bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Lollipop-shaped” high-sensitivity Microelectromechanical Systems vector hydrophone based on Parylene encapsulation
Authors: Liu Yuan , Wang Renxin , Zhang Guojun , Du Jin , Zhao Long , Xue Chenyang , Zhang Wendong , Liu Jun
Published: July 2015

This paper presents methods of promoting the sensitivity of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) vector hydrophone by increasing the sensing area of cilium and perfect insulative Parylene membrane. First, a low-density sphere is integrated with the cilium to compose a “lollipop shape,” which can considerably increase the sensing area. A mathematic model on the sensitivity of the “lollipop-shaped” MEMS vector hydrophone is presented, and the influences of different structural parameters on the sensitivity are analyzed via simulation. Second, the MEMS vector hydrophone is encapsulated through the conformal deposition of insulative Parylene membrane, which enables underwater acoustic monitoring without any typed sound-transparent encapsulation. Finally, the characterization results demonstrate that the sensitivity reaches up to −183 dB (500 Hz 0dB at 1 V/μPa), which is increased by more than 10 dB, comparing with the previous cilium-shaped MEMS vector hydrophone. Besides, the frequency response takes on a sensitivity increment of 6 dB per octave. The working frequency band is 20–500 Hz and the concave point depth of 8-shaped directivity is beyond 30 dB, indicating that the hydrophone is promising in underwater acoustic application.
Ultrafast terahertz modulation characteristic of tungsten doped vanadium dioxide nanogranular film revealed by time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy
Authors: Xiao Yang , Zhai Zhao-Hui , Shi Qi-Wu , Zhu Li-Guo , Li Jun , Huang Wan-Xia , Yue Fang , Hu Yan-Yan , Peng Qi-Xian , Li Ze-Ren
Published: July 2015

The ultrafast terahertz (THz) modulation characteristic during photo-induced insulator-to-metal transition (IMT) of undoped and tungsten (W)-doped VO2 film was investigated at picoseconds time scale using time-resolved THz spectroscopy. W-doping slows down the photo-induced IMT dynamic processes (both the fast non-thermal process and the slow metallic phase propagation process) in VO2 film and also reduces the pump fluence threshold of photo-induced IMT in VO2 film. Along with the observed broadening of phase transition temperature window of IMT in W-doped VO2, we conclude that W-doping prevents metallic phase domains from percolation. By further extracting carrier properties from photo-induced THz conductivity at several phase transition times, we found that the electron-electron correlation during IMT is enhanced in W-doped VO2.
Magnetotransport in nanocrystalline SmB6 thin films
Authors: Yong Jie , Jiang Yeping , Zhang Xiaohang , Shin Jongmoon , Takeuchi Ichiro , Greene Richard L.
Published: July 2015

SmB6 has been predicted to be a prototype of topological Kondo insulator (TKI) but its direct experimental evidence as a TKI is still lacking to date. Here we report on our search for the signature of a topological surface state and investigation of the effect of disorder on transport properties in nanocrystalline SmB6 thin films through longitudinal magnetoresistance and Hall coefficient measurements. The magnetoresistance (MR) at 2 K is positive and linear (LPMR) at low field and become negative and quadratic at higher field. While the negative part is understood from the reduction of the hybridization gap due to Zeeman splitting, the positive dependence is similar to what is observed in other topological insulators (TI). We conclude that the LPMR is a characteristic of TI and is related to the linear dispersion near the Dirac cone. The Hall resistance shows a sign change around 50K. It peaks and becomes nonlinear around 10 K then decreases below 10 K. This indicates that carriers with opposite signs emerge below 50 K. These properties indicate that the surface states are robust and probably topological in our nanocrystalline films.
Tunable metamaterial bandstop filter based on ferromagnetic resonance
Authors: Wang Qingmin , Zeng Lingyu , Lei Ming , Bi Ke
Published: July 2015

Tunable wideband microwave bandstop filters have been investigated by experiments and simulations. The negative permeability is realized around the ferromagnetic resonance frequency which can be influenced by the demagnetization factor of the ferrite rods. For the filter composed of two ferrite rods with different size, it exhibits a -3 db stop bandwidth as large as 500 MHz, peak absorption of -40 db and an out-of-stopband insertion loss of -1.5 db. This work provides a new way to fabricate the microwave bandstop filters.
Chaos analysis of viscoelastic chaotic flows of polymeric fluids in a micro-channel
Authors: Lim C. P. , Han J. , Lam Y. C.
Published: July 2015

