The art of building trust via e-communication channels: Post-acquisition integration as a special context

This study discusses the importance of establishing trust in post-acquisition integration context and how the use of e-channels facilitates or inhibits this process. The objective of this study is to analyze how the use of electronic communication channels influences the post-acquisition integration process in terms of trust establishment and overall integration efficiency, developing a framework as a result. Three sub-objectives are introduced: to find out the building blocks of trust in M&A’s, to analyse how the use of e-channels influence the process of trust establishment in post-acquisition integration context, and to define the consequences trust and use of e-channels have for the process. The theoretical background of the study includes literature and theories relating to trust establishment in post-acquisition integration context and how the use of e-channels influences the process of trust development on a general level. The empirical research is conducted as a single case study, based on key informant interviews. The interview data was collected between October 2015 and January 2016. Altogether nine interviews were realised; six with representatives from the acquiring firm and three with target firm members. Thematic analysis was selected as the main method for analysing and processing the qualitative data. This study finds that trust has an essential role in post-acquisition integration context, facilitating the integration process in various different ways. Hence, identifying the different building blocks of trust is important in order for members of the organisations to be better able establish and maintain trust. In today’s international business, the role of electronic communication channels has also increased in importance significantly and it was confirmed that these pose both challenges and possibilities for the development of interpersonal trust. One of the most important underlying factors influencing the trust levels via e-communication channels is the level of user’s comfort in using the different e-channels. Without sufficient and meaningful training, the communication conducted via these channels in inhibited in a number of ways. Hence, understanding the defining characteristics of e-communication together with the risks and opportunities related to the use of these can have far-reaching consequences for the post-acquisition integration process as a whole. The framework based on the findings and existing theory introduces the most central factors influencing the trust establishment together with the positive and negative consequences these have for the integration process. Moreover, organizational level consistency and the existence of shared guidelines on appropriate selection of communication channels according to the nature of the task at hand are seen as important

Optical Waveguides and Structures for Short Haul Optical Communication Channels within Printed Circuit Boards

Optical waveguides have shown promising results for use within printed circuit boards. These optical waveguides have higher bandwidth than traditional copper transmission systems and are immune to electromagnetic interference. Design parameters for these optical waveguides are needed to ensure an optimal link budget. Modeling and simulation methods are used to determine the optimal design parameters needed in designing the waveguides. As a result, optical structures necessary for incorporating optical waveguides into printed circuit boards are designed and optimized. Embedded siloxane polymer waveguides are investigated for their use in optical printed circuit boards. This material was chosen because it has low absorption, high temperature stability, and can be deposited using common processing techniques. Two sizes of waveguides are investigated, 50 $unit{mu m}$ multimode and 4 - 9 $unit{mu m}$ single mode waveguides. A beam propagation method is developed for simulating the multimode and single mode waveguide parameters. The attenuation of simulated multimode waveguides are able to match the attenuation of fabricated waveguides with a root mean square error of 0.192 dB. Using the same process as the multimode waveguides, parameters needed to ensure a low link loss are found for single mode waveguides including maximum size, minimum cladding thickness, minimum waveguide separation, and minimum bend radius. To couple light out-of-plane to a transmitter or receiver, a structure such as a vertical interconnect assembly (VIA) is required. For multimode waveguides the optimal placement of a total internal reflection mirror can be found without prior knowledge of the waveguide length. The optimal placement is found to be either 60 µm or 150 µm away from the end of the waveguide depending on which metric a designer wants to optimize the average output power, the output power variance, or the maximum possible power loss. For single mode waveguides a volume grating coupler is designed to couple light from a silicon waveguide to a polymer single mode waveguide. A focusing grating coupler is compared to a perpendicular grating coupler that is focused by a micro-molded lens. The focusing grating coupler had an optical loss of over -14 dB, while the grating coupler with a lens had an optical loss of -6.26 dB.

