bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resurrection of Two Species From Synonymy of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) strodei Root, and Characterization of a Distinct Morphological Form From the Strodei Complex (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Sallum Maria Anice Mureb , Foster Peter G. , Santos Cecilia L. S. Dos , Flores Daniel C. , Motoki Maysa T. , Bergo Eduardo S.
Published: January 2015

Anopheles albertoi Unti and Anopheles arthuri Unti are revived from the synonymy with Anopheles strodei Root, and a distinct morphological form (designated in this study as Anopheles CP Form) from the Strodei Complex of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) is characterized. The male genitalia of An. arthuri and An. albertoi are described and illustrated for the first time. An. strodei, An. arthuri, and An. albertoi were first distinguished based on scanning electron microphotos of the eggs, and then each egg type was associated with diagnostic characters of the male genitalia. Identification of Anopheles CP Form was based on morphological characters of the male genitalia, characterized and illustrated in this study. Molecular phylogenetic analysis was most clear when an outgroup was not included, in which case using the nuclear white gene, or the white gene in combination with the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, clearly separated these four taxa. When Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say and Anopheles stephensi Liston were included as an outgroup, combined white and COI data resolved An. strodei and An. albertoi, whereas An. arthuri was not well resolved. The single sequence of Anopheles CP Form was recovered well separated from other groups in all analyses.
The KaVA and KVN pulsar project
Authors: Dodson Richard , Kim Chunglee , Sohn Bongwon , Rioja María J. , Jung Taehyun , Seymour Andrew , Raja Wasim
Published: January 2015

We present our work towards using the Korean VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometer) Network (KVN) and VLBI Exploration of Radio Astronomy (VERA) arrays combined into the KVN and VERA Array (KaVA) for observations of radio pulsars at high frequencies (≃ 22 GHz). Pulsar astronomy is generally focused at frequencies approximately 0.3 to several GHz and pulsars are usually discovered and monitored with large, single-dish, radio telescopes. For most pulsars, reduced radio flux is expected at high frequencies due to their steep spectrum, but there are exceptions where high frequency observations can be useful. Moreover, some pulsars are observable at high frequencies only, such as those close to the Galactic Center. The discoveries of a radio-bright magnetar and a few dozen extended Chandra sources within 15′ of the Galactic Center provide strong motivations to make use of the KaVA frequency band to search for pulsars in this region. Here, we describe the science targets and report progress made from the KVN test observations for known pulsars. We then discuss why KaVA pulsar observations are compelling.
Does Morphological and Anatomical Plasticity during the Vegetative Stage Make Wheat More Tolerant of Water Deficit Stress Than Rice?
Authors: Kadam Niteen N. , Yin Xinyou , Bindraban Prem S. , Struik Paul C. , Jagadish Krishna S.V.
Published: January 2015

Water scarcity and the increasing severity of water deficit stress are major challenges to sustaining irrigated rice (Oryza sativa) production. Despite the technologies developed to reduce the water requirement, rice growth is seriously constrained under water deficit stress compared with other dryland cereals such as wheat (Triticum aestivum). We exposed rice cultivars with contrasting responses to water deficit stress and wheat cultivars well adapted to water-limited conditions to the same moisture stress during vegetative growth to unravel the whole-plant (shoot and root morphology) and organ/tissue (root anatomy) responses. Wheat cultivars followed a water-conserving strategy by reducing specific leaf area and developing thicker roots and moderate tillering. In contrast, rice ‘IR64’ and ‘Apo’ adopted a rapid water acquisition strategy through thinner roots under water deficit stress. Root diameter, stele and xylem diameter, and xylem number were more responsive and varied with different positions along the nodal root under water deficit stress in wheat, whereas they were relatively conserved in rice cultivars. Increased metaxylem diameter and lower metaxylem number near the root tips and exactly the opposite phenomena at the root-shoot junction facilitated the efficient use of available soil moisture in wheat. Tolerant rice ‘Nagina 22’ had an advantage in root morphological and anatomical attributes over cultivars IR64 and Apo but lacked plasticity, unlike wheat cultivars exposed to water deficit stress. The key traits determining the adaptation of wheat to dryland conditions have been summarized and discussed.
Revealing Shared and Distinct Gene Network Organization in Arabidopsis Immune Responses by Integrative Analysis
Authors: Dong Xiaobao , Jiang Zhenhong , Peng You-Liang , Zhang Ziding
Published: January 2015

Pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) are two main plant immune responses to counter pathogen invasion. Genome-wide gene network organizing principles leading to quantitative differences between PTI and ETI have remained elusive. We combined an advanced machine learning method and modular network analysis to systematically characterize the organizing principles of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PTI and ETI at three network resolutions. At the single network node/edge level, we ranked genes and gene interactions based on their ability to distinguish immune response from normal growth and successfully identified many immune-related genes associated with PTI and ETI. Topological analysis revealed that the top-ranked gene interactions tend to link network modules. At the subnetwork level, we identified a subnetwork shared by PTI and ETI encompassing 1,159 genes and 1,289 interactions. This subnetwork is enriched in interactions linking network modules and is also a hotspot of attack by pathogen effectors. The subnetwork likely represents a core component in the coordination of multiple biological processes to favor defense over development. Finally, we constructed modular network models for PTI and ETI to explain the quantitative differences in the global network architecture. Our results indicate that the defense modules in ETI are organized into relatively independent structures, explaining the robustness of ETI to genetic mutations and effector attacks. Taken together, the multiscale comparisons of PTI and ETI provide a systems biology perspective on plant immunity and emphasize coordination among network modules to establish a robust immune response.
SUMOylation by a Stress-Specific Small Ubiquitin-Like Modifier E2 Conjugase Is Essential for Survival ofChlamydomonas reinhardtiiunder Stress Conditions
Authors: Knobbe Amy R. , Horken Kempton M. , Plucinak Thomas M. , Balassa Eniko , Cerutti Heriberto , Weeks Donald P.
Published: January 2015

Posttranslational modification of proteins by small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is required for survival of virtually all eukaryotic organisms. Attachment of SUMO to target proteins is catalyzed by SUMO E2 conjugase. All haploid or diploid eukaryotes studied to date possess a single indispensable SUMO conjugase. We report here the unanticipated isolation of a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (mutant5 [mut5]). in which the previously identified SUMO conjugase gene C. reinhardtii ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme9 (CrUBC9) is deleted. This surprising mutant is viable and unexpectedly, displays a pattern of protein SUMOylation at 25°C that is essentially identical to wild-type cells. However, unlike wild-type cells, mut5 fails to SUMOylate a large set of proteins in response to multiple stress conditions, a failure that results in a markedly reduced tolerance or complete lack of tolerance to these stresses. Restoration of expected stress-induced protein SUMOylation patterns as well as normal stress tolerance phenotypes in mut5 cells complemented with a CrUBC9 gene shows that CrUBC9 is an authentic SUMO conjugase and, more importantly, that SUMOylation is essential for cell survival under stress conditions. The presence of bona fide SUMOylated proteins in the mut5 mutant at 25°C can only be explained by the presence of at least one additional SUMO conjugase in C. reinhardtii, a conjugase tentatively identified as CrUBC3. Together, these results suggest that, unlike all other nonpolyploid eukaryotes, there are at least two distinct and functional SUMO E2 conjugases in C. reinhardtii, with a clear division of labor between the two sets: One (CrUBC9) is involved in essential stress-induced SUMOylations, and one (CrUBC3) is involved in housekeeping SUMOylations.
Preference for group work in China and the US
Authors: Decker Wayne H. , Calo Thomas J. , Yao Hong , Weer Christy H.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine whether Chinese and US students differ in preference for group work (PGW) and whether the factors contributing to PGW differ in the two countries.

Design/methodology/approach

– The sample included 412 Chinese and 423 US college students who completed a survey measuring cultural values and motives. Hierarchical regression and simple-slope analyses were used to examine main effects and interactions.

Findings

– Overall, the US and Chinese students did not differ in PGW. Although US men exceeded US women in PGW, no gender difference occurred in China. PGW was positively associated with others focus (concern for what others think) and helping others in both countries, but the association was stronger in China. In China, but not in the USA, PGW was positively associated with extrinsic motivation and need for achievement. Therefore, despite the general acceptance of group work in the USA, participation in groups is not seen as critical in attaining rewards as it is in China.

Research limitations/implications

– Other populations, including practicing managers, should be studied to better represent the workforce of each country. Also, other variables, including personality traits, may impact PGW.

Practical implications

– Managers and educators should pay attention to how cultural values and motives of group members vary. Business education should offer more opportunities to increase exposure to cultural differences, including experience working in culturally diverse groups.

Originality/value

– The study supports some traditional assumptions concerning the impact of culture upon PGW, but also suggests that a global business orientation can mitigate the impact of traditional national cultures.
Examining the influence of transculturation on work ethic in the United States
Authors: Hite Dwight M. , Daspit Joshua J. , Dong Xueni
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of cultural assimilation – termed “transculturation” – on work ethic perceptions, thus this study examines trends in work ethic across ethnic and generational groups within the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

– Following a literature review on work ethic, ethnicity, and transculturation, an analysis of variance based on 873 survey responses is presented. The sample includes undergraduate and graduate students at several public universities within the USA.

