Computer-based informated environments : emergent forms of work organisation

This research formulates the concept of a Computer-Based Informated Environment (CBIE) as an emergent anthropocentric form of work organisation; this is a computerised office environment which informates and empowers lower level employees. The study attempts to enhance our knowledge over the nature of CBIEs. It hypothesizes that with the current interest in IT-enabled empowerment there are more opportunities for the development of CBIEs. A missing element on studies in informated and empowered workplaces is employees' interpretation of these forms of work organisation. A review of the literature on information technology (IT) in organisations supports the view that there is a need for further research on the meaning of technological and organisational changes. This study attempts to cover this gap while also making a contribution in the field of anthropocentric uses of IT in office environments. A structurational framework is developed to uncover the process and context of change and the linkages between the two. Considering the research topic, the case study approach was adopted. Three service-oriented organisations participated in the research. All three had within the last few years introduced the system ImagePlus which is promoted for its potential to empower employees. There have been two important findings about the nature of CBIEs. Firstly, it is found that the process and context of CBIEs should not be treated as mutually independent but as inextricably linked. Secondly, it is identified that CBIEs could occur without being anthropocentric-oriented. Informated employees are not necessarily truly empowered. When the 'empowerment' approach is diffused via IT, it is likely to be in forms that align more with managerial and organisational interests than those of employees. Using structuration theory, the complex dynamics of the use of IT in organisations become evident. The study argues that the 'determinism' and 'choice' perspectives need to be linked for each has a vital role to play in enhancing our understanding of the use of IT in organisations

Geographical Origin Prediction of Folk Music Recordings from the United Kingdom

Field recordings from ethnomusicological research since the beginning of the 20th century are available today in large digitised music archives. The application of music information retrieval and data mining technologies can aid large-scale data processing leading to a better understanding of the history of cultural exchange. In this paper we focus on folk and traditional music from the United Kingdom and study the correlation between spatial origins and musical characteristics. In particular, we investigate whether the geographical location of music recordings can be predicted solely from the content of the audio signal. We build a neural network that takes as input a feature vector capturing musical aspects of the audio signal and predicts the latitude and longitude of the origins of the music recording. We explore the performance of the model for different sets of features and compare the prediction accuracy between geographical regions of the UK. Our model predicts the geographical coordinates of music recordings with an average error of less than 120 km. The model can be used in a similar manner to identify the origins of recordings in large unlabelled music collections and reveal patterns of similarity in music from around the world

On machine learning-based techniques for future sustainable and resilient energy systems

Permanently increasing penetration of converter-interfaced generation and renewable energy sources (RESs) makes modern electrical power systems more vulnerable to low probability and high impact events, such as extreme weather, which could lead to severe contingencies, even blackouts. These contingencies can be further propagated to neighboring energy systems over coupling components/technologies and consequently negatively influence the entire multi-energy system (MES) (such as gas, heating and electricity) operation and its resilience. In recent years, machine learning-based techniques (MLBTs) have been intensively applied to solve various power system problems, including system planning, or security and reliability assessment. This paper aims to review MES resilience quantification methods and the application of MLBTs to assess the resilience level of future sustainable energy systems. The open research questions are identified and discussed, whereas the future research directions are identified

Magnesium and Aluminium alloys Dissimilar Joining by Friction Stir Welding

Abstract Multi-material lightweight structures are gaining a great deal of attention in several industries, in particular where a trade-off between reduced weight, improved performances, and cost compression is required. Magnesium alloys, such as the zinc-rare earth elements ZE41A alloy, fulfill the first two requirements; however, they are susceptible to corrosion and relatively expensive. Lightweight structures hybridization, for instance combining Magnesium alloys and Aluminium alloys, is currently under consideration as a potential solution to this problem. Nevertheless, dissimilar joining of Magnesium and Aluminium alloys is challenging due to the significant differences in physical properties, as well as to the precipitation of brittle intermetallic compounds, such as Al 12 Mg 17 and Al 3 Mg 2 . In this study, the dissimilar joining of Magnesium and Aluminium alloys by friction stir welding process is discussed. In particular, 4 mm thick plates of ZE41A Mg alloy and AA2024-T3 Al alloy were welded in the butt joint configuration. The feasibility of the process was assessed by means of microstructure and mechanical analysis. The formation of brittle intermetallic compounds was investigated as well

Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: a European survey

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer patients across a number of European countries. Methods: A descriptive survey design was developed. Fourteen countries participated in the study and data was collected through a descriptive questionnaire from 956 patients. Results: Data suggest that CAM is popular among cancer patients with 35.9% using some form of CAM (range among countries 14.8% to 73.1%). A heterogeneous group of 58 therapies were identified as being used. Herbal medicines and remedies were the most commonly used CAM therapies, together with homeopathy, vitamins/minerals, medicinal teas, spiritual therapies and relaxation techniques. Herbal medicine use tripled from use before diagnosis to use since diagnosis with cancer. Multivariate analysis suggested that the profile of the CAM user was that of younger people, female and with higher educational level. The source of information was mainly from friends/family and the media, while physicians and nurses played a small part in providing CAM-related information. The majority used CAM to increase the body's ability to fight cancer or improve physical and emotional well-being, and many seemed to have benefited from using CAM (even though the benefits were not necessarily related to the initial reason for using CAM). Some 4.4% of patients, however, reported side-effects, mostly transient. Conclusions: It is imperative that health professionals explore the use of CAM with their cancer patients, educate them about potentially beneficial therapies in light of the limited available evidence of effectiveness, and work towards an integrated model of health-care provisio

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Is there a role of coral bone substitutes in bone repair?

Xenogeneic bone graft materials are an alternative to autologous bone grafting. Among such implants, coralline-derived bone grafts substitutes have a long track record as safe, biocompatible and osteoconductive graft materials. In this review, we present the available literature surrounding their use with special focus on the commercially available graft materials. Corals thanks to their chemical and structural characteristics similar to those of the human cancellous bone have shown great potential but clinical data presented to date is ambiguous with both positive and negative outcomes reported. Correct formulation and design of the graft to ensure adequate osteo-activity and resorption appears intrinsic to a successful outcome