Chaotic Synchronization in Discrete-Time Systems Connected by Bandlimited Channels

Due to the broadband characteristic of chaotic signals, many of the methods that have been proposed for synchronizing chaotic systems do not usually present a satisfactory performance when applied to bandlimited communication channels. Here, the effects of bandwidth limitations imposed by the channel on the synchronous solution of a discrete-time chaotic master-slave network are investigated. The discrete-time system considered in this study is the Henon map. It is analytically shown that synchronism can be achieved in such a network by introducing a digital filter in the feedback loop responsible for generating the chaotic signal that will be sent to the slave node. Numerical simulations relating the filter parameters, such as its order and cut-off frequency, to the maximum Lyapunov exponent of the master node, which determines if the transmitted signal is chaotic or not, are also presented. These results can be useful for practical communication schemes based on chaos.

A new joint coding and modulation scheme for channels with clipping

A major limitation in any high-performance digital communication system is the linearity region of the transmitting amplifier. Nonlinearities typically lead to signal clipping. Efficient communication in such conditions requires maintaining a low peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) in the transmitted signal while achieving a high throughput of data. Excessive PAR leads either to frequent clipping or to inadequate resolution in the analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog converters. Currently proposed signaling schemes for future generation wireless communications suffer from a high PAR. This paper presents a new signaling scheme for channels with clipping which achieves a PAR as low as 3. For a given linear range in the transmitter's digital-to-analog converter, this scheme achieves a lower bit-error rate than existing multicarrier schemes, owing to increased separation between constellation points. We present the theoretical basis for this new scheme, approximations for the expected bit-error rate, and simulation results. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Unlimited or disrupted communication? How does the development of the mobile phone effect our ability of social action?

The aim of this essay is to discuss the thesis of the German Sociologist Günter Burkhart that in modern societies a phenomenon appeared which he calls “handymania”, an excessive and nearly addictive use of the mobile phones especially from adolescents. After a short overview about the history of the cell phone, I will relate this development to Jürgen Habermas “theory of communicative action”, more precisely to his diagnosis of a pathological society (“lifeworld”) to find out if the “handymania” could be one expression of it. Adjacent I will present social-psychological theories from E.H.Erikson and Tilmann Habermas to ascertain whether juveniles could really be a high-risk group for this kind of addiction. I will focus on the ability to communicate in an Habermasian way that could be seriously harmed by the unregulated usage of cell phones.

Distributed controllers modeling through Petri nets with multi-asynchronous-channels

This paper proposes the concept of multi-asynchronous-channel for Petri nets. Petri nets extended with multi-asynchronous-channels and time-domains support the specification of distributed controllers, where each controller has a synchronous execution but the global system is asynchronous (globally-asynchronous locally-synchronous systems). Each multi-asynchronous-channel specify the interaction between two or more distributed controllers. These channels, together with the time-domain concept, ensure the creation of network-independent models to support implementations using heterogeneous communication networks. The created models support not only the systems documentation but also their validation and implementation through simulation tools, verification tools, and automatic code generators. An application example illustrates the use of a Petri net class extended with the proposed channels. © 2015 IEEE.

Quantity or quality? The professionalization of social media communication in Portugal and Germany: a comparison

As the worldwide growth of social media usage and institutionalization by organizations rise worldwide little is known about the degree of professionalization that has occurred. By comparing data between two asynchronous countries this research project offers insights into its strategic usage as well as discovering an interesting dynamic between activity and professionalization.

Deadlock avoidance with virtual channels

High Performance Computing is a rapidly evolving area of computer science which attends to solve complicated computational problems with the combination of computational nodes connected through high speed networks. This work concentrates on the networks problems that appear in such networks and specially focuses on the Deadlock problem that can decrease the efficiency of the communication or even destroy the balance and paralyze the network. Goal of this work is the Deadlock avoidance with the use of virtual channels, in the switches of the network where the problem appears. The deadlock avoidance assures that will not be loss of data inside network, having as result the increased latency of the served packets, due to the extra calculation that the switches have to make to apply the policy.