Findings

– An empirical analysis supports the hypothesis that the variation of work ethic perceptions within the Millennial generation is significantly less than the variation among older generations. The authors find no significant difference in general work ethic perceptions among Millennial ethnic groups.

Research limitations/implications

– While the study is conducted using a convenience sample, the demographics are closely representative of the USA labor force. The results suggest that Millennials, while a more diverse ethnic population, exhibit less variation among work ethic perceptions than earlier generational groups.

Practical implications

– Understanding differences in work ethic perceptions across various ethnic groups is valuable for managers interested in designing jobs that appropriately exploit the full value of a multi-generational workforce.

Originality/value

– The findings of this study offer new insights into how more recent generations, while more ethnically diverse, exhibit a convergence in perceptions of work ethic.
Aboriginal student strength to persist and Indigenous Knowledges in community colleges
Authors: Erwin Elizabeth , Muzzin Linda
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to document experiences of Aboriginal students in community colleges from the perspective of Aboriginal communities rather than policymakers and shows how these communities support student persistence in college.

Design/methodology/approach

– Interviews with 16 Aboriginal college students, staff and community members were undertaken with Aboriginal guidance, and analysis was undertaken informed by the writings of Aboriginal scholars.

Findings

– The major finding was that First Nations students experience a disconnect between the epistemology of Aboriginal peoples and ways of being in community colleges. Most demonstrate bravery and persistence in their studies as well as resistance to assimilation. Understanding and support is provided by surrounding Aboriginal communities, based on their appreciation of the epistemological roots of the problem.

Practical implications

– Frequent reference to the absence of Indigenous Knowledges suggests that more must be done to make Aboriginal students feel safe in colleges where they are in the minority. In view of their feeling of “disconnect,” safe Aboriginal centers, or “homes away from home” are one of many ways to support these students.

Originality/value

– The research challenges assimilationist approaches to Aboriginal college students, and highlights supporting Indigenous peoples, as described in global terms by Indigenous scholars.
Student engagement and enhancement through research and scholarship
Authors: McGregor Peter K. , Birt Jason , Haynes Kelly , Martin Ruth J. , Moores Lawrence J. , Morris Nicola J. , Willmott Brender , Smart Andrew C.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– A significant (8-18 per cent) proportion of higher education (HE) students in the UK are hosted by colleges. The quality of college HE provision has been questioned. The purpose of this paper is to present the case studies showing an HE ethos and student scholarship in a college environment from two levels of degree, three areas of science and contexts from submission to government consultations to tropical fieldwork, and from event organisation to volunteering.

Design/methodology/approach

– Five case studies are presented, each of which was developed and delivered by a subset of the authors (see biographies for details). During delivery, individual staff developed opinions on the success of components of the approaches; these were discussed with co-deliverers, other authors/staff members and degree programme external examiners during the academic year. The information reported in this manuscript is a composite of these views.

Findings

– All of the case studies were designed to have elements of HE ethos and student scholarship that contribute towards a high-quality student experience. The extensive links with potential employers and outside professionals help to ensure student engagement with real world issues and provide opportunities for individual enhancement, often through extracurricular activities.

Originality/value

– The range of case studies presented here indicates the potential for engagement and enhancement in a college HE context; it also indicates the college-wide culture of progression and scholarship. Whilst the details are necessarily specific, the diversity of the case studies indicates the potential of the approaches outlined in other subjects.
Unemployed and alone? Unemployment and social participation in Europe
Authors: Dieckhoff Martina , Gash Vanessa
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between unemployment and social participation and aim to identify the role of national policies and attitudes as possible mediators.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors use the 2006 EU-SILC module on social participation – a data set that provides rich information on social participation for 22/23 EU countries. They adopt a two-step multi-level design, allowing them to directly examine the impact of national policies and norms on individual outcome.

Findings

– The paper reveals clear evidence that the unemployed have lower levels of social participation than the employed across a range of indicators. The paper also reveals that macro-level variables significantly affect the extent of these differentials in social participation. For instance, the authors found that societies that expose the unemployed to poverty risk have a larger social participation gap between the employed and the unemployed.

