bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Guatemala City
Authors: Way John T.
Published: October 2014

The construction of Guatemala City in the Ermita Valley, its fourth and final home, began in the mid-1770s in the wake of serious earthquake damage in what today is known as La Antigua Guatemala. After slow growth as Central America disintegrated into separate republics, the city began to bustle with Guatemala’s 1871 Liberal revolution, and more so after the 1920 overthrow of the dictator Estrada Cabrera. The majority of the works in this bibliography postdate this period. From 1920 forward, modernization and infrastructure development began to give rise to an overburdened and largely impoverished metropolis, through various phases: a period of urban unionization and political opening (1920–1930); the Ubico dictatorship (1931–1944); the Guatemalan Revolution (1944–1954, the democratic “Ten Years of Spring”); the authoritarian, anticommunist period following the CIA-led invasion of 1954 (1954–early 1960s); Guatemala’s civil war (1960–1996); and finally, a period of neoliberalism, which is still underway (roughly 1986 forward). Euphemistically called the “Armed Internal Conflict,” the civil war originated in 1960. Death squads began to terrorize the city in 1966, and the military government unleashed genocidal violence in the Mayan highlands from 1981 to 1983. Despite a return from military to civilian rule in 1986, after unprecedented violence had effectively defeated the guerrillas and the popular movement, the war continued until the signing of Peace Accords in 1996. During those years, a turn to neoliberalism began, exacerbating the tensions and class-based division of space and resources in a primate city already wracked by waves of rural-to-urban migration that had become acute by the 1950s and that grew in the decades ahead. When the 1976 earthquake displaced over a million people, the majority of Guatemala City’s inhabitants who had homes were living in slums and land invasions. The informal economy remained the predominant means of sustenance as refugees fleeing atrocities and “agrarian transformation” in the countryside poured into the city. Today’s metropolitan area (Área Metropolitana de Guatemala, or AMG) is made up of seventeen municipalities, most of which continue to urbanize on a daily basis. The privatization of space, the lack of planning, and the profusion of new social, cultural, and economic phenomena such as gangs, evangelical Christianity, vigilante violence, consumer culture, and spiraling crime have attracted researchers’ attention, and a recent body of interdisciplinary works on these topics complements other strands in the literature that focus on state terror, internal migration, and urban growth. Researchers should consult works on the nation in general, not included here because they do not specifically focus on the city.
Stress
Authors: Quick James Campbell
Published: October 2014

Stress is the overarching term referring to the causes (demands or stressors), consequences (distress and eustress), and modifiers of the psychophysiological (mind-body) response that was originally labeled “the emergency response.” Stress was first identified within medicine and later elaborated in psychology before its study was integrated into public health, management, organizational science, and engineering. During the late 1900s, a well-researched set of skills along with ancient practices for self-regulation were identified for the purpose of managing stress. Stress became a concern for managers and organizations during this period due to the high human and economic costs of mismanaged stress, or distress.
State of the Field of Strategic Human Resource Management
Authors: Jackson Susan E. , Jiang Kaifeng , Schuler Randall S.
Published: October 2014

Human resource management (HRM) professionals use the term “strategic human resource management” to convey their thinking that effective strategic HRM contributes to business effectiveness. While many HRM scholars have this understanding of what “strategic HRM” means, the meaning of this term has varied across time, between cultural contexts, and as reflections of the diverse disciplinary identities of strategic HRM scholars. Nevertheless, a grand unifying aspect of scholarship on strategic HRM is the assumption that further insights about managing human resources can be gained through research that treats the many activities involved in managing the workforce as a set of activities that, if properly aligned with the needs of the business, can result in many positive consequences. Thus the field in the early 21st century generally defines scholarship on strategic HRM as the study of sets of HRM elements and their interrelationships with other elements comprising an organizational system, including elements in the organization’s internal and external environment as well as the multiple stakeholders who evaluate the organization’s effectiveness and determine its long-term survival. Central to this definition are three essential constructs: HRM Systems, HRM Partnerships, and Multiple Stakeholders.
Effect of Bone Cement Volume Fraction on Adjacent Vertebral Fractures After Unilateral Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
Authors: Lin Dasheng , Hao Jianming , Li Lin , Wang Lei , Zhang Huantang , Zou Weitao , Lian Kejian
Published: October 2014

Study Design:

A retrospective study.

Summary of Background Data:

Complications of the bone cement used in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures have received increasingly more attention, especially for bone cement volume.

Objective:

The aim of the study was to retrospectively assess the relationship between bone cement volume fraction and adjacent vertebral fracture (AVF) after unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP).