Many fluids, including biological fluids such as mucus and blood, are viscoelastic. Through the introduction of chaotic flows in a micro-channel and the construction of maps of characteristic chaos parameters, differences in viscoelastic properties of these fluids can be measured. This is demonstrated by creating viscoelastic chaotic flows induced in an H-shaped micro-channel through the steady infusion of a polymeric fluid of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and another immiscible fluid (silicone oil). A protocol for chaos analysis was established and demonstrated for the analysis of the chaotic flows generated by two polymeric fluids of different molecular weight but with similar relaxation times. The flows were shown to be chaotic through the computation of their correlation dimension (D2) and the largest Lyapunov exponent (λ1), with D2 being fractional and λ1 being positive. Contour maps of D2 and λ1 of the respective fluids in the operating space, which is defined by the combination of polymeric fluids and silicone oil flow rates, were constructed to represent the characteristic of the chaotic flows generated. It was observed that, albeit being similar, the fluids have generally distinct characteristic maps with some similar trends. The differences in the D2 and λ1 maps are indicative of the difference in the molecular weight of the polymers in the fluids because the driving force of the viscoelastic chaotic flows is of molecular origin. This approach in constructing the characteristic maps of chaos parameters can be employed as a diagnostic tool for biological fluids and, more generally, chaotic signals.
Muddy waters: the influence of high suspended-sediment concentration on the diving behaviour of a bimodally respiring freshwater turtle from north-eastern Australia
Authors: Schaffer Jason R. , Hamann Mark , Rowe Richard , Burrows Damien W.
Published: July 2015

Increased suspended-sediment concentrations (SS) in rivers can affect aquatic respiration in riverine fauna by impairing respiratory function. Bimodally respiring freshwater turtles are likely to be sensitive to changes in SS because increased concentrations may affect their ability to aquatically respire. However, the impact of SS on the diving behaviour of bimodally respiring freshwater turtles has not been formally investigated. To test this, we examined the influence of dissolved oxygen (DO) saturation (25%, 100%) and temperature (17°C, 25°C) on the diving behaviour of Elseya irwini under clear (0mgL–1) and turbid (79mgL–1) conditions. We hypothesised that low temperature and high DO % saturation would increase dive duration and that high SS would negate the effect of DO, decreasing dive duration under highly oxygenated conditions. Our data demonstrated that increased SS significantly reduced mean dive duration by 73% (97.4±10.1min in 0mgL–1 trials v. 26.4±3.2min in 79mgL–1 trials) under conditions of low temperature (17°C) and high DO % saturation (100%) only. Increased SS directly affects the utilisation of DO by this species, so as to extend submergence times (aquatic respiration) under optimal conditions, raising concerns about the effect of SS on the persistence of populations of physiologically specialised freshwater turtles.
Fragile charge order in the nonsuperconducting ground state of the underdoped high-temperature superconductors
Authors: Tan B. S. , Harrison N. , Zhu Z. , Balakirev F. , Ramshaw B. J. , Srivastava A. , Sabok-Sayr S. A. , Dabrowski B. , Lonzarich G. G. , Sebastian Suchitra E.
Published: July 2015

Significance

Results from quantum oscillation and spectroscopic measurements have suggested charge order as responsible for the creation of a nodal electron pocket in the YBa
2
Cu
3

O

6
+
δ

and HgBa
2
Cu

O

4
+
δ

families of underdoped cuprates. However, the situation in the pristine YBa
2
Cu
4
O
8
family remains ambiguous. Our high-precision quantum oscillation measurements point to a very similar nodal electron pocket in the stoichiometric cuprate family YBa
2
Cu
4
O
8
, despite the nonobservation of charge order signatures in diffraction experiments. Our findings in YBa
2
Cu
4
O
8
indicate Fermi surface reconstruction in the hole underdoped cuprates associated with the magnetic field enhancement of charge order, the fragile low-magnetic field character of which is reflected in the short correlation length reported in various materials families.
Molecular and preclinical basis to inhibit PGE
2
receptors EP2 and EP4 as a novel nonsteroidal therapy for endometriosis
Authors: Arosh Joe A. , Lee JeHoon , Balasubbramanian Dakshnapriya , Stanley Jone A. , Long Charles R. , Meagher Mary W. , Osteen Kevin G. , Bruner-Tran Kaylon L. , Burghardt Robert C. , Starzinski-Powitz Anna , Banu Sakhila K.
Published: July 2015

Significance

Endometriosis is an inflammatory gynecological disease of reproductive age women associated with chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Endometriosis remains as the single major cause for hysterectomy in reproductive age women in the United States. The pathogenesis of endometriosis remains an enigma in reproductive medicine. Current hormonal therapies cause undesirable side effects, reproductive health concerns, and are unable to prevent recurrence of disease. Results of the present study indicate that selective inhibition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE
2
) receptors EP2 and EP4 suppresses the growth and survival of endometriosis lesions, decreases pelvic pain, and restores endometrial functional receptivity through multiple mechanisms. Our novel findings provide a molecular and preclinical basis to formulate long-term nonhormonal therapy for endometriosis.
WATCLUST: a tool for improving the design of drugs based on protein-water interactions
Authors: López Elias D. , Arcon Juan Pablo , Gauto Diego F. , Petruk Ariel A. , Modenutti Carlos P. , Dumas Victoria G. , Marti Marcelo A. , Turjanski Adrian G.
Published: July 2015

Motivation: Water molecules are key players for protein folding and function. On the protein surface, water is not placed randomly, but display instead a particular structure evidenced by the presence of specific water sites (WS). These WS can be derived and characterized using explicit water Molecular Dynamics simulations, providing useful information for ligand binding prediction and design. Here we present WATCLUST, a WS determination and analysis tool running on the VMD platform. The tool also allows direct transfer of the WS information to Autodock program to perform biased docking.

