(Table 1) Salinity, dissolved organic carbon and absorption characteristics of surface river waters around Hudson Bay

Composition and concentration of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) have been determined in Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait by excitation emission matrix spectroscopy (EEM) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Based on 63 surface samples, PARAFAC identified three fluorescent components, which were attributed to two humic- and one protein-like components. One humic-like component was identified as representing terrestrial organic matter and showed a conservative behaviour in Hudson Bay estuaries. The second humic-like component, traditionally identified as peak M, originated both from land and produced in the marine environment. Component 3 had spectra resembling protein-like material and thought to be plankton-derived. The distribution and composition of CDOM were largely controlled by water mass mixing with protein-like component being the least affected. Distinctive fluorescence patterns were also found between Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait, suggesting different sources of CDOM. The optically active fraction of DOC (both absorbing and fluorescing) was very high in the Hudson Bay (up to 89%) suggesting that fluorescence and absorbance can be used as proxies of the DOC concentration.

El impacto de la presencia online en las cuentas de Twitter de las universidades vascas y navarras

Las Universidades han tenido que adaptarse a los nuevos modelos de comunicación surgidos en la época de Internet. Dentro de estos nuevos paradigmas las redes sociales han irrumpido y Twitter se ha establecido como una de las más importantes. El objetivo de esta investigación es demostrar que existe una relación entre la presencia online de una Universidad, definida por la cantidad de información disponible en Internet, y su cuenta en Twitter. Para ello se analizó la relación entre la presencia online y los perfiles oficiales de las cinco universidades del País Vasco y Navarra. Los resultados demostraron la existencia de una correlación significativa entre la presencia online de las instituciones y el número de seguidores de sus respectivas cuentas. En segundo lugar, esta investigación se planteó si Twitter puede servir para potenciar la presencia online de una Universidad. Es por eso que se formuló una segunda hipótesis que buscaba analizar si tener varias cuentas en Twitter aumentaría la presencia online de las Universidades. Los hallazgos para esta segunda hipótesis demostraron una correlación muy significativa entre tener varios perfiles en Twitter y la presencia online de las Universidades. Así queda demostrada la importancia de la presencia online para las cuentas de Twitter y la relevancia de Twitter a la hora de potenciar la presencia online de los centros.

Characterization of IGH locus breakpoints in multiple myeloma indicates a subset of translocations appear to occur in pregerminal center B cells.

Translocations in myeloma are thought to occur solely in mature B cells in the germinal center through class switch recombination (CSR). We used a targeted captured technique followed by massively parallel sequencing to determine the exact breakpoints in both the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) locus and the partner chromosome in 61 presentation multiple myeloma samples. The majority of samples (62%) have a breakpoint within the switch regions upstream of the IGH constant genes and are generated through CSR in a mature B cell. However, the proportion of CSR translocations is not consistent between cytogenetic subgroups. We find that 100% of t(4;14) are CSR-mediated; however, 21% of t(11;14) and 25% of t(14;20) are generated through DH-JH recombination activation gene-mediated mechanisms, indicating they occur earlier in B-cell development at the pro-B-cell stage in the bone marrow. These 2 groups also generate translocations through receptor revision, as determined by the breakpoints and mutation status of the segments used in 10% and 50% of t(11;14) and t(14;20) samples, respectively. The study indicates that in a significant number of cases the translocation-based etiological events underlying myeloma may arise at the pro-B-cell hematological progenitor cell level, much earlier in B-cell development than was previously thought.

Towards a Resilience Metric Framework for Cyber-Physical Systems

Resilience is widely accepted as a desirable system property for cyber-physical systems. However, there are no metrics that can be used to measure the resilience of cyber-physical systems (CPS) while the multi-dimensional nature of performance in these systems is considered. In this work, we present first results towards a resilience metric framework. The key contributions of this framework are threefold: First, it allows to evaluate resilience with respect to different performance indicators that are of interest. Second, complexities that are relevant to the performance indicators of interest, can be intentionally abstracted. Third and final, it supports the identification of reasons for good or bad resilience to improve system design.

