title: Biography of an ERP: Tracing the fabrication of a virtual object

authors: Lowe, Alan

subjects: ERP (enterprise resource planning)

abstract: This paper provides an account of the way Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems change over time. These changes are conceptualised as a biographical accumulation that gives the specific ERP technology its present character, attributes and historicity. The paper presents empirics from the implementations of an ERP package within a single Australasian organisation. Changes to the ERP take place as a result of imperatives which arise during the implementations. Our research and evidence then extends to a different time and place where the new release of the ERP software was being ‘sold’ to client firms in the UK. We theorise our research through a lens based on ideas from ANT ( actor network theory) and the concept of biography. The paper seeks to contribute an additional theorization for ANT studies that places the focus on the technological object and frees it from the ties of the implementation setting. We contrast this approach with Dechow and Mouritsen’s (2005) path dependency. The research illustrates the opportunistic and contested fabrications of a technological object and emphasizes the stability as well as the fluidity of its techno-logic.

text: Biography of an ERP: Tracing the fabrication of a virtual object This paper provides an account of the way Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems change over time. These changes are conceptualised as a biographical accumulation that gives the specific ERP technology its present character, attributes and historicity. The paper presents empirics from the implementations of an ERP package within a single Australasian organisation. Changes to the ERP take place as a result of imperatives which arise during the implementations. Our research and evidence then extends to a different time and place where the new release of the ERP software was being ‘sold’ to client firms in the UK. We theorise our research through a lens based on ideas from ANT ( actor network theory) and the concept of biography. The paper seeks to contribute an additional theorization for ANT studies that places the focus on the technological object and frees it from the ties of the implementation setting. We contrast this approach with Dechow and Mouritsen’s (2005) path dependency. The research illustrates the opportunistic and contested fabrications of a technological object and emphasizes the stability as well as the fluidity of its techno-logic.

year: 2007-05

title: Fungal metabolite chemistry: Sporidesmin, crepidotine

authors: Ronaldson, John William

abstract: This thesis was concerned with the chemistry of two fungal products, sporidesmin and crepidotine. The structure of sporidesmin was known but aspects of its chemistry, such as how it could be modified to function as an antigen, were not. The structure of crepidotine was unknown but was elucidated in the course of this work.
Since only 50 mg of crepidotine was available, non-destructive methods were used to arrive at the structure, 2-phenyl-1,6-naphthyridin-4-one. Of these methods, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was the most important. This spectrum (¹H n.m.r.) of crepidotine was compared with known or expected spectra of possible isomers most of which were unknown.
Sporidesmin is the toxin which causes Facial Eczema. One approach for combating the problem of Facial Eczema is to develop antibodies in the animals against sporidesmin. Sporidesmin is too small a molecule per se to induce antibody formation so one of the aims of this thesis was to produce derivatives of sporidesmin and to complex them to proteins. Proteins with many molecules of sporidesmin covalently bound to them were produced to be used as antigens. When animals were treated with these antigens, antibodies were detected in their sera. The titre was low for sporidesmin complexed to albumins but four times higher when sporidesmin was complexed to bovine thyroglobulin. 
The method of complexing sporidesmin to the proteins was to open the -S-S- bridge (in sporidesmin) and alkylate the sulphur atoms with iodoacetic esters. When protein was treated with these sporidesmin derivatives the ε-amino-groups of the lysyl residues (in the protein) were transacylated yielding modified sporidesmin covalently bound to the protein, synthetic or natural.