Availability and implementation: The WATCLUST plugin and documentation are freely available at http://sbg.qb.fcen.uba.ar/watclust/.

Contact:  marcelo@qi.fcen.uba.ar, adrian@qi.fcen.uba.ar
OrderRex: clinical order decision support and outcome predictions by data-mining electronic medical records
Authors: Chen Jonathan H , Podchiyska Tanya , Altman Russ B
Published: July 2015

Objective: To answer a “grand challenge” in clinical decision support, the authors produced a recommender system that automatically data-mines inpatient decision support from electronic medical records (EMR), analogous to Netflix or Amazon.com’s product recommender.

Materials and Methods: EMR data were extracted from 1 year of hospitalizations (>18K patients with >5.4M structured items including clinical orders, lab results, and diagnosis codes). Association statistics were counted for the ∼1.5K most common items to drive an order recommender. The authors assessed the recommender’s ability to predict hospital admission orders and outcomes based on initial encounter data from separate validation patients.

Results: Compared to a reference benchmark of using the overall most common orders, the recommender using temporal relationships improves precision at 10 recommendations from 33% to 38% ( P  < 10 −10 ) for hospital admission orders. Relative risk-based association methods improve inverse frequency weighted recall from 4% to 16% ( P  < 10 −16 ). The framework yields a prediction receiver operating characteristic area under curve (c-statistic) of 0.84 for 30 day mortality, 0.84 for 1 week need for ICU life support, 0.80 for 1 week hospital discharge, and 0.68 for 30-day readmission.

Discussion: Recommender results quantitatively improve on reference benchmarks and qualitatively appear clinically reasonable. The method assumes that aggregate decision making converges appropriately, but ongoing evaluation is necessary to discern common behaviors from “correct” ones.

Conclusions: Collaborative filtering recommender algorithms generate clinical decision support that is predictive of real practice patterns and clinical outcomes. Incorporating temporal relationships improves accuracy. Different evaluation metrics satisfy different goals (predicting likely events vs. “interesting” suggestions).
Nutritional and Quality Traits of Pasta Made from SSIIa Null High‐Amylose Durum Wheat
Authors: Hogg Andrew C. , Martin John M. , Manthey Frank A. , Giroux Michael J.
Published: July 2015

Food products that are high in fiber and low in glycemic impact are healthier. Amylose is a form of resistant starch that mimics dietary fiber when consumed. A durum wheat (Triticum durum) line was created that lacks starch synthase IIa (SSIIa) activity, a key enzyme in amylopectin biosynthesis, by identifying a null mutation in ssIIa‐B following mutagenesis of a line that has a naturally occurring ssIIa‐A null mutation. Our objective here was to compare seed, milling, pasta, and nutritional characteristics of the SSIIa null line with a wild‐type control line. The SSIIa null line had increased amylose and grain protein with lower individual seed weight and semolina yield. Refined pasta prepared from the SSIIa null semolina absorbed less water, had increased cooking loss, had a shorter cook time, and was considerably firmer even after overcooking compared with the wild‐type line. Color of the SSIIa null cooked and uncooked pasta was diminished in brightness compared with the wild type. Nutritionally, the SSIIa null pasta had increased calories, fiber, fat, resistant starch, ash, and protein compared with the control line, along with reduced total and available carbohydrates. Pasta made from high‐amylose durum wheat provides a significant nutritional benefit along with enhanced end‐product quality via firmer pasta that resists overcooking.
Psychometric Properties of the Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire Among Women of Indian Ethnicity Living in Australia
Authors: Kwok Cannas , Pillay Rona , Lee Chun Fan
Published: July 2015

Background:

Indian women have been consistently reported as having low participation in breast cancer screening practices. A valid and reliable instrument to explore their breast cancer beliefs is essential for development of interventions to promote breast cancer screening practices.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to report the psychometric properties of the Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire (BCSBQ) in an Indian community in Australia.

Methods:

A convenience sample of 242 Indian Australian women was recruited from Indian community organizations and personal networking. Explanatory factor analysis was conducted to study the factor structure. Clinical validity was examined by Cuzick’s nonparametric test, and Cronbach’s α was used to assess internal consistency reliability.

