<p>Introduction</p><p>This paper focuses on the Internet and more specifically on how non-profit organizations can use the Internet to enhance their online presence. Our choice of research object is Automation Region (AR), a non-profit cluster organization, whose purpose is to strengthen and make the cluster of companies within industrial automation in Mälardalen visible. This cluster consists of business-to-business companies in the automation industry and AR was formed to increase the productivity, growth and profitability of these companies. The organization has two goals set up, which include: (1) increased exposure for the automation industry as well as the region wherein AR operates and (2) attracting the best competence as well as getting youths and children interested in automation. AR currently has a website (www.automationregion.com) and the overall purpose for it is to support AR's goals. However, we have a difficulty seeing how this website, as it looks and functions today, is to achieve the goals and objectives of the cluster organization and we also find it difficult to see how AR should do in order to expose its website and its brand to its target audience. The two research questions then becomes: How is Automation Region's website being used today? How can Automation Region utilize the Internet to achieve its goals?</p><p>Purpose</p><p>The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how cluster organizations like Automation Region may use the Internet to achieve its goals, and by doing this also be able to give recommendations on how Automation Region can benefit from the use of the Internet as their primary channel for goal achievement.</p><p>Method - An Action Research based study</p><p>This paper is based on an action research approach, which contains a real world problem, a framework of ideas, and a set of methodologies. The different means of collecting data used in this paper can be categorized in four separate categories: interviews, internet analysis tool, benchmarking, and other empirical data collected.</p><p>Framework of ideas</p><p>Our framework of ideas consists of an introduction to the term clusters, which then explains the different actors on the cluster stage. Then the benefits of clusters are discussed, leading to a further discussion on how non-profit cluster organizations can utilize the possible benefits of a cluster. This leads to a presentation of different ways to improve an organizations online presence.</p><p>Analysis</p><p>The analysis is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the results of the website analysis, where different reports from the web analysis program are analyzed. This will show how the website currently is being used and should lead to conclusions on how this usage can be improved. The second part focuses on the available Internet tools and how AR can utilize these to reach their explicit goals for the cluster organization.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The so called internal visitors are plentiful on AR's website site and we can conclude that the site is being used in an Intranet like way. Another conclusion is that AR should be able to increase the probability of achieving their goals by further enhancing the use of the Internet tools they currently have (website and e-mail), and also by expanding their online presence with the use of several other potential Internet tools.</p>

Variations between the software environments(e.g., installed applications, versions of libraries) on different high-performance computing (HPC) systems lead to a heterogeneity problem. Therefore, we design an optimized, homogeneous virtual machine (VM) called a virtual application appliance (VAA). Scientists can package scientific applications, and all supporting software components, as VAAs and run them independently from the underlying heterogeneous HPC systems. However, securely moving data in and out of the VAA and controlling the execution of applications are not trivial for a non-computer scientist. Consequently, we develop two automated stage-in/stage-out secure data movement mechanisms. We also explore a migration mechanism to further simplify the control of the VAA execution. Empirical evaluation results show that VAAs achieve near-native performance in widely used bioinformatics applications that we tested. Data movement, VM boot up, shutdown and migration overheads of VAAs are negligible with respect to total run-times.

Many explanations of competitive advantage view place as a secondary factor. Organizational studies models tend to be considered aspatially, yet most are inherently geographic. It is important to consider the impact that geography has on the success or failure of an individual firm or a sector. This dissertation examines how location impacts the US farm machinery industry through an empirical analysis of Porter’s Theory of Competitive Advantage. Contributing to this empirical test are other bodies of literature including models for headquarters and research and development siting, product life cycle theory, industry life cycle theory, and green technologies as a driver of competitive advantage. The US farm machinery industry is composed of three firms: Deere and Company, Case New Holland, and the Allis-Gleaner Corporation. Theory-elaborating case study methodology, informed by archival data, publically available documents, trade show reconnaissance, and plant tours, coupled with map and content analysis allows for a deeper understanding of how geography impacts competitive advantage in the sector. Comparing findings from these geographic case studies to Porter’s results led to a new understanding of competitive advantage for mature manufacturing in a globalized economy. Previous analysis found Porter’s single diamond, which focuses on local conditions for competitive advantage, most appropriate for explaining mature industries in advanced market economies. This study found, however, that as mature industries increasingly pursue a global focus, a double diamond model, which takes into account both local and global conditions for competitive advantage, is more appropriate, even in an advanced economy. This research also found that, much like second-tier cities are desirable for headquarters and research and development siting, second-tier countries (that can provide high-skill labor at lower prices) are increasingly attractive for manufacturing operations. The need for modifications to product life cycle theory that take into account the impact of these countries as well as the effects of nationalism on manufacturing decisions in mature economies were also uncovered by this dissertation. This research demonstrates the continued importance of place to understanding competitive advantage, not only in the US farm machinery industry, but generally for mature manufacturing as a whole.

