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Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how employees of an organization build and maintain successful business relationships by analyzing major antecedents of relationship quality and relationship commitment. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the authors develop a conceptual framework and formulate hypotheses regarding the relationships between demographic homophily, interpersonal communication, trust and dependent variables of perceived relationship quality and relationship commitment. This paper tests hypotheses presented in this study with the help of a structural equation model, based on a data sample from South Korea. Findings Unlike common thinking, demographic homophily does not directly increase the perceived relationship quality. The authors find a significant direct effect of interpersonal communication on relationship commitment but no effect of commitment on perceived relationship quality. Both seem to play independent roles but are positively influenced through the emergence of trust. Research limitations/implications By applying demographic homophily and interpersonal communication as antecedents and trust as mediator and main driver, the authors research effects on perceived intra-organizational relationship commitment and perceived relationship quality. In detail, the authors confirm the hypothesized centrality of trust in intra-organizational relationships between demographic homophily, interpersonal communication and dependent variables of perceived relationship quality and relationship commitment. Nevertheless, the authors surprisingly find neither significant evidence that demographic homophily increases the perceived quality of a relationship, nor does it lead to higher communication intensity directly, even in an environment (i.e. Korea), where it would be expected. Practical implications Based on the findings of this study, there are several practical implications. Understanding the interpersonal relationship characteristics in an intra-organizational setting enables managers to optimize organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Intra-organizational relationships between employees’ are highly dependent on mutual trust as an indicator for relationship quality and relationship commitment. Organizations can also benefit from the understanding of the mechanisms of demographic homophily and interpersonal communication for the establishment of interpersonal trust as well. Originality/value Research about the effect of demographic homophily and interpersonal communication and the central role of trust in an intra-organizational approach to business relationships on perceived relationship quality and relationship commitment is scarce. The mutual testing of the effects and interaction of established constructs like demographic homophily, interpersonal communication and trust on perceived relationship quality and commitment constitutes the main contribution of this study to the literature on management and business relationships. The insights of this study about interpersonal bonding help companies to establish long-term business relationships.

A transition to couple an antenna to spoof plasmon-polariton waveguides at terahertz frequencies is presented. The optimization of the transition is discussed. Examples of how antenna coupling can enable THz on-chip applications are given in a biosensor and a phase shifter. The sensing of deeply subwavelength biological cells demonstrates the high sensitivity to even small concentrations of bacteria. And while the phase shifter only exhibits a small angle range, its high transmission, and easy integration makes it suitable for applications such as an on-chip phased array.

Summary Background SARS-CoV-2 entry in human cells depends on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, which can be upregulated by inhibitors of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS). We aimed to test our hypothesis that discontinuation of chronic treatment with ACE-inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) mitigates the course o\f recent-onset COVID-19. Methods ACEI-COVID was a parallel group, randomised, controlled, open-label trial done at 35 centres in Austria and Germany. Patients aged 18 years and older were enrolled if they presented with recent symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and were chronically treated with ACEIs or ARBs. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to discontinuation or continuation of RAS inhibition for 30 days. Primary outcome was the maximum sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score within 30 days, where death was scored with the maximum achievable SOFA score. Secondary endpoints were area under the death-adjusted SOFA score (AUCSOFA), mean SOFA score, admission to the intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation, and death. Analyses were done on a modified intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04353596. Findings Between April 20, 2020, and Jan 20, 2021, 204 patients (median age 75 years [IQR 66–80], 37% females) were randomly assigned to discontinue (n=104) or continue (n=100) RAS inhibition. Within 30 days, eight (8%) of 104 died in the discontinuation group and 12 (12%) of 100 patients died in the continuation group (p=0·42). There was no significant difference in the primary endpoint between the discontinuation and continuation group (median [IQR] maximum SOFA score 0·00 (0·00–2·00) vs 1·00 (0·00–3·00); p=0·12). Discontinuation was associated with a significantly lower AUCSOFA (0·00 [0·00–9·25] vs 3·50 [0·00–23·50]; p=0·040), mean SOFA score (0·00 [0·00–0·31] vs 0·12 [0·00–0·78]; p=0·040), and 30-day SOFA score (0·00 [10–90th percentile, 0·00–1·20] vs 0·00 [0·00–24·00]; p=0·023). At 30 days, 11 (11%) in the discontinuation group and 23 (23%) in the continuation group had signs of organ dysfunction (SOFA score ≥1) or were dead (p=0·017). There were no significant differences for mechanical ventilation (10 (10%) vs 8 (8%), p=0·87) and admission to intensive care unit (20 [19%] vs 18 [18%], p=0·96) between the discontinuation and continuation group. Interpretation Discontinuation of RAS-inhibition in COVID-19 had no significant effect on the maximum severity of COVID-19 but may lead to a faster and better recovery. The decision to continue or discontinue should be made on an individual basis, considering the risk profile, the indication for RAS inhibition, and the availability of alternative therapies and outpatient monitoring options. Funding Austrian Science Fund and German Center for Cardiovascular Research.

