Influential Article Review - Independent Information Sharing Conduct in Dynamic Virtual Communities: The Viewpoints of Network Effects and Rank Competition

This paper examines education. We present insights from a highly influential paper. Here are the highlights from this paper: While most literature concerning knowledge sharing examines it as an organizational method for innovation and value creation, this paper considers online knowledge sharing as an individual behavior decision embedded in a virtual community. We attempt to explore which sharing behavior can help individual participants gain a better position in an online community, improving social status, reputation, and other social networking interests. We collected and measured the knowledge sharing activities and discussion from a Chinese online expertise knowledge network in Business Management Consulting. We tested the mediating effects of the sharing behavior of the major members of the online knowledge network on members’ status (network centrality) in different time units (days). In a dynamic virtual community, the direct result of knowledge sharing behavior is reflected in the individual status position (the degree of node centrality). At the same time, individual knowledge sharing behavior has an “inertia effect”: individual prior status (the degree of node centrality) affects current knowledge sharing behavior, while current knowledge sharing behavior affects current status in the knowledge network, forming an inertial circuit between personal behavior and network status. We expound the theory of individual knowledge sharing in the context of an inter-person dynamic virtual community; we provide action “strategies” for individual knowledge sharing behavior choice, for better understanding the nature of individual knowledge behavior, and we also propose and test the “inertia effect” of knowledge sharing behavior and the knowledge network, and demonstrate the theory of network effects from an individual perspective. For our overseas readers, we then present the insights from this paper in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German

Magna Carta, the Rule of Law and the Limits on Government

This paper surveys the legal tradition that links Magna Carta with the modern concepts of the rule of law and the limits on government. It documents that the original understanding of the rule of law included substantive commitments to individual freedom and limited government. Then, it attempts at explaining how and why such commitments were lost to a formalist interpretation of the rule of law from 1848 to 1939. The paper concludes by arguing how a revival of the substantive commitments of the rule of law is central in a project of reshaping modern states

Haematological consequences of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria: a WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network pooled analysis of individual patient data

Background: Plasmodium falciparum malaria is associated with anaemia-related morbidity, attributable to host, parasite and drug factors. We quantified the haematological response following treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria to identify the factors associated with malarial anaemia. Methods: Individual patient data from eligible antimalarial efficacy studies of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria, available through the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network data repository prior to August 2015, were pooled using standardised methodology. The haematological response over time was quantified using a multivariable linear mixed effects model with nonlinear terms for time, and the model was then used to estimate the mean haemoglobin at day of nadir and day 7. Multivariable logistic regression quantified risk factors for moderately severe anaemia (haemoglobin < 7 g/dL) at day 0, day 3 and day 7 as well as a fractional fall ≥ 25% at day 3 and day 7. Results: A total of 70,226 patients, recruited into 200 studies between 1991 and 2013, were included in the analysis: 50,859 (72.4%) enrolled in Africa, 18,451 (26.3%) in Asia and 916 (1.3%) in South America. The median haemoglobin concentration at presentation was 9.9 g/dL (range 5.0–19.7 g/dL) in Africa, 11.6 g/dL (range 5.0–20.0 g/dL) in Asia and 12.3 g/dL (range 6.9–17.9 g/dL) in South America. Moderately severe anaemia (Hb < 7g/dl) was present in 8.4% (4284/50,859) of patients from Africa, 3.3% (606/18,451) from Asia and 0.1% (1/916) from South America. The nadir haemoglobin occurred on day 2 post treatment with a mean fall from baseline of 0.57 g/dL in Africa and 1.13 g/dL in Asia. Independent risk factors for moderately severe anaemia on day 7, in both Africa and Asia, included moderately severe anaemia at baseline (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 16.10 and AOR = 23.00, respectively), young age (age < 1 compared to ≥ 12 years AOR = 12.81 and AOR = 6.79, respectively), high parasitaemia (AOR = 1.78 and AOR = 1.58, respectively) and delayed parasite clearance (AOR = 2.44 and AOR = 2.59, respectively). In Asia, patients treated with an artemisinin-based regimen were at significantly greater risk of moderately severe anaemia on day 7 compared to those treated with a non-artemisinin-based regimen (AOR = 2.06 [95%CI 1.39–3.05], p < 0.001). Conclusions: In patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria, the nadir haemoglobin occurs 2 days after starting treatment. Although artemisinin-based treatments increase the rate of parasite clearance, in Asia they are associated with a greater risk of anaemia during recovery