Materials and Methods:

Between 2006 and 2011, 495 patients with single-level osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) were surgically treated by unilateral PKP and had completed 12-month follow-up in our hospital. According to the new OVCF, they were divided into 3 groups: AVF group, non-AVF group, and normal group (who were not new OVCF). On the basis of the value of the plain radiography, the cement volume fraction for the vertebral body was calculated, and cement leakage, bone mineral density, visual analog scale, and Cobb angle of preoperative and postoperative were analyzed.

Results:

During the follow-up, 110 (22.2%) patients had new OVCF, and others were normal (n=385). Fifty-two cases were AVF and 58 were non-AVF. The cement volume fraction of AVF group, non-AVF group, and normal group were 32.5%±5.5%, 27.3%±1.8%, and 27.1%±2.6%, respectively. The 95% confidence interval of volume fraction were (31.0, 34.1), (26.8, 27.7), and (26.9, 28.5), respectively. The AVF group showed higher cement volume fraction in 3 groups (P<0.05), and there were no significant difference between non-AVF and normal group (P>0.05). There were 19 (36.5%) patients with cement leakage in AVF group, 12 (20.7%) in non-AVF group, and 68 (17.7%) in normal group. The AVF group showed higher cement leakage (P<0.05). Compared with AVF group and normal group, non-AVF group had lower bone mineral density in preoperation. All groups reported significantly improved visual analog scale scores and Cobb angle on the day of surgery. However, there were no significant difference between the 3 groups.

Conclusions:

Unilateral PKP is an effective and safe procedure for patients with OVCF. However, cement volume should be determined in terms of the vertebral body fraction to obtain a favorable outcome. The risk of AVF and cement leakage will increase obviously with the cement volume fraction increased. We recommend that a bone cement volume fraction of about one fourth is suitable for unilateral PKP.
A Multicenter Evaluation of Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes Following High-grade Spondylolisthesis Reduction and Fusion
Authors: Gandhoke Gurpreet S. , Kasliwal Manish K. , Smith Justin S. , Nieto JoAnne , Ibrahimi David , Park Paul , Lamarca Frank , Shaffrey Christopher , Okonkwo David O. , Kanter Adam S.
Published: October 2014

Objective:

A retrospective review of the clinical and radiographic outcomes from a multicenter study of surgical treatment for high-grade spondylolisthesis (HGS) in adults. The objective was to assess the safety of surgical reduction, its ability to correct regional deformity, and its clinical effectiveness.

Methods:

Retrospective, multicenter review of adults (age above 18 y) with lumbosacral HGS (Meyerding grade 3–5) treated surgically with open decompression, attempted reduction, posterior instrumentation, and interbody fusion. Preoperative and postoperative assessment of the Meyerding grade, slip angle, and sacral inclination were performed based on standing radiographs. Preoperative visual analog scale scores were compared with those at the mean follow-up period. Prolo and Oswestry Disability Index scores at most recent follow-up were assessed.

Results:

A total of 25 patients, aged 19–72 years, met inclusion criteria. Seventeen interbody cages were placed, including 15 transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions, 1 posterior lumbar interbody fusion, and 1 anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Five patients required sacral dome osteotomies. The average follow-up was 21.3 months.

At most recent follow-up there was a statistically significant improvement in both the Meyerding grade and the slip angle (P<0.05). There was 1 intraoperative complication resulting in a neurological deficit (4%) and 1 intraoperative vertebral body fracture (4%). No additional surgery was required for any of these patients. There were no cases of nonunion or device failure except for 1 patient who suffered an unrelated traumatic injury 1 year after surgery. The mean Oswestry Disability Index and Prolo scores at mean follow-up of 21.3 months were 20% (minimum disability) and 8.2 (grade 1), respectively.

Conclusions:

The present study suggests that reduction, when accomplished in conjunction with wide neural element decompression and instrumented arthrodesis, is safe, effective, and durable with low rates of neurological injury, favorable clinical results, and high-fusion rates.
Arthrobacter
nanjingensis sp. nov., a mineral-weathering bacterium isolated from forest soil
Authors: Huang Zhi , Bao Yuan Yuan , Yuan Tong Tong , Wang Guo Xiang , He Lin Yan , Sheng Xia Fang
Published: October 2014

A Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, rod- or coccoid-shaped actinobacterium, designated strain A33T, was isolated from a forest soil sample from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China. The strain grew optimally at 30 °C, pH 7.0 and with 3 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis of the strain, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed that it was most closely related to

Arthrobacter woluwensis

(98.4 % sequence similarity),

Arthrobacter humicola

(97.5 %),

Arthrobacter globiformis

(97.4 %),

Arthrobacter oryzae

(97.3 %) and

Arthrobacter cupressi

(97.0 %). The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0; MK-9(H2) was the predominant respiratory quinone. The polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and three glycolipids. Cell-wall analysis revealed that the peptidoglycan type was A3α, based on l-lysine-l-alanine; the cell-wall sugars were galactose and mannose. The genomic G+C content of strain A33T was 66.8 mol%. The low DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain A33T and recognized species of the genus

