bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resistance and resilience – paradigms for critical local infrastructure
Authors: Rogers Christopher D. F. , Bouch Christopher J. , Williams Stephen , Barber Austin R. G. , Baker Christopher J. , Bryson John R. , Chapman David N. , Chapman Lee , Coaffee Jon , Jefferson Ian , Quinn Andrew D.
Published: May 2012

‘Critical infrastructure’ generally refers to significant pieces of plant and equipment, such as power stations and motorways. High population densities in cities, and the increasing interconnectedness of the services and supply chains that sustain them, mean local infrastructure is equally important. Local infrastructure must be able to cope with system shocks, whether from natural hazards, terrorism or catastrophic failures. Engineering design plays a major part in achieving this, but shocks will occur that overwhelm even the most conservative design. Local infrastructure must therefore be able to adapt to, and recover from, shocks: it must be resilient. Local infrastructure has evolved with little consideration for resilience of the interconnected system as a whole, whereas resilience has been the subject of much research in many other systems. This paper explores the lessons that local infrastructure can learn from such research by reviewing literature related to resilience of ecological, economic, physical infrastructure, community/social and government systems. A critical analysis highlights the factors affecting resilience and different approaches that need to be taken into account when attempting to model infrastructure at a local scale. The ultimate aim is to provide an evidence base on which to build resilience into various infrastructures and direct future local infrastructure resilience research in an age of austerity.
Advances in procurement and delivery of critical infrastructure
Authors: Cogswell Graham Keith
Published: May 2012

Civil engineers look to continuously improve the way they do things, learning from the past as they move forward in time and performance. This particularly applies to procurement and delivery of key highway and transportation infrastructure. Not enough of this experience is openly shared, but the authors’ evidence shows that where well thought out and robust strategies have been put in place and then pragmatically implemented, there have been significant benefits in the delivery of these projects and services. In too many cases significant opportunities have been missed. The most effective delivery strategies are holistic with clear objectives, are simple and pragmatic. Good implementation plans and robust management follow. The author draws on 40 years of experience in the UK mainly in the local authority sector and internationally to focus on key developments that he has experienced in the UK. Case studies are used to evidence some of these changes and benefits.
Climate and weather influences on spatial temporal patterns of mountain pine beetle populations in Washington and Oregon
Authors: Preisler Haiganoush K. , Hicke Jeffrey A. , Ager Alan A. , Hayes Jane L
Published: May 2012

Widespread outbreaks of mountain pine beetle in North America have drawn the attention of scientists, forest managers, and the public. There is strong evidence that climate change has contributed to the extent and severity of recent outbreaks. Scientists are interested in quantifying relationships between bark beetle population dynamics and trends in climate. Process models that simulate climate suitability for mountain pine beetle outbreaks have advanced our understanding of beetle population dynamics; however, there are few studies that have assessed their accuracy across multiple outbreaks or at larger spatial scales. This study used the observed number of trees killed by mountain pine beetles per square kilometer in Oregon and Washington, USA, over the past three decades to quantify and assess the influence of climate and weather variables on beetle activity over longer time periods and larger scales than previously studied. Influences of temperature and precipitation in addition to process model output variables were assessed at annual and climatological time scales. The statistical analysis showed that new attacks are more likely to occur at locations with climatological mean August temperatures >15°C. After controlling for beetle pressure, the variables with the largest effect on the odds of an outbreak exceeding a certain size were minimum winter temperature (positive relationship) and drought conditions in current and previous years. Precipitation levels in the year prior to the outbreak had a positive effect, possibly an indication of the influence of this driver on brood size. Two‐year cumulative precipitation had a negative effect, a possible indication of the influence of drought on tree stress. Among the process model variables, cold tolerance was the strongest indicator of an outbreak increasing to epidemic size. A weather suitability index developed from the regression analysis indicated a 2.5× increase in the odds of outbreak at locations with highly suitable weather vs. locations with low suitability. The models were useful for estimating expected amounts of damage (total area with outbreaks) and for quantifying the contribution of climate to total damage. Overall, the results confirm the importance of climate and weather on the spatial expansion of bark beetle outbreaks over time.
Life cycle cost assessment of a rain water harvesting system for toilet flushing
Authors: Ghimire S. R. , Watkins D. W. , Li K.
Published: May 2012

