Empirical evidence of an integrative knowledge competence framework for ERP systems implementation in UK industries

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems can greatly improve business productivity and better serve customers by creating values through integrating business processes and sharing current information. Knowledge Management (KM) is crucial for ERP systems implementation, but is particularly demanding task. This paper discusses ERP systems implementation in UK manufacturing and service sector organisations, focusing on empirical evidence of an innovative KM approach for improving knowledge competence for ERP success. Qualitative research was conducted, using semi-structured interviews with ERP experts. Data analysis used a combination of thematic and comparative analysis. The findings suggest that the integrative knowledge competence framework can provide ERP practitioners with useful guidance on what the key knowledge determinants are and how the relationships between knowledge components should be best managed to achieve ERP systems implementation success in real life business situations

Fake news on Social Media: the Impact on Society

AbstractFake news (FN) on social media (SM) rose to prominence in 2016 during the United States of America presidential election, leading people to question science, true news (TN), and societal norms. FN is increasingly affecting societal values, changing opinions on critical issues and topics as well as redefining facts, truths, and beliefs. To understand the degree to which FN has changed society and the meaning of FN, this study proposes a novel conceptual framework derived from the literature on FN, SM, and societal acceptance theory. The conceptual framework is developed into a meta-framework that analyzes survey data from 356 respondents. This study explored fuzzy set-theoretic comparative analysis; the outcomes of this research suggest that societies are split on differentiating TN from FN. The results also show splits in societal values. Overall, this study provides a new perspective on how FN on SM is disintegrating societies and replacing TN with FN.</jats:p

NMR methods to monitor the enzymatic depolymerization of heparin

Heparin and the related glycosaminoglycan, heparan sulfate, are polydisperse linear polysaccharides that mediate numerous biological processes due to their interaction with proteins. Because of the structural complexity and heterogeneity of heparin and heparan sulfate, digestion to produce smaller oligosaccharides is commonly performed prior to separation and analysis. Current techniques used to monitor the extent of heparin depolymerization include UV absorption to follow product formation and size exclusion or strong anion exchange chromatography to monitor the size distribution of the components in the digest solution. In this study, we used 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) survey spectra and NMR diffusion experiments in conjunction with UV absorption measurements to monitor heparin depolymerization using the enzyme heparinase I. Diffusion NMR does not require the physical separation of the components in the reaction mixture and instead can be used to monitor the reaction solution directly in the NMR tube. Using diffusion NMR, the enzymatic reaction can be stopped at the desired time point, maximizing the abundance of larger oligosaccharides for protein-binding studies or completion of the reaction if the goal of the study is exhaustive digestion for characterization of the disaccharide composition. In this study, porcine intestinal mucosa heparin was depolymerized using the enzyme heparinase I. The unsaturated bond formed by enzymatic cleavage serves as a UV chromophore that can be used to monitor the progress of the depolymerization and for the detection and quantification of oligosaccharides in subsequent separations. The double bond also introduces a unique multiplet with peaks at 5.973, 5.981, 5.990, and 5.998 ppm in the 1H-NMR spectrum downfield of the anomeric region. This multiplet is produced by the proton of the C-4 double bond of the non-reducing end uronic acid at the cleavage site. Changes in this resonance were used to monitor the progression of the enzymatic digestion and compared to the profile obtained from UV absorbance measurements. In addition, in situ NMR diffusion measurements were explored for their ability to profile the different-sized components generated over the course of the digestion

Analysis and characterization of heparin impurities

This review discusses recent developments in analytical methods available for the sensitive separation, detection and structural characterization of heparin contaminants. The adulteration of raw heparin with oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS) in 2007–2008 spawned a global crisis resulting in extensive revisions to the pharmacopeia monographs on heparin and prompting the FDA to recommend the development of additional physicochemical methods for the analysis of heparin purity. The analytical chemistry community quickly responded to this challenge, developing a wide variety of innovative approaches, several of which are reported in this special issue. This review provides an overview of methods of heparin isolation and digestion, discusses known heparin contaminants, including OSCS, and summarizes recent publications on heparin impurity analysis using sensors, near-IR, Raman, and NMR spectroscopy, as well as electrophoretic and chromatographic separations

The role of Artificial Intelligence networks in sustainable supply chain finance for food and drink industry

In the last decade, food and drink supply chain management has become an important part of global operations strategy. The global food and drink industries (FDIs) is establishing supply chain operations across countries as a result of increasing demand, this expansion has created challenges in coordinating operations that connect multi-suppliers, one as such is the financial enabler for the multi-layered supply chain network. However, literature on artificial intelligence (AI) in FDIs is limited, this study explores AI theory in supply chain networks and alternative supply chain financing for the FDIs. This study proposes a new conceptual framework based on theoretical contributions identified through literature, a conceptual framework is established and further developed to a meta-framework. This study explored the set-theoretic comparative approach for data analysis, the outcomes of this research suggest that the probable contributions of supply chain networks driven by AI technologies provide a sustainable financing stream for the food and drink supply chain

