bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investment and Usage of New Technologies: Evidence from a Shared ATM Network
Authors: Ferrari Stijn , Verboven Frank , Degryse Hans
Published: June 2010

The success of new technologies depends on both the firms' investment and consumers' usage decisions. We study this problem in a shared ATM network. Inefficiencies may arise because banks coordinate investment, and consumers may not make proper use of the network. Based on an empirical model of ATM investment and demand, we find that banks substantially underinvested in ATMs, in contrast with earlier findings of strategic overinvestment in the United States. Furthermore, ATM usage was too low, because regulation prohibited fees for cash withdrawals. A direct promotion of investment improves welfare, but fees for branch cash withdrawals would be more effective. (JEL G21, G31, O33)
A Theory of Optimal Random Crackdowns
Authors: Eeckhout Jan , Persico Nicola , Todd Petra E
Published: June 2010

An incentives based theory of policing is developed which can explain the phenomenon of random “crackdowns,” i.e., intermittent periods of high interdiction/surveillance. For a variety of police objective functions, random crackdowns can be part of the optimal monitoring strategy. We demonstrate support for implications of the crackdown theory using traffic data gathered by the Belgian Police Department and use the model to estimate the deterrence effect of additional resources spent on speeding interdiction. (JEL K42, R41)
The Burden of the Nondiversifiable Risk of Entrepreneurship
Authors: Hall Robert E , Woodward Susan E
Published: June 2010

Entrepreneurship is risky. We study the risk facing a well-documented and important class of entrepreneurs, those backed by venture capital. Using a dynamic program, we calculate the certainty-equivalent of the difference between the cash rewards that entrepreneurs actually received over the past 20 years and the cash that entrepreneurs would have received from a risk-free salaried job. The payoff to a venture-backed entrepreneur comprises a below-market salary and a share of the equity value of the company when it goes public or is acquired. We find that the typical venture-backed entrepreneur received an average of $5.8 million in exit cash. Almost three-quarters of entrepreneurs receive nothing at exit and a few receive over a billion dollars. Because of the extreme dispersion of payoffs, an entrepreneur with a coefficient of relative risk aversion of two places a certainty equivalent value only slightly greater than zero on the distribution of outcomes she faces at the time of her company's launch. (JEL G24, G32, L26, M13)
Policy Reversal
Authors: Moen Espen R , Riis Christian
Published: June 2010

We analyze the existence of policy reversal, the phenomenon sometimes observed that a certain policy (say extreme left-wing) is implemented by the “unlikely” (right-wing) party. We formulate a Downsian signaling model where the incumbent government, through its choice of policy, reveals information both regarding own preferences and external circumstances that may call for a particular policy. We show that policy reversal may indeed exist as an equilibrium phenomenon. This is partly because the incumbent party has superior opportunities to reveal information, and partly because its reputation protects a left-wing incumbent when advertising a right-wing policy.
Vertical Relationships and Competition in Retail Gasoline Markets: Empirical Evidence from Contract Changes in Southern California: Comment
Authors: Taylor Christopher T , Kreisle Nicholas M , Zimmerman Paul R
Published: June 2010

In a paper in the March 2004 AER, Justine Hastings concludes that the acquisition of an independent gasoline retailer, Thrifty, by a vertically integrated firm, ARCO, is associated with sizable price increases at competing stations. To better understand the mechanism to which she attributes this effect – which combines vertical integration and rebranding – we attempted but ultimately failed to reproduce the results using alternative data.
Antidumping Investigations and the Pass-Through of Antidumping Duties and Exchange Rates: Reply
Authors: Blonigen Bruce A , Haynes Stephen E
Published: June 2010

This reply responds to a comment that correctly identifies an invalid assumption in our original article that antidumping (AD) duties are subtracted from the U.S. price when calculating AD duties in administrative reviews. While this point invalidates our theoretical explanation and empirical evidence on the magnitude of AD duty pass-through, it does not affect our original article's theory or empirical evidence on the magnitude of exchange rate pass-through, or the presence of structural breaks in both the AD duty and exchange-rate pass-through coefficients stemming from AD investigations and orders.
Bargaining with Arrival of New Traders
Authors: Fuchs William , Skrzypacz Andrzej
Published: June 2010

We study dynamic bargaining with asymmetric information and arrival of exogenous events, which represent arrival of traders or information. We characterize the unique limit of stationary equilibria with frequent offers. The possibility of arrivals changes equilibrium dynamics. There is delay in equilibrium, and the seller slowly screens out buyers with higher valuations. The seller payoff equals what he can achieve by simply awaiting an arrival. In applications, when buyer valuations fall, average prices drop and delay increases. Surplus division depends on relative arrival rates of buyers/sellers and expected time to trade is a nonmonotonic function of the arrival rate. (JEL C78, D82)
Emissions Trading, Electricity Restructuring, and Investment in Pollution Abatement
Authors: Fowlie Meredith
Published: June 2010

