Strategies to Retain Tacit Knowledge From Baby Boomers

Baby boomer employees who leave the workplace without sharing tacit knowledge create a knowledge gap within the organization. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies local government leaders use to retain tacit knowledge of baby boomer employees. Six government leaders who worked in the Midwest United States participated in the study and shared their experiences and perceptions. Building upon systems theory, transformational leadership theory, and knowledge management theory, research was conducted to identify strategies to retain tacit knowledge from retiring baby boomers. Physical artifacts and participant interview data were collected and analyzed using traditional text analysis. Adjoining terms were highlighted and clusters of repeated and related words were coded into themes. Three themes emerged: (a) mentoring, (b) generational differences, and (c) lack of structured systems. Mentoring was the most critical strategy leaders used to retain tacit knowledge from baby boomer employees. Acquiring collaborative leaders who foster a knowledge-sharing environment, create a structured system for retaining knowledge, and encourage communication between multigenerational teams remained imperative to retain tacit knowledge. Implications for positive social change include taking advantage of the human capital and resources the baby boomer population characterized, and educating other government leaders to improve performance within government agencies. Other social change implications include the potential of leaders to train older workers to share tacit knowledge with new workers, and of managers to incorporate strategies to mentor new workers replacing the older workforce

Improving Raman velocimetry of laser-cooled cesium atoms by spin-polarization

We study the peformances of Raman velocimetry applied to laser-cooled, spin-polarized, cesium atoms. Atoms are optically pumped into the F=4, m=0 ground-state Zeeman sublevel, which is insensitive to magnetic perturbations. High resolution Raman stimulated spectroscopy is shown to produce Fourier-limited lines, allowing, in realistic experimental conditions, atomic velocity selection to one-fiftieth of a recoil velocity.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, Elsevier style, to appear in Opt. Commu

Stress transmission in wet granular materials

We analyze stress transmission in wet granular media in the pendular state by means of three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations. We show that the tensile action of capillary bonds induces a self-stressed particle network organized in two percolating "phases" of positive and negative particle pressures. Various statistical descriptors of the microstructure and bond force network are used to characterize this partition. Two basic properties emerge: 1) The highest particle pressure is located in the bulk of each phase; 2) The lowest pressure level occurs at the interface between the two phases, involving also the largest connectivity of the particles via tensile and compressive bonds. When a confining pressure is applied, the number of tensile bonds falls off and the negative phase breaks into aggregates and isolated sites

Streaming potential measurements 1. Properties of the electrical double layer from crushed rock samples

The ξ potential has been inferred from streaming potential measurements with crushed rock samples as a function of pH and electrolyte concentration for various salts. The value obtained for crushed Fontainebleau sandstone at pH = 5.7 and a KCl solution with a resistivity of 400 Ω m is −40 ± 5 mV, where the error is dominated by sample to sample variations. The sensitivity of the ξ potential to the electrolyte resistivity for KCl is given experimentally by ρ_f^(0.23±0.014) where ρ_f is the electrolyte resistivity. The point of zero charge (pzc) is observed for pH = 2.5 ± 0.1, and the ξ potential is positive for pH pzc. For pH > 5 the variations of the ξ potential with pH can be approximated by ξ(pH)/ξ(5.7) = 1 + (0.068 ± 0.004)(pH - 5.7) for ρ_f = 100 Ω m. The ξ potential has been observed to be sensitive to the valence of the ions and is approximately reduced by the charge of the cation, unless specific adsorption takes place like in the case of Al^3+. The experimental results are well accounted for by a three-layer numerical model of the electrical double layer, and the parameters of this model can be evaluated from the experimental data. The sensitivity of the ξ potential to the rock minerals has also been studied. The ξ potential obtained for granitic rocks is comparable to that obtained for Fontainebleau sandstone but can be reduced by a factor of 2–4 for sandstones containing significant fractions of carbonates or clay. To take into account the effect of the chemical composition of the electrolyte, a chemical efficiency is defined as the ratio of the ξ potential to the ξ potential measured for KCl. This chemical efficiency is measured to be ∼80% for typical groundwater but can be as low as 40% for a water with a high dissolved carbonate content. The set of empirical laws derived from our measurements can be used to assess the magnitude of the streaming potentials expected in natural geophysical systems

Recommendations from the International Consensus Conference on Anemia Management in Surgical Patients (ICCAMS)

Background: Perioperative anemia has been associated with increased risk of red blood cell transfusion and increased morbidity and mortality following surgery. The optimal approach to the diagnosis and management of perioperative anemia is not fully established. Objective: To develop consensus recommendations for anemia management in surgical patients. Methods: An international expert panel reviewed the current evidence and developed recommendations using modified RAND Delphi methodology. Results: The panel recommends that all patients be screened for anemia prior to surgery. Appropriate therapy for anemia should be guided by an accurate diagnosis of the etiology. The need to proceed with surgery in some patients with anemia is expected to persist. However, early identification and effective treatment of anemia has the potential to reduce the risks associated with surgery and improve clinical outcomes. As with preoperative anemia, postoperative anemia should be treated in the perioperative period. Conclusions: Early identification and effective treatment of anemia has the potential to improve clinical outcomes in surgical patients

Rickettsial Infections and Fever, Vientiane, Laos

Rickettsia spp. are an underrecognized cause of undifferentiated febrile illness

Beyond traditional surveillance: applying syndromic surveillance to developing settings – opportunities and challenges

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>All countries need effective disease surveillance systems for early detection of outbreaks. The revised International Health Regulations [IHR], which entered into force for all 194 World Health Organization member states in 2007, have expanded traditional infectious disease notification to include surveillance for public health events of potential international importance, even if the causative agent is not yet known. However, there are no clearly established guidelines for how countries should conduct this surveillance, which types of emerging disease syndromes should be reported, nor any means for enforcement.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The commonly established concept of syndromic surveillance in developed regions encompasses the use of pre-diagnostic information in a near real time fashion for further investigation for public health action. Syndromic surveillance is widely used in North America and Europe, and is typically thought of as a highly complex, technology driven automated tool for early detection of outbreaks. Nonetheless, low technology applications of syndromic surveillance are being used worldwide to augment traditional surveillance.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>In this paper, we review examples of these novel applications in the detection of vector-borne diseases, foodborne illness, and sexually transmitted infections. We hope to demonstrate that syndromic surveillance in its basic version is a feasible and effective tool for surveillance in developing countries and may facilitate compliance with the new IHR guidelines.</p