bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanoscale precipitation patterns in carbon–nickel nanocomposite thin films: Period and tilt control via ion energy and deposition angle
Authors: Abrasonis Gintautas , Oates Thomas W. H. , Kovács György J. , Grenzer Jörg , Persson Per O. Å. , Heinig Karl-Heinz H. , Martinavičius Andrius , Jeutter Nicole , Baehtz Carsten , Tucker Mark , Bilek Marcela M. M. , Möller Wolfhard
Published: August 2010

Periodic precipitation patterns in C:Ni nanocomposites grown by energetic ion codeposition are investigated. Films were grown at room temperature by ionized physical vapor deposition using a pulsed filtered cathodic vacuum arc. We reveal the role of the film composition, ion energy and incidence angle on the film morphology using transmission electron microscopy and grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering. Under these growth conditions, phase separation occurs in a thin surface layer which has a high atomic mobility due to energetic ion impacts. This layer is an advancing reaction front, which switches to an oscillatory mode, producing periodic precipitation patterns. Our results show that the ion induced atomic mobility is not random, as it would be in the case of thermal diffusion but conserves to a large extent the initial direction of the incoming ions. This results in a tilted pattern under oblique ion incidence. A dependence of the nanopattern periodicity and tilt on the growth parameters is established and pattern morphology control via ion velocity is demonstrated.
Possibilities for reducing the aftercavity interaction effect in gyrotrons
Authors: Sinitsyn O. V. , Nusinovich G. S. , Antonsen T. M.
Published: August 2010

This paper addresses the problem of aftercavity interaction in gyrotrons. The term “aftercavity interaction” is used for the cyclotron resonance interaction between electrons in a spent beam exiting the microwave cavity and traveling electromagnetic waves propagating from the cavity exit into the output part of a gyrotron. Aftercavity interaction may reduce the interaction efficiency by several percent and spoil the energy distribution of spent electrons, thus reducing the possibility of efficient utilization of depressed collectors. We have used a simple theory to find conditions resulting in the reduction of this effect. In particular, we have shown that both the axial waveguide wall profile and magnetic field distribution should be modified in order to weaken the effect of aftercavity interaction. We verified results of our simple analysis with advanced simulations and demonstrated that they are in good agreement. Result of these studies can be beneficial for the gyrotron efficiency enhancement.
Injection and acceleration of quasimonoenergetic relativistic electron beams using density gradients at the edges of a plasma channel
Authors: Faure J. , Rechatin C. , Lundh O. , Ammoura L. , Malka V.
Published: August 2010

The injection of quasimonoenergetic electron beams into a laser wakefield accelerator is demonstrated experimentally using density gradients at the edges of a plasma channel. In the experiment, two laser pulses are used; the main laser pulse drives a wakefield, while a second countercrossing laser beam produces a plasma whose expansion creates a channel with significant density gradients. Local injection of electrons in the wakefield is triggered by wave breaking in the density ramp. The injection is localized spatially and leads to the generation of collimated and narrow energy spread relativistic electron beams at the 100 MeV level, with charges in the range of 20–100 pC. The stability of this injection process is compared to the stability of the colliding pulse injection process and is found to be inferior for our experimental conditions. On the other hand, it is found that as the electron beam divergence is smaller in the case of gradient injection, the transverse emittance might be better.
Length scale of heterogeneities in glassy propylene carbonate probed by oxygen diffusion
Authors: Syutkin V. M. , Vyazovkin V. L. , Korolev V. V. , Grebenkin S. Yu.
Published: August 2010

A new method using the quenching of guest molecule phosphorescence by molecular oxygen is proposed for determination of heterogeneity size in glassy matrixes. The method is based on the high sensitivity of the diffusion of oxygen molecules to spatial density fluctuations. Phenanthrene phosphorescence decay was monitored at different concentrations of molecular oxygen in propylene carbonate below Tg. An unusual dependence of the phosphorescence decay on oxygen concentration was observed: an increase in the concentration leads to anomalously large increase in the quenching rate at short times. This dependence is considered to be caused by matrix heterogeneity. To describe the phosphorescence decay, we use a model of glass as a heterogeneous medium where oxygen jump rates are spatially correlated. The length of spatial correlation for the jump rates is taken as heterogeneity size. Using the model, the value of 1.5±0.5 nm was obtained for the size of structural heterogeneities in glassy propylene carbonate. The dispersion of barriers for oxygen jumps is estimated to be 4±1 kJ/mole and the average barrier energy is found to be 50 kJ/mole.
Communication: Coalescence of carbon atoms on Cu (111) surface: Emergence of a stable bridging-metal structure motif
Authors: Wu Ping , Zhang Wenhua , Li Zhenyu , Yang Jinlong , Hou Jian Guo
Published: August 2010

