4,231 research outputs found
An E-Readiness Assesment Framework and Two Field Studies
Although e-business is increasingly important to companies competing in global markets, rushed and ineffective implementation of e-business in companies results in valuable resources being wasted without achieving significant tangible benefits. To minimize risks and maximize potential benefits in e-business implementation, a company needs to know to what degree it is ready for e-business and in what aspects it needs to improve itself before implementing e-business. Although a few e-readiness assessment models are used in practice, relatively little is published in academic research journals on this issue. Further, the current practical e-readiness assessment models are largely based on the experience of e-business implementation in developed countries. Given the key differences between developed and developing countries, e-business implementation in developing countries could be different from that in developed countries. This paper proposes an e-readiness assessment framework from the perspective of developing countries. The assessment framework contains five hierarchical levels, including 67 specific assessment indicators. Two field studies were conducted to illustrate and test the usability of the proposed e-readiness assessment framework in 21 retail companies of China
EAM Modulated DBR Laser Array for TWDM-PON Applications
4 Channel DBR laser arrays are fabricated for use in optical line terminals of TWDM-PON systems. These combine 1.4Q InGaAsP material in the DBR with EAMs using the identical active layer design. A tuning range ~10 nm and extinction ratio of >27 dB are measured
Simulation of changes in some soil properties as affected by water level fluctuation in an inland salt marsh
AbstractAn 87-day simulation experiment was conducted to test the effects of water level fluctuation on soil properties of an inland salt marsh. The simulated wetland was periodically flooded for 15 days with consistent water levels of 10cm above the wetland surface soil and then drained to 0cm for 9 days. Soil samples were collected from the 0 to 30cm depth with 10cm intervals at days of 0, 39 and 72 after a 15-day pre-incubation. Total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), soil organic matter (SOM) and pH were determined during the experimental period. Results showed that TN content was much higher in surface soils than other soil layers during the whole incubation period, especially at the second inundation period (54 days), and TN greatly increased in the soil layers above 20cm with increasing incubation time. However, the SOM content in each soil layer showed a consistent tendency of “decreasing followed increasing” with increasing incubation time. Compared to other soil layers, SOM content in surface soils were generally higher during the simulation periods. TP content in upper soils (0-20cm) consistently increased over the course of incubation time, while those in deeper soils (20-30cm) decreased. Soil pH values showed similar changing tendencies to SOM content over the incubation experiment, while they generally increased with depth
Evaluating e-portfolio Using by Learning Stages: A Case Study in an Interdisciplinary Program
This study conducts an investigation of posts in the e-portfolio platform of the program: “The interdisciplinary training program for talented college students in science.” Participants in this program were supposed to show their learning portfolios on this platform. Among the 2150 registered students, we randomly selected 126 students who have made at least 3 posts to become the target sample. By identifying the learning stages and posting styles shown by their posts, we find that students are mostly in the surface learning stages and weak in completing their learning portfolios. The results suggest that more strategies should be learned in e-portfolio use. In addition, some related issues about learning performance are also discussed
An interleaved sampling scheme for the characterization of single qubit dynamics
In this paper, we demonstrate that interleaved sampling techniques can be
used to characterize the Hamiltonian of a qubit and its environmental
decoherence rate. The technique offers a significant advantage in terms of the
number of measurements that are required to characterize a qubit. When compared
to the standard Nyquist-Shannon sampling rate, the saving in the total
measurement time for the interleaved method is approximately proportional to
the ratio of the sample rates.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure
The Effect of ePortfolio Satisfaction on Students’ Learning Motivation and Internet Self-efficacy
This study aims to investigate the effect of e-Portfolio satisfaction on students’ learning motivation and Internet self-efficacy toward the use of e-Portfolio. The data collected for this study occurred over 3 months. Participants were 450 students taking the course of common at an university. The counting of 443 questionnaires was received. The findings revealed that there were positive correlations between learning motivation, Internet self-efficacy, and e-Portfolio satisfaction. For gender, the result showed that there were no significant Internet self-efficacy differences between gender. Besides, there were the significant differences in learning motivations and in Internet self-efficacy between the two groups. Furthermore, the multistep regression analysis indicated that the learning motivation was the significant predictor of Internet self-efficacy, and Internet self-efficacy was the significant predictor of e-Portfolio satisfaction. Based on the findings, educators and researchers needed to pay attention to these influences and take these factors into consideration in e-Portfolio. The study concludes by assessing the overall gains and shortcomings of the reform effort toward using the e-Portfolio to help student self-learning
