Open Innovation, ambiguity and technological convergence

Objectives. Current paper aims to provide a fresh conceptual framework on the relationship among open innovation, decision ambiguity, and technological convergence. We argue that there is a curvilinear relationship between open innovation and both technological convergence and ambiguity. Contained level of convergence and ambiguity foster open innovation, whilst an excess of them is an impediment to collaboration. Technological convergence further acts as a moderator for ambiguity, in light of the benefits of isomorphism. Methodology. We propose a conceptual framework for open innovation decisions after accurately reviewing the main literature antecedents. Findings. We suggest an inverse u-shaped relationship between open innovation and either ambiguity or technological convergence. Research limits. In future, the theoretical framework proposed by thus study has to be tested with robust and proper statistical techniques on large scale samples. Practical implications. The model offers a heuristic for open innovation decisions under ambiguity. Originality of the study. To the best of our knowledge, the relationship linking open innovation, technological convergence and ambiguity emerges as a literature gap. This study tackles this issue, proposing an interpretation for the analysis of alliances decision in innovation

Competing effects of Mn and Y doping on the low-energy excitations and phase diagram of La1−y_{1-y}Yy_{y}Fe1−x_{1-x}Mnx_xAsO0.89_{0.89}F0.11_{0.11} iron-based superconductors

Muon Spin Rotation ($\mu$SR) and $^{19}$F Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements were performed to investigate the effect of Mn for Fe substitutions in La$_{1-y}$Y$_{y}$Fe$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$AsO$_{0.89}$F$_{0.11}$ superconductors. While for $y = 0$ a very low critical concentration of Mn ($x = 0.2$%) is needed to quench superconductivity, as $y$ increases the negative chemical pressure introduced by Y for La substitution stabilizes superconductivity and for $y= 20$% it is suppressed at Mn contents an order of magnitude larger. A magnetic phase arises once superconductivity is suppressed both for $y$=0 and for $y= 20$%. Low-energy spin fluctuations give rise to a peak in $^{19}$F NMR $1/T_1$ with an onset well above the superconducting transition temperature and whose magnitude increases with $x$. Also the static magnetic correlations probed by $^{19}$F NMR linewidth measurements show a marked increase with Mn content. The disruption of superconductivity and the onset of the magnetic ground-state are discussed in the light of the proximity of LaFeAsO$_{0.89}$F$_{0.11}$ to a quantum critical point.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

Strongly lensed supernovae as a self-sufficient probe of the distance duality relation

Theoretical Physic

Effect of external pressure on the magnetic properties of RRCoAsO (RR = La, Pr, Sm): a μ\muSR study

We report on a detailed investigation of the itinerant ferromagnets LaCoAsO, PrCoAsO and SmCoAsO performed by means of muon spin spectroscopy upon the application of external hydrostatic pressures $p$ up to $2.4$ GPa. These materials are shown to be magnetically hard in view of the weak dependence of both critical temperatures $T_{C}$ and internal fields at the muon site on $p$. In the cases $R$ = La and Sm, the behaviour of the internal field is substantially unaltered up to $p = 2.4$ GPa. A much richer phenomenology is detected in PrCoAsO instead, possibly associated with a strong $p$ dependence of the statistical population of the two different crystallographic sites for the muon. Surprisingly, results are notably different from what is observed in the case of the isostructural compounds $R$CoPO, where the full As/P substitution is already inducing a strong chemical pressure within the lattice but $p$ is still very effective in further affecting the magnetic properties.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

AC susceptibility investigation of vortex dynamics in nearly-optimally doped REFeAsO1−x_{1-x}Fx_{x} superconductors (RE = La, Ce, Sm)

Ac susceptibility and static magnetization measurements were performed in the nearly-optimally doped LaFeAsO$_{0.9}$F$_{0.1}$ and CeFeAsO$_{0.92}$F$_{0.08}$ superconductors, complementing earlier results on SmFeAsO$_{0.8}$F$_{0.2}$ [Phys. Rev. {\bf B 83}, 174514 (2011)]. The magnetic field -- temperature phase diagram of the mixed superconducting state is drawn for the three materials, displaying a sizeable reduction of the liquid phase upon increasing $T_{c}$ in the range of applied fields ($H \leq 5$ T). This result indicates that SmFeAsO$_{0.8}$F$_{0.2}$ is the most interesting compound among the investigated ones in view of possible applications. The field-dependence of the intra-grain depinning energy $U_{0}$ exhibits a common trend for all the samples with a typical crossover field value (2500 Oe $\lesssim H_{cr} \lesssim 5000$ Oe) separating regions where single and collective depinning processes are at work. Analysis of the data in terms of a simple two-fluid picture for slightly anisotropic materials allows to estimate the zero-temperature penetration depth $\lambda_{ab}(0)$ and the anisotropy parameter $\gamma$ for the three materials. Finally, a sizeable suppression of the superfluid density is deduced in a $s^{\pm}$ two-gap scenario

