Hierarchical Chain Research Articles

The Sync-Fire/deSync model: Modelling the reactivation of dynamic memories from cortical alpha oscillations

We propose a neural network model to explore how humans can learn and accurately retrieve temporal sequences, such as melodies, movies, or other dynamic content. We identify target memories by their neural oscillatory signatures, as shown in recent human episodic memory paradigms. Our model comprises three plausible components for the binding of temporal content, where each component imposes unique limitations on the encoding and representation of that content. A cortical component actively represents sequences through the disruption of an intrinsically generated alpha rhythm, where a desynchronisation marks information-rich operations as the literature predicts. A binding component converts each event into a discrete index, enabling repetitions through a sparse encoding of events. A timing component – consisting of an oscillatory “ticking clock” made up of hierarchical synfire chains – discretely indexes a moment in time. By encoding the absolute timing between discretised events, we show how one can use cortical desynchronisations to dynamically detect unique temporal signatures as they are reactivated in the brain. We validate this model by simulating a series of events where sequences are uniquely identifiable by analysing phasic information, as several recent EEG/MEG studies have shown. As such, we show how one can encode and retrieve complete episodic memories where the quality of such memories is modulated by the following: alpha gate keepers to content representation; binding limitations that induce a blink in temporal perception; and nested oscillations that provide preferential learning phases in order to temporally sequence events.

Simultaneous enhancement of mechanical and electrical/thermal properties of carbon fiber/polymer composites via SiC nanowires/graphene hybrid nanofillers

Carbon fiber (CF)/epoxy composites with hybrid nanofillers were prepared by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of silicon carbide nanowires (SiCnws) on CFs, followed by in-situ grafting of graphene via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The effects of SiC nanowires/graphene hybrid nanofillers on interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), flexural property, and through-thickness thermal conductivity of CF/epoxy composites were investigated. Due to the incorporation of SiCnws and graphene, the interfacial adhesion and the mechanical interlocking between CF and epoxy were improved significantly, resulting in an increase in ILSS and flexural strength. Moreover, the through-thickness electrical and thermal conductivity increased further with the increasing deposition time of graphene. It can be attributed to the hierarchical thermal conductive chains and networks that were formed by SiCnws deposited on the CF surface and the synergy between SiCnws and graphene. This strategy provides potential new ideas for the thermal management application of epoxy and its composites.

Incivility: the new type of bullying in higher education

ABSTRACT Research surrounding higher education workplace aggression is regularly focused on acts of bullying down the hierarchical chain. This paper examines the data generated from interviews with 20 faculty deans to demonstrate that a shift in negative higher education workplace behaviour is occurring. This change primarily results in the well-defined and identified practice of bullying being replaced with victims enduring the accumulated impact of acts of varied disrespect such as negative comments, under the breath comments, intentionally misinterpreting instructions or spreading rumours, collectively known as incivility. This is a crucial shift that must be acknowledged by university managers, as incivility is rising in prominence and is difficult to stop using existing policies. Yet incivility has the same harmful impact on its victims as traditional forms of bullying. The paper thus analyses the rates of incivility in a set higher education leadership role, and the repercussions on victims in their professional and personal lives.

BRUCS: a new system for classifying and naming mappable rock units

A new scheme is introduced for classifying and naming mappable rock bodies that lack primary stratification. In recognition of their distinctive geological characteristics, these ‘nonstratiform’ bodies are defined and classified according to their 3D form, spatial distribution and genetic relationships, in two hierarchical (parent–child) chains: one for intrusions and one for tectonometamorphic units. Geologically complex units, encompassing bodies of different genetic classes, are classified in a third chain reserved specifically for ‘mixed-class’ units. The new classification scheme is offered as an alternative to existing recommendations in the International Stratigraphic Guide and North American Stratigraphic Code, in which nonstratiform bodies are recognized and defined primarily by their lithological character. BRUCS (the BGS Rock Unit Classification System ) combines the three new parent–child chains for nonstratiform units with the well-established chain for stratiform units (bed–member–formation–group–supergroup) to create a flexible, practical and effective solution for classifying and naming all mappable rock bodies. The taxonomic rigour of BRUCS means that the considerable capabilities of modern digital systems for managing and communicating mapping data can be exploited fully.

