Towards a Reference Architecture of Intent for Information Systems Strategic Alignment

Enterprise architecture enables strategic alignment through creation of a unified business and IS view of the target state of the business. Using a design science approach, this paper proposes an intent-based technique as an extension to existing modeling techniques for strategic alignment. The proposed approach defines a reference architecture of enterprise intent that includes vocabulary, rules, and structure for development of purposefully aligned strategic-level enterprise architecture. The proposed approach results in interacting hierarchies that can be analyzed through network science approaches

Improving the Alignment Between IT Projects and Strategic Initiatives: The Target State Specfic Outcome (TSSO) Method

There is little direct evidence that information systems (IS) deliver measurable value at the organizational level. This inability to measure IS value is often caused by an inability to directly allocate beneficial financial outcomes to IS. Therefore, an alternative approach to determining IS value is required. This paper builds on Kaplan and Norton’s third-generation balanced score card to measure IS value. The authors propose a causal Target State Specific Outcome (TSSO) model to achieve the required IS alignment with strategic initiative objectives and measures

TB61: Properties of Plantation Grown Red Pine Related to Its Utilization

This report describes a study that was conducted to evaluate the static bending and compression parallel to the grain properties evident within and among material from 19 plantation-grown red pine trees, and to determine what effect position in the tree, latewood percentage, fibril angle, specific gravity and rate of growth might have on these mechanical properties. The second phase of the study was conducted concurrently with the first to determine what effect position in the tree and specific gravity might have on the characteristics of red pine Kraft pulp. A third investigation evaluated the effect of three dry kiln schedules on the visual grade characteristics and on the static bending, compression parallel to the grain, shear parallel to the grain and toughness strength properties of plantation-grown red pine.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_techbulletin/1134/thumbnail.jp

A transient homotypic interaction model for the influenza A virus NS1 protein effector domain

Influenza A virus NS1 protein is a multifunctional virulence factor consisting of an RNA binding domain (RBD), a short linker, an effector domain (ED), and a C-terminal 'tail'. Although poorly understood, NS1 multimerization may autoregulate its actions. While RBD dimerization seems functionally conserved, two possible apo ED dimers have been proposed (helix-helix and strand-strand). Here, we analyze all available RBD, ED, and full-length NS1 structures, including four novel crystal structures obtained using EDs from divergent human and avian viruses, as well as two forms of a monomeric ED mutant. The data reveal the helix-helix interface as the only strictly conserved ED homodimeric contact. Furthermore, a mutant NS1 unable to form the helix-helix dimer is compromised in its ability to bind dsRNA efficiently, implying that ED multimerization influences RBD activity. Our bioinformatical work also suggests that the helix-helix interface is variable and transient, thereby allowing two ED monomers to twist relative to one another and possibly separate. In this regard, we found a mAb that recognizes NS1 via a residue completely buried within the ED helix-helix interface, and which may help highlight potential different conformational populations of NS1 (putatively termed 'helix-closed' and 'helix-open') in virus-infected cells. 'Helix-closed' conformations appear to enhance dsRNA binding, and 'helix-open' conformations allow otherwise inaccessible interactions with host factors. Our data support a new model of NS1 regulation in which the RBD remains dimeric throughout infection, while the ED switches between several quaternary states in order to expand its functional space. Such a concept may be applicable to other small multifunctional proteins

Assemblages from Marginal Spaces: The results of the excavations in Mala (Nova) Pećina near Muć and the Neolithic of Dalmatinska Zagora

