bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whole genome sequencing of multiple Leishmania donovani clinical isolates provides insights into population structure and mechanisms of drug resistance
Authors: Downing Tim , Imamura Hideo , Decuypere Saskia , Clark Taane G. , Coombs Graham H. , Cotton James A. , Hilley James D. , de Doncker Simonne , Maes Ilse , Mottram Jeremy C. , Quail Mike A. , Rijal Suman , Sanders Mandy , Schönian Gabriele , Stark Olivia , Sundar Shyam , Vanaerschot Manu , Hertz-Fowler Christiane , Dujardin Jean-Claude , Berriman Matthew
Published: October 2011

Visceral leishmaniasis is a potentially fatal disease endemic to large parts of Asia and Africa, primarily caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani. Here, we report a high-quality reference genome sequence for a strain of L. donovani from Nepal, and use this sequence to study variation in a set of 16 related clinical lines, isolated from visceral leishmaniasis patients from the same region, which also differ in their response to in vitro drug susceptibility. We show that whole-genome sequence data reveals genetic structure within these lines not shown by multilocus typing, and suggests that drug resistance has emerged multiple times in this closely related set of lines. Sequence comparisons with other Leishmania species and analysis of single-nucleotide diversity within our sample showed evidence of selection acting in a range of surface- and transport-related genes, including genes associated with drug resistance. Against a background of relative genetic homogeneity, we found extensive variation in chromosome copy number between our lines. Other forms of structural variation were significantly associated with drug resistance, notably including gene dosage and the copy number of an experimentally verified circular episome present in all lines and described here for the first time. This study provides a basis for more powerful molecular profiling of visceral leishmaniasis, providing additional power to track the drug resistance and epidemiology of an important human pathogen.
Mapping, Complementation, and Targets of the Cysteine Protease Actinidin in Kiwifruit
Authors: Nieuwenhuizen Niels J. , Maddumage Ratnasiri , Tsang Gianna K. , Fraser Lena G. , Cooney Janine M. , De Silva H. Nihal , Green Sol , Richardson Kim A. , Atkinson Ross G.
Published: October 2011

Cysteine proteases (CPs) accumulate to high concentration in many fruit, where they are believed to play a role in fungal and insect defense. The fruit of Actinidia species (kiwifruit) exhibit a range of CP activities (e.g. the Actinidia  chinensis variety YellowA shows less than 2% of the activity of Actinidia  deliciosa variety Hayward). A major quantitative trait locus for CP activity was mapped to linkage group 16 in a segregating population of A. chinensis. This quantitative trait locus colocated with the gene encoding actinidin, the major acidic CP in ripe Hayward fruit encoded by the ACT1A-1 allele. Sequence analysis indicated that the ACT1A locus in the segregating A. chinensis population contained one functional allele (A-2) and three nonfunctional alleles (a-3, a-4, and a-5) each containing a unique frameshift mutation. YellowA kiwifruit contained two further alleles: a-6, which was nonfunctional because of a large insertion, and a-7, which produced an inactive enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis of the act1a-7 protein revealed a residue that restored CP activity. Expression of the functional ACT1A-1 cDNA in transgenic plants complemented the natural YellowA mutations and partially restored CP activity in fruit. Two consequences of the increase in CP activity were enhanced degradation of gelatin-based jellies in vitro and an increase in the processing of a class IV chitinase in planta. These results provide new insight into key residues required for CP activity and the in vivo protein targets of actinidin.
Shoot Branching and Leaf Dissection in Tomato Are Regulated by Homologous Gene Modules
Authors: Busch Bernhard L. , Schmitz Gregor , Rossmann Susanne , Piron Florence , Ding Jia , Bendahmane Abdelhafid , Theres Klaus
Published: October 2011

Aerial plant architecture is predominantly determined by shoot branching and leaf morphology, which are governed by apparently unrelated developmental processes, axillary meristem formation, and leaf dissection. Here, we show that in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), these processes share essential functions in boundary establishment. Potato leaf (C), a key regulator of leaf dissection, was identified to be the closest paralog of the shoot branching regulator Blind (Bl). Comparative genomics revealed that these two R2R3 MYB genes are orthologs of the Arabidopsis thaliana branching regulator REGULATOR OF AXILLARY MERISTEMS1 (RAX1). Expression studies and complementation analyses indicate that these genes have undergone sub- or neofunctionalization due to promoter differentiation. C acts in a pathway independent of other identified leaf dissection regulators. Furthermore, the known leaf complexity regulator Goblet (Gob) is crucial for axillary meristem initiation and acts in parallel to C and Bl. Finally, RNA in situ hybridization revealed that the branching regulator Lateral suppressor (Ls) is also expressed in leaves. All four boundary genes, C, Bl, Gob, and Ls, may act by suppressing growth, as indicated by gain-of-function plants. Thus, leaf architecture and shoot architecture rely on a conserved mechanism of boundary formation preceding the initiation of leaflets and axillary meristems.
Model predictive control for autonomous unmanned helicopters
Authors: Joelianto Endra , Maryami Sumarjono Edwina , Budiyono Agus , Retnaning Penggalih Dini
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of controlling a small‐scale helicopter by using the model predictive control (MPC) method.