Community Health Workers as Street-level Quasi-Bureaucrats in the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Cases of Kenya and Thailand

This article uses cross-country comparative analysis to explore how community health workers (CHWs) deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. It combines insights from the street-level bureaucracy literature and an interpretive approach with original data from semi-structured interviews with CHWs in Kenya and Thailand. Findings show that how a public health system is organized (decentralization versus centralization) affects CHWs’ initial responses to the outbreak. While CHWs in Thailand’s centralized system conform to the “state agent” tradition by referring to the hierarchical chain of command, those in Kenya’s decentralized system follow the “citizen agent” tradition by prioritizing community safety.

An integrative approach to the nexus of brand loyalty and corporate social responsibility

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic tool that empowers competitive differentiation through coagulation of societal and business objectives. Against this context, it has been proposed that rational and emotional factors can develop a mechanism that can elucidate consumers’ reaction towards CSR. To date, literature that evaluates the role of rational and emotional variables in this realm is practically nonexistent. The objective of the current study is to develop a parsimonious model to analyze the inter-relationship of CSR and loyalty by incorporating mediators, rational (customer satisfaction) and emotional (brand affect), in the low-involvement product category. The information provided by 294 valid responses was analyzed using structural equation modelling and the PROCESS method. The finding supported the hierarchical chain of effects of CSR practices influencing customer satisfaction (rational variable), which further impacts brand trust and brand affect (emotional variable) and finally paves its way for brand loyalty in the low-involvement product category.

The Relationship between Government and Civil Society in the Era of COVID-19

Abstract COVID-19 created an extraordinary social situation in which governments struggle to mitigate the harmful consequences of the pandemic. Challenging times show a society’s resilience and capacity for solidarity and cohesion, the government’s ability to deal with emergencies effectively, the stability and inclusiveness of political systems, and their aptitude to respect democratic values. It is particularly important to examine this period from the point of view of civil society and civil society organizations (CSOs), since civil society plays a pivotal role in the alleviation and dissipation of societal troubles associated with the epidemic, indeed a vital role in curbing the virus. The civil sector’s strength and resilience too is tested. As the studies in this Special Issue show, exploiting the potential of civil society was an option that only some countries have been able to seize - as a result of which they have effectively reduced the consequences of the calamity while increasing a sense of solidarity and belonging in their societies. Others, however, failed to recognize the importance of civil society and interpreted the situation as a “single-actor play on stage”. Neither solidarity nor cohesion play out as values in these latter cases; instead the single actor – government – grabs the opportunity to play the role of the heroic savior and the exclusive problem solver, grabbing for itself both symbolic gains and increasing concentration of power. Citizens are expected to trust no one or no organization except the charismatic leader (or party). Thereby is forged a vertical and hierarchical chain of control, rather than a horizontally linked network of trust and cooperation. The studies and commentaries in this issue cover nine countries located on an imaginary line beginning in the United Kingdom, and extending through Germany, Austria, Hungary, Turkey, Israel, India, China and South Korea, representing various socio-political and economic systems. Embedded in elaborated theoretical understandings, this introductory essay examines the research articles of this Special Issue in which authors unfold the dynamics of CSO-government relations in the context of the world pandemic. These accounts sharpen our understanding of the preexisting shape of government–CSO relations. The introduction places the countries on a scale which classifies them according to the characteristics of civil society–government relations unfolding during the pandemic. One of the endpoints is represented by those countries where the CSO’s creative and constructive responses to the social challenges were prevented or blocked by the government. In this setup, CSOs were ignored at best, and restrictions undercut their abilities to contribute to the process of mitigating the pandemic and its consequences. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of this scale, are countries where the government, both central and local, invited civil society partners in the response to COVID-19, orchestrated high-quality and multilevel cross-sectoral cooperation, and provided partners with the necessary (financial) resources. In those cases, CSOs were empowered effectively to participate in a process designed to address the epidemic and its consequences in accordance with principles of participatory democracy.

In-situ regrowth constructed magnetic coupling 1D/2D Fe assembly as broadband and high-efficient microwave absorber

Magnetic material performance critically depends on its anisotropic behavior, however, the regulate strategy is still in lack. Herein, a novel 1D/2D anisotropic assembly of two-dimension (2D) magnetic Fe nanosheets supported on one-dimension (1D) Fe chain is successfully constructed as an excellent microwave absorber. By a controllable in-situ regrowth and subsequent reduction strategy, 2D Fe nanosheets radiating out the 1D Fe chain along its axis orientation are successfully converted from an intermediate γ-FeOOH phase. 1D axial Fe chains are self-assembled from isolated Fe nanospheres by the magnetic dipolar interactions. The multi-dimensional 1D/2D Fe exhibits an outstanding absorption performance with reflection loss of −57.3 dB and ultra-wide effective bandwidth of 11.5 GHz (1.9 mm). Integrated large planar anisotropy of 2D Fe nanosheets with anisotropic field of 1D Fe chains, such a hierarchical structure endows the assembly with strong anisotropy for magnetic response enhancement. Reinforced by the ultrathin magnetic nanosheets with high specific surface area, high-density magnetic flux lines construct the large-scale 3D coupling nets, which is confirmed by electron holography. The hierarchical chains cross-link with each other and form 3D conductive networks for enhancing dielectric loss. This finding might provide a novel idea on the design of high-performance microwave absorbers.

