Variations and Commonalities in Processes of Collaboration: The Need for Multi-Site Workplace Studies

Workplace studies have made a major contribution to the field of CSCW, drawing attention to subtle practices that enable effective collaboration. However, workplace studies typically focus on a single setting, making it difficult to assess the generalisability of the findings. Through a multi-site workplace study, we explore a specific collaborative process, that of the handover which occurs when a patient is transferred from one hospital or ward to another. The study demonstrates that the term ??handover?? captures a variety of collaborative practices that vary in both their form and content, reflecting aspects of the setting in which they occur. Multi-site workplace studies are shown to be essential for CSCW, not only generating findings that have relevance beyond a single setting but also focusing attention on aspects of work practice that may otherwise go unnoticed.     

Exploring the universality of personality judgments: Evidence from the great transformation (1000 BCE–200 BCE).

We examined whether personality judgments were present in texts of the diverse religious and philosophical traditions that emerged during the Great Transformation, an era spanning roughly 1000 BCE to 200 BCE. Some psychologists have suggested that the tendency of humans to judge personality has evolved; if some ancient societies failed to record personality judgments, it would be evidence against such an evolutionary position. In addition, learning about the prevalence and specifics of ancient personality judgments can help psychologists better understand the prehistory of personality psychology. Eight cultural traditions were studied: two each from China (Confucianism, Taoism), Greece (Classical and Hellenistic philosophy), India (Buddhism, Hinduism), and the Middle East (Judaism, Zoroastrianism). We found evidence that personality judgments were an important aspect of all of these traditions. Not only did people judge one another, but they also offered instructions on how to judge others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Appropriate renewable hybrid power systems for the remote aboriginal communities

Renewable power supply systems have been a natural choice for many of Australia’s small remote aboriginal communities where the costs of diesel fuel are high. The results have been mixed. This is partially due to design factors, but more importantly due to community acceptance of these technologically complex systems and the maintenance arrangements with the community power station operators and local resource agencies. This paper looks at some of the issues to consider in the selection, design, installation and maintenance of appropriate hybrid power stations for smaller remote aboriginal communities.     

Large shift in source of fine sediment in the upper Mississippi river

Although sediment is a natural constituent of rivers, excess loading to rivers and streams is a leading cause of impairment and biodiversity loss. Remedial actions require identification of the sources and mechanisms of sediment supply. This task is complicated by the scale and complexity of large watersheds as well as changes in climate and land use that alter the drivers of sediment supply. Previous studies in Lake Pepin, a natural lake on the Mississippi River, indicate that sediment supply to the lake has increased 10-fold over the past 150 years. Herein we combine geochemical fingerprinting and a suite of geomorphic change detection techniques with a sediment mass balance for a tributary watershed to demonstrate that, although the sediment loading remains very large, the dominant source of sediment has shifted from agricultural soil erosion to accelerated erosion of stream banks and bluffs, driven by increased river discharge. Such hydrologic amplification of natural erosion processes calls for a new approach to watershed sediment modeling that explicitly accounts for channel and floodplain dynamics that amplify or dampen landscape processes. Further, this finding illustrates a new challenge in remediating nonpoint sediment pollution and indicates that management efforts must expand from soil erosion to factors contributing to increased water runoff.     

Telephone booster sessions for optimizing smoking cessation for patients in rehabilitation centers.

Smokers with smoking-related diseases who are hospitalized in rehabilitation centers should be offered smoking cessation. This is the first study evaluating whether telephone booster sessions after intensive inpatient treatment are an effective strategy. The present study was conducted in 13 rehabilitation centers for somatic disorders as a prospective multicenter study with a randomized treatment-control group design. We compared abstinence rates after hospital discharge from treatment that included a group smoking cessation program with (treatment group) and without telephone booster sessions (control group). Data from 290 smokers were analyzed. After 6 and 12 months the treatment group achieved abstinence rates twice as high as those of the control group. Men profited more from telephone booster sessions than did women. Results indicated that telephone booster sessions were highly effective (even) after an inherently intensive group program during a hospital stay. Further research should focus on the special needs of women receiving telephone counseling.     

Enhancing protein and sugar release from defatted soy flakes using ultrasound technology

This research focused on the use of high-power ultrasound prior to soy protein extraction to simultaneously enhance protein and sugar release in the extract. Defatted soy flakes dispersed in water were sonicated for 15, 30, 60 and 120 s using a bench-scale ultrasound unit. The ultrasonic amplitudes used were: 0, 21, 42, 63 and 84 μm_pp (peak-to-peak). The respective power densities were 0.30, 0.87, 1.53 and 2.56 W/ml. Scanning electron micrographs of sonicated samples showed the structural disruption of soy flakes. The particle size decreased nearly 10-fold following ultrasonic treatment at high amplitudes. Sonication at high amplitude for 120 s gave the highest increase in total sugar released (50%) and protein yield (46%) when compared with non-sonicated samples (control). Ultrasonic pretreatment was also carried out with and without cooling for temperature moderation. The heat generated during sonication had no significant effect on protein and sugar release from defatted soy flakes. The use of ultrasound can significantly improve protein yield and reduce the overall cost of producing soy protein from flakes.     

