bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of particle size and strain on phase stability of (Li0.06 Na0.94) NbO3
Authors: Mishra S. K. , Shinde A. B. , Krishna P. S. R.
Published: May 2014

Alkaline niobates are most suitable and excellent candidates for lead free piezoceramics, as they exhibit morphotropic phase boundary and have ultra-large piezoresponse similar to them. We provide direct experimental evidence of ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transition in (Li0.06 Na0.94)NbO3 with reduction of particle size using a combination of x-ray and neutron powder diffraction techniques at room temperature. Detailed Rietveld analyses of x-ray data show variation of particle sizes from micrometer to nanometer for sintered, calcined, and ball milled powders. The ferroelectric orthorhombic phase for micron sized powder (∼1.17 μm) is found to transform to paraelectric phase by reducing particle size to ∼10.8 nm. The crystal structure of paraelectric phase has been identified with tetragonal symmetry (P42/mmc) and is found to be a post perovskite phase. The low temperature neutron diffraction studies on the powders with different particle sizes reveal that orthorhombic to rhombohedral phase transition gets suppressed with reducing particle size.
Advantage of In- over N-polarity for disclosure of p-type conduction in InN:Mg
Authors: Dmowski L. H. , Baj M. , Wang X. Q. , Zheng X. T. , Ma D. Y. , Kończewicz L. , Suski T.
Published: May 2014

We have measured thermoelectric power in two series of polar InN:Mg samples with wide range of Mg content having In- as well as N-growth polarities. We have observed essential differences between both polarities: In the “p-type window” centered at about 1 × 1019 cm−3 of [Mg], reported recently, the thermoelectric power changed its sign from n to p-type, only for In-growth polarity samples. These results have been confirmed by the so-called mobility spectrum analysis. It strongly supports the suggestion that In-growth polarity is more propitious to p-type conduction in InN:Mg than the N one.
A calibrated graphene-based chemi-sensor for sub parts-per-million NO2 detection operating at room temperature
Authors: Ricciardella F. , Massera E. , Polichetti T. , Miglietta M. L. , Di Francia G.
Published: May 2014

Here, we present a room temperature operating chemi-sensor based on a graphene film that shows sensitivity to NO2 up to a 50 parts-per-billion (ppb) with extremely limited interference from relative humidity and can be also calibrated in a sub-parts-per-million (ppm) range with a response and recovery time of few seconds. The device has been fabricated using as active material, a solution of graphene nanosheets suspended in N-methyl-pyrrolidone drop casted on an alumina substrate with gold interdigitated electrodes. The derivative of the device response is found to be univocally correlated to NO2 concentrations from 100 ppb up to 1000 ppb and the sensor can therefore be calibrated in this same range.
The discrepancies between theory and experiment in the optical emission of monolayer In(Ga)N quantum wells revisited by transmission electron microscopy
Authors: Suski T. , Schulz T. , Albrecht M. , Wang X. Q. , Gorczyca I. , Skrobas K. , Christensen N. E. , Svane A.
Published: May 2014

Quantitative high resolution transmission electron microscopy studies of intentionally grown 1InN/nGaN short-period superlattices (SLs) were performed. The structures were found to consist of an InxGa1−xN monolayer with an Indium content of x = 0.33 instead of the intended x = 1. Self-consistent calculations of the band structures of 1In0.33Ga0.67N/nGaN SLs were carried out, including a semi-empirical correction for the band gaps. The calculated band gap, Eg, as well as its pressure derivative, dEg/dp, are in very good agreement with the measured photoluminescence energy, EPL, and its pressure derivative, dEPL/dp, for a series of 1In0.33Ga0.67N/nGaN samples with n ranging from 2 to 40. This resolves a discrepancy found earlier between measured and calculated optical emission properties, as those calculations were made with the assumption of a 1InN/nGaN SL composition.
Basal NF-κB controls IL-7 responsiveness of quiescent naïve T cells
Authors: Miller Michelle L. , Mashayekhi Mona , Chen Luqiu , Zhou Ping , Liu Xindong , Michelotti Monica , Tramontini Gunn Nicole , Powers Sarah , Zhu Xiaoping , Evaristo Cesar , Alegre Maria-Luisa , Molinero Luciana L.
Published: May 2014

Significance

T lymphocytes are white blood cells that recognize and fight pathogens. Maintenance of sufficient numbers of T cells is essential to prevent susceptibility to infections. Survival of quiescent T cells is maintained, in part, by the interaction between the soluble factor (IL-7 produced by various stromal cells) and the IL-7 receptor (IL-7R) expressed on the surface of T cells. Here, we show that naïve T cells have basal nuclear levels of the transcription factor NF-κB and that is key to maintain IL-7R expression in T cells and for their survival. Our results imply that antiinflammatory therapies targeting NF-κB may affect the pool of naïve T cells required to control infections.
Face-selective neurons maintain consistent visual responses across months
Authors: McMahon David B. T. , Jones Adam P. , Bondar Igor V. , Leopold David A.
Published: May 2014

