bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of a Combined Penetrometer‐Moisture Probe for Investigating Heterogeneous Hydrological Properties of a Footslope Area
Authors: Masaoka Naoya , Kosugi Ken'ichirou , Yamakawa Yosuke , Mizuyama Takahisa , Tsutsumi Daizo
Published: September 2012

To survey heterogeneous hydrological properties in a footslope area of a mountainous watershed, we applied a new type of combined penetrometer–moisture probe (CPMP) for simultaneous measurements of soil water content, θ, and penetration resistance,Nc, of soil mantles. We examined the usefulness of CPMP data for inferring hydrological properties in a footslope area by comparing the spatial distributions of θ andNcwith pressure head, ψ, obtained by continuous monitoring using densely nested tensiometers. By comparing θ and the topographic index of the bedrock surface obtained by the CPMP, we could effectively detect the heterogeneous water distribution that exists independently of topographic flow convergence. Such anomalous water distribution patterns suggest the existence of a preferential pathway, a soil layer with low permeability, and bedrock groundwater exfiltration. The CPMP data corresponded well with the tensiometer‐observed ψ under no‐rainfall conditions. The results show that we can estimate the complex shape of the water flow domain, hydrological baseline, and point of bedrock groundwater exfiltration using CPMP measurements, without measuring ψ by tensiometers and soil hydraulic conductivity by collecting soil samples. Moreover, complicated water movement phenomena that occur during storm events, such as preferential water flow and variations in the hydrological baseline, could be inferred from the CPMP data under no‐rainfall conditions. The CPMP technique was proven to be effective for understanding the heterogeneous hydrological properties of a footslope area.
Using High Performance Computing to Understand Roles of Labile and Nonlabile Uranium(VI) on Hanford 300 Area Plume Longevity
Authors: Lichtner Peter C. , Hammond Glenn E.
Published: September 2012

Evolution of a hexavalent uranium [U(VI)] plume at the Hanford 300 Area bordering the Columbia River was investigated to evaluate the roles of labile and nonlabile forms of U(VI) on the longevity of the plume. A high fidelity, three‐dimensional, field‐scale, reactive flow and transport model was used to represent the system. Richards' equation coupled to multicomponent reactive transport equations were solved for times up to 100 yr, taking into account rapid fluctuations in the Columbia River stage resulting in pulse releases of U(VI) into the river. The petascale computer code PFLOTRAN developed under a Department of Energy Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC‐2) project was used in the simulations and executed on Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Jaguar XT5 Cray supercomputer. Labile U(VI) was represented in the model through surface complexation reactions and its nonlabile form through dissolution of metatorbernite used as a surrogate mineral. Initial conditions were constructed corresponding to the U(VI) plume already in place to avoid uncertainties associated with the lack of historical data for the waste stream. The cumulative U(VI) flux into the river was compared for cases of equilibrium and multirate sorption models and for no sorption, and its sensitivity on the initial plume configuration was investigated. The presence of nonlabile U(VI) was found to be essential in explaining the longevity of the U(VI) plume and the prolonged high U(VI) concentrations at the site exceeding the USEPA maximum contaminant level for U(VI).
Soil‐Aggregate‐Scale Heterogeneity in Microbial Selenium Reduction
Authors: Kausch Matteo , Ng Peter , Ha Juyoung , Pallud Céline
Published: September 2012

Given the role of Se as both an environmental contaminant and a micronutrient, the microbial reduction and subsequent sequestration of bioavailable Se in soils are of great ecological interest. Primary particles in surface soils are typically bound into loosely packed, microporous aggregates, which may be critical spatial units in determining the fate of Se in soils. Surrounded by macropores where preferential flow rapidly advects dissolved compounds, soil aggregates are domains of slow diffusive transport where spatial variations in chemical concentrations and biogeochemical reactions can prevail. We conducted a series of controlled flow‐through experiments utilizing three‐dimensional, artificial soil aggregates (2.5‐cm i.d.) surrounded by a macropore. Aggregates were composed of either quartz sand or ferrihydrite‐coated sand inoculated with one of two Se‐reducing bacteria (Thauera selenatis or Enterobacter cloacae SLD1a‐1). Selenite export rates varied between 0.02 ± 0.01 and 3.4 ± 0.2 nmol h−1 g−1 as a function of aeration condition and input solution composition (higher SeO42− or C‐source concentrations led to higher SeO32− export). Oxic input conditions significantly decreased Se reduction; however, the detection of SeO32− in effluent samples indicates the occurrence of anoxic microzones within aggregates. Furthermore, we found that solid‐phase concentrations of reduced Se increased toward the core of aggregates and are estimated to at least double within the first millimeter into the aggregate under all conditions investigated. This indicates that concentrations of reduced Se may generally be expected to increase with distance from the advection boundary (macropore) inside aggregates, which would imply that soils with larger aggregates retain more Se.
Reactive Transport Modeling of Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands Using the HYDRUS Wetland Module
Authors: Langergraber Günter , Šimůnek Jirka
Published: September 2012

