Learning from Many: Partner Exposure and Team Familiarity in Fluid Teams

In services where teams come together for short collaborations, managers are often advised to strive for high team familiarity so as to improve coordination and consequently, performance. However, inducing high team familiarity by keeping team membership intact can limit workers’ opportunities to acquire useful knowledge and alternative practices from exposure to a broader set of partners. We introduce an empirical measure for prior partner exposure and estimate its impact (along with that of team familiarity) on operational performance using data from the London Ambulance Service. Our analysis focuses on ambulance transports involving new paramedic recruits, where exogenous changes in team membership enable identification of the performance effect. Specifically, we investigate the impact of prior partner exposure on time spent during patient pickup at the scene and patient handover at the hospital. We find that the effect varies with the process characteristics. For the patient pickup process, which is less standardized, greater partner exposure directly improves performance. For the more standardized patient handover process, this beneficial effect is triggered beyond a threshold of sufficient individual experience. In addition, we find some evidence that this beneficial performance impact of prior partner exposure is amplified during periods of high workload, particularly for the patient handover process. Finally, a counterfactual analysis based on our estimates shows that a team formation strategy emphasizing partner exposure outperforms one that emphasizes team familiarity by about 9.2% in our empirical context

Survival and causes of death in children diagnosed with cancer in Iceland 1981-2006

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn Skoða/Opna(view/open)OBJECTIVE: Of children diagnosed with cancer, approximately one fourth die of the disease or disease related complications. The aim of this study was to investigate survival and causes of death in children with cancer in Iceland. METHODS: This study is retrospective; population based and includes all children, less than 18 years of age, diagnosed with cancer in Iceland from 1981 to 2006. Information was extracted from the Icelandic Cancer Registry, patients hospital records and data from Statistics Iceland. RESULTS: Of 279 children diagnosed with cancer in the research period 215 were alive at the end of 2008. The overall 5-year survival was 81.2% and 10-year survival was 76.7%. There was not a significant survival difference with respect to age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, gender or geographical residence. The small cohort size could be the explanation. Eleven individuals developed secondary neoplasm, eight of whom died. Sixteen of the 64 nonsurvivors were treated with curative intent until death, 12 of them died of therapy related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Survival rate in childhood cancer in Iceland is comparable to other Western countries. As previously reported, prognosis of patients with secondary neoplasm is unfavorable. Therapy related complications are the most common cause of death in patients treated with curative intent.Inngangur: Um fjórðungur barna sem greinist með krabbamein deyr vegna sjúkdóms síns eða meðferðartengdra fylgikvilla. Tilgangur rannsóknarinnar var að kanna lifun og dánarorsakir barna sem greinst hafa með krabbamein á Íslandi. Aðferðir: Rannsóknin var afturskyggn, lýðgrunduð og náði til allra einstaklinga yngri en 18 ára sem greindust með krabbamein á Íslandi frá upphafi árs 1981 til loka ársins 2006. Upplýsingum var safnað frá Krabbameinsskrá Íslands, sjúkraskrám og Hagstofu Íslands. Niðurstöður: Á rannsóknartímabilinu greindust 279 börn með krabbamein á Íslandi. Af þeim voru 215 á lífi í lok árs 2008. Á tímabilinu var fimm ára lifun 81,2% og 10 ára lifun 76,7%. Ekki var marktækur munur á lifun milli kynja, greiningartímabila, aldurs eða búsetu. Gæti það skýrst af smæð þýðisins. Lifun var mismunandi eftir krabbameinstegundum. Ellefu einstaklingar greindust síðar með meðferðartengd krabbamein, átta þeirra létust. Sextán þeirra 64 sem létust voru í læknandi meðferð fram að andláti. Var dánarorsök meðferðartengdir fylgikvillar hjá 12 úr þeim hópi. Ályktun: Horfur barna og unglinga á Íslandi með krabbamein eru sambærilegar við önnur vestræn ríki. Horfur eru mun verri í meðferðartengdum krabbameinum samanborið við frumkrabbamein. Meðferðartengdir fylgikvillar eru algengasta dánarorsök ef krabbameinsmeðferð er gefin með læknanlegum tilgangi