Design/methodology/approach

The MPC control synthesis is employed by considering five linear models representing the flight of a small‐scale helicopter from hover to high‐speed cruise. The internal model principle is employed for the trajectory tracking design.

Findings

It is found that the MPC handles well the transition problems between the models, yields satisfactory tracking control performance and produces a suitable control signal. The performance of the tracking control of the helicopter is considerably influenced by the parameter selection in the states and inputs weighting matrices of the MPC. Simulation results also showed that faster dynamics, coupling problems, input and output constraints and changing linearized multi‐inputs multi‐outputs dynamics models in the small‐scale helicopter can be handled simultaneously by the MPC controller.

Research limitations/implications

The present study is limited for the application of MPC for the control of small‐scale helicopters with non‐aggressive maneuvers.

Practical implications

The result can be extended to design a full envelope controller for an autonomous small‐scale helicopter without the need to resort to a conventional gain scheduling technique.

Originality/value

Helicopter control system designs using MPC with a single either linear or non‐linear model have been studied and reported in numerous literatures. The main contribution of the paper is in the application of MPC to handle the control problems of a small‐scale helicopter defined as a mathematical model with several different modes during a flight mission.
Reactive collision avoidance of multiple realistic UAVs
Authors: Manathara Joel George , Ghose Debasish
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have a wide variety of applications such as surveillance and search. Many of these tasks are better executed by multiple UAVs acting as a group. One of the main problems to be tackled in a high‐density UAV traffic scenario is that of collision avoidance among UAVs. The purpose of this paper is to give a collision avoidance algorithm to detect and resolve the conflicts of projected path among UAVs.

Design/methodology/approach

The collision avoidance algorithm developed in the paper handles multiple UAV conflicts by considering only the most imminent predicted collision and doing a maneuver to increase the line‐of‐sight rate to avoid that conflict. After the collision avoidance maneuver, the UAVs fly to their destinations via Dubins shortest path to minimize time to reach destination. The algorithm is tested on realistic six degree of freedom UAV models augmented with proportional‐integral controllers to hold altitude, velocity, and commanded bank angles.

Findings

The paper shows, through extensive simulations, that the proposed collision avoidance algorithm gives a good performance in high‐density UAV traffic scenarios. The proposed collision avoidance algorithm is simple to implement and is computationally efficient.

Practical implications

The algorithm developed in this paper can be easily implemented on actual UAVs.

Originality/value

There are only a few works in the literature that address multiple UAV collision avoidance in very high‐density traffic situations. This paper addresses very high‐density multiple UAV conflict resolution with realistic UAV models.
Obstacle avoidance for small UAVs using monocular vision
Authors: Lee Jeong‐Oog , Lee Keun‐Hwan , Park Sang‐Heon , Im Sung‐Gyu , Park Jungkeun
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose that the three‐dimensional information of obstacles should be identified to allow unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to detect and avoid obstacles existing in their flight path.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the approximate outline of obstacles was detected using multi‐scale‐oriented patches (MOPS). At the same time, the spatial coordinates of feature points that exist in the internal outline of the obstacles were calculated through the scale‐invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm. Finally, the results from MOPS and the results from the SIFT algorithm were merged to show the three‐dimensional information of the obstacles.

Findings

As the method proposed in this paper reconstructs only the approximate outline of obstacles, a quick calculation can be done. Moreover, as the outline information is combined through SIFT feature points, detailed three‐dimensional information pertaining to the obstacles can be obtained.

Practical implications

The proposed approach can be used efficiently in GPS‐denied environments such as certain indoor environments.