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are engineered water treatment systems designed to remove various types of contaminants. A large number of processes simultaneously contribute to water quality improvement in CWs. During the last decade, there has been a wide interest in the understanding of complex “constructed wetland” systems, including the development of numerical process‐based models describing these systems. A number of process‐based numerical models for subsurface flow (SSF) CWs have been developed during the last few years; however, most of them are either in an early stage of development or are available only in‐house. The HYDRUS wetland module is the only implementation of a CW model that is currently publicly available. Version 2 of the HYDRUS wetland module includes two biokinetic model formulations simulating reactive transport in CWs: CW2D and CWM1. In CW2D, aerobic and anoxic transformation and degradation processes for organic matter, N, and P are considered, whereas in CWM1, aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic processes for organic matter, N, and S are taken into account. We simulated horizontal flow CWs using both biokinetic models. Compared with the CWM1 implementation in the RETRASO code, the HYDRUS implementation was able to simulate fixed biomass, which is of high importance for obtaining realistic predictions for the treatment efficiency of CWs. We also compared simulation results for horizontal flow CWs obtained using both CW2D and CWM1 modules that showed that CWM1 produces more reasonable results because it also considers anaerobic degradation processes. The influence of wetland plants on the simulation results was also investigated. Simulated biomass profiles in the filter were completely different when considering O2 release from roots, thus indicating the importance of considering plant effects.
Coupled Hydrogeophysical Inversion of Streaming Potential Signals for Unsaturated Soil Hydraulic Properties
Authors: Mboh C. M. , Huisman J. A. , Zimmermann E. , Vereecken H.
Published: September 2012

Streaming potential (SPs) is the electric potential generated by fluid flow in a charged porous medium. The SPs signals are related to pore water velocity, bulk electrical conductivity, pore water charge excess, and soil porosity. While several studies have estimated hydraulic properties of the saturated zone from SPs, there have been fewer attempts to infer unsaturated hydraulic properties from SPs. From numerical and laboratory experiments in which infiltration and subsequent drainage was monitored with nonpolarizable Ag/AgCl electrodes and tensiometers, we showed that it is feasible to estimate three key Mualem–van Genuchten hydraulic parameters (fitting parameters α and n and saturated hydraulic conductivity Ks) and Archie's saturation exponent (na) using a coupled hydrogeophysical inversion approach. In addition to a reasonably good estimate of na, coupled hydrogeophysical inversion of actual SPs measurements during drainage provided estimates of α, n, and Ks that were comparable to those obtained from an independent inversion of the tensiometric data (matric heads). We concluded that coupled hydrogeophysical inversion of time‐lapse SPs signals is a promising method for hydraulic characterization of the vadose zone. Accurate modeling of SPs signals is essential for reliable inversion results, but there is still debate about the appropriate model for the voltage coupling coefficient at partial saturation. Our experimental data showed a nonlinear and monotonic decrease in the absolute voltage coupling coefficient with decreasing saturation. A comparison of several available models with our experimental data showed that models that consider the relative permeability and the relative electrical conductivity in addition to the saturated coupling coefficient and water saturation were most appropriate.
Processing and characterization of mechanically alloyed immiscible metals
Authors: Suryanarayana Challapalli , Liu Jinling
Published: September 2012

A number of metal systems exhibit positive heat of mixing between the constituent elements and consequently they are immiscible and cannot form alloys. Some classical examples of these systems are Ti–Mg, Zr–Nb, W–Cu, Ni–Ag, and Cu–Fe. We have investigated the alloying behavior of the Ni–Ag, Ti–Mg, and Zr–Nb systems through two solid-state non-equilibrium processing techniques, viz., mechanical alloying and high-pressure torsion. Increases in solid solubility limits have been achieved in all the systems, although the magnitude of the increase is different in the different alloy systems. The results obtained are also different depending on the technique employed and the lattice strain introduced into the system. The extent of increase in solid solubility limits has been rationalized in terms of the heat of mixing between the constituent metals and it is shown that the solid solubility limit is higher the smaller the positive heat of mixing.
Compositional features of bulk metallic glasses analyzed with a tetrahedral composition diagram from s-, p-, d- and f-blocks
Authors: Takeuchi Akira , Inoue Akihisa
Published: September 2012

