bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non Linear and Non Gaussian States and Parameters Estimation using Bayesian Methods-Comparatives Studies
Authors: Mansouri Majdi , Mohamed-Seghir Moustafa , Nounou Hazem , Nounou Mohamed , Abu-Rub Haitham A.
Published: August 2013

This chapter deals with the problem of non-linear and non-Gaussian states and parameters estimation using Bayesian methods. The performances of various conventional and state-of-the-art state estimation techniques are compared when they are utilized to achieve this objective. These techniques include the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF), and Particle Filter (PF). In the current work, the authors consider two systems (biological model and power system) to perform evaluation of estimation algorithms. The results of the comparative studies show that the UKF provides a higher accuracy than the EKF due to the limited ability of EKF to accurately estimate the mean and covariance matrix of the estimated states through lineralization of the nonlinear process model. The results also show that the PF provides a significant improvement over the UKF because, unlike UKF, PF is not restricted by linear-Gaussian assumptions which greatly extends the range of problems that can be tackled.
Distributed Learning Algorithm Applications to the Scheduling of Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Daneshfar Fatemeh , Maihami Vafa
Published: August 2013

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is a network of devices denoted as nodes that can sense the environment and communicate gathered data, through wireless medium to a sink node. It is a wireless network with low power consumption, small size, and reasonable price which has a variety of applications in monitoring and tracking. However, WSN is characterized by constrained energy because its nodes are battery-powered and energy recharging is difficult in most of applications. Also the reduction of energy consumption often introduces additional latency of data delivery. To address this, many scheduling approaches have been proposed. In this paper, the authors discuss the applicability of Reinforcement Learning (RL) towards multiple access design in order to reduce energy consumption and to achieve low latency in WSNs. In this learning strategy, an agent would become knowledgeable in making actions through interacting with the environment. As a result of rewards in response to the actions, the agent asymptotically reaches the optimal policy. This policy maximizes the long-term expected return value of the agent.
A Fuzzy Simulated Evolution Algorithm for Hard Problems
Authors: Mutingi Michael
Published: August 2013

As problem complexity continues to increase in industry, developing efficient solution methods for solving hard problems, such as heterogeneous vehicle routing and integrated cell formation problems, is imperative. The focus of this chapter is to develop from the classical simulated evolution algorithm, a Fuzzy Simulated Evolution Algorithm (FSEA) that incorporates the concepts of fuzzy set theory, evolution, and constructive perturbation. The aim is to improve the search efficiency of the algorithm by enhancing the major phases of the algorithm through initialization, evaluation, selection, and reconstruction. Illustrative examples are provided to demonstrate the candidate application areas and to show the strength of the algorithm. Computational experiments are conducted based on benchmark problems in the literature. Results from the computational experiments demonstrate the strength of the algorithm. It is anticipated that the application of the FSEA metaheuristic can be extended to other hard large scale problems.
Fuzzy System Dynamics of Manpower Systems
Authors: Mutingi Michael , Mbohwa Charles
Published: August 2013

Manpower recruitment and training in uncertain and turbulent environments is a challenge to decision makers in large organizations. In the absence of numerical precision on market growth and the ensuing manpower demand, designing manpower planning policies is vital. Often times, companies incur losses due to overstaffing and/or understaffing. For instance, organizations lose business when critical human resources leave. As a result, it is essential to develop robust effective dynamic recruitment and training policies, especially in a fuzzy and dynamic environment. In this chapter, a fuzzy systems dynamics modeling approach is developed to simulate and evaluate alternative dynamic policies relating skills recruitment, skills training, and available skills from a systems thinking perspective. Fuzzy system dynamics is implemented based on fuzzy logic and system dynamics concepts in order to arrive at robust strategies for manpower decision makers. It is anticipated that fuzzy system dynamics can help organizations to design effective manpower recruitment strategies in a dynamic and uncertain environment.
Systems with Concentrating Solar Radiation
Authors: Pavlović Saša R. , Stefanović Velimir P.
Published: August 2013

In this chapter, description and working principles of the parabolic trough power plants, solar tower power plants, parabolic dish power plants, and power plants with Fresnel reflectors in the world and their potential use in Serbia are given. In addition, the examples and technical characteristics of some concetrating solar power plants in the world are given. The cases in which solar cells are used to generate electrical energy are very rare. Solar systems referred as mid temperature (100–400 oC) are considered suitable for integration with industrial processes, cooling, and polygeneration systems through use of concentrating solar collectors. The results of this research may be applied in the construction of small solar systems, but also in the design and construction of large polygeneration systems. Physical and mathematical model is presented, as well as numerical procedure for predicting thermal performances of the P2CC (Parabolic-and-Circular Collector) solar concentrator.
Electronic Resources and Next-Generation Public Library Catalogs
Authors: McPeck Tracy L.
Published: August 2013

