Psychosocial Influences on Young Australian University Students Decisions to Ride with a Drink Driver

Drink driving is a well established road safety risk factor, targeted through legislation, education, and an increasing array of technology-based initiatives in an effort to reduce the incidence and impact on Australian roads. However, evidence suggests that most drink drivers do not drive alone. This study examined the incidence of drink riding behaviour in a sample of 294 young Australian drivers (average age 20 years), as well as a number of social and psychological influences associated with the behaviour. Results indicated that 56% of participants reported ever having ridden as a passenger of a drink driver, with just over 36% having done so within the previous twelve months. With respect to the previous twelve month period, attitudes toward drink riding was moderately correlated with actual behaviour (r = .43), whereas subjective norms (r = .19), perceived behavioural control (r = -.27) and the personality construct of sensation seeking (r = .23) were weakly correlated. Drink riding was moderately correlated with self-reported drinking behaviour, including frequency of drinking occasions (r = .38) and particularly occasions where two or more drinks were consumed (r = .44). Drink riders were significantly more likely than non-drink riders to report having engaged in other drug and alcohol related driving and riding behaviours, yet were less likely to have reported risky driving practices generally, such as driving through a red light. These results suggest that alcohol consumption and attitudes play an important role in drink riding behaviour, whereas risky driving history appears to be less important. The implications and future directions are discussed

La agricultura ecológica como instrumento del desarrollo sostenible. El caso de España

Treballs finals del Màster "Estudios Internacionales: organizaciones internacionales y cooperación – Colección Memorias MEI", Facultat de Dret, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs:2012-2013 , Director: Xavier Fernández PonsLa agricultura ecológica es un tema relevante, tanto en el contexto político como en su creciente posición en el mercado. Por tanto, es importante hacer una reflexión amplia sobre ella, considerándola en relación a la realidad internacional y su potencial como promotor de la sostenibilidad. Aquí, España ofrece un entorno especial para un estudio: un país que tiene un mercado creciendo rápidamente pero que a la vez tiene un mercado relativamente menos desarrollado que otros países europeos. Para examinar la agricultura ecológica en el contexto español, se hace una revisión de los temas más relevantes, considerando textos académicos, publicaciones internacionales, y otras fuentes. Después de la revisión, parece que la agricultura ecológica puede jugar un papel importante en crear un sistema agrícola más sostenible, aunque el impacto final dependerá de muchos factores, tanto en el contexto de España como fuera. Entre ellos son el estímulo de la demanda interna, la competitividad a largo plazo de alimentos ecológicos, y la legalidad de las subvenciones que promueven la adopción de prácticas ecológicas. Este estudio examina un tema que es sumamente amplio y que aborda múltiples temas relacionados. Por tanto, sería imposible cubrir todos los elementos que condicionan la adopción de prácticas ecológicas. Sin embargo, se ha hecho un esfuerzo para incluir los temas más relevantes para entender el alcance básico de la agricultura ecológica como existe en su contexto, con una atención especial al papel de entidades internacionales

Life Cycle Assessment in Supply Chain Management: Applications and limitations for practitioners

Treballs Finals del Màster de Recerca en Empresa, Facultat d'Economia i Empresa, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2013-2014, Tutor: Laura Guitart TarrésThis paper aims to examine the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) as it has appeared in studies of supply chain management (SCM) in order to explore the potential utility for practitioners. Despite its widespread application in environmental studies, research incorporating LCA into SCM has been very limited, though potential benefits for this match have been identified. This paper employs a systematic literature review to explore these two topics as they relate to one another. Results show that LCA and LCA-based concepts do appear in the literature, with important implications for managers in their pursuit to improve supply chain performance

Performance Factors in Neurosurgical Simulation and Augmented Reality Image Guidance

Virtual reality surgical simulators have seen widespread adoption in an effort to provide safe, cost-effective and realistic practice of surgical skills. However, the majority of these simulators focus on training low-level technical skills, providing only prototypical surgical cases. For many complex procedures, this approach is deficient in representing anatomical variations that present clinically, failing to challenge users’ higher-level cognitive skills important for navigation and targeting. Surgical simulators offer the means to not only simulate any case conceivable, but to test novel approaches and examine factors that influence performance. Unfortunately, there is a void in the literature surrounding these questions. This thesis was motivated by the need to expand the role of surgical simulators to provide users with clinically relevant scenarios and evaluate human performance in relation to image guidance technologies, patient-specific anatomy, and cognitive abilities. To this end, various tools and methodologies were developed to examine cognitive abilities and knowledge, simulate procedures, and guide complex interventions all within a neurosurgical context. The first chapter provides an introduction to the material. The second chapter describes the development and evaluation of a virtual anatomical training and examination tool. The results suggest that learning occurs and that spatial reasoning ability is an important performance predictor, but subordinate to anatomical knowledge. The third chapter outlines development of automation tools to enable efficient simulation studies and data management. In the fourth chapter, subjects perform abstract targeting tasks on ellipsoid targets with and without augmented reality guidance. While the guidance tool improved accuracy, performance with the tool was strongly tied to target depth estimation – an important consideration for implementation and training with similar guidance tools. In the fifth chapter, neurosurgically experienced subjects were recruited to perform simulated ventriculostomies. Results showed anatomical variations influence performance and could impact outcome. Augmented reality guidance showed no marked improvement in performance, but exhibited a mild learning curve, indicating that additional training may be warranted. The final chapter summarizes the work presented. Our results and novel evaluative methodologies lay the groundwork for further investigation into simulators as versatile research tools to explore performance factors in simulated surgical procedures