Significance

The brains of humans and other primates contain specialized regions dedicated to the perception of socially important objects such as faces. It is not known whether face representations remain stable over time, or alternatively whether they are subject to slow change in response to ongoing experience. By using implanted microwires to monitor the activity of single cells longitudinally across several weeks and up to one year, we demonstrate that face-selective neurons maintain the same distinctive selectivity patterns for as long as they were followed. The long-term consistency of these neurons might reflect a division of labor within the face-processing network for aspects of social perception that require stability as opposed to plasticity.
Regulation of host weight gain and lipid metabolism by bacterial bile acid modification in the gut
Authors: Joyce Susan A. , MacSharry John , Casey Patrick G. , Kinsella Michael , Murphy Eileen F. , Shanahan Fergus , Hill Colin , Gahan Cormac G. M.
Published: May 2014

Significance

It is known that the gastrointestinal microbiota influences adiposity and weight gain in the host. However the mechanisms by which gut microorganisms coordinate host physiological processes are currently unclear. We demonstrate that a single, widely distributed function of the gut microbiota, bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, significantly influences lipid metabolism, weight gain, and cholesterol levels in the host. In our study microbial BSH activity was shown to direct expression of host signalling pathways with known roles in lipid metabolism, circadian rhythm, and epithelial cell function. The work defines the significant impact of in situ bile hydrolysis on host metabolism and indicates how this finding may be exploited as a potential intervention strategy for the control of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Transduction channels’ gating can control friction on vibrating hair-cell bundles in the ear
Authors: Bormuth Volker , Barral Jérémie , Joanny Jean-François , Jülicher Frank , Martin Pascal
Published: May 2014

Significance

In this work, we developed a dynamic force assay to characterize frictional forces that impede sound-evoked vibrations of hair-cell bundles, the mechanosensory antennas of the inner ear. We find that opening and closing of mechanosensitive ion channels in the hair bundle produce frictional forces that can dominate viscous drag on the hair-bundle structure. We show that channel friction can be understood quantitatively using a physical theory of hair-bundle mechanics that includes channel kinetics. Friction originating from gating of ion channels is a concept that is relevant to all mechanosensitive channels. In the context of hearing, this channel friction may contribute to setting the characteristic frequency of the hair cell.
Altered global brain signal in schizophrenia
Authors: Yang Genevieve J. , Murray John D. , Repovs Grega , Cole Michael W. , Savic Aleksandar , Glasser Matthew F. , Pittenger Christopher , Krystal John H. , Wang Xiao-Jing , Pearlson Godfrey D. , Glahn David C. , Anticevic Alan
Published: May 2014

Significance

This study identified elevated global brain signal variability in schizophrenia, but not bipolar illness. This variability was related to schizophrenia symptoms. A commonly used analytic procedure in neuroimaging, global signal regression, attenuated clinical effects and altered inferences. Furthermore, local voxel-wise variance was increased in schizophrenia, independent of global signal regression. Finally, neurobiologically grounded computational modeling suggests a putative mechanism, whereby altered overall connection strength in schizophrenia may underlie observed empirical results.
Engraftment of human iPS cells and allogeneic porcine cells into pigs with inactivated
RAG2
and accompanying severe combined immunodeficiency
Authors: Lee Kiho , Kwon Deug-Nam , Ezashi Toshihiko , Choi Yun-Jung , Park Chankyu , Ericsson Aaron C. , Brown Alana N. , Samuel Melissa S. , Park Kwang-Wook , Walters Eric M. , Kim Dae Young , Kim Jae-Hwan , Franklin Craig L. , Murphy Clifton N. , Roberts R. Michael , Prather Randall S. , Kim Jin-Hoi
Published: May 2014

Significance

Pigs have many features that make them attractive as biomedical models, especially in regenerative medicine. Here, we have introduced inactivating mutations simultaneously into both alleles of the recombination activating gene (
RAG
) 2 gene in fibroblasts derived from minipigs and then used somatic-cell nuclear transfer to produce
RAG2

−/−

cloned animals with a severe immune deficiency (SCID) phenotype and lacking T and B cells. When human induced pluripotent (iPS) cells were injected into these SCID pigs, the animals readily form teratomas representing a wide range of human tissues. Provided they can be protected from pathogens, these genetically engineered pigs could be a valuable resource as models for human patients with analogous immunodeficiencies and for testing the safety and regenerative capacity of grafts derived from iPS cells.
Histone variant H3.3 is an essential maternal factor for oocyte reprogramming
Authors: Wen Duancheng , Banaszynski Laura A. , Liu Ying , Geng Fuqiang , Noh Kyung-Min , Xiang Jenny , Elemento Olivier , Rosenwaks Zev , Allis C. David , Rafii Shahin
Published: May 2014

