Canonical action research (CAR) aims to address real-world problems and improve organizational performance by combining scholarly observations with practical interventions. However, efforts to ...conduct CAR have revealed challenges that reflect a significant research-practice gap. We examine these challenges by revisiting the process, principles, and criteria of CAR developed earlier. The specific roles of two different types o f theory in the cyclical action research process are considered. A project undertaken in two public relations firms illustrates how our methodological revision improves the rigor and quality of CAR. This article contributes both a significantly enhanced action research method, with detailed guidelines and suggestions that emphasize the roles of focal and instrumental theories, and an emerging theory of knowledge sharing that incorporates key elements of Chinese management and culture.
Superconducting magnet protection must address two main areas of the magnet and circuit performance, namely conductor hot-spot temperatures and circuit voltages. The maximum hot-spot temperatures and ...voltages occur during the superconductor's transition called a quench and the subsequent energy extraction. As has been previously demonstrated, by using a varistor more energy can be extracted from the coil for the same maximum voltage, or the peak voltage can be reduced compared to a resistor for comparable extraction times. The principles of operation and theory behind the varistor are covered and three case studies are presented. Case 1 presents experimental data on energy extraction with varistors for the CERN Hi-Lumi MCBRD magnets under test at IMPCAS. Case 2 presents experimental data on the FECR sextupole magnet, also under test at IMPCAS. Case 3 covers simulated data for the CERN Hi-Lumi MBXF magnets, under test at KEK.
•A stress-path dependent axial load-strain model of CFST column is proposed.•The effect of confining stress path dependence is studied.•The effects of steel-concrete interface de-bonding on confining ...stress and strength of CFST column are investigated.•The model was verified by 177 test results of CFST columns obtained by the authors and other researchers.
High-strength concrete (HSC) has higher strength-to-weight ratio and stiffness than normal-strength concrete (NSC), which can decrease the size and embodied carbon of columns in tall buildings. Because of the brittleness of HSC, the practical design strength limit of HSC is usually limited for providing minimum ductility. One feasible way to extend this limit would be to use concrete-filled-steel-tube (CFST) column, which has a better strength-ductility performance. There are two shortcomings in theoretical models predicting the stress-strain behaviour of CFST column: (1) Most of the models did not consider the imperfect steel-concrete interface bonding due to their different dilations under axial compression; (2) A stress-path independent confining stress-strain relationship was adopted, which ignored the progressive development of tensile splitting cracks in concrete leading to a more gradual building up of confining stress under passive confinement than active pressure. Herein, to better understand and simulate the behaviour of CFST column, a theoretical stress-strain model, which consists of the following four main components, has been developed: (1) Interaction between steel tube and concrete taken into account the de-bonding effect; (2) An accurate hoop strain equation; (3) A passively confined concrete model considering stress-path dependence; (4) A three-dimensional stress-strain model for steel tube. Comparing with the measured load-strain curves obtained by the authors and other researchers, the accuracy of the proposed model in predicting the axial behaviour of CFST columns has been verified.
Hepatitis C is distributed worldwide and possesses a hidden characteristic. The traditional methods of screening and diagnosis of hepatitis C infection commonly used in clinics are based on anti-HCV ...antibody and HCV RNA detection. Advances in HCV antigen detection technologies can apparently reduce the window period for anti-HCV antibodies, providing new clinical evidence for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of HCV infection. This article is a current review of HCV antigen detection methodologies, clinical applications, and detection strategies.
