Primary plant surfaces, covered with cuticles consisting of cutin and waxes, are important substrates for interaction with insects. The composition of leaf surfaces of the myrmecophilic plant ...Macaranga tanarius was studied. The prenylated flavanone nymphaeol-C was identified in surface extracts and was localized exclusively in glandular trichomes on the abaxial leaf side. The epidermal pavement cells surrounding these trichomes were covered with a smooth film of epicuticular wax from which few small wax crystals protruded. The epicuticular wax amounted to approximately 8 microgram cm(-2), corresponding to 85% of the wax load on the adaxial as well as the abaxial leaf sides. The epicuticular wax mixtures from both leaf surfaces contained more than 70% primary alcohols, 14% fatty acids, 2% aldehydes, and traces of alkyl acetates, with chain lengths ranging from C20 to C38. In contrast, the intracuticular wax layer was largely dominated by triterpenoid alcohols a-amyrin, beta-amyrin, and lupeol. Consequently, these characteristic compounds are not available for direct contact with insects on the plant surface.
The seventh edition of the Principles of Practical Information and Documentation is now called: The Principles of Information Science. The new title does justice to the fact that there is an ...increasing need to theorize how we deal with knowledge and information in practice, training, and research as well as the development of information skills, in particular in online information services. All articles in the volume have been rewritten.
Background:
Fainting is a major healthcare problem with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare cost. We sought to assess the appropriateness of current clinical practice when compared to a ...guideline‐based algorithm.
Methods:
The records of 100 consecutive patients who presented with faint and were referred to the University of Utah for further evaluation by specialists were reviewed. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, tests performed, diagnosis made, and number of admissions. In addition, we applied a guideline‐based algorithm to assess the appropriateness of these evaluations.
Results:
The mean age was 49 ± 21 years with 57% being female. One‐third presented with their first event. Structural heart disease was present in 22% of the cases. Twelve (36%) of 32 admissions were inappropriate. There was an underutilization of orthostatic testing, carotid sinus massage, and implantable loop recorder and overutilization of imaging studies and neurologic consultation. Specifically, active standing and tilt‐table testing were performed in only 24% and 7% of the cases, respectively, none of the patients had carotid sinus massage despite 26% of them being ≥65 years old, and only 3% of the patients received an implantable loop recorder. With the current practice, a final diagnosis was made in 45 cases with 17 (38%) of the 45 final diagnoses not being sufficiently supported by the completeness of the evaluation.
Conclusion:
With the current practice at a major university hospital, the cause of faint was unexplained in a high number of cases. Our findings highlight the need for a standardized approach to patients presenting with faint. (PACE 2011; 34:284–290)
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Dual hydrophobic-hydrophilic wettability of young Phyllostachys aurea bamboo leaf surfaces leads to water channelling and self-cleaning.Nanoscale roughness of epicuticular waxes ...combined with very-long-chain alkyl compounds underpin localised leaf wetting characteristics.Bioinspired replication of such dual wetting may offer potential for fog collection and dew harvesting in water-scarce regions of the world.
The young leaves of the bamboo plant, Phyllostachys aurea, exhibit a distinct dual wetting behaviour on their adaxial surface. Contact angle analysis, variable pressure (environmental) scanning electron microscopy, gas chromatography, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have shown that the epicuticular wax morphology/topography and the surface distribution of chemical species underpin this water-channelling behaviour. Envisaged bioinspired applications include fog and dew harvesting in water-scarce regions of the world.
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore a very new approach of creating scenarios with fuzzy cognitive maps (FCM); specifically to create scenarios for wind energy deployment.Design ...methodology approach - In this paper a small exercise is conducted to illustrate the usefulness of FCM-based scenarios.Findings - Scenario-based planning is often used in technology management and scenarios are generated to cater for uncertainty and facilitate development of responsive and robust strategic plans. Scenario analysis helps to identify different alternatives of the future state of technologies, needs, policies and environment. Scenario planning helps to overcome thinking limitations by presenting multiple futures. FCMs are based on causal cognitive maps and combine the benefits of both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Domain knowledge of multiple experts can be integrated into an FCM to present collective knowledge base.Originality value - This is a conceptual paper exploring use of fuzzy cognitive maps to create scenarios for wind energy deployment. The paper provides scenarios and a way to integrate them into technology roadmaps.
Purpose
Big Data introduces high amounts and new forms of structured, unstructured and semi-structured data into the field of accounting and this requires alternative data management and reporting ...methods. Generating insights from these new data sources highlight the need for different and interactive forms of visualization in the field of visual analytics. Nonetheless, a considerable gap between the recommendations in research and the current usage in practice is evident. In order to understand and overcome this gap, a detailed analysis of the status quo as well as the identification of potential barriers for adoption is vital. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey with 145 business accountants from Austrian companies from a wide array of business sectors and all hierarchy levels has been conducted. The survey is targeted toward the purpose of this study: identifying barriers, clustered as human-related and technological-related, as well as investigating current practice with respect to interactive visualization use for Big Data.
Findings
The lack of knowledge and experience regarding new visualization types and interaction techniques and the sole focus on Microsoft Excel as a visualization tool can be identified as the main barriers, while the use of multiple data sources and the gradual implementation of further software tools determine the first drivers of adoption.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the data collection with a standardized survey, there was no possibility of dealing with participants individually, which could lead to a misinterpretation of the given answers. Further, the sample population is Austrian, which might cause issues in terms of generalizing results to other geographical or cultural heritages.
Practical implications
The study shows that those knowledgeable and familiar with interactive Big Data visualizations indicate high perceived ease of use. It is, therefore, necessary to offer sufficient training as well as user-centered visualizations and technological support to further increase usage within the accounting profession.
Originality/value
A lot of research has been dedicated to the introduction of novel forms of interactive visualizations. However, little focus has been laid on the impact of these new tools for Big Data from a practitioner’s perspective and their needs.
The German Mittelstand model of the triple helix has been important for facilitating the innovation of small medium enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. Fraunhofer Institutes have provided an innovation ...intermediary between university research and SME technology. We address the issue of adapting a Mittelstand triple helix from the German national culture into other cultures, particularly to South Korea. For this, we develop a general model of a Mittelstand triple helix.
Pyramidal GaN structures were deposited by selective metal‐organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) to create semipolar facets. On top of these pyramids InGaN was deposited forming nanostructures of ...different dimensionality according to the varying strain regions along the pyramid.
We have studied the emission properties of pyramid ensembles using low‐temperature time‐resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The observed PL spectra in conjunction with the revealed decay times indicate already the expectations of regions with different confinement on the pyramids. Changing the size of the pyramids and the indium supply lead to variations in the emission wavelength of the ensemble.
Spatially resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) experiments were performed to analyze locally the emission properties all over the pyramidal structures. We have found that indeed the indium accumulates at the edges and the apex of the pyramids. Furthermore the emission of the quantum well (QW) sidewalls exhibit also a shift in emission energy which can be attributed again to a change of the In‐content or a change of the QW thickness.
A hybrid interface of solid-state single-photon sources and atomic quantum memories is a long sought-after goal in photonic quantum technologies. Here, we demonstrate deterministic storage and ...retrieval of light from a semiconductor quantum dot in an atomic ensemble quantum memory at telecommunications wavelengths. We store single photons from an indium arsenide quantum dot in a high-bandwidth rubidium vapor-based quantum memory, with a total internal memory efficiency of (12.9 ± 0.4)%. The signal-to-noise ratio of the retrieved light field is 18.2 ± 0.6, limited only by detector dark counts.
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