Organizational Neuroscience of Industrial Adaptive Behavior

Organizational neuroscience is recognized in organizational behavior literature as offering an interpretive framework that can shed new light on existing organizational challenges. In this paper, findings from neuroscience studies concerned with adaptive behavior for ecological fitness are applied to explore industrial adaptive behavior. This is important because many companies are not able to manage dynamics between adaptability and stability. The reported analysis relates business-to-business signaling in competitive environments to three levels of inference. In accordance with neuroscience studies concerned with adaptive behavior, trade-offs between complexity and accuracy in business-to-business signaling and inference are explained. In addition, signaling and inference are related to risks and ambiguities in competitive industrial markets. Overall, the paper provides a comprehensive analysis of industrial adaptive behavior in terms of relevant neuroscience constructs. In doing so, the paper makes a contribution to the field of organizational neuroscience, and to research concerned with industrial adaptive behavior. The reported analysis is relevant to organizational adaptive behavior that involves combining human intelligence and artificial intelligence

Event Indexing Systems for Efficient Selection and Analysis of HERA Data

The design and implementation of two software systems introduced to improve the efficiency of offline analysis of event data taken with the ZEUS Detector at the HERA electron-proton collider at DESY are presented. Two different approaches were made, one using a set of event directories and the other using a tag database based on a commercial object-oriented database management system. These are described and compared. Both systems provide quick direct access to individual collision events in a sequential data store of several terabytes, and they both considerably improve the event analysis efficiency. In particular the tag database provides a very flexible selection mechanism and can dramatically reduce the computing time needed to extract small subsamples from the total event sample. Gains as large as a factor 20 have been obtained.Comment: Accepted for publication in Computer Physics Communication

ICU Bridge Program: Working with staff towards no family members feeling like "the elephant in the room"

The intensive care unit (ICU) provides specialized care to critically ill patients. Given the traumatic nature of critical illness and its treatments, up to 75% of family members of ICU decedents and survivors experience long-term psychological consequences, termed post-intensive care syndrome family (PICS-F). Anxiety, PTSD, and depression are common manifestations that significantly impact families’ quality of life and the recovery of those dependent on their caregiving. Although PICS-F can be mitigated by engagement with ICU staff, critical care workers are at risk of burnout and requesting closer liaisons with families is unfeasible. Bridging visitors and the ICU health care team would ensure that family members never feel like “the elephant in the room”.The ICU Bridge Program (ICUBP) is a unique volunteering and shadowing initiative designed and run by university students. Bridge Program volunteers are assigned to hospital ICUs in Montreal to be the first point of contact for visitors. This program addresses PICS-F by humanizing the ICU experience through compassionate human contact, continuous support, and an open line of communication. The diverse applicants are carefully selected and trained to maximize soft skills, such as emotional intelligence and active listening, which ensures that families feel welcome and understood in this tense environment. Furthermore, the ICUBP’s self-sufficient structure off-loads administrative responsibilities from resource-constrained hospitals and makes its implementation feasible and cost-efficient. By continuously monitoring its effect on patients, families, and staff, the ICUBP aims to improve and expand its contribution to whole-person care in the ICU

Geometry change between 1990 and 2003 at Finsterwalderbreen, a Svalbard surge-type glacier, from GPS profiling.

Surface mass-balance and geometry data are key to quantifying the climate response of glaciers, and confidence in data synthesis and model interpretations and forecasts requires data from as wide a range of locations and glacier types as possible. This paper presents measurements of surface elevation change at the Svalbard surge-type glacier Finsterwalderbreen, by comparing a 1990 digital elevation model (DEM) with a surface GPS profile from 2003. The pattern of elevation change is consistent with that previously noted between 1970 and 1990, and reflects the continued quiescentphase evolution of the glacier, with mass loss in the down-glacier/receiving area of up to –1.25mw.e. a–1, and mass gain in the up-glacier/reservoir area of up to 0.60mw.e. a–1; the area-weighted, mean change for the whole glacier is 0.19mw.e. a–1. The spatial pattern of elevation increase and decrease is complex, and the boundary between thickening and thinning determined by combining GPS and DEM data does not appear to correspond with the equilibrium-line altitude determined from surface mass-balance measurements. There is no evidence yet of a decrease in the rate of reservoir area build-up driven by mass-balance change resulting from the warmer winter air temperatures, and decreased proportion of snowfall in total precipitation, noted at meteorological stations in Svalbard

The application of diagnostics in plant health virology

Using conventional diagnostic methods to test for plant viruses requires knowledge of the pathogens likely to be associated with a host species. This knowledge can either be applied when using a targeted test method (e.g. ELISA or PCR) to identify required tests, or in bioassay, through knowing which viruses will transmit into which assay host. In the last decade High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) has revolutionised plant virology diagnostics, however, the knowledge and skills of the diagnostic virologist are needed to interpret the results of sequencing and to investigate the myriad of novel viruses reported using this technique. This thesis presents a body of published work and an accompanying linking document focussing on the development and application of these diagnostic technologies in a plant health/biosecurity setting. The thesis explores the use of diagnostic technologies in virus detection and discovery, but also in supporting research applications such as gathering the data necessary to support plant health risk assessment or carry out epidemiological studies on vector efficiency. The publications include a review of new virus records from the United Kingdom over a 35-year period, discussing the factors driving virus discovery such as changes in trade, research focus, and diagnostic technologies. Two case studies are presented which investigate diseases of unknown aetiology utilising contrasting approaches to infer the causal agent/s of disease, one utilising biological demonstration, the other experimental design and statistical analysis. Two publications discuss the evaluation and validation of diagnostic techniques. The final publication describes an investigation into the relative efficiency of transmission of potato virus Y and potato virus A by a range of aphid species. The accompanying linking document discusses each publication in the context of the current literature, as well as discussing alternative approaches to inferring causation where traditional biological approaches may not be possible