This case study examines the user experience of six public library catalogs (OPACs) in terms of the next-generation characteristics identified by library literature. One open source Integrated Library System (ILS), Evergreen, was compared to one proprietary system, Polaris. One library used its respective ILS alone, while the other libraries’ catalogs used a third-party discovery layer in conjunction with the ILS. The purpose of this study is to compare open source versus proprietary ILSs and discovery layers in terms of their next-generation characteristics with particular attention to electronic resources, namely e-books. Of the six libraries compared, the two libraries that used the proprietary add-on BiblioCommons featured the most advanced next-generation catalog characteristics. The two ILSs that did not use any added layers offered the fewest next-generation traits. The catalogs of public libraries vary greatly in their offerings, but add-ons, such as BiblioCommons, enhance the user experience and the retrievability of electronic resources.
Managing Vendor Records for Monographic E-Collections at a Medium-Sized Academic Library
Authors: Chen-Gaffey Aiping
Published: August 2013

The rapid growth of electronic resources continues to challenge traditional methods of cataloging library collections, forcing a cataloging department to reevaluate its policies and procedures and implement changes. This chapter presents a case study of integrating vendor-supplied bibliographic records into a library catalog in order to provide timely and accurate catalog access to the library digital collections. The chapter discusses the benefits, issues, and challenges of batch manipulating and loading large record sets for these e-resources supplied by their vendors. It also describes the strategies and tools the bibliographic services staff has employed to solve the identified problems and improve the process. Further, it examines the effectiveness of the current e-record management policies and procedures. The chapter concludes with recommendation of solutions and a quest for future best practices in managing vendor-supplied records for e-resources.
Theses and Dissertations from Print to ETD
Authors: Alemneh Daniel Gelaw , Hartsock Ralph
Published: August 2013

Important products in an academic library’s collection are Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations since they represent a wealth of scholarly and artistic content created by Masters and Doctoral students in the degree-seeking process. Each has experienced an evolution to a new format, electronic. Many of these are PDF files, using the Adobe Acrobat software. Until very recently, though, those files with accompanying materials were separated. This chapter further discusses several issues inherent in this process. These include access, use, re-use, preservation, storage, integration with other systems, copyrights, and permissions. The successful management of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) requires effort across the entire lifecycle to ensure that ETDs are managed, preserved, and made accessible in a manner that today's users expect. Given the pressure of reading more in less time, today's users demand access to various formats regardless of temporal and spatial restrictions and the types of devices used.
Choosing and Implementing an Open Source ERMS
Authors: Stafford Daniel , Flatley Robert
Published: August 2013

The Rohrbach Library of Kutztown University manages its electronic resources using a disconnected array of resources including spreadsheets, paper files, email files, and a Google Docs account. Clearly, a more streamlined and unified approach would be beneficial. In this case, the authors investigate various Electronic Resource Management System (ERMS) options and whether they are a fit for the library. They then examine the decision to implement an open source option. Finally, the case describes the process of implementing and populating the open source ERMS, in addition to challenges experienced along the way.
ERMS Druthers
Authors: Snell Cynthia
Published: August 2013

In an effort to find an online-automated electronic resource management system that provides licensing, acquisitions, and statistical information easily, Columbia College of South Carolina journeyed into the world of open source and vender-based applications. During this journey, dead ends and roadblocks paved the way. To encompass all the identified requirements of the online-automated system, a new system needed to be designed.
Implementation of Electronic Records in a Medical Practice Setting
Authors: Clark Jami M.
Published: August 2013

Seneca Medical Center is a primary care practice that implemented an electronic medical record system in 2005. Since implementation, the practice has added different practice locations and its own lab. The implementation was smooth because the practice leadership had a positive message about the change and reasons for it. Physical space for housing charts of a growing practice, the drive toward quality, safety, efficiency, and future growth were factors that led to the transition to an electronic medical record system. Choosing a quality vendor, understanding the concerns and components involved, and excitement about change create an environment for a successful implementation.
Creating a 21st Century State Publications Depository
Authors: Beckett Edith K.
Published: August 2013

