INTEGRATED RISK MANAGEMENT—PROCEDURES AND TOOLS

Peer Review: The Best of the Blemished?

ObjectivesPerinatal death review programmes collect perinatal mortality data and identify modifiable factors in preventable perinatal deaths. Reviews may provide closure and answers to bereaved parents. Many parents remain uninvolved in the review process. This qualitative study aimed to explore the opinions of maternity staff regarding the existing review system, parent involvement in reviews and standardising the review system.MethodsThis study involved interviews with staff from three maternity units in different locations around Ireland. A topic guide was used to guide the discussion. We spoke with staff members from different backgrounds and managerial levels, including doctors, midwives, patient advocates, risk managers and pastoral care. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the results.Results32 interviews were conducted between May and December 2022. Three themes and six associated subthemes were generated relating to communication with parents regarding review and their involvement in this process. Participants felt that parents were not involved enough in the review process and that communication with parents about reviews needed improvement. A parent advocate was viewed as important for guidance and support for parents during the review process. Facilitators included an easy-to-use, electronic review form and providing education about the review process. Barriers included local resistance to changing the process and lack of time to complete reviews.ConclusionPerinatal death reviews are not standardised in Ireland. Communication with parents and parent involvement in reviews could be improved. Highlighted facilitators and barriers should be addressed prior to implementing any proposed changes to the review system.

Objective. Neural decoding is an important tool in neural engineering and neural data analysis. Of various machine learning algorithms adopted for neural decoding, the recently introduced deep learning is promising to excel. Therefore, we sought to apply deep learning to decode movement trajectories from the activity of motor cortical neurons. Approach. In this paper, we assessed the performance of deep learning methods in three different decoding schemes, concurrent, time-delay, and spatiotemporal. In the concurrent decoding scheme where the input to the network is the neural activity coincidental to the movement, deep learning networks including artificial neural network (ANN) and long-short term memory (LSTM) were applied to decode movement and compared with traditional machine learning algorithms. Both ANN and LSTM were further evaluated in the time-delay decoding scheme in which temporal delays are allowed between neural signals and movements. Lastly, in the spatiotemporal decoding scheme, we trained convolutional neural network (CNN) to extract movement information from images representing the spatial arrangement of neurons, their activity, and connectomes (i.e. the relative strengths of connectivity between neurons) and combined CNN and ANN to develop a hybrid spatiotemporal network. To reveal the input features of the CNN in the hybrid network that deep learning discovered for movement decoding, we performed a sensitivity analysis and identified specific regions in the spatial domain. Main results. Deep learning networks (ANN and LSTM) outperformed traditional machine learning algorithms in the concurrent decoding scheme. The results of ANN and LSTM in the time-delay decoding scheme showed that including neural data from time points preceding movement enabled decoders to perform more robustly when the temporal relationship between the neural activity and movement dynamically changes over time. In the spatiotemporal decoding scheme, the hybrid spatiotemporal network containing the concurrent ANN decoder outperformed single-network concurrent decoders. Significance. Taken together, our study demonstrates that deep learning could become a robust and effective method for the neural decoding of behavior.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been utilized for both transient and stable transformations of plants. These transformation methods have been used in fields such as breeding GM crops, protein production in plant cells, and the functional analysis of genes. However, some plants have significantly lower transient gene transfer and stable transformation rates, creating a technical barrier that needs to be resolved. In this study, Super-Agrobacterium was updated to ver. 4 by introducing both the ACC deaminase (acdS) and GABA transaminase (gabT) genes, whose resultant enzymes degrade ACC, the ethylene precursor, and GABA, respectively. A. tumefaciens strain GV2260, which is similar to other major strains (EHA105, GV3101, LBA4404, and MP90), was used in this study. The abilities of the Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4 were evaluated in Erianthus ravennae, Solanum lycopersicum “Micro-Tom,” Nicotiana benthamiana, and S. torvum. Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4 showed the highest T-DNA transfer (transient transformation) frequencies in E. ravennae and S. lycopersicum, but not in N. benthamiana and S. torvum. In tomato, Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4 increased the stable transformation rate by 3.6-fold compared to the original GV2260 strain. Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4 enables reduction of the amount of time and labor required for transformations by approximately 72%, and is therefore a more effective and powerful tool for plant genetic engineering and functional analysis, than the previously developed strains. As our system has a plasmid containing the acdS and gabT genes, it could be used in combination with other major strains such as EHA105, EHA101, LBA4404, MP90, and AGL1. Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4, could thus possibly be a breakthrough application for improving basic plant science research methods.