Originality/value

For the autonomous flight of small UAVs having a payload limit, this paper suggests a means of forming three‐dimensional information about obstacles with images obtained from a monocular camera.
Hardware‐in‐the‐loop simulation for visual target tracking of octorotor UAV
Authors: Rilanto Trilaksono Bambang , Triadhitama Ryan , Adiprawita Widyawardana , Wibowo Artiko , Sreenatha Anavatti
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the development of hardware‐in‐the‐loop simulation (HILS) for visual target tracking of an octorotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with onboard computer vision.

Design/methodology/approach

HILS for visual target tracking of an octorotor UAV is developed by integrating real embedded computer vision hardware and camera to software simulation of the UAV dynamics, flight control and navigation systems run on Simulink. Visualization of the visual target tracking is developed using FlightGear. The computer vision system is used to recognize and track a moving target using feature correlation between captured scene images and object images stored in the database. Features of the captured images are extracted using speed‐up robust feature (SURF) algorithm, and subsequently matched with features extracted from object image using fast library for approximate nearest neighbor (FLANN) algorithm. Kalman filter is applied to predict the position of the moving target on image plane. The integrated HILS environment is developed to allow real‐time testing and evaluation of onboard embedded computer vision for UAV's visual target tracking.

Findings

Utilization of HILS is found to be useful in evaluating functionality and performance of the real machine vision software and hardware prior to its operation in a flight test. Integrating computer vision with UAV enables the construction of an unmanned system with the capability of tracking a moving object.

Practical implications

HILS for visual target tracking of UAV described in this paper could be applied in practice to minimize trial and error in various parameters tuning of the machine vision algorithm as well as of the autopilot and navigation system. It also could reduce development costs, in addition to reducing the risk of crashing the UAV in a flight test.

Originality/value

A HILS integrated environment for octorotor UAV's visual target tracking for real‐time testing and evaluation of onboard computer vision is proposed. Another contribution involves implementation of SURF, FLANN, and Kalman filter algorithms on an onboard embedded PC and its integration with navigation and flight control systems which enables the UAV to track a moving object.
Configuration design and optimisation study of a compound gyroplane
Authors: Anh Vu Ngoc , Lee Young‐Jae , Lee Jae‐Woo , Kim Sangho , Jae Chung In
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the conceptual design and optimisation of a compound gyroplane. A study of a compound gyroplane configuration and its characteristics was performed to develop a sizing program.

Design/methodology/approach

The vertical takeoff and landing capabilities of a helicopter are particularly important. The need for efficient hover and the effectiveness of forward flight in the helicopter can cause conflicts within the design process. The designers usually wish to increase the helicopter's maximum forward speed. Recently, the compound aircraft is one of the concepts considered for the purpose of expanding the flight envelope of rotorcraft. The study of the compound gyroplane showed its advance capabilities for this purpose. Understanding its characteristics, a number of calculations are conducted to implement a sizing program for compound gyroplanes based on the conventional helicopter sizing process.

Findings

The results of the sizing program were validated using existing aircraft data such as the Challis Heliplane, Carter Copter, FB‐1 Gyrodyne, and Jet Gyrodyne. The program is appropriate to size a compound gyroplane at the conceptual design phase. An optimisation study was also performed to enhance sizing results. The compromise between the rotor lift sharing factor and the ratio of the wing span (Bw) to rotor diameter (D) was solved by choosing the total gross weight (TOGW) as the objective function, while the design variables are compromising factors. The optimum results showed that the TOGW of all four kinds of compound gyroplanes was considerably reduced.

Originality/value

A conceptual sizing program for unconventional compound aircraft was developed. The study showed that an optimum design process is necessary to enhance the sizing results.
Functionality of pizza ingredients
Authors: Singh Preeti , Goyal G.K.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to review the types of pizza and the functionality of basic ingredients of pizza with special focus on the effects of pizza toppings on health.

Design/methodology/approach

Phenomenological research has raised awareness and increased insight into the role of various pizza ingredients and health benefits of different pizza toppings and consequently pizza is called a “functional food”. The approach is based on observation of the online research, a close watch on the pizza industry, analysis of research papers in journals, and brainstorming research on the effect of packaging on the quality of different pizza ingredients with a co‐researcher for four years.

Findings

The changing life patterns and food habits of people and their preferences have catapulted the market to grow for convenience and fast foods. Pizza is one of the most popular family foods worldwide and has gained widespread consumer acceptance as a healthy and convenience food. It is a multi‐component product with composite number of toppings. It provides an array of nutrients in significant amounts, in relation to its energy and fat content, making it a nutrient‐dense food. It is cheap and can be delivered in a very short time. In particular, pizza supplies 30 per cent of the USA recommended daily allowance of vitamins A, C, B2, calcium and protein. It contains 50 per cent of vitamin B1 and 35 per cent of iron. Furthermore, pizza has anticancerous effects beyond the basic nutrition it provides, because of the potent antioxidant lycopene present in tomatoes.

