bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collective dynamics in strongly coupled dusty plasma medium
Authors: Das Amita , Dharodi Vikram , Tiwari Sanat
Published: July 2014

A simplified description of dynamical response of strongly coupled medium is desirable in many contexts of physics. The dusty plasma medium can play an important role in this regard due to its uniqueness, as its dynamical response typically falls within the perceptible grasp of human senses. Furthermore, even at room temperature and normal densities it can be easily prepared to be in a strongly coupled regime. A simplified phenomenological fluid model based on the visco - elastic behaviour of the medium is often invoked to represent the collective dynamical response of a strongly coupled dusty plasma medium. The manuscript reviews the role of this particular Generalized Hydrodynamic (GHD) fluid model in capturing the collective properties exhibited by the medium. In addition the paper also provides new insights on the collective behaviour predicted by the model for the medium, in terms of coherent structures, instabilities, transport and mixing properties.
USV attitude estimation: an approach using quaternion in direction cosine matrix
Authors: Onunka Chiemela , Bright Glen , Stopforth Riaan
Published: July 2014

Positioning and navigation data for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are extracted using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Inertial Navigation System (INS) integrated with an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The integration of quaternion with direction cosine matrix (DCM) with the aim of obtaining high accuracy with complete system independence has been effectively used to supply position and attitude information for autonomous navigation of marine crafts. A DCM integrated with a quaternion provided an advanced technique for precise USV attitude estimation and position determination using low-cost sensors. This paper presents the implementation of an INS developed by the integration of DCM and quaternion.
A REPUBLIC OF CUCKOO CLOCKS: SWITZERLAND AND THE HISTORY OF LIBERTY
Authors: NAKHIMOVSKY ISAAC
Published: July 2014

The history of Swiss republicanism was memorably summed up by Orson Welles in the classic filmThe Third Man(1949): whereas the tumultuous and tyrannical politics of the Italian Renaissance produced a great cultural flourishing, Welles observed, “In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.” Suggestive as it may be, Welles's contrast is as misleading as it is memorable. The Swiss were a fearsome military power at the beginning of the sixteenth century, admired by no less a Florentine than Niccolò Machiavelli, but by the eighteenth century they were no longer capable of defending themselves, and they were summarily occupied by the armies of revolutionary France in 1798. The nature of Swiss democracy was long contested, and in 1847 the Swiss fought a civil war over it. Finally, it must be said, cuckoo clocks were invented in the Black Forest region, on the other side of the Alps. As we shall see, the success of the Swiss watchmaking industry does in fact deserve a place in the history of liberty, but Jean-Jacques Rousseau turns out to be a more helpful guide for understanding its significance.
Investigation of grid metamaterial and EBG structures and its application to patch antenna
Authors: Kumar Anand , Kumar Dinesh , Mohan Jitendra , Gupta Hari Om
Published: July 2014

In this paper, we propose a new design of metamaterial and electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure based on double layers of metallic grids. Using finite integration technique, the electromagnetic properties of the grid structure have been investigated and this structure has been employed to enhance the performance of a patch antenna working at 11 GHz. The surface waves in the substrate of antenna have been suppressed by EBG behavior of the grid when used as a substrate, and it improves its gain to 9.21 dB from 5.64 dB. When this structure is also used as superstrate of the antenna, the gain up to 13 dB has been achieved due to its metamaterial behavior. Congregation effect of metamaterial provides a huge improvement in the directionality of the antenna and its half power beam width (HPBW) has been improved to 32.7° and 31.5° from 108.3° and 93.5° in E-and H-planes, respectively.
HIV-Infektion – Virus, Immunologie, Pathogenese
Authors: Metzner Karin J.
Published: July 2014

Eine Infektion mit HIV-1 besteht lebenslang und führt, Jahre nach der Primärinfektion, unbehandelt in den meisten Fällen zum Ausbruch des Syndroms AIDS (erworbenes Immundefektsyndrom), welches durch das Auftreten opportunistischer Infektionen und Tumoren charakterisiert ist. Die Verläufe einer HIV-1 Infektion sind individuell unterschiedlich und beeinflusst einerseits durch das Virus und dessen Vermehrungskompetenz und andererseits durch den Wirt, den infizierten Menschen. Das folgende Kapitel gibt einen Überblick über unseren heutigen Kenntnisstand zum Virus, zur Pathogenese einer HIV-1 Infektion und zu den Wirtsfaktoren, welche die Pathogenese der HIV-1 Infektion beeinflussen.
Prävention von HIV und anderen sexuell übertragbaren Infektionen
Authors: Stoliaroff-Pépin Anna , Speck Roberto F. , Vernazza Pietro
Published: July 2014