Articles in Part 4This is the companion to the three-part inaugural theme issue that constituted Volume 1 of the International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning. In combination, the numbers in that volume published the first wave of the refereed proceedings of the 2nd international pedagogies and learning conference, which was conducted at the Toowoomba campus of the University of Southern Queensland in Australia from 18 to 20 September 2005 with the theme Meanings Under the Microscope. This special theme issue publishes the articles that make up the second wave of the conference's refereed proceedings - that is, those papers that were submitted after the conference for refereeing and possible publication. As with all refereed articles in the journal, these articles have undergone a rigorous, 'double blind' process of review by at least two anonymous referees.This section of this editorial introduction presents an overview of the papers making up the conference's second wave of refereed proceedings. As anticipated in the introduction to the previous issue, the next section is a selection of reflections on some of the broader implications raised by the articles in the journal's first four issues that constitute those proceedings.The first article, by Carol Butler-Made, Jeanne Allen and John Campbell from Central Queensland University in Australia, analyses the roles and experiences of teacher practitioners within the partnership arrangement in that institution's Bachelor of Learning Management degree. The authors cluster the results of a survey questionnaire with such practitioners around two themes distilling the perceived benefits and constraints of that agreement: professional growth and transition. In doing so, they reflect on a question that lies at the heart of all professional networks and partnerships: What's in it for us?.In the second article, by Henk Huijser from the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, the author interrogates assumptions underpinning the combined use of two contemporary concepts: the 'Net Generation'; and multiliteracies. Huijser argues for a shift from a teacher- to a learner-directed approach to enacting and engaging these concepts in order to maximise their potential benefits for learners. In doing so, he presents a number of possible strategies for that enactment and engagement.Tim Davis, Theda Thomas and Alanah Kazlauskas from the Australian Catholic University in Australia use the third article to present an account of a course about reasoning and critical thinking for information systems professionals in the Bachelor of Information Systems degree at their institution. The authors reflect on how the academic team developing the course used action research to inform their pedagogical practices, drawing on successive sets of survey questionnaire data to underpin their analysis. Davis, Thomas and Kazlauskas conclude by advocating the more comprehensive consideration and application of both critical thinking and action research in course development in contemporary universities.The fourth article, by Debra Manning from Monash University in Australia, explores the benefits of lecturers teaching in multicultural classrooms using a phenomenographic approach and metaphor analysis to enrich their pedagogy. The author applies cultural pedagogy as a conceptual lens for reflecting on the strategies that she developed to facilitate shared understanding between her Australian and international students. The article has a clear resonance with wider efforts to achieve the transformative potential of international education.Vicki Jones, Jun H. Jo and Jeonghye Han from Griffith University in Australia use the fifth article to ponder the possible pedagogical applications and implications of robotassisted learning. In particular, they argue that software robots can become effective tools in promoting e-learning if their design is based on constructivist learning principles. …

In recent years, the Indiana Department of Transportation (DOT) and other state transportation agencies have increasingly implemented non-capacity expansion projects or strategies due to their benefits in improving flow, safety, and reducing delay in the transportation network at low capital, operations, and maintenance costs. The quantification of the benefits of these strategies has also become very important due to increasingly challenging local and regional fiscal conditions. With this in mind, this project developed a framework and a tool for the evaluation of economic development impacts of corridor improvements at the sketch-level of planning. The resulting framework and tool, called “Tool for Operations – Economic Impact Analysis” (TOPS-EIA), is based on a framework and tool from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) called Tool for Operations Benefit Cost Analysis (TOPS-BC). TOPS-EIA takes the expected impacts of each strategy on corridor performance and translates them into business cost savings and economic development impacts through a set of statewide economic multipliers. TOPS-EIA is subdivided into 4 modules: arterial signal coordination (ASC) strategies, traffic incident management (TIM) strategies, work zone management (WZM) strategies, and access management (AM) strategies. Additionally, a qualitative tool for road diet (RD) strategies was developed. To demonstrate TOPS-EIA, two case studies of ASC strategies were conducted. The results showed that this type of strategies could provide not only significant user cost savings, but also economic development impacts, expressed as gross regional product, job-years, and real personal income. The proposed methodology and tool can assist DOTs, Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations (MPOs and RPOs) in assessing the benefits of non-capacity expansion projects at the early and middle stage planning processes and, therefore, contribute to better-informed decisions.

