bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Significance of the Reflective Practitioner in Blended Learning
Authors: Heinze Aleksej , Procter Chris
Published: December 2011

This paper examines the introduction of blended learning on a part-time higher education programme for mature students. The interpretive work draws on four action research cycles conducted over two years with two student cohorts. Discussion is based on observations, staff and student focus groups and interviews examining the students’ expectations and experiences. The initial focus of the action research was on the introduction of technology into the teaching and learning experience. However, the advantage of an interpretive approach is allowing the findings to determine the course of the research. During the first action research cycles, the focus of the research changed from the use of technology in blended learning to the role of the practitioners involved. The authors advocate the key role of reflective practitioners in facilitating blended learning and suggest that action research is a useful framework.
Cross-Institutional Blended Learning in Teacher Education
Authors: Fuchs Carolin
Published: December 2011

This paper presents findings from an exploratory case study, with the purpose of illustrating how student teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) in the United States and student teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Germany evaluated a blended learning course that focused on jointly creating Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) units via the Internet. This project enabled participants to share perspectives about teaching contexts and practices in other countries and learn about TBLT through model learning (Willis, 2001). Consequently, student teachers not only became more proficient users of technology, but also grew from the unique opportunity of collaborating with their future colleagues abroad. The author presents the German and American student teachers’ perspectives with regard to what both groups gained by participating in this project. Finally, the author makes suggestions for language teacher training.
Work-Based Mobile Learning Environments
Authors: Attwell Graham
Published: December 2011

This paper examines the idea of a Work Oriented Mobile Learning Environment (WOMBLE) and considers the potential affordances of mobile devices for supporting developmental and informal learning in the workplace. The authors look at the nature and pedagogy of work-based learning and how technologies are being used in the workplace for informal learning. The paper examines the nature of Work Process Knowledge and how individuals are shaping or appropriating technologies, often developed or designed for different purposes, for social learning at work. The paper goes on to describe three different use cases for a Work Oriented Mobile Learning Environment. The final section of the paper considers how the idea of the WOMBLE can contribute to a socio-cultural ecology for learning, and the interplay of agency, cultural practices, and structures within mobile work-based learning.
Transport and Logistics in Dubai
Authors: Thorpe Michael , Mitra Sumit
Published: December 2011

The phased development of Dubai’s transport and logistics sector over the past several decades has culminated in the establishment of a major regional commercial hub, a so-called “aerotropolis”. Although a work-in-progress, several stages of this long-term project are already operational, and construction remains ongoing. The future success of this government project is unclear. In the public sector, there exist major challenges, some reflective of the need to efficiently manage and coordinate such a huge undertaking while others stem from the uncertainties of a competitive global market-place. For individual companies and industries (public and private) looking to participate and commit to the venture, a number of issues need to be addressed in the formulation of business strategies.
Assessing Trade Friendliness of Logistics Services in ASEAN
Authors: Gupta Sumeet , Goh Mark
Published: December 2011

Free trade agreements have been employed, either unilaterally or as a bloc, as an instrument to overcome the inefficiencies in trade brought about by the prevailing barriers and regulatory measures. During their 10th Summit, the leaders of ASEAN agreed to integrate their priority sectors with a vision to developing an ASEAN economic community whereby there would be a free flow of goods, services, investment and a freer flow of capital, equitable economic development, and reduced poverty and socio-economic disparities. This market would have no price discrimination for commodities and against foreign goods, services, capital, and labor. The aim of this chapter is to assess the current state of the cross-border trade in logistics services among ASEAN. The extent of the ease of cross-border trade is measured in terms of trade friendliness. The trade friendliness is a measure of the openness of ASEAN towards conducting free cross-border trade.
Multilayered Distribution System in India
Authors: Gupta Sumeet , Agrawal Tushar , Jain Priyanka , Jaisinghani Dolly , Rathi Ritika
Published: December 2011

This chapter presents several case studies of the multilayered system in India and shows how the prevalent distribution system preclude any means of cost reduction and making these supply chains efficient. Supply chains of perishable goods, electronic products, FMCG products and Pharmaceutical products are discussed in this chapter. Each of these supply chains present unique challenges and issues that need attention. The three main objectives in these studies are to understand the distribution systems as well as cost economics of the supply chains, identify potential conflicts and issues in their distribution system, and to study the effect of macro-environment on the distribution system. Apart from these objectives, these cases are also meant to prepare those venturing into such supply chains to come up with efficient solutions for improving these supply chains.
GIS, Grid Computing and RFID in Healthcare Information Supply Chain
Authors: Chen Yenming J.
Published: December 2011

