Users as professionals: A study of IT deployment and its relationship to professional Autonomy

It has been argued that the rise of professions in society has been on the increase for over a century, to the extent that they are seen as integral to post-industrial society. Yet, within information systems minimal research has considered users as professionals. Instead, professions and professionalism as units of analysis have usually been intertwined with discussions of IT workers and systems development. In this paper, we focus on professionals as a user group and consider the implications of the deployment of IT in such contexts. In particular, we attend to the influence of technology on a central feature of professional identity – autonomy. In order to do this, we discuss the deployment of a module of an enterprise-wide student information system in a department of a UK university. From this come insights into regulation through inscription, the deskilling of work, system acceptance in the face of self-interest, the retention of autonomy in a regulated environment and the overt exercise of professional power. Whilst the student information system had an effect on professional identity, within our study, it appears that any encroachment upon autonomy has, overall, been viewed as minimal or easily managed. We suggest that future work might focus upon much more contentious sites of IT roll out where professionals exist – where they feel and experience much more significant effects

Field-names of North-East Scotland: a socio-onomastic study

Field-names in Scotland are part of the oral tradition, passed down from generation to generation of farmers. Despite the valuable holdings at the Scottish Field Name Survey (University of Edinburgh), work to collect these names has been patchy and many areas of Scotland remain uncovered. The introduction of a new numbering system for tax purposes has resulted in a marked decline in the use of field-names, and generally only older members of the community can recall the names. There are few written records that preserve early forms, and little systematic study of the topic. Therefore, time is running out to collect the names of Scottish fields. The focus of this thesis is a corpus of 1552 field-names from the north-east of Scotland which I collected using a socio-onomastic approach. Spoken interviews were used as the main tool for data collection drawing on practices from the discipline of sociolinguistics. A key aspect of this research is the social aspect of naming and the combination of sociolinguistic methods with more traditional onomastic methods

Development and Validation of an Observational Measure of Alcohol-Specific Communication

The current study tested a novel, theoretical model and associated observational measure of alcohol-specific communication and is the first to examine a broad range of content and communication strategies that caregivers and adolescents use when discussing alcohol. Sixty-three caregiver-adolescent dyads completed computerized questionnaires and a videotaped interaction task that was coded using a macrolevel observational coding system developed for the current study. Overall, findings provided evidence of adequate psychometrics, including adequate to high reliability, preliminary evidence of convergent and divergent validity of caregiver communication, and evidence of divergent validity of adolescent communication. Although superordinate constructs were identified across caregiver content, caregiver process, and adolescent process indicators, more complexity was discovered in the structure of alcohol-specific communication than initially hypothesized. Lastly, several communication processes predicted adolescent alcohol use cognitions. Interestingly, content alone did not predict drinking outcomes but rather, the effect of communication content depended upon the way in which messages were delivered. This highlights the importance of considering the process of alcohol-specific communication in addition to the content in order to better predict youth drinking outcomes. Prevention efforts that involve parents in reducing adolescent alcohol use should be well informed regarding what messages are most beneficial and how parents should deliver such messages. Better measurement of alcohol-specific communication is an imperative first step in that line of research. Results of the current study provide preliminary evidence for the benefit of this comprehensive model and associated observational coding system of alcohol-specific communication.Doctor of Philosoph

\u3ci\u3eIn Vitro\u3c/i\u3e Validation of Patient-Specific Hemodynamic Simulations in Coronary Aneurysms Caused by Kawasaki Disease

To perform experimental validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applied to patient specific coronary aneurysm anatomy of Kawasaki disease. We quantified hemodynamics in a patient-specific coronary artery aneurysm physical phantom under physiologic rest and exercise flow conditions. Using phase contrast MRI (PCMRI), we acquired 3-component flow velocity at two slice locations in the aneurysms. We then performed numerical simulations with the same geometry and inflow conditions, and performed qualitative and quantitative comparisons of velocities between experimental measurements and simulation results. We observed excellent qualitative agreement in flow pattern features. The quantitative spatially and temporally varying differences in velocity between PCMRI and CFD were proportional to the flow velocity. As a result, the percent discrepancy between simulation and experiment was relatively constant regardless of flow velocity variations. Through 1D and 2D quantitative comparisons, we found a 5–17% difference between measured and simulated velocities. Additional analysis assessed wall shear stress differences between deformable and rigid wall simulations. This study demonstrated that CFD produced good qualitative and quantitative predictions of velocities in a realistic coronary aneurysm anatomy under physiological flow conditions. The results provide insights on factors that may influence the level of agreement, and a set of in vitro experimental data that can be used by others to compare against CFD simulation results. The findings of this study increase confidence in the use of CFD for investigating hemodynamics in the specialized anatomy of coronary aneurysms. This provides a basis for future hemodynamics studies in patient-specific models of Kawasaki disease

Effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing HIV acquisition and transmission among gay and bisexual men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in high income settings: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: HIV transmission continues among gay and bisexual men who have sex with men (GBMSM), with those who are younger, or recent migrants, or of minority ethnicity or who are gender diverse remaining at increased risk. We aimed to identify and describe recent studies evaluating the effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions for GBMSM in high income countries. METHODS: We searched ten electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), conducted in high income settings, and published since 2013 to update a previous systematic review (Stromdahl et al, 2015). We predefined four outcome measures of interest: 1) HIV incidence 2) STI incidence 3) condomless anal intercourse (CLAI) (or measure of CLAI) and 4) number of sexual partners. We used the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK) Quality Appraisal of Intervention Studies tool to assess the quality of papers included in the review. As the trials contained a range of effect measures (e.g. odds ratio, risk difference) comparing the arms in the RCTs, we converted them into standardized effect sizes (SES) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: We identified 39 original papers reporting 37 studies. Five intervention types were identified: one-to-one counselling (15 papers), group interventions (7 papers), online interventions (9 papers), Contingency Management for substance use (2 papers) and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) (6 papers). The quality of the studies was mixed with over a third of studies rated as high quality and 11% rated as poor quality. There was some evidence that one-to-one counselling, group interventions (4-10 participants per group) and online (individual) interventions could be effective for reducing HIV transmission risk behaviours such as condomless anal intercourse. PrEP was the only intervention that was consistently effective at reducing HIV incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review of the recent evidence that we were able to analyse indicates that PrEP is the most effective intervention for reducing HIV acquisition among GBMSM. Targeted and culturally tailored behavioural interventions for sub-populations of GBMSM vulnerable to HIV infection and other STIs should also be considered, particularly for GBMSM who cannot access or decline to use PrEP

Characterizing the nonlinear interaction of S- and P-waves in a rock sample

The nonlinear elastic response of rocks is known to be caused by the rocks' microstructure, particularly cracks and fluids. This paper presents a method for characterizing the nonlinearity of rocks in a laboratory scale experiment with a unique configuration. This configuration has been designed to open up the possibility of using the nonlinear characterization of rocks as an imaging tool in the field. In our experiment, we study the nonlinear interaction of two traveling waves: a low-amplitude 500 kHz P-wave probe and a high-amplitude 50 kHz S-wave pump in a room-dry 15 × 15 × 3 cm slab of Berea sandstone. Changes in the arrival time of the P-wave probe as it passes through the perturbation created by the traveling S-wave pump were recorded. Waveforms were time gated to simulate a semi-infinite medium. The shear wave phase relative to the P-wave probe signal was varied with resultant changes in the P-wave probe arrival time of up to 100 ns, corresponding to a change in elastic properties of 0.2%. In order to estimate the strain in our sample, we also measured the particle velocity at the sample surface to scale a finite difference linear elastic simulation to estimate the complex strain field in the sample, on the order of 10−6, induced by the S-wave pump. We derived a fourth order elastic model to relate the changes in elasticity to the pump strain components. We recover quadratic and cubic nonlinear parameters: β̃=−872 and δ̃=−1.1×10,000,000,000 respectively, at room-temperature and when particle motions of the pump and probe waves are aligned. Temperature fluctuations are correlated to changes in the recovered values of β̃ and δ̃, and we find that the nonlinear parameter changes when the particle motions are orthogonal. No evidence of slow dynamics was seen in our measurements. The same experimental configuration, when applied to Lucite and aluminum, produced no measurable nonlinear effects. In summary, a method of selectively determining the local nonlinear characteristics of rock quantitatively has been demonstrated using traveling sound waves

Nonlinear interaction of seismic waves in the lab: A potential tool for characterizing pore structure and fluids

As more and more resources are extracted from unconventional reservoirs, an understanding of the microstructure of reservoir rocks is of increasing importance. Many conventional techniques struggle to sense variations in the micro-structure and pore-fluids of rock samples. The nonlinear coupling of two elastic waves is known to be sensitive to these parameters, however, and so is a natural candidate to improve our understanding of these structures. Here, we develop an experimental technique to sense the nonlinear interaction of two propagating waves: a strong S-wave pump that changes (minutely) the elastic properties of the sample and a weaker P-wave probe that senses those changes. By measuring the delay in the P-wave probe traveltime induced by the S-wave pump, we show that this signal is significant in a Berea sandstone sample and absent in Aluminum and Plexiglass samples. The polarization of the S-wave (particle motion aligned or perpendicular to the P-wave probe) has a large impact on the measured response; this is evidence that the signal we measure is sensitive to the micro-structure of the rock. We show that the method is sensitive to fluids by imaging the variations in two specific nonlinear parameters, caused by the introduction of fluid into a Berea sandstone sample

"We give them threatening advice…": expectations of adherence to antiretroviral therapy and their consequences among adolescents living with HIV in rural Malawi.