Participation of connexin-based channels in the control of vascular function

SUMMARYIntercellular communication is achieved at specialized regions of the plasma membrane by gap junctions. The proteins constituting the gap junctions are called connexins and are encoded by a family of genes highly conserved during evolution. In adult mouse, four connexins (Cxs) are known to be expressed in the vasculature: Cx37, Cx40, Cx43 and Cx45. Several recent studies have provided evidences that vascular connexins expression and blood pressure regulation are closely linked, suggesting a role for connexins in the control of blood pressure. However, the precise function that each vascular connexin plays under physiological and pathophysiological conditions is still not elucidated. In this context, this work was dedicated to evaluate the contribution of each of the four vascular connexins in the control of the vascular function and in the blood pressure regulation.In the present work, we first demonstrated that vascular connexins are differently regulated by hypertension in the mouse aorta. We also observed that endothelial connexins play a regulatory role on eNOS expression levels and function in the aorta, therefore in the control of vascular tone. Then, we demonstrated that Cx40 plays a pivotal role in the kidney by regulating the renal levels of COX-2 and nNOS, two key enzymes of the macula densa known to participate in the control of renin secreting cells. We also found that Cx43 forms the functional gap junction involved in intercellular Ca2+ wave propagation between vascular smooth muscle cells. Finally, we have started to generate transgenic mice expressing specifically Cx40 in the endothelium to investigate the involvement of Cx40 in the vasomotor tone, or in the renin secreting cells to evaluate the role of Cx40 in the control of renin secretion.In conclusion, this work has allowed us to identify new roles for connexins in the vasculature. Our results suggest that vascular connexins could be interesting targets for new therapies caring hypertension and vascular diseases.

Acid-sensing ion channels : modulation by serine-proteases and involvement in acid-induced action potential generation in hippocampal neurons

