bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
e-Waste trading zones and the economy of greening
Authors: Stowell Alison F. , Brigham Martin
Published: September 2018

Purpose

In the context of the environmental impacts caused due to the increasing volumes of discarded technologies (e-Waste), this paper aims to critically evaluate whether environmental policy, the Waste of Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) legislation in particular can contribute to a shift in logic from neoliberal growth to green growth.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing upon empirical research, this paper shows how three computer waste organisations evolve through the imbrication of pre- and post-policy logics in collaborative and heterogeneous ways to create an “economy of greening”.

Findings

Extending the concept of a fractionated trading zone, this paper demonstrates the heterogeneous ways in which computer sourcing is imbricated, providing a taxonomy of imbricating logics. It is argued that what is shared in a fractionated trading zone is a diversity of imbrications. This provides for a nuanced perspective on policy and the management of waste, showing how post-WEEE logics become the condition to continue to pursue pre-WEEE logics.

Research limitations/implications

This research focuses on three organisations and the EU 2003 and UK 2006 versions of the WEEE legislation.

Practical implications

The research findings have important implications, more specifically, for how e-Waste policy is enacted as an “economy of greening” to constitute managerial and organisational adaptation needed to create a sustainable economy and society.

Originality/value

This paper’s contribution is threefold. First, theoretically, the literature on trading zones and imbrication is extended by considering how they can complement one another. Our focus on imbrication is a “zooming in” on the managerial and organisational implications and dynamics of a trading zone. Second, the literature on imbrication is added to by identifying a diverse range of imbricating logics that can be used to discern a more nuanced understanding of the translated effects of policy. Last, these ideas are ground in a relevant empirical context – that of e-waste management in the UK, providing a deeper knowledge, over time, of specific actors’ translations of policy into organisational practices.
Malassezia infections with systemic involvement: Figures and facts
Authors: Pedrosa Ana Filipa , Lisboa Carmen , Rodrigues Acácio Gonçalves
Published: September 2018

Malassezia are lipophilic and commensal yeasts capable of inducing skin disease among susceptible hosts. However, severely immunocompromised patients and preterm infants admitted to intensive care units are particularly at risk of developing Malassezia systemic infections. Patients often have central venous catheters which are usually the portal of entry for colonization and infection. In addition to the clinically non‐specific findings, a delay in the laboratorial diagnosis may occur as there is often the need to add lipid supplementation to culture in order to support these organisms’ growth. Herein, we report three unrelated cases of Malassezia bloodstream infection at a university hospital during a 2‐year period, followed by a discussion of the clinical results and comparison with the most recently available published data on epidemiology and risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis, susceptibility profile and treatment.
Uncovering educator perspectives of occupation‐centred education in Australia: A qualitative study
Authors: Di Tommaso Amelia , Wicks Alison , Scarvell Jennie , Isbel Stephen
Published: September 2018

Background/aim

Occupation and an occupational perspective of health and wellbeing are required to be taught in accredited occupational therapy programmes internationally. Current research into occupational therapy education has commonly focused on curriculum design and the experience of students and their developing skills for practice. Little research has focused on the perspectives of educators and in particular their own reflections and beliefs on the use of occupation in occupational therapy education. The aim of this study was to uncover Australian educator perspectives of occupation in occupational therapy education.

Method

This study utilised a qualitative research framework. Eight occupational therapy educators and practice education coordinators completed semi‐structured interviews. Educators ranged in experience from two to over 20 years in the university sector. The interview transcripts were transcribed verbatim, forming the data for analysis. Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis was used to analyse the dataset.

Results

Three themes emerged from the data: occupation is our framework; the balance between practice education and occupation‐centred education; and educators changing the focus. Overall, educators believed that the ‘occupation for health’ philosophy and its application are important foundations for education. However, educators provided varied responses on how to teach these concepts to students.

Conclusion

Gaining educators’ opinions on the importance of occupation in education is beneficial for ensuring consistency throughout occupational therapy curricula. Theoretical models were endorsed by educators to foster occupation‐based practice. Educators must continue to innovate within the profession for occupation‐based approaches in practice and education to be strengthened in the future.
Efficient Delineation of Nested Depression Hierarchy in Digital Elevation Models for Hydrological Analysis Using Level‐Set Method
Authors: Wu Qiusheng , Lane Charles R. , Wang Lei , Vanderhoof Melanie K. , Christensen Jay R. , Liu Hongxing
Published: September 2018