This paper analyzes an emissions trading program that was introduced to reduce smog-causing pollution from large stationary sources. Using variation in state level electricity industry restructuring activity, I identify the effect of economic regulation on pollution permit market outcomes. There are two main findings. First, deregulated plants in restructured electricity markets were less likely to adopt more capital intensive environmental compliance options as compared to regulated or publicly owned plants. Second, as a consequence of heterogeneity in electricity market regulations, a larger share of the permitted pollution is being emitted in states where air quality problems tend to be more severe. (JEL L51, L94, L98, Q53, Q58)
Pinocchio's Pupil: Using Eyetracking and Pupil Dilation to Understand Truth Telling and Deception in Sender-Receiver Games
Authors: Wang Joseph Tao-yi , Spezio Michael , Camerer Colin F
Published: June 2010

We report experiments on sender-receiver games with an incentive for senders to exaggerate. Subjects “overcommunicate”—messages are more informative of the true state than they should be, in equilibrium. Eyetracking shows that senders look at payoffs in a way that is consistent with a level-k model. A combination of sender messages and lookup patterns predicts the true state about twice as often as predicted by equilibrium. Using these measures to infer the state would enable receiver subjects to hypothetically earn 16–21 percent more than they actually do, an economic value of 60 percent of the maximum increment. (JEL C72, C91, D82, Z13)
Structure of the three-way helical junction of the hepatitis C virus IRES element
Authors: Ouellet Jonathan , Melcher Sonya , Iqbal Asif , Ding Yiliang , Lilley David M.J.
Published: June 2010

The hepatitis C virus internal ribosome entry site (IRES) element contains a three-way junction that is important in the overall RNA conformation, and for its role in the internal initiation of translation. The junction also illustrates some important conformational principles in the folding of three-way helical junctions. It is formally a 3HS4 junction, with the possibility of two alternative stacking conformers. However, in principle, the junction can also undergo two steps of branch migration that would form 2HS1HS3 and 2HS2HS2 junctions. Comparative gel electrophoresis and ensemble fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) studies show that the junction is induced to fold by the presence of Mg2+ ions in low micromolar concentrations, and suggest that the structure adopted is based on coaxial stacking of the two helices that do not terminate in a hairpin loop (i.e., helix IIId). Single-molecule FRET studies confirm this conclusion, and indicate that there is no minor conformer present based on an alternative choice of helical stacking partners. Moreover, analysis of single-molecule FRET data at an 8-msec resolution failed to reveal evidence for structural transitions. It seems probable that this junction adopts a single conformation as a unique and stable fold.
Electron detachment from anions in aqueous solutions studied by two- and three-pulse femtosecond spectroscopy
Authors: Iglev Hristo , Fischer Martin K. , Laubereau Alfred
Published: June 2010

The electron photodetachment of the aqueous halides and hydroxide is studied after resonant excitation in the lowest charge-transfer-to-solvent (CTTS) state. The initially excited state is followed by an intermediate assigned to a donor-electron pair that displays a competition of recombination and separation. Using pump–repump–probe (PREP) spectroscopy, the pair species is verified via a secondary excitation with separation of the pairs so that the yield of released electrons is increased. The observed recombination process on the one hand and the similar absorptions of the intermediate and the hydrated electron on the other hand suggest that the donor-electron pairs incorporate only few if not just one water molecule. The geminate dynamics measured in the various CTTS systems reveal a strong influence of the parent radical. The electron survival probability decreases significantly from 0.77 to 0.29 going from F– to OH–. The extracted dissociation rates of the halogen-electron pairs seem to be proportional to the mutual diffusion coefficients of the geminate particles, while such a relation between the recombination rate and the diffusion coefficient is not found. Results for I– show that excitation of a higher-lying CTTS state opens a new relaxation channel, which directly leads to a fully hydrated electron, while the relaxation channel discussed above is not significantly affected.
Echoes from the borderlands: Transnation and cultural identity in Chuang Hua's Crossings
Authors: Tang Weimin
Published: June 2010

Transnational migration and Diaspora have been seen as the moving force that fractures the parameters of nation and identity. Recent critiques of Diaspora discourses started, however, to call into question the oxymoronic relationship between the two. This article, through its endeavour
to map out the complex psychic landscape of the Chinese American migr protagonist in the Chinese-born American writer Chuang Hua's novel Crossings, first published in 1968, captures a glimpse of the dynamic double act of transnational mobility. That is, the act of going global towards
transnationalism implicates the simultaneous act of going local towards both an embedded hybridity and a cultural locality of an imagined homeplace that double back on the migration routes. Meanwhile, the dissolution of the primordial subject entails the uncanny return of the schizophrenic
migrant subject of the borderlands. While the narrative of the cosmopolitan migr's existence reflects a universal theme of a bi-racial and bi-cultural fragmented self in search of cultural anchorage that transcends national boundaries, this article illustrates how the myriad crossings, geographical
and psychic, spatial and temporal, as undertaken by the Chinese American protagonist Fourth Jane, simultaneously de- and re-territorializes the boundaries between nation and transnation, cosmopolitanism and locality as well as the self and the Other. As such, the global and local, transnation
and cultural identity are re-viewed here as double-gestured and mutually constitutive rather than exclusive.
Moving from silence into speech: Palestinian refugee women in Lebanon speak about their lives
Authors: Holt Maria
Published: June 2010

