Index of information and communication technology use in labour administration: its need, its pertinence and its potential use

This article examines the variation in the level of use of information and communication technologies by national bodies of labour administrations across 81 different countries. Extending empirical research on the state of information and communication technology use, it introduces a prototype index of country-level information and communication technology use. The index allows for the exposition of the contributions of sub-dimensions of information and communication technology use, including labour inspection, public employment services and labour dispute prevention and settlement. Graphical evidence showing sub-index and final index formulations for individual countries is given, along with graphical evidence of the country-level ranking and geographical variations of information and communication technology use (including the sub-dimensions of this use). The future potential of the prescribed approach is demonstrated by offering possible explanations behind the results on a sample of countries. Points for practitioners In times of pressure on public administration worldwide for the greater provision of information and communication technology-enabled products and services to citizens, policymakers, public procurers of technology-based solutions and providers of information and communication technology assistance programmes should have access to toolkits for the assessment and comparison of the use of new technologies in and across public organizations. In this article, we offer future value for such practitioners by proposing one such tool. Using global data on the use of information and communication technologies from the field of labour administration, we demonstrate its potential to construct indices of information and communication technology use in selected areas of the public service

Lymph Node Harvest in Dukes' A Cancer Pathologist May Need to Consider Fat Dissolving Technique: An Observational Study

Background. National institute of clinical excellence (NICE) recommends that a median of 12 lymph nodes be examined in patients operated on with curative intent- to- treat colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients with lymph node harvest less than this may be considered under staged and may receive adjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of our study was to ascertain median number of lymph nodes examined in early colorectal cancers. Method. Patients undergoing colorectal resection between June 2007 and May 2008 were identified and pathological staging obtained using pathology database. Results. 146 patients underwent standardised laparoscopic or open resection of colorectal cancers during this period. Overall median number of lymph nodes harvested/patient was 14 (3–40). When analysed by stage, median number of lymph nodes harvested in Dukes' A, B, and C cancers was 10, 14, and 15, respectively. 11/18 (61%) patients with Dukes' A carcinoma had lymph node harvest of less than 12 compared with 15/55 (27%) patients with Dukes' B. Conclusion. Lymph node harvest in Dukes' A cancers using standard techniques tends to be low. Pathologists may have to consider special techniques in harvesting lymph nodes for early colorectal cancers

Evaluating the Role of Anharmonic Vibrations in Zeolite β Materials

The characterization of zeolitic materials is often facilitated by spectroscopic analysis of vibrations, which informs about the bonding character of the substrate and any adsorbents. Computational simulations aid the interpretation of the spectra but often ignore anharmonic effects that can affect the spectral characteristics significantly. Here, the impact of anharmonicity is demonstrated with a combination of dynamical and static simulations applied to the structures formed during the synthesis of Sn-BEA via solid-state incorporation (SSI): the initial siliceous BEA (Si-β), aluminosilicate BEA (H-β), dealuminated BEA (deAl-β), and Sn-BEA (Sn-β). Heteroatom and defect-containing BEA are shown to have strong anharmonic vibrational contributions, with atomic and elemental resolution highlighting particularly the prevalence for H atoms (H-β, deAl-β) as well as localization to heteroatoms at defect sites. We simulate the vibrational spectra of BEA accounting for anharmonic contributions and observe an improved agreement with experimental data compared to harmonic methods, particularly at wavenumbers below 1500 cm–1. The results demonstrate the importance of incorporating anharmonic effects in simulations of vibrational spectra, with consequences toward future characterization and application of zeolitic materials

Charge Stripping Reactions in Mass Spectrometry: A Study of Diatomic and Triatomic Inorganic and Organic Ions

Charge stripping reactions of the type m• + N--+ m2• + N + ehave been studied for a variety of diatomic and triatomic inorganic and organic ions. Ionisation energies of the m• ions, IE (m+--+ m2• ), have been determined, most of them for the first time. The method is fast and straightforward; it is applicable to both molecular and fragment .ions. The relative cross-sections for the charge stripping processes have been also determined; they show llrge variations from one species to another. Cases of possible interferences, which are fairly infrequent, are described and discussed

