504 research outputs found
The analytic hierarchy process to support decision-making processes in infrastructure projects with social impact
There is an increasing awareness among all kinds of organisations (in business,government and civil society) about the beneïŹts of jointly working with stakeholders
to satisfy both their goals and the social demands placed upon them. This is particularly the case within corporate social responsibility (CSR) frameworks. In this regard, multi-criteria tools for decision-making like the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) described in the paper can be useful for the building relationships with stakeholders. Since these tools can reveal decision-makerâs preferences, the
integration of opinions from various stakeholders in the decision-making process may result in better and more innovative solutions with signiïŹcant shared value.
This paper is based on ongoing research to assess the feasibility of an AHP-based model to support CSR decisions in large infrastructure projects carried out by Red
Electrica de España, the sole transmission agent and operator of the Spanishelectricity system
Static and Dynamic Properties of a Viscous Silica Melt Molecular Dynamics Computer Simulations
We present the results of a large scale molecular dynamics computer
simulation in which we investigated the static and dynamic properties of a
silica melt in the temperature range in which the viscosity of the system
changes from O(10^-2) Poise to O(10^2) Poise. We show that even at temperatures
as high as 4000 K the structure of this system is very similar to the random
tetrahedral network found in silica at lower temperatures. The temperature
dependence of the concentration of the defects in this network shows an
Arrhenius law. From the partial structure factors we calculate the neutron
scattering function and find that it agrees very well with experimental neutron
scattering data. At low temperatures the temperature dependence of the
diffusion constants shows an Arrhenius law with activation energies which
are in very good agreement with the experimental values. With increasing
temperature we find that this dependence shows a cross-over to one which can be
described well by a power-law, D\propto (T-T_c)^gamma. The critical temperature
T_c is 3330 K and the exponent gamma is close to 2.1. Since we find a similar
cross-over in the viscosity we have evidence that the relaxation dynamics of
the system changes from a flow-like motion of the particles, as described by
the ideal version of mode-coupling theory, to a hopping like motion. We show
that such a change of the transport mechanism is also observed in the product
of the diffusion constant and the life time of a Si-O bond, or the space and
time dependence of the van Hove correlation functions.Comment: 30 pages of Latex, 14 figure
Negotiation in strategy making teams : group support systems and the process of cognitive change
This paper reports on the use of a Group Support System (GSS) to explore at a micro level some of the processes manifested when a group is negotiating strategy-processes of social and psychological negotiation. It is based on data from a series of interventions with senior management teams of three operating companies comprising a multi-national organization, and with a joint meeting subsequently involving all of the previous participants. The meetings were concerned with negotiating a new strategy for the global organization. The research involved the analysis of detailed time series data logs that exist as a result of using a GSS that is a reflection of cognitive theory
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Bayesian approach to determining penetrance of pathogenic SDH variants.
BACKGROUND: Until recently, determining penetrance required large observational cohort studies. Data from the Exome Aggregate Consortium (ExAC) allows a Bayesian approach to calculate penetrance, in that population frequencies of pathogenic germline variants should be inversely proportional to their penetrance for disease. We tested this hypothesis using data from two cohorts for succinate dehydrogenase subunits A, B and C (SDHA-C) genetic variants associated with hereditary pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PC/PGL). METHODS: Two cohorts were 575 unrelated Australian subjects and 1240 unrelated UK subjects, respectively, with PC/PGL in whom genetic testing had been performed. Penetrance of pathogenic SDHA-C variants was calculated by comparing allelic frequencies in cases versus controls from ExAC (removing those variants contributed by The Cancer Genome Atlas). RESULTS: Pathogenic SDHA-C variants were identified in 106 subjects (18.4%) in cohort 1 and 317 subjects (25.6%) in cohort 2. Of 94 different pathogenic variants from both cohorts (seven in SDHA, 75 in SDHB and 12 in SDHC), 13 are reported in ExAC (two in SDHA, nine in SDHB and two in SDHC) accounting for 21% of subjects with SDHA-C variants. Combining data from both cohorts, estimated lifetime disease penetrance was 22.0% (95% CI 15.2% to 30.9%) for SDHB variants, 8.3% (95% CI 3.5% to 18.5%) for SDHC variants and 1.7% (95% CI 0.8% to 3.8%) for SDHA variants. CONCLUSION: Pathogenic variants in SDHB are more penetrant than those in SDHC and SDHA. Our findings have important implications for counselling and surveillance of subjects carrying these pathogenic variants
The European construction social partners: gender equality in theory and practice
This article explores the social partners' role in the gender equality
agenda in construction at skilled operative level. It draws on a survey of the
European construction social partners that investigated the presence of women in
skilled trades and the policies, collective agreements and practices that play a role in women's integration. The responses indicate that the construction industry still
displays inertia and conservatism, and that the social partners corroborate rather
than counter this. They express a 'discourse' of gender equality, but this does not
automatically lead to equal opportunity policies or programmes. The social partners
