Replication of the association of common rs9939609 variant of FTO with increased BMI in an Australian adult twin population but no evidence for gene by environment (G x E) interaction

OBJECTIVE: To further investigate a common variant (rs9939609) in the fat mass- and obesity-associated gene (FTO), which recent genome-wide association studies have shown to be associated with body mass index (BMI) and obesity. DESIGN: We examined the effect of this FTO variant on BMI in 3353 Australian adult male and female twins. RESULTS: The minor A allele of rs9939609 was associated with an increased BMI (P=0.0007). Each additional copy of the A allele was associated with a mean BMI increase of approximately 1.04 kg/m(2) (approximately 3.71 kg). Using variance components decomposition, we estimate that this single-nucleotide polymorphism accounts for approximately 3% of the genetic variance in BMI in our sample (approximately 2% of the total variance). By comparing intrapair variances of monozygotic twins of different genotypes we were able to perform a direct test of gene by environment (G x E) interaction in both sexes and gene by parity (G x P) interaction in women, but no evidence was found for either. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to supporting earlier findings that the rs9939609 variant in the FTO gene is associated with an increased BMI, our results indicate that the associated genetic effect does not interact with environment or parity.

Measuring route passenger load diversity for capacity and quality of service assessment

This paper develops theory that quantifies transit route passenger-relative load factor and distinguishes it from occupancy load factor. The ratio between these measures is defined as the load diversity coefficient, which as a single measure characterizes the diversity of passenger load factor between route segments according to the origin-destination profile. The relationship between load diversity coefficient and route coefficient of variation in occupancy load factor is quantified. Two tables are provided that enhance passenger capacity and quality of service (QoS) assessment regarding onboard passenger load. The first expresses the transit operator’s perspective of load diversity and the passengers’ perspective of load factor relative to the operator’s, across six service levels corresponding to ranges of coefficient of variation in occupancy load factor. The second interprets the relationships between passenger average travel time and each of passenger-relative load factor and occupancy load factor. The application of this methodology is illustrated using a case study of a premium radial bus route in Brisbane, Australia. The methodology can assist in benchmarking and decision making regarding route and schedule design. Future research will apply value of time to QoS measurement, reflecting perceived passenger comfort through crowding and average time spent aboard. This would also assist in transit service quality econometric modeling.

Numerical studies on CFRP strengthened steel circular members under marine environment

The durability of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) strengthened steel circular hollow section (CHS) members has now become a real challenge to researchers. In addition, various parameters that may affect the durability of such members have not been revealed yet. This paper presents brief experimental results and the first finite element (FE) approach of CFRP strengthened steel CHS beams conditioned in simulated sea water, along with an accelerated corrosion environment at ambient (24 OC ± 4 OC) and 50 OC temperatures. The beams were loaded to failure under four-point bending. It was found that the strength and stiffness reduced significantly after conditioning in an accelerated corrosion environment. Numerical simulation is implemented using the ABAQUS static general approach. A cohesive element was utilised to model the interface element and an 8-node quadrilateral in-plane general-purpose continuum shell was used to model CFRP elements. A mixed mode cohesive law was deployed for all the three components of stresses in the proposed FE approach, which were one normal component and two shear components. The validity of the FE models was ascertained by comparing the ultimate load and load vs deflection response from experimental results. A range of parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effects of bond length, adhesive types, thickness and diameter of tubes. The results of parametric studies indicated that the adhesive with high tensile modulus performed better and durability design factors varied from section to section.

Employees’ eldercare demands, strain, and perceived support

Purpose In many countries, both the number of older people in need of care and the number of employed caregivers of elderly relatives will increase over the next decades. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which perceived organizational, supervisor, and coworker support for eldercare reduce employed caregivers’ strain and weaken the relationship between eldercare demands and strain. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 100 employed caregivers from one organization. Findings Results showed that eldercare demands were positively related to strain, and perceived organizational eldercare support (POES) was negatively related to strain. In addition, high POES weakened the relationship between eldercare demands and strain. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design and use of self-report scales constitute limitations of the study. Practical implications POES is a resource for employed caregivers, especially when their eldercare demands are high. Originality/value This research highlights the relative importance of different forms of perceived support for reducing employed caregivers’ strain and weakening the relationship between eldercare demands and strain.