Significance

A differentiated cell nucleus can be reprogrammed into the pluripotent state by maternal factors in ooplasm; the factors that are responsible for this reprogramming process have not yet been identified. In this paper, we show that histone variant H3.3 is one of the essential maternal factors involved in somatic nuclear reprogramming. Maternal H3.3, not H3.3 in the donor chromatin, is required for development and the reactivation of many key pluripotency genes in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. H3.3 facilitates reprogramming by remodeling the donor nuclear chromatin through replacement of donor H3 in chromatin with de novo synthesized maternal H3.3 at the beginning of reprogramming in SCNT embryos.
Explaining Asian Americans’ academic advantage over whites
Authors: Hsin Amy , Xie Yu
Published: May 2014

Significance

We find that the Asian-American educational advantage over whites is attributable mainly to Asian students exerting greater academic effort and not to advantages in tested cognitive abilities or socio-demographics. We test explanations for the Asian–white gap in academic effort and find that the gap can be further attributed to (
i
) cultural differences in beliefs regarding the connection between effort and achievement and (
ii
) immigration status. Finally, we highlight the potential psychological and social costs associated with Asian-American achievement success.
Transcriptional gene silencing by
Arabidopsis
microrchidia homologues involves the formation of heteromers
Authors: Moissiard Guillaume , Bischof Sylvain , Husmann Dylan , Pastor William A. , Hale Christopher J. , Yen Linda , Stroud Hume , Papikian Ashot , Vashisht Ajay A. , Wohlschlegel James A. , Jacobsen Steven E.
Published: May 2014

Significance

Members of the
Arabidopsis
microrchidia (AtMORC) ATPase family are involved in gene silencing and heterochromatin condensation without altering genome-wide DNA methylation patterns. Here, we examine the functional relationship between several family members and show that AtMORC6 interacts in two mutually exclusive protein complexes with AtMORC1 and its closest homologue, AtMORC2. Consistently, RNA sequencing of high-order mutants indicates that
AtMORC1
and
AtMORC2
act redundantly in gene silencing. We also examine the genetic interactions between
AtMORC6
and the transcriptional repressor
Morpheus Molecule 1
(
MOM1
). We observe a synergistic transcriptional regulation in the
mom1
/
atmorc6
double mutant, indicating that these epigenetic regulators act mainly in different silencing pathways, both independently of DNA methylation.
The wild gene pool of globe artichoke
Authors: Rottenberg Aaron
Published: May 2014

Globe artichoke is an important vegetable of the Mediterranean basin. Its primary gene pool (GP1) consists of wild types ofCynara cardunculus. Crosses between the wild types and the cultivars (artichoke and cardoon) are fully fertile. In accordance, analyses of molecular markers revealed high genetic identity between the wild types and the cultivars. Hence, all these taxa are grouped together as conspecific varieties withinC.cardunculus. Several other wildCynaraspecies thrive in the Mediterranean basin. Of these,C. syriaca,C. algarbiensis,C. baeticaandC. humiliswere tested and found to be part of the secondary gene pool (GP2) of artichoke, as they were rather difficult to cross with either wild or cultivatedC. cardunculusand the few hybrids obtained were semi-sterile. In accordance, molecular genetic markers suggest that these wildCynaraspecies indeed diverged fromC. cardunculus. Four additionalCynaraspecies thrive in the Mediterranean basin, namelyC. cornigera,C. cyrenaica,C. tournefortiiandC. makrisii. There is no information on the crossability of these four species with artichoke, but molecular markers suggest that they may also belong to the secondary gene pool of the crop. Considering some attractive, variable characteristics of each of the GP2 species, such as earliness, albinism, dwarfism and diverse flavors, these wild species might be of great interest for artichoke breeders.
Irrelevant speech does not interfere with serial recall in early blind listeners
Authors: Kattner Florian , Ellermeier Wolfgang
Published: May 2014

Phonological working memory is known be (a) inversely related to the duration of the items to be learned (word-length effect), and (b) impaired by the presence of irrelevant speech-like sounds (irrelevant-speech effect). As it is discussed controversially whether these memory disruptions are subject to attentional control, both effects were studied in sighted participants and in a sample of early blind individuals who are expected to be superior in selectively attending to auditory stimuli. Results show that, while performance depended on word length in both groups, irrelevant speech interfered with recall only in the sighted group, but not in blind participants. This suggests that blind listeners may be able to effectively prevent irrelevant sound from being encoded in the phonological store, presumably due to superior auditory processing. The occurrence of a word-length effect, however, implies that blind and sighted listeners are utilizing the same phonological rehearsal mechanism in order to maintain information in the phonological store.
‘A cinema of small gestures’: Derek Jarman's Super 8 – image, alchemy, individuation
Authors: Hauke Christopher
Published: May 2014