In terrain analysis and hydrological modeling, surface depressions (or sinks) in a digital elevation model (DEM) are commonly treated as artifacts and thus filled and removed to create a depressionless DEM. Various algorithms have been developed to identify and fill depressions in DEMs during the past decades. However, few studies have attempted to delineate and quantify the nested hierarchy of actual depressions, which can provide crucial information for characterizing surface hydrologic connectivity and simulating the fill‐merge‐spill hydrological process. In this paper, we present an innovative and efficient algorithm for delineating and quantifying nested depressions in DEMs using the level‐set method based on graph theory. The proposed level‐set method emulates water level decreasing from the spill point along the depression boundary to the lowest point at the bottom of a depression. By tracing the dynamic topological changes (i.e., depression splitting/merging) within a compound depression, the level‐set method can construct topological graphs and derive geometric properties of the nested depressions. The experimental results of two fine‐resolution Light Detection and Ranging‐derived DEMs show that the raster‐based level‐set algorithm is much more efficient (~150 times faster) than the vector‐based contour tree method. The proposed level‐set algorithm has great potential for being applied to large‐scale ecohydrological analysis and watershed modeling.
Incidence of type 1 diabetes and distance from the sea: A descriptive epidemiological study
Authors: Abela Alexia G. , Fava Stephen
Published: September 2018

Background

Increasingly, environmental factors are being shown to play a role in the etiology of type 1 diabetes (T1D). One geographical feature that exerts a major effect on climate but whose relationship with T1D incidence has not been studied is distance from the sea. This study investigated any possible relationship between distance from the sea and the incidence of T1D.

Methods

Spearman correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the incidence of T1D (determined using data from the DiaMond Project) and distance from the sea. This was followed by multivariate analyses to adjust for potential cofounders.

Results

A significant negative association was found between T1D incidence and shortest distance from sea (r = −0.251, P = 0.01235), mean hours of sunshine (r = −0.325, P = 0.002), and mean temperature (r = −0.224, P = 0.046), and a positive association was found between T1D incidence and latitude (r = 0.434, P = 0.0001). Multivariate analysis (generalized linear model) showed that both distance from the sea and latitude were independently associated with the incidence of T1D. The association of distance from sea and the incidence of T1D remained significant even after adjusting for mean temperature (P = 0.002) and mean hours of sunshine (P = 0.005).

Conclusions

The data show that there is a negative correlation between distance from the sea and the incidence of T1D, which was independent of latitude, mean temperature, and mean hours of sunshine. This suggests that environmental factors associated with climatic conditions may influence the risk of T1D.
Adaptation to milking agropastoralism in Chilean goat herders and nutritional benefit of lactase persistence
Authors: Montalva Nicolás , Adhikari Kaustubh , Liebert Anke , Mendoza‐Revilla Javier , Flores Sergio V. , Mace Ruth , Swallow Dallas M.
Published: September 2018

The genetic trait of lactase persistence (LP) evolved as an adaptation to milking pastoralism in the Old World and is a well‐known example of positive natural selection in humans. However, the specific mechanisms conferring this selective advantage are unknown. To understand the relationship between milk drinking, LP, growth, reproduction, and survival, communities of the Coquimbo Region in Chile, with recent adoption of milking agropastoralism, were used as a model population.

DNA samples and data on stature, reproduction, and diet were collected from 451 participants. Lactose tolerance tests were done on 41 of them. The European −13,910*T(rs4988235) was the only LP causative variant found, showing strong association (99.6%) with LP phenotype.

Models of associations of inferred LP status and milk consumption, with fertility, mortality, height, and weight were adjusted with measures of ancestry and relatedness to control for population structure. Although we found no statistically significant effect of LP on fertility, a significant effect (P = 0.002) was observed of LP on body mass index (BMI) in males and of BMI on fertility (P = 0.003). These results fail to support a causal relationship between LP and fertility yet suggest the idea of a nutritional advantage of LP. Furthermore, the proportion of European ancestry around the genetic region of −13,910*Tis significantly higher (P = 0.008) than the proportion of European ancestry genome‐wide, providing evidence of recent positive selection since European–Amerindian admixture. This signature was absent in nonpastoralist Latin American populations, supporting the hypothesis of specific adaptation to milking agropastoralism in the Coquimbo communities.
Expanding access to buprenorphine treatment in rural areas with the use of telemedicine
Authors: Weintraub Eric , Greenblatt Aaron David , Chang Joy , Himelhoch Seth , Welsh Christopher
Published: September 2018

Background and Objectives

The opioid epidemic in the United States has resulted in a public health emergency. Medication‐assisted treatment (MAT) with methadone and buprenorphine are evidence‐based treatments for opioid use disorder. However, numerous barriers hinder access to treatment in rural areas. The use of telemedicine to deliver psychiatric services is demonstrated to be safe and effective; however, limited data exist on the novel application of telemedicine in the delivery of MAT. This report describes the results of a retrospective chart review of 177 patients in a rural drug treatment center that were treated with buprenorphine through telemedicine.

Methods

This study evaluated a program that began providing buprenorphine treatment to patients at a drug treatment center in rural Maryland via telemedicine in August 2015. A chart review was performed of the first 177 patients who were enrolled in the program. Data were extracted to examine retention in treatment and rates of continued opioid use.