SUMMARY Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are non-voltage gated sodium channels. They are activated by rapid extracellular acidification and generate an inactivating inward current. Four ASIC genes have been cloned: ASIC1, 2, 3 and 4, with variants a and b for ASIC1and AS1C2. ASICs are expressed in neurons of the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). In the CNS, ASICs have a role in learning, memory, as well as in neuronal death in ischemia. In the PNS, ASICs are involved in the perception of acid-induced pain, as well as in mechanoperception. In one part of my thesis project, we addressed the question of the mechanism of regulation of ASIC1 a by the serine protease trypsin at the molecular level. Trypsin modifies the function of ASIC1 a but not of ASIC1b. In order to identify the channel region responsible for this effect, we created chimeras between ASIC1 a and 1b. Subsequently, to identify the exact trypsin target(s), we mutated predicted trypsin sites in the region identified by the chimera. In the second part of a project, we investigated the role of ASICs at the cellular level, in neuronal signaling. Using the whole-cell patch clamp in hippocampal neuronal culture, we studied the potential involvement of ASICs in action potential (AP) generation. In the first part of the thesis work, we showed that trypsin modifies ASIC1a function: it shifts the pH activation and the steady-state inactivation curve towards more acidic values and accelerates the time course of the channel recovery from inactivation. We also showed that trypsin cleaves ASIC1a and that the functional effect and a channel cleavage correlate. In the inactivated state, channels cannot be modified by trypsin. Cleavage occurs in a channel region that is also important for inactivation of all ASICs; a part of this region is critical for the inhibition of ASIC1 a by the spider toxin Psalmotoxin1. In the second part of the thesis work, we showed that ASIC activity can modulate AP generation. ASIC activity by itself can induce trains of APs. In situations in which this activity by itself is not sufficient to induce APs, it can contribute to AP generation. During high neuronal activity, ASIC activity can block already existing trains of APs. In conclusion, depending on the activity of neuron in a particular moment, ASICs can differently modulate AP generation; they can induce, facilitate or inhibit APs. We also showed that trypsin changes the capability of ASICs to modulate AP generation by shifting the pH dependence to more acidic values, which adapts channel gating to pH conditions which may occur in pathological conditions such as ischemia. Our finding that trypsin modifies ASIC1 a function identifies a novel pharmacological tool, and proposes a mechanism of ASIC1a regulation that may have a physiological importance. The identification of the exact site of trypsin action gives insight to the molecular mechanisms of ASIC regulation. This work proposes a role in modulation of AP generation for ASICs in the CNS. RESUME Les canaux ASIC sont les canaux ioniques activés par l'acidification rapide extracellulaire. Activés, ils génèrent un courant entrant qui inactive en présence de stimulus acide. Quatre gènes ASIC ont été clonés, ASIC1, 2, 3 et 4, avec les variants a et b pour ASIC1 et 2. Les ASICs sont exprimés dans les neurones du système nerveux central (SNC) et périphérique (SNP). Dans le SNC, les ASIC ont un rôle dans le mémoire, apprentissage et la mort neuronale dans t'ischémie. Dans le SNP, ils ont un rôle dans la perception de la douleur et méchanosensation. Dans une partie de mon projet de thèse, nous avons étudié les mécanismes de la régulation d'ASIC1a par la sérine-protéase trypsine au niveau moléculaire. La trypsine modifie la fonction d'ASIC1a et pas ASIC1b. Nous avons créé les chimères entre ASIC1 a et 1 b, afin d'identifier la région du canal responsable pour l'effet. Pour identifier le(s) site(s) exactes de l'action de la trypsine, nous avons muté les sites potentiels de la trypsine dans la région identifiée par les chimères. Dans la deuxième partie du projet, nous avons étudié le rôle des ASICs au niveau cellulaire. En utilisant la technique du patch clamp dans les cultures des neurones de l'hippocampe, nous avons étudié l'implication des ASICs dans la génération des potentiels d'action (PA). Nous avons montré que la trypsine agit sur le canal ASIC1a ; elle décale l'activation et « steady-state » inactivation vers les valeurs plus acides, et elle raccourcit le temps du « recovery » du canal. La trypsine coupe ASIC1a sur le résidu K145 et l'effet fonctionnel et la coupure corrèlent. Nous avons identifié la région du canal responsable pour l'inactivation de tous les ASICs ; une partie de cette région est responsable pour ['inhibition d'ASIC1 a par la Psalmotoxinel . Nous avons montré que les ASICs peuvent moduler la génération des PAs. L'activité des ASICs peut induire les trains des PAs. Quand l'activité des ASICs n'est pas suffisante pour induire le PA, elle peut contribuer à sa génération. Pendant l'activité neuronale forte, l'activité des ASICs peut bloquer les trains des PAs qui existent déjà. En conclusion, dépendant de l'activité neuronale, les ASICs peuvent moduler la génération des PAs différemment ; ils peuvent induire, faciliter ou inhiber les PAs. La trypsine change la capacité des ASICs de moduler les PAs. Après l'action de la trypsine, les ASICs peuvent moduler la génération des PAs dans les conditions légèrement acides, suivies par les fluctuations du pH acide, qui peuvent exister dans l'ischémie. Le fait que la trypsine agit sur ASIC1a définit l'outil pharmacologique et propose le mécanisme de la régulation d'ASICI a qui pourrait avoir l'importance physiologique. L'identification du site de l'action de la trypsine éclaircit les mécanismes moléculaires de la régulation des ASICs. Cette étude propose un rôle des ASICs dans la modulation de la génération des PAs. Résumé pour le public large Les neurones sont les cellules de système nerveux dont la fonction est la signalisation. Comme toutes les autres cellules, les neurones ont une membrane qui sépare l'intérieur du milieu extérieur. Cette membrane est imperméable pour des particules chargées (ions). Dans cette membrane existent les protéines spécifiques, « canaux », qui permettent le transport des ions d'un côté de la membrane à l'autre, comme réponse aux stimuli différents. Ce transport des ions à travers la membrane génère un courant, qu'on peut mesurer. Ce courant est la base de la communication entre les neurones, ou, ce qu'on appelle la signalisation neuronale. Quand ce courant est suffisamment grand, il permet la génération du potentiel d'action, qui est le message principal de communication neuronale. Les canaux ASIC (acid-sensing ion channel), que nous étudions dans le laboratoire, sont activés par les acides. Les acides sont relâchés dans beaucoup de situations dans le système nerveux. Les ASIC ont été découverts récemment (en 1996), et nous ne connaissons pas encore très bien toutes les fonctions de ces canaux. Nous savons qu'ils ont un rôle dans le mémoire, apprentissage, la sensation de la douleur et l'infarctus cérébral. Dans la première partie de ce projet de thèse, nous avons voulu mieux comprendre comment fonctionnent ces canaux. Pour faire ça, nous avons étudié la régulation des ASICs par une protéine, trypsine, qui coupe le canal ASIC. Nous avons étudié ou exactement la trypsine coupe le canal et quels effets ça produit sur la fonction du canal. Dans la deuxième partie du projet de thèse, nous avons voulu mieux connaître comment le canal fonctionne au niveau de la cellule, comment il interagit avec les autres canaux et si il a un rôle dans la génération des potentiels d'action. Nous avons pu montrer que la trypsine change la fonction du canal, ce qui lui permet de fonctionner différemment. Nous avons aussi déterminé ou exactement ta trypsine coupe le canal. Au niveau de la cellule, nous avons montré que les ASIC peuvent moduler la génération des potentiels d'action, étant, dépendant de l'activité du neurone, soit activateurs, soit inhibiteurs. La trypsine est une molécule qui peut être libérée dans le système nerveux pendant certaines conditions, comme l'infarctus cérébral. A cause de ça, les connaissances que la trypsine agit sur le anal ASIC pourraient être important physiologiquement. La connaissance de l'endroit exacte ou la trypsine coupe le canal nous aide à mieux comprendre la relation structure-fonction du canal. La modulation de la génération des potentiels d'actions par les ASIC indique que ces canaux peuvent avoir un rôle important dans la signalisation neuronale.