ZnO is considered as one of the most promising semiconductor materials for future applications based on the piezotronic effect. Intense studies on ZnO nanowires had been carried out to understand the modulation of the Schottky barrier height at the metal ZnO interface via piezoelectricity. However, an experimental investigation on bulk ZnO single crystals and a fundamental comparison of the modification of the barrier height determined experimentally and theoretically are still missing. Therefore, an adjustment of the electrostatic potential barrier height at metal-ZnO single crystal interfaces due to stress induced piezoelectric charges was conducted, using both O- and Zn-terminated surfaces. In-situ stress dependent impedance and current-voltage measurements were utilized to extract the electrical properties of the potential barrier and to determine the reduction of the barrier height. The decrease of the interface resistance and increase of the capacitance reveal the presence of stress induced piezoelectric charges. The experimentally evaluated reduction of the barrier height reveals a moderate change of about 9 meV at 70 MPa and supports prior work on metal-ZnO nanowires. This change was found to be in good agreement with theoretical calculations based on the imperfect screening model if a thickness of the interface layer is assumed to be ~2 ��.

Doping limits, band gaps, work functions and energy band alignments of undoped and donor-doped transparent conducting oxides Zn���, In���O���, and SnO��� as accessed by X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS/UPS) are summarized and compared. The presented collection provides an extensive data set of technologically relevant electronic properties of photovoltaic transparent electrode materials and illustrates how these relate to the underlying defect chemistry, the dependence of surface dipoles on crystallographic orientation and/or surface termination, and Fermi level pinning.

BACKGROUND Recognition of viral nucleic acids is one of the primary triggers for a type I interferon-mediated antiviral immune response. Inborn errors of type I interferon immunity can be associated with increased inflammation and/or increased susceptibility to viral infections as a result of dysbalanced interferon production. NFX1-type zinc finger-containing 1 (ZNFX1) is an interferon-stimulated double-stranded RNA sensor that restricts the replication of RNA viruses in mice. The role of ZNFX1 in the human immune response is not known. OBJECTIVE We studied 15 patients from 8 families with an autosomal recessive immunodeficiency characterized by severe infections by both RNA and DNA viruses and virally triggered inflammatory episodes with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-like disease, early-onset seizures, and renal and lung disease. METHODS Whole exome sequencing was performed on 13 patients from 8 families. We investigated the transcriptome, posttranscriptional regulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and predisposition to viral infections in primary cells from patients and controls stimulated with synthetic double-stranded nucleic acids. RESULTS Deleterious homozygous and compound heterozygous ZNFX1 variants were identified in all 13 patients. Stimulation of patient-derived primary cells with synthetic double-stranded nucleic acids was associated with a deregulated pattern of expression of ISGs and alterations in the half-life of the mRNA of ISGs and also associated with poorer clearance of viral infections by monocytes. CONCLUSION ZNFX1 is an important regulator of the response to double-stranded nucleic acids stimuli following viral infections. ZNFX1 deficiency predisposes to severe viral infections and a multisystem inflammatory disease.

Valence-band photoelectron spectroscopy of CuInSe���, CuInS���, and CuGaSe��� surfaces and interfaces give evidence for the formation of Cu vacancies when the Fermi level moves upwards in the band gap due to contact formation. The effect might be a key issue in understanding basic properties of solar cell devices based on these materials.

We present a paradigm for integrated photonic devices based upon broadband slab-confined collimated beams that are launched with half-Maxwell fisheye lenses. Although it is challenging to match to the low-index focus of the lens whilst maintaining adequate field confinement for a well-defined point source, integrated dielectric slot waveguides prove highly suitable, yielding collimators of 90% efficiency and over one octave bandwidth. Terahertz technology will benefit from such broadband slab-confined beams to replace free-space optics, toward compact, mass-producible systems that do not require manual optical alignment. We present two prototype systems to demonstrate the versatility of this concept, namely a diagonally-set distributed Bragg reflector as frequency-division diplexer for terahertz communications, and an attenuated total reflection-based liquid sensor. Both are enabled by oblique in-slab reflections that are collected at a location other than the originating lens, which is not attainable using ordinary single-mode channel waveguides., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures

Regarding collegiality as a central element in todays globalized work environment, we provide insight into its influence in enhancing co-worker relationship quality. Utilizing social exchange theor...

