Articulating Problems and Markets: A Translation Analysis of Entrepreneurs’ Emergent Value Propositions

In this qualitative study, the authors apply Callon’s sociology of translation to examine how new technology entrepreneurs enact material arguments that involve the first two moments of translation—problematization (defining a market problem) and interessement (defining a market and the firm’s relationship to it) - which in turn are represented in a claim, the value proposition. That emergent claim can then be represented and further changed during pitches. If accepted, it can then lead to the second two moments of translation: enrollment and mobilization. Drawing on written materials, observations, and interviews, we trace how these value propositions were iterated along three paths to better problematize and interesse, articulating a problem and market on which a business could plausibly be built. We conclude by discussing implications for understanding value propositions in entrepreneurship and, more broadly, using the sociology of translation to analyze emergent, material, consequential arguments. The study is based on data collected at the Austin Technology Incubator’s Student Entrepreneur Acceleration and Launch program (ATI SEAL) at The University of Texas at Austin.IC2 Institut

Understanding the Impact of an Emissions Trading System on Building Energy Reductions in China

Rapid economic development in China has led to a significant increase in the number of buildings and building energy usage. According to ASHRAE, buildings in China account for approximately 25% of total energy use and its share is expected to increase as urbanization persists (Zhou et al, 2014, p. 26). Given the growing emphasis on sustainability, China has committed to the United Nations that it will aim to cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 60-65% from 2005 levels (Xinhua, 2015, p. 1). Many of the policies that China has devised to reach this goal pertain to carbon reductions in the building sector. Numerous researches have been done on individual policies that target building carbon or energy reductions such as new building design standards, building retrofit demonstration projects and incentives, and emissions trading systems (ETSs). Few studies, however, have discussed the impact or effectiveness of these policy categories in relation to each other. As such, this research is intended as a comprehensive, coherent study on the building sector’s carbon reduction performance under the influence of related policies and mechanisms, with a specific focus on emissions trading. Carbon trading has served as an effective mechanism to curb carbon emissions in many countries. As one of the largest carbon emitters in the world, China started experimenting with carbon trading since 2011 by implementing local carbon trading in major cities and provinces as part of the “Two Provinces and Five Cities” plan. The ultimate research question that this paper explores is: Has emissions trading been effective in promoting energy and carbon reductions in the building sector in China? What features of program design or other policies would enhance the building sector’s overall energy efficiency? In answering this question, this study will provide an overview of the building stock in China, analyze historical trade data for local ETSs in China that involve building participants, compare the results with those of ETSs that involve buildings, and discuss other policy mechanisms that can complement emissions trading systems in promoting energy and associated carbon reductions in buildings in China. Findings of this paper preliminarily conclude that emissions trading has the potential to induce initial energy reductions in buildings, and its long-term impact on building energy efficiency can be further enhanced if combined with other policy mechanisms that provide tools and resources for relevant stakeholders to undertake deeper retrofits for their facilities

Patient factors influencing the prescribing of lipid lowering drugs for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in UK general practice: a national retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Guidelines indicate eligibility for lipid lowering drugs, but it is not known to what extent GPs' follow guidelines in routine clinical practice or whether additional clinical factors systematically influence their prescribing decisions. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was undertaken using electronic primary care records from 421 UK general practices. At baseline (May 2008) patients were aged 30 to 74 years, free from cardiovascular disease and not taking lipid lowering drugs. The outcome was prescription of a lipid lowering drug within the next two years. The proportions of eligible and ineligible patients prescribed lipid lowering drugs were reported and multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate associations between age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors and prescribing. RESULTS: Of 365,718 patients with complete data, 13.8% (50,558) were prescribed lipid lowering drugs: 28.5% (21,101/74,137) of those eligible and 10.1% (29,457/291,581) of those ineligible. Only 41.7% (21,101/50,558) of those prescribed lipid lowering drugs were eligible. In multivariable analysis prescribing was most strongly associated with increasing age (OR for age ≥65 years 4.21; 95% CI 4.05–4.39); diabetes (OR 4.49; 95% CI 4.35–4.64); total cholesterol level ≥7 mmol/L (OR 2.20; 95% CI 2.12–2.29); and ≥4 blood pressure measurements in the past year (OR 4.24; 95% CI 4.06–4.42). The predictors were similar in eligible and ineligible patients. CONCLUSIONS: Most lipid lowering drugs for primary prevention are prescribed to ineligible patients. There is underuse of lipid lowering drugs in eligible patients