Špilja Mala (Nova) pećina smještena je u planinskome području dalmatinskoga zaleđu koje predstavlja dodirnu zonu između istočne jadranske obale i unutrašnjosti. U arheološkim iskopavanjima u Maloj pećini istražen je rano- i kasnoneolitički špiljski lokalitet koji bi mogao biti ključan za bolje razumijevanje odnosa između obalnih zajednica te onih smještenih u zapadnobalkanskoj unutrašnjosti. U članku će biti predstavljeni nalazi i kontekstualni podaci prikupljeni u istraživanju iz 2016. godine, kao i rezultati njihove obrade provedene 2017. godine, koji uključuju keramičke i litičke nalaze te zooarheološke i arheobotaničke analize. Preliminarni dokazi ukazuju da špilja nije korištena kao nastamba duži vremenski period, već kao privremeno sklonište od strane zajednica koje su se kretale kroz okolne planine ili onih koje su posjećivale špilju u sklopu kratkotrajnih aktivnosti. Iskopavanja su također ukazala na moguću razliku u korištenju špilje u ranome neolitiku s tragovima naseobinskih, ali i potencijalnih ritualnih aktivnosti, u odnosu na kasni neolitik s isključivo pastoralnom funkcijom. Mala pećina je stoga iznimno važna za bolje razumijevanje odnosa između obale i zaleđa u razdoblju neolitika.Mala (Nova) Pećina cave is located in Croatia, in the Dalmatian Hinterland (Dalmatinska Zagora), a mountainous region which is the contact zone between the eastern Adriatic coast and the interior. The excavations in Mala Pećina uncovered an Early and Late Neolithic cave site that might be key for a better understanding of the relationship between the coastal groups and the communities of the western Balkan interior. This paper aims to present the finds and contextual data from the 2016 excavations and the consequent 2017 study season. It presents an account of the pottery and lithic assemblages along with the zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical data from the cave. The preliminary evidence suggests that the cave was not used as a long term dwelling but rather as a temporary shelter, either for groups that were moving through the mountains or for groups that visited the cave for short term activities. The excavations have also shown a possible distinction between the use of the cave in the Early Neolithic, when people dwelled there and possibly engaged in ritual activities, and the Late Neolithic, when it was mostly used by shepherds. Mala Pećina is therefore particularly important as it offers the potential to better understand the interactions between the coast and the hinterland during the Neolithic

Know the Star, Know the Planet. III. A Stellar Companion to the Host Star of the Eccentric Exoplanet HD 8673b

HD 8673 hosts a massive exoplanet in a highly eccentric orbit (e = 0.723). Based on two epochs of speckle interferometry a previous publication identified a candidate stellar companion. We observed HD 8673 multiple times with the 10 m Keck II telescope, the 5 m Hale telescope, the 3.63 m Advanced Electro-Optical System telescope, and the 1.5 m Palomar telescope in a variety of filters with the aim of confirming and characterizing the stellar companion. We did not detect the candidate companion, which we now conclude was a false detection, but we did detect a fainter companion. We collected astrometry and photometry of the companion on six epochs in a variety of filters. The measured differential photometry enabled us to determine that the companion is an early M dwarf with a mass estimate of 0.33–0.45 M_☉. The companion has a projected separation of 10 AU, which is one of the smallest projected separations of an exoplanet host binary system. Based on the limited astrometry collected, we are able to constrain the orbit of the stellar companion to a semimajor axis of 35–60 AU, an eccentricity ≤0.5, and an inclination of 75°–85°. The stellar companion has likely strongly influenced the orbit of the exoplanet and quite possibly explains its high eccentricity

Polynomial approximation of quasipolynomials based on digital filter design principles

This contribution is aimed at a possible procedure approximating quasipolynomials by polynomials. Quasipolynomials appear in linear time-delay systems description as a natural consequence of the use of the Laplace transform. Due to their infinite root spectra, control system analysis and synthesis based on such quasipolynomial models are usually mathematically heavy. In the light of this fact, there is a natural research endeavor to design a sufficiently accurate yet simple engineeringly acceptable method that approximates them by polynomials preserving basic spectral information. In this paper, such a procedure is presented based on some ideas of discrete-time (digital) filters designing without excessive math. Namely, the particular quasipolynomial is subjected to iterative discretization by means of the bilinear transformation first; consequently, linear and quadratic interpolations are applied to obtain integer powers of the approximating polynomial. Since dominant roots play a decisive role in the spectrum, interpolations are made in their very neighborhood. A simulation example proofs the algorithm efficiency. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016

Know The Star, Know the Planet. IV. A Stellar Companion to the Host star of the Eccentric Exoplanet HD 8673b