Low-frequency electrical stimulation combined with a cooling vest improves recovery of elite kayakers following a simulated 1000-m race in a hot environment

This study compared the effects of a low-frequency electrical stimulation (LFES; Veinoplus® Sport, Ad Rem Technology, Paris, France), a low-frequency electrical stimulation combined with a cooling vest (LFESCR) and an active recovery combined with a cooling vest (ACTCR) as recovery strategies on performance (racing time and pacing strategies), physiologic and perceptual responses between two sprint kayak simulated races, in a hot environment (∼32 wet-bulb-globe temperature). Eight elite male kayakers performed two successive 1000-m kayak time trials (TT1 and TT2), separated by a short-term recovery period, including a 30-min of the respective recovery intervention protocol, in a randomized crossover design. Racing time, power output, and stroke rate were recorded for each time trial. Blood lactate concentration, pH, core, skin and body temperatures were measured before and after both TT1 and TT2 and at mid- and post-recovery intervention. Perceptual ratings of thermal sensation were also collected. LFESCR was associated with a very likely effect in performance restoration compared with ACTCR (99/0/1%) and LFES conditions (98/0/2%). LFESCR induced a significant decrease in body temperature and thermal sensation at post-recovery intervention, which is not observed in ACTCR condition. In conclusion, the combination of LFES and wearing a cooling vest (LFESCR) improves performance restoration between two 1000-m kayak time trials achieved by elite athletes, in the heat.

Twitter as a medium for professional networking

This study aims to explore the use of Twitter for professional purposes. The researcher discovered that Twitter is widely perceived as an information ground in online spaces. Information grounds are social settings where information, people, and places come together to create an information flow within a physical environment. Twitter provides a sense of place as well as a sense of belonging that enables IT professionals to use Twitter for professional development. The data for this study were collected using online observations and interviews. The online observations helped the researcher to distinguish the ‘information behaviours’ (the objective and observable actions) of the participants. The interviews were used to understand the way IT professionals use Twitter for professional purposes through their own individual perspectives. The data were analysed using a constructive grounded theory. The findings show that building professional networking is extremely important to IT professionals; rather than the information-seeking and information-sharing aspects of Twitter. Building professional networking in microblogging has a significant influence on an individual’s professional development. The results also demonstrate that IT professionals are more likely to exploit their weak-ties rather than their strong-ties on Twitter. In short, these users experience Twitter as a real place or ‘information grounds’ where they meet and socialise with experts.

Validity of the OMNI rating of perceived exertion scale for children and adolescents with cerebral palsy

Aim This study evaluated the validity of the OMNI Walk/Run Rating of Perceived Exertion (OMNI-RPE) scores with heart rate and oxygen consumption (VO2) for children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). Method Children and adolescents with CP, aged 6 to 18 years and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I to III completed a physical activity protocol with seven trials ranging in intensity from sedentary to moderate-to-vigorous. VO2 and heart rate were recorded during the physical activity trials using a portable indirect calorimeter and heart rate monitor. Participants reported OMNI-RPE scores for each trial. Concurrent validity was assessed by calculating the average within-subject correlation between OMNI-RPE ratings and the two physiological indices. Results For the correlational analyses, 48 participants (22 males, 26 females; age 12y 6mo, SD 3y 4mo) had valid bivariate data for VO2 and OMNI-RPE, while 40 participants (21 males, 19 females; age 12y 5mo, SD 2y 9mo) had valid bivariate data for heart rate and OMNI-RPE. VO2 (r=0.80; 95% CI 0.66–0.88) and heart rate (r=0.83; 95% CI 0.70–0.91) were moderately to highly correlated to OMNI-RPE scores. No difference was found for the correlation of physiological data and OMNI-RPE scores across the three GMFCS levels. The OMNI-RPE scores increased significantly in a dose-response manner (F6,258=116.1, p<0.001) as exercise intensity increased from sedentary to moderate-to-vigorous. Interpretation OMNI-RPE is a clinically feasible option to monitor exercise intensity in ambulatory children and adolescents with CP.

