bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of SME Policies on Innovation Capabilities
Authors: Bascavusoglu-Moreau Elif , Colakoglu Mustafa
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the determinants of innovative capabilities in an emerging country context. The authors focus particularly on the impact of recent changes in SME policies in Turkey. Using a unique firm-level survey conducted on 45,000 SMEs, innovative capabilities of firms are assessed at three different levels: their innovation efforts, innovation decision, and innovative intensity. The authors analyze and compare the impact of two different incentive schemes: one a purely financial support, and the second, consultancy and technological assistance coupled with financial facilities. Whereas all firms seem to benefit from financial support, only less innovative firms take full advantage of the advisory services. Overall, the determinants of innovative capabilities depend considerably on the type of firms, suggesting the need for differentiated policy measures.
Theoretical Model for a Local Economy Open Innovation Program
Authors: Porath Amiram
Published: April 2013

This chapter presents a model of open innovation as a collaborative effort of firms, mostly SMEs that are managed under a government support with the assistive involvement of academia. While normally industry-academia cooperation is R&D focused, the model presented is a model of open innovation not involving dedicated R&D. It deals with the process of assimilating existing technologies and methodologies; the model focuses on search, identification, and implementation phases to improve competitiveness through open innovation strategies. The model claims that specifically for SMEs, innovation not related to R&D, and especially open innovation, is hard to deal with alone. Therefore the model presents a group of SMEs working together towards that end, and the role of the governing authority supporting them. The model is supported by a short case study of a national program of Israel, the Users Association for Advanced Technologies.
Structuring Knowledge for Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation through an Ontology
Authors: Nach Hamid
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this research is to consolidate and formalize as ontology, on the basis of an extensive literature review, the key processes and skills required for successful implementation of ERP in an SME. Using the Protégé software, the research identified and formalized 395 terms, each of which has its own definition. Exploitation of this ontology could take multiple and varied forms, including the creation of a learning system, an on-line collaboration platform, or a project management process mapping tool contributing to successful implementation of ERP in SMEs.
Prototyping Robotic Systems
Authors: Goldenberg Andrew
Published: April 2013

This chapter provides an experience-based framework of prototypes development and commissioning. It introduces elements learned directly from the practice that encompass aspects of project management, technology development process, and commercialization in the context of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The contents of this chapter are based mainly on the author’s practical experience of leading an SME technology developer. The author is also a faculty member working as a researcher and teacher. Because of the interrelationship between research and technology development, his views and perception of the topic may be unique, and they are personal. The chapter presents a general framework for robotic systems prototyping. To back up the points made in the chapter, three case studies of robotic prototyping are included to help the reader perceive the outlined concepts.
The Case of a Portuguese Intermediary of Open Innovation
Authors: Oliveira Fábio , Ramos Isabel
Published: April 2013

Inovamais is an innovation consultant that began its activities in 1997, several years before the popularization of the Open Innovation paradigm. The founding motivation was to enable the connection of academic and entrepreneurial worlds, with focus on businesses and their needs and special emphasis on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). They work with both worlds, by turning universities’ intellectual assets into commercially attractive knowledge, and helping enterprises to search external resources (funding, knowledge, and partnerships) for their innovation processes. The objective of the present case is to shed some lights over the role and services of an intermediary of open innovation in the current general innovation landscape. Therefore, this case will generally present the business model of Inovamais on intermediation of open innovation. It will also discuss the cultural, managerial, and political challenges and problems that Inovamais has identified and dealt with during these thirteen years of work at the Portuguese and European levels.
The Effect of Gender on Associations between Driving Forces to Adopt ICT and Benefits Derived from that Adoption in Medical Practices in Australia
Authors: Macgregor Rob , Hyland Peter N. , Harvey Charles
Published: April 2013

Like other Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs), medical practices can gain a great deal by adopting and using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Unlike other SMEs, little is known about General Practitioners’ (GPs) perceptions of the benefits of ICT use or about the differences between these perceptions by male and female GPs. This chapter reports a survey of these perceptions of the drivers for and benefits of ICT use by male and female GPs in Australia.
Copying with Dynamic Change
Authors: Liyanage Jayantha P.
Published: April 2013

The business environment around the world is in a continuous evolution process due to changes in global dynamics. Even though the energy sector has relied much on the known sources, the production process has gone through some notable changes due to inherent challenges and developments in knowledge management and technology use. The Offshore oil & gas production industry today, at least in the North Sea, is at a cross-road where the traditional operational concepts are seriously challenged due to various risk factors and commercial uncertainties. Subsequently, ‘Intergrated eOperations’ (IO) was adapted as the business solution for a sustainable future seeking major benefits by major players in the sector. This has begun to re-engineer the traditional practices and commercial operations, and the industry continuously seeks novel solutions for 24/7 online real-time operations. In this unique ‘eBusiness’ environment, SMEs encounter various technical and operational challenges to cope with the mass scale dynamic change process. In order to utilize IO for commercial advantage, SMEs are in the process of exploring various interface solutions today. With respect to the ongoing developments and the scopes of IO, ‘Collaborative business interfacing’ that is discussed in this chapter is to enable the SMEs to be ‘smarter together’ to capitalize on the potentials of IO through a strategic capability acquisition process. In the IO setting, and the eBusiness environment that it is expected to create, strategic business change is not an option for SMEs but an inevitable issue for survival and growth.
Collaborative Networks
Authors: Cormican Kathryn
Published: April 2013