The Super-8 films of Derek Jarman (1942–94) are discussed in the light of the artist's involvement with gay politics and his sense of being an outsider. This led him to identify with elements in Jung's psychology, especially his work on alchemy. Jarman's manipulation of Super-8 film images was comparable to an alchemical processing of the material contributing to his personal development – a process that Jung called individuation. The author argues that Jarman's radical approach to filmmaking is not only an active challenge to the assumption of film images as representative of reality but, in the hands of a politically gay filmmaker, also challenges normative assumptions of sexuality.
Argument schemes for reasoning about trust
Authors: Parsons Simon , Atkinson Katie , Li Zimi , McBurney Peter , Sklar Elizabeth , Singh Munindar , Haigh Karen , Levitt Karl , Rowe Jeff
Published: May 2014

Trust is a natural mechanism by which an autonomous party, an agent, can deal with the inherent uncertainty regarding the behaviours of other parties and the uncertainty in the information it shares with those parties. Trust is thus crucial in any decentralised system. This paper builds on recent efforts to use argumentation to reason about trust. Specifically, a set of schemes is provided, and abstract patterns of reasoning that apply in multiple situations geared towards trust. Schemes are described in which one agent, A, can establish arguments for trusting another agent, B, directly, as well as schemes that A can use to construct arguments for trusting C, where C is trusted by B. For both sets of schemes, a set of critical questions is offered that identify the situations in which these schemes can fail.
Actin scaffolding by clathrin heavy chain is required for skeletal muscle sarcomere organization
Authors: Vassilopoulos Stéphane , Gentil Christel , Lainé Jeanne , Buclez Pierre-Olivier , Franck Agathe , Ferry Arnaud , Précigout Guillaume , Roth Robyn , Heuser John E. , Brodsky Frances M. , Garcia Luis , Bonne Gisèle , Voit Thomas , Piétri-Rouxel France , Bitoun Marc
Published: May 2014

The ubiquitous clathrin heavy chain (CHC), the main component of clathrin-coated vesicles, is well characterized for its role in intracellular membrane traffic and endocytosis from the plasma membrane (PM). Here, we demonstrate that in skeletal muscle CHC regulates the formation and maintenance of PM–sarcomere attachment sites also known as costameres. We show that clathrin forms large coated lattices associated with actin filaments and the muscle-specific isoform of α-actinin at the PM of differentiated myotubes. Depletion of CHC in myotubes induced a loss of actin and α-actinin sarcomeric organization, whereas CHC depletion in vivo induced a loss of contractile force due to the detachment of sarcomeres from the PM. Our results suggest that CHC contributes to the formation and maintenance of the contractile apparatus through interactions with costameric proteins and highlight an unconventional role for CHC in skeletal muscle that may be relevant to pathophysiology of neuromuscular disorders.
PedsQL Gastrointestinal Symptoms Module
Authors: Varni James W. , Bendo Cristiane B. , Denham Jolanda , Shulman Robert J. , Self Mariella M. , Neigut Deborah A. , Nurko Samuel , Patel Ashish S. , Franciosi James P. , Saps Miguel , Verga Barbara , Smith Alicia , Yeckes Alyson , Heinz Nicole , Langseder Annette , Saeed Shehzad , Zacur George M. , Pohl John F.
Published: May 2014

Objective:

The objective of this study was to report on the measurement properties of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Gastrointestinal Symptoms Module for patients with functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders (FGIDs) and organic GI diseases, hereafter referred to as “GI disorders,” for patient self‐report ages between 5 and 18 and parent proxy‐report for ages between 2 and 18 years.

Methods:

The 74‐item PedsQL GI Module and 23‐item PedsQL Generic Core Scales were completed in a 9‐site study by 584 patients and 682 parents. Patients had physician‐diagnosed GI disorders (such as chronic constipation, functional abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease).

Results:

Fourteen unidimensional scales were derived measuring stomach pain, stomach discomfort when eating, food and drink limits, trouble swallowing, heartburn and reflux, nausea and vomiting, gas and bloating, constipation, blood, diarrhea, worry, medicines, and communication. The PedsQL GI Module Scales evidenced excellent feasibility, excellent reliability for the Total Scale Scores (patient self‐report α = 0.97, parent proxy‐report α = 0.97), and good‐to‐excellent reliability for the 14 individual scales (patient self‐report α = 0.67–0.94, parent proxy‐report α = 0.77–0.95). Intercorrelations with the Generic Core Scales supported construct validity. Individual Symptoms Scales known‐groups validity across 7 GI disorders was generally supported. Factor analysis supported the unidimensionality of the individual scales.