Several healthcare disasters have occurred in the past decade, and their occurrence has become more frequent recently due to one natural catastrophe after another. The medical application requirement for such a disaster management system includes effective, reliable, and coordinated responses to disease and injury, accurate surveillance of area hospitals, and efficient management of clinical and research information. Based on the application requirements, this case study describes a grid-based system in a health information supply chain that monitors and detects national infectious events using geographical information system (GIS), radio-frequency identification (RFID), and grid computing technology. This system is fault-tolerant, highly secure, flexible, and extensible, thus making it capable of operation in case of a national catastrophe. It has a low cost of deployment and is designed for large-scale and quick responses. Owing to the grid-based nature of the network, no central server or data centre needs to be built. To reinforce the responsiveness of the national health information supply chain, this case study proposes a practical, tracking-based, spatially-aware, steady, and flexible architecture, based on GIS and RFID, for developing successful infectious disaster management plans to tackle technical issues. The architecture achieves a common understanding of spatial data and processes. Therefore, the system can efficiently and effectively share, compare, and federate—yet integrate—most local health information providers and results in more informed planning and better outcome.
Structuring the Service Encounter
Authors: Batista Maria da Graça , Pina e Cunha Miguel , Rego Armenio
Published: December 2011

This chapter presents an analysis of the influence of three forms of structuring the service encounter (standardization, spontaneity, minimal structure) on the perception of service quality and job satisfaction. The authors performed two studies (experimental and correlational). The results point to the existence of higher levels of job satisfaction and service quality under the use of minimal structures. There is an element of originality in this study since it empirically explores the application of minimal structures to the service encounter and the findings help practitioners to make more informed choices about the structures they adopt for the management of service encounters.
New Perspectives on Knowledge Management
Authors: Kasper Helmut , Mühlbacher Jürgen , Müller Barbara
Published: December 2011

In the following chapter, the authors give an overview of knowledge management, display various forms of knowledge relevant to different companies, discuss the process steps of knowledge management: generation, transfer, retention, and most importantly: show how knowledge, companies, and environments interact to optimize their corporate knowledge flows. The chapter’s aim is to provide a comprehensive picture of the complex interconnections in knowledge management. The authors draw upon approaches discussed in contemporary literature on knowledge management and additionally argue that the way knowledge is handled and retained depends on various systems logics that influence how knowledge is handled and managed within organizations.
Formulating a Knowledge Management Strategy
Authors: du Toit Adeline , Human Carina
Published: December 2011

This chapter presents a systematic approach that can be followed to formulate a Knowledge Management (KM) strategy. The management of knowledge should be integrated into the other management activities in the enterprise and linked to the business strategy. An empirical survey was conducted to investigate the current situation with regard to KM activities in a life-insurance company and to determine the relationship between the KM activities and the business strategy. The results indicated that there is a clear understanding of the importance of KM and steps are recommended to formulate a KM strategy for the enterprise.
Network Strategies of Hospitality Companies in Emerging and Transitory Economies
Authors: Balaeva Olga , Burnatseva Ella , Predvoditeleva Marina , Sheresheva Marina , Tretyak Olga
Published: December 2011

The chapter focuses on the strategies of domestic and international hotel chains operating in the Russian market. Within this theoretical framework and using the current market situation, the strategies of domestic and international hotel chains are differentiated and classified.
On the Improvement of Cost-Effectiveness
Authors: Kadry Seifedine
Published: December 2011

System maintenance is a general term required to keep a system running properly. The system could be a computer system, mechanical system, or other system. The maintenance in this sense is related to the deterioration of the system due to its usage and age. This context of maintenance does not apply to software, where the deterioration due to the usage and age don’t make sense. Conventionally, the maintenance of software is concerned with modifications related to software system. These modifications come from the user needs, error correction, improvement of performance, adapt to a changed environment, and optimization.
Testing E-Learning Websites
Authors: Sandhu Kamaljeet
Published: December 2011

Testing e-learning websites may provide an insight to characteristics that are useful and others that are not so useful to the users. From a technical or systems development perspective, such understanding may not be known till it is finally tested and used by the users. Therefore this research aims to explore the effectiveness of e-learning websites in relation to user’s perceptions (either positive or negative) that are developed when interacting with e-learning system and the features that they have to use.
From Virtual to the Simulated World
Authors: Alvi Sadaf , Alam Shah Jamal
Published: December 2011

Second Life is a virtual world that allows users to engage in various social activities, meet friends, form communities, attend events of interests, and trade online with other users represented through their virtual 3D avatars. For social and behavioral scientists, this provides an opportunity to investigate the dynamics of social interaction and formation of interpersonal and group affiliation ties. We present a prototype agent-based model that takes into account a number of qualitative and quantitative studies of social networking in Second Life. Initial results concerning friendships and acquaintance ties are reported.
Knowledge Discovery from Online Communities
Authors: Cagliero Luca , Fiori Alessandro
Published: December 2011

