers and property practitioners attribute preferences for housing products in the Jakarta Metropolitan Region.

Originality/value

– This research is the first to compare the attribute preferences for housing products between housing consumers and property practitioners in Indonesia. In addition, this study is one of the first to reaffirm preference attributes influencing housing product prices in Indonesia.
Housing supply and its relationships with land supply
Authors: Gu Guowei , Michael Lynne , Cheng Yapeng
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the determinants of housing supply and the relationships between land supply and housing supply in terms of quantity and time in Shanghai, China.

Design/methodology/approach

– Official statistical and property registration data[] from Shanghai are used to carry out multiple linear regression analysis.

Findings

– The authors find that land supply affects housing supply with a three-year time lag. Both construction cost and housing price impact supply with a one-year time delay. The construction cost elasticities range from 0.74 to 1.51, while housing price elasticity is 2. The authors also find that plot ratio may play more important role in the developer’s first housing sale than either plot area or sales price. An average time period from obtaining the land for residential development until marketing the product is established at 36.8 months.

Research limitations/implications

– Only ordinary least squares method is applied in this analysis and the property portal on which this research relies is still at an early stage.

Originality/value

– This research contributes to a wider understanding of issues surrounding housing supply in the local markets within China and provides the foundation for local government to better manage supply.
Estimation and application of a complete demand system for the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Azzam Azzeddine , Rettab Belaid
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to estimate a complete demand system for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and use the estimates to evaluate the welfare impact of price inflation. Eight expenditure groups are considered: food, clothing, housing, furniture, transportation, medical care, recreation, and miscellaneous.

Design/methodology/approach

– Household survey data are used to estimate the elasticities separately for Emiratis and expatriates by income quintile using seemingly unrelated regression within a Linear Expenditure System that accounts for demographic variables.

Findings

– Welfare loss is inversely related to income quintile and is lower for Emirati households. Transportation, housing, and food are the sources of the bulk of the welfare loss. The shares of the three consumption groups, combined with their respective inelastic demands, explain why they figure prominently as the leading sources of welfare loss when their prices rise.

Originality/value

– First ever demand system estimated for the UAE. Welfare loss estimates provide some rational basis on which examination may be made of existing UAE policies that effect commodity prices, like price controls, and policies currently being discussed, like commodity taxation, and their distributional effects.
Using downside risk in evaluating the performance of Malaysian mutual funds
Authors: Tavakoli Baghdadabad Mohammad Reza , Fooladi Masood
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide the modified measures of risk-adjusted performance evaluation of Malaysian mutual funds using the downside risk concepts, and promote the ability of managers and investors in making logical decisions under the market asymmetry condition.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study focusses on the performance evaluation of Malaysian mutual funds using eight modified measures of Sharpe, Treynor, M2, Jensen’s α, information ratio (IR), MSR, SPI, and leverage factor. These modified measures use the downside systematic risk and semi-standard deviation instead of systematic risk and conventional standard deviation, respectively, to evaluate the performance of Malaysian mutual funds over the period 2000-2011.

Findings

– The results indicate that the conventional measures of performance evaluation do not have a crucial influence on the relative evaluation of mutual funds. Three modified measures of Sharpe, Treynor, and M2 have a high correlation with the conventional Sharpe measure and can be used instead of the conventional Sharpe measure. Since, two modified measures of Treynor and M2 display a high rank correlation coefficient with the conventional Treynor measure, they can be replaced with this traditional measure. In addition, two modified IR and MSR measures along with the modified SPI and conventional SPI show very high rank correlation coefficients in relation to each other. The results also document a modified leverage factor less than one for all funds. It can be concluded that the strategy of un-levering the investor’s holding must be followed.

Practical implications

– The empirical evidence of this study can be utilized as inputs in the process of decision-making by different types of investors who are interested in participating especially in Malaysian stock market and generally in global stock market under the market asymmetry condition.

Originality/value

– The contribution of this study is to modify five measures of M2, IR, MSR, FPI, and leverage factor in the downside risk framework which is a work on a rather under-researched area.
Legal system uncertainty and FDI attraction in Southeast Asia
Authors: White III George O. , Chizema Amon , Canabal Anne , Perry Mark J.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to draw from organizational ecology and institutional theory, the authors suggest that there will be a curvilinear relationship between legal system uncertainty and foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction in Southeast Asia. The authors extend theory by arguing that this is because uncertainty will provide opportunities for FDI that seek this form of operating environment, leveraging legal system uncertainty as a basis for competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors test and find support for the hypotheses using FDI data from nine Southeast Asian countries for the years 1995-2005.

