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IN designing for passenger comfort in modern commercial aircraft, many laboratory tests and research investigations have shown that the fundamental requirement for human comfort is physiological, and can be summed up by saying that the optimum conditions for comfort are those existing when the body can maintain complete thermal equilibrium, with only minor adjustments in the heat regulating mechanism of the body. Heat is produced in the human body by the process known as metabolism, in which food is oxidized, or absorbed, by the cells in the body. The body temperature is the result of the automatic balancing of this heat production—which is more than the amount needed to keep the body warm—and the heat loss from the body. Heat is lost by radiation, convection, and evaporation. The radiation loss is dependent upon the skin, or clothing, temperature, and also the temperature of any surrounding surfaces. The convective heat loss is a function of air velocity over the body and a positive temperature differential between the skin, or clothing temperature, and that of the surrounding atmosphere. The evaporative loss is a function of temperature, velocity, and humidity, and takes place when the partial pressure of the water vapour in the surrounding air is less than the pressure of the moisture on the skin, or in the lungs.

Bank management, from a finance theory perspective, is generally acknowledged to involve the management of four major balance sheet risks: liquidity risk, interest rate risk, capital risk and credit risk (Hempel et al, 1989). Of these, credit risk has commonly been identified as the key risk in terms of its influence on bank performance (Sinkey, 1992, p.279) and bank failure (Spadaford, 1988).

Although adverse events are less studied in the prehospital setting, the evidence is beginning to paint an alarming picture. Consequently, improvements in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) demand a paradigm shift regarding the way care is conceptualized. The chapter aims to (1) support the dialogue on near-misses and adverse events as a learning opportunity and (2) to provide insights on applications of multiteam systems (MTSs).

To offer discussion on near-misses and adverse events and knowledge on how MTSs are applicable to emergency medical care, we review and dissect a complex patient case.

Throughout this case discussion, we uncover seven pertinent issues specific to this particular MTS: (1) misunderstanding with number of patients and their locations, (2a) lack of context to build a mental model, (2b) no time or resources to think, (3) expertise-facilitated diagnosis, (4) lack of communication contributing to a medication error, (5) treatment plan selection, (6) extended time on scene, and (7) organizational culture impacting treatment plan decisions.

By dissecting a patient case within the prehospital setting, we can highlight the value in engaging in dialogue regarding near-misses and adverse events. Further, we can demonstrate the need to expand the focus from simply teams to MTSs.

Longitudinal data are required to characterise and measure the dynamics of income-related health inequalities (IRHI). This chapter develops a framework to evaluate the impact of population changes on the level of cross-sectional IRHI over time and thereby provides further insight into how health inequalities develop or perpetuate themselves in a society. The approach is illustrated by an empirical analysis of the increase in IRHI in Great Britain between 1999 and 2004 using the British Household Panel Survey. The results imply that levels of IRHI would have been even higher in 2004 but for the entry of youths into the adult population and deaths, with these natural processes of population turnover serving to partially mask the increase in IRHI among the resident adult population over the five-year period. We conclude that a failure to take demographic changes into account may lead to erroneous conclusions on the effectiveness of policies designed to tackle health inequalities.

The study of the diffusion of innovations into libraries has become a cottage industry of sorts, as libraries have always provided a fascinating test-bed of nonprofit institutions attempting improvement through the use of new policies, practices, and assorted apparatus (Malinconico, 1997). For example, Paul Sturges (1996) has focused on the evolution of public library services over the course of 70 years across England, while Verna Pungitore (1995) presented the development of standardization of library planning policies in contemporary America. For the past several decades, however, the study of diffusion in libraries has tended to focus on the implementation of information technologies (e.g., Clayton, 1997; Tran, 2005; White, 2001) and their associated competencies (e.g., Marshall, 1990; Wildemuth, 1992), the improvements in performance associated with their use (e.g., Damanpour, 1985, 1988; Damanpour & Evan, 1984), and ways to manage resistance to technological changes within the library environment (e.g., Weiner, 2003).

Occupational stress is common in the workplace and leads to various negative outcomes such as burnout, turnover, and medical problems. Although occupational stress is associated with negative connotations, it also can foster workplace resiliency. Workplace resiliency involves the ability to recover quickly in the face of adversity. Emotionally laborious jobs, or jobs in which employees must modify, manage, or regulate their emotions as part of their work role, are inherently stressful. Thus, such jobs, while stress-inducing, may also offer employees opportunities to become more resilient at work. Currently, display rules, rules encouraging the suppression and expression of certain emotions, dictate workplace emotions and thus, interactions. Ultimately, display rule adherence makes it difficult for employees engaging in emotional labor to build resilience. In this chapter, the authors detail how and when emotional labor encounters lead to episodic and prolonged workplace resilience. Specifically, the authors outline instances in which employees engaging in emotional labor can create and sustain workplace resiliency by not deploying an acting strategy and instead, breaking character. The authors further discuss individual and organizational factors that may impact this process as well such as personality and organizational culture that serve as potential boundary conditions to workplace resilience capacity. The authors conclude with implications for both researchers and practitioners.