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) techniques are now standard practice. IMRT or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) allow treatment of the tumor while simultaneously sparing organs at risk. Nevertheless, treatment plan quality still depends on the physicist’s individual skills, experiences, and personal preferences. It would therefore be advantageous to automate the planning process. This possibility is offered by the Pinnacle3 treatment planning system (Philips Healthcare, Hamburg, Germany) via its scripting language or Auto-Planning (AP) module. AP module results were compared to in-house scripts and manually optimized treatment plans for standard head and neck cancer plans. Multiple treatment parameters were scored to judge plan quality (100 points = optimum plan). Patients were initially planned manually by different physicists and re-planned using scripts or AP. Script-based head and neck plans achieved a mean of 67.0 points and were, on average, superior to manually created (59.1 points) and AP plans (62.3 points). Moreover, they are characterized by reproducibility and lower standard deviation of treatment parameters. Even less experienced staff are able to create at least a good starting point for further optimization in a short time. However, for particular plans, experienced planners perform even better than scripts or AP. Experienced-user input is needed when setting up scripts or AP templates for the first time. Moreover, some minor drawbacks exist, such as the increase of monitor units (+35.5% for scripted plans). On average, automatically created plans are superior to manually created treatment plans. For particular plans, experienced physicists were able to perform better than scripts or AP; thus, the benefit is greatest when time is short or staff inexperienced.

Energy band alignments at heterointerfaces play a crucial role in defining the functionality of semiconductor devices, yet the search for material combinations with suitable band alignments remains a challenge for numerous applications. In this work, we demonstrate how changes in deposition conditions can dramatically influence the functional properties of an interface, even within the same material system. The energy band alignment at the heterointerface between Cu2O and ZnO was studied using photoelectron spectroscopy with stepwise deposition of ZnO onto Cu2O and vice versa. A large variation of energy band alignment depending on the deposition conditions of the substrate and the film is observed, with valence band offsets in the range ΔEVB = 1.45-2.7 eV. The variation of band alignment is accompanied by the occurrence or absence of band bending in either material. It can therefore be ascribed to a pinning of the Fermi level in ZnO and Cu2O, which can be traced back to oxygen vacancies in ZnO and to metallic precipitates in Cu2O. The intrinsic valence band offset for the interface, which is not modified by Fermi level pinning, is derived as ΔEVB ≈ 1.5 eV, being favorable for solar cell applications.

The interface properties between Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) and the organic semiconductor α-NPD are studied using in situ X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, UPS) as well as with in situ current–voltage analysis in combination transport simulations using a self-consistent mean field model. In particular, ITO is sputtered onto α-NPD as required for transparent or inverted organic light-emitting diodes. We identify deposition conditions, which leave the organic molecules intact. The barrier heights determined by XPS/UPS for the inverted interfaces between undoped and doped α-NPD and ITO are 1.0 and 1.1 eV, respectively. These are in good agreement with barrier heights extracted from current–voltage simulations if the band width of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) is taken into account. The HOMO bandwidth determined by UPS is σUPS = 0.22 eV and that derived from simulations is σsim = 0.23 eV.

In this paper a promising solution for the notorious problem of manufacturing a stable low ohmic back contact of a CdTe thin film superstrate solar cell is presented without using elemental copper. Instead we have used a Cu2O layer inserted between the CdTe absorber and metal contact (Au). In contrast to the barrier free band alignment gained by using the transitivity rules, XPS measurements show a barrier in the valence band of the Cu2O layers directly after deposition, which results in a low performing JV curve. The contact can be improved by a short thermal treatment resulting in efficiencies superior to copper based contacts for standard CdS/CdTe hetero junction solar cells prepared on commercial glass/FTO substrates. By replacing the CdS window layer with a CdS:O buffer layer efficiencies of >15% could be achieved.

26,000 members of an online network are analyzed by using structural equation modeling.The relation between members' activities and structure measurements is investigated.Activity data can be simply observed by analyzing message counts and/or status updates.Results indicate that activity data leads to the identification of important members.Such knowledge helps marketers to implement effective viral marketing campaigns. It has become well known that the knowledge about key network members is essential for doing business successfully through online social networking sites. As of now, most studies targeted at identifying key members have used network structural centrality measures. Little emphasis has been placed on member activities to identify key members in a network; even though gathering and utilizing such data is relatively easier than estimation of structural centrality positions. Using a structural equation model on an Internet social networking site data, this study finds that the personal activity status of key members is highly correlated with their structural centrality measures. Managerial implications, limitations, and further research issues are also addressed.

In this work the current knowledge on the electrical degradation of polymer-based light-emitting diodes is reviewed focusing especially on derivatives of poly(p-phenylene-vinylene) (PPV). The electrical degradation will be referred to as electrical fatigue and is understood as mechanisms, phenomena and material properties that change during continuous operation of the device at constant current. The focus of this review lies especially on the effect of chemical synthesis on the transport properties of the organic semiconductor and the device lifetimes. In addition, the prominent transparent conductive oxide indium tin oxide as well as In���O��� will be reviewed and how their properties can be altered by the processing conditions. The experiments are accompanied by theoretical modeling shining light on how the change of injection barriers, charge carrier mobility or trap density influence the current���voltage characteristics of the diodes and on how and which defects form in transparent conductive oxides used as anode.