Palestinian Arabs who were forced to flee from their land when the state of Israel was established in 1948 are one of the oldest refugee communities in the world, and those living in Lebanon are recognized as being the most disadvantaged. By focusing on the memories and identity formation
of refugee women and asking how successive generations have addressed the hardships of exile while waging an anti-colonial struggle to claim their rights, my article will argue, firstly, that the nature of women's involvement and the ways in which they have been affected by trauma is somewhat
different from the experiences of men; and, secondly, that despite substantial changes in the lives of individuals, today's young generation of Palestinians are no nearer to resolving the refugee issue than their parents or grandparents. However, by moving from silence into speech, Palestinian
refugee women have begun to articulate and enact a new vision for the future.
The image of Islam in German public service television programmes
Authors: Richter Carola , Hafez Kai
Published: June 2010

The image of Islam among western publics seems to be distorted. In particular, the media are held responsible for shaping this image. Following the agenda-setting approach, it is assumed that the media largely determine what audiences should think about, specifically in relation to
issues which people do not have a strong personal reference to. For German audiences, Islam is such an issue. Therefore, this analysis examines non-fictional formats such as magazines, talk shows, documentaries and reportages in German public service television in order to disclose the thematic
structure of these formats with regard to their representation of Islam. These programmes in particular are meant to be a basis for political information and for shaping public opinion. It was examined in which thematic context Islam appeared in the period of 1 July 2005 to 31 December 2006
in the programmes of both German public service channels ARD and ZDF. The results show that Islam mainly occurs in connection with violence and conflict-driven issues, thus adding to a negative image of Islam und Muslims in Germany.
Idolatry versus authenticity: A lexical and systemic-functional analysis of the coverage of the World Youth Day 2005 in the Flemish press
Authors: Temmerman Martina , Trioen Marit
Published: June 2010

This article investigates the way (catholic) religion and youth are represented in different Flemish newspapers. The case of World Youth Day (WYD) 2005 offers a well-defined corpus, which is very suitable for an analysis of the discourse on religion, youth and media.

Based on a linguistic
analysis of the corpus, we have been able to describe the representation given to the WYD, of the presence of the pope and of the young participants. It turns out that, although the coverage is on the whole very precise, it shows remarkable patterns of inconsistency.

On the one hand, most
newspapers overemphasize the meaning of the presence of the pope at the WYD in relation to the overall meaning of the event. But this idolatry does not correspond with the view of the Flemish participants, who also get a lot of attention and who are represented in an authentic way. Furthermore,
in a number of cases, the journalists revert to presuppositions and stereotypes in their representation of the event.
Thinking loudly about media approaches to Islam: Understanding the Qur'anic text, or spinning a mass-mediated meaning?
Authors: Saleh Ibrahim
Published: June 2010

Religion and the media are today intertwined in powerful and profound ways. This reflects a situation of much significance. The dilemma is that (for many) the media is the central source of information about religions other than our own, and yet it seems ill prepared for the role it
plays. Besides, religion can no longer control its own story or its own symbols, or how these religious ideas, symbols and claims surface.

The text of the Qur'an has been a point of endless controversial debates. Many of the argumentative issues such as suicide killings, polygamy and female
genital mutilation have been a result of people misreading the Qur'an text, and not putting the meaning in context. These misconceptions have all resulted in the global misperception of the holy text of Muslims.

Audiences and societies face a double jeopardy because of the current trend
for global crusading journalism and campaigning journalist(s). The real motivations behind the current media approaches to Islam is the real controversy here, and the question remains on whether such misinterpretation of the Qur'an is religious as it appears, or is it in fact
a politically manipulated enigma?
Ideological formation in Turkish newspapers: An analysis of the news about the headscarf issue
Authors: Meng Seda , Meng Murat , Odyakmaz Necla
Published: June 2010

Changes in society and culture show themselves through their tentativeness, incompleteness and contradictory nature in the heterogeneous and shifting discursive practices of the media. The words and concepts used in news are formatted in accordance with the cultural and ideological
structure of the news agency of the respective country. Apart from the dominant discourses, the way that the signs are stressed in these discourses is re-structured in news: the universal codes used for the narration of news, as well as the way they are conveyed and clichd, form the news texts.
Stating the views of socially esteemed persons helps define and also reproduce the dominant powers. The media cannot create the news topics independently, whereas reliable institutional sources draw attention to certain topics. Sociologically and politically, significant events are conveyed
with messages suitable to the ideological structure of every culture as a producer. Therefore, messages pertaining to the same event may display differences with regard to form and content. The purpose of this study is to analyse the front pages of two newspapers issued in Turkey, namely Cumhuriyet,
displaying a leftist ideology and Yeni Safak, representing a reactionary attitude. The news that appeared on the front pages of these newspapers will be analysed using van Dijk's and Fairclough's methods. This study aims to find out how the ideological formations in these newspapers
is performed and discussed within the context of the news and also to display the differences between the two newspapers, if any.
Being prescient concerning Obama, or Notes on the politics of configuration (part one)
Authors: Dilnot Clive
Published: June 2010