The compositional features of bulk metallic glasses were statistically analyzed with an s–dEf–dLpM–pMLD tetrahedral composition diagram comprising s-, p-, d- and f-blocks in the periodic table, early- and late-transition metals and Metal–Metalloid. The s–dEf–dLpM–pMLD diagram was filled with 25 BMGs with critical diameter over half-inch (∼12.7 cm), 264 BMGs with the critical diameter ranging 0.2–12 mm, 6150 amorphous alloys from 351 ternary systems and 35400 compounds. The analysis revealed that BMGs as well as the ternary amorphous alloys are principally plotted on s–dEf–dLpM and dEf–dLpM–pMLD faces and their edges and vertices, whereas no plots are seen in s–pMLD edge and deep inside the diagram of each component of s, dEf, dLpM or pMLD ≥10 at.%. The s–dEf–dLpM–pMLD tetrahedral composition diagram is a useful tool for alloy design of bulk metallic glasses.
Cooling conditions for the generation of bulk metallic glasses by droplet deposition
Authors: Meyer Christoph , Ellendt Nils , Srivastava Vikas C. , Uhlenwinkel Volker
Published: September 2012

The cooling rate during material processing until glass transition rate is the key parameter for the production of bulk metallic glasses. But in the past, little attention has been paid to advanced production techniques such as deposition of molten metal sprays or spray forming, which offer elevated cooling rates. In this work, cooling conditions during spray forming were investigated due to its utmost importance for producing amorphous structures. Spray forming is treated in this work as a three step cooling process consisting of droplet flight phase, splat phase and deposit phase. All cooling steps were simulated for different droplet sizes. The surface temperature of the deposit was found to play an important role in the production of metallic glasses via spray forming. The simulation model can be used to find suitable spray conditions for the generation of bulk metallic glasses.
Hydrothermal synthesis of MoO3 micro-belts
Authors: Zhu Bingying , Li Changsheng , Cao Kesheng , Liang Jiaqing , Tang Hua , Yang Feng
Published: September 2012

In this paper we report the synthesis of molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) microstructures via acidification of sodium molybdate (Na2MoO4). The structure and morphology of the products were characterized by means of X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and selected area electron diffraction. It is found that as-synthesized micro-belts were pure orthorhombic structured MoO3 grown along [010], with length up to more than 10 μm and width ranging from 200 to 500 nm. On the basis of the experimental facts, a mechanism for the growth of the MoO3 belts is proposed.
Development of an atomic mobility database for disordered and ordered fcc phases in multicomponent Al alloys: focusing on binary systems
Authors: Liu Dandan , Zhang Lijun , Du Yong , Cui Senlin , Jie Wanqi , Jin Zhanpeng
Published: September 2012

An atomic mobility database for binary disordered and ordered fcc phases in multicomponent Al-Cu-Fe–Mg-Mn–Ni–Si–Zn alloys was established based on a critical review of diffusion data in various constituent binary systems via the DICTRA (DIffusion Controlled TRAnsformation) software package. The mobility parameters for self-diffusion in the metastable fcc structure were determined through a semi-empirical method. An effective strategy, which takes the homogeneity range and defect concentration into account, was used to optimize the atomic mobilities of L12 phase in the Fe–Ni system. Comprehensive comparisons between various calculated and measured diffusivities show that most of the experimental data can be well reproduced by the presently obtained atomic mobilities. The general agreement between the model-predicted concentration profiles and the experimental ones in the Al-Ni–Si, Al-Mg-Zn and Cu-Mn–Ni–Zn diffusion couples validates the potential application of the present atomic mobility database to predict the concentration profiles in higher order systems. An 8-elemental diffusion couple was also simulated with the present database.
Effects of BN content on the structural and mechanical properties of a-SiBN ceramics
Authors: Liao Ningbo , Xue Wei , Zhou Hongming , Zhang Miao
Published: September 2012

SiBN has the advantages of Si3N4 at high temperature and also presents good mechanical properties. Understanding the structural and mechanical properties of SiBN is essential in order to control the properties under fabrication. In this paper, the effects of BN content on structural and mechanical properties of SiBN ceramics were investigated using atomistic simulation. Phase separation of the SiN-rich region and the BN-rich region was observed for all the three compositions. With BN content increases, the BN-rich regions tend to be larger and the SiN-rich regions become smaller. Interestingly, Si3B3N7 shows different structural and mechanical properties compared with Si3BN5 and Si3B5N9: 1) sharper and narrower peaks for pair distribution functions and angular distribution. 2) larger values but less stability for Young's moduli at high temperatures. The larger Young's modulus of Si3B3N7 is attributed to the network structure of BN and SiN phase.
The Repertoire of DNA-Binding Transcription Factors in Prokaryotes: Functional and Evolutionary Lessons
Authors: Perez-Rueda Ernesto , Martinez-Nuñez Mario Alberto
Published: September 2012

The capabilities of organisms to contend with environmental changes depend on their genes and their ability to regulate their expression. DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs) play a central role in this process, because they regulate gene expression positively and/or negatively, depending on the operator context and ligand-binding status. In this review, we summarise recent findings regarding the function and evolution of TFs in prokaryotes. We consider the abundance of TFs in bacteria and archaea, the role of DNA-binding domains and their partner domains, and the effects of duplication events in the evolution of regulatory networks. Finally, a comprehensive picture for how regulatory networks have evolved in prokaryotes is provided.
Book Reviews
Authors: Beattie James , Tucker Richard , Triner Gail D. , Doyle Barry M.
Published: September 2012