By combining first principles transition state location and molecular dynamics simulation, we unambiguously identify a carbon atom approaching induced bridging-metal structure formation on Cu (111) surface, which strongly modify the carbon atom coalescence dynamics. The emergence of such a new structural motif turns out to be a result of the subtle balance between Cu–C and Cu–Cu interactions. Based on this picture, a simple theoretical model is proposed, which describes a variety of surface chemistries very well.
Fabrication and characterization of highly textured Nd–Fe–B thin film with a nanosized columnar grain structure
Authors: You C. Y. , Takahashi Y. K. , Hono K.
Published: August 2010

We have fabricated a highly textured Nd–Fe–B thin film with a hard magnetic performance: Mr=1.39 T, Hc=827 kA/m, and (BH)max=358 kJ/m3. The microstructure of the film was characterized in detail by cross-sectional and plane-view transmission electron microscopy observations. The film consisted of nanosized columnar grains with an average size of 40 nm and included a strong diffraction contrast along the grain boundary. A high resolution energy filtered image indicated that Nd was enriched discontinuously along the grain boundary, causing an unsuitable decoupling among the Nd2Fe14B grains, which is in agreement with the pinninglike feature of the initial magnetization curve.
High-quality CdTe nanowires: Synthesis, characterization, and application in photoresponse devices
Authors: Ye Y. , Dai L. , Sun T. , You L. P. , Zhu R. , Gao J. Y. , Peng R. M. , Yu D. P. , Qin G. G.
Published: August 2010

High-quality straight and multiply kinked CdTe nanowires (NWs) were synthesized by the facile chemical vapor deposition method at 600 °C. The as-synthesized NWs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The straight CdTe NWs have single crystalline zinc blende structure with growth direction along the ⟨111⟩ direction. Their PL spectra consist only sharp near band edge emission around 824.3 nm. The multiply kinked CdTe NWs contain one or more fixed (∼125.2°) angle joints; each arm of the kinked NWs is single crystalline with similar selected area electron diffraction pattern as that of the straight CdTe NWs. The two growth directions in the multiply kinked CdTe NWs are ⟨200⟩ and ⟨111⟩. Single straight and kinked CdTe NW photoresponse devices were fabricated and testified to have high photocurrent decay ratio, high responsivity, fast response time, and no decay tail under 633 nm He–Ne laser illumination. These straight and multiply kinked CdTe NWs may open up potential applications in the bottom-up integrated nanoelectronic and nanophotonic systems, such as photovoltaic and multiterminal nanodevices etc.
Microscopic theory of electron cotunneling through quantum dots
Authors: Cheng Fuping , Sheng Weidong
Published: August 2010

A microscopic theory is presented for electron cotunneling through quantum dots in the Coulomb blockade regime. Beyond the semiclassic framework of phenomenological models, a fully quantum mechanical solution for cotunneling of electrons through a one-dimensional quantum dot is obtained by using a quantum transmitting boundary method without any fitting parameters. Elastic and inelastic cotunneling conductance is calculated as a function of the energy of the incident electron. It is revealed that the cotunneling current contains a significant term proportional to V2 (V being the bias voltage) in additional to the well-known V3 term. The result also indicates that the cotunneling conductance exhibits little dependence on the spin configuration of the incident and confined electrons.
Growth kinetics of AlN and GaN films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on R-plane sapphire substrates
Authors: Chandrasekaran R. , Moustakas T. D. , Ozcan A. S. , Ludwig K. F. , Zhou L. , Smith David J.
Published: August 2010

This paper reports the growth by molecular beam epitaxy of AlN and GaN thin films on R-plane sapphire substrates. Contrary to previous findings that GaN grows with its (112¯0) A-plane parallel to the (11¯02) R-plane of sapphire, our results indicate that the crystallographic orientation of the III-nitride films is strongly dependent on the kinetic conditions of growth for the GaN or AlN buffer layers. Thus, group III-rich conditions for growth of either GaN or AlN buffers result in nitride films having (112¯0) planes parallel to the sapphire surface, and basal-plane stacking faults parallel to the growth direction. The growth of these buffers under N-rich conditions instead leads to nitride films with (112¯6) planes parallel to the sapphire surface, with inclined c-plane stacking faults that often terminate threading dislocations. Moreover, electron microscope observations indicate that slight miscut (∼0.5°) of the R-plane sapphire substrate almost completely suppresses the formation of twinning defects in the (112¯6) GaN films.
Magnetic properties of α′ martensite in austenitic stainless steel studied by a minor-loop scaling law
Authors: Kobayashi Satoru , Kikuchi Nobuhiro , Takahashi Seiki , Kamada Yasuhiro , Kikuchi Hiroaki
Published: August 2010