The New Jersey State Library has managed a successful print depository program for the last 55 years. In the mid-1990s, many state government agencies began putting digital versions of their print publications on their Websites. Initially, the agencies continued to send print copies to the State Library, but by 1998, more and more agencies were using their Websites as the primary venue for their publications. State Library staff initially responded to this change by creating a Web page with a browsable list of links to publications. Technological changes resulted in more state government publications being produced in electronic formats and the list of Web page links became unsustainable. This chapter discusses the State Library’s efforts to transition a successful 20th century print depository program into an equally viable electronic documents depository using very limited staff and no additional funding.
Instructor Credibility
Authors: Dilbeck Keith E. , Domínguez Andrés , Ruiz Jon Dornaletexte , McMurrich Martin , Allen Mike
Published: August 2013

This investigation compares 398 Spanish student and 481 Thai student perceptions of instructor credibility. The findings indicate a unidimensional construct shared in common by both cultures where instructor source credibility constitutes a second order factor that combines the three factors of: (a) competence, (b) trustworthiness, and (c) goodwill/caring. The results provide evidence for the cross-cultural application of an underlying theory for instructor source credibility measurement.
Teacher Competences in Telecollaboration
Authors: Cunningham D. Joseph
Published: August 2013

The following case examines the use of Web-based desktop conferencing as part of a university-level German for the Professions course, with a particular focus on the competences the foreign language teacher must exhibit in such a learning arrangement. Over the course of one semester, United States American learners of German interacted with invited expert guests from Germany and participated in an associated focused instructional module. As a result of interaction with invited expert guests and focused instruction, course participants increased their ability to make appropriately polite requests, a necessity for effective communication in a professional register. The case also discusses logistical requirements related to planning and facilitating a Web conferencing course component, including both expert-novice and peer-peer models. It will be seen that the successful use of synchronous online communication tools in foreign language instruction is directly dependent upon the teacher’s pedagogical competences, digital competences, organizational competences, and beliefs and attitudes.
Producing Pathways to Proficient Pronunciation with Learner-Designed Pronunciation Stations
Authors: Perren James M.
Published: August 2013

The chapter reports on a study examining learning stations designed by English as a second language students in order to improve pronunciation. This on-going Design-Based Research study focuses on promoting, sustaining, and understanding an educational innovation (Bell, 2004). The longitudinal study identifies favorable and unfavorable aspects of learner-designed pronunciation station teaching. Results extend previous iterations of data collection and analysis of student assignments with reference to technology resources and online survey results as part of strategic (re)designing of the activity. This pedagogy fosters student responsibility for learning and utilizing learning opportunities they create. Discussion is provided about how poststructural theory corresponds with design-based research as data collection and analysis methodology to illuminate discourses of autonomy as agency, motivation and investment, and resistance. Design-based research frames the postmodern and action oriented design based research goals of “examining the assumptions underlying contemporary educational programs and practices” (Reeves, McKenney, & Herrington, 2011, pp. 60-61).
Using Technology to Examine Cultural Learning of African-Americans
Authors: Whitley Michael L.
Published: August 2013

Police officers frequently work with people of different cultures and those who speak different languages, thus needing to learn cultures (Navarro, 2001). The purpose of this case is to examine the self-perceptions of African-Americans regarding their ability to distinguish deception in interpersonal communication. RQ1: How do African-Americans self-report their ability to detect interpersonal communication deception? RQ2: What behaviors do African-Americans believe are indicators of interpersonal communication deception? The method of study is survey research conducted through SurveyMonkey.com. Participants (n=57) discuss their perceptions of deception in their lives. The results suggest that respondents (80%) believe they are better than others at detecting deception. The literature findings also suggest that African-Americans believe themselves to be more effective at detecting deception within their own ethnic group compared to other ethnic groups. Commensurate with previous deception studies, the current study finds that an array of communication behaviors, believed to be indicative of deceit by other ethnic groups, are also used by African-American respondents.
Design and Implementation of Optical Cloud Networks
Authors: Abdallah Walid , Boudriga Noureddine
Published: August 2013

Cloud applications have witnessed significant increase in their development and deployment. This has been driven by the low cost and high performances that can offer cloud paradigm for enterprises to implement innovative services. However, cloud services are constrained by the available transmission rate and the amount of data volume transfers provided by the current networking technologies. Optical networks can play a key role in deploying clouds with enhanced performances, thanks to the high bandwidth and the very low latency provided by optical transmission. Nevertheless, the implementation of optical cloud networks faces many challenges and obstacles, such as the user-driven service nature of cloud applications, resource virtualization, and service abstraction and control. This chapter addresses the design and the implementation of optical cloud networks. Therefore, different issues related to the integration of cloud platform in the optical networking infrastructure are described. Then, current progress achieved to overcome these challenges is presented. Finally, some open issues and research opportunities are discussed.
Cloud Radio Access Networks
Authors: Melzer Jordan
Published: August 2013