Arthrobacter

and many phenotypic properties supported the classification of strain A33T as a representative of a novel species of the genus

Arthrobacter

, for which the name Arthrobacter nanjingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A33T ( = CCTCC AB 2014069T = DSM 28237T).
Genome-wide comparative analysis reveals human- mouse regulatory landscape and evolution
Authors: Denas Olgert , Sandstrom Richard , Cheng Yong , Beal Kathryn , Herrero Javier , Hardison Ross , Taylor James
Published: October 2014

Background: Because species-specific gene expression is driven by species-specific regulation, understanding the relationship between sequence and function of the regulatory regions in different species will help elucidate how differences among species arise. Despite active experimental and computational research, the relationships among sequence, conservation, and function are still poorly understood. Results: We compared transcription factor occupied segments (TFos) for 116 human and 35 mouse TFs in 546 human and 125 mouse cell types and tissues from the Human and the Mouse ENCODE projects. We based the map between human and mouse TFos on a one-to-one nucleotide cross-species mapper, bnMapper, that utilizes whole genome alignments (WGA). Our analysis shows that TFos are under evolutionary constraint, but a substantial portion (25.1% of mouse and 25.85% of human on average) of the TFos does not have a homologous sequence on the other species; this portion varies among cell types and TFs. Furthermore, 47.67% and 57.01% of the homologous TFos sequence shows binding activity on the other species for human and mouse respectively. However, 79.87% and 69.22% is repurposed such that it binds the same TF in different cells or different TFs in the same cells. Remarkably, within the set of TFos not showing conservation of occupancy, the corresponding genome regions in the other species are preferred locations of novel TFos. These events suggest that a substantial amount of functional regulatory sequences is exapted from other biochemically active genomic material. Despite substantial repurposing of TFos, we did not find substantial changes in their predicted target genes, suggesting that CRMs buffer evolutionary events allowing little or no change in the TF – target gene associations. Thus, the small portion of TFos with strictly conserved occupancy underestimates the degree of conservation of regulatory interactions. Conclusion: We mapped regulatory sequences from an extensive number of TFs and cell types between human and mouse. A comparative analysis of this correspondence unveiled the extent of the shared regulatory sequence across TFs and cell types under study. Importantly, a large part of the shared regulatory sequence repurposed on the other species. This sequence, fueled by turnover events, provides a strong case for exaptation in regulatory elements.
Antisense RNA Amplification for Target Assessment of Total mRNA from a Single Cell
Authors: Morris Jacqueline , Bell Thomas J. , Buckley Peter T. , Eberwine James H.
Published: November 2014

This protocol describes how to amplify mRNA isolated from a single cell and then analyze its gene expression profile using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Single-cell analysis is advantageous over studies of cell populations because it allows identification of a range of normal physiological states expressed by different cells of the same cell type without the confounding effects of averaging that result from measuring physiological states of cell populations. This is especially important when addressing questions of physiology in tissues, which comprises many different cell types. However, a single cell does not contain enough mRNA for all of the expressed transcripts to be detected or measured by any current molecular biology techniques. The antisense RNA (aRNA) amplification method was developed to amplify the picogram amounts of mRNA found within a single cell to microgram amounts of aRNA after three rounds of amplification. This aRNA can then easily be analyzed by microarray or next-generation sequencing. These methods allow identification of all expressed mRNA species within a single cell, including previously unknown mRNAs or those mRNAs specifically affected by a certain treatment. mRNA species of interest identified by these techniques can be further analyzed by designing primers targeting these species and performing PCR. cDNA synthesized from RNA at any stage in the aRNA amplification procedure, including material directly from collected unamplified cells, can be analyzed using PCR. Regardless of downstream applications, single-cell aRNA amplification is a powerful tool for studying single-cell physiological dynamics.
Using In-Solution Digestion, Peptide Fractionation, and a Q Exactive Mass Spectrometer to Analyze the Proteome of Clathrin-Coated Vesicles
Authors: Borner Georg H.H. , Fielding Andrew B.
Published: November 2014

The characterization of clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs), including the effects of genetic or biochemical manipulations on their composition, can be studied by mass spectrometry analysis of HeLa cell fractions enriched for CCVs. This protocol describes the preparation of samples by in-solution proteolytic digest and subsequent peptide fractionation, followed by analysis in a Q Exactive mass spectrometer.
Structures of SAICAR synthetase (PurC) fromStreptococcus pneumoniaewith ADP, Mg2+, AIR and Asp. Corrigendum
Authors: Wolf Nina M. , Abad-Zapatero Celerino , Johnson Michael E. , Fung Leslie W.-M.
Published: October 2014