We study the scaling behavior of magnetic minor hysteresis loops in strain-induced ferromagnetic α′ martensites in an austenitic 316-type stainless steel. A scaling relationship between the hysteresis loss and the remanence, with a power law exponent of approximately 1.35, was found irrespective of the volume fraction of the α′ martensites as well as temperature. The coefficient of the power law largely decreases with volume fraction, whereas it increases with a decrease in temperature and exhibits a kink at around 40 K, close to the Néel temperature of an austenitic γ′ phase. The behavior of the coefficient was interpreted from the viewpoint of the morphology and exchange interaction of α′ martensites.
High current density, low threshold field emission from functionalized carbon nanotube bucky paper
Authors: Kakade Bhalchandra A. , Pillai Vijayamohanan K. , Late Dattatray J. , Chavan Padmakar G. , Sheini Farid J. , More Mahendra A. , Joag Dilip S.
Published: August 2010

Field emission studies of bucky paper of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), prepared after microwave (MW) assisted acid functionalization are reported along with a comparison with that of “as-grown” sample. MW treated bucky papers reveal an interesting linear field emission behavior in Fowler–Nordheim plot. The field emission currents at preset value are found to be remarkably stable over a period of more than 3 h sustaining current densities of 4.9 mA/cm2 and 8.5 mA/cm2 for “as-grown” and functionalized sample, respectively. The enhancement in the field emission due to functionalization has been discussed in terms of tip opening and defect induced charge transport caused by intershell and intertubular interaction.
Coherent coupling of ring cavity surface emitting quantum cascade lasers
Authors: Schwarzer Clemens , Mujagić Elvis , Yao Yu , Schrenk Werner , Chen Jianxin , Gmachl Claire , Strasser Gottfried
Published: August 2010

We present investigations on coherent coupling of surface emitting quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). For this purpose, the evanescent field coupling method is exploited under incorporation of a ring cavity surface emitting QCL pair with an emission wavelength of ≈8 μm. A series of these pairs with intercavity separations of 1 and 3 μm was fabricated. The coupling gap of 1 μm yields robust phase-locked light source pairs with coherent emission at all injection currents and a corresponding threshold current density of 2.65 kA/cm2 at room-temperature.
Microscale oscillating crack propagation in silicon nitride thin films
Authors: Kim Donghyun , Makaram Prashanth , Thompson Carl V.
Published: August 2010

Controlled microscale (<50 μm) wavy cracks in silicon nitride thin films have been produced through a simple heating process. The crack paths were controlled by metal patterns under the silicon nitride thin films. Wavy crack characteristics were investigated by changing the metal, metal linewidths, metal thickness, and silicon nitride thickness. We discuss the differences in the characteristics and mechanisms of propagation of wavy cracks formed due to differential thermal expansion and those that result from thermal gradients.
Evolution of pyramid morphology during InAs(001) homoepitaxy
Authors: Babu J. Bubesh , Yoh Kanji
Published: August 2010

Growth of InAs(001) homoepitaxial layer has been carried out especially at the bistable region, where the coexistence of both In-stabilized (4×2) and As-stabilized (2×4) surface reconstruction are found to be predominant. The observation of pyramid morphology in this bistable region is reported here. Atomic force microscopy studies have been performed on such pyramids. The heights of the observed pyramids vary from 12 to 26 nm with their bases from 3.6×1.2 to 18×6.3 μm2. Formation of such pyramids in the bistable region is attributed to the unique anomalous As-desorption observed during the surface reconstruction.
Homelessness, Travel Behavior, and the Politics of Transportation Mobilities in Long Beach, California
Authors: Jocoy Christine L , Del Casino Vincent J
Published: August 2010

The geography of homelessness is often characterized as containment in marginalized spaces of cities or as placelessness necessitating continuous travel. These characterizations, which reflect discourses about ‘the homeless’ as an imagined deviant homogeneous group, have had substantial effects on policy formation and critiques of punitive turns in urban governance. Suggested policy responses frequently assume straightforward relationships between power/powerlessness and mobility/immobility binaries that do not appropriately portray actual mobility patterns of homeless individuals. Through focus groups and structured interviews, this paper examines the daily mobility of homeless adults in Long Beach, California, to identify the ways in which the everyday travel of homeless individuals compares with these ‘imagined’ characterizations and with national US household travel patterns. Results show that homeless mobility is highly spatially constrained and structured by sociocultural relations of stigmatization, economic productivity, and personal responsibility that are reflected in the operational conventions and institutional practices of transportation and social welfare systems. Nonetheless, during the course of a day, homeless individuals move among spaces where they experience varying levels of inclusion and exclusion, thus complicating static, homogeneous characterizations. This analysis contributes to both the urban transport and social geography literatures by demonstrating the value of combining sociocultural approaches to the study of mobility with more typical transportation geography analyses of individual travel behavior.
Sex Offenders and Residential Location: A Predictive–Analytical Framework
Authors: Mack Elizabeth A , Grubesic Tony H
Published: August 2010