The business landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Innovative organisations are restructuring their business models. They are moving away from discrete linear value chains towards open innovation models such as networks. Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) recognise that in order to survive they must be equipped with the relevant competencies required to design, develop and deploy innovative solutions that meet the needs of the end user. More and more small firms are collaborating with each other in order to create value added products and access new markets. However, the task of working in a collaborative network is not easy. SMEs find it particularly difficult to engage in these activities and experience many challenges in this regard. Moreover, there are very few support structures and systems available to guide successful knowledge sharing and collaboration. This chapter explores the fundamental concepts of collaborative networks and knowledge sharing, synthesises and presents some of the challenges faced by SMEs and identifies some critical success factors that should be considered to help overcome the barriers identified.
Sources of Innovation and Success in the Food Service Industry
Authors: Juntunen A.T.
Published: April 2013

The purpose of the study in this chapter is to investigate and analyze the sources of innovation and success in food service industry. It also discusses of what kind of network management capabilities were needed in these SME cases. This chapter will demonstrate that the SMEs have a good chance to succeed if they can harness the external knowledge in their start up process. This chapter contributes to the prior strategic management and business networks research by analyzing the selected SME cases in the food service industry.
Next Generation Collaborative Information Platforms
Authors: Pattinson Hugh M. , Low David R.
Published: April 2013

Current new and next generation e-novation collaborative platforms are explored through a “Day-In-The-Life-Of” scenario in 2020 based on key semantic concepts drawn from chapters within the E-Novation book. Key themes for an emerging e-novation collaborative platform include: triple convergence (before and after), Web 3.0/4.0 – the Web is a brain, redefined collaborative communication, virtual/augmented reality, service-dominant logic (SDL), marketing and innovation, open-source creation, development and distribution, digital branding, CRM redefined, complexity and SMEs, e-novation office, e-novation curriculum, social graphing e-novation, and sustainability platforms and innovation. These themes are discussed both in relation to the current new collaborative platform and how they may develop from 2010-2020. E-novation will be the innovation and marketing social and business service.
A Content Analysis of an Online Support Group for Survivors of Sexual Violence
Authors: Yeager Jennifer
Published: April 2013

Surviving sexual violence has been described as one of the most traumatic life experiences, and social support is an extremely important coping strategy for survivors. With the rapidly increasing number of available online support communities, understanding exactly what kinds of support survivors need in the context on online social support groups is essential. This chapter presents a study of the types and extent of social support posts exchanged by members of an online social support group for survivors of sexual violence. The Social Support Behavior Code framework was used to code 755 messages that were posted over a 7-day period. Overall, emotional support (42.6%) was the most common support contained in posts, followed by information (21.2%), esteem (20.9%), network (13.1%), and tangible support (2.2%).
Service Composition Verification and Validation
Authors: Palomo-Duarte Manuel
Published: April 2013

Web services are changing software development thanks to their loosely coupled nature and simple adoption. They can be easily composed to create new more powerful services, allowing for large programming systems. Verification and validation techniques try to find defects in a program to minimize losses that its malfunction could cause. Although many different approaches have been developed for “traditional” program testing, none of them have proven definitive. The problem is even more challenging for new paradigms like web services and web service compositions, because of their dynamic nature and uncommon web service-specific instructions. This chapter surveys the different approaches to web service and web service composition verification and validation, paying special attention to automation. When no tools are available for a given technique, academic efforts are discussed, and challenges are presented.
Dynamic Capabilities and Innovation Radicalness
Authors: Cruz-González Jorge , Navas-López José Emilio , López-Sáez Pedro , Delgado-Verde Miriam
Published: April 2013

The aim of the present chapter is to theoretically analyze the determinants of firm’s innovation radicalness (the degree of novelty incorporated in an innovation) from a dynamic capabilities-based view of competitive advantage. Nevertheless, due to the fact that dynamic capabilities’ concept suffers from certain terminological inconsistence and its components are not entirely clear in current literature, we first need to carry out an in depth review and analysis of this construct. Based on this review, we argue that dynamic capabilities arise from firm’s orientation to knowledge exploration that enables the generation of new organizational capabilities, and suggest external knowledge acquisition and internal knowledge combination as its key components. Taking into account this reasoning, we propose a theoretical model on dynamic capabilities deriving some relevant propositions considering innovation radicalness as its core output and the key element to compete in dynamic environments.
Determinants and Consequences of R&D Strategy Selection
Authors: Filipescu Diana A. , Cázares Claudio Cruz
Published: April 2013