Originality/value

– While the negative association between unemployment and social participation has been established in prior work, the study is the first one to employ a “large N” comparison and to use a multi-level design to statistically test the degree to which macro-level variables mediate the negative relationship between unemployment and social participation. The analyses were able to show that societal context can significantly alleviate the negative implications of unemployment for social participation.
Relationship between organizational commitments and organizational citizenship behaviour in a sample of private banking employees
Authors: Zayas-Ortiz María , Rosario Ernesto , Marquez Eulalia , Colón Gruñeiro Pablo
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether there was a relationship between commitment and the behaviour of organizational citizenship among bank employees.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper is based on the outcomes of a doctoral dissertation, which was a case study combining a mix methodology. The results validated the conceptual model proposed by the researcher and answered the research questions. Measurement instruments used include the organizational citizenship scale and the organizational commitment scale, developed and validated by Rosarioet al.(2004).

Findings

– The paper finds that there is a positive correlation between the organizational commitment and the indicators of organizational citizenship behaviour and civic virtue, courtesy and altruism dimensions shown by the employees. The dimensions of affective and moral commitment had the strongest correlation with the civic virtue dimension of organizational citizenship.

Research limitations/implications

– Sample consist only of private banking employees.

Practical implications

– The organizations should support the affective and moral commitment in their personnel in order to develop strong citizenship behaviour.

Social implications

– The organizational commitment with demonstrations of citizenship behaviour, civic virtue, and courtesy and altruism dimensions may impact the organization and the community creating a good base to improve the quality of life.

Originality/value

– This is the first attempt to study the relationship between organizational commitments and organizational citizenship behaviour in a sample of private banking employees in Puerto Rico.
An application of European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) in business to business (B2B) context
Authors: Askariazad Mohammad Hossein , Babakhani Nazila
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine the most important antecedents of customer loyalty in business-to-business (B2B) context using European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) model.

Design/methodology/approach

– A questionnaire is designed consisting of measures of customer loyalty gathered mainly from previous related studies. A survey of business customers in construction and mining equipment industry in Iran is conducted, and a total of 90 responses are obtained. The collected data are analyzed according to the structural equation modeling technique using partial least square path modeling software.

Findings

– The ECSI model shows sufficient explanatory power in explaining loyalty in the B2B context. Adding trust to the original model leads to a better explanation of loyalty in the proposed model. In this model, corporate image is the main route to predict loyalty, while satisfaction, complaint handling and trust also are important. Although there is no direct effect of perceived quality, perceived value and expectation on loyalty, their total impact is considerable which is mediated through satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

– The research should be expanded to other B2B sectors to validate its findings in different industries. Future research can also assess the impact of moderating variables.

Originality/value

– Most previous customer loyalty models concern business-to-consumer (B2C) rather than the B2B context. Moreover, research examining the suitability of the ECSI model in B2B is scarce. This paper addresses these shortcomings by examining a holistic customer loyalty model which incorporates some overlooked constructs as corporate image, expectation and complaint handling from the ECSI model. The proposed model, also adds trust which is not incorporated in national indices despite its importance in predicting loyalty.
Mastering the complementarity between marketing mix and customer-focused capabilities to enhance new product performance
Authors: O'Cass Aron , Heirati Nima
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to address the extent that the deployment of and complementarity between marketing mix and customer-focused (brand management, and customer relationship management) capabilities provide firms the capacity to transform their market knowledge into effective responsive actions that help to achieve new product success.

Design/methodology/approach

– A questionnaire was used as the primary means of data collection. Data from 160 large business-to-business firms across a variety of industries in Iran were analyzed using partial least squares regression to test the hypothesized paths.

Findings

– The results show that market-oriented firms are better at deploying marketing mix, brand management and customer relationship management capabilities, and these capabilities help to drive new product performance, and the complementarity between these marketing capabilities enhances the firm’s capacity to achieve new product success more than deploying each capability in isolation.

Originality/value

– In contrast to many existing studies, this study is the first to examine the role of marketing mix, brand management and customer relationship management capabilities and their complementarity as intervening mechanisms in the relationship between market orientation (MO) and new product performance. Further, this study extends the marketing literature by investigating the role of different forms of marketing capabilities in a complementary fashion in the context of a Middle Eastern economy.
The nature and role of different types of commitment in inter-firm relationship cooperation
Authors: Sharma Neeru , Young Louise C , Wilkinson Ian
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to consider the nature and role of commitment in delivering value in customer–supplier relationships by developing and testing a model of relationship cooperativeness.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected using an extended version of the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP2) Group’s instrument. Pre-qualified managers largely self-completed the survey. Model associations were tested via regression and causal path analysis.

Findings

– Various aspects of commitment play differing roles in relationship development. The role of commitment was less than expected; the exception is value-based commitment which is strongly associated with value creation, conflict management, trust and cooperation.