Radio virtualization and cloud signal processing are new approaches to building cellular Radio Access Networks (RAN) that are starting to be deployed within the cellular industry. For cellular operators, Cloud RAN architectures that centrally define or decode transmissions, placing most of the base-station software stack within a data-centre, promise improvements in flexibility and performance. The expected benefits range from standard cloud economies—statistical reductions in total processing, energy efficiency, cost reductions, simplified maintenance—to dramatic changes in the functionality of the radio network, such as simplified network sharing, capacity increases towards theoretical limits, and software defined radio inspired air interface flexibility. Because cellular networks have, in addition to complex protocols, extremely sensitive timing constraints and often high data-rates, the design challenges are formidable. This chapter presents the state of the art, hybrid alternatives, and directions for making Cloud Radio Access Networks more widely deployable.
Performance Evaluation of Cloud Data Centers with Batch Task Arrivals
Authors: Khazaei Hamzeh , Mišić Jelena , Mišić Vojislav B.
Published: August 2013

Accurate performance evaluation of cloud computing resources is a necessary prerequisite for ensuring that Quality of Service (QoS) parameters remain within agreed limits. In this chapter, the authors consider cloud centers with Poisson arrivals of batch task requests under total rejection policy; task service times are assumed to follow a general distribution. They describe a new approximate analytical model for performance evaluation of such systems and show that important performance indicators such as mean request response time, waiting time in the queue, queue length, blocking probability, probability of immediate service, and probability distribution of the number of tasks in the system can be obtained in a wide range of input parameters.
Carrier-Grade Distributed Cloud Computing
Authors: Wang Dapeng , Wu Jinsong
Published: August 2013

This chapter discusses and surveys the concepts, demands, requirements, solutions, opportunities, challenges, and future perspectives and potential of Carrier Grade Cloud Computing (CGCC). This chapter also introduces a carrier grade distributed cloud computing architecture and discusses the benefits and advantages of carrier grade distributed cloud computing. Unlike independent cloud service providers, telecommunication operators may integrate their conventional communications networking capabilities with the new cloud infrastructure services to provide inexpensive and high quality cloud services together with their deep understandings of, and strong relationships with, individual and enterprise customers. The relevant design requirements and challenges may include the performance, scalability, service-level agreement management, security, network optimization, and unified management. The relevant key issues in CGCC designs may include cost effective hardware and software configurations, distributed infrastructure deployment models, and operation processes.
Energy-Efficiency in a Cloud Computing Backbone
Authors: Kantarci Burak , Mouftah Hussein T.
Published: August 2013

Cloud computing combines the advantages of several computing paradigms and introduces ubiquity in the provisioning of services such as software, platform, and infrastructure. Data centers, as the main hosts of cloud computing services, accommodate thousands of high performance servers and high capacity storage units. Offloading the local resources increases the energy consumption of the transport network and the data centers although it is advantageous in terms of energy consumption of the end hosts. This chapter presents a detailed survey of the existing mechanisms that aim at designing the Internet backbone with data centers and the objective of energy-efficient delivery of the cloud services. The survey is followed by a case study where Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP)-based provisioning models and heuristics are used to guarantee either minimum delayed or maximum power saving cloud services where high performance data centers are assumed to be located at the core nodes of an IP-over-WDM network. The chapter is concluded by summarizing the surveyed schemes with a taxonomy including the cons and pros. The summary is followed by a discussion focusing on the research challenges and opportunities.
Towards Energy Efficiency for Cloud Computing Services
Authors: Tafani Daniele , Kantarci Burak , Mouftah Hussein T. , McArdle Conor , Barry Liam P.
Published: August 2013

