Added Complexity of Social Entrepreneurship: A Knowledge-Based Approach

Social entrepreneurship evades easy definition and conceptualization. In this paper we attempt to advance social entrepreneurship theoretically by examining it conceptually, from a theory of the firm perspective. If social entrepreneurship entails pursuit of a double bottom line (Dees 1998), the added complexity of the social entrepreneurial venture identified by Tracey and Phillips (2007) should be discoverable from a theory of the firm perspective. Applying the knowledge-based theory of the firm to social entrepreneurship, we aver that social entrepreneurship’s added complexity is manifest when social entrepreneurs make decisions about their knowledge. In contrast to ordinary entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs have to balance two incommensurable objectives when they form their attitude toward protection of their knowledge

Effects of a High Speed-Low-Resistance Bicycling Intervention in Parkinson’s Disease

Bellumori, M., Uygur, M., Knight, C.A. University of Delaware, Newark, DE Bradykinesia is a symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) that substantially decreases mobility while contributing to increased rates of disability and health care costs. Bicycling exercise is a promising strategy that could improve mobility in PD. Purpose: To determine the effects of a six week exercise intervention that uses high speed- low-resistance (HS-LR) stationary recumbent cycling in people with PD. Methods: Pre-exercise tests assessed level of PD severity, physical function, and perceived health. These were again performed following a supervised, 6-week (12 sessions), HS-LR program. Results: Eleven participants (age 62.7 (8.8) years; disease duration 41.5 (32.6) months) completed this study and had positive results (see Table below). HS-LR training positively affected the disease severity and the tasks that relate to walking, balance, cognition, and dexterity.Conclusion: High-speed recumbent bicycling is a successful strategy to improve mobility, function, and independence in people with PD that can be completed within a clinical setting or the comfort of one’s home. Supported by a grant from NIGMS (8 P20 GM103446-13) at NIH

Volumetric evaluation of fat in the renal sinus in normal subjects using stereological method on computed tomography images and its relationship with body composition

Background: The aim of the study was: to describe a simple, accurate and practical technique for estimating the volume of adipose tissue within the renal sinus (RS) using stereological method on computed tomography (CT) images; to establish a population database for volume of fat within the RS from 21 to 80 years of age; to investigate the effect of age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and abdominal diameters on RS fat volume in normal subjects.Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed abdominal CT examinations of 240 patients without renal pathology between the ages of 21 and 80 years. There were 6 groups of patients, with 40 patients for each decade.Results: RS fat volumes in the left and right kidney were 5.70 ± 2.87 cm3 and 4.15 ± 2.39 cm3, respectively, in males and 3.51 ± 2.67 cm3 and 2.49 ± 2.16 cm3, respectively, in females. RS fat volume and age were positively correlated for both kidneys (left: r = 0.46; right: r = 0.44; p < 0.001, both), though it appeared to decline after age 70.Conclusions: Quantitative data may allow clinicians to better estimate the age-related RS fat volume changes and help them in decision making

The determination of the pituitary gland, optic chiasm, and intercavernous distance measurements in healthy subjects according to age and gender

Background: This paper was undertaken to determine the morphometry of pituitary gland diameter, pituitary gland height, intercavernous distance, optic chiasm diameter and optic chiasm height in skulls of Turkish population aged between 18 and 60 years. Materials and methods: It was a retrospective study in which 292 subjects were included 187 females and 105 males, ranging from 18 up to 60 years. Subjects underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging in the Radiology Department. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 21.00 programme. ANOVA test, χ2 test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used to determine the relation and significance between measurements and age group. The p < 0.05 value was considered as significant. Results: The groups were divided into five groups according to age. The overall means and standard deviations of the measurements were: pituitary gland width, 13.09 ± 1.99 mm; pituitary gland height, 4.91 ± 1.10 mm; intercavernous distance, 15.93 ± 3.05 mm; optic chiasm width, 12.82 ± 1.27 mm; and optic chiasm height, 2.80 ± 0.49 mm in females, respectively whereas, the same measurements were 12.96 ± 1.74 mm; 4.79 ± 0.95 mm; 16.08 ± 3.11 mm; 13.13 ± 1.37 mm; 2.86 ± 0.70 mm in males, respectively. Height of the pituitary gland reached a maximum in the age group of 18 to 20 years in both females and males and there was a decrease in the pituitary gland height in the subsequent age groups. Conclusions: Knowledge of the variation in the size of pituitary gland, intercavernous distance and optic chiasm is important to evaluate the dimensions of these structures for clinical and pathological processes

Discrimination of Muslim minorities at work in Muslim majority countries: the case of Turkey and Pakistan

