The Interplay of Institutions. Linkages between Enacting and Implementing Competition Law in India

This paper explores the impact of the diffusion strategy adopted by India for acquiring its competition law on the manner in which the competition law has and is being implemented in the country. It argues that the diffusion strategy has a direct as well as in indirect impact on the implementation of the competition law. The direct impact of the diffusion strategy derives from the manner in which the strategy shapes the content of the law particularly the provisions relating to the structure, mandate and composition of the implementing institutions created by the law. This impact direct affects the decision making of the implementing institutions and thereby directly charts the implementation trajectory of the law. The indirect impact derives from the impact of the strategy on the legitimacy of the law. The competition law may be challenged before general courts in India on grounds of legitimacy and the decisions of these courts indirectly impact the manner in and direction along which the law is implemented

An investigation into the effect of thickness of titanium dioxide and gold-silver nanoparticle titanium dioxide composite thin-films on photocatalytic activity and photo-induced oxygen production in a sacrificial system

Thin films of titanium dioxide and titanium dioxide with incorporated gold and silver nanoparticles were deposited onto glass microscope slides, steel and titanium foil coupons by two sol–gel dip-coating methods. The film's photocatalytic activity and ability to evolve oxygen in a sacrificial solution were assessed. It was found that photocatalytic activity increased with film thickness (from 50 to 500 nm thick samples) for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in solution and resazurin redox dye in an intelligent ink dye deposited on the surface. Contrastingly, an optimum film thickness of [similar]200 nm for both composite and pure films of titanium dioxide was found for water oxidation, using persulfate (S2O82−) as a sacrificial electron acceptor. The nanoparticle composite films showed significantly higher activity in oxygen evolution studies compared with plain TiO2 films

Rashba spin splitting in biased semiconductor quantum wells

Rashba spin splitting (RSS) in biased semiconductor quantum wells is investigated theoretically based on the eight-band envelope function model. We find that at large wave vectors, RSS is both nonmonotonic and anisotropic as a function of in-plane wave vector, in contrast to the widely used linear and isotropic model. We derive an analytical expression for RSS, which can correctly reproduce such nonmonotonic behavior at large wave vectors. We also investigate numerically the dependence of RSS on the various band parameters and find that RSS increases with decreasing band gap and subband index, increasing valence band offset, external electric field, and well width. Our analytical expression for RSS provides a satisfactory explanation to all these features.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, author names corrected, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Advanced functional materials and manufacturing processes

Guest Editors Jessica Winter, Jawwad Darr, and John Wang introduce the Materials Advances themed collection on advanced functional materials and manufacturing processes

Universities, knowledge networks and regional policy

As knowledge becomes an increasingly important part of regional innovation and development processes, the role of universities has come to the fore of regional innovation and economic development policy The objective of this paper is to critically review and assess the structure and function of knowledge networks and modes of engagement between universities and the business community in regional settings and contexts. It is argued that while regional knowledge networks and modes of engagement between universities and the business community are becoming increasingly prevalent, it is often difficult to ascribe investments in knowledge-based infrastructure to improved regional competitiveness. It is concluded that in a globalised knowledge environment the engagement between universities and regional business communities must be based on a mutual understanding of the role of both network and market-based knowledge interactions

Examining the relationship between stress and absenteeism : a research synthesis

Work stress and stress-related illness have been touted as significant causes of absenteeism in the popular press. Yet, solid research evidence for a stress-absence connection is currently lacking. Methodological variation across primary studies and multiple theoretical viewpoints preclude a comprehensive understanding of the association between these two variables. The purpose of this research was to synthesize and meta-analyze accumulated findings on the topic. The theory of causation was used to explore and build hypotheses about the nature of the stress-absence relationship, including mediating processes and moderating influences. Findings from 137 studies and 275 effects provide support for a positive causal relationship between stress and absenteeism, and confirm the operation of illness mediating processes. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that absenteeism might have the potential to play a maintenance role in regulating subsequent levels of stress and illness. Little support was obtained for the underlying voluntary-involuntary distinction between frequency and time lost measures of absenteeism. Among the individual-level moderators, the influence of attribution and disposition were confirmed, while the macro social context was the only contextual moderator to receive support. Findings shed light on many theoretical viewpoints, and provide a comprehensive understanding of work stress and absenteeism

Nano-sized Mo- and Nb-doped TiO2 as anode materials for high energy and high power hybrid Li-ion capacitors

Nano-sized Mo-doped titania (Mo0.1Ti0.9O2) and Nb-doped titania (Nb0.25Ti0.75O2) were directly synthesized via a continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis process. Materials characterization was conducted using physical techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, powder x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface area measurements and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Hybrid Li-ion supercapacitors were made with either a Mo-doped or Nb-doped TiO2 negative electrode material and an activated carbon (AC) positive electrode. Cells were evaluated using electrochemical testing (cyclic voltammetry, constant charge discharge cycling). The hybrid Li-ion capacitors showed good energy densities at moderate power densities. When cycled in the potential window 0.5–3.0 V, the Mo0.1Ti0.9O2/AC hybrid supercapacitor showed the highest energy densities of 51 Wh kg−1 at a power of 180 W kg−1 with energy densities rapidly declining with increasing applied specific current. In comparison, the Nb0.25Ti0.75O2/AC hybrid supercapacitor maintained its energy density of 45 Wh kg−1 at 180 W kg−1 better, showing 36 Wh g−1 at 3200 W kg−1, which is a very promising mix of high energy and power densities. Reducing the voltage window to the range 1.0–3.0 V led to an increase in power density, with the Mo0.1Ti0.9O2/AC hybrid supercapacitor giving energy densities of 12 Wh kg−1 and 2.5 Wh kg−1 at power densities of 6700 W kg−1 and 14 000 W kg−1, respectively