Results

Retention in treatment was 98% at 1 week, 91% at 1 month, 73% at 2 months, and 57% at 3 months. Of patients still engaged in treatment at 3 months, 86% had opioid‐negative urine toxicology.

Discussion and Conclusions

Our findings suggest that treatment with buprenorphine can be effectively delivered by telemedicine to patients with opioid use disorders in a rural drug treatment program.

Scientific Significance

This use of telemedicine is a potential tool to expand medication‐assisted treatment to underserved rural populations. (Am J Addict 2018;XX:1–6)
Differences in substance use, psychiatric disorders and social factors between Mexican adolescents and young adults
Authors: Tejeda‐Romero Claudia , Kobashi‐Margáin Ramón A. , Alvarez‐Arellano Lourdes , Corona Juan Carlos , González‐García Nadia
Published: September 2018

Background and Objectives

Substance use disorders (SUDs) have high comorbidities with psychiatric disorders. Childhood and adolescence are particularly vulnerable developmental periods for the onset of SUDs. The objective of this study was to explore the differences, if any, between Mexican adolescents and young adults with respect to the prevalences of groups of psychiatric disorders, the types of substances used and the social factors involved.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included 781 patients evaluated at the Youth Integration Center in Mexico City. The diagnostic criteria for SUDs and psychiatric disorders were defined according to the DSM‐IV and ICD‐10. Associations between SUDs and psychiatric disorders were evaluated via multivariate analysis using logistic regression models.

Results

The adolescents were more frequently substance abusers, whereas the adults had legal problems more often than the adolescents. We showed that adolescents using inhalants or cocaine were 1.62 more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Moreover, adults using inhalants were 3.33 times more likely to meet the criteria for a psychotic disorder.

Discussion and Conclusions

We found that adolescents diagnosed with ADHD were more likely to have problems with use or abuse of or dependence on inhalants, and an elevated prevalence of parental SUDs was found in both the adolescent and adult groups.

Scientific Significance

Our findings indicate that earlier diagnosis and intervention are necessary in adolescents with ADHD and/or parental SUDs to prevent more advanced psychiatric diseases and adverse social consequences during adulthood. (Am J Addict 2018;XX:1–7)
Supraventricular arrhythmia with discordant electrocardiographic features: What is the arrhythmia mechanism?
Authors: Ali Hussam , Lupo Pierpaolo , De Ambroggi Guido , Foresti Sara , Mantovani Riccardo , Adduci Carmen , Cappato Riccardo
Published: September 2018

Junctional and AV nodal reentrant tachycardia share common electrocardiographic features, but they differ in their management and outcomes after catheter ablation. This case concerns a 60‐year‐old female who presented with recurrent episodes of a relatively slow, regular supraventricular arrhythmia. Electrocardiographic features of the arrhythmia were discordant regarding its underlying mechanism. However, careful analysis of 12‐lead electrocardiograms, with focus on the effect of spontaneous premature beats, pointed out the arrhythmia etiology. Electrophysiological study and pacing maneuvers defined the arrhythmic substrate that was successfully treated by catheter ablation.
Data‐adaptive test for high‐dimensional multivariate analysis of variance problem
Authors: Zhang Mingjuan , Zhou Cheng , He Yong , Liu Bin
Published: September 2018

We focus on the high‐dimensional multivariate analysis of variance problem. Efficiencies of the existing methods for this problem depend highly on the alternative patterns: the ‐norm‐based methods are sensitive to dense alternatives and the ‐norm‐based methods are powerful against sparse alternatives. However, there is no method that is uniformly powerful under various alternative patterns. To overcome this deficiency, we propose an adaptive approach, which is powerful against different alternative patterns. First, we propose a family of tests that is based on the adjusted Lp‐norm, with different p. Combining the adjusted Lp‐norm‐based tests together, we build a data‐adaptive test statistic. The multiplier bootstrap is employed to approximate the limiting distribution of the test statistic and its validity is justified by theoretical analysis. A simulation study provides empirical evidence towards the conclusion that the data‐adaptive test performs well under both dense and sparse alternatives. The proposed test is then applied to a gene expression data set, associated with breast cancer, which illustrates its practical usefulness.
Factors influencing vision‐related quality of life according to glaucoma severity
Authors: Chun Yeoun Sook , Sung Kyung Rim , Park Chan Kee , Kim Hwang Ki , Yoo Chungkwon , Kim Yong Yeon , Park Ki Ho , Kim Chan Yun , Choi Kyu‐Ryong , Lee Kyoo Won , Han Seungbong , Kim Chang sik ,   for the LIGHT (Life Quality of Glaucoma Patients Who Underwent Treatment) study of the Korean Glaucoma Society
Published: September 2018

Purpose

To identify factors influencing vision‐related quality of life (VRQOL) according to glaucoma severity.

