Handle mergers and acquisitions with care: the fragility of trust between the IT-service provider and end-users

Information technology (IT) implementation continues to be a challenging process for many organizations. The challenge is heightened when systems are changed due to mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The recent focus on IT-service management highlights the importance of having positive relationships between IT-service providers and end-users. In an M&A situation, there is often little history, and thus limited basis for trust in the IT organization, yet systems often need to be changed in these situations. The current study examines the IT-service provider’s relationship with the end-user to ascertain the factors that influence that relationship and ultimately influence end-user attitudes toward the new system. We study a mandated implementation following an acquisition in the banking industry. The results highlight the important and fragile nature of trust in the IT-service provider. In addition, the results demonstrate that there are significant differences in what matters at what time during the implementation process.     

No Neuromuscular Side-Effects of Scopolamine in Sensorimotor Control and Force-Generating Capacity Among Parabolic Fliers

Scopolamine is used to counteract motion sickness in parabolic flight (PF) experiments. Although the drug’s anticholinergic properties effectively impede vomiting, recent studies document other sensory side-effects in the central nervous system that may considerably influence sensorimotor performance. This study aimed to quantify such effects in order to determine if they are of methodological and operational significance for sensorimotor control. Ten subjects of a PF campaign received a weight-sex-based dose of a subcutaneous scopolamine injection. Sensorimotor performance was recorded before medication, 20min, 2h and 4h after injection in four space-relevant paradigms: balance control in one-leg stance with eyes open (protocol 1) and closed as well as force-generating capacity in countermovement jumps and hops (protocol 2). Postural sway, forces and joint angles were recorded. Neuromuscular control was assessed by electromyography and peripheral nerve stimulation; H-reflexes and M-waves were used to monitor spinal excitability of the Ia afferent reflex circuitry and maximal motor output. (1) H-reflex amplitudes, latencies and functional reflexes remained unchanged after scopolamine injection. (2) M-waves, neuromuscular activation intensities and antagonistic muscle coordination did not change with scopolamine administration. (3) Balance performance and force-generating capacity were not impeded by scopolamine. We found no evidence for changes in sensorimotor control in response to scopolamine injection. Sensory processing of daily relevant reflexes, spinal excitability, maximal motor output and performance parameters were not sensitive to the medication. We conclude that scopolamine administration can be used to counteract motion sickness in PF without methodological and operational concerns or interference regarding sensorimotor skills associated with neuromuscular control.     

Production of 2,3-butanediol from diverse saccharides via fermentation

The present study aimed to evaluate the potential use of whey to produce 2,3-BD via the fermentation of lactose and its monosaccharides, glucose and galactose, in a synthetic culture medium (medium 9, M9) using a modified strain of Escherichia coli K12 MG1655 (E. coli JFR12) at a 0.1 L/L (10 vol%) inoculum ratio, 37 °C, atmospheric pressure, an initial pH 7.4, and 100 rpm for 72 h varying the saccharide concentration from 12.5, 25, and 50 g/L. The 2,3-BD yield was ∼80 % of the theoretical yield using 25 g/L of glucose and lactose, corresponding to 0.38 g/g saccharides at a fermentation time of 48 h (glucose) and 72 h (lactose). However, the 2,3-BD yield was halved (0.19 g/g galactose), fermenting 25 g/L of galactose at 48 h. Taking into account these results, two important conclusions were determined: i) E. coli JFR12 could transform galactose into 2,3-BD although its yield was half of the yield observed with glucose at 48 h; and ii) E. coli JFR12 was as efficient as other natural 2,3-BD producers such as Klebsiella species fermenting lactose. However, the E. coli strain has the advantage of being an innocuous strain. To the best of our knowledge, there is no other study presenting the production of 2,3-BD from galactose and lactose with a genetically modified E. coli strain.     

Effects of Using Alternative Extreme Pressure (EP) and Anti-Wear (AW) Additives with Oxy-Nitrided Samples

Oxy-nitriding is a widely used industrial process aiming to improve the tribological properties and performance of components. Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of the treatment with friction and wear performance, but very few have focussed on optimising this behaviour. The lubrication properties of several EP and AW additives were examined to investigate their effectiveness in improving the tribological properties of the layers formed after treatment. Previous studies showed the presence of an oxide layer on the sample could improve the effectiveness of the sulphurised olefin (SO) and tricresyl phosphate (TCP) additives. The friction and wear behaviour of oxy-nitrided samples were analysed using a tribometer and surface profiler. Scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to identify the morphologies and chemical compositions of the treated surface before and after testing. No real effect on friction was observed when using the SO or TCP additives, mostly due to lack of interaction with the less reactive iron nitride layer and their roles as anti-wear additives. However, when the zinc dialkyldithiophosphate-containing lubricant was used, a higher friction coefficient was observed. Greater improvements in anti-wear properties with the presence of additives in comparison with only using base oil were reported, with the TCP additive producing the lowest wear rates. The study effectively demonstrated that the additive package type used could impact the tribological and tribochemical properties of oxy-nitrided surfaces.     