Over the past decade, the increasing complexity of data-intensive cloud computing services along with the exponential growth of their demands in terms of computational resources and communication bandwidth presented significant challenges to be addressed by the scientific research community. Relevant concerns have specifically arisen for the massive amount of energy necessary for operating, connecting, and maintaining the thousands of data centres supporting cloud computing services, as well as for their drastic impact on the environment in terms of increased carbon footprint. This chapter provides a survey of the most popular energy-conservation and “green” technologies that can be applied at data centre and network level in order to overcome these issues. After introducing the reader to the general problem of energy consumption in cloud computing services, the authors illustrate the state-of-the-art strategies for the development of energy-efficient data centres; specifically, they discuss principles and best practices for energy-efficient data centre design focusing on hardware, power supply specifications, and cooling infrastructure. The authors further consider the problem from the perspective of the network energy consumption, analysing several approaches achieving power efficiency for access, and core networks. Additionally, they provide an insight to recent development in energy-efficient virtual machine placement and dynamic load balancing. Finally, the authors conclude the chapter by providing the reader with a novel research work for the establishment of energy-efficient lightpaths in computational grids.
Virtual Machine Migration in Cloud Computing Environments
Authors: Boutaba Raouf , Zhang Qi , Zhani Mohamed Faten
Published: August 2013

Recent developments in virtualization and communication technologies have transformed the way data centers are designed and operated by providing new tools for better sharing and control of data center resources. In particular, Virtual Machine (VM) migration is a powerful management technique that gives data center operators the ability to adapt the placement of VMs in order to better satisfy performance objectives, improve resource utilization and communication locality, mitigate performance hotspots, achieve fault tolerance, reduce energy consumption, and facilitate system maintenance activities. Despite these potential benefits, VM migration also poses new requirements on the design of the underlying communication infrastructure, such as addressing and bandwidth requirements to support VM mobility. Furthermore, devising efficient VM migration schemes is also a challenging problem, as it not only requires weighing the benefits of VM migration, but also considering migration costs, including communication cost, service disruption, and management overhead. This chapter provides an overview of VM migration benefits and techniques and discusses its related research challenges in data center environments. Specifically, the authors first provide an overview of VM migration technologies used in production environments as well as the necessary virtualization and communication technologies designed to support VM migration. Second, they describe usage scenarios of VM migration, highlighting its benefits as well as incurred costs. Next, the authors provide a literature survey of representative migration-based resource management schemes. Finally, they outline some of the key research directions pertaining to VM migration and draw conclusions.
Scalability and Performance Management of Internet Applications in the Cloud
Authors: Dawoud Wesam , Takouna Ibrahim , Meinel Christoph
Published: August 2013

Elasticity and on-demand are significant characteristics that attract many customers to host their Internet applications in the cloud. They allow quick reacting to changing application needs by adding or releasing resources responding to the actual rather than to the projected demand. Nevertheless, neglecting the overhead of acquiring resources, which mainly is attributed to networking overhead, can result in periods of under-provisioning, leading to degrading the application performance. In this chapter, the authors study the possibility of mitigating the impact of resource provisioning overhead. They direct the study to an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provisioning model where application scalability is the customer’s responsibility. The research shows that understanding the application utilization models and a proper tuning of the scalability parameters can optimize the total cost and mitigate the impact of the overhead of acquiring resources on-demand.
Cloud Standards
Authors: Bracci Fabio , Corradi Antonio , Foschini Luca
Published: August 2013

Starting from the core assumption that only a deep and broad knowledge of existing efforts can pave the way to the publication of widely-accepted future Cloud standards, this chapter aims at putting together current trends and open issues in Cloud standardization to derive an original and holistic view of the existing proposals and specifications. In particular, among the several Cloud technical areas, the analysis focuses on two main aspects, namely, security and interoperability, because they are the ones mostly covered by ongoing standardization efforts and currently represent two of the main limiting factors for the diffusion and large adoption of Cloud. After an in-depth presentation of security and interoperability requirements and standardization issues, the authors overview general frameworks and initiatives in these two areas, and then they introduce and survey the main related standards; finally, the authors compare the surveyed standards and give future standardization directions for Cloud.
Towards a universal competitive intelligence process model
Authors: Pellissier Rene , Nenzhelele Tshilidzi E.
Published: August 2013