Rain water harvesting (RWH) has gained popularity as a way of supplementing water supplies for various purposes, including drinking, sanitation and irrigation. This paper presents a methodology of life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) of a unit RWH system (hereafter RWH system) for toilet flushing in an industrial site. The life cycle cost and net present value benefits (NPVB) were estimated for the RWH system and compared with those of a conventional system. For the current system design, the analysis of the life cycle cost of the RWH system indicates negative NPVB for all plausible service lives up to 55 years, mainly because of the initial infrastructure investment costs, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, and pumping costs for the system. However, sensitivity analysis concluded that an alternative design with no pump, low O&M costs (5%) and 1% tank refill volume may be economically viable given 7 years of service life. The sensitivity analysis also revealed that higher hypothetical water prices ($5/m3) may lead to positive NPVB after only 5 years of service. Full cost pricing for rainwater harvesting is important for the promotion of sustainable practices and life cycle based system design is critical to make RWH systems economically attractive.
Managing groundwater levels in the face of uncertainty and change: a case study from Gnangara
Authors: McFarlane Don , Strawbridge Melanie , Stone Roy , Paton Andrew
Published: May 2012

The Gnangara Groundwater System meets about 50% of all water needs for the Perth–Peel region of Western Australia (population 1.7 million). Much of the water is contained in an unconfined aquifer which occurs in coastal sand dunes and supports ecologically-important throughflow wetlands. The system has been subject to significant climate change since about 1975, although the persistent and unidirectional nature of the change was not recognised for some time. As well as climate, groundwater levels are affected by land use (e.g. plantation forestry, urbanisation) and land management (e.g. how plantations and stormwater are managed) as well as by the amount of groundwater abstraction from each of several inter-connected aquifers. Land, water and forests are managed by different government agencies with their own policy objectives. Maintaining groundwater levels within an agreed range of values to protect the wetlands requires informed and early adaptation by these agencies as well as a supportive community. Adaptation was hampered because there was little or no experience of managing groundwater for climate change and the causes of declining levels were neither clear nor agreed. Even when target water level decisions were agreed, their achievement required the cooperation of parties with different priorities. This paper examines some of the lessons learned from this experience and the current approach to manage the land, water and forest resources to meet multiple objectives in a system that is undergoing transitional change rather than reaching a new equilibrium. Climate change impacts have been progressive and the concept of a system that can respond in a resilient manner after a temporary perturbation is not an appropriate concept in this example. Climate adaptation involves significant social and institutional change as well as biophysical changes to make the most of a changing system.
Insight into runoff decline due to climate change in China's Water Tower
Authors: Liu Guangsheng , Wang Genxu
Published: May 2012

Water resources in the Three-Rivers Headwater Region (TRHR), ‘China's Water Tower’, have declined in recent years. In particular, the causes and magnitude of declining runoff in the region remain unclear. This study investigated the recent climatic and hydrological trends in the TRHR. We also analyzed the influence of climate change on runoff decline. Meteorological and runoff data on the TRHR since 1961 were used. The results showed that ‘China's Water Tower’ is threatened by climate changes in several ways. The strong warming trend was the main driving factor for runoff decline. Moreover, the earlier thawing of snow and ice on frozen soil led to a significant decline in May runoff. The descending trend of the runoff coefficient suggests that basin storage and the mechanism of runoff generation may have changed appreciably. Climate warming has also caused recent degradation in the alpine wetland ecosystem and a considerable reduction in the runoff coefficient, thereby inducing a decreasing trend in river runoff. A common understanding of runoff decline due to climate change can be used in the planning and management for social, economic and cultural systems in China and surrounding countries.
Results of ‘PASt21’ – the Portuguese initiative for performance assessment of water and wastewater treatment plants
Authors: Silva C. , Ramalho P. , Quadros S. , Alegre H. , Rosa M. J.
Published: May 2012

Performance assessment of water supply and wastewater services is today a major issue. Over the past six years, the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (Portugal) has been developing performance assessment systems for drinking water treatment plants (WTPs) and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In 2009, a national field-test was launched in Portugal, ‘PASt21’, involving 27 plants (10 WTPs and 17 WWTPs). This paper presents an overview of the second generation of the performance indicator (PI) systems for the overall performance assessment of WTPs and WWTPs, the extent to which the systems were applied in the 5-year study period (2006–2010), and the aggregated results (average, median, percentiles 25 and 75, maximum and minimum) of representative PIs in each assessment group. It was concluded that all indicators are relevant, and the results show the ability of the proposed PI systems to assess the overall performance of a given treatment plant. The aggregated results are very important for the continuous improvement of the plant performance through benchmarking and periodic reassessment of targets.
A Short Version of the Revised ‘Experience of Close Relationships Questionnaire’: Investigating Non-Clinical and Clinical Samples
Authors: Wongpakaran Tinakon , Wongpakaran Nahathai
Published: May 2012

Aim:

This study seeks to investigate the psychometric properties of the short version of the revised ‘Experience of Close Relationships’ questionnaire, comparing non-clinical and clinical samples.

Methods:

In total 702 subjects participated in this study, of whom 531 were non-clinical participants and 171 were psychiatric patients. They completed the short version of the revised ‘Experience of Close Relationships’ questionnaire (ECR-R-18), the Perceived Stress Scale-10(PSS-10), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the UCLA Loneliness scale. A retest of the ECR-R-18 was then performed at four-week intervals. Then, confirmatory factor analyses were performed to test the validity of the new scale.