Evaluating tree-ring climate relationships from various climate data sources as predictors: A case study from the South-Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract HKT-ISTP 2013 B

An Innovative Continuing Nursing Education Program Targeting Key Geriatric Conditions for Hospitalized Older People in China

This article under embargo for 18 months from the date of publication due to publisher copyright restrictions. "This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis i nEducational Gerontology on 23 May 2013, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/03601277.2012.704233."A lack of knowledge in registered nurses about geriatric conditions is one of major factors that contribute to these conditions being overlooked in hospitalised older people. In China an innovative geriatric continuing nursing education program aimed at developing registered nurses’ understanding of the complex care needs of hospitalised older people with common geriatric conditions were conducted and evaluated. The program consisted of didactic sessions focused on evidence-based practice and unfolding case study designed to simulate the care trajectory of an older person with a hip fracture and key geriatric conditions. Findings from the program evaluations revealed a significant increase in attitudes towards older people and knowledge concerning common geriatric conditions. The satisfactory rate ranked by program participants was 90%. The study therefore drew the conclusion that effective geriatric continuing nursing education should target participants’ learning needs, support evidence-based practice and engage participants in active learning

Identification of E2/E3 Ubiquitinating Enzymes and Caspase Activity Regulating Drosophila Sensory Neuron Dendrite Pruning

SummaryUbiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a multistep protein degradation machinery implicated in many diseases. In the nervous system, UPS regulates remodeling and degradation of neuronal processes and is linked to Wallerian axonal degeneration, though the ubiquitin ligases that confer substrate specificity remain unknown. Having shown previously that class IV dendritic arborization (C4da) sensory neurons in Drosophila undergo UPS-mediated dendritic pruning during metamorphosis, we conducted an E2/E3 ubiquitinating enzyme mutant screen, revealing that mutation in ubcD1, an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, resulted in retention of C4da neuron dendrites during metamorphosis. Further, we found that UPS activation likely leads to UbcD1-mediated degradation of DIAP1, a caspase-antagonizing E3 ligase. This allows for local activation of the Dronc caspase, thereby preserving C4da neurons while severing their dendrites. Thus, in addition to uncovering E2/E3 ubiquitinating enzymes for dendrite pruning, this study provides a mechanistic link between UPS and the apoptotic machinery in regulating neuronal process remodeling

The sex-specific effects of diet quality versus quantity on morphology in Drosophila melanogaster

This deposit is composed by the main article plus the supplementary materials of the publication.Variation in the quality and quantity of nutrition is a major contributor to phenotypic variation in animal populations. Although we know much of how dietary restriction impacts phenotype, and of the molecular-genetic and physiological mechanisms that underlie this response, we know much less of the effects of dietary imbalance. Specifically, although dietary imbalance and restriction both reduce overall body size, it is unclear whether both have the same effect on the size of individual traits. Here, we use the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to explore the effect of dietary food versus protein-to-carbohydrate ratio on body proportion and trait size. Our results indicate that body proportion and trait size respond differently to changes in diet quantity (food concentration) versus diet quality (protein-to-carbohydrate ratio), and that these effects are sex specific. While these differences suggest that Drosophila use at least partially distinct developmental mechanisms to respond to diet quality versus quantity, further analysis indicates that the responses can be largely explained by the independent and contrasting effects of protein and carbohydrate concentration on trait size. Our data highlight the importance of considering macronutrient composition when elucidating the effect of nutrition on trait size, at the levels of both morphology and developmental physiology.National Science Foundation grants: (IOS-1557638, IOS-0919855); Lake Forest College.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Drosophila Sensory Neurons Require Dscam for Dendritic Self-Avoidance and Proper Dendritic Field Organization

SummaryA neuron's dendrites typically do not cross one another. This intrinsic self-avoidance mechanism ensures unambiguous processing of sensory or synaptic inputs. Moreover, some neurons respect the territory of others of the same type, a phenomenon known as tiling. Different types of neurons, however, often have overlapping dendritic fields. We found that Down's syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (Dscam) is required for dendritic self-avoidance of all four classes of Drosophila dendritic arborization (da) neurons. However, neighboring mutant class IV da neurons still exhibited tiling, suggesting that self-avoidance and tiling differ in their recognition and repulsion mechanisms. Introducing 1 of the 38,016 Dscam isoforms to da neurons in Dscam mutants was sufficient to significantly restore self-avoidance. Remarkably, expression of a common Dscam isoform in da neurons of different classes prevented their dendrites from sharing the same territory, suggesting that coexistence of dendritic fields of different neuronal classes requires divergent expression of Dscam isoforms