Hierarchical Hybridization Chain Reaction for Amplified Signal Output and Cascade DNA Logic Circuits.

In this work, we propose a three-layer hierarchical hybridization chain reaction (3L hHCR) composed of 1stHCR, 2ndHCR, and 3rdHCR to achieve robust signal amplification efficiency and broaden the applied range of HCR-based systems. In principle, the execution of superior HCR generates the formation of the initiator (named as 2ndI or 3rdI) of the subordinate HCR that relies on the introduction of the target sequence (1stI). To avoid the high background signal of the 3L hHCR system, a strategy of "splitting reconstruction" was adopted. The initiator of the subordinate HCR was designed as two separate fragments (splitting) that are obtained together (reconstruction) for the motivation of the subordinate HCR after the completion of the superior HCR. The implementation of the entire 3L hHCR system generates significant fluorescence recovery that derives from the impediment of Förster resonance energy transfer between fluorophore and quencher; thus, ultrasensitive detection of 1stI in the range of 50 pM to 10 nM can be achieved. Surprisingly, when the concentration of 1stI is lower than 1 nM, the 3L hHCR shows excellent ability to discriminate against various concentrations of 1stI, which is better than that of the 2L hHCR I system. Due to the hierarchical self-assembly mechanism, the 3L hHCR can also be reliably operated as a cascade AND logic gate with a high specificity and molecular keypad lock with a prompt error-reporting function. Furthermore, the 3L hHCR-based molecular keypad lock also shows potential application in the accurate diagnosis of cancer. The 3 L hHCR shows visionary prospects in biosensing and the fabrication of advanced biocomputing networks.

A triangulation estimation and forecasting framework for agricultural time series

This study proposes a framework implementing triangular estimation for better modeling and forecasting time series. In order to improve the performance of estimation, we employ two sources of triangulation to generate a time series, which is statistically indistinguishable with the latent time series hidden in a system. Thanks to Bayesian hierarchical estimation, which is akin to deep learning but more sophisticate and longer history, the framework has been validated by a large amount of records in vegetable auctions. The hierarchical Bayesian estimation and Monte Carlo Markov Chain particle filters used in hidden Markov model are appreciated during the massive bootstrapping of data. Our results demonstrate excellent estimation performance in discovering hidden states.

Mapping and Assessing Green Entrepreneurial Performance: Evidence from a Vertically Integrated Organic Beverages Supply Chain

The purpose of this article is to use strategy mapping (SM) and balanced scorecard (BSC) in portraying and assessing green entrepreneurial supply chain management (GESCM) performance of a vertically integrated entrepreneurial supply chain in an Egyptian emerging market of organic beverages industry. Based on thematic literature review and qualitative research (in-depth interviews with experts, focus groups, observations, and reports’ analysis), multi-item measurement quantitative BSC scale and strategy map were proposed to measure and communicate the GESCM performance of a hierarchical chain with multiple nodes and cross-functional green practices. This article conceptually contributes to the active debate on contemporary GESCM performance measurement. It integrates the literature of green production and operations management, strategic management and entrepreneurial supply chain management (ESCM) to investigate the unexplored context of GESCM research. It empirically assesses GESCM performance of an attractive network using BSC and maps its strategy with its multidisciplinary environment-friendly practices. The GESCM performance was measured in terms of four integrated perspectives (innovative and proactive processes, learning and growth, financial gains and supply chain stakeholders’ delight). Results showed that BSC and SM are effective and efficient tools in managing the performance of a successful GESC in an emerging market. Royal Herbs’ BSC key performance indicators (KPIs), which were used in assessing a GESCM strategy, indicate improvements along the BSC’s four perspectives. Results give green entrepreneurs/manufacturers in an emerging market as Egypt a comprehensive view on how they can effectively assess/improve their GESCM performance. It draws attention to the importance of investing in GESCM practices for maintaining sustainable development in a clean business environment. It helps practitioners, academics and policymakers in Egypt to bridge the gap between theory and practice regarding GESCM performance. From an interdisciplinary perspective, it provides insights on improving the ESCM performance of the industry without harming its natural environment.