Digital inmigrants and digital natives expectation collection in the Andalusian Public Health System Virtual Library: communication with our users

The Andalusian Public Health System Virtual Library (Biblioteca Virtual del Sistema Sanitario Público de Andalucía, BV-SSPA) provides access to health information resources and services to healthcare professionals through its Website. This virtual environment demands higher users’ knowledge in order to satisfy of the need of information of our users, as digital natives as digital immigrants, improving at the same time the communication with all of them. 1. To collect clients' views and expectations according to their nature of digital natives and immigrants. 2. To know our online reputation. A Collecting User Expectation Questionnaire will be built, taking into account the segmentation of the BV-SSPA users’ professional groups of the Andalusian Public Health System. A pilot test will be run to check the survey dimensions and items about practices, attitudes and knowledge of our users. Two Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrices will enable the BV-SSPA services to be targeted to our digital natives or digital immigrants, according to their nature, finding the best way to satisfy their information needs. We provide feedback on BV-SSPA: users can have the opportunity to post feedback about the site via the 'Contact us' section and comment about their experience. And Web 2.0 is a shop window, providing the opportunity to show the comments; and through time, our online reputation will be built, but the BV-SSPA must manage its own personal branding. Web 2.0 tools are a driver of improvement, because they provide a key source of insight into people's attitudes. Besides, the BV-SSPA digital identity will be analyzed through indicators like major search engine referrals breakdown, top referring sites (non search engines), or top search engine referral phrases, among others. Definition of digital native and digital immigrant profiles of the BV-SSPA, and their difference, will be explained by their expectations. The design of the two QFD matrices will illustrate in just one graph the requirements of both groups for tackling digital abilities and inequalities. The BV-SSPA could deliver information and services through alternative channels. On the other hand, we are developing a strategy to identify, to measure and to manage a digital identity through communication with the user and to find out our online reputation. With the use of different tools from quantitative and qualitative methodology, and the opportunities offered by Web 2.0 tools, the BV-SSPA will know the expectations of their users as a first step to satisfy their necessities. Personalization is pivotal to the success of the Site, delivering tailored content to individuals based on their recorded preferences. The valuable user research can be used during new product development and redesign. Besides positive interaction let us build trust, show authenticity, and foster loyalty: we improve with effort, communication and show.