Tom Brooking, Eric Pawson et al., Seeds of Empire: The Environmental Transformation of New Zealand (James Beattie)
Timo Myllyntaus, ed., Thinking through the Environment: Green Approaches to Global History (Richard Tucker)
Thomas D. Rogers, The Deepest Wounds: A Labor and Environmental History of Sugar in Northeast Brazil (Gail D. Triner)
Geneviève Massard-Guilbaud and Richard Rodger (eds.), Environmental and Social Justice in the City: Historical Perspectives (Barry M. Doyle)
Arsenic in rice and rice straw
Authors: Chakma S , Rahman M M , Islam P , Awal M A , Roy U K , Haq M R
Published: September 2012

Arsenic from groundwater affects people in Bangladesh via seed grains and forages. Samples of rice (Oryza sativa L) and rice straw were collected from arsenic-contaminated areas and arsenic concentration was measured using Flow Injection Hidride Generator Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (FI-HG-AAS) method. The concentrations in rice and rice straw were 0.235 ± 0.014 ppm (n = 48) and 1.149 ± 0.119 ppm (n = 51), respectively. Both were greater than the maximum permissible concentration in drinking water (0.05 ppm; WHO). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bvet.v29i1.11883 Bangl. vet. 2012. Vol. 29, No. 1, 1-6
Shelf-life of Dahi (Yogurt) with or without potato mash
Authors: Amin M R , Islam M N , Habib M A , Islam F
Published: September 2012

Four different types of Dahi (Yogurt) were prepared and kept at room and   refrigeration temperatures with different concentrations of potato mash (0, 5, 10 and 15%). These Dahi samples were analyzed for smell and taste, body and consistency, colour, texture and acidity and pH at pre and post storage period. The quality of Dahi deteriorated quickly at room temperature than at refrigeration temperature. With (5%) or without potato mash keeping quality was preserved for up to three days but at refrigeration temperature they were suitable up to 12 days. Addition of 10% and 15% potato mashes were suitable for keeping Dahi up to two days at room temperature while in refrigeration temperature it was acceptable up to ten and eight days, respectively. Preparation of Dahi in incorporating potato mash may be economically feasible without compromising it qualities. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bvet.v29i1.11886 Bangl. vet. 2012. Vol. 29, No. 1, 22-30
Les enseignants du secondaire et les élèves porteurs de troubles spécifiques du langage écrit
Authors: Faure-Brac Carole , Gombert Anne , Roussey Jean-Yves
Published: September 2012

La scolarisation des élèves en situation de handicap dans les classes dites ordinaires interpelle la pratique et les représentations des enseignants qui s’engagent dans l’inclusion. Pour répondre aux besoins éducatifs particuliers de ces élèves, ils doivent notamment recourir à des gestes d’adaptation pédagogique. Ce processus de changement est étudié auprès d’un groupe d’enseignants travaillant dans trois collèges et scolarisant des élèves porteurs de Troubles spécifiques du langage écrit (TSLE : dyslexique et dysorthographie sévères) dans leur classe. La recherche présentée rend compte, d’une part, de la nature des gestes d’adaptation que les professeurs interrogés déclarent mettre en œuvre et, d’autre part, de leurs représentations sur l’inclusion scolaire.
Exotic Earthworm Communities Within Upland Deciduous Forests of National Wildlife Refuges in the Upper Midwest
Authors: Shartell Lindsey M. , Corace R. Gregory , Storer Andrew J.
Published: September 2012

The invasion of exotic earthworms into forests of the Upper Midwest region of the United States is a considerable management issue due to the ability of earthworms to act as ecosystem engineers and modify existing ecosystems. Earthworm taxa differ in their biology and behavior, such that earthworm abundance and community composition can be related to the type and degree of alteration expected to occur. Many National Wildlife Refuges of the Upper Midwest have enabling legislation that identifies migratory birds as a specific management priority, and past studies have indicated that earthworm-modified forests provide lower quality habitat for migratory, ground-nesting birds. We quantified exotic earthworm community composition, abundance, and variability within and among upland deciduous forest stands at six of these refuges (Horicon, Ottawa, Rice Lake, Seney, Shiawassee, and Tamarac), providing a baseline for estimating the status of earthworm invasion. Analyses revealed a significant difference in mean earthworm biomass among upland deciduous forest stands sampled (ANOVA, F5,52  =  2.81, P  =  0.03) and indicated significant differences in earthworm community composition (multiresponse permutation procedure, T  =  −12.57, A  =  0.24, P < 0.001) at each refuge. Based upon existing theories regarding earthworm invasion, we suggest that the stage, and impact, of earthworm invasion is varied across the region. Continued research and monitoring of earthworm communities should test this theory and seek to elucidate drivers of earthworm invasion patterns and impacts to forest ecosystems.
Legal Ontologies in ICT and Law
Authors: Abramowicz Witold , Stolarski Piotr , Tomaszewski Tadeusz
Published: September 2012