Background: Competitive intelligence (CI) provides actionable intelligence, which provides a competitive edge in enterprises. However, without proper process, it is difficult to develop actionable intelligence. There are disagreements about how the CI process should be structured. For CI professionals to focus on producing actionable intelligence, and to do so with simplicity, they need a common CI process model.Objectives: The purpose of this research is to review the current literature on CI, to look at the aims of identifying and analysing CI process models, and finally to propose a universal CI process model.Method: The study was qualitative in nature and content analysis was conducted on all identified sources establishing and analysing CI process models. To identify relevant literature, academic databases and search engines were used. Moreover, a review of references in related studies led to more relevant sources, the references of which were further reviewed and analysed. To ensure reliability, only peer-reviewed articles were used.Results: The findings reveal that the majority of scholars view the CI process as a cycle of interrelated phases. The output of one phase is the input of the next phase.Conclusion: The CI process is a cycle of interrelated phases. The output of one phase is the input of the next phase. These phases are influenced by the following factors: decision makers, process and structure, organisational awareness and culture, and feedback.
Magnetic interconnection of Saturn's polar regions: comparison of modelling results with Hubble Space Telescope UV auroral images
Authors: Belenkaya E. S. , Cowley S. W. H. , Kalegaev V. V. , Barinov O. G. , Barinova W. O.
Published: August 2013

Abstract. We consider the magnetic interconnection of Saturn's northern and southern polar regions controlled by the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), studying in particular the more complex and interesting case of southward IMF, when the Kronian magnetospheric magnetic field structure is the most twisted. The simpler case of northward IMF is also discussed. Knowledge of the magnetospheric magnetic field structure is very significant, for example, for investigation of the electric fields and field-aligned currents in Saturn's environment, particularly those which cause the auroral emissions. Here we modify the paraboloid magnetospheric magnetic field model employed in previous related studies by including higher multipole terms in Saturn's internal magnetic field, required for more detailed considerations of inter-hemispheric conjugacy, together with inclusion of a spheroidal boundary at the ionospheric level. The model is employed to map Southern Hemisphere auroral regions observed by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in 2008 under known IMF conditions to both the equatorial plane and the northern ionosphere. It is shown that the brightest auroral features map typically to the equatorial region between the central ring current and the outer magnetosphere, and that auroral features should be largely symmetric between the two hemispheres, except for a small poleward displacement and latitudinal narrowing in the Northern Hemisphere compared with the Southern Hemisphere due to the quadrupole field asymmetry. The latter features are in agreement with the conjugate auroras observed under near-equinoctial conditions in early 2009, when IMF data are not available.
Online data processing for proactive water distribution network operation
Authors: Machell J. , Mounce S. R. , Farley B. , Boxall J. B.
Published: August 2013

Abstract. Operational benefits and efficiencies generated using prevalent water industry methods and techniques are becoming more difficult to achieve; as demonstrated by English and Welsh water companies' static position with regards the economic level of leakage. Water companies are often unaware of network incidents such as burst pipes or low pressure events until they are reported by customers; and therefore use reactive strategies to manage the effects of these events. It is apparent that new approaches need to be identified and applied to promote proactive network management if potential operational productivity and standards of service improvements are to be realised. This paper describes how measured flow and pressure data from instrumentation deployed in a water distribution network was automatically gathered, checked, analysed and presented using recently developed techniques to generate apposite information about network performance. The work demonstrated that these technologies can provide early warning, and hence additional time to that previously available, thereby creating opportunity to proactively manage a network; for example to minimise the negative impact on standards of customer service caused by unplanned events such as burst pipes. Each method, applied individually, demonstrated improvement on current industry processes. Combined application resulted in further improvements; including quicker and more localised burst main location. Future possibilities are explored, from which a vision of seamless integration between such technologies emerges to enable proactive management of distribution network events.
Innovative activity sources and its relation with theinnovative performance
Authors:   Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales. Departamento de Administración de Empresas (Organización de Empresas). Avda. de los Castros s/n 39005 Santander. serranoa@unican.es, Serrano Bedia Ana Mª , López Fernández Concepción ,   Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales. Departamento de Administración de Empresas (Organización de Empresas). Avda. de los Castros s/n 39005 Santander. lopezm@unican.es, García Piqueres Gema ,   Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales. Departamento de Administración de Empresas (Organización de Empresas). Avda. de los Castros s/n 39005 Santander. garciapg@ unican.es
Published: August 2013

The paper studies the effect of innovative activities sources on innovation performance. For the empirical study we use data from the Encuesta sobre Innovación Tecnológica de las Empresas for the year 2007. The results suggest that the use of only one innovation activity source (internal or external) has a negative effect on innovation performance and that the best innovative performance is obtained when different innovation activities sources are combined. Finally, internal&external, only external and internal&external&cooperation are the innovative activities sources less dependent on the innovative performance measure.
The challenge of quality for Social Third Sector. Cases analysis of EFQM model implementation
Authors: Juaneda Ayensa Emma , González Menorca Leonor , Marcuelo Servós Carmen
Published: August 2013

