Characteristics and flow paths of the intermediate depth waters of the southeast Indian Ocean

For the southeast Indian Ocean, isentropic analysis of salinity and oxygen distributions on the 27.20 and 26.80 σt surfaces showed that mixing of sub-Antarctic intermediate water with poorly oxygenated bottom water· of Arabian Sea origin was confined to the region west of about 90° E , east of which there was sinking and movement of oxygenated waters from tropical and subtropical convergences and from the Banda Sea. The seasonal change of properties on the 27.20 and 26.80 σt surfaces off Fremantle gave some indication of the seasonal flow paths of these different waters

γ-synuclein is a novel player in the control of body lipid metabolism

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Seipin oligomers can interact directly with AGPAT2 and lipin 1, physically scaffolding critical regulators of adipogenesis

This work was supported by a Merit Scholarship from the Islamic Development Bank (to M.M.U.T.), The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR) (M.F.M.S), the Medical Research Council (MRC) [NIRG GO800203 and Research Grant MR/L002620/1 (to J.J.R.), Program GrantG09000554 (to S.O.R)], The Wellcome Trust [078986/Z/06/Z (to S.O.R.)], the MRC Centre for Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders (MRC-CORD) [GO600717] and the NIHR Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre [CG50826].Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Modelling storm responses on a high-energy coastline with XBeach

The XBeach model has been used to simulate the morphological impacts of storms on sandy and gravel beaches. Taking as a case study Rossbeigh Spit located on the high-energy coast of western Ireland, the study reported here tests the capacity of XBeach to reproduce barrier breaching during a storm in December 2008. It demonstrates that predictions of the breaching event agree reasonably well with observations. However, the main focus of the paper is to establish using the model results, site-specific critical wave and water level conditions giving rise to dune erosion, overwashing and breaching. By deriving simple-to-use expressions to define hydrodynamic thresholds the study advances the ability to predict the impacts of infrequent and rarely observed storm events and is considered to provide useful coastal management tool for assessing the vulnerability of sandy barriers to breaching high-energy during storms

Analysis of naturally occurring mutations in the human lipodystrophy protein seipin reveals multiple potential pathogenic mechanisms

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A Dialogical Action Research Approach to Innovation as Organisational Change

This paper argues that dialogical action research (AR), recently proposed to the IS community by Mårtensson & Lee (2004), provides a novel approach to address the perennial call for more relevant and rigorous collaboration between academics and practitioners. The work is presented in the context of a case study of APC-MGE Ireland, a subsidiary of the critical power and cooling services division of the Schneider Electric Corporation. The research proposes to make a contribution by presenting a study of using dialogical AR as an impetus for the process of change involved in the re-orientation of a subsidiary to an innovative organisation. Furthermore, the work builds on Ciborra’s challenge to return to the “origins of phenomenology” and argues that the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer can provide a solid underpinning for dialogical AR. The paper now proceeds as follows. Firstly a literature review is provided on innovation and organisational change building on the work of Zaltman et al.(1973) and using the taxonomy of innovation theories developed by Slappendel (1996). The paper then addresses the thematic aspects of ALOIS by discussing the Hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer with his emphasis on engagement with practice and the importance of language. Following this, the background and context of the case study is presented. Next the research approach is outlined and the scope of the research question and data collection are described. Subsequently, the case is examined in light of models of organisational change and of the innovation theory presented earlier in the paper. Finally the conclusions of the study are presented and suggestions made for future work

Supply Chain Transformation in Apc Ireland: Lean Thinking, Opposing Logics and Bricolage

This paper presents a number of observations and\ud findings from an ongoing study of supply chain\ud transformation in a subsidiary of American Power Conversion (APC) located in the West of Ireland.\ud The study is being carried out in a period of significant change within both the Irish economy and the\ud APC Corporation. The research addresses the question of how innovation can contribute to the sustainability and development of the Operations function in a time of transition. To begin with, a review is presented of\ud relevant research and theory in the areas\ud of lean supply, innovative culture and information systems bricolage. Then the context and composition of the lean transformation team involved in the case study are described together with the research design.\ud The work proposes to make a contribution in two areas.\ud Firstly by providing empirical evidence of the role of innovation in an organizational transformation and the challenge of incorporating bricolage in the course of\ud information systems design. Secondly to the building of theory by proposing that organizational innovation\ud can be viewed as a dynamic process of tuning\ud “opposing logics”. The paper concludes by suggesting\ud that the study has significance in the context of Ireland’s objectives of moving to an innovation economy and of strengthening academic-industrial collaboration

A dialogical action research approach to innovation as organisational change

This paper argues that dialogical action research (AR) recently proposed by Mårtensson & Lee, provides a novel framework for both relevant and rigorous collaboration between academics and practitioners. The work is presented in the context of a case study of innovation in APC-MGE Ireland, a subsidiary of the critical power and cooling services division of the Schneider Electric Corporation. The paper addresses the thematic aspects of ALOIS by arguing that the Hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer offers a solid philosophical underpinning for dialogical AR. Suggestions are also proposed to assist further development of the research methodology

Home range and habitat use of the endangered grey partridge (perdix perdix) in the Irish midlands.

O’GORMAN, E.C., KAVANAGH, B. and ROCHFORD,J.: HOME RANGE AND HABITAT USE BY THE ENDANGERED GREY PARTRIDGE (Perdix perdix) IN THE IRISH MIDLANDS: The last potentially viable population of native Irish Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix) is located over a 25 km2 area at Boora bog, Co. Offaly, in the Irish midlands. The habitat is a mosaic of cutaway bogland, coniferous forestry, newly created farmland and wetlands. Since 1996 a combination of predation control and the provision of habitat strips has been the focus of conservation efforts in Boora in an attempt to increase partridge numbers in the short-term. The aim of this study is to provide baseline information on partridge movements and habitat use in the conservation site. The result of two years fieldwork is presented. An area of 18 km2 was mapped during the course of fielwork. Nine male birds were radio-tracked. The biological time periods (B.T.P.) calculated for breeding pairs were Exploration, Prelay, Lay, Incubation, Brood rearing, Primary and Secondqary covey movements. The home range varied in size and location from one B.T.P. to the next. This was linked to habitat availability. Breeding attempts occurred in young forestry plantations and newly created habitat strips within the cutaway bog area. The coveys left the cutaway bog area in late summer to feed on nerby pasture. A second movement in late Autumn was made to utilise winter stubbles on adjacent farmland. Birds returned to breeding sites in the cutaway bog area the following spring. The practical applications of the findings to the conservation effort are discussed