International Research Journal Research Articles

Comparison of Biophysical and Radiological Responses of Bio-Test Objects to Pulsed and Continuous X-Ray and Neutron Irradiations

Aims: To correlate qualitatively and quantitatively biological effectiveness of irradiations of bio-test objects by neutrons, Xand gamma-rays within a wide range of doses, dose rates (dose powers), durations of action and spectral contents of the radiations. Study Design: These irradiations were done with the help of well-known and newly elaborated sources of the above radiations based on isotopes, fission reactors, X-ray tubes and Dense Plasma Focus (DPF) devices. Place and Duration of Study: Institute of Metallurgy and Material Science (IMET), Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM), Moscow State University (MSU), and Medical Radiological Research Center (MRRC), between June 2007 and December 2011. Research Article International Research Journal of Pure & Applied Chemistry, 3(1): 32-47, 2013 33 Methodology: As biological test objects of different contents and complexity we used enzymes of various types, serum, seminal fluid, human lymphocytes. Enzymes activity prior to and after irradiation was measured using spectrophotometer (Hitachi) within the wavelength range Δ = 300÷750 nm according to up-to-date techniques. In the comparative researches the cytogenetic action of fission neutrons (generated by nuclear reactors) and of fusion 14-MeV neutrons (from DPF) were studied with the most widespread test-system – chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes. Results: The range of the variations of the coefficient of biological effectiveness for neutron radiation of dissimilar dose rates (dose powers) and neutron spectra as a rule does not go out from the limits of physiological oscillations at the neutron dose power that changes within 9 orders of magnitude (till the figure 10 Gy/min) and it coincides with the “classic” dose rate effect (a quadratic part of dose curves for cell survival or chromosomal aberrations). Yet in the field of radioenzymology the very powerful X-ray radiation results in activation or suppression of enzymes at doses differing by 4-5 orders of magnitude (to lesser doses) compared with analogous effects obtained with low power isotope and Xray tube sources. Conclusion: Resemblance of neutron action on dose powers within 9 orders of magnitude gives hope of applicability of the DPF neutron generators for the potential methods of neutron therapy instead of dangerous, expensive and cumbersome nuclear reactors. But the anomalously strong X-ray influence upon enzymes dictates careful application of super-high power X-ray pulses and demands further investigations of the nature of these effects.

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A Simple Model and its Application in the Valuation of Five Asian Real Exchange Rates

In this paper, the ratio model, a simple currency valuation model proposed by Zhang (2012, International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, issue 97, pp. 55–59), is revisited. We use both the ratio and purchasing power parity (PPP) models to value the bilateral real exchange rates (RERs) of five Asian industrial countries and areas, namely, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, against the United States. In the early 1950s to 2009, the RER misalignments of four new industrial countries and areas from the ratio model converged, but those from the PPP model did not, implying the competitiveness of the ratio model against the PPP model both in currency valuation and as an RER anchor. Based on the two models, from 2010 to 2011, the yen was shown to be overvalued by approximately 30%, whereas the Singapore dollar was undervalued by approximately 20%. However, the conclusions on the other three RERs were not consistent.

The Molecular Modeling of Detonating and Explosive Processes Based on the Activated Complex Theory

The present paper offers a molecular model of explosive and detonating processes based on the activated complex theory (a transition state theory). It is demonstrated that bond breaking within a molecule of an explosive occurs not simultaneously but successively with the formation of various intermediate complexes. Formal decay schemes of a classical 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluol explosive are presented, detonation speeds at different temperatures at the detonation wave front are calculated. It is shown that the main factor which influences the speed of a detonating process is the temperature at the detonation wave front. The design 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluol detonation speed falls within the range of 7 000 – 8 000 m/s that conforms to the experimental value. It is shown that at the temperatures of 4000 – 4500K qualitative and quantitative changes in the detonation mechanism take place. At the detonation wave front it is necessary to mark out limiting stages of the process, i.e. the time of particle (atoms) motion before the activated complex formation and the bond breaking time. The solution of the differential equations system of the kinetics process makes it possible to forecast a quantitative and qualitative composition of explosion products. Research Article International Research Journal of Pure & Applied Chemistry, 2(4): 221-229, 2012 222

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Vive la Différence? Comparing “Like with Like” in Studies of Learners’ Ideas in Diverse Educational Contexts

This paper considers the status of educational research that looks to replicate previous findings in a novel educational context, taking as its focus an active area of research in a range of national contexts: studies into students’ ideas about scientific topics. The paper considers the circumstances under which a “replication” study should be considered to offer original new knowledge worthy of publication in international research journals. It is argued here that there are sound principled reasons to expect studies undertaken in different educational contexts to be able to contribute to a progressive research programme, and so researchers should be encouraged to undertake such work. However, technically competent papers submitted to prestigious journals will be rejected if they are considered to merely replicate previous work without offering novel empirical or theoretical content that is considered to make an original contribution. This paper explores the basis for welcoming research “testing-out” published findings in new contexts and considers the place of such studies within a progressive research programme. This analysis can inform research design for those looking to explore learners’ ideas in local educational contexts, by offering clear guidance on the forms of research likely to offer significant contributions to public knowledge.

