Nottingham Trent University

About: Nottingham Trent University is a education organization based out in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Addiction. The organization has 4702 authors who have published 12862 publications receiving 307430 citations. The organization is also known as: NTU & Trent Polytechnic.

The convergence of gambling and digital media: implications for gambling in young people.

Abstract: Adolescents’ use of the Internet and other digital media for the purpose of gambling represents a serious concern in modern society. This paper overviews some of the available monetary and non-monetary forms of gambling within new digital and online media and monetary forms of games with gambling-like experiences. With reference to current psychological knowledge on the risk factors that promote adolescent gambling, it is suggested that new gambling technologies may: (a) make gambling more accessible and attractive to young people, (b) may promote factually incorrect information about gambling, (c) provide an easy escape from real world problems such as depression and social isolation, (d) create a gambling environment that easily facilitates peer pressures to gamble, (e) ease parental transmission of gambling attitudes and beliefs, and (f) make gambling more ubiquitous and socially acceptable. The unique risks of Internet gambling for young people are critically discussed, as well as the lack of restricted classification for video games and other media that feature interactive, non-monetary forms of gambling.

Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis

Abstract: Due to the well-defined role of β-alanine as a substrate of carnosine (a major contributor to H+ buffering during high-intensity exercise), β-alanine is fast becoming a popular ergogenic aid to sports performance. There have been several recent qualitative review articles published on the topic, and here we present a preliminary quantitative review of the literature through a meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of the literature was employed to identify all studies suitable for inclusion in the analysis; strict exclusion criteria were also applied. Fifteen published manuscripts were included in the analysis, which reported the results of 57 measures within 23 exercise tests, using 18 supplementation regimes and a total of 360 participants [174, β-alanine supplementation group (BA) and 186, placebo supplementation group (Pla)]. BA improved (P = 0.002) the outcome of exercise measures to a greater extent than Pla [median effect size (IQR): BA 0.374 (0.140–0.747), Pla 0.108 (−0.019 to 0.487)]. Some of that effect might be explained by the improvement (P = 0.013) in exercise capacity with BA compared to Pla; no improvement was seen for exercise performance (P = 0.204). In line with the purported mechanisms for an ergogenic effect of β-alanine supplementation, exercise lasting 60–240 s was improved (P = 0.001) in BA compared to Pla, as was exercise of >240 s (P = 0.046). In contrast, there was no benefit of β-alanine on exercise lasting <60 s (P = 0.312). The median effect of β-alanine supplementation is a 2.85% (−0.37 to 10.49%) improvement in the outcome of an exercise measure, when a median total of 179 g of β-alanine is supplemented.

Critical realism in information systems research

Abstract: Critical realism offers exciting prospects in shifting attention toward the real problems that one faces and their underlying causes. As such, it offers a robust framework for the use of a variety of methods in order to gain a better understanding of the meaning and significance of information systems in the contemporary world. One of the interesting tensions is that Archer's argument for the centrality of reflexivity in contemporary conditions tends to downplay both routine action and tacit forms of knowing, whereas a considerable volume of work on organizations and IS stresses the centrality of both. A great strength of the paper is that MA is used in an in-depth study to reveal over a long time line the processes and mechanisms that explain how the ICT for development trajectory emerged from the interplay of interactions at different levels of players in global, national, public, private, third sector, and civil society institutions and organizations.

Communities of Practice and Habitus: A Critique

Abstract: Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus is frequently drawn upon in work on learning and knowledge in organizations. However, this use is much looser than Bourdieu’s emphasis on habitus as generative structure. This tension is explored in an examination of the work of UK public house managers, using the notion of communities of practice. The issues that this raises about habitus are developed through a consideration of the work of Basil Bernstein. His work indicates the value of a concept that emphasizes durable dispositions to act, but such a concept needs to be embedded in a relational conception of the agency-structure divide.

Target value design: using collaboration and a lean approach to reduce construction cost

Abstract: Target costing is an effective management technique that has been used in manufacturing for decades to achieve cost predictability during new product development Adoption of this technique promises benefits for the construction industry as it struggles to raise the number of successful outcomes and certainty of project delivery in terms of cost, quality and time Target value design is a management approach that takes the best features of target costing and adapts them to the peculiarities of construction The concept of target value design is introduced based on the results of action research carried out on 12 construction projects in the USA It has been shown that systemic application of target value design leads to significant improvement of project performance—the final cost of projects was on average 15% less than market cost The construction industry already has approaches that have similarities with elements of the target value design process or use the same terminology, eg partnering and targ