The caption for Figure 3 of the article by Wolfet al.[(2014),Acta Cryst.D70, 841–850] is corrected.
Structure and composition of bismuth telluride topological insulators grown by molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Steiner Hubert , Volobuev Valentine , Caha Ondřej , Bauer Günther , Springholz Gunther , Holý Václav
Published: November 2014

The structure and composition of Bi2Te3−δtopological insulator layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy is studied as a function of beam flux composition. It is demonstrated that, depending on the Te/Bi2Te3flux ratio, different layer compositions are obtained corresponding to a Te deficit δ varying between 0 and 1. On the basis of X-ray diffraction analysis and a theoretical description using a random stacking model, it is shown that for δ ≥ 0 the structure of the epilayers is described well by a random stacking of Te–Bi–Te–Bi–Te quintuple layers and Bi–Bi bilayers sharing the same basic hexagonal lattice structure. The random stacking model accounts for the observed surface step structure of the layers and compares very well with the measured X-ray data, from which the lattice parametersaandcas a function of the chemical composition were deduced. In particular, the in-plane lattice parameterais found to continuously increase and the average distance of the (0001) hexagonal lattice planes is found to decrease from the Bi2Te3to the BiTe phase. Moreover, the lattice plane distances agree well with the linear interpolation between the Bi2Te3and BiTe values taking the strain in the epilayers into account. Thus, the chemical composition Bi2Te3−δcan be directly determined by X-ray diffraction. From analysis of the X-ray diffraction data, quantitative information on the randomness of the stacking sequence of the Bi and Te layers is obtained. According to these findings, the layers represent random one-dimensional alloys of Te–Bi–Te–Bi–Te quintuple and Bi–Bi bilayers rather than a homologous series of ordered compounds.
Evidence for cooling-rate-dependent icosahedral short-range order in a Cu–Zr–Al metallic glass
Authors: Hermann Helmut , Kühn Uta , Wendrock Horst , Kokotin Valentin , Schwarz Björn
Published: November 2014

Samples of Cu47.5Zr47.5Al5metallic glass were prepared at different cooling rate,R. The dependence of the X-ray diffraction patterns onRwas analysed by comparing them with corresponding patterns of computer-simulated models generated at different cooling rates as well. The observed changes in the experimental diffraction patterns are reproduced by the simulations, showing an increasing fraction of icosahedral clusters with decreasing cooling rate. The difference of the fractions of icosahedrally coordinated atoms in mould-cast and rapidly quenched Cu47.5Zr47.5Al5averages to 3 (1)%. Different frozen-in thermal displacements and different density are ruled out as a possible origin for the experimental observations.
Sample tilt-free characterization of residual stress gradients in thin coatings using an in-plane arm-equipped laboratory X-ray diffractometer
Authors: Benediktovitch Andrei , Ulyanenkova Tatjana , Keckes Jozef , Ulyanenkov Alex
Published: November 2014

A methodology is presented to characterize residual stress gradients using the sin2ψ technique at constant penetration depths without the use of sample χ tilting. The experiments were performed using a laboratory five-axis X-ray diffractometer equipped with an in-plane arm by scanning several reflections in order to enlarge the penetration depth range. The proposed approach, demonstrated on a blasted 11.5 µm-thick TiN coating on a WC–Co substrate, opens the possibility to perform a complex stress gradient characterization in laboratory conditions where the sample χ tilting can deteriorate the sample properties or experimental conditions, like duringin situhigh-temperature studies.
Emergency response by robots to Fukushima‐Daiichi accident: summary and lessons learned
Authors: Kawatsuma Shinji , Fukushima Mineo , Okada Takashi
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extract lessons learned from the Fukushima‐Daiichi accident, caused by a big earthquake and a huge tsunami, which occurred on 11 March 2011.

Design/methodology/approach

Lessons learned are extracted after summarizing emergency response by robots to the Fukushima‐Daiichi accident.

Findings

Many lessons had been learned from the experiences on robots' emergency response to the accident; organization and operation scheme, and systemization were major lessons learned.

Practical implications

Unmanned constructive heavy machines and robots donated from the USA or imported from Sweden did reconnaissance work and cleaning up of rubble outside of buildings. Quince and JAEA‐3 were deployed for reconnaissance inside buildings.

Social implications

The Japanese nuclear disaster response robotics developed after Japan Conversion Corporation's critical accident occurred in 1999, could not work when the Fukushima‐Daiichi accident occurred on 11 March 2011.

Originality/value

The paper emphasizes the importance of establishing emergency response schemes when a nuclear disaster occurs.
Design of a training tool for improving the use of hand‐held detectors in humanitarian demining
Authors: Fernández Roemi , Montes Héctor , Salinas Carlota , González de Santos Pablo , Armada Manuel
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the design of a training tool intended to improve deminers' technique during close‐in detection tasks.