In der Schweiz ist die Zahl der HIV-Neuinfektionen ist in den letzten Jahren dank der guten Präventionsarbeit stabil geblieben. Das Ziel die HIV-Neuinfektionsrate zu senken wurde jedoch nicht erreicht. Entscheidende Präventionselemente sind die Sexualanamnese, die Diskussion über „Safer Sex“, das frühzeitige Erkennen und Testen gefährdeter Patienten und deren Sexualpartner sowie die Beratung und Behandlung infizierter Patienten. Darüber hinaus gibt es verschiedene Ansätze, die HIV-Übertragungsraten zu senken, z. B. Präexpositionsprophylaxe, Mikrobizide und Impfung. Keine dieser Maßnahmen erlaubt es jedoch zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt auf die „Safer Sex“ Regeln zu verzichten. Andere sexuell übertragbare Erkrankungen fallen durch eine rasch ansteigende Inzidenz auf. In Bezug auf Syphilis nimmt die Schweiz dabei einen unrühmlichen Spitzenplatz in Europa ein. Die Übertragung erfolgt häufiger oral oder rektal als vaginal, die Patienten sind oft asymptomatisch. Kondome schützen nur eingeschränkt vor einer Ansteckung. Hinzu kommen Probleme durch zunehmende Antibiotikaresistenzen, beispielsweise bei Gonokokken gegen orale Cephalosporine. Im Vordergrund steht daher die frühzeitige Testung und Behandlung infizierter Patienten und ihrer Sexualpartner. In dieser Arbeit gehen wir auf die verschiedenen Elemente der Präventionsarbeit durch die Ärzte ein, mit Schwerpunkt der Prävention von HIV.
The color red distorts time perception for men, but not for women
Authors: Shibasaki Masahiro , Masataka Nobuo
Published: July 2014

We investigated the effect of the color red on time perception using a temporal bisection task with human adults. The results showed that the perceived duration of a red screen was longer than was that of a blue screen. However, the results reflected sex differences; men, but not women, overestimated the duration of the red screen. Additionally, the reaction times to a red screen were faster than those to a blue screen and we found a significant correlation between reaction time and the tendency to overestimate the duration of a red screen. Participants who reacted quickly to a red screen overestimated its duration. These results are discussed within the context of recent studies indicating that the color red exerts certain special psychological effects on human behavior.
Treatments for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Palmer Michael J.
Published: July 2014

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a serious and life-shortening disease that restricts the supply of oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart as a result of increased pulmonary vascular resistance. The clinical symptoms range from breathlessness, through to drastically reduced exercise capacity and quality of life, and most seriously, premature death. The current treatment options comprising primarily prostacyclin and synthetic analogues, endothelin receptor antagonists and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, have significantly improved 5 year survival rates over the past two decades and these options are reviewed. However, these agents are mainly vasodilatory in terms of mode of action and despite the advances achieved, long-term prognosis for patients remains poor. Emerging therapies are also reviewed and encouragingly include both agents that work via new vasodilatory mechanisms and also compounds that have the potential to be disease modifying by acting through anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. The impact of orphan designation and orphan approved products is also briefly discussed.
Effect of CO-pretreatment on the CuO–V2O5/γ-Al2O3 catalyst for NO reduction by CO
Authors: Xiong Yan , Yao Xiaojiang , Tang Changjin , Zhang Lei , Cao Yuan , Deng Yu , Gao Fei , Dong Lin
Published: July 2014

The influence of CO-pretreatment on the properties of CuO–V2O5/γ-Al2O3 catalysts was investigated in the reduction of NO by CO.
Properties of starch from potatoes differing in glycemic index
Authors: Lin Ek Kai , Wang Shujun , Brand-Miller Jennie , Copeland Les
Published: July 2014

Starch from a low glycemic index (GI) potato cultivar (Carisma, shown in the ESEM image) was more resistant to hydrothermal treatment than other potato starches, but was not differentiated from the other starches by granule size distribution, amylose and P contents, and amylopectin chain length distribution.
A nickel doped perovskite catalyst for reforming methane rich biogas with minimal carbon deposition
Authors: Evans Samuel E. , Staniforth John Z. , Darton Richard J. , Ormerod R. Mark
Published: July 2014

In this paper we describe the use of a perovskite material synthesised by a low temperature route for the conversion of methane-rich biogas into synthesis gas, which shows high activity and selectivity and extremely good resistance to deleterious carbon deposition.
Electrosynthesis method of CoPt nanoparticles in percolated microemulsions
Authors: Serrà A. , Gómez E. , Vallés E.
Published: July 2014

An electrochemical synthesis of CoPt nanoparticles on Si/Ti/Au substrates has been performed in percolated water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsions to define the nanoparticle size and composition.
Facile preparation of CuO@SnO2 nanobelts as a high-capacity and long-life anode for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Zhu Xiaoshu , Shi Huimin , Yin Jinwei , Zhu Huimin , Zhou Yiming , Tang Yawen , Wu Ping , Lu Tianhong
Published: July 2014

CuO@SnO2 nanobelts exhibits much higher capacities and markedly improved cycling stability compared with single CuO and SnO2 counterparts.
Tubeless biochip for chemical stimulation of cells in closed-bioreactors: anti-cancer activity of the catechin–dextran conjugate
Authors: Meucci Sandro , Travagliati Marco , Vittorio Orazio , Cirillo Giuseppe , Masini Luca , Voliani Valerio , Picci Nevio , Beltram Fabio , Tredicucci Alessandro , Cecchini Marco
Published: July 2014