Findings

– In this paper, the authors hypothesize and find that the relationship between legal system uncertainty and FDI attraction is curvilinear in nature, such that FDI attraction decreases with legal system uncertainty down to an inflection point, but then increases beyond this point; and that the relationship between legal system uncertainty and FDI attraction is moderated by government intervention in the host country economy, such that the strength of this relationship is greater when government intervention is high rather than when it is low. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future inquiry are presented.

Originality/value

– Conventional wisdom suggests that legal system uncertainty will negatively affect FDI attraction. However, to date, research on the effects of legal system uncertainty on FDI attraction in emerging markets has received very little attention. The aim of this research study is to shed new light on how, under certain conditions, legal system uncertainty will attract FDI in Southeast Asia.
Corporate diversification and firm value: evidence from emerging markets
Authors: Akben Selçuk Elif
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate diversification on firm value in a sample of nine emerging markets including Brazil, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey. For the purpose of this study, a company is classified as diversified when it is operating in two or more lines of business defined by the two-digit SIC codes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Employing panel data from 1,568 companies for the period 2005-2010, this paper estimates both a fixed effects model and a dynamic generalized method of moments model. Data are collected both at company level and segment level within each firm.

Findings

– Overall, analysis results suggest that, for the period from 2005 to 2010, diversified firms in emerging markets are valued more compared to single-segment firms operating in similar industries, providing support for diversification premium.

Originality/value

– The effect of diversification on company value in emerging markets is an important managerial and public policy concern. Although the literature on developed country diversified firms is rich, only a few studies have examined diversification-value relationship in the context of developing countries. Furthermore, most previous research on the value effects of corporate diversification in emerging markets has taken the form of case studies within countries and concentrated on the 1990s. This paper tries to fill these gaps by using a larger sample and more recent data and methodology.
Relationship and networking strategy tools: characterizing the IMP toolbox
Authors: Cheng Caroline , Holmen Elsebeth
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the relationship and networking strategy tools in the IMP literature. It proposes six dimensions for characterizing such tools: approach to tool development, level (and layer) of analysis, perspective of interaction, activities of network strategizing, external or internal orientation and use for “strategizing on” vs “strategizing in” relationships and networks.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper uses a manual qualitative content analysis approach and an inductive approach, well suited for extracting relationship and networking strategy tools due to their implicit and dispersed nature.

Findings

– The paper presents an IMP toolbox comprising a wide variety of relationship and networking strategy tools emphasizing interconnectedness, interdependence and limited managerial autonomy, as well as an analysis of how identified tools are positioned along each of the six proposed dimensions.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper contributes a conceptual framework with a vocabulary to content analyze and discuss relationship and networking strategy tools in IMP research.

Practical implications

– The IMP toolbox may be a useful point of departure for managers who feel a need for developing and using a mix of tools for strategizing in business relationships and networks.

Originality/value

– The paper instills a strategy tool lens in the IMP literature and foregrounds strategizing concepts and techniques that were previously difficult to attend to for both researchers and practitioners.
Multiple strategies for drought survival among woody plant species
Authors: Pivovaroff Alexandria L. , Pasquini Sarah C. , De Guzman Mark E. , Alstad Karrin P. , Stemke Jenessa S. , Santiago Louis S.
Published: July 2015

Drought‐induced mortality and regional dieback of woody vegetation are reported from numerous locations around the world. Yet within any one site, predicting which species are most likely to survive global change‐type drought is a challenge.

We studied the diversity of drought survival traits of a community of 15 woody plant species in a desert‐chaparral ecotone. The vegetation was a mix of chaparral and desert shrubs, as well as endemic species that only occur along this margin. This vegetation boundary has large potential for drought‐induced mortality because nearly all species are at the edge of their range.

Drought survival traits studied were vulnerability to drought‐induced xylem cavitation, sapwood capacitance, deciduousness, photosynthetic stems, deep roots, photosynthetic responses to leaf water potential and hydraulic architecture. Drought survival strategies were evaluated as combinations of traits that could be effective in dealing with drought.

The large variation in seasonal predawn water potential of leaves and stem xylem ranged from −6·82 to −0·29MPa and −6·92 to −0·27MPa, respectively. The water potential at which photosynthesis ceases ranged from −9·42 to −3·44MPa. Architecture was a determinant of hydraulic traits, with species supporting large leaf area per sapwood area exhibiting high rates of water transport, but also xylem that is vulnerable to drought‐induced cavitation. Species with more negative midday leaf water potential during the growing season also showed access to deeper water sources based on hydrogen isotope analysis.