Monitoring healing progression and characterizing the mechanical environment in preclinical models for bone tissue engineering

The treatment of large segmental bone defects remains a significant clinical challenge. Due to limitations surrounding the use of bone grafts, tissue-engineered constructs for the repair of large bone defects could offer an alternative. Before translation of any newly developed tissue engineering (TE) approach to the clinic, efficacy of the treatment must be shown in a validated preclinical large animal model. Currently, biomechanical testing, histology, and microcomputed tomography are performed to assess the quality and quantity of the regenerated bone. However, in vivo monitoring of the progression of healing is seldom performed, which could reveal important information regarding time to restoration of mechanical function and acceleration of regeneration. Furthermore, since the mechanical environment is known to influence bone regeneration, and limb loading of the animals can poorly be controlled, characterizing activity and load history could provide the ability to explain variability in the acquired data sets and potentially outliers based on abnormal loading. Many approaches have been devised to monitor the progression of healing and characterize the mechanical environment in fracture healing studies. In this article, we review previous methods and share results of recent work of our group toward developing and implementing a comprehensive biomechanical monitoring system to study bone regeneration in preclinical TE studies.

Educators’ perspectives about how older hospital patients can engage in a falls prevention education programme: A qualitative process evaluation

- Objectives Falls are the most frequent adverse event reported in hospitals. Patient and staff education delivered by trained educators significantly reduced falls and injurious falls in an older rehabilitation population. The purpose of the study was to explore the educators’ perspectives of delivering the education and to conceptualise how the programme worked to prevent falls among older patients who received the education. - Design A qualitative exploratory study. - Methods Data were gathered from three sources: conducting a focus group and an interview (n=10 educators), written educator notes and reflective researcher field notes based on interactions with the educators during the primary study. The educators delivered the programme on eight rehabilitation wards for periods of between 10 and 40 weeks. They provided older patients with individualised education to engage in falls prevention and provided staff with education to support patient actions. Data were thematically analysed and presented using a conceptual framework. - Results Falls prevention education led to mutual understanding between staff and patients which assisted patients to engage in falls prevention behaviours. Mutual understanding was derived from the following observations: the educators perceived that they could facilitate an effective three-way interaction between staff actions, patient actions and the ward environment which led to behaviour change on the wards. This included engaging with staff and patients, and assisting them to reconcile differing perspectives about falls prevention behaviours. - Conclusions Individualised falls prevention education effectively provides patients who receive it with the capability and motivation to develop and undertake behavioural strategies that reduce their falls, if supported by staff and the ward environment.

Eldercare demands, strain, and work engagement: The moderating role of perceived organizational support

Demographic changes give rise to an increasing number of middle-aged employees providing home-based care to an elderly family member. However, the potentially important role of employees' perceptions of organizational support for eldercare has so far not been investigated. The goal of this study was to examine a stressor–strain–outcome model (Koeske & Koeske, 1993) of eldercare strain as a mediator of the relationship between eldercare demands and caregivers' work engagement. Perceived organizational eldercare support was expected to attenuate the positive relationship between eldercare demands and eldercare strain and to buffer the negative relationship between eldercare strain and work engagement. Results of mediation and moderated mediation analyses with data collected from 147 employees providing eldercare supported the hypotheses. The findings suggest that perceived organizational eldercare support is especially beneficial for employees' work engagement when eldercare demands and strain are high.

Perceived maternal psychological control and school adjustment in Chinese adolescents: Associations, mediations and moderations

This study aimed to examine the complicated process involved in the influence of parental psychological control on academic self-concept and academic performance in Chinese adolescents. The study considered possible mediating and moderating factors that might influence the relationships of interest. Findings of this study suggested that perceived maternal psychological control was related to adolescents' academic self-concept, and the relationship was mediated by adolescents' satisfaction on basic psychological needs. No statistically significant association was found between perceived maternal psychological control and adolescents' academic performance, instead, the relationship was moderated by adolescent age.