Here we introduce a tubeless microbioreactor for chemically stimulation of cells in microchambers, based on automatic cell valving, hydrostatic-pressure pumping and on-chip liquid reservoirs.
Mn oxide/nanodiamond composite: a new water-oxidizing catalyst for water oxidation
Authors: Najafpour Mohammad Mahdi , Abasi Mahnaz , Tomo Tatsuya , Allakhverdiev Suleyman I.
Published: July 2014

Herein, we reported nanosized Mn oxide/nanodiamond composites as water-oxidizing compounds.
Magnetron sputtered Cu doped SnS thin films for improved photoelectrochemical and heterojunction solar cells
Authors: Patel Malkeshkumar , Ray Abhijit
Published: July 2014

This work describesex situCu-doped SnS demonstrating a largeJph= 3.2 mA cm−2as a photocathode and enhancedVOC= 465 mV in a hetero-junction solar cell.
Amphiphobic surfaces from functionalized TiO2 nanotube arrays
Authors: Farsinezhad Samira , Waghmare Prashant R. , Wiltshire Benjamin D. , Sharma Himani , Amiri Saeid , Mitra Sushanta K. , Shankar Karthik
Published: July 2014

Perfluorinated monolayer-coated TiO2 nanotube surfaces are repellent to a broad spectrum of liquids, and are not only of immediate interest in anti-fouling applications but also present a platform to explore wetting and imbibition phenomena in nanostructures.
Reliability‐based decision fusion scheme for cooperative spectrum sensing
Authors: Khalid Lamiaa , Anpalagan Alagan
Published: July 2014

In this study, the authors propose a reliability‐based cooperative decision fusion scheme which considers the reliability of the secondary users (SUs') local decisions when making a final decision at the fusion centre in cognitive radios. The authors use past information about the local and global decisions to estimate the reliability of the sensing decision obtained from each SU and then reflect this difference in reliability in the weighting of each SU's decision. The authors formulate the problem of minimising the probability of sensing error at the fusion centre, subject to a limit on the network probability of detection, as a constrained non‐linear integer programming problem. To solve this problem, the authors implement an iterative solution based on the generalised non‐linear Lagrangian relaxation. Simulation results show that our proposed solution can achieve optimal results with zero duality gap using only a few number of iterations. Results also demonstrate that the proposed reliability‐based fusion scheme provides performance improvement, in terms of the minimum probability of sensing error, when compared to the OR and AND fusion schemes. This improvement is more pronounced as the number of users increases since by assigning weights differently to users, the multiuser diversity gain is better exploited.
Operation and design issues of a doubly fed induction generator stator connected to a dc net by a diode rectifier
Authors: Iacchetti Matteo F. , Marques Gil D. , Perini Roberto
Published: July 2014

The operation of a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) connected to a dc net is considered in this study. The dc net is connected to the stator of the DFIG by a diode rectifier and simultaneously feeds the rotor‐side inverter, which is used to control the machine. When the dc net operates at constant voltage, this solution preserves the possibility to work with a low flux at low speed, and, at the same time, reduces the cost of the power electronics. In fact, the only needed electronic converter is the rotor inverter designed for a fraction of the machine power. After introducing a simple control technique, the study proposes an analytic model for the steady‐state operation and discusses the design specifications of the DFIG for given values of the dc voltage and of the power of the wind turbine. The most appropriate stator and rotor rated powers, rated stator voltage and turns ratio of the DFIG are deduced. Simulations and experimental results are presented in order to support the theory.
Magnetic field penetration in MgB2 single crystals: Pinning and Meissner holes
Authors: Chabanenko V. , Kuchuk E. , Yurchenko V. V. , Mikheenko P. , Abal'osheva I. , Cortés-Maldonado R. , Pérez-Rodríguez F. , Karpinski J. , Zhigadlo N. D. , Katrych S. , Puźniak R.
Published: July 2014

The evolution of flux distribution in MgB2 single crystals during their remagnetization was imaged with magneto-optical technique. Meissner holes, formed as the areas where the annihilation of vortices and antivortices takes place, were found at the boundary between oppositely magnetized parts of the crystal. Gradient of magnetic induction in the vicinity of Meissner holes was found to be enhanced. Finger-like structures of convex shape, formed during the penetration of magnetic flux inside the crystal, were observed and explained as an effect of inhomogeneous pinning and demagnetizing field redistribution in the sample.
Antiferromagnetic resonance study of the magnetic structure of Nd0.75Dy0.25Fe3(BO3)4
Authors: Kobets M. I. , Dergachev K. G. , Khatsko E. N. , Gnatchenko S. L. , Bezmaternykh L. N. , Gudim I. A.
Published: July 2014