Suited for Success? : Suits, Status, and Hybrid Masculinity

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version. The final, definitive version of this paper has been published in Men and Masculinities, March 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184X17696193, published by SAGE Publishing, All rights reserved.This article analyzes the sartorial biographies of four Canadian men to explore how the suit is understood and embodied in everyday life. Each of these men varied in their subject positions—body shape, ethnicity, age, and gender identity—which allowed us to look at the influence of men’s intersectional identities on their relationship with their suits. The men in our research all understood the suit according to its most common representation in popular culture: a symbol of hegemonic masculinity. While they wore the suit to embody hegemonic masculine configurations of practice—power, status, and rationality—most of these men were simultaneously marginalized by the gender hierarchy. We explain this disjuncture by using the concept of hybrid masculinity and illustrate that changes in the style of hegemonic masculinity leave its substance intact. Our findings expand thinking about hybrid masculinity by revealing the ways subordinated masculinities appropriate and reinforce hegemonic masculinity.Peer reviewe

A Systematic Review Examining the Experimental Methodology Behind In Vivo Testing of Hiatus Hernia and Diaphragmatic Hernia Mesh

INTRODUCTION: Mesh implants are regularly used to help repair both hiatus hernias (HH) and diaphragmatic hernias (DH). In vivo studies are used to test not only mesh safety, but increasingly comparative efficacy. Our work examines the field of in vivo mesh testing for HH and DH models to establish current practices and standards. METHOD: This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO. Medline and Embase databases were searched for relevant in vivo studies. Forty-four articles were identified and underwent abstract review, where 22 were excluded. Four further studies were excluded after full-text review-leaving 18 to undergo data extraction. RESULTS: Of 18 studies identified, 9 used an in vivo HH model and 9 a DH model. Five studies undertook mechanical testing on tissue samples-all uniaxial in nature. Testing strip widths ranged from 1-20 mm (median 3 mm). Testing speeds varied from 1.5-60 mm/minute. Upon histology, the most commonly assessed structural and cellular factors were neovascularisation and macrophages respectively (n = 9 each). Structural analysis was mostly qualitative, where cellular analysis was equally likely to be quantitative. Eleven studies assessed adhesion formation, of which 8 used one of four scoring systems. Eight studies measured mesh shrinkage. DISCUSSION: In vivo studies assessing mesh for HH and DH repair are uncommon. Within this relatively young field, we encourage surgical and materials testing institutions to discuss its standardisation

A proteome-integrated, carbon source dependent genetic regulatory network in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Integrated regulatory networks can be powerful tools to examine and test properties of cellular systems, such as modelling environmental effects on the molecular bioeconomy, where protein levels are altered in response to changes in growth conditions. Although extensive regulatory pathways and protein interaction data sets exist which represent such networks, few have formally considered quantitative proteomics data to validate and extend them. We generate and consider such data here using a label-free proteomics strategy to quantify alterations in protein abundance for S. cerevisiae when grown on minimal media using glucose, galactose, maltose and trehalose as sole carbon sources. Using a high quality-controlled subset of proteins observed to be differentially abundant, we constructed a proteome-informed network, comprising 1850 transcription factor interactions and 37 chaperone interactions, which defines the major changes in the cellular proteome when growing under different carbon sources. Analysis of the differentially abundant proteins involved in the regulatory network pointed to their significant roles in specific metabolic pathways and function, including glucose homeostasis, amino acid biosynthesis, and carbohydrate metabolic process. We noted strong statistical enrichment in the differentially abundant proteome of targets of known transcription factors associated with stress responses and altered carbon metabolism. This shows how such integrated analysis can lend further experimental support to annotated regulatory interactions, since the proteomic changes capture both magnitude and direction of gene expression change at the level of the affected proteins. Overall this study highlights the power of quantitative proteomics to help define regulatory systems pertinent to environmental conditions