Developing regional air quality management strategies is a difficult task because formation of air pollutants is interdependent and air quality at different locations may have different responses to emissions from common sources. We developed an optimization-based model, OPtimal integrated Emission Reduction Alternatives (OPERA), which allows for identifications of least-cost control strategies for attaining multipollutant air quality targets at multiple locations simultaneously. To implement OPERA, first, sensitivities of air quality to precursor emission changes are quantified. Second, cost functions of emission reductions are estimated using a cost analysis tool that includes a pool of available control measures. The third step is to determine desired reductions in concentrations of air pollutants. The last step is to identify the optimal control strategies by minimizing costs of emission controls using the sensitivities of air pollutants to emission changes, cost functions, and constraints for feasible emission reduction ratios. A case study that investigates ozone and PM2.5 air quality in the summer of 2007 for five major cities in the eastern United States is presented in this paper. The results of the OPERA calculations show that reductions in regional NOx and VOC as well as local primary PM2.5 emissions were more cost-effective than SO2 controls for decreasing ozone and total PM2.5 concentrations in the summer of 2007. This was because reductions in SO2 emissions would only decrease PM2.5 concentrations, and reductions in primary PM2.5 emissions were more cost-effective than SO2 emission controls.Implications: We developed an optimization-based model, OPtimal integrated Emission Reduction Alternatives (OPERA), which allows for identification of least-cost emission control strategies for attaining multipollutant air quality targets at multiple locations simultaneously. A major strength of OPERA is its flexibility, which allows for changes in air quality regulations, involving agencies, study regions, and so on, to be readily incorporated. Overall, it has been demonstrated that OPERA is useful in developing least-cost emission control strategies for achieving multipollutant air quality targets at multiple locations simultaneously and could be useful for policymakers developing integrated air quality management plans.

Background: In different crises without any exception, especially sudden emergencies, the role of human effective components (HECs), native human effective components (NHECs) (belonging to a specific space and location), and especially core native human effective components (CNHECs); and among CNHECs, level of management skills, ignorance, and manager’s mind bandwidth are of vital importance in crisis management. These three specified CNHECs can affect crisis management and managers as well as the level of latency in planning, strategy, and management, and as such through a complexity of reactions (i.e. A. affective, B. behavioral, and C. cognitive reactions) to increase resiliency and decrease distress in metropolitan urban areas. The time limitation is also an important issue to be considered. Materials and Methods: The type of review method has been integrative review. For a better review process, 200 articles during an approximately 50-year time (1972-2021) period during 3 years of the review process were studied and for the selection method, the well-known scientific databases and universities, the search terms, and inclusion/exclusion criteria were selected, analyzed, and summarized through a review protocol. Results: We aim to shed light on HECs preparation of NHECs and CNHECs in disaster management which will generate a good understanding to increase the resiliency and decrease the distress in crisis managers in times of sudden emergencies in metropoles as a sustainable development framework for the future. Conclusion: By creating the proposed taxonomy and classification of CNHECs in crisis management (managers), at first a better understanding will be obtained which in times of sudden crisis can increase resiliency and decrease distress generating a sustainable development framework.