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals with tunable optical properties are promising materials for light harvesting in solar cells. So far, in particular cadmium and lead chalcogenide nanocrystals were intensively studied in this respect, and the device performance has made rapid progress in recent years. In contrast, less research efforts were undertaken to develop solar cells based on Cd- and Pb-free nanoparticles as absorber material. In the present work, we report on Schottky solar cells with the absorber layer made of colloidal copper indium disulfide nanocrystals. Absorber films with up to ∼ 500 nm thickness were realized by a solution-based layer-by-layer deposition technique. The device performance was systematically studied dependent on the absorber layer thickness. Decreasing photocurrent densities with increasing thickness revealed charge transport to be a limiting factor for the device performance.

The application of transparent conductive oxides in most electronic devices requires a good knowledge of their electrical properties such as conductivity, but also carrier mobility. In addition, oxygen exchange plays a crucial role for post-deposition treatments and the functionality of devices. In order to elucidate the relation between electrical properties and oxygen equilibration a system for in situ Hall effect and electrical conductivity measurements of oxide thin films has been set up, giving the opportunity for temperature dependent measurements in controlled atmosphere. The use of the setup is exemplified with a Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) thin film. The results show that oxygen equilibration is not the only factor which affects the electrical properties, but also other long term processes. The segregation of Sn to grain boundaries is discussed in this context.

The energy band alignment at interfaces between different materials is a key factor, which determines the function of electronic devices. While the energy band alignment of conventional semiconductors is quite well understood, systematic experimental studies on oxides are still missing. This work presents an extensive study on the intrinsic energy band alignment of a wide range of functional oxides using photoelectron spectroscopy with in-situ sample preparation. The studied materials have particular technological importance in diverse fields as solar cells, piezotronics, multiferroics, photoelectrochemistry and oxide electronics. Particular efforts have been made to verify the validity of transitivity, in order to confirm the intrinsic nature of the obtained band alignment and to understand the underlying principles. Valence band offsets up to 1.6 eV are observed. The large variation of valence band maximum energy can be explained by the different orbital contributions to the density of states in the valence band. The framework provided by this work enables the general understanding and prediction of energy band alignment at oxide interfaces, and furthermore the tailoring of energy level matching for charge transfer in functional oxides. (C) 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Multi-level resistive switching characteristics of a Cu2O/Al2O3 bilayer device are presented. An oxidation state gradient in copper oxide induced by the fabrication process was found to play a dominant role in defining the multiple resistance states. The highly conductive grain boundaries of the copper oxide&mdash, an unusual property for an oxide semiconductor&mdash, are discussed for the first time regarding their role in the resistive switching mechanism.

Since the first cloning of BRCA1 in 1994, many of its cellular interactions have been elucidated. However, its highly specific role in tumorigenesis in the breast tissue—carriers of BRCA1 mutations are predisposed to life-time risks of up to 80%—relative to many other tissues that remain unaffected, has not yet been fully enlightened. In this article, we have applied a universal model of tissue-specificity of cancer genes to BRCA1 and present a systematic review of proposed concepts classified into 4 categories. Firstly, tissue-specific differences in levels of BRCA1 expression and secondly differences in expression of proteins with redundant functions are outlined. Thirdly, cell-type specific interactions of BRCA1 are presented: its regulation of aromatase, its interaction with Progesterone- and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand-signaling that controls proliferation of luminal progenitor cells, and its influence on cell differentiation via modulation of the key regulators jagged 1-NOTCH and snail family transcriptional repressor 2. Fourthly, factors specific to the cell-type as well as the environment of the breast tissue are elucidated: distinct frequency of losses of heterozygosity, interaction with X inactivation specific transcript RNA, estrogen-dependent induction of genotoxic metabolites and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2, and regulation of sirtuin 1. In conclusion, the impact of these concepts on the formation of hormone-sensitive and -insensitive breast tumors is outlined.

Personal innovativeness is an important value-based human behaviour that is responsible for the ability to participate in the domain of technological innovations and to enhance economic growth. Our study investigates the technological innovativeness of millennials in a cross-cultural setting at the individual level. The research design includes technological involvement and knowledge and an individual-level measurement of five well-known cultural values as antecedents of technological innovativeness. Findings from structural equation modelling of 1527 millennials from six triad countries confirm that technological involvement and knowledge positively affect personal innovativeness in the technology domain. Above all, from a theoretical perspective on culture, individual measures of power distance, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation especially have a significant negative effect on technological innovativeness. Hence, in an international business context, individual cultural values play an important role for companies seeking, for example, an overseas location for their research and development (R&D) facilities or skilled and innovative personnel to persist in attaining and sustaining international competition. From a theoretical perspective on international business, this study also sheds light on the individual-level measurement of cultural values, taking the individual as the unit of analysis.

Bi2O3 thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering have been studied in situ by using photoelectron spectroscopy. UV/VIS transmission spectroscopy and XRD measurements were carried out to determine the optical and structural properties of the films. Thin film solar cells were built up with ITO|Bi2O3|Au layer structures. These devices were characterized by current–voltage and capacitance–frequency measurements. Open-circuit voltages up to 680 mV and short-circuit current densities of about 0.3 mA cm−2 were observed. In addition, relative permittivities of approximately 45 have been measured. In order to determine the energy band alignment of Bi2O3 with different contact materials, interface experiments were carried out. With stepwise depositions of the contact material combined with in situ observation of the Fermi level shift via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, it is possible to measure the energy barrier height between a semiconductor and a metallic contact. The work functions of the different materials were determined by UV photoelectron spectroscopy.