Conclusions:

The PedsQL GI Module Scales demonstrated acceptable‐to‐excellent measurement properties and may be used as common metrics to compare GI‐specific symptoms in clinical research and practice both within and across patient groups for FGIDs and organic GI diseases.
Remote quality monitoring in the banana chain
Authors: Jedermann Reiner , Praeger Ulrike , Geyer Martin , Lang Walter
Published: May 2014

Quality problems occurring during or after sea transportation of bananas in refrigerated containers are mainly caused by insufficient cooling and non-optimal atmospheric conditions, but also by the heat generated by respiration activity. Tools to measure and evaluate these effects can largely help to reduce losses along the banana supply chain. The presented green life model provides a tool to predict the effect of deviating temperature, relative humidity, and CO2and O2gas concentrations on the storage stability of bananas. A second thermal model allows evaluation of the cooling efficiency, the effect of changes in packaging and stowage and the amount of respiration heat from the measured temperature curves. Spontaneous ripening causes higher respiration heat and CO2production rate. The resulting risk for creation of hot spots increases in positions in which the respiration heat exceeds the available cooling capacity. In case studies on the transport of bananas from Costa Rica to Europe, we validated the models and showed how they can be applied to generate automated warning messages for containers with reduced banana green life or with temperature problems and also for remote monitoring of the ripening process inside the container.
Communication techniques and challenges for wireless food quality monitoring
Authors: Jedermann Reiner , Pötsch Thomas , Lloyd Chanaka
Published: May 2014

Remote measurement of product core temperature is an important prerequisite to improve the cool chain of food products and reduce losses. This paper examines and shows possible solutions to technical challenges that still hinder practical applications of wireless sensor networks in the field of food transport supervision. The high signal attenuation by water-containing products limits the communication range to less than 0.5 m for the commonly used 2.4 GHz radio chips. By theoretical analysis of the dependency of signal attenuation on the operating frequency, we show that the signal attenuation can be largely reduced by the use of 433 MHz or 866 MHz devices, but forwarding of messages over multiple hops inside a sensor network is mostly unavoidable to guarantee full coverage of a packed container. Communication protocols have to provide compatibility with widely accepted standards for integration into the global Internet, which has been achieved by programming an implementation of the constrained application protocol for wireless sensor nodes and integrating into IPv6-based networks. The sensor's battery lifetime can be extended by optimizing communication protocols and by in-network pre-processing of the sensor data. The feasibility of remote freight supervision was demonstrated by our full-scale ‘Intelligent Container’ prototype.
Radio frequency identification enabled wireless sensing for intelligent food logistics
Authors: Zou Zhuo , Chen Qing , Uysal Ismail , Zheng Lirong
Published: May 2014

Future technologies and applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) will evolve the process of the food supply chain and create added value of business. Radio frequency identifications (RFIDs) and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been considered as the key technological enablers. Intelligent tags, powered by autonomous energy, are attached on objects, networked by short-range wireless links, allowing the physical parameters such as temperatures and humidities as well as the location information to seamlessly integrate with the enterprise information system over the Internet. In this paper, challenges, considerations and design examples are reviewed from system, implementation and application perspectives, particularly with focus on intelligent packaging and logistics for the fresh food tracking and monitoring service. An IoT platform with a two-layer network architecture is introduced consisting of an asymmetric tag–reader link (RFID layer) and an ad-hoc link between readers (WSN layer), which are further connected to the Internet via cellular or Wi-Fi. Then, we provide insights into the enabling technology of RFID with sensing capabilities. Passive, semi-passive and active RFID solutions are discussed. In particular, we describe ultra-wideband radio RFID which has been considered as one of the most promising techniques for ultra-low-power and low-cost wireless sensing. Finally, an example is provided in the form of an application in fresh food tracking services and corresponding field testing results.
Two Fe3(μ3-S)2(CO)8clusters with terminal N-heterocyclic carbenes
Authors: Yang Wei , Fu Qiang , Zhao Jing , Cheng Huan-Ren , Shi Yao-Cheng
Published: May 2014

The title compounds with terminal N-heterocyclic carbenes, namely octacarbonyl(imidazolidinylidene-κC2)di-μ3-sulfido-triiron(II)(2Fe—Fe), [Fe3(C3H6N2)(μ3-S)2(CO)8], (I), and octacarbonyl(1-methylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridin-3-ylidene-κC3)di-μ3-sulfido-triiron(II)(2Fe—Fe), [Fe3(C8H8N2)(μ3-S)2(CO)8], (II), have been synthesized. Each compound contains two Fe—Fe bonds and two S atoms above and below a triiron triangle. One of the eight carbonyl ligands deviates significantly from linearity. In (I), dimers generated by an N—H...S hydrogen bond are linked into [001] double chains by a second N—H...S hydrogen bond. These chains are packed by a C—H...O hydrogen bond to yield [101] sheets. In (II), dimers generated by an N—H...S hydrogen bond are linked by C—H...O hydrogen bonds to form [111] double chains.
2,2′-Bi[benzo[b]thiophene]: an unexpected isolation of the benzo[b]thiophene dimer
Authors: Cheung Eugene Y. , Pennington Lewis D. , Bartberger Michael D. , Staples Richard J.
Published: May 2014