Re-usability is frequently declared as sine qua non feature of modern ontology engineering. Although thoroughly examined in general theory of knowledge management models the re-usability issue is still barely a declaration in the domain of legal ontologies. The similar situation also applies to statute-specific ontologies. Those knowledge modeling entities are well described especially as an opposition to the general application legal ontologies. Yet it is trivial to say that most of the developed legal ontologies so far are those generic ones. And this sole fact should not surprise as the very specialized knowledge models – usually harder to develop – are at the same time narrowed with their utility. Of course in terms of re-usability this simply means that this feature may be largely disabled in this kind of knowledge models. In this chapter we face both challenges, i.e. as an excuse for presentation of the most interesting in our opinion trends and works in the field we will demonstrate the practical approach to modeling copyright law case by re-using statute-specific ontologies.
ELATEwiki
Authors: Hai-Jew Shalin , McHaney Roger
Published: September 2012

A small team at Kansas State University worked to plan, create and launch an e-learning wiki to support faculty in their work. The advantages of the wiki technology—with its technological affordances of wide access and dissemination, digital content archival, multimedia expressiveness, remote collaboration, subscribability, and the reversibility of postings –appealed to this team. Even initially, there seemed to be opportunities for building novice and professional capacities in e-learning through the co-creation and sharing of information, problem-solving, and virtual community building. This chapter describes the research literature and pedagogical theories on wikis. It addresses the team’s efforts in exploring and then building the wiki site. Additionally, this explains the team’s rationales in terms of the intellectual property policies, the work to create accessibility, the wiki’s fortuitous naming, the seeding of the wiki with contents, its low-key branding strategy, and the publicity plan for a “hard launch” of the ELATEwiki to the Wikisphere. This also describes the datamining techniques used to track use of the site and how those affect the site’s continuing evolution. Finally, this chapter will provide perspectives on the work of a wiki-master in a peer-to-peer, collaborative, and open wiki.
The Protection of Digital Libraries as Databases
Authors: Synodinou Tatiani-Eleni
Published: September 2012

This chapter explains the application of EU Directive 96/9 to digital libraries. Digital libraries correspond largely to the broad definition of databases which is established by the Directive 96/9. The application of the database copyright and sui generis regime to digital libraries provides a safe and solid legal protection to digital libraries which fulfill the conditions of originality and investment set by the Directive. The chapter examines in detail the conditions for protection, the subject matter, the content and the extent of the Directive’s 96/9 two-tier legal protection regime as it is applied to digital libraries. While the protection of the structure of a digital library by copyright law has not provoked any reactions both in Europe and in U.S.A., the possibility of protection of the digital library’s contents by the quasi proprietary database sui generis right has been since the adoption of the Directive 96/9 a highly controversial issue. The defendants of the Internet dogma of free and open flow of information consider the sui generis right as an inappropriate and unbalanced legal mechanism which promotes the monopolization of the digital knowledge to the detriment of the public interest. The chapter also demonstrates the conflict between the proprietary interests of the digital library’s maker and the interests of the lawful user of a digital library. Furthermore, a critical overview of the regime of exceptions to database sui generis right is provided. In order to justify and balance the attribution of the proprietary sui generis right, the author argues that the regime of database sui generis exceptions should be enriched and strengthened, especially when the purposes of education, research and information are served by the exceptions.
Knowledge and Intellectual Property Rights
Authors: Ryan Geraldine , Shinnick Edward
Published: September 2012

Category: Managerial Aspects of Knowledge Management
Legal and Ethical Aspects of Teaching in Selected Social Virtual Worlds
Authors: Talab R. S. , Botterbusch Hope R.
Published: September 2012

Topics discussed in this chapter include Generations Y and Z and their acceptance of virtual reality, the increase in the number of virtual worlds, gaming virtual worlds, and the social virtual worlds for educators selected for inclusion in this discussion. Open source virtual world platform portability issues are discussed in connection with the acquisition, development, and control of virtual property. The line between “play spaces” and real life is discussed in terms of the application of the “magic circle” test to teaching in virtual worlds with a real-money based virtual currency system, as well as how faculty can reduce student legal and ethical problems. Virtual world law is examined in light of the terms of service (TOS) and end-user license agreements (EULAs), the concept of virtual property, community standards/behavioral guidelines, safety/privacy statements, intellectual property and copyright. Ethical aspects of teaching in virtual worlds include a definition and analysis of griefing/abuse, harassment, false identity, and ways that each world handles these problems. Whyville, SmallWorlds, and Second Life are examined in terms of legal and ethical aspects Research findings and legal and ethical teaching guidelines are presented for those teaching courses using virtual worlds, with special considerations for teaching in Second Life. These topics are for informational purposes, only. Instructors should seek competent legal counsel.
Preservation of Cultural and Scientific Heritage by Means of Digital Libraries
Authors: Korres Stylianos , Kokotsaki Eva
Published: September 2012