Results:

Exploratory factor analysis showed a similar fit to the hypothesized 3-factor structure. The frequency of breast cancer screening practices was significantly associated with attitudes toward general health check-up. Knowledge and perceptions about the breast cancer scale were not significantly associated with clinical breast examinations and mammography. Perceived barriers to mammography were much less evident among women who engaged in breast awareness and clinical breast examination. Results indicated that the BCSBQ had satisfactory validity and internal consistency. Cronbach’s α of the 3 subscales ranged from .81 to .91.

Conclusions:

The BCSBQ is a culturally appropriate, valid, and reliable instrument for assessing the beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes about breast cancer and breast cancer screening practices among women of Indian ethnic extraction living in Australia.

Implication for Practice:

The BCSBQ can be used to provide nurses with information relevant for the development of culturally sensitive breast health education programs.
Modeling Canadian Quality Control Test Program for Steroid Hormone Receptors in Breast Cancer: Diagnostic Accuracy Study
Authors: Pérez Teresa , Makrestsov Nikita , Garatt John , Torlakovic Emina , Gilks C. Blake , Mallett Susan
Published: July 2015

The Canadian Immunohistochemistry Quality Control program monitors clinical laboratory performance for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor tests used in breast cancer treatment management in Canada. Current methods assess sensitivity and specificity at each time point, compared with a reference standard. We investigate alternative performance analysis methods to enhance the quality assessment. We used 3 methods of analysis: meta-analysis of sensitivity and specificity of each laboratory across all time points; sensitivity and specificity at each time point for each laboratory; and fitting models for repeated measurements to examine differences between laboratories adjusted by test and time point. Results show 88 laboratories participated in quality control at up to 13 time points using typically 37 to 54 histology samples. In meta-analysis across all time points no laboratories have sensitivity or specificity below 80%. Current methods, presenting sensitivity and specificity separately for each run, result in wide 95% confidence intervals, typically spanning 15% to 30%. Models of a single diagnostic outcome demonstrated that 82% to 100% of laboratories had no difference to reference standard for estrogen receptor and 75% to 100% for progesterone receptor, with the exception of 1 progesterone receptor run. Laboratories with significant differences to reference standard identified with Generalized Estimating Equation modeling also have reduced performance by meta-analysis across all time points. The Canadian Immunohistochemistry Quality Control program has a good design, and with this modeling approach has sufficient precision to measure performance at each time point and allow laboratories with a significantly lower performance to be targeted for advice.
David John Hugh Cockayne. 19 March 1942 — 22 December 2010
Authors: Hirsch Sir Peter
Published: July 2015

David Cockayne had a wide-ranging and lasting impact on electron microscopy in materials science. He had dual UK and Australian nationality, and his professional career was divided between the two countries. His research was exceptional. His most important scientific contribution was the development (with I. L. F. Ray and M. J. Whelan in Oxford) of the dark-field ‘weak-beam’ technique of transmission electron microscopy, which improved by an order of magnitude (to 1.5 nm) the resolution at which complex crystal lattice defect geometries could be studied. The technique had a significant impact on advancing our understanding of the structure and properties of lattice defects in many materials, and became established as a routine tool in laboratories all over the world; it is still widely used today. With D. R. McKenzie in Sydney he developed a powerful high-precision electron diffraction technique within an electron microscope to study small volumes of amorphous material, orders of magnitude smaller than is possible with X-rays or neutrons, giving nearest-neighbour distances accurate to 0.001 nm. As Director of the University of Sydney Electron Microscope Unit from 1974 to 1999, he led the development of the Unit to provide a first-class centralized service of electron microscopy for the university as a whole. This stimulated other Australian universities to follow his example.
First-step Mutations during Adaptation to Thermal Stress Shift the Expression of Thousands of Genes Back toward the Pre-stressed State
Authors: Rodríguez-Verdugo Alejandra , Tenaillon Olivier , Gaut Brandon S.
Published: July 2015

The temporal change of phenotypes during the adaptive process remain largely unexplored, as do the genetic changes that affect these phenotypic changes. Here we focused on three mutations that rose to high frequency in the early stages of adaptation within 12Escherichia colipopulations subjected to thermal stress (42°C). All of the mutations were in therpoBgene, which encodes the RNA polymerase beta subunit. For each mutation, we measured the growth curves and gene expression (mRNAseq) of clones at 42°C. We also compared growth and gene expression to their ancestor under unstressed (37°C) and stressed conditions (42°C). Each of the three mutations changed the expression of hundreds of genes and conferred large fitness advantages, apparently through the restoration of global gene expression from the stressed towards the pre-stressed state. Finally, we compared the phenotypic characteristics of one mutant,I572L, to two high-temperature adapted clones that have this mutation plus additional background mutations. The background mutations increased fitness, but they did not substantially change gene expression. We conclude that early mutations in a global transcriptional regulator cause extensive changes in gene expression, many of which are likely under positive selection for their effect in restoring the pre-stress physiology.
Human-specific genomic features of pluripotency regulatory networks link NANOG with fetal and adult brain development
Authors: Glinsky Gennadi V.
Published: July 2015