Methods

A total of 901 patients with varying stages of glaucoma were recruited from the prospectively designed LIGHT (Life Quality of Glaucoma Patients Who Underwent Treatment) study organized by the Korean Glaucoma Society. Participants completed a basic questionnaire collecting socioeconomic status and clinical information, in addition to the 25‐item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ‐25). Subjects were classified by mean deviation (MD) of integrated binocular visual field (IVF) into mild, moderate and severe damage groups. Factors were evaluated for their influence on VRQOL according to glaucoma severity using univariate and multivariable regression models between Rasch‐analysed NEI VFQ‐25 subscale scores and different variables.

Results

The mild, moderate and severe groups contained 720, 111 and 70 patients, respectively; the mean IVF MD in each group was −1.4, −8.5 and −17.9 dB. Significant differences were observed among the three groups with respect to age, IVF MD, visual acuity (VA), education level, income level, number of glaucoma medications prescribed and follow‐up period. The most influential factor associated with VRQOL according to glaucoma severity was VA. The VA of the better eye was much more influential on VRQOL than the VA of the worse eye in the moderate and severe defect groups, and the impact of VA on VRQOL was more prominent in advanced glaucoma.

Conclusions

Visual acuity is the most influential factor on VRQOL in patients with glaucoma. Preservation of VA should be strongly prioritized to maintain good VRQOL.
The impact of CSR on corporate reputation perceptions of the public—A configurational multi‐time, multi‐source perspective
Authors: Rothenhoefer Lisa Maria
Published: September 2018

This study investigates the connection between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate reputation among the public using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). To examine complex processes underlying the reactions of this influential stakeholder group, hypotheses are drawn from the category diagnosticity approach. Thereby, a psychological model of perceived (im)morality is transferred to the CSR context. In line with these hypotheses, positive/negative CSR activities influence reputation in the expected directions (H1a, b), while the effects of specific configurations of CSR activities reveal an asymmetry suggesting a negativity bias (H2). Further analyses confirm that positive effects require a consistent positive performance regarding prior reputations (H3a) and the aggregated CSR activities of several previous years (H3b, c). Moreover, the relevant patterns vary between industries (H4). The present study thus contributes to CSR research by investigating a powerful but hitherto understudied stakeholder group through a category diagnosticity lens combined with a configurational approach to analysis.
Digital badges, do they live up to the hype?
Authors: Roy Sherre , Clark Damien
Published: September 2018

There has been much hype in relation to the emergence of digital badging in education. This paper seeks to determine whether digital badges indeed live up to this hype through a systematic review of 23 empirical studies. A series of evaluative research questions have been formulated to guide the analysis of the research literature along with selection criteria to unearth relevant studies. Analysis of this body of work suggests that digital badges can improve student engagement and motivation. However, this finding is not universal with some studies determining no benefit and others reporting negative outcomes. It is clear that further research is necessary particularly with more diverse disciplinary contexts.

Practitioner Notes

What is already known about the topic.

There is much hype about the benefits to be gained from introducing digital badges into the learning environment.

Much of the literature available offers theoretical backgrounding, principles and good‐practice suggestions as well as generalised guidelines for using digital badges in education.

Empirical studies using digital badges are limited.

What this paper adds.

Most research studies support the proposition that digital badges positively influence learning by encouraging participation and also task completion.

But there isn’t consensus with some studies reporting no change while others highlighting negative implications.

There is a concentration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and humanities & social sciences discipline areas within the studies suggesting that broader research is necessary to determine wider applicability of the results.

Positive effects are identified throughout the studies such as improved: Student Engagement, Skills Recognition and Transferability, Personalised Learning, Personal Empowerment, and Work‐related activities and advancement.

Implications for practice and/or policy

The literature identified that digital badges can positively impact learner engagement and motivation, however these positive outcomes are not universal and further research is needed.

The lack of consensus in relation to educational benefits highlights the need for the implementation of digital badges to be well planned and in line with the learning and teaching strategy of the praxis.

Further research is necessary across a broader cross‐section of educational disciplines to determine whether digital badge suitability is cross‐disciplinary or rather focused on niche educational contexts such as STEM.
Inverted classroom teaching in the first‐year design studio, a case study
Authors: Elisa Navarro Morales Maria , Londoño Roberto
Published: September 2018

Design studio teaching has historically been based on the direct transmission of knowledge from teacher to apprentice, as well as on the skills students acquire from repeated practice of the trade. While this tradition has been the basis for the architecture´s educational models for more than three centuries, the role of the student remains passive throughout the process. With the inclusion of new technologies in teaching, the opportunity to update studio methodologies arises. This paper presents a case study where inverted classroom model (ICM) was used in the first‐year design studio in the School of Architecture at Universidad de Los Andes in Bogota, Colombia. Through tangible results and surveys designed specifically to investigate critical issues at different stages, this study reflects on the significance of ICM and its application to the teaching of architecture. The experience shows pedagogical, didactic and technological challenges shifting from traditional studio model to ICM. Through this experience, it has become clear that although teaching in an ICM is a process that must be contextualized within local teaching practices, it contributes toward learner autonomy, promotes individual and collaborative work and transforms the whole methodological scheme of the classroom.

