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Present study was conducted to assess the allelopathic effect of leaf and bark aqueous extracts of Celtis australis on Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare, Brassica rapa, Lens culinaris and Vigna umbellate under In-vitro condition. Different leaf and bark aqueous extracts 5%, 10%, and 15% were used to irrigate the seeds of test crops. The results revealed that the concentration dependent significant (p=0.05) inhibitory effect of aqueous leaf and bark extracts on germination, root and shoot length of all the test crops. Among all the test crops Triticum aestivum was found most sensitive where the germination percentage was reduced down to 46.0% by the leaf extract (15%) as compared to control (82.3%), while the maximum inhibition in the root length of Lens culinaris (0.5 cm) by 10% leaf extract was observed as compare to control (8.2 cm). In shoot length maximum inhibitory effect was observed in Hordeum vulgare (3.5 cm) as compared to control (13.3 cm). Similarly, the bark extract showed the maximum inhibition in germination percentage of Lens culinaris (41.6%) at 15% concentration as compare to control (70.0%) while the maximum inhibition for the root length was recorded in Triticum aestivum (1.9 cm) at 15% concentration as compare to control (17.3 cm). In shoot length maximum inhibition was observed for Triticum aestivum (1.3 cm) at 10% extract level as compare to control (13.4 cm), while Vigna umbellate (5.5 cm) at 15% concentration showed stimulatory effect as compare to control (3.4 cm) exceptionally. Finally, it is concluded that Vigna umbellate exhibited the maximum tolerance against leaf and bark aqueous and might be a better option for intercropping with C. australis. However, the allelopathic effect on the other test crops can be minimized by removing the fallen leaves from the agricultural fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction of [Al(OPri)3] with K(OPri), in 1:1 molar ratio in refluxing anhydrous tetrahydrofuran yields a polymeric complex [(THF)K(μ-OPri)2Al(μ-OPri)2]n. The complex is characterized by spectroscopic studies and single crystal X-raydiffraction analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction of [Al(OPri)3] with K(OPri), in 1:1 molar ratio in refluxing anhydrous tetrahydrofuran yields a polymeric complex [(THF)K(μ-OPri)2Al(μ-OPri)2]n. The complex is characterized by spectroscopic studies and single crystal X-raydiffraction analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Publishers websites are increasingly presenting content and services that are not created and managed by the website administrators themselves, but are provided by other third parties. While third party content and services provide value and utility to website users, this comes at the cost of user information being shared with the third party. Privacy concerns surrounding information leakage have been growing rapidly. With increasing concerns regarding online privacy and information disclosure, it is important to understand the factors that affect the level of sharing between publisher websites and third parties. In this study, we propose a two-sided economic model that captures the interaction between the users, publisher websites, and third parties. Specifically, we focus on the effect of privacy concerns on the sharing behavior of the publisher website and the impact of users’ privacy concerns on third party market concentration. We then analyze welfare aspects to provide insights on the impacts of industry regulations and policy on users, publisher websites, and third parties. We partially validate the model using an exploratory empirical analysis of publisher website third party sharing behavior and the structure of the industry. To the best of our knowledge, this study is among the first to analyze publisher website decision making in sharing user information with third parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nursing Home Compare system administrated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is widely used by patients, medical providers and payers. We argue that the rating system is prone to inflation in self‐reported measures, which leads to biased and misleading ratings. We use the CMS rating data over 2009–2013 and the corresponding financial data reported by Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development and patients’ complaints data reported by California Department of Public Health for 1219 nursing homes in California to empirically examine the key factors affecting the star rating of a nursing home. We find a significant association between the changes in a nursing home's star rating and its profits, which points to a financial incentive for nursing homes to improve the ratings. We then demonstrate that this association does not always lead to legitimate efforts to improve service quality, but instead can induce inflation in self‐reporting in the rating procedure. A prediction model is then developed to evaluate the extensiveness of inflation among the suspect population based on which 6% to 8.5% of the nursing homes are identified as likely inflators. We also summarize the key characteristics of likely inflators, which can be useful for future audit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An efficient and environmentally benign domino protocol has been presented for the synthesis of structurally diverse spiroheterocycles spiroannulated with 1,3,4‐thiadiazolo[3, 2‐a]pyrimidine involving three‐ component reaction of 2‐amino‐1,3,4‐thiadiazole, isatin/N‐methyl‐4‐piperidone/1,2‐acenaphthylenedione and carbonyl compounds catalyzed by magnetically recoverable and reusable nanocrytalline sulfated zirconia (Fe3O4@ZrO2/SO42−) under solvent free conditions with grinding