This chapter presents an overview of social network features such as user behavior, social models, and user-generated content to highlight the most notable research trends and application systems built over such appealing models and online media data. It first describes the most popular social networks by analyzing the growth trend, the user behaviors, the evolution of social groups and models, and the most relevant types of data continuously generated and updated by the users. Next, the most recent and valuable applications of data mining techniques to social network models and user-generated content are presented. Discussed works address both social model extractions tailored to semantic knowledge inference and automatic understanding of the user-generated content. Finally, prospects of data mining research on social networks are provided as well.
Information Diffusion in Social Networks
Authors: Zinoviev Dmitry
Published: December 2011

The issue of information diffusion in small-world social networks was first systematically brought to light by Mark Granovetter in his seminal paper “The Strength of Weak Ties” in 1973 and has been an area of active academic studies in the past three decades. This chapter discusses information proliferation mechanisms in massive online social networks (MOSN). In particular, the following aspects of information diffusion processes are addressed: the role and the strategic position of influential spreaders of information; the pathways in the social networks that serve as conduits for communication and information flow; mathematical models describing proliferation processes; short-term and long-term dynamics of information diffusion, and secrecy of information diffusion.
Social Network Sites
Authors: Isaías Pedro , Pífano Sara , Miranda Paula
Published: December 2011

The internet and the emergence of social technologies and platforms are at the origin of new consumer trends. The growing empowerment of customers is having a restructuring impact in business-consumer relationships and it is pressing businesses to uncover new strategies to engage their clients. This chapter argues that the presence of the corporate sector in Social Network Sites (SNSs) presents a successful method of building proficient relationships with customers that are more compliant with the new facets of consumers’ profile and behaviour. This research crosses classical academic literature with case studies available in social media to gather a compilation of challenges and potential solutions to the application of SNSs to business-consumer relationships. This compilation is preceded by an introductory section, which explores the definition and possible applications of SNSs in business, and a section dedicated to an overview of the novel consumer trends.
What Shapes Global Diffusion of E-Government
Authors: Azad Bijan , Faraj Samer , Goh Jie Mein , Feghali Tony
Published: December 2011

Prior research has established the existence of a differential between industrialized and other countries for e-Government diffusion. It attempts to explain this divide by identifying economic and technical variables. At the same time, the role of national governance institutions in e-Government diffusion has been relatively under-theorized and under-studied. The authors posit that, the existing national governance institutions shape the diffusion and assimilation of e-Government in any country via associated institutions in three key sectors: government, private sector and non-governmental organizations. This paper develops and tests a preliminary model of e-Government diffusion using the governance institutional climate as represented via democratic practices, transparency of private sector corporate governance, corruption perception, and the free press. The results indicate that the level of development of national governance institutions can explain the level of e-Government diffusion over and above economic and technical variables. The authors’ research contributes to the literature by providing initial evidence that the existing national governance institutions influence and shape e-Gov diffusion and assimilation beyond the adoption stage.
Modeling Social Influences in a Knowledge Management Network
Authors: Franco Giacomo , Maresca Paolo , Nota Giancarlo
Published: December 2011

The issue of knowledge management in a distributed network is receiving increasing attention from both scientific and industrial organizations. Research efforts in this field are motivated by the awareness that knowledge is more and more perceived as a primary economic resource and that, in the context of organization of organizations, the augmented management complexity of its whole life cycle requires new reference models. In this paper, we build on recent research work to propose a distributed knowledge management framework that can be used in several application domains. We characterize the dimension of social influences in terms of identity, negotiation and trust modeling them within a framework that can augment learning and cooperation capabilities through knowledge sharing and effective communication. A particular instance of the presented framework, to handle the problem of risk management in enterprise alliance partnership, is discussed as a case study that shows the practical applicability of our approach.
The Preliminary Investigation of the Factors that Influence the E-Learning Adoption in Higher Education Institutes
Authors: Al-hawari Maen , Al-halabi Sanaa
Published: December 2011

Creativity and high performance in learning processes are the main concerns of educational institutions. E-learning contributes to the creativity and performance of these institutions and reproduces a traditional learning model based primarily on knowledge transfer into more innovative models based on collaborative learning. In this paper, the authors focus on the preliminary investigation of factors that influence e-learning adoption in Jordan. As a pioneer country for e-learning systems in the Middle East, an investigation has been completed for one of Jordan’s universities that has implemented e-learning. Factors are defined through the analysis of unstructured interviews with developers and users of the e-learning systems, and Leximancer content analysis software is used to analyze the interview’s content. Main factors include Internet, legislations, human factors, and Web content.
The ART (Activities, Resources, Technological Supports) in On-Site and Online Learning, and Students’ Perceptions of Acquisition of Thinking and Team-Building Skills
Authors: Thomas Jennifer D.E. , Morin Danielle
Published: December 2011