Nowadays firms are not able to achieve all innovation in-house due to the specific set of technologies required by most products and processes, obliging firms to access external knowledge. In this context, the aim of this chapter is two-fold with the final goal of increasing our knowledge on firm innovating behavior. First, this chapter analyzes the determinants of the R&D strategy (RDS) selection posting the make, buy and make-buy as the three RDSs. Second, this chapter analyzes the consequences that each of the RDSs has on firm innovativeness. Results show that commercial and organizational resources, jointly with the information sources, influence the selection of the strategy. As for the second part of the analysis, we see that all RDSs have positive effects on firm innovative performance but these effects are not straightforward and simple since they vary depending on firm´s type and on the radicalness of the innovation achieved.
A Model for a Collective Aesthetic Consciousness
Authors: Mayo Sherry
Published: April 2013

During the 20th century, the modern media was born and viewed as an industrial factory-model machine. These powerful media such as film, radio, and television transmitted culture to the passive masses (Enzensberger, 1974). These art forms were divorced of ritual and authenticity and were reproduced to reinforce their prowess (Benjamin, 1936). In the 21st-century post-media condition, a process of convergence and evolution toward a social consciousness, facilitated by a many-to-many social network strategy, is underway. Web 2.0 technologies are a catalyst toward an emergence of a collectivist aesthetic consciousness. As the prophecy of a post-industrial society (Bell, 1973) becomes fulfilled, a post-media society emerges whose quest is for knowledge dependent upon an economy that barters information. This paper identifies a conceptual model of this recent paradigm shift and to identify some of the possibilities that are emerging.
Economic Efficiency of Investments in Agricultural Land
Authors: Todorovic Sašsa Z. , Vasiljevic Zorica R. , Rajic Zoran N.
Published: April 2013

The goal of the research presented in this paper is to examine economic efficiency of investments in agricultural land, to detect the most important factors influencing this, and to contribute successfully to the formulation of the answer to the question if and under which conditions this investment is justified. The analysis of economic efficiency of investments in agricultural land is based on dynamical methods for investment evaluation. Analyses have shown that investing in agricultural land amounting to 4,000.0 EUR per ha at discount rate of 4% would be more profitable than the amount which would be realised by external investment, but only when applying the 30 year investment horizon, because at the end of the 30 year of investment horizon, the amount of receipts, which is higher by 284.00 EUR than the amount realised by external investment of capital, what is not the case with the amount realised after the 10 year of investment horizon (577.00 EUR less). It is a consequence of realised rate of return on investment in agricultural land amounting to 4.39% for the 30 year and 0.04% for the 10 year investment horizons.
A short history of academic general practice in UK medical schools
Authors: Hellenberg Derek A.
Published: April 2013

No abstract available.
Short Communication: Effect of silymarin (Silybum marianum) treatment on prolactin concentrations in cyclic sows
Authors: Loisel F. , Quesnel H. , Farmer C.
Published: April 2013

Loisel, F., Quesnel, H. and Farmer, C. 2013. Short Communication: Effect of silymarin (Silybum marianum) treatment on prolactin concentrations in cyclic sows. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 93: 227–230. An extract (silymarin) from the plant Silybum marianum (milk thistle) was shown to increase circulating concentrations of prolactin in cycling rats. A dose-response study was undertaken to determine if silymarin does have hyperprolactinemic properties in cycling swine. Forty-four weaned sows were allotted to four groups receiving 0, 1, 2 or 4 g d−1 of silymarin over a period of 8 d. Blood samples were obtained on days 1 (first day of treatment starting 24 to 48 h after the onset of the standing estrus), 2, 3, and 9. Prolactin, progesterone, estradiol-17β and leptin concentrations were determined. Silymarin did not increase prolactin concentrations at any of the doses studied, nor did it affect concentrations of the other hormones (P>0.1).
The relationship between feed efficiency traits and fertility in young beef bulls
Authors: Awda B. J. , Miller S. P. , Montanholi Y. R. , Voort G. Vander , Caldwell T. , Buhr M. M. , Swanson K. C.
Published: April 2013