Products containing chemicals with eye irritation potential need to be labeled with the respective hazard symbol. To avoid the testing of numerous dilutions of chemicals on animals, their labeling is directed by a theoretical approach. In this report, a previously described in vitro tissue model of the cornea based on human epithelial cells was used for eye irritation testing of dilutions. As a sensitive and non-destructive method to analyze the barrier function of the epithelium, impedance spectroscopy was applied. Moreover, the morphology and viability of the epithelial models were assessed. We tested four chemicals that, neatly, cause severe damage to the eye: tetrahydrofuran, acetic acid, diethylethanolamine, and benzalkonium chloride. With our test method, we were able to determine the concentrations of the chemicals which are critical for the integrity of the cornea. The threshold was < 0.1% for the most and > 5% for the least toxic substance. The described test system is not only an alternative for animal models but also for the theoretical examination of the hazard potential of diluted chemicals. By using the advantages of tissue engineering and non-destructive analysis tools, we can achieve more precise and safer labeling of the eye irritation potential of products.

Through the remanufacturing process, obsolete, broken, and end-of-use products are brought to “a like new condition”. Remanufacturing is an example of implementation of circular economy at a company level. There are few studies on responsible resource management in a remanufacturing process. This paper contributes to this research gap by presenting a two-layered framework, which uses the maturity model theory, and it allows for a quick scan of a remanufacturing process. First, in the descriptive layer of the framework we define five maturity levels with regard to responsible resource management. We analyze water, emissions, energy, and materials, and describe relevant responsible resource management practices, which we link with maturity levels. We also design the relevant self-assessment tool which utilizes the existing expert’s knowledge of a company. Then, in the prescriptive layer of the framework, we propose a method for the identification of the maturity gap, and areas for improvement. We develop a procedure for prioritizing the measures, which shall be implemented in order to achieve a higher level of responsible resource management in a remanufacturing company. The framework is tested in small and medium-sized enterprises from the automotive industry.

The process of reviewing, assessing and improving the organization's IT risk management requires some basic information summarized in a process maturity profile. In general, IT risk management standards or frameworks do not include a mechanism for assessing the maturity level of process implementations. This study was conducted to develop a framework, which can be applied to assess the maturity level of IT risk management under ISO / IEC 27005. A standards-based management system implementation can be represented as a model cycle of planning, implementation, validation and also action plan. The proposed evaluation framework consists of templates, methods, and working papers. Therefore, the template focus on the evaluation areas, which are planning, execution, validation, and execution, then evaluation area details (8 domains, 35 subdomains, 82 items), and evaluation metrics and criteria. Meanwhile, a working paper has been created to assist in conducting the evaluation. Actually, by using this evaluation framework, it can provide a representation of the maturity level from the entire process in managing IT risk, based on the provisions of ISO/IEC 27005. This framework complements the existing model with the representation of (1) providing a single-cycle planning, establishment, validation, and execution, (2) evaluation tools, (3) more comprehensive data collection methods, and (4) priority list of elements to be reformed and/or improved.

Since the original publication of this book, available computer power has increased greatly. Today, scientific computing is playing an ever more prominent role as a tool in scientific discovery and engineering analysis. In this second edition, the key addition is an introduction to the finite element method. This is a widely used technique for solving partial differential equations (PDEs) in complex domains. This text introduces numerical methods and shows how to develop, analyse, and use them. Complete MATLAB programs for all the worked examples are now available at www.cambridge.org/Moin, and more than 30 exercises have been added. This thorough and practical book is intended as a first course in numerical analysis, primarily for new graduate students in engineering and physical science. Along with mastering the fundamentals of numerical methods, students will learn to write their own computer programs using standard numerical methods.