Genome-wide proximity placement analysis of diverse families of human-specific genomic regulatory loci (HSGRL) identified topologically-associating domains (TADs) that are significantly enriched for HSGRL and termed rapidly-evolving in humans TADs (revTADs; Genome Biol Evol. 2016 8; 2774-88). Here, human-specific genomic features of pluripotency regulatory networks in hESC have been analyzed. The primary focus was on identification of human-specific elements of the interphase chromatin architecture of TADs responsible for transcriptional regulatory control of the NANOG, POU5F1, and POU3F2 genes. Comparative analyses of the four adjacent TADs spanning ~3.3 Mb NANOG locus-associated genomic region were carried-out to highlight primate-specific genomic features. Lastly, the putative mechanisms of the genome-wide regulatory effects of human-specific NANOG-binding sites (HSNBS) on expression of genes implicated in the fetal and adult brain development have been examined. Acquisition of primate-specific regulatory loci appears to rewire TADs exerting transcriptional control on pluripotency regulators, revealing a genomic placement pattern consistent with the enhanced regulatory impact of NANOG in primates. Proximity placement analysis of HSNBS identified a large expression signature in the human fetal neocortex temporal lobe comprising 4,957 genes, which appear to retain acquired in the embryo expression changes for many years of human brain development and maintain highly concordant expression profiles in the neocortex and prefrontal cortex regions of adult human brain. Collectively, reported herein observations indicate that genomic elements of pluripotency regulatory circuitry associated with HSNBS, specifically proteins of the classical NurD chromatin remodeling complex, contribute to transcriptional regulation of a large set of genes implicated in development and function of human brain.

List of abbreviations

5hmC, 5-Hydromethylcytosine

CTCF, CCCTC-binding factor

DHS, DNase hypersensitivity sites

FHSRR, fixed human-specific regulatory regions

GRNs, genomic regulatory networks

HAR, human accelerated regions

hCONDEL, human-specific conserved deletions

hESC, human embryonic stem cells

HSGRL, human-specific genomic regulatory loci

HSNBS, human-specific NANOG-binding sites

HSTFBS, human-specific transcription factor-binding sites

LAD, lamina-associated domain

LINE, long interspersed nuclear element

lncRNA, long non-coding RNA

LTR, long terminal repeat

MADE, methylation-associated DNA editing

mC, methylcytosine

mESC, mouse embryonic stem cells

NANOG, Nanog homeobox

nt, nucleotide

POU5F1, POU class 5 homeobox 1

PSDS, partial strand displacement state

TAD, topologically associating domains

TE, transposable elements

TF, transcription factor

TSC, triple-stranded complex

TSS, transcription start sites

SE, super-enhancers

SED, super-enhancer domains

sncRNA, small non coding RNA
The compliance of robotic hands – from functionality to mechanism
Authors: Li Rui , Wu Wei , Qiao Hong
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce the physical structure and the control mechanism of human motor nervous system to the robotic system in a tentative manner to improve the compliance/flexibility/versatility of the robot.

Design/methodology/approach

– A brief review is focused on the concept of compliance, the compliance-based methods and the application of some compliance-based devices. Combined with the research on the physical structure and the control mechanism of human motor nervous system, a new drive structure and control method is proposed.

Findings

– Introducing the physical structure and the control mechanism of human motor nervous system can improve the compliance/flexibility/versatility of the robot, without bringing in more complexity or inefficiency to the system, which helps in the assembly automation tasks.

Originality/value

– The proposed drive structure and control method are useful to build up a novel, low-cost robotic assembly automation system, which is easy to interact and cooperate with humans.
Uncertainty evaluation and optimization of INS installation measurement using Monte Carlo Method
Authors: Wang Qing , Huang Peng , Li Jiangxiong , Ke Yinglin
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to increase the measurement accuracy of assembly deviations of an inertial navigation system, a new evaluation and optimal method of assembly metrology system is proposed, which takes into account the uncertainty from laser tracker hardware and coordinate system transformation, and is based on the Monte Carlo method.

Design/methodology/approach

– The uncertainty model of the laser tracker is established and its parameters are obtained from the known repeated test data by kriging interpolation and the least squares method. The errors of coordinate transformation are reduced by using a weighted point matching method, and the uncertainty of the transformation parameters is obtained based on the generalized inverse theory. The weighting coefficients of each reference point are optimized by the particle swarm optimization method according to the assembly requirements.