Awda, B. J., Miller, S. P., Montanholi, Y. R., Vander Voort, G., Caldwell, T., Buhr, M. M. and Swanson, K. C. 2013. The relationship between feed efficiency traits and fertility in young beef bulls. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 93: 185–192. Great efforts have been taken in recent years for improving feed efficiency in beef cattle. Despite there being several studies on biological factors associated with this trait, little is known about the potential relationships between fertility and feed efficiency in beef cattle. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between feed efficiency traits and bull fertility traits [sperm motility, viability and scrotal circumference (SC)]. From a total of 328 crossbred beef bulls that were subjected to a performance test (112 d in each of 6 yr), SC was measured and semen collected from 110 bulls using the electroejaculation method (average age±SE=417±2.5 d). Sperm were extended, cooled, and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Two residual feed intake (RFI) measures were considered with different prediction models for dry matter intake (DMI), RFIKoch included size and growth rate and RFIbkft included the additional adjustment for backfat thickness (BKFT). Sperm viability, motility and progressive motility of the 10 bulls with the greatest RFIKoch (Hi-RFIKoch) were greater than those of the 10 bulls with the lowest RFIKoch (Lo-RFIKoch; P<0.05, 0.01, and 0.05, respectively). Sperm motility (P<0.01), progressive motility and SC (P<0.05) of the 10 bulls with the greatest RFIbkft (Hi-RFIbkft) were greater than those of the 10 bulls with the lowest RFIbkft (Lo-RFIbkft). In summary, these data indicate that young beef bulls with greater feed efficiency have decreased sperm motility, sperm viability and SC, which is an undesirable effect of selection for improved feed efficiency that needs to be addressed through multiple trait selection.
Bed Bug Detection: Current Technologies and Future Directions
Authors: Vaidyanathan Rajeev , Feldlaufer Mark F.
Published: April 2013

Technologies to detect bed bugs have not kept pace with their global resurgence. Early detection is critical to prevent infestations from spreading. Detection based exclusively on bites is inadequate, because reactions to insect bites are non-specific and often misdiagnosed. Visual inspections are commonly used and depend on identifying live bugs, exuviae, or fecal droplets. Visual inspections are inexpensive, but they are time-consuming and unreliable when only a few bugs are present. Use of a dog to detect bed bugs is gaining in popularity, but it can be expensive, may unintentionally advertise a bed bug problem, and is not foolproof. Passive monitors mimic natural harborages; they are discreet and typically use an adhesive to trap bugs. Active monitors generate carbon dioxide, heat, a pheromone, or a combination to attract bed bugs to a trap. New technologies using DNA analysis, mass spectrometry, and electronic noses are innovative but impractical and expensive for widespread use.
The Lab Without Walls: A Deployable Approach to Tropical Infectious Diseases
Authors: Inglis Timothy J. J.
Published: April 2013