Results:

The ECR-R-18 showed a fair to good internal consistency (α 0.77 to 0.87) for both samples, and the test-retest reliability was found to be satisfactory (ICC = 0.75). The anxiety sub-scale demonstrated concurrent validity with PSS-10 and RSES, while the avoidance sub-scale showed concurrent validity with the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis using method factors yielded two factors with an acceptable model fit for both groups. An invariance test revealed that the ECR-R-18 when used on the clinical group differed from when used with the non-clinical group.

Conclusions:

The ECR-R-18 questionnaire revealed an overall better level of fit than the original 36 item questionnaire, indicating its suitability for use with a broader group of samples, including clinical samples. The reliability of the ECR-R- 18 might be increased if a modified scoring system is used and if our suggestions with regard to future studies are followed up.
Prevalence and Control of Hypertension in Iraqi Diabetic Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Mansour Abbas Ali
Published: May 2012

Objectives:

Diabetes and hypertension are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death in humans. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of hypertension, and hypertension control among adults with diabetes in Basrah (Southern Iraq).

Methods:

A prospective cohort study was conducted at Al-Faiha Diabetes and Endocrine Center in Basrah. It was started in August 2008 to April 2011. The total number of recruited patients with diabetes was 5578.

Results:

Hypertensive diabetic patients constituted 89.6% of this study cohort, with 45.3% of them newly discovered in the center. From hypertensive patients, 48.2% achieved the target blood pressure of less than 130/80 mmHg. The results of the multivariate analyses showed that the factors independently associated with the hypertension were aged > 50 years (odds ratio, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3 to 0.5; p < 0.001), body mass index equal or more than 25 (odds ratio, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4 to 0.6; p < 0.001), insulin use (odds ratio, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.5 to 0.8; p < 0.001) and duration of diabetes > 5 years (odds ratio, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.5 to 0.7; p < 0.001) .

Conclusion:

This study confirmed that hypertension was seen in ~90% of diabetic patients in Iraq, and approximately half of them were achieving target blood pressure level.
Cellular Function and Regulation of the Translationally Controlled Tumour Protein TCTP
Authors: Bommer Ulrich-Axel
Published: May 2012

The ‘translationally controlled tumour protein’ TCTP was originally discovered 30 years ago by researchers interested
in proteins regulated at the translational level. Cloning and sequencing confirmed the conservation of this protein
among all eukaryotic kingdoms, but did not reveal any functional clue, and TCTP was listed in the databases as a ‘family’
of its own. The functional characterisation of this protein extended over more than a decade, leading to a plethora of individual
functions and interactions that have been ascribed to this protein. A major addition to the functional characterisation
of TCTP was the identification in 1995 of its histamine releasing factor (HRF) activity in allergic conditions, which
for the first time described an extracellular activity for TCTP in human disease. This triggered a host of additional publications
aimed at characterising this HRF activity, which are discussed in other articles of this issue. Another milestone in
the elucidation of TCTP's function was the demonstration of its anti-apoptotic activity in 2001. Evidence is also accumulating
for a role of TCTP in the cell cycle and in early development. This article provides an overview of the main cellular
activities of TCTP. The second part will summarise our current knowledge on the mechanisms involved in regulating intracellular
TCTP levels.
On the Mechanisms Underlying the Secretion and Export of Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein/Histamine Releasing Factor (TCTP/HRF)
Authors: Maeng Jeehye , Kim Miyoung , Lee Kyunglim
Published: May 2012

Numerous studies have demonstrated that TCTP/HRF is a unique cytokine, modulating the release of
inflammatory mediators from various cell types including cells involved in allergic phenomena. Despite the absence of a
leader sequence in its NH2-terminus, TCTP/HRF is regarded as a secreted protein found outside of cells as well as in
fluids from allergic patients and parasitic organisms. Recent studies clarified several potential mechanisms leading to its
secretion. For example, these studies showed that TCTP/HRF is exported from cells via a non-classical, endoplasmic
reticulum (ER)/Golgi-independent mechanism associated with exosomal transport. TSAP6, a p53-inducible
transmembrane protein, has been shown to enhance exosome production, and facilitate the secretion of TCTP/HRF into
extracellular milieu. Additionally, H,K-ATPase also appears to play a role in the transport of TCTP/HRF, since inhibitors
of H,K-ATPase also inhibit TCTP/HRF exit. The exact mechanisms involved in TCTP/HRF secretion has not yet
emerged. Here we attempted to collate the available information in the current understanding of the mechanisms
underlying the release of TCTP/HRF and of the factors that seem to influence these mechanisms.
Going Beyond the Numbers in Teaching Financial Accounting: The Newsletter as an Assignment Option
Authors: McGowan Sue
Published: May 2012