The efficacy of different modes of instruction delivery, whether on-site, online, or a combination, continues to be debated in academic circles. This chapter takes a somewhat different view from most other research and compares students’ perceptions of support provided in the acquisition of various thinking and team-building skills, as a consequence of the integration of various activities, resources, and technologies (ART) used in an upper level Distributed Computing (DC) course. The findings indicate that students perceived strong support for their acquisition of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) and team-building skills (TBS) from the offline resources, but moderate support from the online resources and technologies provided in the course, which was in opposition to the grades received. A deeper analysis of the results pointed, among other things, to the use of cases as being most supportive of the acquisition of the higher-order thinking skills and of team-building skills.
Disrupting Relationships
Authors: Stieha Vicki , Raider-Roth Miriam
Published: December 2011

Can the disruption of teachers’ relationships with themselves, as both teachers and learners, be a source for professional growth? In this chapter the authors explore teachers’ professional development experiences as a source for disrupting relationships with the “self-as-teacher” and “self-as-learner” and the way this process can facilitate innovative changes in their teaching practices. While some may view “disrupting relationships” as a negative move, the chapter will frame a view of such relational ruptures with subsequent repair as potentially growth fostering. In contrast to a view that sees disrupting relationships as a negative move, this work provides a view of reconciliation and repair as one that propels the individual forward – a move that is steeped in learning about self and about other. Developmentally, the authors understand the sense of disconnection, or rupture, as an essential “evolutionary” step as individuals continue to move beyond their mental and emotional boundaries increasing growth and learning (Kegan, 1982, 1994). In seeking to understand the teachers’ experiences, this work provides an intimate and descriptive picture of the negotiations participants made during and after an extended professional development seminar vis-à-vis their learning and teaching practice. In doing so, the authors make visible the complicated processes involved as teachers question conventional practices and invite innovation into their classrooms.
Disruptive Relation(ship)s
Authors: Carpenter Rick
Published: December 2011

Historically, Western culture has maintained lines of strict demarcation between what is deemed personal and social, often with one eschewed and the other privileged. Doing so risks cutting ourselves off from useful avenues of inquiry, reflection, and, ultimately, transformation. Romantic love represents an especially effective entry point into a critical examination of the personal and its relationship to the social. Interrogating the personal/social binary can serve to problematize romantic love and destabilize cultural mechanisms of self-construction, along with the various attending epistemologies employed to “naturalize” distinctions of numerous kinds. As a critical methodology, romantic love facilitates a shifting of perspective from either/or to both/and, a move that can open transformative possibilities even as it challenges cherished beliefs, complicates reductive thinking, and explodes inequitable hierarchies.
Teachers of Young Children
Authors: Adler Susan Matoba , Iorio Jeanne Marie
Published: December 2011

This chapter illustrates how an online early childhood teacher education program using Socratic inquiry methods inspires students to challenge habituated assumptions in the field. Academic pushdown, teacher identity, standardization, and developmentally appropriate practice are central assumptions in ECE that students challenge in their blogs and discussion board postings. The program goal is to empower students to become transformative intellectuals (Giroux, 1988) and ultimately agents of change. Student writing illustrates how students have begun the process of challenging assumptions, identifying multiple perspectives on critical issues, and articulating arguments based on self-reflection and critical analysis.
Disrupting the Utilitarian Paradigm
Authors: Joseph Pamela Bolotin
Published: December 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to explain the importance of curriculum inquiry for teacher change and the development of curriculum leaders. The author depicts the utilitarian or standardized management paradigm that dominates United States education and then explores the nature of curriculum inquiry, considering why such study helps educators become critically conscious of dominant assumptions and policies that influence their teaching and their schools. Drawing from reflections from “lived curriculum investigations,” the chapter illustrates how teachers recognize, question, and challenge previously unexamined norms, and practices. Moreover, the author explains how reflection, transformative learning, affect, and experience support teacher change and why curriculum inquiry is a crucial component of teachers’ identities as curriculum workers — educators who are transformative intellectuals and curriculum leaders. This chapter concludes with consideration of another type of curriculum inquiry, “curriculum worker portraits,” to study the beliefs and practices of innovative educators.
Raising Ethics and Integrity Awareness by Incentivizing Professionalism
Authors: Clark Timothy S.
Published: December 2011