Design of a bench-scale apparatus for processing carbon black derived from scrap tires

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references: p. 49-50.Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.The focus of this work is to design a bench-scale apparatus, for laboratory applications, that will perform solid processing operations for carbon black obtained through the thermal catalytic depolymerization of scrap tires. These operations are as follows: filtration and washing, extraction, and fine/coarse particle separation. It is beneficial to perform the three processing steps in a single apparatus to minimize, both, the amount of solid product lost and the time required for processing. By minimizing the time, a greater number of samples may be analyzed in a given amount of time. Thus, the effects of variations in process conditions can be determined in a shorter time span. The final design of the apparatus was formulated through combining the requirements of the three individual processing steps. Theoretical aspects, as well as quantitative and qualitative observations were important tools in generating the final design specifications. Without a doubt, the practical experience of working with the carbon black was the most important aid in performing this work

A u.s. Corn Stocks and Consumption Demand Model

151 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1980.Changing political and social goals complicate attempts to achieve the compromises needed for consistent national agricultural policy. In this light, it would be futile to propose the &quot;best&quot; grain storage program. Rather, the research in this area might be most constructive if aimed at a better understanding of why grain is stored. Recognition of the factors affecting the storage of grain and the subsequent consequences of altering these factors is an important step in obtaining this understanding.The theoretical base on which to build research in the area is limited. No storage theory specific to the demand for grain for storage has been found by his author. The development of a theory of demand for grain for storage would greatly enhance an analysis of the factors affecting the quantity of grain stored by different sectors of the grain market.Development of a theory of the demand for grain for storage would enable this demand to be incorporated with other demands for grain. Using a quantitative model that incorporates these demands would allow for the investigation of the changes in the quantity of grain stored under alternative conditions. The results of this study would add to the understanding of the grain markets and enhance the decision making of both the private and public sectors.Corn was the grain selected for study because of its importance as a grain crop. Limitations of time and other resources prevented the analysis of additional grains in this study.The specific objectives of the study were: (1) Set forth a theoretical model of the demand for grain for storage that is compatible with accepted economic theory. (2) Using the theoretical model as a guide, construct a system of equations that can be used to relate selected variables to the quantity of corn stored by different sectors of the market. (3) Use estimates of the parameters derived from the model to investigate the general impact of alternative government programs on the demand for corn for storage.A theory of the demand for grain for storage was developed based on expectations of future demands for grain. Imperfect knowledge and profit maximizations as a goal was assumed to characterize the corn market.A system of equations partially based on the proposed theory was developed for corn. Once the model was estimated using Three Stage Least Squares, the impacts of alternative government loan rates and interest rates on the storage of corn and the corn market in general was briefly investigated.Eight quarterly demand equations for corn were estimated. These demands included three consumption demands (domestic non-fed, domestic feed, and export) and five storage demands (loan, reseal, CCC, producer storage not in government programs, and commercial storage). Attempts to construct demand equations for export, CCC, loan and reseal were complicated by changing governmental policies.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD

Perceptions of Secondary School Students and Teachers of Student Participation in Decision-Making

200 p.Thesis (Educat.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1973.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD

A Comparison of Correlation Structure Selection Penalties for Generalized Estimating Equations

<p>Correlated data are commonly analyzed using models constructed using population-averaged generalized estimating equations (GEEs). The specification of a population-averaged GEE model includes selection of a structure describing the correlation of repeated measures. Accurate specification of this structure can improve efficiency, whereas the finite-sample estimation of nuisance correlation parameters can inflate the variances of regression parameter estimates. Therefore, correlation structure selection criteria should penalize, or account for, correlation parameter estimation. In this article, we compare recently proposed penalties in terms of their impacts on correlation structure selection and regression parameter estimation, and give practical considerations for data analysts. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.</p