Design, Fabrication, and Testing of an Electrospinning Apparatus for the Deposition of PMMA Polymer for Biomedical Applications

This paper describes the successful design and fabrication of a deposition system for synthesis and assembly of nanoscale and submicron sized fibers of poly(methylmethacrylate)(PMMA) polymer. To optimize the electrospinning deposition process, the distance between the needle and the electrically grounded substrate, the applied voltage, and the concentration of PMMA polymer in the solution were varied. PMMA fibers as small as 500 nanometers were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical signature of PMMA was confirmed for best quality and retention of chemistry using Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). PMMA is a biocompatible polymer, and nanofibers of PMMA are key building blocks for scaffolds and other biomanufacturing applications, such as bioprinting for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering of synthetic organs (Mo, 2004)

An Exploration of Key Connections Within Sales-Marketing Interface

Purpose – The paucity of empirical research on the sales-marketing interface necessitates a detailed exploration of linkages that can forge stronger connection between these two functions. This paper aims to explicate the boundary conditions that may affect the role played by structure, language and process linkages in forging sales-marketing connections, and to identify additional linkages that may play an important role in this interface. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 47 sales and marketing professionals across different organizations in diverse industries were interviewed. Findings – The research finds that certain boundary conditions (e.g. organizational hierarchy, time horizon) may influence how structure, language and process linkages may operate in this interface. It also extends linkage repertoire by identifying two critical linkages: social and philosophical. Its managerial contribution lies in stressing the importance of: vertical and horizontal communication bridges; marketing’s flexibility; interpersonal relationships; and the philosophical bond between the two functions, in forging stronger connections. Originality/value – This is one of the few qualitative empirical investigations of the sales-marketing interface. It broadens one’s understanding of sales-marketing linkages, adds to linkage repertoire, and extends the interface literature

CONTROL OF Phytophthora FRUIT DROP IN SAPOTA BY PRUNING

ABSTRACTAn experiment on pruning in sapota was conducted at Agril. School, Kosbad Hill, Dahanu, Dist. Palghar during the year 2008 to 2013 with three pruning treatments viz; heading back upto 3.0m, heading back upto 1.0 m, centre opening and thinning and untreated as control. The fifty years old over crowed  sapota trees were pruned as per the treatments in October, 2008. The three years (2011, 2012 and 2013) results  revealed that, all the treatments were significantly superior over control. The least per cent incidence of Phytophthora fruit drop (3.19, 4.13 and 4.25 per cent) was recorded in the treatment T4 (Centre opening and thinning) followed by T2 (Heading back 3.0 m) and T3 (Heading back 1.0 m) respectively. The maximum fruit yield (104.4kg plant-1 and 10.4 tones ha-1) was recorded in T4 i.e, Centre opening and thinning was found to be significant over treatment T2 i.e, Heading back 3 m (16.60kg plant-1 and 1.66 tones ha-1).(Keywords : Sapota, fruit drop, pruning, yield

Nanostructured hydroxyapatite coating for dental and orthopedic implants

\u27A high-strength coating for dental and orthopedic implants utilizing hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles provides for a high level of osseointegration through a range of surface pore sizes in the micro- to nanoscale. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles may be incorporated with the HAp nanoparticles to form a composite coating material, with ZnO providing infection resistance due to its inherent antimicrobial properties. A textured surface, consisting of islands of roughly square coating structures measuring about 250 .mu.m on a side, with spacing of 50-100 .mu.m therebetween, may further promote the osseointegration and antimicrobial properties of the implant coating

Dielectric nanolubricant compositions

A dielectric nanolubricant composition is provided. The dielectric nanolubricant composition includes a nano-engineered lubricant additive dispersed in a base. The nano-engineered lubricant additive may include a plurality of solid lubricant nanostructures having an open-ended architecture and an organic, inorganic, and/or polymeric medium intercalated in the nanostructures and/or encapsulate nanostructures. The base may include a grease or oil such as silicone grease or oil, lithium complex grease, lithium grease, calcium sulfonate grease, silica thickened perfluoropolyether (PFPE) grease or PFPE oil, for example. This dielectric nanolubricant composition provides better corrosion and water resistance, high dielectric strength, longer material life, more inert chemistries, better surface protection and asperity penetration, no curing, no staining, and environmentally friendly, compared to current products in the market

How main street drives Wall Street: customer (dis)satisfaction, short sellers, and abnormal returns