INTRODUCTION: Many adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa struggle to achieve optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), but few studies have investigated how their treatment-taking decisions are influenced by their social interactions with providers, caregivers and community leaders. This study aims to explore the narratives that define expectations of adherence to ART among adolescents living with HIV in a rural Malawian setting. METHODS: Overall, 45 in-depth interviews were conducted in 2016 with adolescents living with HIV, caregivers, health workers and community leaders, and four group sessions using participatory tools were undertaken with adolescents. Interviews and group sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Data were coded inductively and analysed thematically. RESULTS: Adolescents were given strict behavioural codes around optimal treatment adherence, which were often enforced through encouragement, persuasian and threats. In HIV clinics, some staff supported adolescents with broader concerns relating to living with HIV, but other measures to address sub-optimal adherence in HIV clinics were perceived by patients as punitive, including pill-counts and increased frequency of clinic visits. Community leaders felt responsible for young peoples' health, sometimes attempting to influence their treatment-taking by threatening to withdraw services, or to publically "out" those deemed to be non-adherent. At home, discussions with adolescents about HIV were often limited to dose reminders, and some caretakers resorted to physical punishment to ensure adherence. While some adolescents complied with strictly-enforced adherence rules, others demonstrated resistance by hiding missed doses, secretly throwing away drugs, or openly refusing to take them. CONCLUSIONS: The potential of young people to adhere to their ART may be undermined by restrictive messages and punitive approaches to enforce and control their engagement with treatment at home, in the clinic and in the wider community. Interventions should focus on creating safe spaces for adolescents to speak frankly about the adherence challenges that they face and support for caregivers including home-based interventions

Factors that influence development of speech pathology skills required for videofluoroscopic swallowing studies

Background Perceptual, cognitive and previous clinical experience may influence a novice Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS) analyst's trajectory towards competency. Understanding these factors may allow trainees to be better prepared for VFSS training and may allow training to be developed to accommodate differences between trainees. Aims This study explored a range of factors previously suggested in the literature as influencing the development of novice analysts’ VFSS skills. We hypothesised that knowledge of swallow anatomy and physiology, visual perceptual skills, self-efficacy and interest, and prior clinical exposure would all influence VFSS novice analysts’ skill development. Methods & Procedures Participants were undergraduate speech pathology students recruited from an Australian university, who had completed the required theoretical units in dysphagia. Data assessing the factors of interest were collected—the participants identified anatomical structures on a still radiographic image, completed a physiology questionnaire, completed subsections of the Developmental Test of Visual Processing—Adults, self-reported the number of dysphagia cases they managed on placement, and self-rated their confidence and interest. Data for 64 participants relating to the factors of interest were compared with their ability to accurately identify swallowing impairments following 15 h of VFSS analytical training, using correlation and regression analysis. Outcomes & Results Success in VFSS analytical training was best predicted by clinical exposure to dysphagia cases and the ability to identify anatomical landmarks on still radiographic images. Conclusions & Implications Novice analysts vary in the acquisition of beginner-level VFSS analytical skill. Our findings suggest that speech pathologists who are new to VFSS may benefit from clinical exposure to dysphagia cases, sound foundational knowledge of anatomy relevant to swallowing and the ability to see the anatomical landmarks on still radiographic images. Further research is required to equip VFSS trainers and trainees for training, to understand differences between learners during skill development. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject • The existing literature suggests that no vice Video fluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS) analysts training may be influenced by their personal characteristics and experience. What this study adds • This study found that student clinicians, clinical exposure to dysphagia cases and their ability to identify anatomical landmarks relevant to swallowing on still radiographic images prior to training best predicted their ability to identify swallowing impairments after training. What are the clinical implications of this work? • Given the expense of training health professionals, further research is required into the factors that successfully prepare clinicians for VFSS training, including clinical exposure, foundational knowledge of anatomy relevant to swallowing and the ability to identify the anatomical landmarks on still radiographic images