The interface formation between CdS and CdTe is investigated by synchrotron induced photoemission measurements at the BESSY II storage ring. CdS and CdTe layers were deposited by thermal evaporation on CdTe and CdS single crystal substrates with two different orientations for each substrate. Surface core level shifts show a passivation of dangling bonds for CdS substrates overgrown by CdTe. Te Te bonds are found even on a 200 nm thick layer of CdS on CdTe. A valence band offset of 1.02 ± 0.05 eV, corresponding to a conduction band offset of −0.09 ± 0.05 eV is determined, independent of the substrate type and orientation and in agreement with measurements of polycrystalline interfaces. This alignment of every bands with a very small barrier for electron transfer and a maximized barrier for hole transport to the electron accepting front contact promises ideal properties for devices like CdS/CdTe hetero junction thin film solar cells.

Reducing the thin film module production cost is a strong focus in the current thin film solar cell research. One possible way to reduce the cost is minimising material consumption by reducing film thickness. Ultra thin CdTe layer will also help to design p–i–n structure solar cells. The standard CdTe layer thickness is normally in the range of 4–5 μm. Experimental trials were carried out in order to reduce the CdTe layer thickness below 1 μm using close spaced sublimation technique. Simply reducing the CdTe layer thickness induces pinholes in the CdTe layer which results in poor device performance. The film thickness reduction below 1.5 μm was achieved by employing a double layer structure. In the process of making CdTe double layer the first layer was deposited at higher substrate temperature (~ 520 °C) and the second layer was deposited at low substrate temperature (~ 350 °C). The maximum cell efficiency of 12.5% was obtained for ~ 3 μm CdTe layer and comparable device performance was obtained for the 1.5 μm CdTe layer (11.2%). Further reducing the film thickness below 1.5 μm reduces the device performance. Solar cell efficiencies for ~ 0.8 μm and 0.5 μm CdTe layers were 9.5% and 5.2% respectively. The Capacitance–Voltage measurements show that the CdTe layer is fully depleted when the thickness is reduced below 1 μm. Further, the possible cause for the decrease in efficiency with decrease in CdTe film thickness is discussed in this article.

We have studied Cu2S absorber layers prepared by physical vapor deposition (PVD) by calibrated spectral photoluminescence (PL) and by confocal PL as function of temperature T and excitation fluxes to obtain the absolute PL-yield at an excitation flux equivalent to the AM1.5 spectrum and to calculate the splitting of the quasi-Fermi levels (QFL) µ = Ef,n-Ef,p and the absorption coefficient α(E), both in the temperature range 20 K ≤ T ≤ 400 K. The PL-spectra reveal two peaks at E1 = 1.17 eV and E2 = 1.3 eV, of which the low energy peak is only detectable at temperatures T < 200 K. The samples show an impressive QFL-splitting of µ > 700 meV at 300 K associated with a pseudo band gap of Eg = 1.25 eV. The high energy peak shows an unexpected temperature behavior, namely an increase of the PL-yield with rising temperature at variance with the behavior of QFL-splitting that decreases with rising T from extrapolated T = 0K value of µ = 1.3 eV. The PL-yield versus temperature will be discussed in terms of different defect states in the band gap. Our observations indicate that, contrary to common believe, it is not the PL-yield, but rather the QFL-splitting that is the comprehensive indicator of the quality of the excited state in an illuminated semiconductor. A further examination of the lateral variation of the opto-electronic properties by confocal PL shows a strong correlation between the QFL-splitting, the Urbach energy EU and the optical band gap Eopt, respectively.

Modern missile systems use infrared imaging for tracking or target detection algorithms. The development and validation processes of these missile systems need high fidelity simulations capable of stimulating the sensors in real-time with infrared image sequences from a synthetic 3D environment. The Extensible Multispectral Image Generation Toolset (EMIT) is a modular software library developed at MBDA Germany for the generation of physics-based infrared images in real-time. EMIT is able to render radiance images in full 32-bit floating point precision using state of the art computer graphics cards and advanced shader programs. An important functionality of an infrared image generation toolset is the simulation of thermal shadows as these may cause matching errors in tracking algorithms. However, for real-time simulations, such as hardware in the loop simulations (HWIL) of infrared seekers, thermal shadows are often neglected or precomputed as they require a thermal balance calculation in four-dimensions (3D geometry in one-dimensional time up to several hours in the past). In this paper we will show the novel real-time thermal simulation of EMIT. Our thermal simulation is capable of simulating thermal effects in real-time environments, such as thermal shadows resulting from the occlusion of direct and indirect irradiance. We conclude our paper with the practical use of EMIT in a missile HWIL simulation.