The entire world’s cultural and educational resources are being more and more produced, distributed and accessed in digital form, rather than on paper. Born-digital heritage available on-line, including electronic journals, World Wide Web pages or on-line databases, are now an integral part of the world’s cultural heritage. Consequently preservation of cultural and scientific heritage has undergone substantial changes and has come across new challenges. Traditional methods for preservation have been backed by technological tools of enormous capacities, creating the impression of a constant “revolution”. Most importantly, preservation has shifted from a passive stance (storage) to more active attitude (digitization, migration). However, the transition from the analogue past to the digital future is not smooth, as one would hope (or at least as libraries and their users would have hoped). The digital collection and preservation of on-line cultural and scientific assets was faced with legal instruments pertaining to “analogue age”, such as the legal deposit and the traditional rules of copyright law, which in the digital age seem as inadequate tools for the effective preservation of cultural and scientific heritage and the securing of a wide access to that heritage. Recent and pending changes in the areas of legal deposit and Copyright law attempt to modernize the legislation, but as it is demonstrated, a lot more has to be done in that direction. This chapter presents an overview of the present situation, challenges and problems with a focus on European Community and International Law.
Innovation or Imitation
Authors: Ghili Soheil , Shams Hengameh , Tavana Madjid
Published: September 2012

This paper develops a mathematical model of innovation in technology with two main characteristics. First, it discusses the endogenously made decision on not only how much to innovate, but also, how much to imitate. Second, it demonstrates that the decision to innovate or imitate are not mutually exclusive and a firm can innovate and imitate simultaneously. A mathematical model is presented, and the authors explain the barriers to innovation development and diffusion. The model is further used to investigate the effectiveness of two technology innovation and imitation policies. It is shown that an intellectual property right (IPR) policy will better function if the price of innovation is set to a level lower than the cost of innovation. The concept “superfluous innovation” (innovations whose costs are higher than their benefits) is also proposed and developed through investigating the policy of levying subsidies on innovation.
The Siren Song of Digital Simulation
Authors: Clyde Jerremie , Wilkinson Glenn
Published: September 2012

This paper contrasts the importance of procedural rhetoric for the use of games in university and college level historical education with the use of history themed digital simulations. This paper starts by examining how history functions as a form of disciplinary knowledge and how this disciplinary way of knowing things is taught in the post secondary history course. The manner in which history is taught is contrasted with its evaluation to better define what students are actually expected to learn. The simulation is then examined in light of learning goals and evaluation. This demonstrates that simulations are a poor fit for most post secondary history courses. The more appropriate and effective choice is to construct the past via procedural rhetoric as a way to use digital video games to make the historical argument.
Social Networking Sites and Language Learning
Authors: Brick Billy
Published: September 2012

This article examines a study of seven learners who logged their experiences on the language leaning social networking site Livemocha over a period of three months. The features of the site are described and the likelihood of their future success is considered. The learners were introduced to the Social Networking Site (SNS) and asked to learn a language on the site. They were positive about two aspects of the site: the immediate peer-feedback available and the ability to converse synchronously and asynchronously with native speakers of their target language. However, there was universal criticism of the “word-list” based language learning materials and several participants complained about the regular cyber-flirting they encountered. Other aspects of the site including accessibility, ease of use, syllabus, activities, and relationships with other members are also considered. The potential for integrating some of the features of SNSs for language learning into the Higher Education (HE) curriculum and the implications of this for educators are also discussed.
Using Learning Platforms to Support Communication and Effective Learning
Authors: Armitage Johanna M.
Published: September 2012

This paper describes the development of resources for a unit of work for the English National Diploma in Information Technology. These on-line resources are designed to support a personalised learning environment that maximises opportunities for students to achieve greater control of their own learning and progression. The resources are designed to promote metacognition, with the intention of encouraging students to think about how they learn and how they can progress most effectively. The resources were developed to explore ways forward in developing personalised learning environments and implications for research on wider implementation across all National Diplomas.
Connected Learning in an Australian Technology Program
Authors: Hunter Jane Louise
Published: September 2012