Drought survival mechanisms comprised of drought deciduousness, photosynthetic stems, tolerance of low minimum seasonal tissue water potential and vulnerability to drought‐induced xylem cavitation thus varied orthogonally among species, and promote a diverse array of drought survival strategies in an arid ecosystem of considerable floristic complexity.
Male butterflies use an anti‐aphrodisiac pheromone to tailor ejaculates
Authors: Larsdotter‐Mellström Helena , Eriksson Kerstin , Janz Niklas , Nylin Sören , Carlsson Mikael A.
Published: July 2015

When females mate with multiple partners, the risk of sperm competition depends on female mating history. To maximize fitness, males should adjust their mating investment according to this risk. In polyandrous butterflies, males transfer a large, nutritious ejaculate at mating. Larger ejaculates delay female remating and confer an advantage in sperm competition.

We test whether male ejaculate size in the butterfly Pieris napi (Lepidoptera) varies with female mating history and thus sperm competition, and whether males assess sperm competition using the male‐transferred anti‐aphrodisiac methyl salicylate (MeS) as a cue.

Both sexes responded physiologically to MeS in a dose‐dependent manner. Males, however, were more sensitive to MeS than females.

Ejaculates transferred by males mating with previously mated females were on average 26% larger than ejaculates transferred by males mating with virgin females, which conforms to sperm competition theory and indicates that males tailored their reproductive investment in response to sperm competition. Furthermore, ejaculates transferred by males mating with virgin females with artificially added MeS were also 26% larger than ejaculates transferred to control virgin females.

Male‐transferred anti‐aphrodisiac pheromone not only functions as a male deterrent, but also carries information on female mating history and thus allows males to assess sperm competition.
Type‐specific orthostatic hemodynamic response of hypertensive diseases in pregnancy
Authors: Staelens Anneleen S , Vonck Sharona , Mesens Tinne , Tomsin Kathleen , Molenberghs Geert , Gyselaers Wilfried
Published: July 2015

Posture changes may differ between types of hypertensive disease. The aim is to evaluate the orthostatic response of impedance cardiography (ICG) measurements in uncomplicated and hypertensive pregnancies. Measurements were performed in supine and standing position in 202 women: 41 uncomplicated pregnancies (UP), 59 gestational hypertension (GH), 35 early‐onset (EPE, < 34 weeks) and 67 late‐onset (LPE, ≥ 34 weeks) preeclampsia were assessed. Measurements were recorded of heart rate, blood pressure, aortic flow parameters, cardiac output, pre‐ejection period and left ventricular ejection time. Overall, orthostatic shifts were different between all groups (P < 0.001). UP was different from the hypertensive complicated gestations in the orthostatic change of the aortic acceleration. In contrast to patients with preeclampsia, those with GH had an increased blood pressure and Heather index, and stable pre‐ejection period after posture change. EPE differed from LPE by change in blood pressure and aortic flow parameters. In addition to static ICG‐measurements, orthostatic shifts improved group characterization from 57.4% to 65.8%. The orthostatic response is altered in hypertensive pregnancies. ICG measurements in the upright as well as during an orthostatic test might have the potential to improve the discriminative yield between hypertensive diseases in pregnancy.
Canavanine increases glucose uptake in C2C12 cells through the activation of imidazoline I‐2B receptors
Authors: Chao Pin‐Chun , Chang Chin‐Hong , Niu Ho‐Shan , Huang Gin‐Chi , Chen Li‐Jen , Cheng Juei‐Tang
Published: July 2015

Canavanine is a guanidinium derivative that contains the basic structure of the ligand(s) of imidazoline receptor (I‐R). Canavanine has been reported to activate the imidazoline I‐3 receptor (I‐3R) both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, the activation of the imidazoline I‐2B receptor (I‐2BR) by guanidinium derivatives may increase glucose uptake. Therefore, the effect of canavanine on the I‐2BR was investigated in the present study. Glucose uptake into cultured C2C12 cells was determined using the radio‐ligated tracer 2‐[14C]‐deoxy‐glucose. The changes in 5′ AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression were also identified using Western blotting analysis. The canavanine‐induced glucose uptake was inhibited in a dose‐dependent manner by BU224 (0.01–1 μmol/L), which is a specific I‐2BR antagonist, in the C2C12 cells. Additionally, the canavanine‐stimulated AMPK phosphorylation and glucose transporter (GLUT4) expression were also sensitive to BU224 inhibition in the C2C12 cells. Moreover, both canavanine‐stimulated glucose uptake and AMPK phosphorylation were attenuated by high concentrations of amiloride (1–2 μmol/L), which is another established I‐2BR inhibitor, in a dose‐dependent manner in C2C12 cells. Additionally, compound C abolished the canavanine‐induced glucose uptake and AMPK phosphorylation at a concentration (0.1 μmol/L) sufficient to inhibit AMPK. In conclusion, these data demonstrated that canavanine has an ability to activate I‐2BR through the AMPK pathway to increase glucose uptake, which indicates I‐2BR as a new target for diabetic therapy.