The new compounds formed from sporidesmin in these syntheses were: diethyl and dimethyl secosporidesmin-S,S'-diacetate, ethyl and methyl 11a-mercaptosecosporidesmin-3-S-acetate, methyl 3-mercaptosecosporidesmin-11a-S-acetate; and one of the antigens was cross-linked poly(ethoxy)-poly(secosporidesmin-S,S'-diacetyl)poly-(L-lysine). Of other new derivatives of sporidesmin that were synthesized, 3,11a-dimercaptosecosporidesmin, S,S'-homosporidesmin, and sporidesmin 11-(methyl glutarate), the first was the most difficult to prepare. When attempted in the normal way (opening the -S-S- bridge as for the above esters) only sporidesmin was recovered. But the dimercapto-compound was obtained when oxygen was eliminated in the reaction. 
Because the toxicity of the sporidesmin molecule resides in the epidithiodioxopiperazine ring, means of covalently linking sporidesmin to protein without altering the -S-S- bridge were sought, e.g. acylation or diazonium coupling with suitable bridging groups. Having successfully acylated with the chloroacetyl group (forming sporidesmin di(chloroacetate) it may be possible to complex this ester to protein through the halogen atom.
In the diazonium coupling reaction, the sole aromatic hydrogen resisted coupling. Diazonium salts eliminated the epidithiodioxopiperazine ring by rupturing the pyrrolidine ring: the products were the strongly coloured substituted indoleazobenzenes, 5-chloro-2-hydroxy-6,7- dimethoxy-1-methyl-4'-nitroindole-3-azobenzene and the 2'-chloro- and 2'-nitro-analogues. From anhydrodethiosporidesmin 5-chloro-6,7-dimethoxy-8-methyl-2' ,4'-dinitropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole-2-azobenzene was obtained. These indoleazobenzenes are new compounds.
In the search for methods of diazonium coupling to o-dihydroxy-benzene, veratrole, the following new compounds were synthesized: 2-chloro-3', 4'-dimethoxy-4-nitrobiphenyl, 2-chloro-4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxy-4-nitroazobenzene, 4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxy-2, 4-dinitroazobenzene, 3', 4'-dimethoxy-2,4-dinitroazobenzene, 2-chloro-3', 4'-dimethoxy-4-nitroazobenzene and 2-chloro-4, 5-dimethoxy-2', 4'-dinitroazobenzene. 
In the ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of sporidesmin and sporidesmin-D (dimethylthiosecosporidesmin) (decoupled and undecoupled) the peaks were assigned to the appropriate carbons. Where a resonance seemed anomalous, a reasonable explanation of the anomaly has been put forward. Comparison of the spectra of the two compounds indicated the resonances of those carbons which were involved in the strained epidithiodioxopiperazine ring system. Having assigned the peaks for sporidesmin, the structure of unknown analogues may now be more readily elucidated. 
An analogue of sporidesmin, sporidesmin-E, of comparable toxicity, having an -S-S-S- bridge was synthesized from sporidesmin for field studies. It was an unstable molecule readily decomposing to sporidesmin plus sulphur, e.g. pure sporidesmin-E always showed three spots in thin layer chromatography. The mixed melting point between these two compounds was undepressed (they melted within 3.5° of each other). That sporidesmin-E had been formed was confirmed by the M⁺ being 32 mass units greater than sporidesmin but this was still no criterion of purity. In the hydrogen-bonding investigation of the two compounds sporidesmin absorbed in the νOH region where sporidesmin-E did not so the degree that sporidesmin-E was contaminated with sporidesmin could be determined. Comparison of the infra-red spectra of sporidesmin and sporidesmin-E prepared in different ways (in KBr from MeOH or EtOEt, in nujol or in halocarbon oil) showed there were only minor differences between them. 
The hydrogen bonding analysis revealed that the C-S bonds of 3,11a-di-mercaptosecosporidesmin and sporidesmin-E were similarly orientated (i.e. diverging) and not more or less parallel as in sporidesmin-D. The mono-mercapto-derivative (methyl 11a-mercaptosecosporidesmin-3-S-acetate) showed no νSH peak: the elements of the thiol group are present (m.s.) but the hydrogen is ionic and with the adjacent amido-group is apparently in hyperconjugation.