Infant and young child feeding indicators and determinants of poor feeding practices in India : secondary data analysis of National Family Health Survey 2005–06

Background: In India, poor feeding practices in early\ud childhood contribute to the burden of malnutrition and\ud infant and child mortality.\ud Objective. To estimate infant and young child feeding\ud indicators and determinants of selected feeding practices\ud in India.\ud \ud Methods: The sample consisted of 20,108 children\ud aged 0 to 23 months from the National Family Health\ud Survey India 2005–06. Selected indicators were examined\ud against a set of variables using univariate and\ud multivariate analyses.\ud \ud Results: Only 23.5% of mothers initiated breastfeeding\ud within the first hour after birth, 99.2% had ever\ud breastfed their infant, 89.8% were currently breastfeeding,\ud and 14.8% were currently bottle-feeding. Among\ud infants under 6 months of age, 46.4% were exclusively\ud breastfed, and 56.7% of those aged 6 to 9 months received\ud complementary foods. The risk factors for not exclusively\ud breastfeeding were higher household wealth index\ud quintiles (OR for richest = 2.03), delivery in a health\ud facility (OR = 1.35), and living in the Northern region.\ud Higher numbers of antenatal care visits were associated\ud with increased rates of exclusive breastfeeding (OR for\ud ≥ 7 antenatal visits = 0.58). The rates of timely initiation\ud of breastfeeding were higher among women who were\ud better educated (OR for secondary education or above =\ud 0.79), were working (OR = 0.79), made more antenatal\ud clinic visits (OR for ≥ 7 antenatal visits = 0.48), and\ud were exposed to the radio (OR = 0.76). The rates were\ud lower in women who were delivered by cesarean section\ud (OR = 2.52). The risk factors for bottle-feeding included\ud cesarean delivery (OR = 1.44), higher household wealth\ud index quintiles (OR = 3.06), working by the mother\ud (OR=1.29), higher maternal education level (OR=1.32),\ud urban residence (OR=1.46), and absence of postnatal\ud examination (OR=1.24). The rates of timely complementary\ud feeding were higher for mothers who had more\ud antenatal visits (OR=0.57), and for those who watched\ud television (OR=0.75).\ud \ud Conclusions: Revitalization of the Baby Friendly Hospital\ud Initiative in health facilities is recommended. Targeted\ud interventions may be necessary to improve infant\ud feeding practices in mothers who reside in urban areas,\ud are more educated, and are from wealthier households

Determinants of infant and young child feeding practices in Nepal : secondary data analysis of demographic and health survey 2006

Background: Childhood undernutrition and mortality\ud are high in Nepal, and therefore interventions on infant\ud and young child feeding practices deserve high priority.\ud Objective. To estimate infant and young child feeding\ud indicators and the determinants of selected feeding\ud practices.\ud \ud Methods: The sample consisted of 1,906 children aged\ud 0 to 23 months from the Demographic and Health Survey\ud 2006. Selected indicators were examined against a set of\ud variables using univariate and multivariate analyses.\ud Results. Breastfeeding was initiated within the first\ud hour after birth in 35.4% of children, 99.5% were ever\ud breastfed, 98.1% were currently breastfed, and 3.5%\ud were bottle-fed. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding\ud among infants under 6 months of age was 53.1%, and\ud the rate of timely complementary feeding among those 6\ud to 9 months of age was 74.7%. Mothers who made antenatal\ud clinic visits were at a higher risk for no exclusive\ud breastfeeding than those who made no visits. Mothers\ud who lived in the mountains were more likely to initiate\ud breastfeeding within 1 hour after birth and to introduce\ud complementary feeding at 6 to 9 months of age, but less\ud likely to exclusively breastfeed. Cesarean deliveries were\ud associated with delay in timely initiation of breastfeeding.\ud Higher rates of complementary feeding at 6 to 9 months\ud were also associated with mothers with better education\ud and those above 35 years of age. Risk factors for\ud bottle-feeding included living in urban areas and births\ud attended by trained health personnel.\ud \ud Conclusions: Most breastfeeding indicators in Nepal\ud are below the expected levels to achieve a substantial\ud reduction in child mortality. Breastfeeding promotion\ud strategies should specifically target mothers who have\ud more contact with the health care delivery system, while\ud programs targeting the entire community should be\ud continued