Far more than in the fields of business, research scholarship in the medical and legal fields has considered the integrity of students and graduates. Within the broader concept of professionalism, integrity is manifest in these fields as behavioral qualities such as bedside manner, client relationships, and dedication to quality. Yet in business scholarship, research into professionalism extends little beyond exploration of it antonyms as evidenced in the moral conduct of certain notorious executives. Conspicuously absent from business literature is much consideration of the positive behavioral qualities desirable in our institutions’ students, neither with respect to scholastic progress during college, to employability and career progression following graduation, nor to the foundations of conduct that characterize pro-social business practitioners. In this chapter, the author offers an exploration of professionalism as a concept within which integrity is implicit and critical, and around which business schools can structure programs to raise awareness and standards among their students and graduates. The chapter begins by fleshing-out the concept of professionalism, including brief review of the word’s etymology and history. Next, an argument is developed as to the relevance of professionalism to students and, therefore, to faculty and administrators of business schools. Finally, the intentions and experiences at the college of business at a mid-tier state university, where colleagues and the author have developed and launched what is called the Professionalism Recognition Program, are presented in the spirit of positive organizational scholarship to provide other business faculty and administrators with a potential idea for addressing professionalism at their institutions. The author concludes with discussion of additional research related to the concept of professionalism and it’s applicability in business schools’ planning.
Developing Ethical Practice through Inquiry
Authors: Linds Warren , Trull Andrew
Published: December 2011

This chapter explores a graduate course designed for process consultant practitioners and change managers on the ethics of intervening in human systems. The course uses an ethical inquiry process which involves both individual and collective exploration. This is described through the background philosophy of embodied knowledge which underpins the design of the course and is further elaborated from the perspective of the professor and a previous student. Enactive and embodied knowing through an inquiry process draws attention to our skilful action through the challenges we face in acting ethically. This involves practicing three main methods used in the journey towards ethical know-how: the Discipline of Noticing (Mason, 2002), identifying the gap between espoused theory and theory-in-use (Argyris, 1995), and an individual and collective inquiry process (Roy et al, 2003) into ethical issues the authors have faced in their personal and/or professional lives.
Management Education for Integrity
Authors: McCarthy Victoria , Hulsart Robyn
Published: December 2011

Tools and resources for raising ethical standards in online management courses are essential for maintaining integrity in management education. Perceived integrity of the educational institution, accrediting bodies, future employers, and students influence the value of a degree that students receive. The academic integrity in online education impacts each of these stakeholders as well as the ethics of the businesses employing graduates. A key role in promoting academic integrity in online courses is played by instructors in the design and conduct of their courses. Management education can teach business ethics by making it imperative that students continually practice being ethical while studying. Case studies, scenarios and simulations are often used to reveal insights and teach concepts. However, it is also essential to create an ethical climate in which students participate. “Train as you fight” is a popular army saying that is fitting for this concept. Students who consistently participate in and help to create ethical course climates may be more successful in the business sector in spreading and supporting an ethical climate there. Establishing best practices for creating ethical course climates becomes increasingly essential as online management education programs grow.
A Critical Assessment of the Oath Project
Authors: Amann Wolfgang , Khan Shiban
Published: December 2011

Trillions in value were destroyed in the recent financial crisis. Of equal harm was another consequence. In a time of such a financial crisis – in addition to the ecological and social ones – trust in business organizations and their managers is very low. A survey by the Aspen Institute reveals unpromising prospects as future business leaders seem utterly unconcerned with ecological and societal demands. The Oath Project is a recent phenomenon and proposes solution with which business schools aim to protect their own reputation and invite graduates to commit to a more ethical behavior during their careers. Based on one standard oath during graduation, a number of business schools show they have understood they need to contribute to preventing crises more than this was the case in the past. This chapter provides a critical review of the status quo and way ahead of the oath project. It scrutinizes the actual potential and likelihood of success. In contrast to the field of health care, it is not a single person or doctor deciding which medication to hand to a patient. For what it is worth, the biggest benefit is likely to be the resulting discussion about value and values in business schools and the media.
Mainstreaming Corporate Social Responsibility at the Core of the Business School Curriculum
Authors: Jamali Dima , Abdallah Hanin
Published: December 2011

This book chapter will make the case that corporate social responsibility (CSR) mainstreaming is an imperative to promote integrity and alleviate the strong entrenchment of utilitarian perspectives permeating management education (Ghoshal, 2005). The chapter argues that CSR mainstreaming should be anchored in the context of a vision for responsibility at the level of the School and that, starting with visioning and strategizing, business schools have to assume a more proactive role in shaping a new generation of leaders, capable of managing the complex challenges that lie at the interface of business and society. The chapter highlights challenges and opportunities in this respect and the critical role of the UN Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) in helping in this reorientation. The book chapter tackles these two interrelated themes systematically, and illustrate with the case of the Olayan School of Business, a leading business school in the Middle East.
Responsible Management Education in Practice
Authors: Tavanti Marco
Published: December 2011

The Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) offer a platform for institutional commitment and leadership engagement toward business ethics and poverty alleviation. The author reviews the principles in light of a need for a renewed management education centered on social responsibility, sustainability and partnership values. The PRME present a possibility for universities to engage with United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other multi-stakeholder partnerships. The participating institutions share a commitment for a renewed management education where private organizations become positive agents for world benefit. The process of adopting and integrating the PRME into existing programs and curricula is instrumental for educating ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible leaders for the 21st century.
How Business School Research Values Shape the Student Experience
Authors: Burgess Thomas F.
Published: December 2011

This chapter examines how the values of UK business school academics interact with the values of the students they teach. The chapter proposes that the dominance of research as the basis for academic progression, particularly in the top business schools, contributes to an environment where academics are challenged to conform to norms of ethical behaviour. These, and other environmental pressures such as the ratings and rankings merry-go-round, and major corporate failures such as Enron and Lehman Brothers, shape the academic value system and impact on the way that staff design and deliver their teaching. Conversely business school students also bring their values containing dysfunctional aspects, such as the increasing troubles associated with plagiarism. In particular the chapter draws on the case of the MBA, a business school’s flagship programme to examine how the value systems of these two groups, academics and students, interact. The essence of this chapter is to investigate this interaction by integrating theory, secondary data and the author’s reflections. The particular focus is on how staff research priorities shape and interact with the student experience in business schools.
Relevance of the MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway in the Metabolism of Activated Macrophages: A Metabolomic Approach
Authors: Través Paqui G. , de Atauri Pedro , Marín Silvia , Pimentel-Santillana María , Rodríguez-Prados Juan-Carlos , Marín de Mas Igor , Selivanov Vitaly A. , Martín-Sanz Paloma , Boscá Lisardo , Cascante Marta
Published: December 2011

The activation of immune cells in response to a pathogen involves a succession of signaling events leading to gene and protein expression, which requires metabolic changes to match the energy demands. The metabolic profile associated with the MAPK cascade (ERK1/2, p38, and JNK) in macrophages was studied, and the effect of its inhibition on the specific metabolic pattern of LPS stimulation was characterized. A [1,2-[13C]2]glucose tracer-based metabolomic approach was used to examine the metabolic flux distribution in these cells after MEK/ERK inhibition. Bioinformatic tools were used to analyze changes in mass isotopomer distribution and changes in glucose and glutamine consumption and lactate production in basal and LPS-stimulated conditions in the presence and absence of the selective inhibitor of the MEK/ERK cascade, PD325901. Results showed that PD325901-mediated ERK1/2 inhibition significantly decreased glucose consumption and lactate production but did not affect glutamine consumption. These changes were accompanied by a decrease in the glycolytic flux, consistent with the observed decrease in fructose-2,6-bisphosphate concentration. The oxidative and nonoxidative pentose phosphate pathways and the ratio between them also decreased. However, tricarboxylic acid cycle flux did not change significantly. LPS activation led to the opposite responses, although all of these were suppressed by PD325901. However, LPS also induced a small decrease in pentose phosphate pathway fluxes and an increase in glutamine consumption that were not affected by PD325901. We concluded that inhibition of the MEK/ERK cascade interferes with central metabolism, and this cross-talk between signal transduction and metabolism also occurs in the presence of LPS.
The Pan-B Cell Marker CD22 Is Expressed on Gastrointestinal Eosinophils and Negatively Regulates Tissue Eosinophilia
Authors: Wen Ting , Mingler Melissa K. , Blanchard Carine , Wahl Benjamin , Pabst Oliver , Rothenberg Marc E.
Published: December 2011

CD22 is currently recognized as a B cell-specific Siglec and has been exploited therapeutically with humanized anti-CD22 mAb having been used against B cell leukemia. In this study, tissue-specific eosinophil mRNA microarray analysis identified that CD22 transcript levels of murine gastrointestinal (GI) eosinophils are 10-fold higher than those of lung eosinophils. To confirm the mRNA data at the protein level, we developed a FACS-based protocol designed to phenotype live GI eosinophils isolated from the murine lamina propria. Indeed, we found that jejunum eosinophils expressed remarkably high levels of surface CD22, similar to levels found in B cells across multiple mouse strains. In contrast, CD22 was undetectable on eosinophils from the colon, blood, thymus, spleen, uterus, peritoneal cavity, and allergen-challenged lung. Eosinophils isolated from newborn mice did not express CD22 but subsequently upregulated CD22 expression to adult levels within the first 10 d after birth. The GI lamina propria from CD22 gene-targeted mice harbored more eosinophils than wild type control mice, whereas the GI eosinophil turnover rate was unaltered in the absence of CD22. Our findings identify a novel expression pattern and tissue eosinophilia-regulating function for the “B cell-specific” inhibitory molecule CD22 on GI eosinophils.
CARACTERIZACIÓN DASOMÉTRICA Y DELIMITACIÓN DE RODALES DE MEZQUITE (Prosopis sp) EN EL ESTADO DE COAHUILA
Authors: Valenzuela-Núñez Luis Manuel , Trucíos-Caciano Ramón , Ríos-Saucedo Julio César , Flores Hernández Arnoldo , González-Barrios José Luis
Published: December 2011