What is dissent in the case of the image? What are the politics implicit in the critical use of configuration? Design has a general difficulty with being critical. Though less so in the graphic arts, where a tradition of picture-as-commentary is (just) maintained, the technological
instrumentality to which design is always prone let alone its obeisance to money means that design generally prefers not to think that it can think. But design is perfectly capable of thinking. Or, to put it another way, configuration is a thought-act. Politically speaking therefore the politics
of the image happens when by design (by choreography, by reconfiguration, by (re-) working of the given conditions of representation) the graphic figure is transformed, through re-configuration, into a proposition. It is as a proposition, i.e., as a contribution to thought, that the image
undertakes political work.
Quartz crystal microbalance-based biosensor for the detection of α-thalassemia 1 (SEA deletion)
Authors: Chomean Sirinart , Potipitak Tiparat , Promptmas Chamras , Ittarat Wanida
Published: June 2010

Background: DNA piezoelectric biosensors have become a promising tool in molecular medicine since they do not require any label or staining. Here, a DNA piezoelectric biosensor based on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was created to identify abnormal genes causing α-thalassemia 1 (SEA deletion).

Methods: The functionalized gold electrode of the quartz crystal was coated with avidin and the biotinylated DNA probe was attached. The target gene causing α-thalassemia 1 was amplified and hybridized with the immobilized probe. DNA hybridization was indicated by changes in the quartz resonance frequencies. Diagnostic ability of the new α-thalassemia 1 biosensor was validated using both known and unknown blood samples. Specificity was tested using samples of β-thalassemia and α-thalassemia 2. Stability of the sensor was also evaluated.

Results: The new biosensor could clearly identify α-thalassemia 1 (SEA deletion), both carrier and disease states, from the normal genotype. Identification accuracy was compatible to the standard gel electrophoresis. It was specific only to α-thalassemia 1 since no cross reaction was found with β-thalassemia and α-thalassemia 2. The sensor could be kept at room temperature up to 6 months with consistent identification accuracy.

Conclusions: The label free QCM based biosensor was successfully developed to diagnose an abnormal human globin gene causing α-thalassemia 1 (SEA deletion). Its accuracy, specificity and sensitivity were comparable to the standard method. Its stable diagnostic potency up to 6 months implied its field application in thalassemic control program.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:1247–54.
Almost prime values of the order of elliptic curves over finite fields
Authors: David Chantal , Wu Jie
Published: June 2010

Let

E

$E$
be an elliptic curve over

${\mathbb {Q}}$
without complex
multiplication. For each prime

p

$p$
of good reduction,
let

|
E
(

p

)
|

$|E({\mathbb {F}}_p)|$
be the order of the group of points of the reduced
curve over

p

${\mathbb {F}}_p$
. According to a conjecture of Koblitz, there
should be infinitely many such primes

p

$p$
such that

|
E
(

p

)
|

$|E({\mathbb {F}}_p)|$
is prime,
unless there are some local obstructions predicted by the conjecture.
Suppose that

E

$E$
is a curve without local obstructions (which is
the case for most elliptic curves over

${\mathbb {Q}}$
).
We prove in this paper that, under the GRH, there
are at least

2
.
778

C
E
twin

x
/

(
log
x
)

2

$2.778 C_E^{\rm twin} x / (\log x)^2$
primes

p

$p$
such
that

|
E
(

p

)
|

$|E({\mathbb {F}}_p)|$
has at most 8 prime factors, counted with
multiplicity. This improves previous results of Steuding & Weng
[20, 21] and Miri & Murty [15]. This is also the first
result where the dependence on the conjectural constant

C
E
twin

$C_E^{\rm twin}$
appearing in Koblitz's conjecture (also called the twin prime conjecture for elliptic curves) is made explicit. This is
achieved by sieving a slightly different sequence than the one of
[20] and [15]. By sieving the same sequence and using
Selberg's linear sieve, we can also improve the constant of Zywina [24]
appearing in the upper bound for the number of primes

p

$p$
such that

|
E
(

p

)
|

$|E({\mathbb {F}}_p)|$
is prime.
Finally, we remark that our results still hold
under an hypothesis weaker than the GRH.
Japan's New Regionalism: China Shock, Values, and the East Asian Community
Authors: Sohn Yul
Published: June 2010

Japan's new thinking on regionalism is a means of soft balancing that counters a rising Chinese influence. A "hard" balancing strategy through an alliance with the United States is insufficient because the Chinese economy is indispensable for Japan's prosperity and because China is rising through soft power. Japan's response uses the concept of community based on universal values.
Securitizing Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Accounting for the Varying Responses of Singapore and Indonesia
Authors: Febrica Senia
Published: June 2010

This article explains the variable success after the September 11, 2001, attacks of the securitization of terrorism in two ASEAN member states, Singapore and Indonesia. The two countries are selected because of the differences in their government characteristics and their domestic politics. The article argues that differences in the nature of the domestic audience explain the divergence of securitization policy responses.
Linguistic semantics from a cognitive science perspective
Authors: Fekete István
Published: June 2010

