The effect of work ethic on employees' individual innovation behavior

The present study examines the previously untested effect of work ethic on individual innovation behavior. These entrenched personal values that may remain unaffected by organizational constitution are suggested to shape a person's inclination to engage in innovative action. Deploying partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling (SEM), we show that being self‐reliant and time‐efficient positively influences employees' innovation behavior, while an attitude toward hard work and leisure has a negative impact. Moreover, self‐reliance, leisure orientation, and centrality of work are positively moderated by fair salary, a specific form of relational reward that previously has been identified as an antecedent of motivation. The work at hand thus contributes to extant research by enhancing knowledge about the antecedents of innovative behavior, showing that inherent work‐related values matter. As such, the study demonstrates the importance of considering the linkage of personal differences and motivational factors when examining the complex processes of individual innovation behavior.     

Evidence for a mechanically active high temperature relaxation process in syndiotactic polypropylene

Frequency- and temperature-dependent dynamic mechanical tests on syndiotactic-polypropylene (s-PP) show the existence of a relaxation process at the high temperature or low frequency-side of the dynamic glass process. Its frequency is about 10⁻¹ Hz at 100 °C and varies with temperature in an unusual manner, non-Arrhenius like, with an upward curvature with increasing temperature. The blocky substructure found for the crystalline lamellae of s-PP and the strain control of the deformation behavior, which needs more degrees of freedom than offered by stacks of internally stiff crystal lamellae, favors the assignment of the new process to intralamellar block slips. The assignment finds support in the observed retardation of the process accompanying a crystal thickening and the isotropy of the associated mechanical relaxation strength in an oriented sample.     

Ultrasonographic cross-sectional characteristics of muscles of the head and neck

OBJECTIVE: Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are the common techniques for evaluating cross-sectional areas and volumes of human jaw muscles. Because computed tomography has the disadvantage of showing cumulative biological effects and because MRI poses a problem in terms of clinical availability and cost, the purpose of this study was to determine whether ultrasonography could be used to measure local linear cross-sectional dimensions of muscles of the head and neck. STUDY DESIGN: In 46 patients with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders, the anterior temporalis, anterior masseter, deep masseter, anterior digastric, posterior digastric, and sternocleidomastoid muscles were measured bilaterally by ultrasonography to assess linear local cross-sectional dimensions. Measurements were made in 2 sessions with a time interval of at least 5 minutes. Data were analyzed for reliability and variability through use of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the repeatability coefficient (RC). To assess local muscle asymmetry patterns, the absolute asymmetry index was used, with the mean maximum muscle diameters of the respective right and left sides calculated from 3 consecutive measurements. RESULTS: Satisfactory visualization of muscles was obtained in 93.8% of 1104 imaging procedures. For the ultrasound measurements there was a significant difference in local cross-sectional dimensions between the first and second sessions for the anterior temporalis muscle only (P < .01). Acceptable intrarater reliabilities were obtained for the deep masseter (ICC = 0.92), anterior digastric (ICC = 0.91), and sternocleidomastoid (ICC = 0.86) muscles, whereas evaluation of the posterior digastric (ICC = 0.74), anterior masseter (ICC = 0.72), and anterior temporalis (ICC = 0.70) muscles was associated with moderate reliability. Variability of repeated measurements was found to be acceptable for the anterior temporalis (RC = 0.32 mm) and posterior digastric (RC = 0.48 mm) muscles. Analysis of muscle site-related local cross-sectional dimensions showed a significant difference between the right and left sides for the deep masseter muscle only (P < .05). The study population investigated revealed mean asymmetry indices ranging from 5.3% for the anterior digastric muscle to 8.7% for the deep masseter muscle. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography may prove to be a reliable diagnostic technique for the evaluation of cross-sectional dimensions and areas of muscles of the head and neck.     

Effects of different alloying elements on the hardness profile of nitrided hot-work tool steels

Hot-work tool steels contain several strong nitride forming elements such as Cr, V and Si which is taken advantage of widely in the nitriding of steels for many applications. This paper presents the effects of different alloy compositions of hot-work tool steels, including standard grades, new vacuum remelted high-performance grades and some model alloys, on the hardness profile after nitriding. The effect of the content of different elements (Cr, Mo, V, Si and Al) on the maximum hardness level and the nitriding depth was investigated. Reducing the silicon content enhances the nitriding performance, resulting in a higher nitriding depth or shorter nitriding duration. Aluminium reduces the nitriding depth slightly but leads to a strong increase in the surface hardness. Furthermore, aluminium significantly improves the thermal stability of the nitrided layer under operating conditions. The results can be used to aid the selection of hot-work tool steels and appropriate nitriding parameters.     

A Photorhabdus Natural Product Inhibits Insect Juvenile Hormone Epoxide Hydrolase

Simple urea compounds (“phurealipids”) have been identified from the entomopathogenic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, and their biosynthesis was elucidated. Very similar analogues of these compounds have been previously developed as inhibitors of juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH), a key enzyme in insect development and growth. Phurealipids also inhibit JHEH, and therefore phurealipids might contribute to bacterial virulence.     

Time-of-flight neutron imaging at a continuous source: Proof of principle using a scintillator CCD imaging detector

Energy resolved imaging has recently gained attention for the potential of spatially resolved texture, crystallographic phase and strain investigations. Especially a time-of-flight (TOF) approach that takes maximum advantage of the new generation of pulsed spallation neutron sources is currently in the focus of investigations. Here, we present results of corresponding TOF measurements recorded at the continuous source of Helmholtz Center Berlin. The critical component for TOF imaging is however the availability of a high resolution imaging detector capable of the required time resolution. Here, a gated time-integrating detector without the corresponding continuous time resolution has been used and the measurements therefore have to be interpreted as proof-of-principle experiments as will be discussed. Measurements of different series of samples revealing structural differences related to their crystalline structure will be presented as well as a strain measurement on a dieless drawn wire.     

Ein stroboskopischer Schlupfmesser mit direkter Ablesung

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Die silikatische Versiegelung elektrolytisch verzinkter Oberflächen – ein Schutzsystem für Bauteile in Kontakt mit Magnesium

The silicate sealing of galvanized surfaces – a protective system for components in contact with magnesium A silicate sealing of zinc galvanized surfaces assembled to magnesium alloys as a protection from galvanic corrosion is presented. The sealing is amorphous-nano-crystalline in structure, thermically stable and deposited on chromate coated zinc-surfaces. The sealing serves on the one hand as an electrically (poor conductivity) insolator and on the other hand as a diffusion barrier for mass transport. In this work structural features are discussed by means of TEM-analyses. Electrochemical investigations in combination with corrosion-tests relevant to practical experience are presented. Further a series of chemical reactions during deposition of the silicate layer is suggested and it is discussed under which conditions on an industrial scale best performance of depositing the silicate sealing is reached.     

Eine Fußgängerbrücke mit einer Spannweite von 230 m

A pedestrian arch bridge with a span of 230 m. In the border triangle in the southwest of Germany, a new pedestrian bridge across the river Rhine between Weil am Rhein (Germany) and Huningue (France) was opened by March, 2007. The bridge will improve the infrastructure of the region and cross‐community relations. The basic conceptual idea of spanning the Rhine in one extremely slimline asymmetric arc is an unambiguous gesture symbolising the strong connection between the two countries Germany and France and concurrently leaves the correlation of views unaffected.