Originality/value

This paper offers a holistic view that would guide a reader to identify the beneficial effects of pizza.
Internationalization patterns among speciality food companies: some Italian case study evidence
Authors: Testa Stefania
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of internationalization patterns among speciality food small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), investigating dimensions that may have a bearing on such patterns, using a series of case studies. In particular the investigation seeks to gain new insights about differences among companies in their internationalization patterns. These differences are examined in a framework which tries to relate three company‐level dimensions (market, technology and space) to internationalization patterns. The three dimensions are derived from the constructs developed by Storper and Salais, and Straete.

Design/methodology/approach

Two research questions (RQs) are formulated: Is there a relationship between the internationalization pace of speciality food SMEs and their technology, market, and space dimensions? Is there a relationship between the internationalization modes of speciality food SMEs and their technology, market, and space dimensions? A qualitative approach was adopted and cases from a broad dataset were used. The present research is an explorative research: it is intended to provide insights from which hypotheses might be developed.

Findings

This paper provides an empirical and conceptual contribution to the food internationalization debate. On the empirical side, it provides new evidence on speciality food internationalization, showing a rather diversified set of internationalization patterns, both in terms of pace and modes. On the conceptual side, it shows that the three dimensions of technology, market and space may help to enrich the comprehension of internationalization phenomena. While data collected seem not to provide insights from which hypotheses might be developed concerning RQ1, they seem on the contrary to provide useful insights concerning RQ2.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of the research generally relate to the use of a small sample. Future research should strive to obtain larger samples, develop a set of relevant finer‐grained hypotheses and test those using appropriate statistical techniques

Practical implications

Identifying the impact that the three dimensions might have on internationalization patterns and vice versa may help to focus on these specific elements when companies make their internationalization decisions. On the same line, public policy agencies could benefit from these first results for better clustering companies targeting their internationalization supporting initiatives.

Originality/value

The findings add to the limited body of knowledge on the key influences on internationalization patterns within the food sector.
East Asian cuisine perceptions in New York City between 1997 and 2007
Authors: Choi Jia , Lee Jong‐Mee , Cho Mi‐Sook
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The primary aim of this paper is to reveal the changes in perception of East Asian cuisine (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese) in New York City between 1997 and 2007. Through analysis of data collected from Zagat Survey food reviews, the research seeks to explore trends regarding each cuisine's social status, quality, and also to observe general comparisons between each ethnicity's cuisine. The secondary aim is to evaluate how each cuisine is currently perceived in the city that is not only beaming with culinary delights, but also deemed the “Restaurant capital of the world”.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Zagat Survey New York City 1997 and 2007, quantitative analyses were performed using the scores for comparison purposes. The mean and the standard deviations are calculated in terms of food, decor, service, and price. The t‐test was used to verify whether there have been statistically meaningful changes in each cuisine for the past ten years in the Zagat Survey.

Findings

In terms of popularity, the number of Japanese restaurants has significantly increased in ten years while that of Chinese restaurants decreased about 30 percent. According to the t‐tests, Japanese showed most significant changes in almost all aspects. Thai cuisine also demonstrated remarkable improvements, especially, in decor and service. Korean and Chinese cuisine did not show a noticeable change in food, decor, and service. Only the price showed a little change for these cuisines. Vietnamese cuisine achieved a significant progress in food while no enhancement in other aspects.

Research limitations/implications

Because the scope of the research was “general” restaurants in New York City, the discussion on their price range, quality of food, decor, and service, the type of restaurant under observation was inevitably limited.

Practical implications

The research can help in marketing and development of new restaurants for it provides some insight into the characteristics of each ethnic cuisine and trend changes of restaurants.

Originality/value

The research presented in the paper can be applied both by practitioners and academics in the fields of food service management.
Factors influencing information‐seeking intentions and support for restrictions
Authors: Lu Hung‐Yi , Dzwo Tzong‐Horng , Hou Hsin‐Ya , Andrews James E.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This study aims to examine factors influencing information‐seeking intentions and support for restrictions related to the threat of arsenic‐contaminated frying oil.

Design/methodology/approach

A telephone survey using a systematic random sample of 566 respondents in Taiwan was employed to test all hypotheses proposed in this study.

