IT controls in the public cloud : success factors for allocation of roles and responsibilities

The rapid adoption of cloud computing by organizations has resulted in the transformation of the roles and responsibilities of staff in managing the information technology (IT) resources (via IT governance controls) that have migrated to the cloud. Hence, the objective of this research is to provide a set of success factors that can assist IT managers to allocate the roles and responsibilities of IT controls appropriately to staff to manage the migrated IT resources. Accordingly, we generated a set of success factors from behavioral and information systems (IS) literature. These success factors were verified using in-depth interviews of executives from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The empirical intervention suggests that the role allocation is driven predominantly by people’s skills, competencies, organizational strategy, structures, and policies. In addition, the research made clear that the most significant competency and skill for a person allocated to IT controls is to be able to evaluate and manage a cloud service provider, especially in terms of risks, compliance, and security issues related to public cloud technology. The findings of this study not only offer new insights for scholars and practitioners involved in assigning responsibilities but also provide extensions for IT governance framework authorities to align their guidelines to the emerging cloud technology

Far-infrared spectroscopy of the H₂-O₂ van der waals complex

We report the far infrared spectrum of H₂–O₂ at 80 K in the vicinity of the pure rotational bands of H₂. Sharp peaks were observed, which correspond to end-over-end rotational transitions of the H₂–O₂ molecular complex, that are superimposed over broad collision induced absorptions. We find that the maximum value of the end-over-end rotational quantum number that is bound is seven, which is two more than supported by a recently reported ab initio H₂–O₂ potential energy surface. The rotational spectrum reported here should therefore greatly help in refining this surface, which is used to calculate scattering processes relevant to the chemistry occurring in interstellar molecular clouds.Hayley Bunn, Trystan Bennett, Aidan Karayilan, and Paul L. Rasto

Impulsivity in bipolar and substance use disorders

PMID = 2574964

Potentials for critical raw materials recovery from Mediterranean saltworks bitterns

Minerals extraction from seawater brines is currently regarded as the most practical approach to reduce European dependency from the import of many Critical Raw Materials. The technical feasibility of such approach has been widely demonstrated in several different research and development projects but the economic sustainability has always been found to depend on the local demand for sodium chloride, which is always the most abundant product of the extraction. Starting from this crucial node, the SEArcularMINE project has investigated the possibility to use the residual brines originated by sea-salt extraction in traditional saltworks, regarded as an already well-established marketplace. The Mediterranean area as a whole, can rely on a diffused industry including South-European coast, North-African and Close East coast and portions of the Atlantic regions. Additionally, many inland salt-lakes and subsoil waters are traditionally operated in the same way as the coastal facilities to produce solar-salt. Interestingly, each saltworks have a slightly different approach, adapted to feed quality or local climate conditions. Accordingly, different types of brine are produced, having unique features. These “bitterns” are extremely interesting to characterize, focusing on their hidden potential. In this work, an extensive analytical campaign has been conducted exploiting the wide saltworks network established within the SEArcularMINE project. Main results are here reported, highlighting the possibility of contributing to secure the access to some Critical Raw Materials for E