Este estudio muestra las características dasométricas de rodales puros de mezquite (Prosopis sp) pre¬sentes en dos sitios de muestreo en el estado de Coahuila y que se caracterizan por su importancia en la producción de carbón; con ello se pretende conocer la densidad poblacional arbórea en la actualidad, además de la importancia ecológica del mezquite en los ecosistemas de la región. Se obtuvo un primer acercamiento del volumen de madera comercial disponible en los rodales de mezquite, además de la cartografía de la distribución del mezquite en el estado de Coahuila. Los resultados muestran que en el estado de Coahuila existen 73,868 ha cubiertas por rodales puros de mezquite y 3,803,149 ha son ocu¬padas por matorral desértico micrófilo, en el que también se desarrolla el género Prosopis. Los estudios dasométricos se llevaron a cabo en los municipios de Viesca y San Pedro de las Colonias, dando como resultados una densidad de población de 867 y 567 individuos/ha, respectivamente, un porcentaje de indi¬viduos comerciales de 35.23 y 27.84 % de manera respectiva y 1.64 y 39.71 m3•ha-1 de madera comercial.
SISTEMAS DE PRODUCCIÓN DE OVEJA AWASSI Y RENDIMIENTO REPRODUCTIVO: UNA EXPERIENCIA DEL MEDIO ORIENTE
Authors: Kridli Rami T. , Abdullah A.Y. , Rousan L.M. , Gonzalez-Bulnes A.
Published: December 2011

