A green chemistry approach for the synthesis and characterization of bioactive gold nanoparticles using Azolla microphylla methanol extract

This article reports the environmentally benign synthesis of gold nanoparticles （GNPs） using methanol extract of Azolla microphylla as the stabilizing and reducing agent. The GNPs were characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry and FTIR, and the morphological characteristics were analyzed by XRD, FESEM-EDX and HRTEM. The GNPs could be formed in very short time, even in less than 30 min. The nanoparticles measured by UV-spectrophotometer demonstrated a peak at 540 nm corresponding to surface plasmon resonance spectra, and the peaks showed by FTIR suggested the presence of organic biomolecules on the surface of the GNPs. XRD results confirmed the crystalline nature of the GNPs, and FESEM-EDX and HRTEM analyses had been performed in the size ranges of 17-40nm and 1.25-17.5nm respectively. The synthesized GNPs showed excellent antioxidant activity. This study shows the feasibility of using plant sources for the biosynthesis of GNPs.     

Investigating the role of business processes and knowledge management systems on performance: A multi-case study approach

In the ever-changing and competitive market place, organisations continuously need to improve their competitive advantage. One method to accomplish this is to form collaborative networks. Both knowledge management (KM) and KM systems play a pivotal role in the success of collaborative networks since information sharing and knowledge assets are so critical to the network. There has been a vast amount of research on KM systems but very little is known about how it affects individual and organisational performance. Drawing on the task–technology fit theory, in this study, we explore the fit or alignment between business process (task) and KM systems (technology) and its impact on KM systems utilisation based on multiple case studies. Subsequently, we investigate the impacts of both the task–technology fit and KM systems utilisation on individual and business performance. This paper contributes to the collaborative network/KM literature in several ways. First, it extends the task–technology fit theory to an important context of collaborative network/KM. Second, it replaces task with business process, which has the potential to help explain KM systems’ success on business performance. Third, the paper explores the positive impact of task–technology fit on KM system utilisation and business performance. Fourth and finally, the study provides insight into the future development of KM systems and how to better align them with managerial purposes.     

Comparing a Pharmaceutical and an Agro-food Bioregion: On the Importance of Knowledge Bases for Socio-spatial Patterns of Innovation

The aim of this paper is to compare the socio-spatial patterns of innovation and knowledge linkages of a biopharmaceutical and an agro-food biotech cluster. Dissimilarities can be expected based on differences in terms of historical technological regimes and sectoral innovation system dynamics between the agro-food and pharmaceutical industries in general and particularly the distinctive analytical (science-based) knowledge base of biopharmaceuticals in contrast with the more synthetic (engineering-based) knowledge base of agro-food biotechnology. Drawing on bibliometric data and case material the study compares two representative bioregions: a biopharmaceutical cluster in Scania, Sweden and an agro-food biotech cluster in Saskatoon, Canada. The empirical study supports the theoretical expectations and shows that knowledge dynamics in the agro-food cluster are more localized than in the biopharmaceuticals cluster. It is important, however, to acknowledge that these differences are relative. Both sectors display local and non-local patterns of collaboration following the general pattern for biotechnology.     

Towards an approach of synthesis,validation and implementation of distributed control for AMS by using events ordering relations

We study distributed control synthesis and validation for automated manufacturing systems (AMS) in the framework of supervisory control theory. To reduce the size of the control problem, we view an AMS as comprised of asynchronous subsystems which are coupled through imposed logical Boolean specifications. The principle of the distributed control approach is the decomposition of the global monolithic control action into local coordinated control strategies for the individual subsystems. Owing to its importance in a distributed scheme, the order in which events occur arouses interest. By extending our previous results, we develop a set of rules of events precedence ordering, under which the control strategy via decomposition promises the subsystems synchronisation and coordination. We show how these rules contribute to reduce the size of the controller models used in the verification/validation and implementation steps. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by means of an industrial AMS example.     

Evaluation of the validity of the scalar approximation in optical wave propagation using a systems approach and an accurate digital electromagnetic model

The cause and amount of error arising from the use of the scalar approximation in monochromatic optical wave propagation are discussed using a signals and systems formulation. Based on Gauss’s Law, the longitudinal component of an electric field is computed from the transverse components by passing the latter through a two input single output linear shift-invariant system. The system is analytically characterized both in the space and frequency domains. For propagating waves, the large response for the frequencies near the limiting wave number indicates the small angle requirement for the validity of the scalar approximation. Also, a discrete simulator is developed to compute the longitudinal component from the transverse components for monochromatic propagating electric fields. The simulator output helps to evaluate the validity of the scalar approximation when the system output cannot be analytically calculated.