Supportrars åsikt om samhällsansvar : En studie om supportrars attityd till samhällsansvar utöver kärnverksamheten

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) är i grunden ett företagsbegrepp som på senare år allt mer börjat prägla idrottsvärlden. CSR är ett samlingsbegrepp på aktiviteter som utförs för att främja samhället. Anledningarna till att idrottsföreningar väljer att engagera sig i frågor som berör samhället är många men, inom Sverige har den idrottsliga kommersialiseringen och professionaliseringen bidragit till att elitidrottsföreningar arbetar med CSR-frågor utöver kärnverksamheten. Elitidrottsföreningar skapar stort medialt intresse och supportrar är en av elitidrottsföreningarnas primära intressenter som bidrar till framgång. Alla supportrar har inte samma engagemang eller åsikter i frågor rörande föreningen. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka svenska elitidrottsföreningars supportrars attityd till CSR-arbete utöver kärnverksamheten samt jämföra om attityden skiljer sig mellan supportrar baserat på supporteridentifikation. För att uppnå syftet gjordes en kvantitativ enkätundersökning av supportrar till Hammarby Fotboll. Av totalt 96 respondenter identifierades 44 med lägre och 52 med högre supporteridentifikation. Resultatet visade att attityden mellan respondentgrupperna skiljde sig på det sätt att den högre identifikationsgruppen lutade åt en negativ attityd samtidigt som den lägre identifikationsgruppen var neutral med en marginell negativ lutning. Studien landade i att skillnaderna var marginella och att båda grupperna tolkas neutrala vilket ger slutsatsen att CSR utöver kärnverksamheten har ringa betydelse för supportrar oavsett identifikation.

Similarity between the in vitro activity and toxicity of two different fungizone™ / lipofundin™ admixtures

Amphotericin B (AmB), an antifungal agent that presents a broad spectrum of activity, remains the gold standard in the antifungal therapy. However, sometimes the high level of toxicity forbids its clinical use. The aim of this work was to evaluate and compare the efficacy and toxicity in vitro of Fungizon™ (AmB-D) and two new different AmB formulations. Methods: three products were studied: Fungizon™, and two Fungizon™ /Lipofundin™ admixtures, which were diluted through two methods: in the first one, Fungizon™ was previously diluted with water for injection and then, in Lipofundin™ (AmB-DAL); the second method consisted of a primary dilution of AmB-D as a powder in the referred emulsion (AmB-DL). For the in vitro assay, two cell models were used: Red Blood Cells (RBC) from human donors and Candida tropicallis (Ct). The in vitro evaluation (K+ leakage, hemoglobin leakage and cell survival rate-CSR) was performed at four AmB concentrations (from 50 to 0.05mg.L-1). Results: The results showed that the action of AmB was not only concentration dependent, but also cellular type and vehicle kind dependent. At AmB concentrations of 50 mg.L-1, although the hemoglobin leakage for AmB-D was almost complete (99.51), for AmB-DAL and AmB-DL this value tended to zero. The p = 0.000 showed that AmB-D was significantly more hemolytic. Conclusion: The Fungizon™- Lipofundin™ admixtures seem to be the more valuable AmB carrier systems due to their best therapeutic index presented

Responsabilité Sociétale des Organisations et ISO 26000 : cas du Maroc

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Innovations in Hospitality Human Resources: Cases from the U.S. Lodging Industry

[Excerpt] Today’s hospitality and tourism companies face complex, dramatically shifting challenges, most notably the need to compete for increasingly sophisticated customers in a global, fluid marketplace. To attract and retain the loyal cadre of customers that will ensure the organization’s success, service companies such as hospitality organizations must employ technologically advanced, yet margin sensitive, product and pricing strategies and practices that will differentiate themselves to their intended market. Even more importantly, these service organizations need to devise strategies that will capture and retain the most important yet, from a financial perspective, unrecognized asset on the balance sheet: the employees that design and deliver the service to the customer base. Human resource strategists (i.e. Becker & Gerhart, 1996; Cappelli & Crocker-Hefter, 1996; O’Reilly & Pfeffer, 2000; Pfeffer, 1998; Ulrich, 1997), including those who take a hospitality perspective (i.e. Baumann, 2000; Hume, 2000; Worcester, 1999) advocate a renewed attention to the investment in employees or “human capital” as a source of strategic competitive advantage.