Findings

Results from the structured equation model show that news attention and elaboration significantly and positively predict information‐seeking intentions, while optimism significantly and negatively predict information‐seeking intentions; and information‐seeking intentions significantly and positively predict support for restrictions.

Practical implications

The findings of this study imply that increasing risk perceptions and providing useful information while facing the threat of food safety are of central importance.

Originality/value

The current study provides an appropriate opportunity for developing a model for better understanding the interaction among news attention, news elaboration, optimism, information‐seeking intentions, and support for restrictions as Taiwanese face the threat of arsenic‐contaminated frying oil.
The influence of library manager styles on continuing education of university library practitioners in Vietnam
Authors: Hong Sinh Nguyen , Dorner Daniel G. , Gorman G.E.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to examine and then discuss the positive and negative influences of library manager styles on the engagement of Vietnamese university library staff in continuing education (CE) activities to improve their work performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the relevant literature, a preliminary contextual model of factors affecting CE for university library practitioners in Vietnam was developed. Using the model as a framework to guide the data gathering, 17 focus group interviews were held with operational staff and ten individual semi‐structured interviews were conducted with library managers at ten public university libraries across Vietnam.

Findings

Three main managerial styles were identified, i.e. directive, decisive and formalistic styles, each of which affected academic library staff CE in different ways. These styles were reflected in the ways the managers operated their libraries and assessed their staff, as well as in the ways they dealt with and coordinated CE activities.

Research limitations/implications

This research focused only on public university library staff and managers in Vietnam.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates that different managerial styles influence the engagement of Vietnamese university library staff in CE activities in different ways, and recommendations are provided to help academic library managers, regardless of their location, establish strategies to support the development of their staff through participation in CE activities.
Tenure support mechanisms provided by the Faculty Research Committee at Texas A&M University Libraries
Authors: Stephens Jane , Sare Laura , Kimball Rusty , Foster Margaret , Kitchens Joel
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The Research Committee at Texas A&M University (TAMU) Libraries provides a model of tenure support that includes funding of research projects and an annual Research Forum. The purpose of this article is to review these support mechanisms and their outcomes. An argument for the benefit of such a model is presented.

Design/methodology/approach

Tenure support provided by the Research Committee and the broader supportive environment in which it functions is described. Each supported project was reviewed to determine its outcome (publication or conference presentation).

Findings

This model of support benefits tenure‐track librarians at Texas A&M University Libraries.

Practical implications

This model of support would likely benefit other academic libraries that require librarians to engage in scholarly communication. Thus this paper should be of interest to academic librarians and to library managers seeking to enhance tenure support for their faculty librarians.

Originality/value

Much of the literature on tenure support advocates mentoring. While TAMU's Research Committee functions within a library that requires mentors for its untenured faculty, this article provides an argument for the retention, or adoption of the kind of support provided by TAMU's Research Committee, including research funding and the opportunity to present research results to colleagues.
Library volunteerism outcomes: what student volunteers expect
Authors: Tikam Madhuri
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the outcomes of the Library Volunteerism Program of student volunteers in a college library of Mumbai.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey and interview method was used to collate the achieved outcomes and expectations of 112 student volunteers who participated in the Library Volunteerism Program.

Findings

The Library Volunteerism Program strengthened the library‐student bond. Though the student volunteers felt satisfied about making an important contribution to the organisation, they rarely found it personally fulfilling. The volunteers expected more substantial outcomes and flexibility from the Library Volunteerism Program.

Practical implications

The study found that making the volunteerism experience more exciting, challenging and beneficial to the volunteers is essential for developing a long‐lasting and mutually beneficial relationship between the volunteers and the library. The suggested guidelines should allow similar libraries to design an effective library volunteerism program.

Originality/value

This is the first paper which discusses library volunteerism outcomes in the college libraries of India.
Organizational aspects of digitization projects in the Croatian public libraries
Authors: Vrana Radovan
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to present findings from research in the Croatian public libraries on organizational aspects of digitization projects.

Design/methodology/approach

This research article is based on research done in 152 public libraries in Croatia invited by e‐mail to participate in the web survey, which was chosen as the most appropriate tool for investigating geographically dispersed libraries.

Findings

Findings from the survey indicate a modest number of public libraries engaged in digitization projects. These results can be attributed to unfavorable conditions for initiation of digitization projects. Almost half of public libraries plan to launch digitization projects as soon as necessary conditions for digitization become favorable. Digital content available in the surveyed public libraries already received a positive feedback from users. Instead of mass digitization, public libraries chose systematic digitization of selected library collections. To improve the quality of digitization of library material public libraries need better financial support, additional training of library staff and better infrastructure. The findings indicate that public libraries in Croatia are strongly dedicated to development of digital collections as soon as necessary conditions for launch of their digitization projects are met.