Practitioner Notes

What is already known about this topic

Inverted classroom model (ICM) environments allow for teaching and learning based on the transmission of knowledge from teacher to student and enable the student as agent of his/her own learning process.

ICM promotes individual and collaborative work.

What this paper adds

This paper discusses ICM as an alternative to traditional studio model, focused on first year modules.

Pedagogical, didactic and technological challenges shifting from traditional studio model to ICM in architecture.

A case study of ICM in a Latin American context.

Implications for practice/policy

ICM changes the relationship between teacher and student, and as a result, transforms the whole methodological scheme of the classroom.

ICM is a process that must be contextualized within local teaching practices.

ICM opens the possibility for the creation of content as a collaborative project between teachers and students.
Research trends in instructional design and technology journals
Authors: Bodily Robert , Leary Heather , West Richard E.
Published: September 2018

Using the online Scopus database, we retrieved all instructional design and technology (IDT) scholarship between 2007 and 2017 across 65 journals. In this paper, we analyzed the research and trends in this corpus of IDT scholarship and investigated the top cited papers, keywords, authors, publishing countries and publishing universities. We also analyzed the effect of collaboration on citation numbers as well as how journal citation metrics differ across databases (eg, Scopus, Google Scholar). The field of IDT is broad and diverse, and this paper plays an important role in providing a glance into the past to understand scholarship trends. Knowing our history can help us reassess where we should go moving forward as the field continues to grow in the 21st century.
Under What Conditions Can Recursion Be Learned? Effects of Starting Small in Artificial Grammar Learning of Center‐Embedded Structure
Authors: Poletiek Fenna H. , Conway Christopher M. , Ellefson Michelle R. , Lai Jun , Bocanegra Bruno R. , Christiansen Morten H.
Published: September 2018

It has been suggested that external and/or internal limitations paradoxically may lead to superior learning, that is, the concepts of starting small and less is more (Elman, ; Newport, ). In this paper, we explore the type of incremental ordering during training that might help learning, and what mechanism explains this facilitation. We report four artificial grammar learning experiments with human participants. In Experiments 1a and 1b we found a beneficial effect of starting small using two types of simple recursive grammars: right‐branching and center‐embedding, with recursive embedded clauses in fixed positions and fixed length. This effect was replicated in Experiment 2 (N = 100). In Experiment 3 and 4, we used a more complex center‐embedded grammar with recursive loops in variable positions, producing strings of variable length. When participants were presented an incremental ordering of training stimuli, as in natural language, they were better able to generalize their knowledge of simple units to more complex units when the training input “grew” according to structural complexity, compared to when it “grew” according to string length. Overall, the results suggest that starting small confers an advantage for learning complex center‐embedded structures when the input is organized according to structural complexity.
Ethnic variations in the risk of hypoglycaemia among people with Type 2 diabetes prescribed insulins and/or sulfonylureas: a historical cohort study using general practice‐recorded data
Authors: Malawana M. , Hutchings A. , Mathur R. , Robson J.
Published: September 2018

Aim

To identify ethnic differences in hypoglycaemic risk among people with Type 2 diabetes prescribed insulins and/or sulfonylureas in community settings.

Methods

Using routine general practice‐recorded data, two cohorts of adults with Type 2 diabetes from east London were studied between January 2013 and December 2015: (1) adults prescribed insulins ± other antidiabetes medications (n=7269) and (2) adults prescribed sulfonylureas ± other antidiabetes medications excluding insulins (n=12 502). Incidence rate ratios of hypoglycaemia by ethnicity, adjusting for age, sex, socio‐economic status and clustering within Clinical Commissioning Groups, were estimated using random effects Poisson regression.

Results

Compared with white British people prescribed insulins, those of black Caribbean ethnicity were at increased hypoglycaemic risk [adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.56 (95% CI 1.21,2.01)], while Bangladeshi people had a lower risk [adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.49 (95% CI, 0.38,0.64)]. In the sulfonylurea cohort, black Caribbean, black African and Indian people all had increased risks of hypoglycaemia compared with white British people [adjusted incidence rate ratios 1.63 (95% CI 1.15,2.29), 1.90 (95% CI 1.32,2.75) and 1.93 (95% CI 1.39,2.69), respectively].