PurposeThis study aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators related to the implementation of radical innovations in secondary healthcare.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review was ...conducted and presented in accordance with a PRISMA flowchart. The databases PubMed and Web of Science were searched for original publications in English between the 1st of January 2010 and 6th of November 2020. The level of radicalness was determined based on five characteristics of radical innovations. The level of evidence was classified according to the level of evidence scale of the University of Oxford. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used as a framework to classify the barriers and facilitators.FindingsBased on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine publications were included, concerning six technological, two organizational and one treatment innovation. The main barriers for radical innovation implementation in secondary healthcare were lack of human, material and financial resources, and lack of integration and organizational readiness. The main facilitators included a supportive culture, sufficient training, education and knowledge, and recognition of the expected added value.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, this is the first systematic review examining the barriers and facilitators of radical innovation implementation in secondary healthcare. To ease radical innovation implementation, alternative performance systems may be helpful, including the following prerequisites: (1) Money, (2) Added value, (3) Timely knowledge and integration, (4) Culture, and (5) Human resources (MATCH). This study highlights the need for more high-level evidence studies in this area.
Recent studies have shown associations between maternal obesity at pre- or early pregnancy and long-term neurodevelopment in children, suggesting in utero effects of maternal obesity on offspring ...brain development. In this study, we examined whether brain functional connectivity to the prefrontal lobe network is different in newborns from normal-weight or obese mothers. Thirty-four full-term healthy infants from uncomplicated pregnancies were included, with 18 born to normal-weight and 16 born to obese mothers. Two weeks after delivery, the infants underwent an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination during natural sleep, which included structural imaging and resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) scans. Independent component analysis was used to identify the prefrontal lobe network, and dual regression was used to compare functional connectivity between groups. Infants born to normal-weight mothers had higher recruiting (P<0.05, corrected) of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex regions to the prefrontal network after adjusting for maternal intelligence quotient, gestational weight gain and infant postmenstrual age, gender, birth weight/length, head circumference and neonatal diet. The functional connectivity strength in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex negatively correlated (P<0.05) with maternal fat mass percentage measured at early pregnancy. This preliminary study indicates that exposure to maternal obesity in utero may be associated with changes in resting-state functional connectivity in the newborn offspring's brain.
•A stress-path dependent constitutive model of CFFT column was proposed.•Bi-axial stress state of FRP tube was studied.•The effect of stress path dependence of confined concrete in CFFT column was ...studied.•The model was verified by 28 test results obtained by other researchers.
Confinement, such as hollow-steel tube (HST) and fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube, can improve not only the loading capacity of concrete structures, but also ductility. Compared with HST, FRP tube has stronger flexural and tensile strength, as well as resistance against corrosion. It is also lighter and more durable. Thus, concrete-filled-FRP-tube (CFFT) column is ideal for new buildings’ construction for improving safety, prolonging design life and enhancing sustainability. However, their experimental studies are relatively limited, and the existing stress-strain models cannot capture their full range behaviour. Herein, to understand more thoroughly and simulate the uni-axial performance of CFFT columns, a database collecting 28 CFFT columns test results is assembled for establishing a new stress-strain model that comprises the following 4 parts: (1) A model of hoop strain set up by the authors taking into account the effects of concrete splitting cracks; (2) An adjusted constitutive model of actively confined concrete incorporating confining stress path dependent effect; (3) Bi-axial stress model of FRP tube; (4) A model addressing the compatibility condition of concrete and FRP tube. Finally, the theoretical axial stress-strain curve matches very well with those experimental curves of CFFT columns, which verifies the validity of the model proposed in this study.
Fe(Te,Se) is a simple, iron-based compound that is conducive to the study of superconductivity mechanisms and has potential for large-scale applications. At present, Fe(Te,Se) thin films are ...primarily prepared using the pulsed laser deposition method. Herein, FeTe
0.6
Se
0.4
films were grown by magnetron sputtering on CaF
2
substrates. The effect of sputtering pressure on the superconductivity of the film was investigated. Excessive pressure caused a higher iron content, which affected the superconductivity and prevented it from completely reaching a zero-resistance state. Δ
T
c
was smaller for the film grown under 0.2 Pa, and its upper critical field reached 144.35 T, which indicates its greater application potential. Our results illustrated that sputtering pressure was a critical process parameter, which provided an important reference for future research to fabricate commercial iron-based superconducting tapes by magnetron sputtering.