Although cross-format patronage has become a common phenomenon in markets for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), research on consumers’ specific cross-format combinations is limited. We study such shopping patterns by focusing on retail format utilization. A qualitative pre-study demonstrates consumers’ patronizing combinations of typical retail formats in FMCG with main-format usage and provides underlying differences in consumers’ perceived shopping utility for cross-format selection, which results from their utilized main-format. Our quantitative study reveals three clusters with main-format dominance, that is, mainly supermarket, discount store, and hypermarket shoppers complementarily utilizing fill-in formats to a much lesser extent. Whereas we found high inter-format loyalty in each consumer group, intra-format loyalty significantly varies between clusters. ANOVA and post hoc-tests concerning perceived shopping utility dimensions show that consumers’ perceived acquisition utility rather than perceived transaction costs significantly differs between consumer groups.

Purpose – One of the key drivers of competitiveness and growth of emerging countries is their ability to innovate. While India has successfully implemented innovative processes for software development, many Western nations have led in new product designs. The purpose of this paper is to examine the basic premise that the underlying ability of a country to innovate, while being constrained by other situational and structural factors, depends on the innate ability of especially younger individuals in a society to be innovative. Recognizing this trait, companies have recently begun considering consumers as co-creators of technological products and services. Design/methodology/approach – Research has focused on the impact of innovativeness in the adoption and use of new technological products with limited research of its impact on the design and creation process. This basic study compares the technological innovativeness of young individuals between a developed country (USA) and an emerging economy (India) along several psychological and behavioral dimensions. Scale reliabilities, principal component analyses and regression analyses were conducted to find main influencers on technological innovativeness in both countries. Findings – While hypothesis were derived that creativity, passion, expertise, thinking style and psychographics influence innovativeness, results reveal first impressions that expertise and psychographics are the main influencers on the technological innovativeness of young individuals in both countries. Moreover, a decomposition of thinking style does not add further predictive power to the model. Originality/value – The paper helps to extend the understanding as well as to carve out main drivers of technological innovativeness of young individuals across countries. Implications on cross-cultural research and for managers as well as directions for further research are discussed.

The various applications of transparent conducting oxides (TCO), e.g., as electrodes in flat panel displays and solar cells or as low-emissivity coatings have stimulated extensive research on their fabrication and properties. Recent experimental and theoretical studies of defect properties have considerably improved the understanding of the limitations of the electrical conductivity of both n- and p-type transparent conductors and of the structural and electronic surface properties of the most important TCO materials. Development of emerging and future applications in the area of transparent thin film electronics with oxide semiconductors as well as the improvement of existing applications require a detailed control of the Fermi level position in the bulk and at surfaces and interfaces of polycrystalline and amorphous TCO materials. This feature article describes how the important parameters for such control can be identified using photoelectron spectroscopy with in situ sample preparation. The parameters influencing doping, work functions, ionization potentials, and surface band bending as well as energy band alignment at interfaces are described and discussed providing a fundamental understanding of important material properties for tailoring TCOs in electronic devices.

A novel, fiber-optic in situ laser hygrometer was developed to measure water vapor with microsecond time resolution directly inside an internal combustion (IC) engine. The instrument is intended for sampling-free quantification of recirculated exhaust gas in combustion engines. Direct tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy was employed to allow absolute and self-calibrating H2O measurements. The compact and user-friendly instrument combines a fiber-coupled, 1.37 μm distributed feedback diode laser with kHz-fast, continuous wavelength scanning. Only small, typically 10 mm, optical access ports in the engine are needed. The new in situ hygrometer was tested via measurements in a motored optical research engine operated on ambient air, without any artificial humidification. Scanning the laser at 4 kHz resulted in a time resolution of 250 μs (i.e., 3° crank angle at 2,000 rpm), while the DC-coupled detector signals are digitized with a 4MSamples/s 16-bit data acquisition system. Absolute water vapor concentrations around 1 vol.% could be measured and quantified during the full compression stroke, i.e., over a pressure/temperature range of 0.07–0.52 MPa/300–500 K. Without any scan averaging or bandwidth filtering we could demonstrate signal-to-noise ratios between 51 (at p = 0.1 MPa) and 33 (at p = 0.4 MPa), which corresponds to H2O detection limits between 0.02 and 0.035 vol.% or length and bandwidth normalized detectivities of 285 and 477 ppb m Hz−½, respectively. Comparison of the dynamic H2O behavior during the compression stroke across several engine cycles and different operating conditions showed good reproducibility and absolute accuracy of the results, consistent with the boundary conditions, i.e., motored air operation. This new sensor therefore opens up new possibilities for engine cycle-resolved, calibration-free in situ AGR quantification and optimization in engine applications.

Hysteresis is induced in paraelectric (Ba,Sr)TiO3 (BST) thin-film capacitors by inserting an Al2O3 barrier layer of a few nanometers in thickness between the BST layer and the electrode. The observed hysteresis is explained by ambipolar charge carrier injection through the Al2O3 layer and charge storage at the BST/Al2O3 interface. The magnitude of the hysteresis can be directly adjusted by manipulating the thickness ratio between BST and Al2O3. Taking into account the low loss of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 capacitors, the observed switching and retention characteristics are suitable for application as non-volatile programmable high-frequency devices, e.g., in radio-frequency identification.

