Work process-related lead userness as an antecedent of innovative behavior and user innovation in organizations

Recent studies have identified that employees can be lead users of their employing firm's products, and valuable sources of product innovation, residing within organizational boundaries. We extend this line of thought by recognizing that employees can be lead users with regard to internal work processes. We define work process-related lead userness (WPLU) as the extent to which employees experience unsatisfied process-related needs ahead of others, and expect high benefits from solutions to these needs. We hypothesize a positive association with user innovation in the workplace, evidenced by the development of tools, equipment, materials and methods. We test a moderated mediation model delineating how and when WPLU is related to user innovation within organizational boundaries. Drawing on survey data from 104 employees and 13 supervisors in a forensic services organization, we find that WPLU contributes to user innovation via engagement in innovative work behavior, especially when employees have higher self-efficacy (perceived capability to overcome obstacles) and lower job autonomy (situational constraints on the job)

Energy balance closure for the LITFASS-2003 experiment

In the first part, this paper synthesises the main results from a series of previous studies on the closure of the local energy balance at low-vegetation sites during the LITFASS-2003 experiment. A residual of up to 25% of the available energy has been found which cannot be fully explained either by the measurement uncertainty of the single components of the surface energy balance or by the length of the flux-averaging period. In the second part, secondary circulations due to heterogeneities in the surface characteristics (roughness, thermal and moisture properties) are discussed as a possible cause for the observed energy balance non-closure. This hypothesis seems to be supported from the fluxes derived from area-averaging measurement techniques (scintillometers, aircraft)

Turbulent heat exchange over polar leads revisited: A large eddy simulation study

Sea ice leads play an important role in energy exchange between the ocean and atmosphere in polar regions, and therefore must be considered in weather and climate models. As sea ice leads are not explicitly resolved in such models, lead-averaged surface heat flux is of considerable interest for the parameterization of energy exchange. Measurements and numerical studies have established that the lead-averaged surface heat flux depends not only on meteorological parameters, but also on lead width. Nonetheless, few studies to date have investigated the dependency of surface heat flux on lead width. Most findings on that dependency are based on observations with lead widths smaller than a few hundred meters, but leads can have widths from a few meters to several kilometers. In this parameter study, we present the results of three series of large-eddy simulations of turbulent exchange processes above leads. We varied the lead width and air temperature, as well as the roughness length. As this study focused on conditions without background wind, ice-breeze circulation occurred, and was the main driver of the adjustment of surface heat flux. A previous large-eddy simulation study with uncommonly large roughness length found that lead-averaged surface heat flux exhibited a distinct maximum at lead widths of about 3 km, while our results show the largest heat fluxes for the smallest leads simulated (lead width of 50 m). At more realistic roughness lengths, we observed monotonously increasing heat fluxes with increasing lead width. Further, new scaling laws for the ice-breeze circulation are proposed

Beyond convergence rates: Exact recovery with Tikhonov regularization with sparsity constraints

The Tikhonov regularization of linear ill-posed problems with an $\ell^1$ penalty is considered. We recall results for linear convergence rates and results on exact recovery of the support. Moreover, we derive conditions for exact support recovery which are especially applicable in the case of ill-posed problems, where other conditions, e.g. based on the so-called coherence or the restricted isometry property are usually not applicable. The obtained results also show that the regularized solutions do not only converge in the $\ell^1$-norm but also in the vector space $\ell^0$ (when considered as the strict inductive limit of the spaces $\R^n$ as $n$ tends to infinity). Additionally, the relations between different conditions for exact support recovery and linear convergence rates are investigated. With an imaging example from digital holography the applicability of the obtained results is illustrated, i.e. that one may check a priori if the experimental setup guarantees exact recovery with Tikhonov regularization with sparsity constraints

In newborn babies, what are the risks of developing Vitamin K deficiency bleeding disorders if not provided IM Vitamin K injection at birth?

Vitamin K, which is produced in the large intestines of adults, is naturally lacking in neonates. It is a crucial part in the clotting cascade for activating clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X. For the past several decades, it has been a standard in Western Medicine to give an IM Vitamin K injection to neonates post birth. In recent years, statistics of refusal have continued to grow creating an increased prevalence of Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding Disorders. This study is aimed at exploring the statistics of injection refusal, reasons for refusal, alternative methods to injections, and the importance behind parent education. The studies analyzed demonstrate that there are higher rates of refusal in birth centers and home births as opposed to hospital births. Alternative methods studied, such as breast feeding and mother supplementation, have not been shown to be an equivalent to the IM injection, however, there is promising research regarding an oral method of Vitamin K administration. Based on the research conducted, it is imperative that providers ensure proper patient education throughout the entire pregnancy regarding screenings and preventions, such as a Vitamin K injection and what it prevents, so that parents can make informed decisions when their child is born

