Significant deterioration in nanomechanical quality occurs through incomplete extrafibrillar mineralization in rachitic bone: Evidence from in-situ synchrotron X-ray scattering and backscattered electron imaging

Bone diseases such as rickets and osteoporosis cause significant reduction in bone quantity and quality, which leads to mechanical abnormalities. However, the precise ultrastructural mechanism by which altered bone quality affects mechanical properties is not clearly understood. Here we demonstrate the functional link between altered bone quality (reduced mineralization) and abnormal fibrillar-level mechanics using a novel, real-time synchrotron X-ray nanomechanical imaging method to study a mouse model with rickets due to reduced extrafibrillar mineralization. A previously unreported N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mouse model for hypophosphatemic rickets (Hpr), as a result of missense Trp314Arg mutation of the phosphate regulating gene with homologies to endopeptidase on the X chromosome (Phex) and with features consistent with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLHR) in man, was investigated using in situ synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering to measure real-time changes in axial periodicity of the nanoscale mineralized fibrils in bone during tensile loading. These determine nanomechanical parameters including fibril elastic modulus and maximum fibril strain. Mineral content was estimated using backscattered electron imaging. A significant reduction of effective fibril modulus and enhancement of maximum fibril strain was found in Hpr mice. Effective fibril modulus and maximum fibril strain in the elastic region increased consistently with age in Hpr and wild-type mice. However, the mean mineral content was ∼21% lower in Hpr mice and was more heterogeneous in its distribution. Our results are consistent with a nanostructural mechanism in which incompletely mineralized fibrils show greater extensibility and lower stiffness, leading to macroscopic outcomes such as greater bone flexibility. Our study demonstrates the value of in situ X-ray nanomechanical imaging in linking the alterations in bone nanostructure to nanoscale mechanical deterioration in a metabolic bone disease. Copyright

Smarten up! Applying market design theory to housing supply

PROBLEM Cost of delivering medium density apartments impedes supply of new and more affordable housing in established suburbs EXISTING FOCUS - Planning controls - Construction costs, esp labour - Regulation eg sustainability

An extension of the continual reassessment method using decision theory

The primary goal of a phase I trial is to find the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of a treatment. The MTD is usually defined in terms of a tolerable probability, q*, of toxicity. Our objective is to find the highest dose with toxicity risk that does not exceed q*, a criterion that is often desired in designing phase I trials. This criterion differs from that of finding the dose with toxicity risk closest to q*, that is used in methods such as the continual reassessment method. We use the theory of decision processes to find optimal sequential designs that maximize the expected number of patients within the trial allocated to the highest dose with toxicity not exceeding q*, among the doses under consideration. The proposed method is very general in the sense that criteria other than the one considered here can be optimized and that optimal dose assignment can be defined in terms of patients within or outside the trial. It includes as an important special case the continual reassessment method. Numerical study indicates the strategy compares favourably with other phase I designs.

4th International Workshop on Theory and Application of Visualizations and Human-centric Aspects in Processes

This is the fourth TAProViz workshop being run at the 13th International Conference on Business Process Management (BPM). The intention this year is to consolidate on the results of the previous successful workshops by further developing this important topic, identifying the key research topics of interest to the BPM visualization community. Towards this goal, the workshop topics were extended to human computer interaction and related domains. Submitted papers were evaluated by at least three program committee members, in a double blind manner, on the basis of significance, originality, technical quality and exposition. Three full and one position papers were accepted for presentation at the workshop. In addition, we invited a keynote speaker, Jakob Pinggera, a postdoctoral researcher at the Business Process Management Research Cluster at the University of Innsbruck, Austria.

The development of a guideline of care for patients with a Sengstaken-Blakemore Tube insitu in a general Intensive Care Unit using translational change theory

Aims & Objectives - identify and diagnose the current problems associated with patient care with regard to the nursing management of patients with Sengstaken-Blakemore tubes insitu; - Identify current nursing practice currently in place within the ICU and the hospital; identify the method by which the assessment and provision of nursing care is delivered in the ICU

Multi-Hypotheses Tracking using the Dempster–Shafer Theory, application to ambiguous road context

This paper presents a Multi-Hypotheses Tracking (MHT) approach that allows solving ambiguities that arise with previous methods of associating targets and tracks within a highly volatile vehicular environment. The previous approach based on the Dempster–Shafer Theory assumes that associations between tracks and targets are unique; this was shown to allow the formation of ghost tracks when there was too much ambiguity or conflict for the system to take a meaningful decision. The MHT algorithm described in this paper removes this uniqueness condition, allowing the system to include ambiguity and even to prevent making any decision if available data are poor. We provide a general introduction to the Dempster–Shafer Theory and present the previously used approach. Then, we explain our MHT mechanism and provide evidence of its increased performance in reducing the amount of ghost tracks and false positive processed by the tracking system.

A theory of process modelling affordances

This thesis studies how conceptual process models - that is, graphical documentations of an organisation's business processes - can enable and constrain the actions of their users. The results from case study and experiment indicate that model design decisions and people's characteristics influence how these opportunities for action are perceived and acted upon in practice.