Friedreich's ataxia is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the low expression of a mitochondrial protein called frataxin. Studies in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have unraveled a role for the frataxin homologue (Yfh1p) in iron-sulfur cluster (Fe/S) biosynthesis, probably by interacting with the scaffold protein, Isu1p, and providing iron to the machinery. Yfh1p possesses a large â-sheet platform that may be involved in the interaction with other proteins through conserved residues at its surface. We have used directed mutagenesis associated with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to study conserved residues localizing either at the surface of the protein, Thr110, Thr118, Val120, Asn122, Gln124, Gln129, Trp131, Ser137 and Arg141, or buried in the core of the protein, Ile130 and Leu132. Mutants T110A, T118A, V120A, N122A, Q124A, Q129A, I130A, W131A, L132A, S137A and R141A were generated in yeast. Growth on iron- or copper-containing medium was severely impaired for mutants Q129A, I130A, W131A and R141A. Others were roughly growing as well as the wild-type strain. We assessed the efficiency of Fe/S biosynthesis by measuring aconitase activity. The results confirmed those obtained on metal-containing medium: mutants Q129A, I130A, W131A and R141A showed a high decrease in their aconitase activity that dropped to the deleted strain level. Moreover, S137A showed also a decreased aconitase activity. We monitored the interaction between Yfh1p and Isu1p by co-immunoprecipitation and it turned out that only the W131A mutation affects directly this interaction. Even if the amount of Yfh1p determined by western blot analysis was highly decreased for several mutants, it is not sufficient to explain the phenotypes as they were poorly restored by overexpression of the mutant proteins to wild-type levels, except for W131F. We have concluded that Gln129, Trp131, and Arg141 are important for Yfh1p function, while Ile130 and Ser137 are required for the folding of the protein. All these residues cluster to the 4th and 5th â-strand of the protein. Our work has demonstrated for the first time the importance of this area for Yfh1p function and shows that Trp131 is involved in the interaction with Isu1p.

The main purpose of this Thesis is the experimental characterization of the electronic and geometric structures of objects called clusters. A cluster consists of a finite group of bound atoms or molecules. Due to its finite size, it may present completely different properties than those of the isolated atom and the bulk. The clusters studied in this work are constituted by rare-gas atoms, organic molecules, and metal atoms. Intense cluster beams were created using either an adiabatic expansion source or a gas-aggregation source, and investigated by means of synchrotron radiation based photoelectron spectroscopy. The reports presented in this Thesis may be divided into three parts. The first one deals with results concerning homogeneous molecular clusters (benzene- and methyl-related clusters) highlighting how molecular properties, such as dipole moment and polarizability, influence the cluster structure. The second part focuses on studies of solvation processes in clusters. In particular, the adsorption of polar molecules on rare-gas clusters is studied. It is shown that the doping method, i.e. the technique used to expose clusters to molecules, and the fraction of polar molecules are important factors in determining the location of the molecules in the clusters. Finally, a summary of investigations performed on metal clusters is presented. The applicability of solid state models to analyse the cluster spectra is considered, and the differences between the atomic, cluster and solid electronic structures are discussed.

