Does The Hype Exceed The Reality For ERP Applications And Small Manufacturing Companies: A Case Study

This case study describes the implementation of an ERP in a new arena – small manufacturing companies – and explores possible differences compared with successful implementations of ERP’s in larger manufacturing companies. The company that was studied is a small manufacturing company in Maine (less than $10 million in annual sales) that began implementing a small business ERP 12 months ago. Information was collected through interviews and the completion of a questionnaire based on the Stratman-Roth ERP Competence Scales (2002). Results suggest that while this company’s ERP implementation has been more positive than negative, a small company’s limited financial resources and lack of internal experience and expertise in large IT system projects add to the already complex challenges surrounding an ERP implementation

Impact of the altitudinal Joule heating distribution on the thermosphere

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95601/1/jgra20978.pd

Evidence of Multiple r-Process Sites in the Early Galaxy: New Observations of CS 22892-052

First results are reported of a new abundance study of neutron-capture elements in the ultra-metal-poor (UMP; [Fe/H] = -3.1) halo field giant star CS 22892-052. Using new high resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra, abundances of more than 30 neutron-capture elements (Z>30) have been determined. Six elements in the 40<Z<56 domain (Nb, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag and Cd) have been detected for the first time in a UMP star. Abundances are also derived for three of the heaviest stable elements (Os, Ir, and Pb). A second transition of thorium, Th{4086}, confirms the abundance deduced from the standard Th{4019} line, and an upper limit to the abundance of uranium is established from the absence of the U{3859} line. As found in previous studies, the abundances of the heavier (Z>=56) stable neutron-capture elements in CS 22892-052 match well the scaled solar system r-process abundance distribution. From the observed Th abundance, an average age of ~= 16 +/- 4 Gyr is derived for cs22892-052, consistent with the lower age limit of ~= 11 Gyr derived from the upper limit on the U abundance. The concordance of scaled solar r-process and CS 22892-052 abundances breaks down for the lighter neutron-capture elements, supporting previous suggestions that different r-process production sites are responsible for lighter and heavier neutron-capture elements.Comment: To be published in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

Temporal regulation of expression of immediate early and second phase transcripts by endothelin-1 in cardiomyocytes

Background: Endothelin-1 stimulates Gq protein-coupled receptors to promote proliferation in dividing cells or hypertrophy in terminally differentiated cardiomyocytes. In cardiomyocytes, endothelin-1 rapidly (within minutes) stimulates protein kinase signaling, including extracellular-signal regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2; though not ERK5), with phenotypic/physiological changes developing from approximately 12 h. Hypertrophy is associated with changes in mRNA/protein expression, presumably consequent to protein kinase signaling, but the connections between early, transient signaling events and developed hypertrophy are unknown. Results: Using microarrays, we defined the early transcriptional responses of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes to endothelin-1 over 4 h, differentiating between immediate early gene (IEG) and second phase RNAs with cycloheximide. IEGs exhibited differential temporal and transient regulation, with expression of second phase RNAs within 1 h. Of transcripts upregulated at 30 minutes encoding established proteins, 28 were inhibited >50% by U0126 (which inhibits ERK1/2/5 signaling), with 9 inhibited 25-50%. Expression of only four transcripts was not inhibited. At 1 h, most RNAs (approximately 67%) were equally changed in total and polysomal RNA with approximately 17% of transcripts increased to a greater extent in polysomes. Thus, changes in expression of most protein-coding RNAs should be reflected in protein synthesis. However, approximately 16% of transcripts were essentially excluded from the polysomes, including some protein-coding mRNAs, presumably inefficiently translated. Conclusion: The phasic, temporal regulation of early transcriptional responses induced by endothelin-1 in cardiomyocytes indicates that, even in terminally differentiated cells, signals are propagated beyond the primary signaling pathways through transcriptional networks leading to phenotypic changes (that is, hypertrophy). Furthermore, ERK1/2 signaling plays a major role in this response

Theoretical study: Influence of different energy sources on the cusp neutral density enhancement