Nowadays, the difficulties of the Governments to maintain the Welfare Systems have promoted the private management in the welfare services sector. The Third Sector organizations, as welfare services suppliers, have to adapt to the changing social demands and try to encourage their participation in the system configuration but being able to demonstrate the efficiency with which they operate. Faced with this challenge, Quality Management Systems offer an opportunity for the Third Sector Organizations, although with some reluctance due to the industrial origin of the model. The main aim of this work is to study the implementation process of a Total Quality Management system in the Third Social Sector organizations. Our research has been done through the analysis of multiple cases, selecting four organizations in different stages of quality management implementation. The data analysis was done using qualitative analysis software ATLAS.ti and for the evaluation of each case was done following the EFQM assessment system software to analyze the different elements of the model enablers. The main results are the relevant meaning of alliance development, the user focus as well as the person focus, elements system which the organizations consider as key issues. This research work shows the process for four organizations but suggest the necessity to research deeply about relationship among the enablers as well as a causal analysis as future lines.
Relationship between social responsibility and performance in small and medium enterprises: Literature review
Authors:   Departamento de Economía Financiera y Contabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales de la Universidad de Cádiz. Avenida Duque de Nájera, nº8, 11002 Cádiz. jesus.herrera@uca.es, Herrera Madueño Jesús , Larrán Jorge Manuel ,   Departamento de Economía Financiera y Contabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales de la Universidad de Cádiz. Avenida Duque de Nájera, nº8, 11002 Cádiz. manuel.larran@uca.es, Martínez-Martínez Domingo ,   Departamento de Economía Financiera y Contabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales de la Universidad de Cádiz. Avenida Duque de Nájera, nº8, 11002 Cádiz. domingo.martinez@uca.es
Published: August 2013

The interest aroused by the social responsibility in the academic and professional arena is encouraging endless discussion in many forums. However, the attention paid to large corporations and small- and mediumenterprises (SMEs) has been different. Therefore, in order to contribute to the understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the field of SMEs, it has been conducted a review of studies that have focussed on the impact that some factors cause on the adoption of socially responsible practices or how the development of these practices affects organizational performance from a financial perspective. The review corroborates how the manager, with his values and ethical beliefs, plays a main role in their firm strategic and sustainable choices and how the adequate management of the relations with stakeholders positively affects its performance. The studies used for the literature review suggest two different paths to encourage the implementation of sustainability practices: reformulate legal regulations or providing evidence on how a responsible behaviour can result in competitive improvements.
Challenging Preservice Elementary Teachers' Image of Rectangles
Authors: Millsaps Gayle
Published: August 2013

Preservice elementary school teachers (PSTs) often have difficulty understanding hierarchical (i.e., class inclusion) relationships between geometric shapes. In particular, PSTs' predisposition to place squares and rectangles in separate categories can be attributed to their concept images. Although the larger mathematics community prefers the hierarchical definitions of special quadrilaterals, the concept images of special quadrilaterals such as squares and rectangles that PSTs develop in their early experiences contribute to a preference for partitional definitions. This study examines the benefits and limitations of using the Shape Makers curriculum unit to modify preservice teachers' concept images and their definitions of special quadrilaterals.
Family-School Partnerships: Promoting Family Participation in K-3 Teacher Professional Development
Authors: Fleharty Heidi L. , Pope-Edwards Carolyn
Published: August 2013

Sixty-three teachers in a K–3 mathematics specialist certificate program conducted family projects in order to improve their skills in partnering with families around mathematics. Past studies have indicated that family involvement in children's education has many positive influences on academic achievement; however, parents' discomfort with math, and teachers' discomfort with working with parents, may be obstacles. The purpose of the present study was to examine 2 years of teachers' mathematical family projects and describe the types of projects chosen, the risks and benefits of these projects, and the quality of the parent–child interaction. It was found that the teachers implemented a variety of projects that promoted parent participation in mathematics. Teachers were also able to utilize a cycle of inquiry to examine the progress of their project. The results showed that teachers were able to create a strong connection between the math classroom and the home environment of the child, as shown, for example, by findings related to the themes of home–school connections and mathematics curriculum of the home.
Developing Teachers' Knowledge of a Transformations-Based Approach to Geometric Similarity
Authors: Seago Nanette , Jacobs Jennifer , Driscoll Mark , Matassa Michael , Callahan Matassa
Published: August 2013

