Lessons learned from INTAMAP, an interoperable web service for the real-time interpolation of environmental variables

Interpolated data are an important part of the environmental information exchange as many variables can only be measured at situate discrete sampling locations. Spatial interpolation is a complex operation that has traditionally required expert treatment, making automation a serious challenge. This paper presents a few lessons learnt from INTAMAP, a project that is developing an interoperable web processing service (WPS) for the automatic interpolation of environmental data using advanced geostatistics, adopting a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). The “rainbow box” approach we followed provides access to the functionality at a whole range of different levels. We show here how the integration of open standards, open source and powerful statistical processing capabilities allows us to automate a complex process while offering users a level of access and control that best suits their requirements. This facilitates benchmarking exercises as well as the regular reporting of environmental information without requiring remote users to have specialized skills in geostatistics.

Lessons learned from the effect of tight monetary conditions and crises on corporate capital structure

The study reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on the effect of tight monetary conditions, crisis on corporate capital structure, further creates a framework for analyzing their relation, as well as sheds light on the lessons learned and open research areas. The results highlight that the supply side of capital has an effect on corporate capital structure, though the analysis of this relation is scarce. However, the impact of tight monetary conditions on capital structure is analyzed by several studies, there is limited evidence on the financial policy and the development of financing mix during a crisis period. The impact of the 2007/08 crisis on the corporate capital structure and especially in case of firms with impaired access to external financing is scarce. The study also highlights our lack in understanding of the relation of crisis and capital structure in case of the CEE region.

Recipes for Success: Lessons Learned From Successful Hospitality Companies

After a decade of over-expansion, the hotel industry began the '90s with excess capacity and decreased demand. Since 1993, the U.S. hotel industry has experienced a turnaround which continued into 1994- 1995 with good performance by most firms. However; competition will continue to be fierce and many challenges are awaiting hotel companies in a more global environment. This article examines the key elements for achieving success in a challenging hospitality industry environment while focusing on the strategies and techniques employed by some successful hotel companies during difficult times.

Promoting Decent Work in Global Supply Chains in Latin America and the Caribbean: Key Issues, Good Practices, Lessons Learned and Policy Insights

The report is based on a desk-based review, drawing upon existing studies of global supply chains (GSCs) to examine their impacts and implications for the development of domestic firms, their contribution to productive transformation and structural change and their impacts on the quantity and quality of jobs in the LAC region. It situates the expansion of GSCs in the region within an analytical framework that recognizes both the economic and social upgrading dimensions and the impacts on firms and workers. Special attention is given to the mechanisms for governing the terms and conditions of engagement between firms and between firms and workers in GSCs, with the aim of identifying ways to jointly pursue the goals of raising competitiveness and of promoting productive employment and decent work.

Best Practices: Lessons Learned by a South Florida Non-Profit Community Based Organization while Designing and Implementing a Career Exploration Evidence Informed Framework in Urban Communities

All A’s was designed to support of the agency’s family strengthening initiatives in South Florida. All A’s uses evidence informed strategies poised to be an inclusive curriculum that teaches self-determination and adaptive behavior skills. The framework incorporates problem based learning and adult learning theory and follows the Universal Design for Learning. Since 2012, the agency has served over 8500 youth and 4,000 adults using the framework. The framework addresses educational underachievement and career readiness in at risk populations. It is used to enhance participants AWARENESS of setting SMART goals to achieve future goals and career aspirations. Participants are provided with ACCESS to resources and opportunities for creating and implementing an ACTION plan as they pursue and ACHIEVE their goals. All A’s promotes protective factors and expose youth to career pathways in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related fields. Youth participate in college tours, job site visits, job shadowing, high school visits, online college and career preparation assistance, service learning projects, STEM projects, and the Winning Futures© mentoring program. Adults are assisted with résumé development; learn job search strategies, interview techniques, job shadowing experiences, computer and financial literacy programs. Adults and youth are also given the opportunity to complete industry-recognized certifications in high demand industries (food service, general labor, and construction), and test preparation for the General Educational Development Test.

Lessons learned: Moderation und Gestaltung netzbasierter Diskussionsprozesse in Foren

Der Einsatz netzbasierter Diskussionsforen ist in vielen E-Learning-Szenarien zu finden: In ‚blended learning‘-Arrangements wird beispielsweise versucht, zwischen Präsenzsitzungen durch den Einsatz von Foren netzbasierte Diskussionsprozesse zu initiieren. Foren werden auch begleitend zur traditionellen Präsenzlehre eingesetzt, um z.B. der Besprechung von solchen Themen Raum und Zeit einzuräumen, welche in den wöchentlichen Präsenzsitzungen zu kurz kommen würden. Doch vor allem in rein virtuellen Lernszenarien spielen netzbasierte Foren eine besondere Rolle: Hier dienen sie als virtuelles Plenum der Kommunikation zwischen allen Teilnehmenden und bilden damit eine wichtige Funktion im Rahmen der Veranstaltung ab. Doch trotz dieser vielfältigen Einsatzmöglichkeiten lässt sich im Alltag der Hochschullehre immer wieder das Problem beobachten, dass Studierende die Option Foren zu nutzen nicht ausreichend aufgreifen. Oftmals werden Rolle und Aufgabe der Foren im Rahmen der gesamten Veranstaltung nicht transparent. Viele Hochschullehrende stellen sich die Frage, wie sie den Einsatz von Foren und damit die zusätzlichen Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten attraktiv gestalten können. Dieser Beitrag widmet sich diesem Problem, indem Einsatzszenarien netzbasierter Foren vorgestellt und aus den Erfahrungen mit mehreren virtuellen Konferenzen Gestaltungsoptionen und Moderationsstrategien für Foren abgeleitet werden.(DIPF/Orig.)

