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This paper analyzes how information systems (IS) can serve as tools of neo-colonial control in offshore outsourcing of research and development work. It draws on critical work examining business and knowledge process outsourcing.

The paper reports an empirical study of how laboratory information management systems (LIMS) shape offshore outsourcing practices involving Western client firms and Indian contract research organizations (CROs) in the pharmaceutical industry. The study adopted a multi-actor perspective, involving interviews with representatives of Western clients, Indian CROs, system validation auditors, and software vendors. The analysis was iterative and interpretative, guided by postcolonial sensitivity to themes of power and control.

The study found that LIMS act as tools of neo-colonial control at three levels. As Western clients specify particular brands of LIMS, they create a hierarchy among local CROs and impact the development of the local LIMS industry. At inter-organizational level, LIMS shape relationships by allowing remote, real-time and retrospective surveillance of CROs’ work. At individual level, the ability of LIMS to support micro-modularizing of research leads to routinization of scientific discovery, negatively impacting scientists’ work satisfaction.

By examining multiple actors’ perceptions of IS, this paper looks beyond the rhetoric of system efficiency characteristic of most international business research. As it explores dynamics of power and control surrounding IS, it also questions the proposition that outsourcing of high-end work will move emerging economies upstream in the value chain.

This study aims to build a better understanding of researcher needs regarding support for data that you create, store, and/or manage using an electronic lab notebook (ELN), also referred to as electronic research notebook (ERN). The study also articulates the need for risk assessment for ELN products used by researchers for both open data and sensitive data that require standards.

The author used a participatory action research mixed-methods approach. A working group was formed from an ELN initial meeting. The working group team investigated several institutional ERN solutions by setting up trials, speaking with representatives from other research universities with ERN solutions and conducting internal and external research. This culminated in a broader-scale survey exploration.

Findings reveal there is no single institutional ELN license solution to satisfy all scientific disciplines. There is a need to develop foundational tools needed by all, provide additional tools and uses cases with best practices that can be tailored to various labs and research processes and develop a how-to guide on how to assemble the parts to create a useful ELN solution.

The research implications include providing support for researchers selecting an ERN solution through a combination of online guides, short tutorials and training. There is a need to develop foundational tools, uses cases with best practices that can be tailored to various labs and research processes and how-to guide on how to assemble the parts to create a useful hybrid-ELN solution.

Practical implications include aligning available ERN solutions with other institution provided technologies across the research life cycle to provide researchers a suite of tools to conduct and manage their research. Further investigating educational license discounts for courses using eLabJournal, RSpace, Protocols.io, Open Science Framework, LabArchives or other ERNs currently funded by student course fees via grant funded projects are key implications.

Social implications include the research computing environments of researchers that use ELN solutions approved through institutional risk assessment for open data are in compliance with university regulatory frameworks for use of the software in research.

The originality of this study includes risk assessments of ELNs solutions to better guide researchers in the selection process. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this survey was the first exploration of ELN on campus resulting in a final report to senior stakeholders. This study also highlights a developing grant proposal to further develop support across labs and campus.

Refractance window drying (RWD) has been identified as the method that can give high-quality products at a relatively low production cost. However, knowledge about its use and adoption remains lacking both in academic curricula and industry in the developing world.

A lab-scale batch RWD of a closed-loop control system was designed, fabricated and evaluated for drying rates, evaporation rate, the energy of evaporation, energy efficiency and throughput. Testing was done using mango and tomato pulps.

Drying rates at 95°C of 1.32 gg⁻¹min⁻¹ and 0.854 gg⁻¹min⁻¹ at 2 and 3 mm, respectively, for tomato, 0.6 gg⁻¹min⁻¹ and 0.33 gg⁻¹min⁻¹ at 2 and 3 mm for mango pulp were obtained. The dryer had an evaporation rate of 4.63 × 10^–4 kg/s and 4.25 × 10^–4 kg/s, the energy of evaporation of 1.05 kW and 0.96 kW and thermal energy efficiency of 25.64% and 21.73% while drying tomato and mango pulps, respectively. Dryer throughput of 0.6 kg/h of dried mango Pulp and 0.47 kg/h of dried tomato pulp was obtained.

