AN EMPIRICAL TEST FOR THE EXPANSION-CONTROL MODEL FOR MANAGING END-USER COMPUTING

The purpose of this research is to determine if the expansion-control model as proposed, adapted, and refined (Munro and Huff 1985; Munro, Huff and Moore 1987) is useful for understanding and predicting changes in EUC management strategy over time. The long-term interest is not so much in understanding the specific problem of managing end-user computing as in understanding the general problem of managing new information technology in organizations. A field study was conducted with eighteen large firms in manufacturing and services to review their experience with EUC management over a nine year period. As predicted, most firms took a hands-off approach to EUC management during the initiation phase and evolved toward a balance between control and slack by 1987. However, changes in firms\u27 EUC management strategy over time were more complex than predicted. In addition, the expansion and control constructs were not as independent as previously thought. The interaction between the two variables appears to be related, at least in part, to time and the stage of diffusion. The research suggests that current models of EUC management (and thus organizational learning about information technology) may be too simplistic. Suggestions for developing more general models of the process are offered

Design, synthesis and biological activity of selective hCAs inhibitors based on 2-(benzylsulfinyl)benzoic acid scaffold

A large library of derivatives based on the scaffold of 2-(benzylsulfinyl)benzoic acid were synthesised and tested as atypical inhibitors against four different isoforms of human carbonic anhydrase (hCA I, II, IX and XII, EC 4.2.1.1). The exploration of the chemical space around the main functional groups led to the discovery of selective hCA IX inhibitors in the micromolar/nanomolar range, thus establishing robust structure-activity relationships within this versatile scaffold. HPLC separation of some selected chiral compounds and biological evaluation of the corresponding enantiomers was performed along with molecular modelling studies on the most active derivatives

Evaluation of the geo-mechanical properties property recovery in time of conditioned soil for EPB-TBM tunneling

The soil conditioning is a process of fundamental importance during the excavation of tunnels with Earth Pressure Balance full face machine. The soil conditioning is achieved through the addition of foam at the excavation face and in the bulk chamber that modifies the natural soil properties from solid-like to fluid-like with a pulpy behavior. Clearly, a material with a pulpy or fluid-like consistency is not suitable for the construction of embankments of landfill or for other civil purposes. It is therefore important to have a procedure able to identify how long it is necessary before the conditioned soil recovers its geo-mechanical properties, since this knowledge is needed at the design stages from a logistic point of view. The paper proposes and discusses a procedure to find out whether and when the conditioned soil gets back to its original properties. The procedure foresees direct shear tests, vane tests, Proctor tests, and rotational mixer tests at different time schedules from the production of the conditioned soil in the laboratory. The conditioned soil samples have been cured in a controlled environment up to 60 days from the conditioning. Thanks to these tests, it is possible to assess if and when the soil recovers its natural behavior or if a permanent alteration is induced. The proposed procedure has been applied to a standard alluvial soil showing that most of the original properties of the soil are recovered already after seven days from the conditioning. The carried-out tests have shown that the procedure is feasible and easy to apply

REMOTELY SENSED IMAGE FAST CLASSIFICATION AND SMART THEMATIC MAP PRODUCTION

Abstract. Apps available for Smartphone, as well as software for GNSS/GIS devices, permit to easily mapping the localization and shape of an area by acquiring the vertices coordinates of its contour. This option is useful for remote sensing classification, supporting the detection of representative sample sites of a known cover type to use for algorithm training or to test classification results. This article aims to analyse the possibility to produce smart maps from remotely sensed image classification in rapid way: the attention is focalized on different methods that are compared to identify fast and accurate procedure for producing up-to-date and reliable maps. Landsat 8 OLI multispectral images of northern Sicily (Italy) are submitted to various classification algorithms to distinguish water, bare soil and vegetation. The resulting map is useful for many purposes: appropriately inserted in a larger database aimed at representing the situation in a space-time evolutionary scenario, it is suitable whenever you want to capture the variation induced in a scene, e.g. burnt areas identification, vegetated areas definition for tourist-recreational purposes, etc. Particularly, pixel-based classification approaches are preferred, and experiments are carried out using unsupervised (k-means), vegetation index (NDVI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), supervised (minimum distance, maximum likelihood) methods. Using test sites, confusion matrix is built for each method, and quality indices are calculated to compare the results. Experiments demonstrate that NDVI submitted to k-means algorithm allows the best performance for distinguishing not only vegetation areas but also water bodies and bare soils. The resulting thematic map is converted for web publishing