This study hypothesizes that the Epenthetic Vowel (EV) that occurs in Spanish consonant clusters, although produced unconsciously, is part of the articulatory plan of the speaker. As part of the plan, the epenthetic vowel occurs more often in the least perceptually recoverable contexts in order to enhance them. To achieve a better understanding of the role of the epenthetic vowel, this study shows that the linguistic and phonotactic contexts condition the occurrence of these vowels. Specifically, it argues that linguistic and phonotactic contexts that are perceptually weak compel a significantly higher occurrence of EVs. The EV was analyzed from both production and perceptual standpoints. The results show that from the production standpoint, the occurrence of the EV is affected by the type of liquid that forms the clusters: in clusters with /r/ the variables that made a statistical contribution were post-tonic position (odds ratio, 4.46), and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 1.42). In the case of clusters with /l/ an EV has a higher probability of occurring in the context of bilabial consonants (odds ratio, 4.19), and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 1.3). As for the effects of speech rate on the duration of EVs, the results show that speech rate accounts for 14% of the variation in an EV’s length. From the standpoint of perception, listening was divided into the tasks of perceptual identification and perceptual discrimination. The results show that the strongest predictor is the interaction voiceless x post-tonic position (odds ratio, 4.8). For the identification of the Cr clusters, the strongest predictor is the context of voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 4.42). Regarding identification of the Cl clusters, the strongest predictors are the tonic position (odds ratio, 1.54) and the labial place of articulation (odds ratio, 1.39). With regard to the discrimination of the Cr clusters, the strongest predictors for perceptual recoverability are the interaction voiceless x post-tonic position (odds ratio, 2.22), and the labial place of articulation (odds ratio, 1.37), while for the Cl cluster, the strongest predictors are the tonic position (odds ratio, 5.83) and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 3).

The Amidohydrolase Superfamily (AHS) of enzymes is one of the most structurally and functionally studied groups of biological catalysts, exquisitely designed to carry out an extensive number of reactions defined by a similar reaction mechanism. There are approximately 11,000 genes coding for AHS proteins from about 2,100 sequenced organisms. Sequence information for these genes has been catalogued in databases, the most instrumental being the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Despite the accessible information organized in genomic databases, there is still an extensive problem of reliability in the functional annotation of gene products assigned to the AHS. Proteins in COG3964 of the AHS have been functionally identified as dihydroorotases and adenine deaminases. Eight proteins within three group families of COG3964 have been purified and fail to demonstrate the functionally annotated activity. A library of compounds developed by functional-group modifications was compiled and tested with these enzymes. A group of enzymes within COG3964 demonstrates the ability to hydrolyze stereospecific acetylated alpha-hydroxyl carboxylates. Substrate profiles were constructed for enzymes belonging to group 6 of COG3964. Atu3266, Oant2987 and RHE_PE00295 hydrolyze the R-isomers of a library of alpha-acetyl carboxylates of which acetyl-R-mandelate is the best substrate with catalytic efficiencies of 10^5 M^-1s^-1. This compound was identified after a series of modifications from a low-activity compound (V/K = 4 M^-1s^-1). Methylphosphonate analogs of acetyl-R-mandelate and N-acetyl-D-phenyl glycine are inhibitors of enzymes in group 6. The structure of Atu3266 was used in docking experiments to assess the selectivity of R- enantiomers over their S- counterparts. An additional group of orthologues share less than 40% sequence similarity to enzymes from group 6. EF0837, STM4445 and BCE_5003 from group 2 show significantly lower rates for the hydrolysis of alpha-acetyl carboxylates, including acetyl-R-mandelate, hydrolyzed at values of kcat/Km = 10^3 M^-1s^-1. This is also the only active compound for EF0837. Xaut_0650 and blr3349 from group 7 of COG3964 demonstrate less than 30% identity to enzymes in groups 2 and 6. These enzymes fail to hydrolyze any compound from an extended library of compounds. An annotated selenocysteine synthase gene (SelA) from COG1921 has been identified as a gene neighbor to almost every amidohydrolase from COG3964. Atu3263, Oant2990 and EF0838 are pyridoxal-5’-phosphate dependent enzymes that were purified and assayed with D- and L- amino acids. Initial thermal-shift fluorescence assays determined that in the presence of D-cysteine, the proteins were denatured at lower temperatures.

We conduct a deep mid-infrared census of nine massive galaxy clusters at (0 < z < 1.3) with a total of ~ 1500 spectroscopically confirmed member galaxies using Spitzer /IRAC photometry and established mid-infrared color selection techniques. Of the 949 cluster galaxies that are detected in at least three of the four IRAC channels at the >= 3 sigma level, we identify 12 that host mid-infrared selected active galactic nuclei (IR-AGN). To compare the IR-AGN across our redshift range, we define two complete samples of cluster galaxies: (1) optically-selected members with rest-frame VAB magnitude < -21.5 and (2) mid-IR selected members brighter than (M*_3.6 +0.5), i.e. essentially a stellar mass cut. In both samples, we measure f_IR-AGN ~ 1% with a strong upper limit of ~3% at z < 1. This uniformly low IR-AGN fraction at z < 1 is surprising given the fraction of 24 micrometer sources in the same galaxy clusters is observed to increase by about a factor of four from z ~ 0 to z ~ 1; this indicates that most of the detected 24 micrometer flux is due to star formation. Only in our single galaxy cluster at z = 1.24 is the IR-AGN fraction measurably higher at ~15% (all members; ~70% for late-types only). In agreement with recent studies, we find the cluster IR-AGN are predominantly hosted by late-type galaxies with blue optical colors, i.e. members with recent/ongoing star formation. The four brightest IR-AGN are also X-ray sources; these IR+X-ray AGN all lie outside the cluster core (R_proj > 0.5 Mpc) and are hosted by highly morphologically disturbed members. Although our sample is limited, our results suggest that f_IR-AGN in massive galaxy clusters is not strongly correlated with star formation at z < 1, and that IR-AGN have a more prominent role at z &gt; 1.