Design/methodology/approach

Following an introduction that highlights the impact of mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and the importance of training for enhancing the safety and the efficiency of the deminers, this paper considers the utilization of a sensory tracking system to study the skill of the hand‐held detector expert operators. With the compiled information, some critical performance variables can be extracted, assessed, and quantified, so that they can be used afterwards as reference values for the training task. In a second stage, the sensory tracking system is used for analysing the trainee skills. The experimentation phase aims to test the effectiveness of the elements that compose the sensory system to track the hand‐held detector during the training sessions.

Findings

The proposed training tool will be able to evaluate the deminers' efficiency during the scanning tasks and will provide important information for improving their competences.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the need of introducing emerging technologies for enhancing the current training techniques for deminers and proposes a sensory tracking system that can be successfully utilised for evaluating trainees' performance with hand‐held detectors.
Exploring the nature of social capital to facilitate its inclusion in enterprise education
Authors: Bridge Simon
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of social capital in its applications for enterprise (and entrepreneurship) in order to facilitate its incorporation into the relevant education and training programmes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on examples from the literature and his own experience the author highlights a variety of different uses for social capital in an enterprise context.

Findings

– This exploration not only confirms social capital's relevance for enterprise but also illustrates and categorises some of the different forms it can take – for instance forms which provide access to relevant information; forms which facilitate trust, mutual obligations and/or credibility; and forms which promote shared norms of behaviour and commitment.

Practical implications

– Because these different forms can all be crucial but cannot be substituted one for another, they act in the enterprise mix rather like vitamins in a diet. Understanding the variety and uses of social capital is thus important for enterprise and communicating this should form a key part of entrepreneurship education.

Originality/value

– While some attention is being paid to the relevance of social capital for enterprise, it receives less recognition as a component of the enterprise mix than factors such as financial and human capital – and is rarely included in enterprise education and training programmes. To help educators to correct this omission the paper supplements the theory by suggesting practical examples of the reality of social capital's varied forms and uses.
Entrepreneurship in higher education
Authors: Anne Støren Liv
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The paper examines the proportion of higher education (HE) graduates in Norway who have undertaken different forms of entrepreneurship education and how comprehensive the entrepreneurship education has been. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possible benefits and effects of entrepreneurship education in terms of learning outcome and the propensity to start their own business.

Design/methodology/approach

– A representative survey among HE graduates (N=2,827) is used to present reliable estimates on the prevalence of entrepreneurship education within HE. The study provides a comparison of entrepreneurship graduates with other graduates in terms of the propensity to establish their own business or planning to do so. The study also examines the learning outcomes of entrepreneurship education as the entrepreneurship graduates are asked several questions concerning this, e.g. whether it was useful for establishing own enterprise or whether it increased their creative and innovative abilities.

Findings

– The proportion of entrepreneurship graduates who are self-employed is very low and is not higher than for other graduates. The results indicate that entrepreneurship graduates to a certain extent are more interested in setting up their own company in the future, but this tendency is much lower than what is found in other European studies. Further, the reported learning outcome of the entrepreneurship education is not large. But entrepreneurship education, especially if it is of a certain type and scope, contributes to an increase in “generic” entrepreneurial skills. Most entrepreneurship students participated in rather short entrepreneurship courses, with lesser benefit.

Research limitations/implications

– The positive effect of entrepreneurship education on the graduates’ future plans with respect to starting their own business may partly be subject to self-selection. Further, the quality of entrepreneurship education in terms of academic content and teaching and learning methods needs further attention.

Practical implications

– The overall results indicate that it would make more sense for some students to take a more comprehensive entrepreneurship education rather than that many more students taking some entrepreneurship education. This should be of interest to academia and policy makers. Further, it is primarily participation in education through (not about) entrepreneurship that increases the outcome in terms of generic entrepreneurial or innovative skills. This can be important information for the future development of entrepreneurship education.

Originality/value

– The effect of entrepreneurship education on graduates’ entrepreneurial intentions is examined by use of a representative sample and when comparing entrepreneurship graduates with other graduates within the same fields and types of study. Thus, generalized conclusions can be drawn. The learning outcomes are measured when taking into account the length and type of entrepreneurship course.
Towards strengthening the development of women entrepreneurship in Malaysia
Authors: Ming Yen Teoh Wendy , Choy Chong Siong
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to identify developmental issues associated with women entrepreneurship, with the Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as a base. Subsequently, the paper also aims to devise certain stratagems and new policies for ensuring women entrepreneurial growth.

Design/methodology/approach

– An overview of the issues surrounding women entrepreneurship development in Malaysia is provided, drawing on the extant literature. The issues comprise cultural barriers, lack of spousal support, gender inequality, lack of confidence, weak social and business networking, few laws to support working families and neglected women entrepreneurs in the cottage industry, as well as domestic help and home-based childcare.

Findings

– Based on the issues identified, strategies are proposed to address them, contextualising on the gender aspect of women entrepreneurship.

