The moderator role of Gender in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT): A study on users of Electronic Document Management Systems

Venkatesh et al. [1] tried to integrate predictability capabilities from the different existing models of technology acceptance. This produced the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). This comprehensive model resulted in the identification of common aspects. It proposed several constructs with a greater explanatory power and analyzed moderating drivers, such as age, Gender, experience and voluntariness of use. By doing so, UTAUT identifies three major drivers of behavioral intention: performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence. On the other hand, facilitating conditions and behavioral intention were identified as determinant factors of actual use [1]. In addition to previous considerations about UTAUT, empirical research has scarcely analyzed the moderating role of Gender [2]. This is why this paper particularly aims to fill this gap. Hofstede [3] describes strength, competitiveness and guidance for material success as social roles linked to male values, whilst modesty, tenderness, sensitivity and concern for the quality of life are values associated with women. With respect to UTAUT, existing studies have shown that performance expectancy positively influences behavioral intention more strongly for men (cf. [4], [5], [6] and [7]). Moreover, it has been observed that effort expectancy positively influences behavioral intention more strongly for women (cf. [4], [5] and [6]), while social influence positively affects behavioral intention more strongly for women (cf. [5], [7] and [8]). In our research, with the aim of testing the moderating effects of Gender, a sample of 2,175 users of Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS) in Portuguese municipalities was used. Taking into account that Gender is a categorical variable, we have adopted a multi-group or multi-sample analysis [9] -dividing the sample into two groups (male = 748; female = 1,427) and estimating each group of observations separately. Before comparing the groups, an analysis of the measurement invariance was carried out to make sure that the construct measures were invariant between both groups [10]. Once the metric invariance had been assessed, we carried out a set of multi-group analyses –interpreting statistically-significant differences in path coefficients as moderating effects. On the one hand, the parametric approach considering both equal variances and different variances has been used [11, 12]. On the other hand, we have applied non-parametric approaches exemplified by the permutation test [13], and Henseler’s PLS multi-group analysis [10, 12, 14]. This study notes slight differences in the results of the aforementioned methods. As a result, the moderating effect of Gender on the relation between performance expectancy and behavioral intention showed that this relationship is stronger among men than women. Finally, a discussion on the implications of Gender as a moderator for the UTAUT model is included

Determinants of User Acceptance of a Local eGovernment Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)

On numerous occasions the significant value of the investments involved in the development of eGovernment and the expectations of governmental information systems use do not correspond to the rate of effective use. This scenario makes it difficult to justify the development of electronic government by governments and local authorities among its citizens. It is therefore important to understand the factors that influence the employees' intention of using governmental information systems. With the aim of understanding the determining factors of using an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) in the context of Portuguese municipalities, this study develops an empirical analysis using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, (Venkatesh et al., 2003). This model's application for information systems research in the governmental context has a weak expression and is unique in EDMS research. This empirical research follows a realist and positivist approach. Data was collected from a survey answered by 2,175 employees of Portuguese municipalities (EDMS users). Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used to test the model proposed. The results showed that Intention to Use is positively affected by Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions. With respect to the EDMS Use, the results showed that it is positively influenced by Intention to Use and Facilitating Conditions. The main result indicates that EDMS users believe that the use of this information system will help them to obtain performance benefits in their work. However, the increasing use of EDMS is not very influenced by the system's perceived ease of use. In short, this study provides a contribution to the Information Systems Acceptance and Adoption literature in local eGovernmental contexts. In addition, our contribution empirically tests the model for implementation in governmental organizations and provides a better understanding of the adoption and use of an EDM

Scale-Up and Demonstration of Fly Ash Ozonation Tech

This is the third quarterly report under DOE Cooperative Agreement No.: DE-FC26-03NT41730. Due a number of circumstances, mostly associated with subcontractor agreements, the actual beginning of the project was delayed from its original award date of March 5, 2003. DOE's Project Manager was kept informed (verbally) by PPL's Project Manager throughout this period. Because of this delay, this is the third quarterly report and it refers to the time period from October to December 2004. As the project is in its ''pre-deployment'' stage, no results are available. This report summarizes the ongoing activities and provides an updated schedule. No significant issues or concerns are identified