Interplay of spectral efficiency, power and doppler spectrum for reference-signal-assisted wireless communication

Expressions relating spectral efficiency, power, and Doppler spectrum, are derived for Rayleigh-faded wireless channels with Gaussian signal transmission. No side information on the state of the channel is assumed at the receiver. Rather, periodic reference signals are postulated in accordance with the functioning of most wireless systems. The analysis relies on a well-established lower bound, generally tight and asymptotically exact at low SNR. In contrast with most previous studies, which relied on block-fading channel models, a continuous-fading model is adopted. This embeds the Doppler spectrum directly in the derived expressions, imbuing them with practical significance. Closed-form relationships are obtained for the popular Clarke-Jakes spectrum and informative expansions, valid for arbitrary spectra, are found for the low- and high-power regimes. While the paper focuses on scalar channels, the extension to multiantenna settings is also discussed.

Spectral efficiency in reference-signal-assisted low-power wireless communication

Expressions relating spectral efficiency, power and Doppler spectrum are derived for low-power Rayleighfaded wireless channels with proper complex signaling. Noside information on the state of the channel is assumed at the receiver. Rather, periodic reference signals are postulated inaccordance with the functioning of most wireless systems. In contrast with most previous studies, which relied on block-fading channel models, a continuous-fading model is adopted. This embeds the Doppler spectrum directly in thederived expressions thereby imbuing them with practical significance.

Involvement of gap junctional intercellular communication in the pathophysiology of inflammation

SUMMARY Inflammation has evolved as a mechanism to defend the body against invading microorganisms and to respond to injury. It requires the coordinated response of a large number of cell types from the whole organism in a time- and space-dependent fashion. This coordination involves several cell-cell communication mechanisms. Exchange of humoral mediators such as cytokines is a major one. Moreover, direct contact between cells happens and plays a primordial role, for example when macrophages present antigens to lymphocytes. Contact between endothelial cells and leucocytes occurs when the latter cross the blood vessel barrier and transmigrate to the inflammatory site. A particular way by which cells communicate with each other in the course of inflammation, which at this time starts to gain attention, is the intercellular communication mediated by gap junctions. Gap junctions are channels providing a direct pathway (i.e. without transit through the extracellular space) for the diffusion of small molecules between adjacent cells. This process is known as gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). The general aim of this thesis was to study a possible involvement of GJIC in the pathophysiology of inflammation. A first part of the work was dedicated to study the implication of GJIC in the modification of vascular endothelial function by inflammation. In a second part, we were interested in the possible role of GJIC in the transmigration of neutrophil polymorphonuclear leucocytes through the endothelium. The main positive finding of this work is that acute inflammation preferentially modulates the expression of connexin 40 (Cx40), a gap junction protein specifically expressed in vascular endothelium. The modulation could be towards overexpression (aortic endothelium of septic rats) or towards downregulation (acutely inflamed mouse lung). We put a lot of efforts in search of possible functions of these modulations, in two directions: a potential protective role of Cx40 increased expression against sepsis-induced endothelial dysfunction, and a facilitating role of Cx40 decreased expression in neutrophil transmigration. To pursue both directions, it seemed logical to study the impact of Cx40 deletion using knock-out mice. Concerning the potential protective role of Cx40 overexpression we encountered a roadblock as we observed, in the aorta, a Cx40 downregulation in wild type mouse whereas Cx40 was upregulated in the rat. Regarding the second direction and using an in vivo approach, we observed that pulmonary neutrophil transmigration was not affected by the genetic deletion of Cx40. In spite of their negative nature, these results are the very first ones regarding the potential implication of GJIC concerning leucocyte transmigration in vivo. Because this process involves such tight cell-cell physical contacts, the hypothesis for a role of GJIC remains attractive.