This paper examines the effectiveness of an innovative assessment task for undergraduate accounting students in a financial accounting course. The task required students to undertake research to identify current changes and debates within the financial accounting domain by monitoring a wide range of sources and using a newsletter format to present their findings. This task, designed to increase student engagement and interest in accounting issues and to present accounting as a dynamic, interactive social construct, is not case or jurisdiction specific and could be employed in a range of discipline and geographical contexts by educators. The implementation and review of this task within an action-research framework illustrates and reinforces the necessity of the iterations associated with action research to refine and successfully implement teaching innovations. Further, it demonstrates the significance of creativity as an effective tool for enhancing student engagement and the advantages of this assessment task for group work.
Acceptance of E-Prescriptions and Automated Medication-Management Systems in Hospitals: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model
Authors: Escobar-Rodríguez Tomás , Monge-Lozano Pedro , Romero-Alonso Ma Mercedes
Published: May 2012

The serious repercussions of heath care errors on patient safety have led hospitals to deploy corrective information technologies. Hospitals are moving away from traditional paper-based systems and focusing on designing new methods that reduce errors, using information technology to catalyze the reengineering process.

This paper analyzes the intention of health care personnel (physicians and nurses) to use e-prescriptions and automated medication-management systems (EPAMMS), identifying influencing factors. Understanding these factors provides the opportunity to explore which actions might be carried out to boost adoption by potential users.

The theoretical grounding for this research is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). TAM specifies the causal relationships between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and actual usage behavior. The proposed model has seven constructs; we have generated 11 hypotheses from connections among these seven constructs. These constructs include perceived compatibility, perceived usefulness to enhance control systems, training, and perceived risks. Our results provide support for a number of relationships in the hypothesized model.
The Competitive Advantage of Audit Support Systems: The Relationship between Extent of Structure and Audit Pricing
Authors: Carson Elizabeth , Dowling Carlin
Published: May 2012

This study investigates if different audit support system designs provide firms with competitive advantages when competing in the market for audit services. We examine the association between the extent of structure a system imposes on the audit process and audit pricing. We find that audit firms with systems that impose more structure on the audit process compete as lower-cost producers in industries more suited to a structured audit approach. However, when these audit firms are also national industry specialists, they retain a fee premium. This study provides evidence that audit support system design is associated with economic consequences for audit firms and clients. We include suggestions for future research.

Data Availability: Data are available from sources described in the text with the exception of the level of structure embedded within a firm's audit support system, which the audit firms provided on the condition of anonymity.
Consequences of XBRL Standardization on Financial Statement Data
Authors: Vasarhelyi Miklos A. , Chan David Y. , Krahel J. P.
Published: May 2012

XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) has become an important element of the financial reporting landscape. This paper provides a discussion of the effects of XBRL on the usefulness of financial data. Using the theoretical framework of the technology acceptance model (TAM), we examine XBRL's potential to improve the usefulness of reported financial information. As XBRL gains wider acceptance, we examine five axes along which XBRL standardization will propagate: current data, disclosure format, historical data, data fidelity and assurance, and third-party data. We also call attention to new research opportunities that may arise as XBRL and related technologies mature.
Method for arbitrary phase transformation by a slab based on transformation optics and the principle of equal optical path
Authors: Ke Y. , Shu W. , Luo H. , Wen S. , Fan D.
Published: May 2012

The optical path lengths travelled by rays across a wavefront essentially determine the resulting phase front irrespective of the shape of a medium according to the principle of equal optical path. Thereupon we propose a method for the transformation between two arbitrary wavefronts by a slab, i.e. the profile of the spatial separation between the two wavefronts is taken to be transformed to a plane surface. Interestingly, for the mutual conversion between planar and curved wavefronts, the method reduce to an inverse transformation method in which it is the reversed shape of the desired wavefront that is converted to a planar one. As an application, three kinds of phase transformation are realized and it is found that the transformation on phase is able to realize some important properties such as phase reversal or compensation, focusing, and expanding or compressing beams, which are further confirmed by numerical simulations. The slab can be applied to realizing compact electromagnetic devices for which the values of the refractive index or the permittivity and permeability can be high or low, positive or negative, or near zero, depending on the choice of coordinate transformations.
Single Photon Counting with Silicon Photomultipliers, shortening systems and incoherent illumination
Authors: Yebras J. M. , Antoranz P. , Miranda J. M.
Published: May 2012

In this work it is shown the benefit of using pulse shortening systems for conforming photodetection pulses provided by Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). One of the main drawbacks when using SiPMs is the slow falling edge in the detection signal which can reach even hundreds of nanoseconds. Pulses obtained when using the shortening systems proposed here are single narrow peaks, with full width at half maximum (FWHM) around 10 ns, preserving the photonic modulation and with good pseudo-gaussian shape, single polarity and low ringing. Different tests are presented to illustrate the advantage of these systems in the detection of single photons emitted in short, incoherent pulses.
Insertion professionnelle des jeunes ultramarins : DOM ou métropole ?
Authors: Temporal Franck , Marie Claude-Valentin , Bernard Stéphane
Published: May 2012