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98815/1/jgra50197.pd

Assessing Internal Hurricane Damage To Standing Pine Poletimber

Two test methods were used to assess type, location, and degree of internal stem damage to standing pine poletimber (5.0-8.9 in. diameter at breast height, DBH) caused by Hurricane Hugo. A total of sixty trees [15 from each of the four Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) damage classes] were taken from three sites in the Francis Marion National Forest. Internal damage was expected in the form of ring shake and compression failure. Five stem sections (A through E) were taken from each tree at different heights. From each section, specimens were cut from four quadrants (Tension, Compression, Left, and Right) relative to the wind direction during the storm for toughness and tension perpendicular to the grain testing. A total of 2,147 toughness specimens were tested. A total of 273 specimens were tested in tension perpendicular to the grain. The dependent variables analyzed were toughness, tension strength, and specific gravity with FIA damage class as the whole plot factor.Although there was an increasing trend in toughness from Damage Class 1 through 4, analysis of variance showed damage class not to be a significant effect on toughness. Stem section and quadrant were found to be significant on toughness. Much of the variation in toughness due to stem section may be attributed to the effects of juvenile wood differences with tree height. Also a high occurrence of reaction wood in Quadrant C (side of the tree away from the wind) would contribute to lower toughness strength. Similarly, specific gravity (SG) values showed an overall increase from Damage Class 1 through 4. Specific gravity of Damage Classes 1 and 4 was found to be significantly different. Statistical analysis showed no apparent relationship between damage class and tension strength perpendicular to the grain.The lack of evidence for internal damage is relatively unimportant compared to the evidence of change in the wood properties from the formation of reaction wood. In leaning stems (FIA Damage Classes 2, 3, 4), reaction wood should continue to form. In straight trees, reaction wood formed in the two growth seasons following the storm, but it is unclear whether it will continue to form. The results lead to the conclusion that stands with leaning stems should be harvested and replanted

A Benefit-Cost Analysis of Tulsa Pre-K, Based on Effects on High School Graduation and College Attendance

This paper presents new benefit-cost estimates for the Tulsa universal preschool program. These calculations are based on estimated effects from previous papers of Tulsa pre-K on high school graduation rates and college attendance rates of students who were enrolled in kindergarten in Tulsa Public Schools in the fall of 2006. In this paper, educational effects from these prior papers are used to infer lifetime earnings effects and are compared with program costs. Our conservative estimates of earnings effects suggest that per pre-K participant, the present value of earnings effects in 2021 dollars is $25,533, compared with program costs of$9,628, for a benefit-cost ratio of 2.65. Compared to prior benefit-cost studies of Tulsa pre-K, this benefit-cost ratio is below what was predicted from Tulsa pre-K’s estimated effects on kindergarten test scores, but above what was predicted from Tulsa pre-K’s estimated effects on grade retention by ninth grade. This fading and recovery of predicted pre-K effects as children go through K–12 and then enter adulthood is consistent with prior research. It attests to the importance of the “soft skill” effects of pre-K and reminds us that short-term studies of pre-K provide useful information for public-policy decisions

A novel assay for analysis of the regulation of the function of human osteoclasts

BACKGROUND: Very little is known of the regulation of the function of human osteoclasts, largely due to the virtual impossibility of obtaining human osteoclasts ex vivo. It has recently become possible to generate human osteoclasts in vitro, by incubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). However, the assays at present available do not distinguish clearly between the distinct effects of agents on differentiation and function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed a novel assay for resorptive function of human osteoclasts that minimizes inter-assay variability by using each culture as its own baseline, and that minimizes the confounding effects of agents on differentiation by assessing resorptive function over a short test period. In this assay, the development of resorptive activity is monitored in sample cultures. When resorption is underway, bone resorption (measured as the release of the C-terminal telopeptide degradation product of type I collagen (CTX-I) into the supernatant) is compared before vs after incubation for 1–24 h in test agent. RESULTS: Using this assay, we found that changes in bone resorption could be detected using substantially fewer cultures per variable. Moreover, we could detect effects of agents on resorption within 1 h of addition, a time sufficiently short that a change in release is likely to reflect an effect on function rather than on differentiation. CONCLUSION: The assay makes it possible to distinguish the effects of agents on osteoclastic function, independent of their effects on differentiation