Childhood cancer in Iceland 1981-2006

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn Skoða/Opna(view/open)BACKGROUND: Childhood cancer is the second most common cause of death in children. The aim of this study was to gather epidemiological information on childhood cancer in Iceland. METHODS: The study was population based and included all children younger than 18 years of age, diagnosed with cancer in Iceland from 1981 to 2006. Information was extracted from the Icelandic Cancer Registry and patient hospital records. RESULTS: During the study period 288 cancer cases were diagnosed in 279 children, 10 cases were secondary neoplasms. Age standardized incidence was 16.1 per 100.000 (95% CI 13,6-18,6) for boys and 12.8 per 100.000 (95% CI 10,5-15,0) for girls. There was no significant difference in the incidence rate between the first and second half of the study period. For children aged 0-14 years, the age standardized incidence was 13.6 per 100.000. The incidence was highest in the 0-4 year age group (17.3 per 100.000) and in the 15-17 year age group (19.6 per 100.000). Brain tumors (27.1%) and leukemia (25.0%) were the most common cancer groups diagnosed. Lymphoid leukemia was the most common cancer type (17.9%) and astrocytoma (13.1%) came second. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of childhood cancer in Iceland is similar to other Western countries. Long-term follow-up is very important in childhood cancer survivors.Inngangur: Krabbamein er næst algengasta dánarorsök barna á eftir slysum. Tilgangur rann-sóknarinnar var að kanna nýgengi krabbameina hjá börnum á Íslandi.
 Aðferðir: Rannsóknin var lýðgrunduð og náði til allra <18 ára sem greindust með krabbamein á Íslandi frá upphafi árs 1981 til ársloka 2006. Upplýsingum var safnað frá Krabbameinsskrá Íslands og úr sjúkraskrám.
 Niðurstöður: Alls greindust 288 krabbameinstilfelli á tímabilinu hjá 279 börnum. Í 10 tilvikum var um meðferðartengd krabbamein að ræða. Árlegt aldursstaðlað nýgengi hjá drengjum var 16,1 af 100.000 (95% CI; 13,6-18,6) en hjá stúlkum 12,8 af 100.000 (95% CI; 10,5-15,0) en ekki var marktækur munur á nýgengi milli fyrri og seinni hluta rannsóknartímabilsins. Fyrir aldursbilið 0-14 ára var árlegt aldursstaðlað nýgengi 13,6 af 100.000. Miðtaugakerfisæxli og hvítblæði voru samanlagt 52,1% allra krabbameinstilvika. Algengasta grein-ingin var bráða eitilfrumuhvítblæði (17,9%) og stjarnfrumnaæxli (13,1%) næstalgengust. Nýgeng-ið var hæst hjá aldursbilunum 0-4 ára (17,3 af 100.00) og 15-17 ára (19,6 af 100.000). Tíu börn voru með þekkta meðfædda áhættuþætti.
 Ályktun: Nýgengi krabbameina hjá börnum á Íslandi er sambærilegt við nágrannalöndin. Mikilvægt er að fylgja vel eftir börnum sem gengið hafa í gegnum krabbameinsmeðferð og þeim sem hafa þekkta meðfædda áhættuþætti.


Intracellular Fas ligand in normal and malignant breast epithelium does not induce apoptosis in Fas-sensitive cells

Fas ligand (FasL) is expressed on some cancers and may play a role in the immune evasion of the tumour. We used immuno-histochemistry to study the expression of Fas and FasL in tissue samples from breast cancer patients, as well as normal breast tissue. Our results show that Fas and FasL are co-expressed both in normal tissue and in breast tumours. Fas and FasL mRNA were expressed in fresh normal and malignant breast tissue, as well as cultured breast epithelium and breast cancer cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis of live cells failed to detect FasL on the surface of normal or malignant breast cells; however, both stained positive for FasL after permeabilization. Fas was detected on the surface of normal breast cells and T47D and MCF-10A cell lines but only intracellularly in other breast cell lines tested. Neither normal breast epithelium nor breast cell lines induced Fas-dependent apoptosis in Jurkat cells. Finally, 20 tumour samples were stained for apoptosis. Few apoptotic cells were detected and there was no increase in apoptotic cells on the borders between tumour cells and lymphocytes. We conclude that FasL is expressed intracellularly in both normal and malignant breast epithelium and unlikely to be important for the immune evasion of breast tumours. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

Effects of gender and fatigue on strength and activity of gluteus medius muscle during a controlled cutting maneuver in preadolescent athletes

Funding Information: This study was supported by grants from The Icelandic Research Fund (Number: 120410021-3). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)The present study aimed to investigate the effects of gender on hip muscle strength and activity during a controlled cutting maneuver in preadolescent athletes. Fifty-six football and handball preadolescent players participated (35 females and 21 males). Normalized mean activity of the gluteus medius (GM) muscle was measured using surface electromyography during cutting maneuvers in pre-activation and eccentric phases. The stance duration and the strength of hip abductors and external rotators were recorded with a force plate and a handheld dynamometer, respectively. Descriptive statistics and mixed model analysis were used to assess statistical difference (α = 0.05). The results showed that boys activate the GM muscle significantly more than girls during the pre-activation phase (P = 0.022). Boys also demonstrated greater normalized strength of hip external rotation than girls (P = 0.038), but not for hip abduction or duration of stance (P > 0.05). When adjusted for abduction strength, however, boys had significantly shorter stance duration than girls (P = 0.006). It seems that sex-dependent differences are present in preadolescent athletes as observed in the strength of hip external rotator muscles and neuromuscular activity of the GM muscle during a cutting maneuver. Future studies are needed to investigate whether these changes influence risk of lower limb/ACL injury during sport activities.Peer reviewe