The designed RWD can be adequately used in laboratory experiments on different products to produce powders. This will enable the transfer of knowledge about RWD technology in developing countries.

The purpose of this paper is to present an improved concept of software‐based laboratory exercises, namely a Virtual Laboratory for Engineering Sciences (VLES).

The implementation of distance learning and e‐learning in engineering sciences (such as Mechanical and Electrical Engineering) is still far behind current practice in narrative disciplines (Economics, Management, etc.). This is because education in technical disciplines requires laboratory exercises, providing skill‐acquisition and hands‐on experience. In order to overcome this problem for distance‐learning developers and practitioners, a new modular and hierarchically organized approach is needed.

The concept involves simulation models to emulate system dynamics, full virtual reality to provide visualization, advanced social‐clubbing to ensure proper communication, and an AI tutor to supervise the lab work. Its modularity and hierarchical organization offer the possibility of applying the concept to practically any engineering field: a higher level provides the general framework – it considers lab workplaces as objects regardless of the technical field they come from, and provides communication and supervision – while the lower level deals with particular workplaces. An improved student's motivation is expected.

The proposed concept aims rather high, thus making the work truly challenging. With the current level of information and communication technologies, some of the required features can only be achieved with difficulty; however, the rapid growth of the relevant technologies supports the eventual practicality of the concept. This paper is not intended to present any final results, solutions, or experience. The idea is to promote the concept, identify problems, propose guidelines, and possibly open a discussion.

Low temperature co‐fired ceramics (LTCC) material is introduced as an excellent alternative to silicon, glass, or plastic materials for the fabrication of miniaturised analytical devices, though it is most widely used in the automotive and microwave industries. The paper aims to study the laser ablation of LTCC material.

This kind of green tape material is mechanised by excimer laser (KrF, 248 nm) and UV laser (Nd: YAG, 355 nm), and for the first time by infra‐red laser (1,090 nm). The optical photos and the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) photos of the LTCC ablated by different kinds of laser sources are given in this paper.

When using the UV laser, the tapered structure can be easily seen from the SEM photo. However, a kind of clear and perfect ablation of LTCC can be seen for the first time by the 1,090 nm infra‐red laser ablation.

The laser ablation of LTCC by optical fibre sources is discussed.

In the competitive environment of the 1980s, business and technological innovation must be more closely linked than ever before. The author examines the reasons why and explores some ways to ensure closer coordination.

The melt pool created by a laser is one of the most important factors affecting the quality of the deposit in a laser metal deposition (LMD) process. The high‐intensity infrared (IR) radiation emitted by the melt pool saturates a conventional camera sensor preventing useful data acquisition. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of a low‐cost vision system to monitor the size of the melt pool for in‐process quality control of the deposit.

According to the black body radiation theory, there is no radiation emitted in the ultraviolet (UV) region from the melt pool created in the LMD process. IR radiation and visible light are the only radiations inherent to the LMD process. UV illumination is utilized along with narrow band pass filters on a USB camera to achieve a clear image of the melt pool while IR radiation of the process is blocked out. The melt pool size and shape were closely monitored during the deposition process.

A clear image of the melt pool was obtained using a relatively low‐cost imaging system during laser deposition process.

Traditional approaches to vision systems in high‐intensity processes use a high‐speed video camera fitted with IR filters to prevent saturation of the camera sensor. Such systems are usually complex and expensive to run and maintain. This paper demonstrates an alternative and lower cost method to achieve in process monitoring in an LMD process.