The effect of replacing Nd3+ ions with Dy3+ ions on the resonance properties of Nd0.75Dy0.25Fe3(BO3)4 is studied. The antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR) method is used to detect an easy axis-easy plane magnetic spin-reorientation phase transition owing to competing exchange interactions of Nd–Fe and Dy–Fe, and the frequency-field dependence of the AFMR spectrum before and after the phase transition is studied. At 4.2 K, the detected resonance spectra in the H||c direction are AFMR modes of iron, and their frequency-field dependences correspond to easy-axis (H < 15 kOe) and easy-plane (H > 16 kOe) magnetic structures with magnon excitation energy gaps of 77.2 and 100.3 GHz, respectively. The effective magnetic anisotropies responsible for these gaps are 0.7 and 1.2 kOe, respectively. Substitution by Dy3+ ions in crystalline Nd0.75Dy0.25Fe3(BO3)4 in the paramagnetic region produces an additional static internal field owing to polarization, which leads to a shift in the resonance field of the EPR absorption line and a change in the g-factor of the Fe3+ ions.
Development of fast steering mirror control system for plasma heating and diagnostics
Authors: Okada K. , Nishiura M. , Kubo S. , Shimozuma T. , Yoshimura Y. , Igami H. , Takahashi H. , Tanaka K. , Kobayashi S. , Ito S. , Mizuno Y. , Ogasawara S.
Published: July 2014

A control system for a fast steering mirror has been newly developed for the electron cyclotron heating (ECH) launchers in the large helical device. This system enables two-dimensional scan during a plasma discharge and provides a simple feedback control function. A board mounted with a field programmable gate array chip has been designed to realize feedback control of the ECH beam position to maintain higher electron temperature by ECH. The heating position is determined by a plasma diagnostic signal related to the electron temperature such as electron cyclotron emission and Thomson scattering.
General equivalent circuit derived from capacitance and impedance measurements performed on epitaxial ferroelectric thin films
Authors: Pintilie L. , Hrib L. , Pasuk I. , Ghica C. , Iuga A. , Pintilie I.
Published: July 2014

Voltage and frequency dependent capacitance measurements were performed on epitaxial BaTiO3 and Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 thin films deposited on single crystal SrTiO3 substrates with (001) and (111) orientations. The measured capacitors have common bottom SrRuO3 contact and different metals as top electrodes: SrRuO3, Pt, Cu, Al, and Au. The capacitance-voltage characteristics were used to extract information regarding the density of the free carriers and the linear contribution to the static dielectric constant. The frequency dependent impedance was used to develop a suitable equivalent circuit for the epitaxial ferroelectric capacitors. It was found that the frequency dependence of the imaginary part of the impedance can be well simulated, in all cases, using a circuit composed of Schottky-type capacitance related to electrode interfaces, contact resistance, and the R-C parallel connection related to the ferroelectric volume of the film. Values for the components of the equivalent circuit were obtained by fitting the experimental data with the simulated curves. These were then used to extract quantities such as dielectric constant in the ferroelectric volume, the width of the depletion layers, and the apparent built-in potential. It was found that, although the investigated capacitors are of different ferroelectric materials, grown on substrates with different orientations, and having different metals as top electrodes, the values for the capacitance associated with the Schottky contacts and the apparent built-in potential are not very different. The results suggest a strong influence of ferroelectric polarization on the electrode interface properties in the case of epitaxial ferroelectric films.
On the role of terahertz field acceleration and beaming of surface plasmon generated ultrashort electron pulses
Authors: Greig S. R. , Elezzabi A. Y.
Published: July 2014

A mechanism for control of the energy and pitch angle of surface plasmon accelerated electron pulses is proposed. Electrons generated via multi-photon absorption in a silver film on a glass prism are ponderomotively accelerated in the surface plasmon field excited by a 30 fs, 800 nm optical pulse. Through introduction of a single-cycle terahertz (THz) pulse, the energy spectrum and trajectory of the generated electron pulse can be controlled via the THz field strength. Generated electron pulses achieve peak kinetic energies up to 1.56 keV, while utilizing an incident optical field strength five times less than comparable plasmon accelerated electron pulses. These results demonstrate that THz pulses can be utilized to achieve tunable, high energy, trajectory controlled electron pulses necessary for various applications that require ultrafast electron pulse manipulation.
Characteristics of electroformed low thermal expansion Fe-42 wt. %Ni alloy substrates for thin film silicon solar cells
Authors: Lee Minsu , Han Yunho , Um Hokyoung , Choe Byung Hak , Yim Tai Hong
Published: July 2014