Jordania es un país predominantemente semiárido. La mayor parte de la tierra es incultivable y sólo se puede utilizar para el pastoreo de rumiantes pequeños. La oveja Awassi de cola gruesa es la raza nativa de ovejas en Jordania. Esta raza es popular por varias razones, tales como su adaptabilidad a ecosistemas difíciles, su producción lechera y por tener una carne con buenas características y un buen sabor. La industria ovejera en Jordania enfrenta muchos retos, el más importante es la escases de agua, que conlleva a una baja disponibilidad de forrajes y a un alza en los precios de los alimentos. A pesar de las dificultades, se realizan esfuerzos para mejorar la productividad de las ovejas Awassi mediante la selección, el cuidado veterinario, la evaluación de fuentes alternativas de alimentación y tratamientos hormonales para mejorar su fertilidad y fecundidad. Este estudio enfatiza la investigación principal llevada a cabo en ovejas Awassi en Jordania en la última década con un énfasis especial en el rendimiento reproductivo.
Three-dimensional variations of atmospheric CO2: aircraft measurements and multi-transport model simulations
Authors: Niwa Y. , Patra P. K. , Sawa Y. , Machida T. , Matsueda H. , Belikov D. , Maki T. , Ikegami M. , Imasu R. , Maksyutov S. , Oda T. , Satoh M. , Takigawa M.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. Numerical simulation and validation of three-dimensional structure of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is necessary for quantification of transport model uncertainty and its role on surface flux estimation by inverse modeling. Simulations of atmospheric CO2 were performed using four transport models and two sets of surface fluxes compared with an aircraft measurement dataset of Comprehensive Observation Network for Trace gases by AIrLiner (CONTRAIL), covering various latitudes, longitudes, and heights. Under this transport model intercomparison project, spatiotemporal variations of CO2 concentration for 2006–2007 were analyzed with a three-dimensional perspective. Results show that the models reasonably simulated vertical profiles and seasonal variations not only over northern latitude areas but also over the tropics and southern latitudes. From CONTRAIL measurements and model simulations, intrusion of northern CO2 in to the Southern Hemisphere, through the upper troposphere, was confirmed. Furthermore, models well simulated the vertical propagation of seasonal variation in the northern free troposphere. However, significant model-observation discrepancies were found in Asian regions, which are attributable to uncertainty of the surface CO2 flux data. In summer season, differences in latitudinal gradients by the fluxes are comparable to or greater than model-model differences even in the free troposphere. This result suggests that active summer vertical transport sufficiently ventilates flux signals up to the free troposphere and the models could use those for inferring surface CO2 fluxes.
Development and uncertainty analysis of a high-resolution NH3 emissions inventory and its implications with precipitation over the Pearl River Delta region, China
Authors: Zheng J. Y. , Yin S. S. , Kang D. W. , Che W. W. , Zhong L. J.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. Detailed NH3 emission inventories are important to understand various atmospheric processes, air quality modeling study, air pollution management, and related environmental and ecological issues. A high-resolution NH3 emission inventory is developed based on the state-of-the-science techniques, the up-to-date information, and the advanced expert knowledge for the Pearl River Delta region, China. To provide model-ready emissions input, this NH3 emissions inventory is spatially allocated to 3 km × 3 km grid cells using source-based spatial surrogates with Geographical Information System (GIS) technology. For NH3 emissions, 9 source categories and 45 sub-categories are identified in this region, and detailed spatial and temporal characteristics are investigated. Results show that livestock is by far the most important NH3 emission source that contributes about 61.7% of the total NH3 emissions in this region, followed by nitrogen fertilizer applications (~23.7%) and non-agricultural sources (~14.6%). Uncertainty analysis reveals that the uncertainties associated with different sources vary from source to source and the magnitude of the uncertainty associated with a specific source mainly depends on the degree of accuracy of the emission factors and activity data as well as the technique used to perform the estimate. The validity of the NH3 emissions inventory is justified by the trend analysis of local rainwater compositions, especially pH values, the Ca2+ + NH4+/SO42− + NO3− ratios, and NH4+ concentrations which are directly or indirectly related to NH3 emissions. Based on the analysis, recommendations for additional work to further improve the accuracy of the NH3 emissions inventory are also discussed and proposed.
A critical examination of spatial biases between MODIS and MISR aerosol products – application for potential AERONET deployment
Authors: Shi Y. , Zhang J. , Reid J. S. , Hyer E. J. , Eck T. F. , Holben B. N. , Kahn R. A.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) data are the primary benchmark for evaluating satellite-retrieved aerosol properties. However, despite its extensive coverage, the representativeness of the AERONET data is rarely discussed. Indeed, many studies have shown that satellite retrieval biases have a significant degree of spatial correlation that may be problematic for higher-level processes or inverse-emissions-modeling studies. To consider these issues and evaluate relative performance in regions of few surface observations, cross-comparisons between the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) products of operational MODIS Collection 5.1 Dark Target (DT) and operational MODIS Collection 5.1 Deep Blue (DB) with MISR version 22 were conducted. Through such comparisons, we can observe coherent spatial features of the AOD bias while sidestepping the full analysis required for determining when or where either retrieval is more correct. We identify regions where MODIS to MISR AOD ratios were found to be above 1.4 and below 0.7. Regions where lower boundary condition uncertainty is likely to be a dominant factor include portions of Western North America, the Andes mountains, Saharan Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Central Asia. Similarly, microphysical biases may be an issue in South America, and specific parts of Southern Africa, India Asia, East Asia, and Indonesia. These results help identify high-priority locations for possible future deployments of both in situ and ground based remote sensing measurements. The Supplement includes a kml file.
Regional differences in modelled net production and shallow remineralization in the North Atlantic subtropical Gyre
Authors: Fernández-Castro B. , Anderson L. , Marañón E. , Neuer S. , Ausín B. , González-Dávila M. , Santana-Casiano J. M. , Cianca A. , Santana R. , LLinás O. , Rueda M. J. , Mouriño-Carballido B.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. We used 5-year concomitant data of tracers distribution from the BATS (Bermuda Time-series Study) and ESTOC (European Station for Time-Series in the Ocean, Canary Islands) sites to build a 1-D tracer model conservation including horizontal advection and compute net production and shallow remineralization rates at both sites. Net production rates computed below the mixed layer to 110 m from April to December for oxygen, dissolved inorganic carbon and nitrate at BATS (1.34 ± 0.79 mol O2 m−2, −1.73 ± 0.52 mol C m−2 and −125 ± 36 mmol N m−2) showed no statistically significant differences compared to ESTOC (1.03 ± 0.62 mol O2 m−2, −1.42 ± 0.30 mol C m−2 and −213 ± 56 mmol N m−2). Shallow remineralization rates between 110 and 250 m computed at ESTOC (−3.9 ± 1.0 mol O2 m−2, 1.53 ± 0.43 mol C m−2 and 38 ± 155 mmol N m−2) were statistically higher for oxygen compared to BATS (−1.81 ± 0.37 mol O2 m−2, 1.52 ± 0.30 mol C m−2 and 147 ± 43 mmol N m−2). Lateral advection, which was more significant at ESTOC, was responsible for the differences in estimated oxygen remineralization rates between both stations. Due to the relevance of the horizontal transport at ESTOC, we cannot assert that the differences in shallow remineralization rates computed for both stations can explain the observed descrepancies in the flux of sinking organic matter.