Originality/value

The article contributes to the growing body of knowledge about organizational aspects of digital collection development and digitization in public libraries as well as about the benefits digital collections can provide for libraries in general.
Climbing the Himalayas
Authors: Chao Chin‐Chung (Joy)
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The present study aims at contributing to the knowledge of organizational communication and cross‐cultural leadership by examining the relationship between cultural values and expected female leadership styles in non‐profit organizations in Taiwan and the US.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 307 Rotarians in Taiwan and the US completed a survey meant to reveal their cultural values and expected female leadership styles. In addition, the method of semi‐structured interviews was used to raise the participants' consciousness of and critical reflections upon social practices regarding female leadership.

Findings

The research results are threefold. First, among the three major leadership styles, Rotarians in both countries expect female leaders to display transformational leadership. Second, laissez‐faire leadership style can be better explained by the variables of cultural values and country than transformational and transactional leadership styles. Finally, to successfully confront gender discrimination, female leaders need to oftentimes behave much more progressively and actively and sometimes make necessary compromises of their female qualities to overcome the barriers just like climbing over the Himalayas.

Practical implications

The research findings imply that national culture is not the only factor to account for the expected female leadership styles. Future studies of leadership concepts and styles should include more variables such as organizational culture, political system, language, and feminine or masculine characteristics. Based on the results, the so‐called “glass‐ceiling effects” have been broken bit by bit; yet, female leaders still need to “climb over the Himalayas” and pass through a tortuous, demanding, and exhausting path in order to move upward.

Originality/value

As the first study of its kind, this study has filled the gap by expanding leadership studies to cross‐cultural contexts, thus contributing to the body of human knowledge of cross‐cultural leadership in non‐profit organizations of Rotary Clubs.
The formative capacity of momentous events and leadership development
Authors: Olivares Orlando J.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The primary purpose of this paper is to explore how momentous events may contribute to leadership development. A second purpose is to show how the formative attributes of momentous events are linked to leader traits needed for effective leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

The leadership tripod is used as the relational framework for exploring the formative capacity of momentous events. The formative capacity of momentous events, however, is realized through the personal memories of those events, that is, through autobiographical memory. Autobiographical memory, then, will provide an additional more rudimentary framework for exploring momentous events; within this framework, the momentous event will be dissected in order to identify its basic attributes, to explore how these attributes affect the leadership structure, and to show how changes to the leadership structure develop leaders.

Findings

Attributes and formative mechanisms of momentous events were identified, as were leader traits necessary for developmental readiness. Also, six propositions were distilled from this research. These propositions guide the implications about leadership training.

Practical implications

First, this research provides insight for leader‐situation interactions. Second, this research may provide guidance for strategies used in leadership development training.

Originality/value

This research provides three unique contributions to the literature: a focus on the experiential and relational aspects of leadership development; an analysis of the formative attributes and mechanisms of momentous events, along with the leader traits necessary for developmental readiness; and an exploration of momentous events as personal events memories.
Robots for monitoring the environment
Authors: Bogue Robert
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a review of the role of robots for monitoring the environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a short introduction, this paper discusses developments in aquatic, terrestrial and airborne robots for monitoring the environment. Brief conclusions are drawn.

Findings

This shows that robots are being developed for all manner of environmental monitoring applications. Aquatic devices are attracting the greatest attention but both terrestrial and airborne robots have the potential to play an important, future role. In many instances, their deployment reflects the difficulties in or impossibility of using manual monitoring methods. A longer‐term vision of large numbers of robots conducting environmental monitoring on a routine basis is unlikely to be realised unless lower cost solutions can be developed.

Originality/value

Environmental monitoring robots have been under development since the 1990s and this paper provides a review of recent activities.
Expert system to interpret hand tremor and provide joystick position signals for powered wheelchairs with ultrasonic sensor systems
Authors: Sanders David , Stott Ian , Graham‐Jones Jasper , Gegov Alexander , Tewkesbury Giles
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how to make powered‐wheelchair driving easier using simple expert systems to interpret joystick and ultrasonic sensor data. The expert systems interpret shaky joystick movement and identify potentially hazardous situations and then recommend safe courses of action.