Betydelsen av socialt ansvar : En kvalitativ studie om ideella elitidrottsföreningars sociala samhällsengagemang

De ideella elitidrottsföreningarna börjar till stor del bli kommersialiserade och gränsen mellan dem och vinstdrivande företag är på väg att suddas ut. De är dock fortfarande en ideell idrottsförening till formen som ska vara allmännyttig, demokratisk, ha folkrörelsekaraktär, vara jämlik och jämställd – de ska med andra ord genom sin huvudsakliga verksamhet bidra till samhället. Trots det tenderar elitidrottsföreningarna att ta ytterligare samhällsansvar genom att bedriva olika projekt och verksamheter med syfte att på olika sätt hjälpa till exempel utsatta grupper i samhället. Syftet med studien är att förstå vilken betydelse de sociala samhällsengagemangen har för ideella elitidrottsföreningar i förhållande till deras intressenter. Genom att utföra semistrukturerade intervjuer med representanter från fem olika ideella elitidrottsföreningar har vi skapat en förståelse kring deras sociala ansvarstagande för att därefter tolka vilken betydelse detta har för föreningarna och för vilka de arbetar med socialt ansvarstagande. Uppsatsen bidrar till att förstå att det finns nya strategier att använda sig av när det handlar om att bedriva en ideell elitidrottsförening. Vi önskar att uppsatsen kan bidra till att inspirera personer inom föreningsvärlden att våga gå nya vägar när det kommer till att leda och utveckla Sveriges idrottsföreningar.

Responsabilidade social: visões e perspectivas de empresários do segmento industrial do Rio Grande do Norte

The theme Corporate Social Responsibility is relatively recent both in the academic field and in the business practice. Because of the lack of socialization of experiences and precision of concepts, there are gaps regarding the understanding of the subject and, also, how to conduct operations. This study just seeks to investigate such matter, focusing applications of social responsibility in business. It takes, as empirical field, winners of the PSQT - SESI Prize of Quality at Work in Rio Grande do Norte (2002-2007) in order to systematize the various approaches on the issue, aiming to reveal subjective visions and perspectives of the theme. It is characterized as a qualitative study, carried out by structured interview. The universe was composed by 15 companies. It was used analysis of content categorical as an axis for the interpretation of the information. Three approaches guided the analysis: Business Ethics, (normative); Business & Society (contractual); Social Issues Management (strategic). The findings are related in three ways: 1) reasons for the CSR practice; 2) the results obtained; 3) the means of CSR. It was found that the award participation occurs, mostly, linked to SESI invitations, so, as an articulated movement of industrial corporations in Brazil it occurs, also, because of the organizational commitment with the society and the possibility of internal and social growths and because of the importance attributed to the report as an instrument of consultancy. There are no indicators to check impacts of organizational interventions, in spite of the existence of planning for the actions. Social responsibility appears as a tool to reinforce the organizational image and to increase satisfaction of the employees. There is a tendency of large and medium firms to a contractual commitment while the small and the micros firms are on strategic or normative level. The analysis of the perspectives of social responsibility future revealed trends towards for strategic approach

Responsabilidade social empresarial: o caso de uma indústria alimentícia no estado do Pará

The theme of corporate social responsibility (CSR) provides discussion and analysis and relatively recent, particularly in the last twenty years, has grown into the world as well as in Brazil, the interest on the involvement of the business sector in social activities or projects facing combating poverty. However, a lack of socialization of successful experiences in the practice of CSR and clarity and consensus concepts generate deviations of understanding on the subject and the structuring of interventions. This research aimed to reveal how corporate social responsibility of the IMA Food was developed from Project Nursery Saci. The research took place under a qualitative approach of descriptive-explanatory, conducted through semi-structured interviews and non-participatory observation and interviewed 35 people in total. The interpretation and analysis of data occurred through a categorical content analysis, having as theoretical approach to socioeconomic CSR. The results showed that the major form of social responsibility of the Food IMA is based on a classical approach of CSR, focusing on philanthropy. The absence of a more systematic management of the project and reflect the fragility, instability and lack of commitment towards the community. The contributions generated by the project are substantial and important, but do not reach the development occasioned by the company. However, none of this invalidates the initiative of the organization's commitment to the community, however, requires a reassessment and restructuring of the proposal in a way that leverages the performance of the project and the company itself and it can more effectively contribute to society

