The Daily Shaping of State Transparency: Standards, Machine-Readability and the Configuration of Open Government Data Policies

International audienceWhile many governments are now committed to release Open Government Data under non-proprietary standardized formats, less attention has been given to the actual consequences of these standards for knowledge workers. Unpacking the history of three open data standards (CSV, GTFS, IATI), this paper shows what is actually happening when these standards are enacted in the work practices of bureaucracies. It is built on participant-observer enquiry and interviews focussed on the back rooms of open data, and looking specifi cally at the invisible work necessary to construct open datasets. It shows that the adoption of open standards is increasingly becoming an indicator of the advancement of open data programmes. Enacting open standards involves much more than simple technical operations, it operates a quiet and localised transformation of bureaucracies, in which the decisions of data workers have substantive consequences for how the open government data and transparency agendas are performed

Valuing Theory and Practice: Using a Portfolio Lens to Publish Research on Projects

This article maps the contributions project scholars can make in management journals. Research on projects cuts across disciplinary boundaries, with scholars working in institutions with different norms, epistemologies, rewards, and selection environments. But this diversity can make it hard to know where to publish. We hope our map of the publication landscape—the “V diagram”—will help project scholars better understand and respect one another’s diverse contributions and make conversations across the field flourish

Major self-mutilation leading to complete amputation of the hand during an acute psychotic episode

Traumatic amputations involving the upper limb can be a catastrophic injury with significant short and long-term consequences for patients. Upper limb injuries can have a profound impact of patient\u27s quality of life and have a large impact in the patient\u27s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). A rare cause of traumatic amputations is major self-mutilation. Major self-mutilation is usually a devastating complication of severe mental health issues, with most people who inflict major self-mutilation having a psychotic disorder. We present a case of a self-inflicted traumatic hand amputation associated with an acute psychotic episode. The case shows the difficult decision that has to be made whether to perform a replantation or not. It also discusses gaining consent in a psychotic patient. The case highlights how timely communication between different medical specialists and sites can lead to good outcomes for patients

Dialectics and Dilemmas Arising from COVID 19 Immunity Testing: Presenting A Workforce Management Paradox

Purpose Covid-19 has caused many businesses to rethink their short and potentially long-term workforce operations. The use of lateral flow serology can provide a clinically convenient approach for the assessment of prior infection with Covid-19. However, its widespread adoption in organisations seeking to use it to test for workforce immunity is controversial and confusing. This paper explores the paradoxical dilemmas and dialectics immunity workforce testing creates. Methodology This study involved capturing the ethnographical participation of a CEO dealing with the experience of managing the outcomes of Covid-19 workforce immunity testing. The aim was to take a snapshot in time of the CEO’s empirical world, capturing their lived experiences in order to explore how management actions resulting from Covid-19 immunity testing can played out. Findings Providing staff with immunity tests at first glance appears sensible, decent and a caring action to take. Nevertheless, once such knowledge is personalised by the workforce they can through dialectic dialogue feel disadvantaged and harbour feelings of unfairness. Subsequently this paper suggest that immunity testing may only serve to raise awareness and deepen the original management dilemma of whether testing is a worthwhile activity. Originality This paper aims to be amongst the first works to empirically explore the workforce management challenges that arise within small businesses within the service sector following the completion of Covid-19 immunity testing of their staff. It seeks to achieve this via utilizing the robust theoretical framework of paradox theory to examine Covid-19’s impact upon small business workforce management thinking and practice

Antidiabetic and hypolipidaemic potentials of ethanol fruit pulp extract of Persea americana (avocado pear) in rats

Background: Development of new therapies capable of improving glycaemia and lipid profiles in diabetes management without side effects, reduction in efficacy and toxicity has been of great scientific interest. P. americana seed has been reported to have diverse applications in ethno–medicine, ranging from treatment for diarrhea, dysentery, toothache, intestinal parasites, skin treatment and beautification however there is dearth of information regarding it use in treatment of diabetes and hypolipidemic effect following its use for other purposes.Aim: Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigate the antidiabetic and hypolipidaemic potentials of P. americana ethanol fruit pulp extract.Methods: Phytochemical screening for classes of secondary plant metabolites was done using standard methods. 250 and 500mg/kg of P. americana ethanol fruit pulp extracts were administered to alloxan- induced diabetic rats orally twice daily for 3 weeks. Glycemic levels were checked every 3 days and serum lipid profile assay was carried out at the end of the treatment period.Results: Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed presence of various classes of phytochemicals such as saponins, tannins, alkaloids and steroids. Both doses of the extract significantly reduced blood glucose levels when compared to the control group. The higher dose (500mg/kg) significantly decreased total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins compared with the control. There was also a marginal increase in HDL-Cholesterol.Conclusion: P. americana ethanol fruit pulp extract reduces hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia associated with type I diabetes mellitus.Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Blood glucose level, serum lipid, phytochemical constituent

The prospects of decentralised solar energy home systems in rural communities : User experience, determinants, and impact of free solar power on the energy poverty cycle

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Desenvolvimento, caracterização e efeitos biológicos de nanocápsulas poliméricas contendo ácido lipóico e/ou resveratrol