Labour Law Protection of Executive Employees in Hungary and Western Europe

This article examines a specific chapter of the Hungarian Labour Code, the regulation on executive employees. The study is comparative in nature and aims to reveal the difference between the old and the new legislation. It compares changes in past and current legislation and presents the solutions used in Western European labour law to achieve the most optimal regulation of the executive status. The study also looks at what solutions, should be adopted in the field of management regulation and what would be the tasks of the legislation that would bring about the updating of labour law provisions. Such a problem does not arise in the Western European legal literature, as in countries following the unique works council system this is prevented by the legal disclosure of the hierarchical chain of executive employees, and in dual systems the dual composition of works councils, where one side is occupied by members elected by subordinate employees from among their own circle, while the other side is provided by the upper level of executive employees by delegation from the employer.

The perks of narcissism: Behaving like a star speeds up career advancement to the CEO position

It is widely acknowledged that narcissism is a peculiar characteristic of leaders, such as CEOs. However, the role of narcissism in CEO emergence and appointment has not been studied yet. We overcome this gap by studying whether having a highly narcissistic personality allows individuals to become CEOs sooner. We posit that these individuals have quicker career development, climbing the hierarchical chain faster. We also hypothesize that this relation may be moderated by the firm's characteristics, comparing family and nonfamily firms. Family firms are the most widespread organizational form of firms around the world, and their peculiarities might affect the appointment of narcissistic CEOs. Estimates on a sample of 172 individuals partially confirm the hypotheses. Highly narcissistic individuals become CEOs quicker, regardless of whether the firm is a family business or not. Narcissistic individuals thus benefit from their personality when aiming at becoming CEOs faster in their career advancement.

A hierarchical supply chain model for the sugar–alcohol energy sector with robust optimization analysis

AbstractThis paper addresses a hierarchical optimization model for the sugar–alcohol energy sector with robust optimization analysis to provide managerial insights. It has two levels: the upper level is a linear model in which more aggregated decisions are related to allocating production targets to mills belonging to a cooperative society aiming to meet the potential market demand, as well as managing the inventories over months in annual planning; the lower level is a mixed‐integer model that represents the less aggregated decisions of each mill, such as the milling rhythm, the industrial process selection to produce sugar–alcohol–molasses and energy, purchasing sugarcane from the suppliers on a weekly basis. Robust optimization analysis is performed for product prices and industrial yields to investigate their impacts on the supply chain that could not be inferred through deterministic approaches. One important result was related to the uncertainty in product prices that had a greater impact on the whole supply chain compared to the industrial yield, which affects only the mill itself, particularly increasing the inventory backlog of the mill for not meeting the demand assigned by the cooperative. Cogeneration of energy, and the sale of surplus energy was an important strategy to mitigate the decrease in industrial yield performed in the robust analysis while the change in the product production pattern was a consequence of product price uncertainty. The models can be applied in practice to provide better strategic and tactical planning of mills in cooperatives.

Electrochemical sensors-based phosphorus-doped carbon for determination of adenine DNA-nucleobases in living cells

Monitoring DNA–nucleobases and their oxidized forms in living cells is regarded as a biomarker for DNA damage. Adenine (Ad) electrochemical sensor was designed based on phosphorus-doped carbon spherical eye-like structure (P-CES). Spherical electrochemical sensors oriented with abundant multiple directional gates, such as micro-, meso-pores, and open cave-like eyes may lead to design a potential sensor with fast response, low surface charge resistance, high electron diffusion, and functionalized binding active centers to accommodate Ad molecules. The P-CES hierarchically ordered sphere electrode features dense and reactive exposure sites for a variety of additional interactions and flexible mobility surfaces during the detection of Ad. The key role of the circular shape with a rugged surface, multi-hole construction, and open grooves creates an active catalyst of strong binding to the target molecules and facilitate the molecular diffusion inner/outer the electrode surface. Moreover, the doping of P atoms to the hierarchical carbon chain leads to the distortion of sp2-graphitic construction, increases the number of plane edge defects, and induces the functionalization of the abundant active sites. Thus, P-CES provides active transducing element for detection of Ad in its resources (oxidative DNA in living cells) with high sensitivity, good selectivity, excellent stability, and facile reproducibility. The fabricated P-CES shows an ultrasensitive Ad sensor with a limit of detection as low as 0.002 μmolL−1, with a wide linear range of 0.01–0.8 μmolL−1. The Ad liberated from the oxidative-DNA in living cells can be detected with high affinity and sensitivity. The Ad sensor assay can be employed for investigation of DNA damage and deliver information for diagnosis of diseases caused by cell mutation and immune system deficiency.