Practical implications

– A summary is provided on the research and practical gaps from the perspective of strengthening women entrepreneurship and with the aim of encouraging further research in this area. The paper posits that an understanding of the gender aspect on issues related to the development of women entrepreneurship in Malaysia is required if policy measures are to be constructive in assisting women entrepreneurs in achieving their full entrepreneurial potential.

Originality/value

– Very limited studies have been undertaken in the past to assess the issues faced by women entrepreneurs in the context of overall development of women entrepreneurship. This is of great value to an SME-dominated economy such as Malaysia where the paper provides a comprehensive summary of the strategies and policy measures required to strengthen women entrepreneurship development.
Ground verification of space robot capturing the free-floating target based on visual servoing control with time delay
Authors: Yang Haitao , Jin Minghe , Xie Zongwu , Sun Kui , Liu Hong
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to solve the ground verification and test method for space robot system capturing the target satellite based on visual servoing with time-delay in 3-dimensional space prior to space robot being launched.

Design/methodology/approach

– To implement the approaching and capturing task, a motion planning method for visual servoing the space manipulator to capture a moving target is presented. This is mainly used to solve the time-delay problem of the visual servoing control system and the motion uncertainty of the target satellite. To verify and test the feasibility and reliability of the method in three-dimensional (3D) operating space, a set of ground hardware-in-the-loop simulation verification systems is developed, which adopts the end-tip kinematics equivalence and dynamics simulation method.

Findings

– The results of the ground hardware-in-the-loop simulation experiment validate the reliability of the eye-in-hand visual system in the 3D operating space and prove the validity of the visual servoing motion planning method with time-delay compensation. At the same time, owing to the dynamics simulator of the space robot added in the ground hardware-in-the-loop verification system, the base disturbance can be considered during the approaching and capturing procedure, which makes the ground verification system realistic and credible.

Originality/value

– The ground verification experiment system includes the real controller of space manipulator, the eye-in-hand camera and the dynamics simulator, which can veritably simulate the capturing process based on the visual servoing in space and consider the effect of time delay and the free-floating base disturbance.
ARES, a variable stiffness actuator with embedded force sensor for the ATLAS exoskeleton
Authors: Cestari M. , Sanz-Merodio D. , Arevalo J.C. , Garcia E.
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to present a variable stiffness actuator, one of whose main features is that the compliant elements simultaneously allow measuring of the torque exerted by the joint. Conceived as a force-controlled actuator, this actuator with Adjustable Rigidity and Embedded Sensor (ARES) is intended to be implemented in the knee of the ATLAS exoskeleton for children to allow the exploitation of the intrinsic dynamic during the locomotion cycle.

Design/methodology/approach

– A set of simulations were performed to evaluate the behavior of the actuator mechanism and a prototype of the variable impedance actuator was incorporated into the exoskeleton’s knee and evaluations of the torque measurements capabilities along with the rigidity adjustments were made.

Findings

– Mass and inertia of the actuator are minimized by the compact design and the utilization of the different component for more than one utility. By a proper match of the compliance of the joint and the performed task, good torque measurements can be achieved and no bandwidth saturation is expected.

Originality/value

– In the actuator, the compliant elements simultaneously allow measuring of the torque exerted by the join. By a proper match of the compliance of the joint and the performed task, good torque measurements can be achieved and no bandwidth saturation is expected.
Solving peg-in-hole tasks by human demonstration and exception strategies
Authors: Abu-Dakka Fares J. , Nemec Bojan , Kramberger Aljaž , Buch Anders Glent , Krüger Norbert , Ude Ales
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a new algorithm based on programming by demonstration and exception strategies to solve assembly tasks such as peg-in-hole.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data describing the demonstrated tasks are obtained by kinesthetic guiding. The demonstrated trajectories are transferred to new robot workspaces using three-dimensional (3D) vision. Noise introduced by vision when transferring the task to a new configuration could cause the execution to fail, but such problems are resolved through exception strategies.

Findings

– This paper demonstrated that the proposed approach combined with exception strategies outperforms traditional approaches for robot-based assembly. Experimental evaluation was carried out on Cranfield Benchmark, which constitutes a standardized assembly task in robotics. This paper also performed statistical evaluation based on experiments carried out on two different robotic platforms.

Practical implications

– The developed framework can have an important impact for robot assembly processes, which are among the most important applications of industrial robots. Our future plans involve implementation of our framework in a commercially available robot controller.