HD 8673 hosts a massive exoplanet in a highly eccentric orbit (e=0.723). Based on two epochs of speckle interferometry a previous publication identified a candidate stellar companion. We observed HD 8673 multiple times with the 10 m Keck II telescope, the 5 m Hale telescope, the 3.63 m AEOS telescope and the 1.5m Palomar telescope in a variety of filters with the aim of confirming and characterizing the stellar companion. We did not detect the candidate companion, which we now conclude was a false detection, but we did detect a fainter companion. We collected astrometry and photometry of the companion on six epochs in a variety of filters. The measured differential photometry enabled us to determine that the companion is an early M dwarf with a mass estimate of 0.33-0.45 M?. The companion has a projected separation of 10 AU, which is one of the smallest projected separations of an exoplanet host binary system. Based on the limited astrometry collected, we are able to constrain the orbit of the stellar companion to a semi-major axis of 35{60 AU, an eccentricity ? 0.5 and an inclination of 75{85?. The stellar companion has likely strongly in uenced the orbit of the exoplanet and quite possibly explains its high eccentricity.Comment: Accepted to the Astronomical Journal, 6 Pages, 5 Figure

PTF10fqs: A Luminous Red Nova in the Spiral Galaxy Messier 99

The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is systematically charting the optical transient and variable sky. A primary science driver of PTF is building a complete inventory of transients in the local Universe (distance less than 200 Mpc). Here, we report the discovery of PTF10fqs, a transient in the luminosity "gap" between novae and supernovae. Located on a spiral arm of Messier 99, PTF 10fqs has a peak luminosity of Mr = -12.3, red color (g-r = 1.0) and is slowly evolving (decayed by 1 mag in 68 days). It has a spectrum dominated by intermediate-width H (930 km/s) and narrow calcium emission lines. The explosion signature (the light curve and spectra) is overall similar to thatof M85OT2006-1, SN2008S, and NGC300OT. The origin of these events is shrouded in mystery and controversy (and in some cases, in dust). PTF10fqs shows some evidence of a broad feature (around 8600A) that may suggest very large velocities (10,000 km/s) in this explosion. Ongoing surveys can be expected to find a few such events per year. Sensitive spectroscopy, infrared monitoring and statistics (e.g. disk versus bulge) will eventually make it possible for astronomers to unravel the nature of these mysterious explosions.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, Replaced with published versio

Explorations, Vol. 6, No. 1

Cover: Panthera pardus, Chui in Kiswatuli, was photographed by Dr. Linda Karbonit ar Dr. James A. Sherburne in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Karbonit was accompanying Sherburne who was working on the design and development of the University of Maine, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, assistance program in wildlife training and conservation education to Tanzania’s National Parks. Sherburne, who has worked in Tanzania for several years, was there most recently in 1988 and 1989 working on the parks project. He serves as the Director of International Natural Resources and Agricultural Programs at the University of Maine. Articles include: Research and Economic Development: from the U.S. Senate Statement, December 22, 1989, by Sen. George J. Mitchell Politics and Research: Providing a Key for Economic Development, by Sen. William S. Cohen. Publisher’s Perspective, by Gregory N. Brown, Vice President, Research and Public Service What’s EPSCoR? Editorial Reflections, by Carole J. Bombard Past and Present: Marine Geologists Explore the Old and Teach the Young, by Daniel Belknap and Joseph Kelley High Biological Productivity: Salt Marshes, by Mark E. Wood Barrier Beaches, by William Duffy Sediment Budgets & Bluff Slump, by Rebecca Smith Coastal Environments and Change, by Andrew Walsh Mapping What You Can\u27t See, by Donald Robbins Casco Bay: Sea Level and the Shoreline, by Bradley W.B. Hay Christmas at Sea, by Molly Horvath A Short Course and the Local Economy, by Richard Hale and James Philp Dr. Bernard Lown: Alumnus Receives Golden Door Award The Sky is Falling . . . well, maybe, by Carole J. Bombard A Growing Interest in Timberland, by Robert A. Strong and Bret P. Vicar