Research limitations/implications

– Findings provide explanations for some inconsistencies in previous findings including reported relationships between trust, cooperation and commitment. The composition of the commitment construct(s) strongly influences relationship processes.

Practical implications

– There are various kinds of commitment to build and multiple pathways to levering this into more effective relationships. In addition, an important part of these findings is strong indications that illustrate what the nature of ineffective commitment-building paths is likely to be. This is extremely important for managers in guiding deployment of relationship management resources and developing relationship management practice.

Social implications

– The regulation of close business-to-business relationships remains an important issue, and the ways in which commitment can be appropriately extended are an important part of this.

Originality/value

– This work focuses on the components of commitment in ways that previous work has not. The centrality of commitment in relationship value creation – beyond increased sales and revenue and predictability – is highlighted, and there is considerable extension to the understanding of the nature of this process.
Customer response to employee emotional labor: the structural relationship between emotional labor, job satisfaction, and customer satisfaction
Authors: Hur Won-Moo , Moon Tae-Won , Jung Yeon Sung
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to extend emotional labor theories to the customer outcomes by examining a theoretical model of how emotional labor performed by the service worker affects customer satisfaction in a mediated way.

Design/methodology/approach

– Structural equation modeling analyses partially support for our hypotheses from 282 dyadic survey data [i.e. service interactions customers (seniors) and service employees (caregivers)] from a home caregiver firm in South Korea.

Findings

– The results of our study found that employee’s emotional regulation strategies of deep acting and surface acting differentially affect customer satisfaction, and that employee’s job satisfaction mediates the relationship between employee’s emotional regulation strategies and customer satisfaction. More specifically, the relationship between surface acting and customer satisfaction is fully mediated by employee’s job satisfaction, whereas the relationship between deep acting and customer satisfaction is partially mediated by employee’s job satisfaction.

Originality/value

– Our study is the first to provide an empirical test of how employee job satisfaction mediates the relationship between employee emotional labor and customer satisfaction in service interactions. This research sheds light on the crucial role of employee job satisfaction that can be an important consideration to boost service quality and customer satisfaction by facilitating employee emotional labor.
Antecedents of the client’s trust in low- versus high-consequence decisions
Authors: Terres Mellina da Silva , dos Santos Cristiane Pizzutti , Basso Kenny
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to address the role of high- and low-consequence exchanges in the relationship between trust and its antecedents (i.e., affective and cognitive elements) and consequences (i.e., positive WOM and search for second opinion intentions) in the context of the provision of medical services.

Design/methodology/approach

– We performed a survey with 681 patients from a large hospital. The data were analyzed through a multigroup structural equation approach.

Findings

– Findings show that during service encounters affective aspects have greater impact on consumer trust in situations of high-consequence than in low-consequence exchanges, while cognitive aspects have greater impact when consequences are low than when they are high. In addition, the authors found that the more severe the consequences, the greater the impact of trust on positive WOM and search for second opinion intentions.

Originality/value

– This study is the first to consider the exchange consequences as an important moderator of the relationship between trust and affection and cognition elements involved in client-service provider encounters. Overall, the findings show higher importance of affective aspects (compared to cognitive aspects) for the formation of trust, in situations in which the individual perceives the consequences of their exchanges as severe.
Management control system effectiveness
Authors: Su Sophia , Baird Kevin , Schoch Herbert
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to examine the association between the use of three types of controls (input, behaviour and output) with the level of employee organisational commitment (EOC) across organisational life cycle (OLC) stages.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected by a survey questionnaire from a random sample of 343 general managers in Australian manufacturing business units.

Findings

– The level of EOC was found to be highest in growth and revival stage units, suggesting that EOC relates to the level of innovation. The analysis revealed that the types of controls were significantly associated with the level of EOC. In particular, a significant positive association was found between input controls and the level of EOC in both the birth and revival stages.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to both the management control system (MCS) literature and practice. First, because only a limited number of studies have examined the effect of MCSs on the level of EOC, and there is no published study to date which has examined the association between the types of controls with the level of EOC from an OLC perspective, this study fills a gap in the literature by examining these associations. Secondly, the findings have important implications for Australian manufacturing organisations. Specifically, by providing an insight into the association between the types of controls with the level of EOC across OLC stages, the results suggest that managers of organisations in the birth and revival stage need to place greater emphasis on input controls so as to enhance the level of EOC.
A new approach to investigate conductive anodic filament (CAF) formation
Authors: Zou Ling Chunxian , Hunt Chris
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to describe the development of an approach that uses a flexible substrate to investigate the mechanism of conductive anodic filament (CAF) growth and effect of different material and manufacturing variables.