Résumé Depuis un demi-siècle, les départements d’outre-mer (DOM) sont le théâtre de mouvements migratoires intenses où se croisent départs et retours des natifs des DOM et de populations nées en France métropolitaine ou à l’étranger. L’émigration des natifs des DOM, principalement orientée vers la métropole, a pour caractéristique majeure de concerner quasi exclusivement des individus en âge de travailler motivés par les études et l’emploi. Cette étude mesure l’ampleur et décrit la complexité de ces migrations, en s’attachant aux mécanismes de sélection à l’œuvre au départ comme au retour, notamment selon le niveau de diplôme. Il s’agit aussi d’évaluer les conditions de l’insertion des natifs des DOM pendant leur migration et d’apprécier les bénéfices qu’en tirent ceux qui reviennent, en particulier pour les plus jeunes (18 à 34 ans) par comparaison à leurs aînés (35 à 64 ans), afin d’éclairer les évolutions qui, d’une catégorie d’âge à l’autre, ont marqué cette tradition durable et forte de migration. Les résultats inédits des enquêtes Migrations, famille et vieillissement (MFV) et Trajectoires et origines (TeO), associés aux données des recensements dans les DOM et en métropole, offrent la possibilité d’analyses détaillées de la population des natifs des DOM quel que soit leur lieu de résidence, et ainsi de mieux comprendre les dynamiques en cours.
Évaluation des politiques de transports et équité spatiale
Authors: Bonnafous Alain , Masson Sophie
Published: May 2012

Résumé Un système de transport irrigue un espace dont tous les lieux ne jouissent pas de la même accessibilité, que cet espace soit local, national ou international. Cela pose le problème de l’inégalité face au droit au transport et plus généralement celui de l’iniquité spatiale. Dans le cas de l’évaluation des politiques de transport, la prise en compte de l’équité spatiale pose un certain nombre de problèmes. Cela renvoie à la contradiction entre efficacité et équité. L’incapacité du calcul économique, tel qu’il est usuellement pratiqué, à considérer des objectifs de redistribution est clairement liée à son principe fondé sur l’hypothèse d’une répartition optimale. Nous nous proposons dans un premier temps de formaliser cette difficulté, puis nous nous interrogeons sur la manière d’arbitrer au mieux la contradiction. Plusieurs pistes sont alors étudiées. La première consiste en l’intégration de la notion d’accessibilité dans le calcul du surplus de l’usager selon la proposition de KOENIG. Les suivantes reposent sur les propositions des économistes de la redistribution et suggèrent, en amont du problème, de s’interroger sur la définition de l’équité spatiale.
L'andalousie et les services avancés : vers une économie servo-industrielle ?
Authors: Jordá Borrell Rose
Published: May 2012

Résumé L’article analyse les caractéristiques de l’espace productif des services avancés dans le but de savoir à quelle étape de la société servico-industrielle se trouve l’Andalousie. Notre recherche a porté sur les flux de la demande (mesurés à partir des rapports de vente/achat et de la coopération). Ce sont les entreprises de gestion de la qualité et de conseil qui concentrent le plus grand nombre de services achetés face aux Organismes Publics de Recherche qui fournissent les grands volumes de R&D aux secteurs économiques. Une partie importante de l’acquisition des SA et de la coopération se réalise à échelle régionale.
Enjeux et perspectives de la coopération transfrontaliere dans le domaine de l'amenagement du territoire : l'exemple de la Suisse romande
Authors: Mettan Nicolas
Published: May 2012

