Ownership identity, strategy and performance:business group affiliates versus independent firms in India

We consider whether the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on business performance is moderated by the company affiliation with business groups. Within business groups, we explore the trade-off between inter-firm insurance that enables risk-taking, and inefficient resource allocation. Risk-taking in group affiliated firms leads to higher performance, compared to independent firms, but the impact of proactivity is attenuated. Utilizing Indian data, we show that risk-taking may undermine rather than improve business performance, but this effect is not present in business groups. Proactivity enhances performance, but less so in business groups. Firms can also enhance performance by technological knowledge acquisition, but these effects are not significantly different for various ownership categories

Eco-friendly synthesis, characterization, in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of silver nanoparticle-mediated Selaginella myosurus aqueous extract

Philippe Belle Ebanda Kedi,1,2 Francois Eya’ane Meva,3 Lebogang Kotsedi,2,4,5 Edwige Laure Nguemfo,6 Calvin Bogning Zangueu,1 Agnes Antoinette Ntoumba,1 Hamza Elsayed Ahmed Mohamed,2,4 Alain Bertrand Dongmo,1 Malik Maaza2,4 1Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon; 2Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, Somerset, South Africa; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon; 4UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa; 5Department of Physics, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa; 6Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon Introduction: There is emerging interest in medicinal plants in the biomedical field, due to their multitude of chemicals which show anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, or antitumoral potential. Research on medicinal plants has shown that nanotechnology could offer new solutions in the quality control, delivery aspects, or in sustaining herbal biological activities. This work reports on the preparation and characterization of silver nanoparticle-mediated Selaginella myosurus plant extract. Methods: Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and selected area electron diffraction have been used to characterize the prepared silver nanoparticles. The synthetic stability was studied by varying concentrations and pH of reactants. Egg albumin denaturation and carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model were used to ascertain the anti-inflammation. Results: Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy gave plasmon resonance ranging between 420 and 480 nm while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy proved nano interface functionalized with organics. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern is in agreement with silver and silver chloride nanoparticles of crystallite size 33.7 nm and 44.2 nm for silver and silver chloride, respectively. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy enables elemental characterization of the particles consisting of silver and silver chloride among main elements. Spherical silver grain of 58.81 nm average size has been depicted with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Inhibitions of 99% and 60% were obtained in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Conclusion: The albumin denaturation and carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema model to assess the anti-inflammatory potential of generated nanoparticles suggests that the silver nanoparticles may act as reducing/inhibiting agents on the release of acute inflammatory mediators. Hence, this work clearly demonstrated that silver nanoparticles mediated-Selaginella myosurus could be considered as a potential source for anti-inflammatory drugs. Keywords: eco-friendly synthesis, silver nanoparticles, Selaginella myosurus, anti-inflammator

Strong dichroic emission in the pseudo one dimensional material ZrS3

Zirconium trisulphide (ZrS3), a member of the layered transition metal trichalcogenides (TMTCs) family, has been studied by angle-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy (ARPLS). The synthesized ZrS3 layers possess a pseudo one-dimensional nature where each layer consists of ZrS3 chains extending along the b-lattice direction. Our results show that the optical properties of few-layered ZrS3 are highly anisotropic as evidenced by large PL intensity variation with the polarization direction. Light is efficiently absorbed when the E-field is polarized along the chain (b-axis), but the field is greatly attenuated and absorption is reduced when it is polarized vertical to the 1D-like chains as the wavelength of the exciting light is much longer than the width of each 1D chain. The observed PL variation with polarization is similar to that of conventional 1D materials, i.e., nanowires, and nanotubes, except for the fact that here the 1D chains interact with each other giving rise to a unique linear dichroism response that falls between the 2D (planar) and 1D (chain) limit. These results not only mark the very first demonstration of PL polarization anisotropy in 2D systems, but also provide novel insight into how the interaction between adjacent 1D-like chains and the 2D nature of each layer influences the overall optical anisotropy of pseudo-1D materials. Results are anticipated to have an impact on optical technologies such as polarized detectors, near-field imaging, communication systems, and bio-applications relying on the generation and detection of polarized light.NSF (DMR-1552220); Flemish Science Foundation (FWO-Vl); Methusalem foundation of the Flemish government; FW

Site Selective Doping of Ultrathin Metal Dichalcogenides by Laser-Assisted Reaction

Laser-assisted phosphorus doping is demonstrated on ultrathin transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) including n-type MoS2 and p-type WSe2. Temporal and spatial control of the doping is achieved by varying the laser irradiation power and time, demonstrating wide tunability and high site selectivity with high stability. The laser-assisted doping method may enable a new avenue for functionalizing TMDCs for customized nanodevice applications

Economic Development and Poverty Reduction in Korea: Governing Multifunctional Institutions

This study is a much revised version of the working paper on ‘Development Strategies, Welfar

Cross-national patterns of participation in adult education and policy trends in Korea, Norway, and Vietnam

Using comparative data, this article examines the level and distribution of participation in adult education (AE) opportunities among countries that participated in PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies). It considers observed cross-country patterns in relation to some mechanisms that drive unequal chances to participate and to some policy issues that surround the provision, governance, and financing of different types of adult learning. It also explores recent policy developments relevant to AE in three selected countries (Korea, Norway, and Vietnam)