804 research outputs found
Cooperation sustainability in small groups:Exogenous and endogenous dynamics of the sustainability of cooperation
Cooperation sustainability presents a complex social phenomenon. Two common approaches have been used to study the sustainability of cooperation in small groups: endogenous processes (dynamic) and exogenous factors (static approaches). The present study integrates existing research by investigating how the interplay between exogenous and endogenous conditions affects cooperation in small groups. To uncover endogenous group dynamics in an online Public Goods experiment (n = 353), we performed multilevel latent Markov models on Bayesian estimation that allowed us to estimate latent classes on the level of rounds, individuals, and groups. We studied exogenous factors by investigating the effects of situational tightness versus looseness, and monetary versus symbolic frames on cooperation sustainability. Our key findings show that both endogenous and exogenous factors are critical to explain the variation of cooperation sustainability between groups. Second, groups exposed to tight situations reveal higher levels of cooperation sustainability than groups exposed to loose situations. Money primes did not have an impact. Among the control variables, collective intentionality showed the strongest association with cooperation. Future research may develop a more sophisticated measure of tight versus loose situations and examine the causal relationship between collective intentionality and cooperation
Unbounded randomness certification using sequences of measurements
Unpredictability, or randomness, of the outcomes of measurements made on an
entangled state can be certified provided that the statistics violate a Bell
inequality. In the standard Bell scenario where each party performs a single
measurement on its share of the system, only a finite amount of randomness, of
at most bits, can be certified from a pair of entangled particles
of dimension . Our work shows that this fundamental limitation can be
overcome using sequences of (nonprojective) measurements on the same system.
More precisely, we prove that one can certify any amount of random bits from a
pair of qubits in a pure state as the resource, even if it is arbitrarily
weakly entangled. In addition, this certification is achieved by near-maximal
violation of a particular Bell inequality for each measurement in the sequence.Comment: 4 + 5 pages (1 + 3 images), published versio
Shared understanding and task-interdependence in nursing internsâ collaborative relations:A social network study of vocational health care internships in the Netherlands
Shared understanding among collaborators is a key element of delivering successful interprofessional care and a main challenge for professional education concerns nurturing such understanding among students. We assessed how nursing students perceived different levels of shared understanding in their collaborations with others in clinical internships. We analyse the collaborative networks of interns to examine whether individual factors (attitudes, perceptions of collaborative cultures, and motivation) or relational factors among collaborators (task-interdependence, cooperation frequency, and interprofessional and hierarchical roles) affect shared understanding among 150 Dutch nursing interns and their collaborators (nâ=â865). Theoretically, we stress the importance of focusing on collaborative relations in interprofessional care settings. Multilevel models distinguish two levels in explaining the variation in shared understanding, nesting collaborative relationships within individuals. Results indicate merely 37.4% of found variation of shared understanding could be attributed to individual-level factors (variation between interns), while 62.6% of variation is found within interns, showing that shared understanding differs substantially between the collaborations one intern engages in. Multilevel models reveal that task-interdependence strongly predicts shared understanding in inter- and intraprofessional collaborations. We conclude that focusing on collaborative relations is essential to foster shared understanding in vocational internship programmes, and that health care organisations should pay explicit attention to task-interdependence in internsâ collaborations
Process Development for Batch Production of Micro-Milling Tools Made of Silicon Carbide by Means of the Dry Etching Process
Downsized and complex micro-machining structures have to meet quality requirements concerning geometry and convince through increasing functionality. The development and use of cutting tools in the sub-millimeter range can meet these demands and contribute to the production of intelligent components in biomedical technology, optics or electronics. This article addresses the development of double-edged micro-cutters, which consist of a two-part system of cutter head and shaft. The cutting diameters are between 50 and 200 Όm. The silicon carbide cutting heads are manufactured from the solid material using microsystem technology. The substrate used can be structured uniformly via photolithography, which means that 5200 homogeneous micro-milling heads can be produced simultaneously. This novel batch approach represents a contrast to conventionally manufactured micro-milling cutters. The imprint is taken by means of reactive ion etching using a mask made of electroplated nickel. Within this dry etching process, characteristic values such as the etch rate and flank angle of the structures are critical and will be compared in a parameter analysis. At optimal parameters, an anisotropy factor of 0.8 and an etching rate of 0.34 ”m/min of the silicon carbide are generated. Finally, the milling heads are diced and joined. In the final machining tests, the functionality is investigated and any signs of wear are evaluated. A tool life of 1500 mm in various materials could be achieved. This and the milling quality achieved are in the range of conventional micro-milling cutters, which gives a positive outlook for further development
Intravenous infusions of glucose stimulate key lipogenic enzymes in adipose tissue of dairy cows in a dose-dependent manner
The present study was investigated whether increasing amounts of glucose
supply have a stimulatory effect on the mRNA abundance and activity of key
lipogenic enzymes in adipose tissue of midlactation dairy cows. Twelve
Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in midlactation were cannulated in the jugular
vein and infused with either a 40% glucose solution (n=6) or saline (n=6). For
glucose infusion cows, the infusion dose increased by 1.25%/d relative to the
initial net energy for lactation (NEL) requirement until a maximum dose
equating to a surplus of 30% NEL was reached on d 24. This maximum dose was
maintained until d 28 and stopped thereafter (between d 29-32). Cows in the
saline infusion group received an equivalent volume of 0.9% saline solution.
Samples of subcutaneous adipose tissue were taken on d 0, 8, 16, 24, and 32
when surplus glucose reached 0, 10, 20, and 30% of the NEL requirement,
respectively. The mRNA abundance of fatty acid synthase, cytoplasmic acetyl-
coenzyme A synthetase, cytoplasmic glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase-1, and
glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase showed linear treatment Ă dose interactions
with increasing mRNA abundance with increasing glucose dose. The increased
mRNA abundance was paralleled by a linear treatment Ă dose interaction for
fatty acid synthase and acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase enzymatic activities. The
mRNA abundance of ATP-citrate lyase showed a tendency for linear treatment Ă
dose interaction with increasing mRNA abundance with increasing glucose dose.
The mRNA abundance of all tested enzymes, as well as the activities of fatty
acid synthase and acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase, correlated with plasma glucose
and serum insulin levels. In a multiple regression model, the predictive value
of insulin was dominant over that of glucose. In conclusion, gradual increases
in glucose supply upregulate key lipogenic enzymes in adipose tissue of
midlactating dairy cows with linear dose dependency. Insulin appears to be
critically involved in this regulation. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy
Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
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