On the poverty of a priorism: technology, surveillance in the workplace and employee responses

Many debates about surveillance at work are framed by a set of a priori assumptions about the nature of the employment relationship that inhibits efforts to understand the complexity of employee responses to the spread of new technology at work. In particular, the debate about the prevalence of resistance is hamstrung from the outset by the assumption that all apparently non-compliant acts, whether intentional or not, are to be counted as acts of resistance. Against this background this paper seeks to redress the balance by reviewing results from an ethnographic study of surveillance-capable technologies in a number of British workplaces. It argues for greater attention to be paid to the empirical character of the social relations at work in and through which technologies are deployed and in the context of which employee responses are played out

Point of care coagulometry in prehospital emergency care: an observational study

Background: Haemostatic impairment can have a crucial impact on the outcome of emergency patients, especially in cases of concomitant antithrombotic drug treatment. In this prospective observational study we used a point of care (POC) coagulometer in a prehospital physician-based emergency medical system in order to test its validity and potential value in the treatment of emergency patients. Methods: During a study period of 12 months, patients could be included if venous access was mandatory for further treatment. The POC device CoaguChek® was used to assess international normalized ratio (INR) after ambulance arrival at the scene. Results were compared with in-hospital central laboratory assessment of INR. The gain of time was analysed as well as the potential value of POC testing through a questionnaire completed by the responsible prehospital emergency physician. Results: A total of 103 patients were included in this study. POC INR results were highly correlated with results of conventional assessment of INR (Bland-Altman-bias: 0.014). Using a cutoff value of INR >1.3, the device’s sensitivity to detect coagulopathy was 100 % with a specificity of 98.7 %. The median gain of time was 69 min. Treating emergency physicians considered the value of prehospital POC INR testing ‘high’ in 9 % and ‘medium’ in 21 % of all patients. In patients with tracer diagnosis ‘neurology’, the value of prehospital INR assessment was considered ‘high’ or ‘medium’ (63 %) significantly more often than in patients with non-neurological tracer diagnoses (24 %). Conclusions: Assessment of INR through a POC coagulometer is feasible in prehospital emergency care and provides valuable information on haemostatic parameters in patients. Questionnaire results suggest that POC INR testing may present a valuable technique in selected patients. Whether this information translates into an improved management of respective patients has to be evaluated in further studies

A Study of the Abrasion of Squeegees Used in Screen Printing and Its Effect on Performance with Application in Printed Electronics

This article presents a novel method for accelerated wear of squeegees used in screen printing and describes the development of mechanical tests which allow more in-depth measurement of squeegee properties. In this study, squeegees were abraded on the screen press so that they could be used for subsequent print tests to evaluate the effect of wear on the printed product. Squeegee wear was found to vary between different squeegee types and caused increases in ink transfer and wider printed features. In production this will lead to greater ink consumption, cost per unit and a likelihood of product failure. This also has consequences for the production of functional layers, etc., used in the construction of printed electronics. While more wear generally gave greater increases in ink deposition, the effect of wear differed, depending on the squeegee. There was a correlation between the angle of the squeegee wear and ink film thickness from a worn squeegee. An ability to resist flexing gave a high wear angle and presented a sharper edge at the squeegee/screen interface thus mitigating the effect of wear. There was also a good correlation between resistance to flexing and ink film thickness for unworn squeegees, which was more effective than a comparison based on Shore A hardness. Squeegee indentation at different force levels gave more information than a standard Shore A hardness test and the apparatus used was able to reliably measure reductions in surface hardness due to solvent absorption. Increases in ink deposition gave lower resistance in printed silver lines; however, the correlation between the amount of ink deposited and the resistance, remained the same for all levels of wear, suggesting that the wear regime designed for this study did not induce detrimental print defects such as line breakages