USING CUSTOMER-BASED BRAND EQUITY MODEL IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION CONTEXT: SIMULATING THE CURRENT UNIVERSITY’S BRAND

Purpose – the purpose of the article is to simulate the current version of a university’s brand using the Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) model. Research methodology – the methodology of the paper includes analysis of theoretical sources and prior research on branding in higher education. For collecting primary data, a questionnaire based on the multi-dimensional CBBE model was used; a survey was conducted in Transport and Telecommunication Institute (Latvia). Structural equation modelling was then applied for confirmatory factor analysis of relationships between brand equity-related factors. Findings – Statistical analysis of the conducted survey’s data disclosed the importance of different brand dimensions within the CBBE model: Performance, Imagery, Judgments, Feelings, and Resonance. There is a notable difference between the perception of brand equity and associated factors by local and foreign students; it was discovered that local students have more concerns about the Imagery of the university brand, while foreign students are more focused on the Resonance factor. Research limitations – the research was conducted within one higher education institution. Further study with a broader research base that confirms the applicability of the Keller’s model in different settings would be beneficial. Practical implications – as brand equity affects the choice of a marketing strategy adopted by a university, the information obtained through simulation of the current version of the corresponding brand is vital for developing and updating an efficient strategy aimed at accomplishing a competitive advantage in both local and international settings. Originality/Value – the current brand’s version has been successfully stimulated in higher education settings, applying the CBBE model as a scalable framework – to demonstrate how different factors related to brand equity are perceived by the university’s students.

Resonance attenuation in fluid transmission through channels without the use of accumulator systems

Accumulators are often effective in reducing noise from hydraulic systems due to their pressure spike dampening effect. Their use is feasible in most cases where replacements are easy. However, certain conditions like harsh environments or sub-sea fishing make accumulator replacements extremely difficult. In line dampeners provide a very easy solution but have never been designed to cater for the resonance dampening as such. Commercially developed inline dampeners also have nitrogen filled bladders or act like and behave as accumulators, posing the same risk of rupture and replacements. This paper addresses a simplistic approach for such channels replacing the need for a bladder/bladder-less accumulator for moderate pressure high rate flow of a non-Newtonian fluid for reduced resonance. Test results show minimal back pressure from the usage of the device. The paper only addresses the resonance factor and not the usual pressure spike control that hydraulic lines suffer from where accumulators work best. Proprietary material and innovation used in the design of the dampener is not discussed here. Sound attenuation for various input levels are compared between the device made and a traditional accumulator and test results were later used in the complete development of an inline bladder-less nitrogen free resonance attenuation device that performs better than having an accumulator in the system.

Experimental Determination of Amplitude-Frequency Characteristics in Response to Sound Strengthening of Hard Alloys

The paper proposes to reach such external energy which is sufficient for shifting carbide atoms and binding through application of resonance effect on frequencies that corresponds to sound wave spectrum. The energy is used to increase resistance of hard alloys with simultaneous preservation of high characteristics in hardness and density and which are operating under heavy technological conditions with an impact load. Method of aerodynamic strengthening has been developed and patented in order to impart new properties to hard alloys. While carrying out the strengthening the effect is reached due to high-energy action of sound waves on structure of hard alloys at low temperature. Milling of carbide phases and their redistribution, reduction of dislocation in internal structure, improvement structure parameters for specified operational conditions occur in strengthened hard alloys. The obtained results prove a resonance factor of energy deposition while using method of aerodynamic strengthening. It has been experimentally determined that in order to use this strengthening method for hard alloys there are two most efficient processing modes and each of them has up to five clearly expressed resonance amplitude spikes at specific frequencies and the most efficient one is the first mode. Attenuation ratios have been determined while processing hard alloys for every strengthening mode. Results of the research prove the fact that the method of aerodynamic strengthening is an efficient mechanism that changes properties of hard alloys operating with impact loads: improvement of wear resistance in hard alloy plates is reached by 20–40 % upon the expiry of 30 minute operational period while making strengthening at resonance frequencies.

Momentum Flux of Convective Gravity Waves Derived from an Offline Gravity Wave Parameterization. Part I: Spatiotemporal Variations at Source Level

Spatiotemporal variations in momentum flux spectra of convective gravity waves (CGWs) at the source level (cloud top), including nonlinear forcing effects, are examined based on calculations using an offline version of CGW parameterization and global reanalysis data for a period of 32 years (1979–2010). The cloud-top momentum flux (CTMF) is not solely proportional to the convective heating rate but is affected by the wave-filtering and resonance factor and background stability and temperature underlying the convection. Consequently, the primary peak of CTMF is in the winter hemisphere midlatitudes, associated with storm tracks, where a secondary peak of convective heating exists, whereas the secondary peak of CTMF appears in the summer hemisphere tropics and intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), where the primary peak of convective heating exists. The magnitude of CTMF fluctuates largely with 1-yr and 1-day periods in major CTMF regions. At low latitudes and Pacific storm-track regions, a 6-month period is also significant, and the decadal cycle appears in the southern Andes. The equatorial eastern Pacific region exhibits a substantial interannual to decadal scale of variabilities. The correlation between convective heating and the CTMF is relatively lower in the equatorial region than in other regions. The CTMF in 10°N–10°S during the period of the pre-Concordiasi campaign approximately follows a lognormal distribution but with a slight underestimation in the tail of the probability density function. In Part II, the momentum flux and drag of CGW in the stratosphere will be examined.