Findings

– The experiment results show that measurement error and predicted results match well, and the assembly deviation uncertainty of large component is reduced by about 10 per cent compared with the singular value decomposition method.

Originality/value

– This paper proposes a method to evaluate and eliminate the influence of random errors of the laser tracker during evaluation process of coordinate translation parameters and assembly deviations. The proposed method would be useful to improve the assembly measurement accuracy through less measurement times.
Unintended consequences of a digital presence
Authors: Harrison Jennifer A. , Budworth Marie-Hélène
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how job seekers’ digital profile influences employment-related outcomes, namely recommendations on hiring and salary.

Design/methodology/approach

– A sample of 118 job seekers sharing information online about job searching was identified using a social networking platform. Using an impression management (IM) framework, two research assistants coded for use of verbal IM (e.g. utterances) and the use of nonverbal IM (e.g. professional images). Three HR managers evaluated the profiles and provided hiring-related recommendations. Data were analyzed used OLS moderated regression and simple slope analysis.

Findings

– Consistent with IM theory, use of verbal and nonverbal IM were both positively related to employment-related recommendations. Gender was found to moderate the use of IM utterances and employment-related recommendations in an unexpected direction for women.

Originality/value

– Findings suggest that an IM framework can be applied to studying digital social spaces of job seekers. The study provides evidence in support of the notion that previously established effects of IM efforts extend from an interview setting to a digital context.
Facilitators and barriers to the assimilation of function-specific executives into senior management roles
Authors: Bennett Roger
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that might contribute to the ease with which marketing executives in UK charities who have been promoted to senior general management positions adjust to the occupancy of these roles.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 37 individuals with functional marketing backgrounds currently holding top general management positions in large fundraising charities were interviewed using a frame-worked occupational autobiographic narrative approach. The research was informed by aspects of newcomer adjustment theory, notably uncertainty reduction theory.

Findings

– Social and personal considerations were much more important determinants of the ease of assimilation into top management positions in charities than were technical job-related matters. Role ambiguity constituted the main barrier to smooth adjustment. Mentoring, planned induction programmes, the nature of a person’s past work experience and the individual’s social status critically affected how readily a marketer fitted into a top management role. Disparate sets of factors influenced different elements of managerial newcomer adjustment (role clarity, self-efficacy, and social acceptance).

Research limitations/implications

– As the participants in the study needed to satisfy certain narrowly defined criteria and to work in a single sector (large fundraising charities) the sample was necessarily small. It was not possible to explore the effects on operational performance of varying degrees of ease of newcomer adjustment.

Practical implications

– Individuals promoted to top management posts in charities should try psychologically to break with the past and should not be afraid of projecting a strong functional professional identity to their new peers. These recommendations can be expected to apply to organisations in general which, like large charities, need senior management mentoring and induction programmes to assist recently promoted individuals from function-specific backgrounds; job descriptions for top management posts that are clear and embody realistic expectations; and “shadowing” and training activities for newly appointed senior managers with function-specific backgrounds.

Originality/value

– The study is the first to apply newcomer adjustment theory to the assimilation of functional managers into more senior general management. It examines a broader range of potential variables affecting managerial newcomer adjustment than has previously been considered. Relevant issues are examined in the context of an important sector: fundraising charities.
Psychosocial factors in retirement intentions and adjustment: a multi-sample study
Authors: Topa Gabriela , Alcover Carlos-María
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Retirement adjustment is the process by which aged workers become accustomed to the changed facts of life in the transition from work to retirement and develop psychological well-being in their post-working life. The purpose of this paper is to explore the psychosocial factors that significantly explain retirement intentions and retirement adjustment, using two separate empirical studies.

Design/methodology/approach

– Retirement self-efficacy, low work involvement, older worker identity and relative deprivation significantly explained retirement intentions (bridge employment engagement, part-time retirement, late retirement and full retirement) of workers over 60 years (Study 1,n=157). Retirement adjustment indices (retirement satisfaction, feelings of anxiety and depression) were associated with psychosocial factors for retirees (Study 2,n=218).

Findings

– The findings highlight that retirement self-efficacy and older worker identity positively and significantly explained both full retirement of aged workers and retirement satisfaction of retirees. Relative deprivation negatively significantly explained partial and late retirement intentions and retirement satisfaction of retirees.

Research limitations/implications

– The implications of these studies are discussed for understanding retirement planning and counselling practice.

Practical implications

– Retirement adjustment conceptualized as a process has important implications for retirement planning, and consequently can influence the project of the life course, as well as career’s decisions.

Social implications

– Social contexts should consider all factors that can negatively affect self-efficacy, work involvement and identity of employees in the mid and late-career stages, and thus contribute to reinforce and strengthen personal and psychosocial resources involved in planning and adaptation to retirement, and to increase the insight into the planning and decisions older workers make to face retirement.