A well-known problem in complex cognition is the so-called dynamic stocks and flows task (DSF). The challenge in this task is to control different flows, e.g. the inflows and outflows of water to a tank, towards a specified goal configuration, i.e. a certain amount of water in the tank. The problem is that some flows are exogenously controlled with a hidden dynamic. These flows need to be counterbalanced by setting endogenous flows. Since the dynamic underlying the hidden flows can be any computable function, this task can be classified as computationally complex. Psychological findings show that humans have difficulties in dealing with such dynamic systems. In this article, we present a formal generalization of this task and present a computational approach for solving such tasks as a first step towards an assistance system for complex system control.

BaCuSeF/ZnTe is a model system to investigate physical and chemical properties of the interfaces of non-oxide wide-bandgap p-type semiconductors with materials used in chalcogenide solar cells. The BaCuSeF/ZnTe interface was studied using electron microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy. Both techniques indicate that Se and Cu from BaCuSeF diffuse into ZnTe creating an interdiffused layer between these two materials. The interdiffusion may be attributed to the differences in materials formation enthalpies and to Fermi level pinning in BaCuSeF.

CdS layers grown by ‘dry’ (close space sublimation) and ‘wet’ (chemical bath deposition) methods are deposited and analyzed. CdS prepared with close space sublimation (CSS) has better crystal quality, electrical and optical properties than that prepared with chemical bath deposition (CBD). The performance of CdTe solar cell based on the CSS CdS layer has higher efficiency than that based on CBD CdS layer. However, the CSS CdS suffers from the pinholes. And consequently it is necessary to prepare a 150 nm thin film for CdTe/CdS solar cell. To improve the performance of CdS/CdTe solar cells, a thin multilayer structure of CdS layer (∼80 nm) is applied, which is composed of a bottom layer (CSS CdS) and a top layer (CBD CdS). That bi-layer film can allow more photons to pass through it and significantly improve the short circuit current of the CdS/CdTe solar cells.

CdS layers grown by chemical bath deposition (CBD) are treated in different ways to improve the performance of CdS/CdTe solar cells. It has been found that the open circuit voltage of the CdS/CdTe solar cell increases when the CBD CdS is annealed with CdCl2 before the deposition of CdTe by close spaced sublimation (CSS). A thin CBD CdS (∼80 nm) with bi-layer structure can significantly improve the short circuit current of the CdS/CdTe solar cells.

Technische Universita¨t Darmstadt, Fachbereich Material- und Geowissenschaften, Fachgebiet Oberfla¨chenforschung,Petersenstrasse 32, 64287 Darmstadt, GermanyReceived 23 May 2010, revised 10 September 2010, accepted 26 October 2010Published online 2 December 2010Dedicated to Dieter Schmeiser on the occasion of his 60th birthday.Keywords II–VI semiconductors, CdTe, ITO, photoemission spectroscopy, ZnSe, ZnTe

Research on commitment to customer service (CCS) as a central theme of sales and relationship marketing typically considers individual values and norms, or external stimuli such as financial incent...

BACKGROUND: Solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (so-called Frantz tumor) is a rare neoplasm of typically benign behavior, predominantly occurring in young females, but very rare in girls. METHODS: The clinical course of a 12-year-old girl suffering from such a tumor is presented and diagnostic and therapeutic methods are pointed out. Furthermore the relevance of the histological tumor classification respectively of recent immunohistochemical investigations with consideration of the actual literature will be discussed. The mentioned girl was admitted to our department of pediatric surgery because of upper abdominal pain, persistent for 12 hours. Initial examinations (physical examination, routine laboratory parameters, and abdominal ultrasound) showed a well-defined, spheric tumor (8 cm in diameter) with solid and cystic areas, without hints for metastases. The combination of the two facts – young girl and solid-cystic lesion of the pancreas – made us think about a Frantz tumor. By performing CT and MRT of the abdomen this diagnosis was hardened. In fact the patient underwent a Kausch–Whipple operation (modified by Traverso–Longmire) to perform a radical tumor removal. RESULTS: The clinical and radiological diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination of the tumor, i.e., the lesion was valued as solid-pseudo papillary neoplasm of the pancreas. Neither short-term or long-term surgical complications, nor metastases have been recorded in the follow-up (7 years up to now). An immunohistochemical reevaluation of the tumor material was carried out on occasion of the recent follow-up (April 2009); new aspects concerning tumor genesis could not be realized. CONCLUSIONS: Solid-pseudo papillary tumors of the pancreas are rare tumors. The majority of these tumors show benign behavior; very few malignant clinical courses have been reported. Despite rare occurrence of the tumor clinical presumption diagnosis possible, based on the fact that these tumors particularly affect young females and radiological findings show a tumor with solid and cystic parts. Radical tumor resection is the therapeutic method of choice. Because of the risk of injuring of the tumor an enucleation is discussed controversial. Despite special immunohistochemical and genetic examinations (influences of estrogenic hormones?) the origin of the tumor remains unknown.