Electrolyte Detection by Ion Beam Analysis, in Continuous Glucose Sensors and in Microliters of Blood using a Homogeneous Thin Solid Film of Blood, HemaDrop™

ABSTRACTPercolation of blood and of interstitial fluids into implantable continuous glucose sensors (CGS) for diabetics presently limits sensor lifetime between 3 and 7 days. Na+ mobile ions in body fluids damage Si-based CGS sensors electronics. The direct detection of Na percolation is investigated by Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) and Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) in previously used CGS. Based on these results, a new technology called HemaDropTM is then tested to prepare small volume (5-10 µL) of blood for IBA. A species’s detectability by IBA scales with the square of the ratio of element’s atomic number Z to that of the substrate. Because Na has a low atomic number (Z=11), Si signals from sensor substrates can prevent Na detection in Si by 2 mega electron volt (MeV) IBA.Using 4.7 MeV 23Na (α, α)23Na nuclear resonance (NR) can increase the 23Na scattering cross section and thus its detectability in Si. The NR energy, width, and resonance factor, is calibrated via two well-known alpha (α) particle signals with narrow energy spreads: a 5.486 ± 0.007 MeV 241Am α-source (ΔΕ = 0.12%) and the 3.038 ± 0.003 MeV 16O(α, α)16O NR (ΔΕ = 0.1%). Next, the NR cross section is calibrated via 100 nm NaF thin films on Si(100) by scanning the beam energy. The23Na (α, α) NR energy is found to be 4.696 ± 0.180 MeV, and the NR/RBS cross section 141 ± 7%. This is statistically significant but small compared to the 4.265 MeV 12C NR (1700%) and 3.038 MeV 16O NR (210%), and insufficient to detect small amounts of 23Na in Si. Next, a new method of sample preparation HemaDropTM, is tested for detection of elements in blood, such Fe, Ca, Na, Cl, S, K, C, N, and O, as an alternative to track fluid percolation and Na diffusion in damaged sensors. Detecting more abundant, heavier elements in blood and interstitial fluids can better track fluid percolation and Na+ ions in sensors. Both Na detection and accuracy of measured blood composition by IBA is greatly improved by using HemaDropTM sample preparation to create Homogeneous Thin Solid Films (HTSFs) of blood from 5-10 µL on most substrates. HTSF can be used in vacuo such as 10-8 –10-6 Torr).

Optimization on Thin Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR) by Transmitting Line Method

In this paper, the transmitting line method is applied to analyze the properties of FBAR, and the input impedance equation is obtained, and the series resonance frequency fs and the parallel resonance frequency fp are calculated by this method. Moreover, the elastic effects of the electrode on the effective electromechanical coupling factor, k2eff , and the resonance factor, Qs> , of FBAR are investigated by the transmitting line method. Results indicate that the acoustic impedance ratio of the electrode to the piezo-film dominantly determines the behaviors of the k2eff , the variation of Qs versus the thickness of the electrode crucially depends on the acoustic impedance ratio of electrode to piezoelectric films. The results will be applied in the theoretical optimization of FBAR, which are available to optimize the fabrications of FBARs and similar devices.

Momentum Flux Spectrum of Convectively Forced Internal Gravity Waves and Its Application to Gravity Wave Drag Parameterization. Part I: Theory

The phase-speed spectrum of momentum flux by convectively forced internal gravity waves is analytically formulated in two- and three-dimensional frameworks. For this, a three-layer atmosphere that has a constant vertical wind shear in the lowest layer, a uniform wind above, and piecewise constant buoyancy frequency in a forcing region and above is considered. The wave momentum flux at cloud top is determined by the spectral combination of a wave-filtering and resonance factor and diabatic forcing. The wave-filtering and resonance factor that is determined by the basic-state wind and stability and the vertical configuration of forcing restricts the effectiveness of the forcing, and thus only a part of the forcing spectrum can be used for generating gravity waves that propagate above cumulus clouds. The spectral distribution of the wave momentum flux is largely determined by the wave-filtering and resonance factor, but the magnitude of the momentum flux varies significantly according to spatial and time scales and moving speed of the forcing. The wave momentum flux formulation in the two-dimensional framework is extended to the three-dimensional framework. The three-dimensional momentum flux formulation is similar to the two-dimensional one except that the wave propagation in various horizontal directions and the three-dimensionality of forcing are allowed. The wave momentum flux spectrum formulated in this study is validated using mesoscale numerical model results and can reproduce the overall spectral structure and magnitude of the wave momentum flux spectra induced by numerically simulated mesoscale convective systems reasonably well.

Intensities of Raman vibration bands. I

The intensities of some Raman vibrational bands of key groups such as C = O and C = N, present in aliphatic and aromatic molecules, have been measured relative to the carbon tetrachloride 458 cm -1 b and as standard. In using solutions of some of these compounds in organic solvents, small variations of band intensity have been noticed which seem to be related to the refractive index of the medium , although the usual corrections have been applied for this factor in determining the intensities. In aliphatic nitriles, small structural changes appear to have little effect on the intensity of C = N vibrations, unless the group as conjugated or attached to an aromatic nucleus. With substituted ethyl benzoates, acetophenones, propiophenones or benzonitriles, the plots of C = O or C = N band intensity against Hammett constants σ H show a minimum for the parent compound. There is, however, a smooth regularity between band intensity and Taft resonance factor σ R . The changes of intensity are also related to the shifts in position of the ultra-violet absorption bands caused by the substituents. The results may be explained, however, in terms of the resonance Raman effect, taking into account the effect of substituents in bringing an electronic level nearer to the exciting frequency.