Originality/value

– This work had two goals, pursued by two empirical studies with two samples: workers over 60 years, and retirees. The authors contend that the availability of two different sets of data increases the generalizability of the findings.
Informal learning of temporary agency workers in low-skill jobs
Authors: Preenen Paul , Verbiest Sarike , Van Vianen Annelies , Van Wijk Ellen
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop and investigate the idea that self-profiling and career control by temporary agency workers (TAWs) in low-skill jobs are positively related to informal learning and that this relationship is mediated by job challenge.

Design/methodology/approach

– An online survey study was conducted among 722 TAWs in low-skill jobs in the Netherlands. Bootstrap mediation analyses were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

– Self-profiling and career control are positively related to informal learning of TAWs and these relationships are mediated by job challenge.

Research limitations/implications

– This is the first study to develop and empirically test the proposition that self-profiling and career control are important factors for enhancing employees’ learning experiences in low-skill jobs.

Practical implications

– Hiring companies and temporary work agencies could stimulate and train TAWs’ self-profiling and career control competencies to enhance their job challenge and informal learning. Organizations should consider assigning challenging tasks to TAWs, which may be a good alternative for expensive formal training programs.

Social implications

– Many TAWs in low-skill jobs do not possess the skills and capacities to obtain a better or more secure job. In general, temporary workers face a higher risk of unemployment and greater income volatility (Segal and Sullivan, 1997). Gaining knowledge about how to develop this group is important for society as a whole.

Originality/value

– Research on the determinants of informal learning mainly concerned higher-educated employees and managers with long-term contracts (e.g. Donget al., 2014), whereas very little is known about factors that stimulate informal learning among TAWs in general, and among TAWs in low-skill jobs in particular.
Interest rate in Oman: is it fair?
Authors: Al-Muharrami Saeed
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to try to answer whether the banking system in Oman is fair for both depositors and entrepreneurs.

Design/methodology/approach

– The interest margin decomposition is based on the methodology proposed in Randall (1998). The income statement of banks defines profits before taxes (P) as interest income (II), plus non-interest income (NII), minus interest expense (IP), minus operating costs (OC) and minus provision for loan losses (Prov). After rearranging this identity, the net interest revenue can be expressed as follows: II – IP = OC + Prov + P – NII. The above expression decomposes the margin into the following cost and profit components: reserve requirement costs, operational costs, loan loss provision costs, profitability and non-interest income (with a negative sign).

Findings

– A trend analysis of commercial banks’ interest rate spreads in Oman exposes the following facts: First, the implicit interest margin is relatively small (in the neighborhood of 1 percentage point); second, profits constitute a substantial proportion of the margin; third, the share of operating costs in the margin has been broadly constant over time; fourth, reserve requirement costs have been reduced following the decline of the reserve requirement ratio; and fifth, the weighted average interest rate on deposits base is lower than the rate of inflation.

Originality/value

– This work is original.
Conventional bank and Islamic banking as institutions: similarities and differences
Authors: Wan Ibrahim Wan Hakimah , Ismail Abdul Ghafar
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The aim of this paper is to discuss the similarities and differences of both conventional and Islamic financial institutions from various institutional perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

– This conceptual paper describes the insights held by the financial institution theory which is discussed from the perspectives of the economics of the financial institution, legal environment, the political aspect of an institution, the philosophical underpinning, the components of institution and also the ethical role of institution. Then, this paper will proceed to justify the similarities and differences that have been observed between both institutions.

Findings

– Discussions in this paper will reveal that specifically specific similarity is prevalent on the nature of the supervisory role. The differences between both institutions from the aspects of business organization, economic roles and law of origin have also been found.

Research limitations/implications

– The similarities and differences that are established on both institutions will affect the structure of the financial contract and the design of financial systems.

Originality/value

– The paper will contribute a new knowledge specifically on the design of the Islamic financial contract based on Shariah law at the initial phase.
Modeling passengers’ future behavioral intentions in airline industry using SEM
Authors: Singh Alok Kumar
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the interrelationships among the extracted constructs of airline service quality (SQ), perceived image, perceived value, passenger satisfaction and their influence on passengers’ future behavioral intentions in the domestic aviation sector market in Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

– A conceptual framework is developed based on previous studies. In order to address a lack of comprehensive evaluation of airline SQ, this study extracted the dimensions of airline SQ and used them in the structural model. The conceptual model is tested using structural equation modeling approach using maximum likelihood estimation technique. A sample of 526 domestic full-service passengers was used to test the hypothesized relationships among the constructs.

Findings

– Out of the three dimensions of airline SQ extracted, convenience and promptness with reliability dimension of SQ was having a direct influence on perceived image, perceived value and passenger satisfaction which in turn influence BI. The findings of this study indicate the passenger evaluation process flows from perceived image to satisfaction via passenger perceived value and not directly from perceived image to passenger satisfaction. Only passengers’ satisfaction was found to have a direct influence on passengers’ future BI.