Despite the growing body of research examining the collateral consequences of legislation governing sex offenders, a complete understanding of their residential choices post release remains elusive. This paper develops a predictive–analytical framework that helps determine which demographic and socioeconomic factors best forecast the residential choices of convicted sex offenders. Specifically, a derived index of social disorganization (ISDOR) is implemented in both statistical and nonlinear data mining approaches to predict the presence of sex offenders in a community. The results of the analysis are encouraging, predicting nearly 75% of registered offender locations correctly. The utility of this framework as a tool for public policy and law enforcement is discussed.
The roles and values of wild foods in agricultural systems
Authors: Bharucha Zareen , Pretty Jules
Published: August 2010

Almost every ecosystem has been amended so that plants and animals can be used as food, fibre, fodder, medicines, traps and weapons. Historically, wild plants and animals were sole dietary components for hunter–gatherer and forager cultures. Today, they remain key to many agricultural communities. The mean use of wild foods by agricultural and forager communities in 22 countries of Asia and Africa (36 studies) is 90–100 species per location. Aggregate country estimates can reach 300–800 species (e.g. India, Ethiopia, Kenya). The mean use of wild species is 120 per community for indigenous communities in both industrialized and developing countries. Many of these wild foods are actively managed, suggesting there is a false dichotomy around ideas of the agricultural and the wild: hunter–gatherers and foragers farm and manage their environments, and cultivators use many wild plants and animals. Yet, provision of and access to these sources of food may be declining as natural habitats come under increasing pressure from development, conservation-exclusions and agricultural expansion. Despite their value, wild foods are excluded from official statistics on economic values of natural resources. It is clear that wild plants and animals continue to form a significant proportion of the global food basket, and while a variety of social and ecological drivers are acting to reduce wild food use, their importance may be set to grow as pressures on agricultural productivity increase.
Food consumption trends and drivers
Authors: Kearney John
Published: August 2010

A picture of food consumption (availability) trends and projections to 2050, both globally and for different regions of the world, along with the drivers largely responsible for these observed consumption trends are the subject of this review. Throughout the world, major shifts in dietary patterns are occurring, even in the consumption of basic staples towards more diversified diets. Accompanying these changes in food consumption at a global and regional level have been considerable health consequences. Populations in those countries undergoing rapid transition are experiencing nutritional transition. The diverse nature of this transition may be the result of differences in socio-demographic factors and other consumer characteristics. Among other factors including urbanization and food industry marketing, the policies of trade liberalization over the past two decades have implications for health by virtue of being a factor in facilitating the ‘nutrition transition’ that is associated with rising rates of obesity and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Future food policies must consider both agricultural and health sectors, thereby enabling the development of coherent and sustainable policies that will ultimately benefit agriculture, human health and the environment.
Competition for water for the food system
Authors: Strzepek Kenneth , Boehlert Brent
Published: August 2010

Although the global agricultural system will need to provide more food for a growing and wealthier population in decades to come, increasing demands for water and potential impacts of climate change pose threats to food systems. We review the primary threats to agricultural water availability, and model the potential effects of increases in municipal and industrial (M&I) water demands, environmental flow requirements (EFRs) and changing water supplies given climate change. Our models show that, together, these factors cause an 18 per cent reduction in the availability of worldwide water for agriculture by 2050. Meeting EFRs, which can necessitate more than 50 per cent of the mean annual run-off in a basin depending on its hydrograph, presents the single biggest threat to agricultural water availability. Next are increases in M&I demands, which are projected to increase upwards of 200 per cent by 2050 in developing countries with rapidly increasing populations and incomes. Climate change will affect the spatial and temporal distribution of run-off, and thus affect availability from the supply side. The combined effect of these factors can be dramatic in particular hotspots, which include northern Africa, India, China, parts of Europe, the western US and eastern Australia, among others.
Possible changes to arable crop yields by 2050
Authors: Jaggard Keith W. , Qi Aiming , Ober Eric S.
Published: August 2010

By 2050, the world population is likely to be 9.1 billion, the CO
2
concentration 550 ppm, the ozone concentration 60 ppb and the climate warmer by
ca
2°C. In these conditions, what contribution can increased crop yield make to feeding the world?

CO
2
enrichment is likely to increase yields of most crops by approximately 13 per cent but leave yields of C4 crops unchanged. It will tend to reduce water consumption by all crops, but this effect will be approximately cancelled out by the effect of the increased temperature on evaporation rates. In many places increased temperature will provide opportunities to manipulate agronomy to improve crop performance. Ozone concentration increases will decrease yields by 5 per cent or more.