Originality/value

– This paper proposes a new approach to the robot assembly based on the Learning by Demonstration (LbD) paradigm. The proposed framework enables to quickly program new assembly tasks without the need for detailed analysis of the geometric and dynamic characteristics of workpieces involved in the assembly task. The algorithm provides an effective disturbance rejection, improved stability and increased overall performance. The proposed exception strategies increase the success rate of the algorithm when the task is transferred to new areas of the workspace, where it is necessary to deal with vision noise and altered dynamic characteristics of the task.
Conceptualisation, development and validation of green marketing orientation (GMO) of SMEs in India
Authors: Chahal Hardeep , Dangwal Ramesh , Raina Swati
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of the study is twofold. First, to examine the domain of green marketing construct in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in emerging economies (i.e. India) across electrical industries and, second, to assess its impact on the SMEs performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– All the owners of electrical industries (SMEs) operating in Jammu District, that is, 152, were contacted using census method.

Findings

– The study identifies and confirms five factors, namely, greening the process, green supply chain management, green strategic policy initiative, proactive energy conservation and green innovation of green marketing as important dimensions of green marketing orientation (GMO) scale. All the dimensions of the GMO scale have positive and significant impacts on performance of the firms. In addition, there exists stronger impact of green marketing dimensions on the customer business to business (B2B) satisfaction and employee retention.

Research limitations/implications

– The research has certain unavoidable limitations. First, the study is based on only one sector, that is, electrical industries operating in developing industrial region of India and hence future research is suggested to comprehend green marketing in other green-savvy manufacturing sectors like pharmaceutical sector and service sector like hotels and hospitals. Further, the study has focussed on the development of GMO scale and future studies need to extend research to include variables like green satisfaction, green trust and green loyalty to understand their mediating role in green marketing and performance relationship. Furthermore, the moderating role of variables such as nature and age of the SMEs can also be studied in future research.

Practical implications

– GMO allows managers to understand how their firms facilitate green environment and they affect the business outcomes. Furthermore, GMO takes into consideration all important aspects (greening the process, green supply chain management, green strategic policy initiatives, proactive energy conservation and green promotion) which provide better explanatory power and identification of priority areas for managerial attention. GMO can be used by managers to determine which strategies and practices will have the most positive influence on employees’ outcome.

Originality/value

– This paper can help managers in identifying the perspectives of GMO in electrical sector for the developing countries. Unlike the three dimensions confirmed by studies, this study established five dimensions of green marketing, namely, greening the process green supply chain management, green strategic policy initiatives, proactive energy conservation and green promotion.
Antecedents and consequences of strategic green marketing orientation
Authors: Chahal Hardeep , Dangwal Ramesh , Raina Swati
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The study aims to propose four novel constructs of green satisfaction, green loyalty, green trust and green brand equity. It identifies the role of social marketing, relationship marketing, marketing orientation, general strategies, green marketing and marketing mix elements in enhancing financial and non-financial performance and ultimately the green brand equity. Green marketing strategies are gaining significant attention in the literature to support societal marketing conceptvis-à-visto enhance brand equity in the present competitive era. The present study conceptualizes a novel strategic green marketing orientation (SGMO) concept.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper draws upon the extant literature to present a series of research propositions relating to SGMO.

Findings

– The study provides new insight to marketing management by highlighting the factors such as social marketing, relationship marketing and marketing orientation as the constituent elements which facilitate the development of SGMO in an organization. Further, the study has put emphasis on SGMO- performance relationship which is mediated by green trust, green satisfaction and green loyalty. Finally, it advances an understanding in enhancing green brand equity of the organization.

Research limitations

– Being conceptual in nature, the paper needs to be empirically tested across manufacturing and service sectors. Further, lack of generalization of the scale items in various sectors needs to be researched in the future research.

Originality/value

– This paper can help managers in identifying the three perspectives of SGMO, which include strategies (general), green marketing and marketing mix elements.
Towards a theory of multi-tier sustainable supply chains: a systematic literature review
Authors: M. Tachizawa Elcio , Yew Wong Chee
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive framework that synthesizes approaches and contingency variables to manage the sustainability of multi-tier supply chains and sub-suppliers.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using a systematic literature review, the authors analyse 39 studies and relevant theories to develop a comprehensive framework that integrates research efforts so far.

Findings

– The authors build a conceptual framework that incorporates four approaches to manage the sustainability of multi-tier supply chains. They also identify several contingency variables (e.g. power, dependency, distance, industry, knowledge resources) and their effect on the proposed approaches.

Research limitations/implications

– Based on the framework, six research propositions that advance the theories on multi-tier supply chain management, allow lead firms to develop comprehensive sustainable supply chain strategies and set the ground for future research in the area were developed.

Originality/value

– This study provides a novel framework for studying sustainability in multi-tier supply chains that goes beyond the single-tier perspective and incorporates the extended supply chain.
Humanitarian supply chain performance management: a systematic literature review
Authors: Abidi Hella , de Leeuw Sander , Klumpp Matthias
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to identify the state of the art of performance measurement and management in humanitarian supply chains; to categorize performance measurement indicators in the five supply chain phases of Gunasekaran and Kobu (2007) and evaluate them based on the evaluation criteria of Caplice and Sheffi (1995); and to define gaps and challenges in this field and give insights for future research in this domain.