An evaluation of the effectiveness of a chemical additive based on sodium benzoate,potassium sorbate,and sodium nitrite on the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage

We evaluated the effectiveness of an additive comprising sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and sodium nitrite (SSL) as active ingredients for its ability to improve the aerobic stability of corn silages made in North America. In experiment 1, treatment with SSL (1.5 and 2.0 L/t) on whole-plant corn (WPC) was compared with treatment with an additive containing buffered propionic acid and citric acid (BPA; 2 L/t) on corn harvested at 32 and 38% dry matter and ensiled for 120 d. Silage treated with BPA was higher in ammonia-N and propionic acid relative to other treatments. Treatments with all of the additives had numerically, but not statistically, fewer yeasts compared with untreated silage. Both application rates of SSL resulted in lower concentrations of ethanol compared with untreated and BPA silages. Treatment with BPA improved the aerobic stability of silages compared with untreated silage, but the effect from SSL was markedly greater. In experiment 2, WPC was untreated or treated with 2 or 3 L of SSL/t or a microbial inoculant containing Enterococcus faecium M74, Lactobacillus plantarum CH6072, and Lactobacillus buchneri LN1819 (final total lactic acid bacteria application rate of 150,000 cfu/g of fresh forage). Silages were air stressed for 24 h at 28 and 42 d of storage and ensiled for 49 d before opening. Inoculation had no effect on acid end products, ethanol, number of yeasts, or aerobic stability compared with other treatments. Treatment with SSL decreased the amount of ethanol, had no effect on number of yeasts, and improved aerobic stability in a dose-dependent manner compared with other treatments. In experiment 3, WPC was untreated or treated with 2 L of SSL/t and ensiled for 5, 15, and 30 d. Treatment with SSL resulted in silage with fewer yeasts and lower concentrations of ethanol after all times of ensiling compared with untreated silage. In addition, SSL improved aerobic stability after each period of ensiling, but the effect was more at 15 and 30 d compared with 5 d of storage. Treating WPC with SSL can improve the aerobic stability of corn silage made in North America, and the effect can be observed as soon as 5 d after ensiling.     

Protease stability in bovine milk under combined thermal-high hydrostatic pressure treatment

At atmospheric pressure, inactivation of protease from B. subtilis in raw milk and pasteurized milk (with and without homogenization) was studied in a temperature range of 50–80 °C. Thermal inactivation followed a first order kinetic model in the temperature range tested. Temperature dependence of the first order inactivation rate constants could be accurately described by the Arrhenius equation, allowing Ea values to be calculated. Different milk systems did not show differences in enzyme thermo stability.The combined thermal (40, 50 and 60 °C)-high hydrostatic pressure (300–450 and 600 MPa) effect on protease activity was studied. Protease was very resistant to high pressures. Pressure stability was higher in raw milk than in pasteurized milk; homogenization appeared to have a protective effect on the enzyme. The separate effects of pressure and temperature on enzyme inactivation were related to changes in L?-values and milk appearance.A very pronounced antagonistic effect between high temperature and pressure was observed, i.e. at temperatures where thermal inactivation at atmospheric pressure occurs rapidly, application of pressure up to 600 MPa exerted a protective effect.Industrial relevanceHigh hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is an emerging technology that has been successfully applied as a minimal process for a variety of foods. Although the potential for the use of HHP treatment as an alternative method to heat treatment of milk was proposed almost a century ago, the suitability of this innovative technology to extend the shelf-life of milk hinges not only on its ability to inactivate pathogenic vegetative microorganisms but also on its effectiveness to inactivate indigenous and endogenous enzymes. This work examines the combined effects of temperature, pressure and homogenization on the protease (exogenous enzyme from B. subtilis) activity in milk. Inactivation of protease could extend the shelf life of milk.     

Textile applications of commercial photochromic dyes: part8. A statistical investigation of the influence of photochromic dyes on thermoplastic fibres using a UV-irradiation technique

Abstract

This research investigates the influence of the commercial photochromic dye concentration, expressed as a percentage, and polymer type and their interaction on the photocoloration properties of the as-spun and drawn fibres regarding the melt-spinning process. As-spun fibres made of polypropylene, polyethylene and polyester were spun with different percentages of the photochromic dye, drawn, tested and analysed under a factorial experimental design using appropriate experimental and statistical methods. According to the analyses and by using an independent source of ultraviolet irradiation and traditional colour measurement instrumentation of the degree of photocoloration and background colour, the most effective and significant parameter influencing the as-spun fibre’s photocoloration properties are the polymer type; the dye percentage effect was noted in the degree of photocoloration. The effects of the multi-stage hot-drawing process on the photocoloration properties of the drawn polypropylene and polyethylene fibres were characterised and statistically modelled. The dyed fibres showed reversible photochromism, developing pronounced colours from weak background colours on irradiation with ultraviolet light and returning to their original state when the ultraviolet light source was removed. The dye percentage positively affects the photocoloration of the as-spun and drawn polypropylene and polyethylene fibres. A new forecasting data source was achieved to optimise the selection of the polymer and the dye percentage and to specify the direction of increasing or decreasing of the significant process parameters. Utilising the elastic properties of manufactured fibres, they could be used in the development of chromic textiles for creative design, functional or smart purposes.     

Cognitive responses to stress: Effects of changes in demand and sex.

Replicated a previous study with female Ss by M. J. Horowitz and S. Becker (see record 1972-02452-001) testing the theory that increased intrusive and repetitive thought after exposure to stressful events is a cognitive response tendency occurring in general population groups. Reports by 1 female and 27 male students of mental contents before and after neutral and stress films were analyzed. Data contrasted for male and female Ss and for different instructional demands show that the stress film exerted a significant influence on increase in intrusive and stimulus-repetitive thought; male-female differences and demand effects were nonsignificant. Results support the hypotheses that intrusive and repetitive thinking are general cognitive responses to stress and that such changes in conscious experience can be quantified in the laboratory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)