Plant breeders will probably be able to increase yields considerably in the CO
2
-enriched environment of the future, and most weeds and airborne pests and diseases should remain controllable, so long as policy changes do not remove too many types of crop-protection chemicals. However, soil-borne pathogens are likely to be an increasing problem when warmer weather will increase their multiplication rates; control is likely to need a transgenic approach to breeding for resistance. There is a large gap between achievable yields and those delivered by farmers, even in the most efficient agricultural systems. A gap is inevitable, but there are large differences between farmers, even between those who have used the same resources. If this gap is closed and accompanied by improvements in potential yields then there is a good prospect that crop production will increase by approximately 50 per cent or more by 2050 without extra land. However, the demands for land to produce bio-energy have not been factored into these calculations.
Income distribution trends and future food demand
Authors: Cirera Xavier , Masset Edoardo
Published: August 2010

This paper surveys the theoretical literature on the relationship between income distribution and food demand, and identifies main gaps of current food modelling techniques that affect the accuracy of food demand projections. At the heart of the relationship between income distribution and food demand is Engel's law. Engel's law establishes that as income increases, households' demand for food increases less than proportionally. A consequence of this law is that the particular shape of the distribution of income across individuals and countries affects the rate of growth of food demand. Our review of the literature suggests that existing models of food demand fail to incorporate the required Engel flexibility when (i) aggregating different food budget shares among households; and (ii) changing budget shares as income grows. We perform simple simulations to predict growth in food demand under alternative income distribution scenarios taking into account nonlinearity of food demand. Results suggest that (i) distributional effects are to be expected from changes in between-countries inequality, rather than within-country inequality; and (ii) simulations of an optimistic and a pessimistic scenario of income inequality suggest that world food demand in 2050 would be 2.7 per cent higher and 5.4 per cent lower than distributional-neutral growth, respectively.
Foxp1 coordinates cardiomyocyte proliferation through both cell-autonomous and nonautonomous mechanisms
Authors: Zhang Yuzhen , Li Shanru , Yuan Lijun , Tian Ying , Weidenfeld Joel , Yang Jifu , Liu Feiyan , Chokas Ann L. , Morrisey Edward E.
Published: August 2010

Cardiomyocyte proliferation is high in early development and decreases progressively with gestation, resulting in the lack of a robust cardiomyocyte proliferative response in the adult heart after injury. Little is understood about how both cell-autonomous and nonautonomous signals are integrated to regulate the balance of cardiomyocyte proliferation during development. In this study, we show that a single transcription factor, Foxp1, can control the balance of cardiomyocyte proliferation during development by targeting different pathways in the endocardium and myocardium. Endocardial loss of Foxp1 results in decreased Fgf3/Fgf16/Fgf17/Fgf20 expression in the heart, leading to reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation. This loss of myocardial proliferation can be rescued by exogenous Fgf20, and is mediated, in part, by Foxp1 repression of Sox17. In contrast, myocardial-specific loss of Foxp1 results in increased cardiomyocyte proliferation and decreased differentiation, leading to increased myocardial mass and neonatal demise. We show that Nkx2.5 is a direct target of Foxp1 repression, and Nkx2.5 expression is increased in Foxp1-deficient myocardium. Moreover, transgenic overexpression of Nkx2.5 leads to increased cardiomyocyte proliferation and increased ventricular mass, similar to the myocardial-specific loss of Foxp1. These data show that Foxp1 coordinates the balance of cardiomyocyte proliferation and differentiation through cell lineage-specific regulation of Fgf ligand and Nkx2.5 expression.
Renewal of object relations through dream‐work
Authors: Ergorova Ljudmila
Published: August 2010

In this paper I describe my work with a suicidal patient. The patient was a woman who failed to realize her creative potential in a much wished for and unattainable profession of teacher and transferred all her energy and desire for leadership into her family life. The slogan of her life was the pathetic phrase: ‘Everything or nothing!’ Her views on life differed from those of her husband who, at the age of 48, started a love affair with a 25‐year‐old woman. In relation to this, the patient became depressed and attempted suicide twice (by poisoning) in two years. From the Toxicology Department she was referred to the Psychiatric Department where she was treated as an out‐patient.
Internet Discussion Forum Summary
Authors: Hewison David
Published: August 2010

Articles Discussed in this forum:

‘Symbolic attitude and reverie: problems of symbolization in children and adolescents’ by Gustav Bovensiepen and ‘Response to Gustav Bovensiepen’ by Donald Kalsched
Internet Discussion Forum Summary
Authors: Hewison David
Published: August 2010

Article discussed in this forum:

James L. Fosshage, A relational self psychological perspective
Internet Discussion Forum Summary
Authors: Hewison David
Published: August 2010

Coline Covington, ‘Comments on the Burghölzli Hospital Records of Sabina Spielrein’