Age, Occupational Strain, and Well-Being: A Person-Environment Fit Perspective

We develop a conceptual model, based on person-environment fit theory, which explains how employee age affects occupational strain and well-being. We begin by explaining how age directly affects different dimensions of objective and subjective P-E fit. Next, we illustrate how age can moderate the relationship between objective P-E fit and subjective P-E fit. Third, we discuss how age can moderate the relationships between P-E fit, on one hand, and occupational strain and well-being on the other. Fourth, we explain how age can impact occupational strain and well-being directly independent of P-E fit. The chapter concludes with implications for future research and practice.

Creating the reasonable adventurer: The co-evolution of student and learning environment

Purpose: This paper seeks to address the issue of how are graduate skills developed. The focus is not on which skills, but rather what type of learning environments is required within Higher Education to support the development of skills valued and demanded by SMEs within Australia. Approach: This paper takes a step back to consider the underlying issue of how an individual student's habits of thought are altered. In doing so, the past works of Morgan, Dewey, Whitehead, and Tyler are synthesized with the modern work of Baxter Magolda, Heath, and Biggs. Findings: It is argued that that without the development of a student-centred learning environment, most graduates will not develop the types of skills demanded by SMEs in a meaningfully way. That the failure to treat knowledge and skills as equal drivers of curriculum design will result in an imbalance that relegates skill development to a secondary learning outcome. Practical Implications: By removing the distraction of what skills should be developed, a clearer focus is possible regarding how educators should assist students to develop a broad array of generic graduate skills. From this perspective, skills can be viewed as an essential element of the educational process, rather than a new element that must be squeezed in between content. Value of Paper: This paper extends recent discussion of skills development through the use of an evolutionary perspective. Viewed as a process of creating social change, education becomes increasingly connected to a world that lays beyond institutional boundaries, thus promoting the notion of developing graduates for the world that awaits them.

An autecological interpretation of the firm and its environment

Explaining the survival and failure of firms is an important issue for researchers and managers of firms in society. Ecological approaches to the study of firms have existed for over 100 years, and have been increasingly popular during the past 40 years, especially since the pioneering works of Hannan and Freeman on one hand, and Aldrich on the other. This paper, in keeping with recent developments elsewhere in mainstream ecology outlines and positions the theoretical and philosophical foundations of an alternative ecological approach, autecology, that has not yet been formulated for the study of firms. The autecological approach affords the individual firm more autonomy in creating its own future evolutionary trajectory. The idea of an ecological complex is developed to provide clear focus on what is central to the application of autecology to the study of firms. The paper also considers several emergent research opportunities that highlight the potential value of employing an autecological approach to the study of firms.

What does built environment research have to do with risk mitigation, resilience and disaster recovery?

One could argue that the nature of our housing stock is a key determining factor in the ability of our citizens to manage risk, be resilient to various natural and human events, and to recover from these events. Recent research has been examining current challenges posed by our housing stock and exploring potential solutions from a range of perspectives. The aim of this paper is to discuss key findings from recent built environment research in Australia to initiate cross-sectorial discussion and debate about the implications and opportunities for other sectors such as emergency management and insurance. Three recent building research projects are discussed: - Heat waves The impact of heat waves on houses and occupants, and proposed changes to building regulations, air conditioning standards and building design, to reduce risks associated with heat waves. - Net zero energy homes Exploration of the potential benefits of a strategic optimization of building quality, energy and water efficiency, and household or community level distributed energy and water services for disaster management and recovery. - Building information Mapping of the flow of information about residential buildings, and the potential for national or regional building files (in a similar manner to personal medical records) to assist all parties to make more informed decisions that impact on housing sustainability and community resilience. The paper discusses how sustainability, environmental performance and resilience are inter-related, and can be supported by building files. It concludes with a call for increased cross-sectorial collaboration to explore opportunities for a whole-of-systems approach to our built environment that addresses a range of economic and environmental challenges as well as disaster and emergency management.