U.S. students' poor performance in the domain of geometric transformations is well documented, as are their diffi culties applying transformations to similarity tasks. At the same time, a transformations-based approach to similarity underlies the Common Core State Standards for middle and high school geometry. We argue that engaging teachers in this topic represents an urgent but largely unmet need. The article considers what a transformations-based approach to similarity looks like by contrasting it with a traditional, static approach and by providing classroom examples of students using these different methods. In addition, we highlight existing professional development opportunities for teachers in this area.
Immunosuppressants Affect Human Neural Stem Cells In Vitro but Not in an In Vivo Model of Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Sontag Christopher J. , Nguyen Hal X. , Kamei Noriko , Uchida Nobuko , Anderson Aileen J. , Cummings Brian J.
Published: August 2013

Clinical immunosuppression protocols use calcineurin inhibitors, such as cyclosporine A (CsA) or tacrolimus (FK506), or mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, such as sirolimus (rapamycin). These compounds alter immunophilin ligand signaling pathways, which are known to interact downstream with mediators for human neural stem cell (hNSC) differentiation and proliferation, suggesting that immunosuppressants may directly alter hNSC properties. We investigated whether immunosuppressants can exert direct effects on the differentiation, proliferation, survival, and migration of human central nervous system-derived stem cells propagated as neurospheres (hCNS-SCns) in vitro and in an in vivo model of spinal cord injury. We identified unique, immunosuppressant-dependent effects on hCNS-SCns differentiation and proliferation in vitro. All immunosuppressants tested increased neuronal differentiation, and CsA and rapamycin inhibited proliferation in vitro. No immunosuppressant-mediated effects on hCNS-SCns survival or migration in vitro were detected. These data suggested that immunosuppressant administration could alter hCNS-SCns properties in vivo. We tested this hypothesis by administering immunosuppressants to constitutively immunodeficient spinal cord injured mice and assessed survival, proliferation, differentiation, and migration of hCNS-SCns after 14 weeks. In parallel, we administered immunosuppressants to immunocompetent spinal cord injury (SCI) mice and also evaluated hCNS-SCns engraftment and fate. We identified no effect of immunosuppressants on the overall hCNS-SCns fate profile in either xenotransplantation model. Despite a lower level of human cell engraftment in immunocompetent SCI mice, functional locomotor recovery was observed in animals receiving hCNS-SCns transplantation with no evidence of allodynia. These data suggest that local cues in the microenvironment could exert a stronger influence on hCNS-SCns than circulating levels of immunosuppressants; however, differences between human and rodent metabolism/pharmokinetics and xenograft versus allograft paradigms could be determining factors.
Scientific Outreach Through Collaboration: My Experience Working With an AGU Blogger
Authors: Else Brent
Published: August 2013

As scientists, we are increasingly being asked to convey our science to the general public. At the very least, it is good practice to reach out beyond our normal academic audiences, but in some cases it can even be a requirement. For example, I served for several years on a committee that reviewed projects funded by ArcticNet, a network studying the Canadian coastal Arctic. Those projects were required to report on their efforts to engage and report back to various stakeholders, including northern communities and the general public. Essentially, it was a requirement of their funding that they participate in scientific outreach.
Interdisciplinary Studies of Magma‐Tectonic Interactions
Authors: LaFemina Peter , Stix John , Saballos Armando
Published: August 2013

The Pan‐American Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) Magma‐Tectonic Interactions in the Americas brought together researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students from every country in the Americas with active volcanoes and one participant from Iceland. Lecturers presented the latest geochemical and geophysical approaches to studying magma‐tectonic interactions. Participants were introduced to the tectonics and volcanism of Nicaragua through a daylong field trip and given opportunities to collect and analyze their own data, including seismic, geodetic, and geochemical data, at the Cerro Negro volcano.
Independent observations corroborate surface air temperature record
Authors: Schult Colin
Published: August 2013

One of the most important foundations of scientists' understanding of global climate change is the land surface air temperature record, the long‐term observations of air temperature measured 2 meters above the ground. These observations have been made around the world, for more than a century in some places. The air temperature records have shown a long‐term warming trend due mainly to anthropogenic climate change, and variability seen in the air temperature record is used to guide models of the future climate.
Models find large natural variability in future regional sea level rise
Authors: Schult Colin
Published: August 2013

Melting glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets and thermal expansion of seawater, along with groundwater depletion, have already caused the global ocean to rise at a rate of 1.8 centimeters per decade over the past century. In recent decades the pace has climbed to 3.1 centimeters per decade. As the atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration continues to rise, so will the oceans.