A kognitív tudomány két nagyobb irányzatra bontható: a reprezentácionista és a nem-reprezentácionista paradigmákra. A reprezentácionista megközelítésen belül két nagyobb tábor különül el: az amodális és a modális megközelítések. Az áttekintés célja a főbb elméletek ismertetése, illetve a nyelvi szemantika értelmezése ezekben. A dolgozatban különös figyelmet szentelek a Barsalou
(1999) által javasolt perceptuális szimbólumrendszer-elméletnek, mely szerint a fogalmi feldolgozást az agy modalitásspecifikus rendszerei végzik. Ezzel ellentétes álláspontot képvisel Fodor
(1998), aki szerint elemi fogalmaink egy része bonthatatlan fogalmi atomként fogható fel, melyek érzékszerveinktől független szimbólumokban tárolódnak. Végezetül kitekintek azon idegtudományi paradigmára is (Maturana és Varela radikális konstruktivizmusa), amely teljes mértékben elveti a reprezentációk létezését.
Correlation between microstructural evolution during high-pressure torsion and isothermal heat treatment of amorphous Al85Gd8Ni5Co2 alloy
Authors: Henits Péter , Révész Ádám , Schafler Erhard , Szabó Péter J. , Lábár János L. , Varga Lajos K. , Kovács Zsolt
Published: June 2010

Al85Gd8Ni5Co2 metallic glass was subjected to partial devitrification by high-pressure torsion, continuous heat treatment, and isothermal annealing. The fully amorphous alloy exhibits a well-defined transition in its first devitrification product during isothermal heat treatments from τm + α-Al phase mixture to primary α-Al by increasing the annealing temperature above 555 K. This thermal sensitivity predestinates the composition to identify the controversial thermal contribution of the plastic deformation in metallic glasses. Thermal stability and structure of the partially devitrified samples were systematically analyzed and compared by calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy. It seems that the effect of severe deformation cannot be singled out by a simple isothermal heat treatment; i.e., high-pressure torsion acts as a spectrum of heat treatments performed at different annealing temperatures.
The anisotropic morphology of silver particles in Y-123/Y-24Nb1/Ag nanocomposite bulk high-temperature superconductors
Authors: Pathak S.K. , Babu N.H. , Shi Y.H. , Dennis A.R. , Strasik M. , Cardwell D.A.
Published: June 2010

Y2Ba4CuNbO12 (Y-24Nb1) and silver (Ag) are recognized as potential candidates for improving both flux pinning and the mechanical properties of bulk rare earth (RE)–Ba–Cu–O [(RE)BCO] high-temperature superconductors (HTS). Recent attempts to add Ag2O to superconducting Y-123/Y2Ba4CuNbO12 composites, however, have produced a highly anisotropic morphology of Ag particles in samples grown by top-seeded melt growth (TSMG). This morphology has been attributed to strong particle pushing effects due to the presence of Y-24Nb1 nanoparticles in the composite microstructure. An investigation of the formation of anisotropic Ag particles in the YBCO bulk microstructure indicates that these pushing effects generate different morphological microstructural zones in the composite. These include a zone free of inclusions other than acicular Ag particles, a zone of segregated additives (i.e., Y-24Nb1, Y-211, and Ag), and a zone containing fine Ag and other particles distributed uniformly throughout the local microstructure. The particle pushing/trapping theory has been used to explain these extraordinary features of the distribution of Ag inclusions. The superconducting and mechanical properties of samples containing very fine silver inclusions are also discussed briefly.
Characterization of pore morphology in molecular crystal explosives by focused ion-beam nanotomography
Authors: Wixom Ryan R. , Tappan Alexander S. , Brundage Aaron L. , Knepper Robert , Ritchey M. Barry , Michael Joseph R. , Rye Michael J.
Published: June 2010

The initiation and detonation properties of explosives are often empirically correlated to density, surface area, and particle size. Although these correlations are sometimes used successfully to predict the performance of bulk samples, the data are spatially averaged, which unfortunately muddles information critical to understanding fundamental processes. Density and surface area are essentially an indirect measure of porosity, which is arguably a more appropriate metric in many applications. We report the direct characterization of porosity in polycrystalline molecular crystal explosives by focused ion beam nanotomography, a technique that is typically reserved for robust materials such as ceramics and metals. The resulting three-dimensional microstructural data are incredibly rich, promising a substantial advance in our ability to unravel the processes governing initiation and detonation of molecular crystal explosives. In a larger context, this work demonstrates that focused ion beam nanotomography may be successfully extended to the investigation of nanoscale porosity in other molecular crystal or polymer materials.
Interfacial reactions between Sn-Cu solders and Ni-Co alloys at 250 °C
Authors: Chen Chih-Chi , Chan Ya-Ting , Chen Yue-Ting
Published: June 2010

