The Dark Side of Narrow Gamification: Negative Impact of Assessment Gamification on Student Perceptions and Content Knowledge

We explored the effects of assessment gamification on students’ content knowledge and perceptions of satisfaction, course experience, learning, and impact of teaching techniques. The course preparation, attendance, quizzes, classroom activities, and team projects of an undergraduate operations and supply chain management course had game elements that accumulate to team advantages in the collaborative midterm and final exam. Interestingly, we found that gamifying assessment activities resulted in significantly lower content knowledge, satisfaction, and course experience. Difference in perceived learning was not significant. Also, team exam scores were significantly lower in the gamified group, whereas individual exam scores were not significantly different. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence that gamification in classroom may produce unintended consequences and implementing gamification re- strictively to assessment is ineffective at best. Directions for further research are discussed

Conservative Management of Spontaneous Isolated Dissection of the Superior Mesenteric Artery

Purpose. We report the clinical outcomes of patients with spontaneous isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SIDSMA) who were treated conservatively. Materials and Methods. A retrospective review was performed in 14 patients from 2006 to 2016 with SIDSMA. Their clinical features and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) characteristics, treatment methods, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. The mean age was 53.6 (range, 41–73) years, and the mean follow-up duration was 20.6 (range, 1–54) months. Conservative management was the primary treatment if no bowel ischemia or arterial rupture was noted. Results. The mean initial abdominal visual analog pain score was 7 (range, 5–9) in seven patients. The mean total duration of abdominal pain was 10.2 days (range, 2–42 days) in 10 patients. The mean percentage stenosis of the dissected SMA at the initial presentation was 78.8% in 14 patients. Complete obstruction of the SMA at the initial presentation was evident in 4 of the 14 patients (28.6%). Conservative management was successful in all 14 patients. None of the 14 patients developed bowel ischemia or an infarction. Abdominal pain did not recur in any patient during follow-up (mean, 20.6 months; range, 1–54 months). Conclusion. Conservative management was successful for all SIDSMA patients, even those with severe compression of the true lumen or complete obstruction of the dissected SMA

Universal convex covering problems under translation and discrete rotations

We consider the smallest-area universal covering of planar objects of perimeter 2 (or equivalently closed curves of length 2) allowing translation and discrete rotations. In particular, we show that the solution is an equilateral triangle of height 1 when translation and discrete rotation of $\pi$ are allowed. Our proof is purely geometric and elementary. We also give convex coverings of closed curves of length 2 under translation and discrete rotations of multiples of $\pi/2$ and $2\pi/3$. We show a minimality of the covering for discrete rotation of multiples of $\pi/2$, which is an equilateral triangle of height smaller than 1, and conjecture that the covering is the smallest-area convex covering. Finally, we give the smallest-area convex coverings of all unit segments under translation and discrete rotations $2\pi/k$ for all integers $k\ge 3$

Interactions in sustainable supply chain management: a framework review

Purpose – This study evaluates the research conducted among the interim, dyadic interactions that bridge the stand-alone measures of economic, environmental, and social performance and the level of sustainability, as suggested in the Carter & Rogers (2008) framework. Design/methodology/approach – This paper conducts a systematic literature review based on the Tranfield et al. (2003) method of the articles published in 13 major journals in the area of supply chain management between the years of 2010 and 2016. Results were analyzed using an expert panel. Findings – The area of research between environmental and social performance is sparse and relegated to empirical investigation. As an important area of interaction, this area needs more research to answer the how and why questions. The economic activity seems to be the persistent theme among the interactions. Research implications – The literature on the “ES” interactions is lacking in both theoretical and analytical content. Studies explaining the motivations, optimal levels, and context that drive these interactions are needed. The extant research portrays economic performance as if it cannot be sacrificed for social welfare. This approach is not in line with the progressive view of SSCM but instead the binary view with an economic emphasis. Practical implications – To improve sustainability, organizations need the triple bottom line (TBL) framework that defines sustainability in isolation. However, they also need to understand how and why these interactions take place that drive sustainability in organizations. Originality/value – This is the first study to examine the literature specifically dedicated to the essential, interim, dyadic interactions that bridge the gap between stand-alone performance and the TBL that creates true sustainability. It also shows how the literature views the existence of sustainability is progressive, but many describe sustainability as binary. It is possible that economic sustainability is binary, and progressive characterizations of SSCM could be the reason behind the results favoring economic performance over environmental and social

Op‐Ed Writing Assignment in Supply Chain Management Courses

Newspaper op‐eds, dedicated to commentary essays from outside of a newspaper, function as a platform for the public to exchange opinions. We designed an op‐ed writing assignment as part of a semester‐long course project in global supply chain management (SCM). Student teams conducted research on a SCM topic, presented their findings in the classroom, and wrote an op‐ed for submission to a local or regional newspaper. This teaching brief describes the implementation of this assignment at a northeast U.S. university. The goals of this assignment were: (1) to educate students on how to write an op‐ed and (2) to educate students on how to publish their opinion articles. Insights on the benefits and challenges that students experienced from completing the op‐ed assignment are discussed. A description of a case‐based version of the op‐ed writing assignment used in a Canadian university is also provided

Violet-light spontaneous and stimulated emission from ultrathin In-rich InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

We investigated the spontaneous and stimulated emission properties of violet-light-emitting ultrathin In-rich InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) with indium content of 60%-70%. The Stokes shift was smaller than that of In-poor InGaN MQWs, and the emission peak position at 3.196 eV was kept constant with increasing pumping power, indicating negligible quantum confined Stark effect in ultrathin In-rich InGaN MQWs despite of high indium content. Optically pumped stimulated emission performed at room temperature was observed at 3.21 eV, the high-energy side of spontaneous emission, when the pumping power density exceeds ???31 kW/ cm2.open6

In-rich InGaN/GaN quantum wells grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Growth mechanism of In-rich InGaN/GaN quantum wells (QWs) was investigated. First, we examined the initial stage of InN growth on GaN template considering strain-relieving mechanisms such as defect generation, islanding, and alloy formation at 730 degrees C. It was found that, instead of formation of InN layer, defective In-rich InGaN layer with thickness fluctuations was formed to relieve large lattice mismatch over 10% between InN and GaN. By introducing growth interruption (GI) before GaN capping at the same temperature, however, atomically flat InGaN/GaN interfaces were observed, and the quality of In-rich InGaN layer was greatly improved. We found that decomposition and mass transport processes during GI in InGaN layer are responsible for this phenomenon. There exists severe decomposition in InGaN layer during GI, and a 1-nm-thick InGaN layer remained after GI due to stronger bond strength near the InGaN/GaN interface. It was observed that the mass transport processes actively occurred during GI in InGaN layer above 730 degrees C so that defect annihilation in InGaN layer was greatly enhanced. Finally, based on these experimental results, we propose the growth mechanism of In-rich InGaN/GaN QWs using GI.open9