text: Fungal metabolite chemistry: Sporidesmin, crepidotine This thesis was concerned with the chemistry of two fungal products, sporidesmin and crepidotine. The structure of sporidesmin was known but aspects of its chemistry, such as how it could be modified to function as an antigen, were not. The structure of crepidotine was unknown but was elucidated in the course of this work.
Since only 50 mg of crepidotine was available, non-destructive methods were used to arrive at the structure, 2-phenyl-1,6-naphthyridin-4-one. Of these methods, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was the most important. This spectrum (¹H n.m.r.) of crepidotine was compared with known or expected spectra of possible isomers most of which were unknown.
Sporidesmin is the toxin which causes Facial Eczema. One approach for combating the problem of Facial Eczema is to develop antibodies in the animals against sporidesmin. Sporidesmin is too small a molecule per se to induce antibody formation so one of the aims of this thesis was to produce derivatives of sporidesmin and to complex them to proteins. Proteins with many molecules of sporidesmin covalently bound to them were produced to be used as antigens. When animals were treated with these antigens, antibodies were detected in their sera. The titre was low for sporidesmin complexed to albumins but four times higher when sporidesmin was complexed to bovine thyroglobulin. 
The method of complexing sporidesmin to the proteins was to open the -S-S- bridge (in sporidesmin) and alkylate the sulphur atoms with iodoacetic esters. When protein was treated with these sporidesmin derivatives the ε-amino-groups of the lysyl residues (in the protein) were transacylated yielding modified sporidesmin covalently bound to the protein, synthetic or natural.
The new compounds formed from sporidesmin in these syntheses were: diethyl and dimethyl secosporidesmin-S,S'-diacetate, ethyl and methyl 11a-mercaptosecosporidesmin-3-S-acetate, methyl 3-mercaptosecosporidesmin-11a-S-acetate; and one of the antigens was cross-linked poly(ethoxy)-poly(secosporidesmin-S,S'-diacetyl)poly-(L-lysine). Of other new derivatives of sporidesmin that were synthesized, 3,11a-dimercaptosecosporidesmin, S,S'-homosporidesmin, and sporidesmin 11-(methyl glutarate), the first was the most difficult to prepare. When attempted in the normal way (opening the -S-S- bridge as for the above esters) only sporidesmin was recovered. But the dimercapto-compound was obtained when oxygen was eliminated in the reaction. 
Because the toxicity of the sporidesmin molecule resides in the epidithiodioxopiperazine ring, means of covalently linking sporidesmin to protein without altering the -S-S- bridge were sought, e.g. acylation or diazonium coupling with suitable bridging groups. Having successfully acylated with the chloroacetyl group (forming sporidesmin di(chloroacetate) it may be possible to complex this ester to protein through the halogen atom.
In the diazonium coupling reaction, the sole aromatic hydrogen resisted coupling. Diazonium salts eliminated the epidithiodioxopiperazine ring by rupturing the pyrrolidine ring: the products were the strongly coloured substituted indoleazobenzenes, 5-chloro-2-hydroxy-6,7- dimethoxy-1-methyl-4'-nitroindole-3-azobenzene and the 2'-chloro- and 2'-nitro-analogues. From anhydrodethiosporidesmin 5-chloro-6,7-dimethoxy-8-methyl-2' ,4'-dinitropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole-2-azobenzene was obtained. These indoleazobenzenes are new compounds.
In the search for methods of diazonium coupling to o-dihydroxy-benzene, veratrole, the following new compounds were synthesized: 2-chloro-3', 4'-dimethoxy-4-nitrobiphenyl, 2-chloro-4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxy-4-nitroazobenzene, 4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxy-2, 4-dinitroazobenzene, 3', 4'-dimethoxy-2,4-dinitroazobenzene, 2-chloro-3', 4'-dimethoxy-4-nitroazobenzene and 2-chloro-4, 5-dimethoxy-2', 4'-dinitroazobenzene. 
In the ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of sporidesmin and sporidesmin-D (dimethylthiosecosporidesmin) (decoupled and undecoupled) the peaks were assigned to the appropriate carbons. Where a resonance seemed anomalous, a reasonable explanation of the anomaly has been put forward. Comparison of the spectra of the two compounds indicated the resonances of those carbons which were involved in the strained epidithiodioxopiperazine ring system. Having assigned the peaks for sporidesmin, the structure of unknown analogues may now be more readily elucidated. 
An analogue of sporidesmin, sporidesmin-E, of comparable toxicity, having an -S-S-S- bridge was synthesized from sporidesmin for field studies. It was an unstable molecule readily decomposing to sporidesmin plus sulphur, e.g. pure sporidesmin-E always showed three spots in thin layer chromatography. The mixed melting point between these two compounds was undepressed (they melted within 3.5° of each other). That sporidesmin-E had been formed was confirmed by the M⁺ being 32 mass units greater than sporidesmin but this was still no criterion of purity. In the hydrogen-bonding investigation of the two compounds sporidesmin absorbed in the νOH region where sporidesmin-E did not so the degree that sporidesmin-E was contaminated with sporidesmin could be determined. Comparison of the infra-red spectra of sporidesmin and sporidesmin-E prepared in different ways (in KBr from MeOH or EtOEt, in nujol or in halocarbon oil) showed there were only minor differences between them. 
The hydrogen bonding analysis revealed that the C-S bonds of 3,11a-di-mercaptosecosporidesmin and sporidesmin-E were similarly orientated (i.e. diverging) and not more or less parallel as in sporidesmin-D. The mono-mercapto-derivative (methyl 11a-mercaptosecosporidesmin-3-S-acetate) showed no νSH peak: the elements of the thiol group are present (m.s.) but the hydrogen is ionic and with the adjacent amido-group is apparently in hyperconjugation.

year: 1978

title: Māori women in Southern New Zealand’s shore-whaling world

authors: Stevens, Kate

abstract: Kate Stevens and Angela Wanhalla explore the role of Māori women in Southern New Zealand’s nineteenth-century shore-whaling world. Rarely noted in accounts of the industry, Māori women were adept at sea travel and maintained knowledge and beliefs that informed practices of the whaling communities located on Kāi Tahu tribal territory. Highlighting their role as intermediaries between humans and the marine world, Wanhalla and Stevens bring forth several historical accounts of Māori women involved in the shore-whaling industry.

text: Māori women in Southern New Zealand’s shore-whaling world Kate Stevens and Angela Wanhalla explore the role of Māori women in Southern New Zealand’s nineteenth-century shore-whaling world. Rarely noted in accounts of the industry, Māori women were adept at sea travel and maintained knowledge and beliefs that informed practices of the whaling communities located on Kāi Tahu tribal territory. Highlighting their role as intermediaries between humans and the marine world, Wanhalla and Stevens bring forth several historical accounts of Māori women involved in the shore-whaling industry.

year: 2019