A Study of Environmental Disclosures in the European Oil and Gas Industry : With Reference to the Global Reporting Initiative

Background and Problem: Sustainability reporting is a growing trend in the society. One of the most exposed industries to environmental matters is the oil and gas industry, which commit to sustainability reporting in order to deal with the industry’s destructive operations. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) provides voluntary guidelines in sustainability reporting, which increase transparency for the company’s stakeholders. However, it is controversial that the oil and gas industry put a great effort into sustainability reporting even though the industry is environmentally destructive. This gap is interesting to investigate and will contribute to the academic discussion. Therefore, this thesis will focus on the sustainability reporting in the oil and gas industry and to what extent the industry actually discloses material environmental information about their operations. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine how the sustainability reporting has changed in the oil and gas industry in Europe. This is performed from a stakeholder perspective. Further, it aims to investigate how oil and gas companies have followed the GRI guidelines and how the reporting has changed over time. Method: A quantitative method is used in order to answer the research questions. The data sample is based on oil and gas companies reporting according to the GRI framework during year 2012 to year 2014. The empirical data is gathered from the studied companies’ environmental category in their sustainability reports. Further, a content analysis technique, with a coding scheme, was set up to interpret and analyse the information. To enable an easy overview of the findings, the relevant data is presented in tables and diagrams. Empirical Findings and Conclusion: The majority of the studied companies have increased their level of compliance in the environmental category. Although, the majority of the companies have increased their reporting, the compliance level differs between the companies. The most reported sectors are the; “Water”, “Biodiversity”, “Emissions”, “Effluents and Waste”, “Compliance”, and “Overall”. Further, the empirical findings show that there is an overall increase in the amount of disclosed information per indicator. The conclusion of this thesis is that the environmental disclosures have increased in the oil and gas industry from year 2012 to 2014.

Corporate Social Responsibility no sector bancário

Vivemos num mundo globalizado onde as exigências são diversas e constantemente presentes. É impossível analisar a área social, económica ou ambiental de forma isolada. A visão que relaciona o mundo empresarial com a sociedade e que lhe reconhece obrigações e responsabilidades para com a mesma não é nova e tem vindo a obter uma importância e visibilidade crescentes. O conceito corporate social responsibility (CSR) tem sido objecto de grande enfoque, sobretudo desde os anos cinquenta do século passado. Todavia, este conceito não tem permanecido inalterado com o passar do tempo. Desde a referida década até à actualidade verifica-se um desenvolvimento notório da definição de CSR, das suas vertentes, do binómio mundo empresarial e social e de alguns conceitos conexos como sejam corporate citizenship, business ethics e sustainability. Actualmente a maioria da doutrina que versa sobre o tema aceita, de forma pacífica, que o mundo empresarial não se pode fechar sobre si próprio pretendendo alcançar ganhos e visibilidade demitindo-se da responsabilidade para com a sociedade onde se encontra inserido. Compreende-se que a interligação entre a esfera económica, social e ambiental permite às empresas diversos benefícios, nomeadamente a viabilização de projectos a longo prazo, prestígio, notoriedade e a vantagem competitiva face às suas concorrentes. O objectivo do presente trabalho é demonstrar a evolução do conceito de CSR, nas suas várias vertentes, o impacto e os benefícios decorrentes das actuações empresarias compatíveis com este conceito e verificar, no que ao sector bancário respeita, se os clientes destas instituições conhecem os projectos sociais, pelas mesmas desenvolvidos e se a realização destes projectos possuem impacto na relação cliente/banco.