Time-lapse characterization of hydrothermal seawater and microbial interactions with basaltic tephra at Surtsey Volcano

A new International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP) project will drill through the 50-yearoldedifice of Surtsey Volcano, the youngest of the Vestmannaeyjar Islands along the south coast of Iceland, to perform interdisciplinary time-lapse investigations of hydrothermal and microbial interactions with basaltic tephra. The volcano, created in 1963–1967 by submarine and subaerial basaltic eruptions, was first drilled in 1979. In October 2014, a workshop funded by the ICDP convened 24 scientists from 10 countries for 3 and a half days on Heimaey Island to develop scientific objectives, site the drill holes, and organize logistical support. Representatives of the Surtsey Research Society and Environment Agency of Iceland also participated. Scientific themes focus on further determinations of the structure and eruptive processes of the type locality of Surtseyan volcanism, descriptions of changes in fluid geochemistry and microbial colonization of the subterrestrial deposits since drilling 35 years ago, and monitoring the evolution of hydrothermal and biological processes within the tephra deposits far into the future through the installation of a Surtsey subsurface observatory. The tephra deposits provide a geologic analog for developing specialty concretes with pyroclastic rock and evaluating their long-term performance under diverse hydrothermal conditions

Gradual caldera collapse at Bárdarbunga volcano, Iceland, regulated by lateral magma outflow

Large volcanic eruptions on Earth commonly occur with a collapse of the roof of a crustal magma reservoir, forming a caldera. Only a few such collapses occur per century, and the lack of detailed observations has obscured insight into the mechanical interplay between collapse and eruption.We usemultiparameter geophysical and geochemical data to show that the 110-squarekilometer and 65-meter-deep collapse of Bárdarbunga caldera in 2014-2015 was initiated through withdrawal of magma, and lateral migration through a 48-kilometers-long dike, from a 12-kilometers deep reservoir. Interaction between the pressure exerted by the subsiding reservoir roof and the physical properties of the subsurface flow path explain the gradual, nearexponential decline of both collapse rate and the intensity of the 180-day-long eruption

The academic–vocational divide in three Nordic countries : implications for social class and gender

In this study we examine how the academic–vocational divide is manifested today in Finland, Iceland and Sweden in the division between vocationally (VET) and academicallyoriented programmes at the upper-secondary school level. The paper is based on a critical re-analysis of results from previous studies; in it we investigate the implications of this divide for class and gender inequalities. The theoretical lens used for the synthesis is based on Bernstein´s theory of pedagogic codes. In the re-analysis we draw on previous studies of policy, curriculum and educational praxis as well as official statistics. The main conclusions are that contemporary policy and curriculum trends in all three countries are dominated by a neo-liberal discourse stressing principles such as “market relevance” and employability. This trend strengthens the academic–vocational divide, mainly through an organisation of knowledge in VET that separates it from more general and theoretical elements. This trend also seems to affect VET students’ transitions in terms of reduced access to higher education, particularly in male-dominated programmes. We also identify low expectations for VET students, manifested through choice of textbooks and tasks, organisation of teacher teams and the advice of career counsellors.Peer reviewe

The importance of sedimenting organic matter, relative to oxygen and temperature, in structuring lake profundal macroinvertebrate assemblages

We quantified the role of a main food resource, sedimenting organic matter (SOM), relative to oxygen (DO) and temperature (TEMP) in structuring profundal macroinvertebrate assemblages in boreal lakes. SOM from 26 basins of 11 Finnish lakes was analysed for quantity (sedimentation rates), quality (C:N:P stoichiometry) and origin (carbon stable isotopes, d13C). Hypolimnetic oxygen and temperature were measured from each site during summer stratification. Partial canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and partial regression analyses were used to quantify contributions of SOM, DO and TEMP to community composition and three macroinvertebrate metrics. The results suggested a major contribution of SOM in regulating the community composition and total biomass. Oxygen best explained the Shannon diversity, whereas TEMP had largest contribution to the variation of Benthic Quality Index. Community composition was most strongly related to d13C of SOM. Based on additional d13C and stoichiometric analyses of chironomid taxa, marked differences were apparent in their utilization of SOM and body stoichiometry; taxa characteristic of oligotrophic conditions exhibited higher C:N ratios and lower C:P and N:P ratios compared to the species typical of eutrophic lakes. The results highlight the role of SOM in regulating benthic communities and the distributions of individual species, particularly in oligotrophic systems