First-order decay models to describe soil C-CO2 Loss after rotary tillage

Para entendimento do impacto do preparo do solo sobre as emissões de CO2 desenvolvemos e aplicamos dois modelos conceituais que são capazes de prever a emissão de CO2 do solo após seu preparo em função da emissão da parcela sem distúrbio, acrescida de uma correção devido ao preparo. Os modelos assumem que o carbono presente na matéria orgânica lábil segue uma cinética de decaimento de primeira ordem, dada pela seguinte equação: dCsoil (t) / dt = -k Csoil (t), e que a emissão de C-CO2 é proporcional a taxa de decaimento do C no solo, onde Csolo(t) é a quantidade de carbono lábil disponível no tempo (t) e k é a constante de decaimento (tempo-1). Duas suposições foram testadas para determinação das emissões após o preparo do solo (Fp): a constante de decaimento do carbono lábil do solo (k) antes e após o preparo é igual (Modelo 1) ou desigual (Modelo 2). Conseqüentemente, a relação entre os fluxos de C das parcelas sem distúrbio (F SD) e onde o preparo do solo foi conduzido (F P) são dadas por: F P = F SD + a1 e-a2t (modelo 1) e F P = a3 F SD e-a4t (modelo 2), onde t é o tempo após o preparo. Fluxos de CO2 previstos e observados relevam um bom ajuste dos resultados com coeficiente de determinação (R²) tão alto quanto 0,91. O modelo 2 produz um ajuste ligeiramente superior quando comparado com o outro modelo. A velocidade das pás da enxada rotativa foi relacionada a um aumento na quantidade de carbono lábil e nas modificações do tempo de residência médio do carbono lábil do solo após preparo. A vantagem desta metodologia é que a variabilidade temporal das emissões induzidas pelo preparo do solo pode ser descrita a partir de uma função analítica simples, que inclui a emissão da parcela sem distúrbio e um termo exponencial modulado por parâmetros dependentes do preparo e de condições ambientais onde o experimento foi conduzido.To further understand the impact of tillage on CO2 emission, the applicability of two conceptual models was tested, which describe the CO2 emission after tillage as a function of the non-tilled emission plus a correction due to the tillage disturbance. Models assume that C in readily decomposable organic matter follows a first-order reaction kinetics equation as: dCsoil (t) / dt = -k Csoil (t), and that soil C-CO2 emission is proportional to the C decay rate in soil, where Csoil(t) is the available labile soil C (g m-2) at any time (t) and k is the decay constant (time-1). Two possible assumptions were tested to determine the tilled (F T) fluxes: the decay constants (k) of labile soil C before and after tillage are different (Model 1) or not (Model 2). Accordingly, C flux relationships between non-tilled (F NT) and tilled (F T) conditions are given by: F T = F NT + a1 e-a2t (model 1) and F T = a3 F NT e-a4t (model 2), where t is time after tillage. Predicted and observed CO2 fluxes presented good agreement based on the coefficient of determination (R² = 0.91). Model comparison revealed a slightly improved statistical fit of model 2, where all C pools are assigned with the same k constant. Rotary speed was related to increases in the amount of labile C available and to changes of the mean resident labile C pool available after tillage. This approach allows describing the temporal variability of tillage-induced emissions by a simple analytical function, including non-tilled emission plus an exponential term modulated by tillage and environmentally dependent parameters

A Recording Form for Differential Diagnosis of Arthropathies

The present study is focused on a group of arthropathies that may have very similar bone manifestations (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis), which makes it more difficult to diagnose them in human remains from archaeological contexts. A stepwise recording form was designed in order to improve the identification and differential diagnosis of these pathological conditions in bone remains, particularly in joint manifestations of the spine, pelvis, hands, feet and other limb joints. This recording form was applied in the analysis of two medieval individuals from the Basque Country (Spain) who presented very severe arthropathic manifestations. The use of this recording form allowed the researchers the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis in one of them and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in the other.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (GCL2016-79093/P), and grants from the Basque Government to Research Groups of the Basque University System (IT1138-16). We are grateful to Mikel Neira, Director of the archaeological intervention in the medieval necropolis of San Miguel de Erenozar for the archaeological data. Besides, the Institutions that granted permission for human remains study, including the Government of the Basque Country (Cultural Heritage Dept.) and the Archaeology Museum of Bizkaia

Environmental factors modulated ancient mitochondrial DnA variability and the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in the Basque country

Among the factors that would explain the distribution of mitochondrial lineages in Europe, climate and diseases may have played an important role. A possible explanation lies in the nature of the mitochondrion, in which the energy generation process produces reactive oxygen species that may influence the development of different diseases. The present study is focused on the medieval necropolis of San Miguel de Erenozar (13th-16th centuries, Basque Country), whose inhabitants presented a high prevalence of rheumatic diseases and lived during the Little Ice Age (LIA). Our results indicate a close relationship between rheumatic diseases and mitochondrial haplogroup H, and specifically between spondyloarthropathies and sub-haplogroup H2. One possible explanation may be the climate change that took place in the LIA that favoured those haplogroups that were more energy-efficient, such as haplogroup H, to endure lower temperatures and food shortage. However, it had a biological trade-off: the increased risk of developing rheumatic diseases.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (GCL2016-79093/P), and grants from the Basque Government to Research Groups of the Basque University System (IT1138-16) and to Imanol Martin Laza (2014_1_326). We are grateful to the Institutions that granted permission for human remains study, including the Cultural Heritage Department of the Government of the Basque Country and the Archaeology Museum of Bizkaia