Modeling the Arctic Freshwater System and its integration in the global system: Lessons learned and future challenges

Numerous components of the Arctic freshwater system (atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, terrestrial hydrology) have experienced large changes over the past few decades, and these changes are projected to amplify further in the future. Observations are particularly sparse, both in time and space, in the Polar Regions. Hence, modeling systems have been widely used and are a powerful tool to gain understanding on the functioning of the Arctic freshwater system and its integration within the global Earth system and climate. Here, we present a review of modeling studies addressing some aspect of the Arctic freshwater system. Through illustrative examples, we point out the value of using a hierarchy of models with increasing complexity and component interactions, in order to dismantle the important processes at play for the variability and changes of the different components of the Arctic freshwater system and the interplay between them. We discuss past and projected changes for the Arctic freshwater system and explore the sources of uncertainty associated with these model results. We further elaborate on some missing processes that should be included in future generations of Earth system models and highlight the importance of better quantification and understanding of natural variability, amongst other factors, for improved predictions of Arctic freshwater system change.

PARTICIPATORY PLANNING PILOT CASE STUDY IN CHINA: REALITY, CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED FROM US

Urban planning in China is in a period of change, where participatory planning may supplement the traditional planning system. Since the beginning of the 21st century, several pilot participatory planning projects have responded to the new challenge. The author collected eight cases from the Chinese planning institution to explore the possible models of and barriers to participatory planning. On the other hand, public participation has been a concrete component of planning and implementation process in the United States. The author will also elaborate on one practical case of the planning process in the United States to compare the two countries on planning methods and barriers.

Differentiated thyroid cancer with liver metastases: lessons learned from managing a series of 14 patients

International audience

The EMSO-ERIC Pan-European Consortium: Data Benefits and Lessons Learned as the Legal Entity Forms

The European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water-column Observatory (EMSO) European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) provides power, communications, sensors, and data infrastructure for continuous, high-resolution, (near-)real-time, interactive ocean observations across a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary range of research areas including biology, geology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and computer science, from polar to subtropical environments, through the water column down to the abyss. Eleven deep-sea and four shallow nodes span from the Arctic through the Atlantic and Mediterranean, to the Black Sea. Coordination among the consortium nodes is being strengthened through the EMSOdev project (H2020), which will produce the EMSO Generic Instrument Module (EGIM). Early installations are now being upgraded, for example, at the Ligurian, Ionian, Azores, and Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) nodes. Significant findings have been flowing in over the years; for example, high-frequency surface and subsurface water-column measurements of the PAP node show an increase in seawater pCO2 (from 339 μatm in 2003 to 353 μatm in 2011) with little variability in the mean air-sea CO2 flux. In the Central Eastern Atlantic, the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands open-ocean canary node (aka ESTOC station) has a long-standing time series on water column physical, biogeochemical, and acidification processes that have contributed to the assessment efforts of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). EMSO not only brings together countries and disciplines but also allows the pooling of resources and coordination to assemble harmonized data into a comprehensive regional ocean picture, which will then be made available to researchers and stakeholders worldwide on an open and interoperable access basis.

Lições Aprendidas (Lessons Learned) no Exército Português

As Lições Aprendidas em contexto militar permite reduzir o risco operacional e, simultaneamente, aumentar o grau de sucesso das operações. Desde a década de cinquenta, o Exército português demostrou querer aprender com a experiência, nomeadamente com os Franceses na Argélia e Indochina e com os Ingleses no Quénia e Malásia. Na década de sessenta e início dos anos setenta, durante a denominada Guerra de África, acentuou-se esta necessidade. O Exército Português, desde 2012, dispõe de uma capacidade de Lições Aprendidas, constituída por um processo, estrutura e ferramentas, que tem como principal objetivo, precisamente, facilitar o desiderato de se tornar uma organização aprendente. Neste sentido, é pertinente estudar e comparar estes dois sistema, para melhor perceber o fenómeno no passado e evidenciar a capacidade de hoje em dia. Para isso é necessário descreve-los segundo certos parâmetros ou indicadores. Estes indicadores estão evidentes no modelo criado pela Organização Tratado Atlântico Norte para uma capacidade de Lições Aprendidas. Na Investigação foi utilizado uma abordagem Dedutiva, como procedimentos podemos já depreender que foram utilizados o Histórico e Comparativo, as técnicas de recolha de dados foram as Entrevistas e Análise Documental. O estudo proporcionou a materialização do processo, a perceção da estrutura dedicada, das ferramentas, a influência da mentalidade, liderança, e difusão de informação feitas na guerra de África. Na atualidade, muitos dos indicadores de análise estão descritos em diretivas e doutrina de referência, no entanto é pertinente perceber como é que funcionam e criam melhorias hoje em dia. Conclui-se que o modelo criado pela Organização Tratado Atlântico Norte, que valida uma capacidade de Lições Aprendidas nas organizações militares é intemporal, pois depreende-se, que a lógica que a sustenta em tudo se aplica à guerra de África Portuguesa e à atualidade, o que demostra que esta capacidade é fundamental para tornar o Exército Português mais eficaz e eficiente nas suas atividades e missões futuras.