The Laboratory Without Walls is a modular field application of molecular biology that provides clinical laboratory support in resource-limited, remote locations. The current repertoire arose from early attempts to deliver clinical pathology and public health investigative services in remote parts of tropical Australia, to address the shortcomings of conventional methods when faced with emerging infectious diseases. Advances in equipment platforms and reagent chemistry have enabling rapid progress, but also ensure the Laboratory Without Walls is subject to continual improvement. Although new molecular biology methods may lead to more easily deployable clinical laboratory capability, logistic and technical governance issues continue to act as important constraints on wider implementation.
Characterization of ultrafine particle number concentration and new particle formation in urban environment of Taipei, Taiwan
Authors: Cheung H. C. , Chou C. C.-K. , Huang W.-R. , Tsai C.-Y.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. An intensive aerosol characterization experiment was performed at the Taipei Aerosol and Radiation Observatory (TARO, 25.02° N, 121.53° E) in the urban area of Taipei, Taiwan during July 2012. Number concentration and size distribution of aerosol particles were measured continuously, which were accompanied by concurrent measurements of mass concentration of submicron particles, PM (d ≤ 1 μm), and photolysis rate of ozone, J(O1D). The averaged number concentrations of total (Ntotal), accumulation mode (Nacu), Aitken mode (Ntotal), and nucleation mode (Nnuc) particles were 7.6 × 103 cm−3, 1.2 × 103 cm−3, 4.4 × 103 cm−3, and 1.9 × 103 cm−3, respectively. Accordingly, the ultrafine particles (UFPs, d ≤ 100 nm) accounted for 83% of the total number concentration of particles measured in this study (10 ≤ d ≤ 429 nm), indicating the importance of UFPs to the air quality and radiation budget in Taipei and its surrounding areas. An averaged Nnuc/NOx ratio of ~60 cm−3 ppbv−1 was derived from nighttime measurements, which was suggested to be the characteristic of vehicle emissions that contributed to the "urban background" of nucleation mode particles throughout a day. On the contrary, it was found that the number concentration of nucleation mode particles was independent of NOx and could be elevated up to 10 times the "urban background" levels during daytime, suggesting a substantial amount of nucleation mode particles produced from photochemical processes. Consistency in the time series of the nucleation mode particle concentration and the proxy of H2SO4 production, UVB·SO2, for new particle formation (NPF) events showed that photo-oxidation of SO2 was responsible for the formation of new particles in our study area. Moreover, analysis upon the diameter growth rate, GR, and formation rate of nucleation mode particles, J10−25, found that the values of GR (8.5 ± 6.8 nm h−1) in Taipei were comparable to other urban areas, whereas the values of J10−25 (2.2 ± 1.2 cm−3 s−1) observed in this study were around the low end of the range of new particle formation rate reported by previous investigations. It was revealed that the particle growth rate correlated exponentially with the photolysis of ozone, suggesting the condensable vapors were produced mostly from photo-oxidation reactions. In addition, this study also revealed that both GR and J10−25 exhibited quadratic relationship with the number concentration of particles. The quadratic relationship was inferred as a result of aerosol dynamics and featured NPF process in urban areas.
Strong Kelvin wave activity observed during the westerly phase of QBO – a case study
Authors: Das U. , Pan C. J.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Temperature data from Global Positioning System based Radio Occultation (GPS RO) soundings of the Formosa Satellite mission 3/Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC or F-3/C) micro satellites have been investigated in detail to study the Kelvin wave (KW) properties during September 2008 to February 2009 using the two-dimensional Fourier transform. It is observed that there was strong KW activity during November and December 2008; large wave amplitudes are observed from above the tropopause to 40 km – the data limit of F-3/C. KW of wavenumbers E1 and E2 with time periods 7.5 and 13 days, dominated during this period and the vertical wavelengths of these waves varied from 12 to 18 km. This event is very interesting as the QBO during this period was westerly in the lower stratosphere (up to ~ 26 km) and easterly above, whereas, climatological studies show that KW get attenuated during westerlies and their amplitudes maximise during easterlies and westerly shears. In the present study, however, the eastward propagating KW crossed the westerly lower stratosphere as the vertical extent of the westerly wind regime was less than the vertical wavelengths of the KW. The waves might have deposited eastward momentum in the upper stratosphere at 26–40 km, thereby reducing the magnitude of the easterly wind by as much as 10 m s−1. The outgoing long wave radiation (OLR) is also investigated and it is found that these KW are produced due to deep convections in the lower atmosphere.
Tropopause fold occurrence rates over the Antarctic station Troll (72° S, 2.5° E)
Authors: Mihalikova M. , Kirkwood S.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. One of the important mechanisms of stratosphere–troposphere exchange, which brings ozone-rich stratospheric air to low altitudes in extratropical regions, is transport related to tropopause folds. The climatology of folds has been studied at high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere with the help of radars and global models. Global models supply information about fold occurrence rates at high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere as well, but so far comparisons with direct measurements are rare. The Moveable Atmospheric Radar for Antarctica (MARA), a 54.5 MHz wind-profiler radar, has been operated at the Norwegian year-round station Troll, Antarctica (72° S, 2.5° E) since December 2011. Frequent tropopause fold signatures have been observed. In this study, based on MARA observations, an occurrence rate statistics of tropopause folds from December 2011 until November 2012 has been made, and radar data have been compared with the analysis from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF). The fold occurrence rates exhibit an annual cycle with winter maximum and summer minimum and suggest significantly higher occurrence rates for the given location than those obtained previously by global model studies.
Coupled regional climate–ice sheet simulation shows limited Greenland ice loss during the Eemian
Authors: Helsen M. M. , van de Berg W. J. , van de Wal R. S. W. , van den Broeke M. R. , Oerlemans J.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. During the last interglacial (Eemian, 130–115 kyr BP) eustatic global sea level likely peaked at >6 m above the present-day level, but estimates of the contribution of the Greenland ice sheet vary widely. Here we use an asynchronously two-way coupled regional climate–ice sheet model, which includes physically realistic feedbacks between the changing ice sheet topography and climate forcing. Our simulation results in a contribution from the Greenland ice sheet to the Eemian sea level highstand between 1.2 and 3.5 m, with a most likely value of 2.1 m. Simulated Eemian ice loss in Greenland is dominated by the rapid retreat of the southwestern margin: two-thirds of the ice loss occurred south of 70° N. The southern dome survived the Eemian and remained connected to the central dome. Large-scale ice sheet retreat is prevented in areas with high accumulation. Our results broadly agree with ice core inferred elevation changes and marine records, but it does not match with the ice-core derived temperature record from northern Greenland. During maximum Eemian summertime insolation, Greenland mass loss contributed ~0.5 m kyr−1 to sea level rise, 24% of the reconstructed total rate of sea level rise. Next to that, a difference of >3 m remains between our maximum estimate of the Greenland contribution and the reconstructed minimum value of the global eustatic Eemian highstand. Hence, the Antarctic ice sheet must also have contributed significantly to this sea level highstand.