Stress and Resilience in Combat-Related PTSD: Integration of Psychological Theory and Biological Mechanisms

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder that has a major impact on the ability to function effectively in daily life. PTSD may develop as a response to exposure to an event or events perceived as potentially harmful or life-threatening. It has high prevalence rates in the community, especially among vulnerable groups such as military personnel or those in emergency services. Despite extensive research in this field, the underlying mechanisms of the disorder remain largely unknown. The identification of risk factors for PTSD has posed a particular challenge as there can be delays in onset of the disorder, and most people who are exposed to traumatic events will not meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD. With the advent of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM V), the classification for PTSD has changed from an anxiety disorder into the category of stress- and trauma-related disorders. This has the potential to refocus PTSD research on the nature of stress and the stress response relationship. This review focuses on some of the important findings from psychological and biological research based on early models of stress and resilience. Improving our understanding of PTSD by investigating both genetic and psychological risk and coping factors that influence stress response, as well as their interaction, may provide a basis for more effective and earlier intervention.

Critical criminological understandings of adult pornography and woman abuse: New progressive directions in research and theory

There is a small, but growing, social scientific literature on the racist and violent nature of contemporary adult pornography. However, considerably more empirical and theoretical work needs to be done to advance a critical criminological understanding of how such hurtful sexual media contribute to various forms of woman abuse in intimate relationships. The main objective of this article is to briefly review the relevant literature and to suggest a few new progressive empirical and theoretical directions.

"It makes you think anything is possible”: Representing diversity in music theory pedagogy

This paper critiques a traditional approach to music theory pedagogy. It argues that music theory courses should draw on pedagogies that reflect the diversity and pluralism inherent in 21st century music making. It presents the findings of an action research project investigating the experiences of undergraduate students undertaking an innovative contemporary art music theory course. It describes the students’ struggle in coming to terms with a course that integrated composing, performing, listening and analysing coupled with what for many was their first exposure to the diversity of contemporary art music. The paper concludes with suggesting that the approach could be adopted more widely throughout music programs.

Toward a design theory for green information systems

We report on ongoing research to develop a design theory for classes of information systems that allow for work practices that exhibit a minimal harmful impact on the natural environment. We call such information systems Green IS. In this paper we describe the building blocks of our Green IS design theory, which develops prescriptions for information systems that allow for: (1) belief formation, action formation and outcome measurement relating to (2) environmentally sustainable work practices and environmentally sustainable decisions on (3) a macro or micro level. For each element, we specify structural features, symbolic expressions, user abilities and goals required for the affordances to emerge. We also provide a set of testable propositions derived from our design theory and declare two principles of implementation.

Integration of clinical information systems in Saudi Arabian health care contexts: A grounded theory exploration

This research examined the implementation of clinical information system technology in a large Saudi Arabian health care organisation. The research was underpinned by symbolic interactionism and grounded theory methods informed data collection and analysis. Observations, a review of policy documents and 38 interviews with registered nurses produced in-depth data. Analysis generated three abstracted concepts that explained how imported technology increased practice and health care complexity rather than enhance quality patient care. The core category, Disseminating Change, also depicted a hierarchical and patriarchal culture that shaped the implementation process at the levels of government, organisation and the individual.

How does complex adaptive system theory inform innovation in complex project based organisations?

Innovation enables organisations to endure by responding to emergence and to improve efficiency. Innovation in a complex organisation can be difficult due to complexities contributing to slow decision-making. Complex projects fail due to an inability to respond to emergence which consumes finances and impacts on resources and organisational success. Therefore, for complex organisations to improve on performance and resilience, it would be advantageous to understand how to improve the management of innovation and thus, the ability to respond to emergence. The benefits to managers are an increase in the number of successful projects and improved productivity. This study will explore innovation management in a complex project based organisation. The contribution to the academic literature will be an in-depth, qualitative exploration of innovation in a complex project based organisation using a comparative case study approach.

Changes in straylight and corneal light scattering in a newly diagnosed case of type 2 diabetes

Visual problems may be the first symptoms of diabetes. There have been several reports of transient changes in refraction of people newly diagnosed with diabetes. Visual acuity and refraction may be affected when there are ocular biometric changes. Small but significant biometrical changes have been found by some authors during hyperglycaemia and during reduction of hyperglycaemia.[4] Here, we describe a case of type 2 diabetes that was detected from ocular straylight and intraocular thickness measurements...

Using Lifespan developmental theory and methods as a viable alternative to the study of generational differences at work

I agree with Costanza and Finkelstein (2015) that it is futile to further invest in the study of generational differences in the work context due to a lack of appropriate theory and methods. The key problem with the generations concept is that splitting continuous variables such as age or time into a few discrete units involves arbitrary cutoffs and atheoretical groupings of individuals (e.g., stating that all people born between the early 1960s and early 1980s belong to Generation X). As noted by methodologists, this procedure leads to a loss of information about individuals and reduced statistical power (MacCallum, Zhang, Preacher, & Rucker, 2002). Due to these conceptual and methodological limitations, I regard it as very difficult if not impossible to develop a “comprehensive theory of generations” (Costanza & Finkelstein, p. 20) and to rigorously examine generational differences at work in empirical studies.