Differences in the thermal expansion of the semi-conductor layer and the substrate of thin film solar cells can lead to thermal deformation of the cell during thermal processing. To control this deformation, the substrate needs to have a thermal expansion behavior similar to that of the semi-conductive layer of the cell. In order to develop such a metal substrate for thin film silicon solar cells, a Fe-42 wt. %Ni alloy with low thermal expansion characteristics was fabricated by electroforming. The thermal expansion behaviors of as-deposited and heat-treated Fe-42 wt. %Ni alloys were measured using a Thermal Mechanical Analyzer. A rapid change in thermal expansion was observed between 350 and 400 °C in the as-deposited Fe-42 wt. %Ni alloy. However, when the alloys were heat treated at temperatures higher than 500 °C, their thermal expansion behaviors were stable and their thermal expansion coefficients were 4–5 × 10−6/ °C. Based on such data, Finite Element Analysis was applied to calculate the thermal deformation of the cell that occurs during cooling from a virtual coating process temperature to room temperature, using the Algor program. The analyses showed that the cell on the heat-treated Fe-42 wt. %Ni alloy substrate had less residual stress and a lower amount of deformation compared to that on a commercial stainless steel substrate.
Myosin Heavy Chain 15 is Associated with Bovine Pulmonary Arterial Pressure
Authors: Neary Marianne T. , Neary Joseph M. , Lund Gretchen K. , Holt Timothy N. , Garry Franklyn B. , Mohun Timothy J. , Breckenridge Ross A.
Published: July 2014

Bovine pulmonary hypertension, brisket disease, causes significant morbidity and mortality at elevations above 2,000 m. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) is moderately heritable, with inheritance estimated to lie within a few major genes. Invasive mPAP measurement is currently the only tool available to identify cattle at risk of hypoxia‐induced pulmonary hypertension. A genetic test could allow selection of cattle suitable for high altitude without the need for invasive testing. In this study we evaluated three candidate genes (myosin heavy chain 15 [MYH15], NADH dehydrogenase flavoprotein 2, and FK binding protein 1A) for association with mPAP in 166 yearling Angus bulls grazing at 2,182 m. The T allele (rs29016420) of MYH15 was linked to lower mPAP in a dominant manner (CC 47.2 ± 1.6 mmHg [mean ± standard error of the mean]; CT/TT 42.8 ± 0.7 mmHg; P = 0.02). The proportions of cattle with MYH15 CC, CT, and TT genotypes were 55%, 41%, and 4%, respectively. Given the high frequency of the deleterious allele, it is likely that the relative contribution of MYH15 polymorphisms to pulmonary hypertension is small, supporting previous predictions that the disease is polygenic. We evaluated allelic frequency of MYH15 in the Himalayan yak (Bos grunniens), a closely related species adapted to high altitude, and found 100% prevalence of T allele homozygosity. In summary, we identified a polymorphism in MYH15 significantly associated with mPAP. This finding may aid selection of cattle suitable for high altitude and contribute to understanding human hypoxia‐induced pulmonary hypertension.
PHD3-mediated prolyl hydroxylation of nonmuscle actin impairs polymerization and cell motility
Authors: Luo Weibo , Lin Benjamin , Wang Yingfei , Zhong Jun , O'Meally Robert , Cole Robert N. , Pandey Akhilesh , Levchenko Andre , Semenza Gregg L.
Published: July 2014

Actin filaments play an essential role in cell movement, and many posttranslational modifications regulate actin filament assembly. Here we report that prolyl hydroxylase 3 (PHD3) interacts with nonmuscle actin in human cells and catalyzes hydroxylation of actin at proline residues 307 and 322. Blocking PHD3 expression or catalytic activity by short hairpin RNA knockdown or pharmacological inhibition, respectively, decreased actin prolyl hydroxylation. PHD3 knockdown increased filamentous F-actin assembly, which was reversed by PHD3 overexpression. PHD3 knockdown increased cell velocity and migration distance. Inhibition of PHD3 prolyl hydroxylase activity by dimethyloxalylglycine also increased actin polymerization and cell migration. These data reveal a novel role for PHD3 as a negative regulator of cell motility through posttranslational modification of nonmuscle actins.
Basic4Cseq: an R/Bioconductor package for analyzing 4C-seq data
Authors: Walter Carolin , Schuetzmann Daniel , Rosenbauer Frank , Dugas Martin
Published: July 2014

Summary: Basic4Cseq is an R/Bioconductor package for basic filtering, analysis and subsequent near-cis visualization of 4C-seq data. The package processes aligned 4C-seq raw data stored in binary alignment/map (BAM) format and maps the short reads to a corresponding virtual fragment library. Functions are included to create virtual fragment libraries providing chromosome position and further information on 4C-seq fragments (length and uniqueness of the fragment ends, and blindness of a fragment) for any BSGenome package. An optional filter is included for BAM files to remove invalid 4C-seq reads, and further filter functions are offered for 4C-seq fragments. Additionally, basic quality controls based on the read distribution are included. Fragment data in the vicinity of the experiment’s viewpoint are visualized as coverage plot based on a running median approach and a multi-scale contact profile. Wig files or csv files of the fragment data can be exported for further analyses and visualizations of interactions with other programs.

Availability and implementation: Basic4Cseq is implemented in R and available at http://www.bioconductor.org/ . A vignette with detailed descriptions of the functions is included in the package.

