User acceptance of open enterprise solution: the OSS-ERP case

Organizations implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems with the objective of reaching operational efficiency and the incorporation to new markets through the information flow control on time of the entire organization. However, ERP systems are complex tools, mainly for the small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). For these reason, new ERP configurations have arisen for SMEs such as Open Source Software-ERP (OSS-ERP). OSS-ERP is a research topic barely analyzed by the literature. Specifically, this paper’s aim is to focus on the OSS-ERP users’ acceptance and use. The authors have developed a research model based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for testing the users’ behavior toward OSS-ERP.Las organizaciones implantan Sistemas Integrados de Gestión (ERP, acrónimo de Enterprise Resource Planning) con el objetivo de alcanzar eficiencias operativas y la incorporación a nuevos mercados mediante un mayor control del flujo de información de toda la empresa a tiempo real. Sin embargo, los sistemas ERP son herramientas complejas, principalmente la pequeña y mediana empresa (PYME). Por esta razón, están surgiendo nuevas configuraciones de sistemas ERP para PYME como los sistemas ERP de código abierto (OSS-ERP). OSS-ERP es un tópico de investigación escasamente analizado en la literatura. Concretamente, este artículo se centra en el y aceptación de los usuarios a los sistemas OSS-ERP. Los autores han desarrollado un modelo de investigación basado en Metamodelo de Aceptación de la Tecnología (TAM) para testar el comportamiento de los usuarios hacia los sistemas OSS-ERP

Effect of user experience on technology acceptance: the case of foss

Free and open source software (FOSS) movement essentially arises like answer to the evolution occurred in the market from the software, characterized by the closing of the source code. Furthermore, some FOSS characteristics, such as (1) the advance of this movement and (2) the attractiveness that contributes the voluntary and cooperative work, have increased the interest of the users towards free software. Traditionally, research in FOSS has focused on identifying individual personal motives for participating in the development of a FOSS project, analyzing specific FOSS solutions, or the FOSS movement itself. Nevertheless, the advantages of the FOSS for users and the effect of the demographic dimensions on user acceptance for FOSS have been two research topics with little attention. Specifically, this paper’s aim is to focus on the influence of the user experience with FOSS the FOSS acceptance. Based on the literature, user experience is an essential demographic dimension for explaining the Information Systems acceptance. With this purpose, the authors have developed a research model based on the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM).El movimiento asociado al software de código abierto (FOSS) surge como una respuesta a la evolución acontecida en el mercado del software, caracterizado por el cierre del código fuente. Además, algunas características del FOSS como (1) el avance de este movimiento y (2) el atractivo que suscita debido a que se construye bajo la filosofía de trabajo voluntario y cooperativo, ha incrementado el interés de los usuarios hacia FOSS. Tradicionalmente las investigaciones en FOSS han estado centradas en identificar las motivaciones personales de participar en el desarrollo de un proyecto FOSS. Mientras que las ventajas del FOSS para los usuarios y el efecto de las dimensiones demográficas en la aceptación de FOSS han sido dos tópicos de investigación con poca atención. Concretamente, este artículo se centra en analizar la influencia de la experiencia con FOSS en la propia aceptación de FOSS. Basado en la literatura, la experiencia del usuario es una dimensión demográfica esencial para explicar la aceptación de los Sistemas de Información. Con este propósito, los autores han desarrollado un modelo de investigación basado en el Metamodelo de Aceptación de la Tecnología (TAM)

Recent Highlights in Green Oxidative Chemical Processes Applied to Steroid Chemistry

Steroids and their oxidation products are widely distributed in living organisms and are important intermediates for the synthesis of many biologically active molecules. Due to their pharmacological and synthetic relevance, several oxidative chemical processes for the functionalization of the steroid nucleus have been developed. Green chemistry principles have been incorporated in some oxidative transformations of steroids, allowing significant advances in synthetic chemistry applied to these compounds. This chapter presents a selection of relevant applications of pharmaceutical green chemistry to steroid’s oxidative processes. Special emphasis is given to catalytic processes encompassing heterogeneous nanocatalysts, whose application in this context is increasing over the past years. This chapter is organized according to the reaction type that includes alcohol oxidation, epoxidation of alkenes, and allylic oxidation of alkenes to enones, among other relevant oxidative transformations. Biocatalytic oxidative methods applied to steroid synthesis are not included in this review

Flexural and shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams with a hybrid CFRP solution

An experimental program was carried out for assessing the performance of a hybrid solution composed by CFRP systems for the simultaneous flexural and shear strengthening of RC beams. CFRP laminates, applied according to NSM technique, are used for the flexural strengthening, while U‐shape CFRP discrete strips of wet lay‐up sheet, applied according to the EBR technique, are adopted for the shear strengthening. An anchorage system was applied at the extremities of these CFRP strips in an attempt of avoiding their premature debonding. The experimental results showed the hybrid strengthening solution is very effective, not only in terms of increasing the load carrying capacity of the beams, but also in assuring higher mobilization of the tensile capacity of the CFRP. The performance of the hybrid CFRP configuration that included the anchorage system for the shear strengthening was significantly higher than the one assured by other shear strengthening solutions that were applied in similar RC beams and tested until failure using the same test system adopted in this experimental program. The predictive performance of the ACI formulations proposed for estimating the contribution of CFRP systems for the flexural and shear resistance of RC beams was appraised considering the obtained experimental results.This work was supported by FEDER funds through the Operational Program for Competitiveness Factors ‐ COMPETE and National Funds through FCT ‐ Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project Spaflamis POCI‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐030956. The authors also acknowledges the support provided by the S&P® and “Empreiteiros Casais”

New strategies for optimal methane production from long chain fatty acids

High methane production can be expected from biodegradation of long chain fatty acids (LCFA) in anaerobic bioreactors; however, in practice, this process is limited by LCFA accumulation onto the sludge. To optimize methane production from LCFA-rich wastewater, two novel strategies were tested: (i) bioreactor start-up based on the alternation of continuous-feeding phases with batch-degradation phases, and (ii) bioreactor bioaugmentation with the LCFAdegrading bacterium Syntrophomonas zehnderi. Using the first strategy, and after five alternation cycles, continuous bioreactor operation at an organic loading rate (OLR) up to 21 kgCOD.m-3.day-1 (50% as oleate) was successfully applied, with an average methane yield of 72%. A specialized microbial community, exhibiting high LCFA-tolerance and high methanogenic activity, was developed. Methanobacterium- and Methanosaeta-like microorganisms prevailed in this system. Syntrophic activity was also shown to be an important factor for the efficient conversion of LCFA to methane. Anaerobic sludge amended with S. zehnderi and incubated in the presence of a solid microcarrier (sepiolite) achieved 1.7x higher methane yields and 4x higher methane production rates than the correspondent non-bioaugmented controls. This effect was more pronounced in bioaugmented assays amended with sepiolite+Fe(OH)3. This work opens new perspectives for efficient treatment of LCFA-rich wastewater combined with high methane recovery

6β-Acetamido-5α-hydroxy­cholestan-3β-yl acetate

The title steroid, C31H53NO4, was prepared from the corresponding 5α,6α-epoxy­cholestane. The conformation of the six-membered rings is close to a chair form, while the five-membered ring adopts a twist conformation. The hydroxyl and acetamide groups are in axial positions. The nucleophilic species bound to the steroid nucleus at position 6 by the β-face, whereas the hydroxyl group at position 5 has α-orientation. All rings are trans-fused. The crystal packing shows that the mol­ecules related by twofold symmetry exist as O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonded dimers