Design/methodology/approach

The way that a human user interacts with a powered‐wheelchair is investigated. Some simple expert systems are presented that interpret hand tremor and provide joystick position signals for an ultrasonic sensor system. Results are presented from a series of timed tasks completed by users using a joystick to control a powered‐wheelchair. Effect on the efficiency of driving a powered‐wheelchair is measured using the times to drive through progressively more complicated courses. Drivers completed tests both with and without sensors and the most recently published systems are used to compare results.

Findings

The new expert systems consistently out‐performed the most recently published systems. A minor secondary result was that in simple environments, wheelchair drivers tended to perform better without any sensor system to assist them but in more complicated environments then they performed better with the sensor systems.

Research limitations/implications

The time taken for a powered‐wheelchair to move from one place to another partly depends on how a human user interacts with the powered‐wheelchair. Wheelchair driving relies heavily on visual feedback and the experience of the drivers. Although attempts were made to remove variation in skill levels by using sets of data associated with each driver and then using paired statistical tests on those sets, some variation must still be present.

Practical implications

The paper presents new systems that could allow more people to use powered‐wheelchairs and also suggests that the amount of sensor support should be varied depending on circumstances.

Originality/value

The new systems described in the paper consistently performed driving tasks more quickly than the most recently published systems.
Prototypes selection by multi‐objective optimal design: application to a reconfigurable robot in sandy terrain
Authors: Xu He , Zhang Zhenyu , Alipour Khalil , Xue Kai , Gao X.Z.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Wheel‐terrain interaction has hardly been taken into consideration in the process of conventional mobile robot design, but its importance has been reflected increasingly towards these categories of mobile robots in rough sandy terrain or obstacle‐dense ground, as the first performance index in this situation is the trafficability of robot whose propulsion is uniquely generated by wheel‐terrain interaction. Consequently, it is valuable to find an optimized design method when the terrain and robot itself are regarded simultaneously. The purpose of this paper is to present a novel and reasonable design approach to mobile robot in sandy terrain.

Design/methodology/approach

Leading to some conflicted performance indices of robot, terramechanics describes the non‐linear characteristics in wheel‐terrain interaction mathematically, therefore, trade‐offs must be implemented to get a proper solution by multi‐objective optimization (MOO). In this paper, a five‐wheeled drive and five‐wheeled steering (5WD5WS) reconfigurable mobile robot is taken as demonstration with taxonomy of total‐symmetrical, partial‐symmetrical and asymmetrical prototypes. After function modeling, the MOO is carried out via iSIGHT‐FD using NCGA (Neighborhood Cultivation Genetic Algorithm) to minimize the mass, wheel resistance and maximize the static stability simultaneously.

Findings

After MOO, a compact and light weighted asymmetrical prototype is obtained with better trafficability, and other prototypes can produce diversified configurations to meet specific requirements. Significantly reduced masses (about 17 kg) enhance the grade‐ability when robot is in rough terrain. Performed real‐world experiments have also verified these prototypes.

Originality/value

The paper presents a new design approach for a mobile robot which focuses on both robot and terrain simultaneously with respect to conflicted factors. To unveil the insight relation of these factors, MOO is an effective tool to get a trade‐offs prototype.
Socially embedded workers at the nexus of diverse work in Russia
Authors: Morris Jeremy
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore an important nexus of formal/informal economic activity in Russia: “normative” workers (in waged formal employment) by virtue of a strongly embedded work‐related social identity and characterized by a significant number of weak social ties, move with little “effort” between formal and informal work.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents extensive ethnographic data from the Russian provinces on workers and diverse economic practices. It utilizes participant observation and semi‐structured interviews from periods of fieldwork over the course of a year (2009‐2010).

Findings

This study traces the theoretical debates on the informal economy from 1989 to 2008 and argues for a substantivist position on household reproduction that focuses on the interdependence of social networks, employment, class‐identity and (informal) work. The findings demonstrate significant performative and spatial aspects of embedded worker identity, including the workspace itself as a contested domain, that facilitate movement between formal‐informal work.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper resides in its ethnographic approach to informal economies under post‐socialism and the substantivist evaluation of diverse economic practices in Russia as supported by formal work‐based shared identities.
Tracing informal and illicit flows after socialism
Authors: Karjanen David
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the linkages between formal/informal and licit/illicit flows of goods in the post‐socialist economy in order to better understand and provide an analysis of both sides of these economic practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Research over 20 months in Slovakia, between 2000 and 2007, included surveys of retailers of goods, households and firms who buy and sell contraband, and ethnographic research with truckers, consumers, and sellers of contraband. This study also included a novel research method – a microeconomic commodity supply chain analysis, providing a new means to understand the circulation of illicit goods.

