Search results

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of silver submicron-scale wire (AgSMW) additives in filament feedstock for fused filament fabrication (FFF) additive manufacturing technologies. The antibacterial effect of the additive on printed objects is assessed and its impact on mechanical behavior is determined.

AgSMW-PLA composite FFF filaments were fabricated by solution processing, granulation and extrusion. The reduction in the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) is measured after exposure to FFF-printed composite test specimens with AgSMW additive concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 10.0 weight per cent. The effect of the additive addition on the thermal properties and tensile mechanical performance was measured. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the composite microstructure and fracture behavior.

E. coli growth was reduced by approximately 50 per cent at the highest additive concentration of 10.0 weight per cent. This is attributed to the release of silver ions through water diffusion into the bulk of the composite. The ultimate tensile strength declined with increasing AgSMW concentration with a moderate reduction of 18 per cent at 10.0 weight per cent. The elastic modulus did not vary significantly at any of the concentrations studied. The ductility of the composite was only notably reduced at the highest concentration. The reduction in mechanical strength and strain at break is attributed to an increase in void defects in the composite with increasing additive concentration.

This study demonstrates the successful incorporation of AgSMWs into FFF-compatible filaments for use in commercially available printing systems. The results demonstrate significant reduction of bacteria growth when using these materials. While the mechanical performance degrades slightly, the results indicate the material’s efficacy for a variety of potential biomedical applications. As a proof of concept, surgical tools were printed using the composite.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the growth and changes in Bioline International (BI), a non‐profit scholarly publications aggregator, distributor, publisher, and publishing assistance service founded in 1993 and operated by scientists and librarians who have a strong commitment to the principles of open access (OA) and to broad distribution, by electronic means, of scientific information.

The paper presents a case study of BI.

BI has changed considerably since its early days. Initially, it largely consisted of e‐mailed versions of printed peer‐reviewed scientific journals from developing countries; these versions were generally e‐mailed as ASCII text and could lack figures and graphics. But much has changed, both due to technological capabilities and due to policy changes. BI has increasingly moved toward inclusion of e‐only journals, and has itself tried its hand at publishing a small selection of highly specialized, fully online journals, with OA portions. In January 2004, it converted its entire web site to OA (formerly, some portions were restricted). It has been enabled to become a pure OA provider of scholarly information through a model of grant support and partnerships with other institutions, including many international institutes and foundations and the University of Toronto.

BI success is provides an unusual and successful model for strong support for OA to scholarly research and scientific information, especially from developing countries. It also provides a model of flexibility and adaptability, with minimal resources, and demonstrates the possibilities which emerge from truly broad‐based collaborations, across multiple countries, and between large and small societies, academe, and non‐governmental organizations.

The aim of this study was to determine what facilitators and impediments to regional and global entrepreneurship exist, as identified by the 145 industry contacts globally surveyed, and if education stood out as a critical factor.

An electronic, open‐ended survey was conducted; responses were categorized into three groups of factors – i.e. economic, social and personal – and analyzed accordingly by region and job function of respondent.

The survey revealed many similarities among responses, regardless of country of origin; although education was not the most frequently cited factor critical for successful entrepreneurship, it did rate highly in comparison to others.

Larger studies are needed to corroborate the findings of this initial study, particularly in some regional categories. The open‐ended question format required some subjective interpretation by the researchers; future surveys utilizing an objective answer format would be recommended.

The amount of consensus indicates that if entrepreneurs, academics, and others collaborated and pooled their knowledge and resources, some of the critical barriers to success could be overcome. The field could benefit by future research focusing on identifying specific collaboration strategies among regions or countries leading to the growth of entrepreneurial ventures and economic development.

Surveying experts regarding the facilitators and impediments to entrepreneurship (both regionally and globally) will help to bridge the gulf between theory and practical solutions to drive economic development.

To report on keynote presentations at the 44^th Annual LACUNY Institute held on May 18, 2007 in New York City, New York.

Conference report. Findings: The annual conference aims to provide attendees continuing professional education, invited papers and social events.

Provides a review of some of the events of the conference.

This column is designed to address library personnel issues. This particular installment seeks to discuss preparation for interviews, the interview process, and appropriate follow‐up actions after an interview.

The column is based on the author's substantial experience dealing with personnel matters in academic, public, and special libraries, including hiring for all types of positions. It is personal opinion, based on lengthy experience.

The column is intended to help people to deal with all types of personnel issues overall; this specific column is intended to assist people in the process of searching for and interviewing for a professional position.