Design/methodology/approach

– A literature review has been conducted using a structured method based on Denyer and Tranfield (2009) and Rousseau et al. (2008). The state of the art on humanitarian supply chain performance management with a focus on measurement frameworks and indicators and their applications in practice is classified in three categories. The first category is the definition and measurement of success in humanitarian supply chains. The second category is managing performance, which focuses on describing and analyzing the actual practice of managing performance. The third category shows the challenges in performance management that humanitarian supply chain actors deal with.

Findings

– Findings reveal that performance measurement and management in humanitarian supply chains is still an open area of research, especially compared to the commercial supply chain sector. Furthermore, the research indicates that performance measurement and management in humanitarian supply chains has to be developed in support of the supply chain strategy. Based on the findings of the literature review on performance measurement and management in the commercial and humanitarian field, a first classification of 94 performance measurement indicators in humanitarian supply chains is presented. Furthermore, the paper shows key problems why performance measurement and management systems have not been widely developed and systematically implemented in humanitarian supply chains and are not part of the supply chain strategy. The authors propose performance measurement guidelines that include input and output criteria. They develop a research agenda that focuses on four research questions for designing, deploying and disseminating performance measurement and management in humanitarian supply chains.

Practical implications

– The result helps the humanitarian supply chain community to conduct further research in this area and to develop performance measurement frameworks and indicators that suit humanitarian supply chains.

Originality/value

– It is the first systematic approach to categorize research output regarding performance measurement and management in humanitarian supply chains. The paper shows the state of the art in performance measurement and management in humanitarian supply chains and develops a research agenda.
Efficacy and safety of ustekinumab treatment in elderly patients with psoriasis
Authors: Hayashi Mitsuha , Umezawa Yoshinori , Fukuchi Osamu , Ito Toshihiro , Saeki Hidehisa , Nakagawa Hidemi
Published: October 2014

The ratio of the elderly among psoriasis patients has been increasing. However, satisfactory long‐term management of psoriasis for the elderly is challenging because of the more frequent presence of comorbidities, and the higher risk of adverse events from systemic therapeutic agents than younger patients. The use of ustekinumab (UST) appears to be an appropriate systemic treatment because it is considered less likely to cause adverse events than other systemic treatments, as well as necessitating fewer hospital visits. Our retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of UST in elderly patients with psoriasis. The study included 24 patients aged over 65 years (range, 65–88 years; mean, 73.1 years) with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis with impaired quality of life. Efficacy and safety were assessed over a 1‐year period using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and the Dermatology Live Quality Index (DLQI). The efficacy was evaluated by the proportion of subjects who achieved ≥75% reduction in PASI score (PASI 75). PASI 75 responses were 56.5% at week 16, 59.1% at week 28, and 60.0% at week 52. None of the patients developed any serious infection during the 1‐year treatment. The mean DLQI score at weeks 0, 16, 28, and 52 was 7.8 ± 6.0, 2.5 ± 3.4, 1.4 ± 1.7, and 1.2 ± 1.7, respectively. UST showed sufficient efficacy for elderly patients with psoriasis without any serious infection over the 1‐year treatment. Our results suggest that UST is the preferable agent for the treatment of elderly patients with psoriasis.
Appraisal problem in the 3D least squares Fourier seismic data reconstruction
Authors: Ciabarri Fabio , Mazzotti Alfredo , Stucchi Eusebio , Bienati Nicola
Published: October 2014

Least squares Fourier reconstruction is basically a solution to a discrete linear inverse problem that attempts to recover the Fourier spectrum of the seismic wavefield from irregularly sampled data along the spatial coordinates. The estimated Fourier coefficients are then used to reconstruct the data in a regular grid via a standard inverse Fourier transform (inverse discrete Fourier transform or inverse fast Fourier transform).

Unfortunately, this kind of inverse problem is usually under‐determined and ill‐conditioned. For this reason, the least squares Fourier reconstruction with minimum norm adopts a damped least squares inversion to retrieve a unique and stable solution.

In this work, we show how the damping can introduce artefacts on the reconstructed 3D data. To quantitatively describe this issue, we introduce the concept of “extended” model resolution matrix, and we formulate the reconstruction problem as an appraisal problem. Through the simultaneous analysis of the extended model resolution matrix and of the noise term, we discuss the limits of the Fourier reconstruction with minimum norm reconstruction and assess the validity of the reconstructed data and the possible bias introduced by the inversion process. Also, we can guide the parameterization of the forward problem to minimize the occurrence of unwanted artefacts. A simple synthetic example and real data from a 3D marine common shot gather are used to discuss our approach and to show the results of Fourier reconstruction with minimum norm reconstruction.