Axel Hoffer, ‘Jung's analysis of Sabina Spielrein and his use of Freud's free association method’
Undoing trauma: contemporary neuroscience
Authors: Wilkinson Margaret
Published: August 2010

Abstract:This paper uses insights from contemporary neuroscience and attachment theory to explore the profound dissociative defences associated with trauma. I discuss the effects of trauma on the emotional, intellectual and imaginative life of the individual and on the development of the self. Based on work with three patients with very different experiences of trauma, the paper offers clinical illustration of ‘right brain to right brain’ Jungian analysis. I argue that through repeated transference and countertransference experiences dissociative defences may be undone and change brought about.
Lay experiences of health and illness: past research and future agendas
Authors: Julia Lawton
Published: August 2010

Abstract This article presents an overview and appraisal of work published during the 25‐year history of Sociology of Health and Illness that has contributed to our understandings of lay experiences of health and illness. It highlights an important and welcome shift from an ‘outsider’ perspective as epitomised in the Parsonian concept of the ‘sick role’ to one that focuses directly upon people's subjective experiences within the contexts of their daily lives. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which early work by Bury (1982), Charmaz (1983), and Williams (1984) has helped pave the way to an understanding of lay experiences that is sensitive to a broad range of micro‐ and macro‐contextual influences. The article looks to the future as well as the past by pointing to ‘uncharted terrain’ and ‘missing voices’ within the medical sociology literature. It discusses some recently published work in the Journal that has opened the door to what may prove to be a 21st century sociology of health and illness. It concludes with a call for medical sociologists to be more open‐minded to the use of novel and seemingly unconventional theoretical and methodological approaches.
The practice of medical technology
Authors: Timmermans Stefan , Berg Marc
Published: August 2010

AbstractIn this article, we review 25 years of sociological scholarship published inSociology of Health and Illnesson medical technologies. We divide the literature into three theoretical perspectives: technological determinism views medical technology as a political force to shape social relationships, social essentialism emphasizes how medical technologies are neutral tools to be interpreted in social interactions, and technology‐in‐practice highlights the dialectic relationship between technology and its users in health care. While the technology‐in‐practice orientation allows social scientists to critique the high hopes and dire warnings embedded in medical technologies, we argue that the logical next step of this paradigm is to move beyond criticism and influence the creation and implementation of medical technologies.
Making connections: studies of the social organisation of healthcare
Authors: Griffiths Lesley
Published: August 2010

Abstract This paper explores the questions: What has work published in Sociology of Health and Illness contributed to our understanding of ‘healthcare organisation’? What are the key research issues for the future? The paper reviews past articles with these questions in mind and uses the first issue of the Journal as a starting point for identifying themes and issues which have remained relevant throughout the first 25 years of its history. I argue that, though the disparate contributions in this area sometimes fail to build on earlier research, when read together they offer a valuable picture of a complex range of healthcare settings and their social organisation. The importance of insights gained from other areas of sociological work is emphasised and some significant examples are identified. The willingness to cross boundaries into other disciplines is also recognised as a strength and this is seen as an important issue for future research, as is increased attention to international comparative research. In similar vein the author argues that the multiplicity of methodological approaches allows the reader to weigh the value of different kinds of data and to look for common underlying patterns of action. It is suggested that future work could usefully revisit past studies, so that we consolidate and accumulate knowledge of the field and avoid a cycle where we continually retread old ground.
Some of our concepts are missing: reflections on the absence of a sociology of organisations in Sociology of Health and Illness
Authors: Davies Celia
Published: August 2010

Abstract The task of examining just how the concept of ‘organisations’ has fared in Sociology of Health and Illness in its first 25 years is in some ways unrewarding. The answer has to be –‘not at all well’. But why is this and does it matter? Part one of this paper considers what research on health care organisations was being conducted in the early years of the Journal and why that work was not viewed with favour by sociologists. Part two examines the growing gulf between those who saw themselves principally as responding to the call for a sociology of health and illness informed by broader sociological theory, and those who regarded themselves more as analysts of health policy and practice. Postmodernism, curiously, has begun to open up something of a route back. Just what might be done to create a closer rapprochement between those calling for theory and those wanting to address some of the day to day challenges of the delivery and experience of health care in the 21st century are topics for the final section.
Life on a slippery slope: perceptions of health in adults with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Lowton Karen , Gabe Jonathan
Published: August 2010