at room temperature. The use of magnetically recyclable and reusable catalyst, mild reaction conditions with operational simplicity (grinding), and excellent product yields are significant features of the present synthetic protocol. Moreover, easy magnetic separation of the catalyst eliminates the requirement of catalyst filtration after completion of the reaction and the catalyst remains highly active even after recycled several times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a structural design of a torsional micro-gyroscope having robust drive and sense modes. The structure achieves robustness by utilizing dynamic amplification of torsional vibrations in both the drive and sense resonators. The frequency response of both the drive and sense resonators, which are 2-degree-of-freedom (DOF) resonators, has two resonance peaks and a flat region between the peaks, where the amplitude is less sensitive to the ambient damping resulting in the robust drive and sense modes. The flat regions of the drive and sense modes are designed to overlap, which helps in reducing the effects of change in geometry and material properties of the device, due to fabrication imperfections, on the device performance. The robust drive and sense modes also relax the requirement of a closed loop circuit for either actuating the device at resonance or sensing the capacitance change at resonance and hence, eventually reduce the circuit complexity. The device is modeled using the concepts of anti-resonance and zero-phase frequencies. The fabrication of the device is carried out using an SU-8 based ultraviolet-lithographie, galvanoformung, abformung (UV-LIGA) process. The developed prototype is tested for amplitude and phase spectral responses using a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions of [Al(OPri)3] with [VO(OPri)3] in presence of halo-acetic acid, CX3COOH in anhydrous benzene yielded complexes of the type, [AlVO(OOCCX3)2(OPri)4], where X = F (1) or Cl (2). The compounds were characterised by elemental analyses, FT-IR and NMR (1H,27Al &51V) spectral studies. The desired single-phase aluminium vanadate, AlVO4, (a&b) have been obtained easily from the precursors, (1) and (2), respectively, by the sol-gel process. Formation of triclinic phase in both of the AlVO4(a&b) samples was confirmed by powder XRD patterns. SEM image of (b) exhibits formation of nano-grains with agglomers like surface morphologies. Composition of AlVO4sample (b) was investigated by EDX analysis, which shows presence of aluminium and vanadium in 1:1 atomic ratio. Absorption spectra of (a) and (b) samples indicate an energy band gap of 3.60 and 3.75 eV, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monodispersed polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) arrested ZnS quantum dots (QDs) having diameter in range ~2-5 nm are synthesized by a colloidal precipitation method using PVP as the stabilizing agent. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selective area electron diffraction (SAED) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy are probed to investigate the structural information. The optical properties are studied using diffuse UV-visible reflectance and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy techniques. TEM images as well as XRD reflection peak broadening indicate the nanometer size particles formation with cubic (sphalerite) phase within the polymer matrix. Optical absorbance studies reveal an excitonic peak at around ~310 nm dictates the effect of quantum confinement effect in the ZnS QDs. PL emission spectra for ZnS QDs in PVP exhibit four emission peaks at ~382 nm, ~414 nm, ~480 nm and ~527 nm are observed. These excitonic emissions from ZnS QDs are caused by the interstitial sulfur/Zn vacancies and surface states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the design, fabrication and characterization of Lorentz force based MEMS magnetometer. The paper focuses on fabrication process of the device by anodic bonding technique using SOI and glass wafers. The fabrication is a three-mask process. The structure is a xylophone resonator fabricated using highly doped Si as the structural layer. The highly doped structural layer avoids the need of an extra metallized top electrode, which in turn reduces the fabrication step. The proposed fabrication technique for the xylophone bar magnetometer is reported for the first time. The ease in fabrication, low temperature (≤400 °C) process, repeatable, reliable, reduced lithography steps and the ability to precisely control the gap between the electrodes makes it better from the conventional fabrication methods. The device exploits the Lorentz force transduction mechanism and operates at its primary resonant mode at about 108.75 kHz. The current is applied at the resonant frequency and magnetic field of 118 Gauss is applied orthogonal to the current direction. The frequency and transient response characterization of the out-of-plane vibration is carried out at atmospheric pressure with a quality factor of 4.2. Also, vacuum packaging at die level is done and a quality factor of 180 is achieved. The power consumption and theoretical Brownian noise limited resolution of the sensor is 0.45 mW and 215 nT/ $$\sqrt {Hz}$$ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While information technology benefits society in numerous ways, it unfortunately also has potential to create new vulnerabilities. This special issue intends to stimulate thought and research into understanding and mitigating these vulnerabilities. We identify four mechanisms by which ubiquitous computing makes various entities (people, devices, organizations, societies, etc.) more vulnerable, including: increased visibility, enhanced cloaking, increased interconnectedness, and decreased costs. We