have the platform to make inroads and to change the industry from within, but need
further encouragement to put this on their agenda
The Emergence of HIV Transmitted Resistance in Botswana: âWhen Will the WHO Detection Threshold Be Exceeded?â
BACKGROUND: The Botswana antiretroviral program began in 2002 and currently treats 42,000 patients, with a goal of treating 85,000 by 2009. The World Health Organization (WHO) has begun to implement a surveillance system for detecting transmitted resistance that exceeds a threshold of 5%. However, the WHO has not determined when this threshold will be reached. Here we model the Botswana government's treatment plan and predict, to 2009, the likely stochastic evolution of transmitted resistance. METHODS: We developed a model of the stochastic evolution of drug-resistant strains and formulated a birth-death Master equation. We analyzed this equation to obtain an analytical solution of the probabilistic evolutionary trajectory for transmitted resistance, and used treatment and demographic data from Botswana. We determined the temporal dynamics of transmitted resistance as a function of: (i) the transmissibility (i.e., fitness) of the drug-resistant strains that may evolve and (ii) the rate of acquired resistance. RESULTS: Transmitted resistance in Botswana will be unlikely to exceed the WHO's threshold by 2009 even if the rate of acquired resistance is high and the strains that evolve are half as fit as the wild-type strains. However, we also found that transmission of drug-resistant strains in Botswana could increase to âŒ15% by 2009 if the drug-resistant strains that evolve are as fit as the wild-type strains. CONCLUSIONS: Transmitted resistance will only be detected by the WHO (by 2009) if the strains that evolve are extremely fit and acquired resistance is high. Initially after a treatment program is begun a threshold lower than 5% should be used; and we advise that predictions should be made before setting a threshold. Our results indicate that it may be several years before the WHO's surveillance system is likely to detect transmitted resistance in other resource-poor countries that have significantly less ambitious treatment programs than Botswana
Unexpectedly rapid evolution of mandibular shape in hominins
Members of the hominins â namely the so-called âaustralopithsâ and the species of the genus Homo â are known to possess short and deep mandibles and relatively small incisors and canines. It is commonly assumed that this suite of traits evolved in early members of the clade in response to changing environmental conditions and increased consumption of though food items. With the emergence of Homo, the functional meaning of mandible shape variation is thought to have been weakened by technological advancements and (later) by the control over fire. In contrast to this expectation, we found that mandible shape evolution in hominins is exceptionally rapid as compared to any other primate clade, and that the direction and rate of shape change (from the ape ancestor) are no different between the australopiths and Homo. We deem several factors including the loss of honing complex, canine reduction, and the acquisition of different diets may have concurred in producing such surprisingly high evolutionary rates. This study reveals the evolution of mandibular shape in hominins has strong morpho-functional and ecological significance attached
A participatory action research approach to strengthening health managersâ capacity at district level in Eastern Uganda
BACKGROUND: Many approaches to improving health managersâ capacity in poor countries, particularly those pursued
by external agencies, employ non-participatory approaches and often seek to circumvent (rather than strengthen)
weak public management structures. This limits opportunities for strengthening local health managersâ capacity,
improving resource utilisation and enhancing service delivery. This study explored the contribution of a participatory
action research approach to strengthening health managersâ capacity in Eastern Uganda.
METHODS: This was a qualitative study that used open-ended key informant interviews, combined with review of
meeting minutes and observations to collect data. Both inductive and deductive thematic analysis was undertaken.
The Competing Values Framework of organisational management functions guided the deductive process of analysis
and the interpretation of the findings. The framework builds on four earlier models of management and regards them
as complementary rather than conflicting, and identifies four managersâ capacities (collaborate, create, compete and
control) by categorising them along two axes, one contrasting flexibility versus control and the other internal versus
external organisational focus.
RESULTS: The findings indicate that the participatory action research approach enhanced health managersâ capacity to
collaborate with others, be creative, attain goals and review progress. The enablers included expanded interaction spaces,
encouragement of flexibility, empowerment of local managers, and the promotion of reflection and accountability. Tension
and conflict across different management functions was apparent; for example, while there was a need to collaborate,
maintaining control over processes was also needed. These tensions meant that managers needed to learn to
simultaneously draw upon and use different capacities as reflected by the Competing Values Framework in
order to maximise their effectiveness.
CONCLUSIONS: Improved health manager capacity is essential if sustained improvements in health outcomes in lowincome
countries are to be attained. The expansion of interaction spaces, encouragement of flexibility, empowerment of
local managers, and the promotion of reflection and accountability were the key means by which participatory action
research strengthened health managersâ capacity. The participatory approach to implementation therefore
created opportunities to strengthen health managersâ capacity
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