Shoulder dislocation represents a prevalent category within joint dislocation, accounting for about 40% of all joint dislocations, and anterior dislocation stands out as the prevailing type. It has ...been reported that in 1.6% of patients, the Latarjet procedure performed under arthroscopy involves transferring the coracoid process to the anterior-inferior aspect of the glenoid and fixing it with two bicortical screws. The tip of the screws may impinge the suprascapular nerve located behind the scapula, resulting in shoulder pain and weakness. This study was performed to analyze the risk of suprascapular nerve (SSN) injury caused by bicortical screws during arthroscopic Latarjet surgery and to identify reliable anatomical landmarks for Latarjet surgery.
Dissection was conducted on 23 fresh adult intact shoulder joint specimens, and the experimental protocol complied with the hospital's ethical requirements for research. Using the glenoid clock face as a reference, the distances between the suprascapular nerve and the anterior edge of the glenoid were measured at the 12:00, 11:00, 10:00, and 9:00 positions, as well as at the level of the suprascapular notch and the level of the spinoglenoid notch. The distances between the suprascapular nerve and the narrowest point of the glenoid rim and the clock scale were recorded. The scapula was divided into three zones, and the number of nerve branches in each zone was recorded. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. The suprascapular nerve trunk and branches were marked using radiopaque lines, and measurements were taken at three positions in computed tomography horizontal scans: the suprascapular foramen, the spinoglenoid notch, and the point of entry of the outermost nerve branch into the muscle.
The suprascapular nerve originates from the brachial plexus, passes downward and backward through the suprascapular foramen, closely adheres to the bone surface, and runs outward and downward deep to the supraspinatus muscle. The distances between the suprascapular nerve and the glenoid rim at the 12:00, 11:00, 10:00, and 9:00 positions were 335.18±2.31 mm, 28.23±3.47 mm, 22.32±2.78 mm, and 22.12±2.07 mm, respectively. There was a mean of 1.12 nerve branches in zone 1, 2.86 in zone 2, and 3.64 in zone 3. In the neutral position of the shoulder joint, the horizontal distance between point A and the axillary nerve was 27.37 (19.80, 34.55) mm, and the vertical distance was 16.67 (12.85, 20.35) mm.
The use of bicortical screws, especially upper screws, for Latarjet fixation at the level of the spinoglenoid notch, is associated with the risk of suprascapular nerve injury. The narrowest distance between the glenoid rim and the suprascapular nerve was found between 9:00 and 9:30 at the glenoid clock surface. Therefore, caution should be exercised when performing any procedure related to this area. Overall, the Latarjet procedure is a reliable and effective surgical technique, providing benefits such as favorable positioning of the coracoid graft and low bone absorption rate, while also avoiding the potential for suprascapular nerve injury.
While it is known that breastfeeding promotes healthy brain development in children, the potential effects of formulas substantially differing in composition (ie, milk-based versus soy-based) during ...infancy on brain development are unclear.
Seventy-one 8-year-old children who were predominantly breastfed, milk formula fed, or soy formula fed during infancy were recruited for an MR imaging examination of the brain and a Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function assessment (completed via a questionnaire to the parents). Brain cortical features measured from MR imaging such as cortical thickness and surface area were extracted and compared among groups and correlated with Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function test scores.
Clusters in the frontal and occipital lobes showed significant differences (cluster-wise
≤ .05, corrected for multiple comparisons) in cortical thickness or surface area among the 3 diet groups. The effects were more prominent for boys, particularly for comparison of the milk formula fed versus soy formula fed boys. Assessments of executive function and behavior showed significantly lower Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function test scores in soy formula fed versus milk formula fed groups, which were mostly attributed to differences in boys. There were no differences between milk formula fed and breastfed groups for either sex. Mean cortical thickness for several of the clusters in the brain showing infant diet-associated effects significantly correlated with Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function scores.
Choices of infant diets (ie, breastfed, milk formula fed, soy formula fed) may have long-term and sex-specific effects on the cortical development and executive function and behavior of children's brains.
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