Emission control of InGaN nanocolumns grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on Si(111) substrates

This work studies the effect of the growth temperature on the morphology and emission characteristics of self-assembled InGaN nanocolumns grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Morphology changes are assessed by scanning electron microscopy, while emission is measured by photoluminescence. Within the growth temperature range of 750 to 650 °C, an increase in In incorporation for decreasing temperature is observed. This effect allows tailoring the InGaN nanocolumns emission line shape by using temperature gradients during growth. Depending on the gradient rate, span, and sign, broad emission line shapes are obtained, covering the yellow to green range, even yielding white emissio

Internal market orientation and its influence on the satisfaction of contact personnel

Purpose: To verify the dimensions, reliability and validity of Internal Market Orientation (I.M.O.) as a scale of measurement of internal marketing, and using it to measure the effect of internal marketing on the satisfaction of contact personnel. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: interviews were carried out with all the cashiers of the 16 branches of a small, local credit institution. Findings: The results show the validity and reliability of the I.M.O. construct, formed by four of the five dimensions of the original scale. They also corroborate the causal relationships among the four dimensions, as well as the significant influence of the informal dimension of I.M.O. on the satisfaction of contact personnel. Research limitations/ Implications: the main limitation of this study is that it analyses a single financial entity, with the characteristics and behaviours that the latter has in its relationship with its employees. Practical implications: To achieve their organizational objectives, firms must adopt an orientation towards the employee, or internal marketing, on an equal plane to the traditional consideration of the external market. Also, the measurability of this internal orientation on the basis of the I.M.O. scale makes available a valuable tool of planning and control in its implementation. Originality/ value of the paper: this article verifies the validity and reliability of the Internal Market Orientation construct (I.M.O.), and its influence on the satisfaction of contact personnel, in a different business sector and with a different research subject from those analysed hitherto by the literature. It also demonstrates the sequential type of relationship among the dimensions that form Internal Market Orientation

Multidimensional perspective of perceived value in industrial clusters

Purpose – This paper aims to demonstrate that aspects of a rational or functional character and aspects of an emotional and social nature condition the perceived value of the exchange relationships among firms in an industrial cluster. Design/methodology/approach: – The research uses structural equation models (SEM) to test the models and applies the maximum likelihood estimation method in all the causal models obtained in the course of the data analysis. Findings – The results obtained support the hypotheses put forward, and in particular the importance of emotional and social values in industrial relations. Research limitations/implications – Recent advances in consumer and services marketing consider that perceived value and satisfaction are central to explaining customer loyalty. However, very few studies in B2B explain the multidimensionality of perceived value. For this purpose, the authors test their working hypotheses in the Spanish ceramic tiles cluster. Specifically, they analyze the relationships between manufacturers and a supplier of frits, enamels and ceramic colors and related services. Practical implications – An empirical study demonstrates that experience and interpersonal relationships are more important than price and switching costs in an industrial cluster context. The empirical study and the results provide evidence for managers: the critical influence of the emotional and social values perceived by the customer on his level of satisfaction and on the achievement of final loyalty. Originality/value – The paper highlights the importance of the most intangible dimensions of value for the relations between companies in an industrial cluste

Attention alters appearances and solves the 'many-many problem'

This article states that research in skill acquisitionand executionhas underestimated the relevance of some features of attention. We present and theoretically discuss two essential features of attention that have been systematically overlooked in the research of skill acquisitionandexecution. First, attention alters the appearance of the perceived stimuli in an essential way; and second, attention plays a fundamental role in action, being crucial for solving the so called ’many-many problem’, that is to say, the problem of generating a coherent behavior byselecting between many inputs and many potential outputs. We discuss the importance of these features for skill acquisition in sport. We also suggest empirical ways to assess the precise impact of taking them into consideration and at the same time we propose important implications for training derived from the ideas discussed in the paper

Antecedentes y consecuencias de la actitud ante el anuncio en las personas mayores. Un análisis empírico

La importancia socio-económica adquirida en los últimos años en España y en otros países europeos por el emergente mercado de las personas mayores hace necesario el estudio de sus particularidades como consumidores. Los cambios operados durante el proceso del envejecimiento ejercen una influencia en la percepción del fenómeno publicitario y por ende en la actitud manifestada ante el anuncio. El estudio en las personas mayores de los antecedentes de la actitud ante el anuncio y sus consecuencias en el contexto del modelo de mediación dual es el propósito del análisis de este estudio. Describiremos como se producen los mismos y demostraremos la validez del modelo de mediación dual como explicativo de las respuestas otorgadas por las personas mayores ante la publicida

Study of total stimulated saliva flow and hyperpigmentation in the oral mucosa of patients diagnosed with hereditary hemochromatosis. Series of 25 cases