Evaluation of large-eddy simulations forced with mesoscale model output for a multi-week period during a measurement campaign

Large-eddy simulations (LESs) of a multi-week period during the HD(CP)2 (High-Definition Clouds and Precipitation for advancing Climate Prediction) Observational Prototype Experiment (HOPE) conducted in Germany are evaluated with respect to mean boundary layer quantities and turbulence statistics. Two LES models are used in a semi-idealized setup through forcing with mesoscale model output to account for the synoptic-scale conditions. Evaluation is performed based on the HOPE observations. The mean boundary layer characteristics like the boundary layer depth are in a principal agreement with observations. Simulating shallow-cumulus layers in agreement with the measurements poses a challenge for both LES models. Variance profiles agree satisfactorily with lidar measurements. The results depend on how the forcing data stemming from mesoscale model output are constructed. The mean boundary layer characteristics become less sensitive if the averaging domain for the forcing is large enough to filter out mesoscale fluctuations. © Author(s) 2017.BMBF/01LK1203BBMBF/01LK1203

Sgt1, but not Rar1, is essential for the RB-mediated broad-spectrum resistance to potato late blight

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Late blight is the most serious potato disease world-wide. The most effective and environmentally sound way for controlling late blight is to incorporate natural resistance into potato cultivars. Several late blight resistance genes have been cloned recently. However, there is almost no information available about the resistance pathways mediated by any of those genes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We previously cloned a late blight resistance gene, <it>RB</it>, from a diploid wild potato species <it>Solanum bulbocastanum</it>. Transgenic potato lines containing a single <it>RB </it>gene showed a rate-limiting resistance against all known races of <it>Phytophthora infestans</it>, the late blight pathogen. To better understand the <it>RB</it>-mediated resistance we silenced the potato <it>Rar1 </it>and <it>Sgt1 </it>genes that have been implicated in mediating disease resistance responses against various plant pathogens and pests. The <it>Rar1 </it>and <it>Sgt1 </it>genes of a <it>RB</it>-containing potato clone were silenced using a RNA interference (RNAi)-based approach. All of the silenced potato plants displayed phenotypically normal growth. The late blight resistance of the <it>Rar1 </it>and <it>Sgt1 </it>silenced lines were evaluated by a traditional greenhouse inoculation method and quantified using a GFP-tagged <it>P. infestans </it>strain. The resistance of the <it>Rar1</it>-silenced plants was not affected. However, silencing of the <it>Sgt1 </it>gene abolished the <it>RB</it>-mediated resistance.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study shows that silencing of the <it>Sgt1 </it>gene in potato does not result in lethality. However, the <it>Sgt1 </it>gene is essential for the <it>RB</it>-mediated late blight resistance. In contrast, the <it>Rar1 </it>gene is not required for <it>RB</it>-mediated resistance. These results provide additional evidence for the universal role of the <it>Sgt1 </it>gene in various <it>R </it>gene-mediated plant defense responses.</p

Higher copy numbers of the potato RB transgene correspond to enhanced transcript and late blight resistance levels.

Late blight of potato ranks among the costliest of crop diseases worldwide. Host resistance offers the best means for controlling late blight, but previously deployed single resistance genes have been short-lived in their effectiveness. The foliar blight resistance gene RB, previously cloned from the wild potato Solanum bulbocastanum, has proven effective in greenhouse tests of transgenic cultivated potato. In this study, we examined the effects of the RB transgene on foliar late blight resistance in transgenic cultivated potato under field production conditions. In a two-year replicated trial, the RB transgene, under the control of its endogenous promoter, provided effective disease resistance in various genetic backgrounds, including commercially prominent potato cultivars, without fungicides. RB copy numbers and transcript levels were estimated with transgene-specific assays. Disease resistance was enhanced as copy numbers and transcript levels increased. The RB gene, like many other disease resistance genes, is constitutively transcribed at low levels. Transgenic potato lines with an estimated 15 copies of the RB transgene maintain high RB transcript levels and were ranked among the most resistant of 57 lines tested. We conclude that even in these ultra–high copy number lines, innate RNA silencing mechanisms have not been fully activated. Our findings suggest resistance-gene transcript levels may have to surpass a threshold before triggering RNA silencing. Strategies for the deployment of RB are discussed in light of the current research

Open Design: Contributions, Solutions, Processes and Projects

Open design is a catchall term for various on- and offline design and making activities. It can be used to describe a type of design process that allows for (is open to) the participation of anybody (novice or professional) in the collaborative development of something. As well as this, it can mean the distribution and unrestricted use of design blueprints and documentation for the use by others. In this paper, the authors highlight various aspects of open and collaborative design and argue for the use of new terms that address what is open and when. A range of design projects and online platforms that have open attributes are then explored, whereby these terms are applied. In terms of design, the focus is specifically on the design of physical things rather than graphical, software or system design