Design/methodology/approach

– A new approach using a simulated test vehicle (STV) has been developed to study the CAF phenomena. The STV can be easily built under controlled conditions in the laboratory using different glass fibres and resin powder to investigate the effect of different variables separately on CAF. The advantage of the STV is that CAF can be formed in relatively short period in a controlled way, and CAF growth can be easily identified using a back-lighting under a microscope due to the thin flex material used as the test sample.

Findings

– STV has been used to investigate a number of effects on CAF formation: different glass fibres, reflow process, acid contamination in drilled holes, desmear process and glass bundle size. The results demonstrate that for finished fibres acid contamination (plating solution) at the electrode was necessary for CAF formation. However, for unfinished glass fibres (loom state and heat cleaned) CAF can be formed without acid contamination. The reflow process significantly increases CAF formation. Running an aggressive desmear process and using large glass fibre bundle also increased CAF formation.

Originality/value

– This new approach will be of benefit for printed circuit board (PCB) supplier to evaluate CAF performance on different resin systems and glass fibres to provide high CAF resistance quality PCBs. The test period (168 hours) would be much shorter than the traditional CAF testing (1,000 hours).
Electrical and mechanical properties of RFID chip joints assembled on flexible substrates
Authors: Janeczek Kamil , Jakubowska Małgorzata , Kozioł Grażyna , Młożniak Anna
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine electrical and mechanical properties of radio frequency identification (RFID) chip joints assembled on a flexible substrate and made from isotropic conductive adhesives (ICAs) reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets (GPNs) or graphite nanofibers (GFNs).

Design/methodology/approach

– The ICAs reinforced with GPNs or GFNs were prepared and screen printed on a test pattern to investigate resistance and thickness of these adhesive layers. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was performed to assess a curing behaviour of the prepared ICAs. Then, RFID chips were mounted with the prepared ICAs to the pattern of silver tracks prepared on foil. Shear test was carried out to evaluate mechanical durability of the created chip joints, and resistance measurements were carried out to evaluate electrical properties of the tested ICAs.

Findings

– The 0.5 per cent (by weight) addition of GFNs or GPNs to the ICA improved shear force values of the assembled RFID chip joints, whereas resistance of these modified adhesives increased. The DSC analysis showed that a processing temperature of the tested adhesives may range from 80 to 170°C with different curing times. It revealed a crucial influence of curing time and temperature on electrical and mechanical properties of the tested chip joints. When the chip pads were cured for too long (i.e. 60 minutes), it resulted in a resistance increase and shear force decrease of the chip joints. In turn, the increase of curing temperature from 80 to 120°C entailed improvement of electrical and mechanical properties of the assembled chips. It was also found that a failure location changed from the chip – adhesive interface towards the adhesive – substrate one when the curing temperature and time were increased.

Research limitations/implications

– Further investigations are required to examine changes thoroughly in the adhesive reinforced with GFNs after a growth of curing time. It could also be worth studying electrical and mechanical properties of the conductive adhesive with a different amount of GFNs or GPNs.

Practical implications

– The tested conductive adhesive reinforced with GFNs or GPNs can be applied in the production of RFID tags because it may enhance the mechanical properties of tags fabricated on flexible substrates.

Originality/value

– Influence of GFNs and GPNs on the electrical and mechanical properties of commercial ICAs was investigated. These properties were also examined depending on a curing time and temperature. New conductive materials were proposed and tested for a chip assembly process in fabrication of RFID tags on flexible substrates.
Thermal fatigue reliability for Cu-Pillar bump interconnection in flip chip on module and underfill effects
Authors: Kwak Jae B. , Chung Soonwan
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess the thermo-mechanical reliability of a solder bump with different underfills, with the evaluation of different underfill materials. As there is more demand in higher input/output, smaller package size and lower cost, a flip chip mounted at the module level of a board is considered. However, bonding large chips (die) to organic module means a larger differential thermal expansion mismatch between the module and the chip. To reduce the thermal stresses and strains at solder joints, a polymer underfill is added to fill the cavity between the chip and the module. This procedure has typically, at least, resulted in an increase of the thermal fatigue life by a factor of ten, as compared to the non-underfilled case. Yet, this particular case is to deal with a flip chip mounted on both sides of a printed circuit board (PCB) module symmetrically (solder bump interconnection with Cu-Pillar). Note that Cu-Pillar bumping is known to possess good electrical properties and better electromigration performance. The drawback is that the Cu-Pillar bump can introduce high stress due to the higher stiffness of Cu compared to the solder material.