Estudo de categorias para sistematização de conceitos em Gestão do Conhecimento

Introdução: Com base nos princípios de categorização, o estudo relata uma pesquisa em andamento sobre o categorias para sistematização de conceitos em gestão do conhecimento. Objetivo: Objetiva criar uma taxonomia-de-base-em-conceito para o domínio da Gestão do Conhecimento (GC), cujo resultado poderá minimizar a confusão conceitual entre especialistas, promovendo uma melhor comunicação e também o crescimento da especialidade. Metodologia: Como recurso metodológico da abordagem de análise de domínio, uma revisão sistemática de literatura se fez necessária com o objetivo de identificar e definir as categorias que irão compor o referido esquema de classificação. Conclusão: Como resultado, duas grandes categorias foram criadas, além de sete subcategorias correspondentes. Como etapas seguintes, pretende-se definir os conceitos, que passarão por um processo de sistematização em cadeias hierárquicas, cumprindo assim o objetivo geral da pesquisa que é a criação de uma taxonomia para o domínio da GC.

Unflat Ontology: Essay on the Poverty of Democratic Materialism

The paper is dedicated to the problem of flat ontology in philosophy and its relation to the practice in economy. The author argues that flat economy is based on a marginal utility theory of value and presents hierarchical value chains with concentration of power-capital as if they were flat and all the actors involved were equal. This is the work of democratic materialism, with its idea of radical equality of human and non-human interactions. This perspective, according to the author, should be opposed by the reconstruction of power-capital relations in unflat ontologies of the value-creation process.

Non-homogeneous hierarchical Continuous Time Markov Chains

This paper shows a method of calculating the hazard rate of the non-homogeneous Markov chains using different homogeneous probability matrices for several hundreds small time intervals (using default parameters settings — the number of the intervals can be adjusted to balance accuracy/time-consumption ratio). The method is compared to a pessimistic method based on homogeneous Markov chains and used to calculate the hazard rate of the hierarchical Markov chain. The hazard rates of the blocks are calculated independently and the non-homogeneous approach allows us to use them to calculate the hazard rate of the whole system. The independent calculations are significantly faster than the calculation of a single model composed of all models of the blocks.

Have hierarchical three-body mergers been detected by LIGO/Virgo?

ABSTRACT One of the proposed channels of binary black hole mergers involves dynamical interactions of three black holes. In such scenarios, it is possible that all three black holes merge in a so-called hierarchical merger chain, where two of the black holes merge first and then their remnant subsequently merges with the remaining single black hole. Depending on the dynamical environment, it is possible that both mergers will appear within the observable time window. Here, we perform a search for such merger pairs in the public available LIGO and Virgo data from the O1/O2 runs. Using a frequentist p-value assignment statistics, we do not find any significant merger pair candidates, the most significant being GW170809-GW151012 pair. Assuming no observed candidates in O3/O4, we derive upper limits on merger pairs to be ∼11–110 yr−1 Gpc−3, corresponding to a rate that relative to the total merger rate is ∼0.1−1.0. From this, we argue that both a detection and a non-detection within the next few years can be used to put useful constraints on some dynamical progenitor models.

Accountable to who, to whom, for what and how? Unpacking Accountability in Local Government Response to Climate Change

The aim of this exploratory study is to delineate the role of local government in climate change response through an accountability lens. Local governments have an important role in climate change response due to its proximity to the impact the environment will have on its citizens and businesses. Understanding the roles and responsibilities of local government response to climate change, therefore, needs a critical exploration of the ways in which local governments are answerable on its obligations. Local government climate change response was investigated by posing questions aimed to unpack accountability: who, to whom, for what, and how? Findings from the investigation show that climate change response within local councils is a highly contextual phenomenon; where the level of accountability observed is influenced externally by community demands and political cycles, and internally through a hierarchical chain of command, collaboration amongst council workers and the political interests of its leaders. The current study contributes to the literature by deepening understanding of how individuals make sense of organisational initiatives that respond to climate change, as well as highlighting the accountability challenges faced within local governments.