Connected learning using video conferencing, the interactive whiteboard and Web 2.0 tools is possible in the new “interactive classroom” more than 2,240 New South Wales public schools will receive over the next four years. In Australia the New South Wales Department of Education and Training (NSWDET) is delivering $AUS 158 million of infrastructure and services to schools and technical and further education campuses for new technologies and applications to support teaching in the 21st century. The intention of the Connected Classrooms Program is to create a “large connected and collaborative learning community” of teachers, students and parents that can go online for information, resources and communication “anywhere, anytime” across a state that covers over 800,000 square kilometres. This paper describes the three projects in the program, the underpinning prior work and seven teacher professional learning platforms that reference anticipated learning outcomes and future directions. In its third year, this case study is a descriptive insiders snapshot. It provides an overview for project administrators and participants in other national and international education milieu who may be responsible for planning and implementing enhanced technology environments.
Making it Rich and Personal
Authors: White Su , Davis Hugh C.
Published: September 2012

Many of the communities interested in learning and teaching technologies within higher education now accept the view that a conception of personal learning environments provides the most realistic and workable perspective of learners’ interactions with and use of technology. This view may not be reflected in the behaviour of those parts of a university which normally purchase and deploy technology infrastructure. These departments or services are slow to change because they are typically, and understandably, risk-averse, the more so because the consequences of expensive decisions about infrastructure will stay with the organisation for many years. Furthermore across the broader (less technically or educationally informed) academic community, the awareness of and familiarity with technologies in support of learning may be varied. In this context, work to innovate the learning environment will require considerable team effort and collective commitment. This paper presents a case study account of institutional processes harnessed to establish a universal personal learning environment fit for the 21st century.
A Logit Model for Budget Allocation Subject to Multi Budget Sources
Authors: Bagloee Saeed A. , Reddick Christopher G.
Published: September 2012

In a complex and extended system such as a government, the proper allocation of the budget to its sub-entities is always a major challenge. As such for cases like governments, a situation in which multiple budget sources with different concerns available to the sub-entities is common. This study develops an applicable model for large-scale cases in which identifying the flow of capital or budget from (multiple) sources to the sub-entities is sought. Since the influential factors to the allocation process may be mingled with some unknown parameters (as well as known factors) a logit model is developed from past panel data. The logit model is based on the concept of utility, which quantifies the advantage of approaching budget-sources for the sub-entities. Then the budget allocation problem of logit form is written as a mathematical programming formulation for which Successive Coordinate Descent (SCD) method is proposed as the solution algorithm. In this paper, the proposed methodology is tested numerically. The results of this study show there is strong evidence that some of the entities’ properties can be altered in order to achieve a better budget allocation.
Developments in Studies on the Relationship between Firm and Consumer
Authors: Basile Gianpaolo
Published: September 2012

The framework proposed provides both practitioners and researchers with a more structured model describing the dynamic existing between companies/brands and individuals/consumers and its effect on the players involved and on their reference contexts. According to such an approach, the company needs to lay down contextual behaviour plans that will allow communicating with the individual on the basis of an adequate knowledge of both his/her profile and the contextual influences affecting his/her behaviour.
CKM and Its Influence on Organizational Marketing Performance
Authors: Panni Mohammad Fateh Ali Khan
Published: September 2012

In recent years, customer centric marketing strategies have gained momentum in the academic world as well as in the professional field. The focus of marketing has shifted towards long run customer relationship. Marketing concept is becoming the most important concept in almost every sphere of business discipline. As a result, much attention is given by the academics and marketing practitioners on the customer driven or oriented concepts. With the gradual development of CRM, RM, and most recently, KM, Customer Knowledge Management (CKM) is becoming a buzzword in the marketing discipline. This chapter suggests a different approach to assess the variables of CKM in terms of marketing performance. Based on thoroughly researched secondary data, this conceptual chapter suggests a framework integrating the so far incoherent frameworks as proposed by previous authors. Emanating from this eclectic and chronological literature review, the chapter has also proposed further missing links that need to be included in the proposed integrated framework. Based on this holistic framework, the future researchers may conduct an empirical study to validate this conceptual framework. In fact, from this proposed integrated conceptual framework, it is expected to find that in total 7 vital aspects/factors (3 from CRM layer and 4 from KM layer) are likely to have significant impact on the marketing performance of the organizations. It is also expected to have interaction effect between (a) CRM components towards marketing performance, (b) KM components towards marketing performance, and (c) CRM and KM components (the model as a whole) towards marketing performance of the organization.
The Strategic Importance of Data Mining Analysis for Customer-Centric Marketing Strategies
Authors: Veglio Valerio
Published: September 2012

The main challenge for companies is to identify accurate models and methods to predict winning competitive strategies. Data mining is becoming an astonishing approach for data analysis because the meaningful knowledge is often hidden in enormous databases, and most traditional statistical methods could fail to uncover such knowledge. An efficient development of the customer relationship management and the data mining is the vital resource to collect and to manage this knowledge. The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the strong relationship between data mining and customer relationship management in order to forecast customer-centric marketing strategies. The last part of this chapter shows the results of an empirical study related to the identification of the main marketing and financial activities that could be leading customers in a credit-risk state. This study focuses the attention on the logistic regression model and on the criteria based on the loss function.
Virtual Communities in Marketing Processes
Authors: D’Andrea Alessia , Ferri Fernando , Grifoni Patrizia
Published: September 2012