Abstract This paper focuses on how adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) attending a specialist CF centre in the UK perceive their health. In common with many other genetic diseases, CF is traditionally conceptualised as a fatal childhood disease, yet the average survival age for those with CF has been steadily rising over the past half century. Thus it is now predicted that those born in 1990 will live on average for 40 years. To date, however, most sociological work has focused on children or adolescents affected by CF rather than on adults between the ages of 18 and 40, the focus of the study reported here. The paper shows that these adults’ varying perceptions of health are related to the effects of CF, its treatment, and the context in which adults are placed. Four concepts of health are identified (health as ‘normal’, controllable, distressing and a release) along with certain styles, ways of coping and related strategies. Through these analytic distinctions the paper aims to make a contribution to the sociological understanding of lay concepts of health in adults with childhood or genetic disease.
Archetypes of Infection: People with HIV/AIDS in the Australian Press in the Mid 1990s
Authors: Lupton Deborah
Published: August 2010

This article presents the findings of an interpretive analysis of the representation of people with HIV/AIDS in the Australian press in a three‐year period between 1994 and 1996. Three major archetypes of people with HIV/AIDS dominating reports – the ‘AIDS victim’, the ‘AIDS survivor’ and the ‘AIDS carrier’– are discussed for what they reveal not only about contemporary approaches to HIV/AIDS but also about more general notions of morality and self‐control related to the body, medicine, health and illness. It is argued that these dominant archetypes inevitably draw from previous representations of HIV/AIDS, but at the same time demonstrate evidence of changing discourses and meanings. One feature of particular interest is that moral judgements related to people with HIV/AIDS presented in these news texts appear to be based less on how they acquired the virus than the manner in which they deport themselves once infected.
Implementing a Stage‐Gate Process: A Multi‐Company Perspective
Authors: O'Connor Paul
Published: August 2010

Many companies recognize the benefits of developing new products through a Stage‐Gate work‐flow process. Yet implementing such a process is a significant challenge, made complex by the dynamics of time, changing organizational structures, and the transition of key personnel. In this article, Paul O'Connor reports the experiences of several large organizations currently implementing their versions of a Stage‐Gate process. His analysis points out critical impediments to implementation and suggests the recourse to each. He concludes with guidelines for implementing a Stage‐Gate process that offer a practical approach to realizing the desired benefits of the process sooner.
Expected Development Time Reductions in the German Mechanical Engineering Industry
Authors: Murmann Philipp A.
Published: August 2010

This article presents initial results of field studies on the product development practices in German mechanical engineering companies. The investigation concentrates on managers' estimates on how much and by what means they could reduce cycle time and resource usage if the projects had been managed differently. In his analysis of fourteen development projects, Philipp Murmann reports that managers expect a reduction of development time as well as of development resources by 30% if appropriate activities would be employed. Parallel tasking and efficiency improvements account for the potential savings. Paralleling effects are project related, while improvements external to the projects cause efficiency‐effects. Ten identified internal and external activities were expected to be of major importance in the reduction of development times. Major improvements are found among activities concentrated at the front end of development process.

Further analyses show that primary and secondary activities can be separated; however, all of these activities need to be activated in order to achieve the anticipated results.
Significant Issues for the Future of Product Innovation
Authors: Crawford C. Merle , Rosenau Milton D.
Published: August 2010

In this issue, Merle Crawford and Milton Rosenau present their thoughts on some of the issues confronting product development professionals. Both reflect on the emergence of new products management as a profession—a field with its own requirements for success. Crawford wonders about the sustainability of our current use of teams for much of our work, the need for improved measurements, and the overall relationship between the management of new initiatives and the ongoing work of the organization. As new products work become more integrated with corporate operations, what new responsibilities will we face, beyond our current challenges? Rosenau looks squarely at the complex issues of rewards and compensation. How can we modify systems that have traditionally evaluated individual performance and adjust them to fit various cooperative work patterns necessary in new product development? He calls for formal study of these important issues. These essays continue a year‐long series of contributions that the editor‐in‐chief solicited from members of the editorial board. Members were asked to reflect on changes and opportunities that they feel will influence our profession during the coming decade. Both of these short essays are designed to introduce new perspectives. It is not essential that you agree with the recommendations, but we hope that you are stimulated as you reflect on the issues that are raised.
Do New Product Development Managers in Large or High‐Market‐Share Firms Perceive Marketing‐R&D Interface Principles Differently?
Authors: Haggblom Ted , Calantone Roger J. , Di Benedetto C. Anthony
Published: August 2010

In the quest for successful innovation, the importance of the R&Dlmarketing interface is virtually unquestioned. For many organizations, however, effective integration of technical and marketing functions is difficult, if not impossible. Despite seemingly widespread understanding of fundamental new product principles, some companies still manage to gain a larger share of the market than their competitors. This raises the question of whether managers in more successful companies have special insights into R&D'/'marketing interface principles that give them an edge over their competitors.