Contact:  Carolin.Walter@uni-muenster.de

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Possible proton synchrotron origin of X-ray and gamma-ray emission in large-scale jet of 3C 273
Authors: Kundu Esha , Gupta Nayantara
Published: July 2014

The large-scale jet of quasar 3C 273 has been observed in radio to gamma-ray frequencies. Earlier the X-ray emission from knot A of this jet has been explained with inverse Compton scattering of the cosmic microwave background radiations by the shock accelerated relativistic electrons in the jet. More recently it has been shown that this mechanism overproduces the gamma-ray flux at GeV energy and violates the observational results from Fermi LAT. We have considered the synchrotron emission from a broken power-law spectrum of accelerated protons in the jet to explain the observed X-ray to gamma-ray flux from knot A. The two scenarios discussed in our work are (i) magnetic field is high, synchrotron energy loss time of the protons is shorter than their escape time from the knot region and the age of the jet and (ii) their escape time is shorter than their synchrotron energy loss time and the age of the jet. These scenarios can explain the observed photon spectrum well for moderate values of Doppler factor. The required jet luminosity is high ∼1046 erg s−1 in the first scenario and moderate ∼1045 erg s−1 in the second, which makes the second scenario more favourable.
Information security
Authors: Silic Mario , Back Andrea
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this literature review is to analyze current trends in information security and suggest future directions for research.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors used literature review to analyze 1,588 papers from 23 journals and 5 conferences.

Findings

– The authors identified 164 different theories used in 684 publications. Distribution of research methods showed that the subjective-argumentative category accounted for 81 per cent, whereas other methods got very low focus. This research offers implications for future research directions on information security. They also identified existing knowledge gaps and how the existing themes are studied in academia.

Research limitations/implications

– The literature review did not include some dedicated security journals (i.e. Cryptography).

Practical implications

– The study reveals future directions and trend that the academia should consider.

Originality/value

– Information security is top concern for organizations, and this research analyzed how academia dealt with the topic since 1977. Also, the authors suggest future directions for research suggesting new research streams.
Consumer reaction to price increase: an investigation in gasoline industry
Authors: K. Paswan Audhesh , C. Crawford John , Ngamsiriudom Waros , Nguyen Thuy
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of increase in price of an essential product (i.e. gasoline) toward the focal product and other seemingly non-related products.

Design/methodology/approach

– A self-administered survey was used to collect data from the drivers at a large metroplex in Southwest USA. Multiple regression and scanning electron microscope procedures were used to analyze and test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

– When consumers notice the increase in gas prices, they become very anxious. This anxiety is positively associated with average gas bought in gallons and negatively associated with threshold price. Further, this consumer anxiety has the strongest influence on lifestyle changes, followed by automobile technology change and transportation mode change, and has the weakest influence on gasoline brand/type change.

Research limitations/implications

– We focus on only anxiety as a mediator between increase in gas prices and the behavioral outcomes, and collect data from only one location.

Practical implications

– Managers must be cognizant that a price increase in essential goods not only influences the demand for focal products but also for products that may not seem related to the focal products.

Social implications

– Increase in gasoline price will not only affect the demand for gasoline, but also the demand for alternate forms of transportation, fuel efficient vehicles, and other aspects of life.

Originality/value

– This study is the first to look at the role of anxiety as a mediator and looks at the effects of increase in gas prices in a holistic manner.
A cross-product category CBBE study: item response theory perspective
Authors: Wang Luming , Finn Adam
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to propose a new item response theory-based model to facilitate brand equity comparison among brands in different product categories. Brand equity has been defined as the value a brand adds upon a product. This definition provides the theoretical basis for comparing brands across product categories. Researchers have measured brand equity from three major approaches: finance, economics and psychology. Unlike the first two approaches that have developed methods to facilitate cross-product-category brand equity comparison, no methodology has been identified in the psychology approach (consumer-based brand equity, CBBE), and this study will fill this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

– We used survey method and collected data from both soft drink and car product categories to empirically demonstrate our method.

Findings

– A new item response theory-based model to facilitate brand equity comparison among brands in different product categories is proposed.

Originality/value

– Considering consumers are the most widely considered stakeholder group in the existing brand equity literature, the lack of cross-product category research in consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) area constrains the use of CBBE for firms managing multiple brands across product categories. This proposed model is the first one to address this limitation.
Prediction of citizen satisfaction with local government based on perceptions of physical disorder
Authors: Oscar Nigro Héctor , Elizabeth González Císaro Sandra
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify the aspects of service quality that citizens view as most important regarding the improvement of their quality of life within the city where they live, by finding out the intangible variables or factors that most influence citizen satisfaction with the local government. The paper uses a measuring instrument to obtain survey data and build a theoretical and empirical model that operates at the level of the local government.

Design/methodology/approach

– It involves a construction of a causal theoretical model that follows a series of steps that connect the empirical context (data) with the same theoretical representation (model from reality). This model attempts to explain the relations between the latent variables included in the structural equation model from background knowledge inspired in the evolution of social sciences.

Findings

– The emergent model discriminates three areas pertaining to quality of services, its relationship with the satisfaction of citizens in local government across local leadership image and expectations.

Practical implications

– Citizens satisfaction indexes provide not only information about citizen satisfaction and the rate of fidelity and perceived quality but also suggestions about the factors influencing this satisfaction.