The chapter provides a marketing framework to analyse the uses of virtual communities on marketing processes. The framework involves: actors (companies and companies), goals, marketing strategies, and influence process. Each of these elements is described in detail. Moreover, in the chapter the framework is applied to EBay in order to understand how the functionalities provided by this virtual community allow companies and consumers to achieve their marketing goals.
Social Software Platforms as Motor of Relationship Marketing in Services
Authors: Tenge Marion
Published: September 2012

The traditional role of German airports as providers of infrastructure serving macro-economic purposes gives way to a more market-oriented understanding. Airports with overlapping catchment areas increasingly compete for airlines and passengers. Despite an evolving awareness of the need for customer-orientation, airports lack genuine passenger insights, as airlines and tour operators own the passenger relationship. The emergence of public Social Software Platforms (SSP), such as the online social network Facebook or the micro-blogging service Twitter, provides airports with the opportunity to take a genuine customer-centric approach to airport service quality. The chapter provides an overview of the convergence of social and technological networks. Touching on the ‘need-satisfier’ approach of economist Max-Neef and contributions of self-determination theory, the motivational pull of SSP is analyzed, and success factors for harnessing their Relationship Marketing potential are deduced. Finally, the chapter summarizes opportunities and challenges for airport organizations when engaging with passengers on SSP.
Consumer-Brand Relationship
Authors: Loureiro Sandra Maria Correia
Published: September 2012

The relationship between a brand and consumers is known to produce positive outcomes for both partners. Consumers develop relationships with diverse brands regarding brands as partners. Brands are humanized in the minds of consumers and therefore provide symbolic meanings and social and cultural value, which is beyond the utilitarian benefits. Following this paradigm, the purpose of this chapter is to show an overview of the research from customer relationship management to consumer-brand relationship and propose a theoretical model of consumer-brand relationship process. In this vein, the chapter begins with the conceptualization of customer relationship management. Then, the foundation, an overview of main theories, and the seminal models of consumer-brand relationship are shown. Finally, a model of consumer-brand relationship process is proposed and insights for further research are provided.
From Mass Distribution to Customer-Centric Awareness Tools
Authors: Hallier Bernd
Published: September 2012

The demand for meat grew in Western Europe after World War II: meat became a mass-product from the 70s of the last century onwards. However, while in the consumer product section “brands” were established, in the agricultural sector food was an anonymous product. Unfortunately, mass-production and discount-prices resulted in many food scandals starting in the 80s. In the beef-sector, especially the British Cow Decease (BSE) created a mistrust of meat. To re-gain “trust” meat-buyers of six German retail-chains started in 1995, together with the Cologne-based EHI Retail Institute, a tracking and tracing system—known later as the EHI-Meat-Label. This private initiative has been rolled out since 1997 by the EU via EU-regulations. Within the last five years, most stakeholders had been built up in the total supply chain in Western Europe with tracking/tracing systems from farm to fork, quite often with the help of IT. The evolution at the beginning of this decade is caused by mobile technology and social media, i.e. apps on smart phones that enable the communication “from fork to farm.” The challenge is a U-turn of info-streams strongly emphasizing consumer awareness. Part one of this chapter discloses what had happened at the backstage of the EHI-Meat Workshop between 1994 and 2001 to create a technical tool for tracing, to intertwine all stakeholders in the market, and to establish politics, both nationally and internationally. This work represents a case study of applied sciences to explain chronologically what happened within that time-period. Part two is an analysis of the marketing-tools and how the mix of the activities of EHI was used so that this success-story could unfold. Part three is a look at how to cope with the new challenge of smart phones and apps by integrating the individual pioneers into an EU-roof of Future Internet and Technologies. The chapter has been developed through an ethnographic observation platform by the author’s practical experience and observation.
Large Retailers’ Responsible Initiatives in Support of Local Communities
Authors: Risso Mario
Published: September 2012

In the aftermath of the financial and economic crisis, and as a result of consumer pressure, enterprises are increasingly expected to evolve strategies of corporate social responsibility (CSR) into sustainable business practices to create and sustain shared values. In such, large food retailers are intensifying their efforts to develop CSR initiatives that are able to achieve economic, environmental and social goals simultaneously, both upstream and downstream, in their supply chain. Recently, they have focused on managing closer relationships with customers by supporting the local communities to which their customers belong. Two case studies, Tesco PLC and Carrefour, are used to show how new local initiatives, fair miles/local buying and “social stores,” respectively, can be introduced as part of an emerging sustainable strategic view of large retailers. The descriptive study reveals an increasing interest of some large retailers in promoting sustainable projects that aim to entrench sustainability into their operations.