Optimising predictor domains for spatially coherent precipitation downscaling
Authors: Radanovics S. , Vidal J.-P. , Sauquet E. , Ben Daoud A. , Bontron G.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Statistical downscaling is widely used to overcome the scale gap between predictors from Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models or General Circulation Models (GCMs) and predictands like local precipitation, required for example for medium-term operational forecasts or climate change impact studies. The predictors are considered over a given spatial domain which is rarely optimised with respect to the target predictand location. In this study the geopotential predictor domains used by an analogue downscaling method are optimised for 608 target zones covering France. An extended version of the growing rectangular domain algorithm provides an ensemble of five near-optimum domains for each target zone. All five near-optimum domains are consistently equally skillful based on the Continuous Rank Probability Score. Relevance maps calculated for selected target zones first reveal high skill geopotential regions with specific shapes for locations in south-eastern France compared to the rest of the country. In all cases, the optimised domains tend to include the most relevant area on the relevance maps. The domain centers of the optimised domains are mainly distributed following the geographical location of the target location, but there are apparent differences between the windward and the lee side of mountain ridges. Moreover, domains for target zones located in south-eastern France are centered more east and south than the ones for target locations on the same longitude. The size of the optimised domains tends to be larger in the southeastern part of the country, while domains with a very small meridional extent can be found in a east-west band around 47° N. Sensitivity tests on the archive length for the analogue method show a general robustness except for zones with high interannual variability like in the Cévennes area. Moreover, results appear to be rather unsensitive to the starting point of the optimisation algorithm except for zones located in the transition area north of the zones having optimized domains with a small meridional extent. This study paves the way for defining regions with homogeneous geopotential predictor domains for precipitation downscaling over France.
Assessing the hydrologic restoration of an urbanized area via integrated distributed hydrological model
Authors: Trinh D. H. , Chui T. F. M.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Green structures (e.g. green roof and bio-retention systems) are adopted to mitigate the hydrological impacts of urbanization. However, our current understanding of the urbanization impacts are often process-specific (e.g. peak flow or storm recession), and our characterizations of green structures are often on a local scale. This study uses an integrated distributed hydrological model, Mike SHE, to evaluate the urbanization impacts on both overall water balance and water regime, and also the effectiveness of green structures at a catchment level. Three simulations are carried out for a highly urbanized catchment in the tropics, representing pre-urbanized, urbanized and restored conditions. Urbanization transforms vegetated areas into impervious surfaces, resulting in 20 and 66% reductions in infiltration and base flow respectively, and 60 to 100% increase in peak outlet discharge. Green roofs delay the peak outlet discharge by 2 h and reduce the magnitude by 50%. Bio-retention systems mitigate the peak discharge by 50% and also enhance infiltration by 30%. The combination of green roofs and bio-retention systems even reduces the peak discharge to the pre-urbanized level. The simulation results obtained are independent of field data, enabling a generic model for understanding hydrological changes during the different phases of urbanization. This will benefit catchment level planning of green structures in other urban areas.
Calibration approaches of cosmic-ray neutron sensing for soil moisture measurement in cropped fields
Authors: Rivera Villarreyes C. A. , Baroni G. , Oswald S. E.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Measurement of soil moisture at the plot or hill-slope scale is an important link between local vadose-zone hydrology and catchment hydrology. This study evaluates the applicability of the cosmic-ray neutron sensing for soil moisture in cropped fields. Measurements of cosmic-ray neutrons (fast neutrons) were performed at a lowland farmland in Bornim (Brandenburg, Germany) cropped with sunflower and winter rye. Three field calibration approaches and four different ways of integration the soil moisture profile to an integral value for cosmic-ray neutron sensing were evaluated in this study. The cosmic-ray sensing (CRS) probe was calibrated against a network of classical point-scale soil moisture measurements. A large CRS parameter variability was observed by choosing calibration periods within the different growing stages of sunflower and winter rye. Therefore, it was not possible to identify a single set of parameters perfectly estimating soil moisture for both sunflower and winter rye periods. On the other hand, CRS signal and its parameter variability could be understood by some crop characteristics and by predicting the attenuated neutrons by crop presence. This study proves the potentiality of the cosmic-ray neutron sensing at the field scale; however, its calibration needs to be adapted for seasonal vegetation in cropped fields.
A wavefront orientation method for precise numerical determination of tsunami travel time
Authors: Fine I. V. , Thomson R. E.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. We present a highly accurate and computationally efficient method (herein, the "wavefront orientation method") for determining the travel time of oceanic tsunamis. Based on Huygens principle, the method uses an eight-point grid-point pattern and the most recent information on the orientation of the advancing wave front to determine the time for a tsunami to travel to a specific oceanic location. The method is shown to provide improved accuracy and reduced anisotropy compared with the conventional multiple grid-point method presently in widespread use.
The influence of climate and hydrological variables on opposite anomaly in active-layer thickness between Eurasian and North American watersheds
Authors: Park H. , Walsh J. , Fedorov A. N. , Sherstiukov A. B. , Iijima Y. , Ohata T.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. This study not only examined the spatiotemporal variations of active-layer thickness (ALT) in permafrost regions during 1948–2006 over the terrestrial Arctic regions experiencing climate changes, but also identified the associated drivers based on observational data and a simulation conducted by a land surface model (CHANGE). The focus on the ALT extends previous studies that have emphasized ground temperatures in permafrost regions. The Ob, Yenisey, Lena, Yukon, and Mackenzie watersheds are foci of the study. Time series of ALT in Eurasian watersheds showed generally increasing trends, while the increase in ALT in North American watersheds was not significant. However, ALT in the North American watersheds has been negatively anomalous since 1990 when the Arctic air temperature entered into a warming phase. The warming temperatures were not simply expressed to increases in ALT. Since 1990 when the warming increased, the forcing of the ALT by the higher annual thawing index (ATI) in the Mackenzie and Yukon basins has been offset by the combined effects of less insulation caused by thinner snow depth and drier soil during summer. In contrast, the increasing ATI together with thicker snow depth and higher summer soil moisture in the Lena contributed to the increase in ALT. The results imply that the soil thermal and moisture regimes formed in the pre-thaw season(s) provide memory that manifests itself during the summer. The different ALT anomalies between Eurasian and North American watersheds highlight increased importance of the variability of hydrological variables.
Willful Spirits and Weakened Flesh
Authors: Pérez Elizabeth
Published: April 2013