Despite the fact that there being a large literature on simulation, there is as yet no generic paradigm or architecture to develop a three-dimensional (3-D) simulator which depends on autonomous intelligent objects. This has motivated us to introduce a 3-D simulation system based on intelligent objects for Physics Experimentation. We formulated the system’s components as an object-orientation model. So, the entities in every experiment’s work cell are modeled by characterizing their properties and functions into classes and objects of the system hierarchy. Intelligent objects are realized by developing a knowledge base (KB) that captures a set of rules/algorithms that operate on 3-D objects. Rules fall into two categories: action and property rules. In the simulation layer, the student is allowed, by using the virtual system, to stroll throughout the Physics laboratory in light of a walking model. Student gets to a simulation region to do an experiment through the detection of mathematical collision. From software engineering perspective, the proposed system facilitates the Physics experiment through making the specification of its applicable parts more modular and reusable. Moreover, a major pedagogical objective is achieved by permitting the student tuning parameters, fixing component of a device then visualizing outputs. This provides student well interpretation by viewing how distinct parameters affect the outcomes of the experiment. With the objective of student performance measuring, we utilized an exploratory group relying upon pre- and post-testing. The application results demonstrate that the simulator contributes positively to student performance in regard to practical Physics.

The purpose of this paper is the physico-chemical, microbiological, colorimetric, sensorial characterization of choris, a traditional smoked pork sausage produced in the state of Goa (India), including its storage stability (0–180 days) at room temperature, aiming at the geographical indication certification and entrepreneurship prospects.

A total of 48 samples of “choris” were collected from 24 villages of Goa and were analyzed at different intervals (0–180 days) for physico-chemical, proximate, microbiological, colorimetric and sensory attributes during the storage at room temperature.

The mean pH of 4.45 and water activity (a_w) of 0.78 were recorded. The pH, tyrosine value, fat percentage and free fatty acid content registered a significant increase, whereas moisture content, a_w and moisture–protein ratio reduced as storage progresses. The colorimetric values lightness (L*), hue angle (H*) and redness index values reduced significantly during storage. The mean total viable count, yeast and mold, and lactic acid bacteria count were found to proliferate significantly as storage advanced. Nevertheless, the hedonic scores not reaching an unacceptable level (= 4) at the end of the storage period.

In accordance with the various parameters adopted during the study, choris could be characterized as “naturally fermented dry smoked” sausages, which were shelf-stable at room temperature for 180 days. The product characterization of choris is essential to guarantee the genuineness, safety and consumer's acceptability. This study will also rebound in an augmented uniformity of the product, which will favor the geographical indication certification and the entrepreneurship prospects of this traditional product.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic method to perform analysis and test for vibration‐thermal strain behavior of plastic ball grid array (PBGA) assembly by considering thermal and vibration loading mode. Also to investigate the dynamic behavior of PBGA assembly by considering loading modes for design and reliability evaluation of PBGA packaging.

A PBGA assembly prototype with different structure and material parameters is designed and manufactured. Based on investigation of the structural and physical parameters of PBGA sample, the vibration‐thermal strain test is developed to measure the strain distribution at the surface of the BT (bismaleimide triazine) substrates and PCB (printed circuit board) surface under vibration‐thermal cycling loading such as random vibration and the temperature is changed from 0°C to 100°C.

The test results show that the loading modes have different impact on PCB, EMC and substrate, respectively. In the meantime, it is shown that the characteristics of the compound mode is not the linear accumulative result by single vibration mode and single thermal loading mode as forecasted. The nonlinear mechanism for these modes application is the future work for progress.

It is very difficult to set up a numerical approach to illustrate the validity of the testing approach because the complex loading modes and the complex structure of PBGA assembly. The research on an accurate mathematical model of the PBGA assembly prototype is a future work.

It implies a potential design characteristic for future application of PBGA assembly. It also builds a basis for future work for design and reliability evaluation of BGA package.

This paper fulfils useful information about the thermal‐vibration coupling dynamic behavior of PBGA assembly with different structure characteristics, materials parameters.