The Nexus of Corporate Entrepreneurship and Radical Innovation

This paper explores the linkage between the entrepreneurial orientation of established firms and the development of radical innovation. Through five case studies in firms involved in radical innovation, three propositions are developed, suggesting that proactiveness, risk‐taking and autonomy stimulate the development of radical innovation, whereas competitive aggressiveness does not necessarily do so, as radical innovations are directed towards the creation of entirely new arenas of business, where existing competitors are not present.     

An executable subset of VDM-SL in an SA/RT framework

In this article we present the executable specification language IPTES Meta-IV based on the formal specification language VDM-SL. The language has been fitted to work in an SA/RT framework and the article presents how it supports the specification of the data transformation part of SA/RT. Furthermore we present some of the advanced constructs of the language seen as an executable specification language in its own right. Finally we present how an IPTES Meta-IV interpreter is used in combination with a high-level timed Petri net executor to execute SA/RT models.     

Performance implications of the thermal-induced frequency drift infast wavelength switched systems with heterodyne detection

The frequency modulation response and tuning dynamics of a two-section DFB laser are determined by carrier and thermal modulation of the active layer refractive index. In response to a step change in the injection current for switching between channels in a wavelength division multiplexed system, the optical frequency changes rapidly due to the carrier effect, and then slowly drifts toward a steady state value due to the thermal effect. For wavelength switched applications with heterodyne detection, the drifting of the optical frequency broadens the spectrum of the IF signal and may impose a limit on the time that the signal remains within the IF passband (residency time). The IF spectral broadening and residency time are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Based upon a minimum mean square error fit between experimental and theoretical FM responses, the dependence of the spectral broadening and residency time on the bias condition of the laser and the optical frequency switching interval is characterized     

Traveling wave method for calculation of linewidth, frequencytuning, and stability of semiconductor lasers

The authors present a new traveling wave method for calculating the linewidth, the frequency tuning efficiency, and a mode stability parameter for a general class of laser-diode structures. The method leads to simple semianalytic expressions which allow an easy numerical determination of the three parameters     

Methane production,rumen fermentation,and diet digestibility of Holstein and Jersey dairy cows being divergent in residual feed intake and fed at 2 forage-to-concentrate ratios

Improving feed efficiency of dairy cows through breeding is expected to reduce enteric methane production per unit of milk produced. This study examined the effect of 2 forage-to-concentrate ratios on methane production, rumen fermentation, and nutrient digestibility in Holstein and Jersey dairy cows divergent in residual feed intake (RFI). Before experimental onset, RFI was estimated using a random regression model on phenotypic herd data. Ten lactating Holstein and 10 lactating Jersey cows were extracted from the herd and allocated to a high or low pre-experimental RFI group of 5 animals each within breed. Cows were fed ad libitum with total mixed rations either low (LC) or high (HC) in concentrates during 3 periods in a crossover design with a back-cross and staggered approach. Forage-to-concentrate ratio was 68:32 for LC and 39:61 for HC. Cows adapted to the diets in 12 to 24 d and feces were subsequently collected on 2 d. Afterward, gas exchange was measured in respiration chambers and rumen liquid was collected once after cows exited the chambers. Pre-experimental RFI was included in the statistical analysis as a class (low and high RFI) or continuous variable. Methane per kilogram of dry matter intake (DMI) was lower for Holsteins than Jerseys and the response to increased concentrate level was more pronounced for Holsteins than Jerseys (27.2 vs.13.8%); a similar pattern was found for the acetate:propionate ratio. However, methane production per kilogram of energy-corrected milk (ECM) was unaffected by breed. Further, total-tract digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was higher for Jerseys than Holsteins. For RFI as a class variable, DMI, methane production regardless of the expression, and digestibility were unaffected by RFI. For RFI as a continuous variable, DMI was lower and methane per kilogram of DMI was higher for cows with negative (efficient) than positive (inefficient) RFI values, and neutral detergent fiber digestibility was higher for Holsteins with negative than positive RFI values, but not for Jerseys. Daily methane production and methane per kilogram of ECM were unaffected by RFI. In conclusion, methane per kilogram of DMI of Jerseys was lowered to a smaller extent in response to the HC diet than of Holsteins. When pre-experimental RFI was used as a continuous variable, higher methane per kilogram of DMI was found for cows with negative RFI than positive RFI values, but not for methane per kilogram of ECM. These findings call for validation in larger studies.     