This article examines the ceremonial practice of smallest scale and greatest prevalence in Afro-Cuban religions: elders' oral narration of initiation as an “unchosen choice,” pursued solely as a response to affliction. This article marshals evidence to show that the conditions of scholars' involvement in these traditions have contributed to the dearth of analysis concerning these stories and proposes that the initiation narrative be classified as a distinct speech genre, with both traceable historical sources and concrete social effects. Drawing on several years of ethnographic research, the author contends that the verbal relation of such narratives has redounded to the enlargement of Afro-Cuban traditions, chiefly by promoting the spirits' transformative reality and healing power. Both the methodological critique and theoretical argument are offered in hopes of redirecting the study of Africana religions toward embodied micropractices that assist in the gradual coalescence of social identities and subjectivity.
Life Writing Trajectories in Post-1989 Eastern Europe
Authors: Luca Ioana , Kurvet-Käosaar Leena
Published: April 2013

In May 2011, the second IABA Europe conference, entitled "Trajectories of(Be)longing: Europe in Life Writing", took place at Tallinn University, Estonia. The conference discussed questions regarding the possibility and productivity of specifically European modes and practices of life writing. Conference sessions focused on spatial mappings and sites of story-telling about Europe in life writing and their temporal dynamics with respectto major historical ruptures and transformations. The lines of inquiry focused, on the one hand, on how the modes and practices of auto/biographical representation were structured around a sense of belonging toor longing for Europe and, and on the other, on contestation, rejection and transgression of such modes of identification. Addressing the conceptual frame of Europe as a geographical, political, social and cultural entity, the conference papers explored the ways in which “life-mapping” constructs, confirms, contradicts, and erases borders within and in relation to Europe, also raising the question of Europe (and its possible Europeanness) within a larger and more fluid global framework.
Mining and Natural Hazard Vulnerability in the Philippines
Authors: Holden William , Jacobson R. Daniel
Published: April 2013

This book explores how natural hazards in the Philippines can amplify the environmental harm prevalent in mining and pose a substantial threat to the livelihoods of archipelagos poor, who depend upon subsistence agriculture and subsistence aquaculture.
Photography, Early Cinema and Colonial Modernity
Authors: Dixon Robert
Published: April 2013

This volume is an account of the stage and screen practice of Australian photographer and film maker Frank Hurley, in the context of early twentieth-century mass media.
Language, Texts, and Society
Authors: Olivelle Patrick
Published: April 2013

This collection brings together the research papers of Patrick Olivelle, published over a period of about ten years. The unifying theme of these studies is the search for historical context and developments hidden within words and texts.
The other side of city: children, urbanization and violence in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area
Authors: Carvalho Maria João Leote
Published: April 2013

How children represent the neighbourhoods where they live? This was the starting point of the first phase of a wider research focused on the analysis of children’s lives and socialization in six public housing neighbourhoods in the Lisbon MetropolitanArea, in particular about their involvement in violence and delinquency, which main results are presented in this article. In conjunction with qualitative methodologies, includingvisual techniques, disorders, violence and crime emerged as structural axes in children’s socialization in this context. The normalization of violence, here briefly discussed from the children’s points of view, serves to build their skills, structuring their present relations with peers and adults, and simultaneously helps and (re)constructs a permanent social dissatisfaction and reinforces stigmatization.
Neutron Scattering Techniques and Applications in Structural Biology
Authors: Ankner John F. , Heller William T. , Herwig Kenneth W. , Meilleur Flora , Myles Dean A.A.
Published: April 2013