Although previous studies have established a direct link between customer-based metrics and stock returns, research is unclear on the mediated nature of their association. The authors examine the association of customer satisfaction and abnormal stock returns, as mediated by the trading behavior of short sellers. Using quarterly data from 273 firms over 2007–2017, the authors find that short interest—a measure of short seller activity—mediates the impact of customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction on abnormal stock returns. Customer dissatisfaction has a more pronounced effect on short selling compared with customer satisfaction. In addition, customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction are more relevant for firms with low capital intensity and firms that face lower competitive intensity. The results show that a one-unit increase in customer satisfaction is associated with a .56 percentage point increase in abnormal returns, while a one-unit increase in customer dissatisfaction is associated with a 1.34 percentage point decrease in abnormal returns

The Marketing–Sales Interface at the Interface: Creating Market-Based Capabilities through Organizational Synergy

The firm’s quest to create customer value is dependent on the synergistic coordination of many parts of the organization, wherein internal resources and capabilities are effectively harnessed to create a competitive advantage. The often suboptimal relationship between marketing and sales acts as an inhibitor to success in this regard and has been the subject of much attention in both the academic literature and popular press. The authors offer new insights into this issue by examining how the marketing–sales interface affects, and is affected by, other functional areas in the development of key organizational capabilities. They introduce a holistic framework that identifies key levers that must be integrated through cross-functional coordination and cooperation to achieve superior market-based capabilities that in turn enable the firm to create lasting customer value. Propositions linking the levers to market-based capabilities are offered to shape new research opportunities in the domain of the marketing and sales interface

A Comparative Study on Machining Capabilities of Wet and Dry Nanoscale Electro-machining

Presently, the nano scale electro-machining (nano-EM) process has been demonstrated in both the liquid and air dielectric mediums, which are known as wet and dry nano-EM respectively. In the current study, two important aspects of the nano-EM have been investigated: the minimum possible feature dimension and mass fabrication capability of nano-EM. Firstly, the investigation has been done on the capability of machining graphene at atomic scale with focus on obtaining smallest possible nano-feature using the wet nano-EM. Secondly, the ability of the nano-EM process for the fabrication of arrays of nano-holes has been investigated using dry nano-EM. It was found that nano-features of 3 to 4 nm could be machined in graphene surfaces revealing the atomic arrangement of carbon using the wet nano-EM process. The dry nano-EM was found to be capable of fabricating arrays of nano-features making it more suitable for mass fabrication. The field induced evaporation of materials from the tool during dry nano-EM retained the quality of tool electrode, thus making the process capable of fabricating more than 100 nano features in a single step. It was found that the material removal mechanism influenced the machining capability of the process. The mechanism of material removal in the wet nano-EM was associated with the dielectric breakdown of liquid n-decane generating intense heat for ionization, evaporation, and melting of materials. On the other hand, the material removal mechanism of dry nano-EM was associated with the breakdown of air, which generated intense heat at the gap between the nano-EM tool and the workpiece causing localized ionization and evaporation

A Comparative Study on Machining Capabilities of Wet and Dry Nanoscale Electro-machining

Presently, the nano scale electro-machining (nano-EM) process has been demonstrated in both the liquid and air dielectric mediums, which are known as wet and dry nano-EM respectively. In the current study, two important aspects of the nano-EM have been investigated: the minimum possible feature dimension and mass fabrication capability of nano-EM. Firstly, the investigation has been done on the capability of machining graphene at atomic scale with focus on obtaining smallest possible nano-feature using the wet nano-EM. Secondly, the ability of the nano-EM process for the fabrication of arrays of nano-holes has been investigated using dry nano-EM. It was found that nano-features of 3 to 4 nm could be machined in graphene surfaces revealing the atomic arrangement of carbon using the wet nano-EM process. The dry nano-EM was found to be capable of fabricating arrays of nano-features making it more suitable for mass fabrication. The field induced evaporation of materials from the tool during dry nano-EM retained the quality of tool electrode, thus making the process capable of fabricating more than 100 nano features in a single step. It was found that the material removal mechanism influenced the machining capability of the process. The mechanism of material removal in the wet nano-EM was associated with the dielectric breakdown of liquid n-decane generating intense heat for ionization, evaporation, and melting of materials. On the other hand, the material removal mechanism of dry nano-EM was associated with the breakdown of air, which generated intense heat at the gap between the nano-EM tool and the workpiece causing localized ionization and evaporation