Do colorectal cancer patients diagnosed as an emergency differ from non-emergency patients in their consultation patterns and symptoms? A longitudinal data-linkage study in England

Background: More than 20% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed following an emergency presentation. We aimed to examine pre-diagnostic primary-care consultations and related symptoms comparing patients diagnosed as emergencies with those diagnosed through non-emergency routes. Methods: Cohort study of colorectal cancers diagnosed in England 2005 and 2006 using cancer registration data individually linked to primary-care data (CPRD/GPRD), allowing a detailed analysis of clinical information referring to the 5-year pre-diagnostic period. Results: Emergency diagnosis occurred in 35% and 15% of the 1029 colon and 577 rectal cancers. ‘Background’ primary-care consultations (2–5 years before diagnosis) were similar for either group. In the year before diagnosis, >95% of emergency and non-emergency presenters had consulted their doctor, but emergency presenters had less frequently relevant symptoms (colon cancer: 48% vs 71% (P<0.001); rectal cancer: 49% vs 61% (P=0.043)). ‘Alarm’ symptoms were recorded less frequently in emergency presenters (e.g., rectal bleeding: 9 vs 24% (P=0.002)). However, about 1/5 of emergency presenters (18 and 23% for colon and rectal cancers) had ‘alarm’ symptoms the year before diagnosis. Conclusions: Emergency presenters have similar ‘background’ consultation history as non-emergency presenters. Their tumours seem associated with less typical symptoms, however opportunities for earlier diagnosis might be present in a fifth of them

Fast recovery of the stripe magnetic order by Mn/Fe substitution in F-doped LaFeAsO superconductors

$^{75}$As Nuclear Magnetic (NMR) and Quadrupolar (NQR) Resonance were used, together with M\"{o}ssbauer spectroscopy, to investigate the magnetic state induced by Mn for Fe substitutions in F-doped LaFe$_{1-x}$Mn$_{x}$AsO superconductors. The results show that $0.5$% of Mn doping is enough to suppress the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ from 27 K to zero and to recover the magnetic structure observed in the parent undoped LaFeAsO. Also the tetragonal to orthorhombic transition of the parent compound is recovered by introducing Mn, as evidenced by a sharp drop of the NQR frequency. The NQR spectra also show that a charge localization process is at play in the system. Theoretical calculations using a realistic five-band model show that correlation-enhanced RKKY exchange interactions between nearby Mn ions stabilize the observed magnetic order, dominated by $Q_1=(\pi,0)$ and $Q_2=(0,\pi)$ ordering vectors. These results give compelling evidence that F-doped LaFeAsO is a strongly correlated electron system at the verge of an electronic instability.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures and 4 pages of supplemental materia

Evidence of orbital reconstruction at interfaces in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 films

Electronic properties of transition metal oxides at interfaces are influenced by strain, electric polarization and oxygen diffusion. Linear dichroism (LD) x-ray absorption, diffraction, transport and magnetization on thin La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films, allow identification of a peculiar universal interface effect. We report the LD signature of preferential 3d-eg(3z2-r2) occupation at the interface, suppressing the double exchange mechanism. This surface orbital reconstruction is opposite of that favored by residual strain and independent of dipolar fields, chemical nature of the substrate and capping.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

Does changing healthcare use signal opportunities for earlier detection of cancer? A review of studies using information from electronic patient records

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that changes in healthcare use before cancer diagnosis could signal opportunities for quicker detection, but systematic appreciation of such evidence is lacking. We reviewed studies examining pre-diagnostic changes in healthcare utilisation (e.g. rates of GP or hospital consultations, prescriptions or diagnostic tests) among patients subsequently diagnosed with cancer. METHODS: We identified studies through Pubmed searches complemented by expert elicitation. We extracted information on the earliest time point when diagnosis could have been possible for at least some cancers, together with variation in the length of such 'diagnostic windows' by tumour and patient characteristics. RESULTS: Across twenty-eight studies, changes in healthcare use were observable at least six months pre-diagnosis for many common cancers, and potentially even earlier for colorectal cancer, multiple myeloma and brain tumours. Early changes were also identified for brain and colon cancer sub-sites. CONCLUSION: Changing healthcare utilisation patterns before diagnosis indicate that future improvements in diagnostic technologies or services could help to shorten diagnostic intervals for cancer. There is greatest potential for quicker diagnosis for certain cancer types and patient groups, which can inform priorities for the development of decision support tools