Neutron scattering is exquisitely sensitive to the position, concentration, and dynamics of hydrogen atoms in materials and is a powerful tool for the characterization of structure‐function and interfacial relationships in biological systems. Modern neutron scattering facilities offer access to a sophisticated, nondestructive suite of instruments for biophysical characterization that provides spatial and dynamic information spanning from Ångstroms to microns and from picoseconds to microseconds, respectively. Applications in structural biology range from the atomic‐resolution analysis of individual hydrogen atoms in enzymes through to meso‐ and macro‐scale analysis of complex biological structures, membranes, and assemblies. The large difference in neutron scattering length between hydrogen and deuterium allows contrast variation experiments to be performed and enables H/D isotopic labeling to be used for selective and systematic analysis of the local structure, dynamics, and interactions of multi‐component systems. This overview describes the available techniques and summarizes their practical application to the study of biomolecular systems. Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci. 72:17.16.1‐17.16.34. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Preparation of Recombinant Protein Spotted Arrays for Proteome‐Wide Identification of Kinase Targets
Authors: Im Hogune , Snyder Michael
Published: April 2013

Protein microarrays allow unique approaches for interrogating global protein interaction networks. Protein arrays can be divided into two categories: antibody arrays and functional protein arrays. Antibody arrays consist of various antibodies and are appropriate for profiling protein abundance and modifications. Functional full‐length protein arrays employ full‐length proteins with various post‐translational modifications. A key advantage of the latter is rapid parallel processing of large number of proteins for studying highly controlled biochemical activities, protein‐protein interactions, protein‐nucleic acid interactions, and protein‐small molecule interactions. This unit presents a protocol for constructing functional yeast protein microarrays for global kinase substrate identification. This approach enables the rapid determination of protein interaction networks in yeast on a proteome‐wide level. The same methodology can be readily applied to higher eukaryotic systems with careful consideration of overexpression strategy. Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci. 72:27.4.1‐27.4.14. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Refolding of SDS‐Denatured Proteins Using Amphipathic Cosolvents and Osmolytes
Authors: Roussel Guillaume , Tinti Emmanuel , Perpète Eric , Michaux Catherine
Published: April 2013

Currently, the investigation of protein refolding processes involves several time‐consuming stages that require large amounts of protein and costly chemicals. Consequently, there is great interest in developing new approaches to the study of protein renaturation that are more technically and economically feasible. It has recently been reported that certain cosolvents are able to modulate the denaturing properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and induce the refolding of proteins. This unit presents a protocol to study and follow the renaturation of a protein (membrane or soluble) starting from a native or SDS‐unfolded state using a variety of candidate cosolvents and osmolytes. Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci. 72:28.5.1‐28.5.9. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effect of Manganese on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cast High Alloyed CrMnNi‐N Steels
Authors: Wendler Marco , Weiß Andreas , Krüger Lutz , Mola Javad , Franke Armin , Kovalev Alexander , Wolf Steffen
Published: April 2013

The effect of the manganese content (0–11%) on the transformation temperatures, the mechanical properties and microstructure development of five highly alloyed 14Cr–XMn–6Ni cast stainless steels with 0.1% nitrogen was studied. The examinations reveal that the Ms, As, and Af temperatures decrease with increasing manganese contents. As a result of low austenite stability, room temperature austenitic‐martensitic as‐cast microstructure was formed at manganese contents between 0 and 3%. At manganese levels of 6% and higher a fully austenitic as‐cast microstructure was observed. The temperature dependence of tensile properties in alloys was explained on the basis of varying contributions to the strength and ductility of deformation‐induced martensite and twin formation mechanisms. All investigated cast steel alloys achieved yield strengths above 200 MPa at room temperature. The increased proof stress is caused by solid solution strengthening due to the addition of nitrogen and manganese as well as phase hardening by as‐quenched martensite.
A Critical Assessment of Experimental Methods for Determining the Dynamic Mechanical Characteristics of Shape Memory Polymers
Authors: Kazakevičiūtė‐Makovska Rasa , Mogharebi Safa , Steeb Holger , Eggeler Gunther , Neuking Klaus
Published: April 2013

Experimental study of temperature‐ and frequency‐dependent properties of the commercially available shape memory polymer Tecoflex™ EG 72D (TFX) (Lubrizol, USA) using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) technique is presented. Temperature scan DMA tests have been carried out in three distinct deformation modes, uniaxial tension, three‐point bending, and simple torsion, using two different testing rigs at different test parameters (frequency, strain amplitude, and heating rate) in temperatures ranging from below to above the glass transition temperature. The influence of different test parameters and some discrepancies in the temperature‐dependent storage and loss moduli (and hence the loss factor) measured by DMA in different deformation modes are discussed.