O interesse no uso de antioxidantes na prevenção e tratamento de diferentes patologias vem ganhando espaço nos últimos anos, uma vez que a desregulação do estado redox no organismo está associada ao envelhecimento cutâneo e várias doenças, principalmente relacionada à idade. Dois antioxidantes que vêm sendo muito estudados nos últimos anos com finalidade terapêutica são ácido lipoico (LA) e resveratrol (RSV). O LA possui a habilidade direta de sequestrar espécies reativas de oxigênio (ERO) e interagir com outros antioxidantes, já o RSV possui inúmeros efeitos farmacológicos, seja tanto na prevenção de doenças bem como no seu tratamento. A nanotecnologia vem sendo muito utilizada na estabilização de compostos, e como carreador de fármacos ao seu local de ação. Este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver uma metodologia de identificação simultânea do RSV e LA em HPLCUV, conanoencapsular o LA e o RSV em uma nanocáspsula de núcleo lipídico e avaliar o potencial antioxidante e a estabilidade frente a radiação UVA da formulação. Objetivou-se ainda avaliar o efeito antiproliferativo do RSV-LNC contra as células K562 de leucemia mielóide crônica (LMC). Foi possível desenvolver um método de identificação e quantificação simultânea do RSV e LA no HPLC-UV. Os antioxidantes foram incorporados em uma nanocápsula de núcleo lipídico. A conanoencapsulação aumentou a atividade antioxidante bem como a estabilidade dos compostos contra a radiação UVA. Ainda, a conanoencapsulação melhorou o controle da liberação e permeação dos antioxidantes, em modelo de pele de cobra. Na avaliação do tratamento com o RSV-LNC de células K562 de LMC sensíveis e resistentes ao imatinibe, o RSV-LNC foi mais eficiente em comparação ao RSV em solução na redução da viabilidade celular. Também, o RSV-LNC em associação com o Imatinibe mostrou ter efeito sinérgico, com potencial para terapia da LMC. Em conclusão, a nanoencapsulação do RSV e do LA melhorou sua atividade antioxidante e estabilidade. Adicionalmente, a nanoencapsulação do RSV demonstrou efeito antiproliferativo em células K562 de LMC, em sinergismo com imatinibe.The interest in the use of antioxidants in the prevention and treatment of different pathologies has been intensified in the recent years, since deregulation of the redox state in the organism is associated with aging skin and several diseases. Two antioxidants have been studied in recent years with therapeutic purposes are lipoic acid (LA) and resveratrol (RSV). LA has the ability to sequester reactive oxygen species (ROS) and interact with other antioxidants, while RSV has numerous pharmacological effects, in disease prevention or treatment. Nanotechnology has been widely used in stabilizing compounds and drug delivery. This research aimed to develop a methodology for the simultaneous identification of RSV and LA in HPLC-UV, to conanoencapsulate LA and RSV in lipid core nanocapsules, to evaluate the antioxidant potential and stability of the developed formulations under UVA radiation. This study also aimed to evaluate the antiproliferative effects of RSV-LNC against K562 cells from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). It was possible to develop a method of simultaneous identification and quantification of RSV and LA in HPLC-UV. The antioxidants were incorporated in lipid core nanocapsules. The conanoencapsulation increased the antioxidant activity as well as the stability of the compounds against UVA radiation. Furthermore, conanoencapsulation improved the release and controlled the permeation of the antioxidants, in snake skin model. In the evaluation of treatment of K562 cells from CML sensitive and resistant to imatinib, RSV-LNC was more efficient compared to RSV solution considering cell viability reduction. Also, RSV-LNC in combination with Imatinib presented a synergistic effect, with potential for CML therapy. In conclusion, the nanoencapsulation of RSV and LA improved its antioxidant activity and stability. In addition, the nanoencapsulation of RSV demonstrated antiproliferative effect on K562 CML cells, in synergism with imatinib

The Religious Imperative of Confucianism

Confucianism prescribes for society an immensely rich, sophisticated, and utilitarian modality of social relationship. Not only has this served as China\u27s social and political bedrock, but it has actually evolved from, and thus suggests, the deep religious dimensionality of Confucian thought. I aim to, through the medium of Confucianism, unveil the social entity of this religious dimension as an intuitive depth and unifying reciprocity which has since the dawn of civilization been preserved and expressed as the most quintessential aspect of human life. With an exploratory dive into the farthest metaphysics that underlie the foundational Confucian society, the true sacrality of social order becomes exposed as a model for human progress. It is the individual and collective embodiments of this sacred social modality and its innate ethical posture which carve true, lasting moral shape into our lives. The ontological controversy that will be found between contrasting expressions of this reality, especially between dualism and monism, will be discovered as an illusory barrier, entirely undermined by the Confucian dialog which effectively welds the religious to the secular, the sacred to the profane, the spiritual to the material, and the society to the individual. From this religious quest of anthropocosmic harmony which renders society as a collectivity of sacred relativity, Confucius has presented for history the blueprints of utopia. This essay will, in framing religion as the same co-arising moiety of society, attempt to recover the shattered debris of the religious ethic, the true sincerity and seriousness of sagehood, and the innate universality of reciprocity. From this frontier, it is then possible to clearly see the profound religious imperative of Confucianism as neither a fanatical nor lethargic, overbearing nor naive religiosity, but as a simple expression of the perennial image of humanity, which is, when measured in eternity, both the secular and spiritual ideal