Conclusion

The differences in hypoglycaemic risk among people with Type 2 diabetes prescribed insulin and/or sulfonylureas warrant further investigation of any differing biological responses and/or cultural attitudes to antidiabetes therapy among ethnic groups, and should be considered by clinicians evaluating the treatment goals of people with Type 2 diabetes using insulins or sulfonylureas.
Accounting for success and failure in policy implementation: The role of commitment in India's MGNREGA
Authors: Chopra Deepta
Published: September 2018

Commitment or political will is often notable by its absence. While lack of commitment is a key factor in policy failure, it has been challenging to identify and operationalize how commitment can shape successful implementation. This article applies Brinkerhoff's (2000) framework of expressions of commitment to explain how commitment of policy elites shape policy implementation processes. Evidence for five characteristics of commitment traces these expressions from two types of policy elites — politicians and bureaucrats. Primary data from four Indian states were used—Chhatisgarh, Assam, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh—to examine the case of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA). The data were collected through interviews with state‐level elites, supplemented by secondary data on the political economy of these states. In explaining how successes and failures of the MGNREGA are attributable to the commitment of these actors, the article considers the politics of policy implementation. It argues that commitment is critical at the sub‐national level in India, and explains the different outcomes of MGNREGA in the four states. The article considers how to strengthen policy implementation, and demonstrates that this can be done through capitalizing on positive feedback loops between different strands of commitment, as well as between commitment of administrative elites and political party leaders. The paper concludes that commitment and capacity feed off each other, improving implementation of social policies.
Sensitivity of direct metal laser sintering Maraging steel fatigue strength to build orientation and allowance for machining
Authors: Croccolo Dario , De Agostinis Massimiliano , Fini Stefano , Olmi Giorgio , Robusto Francesco , Ćirić‐Kostić Snežana , Morača Slobodan , Bogojević Nebojša
Published: September 2018

This work deals with the effect of build orientation and of allowance for machining on DMLS‐produced Maraging Steel MS1. The experimental results, arranged by tools of Design of Experiment, have been statistically processed and compared. The outcomes were that, probably due to effect of the thermal treatment, machining, and material properties, the aforementioned factors do not have a significant impact on the fatigue response. This made it possible to work out a global curve that accounts for all the results, consisting in a high amount of data points. This can be regarded as one of the most complete and reliable fatigue models in the current literature. Fractographic and micrographic studies have been performed as well, to individuate the crack initiation points, usually located at subsurface porosities, and to investigate the location of internal inclusions and the actual martensitic microstructure along the stacking direction and on the build plane.
The Sirius Passet Lagerstätte of North Greenland—A geochemical window on early Cambrian low‐oxygen environments and ecosystems
Authors: Hammarlund Emma U. , Smith M. Paul , Rasmussen Jan A. , Nielsen Arne T. , Canfield Donald E. , Harper David A. T.
Published: September 2018

The early Cambrian Sirius Passet fauna of northernmost Greenland (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 3) contains exceptionally preserved soft tissues that provide an important window to early animal evolution, while the surrounding sediment holds critical data on the palaeodepositional water‐column chemistry. The present study combines palaeontological data with a multiproxy geochemical approach based on samples collected in situ at high stratigraphic resolution from Sirius Passet. After careful consideration of chemical alterations during burial, our results demonstrate that fossil preservation and biodiversity show significant correlation with iron enrichments (FeHR/FeT), trace metal behaviour (V/Al), and changes in nitrogen cycling (δ15N). These data, together with Mo/Al and the preservation of organic carbon (TOC), are consistent with a water column that was transiently low in oxygen concentration, or even intermittently anoxic. When compared with the biogeochemical characteristics of modern oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), geochemical and palaeontological data collectively suggest that oxygen concentrations as low as 0.2–0.4 ml/L restricted bioturbation but not the development of a largely nektobenthic community of predators and scavengers. We envisage for the Sirius Passet biota a depositional setting where anoxic water column conditions developed and passed over the depositional site, possibly in association with sea‐level change, and where this early Cambrian biota was established in conditions with very low oxygen.
Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease: 2014–2018 update
Authors: Rosain Jérémie , Kong Xiao‐Fei , Martinez‐Barricarte Ruben , Oleaga‐Quintas Carmen , Ramirez‐Alejo Noé , Markle Janet , Okada Satoshi , Boisson‐Dupuis Stéphanie , Casanova Jean‐Laurent , Bustamante Jacinta
Published: September 2018

Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD) is caused by inborn errors of IFN‐γ immunity. Since 1996, disease‐causing mutations have been found in 11 genes, which, through allelic heterogeneity, underlie 21 different genetic disorders. We briefly review here progress in the study of molecular, cellular and clinical aspects of MSMD since the last comprehensive review published in 2014. Highlights include the discoveries of (1) a new genetic etiology, autosomal recessive signal peptide peptidase‐like 2 A deficiency, (2) TYK2‐deficient patients with a clinical phenotype of MSMD, (3) an allelic form of partial recessive IFN‐γR2 deficiency, and (4) two forms of syndromic MSMD: RORγ/RORγT and JAK1 deficiencies. These recent findings illustrate how genetic and immunological studies of MSMD can shed a unique light onto the mechanisms of protective immunity to mycobacteria in humans.
Joining the crowd: The career anchors of information technology workers participating in crowdsourcing
Authors: Taylor Joseph , Joshi K.D.
Published: September 2018