Résumé La coopération transfrontalière existe en Europe depuis les années soixante, mais c’est surtout à partir des années quatre-vingts qu’elle s’est développée, avec l’élaboration de la Convention-cadre européenne du 21 mai 1980 sur la coopération transfrontalière des collectivités ou autorités territoriales (Convention de Madrid), ratifiée par la Suisse en 1982. De nombreux organismes de coopération transfrontalière ont ainsi vu le jour et ont tenté, avec plus ou moins de réussite, de mener des réflexions et des projets impliquant plusieurs acteurs de part et d’autre de la frontière. Avec la mise en place de l’initiative européenne INTERREG, à laquelle la Suisse participe pleinement depuis 1995, la coopération transfrontalière bénéficie d’une nouvelle impulsion. Plusieurs projets de coopération touchant l’aménagement du territoire transfrontalier sont ainsi nés en Suisse romande au cours des dernières années, notamment dans la région genevoise, dans l’arc jurassien ou encore entre le Valais et la Vallée d’Aoste. L’examen critique des expériences faites à ce jour et des questions encore ouvertes en relation avec la mise en œuvre des instruments actuels de l’aménagement du territoire nous paraît particulièrement opportun au moment où la coopération transfrontalière et transnationale devrait encore se renforcer à l’avenir grâce au démarrage de l’initiative INTERREG III. La multiplication des projets de coopération, qui concrétisent le principe de la collaboration avec les autorités des régions limitrophes mentionné à l’art. 7 de la loi fédérale sur l’aménagement du territoire (LAT), est évidemment stimulante. Elle n’en pose pas moins toute une série de défis en termes de légitimité et de mise en œuvre, notamment en regard du rôle joué par l’instrument qui matérialise la collaboration voulue par le législateur, à savoir le plan directeur cantonal. On peut en effet se poser la question de savoir si, dans sa conception et son utilisation actuelle, le plan directeur cantonal peut véritablement constituer l’instrument privilégié de la collaboration intercantonale et transfrontalière en matière d’aménagement du territoire. De même, on peut se demander s’il est opportun de promouvoir le recours à de nouveaux instruments juridico-institutionnels permettant de stabiliser un cadre territorial transfrontalier qui puisse légitimer les politiques et projets d’aménagement du territoire chevauchant les frontières nationales.
La concentration spatiale de l'urbanisation : un problème de développement ? L'émergence de Montréal au 19ème siècle
Authors: Mario Papillon Benoît
Published: May 2012

Résumé L’urbanisation est fréquemment interprétée comme une manifestation des économies d’agglomération et, suivant cette logique, une concentration de l’urbanisation autour d’un seul site pourrait découler d’économies d’agglomération particulièrement effectives. Dans une toute autre littérature s’inspirant de contributions maintenant classiques comme HOSELITZ (1953), le même phénomène de concentration indique un problème de développement. Le développement régional et son activisme de bon aloi reposent en partie sur cette deuxième interprétation. Le texte porte sur une étude de cas : l’urbanisation de la Province de Québec au 19 e siècle, surtout concentrée autour du site de Montréal, dont l’interprétation s’est largement inspirée du paradigme de l’urbanisation hiérarchisée. Après avoir décrit sommairement la croissance de Montréal et l’urbanisation des régions avoisinantes, le texte présente une courte synthèse de la littérature permettant de saisir la portée de ce paradigme. La troisième partie revoie l’interprétation de l’émergence de Montréal au 19 e siècle à la lumière de données nouvelles sur l’activité économique dans sa périphérie peu urbanisée et en prenant en considération le mode de transport disponible alors dans la périphérie. Compte tenu de l’analogie du point de vue de la structure des coûts entre ce mode de transport et les transports terrestres modernes, la dernière section conclut sur le bien-fondé d’une interprétation plus nuancée de la concentration de l’urbanisation dans plusieurs économies contemporaines en développement.
La dynamique des disparités régionales dans l'Union Européenne, 1980-1995
Authors: Le Gallo Julie
Published: May 2012

Résumé L’objectif de cet article est d’analyser la dynamique des disparités régionales dans l’Union Européenne sur la période 1980-1995 en se basant sur un échantillon de 138 régions. Premièrement, l’évolution de la forme de la distribution des PIB par tête est caractérisée par un test de a-convergence et par l’estimation non-paramétrique de fonctions de densité. Deuxièmement, le processus de croissance est modélisé à l’aide d’une chaîne de Markov de premier ordre et stationnaire. Troisièmement, l’influence de l’environnement géographique est analysée à l’aide d’une chaîne de Markov spatiale. Les résultats indiquent la persistance des disparités régionales, un biais progressif vers une trappe à pauvreté et l’importance de l’espace dans le processus de convergence.
Querétaro : un pôle émergent de développement industriel
Authors: Daville Landero Selva
Published: May 2012

Résumé À travers l’étude du processus d’industrialisation à Querétaro, spécifiquement de son industrie automobile, on peut mettre en évidence les éléments qui permettent de corroborer l’hétérogénéité de la transition du fordisme vers un nouveau modèle. De la même façon, en étudiant le processus historique de construction de ce territoire industriel, on peut expliquer la forte concentration spatiale des activités économiques les plus dynamiques ainsi que celle de la population.
Une ville sans voiture : utopie ?
Authors: Massot Marie-Hélène , Armoogum Jimmy , Bonnel Patrick , Caubel David
Published: May 2012