Revisiting strategy mapping for performance management: a realist synthesis

Purpose The strategy map represents a major contribution to the theory and practice of performance management. However, it has failed to realize its full potential due to a lack of theoretical and conceptual development. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to revisit the theories of strategy maps to better understand how and in what circumstances they benefit performance management. Design/methodology/approach The study employs realist synthesis, a method of systematic literature review. A theory on how strategy maps work is extracted from performance management literature, which are subsequently evaluated through a critical examination of empirical studies. Findings A theory of how strategy maps are meant work is presented in relation to the generic performance management stages of problem structuring, development and use, where they can serve as a tool for discovery and by stimulating social interactions. Based on the findings, 12 propositions are offered related to the effective use of strategy maps within a performance management framework. Research limitations/implications The introduction of the strategy map to performance management represented a breakthrough in how organizational performance could be understood and communicated. This study goes a step further by considering how they work and in what circumstances. In so doing, the study aims to open the way for new and more effective applications of strategy maps within the changing performance management context. Practical implications This study provides practitioners with actionable propositions which can help in effectively using strategy maps. Originality/value Distinguishing the aims and mechanisms of the strategy map along performance management systems has the potential to greatly increase their effectiveness in practice as a powerful, but underutilized tool. This paper also demonstrates how realist synthesis, currently an uncommon method in management studies, facilitated the creation of a new perspective of strategy maps to fit specifically within performance management

The fallacies of non-agility: Approaching organizational agility through a dialectical practice perspective

Complexity, paradox, tension, and contradiction are increasingly seen as permeating all aspects of organizational life. Yet despite ongoing advancement, both our understanding of the nature of complexity as well as how to use this increased appreciation of it in practice are still developing. In this spirit, this paper considers organizational agility and how to achieve it. Here, current discussions of organizational agility have failed to sufficiently address the fundamental tensions inherent in learning stemming from conflicting goals and incentives, evident in an ongoing discussion of theory-informed approaches for bringing about organizational agility. In this paper, we claim that incorporating a dialectical perspective of learning would provide a means of understanding the successes and failures of practices aimed at bringing about agility. We consider the maligned dialectic, four fallacious ways of thinking that hinder agility, and the extent to which these can be overcome. As evidence, we present a case of Agile implementation in which one of the authors acted as a consultant and involving a large-scale social change. Considering this from a dialectical perspective, we discuss ways that dysfunction in achieving agility might be reduced through disruptive interventions like Agile

Improving Patient Outcomes in Substance Use Disorder Through Behavioral Therapy in Depression Development and Impacts of Social Determinants of Health During and After Substance Use Treatment

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a growing problem in the United States (U.S.) and worldwide and relapse is a common occurrence among those facing SUD. Limited scholarly research has been published addressing evidence-based treatment improvement strategies. This study focused on improving SUD treatment through the incorporation of depression tracking from admission to and discharge from inpatient treatment, as well as the incorporation of social determinants of health education during treatment, with an evaluation of relapse rates 30-days after inpatient treatment discharge. Results indicated a significant improvement in depression scores from admission to discharge. Results also revealed improved knowledge regarding social determinants of health and their impact on SUD and recovery, as well as an increased willingness to allow case management involvement in care. Due to lack of response and inability to contact participants 30-days post-treatment release, relapse rates were not well defined

Micro-Skills for learning Soft Systems Methodology? Challenges and opportunities in an undergraduate dissertation project

Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) holds promise as an effective approach to addressing real-world problem situations. However, new learners of SSM can expect a number of challenges in learning the approach: its ambiguity and complexity, the number of likely unfamiliar concepts, its focus on rational analysis over emotion, and the demanding environment in which it is applied. This paper furthers the discussion of the teaching and learning of SSM in undergraduate education by considering SSM and its components from a skills-based perspective. We suggest that attention to critical, underlying component behaviors that make up SSM and an increased consideration of emotional issues in its application are key to improving learning outcomes for initial learners. We explore challenges and an approach for address these through an illustrative case involving an undergraduate dissertation project. Finally, we offer a number of recommendations and possible future lines of research which could support SSM's more widespread adoption in education and practice

Emergency department ultrasound probe infection control: Challenges and solutions

Point-of-care ultrasound (US) has become a cornerstone in the diagnosis and treatment of patients in the emergency department (ED). Despite the beneficial impact on patient care, concern exists over repeat use of probes and the role as a vector for pathogen transmission. US probes are used for various applications, with the level of infection risk, based on the Spaulding Classification, ranging from noncritical with common practice to semicritical with endocavitary probes. To date, the most closely studied organisms are Staphylococcus aureus and human papilloma virus. Current evidence does confirm probe colonization but has not established a causative role in human infection. Based on current literature, US use during invasive procedures remains an infection control concern, but routine use on intact skin does not appear to cause significant risk to patients. Various barrier methods are available, each with indications based on extent of procedure and likelihood of contact with mucosal surfaces. Additionally, chemical cleansing methods have been shown to be effective in limiting probe contamination after use. New technologies utilizing ultraviolet light are available and effective but not widely used in the ED setting. As our understanding of the critical factors in US probe cleaning and disinfection improves, it is important to assess the challenges found in our current practice and to identify potential solutions to improve practices and procedures in infection control across the spectrum of US probe use in various applications in the ED. This article serves as a summary of the current literature available on infection control topics with the utilization of point-of-care US, and discusses challenges and potential solutions to improve the current practice of probe-related infection control