Internal and external factors of competitiveness shaping the future of wooden multistory construction in Finland and Sweden

In transitioning to a renewable material-based bio economy, growing public and industry interest is apparent for using wooden multistory construction (WMC) as a sustainable urban housing solution in Europe, but its business implications are not well understood. In our study, we evaluate, which internal and external factors of competitiveness are shaping the future of WMC, especially in the context of Finland and Sweden. Based on a multi-level perspective of socio-technical transitions, we conducted a three-stage dissensus-based Delphi study. The identified internal and external factors affecting the future competitiveness of the WMC business emphasize the importance of skilled architects and builders and the role of standardized building systems. Based on our results, the key aspects influencing the future competitiveness of WMC in the region are related to the development of technical infrastructure and project-based business networks, while additional changes in regulatory framework are perceived as less important. We conclude that towards 2030, the strong cognitive rules founded in the concrete-based building culture in these countries is likely to inhibit the dynamics of the socio-technical regime level. A change is also needed in the WMC business culture towards more open cross-sectoral collaboration and new business networks between different-sized players.     

The role of livestock diversification in ensuring household food security under a changing climate in Borana,Ethiopia

While food insecurity is a growing concern across the developing nations, accentuated by climate variability and change, it could be even worse for pastoralists given their unpredictable exposure to climate risks. The Borana herders experience food insecurity as a result of recurring droughts causing huge losses of cattle, and are thus increasingly shifting from cattle pastoralism to multi-species herding. The present study examines the role of livestock diversification in combating household food insecurity using herders’ perceptions, a modified household food insecurity access scale (mHFIAS) and dietary diversity score. Herders perceived child growth, adult height and body condition to be decreasing as a result of declining milk production and changing dietary trends. Results also revealed a high level of seasonal food insecurity and low dietary diversity with the majority (81 %) consuming one to three food groups. Livestock diversification was a major factor affecting household food security. Households practising diversification had significantly fewer months of food deficit (2.3 vs. 3.8), lower mHFIAS (5.5 vs. 8.7) and a higher average off-take in the form of livestock sales (7.4 vs. 4.0) than non-diversified ones. Diversification improved dietary intake of specific food groups and the average number of meals consumed per day. While fruits, eggs and fish are not part of the Borana diet, a large number of respondents consumed no vegetables (93 %) or meat (96 %), potentiating the risk of micronutrient deficiencies. This study highlights the particular significance of livestock diversification, among other socio-demographic factors, in attaining food security under a changing climate in the study area.     

The New ChemPren Process for the Conversion of Waste Plastic to Chemicals and Fuel

A new technology, ChemPren, is being developed for the catalytic conversion of mixed municipal waste plastic to valuable chemicals and fuel. ChemPren provides a sustainable, clean energy solution to society’s challenge of addressing the 100+ million tons of waste plastic generated annually worldwide. Currently only 7 % is recycled, with the remaining 93+ million being discarded to landfills or burned without useful energy generation.     

An evidential approach for detection of abnormal behaviour in the presence of unreliable sensors

We address the problem of abnormal behaviour recognition of the inhabitant of a smart home in the presence of unreliable sensors. The corner stone of this work is a two-level architecture sensor fusion based on the Transferable Belief Model (TBM). The novelty of our work lies in the way we detect both unreliable sensors and abnormal behaviour within our architecture by using a temporal analysis of conflict resulting from the fusion of sensors. Detection of abnormal behaviour is based on a prediction/observation process and the influence of the faulty sources is discarded by discounting coefficients. Our architecture is tested in a real-life setting using three heterogeneous sensors enabling the detection of impossible transitions between three possible postures: Sitting, Standing and Lying. The impact of having a faulty sensor management is also tested in the real-life experiment for posture detection.     

Rumination activity of dairy cows in the 24 hours before and after calving

Monitoring rumination behavior serves multiple purposes in feeding and herd management of dairy cows. The process of calving is a major event for cows, and a detailed understanding of alterations in behavioral patterns of animals in the time around calving is important in calving detection. The objective of this study was to describe the short-term changes in rumination patterns in dairy cows immediately before and after parturition. In total, 17 cows were fitted with rumination sensors that were able to monitor rumination time, number of rumination boli, and number of rumination jaw movements. Rumination time was decreased in the last 4 h antepartum and in the first 8 h postpartum. Cows stopped ruminating 123 ± 58 min (mean ± standard deviation) before calving and resumed ruminating 355 ± 194 min after calving. The number of rumination jaw movements and boli per day were decreased in the 24-h period postpartum. Rumination rate, the number of rumination jaw movements per rumination minute, and the number of boli per rumination minute changed little around calving. The calving event primarily influenced the duration and frequency of various rumination characteristics but not rumination intensity. Among detected characteristics, rumination time showed the greatest potential for monitoring of calving events.