Design/methodology/approach

– As a reliability assessment, thermal cyclic loading condition was considered in this case. Thermal life prediction was conducted by using finite element analysis (FEA) and modified Darveaux’s model, considering microsize of the solder bump. In addition, thermo-mechanical properties of four different underfill materials were characterized, such as Young’s modulus at various temperatures, coefficient of temperature expansion and glass transition temperature. By implementing these properties into FEA, life prediction was accurately achieved and verified with experimental results.

Findings

– The modified life prediction method was successfully adopted for the case of Cu-Pillar bump interconnection in flip chip on the module package. Using this method, four different underfill materials were evaluated in terms of material property and affection to the fatigue life. Both predicted life and experimental results are obtained.

Originality/value

– This study introduces the technique to accurately predict thermal fatigue life for such a small scale of solder interconnection in a newly designed flip chip package. In addition, a guideline of underfill material selection was established by understanding its affection to thermo-mechanical reliability of this particular flip chip package structure.
Effect of intermetallic compound layer thickness on the shear strength of 1206 chip resistor solder joint
Authors: Bernasko Peter K. , Mallik Sabuj , Takyi G.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of intermetallic compound (IMC) layer thickness on the shear strength of surface-mount component 1206 chip resistor solder joints.

Design/methodology/approach

– To evaluate the shear strength and IMC thickness of the 1206 chip resistor solder joints, the test vehicles were conventionally reflowed for 480 seconds at a peak temperature of 240°C at different isothermal ageing times of 100, 200 and 300 hours. A cross-sectional study was conducted on the reflowed and aged 1206 chip resistor solder joints. The shear strength of the solder joints aged at 100, 200 and 300 hours was measured using a shear tester (Dage-4000PXY bond tester).

Findings

– It was found that the growth of IMC layer thickness increases as the ageing time increases at a constant temperature of 175°C, which resulted in a reduction of solder joint strength due to its brittle nature. It was also found that the shear strength of the reflowed 1206 chip resistor solder joint was higher than the aged joints. Moreover, it was revealed that the shear strength of the 1206 resistor solder joints aged at 100, 200 and 300 hours was influenced by the ageing reaction times. The results also indicate that an increase in ageing time and temperature does not have much influence on the formation and growth of Kirkendall voids.

Research limitations/implications

– A proper correlation between shear strength and fracture mode is required.

Practical implications

– The IMC thickness can be used to predict the shear strength of the component/printed circuit board pad solder joint.

Originality/value

– The shear strength of the 1206 chip resistor solder joint is a function of ageing time and temperature (°C). Therefore, it is vital to consider the shear strength of the surface-mount chip component in high-temperature electronics.
Images of Kingship: Charles I, Accession Sermons, and the Theory of Divine Right
Authors: Kiryanova Elena
Published: January 2015

Accession day was an important feast in the emerging political calendar of early modern Britain. Some of the sermons were published and contributed to shaping the royal image. Since a sermon was one of the few traditionally acceptable ways to criticize a monarch and to steer him or her onto the right path, a preacher could stress the ideal traits of the royal image while condemning the negative ones. I analyse this kind of sermon in the period of Charles I's Personal Rule and the Civil Wars. I examine the development of the royal image from the godlike intercessor between God and the people, to the ‘toiler’ doing his best to achieve peace, and the martyr (even before his captivity and execution), and to the democratized version of the previous ‘majestic’ image applied to ‘the magistrates’ in Westminster. This material helps us understand better the theological and political ideal of a ruler, in the years of one of the major crises of the British political system.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: what made the Monster monstrous?
Authors: Britton Ronald
Published: January 2015

This paper discusses the genesis of the famous story of Frankenstein which arose from a dream experienced by Mary Shelley whilst on a holiday shared with her husband Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, Dr Polidori and her step sister Claire Clairmont. The novel relates how the creature created by Victor Frankenstein horrifies him, is rejected by him and called a monster. The monster's ensuing despair and subsequent murderousness is eloquently described. The whole book is clearly connected to Mary Shelley's experience as an infant whose mother died after giving birth to her and her subsequent loss, as a mother, of her own new born infant. It is suggested that the novel imaginatively describes what it is to have been primarily rejected as an infant and to feel regarded as a monster.
Winnicott's invitation to ‘further games of Jung‐analysis’
Authors: Meredith‐Owen William
Published: January 2015

Winnicott signs off his celebrated review of Jung's (1963) autobiography Memories, Dreams, Reflections with the warning that translation of ‘erreichten’ as ‘attained’ (implying assimilation) rather than as ‘reached to’, could ‘queer the pitch for further games of Jung‐analysis’. This subtly underscores his view that Jung—who he described earlier as ‘mentally split’ and lacking ‘a self with which to know’—remained essentially dissociated.