The crystal structure of 2,2′-bi[benzo[b]thiophene], C16H10S2, at 173 K has triclinic (P\overline{1}) symmetry. It is of interest with respect to its apparent mode of synthesis, as it is a by-product of a Stille cross-coupling reaction in which it was not explictly detected by spectroscopic methods. It was upon crystal structure analysis of a specimen isolated from the mother liquor that this reaction was determined to give rise to the title compound, which is a dimer arising from the starting material. Two independent half-molecules of this dimer comprise the asymmetric unit, and the full molecules are generatedviainversion centers. Both molecules in the unit cell exhibit ring disorder, and they are essentially identical because of their rigidity and planarity.
Redetermination of NaGdS2, NaLuS2and NaYS2
Authors: Fábry Jan , Havlák Lubomír , Kučeráková Monika , Dušek Michal
Published: May 2014

The title structures NaGdS2(sodium gadolinium sulfide), NaLuS2(sodium lutetium sulfide) and NaYS2(sodium yttrium sulfide) were redetermined in order to improve the structural information available for the family of group 1 and thallium rare earth sulfides, which are isostructural with the rhombohedral α-NaFeO2structure type. In particular, the present investigation has been directed at the rhombohedral sodium rare earth sulfides. The observed dependence of the fractional coordinatez(S2−) on the identity of the rare earth element in the newly determined structures is in agreement with the known structures of the potassium and rubidium analogues. Crystals of NaGdS2and NaLuS2display obverse–reverse twinning.
How the approval of rules influences motivation
Authors: Inauen Emil
Published: May 2014

Purpose

– With their specific characteristics, religious orders provide an interesting environment that can be used to deepen the understanding and dynamics of work motivation in the public sector. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper empirically investigates the levels and kinds of motivation (from extrinsic to intrinsic) in different religious orders, and analyze some major factors of influence. A broad survey of monastic leaders offers a unique data set to analyze the influence of constitutions and traditions on motivation in a quantitative and comparative way. The theoretical foundations are based upon self-determination theory (SDT), formalization and public service motivation.

Findings

– The paper shows that even the most constrained and hierarchically structured communities succeed in preventing a crowding out of self-determined motivation. On the one hand, this can be ascribed to the influence of faith and religion. On the other hand, and this is the focus of the paper, the analysis suggests that if norms and structures are approved and considered essential, a crowding-out effect is absent, and motivation levels can be maintained.

Research limitations/implications

– This study has an explorative character; it is intended to provide interest for further research. Because of the particular position of religious orders, and equally because of the relatively small sample and few variables concerning the approval of rules and traditions, further investigations in other settings are needed.

Practical implications

– An alternative path to increase public service motivation comes into play. The negative effects of little or no autonomy and strict regulation in an organization's daily routines can be tempered by a conscious composition and awareness of governance, i.e. an understanding of and agreement upon constitutions, rules and traditions.

Originality/value

– The approval of constitutions and traditions has received little study, yet offers new insights into public service motivation, SDT and formalization.
The industrial emergence of commercial inkjet printing
Authors: James Ford Simon , J. Routley Michèle , Phaal Rob , R. Probert David
Published: May 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how supply and demand interact during industrial emergence.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper builds on previous theorising about co-evolutionary dynamics, exploring the interaction between supply and demand in a study of the industrial emergence of the commercial inkjet cluster in Cambridge, UK. Data are collected through 13 interviews with professionals working in the industry.

Findings

– The paper shows that as new industries emerge, asynchronies between technology supply and market demand create opportunities for entrepreneurial activity. In attempting to match innovative technologies to particular applications, entrepreneurs adapt to the system conditions and shape the environment to their own advantage. Firms that successfully operate in emerging industries demonstrate the functionality of new technologies, reducing uncertainty and increasing customer receptiveness.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is geographically bounded to the Cambridge commercial inkjet cluster. Further studies could consider commercial inkjet from a global perspective or test the applicability of the findings in other industries.

Practical implications

– Technology-based firms are often innovating during periods of industrial emergence. The insights developed in this paper help such firms recognise the emerging context in which they operate and the challenges that need to overcome.

Originality/value

– As an in depth study of a single industry, this research responds to calls for studies into industrial emergence, providing insights into how supply and demand interact during this phase of the industry lifecycle.
Innovation systems dynamics and the positioning of Europe. A review and critique of recent Foresight studies
Authors: Barre Remi
Published: May 2014

Purpose

–The purpose of this paper is to shed light on innovation systems dynamics and the positioning of Europe in a longer term perspective, with special attention to the international governance of the major challenges which humanity is facing.

Design/methodology/approach

–The method used is based on a secondary analysis and interpretation of Foresight studies. The underlying assumption is that Foresight exercises can be considered as the scene where techno-economic systems and trajectories are proposed, discussed and shaped.

Findings

–Foresights can be distinguished by the challenges and issues they focus on: – the innovation race: competitiveness and influence through innovation, – the thematic concerns: the stakes of global public goods, – the normative perspectives: a new style of development in the making. The question to know whether Europe can be a world driver in fostering responsible innovation models and cooperative modes of knowledge circulation and global challenges handling through relevant social and technological innovations.