As technology platforms and online communities evolve, the nature of the relationship between workers and firms is changing. Crowdsourcing is an emerging phenomenon that exemplifies the changing relationship between workers and firms. Although significant research has been conducted on worker motivation within the traditional firm‐worker relationship, relatively little work has examined motivation in crowdsourcing engagements. This study utilizes the revealed causal mapping methodology to conduct an exploratory analysis of the motivations and career outcomes of technology workers based in the United States who participate in compensation‐based technology crowdsourcing platforms such as oDesk or Rent‐a‐coder. The findings reveal ways in which the career anchors of technology workers participating in crowdsourcing are evolving in the face of the emerging dynamics in the information technology (IT) employment marketplace
A qualitative evaluation of healthcare professionals’ perceptions of adverse events focusing on communication and teamwork in maternity care
Authors: Rönnerhag Maria , Severinsson Elisabeth , Haruna Megumi , Berggren Ingela
Published: September 2018

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) perceptions of adverse events (AE) during childbirth with focus on communication and teamwork.

Background

Inadequate communication, a poor teamwork climate and insufficient team training are harmful to women. Reviews of reported AE can be used to develop a safety culture based on preparedness for preventing AE and strengthening patient safety (PS).

Design

Action research principles were used to facilitate the implementation and evaluation of this study.

Methods

An interprofessional team of HCPs comprising obstetricians, registered midwives and assistant nurses employed at a labour ward agreed to take part. Data were collected from multistage focus group interviews (March 2016–June 2016) and analysed by means of interpretative thematic analysis.

Findings

Two analytical themes based on five sub‐themes emerged; promoting interprofessional teamwork and building capabilities by involving HCPs and elucidating relevant strategies. The findings reveal the importance of facilitating relationships based on trust and respectful communication to ensure a safe environment and provide safe maternity care.

Conclusion

There is a need for formal and informal support for quality interprofessional teamwork. Research on PS may reduce AE related to miscommunication and poor teamwork. We recommend different forms of communication and teamwork training in interprofessional teams to increase the ability to provide feedback. Accumulated research is required for the evaluation of evidence‐based models in the PS context.
Supporting people with intellectual disabilities in psychological therapies for depression: A qualitative analysis of supporters’ experiences
Authors: Scott Katie , Hatton Chris , Knight Rosie , Singer Kevanne , Knowles Dawn , Dagnan Dave , Hastings Richard P. , Appleton Kim , Cooper Sally‐Ann , Melville Craig , Jones Rob , Williams Chris , Jahoda Andrew
Published: September 2018

Background

Clinicians recommend including carers or others in a supporting role in the therapy as an important adaptation of psychological therapies for people with intellectual disabilities. This nested qualitative study from a larger trial explored supporters’ experiences of supporting people with intellectual disabilities receiving behavioural activation or guided self‐help therapies for depression.

Method

Twenty‐one purposively sampled supporters were interviewed. The semi‐structured interviews were subject to framework analysis, covering expectations of therapy, views of therapy sessions, relationships with therapist and participant, and perceived changes.

Results

Supporters were positive about both therapies and reported both therapy‐specific and nonspecific therapeutic factors that had significant positive impacts on people's lives. Most supporters reported their involvement contributed to the interventions’ effectiveness, and helped establish closer relationships to the people they were supporting.

Conclusions

The presence of supporters within psychological therapies for people with intellectual disabilities can be an effective adaptation to therapies for this population.
Using 3D printing technology with experiential learning strategies to improve preengineering students' comprehension of abstract scientific concepts and hands‐on ability
Authors: Hsiao Hsien‐Sheng , Chen Jyun‐Chen , Lin Chien‐Yu , Zhuo Pei‐Wen , Lin Kuen‐Yi
Published: September 2018

This study combined 3D printing technology with experiential learning strategies (ELS) to design a hands‐on curriculum for preengineering students. The participants learned interdisciplinary knowledge and abstract scientific concepts through the curriculum. The study implemented a quasi‐experimental design to examine whether the students who learned using the 3D printing technology with ELS demonstrated better learning performances regarding the comprehension of abstract scientific concepts and hands‐on ability. This study selected 184 10th‐grade students from five classes, which were divided into three groups. The experimental process was conducted over a period of 11 weeks (for a total duration of 960 min). It was found that all of the preengineering students improved their comprehension of abstract scientific concepts. The students who learned using the 3D printing technology understood abstract scientific concepts better than those who learned using the traditional hands‐on tools, and the students who learned using the 3D printing technology with ELS demonstrated better hands‐on ability than the other two groups. Using 3D printing technology with ELS resulted in significant positive effects on the participants' handmade processes, in which the students reinforced the connection between knowledge and handmade products, resulting in better comprehension of abstract scientific concepts and hands‐on ability.
Gene expression involved in the sexual development of Best Beluga hybrid sturgeons
Authors: Burcea Alexandru , Popa Gina‐Oana , Florescu (Gune) Iulia E. , Gharbia Sami , Gaina Gisela , Dudu Andreea , Maereanu Marilena , Hermenean Anca , Georgescu Sergiu E. , Costache Marieta
Published: September 2018