Résumé L’amélioration des systèmes de transport dans les agglomérations (vitesse accrue et baisse des coûts de transport) a contribué à la diminution de la densité dans les zones urbaines et a conduit à un usage dominant de la voiture et une très forte réduction de l’usage de la marche et du vélo, tandis que les transports en commun sont restés globalement stable. L’usage de la voiture est maintenant dominant face aux autres modes de transport y compris dans la métropole parisienne. Cette domination de la voiture conduit de plus en plus l’opinion publique à réclamer une réduction de son usage et le développement d’alternative à son usage. L’objectif de ce travail est de déterminer si ces demandes sont compatibles avec les vitesses pratiquées actuellement à l’aide de chacun des modes de transport. Plus précisément notre objectifs est de répondre à ces questions : est-ce que les conducteurs ont une bonne appréciation de la vitesse quant à leur choix de comportement ? Combien de conducteurs pourraient gagner du temps en changeant de mode de transport ? Que peut-on attendre, en termes de réduction de l’usage de la voiture, d’une amélioration significative de l’offre de transports collectifs ou bien d’une réduction forte de la vitesse de l’automobile ?
Qualité des produits agricoles et de l'environnement : le cas de Rhône-Alpes
Authors: Hirczak Maud , Mollard Amédée
Published: May 2012

Résumé L’hypothèse de cet article est que si la problématique de la qualité par l’origine des produits agro-alimentaires est a priori indépendante de critères environnementaux, les pratiques de production sous signe de qualité, souvent ancrées dans la tradition et les savoir-faire, sont attentives au respect des milieux naturels et évoluent vers une prise en compte de plus en plus explicite de ce critère dans les cahiers des charges. En d’autres termes, l’évolution des attentes de la société serait à même de transformer le « modèle des produits d’origine » pour en faire un levier possible d’une politique d’amélioration des rapports agriculture-environnement, complémentaire et convergente avec la PAC européenne. Il sera néanmoins montré que si cette situation se rencontre souvent dans les nouvelles générations d’Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, elle n’est pas encore observée pour tous les produits de qualité. Il convient donc de préciser comment qualité des produits et qualité de l’environnement peuvent converger.
Preparing Emotionally Intelligent Doctor of Nursing Practice Leaders
Authors: Renaud Michelle T. , Rutledge Carolyn , Shepherd Laurel
Published: May 2012

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) identified the need for interdisciplinary teams that collaborate, communicate, and integrate care across settings to improve health care delivery. Focusing on innovative strategies that address leadership skills in graduate nursing education could have an effect on interdisciplinary partnerships, transformation of patient care, and new styles of leadership to change current practice models. In response to the IOM guidelines, we incorporated emotional intelligence as a component in our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) leadership curriculum. This article describes a new action-oriented leadership model that prepares the DNP graduate for leadership roles to serve the public and the nursing discipline during a time of radical changes in health care. Behavioral profile, nontraditional readings, and online discussions form the basis of the model. The principles and strategies in this article can be applied to nursing education in multiple arenas, at both the undergraduate and graduate settings.
Successful Management of Choroidal Metastasis With Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injections
Authors: Detorakis Efstathios T. , Agorogiannis George , Drakonaki Eleni E. , Tsilimbaris Miltiadis K. , Pallikaris Ioannis G.
Published: May 2012

Uveal metastases are the most frequent intraocular malignancy in adults. Among various treatment modalities, previous studies have described intravitreal injections of bevacizumab to suppress tumor vascularity. Because of its smaller molecular size, compared to bevacizumab, ranibizumab may offer better tissue penetration and be more efficient in suppressing neovascularization in choroidal lesions. This report presents two cases of choroidal metastases from bronchial and nasopharyngeal carcinoma that were treated as a series of three intravitreal ranibizumab injections (0.5 mg each), showing definite signs of regression. The encouraging results imply that intravitreal ranibizumab may be effective in the management of choroidal metastases, but this finding will have to be confirmed by larger prospective studies.
IT Human Resources
Authors: Schneidermeyer Phil
Published: May 2012

In this chapter, IT human recourse professionals will find confirmation of the important role that they play in ensuring the creation of a high performance department. They develop, recommend, and then lead the talent management strategy. As leadership needs arise, HR works with IT leadership to assess internal candidates, and if they do not fit, then they can assess and recommend external staffing firms with the appropriate expertise and reach. The human resources/CIO partnership will include leading the effort to develop a position specification, managing the candidates through the interview process, and negotiating an offer that often times must be customized to attract the ideal candidate. Finally, once selected, human resources will manage the on-boarding process to ensure that the recent hire has the support they need and can get up to speed quickly.
Human Resource Development and Technology Integration
Authors: Wang Jia
Published: May 2012

In the information age, technology is rapidly becoming an integral part of organizational life. Ever increasing technology applications have significantly reshaped the day-to-day practices of human resource development (HRD). This chapter explores the role of technology in HRD. Specifically, it addresses three issues. First, it identifies the challenges that technology has brought to HRD in the twenty-first century. Second, it analyzes the impact of technology on HRD practices with a focus on emerging HRD practices in virtual environments. Third, it provides insights into the future of virtual HRD in training and development, organizational development, and career development.
Human Resource Related Problems in Agile and Traditional Software Project Process Models
Authors: Koch Stefan , Turk Gerhard
Published: May 2012