Originality/value

– This study modified SERVPERF instrument for airline settings and empirically validated the instrument using data from Indian domestic passengers. This research adds to the body of knowledge by providing a conceptual framework which gives an empirical insight into the interrelationship among the constructs of airline SQ, perceived image, perceived value, passenger satisfaction and its effects on passenger’s future BI. The conceptual model developed and tested in this paper will act as a reference in forming suitable marketing strategies for airline’s competitive advantage.
Measuring while moving (humanitarian supply chain performance measurement – status of research and current practice)
Authors: D'Haene Charles , Verlinde Sara , Macharis Cathy
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Raising standards are leading humanitarians to become increasingly interested in measuring the performance of their supply chain. A few researchers have addressed this topic, building on classical measurement theories and trying to identify the salient features of the humanitarian sector. This young body of literature must now be tested against current practice. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The practitioners’ perspective is explored through a multiple case study, based on qualitative evidence, within three major humanitarian organizations. Results are discussed using a situation-actor-process – learning-action-performance model of inquiry. Preceding this investigation, a literature review delves into research on humanitarian supply chain performance measurement and presents the most relevant pieces in a general framework.

Findings

– Humanitarians have elaborated measures whose essential focus is laid on service level. The more comprehensive approach advocated by researchers has received some consideration but is still poorly implemented. An issue that is given more priority by humanitarians is the accelerated supply chain integration they are going through.

Originality/value

– In addition to an unprecedented literature review, this paper offers a comparative study of humanitarian organizations’ practices in the field of supply chain performance measurement. Humanitarian procurement centres, virtually ignored in literature until now, are scrutinized at a turning point of their evolution.
An integrated approach to agility in humanitarian logistics
Authors: L'Hermitte Cécile , Bowles Marcus , Tatham Peter , Brooks Ben
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose first, a comprehensive model of the concept of agility in a humanitarian logistics context, and second, to generate a research agenda to test and operationalise this model.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper draws on the dynamic capabilities model originated by Teece and uses a topical literature review of research in various business disciplines in order to reflect on the concept of agility in a humanitarian logistics context, to demonstrate that its current scope needs to be widened, and to propose an alternative approach.

Findings

– The proposed model extends the existing concept of agility in a humanitarian logistics context by integrating agility drivers, responsive and flexible operations, agility enablers, and strategic level agility capabilities into a single model.

Research limitations/implications

– Further research should focus on the nature of the risks/uncertainties encountered by humanitarian organisations, the interactions between the strategic and operational levels of such an organisation, and the impact of strategic level agility capabilities on field responsiveness and flexibility.

Originality/value

– This paper brings new insights into the concept of agility in a humanitarian logistics context and contributes a model that reflects a more comprehensive understanding of this concept. In particular, it demonstrates that agility stems from strategic decisions and managerial practices.
A 3-R principle for characterizing failure in relief supply chains’ response to natural disasters
Authors: Antai Imoh , Mutshinda Crispin , Owusu Richard
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce a 3R (right time, right place, and right material) principle for characterizing failure in humanitarian/relief supply chains’ response to natural disasters, and describes a Bayesian methodology of the failure odds with regard to external factors that may affect the disaster-relief outcome, and distinctive supply chain proneness to failure.

Design/methodology/approach

– The suggested 3Rs combine simplicity and completeness, enclosing all aspects of the 7R principle popular within business logistics. A fixed effects logistic regression model is designed, with a Bayesian approach, to relate the supply chains’ odds for success in disaster-relief to potential environmental predictors, while accounting for distinctive supply chains’ proneness to failure.

Findings

– Analysis of simulated data demonstrate the model’s ability to distinguish relief supply chains with regards to their disaster-relief failure odds, taking into account pertinent external factors and supply chain idiosyncrasies.

Research limitations/implications

– Due to the complex nature of natural disasters and the scarcity of subsequent data, the paper employs computer-simulated data to illustrate the implementation of the proposed methodology.

Originality/value

– The 3R principle offers a simple and familiar basis for evaluating failure in relief supply chains’ response to natural disasters. Also, it brings the issues of customer orientation within humanitarian relief and supply operations to the fore, which had only been implicit within the humanitarian and relief supply chain literature.
Culture based development: empirical evidence from Shilpgram Fair, Rajasthan
Authors: Tiwari Shweta
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of culture in economic growth in areas where the Shilpgram fair is facilitated in Rajasthan.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data are acquired through primary and secondary data with individual meetings, interviews and questionnaires.

Findings

– The study uncovered that the Shilpgram fair is expanding mindfulness and financial development of rural life and crafts particularly for younger people.

Originality/value

– This study presents recognition of the financial effects of tourism on neighbouring group association in tourism development.