use the papers in the special issue to explain these mechanisms, and then outline a research agenda for future work on digital vulnerabilities spanning four areas that are, or could become, significant societal problems with implications at multiple levels of analysis: Online harassment and incivility, technology-driven economic inequality, industrial Internet of Things, and algorithmic ethics and bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted at Main Experimental Station, N.D. University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad to evaluate the effect of pre-sowing treatments on yield and biochemical characteristic of Wheat in Sodic Soil. Seed priming is a low risk technology to improve poor crop establishment. It improves seed germination, emergence and seedling growth by altering seed vigor, dormancy and the physiological state of the seed. It improves germination by repairing damaged proteins, RNA and DNA of low vigor and aged seeds that may accumulate during seed development. Germination percentage (%) was observed higher in the seeds primed chemical and plant growth regulators (PGRs). Maximum germination percentage (%) was observed in the treatment halo priming with 3% KNO3 (93%) while minimum in non primed control treatment (78%). Seed priming enhanced the yield and yield components (no. of spikes m-2, no. of grains plant-1, 1000 seed weight and grain yield q ha-1). The maximum increase in all the yield contributing traits were observed with KNO3 (3%) followed by Salicylic acid (100 ppm), KNO3 (1%) and salicylic acid (50 ppm) as compared to control. Seed priming treatments significantly affected dry biomass plant-1. Maximum dry biomass plant-1 was recorded with KNO3 (3%) followed by salicylic acid (100 ppm), and 1% KNO3. It was concluded that seed priming with 3% aqueous solution of KNO3 is the effective seed priming technique to improve growth and yield of wheat under sodic soil condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research summary: Innovation requires inventors to have both new knowledge and the ability to combine and configure knowledge (i.e., combinatory knowledge), and such knowledge may flow through networks. We argue that both combinatory knowledge and new knowledge are accessed through collaboration networks, but that inventors' abilities to access such knowledge depends on its location in the network. Combinatory knowledge transfers from direct contacts, but not easily from indirect contacts. In contrast, new knowledge transfers from both direct and indirect contacts, but is far more likely to be new and useful when it comes from indirect contacts. Exploring knowledge flows in 69,476 patents and 89,930 unique inventors reveals evidence that combinatory knowledge from direct contacts and new knowledge from indirect contacts significantly affects innovative performance. Managerial summary: Inventors often combine ideas to create innovations. To do this, they need ideas to combine and they need the ability to combine those ideas. Inventors can get ideas to combine as well as the ability to combine ideas through prior co-workers. Prior co-workers can share ideas that may be relevant for the inventor's project and can tell the inventor about other things that other people are working on, especially people the inventor may not know. This can help inventors easily learn about ideas from friends-of-friends. The ability to combine ideas, however, is much harder to pass on. Prior co-workers must carefully work with the inventor to teach him or her the complex processes of combining ideas. This means that it is very hard to learn how to combine knowledge from a friend-of-a-friend, but it may be possible to learn from prior co-workers. We explore this phenomenon in the social relationships of software inventors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some biocidal complexes of cadmium(II) have been synthesized by the reaction of cadmium dichloride with L-1(MPCHSC) in 1:1, 1:2 and with L-1(MPCHSC) and L- 2(IPMCHTSC) in 1:1:1 molar ratios in refluxing ethanol. These newly synthesized complexes have been characterised by elemental analyses, FT-IR, NMR (¹H & 13C) spectral studies and thermogravimetric analyses. These studies appear to indicate four coordination around Cd(II) in [Cd(MPCHSC)Cl2] and six coordination in [Cd(MPCHSC)2Cl2]H2O and [Cd(MPCHSC)(IPMCHTSC)Cl2]H2O. These ligands and their metal complexes have been screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities against bacterial strains staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and fungal strains fusariumsemitectm and trichoderma harzianum. The free radical scavenging activity of ligands and their metal complexes have been determined at the concentration range of 10-500 µg/mL by means of their interaction with the stable free radical 2, 2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl and 10-500 µg/mL by 2, 2-azinobis-3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid. The Cd(II) complexes have shown encouraging antioxidant activities. The results of these studies show that Cd(II) complexes exibit enhanced antibacterial/antifungal and antioxidant properties against one or more species as compared to the uncomplexed ligands. The highly enhanced biological activities of the Cd(II) complexes is expected to devlope new area of research for biologically active terpenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report the self-aligned growth of GaN nanorods on different orientations of sapphire like c-, a-, r- and m-plane substrates by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Vertical c-axis orientation of GaN NRs is obtained on c-plane [0001] and a-plane $$ \left[ { 1 1\bar{2}0} \right] $$ sapphire and a skew or inclined NRs on r-plane, and inclined intertwined but