In this thesis we describe the generation and analysis of hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters and their intracluster medium (ICM), using large cosmological boxes to generate large samples, in conjunction with individual cluster computations. The main focus is the exploration of the non-thermal processes in the ICM and the effect they have on the interpretation of observations used for cosmological constraints. We provide an introduction to the cosmological structure formation framework for our computations and an overview of the numerical simulations and observations of galaxy clusters. We explore the cluster magnetic field observables through radio relics, extended entities in the ICM characterized by their of diffuse radio emission. We show that statistical quantities such as radio relic luminosity functions and rotation measure power spectra are sensitive to magnetic field models. The spectral index of the radio relic emission provides information on structure formation shocks, {\it e.g.}, on their Mach number. We develop a coarse grained stochastic model of active galaxy nucleus (AGN) feedback in clusters and show the impact of such inhomogeneous feedback on the thermal pressure profile. We explore variations in the pressure profile as a function of cluster mass, redshift, and radius and provide a constrained fitting function for this profile. We measure the degree of the non-thermal pressure in the gas from internal cluster bulk motions and show it has an impact on the slope and scatter of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) scaling relation. We also find that the gross shape of the ICM, as characterized by scaled moment of inertia tensors, affects the SZ scaling relation. We demonstrate that the shape and the amplitude of the SZ angular power spectrum is sensitive to AGN feedback, and this affects the cosmological parameters determined from high resolution ACT and SPT cosmic microwave background data. We compare analytic, semi-analytic, and simulation-based methods for calculating the SZ power spectrum, and characterize their differences. All the methods must rely, one way or another, on high resolution large-scale hydrodynamical simulations with varying assumptions for modelling the gas of the sort presented here. We show how our results can be used to interpret the latest ACT and SPT power spectrum results. We provide an outlook for the future, describing follow-up work we are undertaking to further advance the theory of cluster science.

This study hypothesizes that the Epenthetic Vowel (EV) that occurs in Spanish consonant clusters, although produced unconsciously, is part of the articulatory plan of the speaker. As part of the plan, the epenthetic vowel occurs more often in the least perceptually recoverable contexts in order to enhance them. To achieve a better understanding of the role of the epenthetic vowel, this study shows that the linguistic and phonotactic contexts condition the occurrence of these vowels. Specifically, it argues that linguistic and phonotactic contexts that are perceptually weak compel a significantly higher occurrence of EVs. The EV was analyzed from both production and perceptual standpoints. The results show that from the production standpoint, the occurrence of the EV is affected by the type of liquid that forms the clusters: in clusters with /r/ the variables that made a statistical contribution were post-tonic position (odds ratio, 4.46), and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 1.42). In the case of clusters with /l/ an EV has a higher probability of occurring in the context of bilabial consonants (odds ratio, 4.19), and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 1.3). As for the effects of speech rate on the duration of EVs, the results show that speech rate accounts for 14% of the variation in an EV’s length. From the standpoint of perception, listening was divided into the tasks of perceptual identification and perceptual discrimination. The results show that the strongest predictor is the interaction voiceless x post-tonic position (odds ratio, 4.8). For the identification of the Cr clusters, the strongest predictor is the context of voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 4.42). Regarding identification of the Cl clusters, the strongest predictors are the tonic position (odds ratio, 1.54) and the labial place of articulation (odds ratio, 1.39). With regard to the discrimination of the Cr clusters, the strongest predictors for perceptual recoverability are the interaction voiceless x post-tonic position (odds ratio, 2.22), and the labial place of articulation (odds ratio, 1.37), while for the Cl cluster, the strongest predictors are the tonic position (odds ratio, 5.83) and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 3).