Originality/value

–This paper reviews and puts in perspective Foresight exercises in an original way, this on two grounds: first, it includes exercises fostered at national, regional (in particular the EU) and global (UN system) levels – this to account for the emerging multi-level governance and, second, it classifies them according to their major focus, namely the innovation race, the thematic concerns (global public goods) and the normative perspectives (new style of development). It provides to the actors of innovation in both the public and private sector an understanding of the current key-concerns and visions on innovation systems and the position of Europe.
Defence and security: new issues and impacts
Authors: James Andrew , Teichler Thomas
Published: May 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to provide a meta-analysis of the main themes emerging from public domain foresight studies on the defence and security environment undertaken in the decade since the 9/11 attacks on the USA. The authors focus mainly on foresight studies undertaken in Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on a content analysis of public domain foresight studies.

Findings

– Foresight studies on the defence and security environment reflect a shift in security thinking away from a focus on state-centric threats towards a much broader view of security risks that includes risks presented by the vulnerability of European society to the failure of critical infrastructure, to pandemics, environmental change and resource based conflicts. The authors place a particular emphasis on the treatment of technological change in these defence and security foresight studies and argue that the growing importance of dual-use technologies is likely to mean that defence will play a declining role as a sponsor and lead-user of advanced technologies in the future.

Originality/value

– Foresight studies on the defence and security environment have grown in number since 9/11 not least in Europe. However, they have been the subject of little systematic analysis. This paper makes a contribution to such an analysis.
International migration by 2030: impact of immigration policies scenarios on growth and employment
Authors: Duwicquet V. , Mouhoud E.M. , Oudinet J.
Published: May 2014

Purpose

–The aim of this paper is to estimate the dynamic of international migration between the different regions of the world for 2030 and to measure the impact of different kind of migration policies on the economic and social evolution.

Design/methodology/approach

–The change and migration forecasting are estimated for regions of the world using macroeconomic Cambridge Alphametrics Model.

Findings

–The crisis and its aggravation thus clearly favour scenarios of immigration policy along the “zero migration” or “constant migration”. These choices of migration policies reinforce the deflationary process resulting in reduced opportunities for renewed growth in industrial areas and are not offset by the dynamism of growth in emerging countries. Paradoxically, the developed countries which are most durably affected by the crisis are also those that have ageing population and are in high need of skilled and unskilled labor.

Practical implications

–Three options are possible: one going along the depressive process by espousing restrictive immigration policies that remain expensive. The second involves a highly selective immigration policy. Under these conditions the demographic revival already appearing would be reinforced by a rejuvenation of the population brought about by a more open immigration policy. Political and institutional factors play a fundamental role in the emergence of this optimistic assumption and the rise of isolationism in Europe and the ghettoization of suburban areas can hinder the application of such a policy of openness to migration. The third scenario, the mass migration scenario, allows letting go of the growth related constraints and getting out of the deflationist spiral. This pro-active approach could cause public opinions to change in line with public interest. This scenario of mass migration has more of a chance to see the light under a growth hypothesis. However, restrictive policies weaken the prospects of sustainable recovery causing a vicious cycle that can only be broken by pro-active policies or by irresistible shocks.

Originality/value

–From specific estimations, four immigration regimes have been built that cut across the major regions of the model: the “core skill replacement migration regime” based on selective policies using migration to fill high-skilled labor needs (United Kingdom, West and Northern Europe, Canada, Australia, and USA), “mass immigration and replacement” applies to South Europe, East Asia High Income, and part of West Asia (Gulf countries), “big fast-growing emerging regions of future mass immigration,” notably China, India and “South-South migration” based on forced migration much of it by climate change, which may likely occur in South Asia, part of West Asia, and, most of Africa (without South Africa). Migrations in transit countries (Central America to USA, and East Europe to UK and West Europe) are based on low skilled migrants in labor-intensive sectors.
The dimensions of frontline employee adaptability in power sector
Authors: Sony Michael , Mekoth Nandakumar
Published: May 2014

Purpose

– The power sector needs frontline employees (FLEs) who are adaptable to the dynamic and complex business environments. There is yet to be a study that defines FLE adaptability as a lived in experience. The main purpose of this study is to explore the dimensions of FLE adaptability in power sector.

Design/methodology/approach

– FLE adaptability being multifaceted and context based, the research is conducted as a qualitative research in an attempt to identify FLE adaptability dimensions. FLE's working in three power utilities in Western, India participated through purposeful sampling frame. Data were collected using interviews, group discussions and open-ended questionnaire and analyzed in line with grounded theory.

Findings

– The analysis revealed seven dimensions of FLE adaptability. The dimensions being interpersonal aspect of adaptability, service offering aspect adaptability, political aspects of adaptability, social aspects of adaptability, physical aspects of adaptability, group aspect of adaptability and organizational aspect of adaptability.

Research limitations/implications

– Given the authors' exploratory qualitative approach and small sample size, these findings should be interpreted with caution until they have been replicated in a variety of settings and with multiple methodologies. Participants in this study were drawn from power sector organizations located in Western, India. This may delimit generalizations. Substantial research needs to be carried out in order to fully develop a complete understanding of this important FLE adaptability construct.