The Role of Plasma Extracellular Vesicles in Remote Ischemic Conditioning and Exercise-Induced Ischemic Tolerance

Ischemic conditioning and exercise have been suggested for protecting against brain ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, the endogenous protective mechanisms stimulated by these interventions remain unclear. Here, in a comprehensive translational study, we investigated the protective role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) released after remote ischemic conditioning (RIC), blood flow restricted resistance exercise (BFRRE), or high-load resistance exercise (HLRE). Blood samples were collected from human participants before and at serial time points after intervention. RIC and BFRRE plasma EVs released early after stimulation improved viability of endothelial cells subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation. Furthermore, post-RIC EVs accumulated in the ischemic area of a stroke mouse model, and a mean decrease in infarct volume was observed for post-RIC EVs, although not reaching statistical significance. Thus, circulating EVs induced by RIC and BFRRE can mediate protection, but the in vivo and translational effects of conditioned EVs require further experimental verification.     

Development of a high intensity Al beam from SiC targets for accelerated beam experiments at ISAC

An intense beam of ^26gAl has been developed for accelerated beam experiments at TRIUMF’s ISAC facility. Studies of the on-line production of Al radionuclides from thick silicon carbide targets have been performed as part of a program of beam development for astrophysical reaction studies at ISAC. While the release of short-lived Al nuclides from SiC was found to be slow, development of new target material forms and high-power target containers has allowed operation of SiC targets with proton currents of up to 70 μA on target. In addition, operation with the TRIUMF resonant ionization laser ion source (TRILIS) has produced ^26gAl beam intensities of 5.1 × 10¹⁰ s⁻¹.     

Hygiene-related and feed-related hoof diseases show different patterns of genetic correlations to clinical mastitis and female fertility

Hoof diseases are a problem in many dairy herds. To study one aspect of the problem, genetic correlations between 4 hoof diseases, protein yield, clinical mastitis, number of inseminations, and days from calving to first insemination were estimated in first-parity Swedish Red cows using trivariate linear animal models. Occurrence of dermatitis, heel horn erosion, sole hemorrhage, and sole ulcer were reported by hoof trimmers. The data set contained about 314,000 animals with records on at least one of the traits; among these, about 64,000 animals had records on hoof diseases. Heritabilities were low for all hoof diseases (0.03 to 0.05). The hoof diseases fell into 2 groups: (1) dermatitis and heel horn erosion (i.e., diseases related to hygiene) and (2) sole hemorrhage and sole ulcer (i.e., diseases related to feeding). The genetic correlations between traits within the 2 groups were high (0.87 and 0.73, respectively), whereas the genetic correlations between traits in different groups were low (≤0.23). These results indicate that the 2 groups of hoof diseases are partly influenced by the same genes. All genetic correlations between hoof diseases and protein yield were low to moderate and unfavorable. Moderate and favorable genetic correlations were found between the feed-related hoof diseases and clinical mastitis (0.35 and 0.32), whereas the genetic correlations between the hygiene-related hoof diseases and clinical mastitis were low and not significantly different from zero. The genetic correlations between the hygiene-related hoof diseases and number of inseminations were low to moderate and favorable (0.32 and 0.22), and the genetic correlations between the feed-related hoof diseases and number of inseminations were low and not significantly different from zero. A moderate genetic correlation was found between sole ulcer and days from calving to first insemination (0.33), whereas the genetic correlations between days from calving to first insemination and sole hemorrhage and the hygiene-related hoof diseases were low and not significantly different from zero. In general, the 2 groups of hoof diseases showed different patterns of genetic correlations to the other functional traits, but both were unfavorably correlated to protein yield. A simulation study showed that inclusion of hoof diseases in the selection index will not only reduce the genetic decline in resistance to hoof diseases but also be favorable for other functional traits and improve overall genetic merit.