BEES algorithm, inspired by the natural foraging behaviour of honey bees, is one among new meta-heuristic optimisation techniques. However, the performance of the algorithm depends on its parameters levels and need to be determined and analysed before its implementation. This paper proposes the integrated algorithm based on steepest descent algorithm (SDA) and the Nelder–Mead modified simplex method (MSM) for investigating the proper BEES parameter levels for truckload trucking management. The dynamic multi-zone dispatching problem concentrates on the quantities of inbound and outbound in each area and it is modified from the multi-zone dispatching. The factors of the rearrangement penalty of the area, in each zone, including time periods are also included. In this research there are various levels of areas, zones, inbound, outbound and time periods. In practice both elements from this integrated algorithm are very easy to implement. An aim to integrate SDA and MSM is to produce faster and more accurate convergence when managing zones with minimal imbalance scenario via an application of the BEES algorithm. The main purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how the BEES can be improved by incorporating a proper parameter level selection strategy. Experimental results were analysed in terms of best solutions found so far, mean and standard deviation on both the imbalance and execution time to converge to the optimum. In a suite of tested problems taken from Thai leading transportation company, computational results of the investigation of parameter selection show that the integrated approach outperforms other two original techniques of the SDA and MSM in terms of solution quality and convergence rate. The comparison shows that the integrated algorithm provides largely favourable performance measures of accuracy, robustness and problem evaluation. Finally a recommendation of proper level settings of BEES parameters for some selected problem sizes that can be used as a guideline for future applications of the BEES. This is to promote ease of use of the BEES in real life problems. This study also found that number of zones affect iterations toward the optimum. Number of areas affects the imbalance. The parameters of zone and area are then the important variables for these multi-zone dispatching systems.

To assess the change in level of diabetes quality management in primary care groups and outpatient clinics after feedback and tailored support. This before-and-after study with a 1-year follow-up surveyed quality managers on six domains of quality management. Questionnaires measured organization of care, multidisciplinary teamwork, patient centeredness, performance results, quality improvement policy, and management strategies (score range 0-100%). Based on the scores, responders received feedback and a benchmark and were granted access to a toolbox of quality improvement instruments. If requested, additional support in improving quality management was available, consisting of an elucidating phone call or a visit from an experienced consultant. After 1 year, the level of quality management was measured again. Of the initially 60 participating care groups, 51 completed the study. The total quality management score improved from 59.8% (95% CI 57.0-62.6%) to 65.1% (62.8-67.5%; P < 0.0001). The same applied to all six domains. The feedback and benchmark improved the total quality management score (P = 0.001). Of the 44 participating outpatient clinics, 28 completed the study. Their total score changed from 65.7% (CI 60.3-71.1%) to 67.3% (CI 62.9-71.7%; P = 0.30). Only the results in the domain multidisciplinary teamwork improved (P = 0.001). Measuring quality management and providing feedback and a benchmark improves the level of quality management in care groups but not in outpatient clinics. The questionnaires might also be a useful asset for other diabetes care groups, such as Accountable Care Organizations.

Strategic decisions are long term, highly unstructured, complex, inherently risky, and have a great impact on the future of the organization. Strategic decisions are those important decisions that typically require a vast number of organizational resources, and consideration of the firm’s environment consideration. Decision-making is so important that none of the managerial functions can be performed without it. Decisions influence organizational direction, administration, and structure. Decisions can be costly or beneficial depending on the approach of the decision-making process, the quality of the decisions made. In this regard, strategic decision- making should be well communicated. In an organic company with a stated focus on the people who make it up, its flexibility allows important information to arrive in necessary doses, impacting daily decisions and in the organization itself, with no conflicting messages to the market and simplifying the process of an implementation strategy. Communication holds several fences to implementing a strategy in a company. The strategies of communication are created when there is a crisis or a major event clearly requiring communication issues to be resolved. Most companies understand and appreciate the importance of creating strategic plans to drive decision making over the long term. Strategic and proper communication gives a channeling on how to deal with upheavals such as major changes in the company or organization, layoffs and downsizing, and technological change. The idea is that the companies cannot organize organizational resources without knowing where the organization wants to be and how it will get there, hence effective communication is a key factor to consider. This paper sought to establish the relationship between strategic decision making, the organizational performance and the role of strategic communication on the relationship. The paper adopted a qualitative research design and used secondary data. A critique on previous studies done by scholars. A significant relationship between strategic decision-makings and organization performance was established. The paper revealed that strategic decision-makings and organization performance will be incorporated as such decision support system these factors will be the catalyst between strategic decision-makings and organization performance. The paper recommended that responsible managers should be geared towards facing and tackling the challenges of strategic communication like poor authority structure, lack of coordination and support from other management levels and resistance from lower levels and poor planning activities in order to realize better performance. Keywords: Strategic Decision-Making, Strategic Communication, Organisational performance