Social implications

– Power sector is one of the major parameters for the development of country. FLEs are one of the main cogs in the efficient management of power sector. This research stresses the need for FLE for adapting to the social fabric of society especially for services which are essential in nature. The new term coined by the researchers is social consciousness which depicts employee social orientation.

Originality/value

– There is academic scarcity on research that defines FLE adaptability as a lived in experience. In the previous research on employee adaptability, there was a consistent divide between the setting (laboratory vs field), construct dimensionality (uni- vs multidimensional), assessment format (objective task scores vs subjective ratings), and sample (military vs non-military setting). Thus, the previous research on adaptability could not be generalized on the adaptability spectrum of FLEs; hence, this study revisits the attributes of FLE adaptability.
Does minimum wage affect hours worked of paid employment in Indonesia?
Authors: Shasta Pratomo Devanto
Published: May 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of a change in minimum wage on hours worked of paid employment in Indonesia. This study used the Indonesian Labor Force Survey (Sakernas) data from 1996 to 2003.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study employs Bourguignon-Fournier-Gurgand two-step procedure of sample selection corrections based on a multinomial logit model for a potential selection bias from a non-random sample. This study extends the specification by examining the effects of minimum wage on hours worked of paid employment separately across individuals in different groups of gender (male-female workers) and residences (urban-rural areas).

Findings

– This study generally found that an increase in the minimum wage increases hours worked of the existing paid employees. The effects of the minimum wage on hours worked are stronger for female workers than male workers particularly in urban areas due to that female workers, particularly in urban areas, are mostly employed in industries which contain more low-wage workers. Comparing residences, the minimum wage coefficient in rural areas is slightly higher because of the structural transformation in Indonesia marked by a shift in employment from the agriculture sector to the other sectors that require more working hours.

Originality/value

– The empirical studies of the effect of minimum wage on hours worked in developing countries are very limited. This study contributes to the literature by employing the sample selection corrections based on a multinomial logit for a potential selection bias from a non-random sample This study also extends the hours worked specification by analyzing the effects of minimum wage on hours worked separately across individuals in different groups of workers, in terms of gender (male-female workers) and their residences (urban-rural areas).
Effects of reputation and credibility on monetary policy: theory and evidence for Brazil
Authors: Caldas Montes Gabriel , Cesar Albuquerque Bastos Julio
Published: May 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that both the reputation of the monetary authority and the credibility of the regime of inflation targeting are important to reduce the inflation bias and the effort of the monetary authority in an emerging economy.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper develops a model which shows that the gain of credibility reduces the effort of the monetary authority in the conduct of monetary policy. The paper presents an econometric analysis for Brazil through ordinary least squares, generalized method of moments (GMM), system of equations by GMM and vector autoregressive.

Findings

– The findings suggest that the reputation of the monetary authority is important to the improvement of credibility, and the gains of credibility reduce the effort of the monetary authority in the conduct of monetary policy, reducing the variations of the monetary base.

Originality/value

– In the theoretical field, the study develops a model which shows that credibility is important to reduce both the inflation bias and the efforts of the monetary authority in the conduct of monetary policy. In the empirical field: first, it proposes a new index of reputation for the monetary authority; second, it demonstrates that the gain of reputation improves credibility, but also that attempts to exploit the output-inflation trade-off reduces credibility; third, the analysis found that the gains of credibility reduce the efforts of the monetary authority in the conduct of monetary policy.
The interaction between external and internal knowledge sources: an open innovation view
Authors: Díaz-Díaz Nieves L. , de Saá Pérez Petra
Published: May 2014

Purpose

–The purpose of this paper is to study the external sources of knowledge that better exploit internal knowledge in order to innovate.

Design/methodology/approach

–A balanced panel of 1,266 firms that respond to the Survey of Business Strategies for a five-year period was used, which represents a total of 6,330 observations.

Findings

–The influence of the absorptive capacity on new products is significant, with an inverted U-shaped relationship. The interaction between external sources of knowledge and firm ' s absorptive capacity has a negative effect on innovation up to a certain level (substitution effect), after which that interaction improves the innovation of firms, displaying a complementary effect.

Practical implications

–Firms with excess of internal sources of knowledge do not obtain better innovative results because overtime firms tend to inertia and need external sources of knowledge to obtain new knowledge. Firms must be conscious that the effect on innovation of using a strategy of external knowledge acquisition could be different depending on their internal knowledge base level. Thus, those firms that select their strategies to combine knowledge appropriately will have better results.

Originality/value

–This paper reveals that the positive effect of internal sources of knowledge on innovation decline after it reaches a high level because those firms with strong absorptive capacity may enter a state of organizational inertia that reduces their innovation. This research enhances the importance of identifying each of the external knowledge sources likely to be used, since their influence on innovation differs depending on the level of internal knowledge. Finally, this study is based on panel data models, which allows us to control unobservable heterogeneity improving earlier studies that had to rely on cross-sectional data.