To gain a better understanding of managers' perceptions of new product principles defined in the academic literature, Ted Haggblom, Roger J. Calantone, and C. Anthony Di Benedetto conducted a survey of 687 nonacademic members of the Product Development and Management Association. The basis for the survey was a set of 78 product management principles compiled from a search of more than 500 books and articles from various disciplines. From this survey, 14 of the 78 principles were selected as relevant to the study reported in this article. The principles discussed in this article involve such issues as resistance to change, short‐term orientation, communication and trust between marketing and technical people, the effect of centralized decision‐making on innovation, the importance of open communication flows, senior management's role in the R&D I marketing interface, and the necessity of a product champion.

The primary quesstion addressed in this study is whether managers from successful companies perceive these principles differently from managers of less successful firms. The study provides partial support for the proposition that managers' perceptions of these new product principles depend on their company's success. In other words, the survey results suggest that managers in companies with higher market shares tend to agree more strongly with these principles than their counterparts in less successful firms.

The study also explores the relationship between firm size and agreement with these principles of new product success. Specifically, the study assesses whether the perceptions of managers from smaller, more entrepreneurial companies differ from those of managers in larger companies. Although managers from small and large firms may view these principles from different perspectives, there were no statistically significant differences in the perceptions of managers from small and large firms.
What Separates Japanese New Product Winners from Losers
Authors: Song X. Michael , Parry Mark E.
Published: August 2010

Operating in the upper echelons of highly competitive, global markets, numerous Japanese firms enjoy well‐deserved reputations for excellence in new product development. Despite this success, however, almost no research has been conducted to explore the keys to successful new product development in Japanese companies. For the most part, research in this area has focused on North American and European firms.

X. Michael Song and Mark E. Parry address this gap with a study of 404 Japanese firms and 788 new product introductions. Their research explores the links between new product success and 10 factors: product advantage; marketing synergy; technological synergy; market potential; market competitiveness; market and technical understanding; senior management support; proficiency in the predevelopment planning process and in concept development and evaluation; proficiency in market research, market pretesting, and market launch; and technical proficiency. To avoid any cultural bias, development of the survey was preceded by in‐depth case studies and focus group interviews with Japanese and American new product development teams. Although time‐consuming and expensive, these preliminary steps were necessary for ensuring the validity of the survey contents and procedures.

Notwithstanding the obvious cultural differences, the findings from this study suggest that Japanese new products professionals view the keys to success in much the same way as their North American counterparts. For the survey respondents, the most important success factor is product advantage. Other important success factors include predevelopment proficiency (that is, proficiency in the predevelopment planning process as well as in concept definition and evaluation) and marketing and technological synergy. Consistent with previous research on North American firms, market competitiveness was found to be the least important success factor.

For managers who are trying to predict whether a project will result in a product advantage, several survey items may be useful as a checklist for assessing potential product advantage. In particular, these managers should consider whether the product offers potential for reducing consumer costs and expanding consumer capabilities, as well as the likelihood that the product offers improved quality, superior technical performance, and a superior benefit‐to‐cost ratio.
Success Factors for Integrating Suppliers into New Product Development
Authors: Ragatz Gary L. , Handfield Robert B. , Scannell Thomas V.
Published: August 2010

Faster, better, cheaper—these marching orders summarize the challenge facing new product development (NPD). In other words, NPD teams must find the means for speeding time to market while also improving product quality and reducing product costs. Cross‐functional teams have proved effective for meeting these challenges, and such teams may extend beyond company boundaries to include key materials suppliers.

Effective integration of suppliers into NPD can yield such benefits as reduced cost and improved quality of purchased materials, reduced product development time, and improved access to and application of technology. As Gary Ragatz, Robert Handfield, and Thomas Scannell point out, however, those benefits do not automatically accrue to any NPD team that includes representatives from a supplier's company. In a study of 60 member companies from the Michigan State University Global Procurement and Supply Chain Electronic Benchmarking Network, they explore the management practices and the environmental factors that relate most closely to successful integration of suppliers into the NPD process.

The study identifies supplier membership on the NPD project team as the greatest differentiator between most and least successful integration efforts. Although the respondents reported only moderate use of shared education and training, the study cites this management factor as another significant differentiator between most and least successful efforts. Respondents listed direct, cross‐functional, intercompany communication as the most widely used technique for integrating suppliers into NPD.

To integrate suppliers into NPD, a company must overcome such barriers as resistance to sharing proprietary information, and the not‐invented‐here syndrome. The results of this study suggest that overcoming such barriers depends on relationship structuring—that is, shared education and training, formal trust development processes, formalized risk/reward sharing agreements, joint agreement on performance measurements, top management commitment from both companies, and confidence in the supplier's capabilities. Overcoming these barriers also depends on assett sharing, including intellectual assets such as customer requirements, technology information, and cross‐functional communication; physical assets such as linked information systems, technology, and shared plant and equipment; and human assets such as supplier participation on the project team and co‐location of personnel.