Selective Oxidative Dearomatization of Angular Tetracyclic Phenols by Controlled Irradiation under Air: Synthesis of an Angucyclinone-Type Double Peroxide with Anticancer Properties

Angular tetracyclic p-peroxyquinols, p-quinols and a pentacyclic double peroxide, showing anticancer properties, were Selective oxidative dearomatization of angular tetracyclic phenols by controlled irradiation under air: synthesis of an angucyclinone‐type double peroxide with anticancer properties María J. Cabrera-Afonso,a Silvia R. Lucena,b Ángeles Juarranz,b Antonio Urbano,*a,c M. Carmen Carreño*a,c aDepartamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain. bDepartamento de Biología, UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain. cInstitute for Advanced Research in Chemical Sciences (IAdChem), UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain. Supporting Information Placeholder synthesized from the corresponding phenols by an environmentally friendly solvent- and wavelength-controlled irradiation under air in the absence of an external photosensitizerWe thank MINECO (Grants CTQ2017-83309-P, CTQ2014-53894R and FIS PI15/00974) for financial suppor

The domestic dog that lived ∼17,000 years ago in the Lower Magdalenian of Erralla site (Basque Country): A radiometric and genetic analysis

Dogs are known to be the first species domesticated by humans, although the geographic and temporal origin of this process is still under debate in different fields of knowledge. In the present study, we examined a humerus from a canid recovered in the Lower Magdalenian level of the site of Erralla (Zestoa, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain), combining morphology, radiocarbon dating and genetics. Our results confirm the identification of this specimen as Canis lupus familiaris, discarding miss-identification with a dhole (Cuon alpinus) through genetic analyses of cytochrome b gene and mtDNA haplogroup. The direct AMS 14C dating (17,410–17,096 cal. BP) indicated that the Erralla specimen represents one of the earliest domesticated dogs in Europe, in the Lower Cantabrian Magdalenian period. We discuss our results in the light of the debate of the origin of dogs, conducting a critical review of the datings of sites of Eurasia that have provided remains of Paleolithic and Mesolithic dogs, including the so-called “dog-like wolves”.This research was supported by a Basque Government Grant for the study of the Erralla canid (C.R.) and for Research Groups in the Basque University Education System (IT 1693-22). The award of a predoctoral fellowship to A.S.J.N. by the Spanish Government (FPU, Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidades) and a previous fellowship by the Basque Government contributed to this research

FrpA Is the Outer Membrane Piscibactin Transporter in Vibrio Anguillarum: Structural Elements in Synthetic Piscibactin Analogues Required for Transport

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade da Coruña/CISUG[Abstract] Piscibactin (Pcb) is a labile siderophore widespread among Vibrionaceae. Its production is a major virulence factor of some fish pathogens such as Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida and Vibrio anguillarum. Although FrpA was previously suggested as the putative outer membrane transporter (OMT) for ferri-piscibactin, its role in piscibactin uptake was never demonstrated. In this work, we generated mutants of V. anguillarum defective in FrpA and analyzed their ability to use piscibactin as iron source. The results showed that inactivation of frpA completely disables piscibactin utilization, and the original phenotype could be restored by gene complementation, confirming that FrpA is the OMT that mediates ferri-Pcb uptake. Additionally, the ability of several Pcb thiazole analogues, with different configurations at positions 9, 10, and 13, to be internalized through FrpA, was evaluated measuring their ability to promote growth under iron deficiency of several indicator strains. The results showed that while those analogues with a thiazole ring maintain almost the same activity as Pcb, the maintenance of the hydroxyl group present in natural piscibactin configuration at position C-13 is crucial for Fe³⁺ chelation and, in consequence, for the recognition of the ferri-siderophore by the cognate OMT. All these findings allowed us to propose a Pcb analogue as a good candidate to vectorize antimicrobial compounds, through the Trojan horse strategy, to develop novel compounds against bacterial fish diseases.This work was supported by grants RTI2018-093634-B-C21/C22 (AEI/FEDER, EU), cofunded by the FEDER Programme from the European Union, and by Grant PID2019-103891RJ-100 (AEI) from the Agency for Research (AEI) of Spain. Work in University of Santiago de Compostela and University of A Coruña was also supported by grants GRC2018/018 and GRC2018/039, respectively, from Xunta de Galicia and BLUEBIOLAB (0474_BLUEBIOLAB_1_E), Programme INTERREG V A of Spain-Portugal (POCTEP). L.A. thanks Xunta de Galicia (Spain) for a predoctoral fellowship (ED481A-2019/081) co-financed by European Social Fund (ESF). Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer NatureXunta de Galicia; GRC2018/018Xunta de Galicia; GRC2018/039Xunta de Galicia; ED481A-2019/08