Factors associated with spontaneous clearance of chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Background & Aims: Spontaneous clearance of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (CHC) is rare. We conducted a retrospective case-control study to identify rates and factors associated with spontaneous clearance of CHC. Methods: We defined cases as individuals who spontaneously resolved CHC, and controls as individuals who remained chronically infected. We used data obtained on HCV testing between 1994 and 2013 in the West of Scotland to infer case/control status. Specifically, untreated patients with ⩾2 sequential samples positive for HCV RNA ⩾6 months apart followed by ⩾1 negative test, and those with ⩾2 positive samples ⩾6 months apart with no subsequent negative samples were identified. Control patients were randomly selected from the second group (4/patient of interest). Case notes were reviewed and patient characteristics obtained. Results: 25,113 samples were positive for HCV RNA, relating to 10,318 patients. 50 cases of late spontaneous clearance were identified, contributing 241 person-years follow-up. 2,518 untreated, chronically infected controls were identified, contributing 13,766 person-years follow-up, from whom 200 controls were randomly selected. The incidence rate of spontaneous clearance was 0.36/100 person-years follow-up, occurring after a median 50 months’ infection. Spontaneous clearance was positively associated with female gender, younger age at infection, lower HCV RNA load and co-infection with hepatitis B virus. It was negatively associated with current intravenous drug use. Conclusions: Spontaneous clearance of CHC occurs infrequently but is associated with identifiable host and viral factors. More frequent HCV RNA monitoring may be appropriate in selected patient groups. Lay summary: Clearance of hepatitis C virus infection without treatment occurs rarely once chronic infection has been established. We interrogated a large Scottish patient cohort and found that it was more common in females, patients infected at a younger age or with lower levels of HCV in the blood, and patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus. Patients who injected drugs were less likely to spontaneously clear chronic infection

Phosphorylation of the actin binding protein Drebrin at S647 and is regulated by neuronal activity and PTEN

Defects in actin dynamics affect activity-dependent modulation of synaptic transmission and neuronal plasticity, and can cause cognitive impairment. A salient candidate actin-binding protein linking synaptic dysfunction to cognitive deficits is Drebrin (DBN). However, the specific mode of how DBN is regulated at the central synapse is largely unknown. In this study we identify and characterize the interaction of the PTEN tumor suppressor with DBN. Our results demonstrate that PTEN binds DBN and that this interaction results in the dephosphorylation of a site present in the DBN C-terminus - serine 647. PTEN and pS647-DBN segregate into distinct and complimentary compartments in neurons, supporting the idea that PTEN negatively regulates DBN phosphorylation at this site. We further demonstrate that neuronal activity increases phosphorylation of DBN at S647 in hippocampal neurons in vitro and in ex vivo hippocampus slices exhibiting seizure activity, potentially by inducing rapid dissociation of the PTEN:DBN complex. Our results identify a novel mechanism by which PTEN is required to maintain DBN phosphorylation at dynamic range and signifies an unusual regulation of an actin-binding protein linked to cognitive decline and degenerative conditions at the CNS synapse

Nanomechanical testing of thin films to 950 °C

Nanomechanical testing has been a revolutionary technique in improving our fundamental understanding of the basis of mechanical properties of thin film systems and the importance of the nanoscale behaviour on their performance. However, nanomechanical tests are usually performed in ambient laboratory conditions even if the coatings being developed are expected to perform at high temperature in use. It is important to measure nanomechanical and tribological properties of materials under test conditions that are closer to their operating conditions where the results are more relevant. We can then better understand the links between properties and performance and design advanced materials systems for increasingly demanding applications. However, high temperature nanomechanics is highly challenging experimentally and a high level of instrument thermal stability is critical for reliable results. To achieve this stability the NanoTest Vantage has been designed with (i) active heating of the sample and the indenter (ii) horizontal loading to avoid convection at the displacement sensor (iii) patented stage design and thermal control method. By separately and actively heating and controlling the temperatures of both the indenter and test sample there is minimal/no thermal drift during the high temperature indentation and measurements can be performed as reliably as at room temperature. Illustrative results are presented for TiAlN, TiFeN, DLC and MAX-phase coatings. Above 500 °C it is necessary to use Argon purging to limit oxidation of samples and the diamond indenter, although the efficiency of this decreases over 750 °C. To test at higher temperatures without indenter or sample oxidation an ultra-low drift high temperature vacuum nanomechanics system (NanoTest Xtreme) has been recently developed. Results with the vacuum system are presented up to 950 °C

Quality of Patient Health Information on the Internet: reviewing a complex and evolving landscape

Background The popularity of the Internet has enabled unprecedented access to health information. As a largely unregulated source, there is potential for inconsistency in the quality of information that reaches the patient. Aims To review the literature relating to the quality indicators of health information for patients on the Internet. Method A search of English language literature was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar and EMBASE databases. Results Many articles have been published which assess the quality of information relating to specific medical conditions. Indicators of quality have been defined in an attempt to predict higher quality health information on the Internet. Quality evaluation tools are scoring systems based on indicators of quality. Established tools such as the HONcode may help patients navigate to more reliable information. Google and Wikipedia are important emerging sources of patient health information. Conclusion The Internet is crucial for modern dissemination of health information, but it is clear that quality varies significantly between sources. Quality indicators for web-information have been developed but there is no agreed standard yet. We envisage that reliable rating tools, effective search engine ranking and progress in crowd-edited websites will enhance patient access to health information on the Internet. Key Words Internet; health; patient information; quality evaluatio