Objective: To study lesions in the oral cavity of patients with hereditary hemochromatosis and determine their association with iron overload. Study Design: We took a clinical history, examined the pigmentation of the oral mucosa, and measured total stimulated saliva production. We correlated our results with epidemiological, phenotypic, and genotypic findings. Patients with associated diseases or drug therapy causing xerostomia were excluded. Results: We evaluated 25 patients (20 men, mean age 52 years) over a period of 6 months. No patient complained of xerostomia and pigmentation was not detected in the oral mucosa. The total stimulated salivary flow was reduced in 9 patients who had an average ferritin level of 796.5 ?g/l. The decline in total stimulated salivary flow was significantly correlated with ferritin levels (p=0.002). Patients with ferritin levels within the normal range also had normal stimulated salivary flow. Conclusions: We found no pigmented lesions in the oral mucosa; however, we did observe a decrease in total stimulated salivary flow that correlated with ferritin levels. Therefore, hyposialia caused by functional impairment of the salivary glands may be an early marker of iron deposition. © Medicina Oral S. L

Transporte marítimo de corta distancia entre España e Italia: perfil de las empresas usuarias

El Transporte Marítimo de Corta Distancia (TMCD) ha sido catalogado por la Comisión Europea como el único modo de transporte que ofrece posibilidades reales de lograr un transvase de carga desde la carretera, mejorando además la competitividad y reduciendo los costes ambientales. En los últimos años se han llevado a cabo diversos estudios donde se han tratado de identificar líneas de TMCD con un potencial de futuro importante. Sin embargo, no se han abordado trabajos donde se evalúe el perfil de las empresas de transporte internacional por carretera que hacen uso de esta modalidad de transporte. Con el propósito de cubrir este déficit, en el presente trabajo se procede, sobre una muestra de 81 empresas de transporte internacional por carretera (41 españolas, 3 portuguesas y 37 italianas) que hacen uso de las líneas de TMCD entre España e Italia, a delimitar el perfil de dichas empresas, a la vez que a analizar ciertos elementos inherentes a la relación que mantienen con las navieras con las que trabaja

Investigation of AlInN barrier ISFET structures with GaN capping for pH detection

The pH response of GaN/AlInN/AlN/GaN ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) on Si substrates has been characterized. We analyzed the variation of the surface potential (ΔVsp/ΔpH) and current (ΔIds/ΔpH) with solution pH in devices with the same indium content (17%, in-plane lattice-matched to GaN) and different AlInN thickness (6 nm and 10 nm), and compared with the literature. The shrinkage of the barrier, that has the effect to increase the transconductance of the device, makes the 2-dimensional electron density (2DEG) at the interface very sensitive to changes in the surface. Although the surface potential sensitivity to pH is similar in the two devices, the current change with pH (ΔIds/ΔpH), when biasing the ISFET by a Ag/AgCl reference electrode, is almost 50% higher in the device with 6 nm AlInN barrier, compared to the device with 10 nm barrier. When measuring the current response (ΔIds/ΔpH) without reference electrode, the device with thinner AlInN layer has a larger response than the thicker one, of a factor of 140%, and that current response without reference electrode is only 22% lower than its maximum response obtained using reference electrode

Investigation of AlInN barrier ISFET structures with GaN capping for pH detection

In the last decade the interest in nitride-based sensors (gas, ions...) and bio-sensors is increased. In the case of ion sensitive FET (ISFET), gate voltages induced by ions adsorbed onto the gate region modulate the source-drain currents

Oral squamous cell carcinoma of tongue: Histological risk assessment. A pilot study

Background: More than 90% of malignant tumors diagnosed in the oral cavity are Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas (OSCC) whose preferred location is the tongue. Classically, this disease has affected men preferentially, although recent studies suggest that trends are changing and the proportion of women with OSCC is increasing. In addition, the prevalence of oral cancer is also determined by some risk factors as alcohol consumption and tobacco. Currently, the Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) classification is employed to defined tumor stage and based on this guide specific treatments are established. However, 5-year-survival does not exceed 50% of cases. The objective of this study is to determine whether a histological risk pattern indicative of higher recurrence might be present in T1-T2 tumors located in the anterior two thirds of the tongue. Material and Methods: Samples from 26 patients with OSCC were analyzed and histological risk pattern of recurrent and non-recurrent tumors were compared. We have analyzed histological variables described in Anneroth and Brandwein-Gensler classifications. Additionally, we have also examined both clinical variables such as age, sex or comorbidities, as well as habits such as tobacco or alcohol consumption. Results: We found that sex (male) and keratinization degree (high or moderate) are directly related with OSCC recurrence. In fact, free illness time is lower in men and higher in those cases with minimal or no keratinization. Conclusions: Based on the variables analyzed, it has not been possible to establish a histological risk pattern that, complementary to the TNM classification, could have a predictive role in these early-stage tongue carcinoma