The scope of this study is to investigate the expression of dmrt1, foxl2, ar, star and sox9 genes in the context of the gonad development stage of 21 month‐old Best Beluga individuals. No significant difference was observed between males and females but the cyp17a1 gene showed higher expression in male than in female gonads. The results suggest that during sampling the females were in perinucleolar stage and the males in early spermatogenesis stage which led to specific patterns of expression for the investigated genes.
Collateral Constraints and the Law of One Price: An Experiment
Authors: CIPRIANI MARCO , FOSTEL ANA , HOUSER DANIEL
Published: September 2018

We test the asset pricing implications of collateralized borrowing (that is, of using assets as collateral to borrow money) in the laboratory. To this purpose, we develop a general equilibrium model with collateral constraints amenable to laboratory implementation and gather experimental data. In the laboratory, assets that can be leveraged fetch higher prices than assets that cannot, even though assets' payoffs are identical in all states of the world. Collateral value, therefore, creates deviations from the Law of One Price. The spread between collateralizeable and noncollateralizeable assets is significant and quantitatively close to theoretical predictions.
The effects of supplemental threonine on performance, carcass characteristics, immune response and gut health of broilers in subtropics during pre‐starter and starter period
Authors: Debnath Bikas C. , Biswas Purnendu , Roy Barun
Published: September 2018

Three hundred thirty‐day‐old unsexed commercial broiler chicks (Vencobb‐400) with initial average body weight of 44.04 ± 0.42 g were allocated into five experimental groups, in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 21‐day experiment. Groups were formed according to dose of supplemental L‐threonine in various rations i.e., 100% NRC specification, 100% threonine of Vencobb‐400 strain specification, 110% threonine of Vencobb‐400 strain specification, 120% of threonine of Vencobb‐400 strain specification and 130% threonine of Vencobb‐400 strain specification. Average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily body weight gain (ADG), cumulative feed conversion ratio (CFCR), carcass characteristics, immune response, intestinal morphometry and biochemical profile were studied. The ADFI and ADG increased linearly and quadratically as dietary threonine levels were increased. However, the CFCR did not differ (p ˃ 0.05) among the groups. Though the carcass weight and drumstick yield did not differ (p ˃ 0.05) among the groups, the relative breast yield increased linearly (p = 0.007). The relative dressing yield and relative thigh weight increased linearly (p = 0.05 and p = 0.03, respectively). The relative weight of immune organs like bursa and thymus increased linearly. The mean total serum immunoglobulin, ND‐ELISA titre and the mean lymphocyte proliferation response index increased linearly, whereas mean phagocytic activity index of neutrophil increased linearly (p < 0.001) and quadratically (p = 0.001). The mean villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD), villus surface area and mean goblet cell number/villus increased linearly and quadratically, whereas the villus width (VW) and goblet cell density increased quadratically. The serum glucose increased linearly (p = 0.001), whereas serum total protein concentration and serum globulin level increased both linearly and quadratically. The albumin: globulin ratio tended to decrease linearly. There was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in serum cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol level. However, a linear increment (p = 0.04) in the blood serum HDL cholesterol level with a linear reduction (p = 0.01) in the blood serum LDL cholesterol was noticed.
PAP treatment in patients with OSA does not induce long‐term nasal obstruction
Authors: Värendh Maria , Andersson Morgan , Björnsdóttir Erla , Arnardóttir Erna S. , Gislason Thorarinn , Pack Allan I. , Hrubos‐Strøm Harald , Johannisson Arne , Juliusson Sigurdur
Published: September 2018

We hypothesized that positive airway pressure treatment would induce nasal obstruction and decrease nasal cavity due to mucosal swelling. We further hypothesized that subjective and objective nasal obstruction at baseline would negatively affect positive airway pressure adherence. A total of 728 patients with sleep apnea were investigated in the Icelandic Sleep Apnea Cohort at baseline and 2 years after starting positive airway pressure. Patients underwent home sleep apnea testing at baseline. Questionnaires were answered and acoustic rhinometry was completed at baseline and follow‐up. The proportion of patients reporting subjective nocturnal nasal obstruction was reduced (baseline: 35% versus follow‐up: 24%; p < 0.001). Small interior nasal dimensions increased (p < 0.001) independent of adherence to treatment. Small nasal volume at baseline was a determinant for becoming a non‐user of positive airway pressure treatment (odds ratio 2.22, confidence interval 95% 1.35–3.67, p = 0.002). Subjective nasal obstruction decreased 2 years after initiating positive airway treatment in sleep apnea, and objectively small nasal dimensions increased. Small nasal volume at baseline was a negative predictor for positive airway pressure treatment adherence. Maybe most importantly, positive airway pressure treatment did not cause long‐term objective or subjective nasal obstruction.