However, Winnicott, whilst immersed in this work on Jung, wrote a letter to Michael Fordham describing himself as suffering ‘a lifelong malady’ of ‘dissociation’. But this he now reported repaired through a ‘splitting headache’ dream of destruction, dreamt ‘for Jung, and for some of my patients, as well as for myself’ (Winnicott 1989, p. 228).

Winnicott's recurrent concern during his last decade was with ‘reaching to’—that quintessential Winnicottian term—some reparative experience that could address such difficulties in constellating a ‘unit self’. This is correlated with his engagement with Jung and tracked through his contemporaneous clinical work, particularly ‘Fear of Breakdown’ (1963).

Themes first introduced by Sedgwick (2008) and developed by the author's earlier ‘Winnicott on Jung; destruction, creativity and the unrepressed unconscious’ (2011) are given further consideration.
States of grace: Eureka moments and the recognition of the unthought known
Authors: Crowther Catherine , Schmidt Martin
Published: January 2015

In this paper we consider states of grace in analysis. These encompass a range of phenomena which share an experience of something being received or revealed rather than produced by the ego. It feels that they are events that happen rather than events that are made to occur. They are marked by a profound sense of transformation of feeling tone. The quality of relatedness in the analytic dyad is also heightened. Some of these phenomena have been referred to as experiences of the self, synchronicities, moments of meeting, the unthought known and Eureka moments. The latter are experiences of sudden realization where a meaningful thought or image emerges which results in a dramatic shift in direction of the analysis and a transcendence of impasse. Although many authors describe these phenomena, we find that a Jungian approach provides a loom on which these threads can be woven together. Jung's concept of the transcendent function and his understanding of the gift of grace are particularly illuminating here. We also consider the conditions which allow grace to be experienced and how these inform our analytic practice.
The Use of CT Scans in Estimating Age at Death by Examining the Extent of Ectocranial Suture Closure
Authors: Boyd Kristen Leigh , Villa Chiara , Lynnerup Niels
Published: January 2015

We examined the utility of CT scans in the evaluation of degree of ectocranial suture closure. Five cranial points (left and right midcoronal positions, left and right midlambdoidal positions, and the lambda) were evaluated in 231 CT scans using a three‐point scoring system (open, partial closed, and closed). The slice increment and thickness varied between three groups of the scans. The results showed a good correlation between degree of suture closure and increasing age in each group. Young individuals (<40 years) and old individuals (>60 years) could be clearly distinguished from the middle‐aged individuals. ANOVA test revealed no difference between two groups of scans and between left and right sides (p > 0.05). Interobserver agreement was good, especially considering the score by sides. The results of this study create the base for developing a robust and simple method to estimate the age at death using CT scans.
Investigation on Sodium Benzoate Release from Poly(Butylene Adipate‐Co‐Terephthalate)/Organoclay/Sodium Benzoate Based Nanocomposite Film and Their Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Mondal Dibyendu , Bhowmick Biplab , Maity Dipanwita , Mollick Md. Masud R. , Rana Dipak , Rangarajan Vivek , Sen Ramkrishna , Chattopadhyay Dipankar
Published: January 2015

Polymeric nanocomposites embedded with nontoxic antimicrobial agents have recently gained potential industrial significance, mainly for their applicability to preserve food quality and ensure safety. In this study, a poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT)/organoclay (CMMT) based nanocomposite film doped with sodium benzoate (SB) as antimicrobial agent was prepared by a solution mixing process. A homogenous dispersion of organoclay (cetyltrimethylammonium‐modified montmorillonite [CMMT]) in PBAT matrix was observed by X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. PBAT/CMMT nanocomposite film showed higher barrier properties against water and methanol vapor compared to the PBAT film. The release of SB from PBAT and its nanocomposite film was measured and the relevant data were fitted to the Weibull model. The higher values of Weibull's shape factor and scale parameter as corroborated by experimental findings indicated faster rate of SB release from PBAT/CMMT/SB nanocomposite film, when compared to the pristine PBAT film. Bacterial inhibition studies were accomplished against 2 food pathogenic bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, by determining the zone of inhibition and corresponding growth profiles. Both bacterial inhibition studies and growth profiles established that PBAT/CMMT/SB demonstrated better antimicrobial activity than PBAT/SB film. Therefore, PBAT/CMMT/SB nanocomposite film can be used for food packaging application as it showed good barrier properties and antimicrobial activity against food pathogenic bacteria.