Past Conferences - EDI 2019 Rotterdam Accepted Papers: https://www.edi-conference.org/downloads_8.phpCopyright © 2019 The Author(s). In the context of increased incidents of religious sectarianism in Turkey and Pakistan, two Muslim majority countries, this paper explicates the religious discrimination that Muslim minorities face at work. First, we examine religious diversity in both countries, and explore the identity and agency of religious minorities at work. We then draw on 17 interviews each with individuals from Muslim minority groups in Turkish and Pakistani workplaces, we demonstrate how religious discrimination is experienced in the context of a country (i.e., Turkey) where the secular system is under considerable strain and a country (i.e., Pakistan) where Islamic egalitarian principles enshrined in the national constitution have patchy implementation. The study reveals religiously inspired bias (Turkey and Pakistan),fealtry or biat (Turkey) and Takfiri extremism (Pakistan) as significant mechanisms by which intrafaith relations are shaped and religious ties serve as both a privilege and a disadvantage. Thus, the study uncovers a number of invisible constraints, which deteriorate the agency of religious minorities at work. We theorise what happens to religious equality at work when a secular or egalitarian system is challenged by a particular interpretation of religion.https://www.edi-conference.org/downloads_8.ph

Direct imaging of changes in aerosol particle viscosity upon hydration and chemical aging

Organic aerosol particles (OA) play major roles in atmospheric chemistry, climate, and public health. Aerosol particle viscosity is highly important since it can determine the ability of chemical species such as oxidants, organics or water to diffuse into the particle bulk. Recent measurements indicate that OA may be present in highly viscous states, however, diffusion rates of small molecules such as water are not limited by these high viscosities. Direct observational evidence of kinetic barriers caused by high viscosity and low diffusivity in aerosol particles were not available until recently; and techniques that are able to dynamically quantify and track viscosity changes during atmospherically relevant processes are still unavailable for atmospheric aerosols. Here we report quantitative, real-time, online observations of microscopic viscosity changes in aerosol particles of atmospherically relevant composition, using fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of viscosity. We show that microviscosity in ozonated oleic acid droplets and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles formed by ozonolysis of myrcene increases substantially with decreasing humidity and atmospheric oxidative aging processes. Furthermore, we found unexpected heterogeneities of microviscosity inside individual aerosol particles. The results of this study enhance our understanding of organic aerosol processes on microscopic scales and may have important implications for the modeling of atmospheric aerosol growth, composition and interactions with trace gases and clouds.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Career Acceleration Fellowship (Grant ID: EP/I003983/1), Prize studentship), Natural Environment Research Council (Studentship NE/J500070/1), European Research Council (Grant ID: 279405), Max Planck Society, European Union project PEGASOS (Grant ID: 265148

Investigation of Changes in Mechanical Properties and Microstructures of Mild Steel Joint by Oxy-Hydrogen Welding

In this paper, in order to see weldability behaviour of mild steels joint by the oxy-hydrogen welding technique, an investigation of changes in mechanical properties and microstructures of mild steel is carried out. The specimens with 1.5 mm thickness and 125 mm length are welded by using both the oxyhydrogen and oxy-acetylene gases. Microstructural analysis is carried out on the cross sectional area of the welding zone in order to compare the changes in weld metals and the heat affected zones in terms of the welding gases. Experimental results of the tensile strength and microhardness obtained with mechanical tests show that samples welded with oxy-acetylene exhibited 10% higher yield strength than that of the samples welded with oxy-hydrogen. However, the oxy-hydrogen welding technique can be used as an alternative to the oxy-acetylene welding, since it has advantageous of being clean and economic.С целью выяснения качества сварного шва на малоуглеродистой стали, полученного водород-кислородной сваркой, проведено исследование изменений механических свойств и микроструктуры данного типа стали. Образцы толщиной 1,5 мм и длиной 125 мм сваривались как водород-кислородной, так и ацетиленокислородной сваркой. Был проведён микроструктурный анализ поперечного сечения зоны сварки с целью сравнения изменений в металле шва и зоне термического влияния в зависимости от сварочного газа. Экспериментальные результаты по пределу прочности при растяжении и микротвёрдости, полученные при механических испытаниях, показали, что образцы, сваренные ацетиленокислородной сваркой, имеют прочность при растяжении на 10% выше, чем водород-кислородной. Однако водород-кислородная сварка может быть использована как альтернатива ацетиленокислородной сварке, так как она имеет преимущества по чистоте и экономичности.З метою з’ясування якости зварюваного шва на маловуглецевій сталі, виробленого водневокисневим зварюванням, виконано дослідження змін механічних властивостей і мікроструктури даного типу сталі. Зразки товщиною у 1,5 мм та довжиною у 125 мм зварювалися як водневокисневим, так і ацетиленокисневим зварюванням. Виконано мікроструктурну аналізу поперечного перерізу зони зварювання з метою порівняння змін у металі шва та зоні термічного впливу в залежності від зварювального газу. Експериментальні результати стосовно границі міцности при розтягу та мікротвердости, одержані під час механічних випробувань, показали, що зразки, зварені ацетиленокисневим зварюванням, мають міцність при розтягу, на 10% вищу, ніж зварені водневокисневою газовою сумішшю. Однак водневокисневе зварювання може бути використано як альтернатива ацетиленокисневому зварюванню завдяки його перевазі за чистотою та економічністю