self-aligned NR array was formed on m-plane sapphire. GaN (002) and (004) peaks were obtained on c- and a-plane sapphire, whereas (110), (103), and (103) only were observed on r- and m-planes, respectively. In the case of r- and m-plane-grown GaN, A transverse optical mode is dominant, and the A longitudinal optical mode is suppressed. Conversely, in the case of c- and a-plane, it is reversed. The probable reason is the optical mode vibrations difference along the differently inclined NRs surfaces. In addition, the specimen exhibits surface optical modes too. The optical behavior of GaN NR on m-sapphire shows an intensity variation when measured in different angular rotations of the specimen by photoluminescence which is because of the higher area of excitation in the case of axial surfaces and lower area of excitation in radial surface. Their epitaxial crystallographic relationship with the substrates and the reasons for the self-aligned orientations are discussed. The anomalies found in the optical behavior are attributed to Raman antenna effect and so on. The self-aligned intertwined GaN NRs find suitable applications in polarizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a novel design concept of torsional gyroscope with robust drive mode and its implementation. The proposed design utilizes dynamic amplification of torsional oscillations instead of resonance in drive oscillator, which essentially is a 2-DOF oscillator, to eliminate the requirement of mode-matching. The frequency response of drive oscillator has two resonance peaks and a flat region between the peaks, where the amplitude is less sensitive to ambient damping resulting in robust drive mode. The frequency response of 1-DOF sense oscillator has one resonance peak which is designed to coincide with the flat region to minimize the effects of change in geometry and material properties of the device, due to inevitable fabrication imperfections, on the device performance. The design equations of electrostatic moment, moments of inertia, and spring constants are presented. The concepts of anti-resonance and zero-phase frequencies are introduced. The design is then implemented using SU-8 based UV-LIGA process having 8 µm thick Ni-Fe as the key structural layer. The fabricated device is also characterized for amplitude and phase spectral responses using Polytec MSA-500 Micro System Analyzer. The resonance frequencies of drive oscillator are observed at about 5.66 and 13.11 kHz against the design values of 5.37 and 13.18 kHz, respectively. The resonance frequency of sense oscillator is found at about 10.05 kHz against the design value of 10 kHz. The anti-resonance and zero-phase frequencies are observed at about 10.08 and 9.97 kHz, respectively against the design value of 10 kHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product assortment and availability are important determinants of sales success for firms of industrial commodity products. Well-known pricing and promotion strategies for differentiated products do not translate well to such products where price is closely tied to the cost of the products. Consequently, firms with multiple stores of commodity products are faced with the problem of product assortment that incorporates varying geographic and demographic conditions of locations they serve. The paper presents a model for assortment planning and optimization for multiple stores of a company. The novelty of our approach is twofold: first, it deploys data mining techniques to identify sales pattern information across multiple stores through existing sales data across segments and across stores; second, it identifies the optimal product assortment for each store and permits analyses of assortment efficiency evaluation among all existing stores. Our model first finds frequent itemsets based on association rule analysis and prunes them using a novel conflict resolution method. It then incorporates the identified product combinations into the development of the optimization formulation. Our methodology offers solutions that have important implications on product assortment, including complements versus substitutes and product bundling, and sheds lights on product planning and assortment strategies in general. A data set from an industry leading plastics manufacturer and retailer in the United States is used to demonstrate our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new gyroscope design architecture with the complete 2-DOF drive and 1-DOF sense mode oscillators that enable the implementation of reduced drive bandwidth without significantly decreasing the sense-to-drive mass ratio of the device. The mechanical structure has an additional anchoring of the decoupling frame mass which allows for the specification of the drive mode resonances and the coupling between the masses independent of the sense mode frequency. This feature eliminates the requirement of an increased design space for realizing a high operational frequency device with robust operation. In addition to this, a reduction in the bandwidth enabled by the additional anchor, leads to the increase in drive mass amplitude, which in turn results in an increased mechanical gain. With this arrangement, the actuation voltage can be further reduced for the same drive displacement as of non-anchored structure. This device has been mathematically modelled considering decoupled frame anchoring effect, designed and then fabricated by using the economical UV-LIGA technology with nickel as a key structural layer of 8 µm thickness; with an overall reduced key structure size of 2.13 by 1.93 mm. Experimental characterization demonstrates the two drive resonances at 8.55 and 10.6 kHz with a bandwidth of 1.0 kHz and the sense mode resonance at 9.2 kHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]