The column is intended to assist people with personnel issues in general, and specifically, in this instance, with finding and securing a professional position.

This column seeks to address library personnel issues. This particular installment discusses the challenges of determining an organization's culture and the culture of any parent or supporting organizations. It also discusses some strategies for navigating organizational culture.

The column is based on the author's substantial experience dealing with personnel matters in academic, public, and special libraries, including hiring for all types of positions. It is personal opinion, based on lengthy experience.

This article discusses the challenges inherent in learning about an organization's culture and the culture of any parent or supporting organizations. It also discusses a variety of strategies for navigating organizational culture, in order to foster success.

The column is intended to help people to deal with all types of personnel issues overall; this specific column is intended to help librarians deal with the challenges of determining the nature of an organization's culture, and of navigating this culture successfully.

The purpose of this paper is to present a first installment of a new column on human resource matters in libraries. It aims to focus on the beginning of a professional career in libraries.

The paper looks at beginning a professional career in libraries, including exhibiting appropriate behavior and caution on professional discussion lists, understanding the realities of a difficult job market and utilizing opportunities for part‐time work and for professional development, highlighting exceptional attributes on a résumé, and doing research on hiring institutions.

The paper reveals advice for beginning a career in libraries.

The paper provides useful information for those who want to pursue a career as a librarian.

This paper aims to discuss strategies for a new library employee seeking to deal with difficult people at work, when the difficult people are his/her own colleagues. It seeks to provide a description of several types of situations that may arise, and general strategies for dealing with them.

The column is based on the author's substantial experience dealing with personnel matters in academic, public, and special libraries, including hiring for all types of positions. It is personal opinion, based on lengthy experience.

The paper addresses library personnel issues. This particular installment helps new employees of libraries identify various types of issues one may have with “difficult” colleagues, and also provides various strategies and options for addressing these issues.

The column is intended to help people to deal with all types of personnel issues overall; this specific column is intended to help librarians deal with the challenges of working with “difficult” colleagues.

This paper aims to describe both the development of a peer research consultant program – using student assistants to staff the reference desk with minimal supervision while providing high-quality research assistance to their undergraduate peers, and the steps taken to create buy-in for the program from campus and librarians.

The authors provide a description of peer reference services and describe how a remodel of the library building facilitated a redesign of services. The paper covers the process of developing program guidelines, securing funding, expectations of peer research consultants, the training process and lessons learned from a medium-sized academic library.

The findings after the first year demonstrate that undergraduates are highly skilled at providing high-quality reference services when provided with quality training and support. In addition, undergraduate students are now seeking out peer researchers for assistance with research items such as topic formation, keyword development in databases and proper citations.

No formal research or assessment of the program has been completed as of this time.

Well-trained Peer Research Consultants (PRCs) provide valued assistance to librarians in freshman composition classes, at the Ask Us reference desk, and to their peers. The program has allowed librarians to provide more outreach to their subject areas.

Students prefer going to their peers for research assistance rather than a professional librarian when given the choice. The training the PRCs are provided by librarians provides credibility and trust, which encourages undergraduate students to approach PRCs for assistance.

This paper draws on multiple iterations of peer reference models to create an original program, involving training student employees to provide reference services at a paraprofessional level, as well as providing the methodology for other academic libraries to develop and launch a similar program.

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, this paper seeks to formalize a definition of activist entrepreneurship and differentiate it from social entrepreneurship. Second, this paper proposes a model that explains how the storytelling process, in the form of the message and means of communication, influences the activist identity process and consequently the legitimacy of the activist entrepreneur.

This paper explains the historical method and offers an overview of the unique case of Madam C.J. Walker and analyzes how she gained legitimacy as an activist entrepreneur by conveying psychological capital (Psycap) concepts in her message and political skill in the means of her communication. The paper also analyzed books being written on her and also letters that were exchanged between herself and her lawyer F.B. Ransom.

The authors have found out that Madam Walker used Psycap elements such as self-efficacy, hope, resiliency and optimism as message and elements of political skill such as social astuteness, interpersonal skill, networking ability and apparent sincerity as means to communicate the message toward her followers and built a legitimate social identity where she had won the trust of them.

The primary limitation of this paper is that it is theoretical in nature and uses only one case study to support the theoretical model. However, when analyzing complex relationships, historical cases offer a wealth of insight to solve the problem at hand.

By using the elements of the model discussed in the research paper properly, people could create a legitimate identity for themselves where any message they give to their employees, colleagues and sub-ordinates would be viewed as a selfless one and that would increase the chances of their messages or orders being accepted and obeyed by the followers.