In patients with leukaemia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to intensified chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression is a devastating disorder resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Compared to standard indications for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), cytopenia further increases the risks of infection and bleeding. We describe the use of ECMO in four children with ARDS and leukaemia. Two patients (50%) survived, pulmonary function recovered and they are in prolonged first remission. The two other patients died from ARDS and pulmonary leukaemic infiltration. Although ECMO support is a high-risk setup for nosocomial infection we observed no additional septic episodes. All patients had a highly increased demand for packed platelet and red blood cell transfusions. This increased demand and unmanageable chronic bleeding into both lungs in one patient were probably caused by a combination of coagulopathy from the primary illness, the use of anticoagulants, chemotherapy-induced cytopenia, and a reduced survival rate of platelets and red cells due to permanent contact to foreign surface. We concluded that ECMO is a supportive tool to reduce the incidence of early death, treatment-related mortality and, ultimately, to improve overall survival in childhood leukaemia.

The main focus of this paper is on the comparison of the inverted and the regular pressure swing batch distillation processes for the separation of a homogenous azeotropic mixture. On the basis of a successful, experimentally validated rigorous model, a simulation study to identify the differences between the two processes and the influences of different structures on them is carried out. This identification of influences helps in finding out a heuristic base of the most suitable batch structure for a given separation problem. Especially the influence of the feed flow rate on the processes and the differences between the results on operation with different pressures will be addressed. Furthermore advantages, disadvantages and the limitations of both processes will be shown. In the end the best way of operating the pressure swing batch distillation will be presented depending on the product purity and the feed concentration for a given example. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The performance of CdTe solar cells as prototype of thin film solar cells strongly depends on film morphology. The needs for high solar cell performance using thin film materials will be addressed covering nucleation and growth control of thin film materials. In order to understand the basic growth mechanisms and their impact on cell performance, we have systematically investigated the growth of CdTe thin films by Close Spaced Sublimation (CSS) using the integrated ultra-high vacuum system DAISY-SOL. CdTe thin films were deposited on TCO/CdS substrates (transparent conductive oxide) held at 270 °C to 560 °C. The properties of the films were determined before and after CdCl2 treatment using X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. In addition, solar cells were prepared to find correlations between material properties and cell efficiency. At low sample temperature the films tend to form compact layers with preferred (111) orientation which is lost at elevated temperatures above 450 °C. For CdS layers without (0001) texture there is in addition a low temperature regime (350 °C) with (111) texture loss. After activation treatment the (111) texture is lost for all deposited layers leading to strong recrystallisation of the grains. But the texture still depends on the previous growth history. The loss of (111) texture is evidently needed for higher performance. A clear correlation between cell efficiency and the texture of the CdTe film is observed.

Studying the band offset at the interface is essential to design and optimize the front and back contacts to reduce loss of photogenerated carriers in CdTe thin film solar cell. CdS layers were deposited at two different substrate temperatures onto ITO and ITO/SnO2 substrates by close spaced sublimation. Photoelectron spectroscopy and sputter depth profiling was employed to determine the band offset at the TCO/CdS interface with different heat treatments. Our results show that different deposition temperatures and heat treatments including activation in CdCl2 do not significantly alter the band alignment.

In the Anderson model the alignment of electronic energy levels follows from the assumption that the vacuum-levels of the contacting phases are at equal height. Engineering of the line up may be attempted by changing the ionization energy of the substrate and/or of the adsorbate. We report on the variation of the Si(111) ionization energy by induced surface dipoles of –CH3, –H, and –GaSe terminations and the induced variation of the HOMO line up of PTCDA and ZnPc layers. In addition the variation of the line up by changing the organic molecule ionization energy is exemplified by F substitution in ZnPc. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Hybrid-pervaporation-distillation processes have been intensely studied in the last years and considered as a good alternative in the separation of homogeneous azeotropic mixtures. Compared with the techniques in use in the chemical industry, they can reduce the energy consumption and avoid the use of entrainers. However, due to the evaporation enthalpy, a temperature drop is presented along the membrane and external heat exchangers are required between two consecutive pervaporation steps. In the present paper, a process approach has been developed in order to avoid the external energy support and the temperature drop along the module. The novel energy integration concept utilizes the distillate vapor stream of a distillation column as heating medium in the membrane. The vapor condenses partially and energy is released directly into the module. For the study of the new energy integrated process, a novel membrane configuration is developed and a mathematical model is built. Simulation results show that the new process can yield to higher permeation fluxes and smaller temperature drop in the membrane, what also means a reduction in the required membrane area, if a constant purity in the product is considered. Due to the energy integration concept, there is no need of external heat supply in the pervaporation and the permeate flux rises, which can reduce the operation and investment costs.