Changing World Economic and Financial Scenario

The dawn of the 21st century has changed the scene of the world economy and shifted the center of economic growth from the Western hemisphere to the Asian Continent. The global financial crisis of 2008 and the European debt crisis of 2010 have exposed the inherent weakness of G-7 economies, which are facing the challenges of twin deficits, falling productivity, rising debts, and an aging population. In contrast, the emerging economies particularly, China, India, and Brazil, have shown robust economic growth from 2000 to 2010. The objective of this paper is to measure the changes taking place in the world economy from 2000 to 2010 and their impact on asset allocation, employment, poverty, and allocation of resources. For this purpose, the author has selected total of 14 countries as a sample and divided them into two groups: G-7 and E-7. The G-7group Includes the USA, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Japan, and Canada while E-7 contains China, India, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Pakistan.
 The methodology used in the study is to compare different economic and financial indicators of these two groups of countries in order to obtain desired results. Mostly time series and cross-sectional secondary data, collected from the database of IMF, World Bank, US Federal reserves, relevant international research journals, and books, have been used. Different statistical techniques such as trend analysis and ratio analysis have been applied to measure the changes in selected variables. The results of the study are very encouraging. We found that increase in the national income of emerging economies has brought trickle-down effects and reduced poverty and inequality level in emerging economies. Only in China, about 400 million people have come out of the poverty trap due to rising employment opportunities. The share of E-7 economies in the world R & D has increased from14% in 2001 to 20.1% in 2007, while the share of G-7 economies has declined by 2.4% during the same period.
 The study found the declining trend of productivity levels in G-7 countries vis-à-vis E-7 countries. The anti-migrants policy of G-7 countries is one of the contributing factors to the decline of productivity. This study endorses the views of Blanchard (1997), David Romer (2001), Yuan Langwiler (2004), David C. Colander (2004), Andrew Glyn(2006), and John Hawksworth (2007) who contended that the USA will no more be a world economic power and China will likely to overtake her as world economic leader by mid of 21st century.

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Knowledge creation for practice in public sector management accounting by consultants and academics: Preliminary findings and directions for future research

This study is about knowledge creation for practice in public sector management accounting by consultants and academics. It shows that researchers emphasize the importance of practice, but worry about the prospects of a successful cross-fertilization between practice and research, because of the pressure they feel to publish in international research journals. Their contacts with consultants are limited. Consultants have limited access to academic research, because of pressures from their daily work. Knowledge created by consultants is initiated by problems coming from practice; it has to be ready-made for application in practice, and is often a combination of explicit and tacit knowledge. However, our interviews with researchers show a more diffuse picture; the knowledge created by some of them is disciplinary-driven and fundamental, whereas the research of others is more problem-driven and applied. Our study hints at two intermediary groups, i.e. consultant-researchers and consultants working in the expertise centres of their firms, both of which can potentially overcome hindrances in the communication between consultancy and research.

Negotiating Selves: Exploring Cultures of Disclosure

If identity is a construct—and, more critically, a construct defined and developed through relationships with others in public and private spheres—then an understanding of the processes, mechanisms and platforms by which individuals disclose information about themselves is crucial in understanding the way identity, community and culture function, and the way individuals can intervene in the functioning of culture.

ER-SERVCOMPSQUAL: A Measure of E-Retailing Service Components Quality

In a recent article in this Journal, S. Vargo, the service-dominant logic theorist, makes the unarguable claim that “What is needed is a true science of service (Vargo and Akaka, Service Science, 2009, p. 39, emphasis in original). To constitute a true science of service, services research must use valid measures. The sine qua non requirement for a valid measure is content validity, which comprises item-content validity and answer-scale validity (see Rossiter, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 2002, and C-OAR-SE Construct Measurement for the Social Sciences, Springer, forthcoming). The present article begins by criticizing the content validity of E-S-QUAL (Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Malhotra [Parasuraman, A., V. A. Zeithaml, A. Malhotra. 2005. E-S-QUAL: A Multiple-Item Scale for Assessing Electronic Service Quality. Journal of Service Research 7(3) 213–233.]), the principal academic measure of e-retailer service quality, which is probably the most important construct in contemporary services research. Rossiter's (Rossiter, J. R. 2002. The C-OAR-SE Procedure for Scale Development in Marketing. International Journal of Research in Marketing 19(4) 305–335.) C-OAR-SE construct measurement theory is then applied to develop a new and more valid measure, called ER-SERVCOMPSQUAL. This new measure seeks potential customers' and current customers' judgments about the quality of the components of e-retail service (thus ensuring high item-content validity), which are rated in terms of behavioral answer categories (which have high answer-scale validity). The new measure clearly shows e-retail managers where to make improvements in their service quality. [Service Science, ISSN 2164-3962 (print), ISSN 2164-3970 (online), was published by Services Science Global (SSG) from 2009 to 2011 as issues under ISBN 978-1-4276-2090-3.]