Findings

This paper has important findings for the movement of illicit goods in Slovakia and more broadly. Tracing the movement of two goods: cigarettes and clothing, demonstrates that the current theories of informal and illicit flows are inadequate theoretically or to develop proper policies. Both the formal and informal, as well as licit and illicit, flows and production of goods are interwoven through economic practice.

Originality/value

Little research exists specifically tracking the movement of illicit goods and analyzing their economic role in social and economic practices regarding informal economic activity. The results of this study show how the production, distribution, and consumption of illicit goods are integral to the economic transformation of the post‐socialist economy from the household and firm level, and in such practices encourage marketization and capitalist development.
Smuggling and small‐scale trade as part of informal economic practices
Authors: Bruns Bettina , Miggelbrink Judith , Müller Kristine
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Using small‐scale cross‐border trade and smuggling as an example of an informal practice carried out in many post‐socialist countries, the purpose of this paper is to explore which different meanings this activity possesses for the people being involved in it and in how far small‐scale cross‐border trade is being accepted and looked at by society. The authors hope to show the different connections between informal and formal activities and specificities of localities which people in the mentioned countries deploy when trying to secure their livelihood.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a qualitative empirical research including group discussions with small‐scale traders and small entrepreneurs, expert interviews with representatives of the border authorities and systematic observations at border crossing points and open‐air markets at the Finnish‐Russian, Polish‐Ukrainian, Polish‐Belarusian and Ukrainina‐Romanian borders.

Findings

The paper provides empirical insights about why people carry out smuggling and small‐scale trade and how these informal activities are perceived in the local environment. It suggests that informal economic cross‐border activities are often highly legitimized despite their illegal character. The border creates certain extra opportunities as it enables arbitrage dealings. Rather as a side effect though, the Schengen visa regime has evoked a decreasing profit margin of transborder economic activities. Therefore, it remains unclear whether the Eastern external EU border will serve as an informal economic resource in the future.

Originality/value

Thanks to a multisited qualitative approach to a very sensitive research topic, the paper allows empirical insights into meanings and uses of smuggling and cross‐border small‐scale trade.
Informal economy, informal state: the case of Uzbekistan
Authors: Rasanayagam Johan
Published: October 2011

Purpose

In the Soviet Union, the official command structure for economic production and distribution gave rise to, and depended upon, what has been described as a “shadow” economy. In the post‐socialist context, the unregulated, often extra‐legal activities of production and exchange, encompassing the survival strategies of the poor, the emergence of post‐socialist “Mafias”, and much entrepreneurial activity, has been described using the concept of the “informal economy”.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on long‐term participatory research over a period of three years.

Findings

The paper argues that what we might think of as informal economic activity in Uzbekistan cannot be understood in relation to a formal economy, but is rather an expression of a more general informalisation of lifeworlds following the end of the Soviet Union. Unlike the situation in the Soviet Union, the informal does not emerge from and exist in relation to formal political and economic structures. The state itself is experienced in personalised terms, as a “Mafia”, and the informal is all that there is.

Originality/value

This article provides an original perspective on the informal economy and informalised lifeworlds in Uzbekistan.
Methodological issues in studying hidden populations operating in informal economy
Authors: Vershinina Natalia , Rodionova Yulia
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issues in studying hidden populations, with particular focus on methodology used to investigate ethnic minority entrepreneurs who illegally run their businesses in the UK. In this paper, on reflection, the authors look at what issues should be considered before engaging with such communities, as we identify current approaches and evaluate their merits.

Design/methodology/approach

Certain methodological problems are faced by researchers working with hidden populations, and this paper explores these using a sample of Ukrainian illegal self‐employed construction workers operating in London. Semi‐structured interviews with 20 Ukrainians showcase the issues raised and help illustrate the limited applicability of some commonly used research methods to ethnic minority entrepreneurship studies. The authors used an intermediary to help gain access to these illegal migrants in order to satisfy the sensitive issues of this vulnerable group of respondents.

Findings

The authors analyse the ethical considerations, problems and issues with access to such data, discuss early and more recent sampling methodologies and the ways to estimate the size of hidden population. This paper, hence, establishes the state‐of‐the‐art approaches in this field and proposes potential improvements in achieving representativeness of the data. Using the Ukrainian illegal self‐employed construction workers as an example, this paper evaluates the choices made by the researchers.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper is to showcase the methodological issues emerging when studying hard‐to‐reach groups and to emphasise the limited applicability of some methods to research on hidden populations.