Originality/value

– This article describes the many and varied possible relationships between the various precedents and consequences that influence the conceptualization of citizen satisfaction with the local government. The paradigm used focuses on perceptions of physical disorder rather than on the hierarchical approach of conceptualizing the perception of service quality.
Using university websites to profile accounting academics and their research output
Authors: Samkin Grant , Schneider Annika
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the profiles of Australian, New Zealand and South African accounting faculty members. Additionally, the study investigates whether there are any differences in research productivity of the accounting faculty between countries as measured by peer-reviewed academic journal output.

Design/methodology/approach

– This archival study uses details obtained from webpages of Departments of Accounting in the three countries to construct a profile of accounting academics.

Findings

– Significant differences in the profiles of accounting academics were found that can be attributed to the institutional factors that exist in each country. Staffs at the junior lecturer and lecturer levels are more likely to be female, while senior lecturers and professors in all three countries were more likely to be male. While Australia and New Zealand had a similar percentage of staff holding PhD or equivalent academic qualifications, only a small proportion of the South African faculty held PhD or equivalent qualifications. A greater proportion of the South African faculty was professionally qualified compared to their Australian and New Zealand counterparts. New Zealand accounting faculty was more productive than their Australian colleagues, with South African academics being the least productive. Academics holding a doctoral qualification or equivalent were more productive than those that did not.

Research limitations/implications

– The research limitations relate to the use of websites as the primary data source. Incompleteness of information, inconsistencies in the type of information presented and a lack of comparability of information across institutions and countries may have led to some errors and omissions. However, given the relatively large sample size of 2,049 academics, this was not deemed to materially affect the final analysis.

Originality/value

– The paper provides an important contribution to the literature on accounting academics. It is the first of its kind to present a comprehensive “snapshot” of the profiles of accounting academics at the universities in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
The Australian accounting academic in the 1950s
Authors: E. Persson Martin , J. Napier Christopher
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges faced by an Australian accounting academic, R. J. Chambers, in the 1950s, in breaking into the accounting research community, at that time, almost entirely located in the USA and the UK. For academics outside the networks of accounting research publication in these countries, there were significant, but not insurmountable obstacles to conducting and publishing accounting research. We examine how these obstacles could be overcome, using the notion of “trials of strength” to trace the efforts of Chambers in wrestling with intellectual issues arising from post-war inflation, acquiring accounting literature from abroad and publishing his endeavours.

Design/methodology/approach

– The article uses actor-network theory to provide an analytical structure for a “counter-narrative” history firmly grounded in the archives.

Findings

– Documents from the R. J. Chambers Archive at the University of Sydney form the empirical basis for a narrative that portrays accounting research as a diverse process driven as much by circumstances – such as geographical location, access to accounting literature and personal connections – as the merits of the intellectual arguments.

Research limitations/implications

– Although the historical details are specific to the case being studied, the article provides insights into the challenges faced by researchers on the outside of international research networks in achieving recognition and in participating in academic debates.

Practical implications

– The findings of this article can provide guidance and inspiration to accounting researchers attempting to participate in wider academic communities.

Originality/value

– The article uses documents from perhaps the most extensive archive relating to an individual accounting academic. It examines the process of academic research in accounting in terms of the material context in which such research takes place, whereas most discussions have focussed on the underlying ideas and concepts, abstracted from the context in which they emerge.
Research on policing in East Asia: a review of SSCI policing specialty journals
Authors: Kim Bitna , Wan-Chun Lin Arizona , Lambert Eric
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– Little information on dissemination of publications on policing issues in East Asia in which one-fifth of the world's population lives is available. The research questions for the paper are: how extensive is the coverage of papers focussing on policing in East Asia; on which East Asian countries have the papers covered during the 14-year period from 2000 to 2013; what are the topics/primary issues of policing in East Asia covered across the journals; and what are the affiliations represented of authors who have published papers on policing in East Asia. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study is a content analysis of major policing specialty journals listed in the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) in terms of the number and focus of studies on East Asian police papers. Data came from 1,123 papers published in three policing journals of Police Quarterly, Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, and Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy during the period of 2000-2013.

Findings

– Only 3.4 percent (n=38) of the 1,123 articles published in the three journals were on policing issues in East Asia nations. The vast majority (76.3 percent) were published in Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management. Staff issue was the most frequently researched topic. In total, 42 percent of the papers were on South Korean policing issues, followed by 31 percent on Chinese policing topics. Finally, about 45 percent of the papers were written by only US-affiliated authors, 40 percent by authors affiliated with institutions in East Asia, and only 16 percent were written in collaboration between authors associated with USA and East Asian institutions.

Originality/value

– The main intent of this study is to provide information seekers with a guide to what research on policing in East Asia is being published.
Police officers’ perceptions of the challenges involved in Internet Child Exploitation investigation
Authors: B. Powell Martine , Cassematis Peter , S. Benson Mairi , Smallbone Stephen , Wortley Richard
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore police officers’ perceptions of the challenges and work stressors of working in Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) investigation.