Beyond psychopathology: Interrogating (dis)orders of body weight and body management

As David Smail and Janet Bostock (1999: p. 78) noted a decade ago ‘[c]larifying the role ofideology and culture as ‘‘distal’’ influences on subjective experience is at once one of themost important and one of the most difficult tasks facing community psychology.’ Itremains equally important and, perhaps, just as difficult today. This special issue comprisesa series of critical explorations of the ways in which subjectivities and subjectiveexperiences are discursively constituted, regulated and resisted in relation to normalisedand pathologised body weights and weight management practices.Traditionally, psychological research has focused on the body image of individuals, byfor example, quantitatively measuring body image dissatisfaction in young women (e.g.Grogan, 2006; Tiggemann, 2004). However, the focus on deconstructing hegemonicnotions of body weight and weight management practices is undoubtedly of particularimportance for community psychology today most obviously because, against a backdropin which Westernised cultural ideas constitute the slender body as healthy, attractive,morally virtuous and ‘normal’ (e.g. Bordo, 1993; Malson, 1998, Malson and Burns, 2009),the World Health Organisation has declared that the Western world is in the grip of an‘obesity epidemic’ (e.g. Branca, Nikogosian & Lobstein, 2007).The now highly familiar and culturally entrenched constructions that equate thin/slimbodies with all things good and fatness with all that is aesthetically and morallyreprehensible are now over-written and further consolidated by a neo-liberal discourse ofhealthism.Framed withinneo-liberal ideology, one’shealthbecomesanindividual concernand solutions to health problems are seen to ‘lie in the realm of individual choice’(Crawford, 1980), so that body size is constructed as a personal attribute free of social,cultural, physical and economic constraints (Rich & Evans, 2008). Within this discoursethe thin/slender body is read as a sign of health and ‘excess’ body weight is constructed asunhealthy and a consequence of irresponsible lifestyle choices.Journal of Community & Applied Social PsychologyJ. Community Appl. Soc. Psychol., 19: 331–335 (2009)

Comparative and International Education: A Bibliography (2008)

Comparative and International Education: A Bibliography (2008)

A key piece of the jigsaw for improving world health

access is good for science, the research community and mankind. Sir John Sulston, biologist and Nobel Laureate Impaired access to research information in health-related fields is not solely the preserve of developing countries but it is hugely exacerbated in poorer regions of the world. While these regions bear the brunt of the world's health problems, only 10% of health research effort goes into these areas (referred to as the 10/90 gap). (1) If we are going to achieve what the World Conference on Science held by UNESCO and the International Council for Science in 1999 termed the true orienting of scientific progress towards meeting the needs of humankind, then we must improve the research effort on the health problems that afflict the greatest part of the world's population. That cannot happen until research communication is optimized: at the turn of the new millennium more than half of research-based institutions in lower-income countries had no current subscriptions at all to international research journals. (2) Open access changes this. It permanently delivers free research information to any would-be user. The security of long-term free access is relevant here because other programmes that purport to deliver health research information on an equitable basis to the developing world are not guaranteed for the long-term. (3) Access may be discontinued because new rules have been applied. No health research or practitioner programmes can operate properly under such circumstances. Open access literature, by definition, is freely available on a permanent basis. Some distinguished examples of open access journals in the health sciences are PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases and BioMed Central's Malaria Journal, which have the top two impact factor scores in the tropical medicine category of Thomson Reuter's Journal Citation Reports service, and Environmental Health Perspectives, the journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the United States of America (USA), which has recently recommitted itself to an open access policy. Open access journals are just one route to open access for health research literature. Open access repositories or archives are perhaps even more important, collecting as they do the outputs from research organizations around the world. Currently over 1400 in number, they have been established at an average of one per day for the past 3 to 4 years. Two of the largest, PubMed Central at the National Institute of Health, USA, (4) and United Kingdom PubMed Central (5) (run by a consortium of medical research charities and the British Library), presently provide free access to 1. …

The Re-Wiring of History

The Re-Wiring of History

The role of exploratory buying behavior tendencies in choices made for others

We examine whether the consumer trait of exploratory buying behavior tendencies (EBBT; Baumgartner, H., and Steenkamp, J.E.M. (1996). Exploratory consumer buying behavior: Conceptualization and measurement. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 13, 121–137.) can influence even choices made for others. The results of three experiments in a gift-giving context show that high (vs. low) EBBT individuals have greater salience of hedonic search motives and consequently form more diverse consideration sets while purchasing a gift. Further, when working with a specific gift budget, high EBBT consumers are more likely to diversify their gift choices by buying a greater number of relatively lower-priced gift items. We also find that the effects of the EBBT trait are significantly attenuated when the regulatory focus of the person making the gift decision is one of prevention rather than promotion. Discussion focuses on implications and future research directions regarding the relationship between exploratory buying behavior tendencies and consumer decision-making.