Temporal patterns of radial growth in declining Austrocedrus chilensis forests in Northern Patagonia: The use of tree-rings as an indicator of forest decline

Using dendrochronology, combined with tree- and stand-level information, we reconstructed the temporal dynamics of ‘mal del ciprés’, a widespread decline of Austrocedrus chilensis forests in Argentina. We developed 12 new site-specific ring-width chronologies representing the growth of trees with no external (crown) or internal (radial growth) symptoms of decline. By comparing the ring-width series of individual trees with these reference chronologies, we detected reduced radial growth, likely due to ‘mal del ciprés’, in 301 symptomatic and dead overstory trees out of 1082 sampled trees. Radial growth decline also occurred in 67 living trees with asymptomatic crowns providing evidence that radial growth decline can be an early indicator of ‘mal del ciprés’. The length of the radial growth decline averaged 27 years for all trees and was 29 and 22 years for living symptomatic and dead overstory trees, respectively; the maximum decline length was 80 years. At the site level, the onset of radial growth decline ranged from the early 1920s to the 1960s, preceding dates reported in historical records. By 1979, P75% of trees per site exhibited radial growth decline. We conclude that decline in radial growth precedes crown symptoms in at least some A. chilensis trees in forests with ‘mal del ciprés’. Reduced radial growth prior to external crown symptoms implies that water uptake had been reduced, possibly because of root damage from Phyophthora or drought or their interactions. It also suggests salvage harvests that aim to eradicate trees with crown symptoms and facilitate growth of residual trees may not be the most effective management response to ‘mal del ciprés’.Fil: Amoroso, Mariano Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Daniels, Lori D.. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Larson, Bruce C.. University of British Columbia; Canad

Remotely sensed image fast classification and smart thematic map production

Apps available for Smartphone, as well as software for GNSS/GIS devices, permit to easily mapping the localization and shape of an area by acquiring the vertices coordinates of its contour. This option is useful for remote sensing classification, supporting the detection of representative sample sites of a known cover type to use for algorithm training or to test classification results. This article aims to analyse the possibility to produce smart maps from remotely sensed image classification in rapid way: The attention is focalized on different methods that are compared to identify fast and accurate procedure for producing up-To-date and reliable maps. Landsat 8 OLI multispectral images of northern Sicily (Italy) are submitted to various classification algorithms to distinguish water, bare soil and vegetation. The resulting map is useful for many purposes: Appropriately inserted in a larger database aimed at representing the situation in a space-Time evolutionary scenario, it is suitable whenever you want to capture the variation induced in a scene, e.g. burnt areas identification, vegetated areas definition for tourist-recreational purposes, etc. Particularly, pixel-based classification approaches are preferred, and experiments are carried out using unsupervised (k-means), vegetation index (NDVI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), supervised (minimum distance, maximum likelihood) methods. Using test sites, confusion matrix is built for each method, and quality indices are calculated to compare the results. Experiments demonstrate that NDVI submitted to k-means algorithm allows the best performance for distinguishing not only vegetation areas but also water bodies and bare soils. The resulting thematic map is converted for web publishing

Comprehensive numerical simulation of threshold-voltage transients in nitride memories

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Virtual Group Learning Effectiveness via eLearning Mediums

Online learning provides the potential for more differentiated, integrated, and open learning environments to solve team project assignments. We argue that although it is feasible to increase information richness via adopting multimedia technologies, the effectiveness to promote interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and cognitive learning processes via virtual group discussion is uncertain. To substantiate the argument, we invited 156 subjects, divided into 46 groups, to resolve decision- and intellective-tasks in text-messaging and audio-conferencing e-learning environments. A pedagogical interpretation of how we can use these two e-learning systems to improve effectiveness for group-based tasks was posited

Transcriptomic and genomic analysis provides new insights in molecular and genetic processes involved in zucchini ZYMV tolerance

Cucurbita pepo is highly susceptible to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) and the resistance found in several wild species cannot be considered as complete or broad-spectrum resistance. In this study, a source of tolerance introgressed in C. pepo (381e) from C. moschata, in True French (TF) background, was investigated 12 days post-inoculation (DPI) at transcriptomic and genomic levels