MHV Lagrangian for N=4 Super Yang-Mills
Here we formulate two field redefinitions for N=4 Super Yang-Mills in light
cone superspace that generates only MHV vertices in the new Lagrangian. After
careful consideration of the S-matrix equivalence theorem, we see that only the
canonical transformation gives the MHV Lagrangian that would correspond to the
CSW expansion. Being in superspace, it is easier to analyse the equivalence
theorem at loop level. We calculate the on shell amplitude for 4pt
MHV in the new lagrangian and
show that it reproduces the previously known form. We also briefly discuss the
relationship with the off-shell continuation prescription of CSW.Comment: 17 pages 4 figures, 2 sections and several references added typo
correcte
Evolution of asexual and sexual reproduction in the aspergilli
Aspergillus nidulans has long-been used as a model organism to gain insights into the genetic basis of asexual and sexual developmental processes both in
other members of the genus Aspergillus, and filamentous fungi in general. Paradigms have been established concerning the regulatory mechanisms of conidial
development. However, recent studies have shown considerable genome divergence in the fungal kingdom, questioning the general applicability of findings from
Aspergillus, and certain longstanding evolutionary theories have been questioned. The phylogenetic distribution of key regulatory elements of asexual reproduction in
A. nidulans was investigated in a broad taxonomic range of fungi. This revealed that some proteins were well conserved in the Pezizomycotina (e.g. AbaA, FlbA, FluG,
NsdD, MedA, and some velvet proteins), suggesting similar developmental roles. However, other elements (e.g. BrlA) had a more restricted distribution solely in the
Eurotiomycetes, and it appears that the genetic control of sporulation seems to be more complex in the aspergilli than in some other taxonomic groups of the
Pezizomycotina. The evolution of the velvet protein family is discussed based on the history of expansion and contraction events in the early divergent fungi. Heterologous expression of the A. nidulans abaA gene in Monascus ruber failed to induce development of complete conidiophores as seen in the aspergilli, but did result in
increased conidial production. The absence of many components of the asexual developmental pathway from members of the Saccharomycotina supports the hypothesis
that differences in the complexity of their spore formation is due in part to the increased diversity of the sporulation machinery evident in the Pezizomycotina. Investigations were also made into the evolution of sex and sexuality in the aspergilli. MAT loci were identified from the heterothallic Aspergillus (Emericella) heterothallicus
and Aspergillus (Neosartorya) fennelliae and the homothallic Aspergillus pseudoglaucus (=Eurotium repens). A consistent architecture of the MAT locus was seen in
these and other heterothallic aspergilli whereas much variation was seen in the arrangement of MAT loci in homothallic aspergilli. This suggested that it is most likely that
the common ancestor of the aspergilli exhibited a heterothallic breeding system. Finally, the supposed prevalence of asexuality in the aspergilli was examined. Investigations were made using A. clavatus as a representative ‘asexual’ species. It was possible to induce a sexual cycle in A. clavatus given the correct MAT1-1 and
MAT1-2 partners and environmental conditions, with recombination confirmed utilising molecular markers. This indicated that sexual reproduction might be possible in
many supposedly asexual aspergilli and beyond, providing general insights into the nature of asexuality in fungi.National Natural Science Foundation of China 31601446National Research Foundation of Korea 2016010945Intelligent Synthetic Biology Center of Global Frontier Projects 2015M3A6A8065838Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilGovernment of IraqMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad BIO2015-67148-
Spectroscopy of vibrational modes in metal nanoshells
We study the spectrum of vibrational modes in metal nanoparticles with a
dielectric core. Vibrational modes are excited by the rapid heating of the
particle lattice that takes place after laser excitation, and can be monitored
by means of pump-probe spectroscopy as coherent oscillations of transient
optical spectra. In nanoshells, the presence of two metal surfaces results in a
substantially different energy spectrum of acoustic vibrations than for solid
particles. We calculated the energy spectrum as well as the damping of
nanoshell vibrational modes. The oscillator strength of fundamental breathing
mode is larger than that in solid nanoparticles. At the same time, in very thin
nanoshells, the fundamental mode is overdamped due to instantaneous energy
transfer to the surrounding medium
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