Sn-xCu/Ni-yCo (x = 0.2–1.0 wt%, y = 10, 20, 40 at.%) interfacial reactions at 250 °C are examined in this study. Sn-Cu alloys are promising lead free solders, and Ni-Co alloys are the potential diffusion barrier layer materials in flip chip packaging. The Co and Cu effects on the Sn-Cu/Ni-Co interfacial reactions are examined. When the Co addition is 10 at.%, the reaction phases are the Ni3Sn4 and Cu6Sn5 phase, and Sn-Cu/Ni-10at.%Co interfacial reactions are similar to those of Sn-Cu/Ni. When the Co addition is 20 at.%, the CoSn2 phase is formed, and the reaction path is Sn-Cu/Ni3Sn4/CoSn2/Ni-20at.%Co. When the Co addition is 40 at.%, only Sn-Co binary phases are formed (CoSn2 and CoSn3), and Sn-Ni binary phases are not formed. The Cu6Sn5 phase is not formed until the Cu content is higher than 0.7 wt%. The Cu concentration effect is the main drawback of using Ni as the diffusion barrier layer material and the Sn-Cu solders. The Cu concentration effect of the Sn-Cu/Ni-Co interfacial reactions is not as pronounced as that of Sn-Cu/Ni.
Smooth and notched fatigue performance of aging treated and shot peened ZK60 magnesium alloy
Authors: Liu Wen-Cai , Dong Jie , Zhang Ping , Zheng Xing-Wei , Ding Wen-Jiang , Li De-Hui , Korsunsky Alexander M.
Published: June 2010

The influence of shot peening (SP) on high cycle fatigue (HCF) performance of smooth and notched specimens of hot-extruded ZK60 magnesium alloy was investigated and compared to that of hot-extruded and T5 aging-treated ZK60 magnesium alloy referred to as ZK60-T5. The increases in fatigue properties at the optimum Almen intensities were found to depend on the material states. In contrast to ZK60 alloy, higher smooth and notched fatigue properties for both unpeened and peened specimens were observed for ZK60-T5 alloy. Meanwhile, the improvement of fatigue life for notched specimen by SP was much more than that for the smooth specimen. The mechanism by which the compressive residual stress induced by SP resulted in the improvement of fatigue performance of smooth and notched specimens for ZK60 and ZK60-T5 alloys was discussed.
Ferroelectric and proton conducting behavior of a new elpasolite-related vanadium oxyfluoride (NH4,K)3VO2F4
Authors: Patwe Sadequa J. , Nagabhusan Achary S. , Girija Kalpathy Ganapathy , Sivan Pillai C.G. , Tyagi Avesh K.
Published: June 2010

A new elpasolite-type (NH4,K)3VO2F4 compound was prepared and characterized by x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), impedance analysis, and electrical polarization measurements. It crystallizes in an orthorhombic lattice with unit-cell parameters: a = 8.9584(4), b = 18.6910(14), c = 6.2174(4) Å, V = 1041.04(11) Å3, Z = 6. NH4+, and K+ ions are distributed statistically over crystallographically four equivalent sites. There are two distinguishable vanadium atoms forming cis- and trans-VO2F4 octahedra present in the unit cell. High-temperature studies by DSC and in situ x-ray diffraction revealed a first-order structural transformation from orthorhombic to cubic lattice around 343 K. Impedance measurements show two different kinds of conductivity behaviors for the two phases. In orthorhombic phase a significant conductivity resulting from involvement of protonic species is observed. In the orthorhombic phase, a clear ferroelectric hysteresis loop is observed.
Transmission electron microscopy studies of interfacial reactions and void formation in lead-free solders with minor elements
Authors: Chin Y.T. , Lam P.K. , Yow H.K. , Tou T.Y.
Published: June 2010

Electroless nickel (Ni–P) is a common surface finish used in the ball grid array (BGA) package and interfacial reactions between its surface finish and lead-free solders can form complex intermetallic compound (IMC) layers. The presence of minor elements in lead-free solders either intentionally added or due to impurity contamination during solder manufacturing, can affect the solder-joint performance. In this work, interfacial reactions between Ni–P surface finish and the Sn–Ag–Cu solders were modified by varying Ag and Cu contents and also by adding a small amount of minor elements such as phosphorus (P), indium (In), and germanium (Ge). A transmission electron microscope was used to determine the intermetallic layer phases, compositions, crystal structures, and void defects. Varying the solder alloy elements led to the modulation of voids formation.
The Antrim Coast Road – a civil engineering legacy
Authors: Orr D. M.
Published: June 2010

In the early 1800s, the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland conceived the idea of building the Antrim Coast Road to open up the Glens of Antrim, to give better access for the military, and to give work to the unemployed. Their civil engineer, William Bald, rose to the challenge and completed the 40 km route between 1832 and 1842. Bald was born in Burntisland in Fife in 1789. He was a civil engineer and surveyor who came to Ireland aged 20 to complete the trigonometrical survey of County Mayo. Bald had the vision of building the road along the foot of the cliffs, some of them over 100 m high. For many, it was an incredible idea. Previous plans were to build the road some distance inland, but this would have meant steep gradients as the road traversed the valleys of the Glens. The Antrim Coast Road was completed in 1842 and William Bald left to practice in Scotland and France. He died in 1857 and is buried in Highgate Cemetery in London.
Punching shear strengthening of flat-slabs with CFRP dowels
Authors: Erdogan H. , Binici B. , Ozcebe G.
Published: June 2010