Effect of Mill Type on Morphology of AA6013 Aluminium Powder

ABSTRACTIn conventional recycling method, metal chips are cast after pressing and melting in electric arc furnace. Material loss occurs during the recycling from liquid metal due to the several reasons. Direct recycling method which produces the aluminium powder from aluminium chips using mechanical mill can be an alternative to conventional recycling method. Thus material and energy losses, and labour cost will be reduced by direct recycling method without melting.In this study, the particle morphology of powder direct recycled from AA6013 aluminium alloy chips with cryogenic, disc and ball type grinders is investigated. Mechanical milling resulted flaky and irregular shaped AA6013 particles. It was ascertained that the chips did not break sufficiently in despite of the long duration milling mechanisms by ball mill. Cryogenic mill provides the energy required for milling mechanisms to act. Disc mill has the highest impact energy was determined. Consequently, efficiency of ball mill is lower than the efficiency of cryogenic and disc type mills. Shape factors of powders produced with ball and cryogenic mills were found greater than that of the powder produced by disc mill. Disc mill has the most efficient and effective impact energy which produces the smaller particles per minute, was determined.Keywords: Direct recycling method, powder production, scrap chips, aluminium alloy.

Pilot study to define criteria for Pituitary Tumors Centers of Excellence (PTCOE):results of an audit of leading international centers

Purpose: The Pituitary Society established the concept and mostly qualitative parameters for defining uniform criteria for Pituitary Tumor Centers of Excellence (PTCOEs) based on expert consensus. Aim of the study was to validate those previously proposed criteria through collection and evaluation of self-reported activity of several internationally-recognized tertiary pituitary centers, thereby transforming the qualitative 2017 definition into a validated quantitative one, which could serve as the basis for future objective PTCOE accreditation. Methods: An ad hoc prepared database was distributed to nine Pituitary Centers chosen by the Project Scientific Committee and comprising Centers of worldwide repute, which agreed to provide activity information derived from registries related to the years 2018–2020 and completing the database within 60 days. The database, provided by each center and composed of Excel® spreadsheets with requested specific information on leading and supporting teams, was reviewed by two blinded referees and all 9 candidate centers satisfied the overall PTCOE definition, according to referees’ evaluations. To obtain objective numerical criteria, median values for each activity/parameter were considered as the preferred PTCOE definition target, whereas the low limit of the range was selected as the acceptable target for each respective parameter. Results: Three dedicated pituitary neurosurgeons are preferred, whereas one dedicated surgeon is acceptable. Moreover, 100 surgical procedures per center per year are preferred, while the results indicated that 50 surgeries per year are acceptable. Acute post-surgery complications, including mortality and readmission rates, should preferably be negligible or nonexistent, but acceptable criterion is a rate lower than 10% of patients with complications requiring readmission within 30 days after surgery. Four endocrinologists devoted to pituitary diseases are requested in a PTCOE and the total population of patients followed in a PTCOE should not be less than 850. It appears acceptable that at least one dedicated/expert in pituitary diseases is present in neuroradiology, pathology, and ophthalmology groups, whereas at least two expert radiation oncologists are needed. Conclusion: This is, to our knowledge, the first study to survey and evaluate the activity of a relevant number of high-volume centers in the pituitary field. This effort, internally validated by ad hoc reviewers, allowed for transformation of previously formulated theoretical criteria for the definition of a PTCOE to precise numerical definitions based on real-life evidence. The application of a derived synopsis of criteria could be used by independent bodies for accreditation of pituitary centers as PTCOEs.</p

Reverse flow digital artery pedicle flap for closure of diabetic forefoot ulceration

Digital artery pedicle flap is a useful surgical technique for coverage of plantar foot defects. For diabetic forefoot ulcers that are subject to recurrence despite consistent care, this flap can provide long-term durable closure. The authors provide a case report and overview of this innovative reconstructive procedure