This paper explores the impacts associated with different software process models on the staff. The main research question addressed is whether any process model leads to a higher satisfaction of staff, and less human resource related problems, including staff turnover or increased stress levels. This issue is empirically investigated using a set of projects from 15 different software developing companies. Agile-oriented models are not necessarily limited to small projects, but both groups showed nearly identical distributions for team size and duration. Interestingly, rigid-type models tend to exhibit higher effort estimations, and lower correctness in these estimations. Also customer satisfaction is slightly lower. With regard to human resource issues, the differences are not major overall, but there are some noticeable exceptions. In general, satisfaction and acceptance are higher at lower stress and overtime levels for agile-type project participants, but, interestingly and contrary to theory, people wish for more responsibility. Agile-type projects also enjoy some advantages in information sharing and communication, and in some quality aspects. Rigid-type projects show considerable higher abilities to cope with absence of personnel.
Introducing a First Step towards a Holistic Talent Management System Architecture
Authors: Eckhardt Andreas , Laumer Sven , Maier Christian
Published: May 2012

As one of the top issues for executives nowadays the recruiting, retaining, and skilling of scarce talent has received a lot of attention both in research and practice. While companies are in dire need of new strategies and integrated approaches in human resources, research has predominately observed the skill profile and general attitude of professionals to their work, their individual incentives, and consequentially, their turnover intention. We aim to relieve these needs in practice by introducing a first step towards a holistic system architecture of recruiting, retention, and development processes. For this purpose we use a design science approach to develop a talent management system architecture containing all respective processes and their related subsystems based on the next-generation holistic e-recruiting system invented by Lee (2007). This architecture could increase knowledge transfer and thereby improve the adjustment and performance of the entire HR process. Furthermore the increased amount of data gained through new implemented performance measurement subsystems offers management a variety of new strategic options for continuing to battle in a global “War for Talent.”
Lotus Workforce Management
Authors: O’Connor Jerh. , Dalton Ronan , Naro Don
Published: May 2012

Human Resources departments are often burdened with administrative tasks performed on behalf of employees who lack the tools necessary to complete these tasks themselves. A software approach known as self-service aims to streamline HR processes by providing employees with access and control of their personal information. Different approaches to self-service have been developed, including solutions offered by SAP, Sage Software, and IBM®. This paper examines the approach taken by IBM Lotus® Workforce Management, which is a self-service solution for IBM WebSphere® Portal. Most of the self-service solutions available in the marketplace do provide HR capabilities for an organization’s workforce, however, these solutions are usually designed as “out-of-the-box” software that require an organization to adopt a particular approach and a specific set of functionality. Lotus Workforce Management, on the other hand, focuses on providing three key features that allow organizations more choice and control over the implementation of a self-service solution. These features are extensibility, customization, and ease of integration. Extensibility is provided through the WebSphere Portal framework that lets users add or remove components and functionality and determine the structure of communication between portal resources. Integration with IBM WebSphere Portlet Factory gives users the ability to customize and design a solution that is tailored to their needs. Finally, ease of integration with HR resources that reside in a back end system is important as most organizations would be reluctant to change or make complex configurations to that system. For this reason, Lotus Workforce Management uses existing components for SAP ERP systems and provides functional code for rapid and simple integration without extensive configuration.
Human Talent Forecasting using Data Mining Classification Techniques
Authors: Jantan Hamidah , Hamdan Abdul Razak , Othman Zulaiha Ali
Published: May 2012

Talent management is a very crucial task and demands close attention from human resource (HR) professionals. Recently, among the challenges for HR professionals is how to manage organization’s talents, particularly to ensure the right job for the right person at the right time. Some employee’s talent patterns can be identified through existing knowledge in HR databases, which data mining can be applied to handle this issue. The hidden and useful knowledge that exists in databases can be discovered through classification task and has been widely used in many fields. However, this approach has not successfully attracted people in HR especially in talent management. In this regard, the authors attempt to present an overview of talent management problems that can be solved by using this approach. This paper uses that approach for one of the talent management tasks, i.e., predicting potential talent using previous existing knowledge. Future employee’s performances can be predicted based on past experience knowledge discovered from existing databases by using classification techniques. Finally, this study proposes a framework for talent forecasting using the potential Data Mining classification techniques.
A Systematic Review of Distributed Software Development
Authors: Jiménez Miguel , Piattini Mario , Vizcaíno Aurora
Published: May 2012

In last years, software development activity tends to be decentralized, thus expanding greater development efforts towards more attractive zones for organizations. The type of development in which the team members are distributed in remote sites is called distributed software development (DSD). The main advantage of this practice is mainly that of having a greater availability of human resources in decentralized zones with less cost. On the other hand, organizations must face some disadvantages due to the distance that separates the development teams related to project organization, project control and product quality. Coordination becomes more difficult as the software components are sourced from different places, and new processes and tools are needed. This chapter presents a systematic review of the literature related to the problems of DSD with the purpose of obtaining a vision about the solutions proposed up to the present day.