An economical and easy-to-install strengthening method to enhance the punching shear capacity of slab–column connections in existing deficient flat-plate structures is presented in this study. Seven specimens representing typical interior slab–column connections were tested and experimental results are reported in detail. The strengthening scheme employs the use of in-house fabricated carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) dowels placed around the column stubs in different numbers and arrangements as vertical shear reinforcement. The test results indicated that the ultimate punching shear capacity of the strengthened specimens improved up to 1·33 times that of the specimen without any strengthening. The experimental punching shear capacities and observed failure modes of the specimens were compared with the estimations of strength and failure modes given by the punching shear strength provisions of three different concrete design codes.
Tensile membrane effects of concrete slabs in fire
Authors: Dong Y.-L.
Published: June 2010

This paper presents an energy-based model to determine the limit load-carrying capacity of concrete slab at elevated temperatures. This model considers the plastic energy dissipation both due to the resultant moment rotation and the extension of reinforcement along the yield line after the formation of the mechanism of the plastic hinge line in fire. The model could predict the load-carrying capacity of either rectangular or square concrete slabs with both orthotropic and isotropic reinforcement, and could interpret why failure of fracture of reinforcement is along the short span and occurred at both ambient and elevated temperatures. Comparison between the developed model and test results shows good correlation.
An investigation on global ductility of strengthened RC frames
Authors: Arslan M. H. , Yuksel I. , Kaltakci M. Y.
Published: June 2010

This paper presents a comparative study of global ductility of a reinforced concrete (RC) frame strengthened with external structural walls. The effect and suitability of the approaches used for evaluation of global yield displacement were examined. Then, using experimental and analytical methods, the variation of global ductility was investigated. In the experimental study, 1/3-scaled two plane frame systems, one unstrengthened and the other strengthened with external structural walls, were tested under lateral cyclic loads. In the analytical study, the pushover analyses of these two plane frames were performed with IDARC-2D and SAP2000. The variation in the global ductility ratio was analysed in terms of the global yielding displacement related to the system ductility by applying different approaches to the capacity curves drawn from the experimental data and analytical methods. The results showed that it was important to select a suitable approach to the evaluation of the global yield displacement, which has a vital influence on global ductility. The global ductility ratios obtained from first significant member yield (FSMY) approach and Paulay's approach are closer to the experimental results.
The exploration of latent river pulsing indexes in Taiwan
Authors: Chou N.-F. F. , Lee C.-P. , Ton S.-S.
Published: June 2010

The contradictory viewpoints of hydraulic engineers and ecologists have long been a conflict in catchment management. The traditional approach of hydraulic engineering is to use levees to stop water and prevent flooding, but these concrete structures are not very environmentally friendly and are likely to keep people away from the aquatic environment. The harmonious interactions between people and nature are often overlooked. Ecologists, conversely, tend to over-emphasise the aesthetic issues by preserving the natural environment and utilising natural materials instead of man-made materials such as concrete. In some circumstances, such materials have been used without sufficient consideration for hazard mitigation and prevention. Attempts to bring these two conflicting viewpoints into reconciliation face many difficulties. The concept of emergy, developed by Howard T. Odum, is usually used to assess the contribution of natural environment to the human economic system. Emergy is defined as ‘the availability of energy of one kind that is used up in transformations directly and indirectly to make a product or services' ( Odum, 1996 : p. 13). In this study, emergy synthesis is proposed as a tool for studying the catchment management approach in Taiwan. The emergy contributions of a river at different levels of the global and regional hydrological cycle are evaluated. Two new indicators for river management, river pulsing index and emergy matching index, are developed to judge the trade-off between economy and ecology.
Increased Prevalence of Cardiovascular and Autoimmune Diseases in Periodontitis Patients: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Nesse Willem , Dijkstra Pieter U. , Abbas Frank , Spijkervet Fred K.L. , Stijger Astrid , Tromp Jan A.H. , van Dijk Johan L. , Vissink Arjan
Published: June 2010

Background: Associations between periodontitis and cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases are most often assessed in patients with a particular cardiovascular or autoimmune disease. To prevent selection bias, this study assesses the existence of associations between periodontitis and cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases in patients attending a dental or periodontal clinic.

Methods: Data were collected from 1,276 randomly selected dental records from patients attending a dental (n = 588) or periodontal (n = 688) clinic. Data on the prevalence of cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases were obtained from a validated health questionnaire. Data on the presence of periodontitis were taken from patients’ dental records.

Results: In uncontrolled analyses, the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is significantly increased in patients with periodontitis. Controlled for confounding, periodontitis was associated with DM, with an odds ratio of 4 (1.03 to 15.3), in the dental clinic. DM was not associated with periodontitis in periodontal clinics. Hypertension does not seem to be associated with periodontitis when controlling for confounders. Periodontitis may be associated with RA in both clinic types.