Design/methodology/approach

– Participants were a heterogeneous sample of 32 ICE investigators across nine Australian jurisdictions. Officers’ perceptions of ICE work were elicited via individual, open-ended, anonymous, telephone interviews, which focused on both the nature and impact of work-related stressors and challenges.

Findings

– Thematic analysis revealed that viewing ICE material was not perceived to be a major stressor or particularly traumatic facet of ICE investigation. Rather, the challenges related to three areas; work relationships, workload and resources and the physical environment. Participants also suggested some improvements to their work environment which could reduce the impact of these challenges.

Practical implications

– The stressors identified by ICE investigators in this study place physical, psychological and social restrictions on investigative capacity. Modifications to the workplace environment that facilitate more effective professional collaboration, reduce workload and enhance investigator efficiency and functionality of the physical work environment would likely reduce the potential for harm associated with ICE investigation and improve ICE investigators’ capacity to perform their role.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to use a broad research framework to examine the full range of stressors that ICE investigators face (both organisational and operational). The findings are important for developing comprehensive theories regarding workplace traumatisation as well as holistic intervention models to assist the prevention and management of stress related to ICE investigation.
Social bonds, traditional models and juvenile attitudes toward the police in China
Authors: Zhang Hongwei , Zhao Jihong , Ren Ling , Zhao Ruohui
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of juvenile attitudes toward the police (JATP) in Chinese social settings. More specifically, this study borrows from the wisdom of social bond theory and relevant literature developed in the USA to explain juvenile ratings of the police on specific job functions.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data were collected from a multi-stage cluster sample of 2,704 high school students in a city with a population of 3.8 million located in the southwest region of China. The analysis includes variables derived from social bond theory as well as traditional models commonly employed in US studies, such as demographic background and contact with the police.

Findings

– The findings suggest that both social bonds and traditional models have their respective utility to explain the variation in juvenile evaluations of the police.

Originality/value

– This study expands the scope of the investigation on JATP in China, a distinctively different cultural environment from the USA. More specifically, it explores the utility of the respective explanatory power of the social bond model and traditional models in relation to juveniles’ ratings of the police in China.
The chaperonin CCTα is required for efficient transcription and replication of rabies virus
Authors: Zhang Jinyang , Ye Chengjin , Ruan Xizhen , Zan Jie , Xu Yunbin , Liao Min , Zhou Jiyong
Published: July 2014

Negri bodies (NBs) are formed in the cytoplasm of rabies virus (RABV)‐infected cells and are accompanied by a number of host factors to NBs, in which replication and transcription occur. Here, it was found that chaperonin containing TCP‐1 subunit alpha (CCTα) relocalizes to NBs in RABV‐infected cells, and that cotransfection of nucleo‐ and phospho‐proteins of RABV is sufficient to recruit CCTα to the NBs’ structure. Inhibition of CCTα expression by specific short hairpin RNA knockdown inhibited the replication and transcription of RABV. Therefore, this study showed that the host factor CCTα is associated with RABV infection and is very likely required for efficient virus transcription and replication.
From selective integration into selective implementation: The link between differentiated integration and conformity with EU laws
Authors: Zhelyazkova Asya
Published: July 2014

In recent years, the topic of differentiated integration in the European Union has become increasingly discussed in both political science research and politics in general. Whereas differentiated integration is viewed as necessary for deeper cooperation, recent findings suggest that it increases the gulf between participants and non‐participants, making it difficult for non‐participating countries to join in later negotiations. However, there is a lack of theoretical and empirical work regarding the relationship between different levels of participation in the EU and national policy outcomes. This article addresses this question by comparing the policy outcomes in fully participating, selectively participating (opting‐in) and non‐participating (opting‐out) EU Member States relative to EU legislation. The findings show that selective participation (opting‐in) increases state conformity with EU laws relative to no integration at all (opting‐out), but it does not completely bridge the gap between fully integrated Member States and non‐participants. The results suggest that countries with flexible arrangements are generally less likely to implement EU laws than full participants, even when they choose to legally commit to the EU requirements. This finding raises some further questions about the rationale behind selective participation and its consequences for policy conformity, if its application expands to other policy areas and more Member States in the future.
Social behavior in preweaning lambs and their preferences in social interactions
Authors: Kiełtyka‐Kurc Agata , Górecki Marcin T.
Published: July 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate social behavior in preweaning lambs, especially their preferences in social interactions. A total of 30 lambs (16 Polish Milk Sheep 05 and 14 Polish Whiteheaded Mutton Sheep) were observed for 113 h 30 min during the first 2 months of their lives. Interbreed differences were insignificant both in agonistic and affiliative behavior. Males appeared to be more active both in agonistic and affiliative interactions. They also preferred other males in agonistic interactions. On the other hand, females fought more often with males, than with females. Lambs of both breeds preferred individuals of their own breed as partners in affliative behaviors. Twins preferred most their siblings in affliliative interactions and usually did not attack and fight with them. This study shows that sex and breed can influence social preferences in preweaning lambs.