Conclusions: The increased prevalence of cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases among patients with periodontitis attending dental or periodontal clinics may, at least in part, be influenced by confounding. However, the increased prevalence of DM and RA in patients with periodontitis could not be explained by confounding.
Multifocal Chorangiomatosis
Authors: Bagby Christina , Redline Raymond W.
Published: June 2010

Multifocal chorangiomatosis (MC) is an uncommon villous capillary lesion sharing some features with villous chorangiosis and placental chorangioma. We prospectively identified 53 cases of MC among 5429 consecutively accessioned placentas of >20 weeks gestation over a 10-year period. Two gestational age (GA)-matched controls were selected for each case from the same cohort and a case control analysis of associated clinical and pathologic features was performed. Multifocal chorangiomatosis was seen at all GAs but was most frequent in very preterm placentas (<32 weeks). Avascular villi, villous chorangiosis, and distal villous immaturity were each seen in approximately half of placentas with MC. Other common placental findings included concentric narrowing of fetal villous arterioles, villous edema, and dysmorphic villi. Only one case had an associated placental chorangioma. Maternal factors significantly associated with MC were advanced maternal age, non-African-American ancestry, nonprimigravid status, and >5 previous pregnancies. Infants with placental MC had a significantly increased prevalence of congenital anomalies. Multifocal chorangiomatosis was subcategorized as extensive versus patchy based on the size of the largest focus (> versus < ×2 microscopic field). Fetuses with extensive MC, when compared with patchy MC, were more likely to have congenital anomalies and stillbirth and to be large for GA. Paradoxically, those with patchy MC were more likely to be small for GA. The results of this study suggest that MC may represent an abnormal proliferation of the paravascular capillary net in proximal villi related to fetoplacental developmental anomalies and abnormal fetal blood flow.
ZNF300, a recently identified human transcription factor, activates the human IL-2Rβ promoter through the overlapping ZNF300/EGR1 binding site
Authors: Xue Lu , Qiu Hongling , Ma Jian , Guo Mingxiong , Li Wenxin
Published: June 2010

ZNF300 was recently identified as a member of the human KRAB/C2H2 zinc finger protein family. Little is known about the role of ZNF300 in human gene regulation networks. In this study, the DNA-binding property of ZNF300 was further analyzed. We found that the recombinant ZNF300 could bind to the binding site 5′-GCGGGGGCG-3′ of Egr1, another member of the KRAB/C2H2 zinc finger protein family. Similarly, recombinant Egr1 also showed a similar binding affinity to the ZNF300 binding site 5′-CTGGGGGCG-3′. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that there is an overlapping ZNF300/Egr1 binding site in the human IL-2Rβ promoter region, which was previously known to be recognized by endogenous Egr1. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that endogenous ZNF300 could also bind to this site. A transient transfection assay revealed that both ZNF300 and Egr1 could transactivate the IL-2Rβ promoter, and that the activation was abrogated by a mutation of residues in the overlapping ZNF300/Egr1 binding site. Co-expression of ZNF300 and Egr1 led to enhanced IL-2Rβ promoter activity. Thus, ZNF300 is likely to be another regulator of the human IL-2Rβ promoter.
Higher Education in Germany: Fragmented Change Amid Paradigm Shifts
Authors: Welsh Helga A.
Published: June 2010

After the two German states unified in 1990, the tendency to transplant West German practices to the former East Germany was particularly pronounced in areas where systemic differences and perceived inefficiency met ideological reservations. The higher education system was among them. Comprehensive institutional, policy, and personnel transfer from West to East ensued. Starting in the mid 1990s after many failed initiatives, however, new policies were launched in the unified Germany. Reinforced by feedback from institutional and policy transfer to the East, factors such as Europeanization and globalization empowered newly formed advocacy coalitions to advance a reform agenda. Competition and performance seeded other ideas, prominent among them diversification, internationalization, autonomy, and accountability. Existing institutions and firmly rooted traditions still condition and limit change, and reforming the reforms has become commonplace. Differentiation among Länder and higher education institutions has become more pronounced, adding to the variety of outcomes. In ways unforeseen in 1990, some areas of the German higher education system have seen paradigmatic change, while others have survived relatively unscathed. The recalibration of the system continues, and reform pressure persists.
German Economic Unification Twenty Years Later
Authors: Wolf Holger
Published: June 2010

Has economic unification succeeded? Assessments differ, depending on the criteria selected, and the benchmark used. In many areas, from productivity to infrastructure and housing, dramatic economic improvements are readily apparent. Yet daunting challenges remain: the speed of productivity convergence has slowed, unemployment remains high and net emigration continues. Looking forward, demographic and fiscal trends pose serious challenges. This paper begins with a brief look back at the experience since 1989 before turning to a discussion of current and future challenges.
Industry and Finance in Germany since Unification
Authors: Deeg Richard
Published: June 2010

Since German unification there have been dramatic and highly visible changes in the German financial system and relations between banks and firms in Germany. The traditional Hausbank system has weakened, as securities markets have become more important for both borrowers and savers. The demands of financial investors on how German firms manage themselves have—for better or worse—become increasingly influential in this time. In this article, I advance the thesis that bank-industry relations in Germany became increasingly differentiated, with one set of firms moving into an institutional environment readily characterized as market-based finance. Meanwhile, most German firms remain in a bank-based environment that, while not quite the same as the Hausbank model that prevailed at the time of unification, is still easily recognized as such. These changes in the financial system have had numerous consequences for the German economy, including increased pressure on firms to make greater profits and increased pressure on labor to limit wage gains and make concessions in the interest of corporate competitiveness.